RSFC

I've given this game more chances than I probably should have. I hope I don't come across as a moaner, but I have to say a few things.

I always play in smaller leagues so I've never really been winning too many CL's or UEFA cups and whatnot. Actually, since Serbian league was put in I've only ever played in Serbia and mostly with Red Star. I always use my own tactics and don't cheat by reloading games and similar.

In FM 05, 06 and 07 I've always had moderate sucess (read winning the league and cup for a few years in a row and being in either Cl or Uefa cup).

In this game I cannot do anything. It's the patched version.

1. I put closing down all the way to the right and ensure that individual player instructions do not over write this. Regardless of this, my players just stand around while opposition runs circles around them.

2. In preseason I cannot play more than 3 games because everybody's fitness level is around 60-70 %. This leads to being unprepared for the season and a bad result in the first game.

3. Sendings off. Whenever a player from my team pushes someone in the chest its a red. Opposition does it and its a yellow.

4. My skill players stop with the ball and wait for opposition to take it, and then don't run after them, rather they just stand and watch. Keep in mind that I play a very quick passing style.

5. Around 90% of corners taken are straight to the goalkeeper or into the outside of the net on the first post.

6. throw-ins. Opposition seems to get the ball thrown directly.


I just don't get what to do. I no longer have the time to play FM for hours on end so I'd really like to be able to play a game or two without breaking stuff around me.

JordanC

Since it's not the tactics forum (I suggest you hop in there for more detailed advice) I'll give a very broad recommendation. When managing a smaller side that isn't the best in technical ability, I find that KISS (keep it simple stupid) works best although usually not being very pretty. A quick tempo passing style is very hard to accomplish in this game without an extremely gifted squad. Play slower, play more direct and concentrate on not conceding goals. It's boring as hell, but the only thing that works well on that level of play.

Regardless of your success with previous versions of the game, you should treat every edition's match engine as something completely new with it's own nuances and intricacies. Something that may have worked in the past may not have any effect especially spacial aspects (closing down, wide crosses, off the ball positioning, long through balls, etc.)

I'm playing as a bottom half squad in English League 2 and to say that most of my players are dumb would be an understatement. I get happy when we can get into the opponent's box in any way for a chance.

robzilla

Well that wasn't really very constructive was it? All you have demonstrated is that you are tactically inept. Why not try using one of the default tactics that come with the game? I have won 5 Eredivisie titles on the trot with Ajax by using a combination three of the default tactics (4-3-3 Normal, 4-3-3 Attacking and 4-3-3 Defensive).

Let me make this clear - I have not changed one single team or player instruction setting. People will tell you you have to spend hours on tactics. This is not true - never has been.

Bodis

1. You should be able to get around this tactically as you are playing the patched game. Have a look at some of th epopular posts in the T&T forum regarding closing down. You'll see that it's a team effort, not something that should be the sole responsibility of the centerbacks.

My DC's close down in their own area and do a superb job, as the team process of closing down starts with my strikers.

2. How is your preseason training? Some people swear by training intensive fitness during this period. I just stick with my own position specific schedules all year round. i usually have about 5-6 fiendlies with 3 days separating each match and a whole week separating the last friendly and the first league match.

3. Are you sure this is the way it happens "every time"? Look at you players aggression ratings as this may affect "how" they push oter players (i.e dirty, with malice etc)

4. I had this problem as well until I changed my tactics. I tend to have more players on forward runs now which opens up more opportunities for passing so that players wont run into problems.

5. Remove the player you have on near post flick on, these corners just dont work any more.

6. Agree, I would really like a tickbox which enables throwins to teammates

eple

1. Going in for a tackle and closing down is not the same thing. When you close down a player you put pressure on him, give him less time on the ball and perhaps force him to pass backwards or make a mistake.

High closing down will make the player leave his designated area, but it doesn't necessarily mean he will dive in to tackles. You cannot see the full extent of what's going on from bird perspective, so if in example the defending player is closing down a very technically gifted player, it will seem like he is unable to do as you tell him, but it might be that the offensive player has got the right skills to put the defending player under pressure.

I noticed a huge difference when applying the official patch. I started with the same tactic as I had used before, with very high closing down. What happened was that my defenders sprinted out to close down the opposing players as soon as they entered their area, leaving huge spaces to be exploited behind them. A simple through ball was all that was needed and the striker left alone would get a free approach to goal. I would suggest you adapt to this change in the match engine and instruct your defenders to take on a more careful approach.

2. I let my assistant take care of the friendlies as he will most often give all players playing time to get them fit, so my experience on this is limited, but I would guess that you are giving the players way to little playing time. They need match experience to regain full fitness. Their fitness level may plummet in matches, but they will recuperate more quickly afterwards, and once they are fully fit, their condition level will not drop as quickly.

4. I've noticed that players in AM and SC position will hardly ever track back or close down, which indeed is annoying.

5. My experience is that if you remove players instructed to stand on the first post this will not happen as often.

Roscoe9

Seems like another

"My FM'07 tactics dont work on FM'08!! I've tried nothing to update my tactics for a brand new match engine, and i'm not prepared to spend minimal time sorting it, so i'm not gonna play the game"

Not very construtive!

Jimbokav1971

I still haven't managed to win a single game after restarting with 8.01 but I will not be giving up anytime soon.

DontCallItSoccer

It took me a whole season on 8.0.0 to figure out the closing down thing. The opposition would regularly slice open my defence.

Since starting a new campaign on 8.0.1 with HSV in Germany, I've set Closing Down for the back 4 to "Own Area Only" (about 2 or 3 notches on the slider) and have conceded just 5 in the league in 10 games (got knocked out of the UEFA cup by Larsson's Helsingborg, though...).

I don't score too many, but you know the old adage, "Strikers win you games, Defenders win you the league". I'm currently 3rd.

The point is, don't blame the game for your tactical choices, it just executes what you tell it to do.

Once you have a stable backline (a good goalie also helps!!), you might start looking at your midfield, how they close down, whether they tackle hard/normal/easy, that sort of thing.

The game itself is more difficult that in previous releases, but if it was easy, we wouldn't be playing it, would we?

RSFC

Not correct. Up to this point I have developed a different tactic for every team I played with and never tried tactics from previous FM's on the new one.

Again, I didn't want this thread to come across as a whine fest as I simply stated the problems I've encountered so far.

I'll give it a try with just default tactics and go from there.

andyinuk

When I played the demo I've found similar problems as you. I couldnt get any team to beat a pub team.

Then when I bought the full game, i did exactly that: just pick a default tactics and put the the players in the team. Suddenyly, although the team are not doing great, at least they are not getting beat by pub teams and the players are performing reasonably to what i expect.

From there i begin to slow adjust different things. For example I notice when i defend deep it give the other team too much time on the ball so I push the DL right up to counter that and it work because i have defender who can run a bit. I then spotted my wingers are putting in too many crap ball so i reduce the crossing from often to mixed. etc etc. once you get it going you will start to notice more things and build you tactics from there.

Also keep things simple. If you overkill with instructions, chances are it will cause more problems.