FM11: Strikers not scoring- Is it my team, my tacitcs, or is this a common issue?

Well, so far I am happy with the FM11 demo and will definitely be buying the game. However, one thing is bothering me: my strikers cannot score.

I have been playing as Athletic Club, and already did one full demo save and didn't finished where I would have liked, so I started another save using a 4-4-2 as opposed to 4-4-2 diamond. Here are the results from each:

Using the diamond:

Fernando Llorente had 2 goals in 16 league matches

Iker Munian scored 1 goal in 9 league matches

Gaizka Toquero scored 2 goals in 10 league matches

But then, in my midfield:

Oscar de Marcos (LM) led the team in league goals with 4 in 15 league matches

Markel Susaeta (RM) scored three in 16 league matches- both of these players faired better than my strikeforce

In my new save using a flat 4-4-2, my team is doing better table-wise, but the ineptitude of my strikers is continuing (I have gone through 7 matches so far):

Iker Muniain has scored 2 goals in 6 league appearances, however, both of his goals were scored in the first match

Fernando Llorente has 2 goals in 7 league appearances (both of his goals were scored in one game as well)

Toquero has one goal in 5 league appearances

My team has scored a total of 12 goals so far, meaning that 7 of the goals came from beyond my strikeforce.

Now, playing as Athletic Club, I do not expect Toquero to bang in goals, and Muniain is still developing. However, given his attributes (which have improved in this version) and performances in last year's version (when I used nearly identical tactics), Llorente seems pretty worthless. If it helps at all, I usually play Llorente as my right striker as a TM/support alongside either Muniain (poacher/attack) or Toquero (advanced fwd/attack).

My question is this- am I jumping to conclusions too early here, or have others been victims of strikeforce ineptitude? Is it my tactics (again, I'm using a nearly identical tactic as I did last season, where Llorente consistently scored 20+ goals/season for me, so this explanation doesn't make much sense to me)? Is it the team I'm playing as (this also makes little sense because it's the same team as I played last year, with very few personnel changes and most of the players have improved attribute-wise from last year)?

What's going on here? I have a feeling that maybe I'm worrying a bit too much, but this is bothering me- especially given the production I got from my strikers in FM10 (Llorente specifically).

Tactics pure and simple

Tactics pure and simple

This is why I don't get it- I am playing with basically the same tactic I used with great success last year. Further, everybody in my team is playing in their optimal roles, and I'm using a formation that makes sense for my team (if necessary, I will list all of the tactical specifics of my team).

It's your tactics, I'm afraid. Torres has scored 10 in 5 games for me, including two hat-tricks. Even N'Gog has 4 in 6 games.

Bear in mind that the match engine will be slightly altered from last year's version, and so you may have to adjust your tactics. Have you tried watching a couple of full matches, to get a better insight? Are you creating chances for your strikers, and they just can't finish? Or are you lacking creativity in midfield?

It's your tactics, I'm afraid. Torres has scored 10 in 5 games for me, including two hat-tricks. Even N'Gog has 4 in 6 games.

Bear in mind that the match engine will be slightly altered from last year's version, and so you may have to adjust your tactics. Have you tried watching a couple of full matches, to get a better insight? Are you creating chances for your strikers, and they just can't finish? Or are you lacking creativity in midfield?

Well, Athletic isn't the most creative team around. However, the team's most creative players are wingers, and that is where I direct my attack from. Then, the problem for Llorente is finishing- as a tall target man, he's supposed to get crosses and head them. Usually, a defender gets to it before him (which is realistic). However, when he does get his head to the ball, it's headed really weakly right at the goalkeeper, or over the bar (also realistic- except that it happens EVERY SINGLE TIME, and both of his goals so far in my latest save are scored with his feet). Toquero and Muniain have some finishing issues as well, but they aren't the best finishers anyway. Again, the biggest problem I have is with Llorente- he is my best finisher (14 for finishing, not great, but certainly not bad) and he can't finish. He has 18 heading, 18 strength, 19 jumping, and is 6'5" tall, yet he can't seem to head a ball home for his life.

Also, it seems that my strikers just act, well- stupid. Llorente is the target man, so should be in to take crosses. However, most (if not all) of the goals scored by Susaeta and De Marcos in my first save came from crosses into the box- Llorente would sort of stand back, while De Marcos/Susaeta would run up on the far side and head home the cross from Susaeta/De Marcos. Maybe I should switch Llorente to TM/attack and one of my wingers to a support role? Or switch both wingers to support and switch Javi Martinez to attack (I like to have 3 players on attack).

UPDATE: Here's what really baffles me- Carlos Gurpegi just scored his second goal of the season. Both goals were scored from long-range and his long shots attribute is only 11. Why can this guy score two very nice long-range goals with a long shots attribute of 11 (and 10 finishing), yet Llorente cannot manage a single headed goal???

I'm currently experimenting with a 4-4-2 where the CMs are fairly defensive and the RM/LM are set to Winger (Attacking) and with team tactics of Pass down both flanks and float crosses.

What I expected to happen is some headed goals from the strikers.

What actually happens is lots of crosses finished by the opposite winger.

Having stuck to the formation all the way through, my goals so far have come from:

ST: 7 (33.3%)

Wing: 6 (28.6%)

CM: 5 (23.8%)

CD: 2 (9.5%)

Full Back: 1 (4.8%)

GK: 0 (0%)

in 7 friendlies, 2 league, 1 league cup.

This looks like there are slightly too many from midfield and not enough from attack considering the tactics, but it's close to realistic.

I've not had any success with 4-4-2 or any other 2 striker formations on this version, maybe that's the problem?

I'd try and play 4-2-3-1, with an AMC feeding the wingers who in turn feed Llorente.

