Tips to play and win vs teams like stoke...

[isukatthisgame]

Teams that play contain tactics use a 4-4-2 and use longballs..With 2 dms and 2 defensive wingers..

Stokes formation is something like this...

--RD--CD--CD--LD--

------DM--DM--------

--LM(D)--------RM(D)--

-------ST---ST-------

I have tried using maximum d-line, quick tempo,slow tempo, low time wasting...but nothing seems to break the wall..all the shots from inside the box gets blocked...

I'm playing as newcastle utd..and playing a 4-2-3-1(2cm,wide players with "move into channels" instruction.)

Any tips!! Does counter attack work against these type of teams??

[Nobby_McDonald]

Score more goals usually works.

There is a tactics forum for questions/advice like this.

[Domus Clamantium]

Play wider, outnumber their midfield, and drop deeper. Play with three at the back. Three at the back lets you have 5 in midfield meaning you always have a spare unmarked man for build up, play wider should draw them out and make gaps in their defence, and drop deeper should draw their defensive mids away from their centre backs. If they don't seem to bite, just pass the ball around - retain possession and play out of defence. Switch your goalie to defender collect.

IMO 3-4-1-2 is superior to 4-2-3-1 vs a 4-4-2 because it lets you man mark but still have one man spare who is unmarked, whereas in a flat 3-5-2 the third man is harder to find when the MCL or MCR have the ball (the MC is in the way). Three at the back can deal with 2 forwards pretty easily when midfield helps out, especially as only one forward will be tight on their marker in a 4-4-2, the other will drop deeper for link up. Plus you still have all the passing triangles. I'd play with 2 defensive wingers on support to cover the wings with a 3 man D-line. For the AMC you can either go with IF(s) or AM(s) and play with a DLP(s) next to a CM(d) or BWM(d), which would be good for a deeper D-Line. When you play with two up top you don't need to put either on support, I find something like DLF/TM/Complete Forward(a) and AF/Poacher(a) are the best combination. For your D-line IMO CD works better than LD to maximise possession.

And IMO when they are playing defensive, low time wasting is a bad option. One click below Often is around optimal. This lets your players take their time in thinking of killer passes but isn't too slow such that they are too easily tackled. Try that, high tempo, and mixed passing style. This should maximise the opportunities from holding onto the ball and drawing their defensive players out.

For players I'd be looking for centre backs with 13+ in decisions, concentration and anticipation, 16+ for jumping, 15+ for tackling, marking, positioning and strength. Ideally you also want them to have 11+ for passing, technique, and first touch, and 13+ for heading.

For midfield you need attacking full backs with 12+ flair, dribbling, crossing and creativity, 15+ for marking, and acceleration, 13+ for pace, 14+ stamina. 14+ concentration and decisions, and good passing and technique helps too. Ideal combination would be Romario and Juan Sanchez Mino. Any aerial ability is also beneficial for possession. In the middle you want 14+ flair, pace, creativity, acceleration, technique, decisions, passing and composure in your AMC, for your two central mids you want good marking, tackling and positioning ability as well as solid creativity, technique and passing, reasonable flair, plus stamina and strength, with at least one of them able to dominate in the air. Often a good centre back can be retrained to play as one of these. One midfielder will be on defend duty so he should be more defensively solid than the other one who is on support and more creative. Look at Mario Bolatti, Daniele De Rossi, Jack Cork or Panagiotis Tachtsidis for your defensive type midfielder, and Ezequiel Cirigliano or Lorenzo Crisetig for the more creative force who can also be decent defensively, just not as much as the others. The left footed Tachtsidis is my favourite because he's good at jumping, which makes up for the deficiencies of many creative midfielders who lack height and many of whom have a stronger right foot. IMO he and Crisetig are a great combination, plus they both speak Italian. Crisetig can also jump high.

For front men, doesn't need specifying, except at least one 16+ jumping, and at least one with 15+ pace and acceleration. Having two up top that can do both is lethal.

[Guest Satchy]

A lot of times I will use the Drop Deeper shout, in combination with Run at Defense, Pass Into Space, and Look for Overlap. If you have the right players running with the ball, they can get in to draw the defense out and then send in a through ball to a player overlapping the hole in the formation. I haven't generally had too much success trying to fire in crosses, but I also only play with one striker.

[isukatthisgame]

Score more goals usually works.

There is a tactics forum for questions/advice like this.

Yes!!Score more goals...Thanks for the advice

My question is about creating clear cut chances against these teams :-)

Sorry i will post this thread in the right forums next time..

