Just Cant Do It.....!!!

Wonda-Boy

Okay so I have played all the previous games from CM4 onwards.....to great success. I do admit I am not one for bring up teams from lower divisons to the top flight (that is beneath me lol)

I like to manage the top teams....but I have tried everything and cant get any type of success in this version. I am running 10.3 patch AFAIK and have tried with both ARSENAL and MAN CITY....

The best I could do was win the domestic cup double and the euro cup in my 2nd season and finishing outside the top 3 in the PL.

My question is this....what tactics should I be using with the likes of ARSENAL and MAN CITY. What style of football is best for these teams.....short and slow....short and fast....direct....nothing works.

No matter who you manage the ass man gives you conflicting advice....tells you to play short simple passes you do that he tells you to tell players to play direct I mean WTF!!! Seems the gae has far to many variables now that ruins the game.

I am not buying 5 players a season messing the dressing room I have kept most of the arsenal team bar one or two season start.....

Any tips would be great...what am I doing ARSEWAYS!!!!

yimrsg

I play very fluid with barcelona and have come up with this lopsided formation. All other options are standard/default and I play a playmaker, offside and counterattack. Make sure you change tackling down to Easy. It's apparently a 4-4-2 formation. I came up with this formation so and have only used it for big teams.

I used it for Barcelona and won the league and Champions league first season and got the Brazil job after Dunga quit after the world cup. I then went on to do the treble the next season with barcelona and win the copa america with brazil.


IF(S) ----DLF(A)

---

WG(S)

--BWM(S)DLP(D)BWM(S)

WB(Au)BPD(D)CD(D)WB(Au)

You could change it to this to suit Arsenal better and I use for managing Brazil:

---

DLF(A) ----WG(S)

IF(S)

--BWM(S)DLP(D)BWM(S)

WB(Au)BPD(D)CD(D)WB(Au)

Since I managed Arsenal and i'm more familiar with them i'll just use them as an example. Try Van Persie as DLF, Walcott as WG, Ashavin as IF, Fab as DLP and primary playmaker flanked by Diaby and Nasri as BWMs. Vermaelen as BPD.

The midfield trio work wonders as the 2 BWM go ahead of the central DLP in attack and drop deeper when in defence, and the DLP can pick out killer passes and retain possession. Xavi or Iniesta play DLP as I couldn't get them both playing well together. I've had huge success with Moussa Sissoko as a BWM in this role averaging a goal every 2 games!! They do get tired so make sure you have enough squad depth in this department or adjust fluidity once you have a game won. Train your BWM to get forward whenever possible too.

The "other striker" beside the DLF is often the furthest forward and is a great outlet for counters so should be Walcott with his pace. I use Messi in a AMR role and has done great for me so I'd imagine Theo would do well in that role. Bojan is my other striker and has done wonders forcing his way past Henry and a starting spot. Ashavin likes to cut inside and is stronger on his right foot. Kaka was retrained to play AML in my game and he often cuts in often beating a couple of players before scoring for Brazil. Arshavin is a natural AML also.

The DLF drops off the opposition CBs and is more involved with the build-up often scoring screamers from outside the box or dribbling past his markers. Ibrahimovic and RVP both have good passing so should be able to do a job for you.

The WBs offer width and retain possession wonderfully with the DLP. The BPD is just something I use with Barce as both marquez and pique have high passing (15+) so use that along side puyol. You could change this as you see fit. Plane old goalkeeper in the sticks.
I'd try this:

---

RVP(A) ----TW(S)

AA(S)

--AD(S)CF(D)SN(S)

GC(Au)TV(D)BG(D)BS(Au)

---

MA(D)

Side line tactics: I sometimes change from standard to attacking and hassle opponents when I'm at home.

Hope some of that helps and would welcome any stories on how you get on.

Wonda-Boy

Jaysus....thanks for the info mate. TBH I cant play a formation that I dont like the look of LMAO. That lob sided formation just does not look right, I might try it in a cup game at home.

At the moment I have started the 2nd season again, so I have just won the domestic double and the euro cup (not the CL) but I did SCRAPE past Real Madrid to win that.

At the moment this is my formation that I robbed from online. I am not mad about it but I have played 3 in the league and won them all by at least 2 goals so I am getting there slowly.

Akinfeev GK
Sagna WBA - Vermalen PBD - D Cristico/J Rodwell (great wonderkid) - Clichy WBA

Fabregas (Playmaker) not sure what to set as intruc. - Song BWM D

RVP IF A - Arshavin - Transquita - M Arteta AMR

Eduardo - Poacher

Only decent sub I have is Dzeko the rest are squad players, got rid of walcott last season as his passing n that were terrible. So needed the money got a right few quid.

Still have the likes of Nasri - Vela - Barazite and just bought Sandro as back up for song.

I am now playing Very Fluid and Short slightly slow passing.

The thing I struggle with is the player intructions TBH....alot of the times players stats will do many roles but then never excell at them. When do you actualy play direct (against lower teams) or do I play fast with short???

To me the likes of RVP is a complete forward but never plays well when set.....!!!

