FM Boss Tactical Guide

Analysis of FM Boss Tactics

2012

4-1-3-2 of Cesare Prandelli Updated for FM 2012

The Reborn of Italian National Team

Fratelli d'Italia, l'Italia s'e desta... Brother of Italy, Italy woke up... These are the first words of the Italian National Anthem. One country, 4 world cups numerous friends and enemies. But one thing the nobody can deny is the masterclass of Italian Coaches. Excellent in tactics, always extremely well prepared team and above all intelligence and flexibility. The last representative of the big Italian Coaching School is Claudio Cesare Prandelli. An ex player of Juventus, he played under the guidance of legendary Giovanni Trapattoni, winning recognition and trophies. A real fighter, despite he lost his wife in 2007 he continues to have the same desire and ambition for the game. Born in Orzinuovi in 19.8.1957 he was always the most hard working player in every club that he played. Outside of the pitch he is always smiley and humble. The Italian football federation after two failed choices trusted him till 2014. The immature experiments of Donadoni and the old time classic stubbornness of Lippi are over. Cesare keeps his nose down, he is not selling magic ideas and he is trusting a standard squad. He gives always chances to in-form players but he keeps on mind that Squadra Azzura represents whole nation so he needs to be serious and concentrated on what he does. He never speaks for the past and he rarely comments or compares opponents. Like we said before... humble and hard working. He is trusting mostly young ambitious players and he is not afraid of make them protagonists by giving them responsibilities and tough duties. He is aware of the challenges and he knows to handle with them. Cesare Prandelli worked in the bankrupted Parma and Venezia, he persuaded Della Valle (Fiorentina's boss) that football is not buy and spend and he persuaded Italian Federation that a "football circle" in a national team is from World Cup to World Cup and not from competition to competition. No doubt, iron willed. Now he needs to make the results to be equally impressive. In his new Italy, he removed all the problematic players with irrational behavior. Its not code of ethics, it's a matter of professionalism. Balotelli, Cassano, Legrotagglie, Miccoli and others are simply not normal people. They are not able to accept roles, rules and generally they cannot be members of a competitive group. Maybe Cassano has become more mature but he remains an explosive Italian from south Italy. So Prandelli needs to have alternative options. Giuseppe Rossi, Montolivo, Marchisio, Bonucci, Ranochia and many other players have the chance to be key players in the group and yes, Italy after 3-4 years seems to be a group again. Fancy sun burn tourists are over. Training schedules are organized, team plan is working and generally you see that team is working like a proper top club. Finally... Prandelli is not a wizard. He is using tight marking, he gives creative freedom in Montolivo, he allows Cassano and Rossi to exchange positions and to swap roles, his back-line is solid, resolute and they play quite simple. The lines are close and you rarely see gaps and his 4-1-3-2 is becoming easily 4-3-3 or 4-3-2-1. He has teach this formation exemplary so you hardly can see disorganization in the pitch. Criscito(DL), Bonnuci, Chiellini (DC), Montolivo (DMC/AMC), De Rossi, Marchisio, Mauri or Pirlo are his basic options. Rossi and Cassano upfront. It doesn't seem impressive but what is not popular became after some time top hit. Try and you will not miss. My results were very good, excellent defense, very solid attack and just to tell you that in 20 games I conceded just 4 goals. In all of my teams, I was rarely conceding goals. I was conceding 1 goal every 7-8 games. That was my record.

4-2-3-1 of Rene Girard for FM 2012

The hottest tactic for Football Manager 2012. Transform a relegation battling club into a top class side.

They have brake our balls the last two years with PSG. The new heavy rich yankees who want to dominate football by purchasing everything. Unfortunately for American minded investors who have Arabian origins, the word "knowledge" is very crucial as well. You need to have apart from big wallet, big knowledge about football. As I can see, the fact that they leave the control to the ex-playboy footballer Leonardo says everything. This person tried to make AC Milan a brazilian carnival and transformed Inter into a zoggler sided team. Not just this, they overpaid Sirigu and Pastore like they bought Schmeichel and Maradona respectively. Money laundring and ridiculous decisions in total. They fired Kombouare for no reason and they hired Ancelotti who won only one Scudetto in 8 years with AC Milan. Galliani admitted that they were keeping Carletto because he was a close friend with most of players and mostly with Berlusconi. Galliani admitted all of these before Carlo moves to Chelsea. Ancelotti had for years some of the best midfielders of the world. Despite he won Champions League twice Milan never was consistent and they suffered from minnows team constantly. The last example but most recent was the Cagliari of Maximiliano Allegri which over played Milan in-out. Home and Away. Allegri stated after the two matches, it wasn't so difficult to outclass a predictable over-aged team. Now Carletto signed his last luxury contract. The fools will never die. Our hero in this Article is RENE GIRARD. A humble person, hard working who is closing mouths every weekend the last 3 years. Since he took over Montpellier in the summer of 2009 he managed to transform a relegation battling club into a top class side which is able to play top quality football without having expensive overrated footballers. Girard is showing to all the pseudo experts that working hard in trainings and having regular squad is more important than paying newspapers. I will post you all the results of Montpellier because maybe some people will wake up from dreams. Girard is showing to every football observer that when you are methodic, open minded and on the ground, you don't afraid anybody. He formed a stable defence without having top players, he uses two hard working midfielders and upfront he uses all his talented footballers. Jourden - Badimo as attacking left back - Bocaly plays right back and third stopper - two DC Stamboulli and Yanga-Mbiwa are always sweeper of eachother. The two MC are Marveux and Estrada. We go now upfront to the nuclear weapons : Utaka, Belhada, Cabella. All of these are moving constantly, the exchange positions and upfront the reference point of the attacking efforts : Girourd. All these players improved at least 50% under Girard. See them 2-3 years ago. Totally different players who have now personality and self confidence. The president of Montpellier announced that his team now has 3 times higher value since Girard took over in 2009. If this is not enough, no more words... Leave the other well paid liars journalists to promote their own guys as top coaches. History never says lies. Montpellier is writing history this season. Others, try to purchase history... Montpellier Matches for season 2011-12

4-3-1-2 of AC Milan
The winning formula of Allegri

I think we can all agree that the hiring of Allegri gave to Milan a chance to breathe a collective sigh of relief, but with his hiring now comes a myriad of unanswered questions regarding the team, formation and personnel. I dont want to portray the hiring of Allegri as a negative by any means; in fact I am excited to have a young and innovative tactician at the helm to instill fresh ideas during the rebuilding of the team. My concerns are actually rooted in his system of play and the players available to implement the 4-3-1-2.

When I first look at the roster of the team the last formation I really think of is the 4-3-1-2. The formation calls for a CAM play maker who can check into the midfield to receive the ball, turn, face play and make the pass or run that the two strikers can thrive off of. At this point outside of Seedorf there is no one who has ever really played in that role, let alone be successful. The CAM also has to have an element of grit in order to be able to stop the opposing DM or CM from having a carte blanche at the midfield line, at this point the dream #10 is Wesley Sneijder and while I have no doubt in my mind a player can found to fill that void the question becomes who and how much are Fester and Co. willing to play for such a pivotal position?

