2014 Piggs Drift (4-3-3)

[Piggers5]

Recently and for the first time, I finally managed 200 league goals in a season.

The closest I've come before now was 196 in FM2013

http://fmhvibe.co.uk/community/topic/17987-boom-tactic/#entry158952

I was loosing a 1000 goals challenge with Harry Kane at Spurs so I started tinkering with the Tristero tactic with a view to incorporating mixed passing. I was already dominant with Spurs but the change of tactic turned my team into an unstoppable goal machine and i thought this might be the tactic to have a stab at 200 league goals.

I handed Spurs my resignation and sought a team in a league with 46 games and lower quality opposition. The Burton Albion job was already vacant and they were stone bottom of league 1 with only 11 points and 1 win (bearing in mind the month is February!) with 2mil in the bank and excellent training facilities . So 2 days later I'm named manager and immediately set about securing some summer signings whilst I still have the relative pull of being a league 1 club.

I implemented the tactic to get some of the players I will retain next season used to it, but it works too well and with 4 games to go I've gone from 11pts to 20th on goal difference. Never having previously entertained the thought I would be taking on the challenge in league 1 I had a choice to make. Inevitably some obscure reserve midfielder found himself in goal for the final 4 games and I missed safety by 2 points

So we drowned our sorrows and awaiting our pre secured league 1 standard signings to arrive. Included in these was only 1 unrealistic regen, a defensive midfielder with a top flight career ahead of him.

Here's how we got on;

And here's Piggs Drift (4-3-3).

Would really appreciate if anyone can trial this with other teams and share their results.

*****UPDATED VERSION II****

*****ORIGINAL VERSION*****

[oMc]

Awesome tactic.

 

3rd season with Marseille, late november, my team was struggling in 3rd-4th position almost 15 points behind the leader, PSG. Had a lot of domination but few goals, inconsistent finishing from my strikers.

 

Started to use your tactic, finished the league 2nd only 3 points behind PSG, beaten them 3-0 during the 36th match-day, almost won the title during the last match-day.

Won the French cup.

Won the Champion's League, beating Real Madrid 2-1 on aggregate (quarter-final) , 2-0 FC Barcelona on aggregate (semi-final) and finally 2-0 against Dortmund (final).

 

Can't wait to use this tactic on a entire season. I should be able to beat PSG for the title with a consistent season.

[mikeyboy11]

Seems a top tactic, surprised it still works without any real defensive minded player in midfield.

Looks cool tho

[Lee-Roy]

Same as what Mikey says, it disheartens me that a tactic like this can work. It sort of makes it a waste of time trying to make a tactic with the right balance between attack and defense. When the best one out there leaves two at the back.

[Piggers5]

Lee-roy, it doesn't leave 2 at the back?

The wingers are defenders when your team doesn't have posession, the apm's drop back and the box to box drops in to defend his box so becomes a dmc.

On the contrary, having out and out defensive players in midfield is inviting possession and territory to the opposition. I play a pressing game and as such want my midfield high up the pitch so we win the ball back before the opposition can even mount an attack. Look at the great Spanish / Barcelona sides of late. Their only weakness was often a big gap between midfield and defensive if they lost the ball, it never become an issue though because the majority of times they had enough players forward to press and regain possession quickly.

So maybe it's not just hours of analysis of existing theory that make great tactics but also creativity / experimentation.

[Lee-Roy]

Of course it does. Your tactic and player roles means that at times, all players can be forward except for your CB's. A wingback doesn't just defend without the ball and attack with it, they act as both wingers and fullbacks simultaneously.

[panjalakuruchi]

Hi piggers5. Tried ur tactic with Liverpool. Seem to be very good so just share with u.

Just that u do concede a lot.

[Lee-Roy]

Hi piggers5. Tried ur tactic with Liverpool. Seem to be very good so just share with u.

Just that u do concede a lot.

That's the point I was getting at, the the goals scored looks really good. Panj, if you could post your results from the end of the season, and the PCR's tally that would be really helpful. I'd love to know what this tactic can do in the top leagues with the top players for each role.

[xzz]

Using it with Fulham fresh carreer currently : 7games played : 3-3-1

[Fozz_Quaker]

Im back boys, never found my phone, but got my Samsung Tab sorted out... I am going to give this tactic a try on my new Guiseley Game, currently sitting 2nd bottom in League 2 with a quarter of the season played... EDIT*** 10 Games in, I have improved quite a bit... My Record before adopting this tactic was:- P 15 W 1 D 6 L 8 GF 23 GA 30 My Record since using this tactic:- P 10 W 5 D 2 L 3 GF 18 GA 16 I aint getting the same return as the OP...but I will let that slide for now, just about every player had low moral, being 2nd off bottom and all... I just want to get the current season over, so I can have a good go of this tactic over a full season... Will post again in the future

[Fozz_Quaker]

Almost certainly does not work for my Guiseley...6 games into my current season I aint won a game, I have been murdered in every game, most recent was an 8-0 defeat to Walsall...Will just give this tactic up now and try save my League Ststus

[Piggers5]

Yea it don't work after the latest updat, R.I.P tactic. Got a new one that's scoring 6-7 a game coming so though just doing a season so I can share results.

[sogutumu]

Lots of conceed. What can I do ?

[Cockers2505]

This the best tactic I've tried, every team I try it with I have won the title, even getting Oldham to prem and winning it in my 3rd season, note I said Oldham!!

