FM 2011 tactics guide — how I beat every club in the Premier League

Hey guys, I have a special post for you today and one that you won’t want to miss. I have enjoyed some great success on Football Manager 2011 with my Newcastle side. Well today I will share with you how I did it, a complete FM 2011 tactics guide on how to beat everyone in the Premier League. Formations and tactics make all the difference in FM11 and sometimes the simplest ones work best. That is my philosophy and this Football Manager Premiership tactics guide should help you gain some of my success. I still use a lot of tweaks at half time and team talks always have an effect, but these tactical guides should help you get the formation and tactics right for kick-off. I will talk about each Premier League club in alphabetical order and list their weakness’, tactics and how to beat them.

Some of you may already have read my FM 2011 —  Newcastle tactics 4-4-2 and 4-5-1 post. It basically describes the formations shown in this post and offers the link to download them. My 4-5-1 and 4-4-2 formations are a base that should be tweaked for some matches to suit the opponents weakness’. Within each Premier League club I will describe which tactic to use and how to change it for the best effect. You can download my 4-4-2 tactic from here and my 4-5-1 tactic from here.

Arsenal

• Tactic they use — 4-5-1 with defensive midfielder and two attacking wingers.
• Tactic you should use — My 4-5-1.
• Changes to my base formation — None.
• Strategy — Counter home and away.
• Notes — I found that Arsenal develop as the game goes on and you may need to use a slighty deep defensive line with very fast tempo and very wide width. This should only happen after two seasons though. Also use a team talk of ‘you can win this’ when away from home. Always tackle Arshavin hard and close down Fabregas.

Aston Villa

• Tactics they use — 4-4-1-1 and 4-4-2.
• Tactics you should use — My 4-5-1.
• Changes to my base formation — None.
• Strategy — Use counter away from home and standard at home.
• Notes — Villa Park has a very narrow pitch and if your struggling to create chances then focus the passing through the middle. This should help if your wingers have unusually low ratings while away from home. Always tackle Ashley Young hard and put strikers onto their weaker foot.

Birmingham City

• Tactics they use — 4-4-2.
• Tactics you should use — My 4-5-1.
• Changes to my base formation — None.
• Strategy — Use standard strategy home and away.
• Notes —  If you gain a two goal lead change to counter and touchline shout ‘hassle opponents’ and ‘pass into space’. If you are struggling early on just touchline shout ‘get ball forward’ and ‘get stuck in’. Use control strategy if still struggling in second half.

Blackburn Rovers

• Tactics they use — 4-4-2.
• Tactics you should use — My 4-5-1.
• Change to my base formation — None.
• Strategy — Use standard strategy at home and counter strategy away.
• Notes — Blackburn are very tough to break down and a shout of  ‘get ball forward’ or ‘get stuck in’ may help. Use these shouts if you fear the opponent may score. If you go a goal up away from home, use shouts of ‘hassle opponents’ and ‘pass into space’.

Blackpool

• Tactics they use — 4-4-2.
• Tactics you should use — My 4-5-1.
• Change to my base formation — None.
• Strategy — Use standard strategy home and away.
• Notes — You should be able to use more attacking formations against Blackpool. If your struggling I would recommend changing to a control strategy and shouting ‘get ball forward’.

Bolton Wanderers

• Tactics they use — 4-2-3-1 narrow and 4-4-2
• Tactics you should use — My 4-5-1.
• Change to my base formation — None.
• Strategy — Standard at home and away. Use counter away from home if you’re on a bad run of form.
• Notes — Always put Elmander onto his weaker foot and tackle Petrov hard.

Chelsea

• Tactics they use — 4-5-1 using defensive midfielder and 4-2-1-2-1.
• Tactics you should use — 4-5-1 when opponent uses 4-5-1 with defensive midfielder and use a 4-4-2 when opponent uses 4-2-1-2-1. Your assistant should help with best formation to use.
• Change to my base formation — None.
• Strategy — Use a standard strategy when playing a 4-5-1 and counter with the 4-4-2.
• Notes — If you are struggling at home with a counter strategy change to standard and use touchline shouts ‘get ball forward’ and ‘get stuck in’. Close down Lampard, put Drogba onto weaker foot and tackle Anelka hard.

