Ah, I never bother with that training crap, except for making sure I got good coaches. Get decent results anyhow.
I had very bad experiences with zonal marking, so I never use it.
Make sure you've got fast (as said) and above all good dribblers on the wings (pace, accelleration, technigue and dribbling), and make sure the individual instructions (encourage crosses, long shots, run with ball and so on) match your players' skills.
Never dicipline your players, it always messes up the whole team.
4-4-2 seems the best regular formation in CM4. I stay away from gung ho and ultra-defensive, unless I completely overmatch the opposition or need a big win. It doesn't seem to work well. But central defenders and one midfielder (preferrably a defensive one) on defensive. wings and attackers on attacking, wings with an arrow forward. I disagree with not needing your full-backs for defending, I always give up more goals when setting them on "attacking". if you've got good offensive full-backs, pick "encourage forward runs" instead, then they seem to pick their spots better. One fast forward with good finishing, one powerful striker with good heading skills, seems the best match. But don't bench the clearly better player to get this combo.
Good British bargains in CM4 (might not be the same if you're playing 02/03 update): Lionel Morgan (left-winger), Michael Dawson (defender), Scott Willis (def. mid), Lee Miller (striker), Mike Duff (DRC). In a few seasons: Serge Makofo (amazing winger), Isaac Osbourne (def mid), Jay McEveley (DLC, might be able to lure him away from Blackburn). I could go on and on, take a look at Trifonov and Anatoli Todorov of Bulgaria, and curse the work permit rule in England, amazing young Bulgarians, Todorov gets a conditional permit sometimes, but he's a bit young for regular PL footie, amazing potential though.