Failing to counter opposition

[eyalgolan]

So i'm playing Tottenham and so far things gone fairly well- after 7 matches i'm occupying the second place with the same points as the first and third placed teams (Manchester City and Chelsea). In most of my matches I get good results combined with a good play. Even if I don't win I play well enough.

Anyway, my last match was an away match against Swansea, probably a team that is better than most of the teams in the league, but even in an away match I expected to win, especially considering their star Michu was out. The final result of the match was 2-2. While disappointing, a draw is probably not the worst result away from home. It was how we played that raised concerns.

Let me start out with the formations:

Here is how the game ended:

What struck me most is how much possession they had. My tactic is not meant to control the match and I don't care to loss the possession battle, but 60-40 is quite high even for an away game, also I consider how bad we looked in general. They also reached more chances than us.

Heatmaps:

Swansea:

Changed tactics 3 times, starting with 4-2-3-1, moving to 4-5-1 and when they were behind changed to an attacking 4-4-2 with AMRL. Nathan Dyer (12) started on the right, but moved to the left when Routledge (15) replaced Maloney (8).

Tottenham:

Kept our 4-2-3-1 shaped through out the entire match. Clint Dempsey (2) came as a sub for Bale (11) on the last ten minutes.

I hope I shared enough info for you to help me figure out how I could have done better in this match, if there is anything else you need to see I would add.

[Rigga89]

70% pass completion is quite low. We're Swansea pressing you high up the pitch and winning possession from you on the half way line? In that situation I'd have looked to go more direct, and perhaps play wider if your wings were doing well. That would also have played into your hands given the higher header success you were having.

You say you didn't change your shape, but what changes did you make? Shouts etc?

[eyalgolan]

70% pass completion is quite low. We're Swansea pressing you high up the pitch and winning possession from you on the half way line? In that situation I'd have looked to go more direct, and perhaps play wider if your wings were doing well. That would also have played into your hands given the higher header success you were having.

You say you didn't change your shape, but what changes did you make? Shouts etc?

My starting shouts was Retain Possession, Run at Defense and Pass Into Space. At some point I tried to Push Higher Up to crunch Swansea's attack and try to press from higher up the pitch. Play wider would Increase the gap between CBs and FBs isn't it? If so it my be risky against pacey wingers who can cut in like Swansea have.

And it was 60% btw.

[Rigga89]

Play wider stretches the pitch making more gaps for players to find space. Of course it can back fire, but no more so than pushing higher up against pacey opposition.

60% is worryingly low. I'd look at the performance analysis panel for the game to see what sort of passing was going astray (long/short/passes wide/inside/defenders playing out from the back etc.) and think how you can address that.

[eyalgolan]

Play wider stretches the pitch making more gaps for players to find space. Of course it can back fire, but no more so than pushing higher up against pacey opposition.

60% is worryingly low. I'd look at the performance analysis panel for the game to see what sort of passing was going astray (long/short/passes wide/inside/defenders playing out from the back etc.) and think how you can address that.

Thanks man. I need to work better with the analysis tool has it seems to be important. I use it but more often than not I find it hard to translate it into tactical changes.

[Guest]

I am having a lot of success with switching to a more conservative Tactic away from home against decent to good teams with my AC Milan team. That is to say that I switch to from a comtrolling assymetric team at home to a 4231 counter tactic away from home. Sometimes if I am playing a team better than or equal to me in class I use my counter tactic at home too.

Have you noticed your average rating against theirs? Yours is much better, also how did they score and what roles did your cm's have?

[eyalgolan]

I am having a lot of success with switching to a more conservative Tactic away from home against decent to good teams with my AC Milan team. That is to say that I switch to from a comtrolling assymetric team at home to a 4231 counter tactic away from home. Sometimes if I am playing a team better than or equal to me in class I use my counter tactic at home too.

Have you noticed your average rating against theirs? Yours is much better, also how did they score and what roles did your cm's have?

Swansea scored their first from a mistake by Vertonghen who passed the ball straight to Schehter and left him 1 on 1 with Loris. Second goal was a corner Ashley Williams punted in. My CMs play CMd and DLPs.

[Guest]

Swansea scored their first from a mistake by Vertonghen who passed the ball straight to Schehter and left him 1 on 1 with Loris. Second goal was a corner Ashley Williams punted in. My CMs play CMd and DLPs.

Well it sounds like it was just one of those games, take the mistake out and they have 6 shots in total that got through and zero clear cut chances. The issues with passing is as suggested an idea to check your analysis. More than likely they were pressing you high and the defenders were hoofing it but everything apart from the passing and the scoreline suggests you were the better team. I just played Udinese off the park and lost due to my defender making an error so these things happen.