Introduce match plans into FM

As the title says, please steal the match plans feature from FML and introduce it into FM. Match shouts are a great idea, but in order to use them properly you have to basically micromanage each match.

Some of us don't want to do that anymore, so please allow us the choice to set up a match plan (using a wizard, of course).

The only difference between FML and FM is that the match plan shouldn't stop you making subs or tactical changes while it's active.

As the title says, please steal the match plans feature from FML and introduce it into FM. Match shouts are a great idea, but in order to use them properly you have to basically micromanage each match.

Some of us don't want to do that anymore, so please allow us the choice to set up a match plan (using a wizard, of course).

The only difference between FML and FM is that the match plan shouldn't stop you making subs or tactical changes while it's active.

I roughly understand what you mean, but could you explain it a bit more detailed for us who never played FML?

Cheers.

It's basically a set of shout combinations you can preset to action at certain score lines or at certain times of the match. For example:

When leading 1-0 (1st half): Control strategy, Retain Possession, Pass into Space, Work Ball into Box, Look for Overlap

When leading 1-0 (2nd half): Counter Strategy, Retain Possession, Pass to Feet, Work Ball into Box

When leading 1-0 (after 80 mins): Contain Strategy, Clear Ball to Flanks, Drop Deeper, Play Even Safer

Can you factor in weather yet, or is that too advanced?

It wasn't set up when I last played FML, but it is not too theoretically difficult to add.

It is already set up for pitch size. Adding in weather would be along the same principles, i.e.:

Choose your Match Plan

A: Wet Weather/Large Pitch strategy

B: Wet Weather/Small Pitch Strategy

C: Wet Weather/Narrow Pitch Strategy

D: Dry Weather/Home Pitch Strategy

.... and so on. Would then be down to the manager to decide how many plans/strategies he wants.

This would make me very happy if it is introduced, while I enjoy micro managing, simplifying it would save me a lot of time.

Thanks for the explination. Whilst I'm micro managmnet myself that would still be very useful. It's something like we have in PES this year. Thumbs up from for that idea.

It's basically a set of shout combinations you can preset to action at certain score lines or at certain times of the match. For example:

When leading 1-0 (1st half): Control strategy, Retain Possession, Pass into Space, Work Ball into Box, Look for Overlap

When leading 1-0 (2nd half): Counter Strategy, Retain Possession, Pass to Feet, Work Ball into Box

When leading 1-0 (after 80 mins): Contain Strategy, Clear Ball to Flanks, Drop Deeper, Play Even Safer

It seems to be a bit robotic...

Personally, I'd prefer to be in control and make decisions on the spot during matches. Not sure I would ever use this feature.

It seems to be a bit robotic...

Not really - a manager will have already given these sorts of instructions before the match. Once the match has kicked off, the manager doesn't really do that much.

Personally, I'd prefer to be in control and make decisions on the spot during matches. Not sure I would ever use this feature.

You think the best managers in the world make their decisions on the spot?

Sometimes they do, most of the times it's been worked on in training before each match.

Kevin Keegan probably the only top flight manager for years that didn't properly plan ahead.

You think the best managers in the world make their decisions on the spot?

Sometimes they do, most of the times it's been worked on in training before each match.

I'm sure it is, and, to an extent, I tend to form a plan in my head regarding the strategies and shouts that I am going to employ during a game. But also, it's naive to believe that managers pre-plan everything because they almost certainly don't. Making on the spot decisions about how to turn a game around or how to change things is where a manager earns his money. You can't plan for every eventuality in football and there are always going to be times when a manager needs to be brave and make an 'on the spot' decision. I'm sure we can all think of examples and the fact is that the great managers get these 'on the spot' decisions right more often than the bad managers. It's all part of what makes a great football manager, in my opinion.

Anyway, my point was that I doubt I would ever use these match plans personally, especially after looking at WWFan's example above. Leading 1-0 against Man Utd away is going to be very different to when leading 1-0 against Weston-super-Mare at home, for instance. It's going to require a quite different match plan and combination of strategy and touchline shout choices.

I'm sure that you are quite right and that managers do indeed have pre-determined match plans but they also think and advise their players on the spot. Furthermore, I don't feel as if these match plans in FML really fulfil the former idea anyway.

Finally, I'd personally much rather imagine myself to be on the touchline shouting instructions and guidance to my players live. So that's why I don't believe this would suit my FM style.

All of this is just my opinion, of course.

