Fully taking advantage of having an opponent sent off.

[MrInconspicuous]

Hey, it might sound like a pretty daft question, but i've been wondering this for a while, and am currently mid game 4-0 up against Manchester United using my liverpool team, and one of their central midfielders has been sent off for persistent fouling.

Now I could be forgiven for assuming that this would make my game a little easier, but in the next 20 minutes of the game it seems to if anything got harder, i'm thinking my players are getting complacent? Ive tried telling them to use width more and pass it around more but the 10 man squad are causing me more problems now than they were with a full complement, and this isnt the first time this has happened! I was just wondering if you guys had any suggestions as to how to effectively capitalize on a one-man advantage, because I just can't figure it out!

Thanks,
Ryan. (Oh, and its my first post here, hoping I didn't break any rules, i've searched around but to no avail - Thanks again )

 

[NunoPeixinho]

Hey, it might sound like a pretty daft question, but i've been wondering this for a while, and am currently mid game 4-0 up against Manchester United using my liverpool team, and one of their central midfielders has been sent off for persistent fouling.

Now I could be forgiven for assuming that this would make my game a little easier, but in the next 20 minutes of the game it seems to if anything got harder, i'm thinking my players are getting complacent? Ive tried telling them to use width more and pass it around more but the 10 man squad are causing me more problems now than they were with a full complement, and this isnt the first time this has happened! I was just wondering if you guys had any suggestions as to how to effectively capitalize on a one-man advantage, because I just can't figure it out!

Thanks,
Ryan. (Oh, and its my first post here, hoping I didn't break any rules, i've searched around but to no avail - Thanks again )

Retain Posession, Pass into Space, Push Higher up, give it a go mate ..

 

[Mike.]

because they will have gone ultra denfensive and try hit you on the counter. personally i would switch to control then use the following shouts:
push up
play wider
retain possession
pass into space

if their formation is narrow, then also

look for overlaps

 

[MrInconspicuous]

Thats great, i'll give it a shot, thanks guys!

Also, just a thought, i'm playing this as the last game of the season, and the result doesnt really matter to me but does to man. utd. Not being particularly bothered I gave a lot of my youngsters a run out (Pacheco, Insua, Clyne, Muniain, etc,) and man utd have played absolutely shockingly, conceding 8 yellow cards, including 2 for Carrick, hence the sending off, and Pacheco has earned himself a hattrick (This is my first season so he is still only 19,) is this some sort of attitude problem for man utd being faced with youngsters? I had no idea playing a 2nd team could affect the oppositions mentality so much, is it just a fluke?

 

[Poppa_ChesterCityFC]

Pacheco scored a hatrick? wow. I loaned him for Norwich and he was one of my worst players :S

And it was probably a fluke or you could blame Man United's poor manager

 

[Mike.]

i dont know how you lined, but it sounds like you caught them on an off day

 

[Blynd1]

retain possession and pass into space, also try to play counter attack because they will go defensive... they probably took one of their MF or ST to add a central defender.

 

[MrInconspicuous]

Yeah, Pacheco had a wonder of a game, Fergie must have been a bit miffed really, 4 goals by the end!

I lined in a standard 4-4-2 with Riera on the left, Kuyt on the right, Lucas and Aquilani in the middle, Skrtel and Kyriagkos at centre backs and Insua and Clyne at left and right back respectively, finishing off with N'gog and Pacheco up front, with Pacheco poaching and N'gog supporting as a deep-lying forward, for those who were interested. Basically played my tactics how I was told by my backroom staff, slow, narrow and direct.

I might try playing the youths again if I have an unimportant game against a big side anytime soon, will keep you updated on that

Thanks for all the help on my original question guys, it helped me see out the last 10 minutes relatively easily, and will no doubt help in the future, I do seem to get a lot of red cards in my favour, which is great I suppose, I could just do without the injuries that come along with it, now Sotiris misses my champions league game vs inter

EDIT: Pacheco also got in the team of the week, alongside 3 of his teammates! Good weekend really!!