Liverpool 2nd season serious problem...

[shrimpsauce]

So apparently I am at my second season in my Liverpool management career, I have won the league and euro cup last season without any difficulties. But in this season I found my defend start to look weak, conceding as at least one goal every match sometimes even four goals. Therefore I am seeking for help here and hope that someone can point out the problem for me.

I love playing attacking football therefore I usually use one of these two tactics:
This is the most used one
View attachment 141089
And when facing tough opponent
View attachment 141088


I keep my team instruction the same at most of the time
View attachment 141087

For the player instruction, I set my attacking players(4) to close down more, mark tighter and tackle harder to try the get the ball back as early as possible.
And my AML/R and DL/R to stay wide to create spaces for the team.
But for the midfield I didnt set any instruction for them...(since I dont know what instruction to set)

Okay let get to the first problem.
I found that there are always too many spaces between my midfield and defense, this allow the opponent to create scoring opportunities. I thought that it might be because I dont have any defensive midfielders therefore I drag one guy backward, but this didn't help the situation at all. Also the opponent can always easily get pass my defenders without having any problem. I tried to solve this for a long time but I failed to do so, so maybe someone can help me here.


The second problem is about my attack.
I plan to make my left and right wingers to cut inside and score, this went well, at least in my first season. In this season I found that they always fail to cut into the middle and lose the ball easily. Also, I expect my full backs to push forward and provide crosses for the striker, but in this season I have never score from crossing.


Hope that someone can help me with these, and sorry for my bad English.=[

(I can provide other information about the team if needed =].)

 

[jee]

Hi mate,

my 5 cents:

- Too many TI. Thinks if all or them are necessary. Let me tell you one thing, they are not.
- You are too open at back. Every fb on attack duty needs a cover in midfield. For instance, if your rigth fb is on attack, your central midfielder right must be on defend duty.
- Using a 4231 both central midfielders must be defensively responsible. At least 1 on defend duty. With both fb on attack duty, you need 2 holders on defend duty (cm-de&dlp-de, for instance).
- AP-at will sit on the hole. He will attract he ball as long as he is a playmaker. If he is marked, and sitting on the hole will probably be marked, he will lose the ball many times.

I only see you countered all the time. I think you were winning despite your tactic.

 

[rocheyb]

As Jee says, your set-up is too open. Playing attacking football does not mean that every player in every position goes gung-ho for the opposition penalty area. A strong tackler in your central midfield in a Ball Winning Midfielder role, instructed to hold his position and play short passes to the more creative players will improve your team.

Personally, I don't like the 4-2-3-1 system in FM because I can rarely get a tune out of the No.10, no matter what I try to do with him. With two Inside Forwards, don't they just constantly run into the No.10's space? I have more joy with a 4-5-1 (or 4-3-3) with my Advanced Playmaker working from the M(C) position with a Deep Lying Playmaker_Support alongside him and a Ball Winning Midfielder_Defend keeping everybody honest from the DM(C) position. That gives licence to the full backs to get forward more often, with the DM forming a defensive three with the centre-backs.

I'd then put Lallana on Attack and Clyne on Support. Keep Coutinho on Support and Moreno on Attack:

Moreno - Cross More Often; Cross From Byline; Aim Crosses at Target Man
Coutinho - Cross More Often; Cross From Deep; Aim Crosses at Far Post
Clyne - Cross More Often; Cross From Deep; Aim Crosses at Centre

With Lallana on attack mode, he'll often get on the end of those left wing crosses from Coutinho and he'll often be in the middle when Clyne pushes up the flank. I'd favour whipped crosses for this team.

Two Ball Playing Defenders? Liverpool don't play that way. Martin Skrtel and Dejan Lovren are both Stoppers. I don't know much about Sakho but judging by the size of him I think he's a Stopper, too. I prefer one of each, in true Gary Pallister-Steve Bruce/Rio Ferdinand-Nemanja Vidic tradition. I think Phil Jones-Chris Smalling were intended to form the same kind of partnership for United.

 

[shrimpsauce]

thanks guys

Thanks guys, these really help a lot, hope that there will not be any problem afterward.