The midfield three in this formation actually operate very similarly to the midfield in Carlettos XMAS tree so in that sense we have the perfect fit, but then the issue becomes width. We can certainly count on Antonini to be a viable option next season on the right or left, he has earned that much, but the question then becomes where do we find the other back? Allegri didnt neccesarily call for that type of width at Cagliari, probably because due to lack of personnel, but offenses become exponentially more dangerous when the full backs add numbers to the attack, forcing defenders and midfielders out of position to cover their deep runs. Do we stick with Abate and all his growing pains, or will the Otamendi, Taiwo, or Eboue rumors come true? Until then it leaves another gaping hole in Allegris potential formation!

Coaches have a tendency to stick to what they know, and while I have no doubts Allegri is banging his head on the wall much like we are, figuring out how he is going to make this work, he may have to adapt with what is available to him or the lack thereof for that matter. We all know Ronaldinhos failures behind the strikers, and when you have a team with both he and Pato, maybe the 4-3-3 is the way to go! But even that presents major problems as evidenced last season with the formation being exposed for lack of balance in the midfield whenever Seedorf was on the pitch. The team had no problem going forward but defending was a nightmare, if Allegri does choose to stick with the foundation Leo has laid down, then a LM in the form of Galloppa, Asamoah, or Lazzari is an absolute must. While some of

you may argue the lack of quality in these players, it needs to be said that function is more important at this point to the balance and deployment of the formation and the well being of the team! We can all salivate as we watch players at the World Cup, but have your rational thinking cap on and understand that there is a budget here and players actually wanting to come to Milan is a thing of the past!

A 4-3-3 featuring Ants, Nesta, Silva, RB, LM, Pirlo, Ambro, Dinho, Borri, Pato has its advantages. Abate, Rino, Flamini, and KJH can all be used to supplement and even useless players such as Mancini or Janks can even find a niche, but the weaknesses are still evident. Even if Allegri went full steam ahead in his preferred formation, and deploying Pirlo as the #10 (which I have misgivings about because of his ability for the long pass and being so close to goal) as follows: Ants, Silva, Nesta, RB, LM, Ambro, Flamini/Abate, Pirlo, Borri, Pato. It still leaves holes in the 3 man midfield and RB, and presents Old Silvios favorite question where do you play my precious Ronaldinho? Versatility is not really our strong suit now is it? As you can see Allegri has his work cut out for him, I am sure an assessment of his personnel has already begun but will he at least get the players he needs to make this work? You could even make a case for a promotion of De Vito and moving Antonini to RB, or playing Verdi/DiGennaro as the #10, but even then the name of the game becomes patience as the team will surely struggle with growing pains. It goes without saying I find little comfort in the fact that our management continues to chase strikers despite the position being relatively FULL on our roster, and continuing to neglect other areas of the pitch that need desperate depth, as well as starters, but at this point it has become the norm, as frustrating as it may be.

Again, I am excited for Allegri, he has some tactical guile, and can bring a desperately needed breath of fresh air to Milans stale tactics,

but I certainly wouldnt want to be in his shoes at the moment!

TIPS
Turn this formation onto 4-3-2-1 or 4-2-3-1 Avoid push up and wing play ,your lines will open a lot Use midfielders who are fast and good defensively . Dont be afraid to move players who play as wingers in the position of AMC or Striker .Just think that instead of wasting the energy of the players by putting them in the wings ,move them centrally in a more productive role . Always trust mentally balanced players in the defence .This formation demands good tactical understanding . Watch carefully how the opponent is moving in his own half .If he plays too much possesion football ,you can use more agressive pressing and more direct tempo .Use your players more centrally and focus build up through the middle . Make your players winners by giving them roles according to their style .For example ,never give attacking duties or freedom to players who are not creative enough .They will make the game slower by trying to make things that simply are not made of . Use zonal marking and adjust passing game carefully .Possesion is fruitful only if score goals .Convert your domination into mature football . You can see some schemes here to take an idea how to apply this formation

Arrigo Sacchi is a romagnolo from Fusignano, a city close to Ravenna. He has studied accounting and he plays football. His father is wealthy as he has a small shoe factory. Arrigo grows up in the middle of the perfumes of the province. He is natural and dry, he wants right away his Porsche, he is torn between the demands of changing the world and to enjoy the easy life thanks to the wealth of his father. He chooses the latter and works for his father in his factory. He stops playing football without football noticing it. He falls in love with the Dutch ways. Then one day, he decides to leave and and goes around Europe meticulously and carefully studying the football of the others. He is particularly interested in the teaching of football to the youth. Sacchi believes that football starts from there. At the age of fourteen, a boy learns everything. He would know how to play in zone, the offside rule, pressing, diagonal, everything as he has a free spirit. At the age of 25 the boy becomes what he has learned. When he comes back from his Europe tour, he knows what is duty in life is. Sacchi remains profoundly convinced that the international experiences contribute a lot in forming a young footballer. When he trains the Cesena Primavera, he wants the club to send as much as possible the team to play tournaments abroad. And this team grows as a small chef doeuvre, balanced and mature. These boys win the league and they would all end up playing in Serie B and A. His idea is that the man is more important and counts more than the player. In the sense that if a footballer is not a serious man, he would never be a good footballer. Serious means being humble, being always ready to learn, to make sacrifices, to respect the fatigue to the point of understanding its necessity and key role in his system; to play for the others rather for oneself; to understand that if a partner doesnt help, he wont be helped and if he doesnt help the team wont exist. Theres finally an entire evangil of Sacchi which is at the base of his working methods. Translated onto the field, his thought means two training sessions a day, sometimes three, in a world where one doesnt go beyond 3 training sessions per week plus the friendly match on Thursdays.

That means a strict regime, a continuous study of ones and the opponents movements; it means continuous discussion about ones own limits, about being dust and about the infinite predisposition to become it. It means to totally immerse oneself into the philosophy of football and finally, to dive into the tunnel of excessive and unknown professionalism. When he arrives at Milan, he is a young technician of 41 years old who has never set foot in Serie A. Silvio Berlusconi welcomes him royally at Milan and surrounds him of grandeur. Sacchi defends himself with his hunger of glory, his evangil of work ethics of his region. He has spiritual eyes and a fixed smile. As Brera (great Italian journalis/writer of the 70s to 1990, Interista) writes, he often seems in direct conjonction and contact with God. His players are not listening to him. To Franco Baresi, he shows footage of Signorini, the Parma libero in Serie B. He is not understood, he is underestimated, then when the team loses a few games, a certain incredulity and scepticism comes as well. He feels faced with a duty bigger than him. After all, who is he? Thats the question most people are wondering in Milano, and worst of all, inside the dressing rooms. Thus, one day, he takes all the players apart, closes the doors of Milanello and yells that he is ready to go back to Fusignano but that they (the players) have not won anything and that they will not win anything. No one really knows whether it was his frank and direct way of talking or his charisma, but the fact is that all the Milan players come out of this meeting extremely pumped up. Berlusconi respects him and starts to believe in him again. And when the team goes to play a crucial game away to Verona, also crucial for Sacchi, the president stands at the doors of the dressing rooms and repeats convincingly to each and everyone of the players the same thing: Between Sacchi and the team, I choose Sacchi. The message is clear and goes well. Milan wins. And would not stop for a very long time. And this says it all on the fact that to have a great team, it is indispensable to have a great club.

