retired_Cat1123

In the Sheff Utd game or the Fulham one you just played? And do you mean your back 4?

I ask cos I was unsure what you meant but if you mean you then yes I found at times you was a bit spread out and far forward at times. But saying that it sorta worked for you and you did look solid in the Sheff Utd game. The goals you conceeded were more down to your idfield that anything and are easily fixed. </BLOCKQUOTE>

Actually i meant the Fulham game i just played after the tweaks, you'll see what i mean in the opening minutes i should imagine?.

I'll make a list of the changes i made after considering your suggestions, i'll just play a couple more games first to see how the side are adapting?. :thup:

retired_elpata

Fulham vs Arsenal


After a minute your centrebacks are causing my concenr already. I'm finding them going for the same balls and players. A pass sideways and you are fully exposed here. No doubt some teams will exploit this. Are both the CB's set on the same mentality and closing down? I prefer one of mine to sit slightly deeper and close down slightly later. I find it helps to stop balls being passed through and alolows them to occupy there own space.

I know its a flat 4 you play, but do you set Silva up to be a dmc? I ask because he gets forward a lot already in the first few minutes of thsi game. Hes playing as almost a 2nd AMC. Now I don't know if this is due to forward rund or his mentlaity. But either way its leaving gap in the middle of your formation that any decent side will use to play balls through. Both Silva and Fabregas are advanced here and a quick counter will cause you a few probs.

When a ball is played forward you get Fabre, Vela and Baptista all going for the same ball. It would be good if one of the strikers waited for the flick on or pass. I can see this being a deadly for you and maybe a good way for you to counter teams and score on the break.

What have you changed on the wingers? They are playign a little better but still not enough support early on for th defence. Maybe could set them to man mark and press high, that way when you loose the ball thy should track back. Atm they loose the ball and sorta leave it at that no tracking back.

Take a look at this screenshotLink

That ball was just cleared by Fulham after a long pass by you. Now look at the players you have forward and the positions they are in. The middle of your park is completely free. Now if Gilberto is set up as a DMC then he should be there too nar the semi circle.

Now Fulham have only got 1 player forward, but on another occassion they might get more numbers forward. Evven just an exra player forward could force an error here. These are the sort of things the little mistakes come from, like a dodgey back pass etc.

haha I unpaused it and you did give the ball away, however they gave it straight back to you luckily. Can you see what I mean though about having an extra player in the middle to try and break up play? That could have been costly then.

Hleb as done a few passes thats gone stray. He seems to turn infield a lot looking for a pass but gives it away. the reason for this might be his passing is it set to short? Plus hes more advanced than the forwards so the only option he as is to pass sideways or backwards.

Batista as done some good dribbling, but when he gets near goal he opts for the long pass rather than having a crack at goal.

27:46 you lost the ball in the middle and a long pass was played through the middle to the Fulham striker. Luckily it was saved by Lehmann but you was real luckiy there. You don't seem to have anyone in the middle winning the ball, ideally Gilberto should be doing this but hes too advanced all the time. If he stayed more back he should be able to deal with some of this stuff and break the play up.

Your left fullback is always looking to hit Batista even if hes got better placed options. Is he set as a targetman?

Look at this image;

Link

Look at the 2 players I circled. One of them is Gilberto, now you just lost possession and a long ball was played and now Vila is about to challenge Djour for it. If you win the header there is a high chance it will go to a Fulham player because there is 2 unmarked if you look.

Now this might all come to nothing but i've got it paused atm to write this. But as you can see, little things like this can be a concern and cost you a game or a lead. See how out of position Gilberto is?

Now look at this picture;

Link

You attack was cleared this time and look who's picked the ball up Gilberto. This is what he should be doing for 90 minutes not just every now and again. Now hes picked the ball up your in a position to attack again.

First half is pretty good, just the wingers not tracking back and noone in middle to pick up loose balls are my only concerns. You not created a lot of chances but the ones you have have been okay chances and on another day you'd might have scored. So all in all a good first half.

Drop Batistas mentality slightly in this game, as hes getting caught offside a fair few times.

Fulham changed to a 424 and its caused you a few problems straight away, Your struggling to deal with the extra 2man upfront and because your middle is so empty the midfield of Fulham look sharp and lively.


Right there is no doubt you outplayed them and deserved the win. you was unlucky not to win by more, but some good defending and goalkeeping kept Fulham in it. I don't think anything was at fault really why you only won 1-0 as Fulham did make you work for it.

However id be concerend from a defensive side of things as a good side is going to tear through the heart of your team. Theres just no middle at all.
If you sort this then I've no doubt that you've cracked it.

I know I sound negative about the stuff I'm saying but I am only replicating what I see on the screen. Its a decent formation with potential but needs a little bit of work to be better for you.

retired_elpata

In the Sheff Utd game or the Fulham one you just played? And do you mean your back 4?

