Football Manager 2014 - Update 14.2.2 - Feedback Thread

[Hit the upright]

I agree about backroom staff, for instance my assistant constantly tells me at full time that my best team talk option is, “I have nothing to say after that,” an option that almost without fail has a negative impact on any number of players.

[petergoddard]

The point stands that the discussion was "Strikers don't score". My save shows strikers do score, for me & for AI clubs as do other peoples saves.

The top striker in your save was a striker, how about listing the top ten scorers in your league/save, how many are strikers?

Actually, strikers might be a minor issue and its perfectly possible that it might need a review from everyone with this. I don't have and I never had a problem to improve my tactics and know that any time I can be doing something not quite right. But I didn't mentioned only the strikers, first touch is indeed a mess and this is not a tactical problem... GK's doing stupid things like bad distribution to a team mate that is not close down is not a tactical problem, players a lot worse than mine tackling better and running faster is not a tactical problem.

[Kain]

I have to agree that top strikers simply don't score enough in the game. In my save 3 seasons in, no Man City player has scored more than 18 goals in the league. No Liverpool player has. Or Man Utd. Or Tottenham. No Arsenal player has scored more than 12. No Everton player has even made it to double figures in the last 3 years.

In the first 3 seasons of my save, only one player managed it and that was Juan Mata, a midfielder. In Germany, nobody has made it to 20 goals. In the Netherlands, only once has somebody made it to 20, and it was exactly 20. In Italy, only once has somebody made it to 20 and it was exactly 20.

Compare this to real life and the last time nobody scored 20 in Italy was the 1990/91 season. IRL only once since 2000 has no player made it to 20 goals in a Premier League season. Only once since 2000 has nobody made it to 20 goals in the Bundesliga. In the Eredivisie the last time nobody scored 20 goals was in the 80s!

[Rippou]

I've been playing with the same formation since the game was released and I had the problem of strikers not scoring in the early updates and getting horrible ratings in general.

The problem seems fixed in the last two patches though, strikers are generally scoring as much as they should and banging in one on ones, and in my save the league seems to have a correct balance as well.

[jep]

Hi Jep, would you mind posting this issue here with a save game uploaded to our FTP?

When you say "randomly appear", are these pre-existing philosophies put in place by the board? Or does this philosophy appear well into the save?

Hello Julius,

Regarding the randomly appearing philosophies, I mean that I have never had a job where make most of set pieces has ever been required, but on 3 seperate occasions since starting games on FM14.2 I have seen this board promise listed in each one. It doesn't appear mid-way through the game, but in my latest version I took the Liverpool job in the 2nd season and when it was offered to me that was one of the stipulations the board requested.

I just need to work out how to upload a saved game now - bear with me.

EDIT: Save game uploaded and new thread added to bugs forum, as requested.

[HUNT3R]

I just need to work out how to upload a saved game now - bear with me.

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/368795

[jep]

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/368795

Got it sorted thanks.

[Guest El Payaso]

It's funny how someone sees strikers being the biggest issue in the game when defensive minded midfielders for example have been underrated in the game for years. You basically never see a team in the game that makes your technical midfielders feel uncomfortable because they don't have time and space on the pitch. I bet that no team in the world likes to face Tony Pulis' era Stoke at their home as they were really overly physical and tackling everything that moves. It's far too easy to achieve 60-70% of possession as the midfield is more like a playground instead of battle zone as it should be.

I know that for example my Boreham Wood is a lower league team but that is what Sam Cox does in real life and that is what I would like to see from him in the game; regularly win the ball back to my team. He does sometimes tackle in the games but many times that's no use as he fouls too many times or the succesful tackle ends up not being collected by my player but the opponent. Players like wingers have been overpowered for years with too good dribbling and change of pace and strikers are able to go through on goal from a fully organized defence.

What should be improved is the balance of player performances. Midfielders should be more intelligent, defensive minded players should anticapate much better both in terms of marking and intercepting, physical side of defending and then less good runs with ball from players with not that good technical attributes... The list is endless.

[Hit the upright]

It's funny how someone sees strikers being the biggest issue in the game when defensive minded midfielders for example have been underrated in the game for years. You basically never see a team in the game that makes your technical midfielders feel uncomfortable because they don't have time and space on the pitch. I bet that no team in the world likes to face Tony Pulis' era Stoke at their home as they were really overly physical and tackling everything that moves. It's far too easy to achieve 60-70% of possession as the midfield is more like a playground instead of battle zone as it should be.

