What are you tactical ideas in your current save?

[crouchaldinho]

I love reading about other people's saves and, inspired by the 'What is your goal in your current save?' thread, I thought I would start something similar here. The twist, however, is that it is about your tactical ideas in your current save!

I've decided to make it into a kind of 'questionnaire' format, so feel free to copy and past the questions below and answer them in this thread.

1. What team are you managing in your current save?

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?

4. What have you achieved using this tactic?

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?



I'm just curious to find out how people approach the tactical part of the game. Do you keep things simple and rely more on players or motivational techniques? Or do you work on complex tactical ideas in order to push your team as far as you can?

Feel free to ignore the questionnaire, if you would rather just share a brief overview of your general response.

I look forward to reading some of your posts.

[crouchaldinho]

1. What team are you managing in your current save?

I'm managing St. Albans City in the Premier League (the year is 2030). This is on FM10.


2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?

I've tried quite a few different tactics over the years but my recent favourite has been a 4-4-2 that I made using the TC.


3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles/team settings do you deploy in your tactic?

It's a 4-4-2.

Back four is mostly default roles, although I like to use one wingback if I have the right kind of player in one of the fullback positions. In midfield, I tend to use two central midfielders and two wingers. Finally, up front, I tend to deploy a poacher alongside a complete forward.

In terms of team settings, I use zonal marking, more free roles and also more creativity, as I have a talented team and I want to get the most out of them. The philosophy is rigid.


4. What have you achieved using this tactic?

Since taking St. Albans City up the leagues, I've pretty much won everything with my 4-4-2. I've also managed an unbeaten season domestically!


5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?

My biggest mistake in the past has really been using a formation that doesn't suit my players. I think that's one of the most important things - picking a system that best suits the players that you have available to you.


6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?

I give my forwards as many routes to goal as possible (e.g. from the flanks, through the middle etc.) and try not to restrict where the chances will be coming from.

My wide players are exceptional and I make full use of them.


7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?

We rely quite heavily on the goalscoring exploits of one particular forward, which I guess is a negative if he is having an off day or is not available.

Sometimes, I sense that I might be able to do better in certain games by flooding the middle (i.e. playing 5 across midfield). But I'm enjoying playing my 4-4-2 for now and I love having two strikers on the pitch together.


8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?

I used to think of myself as a highly tactical manager. Nowadays, for some reason, I almost pride myself on keeping things fairly simple. I tend to stick with one formation and rarely change things, preferring to design my system and then buy or train specialist players to fit into it. I change the strategy depending on 'real life' ideas and what I think my game plan will be for a specific game. Other than that, it's fairly basic stuff and I try not to overcomplicate things.


That's about it for me.

[crouchaldinho]

If a Mod drops by, would they mind editing the title of the thread to correct the mistake (you = your). Thanks.

[BigHairyAndy]

1. What team are you managing in your current save?

AFK Szolnok (fictional Hungarian club, team name I used in FM Live)

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?

A rigid 4-4-2 balanced, no roaming, limited creative freedom, general idea is to keep things solid and rely on set pieces. The few creative players I have get a bit more license, just enough to keep us from being completely lifeless.

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?

4-4-2, standard keeper, defensive fullbacks, regular centre backs, two defensive wingers, two defensively minded central midfielders, a target man and a poacher. Keep it simple!

4. What have you achieved using this tactic?

Season 1: Won Hungarian Third Division (Alfold Group), promotion to Hungarian Second Division. Fifth round cup exit on away goals.
Season 2: 3rd in Hungarian Second Division West, Hungarian Cup Winners (3-1 over arch rivals Szolnoki MÁV FC in the final, delicious!)
Season 3: 2nd in Hungarian Second Division West, Hungarian Cup Winners, Europa League Fourth Qualifying Round (lost 5-3 on aggregate to Genoa)
Season 4: Won Hungarian Second Division East, Hungarian Cup Winners, Hungarian Super Cup Winners, Europa League First Knockout Round (lost 3-2 on aggregate to Bayern Munich)
Season 5: Won Hungarian First Division (unbelievable, best away form I've ever had in the game), Hungarian League Cup Winners, Hungarian Cup Semi-Finalist (yet to play the second leg), Hungarian Super Cup Winners, Europa League First Knockout Round (lost 4-2 on aggregate to Palermo)

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?

Playing 4-4-2 away from home in Europe, particularly against Italian sides. Feyenoord also murdered us in the Europa League group stage.

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?

Defending, far and away. The number of 1-0 wins we gain is George Graham-esque.

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?

Attacking. If we could score goals, we'd be dangerous.

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?

Keep it very, very simple. My players simply aren't good enough to do otherwise.

[Motherlover]

1. What team are you managing in your current save?

Aberystwyth Town FC

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?

/ = most likely alteration in match
() = Slider Estimate

Philosophy: Fluid /Balanced
Strategy: Standard /Counter
Passing Style: Shorter /Mixed
Closing Down: Default /Pressing
Tackling: Default /Hard
Marking: Zonal
Crossing: Mixed /Float
Roaming: More Roaming /Stick to Position

Push Up: Very High (16) /Slightly High (12)
Width: Wide (14) /Very Wide (18)
Tempo: Slow (6) /Medium (9)
Time Wasting: Rarely (5) /Sometimes (10)
Passing Focus: Mixed
Counter Attack: No /Yes

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?

STL, STR (Deep-Lying Forward Att, Complete Forward Att)
AMC (Advanced Playermaker Supp) [Playmaker] Alt. (Attacking Midfielder Att) [Target Man Feet]
MLC, MC, MRC (Central Midfielder Auto, Ball-Winning Midfielder Def, Central Midfielder Att)
DL, DLC, DRC, DR (Wing Back Supp, Central Defender Cover, Central Defender Def, Full Back Auto)
GK (Sweeper Keeper Def)

4. What have you achieved using this tactic?

Started my career with an 18-game unbeaten run and went on to win the League in my first season as well as the League-Cup equivilent. Club's previous best finish was 3rd, expected 5th.

Started my new season with a five-gaming winning streak.

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?

Using this tactic against a much better side with pacy, skillful wingers and a powerful striker. It's simply too wide to play against a side that is more skillful than you, especially if they can consistantly get crosses into the box.

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?

a) It's a superb possession-hogger. It's not unusual to have 65-75% possession even with a very average midfield.

b) You tend to accumulate shots on target. 15-25 per match is about standard. Also lots of variety in goals, offside traps, running down the touchline, long shots, headers, counter attacks, passing into net...

c) Even though you often end up with only two DC's defending, the computer finds it very difficult to counter attack against. Clearences tend to drop into the packed midfield, which are then recycled into attacks. Meanwhile the opposition defenders struggle to cope with both the drifting strikers and midfielders' forward runs.

d) Surpisingly resiliant to attacks down the wings as long as you have defenders who are good in the air.

e) Astonishingly good at scoring early goals, even against stronger opposition.

f) Defensively superb. Requires fast, fit defenders but if you have this it's very hard for the opposition to get more than 7 shots a game. Most of these will be from range.

