Greetings all,
After winning the Premier League with Tonbridge Angels in my 19th Season (after starting in Skrill South) I took a break from the game satisfied that I had achieved my main ambition. I had used all of my released tactics over the 19 seasons across 4 or 5 Match Engines and they had all been successful.
The team I actually support is Man City and their Premier League win inspired me to start a save with them, something I had previously avoided thinking it would be too easy.
Its turns out its not that easy as even 1 defeat or draw can be catastrophic to your chances of success as the expectations, self imposed and from the board are so high.
Additionally, some of my own tactics had become quite fanciful and I noticed the tactic boards were full of 4-2-3-1 Tiki Taka style tactic utilizing Complete Wingbacks and slow tempo in the Spanish/Barcelona model.
Call me a philistine but I cannot bear to watch this possession for possessions sake style of sideways and backwards passing, in real life or with FM. Its bores me rigid.
So I set myself some boundaries for my new Man City tactics which would ensure it was an antidote to the dominant 4-2-3-1 playing vibrant, quick attacking football.
These were my rules.
IT WILL BE A TRUE 4-4-2
IT WILL BE HIGH TEMPO
THERE WILL BE AN EMPHASIS ON WING PLAY
THERE WILL BE DIRECT ELEMENTS IN PLAY
IT WILL BE HIGH SCORING
A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF GOALS WILL COME FROM MY MAIN STRIKER
I WILL WIN THE LEAGUE IN THE FIRST SEASON WITH AT LEAST 85 POINTS
RESULTS
![English Style 442 - High Tempo, Flank based attacks - Season 1 Premier League Win-english-premier-division_-overview-stages.png]()
All of the above objectives have been met. Comfortable League win with 87 points which is pretty good under 14.3.1 which as you know is a pretty moody version of the Match Engine.
Picked up the League Cup as well, got out of a tricky Champions League group before losing to Juventus in the quarter finals somewhat unluckily.
Aguero got his quota of goals.
Sergio Ag
Conceded a fair few goals but that was always gonna happen without someone in the DM spot. Confident we were going to outscore our opponents most of the time.
Overall a very promising season with fantastic football played.
THE TACTIC
![English Style 442 - High Tempo, Flank based attacks - Season 1 Premier League Win-manchester-city_-tactics-overview.png]()
HOW THE TACTIC WORKS.
The attacking system is a simple one, get the ball wide quickly to the Wingers who isolate the full backs one on one and beat them for pace and skill. If that's not on they can recycle possession back into center field or back to the supporting FB's who overlap or cross from deep depending on whats the best option. You will see some neat interplay and one - two's on the flanks.
Lots of goals come from crosses, headed as well as struck in from the six yard box. This is a real feature of the tactic and great to watch.
Sometimes instead of crossing the wide player will feed the runs of the supporting midfielders who will drill a shot or supply a through ball to the strikers.
Defensively we are pressing hard high up the pitch. We employ a defensive forward on defend duty who supports the midfield when out of possession, the DLP drops deep in defence and we effectively have a 4141 when out of possession.
The tactic is not based around defensive solidity but this system guarantees we dont get overrun very often.
Evidence of great wing play, Navas wasn't even my first choice Winger initially using Nasri at first, however it soon became clear Navas excels in this role and will be the archetypal winger for this tactic, very quick, good dribbling and crossing. If his finishing was a bit better he would be unreal but he still chipped in with 10 goals.
Jes
MATCH ENGINE STUFF
There's no doubt about it, sooner or later you will get well and truly shafted out of the blue often when you are in good form. This season I beat Tottenham 7 - 0 and then lost 5 - 1 the Villa in the next game, the next game I won 3-0 and it was business as usual.
Sometimes, something in the background determines that your team will be unable to string 2 passes together and/or you will run into an opponent playing like Barcelona on speed.
We just have to accept it and move on. I don't bother to analyse those games as its pointless.
****IMPORTANT****
Due to the corner routine put ALL of your full backs as corners takers (and no one else!), regardless of corner attribute. All will become clear :-)
Player descriptions will be vital and I will do them later as well as explaining more about the tactic.
