Telling players you expect to win against teams you expect to beat

...just seems to make them complacent. It doesn't achieve anything, all I ever get is nothing specific noted next to each player. It would be nice if team talk effects were more random.

try using expect a performance for the better players rather than expect a win.

team talks are useless i think. i never tell them nothing.

try use individual teamtalks, i used to say expect to win all the time, then i would lose against smaller teams, for some reason. now i am more consistant by individually giving team talkings based on the players morale at that point.

try use individual teamtalks, i used to say expect to win all the time, then i would lose against smaller teams, for some reason. now i am more consistant by individually giving team talkings based on the players morale at that point.

Interesting mate. I have only given individual team on a few occasions.

team talks are useless i think. i never tell them nothing.

Then you don't use them properly.

team talks are useless i think. i never tell them nothing.

Which suggests you always tell them something...

...just seems to make them complacent. It doesn't achieve anything, all I ever get is nothing specific noted next to each player. It would be nice if team talk effects were more random.

If you use it all the time players get sick of hearing the same thing and become complacent

I find that it doesn't work at the domestic level, but at the international level it seems to work. I say "I expect a win" with my Ivory Coast squad in the World Cup 2010, and they lose to Spain in the group stages, followed by defeating Germany 2-0, only losing to England 4-3 in extra time in the quarterfinals (Note: Couldn't keep them from scoring with 10 minutes remaining in regulation or the final 3 minutes in extra time...don't feel too bad though, England went on to win.)

Then you don't use them properly.

but i can win. just i say something after the game. cos if i do not appreciate them, they become unhappy.

I personally think that team talks are a tricky thing to do. I always give a team talk before the match, at halftime and then at the end. I do think they work BUT I think you have to pick the right kind of team talk to boost morale if they are kind of on a downer due to results or to make sure that they don't get too cocky. I think if they are having a few bad results then continuing to bash them just demoralizes them even more - appart from maybe the more stronger resilient players, but even these players will get annoyed by being verbally battered all the time if results continue not to go your way.

I mix up the team talks as well because if you keep saying the same thing i.e. expect a win, or for the fans, then they just ignore you in the end. I think it all depends on who you're playing and what your team morale is like as well. I also pick individual talks as well and some of the players who have got maybe poor or only okay for morale I pick "have faith in ability" cos anything else could just put them under pressure and if they don't perform then their morale goes lower. Some who appear cocky or over confident (according to the assistant manager in pre-game warm-ups) I put at "expect a performance" seeing as they are cocky in us getting a good result.

I have been going through a bit of a lull with my team (Celtic) where I just couldn't score a goal for love nor money. Before this slight lull I played Man Utd in my first Champions League match and came back from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 (team talk at the start of the match I said "pressure is off" which technically is true as I was underdogs). I think I still stuck with this mentality for the second half team talk. The end of the match I said I was pleased (which is true because of the way we came back to draw with them). Second match was against Porto where I drew 1-1 (I lost a 1-0 lead but was still content because of the way we played and were unlucky not to win it) and again the team talk at the start was "pressure is off" which again it was. I think the second half team talk was "we just need one goal, lads" which resulted in them out playing Porto but just couldn't get that goal we needed.

After these matches I went through about 3 matches where I done rubbish and my team talks were "Angry" & "Dissapointed". When I approached my next match (against Falkirk) I was so annoyed I thought "Screw it" and put the team talk for everyone at "Expect a performance". We battered them 6-0. Now this is coming off the back of 3 matches where I couldn't score anything and my strikers were not performing and yes, Falkirk aren't the strongest team out there but neither were 2 of the last 3 I played against and didn't score. After the match I think I put the team talk as "Sensational" for the performance, the result and to help boost morale as well. I was tempted to choose the "Why can't you play like this in every match?" option but I thought that would demoralise them as I wouldn't seem happy so I chose the "Sensational" one

To end this novel I think team talks work but you just have to be careful with what you say and consider who you are playing as well.

...I think team talks work but you just have to be careful with what you say and consider who you are playing as well.

Gee. That sound remarkably like what I'd expect from real life...

I only use "I expect a win" against either lower league opposition or really poor Euro or international teams.

I use Expect a Win against almost all teams in the Portuguese leagues without any ill effect. It's important to check your assistant manager's feedback before you give your team talk, and tell anyone who is complacent or over confident that you individually Expect a Performance.

Using these in conjunction with sensible half-time teamtalks, I have never suffered any complacency.

Gee. That sound remarkably like what I'd expect from real life...

Gee. No need to sound so sarcastic.