Struggling with 4231

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mfernott

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Hi folks

New to FM after many years of not playing and am struggling to get a tactic to work.

Im managing Bristol city and with the players I have it seems ideally suited to a 4231 but it's really not playing well at all.

I'm losing almost every game (6 defeats in 10 and only 1 win) but my squad is probably decent enough for mid table so I'm thinking I'm going wrong somewhere with the tactic. Seems like such a minefield that I don't know where to start trying to tweak it!

My set up is

GK Luke McGhee
FBa Angelo Fulgini
CBd Aden Flint
CBd Hordur Magnusson
FBa Joe Bryan
BWMd Josh Scowen
DLPs Jens Hegeler
Wa Jamie Paterson
APs Lee Tomlin
Ws Callum O'Dowda
TM Milan Djuric

Im often dominating possession and passing yet make very few clear cut chances.

I also cannot keep clean clean sheets and concede much more frequently than I should as the opposition don't make that many CCC either but I still concede twice as many as I'd like to.

Any tips much appreciated! I play on either control or counter depending on the opponent
 
Firstly what are your team instruction?

Player roles
Unless you're specifically are trying to make the tactic be based around wingers crossing the ball to the target man I'd look to change to wingers to inside forwards. They work much better especially with your attacking full backs overlapping.

I've never had much joy from target men so I'd be tempted to change him to a deep lying forward (s) (even if the game tells you he's best off as a target man). Also target man attracts the ball (same as playmakers, registas etc) so he might be forcing your players to hoof it long to him at times.

Instructions
Other things that are almost always a good idea, put hard tackling on all players, change to normal if they get a yellow. Make sure you have risky passing on your midfielders and strikers (I'd extend this to the whole team but others disagree). Also telling your team to set up more narrow helps defensively and also ends up helping offensively by you being able to win the ball back.

Dont take all this as gospel, but I'd make these changes to start and watch at least one half at full match highlights and see who isn't playing as they should then make further changes
 
Thanks that's very helpful.

Cant remember team instructions off the top of my head but I'm trying to play a short passing game so it was things like short passing, play out of defence, fairly low tempo etc.

Will try adopting your changes and looking for the differences!
 
Sounds good, I find I get better results with short and low tempo. I can never get direct working for me.

Make sure you're defensive line isn't too high when playing control, I'd probably keep it standard. And I'd try Fluid to start with (essentially makes your lines closer together), which helps with the short passing, as well as winning the ball back. I avoid very fluid (or any extremes for that matter until I've got a good feel for how the tactics playing.)
 
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