I know that for example my Boreham Wood is a lower league team but that is what Sam Cox does in real life and that is what I would like to see from him in the game; regularly win the ball back to my team. He does sometimes tackle in the games but many times that's no use as he fouls too many times or the succesful tackle ends up not being collected by my player but the opponent. Players like wingers have been overpowered for years with too good dribbling and change of pace and strikers are able to go through on goal from a fully organized defence.

What should be improved is the balance of player performances. Midfielders should be more intelligent, defensive minded players should anticapate much better both in terms of marking and intercepting, physical side of defending and then less good runs with ball from players with not that good technical attributes... The list is endless.

Really good points and it’s been true of FM all along, it’s all end to end and it’s rare to see play being broken up in the middle of the park, plenty of options for players who break play up in the middle of the park DMs and DLP etc but they don't really cut the mustard, it maybe a simple case of the FM ME is just not sophisticated enough to emulate midfield play accurately, generally their work rate is not good enough.

[jc1]

One thing I've noticed since the last patch is when I ask for a player to be scouted, the report comes back saying " would not be worthwhile" but when I then click on his profile, he's showing as a quality player, don't know if this has been reported or not but it's not right.

Still too many wasteful shots at goal by players with high ratings in that department, we're not talking skimming post etc but missing by a long way most times all too regularly.

Too many goals from corners, or the scramble in the box after a corner, I watch in extended mode so see a lot of the game and notice the high mount of corners in the game.

Passing and 1st touch has got worse too, we want realism but to suddenly make players with excellent passing and 1st touch skills turn into amateur ones overnight is just wrong.

[jc1]

I agree about backroom staff, for instance my assistant constantly tells me at full time that my best team talk option is, “I have nothing to say after that,” an option that almost without fail has a negative impact on any number of players.

I never use that option, I always make a point of saying something even if it's slightly negative but in a calm way, how many managers in real life would walk away from a dressing room after a game and literally say nothing to their team.

[jc1]

AI transfer bids definitely seem bugged

they are constantly bidding less than the player is worth

14.1.4 was much more stable than this patch

This is true and when you negotiate the bid with a higher price for that player, they still come back and offer a very low price, very seldom do they accept what you're after for him.

[Hit the upright]

I never use that option, I always make a point of saying something even if it's slightly negative but in a calm way, how many managers in real life would walk away from a dressing room after a game and literally say nothing to their team.

Neither do I but you can still see what he is suggesting, it’s not specific to FM 2014 it was the same in 2013 and 2012. It seems to me that the basic problem is the lack of realistic pressing in the midfield, it’s almost as if other mechanisms to break down play need to be in place to limit the amount of goals, whether that's poor touch, poor passing, poor shooting, shooting straight at a player standing practically on top of the striker or any number of others.

[dking]

After putting in a fair few hours my conclusion is that this game just isn't very good after this patch. It just seems to have caused more problems than it's fixed. The amount of own goals is comical, the amount of times I hit the woodwork is just ridiculous, the amount of goals my cb's score is very unrealstic and when called upon to actually defend from set pieces they struggle. I'm sure I've left a few things out but the things I've mentioned are game breaking enough for me without having to go into anymore details.

[ceefax the cat]

Things I see a lot of:

- Unnecessary shots from distance either going over or 'clipping the bar'

- Corners corners corners corners, wingers buying corners, shots deflected away for corners, scrambles after corners, corners going straight out of play, corners whizzing away for throw-ins, goals from corners, corners corners.

- Long passes, whether under pressure or not, to areas of the pitch without one of my players in it by a very long way. Playing with a lone target man only to find my entire back line plus the keeper constantly pumping the ball down the wings. Keepers love hitting any zone other than that which contains the target man, even if there are no players there.

- Zero willingness to work the ball across the width of the pitch. Winger passes inside, midfielder either engages with further pointless exchange of passes with winger or passes backwards. Frequently the only option from there seems to be to launch it down the wing or smack it 20 yards over the target man's head, where in the majority of real life examples the ball would be transferred to the other side of the pitch where the space is, regardless of how direct the team was trying to play. It'd go either to a forward, along the back four, or straight to the opposite wing.

Special mention: I've just seen my keeper bring the ball out under no pressure and opt to chip it onto my centre half's head, 15 yards away, for an aerial duel with the forward who was marking him.

Another update please, and be courteous / brave enough not to release another full-priced game until it's ready to last a season without major surgery, whether that is next October or not. In the meantime, I'm off to spend the last 11 games of the season playing only to maximise scoring opportunities from corners, and stop the opposition winning them.

[Äktsjon Männ]

Andy Cole springs to mind, lots of goals but he seemed to need twice as many attempts to get them when compared to many of his contemporaries.

