Poacher said: I really don't think it requires having a very detailed and comprehensive description for your tactic because I see that most time just having screenshots of a tactic and results is enough for them.
But I think if you have more than 10 tested tactics then your further tactics must be really something special to get tested, I mean many people should try it and say that it's really a cool tactic.
If they decide that, then it's alright with me, I create tactics because I have fun trying to recreate legendary formations and their playstyle in this game, I just care about testing so I know they're actually good, even though I run extensive tests myself. I simulated 432 matches before posting my 11th tactic.
I am aware, but I hope the team trusts me with posting the whole thing later tonight, as if you do check my other posts, they are quite comprehensive. I just wanted it to be tested if possible until then.
I will make a nice write-up for the thought process of this tactic later tonight, just wanted to leave it here to get tested. It is a combination of my Anti Tiki-Taka 3-5-2 and Dazzling 4-3-3 formations.
After extensive testing, I think I reached a point where this tactic might challenge for first. As to not waste the team's time testing, I tested it myself on 216 matches with my 4-2-4 and 216 matches with the current best tactic, Fanecas' 4-1-3-2, which is pretty amazing. I also attached the xG and xGA besides the results.
Tactic Changelog: - Retreated DLP to DM position and converted BBM into VOL (Attack), as I feel the Segundo Volante does better as a BBM than the BBM's do. Also, DLP moved back to be able to use the Volante.
- Inverted Wingers switched to Support duty to better exploit the space left in the midfield that was created when the CM's were retreated to DM's.
- Changed corner routine (after tests were done, so it's not visible in the results), for which I have to credit @ZaZ for. He is the creator of that routine and I am just using it as it is the best, all credit goes to him though.
My results:
NETHERLANDS Average Points : 132.6 Average GD : 57.6
BELGIUM Average Points : 118.0 Average GD : 24.3
Top tactic results:
NETHERLANDS Average Points : 120.3 Average GD : 47.6
Champions' League is probably the most sought after trophy by any manager and there is no formation that was better at winning it than Zidane's Real Madrid between 2015 and 2018. Today I tried to replicate the iconic Diamond 4-4-2 from his last season.
The main purpose of this diamond was offering passing options and numbers forward, using the full backs to provide the width while overloading the middle.
2.Formation & Roles
1) Sweeper Keeper (Support) Not much to say about this role. I put him on support so he plays longer counter-attacking balls sometimes. If your guy isn't good at kicking, just put him on Defend.
2) 2 x Ball-Playing Center Back (Defend) Bread and butter of your defence. They need to be alright passers, although I would recommend having one who is an excellent passer, even if he's just average at defending, since long balls work well with this tactic. Key Attributes: Tackling, Heading, Passing, Marking, Pace (don't prioritise but useful).
4) 2 x Wing Back (Attack) Consider these guys your Wingers as well as your Full Backs. Rounded and especially fast players are key. Key Attributes: Acceleration, Pace, Crossing, Tackling, Dribbling
5) Roaming Playmaker (Support) A mobile, creative DM who is the pivot of the team. This guy is at the center of it all, so get a good, creative passer in here. He has to be somewhat decent defensively at least. Key Attributes: Passing, Dribbling, Vision, Teamwork, First Touch, Pace, Tackling
7) 2 x Segundo Volante (Attack) The engine of your team. These 2 guys will press opposition when the ball is lost and help your midfield create and spread balls forward when in possession. Stamina and work rate is important, as lazy players tend to not do their defensive duty well, or get too tired doing it. Key Attributes: Accelearation, Stamina, Work Rate, Pace, Overall
OPTION 1. Central Mid (Attack) + False 9 (Support) + Advanced Forward (Attack) More defensive option and recommended when you play away. Central Midfielder's main role is to attack and create for his teammates, False 9's job is to glue together midfield and attack, and the AF is there to score.
OPTION 2. Shadow Striker (Attack) + 2 x Advanced Forward (Attack) More offensive option and recommended when you play home or you just want to score a lot. This pushes your whole team forward.
