Adapting Tactics

[matty_boy]

Hi guys,

Can anyone give me some advice on how to tweek my tactic through the years?

This is what I've been using the past 2 seasons and am currently about 8 games into my third.

First season we walked the league, leading the way in goals scored and fewest conceded,

Second season our first in the prem we manage to hold on to 4th place and secure champions league qualification!!

Starting the third season has gone ok sitting 4th but we seem to be becoming more and more predicable and players seem to be running out of ideas! We knocked Inter milan out in the champions league qualifiers but followed that up with a defeat to West Brom, The consistency seems to have gone.

Any ideas would be appreciated!

Cheers guys

[summatsupeer]

I think your instructions which are mostly about winning the ball back quickly and then retaining it don't really match up with your 6 attack duties.

A lot of players will be making runs into the same central attacking area, either with or without the ball with your F9 dropping.

Your centerbacks have no protection with both WB's going forward and the DM in front of them going where ever he wants as a Regista.

Against teams who are able to sit back and counter attack, I think you will have trouble. I would look to layer your attack more, to change the angles of attack and give more counter attack protection when you lose the ball.

[herne79]

As summat says, you are very aggressive.

I'd imagine you'll simply over power some teams, but others will soak the pressure and exploit the space you leave - which could go someway towards explaining your inconsistency.

[matty_boy]

Cheers guys great insight,

Any suggestions on what should be changed?

[summatsupeer]

It depends what you want. Have a think how you want each position to interact with the players around them as changing its role and/or duty will affect not only there own play but the play of the players around them. Remember your instructions, you've created a very patient style of play, relying on them to pick the best opportunities. Players will look to play it to feet and work the ball around, but are players looking to receive the ball to feet and making being more selective when they make a forward run? The attack duties will also look to take more risks to create something.

The main things I would look at are:

1. Do you want both your IF-A to look to attack the space the F9 has left? If so you want to consider freeing them from "Look for Overlap" and change both of your central midfield to offer deeper support.

2. Do you want both wings to do the same or to offer something different? Maybe a IF-A + WB-S/FB-S on one side with IF-S + WB-A/FB-A on the other? This could allow you to keep one of your MC's on attack. I would also remove "Look for Overlap" so the wings can play differently.

3. Do you want to keep your Regista? If so you need one or both of your fullbacks to be a bit more conservative plus maybe both central midfielders so more players will be deeper than the Regista to cover for him and protect the defence. If not then be a bit more conservative with his role, something like a DLP-S or DLP-D that tends to stay deeper than the ball.