Lost my love of the game

[Ninian Park 1910 - 2009]

for years i liked the simplicity of the game, set up a tactic i liked, watch it work and flourish, and set my training how i like.

now it seems its gone to far indepth. you can no longer create a tactic without "knowing what each slider exactly does" ect ect, and now totally understanding the new training system.

for all pre-season i had the team work on nothing but tactics set the slider so they'd just work on that.

5 games in, and they are nowhere near the half way mark on the blue square to understand the tactic. we're losing silly results. and its all because im one of those "who dont understand the tactics"

so i decide to play the "classic" mode. and its the exact same. i need to understand the tatics sliders, need to understand the training set up.

looks like its fmI2 for me

[Kriss]

Errrrr, it all got simpler for me with FM13 and I haven't been near a slider yet

[Ninian Park 1910 - 2009]

im currently cardiff city, i've created around 8 tactics now which all worked wonders in 20I2, after I5 games each, im usually in the relegation zone.

[bigman]

don't forget the current patch makes the game pretty awful so hopefully it will be fixed on the next update

[Ninian Park 1910 - 2009]

decided not to change a single thing guys, kept my tactics exact same. have lost 9 out of 9. 3-0 at home to aldershot, im cardiff mind. and we just lost 8-0 to forest.......goodbye fmI3 you are no longer worth any of my time

[wwfan]

Given you are referencing "not understanding sliders", I suggest you read this: http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/332585-How-to-Play-FM13-A-Twelve-Step-Guide

Tailor made for you.

[Ninian Park 1910 - 2009]

thank you for the link. i have already read it, sadly, not one thing has changed for me. therefore im going to be returning my game and getting a refund. this was the final straw for me

[Herbert Fandel]

thank you for the link. i have already read it, sadly, not one thing has changed for me. therefore im going to be returning my game and getting a refund. this was the final straw for me

Good luck with that. Not many retailers will take "I find this perfectly enjoyable game not quite good enough for me" as an excuse for used PC games these days.

[wwfan]

You might have read it, but you obviously haven't taken it in as you are talking about "understanding sliders". That goes against the whole point of that thread.

I gather you've already given up and just want to release some frustration rather than actively search for help?

[Ninian Park 1910 - 2009]

I) i admited it wasnt working, and agreed i needed to change. i have played I0 games each with different tactics the most i've won is 2 out of the I0

2) in my last save as i stated above i changed nothing. and lost as cardiff, 3-0 to aldershot in the cup. and 8-0 to forest. on a embaressing losing run

3) against aldershot in the cup we should of absolutly destroyed them. sadly their striker run through the middle of my midfield, my defence, and scored. 3 times.

i aint going to go through the whole list with my problems. however the only I i agreed with was the never stop learning. i've come a long long way since since playing fm07. and in FmII was the big difference as how i played, set up a tactic. i dont get all day to play the game. i have only a hour or two after work. so as it was a snow day on friday and the school was closed i had 3 full days to play it. and sadly it didnt work out.

as for the "not good enough for me excuse" just because you use it, doesnt mean we all do.....

[wwfan]

You read the thread and disagreed with all of it bar point 11? You didn't actually try any of the advice?

[Ninian Park 1910 - 2009]

no i am merely saying i have already tried your points. e.g. changing it up. during the game. try to keep the same tactic when you start a new game. having one one attack in defece ect ect. players are walking through my team scoring. it seems asif they tried to make it way to indepth. i enjoyed the fact in previous versions i had created a tactic which allowed me to place into other fm's and play with. and they'd work. there was a simplicity beauty to it.

i know your trying to potray me as someone who has no idea what im doing and just using they forum as a way to vent my frustration. however im simply stating the fact that throughout all the flaws in the game. that myself, and it seems many many many others are having. i've finally given up with the whole "keep trying sport" you'll get there in the end. considering i paid £25 for the game.

[wwfan]

I'm not trying to portray you as anything. I'm merely trying to get to the bottom of your problems so I can help.

Thus far, I am at a complete loss as to what you've actually tried to do. It sounds to me as if you are randomly cycling between one thing and another, without taking any time to reflect upon what you are doing or trying to do at all. Now that hasn't worked, you are complaining about the game being "too hard" and "too in-depth" and blaming game flaws for your failures. There are flaws in the game, but your failures are all down to you. Don't confuse a few bugs with an inability to play the game. As soon as you do that, you'll never learn a thing and you'll never improve.

