Had enough of SI (Feel free to slate me)

Been playing the game for a while now, trying my hardest to like it, but i've just given up... I find this another half arsed attempt at a game from SI, or it's a game that's moving more and more from a simulation to following in the footsteps of FIFA Manager and becoming purely a game (so to speak).

I know i'll get people telling me ' You're just not good enough', 'Stop whining', ' it must be your tactics' etc... quite frankly I don't care, this game has annoyed me big time, so my grips (And there are far too many tiny ones that haven't been fixed for years now):

1) I had a massive game Vs Man Utd coming up in the Champions League - Puyol picked up a bruised shin and I get the option to give him injections... I need him, the games already put half my team out with injuries (Another massive problem), so I take up the option an give him the injection...

... Next news bit says he rejected it because it'll 'potentially harm his career'.... an injection for a bruised shin? Is that how bad footballs become players won't play through a slightly bruised shin?

That said, he's now unhappy, putting in poor performances, and not helping me as a manager at all. Shame goes for Xavi. Both performing at ratings of 5 and with injuries, I can't bench them or anything. I'm on my way to being sacked for not winning a trophy because of this.

2) I've tried every tactic going, i'm losing at home, away, getting stupid draws, having inconsistent wins (Beat Real Madrid, then lose the next few games). I'm Barcelona, and before you reply I use them cause I really am not that good on this game anyway, but I can't score to save my life. None of my players ever rarely go into the 8's, all my team talks make no difference, whether it's me or my Assistant Manager... and then when I squad are failing to perform, I have no option to discipline them. I'd like to launch into an angry rage at the lot of them, not run to the press about one individual.

3) Speaking of scoring... why do my team have 20+ attemps before they score, but the opposition can score with every 2 or 3 chances. It's just extremely annoying, and it's been the same in every single game. I only got it recently, is this new patch messing it up or something? Eto'o can barely score one on ones, it's infuriating.

4) Transfer System... I thought this was fixed? Is there any point in player exchanges? I tried a test with it earlier. I was after Fabregas off Arsenal, so I offered £30M plus Lionel Messi, just to see the reaction... they rejected it. Now I know Fabregas is crucial to Arsenal and he is a world class player, but Lionel Messi is the best player in the world and in my game he was voted World Player Of The Year, not just that, I offered my entire transfer budget on top of it, and they still rejected it, is that realistic? No it isn't.

No one seems to want to take my players on loan. I've got Bojan listed for Loan, there'd be loads of clubs willing to take him right now, offer him to clubs and no ones interested....

Or how about when clubs enquire about your players? You offer them the same sort of price tag they'd give you an they turn their noses up and either a) Stop their interest or b) Continue to offer the same amount you rejected over an over again.

If SI 'ripped' the code out and re wrote it then they evidently haven't done that good a job... what did they do? Piece bits of it together, write a few bits an then put it back in the game? Pfft.

These are just a few of the problems i'm having, my first point is something that just happened to me and I noted it down on here straight away.

I just lost 3-0 to Villareal away, effectively puting me 9 poiints behind a Real Madrid side who never seem to lose or draw, they're basically the Arsenal of Spain. Think i'll just sell this game, check out Championship Manager for once.

I know i'll get alot of stick for this, but i'm simmering away here, felt the need to vent my anger, it's embarassing. Ah well.

Have you reported your problems on the bug forum?

stop whinging

I'm definitely on board with Number3 but at the end of the day, as you say, just sell it mate if you are unhappy.

Getting Championship Manager is hardly the answer though

Have you reported your problems on the bug forum?

what bug? he's just bad at the game. or this version of it anyway. Seriously its not so hard to make a tactic that works. especially for barca. i seriously cant understand all these people who come on here saying 'ive tried every formation' etc. Pick a formation that suits your players then arrange the tactics according to how you think they can or how you want them to play.

Well if he thinks things are wrong with the game there are constructive ways of reporting them to help SI make a better game in the future. That was my point.

Well if he thinks things are wrong with the game there are constructive ways of reporting them to help SI make a better game in the future. That was my point.

ok sorry, i wasnt getting at you. I just dont think his post should be classed as a bug. His biggest gripe from reading the post seems to be that he cant win games. thats not a bug. he's just not good at football manager.

Though he's clearly disgruntled and admittedly no great player he raises several valid points that no matter how often they are raised in bug forums never get fixed.

I have NEVER had a player accept an injection and every time it makes them unhappy.

There's definately something wrong with player exchange as even when I offer players clubs are interested and/or my assistant has recommended offering they still don't accept the offer.

I also often have trouble loaning out quality players as Arsenal (Vela, Ramsey, Bentdner) even when I offer to pay all their wages.

And the constant repeating poor transfer offers when you turn down is infuriating.

Been playing the game for a while now, trying my hardest to like it, but i've just given up... I find this another half arsed attempt at a game from SI, or it's a game that's moving more and more from a simulation to following in the footsteps of FIFA Manager and becoming purely a game (so to speak).

