★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
Win %
42.50
Loss %
33.13
Draw %
24.38
Points per game
1.52
Matches won
68
Matches Lost
53
Matches Draw
39
Total points
243
Goal scored
315
Goal per match
1.97
Goal conceded
289
Conceded per match
1.81
Goal difference
26
Creator's Notes
Tactic:
Results:
TL;DR: Fun tactic, above-average success rate, derived from 4231 gegenpress but fun to watch like 433 VTT, give it a go and let me know how you do.
I wanted a tactic that was just as fun to watch as a 4-3-3DM vertical tiki taka (VTT) tactic but just as good at winning as a 4-2-3-1 gegenpress. What resulted was something that I call “The Baby” as it seems to be a hybrid of the two, and while it may not be as game-breaking as the tried and true 4-2-3-1, it certainly produces very entertaining football and plenty of good results. And on top of that you can brag to your friends that you’re winning games without using the ol’ 4-2-3-1, even though it’s certainly derived from it.
I started testing this tactic in my Blyth save, which I have taken from the VNN to Champion’s League football in just over a decade, and this is where it originated. I decided to test it across 12 teams in 6 different leagues: 1 title contender or favorite and 1 mid-table favorite. Here are the table results.
Notable Statistics:
Champions League Teams:
Real Madrid - qualified first from group stage, lost to Juventus in the first knockout round via penalties
Manchester City - qualified first from group stage, lost 5-4 on aggregate to PSG in the first round
FC Porto - qualified first from group stage, lost 8-1 on aggregate to Liverpool in the first round
PSG - qualified second from group stage, lost 3-2 on aggregate to Atalanta in the semi-final
Bayern - qualified first from group stage, lost 2-5 on aggregate to Liverpool in the semi-final
Juventus - qualified second from group stage, lost 5-6 on aggregate to Liverpool in the quarter-final
EPL Teams: Manchester City (2nd, pred. 2nd) and Norwich (7th, pred. 17th)
Head-to-head meetings:
Man City 8-0 Norwich
Man City 2-1 Norwich (FA Cup 5th Round)
Norwich 1-1 Man City
Man City Top Players:
Top Goalscorer: Kevin De Bruyne - 28G 12A 46 appearances, 7.46 avg rating
Top Assists: Bernardo Silva - 11G 15A 50 appearances, 7.25 avg rating
Norwich Top Players:
Top Goalscorer: Teemu Pukki - 21G 3A 35 appearances, 7.01 avg rating
Top Assists: Pierre Lees-Melou - 2G 12A 35 appearances, 7.05 avg rating
La Liga Teams: Real Madrid (1st, pred. 1st) and Getafe (9th, pred. 11th)
Head-to-Head meetings:
Real Madrid 4-1 Getafe
Getafe 3-1 Real Madrid (Spanish Cup 5th Round)
Getafe 0-2 Real Madrid
Getafe Top Players:
Top Goalscorer: Borja Mayoral - 18G 5A 34 appearances, 7.00 avg rating
Top Assists: Oscar - 5G 9A 33 appearances, 7.01 avg rating
Real Madrid Top Players:
Top Goalscorer: Vinicius Junior - 24G 9A 46 appearances, 7.11 avg rating
2nd Goalscorer: Karim Benzema - 20G 8A 41 appearances, 7.14 avg rating
Top Assists: Marco Asensio - 10G 12A 39 appearances, 7.07 avg rating
Ligue 1 Teams: PSG (1st, pred. 1st) and Strasbourg (4th, pred. 9th)
