FIFA 23 3241 Formation & Custom Tactics - How To Use 3421 & 5221 Variants Formation

You can use either the 3421 or 5221 to recreate Pep's 3241. Both work, but while the 3421 is more flexible with defensive customization, we think the 5221 works slightly better in possession/attacking which was what we're trying to replicate.

Recently Guardiola has been known for using a sort of 3241 formation when City are in possession/attacking. One of the benefits of this is that it creates something that has been all the rage recently the box midfield, the idea with the box midfield is to essentially create an overload in the midfield with four players who can move flexibly to maintain control of the ball and progress forward. With four players in the center of the field though you still maintain width with two wingers and have a striker up top to either hold up play or make runs in behind. In FIFA terms there are only really two formations that enable you to have this setup, the 3421 or 5221. While Arteta's Arsenal often arrive at a similar shape from a back four with Zinchenko coming into midfield, this unfortunately isn't quite replicable in FIFA as none of the four-back formations quite work because the inverted instruction on fullbacks doesn't do this (EA should really add a step into midfield instruction for defenders). As a result, we're left with either the 3421 or 5221 which fortunately are already somewhat close in shape to Guardiola's 3241. We've used both in recent weeks with mostly the same team to see which works better and both do fairly well. We used the 3421 variant two weeks ago and achieved a record of 15-5 in Fut Champs. This past weekend using the 5221 variant, we faired slightly better, going 16-3. For context we normally vary anywhere between 11 and 16 wins in champs (although we hit 18 once with some luck) and we reached the Elite division for the first time this year last season. Below we'll explain the tactics as well as the instructions for each formation which make them slightly different but still as close to the 3241 as we think you can get in the game.

Tactics (Same for 3421 & 5221 Variants)

• Defensive Style: Balanced

• Defensive Width: 50

• Defensive Depth: 60-70 (personal preference as to how high you prefer to play)

• Build Up Play: Balanced

• Chance Creation: Balanced

We prefer balanced as we feel like it gives a nice mix, otherwise we would use possession.

• Offensive Width: 75

We like to spread the field and with the goal of putting four people in the midfield areas we wanted to avoid it becoming too congested, this at times became more of a problem with the 3421 variant. The width helps negate this though.

• Players in Box: 6

• Corners/Free Kicks: whatever you like

Instructions

All instructions default unless specified, for sake of length we've paired the instructions together with each position from one formation paired with its corresponding position partner in the other formation).

• 3421 ST: Stay Forward

• 5221 ST: Stay Forward

We used WC Drogba here while using the 3421 and Ballers Bamford while using the 5221, I like having physical strikers to keep the cross option open but whatever striker you like should be fine

• 3421 LF: False Nine, come back on defense

• 5221 LW: Cut Inside, Come Short

We used Fantasy Hazard here, for both LF/LW and RF/RW you want agile players you're comfortable dribbling with. For the 3421, this player will drop down as a wide mid when you don't have the ball so that you defend in a 442.

• 3421 RF: False Nine

• 5221 RW: Cut Inside, Come Short

We used WW Felix here

• 3421 LM: Stay Wide, Get in Behind, Come back on defense

• 5221 LWB: Join the Attack, Overlap

We used EOAE Bale here, you want someone who has offensive capabilities but also has some defensive presence, either through being a strong/physical player or having some defensive stats. For the 3421, this player will drop into the backline without the ball so that you defend in a back four.

• 3421 RM: Stay Wide, Get in Behind

• 5221 RWB: Join the Attack, Overlap

We used OOP Reece James here, you'll leave this wide mid on balanced defensively so that they stay as a wide mid on defense so that you defend in a 442 shape. Of course for the 5221, they will stay as a fullback. As a result, when using the 5221 it is vital to use the D-pad (press up and then right) at the start of the game to activate attacking fullbacks so that your wing backs move forward whenever you get the ball to act as wide midfielders/wingers.

• 3421 CMs: Cover Center

• 5221 CMs: Cover Center

You can use the SBC Sardar card and WW Kante here, we leave both on balanced so that they provide better support to the attack and at times interchange with the LF/LW and RF/RW dropping back towards midfield. Basically you want well rounded midfielders here who can both get forward and defend well.

• 3421 LCB/RCB: Overlap

• 5221 LCB/RCB: Overlap

You can use WC Ricardo Carvalho and Centurions Azpilicueta here. Overlap instruction is helpful as if you have the ball on their side during build up they will step up to show for a pass if you can't find any options going forward. For the 3421 version, ideally one of these players (on the opposite side of the wide mid you have on come back on defense) can be comfortable playing as a fullback when you defend in a 442 shape.

• 3421 CCB: default

• 5221 CCB: default

You can use Thiago Silva, any traditional CB you like is good here.

• GK: whatever you want

You can use Cech.

Explanation

• As you can hopefully see with the instructions the 3421 and 5221 mirror each other very closely in reaching the end goal of forming the 3241. For both formations the goal is to get the most forward wide players to come towards the middle and drop towards the midfield to form a "box" with your two central midfielders. For the 3421 that means putting the outside forwards on False Nine while for the 5221 that means putting the wingers on Cut Inside and Come Short.

• On defense, you are able to customize the 3421 a bit more to resemble Pep's 3241. Typically on defense City's structure shifts to a back four. This you can replicate with the 3421 by putting one wide midfielder on come back on defense while leaving the other balanced defensively. Unfortunately, you can't quite replicate this with the 5221 as there is no option to leave a fullback forward and not drop back into the defensive line. The only somewhat alternative you have if you want something close to a back four is put a player with low defensive work rates as one of your wing backs so that they don't drop quite as deep.

• However, despite this, and regardless of the slightly better results, we do slightly prefer the 5221 over the 3421 because of how it works in attack. In the 5221 the spacing (at least in my opinion) just feels so much better. The players are often where we want them and there often seems to be a fast passing option to play passes with one or two touch. While the 3421 still works, I've found that it at times becomes a bit too congested and with the false 9 instruction the wide forwards come too close to the central midfielders to enable quick passing. Additionally, the fullbacks of the 5221 on get forward (we can't stress enough, use the D-pad tactic) seem to stay a bit more wide than the wide mids in the 3421 which enables you to switch play more easily and make the opponent shift to the side more drastically which in turns open space in the middle.

• We should note as well that you often will be somewhat open to counter attacks. With using these instructions for either formation you are only left with three players staying back. As a result, when you turn over the ball, if you can't immediately pressure the ball carrier focus on tracking any potential through balls with your CBs. If no through ball is a threat but you still can't pressure the ball holder, focus on selecting one of your outside midfielders/wingbacks and sprinting back with them. This helps to nullify any gaps in your back line and give your team time to get in defensive shape.