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?

a) I tend to be most vulernable to sides who posses both wingers with good delivery and strikers who are good in the air, as your fullbacks tend to be fairly commited to attack.

b) Usually I pride myself on being very good at both attacking and defensive set pieces but for some reason with this formation the side seems to struggle. Baffled as to why but something about this particular formation means we leak lots of goals from indirect free kicks. Wierdly with the same set pieces instructions on other tactics this isn't a problem.

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?

Very tactical. Tend to make rapid, early tweaks until the side is playing in the manner I want as well as getting the result. Revise elements of my tactic every couple of months or to accomodate new players.

9. Players Required

2x Fast, Creative Strikers
1x Skillfull, Creative Attacking Midfielder (no pace required)
1x Cultured MC, 1x Hard-Working Defensive MC, 1x Good Passer/Finisher MC
2x Pacy, Fit, Good Crosser Fullbacks
2x Intelligent, Fast, Good Ariel DCs
1x Commanding GK

The players to suit this formation will generally have above average:

Technical: First Touch, Dribbling, Passing, Technique
Mental: Work Rate, Anticipation, Off the Ball
Physical: Pace, Stamina, Strength

[Coentrao]

1. What team are you managing in your current save?

Dynamo Dresden, currently in the Bundesliga on 2015

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?

I've used my 4411 balanced for the entire save, i like sitting at the back just soaking pressure and then hitting on the break with direct football.

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?


Recently i've started using a stopper/cover combo for my centre back pairing, the full backs are on support/defend depending on the match.
A central midfield with a player on defend and the other one on support.
One Winger on Support with good creativity to help on the build-up play, on the other side just a regular pacey winger on Attack.
One Attacking midfielder on Attack playing behind a Poacher on Attack.

4. What have you achieved using this tactic?

3 consecutive promotions from the 3.Liga to the Bundesliga, reached the cup semi-final on my first save, on the other seasons i had horrible draws and was knocked out early.
Finished 10th on the Bundesliga on my first season on the top tier
Finished 4th on the Bundesliga on my second season
Finished 4th again and knocked out on the Europa League on the second knockout round by Aston Villa

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?


Being way too cautious against teams from the same standard or even weaker but recently i've started taking a more aggressive approach against those sort of teams specially at home which have worked.

Signing players for the wrong positions

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?


I like that is a quite balanced formation, normally reliable on defence and quite deadly on the break, due to the 5-man midfield it can also hold possession nicely if needed.

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?

Not yet fully convinced of the stopper/cover pairing, also when playing against teams with 3 at the back the tactic seems less effective, way too reliant on the poacher form to win games but it's intended to work that way.

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?

Really simple, don't go out of my way to great tinkerings, just generally play on the counter away and i'm more aggressive at home, i'll look at particular weaknesses of the AI formation(if they play a narrow formation,i'm more aggressive on the flanks) and sometimes i'll sub the AMC for a DMC to hold a result.

[Lospe]

1. What team are you managing in your current save?

I think I'm the only guy in the world who has fun making sure Barcelona don't win a thing...

Real Madrid.
FM10, season 2026/27 has just started.



2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?


I'd played 4-4-1-1 with AM wingers until Kaka' decided to retire, then went for 4-3-3 with 3 strikers up front (well, kind of, 2 of them were 'winger' strikers).
These (this??) tactics I'm still using but I've been meaning to go 4-2-3-1 and find out if I can create tactics that will make my lone striker a scoring machine.
Haven't yet moved on to 4-2-3-1 though, it's still just a concept :P



3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?

4-3-3 made in TC

Team settings are:
- very fluid philosophy
- zonal marking
- more creative freedom
- more roaming from positions
- cautious tackling
- drill crosses

Standard style of play: control

I love my teams to have the ball and, although in control at R. Madrid, I'm an admirer of RL Barcelona style of play.
The more possession my team have, the better. None of my players are allowed to take long shots, though they still do so sometimes, it's this creative freedom...

As there are no wingers in the team, the defensive line consists of 2 wingbacks, a ball playing defender and a central defender.

Midfield is bossed by 2 Advanced Playmakers and a Ball Winning Midfielder (can't really find the right way to get him make interceptions, usually the playmakers do the job)

Up front, there are 2 Inside Forwards and a Poacher/Advanced Forward/Deep Lying Forward - depends on who's playing and what team we are playing.


4. What have you achieved using this tactic?

Managed to concede only 10 goals in the league competition once + set the record of 10 games without conceding in a row twice.
I'm kind of proud of these because my teams always concede many, many goals

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?


I dont know really, I made a lot of mistakes for sure, pretty silly ones I'm not a tactics guy, I let the players play.


6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?

I love to see my wingbacks provide 10+ assists per season.
Another thing - I'm not dependent on a single player, 3 of my strikers regularly score 20+ goals in a season with one of the usually trying to break some scoring records There's always someone in great shape up front.

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?

Getting the ball back, still trying to find the way to get possession as soon as possible, but I often end up losing lots of goals due to counter-attacks.


8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?

The simpler, the better.

[heathxxx]

1. What team are you managing in your current save?

Granada CF

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?

Anti-Football... (I use various different approaches, depending on opponents though)

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?

4-2-4, 4-2-3-1 (wide) and 4-2-3-1 (narrow). I use all three in roughly equal measure during the season and in matches sometimes.

Back four always features two Full-Backs "automatic", Limited Defender "stopper" and Central Defender "cover".
Always two in central midfield. One Ball Winning Midfielder "defend" and either a Ball Winning Midfielder "support" or Advanced Playmaker "support", depending on opponents and my own squad rotation.
For the single striker options, either Target Man "attack" or Poacher "attack" depending on opponents and form of my strikers. If two man strike-force, then it's a pairing of those two roles.

4. What have you achieved using this tactic?

Winners/Promotion Liga Adelante + Spanish Cup first season. Currently 2nd in Liga BBVA, won Spanish Super Cup vs. Real Madrid, went out of Spanish Cup QF to Real Madrid 1-0 on aggregate, into EURO Cup 2nd Knockout Round, beating Bayern Munich in 1st Knockout Round. In group stage, finished top ahead of Leverkusen, Celtic and Levski Sofia. I play Leverkusen again in the 2nd Knockout Round.

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?

Trying to shoe-horn Steven Defour into roles that clearly didn't get the best from him, or discover actually what was the best role for him. Double my money selling him to Man City after only six months, so he's no longer an issue

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?

As I'm not using a singular or specific tactic, but rather a variety of formations and options, I would say it's tactical flexibility that's the strong point of the overall approach.

All three formations are "fluid" (when checking match prep), plus as I switch between strategies often, I know they will be "fluid" too now. This pretty much allows me to switch between options seamlessly, obviously depending on players I've selected.