I ask cos I was unsure what you meant but if you mean you then yes I found at times you was a bit spread out and far forward at times. But saying that it sorta worked for you and you did look solid in the Sheff Utd game. The goals you conceeded were more down to your idfield that anything and are easily fixed. </BLOCKQUOTE>

Actually i meant the Fulham game i just played after the tweaks, you'll see what i mean in the opening minutes i should imagine?.

I'll make a list of the changes i made after considering your suggestions, i'll just play a couple more games first to see how the side are adapting?. :thup: </BLOCKQUOTE>

They were extremly wide at times yeah.

retired_Cat1123

These are the changes i made mate after some of your suggestions. They were implemented for the Fulham game.

You mentioned the passing was too short - So i upped it too last click of normal.

You said that 4 players had almost full CF - So i dropped the wingers CF by 3 each and dropped Baptistas to normal as he is the TM and needs to be where i want him.

You said both strikers on cross ball often - Actually Baptista's was mixed, but i changed it to rare.

Too much space between def and att - I dropped the team mentality a little to try to sure this up.

Rosicky too close to Vela - i Changed mentality and CF.

Tempo too fasr - Changed to last notch of normal.

Baptista too much CF - Lowered considerably

You asked if wingers were on easy tackle and low closing down - Both are on norm tackle and full pressing.

CB's look lost - Upped their CF by two each.

Fabregas too defensive - Made him more attack minded.

Def line too high - Changed to 1st notch of norm.

As well as the above, the two DC's are staggered to make one sit a little deeper than the other.

Since the Fulham game we have won 3 more on the trot before drawing at home to Charlton.

Since the changes i noticed we are not so good going forward and creating less chances, but although the defence at times looks wide open as mentioned above, teams are having fewer chances?.

Thanks for your help Cleon, i'll keep you informed of my results!. :thup:

retired_elpata

The game I saw you was good at going forward and there was no real worries or issues that i saw. But thats only 1 game. As you are playing a bit slower tempo than before you are bound to see a decrease in shots, but they should be more accurate and clear cut than before. something which was noticeable in the Fulham game.

Teams will be getting less chances against you because you are playing a slower tempo and keeping more posession and not giving it away as easy. You look vulnerable at times defence wise, but it also looks strong at times too. I think the only gripe id have is that one of the CM's needs to be more defence minded to help them out and break play up.

I know I told you to make Fabergas more attacking and I stand by that. He's quite weak at defensive duties so it would make sense to have Gilberto do the thing that he cannot do and vice versa.

You've got a solid tactic I will give you that and intime theres no doubt it will begin to work. If you need anymore help or advice just lemme know

retired_Cat1123

Cheers Cleon!. :thup:

retired_Cat1123

Just had a thought?.

I'd like to hear your idea's on shutting up shop to see out a slender lead and maybe how you go about looking for a last gasp equaliser also?.

Cheers

retired_elpata

I'm if winning comfortably and wanna see the remainder of the game out, if theres not long left. I drop the tempo if I am playing a high tempo game and if im using a more direct passing I change this to a more normal one too. I normally find though that you don't walways have to change too much. If you really wanted you could bring on another defence minded player. But as I rule I just do what I said above really.

Now chasing a game is a bit different and this is the part I love. I have turned so many games around its unreal. I think I did a few in my sheff utd project where i tweaked in game and changed the result into my favour.

If I have been playing well and just been unluck and trainling, i tend to go more attacking and a higher tempo along with direct passing. If you got a targetman player now is the ideal time to utilise him too, have him hold up the ball and make the midfield run onto him.

But if im loosing bad and playing really rubbish and creating very little, i tend to go defensive, drop my d-line to very deep, quick tempo, direct passing and counter attack. And I normally score. If you are playing bad and trailing then it doesn't make sense to go more attacking in hope of a goal s you'll get slaughtered. But get more bodies behind the ball and hit them on the break instead and you'll find it much more effective.

9/10 people assume you have to go more attacking when loosing, but I disagree. Its makes more sense to go defensive and play on a counter attack.

I hope your opinion of me is changing btw I know I can be an arse at times just like anyone else, but I'm always willing to help people regardless of any history we had on the boards etc.

retired_Cat1123

Cheers again for your latest info Cleon!. :thup:

I'm going to implement those idea's and see how i get on?.

I usually take people at face value, but that is next to impossible when chatting on the net i'm sure you'll agree?.

My initial opinion was based on little more than a few words here and there, but i did have you down as slightly Hitleresque in stature?.

Nice to see your human after all mate!.

retired_elpata

if you need anymore help or want to take a look at another game after you played a few let me know. I'll look if I got the time and today I do.