Just cant win a title!

[camdmitchell]

Hi everyone,

Well I have finally come to the crunch where I am going to ask for help, even though I have read many other threads and tried a lot of suggestions from other people's problems - still cant get anywhere and its ****** frustrating!

You're all going to laugh but im in year 2018, and have only one the league once - that was back in Spain as the manager of Atletico Madrid .. At the moment the manager at Chelsea.. when I got to Chelsea they were very ****, sitting around 10th in League consistantly. I have made them a top four team again but can never win the ****** title. I always seem to go **** at the start of season then play catch up and end up around 3rd, maybe 2nd.. but a long way from 1st.

This season for example, I have not lost many games.. problem is I dont win many either. I have so many draws its ridiculous. Sometimes I go through spurts of good runs and win games though. I have tried different tactics , formations, settings, players, etc... just cant seem to get anywhere!

At the moment my formation is 4 defenders, one DM, 2 wingers, 1 AMC, and two strikers.

I dont know if there is much anyone can sugges but let me know.... would love to get some help, its really annoying me.

Cheers

Cam

 

[rkeane16]

Give mine a try and let me know how it goes.

http://www.fm-base.co.uk/forum/f59/zuls-mufc-v2-1-tactic-have-a-go-at-it-t12649.html

note: read up the guido's guide to find out the right player for each position.

 

[Luis Aragones Legacy]

well I spent like 200 hours before understanding the game so if its your first FM don't worry, I wouldn't advise using a AM, better put him in the middle especially if he is a good playmaker (doesn't have to be fabregas, just pass well the ball) and set your ''40yarders'' to make the most long shots as possible, set pieces will win you games and look at the main problem, you conceide too much? then equilibrate the midfield and take a look at your defenders, diamonds are attack formations, your passing rating is low? slow tempo and try to make lines narrower your strikers don't score? welcome to FM09, check their stats try to have one with good air ability and another messi style, you don't regain possession? Lower your wingers and buy a good DM... and if you don't conceide much and opposition have low chances, try a very attacking formation, defending with three fast DCs isn't a bad idea. Post your tactics and some stats it may help.

 

[camdmitchell]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the response. Once I get home ill post some stats and my formation/tactics etc and also give what you've both recommended a shot.

I think I am actually 3rd lowest conceder in the league at the moment, I dont normally let many goals slip - a typical game would be us in front and then the other team put a painful goal in near full time.. stuff like that. So it ends up a draw. Not all the time but alot of the time its that scenario, like the team cant hold onto a score.

 

[Luis Aragones Legacy]

I always leave three behind no matter what, Lass, Pepe and Sakho, and in your set pieces instructions put a winger and two decent defensive players with high tacling rates - I put guardado, Lass and Bale- I know you don't have those players but that kind of players, fast and good in defence to cut any counter -conceided one counter in two seasons by... Messi!

 

[camdmitchell]

Do you ever change tactics for away games? Even against big teams?

 

[rkeane16]

I usually do not change my tactics even for away games. Sounds like you are defensively sound, only need to spruce up your attack and you'll be fine.

 

[Luis Aragones Legacy]

Do you ever change tactics for away games? Even against big teams?

yeah not much though, I just change my LB who is Bale by a more defensive one and put arrows down for all 4 behind and the DM, letting 5 do the show, if you're winning away you might want to use a control tactic if you're confident with your players.

 

[camdmitchell]

well well well! I implemented your tactics Keane and took on board all you guy's advice... and we won the league cup woohoo haha.. its a start.

I actually felt like I was cheating after putting the tactics in, but then things did start going sour a bit but also good. We seem to be winning the big games (2-2 first leg to AC Milan away, then 4-3 to them at home, and 3-1 to Man City (league leaders) and 3 - 0 to them in the league cup final), but in the league we are still making **** draws or even losing, and to poor teams too. I can only put this down to a couple of things which still need improving, such as squad morale - there is three players who want to leave quite badly, two of them are key defenders, one of them is an absolute star whos average rating is 7.60.

