4231 Lower League FM26 Tactic - 92% Win Rate, 4+ Goals

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OVERVIEW

Overview

This 4-2-3-1 system was designed specifically with lower-league football in mind, focusing on simplicity, physical output, and consistent attacking patterns rather than complex role interactions.

The tactic was tested across a long-term save starting at the bottom of English football and progressing up to the Championship, allowing performance to be assessed as squad quality gradually improved. Across testing, the system consistently produced 4+ goals per game at its peak, alongside an exceptionally high win rate over extended periods.

Key Features

Simple, repeatable 4-2-3-1 structure

Designed for lower-league squads with limited technical ability

Strong emphasis on wide play and overlapping fullbacks

High goal output without excessive micromanagement

Scales naturally as squad quality improves

KEY PLAYER PERFORMANCE

Leif Davis (Ipswich Town) was a standout performer during testing and perfectly showcased how effective the system’s wide structure can be.

Operating from wing-back, he consistently provided attacking output through overlaps, chance creation, and late runs into the final third. His performances highlight how important attacking fullbacks are within this setup and how much value the system can extract from that role, even outside elite-level squads.

TACTIC

Testing Methodology

Testing was carried out using a 70/30 split between holiday and manual play. The majority of league fixtures were holidayed for consistency, while cup matches and key league games were played manually.

Set pieces and training were handled in the same way as in my long-term livestream saves, with no testing-specific optimisation.

A rotation of three closely related variants was used throughout the season. These were small tweaks of the base tactic designed to suit different game states and opposition approaches, reflecting realistic long-term save usage rather than reliance on a single static setup.

FINAL NOTES

I’m Josh Daly, a full-time Football Manager content creator, working with the game on a daily basis. Because this is my full-time role, I spend 12–14 hours a day on Football Manager across testing, livestream saves, tactical development, and content production.

I have 40,000+ YouTube subscribers, have worked on the FMScout YouTube channel for over two years, and currently support a community of 7,000+ Patreon members — the largest Patreon page dedicated to Football Manager content. This demonstrates the loyalty and trust people have in my work.

The tactics I share here are built and tested using the same approach I apply to my long-term saves and live content, not one-off simulations.

I’m proud of the community around my work and the level of discussion it creates, and I’m always open to constructive feedback and genuine tactical debate.

If you have any questions or tactical issues, feel free to message me on any of my socials listed above.