3.Results
I tested this tactic using League of Nations environment, the link will take you to the thread where I explained how to use it.
A version using Inverted Wing Backs and Volantes is live. I think it may perform better defensively while not sacrificing too much of the attacking power.
PRO TIPS -Disable first season transfers to reduce load times even more! -Simulate 2 seasons with 2 teams (I use Netherlands and Belgium as they are kinda weak compared to the rest) with an already rated top tactic and then 2 seasons using your tactic. This should offer a wide enough picture on how well it works.
Filer974 said: 3rd season with watford and I try your tactics.... What more can I say... There are signs that do not deceive, This is the 1st time I beat Liverpool and with 44 points after 19 days, we are quiet ... Expand
Great results! Hope you can stay up there and beat Liverpool for the title in the long run.
Peter78 said: As a Newcastle fan, born and raised in Newcastle, imagine my excitement this FM, so I a looking for a 4-3-3 style tactic to go with my 4-2-3-1, gonna give this a look, as my recruitment means this i viable Expand
Glad I could help! Make sure to share results if you want if you end up using it.
Hello guys! As you may know, the testing of FM-Arena is probably the best around and the testing league consists of teams that are of equal ability so only the best tactics work. This is hard to replicate in the game when testing your own tactics, as any given league has teams of different ability. This leads to people trying out tactics with strong teams and gives the illusion of a great tactic, when in reality it's the team's value that is carrying, not the tactic itself.
What is this League?
I have stumbled upon this "League of Nations" on the Steam Workshop, which is a League consisting of the top 10 nations in the world playing each other with 72 games total. Sharpness and Condition seem to be stable and always in the green, but morale fluctuates. It's not a perfectly fair test as is the FM-Arena testing league, but it's a close enough thing so you can test your own tactic and see if it's actually good before posting and having it tested here to compete with the others.
This league simulates quickly and gives way more accurate results than normal league testing.
How to use it?
1. (OPTIONAL) Make sure you download the fix for Germany and Netherlands national teams, otherwise they will always finish dead last and you should only account the results of the top 8.
2. Go to this link on Steam Workshop and download the file (Subscribe to download). You can also download it directly from this thread, but I would preffer you do it from Steam to give credit to its creator. Thank you, WALTON1981!
3. Restart your game and start a new career, click on the Database button on the top right and you should see this:
If you want to remove the League of Nations for your normal saves, just press "Remove All" then "Confirm" and you're good to go.
4. Click Advanced Setup, select Singapore/Ireland as your only league, then press the "Approximate Player Count" button and go to "Advanced...". Add Europe as your Continent and select "Current International Players". Things should look like this when you're finished:
5. Select the "Early Pre-Season" starting date, which should be 25th Jan 2021.
6. Pick one or more of the following teams (I like to do 2 with the same tactic)
7. Load up your tactic and go on vacation until 21st Nov 2021. The test shouldn't take very long. Happy testing!
If any of this is against the rules of the forum or the team is unhappy with me sharing this Testing League, I will gladly take it down. This is purely to give other tactic creators like myself a stable environment to test their tactics so we don't flood the team with tactics to test.
luisanjao said: what happens if i remove offside trap ? i watching my team playing and my CB's always take ball on the backs.. sorry my bad english Expand
Didn't try without Offside Trap, you can try and see if it makes a difference. It's true that you leak some through balls while using it, but it saves you a lot of the time. You will leak through balls without it too, it's just how the game is this year. I recommend having high positioning on your CB's.
Filer974 said: I am trying your tactics in my 3rd season with Watford ... I have very good results so far Expand
Thanks! Let me know how it goes and post some results if you can. I stopped testing personally with teams stronger than mid-table, as the results are very inconclusive. If a tactic works with Watford or Mallorca, then it works with Man United as well haha
Was a little uninspired these days, but today I got reminded of a formation I loved seeing as a kid, Pep's '09 Barca with Messi as a False 9. The sheer ability to dominate anything of that team fascinated me, the passing speed, accuracy, the creation, dribbling, it was spectacular.
