Alright lads, let's dive into the 4-3-1-2, which is probably the best narrow formation in FC25 right now. I'm going to show you the setup I've been using. Let's get into it!
Tactics Breakdown
The buildup style is set to Balanced. I do like short passing, but for the most part, balanced gives you the best of both worlds. For the defensive approach, I'm using 61. You should use whatever you find most comfortable. 61 gives you a balance between pressing high and not just sitting in your six-yard box.
Player Roles and Instructions
Let's get into the team, lads, and I'll show you the sorts of players we use in each position, as well as the subs we make.
- Goalkeeper: Sweeper Keeper and Balanced. Use whatever role your goalkeeper has.
- Center Backs: Defender and Defend. This is the best setup for your center backs.
- Fullbacks: Fullback and Balanced. A lot of people use Fullback Defend, which is still really good. However, with Fullback Balanced, they'll sit in front of the wingers when defending, especially against formations like the 4-2-3-1, preventing easy passing options to the wingers. If you're on Fullback Defend, they sit a lot deeper.
- Central CDM: Deep Line Playmaker and Defend. You can use Holding or Deep Line Playmaker. You want this central CDM just not going forward. He just kind of holds down the center of the park. Because he's not going forward, he's not getting in our CAM's way, which is super important.
- Left and Right Center Mids: Box to Box and Balanced. They're going to get up and down and help us out defending. Having that three-man midfield is really important, especially against formations like the 4-2-3-1. Box to box they are going to provide attacking support for us. I recommend these players do have the ability to score goals.
- CAM: Playmaker and Balanced. I like both Playmaker and Shadow Striker for this. I recommend you just give both a go. You want them to be a really, really good goal scorer. You need them to be able to set up your strikers. Look for players that have really high passing stats, as well as passing playstyles, because they are really important.
- Strikers: Both on Advanced Forward.
- Right Striker: Attack. He'll drop deeper when he needs to, but for the most part, he's just going to play like a traditional striker.
- Left Striker: Advanced Forward and Support. This player will look to make runs from deeper or wider positions and press defenders. You get a bit more AI press with this, and it gives a bit more width.
Substitutions
I often sub out both strikers because they work really hard.
- Strikers: G. Bale and Bunny Shaw come in. I usually use a left-footer on the left-hand side and a right-footer on the right for those cross-body shots.
- CAM: I might often sub out someone like Payet, just to give you that ability to if you need something a bit more technical and better at passing.
- CDM: I'll sub out Pedri for Gaby, especially if I'm looking to shore up the midfield.
- LCM: I'll sub out Guaro for Val Verde. It's basically a like-for-like sub.
Always make your five subs because it will make a difference later on in games, especially because stamina is everything. It affects your stats, it affects the way your players move.
- Fullbacks: If you haven't got Relentless on your fullbacks, it may be worth subbing one or two of them out a game, just because fullbacks is where your opposition will try and attack a lot.
- CBs: You just want full meta. You don't want sentiment when it comes to your fullback; you just want them to be doing their job.