Ultimate Lower Leagues Tactic! (4-5-1 v11.1.1)

Tactic Information:

This tactic is a basic 4-5-1 which has given amazing defensive results, while still scoring enough to take on the top teams in the leagues. It is THE ULTIMATE lower league tactic.

Tactic overview:

Results:

Need I say more? Lowest conceded in the league by a fair margin in all three seasons. (We went on to have the lowest conceded goals in six consecutive seasons - the only reason that run ended is because we reached the Premiership!)

This tactic has also taken Blackpool to 7th in the Premier League in the first season! (Report: http://footballmanagerft.co.uk/index.php?/topic/1297-blinded-by-the-lights/)

Tactic Download:

http://www.mediafire.com/?h2efxm96m2nsujh

Picking Players:

At lower league level (BSN/BSS and below - League Two level) just sign the most physical players you can. Obviously getting defenders that can tackle is important, and a striker that can hold the ball up as well as shoot is essential. An AML that can cross, and an AMR that can cross and shoot would be a bonus.

The players I used were all found by my scout or by Assistant's recommendations. All Staff were advertised for. No staff search or player search has been used on my save.

OI's/Shouts:

I use AsstMan OI if he has high Tactical Knowledge. If not, use your own if you have the nous, leave alone if not. 'Work ball into box' is useful if players are shooting from distance too often.

Disclaimer:

This is a base tactic to work from, not a definitive 'use and you'll be as successful as Alex Ferguson' tactic. It can be for some people, if it all clicks with their own style and the players they have, but generally it will need tweaking, and that's for them to do, not me, it's their team, they need to watch and see what's not working and what is.

Please leave feedback, whether positive or constructive.

Thanks for reading,

Enjoy!

TG.

This tactic can also be found at www.footballmanagerft.co.uk

The players I used were all found by my scout or by Assistant's recommendations. All Staff were advertised for. No staff search or player search has been used on my save.

More of a purist than I am then

Very good defensive record you have there. That DMC an "anchor man" or just a straight DMC?

Anchor man. Always an Anchor man

Without having downloaded the tactic to take a closer look, I had the sneaking suspicion that might be the case

As far as I'm concerned, at this level, defenders should defend, and attackers should attack. 5 men for each job. They don't have the talent or stamina (or sufficient training facilities) to do both.

Very true. Keep it simple and don't try to ask things of players who aren't up to the task.

I've seen this before. Is it from your blog, TG? you should provide a link - it's pretty good.

My blog? It's a fansite, which I posted it on first to get an idea of its reception...

Which address does this fansite have? Kinda fan of your tactics, and i will definitely test this tactic aswell. Gonna give it a try, with a danish team called Randers and will report back, when i have played some games.

Which address does this fansite have? Kinda fan of your tactics, and i will definitely test this tactic aswell.

www.footballmanagerft.co.uk - but I don't post there much any more, its becoming a bit too off-topic for me.

Thanks for trying it, and I hope it gives you the success it has given me

So far really impressive. I'm testing it with the mighty Spartans. The only goal against was a screamer so the defense is very solid indeed. The only tweak i made was to mirror the tactic so the Inside Forward plays on the left. I always have trouble finding players with strong left foot. Ty for sharing TG!

http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/9264/blyth.jpg

So far really impressive... ...Ty for sharing TG!

No problem, glad it's working for you!

OP edited to include end-of-season League Two table. Three seasons in a row, lowest goals conceded in the leagues.

Bless you Jamie, I'm struggling with FC United in the BSP, I'm 11th on the table with good players, hopefully I'll be able to take off now

Do you reckon this tactic is good enough to get to championship or premiership with?

I'm going to start as Walsall predicted bottom half league 1, so it should do well for me there?

Do you reckon this tactic is good enough to get to championship or premiership with?

I'm going to start as Walsall predicted bottom half league 1, so it should do well for me there?

I'd say it would.

