Alright, let's dive into this 4-4-1-1, a very meta formation, and I'm gonna break down the custom tactics I've built for it.
Formation and General Tactics
The foundation of this setup is a balanced buildup – that's my go-to. I'm also running a high defensive line, set at 70 depth. Now, I know some folks are going aggressive these days, but with this formation, it's a bit tricky. You're already playing without CDMs, and going full-on aggressive can leave you exposed in one-on-one situations. I prefer a more balanced approach. The high line gives you those automatic offside traps, which is all you really need.
For the goalkeeper, I've got sweeper keeper selected, but that's personal preference. It doesn't really impact the formation itself.
Player Instructions
Here's where we get into the nitty-gritty of player instructions:
- Fullbacks: Right back on Fullback Defend. Left back on Fullback Balanced.
- Center Backs: Both on Defend. They're the stay-back-while-attacking guys.
- Left Mid: Winger Balanced.
- Right Mid: Inside Forward.
- Center Mids: Both on Holding and Defend. This gives the best balance. Deep-lying playmaker is a bit too much freedom for the CMs. I want them to cover when we lose the ball.
- CAM: Playmaker Balanced. This is the best role for the CAM. If you're using someone like Bruno, you could consider Shadow Striker as well.
- Striker: Advanced Forward and Attack on Kona.
Attacking Strategy
The main idea is to build up on the left side and then work the ball inside, getting the right mid involved as well.
Gameplay Examples
Let's look at some examples to see how this all works in practice:
- Example 1: We build from the back, playing to the left. You'll see Garnacho wide, and Theo getting involved. We find Theo on a run, and we can finish it. Garnacho is wide, creating an overlap with Theo. We play back to Theo, and then it's about staying calm. Garnacho makes a run, we use the inside of the Tiaka combination from Kona to find Garnacho, played back into the middle, and there you can see the inside forward on Dennis man coming in clutch because he's making that run for Pelle to find him and immediately finish it.
- Example 2: We get the ball to Dennis Bon and work towards the left side again with Garnacho. We try to get the play going, but he's marking it, so we go back. We get a bit fortunate with the bounce back, and now we want to find the middle, where Dennis man is now, and he's in a perfect position for finesse. Unfortunately, it gets saved, but you can see the position he takes up there as an inside forward makes it so difficult for the opponent to defend because he just gets into the space where the two midfielders leave a quite small Gap behind and then we can just turn and shoot.
- Example 3: Build up from the back again, and now we're going to go from the right, from Dennis man into Pelle again. You see that Garnacho is a bit more in the wing, so he creates a bit of space there, and from that space we take advantage with B little one to with mé and we find the back of the net. So, the first phase of the build-up is actually through the middle. This is where Dennis mon can help us. Then we go back to the left again because that's where the space is. We work a bit with the space and find the opening in the middle.
Defensive Strategy and Pressing
Now, let's talk defense and pressing. Remember, the defensive line is high, and we want to press. This formation is perfect for it.
- Pressing Example 1: The opponent gets the ball, and we immediately press forward. He passes it back, but it looks like he gave the ball away pretty silly, which is true to some extent, but it is about forcing your opponent to making these kind of mistakes because you can see that nobody in this team on the minim up is really free going forward. So if you then stay between all the passing Lanes it's very hard for your opponent to get out of the press in this formation obviously we play with CM so that makes us a bit better in the Press if play with CDM would be a bit further back and would give our opponent more space.
- Pressing Example 2: Again, he plays out from the back to the left Winger finds the middle and this is where we yeah can surround him of course he could have played the ball too could have play the ball back but he doesn't want to and we force him to do a stupid dribble and that's where we I think with three players almost surround him and get the ball of him. So if we force our opponent to go into the middle we got three midfielders there to press him and even with our center backs who can be a bit more aggressive.
- Pressing Example 3: He's playing out from the back, and you can see that our midfields are so high of the pitch. He plays a 4 to 1 three of course, so it makes it hard for him to get out because his Wingers are high up as well. We just have to cover the pass to the striker really when he has got the ball with the cam because the rest of the team doesn't really move.
- Pressing Example 4: He's playing out from the back, and this time he manages to do so. He finds mway on the right and gets Pao, and now it's where you need to stay come with harand stay between the passing Lane until okay maybe he can shoot then you have to be a bit more aware of the shot but he passed it and we still have enough time because we didn't fully commit yet so we can tackle him. So whenever he breaks out of your press try to just stay between the passing Lane stay in a position where even if he gives that pass you're still being able to tackle him and win the ball back.
So, that's the 4-4-1-1. If you have any questions, drop them below.