[Help against the big boys]

Hi all after getting my St Pats team into the champions league group stage i wondered how you would set up against the best teams.

We made it through last season as well but it was a nightmare losing all but 1 of my games.

I know whatever tactic i use will be tough as i havent got the players to compete but is there any advice that would help?

After my 4th defeat i decided to play a defensive/counter att style just a basic 4-5-1 but nothing seems to work.

Getting the money for the champions league is great but seeing 6 goals go flying past my keeper is a bit boring now.

So any advice would be great many thanks

[Playing the big boys]

Afternoon all I just wanted some advice on how you set up to play the big 4 in the prem.

Im in a Newcastle save and really enjoying it and with all the millions they have I have a great squad .

Im my third season and I’m pretty unbeatable against the smaller/average teams but against the likes of Liverpool,Man Utd I come unstuck.

Im playing a 4-3-3 with 2 dms and when playing against the big boys I have tried playing a more counter att style defending deep and hitting on the break 

Ive also tried defending high denying space but get hit over the top and I’m a bit stuck just wondered how everyone does if you keep the same tactics no matter what or prepare differently.

[I think im on the right track but need to score goals]

Hi so taken the advice and still got problems attacking wise 

Defensively sound again only conceding 32 goals in the premiership but drawing 15 games which is frustrating 

I did some testing over 4 games going from balance to a attacking mentality scored more goals 10 over 4 games but defensively very shaky 

So I’m in a bit of a conundrum with my tactic finishing 6th in the premiership is fantastic but the football although defensively sound isn’t the most exciting to watch 

So do I risk being more expansive and risk conceding goals as I can’t find a balance between the 2 

Any help would be much appreciated 

[I think im on the right track but need to score goals]

Many thanks sporadicsmiles thats fantastic advice i have posted a screen shot of chong do you think he is okay as a inside forward and what do you think of my 2 cb?

Smith rowe has been amazing this season with 16 assists and links really well with the winger and your right i dont want to rip everything up as its going well but would like to push on and get into the top 6 

I have been thinking about going from balance to postive at home as thats where alot of draws have come from and i have only lost 3 games away all season so maybe im missing something there.

Lordlup i know crossing early when im playing with a deep lying forward dosent make sense on paper but i have found when we win the ball back my striker seems to be bombing forward straight away maybe due to his pace, when i played mitrovic it dosent work as well as hes alot slower.

[I think im on the right track but need to score goals]

Yep definitely agree with you regarding Stones and Henderson 

I have been over the moon with Pickford though 16 clean sheets this season and it’s quite difficult getting people in due to my reputation 

[I think im on the right track but need to score goals]

Thanks Zabyl no and I guess counter would make sense as Chong and edwards are super quick 

The only problem I have is when I experiment I seem to lose the tight defensive structure I have 

Like I said I’m really happy with the tactic and it may be I need better players to turn the draws in to victories.

I have played fm for a long time but what I think and then try to implement it into fm is a whole different ball game 

[I think im on the right track but need to score goals]

Hi thanks for your replies most of my goals are from through balls and ive posted some screenshots of my strikers and where the goals come from if that helps cheers

[I think im on the right track but need to score goals]

Hi i am just after some advice on my Bristol City save as defensively we are fantastic only conceding 27 goals in 31 games but going forward we are struggling to score and i just wondered how i can create and score more without losing my great defensive record?

 

I have tried my lwb on att and rasing the defensive line but we become to open and ive even tried to up the tempo but it all seems to me ending up losing my good defensive shape.

 

I know we are overachieving and have had some great results but the save is becoming a bit stale as were not improving its always between 8th and 10th and i just feel if we could score more we could reach the top 6 any help would be fantastic many thanks

[Lower League help Needed]

Hi i am now struggling with my lower league save and just wondered if you can help.

I won 3 straight promotions but due to a lack of finance and players not willing to come to my team im stuck with most of the same players that have won my promotions so now there really not good enough for this league and i am trying to find a way i can get the best of what i have.

As you can see the season started well but for reasons i dont understand my form has fallen off a cliff and im really struggling to buy a win.

As you can see things started well but things have imploded.

Ive posted my tactic i did try a 4-1-4-1 but had the same problem and the strange thing is i create lots off chances playing 4-4-2 but concede a lot where the 4-1-4-1 is better defensive wise but i cant score.

