Hard or realistic?

I just finished my first season as Sunderland manager and finished 15th which is not that great, I am in the second season and am now 10th. I have replaced nearly everyone in the squad so obviously there is going to be problems with the team blending together. At first I thought the game was really hard which I still find it is but this seems pretty realistic. I mean after escaping relegation in real life a team would aim to finish around midtable and then try to push to top half etc. Thing is do you think 8th to 11th would be a successful season being as a was so bad in the first season or do you think I can only count a succesful season if I finish alot higher than I did?

Is anyone else finding the game hard but realistic? I have never been a top 4 team on this FM or the last one is it alot easier as them?

Put it this way. If I personally was playing as Sunderland, I'd be chuffed to finish between 8th to 11th. I've found the game extremely hard this year.

I got thumped 3-1 by Hertha Berlin in my opening league game as FC Bayern, so my vote goes for hard.

Because I've found the match engine more responsive to my tactics (as in, doing what I actually want it to do) I've found the game easier than Fm08, but still a hard game.

Looks like 8th to 11th isnt going to happen just lost 4 in a row and plummeted to 14th, could be same as last season. Really thinking of going back to FM08 for a few months especially when stuff like this starts to happen. Maybe once another patch is out and there are some good tactics to download and can give Sunderland another go its annoying when you cant win with the team you support even if it is realistic.

It's early days though, by New Year we'll all be winning countless trophies with the super tactics we have designed. The initial couple of months is all about getting to grips with the ME.

I started my 08 career game on New Years day, after 2 months of solid tactical tweaking

I think 8 - 11th is pretty respectable for a team who previously finished 15th...

Maybe by the third season once all those players have blended properly youd want to be looking at 6th to 9th somewhere, pushing for a European spot. (assuming they are all any good that is)

I tend to win with tactics other people have created lol. I am useless at making my own tactics, I wish that SI would release tactics with the game that actually work or are at least half decent. That way people can pick up and play without worrying too much about the gaps between the defensive line and midfield and in general have more fun as at the moment this game is just getting me down. I want the team I support to be good I have a decent side but after a good start seem to be losing alot just like the first season d'oh. My Team is

GK Craig Gordon

LB Collins (only weak link)

RB Apam

CBs Ferdinand, Tamas, Rusol

CMd Kevin Thomson

CMa Guti / D'Allesandro

RW Amrabat

LW Downing / Di Maria

STs Defoe, Doyle, Landon Donovan

I think that team is good enough for a top half finish but my tactics suck too much to make it happen.

You are going to quit because you can't get Sunderland into the top 7 after 2 seasons? Bit harsh imo. I'm managing Darlington in league 2 and have an atrocious record. Currently sitting third bottom but am finding this is the most enjoyable FM yet. The 3d allows us to see where tactics are going wrong in greater detail and the ME is much more responsive to tactical changes. I'm not sure the point of playing if you don't want to bother with tactics. What do you find enjoyable about the game?

Its not so much the league position but the fact that I just cant get the hang of the tactics at all and it bothers me alot. I seem to lose to really bad teams alot. I love buying players scouting talent trying to train people to change from good players to great players. I guess I get down too easy as FM08 was extremely easy compared to this one. Might just change teams and see how that happens. Nice screen name by the way.

I wouldn't buy the game if I could get Sunderland in the top 6/7 at the click of a button.

If i were you i'd have a look through the TT&F forums, it helps you understand whats going wrong with your tactics and helps you to pinpoint areas for improvement, without giving you a super tactic to win every game. I support Birmingham City and finished 3rd in the first season and lost in the play offs. My vote is for realistic. (I've seen us lose more play off games than i would care to say. Including the horrible 4-0 home defeat to barnsley. I was there and it brings me to tears!!!)

I found FM08 so much harder than this, but in general it always takes time to get used to the new way teh tactics and match engine works.

Stick with it, through the good times and teh bad and have a look around the tactics forums for hints and tips, you'll get there in the end

its way to hard as usual.

Harder than Billy Whitehurst.

Started to play more attacking on a global mentality and am now winning games, although the strikers are playing extremely bad. have to mess around with their settings. This game is full of strange runs now shot up to 10th this is very strange and seems pretty random sometimes.

Realistic in IMO

I really don't see hard and realistic as mutually exclusive....

