Welcome back my friends! We’ve shaken off last season and the team is ready for another shot at promotion. Hopefully without too much distress. I’ve had some constant issues with my tactics. I make adjustments that usually work out great… but then comes some dark periods where I tend to change things a bit to cover up lapses in defence och weaknesses in attack. But doing so usually bring forward new issues. Then the lack of quality restricts what I can push from my players as I can’t expect them to play a perfectly flowing attacking football. But I’m trying to find that balance where we can attack with confidence and still be secure in the middle and safe att the back.
My idea of deploying a sweeper has had some good results. The sweeper or ‘libero’ handles the play from the back in offensive situations allowing the centre backs to fan out a bit pushing the wingbacks further up. In defensive situations the libero acts as a lone ranger, intercepting through balls while the centrebacks mark the strikers. The wingbacks drops back and acts as normal fullback creating a 5-man defensive line. This is at the same time a problem which shows itself if the opposing team is very good on the ball and strong in midfield. They can really take control of the game by pushing my backline into this defensive set-up.
To work around that problem I’ve taken a look at the midfielders. I need to create some solidity and control in the middle of the pitch to help keep possession or to play ourselves out of dangerous positions. I’ve tried every possible lineup here. Anchor man, defensive midfielder, two central midfielders and even 3 central midfielders. If the opposing team has a ‘trequartista setup then an anchorman is an optimal approach which limits their creativity. If they play a 4-4-2 then I can deploy a more simplified midfield formation with two central ones and a playmaker infront of them.
The only real problem I can’t seem to find a good solution for is the wingbacks. They tend to not find their place. They aren’t really good defensivly and they aren’t especially dangerous in attack, although they do create some disturbances with their deep crosses and those plays gets them really good ratings after the games. But I’m still not overly satisfied. There’s also not to many natural wingbacks in the game and I usually have to train them in that position myself. It’s exactly the same thing with sweepers, which is a real bother and a miss from FM in general as most centrebacks with some intelligence should be able to at least function in that position.
The strikers preferred setup is Complete striker(support) + Poacher. I’ve tried different combinations like a deep lying striker and poacher which works good too. But this is usually the best way to go and I’m happy with their work. A target man style of play is probably a way to go, but I’m not confident it’ll work out great with a compact offensive play with lots of passing involved and some quick counter-attacking.
Well, at least you get some ideas of what I’m trying to do with my team.
Here’s the summer activity.
As you can see this one covers the whole season, including the sale of Patrick Wilson.
This could be somewhat telling of how it went, but I’m not sure. I’ll do another full season report in my next post.
I’m not going in-depth about the signings as they aren’t much better than what I’m currently in management of, but at least they create a better depth and evens out the squad. Sean Newton is a solid leftback. On-loan Oastler is a good defender who can also act as a DMC. McCabe is a smart midfielder who’ll probably get a lot of chances. Filipe is my only real sweeper at this point and will be important and Proctor is a real catch as a right wingback. I have some real scottish quality players in my team.
Hold on until my next post. Be Safe!
Majk
Sears
26 июня, 2010 at 21:02
Interesting post Majk! I hope the tactic does well for you. Looking forward to your summary post, goodluck!
Laxeyman
26 июня, 2010 at 23:00
Hi Majk, that’s an interesting tactic you’ve got there. Hopefully it will serve you well this season and you can get promotion. Good luck!
Johnny Karp
26 июня, 2010 at 23:06
That’s a fairly consistent tactical approach Majk, not exactly among my favorite set ups but it’s good that you know what you want from your team. I almost never retrain players to be employed in other roles than their natural ones, I always try to put every player in his natural role. I might be wrong but I feel that’s the way to get the best out of them.
You are right, there are not too many sweepers around and that’s because there are only a few teams that employ a sweeper nowadays. I tend to disagree about the wing backs, whenever I look for a good full back I find good wing backs instead :) That might be just an impression though and not an actual fact.
Anyway, good luck and I’m looking forward to the next update!
Majk
26 июня, 2010 at 23:28
@Johnny
I’ve always been wanting to try something different. I’ve favoured a 4-man backline with offensive fullbacks for quite sometime during FM. I played a 4-1-2-2-1 with wide wingers with Caen. I tried a 3-man defence with Millwall and Reggina and I was looking for the optimal tactic this time and i started out with Ana’s unorthodox tactic and tried to work it into a more realistic one that could be deployed on weaker teams that didn’t have those technically gifted players.
I’ve resorted to changing my 1-2 sweeper/defenders line into a straight 3-man line. with the central defender much more attacking that can cover that hole inbetween the defence and midfield. I’ve been watching my team for full matches trying to work the kinks out of my system and looking at it now we play very solid and not giving away much but not creating a ton of chances either. But I’m more comfortable with winning 1-0 than winning 4-3. This is someway into the future compared to my last post though… won’t say too much.
About the wingbacks. I have a hard time believing it but I guess i can’t argue with you on that.:) And with a limited budget I’ll rather choose the better player and retrain him, than picking a natural but overall weaker player, but of course you want natural players in every position. As long as he’s ‘yellow’ in the position I’ll consider him if he’s the best one. I did work my sweeper into a natural from being an orange spot to begin with. Took some time but it is possible. At least i believe I did… I might have to look him up on another save to be sure.
Johnny Karp
26 июня, 2010 at 23:31
@Majk
I believe that I player can never achieve «natural» level for a role through training, at least that’s what my logic tells me. I never tried though so I’d be extremely interested to know if that really is possible.
Majk
26 июня, 2010 at 23:37
@Johnny
I’ll look it up.
Majk
27 июня, 2010 at 00:12
@ Alright, I’ve looked it up and it is possible to train a player from ‘awkward'(orange spot) to ‘natural’. I’ve done it myself and I’ve got pictures to prove it and it amazes me. The player in question isn’t able to play in more than two positions to begin (Defender central, Sweeper) with so he isn’t one of those players that can play everywhere.
The player is Filipe (Filipe babo). He’s a portugese/british player and will show up if you load either all british players or all portuguese payers or maybe just play with a big database.
A good fact to have knowledge about.
duone_starz
27 июня, 2010 at 06:37
can u post little bit detail about ur tactic? i means picture.
Kevin Mayo
27 июня, 2010 at 09:51
Hi Majk
Good detail about your tactic and good for you in trying something a little different. Good luck with the re-training and wing back search and of course the new season.
Johnny Karp
27 июня, 2010 at 11:00
@Majk
Thanks, that’s very good to know.
Tuckersears
27 июня, 2010 at 14:21
Majk, how long does it take to make a non natrual player a natrual one at that position…?
Majk
27 июня, 2010 at 15:33
@Tuckersears
I played that ‘awkward’ player for about two full season (40-45 games per season) in the new position. Then when I checked he had become a natural. You’ll have to have him re-training that position at the same time though.
I believe the length of the process differs from different players. I read online that one guy only needed 6 months to get C.Ronaldo into a natural striker. Most of the time you never position-train an ‘accomplished’ player, but that is certainly something i’ll look into, to make every player naturals in their area.
Handy Fernandy
29 июня, 2010 at 02:12
hi majk
good transfer for future..
I hope you can make the best tactics for your team..