Tottenham Hotspur and it's merry attack

[Tom]

Ok so ive started a game with Spurs and im in early November.

Ive decided the old classic tactic of having an away tactic and a home tactic, my away tactic is a good old 5-3-2:

GK: Robinson (amazing)

DL: Atouba (decent at L
DC: King (awesome)
DC: Dawson (very good)
DC: Gardner (good)
DR: Kelly (great prospect)

MC: Brown (underpeforming)
MC: Carrick (god)
MC: Davies (very good)

FC: Mido (playing well)
FC: Defoe (playing ****)

my problem lies with my attackers, im not conceding too much but im hardly scoring much either, people such as Keane and Kanoute have poor finishing and its really showing. HOWEVER, my 532 is a really good tactic away from home and i have no desire to change it, however, my home tactic:

GK: Robinson

DC: King
DC: Gardner
DC: Dawson

ML: Atouba, Reid or Trifonov
MC: Brown
MC: Carrick
MR: Davies

FC: Mido
FC: Defoe
FC: Keane

now i wanted to be ambitious with this tactic, and to some extent it HAS worked, we dont concede as much as you might think and we score some goals, but all to often the other team will go infront early on, then for some reason we have barelly any attacks.

Hence at home im doing **** and away doing surprisingly well. I'm currently 7th which is OK but i would like more consitency.

SO i need to change my formation, and i think i need wingbacks for it to work as i tend to use them a lot, my idea; a super attacking 4-3-3

Hence, i need tips, many tips on how to get a 433 to work again. The last time i used one with major success was in CM9798.

TROD.

 

[rpvankasteren]

I despise the use of three forwards. I've always been better off overloading the midfield.

So my advice: To get a 4-3-3 to work properly, use two AMCs and an SC in stead of using three FCs.

Of course you'd have to get Keane to pack his bags and make some money for you, and probably Kanouté will have no real use as well.

 

[Tom]

ok, my other idea was making an attacking 4-5-1, i had massive success with leverkusen in CM4 doing that, but im not sure

TROD.

 

[Daz]

i tried a 433 a while a go in a game, don't think it was too successful.

But i have had success with United with a 4312.

 

[Fernandez]

I use 4-3-3 when I'm 1 down with 15 minutes left or I'm down by 2 goals.

 

[Tom]

ok this is what im doing, im after xmas im gonna go with an attacking 4-5-1, with defoe holding the line on his own.

What you guys think?

TROD.

 

[rpvankasteren]

I think you should do that. Give him a lot of freedom. His heading isn't that great so he'll need to find spaces to get a shot in.

 

[Tom]

so he shouldnt be holding up the ball?

TROD.

 

[Tom]

can someone explain to me how this has happened:



tactic and positions:



Help.

TROD.

 

[nird]

I started up with tottenham my self a few months ago. A tactic that really worked was 4-1-3-2. With that I, after 4 seasons, had won CL twice, league twice, FA and league cup once.

I tried 4-4-2, but to many goals went in behind robinson. With that defence midfielder, it really worked well.
-----------Striker------Striker-----------
L.Winger--------Midfielder--------R.Winger
----------------Midfielder----------------
Defender---Defender--Defender--Defender
----------------Goalkeeper--------------

Both my wingers had an arrow all the way up.

On home games I had the "mentality" button slightly over "normal", just so it said attacking.

On away games it was on "normal" with counterattack.

Totally works..

 

[AhmedK]

IMHO I think having your wingers with arrows all the way up is a waste of time and energy. Giving them arrows to the AM spots gives serves the same purpose, IMO. Then again I have not tried your idea Nird, I am just going on the fact that my style has never failed me.

Trod, I would listen to Ruud and load up your mids, I have always felts that having 4 defenders is a bit of a waste, even away, so here is my formation, you seem to have a lot of DCs so use Led King as a DMC, he is great there.



Striker----------------striker

^-------------AMC-------------^
^------------------------------^
ML-----------------------------MR
-------------dmc-------DMC----

DL------------DC----------------DR


Trod, if you are going to use a holding striker, use Mido, he is a killer, he has great heading, plus he can really find space and dribble well. I use him at Ajax, he has scored 8 goals in 6 games with this formation.

The DMCs are the key to this formation, this can really be considered a Total Football formation. In attack I have 7 or 8(depending if the wing backs make runs) players in attack, in defense, worst case scenerio, I have 5, if it works well, 10 or 11 on our side of the pitch.




Why does it work so well? because I have the DMCs working as Xabi Alonso does, thos great, defense-splitting long balls into attack. They can be deadly and they dont even have to cross the mid line to do it.

 

[rpvankasteren]

I'd use two AMCs (MCs with runs up to AMC is what I use, as do you), not two DMCs (I would use a true DMC, not an MC who trails back). And keep to 4 defenders, but really just the one striker. Holding up isn't needed, Defoe will be able to finish off enough chances. You might want to do so if your AMCs have good long shots and finishing though. Mendes and Carrick might just be good enough, but their finishing isn't all that.
I agree on the wingers, having them run up to the cornerflag is pointless. The crossing in FM seems more precise from halfway anyway, and there's two sides to get passed a full back.


Also: your mentality is too attacking, and your play is too quick, potentially leaving acres of space behind your defensive line.

 

[Tom]

yeah i totally see where you're coming from with that Ahmed, its good advice. However to be honest i was getting fed up of playing 3 at the back because i REALLY never have got a 3 man defence to work properly

im now trying a 451 with 2 of the 3 mids in DM and one in the AM position, i beat charlton 4-0 at home and drew 0-0 with man utd at home with it.

I'll see how it plays, otherwise im gonna try what you said ahmed and go with two frontmen

TROD.

 

[crazyrussin]

Ok dude ij think i got what you are looking for. It should match your team pretty even. Just give it it a shot Tommy

 

[Tom]

cheers mate but i make my own

TROD.

 

[crazyrussin]

cheers mate but i make my own

TROD.

You can always modify it. Trust me it looks like yours and is very flexible. Its an 4-5-1 that converts into 4-3-3 when attacking. Just try it man and let me know how its going

 

[The Kop Kid]

Just a question about yer players mentality Tom. Are they all set at the teams level in the screenie of have you altered many of them?

I'd have at least one of your forwards at mentality 20 if you're going to go for an attacking tactic with the wingers around 17 and the central mids around 14 with the defence...erm....defensive. Mentality 4 or so. Forward runs on often from all the midfield except the DMC. Just personal preference like.

 

[PSVFOREVER]

As I dont like to give a long answer if the short one is better, I will say only this:
Its Mido, he's an utter idiot and wont play well with any other striker, because he's so arrogant.

 

[Tom]

yeh darren ive tried that out, works a bit better

TROD.

 

[The Kop Kid]

I've actually got a couple of the same players in my Celta Vigo side. King and Sean Davis. They both also play well for me . King in particular is an awesome player, agree with you there.