Discussion on the methods of Sacchi

Sacchi doesnt invent a new football but a new manner to play football. He plays zonal on the natural basis of the 4-4-2. He presses the opponents in their own half by holding his defence at the level of the half line. Attacking this Milan during that time was difficult. Rare were the teams which succeeded. The team is very compact, tight and close with only one forward (Virdis) and a lot of versatile players (Donadoni, Evani, Gullit and Ancelotti. On the right wing, Tassotti and Colombo take care of the marking and help each other and take turns in crossing; on the left wing, the young Maldini and Evani do the same. Baresi plays in line with the defenders and orchestrate the off-side. However what is spectacular in the Sacchi method is the capacity of playing in a collective manner. In general, the collective play doesnt distinguish itself on the fact that the ball circulated and moves around between all the players of the team but rather of their total movement. In order to have a good

coherent play, the players of the team have to move all together and in the same direction that the ball is going. It is not easy to do that. You will often see 5 or 6 players moving but not all. This means that there is no harmony, that that theres a technical or physical difficulty. Sacchis Milan, when it was moving, looked like the migration of a people. The players move up and down not only together but by staying at the same distance of each other, a metre away from each other. It is quite difficult to play against such a machine, so developed and well oiled. Numerous were the games were Galli, the goal keeper did not touch the ball. Milan win all their matches at home and without losing away and conceding only 14 goals in the whole season. The team is lacking a great deep playmaker, like a Rijkaard whom would join the following year. Ancelotti does not have the calibre to fill that role, he does his job well and can do the playmaking job well when needed but it is not his best position. Berlusconi says that Milan does have a chef dorchestre, but he doesnt know the music and tune. The Man or the Scheme? As all the fundamentalists, Sacchi has few doubts and he is very rigid. Whatever change that is proposed or suggested to him, he sees it as an attempt to work less. He would get rid of any player who would not be enthusiastic with his methods. Van Basten, one of the all time greatest forwards often asks him: Mister, why are you treating me like the rest? And Sacchi answers him: Because you are intelligent and you would not ant a different treatment. Indeed, Van Basten is one of the most worried under the weight of the pressure. He finds himself often substituted. He then asks: Mister, why?. Because you were playing bad. .Yes, but the others were also playing bad. Yes, but the others were trying with application. Generally, Sacchi is very demanding with his players, probably too much. Paolo Maldini writes in his book, Il Calcio (Sperling and Kupfer edition, 1996), that the Sacchi tactic was very tiring and exhausting. After a few years, we could not continue at these rhythms. Sacchi wanted to take the pressure all the way to the penalty box of the opposition. We would feel an enormous fatigue as a result of this tactic. A lot of players of great quality would suffer from it and dread it, others would have to adapt to the tactical demands of the Sacchiano scheme. This would create a legend and an equivoque. The legend being that Sacchi always adapts his men to his scheme and never the scheme to his men at his disposal. The equivoque being this very same legend.

In reality, his football and the zone that he generates give a big importance in a general manner to each player and to their imagination, but always with the scheme in mind. In a few words, a left wing back, on his zone, can do everything that he wishes. He cannot do it in another part of the field. It is not a principle which limits the imagination. Its a principle which limits anarchy. A player has to follow his own instinct, but the instinct cannot be an ideology or a tactic. The truth lies somewhere in between. It is the men who make the success of a scheme, but a scheme must be for everyone. Football is not a game that we can follow only with our instinct because it is played with 11 individuals, that is with 11 instincts. One cannot progress without the triumph of the imagination; one progresses without the autolimitating confusion. It is clear that if you have Maradona on your team, you let him decide to whom he should give the ball in the last 20 metres. There is no scheme where you limit such a player. And should there be one, it would simply be an incorrect scheme. To be there, at such a moment, even Maradona would need to be in movement (therefore fit and well trained), in the middle of the team in movement. It is important fantasy in football is put in the service of who has less of itIf we following the imagination, we would need to go alone for the goal and its never easy. This is taking the highest risk with a little profit. Which would be a mistake.

The integrism of Zeman

I believe that the schematism of Sacchi has been at least equal to the schematism of those who have wanted to judge him. There is no doubt that in todays football, some technicians have ended up being really more advanced because they are extremely schematical Zdenek Zeman is the master of the second big fundamentalist wave. Zeman is the most integrist. For ever, he faces the same values and limitations, but he doesnt changeIt is certain that Zeman, even more than Sacchi doesnt distinguish between player and player. As much as Sacchi was talkative, as much Zeman is silent and mysterious. Daniele Adani, a defender from Correggio, a starter for Brescia who was for when he was 20, for 4 months at Lazio under Zeman tells that he has never heard a word from his coach towards his person in 4 months. When he found the courage to inform him of an offer from another club, Zeman told him that being young and talented, that he should accept the offer. Generally, Zeman opts for a total integrism. He believes in a logical football which can only be one. In order to apply it, the players need to be very very fit and well trained. Not making any difference between the players. They all must do the same things both as far as the preparation than the execution are concerned. Whether they are tall or short, heavy or thin. I dont know whether this is an advantage, but I have my doubts. Up until today, this type of football taken to the extreme had had excellent results as far as the construction phase of a project is concerned, without however, winning anything. It is often a spectacular method, and there is no

doubt that Zeman is an excellent producer of football

The limits of the Sacchism

The limits of the Sacchism are that every coach is not Sacchi. Being Sacchi means to be a coach who coaches a lot, who studies a lot, who demands a lot. A 360 degrees engagement and commitment that no other coach has ever demonstrated. Sven Goran Eriksson, for example, whos one of the oldest and most respected in Europe (despite being 50 years old, he has won titles in Sweden, in Italy and in Portugal), doesnt do the work of Sacchi. Eriksson is more coach than technician. Same for Fabio Capello. I dont believe that this means one is better or worst, it simply means something else. Eriksson lives with his players, he is rigorous technically speaking; he doesnt pretend to be teaching and lecturing from an existential point of view. To live and let live. And he authorizes discussion. When he arrived in Italy, 15 years ago, Eriksson played exclusively with an integral 4-4-2 elaborated in Sweden from an obvious English inspiration. Then, he moved onto a 3-5-2 with Sampdoria, then 4-3-3 in the first part of his reign at Lazio to come back to a 4-4-2. A Sacchista would have never done it. You would never see Zeman put a defender instead of a midfielder or vice-versa. A wing player replaces another wing player; a central midfielder with a central midfielder and so forth. They can change players, but not their scheme. This is for some, a limitation. For Zeman, it is a force. It is clear that a certain rigidity brings with it, its fair share of clash with players with strong personalities. Players that believe not to be nor too right nor to appropriate to give their best during trainings; players who need lots of motivation before and during a match. Finally, it is clear that football just like life is made of individuals, each with their own particularities and traits. Managing men means knowing them and keeping in mind what we know about each of them. Being tough, demanding with this type of player, is it always just? Above all, is he always in agreement with the interests of the club? Alen Boksic, when he was playing with Zeman at Lazio, was always injured and unhappy. The same Zeman was not hiding his desire to get rid of him. Same thing for Van Basten, Baggio and Panucci with Sacchi. Or for Romario and Ortega with Ranieri. And there are countless other similar examples

