Has anyone actually had a good start to a season!

In the last month ive had about 11 games on FM because i never and i mean never start a season well

I cant remeber the last time i won on the opening day

And the average placing after ten games is very near bottom

No matter who i am and what tactics i play:mad:

Anyone actaully had good starts???

I am having an awesome season so far, im 25 games in and have won 20, lost 0, drawn 5. Promotion here I come!!!!!!

Me too, I started with a win, 38 games later im Champion, and only 1 drawn game

I always start the season the same.

My first 3 games are always win, draw, loss. In any order

I just won my first game of the season, 1-2 against Northampton. Go me

To be completely honest, and im not proud of this, but in my first season on FM08 I lost my first 17 games, finished the season with 1 win.

I'm probably going to jinx it now, but on 09 I have never lost on opening day!

I won my first 5 matches consisting of 3 friendlies & 2 Euro Cup qualifying matches then i lost my first superleague match 1:2 at home to the team who ended up finishing just outside the Relgeation zone, I still went on to win the league though, but only by 2 points...

it was great fun:P

i normally lose many more games in the first few months of a season, then i turn into arsenal AI and just don't lose after jan or round abouts.

I'm quite the opposite, playing very well early, and falling apart in March...

I generally start the season well, only, like the real Norwich, to go on a post christmas slump!

At the start of a new game, the players don't know you, and if you've made changes, don't know each other. Thus the first few games are usually awful whilst they are gelling and trying to work to your tactics. In subsequent seasons, providing you don't chop and change too much and providing you use pre-season friendlies well, there's no reason you shouldn't start a new season hitting the ground running.

So, I'd check your pre-season preparation - training, friendlies, changes to personnel and tactics.

At the start of a new game, the players don't know you, and if you've made changes, don't know each other. Thus the first few games are usually awful whilst they are gelling and trying to work to your tactics. In subsequent seasons, providing you don't chop and change too much and providing you use pre-season friendlies well, there's no reason you shouldn't start a new season hitting the ground running.

So, I'd check your pre-season preparation - training, friendlies, changes to personnel and tactics.

This is actually one of the things which annoys me about the game.

I quite agree that your team needs to gel at the start of the season. However, this should also apply to the AI teams - ie your results shouldn't really be any worse relatively. As far as working to tactics is concerned, if you start with the 4-4-2 default your players should, presumably be used to playing like that....

This is actually one of the things which annoys me about the game.

I quite agree that your team needs to gel at the start of the season. However, this should also apply to the AI teams - ie your results shouldn't really be any worse relatively. As far as working to tactics is concerned, if you start with the 4-4-2 default your players should, presumably be used to playing like that....

I'm sure it does apply to AI teams. For those with the same manager as before, well it stands to reason that they would understand his way of managing.

They won't be used to playing the 4-4-2 default if they didn't play that before. It's just default in the game.

As far as I am concerned it's pretty realistic.

If it applied to AI teams you shouldn't expect your start of the season to be worse than after your side gelled. You should all be equally dire.

We all start from 2008 with no previous history. There's no reason, therefore, why the AI teams should be any more used to their manager than your team is.

It's the same sort of 'fix' as takes place with half time team talks. AI managers always appear to psych their teams up after half time - they presumably, therefore, always use the right team talk.

i had a great start to my hull season, beat arsenal 2-0, then promptly lost the next 2-3 games

If it applied to AI teams you shouldn't expect your start of the season to be worse than after your side gelled. You should all be equally dire.

We all start from 2008 with no previous history. There's no reason, therefore, why the AI teams should be any more used to their manager than your team is.

But that's completely wrong. SAF starts with 20+ years at the helm of MU. The AI managers have history; only YOU come into the game at the start of the 2008 season with no prior experience.

But that's completely wrong. SAF starts with 20+ years at the helm of MU. The AI managers have history; only YOU come into the game at the start of the 2008 season with no prior experience.

The clubs don't have any game history prior to 2008 is what I meant - they have a list of achievements and former players but as regards the game they are as much starting from scratch as your side is.

The clubs don't have any game history prior to 2008 is what I meant - they have a list of achievements and former players but as regards the game they are as much starting from scratch as your side is.

Perhaps there are factors built into the game to relay a sense of continuation at AI clubs. I'm sure there must be something that says team understanding is good for AI clubs under the same manager.

Each manager has a preferred formation, that I know. If Ferguson's plays the formation stated as his preferred then I guess that will act as continuation.

If you're having bad starts to seasons, either new or further seasons where new players have come in, then play more friendlies to give players time to gel.

Your management ability should also have an effect on how well players learn to work with one another. That and whether you are asking players to play how they like to play. If they are having to adapt to a new role, as well as a new team, then they're going to struggle all the more.

I'm sure that, indeed, something is built in to ensure that AI clubs have a good understanding.