This is my humble try of recreating it, although such tactics can never be replicated in the game fully. I have a back four consisting of 2 BPD and 2 Attacking FB's instructed to stay narrow and cut inside. This helps possession and build-up, and are very similar to what Pep used at the back. In the middle, we have a triangle of a Roaming Playmaker, who acts like a pivot to the team, looking to build up from the back while also providing defensively. Theoretically, the role would be a DLP, but I noticed an RPM acts more like a Barca style pivot than the DLP in game, so that's why I'm using it. 2 Attacking CM's, as assigning one of them as a playmaker like Pep did simply doesn't work in game. They still pick passes and are the engine of the team, playing risky passes in space and also maintaining possession. The IF's and F9 are there to replicate the legendary Henry-Messi-Eto'o trio up front. I have made a more classic tactic using an AF, but it seems to perform a little worse. It is uploaded anyway.
2.Formation & Roles
1) Sweeper Keeper (Support) Not much to say about this role. I put him on support so he plays longer counter-attacking balls sometimes. If your guy isn't good at kicking, just put him on Defend.
2) 2 x Ball-Playing Center Back (Defend) Bread and butter of your defence. They need to be alright passers, although I would recommend having one who is an excellent passer, even if he's just average at defending, since long balls work well with this tactic. Key Attributes: Tackling, Heading, Passing, Marking, Pace (don't prioritise but useful).
4) 2 x Full Back (Attack) Consider these guys Wide BBM's. They need pretty much everything a BBM does, just on the wing, with instructions to stay narrow and cut inside. Rounded players are key, doesn't have to be opposite footed, just be competent with his weak foot. Key Attributes: Stamina, Work Rate, Pace, Crossing, Tackling, Dribbling
5) Roaming Playmaker (Support) A mobile, creative DM who is the pivot of the team. This guy is at the center of it all, so get a good, creative passer in here. He has to be somewhat decent defensively at least. Key Attributes: Passing, Dribbling, Vision, Teamwork, First Touch, Pace, Tackling
7) 2 x Central Midfielder (Attack) The engine of your team. These 2 guys will press opposition when the ball is lost and help your midfield create and spread balls forward when in possession. Stamina and work rate is important, as lazy players tend to not do their defensive duty well, or get too tired doing it. Key Attributes: Stamina, Work Rate, Pace, Overall
8) 2 x Inside Forward (Attack) This guy's main job is to cut inside and pass or score, simple as that. You need fast, talented dribblers who can pick a pass and shoot a ball. Key Attributes: Pace, Acceleration, Dribbling, Technique, Finishing, Decisions
9) 1 x False 9 (Support) The Messi role needs no introduction. This, in my opinion is the key to the whole tactic. You need a good passer, dribbler, shooter. You need a young Messi prefferably, but if you don't have such a thing use whatever you have closest to that. Key Attributes: Acceleration, Vision, Finishing, Pace, Dribbling, Technique, Decisions
3.Tactical Breakdown
There's a great breakdown of the tactic done on youtube, and this guy has been the source of inspiration for multiple of my tactics, so check him out!
4.Results
!!! ALL RESULTS ARE DONE WITHOUT ANY TRANSFERS + GO ON VACATION UNTIL END OF SEASON !!!
I tested this tactic with 4 different teams in 2 different leagues, both 19th and 20th media prediction. Watford and Vallecano used the F9 tactic, while Norwich and Mallorca used the AF tactic. Overall, I feel like the F9 performed better, but both results are pretty impressive.
Vallecano got 4th and qualified for Champions' League, while Mallorca got 5th! In the Prem, Watford got into Europe, while Norwich is sitting confidently in mid table, after predicted to be dead last.
