FM2015: 532 & 451 solid tactics with promising early results for mid level team

Background:

I have rarely posted tactics, I have however, after lots of struggling come up with two solid tactics I've alternated between. I must mention that I'm no tactic guru or expert, I've simply read a lot of other peoples posts and then implemented these two tactics after having a bit of a think and going back to the drawing board on a number of occasions! The tactics are based on the players available to my Ipswich team (media prediction 14th), the only addition for whom I paid a fee was Shane Ferguson, from Newcastle, in order to get bodies in at left wing back. I have three good centre backs and a decent pair of strikers so initially wanted to play 5-3-2, a formation I loved when used by Croatia in the 1998 World cup, with attacking wing-backs providing width, two terriers in the middle and a roaming playmaker. This worked well till I saw us ripped apart in a pre-season friendly against Leon. Quite simply, any 3 at the back system struggles against teams with a loan striker, especially with lots of creative attacking play from inside forwards and attacking midfielders. Due to this I came up with a secondary tactic, 4-5-1 exploiting the new raumdeuter position as one of my wide attacking players. It keeps the same philosophy as my 5-3-2 but negates the issues faced by the loan striker with an anchor man and an attacking fullback on one side exploiting the space created by the raumdeuter. Below are further details (All centre backs set to pass shorter, where no player instructions are given it means they haven't been given any!)

Results:

The 532 tactic with roles:

The 451 tactic with roles:

team instructions:

Player instructions:

451 download link: http://www.mediafire.com/download/z447fa4zdgu347w/4-5-1_marinerV1.tac

532 download link: http://www.mediafire.com/download/zbky4u0f9l0o0kq/5-3-2_Wark_V1.tac

nice I am about to download both and try with wigan has I wanna play 532 formation and then with this i can switch to play 451 witch allows me to play with wide midfielders I will report back soon to tell you how good this is!.

what defensive line do you use

nice I am about to download both and try with wigan has I wanna play 532 formation and then with this i can switch to play 451 witch allows me to play with wide midfielders I will report back soon to tell you how good this is!.

Great, I'm also going to upload a 4-2-1-2-1 version of the 451 as I've found an extra DM helps against 4231 formations!

what defensive line do you use

I've not selected any of the instructions relating to the defensive line so it should be standard or normal

I've tweaked my 451 to a 42121, especially effective against 4231. No change in the defenders or midfielders player instructions, just a change in shape.

http://www.mediafire.com/download/w0fagpaawpvlr8j/4-2-1-2-1__Muhren.tac

Um ok I have tried these 2 tactics out through pre season and in my first championship game I also forgot to use one of your 2 tactics against my under 21's in start of pre season but I have used the tactics since then and heres my results.

Pre Season Results

Away Draw 3-3 using 532

Away Win 1-0 using 532

Away Win 2-0 using 451

Away Win 4-0 using 451

So here we go, first game in the championship for around 20 to 25 mins I was not happy and nothing really was happening, but 0-0 was a fair result at that point, so went to tactics and changed both of the central midfield roles and after that we went into half time 3-0 and ended up winning 5-2.

overall so far no major changes apart from the 2 central midfielders roles unless it just the type of players im playing in them roles? but anyway my team do not really have very good players for 2 box to box midfielders but anyway thats it I wil get back to the game.

im aswell bout to download your tweeked 451 and try that at some point so with the opposition using a loan striker you will use 451-42121 and for 2 strikers 532?

Just switched to your 4-2-1-2-1 formation with my struggling Bolton side... First game away at Ipswich, Won 6-0!! :-) Thanks

Um ok I have tried these 2 tactics out through pre season and in my first championship game I also forgot to use one of your 2 tactics against my under 21's in start of pre season but I have used the tactics since then and heres my results.

Pre Season Results

Away Draw 3-3 using 532

Away Win 1-0 using 532

Away Win 2-0 using 451

Away Win 4-0 using 451

So here we go, first game in the championship for around 20 to 25 mins I was not happy and nothing really was happening, but 0-0 was a fair result at that point, so went to tactics and changed both of the central midfield roles and after that we went into half time 3-0 and ended up winning 5-2.

overall so far no major changes apart from the 2 central midfielders roles unless it just the type of players im playing in them roles? but anyway my team do not really have very good players for 2 box to box midfielders but anyway thats it I wil get back to the game.

Interesting, what roles did you change to? I guess more attacking ones? I used the loan striker in 451/452 but it's really a 3 man strike force as the inside forward on the right and the raumdeuter on the left get on the end of plenty of chances.

Just switched to your 4-2-1-2-1 formation with my struggling Bolton side... First game away at Ipswich, Won 6-0!! :-) Thanks

Glad I could help, not so sure I'm glad you're battering Ipswich ;-)

Have you tried to resign Chris Eagles, he is really good on either side of the attacking 3 or if he won't come Jack Grealish on loan is a good alternative

Cheers I'll have a look at him. Got Lee Chung-Yong bossing it on the right at the mo. Seems a decent tactic, the 6-0 was a fluke I think but it's helped to steady the ship!

