Hey everyone, welcome to my first episode in this new series i call English Tactics,i am willing to give all of you tactics on how to win games in certain situations, in my opinion of course. First we start with the EPL. But, you must remember that these are my tactics and they don't have to be followed. I have been playing manager games since 05, and i always play in 'full match' to get the real experience and make the game feel realistic. Lets get started with episode 1.
Mid Table vs. Top Four
In this episode, as you can see, i am going to go over what's neccessary to get you to cross the line if you are managing a mid table club in the EPL, when taking on a top four club, Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea and i will make it Man City/Tottenham. First of all, to note, i think taking a positive approach is what's key here. So, here is the tactics i would normally use in a situation of home and away.
Home Fixture
Note: I play on 'Full match' so during my games i know when to change things.
Formation: 4-4-2 Standard
Philosophy: Rigid
Starting Strategy: Standard
Passing Style: Direct
Creative Freedom: Disciplined
Closing Down: Default
Tackling: Default
Marking: Zonal Marking
Crossing: Drilled Crosses
Roaming: Stick to Position
Advanced tactics vary on situation. This could mean the team try's to play around you, which would force you to play deeper and narrower, if your huge underdogs and away from home. So altering the Advanced tactics is key when playing different football matches, they will depend on the situation.
Away Fixture
Formation: 4-4-2 Standard
Philosophy: Rigid
Starting Strategy: Counter
Passing Style: Direct
Creative Freedom: Disciplined
Closing Down: Default
Tackling: Default
Marking: Zonal Marking
Crossing: Floated Crosses
Roaming: Stick to Position
Again, advanced tactics vary. With the away fixture, i tend to send the mentality meter actually around half way, because i need to get a goal on the counter, if it's possible. I always use pacey defenders when playing counter attacking football. The only time i will ever play full on defence, is probably if im an very low league team, like i am now Huddersfield Town and playing agains't Chelsea in the Carling Cup.. im not, but im just saying.
Example of tactic's effect in-game [Home]
So, i have to go back all the way to my fourth league game under Everton in my first season using a mid-table team. I was playing at home, agains't a Chelsea side who was coming off 3 straight wins, and i had 1 win and 2 draws, which wasn't very bad actually. Was pleased with that start. For my tactics, i started off with a rigid 4-4-2, with my right and left sided midfielders playing with a support role. I knew we were playing at home, so i had in my notebook way before this fixture was scheduled to take place was to have my two right sided midfielders, so my right mid and right centre mid.. ready to build a partnership. By the time the game arrived, they had built up a good partnership. I had the plan in my mind before the fixture of how i was going to approach it. So, i built them two a good chemistry together, which worked. So, i chose that rigid 4-4-2, and made my two central midfielders Central with the support role. Only doing this because i had the possibility of Chelsea catching us out, as they do all the time. Ive made one striker a poacher, and the other a deep lying forward, with the support role. I started off as i normally do, with the standard strategy, just to see how things would play out. We had most of the possession for most of the half. We begun creating good chances around the 30 minute mark, and when this happens agains't a big club, you need to take your chances. So i mixed it up. I changed my style of passing to short, gave my side some higher tempo, and changed my strategy to control. Of course if i notice the tactics weren't working, i could change back because im on full match view. I also altered my player roles. I made my right centre mid a advanced playmaker, attack role. My right midfielder to an attacking winger.. i did this because i had built up their chemistry pre-game. Also, my left centre mid, i changed to box to box support. Pre game i made sure that this midfielder was pacey and could keep up with Chelsea's best. I actually rested him the previous game to keep him quick and fit. So, having him box to box meant he could go back and cover in the case of counter attacks. We didn't find a goal, but we did hit the post and force a good save in the 10 minute spell. But, we didn't score, and Chelsea took over for the last 5 minutes of the half. At half time, i knew that they were starting to do what they do best. So, after our spell, i changed back to exactly how we started. Again, we came out dominating. Around 71 minutes in, i reverted back to the attacking mentality because we had many chances.. This time, in this dominating spell of 10 minutes, we scored once. Immediately i reverted back to the standard strategy, and we held on fairly easily. I didn't go all out defence because that is leading Chelsea on us.
As you could see, i didn't want to switch to a shut up shop tactic after the goal. I wanted to maintain possession and annoy them. This was a huge win.. We eventually finished 6th.
