Souty

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This may sound increadibly stupid but

What If I gave Barcelona no tactical freedom?

My reason for this is if we are telling the players what to do (as much as we can) should we then just give them lots of freedom.

It's like saying to Xavi "You're our playmaker so play short ball's instead of long ones" and then saying "Xavi I have gave you instructions but you dont have to follow them do what you want"

But then the football would be "sticky"(can't think of a better word) so what about giving them Freedom but not too much?

When barcelona play it is almost as if it is like this

3 defenders (Pique Puyol Busquets)
2 Wingbacks(Alves Abidal)
1 centre midfielder (Xavi)
3 attacking midfielders (Messi Pedro Iniesta)
1 striker (Villa)

What I am using
GK-Sweeper Keeper- Attack-Valdes
CB-Central Defender - Stopper - Busquets
RCB-Ball Playing Defender - Defend - Pique
LCB-Limited Defender - Cover - Puyol
CM - Deep Lying Playmaker - Support - Xavi
RM - Defensive Winger - Attack - Dani Alves
LM - Defensive Winger - Support - Abidal
AM - Advanced Playmaker - Support - Iniesta
RAM - Inside Forward - Support - Pedro/Messi
LAM - Inside Forward - Attack - Messi/Pedro
ST - Complete Forward - Attack - Villa

The Left and Right Midfielder Should preferably be defenders (Full Back or Wing Back)Alves already works but Abidal not as well so I'm training him for that position.

Also the Left and Right Attacking Midfielder's should be your wingers so for me it's Pedro and Messi


People who helped me during this
Velveti - Advised me to give Messi more freedom
Koflok - Suggested a new role for Messi
Donkarlito - Helped me with Villa
 
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It sounds interesting, why don't you upload the tactic here, so we can give it a go. I would like to see how it works.
 
I'd try giving one player a lot of freedom and restrict the rest. But if I understand correctly where you are coming from, are you saying that to create barca's tiki-taka kind of play you need to restrict players creative freedom? Less freedom = more passes = more tiki-taka?
 
Yeah, I've had the best results in my Barcelona tactic when I set creative freedom to zero. You have to understand that the bar labelled as "creative freedom" actually means how much the player can avoid following instructions. So by giving a lot of creative freedom, you are effectively rendering your instructions null. It does make sense to give one or two players freedom though. I always let Xavi and Messi have a lot, everyone else at zero. Still can't get Xavi to 100 passes though. Everything else is perfect except for that. I get 70% possession, 4+ goals per game, less than 1 goal against per game ... just can't get the 100 passes.
 
yeah ill upload I am just trying a few wee tweaks here and there it's looking quite good and I am giving Villa a lot of freedom (though I don't really know what to do with him)

Just started a save with Barcelona while I create the tactic and here's some screen-shot's from against the reserves ideally I would have liked to score more :p

The Screen-shot's are the average position of the team which is looking the way I want it to exception of the attacking midfielder's (Iniesta Messi and Pedro) So I might make one of them play on the side of the box, but my fear off doing this is incase they start to cross the ball too much.
The other shows the passing from all my team but more specifically Xavi which is displayed on the right (as his passing is the one that interests most people) I am pleased he managed 85 passes as this is the first time I have tested this tactic, though I would like him to try and get few key passes a game:)

View attachment 128476
View attachment 128488
 
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The 1st tactic is the one I used against my reserves
View attachment 128490

The second I have not tested yet but I't is something I think will help the tactic taking on Velveti's advice off giving Messi more freedom - there is probably no reason on uploading this one right now but hopefully it will give you an idea off what Im trying to get so people can offer advice.
View attachment 128491
 
I tried xavi with 0 freedom I got 50+ of passes but 0 key passes which is not Xavi at all
 
I tried xavi with 0 freedom I got 50+ of passes but 0 key passes which is not Xavi at all

I put his freedom 2 to the right whether It makes a difference I can't say and I agree Xavi with no key passes isn't Xavi but you only need 1 or 2 5 at max

In my game against Reus he has 1 at halft ime
 
I put his freedom 2 to the right whether It makes a difference I can't say and I agree Xavi with no key passes isn't Xavi but you only need 1 or 2 5 at max

In my game against Reus he has 1 at halft ime

He got full now but its still hit and miss one minute its quite like Xavi lots of passes and 2 or 3 key and sometimes he get less then 40+ passes and 0 key but as long as win cant complain just cant call my tactic a Barcelona tactic.
 
