retired_armer

When the funky AI puts this insane tactic into play towards the end of games, how do you act upon it?

It seems like they are destined to score. Even with a backline with the deep on full, fullbacks with barrows, they get the ball behind me making a lot of chances.

Closing down at full, trying to prevent them from crossing doesn't work either.

What are your tips? Putting an extra DC in?

retired_elpata

Just man mark then outer 2 strikers with your wingers. Thats the only change I do, and thats not veery often. I don't find this formation a problem to play against as its leaves the midfield totally free.

retired_Markpdoody

JB&VV, try lowering your defensive line, no forward runs for full-backs and make sure they have the same mentality as the center back. Then play a 4-4-2 without any arrow. The amount of empty space a 4-2-4 leave for your wingers will be a problem to them when he makes a quality cross (player who has no one near him can make quality passes and crosses). Tick counter-attack which usually cause some chaos.

:cool:

retired_armer

First of all I am playing my defensive live at full (hence; backline with the deep on full). Second I am not running forward with my fullbacks as they have barrows on for a reason (????). Third I am playing down the flanks (using wide). And to Cleon, I think that man mark with my wingers is something I would never do, as it is totally unrealistic. (It might help me win the game - but I would never do something that is completely ag. the idea of football - maybe if I was playing an offensive 3-5-2, I would have tried that, but I am playing 4-4-2).

retired_janellewood86

I've done this since I first got FM06. And I wouldn't say it was unrealistic.

If you're getting hit by the opposition, the wingers in most cases help out the defence. How many times do you see Ronaldo, Rooney, Giggs et al tracking back to help out? I certainly saw it a lot on Sunday afternoon watching the Arsenal game.

Similarly, Liverpool did this after about half an hour against Chelsea. The wingers helped out the full backs. I was actually watching for this a little to see whether the FM tactics have some real-life bearing.

Remember, marking doesn't mean they'll stick to the opp. winger's like glue. There'll still be plenty of natural movement. It just forces a couple of extra men back further into defence when the opposition throw more men forward.

retired_ambular0820

Barrows on the backs might be a bad idea because it disorganizes the defense, but I just dont know.

But I found that the problem with opposition wingers getting behind my backs largely disappeared after I switched to tight zonal marking with them.

Here is what I do when I want to kill a game:

1. Reduce mentality to some really low number for the entire defense, same for everyone in the back four.
2. Set the entire midfield to the same mentality as the defense minus one or two notches. This places the midfield relatively closer to the defense and makes them harder to pierce.
3. Turn off all farrows on midfield.
4. Possibly take out a striker and switch to 451.
5. For the midfield, tight zonal marking for everyone except for a single CM if I am 451. The forward(s) are not on tight.
6. Low closing down for the tight markers, high for the loose markers. In effect, this makes sure that the opposition is under as much pressure as feasible in their build up play.
7. I generally refrain from too deep a defensive line, but this is relative to the quality of my defense against the opposition. Playing deep is safer in some respects, but invites pressure.
8. Finally, a counter-attack plan. Forward runs are essential for this. It is usually the wingers for me, but I sometimes let one or two from the center midfield to join the attack attack as well. Again, the quality of the opposition is important - you dont want to be caught by a counter-counter-attack.
9. Finally, of course, direct passing. It is crucial to lower creative freedom except for players with good passing, creativity and decisions so that a sensible counterattack forms.
10. Waste time.

retired_janellewood86

I've not found this, but it's personal preference. All it seem to do is re-emphasise the fact that you want your full backs to stay back and help the defence rather than moving forward. I use it all the time against 4-2-4 and the 4-4-2 with wingers running to FL/R.

retired_armer

Having Ronaldo and Giggs to man-mark the opposition wingers is realistic? Oh, oh, I'll say????