retired_appoint

After my previous 4-4-2 ceasing to work post patch I have been tinkering around again and have come up with a 4-4-2 Diamond that seems to be working ok. Ok I have only played 17 matches but you have to start somewhere!!

So far :

P W D L F A PTS
17 10 4 3 28 13 34

Unlike my old 4-4-2 I tend to dominate possession and at times create a bucketload of chances. In a 4-2 win over Newcastle I managed to create 40 chances with 23 on target.

The only games I have lost are away at Man Utd 2-0, Home to Liverpool 1-0, away at Villa 1-0 and away at Arsenal in the Cup 4-3 and to be fair I had my chances.

My team is :

GK GREEN
RB NEILL
LB McCARTNEY
CB FERDINAND
CB IGNASHEVIC/GABBIDON
RM DYER/GILES BARNES
LM LJUNGBERG/ETHERINGTON
DM MAKOUN/PARKER
AM DYER/BARNES
TM ASHTON/CARLTON COLE
CF JIMMY BRIAND/BELLAMY

Team Instructions are :

MENTALITY ATTACKING
CREATIVE FR NORMAL
PASSING SHORT
TEMPO SLOW
WIDTH NARROW
CLOSING DOWN OWN HALF
TIME WAST RARELY
DEFENSIVE LI NORMAL
TACKLING NORMAL

FOCUS PASSING MIXED
ZONAL MARKING
TARGET MAN SUPPLY TO FEET
USE TARGET MAN
PLAY OFFSIDE

I have Mentality, Creative Freedom, Closing Down and Defensive Line all the same number of clicks.

I also have Passing, Tempo, Width and Time Wasting on the same number of clicks.

My Full Backs, Wide Midfielders, Attacking Midfielder and Strikers are all the same instructions for most instructions such as Mentality, Passing, Creative Freedom and Closing Down. I only really tinker individual instructions for Centre Backs and Defensive Midfielder.

My wide midfielders have a curved arrow to the AM position. Yes it does limit the amount of crosses they make but certainly for Ljungberg he is on fire popping up with regular goals and assists.

My Defensive Midfielder has a Farrow to the CM position whilst I have Barrows on my Full Backs. This seems to limit balls catching them out played over the top.

All my team are picking up great stats in games with the majority picking up regular 8's. The only two positions who seem to pick up 6's are the Defensive Midfield position and the fast striker position. If you download the tactic you may be able to suggest better settings for those two??

I would also appreciate any other feedback which could help make the tactic better although I hope it helps out any of you who are really struggling.

It's called "WHU HOME V3 DEC 7 TACTIC"

It can be downloaded at.

http://files.filefront.com/WHU+HOME+V3+West+Ham+Dec+7ta...39593;/fileinfo.html

retired_taryn

Think I'll give that a try, been trying to get the best out of Goitom and Defoe with Baptista behind them. Have either scored plenty and conceded loads or had 0-0 1-1 draws.

Dont know if it'll work for you but I have found using the DM as a playmaker and the defenders playing short balls to him has had decent results as it gets him more involved. Obviously this requires a decent DM but Makoun should do the job for you.

retired_appoint

I might try that, I have tried having him on short balls, mixed, no FWR or RWB, Mixed FWR and RWB all sorts of ideas but he always gets a 6..... He doesn't have a bad game but doesn't excel.

Not sure how to have him closing down either. I'll tinker about with his instructions and try the playmaker idea.

retired_appoint

I have updated the tactic it is now WHU HOME V5 JAN8 TACTIC. The link is...

http://files.filefront.com/WHU+HOME+V5+West+Ham+Jan+8ta...43070;/fileinfo.html

I have tinkered about with the goalkeeper settings and Defensive Midfielder settings which has made their ratings higher in the last few game I have played.

Second in the Premiership in January with a narrow defeat away at Arsenal but two well eraned points at Anfield and Stamford Bridge.

Give it a try?

retired_appoint

Sorry......

GrahamF,,, Thanks I have put Makoun in as a playmaker with a free role and throuh balls often now and he has started to dominate proceedings.

retired_taryn

I've had decent results from it, one loss in Europe when I played my reserves. Otherwise won every game including a 3-2 against Chelsea who are top and hadn't conceded in 3 games.

Tinkered with it a little too, did similar with the DM and made the FB's a little more defensive.

I was very suprised by the defensive settings as I thought my team would struggle with an offside trap but it seems to do the job.

retired_appoint

Graham, glad you are having some success with it.

How do you play the DMC? I've gone back to having him in as playmaker but I don't now tick the box and have undone the free role. It seems difficult to get consistent ratings with the DM.

retired_FaultyFate

Hammer,

Sorry that I allow myself into your conversation with Graham, but if I may...

Free role is not for DM. He is supposed to do exactly what you want him to do, and it looks like we want a lot from him . To me DM should play both defensive and attacking duties.

Attacking: 1)always offer himself as pass option (hence, he is in playmaker box); 2)support attack from deep and pick up balls cleared by oppositon defs (hence, forward run rarely to mixed); 3)organise fast attacks from own half (hence TTB often).

Defensive: 1)pressure opposition MCs (AMCs) => creating "no free space" condition for opposition between own area and half line; 2)pick up loose balls cleared from own area; and 3)... see attacking 3)

Now, when DM plays his role perfectly, he does not have ball too much, he does not make many assists (first passes - yes, but not the last ones), and he does not save the team (his job to break AI attacks before they become dangerous). Hence, his ratings may be not high. Who cares? If I am not going to sell DM, I'd rather prefer nobody knows how good he is

retired_appoint

Kolobok,,, all advice welcome. For your info my DM Instructions are thus..

MENTALITY First Click of attacking like rest of team. Only positions I use other settings for are the keeper and centre backs.

CF First click of Normal

PASSING Mixed

C DOWN Own half

Tackling Normal

F RUNS Mixed

RWB Mixed

LONG SHOT Rarely

THR BALLS Often

CROSSING Rare

Would you change any of that?

retired_FaultyFate

Not really, may be long shots mixed, but it depends on player. I have Ponzo with long shot 17 IIRC and he sometimes picks "cleared" ball near opposition area and scores from distance. My team closes down whole field (except DCs and STs), but then again - I am currently Lyon in France, plus I have 5 midfielders (DM, ML/R, 2 AMCs) so I can afford it