[Herbert Fandel]

I had my spell of losing love of the game for the final 4 or 5 months of FM12, it was just too easy to exploit both the ME and the transfer system with any club.

FM13 has fixed the ME exploits, and made the transfers at least a tiny bit harder, and it fixed me falling out of love with FM for now.

Seems to me you need to actually think more about what you are doing, and give tactics more time to sink in, rather than just put in a tactic play it for some games then start crying when it doesnt work.

In my new save with AFC Hornchurch I lost my first 9 games, but as my tactic bedded in I've risen to a more respectable mid-table

[Ninian Park 1910 - 2009]

i dont need any players in tbh, i've not bought a single player, simply because cardiff city dont really need anyone. their strong as it is. however, i've noticed which ever tactic i've used and i have honestly used a variety after I0 league games, we've usually won 2, and lost the others with silly results, like 4/5/6 - 0 and its always because a player gets the ball runs through my whole team and puts it in the net. for example i didnt change anything in my last save, i used to already set up tactic..... we conceeded 8 against nottingham forest.... yes herbet i have played and lost the first 8 of my openeing I0 games, then i'd win I then lose like 7-0 and then not win for a while.

i agree i clearly have no idea what im doing, my results prove that. i just do not understand the game anymore. like i said, i have created several tactics on fmI2 and once tweaked they worked. now i've imported them. im getting in match messages like "our passing is connecting well" "our possession suggests we're in control" so im thinking okay so far so well....then bamb, i've lost yet again....

[BigBlueAl]

Just sounds to me that your a wingeing quitter !! And not up for the challenge !

[Ninian Park 1910 - 2009]

hahah thanks bigblueal. honestly. its not im a quitter, its just simple. i clearly have no f-ing clue what im doing.........im gonna stick with older versions i think. i understood the game back then. and knew what i was doing

[Nicki]

Maybe your team is playing too offensively and moving too far up the pitch. You could maybe try to play with a little more caution? What tactic do you play? I had to adapt my old tactics to FM13, but after I made some tweaks, my team did very well.

[Ninian Park 1910 - 2009]

i've tried a load mate. defensivly. or attacking. and its always their lad gets the ball boom done a messi took on my entire team while yawning and scoring

[Althaz]

and its all because im one of those "who dont understand the tactics"

This is a football management simulator. If you don't know anything about football tactics, you'll need help to be decent at the game.

...

now it seems its gone to far indepth. you can no longer create a tactic without "knowing what each slider exactly does" ect ect, and now totally understanding the new training system.

...

so i decide to play the "classic" mode. and its the exact same. i need to understand the tatics sliders, need to understand the training set up.

...

You mean you need to learn how to play the game to be successful? Well, duh... Classic mode removes things like team-talks, press-conferences, etc. It doesn't replace the game with an "I Win" button (in fact if you are half-decent at the game I would say classic mode is actually much harder, although I've not played it much). Also, if you think you need to know anything about sliders, you are doing it wrong. I would advise you to NEVER EVER EVER look at or touch the sliders. They will not help you. Setup a realistic and solid formation (including appropriate player roles) and you can be successful (it's harder to over-acheive without tweaking and refinement, but it's easy to acheive what your squad deserves, so long as your base is solid).

looks like its fmI2 for me

How is this any different? The match engine is different (worse, especially once the new patch arrives), training is more complex (harder to understand and worse)...and that's about it?

I) i admited it wasnt working, and agreed i needed to change. i have played I0 games each with different tactics the most i've won is 2 out of the I0

2) in my last save as i stated above i changed nothing. and lost as cardiff, 3-0 to aldershot in the cup. and 8-0 to forest. on a embaressing losing run

3) against aldershot in the cup we should of absolutly destroyed them. sadly their striker run through the middle of my midfield, my defence, and scored. 3 times.

I(?)) I0 (I assume you mean 10) games with different tactics is a recipe for disaster if things don't go your way in the first game or two. This is neither possible in real-life nor in FM.

2) If you change nothing that can be ok (never great, but ok), but your setup tactic has to actually be solid. Try posting an image or three of how you've got your team setup and we'll be able to tell you what is going wrong.

