An [Amateur] Tactician's Chalkboard for FM11

[mccollio09]

I'm using these articles a lot in my current tactic, but by far the most useful one I've had so far has to be your modern fullback one. It transformed my fullbacks from average seasons of 6.9 into 7.3/7.4s.

Just had a read about your counter attacking football and it is extremely good as usual, but I think I've found a key tactic that you missed out a bit on (although it creates a lot of chances similar to your goal there with Benitez and Grafite after the Newcastle free kick).

Anyway, on your defending corners, similar situations can be created. Have everyone back for the corner except your quickest winger, your playmaker and your targetman/ whoever is the strongest of your forwards. Have the winger stay up on the halfway line along with your targetman who should be in the middle of the park as per usual. Your playmaker should be sat on the edge of your own box anticipating your defenders clearing the ball.

I'd say more than half the time, this results in either a clear cut chance or a goal.

The playmaker receives the ball, ***** it upfield to either the targetman (who will win his header and pass to the winger) or to the winger directly, who'll use his pace to get past the 1v1 situation. What unfolds it exactly what happened in your Newcastle counter attack goal. Give it a try, should work wonders - helped me finish 10th with Derby first season in the prem.

 

[iNickStuff]

I see; well, since my team is neither physically strong enough to play defensive games nor technically-gifted enough, I'll just stick with what seems to be working, which so far is the double playmaker.

I have a couple fast players up front but overall the speed is not so high so I'll just move the tempo a bit faster but not too much; after all there's always the risk of missing the pass and gifting the ball back to the opposition when the players aren't that great in passing and first touch.

Really, people will find out their own methods, and that's find. I have no problem with that. I just find comfort in having a player who can tackle well and destroy attacks, then start them off again. They don't have to be excellent passers of the ball, but the player next to them can be.

Play double playmakers as you wish, but the articles are general overviews of what can and should be done to achieve certain results. That's why I regularly encourage people to write their own articles and experiences. It's good to have various opinions, rather than just one.

PIs of defensive players will definitely be very helpful for teams trying to counterattack, but maybe adding an example of TI and tell some things what things you can change in it to make your team to suit counterattacking would help even more.

Hello,about arsenal modern tactic what would you say if i change forward form support to attac,or play him as target man/attack cuse i play babacar or dzeko

I would go against it. Khoumana Babacar would benefit from playing as either an Advanced Forward, or a Complete Forward. Regardless of the duty. Edin Dzeko can play as both well aswell. Play Target Man as you wish, but you will benefit more from him being a Complete Forward on either Support or Attack duty.

I'm using these articles a lot in my current tactic, but by far the most useful one I've had so far has to be your modern fullback one. It transformed my fullbacks from average seasons of 6.9 into 7.3/7.4s.

Just had a read about your counter attacking football and it is extremely good as usual, but I think I've found a key tactic that you missed out a bit on (although it creates a lot of chances similar to your goal there with Benitez and Grafite after the Newcastle free kick).

Anyway, on your defending corners, similar situations can be created. Have everyone back for the corner except your quickest winger, your playmaker and your targetman/ whoever is the strongest of your forwards. Have the winger stay up on the halfway line along with your targetman who should be in the middle of the park as per usual. Your playmaker should be sat on the edge of your own box anticipating your defenders clearing the ball.

I'd say more than half the time, this results in either a clear cut chance or a goal.

The playmaker receives the ball, ***** it upfield to either the targetman (who will win his header and pass to the winger) or to the winger directly, who'll use his pace to get past the 1v1 situation. What unfolds it exactly what happened in your Newcastle counter attack goal. Give it a try, should work wonders - helped me finish 10th with Derby first season in the prem.

I do miss out certain things, and I find other people's inputs intriguing. However, I cannot cover every single aspect of every single article. It's almost impossible. The majority of the time, it will be found that others will experience better results than others. Sometimes worse. People can write their own articles and put in their own thoughts as they wish, so that others can learn from those experiences, as well as me.

I might try it, but there are a couple more articles I want to write before settling down with other ideas.

 

[donkarlito]

Top notch guide as usual and as usual I have manged to incorporate it into my current tactic the ball winner and the two cb PI's work well especially CB's to me dont know about anyone else but they act a bit like stopper/cover but better.

