So, if you're anything like me, you usually spend your time on FM-Base reading other people's incredible manager stories and desperately trying to download the next big tactic to turn your Sunday League team in to Champions League winners.
If you've spent any time with FM16 during the beta, you'll probably have noticed that 4-2-3-1 seems to have become very effective and very popular as a tactic. This isn't entirely surprising as SI try to model the game on real life and a number of top clubs have adopted, and had some success with a 4-2-3-1 variation. That's the main reason you'll notice a lot of the other stories and tactics are sporting a 4-2-3-1 line up in some way.
I've been trying to implement a successful variation on the 4-2-3-1 in my own save games with limited success. I typically don't like to play as the big clubs, so lining up in this fashion (which is a very attack minded formation) has caused my defence to become leakier than the Titanic was after the iceberg had destroyed it.
I haven't got in to my main save game yet (mainly because I know the patches from beta to full release tend to mess with the ME), so I've been flitting around from save to save trying to tie down some half decent tactics to use when the game goes live (and there's less chance of a regular patch ruining my legacy!). In my most recent attempt, I've stumbled across a set up that seems to be fairly consistent and has helped me grind out a handful of great results. The tactic is by no means perfect and won't win you every single game you play, but I'm hoping that with some tinkering and tips from you guys we can turn it in to a world beating strategy!
I decided to play as Swansea while I fiddled around with my tactics, I didn't make any transfers and I used the "Quick Pick" option to choose my team going in to every match. I only made subs when players were injured or sent off and generally let the team play to the strategy I had set up, so that I could make sure (as much as possible) that any good results came as a result of overall team strategy as opposed to inspired transfers / substitutions.
Also of note is that I play in FM Touch mode, not the full FM mode. I don't know if playing in the full game mode would improve / decrease the effectiveness of this strategy.
First Half of the Season
So as you can see, I had some varying success whilst I tried to implement my own 4-2-3-1 formation. I had some incredible results (Like destroying Bournemouth 8-1!), but by and large it was pretty run of the mill. Then, disaster struck. I lost to Sunderland 2-1 Away and my season sort of imploded. I went on a run of thirteen games without a win in the League. Nothing I did seemed to have any effect and I started losing games that I should have been a dead cert to win.
I made some changes and my form changed for the better.
Second Half of the Season
I implemented my new system just after the 2-1 Loss to Man Utd at Home. For the last 16 games of the season, I lost only one match (0-2 to Arsenal at Home) from the last sixteen games in the League and managed to beat Man City 3-2 Away, Draw 1-1 with Chelsea Away and beat Liverpool 2-0 Away.
Without further ado, here's the tactic.
Zambo's 4-2-3-1 DM
As the title has probably explained, I have decided to play a 4-2-3-1 with two defensive midfielders instead of two central midfielders. I understand that this will be complete sacrilege to some people and they will refuse to accept that any strategy can work without a central midfield. Those people may be right, but I've had a really good run with this strategy and I'm hoping that with some testing and tinkering from you guys, we can turn it in to something special.
My idea
So the primary idea is that the team should act solidly as a defensive unit. The Full Backs on Support Duty and the Roaming Playmaker on Support are the first line of defence and act as the players with the most aggressive roles. These guys do the brunt of our closing down and hassling our opponents. If they are beaten, we have our Central Defender on Defend and our Defensive Midfielder on Defend who can take over the job of trying to get the ball back and away. As a last resort we have our Central Defender on Cover duty who will hold a deeper position and hopefully get the ball back and away. If all of that fails...well, then I don't know.
Assuming that we get the ball back as we planned, the team is able to transition to a more direct, quick and concise attacking unit. The RPM and FBL/FBR will look to get the ball in our own third and either run with it to create some space, or to find one of our attacking players further up the pitch.
Once we have the ball in the opponent's third, the strategy is to allow our players to drift in from wide positions and overload the centre, pulling and confusing defenders to create space or goal opportunities for our team.
I'm going to continue testing and working on the tactic, hopefully with some input from you guys we can refine it in to something special!
NB: I have added the corner routine made by Guido from Strikerless.com to this tactic. All credit for the corner routine should go to him.
