CAPT GUNNER'S Tactical Pack for all Situations featuring ARTISAN [4-4-2]

INTRODUCTORY NOTES

i would like to say a special thank you to Artisan for helping me out with this writeup and also helping with the idea and instructions behind each of the tactics. He game advice and insight into the how to setup the tactics and was patient with me throughout all my constant pestering

. THANK YOU BUDDY

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This approach to the game is probably different from anything most of you are used to but believe me, if you follow my approach you can achieve massive success in this game like I did.

Please read through the entire post. It took a while to write this up, and the read is also rather enjoyable and I might say rather educational

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If something is mentioned in this post and you ask about it again, I will simply refer you back here.

Injuries were removed from the squad at the start of the game and no signings were made.

BRIEF BACKGROUND

I am a PhD student, passionate football fan and yes you guessed it, a hardcore Arsenal FC supporter (my childhood club). I love the beautiful game and Arsenal play beautiful football. I also co-managed my university engineering team in their university league which can get pretty competitive

.... so yeah, I love football

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Like many other people who post tactics on this website, I have an extensive CV in the virtual world of football management games. I started with championship manager 03/04 and even ventured towards the dark side by playing other management games like Fifa manager

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I have had many varied experiences in FM, from shouting at the screen when my players make rash decisions in the box conceding a penalty in the last minute, to running round my university dorm room shouting at the top of my voice because I just turned a match around in the finals of the champions league. Oh the glory days

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This is my second post on FM Base and by nature I am a perfectionist (cliche but true). I like to cover every single detail hence why I did the detailed write up. I want to thank FM Base for hosting this. I hope to write more from my knowledge and experience of the game.

I have always checked on tactics and discussions on this website, and now I think it is time for me to give back.

CHANGING OLD WAYS

Football Manager 2014 is more realistic and incorporates more depth than we have ever seen in a football management game. From the more realistic/annoying match engine, to the level of detail added to the man management side of things. The game has changed and so do you.

I personally have never created or downloaded a tactic in this game that has been consistent all through. There is always some ridiculous slump in form at some point in the season or the following season. Sometimes you beat Manchester City then you loose to Cardiff City.

I always find it funny and quite surprising when I see people complaining about this knowing well that they only had a plan A going into the game.

Don?t expect to set just one tactic for the whole season and challenge for the title. The game A.I. will figure out what you are doing and counter it (FACT!!!).

I not only have a plan B, I have a plan C, D, E and F

The man in the picture above is very well known for coming up with different game plans to beat his opposition and we all know how bloody successful he is.

Obviously, if you are managing one of the big teams like Manchester City/United, Chelsea, or have exceptional players in general, then they will be more than able to get results no matter what formation use (Don?t play 2-3-5 though)

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Majority of the FM population however enjoy a challenge and mostly stay away from these big teams. I fall into this group and would rather develop a smaller team, and at the end of the season, have a real sense of accomplishment when I win trophies.

Before I go on, let me share my achievements with the approach I am currently highlighting. I decided to manage Newcastle United. A team that has potential but is no where near the finished product. In my first season, I reached the Semi finals of the FA Cup and finished runner up in the premiere league.

NEWCASTLE TEST

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With effective team management and the right tactics, I believe any team can overachieve and gain success like I did. Details about results can be found in the results section near the end of the post

WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL MANAGER ?

Brendan Rogers, Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti; these managers have been able to achieve success to the universal praise of pundits and analysts with their brilliant tactical approaches. What makes them so successful? Well in football management, two attributes are necessary for success: Tactical Adaptability and Effective Man Management. All managers need to be able to read a situation in-game and adapt accordingly.

Most people on this site will download an attacking, possession style tactic for their Everton team and are surprised when Aston Villa beat them by counter attacking. NOT REALLY SURPRISING THOUGH IS IT !!!. The ability to change your tactical approach in accordance with how your opposition is set-up is vital to success.

This is an ability that is most improved by experience and involves a lot of common sense and observation.

The man management side of things in FM has never been more detailed. Individual and Team Training, Team Talks, Press Conferences, Tutoring, Inter-Manager Interactions and so on are all important when building a successful team. Keeping you players happy all season can be the difference between success and failure.

