Middlesbrough in Premier League 18/19

[AlexBoro]

This is the first game of Football Manager 2019 that I've played (I got the game at Christmas) and I'm playing with a friend, who swapped Middlesbrough into the Premier League in the place of Huddersfield. I've played FM18 a bit and did a similar save over the summer with more success. However, with a slightly different squad and different signings, tactics and opposition, I've encountered significantly more problems.

My team generally creates a lot of chances and I have one of the highest chances / game ratios in the league. I made significantly more attacking signings than defensive signings but this is a defence that conceded less than 1 a game over the first 20 in the Championship this real-life season, so I figured that it shouldn't be too leaky. Attack wise, I brought in Josh King for £20m and Collin Quaner for £8m who are good goalscorers yet appear to be missing lots and lots of chances. At the back I signed Bilbao's Inigo Lekue who has proved extremely useful in an attacking WB spot, but not so well defensively. Otherwise, I signed winger Georges-Kévin Nkoudou for LW and Michel Vorm for GK.

This has left me with 5 points from a possible 39. I've attached the tactic I used, a 5-4-1 formation with relatively attacking wing-backs. Originally, I was using a lot of different tactics, foolishly trying to desperately find a system that worked and I ended up shipping a lot of goals. However, following back-to-back points against the top 6 I was feeling hopeful. Sadly, in the next few games the 4-2-4 system I was using failed against more level opponents as I was creating very little.

I've stuck to the attached system after my performances have improved but I still cannot pick up any points. I've tried moving about my line of engagement but if I bring it too far down, I cannot score a goal but if I put it further up, opposition AMs roam freely in the gap. My team has been saddled with injuries but I strongly believe nothing would have changed if they'd been fit.

Is there any way I should tweak my tactics, completely overhaul them or just persevere with what I've got? Should I be playing more defensively or more attacking i.e. play to my strengths or protect my weaknesses? Were my signings a poor decision and who should I look at in the January transfer window (the date is 28th November).

 

[Experienced Defender]

The first obvious problem I see in your tactic is the isolation of your lone striker, given that he is set to the most attack-minded striker role (AF). And that's exactly the type of issue most people have when using a lone striker on attack duty. Playing on higher tempo and early crosses only further compound this. So on that particular point, I would suggest lowering the tempo (start with medium) and giving the striker a support role, so that he would be more involved, especially as your system has nobody in AMC. It can be a number of roles (F9, DLFs, CFs, PFs), depending on the type of your striker (look at his attributes and traits).

On the right flank you already have a natural overlap with an APsu and WBatt, so I would remove the overlap right team instruction.

Unfortunately, I can currently only tell you what you shouldn't do (i.e. should avoid doing), but it's difficult to speculate on what you should do because my knowledge of your squad (players) is insufficient. 

[summatsupeer]

Your teams mostly championship level players, the real life transfers will be that level of players regardless of your buys, you won't have option to go for out of contract, release clauses of relegated players etc. I think you underestimate the difference between the leagues and not earning the promotion and using it to prepare.  Yes some teams get promoted and do well and stay up IRL but they typically have a clear identity which I do t see on your team.

Who do you want to cross early when your asking both wide forwards to be patient and wait for WBs to overlap? By time WBs overlap most teams will be back and organized. I find it strange to want a winger who should be good at driving forward and getting a cross in with defenders running back to there own goal to instead wait for a WB-De to overlap? WB-At is a natural overlap with a AP-Su coming inside and dropping.

What targets does that AP-Su have besides a lone ST and maybe the W-Su on the opposite flank?

Why Counter-Press? If they play through your counter press your defense will be wide open.

Tbh I'm not sure what your trying to do? You've told us you've tried a few formations but how do you expect to create chance and prevent opponents from creating chances?