[FM20] Tactical Style and Adapting

[Branne96]

Hi All,

 

I come to you, the good people of the SI tactics and strategy forum, for some much-needed advice.

I am in 2031, with Bradford Park Avenue, sitting in the Premier League. I am 19^th in wage spend, predicted to finish 7^th and currently in 4^th, with last year resulting in a Europa League win after qualifying through the play-in rounds; by all metrics, I believe I’m over-performing, but I want to do more than just over-perform without winning trophies.

I also wanted to achieve this exclusively through playing with narrower, winger-less formations, such as a 3-5-2 or 4-4-2 diamond. I do this as normally I play exclusively with a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-1-4-1, and I want to improve my tactical game.

However, I am at a crossroads – I have identified two problems that I need to address to achieve the goal of winning the champions league, and the premier league, in the same year.

The first of which is in relation to how to combat the bottomless money-pit teams I’ll encounter in the champions league. Currently, I play a 5-3-2 counter-attacking style of football, built from advice I’ve read on this forum. Should I persist with this approach against teams that obviously outclass me, should I go even more defensive, or maybe even bring the fight to them?

The second problem I am facing is against teams I believe I am better than. Wins against these teams are shakier or result in a draw or loss. After reading here, I understand that can be down to teams taking a more defensive approach once you start to get a high reputation, and to sort that, I should be the more attacking and dominant team.

To address this, what combination of narrow formation and tactical approach could I take to be able to attack, rather than counterattack, teams weaker than myself, and bring the fight to them? My only restriction here is to use a narrow formation.

 

Thanks,

Branne

Edited August 3, 2020 by Branne96

[Experienced Defender]

6 hours ago, Branne96 said:

 

6 hours ago, Branne96 said:

Currently, I play a 5-3-2 counter-attacking style of football

Sorry, but this tactic does not look like counter-attacking to me (except for the use of the counter team instruction).

I mean, higher D-line + more urgent pressing (under the positive mentality) + work ball into box - that's not really counter-attacking. It does not mean that counter-attacks as such cannot happen during matches, but the tactic itself does not belong to that style of play. 

Which of course does not matter as long as you are pleased with results and/or performances 

[Branne96]

15 hours ago, Experienced Defender said:

 

Sorry, but this tactic does not look like counter-attacking to me (except for the use of the counter team instruction).

I mean, higher D-line + more urgent pressing (under the positive mentality) + work ball into box - that's not really counter-attacking. It does not mean that counter-attacks as such cannot happen during matches, but the tactic itself does not belong to that style of play. 

Which of course does not matter as long as you are pleased with results and/or performances 

Hi, thanks for getting back to me!

I should clarify further. I call it counter attacking as that's what I see on the pitch when my team is being successful. After tracking how we scored all of our goals this season, most come through set pieces and counter attacks, with precious few coming from any build up play at all.  Work Ball Into Box was used as a test, and it didn't improve things.

With this being the main source of our goals, should I focus the style more towards a counter-attacking system, drop the lines and pressing,  if that's what I'm seeing on the pitch? 

On a side-note, I'm posting as I'm not 100% happy with performances against teams I am perceived to be better than - against the likes of newly promoted Bristol, or in FA Cup games against current lowly Rotherham, I have, for a few seasons now, had unexpected thumpings handed to me on the regular when using this system. My real question here is, when you are a 'top team', playing a more defensive style, should you have a second, more aggressive system to attack these teams?

[Experienced Defender]

5 hours ago, Branne96 said:

With this being the main source of our goals, should I focus the style more towards a counter-attacking system, drop the lines and pressing,  if that's what I'm seeing on the pitch?

You can try that of course. But keep in mind that using a counter-attacking tactic as your only strategy is usually not a good idea, because such a tactic - even if "perfectly" designed - is probably not going to work in matches where you are not the underdog, i.e. when you are the favorite. So you need to have a plan-B tactic as well - one that will not be (primarily) counter-attacking while essentially still being very similar to the counter one. The difference should not be more than just a couple of small tweaks. 

 

5 hours ago, Branne96 said:

My real question here is, when you are a 'top team', playing a more defensive style, should you have a second, more aggressive system to attack these teams?

Well, if you are a top team, then there is even less point in playing a more defensive style. Because top teams are favorites in most of their matches, which means the opposition are also going to play defensively against you. Therefore, you need a strategy to break them down, rather than being defensive like them. If I am an underdog playing against a top team, the best thing I could wish for is that they play defensive football and thus help me get a 0-0 draw