How do you do it! (Picking the team that is)

From reading through the threads, I see there are a number of different ways you people go about picking their teams. I have tried several and just wondered how you did it?

When I started playing too many years ago, I used to simply pick my best players, every game (as long as their fitness was over 80%). Then I developed slightly to resting players for league cup matches and an occasional league game, but my best 11 still played 90% of my matches.

I expanded my use of a squad, and had a best XI 2nd XI and young XI - except for the biggest games of the season, I would always include one or two 2nd XI players in every match. I would aim to get my 2nd XI 10 starts each as a minimum and I would only play players with 90% fitness.

The thing all my methods had was I KNEW my best XI and I was very reluctant to change it mid season ( I don't know why but I was), My squad selection would be decided on fitness and nothing else. A player would have to be extremely poor for a number of matches to be dropped, and a sub would have to set the world alight to even push for a start (then a couple of bad games and the axe would fall).

Recently, I have been using the stats for each players actual performance. I have noticed that the stats don't ALWAYS relate to the performance. For example, I had a German international winger, averaging around 7.4 over 20 odd games. My 2nd choice player for his position had lower attributes, and had played 8 matches with an average rating of 6.7 (or 8 doing this from memory) he was not an international although he did have a couple of U21 caps for Austria. I was looking in depth at players because I was 9 points off top.

So I had a look at these two wingers and I noticed that the Austrian had a higher pass completion rate, a better cross completion rate, attempted more passes/90 minutes and had more key passes than the German international. It was during the winter break, and my assistant had booked 3 friendlies. So I decided to have a look. I watched the match in full, and played the German, I could see him beating players again and again, but his final ball in to the box was terrible! Often over hit, and he didn't once find my forwards.

In the second game, if anything I selected a slightly weaker squad, and included the Austrian. Within the first 10 minutes, he beat his full back and crossed it for my forward to head home. I was really surprised out how differently the two players played with the same orders.

I repeated this for the whole squad and actually created different squad views for different positions showing different stats. I dropped a centreback, a midfielder and the German winger and went on to win the league by a point. The Austrian winger picked up his first cap, was joint 3rd in the league for assists (despite far fewer games) he also picked up 3 young player of the month awards and was on the bench for team of the year.

So now, I look a lot more at the stats and to some extent ignore the average rating and attributes and I have never been more successful in CM or FM.

So how do you pick your team?

I have 2 players for every position(2 GK, RB, LB, DM, AMR, AML, ST. 4 CB, CM) Out of that I have my strongest XI and weakest XI and if any of the strongest can't play, the player for the weaker XI steps up. I also make sure they have over 95% condition. For cup games against lower division sides I use my reserve and under 18 players.

I have one main player for every position, then a bunch of backups who will do the job when needed and not get unhappy too often.

I like to get as many appearances out of a player as possible, so I tend to first team them when they're 17 or 18 and play them in every single game I can. The only concession to this is when they have a Rest icon next to their names on the day of a match. I then send them for a week's holiday.

Ackter plays FM like he did FML

If that was true I'd be in a network game with Cleon who'd be loaning all my players.

I have 2 squads first XI and second-younger XI. Those youngsters are now quite good so I try and rotate them based on their fitnes. But I will try and take a look at what you mentioned.

"Backup" is bull, unless you mean third/fourth string youngsters but I don't usually count them as part of the first team. If my "second" guy in a given position is significantly poorer than the starter, and he doesn't have the potential, he's gone. Much rather have a rough but high-potential youngster than a well-rounded but average veteran to be honest. Unless perhaps when the older player is an amazing tutor, but he would have to be that or a serious sentimental favourite.

I don't play players under 95% fitness if I can help it either, can't stand going into a game knowing I have to use a sub on that position.

I have two distinct XI's. One that is experienced and where most players have reached their potential, and one with much younger players who need plenty of match experience to reach their potential. Unless there are injuries, suspensions or international callups, I don't mix these. All the important, difficult matches are played by the 1st XI, and the 2nd XI is selected when I feel it is likely I don't need to field full-strength sides to win. In addition I never start with players at 95% or lower, and all my players are 100% match fit at all times.

It is possible for a 2nd XI'er to be promoted to the 1st XI, but I don't look much at stats when I do this (if I know the team as well as I do after 11 seasons with Bradford, that is). The reason for this is that the 2nd XI encounters weaker opponents which I trash more often than not, so the 2nd XI stats tends to be better. What is necessary for them to make the bump, is to show me that they can be relied upon in important matches against strong opposition. I then look at how they perform when they get the chance away against a title challenger or in the CL against a big club. If they are invisible and don't really succeed at what they are attempting to do, this means they are falling through at that level and still have a lot of work to do before they can actually challenge for that 1st XI place.

