A Sucessful Spurs Side. Now A Bunch Of Misfits. GRR!

[wizward]

Grr! Can anyone save me from this mess?

My first season started well, was literally unbeatable until closing stages of the season. It all started with a player who was red carded who made us lose the game 1-0. Then another player got sent off next match and the same thing happened. After that i could never get my form back. My once sucessful Spurs team would win some games then get trounced the next.

Into my second new season hoping the bad form would pass, and it hasn't. Beaten by Arsenal 3-1. Struggling to beat lower league teams such as Swansea and Stoke!

This is my squad:
http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/559823083361304272/28E10C905CFF8435EE74D23A46A2E654AC9EB9AC/

This is the start of the second season:
http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/559823083361301528/A1492204C9323F7AFA28EFBF0CF8839E8EB4664D/

There are a lot of wins there^ But they are all mainly Euro Cup or Friendlies. My League form is appalling.

It may be down to the tactics, but i never changed my tactics from 442 when i suddenly fell into that rut. I have got using this new tactic to no luck or avail as of yet. I've tried switching back to a 442 or another simple formation over time and simply nothing is working for me. I'm no longer enjoying playing as im struggling every game and im considering making a new save with Barcelona or something.

P.S. I'm a newbie with about 24 hours plus gametime.

Maybe I'm overreacting, maybe im doing ok. But same time last season i was so much better.

 

[donsboy1903]

Because you did so well last season teams have adapted their tactics against you, probably to counter you so you should maybe make a few tweaks to your tactics now that your perceived as a better team. In short you Haven't gotten worse the other teams have just found a way to beat you.

 

[jakem016]

I don't think that other teams have found a way to beat you and adjusted to your tactics, but more that your reputation increased and they started playing more defensive. You might want to try to adapt by playing a more patient/possession oriented game. I am assuming that you were playing a rather quick tempo and the 4-4-2 isnt generally a great possession tactic.

 

[wizward]

Ah thank you all. I will try a passing Barcelona type approach! That would make the upmost sense as i could easily knock in goals against newly promoted sides and cup sides simply because they'd never played my current team before.

Thank you all for your advice.

EDIT:

Just tried the 4-6-0 and won 4-0 against Everton with a posession and slow tempo game. Wonderful football.
Is there a good formation that allows you posession as well as using a striker?

 

[jakem016]

I don't know that you need to go to a 4-6-0, but I was more suggesting to slow down your tempo to allow your players more time to find an opening as once your rep increases, opponents will start playing more defensively against you. A narrow 4-4-2 diamond or a 4-5-1 variant are pretty good possession formations. Check out the tactics discussion page on this site as they have a thread based on designing a possession system.

 

[XbeastMx]

You can play a 4-5-1 with low tempo, narrow width and a normal defensive line. I play my striker as a poacher and depending if you want to play an attacking play or a defensive play set your fullbacks and your midfield accordingly. I also use counter attack...depending on weather I adjust between short passing and direct passing blah blah, use your pre-season matches to test.