[FM22] Struggling with Man Utd

[AvidFMer]

I've played and restarted multiple times because I just can't seem to get the tactics right.

This post won't be so coherent as I'm just sharing my thoughts as and when they come to mind.

I want to achieve the following things in my save:

• use 3 at the back (because of the new wide centre back role)
• play Sancho on the left hand side whilst keeping Bruno in his preferred AMC position
• no use of wingbacks as I wouldn't be able to use Sancho properly 

So this is the main tactic that I'm trying to get working:

 

 

I haven't used the trigger press more TI because I prefer to use split block pressing instead as I read from someone on here I think it was experienced defender saying that with a split press you can have the same pressing urgency but with much more solid defensive stability as players don't get needlessly dragged out of shape.

So I use the "press more" PI on the attacking midfielder, shadow striker, inverted winger and defensive winger as I want them to pin the opposition back in their half. Press more is already hardcoded into the pressing forward so no changes needed here.

I want the 2 DMs to give balance by holding back whilst the others press. But I also wanted to add a bit of an attacking dimension with the Segundo Volante so I added "Get Further Forward" PI there.

I've restarted so many times so I don't have results to share but they've generally been below par. I languish in mid table with a squad that should be capable of challenging even in the 1st season, especially with my go-to signings which are as follows:

• Declan Rice - obvious reasons, usually £90m - £100m
• Yves Bissouma - quality player as well
• Karim Adeyemi  - wonderkid but always loaned back to Salzburg first season
• Sebastian Coates - plays for Sporting CP and has unbelievable technical and mental attributes
• Oliver Skipp  - wonderkid plus homegrown
• Aleksandr Mitrovic - cheap loan from Fulham with mandatory buy clause, suits pressing forward role and is young enough

 

Player sales usually include:

• Eric Bailly - want defenders who can pass out the back
• Wan Bissaka - terrible mentals
• Fred - low concentration attribute a pet peeve of mine plus midfield needs an upgrade anyway

 

Special shoutout goes to Jesse Lingard who always smashes it for me in every FM iteration I've played. He suits the shadow striker role so well and is always my top scorer in every save I've played so far on FM22.

 

So first choice eleven for tactic 1 is usually:

• SKsu - Henderson / De Gea (rotation)
• BPco - Lindelof
• WRCBsu - Varane
• WLCBsu - Coates
• IWat - Sancho / Pogba
• DLPsu - Matic / Rice / Pogba
• VOLsu - Rice / Skipp (rotation) / Bissouma (rotation)
• DWde - Dalot / Bissouma  / McTominay (rotation)
• AMsu - Bruno / Mata / Sancho / Pogba
• SSat - Lingard / Ronaldo (very rarely)
• PFsu - Cavani / Bruno (rotation) / Mitrovic (rotation)

 

The biggest problem comes in when I have to play games away from home.

In this case I usually opt for a different set up:

 

 

First choice eleven here would be:

• SKsu - Henderson / De Gea (rotation)
• BPco - Lindelof
• WRCBsu - Varane
• WLCBsu - Coates
• HBde - Rice / Matic / Lindelof (last ditch rotation)
• IWat - Sancho / Pogba
• CARsu - Bissouma / Rice
• CMat - Bruno / Lingard
• WMsu - Bissouma / Pogba / McTominay (rotation)
• AMsu - Bruno / Mata / Sancho / Pogba
• AFat - Ronaldo / Rashford / Lingard (rotation)

 

Here I try and keep hold of the ball as much as possible as a way of defending, because I know once I lose the ball I'm in trouble.

I use the press more trigger here just to get all players chasing after the ball as soon as its lost, so no split press here.

The focus play down the middle and work ball into box is something I've tried for possession, retention of the ball and slow build up to create quality chances. 

Same goes for the cautious mentality, although I'm not sure if that goes against possession tactic building.

My reasoning for both tactics is based on Cleon's thought of using the roles to dial up or reduce the aggressiveness of the tactic. 

So I've gone for cautious here but with an attacking midfielder (Bruno or Lingard) who will get into the box with regularity, the advanced forward pinning the defensive line back and Sancho /Pogba on the left doing their thing.

Not sure if I should keep the wide midfielders though as I feel like they leave the back 3 exposed away from home.

But this clashes with the logic of using wingbacks here as in a possession tactic I wouldn't want players with dribble more hard coded. 

So not sure how I can make these tactics better.

Also can't get Ronaldo to perform, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

And can anyone explain to me what the use tighter marking TI actually does? Because sometimes I want to make use of it but I'm never sure if I should.

In summary, I've had countless saves already (more than 7 I think) and in each one I'm struggling, especially in the Premier League.

Champions League hasn't been an issue for me strangely enough as I usually qualify top of the group, but I drop points to teams in the prem usually right after the UCL fixtures.

Also losing 2-goal leads against Brentford and Wolves away from home tells me something is wrong somewhere, especially when I've told the team not to get complacent at HT.

Any advice, especially from the experienced tactical maestros would be appreciated.

[prched55]

Both of your tactics are pretty unbalanced both offensively and defensively. 

Offensively, you have no width on your left hand side, which means teams who are sitting back can easily defend you since they aren't being stretched. So basically every team in the PL since Man U's rep is so high. It also explains why you played better in the Champions League since teams would attack you more and give you more space.

Defensively, there is no cover on the wings so teams can easily overload you there and stretching your defense. 

You essentially would need world class players in every position to make this work. 

 

 

[AvidFMer]

20 hours ago, prched55 said:

Both of your tactics are pretty unbalanced both offensively and defensively. 

Offensively, you have no width on your left hand side, which means teams who are sitting back can easily defend you since they aren't being stretched. So basically every team in the PL since Man U's rep is so high. It also explains why you played better in the Champions League since teams would attack you more and give you more space.

Defensively, there is no cover on the wings so teams can easily overload you there and stretching your defense. 

You essentially would need world class players in every position to make this work. 

 

 

 

What would you suggest I do to re-balance both tactics?

[prched55]

@crusadertsar has a good thread using similar formations that you can read here:

I think the two biggest changes would be changing your IW(A) to a WM(A) or WM(S) so you just have some width on that left hand side. I would also make my defense more aggressive by increasing pressing triggers so the other team doesn't have time to attack you. You want to dominate possession with these tactics.

Honestly, these are hard to get working because you need absolutely elite (16+ in all attributes including teamwork, work rate, and all the mentals) players in every position.

 

 

Edited March 17, 2022 by prched55

[AvidFMer]

On 17/03/2022 at 15:27, prched55 said:

@crusadertsar has a good thread using similar formations that you can read here:

I think the two biggest changes would be changing your IW(A) to a WM(A) or WM(S) so you just have some width on that left hand side. I would also make my defense more aggressive by increasing pressing triggers so the other team doesn't have time to attack you. You want to dominate possession with these tactics.

Honestly, these are hard to get working because you need absolutely elite (16+ in all attributes including teamwork, work rate, and all the mentals) players in every position.

 

 

Thanks for your suggestions, I'll check out that thread.. 

And I'll report back once I'm able to tweak to something that works