Trollball manager, What the heck?

[iban3z]

Allright, here's the deal:

I'm managing Tooting & Mitcham, got promoted from the Isthmian PL to BSS and currently standing on the top place and i've built squad worthy of at least mid-table in League 2. I'm there purely for outscoring my opponents.

HOWEVER.

Considering the quality of my players and those of my opposition, it is most frustating.

1) When the ball is played on the pitch, they don't close down at all, the ball is couple of feet in front of them and they just walk towards it, NOT RUNNING, and the opposition sprint towards it and unleash an counter. I have a regen of 18 work rate and 19 determination, decision, concentration, composure 12, anticipation 10, bravery-aggression both 15. I think these are adequate attributes for him to actually do some running to get the ball, he is also described as model proffessional - meaning high consistency, and imp matches. It simply isn't realistic at all. How can i make my players to chase the ball?

2) For 4 games in a row i have conceded 4 goals from blooters half way the pitch by central defenders with long shots 3-2-1 and 2 respectively and nonexistant technique. They were also their first goals in Season/team/career. I mean they do happen, but this is just ridiculous.

3) Over half of my goals come from corners, considering the statics of corners scored in real life, i should concede zero. My defence line doesn't have a single player with jumping below 15 and their mentals are decent. Yet still i see a winger with jumping/str 4 and heading 5 outmatch my defenders.

4) How is it possible that my winger who just came off the bench with 17/17 acc/pace, dribbling 15 is outrun by centreback 45 fitness and 6/10 acc/pace?

5) My target man of 18 team work, 12 creativity, passing, 10 decision/ant, con and 13 composure makes Robben, Sturridge and Ibra look like Xabi Alonso. I've checked his contract and he doesn't have a clause giving him 150 per goal. Why are my players with high team work selfish? It seems like the attributes of my players dont count at all. I've tried giving him little creativity and setting crosses/passes to high

6) All of my opponents players have some sort of hidden attribute which turns their passing, long shots, heading, pace, determination, team work and work rate 20. I got Nicolaj Kohlert, he should be raping lower leagues with ease, yet he can't seem to pick a pass at all.

7) No it isn't my tactics, its same even with grid, in fact, my own tactic performs much better than anything i've found on the web so far. My defence line is superior to everything up to league 2, yet still they are being made fun of by players whose attributes are a complete joke. And meanwhile i see another defender with tackling 8 and marking 9, jumping 10 annihilate whole teams. What is this all about?

8) Why do my center forwards move to the wings, their wide play is normal and no roaming. I have 3 players on both wings and no one to finish those crosses.

9) My winger somehow manages to get past a fullback and then he starts walking, WHY DOESN'T HE CROSS THE ****** BALL? I have 4 players waiting in the box versus 2 defenders, yet he just waits for the fullback to catch up with him to concede a corner.

Am i doing something wrong? I't can't be my players, i have used most of my players through the season and very little changes to the first team. Match fitnesses are maxed and tactics are all filled up.

Please answer me.

 

[lummy102]

Find out what they have as a PPM

 

[iban3z]

Most players have no PPMs, Kohlert has tries killer balls often, one of my CB-s has marks tightly, one FB has dives in tackles. I had one of my previous strikers learn look for pass rather than shoot, it changed absolutely nothing statwise.

it seems to me that the whole game is one huge random rumber generator and the attributes thrown at me mean nothing at all. I mean, if i can't affect how the player chases the ball or crosses. My possession would be 75-25 if my players tried even slightly to chase the ball, 3 players looking as one of the opponent robs the ball right in front of them IS NOT REALISTIC, footballers, no matter if amateur of professional DON'T DO THESE SORT OF THINGS. And the fact that a random defender is capable of shooting blooters from tight angles right into my goal proves my theory even more. The game is rigged to work against the player.

 

[Mike.]

Most players have no PPMs, Kohlert has tries killer balls often, one of my CB-s has marks tightly, one FB has dives in tackles. I had one of my previous strikers learn look for pass rather than shoot, it changed absolutely nothing statwise.

it seems to me that the whole game is one huge random rumber generator and the attributes thrown at me mean nothing at all. I mean, if i can't affect how the player chases the ball or crosses. My possession would be 75-25 if my players tried even slightly to chase the ball, 3 players looking as one of the opponent robs the ball right in front of them IS NOT REALISTIC, footballers, no matter if amateur of professional DON'T DO THESE SORT OF THINGS. And the fact that a random defender is capable of shooting blooters from tight angles right into my goal proves my theory even more. The game is rigged to work against the player.

Game isnt rigged. Your theory is wrong.

This kind of discussion has been done to death

 

[Mike.]

1) What is your closing set to. Pressing actually works fairly well in this game, although team pressing needs work.

2) If you have conceded 4 times from long range shots, then why are you not closing them down?

