What do you do when new signings struggle to hit the ground running?

When players you have signed don't make an immediate impact and look off the pace massively, what approach do you take? Can players have dreadful starts and turn things around the following season?

For me I've got Wilfried, the 'next Didier Drogba' but I signed him in Jan for Swansea and he didn't score in 10 games with an average rating of 6.36! Yes, 6.36! I'm now in the summer, what do you think I should do?

A) Keep the faith

B) Sell asap

C) Loan him out to come back better

Experiences and opinions would be very helpful

If he's young loan him to a high/mid-table Championship team, play him in the cups, give him plenty of encouragement. Gradually introduce him to the 1st team in the league, a few sub appearances here and there. If he can't settle, send him off on leave for a week or so.

If I knew the answer to that I'd be Chelsea manager and not Villas Boas.

I am in fact in just such a situation in my game. A beast of a striker, should wipe the BSN with his feet, but since he joined he's had low morale and is consistently awful.

I'm persisting, but making sure there are players around him and on the bench you can stick it in the old onion bag when he lets us down again.

Did you give him the hairdryer treatment in a private chat? Also threatening to move him to the reserves might have sparked a turnaround in form. This only works if his personality will take it though. If he's a prima donna then he'll just go off in a huff.

Another thing to check is to make sure you're playing him correctly. Look at his training report and see what his ideal duty is (Trequartista, Deep Lying Forward etc) and try him in his ideal role for a few games if you haven't been doing so already. Sometimes you have to sacrifice your tactics a bit to get a player to settle and perform correctly.

As for what you do next season, give him a few games and if he's still performing badly, I would get rid of him. Loaning him out might be an interesting experiment to try though. Haven't tried that myself with a struggling player...

If they have come from playing football in another country, some players take longer to adapt to the new league/country, so give them time and keep the faith.

Like Edin Dzeko etc.

If I knew the answer to that I'd be Chelsea manager and not Villas Boas.

I am in fact in just such a situation in my game. A beast of a striker, should wipe the BSN with his feet, but since he joined he's had low morale and is consistently awful.

I'm persisting, but making sure there are players around him and on the bench you can stick it in the old onion bag when he lets us down again.

​I'm managing in the BSS and I'd love to know which striker you're talking about

I've seen players go from game winners to mediocrity from one season to the next (usually when they decide we're too smal for their skills [Damn you Schelotto, we had something together q.q]), but unplayable to perfect is much rarer - though for forwards being judged on goals it can come and go with the breeze; unless I'm certain a forward isn't up to the task (or someone offers big money) I tend to stick by them, midfielders not so much; they need to boss that **** and be playing right for the team's style and if they can't do that then they need to gtfo.

my decision would be made depending on his wages and ratings

- if his attributes are high or highly promising then I'd probably keep him (only players with high determination do well on loan for me, and it sounds like this chap is lacking there)

- if his attributes are irreplacable but his wage is too high then I'd loan him out for three months to whoever could pay and when he returned he'd have till the next window to earn his place, and I'd keep reminding him of that deadline

- if you can get those skills elsewhere then look elsewhere and move him along unless he cost too much and the return is too low/loss is too high

Did you give him the hairdryer treatment in a private chat? Also threatening to move him to the reserves might have sparked a turnaround in form. This only works if his personality will take it though. If he's a prima donna then he'll just go off in a huff.

Another thing to check is to make sure you're playing him correctly. Look at his training report and see what his ideal duty is (Trequartista, Deep Lying Forward etc) and try him in his ideal role for a few games if you haven't been doing so already. Sometimes you have to sacrifice your tactics a bit to get a player to settle and perform correctly.

As for what you do next season, give him a few games and if he's still performing badly, I would get rid of him. Loaning him out might be an interesting experiment to try though. Haven't tried that myself with a struggling player...

Ive actually been quite calm and understanding with him, as well as playing him in the preferred position. I'll give him 2,3 games this season so I can just sell him in time if he is still poor. From everyone else's views Wilfried has been amazing, I'm just yet to see it :/

Ive actually been quite calm and understanding with him, as well as playing him in the preferred position. I'll give him 2,3 games this season so I can just sell him in time if he is still poor. From everyone else's views Wilfried has been amazing, I'm just yet to see it :/

Wilfred keeps scoring buckets for Sampdoria in mine. He managed a hatrick despite the team going down to 9 men against Juventus. I'd never heard of him before today.

​I'm managing in the BSS and I'd love to know which striker you're talking about

Just signed him last night and my game isn't fired up at the moment, but his name sounds to me like the Spanish for 'Newcastle' - Damian Casalinuova.

Oh, and he was released by Hamilton Academical.

take him out of the team and immediately remove any pressure he was feeling. slowly introduce said player back into games after say 2 months warming the bench

Just signed him last night and my game isn't fired up at the moment, but his name sounds to me like the Spanish for 'Newcastle' - Damian Casalinuova.

Oh, and he was released by Hamilton Academical.

Ah. Nevermind. I already have him. He's not performing that well for me either but I'll give him a bit of time...