What's changed?

[ChrisCo]

I am really struggling with FM23.

Mainly;

- Weaker opposition dominating and finishing clinically on most occasions (I struggled to beat Sligo Rovers 1-0).

- Midfielders unable to complete simple passes or easily losing ball under pressure.

- Defenders making errors every other game.

I've no idea what has changed from FM22 to FM23. Not here to say the game is rigged or any of that crap. But, there is something fundamentally different about this match engine and it has not been communicated by the producers. Anyone care to enlighten me?

Current tactic attached.

Basic principles are:

- Pressing high up with a top heavy set-up. Positive mentality as we're one of the stronger teams in the division.

- Play out of defence to avoid hoof-ball, but with some directness further on in build up.

- SS, IFa, FBa to provide overlaps and movement. DLPd to be the one spreading ball directly to them, or DLFs to come deep and play it short to them.

- SVs to drive team forward. IWBs to cover the gap he leaves when further forward.

Edited November 1, 2022 by ChrisCo
Typo.

[crusadertsar]

1 hour ago, ChrisCo said:

I am really struggling with FM23.

Mainly;

- Weaker opposition dominating and finishing clinically on most occasions (I struggled to beat Sligo Rovers 1-0).

- Midfielders unable to complete simple passes or easily losing ball under pressure.

- Defenders making errors every other game.

I've no idea what has changed from FM22 to FM23. Not here to say the game is rigged or any of that crap. But, there is something fundamentally different about this match engine and it has not been communicated by the producers. Anyone care to enlighten me?

Current tactic attached.

Basic principles are:

- Pressing high up with a top heavy set-up. Positive mentality as we're one of the stronger teams in the division.

- Play out of defence to avoid hoof-ball, but with some directness further on in build up.

- SS, IFa, FBa to provide overlaps and movement. DLPd to be the one spreading ball directly to them, or DLFs to come deep and play it short to them.

- SVs to drive team forward. IWBs to cover the gap he leaves when further forward.

What's your rationale on using relatively aggressive IWB role on left flank behind SV and Inside Forward? Not only are you needlessly narrow with not a single player providing width but also no real covering players as all three will be driving into space. That whole flank is ripe for opposition counters. Especially when they catch you while you pressing them high. No wonder that smaller sides are finishing clinically against you. You are kind of asking for it. Even in FM22 this tactic would have been risky. So nothing really changed. You still need to build well balanced tactics to be consistently successful.

Edited November 2, 2022 by crusadertsar

[crusadertsar]

Also your high pressing and defending instructions are extremely intensive and demanding for your players. I'm not sure whether that suits a team like Antwerp. And in 1st season too. I would even question whether playing like this would be a good idea for a team like Liverpool. Certainly not for 90 minutes. One of the big changes in FM23 (and I believe it was already partially implemented in FM22) is in how much aggressive defending like this drains the players stamina and fitness levels. Unlike before you really need to keep an eye on those, because players will not perform at their top if you tire them out by having them run around like headless bloody chickens. Also keep an eye on intensity bar in top right corner. And try to keep it out of the red.

Edited November 2, 2022 by crusadertsar

[sonnevillejr]

I struggle a bit too with the 4231 DM, it feels like all my attacking players are stationary, even on support duty they never help in the build up and my team is cut in half. I don't know if this is your case but I think this is a known issue.

Otherwise your tactic seems decent, but I would change either the shadow striker into an attacking midfielder on attack duty or the inside forward into an inverted winger on attack, in order not to have too many player fully focused on scoring goals. You could also change the inside forward on support into an inverted winger on support.

Regarding your left flank, it's true that you could suffer from a lack of width, so what I think you could do is :

- change your VOLsu into a DMsu and your left back into a WBsu

- or ask your AML to stay wider to reduce the problem

- or change only your left back into a WBsu but you could be a little exposed to counter attacks on this side

[Lasson]

Also, with two CDMs your IWB won’t act like an IWB normally would. I would change him to a standard FBs and tell him to play narrow and hold position. 

[ChrisCo]

9 hours ago, crusadertsar said:

What's your rationale on using relatively aggressive IWB role on left flank behind SV and Inside Forward? Not only are you needlessly narrow with not a single player providing width but also no real covering players as all three will be driving into space. That whole flank is ripe for opposition counters. Especially when they catch you while you pressing them high. No wonder that smaller sides are finishing clinically against you. You are kind of asking for it. Even in FM22 this tactic would have been risky. So nothing really changed. You still need to build well balanced tactics to be consistently successful.

Initially I wanted him to fill the gap left when the SV ventures forward. But, now you've pointed this out I can see why it's been ineffective with the IWBs. 

 

8 hours ago, crusadertsar said:

Also your high pressing and defending instructions are extremely intensive and demanding for your players. I'm not sure whether that suits a team like Antwerp. And in 1st season too. I would even question whether playing like this would be a good idea for a team like Liverpool. Certainly not for 90 minutes. One of the big changes in FM23 (and I believe it was already partially implemented in FM22) is in how much aggressive defending like this drains the players stamina and fitness levels. Unlike before you really need to keep an eye on those, because players will not perform at their top if you tire them out by having them run around like headless bloody chickens. Also keep an eye on intensity bar in top right corner. And try to keep it out of the red.

Fair point. Thanks for pointing out player fatigue during a game has become more pronounced, I was struggling to pin point where the ME had been altered a bit. Makes loads of sense, advice appreciated. 

 

8 hours ago, sonnevillejr said:

I struggle a bit too with the 4231 DM, it feels like all my attacking players are stationary, even on support duty they never help in the build up and my team is cut in half. I don't know if this is your case but I think this is a known issue.

Otherwise your tactic seems decent, but I would change either the shadow striker into an attacking midfielder on attack duty or the inside forward into an inverted winger on attack, in order not to have too many player fully focused on scoring goals. You could also change the inside forward on support into an inverted winger on support.

Regarding your left flank, it's true that you could suffer from a lack of width, so what I think you could do is :

- change your VOLsu into a DMsu and your left back into a WBsu

- or ask your AML to stay wider to reduce the problem

- or change only your left back into a WBsu but you could be a little exposed to counter attacks on this side

I'm usually a 4-3-3 man, but fancied trying something a little different. Agreed the left-flank is an issue, these are all great suggestions! I'm fascinated with the SV role, but so far struggling to get a lot out of it. So a switch is probably inevitable.

 

2 hours ago, Lasson said:

Also, with two CDMs your IWB won’t act like an IWB normally would. I would change him to a standard FBs and tell him to play narrow and hold position. 

Didn't even consider this, thanks for pointing out!

I don't usually struggle like this, so advice will be taken on-board. I resorted to using a 'pre-made' tactic in a dummy game I have going as Napoli, which bore way more fruit than creating my own. I think I'll use the beta in this way too, before trying my own tactics again once the full-version/I've worked the game out a bit more!

Edited November 2, 2022 by ChrisCo

[Obaaa]

Not sure on the combination of positive mentality and then adding even further tempo. As one of the "stronger teams" you'll like encounter teams that sit a bit deeper and will require a more methodical approach to break them down. Maybe reduce tempo and/or passing directness in games where you struggle to score (against Sligo for example).

[Abandex]

To me, you need to understand a bit more about tactical sense of the game. As previously said, you are a top team of the league. Which means that team will try to restrain space against you. 

TOP heavy formation are good ones, but what if you AMR/L just make run in the congested spaces instead creating overload with their side mates ( wb ) ??×