I do hope you do mean that as an opinion of an individual. Been playing since CM2 days & yes the game is getting tougher, more realistic, and most often than not there are bugs & glitches here & there but I don't think FM can ever play catch up with FIFA Manager (May the good Lord pardon & save those who think I meant that FIFA Manager is a good game)

I know i'll get people telling me ' You're just not good enough', 'Stop whining', ' it must be your tactics' etc... quite frankly I don't care, this game has annoyed me big time, so my grips (And there are far too many tiny ones that haven't been fixed for years now):

I guess it's just an easy, hassle free way of replying because there'd been so many rants going on. Nothing seems new. Most players here have been playing & adapting to the game for what seem like ages. People who have problems generally find a place to go to & find support or solutions. I only come in once in a while. Correct me if i'm wrong but people who do not have problems with the game generally do not need to come in here unless they have friends who hang abt the forums. I don't live in the UK.

1) I had a massive game Vs Man Utd coming up in the Champions League - Puyol picked up a bruised shin and I get the option to give him injections... I need him, the games already put half my team out with injuries (Another massive problem), so I take up the option an give him the injection...

... Next news bit says he rejected it because it'll 'potentially harm his career'.... an injection for a bruised shin? Is that how bad footballs become players won't play through a slightly bruised shin?

That said, he's now unhappy, putting in poor performances, and not helping me as a manager at all. Shame goes for Xavi. Both performing at ratings of 5 and with injuries, I can't bench them or anything. I'm on my way to being sacked for not winning a trophy because of this.

IMHO, it's just unfortunate. Looking at your entire post, you simply did the right thing at the wrong time. I don't think "Puyol" (let's face it, he's just AI) will react the same way he did if Barca is doing well with you at the helm. Likewise if you are not doing well at one particular moment, but possesses a brilliant track record. But who knows, Vicente Del Bosque got fired by Madrid after winning the La Liga, or was it the Champions League, few years back.

Players who are not performing well - Drop them, or try a formation which allows you to play them in their natural position. In my games with Milan throughout the series, Pirlo never plays a match without being in his DMC position. I wonder if anyone else has different results but he only seem to do well & consistently for me as a DMC. He is only ok for me as an MC, and decent as a makeshift AMC when Kaka is out with a virus, Seedorf inj, Gourcuff still on loan & Ronaldinho no showed the match because he missed his flight after partying in Rio de Janeiro with Ronaldo & the gang. I don't usually sign new players in my first season in charge.

2) I've tried every tactic going, i'm losing at home, away, getting stupid draws, having inconsistent wins (Beat Real Madrid, then lose the next few games). I'm Barcelona, and before you reply I use them cause I really am not that good on this game anyway, but I can't score to save my life. None of my players ever rarely go into the 8's, all my team talks make no difference, whether it's me or my Assistant Manager... and then when I squad are failing to perform, I have no option to discipline them. I'd like to launch into an angry rage at the lot of them, not run to the press about one individual.

Nothing personal against you on this, but are you sure you have tried everything? The game being the way it has evolved to from the early days of CM where you can play a simple 1-4-5 & not lose a game for centuries, the current tactics menu alone offers so much more. You can come up with easily more than 10 different playing styles on a simple 4-3-3 with no arrows whatsoever with the simple clicks & drags of your mouse. I'd downloaded a PDF document somewhere from the threads here & read it. I'm really appreciating & enjoying just the tactical aspects of the game now. But yet again, maybe like what you'd mentioned, being not a very good player, you may not wish to improve on that.

3) Speaking of scoring... why do my team have 20+ attemps before they score, but the opposition can score with every 2 or 3 chances. It's just extremely annoying, and it's been the same in every single game. I only got it recently, is this new patch messing it up or something? Eto'o can barely score one on ones, it's infuriating.

If I were to ignore all other stats, your tactics aren't horrible. You are just dominating & not converting. Hmm, are your players training on shooting in the first place? Who's your coach in charge of that aspect of training?

4) Transfer System... I thought this was fixed? Is there any point in player exchanges? I tried a test with it earlier. I was after Fabregas off Arsenal, so I offered £30M plus Lionel Messi, just to see the reaction... they rejected it. Now I know Fabregas is crucial to Arsenal and he is a world class player, but Lionel Messi is the best player in the world and in my game he was voted World Player Of The Year, not just that, I offered my entire transfer budget on top of it, and they still rejected it, is that realistic? No it isn't.

No one seems to want to take my players on loan. I've got Bojan listed for Loan, there'd be loads of clubs willing to take him right now, offer him to clubs and no ones interested....

Or how about when clubs enquire about your players? You offer them the same sort of price tag they'd give you an they turn their noses up and either a) Stop their interest or b) Continue to offer the same amount you rejected over an over again.

If SI 'ripped' the code out and re wrote it then they evidently haven't done that good a job... what did they do? Piece bits of it together, write a few bits an then put it back in the game? Pfft.

When a player is ridiculously highly priced, they don't want to sell. When you throw your "entire transfer budget" 30M plus Messi, they reject it because they do not wish to sell Fabregas, and Wenger may think he doesn't need Messi then. Simple as that. I signed van Persie for 17.5M after unsettling him. His transfer value I see in game was 12.75M. That wasn't very far fetched I feel.

Entire transfer budgets don't mean a thing. If I didn't wanna sell Kaka, a bid of 100M from Chelsea isn't enough for me.

