retired_FaultyFate

Personally, I start from covering my weaknesses, but rather on a global level than on game to game level. What I mean is if my defenders are not very good, I usually use deeper Def line, defensive-to-normal mentality, etc. I prefer to win 1-0 rather than 5-4, so to organize defense my first priority. Once my team gets better (more quality players, players develop strong understanding, start to like each other, etc.) I start varying style a little bit. What I never do:
- change passing style by more than 1 notch from one match to another;
- change mentality by more than 2 notches from one match to another.
- change width by more than 3 notches from one match to another.

The reason is I feel that these 3 attributes require time to adopt. As if irl you ask Arsenal players to start playing long balls, which they never did, and midfielders are confused, strickers have no idea where to expect the ball, etc. Within one game I sometimes go ultra-attacking, but to me it's like I am saying "There is nothing to lose, Go and try to save the match", not like "Completely forget what I said yesterday and revert your brains".

As for the scout reports, I find them useful only when they something about the opposition weaknesses (defense is slow, stricker should not cause us aerial trouble, etc.). Other than that I think scout doesn't tell me much. I know that Man Untd have very good players and if scout says they play defensive all it means to me that they are aware of my strickers ability, but that I know anyway since their defenders are good.

Maximising Strenghts to me means using my players abilities right. If my player has low dribbling stat, asking him to run with ball often is like asking GK never pass and always dribble. But it has nothing to do with next opposition. If I face Man Utd and think that Ronaldo is the main problem, I may chose ML with better defensive attributes to help DL. If opposition DCs are strong but slow I will go with fastest STs. Though it would be nice to get more detailed report from scout and not spend time figuring out who is who

retired_kellyk

My approach to the game which is covered very simply in this thread looks at almost similar things. The goal is to be consistent throughout the season. I have 1 default tactic which happens to be an attacking 433.

Before each game, I study the scout reports for indications of a managers playing style, the shape of the formation, and, where the threats are most likely to come from. The odds before a game also give me an indication as to how tight the game is going to be.

When in doubt I look at previous matches of the opposition to give me some indication of how far up the pitch their defenders come. This allows me to see how their closing down in relation to their mentality is. This is perhaps the toughest to do and sometimes I do get it wrong. For example in a match against Utd, the scout report told me they play a defensive 442 with attacking wings which operate off a counter. Now if I hadn't looked at the match I wouldn't have noticed that their 442 is actually a very attacking 424.

My approach is simple, adjust only tempo, width or d-line in a match. Your closing down instructions if set up right for your particular formation don't need to be changed if they work home or away.

If your individual instructions are set up right there is no need to fiddle with them unless they are not performing in the game. I'm not going to tell one player to stop making through balls because he's playing away from home. That doesn't make any sense. A player should always play to his attributes.

All you need to do is understand whether they are the players best suited to play in that formation you have picked against a particular opponent.

retired_hope

I also use this approach. However I know that the match report is bugged and will always show defensive, short passing and counter attacking. The teams will always play this style. However if the odds are heavily against you the opposition will play more attacking due to the odds. The report tells you the base tactic, the odds determine the offsets used.

retired_DerrickInVegas

I agree with leroy's point.
definitely,we might sometimes benefit from the scouted report. however, it could be wrong and useless.
I seldom used the opp-instruction. cos you can never catch up with the AI's Changing.
for example, when i faced Arsenal at home. i lead at 1-0 till 80th min. however, Wenger sub up adebayor & walcott to play 424.
I DID pressed the tactic button,expecting to change the always CD for ML/R to rarely.
as what i feared, the gunners crossed from the blank and scored.
oh my god!