retired_barbiej

So far in FM I've yet to change my style of football but i do change the formation depending on the team in question and players available. And i can say its paying off in my second season so far but by all means is it perfect.

retired_skullking1971

If you are playing in the EPL i think you should change your approach. For example: playing against Watford or Man City is very different to playing against Chelsea or Man Utd. But i think when you drop from the EPL into the Championship or any league below, i don't think the teams change things to much.
I was sitting top of the Championship with Sunderland after about 10 games and my defensive record was fantasic, but the next 8 games i couldn't keep a clean sheet or score a goal but i created plenty of chances. Why are the differences so extreme? That's not realism!

retired_ankemom

Ask Kevin Keegan. Why were his Newcastle Utd team that were 15 points clear caught and overtaken by Manchester Utd?

retired_elpata

You don't change the tactic every game, they change the instructions. FM reflects this. Do you think Cardiff play every game the same? no they don't, infact no teams use the same player instructions every match, you can tell this by just watching real football.

I can guarantee that is whats wrong with 90% of people imo

How come most of people I talk to about FM have no idea about the match engine, yet enjoy success? All you need to be successful is a bit of common sense. Compare your instructions to the players you have and 9/10 this is the problem.

Actually these teams do change formations, on Saturday Chelsea switched to a 451, 433 and 442 all in the same match.

Its a managemnet game, this is the WHOLE POINT. If people don't like management games, then go play PES or FIFA. Remember FM is all about strategy.

retired_elpata

Yes it it, Man City, Sheff Weds to name 2 teams that got relegated and then got relegated again next season.

If you are a big club, then teams will always play defensive against you when away. They set out to make it as difficult as possible, something which you seem to be experiencing.

retired_elpata

Ohh and FM sells more copies each year, so it must be apealing to more each year.

retired_liz culp

If its all about strategy then why not call the game Football Manager Total War? No way should there be such drastic changes in a Football game. I like Management games but Management should not all be about tactics, its about training, buying, selling, choosing a team, formation and then seeing the results. Its not about figuring out the ins and outs of tactics. Sven lasted 5 yrs without ever touching any tactic and he still made it to 2 competitions and won games.

retired_momma_0307

not sure the sven comment is even remotely accurate but its not all about tactics and i think to thoroughly enjoy the game you have to experiment with that side of it.

retired_stefanie

train_spotter what a useless question. What happend to Newcastle happend once and happens very very rarely in football. Does that mean in FM it should happen to lots of people regually. A lot of people find this game very frustrating me included, im no tactical genius and I do not belive most managers in the premiership are either.

I watched Lee Dixon on football focus he was asked about Arsen Wenger and what makes him so great as a manager. Dixon said he never told us anything special or worked on tactics he just told us to go out there and play.

Now on newcastle well there are many many reasons why Newcastle lost that lead and as a Newcastle fan who went to every home game that year it was not down to his tactics. If it was not for the style of play he employed Newcastle would never have been in a posistion to loose the lead anyway.

retired_elpata

You do know that stratgy games don't only cover tactics don't you? Training, buying/selling etc its all a strategic part of the game.

And Sven didn't touch tactics? So he didn't use 442, 433, 451, 352 at any point then? Sven did really well didn't he, underachieved for 5 years.