***The Official Football Manager Thread***

[MachoMyers]

Quote: Originally Posted by Mo

This is the squad I'm rolling with. The Goal is to avoid relegation. Was giving £20m in Transfer Budget. Spent about 5m of it, most of it on Ashley Williams from Swansea.

Dump Claude and Ambrose. Garvan is next to useless in RL but has always been a god for me in FM. This is a pretty bad side to have in the EPL. Good on you!

[BunnyHardaway]

Playing as Hull in FM 2010...had a 1-0 lead against Wolves in the 81st minute and they proceed to rattle off 2 goals in 5 minutes. Now I know why I stopped playing this game.

[Bruins]

Quote: Originally Posted by JJLinn

Playing as Hull in FM 2010...had a 1-0 lead against Wolves in the 81st minute and they proceed to rattle off 2 goals in 5 minutes. Now I know why I stopped playing this game.

Did you adjust to the situation, or just keep your tactics the same?

Up 1-0 with 10 minutes to go, I definitely would've already changed my approach to a more conservative style. Gone are the days where in FM you could just "set it and forget it" when it comes to tactics. You've gotta actually adjust, because you damn well know the CPU is adjusting, just as in real life.

[ImTellinTim]

Take off a striker, put in another central defender. Make sure a couple midfielders are set to defensive mentality and change your overall strategy to defensive or control.

If the other team is down by 1 late, they're always going to fire 6-7 guys forward. If you don't instruct your team to mark them, you're asking for trouble.

And sometimes, no matter what you do, they still score because that's just what happens sometimes.

[BunnyHardaway]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bruins

Did you adjust to the situation, or just keep your tactics the same? Up 1-0 with 10 minutes to go, I definitely would've already changed my approach to a more conservative style. Gone are the days where in FM you could just "set it and forget it" when it comes to tactics. You've gotta actually adjust, because you damn well know the CPU is adjusting, just as in real life.

I subbed in a defensive mid for one of my attacking mids, replaced a defended, and set my strategy to defensive.

[Bruins]

Quote: Originally Posted by JJLinn

I subbed in a defensive mid for one of my attacking mids, replaced a defended, and set my strategy to defensive.

Well then, as Tim said, that's just what happens sometimes. That's sports.

[Bellsprout]

What does the Control setting actually do, while we're on the topic?

It's near Attacking on the list, but I never score when I use it. Is it just about retaining possession?

[ImTellinTim]

I actually meant "contain" in that post.

Think of control as like Barca. You maintain possession with shorter passes and look to cut the defense open with through balls. It is not effective unless you have skilled ball control guys in your midfield.

I personally don't like the setting at all. If I want my team to push forward, but not shoot from distance all the time, I set it to attacking, then use the 'Work Ball Into Box' shout.

Also, don't neglect the individual player instructions. Make sure you aren't telling your players to do something they are really bad at. For example, if you have a speedy winger who is very good at crossing and dribbling, but not much else, it doesn't make much sense to instruct him to cut inside and shoot from long distance. Just take a look at them and make sure you aren't doing counterproductive things. A couple tweaks in this area can make all the difference.