How often should I change my tactic, if at all?

[LedleysKnee]

Hey guys, I've been managing Spurs on my current save and have just entered my third season. In my first season I finished 5th in the league just 1 point of 4th reaching an FA Cup semi final as well and in my second I finished 6th 8 points off 4th and reached a Europa League final beating Barca convincingly on the way.

Now I'm 8 games into my third season. I lost the first and then won 6 games on the bounce including two league cup sides. I then lost my 8th but am still joint top of the league.

I was wondering if I should change my tactics, if at all. I play a 4-2-3-1 with two inside forwards on the wings and either a poacher or deep-lying forward depening on which off my strikers is performing better.

I also have a 4-1-2-2-1 which I use in away games against big clubs which looks like this:

GK: Deff
CWB: Att
CB: Stopper
CB: Cover
CWB: Att

Anchor man: deff
DLP: support:
BBM: support

Inside forward: attack
Inside forward: attack


I have another tactic which I have never used. I've read that supposedly the opposition can read your tactics after so long playing with them, but what I want to know is this actually true? And if so how often should I change them? Also, will they be able to read my tactics if I'm continuously changing between two of them? What if I use three?

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Davey G]

I tweak it every season depending on how we've been playing.

 

[duca015]

I personally adopt tactics to my team strengths. Usually, every year you change some players in your squad. Most people search for "right" players that "fit existing system". I don’t. I search for best possible players, since I don’t like to change squad a lot between seasons, so 2-3 players who can raise my team quality is ok. If you find those 3 players are slightly different then one you previously had, normally, you want to utilize them as much as you can. Hence, you tweek your tactics a bit. For example, you had solid striker, who was fast and creative, but not very good in air. Now you find beast that is 1,9 meters, exceptional in air, but also has creative qualities. Normally, you want to utilize this extra quality of your new striker, otherwise, you did not spent your money wisely.

 

[rocheyb]

I agree with Duca - and I'd add that sometimes you'll buy a player to perform one role but find that he performs better in another. For example, I bought Jonjo Shelvey to play in the No.10 role when I was using the 4-5-1 Assymetric system. I re-trained him to provide cover at AM_R, too, and found that he was actually better on the right and scored goals from there.

Later in my save, I splashed out 39-million to sign an Italian playmaker with the intention of playing him as a No.10 Trequartista in my then preferred 4-4-1-1 formation. He is an excellent dribbler and fast when running at the opposition, with the ability to take them on himself or play others in, and he performed very well in that role. But I eventually found that playing him as an Advanced Playmaker_Attack in the M(C) position meant that he could find more space to receive the ball in deeper positions and then charge at the opposition, pulling their defensive midfielders and centre-backs all over the place to create even more frequent openings for us - and often drawing free-kicks in dangerous areas. He now scores fewer goals himself but he creates many more, with the net benefit of goals, points and prizes for my team.

That, and the presence of Diego Reyes who plays in a back three for Mexico, prompted me to develop my 3-5-2 system with a flat midfield five comprised of:

- Wide Midfielder_Support
- Deep-Lying Playmaker_Defend
- Advanced Playmaker_Attack
- Ball-Winning Midfielder_Defend
- Wide Midfielder_Support

...and it also enabled me to accommodate an excellent regen striker from my youth academy as an Advanced Forward alongside a much more experienced False-9 Danish international.

If you play the same save for many seasons, as I like to, then you may find it difficult to sign enough players of your own nationality to comply with the league and European restrictions without having to weaken your squad, so being able to produce quality players from your youth ranks is important. While you can influence their development, you don't have total control over their individual strengths and weaknesses, and at times the difference between a new player and the one he has replaced from last season can require a tactical re-think.

I operate three sets of tactics at once and select between the three throughout the season, according to scouting reports, past meetings and my own knowledge of football and FM itself. I'm always striving to get better, of course, and I generally replace one of those tactics with a new one each season, but there is always one that I use most often.

I've gone from a preferred 4-5-1 Assymetric to 4-4-1-1 with a Shadow Striker in the No.10, and then to 3-5-2. Now, the 3-5-2 is my favourite and I still use the 4-4-1-1 sometimes, but my new third option is 4-2DM-1-2-1 which has a Deep-Lying Playmaker and a Ball-Winning Midfielder in DM roles; an Advanced Playmaker in the M(C); and, ideally, a Winger_Attack wide on the right and an Inside Forward_Support on the left (the right-footed Croatian Karlo Lulic) - with Luke Shaw detailed to overlap down the left side from full-back. I use this one specifically for taking on the better teams in the Premier League, with the intention of crowding out their 4-2-3-1 system while still taking the game to them - and it's working well, so far.

 

[Mr kRp0]

i personaly have set of 3 tactics loaded and i change that set every season.there isn't much difference between tactics but some key changes to exploit my opponents weakness