FM19 - Making a Manager - 04 - Preliminary Tactic Design

This will be one of the two formations which I will look to use on a regular basis. At an initial glance, the formation offers great cover in the midfield areas while also having players in advanced wide areas. The couple of 'holes' would be behind the wingers, and having only one striker up front. This is where we'd expect to have the fewest players, and where the opposition could potentially find vulnerabilities.

Philosophies In Possession: I want my team to move the ball quickly and in to space, but over short distances. My idea behind this is for my players to link up together to release an attacker in to space, when space is available, with the range of passing set to be shorter in order to keep the accuracy of passing up. My team is instructed to play out from the back, which can be dangerous for less technically gifted defences, but it allows every player to be a weapon in attack as all players become involved. It also increases the likelihood of keeping the ball once it is recovered, or from a goal kick.

Shape In Possession: We have a flat back four. The two fullbacks will move forwards to assist in attacking moves, but not so far that they are completely disjointed from the defence. The midfield trio offers an interesting shape. I would expect the DM to stay in a deeper position, in front of the back four, ready to break down an opposition counter attack. The DLP will look to sit deep in a space where he is easily available for a pass, and can influence the game by moving the ball from one space to another. He is our play-dictator. The BBM will look to move from back to front and make an impact in both areas. He could very well become an important goal scorer, adding numbers to our attack when required. The two wingers will stay wide in advanced areas and link up with whoever is near them, especially the full backs. They will look to supply crosses to those in the box, especially the lone striker who will have a lot of work to do in order to keep our attack potent. A misfiring lone striker can prove to be a curse in any team.

Philosophies In Transition: Once possession has been lost, it is important for our team to react quickly. That is my philosophy. A quick reaction time can get your team in to the right position to quell any opposition threat, and get back on the ball quicker. We want to be a team who is on the ball as much as possible but to do that we need to make sure that what we do without the ball is done right, in order to ensure we win the ball back proficiently.

Philosophies Out Of Possession: I'm a bit unorthodox with how I set my defence up. I like to have a slightly deeper back four, with all of the pressing being done in front. This way, my two central defenders don't (usually) need to worry about committing in to a challenge straight away, with the midfielders & others required to do a lot of the pressing. This will look to keep the ball in front of our back four, and not behind it.

Shape Out Of Possession: As spoken of in the previous paragraph, the defensive line will drop a little deeper off the ball in order for the ball to stay in front of it. The midfielders, attackers and fullbacks (somewhat) will work hard to press opposition in front of our defence, looking to hustle and harry the ball back. Our back line very much becomes our last line of defence, aside from our keeper, and the real defending is done in front of it.

Potential Strong Areas: The midfield trio will definitely prove to be the strong point in the team shape. The players here will, hopefully, work in unison to nullify opposition threats in unison and provide ample support to the attackers at the other end of the pitch.

Potential Weak Areas: Behind the wingers. There may be a lot of space behind them at times, and the full backs could become vulnerable if isolated. If the opposition can manage to get two players attacking one of our full backs, there will be problems for us.