I'm using it in league one, and intend on getting to the premiership with it. Any changes made in that time will be released as an updated version. But so far so good

26 games in League One, 25 unbeaten

Do you use variations or just one tactic? isn't the A.I. 'breaking' your tactic after a while then?

Do you use variations or just one tactic? isn't the A.I. 'breaking' your tactic after a while then?

A.I. do not break tactics, that is a myth...

I've been using the same tactic for four seasons. All four we conceded the lowest goals in the league, got promoted each time when predicted to finish bottom each time.

I've been using the same tactic for four seasons. All four we conceded the lowest goals in the league, got promoted each time when predicted to finish bottom each time.

Hey

Can it be used for large teams?

I find the team instructions too defensive minded

Would be good if you made a version for more attacking orientated teams

However, good tactic for underdogs mate (y)

Hey

Can it be used for large teams?

I find the team instructions too defensive minded

Would be good if you made a version for more attacking orientated teams

However, good tactic for underdogs mate (y)

It would be good for a mid table or lower Premiership type team, for Arsenal or Barcelona I agree it is too defensively minded, but it'd still work, just wouldn't produce super-pretty football imo.

Are there times in matches where you change the mentality or do you always have it set to 'counter-attack'?

Just from trying it out it seems to me a little complicated for the lower leagues. Obviously you're having success with it so maybe I'm worng, but for the 2 central midfielders, it's pretty hard to find a good "ball-winning" and "box-to-box" midfielder in the BSP. Those roles just seem too technical for the lower league players to be able to take advantage of properly.

As long as the most important aspects of the role are covered, there is no reason why a player should have trouble. Failing that, the roles can be changed to central mid support and central mid defend...

Im gonna try it out:) have never done lower league management before, what patch do you recommend playing this on?

I started on 11.1 with my career, I've patched to 11.2 and it's working as well as ever. Using this tactic I've got FC United from the BSN to the premiership in six seasons, and in each one we conceded the lowest goals in the league. I play without using player or staff search too.

I started on 11.1 with my career, I've patched to 11.2 and it's working as well as ever. Using this tactic I've got FC United from the BSN to the premiership in six seasons, and in each one we conceded the lowest goals in the league. I play without using player or staff search too.

So the same tactic works with the new patch mate?

hmm has anyone tried this out and how have the results been? I might have to give this a go with my Vauxhall Motors team. I havent been having any luck with any of the formations I have tried. To be honest though my CB's are pretty shocking. Im having to score 3 goals before the match even starts...

So the same tactic works with the new patch mate?

Correct.

101010

The tactic looks impressive & I like the results achieved. Any ideas on how to best tweak the tactic to make it more aggressive & therefore more applicable to top ranked teams?

I like to make my own tactics but I can't seem to have my 4-5-1 to work so I'm giving this tactic a try.

i like tactics which i can clean sheat my defence as much as possible so i test it .i will take man city...i just wonder why your AML is winger with support duty and your AMR is forward with attack?why dont you have the same duty in the two?

do you change the mentality during a match??

I notice that the RB is set to Auto, is this for when you change to attack mentality?

I'm goin to give this one a try.

I used a similar tactic at my other career (SC Heerenveen). The (am I allowed to advertise other tactics?) Koflok's Goals Galore 2011 worked well there. And hase the same base as this tactic, only more offensive. Not suitable for lower league, but surely for top league in my experience.

i like tactics which i can clean sheat my defence as much as possible so i test it .i will take man city...i just wonder why your AML is winger with support duty and your AMR is forward with attack?why dont you have the same duty in the two?

Tactics that are the same each side are more predictable, so I like to have a more asymmetrical mentality with my tactics.

do you change the mentality during a match??

I notice that the RB is set to Auto, is this for when you change to attack mentality?

I only change if losing, and that is to Overload for the last 15-20 mins of a match.

The tactic looks impressive & I like the results achieved. Any ideas on how to best tweak the tactic to make it more aggressive & therefore more applicable to top ranked teams?

Change from Counter to Control.

Tacticalgenius, are you working on another version,or is it still working??