With the one whos a star, hes only 21 too, I offered him a contract he rejected, I offered another and he accepted - then the f***ing computer froze. When I came back into the game to try get him on board again he just wont budge, he's even skipping training now lol. Any ideas how I can win him over? I praise him all the time etc.

But anyway I can only put down our poor league performance (dont know why not in cup games?) to our **** team harmony... I cant get rid of the players yet anyway as we're in March. I guess I will have to though. But do you think our results in league would all depend on this? I know the tactics would need tweaking to my players but surely cant be all just on that...

Interested to hear your thoughts!

No way ill win the league, all I want is a top four finish - which is proving hard too... But we are on course to win the champs league, FA cup and already have the league cup. In qtr finals of champ league and semis for FA.

Cheers lads

Cam

 

[Luis Aragones Legacy]

well... you can also consider your season in league as lost and focused on other trophies and try to finish in uefa zone, if not there are a type of tactics that are always more solid against yours, even with crappy teams, morale won't help or wait for the new tactics to settle in, maybe have a good run in april-may and hope for the top four. But honestly without screenshots its just common advice.

 

[rkeane16]

well well well! I implemented your tactics Keane and took on board all you guy's advice... and we won the league cup woohoo haha.. its a start.

I actually felt like I was cheating after putting the tactics in, but then things did start going sour a bit but also good. We seem to be winning the big games (2-2 first leg to AC Milan away, then 4-3 to them at home, and 3-1 to Man City (league leaders) and 3 - 0 to them in the league cup final), but in the league we are still making **** draws or even losing, and to poor teams too. I can only put this down to a couple of things which still need improving, such as squad morale - there is three players who want to leave quite badly, two of them are key defenders, one of them is an absolute star whos average rating is 7.60.

With the one whos a star, hes only 21 too, I offered him a contract he rejected, I offered another and he accepted - then the f***ing computer froze. When I came back into the game to try get him on board again he just wont budge, he's even skipping training now lol. Any ideas how I can win him over? I praise him all the time etc.

But anyway I can only put down our poor league performance (dont know why not in cup games?) to our **** team harmony... I cant get rid of the players yet anyway as we're in March. I guess I will have to though. But do you think our results in league would all depend on this? I know the tactics would need tweaking to my players but surely cant be all just on that...

Interested to hear your thoughts!

No way ill win the league, all I want is a top four finish - which is proving hard too... But we are on course to win the champs league, FA cup and already have the league cup. In qtr finals of champ league and semis for FA.

Cheers lads

Cam

Hmm... if team harmony is the issue, winning matches will get it back up. Press conference too. Morale do play a part. The tactics do need time to gel and since you are in March, maybe like Luis said, you should focus on the cups for now and try afresh for the league in the new season. As for that star player, who knows, is you win another cup, hopefully the champions league, he'll change his mind and stay. Personally, to minimise the effect of low morale cause by wantaway players, usually if they are request for a transfer, I'll just promise them that they can go at the end of the season.

 

[camdmitchell]

Should i still play the players who want to leave? will that effect my game even more if i include them in the squad? they still seem to be playing well. One of them was annoying me so much I put him in reserves for a couple of matches but i dont want to leave him there as his value will decrease when i go to sell him.

I need to win the FA cup or champs league, my contract is up for renewal end of season and unless i win either im pretty sure they'll sack me lol. Might have to skip over to Italy or back to Spain.

That brings up another question.... you know when you get offered a job and reject it - they never ask you again, even if you apply they also reject you. Is this forever?? Seems a bit of a shame as sometimes you dont want to leave yoru club but maybe in the future circumstances change (10 season later) and you still cant go to them?

 

[rkeane16]

Should i still play the players who want to leave? will that effect my game even more if i include them in the squad? they still seem to be playing well. One of them was annoying me so much I put him in reserves for a couple of matches but i dont want to leave him there as his value will decrease when i go to sell him.

I need to win the FA cup or champs league, my contract is up for renewal end of season and unless i win either im pretty sure they'll sack me lol. Might have to skip over to Italy or back to Spain.

