Away games problem. Help needed

[luka_zg]

I am playing as Real Madrid and I have a huge issue with away games. I've no idea what to do anymore.

My formation is 4-1-2-3 with following roles:

GK/D

WBR/S

BPD/D

BPD/D

WBL/S

DLP/D

BBM/S

CM/A

IFR/A

IFL/A

F9/S

TI: short passing, lower tempo,play out of defence, control-fluid

My score at home games in the league is 19 played with 17 wins and 2 draws.

On the other hand, my score at away games is catastrophic with 19 played with 7 wins,5 draws and 7 lost. I had played whole of march,april and may with my strongest squad every game because I lost in all other competitions by then and was unable to get an away win since 21st of February.

I've tried playing standard or counter but that seems to only result in an early opposition goal. Or some boring scoreless draw.

And I'm losing games to the likes of Rayo, Getafe…that kind of teams which I should steamroll with the quality I have at my disposal.

I'm desperate for some advice, right now I'm hating this game so much.

[RTHerringbone]

Have you tried to understand why this is happening? How do the stats from a home game against a side you beat, compare to the stats of an away game against the same opponent where you lost or drew?

There's no point flitting from Mentality to Mentality really, because your system doesn't suit Counter and it's generally very aggressive, so even a switch from Control to Standard won't dilute the fact that you have seven players in or near the final third when you attack.

[luka_zg]

Have you tried to understand why this is happening? How do the stats from a home game against a side you beat, compare to the stats of an away game against the same opponent where you lost or drew?

There's no point flitting from Mentality to Mentality really, because your system doesn't suit Counter and it's generally very aggressive, so even a switch from Control to Standard won't dilute the fact that you have seven players in or near the final third when you attack.

I have no idea why this is happening.

At home I'll have 20 shots and 3,4 CCC's and away I'll have 10 shots with zero or 1 CCC. Also, I have won away against Sevilla,Atletico,Bilbao and Valencia . But I have struggeld against very poor teams compared to mine.

IDK...should I ditch some attack duties?

[themadsheep2001]

I have no idea why this is happening.

At home I'll have 20 shots and 3,4 CCC's and away I'll have 10 shots with zero or 1 CCC. Also, I have won away against Sevilla,Atletico,Bilbao and Valencia . But I have struggeld against very poor teams compared to mine.

IDK...should I ditch some attack duties?

Watch the goals, where are they coming from. Are they well worked, are they on the counter, are they coming down the flanks, or middle, passes or crosses? Are they bypassing you with raking passes, or dribbling past your players. I would keep this for now, its highly aggressive, but working at home. Build an alternate. Listening to who you are beating away and who you are losing to at home, my guess (and I stress this is a guess without seeing exactly how your set up plays) is that you are being opened up on the counter, which isnt too much of a surprise given how aggressive you are. Would need to see more info from your game though.

[Cleon]

I have no idea why this is happening.

At home I'll have 20 shots and 3,4 CCC's and away I'll have 10 shots with zero or 1 CCC. Also, I have won away against Sevilla,Atletico,Bilbao and Valencia . But I have struggeld against very poor teams compared to mine.

IDK...should I ditch some attack duties?

The answer to why is simple. Against bigger sides they automatically give space up and leave space for you to exploit. This makes it easier and can make a badly balanced tactic seem better than it is but that's down to the opposition and the space they grant you.

Against the lesser sides this space doesn't exist and you are the one who needs to create it. This is where poorly constructed and balanced tactics are always found out because you can't make create or use space. In your current set up you have 7 players inside the oppositions half and the opposition themselves are sat deep. You are pushing them back and reducing the space you actually have to play in. Which means you'll see more shots from distance, more poor quality shots and shots from silly angles. This is due to a lack of movement, which results in a lack of space to be created in turn which you can use to carve the opposition open. You can't do well against these sides without creating space and movement, something your tactic doesn't really allow due to its aggressive nature.

Movement and space are all that matters. Provide this and the rest falls into place. Trying to fix the issues you have can't be achieved until you do this though because you'll be trying to fix it from the wrong way around.

[luka_zg]

The answer to why is simple. Against bigger sides they automatically give space up and leave space for you to exploit. This makes it easier and can make a badly balanced tactic seem better than it is but that's down to the opposition and the space they grant you.

Against the lesser sides this space doesn't exist and you are the one who needs to create it. This is where poorly constructed and balanced tactics are always found out because you can't make create or use space. In your current set up you have 7 players inside the oppositions half and the opposition themselves are sat deep. You are pushing them back and reducing the space you actually have to play in. Which means you'll see more shots from distance, more poor quality shots and shots from silly angles. This is due to a lack of movement, which results in a lack of space to be created in turn which you can use to carve the opposition open. You can't do well against these sides without creating space and movement, something your tactic doesn't really allow due to its aggressive nature.

Movement and space are all that matters. Provide this and the rest falls into place. Trying to fix the issues you have can't be achieved until you do this though because you'll be trying to fix it from the wrong way around.

OK, but can you give me some advice as how to do it and what to change?

And do they not sit deep when I'm playing at home but there I just win without much trouble??

[vincenzo143]

OK, but can you give me some advice as how to do it and what to change?

And do they not sit deep when I'm playing at home but there I just win without much trouble??

This is the part you will have to figure out by yourself with a little bit of trial and error.

Cleon has provided you with 2 very important key words Movement and Space.

[luka_zg]

This is the part you will have to figure out by yourself with a little bit of trial and error.

Cleon has provided you with 2 very important key words Movement and Space.

So,what's this? An exam?

You dont think I've tried bunch of variations without much sucess?

As far as I can see how is the movement a problem with CM/a and BBM who will both make runs, false 9 will drop deeper,inside fwds will run to space left by him, wing backs will supply the width..where exactly is the lack of the movement here? I don't get it.

Space- I've tried counter or standard to be more deeper but that didnt get me anywhere. Only thing I can do is play control with much deeper line maybe..

[RTHerringbone]

But think about those runs; when people are making them (too late or - more likely - too early) and who else is in those areas - not just for your team but for the opposition. You have two attacking IFs who will narrow and often operate in central areas. You have CMs who will bomb forward. They may roam when looking for the ball but by and large they will be central. In the same areas as the F9 and the two IFs. Then look at the sort of formations the AI uses and the sort of positions their defensive midfielders are in and their DCs are in. Look at where your shots are from and see why they are from where they are.

Your system is too vertical, too frantic and too narrow. You need better balance and that is quickly achieved by reeling Duties in. You then need to see if the characteristics of the Mentality create or compress space for your team to work in. This isn't an exam, but I just don't get the sense that you look at these key things. I think you are focused on stats and miss the fact that they are the end product of a process. It is the process you need to watch.