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Tactic No Longer Working


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Hi everyone, 

I'm seven games into my fifth season with Leeds United. Promoted in the first year, a solid 12th place in season 2, 9th in season 3 and finally qualified for Europe in season 4. However, in this new season, I'm struggling immensely, despite having added a lot more quality to my side. 

I'm using the tactic, and variations of the tactic, that I've been using from the start. It's worked well and got my team playing the football I've been wanting them to play but that's all stopped now.

My tactic is as follows.

GK

WB(A) - BPD(C) - CD(D) - WB(A)

HB(D)

DLP(S) - BWM(S)

IF(S) - IW(A)

PF(A)

 

Tactical Instructions

In Possesion - Short passing, play out of defence, work ball into box, over lap left and right, higher tempo, fairly narrow

In Transition - Distribute to centre backs, hold shape, counter press

Out of possession - defend narrower, higher line of engagement, more urgent, prevent short GK distribution

 

I'm thinking that after qualifying for Europe, teams in the league are taking me more seriously now and setting up differently. Last season I ground out results against the top sides but now I'm getting absolutely trounced by them. Mixed results against lesser sides where last season form was pretty consistent (we lost 9 games all year last season, lost 4 in the first 7 games this season). 

My inside forward scored 14 and assisted 10 last season, 9 scored and 10 assisted the year before. He's now 5 games without a goal or an assist and on a 6.5 rating (never finished a season on less than 7 in this save). Am I to presume that opposition teams will be setting up to counter him? How might I solve this? 

 

Just looking for some advice on what might be happening and how I might go about dealing with it. The tactic did work, can't see why it would stop working as a tactic, must be how the opposition is setting up.

If you need more details, please just ask. 

 

Thanks

 

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12 minutes ago, PinkSpeedos said:

My tactic is as follows.

GK

WB(A) - BPD(C) - CD(D) - WB(A)

HB(D)

DLP(S) - BWM(S)

IF(S) - IW(A)

PF(A)

 

Tactical Instructions

In Possesion - Short passing, play out of defence, work ball into box, over lap left and right, higher tempo, fairly narrow

In Transition - Distribute to centre backs, hold shape, counter press

Out of possession - defend narrower, higher line of engagement, more urgent, prevent short GK distribution

I don't know how it has worked for you so far, but this tactic as such does not really look solid to me (on the whole). Btw, you forgot to mention the mentality.

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7 minutes ago, Experienced Defender said:

I don't know how it has worked for you so far, but this tactic as such does not really look solid to me (on the whole). Btw, you forgot to mention the mentality.

Positive mentality.

 

It's worked very well up until now. Striker scoring 15+ every year. Goals from out wide and midfield. Not conceding too many goals either. 

 

I've just made some changes so it looks like this now.

SK(D)

FB(A) - BPD(C) - CD(D) - FB(S)

DLP(D)

MEZ(A) - BWM(S)

IF(S) - IW(A)

DLF(A) 

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4 minutes ago, PinkSpeedos said:

I've just made some changes so it looks like this now.

SK(D)

FB(A) - BPD(C) - CD(D) - FB(S)

DLP(D)

MEZ(A) - BWM(S)

IF(S) - IW(A)

DLF(A) 

Well, the right flank (or half, if you will) seems to adventurous (risky), whereas the left one is a bit too conservative. 

It's hard to offer meaningful advice on what you could/should do because you said the tactic had worked well for so long. Because I personally would change a lot, but given that the tactic did work well, I fear that any big change would ruin it completely. 

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52 minutes ago, Experienced Defender said:

Well, the right flank (or half, if you will) seems to adventurous (risky), whereas the left one is a bit too conservative. 

It's hard to offer meaningful advice on what you could/should do because you said the tactic had worked well for so long. Because I personally would change a lot, but given that the tactic did work well, I fear that any big change would ruin it completely. 

I would appreciate any and all feedback to tie external ideas into my own. 

