Playing away from home

[wazzaflow10]

I wouldn't say I struggle. Been playing a quick run through with Man Utd to work out the ME. Should finish 2nd in the league.

That said playing away causes my players to somehow forget how to pass the ball to each other, dally on the ball, take really really poor touches (Varane decided to just trap a ball and leave it inside the penalty area in Europa League match once). But I can't quite work out why because I'll play at home with the same tactic or slight variation of it against the same team and dominate. I'm not expecting world beating performances away from home but I go from 2-3 xG to barely being able to get a shot away.

I typically start here. Though I may invert the midfield depending on the opposition. Recently played Bayer Leverkusen in a Europa league tie with this same formation. Struggled to draw 1-1 away from home (It wasn't exactly this tactic but same principles) and my players could not/would not connect a pass. Played at home and smashed them 4-0. I'm happy to take my medicine and sit back and play a low block against more skillful teams and grind out a result. And I recognize that some days teams just don't have it and that's part of the game. I've contemplated pressure of games, end season mentality, player fatigue.  I actually did the most risky thing any FM manager could do. I praised them at halftime in the 4-0 home win v BL04 despite being up on 1-0 to help lift some of the pressure because I'd been hammering the don't get complacent message for a few weeks. 

Just feels like either the away team gets nerfed or the home team gets buffed in this game so far. But that doesn't feel like a satisfactory answer.

 

Typical changes include setting my LB to FBs if I sense danger of a counter or to balance out individual mentality. I might play a low block with a standard line and push the trigger press to much more. The 4-3-3 variant that I play will tyipcally see the DM on Anchor, Erikson on APs on the right and Fernandes as a Mezzala-a on the left. my wingers will be set to IWs and IFs. Generally results in an overload on the left side that Fernandes/Rashford/Sancho can take advantage of and score.

[goku4]

The ME and the game does have its flaws, so no matter, how good your setup is, you will still be disappointed a lot of times... However, here are some things that I have done, to improve my results (also playing with a 4231 in PL with West Ham)

• Maximize "Closing Down" - You have 5 subs and also, despite SI telling us that you can play with other styles successfully than just Gegenpressing, I have to admid that it is still like in former FMs... I have had two separate saves with 9 seasons and all I noticed is, no matter how good your team is, going full pressure is still the best way of defending in this game. Also keep in mind that with the current flaws in the ME, e.g., long balls over the CBs, defenders suddenly stopping to react (or freezing), it is just suicide to allow the opposition so much time on the ball and invite them literally to make long passes.
• "Trap outside" is really good for two reasons - Players never cross by just running down the flanks... It is an existing flaw of the ME... no matter what you tell your players, they will run down the line, will turn and pass it to either a midfielder outside of the box or a full back. So therefore it makes totally sense to say keep it tight in the middle of the pitch and allow space on the flanks as crossing is not threatening anyway. I would also recommend you to use "Allow crosses" as this will also help to keep it tight in the centre of the pitch and do not allow your opposition to cut in, which is far more dangerous than crossing.
• Play counter and counter press in transiition
• Change your Volante to "Support" mentality, as your Anchor and CBs need one more passing option
• Change your left IW to Attack duty - Will allow you to press earlier in the opposition third and they will make more counter attacking runs. Somehow, "Positive" mentality plus support role for Wingers just doesn't work... they do not make forward runs as consistently as you would imagine... If you still want them to participate in the build up play more often, then use overlap/underlap options, which will increase the mentality of the full back and decrease that of your winger.
• Change your striker to a support role, as otherwise he will be isolated, despite having an AMC, I made the experience that it is not enough to ensure that the striker is not isolated. try out complete forward, it works wonders in my save.
• Change your CWB on the right to wing back, as I think having an IF(a) plus a cwb is really too attacking minded on that flank

 

[wazzaflow10]

Appreciate the reply. 

Yes I recognize some are flaws in the match engine and trying to work around them is challenging. The crossing is annoying but I can kind of live with it. It galls me when I see my players just stand around waiting to be closed down with 3 or 4 options and then lose possession. 

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Change your Volante to "Support" mentality, as your Anchor and CBs need one more passing option

I set Erikson on attack for Volante because he has a PPM  that says comes deep to get ball so he sits quite deeper than a normal VOL-a would. When I play Rice I set him to VOL-s. 

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• Change your left IW to Attack duty - Will allow you to press earlier in the opposition third and they will make more counter attacking runs. Somehow, "Positive" mentality plus support role for Wingers just doesn't work... they do not make forward runs as consistently as you would imagine... If you still want them to participate in the build up play more often, then use overlap/underlap options, which will increase the mentality of the full back and decrease that of your winger.

• Change your CWB on the right to wing back, as I think having an IF(a) plus a cwb is really too attacking minded on that flank

I don't have explicit instructions set here but the idea is to build down the left before switching flanks to an open Sancho or Porro. Porro is often in acres of space and is effectively a winger. McTominany or Casemiro provides balance to that side with the Anchor duty in the event I get caught too far forward while in possession on the left. 

I don't necessarily want Rashford to make runs forward as much as I want him supporting possession and creating an overload down the left flank/left central. He is much more effective when there is space to run behind after dragging players away than having him occupy the space during the build up phase. Ideally a ball is played through to Rashford or Fernandes from Erikson or Shaw and Martial and Sancho are darting into the box for cutbacks/crosses. But perhaps I'm misinterpreting roles here. 

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• Change your striker to a support role, as otherwise he will be isolated, despite having an AMC, I made the experience that it is not enough to ensure that the striker is not isolated. try out complete forward, it works wonders in my save.

I don't know if I've seen the same thing but it's worth a try. I did start the season playing Martial on CF but wanted to build the tactic around my midfield three as they are significantly better to give free reign to than Ronaldo or Martial. I don't know if Ronaldo or Martial have the attributes to be effective support forwards though (Ronaldo too selfish, Martial lacks the passing and vision and strength to really hold the ball up effectively). Rashford is much better suited for it imo or if I get my way in the transfer market I'm going to try and bring Tammy Abraham in. 

Thanks again. I'll give your suggestions a go and see what changes that brings for the squad.