How do you change a game round if things arent going right?

[DeathJester]

Following on from my earlier thread about going back to basics and thus having more effect on the game using in game shouts etc.

I was wondering what in game shouts and tactical changes do you make in the following scenarios:

Bear in mind I play 41221 standard and balanced with shorter passing, work ball into box and roam from positions.

1. Your team isn't creating any chances / the opposition are parking the bus.

2. You are being dominated posession wise

3. Your pass completion is poor

4. You go a goal down

5. You go two goals down

6. You hold a narrow lead and want to protect it

Also I've played top teams in my league and have struggled a bit against them, how can I improve my record against these teams?

Your feedback here would be most helpful.

[bababooey]

This should get you in the right direction! http://www.guidetofootballmanager.com/match-day/during-the-match

The key is learning to understand what is going on on the pitch, and then figuring out what needs to be done to rectify the situation (if it needs to be).

But also I think what can happen is if you don't plan ahead, you'll end up in games where it feels like the AI has total control. It doesn't. You have a human brain, so you have an advantage in every game. It's up to you, to use it.

[deserter]

Following on from my earlier thread about going back to basics and thus having more effect on the game using in game shouts etc.

I was wondering what in game shouts and tactical changes do you make in the following scenarios:

Bear in mind I play 41221 standard and balanced with shorter passing, work ball into box and roam from positions.

1. Your team isn't creating any chances / the opposition are parking the bus.

2. You are being dominated posession wise

3. Your pass completion is poor

4. You go a goal down

5. You go two goals down

6. You hold a narrow lead and want to protect it

Also I've played top teams in my league and have struggled a bit against them, how can I improve my record against these teams?

Your feedback here would be most helpful.

Nicely put questions! Feels a bit like a (fm-)school exercise.

1. Wait for them to tire and lose concentration, or score from a set piece. I'll try not to over commit players forwards, so I can keep them pinned back.

2. a) Let them! Get behind the ball, look for them to make a mistake and try to intercept in the midfield. Then counter. Counter strategy, ditch shorter passing and work ball into box, use higher tempo. Optionally stay on feet, drop deeper.

b) Alternatively, restrict time and space to make it harder for the opponent. Hassle opponents and optionally get stuck in, push higher, specific man mark anyone who is in a lot of space dictating the game.

3. I don't know why it's poor. Is it my players having a bad day? Lower tempo or more defensive strategy could do it. Is it opponent pressing aggressively? Maybe change a player role or position to find more space or try to bypass the press with more direct game. Or maybe being more conservative would work better. Quite circumstantial this one!

4. Is it likely to happen again in a similar way or was it a one off? Are you looking good for an equalizer? I'd prefer to change nothing if things are good. If it isn't you have to find the reason and think up a fix for that.

5. Now you need to be more concerned. A draw would do. Change a role or two to bring more bodies forward (a runner from midfield, overlapping wing back, advanced playmaker instead of dlp), ditch work ball into box, optionally shorter passing off as well. Maybe go more attacking to make your players more ambitious.

6. Drop wide forwards into midfield. Change one or two attacking roles to support. Retain possession. If the opponent is dominating and you can't handle them, you need to drop deeper or go more defensive, optionally force the striker to mark their deepest midfielder. Then hope you can defend the crosses and limit them to long shots.

Alternatively you can just push on and score more.

edit: These are just some routes I might take within the given parameters. Given a specific match situation and specific players in their roles, you'd perhaps take other routes.

[DeathJester]

How do I upload my pkm so you guys can take a look at the match in question. I was against spurs and tried to make changes in game but to no effect.

[Kenco]

Following on from my earlier thread about going back to basics and thus having more effect on the game using in game shouts etc.

I was wondering what in game shouts and tactical changes do you make in the following scenarios:

Bear in mind I play 41221 standard and balanced with shorter passing, work ball into box and roam from positions.

1. Your team isn't creating any chances / the opposition are parking the bus.

2. You are being dominated posession wise

3. Your pass completion is poor

4. You go a goal down

5. You go two goals down

6. You hold a narrow lead and want to protect it

Also I've played top teams in my league and have struggled a bit against them, how can I improve my record against these teams?

Your feedback here would be most helpful.

Difficult to answer any of those questions without more information but I'll have a go.

1. These are 2 different questions

2. Depends what the current score is

3. Depends what the current score is

4. Depends how my team are playing - if playing well I won't change anything

5. Same as 4

6. I usually switch from attacking to counter, play narrower and sometimes drop deeper

[DeathJester]

I am going to answer my own questions above with what I think I would do and maybe then you kind people can tell me what I'm doing wrong or what I can try differently.

1. Switch to a higher mentality, control or attacking, play wider, more direct. Maybe see if there is any space that can be exploited eg, do the opposition play a Dmc, is there a large space between defence and midfield. If so. Put an amc in there.

2. I would try restrict the time and space they have on the ball, I would push higher up, increase mentality to control, get stuck in and hassle opponents. If need be I would move players around so I can better mark / restrict space that any key creative player may have.

3. I would play narrower and slow down the tempo.

4. If I go a goal down and it's against the run of play I might not change anything and keep faith in my system. However if it wasn't against the run of play I would. Where did the goal come from? Can it have been avoided. If there is a reason for it maybe tweak a players position or instruction. Eg if the goal came from a cross from out wide I could try man marking or closing down the winger in an attempt to cut out the supply.

5. Increase mentality to control or attacking, tweak player positions and roles to be more attacking. Take off short passing, play more direct, take off work ball into box, maybe employ use of a target man, hassle opponents, get stuck in.

6. I would reduce mentality to defensive or counter, play narrower, sit deeper, retain posession.

With the issue of playing the bigger clubs, I'm thinking of playing a counter strategy against them, so change to counter, drop deeper, take off shorter passing and work ball into box, play more direct, pass into space. Stay on feet.

So guys am I on right track here?

[Kenco]

Again, I would say there are too many external factors which mean there is no "right" answer to your questions.

[Dr. Hook]

Again, I would say there are too many external factors which mean there is no "right" answer to your questions.

Hear Hear. Death Jester, the thing with all of those items you listed is that they are possible solutions to specific problems. First off, it is imperative that you know exactly why you are struggling: what is the opposition doing to you or what is your team not doing that is causing problems. To get the sort of advice or help you are looking for, we have to know what it is that isn't working for you in the matches where you struggle.