Tactical Blindness

[NDavis95]

Afternoon all.

The following criteria are required to classify an event as a Perceptual Blindness episode:

1) the observer must fail to notice a visual object or event which is wrong with my tactic

2) the tactic must be fully visible

3) observers must be able to readily identify the tactic if they are consciously perceiving it

4) the event must be unexpected and the failure to see the object or event must be due to the engagement of attention on other aspects of the visual scene and not due to aspects of the visual stimulus itself

Just as a start, I've always found the tactical side of FM one of the better more enjoyable parts of the game. I've generally done well on the tactical side. I had great success last year managing to master a number of different formations and getting them to play how I wanted, using the blogs from the community and information and guides provided here.

This year though I am struggling. Not terribly but I just can't seem to find what is wrong with my tactic. I am in my 4th season with Brentford. First season I won the Championship, although not convincingly, playing a 41221. It worked but never quite in the way I wanted it too. I carried it forward into the 2nd season and finished 8th in the Prem. Since then however I have gradually dropped off. In the 3rd I finished 12th and in the season just gone I finished 13th. I am now playing a 4411. It has its good moments but I hit a stage in the season where I just stopped winning and performing. After a 3 game winning run just after Christmas I finished the season winning 3 of 14 games and losing the rest.

The problem is though I just can't see where it is going wrong. There is no particlar area of weakness when it comes to conceding goals. No specific way that I am conceding either. I am just at a dead end. So I was helping for some help from you lovely people.

I am looking to move us on to the next level. I want to get into those European places. I want to play a possession game which produces nice football.

Please see below for my tactic.

Standard ( I use counter for games against the big teams to be more compact)

Fluid

TI

Shorter Passing

Close Down More

Pass Into Space

Play Out From Defence

GK/D

FB/S CD/D CD/C FB/A

W/A BBM CM/D W/S

AP/S

CF/S

The only PI's I use are

GK/ Distribute to full backs

CM/D Dribble Less

I feel the tactic is balanced. I feel areas where there is attack the is cover in place. There should be enough layered movement and support from the striker.

Please tell me where I am going wrong.

Thanks all in advance.

[OLLMEISTER1]

One glaring problem I can see is you have contradicting TI's with shorter passing & pass into space.....you need/want one or the other IMO.

[isignedupfornorealreason]

One glaring problem I can see is you have contradicting TI's with shorter passing & pass into space.....you need/want one or the other IMO.

You don't.

[Shake Appeal]

Who scores goals in this formation? I hope that CF(s) is world-class.

[El Presidente]

Perhaps it's not your tactic that's the problem?

[NDavis95]

I wouldn't think that pass into space and short passing contradict each other. I feel that would stop long searching through balls.

I have goals from the striker and right winger mainly. You think the team lacks goals overall or is not set up to score? What would you change?

[NDavis95]

Perhaps it's not your tactic that's the problem?

Are you saying its me ? Hahahah

[baboyray]

It doesn't look like you have much cutting edge in attack. I would move the wingers forward in line with the AP and switch the striker to attack duty.

[RTHerringbone]

How do you actually want the system to play? It's hard to say if anything is wrong if you haven't described how you envision goals to be created and scored.

[Shake Appeal]

I wouldn't think that pass into space and short passing contradict each other. I feel that would stop long searching through balls.

I have goals from the striker and right winger mainly. You think the team lacks goals overall or is not set up to score? What would you change?

Well, what problems are you actually seeing? Are you conceding too much? Scoring too little? Both? How do you see this team scoring goals?

Just from looking at your set-up, I'd be concerned that the whole thing is quite stagnant, and you probably find yourself getting the lion's share of possession, doing relatively little with it against a packed box, and then conceding on the counter (which is overpowered in FM16 currently).

Standard discourages fast transitions in attack, and Fluid cramps your wide defenders' style, so you have a solid block of players tapping passes together, sitting back, and hoping that the "front" three can work out something between them (which Fluid somewhat encourages, but you've reined them in with Shorter Passing). You're sort of setting up like a counter-attacking team ... but without the quick breaks the "Counter" mentality would give you. You're sort of setting up like a possession team ... but without the mobility, freedom, and support from deep to tug teams this way and that. You're covering all the space with your formation, roles, and duties, but you're not forcing the opposition to concede space either. They can consolidate after losing possession because you're not pressing high up the field, but they also don't have to worry about you stacking deep when they have the ball.

The quickest fix for me would be to flick Fluid onto Flexible and see what happens. You should see your full backs pushing up and joining the attack earlier without sacrificing possession. I also want one or the other of the AP(s) to CF(s) to be on an attack duty, but I never use 4-4-1-1 outside of LLM English games where I have fast runners on the break and little else, so I don't really know how the formation plays.

[Shake Appeal]

The other thing I forgot to note is that the combination of having a BBM, Close Down More, a Standard-level block and a Fluid mentality could, in some situations, leave a nasty gap between your midfield and defense that players in the AM stratum will exploit easily. I'd either turn off the Close Down More TI, push the defensive live up, or just go to Control.

[NDavis95]

How do you actually want the system to play? It's hard to say if anything is wrong if you haven't described how you envision goals to be created and scored.

Well, what problems are you actually seeing? Are you conceding too much? Scoring too little? Both? How do you see this team scoring goals?

Just from looking at your set-up, I'd be concerned that the whole thing is quite stagnant, and you probably find yourself getting the lion's share of possession, doing relatively little with it against a packed box, and then conceding on the counter (which is overpowered in FM16 currently).