Good luck and enjoy.
***** DOWNLOAD ****
Attachment 608850
After winning the Premier League with Tonbridge Angels in my 19th Season (after starting in Skrill South) I took a break from the game satisfied that I had achieved my main ambition. I had used all of my released tactics over the 19 seasons across 4 or 5 Match Engines and they had all been successful.
The team I actually support is Man City and their Premier League win inspired me to start a save with them, something I had previously avoided thinking it would be too easy.
Its turns out its not that easy as even 1 defeat or draw can be catastrophic to your chances of success as the expectations, self imposed and from the board are so high.
Additionally, some of my own tactics had become quite fanciful and I noticed the tactic boards were full of 4-2-3-1 Tiki Taka style tactic utilizing Complete Wingbacks and slow tempo in the Spanish/Barcelona model.
Call me a philistine but I cannot bear to watch this possession for possessions sake style of sideways and backwards passing, in real life or with FM. Its bores me rigid.
So I set myself some boundaries for my new Man City tactics which would ensure it was an antidote to the dominant 4-2-3-1 playing vibrant, quick attacking football.
These were my rules.
IT WILL BE A TRUE 4-4-2
IT WILL BE HIGH TEMPO
THERE WILL BE AN EMPHASIS ON WING PLAY
THERE WILL BE DIRECT ELEMENTS IN PLAY
IT WILL BE HIGH SCORING
A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF GOALS WILL COME FROM MY MAIN STRIKER
I WILL WIN THE LEAGUE IN THE FIRST SEASON WITH AT LEAST 85 POINTS
RESULTS
All of the above objectives have been met. Comfortable League win with 87 points which is pretty good under 14.3.1 which as you know is a pretty moody version of the Match Engine.
Picked up the League Cup as well, got out of a tricky Champions League group before losing to Juventus in the quarter finals somewhat unluckily.
Aguero got his quota of goals.
Sergio Ag
Conceded a fair few goals but that was always gonna happen without someone in the DM spot. Confident we were going to outscore our opponents most of the time.
Overall a very promising season with fantastic football played.
THE TACTIC
HOW THE TACTIC WORKS.
The attacking system is a simple one, get the ball wide quickly to the Wingers who isolate the full backs one on one and beat them for pace and skill. If that's not on they can recycle possession back into center field or back to the supporting FB's who overlap or cross from deep depending on whats the best option. You will see some neat interplay and one - two's on the flanks.
Lots of goals come from crosses, headed as well as struck in from the six yard box. This is a real feature of the tactic and great to watch.
Sometimes instead of crossing the wide player will feed the runs of the supporting midfielders who will drill a shot or supply a through ball to the strikers.
Defensively we are pressing hard high up the pitch. We employ a defensive forward on defend duty who supports the midfield when out of possession, the DLP drops deep in defence and we effectively have a 4141 when out of possession.
The tactic is not based around defensive solidity but this system guarantees we dont get overrun very often.
Evidence of great wing play, Navas wasn't even my first choice Winger initially using Nasri at first, however it soon became clear Navas excels in this role and will be the archetypal winger for this tactic, very quick, good dribbling and crossing. If his finishing was a bit better he would be unreal but he still chipped in with 10 goals.
Jes
MATCH ENGINE STUFF
There's no doubt about it, sooner or later you will get well and truly shafted out of the blue often when you are in good form. This season I beat Tottenham 7 - 0 and then lost 5 - 1 the Villa in the next game, the next game I won 3-0 and it was business as usual.
Sometimes, something in the background determines that your team will be unable to string 2 passes together and/or you will run into an opponent playing like Barcelona on speed.
We just have to accept it and move on. I don't bother to analyse those games as its pointless.
****IMPORTANT****
Due to the corner routine put ALL of your full backs as corners takers (and no one else!), regardless of corner attribute. All will become clear :-)
Player descriptions will be vital and I will do them later as well as explaining more about the tactic.
Good luck and enjoy.
***** DOWNLOAD ****
Attachment 608850