CL Final tactic help

[Yisz]

I wonder how you guys usually approach cup finals? I've just lost the 3rd CL final in a row in my AC Milan save and it's really taken a hit on how fun I find the save... 

Do you usually tinker your tactic? If so, can you provide an example. For example I take off play out of defence so we don't take too many risks, drop to a mid block from a high block and put off counter pressing, chance WBa to WBs,... Might this be too passive? Idk...

I can't figure out the data hub either to help me in tactics to save the life of me. Not the opposition report nor all the data provided. I don't make the links from data to the tactic I'm using apart from getting players to dribble less if they frequently lose the ball while dribbling.

[WhyMe]

For me it depends on who the opposition is managed by and what formation they are using., though this is a reflection of how I play the game in general.  

For example, in my 4-4-2 save my base formation is a 4-4-2 DM, but through experience I know that against a 4-2-3-1 my base system tends to suck so I switch to a 4-2-4 DM instead, which tends to do well in most games against the 4-2-3-1.  I also have my base system with the right winger pushed up to AMR which also does very well against certain opposition managers.  Most of my changes are not this extreme though, mostly its a couple of role changes or some different TI to take advantage of the space the opposition is vulnerable in.  For example, against a flat 4-4-2 I switch my width to very narrow and my usual right winger-a becomes an inverted winger-a to get him to attack the space left by the opposition having no DMs and I will push the fullback behind him up to a WB-s (from FB-s) to get him a bit further up field in support to take advantage of the fact the opposition formation has no one at AML.  I have several of these systems saved to make switching to them easy when I face the appropriate opposition, given they are mostly small changes the hit to tactical familiarity is minor.  However I do have the different formations saved in the 3 tactical slots to help with this for the bigger changes.

I am not great at watching the game and learning from what I see, I can see if we keep getting done from long balls over the top or if play is breaking down because we have not enough support in midfield or something similar but mostly the way I develop these modified systems is by watching the match stats for the first 15-20 minutes and if I am not doing well enough statistically (given expectations vs the opposition) then I will pause the game have a think about where the space is in the opposition formation and what role I could change to take advantage of it/overload it.  Then I will make that change and see if things improve (both what I am seeing, but most importantly statistically, XG has been gold for me).  If things improve to the extent I am happy then I will save the new system and use it whenever I face that specific manager.  I will also test it against other managers using a similar formation and if it is consistently successful I will use it more generally against that formation.

Last but not least I always have trouble against specific managers (mostly Klopp, though in this iteration of FM Koeman has also been a problem) .  For this reason when I am planning a new tactic I will make sure I do a quick test save and test the new system against those managers to see if it works and if not what modifications do I need against that specific manager for it to be consistently decent.

I recognise this is quite a fiddly system and relies to a large extent on experimentation and memory and there is always a fair bit of trial and error as I am no tactical genius.  In the first season or two I will be on the wrong end of some bad results as I build up my evidence base, but I will also have some fantastic comebacks when the experimentation hits the sweet spot (best recently was 3-0 down in less than 20 minutes to winning 4-3 after changing 2 or 3 roles and a couple of TIs).

Anyway, you don't necessarily have to go the whole hog with this as I am sure its not for everyone, but for a cup final you could try looking at the opposition formation and think about where they are leaving space (in-behind, on the flanks, in-front of their backline etc.) and see what you could tweak to take advantage of it.  Then just pay attention to the stats in the first 15-20 minutes and decide to either stick or twist.  Personally, I would also look at how your system does in general against their formation, the data hub does tell you about chances created against specific systems using your system, if against the opposition system yours is worse than average then you have extra incentive to try a tweak or two.

I hope this helps and good luck with your next final!

 

Edited June 6, 2023 by WhyMe
typo

[Yisz]

8 hours ago, WhyMe said:

For me it depends on who the opposition is managed by and what formation they are using., though this is a reflection of how I play the game in general.  

