Opponents can’t breathe. Short passes, constant pressure, controlled chaos. This 2-3-4-1 crushed every test. I won the treble with it.
It looks risky on paper — but in practice, you concede very few real chances, because the opponent is constantly forced into bad zones and rushed decisions.
It feels like your team is always one step ahead.
For console and mobile players: The instructions for the positions can be found below. Don't skip them, they are very important! (i have to update them for die new V3, i will do that soon!)
This version of Kompany’s 2-3-4-1 PENDULUM focuses on asymmetric full-back roles to create unpressable circulation and a stable attacking platform. In possession, the shape becomes a 3-3-3-1 / 2-3-5: The left full-back provides high width, stretching the opponent. The right full-back steps into midfield, forming a triple pivot with the #6. This structure stabilizes progression, maintains access to central lanes, and makes pressing traps extremely difficult to execute. The attacking four occupy the half-spaces and central channels, enabling short combinations, third-man runs, and sustained final-third pressure. Out of possession, the team shifts into a compact 4-5-1, staying narrow, denying central access, and triggering immediate counterpressing upon loss.
This keeps the opponent under stress and prevents clean transitions. The result is a system that is: Unpressable in build-up Strong and synchronized in counterpressing Consistently dangerous in attack Designed for positional dominance and proactive control. Info: I originally put the right back in the offensive formation at defensive midfielder. But if you use “Auto Selection,” FM unfortunately swaps the roles, so you end up with a center back against the ball at right back, a defensive midfielder in the center back position, etc. That's why I use an inverted right back. If you want, try moving the RB directly to the DM position with the ball. It works well, but I recommend playing without auto-selection.
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Why you should try this: If you like dominant possession, intelligent pressing, fluid movement, and controlling games through structure rather than chaos, this is it. This tactic feels alive. It adapts. It thinks on the pitch.
Discover the ultimate FM26 tactic for dominating your save! In this Football Manager 2026 video, I breakdown a powerful 4231 perfect for all teams from elite to lower league. Plus I got a transfer budget of 526 million pounds
ZaZ said: For my experiments, I don't use any OI, shouts, set pieces, or team selection. During normal game play, I do, but I didn't test which are the optimal yet, and I am 100% sure FM-Arena will do a better job at that before I even start testing.
About Autumn 0.2 vs Spring 0.2, they are very close in performance, and any difference in the test are probably statistical variance. My recommendation is to use the one you like the most. Expand
Sorry and one last question do you have to train individual roles? Or leave individual training to the AM?
ZaZ said: For my experiments, I don't use any OI, shouts, set pieces, or team selection. During normal game play, I do, but I didn't test which are the optimal yet, and I am 100% sure FM-Arena will do a better job at that before I even start testing.
About Autumn 0.2 vs Spring 0.2, they are very close in performance, and any difference in the test are probably statistical variance. My recommendation is to use the one you like the most. Expand
Sorry mate but I was comparing Autumn 0.2 and Winter 0.2
I just want to inform you that we need 2-3 days to iron things out and start testing tactics for FM26.
Bugs in the pre-game editor and in the game itself were slowing us down because we had to combat them and fining workarounds for it.
For example, a feature to duplicate players, staff and other things in the pre-game editor is bugged for FM26 and finding a workaround for it caused a lot of headaches for us.
Also, there're bizarre things such as inability to load a tactic if you renamed the tactic file and the file name becomes different from the tactic name, which were used to save the tactic. Probably, many of you already encountered this issue when tried to import a tactic and got an error in-game massage "This file can't be loaded".
Another thing, if you have multiple human managers in a game save and one of them "went on holidays" then other active managers can't save the game and can't use the in-game editor, to do that they have to wait until the manager "on holidays" is back from the holidays.
Anyway, as I said all the obstacles were overcome and we just need 2-3 days to iron things out and starts testing! Expand
Please take your time and thank you for all the good work!!!
