One more update on my experience with Abomination V3. I've tried so many other tactics now, but I keep coming back to this one. I seem to always overachieve if I use it and stick with it.
This save I started with Southampton to try different tactics. I spent 1,5 season there and didn't have much success. Mid table finish first season using the new TTF tactic with no new signings, which is decent enough. Second season I tried some of the other tactics people say are "best in this patch", and it all went south.
Sitting close to the relegation zone and then losing 4-0 to Stoke, 3-1 to Liverpool and 4-0 to Man Utd just before January I was in danger of getting sacked. Next match was Man City in the FA Cup, and just for the heck of it I decided to load Abomination V3 up again (not fluid at all, hadn't been loaded for 1,5 seasons). And what do you know, we beat them.
View attachment 388492
Didn't help me though, I was sacked after that match. Now I decided to just holiday until the summer and take any job I was offered after that and this time stick to Abomination V3 for a whole season no matter what.
I ended up at Burnley. They had a decent (albeit very thin) squad, expected to finish 8th. We didn't have any sort of transfer budget, so I spent ?1,1M on Thelander (tall central defenders are one thing I always want in my squad) and the rest were all free transfers (McManaman joined in January for ?375k - listed).
I was hoping to maybe fight for promotion through play offs. Instead this happened.
View attachment 388491
We completely ran away with it. Once again overachieving big time with this tactic.
Here's the squad. Very average compared to some of the other teams in the league.
View attachment 388490
I'm especially pleased with Scocco scoring 33 goals as the striker. He doesn't have any outstanding qualities, just and overall balanced player.
Anyways, this is by far the most balanced and solid tactic I've tried in this version of FM and I don't think I'm gonna bother trying any others any more. This just has everything I need already to be successful. In another save I won every major title (league, ECL, WCC, Italian cup, etc) with AC Milan 2 seasons in a row. I've had immense success with my favorite team Man Utd. And I even got into Europe with the predicted bottom team (Newtown) in the Welsh top league with it.
SOME GENERAL TIPS (I use this no matter what tactic I use)
Training
Pre season: Team Cohesion (Very High) | 50% | Tactics (rest before and after ticked)
Season: Team Cohesion (Average) | 50% | Tactics (rest before and after ticked)
I made no changes to the tactic at all during the season. Only changed mentality to Attacking or Overload in some matches when going behind to try and grab a equalizer. Kept it at Counter at the start of every game.
Team talks
Pre match: nothing
Half time: Leading by 1 goal or more and playing well - Calm (pleased)
Half time: Leading by 1 goal but not playing well - Assertive (not pleased)
Half time: Not leading - Assertive (not pleased)
Full time: Winner - Calm (pleased)
Full time: Not winner - Assertive (not happy)
Full time: Not winner, but outplayed them - Calm (unlucky)
Full time: Not winner, but opposition a bigger team (unlucky)
This keeps morale high and rarely give away leads in the 2nd half, we also came back from being 1-0 or 2-0 down at half time several times with the Assertive (not pleased).
Players
There's only 2 things I always look for in players
1. I prefer all of them to have high determination (always 10+ no matter the league, prefer 15+ in top league). They have to be exceptional players for me to stray from this, and I'll never ever use a defender or defensive midfielder with low determination.
2. I want my center backs to be tall and have high Jumping Reach. Notice Thelanders rating compared to the others (he also has 16 determination compared to Shackell and Butcher who only has 10). It's not just about set pieces either. Tall (and determined) central defenders are just vital to all aspects of your teams performance in my experience with FM since the early CM days.