When personal challenges result in getting lost in the woods

[PantsMcSkill]

Alright everyone. Long time player, first time poster.

We all like a personal challenge top freshen up FM, right?

This year, I vowed to stick to only using the 442. Why? Well, they say if a man can master the 442, he can master anything. 

Or they say something like that. 
I dunno, I wasn't paying attention.

 

Anyway, I've just finished my 4th season with Millwall, and our first in the Prem. We managed to avoid relegation - we were always likely to be safe, but we also always threatened to be pulled into the scrap.

 

I tend to favour high tempo attacking tactics. In past versions I've constructed free flowing, expansive one touch glorious creations, nuanced 2-3-5 in attack overloads, and gung-ho, score-more-than-you, ludicrous-ball insanities.

Often I base my tactics on real life constructions, and then try and make them score more goals. I'd always rather win 6-4 than 2-0, and I love passing round the opposition so quick that they can barely work out where the ball is, let alone get into position. If we concede one or two in the pursuit of glorious attacking football, it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make.

Here's some examples of the sort of thing I like to see - a video where the quality of the goals are in binary contrast to the quality of the music.

 

 

 

Obviously, I can't do that with a first-season-in-the-prem Millwall.

And now I'm finding myself stuck. The Man Utd 98/99 style tactic that got me promoted is suicidal against the Liverpools of this world with the players I have at my disposal. The '2-2-6 shape in attack' tactic I pulled out when chasing a goal just sees me torn to shreds.

In desperation and a shameful abandoning of my principles, I've built a counter tactic that just about secured me enough points, but it's not how I want to play, nor is it interesting to watch. Plus using it I also got hammered 4-1 by City, 3-0 by Liverpool, and 3-1 by ManUtd - I'd rather go down at least attempting to play my game.

 

Now is the time to start building for the future. And I'm finding I've really hamstrung myself with my 442 requirement.
What style do I want to play? Is there a real life team should I emulate? How do I go about this with the resources at my disposal?

I could try to emulate the Arsenal Invincibles... but they had world class players, and I have Ben Thompson.

I want to play like the above now, because I'm 4 seasons in and it's taken me 4 real life months (life is busy innit). And it is after all, a game that should be fun. 

But can I start doing all this, in a 442, with my squad, £20m transfer funds, AND without getting relegated?

 

What would you do? How would YOU go about this?

 

 

A few of the tactics I've used this save:

 

The Man Utd 98/99 style that won me the Championship

 

The 226-in-attack shape that has no place in the Premier League (Rfb has get further forward as PI).

 

The survival tactic I reverted to to keep me up:

 

 

The base I was trying to start with before abandoning to ensure survival:

[crusadertsar]

Your BWM(d) is not really a holding midfielder. In a good 4-4-2 you need to make sure you have solid midfield double pivot. Otherwise you will get too exposed.

But if you do insist with playing with one more aggressive and one more holding midfielder then maybe a defensive shape like 4-2-2-1-1 is a better solution. Like this you can drop your two central midfielders into DM strata for extra defensive stability. The 4-4-2 the way it is played by most teams in reality is closer to 4-2-2-1-1 (in it's defensive shape) in the game. You have too look at the formations in the game as representations of how you want your team to defend without the ball. Then the attack phase shape is actually what you think of as the traditional 4-4-2

 

Edited March 21, 2021 by crusadertsar

[crusadertsar]

While my Real Sociedad is probably a much better team than yours, I believe that the shape I am currently using actually gives a good defensive base to transition into a 4-4-2 when in attack. So something like this I what I am talking about. In itself this tactic should work well enough with any team. Just have to make sure your midfielders are sufficiently hard-working and with good positioning and decent off the ball attributes.

 

Edited March 21, 2021 by crusadertsar

[PantsMcSkill]

I've had a good read of your thread @crusadertsar and I love what you're setting out to do, really fascinating stuff.

 

I think the purist in me would lean towards the classifying the above as a 4411, but I certainly wouldn't be insisting that is the case, because we're both wanting to achieve fluid styles and once the ball is kicked the players move everywhere.

