How Not to Design, Create and Maintain Part IV - the Final Chapter?

The first three parts of this are here:

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/388633-Real-Time-Help-How-not-to-Design-Create-and-Maintain-Part-3

So I'm 22nd out of 24 in League Two with AFC Wimbledon, and its March. In December I won Manager of the Month having won four games on the trot. I haven't won a game since. We've lost our last 5, the Board are out of patience and I have been told that I need 10 points out of the next five games or its game over.

I set out to play a simple formation for simple players. 4-4-2, counter attacking, looking to play down the wings or from my deep lying playmaker with forwards with decent movement and technical ability but not much pace. So the basic set up is this:

The only player instructions now are for my DLP to shoot more (as he has decent long range shooting attributes), the CF to move into channels and the AF to tackle harder (I want them harrying the defenders and making them belt it forward).

Next match is 17th place York, who have also lost 5 games on the trot. They normally play 4-4-2, and my scout tells me the following:

Can't deduce much from this really, but I'm happy that they play 4-4-2, as I have struggled in particular lately with teams playing 4-1-2-2-1. I also know that Oyebanjo has a beast of a long throw and Cresswell is an old fashioned and slow striker. So my initial thoughts are to stick with the 4-4-2, go back to the players that did well for me earlier in the season as far as possible and take from there. I usually follow my assistants suggestions for OIs, which normally seem to be putting all of the oppo onto their weaker foot - when I have ignored him I have come to regret it. I think though that I will look to mark Cresswell tightly and close down Carson who seems to be their playmaker

Any suggestions gratefully received.

They are second to worst in heading, maybe switching to wingers would help a bit. I usually tell my attacking wides to cross to far post (they usually cross after a fast play unsettling the defense ), and on support cross to targetman(they usually cross when everyone is in place)

Most assists they concede are from the box or left wing, so you should have players who play in that area playing risky passes.

Hope it helps.

Hi angry dad. Much respect to you for your perseverance and dedication to this save when so many would have given up and blamed the game I would stick with the 4-4-2 and if you are saying cresswell is slow - how about push higher up to compress the space? Also if they play ya 4-4-2 they would be looking to put crosses in so the higher up the better. Also how about playing narrower or playing wider and exploiting the middle? As ther seem to concede a lot of assists in the penalty area? Mate I am no expert but I just thought I would reply as nobody else had.

Thanks guys, I like the ideas of exploiting the left, playing risk passes and pushing higher up and playing narrower - I think we've been exposed a few times by teams with an extra man in midfield, so maybe that will help deal with that problem?

On the heading thing, they are worst in the league at heading, but bizarrely are also one of the tallest teams. I did wonder if that meant that their players would win most of the headers, but wouldn't direct them well, so while they're unlikely to score from a header, they're unlikely to concede to them either. Does that sound right? Also, can you actually cross to a target man without defining a target man? My forwards are likely to be two six footers, OK in the air but probably not quite good enough to beat the lumps that you normally come up against in league two.

Good point. Maybe the york defenders can win the headers but are giving them easily due to not being able to direct the header, allowing your players to assist with a pass from higher up? Maybe playing wider with cross to centre and float crosses? With a punt for 15 minutes and see how it works?

Your wide players... you have your ML (D/ML) on attack duty, and your MR (M/AMR) on support duty. Would they not be better suited with the opposite duties, so your 'natural' AMR is the more attacking option?

On a related note, would your strikers not be better suited the opposite sides, in relation to the wide players? I can understand the idea of A/S on one flank and S/A on the other, but if your attacking wide player is throwing crosses in, I would prefer my 'poacher type' (AF/A) to be taking the near post position, I think, and the CF/S toward the far post, for a possible header back across the 6 yard box.

So if taking both points together -

I think you are right redmark, their positions now are based on how everything ended up for the very short period when I was winning games rather than any logic. I will swap them round and as Le Tiss says look to get some floated crosses in and pick up on defensive errors. So, putting it together I will change the wide men to wingers, have them floating crosses to the target man, swap the attackers round, change the attack and support duties of the wide men around, push the back for up and have the left winger playing more risky passes. I'll try and put this altogether and post another screen shot. I'm not actually going to play this game for a few days I think, and if I fail it will not be for lack of preparation and thought.

