In my past gaming career, I have used four formations most often, namely 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, 4-4-2 Diamond, and 5-2-2-1.
Currently, I am coaching Dover Athletic using 5-2-2-1. By using this formation, I successfully promoted Dover Athletic, which was in the sixth-tier league, to the Premier League within nine seasons and won the Premier League championship four seasons later.
This formation is similar to the tactics used by Xabi Alonso, who coached Leverkusen in real life. In this tactic, we use three central defenders, two wingbacks, two defensive midfielders, two attacking midfielders, and one center forward. When the team has the ball, the wingbacks will press forward significantly to provide offensive width and wait for opportunities to send crosses; when defending, the four-layer barrier of center forward-attack midfielder-defensive midfielder-defender will immediately rush up and slow down the opponent’s counterattack rhythm, providing time for the wingbacks to return to their positions.
[I will update the tactical pictures here and explain the corresponding settings later]