Alright, let's dive into this awesome 4-3-3 variation! It's a formation that's similar to the dreaded 4-2-1-3, but it's not quite the same. This is the 4-3-3 (2 CDM, 1 CM) and I'm going to break down the custom tactics.
Tactical Setup
First things first, the tactical preset is, of course, going to be Custom. I don't know why you'd use anything else! This is the 4-3-3, but instead of a flat midfield three or a CAM, we've got two CDMs and a central midfielder, which plays very similarly to a CAM.
Build Up Play
Now, for the build-up play, you've got two options.
- Counter: This is what I'm using on all my custom tactics right now. It encourages players to get in behind the opposition's defense as the team transitions quickly from defense to attack. When we lose the ball, our team will run back very quickly into our defensive structure, which makes it very solid. But when we win the ball, they will break forward very quickly and make a lot of penetrating runs in behind. It's very, very, very overpowered and definitely something I feel like you should be using.
- Balanced: This is what I've been using a lot over the middle of the game until a few weeks ago. I love balanced, but I do think now, personally, counter is more overpowered and more broken.
Defensive Approach
Now, for the defensive approach, there are three options.
- Aggressive with 95 Line Height: This is the option I'm using. Every single pro player uses this. You will have seen at the E Premier League last weekend, every single pro will be using 95 depth. It automatically presses, automatically offside traps for you, and then you don't drain your stamina. It's very, very, very glitchy and very broken, and it's why I like to use it. Don't be scared of the line height. The line height doesn't really feel like 95 a lot of the time. It really doesn't. It's not this complete YOLO Spurs line, you know, where it's just ludicrously high. It's not that. It is just a little bit higher than kind of like the 50 or the 75, and you can press a lot higher.
- 70 Depth: If you are someone that does struggle defensively, give this a go.
- 50 Depth: If you are someone that does struggle defensively, give this a go.
Let me know in the comment section down below if you have changed anything because I love to hear what you do say.
Player Roles
Now, let's get into the player roles.
- Wingers (LW & RW): Both wingers are on Inside Forward and Balanced. I do sometimes play Roman, especially when I was trying out the 4-2-1-3, but having now gone to inside forward and balanced, I do think inside forward and balanced is now better. I don't know why, like I don't really understand what's happened with it to make it this so much better, but I do now think the inside forward and balanced is definitely better on the left winger and the right winger.
- Striker (ST): The striker is going to be on Advanced Forward and Attack. That will never really change. Poacher is very, very, very good though, but I don't think poacher is good when you're using one striker. I think poacher is something that you need to use when you're using two strikers in like a 4-4-2 or something like that. You notice with the green, like the the green highlighted sections with Advanced Forward and Attack, then that front three in general is like highlighted quite green. With poacher, it's not. They will just stay up front, and I don't think that's good when you're using one striker. So that's why I think Advanced, well, I know Advanced Forward and Attack is better in this formation.
- Central Midfielder (CM): Your central midfielder needs to be on Playmaker and Attack. That is so, so, so key. Your central midfielder will play as a CAM in this formation. It will play very similar to the CAM in the 4-2-1-3 or the 4-4-1-1. Playmaker and Roman is good though as well if you want to give that a go. Like playmaker and Roman is very, very, very good. I do like that, but for me, playmaker and attack does just work better in this formation.
- Defensive Midfielders (CDM): Because this formation is in general a little bit defensive, you can afford to have both of your CDMs on Deep Line Playmaker and Build Up. If you read what the buildup does when set to buildup, the Deep Line Playmaker will move forward and offer a passing option to support attacks. We need that in this formation. I need my CDMs, both of them, to push up a little bit more to get forward and help us out in the attacking phase of play because we've got a central midfielder rather than a CAM. That is so, so, so key in this formation, in my humble opinion, of course.
- Fullbacks (LB & RB): Because of the 4-2-1-3 meta, both your left back and your right back need to be on Fullback and Defend. It pains me to say because I such an advocate of overlapping wing backs and stuff like that. I absolutely love having my wing backs and fullbacks overlapping, helping us out in attack, trying to get an overload down one side. I absolutely love that in FC FIFA games. That is how if I was a football manager, I would play with my fullbacks. But because of the 4-2-1-3 meta, we can't. If we have an overlapping fullback or an overlapping wing back, my opponent will 95% of the time be playing the 4-2-1-3. We may lose the ball in transition, and my wing back is out of position. My opponent's left winger or right winger isn't tracking back. They will play one through ball into that winger, and all of a sudden, they are in on our goal. So we need to play with both our left back and our right back on fullback and defend. Trust me, I hate it as much as you.
- Center Backs (CB): Both center backs are just on Defender and Defender. I've never really changed that. That is what they will always be on.
- Goalkeeper (GK): The goalkeeper is going to be on Sweeper Keeper with Balanced on the focus.
In-Game Play
With the ball, it's very, very, very similar to the 4-2-1-3 in terms of how this plays out. The two CDMs will push forward a little bit more because, of course, they're on deep line playmaker and buildup. That will help us out with the attacking phase of play. You got the nice front three kind of like in a steady line there, so you will get a lot of like passes across the box to your left winger, to your striker, striker to your right winger, etc. Center mid playing as a CAM, nice in that number 10 position, and then the back four in general, nice and easy.