Head-to-head meetings:
PSG 4-1 Strasbourg
Strasbourg 3-3 PSG
PSG Top Players:
Top Goalscorer: Mauro Icardi - 48G 5A 49 appearances, 7.45 avg rating
2nd Goalscorer: Mbappe 38G 15A 50 appearances, 7.46 avg rating
3rd Goalscorer: Messi - 19G 23A 50 appearances, 7.45 avg rating
Top Assists (tie):
Neymar - 11G 23A 48 appearances, 7.41 avg rating
Messi - 19G 23A 50 appearances, 7.45 avg rating
Strasbourg Top Players:
Top Goalscorer: Kevin Gamerio - 29G 5A 35 appearances, 7.19 avg rating
Top Assists: Adrien Thomasson - 10G 12A 33 appearances, 7.23 avg rating
Serie A Teams: Juventus (2nd, pred. 2nd) and Genoa (10th, pred. 11th)
Head-to-head meetings:
Genoa 0-3 Juventus
Juventus 2-3 Genoa
Juventus Top Players:
Top Goalscorer: Dusan Vlahovic - 39G 8A 42 appearances, 7.40 avg rating
Top Assists: Paulo Dybala - 4G 18A 39 appearances, 7.38 avg rating
Genoa Top Players:
Top Goalscorer: Roberto Piccoli - 13G 0A 39 appearances, 6.92 avg rating
Top Assists: Nadiem Amiri - 9G 8A 39 appearances, 6.98 avg rating
Bundesliga Teams: Bayern (1st, pred. 1st) and Koln (8th, pred. 10th)
Head-to-head meetings:
Bayern 5-3 Koln
Koln 2-2 Bayern
Bayern Top Players:
Top Goalscorer: Robert Lewandowski - 50G 4A 48 appearances, 7.63 avg rating
Top Assists: Thomas Muller - 12G 23A 49 appearances, 7.15 avg rating
Koln Top Players:
Top Goalscorer: Mark Uth - 14G 3A 29 appearances, 6.94 avg rating
Top Assists: Florian Kainz - 6G 11A 35 appearances, 7.11 avg rating
Portuguese Premier League Teams: FC Porto (1st, pred. 1st) and CS Maritimo (8th, pred. 8th)
Head-to-head meetings:
FC Porto 3-1 CS Maritimo
CS Maritimo 0-4 FC Porto
CS Maritimo 2-3 FC Porto (PT Cup Semi Final First Leg)
FC Porto 3-2 CS Maritimo (PT Cup Semi Final Second Leg)
FC Porto Top Players:
Top Goalscorer: Francisco Conceicao - 24G 12A 46 appearances, 7.27 avg rating
Top Assists (also 3rd most goals): Fabio Vieira - 21G 22A 44 appearances, 7.70 avg rating
CS Maritimo Top Players:
Top Goalscorer: Andre Vidigal - 16G 7A 41 appearances, 6.93 avg rating
Top Assists: Xadas - 12G 20A 41 appearances, 7.37 avg rating
Results:
TL;DR: Fun tactic, above-average success rate, derived from 4231 gegenpress but fun to watch like 433 VTT, give it a go and let me know how you do.
I wanted a tactic that was just as fun to watch as a 4-3-3DM vertical tiki taka (VTT) tactic but just as good at winning as a 4-2-3-1 gegenpress. What resulted was something that I call “The Baby” as it seems to be a hybrid of the two, and while it may not be as game-breaking as the tried and true 4-2-3-1, it certainly produces very entertaining football and plenty of good results. And on top of that you can brag to your friends that you’re winning games without using the ol’ 4-2-3-1, even though it’s certainly derived from it.
I started testing this tactic in my Blyth save, which I have taken from the VNN to Champion’s League football in just over a decade, and this is where it originated. I decided to test it across 12 teams in 6 different leagues: 1 title contender or favorite and 1 mid-table favorite. Here are the table results.