Added an alternative to the underdog tactic with Wingers instead of IW and IWB's instead of FB's, since I'm very curious how that does. This will be the last Blitz 4-4-2 tactic, as I feel this cannot be improved upon anymore. I know I posted quite a lot of tactics and I appreciate the team testing them all. Thank you guys, hope you find the time to test this last one as well.
Okay, so I tested 3 leagues, all with the teams predicted to finish dead last. Results are impressive to say the least. No transfers made, vacation till end of season, same tactic for all 3.
Norwich finished a very respectable 9th place
Mallorca qualified for Europe, finishing 7th
Salernitana qualified for Europe as well, finishing 7th
But I think if you have more than 10 tested tactics then your further tactics must be really something special to get tested, I mean many people should try it and say that it's really a cool tactic.
Just read the last paragraph "Quantity vs Quality" - https://fm-arena.com/thread/1661-how-fm-arena-picks-tactics-for-the-testing/
If they decide that, then it's alright with me, I create tactics because I have fun trying to recreate legendary formations and their playstyle in this game, I just care about testing so I know they're actually good, even though I run extensive tests myself. I simulated 432 matches before posting my 11th tactic.
https://fm-arena.com/table/12-patch-22-1-0/?author_name=cptdoggo
If that's the case I'm cool with waiting until after I post the breakdown and results
I am aware, but I hope the team trusts me with posting the whole thing later tonight, as if you do check my other posts, they are quite comprehensive. I just wanted it to be tested if possible until then.
Tactic Changelog:
- Retreated DLP to DM position and converted BBM into VOL (Attack), as I feel the Segundo Volante does better as a BBM than the BBM's do. Also, DLP moved back to be able to use the Volante.
- Inverted Wingers switched to Support duty to better exploit the space left in the midfield that was created when the CM's were retreated to DM's.
- Changed corner routine (after tests were done, so it's not visible in the results), for which I have to credit @ZaZ for. He is the creator of that routine and I am just using it as it is the best, all credit goes to him though.
My results:
NETHERLANDS
Average Points : 132.6
Average GD : 57.6
BELGIUM
Average Points : 118.0
Average GD : 24.3
Top tactic results:
NETHERLANDS
Average Points : 120.3
Average GD : 47.6
BELGIUM
Average Points : 115.6
Average GD : 27.3
1.Introduction
Champions' League is probably the most sought after trophy by any manager and there is no formation that was better at winning it than Zidane's Real Madrid between 2015 and 2018. Today I tried to replicate the iconic Diamond 4-4-2 from his last season.
The main purpose of this diamond was offering passing options and numbers forward, using the full backs to provide the width while overloading the middle.
2.Formation & Roles
1) Sweeper Keeper (Support)
Not much to say about this role. I put him on support so he plays longer counter-attacking balls sometimes. If your guy isn't good at kicking, just put him on Defend.
2) 2 x Ball-Playing Center Back (Defend)
Bread and butter of your defence. They need to be alright passers, although I would recommend having one who is an excellent passer, even if he's just average at defending, since long balls work well with this tactic.
Key Attributes: Tackling, Heading, Passing, Marking, Pace (don't prioritise but useful).
4) 2 x Wing Back (Attack)
Consider these guys your Wingers as well as your Full Backs. Rounded and especially fast players are key.
Key Attributes: Acceleration, Pace, Crossing, Tackling, Dribbling
5) Roaming Playmaker (Support)
A mobile, creative DM who is the pivot of the team. This guy is at the center of it all, so get a good, creative passer in here. He has to be somewhat decent defensively at least.
Key Attributes: Passing, Dribbling, Vision, Teamwork, First Touch, Pace, Tackling
7) 2 x Segundo Volante (Attack)
The engine of your team. These 2 guys will press opposition when the ball is lost and help your midfield create and spread balls forward when in possession. Stamina and work rate is important, as lazy players tend to not do their defensive duty well, or get too tired doing it.