Everton

• Tactics they use — 4-4-1-1.
• Tactic you should use — My 4-5-1.
• Changes to my base formation — None.
• Strategy — Use standard strategy at home and counter away.
• Notes — If you go a goal down away from home change to standard strategy and shout ‘get ball forward’. If you’re struggling with the scores level at home shout ‘get stuck in’. Always tackle Fellaini hard, put Cahill onto weaker foot, close him down and tackle him hard.

Fulham

• Tactics they use — 4-4-2 at Craven Cottage and 4-1-4-1 away.
• Tactics you should use — My 4-5-1 away and my 4-4-2 at home.
• Change to my base formation — None.
• Strategy — Use a standard strategy home and away.
• Notes — If you’re struggling to score at home change to control strategy and shout ‘get stuck in’. If you go a goal up away from home change to counter strategy and shout ‘pass into space’ and ‘hassle opponent’.

Liverpool

• Tactics they use — 4-2-3-1 with wingers.
• Tactic you should use — My 4-5-1.
• Change to my base formation — None.
• Strategy — Use standard strategy at home and counter away.
• Notes — Before kick-off always go into opposition instructions, tackle Gerrard hard and put him onto the weaker foot, do same with Torres. If you score two goals at home change to counter, then shout ‘hassle opponents’ and ‘pass into space’.

Manchester City

• Tactics they use — 4-4-2.
• Tactic you should use — My 4-5-1.
• Change to my base formation — None.
• Strategy — Counter both at home and away.
• Notes — If you are under great pressure at home, don’t wait for City to score…change to a standard strategy and shout ‘get ball forward’ and ‘hassle opponents’. Always put Tevez onto weaker foot and tackle him hard. Close Milner down and be sure to tackle Silva hard.

Manchester United

• Tactics they use — 4-4-2.
• Tactic you should use — My 4-5-1.
• Changes to my base formation — None. However always check assistants advice…when he recommends a slightly wide width and slightly fast tempo, change it.
• Strategy — Use counter both at home and away. Use standard in cup finals though.
• Notes — Always keep your striker as a poacher, if struggling at home early on change to standard strategy before they score. Also shout ‘get stuck in’. If you do go a goal up and are still using counter strategy, shout ‘pass into space’ and ‘hassle opponents’. Put Rooney and Berbatov onto weaker foot, tackle Nani and Hernandez hard.

Newcastle United

• Tactics they use — I would assume 4-4-1-1 but not sure because I manage them.
• Tactics you should use — 4-4-1-1 or 4-5-1.
• Changes to my base formation — Not sure because I manage them and have no experience against the toon.
• Strategy — I have experienced counter attacking sides do best against me so maybe use counter away and standard at home.
• Notes — Mark Andy Carroll tightly and put Nolan onto his weaker foot.

Stoke City

• Tactics they use — 4-1-4-1.
• Tactic you should use — My 4-5-1.
• Changes to my base formation — None.
• Strategy — Use standard at home and counter away.
• Notes — Using a poacher upfront works best as Stoke are too strong in the air. If struggling for possession away from home change to standard strategy and shout ‘get stuck in’. Don’t go too attacking at home as you may get caught out. Make sure their forward are been put onto the weaker foot through opposition instructions.

Sunderland

• Tactics they use — 4-4-2 and 4-5-1 with defensive midfielder.
• Tactics you should use — My 4-5-1 against their 4-4-2, or my 4-4-2 against their 4-5-1 with DMC.
• Changes to my base formation — None.
• Strategy — Standard at home or counter away.
• Notes — Always use a poacher upfront and tackle Gyan hard. If you gain a two goal lead change to counter startegy, shout ‘pass ball into space’ and ‘hassle opponents’. If you’re struggling at all shout ‘get stuck in’ and ‘get ball forward’.

