4-3-3 DOMINATOR

[franky4fingrz]

If you're a fan of the modern 433 and attacking passing football that brings results then you're going to love my new tactic.
4-3-3 DOMINATOR was developed over the course of my first season with Liverpool, I opted for no transfer budget in the first window to make it more realistic and also more CHALLENGING! Only signings I made were Ronaldinho on a Bosman and Pedro on 6 month loan in the Jan transfer window. Ended up completing an amazing TREBLE - Prem, League Cup & Europa League.

Tips:
I 'play the ball out of defence' and 'get the ball forward' as standard shouts.
'Team Cohesion' on V Heavy until fluid then 'Balanced' on average with 'def set pieces'.
Team talks generally calm telling the lads if they play they're natural game they'll win, or just go out and enjoy it.
If the first half goes Pete Tong then the hair dryer comes out and I get all Aggressive on their a**es.
If you end up chasing a goal just change from 'attacking' to 'overload' and they won't know what's hit them!
If you get a red card then I generally sacrifice the attacking midfielder in the hole as the team still keeps its shape.

Centre backs work as stopper and cover, so put your quicker guy on cover duty.
Full backs pretty much play like wingers so pace and dribbling is helpful - Glen Johnson and Jose Enrique both literally dribbled the length of the pitch, rounded the keeper and scored wondergoals.
Wide men are inside forwards and because the advanced forward tends to roam out of position closing down and creating they regularly get into the box and get shots on target, so loads of pace and good finishing are good stats to have - a bit of flair wouldn't go a miss either.

In general the tactic produces great possession play with awesome building passing moves (one game I ended up with over 70% possession!), but the creative freedom and counter attacks equally produce lightening fast attacks.

Here's some screeners... the wigan away result was the point when I finally stopped tinkering and got the tactic how I liked it, obviously there were still a few teething problems because it didn't become totally fluid until a month or so afterwards.

Anyways, see what you think and any tips and improvements are welcomed.

[wazzawarren]

Hi Franky, great results there! How defensive are your 2 DLP's? What style of player (any examples would be great) would suit this position if you are not Liverpool and are Arsenal for example or another team?

[franky4fingrz]

They're set to pretty much to default settings, only major difference for all of the players individual settings is the passing sliders have been dragged to short to encourage a short possession style passing game (although the team settings of 'more direct' and quick tempo passing give the passing a more cutting and urgent nature rather than ticky tacky passes that don't really create many CCC's.)
Because of the lack of funds due to no transfer budget in first window I rotated Sahin, Lucas, Allen & Henderson in the DLP roles, all four of them played equally well. They tend to screen the back four breaking up play and winning possession so they need to have decent defensive stats but on the flip side they act as quarter backs when we're in possession, dictating the tempo of the game and picking out the guys in attacking positions. So I'd guess Arteta and co could all do a great job in that role, you could even retrain Ramsey, Wilshire, Diaby, etc like I've retrained Shelvey and Henderson and they'll equally suite.
The whole tactic has been developed for a fast passing game so 'technical' players as opposed to physical brutes will work best in all positions.
Hope that helps mate, and let me know how you get on with it as I've only tested with the mighty reds thus far?

[jordymakin]

Hi I have 2 centre mids so going to move the dlp's up to there. I don't know how but in my first 2 matches I have had a man sent off and lost both! lol Kept the tackling to cautious too.

[franky4fingrz]

You shouldn't have changed the shape, the reason the DLP's are in the DM positions is for defensive stability. It's far better to play players out of position and retrain them so that the team keeps its shape, like I did with Allen, Henderson & Shelvey - none of them were accomplished in the DM position at first but they still played well nevertheless.
Moving those two DLP's further up the pitch will totally change the balance of the team and leave your CB's completely exposed - it's a total no no, mate. You shouldn't have to tinker with it that much as I spent over half a season tinkering to get the balance right.

As for red cards, it's set to cautious tackling but you still get the odd one here and there, all I'd advise is warn said offending player after the game if its for two yellows and issue fines for straight reds, stick to your guns if they moan and they'll soon change their ways. However, in game if you're down to 10, sacrifice the AM - keeping the team shape is essential to the defensive stability of the tactic because its so attack orientated!

