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How I learned to understand the AI and start to enjoy my football again using mostly just the Tempo and Width sliders.
Until a few days ago and along with so many other FM/CM regulars, apparent from the number of so called “moaning/whiny threads”on these forums I too had become disillusionised with the apparent inconsistencies of FM2007. I have been a regular player since CM01/02 and had always managed to sus the game out and create a winning formula fairly quickly but as we all know this approach is no longer viable with the present version of the game. Instead of being fun I was becoming stressed out with my seeming inability to get any sort of consistency despite having read and absorbed all the so called tactical guru threads and was about to uninstall it and reinstall FM2006 when I decided to give it one more go.
I began to trawl through the tactics & training posts and firstly came across a post by an American guy called Ashyr whose approach seemed to merit some attention. I set up a new game with Liverpool and using his approach began to realise where I had been going wrong. I came back here and re-read Cleons Sheffield thread and also WWF’s various threads. I then came across the post by Kristianhnohr which I had read before but at the time dismissed it as the thought of using 14 sets of tactics seemed plain daft. I regret that now as this in fact has turned out to be the way to go for me although I have modified it to keep inmatch changes to a minimum.
Firstly I used the onboard 4-4-2 Attacking Diamond formation and set up the 14 tactics as described by Kristianhnohr with the addition of in tactic 1the following. In the Team Instructions I set the CD & DL sliders at 17 & 4 ie 3 clicks from the right on CD and 3 clicks from the left on DL. With each successive tactic while increasing the player mentalities by 1 click I also increased the DL by 1 click and correspondingly decreased the CD by 1click. When you reach tactic 14 this will give you a CD of Rarely 4 and a DL of 17 Push up. This to me seems correct as tactic 14 is the most offensive and therefore a high DL and low CD seem to me to be appropriate as do a low DL and high CD in the most Defensive tactic number 1. In the Team Instructions I left Mentality – CF – Passing – Tempo – Width – Time Wasting – Tackling in the middle = 11. I set Focus Passing to Mixed and Marking to Zonal. I set my set pieces to Near Post – Mix – Mix. Tactics 1 – 10 I check the Counter Attack Box. Tactics 11 – 14 I check the Offsides Box.
PLAYER INSTRUCTIONS:
In FM2005 my most successful tactic had been when I used individual player settings in which I gave each player his Passing and CF according to the number in his attributes. I always felt that was best as when you substituted a player his replacement wasn’t doing exactly the same thing and as the AI had to recalculate the match from that point this should also make a difference in that respect. I went away from this on FM2006 as I felt it wasn’t neccessary .
However as it seems to be the case in FM2007 that player settings outweigh team settings I decided to take that approach again which in turn would give me less inmatch changes to make if I had to change tactics several times during a match. I made a list of each of my first team squads creativity,passing and tackling stats and picking what I believed would be my 1st choice 11 all being fit and well added these to my player instructions.
Creativity Slider = 1 – 20 from left to right with 1st click being 2.
Passing Slider = 1 – 20 from right to left 1st click being 2 long and 20 = short.
Tackling = Player stat 0 – 8 = Easy, 8 – 15 = Normal, 16 – 20 = Hard.
The Player Closing Down box I left unchecked in order to close down globally from the Team Setting.
I then broke the tactics up into three groups 1 – 5 = Defensive , 6 – 10 = Possession , 11 – 14 = Attacking giving each group a different set of instructions for Foruns, RWB etc.
I cannot really claim that this is anything other than my approach to what I have learned from the people mentioned above who wrote the original posts. What I am sure of is that in FM2007 there is no way a single tactic will suffice. My approach is to have one formation which can be easily tweaked in match to get the desired result.
You must look carefully at what your scouts tell you about your next opponents and pick your tactic accordingly. I have played a dozen games now and am certain enough in my mind that when the inevitable slump comes one of the above 14 tactics can be simply tweaked to counter the AI’s strategy. As Liverpool I have found that tactics 1-3 are no good as they are too defensive. This leads me to believe they will probably be good for lesser teams and possibly difficult away games in Italy, Spain etc. For Liverpool I have found that if I am playing Defensive I start with tactic 6 this lets me go easily to 5 & 7 by adjusting the player mentality slider by one click up or down.without actually loading a new tactic. Ditto with Possession = Start tactic number 9 and Attack = Start tactic number 12.
I had originally meant to use the various Team Instruction sliders to tweak but found that I haven’t had to. Most all of my inmatch team changes can be controlled by the Width and Tempo sliders. I start every game with them at 11 and as soon as I see the first possession / passing stats I adjust accordingly. I Have always played matches in full mode myself as I find I see things happening early and can counter before it’s too late. I hope some of the people who like myself will adopt this approach and get their zest for the game back again as I have. I still have to work hard for a result but at least I can see my changes having an effect now and am really enjoying the game again.
In reply to the people who say FM2007 is too hard, it’s not but as Cleon, WWF, Millie and many others have said , you do have to adjust your approach. The best FM yet and I hope they don’t change too much in the next one.
Thanks again to all the clever guys who write these tactical threads and help us lesser mortals along.
05-18-2007, 04:48 PM
How I learned to understand the AI and start to enjoy my football again using mostly just the Tempo and Width sliders. Post #2
You work 8-6. Come home at 7, see your favorite team lose again on sportscenter and dream that you that you bring success to the team. The previous FM's allowed you to play attractive football. This version produces most goals from set pieces and clumsy goals. It is a shame fm is moving in the direction of regulating scorelines instead of a realistic gameplay .
