Playing In A Formation

[ZoneBlitz]

Greetings.

My question is, when you use a formation, should the people be generally playing close to their position? For example, in a 4-4-2, should, let's say, the Right Midfielder (the one closest to the right side of the field) stay generally in his area whether his team has the ball or not? I am beginning to think that I should pay more attention to my tactics. If, for example, I told someone to make runs into the box, then I shouldn't try to use them to cross it, correct?

I ask because I am more familiar with basketball (and football). So in basketball, for example, the 5'11 point guard is typically going to play further out from the basket and will generally not be trying to back down a Power Forward or Center in the paint.

When I play, and I am on offense, I just try to move people into open spaces without regard for their position unless they are defenders - then I just try to get the ball to the midfield quickly. On defense, I just try to chase down or shut down passing lanes with the closest player.

Any insight you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

(BTW, loving FIFA)

[IIDXZero]

Re: Playing In A Formation

The way your describing it should be find to go out of position for open spaces since it doesn't take too long to get back in formation. Just watch out for the counterattacks, a bad mistake can completely destroy your defense to shreds.

[BradyBunch88]

Re: Playing In A Formation

I see what you’re saying, I love basketball but it’s tough to watch the NBA at the moment, my Celtics are going through a rebuilding phase after years of success with Pierce, Garnett and Allen. Plus the NBA 2K series is one of the best sports games I’ve ever played!

But in basketball I mean, you’re not going to have someone like Nate Robinson try and cover Yao Ming! It’s points in the paint for Yao all day!

And it’s kind of the same in football. You wouldn’t generally have your speedy striker try and defend against a defensive midfielder, attacking is different.

But the basketball analogy I like because my favourite coach, Pep Guardiola really likes to play in a similar fashion to basketball, constantly moving the football around his players, keeping possession until a chance is created.

So when you put a player in an open space, the CPU puts your nearest player to cover the empty part of the pitch. Lets say you have a right midfielder who has the ball and is about to shoot, but loses the ball and your right mid is on the floor because he’s been tackled. Your central midfielder or the player closest to where the right mid should be, that player will cover right mids’ part of the pitch until he is back in position. Like I said, the CPU usually does that.

But generally it’s a good idea to keep your guys in their positions, that’s what I like to do. Especially your back four! Don’t think your David Luiz and take the ball all the way up the field to try and score, there’s a huge gap you’ve left which the opponent can exploit.

[JHedges2]

Re: Playing In A Formation

Do the major teams generally use the same formation game to game, or do they modify them frequently based on who are in their starting 11?

Also, do they adjust mid game if/when they make a substitution? Sorry, these are probably stupid questions, it's just difficult to pick up on when watching on TV.

I ask because I typically run the same formation game to game. In CM, is there a way to see what formation the opponent is going to use, so as to adjust what I am going to use? I have no idea what formations to use against all the BPL teams (I am using Chelsea currently).

TIA!

[Joshua1207]

Re: Playing In A Formation

Do the major teams generally use the same formation game to game, or do they modify them frequently based on who are in their starting 11?

Also, do they adjust mid game if/when they make a substitution? Sorry, these are probably stupid questions, it's just difficult to pick up on when watching on TV.

I ask because I typically run the same formation game to game. In CM, is there a way to see what formation the opponent is going to use, so as to adjust what I am going to use? I have no idea what formations to use against all the BPL teams (I am using Chelsea currently).

TIA!

I have just recently been watching more footy, but from what I understand major teams do change their formation from game to game (but not every game) depending on who they are playing. Like, if you're a weaker team and playing against a high attacking team, you may switch a CM to a CDM to provide more help in the back or if its late in the game and you need a a goal you might do the opposite and sub out a CM with a CAM or something similar. You shouldn't drastically change the formation mid game though as that'll just confuse players and more than likely backfire on you.

A lot of this information also comes from my extensive playing of Football Manager, so take that in account too lol. I believe it to be correct though, but someone can feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

[BradyBunch88]

Re: Playing In A Formation

Most teams will have a default formation that they choose to set up in over the course of a season, but it does depend on the team they’re facing. That’s partly why you see managers like Louis Van Gaal make notes all the time. They see how the other team lines up and plays so he can make adjustments as the game progresses as well as for future matches.

In FIFA it’s different, you can pretty much play the same formation every game and have success.

