Match Tactics - What am I doing wrong?

[matt9t]

For some reason I can't seem to stop my defenders launching the ball up field almost all the time.

I have retain possession, lower tempo, shorter passing and play out of defense all selected but still my defenders seem to be trying to top the assists chart come the end of the season and my teams pass accuracy is always 60 something per cent after 90 minutes and this is with Arsenal by the way so my team can Pass!

I've just removed exploit the middle and I'll see if that makes any difference! Maybe it stops them using full backs and wingers as outlets....here's hoping.

my striker is a TM, could that be causing it?

[dieu]

Hard to say without more info about your tactic, but your shape and tactic is probably setup so that your defenders have no passing options in midfield. Instead of playing a risky pass to a marked midfielder (and risk losing the ball) the defender will hoof the ball up the field where it is less likely that your team are caught on the counter.

[RTHerringbone]

The Target Man is the issue. Change him to a non Target Man Role and you'll see improvements straight away.

[matt9t]

I'm Arsenal, playing 4-2-2-4 , 2CM's and an AMR , AMC and AML. Goalkeeper, Centrebacks, Full backs (support) , Center Mid (Defend) Deep Lying playmaker (Support) Wingers (Attack) Advanced playmaker (Attack) Poacher (Had been target man)

I'm generally being destroyed every game, with 60 something per cent pass accuracy. I concede 1 or 2 corners a game and miss most chances I get.

Currently 4-0 down after 60 mins vs celtic. 2 corners a free kick and a crap rebound goal. I've had 1 shot, off target and 45% possession with a very strong and happy Arsenal team

At the moment my instructions are : Retain possession, Shorter passing, Play out of defence, Run at Defence, Look for overlap, close down more, higher tempo and be more expressive.

These aren;t my usual tactics, i decided to try them this time because my normal approach hasn;t been working. I loaded up my most succesful save from FM14 and copied the tactics from that

[matt9t]

To be honest, I've been really hit and miss with tactics ever since they got rid of the individual sliders for players. I did much better setting attacking,passing etc on those sliders for each player! Before named player roles came along

[RTHerringbone]

Another Arsenal save where three Attack Duties in the AMC line are causing issues

Watch a match in detail and just watch those three players defending. Then think about what alternative options might perform differently.

[matt9t]

I had my suspicions it was Ozil basically letting me down.....Be it due to my tactics or just him! I've swapped him in AMC for Reinartz as an anchor man and have won 3 on the trot and haven't conceded a goal :S All good so far although I was hoping to build the team around Ozil in AMC...... I think what I'll have to do is just keep things as they are and get myself out of trouble then try out Mesut in AMC after that! Reinartz DMC with Ramsey and Wilshere MC's is still nothing to be sniffed at as far as central midfield line-ups go

[Bittah Dreamer]

I had my suspicions it was Ozil basically letting me down.....Be it due to my tactics or just him! I've swapped him in AMC for Reinartz as an anchor man and have won 3 on the trot and haven't conceded a goal :S All good so far although I was hoping to build the team around Ozil in AMC...... I think what I'll have to do is just keep things as they are and get myself out of trouble then try out Mesut in AMC after that! Reinartz DMC with Ramsey and Wilshere MC's is still nothing to be sniffed at as far as central midfield line-ups go

You could probably still use him in the hole but you will need to adjust the teams set up.

At the minute, your front four are all on attack duty and so will look to drive forward and attack the box at every opportunity, without offering much in terms of a defensive contribution.

That's going to cause you problems defensively as you will leave a lot of holes to be attacked by the opposition, with no pressure from the front.

It's also going to cause problems offensively as half your team will be looking to burst into the box at the first opportunity they get while the other half stay deeper and don't offer much in terms of support or link up play. You need to balance the roles better to ensure you have better variation in roles and responsibilities.

Perhaps move the AMC and/or the wide players to a supporting role.

I would also look at the striker role. With only one up top, you're going to need somebody who can bring other players into the game to share around the goals. A poacher won't give you that though.

[matt9t]

Nope, I still don't understand tactics on this version it seems! Every time I think I've cracked it and beat good opposition a couple of games in a row....suddenly the same line-up just turns rubbish and I get outplayed and beaten at home to Burnley and have a couple of crap draws in a row.

I've found it soo hard to enjoy this version. To start with it was just because the match engine produced at least one thing every game that shattered the illusion and made matches feel completely random but now, I can't seem to find tactics to get above 11th place with Arsenal. I can make my team attack quite well now but awful teams keep playing amazing football against me, scoring scorching goals and corners every game! (and yet I've won my champions league group and reached the final of the league cup somehow!)

24 games played, 33 points, 37 conceded and 38 scored

This was supposed to be a simple Arsenal league, to ease me in to this version!

I've tried all of my successful tactics from fm14. Tactics that won trebles and countless league titles with almost exactly the same squad of players. Tactics that got me 2nd place with Newcastle in my first season and won me the champions league with them in my second season on fm14.

Has everything drastically changed from last years game???

I think my next step will be to download someone elses tactics for fm15 and try them!

[peleJunior]

Nope, I still don't understand tactics on this version it seems! Every time I think I've cracked it and beat good opposition a couple of games in a row....suddenly the same line-up just turns rubbish and I get outplayed and beaten at home to Burnley and have a couple of crap draws in a row.

I've found it soo hard to enjoy this version. To start with it was just because the match engine produced at least one thing every game that shattered the illusion and made matches feel completely random but now, I can't seem to find tactics to get above 11th place with Arsenal. I can make my team attack quite well now but awful teams keep playing amazing football against me, scoring scorching goals and corners every game! (and yet I've won my champions league group and reached the final of the league cup somehow!)

24 games played, 33 points, 37 conceded and 38 scored

This was supposed to be a simple Arsenal league, to ease me in to this version!

I've tried all of my successful tactics from fm14. Tactics that won trebles and countless league titles with almost exactly the same squad of players. Tactics that got me 2nd place with Newcastle in my first season and won me the champions league with them in my second season on fm14.

Has everything drastically changed from last years game???

I think my next step will be to download someone elses tactics for fm15 and try them!

Not all teams will line up the same against you!! The smaller teams are absorbing your attacks and exploiting spaces you are leaving, do you ever look at an opposition managers profile to see his preferred style of play? It would be nice to just go "Oh I'm Arsenal, im going to absolutely batter every team in the league" but the game doesn't work like that, neither does football, you have to adjust to different styles.

Can you post your current tactic with all the instuctions and roles and duties? And the manager profile of your next opponent?

[RTHerringbone]

Not all teams will line up the same against you!! The smaller teams are absorbing your attacks and exploiting spaces you are leaving, do you ever look at an opposition managers profile to see his preferred style of play? It would be nice to just go "Oh I'm Arsenal, im going to absolutely batter every team in the league" but the game doesn't work like that, neither does football, you have to adjust to different styles.

Can you post your current tactic with all the instuctions and roles and duties? And the manager profile of your next opponent?

Agree with peleJunior here. Also post the next opponents' preferred formation too. It would be interesting to see what your thought processes are when considering that opponents' various preferences, shape and relative league position.

[thomas_e]

Would also add that the combination off "shorter passing" and "high tempo" is very demanding on your players. If the opponent is dropping deep, you might want to lower your tempo and wait for an opening.