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This is the 1st XI left winger, having been so for many seasons. He is currently very challenged by a younger player whose CA star rating is actually higher, but who hasn't performed as well when I really needed him to - until this season.

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As you can see, as attributes go, Mendizabal is clearly a more skilled player. But if you look at his drop in performance from 21/22 to 22/23 it is because he has played in more "difficult" matches along with better players (so it is harder for him to impress). Wisniewski is still playing in as many big matches, so his performance is actually better. Inigo is left-footed while Dariusz is right-footed and cuts inside, so there are matches where one of them is better suited than the other, so I don't complain...

Ha, I'll stick someone on with 70% just for the app.

I tend to have a couple of favourites who start most games; at the moment these are:

GK, DC, MC (playmaker/captain), ST

I'll try to pick them as often as possible. I'll rest them in games against cannon fodder or when they're unfit (<92% or so). My DC played every game apart from one (injury) last season. My playmaker/captain puts in so much effort he finds it hard to play 3 games a week though.

Then I have a squad of loads of players where some are better than others; some are better at different roles than others etc. I'll pick them based on a variety of factors:

Form: I'll definitely drop players who aren't performing and prefer those who are playing at the top of their game.

Number of games: I don't want players whinging about lack of game time, I don't want exhausted players. Players who have sat out a game or two often seem to make an extra effor to impress (with the right personality), others seem to get complacent if they play all the time.

Opposition: I'll vary my formation depending on my opponents, which by default means different players might get picked. I'll pick more defensive midfielders who battle all game against bigger teams; I'll go for more flair players against weaker teams; I'll pick quick strikers against slow defences.

Youngsters needing game time: Generally against lesser teams, but I'll sometimes pick a promising youngster who I have faith in against bigger opponents just so he gets some game time.

Personality factors: Players who have annoyed me don't get picked for a game or two (e.g. for sulking about whatever or overly cocky players who need to be taken down a notch).

Upcoming games: I might rest players if there's a big game coming and I want them to be fresh.

Whims: Sometimes I'll just pick someone because I feel like it/have a gut feeling that it's the right choice.

It seems a lot of us have a distinct first and second team. I think that is probably still the way to go, but I will certainly be more open to giving a younger, lower skilled player a chance. Then it is up to him to perform.

I set the fomration, then use my assman to select a team, which is basically the best players in that position, then I check the % on there swapping about anyone lower then 95% or rotating my players, its not hard for me. Defenders are are rarely swapped.

From reading through the threads, I see there are a number of different ways you people go about picking their teams. I have tried several and just wondered how you did it?

When I started playing too many years ago, I used to simply pick my best players, every game (as long as their fitness was over 80%). Then I developed slightly to resting players for league cup matches and an occasional league game, but my best 11 still played 90% of my matches.

I expanded my use of a squad, and had a best XI 2nd XI and young XI - except for the biggest games of the season, I would always include one or two 2nd XI players in every match. I would aim to get my 2nd XI 10 starts each as a minimum and I would only play players with 90% fitness.

The thing all my methods had was I KNEW my best XI and I was very reluctant to change it mid season ( I don't know why but I was), My squad selection would be decided on fitness and nothing else. A player would have to be extremely poor for a number of matches to be dropped, and a sub would have to set the world alight to even push for a start (then a couple of bad games and the axe would fall).

Recently, I have been using the stats for each players actual performance. I have noticed that the stats don't ALWAYS relate to the performance. For example, I had a German international winger, averaging around 7.4 over 20 odd games. My 2nd choice player for his position had lower attributes, and had played 8 matches with an average rating of 6.7 (or 8 doing this from memory) he was not an international although he did have a couple of U21 caps for Austria. I was looking in depth at players because I was 9 points off top.

So I had a look at these two wingers and I noticed that the Austrian had a higher pass completion rate, a better cross completion rate, attempted more passes/90 minutes and had more key passes than the German international. It was during the winter break, and my assistant had booked 3 friendlies. So I decided to have a look. I watched the match in full, and played the German, I could see him beating players again and again, but his final ball in to the box was terrible! Often over hit, and he didn't once find my forwards.

In the second game, if anything I selected a slightly weaker squad, and included the Austrian. Within the first 10 minutes, he beat his full back and crossed it for my forward to head home. I was really surprised out how differently the two players played with the same orders.

I repeated this for the whole squad and actually created different squad views for different positions showing different stats. I dropped a centreback, a midfielder and the German winger and went on to win the league by a point. The Austrian winger picked up his first cap, was joint 3rd in the league for assists (despite far fewer games) he also picked up 3 young player of the month awards and was on the bench for team of the year.

So now, I look a lot more at the stats and to some extent ignore the average rating and attributes and I have never been more successful in CM or FM.

So how do you pick your team?

I don't know how you did that. Crossing is broken in the game.

I try to have two players for each position but one will usually be stronger and the weaker is generally a youngster with potential.

