Ouch,,,, Back to the drawing board!!! and Penalties??

Tinkered, thought, tinkered again and came up with a 4-4-2. Walloped creative freedom to it's highest for both my strikers, went against the laws of FM Physics and played ultra slow passing with ultra quick tempo, ultra creative freedom and a free role on my central midfielder and for the first time in years didn't play a Target Man or Playmaker!

Result 3-0 up at half time against Newcastle. Ashton and Bellamy with a goal apiece and ratings of 7.3 and 7.6. Sweet, I have it sussed.

Result 3-5 at Full Time!!!! What the **** happened?????!!!!!!

Oh well, at least Bellamy and Ashton stayed on 7.3 and 7.6 at the end!!!!!

BTW Has anyone scored a penalty yet? I have had 3. Three different players have taken them and all three have shot straight at the keeper!

on pens, if i get two in a game, guarenteed the second one will be fired straight at the keeper if its the same taker.

I have a good tactic with max team creative freedom, the complete opposite to FM08 with no creative freedom. Pens are going in atm compared to FM08.

Whats wrong with Short passing/High Tempo?

I know the Stupid 'Hint' Says you shouldnt do it, But I consider that the 'Arsenal' Kind of tactic and thats the type of football I looe/Use in game and im dominating with Luton!

I have no problems with PK. I had three penalties in a single game once, and Maduro scored all three. No Problem.

Regarding the long-ball bug, it seems to affect lower league more so than the elite leagues. It's got nothing to do with the keeper or the striker it seems. It seems to come down to the quality of defenders. In a league with poor defenders it'll happen more ofnte. When you're in the Champions League, I have yet to see it happens.

Whats wrong with Short passing/High Tempo?

I know the Stupid 'Hint' Says you shouldnt do it, But I consider that the 'Arsenal' Kind of tactic and thats the type of football I looe/Use in game and im dominating with Luton!

There is nothing wrong with applying it when you have a great set of players and against weaker teams. But once you use it against an equal team or stronger you will see that you will be hit with counter attack more often. Simply put, your players will make a lot of mistakes.

If you take the tactics to the extreme then it will result in one of two philosophies:

1) If we don't concede we can't lose

2) We're going to score one more than you

Essentially you have chosen the second option. The downside of that is that as quickly as you can amass a three goal lead, a change in momentum in the match can cause a drastic swing the other way. The opposition are remotivated, marking up better and exploiting space better. When the first goal went in, you should have modified your approach - not necessarily drastically, but keeping the short passing game, slowing the tempo to keep possession (very hard to score 5 goals in 45 with little possession) and dropping the creative freedom on your CM would most likely have kept the lead in tact.

Just because something works in the first half, doesn't mean it will in the second. Sticking with/changing tactics is all about timing.

Funny enough I haven't missed a penalty yet, and I've had quite a few. I've even been lazy enough not to specify my penalty taker(s).

I haven't even been particularly successful either, my team just can't seem to miss penalties :s

Oh well, I'd better appreciate it while it lasts!!

If you take the tactics to the extreme then it will result in one of two philosophies:

1) If we don't concede we can't lose

2) We're going to score one more than you

Essentially you have chosen the second option. The downside of that is that as quickly as you can amass a three goal lead, a change in momentum in the match can cause a drastic swing the other way. The opposition are remotivated, marking up better and exploiting space better. When the first goal went in, you should have modified your approach - not necessarily drastically, but keeping the short passing game, slowing the tempo to keep possession (very hard to score 5 goals in 45 with little possession) and dropping the creative freedom on your CM would most likely have kept the lead in tact.

Just because something works in the first half, doesn't mean it will in the second. Sticking with/changing tactics is all about timing.

I totally agree with you. I thought I would let it ride to see how the game panned out as an experiment. To be honest I cheated and reloaded the game to continue the experiment. Dropped the CM's into the DM position with lots of through balls, dropped CF on both DM's, increased CF on the wide players and lowered the FWR of the Full Back's. Same game I won 1-0. Then beat Fulham 2-0 in the next game so I will keep working on it.

One thing I noticed which has been covered is that your strikers marks really do coincide with whether they make a goal or assist. Had Bellamy on 5.1 then he scored and shot up to 7.3. That's not right for a player like Bellamy who chases and harries although I can understand the ratings for someone like Owen who will only come to life whilst the ball is close by.

I also have noticed right now that Target Man or Playmaker don't work as well as they used too.

I'm actually trying to make a 4-4-2 as per West Ham of 1985/86 when we finished 3rd. With short quick passing with through balls for the strikers and the likes of the left midfielder cutting in and a central midfield playmaker but it's really tough. Although in retrospect Cottee, McAvennie and Devonshire were better than Carlton Cole, Craig Bellamy and Hayden Mullins!!!!!