Predictable games. Long ball galore, comical mistakes, useless defenders, overpowered headers, poor passing and ball control/ first touch

Agreed 100%, 2023 Version is really bad comparing to last 10 years versions

Completely agree - I'm having very little luck playing a tiki taka style.

I'll boss a few games and my tactics will seem to be working brilliantly... And I'll then get completely torn apart by a random team, especially teams that play 3 at the back with wing backs (I've been using 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1). 

I've tried tons of tweaks and replayed the games but it seems very hard to maintain consistency whilst playing beautiful football in this years game. 

It feels much, much easier to play counter attack football than possession.  

Please fix this as I want my teams to play the beautiful game! Cheers. 

I have uploaded more examples with a bit more detail. 

 

Key: LB - Long Ball , DM Defensive Mistake/Defender Mistake, FPC - Far Post Corner, KM - Keeper Mistake

 

Ajax v Chelsea (66) Keeper comes out and clashes with CB.pkm Bayer 04 v Chelsea (9 FPC), (15 KM), (19 DM), (21 DM), (31 LB), (33 FPC).pkm Chelsea v Ajax (6 LB,DM), (18 FPC), (47 DF), (90+5 LB,DM).pkm Chelsea v Brighton (long ball, 12).pkm Chelsea v Fulham (42 LB,DM).pkm Chelsea v Leeds (39 LB).pkm Chelsea v Man UFC (52 DM,LB).pkm Newcastle v Chelsea (45+1 LB,DM).pkm

Also, I want to add that no matter which game approach I use. I always have the message saying there's a gap between my mid and attack. Plus issues with developing a relationship between positions. 

But that's minor, what I want to highlight most are the issues with possession waste and ball loss. Those are just some of the comprehensive highlights, more if you watch the whole match.

Leeds v Chelsea (6,10,16,27,30,41,42,52,66,73,82).pkm

I agree entirely, long/through balls especially are just completely unrealistic and result in predictable chance/goal after predictable chance/goal. Makes no difference what tactic you use or which players you use either. FM23 as a whole is a game I'm enjoying, but the match engine in the beta is so much worse than FM22 it's unbelievable.

Totally agree to the above comments. A lot of this in my opinion comes from the stat builds of players. E.g. In real life, non-league players are often far stronger and have better physical stats than a prem league player. But no.........in FM23......a lower league central defender will be akin to playing Mr Bean. I'm playing at lower league level and the defending is comical. You literally have to instruct defenders to man-mark or they'll just allow a 70yd bomb of a clearance from the opposition defenders to split your central defence - who both have the reaction speeds of a granny in a mobile scooter with a flat battery. The post gets hit more times in one game than you see across a whole season on TV. But hey.......don't worry.....they've improved the range of goal celebrations.

Adding a cherry on top, check out this sexy own goal! The defender even celebrates it! So spursy 

Chelsea v Tottenham 67.45.pkm

My final upload, there are so many issues like this every match so you can keep uploading over and over, but as a final example, check out the game vs PSG. Issues with defending are constant and persistent , this of course happens in reality but not every game to such a high extent, especially at this level.

Chelsea v PSG 11, 27.pkm

Thank you for the PKM's, this will be very helpful.

This post could not have been written any better at explaining my issues with the games. Regardless of what formation I play, my CB's or CDM will constantly dwell on the ball and be tackled or make a terrible 5 yard pass which leads to AI scoring.

Not sure if it's just me, but regardless of player tactics - AI movement off the ball just seems better whatever team you play.

 

I know squad rotation is key, but my players always seem to be tired or pick up a lot of injuries

I am completely killing it by playing VERY DIRECT, VERY WIDE, VERY ATTACKING football... I will SEE crosses when I use those three instructions, and I mean REALLY GOOD crosses, not just the funny runs down the flanks that always end up in losing possession near the byline or the opponents conceding a foul 99 % of the time...

It's the worst engine in the last decade, my initial patient approach is completely useless sometimes, with players just randomly kicking the ball long when there is no one making a run or missing the player completely...

