Swansea Setup - I Can't Get a Result!

[EnzoAmata]

Swansea and Where I'm Going Wrong?

I've taken control of Swansea more than once but never in FM14. I've read a good few threads and I got roped into this thread and wanted to try something like this with Swansea. I also feel I got some good info form this thread too.

I went out made sure all my staff prefer the 4-5-1 and I've trained it and it was as always worked pre-season very well. The second the season started it all got to much for my players, except when it comes to Europe, where I win without even knowing why :confused:

I think I need help to understand why I win when I do and why I lose when I do.

Like I mentioned I'm playing a 4-5-1 - Here's my first team.

As you can see knowledge of the attic is full and yes I decided to play the older Garry Monk, his personality is a leader and starts are still good for his age, I believed the Cleon thread on Ajax saying personality is important.

I use shout within the game if I notice things. I do not touch the Mentality or Fluidity while in game. I haven't trained my team to learn more than one tactic as I thought I could use shouts to help my team change to deal with whatever is thrown at them. I also want to play controlled football so going defensive isn't the style I want to play. Maybe this is where I'm going wrong and that's why I'm looking for insight from others.

Training and More

I again used the Cleon system of training within the first thread I linked to and it was all going fine till my players started to complain of being over worked. I then made the youth players not practice anything extra, no new positions, no focus, and they still complain they're unhappy with fitness coaching and workload.

I went out and got an u18's and u21's fitness coach and still no change???

Conclusion

Can you help or make useful suggestion of what to change and why, or help me understand why things just start to go wrong?

Here are some PKM files for you to see more.

[Torskus77]

You said you got some good info from the 12 step guide, but you completely ignored what was in it ? Rigid formation = more specialist roles, you don't have any. None of your players are on attack duties either, so how are you supposed to penetrate a defence,I imagine you just pass it around a lot.

[EnzoAmata]

You said you got some good info from the 12 step guide, but you completely ignored what was in it ? Rigid formation = more specialist roles, you don't have any. None of your players are on attack duties either, so how are you supposed to penetrate a defence,I imagine you just pass it around a lot.

I was playing that for that specific tactic. I noticed my team where just making wasteful attempts to get forward and passing.

[Torskus77]

I'm not sure what you want me to say. You have no movement in your side at all. It's all to static.

[EnzoAmata]

I'm not sure what you want me to say. You have no movement in your side at all. It's all to static.

So what would you change? Just make some of the players have an attacking mentality? I was posting for advice, so I'm curious...

[Torskus77]

Sorry, it's late.

The best thing to do is read the thread you said you'd read again and fully understand it, because you have completely ignored the concepts in it. Then read this one http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/375632-Pairs-amp-Combinations-The-Complete-Series

You will have a better understanding then, than anything I could say to you.

Good luck.

[Phelix]

So what would you change? Just make some of the players have an attacking mentality? I was posting for advice, so I'm curious...

What he is saying is that with the Rigid philosophy you are telling your players that you want them to stick to a well defined tactical set up, but the roles you have assigned are quite general, with no-one really taking charge in any area of the pitch. It's most evident in the centre of midfield, where you have two CM(s). These players will look to go out and hold the ball centrally and look to play in players ahead of them. This is a pretty general role, all midfield players should look to do this naturally. With a player like De Guzman in my side I'd want him on the ball more than anyone else in my midfield, and I'd think we have the best chance of creating something if he has the ball, so I'd make him my playmaker.

Depending on De Guzman's stats you may want him driving forward into the space in front of him and creating in-between the midfield and opposition defence, or you may want him sitting deeper and pulling the strings ala Xavi or Xabi Alonso.

The same goes elsewhere, general roles suit a more fluid philosophy, while specialist roles are better utilised in a rigid formation.

As far as my specific advice goes, you don't have a singer player on an attacking duty. This means no-one will push forward into space to receive the ball, instead sitting a little deeper waiting for things to happen around them. I'd pick one player in each strata to give an attacking duty to. You could probably start with whichever full-back is better going forward, then the wide attacker on the opposite side gets attacking duty too, this is widely believed to offer a good balance to ensure you don't have a side where you get caught too far forward all the time.

In the 4-5-1 set up you need your striker to get himself involved in the play, otherwise he will be too isolated. The CF(s) is perfect for this, but DLF(a), F9(s) and T(a) all are worth a shout and you should experiment to see which allows the best link up with your attackers.