Help to create first tactics

[Abishuaf]

Hello again,

I moved in the correct section after opening this post earlier this day: 

 

After playing FM for some time using tactics available on the net, I decided to enter more "professionally" into the game and trying to set up my personal tactic and way to play. 

As said before, I am used to start any FM game as unemployed trainer, so I usually end in a low First Season team or into a Second Division Team. This year I was hired by Maritimo, First Portuguese League. 

Maritimo asks mainly for a high position ending in the League. 

Knowing the players after the signing, I thought two formations were possible: 4-2-3-1 or 4-1-2-1-2 squared (more or less what Ancelotti did in the Milan). I chose a Vertical Tiki Taka because I saw that my players have good passing skills and plus I like to play with frequent passes. Style was fluid with lower opponents, then I passed to a rigid style against Almeria (last friendly before official season) to see what changed.

I started with the 4-1-2-1-2 winning all six matches. I went 0-1 against Almeria in the last friendly, then the match ended 2-1 for us. Defense was good and Striker did the job. Base formation was: Charles (POR), Bebeto (Right Quaterback), Fabio China (Left Quaterback), Zanaidine Junior (Centre-Back), Kerkez (Centre-Back), Vukovic (Defensive Midfielder), Pedro Pelagio (Mezzala), Correa (Left Midfielder), Jhon Cley (Trequartista), Pinho (Striker), Maeda (2nd). 

I can't write all the players values, but this is mainly the best 11 Maritimo can afford. I used to put sometimes Frank Bambock on the right midfield or Luciano Nequecaur (Striker, 188 cm) with Getterson, because they had higher values in finalization and coldness (sorry, I use a non-english version of the game and I don't remember how this value is indicated in English). All the players are rated 3 - 3,5 stars, except Nequecaur and Getterson, rated 2 - 2,5 stars.

I ask the quaterbacks to stay large and make a wider game against lower teams. With stronger teams I tend to remove the instruction to stay large and ask them to shorten the play. I ask them rarely to go on. Centre-backs are rigid and asked always to defend. Defensive Midfielder help the Defense, while the Mezzala helps the attack. The left midfielder does both, depending on the situation. Trequartista is asked to go forward and move between the lines. Striker are asked to move, because I always find 'em lazy and they tend to make elementary errors in the 1vs1.

When the season started, I encountered the first problems. 

I lost the first match with Sporting CP 2-0, so my Second said it was better to switch to 4-2-3-1 to use better some players in their position. Formation was almost the same: Charles (POR), Bebeto (Right Quaterback), Fabio China (Left Quaterback), Zanaidine Junior (Centre-Back), Kerkez (Centre-Back), Vukovic (Defensive Midfielder), Bambock (Defensive Midfielder), Marcelinho (Left Forward), Jhon Cley (Trequartista), Costa (Right Forward),  Pinho (Striker) or Nequecaur (they are both around 186 -188 cm) 

I asked players to do mostly the same of what I did with the 4-1-2-1-2. Difference was that two midfielders had to help the defense and the forward line the attack. 

Anyway, even if I had 5 basic forward players, I tend to make 30-35 strikes and one or no goal. 

With 4-2-3-1 I played the following matches: Maritimo-Guimaraes 1-1, Braga-Maritimo 1-2, Maritimo-Boavista 1-1 (they always lost 4-0 in the League, the only point they have, it was made against me), Porto-Maritimo 3-0, Tondela-Maritimo 0-1, Maritimo-Feirense 1-2 (They looked like Liverpool, even if they are a Second Division Team). 

Morale is more or less good. But I can't ask more. Forwards play lazy. Their valutation is always around 6,5, they don’t strike anymore and if you ask them to play better, they answer me that they are playing very good and I should wear glasses. Talkin with them seems useless, they offend themselves and ask me to be sold. Plus, if I give them a fine, they start a revolt and I am soon forced to resign because team always lose and has low motivation. 

If somebody could help me understanding how to manage this problem and suggest a way to avoid laziness of strikers (I have a team divided in two: Defense plays on 7-7,5, Attack is 6-6,5...as if my destiny with FM is not to score goals), I would be grateful.

