Alright, what's up everyone, it's Omidex, and welcome back to another video on this channel! Today, I'm gonna break down a fantastic 4-2-4 tactic that I've been absolutely rocking in the sweatiest Weekend League of FC25. I've been using this setup with all the lone Mbappe, and I gotta tell you, this one is pretty good. You guys definitely want to give this one a try. So, without further ado, let's dive into the tactic!
Formation and Build-Up Play
The formation we're playing is, obviously, the 4-2-4. For the build-up style, I've been playing on "Counter" for over like 200-300 games now. I've gotten used to the fact that sometimes in the build-up phase, some players might not be available for a short pass. If you can get around that, it's actually the best option to give your players some movement and motion in this boring and stale gameplay. So, even if you don't like "Counter," I suggest you take some time to get used to it instead of going back to "Balanced," especially on a super attacking formation like the 4-2-4. The extra movement really helps with chance creation.
Defensive Approach
For the defensive approach, in-game, I constantly keep switching it back and forth between 70 and 50. If my opponent plays aggressively and puts on a press, then I go with a high depth of 70. But if the pressing isn't their game, and they just sit deep waiting for counterattacks, I turn it down to 50 in-game, making sure I'm least likely vulnerable to counterattacks. So, these are the two numbers I would suggest.
Player Instructions
Now, let's get into the player roles.
- Strikers: You're going to notice both of my strikers are on "False 9" instructions, regardless of them having the "False 9+" or not. I noticed Boras going with double "False 9" up top, and then I realized for players like myself who actively spam the L1 button to activate player runs, they often instantly run offside, which is the main reason I'm not in love with it in the first place. Attacking AI is so damn stupid this year that you can't rely on it for player runs, and when you do the L1 triggers, you want to make sure the running player has some space to start the run without constantly being out of the play in the offside trap. So, it's double "False 9" for you try-hards out there who just want to spam the L1 triggers. If you're going to take it more casual and make the AI make some runs for you, I suggest you put one of these players on "Poacher." In my experience, "Poacher" gives you the best AI runs in this game. It's not perfect, but it's better than nothing.
- Wingers: Since we're running a double "False 9" up top, we'll have both of our wingers on "Inside Forward" and "Balanced." It's the perfect combo for the 4-2-4. The drop back from the strikers drags some center backs with them, and it leaves a gap in between the fullback and the center back, making the winger's diagonal run super effective. I've also seen some people go with "Inside Forward" and "Attack," and yeah, it does give you a fantastic counterattack opportunity, but with "Balanced," the wingers sometimes come back and offer some help in defense, which is nice. Without it, yeah, you get some extra counterattack capabilities, but your defensive stability gets choked. So, I would definitely suggest keeping the focus on both of your wingers on "Balanced."
- CAMs: Next up is the most attacking sentiment, and I've been loving and hating the "Playmaker" role. I don't say this too often, but it's one of those few roles that you need to have your players with at least the plus version to pull off this one. In my opinion, it doesn't work with the base "Playmaker." So, the most attacking CAM, I've got on "Playmaker Plus," and the second CAM, I've tried on all possible roles, but I'll have to say "Holding" and "Deep Line Playmaker" by far works best for this setup. You're going to need your secondary CAM to offer some depth in your midfield, so you have someone to fall back to. So, for this one, "Deep Line Playmaker," simple as that.
- Defense: For the whole defense line, we'll go full meta and boring everyone on "Defend." Center backs on "Defender" and fullbacks on "Fullback."
- Goalkeeper: And for the goalkeeper, as always, we go with whatever "GK Plus" or "GK Plus+" they might have.
Gameplay Tips
The 4-2-4, actually any type of 4-4-2 variation this year, is really powerful. What I like about the 4-2-4 is the wingers offer much more frequent runs and attacking support than the left and right midfielders.
- Build-Up Issues: I've received comments about some build-up issues, and there's actually a really easy way to solve that. When you get the ball back in your defense, you usually go for a direct pass to your wide outlets. It's either a short pass or a cross. What I want you to always keep in mind is the fact that on "Counter," your players tend to run forward quicker, which makes them hard to reach out to. What you simply need to do is, instead of a short pass, you use the full power triangle through ball, and instead of the cross button, you launch an L1 triangle so that the pass is always ahead of your receiving player who's obviously already in momentum for a run. Trust me, this simple trick will make the build-up issue you previously had go away for good.
That's it for today's video, everyone!