I think you are right redmark, their positions now are based on how everything ended up for the very short period when I was winning games rather than any logic. I will swap them round and as Le Tiss says look to get some floated crosses in and pick up on defensive errors. So, putting it together I will change the wide men to wingers, have them floating crosses to the target man, swap the attackers round, change the attack and support duties of the wide men around, push the back for up and have the left winger playing more risky passes. I'll try and put this altogether and post another screen shot. I'm not actually going to play this game for a few days I think, and if I fail it will not be for lack of preparation and thought.

I've read all of your threads, btw, even if I've not posted on them, and love your commitment to planning to try and get it to work, rather than the save-and-reload that many would try instead .

I'm wondering whether a CF/AF is actually the correct combo for you front two. CF really is for strikers who need little instruction - can you say that of yours and I've always seen AF as someone who sits on the last defender and generally pretty quick - does that fit? Perhaps another combo would suit your players and desired style of okay better - how about a TMs with a Pa?

Thanks guys!

My CF is the fulcrum of the side - what I want is to exploit his high team rate and movement attributes by getting him moving around the pitch and pulling CBs out of position. I tried a defensive forward instead, but that didn't work. CF has been better, but he's lost form in recent weeks.

I've struggled with his partner though - he's AF because I don't really know what to do. I haven't got anyone tall enough to be a target man I think - they're six foot nothing with medium jumping and heading attributes. They're not pacey either. I did try one as a poacher which worked for one game and then not since. Should I revert to a target man and something else? My strikers have good technical and work rate attributes and decent finishing but not much else.

I honestly don't see a CF working with a tactic based around getting the ball out to the wingers - it seems contradictory to me. I would have thought a TMs would try and find space so the wingers could hit him, which may achieve your aim and thus creating chances for a Poacher to finish off (especially if he's not that hot at anything else).

You have got me intrigued and if I wasn't still trying to perfect my BR instructions, I'd probably have a stab at this and see what I could do (which could as easily be falling flat on my face as anything else )

A CF(S) would be able to link up with the midfield deeper as well as link up with the wingers and as a pair up front - tbh angrydad if he is the only man working for you keep him in the role and duty.

My complete forward is this chap:

And he'll be up front with this chap, who I've had some success as a poacher, and I can't see what else to do with him (my first choice is injured)

We'll be up against these two:

After seeing that, I'm more convinced Midson should be a TM(S)

Midson has defo got the teamwork attribute so for me he needs to be the one linking the play. How you decide to play him is up to you but if you're liking the complete support I would keep with him. Good luck angry dad I'm really hoping you get this game working for you.

Knight-Percival is good in the air & Chambers is a bit more mobile.

Midson probably as a CF(S) - could be a TM/DLF(S) - letissier1980 is correct - he should be linking play. Sheringham should be an attack duty therefore should lead the line - as an AF probably.

I've always thought of a target man as a bit of a static pivot - either (TM/S) between the centre circle and the penalty area, holding the ball up and playing in runners or flicking on to a striker partner or TM (A) getting on the end of crosses in the area - but neither would really utilise Midson's movement much. But have I understood the roles correctly?

A Target Man will still use good movement - by peeling away into space to get on the end of a cross, or making himself available for a pass etc. He won't pull wide, he will hold the ball up - but he won't just stand there waiting to be hit with a long ball - he will challenge for it and try to win it. Thing to consider - do you want him being aimed for in an aerial contest? If he will be dominated aerially by opposing centre-backs get him playing on the floor more - but if he has an advantage then use it.

I think what I have been trying to do is make Midson pull players out of position and hopefully let others fill the gaps, rather than be the target himself; I think I will stick with the CF role for the first half at least, as I think he's not quite good enough in the air or quick enough on the floor to create space with the ball.

So putting it altogether the set up looks like this (and check out the lovely new skin )

with player instructions:

Oops, and will also change "Exploit the Flanks" to "Exploit the left"

Today, I will mainly be being AFC Wimbledon to see what I can come up with. Wish me luck

All the very best with that one Alinp - you're going to need it

And if you come up with a working tactic do let me know...

Still unbeaten in pre-season - 2 more friendlies to go until the opening league game - Torquay away.

P1 W1 - can I retire now??

Are you setting up in a similar manner to AngryDad or taking a different approach?

Are you setting up in a similar manner to AngryDad or taking a different approach?

I'm trying to do what I think is best with the players available. Currently using a 4141/433 depending on injuries, but I can see a back 3 becoming likely as one of their best players (a CD) is due to come back from injury shortly. I don't think they have the ability to play a fluid pressing style (my usual preferred choice) so very much going with a stand off/stay disciplined defensive approach + using the right winger and a TM to try and create chances at the other end. Only 1 competitive match so far (as I let myself get distracted with the Forest one), but so far, so good. Unbeaten in pre-season (7 wins, 2 draws) + an away win to start the league campaign.

