Solving my tactical ineptitude.

[Animasta]

Okay, so I finished 2nd on my Mallorca save last year, but that was entirely due to me saving and reloading constantly. Call me a cheater if you want, but I want to break the habit, and I do believe my team should be top 10 at least, but I cannot figure out a good tactical lineup for my team and it's aggravating. I lost to a recently promoted team 2-1 (and this was the winner of the playoffs). This was their only win in 6 matches. I recently changed my tactics, at least 3 games before, but I shouldn't be losing to a team like that.

I have a 4-2-3-1 for my team set up, and I want to keep that, but beyond that? I have no idea what everyone should be doing, what kind of attack I want to use and what my teams roles should be. I've read all the stickied threads, I've tried, but maybe I'm just too stupid to work out the perfect strategy.

My starters:

GK: Kadu

DR: Espen Larsen or Ibrahim Sekyere (I actually don't know which one's better)

DC: Josip Djuric

DC: Mikel Zabaleta

DL: Jorge Baez

MC: Domen Brecko

MC: Daniel Monteiro

AMR: Hossam Abdel Maguid

AMC: Marc Stendera

AML: Christian Atsu

STC: Apostolos Vellios

I'm tired of getting the run around by teams I shouldn't, I really am, and forget trying to win or even draw against Barca/R. Madrid. Maybe I'm asking too much, maybe my team really is just garbage and I can't see it, but any help would be immensely appreciated.

[coupdhaha]

In order to help you, we'll need to know your actual tactics.

Could you please post a screenshot of your tactics screen?

Also, you should tell us how you want your team to play, as obviously, there are many ways to play and win football.

Also, I would say both your DR are fairly similiar plays. Both decent fullback defenders, they don't offer much going forward. Sekyere I would probably pick when up against pacy wingers, as your other bloke is a slow for a fullback. In fact looking at Larsen, I would probably avoid playing him as a fullback, and use him more as a CD.

[Animasta]

This is what I'm using atm:

shouts: Higher tempo, tighter marking, work ball into box, float crosses, hit early crosses, run at defense.

I just don't think it's working.

[Jenesis33]

First I think your team is pretty good.. At least my wolves team are much ******* than that and I can finish higher.. (around europa position right now)

So looking at your team's player.. your 2 CBs are decent in air, not the fastest.. DL is much better than DR....midfield are decent players.

Only problem i see is all your AMs cant finish.. AML/C/R all have pretty bad finishing attributes.. 8/13/9?

hence you are kind of relying on TM to get all the goals..

for me i would do the following.. keep backline same...

~~~~~~~~~~~~TM(A)~~~~~~~~~~~

IF(S)~~~~~~~AM(A)~~~~~~~~~W(A)

~~~~~~CM(D)~~~~DLP(S)~~~~~~~~~

I think one of your midfield has good long shot.. if AM(A) / TM(A) can vacant space for him.. W(A) also provide width.

This DLP should be able to get some shoots away .

or try:

AP(S)--CM(S).. instead of AM(A) --- DLP(S)..

I think both are good options.. Since the lack of finishi on your front line.. hopefully late surge into long shot from your MC will provide with some extra goals..

13 for AM is not too bad.. so i would go with AM(A) option to allow him to provide you with more goals.. your two winger really cant be coutn on that job...

Having one IF instead of W will also provide variety in your attack pattern... and vacant the left flank for your FB to move into...

So coming back to your question of I dont knwo what to do.

From my view I think you should try to use winger to create space and pass for your mid duo.. Rely on TM to get on end of ball as well as drive enemy D-line back.. run around. create opening for your AM to move into and almost act as a shadow striker.. but with more play making job.. to provide a lot of goals and assist to your team.

Last layer of attack is your MC will rush up and do some long range shooting.. when oppoistion defence is busy marking AM / Wingers and ST...

Thats my vision... defence wise.. i would like to sit a bit back.. since my CBs are better in air than chase throughball... and launch quick coutner attack down the wing..

Hope these idea helps!!

Here are some hints!

Try pass into space /direct passing (try only..!!!) to create more opening.. maybe drop deeper if opposition is parking bus and you have no space to work with..

If your early cross is not working.. then remove that.. ..

Also if your run at defence is giving away the ball a lot.. you should remove that.. In fact i dont see amazing dribbler throughout your team.. (i dont think its worthy option)

Use indidvual PI instead..

Thats all i can think of base on these information..

