Advice please

[LeeWHU888]

After some advice please.

Playing as West Ham and have been using this tactic to very good effect over the last few seasons, I've won 2 Carabao Cups, 1 Europa League and 1 Club World Club while using it. The problem is, I'm now starting to find that I'm coming up against teams sitting so deep against me that we're starting to struggle to break teams down, we've currently played 10 league games and even though we do sit top at the moment, I've started to become reliant on set pieces and long range efforts to get me through games.

The problem is, I'm not too sure where to go from here, in the 1st couple of seasons I was playing a similar tactic but with a few different roles, after 2 top 4 finishes, I started to notice the struggle of breaking teams down so I swapped the DM position to a AM, switched wingers to inside forwards and decided to create an overload centrally then get down the side of the flanks with attacking WB's, this proved a treat as we started to bash teams left right and centre and even though the next 2 seasons were 5th and 6th, I felt that I had something to work with. Got the players in that I wanted over the next few windows which yielded a 3rd and 2nd placed finish.

So here I am, top of the league yet I feel like I'm on the verge of a crash, the main problems I'm seeing is the following;

- When we attack, whether we play out from the back, whether we win the ball high up the pitch or we counter from a corner or basically any other attacking situation, we get to a point on the pitch where players decide to stop and play it inside thus slowing the whole move down, we then have 9 players sat in the and around the box and 90% of our shots get blocked by the opposition defenders or they fly over the bar etc.

- We rarely win the ball high up the pitch anymore, the last couple seasons we have scored a good number of goals from the midfield pressing the opponent, then playing in the forward who bags it but this season, players press but don't seem to win the ball as much.

- Crossing has become non existent, we get the ball out wide, yet every time, the wb, when they have a perfect chance to drill one in the box, will cut it back to the winger who will pass back to the CM and we end up losing the ball. 

I have tried to sit deeper and counter teams but it just ends up with us hitting long balls forward to no one, I've tried reducing the mentality so it's not all maxed out, I've tried lowering the LOE to give them some space to get out and give us the chance to create some space but to no avail. I have take off run at defence in the hope they'll pass the ball more and perhaps work an opening but it's all been a bit laboured.

What I'm looking for I think is a more counter attacking tactic where I can sit a bit deeper and not force the opposition to camp in their box but I've always struggled with creating one so before I completely destroy our form, I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction. Obviously I'm open for any other suggestions besides a counter.

[Experienced Defender]

4 hours ago, LeeWHU888 said:

I don't know if you created this tactic yourself or downloaded it as a P'n'P/exploit tactic, but what I can definitely see is that the tactic is terribly unbalanced and full of needless instructions. But if you are 1st in the EPL in spite of the tactic looking so unsound, then better avoid making changes. 

[LeeWHU888]

Yeah after setting up a bit different, I started winning games but it still wasn't as good as I wanted so I went online to look for some advice and came across a Wulf Knap tactic which fitted in with how I was looking to play so I used the instructions and changed the 2 CB's to BPD's and put in a B2B. 

I get what you're saying about not changing things but I can see things changing, I've always been pretty good at creating good chances but we've started to drop off and end up with 20-25 shots per game but only 3 or 4 on target so it's obvious that things are beginning to change. I'm just looking for the best way to approach it. 

Like I said, open to new suggestions, I'm not great at creating tactics so rely on the community to help out.

[Experienced Defender]

The problem is that I would make too many changes to your tactic, not just a couple of small tweaks. That's why I am hesitant to offer any suggestions in this case.

[LeeWHU888]

I just need advice,

I'm interested to hear what you would do, wholesale changes are not a problem. I'm currently in the midst of 7 games without a win and we are playing absolutely shocking so please, give me your advice. 

We are struggling to create chances, all our highlights end with our shots being blocked by defenders, we're not tackling anymore, players are just running through us. 

Edited April 20, 2020 by LeeWHU888

[Experienced Defender]

4 minutes ago, LeeWHU888 said:

I just need advice,

I'm interested to hear what you would do, wholesale changes are not a problem. I'm currently in the midst of 7 games without a win and we are playing absolutely shocking so please, give me your advice. 

We are struggling to create chances, all our highlights end with our shots being blocked by defenders, we're not tackling anymore, players are just running through us. 

I can only tell you what I personally would try, but I cannot know in advance if that will work for your players specifically. Anyway, here it is:

POat

IWsu             TQ              Wat

CMde    CAR

FBat    CDde  BPDde   (I)WBsu

SKde/su

Mentality - Positive

In possession - play out of defence, shorter passing, work ball into box and be more expressive

In transition - nothing

Out of possession - higher D-line, prevent short GKD and offside trap

So - as always - it basically comes down to my 3 key words: simple, balanced and logical.

Of course, this would be just a starting tactic, which means watching the matches and making small tweaks accordingly is highly recommended (definitely not plug'n'play).