Why I am struggling at the start of new season?

I always have this problem. First season I had exceptional results, but second season I always struggle and I am always around last place. I am currently playing with Everton. In first season I was 3rd with 1 point away from 2nd place. This year, I am 18th with 5 points in 6 games. I bought Vrsaljko and Lukaku. What's the problem?

The most common reason we see on the forums is:

You play attacking football and you overachieve in your first season partially due to the opposition underestimating you. When the second season comes round the opposition see you as a much bigger threat, closing down space quicker, keeping more men behind the ball, generally playing more defensive against you and giving you more respect.

The tactics you used in the first season therefore become less effective and you don't change your gameplan to counter what the opposition has done.

^^This from Cougar2010. Adapt your tactics and thirve.

So, that's the reason why my team is becoming worse and worse as the end of season is approaching. What is your recommendation? What can I do about it? Does that mean that I can't repeat success from the first season?

So, that's the reason why my team is becoming worse and worse as the end of season is approaching. What is your recommendation? What can I do about it? Does that mean that I can't repeat success from the first season?

You can repeat success but you need to evaluate your tactics and adjust them according to the opposition.

I would presume the reason your tactics were successful first season was because the opposition came and attacked you leaving gaps at the back which you exploited by getting the ball forward quickly into the space.

Now that space isn't there and the opposition are happy to defend, possibly playing on the counter or aiming for a point rather than a win. In these type of games you need to keep possession more, give your players more time for runs to be made and passes to be spotted. Play wider to drag the defence out of shape or have good movement up front to create space. First goal is vital in these games, if it goes to the opposition it will be even harder to score but if you score first they have to come out and attack leaving more space.

Perhaps post up a screenshot of your tactics and we can offer more advice.

You need more variation. Swap tactics and re-jig your team.

Does anyone have a specific reason? I am now in 5th place. I didn't change my tactics. My team is playing very bad. I conceded many goals, my midfield is playing awfully, my strikers are worse then ever...

Don't play narrow. I play a 3-4-1-2 and could walk all over you there, you need to be able to get players wide.

My team is performing better now. I placed Fellaini on central midfielder. I finished 2nd in Champions Cup group and I am 5th on table.

This is ******** and unreal. Again, the same story...

When you start the new season, pay attention to the team strength and weaknesses. Change yours tactics according to that if required. keep a in match tactic B ready and learned. The AI learns yours moves, so you should keep on improving.

Thats your formation but what tactics do you start the match on? I.E. Attacking, fluid, more roaming etc.

I don't play any specific tactics. I leave everything on default.

Play wider in your tactics, I think you're too narrow at the moment. Also, I go for 'control' as my team's starting philosophy, so if you think you've got the quality then go for that. Also, I was having a similar problem of going through a run of under performing and some good advice I received was to play closer attention to team talks, mixing it up a bit as players get bored of the same ones.

Finally, make sure you are making use of the match preparation feature, going to a high workload 3 days before the match and select the specific focussed based on the quality of your opposition.

Id try something like Philosophy balance, Strategy controll, Creative freedom more expressive, Marking zonal. Aim of this is to try and keep the ball and tease the opposition out of position and exploit there mistakes. You can use in game shouts if you need to play more direct etc. Maybe try cover/stopper for your central defenders as having them both set to defend can see them get caught "flat" by a crafty opposition attacker. Also might help to have another formation ready to go incase this one is not working out. Have to say the formation you employ i dont really use. Its going to be a case of trial and error.

I don't play any specific tactics. I leave everything on default.

This is your main issue.

You need to be more tactically aware, why are you using the tactics you are using? what are the strengths of the tactic you are using and are you making use of them? what are the weaknesses and are the opposition exploiting them?

You also need to be able to recognise what is happening on the pitch during matches and alter your tactics when needed to close up gaps in your defence or to create more going forward.

Looking at your tactic a 442 narrow diamond is generally a fairly solid formation defensively with the DM protecting your two DCs but going forward you can easily become a big bogged down due to the lack of width that Ollie has pointed out above, especially if the opposition choose to defend and play on the counter. The key positions in the formation tend to be the two fullbacks who need to control the wingers when defending as well as getting forward to provide attacking options while the AMC is usually the focal point of attacks whilst also linking phases of play.

You'll probably find you do fairly well against a flat 442 formation if the opposition are of even strength but I would expect you to struggle more against teams who use advanced wingers (AML/AMR) who will pin your fullbacks back while a DM will cause you a lot of problems going forward as he takes your AMC out of the game.

Play wider in your tactics, I think you're too narrow at the moment. Also, I go for 'control' as my team's starting philosophy, so if you think you've got the quality then go for that. Also, I was having a similar problem of going through a run of under performing and some good advice I received was to play closer attention to team talks, mixing it up a bit as players get bored of the same ones.

Finally, make sure you are making use of the match preparation feature, going to a high workload 3 days before the match and select the specific focussed based on the quality of your opposition.

My workload is always on high. Should I change it to something else and then put it on high 3 days before match?

This is your main issue.

You need to be more tactically aware, why are you using the tactics you are using? what are the strengths of the tactic you are using and are you making use of them? what are the weaknesses and are the opposition exploiting them?

You also need to be able to recognise what is happening on the pitch during matches and alter your tactics when needed to close up gaps in your defence or to create more going forward.

Looking at your tactic a 442 narrow diamond is generally a fairly solid formation defensively with the DM protecting your two DCs but going forward you can easily become a big bogged down due to the lack of width that Ollie has pointed out above, especially if the opposition choose to defend and play on the counter. The key positions in the formation tend to be the two fullbacks who need to control the wingers when defending as well as getting forward to provide attacking options while the AMC is usually the focal point of attacks whilst also linking phases of play.

You'll probably find you do fairly well against a flat 442 formation if the opposition are of even strength but I would expect you to struggle more against teams who use advanced wingers (AML/AMR) who will pin your fullbacks back while a DM will cause you a lot of problems going forward as he takes your AMC out of the game.

My opponents always score on the assist by wingers because I have only few players with high jumping/heading attributes. How can I prevent that?

The problem is the space the wingers get, then, not the size of your central defenders. So other than getting bigger, stronger defenders, your full backs could possibly be set to be more aggressive so that they don't let the wingers cross so easily. Of course, that comes with the risk of them being outplayed...

I changed few things now and I won 2 matches in a row. I've changed crosses to drill crosses, I gave more creative freedom to players with high creativity attribute, I changed RB's and LB's tackling to hard and I made them full backs.

Now this happened...

I got sacked. This is so ****ing ********.