Agree that it is more fun to start your career in the lower levels. I am currently on my third manager in the opening season with Nuneaton Town and, in case you didn't know, they are dreadfully poor.
But your post also makes me wonder if tactics don't mean as much as we want them to. My first manager who got the sack at Nuneaton was hired by Tranmere Rovers on account of his national reputation as a player (I guess). Results there were only so-so, but upon getting one U23 midfield player from a League One team, everything is suddenly working.
I get that Nuneaton is not going to defeat Man City no matter what the tactics are, but you'd like to think there is some potential for upward mobility there within the league via good tactical management and training and not just by bringing in new players.
I should add that I played the game A LOT for a few years in the early 200s, but haven't played for 8 or 9 years and just got the new game last week. Having a blast, but basically staggering around in the dark...drunk.
You are right that good tactical management/training is the way to go. I don't know how people run there LLM clubs, but if you mostly play it as a big club you will get hammered. Bigmattb28 does have a valid point (I apologize if my post seemed like a shot at you it wasn't meant to come across that way). If you use a "Look at this unstoppable tactic" is flawed for two reasons for LLM people. 1. as matt said is that people are buying the best and youngest players to fit in and will dominate. 2. most of those tactics have certain players who need who have certain traits to play it. That's all fine and dandy but when you use the LLM it doesn't get the same results. Sure you might win games, but you won't be blowing teams out or posting shut outs in consecutive games.
What my post above was referring to is if you play in LLM, a lot, and honestly I haven't played as a big club since I got the game in 2008, you learn that LLM is a totally different, satisfying beast. Sure I will get blown out in Champs League or might not even make it there the first couple of years (I got lucky in my Iceland saved and made it to the group stage as a Semi professional team my first dive into the Champs league). You learn that you have to play a tighter, and sometimes not so expressive formation. I could post my team and I bet 90 percent of people who never played in LLM would think it's crazy how I am winning with the type of players. I even bench players who have "better" stats than others, but they are more determined, composed, or have the stats that I know I need from certain positions.
I posted my tactics, but I assume if people just plug it into their team they might not get the same results. I got lucky in signing a good GK, D, and a ST in my second year and that has been the world of difference (especially making my way to the Group Stage) because of those players. They aren't world class players, but they fit the type of players in their stats and qualities that I look for so they are amazing to me until I can get some regens to phase them out.
Also people think tactics will work on both home and away. I tweak my tactics a lot throughout the season. It's subtle changes, but changes here and there. Letting players be more expressive, width of the field, staying on feet, how I attack the opponent (from crosses to just working it inside the box). I never found a tactic to just use and never change anything at all throughout the years, but like I said my tactic has served me well as of now so there isn't really any huge changes I would make to it. Until about 8-10 years when the regens starting coming in amazing (cause my facilities should be top class then) and then I can be more fluid and let the players roam to score more.
Right now it's just limit the scoring of opponents and win games. Sure I might go in a shell and win 1-0 in a Champs playoff game and give up 20 shots, but only 6 are on target while I put up 9 shots and 5 are on target. Most of the shots I see the computer take are lots of crosses (I let them run down the flanks but everyone is tight nit in the back like real Iceland NT that most of the shots are not even on target or if they are its straight to the keeper).
If you are looking for a tactic to win in a LLM game sure you might find one that you win 4-0, or even 5-1, but those are going to be few and far in-between. I rather win 70 percent of my games with 1-0 and 2-1 scores than run a tactic I might put up 100 goals in a season but also only win like half of my games since I am leaving open lanes for easy goals to be scored against me.
Which again I don't think there is going to be an unstoppable amazing tactic that you will win every game by 3 or more goals. If that is what you are looking for good luck. Maybe someone better at doing tactics can make that. For LLM you just need a tactic that puts your team and the type of players you have in the best position to win. If that is a 1-0 score for most games I don't know why that would be a problem since you are winning. Again each team and league has different strengths. Again if you play LLM for a long time you should know what to look for and what type of players who need (buying or regens). Best of luck to all and hopefully everyone does find a tactic to use. If mine helps awesome if not then hopefully someone else's fits your scheme and players better.