ultrAslan

Love to see that this topic is still alive! Glad to hear that is working for you and giving new insights for me also to try a new way of counter! What I notice on your set-up is you are playing with a high defensive line, what is the reason behind it? Do you use some PI's for your formations? How does your defensive midfielder plays? Im using a DlpD or DlpS on that position.

@Cloud9 Thank you for sharing your valuable insights and detailed comments! Your knowledge in tactics and squad building are evident, and your suggestions provide a lot of useful information for making strategic decisions in the game. I appreciate the time and effort you put into explaining your approach and sharing your personal preferences. I must admit that despite my understanding of the game mechanics, I still find it difficult to read the game and identify opportunities or weaknesses. However, your advice on utilizing passing maps to identify key players and disrupt their influence, as well as using heat maps to win the ball back effectively and make defensive adjustments, is great. @Mutumba Yes for the defenders I am saying to pass short so they can deliver the ball to the playmaker(s). For the playmaker or playmakers their passing is set to direct so they can play to the winger or advanced forward that is attacking. Most importantly change I made is the pressing. The front 5(2cm 2wide players and the AF) has pressing set to maximum and tackle harder and also tight marking.

Another questions where I am finding answers for: This is the tactic that I'm using for soaking up the pressure and hit the opponent on the counter: So the biggest change is the mentality I changed it to Cautious, it was before Defensive. The reason why I did this is I am no longer a big underdog, but slightly the underdog. The top tier teams are a little bit stronger so that is the reason why I wanted to take more risk. What would you do @Cloud9, stick on defensive mentality all way long or try to take more risk when you get a little bit stronger? What would you do when you are one men down? Do you use the analytical tab when you are in game? like checking the heat-map? or passing of individual players? Or the movement?

Ok you got a point for the AF! But did you tried the other options I mentioned?

I just had a similar thread about how to play against the better teams and how to soak up their pressure: Just read the whole thread there are valuable tips to improve your gameplay:

What I would do is: Instead of playing with a fairly narrow width change to fairly wide. This will allow your outer players to push up and support your attacks. Move up your defensive line and the line of engagement by one notch to compress the space in front of you and limit the opponent's options. Encourage your deep-lying playmaker (DLP) to make more direct passes and take more risks. After all, the DLP is your team's playmaker. Instead of using a deep-lying forward (DLF), consider using an advanced forward (AF). The AF excels at making runs behind the defense and creating scoring opportunities.

Oh my god. So, I spent some time testing to come up with a good counter tactic using the input you all gave me. I even played the same match 100 times to develop a good counter tactic, but somehow I couldn't make it work. I tried every mentality/defensive line/opponent instructions combination, but I kept losing by large margins. I couldn't identify the weakness. I also wasn't making good counters during the match. I had almost given up hope and was ready to accept that the opponent was just too strong for my team. I decided to read this topic from top to bottom again, paying attention to every detail. I realized that I had missed a crucial point while creating the counter tactic." So, I didn't read this part properly. Thanks to a small adjustment, but one of the most crucial for a counter tactic is to have your players apply good pressure up front so that the opponent doesn't have all the time in the world to play their own game. What I had forgotten is to maximize the pressing for my players playing up front and in the centre of the pitch. I also indicated how each player should pass, so defenders pass short and playmakers pass more directly and with more risk. Final version of my counter tactic: Look at these match stats: vs FC Bayern - away game (quarter final) vs FC Bayern - home game(same tactic) - look at posession (30%) vs Real Madrid - Home game(semi-final) - again look at posession I wanna say thank you for the ones who has helped me through this topic understand the concepts of counter attacking football to deny space and hit them on the counter. Especially @Cloud9for your detailed explanation and examples. Ive learned so much and enjoying the game more then ever.

Update on this topic. I am still experimenting counter attacking the big teams and made some tweaks on my own tactic. This is the tactic I am using at the moment: Example of a game I played against Barca with this tactic. As you can see I dominated the game but I analyzed them very good. They where playing a tiki-taka based playing style so I was just waiting like Ok go ahead and pass the ball how many times you want, because the door is shut haha. As you can see the possession they couldn't do not so much. If I had some good players with great finishing this match could be ours: ---------------------------------- I have a few things on my mind when it comes to playing with this tactic: I know that this defensive mentality is a good starting point for playing counter-attacking football, but when should I play with a cautious or balanced mentality? I notice sometimes that some balls go over my defense, what can I do about this? Should I lower my defensive line a bit? Wouldn't that be too close to my goal and leave me isolated in my own half? Previously on my earlier version of this tactic I played with two attacking roles IF(A) and AF(A), I just didn't know which other attacking role I could use to put pressure on the opponent. With my base formation, I play with a positive mentality and some players have different roles, but I am also the title favorite in my own league so I can take that risk. When I have to switch to a counter-attacking formation in the Champions League, I notice that the tactical familiarity is not optimal. How can I make sure I have familiarity with both tactics? What can I do when I'm 1-0 or 2-0 behind? Usually, I wait until the 75-80th minute and see that the opponent is quite tired and try to punish them. Should I change the mentality also when I tweak some TI's.

