Tikitakamaster's Possession 4-3-3 Won the ITALIAN DOUBLE

TIKITAKAMASTER'S POSSESSION GOALS GALORE

Hi guys,

I know you're used to seeing my tactic emulations, but this time I decided to share the results I achieved with a setup I tested with AC Milan—a tactic I believe synthesizes my football thoughts perfectly.
As you can guess from my nickname Tikitakamaster, I love the tiki-taka style. I've been playing Football Manager for over 20 years, and before that, PC Calcio, Scudetto, and Championship Manager. My interest in tactics took a massive turn in June 2008 when my idol, Pep Guardiola, became Barcelona's manager. I adored his tactics and innovations from 2008–2012. Since Football Manager 2009, I've tried to emulate his Barcelona tactics every year in my savegames.
Now, after many years of experience, I believe (though I’m not entirely sure) I’ve found the tactic that is the absolute essence of my footballing vision, one that incorporates not only tiki-taka but also concepts from other great managers.
Let’s dive into how this tactic works and the results I achieved.

Formation and Roles

The main formation is, of course, a 4-3-3: a back four, a defensive midfielder, two central midfielders, two wingers, and one striker.

[img] https://fmshots.com/image/wbjFUI[/img]

Player Roles and Instructions Analysis:


Goalkeeper Sweeper-Keeper (Support) Shorter passing, Cautious Starts the build-up, avoids unnecessary risks.
Defence Central Defender (Defend) Stay wider, Take fewer risks The defensive pillar, focused on blocking and covering space.
Defence Libero (Support) Stay wider, Dribble more Steps up to aid the build-up, acts as an extra midfielder, carrying the ball forward.
Right-Back Wing-Back (Support) Stay wider Maintains possession and supports the play, less frequent overlapping.
Left-Back Wing-Back (Attack) Stay wider, Cut inside with ball, Dribble more Creates chances on the flank, then cuts inside to create central numerical superiority.
Midfield Deep Lying Playmaker (Defend) No instructions Distributes the ball from deep with quick, simple passes.
Midfield Roaming Playmaker (Support) Pass it shorter The link between defence, midfield, and attack; this was Modric's key role in my save.
Midfield Box-to-Box Midfielder (Support) Shoot more often, Get further forward, Tackle harder Covers both duties, makes forward runs into the box, helps defensively, and attempts long shots; this was Rabiot's role.
Attack Inside Forward (Attack) Roam from position, Pass it shorter, Mark tighter, Cross aim far post Drifts inside to create superiority in the box, swaps positions, and maintains possession.
Attack Inside Forward (Attack) Same instructions Same function.
Striker Poacher (Attack) Pass it shorter, Shoot more often, Mark tighter, Roam from position, Move into channels The main goalscorer; focuses on converting chances, moves to interchange with wingers and attacking mids.

Team Instructions

The instructions focus on total control, emulating the core principles of Guardiola’s tiki-taka:

1. In Possession

We aim to control the game and dictate the tempo.

[img] https://fmshots.com/image/wbjqJp[/img]

• Build-Up: Absolute priority on building from the back.
• Passing and Tempo: Much shorter passing and lower tempo to keep players close and make interception extremely difficult.
• Width: We play narrow (horizontal play) initially, with the wing-backs providing the width, especially on the left.
• Final Third: Patient build-up, working the ball into the box.


2. In Transition

[img] https://fmshots.com/image/wbj87o [/img]

• Counter-Pressing: A core Pep concept. When we win the ball back, we hold shape instead of counter-attacking. The goal is to patiently restart the build-up.
• Goalkeeper: Rolls the ball short to the centre-backs.

3. Out of Possession

[img] https://fmshots.com/image/wbjKlM[/img]

The team must be compact and aggressive.
• Defensive Line: Much higher to reduce the space between the lines.
• Pressing: Very intense and high; we try to stop the opponent's goalkeeper from building from the back.
• Offside Trap: Used to force the opponent to play near the flanks, where the touchline acts as an extra defender, making it easier for our team to win the ball back.


Results with AC Milan

In my first season, 2025–26 (using the updated, real results database), I won the Serie A + Coppa Italia Double.
I sold key players (Pulisic, Tomori, Leao, Origi) to fund the purchase of young Italian talents (including Comuzzo, Baldanzi, Pisilli, Lipani, Casadei, Fabbian) and Nico Paz.
This is a significant achievement considering Milan did not participate in international competitions, having finished 8th the previous year (2024–25). The tactic proved extremely effective in dominating the league.
Thanks for reading!

Serie A

[img] https://fmshots.com/image/wbjIrU [/img]

Coppa Italia

[img] https://fmshots.com/image/wbj0DD [/img]

Thanks everyone