URGENT ! help very much needed ! Tactical Meltdown.

[dominic317]

Okay first, thanks for taking the time to answer my plea. Here is my issue. I've spent three seasons in and around the championship play offs, losing in two semis and finishing in eigth in between. However in my fourth season my team has self destructed.

My team has, on paper, improved. No first team players left and the younger ones are getting better. Yet I can no longer convert chances. I'm creating at least five ccc a game but struggling to hit one goal !

My three usual strikers all have finishing and compusure between 14 and 17 (i'd consider good for a championship side) and O'Connor was the second top scorer in the league last season. While my wingers have stopped being able to take men on and get effective crosses in and one on ones seem to go either at the keeper or upright.

This is not all ! The computer ratio for goals compared to ccc is FAR superior to mine. Example against Doncaster I had 12 shots, 6 on target and 5 ccc yet came away with nothing. They had 6 shots, 2 on target and 0 ccc yet scored a 30 yard punt.

I seem to be conceding heavily in two ways. Either teams seem to easily play through or over the top of my defence. These are problems I haven't had in previous seasons. The same personal playing the same tactics yet i'm having VERY VERY different results. My centre backs seem to be gone past like ghosts sometimes. Normally i'd drop a holding defensive mid in front of the defence and have him charge down play in front of the back four however, as stated above, I currently can't score for toffee and think going one up top may not be desirable (especially seeing as I three quality strikers and a third capable it seems a waste !).

Anway please, please, please HELLLLLP ! Willing to look at any suggestions as i'm now 13 games in and have only 4 wins. I'd be happy to give any further information needed for proper advice but all tips very much welcome !

[itsallaboutthierry]

Sounds to me like your reputation in the league has increased as a result of your success in the division so teams are now looking to play deeper and hit you on the counter whereas before they might try and make a game of it and leave you space to play in. Try playing with a more attacking mentality and wider to stretch the opposition more. This should help you create more space and more time for your strikers to take those clear cut chances.

[dominic317]

How do I play with more width without leaving more space at the back ? I've previously tried adding width but it left a hole in the middle of my defence which anybody with above 10 dribbling had as something of a christmas present.

[itsallaboutthierry]

If it is the case that teams are starting off more defensive against you then it shouldn't be as much of a problem as it will have been in previous seasons because they won't be committing as many men forward as they have in past seasons. Do you find that if you score first you go on to win the game comfortably? If so I'd guess that the reputation has caused the opposition to sit off you more as when they open up to find an equaliser your tactic comes back into its own.

If (I know I've used the word a lot but it is all speculation based on what you're saying in the OP!) all of the above is the case then I'd save your tactics as they are now and then save a wider, more attacking version. Start the games with the wider version then if you score first change to your original once the other team opens up to chase the game.

Hope something in there is useful!

[dominic317]

Thanks. Often when I do go ahead I seem to concede in the last fifteen. Is reputation that important on 2010 ? (i've only started playing two weeks ago so i'm still trying to battle against all the new tactical elements of the game). My assistant has suggested players in the team don't seem motivated to play for me, could this be because i'm only regional and would this effect performance ? (not the reason for this seasons dip as it's been the same in the past three but i'm curious if it has much impact on gameplay).

thanks again.

[dominic317]

23 views and only one person has replied, oh dear. Seriously i'l take any and all suggestions people !

[itsallaboutthierry]

Well, reputation is and isn't important - depends on your team. You just need to be aware that as your team's in game status changes the way teams play against you (amongst other things) will change too. For example teams will play very differently against Man City now than they would have 3-4 years ago. Likewise teams like Fulham and Everton.

Reputation isn't important (IMO) if you start a game as a Man United or a Barcelona as they way teams view you isn't going to change drastically. This is one of the reasons games as one of the big clubs can be more straightforward (but definitely not always!).

[dominic317]

Ahhhh makes sense. I'm Swansea. I'm not sure the reputation has improved dramatically but I suppose it may be a factor. Thanks for all the help.

[dominic317]

DELIGHTED ! Five games since I posted this thread and things have changed a little. Three wins, an unlucky draw and one crushing 4-0 defeat. In the last game I even managed to find the net three times !

[deadmeet]

maybe shortening passing, could help you create more chanches. but imo you may have to change your tactis. it seems you get too many "uselles" CCC's (from bad places of the goal area).