FM22 - struggling with tactics in lower leagues. Any ideas?

[kjarus1]

Are you also struggling with tactics in lower leagues this year? Do you have any tips that you found are working for FM22?

In the past years lower league football was pretty simple - direct play, counter-attacking high tempo, intense pressing, simple formations that play numbers' games (superior numbers on defense and attack, doesn't really matter what players do cuz they are all so bad)

This year I have found that the most effective gamestyle is control possesion/tiki-taka which just doesn't make sense to play in lower leagues...

Edited December 15, 2021 by kjarus1

[glengarry224]

Good point.  In FM21, I'd be very nervous playing an inferior LL team on cautious/narrow/shorter/play-out-of-defense/WBIB but I've made some of that work so far in FM22.  I also did well with a 4-4-2 with relatively slow CMs, which would not have worked too well in FM21.  I could not change my team but usually in LLM, I favor physical attributes over mental/tactical.  Did SI turn down the advantage for physical attributes in the lower leagues?

I've found that with increased fatigue penalties, I like to have a slower, wasting time tactic to use for stretches.  Sometimes, when I'm a big dog on the road, I start off with that for 20 minutes, and if I can weather an initial storm, I have a big fitness advantage in the latter stages.  

But I think that a lot of it is the same.  If you have any player with a big advantage in some area, play hard to that.  If you have a great target man, lean on it.  If you have a great set piece taker, lean on that.

[bibird.]

I like to start (as a lot of people do) with the defence. I had a LLM save in FM21 with a team that had the fastest defenders in the league on average. It's vital that you play to whatever strengths you might have, so I opted for an ultra high line and short, disciplined passing (rarely recommended in LLM tactic threads). Keep the ball high up the pitch, score from set pieces and beat the opposition in a foot race when they pump a long ball over the top. We finished 3rd out of 12, despite being predicted to finish bottom.

Basically, look at the tools you have, figure out how to amplify their strengths and mitigate their weaknesses. It might seem like it flies in the face of "best practice", but successful stories never come about by doing what everyone else does. Come up with a logical plan and go from there.

[Johnny Ace]

1 hour ago, bibird. said:

I like to start (as a lot of people do) with the defence. I had a LLM save in FM21 with a team that had the fastest defenders in the league on average.

100% this 

Play to your teams strengths 

Judge how fast, good in the air, smart your back-line are & start from there ie don't try & play a high line with two 33 year old centre backs with 5 for Acceleration

Look at where the pace is in your team, if there is any, if you have fast wide players, use them, try & get them on the ball, advancing the ball up the pitch

What are your CM's like? Can they pass, tackle, defend, dribble, create? Give them roles that will get the best out of them, make sure your DM or defensive CM can actually defend & see danger coming  

Look at your strikers & think of the supply to them. Are they fast, tall, smart, creative, hard working? How many do you have?  Are we looking a lone strikers or partnerships? 

Playing like this & actually assessing your team's attributes, player by player & getting an idea of what your players can actually do will help you make smart decisions