Advice (in a rough patch of sorts)

[duff33]

Hi all - I've not hit a terminal decline in my Newcastle save, but I'm in one of those situations where I feel like I might be on the cusp of a rough patch. So I am trying to cut it off before it starts; the trick, as always, is figuring where we might be going wrong.

I ran with a 4-3-3 DM formation in Season 1, which worked pretty well up until quite late in the year (AI eventually became familiar with it); I managed to claim a top four finish still. I tweaked it a little this season, after a sluggish start to the year; I switched my AML to be a IW (su) instead of IF (su); I also swapped my BWM into CM (and made it su, instead of being DM BWM de) and then had my DLP in the DM role (on de duty) as opposed to playing alongside my MEZ (in a su role). I also tweaked my ST to being a PF (at) again.

We're doing ok; 8th in PL and within 4-points of Champions League spots. Also top of our Champions League group on 7 points after 3 games.

However last few results have been 2-2 draw at home to Chelsea, 1-1 draw at Arsenal (both times we've had to salvage a draw late), and then we blew a 2-0 lead at Juventus and ended up drawing 2-2. Mostly recently we lost 2-1 at Leeds.

I am aware fatigue may be a factor, it's been a run of tough games in a short space of time, so I am trying to rotate - the XI above is more or less my starting XI at the moment, but I think I have decent squad depth (thank you stupid Newcastle transfer budgets!).

I also have a second and third tactic, the latter of which is a bit kitchen sink in order to try and grab late goals or break down small sides that look to park the bus.

 

Am I just overthinking a run of tough games in a short space of time? Or is this the first signs of a problem?

All help and advice gratefully received. 

[Johnny Ace]

Just looking at your first tactic, your roles look pretty well thought out but the two Attack duties over on the right hand side is the only thing that stands out as problematic, I'd just change one of those onto Support. The Mezz and Winger is a fantastic combination 

Cover duty defenders has never been a thing I'm a fan of  but if it's working out for you, stick with it 

I'm tempted to say bump up the mentality to Positive

[duff33]

5 hours ago, Johnny Ace said:

Just looking at your first tactic, your roles look pretty well thought out but the two Attack duties over on the right hand side is the only thing that stands out as problematic, I'd just change one of those onto Support. The Mezz and Winger is a fantastic combination 

Cover duty defenders has never been a thing I'm a fan of  but if it's working out for you, stick with it 

I'm tempted to say bump up the mentality to Positive

I think it was set to Balanced because it was right before a Cup game versus Chelsea - didn't want to go overboard  As it turns out, it worked out, we won 3-2 (should have been 3-1 but Trippier made a mistake in our box that let Broja grab a second for the blues). In a lot of home games I go for Positive or Attacking, depending on opponent. Away from home is more difficult to judge I find; like real life winning away seems harder, but I'm yet to master what tactical tweaks will help me eek out a win (case in point, just drawn away at Everton... They scored from a 0.05 xG long ranger  I equalised late from a corner!)

I set my RCB to cover partly because Trippier seemed to get burned by opposing wingers a few times (he's a little older and slower I guess); it was my attempt to try and 'cover' for that. Whether it works might be anecdotal 

Yeah, the MEZ + Winger thing has worked for me in previous editions, so I stuck with it; occasionally I make the MEZ a B2B if things aren't going my way, and that seems to help stem things a little - this is mainly against the really good teams like City or Liverpool. Maybe that ties in with your point about it being risky to have two players on Attack on the right...

 

[Cloud9]

I'd consider putting Isak on a complete forward on support, think he's a bit wasted as a PF. I'd also build the tactic around kvara and have him on attack all the time. Super star he is. At the moment willock is given a lot of license to attack and he's maybe the weak link in your team.

Try swapping Declan rice into a position that takes advantage of his mental attributes? He's perfect as a Carrilero. BWM position is great for physical players who lack mental attributes.

[duff33]

On 20/01/2023 at 23:11, Cloud9 said:

I'd consider putting Isak on a complete forward on support, think he's a bit wasted as a PF. I'd also build the tactic around kvara and have him on attack all the time. Super star he is. At the moment willock is given a lot of license to attack and he's maybe the weak link in your team.

