Patience with Your Players

[Lurking Manager]

I signed a striker who scored 18-19 goals last season and a winger who scored about 15 as well. Side note, there was a 2 month stretch where my striker didn’t score. That’s where my winger came in with his 15. 

There was very little turnover in the off season so I was anticipating my two top goal scorers to start the season with a bang. Man was I wrong.

Since the match schedule showed about 2 months of straight away matches (lol) I focused on defense in the preseason. The past two seasons we’ve been very leaky, having one of the worst defenses in the league lol but the focus on defense seems to be paying off as we’ve managed mostly draws with a couple wins sprinkled in thanks to set pieces. The problem is that my Dynamic Duo can’t score off of clear cut opportunities. I mean GOLDEN chances. They both have the trait Ability to Strike a Ball or Clinical in the Box (the one that shows up in your scout reports, not PPMs), but they’re missing absolute sitters.

In the beginning I was supportive saying I know you’ll get back to your scoring ways and that I have faith in them. Nothing changed except they seemed to get worse so I issued a warning, followed by loss of wages after more consecutive poor performances. Water bottles were thrown and I even transfer listed them hoping to spark some sort of fire in them. Well the following match my striker scored a brace and my winger got a goal in the next match. But damn! It’s frustrating when your tactics create those golden opportunities but your players don’t finish! 

Was wondering how you guys deal with players that have been at the club for atleast 2 seasons and underperform even tho you know they have the proven ability to do better than what you’re seeing. 

[bielsadidnothingwrong]

Loan him out to a lower division where he can get regular playing time against weaker (or more similar to his ability) competition. 

[turnip]

Or make him available for your Reserves/U-xx sides

[Lurking Manager]

I found out recently that they both had the trait “Fairly Inconsistent” (the orange one). I gave them both plenty of minutes in the first team but I’ve had enough and released my winger and managed to snag a Brazilian with great technical skills and speed on loan. 

As far as my striker goes, he’s young. Only 20 years old and has great team work and work ethic plus a solid soccer brain so I’m not gonna write him off entirely yet. I figured him coming from the Argentina league would result in him banging them in upon landing in MLS. He has been making key passes and starting to pickup assists so all hope isn’t lost for him. Fortunately my wingers and midfield are scoring consistently enough to where I’m gonna trust the process lol 

[Jorge666]

Have you been promoted or anything?

[Lurking Manager]

MLS. There’s academies and what would be considered a reserve team that plays in the USL (what would be considered the second division in the US) but I’ve yet to see actual match fixtures or schedules for either. Been that way since FM19.