Taking a Walk Down Memory Lane With FM07

*Please note that what follows is an entirely subjective opinion about the FM games.*

So I had a bit of spare time this evening and I loaded up my old FM07 save with St. Albans City, in which I took them up to the Premier League. When I left it, I had just started my second season in the top flight and was sitting towards the top of the league.

I loaded in some FM08 tactics and off I went. I wanted to see if FM07 lived up to the hype of being the best FM of the series (as many people say it is).

First thing I noticed is that loading and saving games takes a LONG time. I made a cup of tea while my save was loading up. It's in the year 2020 so I guess that might have something to do with it.

I was slightly irritated straight away by the lack of assistant/coach reports, meaning that it is quite difficult to get a quick idea of who are the stars in your squad. I missed the star system very much. However, bizarrely I remembered nearly every single member of my Saints team, having loved this save so very much during 2006/2007. You can request a coach report for each player, which helps somewhat, but it isn't as accessible and easy as the assistant star system. Squad management is therefore a little more challenging on FM07

Processing through the days takes definitely longer than FM08 but again that might be because I have gone so far into the future. It is my opinion that FM08 is smoother in terms of processing though.

The skin is wonderful and about a million times better than FM08 and FM09 put together. It's also really nice to have all of your news in one place.

Anyway, I got started with a 4-2-3-1 system as it suited the players I had available. One immediate frustration occurred when going through the tactic and when selecting set-piece takers etc. FM07 doesn't provide any attribute information, which means you have to keep returning to the squad screen before making your choices for long shots or free kicks and so on.

On entering the match, I realised that there was no 'ask assistant' button for the team talks. I didn't realise how much I had come to rely on that. I made my choice and off we went.

The 2D engine looks slick and full screen dot mode looks great although toggling in and out of it all of the time is a pain. My 4-2-3-1 system worked decently but it seems that 4-4-2 rules the roost in FM07. The combination of a quick striker and a tall striker up front is deadly and the only way to go on FM07.

I suddenly realised how reliant the FM07 match engine is on the target man. My lone striker contested 21 headers in total. I was playing short and slow, however the match engine was showing a lot of balls being contested in the air.

I had a very tight match against Manchester City, winning with a last minute goal after switching to a 4-4-2 formation. To make a tactical change, the user has to click and wait until a break in play. It's a little frustrating compared to the later games where you can access your tactics straight away. Manchester City are a good team on my game and it is a really tight match. I get the feeling, from watching the 2D match representation that I'm under pressure for periods in this match. It's difficult for me to describe but I can see that Manchester City are a good team and that it isn't my tactics or team talk. On later FMs, sometimes pressure can feel a bit arbitrary and more down to a poor team talk or tactical choice.

The next game, I was up against Auxerre. I forgot just how effective defensive, direct, counter-attacking football is on this version. I totally outplayed them with 32 shots but only won 1-0!

I used the same tactics as I have been using on FM08 and FM09. Proof that the tactical side of things hasn't really changed or evolved at all, despite what many people think.

There is less feedback about everything on FM07. While it actually makes things feel more dynamic and quicker, I missed some of the reaction and extra detail you get with 08 and 09.

I closed down FM07 after this game. I can only make limited conclusions after only playing two games but I would say that FM07 feels less sensitive than later versions to me. My performances seemed very steady and I felt in control of what was happening, which sometimes doesn't happen in the later FMs.

I just thought it was interesting to go back and look at FM07 due to so many people loving this edition of the game. Taking this trip down memory lane, I realised that FM has both come a long way and stalled along the way to FM09. There are lots of things to make a manager's life easier in FM08 and FM09 but the progression in tactics and team talks in those versions is disappointing. The match engine has improved in FM08 8.2 and FM09 9.3. Somewhere along the line though, the simple functionality of FM07 has been lost in my opinion. On FM07, I found myself craving that little bit more detail that is in FM08 but also glad that there wasn't so much detail as in FM09.