The current version requires constant tweaking and annoying setting changes. For a lower league team (leeds) to be successful, even the opp wingers must be set to 'show weaker foot' every damn game. The 'quick setting' is quite inadequate and we have to switch to the 'detailed' tactical view.
The AI's approach is simple. Commit bodies forward and you will win as proved by the dreaded 4-2-4 and the quadro tactic.
I'm glad you are enjoying your game again. Unfortunately, many of us aren't. Sorry for this 'rant' and congratulations.
05-18-2007, 05:37 PM
How I learned to understand the AI and start to enjoy my football again using mostly just the Tempo and Width sliders. Post #4
Originally posted by LouisVuittonDon:
Just think about what we have been reduced to doing though, posts like this one and Cleon's. Should it really come to this?
Should it really come to someone telling you that one approach won't work, and you need to adapt to circumstances.
Should it really come to somebody then giving you concrete examples?
I'm curious LouisVuittonDon, what should it come to? What is it that you have against people offering advice to those struggling?
Excellent thread bluesjunior - the message appears to be simple. The game as evolved away from one-tactic-fits-all, and we must move with the times. Good to see some examples as well for people to try - I will certainly be taking a look at those theories when things start (inevitably) going tits up with my tactics.
05-19-2007, 06:03 AM
How I learned to understand the AI and start to enjoy my football again using mostly just the Tempo and Width sliders. Post #6
Originally posted by forestgreenyank:
I've instructed my physio to stop giving my players fluoride. Works a treat!
ROFL! Where did you find that option? That **** must be addictive since my players usually decide to spend time with the physio when coming back from a international spell.
if only there was an option not to allow romantic entanglements between players and physios...
05-21-2007, 11:56 AM
How I learned to understand the AI and start to enjoy my football again using mostly just the Tempo and Width sliders. Post #8
Good stuff mate. I have been trying out this and it's turned my season around with my Preston side. Played 6, won 4, drawn one and lost one. It seems to have tightened up my passing a lot giving the individual attributes instead of asking a player with a passing stat of 7 to play short. I also like the way the keeper holds up the ball giving the team time to reposition. So far I have only used three tactics ie 6 - 10 - 12 but very impressed.KUTGW Seadog.
05-21-2007, 02:12 PM
How I learned to understand the AI and start to enjoy my football again using mostly just the Tempo and Width sliders. Post #9
Originally posted by golem:
You work 8-6. Come home at 7, see your favorite team lose again on sportscenter and dream that you that you bring success to the team. The previous FM's allowed you to play attractive football. This version produces most goals from set pieces and clumsy goals. It is a shame fm is moving in the direction of regulating scorelines instead of a realistic gameplay .
The current version requires constant tweaking and annoying setting changes. For a lower league team (leeds) to be successful, even the opp wingers must be set to 'show weaker foot' every damn game. The 'quick setting' is quite inadequate and we have to switch to the 'detailed' tactical view.
The AI's approach is simple. Commit bodies forward and you will win as proved by the dreaded 4-2-4 and the quadro tactic.
I'm glad you are enjoying your game again. Unfortunately, many of us aren't. Sorry for this 'rant' and congratulations.
sorry for the following, i know it ain't what the thread's about, but...
[rant]golem: actually this version of FM allows you to play attractive football, if your squad has the talent to do so, and you have the tactic to get it out of them.
the gameplay certainly can be improved, but is more realistic than any other sim i've seen including 06, cm04, etc--or do you really believe that man-marking just plain doesn't work in real life, coz that'd be the conclusion i'd arrive at from previous editions (among other oddities).
as for the bodies forward, as in real life, if you make a simple adjustment you can contain and exploit the dreaded 424.
and you don't need to go opposition instructions or tweak crazy to have success, you just have to choose the appropriate tactics for a given situation.
i think some of the symptoms of tactical problems produce less realistic results. 'superkeeper', strikers firing blanks, 424, all are symptoms of tactical errors IMO, but these 'symptoms' occur more in-game than in real life. one reason for this is that most real-life managers, even the mediocre ones, are more astute than most FM players (not surprisingly since they do it for a living). however, i don't think that's the whole story, and our tactical failures should result in more realistic disasters.
[/rant]
05-21-2007, 05:21 PM
How I learned to understand the AI and start to enjoy my football again using mostly just the Tempo and Width sliders. Post #10
i think some of the symptoms of tactical problems produce less realistic results. 'superkeeper', strikers firing blanks, 424, all are symptoms of tactical errors IMO, but these 'symptoms' occur more in-game than in real life. one reason for this is that most real-life managers, even the mediocre ones, are more astute than most FM players (not surprisingly since they do it for a living). however, i don't think that's the whole story, and our tactical failures should result in more realistic disasters.
I dont think many premiership managers would do much or any better than the rest of us at this game. In fact as we are more experienced, I would bet most of us would do better.
The skill of a real life football manager is the man management aspect. A real life football manager will tell you tactics are only a small aspect of deciding the result of a game.
What they aim for for is maximum effort and concentration to win games.
How I learned to understand the AI and start to enjoy my football again using mostly just the Tempo and Width sliders. 
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