FOOTBALL FORMATIONS

About this formation

This fantasy team built as Real Madrid is meant to be both a counter attack team and a high percentage shooting around and in the box team. Counter comes from the two attacking mids chasing the ball, switching off with the center forward; one gets the ball, the other two shoot forward. Building from the back for high percentage shots uses the two attacking mids and central forward to be involved in the play on all attacks, similar to a Total Football responsibility; however, the athleticism allows for drawing defenders to creat open spaces by dribbling in, out, or across the field, which confuses defenders and allows the skilled ball handler to find open targets without losing the ball like a less skilled player would by taking too many touches. If the defense is stepping up than quick passing is used and the touches per player possession are few to almost no dribbling. Scoring comes mostly from movement and passes around or inside the box, and long crosses are discouraged even if the wingbacks, Matuidi and Vidal, are essentially wide midfielders to still draw defenses out to the touch line. The two central mids are very offensive and high enough up the pitch to play final passes or shoot on goal. The three center backs are a wall of absolute security, but even the wingbacks are so strong box to box that a better team will be marked with five skilled defenders for the whole width of the field and there will never be any space left uncovered. The wingbacks go forward every attack to add the width or extra passing around the box if they cut inside the box. Hence, the wingbacks could be considered to wide midfielders or two wingbacks, but the tactic labels them wingbacks first for safety and instructs them to move forward on every possession in the opponent's half of the pitch. There is no pure stiker because direct balls are discouraged as they are not high percentage unless on a counter attack, thus, Ronaldo can use his skills more often interacting with other skilled scoring attackers in Hazard, playing for his right foot shot, and Rodriguez, playing for his preferred left foot shot. Toure and Kroos (who has no weak foot at all) also play with their strong foot able to hit far post or curve around the keeper. Matuidi is on the left to pass inward using his clearly stronger left foot and Vidal on the right for using his right foot. The 5-4-1 seems conservative but can essentially adapt to a 3-4-3 very quickly in the actual flow of the game, both via instruction and control of players. Also, these players are so well rounded that they are essentially interchangeable depending on the team need, especially because there will always be the solid central defense perhaps three of the five best central defenders in the world. This adaptability of positions especially for the four in the middle is further strengthened by the first sub on the bench being a very good box to box player in Paul Pogba. There are other similar substitution options for each of the three levels of positioning on the pitch. The team is built on high skilled players that can all make a difference and even free roam and switch in and out with the safety valve of the attack being the three amazing center backs. The assist numbers prove the use of all attacking players as well as the chosen three highest players based on taking advantage of the most goal scoring opportunities. The players do sacrifice some numbers for being in the right spot on this team to make this team as dominant as possible. Winners of the "treble" in latest season on most realistic 30 min game time (about 55 minutes of the 90 in a real soccer game include play, but the game's numbers adapt to a real game and pace when set on 30 minutes, and it gets away from the high goal scoring percentage that the game adapts when forced to play the common 12 minutes. Playing 30 minutes changes the realism of the entire game of FIFA in both statistics and run of play, while cutting out the dead time between throw-ins, fouls, and free kicks -- when the clock does not run at the normal 30 minute game pace. It is the only way to feel like a soccer game, yet it is fast enough to not last too long and slow enough to not vary much from the true gameplay time of 55 minutes in a real life game because the user naturally moves play forward more often instead of so much play in the defensive half simply because there is so much time for that in a real life game. Thus, it matches very well. The team was carefully assembled, after much scouting and attempts, within the rules and financial structure of the game in career mode as manager. All games are a challenge even if the record is beyond stellar (110 points in La Liga, yet Ronaldo scored a non-record 48 goals in that season but still as much expected by Ronaldo especially with this team). Cannot wait to try a new team for FIFA 16. Still running on this career but Real Madrid's season is over and I am now focusing on my job as the manager of England, which is a team good enough to win something, but not too good. Silencio