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?

The players. Sometimes I may utilise players in positions that aren't their strongest. Obviously they may not then perform to their best.

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?

I do try to keep things simple, but I'm also a bit of a "tinkerer". The core of my overall approach remains the same. It's mainly subtle role changes between the different formations.

Mainly though I'd say I pay great attention to detail and am very observant. I make good use of the media for motivation/de-motivation. I utilise all the information my coaches and assistant provide, use opposition instructions and am not frightened to change my starting setup for something else if I don't think it's working. In a 2-2 draw with Barcelona, featuring five young regens, I even at one point had five at the back, three in the middle and just the wingers ahead, with no striker. I was 2-0 down at the time, getting drubbed and decided to go for something a little "different".

Basically, I make use of all the tools and statistics the game presents me with.

[Flamers]

1. What team are you managing in your current save?

KFK in Iceland

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?

3-5-2 or 3-4-1-2, both are custom though

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?

3-4-1-2 or 3-5-2 play similar but the 3-5-2 has a slightly more defensive outlook.

I play a Poacher/Deep lying Forward combination due to the speed my Poacher has and the fact the DLF is there to pick up any rebound.

I play a very aggressive closing down style of play with Closing Down Often and Control starting strategy no matter who I play.

Wingers having the PPM "Gets forward often" is essential.

4. What have you achieved using this tactic?

EURO Cup Runners Up, and 6 domestic quadruples in a row.

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?

EURO Cup Final, not realising that I was flooding the centre of the pitch too much, cost me the game.

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?

Gaining possession in midfield, I also like the way my wingers can drop deep while defending but push forward with the PPM "Gets forward often"

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?

When teams play wide we are much weaker, especially at the back but I can normally cope.

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?


In game games I am tactical, often changing shouts 10+ times a game, domestic games I keep it simple.

[Chalky1989]

1. What team are you managing in your current save?

- Roma

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?

- 4-4-2 with wingers.

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?

4-4-2 with Wingers
GK - Goalkeeper -Defend
RB - Full Back - Automatic
LB - Full Back - Automatic
LCB - Central Defender - Cover
RCB - Central Defender - Stopper
RCM - Box to Box -Support
LCM - Advanced Playmaker - Support
LW - Inside Forward - Attack
RW - Winger - Support
RST - Poacher - Attack
LST - Deep Lying Forward - Support

4. What have you achieved using this tactic?

In the season and a half since starting to use it, I've been dominant. Unbeaten in 3rd season so far, in Januarary, Boriello scoring a goal a game in the poacher role.

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?

- Not sure.

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?

- The Deep Lying Forward and Poacher link up superly. 50 goals between them by middle of January

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?

- Honestly, nothing. Defence is solid as a rock and I score boat loads

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?

- Keep it simple. Make decisions and formations which make sense in a broad sort of way.

[Ratrug101]

1. What team are you managing in your current save?

Manchester United, Year 2018.

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?

4-5-1, High line, Quick Tempo, Rarely waste time, Wide play. Very Fluid, Control, Man Marking, Counter attack yes, Offside yes. Close down players.

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?

4-5-1 - Attacking, creative centre midfielder, ball winner, anchor man, and DR and DL set to wing back so they push forward more. Fast paced play with quick wingers and strong, powerful defensive midfielders and central defenders. Poacher as striker, Got 40+ last 3 seasons.

4. What have you achieved using this tactic?

6 Premier League Titles, 3 Champions League wins, including 2 back to back, first team to do so, another Champions League Final appearance. 2 FA cups, 2 Euro Super Cups, 2 World Club Championships, 5 League Cups, and 6 Community Shields.

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?

Going for an attacking formation against Madrid in a Champions League Semi-Final, Got hammered 5-2. Changed the Defensive Midfielder for another Attacking Midfielder.

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?

Hold onto possession extremely well, fast pace when needed, play with a fast tempo and high defensive line so quite attacking despite a more defensive style formation.

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?

High line, and if they have pacey strikers against my defence, they could catch me out there.

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?

Keep things similar, but do change throughout the season, and change players often to keep people fresh. And when the game goes through that stage where you cant be 11 sticks stood there, like to change the tactics round completely.

[jasonboyacmilan]

1. What team are you managing in your current save?

I'm currently doing a Journeyman type of save. Managing Villa Mitre in the Argentine Second Division. Season 2011-2012

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?

The formation that suits the players I have at my disposal is a flat 4-4-2, though it is not my favorite, it's just my first season there and have only signed some freebies, so not much to choose in terms of tactics.

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?

A fairly simple flat 4-4-2 with supporting full backs, 2 central defenders, a ball winning midfielder/defend and some sort of playmaker/support in the center of the midfield, 2 wingers on attacking duties and a deep lying forward/advanced forward partnership upfront, both on attacking duties.

4. What have you achieved using this tactic?

Unfortunately nothing yet. The players are terrible, we're last with only 8 points from 17 games.

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?

There are a lot of mistakes I have done(not exactly mistakes when there isn't much to choose from), sometimes going attacking against better teams hoping for at least a draw, and losing badly.

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?

The wingers are doing quite well at the moment, running by the line and putting in some decent crosses.

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?

The strikers aren't scoring enough, and I have tried to tinker with the team and personal instructions, but nothing has worked so far.

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?

I prefer to keep things simple, with only some minor tactical changes.

[Peregrine]

1. What team are you managing in your current save?
I'm currently managing Lokomotiv Moscow in the 2013 Russian Premier Division. I started the save at Norwich City for two seasons, getting them promoted in second in an eerie premonition of the Canaries' success this season and leaving the club immediately after being headhunted.

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?
Being better than most teams in the Russian Prem, I tend to use a Fluid philosophy, a mentality to Control the game, a Short passing Style and more Roaming. I prefer to let my players express themselves whatever the level, although I fully admit to being a tinkerer - I tend to adjust my mentality and formation to counter a specific threat or simply try something new.

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?
Since taking over at Loko, I have never had less than three players in midfield. I most typically start games with what I would describe as a 4-2-3-1 (I hope you don't mind if I list my current preferred XI!):

GK: Andriy Pyatov (Goalkeeper)
RB: Branko Ilic (Wing Back, Defend)
RCB: Malkhaz Asatiani (Ball Playing Defender, Defend - he is also our starting point from goal kicks)
LCB: Rodolfo (Central Defender, Defend)
LB: Gia Grigalava (Wing Back, Defend)
DM: David Mendes de Silva (Defensive Midfielder, Support)
CM: Roman Eremenko (recently, Advanced Playmaker, Support, although I've played him as a Deep Lying Playmaker most of the season)
RW: Dmitry Sychev (Inside Forward/Deep Lying Forward, Support)
AM: Jorge Valdivia (Advanced Playmaker, Support, but Runs with Ball Often)
LW: Dmitry Torbinskiy (Defensive Winger, Support)
ST: Roman Pavlyuchenko (Target Man, Attack)

My general approach to a game is to retain possession as much as possible, taking advantage of the three man centre. Sychev aims to drop in and tracks back on the right hand side without possession, being a hard worker. Eremenko is our main playmaker, controlling play further back, with Valdivia asked to be our main creative outlet, threading balls to our two forwards. Torbinsky provides the majority of the width - we score the majority of our goals from his far post crosses and corners - while Ilic passes back into the middle. I occasionally switch to 4-5-1 by bringing the AM back and moving the DM more centrally, or 3-4-1-2 by tucking Grigalava in (both my wingbacks are tall, physical players) and bringing Torbinsky back.