3) This is a useless anecdote?

[Ninian Park 1910 - 2009]

sorry my "one" key on the laptop no longer works. so im forced to use the letter "I" as a one.

firstly, in former fm games, i could create a tactic and watch it flourish. but what im saying is with this version, each tactic i use i conceed more than 5 goals. and we go on disasterous losing streaks. thats what i meant by having no knowledge of tactics. i also did a save without touching any sliders, or changing the tactics, my familiarity with the tacitc was nearly full. played forest, and lost 8-0.

i know how to play fm however on fmI3 it feels like im playing a game i've never played before. in the older fm, i had created a training system i knew how to use. in this one i have no idea....i've watched tutorials of it on youtube ect ect, but its like "general training, match training, week focus, game focus" im just at a loss. and i feel i actually enjoyed older versions much much more. i feel i actually knew what i was doing.

lto the last part of your comment

like i said i am sorry my key one doesnt work so im forced to use the letter I as a one.

my recent one was a 442. changed nothing except player roles. e.g. poacher, target man, winger att ect.....(im using a half broken laptop so most of my keys dont work so i cant press print screen)

i don't know what anecdote or however you spell it means sorry.

[Althaz]

sorry my "one" key on the laptop no longer works. so im forced to use the letter "I" as a one.

No problem, my P key requires me to hit with a hammer to get it to work, so I feel your pain .

firstly, in former fm games, i could create a tactic and watch it flourish. but what im saying is with this version, each tactic i use i conceed more than 5 goals. and we go on disasterous losing streaks. thats what i meant by having no knowledge of tactics. i also did a save without touching any sliders, or changing the tactics, my familiarity with the tacitc was nearly full. played forest, and lost 8-0.

This means your tactic is bad (or not suited to your players, which is the same thing in my opinion).

i know how to play fm however on fmI3 it feels like im playing a game i've never played before. in the older fm, i had created a training system i knew how to use. in this one i have no idea....i've watched tutorials of it on youtube ect ect, but its like "general training, match training, week focus, game focus" im just at a loss. and i feel i actually enjoyed older versions much much more. i feel i actually knew what i was doing.

This is a good question and a search on the forum will help you greatly here. I'll summarize what I do (and I keep it pretty simple):

Training I set to Fitness in the pre-season, Team Cohesion for the first 10 games then balanced for the rest. I don't really change it anymore than that. I cut-out the Team Cohesion phase in my current season (4) because I haven't signed a new senior player for over a year, so it hardly seems worth it.

Your match preparation you can leave to your assman if you like, otherwise obviously it's going to depend on each match. If you expect to win, I would contantrate on attack, if you expect to narrowly win, concentrate on defence. If you expect to play defensively and try to hold off a better opponent, concentrate on either defending or attacking set pieces. Early in the season I alternate between tactics only and teamwork (probably first half of the season) unless I feel I need something else to have a chance in an upcoming fixture.

lto the last part of your comment

like i said i am sorry my key one doesnt work so im forced to use the letter I as a one.

my recent one was a 442. changed nothing except player roles. e.g. poacher, target man, winger att ect.....(im using a half broken laptop so most of my keys dont work so i cant press print screen)

i don't know what anecdote or however you spell it means sorry.

If you can give exact details, advice can still be given. The roles are the defining part of the tactic, if they aren't right, your tactics will not work. The further back in FM history you go, the more ME-breaking exploits there were (even last season a pacy poacher would be astonishingly good in the right setup, despite the role being mostly abandoned in real life because it relies on opposition errors).

That said, I feel like 4-4-2 is a very vulnerable formation (which is why it's not used much in modern football), but of course if it's the one that best suits your players then it's still worth using (unless you are challenging for top honours in the best leagues, then you need new players).

A good basic setup is the 4-5-1/4-3-3. You can play direct or short passing styles with it it's solid at the back and exciting going forward. It's mroe defensively solid than the 4-4-2, has better build-up play and is better in attack. Please note this is just an example of what a solid all-around tactic might look like, not nessecarily the right one for you.