My defenders are constantly just randomly kicking the ball to nearby opposing attackers while under no pressure. It's kind of ridiculous. 

Lets add on every single through ball where my 15 acc, 15 pace defenders, are moving slow as hell, having a light stroll. 

Edited November 3, 2022 by Aflyingkitten

Don't have any specific pkm's but i also agree that there are a bit too much of this weird freak mistake goals. Central Defenders look a bit too slow or dumb? idk, it feels like they are not aggessive enough in long ball situations and makes the defender look very stupid. Played around three seasons now and had a couple of very stupid goals on both sides.

But what i like about the match engine is that there are more mistakes (passes, touches) in general but the crucial ones are a bit too often.

Here you go one example. 

Man UFC v Arsenal 42,40.pkm

15 hours ago, Parcero said:

I am completely killing it by playing VERY DIRECT, VERY WIDE, VERY ATTACKING football... I will SEE crosses when I use those three instructions, and I mean REALLY GOOD crosses, not just the funny runs down the flanks that always end up in losing possession near the byline or the opponents conceding a foul 99 % of the time...

It's the worst engine in the last decade, my initial patient approach is completely useless sometimes, with players just randomly kicking the ball long when there is no one making a run or missing the player completely...

Im finding that AI movement is much more intense than mine, regardless of my tactics or player workrate stats.

Also doesn't seem like there's an option to give instructions to LW, CAM or RW to press often and only "sometimes"?

Every chance is the same..to the extent that it's almost pointless watching the games. Wanna play a short possession style game? Doesn't matter, all your goals will be a result of long balls up the field. Just....boring.

We are still looking into the issue and more pkm's do always help.

We (Dortmund) finally reach the UCL Final after 4 seasons. Our opponents:  Bayern Munich.  My players lost possession at least 20 times, and all 4 goals resulting from lost possession.  I do understand, possession being lost happens irl too, but come on, the lost possession count is nowhere close when compared to the AI.  Your GK rolls out the ball to any defender in front of him, and chances are very good the opposition striker just nabs the ball from the defender who is standing idly in his place, and scores a goal 100% of the time.  My players usually have a hard time going through the AI's defense while the opposition players dribble the ball with ease from one end of the pitch to the other end without even being challenged even though you have instructions to prevent that from happening and their success rate of scoring a goal is at least 300% higher than yours.  The worst match engine in the history of Football manager where the AI teams are favored beyond belief.  At this point, the game is unplayable.

Agree with everthing you said. This ME feels extremely poor overall and very messy. really disapointing 

Hey guys, look at my perfect defenders !

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sampdoria-Palermo.pkm Palermo-Bologna.pkm

I mean I like that long-balls are viable this year and not every team should be able to play tiki-taka with 90% pass completion(like last year). However, teams such as Man City, Arsenal and Barcelona pretty much rely on tiki-taka so a better balance is required there.

Short passing game is so flawed currently.

Completely agree with the Bruuh and the comments here.

I'm finding defenders just stop running. They'll just amble about, even the supposedly really good ones 

Pressing doesn't seem to work anymore either. It seemed to get fixed in the recent update, but now players just can't be bothered to press at all, despite selecting "trigger press" and "press high up the pitch" in the tactics 

Well after tilting for a whole season how to fix my defence in premier league with 4.5 star players, I came here to check out if there is a problem. After reading some comments I decide to try to change my tactic to direct pass instead of short pass, extended formation, and took out distribution to central defenders. And the improvement was instantaneous!! 3 games played and the score opportunities to opposing teams almost disappear from 4-5 a game. Don't think this is normal. Have to say I have by far better defenders comparing to my attackers. 

Also in terms of points in the league I see almost all big team in the league underperforming in 3 seasons. Is this normal? 

agree tottally..  long balls every game pass to a player he just boots it up field to an opposition player who in turn boots it back up field every game just like that ridiculous to mant flaws with this beta 

i finish a season and win the league and the board and fans are praising my assistant manager like i dont excist 

please can this be fixed would be nice to see ur own name praised after a long hard season instead of ur assistant manager grrr