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I don't think everyone has fully understood how to apply the sliders and exactly what they mean. That may be the fault of the FM-gamemakers as they haven't been too clear on the subjects apparently. Sliders work in conjunction with each other and it's about getting the combination right. One can agree that there should be an easier way to learn how to use them.
The Match Machine is not the main way to see if your tactic is sound. Match Stats are more important as the Match Machine only is indicating that something is about to happen. All those "sitters" that players miss in the Match Machine is it's unique way of saying that something is wrong, because when you get the tactics right then of course you score a lot more. Maybe it's the Match Machine that's not advanced enough, but I only see the extended highlights to get a general idea of what's going on in the match (and to see a goal, of course).
There is a way of pulling off Readings success against Man. U. at the weekend, you just have to know how to apply the sliders. I think that the problem is that there are many conflicting views on which slider does what so there has been a mass confusion. I've even found in the manual "hints and tips" are totally misleading. So I do feel you are right when you say we need an improved manual.
So I do feel you are right when you say we need an improved manual.
Don't hold your breath on this one. A few people posted about not knowing what sliders do and the lack of explanation in the manual in the FM 2008 thread in the General Discussion forum. The gist of the response from people with SI under their screen name was that figuring this out is part of the challenge of FM and that they will never include an exact guide to what sliders do in the manual.
Tweak player instructions to the abilities of the player, however remember that the balance of the team is important. Be most cautious when setting forward runs as this may leave a vital player out of position. Don’t set potential conflicting instructions and use the team sliders to control your team in the main.
Individual settings
Fullback = High Pace, Positioning, Stamina = Forward runs
Fullback = High Dribbling Positioning Stamina Crossing = Run with ball
Centrehalf = High Positioning, Stamina, Jumping, Heading = Forward for set pieces
Defensive Midfielder = High Strength, Decisions and Passing = Hold up the ball
Winger = High Dribbling, Pace = Run with ball
Winger = Forward Runs
Midfielder = High Strength, Decisions, Passing = Hold up the ball
Midfielder = High Stamina, Decisions = Forward Runs
Midfielder = High Dribbling, Pace = Run with Ball
Striker = High Dribbling, Pace = Run with Ball
Striker = High Strength, Jumping = Hold up ball
Playing in a linked position a player will still be fairly comfortable especially if arrowed to their favourite position.
Subtle changes between home and away. Players are more motivated during home matches. Teams will be more attacking oriented when playing a home. For stren away matches consider a slightly more defensive orientation and counter-attacking.
Things to watch for in game, look for small green cross. This indicates the player has taken a knock. Depending on the type of injury this could affect the players pace and/or other skills. Best to sub the player to minimise the chance of the injury developing into a serious injury.
Commentary lines can give you an indication of a players mood, where a player is dominating or where a player is being overwhelmed.
Don’t consider the amount of shots you get as an indication of a good tactic.
Avoid making the opposition keeper look good by avoiding playing in a style that encourages players to make speculative shots which are easy for him to deal with. If your team dominate possession, yet score only a small percentage of shots consider playing a more counter attacking style and get your midfielders to hold up the ball in midfield this should result in the opposition pushing out, resulting in more clear cut chances for your team when you get them.
Consider switching the side of the players on the pitch to maximise their effectiveness.
To combat an extremely creative or player or one who is good on the ball, but low bravery then consider stifling him by sitting a man marker on top of him. (If required take of a striker to specifically perform this role) This works well if the marking player errs on the aggressive side. The player will hopefully always be challenged for 50/50 balls, minimising his effectiveness.
Tiring out 10 men.
If winning, switch to a defensive orientation and counter attack, reduce the tempo and ensure that pacey attacking players are set to run with the ball.
If not winning, switch to a extremely wide formation to stretch the play and tire out markers.
Don’t press with creative players, use them to take up positions ready for when you win back the ball.
Don’t try to press for 90 mins. Use pressing to try and disrupt opposition pressure.
Instruct hard working attackers to close down the defence. This will reduce the prevent defensive playmakers from having time to look around for the creative pass and puts the defense under pressure increasing the chances of mistakes.
Maximise set pieces by customising the back/forward setting for your players. Pullback any players with 15+ Jumping for defending corners and push forward any 15+ Jumping, Off the ball or Anticipation players when attacking corners.
Hold up the ball with a lone striker or a defensive midfielder if they have high strength, dribbling and technique, especially if they have low pace.
