[TACTICAL DISCUSSION] Efficient and effective

[AayushCFC]

AayushCFC you seem to have suggested you use more and more tweaks of strategy's/width/defensive line/positions/player instructions as the thread has gone on, how does your team cope with that? Because in FM terms this probably equals allot of different systems. This is not a criticism of you or your systems by the way, far from it because I agree with your tweaks it is just that with the limitations that match preparation gives you I can only see your side hugely lacking in learning these systems and this is half the reason I tend to play FMC allot more now, I really wish the full fat version would remove tactic familiarity too, it should not be so dependant. In real life if your side changed from Attacking to Defensive in one game for the last 20 minutes the side could adjust to that accordingly, in FM this would certainly be not the case.

I have three tactics, I keep training at tactics. All of the three tactics use varied systems, different instructions and formations. I even have a 4-2-4 direct attacking tactic on my Chelsea save, sorta like Chelsea played under Ancelotti. If I mix instructions, I don't loose much fluidity. Yes it's hard for player to suddenly play higher tempo than they normally do, but I have them training higher tempo in the other slot. IRL, most top managers try to train 2 tactics to every team. (I'm looking at Mourinho).
I follow a chelsea fan blog wagnh.com, there's a tactical anaylsis after some matches, especially if the opposition played differently, I also keep checking into tactics the likes of Mourinho deploy IRL. I know ME doesn't work this way but I keep trying different tactics, keep changing systems.
My 3 tactics
Control - Fluid
Attacking - Balanced
Counter - Rigid

Different set of instructions. I almost certainly develop a new tactic before a cup final, a tactic purely based to counter that specific opposition.

 

[AayushCFC]

I mostly never play with the instructions and tactics I currently have in three slots, I change formation according to oppositions' and instructions too. When playing against a small side, who plays 4-3-3, playing 4-2-3-1 can be a bad idea as they'll try to man mark your CAM, who makes the team tick in 4-2-3-1, he's the center of attack.

 

[AayushCFC]

Gerrard is injured. I'm gonna play Lucas and Allen/Henderson (DLP and BBM), with Javi Garcia on the Anchor role.
What about OI's? What kind of these instructions do you use? I totally mess this.

If I'm playing away, I most certainly mark the players with high "Off the ball", especially wingers. And close down to players who can play through balls or cross really good. Show to weaker foot to FBs and if any midfielder has a weak foot, him too.

At home, just close down, mark maybe a player with absolutely high off the ball. Close down since I'd like to press.

Although mostly I just ask my Asst. Manager to do it and then I alter the instructions myself. Seems kinda easier

 

[AayushCFC]

Another Masterpiece performance, based on this concept. Since I was playing as Chelsea and half of their first team squad was injured (Kompany, Silva, Aguero) I don't really feel like dwelling on this one performance, but seriously, even when I had to take Terry off since he was making stupid mistakes and Kalas is short and young CB, that was one **** of a defensive performance.

They still had Nasri, Jovetic, Milner, Negredo, Dzeko, Toure and Fernandinho. Demichelis and Nastasic aren't shabby.

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The foul count doesn't fill me with proud but I didn't injure any of their players to pile on their misery and only one booking.

I played on Counter, Balanced.

More Direct passing, Work ball into the box, Run at defense, High Tempo. Yup, only 4 instructions. Didn't want to play too narrow, nor too wide to risk defensive stability, same reason with other instructions I left.

All but one of their shots, including the goal were from set-pieces. Defending Set-pieces has been difficult for me recently and having a 184CM tall CB doesn't fill me with confidence.

Edit: I had "Hassle Opponents" too, IIRC.