retired_cursed_lord0

Buxton - have you got a link to the tactic?

retired_raggi

Wow, fantastic replies guys, I didn't expect so many, thanks to all of you. Wow Buxton...treble first season? I could only dream of such success. I see you've abandoned wingers alltogether lol, and I've thought about that, but I just love attacking wingplay so much, I refused. Funny since I beat chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge playing a deep narrow 4-2-2-2 LOL.

The specific thing I'm having problems with is creating enough chances to score, and taking them. I actually do pretty decent against Chelsea, but then Everton comes to WHL and comepletely shut me down with their negative flat 4-4-2. I'm just finding it hard to create a good amount of chances for my strikers, and I think it's because of that winger issue you mentioned. My wingers get absolutely NO joy at all. The game seems to favor piling the central midfield, so I'll give it what it wants!

You mentioned keeping things simple, I'll definitely try that, since I've only tried Slow Tempo, or Quick Tempo. I'll try the Mixed option more and report back. Thanks for all the help!

retired_raggi

Btw Buxton I have a few questions. How did you play your fullbacks? Did you have Forward Runs Often so they bomb forward? Also, did you focus passing through the middle? Or Mixed? Thanks.

retired_thedizzyangel

Fullbacks were on Team Mentality of 11/dead centre with Closing Down about 13 and on Mixed FR's, RWB and TTB's with Cross ball set to Often.

I started off with them on Often FR's but even on Mixed they still get forward enough for 95% of the matches.

With regards to not putting away chances, apparantly players are now more clinical with the new patch, so hopefully we'll both find our strikers put more away as a result.

I'm just waiting for the patch before starting a new game now.

retired_thedizzyangel

Nah not yet, waiting for the patch first and see how it effects the tactic and I want to make it a little more prolific in front of goal before I think about having it on here, if at all to be honest.

James1226

I have to challenge Buxton (who is a very clever FM player by the way - listen to him not to me), cause I won the four possible trophies with Spurs in the first season.

I played 4 different diamond formations, but that was not the key to the success. IMO it more fun to win with tactics, but it is so much easier to win on transfers.

So another key to success is getting as much jumping and to a lesser extent pace and acceleration as possible into your team - and then play as direct as you can bear to watch.

I sold Chimbonda, Keane, Malbranque, sent Lennon on Loan (couldn't get decent money for him), sold Dawson, Murphy, Stalteri and all other players with less than 14 in jumping.

It will give you plenty of money to bring in players with jumping. Play Anthony Gardner: He is perhaps the best English center back in the game (check his 3 key attributes).

Same reason: Mido is better than Berbatov in the game. He is not in RL but he is in the game.

You can do it more cleverly - like Buxton. It probably looks better to. But if you go direct and get 10 players with jumping and a decent set piece taker (I also recommend Alex), you should be able to get plenty of sucess.

Repeat: Jumping, pace and acceleration - go get it!

retired_raggi

Hmmm, you say team mentality..are you using the Global team mentality style?

retired_raggi

Haha, I figured as much. Looks like this FM is a throwback to older FM's where your physical stats mean almost everything. Time to get me some 6 foot 4 oafs hehe.

James1226

Haha, I figured as much. Looks like this FM is a throwback to older FM's where your physical stats mean almost everything. Time to get me some 6 foot 4 oafs hehe. </BLOCKQUOTE>

I think the tough task creating the engine is to get the balance right: The engine has to be able to simulate Boltons style as well as Barcelonas. And you have to be able to get success with both.

Right now I think the balance is in Boltons favour (a bit like previous versions, yes), but it might get changed with the patch, cause I don't think the problem is as bad as earlier versions. But if you want to be truly succesfull by tactics, it is my experience that you need to spend a lot of time in Opposition Instructions, and alter things when the AI make changes. IMO this is more fun in the long run. In that way it is perhaps good that the direct physical approach pays off. It is for people who doesn't have time or can not be bothered about to many interruptions during matches.

retired_thedizzyangel

Hmmm, you say team mentality..are you using the Global team mentality style? </BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes, I use the Team Instructions to control pretty much everything. I've set individual instructions for Mentality for the DC's and DMC and Closing Down instructions for the Fullbacks and 2 MC's but apart from that it's all controlled by the team instructions.