Promotion, and my strategy

I promoted this season. My league was quite weak and I managed to win all my matches without a problem. So now im moving up and will face better teams, better players, and more importantly more active managers. I will continue to play 3-5-2. So what is my strategy?

Initial thoughts

I know that to have a fair chance of a good table position I need to do three things:

1. Reach a new playmaking level
2. Be more efficient, and score as often as I can in the chances I produce
3. Be able to stop as many opponent chances as possible

A new playmaking level

This point is fairly easy. I need better players, with higher playmaking skills. So I have to replace most of my midfield. With my 3-5-2 formation strategy I will need 1 extremely good midfielder. Probably an older chap (25+). I will preferably get one with high experience (solid or better). I will try to keep 2 “semi trainees” which will improve fairly quick over the course of the season, 19-23 year olds. I will also try to get a winger with fairly high winger skill and semi high playmaking skill aged 19-22, and play him towards middle to help win the midfield. He will also improve during the course of the season, however not as rapidly. One winger will however be a very good wing skill to support the attack with high experience.

This would give me a fair chance of having a good central midfield, and with it be forced to play “Attack in the Middle” if I succeed.

Becomming more efficient

Last season I had a 71% efficiency on my attacks, and now I will face even better defenders. I also had 12 set pieces chances last season, with an efficiency of 75%. The set pieces chances are very important I think so one of my players must be extremely good. My attackers also needs to be replaces as most chances end up at their feet.

However, in order to make it easier to score for any player in front of goal, I need the level of passing improved drastically. This is why I need good passing skills for most of the midfielders I bring in. Maximum one or two levels lower than the main skill. I will therefore not choose midfielders with high defending skills, in order to appont more force into my attacking game.

Stopping chances

I will need 2 new defenders as well. I have only 3 (in a 3-5-2 formation), and these must be able to play both as central defenders or wingbacks each match, depending on the strengths of my opponents attackers. They have to be even better now that I focus less on the defence skill of my midfielders. To even this up I will get a great goalkeeper. This way I keep some defensive balance, but hope to be more efficient than most of my opponents, and thus win some matches.

Captain

I need a new captain with high experience. I will combine this role with the set pieces taker and the last missing winger. He will be fairly old, a fallen star with high wingerskills only.

Lets see how it all works out.