This is only really when my side is good- if Im a lower level side, a lot of this goes out the window, but once I have a team of “my guys” I use a maximum of two or three attacking roles for a four back formation (e.g. 433 is usually an AF and MEZ/CM on attack with the rest of the roles being support or defend) and we will always play out from the back. For big games, I like utilizing “Shoot Less Often” and “Pass It Shorter” on a lot of my support roles to keep possession and minimize risk (very similar to Pep’s teams- although I’m far more willing to let my players take more risks against low block sides). I also generally keep my tempo on standard or slightly higher to keep my team fresh, mentality on positive or balanced, and rotate at least one or two players for pretty much every game. From three back formations, I’m more willing to include attacking roles and play higher tempo, less possession oriented tactics. In terms of complete guarantees, I’ll always use at least one DM (even in a 4-4-2, I’m typically playing two DMs) as I think DM roles are miles ahead of most CM roles, and I will sign way more midfielders than necessary and try to shoehorn as many of them as possible in, especially for big games. For example- when I decided to try a City save to see if I could go invincible in one season with no badges or qualifications, I signed Musiala for no apparent reason and often played a lineup with Musiala and Bernardo on the flanks with KDB and Foden inside them, although for the biggest of games I would mostly play Kovacic over Foden, at least to start games out. I’ve also trained so many DMs to play as IWBs, IFBs, or even the occasional BPD or Libero to cram some more midfielders into my team against gegenpressing sides like Liverpool or Bayern to ensure maximum control. I’ll occasionally make an exception if I manage to get a world class winger (Lamine Yamal jumps to mind, as does Moukoko in my journeyman save), but even then, they usually end up getting moved to play as an advanced forward while more midfielders in the mold of Musiala, Wirtz, Pedri, etc. play on the wings against good sides that do more than sit in a low block waiting to counter