What happens if you make the EPL with this tactic with your poor side, but then you buy quality players. Time to make tactical changes?

Like I said before, your results with this tactic seem really impressive. I would like to see your original squad lineup in the BSN when you started out as I'm really struggling to see how players at that level can perform as well as you have with a tactic as this. I am currently trying it with my established league 2 team who I brought up through the BSN and BSP with the help of heathxxx and his thread. I aim to give your tactic about half a season but so far we're leaking goals like crazy and are completely impotent upfront. While I'll claim nbo real sucess in league 2 with my team, the last two seasons we finished 9th and 13th respectively so we can be considered contenders for an upper league finish or possible promotion.

I'll keep the post posted

In reference to this, here is my team as it stands now. All players are rated league 1 or above so should be more than capable of succeeding in league 2 in theory.

hey tacticalgenius just started to use your tactic and just wanted to say thanks m8 i am Havant & W

first 5 to 7 games i was getting beat and beat bad then the next couple of games i was drawing now 10 games in any team i cum up against i am beating 2-0 or 3-0

climbing the table and looking good for at least a playoff spot thanks dude

Tacticalgenius, are you working on another version,or is it still working??

What happens if you make the EPL with this tactic with your poor side, but then you buy quality players. Time to make tactical changes?

I've changed to a 4-2-3-1 for my 2nd premiership season, as the players I was offered and signed didn't really fit the 4-5-1 so well.

Like I said before, your results with this tactic seem really impressive. I would like to see your original squad lineup in the BSN when you started out as I'm really struggling to see how players at that level can perform as well as you have with a tactic as this. I am currently trying it with my established league 2 team who I brought up through the BSN and BSP with the help of heathxxx and his thread. I aim to give your tactic about half a season but so far we're leaking goals like crazy and are completely impotent upfront. While I'll claim nbo real sucess in league 2 with my team, the last two seasons we finished 9th and 13th respectively so we can be considered contenders for an upper league finish or possible promotion.

I'll keep the post posted

Here's my signings in my first season: http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy342/TopsyKretts_23/signingsbsn.png

hey tacticalgenius just started to use your tactic and just wanted to say thanks m8 i am Havant & W

first 5 to 7 games i was getting beat and beat bad then the next couple of games i was drawing now 10 games in any team i cum up against i am beating 2-0 or 3-0

climbing the table and looking good for at least a playoff spot thanks dude

Well done, I'm glad it is working for you

Nice work TG, this shall be the first tactic I use on FM11. (Y)

Picking Players:

At lower league level (BSN/BSS and below - League Two level) just sign the most physical players you can. Obviously getting defenders that can tackle is important, and a striker that can hold the ball up as well as shoot is essential. An AML that can cross, and an AMR that can cross and shoot would be a bonus.

Hey TacticalGenius....thanks for the tactic....when you say sign the most physical players you can, what exactly do you mean by that? Should I be looking for high strength in every position? or do you mean by height/weight? or both?

Also, for the AM L/R positions do they have to be inverted wingers or right foot for AMR and Left foot for AML? Thanks.!

Here's my signings in my first season: http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy342/TopsyKretts_23/signingsbsn.png

QUOTE]

That's an unbelievable accomplishment with those players. Which ones were your key players in your first couple of seasons?

After around half a season the team and tactics seem to have clicked and we're sitting now in 7th place in league 2. We've still conceeded 31 goals from 26 games played but we're doing a lot better than last year so I can't really complain

Orenuga and Ngo Baheng were Key, and Orenuga is still with me on the bench in 2019-20.

Does Orenuga improve a lot? On my save his stats seem pretty low.

Does Orenuga improve a lot? On my save his stats seem pretty low.

I wouldn't say a lot, but he performs better than his stats would suggest.

Somehow, this tactic is not working for me

Somehow, this tactic is not working for me

Unfortunately not everything can work for everyone

Unfortunately not everything can work for everyone

Omg, it suddenly started working after 3 matches Thanks dude

going 2 try it with my oxford r keep u posted.