Max's Tactical Guide

[Max]

sorry, only just seen these.

Hi Max, what tips could you give to obtain a solid, sturdy defence. I create my own tactics and get the attack motives pretty much correct but cannot sort the defence out. Conceding quite a few goals.

i usually don't concede many goals in my tactics tbh, in my Arsenal save that i finished the first season last night (won the league and champions league in the first season), i only concede about 17/18 goals in the whole 38 games of the season, and scored about 65.

basically, don't be to dangerous, don't take so many risks when it's not necessary, if you're using wingers that are on 'attack', there isn't much need for your full backs to get forward and support, so put them on 'defend', along with your centre backs on 'defend', and then you've got 4 players on the 'defend' option which makes it a bit safer for you. i tend to use box to box midfielders quite a bit, if the work rate is right. i've recently been using Fabregas and Ireland in centre midfield as box to box midifielders, as i was giving them freedom but they were wasting it, so i took it away from them and made them into sort of 'workhorses' and it's made me a lot more defensively secure. of course, make sure you've got some sort of threat going forward, i usually have 3-5 players on 'defend' in my team, 3-4 on 'attack' and all the others on 'support'. this gives a good balance of attack and defence and if you're players are good enough you'll have good success.

Right, sorry to bother but I have one issue with my changes to the tactic of mine and that is solving Rooney's lack of form. I play him as a Complete Forward - Attack in the 4-2-3-1 and he just isn't doing a good job, Macheda has scored 5 from 3 starts and Rooney hasn't scored in a while. Below is his form over the last few games and it is quite worrying. Anything you could suggest to sort this out, apart from relying on Macheda to sort out my problems
View attachment 85187

hey Jamie, no worries, not a bother.

take away a bit of his freedom, sometimes giving people too much freedom can lower their rating, and just makes them play badly and they lose confidence. play him as a poacher/advanced forward/ deep lying forward for a while, something less complicated like a complete forward. if he bags a few goals, his morale should shoot back up, and then possibly give him another try as a complete forward and if it doesn't work just keep him on something simpler.

I was just wondering, with what you said on the first page, would it be any different to a league 2 team?
Thanks

in which part specifically?

creative freedom wise, yes, it would be, as they won't be as good as the standard of Premier League players etc so need to be more disciplined.

 

[flamindamon]

in which part specifically?

creative freedom wise, yes, it would be, as they won't be as good as the standard of Premier League players etc so need to be more disciplined.

Yeah, just anywhere really.

Ok, I'll do that.
Thanks

 

[Max]

I'm gonna close this for a while, as I don't want it to be clogged up with requests and me not being here to take them.

 

[Max]

Re-opened.

 

[123hello]

Max, how do you choose between Inside Forwards on Attack or Support duty? or TargetMan on Attack and Support? So the main question how do you choose the correct role?

 

[Luke]

Max, how do you choose between Inside Forwards on Attack or Support duty? or TargetMan on Attack and Support? So the main question how do you choose the correct role?

Well the Inside Forward work best on Attack as it allows them to get forward more, and a Target Man on Support is likely to be more static on one on Attack.

So I would go for Support on the Target Man and Inside Forwards on Attack

 

[Max]

Well the Inside Forward work best on Attack as it allows them to get forward more, and a Target Man on Support is likely to be more static on one on Attack.

So I would go for Support on the Target Man and Inside Forwards on Attack

This.

Cheers Luke

 

[Chris]

Thought I'd read through this again and am incorporating some of this stuff into my own tactics.

Brilliant Max.

 

[123hello]

Okay thanks guys.

I want to build a 4-5-1 (mourinho) but kind find a good one anywhere!!!


I also struggle at making it myself

 

[TBell95]

I was just wondering, how can i get my playmaker (Fabregas) to touch the ball more often throughout the match, and pass more. At the moment, he is only getting around 40 passes a match, where he should be around 80+

Thanks.

 

[Max]

I was just wondering, how can i get my playmaker (Fabregas) to touch the ball more often throughout the match, and pass more. At the moment, he is only getting around 40 passes a match, where he should be around 80+

Thanks.

