Scout's Match Reports - What am I paying you for?

I've never actually thought about this until it hit me like a sack of spuds last night. So I sent my latest prodigy out to Sporting Gijon in Spain and as I was particularly excited about this winger I thought I'd hire a world class scout to keep an eye on the fella. First game of the season, Sporting 2 - 2 Valencia. The scout dutifully gives me his match report and I rub my hands with anticipation...

"Runiwaga shows he has some ability when it comes to heading the ball."

Well that is just bloody fantastic isn't it, what a brilliant report Mr Scout. Did you even go to the flipping match or maybe you were too busy tucking into a pie and managed to see five seconds of the game where my player made a header, one of the most important attributes in a winger of course.

A bit ridiculous, no?

Seriously though, I understand FM12 has made improvements to the scouting reports and I sincerely hope that this includes the match reports for a player. Otherwise I feel it's an important feature that has been severely under-utilised.

Yeah I always found this ridiculous. "Player X made once crucial header which led to a chance." We really dont need this ****. Better be off without them then.

I would find it more useful if they commented on the hidden stats. I want to know how the handled the pressure of the game, how they performed and was it in line with their previous performances.

Telling me a player is good at heading the ball when that stat is already available to me (fair enough if it isn't and he highlights it) is not very useful.

I would find it more useful if they commented on the hidden stats. I want to know how the handled the pressure of the game, how they performed and was it in line with their previous performances.

Telling me a player is good at heading the ball when that stat is already available to me (fair enough if it isn't and he highlights it) is not very useful.

This sounds like the a really useful idea. Maybe if scouts filed a match scouting report similar to their standard scout reports we could get more information. Such a thing could use the star ratings to indicate how good the player was during the game and what potential performance level he might achieve in the context of near future form?

You could then go on to have a strengths/weakness run down of the performance as well what positions the player played in, perhaps even noting positions he covered or wandered into during the game?

Good ideas guys,

How about being able to see player x's highlights in the game also? Would be nice to see any goals or assits made and any other key highlights.

Plus I don't think it'd be hard to implement as all of that info is already saved, right?

We need the "unknown" or "unexpected" really... Not playing against Barcelona and getting a scout report like "Lionel Messi is likely to be a key player for them".

Things like:

- "Despite his inexperience, Johnny the young centre-back acquitted himself well and has done for the past few games"

- "He might have scored 25 goals last season, but Fernando Torres is looking severely out of sorts at the moment"

- "One-footed FC have no left-footed players and their first-choice left-back and left-winger are not the greatest in the world"

- "Arsenal are down to their last remaining first-team left-back who is injury-prone. Not that we suggest hurting him, of course, boss"

- "Arsenal are down to their last remaining first-team left-back who is injury-prone. Not that we suggest hurting him, of course, boss"

haha this one!

Plus I don't think it'd be hard to implement as all of that info is already saved, right?

Only if the league is loaded and running in the game, if the league is not loaded the highlights and stuff are not saved and the results are mostly calculated through rep.

Only if the league is loaded and running in the game, if the league is not loaded the highlights and stuff are not saved and the results are mostly calculated through rep.

Valid point milnerpoint, still I think we can all agree that more info is needed

oh yeah definitely, i personally go to some matches because the scout reports are always kinda vague, they give you basics but not enough info, especially when comparing players to your own team.

I wonder if things will work differently with the new manage anywhere feature, in terms of how non active league games are calculated and recorded anyway. Personally id love the idea of getting a scout report with a highlights package of the player attached, even if it was just highlights of one game.

oh yeah definitely, i personally go to some matches because the scout reports are always kinda vague, they give you basics but not enough info, especially when comparing players to your own team.

I wonder if things will work differently with the new manage anywhere feature, in terms of how non active league games are calculated and recorded anyway. Personally id love the idea of getting a scout report with a highlights package of the player attached, even if it was just highlights of one game.

Exactly! I listened to the podcast last night and re the play anywhere anytime thing, what happens is that when you activate a new league, eveything is simulated from day one in that league up unil the point of you activating it...its confusing stuff!

so will it simulate from the second you decide to activate a league then? That would suggest to me things would still work the same as they do now, just when you activate the league it will add in all the extra bits that are left out, players awards and such like.

Thats what I'm thinking as the future is already pre-determined.

i guess we will have to wait for more news on the feature, but it could def help expand the scouting system. I'm looking forward to the blogs and podcasts on the feature.