POOR FORM - Where am I going wrong?

[Yung_Marty]

In my 3rd season with ADO Den Haag in the eredivisie, last two seasons have been fair overachievement by any means, taking us to 6th in our 1st season back in the top flight, 2nd season and were lying in 8th. Started the season well with some really good form and tactics that seemed like it was really clicking. into march we cant buy a win, we can barely buy a goal, any tweaks to my tactics do nothing. My strikers and inverted wingers miss sitters regularly. My defence isnt too better, were easily conceding 2 goals a game always for silly reasons.

Ive made decent signings, mostly frees and loans due to clubs slowly getting out of debt. I enjoy this save a lot but my form is getting really worrying and so much less fun when we cant defend 1-0 leads, or lose 2-0 to teams below us.

I feel like i'm coming to the conclusion that the issue here is my tactics somehow and were just not getting the best out of my players.

Any advice here?

[fc.cadoni]

Start from here: 

 

[MadOnion]

I imagine with a cautious mentality (in fact with any mentality really) and having everyone in your back line on defend and your front line on attack that compactness is an issue.

Pause the game when you lose the ball and again when you win it and see if you can notice any patterns and if you're happy with how your players are positioned across the pitch.

[Sharkn20]

95% of the help posts are Gegenpress like yourself. Have a look through the forum.

At the end of the day is always the same problem with gegenpress, you improve your reputation and your position in the Country, teams start playing low block and counter against your team.

You struggle to break low blocks and concede on the counter or set pieces.

Fix --> Change your tactics to a more calm possession orientated tactics instead of max press, shoot non stop gegenpress.

This is asked over and over.

[glengarry224]

I'm guesstimating that your are conceding too many because you are non-compact because you have much higher LOE and standard DL.  Might want to lower the LOE a notch.  Is your GK often out of position on counters?  Because that's a very aggressive role/duty.

Also, guesstimating that you are not scoring because you are too predictable.  Narrow, disciplined, cautious, shorter passing.  Guessing that the AI has learned to defend deep and narrow and counter, and mark your AMC out of the match.  This would also kill any space to pass into.  A bit contradictory to have higher tempo/pass into space/attack duties versus WBIB:  with higher tempo and 3 forwards on attack, you are telling your players to get the ball to those attackers asap.

[OddJobRob]

It looks to me like the type of football you're trying to play doesn't match the roles/team instructions  you have selected.

 I.e - you have 3 holding players and have selected regroup whilst also asking that your team to close down the goal keeper and back line.  I'd imagine you  lack support players for a gegenpressing style.

Your team should act as 1 unit looking at what you have done you have created a situation where the team is split into 2 with all of your defence not getting involve in any build up.

How are you wanting your team to play? 

 

[Tsuru]

I would suggest starting your tactics with no TIs. Try to focus on improving roles and duties and find the right balance. If they are well chosen your team will probably play well. Then you can add TIs to adjust or improve something - if really necessary.

[Rashidi]

Your TIs suggest you want to look for counters, you have short passing and pass into space and are playing on cautious. With the distribution of duties at the back you will find that your backline usually likes to punt the ball. 
 

There are many things you can do but what is the goal of your system? If it’s to seek out counter attacking options then why have play out of defence?

It sounds like you need to mix things up giving your team options. You want them sometimes to hold on to the ball and look for chances intelligently. A DLP in central midfield can help. 
 

Wingbacks on defend aren’t a bad option but at the moment most passes are going long. If I wanted a counterattacking system I would sit with a standard or a lower line of engagement, then with those attacking duties I would tell them to man mark specific players forcing them to track back.  Alternatively you can tell one wide player to play on support, this will help with ball circulation. 
 

There are ways to play disciplined blocks this just isn’t one of them.