Home Framework

The home framework may seem on face evidence overly attacking and unrealistic. Both central defenders are given attacking mentalities, which would seem to be unusual instructions for the position. But, what it does is ensure that the defence, in a match in which the tactic is effective, concentrates 75% of its energies supporting the attack and only 25% on defending. If the team is playing to form then that statistic is acceptable, as a home team should be looking to attack considerably more often than defend. However, if the team is having a bad day then the user manager should adjust the formation to provide more defensive stability before trying to buck the troops up at half-time.

The home framework offers solid performance levels as long as the team is playing equal or above its quality level. The odd occasion in which they fall below this level will require some tactical adjustments and quality man-management at half-time. Ideally, the user manager will realise his team is below par early enough in the half to switch to a more defensively sound formation and thus minimise any damage. Early indicators for team performance are possession and pass percentage. Although neither really stabilises until the 10th minute, an advantage for the AI after this point in either or both stats is an indication that you have either got your tactics wrong or that the team is performing below expectations.

The home framework mentality ensures that the team is looking to attack more often than not. It will force players to take attacking risks and forwards to have a shoot on sight mentality. It will fall down heavily against sides of a higher level that will destroy it on the counter, but, in my experience, that only happens against teams operating in higher divisions.

Mentality

GK 14
DC 15
FB 16
MCd 17
ML/R 18
MCa 19
FC 20

There is a set of theories complementing this mentality framework that will be discussed later.

Away Framework

The basic away framework operates as a negative copy of the home framework. In opposition to the home framework, it concentrates entirely on defending. Assuming that the home side is focusing on attacking moves >75% of the time, a tactic that has eight of its eleven players focused on defending to greater degree should provide some stability. As three players are, although still defensive, looking to attack above 25% of the time there should be some attacking potential on the counter-attack. It primarily focuses on stopping the opposition playing and only looks to score from lightening raids and set pieces.

As for the home tactic, indicators of performance are possession and pass percentage. Unlike the home tactic, in which you should be seeing a relative advantage for your team, matching AI performance, you should be looking to match the AI in both areas. Possession should ideally hover around 50% but this can’t be guaranteed for away tactics. As long as it isn’t falling below 47% you should be relatively happy. Pass percentage is a more solid indicator of performance away and you should see your team dominate in this area. However, if you are achieving over 50% possession, pass percentage importance decreases.

Mentality

GK 1
DC 2
FB 3
MCd 4
ML/R 5
MCa 6
FC 7

There is a set of theories complementing this mentality framework that will be discussed later.

And there my frameworks would have ended had I finished writing the article the same day I started it. However, there has been a time delay, during which time I have discovered some limitations of the away framework. Before discussing them and an alternate framework to combat them, it is necessary to turn our attention to the intricacies of re-ranking and match odds to offer some reasoning behind the limitations.

Re-Ranking and Pre-Match Odds

I previously wrote that re-ranking was happening on a match-by-match basis and this constituted a greater level of sophistication in AI responses to user performance. I will now refute that in returning to my original position that re-ranking occurs mid-season (in a minor form) and with greater degree at the end of season. The pre-match odds are an indicator of recent form. The combination of the two will suggest how the AI will line up against you.

In my most recently completed season I was the bookmakers’ favourite for relegation, being predicted to come 24th with odds of 80-1 to be champions. Not surprisingly, this meant that all of the AI teams expected to beat me when I played away against them. Naturally, I consistently came up against attacking formations. Early season odds had the AI team as heavy favourite for my away games, with my home games being close calls either way. In the away games the ultra-defensive mentality of the Away Framework negated the heavy attacking strategy of the AI and I performed pretty consistently away from home. If the AI scored first I was in trouble, but if I could frustrate them for the first hour I would usually sneak a one or two-nil victory.

This tactic had also worked effectively the previous season when I had also been predicted to come 24th (in L2) and had walked the division, losing three games in total. In L1 it was less effective as player for player I was often out-matched, but my away record was pretty solid. I had a major injury crisis mid-season (four goalies and three centre forwards out simultaneously is tough to cover for a small club with few resources), which knocked me down from challenging for the title to mid-table. I regained form as my players returned to fitness and ended up in a play-off spot, finishing only 3 points away from automatic promotion. I was two minutes away from going up in the play-off final when, out of the blue, as I had seen no chances against for 10 minutes, the AI equalised and went on to win in the penalty shoot-out. The whole season ruined in the space of a few short minutes!

But, with every cloud comes a silver lining. I strengthened the squad and readied myself for a serious crack at the title. I was pretty confident that I would dominate the division as my player quality had improved dramatically. My pre-season odds were 8-1, and all the away games were short-odds either way. Sorted, or so I thought. It was then a wrecking ball smashed my illusory self-confidence to smithereens. My away performances had only needed to shift in level slightly for me to pick up the extra few points I needed for automatic promotion. As I had a much better first eleven I was sure they would do. However, in the away games I was getting pounded. I barely managed a shot on goal. The opposition dominated me. Something was seriously wrong.

The AI was now playing less aggressively against me. Previously, I had played my ultra-conservative tactics against high mentality / high defensive line systems and undid them through committed defence and lightening breaks. However, as the AI was now playing more conservatively against me, my through balls to the breaking forwards were now being intercepted by the deeper lying defenders and recycled back to the AI attack. I held out for a couple of draws due to magnificent performances from my centre-backs and keeper, but I was never going to win any away games this way. A rethink was required.

I had already designed an alternate away tactic for the theoretical games in which I would be the favourite despite not being at home. Due to my poor pre-season ranking this had rarely happened (twice only) so I hadn’t really tested it. However, logically it should work as it followed my defensive theories in order to remain defensively sound, but increased mentalities throughout the team. I implemented it for my next few away games to give it an extended run out. The result was outstanding. Since the shift in mentalities I have won all bar one away game (which was a cup game against higher level opposition). Had I not shifted I would have been average the first half of the season before the AI teams decided I was cannon fodder away, at which time my successful strategy would reinsert itself as the AI began to attack me again. If I hadn’t come to terms with the tactical switch required early in the season, a serious bout of frustration would have ensued. I’m sure one or two FMers have experienced the scenario of over-performing, strengthening the squad pre-season before crashing and burning without realising why. Fortunately, I reacted quickly enough to minimise the morale damage the away performances would bring and, with the new tactical plan in operation, embarked on the successful run I had envisioned pre-season.

求翻译：TT&F IV: New Strategies and Theories for '07