Oposition instructions - Suggestions for improved (swifter) gameplay for users

First off, I don't want to imply my ideas are the only possible option to improve in-match speed or to make matchday quicker.

However, the fact is that in FM08 I spend a lot of time in the formations slider at matchday, just to not be taken by surprise by the oposition.

A change of position by two players, a change of formation, a sub that goes unnoticed until 3 minutes have ellapsed... They all can be pivotal in the outcome of a match.

I've thought long about how to minimise those situations.

You have the option to set individual oposition instructions even for subs, which sorts most of the trouble here, but you still have trouble when the oposition manager switches two players' positions or when a sub moves a player to another spot.

This could indeed be sorted with one or two changes on how oposition instructions work. Let's not make them manspecific but position specific. I don't want my team closing down joe bloggs and darryl mccurrie because of who they are. I want them closed down because they play in a certain position which is the one which could cause me the most damage.

Solution 1: Let me tell my lads I want them to manmark closely the two strikers, close down the two wingers and the two centerbacks and let my lads understand I want the positions, not the names.

Ideally, you would have a oposition positional instructions screen/tag in the team tactic screen in which you could tell your lads how you want each possible position countered regardless of oposition tactic (GK, SW, DR, DL, DC, DRC, DLC, WBR, WBL, DM, MR, ML, MC, MRC, MLC, AMR, AML, AMC, AMRC, AMLC, FC, FL, FR, FRC, FLC)

Solution 2: Forget individual oposition instructions and/or create specific counterformation instructions.

In this way I can set specific positions I want covered when the oposition fields a 442 attacking, a 541 counter or even the dreaded 4-2-4.

Note I'm not asking my players to change formation. I'm only asking them to have a basic knowledge (that we really should have virtually trained in our tactic sessions) on how I want them to counter the oposition's new tactic, player swap or sub. Of course those would be position specific and not player specific as well.

Of course those wouldn't be set in stone and the user would be able to fine tune something inmatch, but I very much believe those small improvements would result in user enjoying more the match and not having to enter the tactic screen to make adjustments every 5 minutes. At least, that'd be what would happen with me.

Thoughts?

I

hmm nice idea, but there are occasions when you want a man-specific instruction - i would guess a choice between the two settings?

Solution 1 i have been thinking about lately as well, as setting up the opposition instructions with the same thing before every game and when the opposition makes substitutions is something I find tedious as hell. Something like you have suggested would really be appreciated by me in the next incarnation, like the ability to save opposition instructions like you can with every other tactical aspect of the game

I agree on this one - it'd be very handy to be able to man mark positions, not the individual players themselves, although I'd still appreciate the ability to man mark the man.

For instance, in the first game of last season, Reading played away at Man Utd - Reading normally play a 442 home and away, but dropped one of the strikers in favour of a defensive midfielder who just followed Ronaldo wherever he went. Result? 0-0.

End result? Reading relegated.

But still - it'd be nice to be able to take an individual player out of the game specifically, whilst still hammering certain positions - like man marking strikers, and closing down their wingbacks, etc. The AI changes formations and players so rapidly at times that the changes are barely noticable - and before you realise it, your CB is man marking their left back.