Differences between zonal tactics since Sacchi

Playing the zone is now very little indication of the behaviour of a team. A lot of teams now play with the zone. The problem and difference is how and what kind of zone. Capellos zone is not Sacchis and even less Zemans. But it is not Malesanis either, which in itself is different than all the others. Lippi has his own manner to play the zone, with a lot of aggressivity and attention, almost an Italian way of the zone system, with fixed and focused marking and the capacity to change system during a match. What differentiates one type of zone from another one? From a general point of view, it has to do with the manner to press and to apply the offside trap. One can apply pressing at about the half way line, at about of the field or close to the oppositions penalty box. Pressings are defined high, median or low based on how far it is applied from the penalty box of the opposition. The more it is applied inside the oppositions half, the more the pressing is high. Of course, this type of pressing is a lot more demanding and tiring and requires more energy as it means that the whole team is required to apply it regularly. Every player does their best not to concede a goal by preventing the opposition from entering into their own half. On the other hand, if the defence is positioned on the half way line, going beyond that line without ending up offside is very difficult for the opposition. What this boils down to is to completely asphyxiate the opponents physically inside their own half by pressing them as soon as they have the ball. This type of zone is highly suggestive and almost impossible. This was the zone of the first years of Sacchi. But it is nowadays only a romantic expression and souvenir. Impossible to achieve that type of a zone but only for a few minutes in a match.

A more human and realizable zone is Fabio Capellos zone. The we must absolutely do it of Capello took place of the exhaustion of Sacchi. The team was no longer able to stand nor manage the physical demands and workload of this Sacchiano system. Capello made a lower pressing and transformed it into a type of forcing. Whats the difference between the two types of zone? Simple. The simultaneous pressing and attacking of 2 or 3 players on the carrier of the ball. If you attack the opponent who has the ball with one man, it is called forcing. The difference is considerable and it implies a game plan and model almost entirely different. Pressing man by another man is normal. The forcing is when everyone presses with aggressivity their designated opponent. Pressing the opponent who has the ball with 2 or 3 players means being in numerical inferiority somewhere else on the field, meaning that if 3 men are on this zone of the field, these men will not be on at least 2 other zones. And the numerical superiority is at the base of the goal.

If you analyse carefully each goal, you would find that the direct or indirect cause of it to be a moment of numerical superiority. This means that if the pressing is successful, you get the ball back and start a collective counter attack. If the opponent manages to pass the ball to a partner, this means that the pressing must move towards the zone where the ball is now, but because of that, the equilibrium of the game is not respected anymore. And if the opponent manages to free from the pressing, the team is immediately in great difficulty since in an obvious numerical inferiority. This necessity of not being in danger makes it imperative to use to foul, each time that a team is collectively in danger and the pressing is eliminated. This is the famous tactical foul that we see at least 30 times per game.

Football by Descartes and Kant

Football is in everything, an inexact science, but more and more true and profound. If today, we had a Descartes who was looking for a mathematical certitude, not on the existence of football, but on its correct application, he would maybe find it in the defence of spaces, true problem with which whatever scheme must be compared with. I play, therefore, I cover (Je joue, donc je couvre, letting others to chose the manner to cover. But while trying to answer at the question of the scientific character of football, I believe that at this point, Kant would also give an affirmative answer. Based on his criterias, football is science since it can be based on synthetic judgements a priori like mathematics and physics. If I say this football is based on the exact covering of spaces, I am indeed giving a synthetic judgement because I am adding something to the sentence (this football), and a judgement which is a priori based upon the pure intuition of space. Football is a finally science on all accounts. Science of the rest is not truth but a continuous research of truth. And as all the sciences, football also often gives inexact results. (). The greatness of football remains in its imperfection, as it is also ours. Football is like us, it answers at our demands. It is not by luck that these schemes have always followed our social evolutions. If football, the Italian way was the football of after war of a beaten nation condemned to manage on its own, the total football of the Dutch has been the football of a new humanism. And the football of Sacchi has presented the a mirror world, in its surety and in the arrogance of a Reagan, in the victory and the amusement and entertainment of the strong. Like a flashback to a prudence of principle, to a less emotive choice, more complex and thought, corresponding to a football of the 1990s and 2000s, a bit sacred a bit realistic, but a bit lacking strong illusions, but decided to go on. Toward the future.

Tips 1)Make a very good pre-season training in terms of physical work 2)Avoid to use slow players or players with low stamina. 3)Make several friendly games with weaker teams in order to expertise this tactic as for handling it during the game .Your players will also feel comfortable . 4)Avoid individual efforts from your players .Use players with high teamwork and concentration. 5)Convince your staff to work in a simmilar manner 6)Focus on forming a steady backline .This is the the most crucial part of success 7)Be sure that your goalkeeper is above 190 and that his experience is adequate . 8)Convert the same tactic on 4-2-3-1 or in 4-3-1-2 .With this way you alternate the roles in a very delicate and smooth way 9)Restric the number of touches of your players .Convince them to make more vertical runs ,more shoots and more attacking attempts . 10) Persuade youngster to have an active role and to work harder .Youngsters are a source of

oxygen and creativity so they can upbeat this tactic . 11)Motivate your team constantly .Tired body means tired mind .Refresh them both . 12)Create competition and team blend in your team .Make your players ready for battle and hard work 13)Stimulate your attacking minded players .Make them to try and to attack more .Give them new ways of play. 14)Dedicate your energy on how to create a solid platform and not how to score more goals .This will create equality and flexibility in this tactic. 15)Work step by step .Use simmilar formations before you use this one . 16)Be sure that your team can afford this kind of football .If not ,use simplier and less demanding tactics that will prepare your team to adopt this one . 17)Arrange friendlies even for your reserve or u17 sides and make all of your teams to work in a simmilar manner . 18)The ideal example of this is :your first team plays against reserve or under19 by using the same tactics.The other teams of the club must try to play in a same manner in order to create the "tree of succession" 19)Use several schedules who are focusing on ball circulation ,ball distribution or build up. 20)Conclusion ... Intense Pre Season ,Solid Defence ,Adequate Build Up ,Clear Roles ,Collectivity,Hard Work ,Attacking Spirit and Plan ,High Motivation and Desire .