3) If you are conceding from corners have you tried working how and where they are scoring from in said corners and dealing with it? I conceded on average 6 goals a season from corners.

4) Context, numbers are not arbitary. anticipation and positioning for the defender, and off the ball for the attacker come into play

5) He has 10 decision making, which means he is actually pretty bad at making the right decision, thats why he is selfish. He is poor at anticipating the situation, in fact he is not a very intelligent targetman.

6 + 7) You immediately decide is not your approacj, yet given most people done have this issue, clearly that isnt the case. If you have superior players, and you are getting nailed, then you are doing something wrong

8) They often look for space, perhaps too much so. Hopefully this will be looked at for fm13 in giving more specific instructions.

9) impossible to say without seeing the situation.

 

[ajt09]

Game isnt rigged. Your theory is wrong.

This kind of discussion has been done to death

Wait until the new editions out-going to be reliving a past **** lol.

 

[iban3z]

So what is this?

If my tactics are matter nothing at all why should i bother?
This whole game is only based on two things:

Placing the right and best possible players on the pitch and team talk dice roll.

My tactics, no matter what i choose, do nothing, i have both my centerbacks with 2 clicks of creativity and very short passing, yet still they hoof it over the pitch (70-80% of the passes, even though they could give it to the FB-s or DM. I have my poacher on no roam and little creativity as to him ONLY lurk for tap ins and headers into the goal, what does he do? run around the wings while the box is empty. I have my wingers creativity set to medium or below it and crosses and killers to often, yet still they try to dribble all the way to the side net, even though they both have 15 team work.

But when i look at the opposing play, they almost always pass to the other player when 2/3/4- on 1, they cross at the right time and their killer balls are barcelona-esque timed. And when i look at their stats, i see not a single attribute over 10, while my players are chased by league 2/1/CH teams. The team spirit bar is at full, and many players have each other and me as their favored people.

What do i have to do to make my players act like my opponents, i've tried everything there is- from barcelona style fast/short passing, to arsenals long/fast, to manchester uniteds long/slow etc. Why don't my players do what they should, why do they just stand/walk towards the ball, why is the turtle which the opponent is using as fullback faster than my lightning fast england U19 star, keep in mind that the FB had lower speed, determination, work rate and even bravery and 45% of stamina, while my winger was at 100%.

It doesn't make any sense at all.

I wouldn't be furious if this happened 2-3 times per season but every other game is out of the question.

I am not getting my moneys worth of promises.

 

[ajt09]

So what is this?

If my tactics are matter nothing at all why should i bother?
This whole game is only based on two things:

Placing the right and best possible players on the pitch and team talk dice roll.

My tactics, no matter what i choose, do nothing, i have both my centerbacks with 2 clicks of creativity and very short passing, yet still they hoof it over the pitch (70-80% of the passes, even though they could give it to the FB-s or DM. I have my poacher on no roam and little creativity as to him ONLY lurk for tap ins and headers into the goal, what does he do? run around the wings while the box is empty. I have my wingers creativity set to medium or below it and crosses and killers to often, yet still they try to dribble all the way to the side net, even though they both have 15 team work.

But when i look at the opposing play, they almost always pass to the other player when 2/3/4- on 1, they cross at the right time and their killer balls are barcelona-esque timed. And when i look at their stats, i see not a single attribute over 10, while my players are chased by league 2/1/CH teams. The team spirit bar is at full, and many players have each other and me as their favored people.

What do i have to do to make my players act like my opponents, i've tried everything there is- from barcelona style fast/short passing, to arsenals long/fast, to manchester uniteds long/slow etc. Why don't my players do what they should, why do they just stand/walk towards the ball, why is the turtle which the opponent is using as fullback faster than my lightning fast england U19 star, keep in mind that the FB had lower speed, determination, work rate and even bravery and 45% of stamina, while my winger was at 100%.

It doesn't make any sense at all.

I wouldn't be furious if this happened 2-3 times per season but every other game is out of the question.

I am not getting my moneys worth of promises.

Well, somethings definately being overlooked to be honest. Why not have a look at other peoples tactics to get an idea of what you could be overlooking

 

[Steve*]

You just got promoted and your struggling in the next league up....

Better quality opposition perhaps???


Its all in your tactic, follow assistants pre match advice. Dont use the same tactic against all teams.
Just because you have the best players in the league doesnt mean they will be the best team.
Your player need to compliment each other

 

[Mike.]

So what is this?

If my tactics are matter nothing at all why should i bother?
This whole game is only based on two things:

Placing the right and best possible players on the pitch and team talk dice roll.

My tactics, no matter what i choose, do nothing, i have both my centerbacks with 2 clicks of creativity and very short passing, yet still they hoof it over the pitch (70-80% of the passes, even though they could give it to the FB-s or DM. I have my poacher on no roam and little creativity as to him ONLY lurk for tap ins and headers into the goal, what does he do? run around the wings while the box is empty. I have my wingers creativity set to medium or below it and crosses and killers to often, yet still they try to dribble all the way to the side net, even though they both have 15 team work.