Would be interested to hear other people's opinions about this.

C.

P.S. My game time on my FM07 save 21 days, 5 hours, 38 minutes - 'this is my life and I'll do what I want with it'.

I still love 07, but can't go back to it now i've started a save on 08. The lack of coach reports is a killer for me, as is the simplicity of creating a winning tactic.

I've been tempted to go back to FM07 or 08, as I've never really got into a game properly on 09 whatsoever. Interesting to hear your impressions having gone back, will have to see if I feel similarly.

FM07 was a very good game at the time and one that gave me countless hours of enjoyment. But i always recognised it wasn't perfect and there were a number of things about it that really bugged me - and that's why i have never jumped on the FM07 bandwagon. Plus i know from experience that i can never enjoy going back to older versions because there will always be features that i take for granted that i would miss.

Which is exactly the bonus of 08. I can't run 3D and all the other additions are so pointless i don't mind losing them.

Nice post!

Well i'm one of those stayed on FM07. I have played both FM08 and FM09 and hadn't the enjoyment i had with FM07 where I have 4 saves going, with two being a normal ones: training Benfica and the other Man United, another with a friend and last one fantasy one that I made few edits in making the Portuguese League the best league in Europe.

Of course there are few graphic improvements and the coach reports, but that can be easily live without, because the game is far more simpler, nice then the newer versions.

Like Crouchaldinho said, waiting the match to stop to make tactical changes and all isn't quite true, because FM07 have the quick that doesn't stop the match, to make tactical changes.

However my grief with FM08 and FM09 is not having the stop match to make subs, because how much i played, i felt under pressure to make the subs quick as possible for not wasting time and end up making few mistakes. Since those mistakes I have to pause the game, so that I can make the subs. For me that doesn't make any sense to pause a game to make the subs. If the match stops for you to replace an injure player, then why not an option to those that wish to game to stop to make subs.

In fact if the subs and tactical are now made when the match is still playing, why not when you got injured player instead of the game stopping, why not continue?

The extraordinary loading/saving time would kill it for me I think. I've got a nice downloaded skin so the dreadfully dull original FM07 skin wouldn't bother me too much.

There was one thing I hated about the match engine: strikers kept shooting from insanely difficult angles... there were plenty of goals scored from the byline.

The extraordinary loading/saving time would kill it for me I think. I've got a nice downloaded skin so the dreadfully dull original FM07 skin wouldn't bother me too much.

There was one thing I hated about the match engine: strikers kept shooting from insanely difficult angles... there were plenty of goals scored from the byline.

Loading and saving times were quite long, but you're probably exaggerating it in your head. The bar initially goes up at a speed similar to 09's, but then the last little push takes about six seconds.

The 07 skin was fb IMO, but each to their own.

That problem was fixed with 7.0.2.

"FM07 doesn't provide any attribute information, which means you have to keep returning to the squad screen before making your choices for long shots or free kicks and so on."

It does for set pieces, but not anything else.

Tactics- there is quick tactics, which is the "new" system. Nobody used it, so why did they force it upon everybody?

Even then, detailed tactics actually implements what you want quicker.

Detailed tactics (07)- game pauses, you make changes, they are implemented. If you want to change them, you can do so at any time before the match restarts.

Current system- you load up tactics screen. After making changes, you press submit. At the next pause- which tends to be further apart than the 07 ones from experience- they are implemented. If you want to make a change, you have to wait again for another pause. All in all, it's a much worse system- but psychologically, you think you're making changes quicker. You actually have to wait over twice as long!

"FM07 doesn't provide any attribute information, which means you have to keep returning to the squad screen before making your choices for long shots or free kicks and so on."

It does for set pieces, but not anything else.

Tactics- there is quick tactics, which is the "new" system. Nobody used it, so why did they force it upon everybody?

Even then, detailed tactics actually implements what you want quicker.