With a team at that end of the table, sitting compact & cautious is the most sensible approach. Could be interesting to see how both you and angrydad get on playing slightly different systems.

I think it is fair to say that Alinp's tactic might be more effective than mine...

For me, the key players are George & Jack - get the ball to George and let him set up Jack - the rest just stop the others mob scoring. Will post some ideas when I've played a few more

So... P3 W3 in the league & sitting 2nd - this is what I used last match as a starting point

Didn't change TI's, Mentality or Philosophy throughout and no-one has any PI's.

During match, had to sub Sammy Moore and chap I brought on (Isaac Hayden - a loanee) was better suited to being an AP, so made him an APa, changed George Francomb to Ws & Barry Fuller to CWBa.

Competitive results so far...

The loss to Birmingham in the Cap One Cup actually flattered them - I thought we played pretty well and were unlucky to get done to 5.

As you can see, Jack Midson is on fire!!!

I have faced the facts. Rather than either whizz through the next four games, lose them and get sacked (pointless) or take my time and try to soldier on to the bitter end, still losing them and getting sacked (purgatory), I have started again. This isn't a rage quit though, the original game remains and maybe when I've cracked this I will go back to it and see if I can get 10 points from four tough games when I've got 0 from the previous 7.

As I have said, I will not be beaten and the key to not being beaten is to change the rules every so often.

So I've started again as AFC, with the new database. I've sacked my assistant and chief scout, and brought in Frank Lampard Snr and 3 new scouts as replacements. I have 3 tactics, the main one of which is closely based on Alinp's above. When I say closely based, I mean copied to the very last detail.

My second tactic is all my own work though, based on a theory that my problems were caused by a weak spine. I'm not a fan of lone strikers, so it's a 2-3-3-2 formation, with wing backs, an anchorman and 3 central midfielders - more to follow.

In the meantime I've adopted the tactic above, and won 5 and drawn 2 of 7 pre-season games so far - not actually that impressive as I've followed Cleon's advice and lined up 10 friendlies against cannon fodder to up the morale and tactical familiarity. We've scored 16 in the last four, and Midson's got 7 of those. What I notice from this tactic is:

(1) Lots of TIs - I've always tried to limit it to 4, with up to 3 PIs, thinking that this many would overload the players;

(2) 3 limited defenders - this is one of the things I tried once, but with LDs there is always the tendency to just lump it anywhere and give up possession. But perhaps that's lower league management for you - they'll give up plenty of possession anyway, so better in the opposition half than your own;

(3) I always worry that lone strikers will get isolated, but this doesn't seem to be the experience - reading this forum most people seem to go for a lone striker formation

(4) I see you've got a new WBL in - was there anything particularly about Kennedy that marked him out as not good enough?

(5) Also, Luke Moore as Inside Forward - he's always been disappointing, but I've not tried him there. Was there anything that made you think he was the man for that job, or was it just a case of filling the hole?

I've been totally unable to get a performance out of Francomb in any position, so it will be interesting to see if training him up as an attacking wide man works - one problem you'll probably find with him is that he is injury prone.

Let me know how you're getting on Alinp if you stick with it, it will at least help me narrow down whether my problem is the base tactic or something I'm doing in game.

I have faced the facts. Rather than either whizz through the next four games, lose them and get sacked (pointless) or take my time and try to soldier on to the bitter end, still losing them and getting sacked (purgatory), I have started again. This isn't a rage quit though, the original game remains and maybe when I've cracked this I will go back to it and see if I can get 10 points from four tough games when I've got 0 from the previous 7.

As I have said, I will not be beaten and the key to not being beaten is to change the rules every so often.

So I've started again as AFC, with the new database. I've sacked my assistant and chief scout, and brought in Frank Lampard Snr and 3 new scouts as replacements. I have 3 tactics, the main one of which is closely based on Alinp's above. When I say closely based, I mean copied to the very last detail.

My second tactic is all my own work though, based on a theory that my problems were caused by a weak spine. I'm not a fan of lone strikers, so it's a 2-3-3-2 formation, with wing backs, an anchorman and 3 central midfielders - more to follow.

