Playing reserves in a major match

I am playing as Southampton and somehow managed to get to the FA Cup Semi Final in my first season (I had decent luck in the draws only playing two Premierleague teams, Newcastle and Wolves).

I was drawn against Man Utd and feared the worst, I also said this in my press conference. I was then warned about Rooney which was to be expected.

Match day arrives and to my surprise they field the reserves bar De Gea in goal. Anyone else seen this or is it Fergie being Fergie? I won 4-2 but somehow felt ripped off as the first team would have battered me.

As your game progresses you will soon find yourself winning premier league, CL and dominating just about everyone in very near future. That's how much easy FM 2012 is unfortunately.

That's hardly the point, did they underestimate me and rest all first team?

Chelsea v Spurs in the other semi was full strength teams.

That's hardly the point, did they underestimate me and rest all first team?

Chelsea v Spurs in the other semi was full strength teams.

It depends on the manager preference. Every manager in FM has hidden attributes like 'Plays youngsters in less important/cup games'. Sir Alex does this in real life and it is reflected in the game. Hope I've made myself clear.

I see bigger teams playing their reserves against me a lot.

The main idea seems to be that their managers don't take my club serious (according to reputation?). The effects go from a little (like when I am a newly promoted club in the league) to some absolute extremes (me winning austrian cup while still being in 2nd Division -> Euro League Qualification against Juventus -> no problem to win with the actual 11 that the old lady fields).

Looks like Fergie dropped the ball then 25 years and still makes mistakes (gives us all hope).

I still see your Southampton side winning everything in the next few season. Do keep us updated on it.

I don't like this happening in the FA Cup. It's great that teams like Arsenal and Man Utd play their youngsters in the League Cup as they do in real life but I don't think they show as much respect to the FA Cup in the game as they do in real life.

In my game Arsenal, Man Utd and Chelsea have all been knocked out of the FA Cup by the fourth round because they have played a mixture of reserve and U18 players. There's a case for saying maybe they would do this IRL against weaker opposition but certainly not in the FA Cup semi finals as in the OP.

Time to introduce another hidden attributes for the managers then - 'Respects FA Cup'

The FA Cup semi final team included two newgens that were only generated 2 months ago, it wasn't even fringe players.

Time to introduce another hidden attributes for the managers then - 'Respects FA Cup'

I know that is tongue in cheek but the fact is that the FA Cup is one of the biggest competitions in the world of football. If they play 15-16 years olds in the semi they really don't care much.