Southampton FC, a tactical exercise on FM15

Fantastic thread! please keep it going :D One thing I'd like to ask (coz in the 6+ years of playing FM I've never actually looked at one) - What do you look for/at when you're viewing the oppositions Team Report? like in the Manutd one you say they have a weakness to width etc. Like what do you see and how do you know how to "counter" it.

Keep up the good work!
 
cobrauk said:
Fantastic thread! please keep it going :D One thing I'd like to ask (coz in the 6+ years of playing FM I've never actually looked at one) - What do you look for/at when you're viewing the oppositions Team Report? like in the Manutd one you say they have a weakness to width etc. Like what do you see and how do you know how to "counter" it.

Keep up the good work!
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Thanks! I tend to look at their most used formation in order to get an idea of what their lineup and formation would be. Their assist areas tell you where you need to ensure that you are defensively strong and their goal conceded assist areas tell you where to exploit, or where to put your playmaker. Looking at the manager of the team will also tell you what playing style, defending style, formation and others he/she prefers
 
Started a new save with Southampton due to FM 15 release. Gonna keep up what I was doing before, but without the mistakes I made before (signing Patrick Roberts who was not needed was a huge one). I will also try my best to stick with the philosophy of possession football. Hopefully we'll do better than next time
 
Hi Dakofsta,

I really enjoy your tactics and the explanation of each situation. Can you please tell us the player instructions for each tactic?

Keep up the good work :)
 
Good to see the mighty Saints marching on in FM15. I put so much time into making them European Champions in FM14 that I don't want to abandon that game, so I think I'm going to stick with it for another year and buy the next edition.

Anyway, I see you have the generic shields in your screenshots so here's a link to a folder in my Dropbox that contains badges for every team in England (except any that might be brand new for FM15):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jjcjhm3msfkpcp6/England.zip?dl=0
 
rocheyb said:
Good to see the mighty Saints marching on in FM15. I put so much time into making them European Champions in FM14 that I don't want to abandon that game, so I think I'm going to stick with it for another year and buy the next edition.

Anyway, I see you have the generic shields in your screenshots so here's a link to a folder in my Dropbox that contains badges for every team in England (except any that might be brand new for FM15):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jjcjhm3msfkpcp6/England.zip?dl=0
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Thanks! Been trying to find logo packs and player faces. I have never actually installed it myself so can you please tell me how to actually put it into the game?
 
Southampton update:

I have attempted to play possession football during this new save but I am struggling for two reasons. One is the fact that 90% of the teams I face seem built to destroy possession football (formations, strategies etc) and the other is that I don't have anyone who has the ppm 'Likes to dictate tempo'. I am now training that ppm into James Ward-Prowse and Morgan Schneiderlin and I may do the same to Will Hughes but I think it is time to give up on possession football and use it later on in the season when my players are more suited to it. The results have not been very good so far
View attachment 330200

Something very frustrating is happening this year. All but one of the goals I have conceded this season have been long shots and set pieces. Hopefully someone will come up with a corner defending tactic soon enough
 
Dakofsta,

I was looking for Player Instructions for each tactic, not the team instructions,


Thank u,
 
leartdushi said:
Dakofsta,

I was looking for Player Instructions for each tactic, not the team instructions,


Thank u,
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I change them all the time, but in general, if I'm going for possession I put everyone on shorter passing apart from my best long range passers and make the inside forward sit narrower, for counter I make a lot of players play direct passes apart from the ones who suck at passing and for defensive I don't use player instructions
 
Team Instructions

dakofsta said:
I have decided to embark on the challenge of bringing Southampton to the upper echelons of world football and I am certainly looking forward to my journey towards there. This will be similar to last years 'Ozil + 10' thread.

Southampton lost many players over the summer and that has made the board give me a relatively simple target of finishing in the top half of the table. All players seemed to agree with those expectations, with the exceptions of James Ward-Prowse (whom I will be building my team around), Morgan Schneiderlin and Victor Wanyama. As I stated, James Ward-Prowse is the player I am looking to build my team around.
View attachment 699529
He is a fantastic player and suits my tactics very well, and is also English, homegrown players are always good to have in your team.The board have asked me to play possession football and attacking football, two things I love to do.

My tactical setup is a fairly simple 4-1-2-2-1, playing to the advantages of a strong midfield and a tall striker.
View attachment 699526
I have also made two other tactics, one is a counter attacking tactic which will be used in away games against in form teams or teams who play possession football and the other is a defensive tactic which will be used against teams at the top of the table and when I am leading a game and I want to see it off.
View attachment 699520View attachment 699523
Tweaks will be made throughout the save to allow the tactics to improve, and signings will be made depending on the strength of certain positions. Recommended signings are more than welcome, as are suggestions on how to improve my tactics
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Hiya - really interested to find out what your team instructions are for your counter attack and defensive tactics, do you have a screen shot?
 
daz1969red said:
Hiya - really interested to find out what your team instructions are for your counter attack and defensive tactics, do you have a screen shot?
Click to expand...


