Few basic tactic creation suggestions (for newbies)

[Igneos79]

So, basically, you can go three ways. You can go standard route, more agressive route and less agressive route.

So, the basis of more agressive mentalities is that you are trying to push men up, and play wider in an effort to stretch oppositions backline. Forwards look to penetrate more by doing direct passess, and your defenders look to start attacks and pass shorter. You press the opponent in an effort to regain possession, and then attack quickly with higher tempo. Wingbacks are recommended.

This is how I would set a more agressive tactic up:

View attachment 295942

Then you can do reverse of this, and try a less agressive approach. The basis of this is to play narrower and deeper in an attempt to deny space to your opponent who is pushing the defence line higher and wider in a bid to stretch you and score against you. Your forwards should do shorter passes in an attempt to keep the ball and draw the opposition forward, so tempo should be lower, and when they do that, your backline sends a direct ball to your wingers, who are less likely to be caught by offside trap, and you exploit the space behind the opponent. This style uses reverse pressing, meaning you need to stand off, and you can use a stopper-cover combo in this case, or a DM or two, since covering defender wont work well with a high line.

This is how I would setup a less agressive tactic:

View attachment 295941

And then you can go the standard route. This is basically the golden middle where all options are on exact middle, and you can go any way you choose. For example, you can order both your forwards and defenders to do shorter passes, do pressing and use a lower tempo, which is ideal for a possession game. Or you can do reverse and go direct football.


This is how I would setup a possession tactic:

View attachment 295940

In any tactic you decide to create, you should control space. This is done either by exploiting the flanks and playing narrower, or by exploiting the middle and playing wider. Also, look for overlap will work well in all situations.
In overload mentality, I would go route one with "much" more instructions. And in Contain, I would go retain possession with "much" less instructions.

Regarding fluidity, if you opt for a less agressive approach, there will be a large gap between your defence and midfield, so you will need to adjust mentalities by playing more fluid. Or if you play more agressively, you will need to be more rigid and possibly use more playmakers.


Read the sticky guide on this forum to learn how to choose appropriate roles and duties for each fluidity.

 

[JohnR55]

So, basically, you need to pick a formation first. I suggest clicking on skip tactics creator, so your teams default formation will be picked. Or pick a formation to your liking, perhaps one that suits your players will do, eh?

Next, observe your formation. Do you have players everywhere on the pitch or some areas are without players? For example, your basic 4-4-2 doesnt have players in both attacking and defensive midfield. That means you need to move fluidity two notches up, to very fluid. If you pick a 4-2-3-1 Wide formation, you will notice, you have players everywhere, except in the defensive midfield. That means moving fluidity up just one notch, to fluid. A 4-1-2-3 DM Wide formation, for example, features players everywhere, so you can leave fluidity at flexible. A 4-2-3-1 DM Wide formation for example is missing players in central midfield section, so you should pick fluid again. You get the picture.

Next you should observe your formations width and length. You basically want to pick either narrower width to defend the middle, or wider width to defend the flanks. This is done by changing mentality. More agressive mentalities mean wider width, less agressive mentalites mean narrower. Playing wider for example will move players wider and give your wingers more support, and it will also allow your packed midfield to dominate the match. For example, a 3-4-3 formation features only 2 wide players, so even if they are of highest quality, they will need support, so you should play wider. Attack mentality, or control plus play wider TI. A 4-2-3-1 DM Wide formation, for example, features nobody in central midfield, so you should defend the middle by playing less agressive mentality.

And this is all you basically need to be successfull. You can assign a specific style if you wish or your board demands it, and either change or not default roles, but these changes wont brake or make your style, these are just slight adjustments. For example you may not want to play high pressing during summer, or you may wish more direct passess on a bigger pitch, this is all optional. Of course, for tough games, you may want everything adjusted perfectly to your available players.


Cheers!

When would you use structured and highly structured then?

 

[wkdsoul]

I'd read through his other threads first m8.

 

[Igneos79]

When would you use structured and highly structured then?

Perhaps with an assymetric formation, although those two team shapes are obsolete in modern football, and should be avoided.

