Against Big teams

Can anyone give me general tips on how to at least limit the damage against the big teams in the premier league? I usually loose 3-0 plus when playing the likes of Man Utd and have tried lots of different things to try and do better, but nothing seems to work.

(Btw I posted this in the tactic and training forum but I have no reply all day basically - hopefully I will get a better response here.

Play on the counter-attack

what else though - I mean what do people do generally against big teams when they are heavily the underdogs. I say that there is no pressure in the pre-match teamtalk and I do various things, but I always lose at least 3-0. I know its only my fault but Im getting tired of always getting thrashed.

Stick 5 in midfield and mark their star players tightly.

what else though - I mean what do people do generally against big teams when they are heavily the underdogs. I say that there is no pressure in the pre-match teamtalk and I do various things, but I always lose at least 3-0. I know its only my fault but Im getting tired of always getting thrashed.

Set up defensively and play on the counter attack, personally, i make it so that every member of my Starting 11 are placed in their NATURAL positions, where they will play better.

Take the weather into account, rain and wind will affect styles of play and it may interupt your style, meaning you will have to change styles during certain times of the year, rather than just against certain opponents.

Sometimes, it is not the best players in my team who make starting apearances, it is usually the players with the better form over the past couple of matches.

Good morale will certainly be a benefit, as will be encouraging team talks.

Sometimes it is more than just tactics that can help your team play.

Good luck, and I hope you have found my post helpful:thup:

Thanks Stevie - those are the sort of things that I needed help on - so maybe I should play quite a few notches below standard mentality and then tick counter attack. Thanks Joe as well.

Thanks Stevie - those are the sort of things that I needed help on - so maybe I should play quite a few notches below standard mentality and then tick counter attack. Thanks Joe as well.

Anytime, note that these are factors i consider, I have no idea how many people take all that into account.

Also, what team are you, you could maybe have achieved more specific advice if we were to know your team.

At home you may want to be more adventurous, but not to an extent where you expose weaknesses in your team.

Good luck again.

Slow pace, counter-attack with strong MCs/DMCs and fast wingers.

well - Its generally Stevie. I mean I like managing average mid-table premier league teams (west ham, middlesbrough etc.) and then trying to build them up. But just today I started managing Spurs (on paper a slightly better team) and got thrashed 6-0 by Man Utd, even though I tried various things during the match. I even stopped changing things to try and see of that worked - but nothing .

well - Its generally Stevie. I mean I like managing average mid-table premier league teams (west ham, middlesbrough etc.) and then trying to build them up. But just today I started managing Spurs (on paper a slightly better team) and got thrashed 6-0 by Man Utd, even though I tried various things during the match. I even stopped changing things to try and see of that worked - but nothing .

Sometimes there is just nothing you can do against big teams, no matter your tactics or starting squad, I go into the games myself with the sole intention of keeping the scoreline respectable.

I wait until the later years in the game, when you have at least an equal team ability, before i start expecting to come away with a result.

Yeh, and it is very frustrating - I just dont want to lose so heavily and predictablly against the big teams all the time. I have no problem agaisnt all the other teams, but its as if I am a pub team and I am completely helpless when playing these big teams.

Yeh, and it is very frustrating - I just dont want to lose so heavily and predictablly against the big teams all the time. I have no problem agaisnt all the other teams, but its as if I am a pub team and I am completely helpless when playing these big teams.

It's probably easier to get a result against liverpool or chelsea, but arsenal and Man united can be nothing but an uphill struggle.

I would probably suggest expecting the worst, getting the game over with and concentrate on teams of equal and less ability than yours.

Its a tactic that has served me well over the years;)

backpackant - I've actually found that sometimes setting a quick pace helps when you're playing a highly defensive formation. If the field is long and you're doing a lot of counter attacking and long balls, a quick pace gives your players a better chance of catching the opponent's defenders off-guard. Obviously if you're playing a short passing game, I would not recommend quick play.