But when i look at the opposing play, they almost always pass to the other player when 2/3/4- on 1, they cross at the right time and their killer balls are barcelona-esque timed. And when i look at their stats, i see not a single attribute over 10, while my players are chased by league 2/1/CH teams. The team spirit bar is at full, and many players have each other and me as their favored people.

What do i have to do to make my players act like my opponents, i've tried everything there is- from barcelona style fast/short passing, to arsenals long/fast, to manchester uniteds long/slow etc. Why don't my players do what they should, why do they just stand/walk towards the ball, why is the turtle which the opponent is using as fullback faster than my lightning fast england U19 star, keep in mind that the FB had lower speed, determination, work rate and even bravery and 45% of stamina, while my winger was at 100%.

It doesn't make any sense at all.

I wouldn't be furious if this happened 2-3 times per season but every other game is out of the question.

I am not getting my moneys worth of promises.

Where did I say tactics dont matter?

There are 3 general areas in the game: Man management, tactics and players. To succeed you need to be competent in two of the three.

To me it sounds like you are struggling at both man management and tactics. By placing the blame on the game you are ignoring your own flaws.

 

[iban3z]

1) What is your closing set to. Pressing actually works fairly well in this game, although team pressing needs work.

2) If you have conceded 4 times from long range shots, then why are you not closing them down?

3) If you are conceding from corners have you tried working how and where they are scoring from in said corners and dealing with it? I conceded on average 6 goals a season from corners.

4) Context, numbers are not arbitary. anticipation and positioning for the defender, and off the ball for the attacker come into play

5) He has 10 decision making, which means he is actually pretty bad at making the right decision, thats why he is selfish. He is poor at anticipating the situation, in fact he is not a very intelligent targetman.

6 + 7) You immediately decide is not your approacj, yet given most people done have this issue, clearly that isnt the case. If you have superior players, and you are getting nailed, then you are doing something wrong

8) They often look for space, perhaps too much so. Hopefully this will be looked at for fm13 in giving more specific instructions.

9) impossible to say without seeing the situation.

1) Most of my players have pressing set to whole pitch, except for my playmaker/treq, who i want to be roaming in the space.
2) I have closing down set to always, but they just dont do it correctly.
3) They score from the middle of the box. I have most players man mark, and tall mark, and a shorter DM to mark small player, WB-s to near and backpost.
5) When i look at the league averages, my team dominates in most if not all areas. My TM is statwise the top striker in the league. I see strikers with mentals between 1-6 score 20 + goals per season at midfielders with creativity and passing 5 get 26 assists. I am managing in the Blue Square Bet South
6) I have tried different combinations for my defenders, but they just allow players past them, Striker with dribbling 7 and acc/pace of 7/10 shouldn't in any scenario beat my 15 tack, 14 marking, 11 antic, 17 det, 15 work, acc/pace 9/12 CB TWICE.

this is unacceptable.

 

[iban3z]

You just got promoted and your struggling in the next league up....

Better quality opposition perhaps???


Its all in your tactic, follow assistants pre match advice. Dont use the same tactic against all teams.
Just because you have the best players in the league doesnt mean they will be the best team.
Your player need to compliment each other

My team is better than what the league average and better what the huge favorites of Dartford have to offer.

I use mostly 2 tactics: original 4-4-2 with slower passing, medium width, 4-4-2 with one of the MC to AMC and second MC to DMC, the third tactic is 4-2-3-1 with wide wingers, they are all maxed out. I don't change tactics suddenly, i do about 6-7 games with both, with some variables thrown in occasionally to keep the opposition guessing.

I don't have a lot of players at all, i rely mostly on my first team, with each position having one substitute, do note that half of my substitutes consist of my own youths. Most players have someone else from the team as favored person and me. The team name is also as the favored club.

 

[iban3z]

Well, somethings definately being overlooked to be honest. Why not have a look at other peoples tactics to get an idea of what you could be overlooking

My tactics are solid, my most frequently used tactic - original 4-4-2 has 2 CBS set on low creativity and very short passing, they also have through balls set to sometimes and one of them has run with ball set to sometimes because i was struggling to get the ball out of defence, they both have 10-11 passing and 10 dribbling/technique. 2 FB-s set to support, tackling hard, crossing often, run with ball rarely, mid-short passing, forward sometimes. 2 wingers with the first attacking click, medium creativity, run with ball sometimes, crosses, killers often. One of the midfielders is Deep lying playmaker, little below medium creativity, quite defensive, killers on often, medium+ passing, run from deep rarely. other midfielder is attacking to deliver the ball for the strikers. One of the strikers has been influence by grid: little creativity very attacking, run from deep often, rarely crossing and sometimes throughballs, no roaming (still strolls away from the center), the other striker is deep lying forward with medium creativity little less attacking, often killers and crosses. Attack direction depends of the players, i tend to exploit the flank on which the FB/WB has been pressured before the game. So my attack is dedicated to making one of the strikers into goal machine, yet the players wont pass/cross to him, even though he is in a very good position. He would easily get 30+ goals per season but no. Giving players more creativity got more chances wasted via pointless long shots, so i had to reduce it.

