Quickfire Questions and Answers Thread (Tactic and Training Questions Only)

[Cleon]

I take a different approach and tend to look more at why I'm having a lot of long shots. I'll accept my players doing long shots as long as its not a lack of movement and options issue. So I tend to analyse them and look at them via the analysis tab to see firstly who is having them and then see if I can spot why. I've never thought about it in a percentage way but seeing as you've asked, I'd say I was similar to RT above.

[tomtuck01]

I take a different approach and tend to look more at why I'm having a lot of long shots. I'll accept my players doing long shots as long as its not a lack of movement and options issue. So I tend to analyse them and look at them via the analysis tab to see firstly who is having them and then see if I can spot why. I've never thought about it in a percentage way but seeing as you've asked, I'd say I was similar to RT above.

Well, I will see why it is happening and who is doing it, if movement is an issue, etc, if it becomes a trend of the percentage being too high.

Sometimes it's just too easy to look at the numbers in front of you and say "I had 12 'long' shots there and that's bad", when in reality that might only be a third of the total shots you have had. Hence why I go into thinking in way of percentages and what I consider high/low/etc.

But yes I agree with your and RT's observation(s).

[karangooner1]

Is there anyway to make the inside forward to move in the channels(its surprisingly cannot be selected for some reason for IF's). Pedro,Muller,Sanchez,Walcott. There is always one wide outlets in the teams preaching the possession game to run in behind i am just not able to re create something like that on this.

[Cleon]

Your IF starts in the channels so why would you want to move him there? It's not logical.

[karangooner1]

Your IF starts in the channels so why would you want to move him there? It's not logical.

They seem to look for the ball more and then cut inside. I would like them to run off the ball more in behind and not come deep looking for the ball to then cut inside. It makes them ineffective to a degree if they are right footed players playing on the right flank and vice-versa.

[Raymond85]

correct me if i'm wrong, but i think you would want them on support rather than attack duty for what you're asking.

[Cleon]

They seem to look for the ball more and then cut inside. I would like them to run off the ball more in behind and not come deep looking for the ball to then cut inside. It makes them ineffective to a degree if they are right footed players playing on the right flank and vice-versa.

If you want them in behind then you don't want to use an IF because that's not what an IF does. An IF comes inside and doesn't go behind really because they are never more advanced than their marker.

[karangooner1]

If you want them in behind then you don't want to use an IF because that's not what an IF does. An IF comes inside and doesn't go behind really because they are never more advanced than their marker.

Okay so I am wrong but is there anyway to make them do what i want them to?

[karangooner1]

correct me if i'm wrong, but i think you would want them on support rather than attack duty for what you're asking.

umm,No i want them to attack the space off the balls to have a better chance of my creative players to penetrate the opposition defense better. A player with a good off the ball movement and finishing.

[Mikal]

Not really a tactics question as such but hoping someone can help me out. Last year I believe there was a website called Chalkboard Diaries which featured various tactical discussions and what-not. One of the articles was about Manchester United in 2009 I think when they had the trio of Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo and trying to implement this. For anyone who was involved, or anyone who knows how to access it, is there anyway to read that article again? As far as I can tell that website is not working any more. Cheers.

[Cleon]

Not really a tactics question as such but hoping someone can help me out. Last year I believe there was a website called Chalkboard Diaries which featured various tactical discussions and what-not. One of the articles was about Manchester United in 2009 I think when they had the trio of Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo and trying to implement this. For anyone who was involved, or anyone who knows how to access it, is there anyway to read that article again? As far as I can tell that website is not working any more. Cheers.

Its my site but its offline atm and won't be back for a few weeks yet. No other way to read it either, sorry

[Mikal]

Its my site but its offline atm and won't be back for a few weeks yet. No other way to read it either, sorry

I did think it was yours, but that's a shame! Do let me know when it's back online I have a hankering to learn!

[Steve Odom]

Cleon, never considered life as a real Guru? Could make some real money out of that!

