Why am I giving up so many goals? Seems I'm always behind and giving up 2 to 3 goals on average. I'm using a 4-4-2 formation.. here are my players. Sorted by tacking. Attacking. Physical. I've tinkered with a lot of individual player settings but I'm not having to much success. How would you play this team? How would you set it up? Thanks in advanced!
If you are giving majority of goals away from the opposition attackers running behind your defence, then put your CB's mentality to ultra defensive. If you are giving majority of goals away from crosses from the flanks, then set your full-backs mentality more defensive and make sure that in your team instructions, you play with lots of width...eg more than 16. As well as these, use a defensive midfielder and make your back 4 and DM be very defensive, while having your CM being mixed. Then change your wingers and strikers to very attacking. Change your formation to something like this... ______GK______ RB__CB__CB__LB ______DM______ RW___CM____LW ____ST__ST____ I would also suggest that you make your passing style on the highest short-passing point and make your tempo at mixed. Also make the creative freedom of your back 5 below the half way point so that they are following all your tactical instructions. Only use high creative freedom to those players who are going to be attacking the goal often, eg wingers and strikers, not central midfielders. If you are confused by any of this or have more questions then ask away.
Wow. I'm not going to get that specific, as I think you've got to tune the team to the players and your philosophy. I will say that, unless your centerbacks have insane pace, playing them deep is a good idea. And in a 442 in WWSM, you mustmustmust have a defensive midfielder if you want the back line to have any width at all. Since noting this tendency, I've built my teams around great deep-lying midfielders and it works very well.
First off, thanks so much for replying, your input is much appreciated I came to some of the same conclusions that you guys suggested before I read your responses. Before I read any of your replies I had already set my team on a 4-4-2 diamond formation. I had also set my team to short passing and slow tempo. I feel like both these changes produced much more favorable results. Took both you guys advice as far a DM and adjusted the mentality as you guys suggested. Applying all these changes for my second year it seemed my team did better more often then not, I even managed to beat Man U! Kept them scoreless and won on PKs. I also made roster changes upgrading all of my team. What game me the most dramatic results was actually setting my defensive line to 'run' back..You'll see what I mean on the shot of my formation. Is this unorthodox? Here's my formation... http://img181.imageshack.us/my.php?image=formationlz3.jpg My team attacking stats. http://img444.imageshack.us/my.php?image=attackingyq5.jpg Defensive stats. http://img149.imageshack.us/my.php?image=defendingvh0.jpg Physical stats. http://img166.imageshack.us/my.php?image=physicalad7.jpg Question..Is there any reason this guy can't be a striker as well? He seems to have all the right attribs for it despite being a DM. http://img181.imageshack.us/my.php?image=santosmm2.jpg I figure my team is pretty good particularly since it's an MLS team, and I'm constantly turning on bids from the likes of ManU, Arsenal, Chelsea, etc.. I'm still tinkering and tweaking since I figure they should be blowing out every team they face in the MLS anyways. P.S. what do you think of my team?
By making your defence have barrows (back arrows) this will create a big area between your midfield and defence. If an opposition team has a striker who likes to drop deep and play from the 'hole' then you might be in danger of conceding goals. For example, if a player like Lionel Messi was playing as a striker then he would usually drop deep into that space that youve opened up which would be dangerous for you. Also with the formation, you want to make sure that your GK isnt too attacking and doesnt close down players too high up the pitch. I always like my defence to play a high line and therefore i instruct my GK to be attacking and close down players just outside his area. That 21 yo Brasilian DM would be a decent striker but his "off the ball" stats need to be higher (7 is too low, IMO) as this attribute is part of the striker making runs off the ball and making good movements off the ball. Also his creativity is fairly low so these two attributes might be the reason for him not being able to play well as a striker. On the tabs, go to "Positions" and check his suitability to striker...eg: natural, accomplished, competent etc.
Not going into too deep an analysis but it seems to me your defenders anticipation stats are piss poor(especially the one starting Central defender with 6). If it were me id set them to ultra-defensive and make them defend deep, if that doesnt help id look for more rounded defenders.