Losing Run

Is it me or when you hit a bad run of form it's near enough impossible to get out of it, I've now gone 12 games without a win and I've done everything from team meetings, changing the focus in training, tweaking the formation nothing seems to work

I once went 10 years without a competitive win.

It was a mix of my rubbish players and my rubbish tactics.

I once went 10 years without a competitive win.

How is that possible without getting sacked?

How is that possible without getting sacked?

Managing San Marino

The most frustrating part is how contrived it seems. You can out-chance the opposition and play well enough to win, but because you lost the previous few matches you end up losing instead.

Yes, it can be hard to get out of it. In an older post I was bragging that I never go on bad runs, but then I did! Sky Bet 1 proved too much for my Skrill Premier-level inexperienced youngsters, and I nearly got relegated.

Anyway, even before that, this what I do when I see a bad run coming:

1) Have team meeting and private chats (warn or praise depending on personal recent form)

2) Play the in-from players.

3) Play the experienced players.

4) Play the players with better morale.

5) May also go a bit more defensive tactically.

6) If strikers stop scoring, I play them in the U21 team until they do. However, in my SB1 bad run both my strikers (1st and 2nd choice) completely stopped scoring for about 15 matches and they couldn't score in the U21 team either. This is what nearly got me relegated. I am unsure what I could have done different there.

It is a fine balance getting confidence/morale right. I am in a new save with Gillingham and in the first 3 matches I was leading in the two league games and drawing in the league cup against a higher league side.

Chesterfield (home) 2-1 up with 87 played - drew 2-2 after a mistake in midfield.

Brighton (home league cup) - Drawing 0-0 with 70 minutes played, longshot hits the bar, hits my keeper on the back and rolls in lost 1-0

Port Vale (away) 1-0 and 2-1 up. 15 minutes to play my forward is injured so I am forced to make my 3rd sub, immediately my Ball Winning Midfielder gets injured down to 10 men. Of course I tweaked the tactics and tried to plug any gaps without going too defensive and inviting pressure. lost 3-2

So for large parts of my games I have been in control, my poacher has 3 in 3 my attacking midfielder has 1 in 3. Two assists for my target man and one for each winger. Attacking wise we are playing well and look like scoring regularly. Defensively, yes, we do okay for parts but individual errors are costing us points.

However, the engine seems to say, oh you lost, let's hammer morale! The opposite is true when you win, you can win 4-3 and all your defenders will have good morale.

I moved on to my 4th match, Crewe at home. My morale was Orange or red for the whole squad when we have played well, I told the players they have been unlucky (then gave the defence a telling off!) even Cody '3in3' McDonald has abysmal morale. Now, I dominate this match, 65% posession 16 chances to their 5 but Cody, and his abysmal morale can not hit a barn door from 2 yards. He finished with 6 shots 1 on target and we drew 0-0. On the hour mark I took off my top striker and talisman and pretty much star player, and replaced him with a 17 year old because the 17 year old had orange morale!

I think the only tweak that needs to be made is that individual performances can compensate a little (more) for defeats. I mean the front 5 were playing great, short passing and scoring goals but (mainly Leon Legge) we were making mistakes at the back. I agree, the defensive morale should be shot but the front 5 lost confidence for no apparent reason. If the run had continued, then individual performances aside, morale would be lower, but 3 games in where bad luck has played a HUGE part then I think the system is slightly unrealistic there.

The best way to end a losing run is to win the next match.

If you are already on such a long losing streak, you'll just have to change to a defensive, cynical tactic trying to grind out draws and possibly a win. Praise and support the players (lie), ease off the pressure in your team talks. The thing with the strikers is very important. If your best striker(s) are squandering big chances left and right they are putting the team in a world of trouble. Be prepared to use worse players, even youth players.

I'm actually on the verge of a losing run, but keep managing to blag a decent result out of somewhere.

I'm Crewe in League 1 in the first season, and have a media prediction of 23rd.. I am currently 3rd in the table, but I was top by 5 points before I started dipping in form. I've got no right to be there, so I don't mind too much but after such a good season it'd be a real shame to lose it in the final third of the season.

The most important game is the one after your first defeat. Do whatever you can to win that game - focus on not conceding, play the fittest players with best morale and grind out a result. When you get to two or three defeats in a row, it can be a real struggle to get out of it.

Currently my form is erratic, and I went 12 games unbeaten before it started to change - LLWDLWL - which isn't ideal, but at least there's a couple of wins in there!