Notable Statistics:
Champions League Teams:
Real Madrid - qualified first from group stage, lost to Juventus in the first knockout round via penalties
Manchester City - qualified first from group stage, lost 5-4 on aggregate to PSG in the first round
FC Porto - qualified first from group stage, lost 8-1 on aggregate to Liverpool in the first round
PSG - qualified second from group stage, lost 3-2 on aggregate to Atalanta in the semi-final
Bayern - qualified first from group stage, lost 2-5 on aggregate to Liverpool in the semi-final
Juventus - qualified second from group stage, lost 5-6 on aggregate to Liverpool in the quarter-final
EPL Teams: Manchester City (2nd, pred. 2nd) and Norwich (7th, pred. 17th)
Head-to-head meetings:
Man City 8-0 Norwich
Man City 2-1 Norwich (FA Cup 5th Round)
Norwich 1-1 Man City
Man City Top Players:
Top Goalscorer: Kevin De Bruyne - 28G 12A 46 appearances, 7.46 avg rating
Top Assists: Bernardo Silva - 11G 15A 50 appearances, 7.25 avg rating
Norwich Top Players:
Top Goalscorer: Teemu Pukki - 21G 3A 35 appearances, 7.01 avg rating
Top Assists: Pierre Lees-Melou - 2G 12A 35 appearances, 7.05 avg rating
La Liga Teams: Real Madrid (1st, pred. 1st) and Getafe (9th, pred. 11th)
Head-to-Head meetings:
Real Madrid 4-1 Getafe
Getafe 3-1 Real Madrid (Spanish Cup 5th Round)
Getafe 0-2 Real Madrid
Getafe Top Players:
Top Goalscorer: Borja Mayoral - 18G 5A 34 appearances, 7.00 avg rating
Top Assists: Oscar - 5G 9A 33 appearances, 7.01 avg rating
Real Madrid Top Players:
Top Goalscorer: Vinicius Junior - 24G 9A 46 appearances, 7.11 avg rating
2nd Goalscorer: Karim Benzema - 20G 8A 41 appearances, 7.14 avg rating
Top Assists: Marco Asensio - 10G 12A 39 appearances, 7.07 avg rating
Ligue 1 Teams: PSG (1st, pred. 1st) and Strasbourg (4th, pred. 9th)
Head-to-head meetings:
PSG 4-1 Strasbourg
Strasbourg 3-3 PSG
PSG Top Players:
Top Goalscorer: Mauro Icardi - 48G 5A 49 appearances, 7.45 avg rating
2nd Goalscorer: Mbappe 38G 15A 50 appearances, 7.46 avg rating
3rd Goalscorer: Messi - 19G 23A 50 appearances, 7.45 avg rating
Top Assists (tie):
Neymar - 11G 23A 48 appearances, 7.41 avg rating
Messi - 19G 23A 50 appearances, 7.45 avg rating
Strasbourg Top Players:
Top Goalscorer: Kevin Gamerio - 29G 5A 35 appearances, 7.19 avg rating
Top Assists: Adrien Thomasson - 10G 12A 33 appearances, 7.23 avg rating
Serie A Teams: Juventus (2nd, pred. 2nd) and Genoa (10th, pred. 11th)
Head-to-head meetings:
Genoa 0-3 Juventus
Juventus 2-3 Genoa
Juventus Top Players:
Top Goalscorer: Dusan Vlahovic - 39G 8A 42 appearances, 7.40 avg rating
Top Assists: Paulo Dybala - 4G 18A 39 appearances, 7.38 avg rating
Genoa Top Players:
Top Goalscorer: Roberto Piccoli - 13G 0A 39 appearances, 6.92 avg rating
Top Assists: Nadiem Amiri - 9G 8A 39 appearances, 6.98 avg rating
Bundesliga Teams: Bayern (1st, pred. 1st) and Koln (8th, pred. 10th)
Head-to-head meetings:
Bayern 5-3 Koln
Koln 2-2 Bayern
Bayern Top Players:
Top Goalscorer: Robert Lewandowski - 50G 4A 48 appearances, 7.63 avg rating
Top Assists: Thomas Muller - 12G 23A 49 appearances, 7.15 avg rating
Koln Top Players:
Top Goalscorer: Mark Uth - 14G 3A 29 appearances, 6.94 avg rating
Top Assists: Florian Kainz - 6G 11A 35 appearances, 7.11 avg rating
Portuguese Premier League Teams: FC Porto (1st, pred. 1st) and CS Maritimo (8th, pred. 8th)
Head-to-head meetings:
FC Porto 3-1 CS Maritimo
CS Maritimo 0-4 FC Porto
CS Maritimo 2-3 FC Porto (PT Cup Semi Final First Leg)
FC Porto 3-2 CS Maritimo (PT Cup Semi Final Second Leg)
FC Porto Top Players:
Top Goalscorer: Francisco Conceicao - 24G 12A 46 appearances, 7.27 avg rating
Top Assists (also 3rd most goals): Fabio Vieira - 21G 22A 44 appearances, 7.70 avg rating
CS Maritimo Top Players:
Top Goalscorer: Andre Vidigal - 16G 7A 41 appearances, 6.93 avg rating
Top Assists: Xadas - 12G 20A 41 appearances, 7.37 avg rating