Some of you may remember me from the FM 2013 days where I created a cracking 4-2-3-1 which helped me win titles with Swansea and Southampton in the first season!Well this time I might be onto something again 
For others,read on,you will not be disappointed.
Background:
With FM 2014, I didn't get the game early and so instead of being able to create tactics, I just started getting them online and then editing them to suit my needs.Anyways, that got me so bored that FM 2014 was probably the only FM where I did not do a LLM challenge. So this time I was like I am going to get the Beta and start making my own tactics again. The result is this.
I like to play in such a way that the goalscoring in the team is distributed across the team rather than reliant on a certain number of people. I think I have created this with the 4-1-2-2-1 here. Initially, I had been dabbling to try and implement the two new roles and create something good but for some reason I couldn't. Anyways,later on I decided to try the roles I am more familiar with to get something going and the results have been fantastic. I haven't finished the full season yet but coming into February I am leading the BPL by 7 points! My team hasn't performed that well since I was constantly chopping and changing tactics till I came onto something which really plays well.
Screenshots:
Transfers made:
View attachment 332403
League Table:
View attachment 332408
Team Instructions:
View attachment 332404
Tactic Overview:
View attachment 332407
Fixture List:
View attachment 332406View attachment 332402
Best player:
View attachment 332405
About the tactic:
The Play:
The defence play a short passing game upto the midfielders who then look to springboard something quick with incisive passes.
Setpieces:
Attacking:
Corners are a great source of goals,I have been using the same system since FM14. It basically plays a ball into the penalty area for the onrushing midfielder to score.
High corner attribute needed,Make sure one of the central midfielders takes the corner a otherwise they might come in each others ways,it still works if someone else takes it though,but less effective.
If you have one of the attacking players taking the corner,set CM with lesser shot to either:
a)Attack the farpost or,
b)Lurk and the dm to default-----(These haven't been tested since Noble takes my corners and when he doesnt Cresswell does and then I just change the other cm to default and dm to stay back).
Defending:
Defending corners and freekicks(both direct and indirect) have been my biggest achiles heel(after rebounds). If anyone has any good ideas,would love to implement them.
Reacting to in game events:
Hold lead- 1)Drop Deeper, 2)Remove Offside Trap, 3) Change midfielders and fullbacks to not go forward so much(not tested yet)
Need a goal- 1)Go Attacking/Control
We are not having a great game-1)Fiddle with the mentality.Most probably the midfielders are being marked out of the game.2)Get them to swap with each other.
Opposition is just playing balls over the top for a quick striker- 1)Drop Deeper, 2)Remove Use Offside Trap
Got a player sent off- 1)Need a goal-Take off the dm. 2)Do not need a goal-Take off striker
Players:
Goalkeeper
Get someone with good handling,reflexes and aerial ability. The number of times I have conceded to rebounds is just ridiculous.
Defenders:
Good old fashioned centrebacks,with good aerial ability and decent speed.
Fullbacks:
Do not run on the ball a lot but have to make a decision about whether to pass or cross. Normal attributes with good decisions.
Defensive Midfield:
Someone who can anticipate danger and take care of it (Anticipation,Pace,Determination,Work Rate) while also having a head to spread play around diligently(Vision,Passing,Decisions). Ideally I would. Ideally I would like someone like Lucas Romero from FM 14.
Central MidfieldVVIP)
Good work ethic(teamwork,workrate),good ball retention and distribution skills(vision,passing,decisions,touch) and good finishing and long shots for the corners. They will be bombing forward and trying to make things happen while also helping win back the ball and starting attacks. Best of every world actually lol.
Wingers:
Quick,Pacey,Flair players with good vision and finishing.
Striker:
Drops Deep,plays in others and so good vision helps. Both pacey and big men seem to work. If you have a targetman,you will see your team bombing more crosses in,while if you have someone looking to beat the trap,you will see a lot of through balls.
Zarate is crazy good there.Carrol and Sakho have also done well.
Opposition Instructions:
Haven't used them yet but if I did,I would probably tightly mark the opposition wingers. They seem to be creating a lot of problems for my fullbacks.
Training:
Was on my assistants hands till December when I took over to rest players in order for the fixture congestion.Train individual players on the position while team cohesion for the team always helps!
Final Words:
This is still very much a work in progress(I got plenty of ideas while writing this lol) but the success I have had so far was so good that I couldn't resist sharing.Also the fact that I have Chelsea and Arsenal up next and might result in the start of the slump had a lot to do with it too lol.
Have a go at it and help me improve it with feedback.
Update:
I see a lot of questions regarding differences between the v3,the 4-2-3-1 and the OP tactic,this should clarify those questions.
I am a very proactive manager and keep on changing things around.As a result,the more I play,the more versions come out. The OP version was when I started the game in the BETA with West Ham,as I have played more with Leeds,Chelsea and then Hertha,newer versions have started coming up which seem to be better on the face of it.
Right now,I am alternating between 3 versions.
The v3
The Hertha tactic
and a 4-1-4-1,which was succesful with Chelsea but it seems it needs really good wingers for it to succeed(but its better defensively).So the 4-1-4-1 may be used as a lead holding version.
I haven't had a chance to play the new patch but it seemes people are doing quite well with it. I shall play tonight on the new patch with a new team,which I haven't chosen yet but I am leaning towards Atletico.This is because what I have seen is that hard working teams seem to be the epitome of this tactic.The harder working your midfielders and wingers are,the better your results should be.As a result,I will play with or some other team with a similar mould and see how they fare on the new patch.