Any help would be great

[Playing the big teams]

Many thanks for your reply would you recommend fb on support I did think it would cause problems defensively but apart from playing the big sides it doesn’t seem to bad but I will definitely look at that 

Could you also share your thoughts on my tactic as you said you could see some problems many thanks 

[Playing the big teams]

This is my base tactic when i have face the bigger sides i have moved aml and amr down to ml and mr slots to become more solid but still having problems

[Playing the big teams]

Morning everyone,just need advice on playing the big teams in the premership.

In my journeyman save i have taken a job in the prem and to be honest my team is very good and have some great players and the last 2 seasons we have finished 4th and 3rd which is fantastic but to take my team to the next level i need results against the big teams ie Man City,Liverpool etc but its not just in fm21 ive struggle against the so called big teams.

I write this as i have just played Liverpool and managed to hold on for a draw but got battered they had 23 shots to my 1 so was just wondering if anyone had any advice on how they set there teams up against better opposition as i have tried everything to man but nothing works.

I know 9 times out of ten the better teams will win but i would like to try and overcome this problem all advice would be welcome.

[Another Beliesa tactic]

So after reading so much about Leeds Utd and there style of play and coming to the end of my journeyman save i thought could my one love Bristol City play this way.

So after many nights reading the internet about Beliesa i set about trying to play his way.I honestly didnt think it would be possible with my team as were quite weak in terms of determination,work rate etc,but the results have been incredible and the some of the football is a joy to watch even if sometimes you have to close your eyes when your team is defending.

Here is some screenshots and maybe this is my new way of playing FM21.

[Tactic help]

Sorry won 10 drew 18 

[Tactic help]

I play on positive mentally and to be honest we didn’t do to bad in our first season in the championship we went unbeaten in our final 6 games and finished 10 points clear of relegation.

We drew 18 games but only won 5 in my last 3 seasons I was playing on a lower tempo which was working brilliantly 

I switched to a higher tempo as teams weren’t coming out to attack and it seemed to work ok

To start with I want to play a possession game and it was working great and I’m really happy but I’m unsure what way to go now as our 1st season in the championship was a struggle even though I was happy to survive considering I couldn’t buy anyone.

I normally don’t have attacks all down one side but when I was tinkering with the tactic it was producing some lovely football down the right 

[Tactic help]

The 2 midfield positions are rcm Carrillo and lcm is attack 

[Tactic help]

So after finishing my journey man save I have taken the challenge of FGR and we won back promotions to the championship where my tactic stalled and we just avoided relegation.

I know it’s probably most of my players aren’t good enough at this level but I have no budget to replace the players so I’m just wondering peoples view on my tactic and let me know if there’s any weaknesses.

I know the right flank looks vulnerable but I haven’t changed the tax for 3 seasons now and my thinking was what’s not broken don’t try and fix it.

So my tactic is 

Sw k

rwb att.  Cd defend cd defend lwb Support 
               Dm defend 

iw attack.                             Lw support 

                       Pf att

Team instructions 

higher tempo

standard passing 

higher def line

much higher engagement 

slightly more closing down 

[Defensive Teams]

So this is the tactic and it works really well against teams who come out to play but I need advice on breaking defensive teams down many thanks 

[Defensive Teams]

I know this has been covered many times before but I need some help in breaking teams down.

In my journey man save I have landed a job at one of the big teams.

Im really happy with my tactic and we only had one defeat last season but it was the draws that killed my title challenge and I need some help with how I break teams down.

Against the big boys who come out to play the tactic works really well but I’m finding teams now just play 4 at the back with 2 dms and it’s an absolute nightmare and I think I have tried everything known to man but I’m still struggling to break teams down so I’m looking for some advice many thanks 

[Tactic Dilemma]

Hi everyone just need some advice regarding my tactic

I am very happy with it and as you can see we are getting great results I’ve managed to qualify for champions league and won the europa league.

Now I will know everyone will say what’s wrong but we simply don’t score enough goals and draw far to many and I would love to try and break into the top 6 and I just wondered how I can score more goals with this tactic but still be defensively as good as we are and I just wondered if anyone has any advice thanks

[Can’t get the new patch]

Ok this my version I take it this the latest version 

[Can’t get the new patch]

[Can’t get the new patch]

It maybe that I’m confused but when I load my game it’s saying that my version is 20.3 but I’m pretty sure when I restarted steam it said 20.4

[Can’t get the new patch]

[Can’t get the new patch]

Thanks I may be confused as I thought after the match engine update the latest version was 20.4