Cleon

Ok here goes;

This is just a random game out of one of my saved games, I thought we could take a look at it and analyze the AI as well as my own set up. I must add though; I didn't do any tweaks or anything, just stuck with my formation and instructions.

First of all you need to download the game;
Download Link

You'll need winrar from the link below to extract the file;

Winrar Download Link

You'll then need to extract the saved match to your;

CDocuments and Settings\username\My Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2008\matches


Or something along them lines. After this the match should now be able to be watched using FM.

Now we can get onto the real stuff, tactics. I want you to watch the game on full mode, makes notes about things you see happening, things you'd maybe have tweaked at some stage. List everything you see basically with possible solutions if you can, if not nps.

Or maybe you watched the match and have questions, if so then post and I'll try and explain why something happened or what I could have done different. I'm gonna go back and watch the game myself and write everything down and give you an insight as to why something did/didn't work.

Then after we've analyzed it, I will do another random match but this time I'll take you through step by step guide to ingame tweaking. I don't want to sound patronizing but before that we need to understand the basics of the AI.

I'll post again sometime over the weekend with my views and thoughts on the match. But I'm more interested in your views first

Sparky_07

This is a very good idea Cleon. Hopefully we will be able to see what the AI does and how we can counter what they do.

Off to watch the match now. God its like Match of the Day.

Ill report back with my findings.

Cleon

Here is the result from the game;

Link

Match Stats;

Link

Player Stats;

Link

Now the match it's self;

In the first 2-3 minutes you may have noticed that Bristol have quite a bit of room in the middle. Now even though that's the case it's not a worry because of my 2 MC's and the DMC. It seems they have time to pass around due to the shape of the formation. However when they look for a through ball or long ball my players are dealing quite well.

Notice the movement's of my AML, AMR and strikers. They come back and cover, yet still break away with pace. At times even holding the ball up for a split second to allow others into play.

Take a look at the corners I have, the more men I commit forward the more the opposition bring back. This stops them counter attacking me and catching me on the break. Also when the ball is cleared, look how many different options I have open when we retrieve the ball.

Ideally id like my centrebacks to have 15+ pace and accelration due to the way I'm playing. Nothing I can do about this yet though due to no funds. As you may notice the 2 could be caught out if the keeper kicks it long for a fast striker to run onto. I can solve this simple by getting faster players, rather than altering the d-line and playing deeper. As that would off set my attacks slightly.

This is second before my first goal;

Link

Look how deep the opposition are and the space the 3 central player have to knock the ball around should it have been cleared. Infact if the ball was cleared id have gained possession back due to positioning of my players in covering the space.

Now look at this screenshot;

Link

Look at the the wingbacks and defensive midfielder, how they drp back and make it a flat 5. You'll notice the AML/AMR trying to get bak too. This is how you play as a unit and move as one. The oppositions strikers seem like they have space, but they don't. If they were to recieve the ball the MC's should track back and the DMC should push up and look for the interception.

If you look at this screenshot;

Link

You'll see my DMC (18) was caught out of position. Now this is down to inexperience as he's only 17 and his stats are not quite right yet. This is what happens when you are trying to bring youngsters throught the first team. You gotta be able to accept that mistakes will be made and costly ones too.

Credit to him though, he did try to get a last ditch tackle in. Chris morgan (5) probably could have done more though, but due to his low closing down choose not to.

This is actually an off game by the looks of it, I can't expect to play comfortable all the time. Although my middle are spreading the ball around nice at times.

If i'd have been tweaking id have slowed the play down by now. I'm clearly the better side but I'm playing too fast. If i'd have slown it down I could have had an easier game but atm I'm a bit wasteful in places.

You may have noticed my players backing off and not closing down too much. This is intentional as it helps bring them onto me so I can break at pace. It also means my players don't commit and get caught out of place too often.

For my second goal you see how much set pieces mean, they really are a difference maker.


I'm defintly playing too fast tempo here, I'm dominating yet been wasteful at same time.

Bristol's second goal I was pretty unlucky, not too much you can do about that.

My third goal came from an interception I think.

Oxslow

I will have a look at the game today and write down what I think

Cleon

Ok thanks

EA_mon_hello2

although i kinda suck at this, I will give it a go and post what i have found

EA_mon_hello2

My report will be ready soon... just one question. what highlight and match speed do you watch the match in?

Oxslow

I would put a bit of blame on Kallon for the first goal they score but you were a bit unlucky as well. This is becasue he tracks back from the throwing but is not really marking anyone. When he should had problaby been marking Noble.

I felt that your wingbacks/fullback got isolated a couple of times. I wish I could rewind full match highlights so i could take the screen shots. I think this is the price you pay for this formation. Sometimes they were doubled up on and others they were being marked by 1 player with out an easy pass on. The done well though in pulling off the hard passes

Geary seams to play a bit further up the pitch than Armstrong some of the time. What different settings have you got them on?

I thought you lost a lot of the keper clearences a short option might have been a good idea.

There is a couple of occasions when going forward where your mc and dmc were in a line around the box very close to each other and the wb's huging the line. When the move broke down the oposition wingers used this space a couple of times.

I liked the passing and movement in the move around the 72nd 73rd minute even though it broke down when the ball got put in to the box.

I think Eagles gave you a fairly big help with your third goal by knocking it straight to armstrong. A nice move all the same though.

These are just my thoughts and opinoins.

Oxslow