I changed my roles in the Central Midfield to

Left Central Midfield - Central Midfield Support

Right Central Midfield - Roaming Playmaker

using this my results have been great top of championship and in the third round of capital one cup.

I changed my roles in the Central Midfield to

Left Central Midfield - Central Midfield Support

Right Central Midfield - Roaming Playmaker

using this my results have been great top of championship and in the third round of capital one cup.

Good stuff, I do like the roaming playmaker hence the 3rd tactic utilizing the CM in this role, who are you managing? With my Ipswich team the players I've got dictated my tactics and player roles and Hyam, Skuse etc are all really BWM or B2B types.

The 4-5-1 is working a treat for me with Frejus Saint Raphael, got promoted to Ligue 2 but had a dreadful start, changed to your tactic with only 4 points from 7 and we're now 7th and pushing for promotion!

Wigan AFC

The 4-5-1 is working a treat for me with Frejus Saint Raphael, got promoted to Ligue 2 but had a dreadful start, changed to your tactic with only 4 points from 7 and we're now 7th and pushing for promotion!

Great stuff, glad it's working.

I guess with their midfield they're much more attack minded! Watson & Forshaw look good players in the FLC and I'd imagine McManaman must tear it up in either AMLR role.

I've noticed with the full game the covering CB is getting more isolated leading to red cards, 2 in 3 games, maybe due to a match engine tweak or an AI adjustment. I'm going to stick with it for now but may change the 3rd centre back to a different individual settings. I want him slightly deeper, maybe an instruction of stay on your feet may help.

I started a new game with Portsmouth in the 2nd Division and we won the league and are now to fairly well in the 1st division so all good so far, thanks!

I started a new game with Portsmouth in the 2nd Division and we won the league and are now to fairly well in the 1st division so all good so far, thanks!

Are these effective with the new patch?

Are these effective with the new patch?

Early days yet, it'll depend if you have good wingbacks for the 5-3-2 or good inside forwards for the 4-2-1-2-1, I've restarted my game and I'll feedback after I've got through the season. Pre-patch it was highly effective, my Ipswich team were second with the best defence after spending peanuts but I think a lot of people have noticed the patch has made the oppositions crossing stupidly effective and has been punitive when your defenders are 1 V 1 often giving straight red cards.

just an update... been using your 5-3-2 tactic in 7 games ive gone 2-1 L, 5-2 W, 3-0 W, 3-3 T, 1-1 T, 2-1 W, 3-1 L

Edit: Keep in mind I'm playing as Guiseley in the old Skrill North league

just an update... been using your 5-3-2 tactic in 7 games ive gone 2-1 L, 5-2 W, 3-0 W, 3-3 T, 1-1 T, 2-1 W, 3-1 L

Edit: Keep in mind I'm playing as Guiseley in the old Skrill North league

It's worth looking at the opposition formation in your defeats, I've found that 4-2-3-1 can sometimes cause problems to the 5-3-2 and if this happens I either switch before or during the game to the 4-5-1 or 4-2-1-2-1 formations.

I've had brilliant success with this tactic in both the 15.1.1 and 15.1.3 patches using Whealdstone in the Conference South. I used the 5-3-2 version home and away without making any adjustments. Set my assistant manager to set opposition instructions.

The tactic genuinely saved my sanity whilst the ME is sorted for OP crosses and set piece goals.

League table and results below...

I've had brilliant success with this tactic in both the 15.1.1 and 15.1.3 patches using Whealdstone in the Conference South. I used the 5-3-2 version home and away without making any adjustments. Set my assistant manager to set opposition instructions.

The tactic genuinely saved my sanity whilst the ME is sorted for OP crosses and set piece goals.

Great stuff, I'm glad it's still working after the patch, definitely seems to be solid enough for mid to lower ability teams!

Great stuff, I'm glad it's still working after the patch, definitely seems to be solid enough for mid to lower ability teams!

Exactly. The media prediction for Whealdstone was 13th. I'll report back with how well things go in the Conference to give you a good idea of how well it holds up in the Conference.

ipswich john

which version do you predict will work for conf north sides as obviously they're really poor players compared to your ipswich team

unable to access this in game? only seem to be able to use .fmf files any advice?

ipswich john

which version do you predict will work for conf north sides as obviously they're really poor players compared to your ipswich team

5-3-2 if you've strong wingbacks, 4-2-1-2-1 or 4-5-1 if you've good wingers/midfielders

unable to access this in game? only seem to be able to use .fmf files any advice?

I thnk you need to import the tactic from the folder you downloaded it from? I'm no expert so I'm not sure, anyone else help, maybe one of the moderators?