Hello.
I created tactics for huge underdog teams which are predicted to be relegated or very close to relegation in the game and the most of them are in IRL, too. They are mostly financialy very resticted, too. Another problem with them is lack of coaches, so learning tactics is long process (20 games easily for fluid). This tactics is also for journeyman saves for people who like to take over relegation teams in the middle of season. From my experience, 4-4-2 is widely used by AI managers of lower teams, so it's one more advantage for faster learning.
I am very disappointed with 14.3 and I think game is now much worse than 14.2.x. I tried every possible tactics here with garbage teams and it wasn't good at all so I decided to try create one.
I'm huge Arsenal fan, so I decided to recreate famous invincible tactics, but tweaked for bad teams with some Mourinho type of football. Your team won't make wonders, but with some luck you can even reach Europe. The most important thing ? not being relegated will be avoided. Mid table is mostly achievable. After your team finish much better and you bring better players, you can use other tactics in this forum created for (much) stronger teams. I didn't test tactics with overpowered, strong or mid table teams (in process). Only with relegation candidates. Tactics is very tweakable!
View attachment 407013
Tactics philosophy and mentality
Fluid and counter.
I use fluid philosophy. There is only one specialist role, and several semi-specialist roles, so fluid is obvious choise but it should works with standard, too, depending of the interpretation of several roles. I didn't test with standard. Rigid is probable choise but there is not enough specialization for it. Anyway, you can try with it as I read rigid is the best way in the new patch.
Counter is must not because Arsenal had deadliest counter back then, but because we manage very weak teams. I tried control but it was always trainwreck. I didn't try with balanced, attacking nor overload mentality (except when chasing) but I guess it could work.
Players' roles and instructions
I tried to simulate Arsenal, but because of the limitations, it's not possible to be 100% accurate, so some compromises had to be done.
FB ( A ) ? CD (D) ? BPD/CD (D) ? FB (S)
WM (S)/DF (S) ? BWM (D)/DLP (D)/CM (D) ? BBM (S) ? WM ( A )/DF (S)
DF (S)/CF ( A ) ? DLF (S)/F9 (S)
Cole was offensive FB (Get Further Forward, Tackle Harder, Run Wide With Ball, Shoot Less Often). If you found out that you leak too much goals from offensive back side, delete Get Further Forward.
Toure was converted defensive midfielder so BPD is obvious.
Pires and Ljungberg were inverted wide midfielders (Cut Inside With Ball, Shoot Less Often, Tackle Harder). You can use (I used in Sochaux save) Sit Narrower but only for WM (S).
Viera was converted anchor-man into B2B midfielder (Shoot Less Often, Tackle Harder).
Silva was converted anchor-man. I think all three roles can suit (Fewer Risky Passes, Shoot Less Often, Tackle Harder, Mark Tighter).
Bergkamp was DLF (S) (Roam From Position, Shoot Less Often).
Henry was obviously CF ( A ), but in my saves, it didn't bode well (doesn't mean you can't try it), so I put DF (S) (Move Into Channels, Shoot Less Often). Run Wide With Ball and Roam From Position can be used, too (did wonders with Benteke in Villa save).
Just don't put DLP (D) in the front of BPD (D).
Team instructions
The main difference with original Wenger tactics, it's direct passing. Team plays highly agressive and pressuring football, but for some reason, I didn't notice any increase in cards. In fact, my teams almost always had the lowest (in Hertha save only had 19 yellow cards!) or near lowest number of yellow cards which brings me to conclusion that pressing is somehow broken.
What is must?
More Direct Passing
Pass Into Space
Drill Crosses
Run At Defence
Drop Deeper
Hassle Opponents
Get Stuck In
Higher Tempo
What is not must?
Work Ball Into Box
Clear Ball To Flanks
Exploit The Flanks
Look For Overlap
Play Narrower
Allow Wide Players To Swap
Be More Disciplined
I tried to play with push higher + offside traps even it contradicts in theory with counter mentality. It was absolute trainwreck! AI just "murdered" my teams and I couldn't create proper attack.
Opposite instructions
I don't use them, but you can test with it, and report it. You can give it to your ***. man. but only if he has at least 15 tac. know.
