Premier League Survival 101

So, having taken Crystal Palace up on my first season, adapting to life in the top flight has presented itself as something of a challenge. I was wondering if any members of the community have faced this challenge, and if they have any tips for survival.

Cheers.

Improve your staff and training, super important at this level. Bring in good midfielders to control the midfield, very important in this years FM.

Make sure you have at least one really pacey striker, as most clubs will try to peg you back due to your low reputation. Lots and lots of opportunities to counterattack

If you at at real life teams lacking in skill that some of the top clubs have they do seem to invest in big tough players who can disrupt the more flowing tyoe of football. Also look to marshall opposition playmakers, consider 5 man midfields to stop the passing teams having time on the ball. Look at match prep perhaps for attacking set-pieces to steal games 1-0 despite being under the cosh all game

I definitely agree with hassebasse80. Pace is the key in all divisions. Obviously defences in the premiership are better than the lower leagues, but there are still back lines that can't cope with someone who has pace/acceleration of 16+ i'd say.

I'm currently Stockport in the Prem after 5 seasons after 9 games am 9th in the table.

Tactics:

I play 4-4-2 starting team instructions are slightly narrow, slightly slow tempo with defensive line slighty pushed up with counter attacking on. I play a deep lying forward and poacher (pacey striker - Saric or Asante in my team) as target man with supply run onto ball and individual instructions - run into channels. I have all midfielders trying through balls often and by wingers set to hug the touch line. I start most games with mentality counter attack. If away against a big team I go defensive, if home against a lower team i'll start standard. If i'm struggling with expand width, quicken tempo. I've had a mixed bag of results so far. I beat Arsenal 3-2 at home after being 2 down after an hour, beat Everton away 1-0, beat Chelseas home 2-0 (although they had a man sent off after 29mins), but then lost to bolton 3-0 away, Man city away 2-0 (to be expected). Bearing in mind i just want to stay up this season, i'm happy with the start i've had.

I'd definitely say improve your backroom staff. Either let go any dead wood, but for sure bring in extra coaches to what you had in the Championship. Steed Malbranque and James Constable have both turned into very good coaches on my game.

If you can't already ask the board to be able to scout the whole world and bring in a lot of scouts, i currently have 7. With ones roaming in Scandanavia, Central and Eastern Europe, Argentina and Brazil with one scouting next oppostion, this can lead to your assistant being able to give more opposition instructions prematch.

Hold backroom meeting often, I usually do once or twice a week if i remember! Is good for advice on tutoring and individual training.

As said by Mr Pompey use the match prep screen based on the next match. I use defensive play or attacking set pieces prior to playing top 6/7 teams and attaching play when playing those expected to finish in the bottom half. This is entirely down to your preference and you have to find a strategy that works for your team.

Thank you for those responses. I think I have the quality in my side to stay up, it's just about unlocking the potential to win games. People like Jonathan Obika, Garry O'Connor, Olivier Kapo, Alfred N'Diaye and Neil Danns certainly have the ability, so I will look to employ a number of the suggestions you've all made. I hadn't actually considered doing a 'big' shake-up of my backroom staff so I'll look into that. It's somewhat frustrating when my AssMan, by the end of the game, pretty much thinks I should tightly mark, close down, hard tackle and weak foot five or six of the opposition team - I think it confuses some of my dim players!

Thank you for those responses. I think I have the quality in my side to stay up, it's just about unlocking the potential to win games. People like Jonathan Obika, Garry O'Connor, Olivier Kapo, Alfred N'Diaye and Neil Danns certainly have the ability, so I will look to employ a number of the suggestions you've all made. I hadn't actually considered doing a 'big' shake-up of my backroom staff so I'll look into that. It's somewhat frustrating when my AssMan, by the end of the game, pretty much thinks I should tightly mark, close down, hard tackle and weak foot five or six of the opposition team - I think it confuses some of my dim players!

What your assistant manager suggests once the game has started doesn't have an effect as far as i'm aware. You have to implement those changes manually during the game, i usually add any extra opposition instructions at half time or after the opposition make subs.

I would also recommend going through and looking at all players released by teams in the premierleague, serie a, la ligue, and the french and dutch leagues and any others you think of. I do this every summer in about the 2nd week in July. It does uncover some decent players, especially youngsters that have been released. I've signed some good player from employing this tactic, some of which have gone straight into the first team. I've found that experience costs in the game. Players aged 25-30 come at a premium when you can get equally good stats from players that are younger. The majority of my squad is under 23 with a few more experienced heads 32+. I think i only have 3 players aged between 25 and 30

Yep, I have a good time looking for freebies in the summer (and January actually). I was very happy to get Oliver Norwood for free during the last summer. In terms of opposition instructions, I think it's time SI added some more to FM. The current four for an individual are too vague, old and basic now. I'd be delighted to see things like: 'Close down AMR only when they reach final third' or 'Tight mark LCB during set pieces', etc. It would add a whole new depth and complexity to the game, and really allow you to deal with very specific problems.

You'll probably win it in your first season going by what FM's become...

Have a pacey Striker and Play counter attacking. Improve Training and Staff level, esp get a good physio. Work upon the set piece editor to get the goals. Try to frustrate the bigger teams. Having a strong Midfielder with good tackling attribute certainly helps. That's what i do. Do get good fullback if possible, i have a good left back that really helps.