Exasperated!

[Shout Mercy]

Nope, not the clever name of an all conquering tactic but instead an accurate description of my losing battle with tactics in FM22.

Good evening.

For a good few FM's now (going back to FM17/18 at least) I have favoured downloading "plug & play" tactics from some of the many successful tactic creators going around. That includes the fellow's on SI and other FM related websites (whom shall remain nameless but we all know who they are). If it weren't for guys like Knap, TTF and some fella who created a weird Arrigo Sacchi 4-2-2-2 some years back I'd have won bugger all on FM over the years.

This year however was going to be different, I was going to do the impossible and put together a tactic by myself that actually worked and I was somewhat successful. My tactic was a straight forward 4 - 3 - 3 (with a DM instead of an AM). I then changed the player roles to suit my ideal first 11. This meant keeping the AMR as an out and out winger and making the AML an inside forward. The two CM's were set to Support & Attack and the DM was set to DM (Support). A few tweaks of the instructions after the first few games of the season and I had it, a working tactic. I was beating the teams I expected to beat, gave my equals a good game and occasionally gave one or two of the bigger boys a scare, particularly at home. Then came grim news, I had to return to the office full time...bugger.

FM22 was put aside for a week or so but finally it was time to get back at it. I let the game update (yup :|) and tried to continue on from where I left off but sadly the "Major Update" had a quite catastrophic impact on my simple 4-3-3. Teams that I should have and had been putting the sword were now giving me a pasting both home and away. Damned SI game says I! I went around the forums looking (but not asking) for solutions and really did try everything that had been suggested to other players with similar problems but to no success. It was after a few days (actual days, not game days) that I gave up and started scouring the forums for "plug & play" tactics. I downloaded a good few that looked good on the new ME and that weren't too much of a deviation from what I had put together myself. One by one however, they were deleted and I was back to square one. I have tried around 20/25 tactic so far and nothing and I mean NOTHING is working, This post comes after a 4 - 1 drubbing at home from a team fighting relegation.

Is it just me struggling this year or are the fates working against me?

[crusadertsar]

Let's see your tactic and then we can give you some advice. Usually good sensible tactics are not affected that much by ME updates. Can't say the same about plug and win tactics as they rely too much on exploiting the match engine. I have been using more a less same set of instructions with my 4-3-3 since FM20 and doing well. Of course you need the team and players to fit tactic.

Edited January 5, 2022 by crusadertsar

[DarJ]

You could upload the save too for people to look at

[Shout Mercy]

Thanks for the responses and apologies for my late response.

I had another go at trying to get my favourited 4-3-3 (or 4-1-2-3) to work and I think I cracked it...sort of.

I won the domestic treble and the Europa Conference in my first season (Celtic btw). I went through the domestic season unbeaten but I did draw 9 of the league games. Tactic was a bit of a slow burner, especially in the attacking sense. I tried like a bear to make Furuhasi my main man through the middle but it was only when I changed the striker role to Target Man (Support) that it started to bare fruit. Giougamakis(sp) ended up with 22 goals from 29 starts in the league. Only a couple of games into the new season I still feel I can get a bit more out of my attacking trio though so suggestions welcome. Defensively I'm happy enough, only conceding 11 goals in the league...not bad at all.

Should also mention that I have not changed any of the player instructions, they are all as per the player role.

Images are of Tactic (with starting 11 when all available) and Final League Position from previous season.

[glengarry224]

Great results!  Like your tactic. 

From the little I see, your issue is that you had 9 draws?  From your goals for and against, I'm guessing those were mostly 0-0, a few were 1-1.  Once teams learn how you play and if you are superior, they will play a cautious or defensive low block.  Very hard to break down, especially with a low tempo, short passing tactic.  If I was playing you, I'd defend narrowly because you don't seem to have much crossing threat.  A few different tactical changes which might work (not all at the same time):

• drop the LOE to draw your opponent out of their low block, then counter.  You might need to up tempo, take off WBIB and play more directly
• play wider and try to cross to your TF (may need to put him on attack).  Maybe focus plays down one or both flanks.  Maybe get a fullback further forwards, like a WB(s), WB(a) or FB(a), to rain in crosses (if your opponent is playing safe, you can do this with little added risk)
• if your wingers and/or CM(a) have good drib, flair, tech, acc, then you can try to have them attack on-the-ball so could add 'dribble more', maybe a bit higher tempo, maybe remove 'WBIB'.  Also, playing wider might help your wingers to get the ball in more space.

[Shout Mercy]

I'll take your suggestions into account, thank you. You are also correct about the draws, 0 - 0 and 1 - 1 (all of which I should have won I might add).

I have changed the tactic slightly. I have changed both IW to RMD's and my lone striker is now a poacher. Only played 2 games like this thus far and won both 3 - 0. Plenty of chances being created and still solid defensively. I should expect as much given that I am Celtic but still, i'll take it.

Edited January 11, 2022 by Shout Mercy

[FelixCAN]

vor 18 Minuten schrieb glengarry224:

Great results!  Like your tactic. 

From the little I see, your issue is that you had 9 draws?  From your goals for and against, I'm guessing those were mostly 0-0, a few were 1-1.  Once teams learn how you play and if you are superior, they will play a cautious or defensive low block.  Very hard to break down, especially with a low tempo, short passing tactic.  If I was playing you, I'd defend narrowly because you don't seem to have much crossing threat.  A few different tactical changes which might work (not all at the same time):

• drop the LOE to draw your opponent out of their low block, then counter.  You might need to up tempo, take off WBIB and play more directly

In which FM has that actually worked that people still propose it? You just let the teams collect more and more passes. They won't just come out and be like "oh they don't want to press us, let's just attack them". Especially with Celtic.

[Jack722]

On 11/01/2022 at 20:22, FelixCAN said:

In which FM has that actually worked that people still propose it? You just let the teams collect more and more passes. They won't just come out and be like "oh they don't want to press us, let's just attack them". Especially with Celtic.

Never tried it myself, but it always seems like a bad decision to me. Easiest way to make space is to just play wider and stretch the pitch more 

[glengarry224]

On 11/01/2022 at 12:22, FelixCAN said:

In which FM has that actually worked that people still propose it? You just let the teams collect more and more passes. They won't just come out and be like "oh they don't want to press us, let's just attack them". Especially with Celtic.

I've used it in FM21 and FM22.  Generally, I drop at least to standard DL and lower LOE though that can leave my players pretty far from the final third.  I'm not just looking for my opponent's DL to get high but also to just spread out a compact defense to give my guys some space between his midfielders and DL, for example. 

Of course, it depends upon relative player abilities.  A slow striker is not going to beat quicker CBs over the top or to through balls.  And sometimes my opponent's players might be too disciplined.

Sure, if an opponent is just sitting back in a shell and blasting the ball upfield, then just get fullbacks wide and way further forwards and rain in crosses and get tons of corners.