Formation Choice and Roster Management

[andrewh]

Do you choose a formation to counter your opponent's formation and, therefore, field a deep roster of 22 strong, multi-positional players?

Or do put all your resources toward a roster of the strongest 11-14 players possible, play a balanced formation, and challenge your opponent to stop you?

Why do you play your way?

[Siddharth Shanker Singh]

I have a deep 22 man roster and play only one formation.

[Arno Nym]

got a 16man roster and work for a bigger one to be more flexible

[Steppenwolf]

I always play 4-4-2 attacking formation (hexagon)


but in recent games I started with this one (have 2 talented DMR)


and with my main team I play this


I do not counter opponent's formations, but I try to counter opponent's player who are threat during the game by changing tactic and swapping players who are in direct duels...

And I usually have 22 men, 'cause I'm rotating players who play average, keeping those who play 8+ in starting eleven...

[dkb2005]

I usually have 20-22 on my roster. I would say that I am a mix of both. I will occasionally counter an opponent's formation (if that formation has given me issues before). Otherwise, I play mostly the same formation and use the extra players on the roster for unimportant games and to see if they train quickly and can replace older players.

[andrewh]

OK, so my first poll missed the mark. Let's see if we can still get some meaningful information.

Only a small sample size so far, but it appears that most use a deep roster and use one or two main formations.

It also sounds as if some of you don't regularly play your deep roster in meaningful games. The deeper part of your roster plays mostly friendlies while waiting for them to outplay the first string before switching them. Is this how you wait out young players who get 4's and 5's? Is the player's performance cyclical enough that you constantly cycle in and out of first team based on form?

[Sol Survivor]

I tend to play squad rotation in the earlier parts of the season when the games are coming thick and fast, so in an ideal world if I'm 2 or 3 goals up from a 1st leg cup tie, I tend to field a 2nd string side in the 2nd leg. Or where I have several games in 1 day, field the 2nd string against abandoned teams or teams I perceive to be weak. I have to admit though this can come back to bite me in the ass a bit more than in the earlier levels. Seems tougher to get results against even inferior opponents with my 2nd string in levels 4 and 5 than it was in levels 1 to 3.

[Brian Dang]

I have a few..and switch a few formation to counter our opponents

[jacks]

I have a 22 man roster (4 1star players; 5 scouts ; 13 5star players). And im always tryin' to counter my opponent.

[Buffs Mad]

I have between 14 and 22 players depending on how annoyed they make me.