Bizarre goals... (with video)

So first I want to say I really love this game. I actually do. It's one of the best most enjoyable football games I've played. However I don't think anyone can deny this game can also be extremely frustrating. No game is perfect but I have to say I encounter glitchy/******** goals very, very often no matter what league I am playing in. In fact most of my threads on this forum have been complaining about the game in one way or another. So anyway I got Fraps out and recorded some of the more bizarre goals I've seen both for my team and against them. Most of the clips were taken inside a single season with my Boston United save in the Skrill Premier. In response to this thread I want to know; what's the most bizarre/flukey/glitchy goal you've ever seen on FM14? But anyway here's the video:

All in a single season seems a bit much, but having watched a lot of championship defending in my time and going down three levels I can believe a lot of them as realistic. I have seen a lot of those in the first division / championship over the years...

All in a single season seems a bit much, but having watched a lot of championship defending in my time and going down three levels I can believe a lot of them as realistic. I have seen a lot of those in the first division / championship over the years...

Yeah but you can't honestly say that many of these would happen in real life? A few times my keeper just dodges out of the way of shots that a child could easily collect. Other times players are almost deliberately heading the ball into their own goal for no justifiable reason whatsoever.

Yeah but you can't honestly say that many of these would happen in real life? A few times my keeper just dodges out of the way of shots that a child could easily collect. Other times players are almost deliberately heading the ball into their own goal for no justifiable reason whatsoever.

There are two issues here:

A) Players make mistakes - Your vid is no different to the millions of others on you tube except yours is FM while the others are real life.

B) There are several of your clips where you seem not to understand what happened. You call them glitches whereas they are representations of either errors or just general play. An example would be the striker running through muscling the DC out of the way.

You have some crappy mistakes in there no doubt, but you also have some issues with how the match engine represents things, such as is the case with the long goals that bounce right past the keeper. We know that long goals do happen. The ME just does a poor job of visually representing them too often. Also, when the ball touches your keeper's hands and then goes into the goal, that's not a glitch. That's just a keeper not quite being able to make a save. Happens in real life too.

There are two issues here:

An example would be the striker running through muscling the DC out of the way.

Or looking at it objectively, the defender slowing his pace for no reason at all and letting a striker literally brush shoulders with him and nick the ball.

There is no reason what-so-ever that striker should ever have got to that ball, real life or in game.XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.

Clearly it is the result of a flawed match engine.

Or looking at it objectively, the defender slowing his pace for no reason at all and letting a striker literally brush shoulders with him and nick the ball.

There is no reason what-so-ever that striker should ever have got to that ball, real life or in game.XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.

Clearly it is the result of a flawed match engine.

Interesting that you want to view it objectively and yet have such a blinkered view

Its natural for players to slow their pace when they approach the ball when they want to turn or stop whereas the striker wants to continue in the same direction so keeps the same pace.

It looks a perfectly common section of play that you see at some point during every single real life match in the world, there are always occasions in matches where one player beats another to the ball that he wasn't favourite to get at first glance.

Interesting that you want to view it objectively and yet have such a blinkered view

Its natural for players to slow their pace when they approach the ball when they want to turn or stop whereas the striker wants to continue in the same direction so keeps the same pace.

It looks a perfectly common section of play that you see at some point during every single real life match in the world, there are always occasions in matches where one player beats another to the ball that he wasn't favourite to get at first glance.

I have a blinkered view? Look at the video.

The defender is being pressured by an attacker and his only choice is to pass to the keeper under every circumstance. Instead he slows down 12 or more yards behind the ball and lets the attacker make equally 10 yards or more up on him. Your comment is moot since nobody with an ounce of intelligence would stop or turn in that situation. I watch a lot of football and i can't recall seeing anything close to that happening in real life.

It's the result of a dodgy match engine.

It's the result of a dodgy match engine.

What we see in highlights isn't actually the 'match engine' - it's a graphical representation of the match engine.

It's like an artist reading a book and trying to re-create it with pen and paper. It might look great, but it won't be a perfect replica.

Unfortunately all we have to go off of is what we see. If people have gripes with the game's graphical representations then ok then. They are entitled to their opinions.

Hahaha excellent, love the close up replays.

I've seen more stupid goals on FM14 than any other version, but they do go in my favour as much as they do against me.

Hasn't the "you're not seeing exactly what the ME has calculated" myth been debunked before anyway? I guess it comes down to whether you can convince yourself something is not a bug but just a general occurrence (such as a defender inexplicably slowing down actually being a defender getting bustled out of the way). I can't do that, which is why I have so many issues with FM14, but others can and that's fine.

Unfortunately all we have to go off of is what we see. If people have gripes with the game's graphical representations then ok then. They are entitled to their opinions.

Well at the end of the day you're watching the graphical representation, not the ME itself. So representation errors may as well be ME bugs.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC89MZqxsKGbwPU1WCsxzXcA

I have a few that I have uploaded. There are definitely very frustrating. If I get one early in a game I know it's going to be a struggle, I'll have to sub 1-2 players right off the bat to try and stem the tide.

