[Suggestion] "Match Tactics Planner"

[YKW]

I would like a new Tactics window that would automatically be relevant to your next match.

It would consist of a pitch view with your players lined up in their positions. On the same pitch would be the opposition players in their likely formation. The most likely opposition line-up and formation would be automatically chosen based on previous matches and injuries and suspensions etc, but could be modified at will by the player, to experiment with different possible line-ups and/or stages in the game.

First and foremost this would be a comparison tool, with the information available from "Team comparison" (average height etc) but for the players chosen as being the likely 22 on the pitch for the game. It would also be used to easily check for personal mismatches or assess the suitability of different players or formations.

Suppose I have just won my match and want to start planning for the next one. I would bring up the match tactics planner where I would see a pitch with my basic flat 4-4-2. My next opposition appear as a 4-2-3-1 on the same pitch, in this example positioned with my strikers with their CBs and vice versa. The tactic would be rated for certainty with a green circle just like the ones used to show the player suitability. In this case it is almost full green, showing me that they almost always use this formation.

Maybe this team have two suspensions that will be active for our game, so they are not on the pitch in the starting line-up. The most likely replacement is automatically chosen, but I can change it manually if I think I know better. The same is true for my team, with any players who are injured or suspended etc not available to choose on this screen. The condition of my players is shown as "forecast condition," and is a prediction of how fit the player should be on match day. This way I can pre-select the starting line-up for a game even if it is two weeks away, and begin to plan for the match itself.

So I can see my 4-4-2 against their 4-2-3-1 and I can see the players that are most likely to be playing in the match. In this situation the oppositions 4-3-2-1 is rated as almost a whole green circle, and the majority of the players in the line up have the same kind of certainty rating. With worse scouts and less knowledge of opposition players this rating would be much lower.

One thing I might notice is that their best player, an AM, is sitting in between my lines quite dangerously. What could I do about this? A higher line to give him less space? A stopper to engage him early? Maybe I should actually play a DM for this match.

Or maybe I notice that their only available RB's are really rubbish. Maybe I should start my really flairy left winger in a more confrontational role than the wide midfielder role I have been using.

As well as being given relevant stats about the two teams, such as average height, age etc, if you selected multiple players the game could highlight mismatches that could be dangerous or to your advantage. For example you select your CBs and the opposition striker and are automatically provided with their jumping and strength attributes, which you can see are much higher for their striker than your central defenders.

I think this would be a better representation of the fact that players know their role in the line-up way before the minutes leading up to a match. Depending on your match training settings your assistant manager should come to you and say "Match training for the game against X is due to start today, please review your Match tactics and line-up." All you would have to do is select the line-up you would be likely to play, which would be easy as anyone who can't play won't be there for selection, and the forecast conditions will give you a good idea of which players will be fit.

If you want to you can use the screen to look at different possible formations and how they could match up against possible opposition line-ups and formations.

[Neil Brock]

Reviewed so locked.