MY TACTICAL SETUP

Now for my tactics. The part most people want to see. Well, I had many choices when deciding what to settle for. Most modern tactical setups both in real life and in football manager tend to have 5 midfielders. A lot of 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 (AMR/L) formations with the aim of over-running the midfield. But what happens when everyone tries to have that extra man in midfield? They all cancel out don't they.

I am sure by now, some of you are hoping that I have created the ultimate possession, goals, super defence 3-1-2-2-2 asymmetric tactic. Well sorry to disappoint, but my tactics are just simple variations of the tried and tested 4-4-2. Was that an anticlimax ? Settle down I will explain

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The Flat 4-4-2 was the standard about 10 years ago and achieved a lot of success. The Arsenal team of 03/04 adopted the setup and we all know what they achieved (Invincibles). Just have to say though that Arsenal is amazing. Best team in the world both in my mind and in the mind of faithful gunners. I mean consistent Champions league, a trophy coming up soon, Ramsey the god etc what more do you want. :)

........ Before I get carried away, back to the 4-4-2.

So why has this tactic been phased out. Modern football tactics were created in order to exploit the holes in the 4-4-2 tactic. So you?d have an AMC operating between the defence and midfield or a DMC like Pirlo operating between the Forwards and the midfield.

4-4-2 however in my opinion is the most versatile tactic out there. All players in the formation can contribute to both the attacking and defensive phases of the game easily. Two strikers upfront give you more options and gives the opposition defence more to think about.

If the right tactical variation of a 4-4-2 is used for the right situation, it can be extremely successful.

THE TACTICS

Like I said previously, tactical variation and being able to adapt is paramount for success. Different tactical variations allow you to be unpredictable which will always keep the AI on its toes. Enough talk now. Have a look at the tactics:

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There are 6 tactical variations that I use for different situations :O.......

OMG!!!!..... SIX!!!. Yes, yes? six variations, get over it and calm down. It?s six for a good reason though. The game has 7 preset strategy options and my tactics are based on 6 of them.|)

There is a Defensive, Counter Attacking, Standard, Breakdown Attacking, and an Overload/All Out Attack. For Every tactic, the players have different individual roles as would be expected.

The more inquisitive people at this point will be wondering "if there are six tactics, how do you get them fluid when there's only space for three tactics ?" Well....I will address that later so cool your beans.

DEFENSIVE TACTIC

All players in defensive positions defend and never go forward. They will try to maintain defensive shape and make the team hard to break down. The wingers sit deeper and will help the fullbacks out for increased defensive sturdiness. The defensive midfielders will sit in front of the centre backs at all times. The strikers will also sit a bit deeper and when they receive the ball will run into wide positions and hold up the ball

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When To Use Defensive

This tactic should be used from about the 80th minute when you are trying to protect a narrow lead. It should only be used in situations were you feel the opposition are starting to get chances against you. Do not instantly switch to this tactic in every game. Sometime it makes more sense to switch to the standard formation or the counter formation.

COUNTER ATTACK
The clip shows how the counter attacking tactic works in a game against Man City.

Same shape variation as the Defensive setup. The central midfielders operate in front of the defence. The DMCR is more defensive and will hardly venture forward while the DMCL is more supportive and will venture forward to make himself available during counter opportunities.

The defensive phase players play more direct passing at a higher tempo to get the ball to more advanced players and these advanced players adopt shorter passing to keep the ball up the pitch during the counter attack. This is the passing philosophy of counter attacking football.

The defensive line is deeper and plays narrow.

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When to Use Counter
This tactic should be employed against stronger opposition, against similar sides that are in good form, or in tricky away games. You can also switch to this tactic after going 2 goals up against similar sides. Try to avoid switching to this tactic if you started with the breakdown strategy. Instead switch to the standard.

STANDARD TACTIC

This tactic has no specific philosophy and there is a balance between both Defence and Attack. Attacks will come from both out wide and through the middle.

