The 'duracell' tactic (for all non tactical managers)

[rookiemanager]

The 'duracell' tactic
Introduction
Im no tactician and i am also new to football manager, but i have created the 'duracell' philosophy tactic. it is 3 set tactics (saved on match prep) that works together to reserve player energy levels until the latter half of a match.
It is designed for players to relax, but to the point where it is not letting the opponents much space to attack and it isnt that defensive aswell. Furthermore it then allows you the option to go full throttle when you need a goal on 60+ minutes.
Seems to have worked SO FAR in my game. I will post screenshots (if i knew how to) or/and at least give you an insight in results etc and will be analysing this tactic to see if it is a tactic for someone who struggles alot (like me) in finding an average+ set of tactics.
I will be doing this at the end of my first season, giving everyone a run-down on how successful this has been with my game. If it is successful or at least average, i will be posting screenshots or telling you the layout of this tactic.
Misc
Furthermore i have brought no players and the players i have got have mixed player roles/duties. I am Mile oak, in the tier 9 county leagues (after my edit on editor, didnt know how to do 'make' tier 10), predicted 7th, so i should do well anyways. All players in my team are 'made-up' by the pc. I will let you know how i get on and give a full run-down if successful or average, for you yourself to test this tactic set.
Update
Brief Update (edited every now and then, until end of season whereby i give full details on set tactics and in depth analysis)
Done well in friendlies, playing 14 friendlies (happy pre season apart from games 2, 3 and 4 where you could argue unfamiliar with tactics). Drew with Hinckley being a proud moment.
In league, played 9, 2nd place (though some teams got game in hand), won 6, drew 2, lost 1, for 17 against 9. Beat a team in tier 8 on penalties in one of my created cups. Win away and at home. Things on the up so far. Just beat three Bridges 3-0 away 2 games ago.

 

[slbenficacoach]

Seems a good idea I guess ^^

 

[rookiemanager]

The results of the duracell tactic

I just completed my first full season using these 'duracell' set of tactics. As you can see, Mile Oak came 3rd, beating my prediction (7th).

I could of done better, but i was 4 places above then what was predicted, so this must mean the duracell set of tactics must have some degree of success. I gather theres many better tactics out there, but with this set of tactics tested, it proves this set is better then average. I did win half my games and all friendlies were against stronger opponents.

Improvements to be made for next season and conclusion
I appear defensively, having the 3rd best defence but mid table on scoring. This maybe because i wasnt confident in using tactic 3 (my aggressive tactic) that much. To be honest, i rarely used tactic 3 only using it when losing, drawing or losing in a cup game (penalties after 90 mins) or drawing against a weaker team; all on 60 minutes+.

This set of tactics looks at fitness levels in match and off match. My results 'seem' to be working more for a congested fixture list (without working it out yet). With this said, i believe there is a big difference in playing through a congested fixture list and a resting fixture list. I believe (although i am about to work it out when i have time) that there should be two different mind sets here when using this set of tactics (to be covered later);

-How to think in a congested fixture list (in a match 1-4 days before another match);
-How to think in a resting fixture list (match 5+ days before another match);

I will be comparing the results for both 'congested' and 'resting' fixtures. To see how much of a difference there is in results.

But before this evaluating this. I will be posting my duracell tactics. Btw this is my first time in using screenshots.

 

[rookiemanager]

Tactics

The screenshots below are the three tactics that i have used this season. All 3 are 442 and here is when they have been used for the season (though depending on the results of congested and resting compare, this may change 'slightly' for next season);

Tactic 1
Used at match start if underdog or when winning or when drawing+ against a better side. As i appeared defensively this season, i may put the d-line up 1 notch next season in this tactic.

Tactic 2
Used at match start if favourite or when losing or when drawing+ against a weaker side.

Tactic 3
Used on 60 minutes when losing or used on 60 mins when drawing against a weaker side. This may change (i will let you know). I may use this tactic more often next season as i appeared defensively this season. Depending on the congested and resting part of my guide, i may implement this on 45 mins against weaker teams if drawing/losing and 60 mins against stronger teams if (losing and) drawing.

Next, i will compare congested and resting results in the fixture list. I will compare the success in results and evaluate a plan of action for next season if i believe there is a difference in results. I am counting draws in friendlies as a positive as every team i faced were match favourites.

