Some advice with my tactic please

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Morrow

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I'm a complete newbie to the FM game but learning fast and enjoying reading these forums. I wanted to get some advice on my tactics.

*Sorry I'm skiving in work atm so can't do any screenshots!

GK
LWB(support)
CB(defend)
CB(defend)
RWB(attack) - Or maybe complete WB.
DM(defend)
CM(support)
APM(attack)
L-WG(support)
R-IF(attack)
AF(attack)

Now as I understand it, the best way to get a balanced team is to have around 3-4 guys in each of the defending, transition and attacking phases of play. I think that the above formation cover that fairly well.

I'm not 100% sure on the instructions as I don't have them in front of me, but the general idea is to give a large amount of freedom to the wide players and try to play most of my attacking football down the one side (this can be changed to exploit a weak FB on either side). The APM would hold the ball up to allow transition.

I'm wondering if an Advance Playmaker is the best selection to go with. I'm concerned that I've not focused enough effort on the transitional phase of play.

Any views or feedback would be welcome.
 
I have a very similar tactic at the moment and I have my advanced play maker on support and my central midfielder on attack just because I don't want my play maker shooting based on his stats and the CM I'd like to see do a lot of everything. If you want to focus on play on the right I'm guessing based on how you listed it then what I would do is watch it on full highlights and just check if they are utilising that side enough, if not then it would be worth putting it onto Exploit the Right Flank. As your left midfielder is on support he will be less likely to push to the byline, maybe if you want him to have some more freedom change his role because as a winger is more likely to stick out wide, compared to inside forward/raudemeter/wide playmaker etc.

What I would do is maybe check how your advanced playmaker does on both support duty and attack duty as I'd imagine on an attack duty he will push forward a lot more than on a support role, but then that could more depend on what you want him to do when you lose the ball than with it.
 
Basically, what you want to do is stretch them, create space and exploit that space. For example, you can use a supporting striker to drop deep, pull defenders with him, and have someone run into that space with an attack duty. You probably want to use a winger with attack duty on one flank, to stretch them wide there, and inside forward with attack duty on the other flank to have someone cut inside. Striker and his partner are very important. Your AF will push up and be the focal point, so it would be smart to have a supporting duty attacking mid or advanced playmaker behind him, which is fit for a highly structured setup, but best teams usually use a supporting striker and attacking partner in a fluid setup. Playmakers generally fit a short passing approach, while non specialised roles and those relying on physicallity will fit a direct approach. At this moment, your right IFA wants to go into space occupied by AF, while your Ws isn't doing anything particulary usefull
 
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If I understand what you are saying, my tactic would be better with a deep lying forward to draw defenders out and the left winger set to attack, with my APM set to support the forward.

Am I understanding correctly?
 
I would set your striker to F9 or DLF(s), the winger to attack, the IF to support, the advanced playmaker to support and the central midfielder to attack. This provides you with width, depth, mobility and penetration
 
Thanks for the feedback, that makes sense in terms of how to open up space in the attacking area. I'll give it a try!
 
Keep in mind that the more you ask of your players, the more fluid your team shape must be. A natural thing for defenders is defending, midfielders support, and strikers attack. If you want them to do more then that, pick a more fluid team shape. Sticky at this forum explains that into detail, so have a look.
 
A few tips:
1. choose roles that suit your players.
2. Asymmetrical formations should usually be played on fluid or very fluid settings.
3. When testing a new formation try using balanced instead of attacking or defending.
4. If you are playing the advanced playmaker in an attacking midfielder position play him as support, if in a central midfield position play him in attack.
5. If you are using on central midfielder only play him as box-to-box as he will fulfil both attacking and defensive duties.
6. Playing with inside forwards makes you weaker in defence on the side he plays on. If you want to be more solid in that position play him as a wide-midfielder, with instructions to cut inside and dribble more often.
 
After playing with this a little I have gone with the following tactic.

GK
WBL(s)
CB(d)
CB(d)
WBR(s/a)
LW(a)
APM(s)
BWM(d)
CM(a)
IF-R(a)
DLF(s)

I can now see the times when my DLF/Mids have pulled defenders away from the oppossission area and created space for the wide players to slot into and score. I've also noticed a marked improvement in the effectivness of counter attacks with the mids rushing forwards to support the wide players.

