HanziZoloman

How goes your interpretation of the tactic? Especially the defensive structure is giving me headaches. Had a bad start too. We‘re conceding loads again. Most teams press high and then we‘ve got trouble in the build up. I am thinking about dropping one midfielder as a HB to help build from the back. but then there is only a DM(S) or BMW(S) left in the centre. I believe one has to adapt more. If we get the ball up into the final third it’s tough for the opponents, with high press and wingplay they counter the weakest parts of the tactic and then it’s trouble for our 4231 I am thinking about how to counter that. Maybe one can try and just pass over the press with a HB and a TF(S) / DLF(S) to receive the long ball (more direct play) and let the wingmen attack space together with a pushing AMC(A). Once the opponent gets that they drop the pressing (?) the strongest area of the 4231 are the two midfielders and the AMC which gives plenty of room to get creative.

But the regista is also roaming around and requires only few defensive attributes. I have difficulties in holding the nil and keep a clean sheet. We concede every match. I have a similar tactic but a with standard Defense Line and higher press (my players are slow and attacking from a mid block seems to demanding, they‘d lose all pace challenges.

The best @crusadertsar I am a long way from it. 4th attempt in avoiding relegation in Championship. The best trophy now is just that for us.

I follow everything here @crusadertsar with a lot of interest and put the essence into my Billericay YAC save. I hope it’s fine to talk about that as well. First I want to mention that I like your the reaction on the „critics“ which was mentioned above and the „critics“ as well. Yes you had a bad start and I hope you can turn it around for better. I have a lot of years on my back, to say so, in 2071 we suffered a lot of bad starts even if the team is strong. We overperformed every single year but of course sometimes there are crucial injuries, transfers out or red cards and penalties. You cannot control the whole game. But you have a clear philosophy and should stick to it because Real Sociedad is not meant to compete where they actually are. Congratulations on your good work. As negative feedback is always the more important and more helpful. What can we do better? I have nearly the same tactic with some tweaks, regarding my philosophy of eleven machines on the pitch. Brave, aggressive players, we are the complete underdogs every year and we want to see the white in the eyes of our opponents. We want to tackle them hard and take risks regaining the ball. I have developed an excel sheet to check out our DNA every half year and track the progress of the first Team and U18s. It’s quite rewarding to see the development in the key attributes. The most Ricay DNA player is Ross Beadle, he is more machine than man. Like 20 aggression and 18 bravery. He is placed in the centre to fight off anything. I love him. yet what can we do better, I also feel that sometimes in some games there is lacking a punch but I think we do a lot positive and it’s maybe more like tweaking in game according to what presents on the pitch. Maybe a WB(A) in some situations where it presents. A W(A) instead of the IF(S) works wonders sometimes just watch how he goes unmarked.

I followed that quite a long time in my YAC save with another marker in the name, I gave a symbol for the grade of inconsistency or consistency. I did praise and punish players for match ratings over years. I also checked and corrected the grade of consistency/ inconsistency at the end of each season. I don‘t know if the punishing and rewarding strategy did work. But some players really did change in consistency over a year. Some made huge steps forward or backwards some only took small steps and some didn’t change at all over some years time. I did the same with „big matches“ and it changed as well.

It's ringing a bell in my head but can you please further describe your approach in youth development? Like what are priorities in signing staff and how did you set up training, individual training and schedules? Thanks!

Hey @Mutumba I can see your concerns and I experienced them as well. First off: Young players tend to be inconsistent, usually, with few exceptions. Of course it can be due to tactical limitations, your tactic looks a bit one-dimensional and awkward (but I am no tactical master for sure). I am not sure, if it fits the plans you have. Regarding training complains: They complain plenty and I don't take it too seriously. You can opt (from staff) who gives the training feedback and advice, I always chose one with good player knowledge and tactical knowledge. You can chose for yourself which field (Te/ Ment/ Phy) to address with training and individual training. Some players are more professional than other and won't complain much. Each player is represented by an individual personality which gives different challenges to the manager. With a PL side you should have a good backroom staff maybe it's worth taking their opinion into account.

Thank you @Cloud9 that in turn means for my youth only save, that I will prioritise technicals early on, which I had not before (it’s been football intelligence). Well I track all the progress in excel and should see some gains if made properly

Nice piece of work. I am reading it all, a strong big Serbian defender is kind of a dream here though! love it

Hey there, thanks man! I am fighting relegation in the Championship for four seasons now. It#s really hard as the last few intakes gave little. This thread here helps much, my offense players are not that fast. I only have two fast wingers, the quick AF is way off first team level and the other heros are more good in movement and passing. I adopted a tactic very close to yours as I don't need that much fast players for the offense four (DLF/ AMC combo) any suggestions how you would tweak it, if you'd had less fast players (but a fast Winger) ? If you rely more on movement. Basically it works well, we stay clear of the relegation battle and sit mainly save in the lower midfield.

Wow @crusadertsar really again one of your best. Explained with tactical insight and depth, combined with your passion and hunger for FM it’s a true readers delight. Thank you again and many times. Also the pictures are on point tactical explanations or beautiful moments from the golden area to linger around. That Shewa is what we remember all. FM let us bring the legends alive again. With my Billericay side I am in the year 2071 but still following in your footsteps. Latest impact has been the generic role of the AM(A) which I now design to match the player and the opponent. Here we have another piece to puzzle with. Especially in introducing the deadly AF role into the tactic. Superb!

Thanks for the advice. Can you tell more about these changes?

Hi all I have question in training: I find it hard to improve technical attributes like First Touch and Passing or mental attributes like Anticipation, Concentration, Composure or Team Work. I have great training facilities and 4-5 Star coaches (I have 25 coaches for senior team). Same goes for youth development, I focus on the above attributes but the players seem not to develop much if all. Here my coaches are 3-5 star, the possession and attacking coaches are 4-5 star in this case. I track the development of my players in excel sheets: It shows that most players develop 1-2 points in attributes over a season. Any suggestions how to improve the above mentioned attributes? Thanks

Ok, we had a turn around without changing much. But I didn't just sit it out. 1) I listend to the good advice here from @Cloud9 and @crusadertsar: I decided to open up the FB more and changed the left from (D) into (A) which gave us one more runner upfront and really unleashed the deadly offense with a lot of movement. 2) I checked individual player stats: The main information was, that my two main CB were not performing. Especially Headers won ratio, Interceptions and blocks/ 90 were not good enough and I decided to give the other two CB more playing time which definitely paid off. They have much better stats. It's just a bit confusing that my 2m / 17 jumping reach defender only wins 61% of his head duels. Here the problem is clearly the head. 3) Based on individual stats like dribbles/ 90, Shots/ 90 and conversion rate I switched my DLF (A) with the IF(S) which also paid off. James Graham had exactly the stats which were needed in central attack and Tom Moore had better stats for the attacking winger. I made the changes against Bagshot which was a friendly for morale and then the match against former PL side Southampton was the next official match. The Saints had so much better personal that I didn't truly believe in a success and almost played the match on "only commentary" but to my surprise they had much difficulties against us in a very even game with the statistics a bit in our favor. Southend was punished and we saw out the game on the counter. Against Derby our offense really clicked and we again needed only one half time to finish them and see out the match.

thanks for the input, I'll try that too. Doesn't look too bad though only in the table ...