Upsetti Spaghetti - (Spag) Bologna Mid-Season Slump

[TheMinsterman]

I was looking for a little advice from the tactics gods to help address a fairly frustrating mid-season slump during my second year at Bologna.

We started tremendously before the Qatar break, in our first 11 games we conceded only a single goal and managed to turn out some inspired performances, leaving us comfortably in 2nd/3rd but since returning we've seemingly collapsed. The Milan result was excellent given they are running away with the league and barring an amazing keeper display we should have beat Inter (both using a modified version of this as a 5-2-3) but we've just fallen off a cliff since we returned. The Parma game was especially frustrating, we hit the bar/post and had enough goal line scrambles to have 5 ourselves on top of the penalty we did score but just fell apart in the second half to let three in despite them posing little threat prior to this.

I set the roles up using the rate my tactic web app to get a sound base to work from and to get my best players playing their ideal roles and fitting around them so they shined. Normally I play Gouri on the left as an IF but he's just covering for Facundo Torres whose been in very good form in the F9 position.

I was hoping for some pointers so I can look to turn things around before our push for Europe falters (we just missed out last day of previous season) and so we are better set for the tough second round of fixture against the traditional big sides and top end teams to close the season.

[DarJ]

If the tactc is still working as you expect it to so if you are seeing the pattern of play you expect and you are still creating chances then I'll put it down to bad luck and I would change too much.

The only thing for me is that I will take off play through the middle and change the BWM to a DM because the BWM will likely move out a bit to close down the player with the ball and he could leave you exposed sometimes.

[TheMinsterman]

22 hours ago, DarJ said:

If the tactc is still working as you expect it to so if you are seeing the pattern of play you expect and you are still creating chances then I'll put it down to bad luck and I would change too much.

The only thing for me is that I will take off play through the middle and change the BWM to a DM because the BWM will likely move out a bit to close down the player with the ball and he could leave you exposed sometimes.

Thanks for this!

I have found we've conceded quite a lot more shots centrally through intricate passing play or players moving in to receive crosses, Would a DM help to close this channel down a little more with their more static positioning in comparison to the BWM? I had mulled over swapping the DLP and BWM (so DLP (D) in DM and BWM (S) in MCL) but would it be more effective to just swap the BWM to a DM?

I will also try removing the playing through the middle as well.

[DarJ]

35 minutes ago, TheMinsterman said:

had mulled over swapping the DLP and BWM (so DLP (D) in DM and BWM (S) in MCL)

This might be the better option. Try it out and see how it goes 

[TheMinsterman]

So our season ends in somewhat dramatic fashion as a 2-2 draw between Atalanta and Roma secures us a Conference League spot... but as you can see our post-Qatar malaise just really never went away.

After some reasonable uptick in results in February (minus the Verona game) and March we had what can only be described as an absolutely atrocious April, losing all but one game and basically throwing away a Europa League spot. The same ugly problems reared their head time and again, in some games we had an XG of almost 3 but scored 0/1, hitting the post, forcing amazing saves etc. We also seemed to be a "worldie or nothing" sort of team in terms of what we conceded, Lazio scored three scorchers and they were not alone in scoring some amazing long range shots from their left attacking flank.

Eventually I shifted to a midfield three with a DLP (D) behind a BWM (S) and BBM (S) after some initial (but temporary) success with a DM (D) towards the end of the season which just about got us over the line, including an immense final performance v Napoli where they didn't even get a shot on target to our twenty four (10 on target).

So with that in mind, I am looking for some advice on where to go from here. Qualifying for Europe helps us to a degree of course, but I really want to try to push on, I want to make sure we never experience a slump like this again like we did after the WC break as we frankly should have been comfortable EL qualifiers, not last day ECL thieves.

[HUNT3R]

Not saying it's definitely a reason, but keep an eye on your transitions. If teams sit back a bit more (with you doing so well) there may not be space to counter, yet your tactic asks for a counter attack attempt every time. You might find yourself with 3 attackers vs 5/6 defenders.

[Ewan0404]

How was Hickey for you? 

[Brian]

I think you're to harsh on yourself and your team. 

Loses against AC Milan, Inter or Juventus are expected with Bologna. 

Of course it's important to keep looking at your tactic. What do you want to create and how is your team reacting to your instructions. 

What was the opposition's xG in the games you had more than 3.0xG? If there below 1xG and your team is doing what you ask them to do, I wouldn't be worried that much. The tactic is working, but you're lacking scoring power from your IW and IF.  As there the ones that need to score the goals. 

Improve there finishing or buy/develop better goalscoring inside forwards to see the xG actually on the scoringboard. 

 

[TheMinsterman]

12 hours ago, HUNT3R said:

Not saying it's definitely a reason, but keep an eye on your transitions. If teams sit back a bit more (with you doing so well) there may not be space to counter, yet your tactic asks for a counter attack attempt every time. You might find yourself with 3 attackers vs 5/6 defenders.

