Some tactical help, please

[andqui]

I'm trying to get the following tactics to work:

4-2-3-1

and

4-3-3

The problem with both of them is attack- there are not nearly enough chances. I just can't tell if it's my players playing poorly or if there's something wrong with the tactics.

As you can see, I'm in the Slovak league, and this is my first season- these are the formations accommodate the natural positions of my best players, so I'd rather get these two to work than change formations. I want one tactic to be focused on disciplined, effective counter attacking for away games (the 4-2-3-1 currently) and one tactic with attacking play for home games (the 4-3-3). Both are defensively sound.

In the 4-3-3, I suspect the problem is that my wingers don't have the creativity to be good inside forwards/playmakers. I don't have any target men to let them play off of, and my striker is also more attack than creation oriented, so I need to figure out some way to make those 3 create something. Again, I would like to keep this formation- is there any way of getting it to work with 3 non-creative players up front? In a few seasons I should be able to sign some more diverse attacking talent, but for now, I have one good advanced-forward type striker, and two fast but uncreative wingers, and I need to get them to work.

The 4-2-3-1 is more hit and miss, and I really don't know why. Keeper is set to quick throw, ball playing defender has the stats to launch it up for the counter, and my advanced forward and wingers just need to run into space and score. But they don't- part of the reason is that passing is awful, even among my more technical and creative central midfielders, and attacks break down quickly when we counter because somebody just gives it away. Again, I don't really know what's due to my tactics and what's due to my players not performing to their abilities.

There are no individual instructions besides keeper distribution. The 4-3-3- is attacking and fluid, while the 4-2-3-1 is counter and balanced. Does anyone have any ideas? FM is becoming such a chore- I don't mind if I loose occasionally, but it's beyond frustrating not knowing if I could be doing anything differently, and the game really doesn't give you any feedback.

thanks