ST: DLF (Support) or Treq attack if he's got the attributes for it, that's what I use, but I have Suarez and Neymar for that role

AML/R: IF (Attack, although if your side is no good, one or two of these guys could be on support to move from a 4-3-3 to a 4-5-1)

MCr: AP (Attack)

MCl: DLP (S)

DMC: DM (D)

RB: WB (Support or Attack, depending on abilities and opponents)

CDr: CD (Stopper)

CDl: CD (Cover)

LB: WB (Support or Attack, depending on abilities and opponents)

GK: GK (Defend)

This is a pretty standard setup (probably more people use a pair of CDs on defend, but I actually don't like that). I would suggest short passing and a balanced style with this setup. I would play primarily with the Counter or Defend strategy at the start of games and then see how things play out. I would also make extensive use of the "Play Ball Into The Box" shout also.

The only other thing that can go wrong is motivating your players, which is a bit of an art-form. In general though talk about performances rather than results and don't be overly harsh OR overly soft on your players.

[BiggusD]

I can give you my tactic. At the very least, even if you fail with it too it would be easy for me to help you find out what, exactly, you are doing wrong...

[soccer.joel]

I struggled at first on this FM as well. I tweaked my tactics after seeing what was missing and needed changing. You don't need to use sliders to be successful IMO you just need to balance roles and give them to the right players and play tactics that suit your players.

[Kenco]

If you feel that you understood how tactics work and how to play previous versions, then essentially that should still be the same.

Are you sure you didn't just have a tactic in previous versions which exploited the poor ME in some way? Perhaps without realising?

[Tubey84]

I think people are being a bit harsh on the OP here. The ME has been dramatically changed and it takes a bit of time acclimatising to it; which is not helped by the sorry state of the current ME build.

I agree that he shouldn't touch the sliders, but I don't think he's attacking the game - he's saying that he can't adjust to it as it's changed so much, which is a fair comment.

[RBKalle]

The OP may as well be the noobiest noob in history of FM and of videogames, but that still doesn't justify the thing a tactic, a REGULAR and quite plain tactic, needs months and months of defeats and awful performances just to "sort of get better".

Even the most revolutionary playing style, even the most unfamiliar and ill-suited to the players, isn't likely to get a decent club soundly beaten by LL opposition or to have losing streaks on par with 2007-08 Derby County...

Just for the law of large numbers, even a poorly managed average side will steal some points here and there.

From what I see, FM13 is way too punishing and the buggy ME doesn't help users to understand what's wrong with their tactics (because it's hard to separate tactical flaws from ME issues).

I don't think the OP is fully deserving the blame...

[dooro23]

Through all the threads he posts in though, he doesn't seem to really want the advice that's been given, so it's very hard to help him.

edit:

RBKalle: No, the frequent bugs/issues with this ME aren't separate from own tactical issues, they just worsen them drastically. "FM13 is way too punishing" is the result of that Imagine you had a "perfect" ME and were struggling against crosses, dribblers, etc..., then the same measures would be effective as are now.

[SuperJackLester]

Are you actually allowed to take a game where you have to register the serial key back for a refund? I thought once you'd redeemed it you were stuck with your purchase?

[RBKalle]

Imagine you had a "perfect" ME and were struggling against crosses, dribblers, etc..., then the same measures would be effective as are now.

Yes but in such a scenario we'd be immediately able to spot the flaws in our tactical setup...

While during all these years (and especially with FM13) it's been a frustrating process of "trial and error" with conflicting data and confusing feedback because we've never been sure which was "our tactic" and which was the buggy ME.

Even with a perfect ME, I maintain there's no valid reason to have so much fiddling and such a drawn-out "learning process" for standard tactics.

Unless of course it's only a cop-out solution to make the game harder and to mask, for a while, the unresolved issues with AI and long-term play.

I mean: a regular 4-4-2 isn't rocket science... the preseason should be more than enough to get any team to perform at a reasonable level with that (or with an equally straightforward) system.

Now, if I'm going for an asymmetric 3-1-3-2-1, I can see it being complicated and unusual enough to require much longer to "digest", but as things are now, there's no discernible advantage in keeping it simple.

P.S. often it feels like we have to alter a tactic just to mitigate some of the ME's quirky bits... So when some people complain about "playing against the ME, not against the other team" I can quite see their point.

Ie. wing play seems to be overpowered, so you MUST find a way to prevent opposition wide players from assraping your defens, and/or you can try to take advantage [ie. exploit] the situation and play with wingers yourself...