That brings up another question.... you know when you get offered a job and reject it - they never ask you again, even if you apply they also reject you. Is this forever?? Seems a bit of a shame as sometimes you dont want to leave yoru club but maybe in the future circumstances change (10 season later) and you still cant go to them?

I honest do not know about the job offer thing. Never happened to me before.

About the wantaway players, i feel if they are important to your team, then play them. They are professional anyways, and i think they play well enough every game, drop them if only they are not performing.

Another piece of tactic instruction you should put do(if you have not done so) is the opposition instructions. I usually do it this way:

Goalkeeper (as per advise from assistant coach)
Defender Central - Tackle set to Hard, the rest leave them be.
Full Backs and All Midfielders - Tight Marking: leave it as it is, Closing down: Always, Tackle: Hard, Show onto Foot: Weaker Foot
Strikers - Tight Marking: Always, Closing down: Always, Tackle: Hard, Show onto Foot: Weaker Foot

Usually works for me.

 

[camdmitchell]

Really... I am pretty sure it happened in 08 too.. So you have rejected/turned down a job offer before and then been there manager at a later time?

Cheers for the extra tactics.

Another thing, im assuming because they are free role players but, when i check tactics in the middle of the game the players are all over the place, i.e right winger will be in forward position etc and foward will be on the wing. they always revert back at half time or whatever but they swap all the time. Is this because they are free role players?

 

[rkeane16]

Really... I am pretty sure it happened in 08 too.. So you have rejected/turned down a job offer before and then been there manager at a later time?

Cheers for the extra tactics.

Another thing, im assuming because they are free role players but, when i check tactics in the middle of the game the players are all over the place, i.e right winger will be in forward position etc and foward will be on the wing. they always revert back at half time or whatever but they swap all the time. Is this because they are free role players?

Hmm.. That shouldn't be the case. The only swapping of positions is between the two wingers. Do check on their individual instructions, only for the two wingers is there swapping of positions with each other, none for the rest.... (although I am contemplating on swapping positions for the two forwards too.. )

Free role just means that the players roam around on the field. Trusting the players to do their thing and create magic on the pitch. Like for wingers, I would like them to cut in sometimes are have pot shots at goal, instead of just straight down the wings and crossing.

 

[camdmitchell]

Ah ok gotcha!

I'll have to check their settings, they must be on swap position... that probably explains why im losing some easy games lol. I do like the idea of forward's swapping. When they swap positions, is this only when required or what?? How does that work exactly?

Cheers mate.

 

[rkeane16]

Ah ok gotcha!

I'll have to check their settings, they must be on swap position... that probably explains why im losing some easy games lol. I do like the idea of forward's swapping. When they swap positions, is this only when required or what?? How does that work exactly?

Cheers mate.

They would swap at their own timings. I do not know the actual mechanics of FM's engine, but they work like in real life from what I see. Like how sometimes Cristiano and Nani sometimes swap wings in real life.

I have not tried the forward swapping yet, but you could try it out and let me know if that is effective. I'm not too sure yet as both forwards are of different types, but who knows until it's experimented, right?

 

[Luis Aragones Legacy]

They would swap at their own timings. I do not know the actual mechanics of FM's engine, but they work like in real life from what I see. Like how sometimes Cristiano and Nani sometimes swap wings in real life.

I have not tried the forward swapping yet, but you could try it out and let me know if that is effective. I'm not too sure yet as both forwards are of different types, but who knows until it's experimented, right?

I always do it, and I have absolutly no problem scoring, advice says they're harder to mark, so...

 

[camdmitchell]

Yeah very fair point actually.

Its amazing how deep you can go in this game! I don't know how many hours I have spent (I'd hate to know) on 08 and 09, and it only becomes more addictive! I cant think of any other game that doesn't get boring or more addictive the longer you play. Deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole of FM i go!!

Cheers for your help guys, very insightful... cant believe I didn't pick up on this stuff earlier.