Is it sensible to play a lower or higher line of engagement with bigger teams

[silentwars]

I usually use a lower line of engagement with a higher defensive line to compact play. However, I am currently managing a team expected to win the league comfortably and wonder if it will be more effective to play with a higher line of engagement. Would love some advice on this...

[crusadertsar]

But what type of football are you trying to achieve? What's your reason for playing higher line of engagement when lower one already works for you. Those are the questions I would ask yourself. 

Just because you are a dominant team it doesn't mean you should be playing with high defensive line. In fact it will probably make it harder for you to score goals.

Edited January 9, 2020 by crusadertsar

[enigmatic]

A lower line of engagement achieves a shape that's more difficult to pass through at the expense of letting the opposition have a lot of easy possession in their own half. The opposition will tend to be much happier wasting time in their own half when you're expected to beat them. 

Higher lines of engagement generally work pretty well in FM too.

 

Don't forget you can change it during the match though: if the opposition's dominating possession even though you're better than them you probably need to press them higher and earlier, and if you've scored first you can quite happily let them have the ball and fail to pass through you.

 

[crusadertsar]

Yes but i prefer to draw the opposition in, create loads of space  behind them and then hit them with through balls for my fast wingers to run onto. So pressing doesn't always work.

Edited January 9, 2020 by crusadertsar

[Experienced Defender]

16 hours ago, silentwars said:

I am currently managing a team expected to win the league comfortably and wonder if it will be more effective to play with a higher line of engagement. Would love some advice on this

Don't know your team, so cannot give you any definite advice. But when I manage such top teams, I generally prefer the combo of higher DL and standard LOE, as it gives me an optimal level of compactness, However, that's just one part of the equation and therefore does not guarantee that the tactic as a whole will be a success (including its defensive aspect), because nothing should be looked at in isolation when it comes to tactics. Also, the mentality you play on is always a very important factor you have to take into account. Just as is the setup of roles and duties. And so on...

[afailed10]

Bear in mind that compactness is not always good. Especially if you're playing against very defensive teams. To overachieve sometimes you have to unbalance things and take risks. Stretch the opposition and create space in dangerous areas.

Some of the greatest attacking teams in history were anything but compact. 

[Britrock]

I've found that as a bigger team or a team going for the title you need to use a higher DLine and/or higher LOE to keep the pressure up on the opposition. Most of them will sit back against you and games will pass with almost no action if you're not careful. If you up the DLine/LOE you win the ball higher up the pitch and have the chance to catch them out of position and just generally have the ball closer to their goal to generate more opportunities.