To All You Pros Out There!

[ReeNah]

Okay I have finally had it... I officially suck at this game.

So basically, after hours of searching through these forums I have figured out if I use your tactics I can have a degree of success. However that does not help me in the long run as I still struggle to create a tactic that is effective and consistant for any team in any league.

So I'll propose a question for you all:

What do all the successful tactics have in common?

So basically what I am asking is;

What are some common features in successful tactics?

What are some fundamental things to have in mind when creating a tactic?

What are some real important 'no nos' that I should look out for?

I am just so confused. So confused. I have read all the tactics bible etc and in my mind my tactics make total sense. In fact I sometimes have a wonderful save whether it be with Liverpool or Aston Villa or Wigan... Its just that most of the time when I try playing this game I do horrible, no consistancy, players not really playing the way I want them to. In the latest patch (I've been playing with Portsmouth) and I am really struggling to score. It seems some games I have many chances just noone can put it into the back of the net, other games I have 70% possession and noone is shooting...

This is not a rant. I just wanted to know if there were any similarities between the top tactics and hopefully this thread will help many other newbies out there struggling like me.

Cheers for any help team,

ReeNah

[Falahk]

to me the most important things are:

1) players suiting your tactics/using a tactic that get the most out of the players you have/using player roles that suit your players

2) offensive output of the tactic in question (some tactics need a world class team to have a good output, some need the right players in the right spot, etc), this probebly have much to do with my aproch to the game thought, i like my team to play attacking football

3) dont overcomplicate things, you dont have to make a mega awesome tweeked into the smallest detail tactic to preform well on this game, I like to keep things simpel and work from there, to test what works good for me and what dont

[amit_leipold]

well i never download other people tactics, mainly becouse they destroy the game play.

if you tweek all players and give them specifice instructions you block your players to take instructions when you inside the game.

the game is more simple then you think, so simple that you dont need nothing but very basic tactic creator to have the best tactic to lead you...

i play 4-4-2 very basic, did not tuch one specifice instructions, i only fix coners, free kicks, roles to my players like target man and thats all.

my work on the tactic come on the match when i see what the team need, i get huge smile when i see my players react perfectly to instructions i give them, this realy make the game feel alive.

and the more i learn how to react to situation in the game, the nicer my result are.

so here is my tips

1. make tactic that fit the players you have, or if you got the money buy players to fit the tactic you like.

2. use tactics creator to make your tactic

3. learn to use shout when you play the game and test it to find out how its working.

i hope i help a bit, sorry for my english

[phnompenhandy]

I agree with the above. The most successful tactics are the ones that suits the players using them.

There is no out-of-a-box tactic or some one-size-fits-all tactic.

follow the guys above and be patient (and maybe move away from portsmouth!)

[dankrzyz]

The age-old question is: get players to match your tactic, or change your tactic to match your players' abilities? It's a trick question, you have to do both. But everyone has their own idea about which is the chicken and which is the egg. No matter which way you go, always consider the other. Personally, I prefer to tweak players' roles to their individual skills, but always within my preferred tactic/system.

What are some fundamental things to have in mind when creating a tactic?

Balance between defensive, support, and attacking roles. Just because you want to be an attacking team doesn't mean you should always load up with 4 or 5 attacking roles.

Understand the concept of space. Exploit it when attacking, cover it when defending. Every formation doesn't cover all the space, but good tactics should take into account the space they are leaving for their opponent.

Tactical change can be subtle. A changed role here, a different player there, one more defending or attacking role, running or not running, closing down a lot or a little, shutting down an opponent's key player. Tweak and massage a tactic you think will work for you, don't think drastic change will create drastically better results.

I know you'll see it in the forums here, but you can't make sweeping or final judgements on tactics based on a few games. There are too many other variables that are in play (player morale, weather conditions, opponent tactics, opponent skill, et cetera). Sometimes a team just beats another on a given day. There are no unbeatable tactics. Period.

What are some real important 'no nos' that I should look out for?

Keep it simple to start. There are some widely understood and used tactics in the world of football. Everyone uses them for a reason, they're proven. 442, 433, 451, there's no shame in playing this way.

Don't overestimate your players if playing in lower leagues. They just don't have the technical or (sometimes) mental ability to play the most intricate, subtle tactics you see in the major European leagues or Champions League.

Probably the best advice: Watch your games in FULL, at least when trying out new tactics. The success or failure of a tactic - or a player's instructions - does not show up on highlights.

[Motcha]

I had a thread in the past called "the total football challenge" it describes how you can build a successful attacking team, but let me sum up how you can do that;

The higher you keep the ball in your opp.'s half, the higher your chances of scoring and winning. You can do that through the following means: 1) Fighting for the 1st ball. 2) Winning the 2nd ball. In the engine this translates to having players who are: 1) Tall 2) Strong 3) good headers.

Now that you've won the ball, you need to make sure you keep the ball! And the higher up the opp's half you keep the ball, the more pressure applied on your players and the higher the risk of losing the ball. You don't fight that pressure by having players with high technical abilities, but by having players with high composure. This is the most important attribute. When players have high composure, they are cool while facing difficult situations, so with high composure your defenders will not just put the ball out for a throw, your midfielders wont just punt the ball forward and your strikers will make sure they hit the back of the net.

It is also important to note that since you keep the ball high up your opponent's half, it is more likely that your opp will try to hit you with the long ball in behind defenders. So they must be quick AND HAVE HIGH COMPOSURE so that they don't just kick the ball out for a throw in. This guarantees that you keep the ball for as long as possible.

Now that you've made sure you kept the ball, you want to score; strikers need finishing, midfielders need passing, creativity and crossing. Some flair (here and there) won't harm either.

Now you are all set to take the game by storm!

[memyselfandeye]

Reenah all of the above is sound advice i was once was like you just couldnt wrap my head round the game then i also read on this forum basically telling me where i was going wrong, and i started again going by these simple guidelines im york now in the BSP and sitting top you can my league table in another thread ( A Quick Note about developing your own tactics ) look for the thread in brackets just too show you living proof you can manage teams i dont use opposition instruction's only if a forward or the wingers are looking dangerous then i might as for the shouts i tend too look at my assistant feedback if im playing a rigid attacking with direct passing and my assistant say's we should try longer ball's then i would use the shout (Pump the ball in the box) make sense really good luck .....