If you feel AI is making ridiculously low offers for your players, reject the bids if you have no wishes to sell. If you may wish to negotiate, tell them your expectations. If they come back with an offer that is still not acceptable, reject. I don't see anything wrong with that.

These are just a few of the problems i'm having, my first point is something that just happened to me and I noted it down on here straight away.

I just lost 3-0 to Villareal away, effectively puting me 9 poiints behind a Real Madrid side who never seem to lose or draw, they're basically the Arsenal of Spain. Think i'll just sell this game, check out Championship Manager for once.

I know i'll get alot of stick for this, but i'm simmering away here, felt the need to vent my anger, it's embarassing. Ah well.

This is something i can agree with, and not. Sometimes there's just this amazing team which seems unbeatable. Sometimes it doesn't happen to me. Sometimes, I become that team. Well, it happened so many times, esp against inter (grrrrr my cross city rivals). The only consistent thing for me is, if I can manage to oust them, & give them a sound beating after making the necessary changes, they won't be making much of a comeback in the short term future.

Just my 2 cents. I wish you all the best with Championship Manager from Eidos. Gotta head off to work!

why buy the game if your not going to use your own tactical mind to play the game? read the tactical theries guide.

I have to say that I agree with a great deal of the OP’s experiences.

I’m playing as Arsenal and while I’m not having tactical problems (as yet), I have seen enough of the results the match engine generates to believe there are clearly some key problems that should be sorted out, and I can see how a bit of bad luck (ie several of these issues occurring at around the same time) could make the game experience very frustrating.

The obvious case is the ‘shots to goals ratio’ and the instance of team x having 20 shots and 5 clear cut chances losing out to the team y with one shot. This has only happened to me a few times, usually in games where I somehow absolutely dominate but every shot seems to hit the post or crossbar, or where the old ‘super keeper’ from 08 rears its head again! Now other posts have suggested that this is simply the match engines was of ‘visualizing’ the game result, but there can be no doubt that a team hitting the post more than say 3 times in a game is highly unusual, yet it happens very regularly on the game. Is it a bug? Maybe not in the true sense of the word, and I know that there are ways to minimize the risk of this happening too regularly in a way that would make it a true ‘game-breaker’ but it certainly does weaken the realism the game is supposed to present.

A more clear cut issue that I agree with is the transfer system and loan system. I also expected a far greater system after the SI gang boasted that they had totally ‘ripped out’ and re-written the whole transfer system. Well if they did (which I’m really beginning to doubt) they did a pretty shoddy job of it because as mentioned by the OP, it is next to impossible to loan out quality players for nothing (which is a major part of real football, and hence if not working properly in FM, is a major bug in my books), and so too is it to exchange good players even when the other club is already interested. I would also agree that a club not even wanting to talk to another club when Messi plus $30m is on the table is very unrealistic.

The point needs to be made clear here that SI explicitly markets its game as providing a highly realistic (and more realistic than any other…even though the competition is not that tough) soccer management simulation. Clearly the game does not provide this to the satisfaction of many players/consumers, and I for one think in many cases they have some valid points. Too many people on this forum are too quick to write off serious criticisms of the game just because the OP may not be a tactical guru or be the best FM player on the forum. His/her general experiences are still valid and his/her criticisms of the game are legitimate and are echoed by many others on here.

apols for the very long post;)

Been playing the game for a while now, trying my hardest to like it, but i've just given up... I find this another half arsed attempt at a game from SI, or it's a game that's moving more and more from a simulation to following in the footsteps of FIFA Manager and becoming purely a game (so to speak).

I know i'll get people telling me ' You're just not good enough', 'Stop whining', ' it must be your tactics' etc... quite frankly I don't care, this game has annoyed me big time, so my grips (And there are far too many tiny ones that haven't been fixed for years now):

1) I had a massive game Vs Man Utd coming up in the Champions League - Puyol picked up a bruised shin and I get the option to give him injections... I need him, the games already put half my team out with injuries (Another massive problem), so I take up the option an give him the injection...

... Next news bit says he rejected it because it'll 'potentially harm his career'.... an injection for a bruised shin? Is that how bad footballs become players won't play through a slightly bruised shin?

That said, he's now unhappy, putting in poor performances, and not helping me as a manager at all. Shame goes for Xavi. Both performing at ratings of 5 and with injuries, I can't bench them or anything. I'm on my way to being sacked for not winning a trophy because of this.

2) I've tried every tactic going, i'm losing at home, away, getting stupid draws, having inconsistent wins (Beat Real Madrid, then lose the next few games). I'm Barcelona, and before you reply I use them cause I really am not that good on this game anyway, but I can't score to save my life. None of my players ever rarely go into the 8's, all my team talks make no difference, whether it's me or my Assistant Manager... and then when I squad are failing to perform, I have no option to discipline them. I'd like to launch into an angry rage at the lot of them, not run to the press about one individual.

3) Speaking of scoring... why do my team have 20+ attemps before they score, but the opposition can score with every 2 or 3 chances. It's just extremely annoying, and it's been the same in every single game. I only got it recently, is this new patch messing it up or something? Eto'o can barely score one on ones, it's infuriating.

