PSA PASSES, February Edition, Part 4 of 4

PS Academy for Proper Advancement of Soccer Skills and Etiquette Standards (PSA PASSES)
February edition, part four of four

Good evening, class! I’m KeepItLoose, the headmaster for the PSA PASSES, here with the last of your Feburary lesson: CM formation strategy

So, you spent your hard earned money (or someone else’s gift) and got yourself some Club Membership (CM). Congratulations! Your PS world has now opened up with vast new options and features. Formations and player attitudes are one of the more desired features for CMs and it is my goal to educate you about the different formations, comparing them to their non-CM counterpart. I will also offer CM attitude settings based on offensive and defensive usage of the formation. Today, let’s wrap things up with the 5-4-1 Sweeper and 5-3-2 Sweeper formations:

01) 5-4-1 Sweeper: Along with the non-CM 5-4-1, this is a very frequently used defensive tactic. The CM version gets the benefit of the sweeper, the middle defender, sitting back a little deeper in the zone than the other 8 defenders and midfielders. Many will argue this gives a great advantage for coverage, but some will counter that the setback of the sweeper creates two gaps right in the middle for an attack to squeeze on by. Those who use this formation, however, swear by its effectiveness in equalizing a variety of attack strategies.

Non-CM counterpart(s): 5-4-1 (didn’t see that coming, did you)

Formation emphasis: Passive defensive lines, very little attack ability but good transition lines for other tactics
Formation major weakness: No real attack basis

Offense most useful against: PSA does not endorse this tactic for offensive strategy
Offense least useful against: PSA does not endorse this tactic for offensive strategy
Defense most useful against: 3 man striker lines
Defense least useful against: 4 man striker lines

CM offensive attitude suggestion: PSA does not endorse this tactic for offensive strategy
CM defensive attitude suggestion: 1 striker neutral, 4 midfielders 50-75% defensive, 4 defense 75-100% defensive, 1 sweeper 100% defensive

02) 5-3-2 Sweeper: Compared to its non-CM counterpart 5-3-2, the sweeper variety of the formation is setup to be a slightly more offensively minded tactic, with the wingers moved forward slightly and the midfielders bunched closer together in the center zone. This formation can serve both methods effectively with this shift in position. Those who use it for defense may find it easier to utilize the wingers as support to the middle 3 defenders. Those who use it for offense may find the forward placement of the wingers allows for great ball movement up the field to the midfield and strikers. Regardless, this tactic can prove effective on both sides of the ball if used correctly.

Non-CM counterpart(s): 5-3-2

Formation emphasis: Another very balanced tactic for offense and defense if setup right. Concentrated midfield and wingers provide ample support for 3 man defensive front.
Formation major weakness: Like its counterpart, a large hole behind the midfield line allows for effective attacks if support not brought over from wingers

Offense most useful against: 3 man defense lines
Offense least useful against: 4 man defense lines
Defense most useful against: 3 man striker lines
Defense least useful against: 4 man striker lines

CM offensive attitude suggestion: 2 strikers 75-100% attacking, 3 midfield 50-75% attacking, 2 wingers 50-75% attacking, 3 defense neutral
CM defensive attitude suggestion: 2 strikers 25-50% attacking, 3 midfield 50-75% defensive, 2 wingers 75-100% defensive, 3 defense 100% defensive

Well, that does it for this month’s lesson. I hope you got as much out of it as possible and find ways to use these tips to improve your game. Please leave comments on my guestbook or on the PSE forum post with any comments, questions or suggestions.

March Lessons: Tactic Transitions, Passing Styles, Coaches and the Sneakiness of Shoes

~KeepItLoose, CFRA