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Antonio Conte's New Formation

Exciting football in a classy way

The 4-2-4 is a mythical formation, immediately bringing to mind the Brazil side of 1970, maybe the greatest international side in history. It is seldom used in modern football at the top level, and therefore the arrival of Antonio Conte at Juventus this summer excited many he was set to play the system, and perhaps bring all-out-attack football to Turin. Its surprising that so many thought this would bring about a revolution (in pure formation terms), for if there was any other manager in Europe that could vaguely be described as using a 4-2-4, it would be Juves manager from last year, Gigi Del Neri. He made his name with a similar system at Chievo, then re-established himself with the formation at Sampdoria, and last year tried to make it work with Juve. Therefore, its hardly been complete departure from the way Juventus played last year. And, in reality, Conte doesnt use a 4-2-4, as he freely admits. Theres been too much talk on this particular way of playing. In actuality its a 4-4-2. I know of course novelty makes sometimes a great topic of discussion. If instead of saying 4-2-4 I had said 4-4-2 from the very beginning, we wouldnt be discussing this innovation. Maybe all it is is just a normal idea of play. It is a normal 4-4-2. I think in England most teams that are winning are applying this type of module, which enables you to cover the playing field in the best possible way I think. His comments about covering the playing field are interesting, reminiscent of Arsene Wengers comments (albeit now five years ago): I think its simply the most rational formation in most cases. In fact, its the essence of reason. With a 4-4-2, 60% of your players are occupying 60% of the pitch. No other formation is as efficient at covering space. 4-4-2 / 4-2-4 As a side note, Contes comments on the definition of the formation are very interesting. It has been termed as a 4-2-4 for reasons of pure branding, rather than because of the actual positioning of the side. OK, the wingers play high up the pitch, but they drop back level with the midfielders when out of possession. It isnt too much more of a 4-2-4 than Manchester Uniteds shape at the start of the season with Nani and Ashley Young playing high up although they tended to come inside slightly more, making 4-2-2-2 more appropriate. Its funny that there can be so little difference between 4-2-4, perhaps the most exciting realistic formation imaginable, and the bog standard 4-4-2, arguably the least interesting shape. In fact, its probably less of a 4-2-4 than the system Pep Guardiola briefly used at the start of 2010. That shape was very similar to the Brazilian shape of 1970, in that it had the left-winger (Andres Iniesta) deeper like Rivelinho, and one striker (Thierry Henry) starting highest up but then moving towards the ball, like Tostao. However, if were accepting that in all these formations the wide players are level with the midfielders when out of possession and closer to a line with the forwards when the side has the ball, Barcelonas unprecedented dominance of possession means that theyll naturally look more like a 4-2-4 than any other the other sides. Central midfield zone Its also interesting that Conte wants to cover the space with his formation. The battle of formations in recent years has generally revolved upon ball retention rather than spatial distribution of players (more on this in a couple of weeks) Jose Mourinho famously outlined why his 4-3-3 always beat a natural 4-4-2 because of the spare man in midfield to keep possession. Playing only two central midfielders rather than three, with two natural wingers and two strikers, indicates a more direct style of football. So, even if its not a 4-24, the reasons for Conte playing the system are intriguing. The game against Genoa last night which Juventus dominated but twice lost the lead showed off their system well. The most interesting feature far more so than the formation is the use of his two midfielders in deep positions. Andrea Pirlo was superb against Genoa, and whilst Claudio Marchisio was more quiet, he was the hero in Juves previous home game, a 2-0 win over Milan. The use of two ball players in a two-man central midfield zone is rare. Pirlo made his name at Milan when his role was possible because he had hard-working runners around him most obviously Rino Gattuso, but also Massimo Ambrosini and (to a certain extent) Clarence Seedorf. Marchisio is more of a battler, a hard working tenacious player, but he used to be a trequartista in Juves youth sides before

being converted to a midfielder, and he is far from a holding player. A Pirlo-Marchisio central midfield is very positive. If there are two basic functions of being a central midfielder keeping the ball and winning the ball a manager has to make a decision about the style of players he wants in a two-man central midfield rather than a three. A negative manager would think immediately about his side being overrun in the 4-4-2 shape and therefore field two defensiveminded scrappers. Conte is much more positive, and instead addresses the lack of a midfield triangle to play around the opposition by turning to two players comfortable in possession. Juve will, at times, need a third player in there. Against Milan and Chievo the energetic Arturo Vidal was added to make a 4-1-4-1ish shape, whilst late in the Genoa game Michele Pazienza came on for Marcelo Estigarribia, with Mirko Vucinic dropping to the left. Other individuals There remain question marks about the suitability of other players for the system. Vucinic was playing a relatively static role upfront alongside Alessandro Matri (who was excellent). It made Juve one-dimensional with the ball, and didnt suit Vucinics quality which is picking up the ball before running at speed. It has been rumoured that Vucinic could play as the left-winger, in place of Estigarribia, but it might be wiser to use him to the left of the forward duo and let him drift wide from there. Estigarribia has to do a lot to cement his place in the side this was his first league start, but he was peripheral and there remains a feeling that his impressive displays at the Copa America, themselves brief moments of skill, flatter a player who struggled at Le Mans in France. Left-back is another area of weakness. Paolo De Ceglie, Fabio Grosso and now Giorgio Chiellini have all been used. Chiellini was terrible against Genoa ponderous on the ball, beaten in the air for both goals and guilty of wasting good chances at the other end. Cohesion These issues can be solved through selection, but Conte remains keen to focus upon the unit. As far as were concerned, we are fortunate enough to have players in the team that may permit us to change and use something different. The idea how we should play remains essentially the same, though. The key is cohesion, and this appears to be lacking down the flanks. With the wingers immediately moving forward when Juventus win the ball, it is difficult for the full-backs to make contact with them, even more difficult to overlap. Gael Clichy admits he struggled when Arsenal started playing their wingers higher up, for example. But the cohesion was most obviously lacking for the first goal Juve conceded. Simone Pepe pressed, but Stephane Lichsteiner didnt Genoa had a large gap to play in down the left, and a clever pass resulted in Bosko Jankovic and Alexander Merkel combining, with the German crossing for Marco Rossi at the far post. For a manager so keen to play a specific system because it covers the space well, errors like that are a big problem, but Contes project remains one of the more compelling experiments in Serie A this season.

SOME TIPS FOR SUCCESFULL PLAY

*Use this formation at least in 4 friendly matches . *Use the fastest players as possible and have on your mind that your mc should be very good passers *Your full backs must be fast and good defenders *Your wingers must be technically gifted and one of them must be always an extra mc *Dont make your wingers extra strikers because you can face problems in the cnt.attack *Ensure that your strikers can move down to get the ball and that they are capable of creating Chances with personal efforts *This formation is not recommended for slow teams .Conte applies it in Juventus not in Como. *Switch this formation into 4-4-2 .It can be very productive as well . *When you start to instruct the current formation try this on match preparation 1st level defensive positiong 2nd level teamwork 3rd level attacking moves 4th level def.set pieces 5th level att.set pieces .Apply this step in this order in order to avoid ridiculous goals . *Swap players when its possible in mc or striker duo .Dont make your wingers second full backs . *Your dc must be fast enough to push up when its necessary .Avoid offsided trap *Use always counter attacks in order to take benefits from your explosive formation . *Make your players to shoot as much as possible in order to make possession to count .

