How often and how radically do you change your tactics in- game?

[Vossenoren]

I find myself changing at least twice a game. Usually I only switch instructions or move one player, but occasionally I make wholesale changes like switching from a 4-2-3-1 to a 3-3-3-1, which worked out nicely at the time. I do worry that it stops players developing a rhythm. How about you? 

[Marc Vaughan]

9 minutes ago, Vossenoren said:

I find myself changing at least twice a game. Usually I only switch instructions or move one player, but occasionally I make wholesale changes like switching from a 4-2-3-1 to a 3-3-3-1, which worked out nicely at the time. I do worry that it stops players developing a rhythm. How about you? 

It depends entirely on how the game is going, normally I stick to my plan and see things through ... but now and again (especially if I'm doing badly) I'll chuck the plan out of the window and mix things up ...

(the other thing I sometimes do is indulge in some tactical changes to allow a kid to get time on the pitch if I'm say 3-0 with 15 minutes to go, I'll take off an MR and put on an AMR who is a young kid etc.)

[MasterKano]

I use a primary and secondary tactic during pre-season to get the team's familiarity up... my pre-season usually consists of 2 games a week.

I usually train a third tactic about 1/3 way into the season which differs from the primary and secondary tactics.

All my my tactics are based on what I have personnel-wise rather than the tactic I'd employ which usually consists of 2 attacking formations and a defensive formation which I use during game rather than before games.

[passenger58]

Slightly off topic, but I've always wondered if there is any detrimental effect to changing tactics too often.

For example, do  players perform better if you play the same tactics every game (due to familiarity, consistency, etc)?

Or are to able to change tactics every game with no negative effects? 

[Marc Vaughan]

56 minutes ago, passenger58 said:

Slightly off topic, but I've always wondered if there is any detrimental effect to changing tactics too often.

For example, do  players perform better if you play the same tactics every game (due to familiarity, consistency, etc)?

Or are to able to change tactics every game with no negative effects? 

In Football Manager Mobile all players are considered to understand the 'basic expectations' of their roles and positions, so switching tactics doesn't hurt a teams performance and they aren't required to learn familiarity with tactics.

Players do however take time to settle into a new club and this is reflected on their profiles if it is potentially having a large effect in their performances.

(full-fat FM differs in this regard, FMT follows FMM's approach and doesn't require tactical familiarity)

My perspective is that most top-teams these days can easily cope with switching tactical styles and nearly all Premiership players are comfortable switching things around, many many teams dynamically switch between 3, 4 and 5 at the back during a match these days.

[passenger58]

Thanks, @Marc Vaughan