My Everton, stomped PL. Now, abyssmal

[Hagginho]

I had such a great season to, or like 3/4 of it. Was playing three tactics, one control, one standard and one counter. I lost one game in like 28 games, and let in 6-7 goals or something. Yeah, i overperfomed and just stomped every opponent. Well, not when i was counter-attacking but that worked to. Under the spring i hit some bad form under a 4-5 games and struggle to win the PL when i had 16 points to 2nd placed city. I came 2nd with 3 points behind chelsea. That can happen, i have a young team and didnt think to much about it.

Season after, season 3. I did one signing because i felt that was my weakpoint, DM. So i signed Wanyama to have some cover and competition. And i understand that teams can lean how you play and how to counter youre weaknesses, thats fair. But how much should u really change? I tried to change 3 things in my last game. Barkley to AP-A, Embollo to AF and no "roam from position" and i played better and won 2-1 with 7 cccs. But i just cant understand this at all. In every tactic they score in the same way, found some way behind my defensive line. So i tried to lower it, that should work. But noo. I can explain my tactics now.

4-2-3-1 Control Fluid - roam from positions, prevent goalkeeper from playing out the ball, work ball in to box. This i used against really low teams in the league at home, and more freguently when i really was fighting for the top spot and it worked great.

GK

FBsupp - CDdef - CDdef - FBsupp

CMdef - DLPdef

IFsupp AMsupp IFsupp

CFatt

4-1-2-2-1 Standard structured - roam from positions, prevent gk from.....

GK

FBsupp - CDdef - CDdef - FBsupp

DMdef

RPM - B2B

IFsupp IFsupp

CFatt

4-1-4-1 counter structured

GK

FBsupp - CDdef - CDdef - FBsupp

Anchor

Sidemidfielder supp - b2b - CMsupp - SM supp

CFatt

I understand that my to main tactics uses the same sort of attacking three. So i have tried to change it but its the best roles and i want them to play like that. The striker have been tried in a couple of ways, in counter i use DLF supp when i see its needed. But the problem is ive really been found out. The opponents find the spaces out wide, logically cuz of my setup but they had the ball that way last year to. And that i use the same tempo and passing in every tactis, and that my players roam, but ive liked that type of football and really dont want to change ut. I wanted to play pretty open and let the player decide on how to pass and want tempo to use.

So, im locked in my head and just need to get some tips to get it going, been playing FM/CM for a long time but right now im just stuck and cant seem to figure it out. How can u think when u feel the oppontents got your tactics, all of them.

because of my 2nd place and solid defence ive noticed that teams playing much more aggressive against my players and try to attack me fast and with balls behind my defence. So ive lowered my pressing/and lowered defensive 4, and both of them together. And my attacking, well i still create some good stuff. And before i wrote this i made the changes in my attack to have someone more on the line with AF instead of CF, as i said. Worked well and won 2-1, but well. Yeah. Tips please!

[herne79]

Getting a little tired here, so can't offer much advice at the moment, however:

And i understand that teams can lean how you play and how to counter youre weaknesses, thats fair.

No, they don't. The AI does not learn how you play or how to counter your weakness.

The AI may adapt how it plays depending on your own success - so if you are doing well the AI teams may tighten up and become harder to play through, but that is not to be confused with the AI learning how you play.

[Hagginho]

No one who can give me some pointers or tips? I really would appreciate it. Struggling in the bottom of the Premier League

Im still struggling as ****. Last year i had the best defence in the world. My backline was really safe, now its the worst in the league. They still find space behind and i make so much mistakes, and i rewatched so many games im gonna cry. The mistakes shoudnt happen, they can but we look so soft. Compared to last year where we looked touch and motivated. This year we have condeded 24 times in 13 games, last year we condeded 25, and 7 of them was the last 2 games. And the opponents seems to know exactly how my attack works.

[dieu]

4-2-3-1 Control Fluid - roam from positions, prevent goalkeeper from playing out the ball

This one stuck in my head. Control is a attacking strategy so it will mean that even on normal settings you will play further up the pitch. Fluid gives your team loads of creative freedom and encourages roaming, when you combine that with roam from position, you give them even more freedom to roam. You can't expect your players to stay in a defensive structure with those settings, and since you overachieved last season I imagine that a lot of teams will play more defensive against you.

I would imagine that with this strategy you would be extremely vulnerable to counter attacks. (And that is exactly how teams play against you now)

both the 1st. and the 2nd. tactic looks like they will give you a huge gap in midfield that can be exploited. I would change those roles around.

All your tactics leave your striker isolated up top. I'd give him a support duty instead of attack.

[Hagginho]

This one stuck in my head. Control is a attacking strategy so it will mean that even on normal settings you will play further up the pitch. Fluid gives your team loads of creative freedom and encourages roaming, when you combine that with roam from position, you give them even more freedom to roam. You can't expect your players to stay in a defensive structure with those settings, and since you overachieved last season I imagine that a lot of teams will play more defensive against you.

I would imagine that with this strategy you would be extremely vulnerable to counter attacks. (And that is exactly how teams play against you now)

both the 1st. and the 2nd. tactic looks like they will give you a huge gap in midfield that can be exploited. I would change those roles around.

All your tactics leave your striker isolated up top. I'd give him a support duty instead of attack.

Yeah, i see now that i wrote that wrong. Supposed to be flexible! But i understand what u said, i have since earlier removed my "roam from positions" and i really focused to be safe at the back! How would u change the first/second tactic not leave so big gaps in midfield? DLP-def and CM-def, with a AM-supp that helps in the defence to. In the 4-1-2-2-1 i will change my b2b to a cm-s to reduce the roaming

Yeah, they attack fast and behind me and want to solve that. I have lowered pressing in my 4-2-3-1 and looked more solid against Man U and i won with 1-0. I will also try to make my CF to support, i think it worked my 2nd year beacuse of my opponents played a little bit higher and he got the space that was needed and a Attacking form was pretty good. I will try and change him to support and see how that looks, should open up for my IFs to exploit that. Will have to look how that affects my AM ! Thank you!

[Overmars]

If you switch your forward to support then you will have zero attack duties in all of your tactics.

[vasilli07]

I think you should ignore the best roles/positions recommendations. Most of your tactics are too narrow. I will consider using 1-2 wide players to stretch the pitch. Eg using a winger and wingback.