After reviewing it at the end of the season I realised that my instructions still very much reflected the more patient possession football that I had played with my previos tactic. I have review and reduced the instructions for the new season and will post on how it works out.
 
awsm13 said:
A few tips:
1. choose roles that suit your players.
2. Asymmetrical formations should usually be played on fluid or very fluid settings.
3. When testing a new formation try using balanced instead of attacking or defending.
4. If you are playing the advanced playmaker in an attacking midfielder position play him as support, if in a central midfield position play him in attack.
5. If you are using on central midfielder only play him as box-to-box as he will fulfil both attacking and defensive duties.
6. Playing with inside forwards makes you weaker in defence on the side he plays on. If you want to be more solid in that position play him as a wide-midfielder, with instructions to cut inside and dribble more often.
Click to expand...

Thanks, with regards to your last point I had noticed I was vulnerable on the wings due to using complete wing backs in a forward position so I changed it to supporting wing backs in line with the central defenders. I will watch a few matches and consider switching my IF-R to a winger.
 
Morrow said:
After playing with this a little I have gone with the following tactic.

GK
WBL(s)
CB(d)
CB(d)
WBR(s/a)
LW(a)
APM(s)
BWM(d)
CM(a)
IF-R(a)
DLF(s)

I can now see the times when my DLF/Mids have pulled defenders away from the oppossission area and created space for the wide players to slot into and score. I've also noticed a marked improvement in the effectivness of counter attacks with the mids rushing forwards to support the wide players.

After reviewing it at the end of the season I realised that my instructions still very much reflected the more patient possession football that I had played with my previos tactic. I have review and reduced the instructions for the new season and will post on how it works out.
Click to expand...

I noticed you don't have a holding mid. Might cause an issue.
 
You just need someone who holds his position. Your BWM will not do that.
 
WJ said:
You just need someone who holds his position. Your BWM will not do that.
Click to expand...

Yeah I'm pretty sure I have him set to hold position and to hang back during set pieces, etc.
 
Morrow said:
What would you suggest? I could swap the CM for a different role.
Click to expand...

Well, I already told you to look at the sticky. CMd, DLPd, HB, Anchor man, are all holding roles. Look at the sticky and see what you could combine with your fluidity. You will need one playmaker, one holding role, one agressor and one runner, to have a proper working midfield. Some roles and duties combine more of these tasks. Regarding the forwards, you also need to combine one guy or more who will create, and one who will score. Creators usually have vision, scorers have finishing.

This could be of help:

Central Midfielders | Football Manager 2015 Guide

or, you can try using non specialised roles first to see how that goes first.
 
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Morrow said:
Yeah I'm pretty sure I have him set to hold position and to hang back during set pieces, etc.
Click to expand...

No, hold position tells him not to go forward when you have possession. The issue with a BWM as your holder is that he will just chase down anyone with the ball - so he won't hold at all. He's going to vacate his defensive position often, leaving big gaps in front of the defence.
 
WJ said:
No, hold position tells him not to go forward when you have possession. The issue with a BWM as your holder is that he will just chase down anyone with the ball - so he won't hold at all. He's going to vacate his defensive position often, leaving big gaps in front of the defence.
Click to expand...

Right, I understand. I'll have a look at the positions and think about a change.
 
For example, a DLPd and BWMd will do all 4 tasks in a 2 man midfield. If you have three players, you can choose a different duty for one of these, and assign the fourth task to the third player. If you have a 4 man midfield, you can assign everyone with just one single task, be it creating, holding, running or wining the ball.
 
Morrow said:
Thanks, with regards to your last point I had noticed I was vulnerable on the wings due to using complete wing backs in a forward position so I changed it to supporting wing backs in line with the central defenders. I will watch a few matches and consider switching my IF-R to a winger.
Click to expand...

Another tip, only use wingbacks if you dont have any wide-midfielders or wingers/inside-forwards. Fullbacks in support/attack duty will overlap if the situation is right, if you choose fullbacks in attacking duty they will always overlap.

My recommendation is, if you want to use an inside forward use a fullback either on defensive or support duty
 
Thanks again for the feedback. I've tested this out with a flat 3x CM setup of CM(d), APM(s) and BWM(s). I've had mixed results over a few games where I seem to either smash it or struggle to a draw. I'm considering changing to an attacking triangle with an ACM-APM(s), CM(d) and a B2B(s) as I feel this will give better penetration.

I am also going to change my WB to FB's and see how that works out.

Treating this all as a learning opportunity as I'll be starting a new save soon I think.
 
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