***The Official Football Manager Thread***

[GermanKid97]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

Been reading about the latest patch being bad and causing people to lose games they really shouldn't be losing due to the player's team suddenly becoming stupid 75% of the time.

Anyone else feel the same way? Latest match I played my keeper literally just stood there looking to the side as the cross came in, bounced away from his teammates, still looking to the side and not moving, until the opposition player got a rebound and smashed it in. All while my keeper kept staring where the action isn't is. Won't even mention all the other times my defenders didn't get a ball they could get to.

Well i lost three out of my last four games 1-2. two of those were very unlucky and i should not have lost them at all. I was pretty pissed. But I don't really think it's because of the patch, as I feel like it was just my players just not being able to score out of hundreds of chances.

[Kobalt]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

During the season, CPU teams just bomb you with bunch of offers for co-ownership, and since I get annoyed easily, I usually accept most offers if I think it's fair. Then in the Summer when it's time to bid for the remaining 50% of the player, the CPU teams usually bid nothing (mostly since my players kind of suck) so I get to keep the player. Co-Ownership is so stupid in this game, makes me want to quit managing in Italy.

[Leon]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

Well i lost three out of my last four games 1-2. two of those were very unlucky and i should not have lost them at all. I was pretty pissed. But I don't really think it's because of the patch, as I feel like it was just my players just not being able to score out of hundreds of chances.

It's a problem when you routinely get 15+ shots and hardly convert any. I've been reading up a lot more from other people and they all seem to have come to the same conclusion - there's something wrong with the match engine.

Due to this, I'm considering taking a break from the game.

[Suntan Superman]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

If there's one thing they need to fix, it's the rate at which my goalie does NOTHING during a penalty shoot-out. There is simply nothing more frustrating than consistently losing on penalties because my goalie DOESN'T MOVE FROM THE SPOT THE ENTIRE TIME. It's complete and utter bull.

[gopher_guy]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

My Spurs team has been on an absolute tear as of late. We've only lost two games in the months of December and January; the calendar just turned over to February.

Took care of Fulham easily to officially move to first in the table!!

Spoiler

although Chelsea won the next day and promptly moved us into 2nd place.

Defoe was unsettled, he never got any time with Soldado and Adebayor both having very nice seasons. Sold him to an Asian club (Chinese, maybe?) for $3 mil.

I've never had this much success in FM (only had last years game and this one). It's probably just dumb luck, but I'd like to think it's me actually starting to tactically understand the sport of soccer

Although I am very much prepared for a collapse and tumble down the table, haha.

[Perceptor]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

My Spurs team has been on an absolute tear as of late. We've only lost two games in the months of December and January; the calendar just turned over to February.



Took care of Fulham easily to officially move to first in the table!!

Spoiler

although Chelsea won the next day and promptly moved us into 2nd place.



Defoe was unsettled, he never got any time with Soldado and Adebayor both having very nice seasons. Sold him to an Asian club (Chinese, maybe?) for $3 mil.



I've never had this much success in FM (only had last years game and this one). It's probably just dumb luck, but I'd like to think it's me actually starting to tactically understand the sport of soccer



Although I am very much prepared for a collapse and tumble down the table, haha.

Give yourself some credit too. We all get lucky but you also need solid tactics .

[Anners]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

Right, so I've nearly given up with Leeds on FM for another year so I'm turning to you lovely people of OS to help.

So at the moment, this is generally how I've been setting up (with Retain Possession, Shorter Passing and Work Ball into box missing):



This is how I would set up at the start of a save. There's a couple of areas that would obviously need targetting in order to work with the formation. Firstly, wingers. DESPERATELY. Secondly, a couple of central midfielders and possibly a central defender.

You can mostly tell what style of play I'm trying to get at, but I can never seem to get it to work. I've swapped a few things around with the player instructions with two advanced playmakers, a half-back but I still struggle. Any advice?

[Suntan Superman]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

Personally, I've found the DM useless this year in FM.

[rsnomar05]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

First you have two inside forwards. I would make one of them a winger, so that you'll have one that cuts into the middle, is creative, and can help control possession, and one that makes surging runs outside. It's what Arsenal do IRL by playing Cazorla on the left and Walcott on the right.