4. What have you achieved using this tactic?
With my first half-season being a write-off as I adjusted to the players and the country, my second season in charge has been very successful. I have just achieved fifth place in the RPD, the club's best finish in about five seasons - the Big Four in the Division of Zenit, CSKA, Spartak and Rubin are very hard to crack. We also won the Russian Cup 2-2 on penalties over our fierce rivals Spartak and are currently top of a Europa League group featuring Fulham, AC Milan and Bursaspor with two games to play. Last season was my first in Europe on any FM save I've played, and I managed to finish bottom of a group featuring a Championship Nottingham Forest side, so I'd consider this a significant improvement!

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?
I have a tendency to hesitate, leaving it too late to make substitutions or adjust defensively to opposition changes. This puts my team under pressure and we repeatedly lose leads against decent opposition: we nearly lost the cup final despite being two up, and I somehow conspired to blow a 3-0 lead over AC Milan at home in the last twenty minutes. It would have been my proudest ever victory.

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?
This tactic is very good at getting the best of Torbinskiy, who manages to get a lot of balls to Sychev arriving late at the far post in open play (it was two goals like this that won the cup final). Our height also makes us absolutely deadly at corners, and our midfield tends to run games.

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?
Although he's having his most productive season in years, my tactic can leave Sychev ineffective - leaning towards the left means he rarely gets much time on the ball, he doesn't have the left foot to be a true inside forward and, as he is turning 30, I am trying to guide him through an Anelka-like transformation from a poacher to someone deeper. He's consequently lost form badly towards the end of the season. My tendency to play a high line with a CB-physiqued RB who likes getting forward also leaves our right side and our aging captain Asatiani exposed on the counter - my main priority for the transfer window is to find replacements for them both. With more defensive solidity, we might be able to challenge for the CL next season.

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?
Considering how long I've taken to type this, probably the former! I hope it wasn't too soul-destroying to read.

[Nobby_McDonald]

1. What team are you managing in your current save?
Newcastle Town

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?
Give the ball to Brooks and he will score. Until he gets sold and then we're ****ed.

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?
"Four four ****ing two"

4. What have you achieved using this tactic?
Finished 9th in our Conference Premier debut.

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?
Falling asleep during a match and not noticing we had gone two down.

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?
Brooks.

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?
Everybody else.

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?
Hello Kevin Keegan.

[tom_numbers]

Nobby_McDonald has my favourite answes so far Keep it simple.

[heathxxx]

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?
Give the ball to Brooks and he will score. Until he gets sold and then we're ****ed.

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?
"Four four ****ing two"

Ohh... where can I sign this Brooks chap - and have you got a download of this "Diablo" tactic?

[crouchaldinho]

Nobby_McDonald has my favourite answes so far Keep it simple.

Yeah, me too!

Ohh... where can I sign this Brooks chap - and have you got a download of this "Diablo" tactic?

[robertcornell68]

1. What team are you managing in your current save?

Ajax

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?

my 6-4 wide AMC tactic

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?

4-2-3-1; GK, full back (d), cover, stopper (extra aggressive), full back (d), ball winning midfielder (d), central midfielder (d), inside forward (extra attacking), AMC or Trequi, inside forward (extra attacking), pocher (with tweaks)

4. What have you achieved using this tactic?

Dutch League, cup double, QF of Champions cup (first season)

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?

Playing too defensively against Man Utd at Old Trafford

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?

Inside forwards are assist making machines

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?

Trouble breaking down very defensive opponents

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?

The more complicated the better

[Tie Fighter]

I love reading about other people's saves and, inspired by the 'What is your goal in your current save?' thread, I thought I would start something similar here. The twist, however, is that it is about your tactical ideas in your current save!

I've decided to make it into a kind of 'questionnaire' format, so feel free to copy and past the questions below and answer them in this thread.

1. What team are you managing in your current save?

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?

4. What have you achieved using this tactic?

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?



I'm just curious to find out how people approach the tactical part of the game. Do you keep things simple and rely more on players or motivational techniques? Or do you work on complex tactical ideas in order to push your team as far as you can?

Feel free to ignore the questionnaire, if you would rather just share a brief overview of your general response.

I look forward to reading some of your posts.

1.I am managing Ipswich Town;

2.I play a 4-3-3;

3.4-3-3. (Please note 10 Leagues running with large data base). Keepers are normal (Smithies and Steele), Right back and left back support (Clyne and Prib (signed from Furth), Ceentre Halves - Booth RCB and Tommy Smith LCB, Smith playing as a limited defender, both centre halves operating quite defensively; 3 midfielders - RCM is support, centre man is defend and lcm is attack - Knoll (signed from Hertha and labelled the next Michael Ballack), Hyam in the middle, and Jimmy Bullard attacking. Up front - left striker is attacking advanced forward (Ganea or Muller (also signed from Furth)), centre is deep lying with attack duty (not fully settled here yet but Wickham and Rhodes are doing well here) and right striker is deep lying with support (Nehrig (yet another from Furth) and Gaono Lugo (from Boca).


4.20 or so games played in first season. 2 points off top.

5.Playing a confrontational centre halve - Verkhostrev from BATE - he got the hair dryer treatment (we were 4-1 down at half time, replaced him and we ended up losing 4-3), threatened to transfer list him in private chat, he did a flip, team hit a slump for 2-3 games, put him in reserves and listed him and immediately back to winning ways.

6.Booth and Smith at centre half have excelled. Midfield have all excelled. Not quite there yet on strikers.

7.The central striker position. Am now thinking I should have signed Plasmati and used him as a target man. January window beckons.

8.Try and keep it simple - after all with a complete squad overhaul, team needs time to blend.

[tom_numbers]

1. What team are you managing in your current save?
Central Coast Mariners (Australia)

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?
4-2-3-1. It's more or less the only formation they could fit into when I took over.

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?
4-2-3-1. It's still the only formation they fit into. It's all fairly standard apart from the attacking midfielder who is allowed to do whatever the hell he wants.

4. What have you achieved using this tactic?
A second placed finish in the A-League, and one finals win in two seasons.

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?
Getting over-excited before the Finals series and not giving a teamtalk. That, or signing a 37 year old Kevin Phillips.

