Match Preparation Formations

I have gone through my pre-season preparation with 3 formations selected in the Match Preparation screen. The formations are very similar being a 4-1-3-2, a 4-1-2-1-2 where the MC has been pushed forward to the AMC position and a 4-1-2-1-2 with the AMC pushed wide to an AMR position. Now as the mentality structure for all 3 formations is Standard does it mean that I will be penalised if I play the same formations but with Attacking or Defensive mentalities?

Can anyone answer this?

I cannot imagine tactical changes during a match are calculated through a "match preparation" filter intended to make your players unaccustomed to whatever you try - because that would include any changes made by shouts too, which is the opposite of what SI wants with the whole TC thing.

That’s what I would think but I’m sure I’ve read somewhere on the forums to have your base formation set up with 3 different mentality settings for that formation so for example a 4-4-2 with Defence, Standard and Attacking mentalities.

The team will lose familiarity if you switch to an unprepared tactic, but if it's similar to one that you have prepared it's a rather small difference, much smaller than the gains from exploiting specific opposition weaknesses or guarding from their strengths. Keep tweaking in-game based on what you see.

The team will lose familiarity if you switch to an unprepared tactic, but if it's similar to one that you have prepared it's a rather small difference, much smaller than the gains from exploiting specific opposition weaknesses or guarding from their strengths. Keep tweaking in-game based on what you see.

^^ This is how it is.