I need some advise

I am enjoying this game a lot and I think it is great however there are certain times when I have laughed and think it is pathetically unrealistic. I occasionally get some peculiar results when I play. I am Chelsea and I am currently top of the league, but for some strange reason I went 2 goals down to Everton at home and I was 4 goals down against City. The final score against city ended City 6-3 Chelsea. I am using the same formation I usually do, I can beat teams easily then all of a sudden I lose by a massive margin. This is stupid, and its getting on my nerves, can anyone give me some advise on how to do better? Or on how to not conceded loads against teams I am better than.

Even big teams lose sometimes! I presume by City you mean Manchester City?

Yeah I know all big teams lose, but losing by 3 goals in a big game will never happen. I was f4-0 down before half time, that will never happen in real life. I find it stupid how this happens. I have Cech, Terry, Ashley Cole, Carvalho, Essien, Deco, Lampard, Drogba and Joe Cole playing and I lose 4-0? Its just stupid.

Yeah I know all big teams lose, but losing by 3 goals in a big game will never happen. I was f4-0 down before half time, that will never happen in real life. I find it stupid how this happens. I have Cech, Terry, Ashley Cole, Carvalho, Essien, Deco, Lampard, Drogba and Joe Cole playing and I lose 4-0? Its just stupid.

Perhaps you're just a rubbish manager.

Yeah I know all big teams lose, but losing by 3 goals in a big game will never happen. I was f4-0 down before half time, that will never happen in real life. I find it stupid how this happens. I have Cech, Terry, Ashley Cole, Carvalho, Essien, Deco, Lampard, Drogba and Joe Cole playing and I lose 4-0? Its just stupid.

losing by 3 goals in a big game will never happen?? didnt you see liverpool hammer man utd last season

what advice is it you seek? playe more defensive?

Yeah I know all big teams lose, but losing by 3 goals in a big game will never happen. I was f4-0 down before half time, that will never happen in real life. I find it stupid how this happens. I have Cech, Terry, Ashley Cole, Carvalho, Essien, Deco, Lampard, Drogba and Joe Cole playing and I lose 4-0? Its just stupid.

ever thought it may have something to do with your tactics?

Ajax - Feyenoord. 5-1 (011109)

I am using the same formation I usually do, I can beat teams easily then all of a sudden I lose by a massive margin.

tremberz, this sounds like a motivation/overconfidence problem to me, more than a tactical one.

In past versions ('07-'09), this would tend to happen when a team won regularly, and the manager gave them praise even for poorly-played narrow victories. The team would start to think that half-effort was praiseworthy, and was all they needed to go out and win a game.

So, for example, if you barely scrape a 1-0 win over some relegation battler, and your entire side are on 6.6-6.8 ratings, don't choose the "Well done" team-talk option -- that's encouraging complacency. Instead, give them a "None" team-talk, and even pick some of the most disappointing players to criticise.

Next, use some of the more "demanding" pre-match and half-time team talks. For example, "We can win this" may get interpreted as "We can win this easily" if you've a complacent side .. You need to use "I expect a win" for some of the weakest opposition, especially when you're at home .. "I expect a performance" for key players with a Determined personality .. "Pick up where you left off" for guys in good form .. and definitely "I expect better" if any of your players have had a poor night previously.

At half-time, as Chelsea, you want to be "Disappointed" with a draw scoreline against any but the others of the Big Four; similarly, "Disappointed" with individuals who aren't performing well even if the side is leading. With a one-goal lead in a game you think you should win, "None" is a pretty good choice: think of it as "I sit the lads down and talk tactics rather than giving them a motivational sermon."

If things are really getting out of whack, you can try some of the more radical options: criticising players to the Media. (Note that as Chelsea, some of your best players will take "His performance has been Average" or whatever that is as criticism: "Hey! I'm not average!") Its risky, as you may anger some of your players .. but whatever, I'm in the business of winning matches, not making friends .. and in my experience, I've gotten some of my best performances from players who were angry at me and determined to prove me wrong.

Finally, if your captain is inconsistent or whatever, and the team's performance is inconsistent also, it can be a real jolt in the arm to change captains. That's unlikely to be the case with Terry, but you do have several other great options if you do decide to make a change. Usually this would be advice for a team with a

Tactically, are you using the Wizard or the old-school "Advanced" style?

If you're using the Wizard, remember to adjust your "Starting Strategy" depending on who you're going up against. A "Standard" strategy may work against the middle-of-the-pack teams .. but I'd recommend a "Control" strategy against the relegation battlers as they tend to pack men behind the ball and try to gut out a nil-nil, and a "Counter" strategy against any side which you think actually has the talent to beat you - in addition to setting up for the counter-attack, "Counter" will put a decent emphasis on keeping it tight at the back and denying a talented side space to shoot.

If you're "Advanced", then presumably you're using tactics which worked for you in FM'08 and FM'09 ... which can sometimes be a real trap: the Match Engine changes enough from version to version that what we "know" works from past experience may be incorrect for the latest release .. and there's nothing worse than the "D'OH!" feeling you get when you find out that its your own broken assumption which is costing your team!

... But from what you've said, I'd bet dollars to doughnuts its a motivation problem.

tremberz

So, for example, if you barely scrape a 1-0 win over some relegation battler, and your entire side are on 6.6-6.8 ratings, don't choose the "Well done" team-talk option -- that's encouraging complacency. Instead, give them a "None" team-talk, and even pick some of the most disappointing players to criticise.

Excellent advice and a top post, Amaroq! I use this exact same system (pretty much) to great effect.