glyndav

Hello everyone,

Just a quick bit of advice needed if thats ok. I'm playing as Man City and playing quite well at the mo, lying in third place going into christmas. At home, I play a 4-4-2 with the wingers in AM positions anda target man, and the tempo and passing set to slow/short. I have been doing really well and am yet to draw or lose. I use this tactic as well away from home against teams that I feel are inferior to me.

However, when playing better teams at their ground, I play with a defensive mentality, a quick tempo and direct passing and counter attack on. As Man City, there are quite a lot of teams that fall into this group.

Every game against these, I start well and go into the lead, then the second half, the other team comes back and I let it slip. For example, I was 0-2 up against Arsenal, they came back and won 3-2. Same happened with Liverpool.

I have tried dropping my d-line deeper and going more defensive, but this has not improved the situation.

My question, really, is this. If I play defensive counter attack against these teams and I go in the lead, what should I change to keep the lead? Surely the last thing I should do is reverse this and push my defensive line up?!

Any help would be greatfully appreciated.

Thanks

Glyn

Assenuma

Well, you would want to kill the game. Increase the time wasting. I usually max it out after 80th min. Sometimes even earlier

Adopt slow tempo. This will help you keep possession. You may try short passing as well if to increase the effect but it may result in the opposition closing down on you and steal the ball in your half - so be careful with this setting.

You may abandon counter attacks in later stages of the game if the opposition is denying you chances anyway. However, if your CAs are dangerous you should leave them as one more goal will never do harm

Try reducing closing down settings. This may be dangerous as you allow the opposition more possession. On the other side your players stay in position and deny space.

You may sub one striker for a defensive player. I play 442 but often end the game with 541. You can use an extra defender to mark the opposition danger man. Or simply use him as a third DC. Or put him as DMC to intercept passes, or manmark the opposition playmaker.

You can assign more players to stay back at attacking set pieces.

If the opposition plays 424 consider the following settings:

- set your full backs like your DCs - no FWR, no RWB, low CFreedom, low mentality, etc.

- try to keep possession in the middle with slow tempo and short passing...

Also, sub tired players and players with no defensive skills. In the last minutes of a game you have the lead you would like to have a player like Drogba or scholes rather than player like right-phillips or ronaldo. You need good, aggressive tacklers, high jumpers, etc. dribbling, creativity and flair are no longer desired attributes in your squad. Go for teamwork, work rate...

glyndav

Great, thanks for the advice, I'll give these a go tonight and see how I get on

smp_delicante

hi..sorry for english..
i like crazy tactics when playing away..
i'm playing as Blackburn..in 2nd position, with 8-6-1 in 15 games..while playing away with big teams,i operate surprising formation,4-3-3.. without any tempo/passing move..everything is normal..
def.line as you know.. the 3 in midfield are hardworking midfielders.generally dm's.but i locate all of them in center..the forward line must contain just 1 striker..other 2 are dribbler forwards and let move them to touch line right and left with suitable foot choice,to slice defence and give area to my striker or trailer midfielder like savage or reid.but the important thing these 3 forward must be located together,as like 3 strikers.my favorite, gamst-mccarthy-santa cruz..gamst can handle playing in front line in this tactic with drib ability..but misses lots of hot chances,,be patient
this tactic not work well at home against weaker teams..but these results may be interesting; 3-3 m.united away,1-2 win against chelsea and 2-3 win against tottenham away..and 1-1 away draw with FC Bayern..
best defence is offence i think..opponent think to find an intensive defence,,but this tactic is a pure shock..worth to try