 

[wkdsoul]

Perhaps with an assymetric formation, although those two team shapes are obsolete in modern football, and should be avoided.

symmetrical is irrelevant; far more important is that it is balanced. South American teams still employ decetn assymetric formations, so do italian ad even Real to rely on Ronaldo and when they had Roberto Carlos, even Barca have played that way to accomodate Alves and Messi.

You really should start watching football and playing some full games of FM (not just preseason friendlies) if you are gonna write guides with incorrect info.

 

[Mamaiemaipunemfesu]

symmetrical is irrelevant; far more important is that it is balanced. South American teams still employ decetn assymetric formations, so do italian ad even Real to rely on Ronaldo and when they had Roberto Carlos, even Barca have played that way to accomodate Alves and Messi.

You really should start watching football and playing some full games of FM (not just preseason friendlies) if you are gonna write guides with incorrect info.

yep. barca is still playing that way. there are (not few) moments when dani alves hugging the line is the most advanced player in the barca lineup. Sadly he sucks as he covers way way less defensively than in the past. Plus his diving tackles sux.

as for penaldo i'd completely use him as a wide targetman.

 

[Igneos79]

symmetrical is irrelevant; far more important is that it is balanced. South American teams still employ decetn assymetric formations, so do italian ad even Real to rely on Ronaldo and when they had Roberto Carlos, even Barca have played that way to accomodate Alves and Messi.

You really should start watching football and playing some full games of FM (not just preseason friendlies) if you are gonna write guides with incorrect info.

So who says it's incorrect? You? And you are?

 

[epic terrorist]

So who says it's incorrect? You? And you are?

I'm confused you say in another thread you are not a fan of football and don't watch and now you are saying what is obsolete in modern football

 

[Igneos79]

I'm confused you say in another thread you are not a fan of football and don't watch and now you are saying what is obsolete in modern football

no need to be snyde. I wasn't lying. But I read. Every day. Guides and all sorts of infos I can find on tactic creation. And then I test what I find out. Been doing that for the last 3 Fm's, although I've been playing this game since CM Italia 93...Instead of putting people off, why don't you write your own guide? Or is trolling your primary reason for being here? I'm trying to help people best I can, unlike some others here.

 

[MANUMAD]

no need to be snyde. I wasn't lying. But I read. Every day. Guides and all sorts of infos I can find on tactic creation. And then I test what I find out. Been doing that for the last 3 Fm's, although I've been playing this game since CM Italia 93...Instead of putting people off, why don't you write your own guide? Or is trolling your primary reason for being here? I'm trying to help people best I can, unlike some others here.

Riddle me this: how can you help people by giving them wrong advice?!

 

[Igneos79]

Riddle me this: how can you help people by giving them wrong advice?!

Why don't you try out my advice first, and riddle me after that? I think that would only be fair.

 

[epic terrorist]

no need to be snyde. I wasn't lying. But I read. Every day. Guides and all sorts of infos I can find on tactic creation. And then I test what I find out. Been doing that for the last 3 Fm's, although I've been playing this game since CM Italia 93...Instead of putting people off, why don't you write your own guide? Or is trolling your primary reason for being here? I'm trying to help people best I can, unlike some others here.

Wow what an overeaction,

First things first I am not being 'snyde' I was asking a genuine question, nor am I trolling. My word I am not being funny I have been a member of this site a few years now and I think it is known from the people who I regularly chat with that I am not a troll or anything of the kind. Yes I may indulge in comedic wankery now and again but I have also helped out my fair share of people on this site with advice too. So please wind your neck in.

Secondly I will gladly put up a newbie guide just for you, becuase I am really not being funny a few paragraphs of text with info that is quite clearly wrong is not a good newbie guide at all. Try taking screenshots and showing them stuff they will not learn anything from what you have writeen and would be better served reading the manual in all honesty. I know that english is not your first language so maybe it has got lost in translation.

Lastly I get that you want to help peolple with so called plug and play, also with guides etc but when you post alot of info that is wrong and post it frequently people will not take you seriously on this site. They also will not be arsed to test your formations if you cant be arsed to test them and just put them together on a hunch that you think it is how they will play.

