Need more goals

[aslaram]

Hi all,

I'm Man City.

1st Season I won the league and League Cup
2nd Season I finnished second in league, won Champions League and League Cup.

I was disappointed to of finnished second (though I didn't expect to win the champions league) as I lost it with just two games to go. I believe the reason I didn't win it was because I didn't get enoguh of a goal scoring contirbution from anywhere in the midfield. My strikers have to be relied on heavily to get the goals, and every now and then super keeper kicks in and with 20+ shots I lose 1-0. This was never a problem in the 2008 one because my midfielders would get 10-25 (especially Van Der Vaart) but I just can't get them to score on this.

Is there a problem with the patch, or is it me?

I am playing on version 9.02

Is there anything I can do to free up the midfielders to score more goals, but without ruining the balance of my team?

Also - I can't play with an AM because they always get very poor 6- ratings.

 

[Zebedee]

Main problem I spotted with 9.02 is that long balls through the middle seem to be too effective. Not an exploit really, because the AI teams use it too. But it does mean your defensive line might need to be further back than you'd think, or you need to make sure your keeper is really good at sweeping behind them. If you can, switch to 9.3.

Goals from midfield now need either a player who is willing to get into the box on a fast break, or one who can score goals from distance against packed defences. I'm guessing with Manchester City, you're seeing the packed defences problem.

One way to solve the problem without dramatic changes to your style of play is to consider lowering the tempo a little and increasing the timewasting a little against teams which are very defensive when playing you. This should lead to players having a bit more time on the ball and so improve their decision making, leading to better crossing and better long-range shooting.

Personally, I'd look at tweaking your tactics for such teams. Give yourself more width (having one of the fullbacks overlap your winger and that winger cutting inside is one way), press the ball higher up the pitch (tough to do with the long ball through the centre being too effective in 9.2 patch) or try to draw the opposition out by playing a possession based game in the middle of the pitch.

 

[aslaram]

Oh dear, sounds like I'm in trouble then, beacause all the things you have said to do I already do. I use defensive line +1/2 above half. My fullbacks definitely overlap, I already play a patient game with short passing between the backline and 2 central midfielders, with a mixture of mixed and direct passing between wingers and strikers. I play a flat 4 in midfield and one of the CM's is set more as a defensive midfielder, though he has through balls as often, which works to great affect (if you're a striker).

Never mind. The quest for midfield goals goes on, and on.........and on!

 

[Zebedee]

A defensive line at around 11/12 isn't really that high - I play a 4-4-2, and 12 is the setting I use for my 'standard' tactic. If the long ball 'bug' wasn't in operation, you could really push it up - I mean pushing it up so high that you have to play the offside trap.

What sort of tempo are you playing at? What sort of creative freedoms have you got set? What free roles do you allow?

 

[aslaram]

I tried playing a high line as a trial version and I was being demolished. The way I have it leaks very few goals, so I won't tinker with that as not many goals scored + goals conceded = Games drawn and lost.

My full backs are normal mentality and creative freedom, short passing, forward run, run with ball and crossing (byline) often, long shots rare, through balls mixed.

Wingers are maximum attacking and have highish creative freedom, passing is mixed (if I remember it's about +4/5. Forward runs, run with ball, crossing (mixed - was byline) often, through balls and long shots mixed.

My midfielders are a blend of the following.

Forwards runs, run with ball, long shots and crossing mixed. Through balls often. Passing mixed -2/3. very defensive, tight marking, normal creativity.

And

Forward runs, long shots, through balls often. Rest as mixed. Attacking +4, creative freedom +6/7, passing mixed+1, free role.

My team play a slowish build up (I think it's about -3/4 and tempo I think is -2) sorry I'm at work and can't check it for definite.

I won't go into strikers as I'm more than happy with them. If I can just squeeze out some midfield goals I'll be very happy. Any thing else needed let me know.

 

[Zebedee]

Definitely no chance of you upgrading to 9.3? The long ball bug in 9.2 will really limit things.

Who are your 4 midfielders? Will look at this tomorrow when I'm awake - I'm nocturnal atm and it's time for me to sleep.