Robson 07

That's great. Not a big side Watford so well done. I think that too 'just keep it constructive'. The other comment is a bit melodramatic and maybe sets the wrong tone. Focus on a 1 or 2 things that aren't going well. Analyse the problem. Ask for ideas and input. I don't think your tactic is perfect or that Watford are this big team that will just roll over West Brom, Everton, PSV and so on. But if you are 3rd in season 3 or 4 then you're doing some things right and just need to think things through from here.

That's barely the same tactic. You have only left the keeper and two central defenders alone. At every other position you've changed role, duty or both. I don't think it is particularly clear why you've done that. Due apologies as it isn't for me to speak on behalf of the opening post but I don't feel as though he was asking for a rewrite.

In this version a lot of AI teams play defensively. You will especially see that against Bayern. A lot of teams playing Defend/Counter mentality and thereby take no risks at the back, just clearing it. So to my point that I think counter-press (whilst probably great against teams playing out from the back) is not so effective against teams taking no risk. They just punt clear and take your counterpressing forwards and midfield out of the game. Additionally those roles may struggle to counterattack effectively. I'm talking about a user generated counter and not the counter mechanism that is occasionally AI triggered. Counterattacks are typically finished by forwards. Your AMR player - which is potentially a great position for a counterattacking player - is dancing around on the right wing . You also have your striker dropping off which is also not ideal for counterattack (IMO anyway). To cap things off you leave no space for a counterattack anyway. You're playing possession ball with a high line and urgent pressing. You have asked your team to play possession football, counter press, play a high line and counter. Not sure its straightforward to achieve all those things together.

It's the game, not you.

How's that going mate?

Don't worry about the horse being blind, just load the wagon. Great summariser in the commentary box old John, and Pat.

Agree with Westy that wingers love width and direct passing. My questions are why a halfback and a mezzala? Not that they can't play together but why have you gone for either? Halfback makes a back 3 when attacking wing backs bomb forward to overload. It doesn't sit right with me with support fullbacks and wingers. And I thought a mezzala was supposed to be a central winger i.e. a midfielder that plays from inside to out. Maybe I get that wrong, not a huge proponent of that role, but if I'm right then a fullback, a winger & a central winger. Seems off.

That's a real shame. I don't think it is toxic particularly. A lot of people like your ideas mate and your influence can only help. Please stay visible.

Hi @sebastiano I'm not sure in the end if you are asking how to beat defensive opposition with possession football or direct football? Lots of similar threads & responses in other threads about possession football. But I can't help noticing you are Cambridge who I believe once were notorious for direct football and you are using a target man. An old style British way of playing is to bombard a target man and pump endless balls/crosses into the box. It is a form of overloading an area and creating chances. You need to arrange wide players to deliver crosses and midfielders to contest knock downs and '2nd' balls. It's a blunt instrument and I speak hypothetically I suppose as it's not how I play but it should wear down opponents in lower league football especially.

Thanks for the 'like' @Novem9 and I appreciate an earlier post where you said - I'd just like to add a bit of encouragement for you to persevere with the approach. I think there is a lot of mileage in what you've called a hybrid system i.e. one shape defensively that morphs into something different when you attack. If you get roles/duties right in such a setup I believe it challenges the AI. I hope your translation enables you to go on much further with the thoughts you were putting down in the opening post.

I think the game is giving you a warning right under your nose with #tactic 2. You are asking your team to do too much. I mean to do a post on some stuff like this but I'm being lazy. Anyway 4 things affect your intensity: Team mentality Tempo Line of engagement Tackling They are it. Nothing else. Have a play with all four on the list and you will see what I mean. As a barometer I aim for something more neutral grey. Your team mentality is a big affect on its own and you have added "stuck in" plus "much higher line of engagement". These are not switches that can all be flicked to 'on' and everything falls into place. It's a common mistake on the boards currently. Added to the above as others have said too many attacking roles. Do you look at individual mentality player bars? Your striker will look something like this and so will the other attack duties. Attack roles on attack mentality are going to be nuts attacking and they probably won't need "more expressive" adding either. @herne79 and @Pompey_Dan both did brilliant FM18 posts on player mentalities. Well worth researching. Your 1st tactic, the 442 wasn't a disaster and had some mileage. The 433 I think has gone backwards. Playing FM on Attack mentality is not what people think it is. You can't just rev everything up. Play on Attack and adjust the other things to get that intensity bar down. Or conversely keep those other TIs and reduce the mentality. Intensity grey. Oh and balance the duties.

At the age of 71, I feel that he genuinely retired. A nicer word than quit. Of course you didn't.

Oh @yonko . Good one. I'm going to say he wasn't so bad, you know.

Why not try a 3-1-4-2. Bring left winger to midfield, and right wing back to midfield. You can still look for an overload with your duties or have one of those wide players cutting inside. 3 centre backs. Different role for the DM.

Hi. There are one or two things that I think may make any kind of football difficult with that tactic. It is very congested in the middle, for example - Asking that team to play narrow will probably leave your two midfielders on top of those inside forwards. Trying to underlap wingbacks in there too is only going to add to the melee. Also keep an eye on playing out of defence when using a ball winning DMC. It may be fine but check he's a good enough player on the ball to be part of building up from the back. Finally you mention opposition instructions. What's happening there?