 

[malhar]

What you really need to do Mr. iban3z is sit down for a minute and re-evaluate your life goals. If one of them isn't to prove that Football Manager is rigged, you must ask yourself why you're acting like it is. Then you might come to the conclusion that you're frustrated because you're not doing as well as you would like. Some people think the game is rigged for the player. Do you really think people would be winning Champions League finals 9-1 in real life? No! But it happens in the game. You need to learn to take it in your stride and just learn to enjoy what is after all, a GAME. That facts seems to have escaped quite a few people on this forum here. Just take a break from the game, drink some iced tea, calm the f**k down, and then go back and play it and enjoy it. Have a good life mate. Cheers

 

[iban3z]

What you really need to do Mr. iban3z is sit down for a minute and re-evaluate your life goals. If one of them isn't to prove that Football Manager is rigged, you must ask yourself why you're acting like it is. Then you might come to the conclusion that you're frustrated because you're not doing as well as you would like. Some people think the game is rigged for the player. Do you really think people would be winning Champions League finals 9-1 in real life? No! But it happens in the game. You need to learn to take it in your stride and just learn to enjoy what is after all, a GAME. That facts seems to have escaped quite a few people on this forum here. Just take a break from the game, drink some iced tea, calm the f**k down, and then go back and play it and enjoy it. Have a good life mate. Cheers

I'm managing a local kids team as a sunday hobby manager. It's in my interests to perform better at that level.

This game is only about who has better attacking, teams and players with defensive mentality would find this game impossible to win because the defence is an absolute abomination. I bet that in the 2013 they have better match graphics and some interface additions and the engine remains as it is, bugged.

 

[Mike.]

I'm managing a local kids team as a sunday hobby manager. It's in my interests to perform better at that level.

This game is only about who has better attacking, teams and players with defensive mentality would find this game impossible to win because the defence is an absolute abomination. I bet that in the 2013 they have better match graphics and some interface additions and the engine remains as it is, bugged.

Well you are immediately wrong on all counts, as you can be extremely effective from a defensive/counter mentality. Ask Godcubed, he does it all the time, and he isnt the only one.

Not only that, the match engine is already being overhauled.

Since you arent looking for help, will request this thread closed.

 

[malhar]

I'm managing a local kids team as a sunday hobby manager. It's in my interests to perform better at that level.

This game is only about who has better attacking, teams and players with defensive mentality would find this game impossible to win because the defence is an absolute abomination. I bet that in the 2013 they have better match graphics and some interface additions and the engine remains as it is, bugged.

Shooting everyone's suggestions down isn't helping mate. Simple solution - stop playing the game and let everyone else enjoy it. Because people really like it. Really.

 

[Fabio Borini]

Stop making yourself look like an idiot.. If you can't get your tactics right - don't blame the game. It's an awesome game, probably the best football game around.

 

[kitchin75]

just go lie down in a dark room count to 10 tell yourself its just a game its not worth geting this upset about it

 

[Jake]

I'm managing a local kids team as a sunday hobby manager. It's in my interests to perform better at that level.

This game is only about who has better attacking, teams and players with defensive mentality would find this game impossible to win because the defence is an absolute abomination. I bet that in the 2013 they have better match graphics and some interface additions and the engine remains as it is, bugged.

My whole FM life is based around defending for my life and hitting opponents on the counter. To say it's impossible is to call my whole FM philosophy since 2005, and even on some of the later CM's when it became harder to simply buy the best team and then play ten up front and still not concede, a lie.

I developed a smash and grab tactic on FM10 and FM11 which got minnows Cultural Leonesa from the depthsa of Spanish football to the brink of Europe using bargain basement players, 2 solid banks of 4 with almost no creative talent stopped opponents from scoring and gave the ball to a somehwat skilled but ultimately average playmaker and a lone forward to grab me a shitload of 1-0 wins on the break.

This whole ''the game is rigged'' thing has been debated long and hard before, there are so many threads out there that i'm not gonna bother searching for them and linking them, no doubt you would side with the other tinfoil helmet wearers who think SI are out to get you.

6 times out of 10 its your tactic, or lack of one that is to blame. Maybe 2-3 times out of ten, your players (pay attention to mental stats and hidden attributes also!) are to blame, and then every so often the game really ***** you in the ****, but that's an accurate representation of football, freak results and occurrences do happen.