Alright, let's dive into this post-patch 4-3-3 variation 2, with the false 9 making a glorious return! This tactic is designed to get your wingers involved, solve the problem of them staying wide, and get your expensive players like Vinicius Jr. into the game.
Formation and Build-Up
We're going with a 4-3-3 (Holding) formation, meaning we've got a CDM and two CMs. For the build-up play, we're going with Balanced. While some in the community preferred Short Passing, Balanced felt like the best option after extensive testing. Feel free to experiment and see what works best for you.
Defensively, we're setting the Defensive Style to 60. You can go higher, but I found 60 to be the sweet spot. Because of the aggressive player roles, we don't need to push the whole team forward as much.
Player Roles
Let's break down the player roles, because this is where the magic happens:
- Fullbacks: Both fullbacks are set to Balanced. No need for Wing Backs here. They'll provide support out wide, offer passing options, and are ready to defend against those pesky 4-2-3-1 formations with wingers pushed high.
- CDM: We're going with Deep Line Playmaker and Roaming. This suggestion came from saf noi KH. The subtle difference with Roaming is that they're slightly further pushed forward. With the 60 depth, they won't be bombing forward, but when you lose the ball, the gap between your two CMs and the CDM isn't so great. This allows you to put pressure on the ball, congest the space, and win the ball high up the pitch.
- Center Midfielders: This is where we get a good balance. One CM is set to Playmaker (Attack) and the other to Box to Box.
- Playmaker (Attack): Focused on supporting the attacks, getting in and around the penalty box, and scoring goals.
- Box to Box: Still gets into the box, but they're quicker to get back into a defensive shape when you lose the ball. Having one of each gives you the best of both worlds.
- False 9: The False 9 role is back and better than ever! Post-patch, they actually get into the box, which is what we've been waiting for.
- Inside Forwards: These guys are set to Balanced. They'll take up a narrow position, much closer to the False 9, creating a narrow front three. When you combine that with an attacking run from the CM and support from the Box to Box, you'll have five players in and around the penalty box, overloading the defense.
Attacking Instructions
For the Inside Forwards, we started with Roaming, but I preferred Balanced. Balanced gets the best out of the False 9 and Inside Forwards, with support from the center mids.
Gameplay and Adaptability
This tactic is designed to be adaptable. The key is understanding the roles and how they interact. I'll be doing a deep dive into player roles, showing the subtle differences between options like Playmaker (Attack) vs. Box to Box, and why I chose Roaming over Defend for the CDM. This is about teaching you how to create your own tactics and adapt them to your playstyle.