 

[cap7ainjack]

ok thank you ,babacar is with me for second season and dzeko for first ,and both arent great,who of them can i trust more ,so i dont have to switch them every match

 

[SS19]

Really, people will find out their own methods, and that's find. I have no problem with that. I just find comfort in having a player who can tackle well and destroy attacks, then start them off again. They don't have to be excellent passers of the ball, but the player next to them can be.

You can have a little of both with deep lying playmaker - defend. Just make sure he has good attributes for winning the ball (tackling, marking, strenght, some mental attributes) and good passing and decisions. You should play a more creative player with it, which means that creativity doesn't play too big role, as with little tweaking of his PI you can get him to play short simple passes to other midfielders or wingers/fullbacks. I played first with ball winning midfielder (with support duty), but it really wasn't helpful when team was on possession. He didn't come deep or make any other moves to make himself available for pass, leading to too many situation where usually the fullback of that side lost the ball because he didn't have any possibility to pass. Deep lying playmaker solved that problem, and also contributes to defending very well with defend duty, haven't seen big difference in defending. The other deep lying playmaker is with support duty, and he is allowed to do more through passes and go further to opposition half. Also more creative. Also playing both as defensive works well, but then your creating of chances might suffer a little.

 

[Ronaldoz]

I'm having the max allowed staff, according to the board.
I like better staff members for training.
I just promoted to the highest league in Holland, and training rating got a average of 2 stars.
Will it be good or bad too fire the staff (the one I like better)?

 

[iNickStuff]

Top notch guide as usual and as usual I have manged to incorporate it into my current tactic the ball winner and the two cb PI's work well especially CB's to me dont know about anyone else but they act a bit like stopper/cover but better.

That's great. Looking forward to results back on here.

ok thank you ,babacar is with me for second season and dzeko for first ,and both arent great,who of them can i trust more ,so i dont have to switch them every match

They will get better. Eventually.

You can have a little of both with deep lying playmaker - defend. Just make sure he has good attributes for winning the ball (tackling, marking, strenght, some mental attributes) and good passing and decisions. You should play a more creative player with it, which means that creativity doesn't play too big role, as with little tweaking of his PI you can get him to play short simple passes to other midfielders or wingers/fullbacks. I played first with ball winning midfielder (with support duty), but it really wasn't helpful when team was on possession. He didn't come deep or make any other moves to make himself available for pass, leading to too many situation where usually the fullback of that side lost the ball because he didn't have any possibility to pass. Deep lying playmaker solved that problem, and also contributes to defending very well with defend duty, haven't seen big difference in defending. The other deep lying playmaker is with support duty, and he is allowed to do more through passes and go further to opposition half. Also more creative. Also playing both as defensive works well, but then your creating of chances might suffer a little.

It's your decision. Like I said to Giova2k10, I cannot cover everything. I am happy that you have found an alternative, but this is even more reason to write your own article, so I can then publish it, and people can benefit.

Two playmakers sounds good and all, but I prefer the traditional way. I may use it at some point, but the article is a general overview.

I stress general overview because I cannot cover every single thing. It's nearly impossible.

---------- Post added at 01:57 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:55 AM ----------

I'm having the max allowed staff, according to the board.
I like better staff members for training.
I just promoted to the highest league in Holland, and training rating got a average of 2 stars.
Will it be good or bad too fire the staff (the one I like better)?

I would keep them. I doubt you could get better. You've just been promoted, but it's your choice.

 

[Ronaldoz]

I tried to get more trainers, and they accepted the contract offer, but the board refused them.
But I will keep them for now, since the competition start in 2 weeks.
Thanks for the advice anyway.

 

[iNickStuff]

I tried to get more trainers, and they accepted the contract offer, but the board refused them.
But I will keep them for now, since the competition start in 2 weeks.
Thanks for the advice anyway.

Not a problem.

 

[SS19]

It's your decision. Like I said to Giova2k10, I cannot cover everything. I am happy that you have found an alternative, but this is even more reason to write your own article, so I can then publish it, and people can benefit.

Two playmakers sounds good and all, but I prefer the traditional way. I may use it at some point, but the article is a general overview.

I stress general overview because I cannot cover every single thing. It's nearly impossible.

Well, I didn't meant to say that you should cover it, just answered to your post one alternative way. I maybe could think about writing an article sometimes if the post limit is reduced to sufficient level, lets say 50 posts?

