Changes in FM2012 tthat should be made and that the fan base deserve

While I like the idea of several of the new features of FM2012, the following problems have been in the game, and complained about, for several years now. Failing to fix a majority of them , in my opinion, is an insult to the fan community and a reason I will not buy the game at full retail.

1. Fullback positioning: It’s been a problem since the game went 2d and has yet to be fixed. The fullbacks consistently push up past the defensive line and allow strikers or wingers to stand goal side. The dreaded 4-2-4 is so deadly because it exploits the fact that the wingers will stand behind the fullbacks. There are simply no set of instructions to make your fullbacks stay goal side of opponents. It’s been years and it needs to be fixed.

2. Defensive line positioning. Same thing as above. No matter how deep you place your defensive line, the opposing striker invariably stays even with the defenders and there is room for a breakaway. Getting you defensive line to stay a few yards back of the striker is nearly impossible. Moreover, the defensive line stops at the 18 yard line no matter how deep you set it. This leads to all those little dink through balls because everyone is standing even. Needs to be fixed.

3. Throw-ins: Completely screwed up and all over the place. The number of throws going to nobody, directly to the opposition, to a player who then runs away from the ball, or to a player who is marked only for the defender to run away is outrageous. Throw-ins have never worked well, and appear to be extremely low in priority for fixing. Needs to be fixed.

4. Lower level long range shots. I manage mostly in the lower leagues. I see several 35-yards goals a year. 35 yards from goal. The last one was made by a player with long shots 4 and free kicks 6. I also watch lower league football. It seems that because the lower league players and keepers are effectively the same relative skill as the higher leagues, the FM engine makes the long shot ratio the same. This is wrong. Players at low levels just don’t make super long shots often at all. Needs to be fixed.

5. Lower level direct free kicks. Despite the above, and having seen at least 5 25+ yards goals this season in my games alone, the entire league has 4 goals from direct free kicks. 4. The season is 2/3 played with every team having played 20 games. 4 goals from direct free kicks for the entire league? How are players hitting 25-35 yard goals from open play and cannot ever make a goal from a dead ball? It’s a serious inconsistency that needs to be addressed.

6. The manager reputation system. It’s is outdated and unrealistic and quite frankly trash. Playing at lower levels, where there is no European competition and high profile games you have to grind out a reputation. I took over a club destined for relegation in the Northern Irish second division, starting with Sunday league reputation. My team is tipped to get relegated every year. I have finished 9th, 9th, and 7th (out of 16 teams). My reputation has dropped. Gone down despite overachieving which makes it impossible for me to get a job at a mid level team which might be able to win the league. Basically, unless you win something major, your reputation will stay even or drop. Make a semi-final or a final of a cup? No reputation gain over a regular game. Save a struggling team? Probably lost more than you won during the season so you get an overall reputation drop. It’s unrealistic and frustrating. The entire reputation system needs to be rebuilt.

7. Inability of game to recognize what is going on. I get questions midway through the season about my fellow relegation struggler…who is in 5th in the league. Yeah, they might win their game against the team lying in 14th. Who do I think will win the league with 5 games to go? The team at the top with a 4 point lead. Oh, my team is upset by that answer? Manager X thinks we are definitely going down. We already have more points than needed in the previous season to stay up and are well clear of the relegation zone. I know the whole media aspect of the game needs work, but this stuff just seems simple.

8. Match ratings that mean something. Currently, the match ratings are simply a reflection of how a player is playing at any particular moment. The match rating is not noticeably tied to how well a player actually performed. Example: a player gives up a penalty. If the penalty is scored, his match rating drops significantly. If the penalty is missed, his match rating doesn’t change. I am a manager, not a newspaper. I need a rating that reflects the quality of overall play, not how my player felt at the end of the games he played. Give me something substantial to work with.

9. The period of time where you can’t change tactics. You know what I am talking about. You make a tactical switch. After a second you realize you wanted to do something else, or, more importantly, something happens in the game that makes you want to change your tactics. I was winning by one in a must win game with 10 minutes to go. Made a switch to defensive and subbed out my striker for a defensive midfielder. A few seconds after making the switch the opposing team scored. I NEEDED to win. And I watch as my star striker comes off the field and the whole team goes defensive. No ability to cancel or change my sub or instructions. It is utterly unrealistic and affects the game significantly several times a season. There is absolutely no good reason for this and it must be fixed.

Title obviously messed up. If someone could let me know how to fix it that would be appreciated.

To be fair i think all of your points are valid, however for me none are gamebreaking. Who knows though some of these may be "fixed" in FM12.

why the need to be so aggresive trying to get your point across?

Anyway

1 - Not as big an issue as your making out but could be worked on.

2 - Not really an issue, never had a problem in that sense.

3 - Again i dont see the issue

4 & 5 - so you want them to reduce the number of long range goals at lower lever whilst also increasing the chances of a long range freekick being scored??? People with a low long shots attribute will still score long shots, i dont think you fully understand what the attribute means.

6 - definately not as big an issue as your making out at all

7 - def a problem they could work on

8 - again something they def need to work on

9 - never had an issue with that so cant comment.