@ZaZ Sorry to post out of context do you use any OI's or AM dugout shouts in the match. Also, which set pieces are we using currently? Did autumn 0.2 get a better score in your tests?
Glad its working for you mate!
It looks risky on paper — but in practice, you concede very few real chances, because the opponent is constantly forced into bad zones and rushed decisions.
It feels like your team is always one step ahead.
For console and mobile players: The instructions for the positions can be found below. Don't skip them, they are very important! (i have to update them for die new V3, i will do that soon!)
This version of Kompany’s 2-3-4-1 PENDULUM focuses on asymmetric full-back roles to create unpressable circulation and a stable attacking platform. In possession, the shape becomes a 3-3-3-1 / 2-3-5: The left full-back provides high width, stretching the opponent. The right full-back steps into midfield, forming a triple pivot with the #6. This structure stabilizes progression, maintains access to central lanes, and makes pressing traps extremely difficult to execute. The attacking four occupy the half-spaces and central channels, enabling short combinations, third-man runs, and sustained final-third pressure. Out of possession, the team shifts into a compact 4-5-1, staying narrow, denying central access, and triggering immediate counterpressing upon loss.
This keeps the opponent under stress and prevents clean transitions. The result is a system that is:
Unpressable in build-up
Strong and synchronized in counterpressing
Consistently dangerous in attack
Designed for positional dominance and proactive control.
Info: I originally put the right back in the offensive formation at defensive midfielder. But if you use “Auto Selection,” FM unfortunately swaps the roles, so you end up with a center back against the ball at right back, a defensive midfielder in the center back position, etc. That's why I use an inverted right back. If you want, try moving the RB directly to the DM position with the ball. It works well, but I recommend playing without auto-selection.
Recommended videosPowered by Publisher Collective
Unmute
Duration
6:57
/
Current Time
0:03
Advanced Settings
Fullscreen
Pause
Rewind 10 Seconds
Up Next
Why you should try this:
If you like dominant possession, intelligent pressing, fluid movement, and controlling games through structure rather than chaos, this is it.
This tactic feels alive.
It adapts.
It thinks on the pitch.
It doesn’t just win — it suffocates.
Plus I got a transfer budget of 526 million pounds
About Autumn 0.2 vs Spring 0.2, they are very close in performance, and any difference in the test are probably statistical variance. My recommendation is to use the one you like the most.
Sorry and one last question do you have to train individual roles? Or leave individual training to the AM?
About Autumn 0.2 vs Spring 0.2, they are very close in performance, and any difference in the test are probably statistical variance. My recommendation is to use the one you like the most.
Sorry mate but I was comparing Autumn 0.2 and Winter 0.2
which two?
I just want to inform you that we need 2-3 days to iron things out and start testing tactics for FM26.
Bugs in the pre-game editor and in the game itself were slowing us down because we had to combat them and fining workarounds for it.
For example, a feature to duplicate players, staff and other things in the pre-game editor is bugged for FM26 and finding a workaround for it caused a lot of headaches for us.
Also, there're bizarre things such as inability to load a tactic if you renamed the tactic file and the file name becomes different from the tactic name, which were used to save the tactic. Probably, many of you already encountered this issue when tried to import a tactic and got an error in-game massage "This file can't be loaded".
Another thing, if you have multiple human managers in a game save and one of them "went on holidays" then other active managers can't save the game and can't use the in-game editor, to do that they have to wait until the manager "on holidays" is back from the holidays.
Anyway, as I said all the obstacles were overcome and we just need 2-3 days to iron things out and starts testing!
Please take your time and thank you for all the good work!!!
If u can feedback after test and result please for others people want download or wait feedback for test.
Important if u want this work :
Adapt your mentality to what the staff is suggesting!
If you concede, raise your mentality a notch!
Attack with 20-15 minutes left! If you lose
Allow to rest for 1 day after each match.
Package :
Drikce424 (tactic)
CPA26 (set pieces)
0 Match, 1 Match, 2 Match (training)
14 matches won consecutively is not a joke