You can change formation during the game, as long as the team have done it in practice. But it depends on a number of things, the most time you will see a team change formation will be when a player is sent off.
Unless you’re Pep Guardiola who changes formation probably 5/6 times a match!

My top formations are 4-5-1, 4-3-3 (false 9) and currently, I love using the 3-5-2 formation with two holding midfielders. With Chelsea I’d suggest either 4-5-1 (4-2-3-1) or 4-3-3 false 9. I love attacking formations because attack is the best form of defence! And with a team like Chelsea you could pretty much use any formation and get away with it! Just work with the strengths of your players.

[calbrs04]

Re: Playing In A Formation

Like BradyBunch said, teams usually use a default and can change at any time during the match depending on what the manager sees and who's on the pitch. A lot of the times players will shift positions, or even the formation completely change when there is a substitution.

Then you have guys like LVG. The other day he had his starting XI warm up in 3-5-2, but played the game in the 442. Or you have a guy like Mourinho at Chelsea that will play with that diamond midfield and just park the bus and counterattack when they get the lead.

For me the default is 442 diamond. I have the 352 with the 2 holding midfielders when I need more attacking, and the 532 with the wingbacks slightly pushed up when I need defense.

PS- Also make sure to change up your tactics accordingly for the formation that you use.

[burth179]

Re: Playing In A Formation

I'm no tactical expert, but I try to read tactics blogs to get some understanding. It can depend on the team, but most teams will change their formations up some times, and in game they will as well. Maybe take a defender off for a striker if chasing the game, bring an extra defender on with a lead, etc.

Usually teams think of formations in a defensive sense, that is typically the defensive shape of the team. Offensively things may be a bit different where guys aren't necessarily sticking to a position persay. This is one thing I am not sure FIFA truly represents, you can give tactical instructions but it seems like it only does so much.

Or some teams like Madrid last season, played sort of a hybrid 4-3-3/4-4-2 formation. Ronaldo would play a left wing/2nd striker role, Di Maria would play a left-centre mid/left wing role in the same game.

Or like Barca, they generally stick to some sort of 4-3-3, but the way they play players are swapping positions and what not, and in attack often times it is something like 2-5-3 because their fullbacks play as wingbacks. But this can be dictated by the actual game. If a team is sitting deep against Barca, they basically tell their fullbacks to play high up the pitch. If they are under more pressure, their fullbacks may play more conventional roles and be a real back 4 (although Barca usually have so much possession that they play high up the pitch)

Or you have tinker men like a Guardiola or a Bielsa that is always trying to change things, like at Barca in Pep's last season he was playing 4-3-3 some games, but as more and more teams parked the bus, the more and more he'd switch. A few games he was playing like a 3-3-1-3 or 3-3-4 (Messi was playing as a #10).

Bielsa's Chile in WC 2010 would play a 3-3-1-3 or 4-2-1-3 depending on how many strikers the opposition was playing. He always wanted 1 spare man at the back, so if the opposition had 2 strikers he would go 3-3-1-3. If they had 3 forward he would play 4-2-1-3. If they had one striker, he'd play 4-2-1-3, but his fullbacks would bomb forward so it was almost like 2-4-1-3.

[calbrs04]

Re: Playing In A Formation

Or like Barca, they generally stick to some sort of 4-3-3, but the way they play players are swapping positions and what not, and in attack often times it is something like 2-5-3 because their fullbacks play as wingbacks. But this can be dictated by the actual game. If a team is sitting deep against Barca, they basically tell their fullbacks to play high up the pitch. If they are under more pressure, their fullbacks may play more conventional roles and be a real back 4 (although Barca usually have so much possession that they play high up the pitch)

Or you have tinker men like a Guardiola or a Bielsa that is always trying to change things, like at Barca in Pep's last season he was playing 4-3-3 some games, but as more and more teams parked the bus, the more and more he'd switch. A few games he was playing like a 3-3-1-3 or 3-3-4 (Messi was playing as a #10).

A team like Barca and a coach like Pep have a tendency to use a combination of tiki-taka and what the Dutch call total football. The theory of tiki-taka is the short, creative passing, while total football is a free flow approach where is one player moves out of position, another takes his place. Essentially, everyone knows how to play each others roles. It's the right combination of the two that makes a player like Messi so successful.

It is real interesting to read about both theories, while only tiki-taka is the one that you can implement in a video game.