Jorge Jesus Style - Domination in a stylish way

Updated for FM 2012 - Great results and displays

On June 8 of 2009, Benfica announced that they would be parting company with coach Quique Snchez Flores by the old faithful "mutual consent." This was two weeks after the season had finished, two weeks in which the club had gone to the lengths of releasing official statements denying rumours that Flores had been, or was about to be sacked, and a whole month after the Portuguese media had announced Jorge Jesus as Flores' replacement (which Benfica had also vehemently denied).

On June 17, the club announced Jesus as their new head coach and celebrated by going off and buying ten new players before the season started. Plus a change at the Estdio da Luz, then. Flores' story was typical of so many Benfica seasons over the last 15 years or so, as a very encouraging start, with the team unbeaten in the league before the winter break, proved to be a false dawn. All the talk of Flores revolutionising the club with his La Liga-exported calm and professionalism was quickly forgotten as Benfica finished 12 points behind the perpetual champions - and their modern day nemesis - FC Porto. Some said Flores, despite his experience at the helm of volatile Valencia and his distinguished playing career with Real Madrid and Spain, was just too nice. But one of Flores' recent predecessors, Jos Antnio Camacho was anything but, and he too had failed to restore the 31-time champions to former glories. Roberto Carlos once mocked one of Camacho's furious tirades at his squad of galcticos during his brief 2004 spell in charge at Real Madrid, telling journalists that "if you thump your fist against the table, you just break the table. And it makes your fist hurt." Camacho shrugged, grunted and snorted his way through six months of press conferences, gave opportunities to a few good young players and then slinked off in March 2008, the second of four Benfica managers to occupy the post in a disastrous season. So it's strange to think today that Benfica really could be entering a new era of stability and success, thanks to the influence of the new coach. The club have only won the title once since 1994, in Giovanni Trapattoni's sole season at the helm in 2005. Unfortunately for Benfiquistas, Trap upped sticks for Stuttgart with his fingerprints still moist on the league trophy, and they've never come close again since. Jorge Jesus may have nowhere near the trophy haul of his Italian counterpart, but as a Lisbon native the 55-year-old understands the very particular pressure of bossing Portugal's biggest and most popular club. Loathed as he may be to admit it, president Lus Felipe Vieira has taken a leaf out of Porto's book. The northerners appointed Jesualdo Ferreira in 2006, like Jesus an experienced campaigner in Portugal who'd never really had a crack at a top job (save a few short months at Benfica) and who was memorably described by Jos Mourinho as "an old donkey who's never won anything." What Benfica would give for a dose of Jesualdo's prescription - three successive titles and a Champions League quarter-final. Jesus' good start has not owed simply to results - his former club Braga lead the table having won all their seven games - but in the style of play that he has so swiftly and successfully imposed on his new charges. Benfica have scored 24 times in their opening seven matches, twice as many as leaders Braga, and since the opening day draw with Martimo have won six on the bounce. The weekend's 60 win at Monsanto in the Portuguese Cup with many of the big guns rested showed this attacking attitude pervades throughout the squad.

Despite their 100% league record on the road, it is Benfica's form at the Luz which has been key thus far - something Everton must heed when they pitch up on Thursday. Rebuilt just a stone's throw from the old Luz for Euro 2004, it's the biggest and most impressive stadium in Portugal, which is why it has been chosen for the home leg of Portugal's World Cup play-off with Bosnia-Herzegovina. This is no soulless Meccano-style new ground. When the home side are playing well, the atmosphere is something to behold, and Jesus' side have already caught the imagination on home turf this season, notably in the 8-1 demolition of Vitria Setbal and the 5-0 win over Leixes last time out.

Aimar and Cardozo have been important players for the club. It's not just the momentum of support that bodes well for the remainder of the season. Perhaps looking at the club's recent record of getting through coaches at a rate of knots, Jesus has widely elected to create a stable spine in his team. Goalkeeper Qum, central defenders Luiso and David Luz, midfielders Pablo Aimar and Carlos Martins and top scorer scar Cardozo are all in at least their second year at the club, and well disposed to helping the new boys adapt. Furthermore, the choice of new blood has moved away from the usual scattergun policy of random big names, with practical signings balancing the fantasy ones. Javier Saviola will make the darting runs onto his compatriot Aimar's through passes, and Ramires (eyecatching for Brazil in the Confederations Cup) is already weighing in with goals from midfield, while Javi Garca is a fine enforcer in the middle of the park and Cesar Peixoto has versatility and Portuguese league experience going for him. Outflanked in the South American market by Porto and dwarfed in the academy production stakes by less well-off city rivals Sporting, the penny has finally dropped at the Luz that a rethink was necessary. They've even managed to keep Aimar fit enough to earn a recall to Diego Maradona's squad for the recent World Cup qualifiers. Yet having not yet met either of their main domestic rivals, Everton will provide their biggest test of the season so far.

Porto dominated in season 2010-11 but Benfica had to sold their best players because of financial crisis .... The season 2011/12 started very well for Benfica by playing attractive football and leaving excellent impressions in Champions League till now .The new signings of Nolito,Wietsel and co brought freshness in a team that was very hard working but because of the financial crisis ,last season lost all the top players without being able to replace them adequately. This season will be exciting for Benfica and portuguese fans .Jorge Jesus is knows the way to the top .Jorge Jesus Style for FM 2012 is here .

4-6-0 of Luciano Spalletti for FM 2012

The most intriguing tactic for Football Manager 2012 I will not post here the ordinary tactics .I will just show a modern way which became popular the last 4 years . Its not just a theory ,its an applied idea which was very successful because of Luciano Spalletti .He used very good training methods ,he combined ideally the talent of his players with his tactical intelligence and the result was... Brilliant football ,excellent combinations ,balance between lines and gradual improvement in all the levels , season by season .Ofcourse ,there is one factor which is crucial .Age .Every person is becoming older or to say better more mature but football needs in many cases fresh legs .As totti and other players start to decline because of their age ,this formation became less popular from Lucio .However ,moving to Russia and having again in his disposal very good athletes ,he built last season a new masterpiece .Danny ,Bystrov in the wings ,Kerzhakov back in form , Denisov and Zyryanov in mc re-established again 4-6-0 .Spalletti as an italian perfectionist never fell asleep . He is trying now to introduce zonal marking in every single aspect of the game.Even in the free kicks or corner kicks , whole team should be synchronized in order to play the offside trap .This formation supports every kind of mentality and especially fast passing game and attacking pressing .Its based on the principals of total football simply its modernized and more flexible .Less stereotypes ,more fantasy ,sharper counter attacks and less fragile symmetry between the lines .Download it ,make your experiments and why not ,create your own pattern ,you own template .Its the ideal platform if you want to make experiments and to see in which direction will the tactics develop .Less theory now . See it in action .My feeling is that many results will surprise you .Its a matter of time . In case that you dont have some idea how to make this tactic to work use a simmilar tactic which can be converted into a 4-6-0 . 4-3-3 ,4-2-3-1 and 4-3-1-2 can be easily converted into a 4-6-0 .Have some imagination and make your mind to work .Nothing came from virgin birth .Everything in football is kind of "stolen" "copied" and "reproduced" .Open your mind and work as you know better .For sure if you need some help gohere Be flexible and dont forget that FM is just a game .Ciao a tutti ragazzi

Gladbach Returns to the Old Days

The winning formation of Lucien Favre explained, plus the tactic file to apply it in Football Manager 2012.

