WSM statement/question
 

WTF why is it that every game, I feel like the last 20 minutes of the game are spent weathering a storm. A team that has sucked the entire game all of a sudden starts shooting like crazy, scoring like crazy. I have lost or drawn more games in the last 20 minutes than anything. Am I doing something wrong? Is it known that you have to get killed in the last 20 minutes? I sub, I take out the tired folk, and still get peppered at the end. what is up with that?

Are you playing with the latest patch? It fixes the problems you are encountering.

a-hole

Are you changing your strategies at all toward the end of the match? Are you playing more defensively? Are you bringing in extra defenders? What are you doing to counter the other team's forward push? The game isn't set up to just allow the other team to come back against you almost every time. Your opposition is making adjustments, and I'm guessing that you're not.

This would be really funny, but I'm waiting for the DR folks to return from vacation as well.

Ah who am I kidding. That was pretty damn funny.

Dude, you really need to start your own official FM thread. It'd be the cool thing to do.

Yeah you do have to make some defensive adjustments at the end of the game, especially if you don't have the patch yet. (I'm in the same situation.) Apparently the "comeback" mode that most opponents take on has been tempered somewhat. But in the meantime, you really do have to put 5 defenders in the back (one of my favorites)...narrow your formation, tick-on counter attack, time-waste...etc.

I take it that's a no? I didn't realize the WSM version hadn't come out yet.

that's the thing, the patch for WSM is out, just not the digidownload one... :(

FM

No way, several FM threads started in one day by Flasch is cool. :cool:

thank you...I will start whatever thread I damn well want to until the Patch is out....as a matter of fact look forward to my next thread entitled "WSM: Why the Digi download aint out yet" tomorrow....perhqaps we'll be able to hatch out somethings not mentioned yet.

I like you. Have a cookie.

(so glad he got FM 2006 instead of the Digimon, I mean Digi-download)

Don't know if this is a tongue in cheek question, but on the basis that it isn't, here goes:

It's to be expected: the opposition is looking to get something out of the game. If they are down, they will play looser trying to get back into it.

Consider it the equivalent of a no huddle offense within the final two minutes by a team driving to rescue something from the game: the defense does not play the same as it has done for the previous 58 minutes - it adjusts to the offensieve changes: you need to do the same in FM/WSM.

If your full backs are on forward runs, tell them not to. Keep your midfielders from running too much foward, keeping tight banks of four, or maybe add another midfielder or defender to the mix. Slow down the tempo, go with a more defensive mentality, time waste more. Counter attack, especially down both flanks (maybe put your wide midfielders on mixed runs forward to get into space should you recover the ball - there is likely to be space behind their wingers).

Quite often when the other team attacks like crazy, if you're sensible you can actually nick another goal. General rules of thumb (defending a lead late in the game):

Try to keep at least one extra extra defender than attacker (i.e. if they go 4-3-3 a back four is fine, if they change to 4-2-4 put 5 at the back. If they go 2-3-5 you'll have to just have to stick with 5 on 5.)

At the same time try an keep one extra midfielder (i.e. they go 4-3-3, 4-4-2 or 5-4-1 are ideal, 5-3-2 or 5-4-1 are excellent counters to 4-2-4) This will allow you to have men outside their midfield, meaning that they will have to go through you rather than round you, and also that when you do recover the ball, you can more easily pass down both flanks to your wider players.

I find that by changing to the above for the last 5-15 minutes, depending on the circumstances, comebacks are not too much of a problem (and have found this in all versions of FM)

Its also worth noting that this sort of thing is more visible if you play a high-tempo pressing tactic or have lots of runs, why you ask? ...

Because your players are likely absolutely knackered if you stick with that style for the entire match - hence towards the end when they start flagging the opposition will find more space and thus chances ..

Your use of the word "Knackered" makes me want to give you a hug. :)