Hmm, have you actually got the box ticked for him to be the playmaker on the 'Primary Playmaker' option? Also have you got any others 'playmakers' in your team, it might be because the creativity is being shared around your team more, or that your playing direct to your forwards so he's not seeing that much of the ball.

 

[KluivertsBoots]

Max, your point on set piece marking (zonal vs. man) is right on. I've used mainly zonal marking through years of playing, and the only way I've conceded consistently is via the set piece. My defensive records have usually been top of the league despite that, but that's probably because I'm too scared to go play with Dag & Red. I only play with good sides. (H)

I'm using man marking with my aggressive Bielsa tactic and will let you know how that goes.

The thing I would add with regard to man marking is that composure and concentration are very important. Composure is obvious enough, but concentration is often overlooked. Concentration ties directly with marking. A player of low concentration will get your keeper (and your net) in a lot of trouble.

 

[Max]

Max, your point on set piece marking (zonal vs. man) is right on. I've used mainly zonal marking through years of playing, and the only way I've conceded consistently is via the set piece. My defensive records have usually been top of the league despite that, but that's probably because I'm too scared to go play with Dag & Red. I only play with good sides. (H)

I'm using man marking with my aggressive Bielsa tactic and will let you know how that goes.

The thing I would add with regard to man marking is that composure and concentration are very important. Composure is obvious enough, but concentration is often overlooked. Concentration ties directly with marking. A player of low concentration will get your keeper (and your net) in a lot of trouble.

Cheers man, thanks for taking the time to read up.

Yeah would be good to see how you do with that, and good luck creating the tactic.

Agreed. I always look for defenders with high concentration, otherwise it's just an accident waiting to happen, and can make your team look like a circus performance defensively.

Man marking FTW. (H)

 

[CalumE5]

Max - I worship you. I have a new Man City save and pre-season went alright, unbeaten, but my first league match was away at Man Utd. Then, I stumbled across this thread, so decided to try out your 4-4-2 advice, and let me tell you, it's worked a treat! We got a 1-0 win over Man Utd, so I can be very happy about that, hopefully it continues to work for future fixtures too!

EDIT: Just played secnd match at home to Liverpool and lost 2-1, maybe I got happy too soon. Any advice on what could've gone wrong?

 

[hellroker]

Max - I worship you. I have a new Man City save and pre-season went alright, unbeaten, but my first league match was away at Man Utd. Then, I stumbled across this thread, so decided to try out your 4-4-2 advice, and let me tell you, it's worked a treat! We got a 1-0 win over Man Utd, so I can be very happy about that, hopefully it continues to work for future fixtures too!

EDIT: Just played secnd match at home to Liverpool and lost 2-1, maybe I got happy too soon. Any advice on what could've gone wrong?

Come on! You lost one match and you ask whats wrong? IMO 2 matches isnt enough to test a tactic.Play some more matches

 

[TBell95]

I was just wondering how i managed to lose this game so badly? i think its just typical arsenal, trying to walk the ball into the net?

 

[Max]

I was just wondering how i managed to lose this game so badly? i think its just typical arsenal, trying to walk the ball into the net?

Seems you had 65% possession yet only 10 shots. Be more direct in your play and possibly take away a bit of creative freedom, you might be giving them too much and they're failing to create anything.

 

[Mike.]

would need a pkm and screenshots of you match analysis but straight off that, it looks like you got comepletly crushed on the counter.

 

[Eds]

What a brilliant guide. I was wondering; since I play with one striker, it would be better to float the crosses? My lone striker has 16 heading (I'm in League 1), and my attacking mid and centre mid can also head the ball. Would floating the crosses give them a tad more time to get into the box and possibly make those headers?

Oh how I would kill for a guide like this for 4-2-3-1...

 

[Mike.]

What a brilliant guide. I was wondering; since I play with one striker, it would be better to float the crosses? My lone striker has 16 heading (I'm in League 1), and my attacking mid and centre mid can also head the ball. Would floating the crosses give them a tad more time to get into the box and possibly make those headers?

Oh how I would kill for a guide like this for 4-2-3-1...

who are you playing as?

Max, lol sorry mate but i am zonal marking FTW. i base my games on interceptions rather than making the tackle. you can still lose the ballin the tackle, but in the interception you are on the ball and on the counter straight away