The shutdown formation

[Paddyjack]

I was always wondering, let's say you absolutely need a win, and then you score, it is 1-0, that is all you need..... is there a formation that would completely shut down scoring chances of the opponents for the rest of the game?

[khris]

I was always wondering, let's say you absolutely need a win, and then you score, it is 1-0, that is all you need..... is there a formation that would completely shut down scoring chances of the opponents for the rest of the game?

I guess that no

You can try a combination with very defensive + long passing + counters and offside OFF and high pressure to try to keep the players next to your goal,then maybe a formation with 5 defensers but, there's not a guarantee.

[LegendaryForward]

If you are playing Defensive formation then You cant shut down opponents scoring Chances. They will even create more but it will be hard for them to score a Goal. Defensive formation works sometimes. but As opponents is still creating Chances he can Score a goal.Just like Some team in La Liga try to Defend vs Madrid & Barcelona but Match ends with more than 3 goals scored. If you want opponent to create less chances then just play possession football with short passing with crowded midfield. But he can counter if you lost the ball. There is no shutdown formation, actually. You can play defensive or Possession football to stop your opponent. But nothing is guaranteed

[Jeeves]

My style is the same as what LegendaryForward explained.

Prior prevention. Don't let the ball get past the midfield. Defenders can get outplayed by the opposing players but if things never escalate to the part where your defenders have to get involved, there ain't gonna be no scoring chance to begin with.

Employing more players in the middle will provide you with more possession as LegendaryForward suggests.

[Perry Sih]

Possession game = you have more midefielders than your opponent
Good defense = you have two or more more defensemen than your opponent has strikers

In other words, if you want a shutdown formation, you leave only one striker, and go 4-1-4-1 or 5-4-1, depending on your opponent's formation. Personallly, I find the DMC very important in intercepting passes.

My shutdown formation: 4-1-4-1, hard defending, attacking from flank, short passes, counterattack off, high pressure, normal tackling (you don't want cards), man-on-man marking, offside trap off.

[LeManiaque]

I've had crap luck switching from preferred 4411 attacking to 4141 defensive once I have a lead. If I start 4141, my DMC does 7-8 form, we can score and win; but not when I switch late game. I'll try hard defending next time.

[Perry Sih]

I've had crap luck switching from preferred 4411 attacking to 4141 defensive once I have a lead. If I start 4141, my DMC does 7-8 form, we can score and win; but not when I switch late game. I'll try hard defending next time.

It also depends a lot on the opponent's formation, and the random number generator, of course.