4) Transfer System... I thought this was fixed? Is there any point in player exchanges? I tried a test with it earlier. I was after Fabregas off Arsenal, so I offered £30M plus Lionel Messi, just to see the reaction... they rejected it. Now I know Fabregas is crucial to Arsenal and he is a world class player, but Lionel Messi is the best player in the world and in my game he was voted World Player Of The Year, not just that, I offered my entire transfer budget on top of it, and they still rejected it, is that realistic? No it isn't.

No one seems to want to take my players on loan. I've got Bojan listed for Loan, there'd be loads of clubs willing to take him right now, offer him to clubs and no ones interested....

Or how about when clubs enquire about your players? You offer them the same sort of price tag they'd give you an they turn their noses up and either a) Stop their interest or b) Continue to offer the same amount you rejected over an over again.

If SI 'ripped' the code out and re wrote it then they evidently haven't done that good a job... what did they do? Piece bits of it together, write a few bits an then put it back in the game? Pfft.

These are just a few of the problems i'm having, my first point is something that just happened to me and I noted it down on here straight away.

I just lost 3-0 to Villareal away, effectively puting me 9 poiints behind a Real Madrid side who never seem to lose or draw, they're basically the Arsenal of Spain. Think i'll just sell this game, check out Championship Manager for once.

I know i'll get alot of stick for this, but i'm simmering away here, felt the need to vent my anger, it's embarassing. Ah well.

There's your problem, tactical inconsistency always has a bad effect on your players

What do you mean it's unrealistic that Arsenal would reject your offer? Not only is Fabregas a class midfielder but the point is Man Utd rejected a huge offer for Ronaldo; so these things do occur in real life.

He makes some fair points imo

What on Earth would you do if you was a Real Manager. would you go running off to the Fa calling them cheats lol..

Chill out man there is room for improvment in your managment style don't beat your self up. take a break and do soem reading up on thing's and come back with a new outlook and if the same thing's start to happen take a chill pill you can get from all good chemists, gew some gum that helps with stress thats why you seee managers always chewing

I have sympathy for the OP. It's far far too easy to blame people ("It's your tactics!") for being bad players when there are undoubted faults with the game.

No matter what people say, the '20 shots to 1' phenomenon occurs far too often to be realistic, the match engine has a number of serious faults in it, there are obvious bugs in the loan and transfer systems, press conferences and team talks are repetitive and have too much influence on the results of matches, there are glitches in various leagues....etc etc.

These are problems with the game, not with people's tactics. Those who keep on saying that everything is great and that it's all down to the player need to look at the number of grumbles which people have and the number of different individuals who find the same problems.

God how tired I am of people defending the game with the old "it's your own fault not the game" argument.

Lets see, I say I've tried every tactic there is. Response from the people thinking the game is brilliant is "you cant change tactics every game, it takes time for the team to learn it".

So I try playing the same tactic a few games in a row, and guess what, I beat the crap out of a team I should loose to. Next game I get hammered by a team of nobodies. I ask again, what's wrong? Oww yea, now the people defending the game says "It's your tactic, you have to change it based on the oposition!".

So which is it? Should I change tactic every game, or not?

This was just an example of how moronic some of the discussions on this forum are. A guy is doing X and it's not working, so he's told to do Y. So he does, and another problem arise. So he's told to do Z. But then Z doesnt work either, and he's told to do X, which he was doing in the first place.

There's so many contradicting advices beeing thrown around it's hopeless, and frankly pointless to even try. Just goes to show how utterly random this game have become. I feel like I have no control what so ever of what is going on on the pitch.

Another example. "Etoo need 20 1-on-1 with keeper to score, buuhuu!". What's the response? "Are you training him on shooting?". COMMON! Are you guys serious?!! It's Samuel bloody Etoo! Should you really have to train him to shoot, and even if you put him on a schedule with 100% shooting training it wont change anything. The 3D/2D view will still show him missing chances he'd be scoring 70-80% of in real life.

Mean while Peter Crouch and Craig Bellamy slam the ball in the top corner every time they meet you. But only when they meet you mind you. Funny how every other player that score against you happen to score their first goal of the season against you

The game is to random! The 2D/3D view either suck or the matchengine in itself is completely broken! Since I can't watch my players on the pitch (2D/3D) without getting the urge to throw my screen out my window, I get no enjoyment out of the game. It's a game! It's supposed to be fun, not frustrating.

Now I bet someone is gonna come with the old "it's a simulation of real life, it's supposed to be hard..."

Guess what! Not one person on this board, and I mean NOT ONE, could ever bring a Premier League throphy to Man Utd in real life. You may think you could in your arrogant heads, but it's bollocks and deep down you know it. There's a reason none of us are real life managers for Man Utd or Barcelona or AC Milan. We dont have that knowledge and skill. If we did we wouldnt be playing this game

We play it cause we wanna feel like that top manager. We want the feeling of achievement when our superstars play that one-two to be through on goal and lob the keeper to score the winner in the Champions League final.

And to SI, if your goal is to make the perfect simulation of real life. Start bloody advertising it as that, instead of a game! Then I can stop buying it year after year, only to be more dissapointed every time!

Cheers.

PS! Yes I know this is a rant, but it's also 99,9% true. And anyone that's played more than a season in this game, while watching matches in 2D or 3D, know the feelings I've described. Whether you wanna admit it or not.

