Pretty much all of the stickies and pieces by Cleon, THoG etc you can find here: Tactics & Training Discussion
In particular this: How to Play FM: A Twelve Step Guide and Pairs & Combinations FM2015 - UPDATED
They are simple guides but if you don't start with the basics you cannot move onto the more advanced ideas and options.
I completely agree with this, it's like the 41221 formation with DM, 2 CM's, AML and AMR and a lone ST. I see that as a formation which can be attacking and defensive in equal measure based on how you approach it, I love the tactic as it's one I've always enjoyed (previous FM's from 08 and before I used the Xmas tree but soon saw it's flaws). But you can approach each game with the same formation but a completely different approach, you could stick 10 men behind the ball, or you can press in all areas of the pitch. You can play short passing with it or you can opt to go for a long ball to the wings or your striker etc. The formation I wish I could do this with is the 4231 but I have yet to get this correct. I see a lot of people who do have success with it though so it's probably me approaching it wrong for the players I have to use.Completely agree with the Guide to football manager website, it's crucial to understanding the role-based tactic system.
Also, I'm no tactical genius when playing FM but I feel that you seem to forget that you're playing against a team with its own set of tactics.
The turning point for me in Football Manager was deciding to stop trying to create a plug and play tactic, and start with a backbone tactic and adapt during the game. The game's genius is that as soon as you forget it's a game and stop trying to beat the ME, you start getting better results (at least that's how it works for me)