I use the starting 11 from the previous game and then demote any players that are on poor form or have condition below 95% (except in rare cases). If it is an easy game I may also give a fringe player a run and a first teamer a rest.

i used to rotate my players a lot but i don't do that anymore. i like having my players climb the league's player stats ladder so more appearances gives them a better chance of doing so

that way my players can achieve top scorer, top assists, most motm's, most distance ran, most interceptions, most key headers, most key tackles, highest match rating, dribbles, tackles, key passes, etc. so i usually have a set XI of players who start every league game except if they're injured/suspended or if their match condition says "tired"

the only exception to this rule is when one of my sub players come off the bench and make an assist, score a goal, or achieve a 7.1+ match rating. in that case, then they get to start the next game

my starting players who are league top scorer, top assists, etc. are untouchable. they get can a 3.8 match rating and fined, and i'll still start him the next game

even when i have to rest players for the next game, i usually i still start with the same players. i just sub off the fatigued players early to rest them for the next match

right now i'm in february and i have 5 players who have started every league game. 2 other players have started every league game they were deemed fit

that said, this is only for league matches. i do rotate a lot for cup and continental matches

I have 2 roughly equally good players for each position (maybe with the exception of central defenders, where it's only 3 quaity DCs, and FBs where my starting pair is clearly better than my back-ups). Some of them are experienced key and 1st team players, some are youngsters trying to force their way. Basically, when selecting a team I take into account players' condition (must be at least 90%), their recent performaces (based mianly on what I've seen, not on the ratings), a few next fixtures and the strength of the next opposition (e.g. if my next opposition is a mid-table side and the game after that is against a strong team or a match I have to win, I would usually rest some of the key players in the first match, subsitute them early result permitting, etc.).

To give some data to back this up, my typical starting line-up for the last season played as follows (league games only, only 1st eleven apps counted; max. 38 games):

GK 33, DR 32, DL 34, DCs 27 & 28, MR 30, ML 27, MCs 25 & 19, STs 25 & 27.

So, depending on the congestion of fixtures, condition, opponnents, injuries (e.g. both a DC & an MC were out for around 2 months) I altered the starting line-up. Sometimes it was affected by internationals (I had 2 Mexicans and two Africans) and suspensions.

If that was true I'd be in a network game with Cleon who'd be loaning all my players.

We played the way FML should have been designed for

I base my squad selection on how my players perform regardless of their attributes.

Well I learn about the players first and then stick with a first XI for most of the game.

I have a heavy focus on youth and youth poaching. So my 'backups' tend to be young and rough diamonds. If I'm in the Premiership for example, my backups are actually Championship/league 1 quality but, I feel the odd one or two in a team that is very world-class isn't a problem.

Also I tend to keep some bit part players, (i.e. ordinary players, not world beaters) in case I need a backup who is more experienced than a youth player.

It works well for me to be honest. The youth play all league cup and weak cup games and even the ECL group league games if we qualify early. So those games give me a chance to see how they perform first hand, if they play poorly I bring a different youth up instead. If they still muck about, they go on loan. If they stunt in terms of growth and performance, I'll cut my losses at 21-24 if I don't feel they'll be used.

So far, most youths step up to the mark. I have noticed it's trickier though if I get an injury run; for example all three of my main strikers are out injured or returning from injury, as are some of the midfielders so I have a bare bones youth team playing but it's experience and they get the results most of the time.

I have 22 players, two for each position. If I play in the CL or EL, I will add 1 defender, 1 midfielder and 1 striker. Players who are in my squad should be good enough to play in every match or should have the potential to be good enough. My aim is that each player has played at least 1000 minutes at the end of the season (except for the 2nd keeper maybe). I often do fail because in tough matches I always select the players with the highest avg rating so far. I once had a policy that each player who had a match rating of 6.8 and below would be replaced in the next match but I found it too complicated to check it before every match. Players are only selected for the starting XI or the bench if they have a condition rating of 90% or higher.

My approach is nowhere near this structured. Once I've put together the core team I'm happy with, I will only sign young players or free transfers. But then my team selections are entirely based on form and fitness with a view to giving the young players a chance whenever possible.

We played the way FML should have been designed for

We had the rhythm down perfectly. Dominated

My first XI consists of players who are the best in their positions but cant play in other positions. Then I have 13-14 other players who aren't as good as the first XI but can play in many positions. Versatility is absolutely crucial for me. This actually helps a lot in a match when one of my players gets injured and you didnt bring your first choice backup on the bench, you can easily switch around a bit. By saying that, I'm a fan of rotating players and always love to mix-n-match everywhere, but will always use my first XI in cup finals with the subs containing 'backup' players that had the best form all season.

But sometimes I like to spring a couple of youngsters here and there and usually choices are made through gut feeling and nothing much.