2) None of my players ever rarely go into the 8's, all my team talks make no difference, whether it's me or my Assistant Manager... and then when I squad are failing to perform, I have no option to discipline them. I'd like to launch into an angry rage at the lot of them, not run to the press about one individual.

You DO have an option to discipline them, one by one anyway. I am afraid it is still official. After a player has played in low 6s or 5, you may get the option to give an official warning or fine him, in his profile. Check whether the option is available at the lower left corner in his profile, after the match. Be warned that not all players will accept the additional discipline, but it makes a difference if they do. Keep notes on whether a player accepts it or not, so that you know what to do next time something bad happens.

PS! Yes I know this is a rant, but it's also 99,9% true.

Prove it, please.

Prove it, please.

And how exactly is he supposed to do that? What sort of evidence do you want?

And how exactly is he supposed to do that?

My point exactly. If he wants to be taken seriously, he shouldn't make stuff up and pass it off as a fact that proves him right.

This forum is littered with people saying "100% of the time my team concede from long shots", "75% of FM gamers are unhappy", it's utter nonsense and only serves to make people question their opinion.

My point exactly. If he wants to be taken seriously, he shouldn't make stuff up and pass it off as a fact that proves him right.

This forum is littered with people saying "100% of the time my team concede from long shots", "75% of FM gamers are unhappy", it's utter nonsense and only serves to make people question their opinion.

There is enough and more screenies floating around showing teams losing 1-0 when the CCC are around (1/2) - (10/20).

I don't see your point vivu.

My point exactly. If he wants to be taken seriously, he shouldn't make stuff up and pass it off as a fact that proves him right.

This forum is littered with people saying "100% of the time my team concede from long shots", "75% of FM gamers are unhappy", it's utter nonsense and only serves to make people question their opinion.

This forum is also littered with people denying that there are serious faults with the game and blaming things on the tactical incompetence of those who point those faults out.

A lot of the things which Ohanzee says are perfectly reasonable. Points about percentage claims don't alter this fact.

A lot of the things which Ohanzee says are perfectly reasonable. Points about percentage claims don't alter this fact.

I never said otherwise. At no point did I say he was wrong, I just questioned the sense in ruining his point by lieing about percentages. You're jumping to conclusions my friend.

I don't know about you, but much as I hate FM09, I don't want to see people waffling about percentages and ratios when they have clearly made it up. If you're happy to take it all on board, then fair play, but I would prefer it if people kept it simple and didn't lie.

I never said otherwise. At no point did I say he was wrong, I just questioned the sense in ruining his point by lieing about percentages. You're jumping to conclusions my friend.

I don't know about you, but much as I hate FM09, I don't want to see people waffling about percentages and ratios when they have clearly made it up. If you're happy to take it all on board, then fair play, but I would prefer it if people kept it simple and didn't lie.

Percentages are used to emphasize and he was just emphasizing the point.

He actually said that 99.9% of his rant was true, I think. I'm not at all sure that that is a 'lie' as you put it. Surely, in context, this is more a figurative use of language than something which is meant to be taken literally?

Rather a different case than '75% of FM gamers are unhappy' I'd have thought.

Again, you're only emphasising my point. If someone actually believed what they were saying, they would not have to rely on figurative language to emphasise their point, the point would make itself.

But hey, whatever floats your boat, IMO 99.9% over egging the point and makes me think it's rubbish, but some people might see it as proof I suppose

100% of people on the forum like cheese.

FACT.

100% of people who don't like percentages don't like percentages....

OK will shut up about it!

Percentages are used to emphasize and he was just emphasizing the point.

This ^

Don't see how you can take it as anything else, when I say Im having a rant in the same sentence, unless ofc you are trying to missunderstand it on purpose

Anyways, the opinion of this game at the moment seem to be split between those that are casual and just wanna have fast fun and those that like spending hours on every match, tweaking every kick on the ball.

Personally I'm of the first type, and the game at the moment is of the second type. So I guess I'm out of luck. And so is all the real life friends I have playing the game. Most of them have binned it and gone back to FM2005 (my favorite of the series by far).

Anyways, I dont see any good coming from discussing this further. The opinions seem to be black and white and nothing in between. So I'll just leave it at that.

Cheers.

I have one point to make and one point only. Before I make it, I must say I love the game and am enjoying it as much as I ever have.

However, FM is just not "pick up and play" anymore - for the casual gamer who doesn't want to spend hours setting up tactic after tactic it can be incredibly difficult to enjoy. I understand that the game has been made "more difficult", or perhaps just "more complex" but I think that it might just be a tad too complex for someone who only has an hour or so to play and not 12!

So to a point I sympathise with the original poster regarding matches etc, because it took me weeks to find a tactic that worked - and then I really started to enjoy the game!

While I remain a little dubious over SI's recent releases myself, I don't 100% feel your arguments are justified.

1) I had a massive game Vs Man Utd coming up in the Champions League - Puyol picked up a bruised shin and I get the option to give him injections... I need him, the games already put half my team out with injuries (Another massive problem), so I take up the option an give him the injection...

... Next news bit says he rejected it because it'll 'potentially harm his career'.... an injection for a bruised shin? Is that how bad footballs become players won't play through a slightly bruised shin?

