***The Official Football Manager Thread***

[Suntan Superman]

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

Maybe it's just me, but this game doesn't touch the quality in the match engine from last year. It's much prettier, but my god, I don't think I've ever seen every.single.goal be a horrendous mistake like I do this year. It's as if your instructions for the team don't mean a lick. At this rate I may be going back to FM13, I'm simply not having near as much fun with the matches as I was in 13. On that note, outside of the match engine, I do enjoy most of the features of FM14. The match engine is single handedly turning me off to this game.

[rsnomar05]

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

Maybe it's just me, but this game doesn't touch the quality in the match engine from last year. It's much prettier, but my god, I don't think I've ever seen every.single.goal be a horrendous mistake like I do this year. It's as if your instructions for the team don't mean a lick. At this rate I may be going back to FM13, I'm simply not having near as much fun with the matches as I was in 13. On that note, outside of the match engine, I do enjoy most of the features of FM14. The match engine is single handedly turning me off to this game.

I liked the match engine a lot at first, before I started noticing repeated annoyances. I still like most of the match engine, but there are three problems that need to be fixed:

1. Long Shots - my players seem to have decided the best strategy is to take long shot after long shot. When they get within five feet of the box they decide to blast one that either results in one or two things: (1) they kick the ball straight at the keeper who "clutches the ball gratefully to his chest" or (2) they send the ball high or wide, prompting the commentary to state "so close (player name)! That was nearly a goal!" or "so close (player name)! That grazed the top of the bar!" I have yet to score on one of these long shots, and usually my players have space to run closer to, or even inside, the box, but they attempt a long shot instead. The only way to stop this is to keep the shout "work ball into box" on for the entire match. And because long shots are so ineffective, players with the PPM of "shoots from distance" like Santi Cazorla become useless players. I'm currently trying to train Cazorla to stop shooting from distance, because with this PPM he seems to think "okay, so my manager instructed me to shoot less and work the ball into the box, but screw that. If I get within 40 yards of that mother I'm letting fly."

2. Strikers muffing one-on-one chances - "the flag stayed down!" is a bit of FM match commentary that means my striker is clean through on goal. Problem is, he almost always decides to shoot when there is ample space to move closer to goal. And if he is in straight-on in front of the keeper, he kicks it right at the keeper. As a result, my strikers score almost all their goals from angles. I don't know why they don't try and shoot near or far post when in front of the keeper, but they don't. The end result is that my strikers don't score nearly as much as they should. I haven't done any extensive tests with statistics, but I think it's troubling that midway through my second season with Arsenal the leading scorer in the EPL is RVP with 8 goals. Meaning the EPL may not get a 20 goal+ scorer.

3. Set piece goals - I score from, and give up, way too many set piece goals. In fact, the majority of the goals I give up and score are from set pieces. I would chalk it down to tactics if this were a one-sided issue, if it was only the AI or myself who was scoring a lot from set pieces. But it happens on both sides, and it's immensely frustrating. I've found the main culprit is the fact that my defenders headed clearances are usually poor and either don't leave the box or barely leave the box, allowing my opponents to pounce on the ball and shoot. The same is true for the AI, where I won my last match because a poorly headed clearance found the foot of Wilshere who blasted it home. This makes "attacking set pieces" an overly effective match preparation.

If SI can fix those three problems, and they posted in the Official SI Forums that they were going to reduce long shots in the next match engine fix, then FM 14's match engine will be truly great. But until that happens, it will continue to be frustrating.

[Suntan Superman]

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

Right now my single biggest annoyance is that in 36 games so far with Sheffield United, my goalkeeper has saved, or the opposition has missed exactly 0 penalties. My best penalty taker, 16 finishing, 17 penalty, 17 composure, is currently 3/10 on penalties.

[Suntan Superman]

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

I often joke about quitting FM, or retiring, but this time, it's pretty much for real, I'm going to mess around in it still, but I'm not going to put any time or effort into this game until the match engine is fixed. It has single handedly ruined this game beyond any repair.

[jvalverde88]

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

I decided to put my Bassano save on hold (again) tired of the co-ownerships. I started a save in France with Paris FC.



Heading in to my 2nd season and they already started to build a new stadium. So next season I'll go from a 3000 seat stadium to a 10000. I also bought Vincenzo Iaquinta, he may be 35 but he still has pretty good stats and brings in good income via shirt sales.

[jvalverde88]

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

Your 2014 World Cup winners:

Spoiler

[

[doyce7]

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

Your 2014 World Cup winners:

Spoiler

[

Well then, that happened.

[doyce7]

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

Just into Feb of my 3rd year with Rangers. First year I ran away with promotion to the Scottish Championship and won the League Cup(over Hearts, not Celtic unfortunantly). Was ineligable for Europa 2014-15 even though I won the cup.

