Can't win a single match

[OdneyManor]

Hi

 

Six seasons into my save and I'm currently managing Cowdenbeath in the Scottish league one. I am now 12 league games in to the season without a win to my name. I've been using this 4123.

Is there anything wrong with it? Anything I can change to improve it? I've never been very good with tactics even after reading through these forums and watching numerous videos on youtube.

The team isn't the best, but we were predicted to end 7th, and I've brought in a few new players to improve the squad a bit since then. I'm not expecting to win the league or anything, but I would like to at least win a few matches.

[GianniM]

Your tactics are pretty much a blank sheet. Try adding a few TIs based on how you want to play. 

Your defense is pretty stale. I'd have the left fullback in a more attacking role (or just FBa). 

Perhaps change the DLP into an AP to have him move forward more. You have your anchor man to cover. 

[Atarin]

I think you can afford to switch your BBM to a CM(a) tbh. You don't have anyone breaking from midfield with consistency and you definitely have enough cover there in your Anchor Man and your DLP. You could also consider switching your fullbacks to WBs  because they'll get more involved in transitions through midfield.

[Hovis Dexter]

Try an internet search for "rate my tactic"

Edited July 27, 2020 by Hovis Dexter

[Fatkidscantjump]

il y a 57 minutes, Hovis Dexter a dit :

Try an internet search for "rate my tactic"

That's an awesome tool ! Thank you !

I've been playing with it for half an hour, recreating my tactics and reading about their flaws. The visual representation helps me a lot !
How accurate is it ? Do you use it often ? This is so awesome, wish I found it earlier !

[Hovis Dexter]

10 minutes ago, Fatkidscantjump said:

That's an awesome tool ! Thank you !

I've been playing with it for half an hour, recreating my tactics and reading about their flaws. The visual representation helps me a lot !
How accurate is it ? Do you use it often ? This is so awesome, wish I found it earlier !

I only discovered it a couple of days ago and have found it to be really good. I'm now using my own tactics with minimal TIs and no PIs and having good success. Many thanks to @Guide_to_FM

Edited July 27, 2020 by Hovis Dexter
corrected spelling

[wixxi]

1 hour ago, Hovis Dexter said:

Try an internet search for "rate my tactic"

Very nice tool thanks for highlighting it. Especially liking the custom 'tactical style' labels they have.

For anyone who can't find it with a google search it's https://ratemytactic.web.app/

Edit: Also I would say that people should make sure they use it as a general guideline that highlights potential shortcomings rather than as gospel (which of course applies to essentially any advice given online).

Edited July 27, 2020 by wixxi

[Atarin]

I wouldn't trust that app at all. I've just plugged in a couple of my most successful tactics and it ripped them to pieces. The lesson is that there is a lot more to tactics than these simple calculators can process. It knows nothing about the strengths, weaknesses or styles of your players. It knows nothing about the opposition you're facing. Any role can be played any number of ways. Feel free to use systems like this all you want but just know that they're not recommended by experienced players of the game, and for good reason.

[FMunderachiever]

one thing i dont understand about rate my tactic is:

 

It does not discuss counter pressing/regrouping or counter attacking.

 

Surely if i was to create a tactic that had a lower solidarity score, i might not might that if looking to initiate a counter press?

 

Also rate my tactic cant tell who my actual players are, does that have much of an effect do you think?

[CaptCanuck]

OP aren't you now at the point where it's not just tactics, but squad morale that's bottomed out?

When I went through a really rough patch that had me down in the relegation zone on Boxing Day of my first season, I started reading a lot of threads/blogs on breaking losing streaks. Simply fiddling with the tactic may not be enough now.

[crusadertsar]

18 minutes ago, CaptCanuck said:

OP aren't you now at the point where it's not just tactics, but squad morale that's bottomed out?

When I went through a really rough patch that had me down in the relegation zone on Boxing Day of my first season, I started reading a lot of threads/blogs on breaking losing streaks. Simply fiddling with the tactic may not be enough now.

Yeah we cannot underestimate the influence of morale, team talks and press conferences. In FM20 they are all more important than ever.

[CaptCanuck]

48 minutes ago, crusadertsar said:

Yeah we cannot underestimate the influence of morale, team talks and press conferences. In FM20 they are all more important than ever.

For sure. I cannot remember just how bad we got (first two seasons we were a bottom 6 club) but it was never double-digits: I would have been sacked. But managing morale, saying the 'right thing', scheduling a friendly against the u23s, using my best determination/teamwork/workrate players regardless of whether they were the most talented helped get the side out of danger... I certainly tweaked my gegen tactic too, but if the OP has a mid-table predicted team + sensible looking (yes minimalistic but still) tactic and goes 12 without a win, it sure isn't one thing.

[wixxi]

1 hour ago, Atarin said:

I wouldn't trust that app at all. I've just plugged in a couple of my most successful tactics and it ripped them to pieces. The lesson is that there is a lot more to tactics than these simple calculators can process. It knows nothing about the strengths, weaknesses or styles of your players. It knows nothing about the opposition you're facing. Any role can be played any number of ways. Feel free to use systems like this all you want but just know that they're not recommended by experienced players of the game, and for good reason.

I definitely think it should be taken with a pinch of salt - case in point it showed my tactic as having low solidarity but I got 25 clean sheets in the league season with the least goals conceded by 8, however I don't think it's a bad tool for beginners who may make what more experienced players think of as glaring errors. It does also provide the source for different warnings so people can understand why there may be something wrong with the tactic rather than just being told that it needs to be changed. Of course as others have mentioned it doesn't factor things such as the club's stature in the league, your players etc.

 

Edited July 27, 2020 by wixxi

[OdneyManor]

13 hours ago, GianniM said:

Your tactics are pretty much a blank sheet. Try adding a few TIs based on how you want to play. 

Your defense is pretty stale. I'd have the left fullback in a more attacking role (or just FBa). 

Perhaps change the DLP into an AP to have him move forward more. You have your anchor man to cover. 

9 hours ago, Atarin said:

I think you can afford to switch your BBM to a CM(a) tbh. You don't have anyone breaking from midfield with consistency and you definitely have enough cover there in your Anchor Man and your DLP. You could also consider switching your fullbacks to WBs  because they'll get more involved in transitions through midfield.

I will have a play with the midfield and full backs and see what happens.

 

3 hours ago, CaptCanuck said:

OP aren't you now at the point where it's not just tactics, but squad morale that's bottomed out?

When I went through a really rough patch that had me down in the relegation zone on Boxing Day of my first season, I started reading a lot of threads/blogs on breaking losing streaks. Simply fiddling with the tactic may not be enough now.

Morale across the squad is between fairly ok and fairly good, so not quite in the red yet.

[Experienced Defender]

23 hours ago, OdneyManor said:

Is there anything wrong with it? Anything I can change to improve it?

It's hard to offer specific advice when you don't know anything about a team/players, but what is obvious to me in your tactic is a lack of penetration. On that score, i would change the RB into WB on support and BBM into CM on attack. 

As for instructions, start with none (under the Balanced team mentality) and than make small gradual tweaks (but not on a random basis).