That said, he's now unhappy, putting in poor performances, and not helping me as a manager at all. Shame goes for Xavi. Both performing at ratings of 5 and with injuries, I can't bench them or anything. I'm on my way to being sacked for not winning a trophy because of this.

This looks like the possibility of poor training schedules combined with bad luck. I actually like the player rejecting the injections, more realitsict. You have to expect players with big egos when you manage at world class clubs! You are far less likely to get this froma player in league one! Hardly a major issue though as I havant had this crop up yet, even in my worst injury crisis I've always had adaquet cover.

2) I've tried every tactic going, i'm losing at home, away, getting stupid draws, having inconsistent wins (Beat Real Madrid, then lose the next few games). I'm Barcelona, and before you reply I use them cause I really am not that good on this game anyway, but I can't score to save my life. None of my players ever rarely go into the 8's, all my team talks make no difference, whether it's me or my Assistant Manager... and then when I squad are failing to perform, I have no option to discipline them. I'd like to launch into an angry rage at the lot of them, not run to the press about one individual.

There is no single tactic that works consistantly anymore aand there hasnt been since 08. You need to have a several basic tactics and tweak them based on scouting reports and opposition styles which change reguarly throughout the game - you need to tweak your tactics accordingly. I know you dont believe me but this really is a tactical issue, you need to read more about the tactics, and thats not necissarly just changing formation mate.

3) Speaking of scoring... why do my team have 20+ attemps before they score, but the opposition can score with every 2 or 3 chances. It's just extremely annoying, and it's been the same in every single game. I only got it recently, is this new patch messing it up or something? Eto'o can barely score one on ones, it's infuriating.

Proves my point on your tactics. You are being forced to shoot from long range most likely - your oposition are scouting youa nd wanting your dangerous players put under pressure and forced to shoot qyickly, which is why you are having problems scoring despite your domination. Again, jsut means you nee dto do a lot more reading about tactics.

4) Transfer System... I thought this was fixed? Is there any point in player exchanges? I tried a test with it earlier. I was after Fabregas off Arsenal, so I offered £30M plus Lionel Messi, just to see the reaction... they rejected it. Now I know Fabregas is crucial to Arsenal and he is a world class player, but Lionel Messi is the best player in the world and in my game he was voted World Player Of The Year, not just that, I offered my entire transfer budget on top of it, and they still rejected it, is that realistic? No it isn't.

No one seems to want to take my players on loan. I've got Bojan listed for Loan, there'd be loads of clubs willing to take him right now, offer him to clubs and no ones interested....

Or how about when clubs enquire about your players? You offer them the same sort of price tag they'd give you an they turn their noses up and either a) Stop their interest or b) Continue to offer the same amount you rejected over an over again.

Cant really argue with that. Although the transfer system is a bit better, ther are still some issues, especially regarding swaping players.

This looks like the possibility of poor training schedules combined with bad luck. I actually like the player rejecting the injections, more realitsict. You have to expect players with big egos when you manage at world class clubs! You are far less likely to get this froma player in league one! Hardly a major issue though as I havant had this crop up yet, even in my worst injury crisis I've always had adaquet cover.

Proves my point on your tactics. You are being forced to shoot from long range most likely - your oposition are scouting youa nd wanting your dangerous players put under pressure and forced to shoot qyickly, which is why you are having problems scoring despite your domination. Again, jsut means you nee dto do a lot more reading about tactics.

A couple of points. Firstly, do you REALLY think it's realistic that Carles Puyol, captain of Barcelona, would refuse to take an injection for a BRUISED SHIN to play against Real Madrid? I doubt it very much indeed.

Secondly, he specifically says Eto'o, IRL possibly the hottest striker in Europe at the moment, is missing lots of one on ones. So why you are going on about long shots I don't know. The fact that he creates lots of one-on-ones would suggest to any reasonable person that his tactics are working. Unfortunately, FM's match engine/tactics system is so flawed and unintuitive that the only way it can interpret what it deems to be an unsatisfactory combination of sliders is by showing lots of missed one on one chances from the centre forward.

A couple of points. Firstly, do you REALLY think it's realistic that Carles Puyol, captain of Barcelona, would refuse to take an injection for a BRUISED SHIN to play against Real Madrid? I doubt it very much indeed.

Players should never be happy to take a pain kiling injection, that's realistic. Unless of course you know something about Puyol, that we don't.

There is no single tactic that works consistantly anymore aand there hasnt been since 08. You need to have a several basic tactics and tweak them based on scouting reports and opposition styles which change reguarly throughout the game - you need to tweak your tactics accordingly. I know you dont believe me but this really is a tactical issue, you need to read more about the tactics, and thats not necissarly just changing formation mate.

Here we go again - person A says you have to constantly change tactics depending on circumstances, while person B says that constantly changing tactics is bad.

That's what makes those people who feel they have a complaint about the poor ME and general randomness of the game feel so cross!

Some players, f.ex. Thomas Gravesen (ex-real madrid player) has never taken any injections, pills or anything like that.. And I bet he's not the only player to refuse this..

Here we go again - person A says you have to constantly change tactics depending on circumstances, while person B says that constantly changing tactics is bad.

That's what makes those people who feel they have a complaint about the poor ME and general randomness of the game feel so cross!

