CM4: Interested

[SunDancer]

I always liked the trapping systems in hoops and hockey. Taking notes from the Minnesota Wild and New Jersey Devils for their trapping systems, could it work in CM4 tatic. I like to instill one, and wonder if it could be successful. I believe that the 4-1-3-1 tatic is a good base to work from, as it works with players working together and working and mininiziming space for opponents and quickly counterattacking. Could it work?


Also, how bout maybe a CM4 forum on the site?

[MrBug708]

Try it out

I like a 2-1-4-1-2 for my CM teams. It's deadly in CM 01/02

[Mac Howard]

The fashionable formation this summer in European soccer is 4-2-3-1, sundancer. It's said by some that Alex Ferguson (Man Utd manager) is taking up this and is one reason why Beckham was allowed to go to Real ( Ronaldinho will fit into this better that Beckham).

[GoldenEagle]

I think what your talking about is letting the opponent come to you, then hitting the with a counter attack the other way.

This being said, you can take out a team like this who is better technically than you.

[GoldenEagle]

Dola -

I would look for player with speed and good defending skills. Also passing may come into affect. I would also like to have one guy who can finish at a great rate.

[SunDancer]

Originally posted by GoldenEagle
I think what your talking about is letting the opponent come to you, then hitting the with a counter attack the other way.

This being said, you can take out a team like this who is better technically than you.

Yes, the trapping system is boring and not about being offensive, but about playing smart defensive and taking advantage of miskates by the opponents.

Here is what the 1-2-2 Minnesota Wild Trapping System is:
Minnesota has used a fierce forecheck and excellent speed and skating ability to force teams into turnovers. By sending one man deep into the offensive zone and then jumping on the recipient of the first pass out of the zone, the Wild has been able to goad teams into making dangerous passes up the middle and create excellent scoring chances on the counterattack.

"It's basically five guys playing a tight positioning and it doesn't really matter where they are," Risebrough said. "Obviously the defensemen play back and the forwards play up, but you could interchange all five guys if you wanted to. The approach of it is to tighten the lanes so the passes are harder to feed through. But you have to have good speed to tighten the lanes, because if the defensemen can't get up the ice fast enough, they can't close it. If the front guy can't get up the ice or the middle guys can't react to where the front guy is, then you can't tighten the lanes."

[klayman]

You'd have to clog the midfield with players to force the poor dangerous passes. MrBug's formation does this quite well with 6 midfielders, but it looks quite weak at the back (for CM4 anyway). You could drop a striker for a defender and go with a 3-1-4-1-1 formation that should acheive what you want.

Unlike hockey though, the opposing team can counter by playing the ball long over you midfield. So you might have to drop more players back, or at least have your midfielders provide some cover.

Your midfielders will have to press for the ball and will need good stamina, tackling, off the ball, positioning, and anticipation stats. One poor tackle along the wings and the other team has a free run right to goal. You should get by with just the lone striker since you will only get chances off the counter attack anyway. Make sure the raised midfielder is supporting him though, otherwise you probably won't make much of those attacks.

The computer AI actually uses a trapping tactic quite effectively, in using a 4-5-1 formation. It's a little more defensive minded than you might want, but follows the principle as well as can be done, IMO.

[daedalus]

Originally posted by SunDancer
"It's basically five guys playing a tight positioning and it doesn't really matter where they are," Risebrough said. "Obviously the defensemen play back and the forwards play up, but you could interchange all five guys if you wanted to. The approach of it is to tighten the lanes so the passes are harder to feed through. But you have to have good speed to tighten the lanes, because if the defensemen can't get up the ice fast enough, they can't close it. If the front guy can't get up the ice or the middle guys can't react to where the front guy is, then you can't tighten the lanes."
Isn't this what the old Ajax "Total Football" (i think that was the name) was? Matthijs tried to explain it to me once but I only managed to comprehend part of it.

[SunDancer]

Thanks. I been studying of a 4-1-4-0-1 formation. The midfield "wingers" will have to have stamina and speed, as I would look at having them in upfield position attack to give the lone striker support.

[SunDancer]

"Total Football" overview

http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?TotalFootball

[daedalus]

Nice link, SunDancer. :)

Now if I can just figure a way to implement it in CM.

[rexallllsc]

Originally posted by Mac Howard
The fashionable formation this summer in European soccer is 4-2-3-1, sundancer. It's said by some that Alex Ferguson (Man Utd manager) is taking up this and is one reason why Beckham was allowed to go to Real ( Ronaldinho will fit into this better that Beckham).

Mac,

Can you give us a brief rundown of the tactics of this? and how the positioning looks ont he field?

Thx!

[SunDancer]

I like to use this thread as a cm4 "Tatics" sharing thread.

[Karim]

I don't shift my tactics around much at all. As a conference team, I try and minimize my players' responsibilities. I use a 4-4-2 A at home and a simple 4-4-2 on the road or against better opposition. If I'm really desperate and my three central defenders are available, I might go to a 5-4-1.

All of the wingers are sent to run with ball, forward runs and cross ball, regardless of attributes (some don't have high agility or dribbling). Central defenders have no instructions. One central midfielder is set to try through balls, hold up ball and the other central midfielder has no instruction. One striker runs with ball and does forward runs, while the other is a target striker and has no instructions other than hold up ball. Anyone with an 8+ on long shots is given the green light.

Pretty much all of this was taken from MV's hints & tips. I really don't see the need to experiment drastically. Changes are done to cater to the individual player.

[SunDancer]

Do you guys build around players, or do you try to build around the tatic slowly when u "retool" the roster. As you move up through the ranks, do you follow the later stragety more?