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?
The one where Vyacheslav Hleb is allowed to take free kicks and shoot from distance all the time. Also, corners. I have two monstrous centre backs who can score lots of goals as long as Hleb is taking corners.

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?
Defending. My centre back is 37. My goalkeeper is rubbish.

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?
Keep it simple. To be honest, I don't have much I could tinker with anyway.

[mackemforever]

1. What team are you managing in your current save?
Lancaster City

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?
My 4-1-2-2-1, the 2-2-1 bit is 2 central midfielders, 2 advanced wingers and 1 striker.

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?
The 4-1-2-2-1 from above.
GK - Goalkeeper - defend
DL - Full Back - support
DC - Central Defender - defend
DC - Central Defender - defend
DR - Full Back - support
DM - Anchor Man - defend
MCL - Central Midfielder - support
MCR - Central Midfielder - attack
AML - winger - attack
AMR - winger - attack
ST - poacher - attack

4. What have you achieved using this tactic?
I've been developing this tactic since my first match in this save and it has led me to promotion every season so far and am currently in League 2, somehow managed to get myself pushing for promotion again too.

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?
When I got promoted to the BSP I didn't adapt my tactic to the higher standard of football and I was trying to play too much football, so I was trying to get my team to play passing, posession football, when we didn't have the talent to do so. Took me about 1/3rd of the season to get my tactic working properly again.

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?
The defence is very solid, with the full backs staying far enough back to be useful but able to push up easily to help out attacks, and the core of the 2 DCs and DM working well together. In attack the central midfield pairing is a solid foundation, with the left central midfielder staying roughly in the center and being able to spray the ball out to the wingers or to the more attacking central midfielders.
The wingers I'm very proud of, it took me a long time to get them working right but they are perfect now. They stay out wide to receive the ball but as soon as one winger gets the ball the other one cuts inside to give his opposite an extra target in the box. This usually results in both wingers getting at least a dozen goals per season.
The striker is simply a quick poacher. Sits on the shoulder of the last man and if given through balls by both wingers and central midfielders, nothing big, nothing clever, but it works.

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?
The full backs do have a habit of pushing too far forwards and so we do sometimes get caught out down the wings, but other than that I don't think there are any real weaknesses.

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?
I don't know how to answer this, I try and come up with some very good, detailed, usually slightly complicated, tactics but once I've got it working I only use 2 versions, 1 for easy and 1 for hard matches and don't do more than tweak. I also design my tactics so I never have to use OI or shouts.

[Deisler26]

1. What team are you managing in your current save? U.D Leiria

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save? A 4-4-1-1 with a high/deep line, short passing, narrow width, Control, Play To Feet and Work Into Box

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic? See above. The defence is normal, however I have my full backs on Support. Midfield, I have both my wide players on Wide Midfielder (Attack), the MCR as a Ball-Winning Midfielder (Defend) and MCL as a Central Midfielder (Defend). The AMC is a Advanced Playmaker (Support) / Trequarista, depending on what player I have in that position and the ST as an Advanced Forward

4. What have you achieved using this tactic? We finished 14th two seasons in a row, simply as it was the fruits of my complete reshaping of the squad and changing tactics. In the last two seasons however, we have finished 4th and 5th (not bad considering the Big 3 are well out of sight) and made it to the Euorpa League Group Stages and the Taca de Portugual final

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game? Persevering with a flat 5-3-2 for the first season. We never really got to grips with it and our results suffered.

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best? The combination of the passing play and the lethalness of my two main strikers, as their off the ball is high and my AMC is excellent in passing.

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well? There really isn't a plan B. If we are playing badly / the opposition defence is massed, then we struggle massively

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple? I like to keep things simple to be honest, as the only time I've tried to be intricate was the 5-3-2, which didn't work.

[Robert the Spud]

1. What team are you managing in your current save? Napoli, season 1. No signings.

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic? I'm using either 4-3-2-1 narrow cm's, 4-3-1-2 trequarista or 4-3-2-1 with a wide midfield 3. The first two tactics ride on the TWO triumvirates in midfield and attack. I use a defensive 3 man midfield of Pazienza, Gargano and Blasi. They are excellent at breaking up attacks, winning the ball and proficient at passing. They are usually deployed as CM/support or Defend, on defensive mentality. Due to their defensive natures, attacking WB's are useful but not vital to success unless i need more width. The attacking triumvirate consists of Hamsik as the Treq., Lavezzi as a DLF/Support, or sometimes inside for/att, and Cavani as a complete forward, or a poacher if i just want him to get on the end of things. Away from home i will use Lavezzi and Hamsik just behind Cavani.


4. What have you achieved using this tactic? Well, i went unbeaten in the league and Europe for something like 18 games. Lost 2 of my last 5 but i'm doing really well, the tightest defence is Serie A and goals are coming too. They weren't at the start of season and we were drawing too much, but Cavani has settled down and has 14 in 17 appearances or so.

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game? Set pieces. My defence are seemingly unable to cope with corners or even high balls into the box, and my keeper has suspect handling.They get out-jumped/out-fought. There is not much height in my team, and although Ruiz and Canavarro are doing well, this is something i need to address. Also my FB's are prone to being caught out in position due to me wanting them to add attacking width.


6. What features of your tactic do you think work best? In no particular order, breaking down opposition attacks, our build up play is excellent and also we are lethal on the counter due to extreme pace of our forwards.

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well? As above, we are weak at set pieces/crosses. Also a lack of width is evident at times and we get congested in the middle, which can be a strength and weakness. I am looking to utilise a wide tactic in the near future, although i don't particularly trust my wide players as such.

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple? Both. Some of my best results have been when i have done the minimum in set up, and let the players play their natural game, with only a hint of instruction. I will say, however, that i am much more tactically astute managing in Serie A than i have ever been in the EPL, and see my decisions working. i'm a bit more cautious in Italy, because i like to play how to the league's image, if you know what i mean.

[Robert the Spud]

Wow, i really went to town on my answers. Try not to fall asleep while rea...zzzzzz

[BiggusD]

1. What team are you managing in your current save?

Las Palmas


2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?

I use my own 4-2-4 tactic, supported by a 4-4-2 Counter-attack and a 5-4-1 ultradefensive tactic

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?

4-2-4, more precisely Straight four defense, two anchormen, two advanced wingers, two deep-lying forwards. Neither TC nor Classic, really - I just ticked off everything and fixed the settings to my idea of football without bothering to convert to Classic.

4. What have you achieved using this tactic?

Season 1: won Adelante. Season 2: 3rd in BBVA. Season 3: 2nd in BBVA, Spanish Cup winners. Season 4: Spanish Super Cup winners, BBVA winners, Champions League winners. Season 5: Spanish Super Cup Winners, European Super Cup winners, World Club Championship winners, BBVA winners, Spanish Cup winners... currently October Season 6.

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?