One central midfielder is very attacking and will heavily be involved in attacks while the other central midfielder will always sit deeper and perform mainly defensive duties. Wingers perform traditional duties out wide and full backs support them. Strikers will move into channels and will look to score and create goals for each other

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When to Use Standard
This tactic should be used at the start of games where you are not too sure what strategy to employ. You can use it to gauge how the opposition play and switch to a different mentality. You can also switch to this tactic (Standard) after going a few goals up with the other tactics. this is your middle ground

BREAKDOWN
The clip below shows how the breakdown tactic works. This tactic was used for the whole match hence why I uploaded all the goals

Similar to the Attack Tactic but with a bit more caution. It is a possession based setup that will look to patiently probe opposition defences that are parking the bus.

The fullbacks will heavily support attacks in wide positions but will do this with a bit of caution due to the possibility of opposition counter attacks. The MCL and MCR operate as playmakers both behind the strikers and in front of the defence respectively. Central defenders have more creative licence and will be involved in supporting attacks.

The creative freedom is high, wide players sit much wider to stretch the opposition and pull defenders out of position. The tempo is low and creative freedom higher.

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When to Use Breakdown
This tactic should be adopted against teams you expect to beat but still have a substantial attacking threat of their own.

ATTACKING TACTIC
The clip below shows how the attacking tactic works against weaker opposition

The tactic looks to overwhelm the opposition defence with numbers and is more direct in order to quickly exploit the opposition?s underwhelming defensive players. Players are allowed to roam from position and most players do are more focussed on the attacking phase

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When to Use Attacking
This strategy should be used against much weaker teams that you are expected to completely dominate. Before using this tactic, ask yourself this....if the opposition get a CCC, will there attackers be good enough to most of the time finish the chance ?. If your answer is yes then use a different strategy

OVERLOAD/ ALL OUT ATTACK
The clip shows a situation were I used the all out attack after conceding a goal. My team was able to equalise three minutes after

One of three tactics where the shape varies slightly from the traditional 4-4-2. This tactic throws caution to the wind in order to get a goal.

The wide attackers are moved to the attacking midfield position and operate as defensive wingers to put pressure high up the field. The fullbacks offer width and cross the ball and the central midfielders offer some stability in midfield, by sitting deeper and distributing the ball to advanced players.

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When to Use Overload
this strategy is best employed when you are desperate to get a goal. It throws caution to the wind and focusses very little on defending

Tactical Fluidity

With all these tactics, you will never get them all completely fluid but thats fine. Once they are about 75% fluid, the tactic is good to go.

If you are managing a weaker team, put the Counter, Standard and Attacking tactics in the tactical slots.

If you are managing a stronger team, put the Standard, Breakdown and Overload tactic in the tactical slots.

You can then switch between any of the 6 tactics either in game or just before a match

RECOMMENDED PLAYERS AND PLAYER STATS

These recommendations are just recommendations. If you find a player that has all these stats, then he will be magic in the position. One attribute which I feel every player should have is Determination. This attribute governs so many aspects of the game, from trying to pull a goal back during a match, to training at the highest level.
If you can, make sure all your players have at least 14+ Determination.

Full backs
Crossing, Marking, Passing, Tackling, Aggression, Anticipation, Decision, Work Rate, Teamwork, Acceleration, Pace, Stamina.

Pref. Moves: Nothing Specific.

Centre Backs
Heading, Marking, Tackling, strength, Aggression, Anticipation, Bravery, Concentration, Positioning, Acceleration, Pace, Strength.

Pref. Moves: Mark Opponent Tightly, Play Simple Passes.

Left Central Midfielder
Finishing, First Touch, Long Shots, Passing, Tackling, Technique, Anticipation, Composure, Creativity, Decision, Off The Ball, Teamwork, Strength, Acceleration.

Pref. Moves: Comes Deep to Get Ball, Tries Killer Ballers Often, Tries Long Range Passes, Stays on Feet.

Right Central Midfielder
Heading, Marking, Passing, Tackling, Aggression, Anticipation, Bravery, Concentration, Positioning, Teamwork, Work Rate, Stamina, and Strength.

Pref. Moves: Plays Way Out of Trouble.

Wingers
Crossing, Dribbling, Finishing, First Touch, Passing, Technique, Anticipation, Creativity, Flair, Off the Ball, Acceleration, Agility, and Pace.