Tottenham Hotspurs

• Tactics they use — 4-4-1-1.
• Tactics you should use — 4-4-1-1, or 4-1-4-1. Both tactics I do not use and this is why I struggle against Spurs.
• Changes to my base formation — N/A, however using slightly high defensive line, slightly narrow width and slightly slow tempo should work best with the above formations.
• Strategy — Counter at home and away.
• Notes — If you go a goal down change to standard strategy, then shout ‘get ball forward’ and ‘get stuck in’. Be sure to tackle Van Der Vaart hard, put him onto weaker foot and close him down. Crouch needs marking tightly and Bale along with Lennon should be tackled hard.

West Bromwich Albion

• Tactics they use — 4-2-3-1 with wingers.
• Tactic you should use — My 4-5-1.
• Changes to my base formation — None.
• Strategy — Standard at home and counter away.
• Notes — Put Brunt onto his weaker foot in opposition instruction.

West Ham United

• Tactics they use — 4-4-2.
• Tactics you should use — My 4-4-2 when playing at home and my 4-5-1 when away.
• Changes to my base formation — None.
• Strategy — Use a standard strategy at home and away.
• Notes — Carlton Cole should be put onto weaker foot and Scott Parker should be closed down. If you gain a two goal lead change to counter strategy and shout ‘hassle opponents’ and ‘pass into space’.

Wigan Athletic

• Tactics they use — 4-2-1-2-1 and 4-4-2.
• Tactics you should use — My 4-5-1 against their 4-2-1-2-1 or my 4-4-2 against their 4-4-2.
• Changes to my base formation — None.
• Strategy — Use standard strategy both home and away.
• Notes — Make sure you tackle Boselli hard and put N’Zogbia onto his weaker foot. If you are struggling shout ‘get ball forward’ and ‘get stuck in’.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

• Tactics they use — 4-1-4-1 and 4-4-2.
• Tactics you should use — My 4-4-2.
• Changes to my base formation — None.
• Strategy — Standard both home and away.
• Notes — Tackle Fletcher hard and change to control strategy if struggling at home.

Please remember that this Football Manager 2011 tactics guide is based on my 4-5-1 and 4-4-2 tactics, a previous post lists them and offers the link for download. You can see that here. This FM 2011 Premier League guide is also based on the clubs with their current manager, a new manager would require different tactics. Equally David Moyes took charge of Man Utd in my game so when I came up against them I just applied my tactics for Everton instead. These tactics are specific to my team and style of managing so hopefully you can use them for yourself. Even if you only get one useful tip from this post I will be happy. :)

Things to remember before kick-off

• Start by checking your assistants pre-match advice. If he recommends a formation use it, if he says to use a certain tempo use it etc.
• Pick your side according to the opponents. For instance, if you have a good attacking full back with little pace and a fast full back that defends better than attacks. Then you would use the pacey one against fast sides like Tottenham and the more attacking one against sides with less of an attacking threat.
• Always listen to your assistants advice about the opposition. He will tell you which players are dangerous and how best to handle them. Make sure you do what he says in the opposition instructions. ie tackle hard and close down options for the opposition players.
• If it isn’t working on the pitch, don’t wait for a miracle, change it. For example, in the Champions League semi-final I was losing away from home to Arsenal 3-0. I changed my strategy from counter to control, brought on Araujo and Dudu, then did a couple of touchline shouts like ‘get stuck in’ and ‘get ball forward’. We still lost 4-3, but those three goals saw us through to the Champions League final.
• When you are getting close to the full time whistle and hanging onto a lead. It is worth changing to counter strategy and using touchline shouts ‘pass into space’ and ‘hassle opponents’. During extreme cases you could use a containstrategy with touchline shouts of ‘hassle opponents’, ‘play safer’ and ‘drop deeper’ (but only use the contain strategy option when in the last 7 or so minutes.)
• The team talks are very important. Before kick-off I generally use ‘do it for the fans’ if we’re the favourites, or ‘you can win this’ if we’re underdogs. However, if you’re the favourite but not confident of the win away from home I would use ‘you can win this’.

Well if I keep going this article will exceed 2100 words which is too long, so we’ll leave it there. I really hope this comes in handy and if you have any questions I’m more than happy to help. Thanks for reading and I look forward to your comments.