What do/can you do during a match?

[Rano]

Is it possible to influence the game during a match? I understand I can bring in my substitutes. But do you "read" the detailed statistics and do you change your tactics according to these stats? For example: if I see we have only 40% possession, can I change that by changing my tactics?

If so, do you have basic tips for "reading" stats and responding to them?

[kkayacan]

Here is what I do:

- If opponent's tackling better than you, tackle harder

- If oppenent's passing better than you, press more

- If your heading better than opponent's, pass more direct, else pass shorter

These are not official, just what I do.

[#4]

On the flip side, I do absolutely nothing other than introduce substitutes. Personally, i don't feel as if i could successfully influence my team tactically during a game - i'd probably just make a complete horlicks of it and do more harm than good!

[daan27]

I'm with #4 on this one. I might tweak my formation here and there when putting on the subs but it's a rare occurrence when I do.

[quisten]

If someone's rate falls to 6 I will immediately substitute him off.

[Fritz13]

If someone's rate falls to 6 I will immediately substitute him off.

I wouldn't as they can easily score or get an assist and go immediately to an "8".

If one of my players is on a "5" then I'll give them until half time then another 10 mins of the 2nd half .... If they still haven't improved then I'll haul them off

Every player has a 6 from time to time so wouldn't recommend subbing just for that.

[daan27]

From a thread not a million miles away...

Against Forest, I took the lead in the first half. At half time, Reece Pope was having a nightmare and had a rating of 5. I was toying with replacing him, but decided to leave him on as we were winning. Glad I did...

[kkayacan]

@daan27

FM is full of stories like that one, but they are still rare occasions. Decisions made on rare occasions will often lead you to unsuccessful results, in my opinion.

[Fritz13]

@daan27

FM is full of stories like that one, but they are still rare occasions. Decisions made on rare occasions will often lead you to unsuccessful results, in my opinion.

Well can one of the Devs please comment on the likiehood of someone "having a mare" (5 rating or less) who then goes on to score/assist/save .. basically play a blinder and end up with an 8/9/10

How rare is this .. or how rare have you programmed this to be

[Marc Vaughan]

Its not 'programmed' in such a way that I can answer that Fritz13 - the game simulates a match of football and there are 22 people on the pitch and the officials ... its hard to predict what will happen.

You can however often tell something which might help because you know your players, for instance unprofessional lazy players having a mare are less likely to stick at things than a more professional, hardworking player ... however that isn't to say the ball isn't going to rebound in off your unprofessional players arse into the net, perk up his attitude and lead to him scoring a hat-trick ... life is strange and unpredictable at times.

[Fritz13]

Cheers Marc

Exactly what I wanted to hear.

[rougon]

My vague impression from a lot of play re subs is that a 5-player is likely to hover in that range (maybe go up to a 7), but I will usually sub them after the half if it fits with my gameplan and squad phyiscal %es.

As far as what I can do, there was a thread here I think about how to read the match stats, which I found very helpful. I am generally with kkayakan. I tend to fuss with every match, changing passing style to get more possession and better shots (short) to getting more shots in general that are sloppy, but a better attack (direct), and mentality a good bit. I will also change formation, as I tend to open with a more aggresive one and then drop it back (either something like 4-4-2 attacking to regular or a 4-2-3-1 with the DMs at the half line to a 4-1-2-2-1, or, in extreme situations, 4-1-4-1). I'm not a super player (i.e. I can't win the EPL first year with Reading), but I have found it to help and make me less of a spectator and more of an active part of the matches.

[#4]

I think an element of common sense needs to be used in match situations. Say for example you are 2-1 down in an important game and your best player is having a '5', you are unlikely to sub him off as he is precisely the player who can turn the game around for you (obviously this is assuming your best player is of an attacking pre-disposition).

From personal experience, if i'm 5-0 down with absolutely no chance of winning I tend to take my most important players off regardless of rating/fitness/morale etc so that they are more likely to recover for the next game.