In the meantime I've adopted the tactic above, and won 5 and drawn 2 of 7 pre-season games so far - not actually that impressive as I've followed Cleon's advice and lined up 10 friendlies against cannon fodder to up the morale and tactical familiarity. We've scored 16 in the last four, and Midson's got 7 of those. What I notice from this tactic is:

(1) Lots of TIs - I've always tried to limit it to 4, with up to 3 PIs, thinking that this many would overload the players;

(2) 3 limited defenders - this is one of the things I tried once, but with LDs there is always the tendency to just lump it anywhere and give up possession. But perhaps that's lower league management for you - they'll give up plenty of possession anyway, so better in the opposition half than your own;

(3) I always worry that lone strikers will get isolated, but this doesn't seem to be the experience - reading this forum most people seem to go for a lone striker formation

(4) I see you've got a new WBL in - was there anything particularly about Kennedy that marked him out as not good enough?

(5) Also, Luke Moore as Inside Forward - he's always been disappointing, but I've not tried him there. Was there anything that made you think he was the man for that job, or was it just a case of filling the hole?

I've been totally unable to get a performance out of Francomb in any position, so it will be interesting to see if training him up as an attacking wide man works - one problem you'll probably find with him is that he is injury prone.

Let me know how you're getting on Alinp if you stick with it, it will at least help me narrow down whether my problem is the base tactic or something I'm doing in game.

1 - The TI's (you'll note I have no PI's, so not that far away from your total number of instructions ) - Francomb has been immense for me so far + with Midson as a TM he needs service from wide, so Exploit the Flanks makes sense + I want the preferred out-ball to go wide too, hence Clear Ball to Flanks. Midson is good in the air, if not that quick, so giving him time to get to a cross is logical, therefore Float Crosses. I don't think we're the best team in the league, so will be playing on the counter a lot, therefore I went for Run at Defence to compliment this (as opposed to Pass into Space as I don't really think Midson is a player to chase a through ball over the top). The rest are all based around having a disciplined, hard to break through defence, and to me all seem to make perfect sense.

2 - Yup - lower league defenders so lets not make lfe complicated for them. I have them all training on the CD role, so hopefully in time they'll get better and I can switch them to the more generic role.

4 - Nope. In fact, I think this shot was taken post a match that he was injured for. I have played him in friendlies at ML too where he's effective.

5 - I think he was the best available for this formation, but see 4.

I played my LFC save last night, so will give this another go tonight (the good lady permitting) although I am concious that I haven't played my Fiorentina experiment save for a while... my bad

Hi angry dad. Shame you started again. I felt I was going to see some development in your game from everybody chipping in with a bit of analysis from the last game.

Before you start this game do you think you will get that much enjoyment out of playing with someone else's ideas and formation? Ask yourself what's the football you want to play and give that a try. I started playing a 4-1-2-2-1 with reasonable success (avoid relegation) but it just didn't feel right. I've changed the striker to an engache putting through balls for my inside forwards and it's kinda rekindled my fire for this formation. My real love and would love to start a thread on it would be an adaption of a Glenn hoddle esque 3-4-1-2 with a libero.

Just food for thought my friend - if you want to bounce some ideas I'm up for it.

You're absolutely right Le Tiss that there's no fun in plugging and playing someone else's tactic, and that's not where I will end up. But I need to know where I'm going wrong, and there's only so much help that this forum can offer - you can't be there when I'm actually playing. The base tactic I was using had pitfalls - but so do all tactics, and it was basically sound I think. But somewhere along the line it fell to pieces. What I need to know is whether I'm using the wrong base for these players, whether my in-game decision making is flawed, whether I was just being unlucky, whether my training / pre-match team talks were all wrong or what. All I know at the moment is that I was heading directly for the sack, and, as I tend to play full matches on fairly slow speed, it was likely to be a long drawn out and painful process.

As Dr Hook said above, the important thing was that I was enjoying it - but for the last two games I wasn't. In both I switched them on to key highlights, full speed, after about an hour, because I'd simply lost the will, along with any idea about how to stop the decline.

So the plan is now to plug and play a tactic that works, so that I can see what happens with a working tactic, but have something of my own lined up to replace it with and see if I can learn the lessons then, without being sacked in less than a season. Hopefully by season two I'll have enough nous, and will also have had a chance to get some half decent league 2 players in with attributes that fit the way I want to play.