Would it also help to have a more "conservative" approach for games against bigger sides? Maybe without "Be More Expressive" and "Counter" so we're a little more considered with what we do rather than trying to launch counters and riskier passes which leaves us at risk of being under pressure much more against these bigger sides.

6 hours ago, Ewan0404 said:

How was Hickey for you? 

He was one of the major reasons I picked Bologna, their recent success with young talent and in game focus on younger player development were important motivators. He's the main reason I decided early in to play an attacking LB/LWB, him and Pellegrini (who I managed to pick up for a steal from Juve) rotate really well and he develops nicely. His strength definitely lies in getting  forward, if you focus on that he consistently gets at least a 7 rating.

3 hours ago, Brian said:

I think you're to harsh on yourself and your team. 

Loses against AC Milan, Inter or Juventus are expected with Bologna. 

Of course it's important to keep looking at your tactic. What do you want to create and how is your team reacting to your instructions. 

What was the opposition's xG in the games you had more than 3.0xG? If there below 1xG and your team is doing what you ask them to do, I wouldn't be worried that much. The tactic is working, but you're lacking scoring power from your IW and IF.  As there the ones that need to score the goals. 

Improve there finishing or buy/develop better goalscoring inside forwards to see the xG actually on the scoringboard. 

 

You're probably right here to a degree, arguably we were quite unlucky with how the fixtures were drawn in that we faced all the "big" Italian sides almost back to back. We did beat AC Milan in the first game and Inter were lucky to not get a hammering from us too.

I think the bigger issue was we slipped up in the other games, had we won the Torino, Parma, Verona, SPAL, Udinese and Genoa games we'd have finished top four, if we'd just won half we'd have comfortably qualified for the Europa League.

The opposition xG was at best 1, usually below this. There were games they'd basically get one real opportunity and put it away (football eh?).

That's definitely a good observation, I've made some slight tweaks I'll post tomorrow which have seen the inside forwards really finding their feet (some very impressive performances in friendlies against Inter, Porto and Red Bull, alongside an expected mauling of FeralpiSalo) but yes I've generally tried to rely on my wide-forwards for goals (Orsolini in season one, Orsolini and Gouri in season two). I've sold Barrow for 18.5m to Dortmund because of exactly what you mention here, he was consistently getting into good positions and fluffing it, hopefully Torres stays fit so Gouri can play their the majority of games.

[TheMinsterman]

Fairly busy summer so far, as mentioned previously we sold Barrow for 18.5m (which we've yet to really spend) but have also brought in Pierre Kalulu from Milan to replace the departing De Silvestri for around 10m (including installments), loaned Pobega from Milan for a optional fee of around 4m next summer to replace Soriano who I sold to free up his 56k wage as well as securing Maggiore for 1.5m from Chelsea (who originally stole him from under us in season one for 3.6m!). Eliot Matazo also joins from Monaco for a paltry 450k! We're by no means done, we have plenty to play with, we could sign Yusuf Demi potentially but I have delayed a decision on that to make sure we're not just taking advantage of a decent 12.5m opportunity to snap him up when we could get more for our cash elsewhere without the large wage commitment.

I've tinkered with the tactic as below and the results have been very good in pre-season, we've dominated every game and the Inter match we managed to concede a wonder free kick from Eriksen and a frustrating long range punt which Theate missed a header for. Not his first offence, so something to look at. The aggressive CWBs have really improved the output from my IFs, partly because they're making so many more runs inside as the CWB drags defenders out wide with them to open up space and we're making nice intricate low crosses/passes across the box now instead of ships to the far post which didn't suit my forwards who are hardly aerial beasts.

I've based the tactic on a philosophy I've used before adapted from Rashidi's replicating Bayern on FM21, but this time without using a Treq in a 4231. I'm tempted to use that as a secondary tactic, potentially, but also want to have a more conservative version of this current one here and wouldn't mind some suggestions on how to adapt this for the tougher games where I am sure gaps on my flanks could more readily be exploited.

Perhaps the use of a Carrilero  in centre mid to help protect one of the flanks a little more and removing the counter/be expressive instructions and shifting to balanced?

[TheMinsterman]

Small update!

It seems to have done wonders for us, we've come on leaps and bounds. Two losses, one at home to Milan we were good enough for a draw and then away to Juve after beating them at home. Biggest problem is chairman selling gouri for 32m to Dortmund over my head with less than a week to go, cue rush to find LW IFs. Aniste was already on the radar, managed to get Salciedo in too.

The tactic we used in pre season has turned us into a "Brighton" of sorts. we just create and create and create but struggle to finish (although plenty of games do just bury every chance), hopefully as my players mature their finishing should be more clinical. We do miss Gouri's 15 fin, 15 comp but I am delighted that we get in the right positions, better to be playing well and the tactic working as intended and it's unfinished diamonds not quite being composed enough every time than not getting into them at all.

Found all advice thus far invaluable. A few tweaks to the earlier (focusing attacks down either flank mainly) but similar principles.

Edited January 2, 2022 by TheMinsterman