Important FM16 Tactical Changes

[Boden]

Does the compactness of team shapes only come into effect when in-possession?

[Ö-zil to the Arsenal!]

On 17 November 2015 at 16:48, THOG said:

The mentality of the player still matters, so on the same setting, you should see a difference between a Structured set-up with an attack duty up top and a Structured set-up with a support duty up top. Right now, team shape works like this:

Very Fluid = Most Compact

Fluid = Compact

Flexible = Default

Structured = More Depth

Highly Structured = Much More Depth

However, within that, you also have the effect of duties so the ST's role/duty in particular will have a big influence on how stretched you become in build-up play. So, for example, an F9 is still going to be an F9 on Highly Structured whilst a Poacher will still tend to hang on the last defender on Very Fluid.

The underlying design philosophy seems to be that Role/Duty are primary, at least in terms of build-up play, with everything else being a smaller modification.

This is an open question to anyone who may have an answer - if this is the case for Team Shape, then why have the Tactics Creator descriptions not been updated accordingly?

I'm experimenting using a counter attacking system and deciding on my shape between Structured and Highly Structured.

Very Structured

Summary:

Divides your team into 3-units:

Defenders    Defence
Midfielders   Transition
Attackers       Attack

Structured

Summary:

Divides your team into 4-units:

Defenders                                               Defend
Wingbacks & Defensive Midfielders   Defence & Transition
Wingers & Attacking Midfielders         Transition & Attack
Strikers                                                     Attack

By my logic, a Structured shape should cause a wider deviation in mentality between your midfield in a Highly Structured shape - as Defend/Transition & Attack/Transition is a much broader responsibility than simply Transition.

As per THOG's explanation above - and contrary to the Tactics Creator descriptions - I am finding a wider deviation in mentalities in a Highly Structured system (particularly in midfield) than I am in Structured. Using a Control mentality.

Thoughts, anyone?

[samuelawachie]

On Tuesday, November 17, 2015 at 17:30, THOG said:

One more big change:

The Play Wider and Play Narrower TIs now only affect player positioning, not passing focus. Thus, you can now tell your team to try to stretch play without worrying about the ball getting glued to the touchline. Similarly, Playing Narrower doesn't mean your overlapping fullbacks will get ignored.

If this is indeed the case, then they should change the names to Stay Wider and Stay Narrower. 

In other words, the tags Play Wider and Play Narrower are doing what they are supposed to be doing, at least on FM 14. i.e. Affecting both positioning and passing focus 

[THOG]

17 hours ago, samuelawachie said:

If this is indeed the case, then they should change the names to Stay Wider and Stay Narrower. 

In other words, the tags Play Wider and Play Narrower are doing what they are supposed to be doing, at least on FM 14. i.e. Affecting both positioning and passing focus 

The problem before this change was that passing focus caused unnatural decision making. For example, "Play Wider" could cause teams to try to force a ball down one flank instead of using the full width of the team's shape to facilitate switching play and actually getting around the defence, thus defeating the entire point of creating width. Now, the instructions will still affect where the ball goes, but it will occur as a more natural knock-on of the positioning of the players.