Funnily enough I was thinking I'd like to start a game / thread on the way I think football should be played. Being a Wimbledon fan that is of course route one, hassle defenders, get stuck in and kick the life out of the opposition. I've seen plenty of tiki-taka formations on here, but nothing of that sort. I wonder if it can be done? But before I ever gave that a go I need to see if I can make a more common tactic work.

I'll post my own creation above soon (which isn't based on the hoofball tactic above), but for now Photobucket's bandwidth law forbids. But fear not, the story is not over yet.

I highly admire your persistence AngryDad - really impressed. Hope it all clicks and works 1 day.

Good stuff mate. Hope it works out for you, thing is alinp sounds as if he knows what he wants from his formation so I think it's easier to spot who isn't working to his plan and why. My problem is failing to adapt in game - just rubbish at it

Mmmmm old Wimbledon style gets me thinking. Scales, jones, Harford & co. Good old days when I was at school

Good luck my friend - I'll look forward to seeing how you get on.

Thanks guys, funnily enough back in the day Wimbledon came very close to signing Le Tissier, who was a player I always loved despite him being the complete opposite of everything that Wimbledon were about. I suspect it was fortunate for all sides that it didn't happen. But that might be one for another forum

I think I understand the plan behind Alinp's formation. If resist tinkering for 3 or 4 games and it works, and then look to adapt and it blows up then I'll know it really is me.

Thanks guys, funnily enough back in the day Wimbledon came very close to signing Le Tissier, who was a player I always loved despite him being the complete opposite of everything that Wimbledon were about. I suspect it was fortunate for all sides that it didn't happen. But that might be one for another forum

I think I understand the plan behind Alinp's formation. If resist tinkering for 3 or 4 games and it works, and then look to adapt and it blows up then I'll know it really is me.

As you predicted, Francomb got injured and was out for a month. Whether purely down to his absence or my tendancy to tinker, but all went a bit Pete Tong for a while. Happily he's now back tearing up the right wing and set up a hatrick for Midson in a nice 4-1 win over Northampton.

Meanwhile, I've switched to a 433, still mainly counter but with a higher tempo for a bit more urgency. Sitting mid-table at the moment.

Good luck guys. I would like your approval on this for the Wimbledon team of old. Please forgive me if you do not agree as some is adapted for fm by llama's guide and a bit of THOG ideas and wwfans guide. Please go easy on me as it's only from memory and a bit of research this afternoon

4-4-2. Attacking / rigid.

Gk D Segers PI Long kick

Fb A Barton

Cd D Scales

Cd D Perry

Fb S Thatcher

Wm S Ardley

B2B S Earle

Cm D Jones

Wm A Leonhardsen

Cf A Holdsworth

Tm S Fashanu

Team instructions :- Pump ball into box, stick to position, get stuck in, use tighter marking, much higher tempo, be more disciplined.

Please tell me your thoughts. I was unsure about mentality and philosophy, the cd roles - should they be limited defs?

Regards

It's pretty close. What you have there is Wimbledon v 2.0 (I think there's some slight mixing of generations - not sure that Fash played with Leonhardsen, and Sullivan should probably be in goal - it probably should be Ekoku or Gayle as striker), which was a slightly less abrasive version. Joe Kinnear's Wimbledon relied heavily on quality crossing rather than a long ball to the target man, particularly from Ardley and Barton (so you might want a "Exploit the Right Flank" instruction and make Barton a wing back), and I would go for just higher tempo rather than much higher. Scales and Perry were decent footballers (they did end up at Spurs after all) so I think CDs is right. Holdsworth was the archetypal poacher rather than a CF. If you'd gone for Wimbledon v 1.0 with, say, Reeves and Thorn at CB then Limited would be right (and in Reeves case Limited was quite generous, bless him). Go for the 85/86 promotion winning vintage and you'd need to upload the patch with the "baseball bat wielding Neanderthal" CB role. Happy days.

Now played 1 and won 1 with Alinp's tactic, but it wasn't that convincing. Torquay had an 18 year old in goal, so I asked my midfielders and strikers to shoot more often and was rewarded with a goal in 25 seconds and after 25 minutes we were 2 up and had had another one dubiously disallowed. But after some poor set piece defending we ended up having to rely on a late 40 yard free kick fluke to clinch a 3-2.

The limited defenders may well have been a problem. For one of the goals one centre back, with half the pitch of space, stood on the ball considering his options for a good 20 seconds and then thumped it in the direction he'd been facing all along, which was towards his own by-line. Their centre back, who got both goals, headed in the resulting corner. I'm not sure whether a bit of defensive set piece training might be as much of an answer as changing to CDs. We were also exposed on one occasion by the target-man to right winger late run that I've had problems with before, and I'm wondering whether the 4-1-2-2-1 formation I seem to have problems with might merit a Cover-Stopper-Cover combination in my back three?

