Struggling

[Oli99]

Managing Everton in  FM21 Touch and European qualification is a must in the first season, which I think is quite a tough ask. I've been playing 433 with a deep defensive mid using the geggenpressing default tactic, with pass into space removed and the LOE pulled back one notch.

                          DLF a

INF a                              winger s

                BBM         CM s

                       DM d

WB s       def       def       FB s

We seem to compete well based on match stats, but lose to teams that have a couple of shots on target. Has anyone else had any success with this or any other tactic with this team, or am I getting it completely wrong ?

[Experienced Defender]

3 hours ago, Oli99 said:

I've been playing 433 with a deep defensive mid using the geggenpressing default tactic

Not sure if such an aggressive gung-ho style like gegenpress is the best idea when managing Everton, which is a good team, but still not a top one. 

 

3 hours ago, Oli99 said:

with pass into space removed and the LOE pulled back one notch

What about other instructions? Tempo, for example. If I remember correctly, it is set to extremely high for the gegenpress preset, right? 

Anyway, if you insist on playing a gegenpress-like style, I am probably not the right person to help you on that specific part, simply because I never play overly aggressive tactical styles.

Where I can offer some advice is about how to make the setup of roles and duties - which is the most important part of any tactic - better balanced. So here are tweaks I would suggest on that score:

DLFat

IFat                                 Wsu

BWMsu    CMat

DMde

WBsu   CDde  CDde   FBsu

SKsu

[Oli99]

I'm willing to try other tactics, I've played a season with a fluid counter attack style but, that was even less successful. Is there a style you suggest ?

The tempo was turned down a little from preset.

I've noticed 90% of my goals came from the centre forward and the inside forward. So, if they didn't score I lost. I had considered a BWM but, don't have many options apart from Delph but, he's regularly injured. 

[Experienced Defender]

1 hour ago, Oli99 said:

I'm willing to try other tactics, I've played a season with a fluid counter attack style but, that was even less successful. Is there a style you suggest ?

Whatever style you eventually pick, I would advise against using preset tactics, because they are full of overkill and therefore require a lot of tweaking (in most cases). Instead, better create a tactic from scratch with just a couple basic instructions for starters. Keep it as simple as possible and only make small gradual tweaks if/when necessary. And remember - the most important thing is how you set up the roles and duties. If that area of the tactic is unbalanced and/or illogically designed, the rest is irrelevant. 

[Oli99]

OK, I will attempt the method you suggest and build a tactic from scratch, keeping it simple and build from there. Thank you