Cloud9

I liked the play style! It felt more realistic than what I see in most FM matches with rapid ball progression. From an FM perspective I would make tweaks for more forward movement from the wingbacks, pivot, and wide attackers for additional goal threat. Usually double WB(d) setups feature a more direct style + attacking frontline!

Teams are likely heavily parking the bus against a dominant side like this. Finding ways to stretch the pitch, provide overloads, and break down opposition will be key when this happens. Work the ball into the box can be nice! You can consider running two progressive wingbacks when you can't break down the opposition as well.

IRL a player who can show for the ball under pressure and recieve it is very rare and valuable. FM doesn't place enough importance on the midfield to control the game in its current state imo. There is little punishment for giving up the center of the park and playing down the wings. There are also a lot of player profiles/roles in game who can very easily progress the ball (BPD w/dribble more is a great example). IRL players capable of progressing the ball are not norm and are highly sought after (passing or dribbling). Even at the very highest level we see an international player like Declan Rice who is technically incapable of showing for and distributing the ball in tight spaces. He can, however, run with the ball forward (in a SV(s) model), which is a huge part of his 105m pound fee. Arsenal therefore deploy him alongside Jorginho whose role is all important in controlling the game (a DLP(s) like profile). In game, fairly average players can receive the ball under pressure, distribute it, and even break the lines. It is very difficult for a team to get "penned in" against a press. Imo this is one of the key issues that differentiate IRL football to FM football.

I wouldn't play counter attack against teams who are playing a block against you! If they're sitting back as well you may look to make some tactical tweaks to influence the game more. Counter attacking with low tempo sounds unfortunate. I would just leave the tempo on slightly higher and put the passing bar in the middle. Running a mentality like balanced can see more measured attacks (compared to a Positive/Attacking counter). One of the first things I look at when setting up a tactic is: How do I score goals? With a counter attack that tends to be an athletic frontline who can threaten the opposition when they have the ball. I would feel very comfortable playing a possession tactic against a side looking to counter attack slowly against us.

IWB work well since they step inside to the midfield to control the game. However they leave gaps wide in your defense and in a counter attack you're happy to let the opposition have the ball. Gaps in a defensive system is a problem. SS + AF will likely get into each other's way. I imagine most of the time the SS would be passed over in quick transitions, although the out of possession output that's hard coded on his role could be helpful!

You should expect higher ratings from most attack roles in general (largely they're given freedom to go create end product). Too many players told to go do this is detrimental in and out of possession. It is more important that the player is performing well in your tactic or not (look at underlying numbers) than the ratings thrown out by the game.

I would step out of the mid block counter attack for IWBs.

I did just one IWB(s) on the side of the SV(s) (although w/positional play the other side would work fine too). The IWB(s) basically gives you a ball player to complete the box midfield while the DM(s) can operate as a destroyer. Two IWB(s) feels unrealistic to me most of the time. The only team that plays like this IRL is Tottenham and I don't think the ME accurately reflects how open it leaves them defensively. I am a big fan of the stability a 3-2 buildup gives teams IRL and in game

He did extremely well, I had the F9 + SS combo as my go to w/that save and both players scored tons. We overachieved as Sheffield Wednesday and won the Champions League against Real Madrid in the fifth season with a progressive 4-2-3-1. I couldn't tell you exactly how many were scored from either position since they were the same players swapped when running the AP + P. I used Jacob Ramsey as my SS/Poacher and his physical profile (height, mobility, off the ball) made him an excellent goalscorer. I think he had my highest ratings of any player over the course of 2-3 seasons. Of the two setups...I would recommend a F9 + SS combo just as it gives you two primary goal threats as I found my F9 banging in goals for fun alongside the SS (F9 had some height as well). They were both the two best players in my team and put up very nice end product. We built around them structurally (ie. they are a role pairing to get the best out of each other) but I also ran two facilitating wingers to provide space for them (an off footed winger (a) and a hard working winger(s)) + the central supporting run of the SV(s) for them to combine off of. I took advantage of the double pivot in a 4-2-3-1 to safely run an IWB(s) to provide a strong defensive base + buildup play that the front two could go and play in front of. If anything I would say the SS in this environment feels a little cheesy, or unrealistically effective.

I generally utilize a combination of both. The team will naturally launch counter attacks without counter ticked, but you will see your players do so more frequently with it on. The same goes for Pass into Space. Factoring in the mentality of your counter is another important factor as you start to play around with things. On passing directness and tempo, that depends on how quickly you'd like to transition the ball in your counter attacks. Leaving the sliders in the middle is another option, although an up tempo counter attack I would recommend for most approaches

An AMC can get passed over by quick transitions, so finding ways to get him involved will be key. I had huge success with an AP(s) + Poacher in a 4-2-3-1 in FM24 as well as a SS + F9 combo. In terms of involvement, an SV(s) can link up nicely with an AP in the 10 and height on the AMC can be something to factor in if you're looking a bit more direct in the buildup phases. That height is non negotiable for me on a role like a traditional SS profile who will be attacking the box. On an AMC(s) role you don't have the ball magnet tag of the AP or sheer goalscoring output of the SS, so defining what you're looking from the role in terms of underlying numbers can be important. I like to make sure the AMC position and striker position don't match duties as well (one support, one attack). In short: the attributes are very important as are finding role pairings for your 10! Make sure they have space to operate in.