Also be aware of who the referee is for the game and consider how lenient they are. It is possible to wind up players causing them to lash out when playing with a strict referee, by hard tackling them.
If you have a striker who can win aerial challenges then play with wide wingers and push them forward to encourage crosses into the box.
If using wingers play them very wide.
If your goalkeeper cannot kick accurately and you don’t have tall enough midfielders to win the headers then consider distributing short to a defender.
This is all common sense logic that I have been using since day 1. Just because it's written by a guy from SI, it doesn't mean a thing. SI have been wrong/have lied in the past. All this is is common sense 'football' logic, something that is missing from the game itself.
Yeah, all that is fine and makes sense when you read it, then it doesn't translate to the game at all.
"Tweak player instructions to the abilities of the player, however remember that the balance of the team is important. Be most cautious when setting forward runs as this may leave a vital player out of position."
And yet some of our theories call for having a third or even half the team on forward runs, and it's claimed to work.
"Don’t set potential conflicting instructions and use the team sliders to control your team in the main."
And we still don't know the complete effect of the interaction between individual and team sliders.
"Subtle changes between home and away. Players are more motivated during home matches. Teams will be more attacking oriented when playing a home. For stren away matches consider a slightly more defensive orientation and counter-attacking."
... which flies in the face of quality teams playing relatively just the same home and away all over the world.
"Commentary lines can give you an indication of a players mood, where a player is dominating or where a player is being overwhelmed."
I think commentary should be for the spectators and the audience. We shouldn't be guessing these things as a manager. If we don't do it ourselves, we need an assistant to tap our shoulder and tell us to sub so and so and why. We're still free to ignore him.
"Don’t consider the amount of shots you get as an indication of a good tactic."
Does that apply to the AI too? "One shot, one goal"? The AI is allowed to win with poor tactics, as per MV's definition, but we aren't?
"Avoid making the opposition keeper look good by avoiding playing in a style that encourages players to make speculative shots which are easy for him to deal with. If your team dominate possession, yet score only a small percentage of shots consider playing a more counter attacking style and get your midfielders to hold up the ball in midfield this should result in the opposition pushing out, resulting in more clear cut chances for your team when you get them."
Still does not address why sometimes we do in fact generate a lot of clear cut chances and they're still wasted.
"To combat an extremely creative or player or one who is good on the ball, but low bravery then consider stifling him by sitting a man marker on top of him."
And then the man marker does whatever he wants.
"Don’t try to press for 90 mins. Use pressing to try and disrupt opposition pressure."
There are teams that press most of the time and they do fine.
"Maximise set pieces by customising the back/forward setting for your players. Pullback any players with 15+ Jumping for defending corners and push forward any 15+ Jumping, Off the ball or Anticipation players when attacking corners."
And then they take the set piece however the hell they want instead of how I told them.
"If using wingers play them very wide."
Does that mean wingers starting as rMC/lMC or rAMC/lAMC don't work? I've used a couple of tactics where they worked fine. They crossed into the box and all. I've seen wingers work and don't work, narrow or wide. Don't think it matters much.
"If your goalkeeper cannot kick accurately and you don’t have tall enough midfielders to win the headers then consider distributing short to a defender."
And then he distributes however he wants.
We can throw around all the footballing logic we want, but half of it doesn't work in FM.
"Don’t consider the amount of shots you get as an indication of a good tactic."
Sounds like a convenient cover up to me. Especially when you take into consideration that the majority of the chances are clear cut, yet the computer can score speculatively to say the leas and with significantly fewer shots.
how many times have you had a game where your striker has found himself free on the penalty spot only to waste every single opportunity (and im talking about 8 times!) with composure and finishing both over 15 only to watch the opposing striker score with his first opportunity of the match in the 79th minute with the applomb you expect of your own 'world class' striker(s) only to find that the stats make a mockery of it! no matter what the situation.
"If your goalkeeper cannot kick accurately and you don’t have tall enough midfielders to win the headers then consider distributing short to a defender."
And then he distributes however he wants.
Have you ever noticed that when the keeper does this it usually leads to a goalscoring opportunity. It makes it feel like the game decides an event was going to occur and having the goalkeeper contradict his instructions, despite having zero creative freedom, is how this is achieved.
I'm not saying this is a 'conscious' decision of the AI to screw the human manager but it does feel very scripted.
Linear Mode