[franky4fingrz]

Just a quick update...

Into 2nd season now, had loads of dollar to spend especially after flogging Enrique to City (£20mill) Carroll, Downing, Cole, Assaidi, Doni, Pacheco & Spearing, also released Jones and Carra.

Signed Llorente on a free, Willian, Jovetic, Coentrao and Steele (GK).

Absolutely tearing it up! Check out the screener - two trophies already!

[wazzawarren]

They're set to pretty much to default settings, only major difference for all of the players individual settings is the passing sliders have been dragged to short to encourage a short possession style passing game (although the team settings of 'more direct' and quick tempo passing give the passing a more cutting and urgent nature rather than ticky tacky passes that don't really create many CCC's.)
Because of the lack of funds due to no transfer budget in first window I rotated Sahin, Lucas, Allen & Henderson in the DLP roles, all four of them played equally well. They tend to screen the back four breaking up play and winning possession so they need to have decent defensive stats but on the flip side they act as quarter backs when we're in possession, dictating the tempo of the game and picking out the guys in attacking positions. So I'd guess Arteta and co could all do a great job in that role, you could even retrain Ramsey, Wilshire, Diaby, etc like I've retrained Shelvey and Henderson and they'll equally suite.
The whole tactic has been developed for a fast passing game so 'technical' players as opposed to physical brutes will work best in all positions.
Hope that helps mate, and let me know how you get on with it as I've only tested with the mighty reds thus far?
Attachment 282901

Thanks for the feedback, heavily involved in my Villa save atm (prob wont last long as it is solid with the mighty Villa!) but want to try Arsenal next so will use this tactic and let you know how I get on.

Another quick question, in your OP you talk about the match preparation settings. This is something I am trying to get more involved in this year but don't completely understand it. My question is can you set an instruction such as 'Team Cohesion' on heavy for a set period of time (4-6 weeks)? or do you have to change it every week? Or if you set it as something will it stay as that until you change it to something else?

[franky4fingrz]

You're not a Villain are you, Wazza? I'm from Bromsgrove and most of my mates support that lot!

Yeah, I've not got a great handle on the new match prep myself but had a play with it while playing on the Beta version. I found the trick was to set the General Training to 'Very High' at the start of the season and keep it there until the tactic familiarity levels become fluid or pretty close to it - your assistant or coach will usually give you a heads up and tell you when its time to lower the level at which point I drop it to 'average'.
I use 'Team Cohesion' for the first part of the season when all the new players are getting used to each other then change it to 'balanced' once I'm happy that the players and tactic is well gelled, and leave it like that until the end of the season.
Match prep is always set to 'def set pieces', purely because I kept getting done on free kicks and corners, however if you don't mind conceding in this manner then you could opt for 'attacking movement' and you'll get more goals from open play, it's really your call.

[relaxing]

Hi, i try your tactic with Chelsea and at Home its really a good tactic i have won my 4 games et when i play away its really hard ..i loose my 2 last games away ....


Any idea ?

[wazzawarren]

You're not a Villain are you, Wazza? I'm from Bromsgrove and most of my mates support that lot!

Yeah, I've not got a great handle on the new match prep myself but had a play with it while playing on the Beta version. I found the trick was to set the General Training to 'Very High' at the start of the season and keep it there until the tactic familiarity levels become fluid or pretty close to it - your assistant or coach will usually give you a heads up and tell you when its time to lower the level at which point I drop it to 'average'.
I use 'Team Cohesion' for the first part of the season when all the new players are getting used to each other then change it to 'balanced' once I'm happy that the players and tactic is well gelled, and leave it like that until the end of the season.
Match prep is always set to 'def set pieces', purely because I kept getting done on free kicks and corners, however if you don't mind conceding in this manner then you could opt for 'attacking movement' and you'll get more goals from open play, it's really your call.

Yeah mate for my sins, Nice one thanks for that I will get on it tonight and have a play around, although I have been playing FM all day at work in my head! So I take it once you set it to one thing (e.g. 'def set pieces') it will stay as that until I change it, rather than having to go on to it after every game and change it.