I started a game with a striker I knew was struggling with morale and a goal drought because I wanted to tell him "no pressure" and let him score and get out of it... then I forgot to change the assistant's "For the fans" and the consequence was that his morale dropped even lower and it took 2-3 new matches before he finally scored, and even after that five new games before he started to perform normally. That is the newest one and the only one I remember, but there are of course many others.

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?

The defensive midfielders breaking the game of the opposition and feeding my four forwards with passes. I like how they slide in, dispossess the struck-by-lightning midfielders and create counter-attack upon counter-attack.

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?

The right and left backs. They dawdle with the ball too often (even though I have managed to reduce these instances), and make poor choices overall.

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?

The tactic is very simple and straightforward. A completely symmetrical tactic which I think is based on logical principles at the same time as it lets different player types make a difference to how the team plays on the pitch.

[Dob1]

1. What team are you managing in your current save?

FC Vaduz in Switzerland, Year is 2013 and we're 3rd in the top division with just 5 games left of the season, very tight league though.

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?

A simple, narrow 4-1-2-1-2 with 4 at the back, DM, 2 centre mids, an AMC and 2 strikers. We have very technically good players in the centre, even our defenders have 12+ for tackling (Very good in this league). I also have some very pacy strikers upfront to capitalise on any through balls.

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?

As before, a fluid, expressive 4-1-2-1-2. My two full backs are defensive but will shift the ball on to my midfield and continue their runs upfield. My DM is an anchorman to break play up and quickly move the ball on while my midfield pairing are every expressive. The whole team plays short passes and it's not uncommon for us to hit 600 passes in games often.

4. What have you achieved using this tactic?

Promotion first season from the Challenge League when predicted 5th (Out of 16) and then finished 9th out of 10 next season but still staying up after winning the play-off. This season I'm 3rd with just 6 games to go. Hopeful of Europe!

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?

Being as fluid and expressive in my first season of the top division, perhaps a more cautious approach would have worked better and kept me up by a better margin. However, this season I'm still playing my way, and after re-enforcing it's working well.

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?

The short, passing style that lets me control games and create lots of opportunities.

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?

The narrow formation does leave us a little open to wide teams, however luckily many of the teams in the league play narrow, direct formations.

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?

I tend to spend a long time setting stuff up at the start of the season, then only make little tinkers throughout the season

[Dokko81]

1. What team are you managing in your current save? Braunschweig in Germany. When i became manager they were fighting to avoid relegation from the third division. I succed to keep them in the third divison and the year after we were promoted to the Second Division! 2 years after promotion we are still in the second division

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save? After a looooooooooot of trying I'm proud of the tactic i've invented. It's a 3-3-3-1 very fluid attacking formation. The original idea was to implement a 3 man defence that could work in FM.

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?
Like everybody know...if you play in Fm with 3 at the back they tend to play very narrow and the winger tend to came back and defend like full backs. So I had the idea of trying to use only 1 Central defender (a sweeper) and two full back with defensive duties. 1 DMC set as deep lying playmaker , 2 box to box midfielder , 1 AMC , 2 inside forward (1 on the left and 1 on the right that cuts inside) and 1 striker.

4. What have you achieved using this tactic? As i tought...the defence is easy to beat but when we have the ball it's a plesure! I set the team to play with short pass ...all attacking player has "rooming" set to yes and "try trought ball" often.
The tipical scores of a match that my team play are: 6-3 5-2 4-2 ecc.... Lot of goals scored and lot conceded! When we got the promotion we play 38 matches in the league and we score 101 Goals...conceded 65 23 wins...7 draws...8 loss

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game? Using too much closing down! playing with only 1 CB and two FB is very difficoult and if they press to much they tend to leave giant Holes!

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best? The attacking Phase! Short pass (set to pass to the middle) with Quick tempo...and when there's an opportunity through ball to 1 of the attacking players. No cross...no shot from distance.

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well? The defence...expecially when against a team that use 2 striker...that leave my sweeper 2 vs 1.

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple? Tactical manager...i can use a 4 man defence...but i preferred to invent something on my own
[/B]

[xinsomniacboix]

1. What team are you managing in your current save?

Droylsden, from Blue Square

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?

I play a narrow diamond with midfield roles: Defensive deep lying playmaker, Support Deep Lying Playmaker, Box to Box Midfielder, and Attack Attacking Midfielder

For everyone I have longshots low, marking set to zonal, and tackling set to cautious. I play attacking and sometimes counterattacking if I want to preserve a lead. I keep a deep line so that my midfielders have room to dribble and play.
For my strikers, I have two poachers with longshots low but through balls sometimes, and swapping positions with each other.

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?

See above

4. What have you achieved using this tactic?

I survived in the premier league in my first season after being promoted rapidly through the ranks and having a wage bill that was way too low. With some luck, I got into the europa league and did well. After a few seasons, I won the premier league and then won it again 8 seasons in a row, winning 3 champions league titles along the way, 1 in my first season in the CL. I concede fewer than 10 goals in the league every season now and tend to win the league easily.

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?

Not subbing off my star players who are exhausted in favor of more defensive squad players has cost me leads in big matches.

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?

The midfielders constrict space for the opponent and make passing really easy, so my defensive record is great.

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?

The tactic only really works with fast strikers with good movement. I haven't been able to fit a target man into narrow diamond with much success even though one of my best prospects fits that role.

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?

In terms of setting up my team, I'm pretty tactical, but I'm not very reactionary as I don't make changes simply based on the opponent. It's mainly play your own game and play it well.

[Fatt]

1. What team are you managing in your current save?
Reading - 11th Season.

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?
I used to use 4-4-2, recently changed to 4-4-1-1, much better.
I use my striker as a poacher, my widemen as wingers in the attacking midfield positions, my AMC as an attacking midfielder, my MCs as a ball winner/advanced playmaker.
my defence/gk is just the standard, except my wingbacks are on support, not automatic.

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?

4. What have you achieved using this tactic?
Everything, promotion (playoffs) first season, prem in around my 7th, (6-6-2 finish before), CL on my 7th, won both prem/cl for the last 4 seasons, only won the FA cup once though .

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?
Subbing all 3 players at 60 minutes and usually having a player injured after that so i have to play 10 men, doesn't usually effect me but it happens quite alot and i never learn

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?
My striker being set as poacher, he gets tons of goals.

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?
My wingers don't get the ball in the box much and usually cut in, seems to be a waste of possession and usually potential goals.

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?
Keep things simple

[Lambo95]

1. What team are you managing in your current save? Gateshead

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save? 4-4-2

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic? 4-4-2 with two goalscring big men

4. What have you achieved using this tactic? Won everything but league cup last season, but I look good for a sextuple this year

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game? Letting one of my players go to Chelsea because I didn't think he would become a good player. How wrong I was.

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best? Strikers.

