Dear oh dear oh dear

I was innocently browsing the game when I came across Pep Guardiola's manager profile, and then I read it: PREFERRED FORMATION; 4-4-2. FOUR-FOUR-TWO! This has got to be the easiest formation preference they had to assign in the entire game, and they got it wrong, and hideously wrong at that! Just ridiculous, an amateur's mistake. It may seem a small thing when you first come across it, but actually it's a small part (although still completely unacceptable) of a huge problem with the game, and don't get me started with that.

It has mine down as 4-1-2-3 even though I have never once played that formation is 14 seasons

It's got my formation as 4-1-2-3- too, i always play 4-4-2 (11 seasons) only a cosmetic mistake but one i hope is more accurate in FM12.

They never get my formation right either, just ignore it.

just sayin , does it impact you in anyway ( apart from the mental scars that this traumatic event took place)?

just sayin , does it impact you in anyway ( apart from the mental scars that this traumatic event took place)?

I had to be signed off work with stress for a week when I realised it had mine wrong

I had to be signed off work with stress for a week when I realised it had mine wrong

i've been off with stress and depression for 3 months because of this!!

op, if you use the latest patch then barcelona should be using the 4231 formation, ok

The AI doesn't have the faintest clue which tactic you or anyone else are playing. Perhaps they are slightly unaware what they are playing themselves...

'I was innocently' was tongue in cheek btw... just saying this is dreadful, and part of a bigger problem i.e Xavi at the end of a season having 73% pass completion=match engine must be horribly wrong.

It's perfectly posible to have players with 90% pass completion. The problem is the AI's choice of tactics, not the ME per se.

It has mine down as 4-1-2-3 even though I have never once played that formation is 14 seasons

mine is the other way round ive played 4-2-3-1 for just under 20 years at southampton and says 4-4-2 as prefered

Apparently my preferred formation is a 4-3-3 even though I've only used it on about 1 occasion, the ironic thing is that although it's listed as that, the formation is quite clearly a 4-5-1

I use a 4-2-3-1 Asymetric or another form of 4-2-3-1 usually though, get it right, FM.

I've always had this issue, on my old Arsenal save for god knows how long I played a 4-3-3 and apparently I preferred the 4-4-2.

Good point, but I still think that there's nowhere near enough passes made in a match, and this is down to the movement of the players in the ME.

There aren't enough passes made, but that is different to the passes made percentage. I don't think player movement is a major reason for low passing numbers, although it does contribute. I think the major reasons are the amount of dead time, clearances being put out for corners rather than deep down the pitch (which would result in more passes as the team in possession reset) and players being closed down near the sidelines not looking for support enough (for which, players not moving in support is a factor).

I also think users tend to play very aggressively, which tends to result in the ball being moved down the pitch quickly, reducing the number of passes made. A more defensive team operating around a DLP fulcrum tends make a lot of passes, although nowhere near as many as Barca.

The preferred formation bit only has very basic formations.

If you have four midfielders, no matter where they are, it tends to show a flat 4 in midfield.

I think the players are (even on Standard) far too eager to get forward with the ball. The amount of times they can cut it back to a CB to switch the ball across the pitch but instead lose it with an ambitious pass is beyond me. Possession is a massive part of the game nowadays with the Barca/Spain revolution, and it's time it's recognised.

I think the players are (even on Standard) far too eager to get forward with the ball. The amount of times they can cut it back to a CB to switch the ball across the pitch but instead lose it with an ambitious pass is beyond me. Possession is a massive part of the game nowadays with the Barca/Spain revolution, and it's time it's recognised.

Then use counter and the retain possession shouts. I average over 60% possession and am close to 90% pass completion and rarely venture away from counter. The counter strategy doesn't heavily reduce the chance of scoring, rather affects how the ball is worked up the pitch. Players will be far more likely to pick passes to open players in deeper positions and will choose to keep possession rather than risk an ambitious pass. Although you won't create quite as many chances, you will create an equal number of high quality chances and can easily average 2.5 plus goals per game if you have a good enough team.