Why does my team stink all the sudden?

I used Genoa and miraculously won my first seasoon by just 1 point over Juve (84 to 83). Reason for that was due to my attacking tactics between 4-2-4, and 3-5-2; resulting in leading the league in goals scored thanks to Milito. Having received a lot of money, and rightfully confirmed to my ownership that i intend to make a title challenge, i received a large amount of dough.

This is mu current team:

Rubinho

Cassani

Modesto

Thiago Silva

Ceceres (loan)

Katsouranis

Vanden Borre

Miccoli

Mata

Lavezzi

Milito

Papastathopoulos

Materazzi

Bolzoni

Jankovic

Ferrari

Rossi, M

Leko

Boriello

Now, i take it that this game gets more difficult after you win, right? Or if not, then why does my team all the sudden suck that it can barely score any kind of goal? I keep hitting the woodwork, miss shots, and worst of all i missed three out of four PK shots.

For crying out loud....i only beat lowly Mantova 1-0.

What is goin on!?

I haven't done anything different other than improving my team. I lost to Napoli 1-0 and they killed me, plus injuring three players of mine (Ceceres, Silva, and Milito). They are not even a good team this year (October 2009). Since i was seriously upset about it, i reloaded the game without saving. I know, it's cheating, but it the AI cheated too! So, i lose 2-1 this time, again by one goal, and this time Miccoli, Mata, get injured, and Leko a slight injury but not the least bit concerning. Again, i got even more upset as it seems like a destined result that my team not only can't score, but loses by one goal and gets injured players. I reloaded. I lose 2-0 this time with the ref not calling two possible PK shots for me, but calling one in favor of Napoli, and this time Miccoli, Leko, and Modesto were injured.

So i just quit the game, got on here to try and find some solutions.

Any one got any? It's not like i am clueless about this game. I've played its earlier versions so many times, and i just won Serie A last year being the best offensive team in the league. So why all the sudden, with things being the same except for defensive changes that are actually better, and i sold Palladino who didn't do much last year anyway, allowing me to get Mata with barely enough funds.

My tactics are the same. Player morale is good....well...now it's okay because of going WDDL and Napoli another L if counted. I just don't get it.

Is it a bug? Or does this game just get more difficult, even when playing against lowly teams? It shouldn't, but please someone help!

Happens all the time at least to me... If you have a really good attacking formation, the AI picks up on it. I like rotating tactics, but one season something clicked and i scored about 90 goals. The next season i signed Kroos and switched my tactics again and scored 111, signed Messi, new tactic, 124... this season, kept the tactic the same, stopped almost every game. Nothing but long shots and 1-0 2-1 victories. Its annoying but true, managers pick up on other teams tactics. You just need to switch things around, have 2 or 3 brilliant but similar tactics and rotate every 6 months or so (if you are in Champions league, i suggest inbetween group stage and the second round so your team is 100 percent confident in the tactics... Hope that helps!!!

2nd Season Syndrome

Did you bring many players in in the summer window? Sometimes they can take a while to get used to the new tactics. Otherwise, it's probably just the AI getting wise to your tactics, consider a slight change but nothing drastic.

As champions i'd imagine teams you are facing will naturally be more defensive than before. It might be nullifying your previous tactics.

Interesting, thanks for the advice guys.

I have the same problem as well, however I started the season already so Im not too sure that I want to change my tactic half way through the season.

I have the same problem as well, however I started the season already so Im not too sure that I want to change my tactic half way through the season.

its possible, yet frustrating... Pick a 3 game fixture where the last game is the worst team within your league, first 2 games, start with the new tactic, but switch out depending on the result. 3 game hopefully against the weaker opponent, your team will dominate and understand the tactic... the next 7-10 games will have learning curves but i noticed playing that tactic against weaker teams helps... and its worked for me

This is getting ridiculous. I lost two more times against Napoli with still two to three injuries, and finally i tied against them with Thiago Silva and Modesto injured, and Boriello with a slight injury.

My next game against a very lowly team, AZ, in the ECC. AGAIN.... i lose and gained one injury "Vanden Borre". I say BS because it's impossible that my team just flat out sucks. I loaded again and lost 3-1.

What the hell? I've tried just about everything and the outcome is no different. What's the explanation to the injuries? My training is medium-light, too. It's like as if the game is programmed to not let me win this season. This is ridiculous. I can understand if i was a rookie at this game, but damn....i certainly am not. This has never happened to me before.