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well? None really

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple? Simple=Win

[milnerpoint]

1. What team are you managing in your current save?

Aberdeen, now 15 seasons in i think

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?

usually something i know will be solid, a 4-4-2 is usually my fav, i want to get a good tactic with one up front but i can never get something just right for some reason and i dont seem to score enough

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?

i usually stick with a 4-4-2, sometimes change it to be a 4-3-1-2 if my wingers are injured or unfit. I use two full backs, not wing backs, a stopper and covering defender in the centre, a defensive minded mid and an advanced play maker through the middle, two very attacking wingers, up front it varies a bit, right now i am playing a poacher along side a supporting complete striker, but that changes to an attacking advanced striker depending on who is fit. I use man marking, short quick with a high tempo and pressing. It has evolved from when i took over the club, the players were not half as good so i used a more direct, rigid system, now i let the team off the leash a bit and set it to fluid. i have creative freedom quite low except on a few players, and i have them sticking to position rather than roaming about. I keep the focus passing to mixed because i feel chosing eiher wide or through the middle limits the team a bit and i have the advanced playmaker set as the playmaker, he is given high creative freedom and roaming instrucions and my poacher is the target man with through balls as the supply instructions.


4. What have you achieved using this tactic?

in this save i have won the SPL 7 times now, the cups quite a few times and 1 euro cup, im pushing hard for the champs league now and usually get at least the quarters, semi finals a few times, but no finals yet


5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?

having my defensive line pushed too far up in Europe, my old centre back Diamond by the end was quite slow, and a few games i was caught out against very fast strikers when pushed to far up the pitch, to the point i lost one semi final leg 6-1, with 4 goals coming from balls over the top, from then on i sat my defense back a bit for European games and it has worked a treat, plus it helps with my team keep the ball a bit better.


6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?

my team is very solid through the middle, from the strikers to the centre backs, i tend to have very experienced players in these positions, with younger guys on the wings, i think it helps make the team more solid, and the young guys help keep it dynamic. I lke the high tempo because i like getting the ball up the park quickly usually out wide where i have devestating pace.


7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?

right now its lack of experience thats holding me back, two seasons back my captain and lead defender, goal keep and rooney retired, their replacements, although very good, are still under 24, my defense just has not been near as solid, and my young keeper is rash at times and i have noticed a huge difference, to the point i lost the league in the final 6 games last season, when the pressure came on i was lacking a real leader on the pitch and it really showed, lost 4 out of the last 6 league games and missed out on 7 in a row. Again this season although all a bit older im still lacking someone to pull the team through, my main striker is my oldest at 27.


8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?

simple tactics with the right players, once i find a good tactic i buy around that and make minor adjustments as needed, but i dont spend hours mulling over tactics and experimenting, its always between 4-4-2, 4-3-1-2 and i used to try a 4-3-2-1 but i gave up. I like to think i am very good with the motivational side of things and i tend to focus on that area, praising good performances, criticising bad ones, good media handling, and now using the match pre to good use, i ignored that for the first 8 or 9 seasons until i got frustrated at getting humped after the champs league group stages, now i use it more often and i think it helps.
For me picking a solid tactic, with the right players and making sure you handle them properly is more important that tactially countering your opposition, i like to think along the lines that i set my team out so you have to beat me, not the other way around, let them worry about how we play, and play our game no matter what, i often go to away games with attacking mentality, because i use it in the league all the time, even to the big teams, and sometimes it pays off, others it doesnt, but its better to think you were beat because you were outplayed, rather than you failed to tactially out think the opposition.



sorry i warbled on a bit!!

[crouchaldinho]

4-3-1-1 milnerpoint? Aren't you missing a player there?

[milnerpoint]

hahaha duly edited

[Motherlover]

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?
Getting over-excited before the Finals series and not giving a teamtalk.

Oo boy, done that one before

[jojomarch]

1. What team are you managing in your current save?
Shrewsbury town

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?
very attacking tactics but with a DM and mentality on counter

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?
4-1-3(AM and wingers not just RM and LM)-2

4. What have you achieved using this tactic?
top of the league after 11 games knoked out of league cup, round 3 jp trophy

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?
some of my signings were too old and a bit rubbish

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?
the attacking- ness

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?
i dont change tactics unless against a big team

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?
bit of both tactivcal but i then stick to them

[DiamondFlair]

1. What team are you managing in your current save?

Two current games. Arsenal circa 2010, and a game started in 2038 with Chelsea whom are mid table for the past 5 years.

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?

Game one: 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 whatever you choose to call it. Short passing, slowish tempo (because no matter how good you are, its impossible to pass the ball quickly and often without getting it wrong. Even if your Barca. In FM at least.). High Roaming, often High creativity. High pressing.
Chelsea game: a 4-3-1-2, but mainly due to having no wingers at all, something I am trying to change. I mainly always play the same way unless I have to change like in this save. Direct Passing, slightly deepish line and looking to hit on the break. Would press high but for the total lack of fitness in my current squad. I dont think they could manage it.

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?

I'll stick with the Arsenal save here on cos the other is early days. I play Sweeper Keeper with a Flat back four, the CBs on Cover/Stop. I have two CBs, one as a Ball Winner and the other Advanced Play. Sometimes I drop the BW back to be an Anchorman at DMC. And even less occasionally make the CM a ballwinner too at the end of games. If I feel its needed. Which is rare. The Def mid is on Defence, the CM normally on Support (Occasionally kicked up to Attack). I have an Attacking Midfielder on Attack, two Inside forwards on the wings (leftie usually on support) and then a complete striker upfront. Obviously, I am blessed with awesome players and so can take the michael with special roles, but they are pretty interchangable to a degree.

You can easily make one of the IF's a winger, tweak the attacking/support roles.

4. What have you achieved using this tactic?

Season one: League Cup Final (lost on Pens ) and the League title. Champions League semi with 7-0 and 8-2 Agg wins over Valencia and AC Milan on the way. Not to mention a 6-0 demolish of Manchester United in the League .

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?

1-0 in the first leg and dominating against against Madrid in the Semi, Clichy get sent off thanks to Ronaldo's diving. I decide to do what I always do. Be ballsy. I continue the onslaught, lose 3-1 and the rest is history.

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?

Pretty much dominates most the time. If you get control at the start, you very very rarely lose it. I find it needs little tweaking bar player roles for individual players. It seems to work as well under attack/control as it does under counter, which can be great for tricky ties (and very good if your not a top team in the world.)

Also, if you playmaker gets shut down its very easy to switch it between the CM and AMC which often stops a teams attempt to shut you down in its tracks.

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?

Its probably not so great with bad players. Although thats true with any tactic to a certain degree.

Your matches will take forever. My team managed to make 30mins of a half visable.. and it was only on Key. Alot of the time you'll pull you hair out at the misses. You still score alot, but you seem to miss even more. I probably average about 25 shots a match, which is both a plus and a minus, as i dont score half the many Of course, sometimes you score half and it is really fun

I think its probably most prone in the center though. If someone can get on top of those three players, its generally means serious trouble because you just can play. They need to be very consistant, if they play badly its seriously hurts the team more then other players.