But anyway, we have a Capital One Cup game against L1 opposition next up, so I've switched to my own 2-3-3-2 formation, to test it out in less important but competitive conditions.

Personally, I don't like the XCX combo, especially when trying to hold a shape, as it encouranges the side CD's to leave position - but each to their own

Funnily enough I was thinking I'd like to start a game / thread on the way I think football should be played. Being a Wimbledon fan that is of course route one, hassle defenders, get stuck in and kick the life out of the opposition. I've seen plenty of tiki-taka formations on here, but nothing of that sort. I wonder if it can be done? But before I ever gave that a go I need to see if I can make a more common tactic work.

Funnily enough AngryDad this is how I've set my Cheltenham team to play. Being a Stoke City fan, I enjoyed watching Pulis teams give the Tiki-Taka teams a hiding, so i've employed a tactic that involves a very high tempo/direct, get stuck in, hassle opposition and the use of a big lad up front to batter centre backs.

My team easily racks up the most cards and fouls throughout the season however we're sitting joint 2nd with 4 games to go, having been tipped to finish 19th.

I admire your persistence with this save and I'm sure soon enough you'll be able to put your spin on your team and it'll feel very satisfying and you'll soon be enjoying FM again.

All the best with your challenge, I really hope you manage to get your old Wimbledon style working and set up in a thread on here.

Caddick7

Thanks Caddick7, your formation sounds like my dream One day I'll give it a go, when I'm sure I know what I'm doing.

Alinp, it's become a bit of a bugbear of mine, there is a particular move, played by teams with a lone target man and AMR formation - the target man holds the ball up, the AMR breaks, the target man passes it behind the fullback, the fullback considers what he might cook for his tea and the AMR rifles it across the keeper into the far corner. I see this happening in my nightmares now. It's a bit like when you start conceding from set pieces and spend two days before each game on defensive set piece training with no impact - you get to the position where you don't mind conceding 8 goals in a game as long as none of them are headers from corners.

Ha.... funnily enough, George Francomb has scored a couple like that for me

Thanks Caddick7, your formation sounds like my dream One day I'll give it a go, when I'm sure I know what I'm doing.

Alinp, it's become a bit of a bugbear of mine, there is a particular move, played by teams with a lone target man and AMR formation - the target man holds the ball up, the AMR breaks, the target man passes it behind the fullback, the fullback considers what he might cook for his tea and the AMR rifles it across the keeper into the far corner. I see this happening in my nightmares now. It's a bit like when you start conceding from set pieces and spend two days before each game on defensive set piece training with no impact - you get to the position where you don't mind conceding 8 goals in a game as long as none of them are headers from corners.

Tbf it doesn't matter what formation I play against,wide players cutting in behind fullbacks like you say has now become my own version of hell.This football managers series has cost me a couple of expensive monitors I tell you.

I think I have my answer.

Played 3 further games, lost all 3. Tried sticking with the same tactic, applying different tactics, the lot. Thing is, as soon as a goal goes in I know how it plays out, and as we all know that's a self-fulfilling prophecy.

As Doctor Hook says, the only thing that actually matters is that you enjoy the game, and I'm not enjoying it, so I think it's time for a bit of a rest. Whether it's my own incompetence or a flaw in the game doesn't really matter. The fact is that I've tried everything I can think of, played this game for six months and have yet to complete a season.

I think I'm done. But thanks for the help and kind words all!

That's a shame. If you want to crack again after a rest we're always here for advice and help.

Ah, but you know how it is Llama. 12 hours later and I'm thinking "just maybe if I try and get my fullbacks to overlap..."

I think I will rest, but I'm sure I'll be back. Can you imagine a week without FM night?

Ah, but you know how it is Llama. 12 hours later and I'm thinking "just maybe if I try and get my fullbacks to overlap..."

I think I will rest, but I'm sure I'll be back. Can you imagine a week without FM night?

Not really, gotta have some FM time.

It certainly is a shame AngryDad however you've most definitely given it a fair crack. Step away from it (I have done this many times) and come back later down the line - I have found my enthusiasm for FM has gone up more than I thought possible from a short break!

I admire your persistence. I have certainly taken a break from less!