How to beat the dross to win the league!

[dw2193]

First time posting on here - yet long time FM player who has just lost his way & some serious help is required!

So I started a save with RB Leipzig in honour of the Bundesliga returning recently - a team full of work rate, youth and energy.

I have no problem going away to the big boys and getting a result - just recently beat Bayern away and topped my CL group of death.

However, I've lost to the bottom 3 at home this season - I'm struggling to score goals in a team that just lacks that cutting edge to put teams away when they limit space.

Is it possible to counter attack teams that don't want to attack you - really struggling to make this one work.

[FuSS]

On 29/05/2020 at 08:46, dw2193 said:

First time posting on here - yet long time FM player who has just lost his way & some serious help is required!

So I started a save with RB Leipzig in honour of the Bundesliga returning recently - a team full of work rate, youth and energy.

I have no problem going away to the big boys and getting a result - just recently beat Bayern away and topped my CL group of death.

However, I've lost to the bottom 3 at home this season - I'm struggling to score goals in a team that just lacks that cutting edge to put teams away when they limit space.

Is it possible to counter attack teams that don't want to attack you - really struggling to make this one work.

This should probably be Tactics, Training & Strategies Discussion section rather than the Tactics Sharing Centre (Upload/Download) section!

This is something quite common in FM20, when you're completely dominating the game, having all the shots/shots-on-target and basically have encircled the opposition in their own box - the problem then, is that you somehow have to pick a way though 11 opposition players, packed into a really tight space, to score, usually you just end up with a huge number of block shots!

It's actually quite realistic, this does happen to top teams, especially on the international stage quite often - England in particular suffer from this against smaller sides. 

I'm not sure there's a silver bullet here, I've tried a few different things looking for a solution:

• Playing wider - should help as it'll stretch the game and in theory create more space horizontally.
• Playing at a higher tempo - should help as you're team will move the ball around quicker, unsettling the opposition.
• Removing "Work Ball Into Box" - should help as you're team will try and force the situation more, rather than just keeping possession in the final third too much.
• Dropping your defensive line - should help as it'll allow the opposition more space vertically, hopefully bringing them out instead on entrenching them in their own box.

These are all 'in theory', it's hard to know without trying them in combination with your tactic, but you get the idea.

Personally I think the match engine in FM20 is poor compared to some previous iterations - it favours overwhelming press and chase tactics far too much, which leads to situation like the above. It really has taken the variety out of the game, you only have to look in the downloads section to see 95% of tactics are using full pressing, highest lines, counter-press, chase chase chase, hopefully they'll address it next year.

Edited June 1, 2020 by FuSS

[dw2193]

26 minutes ago, FuSS said:

This should probably be Tactics, Training & Strategies Discussion section rather than the Tactics Sharing Centre (Upload/Download) section!

 

This is something quite common in FM20, when you're completely dominating the game, having all the shots/shots-on-target and basically have encircled the opposition in their own box - the problem then, is that you somehow have to pick a way though 11 opposition players, packed into a really tight space, to score, usually you just end up with a huge number of block shots!

It's actually quite realistic, this does happen to top teams, especially on the international stage quite often - England in particular suffer from this against smaller sides. 

I'm not sure there's a silver bullet here, I've tried a few different things looking for a solution:

• Playing wider - should help as it'll stretch the game and in theory create more space horizontally.
• Playing at a higher tempo - should help as you're team will move the ball around quicker, unsettling the opposition.
• Removing "Work Ball Into Box" - should help as you're team will try and force the situation more, rather than just keeping possession in the final third too much.
• Dropping your defensive line - should help as it'll allow the opposition more space vertically, hopefully bringing them out instead on entrenching them in their own box.

These are all 'in theory', it's hard to know without trying them in combination with your tactic, but you get the idea.

Personally I think the match engine in FM20 is poor compared to some previous iterations - it favours overwhelming press and chase tactics far too much, which leads to situation like the above. It really has taken the variety out of the game, you only have to look in the downloads section to see 95% of tactics are using full pressing, highest lines, counter-press, chase chase chase, hopefully they'll address it next year.

Thanks so much for your reply!

 

I'm at a loss - started the season well next thing I know I've drawn to Hoffenheim at home (15th), Ajax at home (Champions League) and Vfl Bochum (Newly relegated side away from home)
 

Home Tactic

Have gone back to basics with limited instructions - only shorter passing and play out of defence.

I use a split block press with my attackers so no need to counter press - don't like the counter instruction either when paired with high tempo vs poorer teams because I move the ball too fast up the pitch causing me to be 3 vs 7

Higher line - both CBs unbelievably fast but poor positionally can't trust them defending their box

Higher LOE to stop poorer teams keeping the ball in their own half. 

 

Away Tactic

Gone more direct to encourage the counter attack vs teams who I expect will give me more space.

Higher tempo to hit this space fast

Distribute quickly to take advantage of players out of position - i.e. opposition attacking fullbacks

Counter instruction as this is my intention Dropped the defensive line slightly and lowered the line of engagement to encourage them to play out from the back when I then hit them with my split block press.

Tweaked the LB to defend and turned the RB to a FB(s) for more compactness.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 1, 2020 by dw2193