Anyway, I made a huge mistake in preseason: made my pitch tiny again. Last year that worked great for me, but now I struggle creating chances. Maybe the patch altered my teams creativity too, because its also an issue with away games, to a lesser extent. I'm currently using a 433 (41221) formation with a great targetman for my league. I was thinking of changing to a 4231 wide formation in order to let the AM run past my target man. Is that at all feasible in those conditions?

[swallow1050]

Is there an advantage to having U19 goalkeeping coaches when the senior goalkeeping coaches can train the U19s? Likewise with fitness coaches?

[ckaracay]

any way to work around the distribution problem with gk? i try to play possession football but kicking the ball nonstop does not help at all.

[RTHerringbone]

any way to work around the distribution problem with gk? i try to play possession football but kicking the ball nonstop does not help at all.

I see no issues at all since the update.

What instructions have you given the keeper, and do you use a back four?

[shirajzl]

Do PPMs override Player instructions? I don't know if I remember correctly...for example, if a winger has Cuts Inside, he'll do that more often than run down the wing even if you tell him so via player instructions...

[DuncanJM]

PPms do override player instructions. Always check that you are not asking a player to do something he physically cannot do.

[Cleon]

Do PPMs override Player instructions? I don't know if I remember correctly...for example, if a winger has Cuts Inside, he'll do that more often than run down the wing even if you tell him so via player instructions...

PPM's make the player try that move more often. So they don't technically override instructions as such. But you need to be wary of the player and his PPM's because if he has bad decision making then he will more than likely use the PPM at the wrong times.

[taylorsmen]

Something i'm curious about. If i have the team instruction 'shorter passing' highlighted and also all individual players passing as 'pass it shorter', do they pass even shorter than the team instruction ? or is it more the fact that i'm just asking them individually to do the same as i asked collectively ? jeez, i hope that even makes sense.

Thanks in advance.

[2calvin]

Can you import the tactics from Steam > SteamApps > common > FM > tactics?

I don't know if I'm doing something wrong.

[Auqakuh]

Okay, simple question...

How do I make the most of a little fellow with great movement in terms of crossing? I want the ball played in so that he doesn't challenge with a defender, but runs onto it, since he has great pace and movement.

I can't seem to make it happen, though. I assumed that I'd want to drill crosses to the near post, but it doesn't appear to do anything - they refuse to cross into the box because he's so short. If I play a tall guy in there, they cross far more frequently with exactly the same instructions.

However, he has scored goals - maybe ten or eleven last season - on the rare occasions they get the ball in to him in the right way.

[furiousuk]

Okay, simple question...

How do I make the most of a little fellow with great movement in terms of crossing? I want the ball played in so that he doesn't challenge with a defender, but runs onto it, since he has great pace and movement.

I can't seem to make it happen, though. I assumed that I'd want to drill crosses to the near post, but it doesn't appear to do anything - they refuse to cross into the box because he's so short. If I play a tall guy in there, they cross far more frequently with exactly the same instructions.

However, he has scored goals - maybe ten or eleven last season - on the rare occasions they get the ball in to him in the right way.

Crossing early may help (its a long chalk though). Playing quick(ish) and direct(ish) could help as you'd want quick crosses in while there is still space in behind. I suspect that your players are getting to the byline, the defenders get into position and so they don't cross because your guy may now be marked.

[furiousuk]

Something i'm curious about. If i have the team instruction 'shorter passing' highlighted and also all individual players passing as 'pass it shorter', do they pass even shorter than the team instruction ? or is it more the fact that i'm just asking them individually to do the same as i asked collectively ? jeez, i hope that even makes sense.

Thanks in advance.

It makes sense!

But no, the individual instructions wholly override the team instructions if you've ticked them all. They'll pass as 'short' as you've set in the individual settings.

[taylorsmen]

It makes sense!

But no, the individual instructions wholly override the team instructions if you've ticked them all. They'll pass as 'short' as you've set in the individual settings.

Much appreciated for that, just needed it clearing up, thanks

[shirajzl]

I suspect that your players are getting to the byline, the defenders get into position and so they don't cross because your guy may now be marked.

