TheBetterHalf
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TBHs Converted FM09 Tactics for FM11
The Flat 442
Mainly for Middle Teams and Underdogs.
For those that remember, I made some plug & play tactics for FM09 suitd for middleteams and underdogs. A wek ago, I decided to load up FM09 and FM11 to manually convert these into this years edition. Naturally, I choose Classic Mode, just like in the old days.The Formation I chose was my all time favourite, the 442. In this thread, you will find 3 different version of the same tactic.
The reason for having 3 versions is to make sure that once you have gained success (and hopefully having strengthened your team) and teams start playing more cautious against you, you might have to play more attacking.
In short, there are 3 ways of playing with these tactics.
Aston Villa – Standard or using all 3 depending on the match odds
Blackpool – Cautious or using Standard as a home version and Cautious when away
Man U ( what, a top team??) – Yeah, it can be used with them as well – More Attacking
Flow of the Game
We play rather aggressive, direct and rely on counter attacks. We focus our play through the middle and whilst both central midfielders are set to hold up the ball, they still hit direct t-balls into channels for our wingers or attackers to run onto, either down the flank or through the middle. We can still hold possession in a nice way but if facing really good teams that sitts deep with lots of men behind the ball, our approach might not work, just like in real life if Man U decided to go out and win 1-0 against you at Old Trafford by playing in a rigid and cautious approach.
The Defence, Marking System and Press
We use Zonal marking through out the whole approach and at the back, tight marking is our way along with a reasonably high press. If you have really slow defenders with poor anticipation (i.e. being a underdog in a poorer league with some really good teams, like Greece, Turkey, Holland),I think this approach will perhaps fail. I must confess that I have only tried it in the 3 top tiers in England with teams like Wolves, Bolton, Ipswich, Scunthorpe (and more).
The Attack
Here, we use a left Forward that play on the shoulder of the last defender and moves into channels, holding up the ball until the rest of the team pushes up. To his right, we have a player that also moves into channels bit from deep. Both players, if playing with a middle team, get on the score sheet.
The Midfield
Here, our wingers don’t really act like normal wingers but more like defensive Inside forwards. They run with the ball but rarely make that direct t-ball or opening cross. Instead they try to drag the opponents apart by their movement and when getting the ball in the final third they tend to either make a easy pass after dribbling our go straight at goal
In the center of the park, we use one strong ball winning midfielder, playing higher up in the pitch and one more deep dropping creative MC that always looks for free space, roaming.
As usual, having really pacey attackers is a huge bonus, just like having a determined midfield and defenders with high stats in concentration and stamina. When playing with an underdog. Don’t use or sign a player just because he has a big name. Look at their stats instead and make use of the fact that team players are far more important than flair and dribbling. Apart from this, make sure that your Strong Ball winning MC is actually the strongest and best ball winner amongst your Central Mids just like your more creative one is the most creative and intelligent one
Cautious- Standard – Attack
More Attacking
Here, the Wingers are pushed up to AMR/L. We play more attacking, using more width, playing more aggressive, playing shorter in a slower tempo. In short, we play higher up in the pitch trying to get the ball back in possession and when getting it, we play more patient to break up the more defensive opponents
Cautious
Here, we play very cautious with few runs form deep and lots of players holding up the ball, all within a more narrow and tighter formation
If you have a good understanding of the game mechanism, then use your knowledge. If you have to ask, then I would not tinker to much with it but instead use none or Defensive positioning
If you have a good understanding of the game mechanism, then use your knowledge. If you have to ask, then I would not tinker with it at all, perhaps leaving it to your assistant manager if he can handle it. Personally, I use them a great deal when micro managing and I concentrate on dangermen with specific competence as well as disturbing the build up of the opposition
Again, if you have a good understanding of the game mechanism, then use your knowledge. If you have to ask, then I would not tinker too much with it, perhaps leaving it to your assistant manager
I like a standard pitch, not too long, not too short. Not too wide, not too narrow. Boring answer eh.
In my last save, I managed 2 teams at the same time.
Scunthorpe
- with a media prediction of 23rd – Using Cautious only
Here, we rocked the league despite having the by far worst team in the league.
Wolves
with a media prediction of 17th – Using the Standard version only
As you see, we won some against really good teams but lost some as well. Against slightly better teams and equal teams, we dominated most matches. If having used the more Cautious version against the top teams, we might have got more points
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