Here we go again

[red dragon1978]

At the risk of being told I'm ranting, the game is at it again. Randomly and inexplicably raising the abilities of teams against me. No it's not my tactics, I've been using the same 3-4 different tactics for 20 matches, depending on the opposition. Result? 16 wins, 3 losses, 1 draw. One of those losses was my second match..5-3 after I finished with 9 men having lost 3 centrebacks, 1 DM and a winger to injury.

And now?

Came up against Barnet, top of the league when I'm in 10th. Worked on their weaknesses and got a 2-0 win.

Next match is Hyde, FA Trophy 12th in the league below me, 22nd in that league for work rate, haven't won in 2. They then proceed to park the bus for 94 minutes and win with a nineteen pass breakaway. I say again. 22nd worst work-rate in the league BELOW ME. Apparently. A short while later my laptop batteries dies, I lose a number of games including this. I replay. They park the bus again and I lose 1 nil to a forty yard screamer. I have 2 shots on target the entire match. And they can't work. Apparently.

Next is Welling. 20th in my league, remember I just beat the team in 1st....easily. I win, alright......FOUR THREE. Welling, who don't even have a 1 goal per match average, put 3 past me.....two of them within a minute of me scoring. I lost this in the battery incident, can't be bothered replaying atm.

Since I took over, we've played 20, scored 52, conceded 23 (5 of those in one match where my defence got decimated). So we're barely conceding 1 a game, scoring way more than 2 a game, and suddenly, out of nowhere, get outworked by a team who can't work and concede heavily and easily against a team who can't score.....after comfortably beating the league leaders.

Ridiculous.

[Cougar2010]

Deep breath, stop blaming the game and work out what you could have done better.

Even then you can do everything right and give your team a good chance of winning but it just doesn't happen. Thats football I'm afraid.

[themadsheep2001]

Deep breath, stop blaming the game and work out what you could have done better.

Even then you can do everything right and give your team a good chance of winning but it just doesn't happen. Thats football I'm afraid.

He might not have been able to do much better. Might just have been unlucky. Like you say, that's football.

[Jaymo_Millwall]

I was suffering defeats like this ALOT, I started to look deeper into the players attributes and pin pointed key attributes for specific roles, also if i may recommend a very good formation.. its this guys...

I had a very **** start to my 3rd season in the premiership swapped my tactics up and tried this out, having good results from it.

[red dragon1978]

Barnet and Hyde's scout reports gave me the same weaknesses, so I employed the same strategy. Unfortunately, I was told Hydes work-rate was rubbish...and how did they beat me? Work rate.

Welling were playing really badly and not scoring. What did they do? Score heavily and easily.

Nothing I could've done better, I responded to what the game told me were their weaknesses, and lo and behold, their weaknesses suddenly become their main strengths and abilities. And it may be football, but even then I don't see going from 16 wins in 20 to can't pass the salt or hit a barn door with a thermo nuclear device literally between matches as realistic. Oh I forgot to mention the SEVENTEEN saves the Welling keeper made against my team....including 2 doubles and a triple.

[red dragon1978]

I would agree with the 'unlucky', mad...if it were just one game. I have a skin with an 'instant result' button and, ok, this ain't scientific, but I played 5 games....all against lesser teams. I did everything I'd normally do, assessing weaknesses, rotating the team as appropriate, etc, then got the instant result. I lost every, single one. Twice.

[themadsheep2001]

I would agree with the 'unlucky', mad...if it were just one game. I have a skin with an 'instant result' button and, ok, this ain't scientific, but I played 5 games....all against lesser teams. I did everything I'd normally do, assessing weaknesses, rotating the team as appropriate, etc, then got the instant result. I lost every, single one. Twice.

Then it sounds like you have an issue (either setup or player mentality wise) with knocking down the minnows.

Don't use the instant result, rather watch the games and have close look at your players and set up during the match. It's upto you, but I certainly would not fall into the nothing i could do better if you are constantly having that issue.

[Dagenham_Dave]

No it's not my tactics,

Was it your tactics when you were winning 16 of the 20 matches before this? Can't have it both ways, I'm afraid.

[Welshace]

So you're instant resulting all of these games?

If that's the case, you clearly can't react to what the teams are doing mid match.. what do you expect?

No point 'assessing weaknesses' pre match and expecting a static win when you have the opposition reacting to your tactics all through the match..

[Cougar2010]

He might not have been able to do much better. Might just have been unlucky. Like you say, that's football.

Better is maybe the wrong word, different is perhaps closer to the mark.

We can always make different choices before & during a match that may or may not influence the outcome of a game. Sometimes we make good choices, sometimes bad ones, all you can do is try to minimise the bad choices and maximise the good ones.

[ringwoodrob]

What about your team talk,when playing a lower lge team I normaly use a more aggressive one,it usualy works for me,,,just as irl a lower lge team will up its workrate when playing higher opposition(until you get some goals of course)you have to match or better their workrate and your quality should win through!

[macca72]

One thing I've found that makes a big difference when playing better / equal / lesser teams is to simply adjust the tempo.

Personally I've found moving the ball a little quicker against better teams gives me better results, and slower against lower teams.

Of course you may have done this in your adjustments, but if not, worth a try.

[jstars]

i have worked so hard since the game came out ... loss after loss after loss ... thought I had set up perfect tactics ... BUT I started watching more analysis ... pausing and seeing if players were where I wanted . adjust in game then keep trying I know its a lot of work but if you want to succeed you cant let a game beat you just harder work ...