Example of tactic's effect in-game [Away]
Funnily enough, later that season we took on Arsenal away from home and we took the best possible result. We went into this game with a couple of losses actually, so i knew it would be very tough. I took the direct 4-4-2, with the rigid philosophy again. We played deep and narrow because arsenal wanted to play around us. I of course made my starting strategy to counter attack, as it's an away fixture. Made sure our movement was disciplined, because Arsenal tend to play around you easily when roaming. Pre game, i made sure i had my two wide defenders ready and fit. Made sure they were the two most quick and strong wide defenders to cope with the pace and strength of Wallcott and i believe it was Arshavin. The game started off as i expected, with them having lots of possession, but they didn't create much. I felt that they were getting a bit annoyed and frustrating, and so was the crowd. So i felt that if possible, we could turn their frustration into a little spell of our own. So i altered my tactics and played direct still, but i changed our strategy to standard, and made us push higher up, not so deep and narrow. Gave us a bit more width also. I gave my left sided defender (the faster one) the freedom of coming up and helping with attacks. This actually worked. Suddenly we had some more possession and got the ball up field several times, but we were trying too many cheeky passes through the defence, which weren't working. Pretty much doing what Arsenal try to do all the time, in walking the ball in. Alot of space opened up at the edge of the 18 yard box, but we never tried our luck. So i immediately got onto our two central mid's player instructions and gave them both the 'often' tactic for long shots. As i expected, they started shooting from long range. I actually a couple of weeks before the fixture asked arteta to try and shoot from range a bit more (preffered moves) in a private chat. He was the man who broke the deadlock to silence the emirates. Instantly after this, i reverted back to the counter attack formation, same style, changing my left sided defender back to his starting role. I did this because i knew we were frustrating them in this tactic, but we weren't creating much, which was good. I always know if the opposition changes their tactics, but they didn't. So i had the freedom to go back to the same starting tactic. But, if they had changed formations, i probably wouldv'e either stayed with the same attacking style that got me the goal, or i would have gone alot more defensive, or maybe more deeper and narrower than i started with. It stayed the same for 87 minutes and probably on my first counter attack of the whole match, i was given a penalty, with the Arsenal defender sent off for a last man challenge on Cahill. Arteta converted the penalty and we had won the fixture 2-0. This was a good display, and probably my best win on FM11 yet.
I chose these games because they were the best for this tactic and because they were my best games to do with managerial ability.
So overall i think that this strategy/tactic works really well with top teams if your an Everton, Blackburn or a Fulham type club. Again, it depends on the situation, but give this a go, it might just work. Or you can alter a few things. Always think positive. But, some people play on key, so it may not work, because you need to alter alot during the game itself.
I hope you enjoyed this episode of English Tactics. If you would like to see more, let me know in the comments section. I will be bringing A-League tactics too for Australians, and some other leagues in the future.
Mid Table vs. Top Four
In this episode, as you can see, i am going to go over what's neccessary to get you to cross the line if you are managing a mid table club in the EPL, when taking on a top four club, Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea and i will make it Man City/Tottenham. First of all, to note, i think taking a positive approach is what's key here. So, here is the tactics i would normally use in a situation of home and away.
Home Fixture
Note: I play on 'Full match' so during my games i know when to change things.
Formation: 4-4-2 Standard
Philosophy: Rigid
Starting Strategy: Standard
Passing Style: Direct
Creative Freedom: Disciplined
Closing Down: Default
Tackling: Default
Marking: Zonal Marking
Crossing: Drilled Crosses
Roaming: Stick to Position
Advanced tactics vary on situation. This could mean the team try's to play around you, which would force you to play deeper and narrower, if your huge underdogs and away from home. So altering the Advanced tactics is key when playing different football matches, they will depend on the situation.
Away Fixture
Formation: 4-4-2 Standard
Philosophy: Rigid
Starting Strategy: Counter
Passing Style: Direct
Creative Freedom: Disciplined
Closing Down: Default
Tackling: Default
Marking: Zonal Marking
Crossing: Floated Crosses
Roaming: Stick to Position
Again, advanced tactics vary. With the away fixture, i tend to send the mentality meter actually around half way, because i need to get a goal on the counter, if it's possible. I always use pacey defenders when playing counter attacking football. The only time i will ever play full on defence, is probably if im an very low league team, like i am now Huddersfield Town and playing agains't Chelsea in the Carling Cup.. im not, but im just saying.