Well at the end of the day you're watching the graphical representation, not the ME itself. So representation errors may as well be ME bugs.

Oh I know. Just as well, people will always reserve the right to be frustrated because of what they are seeing. Bug or otherwise.

I hope this thread doesn't get bogged down in petty arguments because I think it has some potential to be a decent learning tool.

While of course there will always be goals that are simply ridiculous and cannot be explained, (they are just poor errors that happen in real life), there are also some which the OP is suggesting are bullpoop, and I wouldn't agree. If you look at all the goals together, then does it skew things a little? Of course it does. If you looked at a collection of comedic/poor goals involving any single team over the course of a season, and then cherry-picked goals from other teams/save, (just to try and back up your argument), and then added in some instances which didn't even result in goals, then of course it's possible to support just about any position if you look hard enough for the examples.

1. Is a poor throw-in that the GK tries to keep in and gifts a chance to the opposition. (Not Boston).

2. Is a goal direct from a free-kick and the GK seems to slip, (or at least is poorly positioned), and misses the ball completely. It's also worth mentioning that the area around the GK seems quite marked compared to the rest of the pitch. [Edit] In fact, when you look at the close-up pictures it certainly looks like a slip to me. (Boston).

3. Is a GK clearance that hits a retreating defender and rebounds into the net. (Boston).

4. Is a 2nd goals from a direct fee-kick that the GK seems to just fumble into the net. When you look at it again though, the GK doesn't seem to move and it maybe explains it. (at least to a degree). What I have noticed is that while this is a goal that my San Marino team often used to concede in the early years, (really annoying), better GK#s rarely if ever seem to make that sort of mistake and I can't remember the last time I conceded a goal in this way, (or similar). (Boston).

5. Is a long ball from the back that bounces over an advancing GK. While that is pretty rubbish, of course it does happen and when you add in the fact that the pitch looks to be frosted, (and at a low level), maybe this increases the chances of an irregular bounce somewhat. To any of you who watch lower leave football in the flesh, (I do), I can promise you that these sorts of things are far more common than they might be at Premiership level on a carpet-like surface. (Boston).

I am just watching The Football League show and the opening goal, (1-0 Charlton), in the Brentford/Charlton game is basically the Brentford GK punching the ball into his own net under pressure from the attacker. Now Button is a decent GK in my opinion, (yes I have seen him play live), but in the very next highlight he is caught racing out his box and gifting Charlton an opportunity of a 2nd goal, (they hit the bar), but both these instances at the very time that I was writing this, are perfect examples of what the OP is suggesting. This is a GK playing at a significantly higher standard, on a better surface, and who is significantly better than Boston/opposition GK's.

6. Is an indirect free-kick that a defender absolutely buries while attempting to clear. He has to stick his head on that ball. He can't leave it. This is a really common goal in all levels of football. I'm really not even sure why it is there unless all OG's are being classed as bullpoop goals. He finds himself on the wrong side of the defender and if he doesn't win the header, (facing his own goal), the the striker Newsham is surely going to score. I would much prefer conceding that goal, (in game or in real life), than just not see the defender attempting to win the ball. (Boston).

7. Is a bit of a strange one. It's a deep free-kick from a central(ish) position that is lofted in behind the defense. The GK initially doesn't come, (or at least comes late), and the defender feels he has to win the ball, but of course he is again facing his own goal and rather than wide or over, the ball sneaks in the corner. What attributes might a GK or defender be lacking that encourages this situation? (Boston).

8. Is a goal caused by Stack, (Barnet GK), attempting to keep the ball in play and in in doing so gifts an easy chance to the opposition. Obviously Stack is a very good GK at that level and it is the poorest goal seen so far and by a considerable margin. Had Stacky been attempting to not concede a corner then I could easily explain it away, but that obviously wasn't what happened. I would like to be able to explain it away with the style that Barnet were playing last season, (it certainly might help), but even with that, it just doesn't ring true. Stacky might make mistakes even at such a low level, but that isn't likely to be one. I can't argue at all that it's a particularly rubbish goal that seems out of place in the game. (Boston).

9. & 10. Both these goals are conceded by the same team in the same match and in exactly the same way. The GK has come out to collect the ball in an advanced position in the penalty area and releases the ball quickly on each occasion to the opposite full-back. To suggest that these goal are "errors" with the ME is quite frankly naive. (Not Boston). (Not Boston).

11. Is not even a goal. It's a defender absolutely flattening, (aka bellyflopping on), an attacker in an attempt to win the ball. What has this to do with goals? (Not a goal).

12. Sees Boston playing with a ridiculously high line, (only 1 defender is as far back as the centre-circle in the opposition half). There is an aimless punt from the back and the defender gives chase, (well sort of), and the attacker surges past him, but the attacker only actually collects the ball just outside the D, (approx 25 yards out), and the GK is still in his line inside the 6 yard box). Now before I blame the defender, (yes of course he has been rubbish), you have to ask yourself other questions. 1. Why were Boston playing such a high line? 2. Why did the GK stay on his line? Was he set to SK to balance the very high line? I would be asking questions of my own instructions and my GK before I gave the centre-half a hiding. (On this point, I think that SK instructions are too weak and nowhere near accurate, (especially the SK(a) role/duty). No I am not comparing this to Super-Neuer. In any case, it's not a goal. Why is it even here? (Not a goal).