Detailed tactics (07)- game pauses, you make changes, they are implemented. If you want to change them, you can do so at any time before the match restarts.

Current system- you load up tactics screen. After making changes, you press submit. At the next pause- which tends to be further apart than the 07 ones from experience- they are implemented. If you want to make a change, you have to wait again for another pause. All in all, it's a much worse system- but psychologically, you think you're making changes quicker. You actually have to wait over twice as long!

That is what i hate about the current system, but another thing, is that you have the pressure to make that subs quicker. I personally made few mistakes and press submit, when I noticed I had place defender as a striker or midfielder, of course that lead me for the team not to play and end up loosing the game. Since then I had to pause the game to make the subs. Now is not an issue because I'm currently playing FM07

If you don't mind losing all the history in your game (i.e. career statistics, previous tables and so on), download this: http://rapidshare.com/files/7696807/fmsavecleaner107.rar.html

It will speed up the game to what it used to be when you first started by getting rid of all of it.

Do backup your files in case, though.

That is what i hate about the current system, but another thing, is that you have the pressure to make that subs quicker. I personally made few mistakes and press submit, when I noticed I had place defender as a striker or midfielder, of course that lead me for the team not to play and end up loosing the game. Since then I had to pause the game to make the subs. Now is not an issue because I'm currently playing FM07

Yeah, I've always paused it. Although sometimes I pause, go into tactics, and then unpause

AFter those mistakes, that is what I did when I got tired of both FM08 and FM09

Just gone back to FM08 from 09 - something about 09 just didnt do it for me. Although I have been enjoying FM games for years, these days I just dont have the time to play for hours, and 09 just seemed too detailed and complex for a causal gamer. I can only play for 10 mins here and there, so 08 is better for just picking up and playing a couple of matches. Would have tried an older version, but like it to be up to date and 08 has lots updates databases about. I dont really care about little me flaws etc - it is only agame after all. I just wish 08 had 3d which I must admit I do enjoy.

Well, the Fm 07 experience was, when I tried to get into Football Manager and I gave up because of so much information I couldn't grasp. I really got baptized with FM 08. Great game. And now, that I downloaded 9.3 patch last week and started over, I'm having the greatest time with FM. Even 3D is now quite enjoyable. What I really loved about FM 07 are the colours and the skin in general. What I fear for FM2010 and ongoing is that we might get more Web 2.0 look and feel, which I dislike.

The problem with the FM07 tactics system was that it could be easily exploited to your advantage. If you are 1-0 up going into injury time and a highlight starts, you make some arbitrary tactical change. Then if say the opposition get a corner they would have scored from, your tactical changes comes into effect and something different happens instead.

FM07 was my first FM, so I'll always have a soft spot for it, and I can understand why people say it's the best one (out of the 3 I've owned)

However, as Crouchaldinho mentions, I get too hooked on the features for me to go back. I rely far too much on things like coach reports to not have them in a game.

The skin has been the best I've had though (which isn't saying much as 08 and 09 are extremely similar) and would welcome back a similar look for FM10

The problem with the FM07 tactics system was that it could be easily exploited to your advantage. If you are 1-0 up going into injury time and a highlight starts, you make some arbitrary tactical change. Then if say the opposition get a corner they would have scored from, your tactical changes comes into effect and something different happens instead.

Rubbish. You've pulled that from thin air. It's nothing like the 07 system, and that has never happened anyway. It's not a time machine, and your tactic is implemented during the break, which is the same time you make the changes.

Hang on, just read that better. That's the same as the current system And regardless, as Ov says, you don't know they're going to score.

How do you know the opposition were going to score from the corner?

You don't, but if a highlight starts up when you're winning and the ball goes out of play before anything happens then making an arbitrary tactical change will reduce the chance of a goal. I assumed this was why the new system was introduced.

SCIAG,

I've just realised that I described it wrong in my first post. I meant that you click on the tactics button when the highlight starts and then make arbitrary changes if they get a free kick or a corner or something.