Great game but a minefield to set up.....do you have a steam account mate, I can add you when I play FM 2010 at home.

IvySlayer

Make sure your mentality is attacking/overload. Always Counter Attack, you can find this in the advanced section of team instructions. Fluid can also help.

When I was Arsenal I went like this:

---

GK

DR DC DC DL

----MC MC--

AMR--AMC----AML

---

FC

Sagna and Clichy are excellent FBs that I set on support. CDs, defend. In my first season I bought Veloso and I set him as a box to box midfielder. Fabregas, advanced playermaker, and attack.

Walcott is a great winger for the left, Rosicky/Nasri is fine on the right for now. Arshavin does a good job as AMC, advanced playmaker.

Van Persie I set as a complete forward, and he can bang in goals, but I found him injury prone. Eduardo and Walcott are good back ups.

That or you can adjust your formation and play with 2 DMs set as Anchorman with hard tackling. Song is a good DM.

yimrsg

The "lopsidedness" or asymmetry came from the looking at the Barcelona squad and realising I didn't have enough wingers (pedro, messi and at a push, henry) to play 2 wingers. Whilst only having a few forwards (Ibra, bojan, henry and signed milevskiy) meant I had to rotate since I'm involved with many competions. I made up the formation after seeing how mourinho used eto'o as a defensive winger for Inter after being an advanced forward for Barcelona.

I had shed loads of quality central midfielders (xavi, iniesta, toure, busquets and signed sissoko) so built it around that I wanted as many playing at once and to dominate possession whilst having one player deeper than the others and have more time on the ball to pick a pass.

Van Persie is one of them players I just couldn't get the best out of consistently (though I haven't played him as a deep lying forward) he just never performed in the roles I gave him (trequartista, complete forward, advanced forward) in the formations I used and never seemed to play well with or without Dzeko (who won the league for me with Arsenal) beside him. Though it could be that too much chopping and changing formations and roles affected his performances causing me to change them again.

Since then I never bother tinkering too much with tactics like creative freedom, passing style, closing down etc instead just set tackling to easy as red cards and giving away sillly frees mean less time in possession and to stop all the long shots. I'm from the school of simpler instructions which are more flexible and less time consuming to get right.

All this talk of Arsenal and my failings with RVP has made me start up a new saved game!!

Wonda-Boy

Funny RVP is not doin the business for me in my re-start either. I have him on the right side of the 4-2-3-1 formation as an IF attack. Eduardo on the other hand is scoring for fun I tell ya....I suppose he should he stats are quite good. Might try him up front....??

I have won 10 and drawn 1 in 11 games and have won the SUPER CUP against Chelsea in a pretty sweet game. Fabregas injured...on come Ramsey and strikes the WINNER!!!! DREAM STUFF I TELL YA.

Everyone talks about Veloso...but man he is so slow and cannot jump IIRC....he must be cheap. Song is very under rated I find you will only get better for big money!

Still not sure when to play fast tempo....at the moment I play VERY FLUID and high def line, with normal to slightly narrow width and just under normal tempo to slow. I know if its wet out to play more direct but when fast tempo against weaker opponents?

Reganio 2

Might be an idea for you to go with a lower club in the Prem. I know you say its not your cupan tae, but you might find you do better. Like if I play as Chelsea, Man City etc (Never play as Arsenal as I hate them) I won't do much I will get Top 4 usually but never win it. But I find I tend to do better as a lower club. Like Coventry I am playing as now I am enjoying cause I have got them promoted and sometimes its just better to do games like that were you do better than expected but not necessarily win the league.

Wonda-Boy

I will start with Newcastle or someone next game....but being successful is not easy with Arsenal. You get limited funds and have to sell to get decent players in. I was lucky to do well in my 1st season coz I did not change the squad too much....and I am slightly better off now then 1st season. So we see....

Wonda-Boy

Just a quick update since the last post......

I have now played 25 games in my 2nd season as Arsenal Boss, and my fortunes haved turned around amazingly TBH. I am top of the table by 8 pts and only lost once away to liverpool 1-0 with RVP giving away a soft peno. I am not 100% sure how many I have scored I think its 38 and I have only conceeded 9 goals!!!!!

I am out of the FA cup after playing a reserve side to West Ham got beaten 2-1 and in hindsight a london derby prolly was not a good idea. I am into the last 6 of the LC and into the 2nd round of the UEFA CUP as my season is currently in Feb.

I have a very modest team with no OUTSTANDING signings which makes it even sweeter. This is my current team....

Eduardo (Poach.)

Nasri WS Arshavin Traq - A RVP IF-A

Fabregas AP Sondro BW-M

Glichy WB-A Cristico BP-D Vermalen BP-D Sagna WB-A

Akinfeev (has to be the best keeper in the game for the money)

The only other players I bought are Arteta, Jack Rodwell who is the best young talent around, and Edin Zeko. I also have Ribery coming to me in 2011 on a FREEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sold a few to get the funds but this team is playing like its on FIRE!!!!

I also set up my own training that has set the stats increasing very quickly......