The Shotgun & Pistol Formations - (Home & Away)

[stephensmith84]

After tinkering with a few different formations, it became clear to me that scoring goals isn't the problem. It's doing so whilst keeping the gates shut at the back.

Like everyone else I've tweaked and altered several tactical facets, but it's only now that I can claim to have found the optimal balance. I can also boast having tested this over 6 seasons, so the validity of the results is beyond refute.

Firepower

The main inspiration for this tactic stems from American Football. As a big fan of the sport, the technical nature of gridiron is far more complex than football, but can still be designed in a way (through a playbook) to offer versatility in attack and defence.

The area that caught my eye was the difference between the shotgun and pistol offences. In this example it's the difference between two strikers and one, but keeping the same approach in the AML/AMC/AMR region.

Shotgun Formation - Home

I use this in my Newcastle save having sold all my established stars, whilst having replaced them with regens. An important point here is that my regens are only half way developed, and still managed to secure 2nd place in the league...consecutively.





The formation at home is proven to dominate possession whilst creating CCC's. Crucially the formation stifles attackers, and it's main defensive advantage is leading the league in interceptions and key headers.





Bearing in mind I'm using players no older than 19 and have current ability no higher than 2.5 stars (potential ability of 4.5 - 5 stars) the formation still tears fools up.

It's essentially a 4-4-2 diamond formation, with the shotgun reference alluding to the dual strikers, with the creativity bottlenecked through an AMC. The CM's and DMC kill themselves winning the ball, and funneling it straight to the AMC.





Pistol Formation - Away

Named with the reduced firepower in mind, the second striker slot reverts to a CM with a defensive mentality. The ethos of the side remains intact, with the AMC receiving the same style of possession from the swollen midfield.

This is where the team really excels. After playing the beta and the new release, I couldn't have dreamed of going 16-17 games unbeaten away from home, even with a quality club. However my regens are killing it, maintaining defensive discipline and letting the poacher execute.





Firepower - Goalscoring

There are plenty of threads bemoaning the lack of goalscoring consistency for the top players (RVP, Cavani etc).

Well this formation creates enough CCC's that even my half cooked regens are running at a goal per game over the season.





Firepower - Assists

Same goes for assists. Everything is channeled through the AMC, but he doesn't have to be world class to make a massive contribution. If you apply this with the popular candidates for this role (Silva, Gotze etc) then you'd be off to the races.





The download links are below, but before you click, take a look at the average ratings for my players over a full season. Those of you sick of having 7.1's for world class talent will enjoy this.



Let me know how it goes.

Shotgun - https://rapidshare.com/#!download|72...tgun.tac|1|0|0

Pistol - https://rapidshare.com/#!download|72...stol.tac|1|0|0

[joshmark]

Try this out with Doncaster. Think it will work?

[stephensmith84]

Try this out with Doncaster. Think it will work?

Should do. Let me know how you get on.

[veez]

looks good mate! i'm keen on developing youth at my clubs too although personally i love to play with wingers or wide forwards. im very interested in your defensive consistency though. would you mind if i tried to adapt your tactic into a 4-3-3? probably with two deep lying forwards and a poacher up front and either two ball winning mdf's and an advanced playmaker in the middle or simply one BWM, one deep lying playmaker and an AP. do you think the defensive consistency would be affected? or would tht botch up the attack? i've been trying to develop such a tactic since fm 2012, with relative success, but in fm 13 it hasnt worked for me yet, maybe due to the ME. but with a good solid backbone such as the one you have here, it might do the trick. what do u think?

[stephensmith84]

looks good mate! i'm keen on developing youth at my clubs too although personally i love to play with wingers or wide forwards. im very interested in your defensive consistency though. would you mind if i tried to adapt your tactic into a 4-3-3? probably with two deep lying forwards and a poacher up front and either two ball winning mdf's and an advanced playmaker in the middle or simply one BWM, one deep lying playmaker and an AP. do you think the defensive consistency would be affected? or would tht botch up the attack? i've been trying to develop such a tactic since fm 2012, with relative success, but in fm 13 it hasnt worked for me yet, maybe due to the ME. but with a good solid backbone such as the one you have here, it might do the trick. what do u think?

I don't think the adaptation you've outlined would work too well away from home, if at all. The style I employ is centred around the midfield playing narrow and forcing the opposition's widemen out into dead space.

At home you naturally have more creative license to incorporate an inside forward, but it seems clear to me that FM 13 is won and lost in away games.

The whole reason I designed this was because I got sick of taking Man Utd & Arsenal to Carrow Road, all for the Canaries to drag me into deep water and watch me drown.

Feel free to have a fiddle though and let me know if you're successful.

[veez]

you might have a point. although i do like to play narrow, and my DLF's are somewhat defensive and come deep to get the ball or play one two's off the AP. my only problem with them is that when the opposition is organising their attack they just sit up next to the forward. i havent found a way for them to put pressure further down the pitch. i'll try it out though and let u know how it goes. do u play through the middle or mixed? and do your strikers move into channels? sorry, but i havent downloaded it yet, still at work

[Benandorf]

What sized pitch do you use?

[stephensmith84]

What sized pitch do you use?

Pitch sizes are standardised in FM 13.

[joshmark]

It's a little hit and miss for me. The away tactic is good defensively, but didn't really offer me much going forward. This could just be due to the team and players I had at my disposal. The home tactic is pretty good. Only noticed that we wasn't finishing the chances, yet not finishing them. That's not down to the tactic itself though. Think you'd be better sticking with the away tactic defensively, just try and implement to home one within in it, chance creation wise and you'd on a winner.

Try setting it as you striker 'Poacher' and making him run on to the ball, and make sure you AP is making 'Often' throughballs!

[Mckergan]

Can i ask what way you work training/match preperation for this tactic?
Or, what shouts and OI you use?

Thinking of trying it out for you just need more info.