AI Cracking Tactics?

I have a stupid question - ive been using a 4-1-3-2 tactic with great success right up to mid November in FM 09. All of a sudden, my play has turned to crap and i have no real idea why. Can't keep the ball or create anything anymore, run of 6 games with only one win now. I am used to the AI 'cracking tactics' about halfway through the season in other FM versions, does anyone think it is likely this happens a lot quicker/more often in this version?? Or i am perhaps overlooking other things, ie training/media etc. Or a combination of everything.

To be honest i quite like the fact that i am getting challenged, it should make the game that much more difficult as whilst formations IRL dont change that often, tactics from game to game certainly do - adds to the realism i feel.

Just a little frustrating figuring out what exactly to change to get back on a winning streak - a little of everything or a lot of one thing??

Maybe create a couple of friendlies with your reserve team and change a few things.

Mentality (Are you creating enough chances)

Tempo - maybe your players are tiring and need a slower tempo?

Play through the middle

Relay pitch

Try many different things and maybe you will find what is wrong.

Maybe you just need to freshness up your team or reduce workload in training schedules - give players rests etc..

Think on your feet :-P

One thing I did after loosing two home games on the trot, I told every single player what I thought of him based on his last five games.

Then I started the next home game and I said 'no pressure'

I won 5-0!

Thanks for the replies guys. Its not really a problem, i enjoy a challenge, just wondering what others were experiencing. Hopefully that days of pick a tactic, pick a team and go are behind us and theres a bit more to it this time. Looks promising.

I wouldn't describe it as the AI cracking our tactics as that implis that the AI cheats , but its more a case of AI managers being MUCH more tactically aware, for instance if you play a high line but dont close them down aggressively (ie put thier midfield under pressure) its very likely that even a poor team with slow strikers will eventually pick out a nice through ball and pick you off. The opposite is also true where if you sit back and spread out wide and still attempt to close them down all over good sides will just pass around you.

Getting tactics just right is much more fulfilling now as you can actually see the cause and effect to a much greater degree compared to earlier FMs, there's still alot of ambiguity though