[The Art of Possession Football]

This is a brilliant guide Cleon, thank you.

I recently started as Liverpool with the aim to create an attacking, quick tactic. With the team in 12th, the board wanted 11 points from our 5 games, I got 9. Sacked.

Took over a very poor Charlton team about a third way into second season, they were sat in the relegation zone. I managed to save the season by digging in and using a counter attack system to nick some wins and finished 17th in the end. So onto my second season and I started by selling my best player for 14.25m and revamped the team for a more technical hard working team. I now wanted to create a tactic that was solid at the back and dominated possession.

This was the final tactic (Control, Flexible - Retain possession, Clown down more and Lower tempo)

Final table for the season (Least games lost and least conceded)

Final possession stats, just hit 60% after the last league game.

My first 3 games I noticed we conceded all of our goals from crosses (My fullbacks were originally FBs and FBa). So I changed them both to FBd with the hope of curbing the crosses. What I then noticed was that in attacks the full backs were deep enough to be an option to help the team recycle possession so I kept them like this. When the attack broke down or their were no options inside, the team had an easy pass to my anchorman or deep full backs and we could start again.

Key to the tactic though was the late runs from the 2 midfield men, the CMa was nearly always and option in the box and the BBM wasn't too far behind him which created loads of chances. I now understand why you stress the need for late runners into the box!

So thanks again Cleon, probably the first time I've had genuine success using my own tactcs. Now onto the enviable task of staying up in the Premiership.

[Mr Hough 10.3 Tactics]

Mr Hough, love your tactics. Really made me enjoy FM 2010 so thanks a lot!

Just playing with Havant and Waterlooville atm, managed to get to league 2 in 2 seasons using your Classic Tactic which proved very reliable with not so great players. I decided to switch to the new version and I am sitting in the play-offs after 12 or so games which is decent but the team is inconsistent, and playing poorly in away matches so may switch back. Decisions....

But overall cheers for the tactics, they have brung me success with so many teams this year, highlight being winning everything with Chesterfield. Good times