Saga

Hi everyone, I just joined the forums because I've been looking up some information on this and can't find it anywhere. Yes, I did a search but didn't help much.

First, a little background. I've been playing football management games since CM2 in the early 90s and, while I've tried many different tactics and teams in the past few years, I've been a fan of 3-5-2 formations mostly because, the way I see it, it's the one tactic that gives me access to the traditional 4-4-2 and the broader 3-4-3 by moving a single man (take a midfielder for a defender or attacker, respectively). I don't know if the game considers this a drastic change in tactic or not, but IRL I'd assume that moving one man alone would cause little havoc in the team structure. If not, I'd like to see it in future editions of the game

Anyway, for the first time, I've been having some trouble with this. I don't particularly like to use the in-game tactics so I first tried a standard 3-5-2 with Team tactics all set to Mixed/Normal. I then tried two variations:

- 3-5-2 V formation: where the center MC would move to a DM position, and the wingers would move to AM position.
- [b]3-5-2 V2[b] formation: same as above but added a run of the center DC into SW position.

In all three of them, I tried the following Team tactics:

- Mentality: Normal (central), Normal (1 notch under Attacking), Attacking (halfway beteen Normal and All-Out Attack)
- Creative Freedom: Normal
- Passing Style: Mixed, Direct (halfway between Mixed and Long), Direct (1 notch under Long), Long.
- Tempo: Normal, Quick (2 notches above Normal), Quick (5 notches above Normal)
- Width: Normal, Wide (all the way to the right), Wide (1 notch before all the way)
- Closing Down: Normal, Rarely (2 notches under Normal)
- Time Wasting: Mixed, Rarely (2 notches under Mixed)
- Defensive Line: Normal, Push Up (5 notches above Normal), Deep (2 notches under Normal).
- Tackling: Normal, Easy (I only use Hard in the last 15/10 minutes)
- Focus Passing: Mixed, Down both flanks
- Marking: Zonal
- Corners: 6-yard box, Penalty Area
- Free Kicks: Best Header, Long
- Throw Ins: Mixed, Short, Quick

I don't use Playmakers or Target Men (no one seems to qualify for that). Counter-Attack, Tight Marking and Playing Offside are off (although I've tried Playing Offside on when I had the Defensive Line "pushed up").

Keep in mind that I always play with the lowest league teams (currently Portuguese Second Division, Group D) so, obviously, I can't count on raw player talent.

I know I should mess around with the sliders and try different approaches, but none of my players have the stats to make good use of things like Short passing or great Creative Freedom... so a few suggestions from you guys might put me in the right direction here. Tight Marking sounds good but, again, in a 3-5-2 formation where the DCs aren't particularly good in Acceleration and Pace, it doesn't sound like an answer (I could be wrong, and will test it just to be sure).

I will continue to experiment, but I'd appreciate any input and suggestions. Thanks!

PS: Currently testing the following Team Tactic (which, so far, seems to be working best)
- Standard 3-5-2
- Mentality: Attacking (4 notches above Normal)
- Creative Freedom: Normal (1 notch to the right)
- Passing Style: Mixed (1 notch above Short)
- Tempo: Normal (1 notch to the right)
- Width: Wide (all to the right)
- Closing Down: Often (all to the right)
- Wasting Time: Rarely (all to the left)
- Defensive Line: Deep (all to the left)
- Tackling: Easy
- Focus Passing: Mixed
- Marking: Zonal
- Target Man Supply: To Feet (not sure if this works since I have no Target Men assigned, but I'm assuming player "target" other players anyway, even if not specific)
- Tight Marking: On
- Use Target Man: Off
- Use Playmaker: Off
- Play Offside: Off
- Counter-Attack: On
- Corners, Free Kicks and Throw Ins: Mixed (All)

retired_dpw202

I've been playing mostly 3-5-2 variations since FM came out, mostly because i've found DL\DR's to useless. In FM2005 i actually had more success with it than i had with the famous diablo tactic in champman, but now i'm "struggling" to make it work like it did before. It seems 3-5-2 tactics get better with patches (it did in fm2006). In my "test game" with Chelsea i BARELY managed to win champions league and PL.

I've used the same layout all the time: 3 DC's with sarrows, 2 DMC's, 2ML\MR with farrows either all the way up or one, one AMC and 2 FC's.

Everybody thinks that this creates alot of space on the wings for the opponent to frown at, but most problems i've had has had to do with through balls and clumsy GK\DC behaviour.