retired_roshawnda82

You're not hijacking the thread at all Clearly one approach to defending successfully is defending from the front and pressing hard. Although this would normally be used in an attacking tactic, it helps to win the ball back and therefore helps to stop the opposition scoring.

More typical of a tactic designed to keep clean sheets is perhaps lower closing down so that the team maintain their shape and not having defenders dragged out of position.

retired_too105

Law Man first of all I have employed a 4411 with Man Utd on my thread and seem to be doing well. I started the season with 5 clean sheets mainly due to closing down players on the opposition instructions. You could say that you would expect to be successful with Man Utd but I needed a good test bed for implementing the tactic. I have found using the instructions and watching match highlights that the opposition only tend to get chances via set plays as the forwards can't be supplied due to the closing down. If I wanted rugby score games then I could push on but I feel that the scores are some what more realistic using this tactic. All the information is in my thread which would link in nicely with yours. There is also a nod of the head to you for penalty taking stats - many thanks again.

retired_too105

10 clean sheets in 15 so far.

retired_roshawnda82

You're very welcome Barnsley FC I played quite a bit with my team Bolton and Anelka slots the pens away nicely.

I'll give your tactic a go on a new game with Blackburn and report back to you in your thread.

Whilst the opposition instructions are useful, ideally I'd want to try and create a tactic where I only needed to use opposition instructions in exceptional situations, i.e. to stop an exceptional player.

retired_too105

Many thanks as I am being accused of pimping my tactic - I can't help it as I am just excited that I have finally found something that works. As far as opposition instructions go I would say the minimum you need to look at is long shooters closed down onto their wrong foot and closing down the lone striker in one up front scenarios. The problem I have found with attempting to stop one exceptional player in the past is that the rest just up their standard to make up for it. I can only say it is worthwhile with the closing down as the opposition players get frustrated giving dead ball situations away and yellow and red cards leading to more domination. Please don't forget to watch for their substitutions as I have been stung too many times in the past by fresh legs coming on.

james81

nice results Barnsley but i was wondering how many opposition instructions do you use per match. Would it affect my results if i altered 2/3 players or instructions against the whole team

retired_lswearne

i just noticed this thread and i thought i should share the results(with people who actually care about defending)i have had with a tactic i created for chelsea a few weeks ago.
i decide to create this tactic a few games into the season when i was letting in too many goals for my liking.
since i made the tactic i played 16 games and only let in 1 goal (just one of those goals) but i haven't tested the tactic for a long time because of RL commitments.


good old cleansheets..

retired_lswearne

by the way i am using a 4141 tactic possession bases slow tempo 1 touch football but with an attcking mentality. i dont use a target man/playmaker as i think football is and should be a team game(at least for now).

i think the key to creating a defensively solid tactic is to get the closing down right especially in midfield.

retired_roshawnda82

Even though it's chelsea, it's still very impressive!

Put up screenies of your instruction up and/a download link and we might be able to find some common themes to keeping clean sheets.

KUTGW

retired_lswearne

i will when i have time.