[Approaching non-league football]

I haven't thought of doing so much of a guide as a list of tips for LLM.

I do notice that most of the tips and advice are not for LL saves.

[The most frustrating match in a frustating season.]

Early 3rd season with St. Albans in the Vanarama National League South.

The season had already been frustrating before the match in question. I started off with a great preseason and just as I was about to sign two 5 star players to fill needed spots in my starting XI I get a takeover and a transfer embargo from board takeover. They new board didn't even give me any new money or erase old debt. So for the majority of preseason, when you want to sign players, I cannot sign anyone.

The season gets off to a decent start though and I am 3 wins, 2 draw, 1 loss. I am in 5th place playing 8th place Havant & Waterlooville.

In Order

• 2nd minute: The game starts badly as my starting DL goes down with an injury apparently from kicking the ball.
• 12th minute: I get Penalty kick and successfully convert 1-0.
• 17th minute: My starting CDR gets hurt apparently from heading the ball.
• 56th minute: Their player pulls a Maradona and runs the length of the field, through my defense, and scores a goal despite me being on "Close Down Extremely Urgently" AND "Get Stuck In." 1-1
• 58th minute: Their GK kicks a long kick over everyone and my starting CDL is there. He kicks the ball to clear it. It hits my backup CD in the head right to the feet of a H&W player that runs on and scores. 1-2
• 73rd minute: I get a wonderful goal that is called back because Casper the friendly ghost was offside.
• 82nd minute: I get a goal on a headed corner kick. 2-2.
• 83rd minute: My team decides why defend a cross. 2-3.

I lose. 2-3.

Leading CD.Out 2-3 months torn hamstring.
DL out 3-4 weeks. His backup has been benched because of bad form, but now must be the starter.

This season is the most frustrating I have ever had in FM and I am not out of August yet.

 

[Not Stars but Attibutes, but how do you choose between players?]

Example: I want a CM (s).

For CM (s):

• Primary Attributes: First Touch, Passing, Tackling, Decisions, Teamwork
• Secondary Attributes: Technique, Anticipation, Composure, Concentration, Off the Ball, Vision, Work Rate,Stamina
• DNA: Determination, Work Rate, Passing, Stamina, Natural Fitness (Your DNA may vary).

Assuming everything else is equal how do you use the above to choose which player is best suited for your role?

[Not Stars but Attibutes, but how do you choose between players?]

So, you have a system and need to fill a specific role. You have a couple of players that can fill that role. How do you choose?

 

You have:

1. You have you team DNA, the attributes that you feel are most important.
2. You have the Primary attributes that your chosen role uses.
3. You have the Secondary attributes that your chosen role uses.
4. Player Traits.
5. Others such as Morale, fitness, social dynamics, etc.

I want to assume that 4 and 5 are equal for two players. This leaves you with just a certain set of Attributes that you can use to determine who is better at a role.

Do you:

a) Primary attributes + Secondary attributes + DNA = Total/Total number of attributes

b) (Primary attributes) x2 + Secondary attributes + DNA = Total/Total number of attributes

c) DNA x2 + Primary attributes + Secondary attributes = Total/Total number of attributes

d) or do you have something else.

 

 

 

[Different color notes.]

When you create a note for a player it currently just puts a yellow sticky note by their name.

What I would like to see is for you to be able to create multiple notes and each with a different color. Maybe not a lot, but more than 1.

This way you could have yellow indicate the player is inconsistent while blue might indicate that they hate big matches.

[Classification of roles in central midfield]

Yeah, I saw that thread and I have tried to digest it.

[Classification of roles in central midfield]

This is a GREAT thread and I was just about to ask about the "Holding Midfielder" when I saw this thread.

 

What I would love is for someone to take this kind of approach and explain all the roles, not just the the MC roles. In fact, I have thought about asking if anyone knows of an article or thread that list all the roles and all the base instructions and hidden instructions that go with roles.

[[FM] A Complete Guide to Mentality]

Your post came just in time because I was try to work out a style where I was aggressive in defense, but ball possession in attack. So I used your third example to setup my tactic and it works like a dream.

 

Now to my question. So my Mentality is Cautious as you recommend. That is my standard.

So do I adjust for weaker and stronger opponents or just leave mentality alone?

Example, my next game is against a much weaker opponent. I am way the favorite. Normally I would just adjust my Mentality to Positive or Attacking. I am worried though that this will mess up my tactic and end up with players hoofing the ball.

Should I adjust Mentality?

If I do not adjust Mentality what do I adjust?