 

One thing that really landed with me was you deciding on the tactic then developing the players for it. That's what I've done a lot of in the past, and as I'm not sure where to go now, I should do that moving forward. I think, because my players are pretty woeful, I can get a little lost in the immediacy of results instead of building a project.

Here's where we are on mentals.

 

Given I like free flowing football, that workrate is frankly shocking.

A massive clear-out is needed, to raise all the funds possible, to then rebuild the team around workrate, composure, decisions, OTB and positioning.

 

Here's what I'm thinking tactics wise.

 

 

The DLP and Wm should attract the ball (and in turn the opposition) to the left hand side of the pitch, thus opening up space for the winger and BBM to run into. The F9 should disrupt the backline, and with the PF having 'move into channels' hardcoded, it should further stretch the oppositions defence.

The IWB moves up to create a double pivot with the DLP, and provide a little more central stability.

I'm a bit concerned that I have too many specialist roles, a f9, BBM and IWB all on the same side feels like a bad idea with poor players.

I could also move the two CMs in the defensive strata, and have SV instead of the BBM, and have a simple FBs.

 

 

[Guv'nor]

Does the challenge limit you to an orthodox 4-4-2 flat? If so, this truly cuts the coat tails and limits the defensive shape of the team. Role and mentality will help with player positioning but “the first cat through the flap is the one closest to the door”. Needless to say, they get all the cream. 
 

Not the biggest fan of the flat 4-4-2, but in pursuit of a 7 manned attacking  unit, fiddled with a 4-4-2 of sorts, wingbacks by role and position, behind inverted wingers. Still a 4-4-2 of sorts.
 

Decent yield with Derby (very decent array of actual young players), but word of warning, is bl**dy annoying how much piggybacking the ME allows. It’s clear most if not all roles begins from a common default with algorithms activated by certain events ie. GK takes a goal kick. 

If it has to be a flat 4-4-2, get Mike Bassett on the blower.

 

[PantsMcSkill]

I think it does. I mean, it's my challenge, so I could do whatever I wanted with it (including just abandoning it of it's stopping the game being fun), but I feel like a flat 442 is the truest form of the formation, so that's what I should stick to.

 

Having said that, playing it with 2 DMs doesn't feel like straying away from it, so I reckon that's allowed.

[Garrlor]

Do you have any standout players? F9 is a bit of special role if you are using it as intended. TM(Su) or DLF(Su) could give you more of a figure for holding the ball up.

Just some tactical considerations from my POV, IWB behind a W(A) - worried that the winger will have no one to pass back to if you are using shorter passing. Also if he loses the ball in transition then your IWB is out of position to try and force the opponent outside. If you want that particular midfield combo I would maybe swap the DLP and the BBM so the DLP and the WM provide cover across the centre of the pitch. WM is a great role as you can customise it to heaven and back, you could have him stay back and move inside when you have the ball leaving room for your FB to overlap and get crosses in. One other thing, looking at your mentals, the teams Anticipation, Concentration and Positioning don't scream tight marking to me, perhaps change it to certain players or roles rather than team wide as it may cause you problems.

[PantsMcSkill]

In the middle of the Summer Transfer window, and failing so far to sign the players needed to step up a level. Not many are interested at playing for us, and those that are are too expensive - Got close to signing Pierre-Emile Højbjerg but I just couldn't afford hs wages.

Here's my current team.

Attackers:

Spoiler

Rossi and Beljo are my starting strikers. Rossi scored 37 in the championship, and a respectable return this past season in the Prem. Beljo I'm starting to think may not be good enough, but I have such a soft spot for him.

 

 

 

 

Then there is Nascimento. He was dreadful two seasons ago, ad he kicked up a stink about new contracts so I loaned him out. He doesn't have the defensive side to his game to play in the centre of the pitch, but could be retrained as a F9. He'll take a new contract if I offered it, but I could cash in on him.

 

 

I also have Ismael joining in January from Madrid.

 

 

[PantsMcSkill]

Midfielders. 

 

Middle of the park:

Spoiler

I'm looking to strengthen here as a priority. What I have is an enigma of a player in Jean N'Guessan. Poor ratings whenever I play him at DLP, but according to his stats and my staff, he should be a good player. Nothing in his Cons suggests otherwise.

