Throwing away leads

Is it just my team that seems to throw away glorious leads in even more glorious style? I am Newcastle in Prem second season heving just played my fifteenth game. I went 3-0 up against Chelsea at home knowing full well that I most probably will throw it away. I even said to myself if I don't win the game I am posting something about it in the forum. Low and behold Giuseppi Rpssi pops up with the equaliser in the 90th minute.

I'm not going to say I've tried everything because I haven't, but I've tried alot. I'm just wondering if anyone else out there has had any similar problems or if anyone has managed to conquer the AI's ability to produce amazing comebacks.

Other examples include:

Drawing with Man City and lose by 2 within last 15 mins

Drawing with Arsenal and lose within last 15 minutes

3-0 up against Bolton, manage to hold on 3-2

2-0 up against Tottenham, lose 4-2 conceding 4 in last 30 mins

Many more examples from last season too!

Cheers for reading my rant

Perhaps you need to adjust your tactics to a more defensive settings following your lead?

yes my cambridge united side in the championship do throw away a lot of leads i've noticed but not as bad as my first season at this level (13 games into my second championship season), i change tactics to defence or contain towards the end and try to shut up shop. doesnt always work mind, conceded a 90th min goal to sheff utd in my last game but was away from home and was expected to get stuffed it ended 3-3 so wasnt too downhearted, damn annoying though!

late in games i go to overload, it seems to work because the team close down more and quite often grab a goal.

Yes, I'm thinking of going defensive later on, but when protecting a precious one goal lead I don't really want to try and withhold pressure because I just think the opposition will score. I think I just believe in attack is the best form of defence.

What I think aswell is that if I go 3-0 up against Chelsea with my current tactics, then I shouldn't have to change as they're doing fine enough.

i just went overload when i conceded a 73rd min goal to norwich and they quickly scored a 2nd... kept it on overload with take more risks and pulled it back to 2-2!

Hmmmm, might try it then, half time against sunderland. Must win.

if im trying to protect a one goal lead i usually go defensive then contain for the last 15 mins or so, if i get a 2 goal lead during the second half then i quite often go to contain to try and see the game out, of course a lot depends on how good your opposition are.

I'll use 3 different tactics based on opponent and time left.

If it's a team I was highly unlikely to win based on odds pre-game, I'll contain almost right away after snatching a lead.

Otherwise I wait until I get a 2+ lead before changing to contain when playing away. If I'm at home, then I'll switch to control. Not necessary a defensive tactic but I'm relying on my players just holding on to the ball.

Went 2-0 down but went down to 9 men :@. But went overload and ended fairly well. got it back to 2-1. Hopefully get to try overload when leading a game soon

Sometimes i can be leading by a big scoreline and the other team will come back into it.

But thats Football for you, You see it in real life alot of the time.

A team can be down and out at half time and the manager will rip into his team at halftime or whatever. The winning teams takes their foot of the gas and before you know it they are back in the Match. (Westham 2-2 Arsenal, Man City 2-2 Fulham, Man Utd 4-3 Man City..etc)

But like in real life too, I've had a few big wins without reply when the other team is down and out.

2-0 up thrown away to a 2-3 loss.

One goal was an own goal, one was offside.

1 thing to remember is that if, in your example, you go 2-0 up against chelsea, they are going to push in attack more and play a more attacking formation. The if this tactic got me here it will keep me here mentality is a dangerous one as you defenders are coping with say 2 strikers but essentially could now have 3 strikers and an advanced amc.

slow your highlights down as you will see almost instantly when their formation changes and this is when you need to asses yours, maybe buy i really good dm who is happy on a rotation contract and if you get to this situation, sub a cm off for him and play him as a dm to add the extra cover?

There are usually alot of simple solutions to late goals

Yes, I'm thinking of going defensive later on, but when protecting a precious one goal lead I don't really want to try and withhold pressure because I just think the opposition will score. I think I just believe in attack is the best form of defence.

What I think aswell is that if I go 3-0 up against Chelsea with my current tactics, then I shouldn't have to change as they're doing fine enough.

There's a lot of posts on this so call super comeback. I'm also trying to find out a way to counter this, or if there is one...let me know if you had any success. (overloading, ultra defensive etc etc)

I play a wingerless formation (4-1-2-1-2), so my full backs are very attacking to cover the wings, which leaves me vulnerable to attacks and counterattacks on the wings. I find that the solution is often using my strikers to man mark their full backs, so they cant easily overload my full backs with their wingers and full backs.

*TACTICS ADVICE BELOW*

My reply is probably more geared toward the tactics forum, so if you don't like reading other people's tactics, do not read on:

It's not always good to go completely defensive when you are 3-0 up at half-time. In fact, it's practically asking to lose/draw. Perhaps it's an unrealistic thing to say in terms of real life, but if you look at what fairly evenly-matched teams do it's not so much out and out defending as keeping possession. Few teams can withstand an onslaught for 45 mins by only defending. I know it happens occasionally IRL, but it's a freak occurance when it does.

In FM, I find a slow tempo, short passing game, "normal" mentality with "counter attack" ticked works very well at keeping leads, and often extends them. Then go ultra defensive ("contain" on the wizard) for the last 10-12 mins.

How about this one... Just happened to me! Try taking this one on the chin! I'm At. Madrid BTW

But you just move on... i guess its one of those things...

I was actually gutted... Basically dominated the whole game and made 7 clear cut chances and they made 2 but all of their goals were long range screamers apart from the last one which was a header at the back post!!!

This could actually end up costing me 2nd place 6 games left and 3 points ahead of Real Madrid!

Scoring went like this for clarification if you can't be bothered to work it out

0-1

1-1

2-1

2-2

3-2

HT

4-2

5-2!!!

5-3

5-4

5-5!!!

PS how do you get it to show full size in the forum page?

I also managed to keep Real Madrid off my back and finish 2nd so its ok!

I manage to do to the AI what the AI does to everyone in here so far.

I'm Alfreton Town playing Mansfield in the FA Trophy. Went down 3-0 after 26 or so mins at home. Then came back to draw 3-3 and force a replay.

In the replay, went 1-0 up, then 2-1 down. They had a player sent off on 2 yellows and I won 3-2.

Had some luck last night. Can't remember the results exactly, but when I went ahead, I'd change my tactics slightly. I went defensive in a few and managed to hold on and also tried overload for the last 15 which also worked effectively. I would get up the actual results but I've gotta be up early and I know if I open up the game I won't be in bed til 4!

late in games i go to overload, it seems to work because the team close down more and quite often grab a goal.

I'm still chucking away late goals and leads! Tried overload in my last game last 15 mins, it was 1-1 and an even match and it stayed 1-1!

I've just had two matches where I've gone 2-0 up and then been quickly pegged back to 2-2. I think the fact is that you need to adapt your tactics to the new situation.

yes bacause as i said 99% of teams that go 2-0 down change their tactics to push everyone forward, makes sense to me?!

yes bacause as i said 99% of teams that go 2-0 down change their tactics to push everyone forward, makes sense to me?!

Which you then counter successfully, until in the 95th minute they score from 35 yards.

Long shots are a complete and utter joke- it happens so often both against AND for me that something that should be a great moment becomes boring and almost predictable.

guess i have a magic tactic then as i very rarely get them against me, to anyone who is 'getting ripped off by the game because they cant hold a lead, upload your tactic and PM me the link, id really like to see if in fact it is the game or how you are setting your team

If you're in TV View or Split View, make sure you have the opposition formation there. It was very handy to see when Overloaded and placed their midfield players. You can exploit their holes.