Southampton F.C Help needed.

Right I'm going to try to explain this as visually and professionally as possible but just know that my insides are boiling right now. So I shall try to write this with a cool head. This is potentially my 200th attempted save game (and no I promise you that is not an overexaggeration I have ALOT of free time!)

Tactics - Home

Failing these links working here's the steam screen shots...

Tactics Overview

Team Instructions

This will be played during Home games, and selected teams from the bottom half of the league away from home. Reasoning for this style of play:

I would like to recreate a counter style of attacking football that began with pressurizing to win the ball back followed by moving it quickly into the attacking phase.. Defensively I want my team to be solid and not give up possession too easily.

Boruc GK (D) distribute to defenders - Reasoning: I find that long kicks from keepers on FM14 result in loss of possession too frequently so he is free to choose any defender he wishes to begin building from the back.

Shaw LWB (att) run wide with ball, cross more often - Reasoning: I want Shaw to join in frequently with attacks as able, he is a fit individual who can get up and down and not too shabby at crossing, I want him overlapping naturally occupying the vacant space left by the cutting inside Rodriguez.

Lovren and Balanta CD (d) No player instructions Nothing spectacular from these guys, Play out of defence should hopefully prevent them booting the ball away too often.

Clyne RFB (sup) Run wide with ball Reasoning: According to these forums - natural balance of the team and playing behind a player occupying a wide berth within the team. One attacking player two defensive and a support - this is natural balance right?

Wanyama Anchor (d) shorter passing Nothing spectacular about this player, he can provide cover, retrieve possession and lay off to a more creative team mate.

Romero B2B (sup) No player instructions Romero is one for the future who has the ability to play at this level now, although a master of no particular style of play he is solid enough in defence and supporting attacks.

Ward-prowse CM (att) get further forward I would of had him as an attacking midfielder but I'm OCD on the tactics screen. So getting further forward so have a similar effect, I want him buzzing around Lambert (and occasionally past him) assisting Lallana and Rodriguez as often as possible, whilst chipping in with the odd goal.

Rodriguez IF (att) Dribble more, cross less often I want him to be the through ball that the AI seems so perfect at playing, when we're in deeper positions I want him running across the RB/RCB terrorising them with his dribbling ability. His crossing attribute is 8 so hence the choice of cross less often.

Lallana AP (a) Roam from position, Close down more Again, the main attacking outlet on the opposite flank, a free reign to drift due to the covering Clyne down the wing. Fashioning chances for the other three attack minded players as well as having a dig himself.

Lambert CF (s) dribble less The final piece to the jigsaw, linking midfield to my attacking outlet and getting on the end of a few himself, his lack of mobility means he is probably a potential weak link to my tactic but He does not seem to be holding up the ball long enough (this could be as a result of higher tempo, but I can't lower just his tempo individually)

Pieced together...

Boruc to distribute to my back four who will look to play the ball into the transition phase, Shaw will supplement this phase by pushing on advancing into the opposition half. Wanyama will provide a shield to the back 3 in the absence of shaw and look to play the ball to his nearest team mate. Romero will get up and down the field complementing both the defending and attacking phases of the game.I want both Rodriguez and Lallana to run at the defence and Ward-Prowse to supply the through balls whilst getting on the end of a few himself, These three I would like to be the main attacking threat and source of assists and goals. I want Lambert to hold the ball up with his back to goal and look for simple lay offs before making his way to the area to pick up any pull backs/crosses, I would buy someone more mobile but I don't have the funds currently.

Without the ball, I want my front three to press the ball and try and win it back in high places, if that is by passed we still have potentially 6/7 players behind them to provide defensive cover and not be too stretched.

As I've tried to be as constructive as possible and tried to back up every idea with a reasoning behind it - I would really appreciate a good debate and pointers as to where this tactic is falling down. My first two results were a 3-0 loss away at Liverpool and a 2-1 loss at home to 10 man (for 40minutes) Arsenal (who had 4 shots, 2 on target and both were goals including a 25yard GIROUD free kick winner ffs!) It's not that I seem to be failing to create any chances, but I just do not take my CCCs ever in comparison with the AI. also my pass completion rate is consistantly lower than theirs. Once i get some feedback on the home tactic I will post my counter attacking tactic and another tactic that was designed for teams who don't play with a defensive midfielder.

PLEASE HELP ME!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME>?!?!?!

next game 2-0 up after 80minutes against Sunderland, playing some great football and absolutely hammering them...sunderland score a corner then an O.G in the last minute draw 2-2...this is the single most frustrating, downright cheating game I have ever played!!! It is impossible!

EDIT: Oh there we go again...1-0 up against West Brom at home 10 minutes to go... changed to control to be wary of counter attacks and removed high tempo to slow the game down... 5 minutes to go boom 1-1. At a complete loss.

TBH I am save/loading a lot this year .. call me a cheater.. whatever.. i had these kind of ****. and i refuse to take them.. So yes I am save / loading these games.

As help to your tatics... I think you can try direct passing. (my team was lossing posession battle all season, until i start using direct passing with lower tempo and magically my team becomes much better)

I do play different tatics to you though..

Play out of defence is very dangerous aginst good teams, as they play 4-2-3-1 (Denmark) a lot. .and will put huge pressure on your back 4.. Often get the ball from you and score very easy goal (or at least make your team locked down and can't get ball forward.. ).. I would seriouslly consider dropping this.