Is that fair or logical? To me it's not...

[sirgiorgio]

I mean: a regular 4-4-2 isn't rocket science... the preseason should be more than enough to get any team to perform at a reasonable level with that (or with an equally straightforward) system.

Now, if I'm going for an asymmetric 3-1-3-2-1, I can see it being complicated and unusual enough to require much longer to "digest", but as things are now, there's no discernible advantage in keeping it simple.

Yeah, it takes a longer period of time to understand a new tactic if:

1) I want to create something really revolutionary (in FM world: I mess with the sliders);

2) I am newly appointed and I want to do something completely different than the previous manager (for instance, from an offensive 3-4-3 to a defensive 4-5-1);

3) I want to do something which is against the "football culture" of a given country (direct passing in Brazil, ball possession in Italy, etc.)

In some extreme cases it could take forever before the players understand what you want to do. I can even see them complaining about your lack of tactical skills.

But if I am an English manager, in an English team, I pick a standard 4-4-2 and see the "familiarity bar" is half empty... Did they play rugby until now, or what?

[Kenco]

The familiarity bar is a strange one, I played the same starting tactic for 2 years and all the bars are full towards the end of the season. But when a new season starts, the formation bar has dropped significantly. I find it hard to believe my squad suddenly became unfamiliar with a formation they've been playing for 2 years.

[Ninian Park 1910 - 2009]

hi guys let me firstly say, that if i seem to be arrogant not wanting help, then i really am sorry. in previous versions of the game, i had a slight understanding and could get through with enjoyment. in this game i feel any idea i did have i've lost, i feel like im watching the big bang theory with their scientific jokes. i have decided to uninstal the game, and play older versions, so for everyone who took the time to comment on here, i honestly would like to say thank you. i gave it one last go this morning carrying on with my 442 nothing changed save, and i kept getting, "the oppositon are exploiting the space behind the midfield to much" and "fullback A/B is getting skinned" i then got the dreaded sack.

sadly this game has become too indepth for me, or maybe i've just become a noob or what ever that word means, but thank you all again for trying to help. maybe i'll give fmI4 a try when it gets released.

[DavePott]

I won the league at a canter with Cardiff. Its your tactics.

[mulroney]

Love this thread, Ironically SI created FMC for the people who didn't really have time for the in-depthness of FM but instead you have to spend time adjusting tactics all over the shop...So instead of the longness of staff etc this longness has been replaced by the tactics...Oh Joy!

I'll stick to playing FIFA 13 at least those players do as i tell them

[Kriss]

Ironically SI created FMC for the people who didn't really have time for the in-depthness of FM but instead you have to spend time adjusting tactics all over the shop

Took me less than 5 minutes, methinks people over complicate it.

[ScotchWhisky]

The game is confusing to me. I started a season and won seven of the first eight games in a 26 game season. Magically, without changing the tactics drastically, I began drawing and losing everything. About 10 games later, I've won maybe two of them and went from promotion contenders to slightly above relegation contender status. My squad had a couple of mild injuries, but nothing earth shattering. Morale was superb (or all green) when this began happening and remained so for a while. No changes in captaincy or anything. Team just went to pot. This is just like the thread I made once before about how my lower division teams couple defeat higher division teams in the preseason (even when having all players but the goal tender subbed in with my scrubs by half time), only to begin losing everything even against the worst teams once the season began, it simply seems this game is more about controlled randomness than anything. Meaning, you can save your game and replay the same match over and over and the result won't change much until you select just the right change, but whether or not you are planned to win or lose that game, regardless of team strengths, seems random.

[hashassin]

I'll stick to playing FIFA 13 at least those players do as i tell them

nice joke

[Kriss]

Get the message please.

[Kenco]

Took me less than 5 minutes, methinks people over complicate it.

Took me about 2 minutes. People seem to think tactics are more complicated than before but I've found them to be easier than ever to do. I just do it through the TC, don't adjust any sliders and it's done in no time. I may make a slight adjustment or two as the season goes on but never with sliders, just occasionally changing a player role/duty or team instruction and use different shouts.

