After 15 years of playing, I need some tactical help!

[A Loyal Shot]

Hi guys,

I've been an avid FMer for some15 years now and have never posted asking for tactical help before but am finding FM20 tough, particularly after the latest ME update. I had recently started a new save with Manchester United to try and build a young and attacking team based on British players. Pre-season went well and I had developed 2 tactics that were playing some good football. 2 games in to the new season the ME was updated and now I can't get them working for me!

My style of play is based on possession with intent. Teams will obviously sit deep and defend narrow against Manchester United so I'm trying to build a system based on a faster tempo with movement in the attacking 3rd to create space. So far its been very inconsistent and while I'm getting decent possession and passing stats I'm not making any clear cut or even half chances. My attacking players are getting ratings of around 6.6 and below while my midfield players are also struggling to make an impact. The main issues I face are:

1. I get the ball wide by my wide players kick the ball straight in to the legs of the defender, on the rare occasion they do get the ball in to the box its headed way over the bar.

2. When my players get the ball on the edge of the area they invariably have their back ot gaol and recycle possession back in to the midfield allowing the opposition to regroup.

3. In the final third I'm not seeing enough movement to open up space

 

On the positive side, defensively I look reasonably solid and at times I have seen the kind of build-up and attacking play I want suggesting I'm not a million miles off. We build from the back quite nicely, spread the play from side to side but it normally ends up in the wide positions where a full-back of winger kicks the ball straight in to a defenders legs.

 

I'm not sure how to take a screenshot and post it on here (as mentioned above, never felt the need to ask for help through the forum before!) but my tactic is as per the below:

Mentality - Positive

In Possession - Shorter Passing, Play Out Of Defence, Low Crosses, Higher tempo, Fairly Narrow

In Transition - Distribute to Playmaker, Distribute Quickly, Counter, Counter-Press

Out of Possession - Higher DL, Higher LoE, Prevent Short GK Distribution, Use Tighter Marking

Formation - Asymmetric 4-5-1 (no individual player instructions

~~~~~~~~F9(s)~~~~~~~~

IW(a)~~~~~~~~AM(s)~~~

~~~~DLP(s)~~~~~~~~W(s)

~~~~~~~DM(s)~~~~~~~~

FB(s)~BPD(d)~BPD(c)~FB(a)

~~~~~~~~SK(s)~~~~~~~~

In possession I added the Fairly Narrow instruction to try and reduce the amount of crosses as possession in the wide areas of the attacking third is generally wasted anyway. What I'm hoping for is the F9 to drop in the hole and open up space for my IW and AM to make runs forward. The width comes form my two FBs and my DLP should be sitting deeper to provide an option to recycle deep if the space doesn't materialise.

In case its relevant the players in my Best XI formation are:

SK - de Gea

FB - Luke Shaw

BPD - Harry Maguire

BPD - Victor Lindelof

FR - Aaron wan Bissaka

DM - Declan Rice

DLP - Paul Pogba

W - Daniel James

IW - Marcus Rashford

AM - James Maddision

F9 - Anthony Martial

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! I am one very frustrated virtual manager!

[JEinchy]

Looking at your choice of roles and duties, I'd say your side lacks penetration. You said you want the AM to make runs forward, but on a support duty he'll look to drop into midfield and link play more than breaking into the penalty area. You could try putting him on an attack duty to see if he'll be more aggressive. On the other side, the IW(a) can be a scorer with the right player, but it's a more creative role, with the player picking the ball up deeper than an Inside Forward would. If you're struggling for penetration on this side, I'd recommend changing his role to IF(a). 

This last one is mostly preference, but I would change attacking width to Fairly Wide/Wide instead of Fairly Narrow/Narrow. Against deep defences, the ball is going to go wide most of the time anyway because that's where the space is, so I prefer to encourage width rather than go against it.  

[Experienced Defender]

1 hour ago, A Loyal Shot said:

I added the Fairly Narrow instruction to try and reduce the amount of crosses as possession in the wide areas of the attacking third is generally wasted anyway

Well, you are using to crossing-heavy roles on the right flank - winger and FB on attack duty - so a lot of crosses is no surprise to me. Even of the left flank I would expect more crosses, simply because your distribution of roles and duties there is making players a bit too isolated in the attacking third, so your LB (Shaw) probably does not have a lot of options other than crossing most of the time. 

 

1 hour ago, A Loyal Shot said:

~~~~~~~~F9(s)~~~~~~~~

IW(a)~~~~~~~~AM(s)~~~

~~~~DLP(s)~~~~~~~~W(s)

~~~~~~~DM(s)~~~~~~~~

FB(s)~BPD(d)~BPD(c)~FB(a)

~~~~~~~~SK(s)~~~~~~~~

I never use asymmetric formations, so take my suggestion with a (great) pinch of salt. Anyway, something like this would make a lot more sense IMHO:

                     F9

IFat                       AMat

           DLPsu                     Wsu

                   DMde

WBsu    CDde   BPDco    IWBsu

                    GKde*

* GKde - only because de Gea lacks proper attributes for a SK role 

1 hour ago, A Loyal Shot said:

Out of Possession - Higher DL, Higher LoE, Prevent Short GK Distribution, Use Tighter Marking

Tight marking does not make much sense in this kind of tactic and can be pretty much counter-productive, so I'd recommend you remove it. 

[llama3]

I'd echo the advice given already, but you also could use "work ball into box" to try and reduce the aimless crosses. I think your squad has crossers, creators, but little penetration or goalscoring threat.

[A Loyal Shot]

Thanks guys,

I've incorporated your advice and the tactic is now much more pleasing on the eye and there is more penetration (17 shots, 8 on target, 4 clear cut chances). Still drew the game 0-0 but that was down to some very strange decisions by the players (drilling shots wide when a team mate was in acres of space and heading the ball over the bar when unmarked on the edge of the 6 yard box!). Having looked at the bugs forum there seem to be a number of ME issues that I'm seeing in the game that are flagged under review (poor player ratings and player decision making mainly) so hopefully when the full patch comes out things will click. We definitely have more penetration now though!