Get stuck in is another extremly risky TI.. as you are prone to comitt a lot more foul (giving AI a lot of set-pieces which are so overpowered by them,, like you said yourself.. they scored).. and also more importantly it cause your defender/midfield to loss position.. (bec they slide tackle and miss)... hence create opening in your defence.

I generally play with stay on feet against top teams.. nothing against normal team... only when im desperate for a winner i go for hassle/stuck in...

Only problem i can see is lack of width .. Since both IF/AP will cut in.. WB(A) can do alright on one side.. but FB(S) will not provide width on the opposite side..

I do think FM14 is way more werid .. has a much more dramtic ME than FM13..

TBH I am save/loading a lot this year .. call me a cheater.. whatever.. i had these kind of ****. and i refuse to take them.. So yes I am save / loading these games.

As help to your tatics... I think you can try direct passing. (my team was lossing posession battle all season, until i start using direct passing with lower tempo and magically my team becomes much better)

I do play different tatics to you though..

Play out of defence is very dangerous aginst good teams, as they play 4-2-3-1 (Denmark) a lot. .and will put huge pressure on your back 4.. Often get the ball from you and score very easy goal (or at least make your team locked down and can't get ball forward.. ).. I would seriouslly consider dropping this.

Get stuck in is another extremly risky TI.. as you are prone to comitt a lot more foul (giving AI a lot of set-pieces which are so overpowered by them,, like you said yourself.. they scored).. and also more importantly it cause your defender/midfield to loss position.. (bec they slide tackle and miss)... hence create opening in your defence.

I generally play with stay on feet against top teams.. nothing against normal team... only when im desperate for a winner i go for hassle/stuck in...

Only problem i can see is lack of width .. Since both IF/AP will cut in.. WB(A) can do alright on one side.. but FB(S) will not provide width on the opposite side..

I do think FM14 is way more werid .. has a much more dramtic ME than FM13..

I don't want to get too far ahead of myself but it would appear to be that you are a genius Jenesis...I would never have put more direct passing alongside a lower tempo...thanks mate! Fingers crossed it's not just a phase!

Going from 19th to....

Player stats:

The goals and assists are being roughly equally shared between the front three which is great!

oh...nope once again - false dawn! Just what on earth do you have to do to get a break in this game? For the third time in nearly as many games I score a goal and then immediately concede a goal two minutes later. What is SI's obsession with preventing you from playing a consistant tactic? Why do they have to find ways to defeat it after 4/5 games? Man Utd played the same way for 25 odd years, Arsenal have played the same way for about 10 years, Chelsea have played the same style under Jose Mourinho since he returned. This is ruining the game! There is absolutely nothing more I can do... Here are some screenshots:

Tottenham after 37minutes...

Tottenham scoring their one and only chance in the first half...

Tottenham scoring the winner despite showing no threat all game...

Crystal Palace again not threatening at all, all game, BUT YET...and the thing is I knew that goal was coming immediately from kick off from me scoring mine...I had no chance to react. I knew it was going to happen and sure enough...

Norwich again needing next to nothing to score...

What do I have to do to win games consistantly?! tearing my hair out here!

I sympathize. It is not just you. I just played and lost three straight matches where I recorded at least 3 CCCs (+ 4-5 half chances) and my opponents had 0-1 CCC. I had way more shots on target, too, but my players just kept wasting one on ones. My opponents capitalized on own goals and corner kicks.

Actually, I have lost all 7 of my matches to start the season (4 where I outplayed my opponents, two even games, and one awful game), and I have a very talented team. It's frustrating because even when you do a good job with training, team selection, team building, morale management, etc., you can still get that streak of bad luck that bleeds the fun from the game.

I'd tell you to keep plugging away and eventually you will be rewarded, but I don't truly believe that. Hopefully it's still fun trying!

I think your midfield is imbalanced, and that is the core of your troubles.

The Anchor is a great Role, and he allows you to have a CM (A) to burst forward and support the lone striker. In my opinion, your issue is with the BBM Role. Watch his positioning when you attack, and when you defend, and see if he is leaving too much for your Anchor to deal with alone. If your CM (A) wasn't so aggressive, you'd be OK, but it may be too offensive having these two in tandem

Furthermore, you are using two Attack Duties out wide. This effectively equates to not much Defensive contribution - certainly not with your Fluidity. Again - watch your left side in particular when one of your attacks breaks down. Where are Shaw, Romero and Rodriguez?

It doesn't take much to sort this out. Balance your Duties better out wide and reconsider a Role at MC, and you should see improvement straight away.

Sorry about the defeat.. but this year game is all about forms..

If you loss one game.. you are going to have problem ..

If you loss two in a row.. you are in very big problem

So you need to watch morale very carefully... any draw/loss might be a bad sign.. arrange very easy friendly.. get your team confidence back up..

tatics wise i agree with what RTH says.

Balance your role a bit better..

This year the game is all about adjusting mid game as well. higher tempo/lower tempo.. push higher/drop deeper.. retain or not... more direct or shorter... so on

And i only start every game with like 1-2 Tis.. and adjust as i go along....

I dont think this is right.. as SI gives bottom team too much chances... like this is a game after all...

they either need to reduce this kind of ********..

or they need to give us better feedback.. I know Cleon and every other masters can read the game very well and adjust.

But for us average football fan.. who either cant or doesnt want to spend 30 minutes in one match.. better feedback system is needed badly.

Like assistant should help us more reading the game and telling us what to do..