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?

I keep its generally simple. I like to play my own game so I dont need to be totally on top of tactics because I generally dont care what the opposition is going to do. If i got too into it, I'd never stop and never finish a game

[Nobby_McDonald]

Yeah, me too!

Too many people are taking this thread too seriously.

Brooks is a regen by the way. My scout found him unattached. He broke club goalscoring and average rating records in his first season aged just 16. Big clubs are sniffing after him.

[Nobby_McDonald]

Nobby_McDonald has my favourite answes so far Keep it simple.

You'd be surprised at how close to how I play they actually are.

[Avelives]

1. What team are you managing in your current save?

Ajax

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?

After a season of fiddling, Ive settled on... 4-1-2-2-1 for most games, but Im a bit of a tinkerman and am always tweaking based on the opposition.

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?

4 Defenders (with either fullbacks or wingbacks typically set to defensive)
1 DMC (anchorman or standard DM)
2 MC (Support CM, and Attacking Playmaker)
2 Wingers (set to either support or Attack, with move into channels selected they more or less act as extra forwards)
1 Poacher or Deep lying forward dependant on opposition

Thats my goto tactic, but I also sometimes push the DM forward to form 3 CMs mostly at home. Against bad teams who park the bus I set my wingbacks to support and and stick the 2 wingers in the box to form 3 forwards and overload their defence.

In terms of sliders I usually play with a standard or slightly deep def line, and width and tempo slightly below average. Zonal marking (cant start man marking in FM) and fluid formation.

4. What have you achieved using this tactic?

Won Dutch league by 20 points, won Dutch cup, narrowly knocked out of CL group stage (tough group of Chelsea, OM and Rubin) but qualified for Europa league. Made it to EL final beating Man City 4-1 on aggregate in the semi finals. Beaten in the final by Juventus whos forward decided to go crazy and score a hatrick in 30 minutes with their first 3 shots of the game. Came back in the second half and got it back to 3-1, spent the last 25 minutes hammering them to no avail sadly, in the end was unlucky to lose, especially by that margin.

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?

Tryng to contain Juventus in the first half (see above) it left us flat when their forward ripped us to shreds and I had to do a total rethink at half time. Id got to the final being bolder and basically bottled it at the final hurdle.

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?

Very solid give away very few goals generally, and those we do tend to be from set plays or wonder goals.

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?

Sometimes struggle to break stubborn teams down and lone forward can be easily swamped if he has a bad game.

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?

Im a tinkerer so definately tactical, to my own detrimant sometimes.

[tom_numbers]

~Not giving a teamtalk
Oo boy, done that one before

I felt so stupid. You just know when you've hit space bar too many times.

[mrdorf]

1. What team are you managing in your current save?

Everton. Currently in 2011/12 season

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?

I play 4-4-2 with Sweeper GK. Two full-backs on defend, two Centre backs on Defend, two defensive wingers on support, a ball-winning defensive midfielder set on support and a deep-laying Playermake on support and a poacher alongside a deep-lying forward (although at times I played with two poachers.

I play with a rigid philosophy as I want my team to mainly stick to my instructions in terms of pressing the opposition in their half. I leave the passing as default but usually change to pass to feet on touchline instructions. I'm trying to harrass the oppo's full backs and midfield, win the ball back and play through balls quickly up to my strikers.

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?

4. What have you achieved using this tactic?

Nothing major, just won the league cup and looking for a champions league place


5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?

3-0 up at half time against Heereven(?) and my hal time talk was that I was pleased. We ended up losing 4-3. Don't know why telling your players that you're pleased at being 3-0 up would have such a negative affect. I know tell them not to be complacent.

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?

Probably the defenders and midfielders tackling hard.

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so well?

Not so much my tactics but still learning what to say to my players to get them motivated and which player responds well to certain team talks. Also, struggling against teams that play 451 when I'm away from home as their extra mid causes us trouble.


8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?

No. I don't change tactics to suit different teams, formations, or weather conditions. I know how I want my team to play (within the FM world) so I just try and get players that fit the role. I never buy a flood of players just two to four a season and only if I feel we need strenghting in a certain area. I used to just buy players because they were good and then think about how to use them but I don't see this as productive.

[bluesjunior]

1. What team are you managing in your current save?
Liverpool

2. What is your favourite tactic, of your own making, to use in your current save?

Philosophy: Fluid
Start Strategy: Control, but changes depending on Oppo or Match
Passing Style: Shorter but changes depending on pitch size or weather
Closing Down: Pressing
Tackling: Default
Marking: Zonal
Crossing: Float/Drill
Roaming: More Roaming

Push Up: Default for Strategy
Width: 10 normally but also change to 14 & 6 depending on pitch.
Tempo: 10 normally but also change to 14 & 6 depending on pitch.
Time Wasting: Default for Strategy
Passing Focus: Mixed
Counter Attack: Default for Strategy.

3. What formation do you use and what kind of roles do you deploy in your tactic?
4-3-2W-1, 4-3-1-2, 4-3-2IF-1

GK = Defend
FBx2 = Auto but change to Defend in last 15-20mins to protect lead if needed.
CBx2 = Limited Defender / Defend
MCR = Box to Box Mid / Support
MC = Advanced or Deep Lying PM / Support (depending on match play)
MCL = Ball Winning Mid / Support
Winger /Attack x2, Tac 2= 1 x AMC, Tac 3 = 2 x Inside Forwards.
Complete Forward / Attack. Tac 2 = 1 x CF and 1 x Poacher


4. What have you achieved using this tactic?
3 times EPL champ and currently leading by 9pts after 22 matches in 4th season 2013/14
2 x FA Cup Winners, 1 x League Cup Winner, 3 x Charities Shields (can't remember new name at the mo), 1 x EURO Cup, 1 x CL + 1 x CL Runner Up.

5. What has been your biggest tactical mistake in-game?
Picking wrong tactic 4-3-1-2 instead of 4-3-2W-1 against Barcelona in CL Final in second season and got beat on penalties.

6. What features of your tactic do you think work best?
Best total football tactic I have ever conceived. Very strong in Defence, Dominates Midfield in most games and the two wingers and CF works well. First time I have ever had a CF who broke 50+ (56) league goals in a season.

7. What features of your tactic do you think might be weaknesses or don't work so
well?
Had a problem with teams parking the bus but overcame it by changing to default passing and the “Pump Ball into Box” shout.

8. Do you think of yourself as a tactical manager or do you tend to keep things simple?
I like to keep things simple but would like to state that unless you have the players to make your tactic work, use the Team Talks and personal chats to develop a relationship with your players as well as getting your press talks correct and all the other things that a manager needs even the best tactics will fail. I must be doing something right as I am regularly getting the AssMan feedback that “Our current set of players would die for each other”. Have played since CM01/02 only missing the FM2009 and FM2010 editions due to old PC's graphic card being too weak for 3D match play and have never seen above message before.