Consistently changing tactics drastically is bad, tweaking tactics is necessary. It's just common sense.

Here we go again - person A says you have to constantly change tactics depending on circumstances, while person B says that constantly changing tactics is bad.

That's what makes those people who feel they have a complaint about the poor ME and general randomness of the game feel so cross!

I believe what he meant was that you need to have a set of basic tactics, which have to be used consistently. In FM08 or older, if you have one good tactic, then it would work well irrespective if you are playing at home or away, and if you are playing a non league team or the current European Champs. In FM09 you need to micro manage a bit more and need a back up tactic for away matches (especially against strong teams).

No it isn't common sense - Box just said that you needed several basic tactics.

The fact is that a set of tactics doesn't work consistently either. You often find that you have to play very defensively to get a result when you are against a weaker side at home or attackingly against a better side away and so on. There isn't a consistent pattern because the game itself is inconsistent and you can't read what to do half the time because the ME is so bad.

A couple of points. Firstly, do you REALLY think it's realistic that Carles Puyol, captain of Barcelona, would refuse to take an injection for a BRUISED SHIN to play against Real Madrid? I doubt it very much indeed.

As someone already pointed out, yes I do think it's realistic.

Secondly, he specifically says Eto'o, IRL possibly the hottest striker in Europe at the moment, is missing lots of one on ones. So why you are going on about long shots I don't know. The fact that he creates lots of one-on-ones would suggest to any reasonable person that his tactics are working. Unfortunately, FM's match engine/tactics system is so flawed and unintuitive that the only way it can interpret what it deems to be an unsatisfactory combination of sliders is by showing lots of missed one on one chances from the centre forward.

Where is he making the shots from? Normally a high number of shots but failure to convert them is to do with the opposition closing your forwards down early and forcing them to make longer shots, i.e. shots from outside the box or from the edge of the area. If you REALLY are getting "loads" of one on ones consistently being saved i suggest you upload a few highlights files up to the bugs forum and take it up there. I can only comment on my own experience, and based on that I havent seen any major problem with one on ones based on playing int eh premiership, lower leagues, Seria A & B and the Spanish leagues. I mean yea you do see the occasional dubious shot, like when the ball seems to bend it's trajectory unrealistically into the keepers hands, but I usually put that down to the graphical display just not representing a saved shot well.

Players should never be happy to take a pain kiling injection, that's realistic. Unless of course you know something about Puyol, that we don't.

I know enough about him and the two clubs involved to say he would do anything to play in such a game. He's tough as hell and captain of what is effectively the Catalan nation. He HATES Real, and would play.

I notice you are curiously silent about my other point...

No it isn't common sense - Box just said that you needed several basic tactics.

The fact is that a set of tactics doesn't work consistently either. You often find that you have to play very defensively to get a result when you are against a weaker side at home or attackingly against a better side away and so on. There isn't a consistent pattern because the game itself is inconsistent and you can't read what to do half the time because the ME is so bad.

I use 3 basic tactics and tweak them according to who I play.

Tactic 1

Home /dominance - more pressing mentality, more aggressive players and higher defensive line etc..

Tactic 2

More neutral tactic I use early in some games to suss out the opposition, usually used against stronger opposition at home etc.

Tactic 3

away/Defensive counter attack. More defensive, deeper and narrow possession play.

All of of these tactics are based around 4-4-2 formation and each game requires me to set up different player instructions and opposition instructions depending on injuries/suspensions/selections etc. Plus I will change from one to the other if I go a goal up/down. Depends how the game goes really, which is the point, you need to change according to how the game pans out. None of the tactics I use are a mass change for my players and they should all be used to them, whereas I wouldn't adopt a brand new tactic mid match - that's where I would expect my team to go into shock. I think thats where some of the confusion over "changing tactics" comes from. Another problem is people confuse formations with tactics and think you can have the same player instructions for every player in their squad against every team in the league.

As someone already pointed out, yes I do think it's realistic.

Where is he making the shots from? Normally a high number of shots but failure to convert them is to do with the opposition closing your forwards down early and forcing them to make longer shots, i.e. shots from outside the box or from the edge of the area. If you REALLY are getting "loads" of one on ones consistently being saved i suggest you upload a few highlights files up to the bugs forum and take it up there. I can only comment on my own experience, and based on that I havent seen any major problem with one on ones based on playing int eh premiership, lower leagues, Seria A & B and the Spanish leagues. I mean yea you do see the occasional dubious shot, like when the ball seems to bend it's trajectory unrealistically into the keepers hands, but I usually put that down to the graphical display just not representing a saved shot well.

I'm sorry but if you haven't seen the one on one problem then I don't think it's actually worth trying to debate with you. It's a commonly-known problem with the 902 ME. I've won leagues and had world-class strikers, but nine times out of ten when they go through I know they will miss.

As for Puyol, it's not realistic. Willingness to take injections etc is supposed to be linked to mental attributes etc etc - he's the captain, one of the club's icons and they're playing not just their biggest rivals, but probably THE biggest rivalry in all of football. And it's a BRUISED SHIN ffs. He is probably the player I'd consider LEAST likely to refuse an injection in these circumstances.

