retired_jcracaza1025

Now I've had every CM/FM game since it was first released and I have always been good at it, this year I am struggling big time !

I've been signed up on here for a while now, but tonight I got so fed up with my on off form that I had to post !

Now basically I am asking for help with my team, I have tried lots of different formations on here and created a few tactics of my own after watching my matches, and still nothing, Arsenal ALWAYS beat me, United 75% of the time, and then I will draw 10-15 games a season against average sides like Blackburn, Boro etc when I have dominated the game !

My squad is in the year 2014:

Keepers

Jose Reina
Scott Alexander

Defenders

Jonathan Hernandez
Mickael Dias
Alessandro Tuia
Andrea Barzagli
Phillip Lahm
Manual Pasqual
Ryan Taylor
John Arne Riise

Midfeilders

Marc Wilson
Antonio Cerrajero
Michael Ballack
Francesc Fabregas
Nuri Sahin
Steven Gerrard
Cani
Martins
Robin Van Persie
James McFadden

Strikers

Dagoberto
Nicolas Millan
Michael Owen
Federico Laurito
Dirk Kuyt

Surely with a squad like this I shouldn't be so bloody inconsistent?

I have been in charge nearly 5 years at Liverpool now and won a solitary Uefa Cup, losing in both domestic finals on different occasions, my league positions have been 3rd,4th,9th,6th and currently 5th.

Sorry to have bored you but if anyone can help it would be very appreciated, cheers guys !

retired_dawnnb

too many buys disrupt the fluency in the team

retired_diva5059

Micromanage. Tweak like your life depended on it and don't. Please don't. Get hung up on winning. STOP.

Losing isn't so bad after all. It's what makes winning so special.

Admittedly I'm a masochist but I actually relish defeat sometimes.

On a practical note what team and tactic are you favouring at present?

retired_jcracaza1025

The usual line up

GK - Reina
RB - Dias
LB - Lahm
CB - Tuia and Barzagli
RM - Gerrard
LM - Martins
CM - Fabregas and Cerrejaro
ST - Millan and Laurito

I took on the 442 earlier and its working fairly well only lost once in 15 games, but still getting pounded by the gooners and just scraped a 1-1 with United.

I'm playing a slow tempo with lots of width and clsoing down out wide and up front, I've also got the wingers tracking back rather so I have about 7 players helping in defence. I'm fairly happy with it now but I need to bang some more goals in to get up with the league leaders, Laurito is the TM and has set up countless goals for Millan but this has come with the price of him not scoring many.

Any ideas on how to stay as solid with more firepower ?

retired_diva5059

Goalscoring for me comes in fits and starts, like many I have horrendous barren runs with the most gifted of strikers. I usually rotate my reserve strikers for a couple of games and it sometimes works. Perhaps you could try that to be going on with. Then you can come back and post your experiences.

I know it's hard to take your star striker out of the firing line but sometimes it can help.

retired_mminor

Have you fought that these players may not be able to play together. How many different nationalities do you have in that squad, too many by the looks of it

retired_jcracaza1025

I've taken on advice from everyone, and come up with what looks like a promising formula !

Goldenboy, I threw out a few foreigners in January and replaced them with the Championship's best players and they have had a good impact, one with a debut hat-trick against Man Utd !

and Paul, I swapped the strikers I had around and Dirk Kuyt started scoring for fun!

Thanks for the tips, I've caught up 9 points and am just 2 off top spot coming into late February now !

retired_accummins11

The only problem with listening to the advice to most that have replied to you is that they speak of intangibles, or to be more bluntly, crap that doesn't exist. There is no proof that having multi-national squad would disrupt the team so badly that they would perform well below their potential form.

The same goes for too many buys. There is no indication that buying a lot of players disrupts the team as well. If you go to the team talk feedback you may be getting positive feedback as it regards to your squads ability to gel. Why you would you not believe that bit of information? Why is the team strength even available if it is not a plausible tool?

There seems to be no real answers to your questions however. There is this thing being touted of re-ranking, which basically states that teams play you differently depending on how if you winning or not. This may be so, but that shouldn't justify someone asking why their team of world beaters lose to Mansfield Town.

retired_tamara3047

to add to JonRossi's post - or losing to ManUntd once in a while. Perhaps something like more tactical flexibility may help, It seems that you win the games you're "expected" to win and lost the ones where you're the weaker or unfancied team.

Check your scouting reports - how do teams play you in relation to your usual tactic. It may help you get a better idea of how to play them.

I really can't see it being just down to your players, because you do indeed hae an amazing squad. But with the likes of Van Persie, Gerrard, and Febergasc on your team, you have to be quite creative with your team talks to get the best out of them.

Your league positions don't seem so impressive, but you must be doing something right considering you've still got the job and challenging for the title. Having said that, I can also imagine that Arsenal, Chelse, and ManU would also have amazing squads and would still give your team a run for their money regardless.

Anyway, good luck with winning that elusive big trophy, but enjoy the struggle to get there

retired_accalia20

I Have had massive success with Man Utd over 4 seasons. People may say not supprising as they are a great team, but I have really struggled with the tactics in this game. I play a normal attacking diamond formation. If I am struggling against oppositions I move my menality to 1 above defensive and counter attack. I have won the league 3 times in a row champs league twice, league cup. My squad is exeptional now but was built on standard squad in season 1 and 2.