Standard discourages fast transitions in attack, and Fluid cramps your wide defenders' style, so you have a solid block of players tapping passes together, sitting back, and hoping that the "front" three can work out something between them (which Fluid somewhat encourages, but you've reined them in with Shorter Passing). You're sort of setting up like a counter-attacking team ... but without the quick breaks the "Counter" mentality would give you. You're sort of setting up like a possession team ... but without the mobility, freedom, and support from deep to tug teams this way and that. You're covering all the space with your formation, roles, and duties, but you're not forcing the opposition to concede space either. They can consolidate after losing possession because you're not pressing high up the field, but they also don't have to worry about you stacking deep when they have the ball.

The quickest fix for me would be to flick Fluid onto Flexible and see what happens. You should see your full backs pushing up and joining the attack earlier without sacrificing possession. I also want one or the other of the AP(s) to CF(s) to be on an attack duty, but I never use 4-4-1-1 outside of LLM English games where I have fast runners on the break and little else, so I don't really know how the formation plays.

I basically want to feed the playmaker in the AM strata. Who gives it wide to the on rushing wingers who deliver a cross into the players breaking into the box. Reading the 2nd reply makes me appear like I want to play more on the counter. Sit deep and break forward quickly. However, I prefer the idea of dominating possession so not to sure of where I am going with it. Maybe I'll try out both.

Thanks for the help.

[bowieinspace]

The other thing I forgot to note is that the combination of having a BBM, Close Down More, a Standard-level block and a Fluid mentality could, in some situations, leave a nasty gap between your midfield and defense that players in the AM stratum will exploit easily. I'd either turn off the Close Down More TI, push the defensive live up, or just go to Control.

Was going to mention the same in regards to the central midfield. A BBM and a CM(D) will both close down a lot so could get pulled around the park leaving gaps in the middle for the opposition to exploit.

Perhaps you're trying to create too much balance and the team isn't doing anything in particular? Agree wholeheartedly with Shake Appeal that the team is stuck in the middle of a counter and possession orientated playing style with elements of both. I'd have a good read through Cleon's Art of Possession thread for some ideas if that style of play is your goal!

Good luck!

[Marc Albrighton]

One glaring problem I can see is you have contradicting TI's with shorter passing & pass into space.....you need/want one or the other IMO.

If that was the case you wouldn't be able to choose them both, you can play shorter but also go for that killer ball now and then.

[hamayumi]

I prefer roaming playmaker > BBM simply because of a more line formation reasoning. Sure the playmaker will roam with possession, which is threaten the box from deep. However, more often than not, the playmaker will stay in front of your defense than say a role such as BBM. On paper, your roles and formation seems standard per the community's. I say deviate and simplify the football allowed by your tactics. Instead of divvying up A/S roles on the wide men, keep it simple where the defensive line is consistently in a line and your wide men staying back as well. Hopefully this will trigger a deadly situation where a counter-attack starting deep within your third. Although this relies on the players on the pitch and whether or not they can capitalize said situation.

[NDavis95]

I have decided that overall I want to play a possession game. I have changed the player roles and formation slightly.

GK/D

FB/S CD/D CD/C FB/A

CM/D RPM/S

W/A AP/A IF/S

CF/S

TI:

Retain Possession

Play out from defence

Currently in pre-season so I'm keeping an eye on how they roles perform. I feel the movement from the front 5 should be a lot better and I'm toying with the idea of roam from position being added.

I am a bit worried that I will be left open from counters so that will be another thing to keep an eye on.

[jimmy87]

Your problem might be that you only have 1 tactic. Don't you tweak it for different games and change it up to suit your available players? What about in game? Do you change depending on the score?

I have found this game more than the others makes you pay if you are lazy and try hang on to a lead without changing anything to tighten things up.

I've also found defensive players get underrated by your coaches leaving you falling into the trap of playing an unbalanced side to suit the scout reports.

[Shake Appeal]

If that was the case you wouldn't be able to choose them both, you can play shorter but also go for that killer ball now and then.

Absolutely agree with this, but you need to create the gaps (through mobility, tempo, overlaps, etc.) for the killer ball to go through first. In the absence of that, you basically need several things to go perfectly at once with highly technical players, and more often than not it's going to end with a long or blocked shot into a packed box.

[El Presidente]

Are you saying its me ? Hahahah

Sadly since CM2 I've been an addict and with the game as it is now I find a better way to do it is to actually play FMT first. Then knowing your tactic is OK then transfer over to the full game. If you know your tactic is OK in FMT then it must be OK in the full game meaning that it must be something else. It could be a psychology or press problem. Perhaps a couple of superstar players cannot speak the native language. There are other reasons why we can lose games other than tactics.

Hope I made sense. I'm a bit morphined up.

[NDavis95]

Sadly since CM2 I've been an addict and with the game as it is now I find a better way to do it is to actually play FMT first. Then knowing your tactic is OK then transfer over to the full game. If you know your tactic is OK in FMT then it must be OK in the full game meaning that it must be something else. It could be a psychology or press problem. Perhaps a couple of superstar players cannot speak the native language. There are other reasons why we can lose games other than tactics.

Hope I made sense. I'm a bit morphined up.

Hahaha I was only joking anyway mate. Yeah I have looked into all of that. To be honest the advice I have been given above solves the problem. I was caught between playing a counter attacking and possession game. Not being good enough at one or the other. I've rectified this now by going more possession orientated and trying to dominate.