 

[MANUMAD]

Why don't you try out my advice first, and riddle me after that? I think that would only be fair.

Well, theoretically it would. But if you show any of your ideas/suggestions/advice to SI etc they'd flat out tell you you re wrong. Ive done a background check on you last 20 minutes (checked your threads and posts). If there's something Ive learnt from this is that obstinate is too weak a word to describe you ... so I wont be posting again in reply/reaction to whatever you say. Sorry no offence meant but there seems to be no point.

 

[Igneos79]

Wow what an overeaction,

First things first I am not being 'snyde' I was asking a genuine question, nor am I trolling. My word I am not being funny I have been a member of this site a few years now and I think it is known from the people who I regularly chat with that I am not a troll or anything of the kind. Yes I may indulge in comedic wankery now and again but I have also helped out my fair share of people on this site with advice too. So please wind your neck in.

Secondly I will gladly put up a newbie guide just for you, becuase I am really not being funny a few paragraphs of text with info that is quite clearly wrong is not a good newbie guide at all. Try taking screenshots and showing them stuff they will not learn anything from what you have writeen and would be better served reading the manual in all honesty. I know that english is not your first language so maybe it has got lost in translation.

Lastly I get that you want to help peolple with so called plug and play, also with guides etc but when you post alot of info that is wrong and post it frequently people will not take you seriously on this site. They also will not be arsed to test your formations if you cant be arsed to test them and just put them together on a hunch that you think it is how they will play.

Ok, I get the picture. No more guides from me, whether I'm right or wrong. I admit following my own advice on more then one occasion has proven to be a bad choice, but I wrote, more then once, that I am in the process of learning. So I will just shut up, and play a whole season, and post screenies of my success, like everyone else does, and never explain to anyone why exactly was my tactic successfull, so nobody learns anything ever, and they just download and be merry. k?

 

[wkdsoul]

Ok, I get the picture. No more guides from me, whether I'm right or wrong. I admit following my own advice on more then one occasion has proven to be a bad choice, but I wrote, more then once, that I am in the process of learning. So I will just shut up, and play a whole season, and post screenies of my success, like everyone else does, and never explain to anyone why exactly was my tactic successfull, so nobody learns anything ever, and they just download and be merry. k?

No, do this - > play a whole season, and post screenies of my success,

to improve this - > process of learning

and eliminate this - > I admit following my own advice on more than one occasion has proven to be a bad choice

and then -> explain to anyone why exactly was my tactic successful, so we just download and be merry

 

[miguelalves]

Asymmetrical shapes are not obsolete, it's quite common when a FB attacks the other stays deep and then they alternate, something still to be discovered by SI (H) (only possible to set different duties but not to alternate betweeen FBs).

 

[callamity]

waa waa waaaaaa..........

 

[callamity]

I'd write a guide for beginners however it would be worse than

How to Play FM: A Twelve Step Guide

Once I understood the above thread which is written by one of the match engine guys from sports interactive, I would then write something more advanced, but it would be worse than

Pairs & Combinations FM2015 - UPDATED


Once I could marry the information from those two threads together I'd probably be able to build any balanced successful tactic I wanted to, but I might not be able to understand what I was seeing on the pitch in the games so I'd then read something along the lines of

Building A Tactic From The Beginning And Maintaining It Long Term

I'd probably even delve into the link at the start for cleons blog at sisportcentre. and to top it off I would also try to find some more knowledge about how changes in the creator affect my team by reading

Tricking the Wizard – Guide for Understanding the Tactical Creator Dynamics

BOOM!!

There you have it a progressive guide from beginner to semi pro FM'er all you gotta do is use the above guides to learn to understand the game, figure out your idea's and put them into the game.


just for giggles

this tactic with 0 team instructions

View attachment 297723

Did this to Man City

View attachment 297724

 

[WJ]

The problem is still that you're placing unnecessary restrictions on tactical instructions, when there's no need. It's great that you're trying to help people, but you need to understand some of the concepts, because it's either wrong or unnecessarily rigid.

