retired_orucollegegirl

I used this theory throughout my Fm2006 life and found it to very, very good. Keeping thinks simple, and having the ability to change the way the team will play only by changing the team sliders is very underated.

When I got 2007, I tried the same set-up again, but it failed to work. However, around a month ago, I found a thread on the defensive line. I now play with asmo's theory, but incorporate the deep defensive line (thus not now mirroring mentalitiy as in 2006), which works a treat! Be warned however that if you are playing different mentality and defensive lines - a DMC is a must, to hold the two together!

Quick question for Asmo: I have my DMC currently on team setting for mentality so he doesn't get pulled into the back 4. Is this best, or have you found that it works better set-up with the defensive unit??

retired_monica90

have you had a lot of success using these theories?

It sounds like a good theory because it is not too complicated but sounds like a bit more in-depth and realistic than simply pure global. However, in the manual it says:

"Typically, mentalities should be balanced accross the team"

and it seems that (if i have read correctly) you split your team into 2 halves; attack and defense which could lead to confusion amongst the team and create gaps for the opposition to capitalise on?

Nevertheless, i believe that it was a very good post and i will be giving these theories a try. </BLOCKQUOTE>

Once I'd established it in its current form it led my Exeter side to the Championship in consecutive seasons using a variety of formations, before I embarked on a post-patch Arsenal game over a similar length of time. Both were very succesful. Testing went back a lot further than just these games too though.

You're right- the team is split into two (although the degree to which this is true is governed by how high your team mentality is). However, the defensive line seems to balance the team positionally and fill the gaps. Also, that quote's pretty ambiguous and can be interpreted in many ways. Does balanced mean the same across the whole team or different parts of the team? I don't have a bloody clue to be honest, but this system works fine for me.

When you played with DMCs what mentality did you give them? Try them on team mentality if you haven't already- that's what I'd do anyway. You could drop the defensive line even further then if you wanted to.

I did mention giving creative freedom to one or two players- that you really trust. I experimented with CF for my Arsenal team and found that high levels distributed individually or to the team seemed to disrupt my system. However, I tried setting the attacking unit to "normal (10)" and there was no noticeable difference. Experimentation is the key here- it's not really something I've delved into much as it's nigh-on impossible to test or gauge effectively in my opnion. Besides, I prefer the team ethic anyway.

I found the old theories didn't work either jonny- but I think now that this has more to do with the defensive line actually working in this version (or doing what it says in the manual anyway).

As I said if I have a fast high quality back line and the team has blended then I'll have no hesitation in playing a high line with the offside trap in effect.

As for your last point (as touched on just now) I find it better to leave the DMC on team mentality, otherwise he seems to become another centre-back. Plus I like to mathc closing down to mentality; so the higher these are the more interceptions I find he makes.

Hope this helps and thanks for the kind words everyone.

retired_angel_ica

Asmo what is your instruction to MCd or DMC ( cd 5 cf 5 ment. 5?) all to set rearly?

retired_jissca812

He sets a DMC to team mentality, as if it is left on 5 (or 6), they become another centre-back. I think you leave the closing down at 5 thought, as if it was on team he would leave gaps in the back-line. You would then set the instructions to the mentality, ie. normal = mixed, attacking = often, defensive = rarely.

I apologise if I got any of that wrong, Asmo.

retired_monica90

Yeah- DMC as above, if it was a defensive MC (or MCd), then I'd set them as part of the defensive unit- just like the centre-backs.

retired_Markpdoody

I use both a 4-2-3-1 VA and a 4-4-2 VA. The defensive structure of both tactics are the same having four defenders and two central midfielders being the primary defensive shape. With this I find it quite effective to have a low defensive line, I use a notch or two into NORMAL from low but this has to be complemented with having low closing down, right in the middle, to break free into the oppositions defence when possesion is regained.

The low defensive line is effective in the sense that when my attack fails, my two central midfielders are close to the opposition strikers so they get into a defensive position much quicker and able to disturb both thier strikers and later thier attacking minded midfielder unlike higher defensive line where rarely(or less, for that matter) a central midfielder (not attacking or defensive mid) engage the strikers until probably very late into thier attacks. An intersting point to this is the ability to play the MC's on an attacking mentality while in a ready position to defend. He won't go high up the field because I set his forward run to mixed yet he dribble, long shoots and make good attacking pass and play. The reason for the 4-4-2 however, is to play against teams who are too good for my 4-2-3-1 down the flanks.

:cool:

retired_BrownVanilla

cheers fourthreethree :thup: your post in my thread about this tactic was sopt on too:thup:

retired_bridge112

I really like this thread, and will give it a try. I just really hope this is more than wishful thinking. One thing that confuses me is the DMC setting. Closing down 5 seems really low.

retired_monica90

As I said earlier (but probably not clearly enough), DMCs should be left on team settings- therefore I'd match their closing down with their mentality).

Link to the old thread for anyone interested.

retired_orucollegegirl

Asmo - as I have said before, this approach gave me plenty of success in FM06, so having recreated it in 2007, I was really down hearted by some of the results I was getting.

Having watched the last 2 games on full match, there does seem to be some problems with a deep defensive line, and at attacking approach. Although the defensive line only comes into play once the ball has been lost, I was finding that the defensive unit had nobody to pass the ball to when they won it back, as the attacking players are too far forward - even with the DMC. THis resulted in my defensive players hitting the ball long - even when my passing and tempo were both low - and the ball being given away far too much.

I'm guessing that keeping the d-line and the mentalitiy the same will solve this problem for me, but it means keeping the dline high, if I want to play with an attacking mentality.