Example of tactic's effect in-game [Home]
So, i have to go back all the way to my fourth league game under Everton in my first season using a mid-table team. I was playing at home, agains't a Chelsea side who was coming off 3 straight wins, and i had 1 win and 2 draws, which wasn't very bad actually. Was pleased with that start. For my tactics, i started off with a rigid 4-4-2, with my right and left sided midfielders playing with a support role. I knew we were playing at home, so i had in my notebook way before this fixture was scheduled to take place was to have my two right sided midfielders, so my right mid and right centre mid.. ready to build a partnership. By the time the game arrived, they had built up a good partnership. I had the plan in my mind before the fixture of how i was going to approach it. So, i built them two a good chemistry together, which worked. So, i chose that rigid 4-4-2, and made my two central midfielders Central with the support role. Only doing this because i had the possibility of Chelsea catching us out, as they do all the time. Ive made one striker a poacher, and the other a deep lying forward, with the support role. I started off as i normally do, with the standard strategy, just to see how things would play out. We had most of the possession for most of the half. We begun creating good chances around the 30 minute mark, and when this happens agains't a big club, you need to take your chances. So i mixed it up. I changed my style of passing to short, gave my side some higher tempo, and changed my strategy to control. Of course if i notice the tactics weren't working, i could change back because im on full match view. I also altered my player roles. I made my right centre mid a advanced playmaker, attack role. My right midfielder to an attacking winger.. i did this because i had built up their chemistry pre-game. Also, my left centre mid, i changed to box to box support. Pre game i made sure that this midfielder was pacey and could keep up with Chelsea's best. I actually rested him the previous game to keep him quick and fit. So, having him box to box meant he could go back and cover in the case of counter attacks. We didn't find a goal, but we did hit the post and force a good save in the 10 minute spell. But, we didn't score, and Chelsea took over for the last 5 minutes of the half. At half time, i knew that they were starting to do what they do best. So, after our spell, i changed back to exactly how we started. Again, we came out dominating. Around 71 minutes in, i reverted back to the attacking mentality because we had many chances.. This time, in this dominating spell of 10 minutes, we scored once. Immediately i reverted back to the standard strategy, and we held on fairly easily. I didn't go all out defence because that is leading Chelsea on us.
As you could see, i didn't want to switch to a shut up shop tactic after the goal. I wanted to maintain possession and annoy them. This was a huge win.. We eventually finished 6th.
Example of tactic's effect in-game [Away]
Funnily enough, later that season we took on Arsenal away from home and we took the best possible result. We went into this game with a couple of losses actually, so i knew it would be very tough. I took the direct 4-4-2, with the rigid philosophy again. We played deep and narrow because arsenal wanted to play around us. I of course made my starting strategy to counter attack, as it's an away fixture. Made sure our movement was disciplined, because Arsenal tend to play around you easily when roaming. Pre game, i made sure i had my two wide defenders ready and fit. Made sure they were the two most quick and strong wide defenders to cope with the pace and strength of Wallcott and i believe it was Arshavin. The game started off as i expected, with them having lots of possession, but they didn't create much. I felt that they were getting a bit annoyed and frustrating, and so was the crowd. So i felt that if possible, we could turn their frustration into a little spell of our own. So i altered my tactics and played direct still, but i changed our strategy to standard, and made us push higher up, not so deep and narrow. Gave us a bit more width also. I gave my left sided defender (the faster one) the freedom of coming up and helping with attacks. This actually worked. Suddenly we had some more possession and got the ball up field several times, but we were trying too many cheeky passes through the defence, which weren't working. Pretty much doing what Arsenal try to do all the time, in walking the ball in. Alot of space opened up at the edge of the 18 yard box, but we never tried our luck. So i immediately got onto our two central mid's player instructions and gave them both the 'often' tactic for long shots. As i expected, they started shooting from long range. I actually a couple of weeks before the fixture asked arteta to try and shoot from range a bit more (preffered moves) in a private chat. He was the man who broke the deadlock to silence the emirates. Instantly after this, i reverted back to the counter attack formation, same style, changing my left sided defender back to his starting role. I did this because i knew we were frustrating them in this tactic, but we weren't creating much, which was good. I always know if the opposition changes their tactics, but they didn't. So i had the freedom to go back to the same starting tactic. But, if they had changed formations, i probably wouldv'e either stayed with the same attacking style that got me the goal, or i would have gone alot more defensive, or maybe more deeper and narrower than i started with. It stayed the same for 87 minutes and probably on my first counter attack of the whole match, i was given a penalty, with the Arsenal defender sent off for a last man challenge on Cahill. Arteta converted the penalty and we had won the fixture 2-0. This was a good display, and probably my best win on FM11 yet.
I chose these games because they were the best for this tactic and because they were my best games to do with managerial ability.
So overall i think that this strategy/tactic works really well with top teams if your an Everton, Blackburn or a Fulham type club. Again, it depends on the situation, but give this a go, it might just work. Or you can alter a few things. Always think positive. But, some people play on key, so it may not work, because you need to alter alot during the game itself.
I hope you enjoyed this episode of English Tactics. If you would like to see more, let me know in the comments section. I will be bringing A-League tactics too for Australians, and some other leagues in the future.
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