retired_lachina

After Rashidi closed my topic, I gave this some more thinking. Disappointed that he did not gave me a chance to reply before closing the topic, I have decided to change the goal in having this discussion.

Before that I had challenged the people on the forums to come out with a tactic that kept the football on the ground. No high balls, no tall targetman were needed.
After Rashidi's posts, I thought about this and agreed with him.

Now, I am asking for HELP to devise a playing style that keeps the ball on the ground.
Right now, I am using a 442 tactic with farrows on the wingers.
I am playing a short passing with mixed tempo. However, my strikers are still getting 8 headers to contest each in every game.
On the highlights, despite setting the keeper to pass to the defender, the keeper is still kicking the ball upfield. Defenders dwell on the ball before kicking the ball upfield despite having no through balls.

I am at my wits end. Please help.

retired_janellewood86

Why do you want to keep the football on the ground?

I'm not being arsey, honestly. But I'm interested to see why you think it's necessary to keep the ball stuck to the floor.

Clearly if you're not a tall side you want to make sure your players don't contest too many headers, but a great lofted through ball to a guy's feet can be deadly and doesn't need tall players (just quick ones).

If I were to try and keep the ball on the floor, perhaps very slow, very short passing (even as low as notch 1 for both), no through balls, no crossing, no long shots and low-ish creative freedom.

However, seems like a recipe for defeat to me.

retired_cindymerc

defintetly can be done. I currently play a 442 diamond with arsenal, and have used a short and slow game effectively. First make sure fullbacks are on short passing so they dont hoof balls to your small winger. In my diamond both DMC and AMC are on shortest passing, everyone else on highest short passing execpt DC's that are on direct passing.

Also ensure through balls are not on strikers ,centre defenders and mixed for the midfield. Perhaps often on your attacking MC or AMC. I dont why but recently i found my team where not keeping the ball on the ground even with short passing. It would be short, short then hoof. I lowered creative freedom to highest notch of little on all players except the AMC, who is on maximum. The reason it works is because a member of the SI team said that creative freedom is how much the players follow your instructions. As i want it on the floor it works a charm. BTW the DC and goalkeeper are on CF 1.

Try this out and see how it works.

retired_lachina

Millie: That's because my players are not tall. And I like fast players like Owen, Henry as they are flashy and skilful. There is also a lack of tall strong targetman.

Badboy500: Is there a way to not play a slow game? I dun really like a slow buildup. Sorry for being so choosy, but I want a Premier League tempo with the ball on the ground.

Thanks people for the input. I am quite skeptical about trying a short passing with a mixed or high tempo. Another thing, how to make the players run into space more often?

retired_cindymerc

you could also try target man supply to run onto ball for fast players like owen or henry.IMO fast tempo ans short passing doesnt work. IRL teams like arsenal play a slow tempo playing slow-buildup. Or else play a mixed and normal combination.

retired_management team

Hi,

I think it is an interesting topic, but the problem is that it is very general. Everybody will give the same ideas - short passing, quick tempo (or slow when away from home against a better side), not too wide formation, high creative freedom, lots of forward runs and possibly free roles will be favorites.

I guess things will get more interesting if you put things into context. Like a challenge or something. Say everybody starts a game with barca, real, arcenal or another team you might find suitable (preferably a team without Carew/Crouch type of players) and everybody try to design a tactic that will keep the ball on the ground... Then we will share the problems we had and the achievements.... How about that?

Other than my experience with such a tactic was relatively successful when I played with Swansea. My strikers were all small, so I played mostly on counter attack. My wingers pretty much the following settings:

FWR - often
RWB - normal
Crossing - normal
Through balls - often

The strikers:

FWR - often
RWB - often
Long shots - normal
Through balls - normal

The team played with high creative freedom, high tempo, defensive mentality, rare closing down, and normal width, deep d-line, hard tackling on the midfielders etc.

retired_kellyk

STOP.

If you want to play the ball on the ground, then you can't have high CF. Remember this CF always gives your side latitude to ignore your instructions. SI have confirmed this before. The huge clue is corners...players with high cf will almost always do their own thing.

If you want to mix it up, yes have CF on normal. But if you want to play the ball on the ground then you need to make sure they follow your instructions.

There are some formations which do this very nicely especially those with a 3 man strikeforce made up with one AMC. If I remember carefully, maybe someone has mentioned it here already...ideally you want CF to be high for ONLY the player who is the link player, the creative centrifuge through which the team is meant to play. For the rest of the team including the strikers set them on CF on the highest notch of low.

To get them to pass the ball, on the ground and employ one touch then give them passing of 1.

The moment you stick TTB, then short passing game is badly affected, so if you want your fullbacks to play it on the ground then give them short passing as well. Give as many players as short passing as you want.

I've found that its far better to give an inferior team short passing then long. Of course the counter argument holds true: they can't really counter well. But, if you are playing a 442 diamond for example give the DM short passing and TTB on normal and give the AMC short and TTB often. It should work, the DM will search out the AM or the wingers who will knock it back to the AMC who, if he has the strength and attributes will be able to do one touch with the strikers.

Whether you put CF high up front or not won't make that much of a difference, if the players have the attributes they will make space if they have forward runs on.

Like I've said before you can put the 2 DCs on ultra defensive and leave the fullbacks on normal, the DM on normal-high, the Mids on normal..and just one striker on high

I'm managing blackpool now using the update...and got them promoted into the premiership in my first season in charge, and I've been using this to keep me out of the relegation zone. With only 275K for transfer fees and not many wanting to come I'm really depending on this style of play to survive.

retired_cindymerc

Thats what I said rashidi. :cool:
Glad someone is listening. I found yours and cleon's advise of watching matches in full beneficial in creating my tactic. I currently use the 442 diamond and have evryone on highest notch of low CF and the AMC on max CF. Like you said the ball is played on the ground and the football is crisp and incisive.

retired_lachina

I thought my thread would get close again when I saw the word "STOP" from Rashidi post! :p

I started a new game using Liverpool and with FMWeegie's transfer update.

I employed a 4231 tactic. 4 Defenders, 2 Midfielders, 3 Attacking Midfields and 1 Striker.
I wanted to really keep off tall players so I sold Crouch to Roma for 9 million.
Kuyt and Torres had some decent heading and jumping abilities but I didn't want to rely on it.

I had a short passing(3 notches) with a normal tempo(10) and with a wide width(1st notch of wide).

Not sure if a wide width will cause more high balls.

I played a match, away to Man Utd, and I had:
7 headers for Kuyt
5 headers for Torres
5 headers for Ryan Babel
3 headers for Jermaine Pennant

I counted at least 5 headers were caused by the defenders clearing the ball upfield and another 5 caused by the fullbacks trying to cross it deep or try a through ball to the wingers.

Its a start in trying to keep the ball on the ground, although its not complete yet. In my last few games, I had my strikers contesting for at least 10 headers each in every game!

My aim is to have at least 3 headers for every foward player instead of the 5 I am having now..

KeriLynn

I know its tough. I dont have many players with high heading either but my problem is that not a lot of players have high passing either so short passing would totally destroy my tactics.

I dont see why anyone would ever wanna give CF to their players cause all they'll do is ignore your instructions