First Time Tactic Creation

[AlkieDropout]

I've decided to try and create my own set of tactics to use as I usually end up downloading load of "the best tactic ever" and "unbeatable" and then realise you need Man City / Liverpool or Real Madrid to win with them or come with requirements like "needs god like AM(C)" which, sadly my team Bradford City do not have,.

What I am trying to do is have 3 tactics that I swap between, one standard formation, one more attacking formation and one "batten down the hatches this is gonna hurt" formation. The positional differences between them is slight: -

i.e.
Normal Formation - > Attack formation = DM is subbed and changed to an AM
Normal Formation - > Defend for your lives formation = P is subbed and changed to another DM

 

I've dropped images of the formations below. Will this idea work? Any tweaks that could improve my chances of turning Bradford City into a world super power?

 

The first season may need some loanees to cover the areas i'm short in but I can dump all my wingers and get some money in to buy some talent.

 

[DarJ]

I'll probably just speak on the first screenshot then you can apply whatever I say to the others if you think it's useful but first I want to ask you what you are looking to achieve with the tactic.

How do you want it to play? How do you want to score goals? who do you want to be the primary goal scorerscorer etc

[Johnny Ace]

I think Bradford- Standard lacks a bit of punch, your TI's are very safe so you'll keep the ball well but your Duties look tame, maybe put the right WB on attack or stick your DLP to Defend & have the RCM on support just to offer a bit more threat. TM suit long ball type tactics & you're asking your team not to cross the ball, so maybe a TM doesn't really fit in? He fits in alright with your other two 

I don't know what to think about your 2nd & 3rd Tactic, the 2nd tactic is quite an attacking Formation with gung-ho TI's & there's loads of them. 3rd tactic looks alright for something you'd use in the last 5 minutes of a cup final where you're holding a one nil lead & the opposition are throwing the kitchen sink at you but again, way too many TI's for me to get my head around   

Edited February 23, 2021 by Johnny Ace

[AlkieDropout]

Thanks for the replys.

I did think about all those rules, they were put there when I selected "Route One" or "Park the Bus". I've not set them myself and I'm not fixed on them so can drop them.

My idea is: -

Standard = Most matches - keep the ball, work it up to the target man.
Attack = Cup games against lower league opposition or change to this if we need to nick a goal and a 1-0 loss is the same as a 20-0 loss i.e. cups
Defend = Cup games against significant higher league oppositions or we're winning 1-0 but getting battered with possession / chances when you know a goal is coming

I've tried to keep the core the same so I'm only moving either 1 or 2 players to change style.

 

I'd like us to be solid at the back, keep possession and work the ball up to the target man and a poacher who'll scurry around the area getting flick ons etc
I have changed the two MCs as Bradford best two Midfielders (and important players) were far better as 1x BBM and 1xDLP in the MC slot
 

[frukox]

6 minutes ago, AlkieDropout said:

Thanks for the replys.

I did think about all those rules, they were put there when I selected "Route One" or "Park the Bus". I've not set them myself and I'm not fixed on them so can drop them.

My idea is: -

Standard = Most matches - keep the ball, work it up to the target man.
Attack = Cup games against lower league opposition or change to this if we need to nick a goal and a 1-0 loss is the same as a 20-0 loss i.e. cups
Defend = Cup games against significant higher league oppositions or we're winning 1-0 but getting battered with possession / chances when you know a goal is coming

I've tried to keep the core the same so I'm only moving either 1 or 2 players to change style.

 

I'd like us to be solid at the back, keep possession and work the ball up to the target man and a poacher who'll scurry around the area getting flick ons etc
I have changed the two MCs as Bradford best two Midfielders (and important players) were far better as 1x BBM and 1xDLP in the MC slot
 

How can you go direct to a target man and keep the ball at the same time? The role itself is a ball magnet so he's going to attract long balls to his head and you run the risk of losing possession due to misplaced passes from the back line or his inaccurate flick-ons etc.

[OrientTillIDie]

49 minutes ago, frukox said:

How can you go direct to a target man and keep the ball at the same time? The role itself is a ball magnet so he's going to attract long balls to his head and you run the risk of losing possession due to misplaced passes from the back line or his inaccurate flick-ons etc.

That’s not strictly true. Sure, it encourages long balls to him sometimes, but if you set the system up properly then you can still play a possession game with a target man where you work the ball up to him patiently. It would require wide players getting into good crossing areas to make the most of him, but you definitely can make a possession based tactic work. Similarly, you can work the ball through the middle and use the target man as someone to bounce passes off of. 
 

Essentially, players are encouraged to play the ball long if they’re not told otherwise. However, if you tell them not to then they do it significantly less.

[frukox]

1 minute ago, OrientTillIDie said:

That’s not strictly true. Sure, it encourages long balls to him sometimes, but if you set the system up properly then you can still play a possession game with a target man where you work the ball up to him patiently. It would require wide players getting into good crossing areas to make the most of him, but you definitely can make a possession based tactic work. Similarly, you can work the ball through the middle and use the target man as someone to bounce passes off of. 
 

Essentially, players are encouraged to play the ball long if they’re not told otherwise. However, if you tell them not to then they do it significantly less.