That happens to me a lot. Is there a way to force my winger to try to cross regardless of the fact his marker is one metre ahead of him, i.e. close to him? It's really frustrating to watch my winger run with the ball down the wing right to the byline and then passing the ball back to running CM who's blasting it from 25m.

[swallow1050]

I'm not sure if this is a bug or just I'm not setting up my goal keeper correctly but if my team has a free kick in our own half e.g. an offside; my goalkeeper just hoofs it to the other keeper or off the pitch rather than pass it to another player. I have my goalkeeper distributing his goal kicks fine but if its a free kick he just seems to hoof it anywhere. Does anyone have any tips?

[oguzcan11]

Why can't I give the "cut inside" instruction to my ML/MR's?

for instance, I want them to cut inside when we have the ball. Dirk Kuyt and Moussa Sow are not natural wingers so they would better to cut inside. But I can't set that. Under player instruction section, the "cut inside" button is not active for ML/MR.

Anyone knows something?

[Phelix]

Why can't I give the "cut inside" instruction to my ML/MR's?

for instance, I want them to cut inside when we have the ball. Dirk Kuyt and Moussa Sow are not natural wingers so they would better to cut inside. But I can't set that. Under player instruction section, the "cut inside" button is not active for ML/MR.

Anyone knows something?

The option to cut inside is overridden by the fact you have set them to wingers. Wingers aren't expected to cut inside, instead they stay wide and try and beat their man and get a cross in. If you want the ML/MR to cut inside, then you need to play them as Wide Midfielders and set them to cut inside.

[BharadwajNaidu]

I play a 4-2-3-1 with my left wide guy as an Inside Forward and my right wide man as a winger , both on attack duty . My attacking midfielder is on attack duty behind an Advanced forward also an attack .

My Two Central Midfielders are a Deep Lying Playmaker on Defend Duty and a Box to Box midfielder on support .

The Instructions I have are Retain Possesion, Shorter Passing, Hit Early Crosses , Deeper Defensive Line , Roam from Positions , Higher Tempo , Tighter Marking .

My Problem is that when my opposition attacks none of my front four are tracking back defending. I dont expect my Advanced forward to do it and not even my attacking midfielder but my big problem is when the opposition fullbacks attack , there's noone around them as my wide men are not tracking back and my fullback is getting doubled by both the fullback and the wide man or one of my central midfielders is being pulled wide which hurts me in the middle .

Any way to get my Inside forward and my winger to track back ??

[Auqakuh]

Crossing early may help (its a long chalk though). Playing quick(ish) and direct(ish) could help as you'd want quick crosses in while there is still space in behind. I suspect that your players are getting to the byline, the defenders get into position and so they don't cross because your guy may now be marked.

Yeah, I've tried that. Doesn't work. And he's rarely, if ever, actually being marked. He has the "arrives late in opposition area" PPM (which works amusingly well with the "comes deep to get the ball" one, incidentally), so he tends to burst into the box just before it would be appropriate for a wide player to be putting a cross in...

Which is why occasionally, a cross goes over and he appears next a defender a foot taller than him who just let the cross go because there was no threat (haha! sucks to be you, Mertesacker!), nodding it past the 'keeper. But it's only maybe once every 25 games, and usually all of the crosses on the analysis are from corners/free-kicks.

[se88ie]

Does anyone else keep losing a first half lead, or at least lose the second half? No matter what tactic I employ in the second half - either changing things or keeping them the same - I nearly always lose the second half. Very frustrating. How can my tactics be so great for the first half, when I often hold a lead, to suddenly be rendered crap in the second?

This happened to anyone else?

[Auqakuh]

Does anyone else keep losing a first half lead, or at least lose the second half? No matter what tactic I employ in the second half - either changing things or keeping them the same - I nearly always lose the second half. Very frustrating. How can my tactics be so great for the first half, when I often hold a lead, to suddenly be rendered crap in the second?

This happened to anyone else?

I'd guess that your team talks are quite bad?

[bababooey]

Does anyone else keep losing a first half lead, or at least lose the second half? No matter what tactic I employ in the second half - either changing things or keeping them the same - I nearly always lose the second half. Very frustrating. How can my tactics be so great for the first half, when I often hold a lead, to suddenly be rendered crap in the second?

