Favourite Tactics Creator Formations - FM10

I know a favourite formation thread has been done before but the old ones are the best ones and this one has a bit of a twist. This poll will just be looking at the tactics creator formations. I'm also going to allow multiple voting so that you can vote for all of your favourite formations to use in FM10 rather than just picking one.

As for the options, the poll is restricted to 10 options, so I have had to be creative with the categories. Every tactics creator formation should be represented in one of the options though. If you pick an option with a family of formations (which is most of them!) then please feel free to state in the thread which option you were going for.

I'll also be running this same poll on the tactics forum for those that don't particularly visit GD. I'm interested to see what the results will be.

So, which are your favourite tactics creator formations?

4-1-2-1-2, of course

Has to be 4-2-3-1 Deep for me.

Plenty of cover if hit on the break, five in midfield, lot's of passing triangles and still plenty of options up front.

4-2-4

It has to be the 4-4-2 diamond for me. It may not be the most successful formation about but I just love the classic positions used in it.

Well in FM10 I've had success with 442, 4222 (2*DMs & 2*MCs), 41221 (DM, 2*MCs, AML, AMR, ST), 4132 (DM & 3*MCs), 4312 (3*MCs & AMC) and 41212 (DM, 2*MCs, AMC).

For me, I go for the formation I prefer in reality too...4-1-3-2 with the anchor man playing a pivotal role.

The diamond for sure, 4-1-2-2-1. as in VM, MC, MC, AML, AMR, ST

4-2-3-1 cant go wrong

I'm a bit of a tactical purist, so I tend to only play formations that I think work pretty much as teams play it in real life.

Formations I have played and enjoyed with my teams include: 4-4-2, 4-4-1-1, 4-2-3-1 deep, 4-5-1/4-3-3 ('Mourinho style'), 4-3-2-1 (but I use a proper narrow version and not the tactics creator version), 4-1-3-2 and 4-3-1-2. Those are like my foundation formations really and I don't tend to move away from them.

I've tried every formation in the game pretty much while experimenting. Most disappointed with three at the back formations and the way they set up and play out in the match engine. There are also quite a few of the tactics creator defaults that I personally find unrealistic, so I stay away from them.

As for my favourites, well, I voted for 4-4-2, 4-4-1-1, 4-2-3-1 deep and 4-3-1-2. I've had really good spells with each of these and enjoyed the sort of football they produce.

---------st----------

aml----amc----amr

-----mc-----mc-----

---------------------

dl----dc----dc----dr

---------gk---------

4-3-3 is my most successful, it's also the first one I designed (or at least optimised) myself rather than using default/downloaded/copied tactics.

I saw it in a vision while watching Alice in Wonderland.

I've also used 4-2-2-2 with 2 x DMs and 2 inside forwards.

I hope wingers will work better in '11.

The 4-4-2 but with the two wingers pushed up is my favourite formation. I also use the 4-3-1-2 and the 4-2-3-1 when I have been managing international teams

---------st----------

aml----amc----amr

-----mc-----mc-----

---------------------

dl----dc----dc----dr

---------gk---------

This .

4-2-3-1 asymmetric is the only TC formation I still use exactly. I also used 4-1-2-1-2 briefly in the unpatched game.

I use 4-2-4 a fair bit (with AML/R) but that doesn't seem to be an option.

Direct 4-4-3 FTW!

Direct 4-4-3 FTW!

Can't see you losing with that one TBH...

I am pretty sure that nobody else plays the following formation - it requires pretty special players to play it. No team in the starting database would be able to pull it off.

.......CF.......CF.......

AML.....AM.......AMR

.......CM......CM.......

............................

.......DC......DC........

..........SWP...........

...........GK............

Not sure you'd have that many clean sheets with that formation!

Yes you would think so Raware - but in the past two league seasons I have averaged 12 goals against in 38 games.

Really? I'm surprised at that. Maybe if you came up against the Wimbledon of old (punting the ball over the top, clearing your whole midfield) you might leak a few more goals! How does it manage to average just 12 goals against in 38 games?

I don't want to go too much off topic - but I'm in the year 2030 - and so I have a squad of world beaters - so thats why really. And the competition in La Liga is not great as the AI managers are not up too much. The save has got a bit silly now - but it was fun while it lasted!!!

Ah right, so it relies on players rather than the formation. No chance using it then in the BSP!

Could it be that the opposition spends so much time defending, that they just plain don't get a chance to counter?

With mine I got a 4-2-3-1 with 3 AMC's from the T&T and just tweaked it to make more space for the middle AMC and striker.

4-4-2 flat

.........CF...............

AML.........AM........

........CM.............MR

DL...........DM.........

.......DC...........DR.. I Have come very close to getting this working. The AMC just doesn't seem to perform as he should.

..............DC.......... I think a lot of teams play like this IRL maybe i need to revert to 4-4-2 and adjust the mentalitys like they do

...........GK.............

