Defensive Midfielders...

I decided to start a new game after huge success with Burnley and I chose Yeovil. Previously I have never actually used DMs but i decided to give it a try in League One, I play a flat back four and a diamond midfield with the left and right midfielders in an attacking role..

I thought that the DM would improve my defence and being touted as one of the top runners in the league I believed this would prove invaluable, BUT since employing this tactic we have slumped defensively, I have Terrel Forbes a steady defender and managed to bring Craig Cathcart in on loan from Manchester United, my left and right backs are nothing spectacular but do their job effectively. Also, Closing Down is all over .the pitch and the defensive line is set to deep,

So, Are defensive midfielders effective on FM 2008? At Burnley i had no place for them and did really well, yet with the defensive midfielder being used I am no better defensively and regularly concede to what are quite frankly poor attacking sides, most embarrasing was an awful loss to Swindon..4-1

Any help/advice would be very helpful, especially for my first post..

Thanks in Advance (:

Who are your DM's?

the stats they should be good at:

- positioning
- Workrate/team work
- stamina
- tackling

With a diamond formation i wouldnt set all my players to close down all over the pitch.

With the LM and RM i would recommend them to close down in own half, otherwise they will close down to early higher up the pitch creating too much space behind.

I wouldnt play with a deep defence. Normal defence line, just a bit lower than exactly in the middle works fine.

YOUR DM should close down only in his own half. Just infront of the back four. His positioning is important so he can fill up at the back.

Your defenders could use a bit of pace as well. But they should close down in own area. And of course in this case you arent playing with a deep defence.

If your playing with attacking wingers i would recommend that your AMC isnt that attacking. Of course he should be attacking. But a bit more on the balanced side so he can help out the DM time to time.

Your full backs in this case can now push up a bit. But not too far if you feel you dont have the best of full backs in your current league.

Make sure that 'creative freedom' isnt given too much to your DM and the back four.

Your wingers and strikers can be given alot of freedom and if possible 1-2 free roles. And make your strikers change positions with each other. This will make your formation really mobile on the pitch during a match.

if possible, then your AMC should be good at free roles. and be given the free role. that usually works really good for me.

I hope this helps, need any more advice just ask for it. And dont forget to be specific hehe.

Also I didn't know if you knew this allready, but putting a defensive midfeilder into the CM position is fine for them and it chance the attitude of play as they play more solidly. But vice-versa if you put and AMC in CM then you will become more attackive. Simple

_Man_u_barmy_army_ : Also I didn't know if you knew this allready, but putting a defensive midfeilder into the CM position is fine for them and it chance the attitude of play as they play more solidly. But vice-versa if you put and AMC in CM then you will become more attackive. Simple

not really. in a diamond formation you are seeking a DM that will just clean up at the back and let nothing past him. He is more or less doing a 2 man job on his own. Like Hargreaves, makelele, borowski, frings, great DM's.

anyways, in a 4-4-2 formation even though you put your DM on defensive instructions he wont be doing the same exact job as he does when he is put in a DM position.

RedArmy20 :

_Man_u_barmy_army_ : Also I didn't know if you knew this allready, but putting a defensive midfeilder into the CM position is fine for them and it chance the attitude of play as they play more solidly. But vice-versa if you put and AMC in CM then you will become more attackive. Simple

not really. in a diamond formation you are seeking a DM that will just clean up at the back and let nothing past him. He is more or less doing a 2 man job on his own. Like Hargreaves, makelele, borowski, frings, great DM's.

anyways, in a 4-4-2 formation even though you put your DM on defensive instructions he wont be doing the same exact job as he does when he is put in a DM position.

When I play Bolzoni in Cm in my juve squad he makes every attack more dangerous and lets less past him towards defense. I use this when i am taking a narrow lead over over the opponent.

But overall he wont be as a DM, he wont fill up as much at the back and things like that.

I remember once i had forgetten to make some of my players go defensive against newcastle in the UEFA cup final. and i was only leading 1-0.

and my team are attacking in the last seconds of the game. Newcastle win the ball and get a brilliant counter attacking option.

But thanks to my beloved DM hargreaves, he fills it up at the back and runs around real life 40 yards to tackle the ball away from Moore who was 1-1 with the keeper