phnompenhandy

I don't think it makes any difference. I've got players with allegedly zero familiarity in complete forward and inverted winger positions because their attributes fit. I don't see any decrease in form.

Libero would be the first that comes to mind. Also Complete forward. I'm using one despite the one red slice in the preferred role tray.

Don't use roles with less urgent pressing hard-coded.

I find that if you increase the TIs' it's best to DECREASE the mentality, otherwise you double up on instructions and find yourself too extreme. Same with roles. I've gone to 4 attacking roles so decreased my mentality. I went to counter-pressing, so decreased pressing intensity. I'm also on counter-attack, so I decreased tempo and passing length - a counter will result in quick tempo and long balls/throughballs so when not counter attacking mode, short passes help retain possession. In a counter-attack the mentality shoots up for your strikers and midfielders, so I don't want my overall menta

UPDATE: Egad! I think I've cracked it! My non-scoring strikers are suddenly scoring for fun and we're top scorers in the division, up into the play-off positions. And the magic formula? Inverted Wingers. Having risen from the lower leagues, I've never previously used fancy-dan foreign positions, but I figured now in The Championship my players might have the attributes to give 'em a go. So I inverted my wingbacks, putting both on attack duties (compensating for 4 attack duties by using cautious/balanced mentalities). The effect in a 5-3-2 is this: with 3 central midfielders, 2 strike

Tactical Knowledge, I think

The same really, and I'm not top tier. I've done it from lower league upwards. Lower league clubs have too many cup competitions meaning most weeks are 2 games a week. Without decent training, especially if part-time, and with lower stamina attributes especially among youth players, I find most can't handle two games a week. I have a very structured set-up. First team squad of 21. That's one keeper and 2 players for each position. Ideally, I choose which one according to opposition, but with 2 matches a week it's simply a case of the one with best condition, i.e. hasn't played in a week.

I'll just update you on my ongoing efforts to squeeze the most out of my 5-3-2. As I said, for 11 seasons I was cruising against hapless lower league opposition, not really noticing the flaws in my tactics until I got promoted to the Championship where I hit a brick wall. A lot of my rivals are ex-Premier League sides with vastly superior squads, so I suddenly need to pay attention to every tiny detail to survive this league. I quickly realised my gung-ho intensive strategy had been found out and I went back to the drawing board. The last few days have been an education. I've read hundreds of

I've always been a lower league manager who sticks with the club all along, and with a youth academy strategy. That way I never get bored because I really bond with my young lads and nurture them over the years. It's constantly heartbreaking to see your chairman sell the players you've carefully mentored over the years, but the profit is invested in improving facilities and so it goes on. Until now in 20 years I don't think I've ever got past League Two (usually starting at level 20 or so using Dan's very lower league files), but currently due to lockdown I've gone from level 13 to The Champio

Does seem daft, but then in real life Bruno Fernandes possibly fits that description. I had a situation a couple of weeks back when my captain and star player was looking exhausted, so I informed him I'd rest him for a midweek fixture against a minor cup opponent. He wasn't having it, so I relented and played him. He got injured, with my staff informing me it was due to overplaying, and he was out for three weeks. Jeez!

Is that you Jose, talking about Pogba? It happens!

Well that would be the unofficial popular IGE we can't mention

There is a hidden factor known as "perceived squad status". It's what the player believes is his true status. If there is too big a gap between the status you grant him and what he thinks is fair, he'll give you problems - based on his personality. I had a comical case where for 3 straight years every month this reserve player would politely ask to speak to me re his playing time and every time I volunteered to speak to him, he retorted with a "No no, the fact you took time out to make yourself available is good enough for me". After 3 years he started getting more insistent and I had to relea

I'm using a 5-3-2. When I started with my lower league team, given the players at my disposal that seemed the best formation and I've stuck with it. However, I've had to radically alter my instructions. I was lulled into a false sense of security in beating lower league sides with poor tactics but got caught out higher up. I'm currently in the midst of my third major overhaul. I see some of my early errors in your set-up. In brief, I was trying to be too urgent. I wanted a pass 'n' move vibe to my play - possession-based but adventurous, but I had too many instructions like urgent pressin

I do actually sign players on the basis of how silly their names sound. My last signing was a defender named "Wellard".