Please notice that I give instructions to the players but I use the squad mentality to play: Balanced or little less against stronger teams, Offensive or little less against weaker teams. 

Thanks a lot

[Experienced Defender]

Sorry, what do you mean by "quarterback"? If I am not mistaken, it's not a football (soccer) but American football (or rugby) term - a sport I am not familiar with.

[EnigMattic1]

6 hours ago, Experienced Defender said:

Sorry, what do you mean by "quarterback"? If I am not mistaken, it's not a football (soccer) but American football (or rugby) term - a sport I am not familiar with.

Fullback I'm assuming. He is trying to translate, I thought the same thing when I first read it. 

Edited December 24, 2019 by EnigMattic1

[Experienced Defender]

1 hour ago, EnigMattic1 said:

Fullback I'm assuming. He is trying to translate, I thought the same thing when I first read it. 

I guess you are right. 

[Abishuaf]

Yes, sorry for bad translation. I meant fullbacks

[Experienced Defender]

2 minutes ago, Abishuaf said:

Yes, sorry for bad translation. I meant fullbacks

Okay, but you did not tell us which roles and duties you assigned to your players (except for the trequartista in AMC). Nor do we know your mentality and instructions. All we know is your formation (narrow 442 diamond).

[Abishuaf]

Ok, let’s start with these two pics.

Worst attack and formation

Edited December 28, 2019 by Abishuaf

[Experienced Defender]

13 hours ago, Abishuaf said:

Mate, sorry again, but this is not in English. I understand literally nothing. Can you somehow translate it into English?

[Abishuaf]

8 hours ago, Experienced Defender said:

Mate, sorry again, but this is not in English. I understand literally nothing. Can you somehow translate it into English?

Yes, I am sorry for not translating it before, I just wanted to show you my formation. 

As I told at the beginning of the post, this is my 11 with roles: Charles (POR), Bebeto (Right Fullback - Support), Fabio China (Left Fullback - Support), Zanaidine Junior (Centre-Back - Defend), Kerkez (Centre-Back - Defend), Vukovic (Defensive Midfielder - Defend), Pedro Pelagio (Mezzala - Support), Correa (Left Midfielder -Support), Jhon Cley (Trequartista - Support or Attack, depending from the opponent), Pinho (Striker - Attack), Maeda (2nd - Attack).

Tactic is Vertical Tiki Taka. I used to play "attack" with teams I consider weaker, "balanced" or lower with teams I consider stronger. The pic you see is for Maritimo-Porto. However, I used Vertical Tiki Taka with an attack mentality against Moreirense. I shot 35 against 9 and I lost 0-1 at home. I mostly dominated the game. 

While in possess of the ball I ask my players to be short, short passages and low crosses. Team is fluid against lower teams, more balanced against stronger teams. I ask overlap (I think it's the correct translation) on both sides and rythm is faster with weaker teams. About the shots, I tend to ask to bring the ball into box, but my 2nd always suggests me to ask players to shoot as soon as they can to have more chances to score. Never had success with one or another chance.

While in transition, I ask players to keep position and going back. Slowing down the match depends from the situation, I usually do this at the end of the match if I am winning. 

When not in possess, I usually wait the opponent against stronger teams while I prefer to make pressing against weaker teams. In both cases I try to use a high line of defense and same for attack to increase chances of scoring. 

I hope you can help with this. 

Anyway, could you please tell me what attributes of the striker does the simulator consider while playing a game? I mean finishing, composure...I played matches with strikers with 14 in both totally unable to score.

Thanks, any help is appreciated!

[Abishuaf]

Thanks for all the help I got!

You were all very kind!

[Experienced Defender]

30 minutes ago, Abishuaf said:

Thanks for all the help I got!

You were all very kind!

Okay, can you post a screenshot of your tactic in English? I see that you tried to translate it in your own words, but unfortunately your translation is still not clear enough for me to understand it properly. Maybe someone else can understand your version of English, but I really can't. And I don't want to speculate as to what you actually wanted to say, because that could well lead to giving you wrong advice.