Reading match stats

Can someone help me or point me in a good direction to how to use match stats? I lose games I shouldn't and I think it is because I don't really understand FM other than using my formation and listening to the assistant.

Example: if I'm playing a short passing game and have great possession but all my shots are long and off target, working it in the box may be helpful. But, how to I interpret passing percentage? I don't have possession and the other team is like 80% passing for example. Or, I have 70+% passing and hardly any shots?

I guess in trying to figure out when pushing higher is or isn't working? When closing down is ineffective ? Thanks for any help?

Also tips to understand if narrow or wide isn't working, how to combat opposition having tackling percentage way higher than you, etc. there has to be a method to improve your situation on game day but I just don't effectively understand it. Thanks

IMO, the stats only point to a possible issue. You need to then watch the match to see what exactly the cause is.

I vary between watching the games on Full/Comprehensive and also playing on Key - so I do use the stats quite heavily. I will use three tactics quite heavily and will vary between them to drive performance. In your scenario above:

Playing a short passing game and have great possession - Tick

All shots are long and off target, working it in the box may be helpful - this would make me think that your opposition are in an organised/contain defence - I would look at trying to create more space behind their defenders - you probably have space in front of their back 4 or even midfield

But, how to I interpret passing percentage? I tend not to look at this, the lower my pass percentage, the more I am being pressed or I'm playing mroe direct, also which area has low pass percentage. Def/Mid/Att? This can indicate which block your opposition are in

I don't have possession and the other team is like 80% passing for example This is to do with your defensive system Or, I have 70+% passing you are being pressed or you are playing direct and hardly any shots?

I would guess, and I am just guessing, that you are trying to play a high line, probably 4231 and you are struggling to beat the smaller teams. In the scenario you list here I would play deeper, play wider, use structured/control, work into box - but also look at the roles you are using (take off the ???-A duties) and try to be more patient.

What I would say though, is reading the ME, is the easier way to do this - best tip look at the full backs and what they are doing, and adjust. Exploiting this is the simplest way to create an overload.

IMO, the stats only point to a possible issue. You need to then watch the match to see what exactly the cause is.

This. Statistics can be interpreted in many different ways and its possible to wrongly assume something is the cause of an issue when its not.

I rely on the stats when I'm watching on "key" highlights. I tend to watch three in particular - possession, shots/chances and average rating (I also keep the widget for each team's individual ratings active, as that can be a good indicator of who is having a big game against me). Unfavorable changes to any of these are an indicator of a problem and I switch back to "full" mode to identify the problem. It's also useful when going back to full mode to take advantage of the ability to rewind and view stretches of play over and over, and from different angles.

I would recommend that you never listen to the advice your assistant gives during the match.

It's important to remember that everything in FM is driven by two things - statistics and probability. The AM is no different. Every piece of "advice" that you get is the result of a particular statistic in the match. For example, the ME tracks passing completion percentages by short and long passing (back in FM12, the last version I played before FM16, the Match stats screen widget could be tweaked to show the breakdown but I don't see that in FM16). So if your short passing % is higher than your long, your AM will tell you "we should have our players try a short passing game". If your heading % exceeds your opponent's, the AM will suggest pumping the ball into the box, hitting early crosses and floating crosses. It isn't uncommon to get this suggestion shortly after (sometimes immediately after) the former, but if you accept both, the second will reverse the effect of the first - it will eliminate a short passing game (or retain possession). So, keep in mind what TIs you've set up as part of your tactic and how the AM's "suggestions" may affect them.

Also, you may have noticed that anytime your opponent has a formation with more mids than yours, the AM will comment that you are being badly outnumbered (or overrun) in the midfield. I've gotten these messages when leading by 3 or 4 goals and dominating possession. Useless.

The AM comments I DO pay attention to are the ones about a particular opposing player needing to be closed down or individually marked. It's a reflection of how many crosses the opponent is making or how many scoring chances he's getting. If you're watching on full, you will likely see these before the AM makes a comment but on "key", it's helpful.

I have set match feedback only to get statistical data from my AM - so he reports possession percentage, nr of tackles attempted/won, passes attempted/completed, headers attempted/won etc. so I use this info when decidiing on closing down a certain player or changing my roles in the area where a certain opposition player is.. That's the only data I receive from my AM

Thanks all for the tips. I'm playing a 41221 DM 2 attacking midfield wingers. Full backs attack wingers support usually control mentality and flexible. I'm not doing to bad really. I struggle trying to figure out if marking and closing down is working. My offense seems to be on point. Defense is either spot on or they let runners slip through. In wondering how to stop that pesky runner bolting through center for a killer through ball. Sometimes offside traps work. Y'all R really helping thanks.

Oh, my DM is a DLP defend the MC is AP attack and BWM support. I just got Mainz back into division 1 and I held Dortmund 1-1 and am mid table. I usually get 60 % possession if I play well and 14+ shots. Problem is 5 on target. Lol

Cleon did some work on possession football a couple of months ago - paraphrasing (and if I remember correctly), he would say that if your SoT are below 50% then you have too aggressive a mentality - maybe looking at moving down to Standard from Control?

On the point re stats - the football analytics community would not be happy...

Dictis

That is the exact type of feedback I'm looking for. I don't understand that part of the game. So I will try that - thanks. Any other if this then maybe try that advice? Doesn't have to be perfect.

So far, not listening to AM, watching in comprehensive and SoT under 50% has been nice advice. Thanks all