 

[[FM] A Complete Guide to Mentality]

Very helpful.

Thank you for your time and effort.

[Difference between 4-2-4 and 4-4-2]

I am playing a 4-2-4 with an AML and AMR. I have been told I should probably drop them back and make a 4-4-2.

 

What is the difference between a AML/AMR and ML/MR?

• To me it seems the only difference would be that the AM's would be more attacking, further up the pitch, and thus less defensive in nature.

Does a 4-4-2 play wider than a 4-2-4?

• This even sounds like a stupid question to me because they should play the same width right? But when I switched the 4-2-4 to the 4-4-2 I swear I was playing much wider. I think this is because with the four in a single line they line up with the ML/MR wider than the AML/AMR. I need to test this though I could have it wrong.

 

 

These questions come from this thread:

 

[Criticize/Destroy my Tactics.]

Just a quick update

Game #4 had me as away as an underdog 0-0 tie

Game #5

I was at home and a slight favorite.

I realized that I was wanting through balls so I put on "Underlap."

I played some with a 4-4-2 but then went back to 4-2-4. I cannot really say one was more effective than the other.

Won 3-1 and their goal came in the 93+ minute.

 

[Criticize/Destroy my Tactics.]

2 hours ago, FMunderachiever said:

Why not try a more conventional 442, rather than the 424 you have here.

That fits better with your idea of progressive buildup, but i would remove the counter press for a 442

I wonder the same thing.

Is there that must difference between a ML/MR and a AML and AMR? I do not know.

[Criticize/Destroy my Tactics.]

Used the Primary Tactic only. Mostly on Positive, but some Cautious in Game 2 (see below). I have added either "Work the Ball in the Box" for times I am getting way to many Long Shots and "Hit Early" crosses for when the other team sits back and crowds the box.

The Results:

Game #1 Away

Away, I am slight favorites (odds like 2.56 to 2.88).

• Great Game. We way out played the opponents. Shots were like 20-4. Only we couldn't finish.
• 0-0 tie.

Game #2 Home.

Way underdogs (odds were 3.4x to 1.8x) vs team that is Professional (I am Semi) and they were relegated from division above last season.

• They pressed hard and I had little answer.
• They easily had more Pace.
• My GK rushed out twice to fall in front of the their player as he lobbed over for a Goal (GK isn't that bad I swear). He ended up with a 6.1 rating.
• Gave up a penalty kick.
• They scored on a breakaway from my corner (I have 2 at the back plus a midfield to protect against this, but their team ran toward my goal while my team walked).
• Two of their goals came from mistakes by my defending players.
• I started on Positive, then went down, but went back up to Positive as I felt we played better on Positive.
• Lost 4-3.

Game #3 Away (I am underdog 3.2 to 2.1)

• Shots 13(8) to 9(4) in my favor
• XG 1.20 to .96 in my favor
• Possession 58-42 in my favor
• Avg rating 6.93 to 6.8 in my favor
• 0-0 tie.

 

At this point Social Media is praising me and the Board rates me at a B-

 

[Criticize/Destroy my Tactics.]

2 hours ago, Experienced Defender said:

 Instead, it looks as though you made these changes on a rather random basis, just for the sake of doing it, but without proper understanding as to why.

Yeah...that's about where I am at sometimes.

[Criticize/Destroy my Tactics.]

Okay. Here is the current Primary Tactic. (With new skin because...why not).

 

I also added "Hold Position" PI to the MCL.

If I have to sub off either Winger their subs will be either IW or IF.

What if I pulled the AML and AMR back to ML and MR?

 

 

 

 

 

[Criticize/Destroy my Tactics.]

First I appreciate all the replies.

As an American I know little of football tactics other than what FM has taught me and what I can learn here or in FM articles. I need a "Football Tactics for Dummies" book. So I come here so you guys can point out what I cannot see.

I have not used either tactic before, but have used something similar to the Primary tactic in my first season. I am currently in preseason (of season 2) and have played a couple of games with the Primary Tactic. I have done well, but have been playing mostly inferior teams. I did play a team 2 levels above me. I controlled most of the game and was really happy with it, but they scored on two set pieces (I am not a professional club so who has time for set pieces) and got a late goal to beat me 3-1. Still I was happy with the performance.

Why the Primary Tactic.

• I like possession football,
• I like 2 STC because I feel they become far more of a threat than if I just have one STC and I have 3-4 really good STC.
• I could convert it to a 4-4-2, but am not sure I have enough at the AML position. The player currently in it, is actually a STC (he still does a good job as an IW). I am not sure I would be good with a ML.

