Lost Champions League Final, would appreciate dissection from the experts

[Cloverfield]

- Tackling: I feel like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. You say you never go with hard tackling, but I normally go with it because I've discovered that even just normal tackling results in a lot more goals conceded even if I have good defenders and a theoretically good formation from my research. I suppose I should take your advice and try normal tackling the next time I'm in a final but in normal play I would probably stick with hard.

It is quite a risk hard tackling, and I do not think it is the key factor of not conceding the goal.
You could try this against an unbeatable oppo where risks can be taken, but not against an even oppo.
Tell us in general what are your defense tacticts and usual formations you use, maybe it is something else that causes the conceded goals

- Special Abilities: It's true that my players have no Wall SA. However my defenders all rate with skills in the 140-150%+ range. I would think that should be good enough...is it not? Are SA's that critical to success?

I cannot say it is critical, but I see the SA icon blinking many times during corners and free kicks of an oppo.
Especially defensive walls reduce the probability of a free kick.
You wont stop conceding such goals but they will get reduced.
At least for me it did help.
But if you cannot afford it or cant find it in a market, then yes it is a good enhancement but not a necessity.

- Regarding the stats at the time I opened the scoring: Yes my players were rating solid high 6's to mid 7's at the time I scored and statistically I had a bit more in the shots department. This is why I feel like besides hard tackling, some other tactics change I made in response to my opponent's switch to 4-5-1 Flat was bad, and I'm hoping someone with experience can tell me what that is.

I do not believe it was a matter of tactics as you used both balanced and countering formations.
In general the match from statistics, ratings (at least when game was draw) and formations seems could end to a draw.
This means that minor factors start playing each role.
That's why I believe hard tackling was the minor-key factor for this game, and the 2 penalties is a good proof for that

[Stephen Lam]

It is quite a risk hard tackling, and I do not think it is the key factor of not conceding the goal.
You could try this against an unbeatable oppo where risks can be taken, but not against an even oppo.
Tell us in general what are your defense tacticts and usual formations you use, maybe it is something else that causes the conceded goals

I used normal attack/defense posture. Normally I go with 4-5-1 V style as my favorite formation, but in this case due to the opponent playing classic 4-4-2 I went to 4-5-1 Flat in an attempt to control the midfield and possession. I went with Mixed passing as well as I found that works better than short when the opponent doesn't have a DMC/DML/DMR, and avoided long because I already have played this opponent before and knows he loves the counter.

I do not believe it was a matter of tactics as you used both balanced and countering formations.
In general the match from statistics, ratings (at least when game was draw) and formations seems could end to a draw.
This means that minor factors start playing each role.
That's why I believe hard tackling was the minor-key factor for this game, and the 2 penalties is a good proof for that

Hmm but if it was only the penalties that were the cause, then only my players who conceded the penalties would have bad ratings right? But if you look at my team ratings, almost everyone played horrible.