[Defending as a 4-4-2 but attacking as a 3-5-2?]

Hey all! I'm wondering if these tactics could work as both direct and short-pass tactics and if so, what team instructions could be the best for each one?
 

Thanks!

 

                                        

[From U19 to Senior team training]

Hi! From what age should the u19s start training with the senior folks? I've read that as soon as they sign a pro contract. Is it true? If so, should I promote them to the senior team despite not having the stars for that yet?

[4-4-1-1 Assymmetric stopped working with Winter Update]

37 minutes ago, Justified said:

At first glance I'd say PIS + WBIB + Counter + Overlaps doesn't really make sense to me. WBIB + Overlaps feels more like a patient possession instruction but PIS and Counter are more fast and direct. Judging by roles and duties I'd say you're looking to be quite fast in transition so I'd potentially lose WBIB + Overlaps and see how that goes. WB's will overlap naturally anyways. I'd keep an eye on PIS and Counter because these I use situationally if there is space to actually attack. Otherwise you just run into a brick wall if the opposition is parking the bus.

Consider maybe a FBsu at right back as well. The Wat keeps the width anyways plus your centre mids could be caught out at times.

Okay @Justified, I'm going to try those changes! Just another thing: how do you know when there's space to attack or not? Or even when to play narrow or wider, depending on the opponent.

[4-4-1-1 Assymmetric stopped working with Winter Update]

Hello everyone! I'm managing in the South African Premier League with Chippa Utd I and created a tactic that suited the best player's positions: an asymmetric 4-4-1-1.

The tactic may vary depending on the opposition's tactic. Sometimes I play more narrow and on other occasions, I use my CMs as DMs (BWM(s) - DLP(s) or VOL(s) - DLP(s)) or even use the RM as an IW(a) too.

I was exceeding every expectation with this tactic: 5 consecutive clean sheets, almost 15 games undefeated when the media predicted us to finish in 16th out of 16.

Quote

And then, winter came...

After the Winter Update, nothing makes sense anymore... 8 winless matches: 7 defeats, and 1 draw... Almost like the team lost the will to live. Dynamics are abysmally low and I really don't know what to do... I tried some variations but nothing seems to work...

Some notes:
- low crosses because overall our team is short and does not have decent heading attributes.

What can I do to try and fix this save?

[Which of these leagues if added to the next version of FM, would make you more likely to make a purchase?]

If you add the Japanese J-League I will go nuts! 

[Finding ways to counter the 5-2-2-1 tactic EDIT: Possible counter added]

After some matches against 5-2-2-1 / 5-2-1-2, I finally have a nice countertactic, based on my 4-4-1-1.

Using a 4-4-1-1 asymmetric with the LM as a LAM (IW (S)) and the CM's as DM's (BWM (S) - DLP (S) OR VOL(S) - DLP(S)), with narrow width and overlapping both sides seems to do the trick and it really balances the match. 

[Finding ways to counter the 5-2-2-1 tactic EDIT: Possible counter added]

Hello fellow tacticians!
I've come to you today with a simple question (hopefully). You see, I'm having some issues when facing the 5-2-2-1 tactic and it seems the AI knows it because it's already the 3rd or 4th time a team uses it against me...
I'm using a 4-4-1-1 but sometimes I do an asymmetry by changing the ML to AML (Inverted Winger position) or my CM's to DM's (BWM - AP or VOL - DLP), depending on match situations/opponents. I'm almost half way through the season and near the top places in the League.
What I see is that my STC (AF) and my AMC (AM) always have low ratings too.
How can I balance the match when facing it? Should I try to use a Wide Attacking Width but Focus Play Through The Middle to force them to open space?

[Question related to Pros and Cons of a player]

Hello everyone!

Can a player "learn" to like big matches or becoming more consistent?
In other words: can a player change some Cons to Pros and vice-versa?

