Abrupt end to tactic's performance & results.

[Graz Doz Trez]

I won't go into too much depth as I'm at work and will explain more with screenshots when I can. But, the basic situation is this... start with Hamburg, season's 1 & 2 were a disaster, fighting relegation before finally getting a 3-4-3 (3dcs, 2wbs, 2mcs, 3amcs) working, and working very well. Season 3: we finished 4th, and most importantly were playing very attractive football. Season 4: finished 2nd on goal difference, and again, were playing very nice football.

Season five; started well, hit top spot, and then before Xmas, started to stutter (one win in seven). I'm happy to accept UCL and fixture density being an issue, but we'd had it the year before with the Europa league, and wasn't such an issue. We started playing pretty averagely, scoring less and less, and conceding more and more. All this started around 3/4 days ago real time. Post Xmas, with only one first team signing, and the tactic knowledge full, we're still losing and losing to bad teams, without any hint of a performance.

I will say that I am a very active manager, and do make minor tweaks and changes based on in game performance and so on, but I cannot for the life of me work out whats changed so much to cause the drastic change in performance and results - I did alter my set pieces, would this be enough to turn the tactic upside down?

I fully accept without seeing what's what, there can't be any hard and fast advice, but for the moment, I wondered if anyone has experienced anything similar? a proverbial wall being hit? to my knowledge their hasn't been any new updates or patches? I don't want to start the vicious cycle of changing tactics, but fear if I don't do something HSV will become irrelevant again, and it's a network game so I can't do too much in the way of trial and error or loading and reloading.

I'l post some specific screen shots later, but please, desperately looking for help and advice on this one.

 

[Graz Doz Trez]

(I hope all these screenshots come out ok!!)

So... update... this is the current set up:

View attachment 107410


Season 3:
View attachment 107409

Season 4:
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View attachment 107407

Season 5:
View attachment 107406

First XI Striker:
View attachment 107397

Last 19 games:
View attachment 107396

So, one major symptom of this abrupt end of performance/form/results, is that, our main striker Carvalho, who had 8 goals in 8 games, has now gone 13+ games without a goal.

Not sure what else to add on


thanks.

 

[WJ]

You only have 1 goal threat in the SS. I suspect that's a major cause of your issues. He's the only one trying to attack the defence with dangerous runs. If teams sit back, all the playmakers who are trying to pick him out, will have a tough time.

 

[Graz Doz Trez]

You only have 1 goal threat in the SS. I suspect that's a major cause of your issues. He's the only one trying to attack the defence with dangerous runs. If teams sit back, all the playmakers who are trying to pick him out, will have a tough time.

Yes, this is most likely true... I traulled through my older tactics and older saves and think I found the problem(s) or at at least some of them. One of which was going back to three Shadow Strikers. Which isn't the balance I want, but it certainly did get Carvalho (and other players) scoring again. We finished the season with the best defensive record 28 conceded I think, but only scored 50-something goals and finished 4th.

i have looked at a couple of other 3 x AMC formations, I forget the creators name, but he did it with SPFC originally, and he uses SS - APa - SS which may give a much better balance when the WBs on supply are also considered I the attacking phase.

 

[sek729]

Could be something as simple as replacing 1 or 2 consistent, high leadership/professional players with something less. Or a key player aging with declining physical traits. I'm sure you've had some roster turnover, no?

I know in my current save, my team was stuck in mediocrity for a couple seasons, thenl I added one key central defender with high leadership attribute, made him my captain, and I instantly became a title challenger.

It also could be plain bad luck. Lose a few in a row then morale tanks, then you can get stuck in a rut