Discussion: Your team is trailing with 20 minutes to go - what do you do?

I'm keen to hear what people do in this situation, as it's always something I've struggled with in FM, and the current version I'm playing (FM14) is no different.

But rather than posting my tactics and asking for help with a cure to my problems, I thought I'd start a discussion where people can explain their overall approach to this scenario, and maybe this will help others who also struggle:

Your team is trailing, there's 20 minutes to go. Your opponents have moved everyone back into a containing formation (either changing to a 4-5-1, and/or moving to a defensive/contain strategy, and are looking to retain possession to see out the victory.

What do you do to turn the game around?

N.B. I know that there are multiple scenarios, so there's not a 'one-size-fits-all' approach, but there will be general principles that you adhere to, which may depend on whether you're playing well or not, for example.

FWIW - if I'm playing well, I try and keep things as they are, whilst obviously being mindful of the need to adapt to the now more extreme tactics of my opponents. I often add the shouts 'play wider' and 'more direct passing' to my 4-4-1-1. I don't ever really change mentality and certainly never change fluidity. But then again, I very rarely turn games around in this position, so what do I know?

Summon the spirit of Alex Ferguson

I like to make the pitch wider and look for overlaps and remain more patient and probing. I think looking for overlaps is a very good tool against the parked bus, getting to the byline and producing cut backs and crosses is very effective method of breaking it down.

If I'm getting good chances with my current setup and I've got them on the back foot then I won't change anything.

If we're struggling to get men forward I'll change to a more Attacking mentality.

If there are tired players essential to attack I might switch them for new legs.

Otherwise, I'll change what I feel is not working, e.g:

If we're getting bogged down in the centre I'll set my wide players to a more attacking role and my central players to a more supporting role and use TIs to focus down the flanks.

I'll also use the in-game shouts like (Assertive) Push Forward or Get Creative.

As people say it depends a lot. If we are getting there I keep things as they are or make minor adjustments (1 sub, change a player role or duty, 1 shout)

If we are trailing and things aren't working I don't hesitate to change mentality to attacking or overload, or even change formation (remove a defender and bring in an attacking player).

If it's a 2-leg cup game, I may accept a narrow loss and wait for the second leg.

I'll also use the in-game shouts like (Assertive) Push Forward or Get Creative.

This.

Also;

Could bring on a target man (or more) and lump it forward to them

Shoot on sight

Look for overlap

I wonder if playing at a slightly, or much, lower tempo would help. Gives your players more time on the ball to spot a shot, pass or cross.

Overload + take more risks

This.

Also;

Could bring on a target man (or more) and lump it forward to them

Shoot on sight

Look for overlap

I wonder if playing at a slightly, or much, lower tempo would help. Gives your players more time on the ball to spot a shot, pass or cross.

Overload + take more risks

I would think a team sitting deep would welcome a lower tempo wouldn't they? Gives them time to get organised and keep their shape. Maybe I'm wrong but that's how I've always thought about it. I tend to play wider and at a higher tempo. Sometimes I drop deeper in an attempt to lure them further up the pitch and give my players more space to operate in when we win the ball back.

Yeah I was just thinking out loud. Could help as it'll give your more players time to think about what they're doing. Playing at a higher tempo gives them very little time for a decision.

No single obvious answer to me, but I try and judge bit situation. I can play more direct, by manner of shouts or formation if I feel the need to change. I try and remain patient though, because if I thought route one was the best way for my Arsenal side to score goals, I would do it all the time, not sure why it should suddenly be a better option because we need a goal. I just try and exploit their weaknesses, be patient, keep the ball off them and get some fresh legs on.

Start planning for the next match.

Honestly, if it gets to the 20 minute mark and we're not already back in the game, it usually just doesn't happen. Of course, I might go more attacking generally, switch to a more direct style of play, reduce the number of crosses as much as possible, tell players to shoot less often. It works sometimes, because often the big reason why you're not scoring a goal is in fact because your moves are ending too early with too poor a quality shot. And crosses are rubbish.

I also have a look at things like width, trying to make the playing area larger or smaller depending on the perceived strengths/weaknesses of opponents, but really I'll have done most of that earlier in the match already so if we're not winning... it's probably a case of a bad day at the office or just downright inferiority of quality and no amount of me poking the setup is really going to sort things.