Try swapping Declan rice into a position that takes advantage of his mental attributes? He's perfect as a Carrilero. BWM position is great for physical players who lack mental attributes.

Thanks - interesting thoughts r.e. Rice; do I run the risk of losing some defensive strength if I switch him from BWM to Carrilero?

I've used Bruno and Bellingham as my Mezzala's more recently - Willock is a good backup option, but not normally my first choice, he just happened to be there when I took the screenshot.

Kvara is an interesting one, yeah - could def consider swapping him to IF (AT), then have Gaya as either CWB or WB on support; then make Saint-Maximin a W(Su) and Trippier FB (AT) maybe.

[Cloud9]

11 hours ago, duff33 said:

Thanks - interesting thoughts r.e. Rice; do I run the risk of losing some defensive strength if I switch him from BWM to Carrilero?

I've used Bruno and Bellingham as my Mezzala's more recently - Willock is a good backup option, but not normally my first choice, he just happened to be there when I took the screenshot.

Kvara is an interesting one, yeah - could def consider swapping him to IF (AT), then have Gaya as either CWB or WB on support; then make Saint-Maximin a W(Su) and Trippier FB (AT) maybe.

In a double pivot try Dekker's as a Halfback, his mental attributes will make him stellar at the role. A BWM in a two will get pulled out of position all the time. In a three I'd go Carrilero 100%.

He'll provide you performances that fit the player (high mentals, high stamina, well rounded passer/tackler), as a BWM you won't utilize those mental attributes he has. A good Carrilero is the lungs of a team and can be tailored to go after a problem player in your opposition setup in his PIs. 

If you want to play w/a BWM specifically, I'd recommend moving on Rice for a player with the physical attributes that suit the role: like Lavia at Southampton.

 

Couple of side notes: If you're experimenting w/ a CWB he'll have "Roam from Position" in his role, which means you'll be building the tactic around him-- rather than other players. I'd recommend keeping Saint-Maximan on attack, his flair and ability to beat players in a 1v1 make him super in the attack role. Trippier is a perfect fit for FB (a). 

[Cloud9]

Also! If your playing w/ Saint-Maximan training the "rounds the keeper" trait onto him is simply superb.

[duff33]

On 23/01/2023 at 22:39, Cloud9 said:

In a double pivot try Dekker's as a Halfback, his mental attributes will make him stellar at the role. A BWM in a two will get pulled out of position all the time. In a three I'd go Carrilero 100%.

He'll provide you performances that fit the player (high mentals, high stamina, well rounded passer/tackler), as a BWM you won't utilize those mental attributes he has. A good Carrilero is the lungs of a team and can be tailored to go after a problem player in your opposition setup in his PIs. 

If you want to play w/a BWM specifically, I'd recommend moving on Rice for a player with the physical attributes that suit the role: like Lavia at Southampton.

 

Couple of side notes: If you're experimenting w/ a CWB he'll have "Roam from Position" in his role, which means you'll be building the tactic around him-- rather than other players. I'd recommend keeping Saint-Maximan on attack, his flair and ability to beat players in a 1v1 make him super in the attack role. Trippier is a perfect fit for FB (a). 

Thanks - I'm giving the carrilero thing a try for the last few games of this season; I'm out of both Cups, out of Europe, and only seven PL games to go - so it seems a good time to experiment  Lining up with Ruben Neves as DM in DLP (de) role, then Rice at LCM playing carrilero, and Bellingham RCM playing Mezzala (at) for the moment, see how it goes. Neves helps support the defence, Bellingham helps support the attack, then Rice hopefully knits it all together.

Ironically, I did sign Lavia from Southampton, but with an eye on the future, so loaned him out for this season.

I didn't go with a CWB in the end, really for the reasons you outline - I've done it before with Gaya at Valencia, but I'm not sure it really works for this Newcastle team; I have talent elsewhere that I think would be better focussed on (Kvara, Isak etc.) and having Gaya perhaps out of position (as he goes on the attack as CWB) leaves me vulnerable at the back. I've tweaked things to have Kvara as IF (su) again (did have him on Attack for a while to mix up the attack patterns) and Gaya as WB (at) (but in the LB position still).

Essentially I am back to my core tactic, just with Rice in a different role