How the ?

Right so i am southampton in the championship in my first season. 37 games down I'm first or second in the league. My recent form hasn't been great but I'm unbeaten in 17 league games. My form was D-D-D-W-D-D. The league game before this form was against portsmouth, my local derby, and i had won 2-1. I have two of the top scorers in the league. My form now has gone to L-L-L-L and i am currently losing 2-0 to reading. There are 5 games in left and i am just in the playoffs 3 points behind second. What can i do to help my team. I have tried team meeting and they say, these are getting boring. In the 4 game losing steak i have scored 3 goals.

What if anything have i done wrong? Can you help?

Is this something wrong with the game that i can go from doing doing so well to becoming utter rubbish?

Go on holiday for a game. See if your assistant can change your fortunes!

This is the so-called "shaky bottom" (or whatever) part of the season. The ten last games of the season features higher risk of nervousness and other negative outcomes of a squad lacking in hidden attributes like Big Matches and Pressure, plus lack of Determination in the squad (such as complacency, "looking uninterested" and sudden extreme drops in morale).

yeah i have found that the morale has dropped to abysmal on a few players and very bad on others.

Ill try giving the assistant manager a go.

But surely if i am saints considering they got promoted last year they shouldn't be affect much by pressure and nervousness. but hey ho if i don't go up this year i will next.

Thank you assistant manager a 2-0 win.

Thank you assistant manager a 2-0 win.

Splendid. Back on the right tracks!! Now you can push on with (hopefully) a squad with higher morale and belief.

Yeah hopefully. The morale is slightly higher at 'fairly poor' aha.

Yeah hopefully. The morale is slightly higher at 'fairly poor' aha.

Not ideal!

Go and "analyse" your last game.

Specifically the shots, passing and defending.

Praise any players who had a high passing percentage, or a high tackle count - using the "last game" option in the player options.

Excellent. Millwall at the den 2-0 down within 9 mins.... Hmmm.. the next game will be the assistants

This is the so-called "shaky bottom" (or whatever) part of the season. The ten last games of the season features higher risk of nervousness and other negative outcomes of a squad lacking in hidden attributes like Big Matches and Pressure, plus lack of Determination in the squad (such as complacency, "looking uninterested" and sudden extreme drops in morale).

hehe shaky bottom..... you mean squeeky bum time?

but yeah.. its a case of 'end of season' nerves/jadedness' you need to motivate them.. swap things around.. consider using players who havent been used much but are hyped up and ready etc

"Shaky bottom"!! :D

It is always difficult to know exactly what is happening in someone elses game but Swarfegas suggestion of a few individual talks may be worth following. I'd also consider being more conservative with your tactic and telling the boys no pressure or you have faith. They are clearly feeling the pressure of being in a position for promotion and this may help. However if you only make the play-offs thats still not a bad 1st season overall for a newly promoted side and win three matches and your still promoted. If your strikers are letting you down then bench them and start with your back-ups perhaps and then sub them in later in the game.

Is this something wrong with the game that i can go from doing doing so well to becoming utter rubbish?

No. It is your management.

BiggusD's post #3 sums up the most likely reason. After your run of wins became a run of draws, nerves would have started creeping in. You should have launched a motivational strategy designed to take the pressure off the team. There are all kinds of ways in which you can do this:

1: Talk up opposing teams as much as possible in press conferences or in response to press conferences

2: Take the pressure of your own team in press conferences

3: Take the pressure off your own team in pre-match team talks

4: Praise effusively when the team plays well

5: Use the player interaction function to try and boost morale individually

6: Use a team meeting to reduce pressure (Although it seems you have over-used this function)

7: Play less risky football for a few games, which will prevent nervous players from making so many mistakes

8: Rotate in a few higher morale or very determined players, even if they are not regulars

9: Drop some of the kids for a few games and let your more experienced heads deal with the pressure

10: Use a lot of individual talks when the player is looking stressed or playing nervously

Saints just an addition, since morale play an important role in matches consider playing your back-up/first team that has very low morale that you can spare before your next match to play in reserve team. A win even in reserve team will help increase the player's morale even if it's just a notch. Of course there's always a chance of running a player into injury in reserve game and the decision is yours to make to take the chance or not (also if your reserve lose it won't help the players a bit so... yeah.... nonetheless it's something to consider )