Pitch size
Didn't test (it was always normal because I holidayed saves), but in theory it should be the max one so your team can utilize space for counter attacks.
One player down
Obviously, substitute one of two strikers.
Chasing result or win
If you play at home against weaker opponent, you dominate whole match but you can't score or you are unlucky down 0 ? 1, you can switch to overload in the last 15-20 min, but always substitute 3 most tired and poor attacking players so fresh players can overload opponent team.
Training
Training pre-season
Team cohesion (very high)
no rest, 50%
Tactics ? match day (until fully fluid)
Training season
Team cohesion (average) for 10 weeks then Balanced (average)
rest after match, 40%
Teamwork (if you leak too much, def. pos. or if you can't score, att. mov.) ? match day
Players
I don't have any recommendations nor filters. I created tactics to be plug and play.
One notice: from my observations, full backs seems to be the most important players.
Team talk
Never let your ***. man. do it (except when you holiday) no matter how good mental stats he has.
Use Raikan007's teamtalk guide.
Modifications
If your RB is better offensively than your LB, switch them. Don't forget then to switch CM (D)/BMW (D)/DLP (D) with B2B so he can shield attacking side.
BPD or second CD?
Didn't try with two CDs, but I don't see why it shouldn't work.
CM (D) or BMW (D) or DLP (D)?
It depends of your players in that position. Default is DLP (D) but if you have player better in other two roles, you can you use them, too. In my Villa and Hertha saves, BMW (D) was superior, but in Sochaux and Livorno saves, DLP (D) was much better.
DW or WM?
Again, it depends of your players in that position. You can use DW on one side, and WM on other side, too. That made wonders in Villa save.
CF ( A ) or DF (S)?
As I already wrote, in my saves, CF ( A ) didn't bode well (probably because you really need excellent striker) but you can try it.
DLF or F9?
Didn't try with F9.
Moving DLF to AMC position?
Didn't try.
Moving one CM to DM position?
Didn't try.
Moving one WM/DW to IF role?
Didn't try.
I created tactics for huge underdog teams which are predicted to be relegated or very close to relegation in the game and the most of them are in IRL, too. They are mostly financialy very resticted, too. Another problem with them is lack of coaches, so learning tactics is long process (20 games easily for fluid). This tactics is also for journeyman saves for people who like to take over relegation teams in the middle of season. From my experience, 4-4-2 is widely used by AI managers of lower teams, so it's one more advantage for faster learning.
I am very disappointed with 14.3 and I think game is now much worse than 14.2.x. I tried every possible tactics here with garbage teams and it wasn't good at all so I decided to try create one.
I'm huge Arsenal fan, so I decided to recreate famous invincible tactics, but tweaked for bad teams with some Mourinho type of football. Your team won't make wonders, but with some luck you can even reach Europe. The most important thing ? not being relegated will be avoided. Mid table is mostly achievable. After your team finish much better and you bring better players, you can use other tactics in this forum created for (much) stronger teams. I didn't test tactics with overpowered, strong or mid table teams (in process). Only with relegation candidates. Tactics is very tweakable!
View attachment 407013
Tactics philosophy and mentality
Fluid and counter.
I use fluid philosophy. There is only one specialist role, and several semi-specialist roles, so fluid is obvious choise but it should works with standard, too, depending of the interpretation of several roles. I didn't test with standard. Rigid is probable choise but there is not enough specialization for it. Anyway, you can try with it as I read rigid is the best way in the new patch.
Counter is must not because Arsenal had deadliest counter back then, but because we manage very weak teams. I tried control but it was always trainwreck. I didn't try with balanced, attacking nor overload mentality (except when chasing) but I guess it could work.
Players' roles and instructions
I tried to simulate Arsenal, but because of the limitations, it's not possible to be 100% accurate, so some compromises had to be done.
FB ( A ) ? CD (D) ? BPD/CD (D) ? FB (S)
WM (S)/DF (S) ? BWM (D)/DLP (D)/CM (D) ? BBM (S) ? WM ( A )/DF (S)
DF (S)/CF ( A ) ? DLF (S)/F9 (S)
Cole was offensive FB (Get Further Forward, Tackle Harder, Run Wide With Ball, Shoot Less Often). If you found out that you leak too much goals from offensive back side, delete Get Further Forward.
