I need some help, i don't know what's gone wrong

I'm in my 2nd season with Everton, i finished 5th last year. I'm only a few games in to the new season but i'm really struggling, it's as if my team standing has gone down - i played burnley and in the pre-match conference they were saying it would be tough, then played liverpool and said i was favourite to lose. It was different last season, i was usually favourite except against the really big teams. the only players i got rid of were Louis Saha and Tony Hibbert. I brought in Fran Merida and then Marcus Berg on loan.

The only other reason I can think of is i changed quite alot of my backroom staff in the off season, as many were out of contract. I know i desperately need a new striker but i dont have the money at the mo.

Maybe my formation? but i think its ok

any help would be appreciated

Perhaps they're just expecting a worse season this time around. Did you 'over acheive' last season?

yeah i did overachieve (i think). But i don't know how i can get out of this slump.

If you hadn't guessed i'm pretty new at this

yeah i did overachieve (i think). But i don't know how i can get out of this slump.

If you hadn't guessed i'm pretty new at this

Then you won't have heard of "second season syndrome."

In your first season everyone thinks "oo, three points, easy." In the second, with a better rep, they will play more defensively and you have to adjust your tactics to compensate.

I've found you can get away with tweaking your tactice to be a little more attacking every season you do well. I usually do this to one CM and the wingers. (I play 442)

You could change your striker's partnership instructions ie, changing instructions from say, an Advanced Forward and Poacher to a Complete forward and Poacher.

Change in little bits. If you did well last season, build on your successful formation but don't change too much. Keep most of your player instructions as normal. This has worked for me, anyway.

Are you leaking many goals or struggling to score? (if it's both, usually one is more obvious)

Sometimes its enough to adjust your passing in team instructions, maybe move from zonal to man marking, stuff like that. The second season syndrome can hit you pretty hard. It really doesn't matter what kind of players you bring in before the season starts, you just have to adjust the tactics and pick the squad solely on moral for a while.

I second most of the opinion already said. It's all about tweaking your tactics slightly ever so often. When things aren't going well I try to go back to basics a bit. Restrict creative freedom, play narrowers, push up the defensive line a little, press more and play more direct.

I've found this method good for keeping things tight when things aren't going well and knicking the odd goal on the break. I usually change things to be a bit more adventureous when morale improves. Each to their own though, between me and my mates we find changing things every so often will benefit the team. I always find if you leave tactics the same for too long you'll end up hitting a poor run, i kind of think the game finds you out!

Also use the match preparation screen if you aren't already to work on specific areas of weakness before games. Judge every game on its merits though. If you've got one of the big four work on defense, if you're playing someone in the bottom/lower bottom half concentrate on attack.

Another point, I pretty much never say I expect to loose or aren't favourites to win unless it's particularly blantent in the cup or something.