Anyone actually enjoying it??

Personally I think it's the most realistic FM so far bar one or two niggling issues.

The only qualm I have with the Match Engine is the difficulty to find a way of playing with 2 strikers. I have Ashton on 8 goals in 10 games up front on his own but when I play him in a two no matter what instructions you give both strikers average about 5.6 per game. But bar that I think the Match engine is great. Yes you get wayward long shots and horrific misses but that happens IRL.

The thing I like most about it is that you can draw 0-0, or nab a 1-0 win or suffer a 1-0 loss. It's close and that is real football a lot of the time. A 4-0 win is a rarity IRL especially for teams outside the top 4. I think it's great to go away and grab a point with both teams getting maybe 3 shots on goal each rather that 20 odd on target like FM 2008.

However I can understand people suffering. But at the same time surely a killer tactic that allows Bolton to go and win 4-0 away at Chelsea just isn't realistic. Relegations happen, defeats happen and mid table obscurity is IRL the best most Clubs can manage.

So stick with it fellas, you can't become Mourinho overnight.

The only real irritation are those damn Press Conferences. Does anyone actually do them?!

The only real irritation are those damn Press Conferences. Does anyone actually do them?!

I've noticed a lot of people slamming the press conference, which i'm not surprised at, but i've enjoyed them and this was the main feature I was looking forward to in 09. Why do people hate them so much?

Probably because they are so repetitive. And to be asked about whether you are interested in a player you have never heard of is odd.

I've noticed a lot of people slamming the press conference, which i'm not surprised at, but i've enjoyed them and this was the main feature I was looking forward to in 09. Why do people hate them so much?

Seriously? I think I made it through the first two and have sent my assman to every one since then. They are dead boring and a complete waste of time IMHO.

I like the press conferences. I have become a cocky git and refuse to admit that teams have dangerous players.

Yes it does make me feel like a big man.

I'm enjoying it. Certainly far more than I was FM2008.

I've not got bored of press conferences yet though. I don't get them for every game anyway, and while the journalist can be a bit repetitive, it's an improvement on the media interaction that was there before.

lol I attended a post match conference for a game I lost in 95th minute and was all dirty and talked bad of the opposing manager and chose the most rude reply I could find on the list for each question. Now my team is angry with me for being negative =D

I'm loving this version of the game, and I'm currently over the moon with my last season!

Playing as Derby I got promotion on 96 points in my first season but was handed a tall order to survive with only £850k transfer budget. It was all good in the end finishing 12th with 2 memorable victories (one in the league, and one in the cup) over now 2 time English Champions, Arsenal as well as winning the FA cup and qualifing for Europe. Definitely my most intense season ever playing football manager! The reason I mention this is because it was ultimately a press conference that turned the season back on track with 6 or 7 games left:

8 games without a win in the league and a mere 3 points out of relegation with a hard final run left, it was beginning to look as if the positive season was over and that it might all come crashing down last minute. I had scraped past Soton in the FA Cup quater finals though, but the prospect of facing Arsenal seemed like a bleak one and would likely shatter what was left of the teams confidence. I had to face the media before the match, and I decided then and there, that if the season was going to be turned around I would have to take the bulls by the horns and I would have to show some confidence. I told them I don't care about Adebayor, that I was going in for the win, and that we had a fantastic chance! I recalled Giles Barnes and Fabien Delph after a major drop in form from both. I told the squad that they can win, demanded performances of Valeri, Barnes, Delph and Tito... and they delivered. An impressive performance with the winning goal from the Captain, Nyatanga. The results picked up with 4 wins in 6 including a 2-1 win over Arsenal to round off a successful season!

So yeah, they do have their uses.

Yep. Me! I love the game.