


The 29-year-old joins the Toffees on a two-year contract, with the option for a further season. A lack of options in the box Ironically for a formation that is so attack-minded, the 4-3-3 can leave the team with only the central striker attacking crosses into the box. Everton have signed Colombia attacking midfielder James Rodriguez from Spanish giants Real Madrid. Advanced strikers play on the back shoulder of the defender by utilizing their pace to get in behind, while target men are typically bigger strikers who can hold the play up, bringing others into the attack or providing a big target in the box for crosses. If the other two midfielders neglect their defensive duties then the sole holding player risks being overwhelmed and passed around by the opponents. Typically, you’ll want “advanced strikers” or “target men” to lead the line if you select your striker to be the designated anchor (you can technically pick any outfield player you want to “anchor”). What Player (Traits) Work Well With Anchoring? The 4-2-3-1 splits players into four bands. Just be careful though as this opens up the wings for counter attacks. The tactics column looks at the 4-2-3-1 formation and how it has become almost the standard in modern football because of its balance and flexibility. Now, you’ll need fullbacks who are comfortable on the ball with this combination, but what it will do is give you more options and numbers in attack. A common example is 4213, where the midfielders are split into two defensive and one offensive player as such, this formation can be considered a type. If you witnessed Pep Guardiola’s time at Bayern, you’ll remember him perfecting this approach by turning fullbacks like Philipp Lahm and David Alaba into midfielders when in attack.

Instead, thinking outside of the box, I prefer the false fullbacks tactic when attacking aggressively.