I have made two changes to the Primary Tactic.

1. I took of Counter. Just doesn't make sense and opens me up when I do not need to be.
2. I put on Low crosses.
3.  I switched the BWM to a CM(s). With the way I have pressing set up I think I can do without a BWM.

I had never thought of using OI's for the pressing.

• The one problem I have with this is what happens when I am in the attack and one of his midfielders gets the ball?
• What would be the effect if I used OI's and put the the opposition Defenders and Midfielders on press urgent?

As for the Secondary Tactic....when I get the Primary done I will work on the Secondary. As for a Tertiary....who knows. Perhaps a 3 at the back with WB.

 

[Criticize/Destroy my Tactics.]

LLM (Vanarama National League South).

Last season I was predicted to finish 16th, the board wanted me to avoid a relegation fight, I finished 6th.
This season the board wants me to avoide a relegation fight, I am predicted to finish 7th.

Comparison Notes

• Above Average in most areas.
• Defenders in defense are above the average in defensive stats, but not Pace or Acceleration and they cannot handle the ball (no "Play out of Defense" for you).
• Midfield is above average in defense and midfield, but cannot tackle and have very low Pace and below average Acceleration.
• Strikers are good except for Long Shots and Pace.
• In fact, my entire team is below average in Pace and Acceleration.
• The team cannot cross.

Primary Tactic

What I want from my primary tactic is a fairly risky overall tactic since I should have more talent of my opposition. I want to be pretty aggressive in defense putting extreme pressure on the opposition players. For offense I want controlled passing, no "hoof ball." I know that crossing is not going to be great so I want to try for through balls.

 

Secondary Tactic

For my secondary tactic I want something for when I face a stronger team. Something more defensive with short passing and that hits the opponent on the counter.

 

 

 

Questions

Should I be worried that the players are playing in similar roles in both tactics? This will be great since they can learn and get better at their roles, but will it allow the AI to better prepare their teams to counter mine?

What kind of difference would it make if I switched the IW to IF?

 

 

 

 

[What is the stat "Points per Game?"]

15 hours ago, FrazT said:

Points per game for a player is the number of points gained by the team when the players was playing, divided by the number of appearances by that player

Ahh, that makes so much sense now.

So much sense I am sad I didn't see it.

[What is the stat "Points per Game?"]

I am sorry for getting back so late, but this is a player stat

[What is the stat "Points per Game?"]

Just what the title says. There is a stat called "Points per Game" but I do now know what this is.

 

[Mentality equals aggression....yeah Mentality again.]

39 minutes ago, johnnyyakuza78 said:

One thing that used to be the case with mentality was that it affects the mentality splits, passing and aggression of your players by role.

So for instance on counter mentality your defenders passing range would increase and attackers passing range would decrease, the opposite being true of attacking mentality. This meant that defenders would be more inclined to look for long direct balls on lower mentalities but shorter passes ok higher ones.

I could go look I suppose but has anything seen that this has changed?  It seems simplistic to say that you need to have positive mentalities to set up a counter side.

 

I do know that Mentality changes so many things such as passing, width, and just about everything. Cautious shorter passing is no as long as Positive shorter passing.

[Mentality equals aggression....yeah Mentality again.]

1 hour ago, sporadicsmiles said:

Normally I set up defence and modify attack, so let's go from there, from the base 433 I used. 

So I set up the defensive side. What do I want ound). I do not have the copy of FM on this PC so it is hard to display things pictorially, so please ask for any clarification........

This is a pretty outstanding way of showing how to set up a tactic.

Thank you

[Mentality equals aggression....yeah Mentality again.]

This is exactly why I asked the question I did.

My thinking on Mentality had changed and I wanted to make sure my thinking wasn't off. Now I see it was.

Now, if I can just learn when to set what mentality and how to master tactics I will be set :).

[Mentality equals aggression....yeah Mentality again.]

I want to make sure everyone knows that I am not saying that in order to play counter attacking football you have to be on a certain mentality.

However, a "Cautious" Mentality is a better choice.

If not, then why on all the preset counter attacking tactics does FM go to a "Cautious" mentality.

[Mentality equals aggression....yeah Mentality again.]

1 minute ago, n00bmaster69 said:

Mentality for me is the quickness of transitions into attack. Higher mentalities means you transition quicker into attack whilst lower mentalities means you're more passive.

I would tend to think of quicker vs slower transition as the Directness of Passing. More Direct you are moving the ball up the pitch quicker, shorter passes move the ball up the pitch slower.