Game becomes more difficult after a season or two

Has anyone else noticed this? I find that I do better with the mediocre team I start with in the first season, than I do with most of the best players in the world by the 3rd season. I don't change my tactics or anything, the matches just become harder to win.

Because opponents find a way to beat your tactic. You have to change something, just like IRL.

The AI isn't finding a way to beat his tactics.

@ the OP: If you're starting out as a mediocre team, teams will be approaching you very differently compared to when you are a top team with superstars. You really should be altering your tactics to suit this change as well.

That's just some general advice. If you want detailed tactical advice, the tactical forum is the place ask. Read the stickies first though, as it details what information they need from you when you start a thread.

Also, if in two years you have bought 10-15 new players (and that's needed if you go from a mediocre team to a team full of world class players), they will need time to gel. So simultaneously your opponents become more careful/counter attacking and your team still has to learn to play together.

Because opponents find a way to beat your tactic. You have to change something, just like IRL.

How much are you changing your tactic? a few tweaks - or a new tactic?

One of my friends and I is having network game - Chelsea vs. Arsenal. I am managing Arsenal. First season - I won everything. PL, CHL, Carling Cup, FA Cup. A bit more than I hoped for.

In the league - 29-5-4 - Again a bit more than I hoped for. Bought Lewandowski (among others). He played 44 games - 31 goals - 21 assist.

We are now almost halfway through 2. Season…

PL: 10-4-4. CHL - Did well - 16 point out of 18. Carling - Lost to Spurs (crap!). FA - not entered yet.

Lewandowski: 19 games - 4 goals - 3 assist. He has not scored in PL, has scored all his goals in rather easy games (CHL against FC Copenhagen and Club World Champ.)

In the team - the updates for starting 11 is: DR -> Danilo instead of Sagna. AML -> Pastore instead of Cazorla. In my book - not a weaker team. Not much better, but definitely not weaker in my book.

I have played the same tactic - or I have 3 tactics. 2 of them is 99% identic (one with a few tweaks for difficult games) and a 3. With a different formation and instructions.

I find the total opposite because my team get's better due to better signings and development than the AI

I find the total opposite because my team get's better due to better signings and development than the AI

So you are doing "not so good" in season 1 and much better in season 2?

I find the total opposite because my team get's better due to better signings and development than the AI

This is how it feels for me as well, but it relates to squad building and not the reputation boost that the original poster is experiencing

So you are doing "not so good" in season 1 and much better in season 2?

Basically yeah. I always improve as the seasons go by regardless of where I start

I find it becomes more difficult in the 2nd season, especially against the shrapnel of the league if you've done relatively well the season before. When the small clubs park the bus and counter you're left with little choice but to adapt otherwise you'll end up drawing an insane amount of games.

When the small clubs park the bus and counter you're left with little choice but to adapt otherwise you'll end up drawing an insane amount of games.

Same here. Against the bigger teams the tactic is doing ok. But against Fulham, Stoke etc... I am loosing points. It does not make sence. My team is so much better than them... :confused:

I'm in the same boat that the first season is amazing, but each season after that is worse.

3rd season just finished. Messi went from 8-9 average score pr. game to regularly getting 6.0-6.5. Piqué is getting sub starting score and make mistakes that cost me games, I can accept my defense getting outplayed, but now my world class defender mistakes is costing goals and I can't from the visible data available to us, explain why world class players can't pass, defend or score goals.

If it was as simple as my tactics never giving Messi goal scoring chances, that would at least give me something to change, but no, he get's a million chances pr. game and just can't seem to score, even with an empty goal opportunity he misses the goal entirely.

I'm in the same boat that the first season is amazing, but each season after that is worse.

3rd season just finished. Messi went from 8-9 average score pr. game to regularly getting 6.0-6.5. Piqué is getting sub starting score and make mistakes that cost me games, I can accept my defense getting outplayed, but now my world class defender mistakes is costing goals and I can't from the visible data available to us, explain why world class players can't pass, defend or score goals.

If it was as simple as my tactics never giving Messi goal scoring chances, that would at least give me something to change, but no, he get's a million chances pr. game and just can't seem to score, even with an empty goal opportunity he misses the goal entirely.

Why don't you play along and actually post your tactics in your thread? You keep moaning about Messi, but not providing any evidence for people to help you. If you just wanted to have a moan, fine.

Why don't you play along and actually post your tactics in your thread? You keep moaning about Messi, but not providing any evidence for people to help you. If you just wanted to have a moan, fine.

I actually have posted my tactics and I think I did it more than once in separate threads, but it's complete ******** about tactics.

I can take that tactics and start a new game and win with Messi scoring 50+ goals. Nothing is even remotely wrong with the tactic, something is wrong with the player being completely unable to play at their listed attribute level.

something is wrong with the player being completely unable to play at their listed attribute level.

And yet you're able to get him to score 50+ goals in the first season?

I can't find where you've posted your tactic and you've been asked more than once in the Messi thread and HERE to post your tactic, but you haven't.

You're not providing any other evidence so that people can help you either.

I'm glad you moved on. I'd have done the same as I wouldn't necessarily have the answer to why it's happening either.

The problem is that miravlix decided to open a few threads complaining about the same problem. He doesn't provide any info, so nobody can help.

I play as Barca, even I noticed the same. team performance was so poor in the second season. Then i had to make changes to my tactics from 4-4-2 to 3-5-2, then they started scoring again.

