Just a little help with getting 4-4-1-1 to work

[EdH1977]

Hi,

I am playing with the below tactic in classic mode, it is very inconsistant and as I am new to the game I was looking for some pointers from the more experienced managers out there

I play Control when favourite and Counter when not, I have tried shorter and direct passing but find shorter to be more effective, I have tried having the CDs on Cover and Stopper but it seems to work better when I leave them both on Defend:

Krul - GK - D

Debuchy - FB - Automatic

Mbiwa - CD - D

Taylor - CD - D

Santaon - FB - Automatic

Ben Arfa - WM - a

Tiote - DLP - D

Cabaye - BBM - S

Goufran - WM - A

Sissoko - AM - A

Cisse - TM - S (also tried DLF but TM seemed to work better)

I leave the training focus on tactics until they are comfortable, then pick an area I feel I need to work on, i.e conceeding goals so focus on def positioning.

I dont tweak except for during the game I sometimes change the mentality depending on the score line but thats it, not sure what I can tweak to be effective!

Just wonder what you think I could change to be more consistent, I am stuck around 13 position at the mo, hammer some teams and then lose against others I would expect to beat

Thx

[Thunder88]

Is Cabaye any good as a Box to Box midfielder...from what i've seen he's more of a deep lying or central midfielder and maybe at a push an advanced playmaker...

In a 4-4-2 formation in modern football it leaves a lot of gaps in the centre of midfield as many use the 4-3-3 4-2-3-1 formation and the oppositions Attacking midfielder sits in the hole that your box to box midfielder is creating..

Also Tiote doesn't strike me as being a playmaker,he's more of a defensive midfielder who breaks up play and then gives it to the more creative midfielders such as Cabaye and Ben arfa...

How does Cisse play as an advanced forward or a poacher?

[EdH1977]

Well I got sacked last night after 12 games!!! Won the first game, totaly battered Sunderland having 21 shots to 0 on target and scoring 3. Then had a 1 - 0 defeat to Southampton away but had more possession and shots on targets, then beat Villa 2 - 1, again more strikes on goal and possession.... then lost every game, the poor run started when I changed my training to match my scouts comments, should I have left this alone?

I have two tactics, the other is direct passing and I change my two central mids to BWM, one D and the other on S.... I used this to beat Villa. Does the game want you to tweak before each game, all I do is change whether to play my counter attacking formation or control tactic, i.e if you dont, does the AI penalise you!

Help please, its like Kinnear is back at Newcastle at this rate

Thx

[EdH1977]

Tried changing the midfield as suggested and now much better, firstly tried tiote as a BWM - D and Cabaye on DLP - S, work well but not as good as putting Tiote as a CM - D and Cabaye on CM - Automatic, won 7 off the belt including Man U at home and Arsenal away, playing with a rigid - counter strategy, direct passing working better, so just need to work out the training, do I just decided this myself or listen to my scout?!

Plus now that I have three players on automatic, when I change to control / attacking in the game it has more effect

Just going to create a second formation, something really attacking to change to when playing smaller clubs, might go 3-4-1-2 so I have another striker on the pitch!

Any more tips would be great, especially training tips

Thx

[EdH1977]

Right I am sorted with my two tactics but just a general query... do you change your tactics depending on whether you are the favourite / under dog or whether you are home / away?

Also any tips on this training, if the scout says train def positioning do you change it and leave it on that until he comes back and tell you to change it?

Thx