Do tactics really work or this game is pay to win

[InvincibleGinger FC]

Do white skills even matter recently though? Not even a year ago, I remembering being able to make players perform very well at certain roles by elevating certain white skills through training. Now, my semi-mutated (through years and years of training) AML who has 72%-184%-84% gets 10.0 ratings for most matches where my opponent is more than 10% weaker. But then when lined up against a 114%-127%-105% or similar, he rarely crosses over the 7 and almost never across the 8. Before TE 2021 edition, he scored and scored and reset every offensive statistic in my club. My AMR who is 118%-158%-125% will be much more consistent in tougher games, although I am still trying to get the a stronger "power role" assigned to him again like before signing my new DC. This makes me think, have they watered it down to where only and only overall quality matters?