I really need to know more to give more exact advice... like what kind of possession you have.. how much shots you have.. how much CCC/Half chance.. .. how much pass into final third.. key pass status.. dribble status..

In the end .. its ananlyzing your game and trying to understand why you are conceding or why you cant score....

you might not be create enough chance... (even that can be dued to a lot of different reasons, ,not enough runner.. or not enough passer..not enoguh width? or too much width )

Or you might just not be able to finish those chances.. bec you have poor finisher..

So yeah.. sit down and analyze your data~!

[coupdhaha]

Jenesis has made good points.

Is there any reason why you want tighter marking? Unless you think it's an important part of your defensive game, I would remove that.

I would change Brecko into a DLP (d) and Monteiro into a BWM (s). Brecko has nice passing and decent enough creativity and decisions to be that deep creative player for you, and I think Monteiro has what it takes to become a really good BWM... he can make the tackle and then be relied on to make accurate passes to the more creative and attacking players. This should give you a fairly decent defensive base.

I would remove the run at defense shout. Your attacking players aren't exactly fantastic dribblers and not only that, when they dribbling they're actually compressing the vertical width of your play (meaning less space for your other players to play in) and most likely running into blind ends. This makes it hard for you to penetrate through teams that park the bus. I would set individual instructions for the players that have good dribbling. This is most likely going to be your wide players.

[Animasta]

Obviously just one match, but cheers on the DLP(D) and BWM(S) idea, as well as the inside forward. I never would've realized that both a winger and an attacking fullback caused them to run into each other, and the midfielders have played better together than they ever have. I also got rid of the tighter marking, work ball into box, and run at defense shouts, and they played much better (I actually played a match before this, a Roma Champions League match, and realized that tighter marking was the cause of 3 of their 5 goals...) as well as changing to standard.

I still don't retain possession in comparison; even when I shout to retain possession in the 30th minute, I'm still 45% in comparison. We're also not completing that much of our passing, 73%.

[Jenesis33]

Love the BWM(S) & DLP(D) idea.. (still think my CM(D)&DLP(S) idea can work lol... those long shots!!!)

But i would use AM instead of AP in AMC position.. I dont like having 2 playmaker in the team.. with a targetmen.. thats just me though...

Counter style naturally doesnt hold possession as well as control / defence i feel.. However if you want higher number.. look for why you loss the ball.

Are your team trying too much dribble? Too aggrisve/risky ball forwards?

I have a feeling your team might have problem getting ball from back four to midfield.. as you have no DM.. (personally i have a smilair problem)..

On top of that. you have a TM.. hence that encourage the team to launch long ball to him.. speically he is on attack duty...If you really want control of possession.. you might have to change him to DLF(A) or CF(A)...even AF(A)... I love having AF(A) (roam/move into channel) with AM(A)..as Shadow striker... But this might not how you want to play...

Try lower tempo... shorter passing.. play out of back.......play narrow if you want higher possession.. as these encourage team to play shorter passing through middle (where it is easier to play control with more players/option)..

However more possession doesnt not mean you will win more .. in fact it doesnt even mean you will create more chances..

Trust me.. as a Barcelona supporter.. i hate it.. but thats truth....

[coupdhaha]

Glad to hear it's working out for you. Keep us informed with how you go.

As for your possession... try not to be too worried about the pure %. In my team I often get 45% or so but dominate a lot of games. It's how you use the ball, not much of the ball of have.

HAVING said that... a 73% completion rate IS concerning.

I suspect a bit of that might have to do with your defense lumping the ball forward instead of playing out of the back. Set your GK to the PI of "distribute to defenders" as well as the shout of "play out of defense". You should see your completion rate improve.

Also use the analysis tab after games and check the passing completion of each player. If your passing completion of your attacking players is poor (lets say... less than 75%) you got to start looking why they're passing poorly. Are they trying a lot of long balls forward or are they screwing up short passes. If they do have poor completion rates, you might have to tell them to "pass shorter" or "less risky passes" PI. In general I don't like the "retain possession" shout because I feel it makes teams sterile.

Playing with a Target Striker also might encourage a lot of long balls forward, which probably doesn't help your aim of retaining possession. I have Benteke, a similar player to Vellios, but rather than make him a Target Man I've made him a Complete Striker. Because Benteke, like Vellios, isn't an amazing passer, dribbler or creative, I've given him the PI of "pass shorter, less risky passes, dribble less" which might help you also with Vellios.