Robson 07

Not been following the tactics forum quite as closely as I once used to. Any decent posts or theories in last 3-4 months, say since FM20 but could be end of previous iteration? If so, please link me. (haven't seen anything eye catching in quite a while but have had eye off the ball)

Judging by your opening post, they way you are thinking about the game and looking to research some, I suspect you are in for hours (if not weeks of fun). You're definitely considering some tactical aspects worth exploring but have fun on the way, don't over think it as that's a problem all in itself, one I'm guilty of. On the way to (re)building your knowledge my advice would be not to go too extreme with strategies or concepts. Balanced approach and common sense goes a long way.

Hi. I think you'll need to scout about to answer all those questions. Check the guides stickied to this forum. TIFO do some nice videos and this -> is a great site https://spielverlagerung.com/2014/09/16/the-half-spaces/ and I've linked you straight to an interesting article. Oh and typically follow the posters that articulate their responses well (simply as a rule of thumb) because there is the occasional bit of nonsense in some of the threads. All the best.

I know what you mean but it isn't cheating. My first edition of this game was way back in CM01/02. I remember finding and using someone else's tactic but in the end it just became a template for me. A point of referral on what worked and what didn't. That was back in the days of sliders but since then I create my own tactics. But still I check and post here pretty regular just to borrow ideas and see what others are doing as well as offering the odd bit of advice.

Always found you a classy guy, full respect. The voice of reason. All the best buddy, cya around.

Because all the phases of play are related. If you attack compactly, with less depth and width, and then lose the ball you will be in a more compact shape defensively. Whereas if you attack in a way that opens large spaces and gaps then you are presented with a much looser shape when you transition to defence. The function of space on a football pitch is hugely important and there is no getting away from it. This whole thing has always annoyed me somewhat. Also find strange some people's defensiveness on the subject or willingness to simply dismiss it. Whereas a huge thing is made of roles but really its about attributes i.e. I can tell any midfielder to be a ball winning mid but if he's poor tackling at tackling and bravery then arguably its the "role" that's merely the label.

I don't like too many rules but for analogy it would be like building a house extension using 3 electricians but zero plumbers and plasterers.

@Atarin I like simplicity of it all. A laid bare, common sense tactic without gimmicks. Nice approach.

This is good advice although I think an AF could work in a system where teams sit off you. In that instance though you need to change your approach play to supply him differently. I think Herne though is speaking about a role that drops off rather than plays on last defender. Either way is good, I just didn't want to leave it that an AF isn't serviceable at all, cause he is.

I think you have to understand a bit about FM, get the basic concepts down before you can move on to replicating known real life systems. Essentially the tactic formation in game gives you a defensive shape and you have to visualise how your roles and duties transform into an attacking shape. Picking up some old information and paraphrasing it, attack duties will add more numbers to the striker and final third. Support duties will add more to the midfield and defend duties will add bodies to the defensive third. I then like to add something else to this, just helps me sometimes. I split the midfield part into two pieces, a defensive midfield and attacking midfield. I then factor in Team Mentality. If I use a more aggressive team mentality those support players get drawn more into the attacking midfield part. Whereas if I use a lower - than balanced - mentality those support players become more defensive midfield orientated. It's a simplistic view but there you have it.

I can't work out why you selected focus play down the flanks? Seems at odds with the approach the rest of the tactic takes.

On the face of it with the other roles it would make sense if they swapped. On the roles more generally it looks a bit jazzy - F9, Raumdeuter, Playmakers, Mezzala, Ball Playing defenders. Like an over decorated Xmas tree. My inclination is that you don't have enough plain roles to gel it together.

I'll take a look but want to say thank you, big effort on your part. Kudos.

Hard to read and no idea what it's telling me. Needs narrative.

I think there are 3 ways to create (team) compactness in recent FM's. Duties. E.g. Knowing 'attack' roles above 'defend' roles stretch a team. How the Line of Engagement is used. Stacking your formation similar to something you (O-zil) did with your Wales team. You could do all three together but that may not be necessary. Getting your shape from the above you could consider team fluidity simply in terms of adding or subtracting creative freedom. I guess I'm saying it's a different recipe. In your examples posted above on Friday, no, you may no longer be able to cook in the manner you once did in FM18 and before. I'm just suggesting there might be other means of approaching the game to achieve what you want from it. Appreciate you don't want a Team Shape debate derailing this read. That's understandable. Just finally though, the thread you pick out above was one I made a few comments in but felt I was quickly closed down each time as were some others. Both a hugely disappointing thread and handling of a key FM feature by SI that, and I agree with you, it left questions unanswered about the game's mechanics.