If the game wasn't challenging it wouldn't be anywhere near as enjoyable

realistic definitely.

fm07 was too easy, fm08 was good but bland. 09 from what ive played is realistic, responsive and a lot of fun!

surely u mean unrealistic????

surely u mean unrealistic????

Just out of curiousity what do you feel is unrealistic? There are some things but by realistic I mean the results are not too bad and neither are the final league positions but I am basing this on only two full seasons.

Realistic, it is challenging but is definetely do-able. I am having a blast

I take the point about it being hard, but then thats football, it's a very competitive game in real life, and bar some random suprises (Hull) most seasons play out as you expect, similar to the game. It takes a very good manager to win any competition in real life, so why should FM09 be any different.

You just have to tweak with the tactics, read the forums and play it as it is supposed to be played. Stop trying to find a "super tactic" situation trying to win every game cause that aint realistic, and don't aim too high with poor quality teams. I think it's an extremely well balanced.

It's only as realistic as you want it to be!

I reckon its a lot harder then previous games and in ways unrealistic. I always start with my team (Man Utd) and ive set up my tactics similar to the way i have been successful on FM08 and my miss the target far too often, Berba has scored only 3 goals in about 15 games, Rooney 5 (my top scorer), Hunterlaar has 1 or 2.

Every game i have about double shots off target in ratio to on target, the amount of clear cut chances missed is phenomenal and equally as frustrating.

One thing i've been very inpressed with is the transfers, i got 32mil for tevez (half up front and rest over 12 months) and overall very impressed with 3D ME

unrealistic and hard. Having watched the 3D engine for the first time i've come to that conclusion. Some of the play created between my players is pathetic. 3D graphics are terrible, with players moving in unnaturally and standing still for a number of seconds. Players constantly facing away from goal etc!

Maybe because i'm comparing my experiences to FIFA and PES.

I reckon its a lot harder then previous games and in ways unrealistic. I always start with my team (Man Utd) and ive set up my tactics similar to the way i have been successful on FM08 and my miss the target far too often, Berba has scored only 3 goals in about 15 games, Rooney 5 (my top scorer), Hunterlaar has 1 or 2.

Every game i have about double shots off target in ratio to on target, the amount of clear cut chances missed is phenomenal and equally as frustrating.

One thing i've been very inpressed with is the transfers, i got 32mil for tevez (half up front and rest over 12 months) and overall very impressed with 3D ME

I got £10 million for Paul McShane and the same for Malbranque, Whitehead and Diouf. Its alot easier to sell players for far more than they are worth I also got £9 million each for McCartney and Reid.

well other than selling Tevez i couldn't get rid of any of my deadweight players. I tried to sell Manucho, Kuszcak and O'Shea and got hardly any offers except for Manucho but only loans, i guess they probably would reject offers from crappy prem teams

it is both hard and realistic. In the past it was fun to take poor teams to the top eventually but this year it looks like that just might not happen. It would be very tough to bring LLM teams all the way into the top leagues.

I am just happy with keeping Tottenham in the prem this time around. Very tough, very challenging, but very fun for me.

ha serpico i work with billy whitehurst:D.hes a rum lad very funny,as for topic hard but good:thup:

It's too early to say for me but i'm actually finding it easier. I was so bad at FM08 but im doing really well in my first season so far and I find my tactics actually make a difference. I can tell what I have to change now with the 3d and I can see it taking an effect. The best one so far!

Away matches might seem a little bit difficult.. Otherwise I dont think its harder than last year...

Its not so much the league position but the fact that I just cant get the hang of the tactics at all and it bothers me alot. I seem to lose to really bad teams alot. I love buying players scouting talent trying to train people to change from good players to great players. I guess I get down too easy as FM08 was extremely easy compared to this one. Might just change teams and see how that happens. Nice screen name by the way.

Ah, well I'd agree with that. It does get frustrating but that's the fun! I'm on the other end of the spectrum. I love to fiddle with tactics(not to much effect most times, see said league position) but I hate having to do training(hence I download other people's training schedules). And, as for the screen name, you a fan?

Ah, well I'd agree with that. It does get frustrating but that's the fun! I'm on the other end of the spectrum. I love to fiddle with tactics(not to much effect most times, see said league position) but I hate having to do training(hence I download other people's training schedules). And, as for the screen name, you a fan?

I am a huge fan anyone who isnt just cant have a sense of humour lol, Dogma and Jay and Bob strike back are class. On topic I managed to finish 7th as my team decided to go and win 6 games in a row I think this means they finally blended together with the right tactic thanks to a user called knap in the tactics forum.

I'm finding FM09 relatively happy, but that may be because I stumbled upon a tactic somebody else made.

I would love to make my own tactic, but it takes to long research, and doing trial and error to get the right combination.

I don't think it's too hard. I'm playing as Southampton and despite having been hopeless with tactics in previous editions, with the help of Assistant Manager Feedback and the "TT&F" guide created by forum users I have improved a lot on that side of the game. My play has been as isolated from the internet as possible - no 'good player guide' for me - and despite the board seemingly expecting relegation (they asked me to "enjoy the experience of participating") I crawled up the table to eventually finish 4th and lose in the playoffs. I can't wait for my second season!

I play full matches most of the time rather than highlights and I am fed up with the back passes to the keeper - my record so far has been my left back passing to my keeper from the edge of the opposition's penalty area (though this has only happened rarely - but I regularly - every game - get my team passing to the keeper from inside the opposition's half which is so unrealistic)

Realistic-I mean my Wolves team are sitting pretty at the top of the Championship, scoring freely, dominating games and keeping it tight at the back (ok maybe thats not to realistic).

Thats is all on a simple 4-4-2, the way we play in real life.

Enjoying it alot at the moment.

Best FM yet

i have found this one the hardest i have played in a while.

very enjoyable im sturggling mid table and its really exciting because i fighting to try get up into the play offs without getting sucked into a relegation fight.

I am a huge fan anyone who isnt just cant have a sense of humour lol, Dogma and Jay and Bob strike back are class. On topic I managed to finish 7th as my team decided to go and win 6 games in a row I think this means they finally blended together with the right tactic thanks to a user called knap in the tactics forum.

Dogma is the best. Anyway, I've tried using a global mentality slider and begin to be more attacking and I seem to be doing better as well.

Just out of curiousity what do you feel is unrealistic? There are some things but by realistic I mean the results are not too bad and neither are the final league positions but I am basing this on only two full seasons.

my centrehalfs cracking them in from 30 yards on a regular basis is a tad unrealistic dont u think?/

maybe u like this tho

Urgh text speak.

I think AcidBurn was talking about realism in relation to the progression from 08. There are still unrealistic aspects to the game, but scorelines, newgens and corner exploits seem to have been improved upon, which is more realistic.

URGH TEXT SPEAK FFS

U A COUPLE OF TIMES AND THEN THO

What a Norman YOU ARE

I got thumped 3-1 by Hertha Berlin in my opening league game as FC Bayern, so my vote goes for hard.

I've had about 4 league defeats and 10 draws in TWO seasons combined with Bayern and win Bundesliga comfortably both times, so I'd say realistic

However I crashed out of german cup in 2nd and 3rd round...

URGH TEXT SPEAK FFS

U A COUPLE OF TIMES AND THEN THO

What a Norman YOU ARE

Luckily I don't understand a word of that second line, but i'll assume you're saying i'm great and i'll applaud you for seeing sense.

Luckily I don't understand a word of that second line, but i'll assume you're saying i'm great and i'll applaud you for seeing sense.

No if YOU read the third line it basically means YOU are a ******.

No if YOU read the third line it basically means YOU are a ******.

Oh right, my bad. Thanks for clearing that up for me

When you shake your head do you hear a rattle?

Hard and realistic judging by the demo, that wa the reason why i ordered it.

It is hard i would say

At the end of the day,it is a game.and the user should have a little bit of advantage from the AI,so he/she can win something

Overall, I'd go with realistic (apart from those moments where your keeper stands still for thirty seconds with the ball while the opposition striker charges him down, nicks it off him and slots it into the empty net while you cry into your coffee...), but I'd like to see a few more goals. I can only speak for the single game I've started, but I'm not seeing very many games with either side scoring more than one. I've played 24 games, and had eight 1-1 draws, six 1-0 wins and three 1-0 defeats. I wouldn't say my tactics are especially negative either, mostly 4-4-2 variations, occasional 5-3-2 games if I'm feeling creative (and my right wing-back is fit...)

I think when you say things like

U A COUPLE OF TIMES AND THEN THO

You can't really call anyone a ******. You shouldn't use text speak, things like U or THO in case you didn't know. It is just for the sake of other users, not everyone on here is a knife toting hooligan and may not be able to decipher what you are saying.