This happened to anyone else?

AI will adjust and make some changes so you need to be able to figure that out. Team talks are important to. Remember they are contextual.

[ScottGooner]

A couple of things I need some help with, sorry if they've already been answered.

1)Regarding wingers: It seems no matter where they get the ball on the field they 'always' seem to run to the corner/byline and then instead of crossing they wait for the fullback and at times another player to close them down then one of three things happens, 1)he gets tackled 2)he tries to get a corner but fails 3) he passes back to a CM. Is there a way to get him to cross the ball before he's closed down etc? Also is there a way to get them to run in a straight line instead of always heading to the corner?

2)Centre backs: I've conceded a few goals where one CB pushes up and leaves a gap and the AI then pass the ball into the space behind and create a chance/score. What can I do to prevent that CB rushing up and leaving the space behind him?

[phnompenhandy]

2)Centre backs: I've conceded a few goals where one CB pushes up and leaves a gap and the AI then pass the ball into the space behind and create a chance/score. What can I do to prevent that CB rushing up and leaving the space behind him?

Stopper and cover? That would be the problem there.

[cainite]

1)Regarding wingers: It seems no matter where they get the ball on the field they 'always' seem to run to the corner/byline and then instead of crossing they wait for the fullback and at times another player to close them down then one of three things happens, 1)he gets tackled 2)he tries to get a corner but fails 3) he passes back to a CM. Is there a way to get him to cross the ball before he's closed down etc? Also is there a way to get them to run in a straight line instead of always heading to the corner?

having exactly the same problem,it drives me crazy. anybody help? pls?

[jasperdeman]

Quick question: what are the roaming instruction on DLP? I noticed that "hold position" is greyed out, but in the ME I see my DLP roaming around the pitch, f.i. collecting the ball at the other end of the pitch...

[bababooey]

Since the new patch came out I've found that my center backs are consistently doing exactly what I don't want them doing: closing down and leaving gaps behind. The only thing that prevents this is if we were to really defend the low block and stand off, which isn't something I want to do against poor opposition obviously.

Anyone else experiencing this? Maybe the gap between my CM's and CD's is too large, and thus the CD's step forward to close down.. I use a 4-2-3-1 controlling, very fluid, 2 CD-D's and 1 CM-D with 1 CM-S.

One CD always seem to step out and close down, leaving a gap for a through ball to easily be hit leading to a CCC for the opposition. This is driving me nuts..

[Cleon]

Since the new patch came out I've found that my center backs are consistently doing exactly what I don't want them doing: closing down and leaving gaps behind. The only thing that prevents this is if we were to really defend the low block and stand off, which isn't something I want to do against poor opposition obviously.

Anyone else experiencing this? Maybe the gap between my CM's and CD's is too large, and thus the CD's step forward to close down.. I use a 4-2-3-1 controlling, very fluid, 2 CD-D's and 1 CM-D with 1 CM-S.

One CD always seem to step out and close down, leaving a gap for a through ball to easily be hit leading to a CCC for the opposition. This is driving me nuts..

This seems to be caused by users who use who use shouts like hassle opponents.

[Mikal]

Not really a tactics question as such but hoping someone can help me out. Last year I believe there was a website called Chalkboard Diaries which featured various tactical discussions and what-not. One of the articles was about Manchester United in 2009 I think when they had the trio of Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo and trying to implement this. For anyone who was involved, or anyone who knows how to access it, is there anyway to read that article again? As far as I can tell that website is not working any more. Cheers.

In relation to my query above, does anyone know any good sites where I could read up about team's tactics? Even better if it has the one I'm after on it!

[shirajzl]

1)Regarding wingers: It seems no matter where they get the ball on the field they 'always' seem to run to the corner/byline and then instead of crossing they wait for the fullback and at times another player to close them down then one of three things happens, 1)he gets tackled 2)he tries to get a corner but fails 3) he passes back to a CM. Is there a way to get him to cross the ball before he's closed down etc? Also is there a way to get them to run in a straight line instead of always heading to the corner?

