How do you get the best out of 'underdog' teams?

I'm in my second season with PSG. Before the game starts they are, as in real life, mid-table French ligue 1 fare. Giuly is their best player and he's 33/34. Suffice to say the squad is really quite weak, but they are a famous sleeping giant type club, and in France it's all relative-everyone has a weak squad by european standards. Anyhow, Europe is the real battlefield. I won the ligue 1 title by 1 point last season, and have been getting some real bargains in(Adriano on a free, for instance)., but i was not given much money by the old man upstairs, and i've had to wheel and deal.

However, i only just scraped through the champions league group phase, 2nd to Arsenal, who wolloped me 4-2 at the emirates. I got through, and am now facing Barca-friggin-lona in the next rd, which is just tough luck. Barca>Arsenal, so i am naturally apprehensive about going to the nou camp, but can shut them out in Paris i feel.

How do you guys get your players to rise to the occassion and shut a team down that has so much incredible talent(they sold ibrahimovic, who flopped, to man city and got Torres in, but he will be injured for the nou camp leg)??? I need them playing out of their skins, as the old cliche goes..

Get your team very well organised from a defensive point of view. Play counter attacking football if you have any pace in attacking areas. Oddly, I find keeping it tight at home and going for it slightly more away from home can be effective due to the away goals rule. i.e. 0-0 at home and 1-1 away, and you go through.

Tactics forum is the place to go

Get your team very well organised from a defensive point of view. Play counter attacking football if you have any pace in attacking areas. Oddly, I find keeping it tight at home and going for it slightly more away from home can be effective due to the away goals rule. i.e. 0-0 at home and 1-1 away, and you go through.

that's a good point, barca don't concede much in the game, but they are prone to being open in their attack. I'm thinking contain and counter. It'll be a bloody difficult tie though!

Tactics forum is the place to go

No, i'm askign how other players round here do it, not so much advice and tactical help, although that is welcomed.

Also i'm wondering how to psychologically do it with these players. They are a tight unit, morale is good>superb on every 1st team squad player

No, i'm askign how other players round here do it, not so much advice and tactical help, although that is welcomed.

Also i'm wondering how to psychologically do it with these players. They are a tight unit, morale is good>superb on every 1st team squad player

If im the underdog I tend to just go all out attack as you have nothing to lose, lets face it your not going to get much at the nou camp so you'll probably need to go there with a couple of goal advantage. Just play your most attacking team and go overload, direct and shoot on sight, the best form of defence is attack.

Get loads of people behind the ball and hope they keep taking long shots and miss them all.

and attack on the counter and slow play and time wasting works well

Two words.

"Wish Luck"

Phenomenal pre-match team talk for me!

Just tell your team the pressure is off and you'll be surprised how much better they play

well yer but you need time wasting on high. counter attack and a 4.5.1 formation

Tell them that "the pressure is off, and they have nothing to lose!".

I told my League 2 Torquay United side that before facing (a 3/4 strength) Man City in the League Cup 2nd Round, and we beat them 3-0!

Feeling free to just enjoy the occasion against their more illustrious opposition, without any pressure on their shoulders, our team went out and played with a confidence well above their station.