Key Attributes: Accelearation, Stamina, Work Rate, Pace, Overall
OPTION 1. Central Mid (Attack) + False 9 (Support) + Advanced Forward (Attack)
More defensive option and recommended when you play away. Central Midfielder's main role is to attack and create for his teammates, False 9's job is to glue together midfield and attack, and the AF is there to score.
OPTION 2. Shadow Striker (Attack) + 2 x Advanced Forward (Attack)
More offensive option and recommended when you play home or you just want to score a lot. This pushes your whole team forward.
3.Results
I tested this tactic using League of Nations environment, the link will take you to the thread where I explained how to use it.
Baseline : Blitz 4-4-2 Underdog, 5.5*
This test : Diamond 4-4-2 F9
Currently testing the more attacking formation
Results with this version
Results with my 5.5* 4-4-2 tactic
Looks promising, might be a better version.
EDIT: Forgot to add formation
-Disable first season transfers to reduce load times even more!
-Simulate 2 seasons with 2 teams (I use Netherlands and Belgium as they are kinda weak compared to the rest) with an already rated top tactic and then 2 seasons using your tactic. This should offer a wide enough picture on how well it works.
Great results! Hope you can stay up there and beat Liverpool for the title in the long run.
Glad I could help! Make sure to share results if you want if you end up using it.
Hello guys! As you may know, the testing of FM-Arena is probably the best around and the testing league consists of teams that are of equal ability so only the best tactics work. This is hard to replicate in the game when testing your own tactics, as any given league has teams of different ability. This leads to people trying out tactics with strong teams and gives the illusion of a great tactic, when in reality it's the team's value that is carrying, not the tactic itself.
What is this League?
I have stumbled upon this "League of Nations" on the Steam Workshop, which is a League consisting of the top 10 nations in the world playing each other with 72 games total. Sharpness and Condition seem to be stable and always in the green, but morale fluctuates. It's not a perfectly fair test as is the FM-Arena testing league, but it's a close enough thing so you can test your own tactic and see if it's actually good before posting and having it tested here to compete with the others.
This league simulates quickly and gives way more accurate results than normal league testing.
How to use it?
1. (OPTIONAL) Make sure you download the fix for Germany and Netherlands national teams, otherwise they will always finish dead last and you should only account the results of the top 8.
2. Go to this link on Steam Workshop and download the file (Subscribe to download). You can also download it directly from this thread, but I would preffer you do it from Steam to give credit to its creator. Thank you, WALTON1981!
3. Restart your game and start a new career, click on the Database button on the top right and you should see this:
If you want to remove the League of Nations for your normal saves, just press "Remove All" then "Confirm" and you're good to go.
4. Click Advanced Setup, select Singapore/Ireland as your only league, then press the "Approximate Player Count" button and go to "Advanced...". Add Europe as your Continent and select "Current International Players". Things should look like this when you're finished:
5. Select the "Early Pre-Season" starting date, which should be 25th Jan 2021.
6. Pick one or more of the following teams (I like to do 2 with the same tactic)
7. Load up your tactic and go on vacation until 21st Nov 2021. The test shouldn't take very long. Happy testing!
If any of this is against the rules of the forum or the team is unhappy with me sharing this Testing League, I will gladly take it down. This is purely to give other tactic creators like myself a stable environment to test their tactics so we don't flood the team with tactics to test.
Didn't try without Offside Trap, you can try and see if it makes a difference. It's true that you leak some through balls while using it, but it saves you a lot of the time. You will leak through balls without it too, it's just how the game is this year. I recommend having high positioning on your CB's.
Thanks! Let me know how it goes and post some results if you can. I stopped testing personally with teams stronger than mid-table, as the results are very inconclusive. If a tactic works with Watford or Mallorca, then it works with Man United as well haha
Thanks man, appreciate it!
1.Introduction
Was a little uninspired these days, but today I got reminded of a formation I loved seeing as a kid, Pep's '09 Barca with Messi as a False 9. The sheer ability to dominate anything of that team fascinated me, the passing speed, accuracy, the creation, dribbling, it was spectacular.