I know enough about him and the two clubs involved to say he would do anything to play in such a game. He's tough as hell and captain of what is effectively the Catalan nation. He HATES Real, and would play.

I notice you are curiously silent about my other point...

I didn't realise I was expected to reply to both points :confused: I didn't reply to it, because it has been discussed to death and AFAIC Box is right and you are wrong. I have nothing more to add on that subject.

You're point, regards Puyol, is ficitious and speculative, to base any form of critique of the game on your personal opinion about a footballer and how he would react to an injection is ludicrous. Fact of the matter is, you're guessing, just as SI are guessing, so i'll take both views with a pinch of salt tbh and certainly won't take it seriously as a complaint about the game.

Where is he making the shots from? Normally a high number of shots but failure to convert them is to do with the opposition closing your forwards down early and forcing them to make longer shots, i.e. shots from outside the box or from the edge of the area. If you REALLY are getting "loads" of one on ones consistently being saved i suggest you upload a few highlights files up to the bugs forum and take it up there. I can only comment on my own experience, and based on that I havent seen any major problem with one on ones based on playing int eh premiership, lower leagues, Seria A & B and the Spanish leagues. I mean yea you do see the occasional dubious shot, like when the ball seems to bend it's trajectory unrealistically into the keepers hands, but I usually put that down to the graphical display just not representing a saved shot well.

In 1-on-1 situation, with players like Henry and Eto'o the, the edge should definitely be with the striker (this is reflecting proper when they play against you). I could agree that closing down should effect players with low composure and finishing, but with players like Henry, finishing from 1-on-1's was almost a hallmark of the player.

I didn't realise I was expected to reply to both points :confused: I didn't reply to it, because it has been discussed to death and AFAIC Box is right and you are wrong. I have nothing more to add on that subject.

You're point, regards Puyol, is ficitious and speculative, to base any form of critique of the game on your personal opinion about a footballer and how he would react to an injection is ludicrous. Fact of the matter is, you're guessing, just as SI are guessing, so i'll take both views with a pinch of salt tbh and certainly won't take it seriously as a complaint about the game.

Of course it's speculative - I haven't got his mental attributes to hand but I imagine from my knowledge of him as a player they would be high in all the places you'd think would be needed to take an injection - eg selfless, leader, determined, Barcelona as favoured club, Real as disliked club and so on. So whilst yes I am speculating just as you are, I would think that it could show a flaw in the game as I am struggling to come up with a set of circumstances where I feel a player would be more likely to agree to an injection. John Terry in a Champions League final perhaps..

I have sympathy for the OP. It's far far too easy to blame people ("It's your tactics!") for being bad players when there are undoubted faults with the game.

No matter what people say, the '20 shots to 1' phenomenon occurs far too often to be realistic, the match engine has a number of serious faults in it, there are obvious bugs in the loan and transfer systems, press conferences and team talks are repetitive and have too much influence on the results of matches, there are glitches in various leagues....etc etc.

These are problems with the game, not with people's tactics. Those who keep on saying that everything is great and that it's all down to the player need to look at the number of grumbles which people have and the number of different individuals who find the same problems.

There are problems with the game. Lots of them. There are also lots of people who are far too willing to blame 'superkeepers' and bugs for not understanding how to set up a tactic. Not necessarily their fault, as the interface for creating tactics is increasingly difficult to relate to in-game events.

Another problem is that some seem to have a 'highlights' mentality with regards to football. If your player is one-on-one, he should score right? Actually, wrong. One-on-ones actually favour the goalkeeper in the real world. Twenty shots in a game is a good effort, but totally meaningless if your players are taking them from 30 yards out - scoring 1 in 20 if that's the case is actually a good effort.

As for changing your tactics, it's not as black and white as either 'don't change' or 'change'. Your team benefit from a settled style of play, but then your opponents benefit from knowing exactly how you will play. So it's a balancing act between the two requirements of not making so many changes your team plays like donkeys and making so few changes that the opposition has countered your attacking threat and knows how to break you down defensively even before kick off.

There are bugs in the game. Beyond any shadow of a doubt. There's a lot which could be fixed by slowing down the development cycle and having 2 years between incarnations of the game. Better documentation (hence the semi-official status of the TT&F now) would aid many. But it won't solve liveware problems which exist between the PC monitor and the desk chair.

Players should never be happy to take a pain kiling injection, that's realistic. Unless of course you know something about Puyol, that we don't.

Most players want to play above everything else. A lot of players are constantly on painkillers. A player could become unhappy if he's asked to take injections when there is a possibility of long term consequences. Not when they have bruises on their shins. I would seriously like to think the Barcelona captain would not want to miss a game against Real Madrid because of a bruised shin. This feature should not be random. But as far as I can tell the only way this game can detect the difference between different injuries is by comparing the predicted periods of time the players are supposed to be out for. Not the specific types of injuries.

Another problem is that some seem to have a 'highlights' mentality with regards to football. If your player is one-on-one, he should score right? Actually, wrong. One-on-ones actually favour the goalkeeper in the real world. Twenty shots in a game is a good effort, but totally meaningless if your players are taking them from 30 yards out - scoring 1 in 20 if that's the case is actually a good effort.

Agreed in case of longshots, but on-on-ones are hardly long shots.