Agruso

Introduction

I have never quite understood the moaners, as I have always found this game easy. There are two possible solutions to why that is the first is the fact that the first FM I bought was 2007 therefore I had to jump straight into the deep end, whilst other gamers were taking baby steps there, the next option which I believe is true is the fact that I read and read and read, every thread by the gurus etc, this taught me a lot and I advise everyone struggling with this game to read the threads on theories and not just download tactics.

Last year I used TT&F as well as the ‘Cleon Approach’ however this year I have decided to simply make tactics based on real life. I have had incredible success following these steps and I hope anyone reading this thread will get the same enjoyment as me.

Agruso

Basic Approach

This is easy Defenders defend, Attackers attack. The thing you must remember when making tactics is how will the team score, are there good options? Will you make a variety of openings? If not are the chances you’re going to make good enough to score?

How to Make a Tactic

OK so this is my approach to every tactic, have a look at the results section if you doubt the effectiveness

Mentality

This is simple defenders defend, full backs should be on either the first notch or normal or the last notch of defensive. Centre Midfielders should be on normal mentality with wide players either on normal or the same as the strikers. If you want a striker too drop deep and collect the ball drop his mentality too low normal.

I however have been using a different approach in a game I have just had, I had all my 4 midfielders on team mentality so it was easy to go more attacking and more defensive.

If your playing possession you should have all the midfielders on the same mentality or near enough the same, the reason for this is that they have to be close together so they always have someone too pass too.

Creative Freedom

This has always been a mysterious zone for tacticians and many people have different views on it, I see it as the following if you want a player to create something out of nothing like and fast striker or an amc give them high CF if not it should be low.

Passing Style

Well this I have found easy to get too grips with so far, its basic just think of real life this I what my approach is all about. If you want possession have everyone on short passing apart from DMs, MCs and AMCs have these on mixed to direct the reason for this is that you want the spreading the play and passing all over the park. If your playing counter attack have your defence on direct too long.

Wingers can be on direct and recently I have been putting my target me on mixed passing so they can supply through balls for anyone running through the oppositions line.

I have also been putting my Full backs on mixed because if they want to fire a quick ball up the line to my wingers its alright with me, so mixed TTB should accompany this.

Tempo

This depends on completely how you want to play. If your aim is possession then you should be using slow-normal tempo. If it’s counter attacking then quick is the way to go, if you just want to all round control the game slow is the best option. This also comes into play with the amount of chances you get and how many of them you score, for example the slower your tempo the less chances you will get however they will most likely be better chances so you will probably get more on target and therefore a better shots to goals ratio, if your deploying a quick tempo your players will more likely rush their chances so your ratio will drop, but you will create more.

Width

This will decide how wide the formation will play, the wider the width the more your wide players will charge forward and the more your central players will look for players out wide. Narrow width is used with more conservative tactics whilst if you want to grab the game by the scruff of the neck wide width should be used, obviously a bad team should not go wide against a good team.

Closing down & Defensive line

These are linked, however the way they are linked has lots of different of approaches, for example Faeron has a different idea on the correlation between the two than I do. The way I have been playing is I have the Mid Centre’s CD the same as the DL everyone behind the CM’s have lower CD and everyone above has higher CD, this has been working well and I hope Faeron will come in and discuss this with the rest of us.

Marking

I have always had DCs on Man Marking this is basic and should be easy. I have been also toying with the idea lately that Tight Marking should be used in midfield and hey its working well. I also have wingers on Man Marking the idea behind this is that the side midfielders will drop back and help the defence.

Player instructions

These should be set up how you want the player to play like. Do you want a Pirlo DM or a Gattuso? Do you want a flying winger who gets behind the defence or one which runs at the full backs? Stuff like that, think about it then try to develop your way of getting him to play like that. I cant tell you everything :p

Agruso

Defence: Building a Brick Wall

Okay so these are the most important instructions for setting up a Defence.

1.Mentality
2.Closing Down
3.Defensive Line

These go all the way through the team and are not only the instruction used by the actual defenders.

Okay so like I said the mot important is mentality and the most important thing about this Is that the DCs and FBs are not far away both should be on Defensive but Full backs can be on low normal. After this the most defensive centrally placed midfielder should have a low normal or defensive mentality so hey can pick up the second ball after the clearance it helps to have another cm on a lowish mentality as well.

For closing down, Defenders should have a low CD so they don’t get drawn out of position however this mean CD has to be fairly high in Midfield, I always put Strikers on max CD.

