![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.pger.net\/football\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Brentford.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe first dip into the game was essentially taking my FM19 system and applying it to Brentford to see if the basic ideas still worked in the game. They did, but the regista was unnecessary and I wanted the attacking midfielder back in the system. The two wide players were not supporting the forward enough either, leaving Toney isolated.<\/p>\n
Attempt 2 – Dortmund<\/p>\n
A big departure in many ways from the original system.<\/p>\n Starting at the front, the attacking midfielder returned in the shape of an advanced playmaker. I am often guilty of taking out the attacking midfielder in FM because they appear to be unproductive when you look at the stat line. However, when watching games the difference with and without an attacking midfielder is stark. In possession they link everything together. Out of possession, the pressing changes completely, asking too much of the Mezzala, which in turn creates a hole in the centre which the opposition can easily play through.<\/p>\n I tucked the wide players inside to get them closer to the striker and hopefully scoring more goals. With the wingers now tucked in the width would have to come from the fullbacks. Originally these players were complete wing backs, but the positional instructions caused a big problem. The complete wing backs dribbled too much, going round in circles or into impossible situations. What I needed was for the full backs to get high and wide, take a touch and cross the ball. I changed them to full backs to facilitate this.<\/p>\n In central midfield I felt that shifting from two defensive and deep roles would actually offer enough coverage. A central midfielder with a defend duty and a deep lying playmaker should create a box in the centre with the central defenders, allowing the full backs to push on.<\/p>\n It didn’t.<\/p>\n The system showed signs of what I was looking for. Playing forward rapidly and getting into good positions. From here it started to fall away. The deep lying playmaker drifted around far too much and would get too close to the opposition penalty area (despite his individual instructions). The two outside attacking midfielders did get close to advanced forward but were far less effective than I had hoped.<\/p>\n Overall, while the system got decent results I had taken things too far. The fast attacking football was too fast, too rushed, shedding possession without regaining it effectively. I had asked far too much.<\/p>\n Attempt 3 – Real Madrid<\/p>\n A departure in midfield and a less symmetrical style. The passing distances and tempo were changed. I didn’t want to play short and safe, but clearly the settings before were far too long and fast.<\/p>\n I wanted to keep the box in the centre and hoped that dragging the central midfielders back to defensive roles I would keep them away from the opposition area, protecting the central defenders to stop counter attacks.<\/p>\n There is a balance problem in the image above with the left side being completely attacking and the right being locked into support roles. This was changed by putting the left back in a support role and the right back into an attack role.<\/p>\n I still wasn’t satisfied. The gap between the defensive midfielders and attacking midfielders was now too great, though the narrowness of the team was helping the connection between the attacking midfielders and the advanced forward.<\/p>\n What was really bugging me was the big red squares on the grid. People will say that these are only really aesthetic but I didn’t like them. For the next stage I wanted to achieve these things –<\/p>\n A flexible level of fluidity<\/p>\n Pitch coverage<\/p>\n Impact from the players operating behind the striker<\/p>\n Protection of the central defenders<\/p>\n Attempt 4 – Liverpool<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n