For others,read on,you will not be disappointed.
Background:
With FM 2014, I didn't get the game early and so instead of being able to create tactics, I just started getting them online and then editing them to suit my needs.Anyways, that got me so bored that FM 2014 was probably the only FM where I did not do a LLM challenge. So this time I was like I am going to get the Beta and start making my own tactics again. The result is this.
I like to play in such a way that the goalscoring in the team is distributed across the team rather than reliant on a certain number of people. I think I have created this with the 4-1-2-2-1 here. Initially, I had been dabbling to try and implement the two new roles and create something good but for some reason I couldn't. Anyways,later on I decided to try the roles I am more familiar with to get something going and the results have been fantastic. I haven't finished the full season yet but coming into February I am leading the BPL by 7 points! My team hasn't performed that well since I was constantly chopping and changing tactics till I came onto something which really plays well.
Screenshots:
Transfers made:
View attachment 332403
League Table:
View attachment 332408
Team Instructions:
View attachment 332404
Tactic Overview:
View attachment 332407
Fixture List:
View attachment 332406View attachment 332402
Best player:
View attachment 332405
About the tactic:
The Play:
The defence play a short passing game upto the midfielders who then look to springboard something quick with incisive passes.
Setpieces:
Attacking:
Corners are a great source of goals,I have been using the same system since FM14. It basically plays a ball into the penalty area for the onrushing midfielder to score.
High corner attribute needed,Make sure one of the central midfielders takes the corner a otherwise they might come in each others ways,it still works if someone else takes it though,but less effective.
If you have one of the attacking players taking the corner,set CM with lesser shot to either:
a)Attack the farpost or,
b)Lurk and the dm to default-----(These haven't been tested since Noble takes my corners and when he doesnt Cresswell does and then I just change the other cm to default and dm to stay back).
Defending:
Defending corners and freekicks(both direct and indirect) have been my biggest achiles heel(after rebounds). If anyone has any good ideas,would love to implement them.
Reacting to in game events:
Hold lead- 1)Drop Deeper, 2)Remove Offside Trap, 3) Change midfielders and fullbacks to not go forward so much(not tested yet)
Need a goal- 1)Go Attacking/Control
We are not having a great game-1)Fiddle with the mentality.Most probably the midfielders are being marked out of the game.2)Get them to swap with each other.
Opposition is just playing balls over the top for a quick striker- 1)Drop Deeper, 2)Remove Use Offside Trap
Got a player sent off- 1)Need a goal-Take off the dm. 2)Do not need a goal-Take off striker
Players:
Goalkeeper
Get someone with good handling,reflexes and aerial ability. The number of times I have conceded to rebounds is just ridiculous.
Defenders:
Good old fashioned centrebacks,with good aerial ability and decent speed.
Fullbacks:
Do not run on the ball a lot but have to make a decision about whether to pass or cross. Normal attributes with good decisions.
Defensive Midfield:
Someone who can anticipate danger and take care of it (Anticipation,Pace,Determination,Work Rate) while also having a head to spread play around diligently(Vision,Passing,Decisions). Ideally I would. Ideally I would like someone like Lucas Romero from FM 14.
Central Midfield
VVIP)Good work ethic(teamwork,workrate),good ball retention and distribution skills(vision,passing,decisions,touch) and good finishing and long shots for the corners. They will be bombing forward and trying to make things happen while also helping win back the ball and starting attacks. Best of every world actually lol.
Wingers:
Quick,Pacey,Flair players with good vision and finishing.
Striker:
Drops Deep,plays in others and so good vision helps. Both pacey and big men seem to work. If you have a targetman,you will see your team bombing more crosses in,while if you have someone looking to beat the trap,you will see a lot of through balls.
Zarate is crazy good there.Carrol and Sakho have also done well.
Opposition Instructions:
Haven't used them yet but if I did,I would probably tightly mark the opposition wingers. They seem to be creating a lot of problems for my fullbacks.
Training:
Was on my assistants hands till December when I took over to rest players in order for the fixture congestion.Train individual players on the position while team cohesion for the team always helps!
Final Words:
This is still very much a work in progress(I got plenty of ideas while writing this lol) but the success I have had so far was so good that I couldn't resist sharing.Also the fact that I have Chelsea and Arsenal up next and might result in the start of the slump had a lot to do with it too lol.
Have a go at it and help me improve it with feedback.
Update:
I see a lot of questions regarding differences between the v3,the 4-2-3-1 and the OP tactic,this should clarify those questions.
I am a very proactive manager and keep on changing things around.As a result,the more I play,the more versions come out. The OP version was when I started the game in the BETA with West Ham,as I have played more with Leeds,Chelsea and then Hertha,newer versions have started coming up which seem to be better on the face of it.
Right now,I am alternating between 3 versions.
The v3
The Hertha tactic
and a 4-1-4-1,which was succesful with Chelsea but it seems it needs really good wingers for it to succeed(but its better defensively).So the 4-1-4-1 may be used as a lead holding version.
I haven't had a chance to play the new patch but it seemes people are doing quite well with it. I shall play tonight on the new patch with a new team,which I haven't chosen yet but I am leaning towards Atletico.This is because what I have seen is that hard working teams seem to be the epitome of this tactic.The harder working your midfielders and wingers are,the better your results should be.As a result,I will play with or some other team with a similar mould and see how they fare on the new patch.
Last edited:
