FM Superstitions

With so much talk of 2D/2.5D/3D views I thought it would be interesting to see what superstitions people had when playing FM.

For example, I very rarely use the 'Pitch' view, I would say never but if I'm chasing an equalising goal in the last 5 minutes or so of a huge match then I'll change to watch the full match on 'Pitch' view as I feel you're more likely to get a goal that way. Probably just a stupid superstition but you can't beat the feeling when/if it happens!

Anyone else have anything similar?

In CM3 I used to click very fast on "the last 5 min possesion" bar hoping that would get my team to play better.

When the 2D pitch was just introduced I refused to use it as I was convinced my team played worse when I did. I got over it.

On a penalty I will put the mouse thing on the part of the goal I want my player to shoot in or which way for my keeper to dive depending on which team has the penalty. Never works!

Not so much a superstition, more of a habit.

I always make subs on the 60-min mark. At least 2, unless I've made them already, or if I'm at 0-0 and dominating. I find I always have large squads so like to give as many people 30mins as possible.

When I'm losing, I click 'only commentary mode' ... always get the win

When a goal is scored with 3 or less previous messages I shout "Disallowed!". It usually is.

Oh and nervously clicking through the first week as fast as possible whilst closing my eyes after a big signing waiting for the "XXX has damaged their spine in a training pitch accident and will be out for 5-7 months"

If i am winning 1-0 into injury time I must watch all of the remaining minutes, if I take my eye off they will score.

I don't knoe if you can count all of these as superstitions, some of them are more habits.

1. My preferred CB pairing get the numbers 2 and 4

2. Nobody gets the number 13, or any multiple of the number 13

3. I always play a full strength team in the league cup

In CM3 I used to click very fast on "the last 5 min possesion" bar hoping that would get my team to play better.

HAHA

I use to do that to :o

I don't knoe if you can count all of these as superstitions, some of them are more habits.

1. My preferred CB pairing get the numbers 2 and 4

2. Nobody gets the number 13, or any multiple of the number 13

3. I always play a full strength team in the league cup

My CB's always have to be 4 and 5

And im always changing a players number to 99 when they want to leave/ or have annoyed me:)....to show how insignificant they are

i always put the mouse over the "possesion in last 5mins" bar where i want it to be

i always seem to get beat when I play the game drunk, playing Ronaldo in goals seemed a good idea at the time

if someone is playing bad i always click onm their name in half time , feels like im shouting at him, always seems to play better afterwards...

man i play this too much

My wife trying to talk to me while I'm playing invariably leads to a defeat for my team. I refer to her as "The Cursed One", which she finds less than amusing.

Mouse pointer has to be behind the goal I am shooting at at all times.

I never have the cursor on the pitch, but that's probably just a habit that came about because it distracts my attention.

More problematic is that I never quit when I'm on a winning run no matter what time of the night it is, how tired I am or how early I have to get up in the morning because I always think I'll lose when I start up again. That has had some regrettable consequences in the past but I'm sure it'll be exactly the same again this year

i always concede on the 89th min

On CM 01/02 i always seemed to concede goals when i clicked the tactics button.

i always leave the room whenever i'm in a penalty shootout, seems to work most of the time

i always sub a defender at 60 minutes, midfielder at 70 minutes & an attacker at 80 minutes (injuries permitting) and

i never watch the first half (i don't know why)

I always have to watch the player stats screen beacause i lose when looking at overview. I also make a substitution on the 55th minute, and never let a players condition fall below 75%

If I'm watching the match in key highlights, and switch to commentary only, I'll inmediately concede a goal. I think it's FM's way of telling me I need to devote all of my attention to it.

ok my superstition is 1) I NEVER, under any circumstances, watch the match. I leave it on key highlights and let it run through til HT and then FT. 2) When I do check the score at HT/FT I click on the FM tab and hold my hand over where the scoreboard is for when the game flicks back up on the screen so I cant see the score. I then first look at my score, then the opponents.....wierd huh?

I also never give out shirt number 13, and i never look at the injury table or player injury histories. It happens alot that if i look at them, a big player gets injured. One time with Nani I looked at his history and thought he doens't get injured alot, next match he got injured and was out for 4 month.

My wife coming in the room when I'm playing a match always seem to make me concede. She is now banned and probably considering divorce.

Reading this topic, I think is time SI do something about wife/girlfriends known issues. Maybe the biggest malfunction in the gaming experience.

Mine always leads me to mistakes too.

Whenever I give the half-time team talk "Pleased" I ALWAYS make at least one sub, telling myself that the players are aware if their performance drops i'll take them off

There's a fleck of dirt on the left of my screen, during matches the mouse always rests over it. Just bought a new laptop so I don't know how I'll cope now

If a player misses a penalty irl, I won't let him take a penalty for me until he scores again irl

If I'm winning I will never look at the league table, as the opposition normally score when I'm enjoying my new lofty position

Another one of mine is that I never watch the game on Overview either, I always have to have it on split view with one half Stats and the other the score otherwise I struggle to win games.

Also the "never save on a winning streak" one is a tried and tested one over the years...it's lead to some late nights and missed appointments!

Another one of mine is that I never watch the game on Overview either, I always have to have it on split view with one half Stats and the other the score otherwise I struggle to win games.

I been doing that for ages without realising, unless I'm winning comfortably. Turns out I have a very superstitious subconscious....

I seem to concede goals more frequently when I'm making or have just made substitutions.

When I get a corner or free kick, I click on the player who I want the ball to go to so that his name comes up. Don't know why, just always do it.

A mate of mine is convinced he always conceades after making a subsititusion, so if leading 1-0 or drawing in a game he really doesn't want to lose will never make a sub, unless he has to.

I usually leave myself an easy fixture to play when I come back. Usually it's right before a cup game or a game against my rivals. The only problem is that sometimes it backfires because if I lose then I start off the night irate.

I tend not to use formations involving wingers as i believe they always get injured for some reason

My 2nd choice keeper always has to have the number 16 shirt and my best player the 17 shirt (as thats the number i used to wear in my younger days), this brings luck

After every game i clear the team the team selection so my next opponent cant 'spy' and anticipate my next line up

I never make a sub while ball is in play as i always concede when i click it to happen. I have to wait until the com bar says the ball has gone out til i do it.

Always give my best players the number 11 and 15 shirts.

best YOUNG player = 23

best OLDER player = 14

sub goalie = 12

been loving this thread today - very entertaining.

I have the opposite for the "don't stop on a winning streak", I cant stop during a loosing streak for fear that it will carry on when loaded up again.

I also have the self-fulfilling prophecy of giving the number 32 to my best/favourite player, and in my mind at least, he always is good. There is a descending list of numbers I give out that are my favourite numbers, and these go to my favourite players (if you want to know - 32, 9. 11. 10. 15,) I don't have any superstitions about 13 tho.

I get the making subs, the opposition score (so it seems) more often than not while you are waiting for a break in play after hitting the button.

Another one, I guess, is the fact I always play Newcastle and would never dream of playing the game as anyone else, other than with a 2nd manager in the same game, but this is usually after I have some solid foundations in place at the toon. not sure if that counts!

I never have the mouse on the pitch, I always leave it to the left hand side underneath the last drop down bar.

I used to think that having the commentary on very fast always made me lose.

i have to have the mouse pointer over my badge at all times can't play otherwise.

I know it might have already been said and it may sound a bit stupid but everytime i had a penalty against me i use to click on the goalkeeper at a certain point before he gets into the 6 yard box, he saved quite a few, a total coincidence none the less!

I always go to the player rating page and then put the cursor over my team name at the top and don't move unless i have to click to go to tactics for any reason. As soon as i move i almost always concede(or thats how it feels anyway). I've done this since about cm00/01 because my form suddenly changed when i kept still during matches.

I'm starting to get the feeling i need to see a psychiatrist as i write this:(

Player numbers:

13 to back-up goalkeeper/31 to 3rd choice

4 has to be a DM as does 16 - sorry Fabregas you lose your shirt everytime

14/17/20/21 are all reserved for flair/pacey strikers/wingers

10 goes to my best/most important player (as it does alot in Italy)

99 goes to Alex Texiera - First time I signed him all the best numbers were tied up so I gave him that number and it stuck, ever since then he always gets that number.

During match:

Keep mouse hovered over my tactics button

When making a change always pause match

Training

Always have everybodys individual training on overall workload of medium just one of high. I don't know why, perhaps I'll die!!!

• when I'm heavy underdogs and winning the game by 1 or 2 goals, I never sub anyone. No matter what.
  
• no one wears the number 13 shirt (that's my shirt:D)
  
• i never watch penalties
  
• i never say anything in team talks when we're up by at least 2 at half-time
  

In a game at a neutral venue, my team needs to be displayed on the left hand side (ie home team).

mine is pretty weird... i shift the face my body is facing towards wherever i am attacking, in order to get the possession bar up for me. seems to do the trick

Yet another one of mine is when I am playing a crucial match I'll minimize the game to the taskbar for most of it (other than making subs, altering tactics) as otherwise the opposition seem to score for fun. Seems to work more than not!

I click on the screen when the commentary is with my team's possession.

i always leave the room whenever i'm in a penalty shootout, seems to work most of the time

I'm not quite that bad, but I can't watch the shootout highlights. I have to turn it to commentary only. I can't say that it helps me to win, but it stops me getting annoyed when the players take ages to walk from the centre circle to the penalty spot.