I suppose you could try to do something similar with the current system but it would be much more difficult because you don't know when your changes will be implemented (usually not for ages) and even once you get the "making tactical changes" message it still takes a while for it to actually come into effect.

Sorry to post three times in a row, but I still haven't explained this properly. My memory of FM07 is quite poor.

Let's say you are narrowly leading in a big match and you get into the last few minutes. You can click the tactics button and wait for a break in play till it takes you to the tactics screen. If this happens before you see any highlights you just cancel and then click the tactic button again the second play resumes. If you get taken to the tactics screen during a highlight, you make an arbitrary change, the match is recalculated and the highlight disappears.

Hopefully I have got it right this time and you can see why this doesn't work in the new system.

Just gone back to FM08 from 09 - something about 09 just didnt do it for me. Although I have been enjoying FM games for years, these days I just dont have the time to play for hours, and 09 just seemed too detailed and complex for a causal gamer. I can only play for 10 mins here and there, so 08 is better for just picking up and playing a couple of matches. Would have tried an older version, but like it to be up to date and 08 has lots updates databases about. I dont really care about little me flaws etc - it is only agame after all. I just wish 08 had 3d which I must admit I do enjoy.

Its funny how these forums polarise opinions. I always felt that FM07, 08 & 09 were similarly time consuming - actually I felt 09 was the least time consuming probably due to the Ass Man feedback (I was prepared to rough out my starting tactic rather than microdesigning it because any problems would quickly get highlighted by the Ass Man early in-match). FM07 has always been SI's Ba$tard child to me, I just couldnt get into it, especially after the still very good FM06. Sadly FM is becoming a product not suited to the 10 min gamer - shame, but then the Stat Heads are happier with the extra depth, you cant please everyone I guess.

I still think that with 08 and 09 its far too unrealistic. No doubt ill get the "you want an easy game" or " you just dont know how to use tactics" etc etc thrown at me, but the fact is do you think rafa benitez when playing a match bases his tactics on a system remotely simlar to the sliders.

I think not!. Now in the latest fm games its got to be a joke. People are right when they talk about the game now being a mathmatical puzzle, its more sudoku manager than football manager these days.

Back to cm0304 for me.

I still think that with 08 and 09 its far too unrealistic. No doubt ill get the "you want an easy game" or " you just dont know how to use tactics" etc etc thrown at me, but the fact is do you think rafa benitez when playing a match bases his tactics on a system remotely simlar to the sliders.

I think not!. Now in the latest fm games its got to be a joke. People are right when they talk about the game now being a mathmatical puzzle, its more sudoku manager than football manager these days.

Back to cm0304 for me.

Agree, well put... but I hated 03/04 LOL. CM0102 is still great for shallower (but still pretty deep) gameplay, FM06 for me is the only 2d down "good" FM. 09 had promise but gets worse with every play. I hope (and almost pray) that the new tactical interface makes FM a proper football game again, even if hidden sliders drive it.

Agree, well put... but I hated 03/04 LOL. CM0102 is still great for shallower (but still pretty deep) gameplay, FM06 for me is the only 2d down "good" FM. 09 had promise but gets worse with every play. I hope (and almost pray) that the new tactical interface makes FM a proper football game again, even if hidden sliders drive it.

what did you hate about 03/04, the reason i like it is its the most advanced out of the last good cm games.

what did you hate about 03/04, the reason i like it is its the most advanced out of the last good cm games.

I felt it looked clumbsy and then there was the damned cheat tactics (MC long farrows). To be fair, I may be lumping it in with CM4, maybe 04/05 data update was better. FM05 just seemed such a leap forward after it, and FM06 then was the polished article - everything since has been overcomplicated, too fussy & not as intuitive. CM0102 tactics (I discovered 4231 myself as I just like that set up) seemed to make sense to me but in the Post-06 games they dont.