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MalcPow · 08-05-2005, 01:01 PM

Tactical Overview

I basically like to build from the 4-4-2 mold, and unless I'm somehow in a situation where I've got guys I just have to get on the field I don't stray far from that. More often than not I like to play a simple, flat, 442 but in this career I've moved to the diamond midfield, and more or less a 4-1-2-1-2 I guess. I went to this to get a little more attack, and to give my more adventurous midfielder (Stephen Cooke) some space to work with between the other team's midfield and defense. Ultimately, because of injuries and such the role ended up being played by a loanee who's no longer with us, and Cooke ended up doing most of his work on the wings.

I play a short passing game. The team is set to 4 for passing (basically four clicks from the left) and I play a slow tempo style that is set at 4 as well. This basically plays to the strengths of the type of team I like to build, skilled in the middle of the field, strong at the back (at least centrally), with at least one clinical finisher up front. I'll usually set my two mc's to mixed passing, try through balls, etc. These are my best players, the guys I want making the important passes, and dictating the attack. Leaving the rest of the team on short, especially at this level, helps to minimize the number of useless long passes and loss of possession by my less skilled players.

Playing this type of game also allows me to push my defensive line up to about the three-quarter mark. The slow build up lets me control possession and shrink the field as my whole team moves forward. This is why it's critical to have DC's that can win back the balls played quickly forward in the air, it stifles most of the chances the opposition will try to exploit with a break. And keeps us in control of a short field, and constantly pressuring. Obviously a little bit of pace in the backline is necessary as well to get back if necessary.

I don't really mess with creative freedom very much. My DC's have almost none, and pretty much everyone else is left in the middle. I generally make sure to set up my set pieces, especially my offensive corners, in a more sensible way than the default. I've had great success basically setting my three or four best headers and jumpers to attack the goal and target all kicks at the six-yard box. I've also found it important to make sure I have quick players back to defend, and sometimes I even pull a third man out to stay back. I've seen MV note numerous times that you're more likely to give up a goal off a corner you take than to score one, and I take it to heart.

Defense

As before my DC's need to be able to win headers, I need to be comfortable that at least one of them can do this well. And I need them to have some amount of pace. I'm a huge proponent of catering individual instructions to the actual players on your team as well, as opposed to building a tactic that asks players to do things they're not capable of. If one of my DC's has 15 for tackling and I'm in the conference, you can bet he'll be set to tackle hard, I want him going in for as many balls as possible because it's a skill in which he's far superior to the players around him. I've set DC's on long shots often if they have the skill to do so, they end up putting maybe four a year in this way, or more if they're lurking outside the area on corners.

The same holds true for my fullbacks. I don't ask them to do things they can't do. Too many times I'll see a tactic where someone wants their fullbacks to run forward, get involved in attacks, put in lots of crosses, etc. And it's great if your fullbacks are Cafu or Roberto Carlos, but in the lower leagues you're lucky if your fullbacks can tie their shoes. If these guys don't have off the ball of at least 10 then they stay home for me, no forward runs, and a mentality just below normal. If they are somehow blessed with exceptional passing I let them try through balls, if they can dribble, then sure they can run with the ball, but most of these guys can't really do much of anything and I usually end up going with the guy who has some pace and can tackle a little.

Midfield

I've always depended on my central mids, and if I don't have the talent here then I've got problems. I make it a focus to bring guys in that can make the passes I need them to make, to open up attacks, and control the flow of the game. Basically I look for all around players, and if I can't get two good ones I try to have the crappy one at least complement my better player, and make him focus on pressuring people in the middle and give the other more space and freedom to use his ability. These guys get mixed passing (again if they have the skill) and pretty much anything else they can do, I allow them to do. Although long shots often for these guys seems cause a lot of "skimmed the top of the bar" possessions with shots outside the area.

With wingers I'm of a similar mind as I am with fullbacks. It's a little different because I set my wingers with a healthy attacking mentality, and most of the time I want them to get forward unless their off the ball, passing, and other attacking skills are so useless they'd just be out of position and a waste of space. But ultimately I've found it to be incredibly damaging to ask wingers to do things they can't really do, just as with fullbacks there seems to be some definite incentive to not asking these players to do too much. I've had a lot of success with keeping crosses at rarely, especially at the lower levels where I just don't usually have guys with the skill to deliver good crosses, or guys with the ability to get on the end of those crosses and do anything interesting with them. My wingers end up cutting the ball in and creating better chances than they would have with a bad cross.

Attack

I don't really try to do anything fancy. Sometimes I'll make one striker hold up the ball and try through balls, and make the other one a quick run with ball type player. This can help generate some nice one two's up front and good chances. But ultimately I just try and put the best players I can up there, you can't really mask the weaknesses of a bad striker, they can either score or they can't, and their instructions won't change that too much.

And that's basically that. I'm usually closing down almost the length of the field, another one of those reasons that it helps to push up the d-line and keep that field small, the other team never really has any breathing room. Overall it's pretty successful, but if I have a key central defender out with injury, or nobody upfront who can finish, I end up with a lot of possession and missed chances, and the other team ends up with a couple of great chances off of blown plays by a crappy DC that they usually convert.

Back to the season shortly...