13. See response to Goal #2. (Boston).

14. Is plainly and simply an example of poor communication between GK and defender. (Boston).

So there are 15 examples here.

3 examples were not from the Boston save.

4 examples are not even goals.

So if we take 7 away from 15 we are left with 8 "rubbish" goals scored by either side over the course of a full season, (so we might take that as 4 rubbish rubbish goals scored/conceded by 1 team in 1 season).

As someone who actually goes to watch football at this level, (I'm a Barnet fan), I can promise you that there will be significantly more than 4 rubbish goals conceded/scored this season.

Same goal keeper - International and Championship football matches.

I hope this thread doesn't get bogged down in petty arguments because I think it has some potential to be a decent learning tool.

In response to your entire post: this video I made wasn't intended to be an attack on FM14 criticising it for being glitchy. It was really meant to be funny more than anything, although I do admit I believe that at least two of the goals in the video were the result of glitches (the one were Stack inexplicably kept the ball in, and the one were the defender slowed down to about 2mph allowing the striker to overtake). Although the latter wasn't a goal, it easily could have been so the point is still perfectly valid. I just think that all games have glitches and to suggest that every goal in FM14 is the result of perfectly accurate statistical calculations is just ridiculous and if you genuinely think that then you are deluded. FIFA for example is much more glitchy than FM14 and I would take FM14 over FIFA any day of the week.

The Stack goal for example: what possible reason would a keeper have for keeping the ball in play? I believe what happened here is that the match engine incorrectly calculated that Stack could go and collect the ball into his hands. When he reached the ball however it was too close to the line so rather than pick it up he sort of "saves" it using the exact same animation you would see when making a save from a shot. This resulted in my right-back (Pearson) tapping it into the empty net. In real life if the keeper realised the ball was going out, he would just leave it for a goal kick no proble.

As for the slowed-down defender: you complain about me having a high line although this isn't the issue here. You can see in the clip that the defender (Sinclair) speeds up for a fraction a second into a sprint and then slows down considerably for no reason, allowing the striker (who was also moving rather slowly) to overtake and go one-on-one. The point is Sinclair did HAVE the speed necessary to reach the ball but for some reason the game must have failed to account for the striker behind him when deciding Sinclair's actions. In other words I think the game made Sinclair move as he would if there was no striker at all and that explains his relaxed pace. In real life what would have happened is the defender would have looked over his shoulder and seen the striker before sprinting to the ball and hacking it out for a throwing or, if he was feeling more confident, passing back to the keeper.

So yeah that's my opinion. I understand none of us are really code experts so this is really down to interpretation. Thanks for the lengthy comment anyway.

As for the slowed-down defender: you complain about me having a high line although this isn't the issue here. You can see in the clip that the defender (Sinclair) speeds up for a fraction a second into a sprint and then slows down considerably for no reason, allowing the striker (who was also moving rather slowly) to overtake and go one-on-one. The point is Sinclair did HAVE the speed necessary to reach the ball but for some reason the game must have failed to account for the striker behind him when deciding Sinclair's actions. In other words I think the game made Sinclair move as he would if there was no striker at all and that explains his relaxed pace. In real life what would have happened is the defender would have looked over his shoulder and seen the striker before sprinting to the ball and hacking it out for a throwing or, if he was feeling more confident, passing back to the keeper..

What are the defenders stats for acceleration, pace, stamina? Ditto for the attacker. Maybe he just ran out of steam and the attacker is simply faster/stronger. Maybe the keeper told him he had more time. Maybe he has low composure and panicked. Low determination compared to the attackers high determination? There are tons of examples of all of these on a football pitch, week in week out IRL.

I am making absolutely no attempt to explain the Stack error. I think that should be reported, (but what do I know).

Just saw this and thought I would post as it's a pretty similar, (although more extreme example), of highlight number 5.

What are the defenders stats for acceleration, pace, stamina? Ditto for the attacker. Maybe he just ran out of steam and the attacker is simply faster/stronger. Maybe the keeper told him he had more time. Maybe he has low composure and panicked. Low determination compared to the attackers high determination? There are tons of examples of all of these on a football pitch, week in week out IRL.

It's not a pace/stamina/acceleration issue. (At least I don't think it is). I think it's a communication issue between defender and GK, (it should have been GK's ball all day long).

It's not a pace/stamina/acceleration issue. (At least I don't think it is). I think it's a communication issue between defender and GK, (it should have been GK's ball all day long).

IMO it is a vision & decisions mistake by the DC.

It's not a pace/stamina/acceleration issue. (At least I don't think it is). I think it's a communication issue between defender and GK, (it should have been GK's ball all day long).

I don't think so I just think the game made the defender ignore the striker.