Severe downturn in form - whats gone wrong?

I’ve played All the football managers to date and am currently playing fm09 9.2.0

The situation I’ve looking for help with is that whatever I try and do my team always seems to have a dire downturn in form. I started the season as Preston and won 5/5. I received the championship manager of the month and my only signing won championship player of the month.

Next thing I know is that I play next 5 and lose all 5.

Tried all the usual morale boosters (friendly matches, praise support to press – even if I do find it hard to praise a run of 7.2)

I cannot figure it out.

Heres what I did between first winning 5 and next losing 5:

1) Criticised captain to media after a win – the fans spokesperson had stated that the player had been under achieving and was looking to see me deal with it. The player agreed with this complaint and his morale went to superb. This player has never played well for me in this or any other of my restarted games (even if team is flying)

2a) Signed a new English speaking attacking midfielder from costa rica – did this upset squad balance/harmony?

2b) changed status of AM being replaced from important player to rotation player and put an asking price of 70% his current value. Player then went unhappy and stated I undervalued him.

3) I’ve Been using 4-4-2 Rule Of One, has the game figured out my tactics?

Anybody got any ideas to get my team playing well again? – I’ve managed to get morale back up to superb through 70% of team by going on a friendly tour, even though we’ve dropped from 1st to 16thand our squad harmony has remained at 50% all season.

Try a change in either tactics or training. I don't know if I'm imagining it, but varying training usually has a positive effect a couple of weeks after doing it.

When I dip in form, I also try using the default tactics from the game, tweaking them a bit during the game to get the best out of my players. Seems to work okay.

But morale is a big problem with players' form. I guess it's just like you or me going to the office. Or school.

Well I have been receiving messages titled "Preston boss unwilling to experiment"

"Preston fans have called for manager to abandon 4-4-2 and experiment with something else."

I like to try and impose my tactics on the oppposition rather than varying the formation dependant on opposition. Would there have been a 'trigger' that meant after my 5 games I should rotate my formation or is it wholly dependent on opposition?

For example my team was winning home & away with my Roo 4-4-2 with almost a "we're gonna score 1 more than you style" when we went away to southampton and got hammered 4-1.

Would it have been becuase my tactics were ineffective against southampton away or just that my tactics had become 'stale' and needed to be rotated?

AI has most likely figured out your tactics, although a combination of other small effects can have an impact.

Time to freshen things up, when I go on a bad run I tend to change training, tactics and first team selection and re-jij around a bit until something clicks.

Try putting less pressure on the players in pre-match team talks.

Well in that case I'm thinking I need to alter my tactics. Would maybe having 4-4-2 for home and 4-5-1 roo for away be a solution?, or would it be better ro leave 4-4-2 alltogether for a while?

I've employed the maximum number of coaches allowed by the board (which is only 6) so trainings acceptable but i'd like to have a good coach for each discipline eventually.

I'm also thinking of using tugs training - as opposed to the default general, would this be suitable for championship level players?

For the last 3 games i've been trying to reduce the pressure by giving the enjoy the game/ no pressure on this game with odd "I have faith" for a couple of key players - but its not changed the general bad form.

This might sound like the most rediculous (sp) of questions, but did you reload in that time?

I'm not too sure what you mean, but if you mean did I have a defeat and then try to reload and replay then no, and thats why i'm currenty on a 5 match out of 5 defeat run.

No, i mean, did you stop playing, and reload to play again in the middle of your run, for example:

5 wins, stop playing.

Save and go to bed or something.

Reload to continue playing after nap

5 loses.

Hope that makes more sense now.

Ahh I see,No, I played all 10 games (5W/5L) in one sitting.

Actually for years I've thought that there seems to be no continuity between playing sessions, for example playing well, saving then coming back to reload and finding that your team is then useless, or the reverse where if your team goes on a bad run to save it and play some other time and it seems to work. probably coincidence though!

No, it isn't a coincidence. I can't remember who, but an SI member has confirmed that form is generated during loading time. That's why I always get my ass man to pick the team on my fist match after a load, because I feel I have no control on how well my team plays.

Tbh, I have no idea why your form could have taken such a nose dive, maybe you are playing teams on top form now, compared to some worse teams. Or maybe it's just the luck of the draw.

Well, I'm going to go down the route of shaking the tactics and formation up.

I've switched training to Tugs setup and I'm now looking at creating either a Roo 4-5-1 or a 4-3-2-1.

I'll see how it goes.

I can't remember who, but an SI member has confirmed that form is generated during loading time.

Utter tripe.

Utter tripe.

You'll find it isn't utter tripe. Have you heard otherwise, or are you just making some unfounded statement because you think your right?

No more unfounded than your statement. You've not exactly backed it up with real evidence, so surely you've said what you said because you think you're right.

Well, the post was on the old forums and i can't stand the search function, so we'll have to agree to disagree. Even though I know I'm not making this stuff up

Well said I'd keep you updated and here are the next 7 games:

Derby away lost 0-1. Derby were top of the league not bad result, with what few chances I got hitting crossbar.

sheff utd home 1-1, not bad result again considering my run and Sheffiend utd were in 3rd.

Blackpool away WIN 1-3. Team really up for match, without dooubt would have been sacked if lost, biggest derby match of season.

birmingham away draw 1-1, brum lucky, scoring a 90 minute equaliser after looking toothless all game.

bristol city home draw 1-1, again opposition lucky to get draw, thinking about reverting back to 4-4-2 for next home game

charlton home win 2-1, had to get angry at half time 1-1

watford away win 1-4, great result team getting good feeling back, streak to 6 without defeat, back up to 12th.

Got to say changing formation & training seems to have worked. wonder when I need to move on again...?