08-05-2005, 01:01 PM	#13
MalcPow College Benchwarmer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: San Diego	Tactical Overview I basically like to build from the 4-4-2 mold, and unless I'm somehow in a situation where I've got guys I just have to get on the field I don't stray far from that. More often than not I like to play a simple, flat, 442 but in this career I've moved to the diamond midfield, and more or less a 4-1-2-1-2 I guess. I went to this to get a little more attack, and to give my more adventurous midfielder (Stephen Cooke) some space to work with between the other team's midfield and defense. Ultimately, because of injuries and such the role ended up being played by a loanee who's no longer with us, and Cooke ended up doing most of his work on the wings. I play a short passing game. The team is set to 4 for passing (basically four clicks from the left) and I play a slow tempo style that is set at 4 as well. This basically plays to the strengths of the type of team I like to build, skilled in the middle of the field, strong at the back (at least centrally), with at least one clinical finisher up front. I'll usually set my two mc's to mixed passing, try through balls, etc. These are my best players, the guys I want making the important passes, and dictating the attack. Leaving the rest of the team on short, especially at this level, helps to minimize the number of useless long passes and loss of possession by my less skilled players. Playing this type of game also allows me to push my defensive line up to about the three-quarter mark. The slow build up lets me control possession and shrink the field as my whole team moves forward. This is why it's critical to have DC's that can win back the balls played quickly forward in the air, it stifles most of the chances the opposition will try to exploit with a break. And keeps us in control of a short field, and constantly pressuring. Obviously a little bit of pace in the backline is necessary as well to get back if necessary. I don't really mess with creative freedom very much. My DC's have almost none, and pretty much everyone else is left in the middle. I generally make sure to set up my set pieces, especially my offensive corners, in a more sensible way than the default. I've had great success basically setting my three or four best headers and jumpers to attack the goal and target all kicks at the six-yard box. I've also found it important to make sure I have quick players back to defend, and sometimes I even pull a third man out to stay back. I've seen MV note numerous times that you're more likely to give up a goal off a corner you take than to score one, and I take it to heart. Defense As before my DC's need to be able to win headers, I need to be comfortable that at least one of them can do this well. And I need them to have some amount of pace. I'm a huge proponent of catering individual instructions to the actual players on your team as well, as opposed to building a tactic that asks players to do things they're not capable of. If one of my DC's has 15 for tackling and I'm in the conference, you can bet he'll be set to tackle hard, I want him going in for as many balls as possible because it's a skill in which he's far superior to the players around him. I've set DC's on long shots often if they have the skill to do so, they end up putting maybe four a year in this way, or more if they're lurking outside the area on corners. The same holds true for my fullbacks. I don't ask them to do things they can't do. Too many times I'll see a tactic where someone wants their fullbacks to run forward, get involved in attacks, put in lots of crosses, etc. And it's great if your fullbacks are Cafu or Roberto Carlos, but in the lower leagues you're lucky if your fullbacks can tie their shoes. If these guys don't have off the ball of at least 10 then they stay home for me, no forward runs, and a mentality just below normal. If they are somehow blessed with exceptional passing I let them try through balls, if they can dribble, then sure they can run with the ball, but most of these guys can't really do much of anything and I usually end up going with the guy who has some pace and can tackle a little. Midfield I've always depended on my central mids, and if I don't have the talent here then I've got problems. I make it a focus to bring guys in that can make the passes I need them to make, to open up attacks, and control the flow of the game. Basically I look for all around players, and if I can't get two good ones I try to have the crappy one at least complement my better player, and make him focus on pressuring people in the middle and give the other more space and freedom to use his ability. These guys get mixed passing (again if they have the skill) and pretty much anything else they can do, I allow them to do. Although long shots often for these guys seems cause a lot of "skimmed the top of the bar" possessions with shots outside the area. With wingers I'm of a similar mind as I am with fullbacks. It's a little different because I set my wingers with a healthy attacking mentality, and most of the time I want them to get forward unless their off the ball, passing, and other attacking skills are so useless they'd just be out of position and a waste of space. But ultimately I've found it to be incredibly damaging to ask wingers to do things they can't really do, just as with fullbacks there seems to be some definite incentive to not asking these players to do too much. I've had a lot of success with keeping crosses at rarely, especially at the lower levels where I just don't usually have guys with the skill to deliver good crosses, or guys with the ability to get on the end of those crosses and do anything interesting with them. My wingers end up cutting the ball in and creating better chances than they would have with a bad cross. Attack I don't really try to do anything fancy. Sometimes I'll make one striker hold up the ball and try through balls, and make the other one a quick run with ball type player. This can help generate some nice one two's up front and good chances. But ultimately I just try and put the best players I can up there, you can't really mask the weaknesses of a bad striker, they can either score or they can't, and their instructions won't change that too much. And that's basically that. I'm usually closing down almost the length of the field, another one of those reasons that it helps to push up the d-line and keep that field small, the other team never really has any breathing room. Overall it's pretty successful, but if I have a key central defender out with injury, or nobody upfront who can finish, I end up with a lot of possession and missed chances, and the other team ends up with a couple of great chances off of blown plays by a crappy DC that they usually convert. Back to the season shortly...