Some of us are very young and we dont remember the glorious Gladbach of '70s. Hopefully there are several people who are experienced enough and know how to apply tactics suitable enough for returning Gladbach back where they deserve to be. The last years the media are over promote overated coaches like Benitez, Villas Boas, Ferrara, Ancelotti and Klisnman. Most of them were very good players who have already developed tight relationships with media and journalists. The younger over promoted coaches have a top agent who promotes them, who pays them lucrative interviews and exclusive presentations in order to convince all the football fans around the world that these super coaches are the new legends of the game. Benitez, Villas Boas, Ferrara and Klisnman are nowhere in the map and they failed to manage top teams. Stankovic said for Benitez that he couldn't impose discipline even in the training schedule time. All the players were coming to Appiano Gentile whenever they want. The rest simply failed immediately because top level clubs have top level demands. Ancelotti recently signed a lucrative contract with Pari and he is struggling to win mediorce clubs like Brest and Evian. When he was in Milan he won Serie A only once in 8 years and he was humiliated from Prandelli, Spalletti and Capello several times. Even Cagliari with Massimiliano Allegri on their bench made him a clown. Villas Boas, the so called genius, has revive all the destroyed premier league sides who play against Chelsea. Conclusion : The best coach is the one who make results under difficult sircumstances and not the one who drives a ready brand new Mercedes. We finished with lies and cheap excuses. Lucian Favre last season took over and almost relegated Gladbach. He didn't hide behind his finger and he didn't start to spell excuses. With strong discipline and hard work he managed to clear up all the useless players from the roster and he managed to create a young, fast and very technical side. Gladbach is full of health, balance and speed. Their playing style is simple, the ball stays on the ground, the midfield is working like a perfectly well oiled engine and everybody has a clear role in the team. Gladbach is applying zonal positional play exceptionally and their fitness levels are among the highest in the league. All of these are 100 % work of Favre. He didn't pay any Mediasete to advertise him everywhere. Gladbach humiliated Bayern recently for a very simple reason. Because they use constantly two fast strikers with good technique and always one of the two wingers becomes third MC in order to keep the balance in the midfield. Their defence is not playing WIDE like all the stupid German teams. They play tight despite that they push up sometimes. And something else : their lines are very close. No more than 5 meter in the lenght and every player in the width is close in 2m distance. Yeah right, 4-42 is old fashioned. If you don't know how to teach it and to apply it then you cannot speak for fashion. Their passing style is various and balanced. Not like some Dutch coaches who play down the flanks day and night even when the opponent is empty in the central axe. Lucien Favre showed how to take the maximum from young players by keeping discipline and good spirit among them. Did you see any player of Gladbach to shout or complain? Did you see any reaction like Schweinsteiger? Did you see a lot of nerves and cards? 11 disciplined players are concentrated in the scheme of the coach and they try till the end to win the game by playing balanced football. All the coaches in Germany consider Reuss a winger. Favre made him a striker and he has ruined all the defenses. Stop believing ridiculous journalists who take commisions to promote coaches and learn to appreciate in life everything good no matter where it comes from. Don't spend hours searching unique and exciting football tactics. Football is simple and learn to make the things easier. Bundesliga is a ridiculous league because all the teams push up like they're playing rugby and later they are wondering why they lost 4-3 4-2 or 5-4. Don't try to invent irrational attacking minded tactics. Gladbach of Lucien Favre is showing you the way. Be on the ground, because grass is not located in the sky

You can see some pictures below

3-5-2 of Udinese
The miracle of Udinese is revealed

Several "experts" consider old fashionated formation something which can make your team better .If you take a look on Serie A table this season Udinese is playing the best football considering that they lost since last season 4 key players .The second and most interesting fact is that by playing 3-5-2/5-3-2 Udinese has make till now far more clear chances than any other Serie A side .Another very intresting fact is that Udinese has the least injuries . So all the legends are over : no defensive play ,no extra injuries ,no old fashionated ways of build up . Guidolin proved right when decided to quit 4-2-3-1 and 4-2-2-1-1 and to adopt a solid and very elegant 3-5-2 .It was middle of November of 2010 .Sanchez was mad because he was running like a winger ,Di Natale was scorless for 5 matches and Armero was totally exposed . The two mc were suffering and were asking constantly for more help . So Guidolin made the final decision 3-5-2 GK Handnovic - DC - Domizzi-Benatia-Zapata Right Full Back Isla Left Full Back armero .Three midfielders - Pinzi-Inler and Asamoah .Di Natale Sanchez .Udinese grabbed in the second round the MOST POINTS IN SERIE A .Sanchez scored in the second round 12 goals .In the first he scored just twice or trice . Modern is only what brings victories .Greece was astonishing because of 3-5-2 . With this formation you have these big benefits *You attack always with 3-4 and maybe 5 players .Your mc is always helping ,your wing backs give help constantly and you have always your central axes tight .

*In the defense phase one wing back who is closer to dc becomes the 4th in the defense and you immediately have a succesfull 4-3-3 . *When you steal the ball in your own half you can make attack even with 7 players . Two backs ,2 mc ,your two strikers and maybe one stopper who has push up . *You avoid the risks because your defence is always protected with 3 dc and 3 mc infront of them *You dont ruin your attacking minded in the wings ,you put them as strikers and you made your opponents to suffer . *Your goalkeeper can be an extra player if he is a decent passer . *Whole team is balanced and compact without ignoring the counter attacks or possesion game. *By making your lines tighter you play much better pressing and you keep possesion always. *Your opponent will be forced to attack more and to give your more space to hit him in the counter . *Your team will be always in an advantageous position in the away matches .Because your opponents will rush to score and to attack .You have the benefit of easy goals .

