retired_hilltopdaisy

Here are my thoughts on new FM and tactics for it.

First of all I have to say that I am with this game since CM Italy and that is a long, long time. As some of you around here I to simply love tactic making (creating) in all of the CM's and FM's. For me this is where FM stands out from all other manager games. Sure I also love buying players, developing them, winning tittles and everything else......but tactic and strategy were allways the reason for buying the game.....now onto the point.

For the first time ever I am having problems with creating a good tactic, and when I say good I dont mean winning every time but simplly dominating the match when playing against weaker and similar teams.

I am curentlly playing with AC Milan and am having really big problems with being the better of two teams on the pitch.

I first started playing 4-1-2-2-1 with SHORT and QUICK

......................SC......................
..............AMC..........AMC......
ML.....................................MR
....................DMC...................
DL.....DC................DC......DR


and that as just terrible. I mean teams like Cagliari and Reggina were outplaying me on every meter of the field, and no matter what I do there was no change. I tryed using DIRECT and QUICK but nothing. So I clicked on full match and noticed that there was too big of a hole in the midfield and my DMC was left alone a lot of times

Then I switched to 4-4-2 diamond

..............SC..........SC..............
....................AMC..................
ML......................................MR
...................DMC....................
DL.......DC...............DC........DR

and no diference. My midfield is still outplayed with like 40% of possesin and with 4-7 shoots at goal against opositions 10-15. Also like before I played with passing and tempo.......


Now I am trying my all time favourite tactic which is 4-4-1-1

...........SC.................
......................AMC.....
ML.....MC........MC........MR..
DL.....DC..........DC.........DR

and although thing are looking better agains the weaker teams I am still not dominating like I should. I use SHORT passing with QUICK tempo using WIDE pitch, 13 on CLOSING DOWN and 13 on DEFENSIVE LINE what shouldnt be a problem with midfield connsisting of Pirlo, Van Der Vaart, Kaka.....but I am beeing literally killed against Inter, Juve, Roma, Bayern (home and away, makes no diference) with them holding about 55-60 % of ball and having something like 4x more shoots at goal than me.

I usualy have everyone except ML,MR and right MC (Pirlo) on short passing with them on direct, forward runs on ML,MR and AMC and TTB on MC,MC and SC. Come to thing of it I set the tactic like every one who has ever played football would. No stupidness and trying to make a so called CHEAT tactic (which dont exist in my opinion), just your plain old school of football......but it doesnt work???????

I really thing there are still issues with this match engine specially on closing down (yes still after the patch) there are to mutch situations where a player just holds the ball to long and than simply runs towards the goal and scores with my DC's just running on top of him and not being able to take the ball.

I also get the feeling that the games is favourising the teams playing 4-2-3-1 or similar where you have a packed midfield of players playing both defence and ofence.

Ofcourse this could all be just me not being able to switch to maybe a new way of tactic making from 2007 to 2008 but I dont think that they implemented something like this in FM 2008 otherwise they wouldnt let you load your 2007 tactics in 2008.

JohnSWA

Hi WWW2

I have also been playing the series for a long time. I started 16 years ago. With the first CM that was released. Still enjoying it.

You should increase your closing down. If you have it too low you will give their ballplayer time to pick out a good pass. Also CD 13 might not be high enough for your players to suffiecently to close down and dominate the match. Since most of your other instructions suggests that you want to "rule the match", this could be your weak link.

Also setting your teams shape to wide will lead to you giving away a lot of space between your players, especially amongst the defenders. Too low CD aswell might be a little too dangerous. Width set to 11 should be sufficient enough to involve your wingers/wide men. Centrally placed players should have passing set to around 10-11(+/-a few notches), to involve wingers, when playing with width set to around 10.

With a DL at 13 you should make sure your defenders mentality are set to low mixed or even defensive.

Set your SC to mixed through ball, also use your AMC more as a link man. At maximum he should have mixed forward runs.

I have currently made a 4141 tactic that should suit your preferences. I could mail it to you if you want.

Cheers

retired_hilltopdaisy

Well although I have never used someones tactic I would like to just try it out to see if it works coz i am getting a little ****ed off