Backroom Advice

Right. So I frequently get advice like:

"Reputation Advice:

We have a tendency to become complacent when playing teams with a lower reputation."

And then... What? Okay? Fine, then I know. Too goddamn bad I ain't have a clue how to do ANYTHING about that, ain't it? No settings to change it, teamtalk have no effect whatsoever on that as far as I can notice and the assistant offers no advice whatsoever on what I can do about it.

Tbh, it ****es me off. Wtf is the point of even telling me that if he can't offer some advice on how to do anything about it? And why isn't there ANYTHING indicating what to do about it? Same is it when facing teams with higher reputation and being overawed. No suggestions or anything there either.........

It's all to do with your Press Conferences and Team Talks. But if your team doesn't respect you (depending on your Reputation compared to your teams) then your words may have a reduced effect.

In my experience, the best way to combat complacency is during the pre-match Team Talk, telling them that you expect a victory.

One message told me our formation was good, the next one on the list told me our formation isnt suitable at all. My assistant agreed both times.

I started ignoring them after that.

I've gotten the complacency message a lot recently. I just ignore it and often end up winning 5-0 by going ridiculously attacking. Good times.

i pay no attention to these people. my judgement is far more secure.

So just tell them you expect a win. Do you just want the assistant to work out everything for you?

So just tell them you expect a win. Do you just want the assistant to work out everything for you?

Atleast I want him to give suggestions. If he give faulty suggestions because he's a sucker, then so be it. I'd follow his advice once then and then do the opposite. My problem is that he's not giving any advice at all.

So just tell them you expect a win. Do you just want the assistant to work out everything for you?

I am confused how this prevents complacency and doesnt cause it?

Me: Hey guys, I expect a win. You are a far better than them, and should easily beat them.

Ronaldo: Yeah boss, i'll just do some of my skills, they have no chance!

Sounds like it would just cause cockyness and over-confidence to me...

I'm Newcastle in Jan 2014, and have always have 'struggles against opponents with high reputation'. I then beat, Liverpool and Arsenal back-to-back, drew in the cup and lost to Leeds in the league and chalked up another big four win against Man Utd. I now get the message that we 'cope with against higher reputation sides'.

I've no idea what i did.

I keep on getting bad praising advice.

I stopped using them for anything.

the Youngsters they recommend aren't always that bad though.

My assistant manager just told me that 442 isn't suitable, that we should be using a 451. Problem is, I only have two decent central midfielders as it is, with no subs, and my best CM gets tuckered out and needs to be subbed before the final third.

I switched to a 433 and just beat Wycombe. Happy days.

It prevents complacency because instead of just thinking "ok we'll turn up and play" they think "he's demanding a win today, better get one or he'll not be happy".

It does say in one of those loading screen tips that it's good to use as long as you actually are a genuinely stronger team.

This complacency comment is one of the few things I’ve had some inkling of what I might be able to do to act on it.

So, if we’re complacent against lower reputation teams, I take it as advice to be more demanding in teamtalks against low rep’ teams; be more aggressive and attacking etc.

It’s most of the rest I’m not sure what to do with. EG:-

“<Coach x> is wildly exited that we’re better dribblers that <team y>”.

So what? That doesn’t tell me whether or not they’re brilliant at stopping dribblers, does it? Does that necessarily mean they won’t try dribbling against me? No, because they may still be good dribblers and my lot may be useless AGAINST dribblers. What am I supposed to do with this advice? I want to know how my dribblers compares against their ability to stop me dribbling. I want to know how my attacking midfielders measure up to their defenders ability to stop me. If this dribbling average is across the whole squad, what’s the point? My or his DCs may be quite handy dribblers, but I don’t want to know about them. And if it’s positive news, what am I supposed to do about it? Advice, man, advice!

“<Coach x> is positively delirious that we’re a taller team than <team y>”.

So what? This tells me nothing about how my strikers measure up to their DCs and vice versa. How is this average calculated? Across the entire first team squad? The predicted first team? Either way, the average height across a whole bunch of players is useless information when I need to know specifics about DCs and SCs. Even if the opposition DCs are short, are they demon jumpers? Are they, despite their height, still handy in the air? Rubbish against similarly short strikers? This information on its own tell me nothing except average height, and what is the point of average height if it’s going to be skewed by six-foot-six midfielders and doesn’t tell me where the advantages lie? So, we’re a taller team: what should I do? Advice, man, advice!

“<Coach x> can barely contain himself that we’re a better passing team than <team y>”

So, how good are they at stopping passing play? Just because we’re better passers, it doesn’t follow that passing play will work against them – they don’t have the ball when I do. And how is this passing worked out? Average over the entire first team? If so, passing ability of the first eleven may be over/under rated. If they’re worse than us, does it necessarily mean they won’t play a passing game against us? Of course not. How good is my team stopping passing play? So, we’re better passers; what should I do? Advice, man, advice!

And so on…

Most of that advice is indeed useless if you know the teams. I believe it is to give some indication of the relative quality if you're playing an unfamiliar opponent / in an unfamiliar league.