I'm asking because in my signings I'm very careful when choosing a certain player depending on those traits and I was checking one that I bought 2 seasons ago and now he as "Doesn't like big matches" as a Con xD
Could have swear that he didn't had that trait before... Or maybe I'm just getting crazy!

Is it possible?

[How to push stronger opponents back]

First of all I've been watching some of @Rashidi's videos on his Youtube channel and I can only express admiration for how he "read" the field and the opponent. 

I've started a save with my favourite club, Sporting CP (commonly called Sporting Lisbon) and decided to try to use some of the knowledge I adquired from the videos.
First of all I checked my Pros and Cons, the players I have and came out with this tactic:

Then I schedule an "heavy" pre-season with really good/strong opponents to test my approach:

Between games i changed the Out Of Possession, In Transition or In Possession accordingly to how the opponent behaved on the pitch (always in 2D) and this were the results:

I think I got great results but I only have two questions (number 2 is the most important one):

1. What do you think about the tactic roles in general?
2. When the opponent team is stronger than me and they push me back, I simply pushed both my own engagement and defensive line up and started to use Pass Into Space. You think it's a good approach when I play better teams? It worked well with Man Utd but not so good with Dortmund for example.

Best regards and good games,

Arel

[Solid tactic suddenly went fragile]

On 31/03/2020 at 15:55, Experienced Defender said:

When you create the tactic, first come here and post the screenshot for analysis. I'll take a look and tell you if there is anything problematic.

P.S: Keep it simple and look to avoid any tactical overkill.

Hello @Experienced Defender i'm back! (Working remotely from home ahahah)

Soooo... I evaluated the team again and this is the deal:

• We have a lot of good wingers;
• We only have 2 players that can play well as IF's;
• Our CD's have good pass but are slow (except for one):
• We have good pass and crossing overall;
• Our GK's lack kicking and throwing but have good pass stats.

I decided if I can't try a tactic like this one so that I can cross a bit more. My IF's can play in the AMC position (one of them as SS). Also I've decided to keep the defensive line normal because in some matches my CD's were really outpaced...

But now probably I don't need to work the ball into box don't you think?

What do you think overall?

PS: Do you want me to start a new thread on this one, since I'm changing the tactic?

Best regards and good games!

Arel

[Solid tactic suddenly went fragile]

1 hour ago, Experienced Defender said:

When you create the tactic, first come here and post the screenshot for analysis. I'll take a look and tell you if there is anything problematic.

P.S: Keep it simple and look to avoid any tactical overkill.

Okay I'll give it  try by myself. Only one last question before coming back with feedback: taking into account those instructions you wrote, I can still use wingers and only one AF, right?

[Solid tactic suddenly went fragile]

48 minutes ago, Experienced Defender said:

I was asking about the style of play

You're right, sorry to not understanding at the beginning. Since I have on my PROS good passing and agility, maybe I'll go with progressive possession or methodical attack so that I can hold the ball and at the same time use the advantages of my wingers.

[Solid tactic suddenly went fragile]

@Experienced Defender
So I did a better analysis and is as it follows:

I decided that I want to play with positive mentality and with 4-2-3-1 Wide.

My 4 CD's are all good BPD's (all have good passing) but only one of them has good pacing so I need to play (probably) with a normal defensive line because they won't catch the opposite attackers in speed.
I have good wingers or players that can play as inverted wingers with some good crossing skills so i'll try to play with wingers but using my FB's to support them and overlap them (they also can cross quite well).
In the middle I have the biggest issue: don't know if I should use a MC combo of one in Def duty and one Sup duty with an AM in Sup duty.

About GK's, all are good SK's but with bad kicking or throwing so I'll instruct them to take short kicks and distribute it to the BPD's.

What do you think? Need more instructions or change something?

Best regards and good games!

Arel

[Solid tactic suddenly went fragile]

9 minutes ago, Experienced Defender said:

My first impression is - a pretty strange tactic. Simply because it's hard to figure out what exactly you've been trying to achieve in terms of playing style (a problem with many tactics that people post here on the forum).