No single obvious answer to me, but I try and judge bit situation. I can play more direct, by manner of shouts or formation if I feel the need to change. I try and remain patient though, because if I thought route one was the best way for my Arsenal side to score goals, I would do it all the time, not sure why it should suddenly be a better option because we need a goal. I just try and exploit their weaknesses, be patient, keep the ball off them and get some fresh legs on.

You're managing Arsenal! I'm still managing as a llama, and I find that in FM15 even more so than previous versions, part-timers are never match fit and so really flag towards the end of matches. So if I'm chasing a game I bring on a quicker, fresh striker and up the tempo, maybe also going in to tackle hard since many non-leaguers have bravery 1 and the refs seem more lenient.

As the giant idiot that I am, I just switch up the mentality from attacking to overload and substitute any players that are under-performing. If I am trailing it's usually not because of a lack of scoring chances, so I don't like to make any big tactical changes.

Overload, very fluid

2 cbs, 2 wing backs, a cm or 2, attacking wingers and forwards make up the rest.

Effectively, just get everyone and the ball in the other half of the pitch.

I usually trust my tactics and have found switching attacking mentality to be rather fruitless.

However, I do use the tactical option of bringing on new players quite a lot. Not necessarily the striker, but the main attacking midfielders or playmakers or the wingers get substituted to bring fresh legs on the pitch.

Having a rested winger on the pitch who can make the decicive break for the counter can make all the difference. And if I do turn that match around, one of those fresh guys is very often involved.

Sometimes, I also switch to another tactical formation, but one that is already trained on "accomplished" or "fluid", so that the opposition is forced to react to my new style of play. That also depends of course on how the opposing team is set up.

Normally I try to control the game and limit my opponent's chances. When the time is running out it's a different matter.

I try to force my opponent to do attacking actions with the ball. Through ball, cross, long shot, counter attacks. I don't really care if they get a decent chance every now and then. I let them. If they score, I lose. If they don't I get the ball back that much sooner. The game spins out of either teams' control and becomes unpredictable. This is exactly what I want at the last minutes if I'm trailing.

I'm not sure about the 70 minute mark though. Depends on how the game is going and how much I'm trailing.

I would think a team sitting deep would welcome a lower tempo wouldn't they? Gives them time to get organised and keep their shape. Maybe I'm wrong but that's how I've always thought about it. I tend to play wider and at a higher tempo. Sometimes I drop deeper in an attempt to lure them further up the pitch and give my players more space to operate in when we win the ball back.

Well it depends on the way they are playing. If they're sitting deep and not closing down then passing around them probing for openings will eventually find one, if your team is technically good to do it for long enough, and have the creativity for a through ball once the defense opens a little. That's how Barcelona won their games when Guardiola was in charge.

What I do when the opponents park the bus is give the wingers (or IFs) supporting roles and give Wing Backs more attacking roles. I give people in Midfield some generic roles that dont move around too much but give the forwards and/or AMCs some roles that naturally move around their positions (Trequartistas, Shadow strikers, DLFs, F9s). It works usually but then again I play in the league where I'm dominant anyway (similar to Celtic in Scotland). Oh and I tinker with Lower Tempo, Retaining Possesion, Passing into Space.

Depends the sort of game. But most of the time I encourage my players or tell them to get creative with the sideline talks, (if that's any use) and put the mentality to overload. This normally gives me 3 chances in the last 10min, from which hopefully someone will score. You also have to hope that the other team retreats, to try to keep their lead. This way you don't have to care about your defence line. Just concentrate on getting people in the box with a lot of crosses. This works really well when playing against smaller teams or teams of the same ability. And for the rest it's luck and motivated players who fight till the end.

All interesting and varied responses.

Have to say it's still a struggle for me, though I suspect that's down to having a fundamental problem with my tactics (we're brilliant when we take the lead, struggle to break down teams if we're level or behind in the second half) and/or low leadership in my very young team.

4-2-2-2 Overload Very Fluid, bring on my most OP striker (Danny Welbeck), exploit flanks, float crosses, more direct passing, very high D line

All interesting and varied responses.

Have to say it's still a struggle for me, though I suspect that's down to having a fundamental problem with my tactics (we're brilliant when we take the lead, struggle to break down teams if we're level or behind in the second half) and/or low leadership in my very young team.

Well, imho the AI is usually very good at defending a lead. It's not uncommon to see the strikers at the edge of the area when defending a lead. Having a tall striker as JustinAero suggests can also be of help, someone like Ibra...