Choosing starters by stars or form?

I am having players on my squad now who have lower star ratings, but their form ratings are pretty good. How do you choose players, by the start ratings assigned by asst mgr or by the form of their prior games?

I do it on merit and it's worked out well so far.

For example my star striker just stopped scoring so I decided to remove him and play my sub. My sub (significantly inferior player) has scored a goal a game in my last 4. I plan on playing him until he loses form.

In another save, the player labeled as the weakest player in my squad was top of the table in assists. The guy generally did very well for me.

Has to be on form. Some startplayers who are maybe a bit out of form but I know are capable of playing well I will keep starting for a little longer but if we are losing games I want the guys who are going to turn that around by scoring goals, no matter what their stats say.

I always go by attributes then Average match rating.

My personal opinion is that it's quite a lot more complicated than that.

As an Arsenal fan, I have, many times, battled the vaguaries of Adebayor's erratic form / goalscoring ability. He can be perfectly happy, it all looks well - he's fit, rested, and had a good 10 - 15 games or so, then BANG! He stops being any use. You have to rest him for 6-7 games, then he picks up right at the top again.

The reason I use this example is that the answer to your question is:- BOTH, and more.

They need to be a player of a correct level for that team - playing a League One player in the Premiership does nobody any favours.

ALSO

They need to be in reasonable form IF YOU NEED TO RELY ON THEM. If the rest of your team are doing well, then you can carry a player or two - depends on the relative strength of your opponents.

ALSO

Their morale needs to be at least OKAY if you are relying on them performing, and that IMO is the bare minimum.

As someone far wiser than me once said: form is temporary, class is permanent! I guess in FM this translates to "form is fickle and complex, stars are permanent."

Stars are generally useless for anything but judging potential, dont use them for anything else, unless you really cant decide between players I guess.

Example: Both my starting fullbacks during the last 5 seasons (which have provided many titles) are, according to the starsystem, only the 3rd best at their positions.

Attributes combined with the form, the opponents (the way you plan to play in the given match), morale and fitness is the way to go.