I play as Barca, even I noticed the same. team performance was so poor in the second season. Then i had to make changes to my tactics from 4-4-2 to 3-5-2, then they started scoring again.

At least someone can give good information instead of the horrible moderators around here snide personal insults, not to mention they are blind as I have posted tactics and I've taken part in the Barca tactics thread that I follow and use.

I can fix Barca by not playing my A team, my hot prospects win me the games, with the same tactics that Messi and company plays as crap in. That was with 14.2 though, 14.3 is a new world, my hot prospects is no longer playing better than the A team and the A team is no longer playing incomprehensible like crap. (I had a ruining pre-season and start of season that I totally accept as all my players was at the olympics and other internationals and when I finally got them back I had to rest them for 4-5 weeks before they started playing decently, not my tactics understand is shot, Messi is having huge problems blending into squad, but I see positive signs, so when this start to be sorted out, I would have loved to figure out what 14.2 and I conflicted on but the useless moderators with their arrogant and rude behavior ruins every thread I've tried to start on it, for some reason I'm not allowed to explore anything other than tactical failures, morale, exhaustion and whatever other hidden factors is involved in a teams performance is apparently not legal concerns around here.)

At least someone can give good information instead of the horrible moderators around here snide personal insults, not to mention they are blind as I have posted tactics and I've taken part in the Barca tactics thread that I follow and use.

I can fix Barca by not playing my A team, my hot prospects win me the games, with the same tactics that Messi and company plays as crap in. That was with 14.2 though, 14.3 is a new world, my hot prospects is no longer playing better than the A team and the A team is no longer playing incomprehensible like crap. (I had a ruining pre-season and start of season that I totally accept as all my players was at the olympics and other internationals and when I finally got them back I had to rest them for 4-5 weeks before they started playing decently, not my tactics understand is shot, Messi is having huge problems blending into squad, but I see positive signs, so when this start to be sorted out, I would have loved to figure out what 14.2 and I conflicted on but the useless moderators with their arrogant and rude behavior ruins every thread I've tried to start on it, for some reason I'm not allowed to explore anything other than tactical failures, morale, exhaustion and whatever other hidden factors is involved in a teams performance is apparently not legal concerns around here.)

I'm not sure who is "blind", but we're not going to search the entire forum for a tactic you posted. You were asked in a few threads (because you chose more than one to complain in) to post up your tactics as we have no info, so it's a place to start. You refused. Not much we can do then.

Look around the tactics forum and even GD. People who want help, give information and they get lots of help/advice.

Also, if you have a problem with any post (and that includes mods), click the triangle at the bottom of the post to report it. It will get looked at and dealt with.

The matches become harder to win because teams park the bus against you. I combat it with width and quick tempo.

Can't understand why Miravlix is so defensive about posting screenshots of his tactics. :/

If there is genuinely nothing wrong with them then perhaps we can identify what else is going wrong.

I think the games gets easier over the years as you assemble a a brilliant squad of players while the AI doens't have a clue about building great teams.

Has anyone else noticed this? I find that I do better with the mediocre team I start with in the first season, than I do with most of the best players in the world by the 3rd season. I don't change my tactics or anything, the matches just become harder to win.

Agreed and yes you have to alter the tactics of your team a bit more. Possible factors like changing the size of the pitch, opponents buying better quality players, the suitability of new players with your current tactics etc.

I use Augsburg currently and my first season was based on counter-attacking down the flanks with a DM to recover and tackle. My 2 other MCs were a DLP and BBM and my wingers were DWs instead of Wingers. In my second season, I switched to Wingers and AP from DLP to facilitate faster transfer of the ball up front since I had Vydra whose acceleration was 17 so I could break faster.

Also, because I changed my pitch size to a smaller size (cant remember the measurements), I switched my team instructions from "Play Wider" to "Play Narrower" to stay even more compact. Working well as I am sniffing at an Europa League place going into the winter break!

I use Milan and also feeling the game gets harder the season after I win anything significant. I usually do crap this season but then miraculously do better the next because my reputation gets better or whatever.

I can honestly empathise with miravlix because everyone talks tactics tactics tactics. I really don't think tactics is the problem most of the time. I say this because sometimes I replay the same match 10-15 times (same players, team talks etc) and get contrasting results with the same tactic even if the tactic is supposed to be at an advantage (eg 4-3-3 against a back 3). But if I use something that's tactically absurd it can net me positive results consistently.

Given how this game doesn't often simulate realistic football, how can one be expected to use tactics to his advantage consistently?

I use Milan and also feeling the game gets harder the season after I win anything significant. I usually do crap this season but then miraculously do better the next because my reputation gets better or whatever.

I can honestly empathise with miravlix because everyone talks tactics tactics tactics. I really don't think tactics is the problem most of the time. I say this because sometimes I replay the same match 10-15 times (same players, team talks etc) and get contrasting results with the same tactic even if the tactic is supposed to be at an advantage (eg 4-3-3 against a back 3). But if I use something that's tactically absurd it can net me positive results consistently.

Given how this game doesn't often simulate realistic football, how can one be expected to use tactics to his advantage consistently?

After you win something significant, the opponents treat you with more respect. You get less space to play in both away and at home, and the opponents play with less pressure than your players. It is likely that you need to play more patiently as well as approaching the matches with the increased pressure on your team in mind - and possibly (depending on your team's personalities) overconfidence in the squad.

It requires more to repeat success than to achieve it the first time.