 

[rookiemanager]

Congested fixture list v resting fixture list

I have worked out every game of the season by comparing games that had to reserve energy levels (next match in a few days see 'congested' as described earlier) and those games where i focused too much on reserving energy levels (see 'resting' games as described earlier, by playing narrow etc and possibly wasting a game that i might have won if using tactic 3 more in the second half).

I worked things out using this method;

Friendlies=all games drawn/won
Other=home win or away draw/win

Congested games
34 matches were played. 24 were =70%

Resting games
33 matches were played. 21 were =63%

Only a 7% difference. Doesnt sound alot. Although it still is a difference. I also noticed generally, the fixture list was more congested at the first half of the season and i appeared to be doing slightly better then. Take into account that team gelling (i brought no players in), should better in second half of the season, and the players are more used to the tactics with the bars on match preperation filling up more, you would think that the second half is likely to be better and in fact it wasnt, as a 4 horse race soon became 3rd place with a distance on 1st.
So with this said, i do feel that there needs to be 2 different mind sets for games where you have or havent a congested fixture list. I have learnt a bit in my first full season in the game. Next season i need to not 'waste' games when in 'resting' games.

For the tactics to work best, field players with 95%+ fitness levels.

I will have to use tactic 3 more in the second half, in matches where there is no need to reserve energy (due to the next match, being 5, 6 or 7+ days away). I made the mistake this season by playing tactics 1 and 2 too much. I expect/hope for slight improvement. Although this tactic is a starting point for me and im fairly happy with it.

Match prep was 'team blend' on highest until 'fluid' then at that stage, i did it 'very low'. The second Crawley Down league match onwards, was on 'attacking movement' every match as i at that point was not scoring enough goals.

I will be evaluating/continuing with this guide the next season, to further improve this 'duracell' tactic with these slight changes as described beforehand.

[COLOR=#00e0]---------- Post added at 08:21 AM ---------- Previous post was yesterday at 11:04 PM ----------[/COLOR]

Due to the release of patch 3, with it being 'better' apparantly, i will have to start my game again. On patch 2, the lowest tier has mixed all the teams after-all. I went from the Sussex league to a northern league and its as if the game randomised all the tier 9 teams into different leagues, kind of amusing lol (a bug in the game for English county divisions in patch 2 i read somewhere) and although i thought of continuing the game, i just gather everyone else will be using the new update anyways.

However with this said, i will continue with this guide and will implement my new mind-set changes into my new save.

Dont know when im posting on this guide but i will continue with it. Update end of season.

[COLOR=#00e0]---------- Post added at 10:56 AM ---------- Previous post was yesterday at 08:21 AM ----------[/COLOR]

Im in Western county league. Doing very well with weakest team in the league so far, im in august atm. I cant even remember the team name im managing, but its begins with an A. 'A______ and Bakewell' lol. Screenshots of use of my tactic for season 2 will be posted and tactics will be tested again/evaluated at end of season, with the improvements i discussed above.

Please dont laugh at the league table when i post screenshots at end of season. There are alot of teams that i added to the league (39-due to adding all the teams in 'a lower division' to all tier 9 county leagues on editor). Last season i picked the poorest Mile Oak and this season i picked the weakest media predicted team in biggest league in tier 9 (after edit).

Excellent start so far. 2nd place after 15 games. With being new to this football manager it makes me happy creating a good set of tactics. Hope it continues. Screenshots at end of season.

 

[rookiemanager]

Update 2nd testing

Here is media prediction compared to final standings in the league. This current season i have just finished, i have brought some players. They may not be the best but i thought they were good enough; (i didnt look at these 'regens' etc or suggested players as i didnt want a helping hand with transfers, so players i brought could be absolutely rubbish, or they could be good)

Remember my explaination as to why there are 39 teams in this league (see previous post).

I didnt use tactic 3 much so appeared defensively again (not scoring many goals). This time the reason being, i had such a congested fixture list.

As you can imagine (by looking at the screenshots below), i did very well but very gutted not to have gone up using my duracell tactics :-(. This was in a congested fixture list.

So i think my tactics are good enough to use . No point continuing with this guide unless i get requests to do a further season test on these 'duracell' tactics. Hope this guide helps others.

Any requests on this then i will do a 3rd season test on these tactics, if no more requests, i dont have to explain my tactic set much further. I just hope my set of tactics helps some people if they are stuck, thats all.

Here are the screenshots;

 

[rookiemanager]

I would like to add, i only had 5 strikers aswell throughout season and 1-2 were injured most of the time and i couldnt get no more as they wouldnt up the wage budget again.