goku4

What exactly does influence player positioning in pressing the most? Team mentality, individual mentality, player role, or duties?

Actually, I wanted to try that one in the scnd half of the season aswell. I also hope this way the two CMs playing close to the flanks would provide more help for the full backs. I tried a combination of CM(a) and bbm, I had some success against bayern etc. but the moment another 532 side came, I was lost againt...

This, actually is what convinced me finally after like 6 seasons in my current save. I really could not get the 4141 work against these weaker teams. Especially when they play with 3 centre backs, my striker runs like a headless chicken. If I tell him not to do it the centre backs just play to each other. Either a scnd striker or an AMC is, what I hope at least, the solution... Also what would be the best way to tell the AMR/AML to not press the centre backs but rather stay closer to the opposition full backs in the opposition third only?

I have my current FC Köln save, I can share with. Other than that there is a link in another forum to my Norwich side. I am not sure whether I am allowed to share links. Anyway, I need to recycle my norwich save to make some screenshots As I said, it is really not that hard. The hardest thing is the season after you have won something great. WIth the same tactic, I managed a fourth place in the second season but only because I tweaked it. So I never understand people uploading their tactics and then commenting on them like I tried it out in a new save with XYZ and these are the results... Another season with the same side after winning the treble would be more credible and had a lot more meaning to the quality of the tactic than just create a new save and start again with a lower team with low reputation and lots of spaces provided by the opponents

Guys, it is not difficult to achieve extremely good results in the first year with a mediocre team. If your club's reputation is not high, teams will give lots of space for you. Any attacking, high tempo, and overkill tactic can bring you very good results. I have managed to win the league in the first season with Norwich City in two different saves also won the CL in my second season with Norwich. I managed to become runner's up in the first season with FC Köln and then won the Euro League and the Bundesliga in the second season. All with the same tactic. However, problems occured and my tactic stopped working when I achieved my biggest result. This is due to your reputation increasing very fast and teams starting to take you seriously and not giving away spaces anymore. So, if you want to upload a tactic and claim it is a gamebreaker, test the tactic over at least 3 full seasons with the same team. Do not test the tactic for one year with different teams and different leagues. These tests do not show anything.

So you think that the 4123 does not allow that kind of pressing what I have described here?

Based on the description ingame, the roaming playmaker seems to be the more dynamic of the two also he is positioned slightly further up the pitch. However, I still could not see much difference ingame. Let's say I want a playmaker further up the pitch who is constantly drifting wide to help/support the IFs and full backs, offering them a passing option. Who would suit better for this role? A roaming playmaker (with or without move into channels) or an adv. playmaker (support)? Also what about good combinations? When using a mez(a) and a half back in a midfield three, who of the two playmaker roles would provide more balance and more passing options for the half back?

From my experience, if you set up team width narrow, your team will often play more through the middle and will just ignore/avoid the flanks. This is also my issue. I would like my two IFs to stay centrally and make room for the overlapping fullbacks, however I can only get my players using these fullbacks when I set my width to fairly wide...

Some updates: Finished the season fourth, CL semi final, won the DFB pokal. Usually a good result, but I was extremely inconsistent. I had 12 draws and still the best defence but scored rarely. I really noticed that I have extreme problems dominating against teams who park the bus. I had no problems in CL beating Bayern, Liverpool and also lost to City because of away leg where I lost 2-0 and played with 10 men for 80 minutes. I have tried different variations tactically with the 4123 formation but somehow it does not work. I can not play against teams that especially play with 3 central defenders. Will be trying out the 4231, just one question: Is it a must to play a low/mid block with that formation? Am thinking about high d-line plus standard loe. I dont have that dmc to cover the area between d-line and midfield and am scared to play with a very high loe. Would playing low/mid-block cause similar problems against park the bus teams when it comes to pressing? My idea is to use a shadow striker and a very aggressive forward (perhabs pressing or adv forward) to press the opposition centre backs and DMC and a high positioned wingers who cut the passing lanes of full backs. Would standard loe plus shadow striker and pressing forward do the work for me? Or would you recommend to play a higher LOE and rather use two conservative CM roles to close the gap between defence and d-line?

Yeah it really seems like having a two striker formation or one with an AMC helps a lot. I really tried different roles for one of my attacking CMs to let him act like an AMC when closing down opposition but still he stays far deeper and not neary close enough to the opposition DMC dropping deep. Will try out some things if I notice it wont help, maybe I will risk this season and try out another formation.

Currently playing the left tactic (control mentality with an ap and cm as my two CM spots). I am really afraid that the whol system changes when I move the AP to the AMC spot. Is there a difference pressing-wise between an ap(a) and a cm(a)? Is the CM(a) positioned far more upwards when it comes to closing down the opponent? Same applies to a cm(s) with maximum closing down and a bwm(s).

You guys mentioned that a 4123 has its flaws this year. I notice it against any 5atb formations. I get completely outplayed because AI can easily pass around with its 3 atb while only my striker is putting pressure. I tried to give my two IFs the stay narrow instruction and also changed the cm to a bwm but somehow its still not a solution. Even maximizin LOE does not help to prevent them play between their 3 centre backs. Do I need to change my formation to play against these teams?

Yes, I dont care about possession. Its more about how to prevent the cautious/defensive AI having such high possession stats. Or lets say, how to become more stabilized and consistent and not give away points unnecessarily against teams that are way below you. So I followed the instructions, used the control tactic with following changes: increase LOE to maximum and prevent short gk distribution as well as more urgent pressing. Also tried removing pass into spaces and counter from the tactic with attacking mentality and both IFs on support, but somehow, I just dont get it work. I noticed without counter whenever you win the ball high up the pitch your ball carrier does not get any support from players making forward runs. Maybe due to my both IFs being on support. But I like them on support and am afraid that by changing their roles, the whole mechanics could be destroyed. Anyway, gonna try out the scnd version on control mentality, it seems like it works. Bremen played cautious 4231 and I had no problems against them.

Ok got it. I ready through your post and it makes sense. So I will be starting into the new season with what I left previously. If I notice that it wont work because I am current champions and oppositions play even more defensively, I will try to fix by adjusting player roles. When determining player roles I never thought about their positioning in defence. Rather always thought about attacking process and that I have something balanced in attack. But makes sense to give player roles such as attacking cm or bwm if you wish that the two CMs push forward to help the lonely forward to press the opposition CBs and DMCs. I could then maybe give the two players on the flank to stay a bit wider and to tight mark with a support role so that they cut the passing lanes to the full backs.

Well, it may sound strange for you, but got the feeling that I create way more goal chances with this instruction. I hope to increase the chance of chances by trying passes into spaces and even when opposition sits deep and does not giv away spaces there is still the chance of rebounds or overlapping fullbacks finding space. Its more a thing of experience and observations made with and without the instruction.