[Spokesman]

SI managed to kill my interest in this game. I seriously wonder were SI got their tactical information from, and how they incorporated that into the game. Currently the tactical implementation is a joke and nowhere near realistic. I understand it is a game and not a simulator... still it would be nice if there was a correlation between tactical set-up (theory) and how it is worked out in the ME (practice).

Would have expected better from SI, maybe its time to give FIFA manager a go?

[Kenco]

There must be two versions of FM13 as people are seeing completely different things.

[Keyzer Soze]

Would have expected better from SI, maybe its time to give FIFA manager a go?

A little friendly advice...

Before buying the game, watch some gameplay videos from youtube, like this one

[video=youtube;G2QIwpnk5Ng]

Or this one (from 19:00)

[video=youtube;PVet9y9WurU]

Good graphics... and... well...nothing more!

[Elrethiel]

yeah I tried Fifa manager 12 because it was cheap, after the break of the ME before Christmas but the matches are awful, I'd rather wait for the next update of FM.

[Svenc]

From my experience, you'd need to do something truly horribly awful and decidedly unreasonable to experience the frustration the OP has to put up with. Losing 0-3 to sides multiple tiers below? Is that even possible? Even if you're playing two at the back and having all of your players on "attack" duties or let them forward run "often" without any kind of cover (and any idea of the importance of space) at all I can barely see that happening, as this is more likely to overrun and panic the much worse quality players regardless.

If there is some halfway sound logic in his team's shape and positioning, there is no way to experience any such this, in any version of FM. Positioning and shape is arguably the most direct control you ever have over the ME, everything else is still down to player decision making and you merely influencing it to various degrees. Safe for "specific man marking", which can prove costly if applied wrong, as this order is followed no matter what the moment the opposition gains the ball and can expose your side badly.

Not trying to have a jab, but this doesn't sound like "standard tactics", but more like something gone horribly bad at the most basic of levels. And something that likely can be helped with without even going into any great details. To prove that point, i set up a save with Cardiff twice. The only thing I did myself was selecting a bog standard 4-4-2 from the drop down formation menu and let my assistant pick the players. Nothing more. I let the roles, strategies ("standard" by default) and philosophies ("balanced" by default) untouched. Just as well as any slider. I then holidayed to end of October twice, with the "use current match tactics" and "use current team selection" tick boxes ticked, which ensures that nothing is changed by the assistant whatsoever.

To reiterate: I did absolutely nothing than picking a "standard" tactic, an unadventurous 4-4-2 formation, but nonetheless a team that has a healthy mix of support, attacking and defending players which I didn't even have to assign manually. That equates to about ten mouse clicks in total. Cardiff are predicted to finish 5th with the players at their disposal. Here are the tables when I came back:

http://s7.directupload.net/file/d/3143/uoqagiyp_png.htm

http://s14.directupload.net/file/d/3143/ftavrnvp_png.htm

Pushing it, you can well try to save Swansea from relegation (prediction: 19th) this way.

http://s14.directupload.net/file/d/3143/a757mkab_png.htm

Too much effort needed? If anything, it's the other way around.

[wwfan]

SI managed to kill my interest in this game. I seriously wonder were SI got their tactical information from, and how they incorporated that into the game. Currently the tactical implementation is a joke and nowhere near realistic. I understand it is a game and not a simulator... still it would be nice if there was a correlation between tactical set-up (theory) and how it is worked out in the ME (practice).

Could you expand? What exactly is the disconnect and what would you have in its place?

[Spokesman]

Could you expand? What exactly is the disconnect and what would you have in its place?

Well I'm not exactly sure what the answer is your looking for. However I think i can give an example.

I was playing a 4-3-3 with ajax. The tactical theory was to create an extra man in midfield, thus I would be able to dominate possession. The 4-3-3 is traditionally played with a DM, who helps build up play, but can also move in to help create an extra man in midfield, or drop back a little deeper when the fullback move up the pitch to help protect the CD's.

Because my team didn't have strong traditional wingers who could dribble past a man and cross it in I decided to opt for the use of IF's. To help create an extra man in midfield and to provide space for the IF to run into I used a DLF with support duties. The theory was that he would hold up the ball and drop deep while the IF would make runs into the Space created by the DLF dropping deep. If the opposition is man marking the DLF they would be drawn to midfield and space would open up in the centre of their defence. If the opposition would not man mark my DLF we would still be able to create the extra man (or two) in midfield and slowly try to pass up the pitch, just by cycling the ball.

