Tactics change upon promotion

[Craiginho77]

How do people approach playing in a higher league after promotion. Do you tend to use the tactics which brought you success in the league below or change?

I'm playing as Middlesbrough, and won the championship in season 2 (2016/2017) with a record 108 points. I played a fairly standard 4-4-2 using some instruction tips I'd seen on here. I also had cup wins against Chelsea and Man City.

I signed a few players (trying to concentrate on young english players) to fit the system and started the season with it. I've had a disastrous start, and eventually abandoned it in attempt to change fortunes, but still struggling to find something that works.

I'm currently 17 games in, bottom of the premier league with a record of W0 D5 L12 GD-22.

What can I do?!?!?

[ajsr1982]

This can be really quite tough, as you get your team bedded in and then feel like you have to change it. You haven't really supplied any detailed information, so it's hard to give you too much help. There isn't really such a thing as a 'fairly standard' 4-4-2. Try posting your roles and team instructions to give people more of a flavour of what you're playing.

Your goal difference of -22 after 17 games suggests that you're not losing by many, so small tweaks my be the answer.

[Craiginho77]

I was playing

GK - Defend

FB - Support

CB - Defend

CB - Defend

FB - Support

W - Attack

CM - Defend

DLP - Support

W - Attack

DLP - Support

AF - Attack

Instructions I had Play Out from Defence, Pass Into Space, Be More Expressive

Fluid team shape. In the championship I altered Mentality depending on opponents or how the game was going between Counter, Standard and Attacking.

Since promotion I've mainly been using Counter.

You're right, most games losses have been 0-1/1-2 rather than getting hammered.

[ajsr1982]

I was playing

GK - Defend

FB - Support

CB - Defend

CB - Defend

FB - Support

W - Attack

CM - Defend

DLP - Support

W - Attack

DLP - Support

AF - Attack

Instructions I had Play Out from Defence, Pass Into Space, Be More Expressive

Fluid team shape. In the championship I altered Mentality depending on opponents or how the game was going between Counter, Standard and Attacking.

Since promotion I've mainly been using Counter.

You're right, most games losses have been 0-1/1-2 rather than getting hammered.

Okay, I always struggle to get a good 4-4-2 going, but from a cursory glance...

Your formation is symmetrical, and therefore predictable.

You have no outlet in defence.

Putting those two together, try having an Attack duty on a FB, and a support duty on a Winger to mix things up.

Playing on Counter, with that set-up, this is how I see it going. You'll be able to confirm this by looking at things, though. You are trying to play your way out of defence against superior teams that will likely be playing high up the pitch and pressing you in that area of the pitch, ie, about 15-20 yards inside your own half. Last season, teams sat deep against you and allowed you to pass it out from the back because you were better than them. Do you find you have trouble getting out of your own half? Your players probably don't have the composure and the skill to deal with passing through the midfield of a superior team, especially with a two-man central midfield such as yours. It's not hard and fast, but I generally think you need a three-man central midfield to play out from the back.

With attacking wingers and a deeper central midfield, you're pretty well set up to play on the counter, but you need to play more direct to make this effective. Again, take a look for yourself, but I reckon your CMs are getting easily dispossessed, or your CDs are struggling to get the ball to them - you're passing the ball short into the most congested area of the pitch. Get them moving the ball quickly up to your forwards, or exploiting space out wide with your wingers. A Limited Defender might well help as well, if only to relieve pressure. Get rid of 'Be More Expressive' too. That's really for unlocking stubborn defences by telling your players to improvise more. You want the opposite of that.

It depends how you want to play at the end of the day. What I've suggested above is what Tony Pulis would do, and that might not be what you want!

[harrierhex]

I had to dump my fluid 4231 narrow formation not because it stopped working but rather the quality of players I have is insufficient to match the established teams of the premiership. After a few thrashings I changed to a 4222 wide. TI - Lower tempo, More Closing Down, Direct Passing, Disciplined, Stick to Positions and Work Ball into Box. Shape is standard or counter. Still need to tweak it though: 0W-2D-0L but I've stopped losing ...for now.

Its pretty much what ajsr1982 said. Since I dont want to get relegated trying to stick to pretty possession football, Tony Pulis is my sage right now. Maybe in a couple of seasons when I can afford some aging superstars or the youth steps up, I will change back.

Other things you can do is make sure you get kicked out of cups pronto or play a bunch of u21 and u18' in them so that your best players are always available for league games. Also prioritize home games during fixture congestion you need to turn Riverside?? into a fortress of sorts.

[OrientTillIDie]

As has been said, you've gone from being the best in the league to one of the worst. Three man central midfields always work better against the big teams purely because of the numbers you are forcing them to pass through. I usually use three man central midfields in any league so keep the same when I get promoted but I usually see 4-4-2 as an attacking formation which you can't afford to use.