Second, I would play with an AMC instead of a DM, so your formation would be 4-2-3-1. Having an attacking player in the middle will really suit your possession happy offense.

Third, your team's tactical familiarity is really low in that screenshot, and players in FM don't play well if they don't understand the tactic proficiently, so you could be struggling because their familiarity levels aren't fluid.

[ImTellinTim]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

I find it kind of silly that you have to refill that tactics bar at the start of every season. Especially if I only make a change or two to the squad.

[Anners]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

First you have two inside forwards. I would make one of them a winger, so that you'll have one that cuts into the middle, is creative, and can help control possession, and one that makes surging runs outside. It's what Arsenal do IRL by playing Cazorla on the left and Walcott on the right.

So Diouf, who has a serious lack of acceleration and pace, could be used in the Cazorla role you mentioned for the time being?

Second, I would play with an AMC instead of a DM, so your formation would be 4-2-3-1. Having an attacking player in the middle will really suit your possession happy offense.

I think this is just one of those personal habits that you pick up and struggle to shake off. I've generally always played a DM so with you and SS both saying about not playing one, I guess I'll give it a go!

Third, your team's tactical familiarity is really low in that screenshot, and players in FM don't play well if they don't understand the tactic proficiently, so you could be struggling because their familiarity levels aren't fluid.

That's just because it's the first day of the save so I haven't done anything.

[rsnomar05]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

I find it kind of silly that you have to refill that tactics bar at the start of every season. Especially if I only make a change or two to the squad.

Yeah, this really annoys me. Tactical familiarity should be based on individual familiarity, so that your returning players won't all of a sudden forget the tactic they used last season because a new signing came in.

So Diouf, who has a serious lack of acceleration and pace, could be used in the Cazorla role you mentioned for the time being?

Yes, he could. And by having him sometimes cut into the middle, that will open space for your left CWB to overlap.

I think this is just one of those personal habits that you pick up and struggle to shake off. I've generally always played a DM so with you and SS both saying about not playing one, I guess I'll give it a go!

I make sure I always have a DM (either on the bench or one of my starting CMs can become a DM). Then, in the 4-2-3-1, if I'm winning late and want to protect a lead, I swap my AMC with a DM. So my 4-2-3-1 becomes a 4-1-2-2-1. So the formation you're currently using would be good as a lead-protector. Though obviously you would want to change some roles when protecting the lead, like changing your CWBs into FBs.

[Anners]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

I make sure I always have a DM (either on the bench or one of my starting CMs can become a DM). Then, in the 4-2-3-1, if I'm winning late and want to protect a lead, I swap my AMC with a DM. So my 4-2-3-1 becomes a 4-1-2-2-1. So the formation you're currently using would be good as a lead-protector. Though obviously you would want to change some roles when protecting the lead, like changing your CWBs into FBs.

This actually brings up a point I was going to make in my previous attempt at a Leeds save. I think in about 25 games, once I took the lead I never lost. There's a pretty good stats page I think in the match preview once you go into the match. I can't remember off the top of my head.

I shall report back with some results soon...

[Kobalt]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

@Anners, on attacking mentality, my wingers(IF for you) never back tracked which makes it easy for CPU to retain possession by passing wide. Not sure if you're having this issue, but I always had to men mark them. LW marks RB and RW marks LB.

What's the passing completion for your midfielders?

[Anners]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

@Anners, on attacking mentality, my wingers(IF for you) never back tracked which makes it easy for CPU to retain possession by passing wide. Not sure if you're having this issue, but I always had to men mark them. LW marks RB and RW marks LB.

What's the passing completion for your midfielders?

I've only played my first friendly, but used the man marking you suggested.

Leeds 3-1 Lech Poznan
56% Possession 44%
74% Pass Completion 68%

11/7 Shots/On Target 5/2

Two central midfielders:
Murphy - 30/41 (77%) 1 Key
Austin - 35/45 (77%)

Played Ross McCormack as a trequartista in the AMC position and he went 25/36 (74%) but had 5 key passes and an assist. I've got little familiarity with the tactic so I should get better.

Edit:

Next game against Auxerre (a 3-2 loss) had both Austin and Murphy above 80% and making twice as many passes. Improvement for now anyway.