retired_ning

The home bias seems to be extremely heavy in FM. Every season I seem to get a near 100% home record (my 'worst' record in several seasons was dropping 5 points at home) but away I can't win at all.

I managed to win the title last year (with Palace in 2014) with 75 points and 11 losses (10 away from home). Not only is this just bizarre (75 points?!) but really frustrating that I couldn't carry my home form away from home.

Similarly, in an online game I'm 2nd in the away league table, having played 14 away games and LOST SEVEN.

I can't seem to get a balance right. Away games weren't that tough for me initially as teams would always attack me and I'd just counter-attack them. However, now that they seem to have decided to defend and make themselves hard to break down, I'm finding it extremely difficult. My counter-attacking faltered completely (understandably) so I then switched to a more attacking approach (although not as attacking as I play at home). This didn't work either as it simply led to lots of gaps that the home team exploited.

At the moment away I'm playing direct, quick and wide football, with attacking mentality but low forward runs.

retired_ning

Forgot to mention that I'm using a RoO system in a 4-3-1-2 formation (MC, MR/L and an AMC).

retired_BrownVanilla

TBF, i think that using the 4-3-1-2 the way you do leaves you a bit bare in the centre of the park when playing away - try plaing a DMc instead of an AMC when away

retired_BrownVanilla

*DMC

retired_ning

So switch to a 4-1-3-2?

retired_BrownVanilla

yeah, or alternatively just lessen your width or pull the wingers inside

retired_ning

Should also mention that 2 seasons ago the 4-3-1-2 worked wonders away from home - was defensively solid and scored goals (that was when I could counter-attack).

retired_janellewood86

I would suggest taking a look at the TT&F thread (link in the Bible).

You're right that it is more difficult to balance things away. Sometimes a little too difficult. Unfortunately, there's not always a quick fix.

You have the right idea in playing more attacking, I think, but it's a question of getting the balance right between attack and defence.

The tactics created from the TT&F frameworks usually contain a number of variants. The home one is usually pretty much static (though sometimes there may be an overload version where the mentality is even higher), but the away sets contain more subtle changes. There is a normal away tactic which is very defensive. Then there will usually be an attacking away tactic which is five or six notches higher and finally a very attacking away/defensive home tactic which is between the away attack and normal home tactics.

With my current Arsenal game, as an example, I have three basic frameworks. One is a home variant, quite attacking, wider than normal and designed to march forward. A deeper defensive line watches for counter attacks, but basically I leave this baby alone for home games. Usually it will win.

Away from home I have two separate tactics. Both were built with defense in mind - narrow, lower forward runs, deep defensive line etc. However, one system has a RoO framework starting a "1" the other starting at "7". For games where the opposition want to win, the "A1" system works a treat. However, if the opposition sit back too much I switch to "A7". Finally, if that doesn't work, I've been know to switch up to 13 or 14 or even just crank out the home tactic and try and force the issue.

I hope that helps. If it's any consolation, you're not alone. I dropped 9 points at home last year. But check out the table...



Doing better this season, just about, but it's bloody annoying, eh?

retired_ning

Yea, I've tried to build a few variants of my away tactic and they worked in pre-season friendlies on my offline game. Online however, when I tried them, they led to a woeful loss against Blackburn (I was Arsenal) and an equally poor loss against HSV.

Perhaps it's too early to judge but they don't look too promising! I think the next thing to test is the moving the AMC back and switching to 2-man central midfield.

retired_ning

Very frustrating...switched to a 4-4-2 and went narrower with no success.

Seems that whatever changes I make away from home, nothing will work. The only slight 'success' I have gained recently away from home was by changing my team's entire mentality by one click each left/right just to adapt the the opposition's tactics. Even then, success was limited and it shouldn't be that way that I have to change my tactics like that just to eek out wins vs the likes of Watford and Southend.