Toure was converted defensive midfielder so BPD is obvious.
Pires and Ljungberg were inverted wide midfielders (Cut Inside With Ball, Shoot Less Often, Tackle Harder). You can use (I used in Sochaux save) Sit Narrower but only for WM (S).
Viera was converted anchor-man into B2B midfielder (Shoot Less Often, Tackle Harder).
Silva was converted anchor-man. I think all three roles can suit (Fewer Risky Passes, Shoot Less Often, Tackle Harder, Mark Tighter).
Bergkamp was DLF (S) (Roam From Position, Shoot Less Often).
Henry was obviously CF ( A ), but in my saves, it didn't bode well (doesn't mean you can't try it), so I put DF (S) (Move Into Channels, Shoot Less Often). Run Wide With Ball and Roam From Position can be used, too (did wonders with Benteke in Villa save).
Just don't put DLP (D) in the front of BPD (D).
Team instructions
The main difference with original Wenger tactics, it's direct passing. Team plays highly agressive and pressuring football, but for some reason, I didn't notice any increase in cards. In fact, my teams almost always had the lowest (in Hertha save only had 19 yellow cards!) or near lowest number of yellow cards which brings me to conclusion that pressing is somehow broken.
What is must?
More Direct Passing
Pass Into Space
Drill Crosses
Run At Defence
Drop Deeper
Hassle Opponents
Get Stuck In
Higher Tempo
What is not must?
Work Ball Into Box
Clear Ball To Flanks
Exploit The Flanks
Look For Overlap
Play Narrower
Allow Wide Players To Swap
Be More Disciplined
I tried to play with push higher + offside traps even it contradicts in theory with counter mentality. It was absolute trainwreck! AI just "murdered" my teams and I couldn't create proper attack.
Opposite instructions
I don't use them, but you can test with it, and report it. You can give it to your ***. man. but only if he has at least 15 tac. know.
Pitch size
Didn't test (it was always normal because I holidayed saves), but in theory it should be the max one so your team can utilize space for counter attacks.
One player down
Obviously, substitute one of two strikers.
Chasing result or win
If you play at home against weaker opponent, you dominate whole match but you can't score or you are unlucky down 0 ? 1, you can switch to overload in the last 15-20 min, but always substitute 3 most tired and poor attacking players so fresh players can overload opponent team.
Training
Training pre-season
Team cohesion (very high)
no rest, 50%
Tactics ? match day (until fully fluid)
Training season
Team cohesion (average) for 10 weeks then Balanced (average)
rest after match, 40%
Teamwork (if you leak too much, def. pos. or if you can't score, att. mov.) ? match day
Players
I don't have any recommendations nor filters. I created tactics to be plug and play.
One notice: from my observations, full backs seems to be the most important players.
Team talk
Never let your ***. man. do it (except when you holiday) no matter how good mental stats he has.
Use Raikan007's teamtalk guide.
Modifications
If your RB is better offensively than your LB, switch them. Don't forget then to switch CM (D)/BMW (D)/DLP (D) with B2B so he can shield attacking side.
BPD or second CD?
Didn't try with two CDs, but I don't see why it shouldn't work.
CM (D) or BMW (D) or DLP (D)?
It depends of your players in that position. Default is DLP (D) but if you have player better in other two roles, you can you use them, too. In my Villa and Hertha saves, BMW (D) was superior, but in Sochaux and Livorno saves, DLP (D) was much better.
DW or WM?
Again, it depends of your players in that position. You can use DW on one side, and WM on other side, too. That made wonders in Villa save.
CF ( A ) or DF (S)?
As I already wrote, in my saves, CF ( A ) didn't bode well (probably because you really need excellent striker) but you can try it.
DLF or F9?
Didn't try with F9.
Moving DLF to AMC position?
Didn't try.
Moving one CM to DM position?
Didn't try.
Moving one WM/DW to IF role?
Didn't try.
