Good attack-bad defence or average defence but cannot score :-(

I am playing FM2013

Team: Hoffenheim/Budesligua

Expectations: European Qualification (in 26 games 13th/18, 30 points, W-D-L=8-6-12, F-A=36-37)

EURO Cup: Quarter Final

German Cup: Quarter Final

It seems that my team this season can only score if they play attacking mentality. They might score 1-2 goals but concede 2-4

Last year, my defenders performed much better and this year, I only got a new CB from my B' Team, so they have played together for a while.

During a match, I check often the menu Analysis/Performance/Average Positions. I noticed that in a pitch with the same dimensions as with my team's, when the opponent plays wide, I have no hope to get a point in the match.

When I play wide at home (101mx65m), I barely ever won!

So, this season, I am struggling to find a balance between scoring goals and have a solid defense, like Bayern (goals 74-20), Dortmund (goals 65-28), Frankfurt (goals 44-28) or Stuttgart (goals 37-28).

Any ideas on how you would keep the team together better, without so many gaps in the rear end?

And, by the way, talking about the menu Analysis/Performance/Passes, what are we supposed to understand from all this mess???

Any ideas on how you would keep the team together better, without so many gaps in the rear end?

Not without giving us some details of your tactical set up so that we have an idea of what may be causing these gaps.

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/327822-Asking-For-Help-PLEASE-READ-THIS

I've got the 4-2-3-1 rigid-control

I've got the 4-2-3-1 rigid-standard, which I'm playing more (80% of the games).

And if nasty things hit the fan, I'm playing 4-4-2 rigid-attacking

You already posted some and I personally told you it was easier to get really bad shapes defending in some earlier iterations: http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/460465-Constistent-defensive-under-performance-***FM2013***?p=10895516&viewfull=1#post10895516

You said you would leave a lot of gaps in possession/attacking though. This is your own post:

I am not sure what the pitch in your reply is actually demonstrating, but in my 4-2-3-1, I see all the 5 players attacking (thus I am scoring a lot) and the MC (def) following only a few meters back, although he's got very defensive mentality.

Then, there is a massive space behind them, for the opponent midfielders and attackers to explore. Obviously, that puts enormous pressure to the defense and I end conceding a lot.

This should not happen much going by your tactics which have a d-duty central midfielder. However you also manually tweak sliders so it is impossible to tell what things look like. In particular if you adjust "mentality" and "runs from deep" sliders. Don't do it as a quick workaround.

Else it would more telling if you would post screenshots of:

- Your team approaching the opponents goal (which would show the gap, i.e. which players are advancing and which not)

- Your opponent approaching your goal (like the shot I posted in the older thread, which would show if there are players who are reluctant to track back / get behind the ball)

In possession yourself/attacking you would not have a huge gaps unless you manually tweaked sliders which to this extent is impossibly ever since FM 2014 or 2015. This is a really old version so it's hard for most to tell what's going on, you'd need to post shots. As said, some things are a bit different.

Unfortunately, I could not understand anything from your game shot, as I haven't got a clue what formation you are playing, or which team you manage (talking about your screenshot).

As I always point out a the start of each thread, I am playing FM2013. I've been told that my PC can barely run it, so I don't risk to install FM2015 and not be able to play.

I am re-posting the 4-2-3-1 rigid/standard most up-to-date tactics, which have improved my team's game, but not well enough (let me know if you need to see more):

Tactics:

Team instructions:

Inside fwd sliders:

And this is the moment I am conceding the 1st of the 5 goals (all in the 1st half), against Dortmund. I find it extremely hard to play against good teams 4-1-2-1-2:

I got some screenshots from the match I'm actually playing.

Bayer Leverkusen is playing 3-5-2. My defenders are highlighted in red, the 2 MCs in dark blue, the 2 wingers in light blue (left winger is IF) and the striker is no9.

Hoffenheim attacking:

It looks like, very often, the 2 MCs are running around in the field like conjoint twins! They can't move separately and leave massive gaps behind them!

Hoffenheim defending:

The thing is, you are using FM13 so people being able to offer help may be limited.

Having said that, whilst the ME has obviously evolved since then, the same basic principles will still apply.

Svenc has already covered most issues, but the other thread he linked is particularly telling.

Look at your formation. Where are the gaps? Primarily down your flanks. Why? Because:

1) There is a natural gap between fullbacks and AML/R.

2) You have increased that gap due to your tactical settings. Attack duty players at AML/R which you then make even more attack focused by changing their PIs.

3) If I remember correctly, AML/R players (especially such attack minded ones as you have) in previous iterations of FM didn't track back very well (arguably correctly so).

So what happens to your two central midfielders given all of that? With very advanced wingers not tracking back very well, the CMs will get pulled towards the flanks to help defend. The knock on effect of that is your central midfield becomes exposed, which takes away your midfield defensive shield. All the opposition then needs do is get the ball into a central area (or the opposite wing) and your defenders will be struggling.

And all because of your very attack minded AML/R players.

Thanks for your reply.

I could see that happening, but nothing that I had tried, seemed to work.

I set the AMR/L to close down whole pitch, so that they provide some help to the FBs but it didn't always happen.

I will reset the wingers to less attacking mentality and duty.

My defenders struggled all year through with tactics that did work much better last year, when I finished 5th, although this year I'll finish around 11th (2 matches left).

Now, talking about FM2016, how can I know how my PC would perform if I bought it?

I remember that I had posted my DxDiag and I was told that for FM2013 my PC would perform very average, but after 24 seasons, 11 leagues and 22 divisions, it's not he fastest, but I'm playing matches in 3D without any drag and the game is not crashing.