This is my humble try of recreating it, although such tactics can never be replicated in the game fully. I have a back four consisting of 2 BPD and 2 Attacking FB's instructed to stay narrow and cut inside. This helps possession and build-up, and are very similar to what Pep used at the back. In the middle, we have a triangle of a Roaming Playmaker, who acts like a pivot to the team, looking to build up from the back while also providing defensively. Theoretically, the role would be a DLP, but I noticed an RPM acts more like a Barca style pivot than the DLP in game, so that's why I'm using it. 2 Attacking CM's, as assigning one of them as a playmaker like Pep did simply doesn't work in game. They still pick passes and are the engine of the team, playing risky passes in space and also maintaining possession. The IF's and F9 are there to replicate the legendary Henry-Messi-Eto'o trio up front. I have made a more classic tactic using an AF, but it seems to perform a little worse. It is uploaded anyway.
2.Formation & Roles
1) Sweeper Keeper (Support)
Not much to say about this role. I put him on support so he plays longer counter-attacking balls sometimes. If your guy isn't good at kicking, just put him on Defend.
2) 2 x Ball-Playing Center Back (Defend)
Bread and butter of your defence. They need to be alright passers, although I would recommend having one who is an excellent passer, even if he's just average at defending, since long balls work well with this tactic.
Key Attributes: Tackling, Heading, Passing, Marking, Pace (don't prioritise but useful).
4) 2 x Full Back (Attack)
Consider these guys Wide BBM's. They need pretty much everything a BBM does, just on the wing, with instructions to stay narrow and cut inside. Rounded players are key, doesn't have to be opposite footed, just be competent with his weak foot.
Key Attributes: Stamina, Work Rate, Pace, Crossing, Tackling, Dribbling
5) Roaming Playmaker (Support)
A mobile, creative DM who is the pivot of the team. This guy is at the center of it all, so get a good, creative passer in here. He has to be somewhat decent defensively at least.
Key Attributes: Passing, Dribbling, Vision, Teamwork, First Touch, Pace, Tackling
7) 2 x Central Midfielder (Attack)
The engine of your team. These 2 guys will press opposition when the ball is lost and help your midfield create and spread balls forward when in possession. Stamina and work rate is important, as lazy players tend to not do their defensive duty well, or get too tired doing it.
Key Attributes: Stamina, Work Rate, Pace, Overall
8) 2 x Inside Forward (Attack)
This guy's main job is to cut inside and pass or score, simple as that. You need fast, talented dribblers who can pick a pass and shoot a ball.
Key Attributes: Pace, Acceleration, Dribbling, Technique, Finishing, Decisions
9) 1 x False 9 (Support)
The Messi role needs no introduction. This, in my opinion is the key to the whole tactic. You need a good passer, dribbler, shooter. You need a young Messi prefferably, but if you don't have such a thing use whatever you have closest to that.
Key Attributes: Acceleration, Vision, Finishing, Pace, Dribbling, Technique, Decisions
3.Tactical Breakdown
There's a great breakdown of the tactic done on youtube, and this guy has been the source of inspiration for multiple of my tactics, so check him out!
4.Results
!!! ALL RESULTS ARE DONE WITHOUT ANY TRANSFERS + GO ON VACATION UNTIL END OF SEASON !!!
I tested this tactic with 4 different teams in 2 different leagues, both 19th and 20th media prediction. Watford and Vallecano used the F9 tactic, while Norwich and Mallorca used the AF tactic. Overall, I feel like the F9 performed better, but both results are pretty impressive.
Vallecano got 4th and qualified for Champions' League, while Mallorca got 5th! In the Prem, Watford got into Europe, while Norwich is sitting confidently in mid table, after predicted to be dead last.
Norwich finished a very respectable 9th place
Mallorca qualified for Europe, finishing 7th
Salernitana qualified for Europe as well, finishing 7th