Help against this formation

[Duarte]

I need help against this formation,
---- my team is 81% and his team 90% and I lost 0-3 in the first leg

[HeavensAAA]

Hi manager,

For a more tailored counter, info about opponent’s full squad plus subs (to guess what and how they could change) and your lineup player positions availability (for a useful counter when you do have the players) and also are needed. Without knowing on ability of key-position players quality, such as DC, ST and AMs if available, it is fairly difficult to work out a strategy to overturn a considerable large 3-goal margin with a 10% disadvantage.

Generally speaking, this opponent parks the central midfield with a pushed-up DMC and a pulled-back MC. Number-wise he could go via middle or flank.

The logic is to attack the flanks where he does not have wide midfielders and avoid central. With a 10% disadvantage and need to win by 3 net goals or more, it may be ‘safer’ to outnumber with only 1 flank with your stronger winger, if available, against his weaker DR (not sure about DL as not shown in image).

Personally, I would play the following 4-3-1-2 format, heavily overloading the opponent’s DR & DMRC area.
If opponent pulls back his AMC/MC/DMC in-game to defend the AMC, I would move AMC to MC to play ‘normal’ via controlling MC area. Or move MR up to play AML-AMC-AMR via middle to overload DMC area when left flank is missing chances. As said, my squad would allow these in-game moves without subs, so you have to try using your available players to make the best of available space.

[Duarte]

Hello manager, first of all thank for all the info, I will use your advice.
So Im gonna send u the full lineups(opponent and mine)

[Duarte]

I bought a ML and the Line-up is like this:

https://ibb.co/9bX2XrF

And what orders should I use?

[HeavensAAA]

Thanks for the additional info and images there.

Firstly, your opponent must be at least quite good as his 5 subs cover nearly all the possible positions, and also can turn into aggressive attacking 3-1-+6 attackers when needed or go ultra-defensive like 5-2-2-1 as well.

The only exception and downside of his squad and gameplay is he does not like/know how to play with formations with wide midfielders in somehow not even having a MR, so it is the automatically the most logical choice to play a very wide and up-arrow ML, which you have just wisely bought, to exploit the space he couldn’t cover properly and overloading that flank by at least 3v2, and hence that AMC should also play near to DR region (but not close to DR the player to gain territorial advantage) to make it 4v2.

Orders, for start of match, like the following is my suggestion:


10% disadvantage and need to win by 3 net goals mean you shouldn’t concede when possible, so bonus goes to defensive at start. No need to go long balls because keeping possession to create chances via overloading the DR area is the main strategy, with mixed providing a balance. Left-flank is default here. Counter on as number-wise defensively it is enough and circumstances kind of forced to take that chance (if leading by aggregate, then counter should turn to off to control possession).

Start with low pressing and zonal to maintain formation and preserve conditions - switch to man-to-man at half-time. If still chasing 2 goals by 60th minute, sub out worse-performing DC and sub in DMC to default position, and push up MC to as most forward position to support the focal attacking point then.
3 goals in 90 mins, so 30-35 min is decision time after watching which player is missing chances. No goal yet then may need to switch from defensive to normal.
Bonus should switch to attacking if 1 goal per 30 mins is not achieved yet by no later than half-time.
If AML & ML are both missing easy chances till half-time then should consider overloading DMC area with AML, AMC & AMR aligned horizontally with AMC in default position instead.
60-min mark still not scoring then should change to hard attacking and high pressing (these 2 should be used together to max effect - conditions saved for 60 mins for this). Either via flanks with AML+C+R (positioned wide) or via middle (all close to middle at region). Sub out DC to play no more than 3 defenders (DMC used then push close to MC region).

Wish you all the best of luck for the 2nd leg!

And hopefully you will have a lot more luck than I did in my cup final today when the very first action of the roll of dice was the worst double-whammy Red-card on DC plus PK conceded in favour of my opponent with my GK conceding the very first goal of this season. Thankfully my front-2 did their best to overturn it but system is really, really determined to try its best to stop my unbeaten run since start of career.

[Duarte]

Much aprreciated for all the info u gave me and help, I'm will post the result after.
I have low hope on going to finals cause I lost 0-3 but for now on I have more knowledge to play against this formation cause you helped me a lot.
Keep on winning and wish u all the best ������

[Duarte]

Hello, well it went better than the other game but still a loose. Next time it will be better

[HeavensAAA]

Hello, well it went better than the other game but still a loose. Next time it will be better

Thanks for your update.

Yes, it is very tough to overturn a 3-goal deficit with a 10% disadvantage.

From the info available earlier, it seems that you may not have specialised most available and free resources, such as the daily 15 non-saveable packs, into training our key 2-4 players.

If budget, Ts and greens permit, you could start with at least 2 young 18/19yo 90%+ attackers first, then followed by MC/DMC, DC/DMC or GK which are usually the most T-expensive for replenishment. Most flexible would be ST/AMC & AMC+L/R, as the combination could allow us to play middle (1-1, 2AMC-0ST) and also 1-flank (AML/R - ST [against team with DMC], AML/R - AMC [oppo without DMC]), and the remaining 8 players can go focus on defence. Usually works very well against opponents up to 10% at least, as they cannot go gung-ho when 2 well-trained attackers will take enough chances to outscore.

FT value table link:
https://forum.topeleven.com/tutorial...tml#post500463

A few key points:
1) AML/R is the ‘cheapest’ in T auctions, then AMC, and obviously ST is the most expensive. Better off buying AMC & AML/R, then spend 50 greens onto extra ST role on AMC, then wait for special sponsor gift (usually task #9) to add an additional AM role for the AM if greens are tight
2) 93%+ 18 would be most ideal. 19yo is acceptable if greys are very low, ie. a few greys close to 30%- against quality. 150-180 greens to push up about 115% with most-needed whites to 150%+.
3) Having SA is even better if final auction T bid is not excessive. Usually ‘cheaper’ to use 50 greens to add SA instead, especially when our training level is not maxed yet
4) 1-2 non-savable packs for daily team bonus training, so leave us with 13-14. Focus on 3 players (usually 4,4 & 3 to avoid exhaustion impacting performance) mean an extra 60% conditions daily - that would at least improve the best whites by another 1.5% per day and by end of first season the best whites should be close to 200% if 15 MoMs are won. By end of that season, you should have 2 attackers around 140% having best white of at least 180%-200% (even higher if the special sponsor gift gives the boost to the highest whites too - so best check what the boosts are before deciding on how to train with the 150-180 greens)

Hope this would make your squad very solid after 1 season.