Okay, Jmz "Master of Tactics" - What is your verdict of this formation. I have just thrown it together for my first ML team. In essence i play very deffinsivly on the counter.
With a Wall of 3 defenders and 3 dmfs, sitting infront of the Box. It's pretty hard to breakthrough. Obviously the weakness of 3 backs is the vulnerablity on the wings, so the formation does require user intervention. If there is a break down the wing, i'll grab my DMF for that side and 70% of the time its possible to slide in and get the ball either into touch, of course the other 30% of the time you can either get beaten or the winger will hold it up making it hard to get a slide in. So i will be holding [] this whole time, so the CB for that side will also come accross as backup.
After getting the ball off the oppositon, thats where the fun begins. First option is the long ball, if either winger is open then obviously thats where the ball goes for the counter and this is quite often the case, then ill look for the cross and there will be 2 players running in with the opposite winger attacking into the goal as well as the CF. Otherwise i play it to the CF as a target and get him to play it back to the wings or the OMF.
Other option is short passing, getting it to the OMF to either run at the defense or play a throughball.
That's how Formation A plays, and usually as soon as i go up a goal, considering its not too early in a match - i'll convert to Formation B. Which essentially plays going forwards as Formation A does but with a bit more protection at the back especially on the side - it could convert into a 5-4-1 if it was a little deeper but ive found no need for that.
Its a simple but effective formation, and the first one i've ever used with just 3 defenders.
By the way, if the opposition plays with a sweeper ill get my CF to mark him. Seems weird, but it works well when playing in through balls and long balls.