We are back with another tactic-testing article, featuring another tactic from one of our favourite tactic creators, GYR. The tactic is called GYR-Bane 4-1-3-2 FM26, and it produced some interesting results.
So, without further ado, here are our thoughts on the tactic:
The conditions of the test and the setup of the tactic
I typically use Everton for tactic testing, as our regular readers will know. I simulated a whole season without transfers, using the same tactic throughout. This gives us a gauge on how the tactic performs over a decent period of time.
This tactic used a pretty straightforward 4-1-3-2, starting with a ball-playing goalkeeper. The role obviously suited my goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford, due to his ability with the ball at his feet.
In front of the England number one were two ball-playing centre-backs, flanked by playmaking wing-backs. In front of the back four was a defensive midfielder. Slightly further forward was a central midfielder, who dropped alongside the defensive midfielder when out of possession.
In left and right-sided midfield roles, respectively, were inside winger roles, which again suited the likes of Dwight McNeil and Jack Grealish, who like to cut inside. When out of possession, they became wide midfielders.
The front two players in this formation were both centre-forwards, in and out of possession. These were the key attacking players in this tactic, with no out-and-out wingers or attacking midfielders to offer an attacking threat.
Playing with at least two central strikers is always considered an attacking tactic, although the rest of the team’s positions suggest that there is a good balance in this formation.
How successful was this tactic?
The team were predicted to finish in tenth place in the table, just your bog-standard mid-table campaign. Instead, they defied the odds and finished in fourth place, picking up 73 points and claiming a Champions League spot in the process.
Unsurprisingly, with two central forwards, the team were relatively prolific, scoring 76 goals in the English top-flight, only behind the league’s top three. At the other end of the pitch, the team had the sixth-best defensive record in the division, which wasn’t an awful result given its predicted position.
The team had both the fourth-best home and away records in the league, which is, once again, predictable given the fourth-place finish in the table.
There weren’t many other standard stats from the campaign. It was just an excellent league campaign all-around for the team. In the cups, the team exited the FA Cup in the third round against Ipswich Town, but reached the Carabao Cup semi-finals, only suffering defeat to Chelsea over two legs.
Who were the star performers using this tactic?
It is not particularly surprising that the best performer in the team was an attacking player, striker Beto. The Guinea-Bissau international scored 35 goals and produced six assists in all competitions.
His 28-goal tally in the Premier League was only bettered by one by Manchester City’s goal machine, Erling Haaland. The forward’s season average rating of 7.47 was also amongst the highest of any player in the English top-flight.
Beto’s strike partner Thierno Barry didn’t do too badly either, scoring 21 goals and producing a highly impressive 13 assists. The team’s wide players made a respectable attacking contribution, too, as Dwight McNeil scored 7 goals and provided 6 assists, despite starting only 17 games.
Jack Grealish played most of the season on the left flank, scoring five goals and producing four assists. On the right flank, Iliman Ndiaye scored five goals and produced a further ten assists.
One player who produced a considerable attacking return despite playing as a defensive midfielder for the majority of the season was James Garner, who scored 6 goals and provided 8 assists. That assist count is likely due to the former Manchester United player taking set-pieces.
Left-back Vitaliy Mykolenko was also highly effective at creating goals for his teammates, picking up eight assists and registering one goal in his 37 starts and one substitute appearance.
Right-back Jake O’Brien and stand-in right-sided midfielder Tyler Dibling both produced five assists apiece.
I have to admit I didn’t think this tactic would suit the current Everton team, as it is full of attack-minded midfielders, who usually do well in FM26. However, the forwards showed what they can do in the right system.
I can’t see Toffees boss David Moyes pairing Beto and Barry together on a regular basis in real life, even if he has played both on the pitch together in recent games. The decision to have both on the pitch was more down to a threadbare squad than truly believing the pair could perform effectively together.
What is our assessment of this tactic?
I discovered this tactic recently while looking for a two-striker tactic for my personal save. To be honest, I am not a big fan of tactics without wingers, as they are among the most effective attacking weapons in the game.
However, you can’t argue with the results of this tactic. This is a tactic for a team that has two top strikers. Everton has two decent ones, so imagine what this would be like with two truly top central strikers.
Another key to making this tactic work is having players who can play as wide midfielders, rather than wing-backs or further forward wingers.
Overall, this is a tactic I would certainly recommend using if you have the right players. It will see a team overachieve and, according to the stats, play entertaining, attacking football.
Have you used GYR-Bane 4-1-3-2 FM26? If you have, let us know your thoughts on the tactic on here or via our socials.
