Tactic help, preferably narrow diamond or 4-4-2

[englandmanager]

ok so i want 2 tactics maybe 3 with a bit of tinkering, i'm still setting them up but i need help in picking out AI weaknesses and what to look for pre-match reports etc

my theory is when i play against narrow teams is a tactic that exploits the flanks alot better than down the middle? also against wider teams is down the middle better or does it depend on player roles on the AI team?

ideally i would want a 4-4-2 formation and a narrow diamond formation set with counter attack against bigger opposition

when setting a counter attack formation with a 4-1-2-1-2 narrow, what should my player roles be for DM and AM? to make it more successful, and should my 2 central midfielders be box to box? or ball winning?

is lower tempo better to set up for counter attack?

any help on some of these issues i've always had will be muchly appreciated, if you think another formation is more ideal for counter attacks then please suggest one

[RTHerringbone]

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

There is some logic behind looking to exploit weaknesses in the AIs formation, but it is equally true that everything still depends on how the AI play within that basic shape. As such, it's pointless asking what a DM or AM Role should be, because what works in one match, or even one half of one match, doesn't necessarily just work against a similar looking system in the next game.

In order to get meaningful help, you really need to show examples of how you want to play and how you would set up these tactics. At the moment, you're asking questions which imply you have no idea what playing style you want.

[englandmanager]

ok i will take a read of that, but is there a good base formation for counter attack or can you have a good counter attack with all formations?

[RTHerringbone]

ok i will take a read of that, but is there a good base formation for counter attack or can you have a good counter attack with all formations?

You can counter attack with any formation. There are pros and cons for using different formations; you could argue that it is easier to counter if you already have one or two men ahead of the ball to hold it up, but if you have more men behind the ball, then it is arguably easier to play a quick, possession based counter. As with everything in football and FM, there's no single "best" solution.

[isignedupfornorealreason]

You can counter attack with any formation. There are pros and cons for using different formations; you could argue that it is easier to counter if you already have one or two men ahead of the ball to hold it up, but if you have more men behind the ball, then it is arguably easier to play a quick, possession based counter. As with everything in football and FM, there's no single "best" solution.

There needs to be a beginners guide to formations along with the pros and cons and a list of the roles and how the work, along with their pros and cons.

Then that topic needs to be stickied.

I reckon it would be a lot more useful than a lot of the tactic guides we're seeing on here, since (at a guess) most people are going to pop in and just copy/paste to be honest. >_>

[Cleon]

There needs to be a beginners guide to formations along with the pros and cons and a list of the roles and how the work, along with their pros and cons.

Then that topic needs to be stickied.

I reckon it would be a lot more useful than a lot of the tactic guides we're seeing on here, since (at a guess) most people are going to pop in and just copy/paste to be honest. >_>

How about writing one then?

[Overmars]

I generally use my best tactic to start every match and adjust after 15-20 minutes if we are getting outplayed. My base narrow 4-1-3-2 tends to do well, but some teams start killing me on the flanks, so I will switch to a 4-1-2-2-1 wide tactic that often adjusts well to that opponent. I train my players to be versatile enough to slide between winger, central midfield, and striker roles as needed.

If a formation change doesn't seem to do much, or if I think the problem lies elsewhere, I will also consider adjusting mentality, passing, and closing down to better attack/defend against my opponent.

[isignedupfornorealreason]

How about writing one then?

You're the one to do that tbh.

Edit: As for reasons; it's pretty clear you and a select few others are quite knowledgeable about the tactics and roles. Most of what I know is pretty much from reading your bits and bobs over any time spent in the game tbh. If I was knowledgeable about the game as much as you and the rest, I'd be happy to write that sort of guide. Though I haven't written a FAQ for 7 years...