You can override the plans and start 'live shouting' at any time. You can also have as many plans as you like, so you could easily set up a 'home against top 4' side and 'home against lower division side' plan prior to a match, and reload them any time you wish.

I think it'd be a great option to have, with a lot of scope for development.

I'd be surprised if team's don't do some level of situational planning in training - closing out a lead, trying to score a late equaliser, keeping possession to tire out the opposition, etc.

Any insight as to why they haven't brought this over, wwfan? I wonder if it's just a lack of time, or whether they don't feel it's appropriate for the single-player version.

Finally, I'd personally much rather imagine myself to be on the touchline shouting instructions and guidance to my players live. So that's why I don't believe this would suit my FM style.

All of this is just my opinion, of course.

I'm sorry but that's just a load of rubbish!

Your post was too long and it would take me all day to respond to your (flawed) points. Suffice it to say I don't agree with you at all.

I think it'd be a great option to have, with a lot of scope for development.

I'd be surprised if team's don't do some level of situational planning in training - closing out a lead, trying to score a late equaliser, keeping possession to tire out the opposition, etc.

Any insight as to why they haven't brought this over, wwfan? I wonder if it's just a lack of time, or whether they don't feel it's appropriate for the single-player version.

I can see it becoming part of match preparation. Given there was no such thing before, I imagine it would have been considered too big a jump to suddenly make it a core element of the game.

Pure conjecture on my part, of course

For what it's worth, I didn't find crouchaldino's post to be rubbish, too long, or flawed :-)

I do disagree, though - it's sounds like a great idea to me, to have an established 'game plan' that the players will put into practice in given situations but with the ability to override them when said game plan is not quite working out.

I'm sorry but that's just a load of rubbish!

Charming.

Your post was too long and it would take me all day to respond to your (flawed) points.

Why bother posting at all then? :confused:

That was one of my shorter posts as well.

Suffice it to say I don't agree with you at all.

Well, I am glad we entered into this highly intelligent discourse and reached this conclusion!

Charming.

Why bother posting at all then?

That was one of my shorter posts as well.

Well, I am glad we entered into this highly intelligent discourse and reached this conclusion!

I'm betting they'd produce another tactics creator-esque change of heart once you started to embrace them.

or perhaps

For what it's worth, I didn't find crouchaldino's post to be rubbish, too long, or flawed :-)

I do disagree, though - it's sounds like a great idea to me, to have an established 'game plan' that the players will put into practice in given situations but with the ability to override them when said game plan is not quite working out.

Naturally, it's fine to disagree. It was just an opinion after all.

At least you can do so without insulting me and thus making a fool of yourself.

I think the key point I made above was that it would not suit my FM style. I, personally, could not see myself using this feature for the reasons I outlined above.

I'm betting they'd produce another tactics creator-esque change of heart once you started to embrace them.

or perhaps

It is entirely possible WWFan. I will absolutely admit my complete 'U-turn' when it comes to the TC, with only a little embarrassment. :o I'm always ready to admit when I am utterly wrong about something, which unfortunately occurs far more often than I would like it to!

However, part of what I love about the TC now is that it allows me to imagine myself on the touchline embroiled in the tactical battle! Therefore, I'd rather not have a feature making changes automatically on my behalf!

I'm sure it might be a good feature for those who like to play their matches much quicker. They will be able to play on the quickest highlights safe in the knowledge that their tactical plan will be followed.

It is entirely possible WWFan. I will absolutely admit my complete 'U-turn' when it comes to the TC, with only a little embarrassment. :o I'm always ready to admit when I am utterly wrong about something, which unfortunately occurs far more often than I would like it to!

However, part of what I love about the TC now is that it allows me to imagine myself on the touchline embroiled in the tactical battle! Therefore, I'd rather not have a feature making changes automatically on my behalf!

I'm sure it might be a good feature for those who like to play their matches much quicker. They will be able to play on the quickest highlights safe in the knowledge that their tactical plan will be followed.

Ah, well, again I find myself disagreeing with you! Of course, we're all entitled to our opinions but I picture this being something that I would use by default almost, even playing on 'full' as I do. I simply see it as a way of expressing the hours that you have previously spent trying to cram some tactical awareness into your playes heads, so they will react in a certain way without you having to tell them to. That'd be great to see, no matter how you play the game, in my opinion.

I do take your point though - and I have to say I like the *idea* of it, perhaps in reality it may become irritating if the playing style changes and I didn't expect it to at that point.

Hmm, seems like it could be useful for a lot of people but it's not something I would ever use. Personally, once I start making those kind of formulaic decisions every match I know I'm getting bored of the game.