4-3-2-1 of AC Milan
Quality ,style and precision

I will post here one tactic which is very popular .We all know for the so called 4-3-2-1 or pyramid or christmas tree . This formation was created because of lack of strikers in AC Milan .Carlo Ancelotti formed a very strong backline from Nesta ,Maldini(DC)Jankulovski(DL)Oddo(DR) ,he used in midfield all of his weapons Pirlo - Gattusso - Ambrosini - Kaka-Seedorf and upfront super Pippo .This tactic can become easily 4-2-3-1 ,4-3-1-2 and 4-1-3-2 .It gives to the team ,very good symmetry, all the distances are close and tight and generally the team is looking very compact and solid .Also ,if you have players who have tactical quality ,you can expand this tactic further by making it 4-3-3 .All of you play FM so you understand very well that when your team is experienced and fit enough has all the required characteristics to play mature tactics . You will see a lot of your players to perform better because this tactic is securing midfield ,it allows to the most quality players to stay in the last 1/3 without being forced to run backwords to help the wing backs .All the players have clear roles and the whole team function is harmonic and balanced .Its ideal for playing posession or counter attacking football and at the same time to have good organisation in the field .

Barcelona's 4-3-3
Total football in a modern way

4-3-3 Soccer Formation

The 4-3-3 was a development of the 4-2-4, and was played by the Brazilian national team in the 1962 World Cup. The extra player in midfield allowed a stronger defense, and the midfield could be staggered for different effects. The three midfielders normally play closely together to protect the defense, and move laterally across the field as a coordinated unit. The three forwards split across the field to spread the attack, and are expected to "tackle back". When used from the start of a game, this formation is widely regarded as encouraging defensive play, and should not be confused with the practice of modifying a 4-4-2 by bringing on an extra forward to replace a midfield player when behind in the latter stages of a game. A staggered 4-3-3 involving a defensive midfielder (usually numbered 4 or 6) and two attacking midfielders (numbered 8 and 10) was commonplace in Italy, Argentina and Uruguay during the 1960s and 1970s. The Italian variety of 4-3-3 was simply a modification of WM, by converting one of the two wing-halves to a libero (sweeper), whereas the Argentine and Uruguayan formations were derived from 2-35 and retained the notional attacking centre-half. The national team which made this famous was the Dutch team of the 1974 and 1978 World Cups, even though the team won neither. In club football, the team that brought this formation to the forefront was the famous Ajax Amsterdam team of the early 1970s, which won three European Cups with Johan Cruyff. Chelsea have used this formation to great effect under Jos Mourinho in the time he has been at the club. While getting his team to constantly press the opposition when defending, he also likes the two wingers to come back to create a 4-5-1 formation.

At the 2006 FIFA World Cup Spain played a variation of 4-3-3 without wingers. The three strikers would interchange positions and run the channels like a regular striker would.

Teams that used this formation

* Brazil national team, winners 1962 FIFA World Cup * Feyenoord in winning the 1970 European Cup * Juventus F.C., Serie A Winners 1994/95 and UEFA Champions League Winners 1995/96 * Rosenborg B.K. of Norway, during all of their 13-in-a-row league wins, and 10 seasons in the UEFA Champions League * All the teams coached by Zdenk Zeman * Chelsea FC, Premiership Winners 2004/05 2005/06 * Olympique Lyonnais, Ligue 1 Winners 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 * Brndby I.F., SAS Liga Winners 2004/05 and runners up 2002/03, 2003/04 and 2005/06 Barcelona plays 4-3-3 since Cruyf's Era .No more comments

HOW TO PLAY 4-3-3 SUCCESFULLY

This attacking formation has been used by national sides of Brazil (62), and more recently Portugal and Holland. Amongst the more notorious of coaches it has been effectively deployed by Jose Mourinho, Zdenek Zeman and Jesualdo Ferreira and Ajax, Rosenborg and Chelsea are included in the many club sides that have used this system of play. So what is it, how is it normally used, what benefits does it have, and what are its draw backs? 4 3 3 Set Up 4 3 3 is normally set up in the following line up: Goalkeeper, Right back, 2 Centre backs, Left back, 3 Central midfielders (one holding), 3 Attackers including a Right and Left wing and a central striker. This formation favors teams boasting a good central defensive midfielder who is able to hold their position, disrupt the oppositions attack and maintain possession offering support in front of the defensive line and support behind the two other central midfielders and attackers. The defensive central midfielder should be able to read the phases of play effectively and have good awareness of passing options and they must be disciplined in maintaining and organizing shape, balance and depth to their team. Wingers in the 4-3-3

Teams that use the 4 3 3 formation typically have 2 lively wingers who provide width in attack and defensive support when not in possession. The 2 wingers should like to run with the ball and like to dribble but in addition should they be comfortable dropping back to support the defensive line when needed. The wing position in this formation can be a physically demanding role and also demands a high quality end product so its effectiveness can be limited by the personnel a coach has available. Central Striker in the 4-3-3 The central striker can play several roles in this system depending on their strengths as an individual and the tactics and weaknesses of the opposition back line. Some use the striker as touch the net player who will create depth to the side making their runs between the 2 centre backs and keeping these 2 players occupied. This creates space for the 2 wingers to attack the full backs in 1 on 1 situations. Using this touch the net run creates an immediate outlet when possession is regained and suits a strong robust striker. One potential drawback with the 3 attackers One potential drawback with the 3 attackers occurs when the ball is switched to the wide players and the central player can become isolated in and around the penalty area when the cross is delivered. In this scenario it is imperative that the opposite winger joins the central striker in the danger areas as does at least 1 of the two attacking midfielders, whilst the other attacking central midfielder will look for pull backs and knock downs a little deeper than the attacking runs which are higher up into the penalty area. What if the opposition holds their defensive line high up If the opposition back four hold their defensive line high up the pitch and do not allow the central striker to create depth then a combination of the striker coming short to draw a centre back further up field, the two wingers keeping wide to stretch the back line and forward runs form the 2 attacking midfielders beyond the defensive line can be used to open the defense. If in this scenario the centre back does not follow the striker then the striker can turn on the ball and play through to either attacking centre midfielder or behind the full backs for the wingers to attack. Due to the numbers of players who can become involved in the attacking third this system of play can become a very attacking formation. The Back Four The back four essentially play a traditional role when not in possession denying space and pressurizing in key areas but with the defensive central midfielder on hand to help with 2nd balls and compacting the oppositions midfield play. For more information on defensive shape and organization please refer to the forthcoming articles on defensive principles. When in possession and the ball has switched wide to winger the opposite full back should push forward to fill the space left by his own winger who will make attacking runs inside to support the central striker. As this occurs the defense will slide across to maintain balance and shape. Key to a successful 4-3-3 formation

When not in possession the 4 3 3 formation almost becomes a 4 5 1 system as the 2 wingers should sag back in to the middle third to compact the oppositions midfielders. If the opposition is playing a 4 4 2 system there is also opportunity to press for the ball higher up the pitch in the attacking third. This can force the opposition to play more directly through to their forwards and allow more chances to regain possession. The key to a successful 4 3 3 formation occurs in the moment of transition in play between the opponents possession and regaining the ball. Immediately possession is gained the team must be prepared to create width, depth and support at pace and can sometimes be seen as a counter attacking tactic against strong teams.

Download the tactic here