Second season syndrome!!

[Striings24]

Right folks I'm currently Liverpool in my second season. Won the FA Cup and finished 5th in the league in my first season.

Don't know whether anyone else has had this but I seem to performing badly in my second season & loosing to teams I shouldn't be loosing to.

I really need help with this & need Some advice on what to do to change things & what people do?

 

[baxter51]

I am currently experiencing this with my spurs team, first seaon i won the league and the capital one cup, second season i am still currently top (somehow) but i got knocked out of the capital one cup by norwich at home and have drawn a few games that i shouldnt be doing, obviously i think squad rotation and new signings will come into that but there still quality players so it shouldnt be happening, using exact same tactics and shouts as season before

 

[Striings24]

It's annoying aint it & frustrating. I had a really good first season especially when I had no money to spend. Now I
Bought a few players and using same tactics as last year.

People say and I've read that you should tweak your tactics a bit because the opposition know how you play. But how can you tweak them.

 

[FootballManagerG0D]

The tactic tweaking does work. I finished 3rd in my first season with arsenal, using a 4-1-2-2-1, and controlling the game. The next season i was mid table and getting results against good teams but playing bad against bad teams, so i changed it to a 4-2-3-1 and attacking, and my team won like 7 in a row and i finished the season in 4th.

 

[Kyanite]

"using the same tactics"

the AI isn't dumb like FM12, change it up, have a backup plan, play around with your training to work on your negatives. If you have done well and won so many trophies then obviously opposition will now be more wary against you and look to shut up shop more and hit you on the counter. Drop your strategy down from attacking to standard or counter yourself. If opposition is shutting up shop against you, you want to do the same to them and let your quality shine... don't attack them mindlessly and let them counter attack you.

This isnt a plug and play game anymore... use le brain!

 

[MANUMAD]

The easiest way in every season is NOT to bring in too many players (i'd say more than 5 is too many).

If you do you will then experience second season syndrome as you term it. You need to change tactics/approach etc.

In fact thats what you need to do before EACH match. Have a scout with decent tactical knowledge and another one with decent judging players (difficult to find one with both) scouting next opposition and then read the reports. Especially the tactics part and the tactics faced since there you will find what the opposition dont like playing against. So tweak your formation accordingly (but dont make huge jumps eg from flat back 4 to 2cbs a sw and wing backs - try to look at the philosophy/context).

Pray.

 

[baxter51]

The tactic I use is good and works well, creates chances and is good at the back, just teams and players have there off days and don't perform always

 

[Scotty98TR]

At Arsenal, Bradford, Luton and Bilbao I have used tactics as my main one for 2/3+ seasons in a row and never had a problem (Different tactic for every club of course! )

 

[Striings24]

I mean I play a fluid philosophy with attacking.
Play 4-2-3-1. With Lucas Levia being a deep lying play maker on defend.
I've only bought 3 players.
Reina was pants so bought krul.
Also bought David Luiz and gaston Ramirez has Southampton got relegated and he was cheap.

I don't have any problem scoring goals especially with luis Suarez up front and gaston Ramirez just behind him.
Don't really know how to tweak my tactics I play wide, and set it to left right or middle to put the ball depending where the weakness is.

 

[Kyanite]

I mean I play a fluid philosophy with attacking.
Play 4-2-3-1. With Lucas Levia being a deep lying play maker on defend.
I've only bought 3 players.
Reina was pants so bought krul.
Also bought David Luiz and gaston Ramirez has Southampton got relegated and he was cheap.

I don't have any problem scoring goals especially with luis Suarez up front and gaston Ramirez just behind him.
Don't really know how to tweak my tactics I play wide, and set it to left right or middle to put the ball depending where the weakness is.

I saw your new thread, I'll answer you here.
I'm ASSUMING that you've won the FA Cup & finish 5th.

Keep your 'attacking' philosophy away from home or perhaps switch to 'standard'... try things out see what works best...
Away from home go for a more 'counter'/'standard' philosophy. It's not rocket science as Klopp said a few days ago. You're a stronger Liverpool now, teams fear you more and will be more defensive against you. DON'T go attacking against them, you WILL score but you WILL concede more as you will be playing to their gameplan as I said above...

When you get a 2 goal lead, retain possession, waste time, drop deeper... it really isn't hard! However I acknowledge it isn't FM12 where you can sit on your bench for 90 mins sleeping... REAL managers talk to their players and shout instructions (oh... and WATCH their games).
Hopefully this helps, honestly it's not a massive conspiracy. I suffer second season syndrome as well and it sometimes takes the second season to hit a 'dodgy' stride and rebuild things.

Look at Manchester City in real life lol... they won the PL but it doesn't mean it is the start of a new miraculous era where they will win everything the next season.

 

[TheBetterHalf]

Well, how far are you into the season? Unless you made some quality signings in the first season, I would say that your team is not better than top 5-8, especially if other teams have strengthened their squads. Even teams that you say you should beat might still be good at what they are doing ( defending, playing compact , denying space, launching quick attacks on the break) whilst you might have trouble breaking them down playing a high tempo game.

Why not try to grind out a few results to get the confidence up, playing more cynical( on the counter, dropping deeper, playing compact ) and once that is achieved, play a more probing approach, perhaps and Fluid Standard approach and use the width ( play wider, retain possession , pass to feet) , using players moving between the lines.

 

[LBond1]

This has happened to me a lot, i have started working on team cohesion during pre season and arranging a lot of friendlies against very small reputation clubs, so i win all of them at least 3-0, this means you head into your first game of the season with superb morale which should help. Also training is important so try hiring good coaches so you can get the best out of your team.

Hope this helps.

 

[FootballManagerG0D]

Change your tactics! It does make a big difference, In season 1 i player 4-1-2-2-1 second i played 4-2-3-1, now in my third im back to 4-1-2-2-1. I changed after my team started slumping. Each time I've arrested the slump and turned it around!