I am clueless at this game!

[celtic1967]

Hello.

I have played many previous versions of FM and have enjoyed 'some' success, although i realize that I don't have a clue when it comes to tactics. I usually just go Celtic and win the league with ease, anyone could do that.

I have tried many various clubs on FM 2012, Vitesse, Monaco, Napoli . . .

BUT, I just seem to draw or lose and nothing I change regarding tactics work.

I dont know what to look for in scouting reports, I dont know how to prepare for a game ...

So treat me as a beginner, where do I start ?

[achilles-the-victorious]

Is a transfer window open? Do you have a transfer budget? If so, start with what your idea of a good team is (in not, start by identifying your stars of today and tomorrow). A bunch of wily veterans, hungry youngsters? A mix of the two? Do you want to play for the present, or build for the future, or do both?

Do you want to play tough, physical football? Do you want to play the short passing game? Bring in new signings with your master plan in mind. Once you are happy with your squad you have to figure out how to get the most out of them, which generally means giving important roles to your best players. For e.g. if you have a star LW, don't play him out of position as a LM just because thats your formation. Build around him instead. If you have a pacy striker don't ask him to come deep for the ball, let him try to get in behind the defence (poacher/advanced fwd).

Try not to have any glaring weaknesses, either tactically, or personnel wise. This could mean lack of pace, lack of strength, low determination, little depth, dependent on one player, etc.

When it comes to match day, you want to know ahead of time how the opposition are likely to line up, or what their most dangerous line-up is, at the very least. Then you want to see what has to be done to stop their best player(s). If they play an AMC you likely have to field a DMC. If they have a fast left winger, definitely play your first choice RB.

Close them down in midfield, mark their strikers, except the very pacy ones. If your backline is slow, you will have to use a deep line. If your forwards are slow then a high line is better, as you will try to win the ball back in the opponent's half.

In general there are two considerations. How do I make my team play well (team selection, transfers, tactics), and how do I minimize the strengths of the opposition (tactics, opposition instructions, scouting ahead of time). If your strengths coincide with the opposition's weaknesses (like you play wide, and they defend narrow, or your forwards are quick and their defenders are slow) then its likely going to be a good day for your team.

I only have experience with team talks in FM11. My advice would be to recruit determined professionals, that will make your life a whole lot easier to start with!

[lam]

Hello.

I have played many previous versions of FM and have enjoyed 'some' success, although i realize that I don't have a clue when it comes to tactics. I usually just go Celtic and win the league with ease, anyone could do that.

I have tried many various clubs on FM 2012, Vitesse, Monaco, Napoli . . .

BUT, I just seem to draw or lose and nothing I change regarding tactics work.

I dont know what to look for in scouting reports, I dont know how to prepare for a game ...

So treat me as a beginner, where do I start ?

I'm going to give you a very very simple answer.

K.I.S.S

Keep it simple stupid!

Use the TC and just opt for a plain old tactic with very few changes.

If you keep it like this..... just to start with... then all you need to mess with is team instructions when coming up against the various opposition. If you opt for mixed on most of the instructions on the team then the TC will apply the varying instructions based on the roles you give your team.

After that, it is really just about the roles you give your team. Do you recall some of the first reports that you received from your assistant manager in reference to your best formation.... that is worth listening too! If you are strong then opt for one of the more attacking varieties, if you are weaker then opt for one of the more defensive varieties.

Have a look at your teams reports (same as the scout reports for the opposition) and see who plays in what roles and what duties suit them best. If it happens to match your tactic fairly well then give them that role.

*EDIT*

Got to go out and will finish this later, but I dont trust the forum not to eat it if i just leave it sitting here. Hopefully there is enough here to get started with.

Essentially, all the information is there, it's just a case of getting good at extrapolating it (big word for a Sunday morning (needed spellcheck with it ))

[furiousuk]

The TT&F (Tactical Theorems & Frameworks, stickied at the top of the forum) is still a fantastic place to start.

Stick with what you know at first as well (this kind of goes hand in hand with keeping it simple, which is fantastic advice), if you're used to a Celtic-style 442 (I'm assuming they play a fairly traditional British 442, when I've come up against them in FM it has been this way) then try to play that way with another team and get used to fitting different players into that system or adapting it (making small changes at first) to the players that you have.

Once you've got that going and working fairly well you might want to work out a contrasting and complimentary plan B, perhaps a 41221 (433) or a 4411 (4231)? Then you might spot a transfer target who forces you to change your style to accommodate him. And so on until you really get the hang of what works when and what doesn't.

[Sussex Hammer]

If you like Classic Tactics try this. I've been playing for years but for some reason I'm finding it tactically tough in this years FM probably because I don't use the TC. I have tried and failed with various tactics and when one does start to work it fails after 13 or so games.

So I have just deleted all my tactics and started again with two. A 4-4-2 and a 4-5-1. All team instructions down the middle, all player instructions (bar long shots which are rare) down the middle. I now figure that footballers generally do most things like run with the ball, run from deep etc "sometimes" so giving someone a don't do it may create a problem if they have to do it!! Biggest change for me is to have that old creative freedom down the middle for all players once again figuring that they have to make decisions for themselves. Plus time and time again I have reverted to global settings as you don't get any of that "there is too much space between your blah blah blah routine".

I then now check my Assistants comments and see how the game is going and then adjust accordingly. Eg if their striker is getting onto balls over the top too much I'll just drop the defensive line, that sort of thing. I couldn't buy a win before but in two games I have drawn 2-2 away at Bolton with 10 men for 80 minutes and beat 3rd placed West Brom 5-1 at home. Only two games but it's an interesting start and it's a " simple basic" a start point which is perfect for a lazt tactitian like myself!!