This week’s tactic test involves a tactic from one of the best and most prolific creators of FM tactics, in my opinion, GYR.
The tactic is GYR-THOR FM23, which gave us a very creditable result. To find out just how creditable the result was, please read on.
The tactics conditions
We did this test with the latest official updated database with Everton, which meant no Anthony Gordon, who would have been a useful player to have for the test. Anyway, the team’s predicted finish was 16th place in the table and another season battling to avoid the drop to the Championship.
What’s the tactical setup?
The formation is a 4-4-2 diamond with a positive mentality. This isn’t a formation I have used much in FM23 or any recent FM, simply because it can often leave you overran in midfield and negatively affect your defence. However, this is one of the better 4-4-2 diamonds I have used for sure.
The formation starts with a sweeper keeper on defend duty. In front of the ‘keeper are two wing-backs on support and two ball-playing defenders on defend. In midfield, there is a defensive midfielder on support. Idrissa ‘Gana’ Gueye was an ideal player for this role.
Then out wide, there was an inverted winger on attack and an inverted winger on support on the other side of the pitch. In attack, an attacking midfielder on attack supported an advanced forward and a pressing forward, who were both on attack duty.
How did the tactic perform?
When starting with Everton, you have to expect a bit of struggle, considering that the squad is not full of great players and lacks any depth. A predicted finish of 16th place seemed about right for the players available.
This tactic well outperformed its expectations, as the team finished in fifth place and claimed a place in the Europa League, having picked up a highly respectable 64 points.
When it comes to stats, the tactic lived up to my expectations when it came to 4-4-2 diamond formations in defensive numbers. As I suspected, the defence was slightly weak, as the team had the joint-sixth worse defensive record in the top flight.
However, with a tactic like this, the attacking side tends to negate the weaknesses at the back. This tactical set-up did just that, as only the league’s top two, Liverpool and Manchester City, scored more goals than our team over the season. The goalscoring performance led to a healthy goal difference of plus 14.
As is usually the case with most of my tactic tests, Everton went out of the cup’s early doors. The team suffered a third-round FA Cup exit at the hands of Fulham. Meanwhile, they also exited the Carabao Cup in the fourth-round stage against Manchester United.
Who were the top performers using this tactic?
As is so often the case when playing as Everton, striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin was the top-performing player when it comes to his season average rating, as he notched a score of 7.26. The score was due to him scoring 15 goals and producing three assists.
However, fellow forward Neal Maupay matched DCL’s goal tally for the season, while Ellis Simms scored just one fewer goal. Maupay also produced nine assists as well but finished with an average season rating of 7.24.
Arguably Simms was the top performer, as the young striker scored his 14 goals in just 19 starts and 17 substitute appearances. His season rating of 7.23 was impressive, too, considering his attributes are not great on FM 23.
In terms of goals, Demarai Gray playing in the attacking midfield role, scored nine goals and produced six assists, while Alex Iwobi matched Gray’s goal output while producing seven assists.
Dwight McNeil is usually pretty consistent in FM23, but his tally of three goals and eight assists was slightly disappointing, considering what he has produced in other saves. However, it could be argued that he had a respectable campaign considering that only Iwobi got more assists.
Talking of assists and left wing-back Vitaliy Mykolenko produced an impressive six assists. Fellow full-backs Ruben Vinagre and Nathan Patterson also managed assists, as did defender Ben Godfrey.
What is my conclusion?
I have to say this tactic produced impressive results, as finding a tactic for Everton is not always easy. This was maybe not the ideal tactic for the Toffees squad, but what is?
However, the tactic managed to bring the best out of the likes of Maupay, Simms, Gray, Iwobi and, in an attacking sense, Mykolenko. As always, with these tactics, I thought about what this tactic could achieve with a better team.
It is a tactic I will use again in my personal save, where I can mould my squad to fit the formation. It may even have converted me from a known believer in the 4-4-2 diamond formation.
This tactic hasn’t surprised me, as I have used several of GYR’s tactics in the past, and they are usually impressive. Overall, a good tactic, which I would advise anybody to use, especially if you have the right players to fit the formation.
Have you used the GYR- THOR FM23 tactic? Let us know your thoughts on the tactic and how it has performed for you via our socials.