He got full now but its still hit and miss one minute its quite like Xavi lots of passes and 2 or 3 key and sometimes he get less then 40+ passes and 0 key but as long as win cant complain just cant call my tactic a Barcelona tactic.

Have you tried setting his passing to "short" if so and you were not liking the results try setting it to "more direct" I know its not very Barcelona but In my mind to make a decent Barcelona tactic you need:

1.To be winning games
2.Have high possession
3.Get Xavi's Passing high but keep it consistent
Any thing else is a bonus:)

What role do you have Villa (or whoever your'e striker is) Playing?

After testing Messi on the wing I am bringing him back to CAM I just have a feeling about It even if I did win the game with him on the wing by a greater goal difference, also he tends to cross to much on the wing If I give him freedom.
 
Yes I do agree, playing with little creative freedom does not mean playing 'ugly'.
If we can set our tactics right it can be easy on the eye as well.

IMO creative freedom is a bit.. overrated. I don't know the right word to put it.

Good luck on the project though. Unique and if setup nicely - can be the closest thing to emulate Barca IRL.

Just a little tip. Don't concentrate too much on getting Xavi '100 passes/game'. Focus on making him creating those key passes. A lot of them. No use of getting 100 passes if 90s of them are ineffective, short, and for statistical purpose.
__

OH yeah decided to put my 2 cents as well on 'Messi' role which I have been trying to get.
Put him as central Deep Lying Striker on support with default freedom (which is not too much)
with Run From Deep, Long Shots, and Crossball on rarely
and Run With ball on Often,
and through balls on sometimes.
Roaming. I forgot whether to HUB or not.

He'll score a lot of goals as well as putting those through balls to your inside wingers

Cheers
 
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Have you tried setting his passing to "short" if so and you were not liking the results try setting it to "more direct" I know its not very Barcelona but In my mind to make a decent Barcelona tactic you need:

1.To be winning games
2.Have high possession
3.Get Xavi's Passing high but keep it consistent
Any thing else is a bonus:)

What role do you have Villa (or whoever your'e striker is) Playing?

After testing Messi on the wing I am bringing him back to CAM I just have a feeling about It even if I did win the game with him on the wing by a greater goal difference, also he tends to cross to much on the wing If I give him freedom.

Im At.Madrid I use Forlan as AML inside Forward Att thats how I think Villa is IRL but I tweak so he's more attacking got 38 goals last season (got some crackers from long range)
 
Cheers Koflok

---------- Post added at 01:41 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:34 AM ----------

That's Interesting Donkarlito as I keep dithering about playing Messi on the right Wing so perhaps If I were to play Villa and Messi on the wing or Messi as striker :) This is quite help full

Cheers mate
 
Cheers Koflok

---------- Post added at 01:41 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:34 AM ----------

That's Interesting Donkarlito as I keep dithering about playing Messi on the right Wing so perhaps If I were to play Villa and Messi on the wing or Messi as striker :) This is quite help full

Cheers mate

I use Aguero as a "false nine" upfront at the moment i use the instructions the modern centre forward from An [Amateur] Tactician's Chalkboard for FM11 thread which has worked wonders, I still wanted Aguero to score like messi luckly he did but not as many as messi does. But I dont know if my wingers should swap or Forlan and Aguero
 
anybody have ideas on how to get Xavi on key passes
 
Yes I do agree, playing with little creative freedom does not mean playing 'ugly'.
If we can set our tactics right it can be easy on the eye as well.

IMO creative freedom is a bit.. overrated. I don't know the right word to put it.

Good luck on the project though. Unique and if setup nicely - can be the closest thing to emulate Barca IRL.

Just a little tip. Don't concentrate too much on getting Xavi '100 passes/game'. Focus on making him creating those key passes. A lot of them. No use of getting 100 passes if 90s of them are ineffective, short, and for statistical purpose.
__

OH yeah decided to put my 2 cents as well on 'Messi' role which I have been trying to get.
Put him as central Deep Lying Striker on support with default freedom (which is not too much)
with Run From Deep, Long Shots, and Crossball on rarely
and Run With ball on Often,
and through balls on sometimes.
Roaming. I forgot whether to HUB or not.

He'll score a lot of goals as well as putting those through balls to your inside wingers

Cheers

Hey koflok, you're a legend man, but have you ever gotten a player to 100 passes in FM11? I could do it in FM10, but not on this one.
 
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