Keep formation stable or change for certain games?

[Sol Survivor]

What's the general opinion on tinkering with formations for certain games? I tend to hear you should try and keep your formation as consistent as possible, and since I went to the formation below (4-4-1-1) I've gone P12 W10 D0 L2 F50 A7.

The problem is it all came to a bit of an abrupt halt in the Champions League first leg today, as I got turned over 2-4 at home by a team rated pretty much identically to me. Looking at his formation where he bizarrely has a back 4, DCM, CM & ACM with 3 strikers I can't work out why though, as I know he has 3 strikers, but I would have thought my 4 man midfield would have suffocated his lightweight midfield who are pretty much playing 1 behind the other!

I was just wondering whether when playing against 3 strikers or 2 strikers and an attacking midfielder, I should employ a DMC?

Be interested to hear all your thoughts?

[RJSlow]

Well to begin I bet he used long passing to just send it from his backline to his strikers. If they are using long passing then, having a DMC with a blue arrow on will help to intercept those passes as they have to get it just right to get through the DMC. If they are using an AMC then you should always have a DMC. In the end I would say you should try to play with full pitch pressing, especially with your midfield.

[Bill Walker]

I tend to change my formation to attack the oppositions weaknesses and usually only play three at the back but do occasionally play strange formations against weaker sides just to see how they work.

[achilleas75]

keep your formation stable if your team play well,don't change for any game because will not work anymore (for me)

[Sol Survivor]

Well to begin I bet he used long passing to just send it from his backline to his strikers. If they are using long passing then, having a DMC with a blue arrow on will help to intercept those passes as they have to get it just right to get through the DMC. If they are using an AMC then you should always have a DMC. In the end I would say you should try to play with full pitch pressing, especially with your midfield.

Thanks for your input. In the 2nd leg at his place I played a DCM with blue arrow & slipped my AMC who can also play CM back in to a flat midfield 4 with a red arrow & changed team orders to playing down the flanks. Sure enough no goals conceded and beat him 2-0. Unfortunately he saw me off on away goals as he'd done me 2-4 at my home ground. Oh well you live and learn.