re: Staying ahead of the curve on tactics

Personally, if they are using a holding mid in front of the back 3 you have to attack the wings to press their wing backs back and high press them. If you don't, their wing backs will overload the midfield and outnumber you.

If they are using b2b with no one sitting in front, I'd use 2 up top with an attacking mid right behind them. Use one of your forwards to drop deep almost like a False 9 to attempt to drag one or two of the CD's out of place and have your AMC make runs from deep into the space they were occupying. You could also run 2 up top and have them run the channels to drag the CD's out of place if the WB's are pressing too high up the pitch and have your CM's make runs from deep to hurt them with the space the left to cover the channel.