I am currently 2nd in the league with AFC Wimbledon in my first season. The Tactics I play are a 4-5-1 counter using both flanks. These tactics worked brilliantly early on in the season and I went almost half the season unbeaten with my main striker getting 15 goals. By this stage I was 6 points clear at the top. However, for the last 2 months I have struggle a lot and have only won 2 from 10 games and I have therefore dropped to 2nd. My question is how can I get the team playing and scoring like it was early on in the season? Any help appreciated
There can be many reasons for it.
- The opponents now sits deeper with more men behind the ball, meaning that your Wingers now almost always face both an fullback and a winger when he is to dominate his flank. They can also be more likely to play more compact and try to drag you on to them.
+ Here, you need to play more patient, perhaps use overlaps and let the wingers be on support
- The players are getting complacentr, having won so much
+ Here its important to let them know that there is no room for it in todays football
- Your players got out of form and/or had played too many matches
+ Here, you need to rotate the squad more and let players rest until they are match fit or regain their form
- Having started to loose, it can be hard to get back on a winnnig track, player loosing out in confidence. The worst scenario is a player that is actually slightly complacent and then starts to get anxious and nerous when things dont go his way
+ Here, you need to have a talk with the players after a loss. Talk to the players one by one and depending on their form and morale, comfidence etc, you shoudl either show them faith or tell them that you do expect much more from them
- The pitch condition is now poor, meaning that your players will have a harder time to close down ( stamina) and use short passes.
+ Grind out a few results by playing more direct, dont try anything fancy
MOst of these suggestions are tings that one should have thought of/implemented
in time though and as it is now, you might be in for trouble. Try to grind out a few results by playing ugly. If you are 1-0, then dont go for 2-0 but instead, defend and try to settle for a draw and praise the players afterwards for being on the right track.