What do i do? I admire my success with Genoa the year prior winning by a lucky one point, but man.....that was something i did not expect to pull off. I don't want to give that up.

I mean, my team is VERY good. There's just no explanation, what so ever, that it is this horrible. I can take losses, but the team gets hammered each game, each time i reload, no matter what tactic, and it gets killed in all aspects of the game.

Why?

I mean, two 20 yard goals from AZ with its C-level at best attacking midi (forgot his name but he is an Aussie)..... it's just not right. This is not the AI being smart, but the AI programming a definite loss for me.

Something is not right here. So, it's either a bug or a fact that the AI programmes a definite loss for me no matter what. I mean, i feel like i can have the Brazilian national team against AZ and i'll still lose.

Are you playing home or away? If your at home, and based on last seasons success teams will be a lot more defensive against you. Away from home, it seems th AI has countered your tactic. What sort of goals are you conceding? Are they breakaway goals? Long range? Corners? Crosses? The 2 20 yard goals in your last post, try closing down there midfield. The AI will learn to counter your tactic but its a two-way street, and you need to learn how to counter theres too.

are you checking the morale of your players? this is essential . try to play players with good morale that should help

I'm sure Rafa felt the same way halfway through last season.

Thing is the opposition is not playing defensively. And if so, i tried three, well...four actually, defensive tactics which only result in too much goal scoring.

I only have Rubinho, Rossi (not playing though), and Ferrari that have poor morale. The others are okay or better.

I'll keep trying your suggestions, and if it doesn't work out i'm giving up on the team selling a bunch of players, starting with Milito whose value is as high as would ever be, and i'll buy a bunch of midfielders.

Man this is frustrating.....

And if i get fired, oh well! At least i have a Serie A title under my belt.

Thanks for the continuous advice guys, i'll keep you posted!

good luck mate! keep it up

Thats a bad idea, i see 2 problems, one you have a medium to light training schedule which could explain the injuries. If they dont train enough they dont get fitness high enough and are suscetible to injuries. Secondly selling off you're team will only make things SO much worse, especially if they are key players as you suggested milito is.

I've noticed my team dips and peaks as well. Things go well, then suddenly performances start dipping again. Just battle through it. And yes, you're the champions, so teams will obviously play more defensively against you. And also, they could be going in hard on your players to try and knock you about a bit. It happens on my game too, but the vast majority aren't serious injuries, and I have the depth to cope with little to no problem. I just make my players go in hard on their team as well to teach them a lesson

Id guess its a combination of things.

1) You arent underdogs anymore and teams will play more suited tactics against you, where as in your first season they probably underestimated you.

2) Your players may have become complacent and/or cocky and be expecting to beat everyone, I had a run of 2 or 3 bad results in my second season and most times it was cause their in-match motivation was 'looking complacent' so I gave them the hairdryer and played a few fringe players in the next game and it seemed to kick them back to life

3) You may just have been lucky in your first season and performed way above your actual level.

4) The injuries suggest to me (and i may be wrong) that the opposition is doing hard tackling against you. Again this was happening to me alot last season (season 2) suddenly teams were kicking us all over the pitch, I had injury after injury at one point.

Not sure how to counter it really, playing higher tempo seems to help as it draws fouls more, once a few of them get carded they tend to back off a bit.

The AI likes to kick the crap out of your most feeble attackers if they are worried about you winning. I found half-way through a good season, after my star support striker had had a blinder up to January, he started playing like crap because he was getting tight-marked and kicked to pieces every time he got the ball. Since he was my playmaker, and the team was built around him then it meant I'd win from set-piece goals or long-range shots or have to settle for bore draws.

I had to adjust my tactics so that the team doesn't rush the ball to him, but spreads it around a little - he's now started playing well again

You said you lead the league in goals "thanks to Milito" - what's happening to him now? Can your team still perform if he has a bad day?

Also, the AI, I can almost guarantee you, WILL play more defensively than they did last year. What tactics are you adopting against that? Just increasing attacking might not work at all, and just lose you goals on the counter-attack, so you might want to try slowing down the play, being a little more defensive, and basically just keeping possession and waiting for an opening.

It all depends on what your starting tactics are though.

Also, what team talks are you doing? And press conferences?

As Avelives said, you could have let your squad grow complacent.

Could you upload a pkm and/or give some better idea of your tactics? Otherwise you're only going to get very generalised advice.