Alright everyone, it's Omid here, and today we're diving into a tactic that's actually brought some enjoyment back into this game for me. I've always been a fan of narrow formations, and this one really lets me play that tiki-taka style I love. It might not be the most "meta" option, but trust me, the passing and dribbling can lead to some seriously satisfying goals. So, let's get into it!
Formation and Build-Up
We're going with the classic 4-3-1-2. For the build-up play, I've tried everything, but for this formation, short passing is the way to go. It's just miles ahead of anything else.
Defensive Setup
Defensively, we're going with a balanced approach. The defensive style is set to balanced, and the line height is at 58. I know I usually love a high line, but narrow formations can be a bit vulnerable defensively. So, today, no high line, no offside traps. We're going for a balanced, safe option.
Player Roles and Instructions
Now, let's get into the player roles and instructions, which are super important.
- Strikers: We're pairing an Advanced Forward with a Poacher. This combination gives you the best movement out of your striker partnership. Make sure the Advanced Forward is on "Get in Behind" so he actually gets involved in the wide areas of the pitch. If you don't have a Poacher Plus role, or you're not a fan of the Poacher role, switch it with Advanced Forward with "Get in Behind" and you're set to go.
- CAM: For the CAM in the 4-3-1-2, even without the Role Plus, I'd go for a Shadow Striker 10 times out of 10. Playmaker would make sense if you had wingers, but with just two strikers up ahead, your CAM would really get stuck in the playmaker role.
- Central Midfielders: This is the key to unlocking stability in a narrow formation. For the two center mids, we need players who can deliver every type of pass. Both of these key midfielders are on the "Playmaker" role. If one or both of your center mids are on the correct side for the "Trivela" and they actually have the play style too, I strongly suggest having their focus on "Roaming". It just gets them to the right area all the time. If not, then "Balanced" is fine.
- Holding CDM: We need a Holding Center Mid in the center of our midfield. It's important to not use "Deep Lying Playmaker" or any other role. The Holding CDM makes sure this formation has some defensive stability because otherwise, it would just be so open against counterattacks. Keep it on "Stay Back While Attacking" regardless of the Role Plus.
- Fullbacks: For the more attacking fullback, on the exact opposite side of the "Get in Behind" Striker, we need some wide outlets on the attack. This player needs to at least play on "Join the Attack" or, if you want to go crazy, even "Attacking Wing Back". For the other fullback, the more defensive one, we're going to obviously have "Stay Back While Attacking" making him tuck in to form a three at the back when we are attacking to keep again some stability in defense.
- Center Backs: Our two center backs are always going to be on "Default" and "Stay Back While Attacking" regardless of their Role Plus. Trust me, it's just the safest option not to give your opponent just free space.
- Goalkeeper: The goalkeeper is as always on whatever Role Plus or Plus+ they might have.
That's it for the tactics! You can see the code on your screen, and I'll leave it down in the description as well. Now, let's get to some gameplay and see how this formation operates.