And a number of contradictions. For example, you want the players to "work ball into box", but at the same time are using even 3 crossing-heavy roles on the flanks (out of the possible 4), and on top of that are also asking the team to "be more disciplined). Plus the wide attacking width, which only adds more to this contradiction. 

Then you have tactical overkill in the sense of slowing down the attacking play excessively. I am referring to the combination of instructions such as short passing + lower tempo + play out of defence + work ball into box, which is then compounded by using 2 playmakers literally one behind the other (DLP in central midfield and AP on support duty in AMC). 

Tell me what style of football you want to play, and I'll tell you how you can improve the tactic and make it more sensible. 

I want to use a positive style that suites my pros and cons from the Assistant Report fitting on that tactic. A team that could cross (it's a "pros") but i'm afraid of the bad positioning of the entire squad.

[Solid tactic suddenly went fragile]

Hello everyone,

After analyzing my Assistant Report I created a tactic that could reach my goals for a solid tactic.

Assistant Report:

PROS:

• Aerial Reach
• One on Ones
• Crossing
• Anticipation
• Corners
• Teamwork
• Eccentricity
• Determination
• Dribbling
• Off the Ball
• Communication
• First Touch
• Technique
• Work Rate
• Rushing Out (Tendency)
• Pace
• Bravery
• Agility

CONS:

• Heading
• Penalties
• Handling
• Kicking
• Throwing
• Positioning
• Punching (Tendency)
• Free Kick Taking
• Strength
• Jumping Reach

Taking this aspects I developed this tactic with those instructions (best players in the starting XI and with out player instructions. "Personalizado" means "Custom"):

In the beginning everything started well (I've won the Supercup against fierce rivals SL Benfica and won 3-0 away at FC Porto on the first matchday).

But all of a sudden, starting in January, the team started to sink and I don't know what happen... Same team, same players, the one on rotation played well too but now everyone dropped...

SCHEDULE:

Could you guys help me??

 

PS: Some stats

 

Best regards and good games!

Arel

 

[Tactic help: 3-4-3]

10 hours ago, Rashidi said:

(...) the DW role is the one nearly everyone gets wrong. The game seems to suggest midfielders which is natural considering these are midfielder slots, but I find its a lot better to use fullbacks here. So a good idea would be to retrain them for the position. (...)

Indeed @Rashidi, I've made that mistake. I have no problem rertraining them for that position but what I saw from the pre-season is that my IF's really don't get to well play as PF's so I think I'll drop this tactic for now. Possibly going to try 4-1-4-1 DM Wide with IF's.

 

Thank you for all your answers and great Youtube channel @Rashidi

[Tactic help: 3-4-3]

Okay thanks for the feedback @Rashidi and @Experienced Defender. I'll give it a try with my team and give you some feedback after the pre-season and some offical matches.

[Tactic help: 3-4-3]

Okay, thank you once again

[Tactic help: 3-4-3]

Thank you @Experienced Defender. I'm open to other styles if they work well with the 3-4-3. Gengenpress was just a first thought.

Any ideias?

[Tactic help: 3-4-3]

Hello Community,

For some time I've watched some other users in FM as well as some managers in Real Life using 3 defenders formations but I must admit I've never had the courage to use it (always loyal to 4-4-2 Classic or 4-1-4-1 DM Wide).

But the time has come and now I have set a challenge to myself: to exploit the wonders of the 3-4-3. 

Below I'll show you the formation I've picked:

I have setted up a classic 3-4-3 with Gengenpress. I have good CD's and good midfielders to fill those positions. My main doubt is about the DLF's. I've some talented players that are good IF's and I wanted to use them on those DLF's roles.

So what I wanted to ask in the forum is: I really wanted to play with the 3-4-3 formation but you think that I can use a Gengenpress style together?

And about my ideia for the DLF's (using my IF's in those positions), do you think it's affordable?

 

Thank you all in advance and I hope to post more screens after your feedback