Season 2 was more fun and challanging, I was given money to spend(not alot, but better than none), and the club was bought in mid Jan and we were infused with some cash! Success continued on the pitch as we again won promotion, though this time it was closer and again won the League Cup! This time we were allowed to qualify for Europe.

With the money I recieved in Jan 2015 I quickly bought Jon Williams the welshmen from Crystal Palace and a few other good, solid players.

At the start of the 15-16 season, things were getting a little harder, but I was able to get through the Europa qualifications and to the Group stage. In the Group stage Liverpool(who I am a feeder club to), Spartak and another team I forget were waiting for me. I was able to get through(along with Liverpool) and PSV will be my next game in Europe(yikes).

In the league things are going pretty well, but not as good as I'd like. Celtic are running away with MY title and we're usually anywhere from 3-5, depending on when you look.

Lost to Celtic in the QF of the league cup so no 3 peat.

All in all, I love this game. First year that I'm really getting into it. I had FM13 but never got into it very much, I was too knew to soccer/football. Now that I have a better understanding of the game and way things work, I'm loving it. I'm becoming a student of the game and with a combination of FIFA14/FM14/internet research and actually watching games, I feel like I've come so far in the last year!

[Suntan Superman]

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

I'm trying so hard with this game, a miraculous EIGHT shots off the post, TWO red cards, and my Real Madrid squad lost to Xerez...

FIVE TO ZERO.

I don't know if I can continue even messing around in this game.

[Anners]

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

I've hardly touched FM for the past 2 or 3 weeks so I get what you mean. I'm not enjoying this version like I have done with past games. Because of that, there's zero motivation to get through games.

[grismosw]

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

I'm enjoying it quite a bit but haven't played much of the last 2 versions.

[Anners]

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

I'm enjoying it quite a bit but haven't played much of the last 2 versions.

Which one did you play most out of interest? Or enjoyed the most? I think 11 and 12 were my "best years". I booted them up and they have something in common which I have only just realised: I had an MLS save.

On 11 I actually had a Portadown save by the early 20's (so about 10 years in) I was consistently getting past the CL Group Stage. I left to take over a team also in Northern Ireland who had a tycoon take them over, within 8 years (2 promotions in that) I'd managed to win a Champions League.

On 12 I didn't have as long a save, but I do have Leeds in the Premiership and the starting line up has 2 players who aren't 21 or younger. I remember this save purely for the way I was called Arsene Wenger by one of my friends due to the fact I wouldn't spend big money but would buy youth.

[Suntan Superman]

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

It sucks because it's my go-to casual game. I love the fact that I can leave it up and running, play matches when i get time, build my squad, etc. It's time intensive when I want it to be, and it's a light side adventure when i want it to be. I absolutely adore all of the new features in FM, it's just the match engine.

[grismosw]

***The Official Football Manager Thread***

Which one did you play most out of interest? Or enjoyed the most? I think 11 and 12 were my "best years". I booted them up and they have something in common which I have only just realised: I had an MLS save.

On 11 I actually had a Portadown save by the early 20's (so about 10 years in) I was consistently getting past the CL Group Stage. I left to take over a team also in Northern Ireland who had a tycoon take them over, within 8 years (2 promotions in that) I'd managed to win a Champions League.

On 12 I didn't have as long a save, but I do have Leeds in the Premiership and the starting line up has 2 players who aren't 21 or younger. I remember this save purely for the way I was called Arsene Wenger by one of my friends due to the fact I wouldn't spend big money but would buy youth.

FM10 was the first version for me and I was in way over my head. However had some good careers going with Everton and Las Palmas.

FM11 I had long saves with Southend and Berwick (Scotland).

FM12 I never really got into it despite several attempts.

FM13 Same as 12.

FM14 I have been playing in Chile and really enjoying it. My goal is to end up in Mexico or MLS after most of the real players are gone.

I am not a tactical mastermind by any means but with FM14 I've found that I needed to watch games in full for a little while to see the impact of my adjustments. After losing my first few friendlies I started playing quite competitively.

One thing I did was stick with Balanced style and tweak from there. My usual approach wasn't working (90 minutes of hell). Now we are balanced with long balls and adjust from there based on opponent, pitch, etc.

I haven't seen a lot of silly AI issues that others are seeing. Granted there are instances where I am saying "what the heck was he thinking!" I just chalk that up to human errors.

My favorite save to date has been with Berwick. The Scottish lower leagues were a joy, I loved the 36 games with 4 against each team. It felt like rivalries would blossom during the season and by the end of it the best team usually ended at the top.

[Kobalt]

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

I'm having fun with this version, trying out different tactics and stuff.