retired_dwilliams03@hot

hi guys, i am currently in my 4th season with cambridge united and still shamefully stuck in the conference league, the previous two seasons have resulted in play off defeat agony and this season it looks like i will fail to even make the top 5, 9 points off 5th with 10 games to go.

so i am just looking for some helpful tips from players and gamers who have succesfully done wat i have so far failed to acheive.

i am always struggling for consistency in my reuslts and with only one automatic spot avaliabel this is undoubtebly my downfall, any helful ideas would be greatfully appreciated

retired_autmnsfire

there's another thread a while back with a 5-2-3 formation that works very well in the lower leagues. I'm trying to find the thread right now to compliment the creator!!!

you play 5 defenders pushed up with 2 CMs and 3 strikers, the middle one being set as the target man (preferably good at headers etc.)

Find that thread and it'll show you the whole thing. It worked wonders for me.

retired_management team

It is very difficult to get away from the Conference as only the top team gets automatic promotion. My advice will not be related to tactics so much but to general approach. What you need an iron-clad team:

1 - keep your morale high as long as possible! The best way to do this is win games (or at least prevent losses). Your morale is the key to consistency. If your morale is low you might want to settle for a draw in a game that would otherwise be a must win. Play more conservatively in those occasions. Use team talks and press releases to motivate your guys.

2 - You need a long bench - at least 18 players good enough to play successfully at this level. You have to have at least 2 solid players for each positions. 46 games is a very long season and you must finish first, so you need all the help you can get. Cambridge is a relatively rich team so you can afford it. Remember, you need not just a long squad but a quality squad, so only buy players that you feel will be regulars in your competitors (e.g. Oxford).

3 - Pay EXTRA-SPECIAL attention to your strikers. You will need to win a lot of games, so your strikers need to be deadly every week. You need three good scorers plus one reserve. If you spot a great striker on the transfer market that you can afford to get - get him!

I once had a striker with 20 goals by January, and hesitated whether to buy an obviously great striker. I got him. My first 20 goal guy scored only 5 goals but the new guy netted 15 - 20 goals by season end.

4 - Same attitude with coaches and physios. get many coaches to optimize their workload and improve training results. You need at least two good physios to heal your players as soon as possible.

5 - Research your opponent every time and make sure you are prepared to defeat his greatest weapons. for instance, if you play Kidderminster or Oxford make sure you can defend their giant target-men. If you play Halifax or Grays you need to defend some fast forwards. Take a minute to create a game plan and a strategy how to cope with each opponent.

Assign one scout to "next opposition". Try to figure out how they will play against you from your scout report, and design your game plan according to that.

6 - If you enter a losing streak stop and review your past games, find the problems and fix them!

I say the biggest difference between FM and real football management (apart from the fact it is not real) is that you control time. You can prepare for your next game indefinitely by NOT clicking "Continue". Use this to your advantage. Do not assume the game "cheats". This will only make you lose more games. Try to find solution to the problem...

6 - good luck! you will need it.

I have played the conference many times with different teams. Feel free to shoot me a message if you have any questions. I do not always have the right answer, as I have failed there many times but I might help as well

retired_management team

Sorry for the double post but I just remembered something while I was in the bathroom .

Managers in lower leagues tend to play simple tactics etc. Top managers are more likely to vary their game according to what you throw at them. Conference managers simply play to their strengths.

For instance, Kidderminster have one tall and one fast striker. They will play in a way that the tall striker plays opposite your smaller DC, and the fast will play against the slower DC. This means they will change positions every time you match them. You need to be always paying attention to physical mismatches like this.

At Conference level players are not that skillful so a physical mismatch can make a huge difference. Also try to create mismatches to your advantage when you can. This can help you tremendously when you play equally good or even better teams.