Alright, what's up everyone, it's Dex here, and today we're diving deep into a formation that can turn the tide of any match: the 4-4-1-1. This is my go-to comeback formation, the one I pull out when I'm down a goal or two and need to inject some serious firepower into my attack while still keeping things relatively solid at the back. Let's get into it!
Why the 4-4-1-1?
The 4-4-1-1 is a beast in attack, but it's not always the best for a full 90 minutes against a top-tier opponent. It can be a bit defensively vulnerable, so it's best used strategically. Against weaker opponents, you can absolutely run this for the whole game and watch their defense crumble. But at higher ranks, you're usually better off with two defensive midfielders. That's why I primarily use this as a comeback formation.
Tactical Setup: Building the Attack
Let's break down the tactics.
- Build Up Play: We're going with Balanced. This gives us a good foundation to build from.
- Defensive Style: We're going with a High 70 Depth. Aggressive defending at 95 depth has been nerfed in the recent patch, so if you have a formation with 95 depth, you better bump it down to 70.
Player Instructions: The Key to Success
Now, let's get into the player roles. This is where the magic happens.
- Striker: Advanced Forward and Attack. This guy has one job: stay central and score goals. Simple as that.
- CAM (Center Attacking Midfielder): Shadow Striker and Attack. This is the key to the formation's attacking power. The shadow striker is your second wave of attack. Your striker will be marked, but the CAM often finds himself unmarked in prime goal-scoring positions. Make sure your CAM has good shooting stats because he'll be getting into a lot of scoring chances.
- Wingers: Inside Forward and Attack on both sides. I could run a winger or wide playmaker on one of them, but I use this formation when I'm desperate for a goal. The most optimal way of scoring a goal is having as many people involved in the box as possible.
- Center Midfielders:
- One Box-to-Box on one side. Doesn't matter which side.
- One Deep Lying Playmaker and Defend on the other side. Deep lying is better than holding in this case because of better attacking presence. My goal is to make a big block of attackers in the center and playmaker gets your center mid wide. Sometimes these two players especially your boxto-box center is going to get involved in so many good situations. So make sure you have a good player here.
- Fullbacks: Fullback and Defend. If you're really desperate for a goal, you can switch these to Balanced or even Wing Back.
- Center Backs: Defender and Defend. No matter what.
- Goalkeeper: Sweeper Keeper. Always.
And there you have it! This is the 4-4-1-1 setup that I use to claw my way back into games.