This last sentence sums it up. Instead, I'd use a simple PFS or any other support roles who can drop deep who can combine with the roles around.

[OrientTillIDie]

16 minutes ago, frukox said:

This last sentence sums it up. Instead, I'd use a simple PFS or any other support roles who can drop deep who can combine with the roles around.

Changing to shorter passing and play out of defence isn’t exactly overcomplicating things. I’ve got it to work for plenty of different lower league sides. A Pressing Forward on Support is still quite mobile and requires a specific type of striker. If you’ve got a big lump who isn’t very mobile then that won’t work at all. A lot of lower league strikers don’t have extreme pace but are physically capable so suit the Target Man role. It doesn’t take much to keep a possession based style.

[frukox]

10 minutes ago, OrientTillIDie said:

Changing to shorter passing and play out of defence isn’t exactly overcomplicating things. I’ve got it to work for plenty of different lower league sides. A Pressing Forward on Support is still quite mobile and requires a specific type of striker. If you’ve got a big lump who isn’t very mobile then that won’t work at all. A lot of lower league strikers don’t have extreme pace but are physically capable so suit the Target Man role. It doesn’t take much to keep a possession based style.

I'm still doubtful of it especially when we consider there aren't many players who can both keep the ball efficiently and attack with guile and creativity which requires attributes like first touch, passing, composure, anticipation, off the ball, vision, teamwork, work-rate, agility, balance, acceleration +standard role requirements in the bottom tiers. Of course, playing a defensive possession style is an option but still I think keeping it simple is the best way, especially in LLM.

[AlkieDropout]

I went back to the drawing board and decided on a slightly new approach. Below is the untouched base, it's the same principle in terms of one midfielder is either an MC / DM C or AM C depending on how adventurous I'm feeling. Time to start tweaking

Bradford - Standard 

 

Bradford - More Attacking

 

Bradford - More Defending

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 23, 2021 by AlkieDropout
tidy up

[silentwars]

 

23 minutes ago, AlkieDropout said:

I went back to the drawing board and decided on a slightly new approach. Below is the untouched base, it's the same principle in terms of one midfielder is either an MC / DM C or AM C depending on how adventurous I'm feeling. Time to start tweaking

Bradford - Standard 

 

Bradford - More Attacking

 

Bradford - More Defending

 

 

 

 

 

My biggest concern with your formation is that you only have one player on an attack duty, no one is aggressively pushing forward into the space.

With the flat midfield you could have a more adventurous player, say a mezella or advanced playmaker to push on forward.

-

This would be a good template example for a 3-5-2:

DLF(S) – AF (A)

CM (A) – BWM (D)

WB (S) – R (S) – WB (A)

CD (D) – CD (C) – CD (D)

GK (D)

-

Edited February 23, 2021 by silentwars

[AlkieDropout]

Cheers

I had tweaked the midfield 3 to be: -

BWM Su + DLP Su + BBM Su

As these roles suited my three players best according to their ratings

 

The front two are now AF At and an PF Su

 

I'm currently in the first half of the Under 18s match and 3-0 up but that's like being happy that Liverpool are 3-0 against the Eastbourne over 90s last 11.

[silentwars]

14 minutes ago, AlkieDropout said:

I'm currently in the first half of the Under 18s match and 3-0 up but that's like being happy that Liverpool are 3-0 against the Eastbourne over 90s last 11.

Edited February 23, 2021 by silentwars

[Experienced Defender]

If you are inexperienced in the art/science of tactical creation, then you should start with the simplest possible tactic and a well-balanced non-tricky formation (neither top-heavy nor bottom-heavy, but somewhere in between - ideally 433 DM Wide).

Most important things you should always keep in mind:

- how you set up roles and duties is the most important factor as to whether a tactic will be successful or fail (instructions, including the mentality, are of secondary importance)

- roles and duties work through interaction with one another, not in isolation (here you need to consider the following: a) who and how creates space for those around and/or behind them in attack; b) how that space is then utilized; c) who provides defensive cover for those bombing forward, especially attack-minded fullbacks/wing-backs and/or midfielders; d) who is supposed to help with ball-recycling from deeper midfield areas when needed)

- the team mentality does not define your (core) playing style, although it does indirectly affect it through its automatic impact on all other instructions

- the combination of defensive line and line of engagement is extremely important, because it determines the level of your defensive compactness in tandem with roles and duties as well as the formation (is it top or bottom-heavy, with or without a DM and so on)

- the line of engagement is far more important in defining your core style of play than the mentality (this is the area where most people make huge mistakes)

- your team instructions need to be in harmony with the setup of roles and duties in the sense of a clearly defined tactical style (for example, if you want to play possession football, then both instructions and roles/duties need to be possession-oriented)

- do not use a lot of instructions - in fact, use just a couple of basic ones - not least because your tactical style is already defined by selection of roles and duties for the most part (in some cases/tactics you may not even need to have a single instruction)

- when deciding on your style of play, always take into account your players' strengths and weaknesses as well as your team's reputation relative to the league (because even a "perfectly" designed tactic can fail if it does not suit your players)