IF starting on the wings and making diagonal runs would also mean that the opposition fullbacks would have to make the choice between staying with there man or leaving him to their CD's. If they leave him there is a threat to their CD area.

I set my fullbacks up on automatic, and my team strategy is usually on control/attacking. If the opposition has decent wingers, I make sure set them up more conservatively, as to prevents them from being overrun on 1 vs 1's.

So the idea is to cycle the ball around, find the free man and have either a IF or one of the more attacking CM's move up with penetrating runs into the Centre of the pitch, where our team should have and extra man. If the opposition if set up particularly defensive, then the fullbacks could move into midfield area to provide extra width.

I have set my sliders to pass short, The defensive line, width and tempo are all on standard for control/attacking.I instruct my team to drill crosses as my DLF and IF are not the strongest in the air.

I do not play offside as my defenders are not the most experienced players, their average age being around 24.

To me with probably the strongest squad in the league, this feels like a rather logical set up.

Now to the ME, slightly more ball possession in average game. More Clear cut/ half chances. However usually even though the opposition hasn't created a clear cut or half chance we will still draw the game as my team gives away some kind of super silly goal, or opposition player with a long shot rating of 2 scores from 40 meters out.

This could happen on occasion sure... but when it is consistent, then it defies probability.

Furthermore, non of the tactical theory was to be seen in practice, it was laughable how random the actions of my players were. Players told not to shoot from distance are still blasting away even when through on goal. The IF are standing on the sidelines looking on, even though both their preferences is to "cut in from wife positions". Three players free in front of goal... oh what should I do?!?!... oh let's shoot from distance. The whole ME looks like I'm viewing a group of 5 years old's, who've never played football dashing around the pitch.

I realize that FM 2013 can never portray realistic football but the whole transition from what you expect to see on the pitch to how it is portrayed in the ME often leads to a comical parody being portrayed in the ME.

[RTHerringbone]

@Spokesman - ignoring the specific setup of your tactics, what you are conveying is symptomatic of current issues with the latest ME build.

As such, I don't think you should be overly disheartened, as your situation is mirrored by many. What may be of benefit for you is to post a screenshot of your player roles, duties and team instructions in the Tactics forum, as there will be a lot of useful advice available in there.

Personally I can visualize some potential issues with your setup, but without a screenshot to show exactly what is going on, there's no value in me trying to articulate any possible solutions.

[Spokesman]

@Spokesman - ignoring the specific setup of your tactics, what you are conveying is symptomatic of current issues with the latest ME build.

As such, I don't think you should be overly disheartened, as your situation is mirrored by many. What may be of benefit for you is to post a screenshot of your player roles, duties and team instructions in the Tactics forum, as there will be a lot of useful advice available in there.

Personally I can visualize some potential issues with your setup, but without a screenshot to show exactly what is going on, there's no value in me trying to articulate any possible solutions.

Hey, Thanks for the mental support. It seems in this case I fixed my issue with one click. By setting the style from "fluid" to "Balanced" suddenly every game is won miraculously.

Very Weird, as the pass completion and ball possession percentages are still the same (roughly) as before. So what is supposed to be the indicator that my team can not play fluid football, despite being the best team in the league?

One small change and zippitydoodah! Same amount of clear cut chances, but now they all fly in?!?! This because my players adhere to a stricter sense of positioning?!?!

[themadsheep2001]

Hey, Thanks for the mental support. It seems in this case I fixed my issue with one click. By setting the style from "fluid" to "Balanced" suddenly every game is won miraculously.

Very Weird, as the pass completion and ball possession percentages are still the same (roughly) as before. So what is supposed to be the indicator that my team can not play fluid football, despite being the best team in the league?

One small change and zippitydoodah! Same amount of clear cut chances, but now they all fly in?!?! This because my players adhere to a stricter sense of positioning?!?!

Playing fluid isnt to do with being the best team in the league, or a stricter sense of positioning. Wondering if you are misunderstanding philosopy here. Balanced has a bigger mentality split, so you are actually creating more depth in the pitch for your side, giving youself more room to operate in. Also effects the level of creative freedom certain roles would have had.