Here are my results with all Real M

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/AdJ0B8a.png" alt="Uploaded with Imgupr" />

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/C0uKgUr.png" alt="Uploaded with Imgupr" />

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/G80RG0t.png" alt="Uploaded with Imgupr" />

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/65g6pZi.png" alt="Uploaded with Imgupr" />

This is my other teams:

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/qOL2amf.png" alt="Uploaded with Imgupr" />

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/VQ8FFDK.png" alt="Uploaded with Imgupr" />

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/62rzhBP.png" alt="Uploaded with Imgupr" />

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/62rzhBP.png" alt="Uploaded with Imgupr" />

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/62rzhBP.png" alt="Uploaded with Imgupr" />

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/I0h7S53.png" alt="Uploaded with Imgupr" />

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/9Fs3y1u.png" alt="Uploaded with Imgupr" />

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/IpoY51z.png" alt="Uploaded with Imgupr" />

[Piggers5]

The problem with this tactic was that whilst it was too leaky, lots of 5-4's etc.

So I changed to balanced mentality and made the poacher a target man. Had amazing results with West Ham

[Cockers2505]

Even conceding goals I still win enough games to win the league! I even tried a team I have never heard of in the Belgium league, and guess what won it!!!

The best tatic so far for this game, will try your changes with the striker for even better results

Piggers I started off unemployed with this tactic, within 4 seasons I was a world class manager and had won everything with 3 different teams, you are a genius and everyone should stop messing around with some of the other good tactics that only work with big teams, this works with every team I have managed so far :-)

[Piggers5]

Thanks for your kind words, always nice to know others are having success with this. To be honest, if it works with EVERY team you manage it probably owes just as much to how you handle other aspects of the game, I.e harmony / signings / team selection. Awesome results though, well done!

[Aule]

I've tried this tactic with Bayern in 2026/27. I've brought in 16 new players and had amazing results, winning the league and finishing second in the German Cup and I've enjoyed a good Champions Cup run. My strikers were unstoppable, banging in 30+ goals each.

In the off-season I brought in three new players, significantly better ones than the players they replaced, but this tactic doesn't seem to work anymore. At first, every goalkeeper I've tried had a match rating of 6 and worse, letting in soft goals. So I've made the changes you suggested, and it does have a positive impact on my defense (goalkeeper match rating now 7 and higher), but my strikers are worthless. This time last season, I've scored more than 50 goals. This season it's only 27 goals. Any suggestions?

[Piggers5]

A fairly simple fix for that. Change to balanced mentality but keep your central striker as a poacher.

From three seasons testing this seems the ideal balance for the tactic. OP to be updated shortly.

[Cockers2505]

Something else I did to try, and it works well is switch the formation round.

Try it, see how you get on?

[ROACHUK]

Tried this out with Leeds and it is doing incredibly well! Had a little tinker and shifted the left forward into a left winger position due to being unable to get enough depth in that position. Managed to sign Adriano on a free contract though so I play him as a deep lying forward rather than a complete forward and he seems to pick up a lot of loose balls and feed McCormack some decent chances. I'll post some pictures of results and formation once I figure out how haha.

Free transfer sorry haha.

[Piggers5]

Thanks for the great advice Cockers & Roach. Certainly will try these tweaks if the AI catches up with me. I've had a cold this weekend so plenty of hours on FM. I believe this is the best version of The Drift yet but please keep posting your results and experimenting.

[wilmar3]

Piggers , trying this tactic with Lille and working great so far ! Will post at end of season !

[Piggers5]

Good start! PSG are unbeatable in season 1 but hopefully you can run them close.

[giallosolo]

Thanks for sharing , but seems the original one works better for me.

I played ASROMA in season21-22 placed 2nd(with original one) , while placed 7th (with 3 consecutive loss) after 10 matches(with updated one) in season 22-23. 

Less goals but still conceded a lot

 

could you please give some advise? 

 

BTW sorry i don't have idea how to post screenshot here

[Piggers5]

10 games is probably too short a test but 3 consecutive losses with Roma is pretty unusual. Can only suggest having players in the right position and a captain with influence at least 16.

[giallosolo]

thanks for your reply and instruction.

 

1. thought all my players in right position, since all player icon shows green/dark green on tactic pitch.

Just two things,

1) there is no proper CMF in my team,  so i replaced with one winger (left) and one poacher (mid-right)

2) there is no proper BBM in my team, so i replaced with a DLM with shooting=12.

 

2. my captain's leadership is 18, but when he was injured , my vice-captain only has 15 on leadership, which could be the problem of losing games.

 

 

By they way, 3 consecutive losses are 0-2Parma(totally shocked) , 1-2PSV(understandable), 0-1Inter(reasonable).

 

PS. little bit hurry in typing ,sorry for poor grammar and expressions.

[Piggers5]

15 leadership for your vice captain is ample. Try and sign a decent out and out goal scorer and test over a season. Good luck.

[giallosolo]

noted and could you please advise which role should he be? Poacher? CmF? and Advance Forward? and which position should he stay at? left? mid? right?

 

thank you!

[Piggers5]

The player roles should be exactly as per OP but the central CMF & Poacher will be getting most goal scoring opportunities. The strikers I play in these positions usually both score at least 30+ a season.

With regards to the players preferred roles (which I think you were alluding to) it doesn't make a lot of difference. I sign and select players based on their stats first and foremost.