Working on a new one now, will post when available
 
Great thread dakofsta ! Southampton too, I identided the same positions as you for signings but went for different players. Tactics looking good. Keep up the thread ! :)
 
dakofsta said:
Thanks! Been trying to find logo packs and player faces. I have never actually installed it myself so can you please tell me how to actually put it into the game?
Click to expand...

I'm on an iMac so my file locations will be slightly different to yours - assuming you're on a PC - but on mine the logos are located in:

Users/Shared/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2014/graphics/clubs...

...and then I have 189 folders named by country - the English teams are in the England folder. In your case, it will be Football Manager 2015, obviously.
 
1. This is perhaps the best, most interesting thread currently going on FM Base!
2. You offer a lot of food for thought and play FM very realistically - imho the way it SHOULD be played.IE: irl managers dont just set up 1/2/3 formations/tactics etc which they use against teams come what may. Ive tried to play FM this way all my life too.
3. I find your TIs very interesting for two reasons: (a) They are not OTT and Ive found that this helps in FM, and, (b) they dont always include "expected" stuff, eg counter has lower tempo and no direct passing and wing play (or passing into space).

All around awesomeness though.

Now, as to beating the weaker teams, let me offer you a few ideas:

(a) Physical/long ball teams such as STOKE - match train def set pieces and be aggressive in mf but stand back in defence cos they ll try long balls behind you.
(b) Generally speaking you should get a pretty good idea about how matches will pan out within the first 20 minutes if you watch on extended (or better, comprehensive). For example (not forgetting that FM is a pc game) if you keep missing cccs or seeing their gk making wild saves, its the games way of showing you your current tactics arent likely to win you the match. So tweak every 10 minutes or so (reactively) till you get it.
(c) The ME in FM15 is a "bit" off in relation to crosses and goals as a result. You mostly will see yourself conceding -esp in the dying minutes from crosses to the near post or in middle between your 2 cbs. So try having your fbs close down more and turn into defence duties in the last minutes. Ive introduced player instructions to my wbs in all my tactics to close down more and Ive seen improvement though not eradication of that (eradication can only be dealt with by SI imho - and it CANT HAPPEN TOO SOON as its killing whats probably the best FM version ever).
 
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dakofsta said:
Southampton update:

I have attempted to play possession football during this new save but I am struggling for two reasons. One is the fact that 90% of the teams I face seem built to destroy possession football (formations, strategies etc) and the other is that I don't have anyone who has the ppm 'Likes to dictate tempo'. I am now training that ppm into James Ward-Prowse and Morgan Schneiderlin and I may do the same to Will Hughes but I think it is time to give up on possession football and use it later on in the season when my players are more suited to it.
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And typically its when I decide to utilise possession tactics (been playing all previous versions with aggressive direct styles).

Again a few ideas:

(a) Have a dlp defend in front of your cbs and have the cbs pass short. You can also have play from the back instruction though its not necessary (I dont use it against better teams than me.
(b) Use an ap/rp in the cm area and even a wp as well. This way you ensure ball possession.
(c) For what its worth my possession tactic is within a changing formation basis which is as follows:

i. TIs:/
ti.png



The formation has:

(a) SK
(b) 4 defenders - two bp cbs on defend and two wbs on automatic with instructions to close down more and shoot less.
(c) DLP defend sitting in front of them.
(d) 3 man mf which looks like a 4 man flat mf with the left winger/mfer missing. So from middle to right: rp support (sometimes attack), cm auto, and the right mf is a wp on support (sometimes attack)
(e) One am (l) who is actually a raumdeuter.
(f) One cf (complete forward attack) who is never placed in middle (always either slightly placed to the left or right).
 
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MANUMAD said:
And typically its when I decide to utilise possession tactics (been playing all previous versions with aggressive direct styles).

Again a few ideas:

(a) Have a dlp defend in front of your cbs and have the cbs pass short. You can also have play from the back instruction though its not necessary (I dont use it against better teams than me.
(b) Use an ap/rp in the cm area and even a wp as well. This way you ensure ball possession.
(c) For what its worth my possession tactic is within a changing formation basis which is as follows:

i. TIs:/
ti.png



The formation has:

(a) SK
(b) 4 defenders - two bp cbs on defend and two wbs on automatic with instructions to close down more and shoot less.
(c) DLP defend sitting in front of them.
(d) 3 man mf which looks like a 4 man flat mf with the left winger/mfer missing. So from middle to right: rp support (sometimes attack), cm auto, and the right mf is a wp on support (sometimes attack)
(e) One am (l) who is actually a raumdeuter.
(f) One cf (complete forward attack) who is never placed in middle (always either slightly placed to the left or right).
Click to expand...

Sounds like a tactic that would be brilliant but only for a specific team. I try to make my tactics very general to allow all of my players to fit into it in one way or another
 
dakofsta said:
Sounds like a tactic that would be brilliant but only for a specific team. I try to make my tactics very general to allow all of my players to fit into it in one way or another
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Spot on mate! Im using it with United. You re defo on the right track with making tactics general - its the way to go if you play reactively.
 
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