Does condition have an effect in the match engine?

Fm 11; I ask because I just played a match against Wrexham in the BSP just two days after the last match. All of their players at were at no higher than 70s for fitness. My team was all in the 90s. So I decided to run them ragged with a high tempo. By the match end, their entire 11 was below 50%, with some on the 30s and one in his 20s. Yet, they continued to play as though they were at full fitness. There seemed to be no effects that you would expect to see such as slowing down, loss of acceleration, agility, tired mistakes etc. So I have to wonder whether it really matters in matches. I know it matters for training purposes, but not apparently for on field performance. Or am I wrong, and how can you tell in the match?

Just giving this a *bump* as I am surprised that there were no answers to this question. Perhaps and SI guy, or a mod might take a stab at this. Again, I understand the training development aspect of low condition, as well as the increased risk of injury. But, is there built into the match engine effects of exhaustion on the pitch? Because again, I struggle to see it while I am watching the matches. Perhaps it is more subtle that is seen in the 3d? Regardless, I would like to know whether playing exhausted players (and I think a condition of 30% should mean exactly that) actually affects the way he plays.

We're told it does have an effect, but it's not too obvious I would suggest.

An example is a player with not too good pace able to come on late on in a match and outrun defenders as if he has a lot better pace.

We're told it does have an effect, but it's not too obvious I would suggest.

An example is a player with not too good pace able to come on late on in a match and outrun defenders as if he has a lot better pace.

thanks for taking a stab- what prompted me in the original post was not seeing that very example you describe in a recent match. I should hvae been running rings around the Wrexham players- seriously, it was that sad their condition- yet they seemed as fast and peppy as at game start

Did you notice if any of their players picked up any knocks or injuries?

Did you notice if any of their players picked up any knocks or injuries?

Surprisingly no. One player picked up a knock early on, but that was it. I understand that as a risk for playing poorly conditioned players, but I was hopeful that their tiredness would be a bit more evident as I watched the match. I expected to see bad decisions, poor passing, getting left for dead, slow players etc. and didn't really observe any. It's a one off observation here, though, so I don't want to raise too much cain about it. I do wonder what we should normally expect to see in the engine under those circumstances.

Did you try to take advantage of the poor conditioning by pressing more heavily and opening up when in possession? You can generally see a difference then.

Another option that works when leading against badly conditioned players is playing possession football deep on the pitch and hitting them on the counter as you drag them forward. Or, if you are a cynical manager, going in hard should knock some of them out of the game.

Did you try to take advantage of the poor conditioning by pressing more heavily and opening up when in possession? You can generally see a difference then.

Another option that works when leading against badly conditioned players is playing possession football deep on the pitch and hitting them on the counter as you drag them forward. Or, if you are a cynical manager, going in hard should knock some of them out of the game.

Actually I did the first option- high tempo attack, with hassle opponents shout, play wider, and, cynically, get stuck in. Perhaps it was a one off. It might have been I pressed them back so much they weren't having to go forward and use energy they didn't have, but they sure were scooting around in their own half like fresh players. Might have been a one off, but I am glad to know you can see difference, and that for the most part I should expect to. Next time I'll try option 2 and recycle possession deep and try and pull them forward and chase- didn't think of doing that, tbh.

wwfan since you are here can you tell us how condition affects a player exactly? Does he get a drop in concentration or work rate? Or on his physical attributes?