Transfers! Transfers!
First thing you have to know before entering transfer market - what you really need - your most pressing issues with the team. For me (I'm managing Liverpool) , it was a backup striker for Andy Carroll, and a secondary need, backups for Kuyt and Suarez up front.
My recommendations - (i bought the guys in bold) - not in order- but hey, why not?
1. Hulk - a beast i tell you! Like a faster Ronaldo (Luiz Nazario de Lima) and he is able to play winger too.
2. Darwin Quintero - another Luis Suarez. Very good dribbler and vision. Good speed too. Available around 4-5mil.
3. Yaya Sanogo - cheap early on. A Drogba-isque type player. Good addition if you play one man up front.
4. Jelle Vossen - Huntelaar/ Van Nistelrooy-ish - not very fast but good finishing stats. Play him as a poacher or target man. Comes at the cheap too! But if you have the money for more expensive player, get.... Sanogo (#3) instead.
5. Ivan Rakitic - my best player found in FM2011. Good footballing brains. Superb long shots. Good vision and creativity making him a suitable playmaker if you play a fluid formation. Must buy.
6. Eden Hazard- buy him if you have the money. (35mil and still Lille wont budge!) Absolute gem. Best player in the game? Maybe not. But probably top 5?
7. Christian Eriksen - LFC didnt have the money so i bought Eriksen. But ain't that cheap either. 15mil! Possible wonderkid with good offensive stats. Younger than Hazard too so might be a better buy if you want to build your squad from the younger players.
8. Anthony Vanden Borre - what he lacks in skill, he covers with versatility. Able to play any position in midfield and also doubles up as wing backs, fullbacks and centre backs when need to. Friggin cheap too! Snap him up early on (under 1mil!) or wait for a bit for January window when he will decline to renew a contract renewal making him even cheaper. Good choice if you need cover in several positions.
9. Jay Spearing - assuming you're not playing as Liverpool, that is. Hardworking, Mascherano-type player. Occasional good long shots too! Good buy considering LFC MIGHT be willing to let him go with their surplus of players in midfield.
10. Jonjo Shelvey - A young Gerrard perhaps. Same like Spearing, LFC might let him go at the cheap. Just try and ask.
11. Nicolas Lodiero - Young playmaker. Not much on the physical stats but technical and mental stats are good.
Tiki-Taka?Tiki-Taca?
Like in FM 2011, I've converted my LFC to play the Barcelona-way - tiki-taka. (or however you spell it)
The basics of tiki-taka (I don't care, I'm spelling it this way from now on) revolves around having versatile players who can interchange positions with each other, and focusing A LOT on short-range, patient passing game. Best formation to play this philosophy is, like the real-life Barcelona, is 4-3-3.
Defense!
Your fullbacks will be converted into wingbacks - and they will run a lot, do lots of crosses and help in attack. Good thing for LFC, Glen Johnson and Jose Enrique are natural dribblers and crossers. Sorted.
Two center-backs must be able to play the ball and pressure opposing forwards early on. So I played one as a ball-playing defender, and the other, a stopper.
Midfield!
A three midfield formation might look narrow but dont forget - your width is supplied by both converted wingbacks and your forwards who play deep-lying forwards (more of that later). My midfielders consists of a deep-lying play-maker (support), a ball winning midfielder (defend), and a center midfielder (support, or attack as you see fit) - but please do experiment - you might get a better mix than mine. It's all about the players.
Forwards!
I have Andy Carroll playing middle as my target man, with supplies focusing to feet rather than head. Suarez and Kuyt play as deep-lying forwards. Close down on oppositions often and preferably use the 'work ball into box' shout.
Team philosophy -
Close down often. You know your midfield is kinda thin, so make sure your forwards ALWAYS close down the moment you lose possession of the ball. Keeps them under pressure all over the field.
Keep passes short, with the formation fluid and give high creativity room for the players - magic word - fluidity. Short passes keeps the ball close to your players, and play ball to feet rather than into space - unless it's in the rain.
Some might find it tedious at first but when you see the possessions average 55% and above, with passing rates 80% +++, I highly doubt you'd change to another. Your opponents can't score if they don't have the ball, right?
So feel happy to give it a try, and share suggestions on how to improve the tactic. I made 4-3-3 as my standard tactic for LFC, and this is the opening game of the season, VS Man City which I won 2-1 thanks to Suarez and Carroll's goals.
Note the passing rate, possession, shots on goal and chances created by both teams.
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