For example, in my 4-4-2 save my base formation is a 4-4-2 DM, but through experience I know that against a 4-2-3-1 my base system tends to suck so I switch to a 4-2-4 DM instead, which tends to do well in most games against the 4-2-3-1.  I also have my base system with the right winger pushed up to AMR which also does very well against certain opposition managers.  Most of my changes are not this extreme though, mostly its a couple of role changes or some different TI to take advantage of the space the opposition is vulnerable in.  For example, against a flat 4-4-2 I switch my width to very narrow and my usual right winger-a becomes an inverted winger-a to get him to attack the space left by the opposition having no DMs and I will push the fullback behind him up to a WB-s (from FB-s) to get him a bit further up field in support to take advantage of the fact the opposition formation has no one at AML.  I have several of these systems saved to make switching to them easy when I face the appropriate opposition, given they are mostly small changes the hit to tactical familiarity is minor.  However I do have the different formations saved in the 3 tactical slots to help with this for the bigger changes.

I am not great at watching the game and learning from what I see, I can see if we keep getting done from long balls over the top or if play is breaking down because we have not enough support in midfield or something similar but mostly the way I develop these modified systems is by watching the match stats for the first 15-20 minutes and if I am not doing well enough statistically (given expectations vs the opposition) then I will pause the game have a think about where the space is in the opposition formation and what role I could change to take advantage of it/overload it.  Then I will make that change and see if things improve (both what I am seeing, but most importantly statistically, XG has been gold for me).  If things improve to the extent I am happy then I will save the new system and use it whenever I face that specific manager.  I will also test it against other managers using a similar formation and if it is consistently successful I will use it more generally against that formation.

Last but not least I always have trouble against specific managers (mostly Klopp, though in this iteration of FM Koeman has also been a problem) .  For this reason when I am planning a new tactic I will make sure I do a quick test save and test the new system against those managers to see if it works and if not what modifications do I need against that specific manager for it to be consistently decent.

I recognise this is quite a fiddly system and relies to a large extent on experimentation and memory and there is always a fair bit of trial and error as I am no tactical genius.  In the first season or two I will be on the wrong end of some bad results as I build up my evidence base, but I will also have some fantastic comebacks when the experimentation hits the sweet spot (best recently was 3-0 down in less than 20 minutes to winning 4-3 after changing 2 or 3 roles and a couple of TIs).

Anyway, you don't necessarily have to go the whole hog with this as I am sure its not for everyone, but for a cup final you could try looking at the opposition formation and think about where they are leaving space (in-behind, on the flanks, in-front of their backline etc.) and see what you could tweak to take advantage of it.  Then just pay attention to the stats in the first 15-20 minutes and decide to either stick or twist.  Personally, I would also look at how your system does in general against their formation, the data hub does tell you about chances created against specific systems using your system, if against the opposition system yours is worse than average then you have extra incentive to try a tweak or two.

I hope this helps and good luck with your next final!

 

Thanks for your insightful answer!

[Cloud9]

On 05/06/2023 at 14:17, Yisz said:

I wonder how you guys usually approach cup finals? I've just lost the 3rd CL final in a row in my AC Milan save and it's really taken a hit on how fun I find the save... 

Do you usually tinker your tactic? If so, can you provide an example. For example I take off play out of defence so we don't take too many risks, drop to a mid block from a high block and put off counter pressing, chance WBa to WBs,... Might this be too passive? Idk...

I can't figure out the data hub either to help me in tactics to save the life of me. Not the opposition report nor all the data provided. I don't make the links from data to the tactic I'm using apart from getting players to dribble less if they frequently lose the ball while dribbling.

Squad building will help you a lot for when you get to finals.

Players who don't perform in big matches, have low pressure ratings, or are inconsistent are big problems for these games. A goal keeper who can win you a penalty shootout is also a huge plus. 

I wouldn't change from the tactics you've been using when you get to a final, players take time to adapt, but having a tactic prepared of the big boys is important if you want to win Cups.

Edited June 10, 2023 by Cloud9