Liverpool on FM19

[jcw163]

So, on FM18 in a thread about getting Mo Salah to score goals I posted the below 

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(With apologies to the other threads, as this is its own tactic I wanted to post it separately)

I’ve seen a few threads pop up regarding Klopp’s Liverpool this season and more specifically whether or not it’s possible to get that front three, and Mo Salah in particular, firing as they have in real life. Well, I tried something similar on FM16 before Salah signed (and before Coutinho left) as I skipped FM17. I’ve been doing a similar thing in my current post-update Liverpool save (as you don’t have to try and fit Coutinho into the team anymore) and it’s going pretty well.

I’m 18 games into the league season, topped the Champions’ League group and progressed to the Quarter Finals of the League Cup, the record in all competitions therefore is a pretty pleasing P28 W25 D2 L1. The thing that matters though is the front players, all are chipping in with goals and assists, with a few coming from midfield as well. Firmino has, I believe, 13 goals and Mane is also in double figures in all competitions but the true star of the attack is, as was hoped, Mo Salah. Salah has, at this point in the season, a frankly implausible 29 goals.

This is the tactic being used, I’m afraid I’m at work right now so I cannot add screenshots but I can provide the same later today if people would like. The players in the below tactic are as per Klopp’s IRL team selections, although I have only really made one first team signing as I don’t think Chamberlain is good enough to play central midfield on FM18 as his passing is not really up to scratch. Also I have preferred Gomez to partner Van Dijk at centre back because Lovren does my head in.

The shape is a 4-3-3-0 strikerless tactic, with a back 4, flat 3 in central midfield, and then the front three as AMR, AMC and AML.

GK          Mignolet                              SWGKs
DR          Alexander-Arnold            WBs
DCr         Lovren                                  DCd
DCl         Van Dijk                               BPDd
DL           Robertson                           WBa
MCr       Emre Can                             CMs
MC         Henderson                         DLPd
MCl        Chamberlain                      CMa
AMR      Salah                                     IFa
AMC      Firmino                                 SSa
AML       Mane                                    IFs

Team mentality and shape are Attacking and Fluid, the only instructions are the keeper is to distribute to the centre backs and “low crosses” as I lack a big centre forward to win headers.

Recent highlights include a 5-0 win over Spurs, a 6-0 win over Arsenal and a 4-1 win over United. The blips in my results are an away draw with Leicester, which is acceptable, and a draw with Bournemouth and defeat to Watford, both of which I am firmly blaming on Loris Karius’ mistakes.

This is not supposed to be a direct replication of a Klopp tactic but was merely an attempt to get Liverpool to play similarly to how they are IRL and to try and get the same sort of results out of the front players, and particularly Salah, and it seems to be going pretty well so far. Let me know if you guys want any more information, screenshots etc.

I would like to do the same or similar in FM19 but with the removal of the team shape I am having a hard time replicating the style of football (and number of goals) this produced on FM18. I was wondering if people had any thought on how best to replicate the "attacking/fluid" element of the old tactic, whether that be by changing duties or mentality, or if I should look at playing a higher line with a lower line of engagement to compact the players. I've tried a few things but not had much joy so just would welcome any suggestion or input really.

[Experienced Defender]

I of course cannot guarantee that this will be a "perfect" FM19 replication of your FM18 tactic that you described above (which is not how Klopp's LFC actually plays in real life), but you can at least give it a try and see if it makes sense. So here is what I would try:

IFsu              TQ                    IFat

CAR   DLPde    MEZsu

 

CWBsu    BPDde   CDde     WBsu

SKsu

Attacking mentality

- play out of defence, shorter passing, standard width (one notch narrower than default), be more expressive, run at defence

- counter, counter-press

- higher DL, higher LOE, stay on feet, use offside trap

Players from left to right:

Becker

Robertson    Van Dijk    Gomez/Matip     Arnold

Fabinho     Henderson     Vijnalduum

Mane     Firmino      Salah

[jcw163]

Thank you, I'll give this a bash and see what comes out the other side, I had another go at it last night but, frankly, I can't make it work.

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 (which is not how Klopp's LFC actually plays in real life)

I know, especially not the season just finished, but the idea really is to try and get Salah scoring the number of goals he did in 17/18 from the wing, I managed on FM19 by moving him to the central striker position in a 4-2-3-1 (again, similar to the IRL switch), but what I really want is the same football I got on FM18.

Cheers.

[Experienced Defender]

3 hours ago, jcw163 said:

the idea really is to try and get Salah scoring the number of goals he did in 17/18 from the wing

I would then play him as a RMD in AMR position, but not sure if I would go with your strikerless system. I would probably opt for Firmino as the lone striker in the F9 role. The formation would be 433wide (with the flat midfield).