[FM14] AS Monaco FC - Failing hard, advice please!

[khutchins1234]

Hi there,

I am having serious problems with my Monaco save. I've played 9 games thus far; 1W, 4D and 4L. Can't seem to keep possession at all, concede in almost every game... failing miserable. Please help!

My main problems are;

• I've watched a few games and it is evident that my playmakers are getting isolated. The attacking mids as well as forwards don't provide any options, they just sit behind their marking watching their teammate getting tackled.
  
• My players never challenge the ball from a goal kick.
  
• My forwards never challenge the ball from a corner clearance.
  
• Forwards never make runs.
  
• Falcao (before he got injured) has had numerous 1on1s but can't score for love nor (a ridiculous amount of) money. However, internationally he is banging them in.
  
• Always concede despite defenders having great games (ratings of ~8 regularly).
  
• I've tried to tweak the setup slightly so that they try and play more centrally as my current forwards can't header the ball well at all. Despite this, my wingers don't ever run inside, they just cross into a maul of defenders.
  

Have a few screenshots on photobucket. Kept on getting an error when I tried to upload them directly to this thread.

Happy to upload my save but don't know how.

Middle tactic 5-1-4: http://s122.photobucket.com/user/Simaster_Kurt/media/ASMonacoFootballClubSA_TacticsOverview-3.png.html

Defensive tactic 4-5-1: http://s122.photobucket.com/user/Simaster_Kurt/media/ASMonacoFootballClubSA_TacticsOverview-2.png.html

Offensive tactic 4-2-4: http://s122.photobucket.com/user/Simaster_Kurt/media/ASMonacoFootballClubSA_TacticsOverview.png.html

Fixture history: http://s122.photobucket.com/user/Simaster_Kurt/media/ASMonacoFootballClubSA_FixturesSchedule.png.html

Assistant Report: http://s122.photobucket.com/user/Simaster_Kurt/media/ASMonacoFootballClubSA_TacticsOverview-4.png.html

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers,

Kurt

[kazm]

- Missing chances is normal in this patch, it is possible though to score and win consistently

-defenders having high scores while conceding is also due to the patch

-forwards not making runs maybe because there is no room to run into, maybe switching them to support will help.

514tactic: it must be very easy to shut down your MC, he really is on an island, playing with a sweeper or dmc might connect him to the rest of the team.

451tactic: it wouldn't surprise me if you striker never or rarely gets the ball, he has barely any support, if you use ML/MR instead of AML/AMR I would at least use (1 or 2) MCs instead of DMCs. If you make one of them defend and the other one bbm you still have decent defensive ability. Also I would make one of the wingers attack, unless using a defensive winger.

424: If you want to play like this, at least use direct or long passing. There's such a huge gap between defense and midfield. Also if you want to use this i would change the DMC to DLP-d so he won't close down a lot but stay in place more defensively, and passing to the offensive players. I would also have all the AMs and the strikers close down more to put pressure on the enemy defenders/keeper and dmcs. It seems pretty unbalanced though all in all.

Can't you just take a less risky more obvious 41221, 4411, 4231 or something?

[Ollep7]

I fail with Monaco also!!! Got sacked... help!

[kazm]

Seems like they have a decent team for a 41221 with Rodrigues on left wing or a 4231 with rodrigues AMC. Gaitan left winger, Ocampos right winger. One of them attacking the other supporting, behind them wb/fbs the one behind the attacking winger on attack, the one behind the supporting winger on support. The 2 MC's should be holding mc's that don't leave their position a lot so imo not a bwm, bbm, MC-a. For example Moutinho DLP-s, Kondogbia MC-d. You could probably make Rodrigues TQ, but also AP-a or enganche. Play controll-balanced and away standard-balanced unless the opponents suck/you are very confident.

I rarely use a 4231 but I don't see why a relatively simple tactic like this couldn't work.

[Ollep7]

Well it doesn't, trust me. Try it.

[kazm]

Keep the expectations low, keep in mind Monaco has a lot of new players with possibly a somewhat unbalanced squad. They will need time to gel. If relatively well know tactics like this wont work I don't think anything will work in the short term.

[wwfan]

- Missing chances is normal in this patch, it is possible though to score and win consistently

-defenders having high scores while conceding is also due to the patch

-forwards not making runs maybe because there is no room to run into, maybe switching them to support will help.

514tactic: it must be very easy to shut down your MC, he really is on an island, playing with a sweeper or dmc might connect him to the rest of the team.

451tactic: it wouldn't surprise me if you striker never or rarely gets the ball, he has barely any support, if you use ML/MR instead of AML/AMR I would at least use (1 or 2) MCs instead of DMCs. If you make one of them defend and the other one bbm you still have decent defensive ability. Also I would make one of the wingers attack, unless using a defensive winger.

424: If you want to play like this, at least use direct or long passing. There's such a huge gap between defense and midfield. Also if you want to use this i would change the DMC to DLP-d so he won't close down a lot but stay in place more defensively, and passing to the offensive players. I would also have all the AMs and the strikers close down more to put pressure on the enemy defenders/keeper and dmcs. It seems pretty unbalanced though all in all.

Can't you just take a less risky more obvious 41221, 4411, 4231 or something?

Basically, this. You've got some disastrous shapes going on, very little movement between the lines and a constantly isolated midfield. Although it won't make you feel any better, that you have a terrible record is evidence of the robustness of the ME and the AI's tactical logic. I'd read the Twelve Step Guide, look to play a more common formation, and start again.

[kazm]

Having taken a look at Monaco they definately seem like a challenge:

- both backs are 2/5 stars, unless you use Abidal. Then your 2nd DC is talented but not great yet. (At least in stars/5)

-Kondogbia and Moutinho both have 'gets into opposition area' ppm, which you might not want if you play them as DMC/MC or MC/MC in a 4231 system. Besides that only Moutinho is good enough to be a playmaker. Your other 2 mc's are just fillers for one or 2 years.

-Ocampo and the left winger are talented but not great like the backs.

-Falcao is great when he can shoot at goal, less great at linking play which makes a 41221 harder.

-with normal expectations you get 40m Euro to spend but already you are at the top of your wage bill.

-lot of new players means they will need to gel.

All these things make it pretty challenging it seems, if you want to learn the game taking a different team would be easier. Then again I don't like playing teams with busloads of money at the start of the game.

[tecky]

I think the BETA is full of bugs.. brought my Monaco team to Australia for pre season and played 4 matches...I trashed all the 4 teams by score of 8-0, 6-0, 10-0 and 14-0. Came back to Europe and played 1 last friendly and still won 5-2 against a decent team... expectations were all high, morale was fantastic and come first game of the season, got trashed 4-0 by Bordeaoux even though I had more shots on target.... Falcao had 6-7 chances to score but either he shoots straight at the keeper or the keeper miraculously saves it..... BUMMER!