retired_rayrhi

Okay, I need answers. This is probably going to be one of my most open-minded and constructive posts, so if you hear me complaining just a little it's because I am plain and simply lost. So keep this in mind before you close it, Rash :thup:

Season 1
Newcastle
Final position: 5th
Tactics: irrelevant since I know it works
Team:

Owen Viduka

N'Zogbia Dyer

A. Smith M. Flamini

Aurelio Zebina

Rozhenal S.Taylor

Given

After a poor start to the season, I signed the two full-backs Aurelio and Zebina during the transfer window, and from then on I was unstoppable. Was it the two full-backs that made all the difference? I have NO idea, but it's quite a coincidence...

Season 2
As you may well know, Newcastle's wage bill is crippling, so my target was to relieve the financial strain on the club by offloading the deadwood. Dyer, Luque, Martins, Duff, Solano, and Babayaro all packed their bags for pastures anew. This left me with a hefty war chest in which to strengthen my team. I lacked a bit of creative spark in the middle so I brought in David Pizarro, a classy playmaker; I needed a another goalscorer alongside Owen since Viduka was getting on a bit so I brought in Cesar Delgado from Everton (my brother's team in our 2 player game), and I needed a 2 wingers so I brought Scott Brown and Jankulovski (very experienced Czech international) in. My new team:

Owen Delgado

Jankulovski Brown

Pizarro Flamini

Aurelio Zebina

Rozhenal Taylor

Given

Now, as I mentioned, my tactic was sound, so I don't think this is the worry. The only thing I changed was to make Pizarro my playmaker. The whole point of bringing him in was to dominate a little more in the middle and to provide that little bit of magic that I know he's capable of. I'm an admirer of his talents.

Oh how it has all gone wrong! The first game, my plan was followed to perfection after a dominating 2-0 home victory over the mighty Spurs. My performance was a simple continuation of where I left off last season. 10 games later and it's still my only win! After that match, it all went pear shaped. Next was mighty Hull City—recently promoted and coming off a 5-0 spanking by the Red Devils. Inevitably they spanked me 2-0. Next was home to West Ham. Playing a very deep defensive line due to the pace of Bellamy, I lost to 2 route 1 balls over the top to (guess who?) Bellamy. I'll stop here to introduce my theories/points/questions:

1. The foreigners have upset the balance of my team to such an extent that I am shizer.
2. Dropping Smith from the middle of the park (determination, work rate, teamwork, stamina very high) has stripped me of that steel in the middle of the park.
3. If the above 2 points are correct then how am I supposed to know? The goals I am conceding are laughable. I have conceded 5 goals already from my own goal-kicks, and 4 straight from mistakes.
4. Why is it not possible to continue playing the same tactics? How are you supposed to build your empire if you get punished foe doing so?
5. At the moment, the game seems like it's nothing but random.

It was my 12th game of the season and I was home to city. I lost 2-0 to 2 ridiculous goals over the top. Owen got injured and Taylor sent off. I replayed the game again. I lost 1-0 and Owen got injured. I loaded it again, and I drew 0-0 and Owen got injured. I loaded it again and Owen got injured and Iaquinta scored a 30 yarder in the 93rd minute. I loaded it again and Owen got injured and Delgado broke his leg. I lost 1-0. I have now replayed the game 13 times (I was 1/2 an hour late for work because I couldn't leave till I won—I still haven't) and in not one of those games have I won. Of those games, Owen was injured in 7 of them. Dare I say, pre-set events? Now, I am not here to bring up the 'cheat' theory or anything like that, but what I would like is some advice. How can a team challenging for the Champions League suddenly find themselves 2nd from bottom with all manner of anomalies occurring? If my new players have upset the squad then it is not obvious. My morale is SUPERB!!! What's going on?

retired_Balanchinegal

Another can of worms opened Arteta, Shame on you!!

I do sympathize, I really do because I see this sort of thing all the time and am baffled by it, the random events, odd refereeing decisions, sudden "Ironic" injury crisis and the like. As if the game creates a scenario for you to deal with...I dunno, let the debate begin my toffee, er, Friend?...

retired_rayrhi

starr:

Rob Styles is an absolute disgrace, mate. I'm a stubborn blue nose, but I have to admit that it simply was not fair. You know, after all the hard work you put in, you go and lose to a non-player. It's not right. He should never ref another match again. Mark Clattenburg is one of the best refs in the world in my opinion. He doesn't dish out yellows willy nilly, and you never notice he's even there. Top bloke as well. I like the way he interacts with the players. And he reminds me of Bear Grills who we all know is sexy as hell

retired_rayrhi

Anyway, I digress. Honestly, I am not attempting to open a new can of worms. I just want answers. :thup:

retired_elpata

Maybe it does work, but maybe it needs to be changed to work with the Toon? Still like to know what you used though as it makes it easier to help you.

Your poor start to the season was due to there being 7 players who never played for you before in your starting 11. Teams need time to gel. Its not a coincidence at all that come January your team hit form. Players have settled and got a good understaning. The team report is a good indication of how well they are gelling as a unit.