 

[iNickStuff]

Well, I didn't meant to say that you should cover it, just answered to your post one alternative way. I maybe could think about writing an article sometimes if the post limit is reduced to sufficient level, lets say 50 posts?

Well no, I cannot do that. Just reach the minimum and the doors are opened.

---------- Post added at 02:04 AM ---------- Previous post was yesterday at 02:56 AM ----------

Pablo Piatti: The "poor man's Messi"

• To take a brief look at Almeria's answer to Barcelona's young Messi-ah.
• To make a small comparison between the two Argentinians - both aesthetically and performance-wise.

Article #7.5
Tuesday, 15th March 2011


Another half-article folks. Hold your horses. Not even a half-article, but really a quarter of one. I just felt like posting one today, solely because of Pablo Piatti. Mmm. Sunday's article was just to get back into the groove of things, and this one was just purely inspired by a comment made by a fellow FM-Base member. About Pablo Piatti. Now, I am not sure if you have heard of this guy (hopefully you will have, or will do within the next five to ten years) but he is, apparently, the "poor man's Messi". And with that, for the last six hours, I have been digging up about him, trying to get to know him more, and now that I am back on my computer with Football Manager, it gave me the ability to write and article on it. Brilliant.

So, with this, comes just a little look at who is being described as the shorter, younger and much less talented lookalike-Messi.


So, he is the "poor man's Messi" huh?

Pretty much. And since we are revolving around the subject, let's take a much more in-depth look into both Pablo Piatti and Lionel Messi. Like a comparison between Barcelona's and the world's best player, and Almeria's smaller yet undeniably talented answer to the calls of whom can be bestowed the honour of being potentially as good, or even better than, Lionel Andres Messi.

• Pablo Piatti was born in the city of La Carolta, in the southern province of Cordoba on the 31st March, 1989. Lionel Messi was born in Rosario, not very far off the capital of Argentina, Buenos Aires. In fact, La Carolta and Rosario are not that far from each other, and are located in the north-east of the country.
• Whilst Lionel Messi is very short, and uses his height to his advantage against much taller and stronger players, Piatti is smaller, and is actually 5 ft 4. 163cm to the exact, whilst Messi is 169cm tall, making him 5 ft 7.
• Piatti joined the youth ranks of Argentine top-flight club Estudiantes, whilst Messi joined Newell's Old Boys. Another top-flight Argentine club, with the coincidence of not being too far apart from each other. Three years before Piatti really made a breakthrough, Messi was showing his potential at Barcelona, with six goals in seventeen appearances within his first season at the Spanish club, and already being adored by the Nou Camp faithful.
• Whilst Piatti did/still is playing for the Argentina U20's team (even though he is 21), in 2007, he won the FIFA U20 World Cup with the squad, and a year earlier won the Argentinian league with Estudianties. Messi, again earlier, made his debut on international level for Argentina in June 2004, in an U20's friendly against Paraguay. He went on to feature in the 2005 World Youth Championships, to which he was gifted the prestigious Golden Boot award.
• Piatti transferred to the Spanish outfit in U.D. Almeria for £6million in 2008, Messi, apparently, transferred to Barcelona for nothing, as he was only 16. Since Piatti's transfer to Almeria, he has made 65 appearances, and scored twelve goals. Messi? 115 goals in 168 appearances. Trumped.

So, geographically and an aesthetically, Piatti and Messi are very similar. Even their surnames are similar in the sense that they rhyme. Messi and Piatti. Small, but significant. But what about on Football Manager? That's where it counts, right? We wouldn't be reading this article on a Football Manager forum if it wasn't going to include the game at some point ... right?


Messi and Piatti on Football Manager

View attachment 145037

View attachment 145036

You can see that, by comparison, they are very similar. Both in the overview of things, and attributes-wise. Both Piatti and Messi are adjusted to both flanks, and can play as wide midfielders. They can also operate as strikers. They are even both left footed. Coincidental? Perhaps. Good? Yes. To summarise the comparison, you could say that Piatti has most of the attributes closely in regards to Messi's, but over five years, he would have big shoes to fill in his two year's elder. In fact, the word 'big' is not suffice. Let's replace it with gargantuan. Much better. Because, usually on this game, you will have Messi and Barcelona being 'leaps and bounds' ahead of everyone else in the world, dominating and winning everything, breaking every record, as well as Messi being the cherry on the icing on the top of the Catalan cake. Piatti could be in several places. One of those places is being right where he was at 21. A few increased attributes, granted, and gaining attention from some clubs, but at 26, the chance had gone, and Messi would be 28, nearing his 30's and still the beating heart of any club in the world.

