Match Engine Article

I been getting pretty annoyed at the match engine recently, so decided I'd have a bit of a rant on here, so if you have a minute or two, have a read of this and let me know your thoughts.

Now don't get my wrong, FM11 is another great game, yet there are still some issues with the match engine:

For starters, I don't know about you, but have you ever seen two players on top of each other? How can people stand inside each other? It's been on many of the FM games, so isn't it time they stood next to each other? Also if they both are on the same spot, you would think the person with higher heading would win, so how does a 6 heading beat a 14 heading? Deary me.

Next, I know I may get abuse for this as it may happen on the odd occasion, but c'mon how can a centre back with a first touch of 7, touch down a corner brilliantly, turn a defender, then on the turn from a tight angle finish it into the corner between the keeper and the player on the post - his finishing is 6. Ok maybe...but then my striker with 16 finishing is through on goal with no pressure, and his tame shot is saved. Yes maybe every now and then...but it's just annoying!

I'm not sure if this is an issue with the match engine, but with my tackling settings on more cautious, a touchline shout of stay on feet, and no opposition players being tackled hard, why are we commting so many fouls? It's just silly and quite unrealisitic.

Why are so many backpasses misplaced?! I can understand pressured backpasses happening, but when there is nobody around and it is a rubbish pass, its silly. You don't see that many misplaced in real life do we? Also when their player is through on goal, my centre back makes a great tackle, and then decides to hoof it out for a corner (I have no problems with this) but then we does he decided to chip it out of play for a corner? It's just silly things like this that are annoying.

Overall, I do enjoy Football Manager 2011, and it is a good game, but I believe the Match Engine should be a little more realistic.

However, overall, why do I get so annoyed over a game! I take it so seriously it's embarassing!

Thanks for your time

I have to admit that most instructions seem to fall on deaf ears. Low Creativity + Long Shots on rarely and I would still end up with 8 shots, 6 of them being long shots. Problem is, the player has options during those long shot situations as well o_O (most don't have the 'Shoots from Distance PPM either)

I have to admit that most instructions seem to fall on deaf ears. Low Creativity + Long Shots on rarely and I would still end up with 8 shots, 6 of them being long shots. Problem is, the player has options during those long shot situations as well o_O (most don't have the 'Shoots from Distance PPM either)

This is my biggest annoyance... I set all my players to rare on long shots and they'll still boot it all over the place from outside the box. If the game would could do it I'd start dropping fines for long shots because they are so terrible and my players do really well passing into the area.

So if something as simple as that isn't listened too then makes you wonder what else players aren't following.

Also if they both are on the same spot, you would think the person with higher heading would win, so how does a 6 heading beat a 14 heading? Deary me..

Air duels are down to the jumping / strength stat. The heading stat has more to do with the aiming of the header, once you won the duel.

I know I may get abuse for this as it may happen on the odd occasion, but c'mon how can a centre back with a first touch of 7, touch down a corner brilliantly, turn a defender, then on the turn from a tight angle finish it into the corner between the keeper and the player on the post - his finishing is 6. Ok maybe...but then my striker with 16 finishing is through on goal with no pressure, and his tame shot is saved. Yes maybe every now and then...but it's just annoying!

We should ask Maicon that.

But seriously, I think this is a twisted view, as 90% of all chances are shot by our strikers, so obviously they miss the most. So yes, the defender with the worst finishing can have the lucky fluke now and then, but when you would compare all defender shots with all striker shots, you'd find the striker pounds in quite a few more.

I'm not sure if this is an issue with the match engine, but with my tackling settings on more cautious, a touchline shout of stay on feet, and no opposition players being tackled hard, why are we commting so many fouls? It's just silly and quite unrealisitic.

Are you behind? Are you outplayed? Are you outpaced? Are players frustrated? Do you have aggressive players? I have had the odd match where things went ugly, but then I like to blame the referee.

Why are so many backpasses misplaced?! I can understand pressured backpasses happening, but when there is nobody around and it is a rubbish pass, its silly. You don't see that many misplaced in real life do we? Also when their player is through on goal, my centre back makes a great tackle, and then decides to hoof it out for a corner (I have no problems with this) but then we does he decided to chip it out of play for a corner? It's just silly things like this that are annoying.

Well, I would say there is at least one bad pass every week on match of the day that causes a goal. Do your defenders have good concentration / decision? Do you have a playmaker that they can reach easily? Did you ask them for short passing, or is it ok for you to knock the ball out of the stadium?

I'm not saying that applying all those things will make them go away, but it can certainly help limiting the amount of times they happen. But yes, even if you as a manager do everything perfectly, and you have your super team assembled, there will still be the odd thing going wrong, or being unrealistic.

I myself find this ME to be one of the best yet, and in my current tactic / team, I must say, I have yet to see a stupid thing happen in the last season. Fingers crossed it stays that way.