How do YOU build your tactics?

Contrary to what you may be thinking coming in here, this is NOT a question about good tactics (I know where the GP&T Forum is), but rather a simple question:

(There will be player naming and a bit of tactics naming in this topic)

Do you build your tactics around your team, or your team around your tactics?

To explain: Building a tactic around your team involves assessing what players you have in which positions and building a tactic to fit your squad. For example, I play a 4-3-3 in my Arsenal save, since the Arse have an overabundance of AM RLC/FC position players at the beginning of the game, whereas a team with a few more STs and M RLCs may benefit more from a 4-4-2.

My 07 Rosenborg save plays a 3-5-2, because at some point, I had nothing but centre-halves, and had no money to buy any D RLs.

This would be the logical choice when you start the game off, since you may not have had the time to really build the team to your liking.

However, do you keep the tactic and buy players to fit it, maybe avoiding signing big-name players in positions you have decent coverage already (why buy Kaka when you have Marek Hamsik, Cristiano Ronaldo and Arshavin), or do you buy a new player, and change the tactic (going from a 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1 or even a 3-5-2)?

Over the course of my saves, I've done both, but have eventually settled on building the team around the tactic, maybe retraining a few WBs to comfortably play centre-half or DM. I suppose this is easer to do when you have a bit of spending money, whereas from an LLM point of view, the former is the only real way forward.

I'm curious to see what sort of input the community has on this..

Badly..

i usually start with a 4-4-2, i was with Newcastle and we were shocking so i dropped a defensive midfielder in so it went 4-1-3-2 that didnt help too much and the transfer window was open so i got another DM, i then changed to 3-2-2-1-2 so 3 defenders, 2 DM's, a right mid and left mid, attacking mid and 2 strikers, this hit the nail on the head, worked a treat, im now with plymouth and im still using a 4-4-2 after 5 seasons.........

it depends who i play as. if i have plenty of money i will build my team around the tactic i want to use, but if i start with a smaller side i will build the tactic around the team.

it depends who i play as. if i have plenty of money i will build my team around the tactic i want to use, but if i start with a smaller side i will build the tactic around the team.

Also, generally when I take over any side I start with a basic 4-4-2 and adapt it to the strengths of the squad, making it my first priority to have all positions in a standard flat 4-4-2 adequately filled.

Currently playing a 4-5-1 with my Wolves side, which isn't pleasing my backup strikers.

When I take over a club I set my formation according to the players I have. Then I buy and sell players according to that formation and stick to it. For example I currently use a 3-5-2 with wingbacks, no wingers. So I sold my wingers and fullbacks and dont buy any. New players go into the same training schedules as the senior ones and play te same formations in the reserves and U18s. That way they adjust to my system and can step into a starting XI in time.

Personally I just use the standard tactic 4-4-2 (Attacking) with the exception I remove playmaker and use tight marking. Then if things go badly, I just alter it a bit, but I always start with that one.

I build my team around the players I start with. However over the course of several seasons I begin to bring in players that better suit my wide, indirect, free-flowing style.

That said, I make significant tactical changes every three games on average.

2 DC

2 WB/D

2 MC/DM

1 AMC

1 AMR or AML

1 FW

1 ST

I make significant tactical changes every three games on average.

How do your players ever settle into your tactics? Or do you actually mean 'tweaks' rather than tactical changes?

I build my tactic around the players I start with and often just stick with that. Most teams that I've started with have a squad that suits a 4-4-2. Though when it goes badly I often change to a Mourinho-style 4-3-3 (DMC, two MC's, AMR, AML, ST) which also works quite well. Oh, and I developed a nice all-out attack tactic, a 4-2-1-3 which works great because I have quite a lot of attacking players who are good in the air

Build the players around my tactics style.

i always start with with team with proficient wingers. i have made a set of 442 and 433 tactics that seem to work with any team i choose.

I fit players into my tactics. 4-1-2-2-1

I start by fitting the tactics to the squad, and then over time it gradually reshapes into something new, with new signings and new surroundings, and also on personal whim - when I decide to aim for a tactic

I started my Wolves game with 4-4-2, then when promoted I pulled the support striker back to AMC for defensive support, and pushed up a winger,

then I had a weird idea for how best to use my new signing, and so pushed the winger up to FR, and played a left-footed AM/FC there,

then later moved him to FRC, and now I've decided I quite want a box formation, so am considering selling my left winger (but he's a club, and personal, favourite - so I might have to wait ten years for his retirement, or try and retrain him to left-back)

I always play with a flat back 4 though, unfortunately. I try to be as widespread and ambitious in my tactics as possible, but I can never get wing-backs to work properly. I find the marking system in FM09 very hard to successfully control.

I'm a great believer in building my squads around my tactics. To put it simply, that's often why you see people complain that a "wonder tactic" for some doesn't neccessarily work for others in the Tactics & Training Tips Forum. You'll also notice that people posting in their tactics threads these days are more inclined to post information about suitable players for their system, or suitable player attributes for positions and roles.

You don't need to have world beaters every time, but you do need to pay attention to suitable player attributes within the level or division your team is playing. Someone with 15+ passing in the lower leagues, will usually be one of the best passers of the ball in his division, for example.

With a new club I usually use 442 for the first 2-3 seasons, its easiest to accomoidate for all players until you can build your own squad - when i do that I use myt own 4321 created saved tactics that were inspired by Carlo Ancelotti's at Milan, the 'christmas tree' - these are the tactics i'd employ in real life so i do it in game too

I also train players in various positions, i.e. i'm currently doing Real Madrid and just trained Raul to be a centre midfielder where hes playing great