[Need help to get my MLC to perform well]

Thanks for the help! I changed my CM into a BBM and removed the "work ball into box" instructions and it greatly helped.

[Need help to get my MLC to perform well]

1 hour ago, zabyl said:

“Play out of defence” often brings DM/CM players deeper when keeper has the ball. You are distributing to CBs and FBs and this TI also brings back4 deeper to give a passing option. When you use “play out of defence” your attacking cm also comes deeper from his ideal position when the keeper has the ball. 

I suggest not to select both of those TI at the same time if you want your attacking CM to begin the attack in an advanced position when keeper has the ball.

Also you need to support this player with players around him. 

-LW is a Ws so he is a wide player and can combine with a MEZ but on the right a DLPs is a deeper and a static support option to him. HB also plays deeper then him. RW is an IWs and this role can be combined with him but i think an attack duty can be a better option for him. Also a different and ballmagnet role can be selected to make RW more centrally and more dominant in field to combine with him. I could use RW as a TREQ or AP if he had quality.

Your FW is a PFa and he plays like an AF i think. A more supportive FW role like CF/DLF/F9 can be a better option to combine with him.

I like the idea of focusing one player’s game and bringing more from him.

The logic behind having both "play out defence" and distributing to CBs and FB is to dominate possession and slowly build up attacks from behind. These things works very well in the tactics I use and the main problem is to get the that left sided central midfielder to contribute more efficiently. What I want him to do is to combine better with my DLP and initiate more forward passes in attack while at the same time having some defensive responsibilities. I am reluctant to change the role of my DLPs as he is always performing incredible well and changing the FW role into a DLPa made my striker score much less than as a PFa.

 

I could perhaps try to use RW as TREQ or AP, but would that really work when I already have a playmaker on the right side? Changing the RW into an IWa is something I will definitely try though and thanks for that suggestion

[Need help to get my MLC to perform well]

12 minutes ago, summatsupeer said:

Whilst there is a Winger outside of him so should be space inside, as an attack duty I don't see how his attacking runs will find space when there's a PF-At pushing opponents deep and there is no one occupying opposition defensive midfielders except maybe if the IW-Su cuts inside and goes on a long dribble.

With the natural overlap on the right flank i'd probably go for a support duty, maybe a BBM who can arrive late into the box and be more central than a MEZ.

I can try giving him a BBM role, but what about the left back in that scenario? Should I continue to use him in the IWB(s) role or will that collide with the space the BBM should work into?

[Need help to get my MLC to perform well]

Hi all,

I am currently playing as Nottingham Forest and have done fairly well so far, but for seasons on end now I have struggled to get my left sided central midfielder to perform well. I have been using different players there but none of them rarely gets an average rating higher than around 6.70.

 

This is the first version of my tactic. Result-wise it was the one working the best, but whoever plays cm(a) rarely performs. I thought it might have something to do with the IWB(s) getting in his way but changing him into FB(s) didn`t help.

 

 

This is the second version of my tactic where I tried to change the cm(a) into a mezzala and changing the IWB into a FB(s). I tried the mezzala both on support and attack but again he struggles to perform.

 

 

Does anyone have any ideas of how to balance either of these tactics in order for my left sided central midfielder to start performing better and be more involved in the play?

 

[Help with 4-3-3 for Southampton]

9 hours ago, Experienced Defender said:

Well, this potentially could be a problem. Because if you are doing well in terms of results, changing the tactic only to get more out of a particular player can backfire. So be careful what you wish for 

Haha, yes, indeed! I haven`t been letting in a lot of goals with this tactic and defensively it has worked better than I thought it would. I haven`t scored a lot either though and that`s why I am looking for a way to get Ings to score more regularly.

 

9 hours ago, Experienced Defender said:

 

I managed the Saints, so I know a number of these players pretty well. 

Here are the tweaks I would recommend based on both my tactical approach and knowledge of your players:

Roles & duties:

DLFat

IWsu                               Wsu

DLPsu    CMat

DMde

FBat    CDde   CDde    FBsu

GK/SKde

I marked the midfield trio in red because that's the weakest part of your team defense-wise - because none of the players you are using has exceptional defensive attributes. 

So this is how I would use your starting 11 (from the screenshot):

DR/FBsu - sit narrower

DMde - Lemina

MCL/DLPsu - Tonali

MCR/CMat - Ward-Prowse - take more risks and close down more

AML/IWsu - sit narrower

STC/DLFat - roam from position and close down more 

And this would be my team instructions with which I would start most matches (except those against considerably stronger teams):

Mentality - Balanced

In possession - shorter passing (and sometimes work ball into box)

In transition - distribute to CBs and FBs (and sometimes counter)

Out of possession - higher DL and standard LOE (maybe offside trap, but with caution)

If you would like to hear an explanation regarding either the tactic as a whole or some of its elements, please let me know 

 

First of all, thanks for the input, it is much appreciated

I only have a few questions regarding your proposed changes. Is there a tactical reason for using two CDde (as opposed to one CDde and one BPDde)  or is it mostly based on the attributes of the players in the screenshot? The January transfer window opened since I posted this and I sold Vestergaard and brought in Holding who was transfer listed by Arsenal. So now I have Holding and Stephens which is suited to play as BPDde and Bednarek and Yoshida who is suited to play as CDde.

The changes you proposed to the FBs and midfield trio makes a lot of sense, but is there a big difference defensively between a DMde and a DLPde in the DM slot?

And lastly, I already play with higher DL and standard LOE but with a split block as well through PI. Should I remove the PIs?

 

 

[Help with 4-3-3 for Southampton]

32 minutes ago, SD said:

I think your striker struggles to perform because you gave him an attacking role that looks to push up, but you are using a medium tempo, short passing tactic. By the time your team works the ball up to him he'll usually be up against 2-3 defenders who've already completed transitioning into defensive formation. Personally I would experiment with CF(A) or DLF(A) instead, it won't turn him into a goal machine but at least he'd be offering more to the team.

 

Somewhat unrelated to your question, but one thing I notice about many people's tactics is ample usage of the Be More Expressive TI. From experience, I've had a lot better success using the opposite Be More Disciplined and it makes sense - if you are putting a lot of thought into setting up a well rounded tactic, you want your players to stick as much as possible to it and to the roles you've assigned them. Even looking at IRL football, modern-day successful managers like Pep or Klopp drill their players into rigid tactical systems rather than entrust them with loads of creative freedom.

Thanks! I will try to experiment with changing the role to DLF(A) or CF(A) and see if that works better.

This is the version of the tactic that I use at home against equal or weaker teams. I have another version without the Be More Expressive TI that I use away from home and against tougher opponents. I do of course perform better against weaker teams at home, so I have assumed that the BME setting works well. I might try to experiment a bit with that off as well once I find out how to get my strikers to score more goals in this tactic. I have previously played mostly in the Serie A where I have used formations with two strikers.

[Help with 4-3-3 for Southampton]

Hi,

Can you guys take a look at the formation I`m attempting to use in my Southampton save? I`ve been getting okay results so far, but I am struggling to get Danny Ings to score.