I repeat this question since it's really annoying me every match and I can't find a plausible solution.

[Cleon]

In relation to my query above, does anyone know any good sites where I could read up about team's tactics? Even better if it has the one I'm after on it!

This isn't really the thread for these sort of questions.

Why not use the Resources, Websites and Blog thread that is at the top of the forum?

[bababooey]

This seems to be caused by users who use who use shouts like hassle opponents.

Yeah I was using hassle at the time but it still happens without it. I'm thinking a very fluid 4231 may have been a mistake..

[ScottGooner]

Stopper and cover? That would be the problem there.

No, both CB's play 'defend'.

[Esut.Mösil]

How do I access tactics that I've added? I put it in the tactics folder but I don't seem to be able to access it in game. I thought it would be under "add tactic" and then "use existing tactic".

[bababooey]

How do I access tactics that I've added? I put it in the tactics folder but I don't seem to be able to access it in game. I thought it would be under "add tactic" and then "use existing tactic".

It's under "manage tactics" and then load. Your existing tactics wont show the new ones until you've added them.

[ggwood]

1. It is possible to assign multiple coaches to a training category. Does it average the abilities of the coaches or take the best of each? Meaning, let us say, I have a coach with very high determination - does that cover up the low determination of another coach if I assign the two to a category - or do I get the average?

2. Aside from "tactics only", does match prep carry over from one game to the next? Given the name, it should not, however I played out around 14 years of FM Classic 2013 and I felt the need to rotate through the match prep - one "Defensive set pieces" every few games seemed to cover up set piece problems, as an example. However, I would totally regard this as a myth unless there is a lot of evidence otherwise.

3. Should I schedule friendly matches throughout the year for my reserve and under 18 squads? Generally, I schedule such that they play at least one game per week. Although pre-season, we need friendlies and the match training to learn tactics, am I not better off with less match training later as it means more general training - and thus faster stat growth?

4. On friendlies: I have read players need to play to improve their CA toward their PA. I assume competitive matches give a far larger boost, but do friendly matches help at all?

5. On training: it seems most people assign most players to train a role instead of a specific stat. Training a role trains many stats at once. But some roles train more stats then others. As an example, for my center backs, CD trains more then LD. I assign all my central defenders to the LD role right now (just promoted from league 1 to the english championship...not sure if LD will still be my best bet in the future) but I'm training my players as CD. It seems (3rd party sites...so perhaps not totally accurate) that CD also trains: composure, concentration and decisions. Now, I'm assuming these are still useful, even if I just play the guy as a LD, but as a CD he would rely on these abilities more. My question is: better to focus on CD or LD?

5.a. Along the lines of 5 above, I'm thinking of training my goalkeepers as sweeper keepers and my forwards, who currently train as advanced forwards, to complete forwards instead. The thought being to fill in any holes the players have, since training seems to boost the low stats most quickly. Then perhaps to switch to the role they are going forward with over a year or so. I'm assuming I'm wrong here and if I play a guy as an AF, best to keep training to AF only.

[BharadwajNaidu]

I play a 4-2-3-1 with my left wide guy as an Inside Forward and my right wide man as a winger , both on attack duty . My attacking midfielder is on attack duty behind an Advanced forward also an attack .

My Two Central Midfielders are a Deep Lying Playmaker on Defend Duty and a Box to Box midfielder on support .

The Instructions I have are Retain Possesion, Shorter Passing, Hit Early Crosses , Deeper Defensive Line , Roam from Positions , Higher Tempo , Tighter Marking .

My Problem is that when my opposition attacks none of my front four are tracking back defending. I dont expect my Advanced forward to do it and not even my attacking midfielder but my big problem is when the opposition fullbacks attack , there's noone around them as my wide men are not tracking back and my fullback is getting doubled by both the fullback and the wide man or one of my central midfielders is being pulled wide which hurts me in the middle .

Any way to get my Inside forward and my winger to track back ??

Any Help ??

[ryanomark]

Do the Drill/Float crosses instructions influence players to make more crosses as a whole? Or do they just tell your players, when and if you do cross, do them in this manner?