I understand when you play deep and vertically compact to deny space and compress the opponent, but how would a team that is defending go to attack if they keep coming and coming. It is a matter of time the opponent will score the goal because I am only sitting and defending on my own third? Wow! Thank you for taking time to give your own way of playing to set-up a counter attacking tactic. And also thanks for the information above it changed my whole way of thinking and approaching these kinds of way of playing. I was thinking all way wrong and created tactics that was way more risky against the big fella's. I have one question about your set-up why would you play on defensive mentality instead of positive? How would a defensive mentality help me to get me good counter attacks? When would you go for a mentality change? I've made my own version after your great feedback, but they need to get familiar so I can test this in a game:

It's true what you say, but if I play with a high tempo and direct, won't I give the ball back to the opponent quickly and lose possession? If we were playing a mid-block, how would you set up the pressin intensity? Would a short pass and standard tempo work well to counter? It's true what you say about the False 9, but I'm a fan of the Advanced Forward. New season, new opportunities. So I have created a new tactic to counter big opponents with counter attacks. Below you can see the formation and the team instructions: I was able to test it right away in Europe against AC Milan and my goal came from a direct pass behind the defenders. I still need to test it more to see if it really works. What roles would you give the back-players? fullbacks? To be defensively stronger, would you change them to full-backs, even though in my primary formation they play as wing-backs? If I were to switch to a counter formation, the fullbacks wouldn't be individually trained for that position and I would be penalized for the tactical familiarity. I also noticed that in the last 15 minutes, the opponent was completely exhausted and we were still in good condition. How would you adjust to take advantage of that?"

Thank you for taking time to comment on this thread. I thought also for a similar approach, but then I saw that the wing backs of Man City has over 15 acceleration. Walker has 18 for acceleration. How would this help me when they have faster back players. I was thinking of lowering the tempo and keeping the ball and slowly move my players to the final third. How would another fomation help me better then a 4-3-3 DM? Yes, I tried to play with two IF(A), but they where isolated and was hard to link up with my middfield. So I needed to spare one of the wingers to help te build-up play. My other IF has an acceleration of 17 so I wanted him to run behind the defenders. Zaniolo is performing well as a inverted winger, but maybe you are right to play fully on his potential as an IF.

They can! They are overloading the half space.

Use him as an advanced forward so your playmakers can find him with a direct pass. As he is the only one who is penetrating the final third it is easier for the opponent to mark him only. Im also using the 4-3-3 dm and using one of my wingers as a IF - AF combination or a mezella on the middfield to have more penetrating optons when we attacking and my playmakers has more option. But for the lone wolf I would try a advanced forward, because his speed is dangerous as he will make the run behind the defenders. Teach him the traits: like to beat offside trap or move in to channels.

Hello everyone, I'm playng FM a while now and enjoying this game very much. However, I often struggle against high-pressing teams who dominate possession and put a lot of pressure on my players. I was wondering if any of the experienced managers out there have some tips on how to soak up this pressure and hit them on the counter. Specifically, I'd like to know: What formation and tactics do you use when facing a high-pressing team as an underdog? How do you set up your team defensively to minimize the space and time for the opposition's attackers? adjustment on the team instructions? or other roles and duties? Mentality change? How do you transition from defense to attack quickly and efficiently to exploit the gaps left by the high-pressing team? What are some common mistakes that inexperienced managers make when facing a high-pressing team, and how can I avoid them? So for example in my save I am managing Galatasaray and in the knockout fase Im playing against Manchester City. They are a high pressing team so I want to soak the pressure and hit them on the counter. I put some photos of my team and instructions , I have no PI's only for my playmaker to play a directer pass. My tactic is working well against similar opponents or opponents that are slightly better then me, but this is the big test. I dont have any other formations with 5 defenders or 3-5-2. My tactic: Scout report of Man City: Primary tactic is working well, but didnt had the big test against a strong opponent:

Hahahah yes , I was talking to you on MSN in that time plus there was another guy who was also creating tactics some Asian guy. Dont know if you remember that hahaha.

Hi @knap, Which two tactics would you suggest for a all-out-attack tactic when you need a goal? And which one for when you are a underdog in an away game against a top club? Do you use opposition instructions when you test these tactics or is it just every game different approach for OI. Been following you since day 1!

Hi Knap, Are all your corners def and attack, set pieces, throw-ins setup the same for all your tactics?