Data Update Poll!
Hello, there is currently an important debate going on regarding how to manage the FM24 Data Update going forward, particularly in the case of modifying the ages and contract dates by 1 year. Please can you vote in the poll and join in the discussion.
football times
Validicus
Rafa Benitez is another inspiration, as well as someone who I firmly believe contributed to the latter stages of tactical evolution in the BPL. Despite initially playing a fairly dated 4-4-2 system initially at Liverpool, he eventually brought in players which allowed him to come close to his 4-2-3-1 at Valencia, a system which was effective even in the more tactically advanced La Liga (at the time). If Wenger and Ferguson did their part to show the BPL how inverted 4-4-2s/4-2-3-1s could attack, it was Rafa who showed the BPL how the 4-2-3-1 can defend. While Mourinho had previously demonstrated how the 4-3-3 could prove difficult to break down for any jurassic park managers still setting up their teams with old-fashioned 4-4-2 principles, Rafa exhibited a very different defensive model, one which wasn't geared towards packing the midfield. With the second striker helping wingers in harassing opposing teams in their own half before retreating into his own half to become the apex of a triangle sitting in front of the defence, it was a shape which removed lateral defending in the middle of the park, thus allowing higher team pressing, as well as accommodating Rafa's preference for a high defensive line. Personally, I feel that the pressing of Rafa's Liverpool was sometimes fairly similar to that of Jurgen's Klopp "gegenpressing" that generates so much attention and positive acclaim nowadays. Rafa's Liverpool certainly weren't far off.
football times
I do enjoy to look at young up and coming managers bringing in there own style or interpretations of systems, would be nice to read some articles here on how different people set up there own systems in their save.