Can't beat the "bad" teams

Hello everyone,

I'm essentially just writing to complain about how I struggle with this game. I have a save with Everton and I'm now at the start of my 3rd season in the save and I've struggled massively with consistency over the first 2 season's but have also had huge problems with beating teams that I would consider "below" my own teams ability. I have no problem losing to a team that I know is better than my own (any of the traditional top six, Wolves, etc.) but I get so frustrated when I lose to a team I know I should be beating. In my second season for example I lost home and away to Norwich in the league, Bournemouth, Burnley, Leicester (more understandable), Watford and another battering away to Bournemouth in the league cup. I did get draws away at Tottenham, Arsenal, Man United and even win away at Chelsea, and even managed to get 2 wins over Liverpool (one at home, one at wembley in the FA cup semi-final) as well as beating City and United both at home. At the start of my 3rd season I've lost away at Leeds, at home to Burnley, drew away at Southampton and at home against Bournemouth, scoring only one goal, although I did beat Arsenal 1-0 at home and Liverpool in the Community Shield by the same score. I clearly have a problem with being unable to create chances against these sides while almost always conceding against them. Even in games I've won I've knicked 1-0 win and very rarely dominated teams I know I should comfortably beat given how good my team is in comparison. I play with a 4-2-3-1 and use a tactic with a very high line and offside trap, which makes sense for why I do concede easy goals from balls over the top but even when I drop deep to try and fix this I still don't score or create many chances, often leading to a 0-0 or conceding from a corner to lose by a goal or something like that. What I'm essentially looking for is another type of tactic that would allow me to perform better against the teams that I should do well against rather than only really being able to perform against the traditional better teams. Any help or anything like that would be greatly appreciated, I'm sure that a lot of people have had issues like this and would love to know how you may have fixed the issue. Hope your well

Playing against the bad teams, especially at home, if your team isn't Man City or whatever, you really are going to need to draw them out of their half. Otherwise they sit all 11 in their half, making it hard to find space for chances, and as you noted, they can catch you with a ball over the top, which is what they're set up to do.

I usually start with my normal tactic, high line and pressing, but if I note that I'm not creating chances (sometimes you'll break through early and will smash these teams so I always prefer to start attacking) I'll drop my midfield back and have two DM's but leave my wingers forward, play a slower tempo and positive (sometimes even cautious if they are causing problems) mentality. This often means they start passing out into my half, my DM's battle and win and fire the ball out wide for my wingers who by this point have lost their markers and can get inside or cross to create chance.

How familiar your team is with the tactic and the link ups between players makes all the difference if you're alternating tactics. If they are switch to deep back line and basically counter attack but have only done it twice, it will not seem as effective, but give it time and persistence, it will allow you to dominate the weaker teams.