I have Darren Bent and Gyan scoring just under a goal a game and Campbell not far behind them in a 4-4-2 both set as advanced forwards. The 4-4-2 has 2xDMC's more often than not the goals come from quick counter attacks due to the pace of the strikers and the wingers.

Targetmen are better on FM11 than they were on FM10 but I am finding it hard to get them to score.

If it makes you feel better in competative matches (5) I've managed to score 1 goal... and it was an OG. But I like to hold the title as worst manager in the history of FM

I'm currently experimenting with a 4-4-2 where the CMs are fairly defensive and the RM/LM are set to Winger (Attacking) and with team tactics of Pass down both flanks and float crosses.

What I expected to happen is some headed goals from the strikers.

What actually happens is lots of crosses finished by the opposite winger.

Exact problem I am having!

Actually, though, since I have switched from 4-4-2 Diamond to flat 4-4-2 Llorente has done better in scoring. In fact, all of my strikers have.

Also, the reason I don't play with one striker is because every time I have tried that in the past it has been disastrous. Also, I want to develop Muniain, who is a poacher and I don't think he'd fit well in a system based around a lone target man up front.

I'm struggling to score too. A LOT of one-on-one's being put against the keeper or wide. But I need to work on my tactics, I guess.

I'm playing a diamond 4-1-2-1-2 with Chelsea, creating a huge number of chances but my strikers often putting them wide or at the keeper. It's frustrating, but I'm hoping it's just the demo or my tactics. However, one thing that has improved imo is the number of quality headers that my players have been scoring.

After 3 league games playing as Burnley my two strikers have 3 goals each (9 total for the team). Playing a 4-4-2 formation.

Well, after playing more with my 4-4-2, my strikers (Llorente in particular) are doing better. After 12 matches, he has six goals and seven assists (leading the league in assists). Toquero has two goals in 8 league matches, and Muniain has three goals in ten league matches. Definitely an improvement from before- guess the 4-4-2 Diamond wasn't cutting it!!!

The only thing that still bothers me is that Llorente only has 1 headed goal, but I guess it's no big deal as long as he's productive.

I'm struggling also, I have won all my games but have had so many CCC that haven't been put away. It annoying cause the opposition seem to be lethal, hey ho still winning.

I'm having the same problem really, loads of goals, but my striker struggles to score in my 4-5-1 (Arsenal style formation) tried the lone striker as both deep lying and now complete forward. I have van Persie playing AMR (inside forward) and hes scored 14 goals and im only in November. Chamakh has only scored 3 in 10 games, but hes got 5 assists and playing well (average of 7.36) so I think the goals will come.

After my experience, I'm pretty sure that the issue is tactics (though part of it may also be my team- Athletic isn't the best or the easiest to play as).

I also think it's hard to pinpoint without a full season to go by.

To be honest I think most would just prefer the win each match rather than your strikers bagging 40 league goals a season. Goals dont = success although it does help. All in all, I prefer the 3 points over my strikers scoring. If both happen then fantastic.

If y strikers score little to no goals, at the end of the current season I would indeed look for players in the database that score over a number of years, not just 1 or 2 seasons

I play 4-4-2 with Manchester United and I have Hernandez,Rooney,Berbatov and Lukaku available to me but I always set both of strikers to attack. One as a deep lying forward and the other as an advanced forward. Hope this helps

I play 4-4-2 with Manchester United and I have Hernandez,Rooney,Berbatov and Lukaku available to me but I always set both of strikers to attack. One as a deep lying forward and the other as an advanced forward. Hope this helps

Well, as I've said- I seem to have resolved the issue. Llorente was the biggest red flag in my 4-4-2 Diamond. However, after switching to a flat 4-4-2, he has a goal every other game and is tied for the league lead in assists and has the most MoM awards- and I still play him as a TM-Support.

4-4-2 flat is alot better than 4-4-2 diamond formation, always been that way. I've been playing with a flat 4-4-2 since cm03

4-4-2 flat is alot better than 4-4-2 diamond formation, always been that way. I've been playing with a flat 4-4-2 since cm03

In FM10 I played with the diamond as Athletic and did better. However, I did it after a few seasons after changing my lineup around (namely, good regens coming in).

I'm currently experimenting with a 4-4-2 where the CMs are fairly defensive and the RM/LM are set to Winger (Attacking) and with team tactics of Pass down both flanks and float crosses.

What I expected to happen is some headed goals from the strikers.

What actually happens is lots of crosses finished by the opposite winger.

Having stuck to the formation all the way through, my goals so far have come from:

ST: 7 (33.3%)

Wing: 6 (28.6%)

CM: 5 (23.8%)

CD: 2 (9.5%)

Full Back: 1 (4.8%)

GK: 0 (0%)

in 7 friendlies, 2 league, 1 league cup.

This looks like there are slightly too many from midfield and not enough from attack considering the tactics, but it's close to realistic.

Float crosses are delievered to the far post, that's why they end up at you winger on the other side. Drill ones are ending up on the near post.

Float crosses are delievered to the far post, that's why they end up at you winger on the other side. Drill ones are ending up on the near post.

I know, but what I thought would happen was that one of the forwards would be covering the far post and the opposite winger would be lurking in the box.

IRL, if a team tends to put in deep crosses you will still get the forwards on the end of them far more than the wingers.

I've played with Bolton til about October now and I definitely do feel that the strikers are not scoring as well as FM10, but then they were scoring a bit too often in 10.3

I think it is more realistic than before now. But I think the central midfielders in my tactic seem to score a bit often.

I know, but what I thought would happen was that one of the forwards would be covering the far post and the opposite winger would be lurking in the box.

IRL, if a team tends to put in deep crosses you will still get the forwards on the end of them far more than the wingers.

Try aiming your crosses at the center instead Should lead to more goals from the far striker