Need help with 4-2-3-1 tactic for Europe

[CesUtd]

Hi. I am playing Football Manager 2011. I am having some issues with my tactic. The league is sort of okay but teams are finding it very easy to stop my team from scoring especially away from home.

I chose 4-2-3-1 because I have 2 strikers currently in the squad, 4 dc and dm players, 4 fullbacks and 4 wingers - 2 on each side and three goalkeepers. Overall I have 23 players in the squad.

I believe the squad is good enough to dominate in Europe but I am not. They are struggling to score.

Here is my tactic:

Sweeper keeper - support

Wingback - support

Central defender - defend

central defender - cover

wingback - support

Inside forward - attack - tried support

deep lying playmaker - defend

deep lying playmaker - support

attacking midfield - support

Inside forward - attack tried support as well

Poacher - I tried deep lying forward attack and support

 

edit: Forgot - attacking mentality, with more expressive, with  normal width, push up defense and quick tempo with little time wasting. Everything else is default.

My aim is to be good defensively and be a threat attacking. Creating chances is hard especially against weak teams. I need help please. I read the forums and guides but nothing stands out as to what the problem could be. My striker has lost all form and hardly scores now yet he is a very good striker. Worldwide reputation. Same with my wingers, defenders. It is a very strong side and have excellent mental attributes.

Even in the league I am struggling and the league is weak.

In my last match I only had 5 shots on target and created only 14 against a very poor side. Shorts on target is low for some reason. I won by only 2 goals and they scored a goal.

I don't change tactics every match and have stuck with it for about 9 matches but the performances of my players is getting worse. Asa  side note I have the strongest team in Europe and the league. Fast players , excellent attributes etc but they are scraping matches or drawing.

I hope someone can help me. I am willing to try any tactic or help to get my team to perform.

Edit: After some reading I changed to wingers - support on both sides and advanced forward.

[CesUtd]

Really need help. I finally changed formation and the team is doing even worse now. They creating chances and one on ones but missing the whole lot. My winger is having a shocking season and I am almost tempted to sell him because he is going from one poor performance to the next.

I switched to 4-4-2 diamond to see if it helps but still nothing. Opposing teams can score at will against me while I have to create 22 chances for a goal.

This didn't show in pre-season. My team scored for fun in the pre-season but since the season started I dread every match now.

I stuck with the same formation for 20 matches and now have my worst goal score tally ever.

[ponka00]

I wouldn't use two DLP's as they will get in each other's way. For me there are very few roles which can be used in a 4-2-3-1 midfield since neither of the mids can afford to deviate from their positions. I've had good success with a DLP-S paired with a CM-D though.

I would also go for one out and out winger in order to stretch the play. You're really congesting play by having two IF's and an attacking midfielder. This will hopefully create more space for the attacking mid.

[CesUtd]

Hi. I will try that and give feedback.

Edit: Did a match. Played better but now won't score at all.

My best player had less than 7 as a  rating. He doesn't seem himself. For 6 years he has been World player of the year but he doesn't look it on current form. My only player in form is my one striker. I have loads of 6's and low 7's. No idea what has happened. I was scoring for fun in previous season now I am lucky to get 1 goal.

Every single team is playing 3-4-3 against me now and easily keeps my multi million pound squad at bay for long periods of matches.

Is there any talks or anything I can do to jack their ideas up?

[CesUtd]

Here are some screenshots of my current tactic. Better but still lots of misses.

 

Best player can play as MC, AMC , RW, LW

Any help would be appreciated.

Edit:

 

Stuck to the 4-5-1 but changed to  a deep lying playmaker on support, advanced playmaker - support, advanced playmaker - attack in middle, poacher as striker and inside forward -support on left and right with left wingback on attack and right on support with two limited defenders in the middle. First Europe game was close with 2-1 but I tweaked it slightly with some tweaks in orders and in the league match I won 12-0. My out of form left winger got 5 goals and so did my striker. This seems to be working. Any suggestions would be welcome.