Help Middlesbrough S1 - Looking for Advice

[downloadingplayerlist]

i started a new save with a lower league team over the holiday season and decided to blow them up completely and start with a whole bunch of wonderkids. see my team below, i sold everyone over the age of 22 (basically the entire team except for a few) and signed whoever i could with the money available. i think i did well except i'm a little low on numbers, i'm doing fine with condition/rotation tho.

my problem: i've been experimenting with lots of tactics on here without much success. i can't tell if it's because the team is so young or i just haven't found the thing that clicks them. i've picked tactics that suit their roles as much as possible but i'm really struggling to score and defend, except for very very weak teams (and barely). my best success ironically has been against bigger teams because i play shutdown defense and get a goal somehow (like this https://fmmvibe.com/forums/topic/42882-3-2-3-2-tank-inverted-wing-backs-inside-forwards/). keeping the creative freedon down to disciplined helped too but i don't know if that's a coincidence. 

any suggestions for tactics to try or ideas? is it just a matter or time? happy to share more details, see team below.

[broodje kip]

Try to play much like a simple football like 4-1-2-2-1 with control and fast passing. I’ve found this very great with LLM when I was managing S. Gijon in Spain where I finished first in the league and also won the cup against Atletico and Real Madrid

[SirSpankorama]

5 at the back, true 5 not 3-2 on the DM line is how I play in my LLM.

 

                GK

WB NCB NCB NCB WB

         A          DLP

 

W                             W (make sure to get footedness right here)

              AF or TM or P (depends on striker)

 

 

Be sensible with the other tactic options, just make sure to be very defensive (contain).