 

Pretell was a mainstay for us this season i both Cm roles. Thompson came in a lot too, but is not Prem quality.

 

 

 

 

The Wingers:

Spoiler

My two most reliable players, Blesa and Wallace:

 

 

Coming through the ranks, I have Valgeirsson, a proper winger, and Mendez. I'm not sure about the former's mentals long term though.

 

 

Edited March 22, 2021 by PantsMcSkill

[PantsMcSkill]

Defence:

 

CBs:

Spoiler

Cooper and MNW. It's... rare we concede from crosses.

 

 

FullBacks:

Spoiler

Escobar got all huffy about a new contract, so went on loan to Fernabche and was aces for them. So he's coming back to be my number 1 LB.
Romeo... long term servant of the club (and son of DJ & founder of Soul 2 Soul, Jazzy B). He's the only RB I have now, so I'll need two replacements to shift him and two's not happening this window. 

 

[PantsMcSkill]

The goalkeeping situation. I seem to have found myself with three quality keepers and an excellent young prospect.

Rossbach was my number 1 and was very good for me.
Pena I signed from Barca and went on loan for work permit reasons, only to have a blinder at Napoli,
Guarneri... he looks good too.

Setford has the benefit of being English. I should certainly develop him.

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

[Garrlor]

Personally for a False 9 my holy trinity is Anticipation, Off the Ball and Decsions. Knowing when, where and how is key for a F9. I would want all 3 to be around 15 in the prem, at least. Then Passing, Vision and First Touch as the next tier of importance, with a prefered physical preference of Acceleration and Balance, to make those quick sharp runs and turns that drive defenders mad - It looks like your new lad from Madrid will fit the bill nicely with a bit of training. However, with the players you have right now have you considered a TM(Su) for Beljo? 6'5" and jumping reach 17, strong enough with some balance to match. He is also reasonable in his mentals and technicals, so a more limited role for a much more demanding league?

Looking at your CM, I think I can see a problem. Playground bullies. Both of your midfielders are under 6ft (in the case of N'guessan he is 5'6" and 68kg, I think the football weighs more than him!) and lightweight, which is going to be tough in the PL which is a very physical league. Personally, if you can sign a destroyer then you can get away with either playing as an AP(Su), though N'Guessan takes it for me he could be a David Silva style midfielder, although he needs more balance to really come into it IMO. Prettel can certainly do a job, if you cant sign someone bigger and stronger in a Defensive position. I would pair them as an AP(Su) and CM(De) based on what you have shown of them, let your smallest and most creative midfielder just do what he does best without making him the mainstay of the defensive portion of the game. Nascimento would provide a decent back up so you would always have 2 AP's available to you.

Wallace and his back up gives you 2 proper wingers on the right, Blesa could easily double up as a Wide Midfielder with instructions to hold position and come narrower. Thompson could even double up in this role for you, providing your left side with an anchor to let your AP do his thing. You would then have a LB going around the outside to provide width.

Full backs don't need to have much said, decent enough for what you need. Your centre backs are ace mind you, great for repelling crosses as you say! Cooper is the weak link of the two, slow off the mark, not great at anticipating situations and not particulary well balanced or agile, which would make him weak to balls played in behind him. Williamson is the star man though, quick, strong and great postitionaly he also makes good decisions. Personally, if you are playing both and are set on a higher press and defensive line I would be tempted by a cover duty for him.

As a whole, you could get away with a medium or low block with a split press (forward 2 and both wide players pressing more). Maybe take the width back out to normal to give yourself some room to move, with the instruction to force opponents out wide still in place. With counter selected, perhaps using hit early crosses to try and get the ball to stick up front or put your PF in on goal early would work well. One to select and play with as you watch the games perhaps. A possible example that you could try is below:

This would just be a medium block with no instructions other than the ones I detailed for the WM. As you asked what would I do in your OP, I would simplify then look to evolve the tactic as players grow and improve. As your transfer budget and reputation goes up, you can start snatching up wonderkids and players who fit your more cavalier style. Maybe 2 seasons at most before you can start expanding and really taking the game to your opponents. Edited to add - Forgot to add the force outside into the tactic. D'oh!

 

Edited March 23, 2021 by Garrlor
Added more detail