What went wrong with my Liverpool save (tactics included)

[Samcool]

Ok so I had been playing a Liverpool save the past few days since the full game came out, but have just been sacked. I was in February of my first season, 6th in the league, 6 points off 4th (which is obviously where I was aiming to finish). I actually started really well and went on a 7 match winning run in October/November which left me 2nd in the league and a point off top. But from December on wards my form was terrible and I only won 3 of around 14 games, resulting in the sack.

Below I will highlight the tactics I used for most of the save, including in the winning run.

(4-2-3-1)

GK: Karius

RB: Clyne (Full back, automatic)

CB: Matip (Central defender, defend)

CB: Lovren (Central defender, defend)

LB: Rodriguez (Full back, automatic)

CM: Henderson (Box to box midfielder, support)

CM: Can (Central midfielder, defend)

RAM: Mane (Winger, support)

CAM: Firmino (Attacking midfielder, attack)

LAM: Coutinho (Advanced playmaker (support)

ST: Sturridge (Complete forward, attack)

 

Started most matches with either Standard or Control, but sometimes switched more Defensive, or Attacking, depending on if I was holding on to a lead, or chasing a goal.

Instructions I mostly used: 'play out of defence', 'close down more', and 'work ball in to box'. Again though I did some times add more depending on how the game was going (such as a higher tempo and more direct passing if I needed a goal).

That team to me looks like it had good balance. I had 1 midfielder on defend, with the other as a box to box support, meaning he can help at both ends of the pitch. I had a pacy winger, as well as a playmaker, and then an attacking midfielder to help the striker. My striker was a complete forward too, which I feel suits a formation with 1 up front. I used play out of defence to stop myself giving the ball away and to keep possession, while I used closing down more to unsettle the opposition and to get the ball back quicker, like Liverpool do in real life. Lastly, I used work ball in to box because in my early games I noticed that I was having a lot of harmless long range shots, so I switched it up hoping my players would get the ball in to the box, where I had a complete forward.

Like I say these tactics were working well for me until I hit a bad run in December, and to be honest I couldn't get out of it.

So my question is what, regarding my tactics, looks wrong? Also, if you were using these tactics and your save was going well, but then you hit a bad run of form, how would you have switched it up?

 

 

[westy8chimp]

I was playing a spurs save with similar starting tactic. I signed coutinho and employed him in his preferred position of AP on the left wing.. he was useless 19 games 4 goals 2 assists, poor average rating and needed to be subbed at 60 minutes lots of games because he was on a 6.3 ish rating. I moved him to AMC position with AP(s) role and he's getting far more goals and assists. I switched to 4321 narrow though with Alli as shadow striker. I'm seeing better results with narrow attacks, using full backs on attack to provide width. if I play with width I use flat 4/5 midfield and counter attack mentality .. I switch to a 451 Counter for tough away games with coutinho on the right as wm (s) and he's very effective despite not being comfortable with the role yet. won 3-0 away to barca in first leg of champs lg QF.  

[Guest]

The big problem is that you can't tell us what went wrong yourself?

There are a couple of issues with your setup but it worked till you hit the wall. So can you say what stopped working?