So, basically, you need to pick a formation first. I suggest clicking on skip tactics creator, so your teams default formation will be picked. Or pick a formation to your liking, perhaps one that suits your players will do, eh?

No problems here.

Next, observe your formation. Flatter formation, like 4-4-2 require more fluidity. More balanced formations, with players everywhere on the pitch can even be more structured.

This is where it starts getting iffy. You give no reasons WHY you make the claim the flat formations need to be fluid. FWIW, I don't agree with it at all. You could argue this either way. Take the 4-4-2. You could argue that it has a box-to-box midfielder, target man and poacher. They have clear functions, so it's not that fluid. You could add a DLP to screen the defence, adding another specialist to make it even less fluid. However, you can also argue that it should be quite fluid, with the generalist CM/D and CM/S combo and a DLF/S and AF/A partnering up front. Generalist roles in a fluid system where everyone contributes equally, creatively speaking.

The 4-4-2 is balanced. It just has weaknesses, like any other formation.

Next you should observe your formations width. You basically want to pick either narrower width to defend the middle, or wider width to defend the flanks. This is done by changing mentality. More agressive mentalities mean wider width, less agressive mentalites mean narrower. Playing wider for example will move players wider and give your wingers more support, and it will also allow your packed midfield to dominate the match. For example, a 3-4-3 formation features only 2 wide players, so even if they are of highest quality, they will need support, so you should play wider. Attack mentality, or control plus play wider TI. A 4-2-3-1 DM Wide formation, for example, features nobody in central midfield, so you should defend the middle by playing less agressive mentality.

This is either backwards logic or you don't know that play wider/narrower sets a passing focus as well as affecting width.

So in your 3-4-3 example, play wider is an option, but will set the passing focus to the flanks. You don't want that. You can play wider and combine that with exploit the middle though. This will stretch the play and you can exploit where you have the number advantage.

Again you don't explain why you need a Control or Attacking mentality, unless you're referring to the earlier point about higher mentalities defend wider? You have 3 at the back, so they are spread (relatively speaking) across the field already. The wide midfielders have to do a job defensively too, so there's no NEED to be pigeonholed into a specific mentality. If you meant in possession, then playing more direct will work too, since you'll have (in most cases) numbers at the back and in front, but not in midfield. That can be achieved with any mentality.

And this is all you basically need to be successfull. You can assign a specific style if you wish or your board demands it, and either change or not default roles, but these changes wont make or brake your tactic, these are just slight adjustments. For example you may not want to play high pressing during summer, or you may wish more direct passess on a bigger pitch, this is all optional. Of course, for tough games, you may want everything adjusted perfectly to your available players.

I'll agree with pressing less in summer. You still can, but they'll droo in condition faster and you'll risk injuries. Direct on a big pitch is optional, as you say. You can just as easily play a short passing, patient game, tiring the opposition and pulling them all over the place.

If your board demands you play attacking football, I would avoid playing a formation with wide players. 2 is more then enough. And if you are bent on keeping a clean sheet, you may wish to use 4 wide players, and play a less agressive mentality. In that respect, I think a fluid counter flat 4-4-2 is an inpenetrable fortress, which is what I would suggest to newbies as a starting tactic.

Again, you make statements without giving reasons why. You're restricting attacking football to narrow formations and defensive strategies to formations with 4 wide men. Why? It's simply not the case.

-------

So, most of this is either wrong or far too restrictive. Newbies will try and follow this without success and without becoming any wiser. Anyone with any tactical knowledge will stay far away from this.

 

[Igneos79]

Well, I tried reading the above guides, but I fail to draw a conclusion from them, although I just brieffly skipped through them. Can one of you make a simpler guide for newbies? I'm not looking for much text, I just need to be pointed in the right direction. for example, why did callamity pick attack in the above example? Is it because of formation? And why did he pick structured? Is it because of mentality and what is the link between the two? Also, I'd be interested to find out how can i make a tactic that will have defensive solidity first and foremost, let's say with control mentality? And what would be an appropriate formation for it and why? Also, any TI that need to be picked, I need to know why. I'm not looking into creating real life examples, I want to understand why stuff works or doesn't. In a few simple sentences, if possible. Thanks.