What formations do you hate playing against?

I usually play 4-4-2 and there are some formations that are very successful against 4-4-2. I especially dislike 4-2-3-1 formations because their attacking players frequently outnumber my defenders.

I dislike anything with one striker. My defenders get all confuzzalled and fall over backwards trying to mark a player who doesn't exist. Then when I try to play with one striker, the opposition defenders deal with him easily. Go figure

I hate playing against anything with 4 defenders and 2 DMs.

Anti-football as a certain Frenchman would say.

The 3-5-2 with wing-backs always seems to affect my defending. My team constantly leave a midfielder open in the middle of the park and he plays the ball and is consistantly getting into advanced positions. No matter how hard I work to alter the face of the game, I always leave one player open.

The 3-5-2 with wing-backs always seems to affect my defending. My team constantly leave a midfielder open in the middle of the park and he plays the ball and is consistantly getting into advanced positions. No matter how hard I work to alter the face of the game, I always leave one player open.

aggghhhhh i HATE wing backs the just make my team go floopsey

4-3-2-1

Against other tactics, my players seem able to cope and romp to victory quite often. However, with this tactic, they just play awful and I've only managed to beat it once. I now switch tactics when up against it.

4-3-2-1

Hate it hate it.

aggghhhhh i HATE wing backs the just make my team go floopsey

Yeah, me too. My team just can't cope with what seems like extra players going forward and extra players defending.

Hate the Empoli tactic of 4-2-3-1 (with AMR,AML,AMC)

Also the Pisa tactic of 4-3-2-1

I dispise this one in particular!

Monaco have an awesome tactic, but it looks awful. 4-2-2-2 - 2 DMC's, 2 MC's, no wingers whatsoever.

It shouldn't work but it does. I had a nightmare of a time breaking them down and stopping the direct balls to the strikers.

Monaco have an awesome tactic, but it looks awful. 4-2-2-2 - 2 DMC's, 2 MC's, no wingers whatsoever.

It shouldn't work but it does. I had a nightmare of a time breaking them down and stopping the direct balls to the strikers.

Common tactic in Brazil. 4-4-2 Box Midfield has a look at the tactic and is a nice read.

Common tactic in Brazil. 4-4-2 Box Midfield has a look at the tactic and is a nice read.

Well I'll be damned!

Cheers for that ^^

I hate Ancelotti's 4-3-2-1.

Hard to play against with a 4-4-2

I hate clubs that expect to lose to me and field a 4-5-1 (with a DM). Just so annoying, because even with Messi, Aguero bojan etc it not only takes forever to break them down, but a lot of the time, when we do break them down, my stirkers decide they aren't going to hit the target that match no matter what?!!

I'm sure most people hate the AI's uber defensive-yet-certain-to-score-whenever-they-have-to formation, but I've recently developed a genuine fear of playing against 4-1-2-1-2 (with the front 2 sarrowed to the flanks). The side-arrowed strikers just destroy my defence, leaving acres of space for the AMC to punish me everytime. I've given up trying to counter this and now just hope my fairly solid and successful 4-2-3-1 can do something.

Well I'll be damned!

Cheers for that ^^

Yes, it's by far the most common tactic here, I love it too (and I love the fact it doesn't use widem midfielders) and always use it in FM (but not in FML where it doesn't seem to work too well, so I use 4-1-2-1-2 there).

4-1-2-1-2

Always gets me.

The 3-5-2 with wing-backs always seems to affect my defending. My team constantly leave a midfielder open in the middle of the park and he plays the ball and is consistantly getting into advanced positions. No matter how hard I work to alter the face of the game, I always leave one player open.

Which is precisely why that's the formation I use! If ya can't beat 'em ...

Which is precisely why that's the formation I use! If ya can't beat 'em ...

I just came up against it again against York and drew 1-1.

Evertons 4-1-4-1 with Fellaini and Neville usually in the middle of the park with Cahill in amc and Saha or yakubu upfront, i hate playing them haha

4-2-3-1, if your team has a bad day this formation has the potential to rip you apart

In Italy there are some awkward tactics - 3-5-2 is common with 3 or 4 teams and some teams have 3-4-3 which is hard using 4-4-2 to cope with.

Evertons 4-4-1-1 is difficult, Cahill & Fellaini can run amok if not careful.

I cant say these formations ever worked for any of my teams, perhaps theres a time and a place for a back 3 to combat the oppostion.

I also struggle against the 4-3-3 used by Chelsea, Man City and Barcelona. Can never decide how to deal with the wingers, used to have success playing my own 4-1-2-3 with 3 Strikers and the wide arrows on the two strikers, but now the arrows have gone it doesnt have the same effect.

I truely despise AI managers packing the midfield in a horrible 4-2-3-1

DL-DC-DC-DR

MC-MC

AMC-AMC-AMC

FC

Leaves my centre-halfs with too many men to keep an eye on and usually means i have to change my own formation and throw a tough ball-winning DMC in the mix to limit their AMC's ability. Tight formations like that usually end up with good amounts of possession.

3-5-2 is grim, still can't work out a decent tactic against it

The narrow 4-1-2-1-2. Fulham are using it in my current save and I struggle to form a decent attack. You'd think the space on the wings would allow for some good play but the outside of the box just gets cluttered. I get lots of possession but barely any decent chances.

3-4-3 i dont think a 4-4-2 can stop it. and i agree a 3-5-2 also gets on my nerves. i just tend to see what my scout reports on there tatics then try and mimick it if they are a really good team. i always find this at least neutrlizes there tatical formation then it just comes down to me, hopefully getting the tatics right

Anything with a central AM I find tough. I do sometimes put a DM on him but if I'm at home it takes away one of my midfielders that I want to use for attacking.

I always find an attacking 4-3-3 very scary - but I don't always struggle against them though.

I hate Man City's 4-1-2-2-2, with 1DM, 2CM and 2 WNG players. I also have a fear of the infamous 4-2-3-1

Yeah wing backs are annoying.

I hate playing against the spearhead formation

dc-dc-dc

wb-dm-wb

mc-mc

amc

st

i just don't seem to be able to break it down and score against it.

I love 4-2-3-1 when I play with my Brøndby team, but I hate to play other teams that uses this strategy.

I struggle a bit against 4-3-3, but I mostly hate anything with 4 or more DM/CM/AMs. My team just gets completely outnumbered in defence, even when I go to 4-5-1 to try to stop it.

Luckily in Finland where I'm currently managing most teams play 4-4-2, with just the one playing a 4-1-3-2 system.

I made a 5-3-2 (wing backs) to counter most of the formations mentioned here. I still dont like the 4-3-2-1.

none, they're all easy to play against.

Actually I can handle any formation the opposition set out with. What bu99ers me is when they keep switching formations and swapping players. Chelsea are notorious for this.