As I said previously, it's the same sort of inbuilt factor as ensures that AI managers always make the right choice of half time team talk.

I agree with the original poster...there definitely is a 'you shall have a tough start no matter what' theme in the first season.

I must have started with Liverpool about 8 times and have never won the first game.....always dominated in chances / possesion etc....but never won. I tried different approaches eg...not signing new players just to see if it was a gelling issue....but the same thing happened each time. I don't mind the game being tough, but at least be realistic.

Once I had got through the first 2-3 weeks then everything was fine.

I have to disagree. I generally start quite well, but in december, i can't win for some matches, which always occurs. The task is to hold this period as short as possible.

I try to play not to offensive and simple in the first weeks if I have many new players. That works with some success.

Nice to see im not the only one having problems

I am aware that being a new manager its hard to get the team happy and gelling but 2 of the teams were arsenal and chelsea and still ended up in botom half of table after 5 or 6 games!

maybe im just a poor manager lol

My 3rd season with Arsenal I embarasingly lost 3-1 at home to West Brom! Hadn't made any new signings and had won the premiership the season before but with FM I normally expect a dodgey start, its not often my team are firing on all cylinders so early in the season. As 'Dixienormous' said I'm normally settled 2-3weeks in

Yep I am currently 12 games in with Spurs and I am tied with Man U for top.

Yes... A few good and a few bad. One terrible and this season spectacular!

after 8 games in first SPL season with Hibs i was top, then it went downhill

i had a good start in the prem with city by october i was unbeaten and top by 5 points with fulham in 2nd :s then i had feynoord in the euro cup and just snatched a draw after that i lost 1-0 to blackburn and then went 10 games without a win

As I said previously, it's the same sort of inbuilt factor as ensures that AI managers always make the right choice of half time team talk.

What makes you so sure they do? I've seen plenty of games where the opponents play terribly in the second half. I've also seen games where opposition players have criticized their manager's half time team talk.

First season in the premiership - Liverpool 2-2 Charlton - Wigan 2-1 Chalrton - Charlton 1-0 Bolton - Charlton 2-1 Man City! Currently 4th Managed to get Bojan, hehe

Just got promoted with Swindon, 1st season in the Championship, W4 D2 L2 so far, really pleased with that, considering the expectation is to 'fight bravely against relegation'

What makes you so sure they do? I've seen plenty of games where the opponents play terribly in the second half. I've also seen games where opposition players have criticized their manager's half time team talk.

The number of comebacks in losing positions suggests it.

Your assumption is that the AI players know what they are talking about when they comment on the AI manager's team talk. It's only ever one individual as far as I'm aware!

I always have a class start to a season and it all goes wrong wen january strikes:(

just an update on OP

im west ham lost my first 5 games in league including home games to blackburn and west brom

once again players dont play and ignore my tactics completey

I've never had a poor start. I find it's essential to have a good in depth pre-season lasting at least 1 month. A mix between training and playing a lot of friendlies helps.

Started a game with Manchester United.

Played 4 won 2 and drawn 2. We'll see how it goes. But I'm not scoring lots, all my strikers are on a goal-drought. :/

I just started with 3 wins, 5-0, 6-0 and 4-0. 4 seasons in mind, so it has taken a bit of work.

I'm online with a friend and I'm Everton. First game of the season was Liverpool at home. I won 2-0. next was away to Wigan, won 1-0. Sunderland at home, should have won, but was happy with how we played in 0-0 draw. Next was Newcastle away. 1-0 down after 4 mins. 3-0 down by 55 mins.

Brought on louis Saha back from 4 months injury and he scores 2 goals in 10 mins, someone else scores and we draw 3-3 somehow.

Not an amazing start to season but me and friend (Aston Villa) are both 1st and 2nd in the table after 4 matches.

I always have half a new team when I start the season so they usually win one or two games out of pure shock then we go on a losingstreak and when they gel abit we turn it around again.

Started an unemployed challenge and went on holiday for a year. Picked up Domegliara who had no team, no staff, just me and the chairman. Signed a whole team, and I was unbeaten for 8 games (5 wins, 3 draws) until beaten by top of the table.

Best start ever

11 games in

7 wins

4 draws

and 0 losses

You need to be careful when doing Press Conferences the day before your first match.

I find that some responses guarantee a poor game. So I deliberately said the opposite, and destroyed the other team, 6-0. It was Preston North-End, to be fair.

But the season before it was Hull, and I drew 1-1, I was at home for this one. Away for Preston.

I've won the first 4 of my games so far, this season. One of which was against Man United...

I just came off of an awful season with Tottenham, finishing 8th in the league, and really, really limping to the end of the season. In the summer transfer window, I spent a combined 25 million pounds on two new central defenders, and started off the next season winning my first seven matches in the league. So yeah, it's definitely possible.