Play wider, outnumber their midfield, and drop deeper. Play with three at the back. Three at the back lets you have 5 in midfield meaning you always have a spare unmarked man for build up, play wider should draw them out and make gaps in their defence, and drop deeper should draw their defensive mids away from their centre backs. If they don't seem to bite, just pass the ball around - retain possession and play out of defence. Switch your goalie to defender collect.

IMO 3-4-1-2 is superior to 4-2-3-1 vs a 4-4-2 because it lets you man mark but still have one man spare who is unmarked, whereas in a flat 3-5-2 the third man is harder to find when the MCL or MCR have the ball (the MC is in the way). Three at the back can deal with 2 forwards pretty easily when midfield helps out, especially as only one forward will be tight on their marker in a 4-4-2, the other will drop deeper for link up. Plus you still have all the passing triangles. I'd play with 2 defensive wingers on support to cover the wings with a 3 man D-line. For the AMC you can either go with IF(s) or AM(s) and play with a DLP(s) next to a CM(d) or BWM(d), which would be good for a deeper D-Line. When you play with two up top you don't need to put either on support, I find something like DLF/TM/Complete Forward(a) and AF/Poacher(a) are the best combination. For your D-line IMO CD works better than LD to maximise possession.

And IMO when they are playing defensive, low time wasting is a bad option. One click below Often is around optimal. This lets your players take their time in thinking of killer passes but isn't too slow such that they are too easily tackled. Try that, high tempo, and mixed passing style. This should maximise the opportunities from holding onto the ball and drawing their defensive players out.

For players I'd be looking for centre backs with 13+ in decisions, concentration and anticipation, 16+ for jumping, 15+ for tackling, marking, positioning and strength. Ideally you also want them to have 11+ for passing, technique, and first touch, and 13+ for heading.

For midfield you need attacking full backs with 12+ flair, dribbling, crossing and creativity, 15+ for marking, and acceleration, 13+ for pace, 14+ stamina. 14+ concentration and decisions, and good passing and technique helps too. Ideal combination would be Romario and Juan Sanchez Mino. Any aerial ability is also beneficial for possession. In the middle you want 14+ flair, pace, creativity, acceleration, technique, decisions, passing and composure in your AMC, for your two central mids you want good marking, tackling and positioning ability as well as solid creativity, technique and passing, reasonable flair, plus stamina and strength, with at least one of them able to dominate in the air. Often a good centre back can be retrained to play as one of these. One midfielder will be on defend duty so he should be more defensively solid than the other one who is on support and more creative. Look at Mario Bolatti, Daniele De Rossi, Jack Cork or Panagiotis Tachtsidis for your defensive type midfielder, and Ezequiel Cirigliano or Lorenzo Crisetig for the more creative force who can also be decent defensively, just not as much as the others. The left footed Tachtsidis is my favourite because he's good at jumping, which makes up for the deficiencies of many creative midfielders who lack height and many of whom have a stronger right foot. IMO he and Crisetig are a great combination, plus they both speak Italian. Crisetig can also jump high.

For front men, doesn't need specifying, except at least one 16+ jumping, and at least one with 15+ pace and acceleration. Having two up top that can do both is lethal.

Thank you so much for the brilliant in-depth answer.

So it should be mixed passing style, a high normal tempo and normal timewasting and a deeper D-Line (But not too deep!)...Ok thanks ! I will test and post the results..

Thanks for the suggestions.I have decent CB's..But is jumping a critical attribute for CB? My CB's have all the attributes you suggested except for jumping which is rated at 13...They are not tall either(184cm)..

All the attributes you suggested my midfielders have ( Cabaye, Anita, Sissoko, Tiote, Ben arfa) But i will see if I can buy cristieg/Jack cork...

Cisse is pretty good. I will try to buy another ST to implement a 3-4-1-2 .

I am currently playing ben arfa as treqartista and cisse as goal poacher...With the tactics you suggested, I will test and change it a little bit to a 3-4-2-1..With another AMC(some one like michu?) acting as inside forward and making forward runs..

While playing wide width, Should passing be focused down both flanks/mixed/ through the middle...?

A lot of times I will use the Drop Deeper shout, in combination with Run at Defense, Pass Into Space, and Look for Overlap. If you have the right players running with the ball, they can get in to draw the defense out and then send in a through ball to a player overlapping the hole in the formation. I haven't generally had too much success trying to fire in crosses, but I also only play with one striker.

thanks for suggestions..

[GR3NDAL]

I would also recomment getting a least one tall CB with high jumping (jumping attribute maximum is related to players hight). With two shorter CB's you are too vulnerable from high balls and crosses.

[Domus Clamantium]

agreed, preferably 17+ jumping!