Spurs... a little too real?

Right, just like in RL I'm having real trouble getting Spurs to score goals despite dominating possession.

Mostly I'm fiddling with the finer details of a 4-2-3-1.

Usual team is;
-----------------------------Lloris(GK)-------------------------------
Walker(FB)-Kaboul(CB)-Vertonghen(BPD)-Rose(FB)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------Sandro(BWM)-------Dembele(CM-A)--------------
Lamela(IF-S)---------Eriksen(AP-A)--------Townsend(W-A)
----------------------------Soldado(CF-S)----------------------------

Alternatives in the roles
Lamela/Lennon
Rose/Jonathan Silva
Eriksen/Sigurdsson/Holtby
Soldado/Defoe
Kaboul/Papadopoulos
Sandro/Capoué
Dembele/Holtby/Chadli

I'm also really struggling to get Lamela firing which seems in contradiction to what others have reported with him.

I'm actually doing ok in the league but I'm not getting any big scorelines and I'm drawing a lot of games I should be winning. Should I keep with the AVB-style and play 1 up front or go all Tim Sherwood (i.e. 4-4-2 & gung-ho tactics) on this match engine? FM13 didn't treat the latter approach kindly, I doubt '14 will be very different...

id go two up front personally eriksen just in behind

4-3-1-2

Any thoughts on getting Lamela playing?
He finishes every game with a 6.4-6.7, never does ANYTHING on highlights, never scores, assists, I rarely see him doing anything except losing the ball... it's intensely frustrating. Oh, even better, when I get assertive/agressive towards him for his poor performances he "switches off" which I know is the game telling me "his reputation is higher than your reputation".

he is oing well on mine I got him as inside forward attack with instructions to run at defernders

Soldado shouldn't be starting, that's your problem solved.

soldado is class

2013-12-28 13:43#151666 LeedsUnitedForLife : soldado is class

Misses way too many chances IMO, was the same at Valencia.

Just had another infuriating display vs Aston Villa.
I dominated possession, about 70/30
I had 28 shots on goal
14 on target
Final score... 0-0

Brad Guzan got a 7.2 in the Villa goal, good performance but hardly stellar enough to suggest that outcome...

I dropped Soldado after numerous performances with no goals, no goalmouth action and 6-6.4 ratings. Lamela has marginally improved but is still firmly in the realm of "underwhelming".

2014-01-02 16:34#152453 Randomthom : Just had another infuriating display vs Aston Villa.
I dominated possession, about 70/30
I had 28 shots on goal
14 on target
Final score... 0-0

Brad Guzan got a 7.2 in the Villa goal, good performance but hardly stellar enough to suggest that outcome...

I dropped Soldado after numerous performances with no goals, no goalmouth action and 6-6.4 ratings. Lamela has marginally improved but is still firmly in the realm of "underwhelming".

Lamela's young, give him time.