What Formation Would You Play?

[MrPresident]

This is a football (or soccer) thread.

If you were a manager of a team, say the team you support, what formation would you play? Would it be the traditional 4-4-2? Maybe a 4-3-3? Maybe a Christmas tree approach? Or even the old style 3-2-5? Would you have a holding player in midfield? Have two flying wingers? Maybe wing-backs? Sweeper? Man-to-man marking? Flat back four? Tight midfield? How would your team play?

 

[Hitro]

Well, it would depend on the players I have. Assuming I could choose them (like in manager computer games) I'd go for a 3-4-3 (I do in fact when playing such games), because I prefer offensive football over defensive one.
But as said initially, that would heavily depend on the players. In a 3-4-3 you need pretty good defenders, as the pressure on each of them is quite high. So if I hadn't either those or if I hadn't enough good strikers I would go for a conservative (in German terms) rather defensive system involving a libero (what's that in English?).
The holding player in midfield is something that would depend on availablity as well of course, but in general I'm not so fond of it. I'd like the team to be more balanced and therefore not easy to be stopped by focusing on single players.
Considering the flying wingers the answer is yes, wing play (?) is something I'd rely on quite alot.
I would prefer room marking (area marking?) over man-to-man but that's another thing you need adequate players for.

In general the team would play attacking football. Better a 3-3 than a 0-0 and better a 4-3 than a 1-0. This would be the same at home as well as away, no matter the cost.

If I'd be the manager of the team I support, therefore Werder Bremen, I would play the system they do in fact play currently, as it is the best they have to offer. Three defenders, five midfielders (2 rather defensive) and two strikers. Overall a guarantee for goals, both for and against...

 

[Pillager]

1-10.

One 'keeper, and ten in a 'roaming, go-everywhere-with-no-real-direction-role'.

Seems to work for England

 

[gr8ful wes]

I was also going to say 1-10 cuz thats how it seems to be played in the states.

I know better really

 

[willemvanoranje]

totally depends on the players. A formation must be formed after the team, not the team after a formation (like Ajax is trying). I love the 4-3-3 Ajax thing, but the truth is there aren't that good wingers anymore. I could name only Andy van der Meyde and Marc Overmars as players that are wingers good enough on international level. In CM I usually play my own sort of 4-4-2 with a defending and attacking midfielder, or 3-5-2 with outter midfielders coming forward a lot, a sweeper, defensive midfielder, one central midfielder and a free role player betweem midfield and the strikers (Litmanen/Rivaldo/Van der Vaart/Figo kinda players)

 

[Dell19]

In CM I like to use the traditional 1-3-3-0-3-1. So I have 3 central defenders, a central defensive and a central attacking midfielder, two attacking midfielders on the left and right and two defensive midfielders on the left and the right. Finally a goalkeeper and a striker. Its seen me do well with Porto and Portugal and also Cheltenham

 

[MrPresident]

I would play with the traditional 4-4-2 but would also employ the Dutch 'total football' approach.

 

[willemvanoranje]

Originally posted by Dell19
In CM I like to use the traditional 1-3-3-0-3-1. So I have 3 central defenders, a central defensive and a central attacking midfielder, two attacking midfielders on the left and right and two defensive midfielders on the left and the right. Finally a goalkeeper and a striker. Its seen me do well with Porto and Portugal and also Cheltenham

like this?:


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[col]

When I ran a Sunday league team we played 5-0-5.

5 welliers at the back. Big guys. Could kick man and ball a long way.

5 welly-chasers. Small fast. Ran around and scored now and again.

Midfield. Who needs it? Too much runing around on a Sunday morning after Sat night.

 

[col]

When I ran a Sunday league team we played 5-0-5.

5 welliers at the back. Big guys. Could kick man and ball a long way.

5 welly-chasers. Small fast. Ran around and scored now and again.

Midfield. Who needs it? Too much running around on a Sunday morning after Sat night.

 

[willemvanoranje]

Olympique Lyonnais needed it against Ajax. Their coach replaced 2 midfielders for strikers (for a total of 4strikers). It costed them the matcg. With the midfielders the ball was only around Ajax's penalty area, after the subs came in it was on the midfield all the time and Ajax could even score the 0-2

 

[Suppersalmon]

a 4 - 1 - 3 -2 formation always seems to work on champ man

 

[mordhiem]

Players should pick the formation, not the other way round. If you have 3 top class central midfielders then you play 3 or 5 across the middle. If you have only one decent striker then go with him up on his own with midfielders breaaking to support. etc.

 

[Dell19]

More like this...

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[Dell19]

When you are a manager you do get some opportunities to buy particular players who will fit your strategy. Like I started with a really good Defensive Midfield right so I picked the above layout. However when he wanted to leave the club and I sold him, I brought another player who could take his place rather than changing the formation.

 

[anarchywrksbest]

I prefer 5-3-2 attack! With two wing backs and the two off-centre players making diagonal runs to the corners and linking up with the wing backs. It works well in Champ Manager

 

[mordhiem]

Wow, two more CM fanatics (pun intended)! I was wondering where we all were hiding . I play this formation mainly:

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...X.........X..........X.........X...
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The lone striker will get 3-4 chances a game guarenteed if your two AMC's are good enough. If the SC's pretty good at heading he'll make 30 goals a season easy.

 

[anarchywrksbest]

Originally posted by mordhiem
Wow, two more CM fanatics (pun intended)! I was wondering where we all were hiding .

Its one of the best games ever! I have CM97/98 but i found an update for last season somewhere so it is pretty much up to date.

 

[mordhiem]

CM4 is gonna be so ass kickingly good I'm tempted to commit suicide to save time so I can lay it in heaven now.

 

[Magnus]

Hmmmm I think a 3-4-3 should be a good one, plus its both mathematically and aesthetically pleasing, didn't you know?