Would love this feature

I'm sure it is, and, to an extent, I tend to form a plan in my head regarding the strategies and shouts that I am going to employ during a game. But also, it's naive to believe that managers pre-plan everything because they almost certainly don't. Making on the spot decisions about how to turn a game around or how to change things is where a manager earns his money. You can't plan for every eventuality in football and there are always going to be times when a manager needs to be brave and make an 'on the spot' decision. I'm sure we can all think of examples and the fact is that the great managers get these 'on the spot' decisions right more often than the bad managers. It's all part of what makes a great football manager, in my opinion.

Anyway, my point was that I doubt I would ever use these match plans personally, especially after looking at WWFan's example above. Leading 1-0 against Man Utd away is going to be very different to when leading 1-0 against Weston-super-Mare at home, for instance. It's going to require a quite different match plan and combination of strategy and touchline shout choices.

I'm sure that you are quite right and that managers do indeed have pre-determined match plans but they also think and advise their players on the spot. Furthermore, I don't feel as if these match plans in FML really fulfil the former idea anyway.

Finally, I'd personally much rather imagine myself to be on the touchline shouting instructions and guidance to my players live. So that's why I don't believe this would suit my FM style.

All of this is just my opinion, of course.

I'm sorry but that's just a load of rubbish!

Your post was too long and it would take me all day to respond to your (flawed) points. Suffice it to say I don't agree with you at all.

Agreeing with crouchaldinho.

Calling it "a load of rubbish" isn't going to help your case against his preference fella, bringing a coherent and similarly detailed reason why you disagree might be a good idea as well.

Include it as an option for those who wish to use it; but I also prefer to be making changes on the hoof, as it were, games are constantly evolving and to have a pre-set of tactical instructions just seems, to me anyway, to remove a part of what makes this game. It's about management as situations occur, not pre-programming actions to happen automatically...where's the fun in that?

Also no two games are identical, and so to that end it would be a very crude addition.

Just my opinion though. Feel free to disagree it's what forums are all about.

To elaborate; i think there are far too many variables to consider when attempting to implement a feature like this:

When leading 1-0 (1st half): Control strategy, Retain Possession, Pass into Space, Work Ball into Box, Look for Overlap

When leading 1-0 (2nd half): Counter Strategy, Retain Possession, Pass to Feet, Work Ball into Box

When leading 1-0 (after 80 mins): Contain Strategy, Clear Ball to Flanks, Drop Deeper, Play Even Safer

This doesn't even begin to cover what each game's variables might be.

Is it a cup game?

Is it a season-end league game with nothing riding on it?

Is it a game against a top4 oppo?

I am against a relegation threatened oppo?

How are my player's fitness?

Is it good weather conditions?

What about yellow cards already accrued, do i want them auto-hard tackling just because i am 0-1 down when i have my entire midfield booked already?

There are just too many of these scenarios, by the time I've set these I might as well have actually played the game and acted like a real manager does. Isn't that what we all want, after banging on for years about making it more real?

Again, my opinion...but not something I'd use...but not something I'd be against them adding at all (but just thought I'd outline a few reasons).

i have often wondererd why you cant tell your players the game plan before the game.

right lads if were 1-0 up 10 minutes to go, do what it takes. do not let them score.

were losing 2-0 15 minutes left on the clock, right get up the bloody pitch your obviously not doing something right. sort it out!

would be nice to be able to pre-set instructions and change instantly while the game is in motion instead of doing it all manually every single game.

...

I agree with all that. Each and every game is different and there are too many variables.

If, for instance, my team is playing well, creating chance after chance and yet I somehow concede a goal due to bad luck, I'm not going to neccessarily change my game plan instantly every time. Sometimes I will wait a bit to see whether my tactics are still effective now that the opposition may have changed theirs, sometimes I won't. If I do, then it depends on the quality of the opposition and plenty of other things whether I'm going to just push a little bit more forward or go all out attack.

It's making those decisions on the spot that makes matches fun for me. I am not against implementing it, just saying it's not something I would use in FM.

i would only use it if i choose when to implement it, like the option is there similar to live shouts but pre-set tactics.

drop down menu:

[match plan name here]

[match plan name here]

a different one for every one you have created. the option is there to use them and wouldnt be automatic should you concede a stupid goal as the poster above just said.

Seen this feature in online management games where you have no control of what happens during game time. Don't know if I would use it but no harm in the option being there for those who want to use it.