Promoted with Fulham, top of the league at the November break with Attacking tactic, but now...

[2feet]

After the November World Cup break, my team are now losing every game.

I had a goalkeeper crisis, then some problems with players having high injury risk, then some moral problems with players unhappy at not being played.

Some of these issues still lingering.

Are these issues the problem?

Or is it the tactic?

One issue is that the players who play AML have stronger Right feet than left feet. Does this matter too much?

Some of my players are training really poorly or putting in low ratings in games and I cant seem to improve them despite 'chats'.

Right now I seem to do OK for the first half but the opposite team always score first and then its downhill from there because my players don't handle that well (anxious reactions).

 

Edited May 9, 2022 by 2feet

[HUNT3R]

You've just been promoted, meaning you're one of the worst teams in the league, correct? Where are you predicted to finish?

Those tactics look extremely attacking/aggressive for a newly promoted team.

[CKBrahMa]

For the moral issue :

- Give a praise to all players about their attitude

- Praise everyone who’s doing good on training, warn the ones who are doing poorly

- chat with your strickers, tell them you notice that they’re doing poorly but you have faith in them.

For the results:

You could do better but, hey, you just got promoted ! And it’s not like you’re getting battered 4-0 every game. Going 2-2 against ManUnited IS a great results. Loosing only 1-0 on away game IS okay.

Avoiding relegation should be your goal. Do not aim for European places : you don’t have the players for it.

about the tactics :

- for the positive one, it is a quite okay one, only if you’re a top tier team, which you’re not. You try to get possession of the ball while 1) you don’t have the players to keep the ball from the gegenpresserdogs of the PL 2) you don’t have the technical quality to create CCC 

- for The attacking one : way too agressive. Try to regroup and counter, droping one WB on support and invert your Mezz and AP (even though, I don’t think that X. Simons has the quality to be a good AP in the EPL).

Don’t overestimate your team : as I said, staying in PL should be your goal of the season. According to the screen, you’re in the 7th, which is HUGE for à promoted team. Don’t forget that EPL has (in FM at least) 6 top tier team. Right now, you’re 7th = best of the non-monster team.

[2feet]

The board expect attacking football. Its the DNA of the club.

I have a lot of talented attacking players, its what we do best.

The squad lacks workrate, strength, bravery, tackling etc. so I need to attack to play to my strengths.

If I was to adjust my tactics, to make them a bit more cautious, do you think:

Slot 1 Attacking tactic: reduce attacking mentality to balanced? Can you play direct attacking tactic using positive mentality?

Slot 2 Possession: reduce high line to balanced line? Can you play possession football with a balanced mentality?

[CKBrahMa]

Citation

The board expect attacking football. Its the DNA of the club.

They won’t sack you if you’re not playing like Liverpool.

Furthermore :

- Attacking football means scoring goals, and not scoring a lot of goals (this is spectacular football)

- Attacking Mentality ≠ Attacking playstyle

Citation

I have a lot of talented attacking players, its what we do best

Wrong. You have talented players compared to your team. Is one of your players a regular starters in a top 6 ? If the answer is no, then it’s not talent.

Citation

The squad lacks workrate, strength, bravery, tackling etc. so I need to attack to play to my strengths

You’re kinda saying that your team doesn’t like to counterpress. 
 

It’s hard to help you with your tactic as 1) I don’t know the exact quality of your players 2) It depends on the way you want to play.

If I was you, I would play a classic counter attack style (something like a mid block) trying to catch opponents on the break with speed.

[Johnny Ace]

7th is good for a newly promoted team, right?

For the first few months of the season, you were probably under estimated and now teams are wising up to your attacking ways 

I'm no 4-3-3 DM expert, I don't use it very much but I find, either commit your wingbacks or commit your central midfield, not both

For roles and duties, your second set up looks more coherent, I'd flip the CMs roles for the Mezz(A) is on the side of the W(S) and have one of the Fullbacks on Support I'd be tempted to put the DM on Support too to form a trio in centre midfield with the more conservative fullbacks   

[wearesporting]

Looks like you've enjoyed home games against Leeds and Everton. Games been tougher since. Despite this, managing draws against the Manchester clubs who might have made the mistake of going gung ho against you. You're well able to hit teams who are leaving themselves open.

The annoying thing about being a lesser team in a league, especially the Premier League, is the barren runs. Great results followed by multiple losses. You're team might be marvelous in parts but never consistent enough. Despite this you are well up in the league ahead of expectations. Hopefully this barren run ends too with a win or two. Until the next one.

On a side note, this may be just in my head and not right at all, but I find Mezzala roles tend to opt in and out to strong pressing leaving gaps. Maybe it's just me but a simpler CM role can do a bit more on this side or at least that's what I found.

 

Also sort out whatever Mitrovic is unhappy about. That can't be good for any team with him.

Edited May 9, 2022 by wearesporting

[2feet]

A CM (S) role? With get further forward or roam from position and shoot more often instructions?