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To me, the real question would be why you chose overlap with 2 inverted minded wingers. Who is there to overlap? I'd think that the mezzalla gets dragged out of position so much by that that the centre is underwhelmed and when faving a setup like yours, I would definitively play through centre and defend with more width. 

Imo you should think about underlapping and definitively balamce your side out. 

2 wingbacks with 2 inside forwards or if you want 1 inverted winger. 

More stable midfield. It seems like a variant on tiki taka so a registra would do as dm if you have over 60% possession, with a bwm and a bbm on midfield, or if you are under a 60% possession, have a halfback as dm with a mezalla and a bwm and then switch the wingback on the side of the mezalla to a fullback :)

As me anything you didnt understand, I see now my post has become a bit cluttered. 

 

So if youre dominant, Id line up

PF

IF IF/IW

BWM BBM

REG

WB BPD CD WB

SK

That is, if you would rather win 3-2 than 1-0 ofc

 

If you are often the weaker side:

PF

IF IW

BWM MEZ

HB

WB CD CD FB

GK

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19 minutes ago, Belap said:

To me, the real question would be why you chose overlap with 2 inverted minded wingers. Who is there to overlap? I'd think that the mezzalla gets dragged out of position so much by that that the centre is underwhelmed and when faving a setup like yours, I would definitively play through centre and defend with more width. 

Imo you should think about underlapping and definitively balamce your side out. 

2 wingbacks with 2 inside forwards or if you want 1 inverted winger. 

More stable midfield. It seems like a variant on tiki taka so a registra would do as dm if you have over 60% possession, with a bwm and a bbm on midfield, or if you are under a 60% possession, have a halfback as dm with a mezalla and a bwm and then switch the wingback on the side of the mezalla to a fullback :)

As me anything you didnt understand, I see now my post has become a bit cluttered. 

 

So if youre dominant, Id line up

PF

IF IF/IW

BWM BBM

REG

WB BPD CD WB

SK

That is, if you would rather win 3-2 than 1-0 ofc

 

If you are often the weaker side:

PF

IF IW

BWM MEZ

HB

WB CD CD FB

GK

Thanks for your feedback. 

I've tinkered with it again a little bit (before seeing your comment) and beat top of the table Liverpool, 3-1

Went with the following:

SK(D)

WB(S) - BPD(C) - CD(D) - WB(S)

HB(D)

MEZ(A) - BWM(S)

IF(S) - IW(A)

DLF(A)

Shorter passing, play out, low crosses, focus through the middle, lower tempo

Distribute to CBs, hold shape, counter press

Defender narrow, higher line of engagement, more urgent, prevent short GK kicks

 

DLF seems to hold things up top a little better which takes some of the pressure off the defence. The Mezella scored a hat trick so I was probably missing that attacking threat from midfield (as was mentioned further up). 

 

You've said about defending wider - can I ask why you think that would be a good idea? 

 

Thanks

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35 minutes ago, PinkSpeedos said:

Thanks for your feedback. 

I've tinkered with it again a little bit (before seeing your comment) and beat top of the table Liverpool, 3-1

Went with the following:

SK(D)

WB(S) - BPD(C) - CD(D) - WB(S)

HB(D)

MEZ(A) - BWM(S)

IF(S) - IW(A)

DLF(A)

Shorter passing, play out, low crosses, focus through the middle, lower tempo

Distribute to CBs, hold shape, counter press

Defender narrow, higher line of engagement, more urgent, prevent short GK kicks

 

DLF seems to hold things up top a little better which takes some of the pressure off the defence. The Mezella scored a hat trick so I was probably missing that attacking threat from midfield (as was mentioned further up). 

 

You've said about defending wider - can I ask why you think that would be a good idea? 

 

Thanks

I do NOT think defending wider is a good idea for you :)

I just said that your original tactic could easily be countered by defending wider and as such needed a threat in the middle, your mezalla now. 

I think your tactic rn seems fine, althougj I would suggest to turn your WB on the side if your MEZ to a FB against quick sides, as a MEZ and a WB might leave you exposed om the break

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