The defensive line should be placed on your CMs CD therefore it is not too deep and not too high, hopefully you wont get caught out with a high D/line and you wont get put under too much pressure using a deep D/line.

Attack: Building a potent strike force

Again these are the most important instruction for attack

1.Mentality
2.FWR, RWB, TTB
3.Tempo & Width


Mentality is again very important and as I play with a split system most of my attackers are on the same notch. The only reason m attackers are not on team is that they are either, a striker which drops deep, an attacking midfielder who I want to be my attacking force or a Fast striker who yet again I want to receive through balls and score goals.

The individual instructions are important because they decide whether they will be a deep lying playmaker or an attacking 3rd striker. To set up a playmaker you should have no FWR, RWB mixed, TTB often and CB mixed. For a 3rd striker you should have FWR often, RWB often, TTB mixed, CB rarely.

I have now come to the conclusion that tempo and width can be used as attacking risk factors, for example if your team is good enough you can play slow and wide his will ensure you dominate and lots of players will become involved in the build p this will result in more players on the score sheet.

Agruso

The Approach
Okay so here is the approach I have been using. I make these four tactics at least in every game I use, I will change between these in games and before games depending on the opposition and the current score line, it keeps the A.I on its toes and never lets them find an appropriate tactic to use against me.

Adventurous Tactic

I only make this tactic and use it after a while when morale is good and results are good. I also only use this against teams I feel I should dominate. The aim is o produce beautiful football.

This should have……

•Slow tempo
•Normal/Wide width
•Attacking players
•Short passing
•Normal D/Line

Attacking Tactic

I make this at the very start it’s a base tactic and its aim Is to out score the opposition; I use it against team around my ability and teams who are too good to use my adventurous tactic against.

•Slow tempo
•Normal/Wide width
•Attacking players
•Short passing
•Normal D/Line
•The formation should be solid and not too attacking.
•Fairly high closing down

Possession

The aim is too keep the ball away from th other team whilst creating a few clear cut chances a game.

•Short passing
•Lots of normal mentality
•Normal Width
•Normal D/Line
•Few players on Mixed passing
•Lots of midfielders
•Medium CD in midfield

Counter Tactic

This tactic is very solid at the back and tries to score off lightening raids.

•Defensive formation
•Mentality low at back
•Defensive/ Normal in midfield and high upfront
•Long/direct passing
•Normal D/Line
•Normal width

Of course I cant upload tactics as I make new ones for every career game I start, this has brought me big success and I hope people will try this as it is more rewarding than downloading tactics.

Agruso

Credits

Rashidi1- A lot of my ideas come from his FFM and he answered ever question I have asked.

Leeds_fan_1 -Great tester with good feedback, and all round great mate.

Wwfan- Gave me ideas last year and helped me understand tactics, can’t wait for TT&F this year.

Asmosdeus- Great support and good to talk to.

Cleon- Helped me understand the game and moderates well.

Faeron- His thread on D/Line helped me understand the correlation.

Robertolfc90- His thread on Catenaccio is what I base my counter tactic on.

Sorry if I missed anyone out.

jenny2699

Thanks

Intriguing stuff you have been doing your homework. Will give these tactics a spin.

You do not mention sarrows/barrows/farrows do you not use them?

Also can you elaborate on this: The way I have been playing is I have the Mid Centre’s CD (is that both CD's) the same as the DL (what about the DR) everyone behind the CM’s have lower CD and everyone above has higher CD, this has been working well and I hope Faeron will come in and discuss this with the rest of us.


Will use the Counter Tactic as I have a game against Chelsea st their ground. I am NUFC

retired_sugarbubba

great thread as usual mate, i know much effort you put into this, just hope it gets the recognition it deserves, shall be making my own tactic when the patch comes out :thup:

Agruso

M8 lol DL stands for defensive line not left back.

I have farrows and barrows when i see apropiate for the tactic for example my possesion has long farrows on the wingers because its a 4141 the striker would not get support.

retired_hope

Hi IH2DT,

I don't want to be too critical of your approach.
However, all you have done is re-presented others work without actually moving the theory on.

I would have had more admiration if you had given examples of your successes using these theories rather and even adding addtional observations rather then what is effectively a copy and paste exercise.

Agruso

WEll so far m8 ive done this

4th first year with athletico, won spanich cup

5th first year with Burscough(16th) Won play offs

4th first year with Ituano(18th)