Period.

In terms of positions and PPM's, they are not too far off. We could even suggest that Piatti's PPM's replicate those of when Messi was 17 or 18, peaking to the age where Piatti is now. Piatti likes to 'get into the opposition area' and 'run with the ball often'. Messi does the same - plus five more. Messi's are a compliments to his game, and the way he cuts inside onto his left foot, dribbles inside and does that sweet, simple, yet very difficult finish that sends the world into raptures. Piatti's not there yet.


Piatti in action ...

During the comparison, I took the initiative in loading up a non-save with Almeria, to which Piatti was able to play well in two games. And when I say well, I mean decent in all honesty. During the season, he has been playing poorly, with 6.4's and lower. But again, this was a non-save, so therefore, these are not accountable to the comparison.

The two games were between Ranagers and Malaga. Here are his movements in both:

The top is his game against Rangers, and the bottom is the one against Malaga. Obviously, he was going to react differently in both. Not because you cannot replicate exactly a player's movements, but because the tactics were different anyway, and it was going to be difficult to play in the same style twice. But one of the things he did in those matches, was a classic Messi move. It's not necessarily Messi's move entirely, but still something he does time and time again.


Piatti vs. Rangers

Here, we see Vargas on the ball, looking for options. Piatti is out wide, and looking for the ball to be passed to him. Nobody is marking him, and the central defenders are occupied with the main striker.

As the ball approaches Piatti, he has three options in which to choose from. 1) Run down the flank and try to out-pace the Rangers defenders. 2) Cut inside and cut through the heart of their defence. 3) Run across the middle to supply a pass into the striker.

And as he cuts inside, it's now two options. Really, he still has three, but the third has evaporated from the list, and now it's up to him to make the move. Usually, you'd see Messi run inside, and have a flock of players either try to close him down, or support him on the attack. For Piatti, it's just a usual move by a winger.


---

And after all of this, you cannot really call Piatti a "poor man's Messi", but rather a financially well-off club's Messi. And even so, Messi can be hailed as a "rich man's Maradona". They all fit into one-another. And what is the most intriguing thing of all, is that they are all Argentinian.

 

[mccollio09]

Is it possible for Piatto to be tutored by Messi if bought by Barcelona? Piatti has become amazing on a few of my saves, though sometimes world class, I've never seen him get to Messi level

 

[Alienman]

Another half-article folks. Hold your horses. Not even a half-article, but really three-quarters of one

three-quarters is more then half(6)

 

[iNickStuff]

Is it possible for Piatto to be tutored by Messi if bought by Barcelona? Piatti has become amazing on a few of my saves, though sometimes world class, I've never seen him get to Messi level

Probably. But Piatti's PA is, obviously, a lot lower than Messi's. So much so, that it is:

Spoiler

165.

three-quarters is more then half(6)

Alright alright, I will change it.

 

[donkarlito]

Might buy Piatti because there's no way I can buy Messi just to see what he's like if he can play upfront like to see what he is like as a false nine

 

[iNickStuff]

Might buy Piatti because there's no way I can buy Messi just to see what he's like if he can play upfront like to see what he is like as a false nine

He is a bit of rough work to begin with, but within time, he can be vital for teams challenging for spots in Europe. Not sure how he would do with top, top clubs. But give it a go, I am interested.

 

[SS19]

Does someone have any experience about central winger? I haven't been able to make it work, altough PI is the same as in the article. Also tried with roam from position, but still didn't get to touchline, only keeping his position in the middle.

 

[giova2k10]

Does someone have any experience about central winger? I haven't been able to make it work, altough PI is the same as in the article. Also tried with roam from position, but still didn't get to touchline, only keeping his position in the middle.

does your team have "stick to position" in the team instructions? That might be why he sticks to the middle...

 

[AgentVinz]

The Piatti's article seems interesting. I'm thinking of signing him for my United to play as inside forward, and retraining him to AMR so he can cut inside with his left foot. Do you think he'll do well at AMR??

 

[TheRealMourinho]

the amount of effort you have put into this is amazing,
i think the 'amateur' part in the title should be removed.