I much prefer playing a 4-1-2-2-1, i.e. what's displayed below to the left, over anything else, but I usually end up going for narrow formations like the 4-1-2-1-2 (below to the right) because of how much more effective they've proven for me.

.........ST......... | ......ST....ST......

.................... | ....................

AML..............AMR | ........A MC........

.................... | ....................

......MC....MC...... | ......MC....MC......

.................... | ....................

........D MC........ | ........D MC........

.................... | ....................

DL....DC....DC....DR | DL....DC....DC....DR

.................... | ....................

.........GK......... | .........GK.........

Hoping to have better success with my favored formation in FM 2011.

What would we call this formation?

What would we call this formation?

ST - ST

AML-----------AMR

MC - MC

.

DL - DC - DC - DR

Simply 4-4-2. More detailed 4-4-2 with AMR & AML. My favourite formation and the one I always use. Don't know why the game reads it as 4-2-4 and why Crouchy didn't put it in the poll.

What would we call this formation?

ST - ST

AML-----------AMR

MC - MC

.

DL - DC - DC - DR

This is what I use. I would still call it a 4-4-2 but for some reason the game calls it a 4-2-4

4-1-2-1-2 shifting to 4-3-1-2 sometimes. I've found much success with Sampdoria this way. Used to play 4-4-1-1 'til Pazzini and Cassano left.

started with 4-4-2, then I implemented 4-4-1-1 (which was killer), tried 4-1-3-2, 4-5-1, 4-3-3, 4-3-2-1, 3-4-3, 3-4-2-1, and after 2020 designed an asymmetric (GK-DR-CB-CB-DL-DM-MR-MC-AML-AMC-ST) and now in 2038 I play a 3-2-3-2 (CB-CB-CB-MC-MC-AMR-AMC-AML-ST-ST)

'Killer' as in good or bad?

Interesting to see 4-2-3-1 deep is right up there in the voting. Very popular, as it is in real life of course.

I still use the classic tactics creator with the Slider bars. But the formation i use is the 451/433 formation.

Like to go for realism.

Usual favourites.

4-4-1-1, 4-2-3-1, 4-4-2.

It varies though, on what team I am, what players I have, what players I have available at the time, who I'm playing against. All things took into consideration.

At lower levels, I find myself always playing with 2 strikers, more direct football, old school, one taller striker, one quicker striker. However as I move up the divisions and quality of teams, I like to play more football and usually play a 3 man midfield of some sort. Or a deep lying striker if I do play 2 upfront.

4-4-2 flat.

A simple formation, that offers balance. I find it a lot easier to adjust when things aren't working, too.

For quite a while I used the same formation I was using in FML, a tactic that was forced on me by FML not spawning me any Sammarinese centre-backs: GK; DR, DL; DM, DM; AMR, AML, AMC; FC, FC, FC. I loved that formatiuon, no matter how prone it was to the quick counter attack...

I'm torn between these two, which I've had massive success with.

-----------------ST----ST---------------- ---------------ST--------------

AML--------------------------------AMR -------AMC-AMC-AMC-----

--------------CM---------CM------------- ---------------------------------

-------------------------------------------- -------------DM-DM----------

LB---------CB----------CB-----------RB -LB-------CB-----CB-------RB

--------------------GK------------------- --------------GK--------------

I'm using the 4-3-3 3 strikers tactic which helped me win all 38 games in my last season. however two midfielders are wide men

I went 38-0-0 with my 4-4-2 (with AML and AMR)

Now I am playing with a 4-3-3 (3 MCs, FL, FC, FR) and I am having fun with it

4-3-3 (3MC, 3ST) for my top club, switching to 4-1-3-2 when I want to go defensive.

4-3-1-2 Classic fer me

My favourite is 10 outfield players, and 1 keeper

Seriously though, I usually play 4-2-3-1 Deep or 4-1-2-1-2.

My favourite is 10 outfield players, and 1 keeper

Seriously though, I usually play 4-2-3-1 Deep or 4-1-2-1-2.

really? only 10? I would've thought you'd try play with at least 14 or 15 outfield players by now

If only! I'd have a goal full of goalkeepers if I could, like a human wall in the goal mouth lol.

If only! I'd have a goal full of goalkeepers if I could, like a human wall in the goal mouth lol.

And somehow the AI would still manage to score on you in the 95th minute

2 centre backs, 2 wing backs, 3 centre midfielders, 1 attacking midfielder and 2 strikers. Yes, it does work, and no, I don't concede too many as long as I have a decent team.

2 centre backs, 2 wing backs, 3 centre midfielders, 1 attacking midfielder and 2 strikers. Yes, it does work, and no, I don't concede too many as long as I have a decent team.

Um....I dont think anyone would ask you if it worked or not seeing how its a 4-3-1-2 just with the FBs moved up to WB position

Still no 4-2-4 option?