AMC proficiency is not required. You are looking for a play making profile w the mobility to drag defenders out of position. A pivotal attribute on a F9 profile will be strong Dribbling. You will want players like a SS to attack the space the F9 creates. Just worry about the attributes and ignore the stars.

The formation you posted looks good! I'd personally get rid of shorter passing and move the BWM to a support duty. However, the second one (a diamond) isn't reflective of how you will look in possession. I'd recommend reading through this article on how positional play will see your formation change for a 4-2-3-1 to a 3-2 base in possession.

Check their adaptability rating + personality. Those should influence the training. Two footed is especially great on 1v1 dribbley players like wingers!

You will need to make some significant changes to control the game effectively here. Move your lines up and you remove them some of the time roles and TIs that will see you turn over the ball (counter, pass into space, af, double winger(a) etc.) An IWB(s) + a SV(s) will provide you with a much more capable midfield 4 in possession (and an overloading run). Addressing the pivot again will leave you in a much stronger position out of possession as well.

It’s a good role when you’re looking to control games more (you can achieve a 3-2 buildup phase when combined w/a libero or an iwb). Ifb profiles are basically centerbacks played wide before shuttling inside and that fb looks like he will fit quite well.

For me yes! It’s quite valuable irl to have a striker capable of shooting with both feet. A one footed player is also easier to shut down for opposition defenders. Working on the secondary foot can help prevent this.

Depends on position in terms of weighting, I believe it is fairly low on some positions like GK and demanding on others. If the player strengths are on the ball (passing or running with the ball) developing it can be exceptional. For a primarily out of possession player (such as a BWM) then no. Usually it is fairly capped so don't expect too much change.

It's useful in breaking down an opposition who are sitting in a compact block. Basically it lets you hit the ball before the defence sets up. Look for a box presence in your tactic to get on the end of things and Tis + tactics to make gaps to stretch the defence. Tall Poachers are a great role to take advantage of the gaps in defence you're looking to open up. Look for players to pin the opposition fullbacks wide and players capable of delivering the killer ball.

Savio would be an excellent signing but I wouldn't look to play him as an AMC. His best attributes are as a 1v1 wide player (Agi+balance combo w dribbling, flair and speed makes a potent winger (a). He has end product as well through crossing and decent mentals for an offensive winger. I would consider switching to a system that lets him play wide as he has all the right attributes in the right places to be devastating from the left. It sounds like he is a cut above the rest of your squad, which is a bargain for his age/personality/price. As a 10 I think you will find him ineffective, his mentals are low for a playmaker type and he can't pass well. He lacks the ability to be a prolific central goal threat from central areas

You should literally never sell Urbig for any amount of cash. He's a good personality player so it shouldn't be too hard to just tell him to get over it (esp if he's valuable to the squad in hierarchy). If he gets unsettled, just don't break a promise and wait for him to get over it. Good goalkeepers are hard to find and this is one of the best you'll come across. I would recommend looking at IFB(D) with fullbacks like the second one as your team improves, especially as you start to look to control games more yourself. Faye is so good he can do almost anything for you. His biggest asset are his pace and strong mentals. The 12 crossing shouldn't be counted as unable to cross! Figuring out how you'd like him to set up will be based on your own tactic and the opposition. He can come inside and play as an IWB, run to the byline with his pace, or hold down the fort as a wingback(d) in one v one situations. A player w versatility like this is a great benefit to the squad. The other players look great, these are more than good enough players to take you all the way.

Not through mentoring, but they can improve slowly over time. Those two attributes only impact technical + mental attributes (not physical) I believe; which is something else to keep in mind. My general go to is that I try to avoid signing inconsistent players all together and am willing to develop ones who have doesn't enjoy big matches. The trait is only viewable after they grow up a bit as well (21 or something?) which isn't the case w/consistency (viewable from the start).

I would 100% sign Kroupi despite the doesn't enjoy big games! You can try to work on that with him. He looks way better than any other striker else in your team and 39m seems quite a bargain for what he brings. He is also a complete forward w/strong mentals + technicals on top of his physical profile...which means you will have some tactical flexibility against teams you aren't sitting back against. And he's a good personality on top! That checks a lot of boxes for me. On the SV I'd look for someone w/ a bit more ability to run than Yeves. On tweaks I would look to build two strong tactics to go between...one for controlling the game yourself and the other for counter-attacking. A 4-2-3-1 should continue to serve you well for this!

I agree on that one but most of the info here looks pretty spot on. Any source that's not directly from SI should be taken w/a grain of salt since their findings can be a little off like this. I think the post even directly mentions this The source is just a reference for someone looking to approach the game in a different manner.

I am glad it's worked out