Before I read anything else, I can see its the players you are bringing in upsetting the team straight away. Foreign players can take anything from 2 weeks to 8 months to settle in.

Drop your keeper then, why stick with him if hes making mistakes? Also check the 'stats' section in a players profile and see which other players have made the mistakes that cost you the goals. It might be the same player.

It is possible, but you need to be patient with your new signings. Just as your team was hitting form at the end of season one, bang you changed things again and introduced 3 or 4 new players to the starting 11. It upsets things, you need to allow time for this. You cans till get good results while they are adapting, but its hrder when 3 or 4 are in the starting line up. What I do is let them play cup games and sub appearnaces witht he odd start at first. This way you intrduce em slowly and they dont upset any balance.

Why didnt you adapt after the first silly mistake? I would have...

If you haven't won in any 13 of them, then your tactic is not as good as you think to start off with. So instead of thinking you have the perfect tactic take time and look at it more closely, because to loose the same game 13 times after reloading suggest its th wrong set up for the particular team you are playing.

Id love to take a look at a saved game of yours though if you could upload it somewhere.

Morlae is the happiness of a squad, not a reflection on how they play are are settling in.

retired_rayrhi

I think I agree that the 4 new players have upset the balance of the squad. This is the ONLY logical explanation I can come up with. I can assure you that my tactic is sound, logical, and successful having been developed over many months of game time over many seasons and with many teams.

Okay, so my new players have upset the balance of the team. What I don't like is how it is communicated on the pitch. My back 4 is still the same, but I am suddenly leaking goals like a hole in a dyke, and the manner in which I am conceding them is nothing short of 'cheap.' I feel that in order to compensate for the 'un-balancing' I have created with the new signings, the game has no other 'choice' than to 'make me lose', which is why the silly events are occurring. As for the Man City game, I just looked and I beat them 4-0 at home last season and they still have the same manager (Sven) and are still playing the same 4-1-3-2, so I simply am lost for words regarding this anomaly...

retired_Cat1123

Truth is Arteta, its all a big shot in the dark mate!.

My last three tests have been done with top sides(Juventus, Chelsea and Arsenal) and come the second season, results are hardly ever based on who was the better side during the game, quality of player, actual player stats etc.

I NEVER usually play the game with top clubs, but i just needed to see if the anomolies i was witnessing when playing with lesser clubs were the same? and they are.

As the seasons progress the games just get more and more ridiculous and you will soon work out whether you are going to succeed in a particular season, just from early results.

I know you have recently changed your mind as to whether the game cheats or not?, but i can tell you mate that if it does'nt actually cheat and that could be proved, then it just means the game is in an even bigger mess than first thought.

Everything about the game is a shot in the dark and its not good enough, sure wait it out for a few seasons and you'll soon be winning the lot, though that will simply be because the AI teams will be in ruins, as their so called World Class Managers continue to play the same 11 past it players game in and game out, because that part of the game is fooked too!.

retired_rayrhi

Hammer, it does seem like this, mate. I think this is the first game in months that I have actually started a second season because I usually get bored, and now I can see why. In my first season, I never really dominated games as such but my defence was solid as a rock. Now, I can't buy a win.

As I mentioned, I am willing to accept that my new signings need time to settle, but without feedback how am I supposed to know if this is the case? How do I know that it's not because Pizarro is now the playmaker?

Chelsea brought in 4 foreign players this season: Riquelme, Robinho, Borowski, and some Argentine forward. They have all played in every match due to injuries, and Chelsea are top of the league having lost a big fat zero. Clearly this foreigner theory does not apply to the AI teams? After my awful beginning I lack ever more the motivation to continue, and it's a shame, because I was thoroughly enjoying FM again up to this point.

Can anyone offer any solutions as to how I should proceed? I refuse to change my team since it's a very good one and I have committed to the new boys I have signed. At the minute I am really angered at the manner in which things are communicated through the match-engine. Sloppy goals, red-cards, silly mistakes. Why would a team that's not gelling concede 5 goals from goal-kicks. I think this is my main gripe now: not that the game 'cheats' as such, but it has a funny way of showing you that something is wrong. In fact, it punishes you mercilessly.

CLEON: I can understand why you would say drop given, but a. he's playing an 8.27, and b. it's not that he's making mistakes. He's set to 'distribute ball to Steven Taylor.' It's more of a case of the game punishing me for my bad decisions. In other words, there is nothing I can do about it. This is why the game, if reviewed by magazines now, would probably receive only a 7. As soon as the feedback system, if ever there is one, is developed, then I will personally give the game an 11, but until then there will always be people concluding that the game cheats because of how cheap and dirty the events are that lead to goals.

retired_hope

Hi Arteta,

Could you upload your save game so I could take a look.

I would be really interested. I understand if you don't want to although I think now you have hit the proverbial brick wall, you save game would make a great test case for us to investigate.

Please!!!!!

retired_elpata

I want to see his saved games too.

And there is a feedback and you do know if your players have gelled yet or not, its called a 'team report' :p