Tactic: View attachment 215458
If you've spent any time with FM16 during the beta, you'll probably have noticed that 4-2-3-1 seems to have become very effective and very popular as a tactic. This isn't entirely surprising as SI try to model the game on real life and a number of top clubs have adopted, and had some success with a 4-2-3-1 variation. That's the main reason you'll notice a lot of the other stories and tactics are sporting a 4-2-3-1 line up in some way.
I've been trying to implement a successful variation on the 4-2-3-1 in my own save games with limited success. I typically don't like to play as the big clubs, so lining up in this fashion (which is a very attack minded formation) has caused my defence to become leakier than the Titanic was after the iceberg had destroyed it.
I haven't got in to my main save game yet (mainly because I know the patches from beta to full release tend to mess with the ME), so I've been flitting around from save to save trying to tie down some half decent tactics to use when the game goes live (and there's less chance of a regular patch ruining my legacy!). In my most recent attempt, I've stumbled across a set up that seems to be fairly consistent and has helped me grind out a handful of great results. The tactic is by no means perfect and won't win you every single game you play, but I'm hoping that with some tinkering and tips from you guys we can turn it in to a world beating strategy!
I decided to play as Swansea while I fiddled around with my tactics, I didn't make any transfers and I used the "Quick Pick" option to choose my team going in to every match. I only made subs when players were injured or sent off and generally let the team play to the strategy I had set up, so that I could make sure (as much as possible) that any good results came as a result of overall team strategy as opposed to inspired transfers / substitutions.
Also of note is that I play in FM Touch mode, not the full FM mode. I don't know if playing in the full game mode would improve / decrease the effectiveness of this strategy.
First Half of the Season
So as you can see, I had some varying success whilst I tried to implement my own 4-2-3-1 formation. I had some incredible results (Like destroying Bournemouth 8-1!), but by and large it was pretty run of the mill. Then, disaster struck. I lost to Sunderland 2-1 Away and my season sort of imploded. I went on a run of thirteen games without a win in the League. Nothing I did seemed to have any effect and I started losing games that I should have been a dead cert to win.
I made some changes and my form changed for the better.
Second Half of the Season
I implemented my new system just after the 2-1 Loss to Man Utd at Home. For the last 16 games of the season, I lost only one match (0-2 to Arsenal at Home) from the last sixteen games in the League and managed to beat Man City 3-2 Away, Draw 1-1 with Chelsea Away and beat Liverpool 2-0 Away.
Without further ado, here's the tactic.
Zambo's 4-2-3-1 DM
As the title has probably explained, I have decided to play a 4-2-3-1 with two defensive midfielders instead of two central midfielders. I understand that this will be complete sacrilege to some people and they will refuse to accept that any strategy can work without a central midfield. Those people may be right, but I've had a really good run with this strategy and I'm hoping that with some testing and tinkering from you guys, we can turn it in to something special.
My idea
So the primary idea is that the team should act solidly as a defensive unit. The Full Backs on Support Duty and the Roaming Playmaker on Support are the first line of defence and act as the players with the most aggressive roles. These guys do the brunt of our closing down and hassling our opponents. If they are beaten, we have our Central Defender on Defend and our Defensive Midfielder on Defend who can take over the job of trying to get the ball back and away. As a last resort we have our Central Defender on Cover duty who will hold a deeper position and hopefully get the ball back and away. If all of that fails...well, then I don't know.
Assuming that we get the ball back as we planned, the team is able to transition to a more direct, quick and concise attacking unit. The RPM and FBL/FBR will look to get the ball in our own third and either run with it to create some space, or to find one of our attacking players further up the pitch.
Once we have the ball in the opponent's third, the strategy is to allow our players to drift in from wide positions and overload the centre, pulling and confusing defenders to create space or goal opportunities for our team.
I'm going to continue testing and working on the tactic, hopefully with some input from you guys we can refine it in to something special!
NB: I have added the corner routine made by Guido from Strikerless.com to this tactic. All credit for the corner routine should go to him.
Tactic: View attachment 215458
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