Pref. Moves: Runs with Ball Down Respective Flank
(Run down left for left winger and vice versa), Curls Ball (quality move for a winger), Cuts Inside (only in conjunction run down flank), Run with Ball Often.

Strikers
Dribbling, Finishing, First Touch, Heading, Technique, Anticipation, Composure, Off the Ball, Teamwork, Acceleration, Agility, Pace, Strength

Pref. Moves: Nothing Specific

MAN MANAGEMENT

Player happiness is almost as important as the tactics you use in a match. Your players happiness is governed by so many factors in this game and being able to effectively manage these factors could be the difference between a world beating team and an average team.

Back Room Staff

The first thing I do whenever I takeover a team is evaluate the back room staff. I always want to have the best staff available to me in my team. The coaches in my team must always be able to reach a coaching level of least 3.5 stars.
Even if I have to offer mutual termination to current staff in order to bring new ones in, I will do it.

The screenshot below show my coaching star level. 4 attribute are usually important in searching for a new coach:
Level of Discipline, Motivation, Determination and the specific attribute for the stat you want to him to coach.

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I also get quality physios that can help deal with and reduce injuries at the club. Finally, I get quality scouts. You should however note that scouts don?t directly affect player happiness as far as I know but I still get them.

Training

Once you have signed your coaches, you need to give your players there individual training roles. This should be done either for a tactical role or a specific attribute. I retrain players for the positions I need them to operate. I don't stop training a player until they are accomplished in that position. This is what I did to Ben Arfa.

Preseason

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During the Season

Tailor your match preparation to the team you are playing against. So for top teams, defensive position and for weaker teams attacking movement.

Note: If you are starting with a counter mentality you should train defend set pieces because the opposition will get a lot of corners against you

Training Workload and Player Happiness

One thing I have found with training is that players always seem to be unhappy with the training workload. Well I figured out how to fix it. All you do is talk to the player, and inform him that he needs to step up his training or else would not be first team or will be asked to leave the club depending on his squad status.

I spoke to every single player in my team in this way and all of a sudden, they were happy with their training schedule

Team Talks and the Press

I personally leave these to the assistant manager when I have a really good one. This was not the case for my assistant John Carver who was average at best.
What I did was to follow other authors on this website however have provided strategies for team talks and had great success with it.

Squad Depth
I cannot stress how important this is to a team that wants to challenge for trophies. This game has a knack for injuring your star players when they are in form. Having players that can effectively fill in for first team players when they are either injured or tired is very important.

Try to sign players that can play in multiple positions. Loan players as well. Rotating players could also help deal with complacency as the players know they will always need to work for their first team status. Get rid of players of that do not fit your game plan. If you are never going to play them, why have them in your team. They will only become unsettled and this can filter through the whole team.

EXAMPLE SCENARIOS OF HOW I ADAPTED MY APPROACH (RESULTS)

In this section, I have selected a few matches and discussed the decisions I made in game and why I made them.

Manchester United at Home (0 - 0)

I was in good form going into this game and Man Utd were playing average for their standard sitting in 4th position. I decided to focus on defending set pieces before the game as I knew I was going to be starting with the counter mentality. I chose counter despite my form because I was still wary of Man Utd's quality.

As I expected, Man Utd dominated possession but I created the better chances with 4CCCs. My players however were unable to capitalise on the chances created. At the 80th minute I switched to defensive to see out the game and prevent any silly surprises from united.

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Norwich Away (0 - 2)
I started this game off with the standard tactic to try and observe how Norwich were playing. I was dominating all the stats but halfway through the first half I had still not scored so I got cocky and switched to Attack. Norwich hit me with two counter attacks and I could have gone two goals behind at halftime but was saved by their poor finishing. Second half I switched to breakdown and was able to get two quick goals. I switched back to standard and my team was able to threaten a few more times but were unable to take their chances

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A FINAL WORD

I am hoping that after reading this that you will be motivated to not only download and plug in a tactic, but be ready to think and adapt to different situations. I also want everyone to always consider the management side of the game. Have a go at not only using my tactics but creating yours. Come back to this thread, share your success and help your fellow managers by giving them advice and I will do the same. Success is something everyone can achieve.

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