Off topic, but why do people keep peddling this completely unsubstantiated rubbish about Andy Cole? Go and check out the stats first. He must have had about 193424 chances every game to end up with the amount of goals he did.

The reality is that his his conversion rate, while not quite as great as someone like Alan Shearer was up there with the best in the Premiership. And his goals-to-games ratio if you excluded penalties was actually better than Shearer which suggests that he either somehow managed to find himself on the end of more than twice as many chances as anyone else or people just remember a couple of his more high profile misses and project these onto his whole career.

[Bruce Drundrige]

I have never posted on a patch/update feedback thread before despite playing for years but after playing the new patch a lot over the last week I feel I have to because my matches are all becoming utterly predictable. I went on a ten match winning streak mostly thanks to the goal-scoring feats of my centre-backs (headers from corners). I've scored about 12 more goals from corners than the next team.

Now, my run has come grinding to a halt and I concede ONLY from corners but with depressingly predictability. It seems the team who get the most corners (and there a LOT) wins the match at the moment.

And don't even start me on how often someone hits the wood work.

My goalkeeper is doing some really weird stuff as well.

While a lot of the stuff in the new patch is good, for the first time I can see the goals I'm conceding coming an absolute mile away and it's getting very frustrating.

[jc1]

Just watching Hull v Man U, 52 mins gone and only 5 corners conceded....3 to hull and 2 to Man U.............tell me getting 12-15 corners per game and scoring 2-3 per game is normal?? as in FM14

[Hit the upright]

Off topic, but why do people keep peddling this completely unsubstantiated rubbish about Andy Cole? Go and check out the stats first. He must have had about 193424 chances every game to end up with the amount of goals he did.

The reality is that his his conversion rate, while not quite as great as someone like Alan Shearer was up there with the best in the Premiership. And his goals-to-games ratio if you excluded penalties was actually better than Shearer which suggests that he either somehow managed to find himself on the end of more than twice as many chances as anyone else or people just remember a couple of his more high profile misses and project these onto his whole career.

Nothing wrong with Andy Cole I watched him a lot, he was a great striker and he did get a lot of chances, but he certainly had a justified reputation for missing sitters it was a real talking point while he was playing and I have no doubt it inhibited his England chances, still a great striker though.

[Caesarius]

Finally Ive ended my previous season on 14.1.4 then let it updated to 14.2

Played only one match so far (let my assistant do the friendlies) and the game flows pretty well to me, havent noticed any first touch issue, neither goalkeepers being dumb (yet).

But... my match ended 3-3, all 6 goals from set pieces.....

I´ve scored all 3 from corners: one clean, one own goal and the last during a scramble.

Conceded one from corner (their one and only corner thx god) and the other 2 from indirect free kicks aimed at a man attacking the far post.

I really hope this changes over the next matches

[Äktsjon Männ]

Nothing wrong with Andy Cole I watched him a lot, he was a great striker and he did get a lot of chances, but he certainly had a justified reputation for missing sitters it was a real talking point while he was playing and I have no doubt it inhibited his England chances, still a great striker though.

Missing a few sitters being highlighted is different from needing twice as many chances to score as other top strikers or whatever that nonsense was. He was among the best players in the Premier League at converting chances.

[kiwityke]

I have gone back to FM13. This is patch has totally ruined my save game. I can't see what the problems with my tactics or team are at all. All goals seem to come from random stupidity for both teams or corners. This is the worst ME ever released by SI imo.

[joel1031]

I have gone back to FM13. This is patch has totally ruined my save game. I can't see what the problems with my tactics or team are at all. All goals seem to come from random stupidity for both teams or corners. This is the worst ME ever released by SI imo.

I'm really tempted to go back to FM13 as well.

It sucks because I really like a lot of the non-ME improvements, but it's hard to justify playing a game I don't enjoy atm.

[Dagenham_Dave]

it's hard to justify playing a game I don't enjoy atm.

Don't play it then, you're not obliged to do so.

[joel1031]

Don't play it then, you're not obliged to do so.

Right but this is the only game of its type that scratches a particular itch.

I'm an addict so sue me.

[ElKoupon]

I don't know if this happens only after the update. My last youth cup game has ended 37 - 36 on penalties!

[upthetoon]

I constantly get double digit corners for both sides almost every game.

It's ridiculous as wingers and fullbacks once they get to the byline i already know it's going to be a corner.

[Dagenham_Dave]

The only issue I have with corners is the amount of times the taker puts it clean out for a goal kick. Mildly annoying. The amount of corners and goals scored from corners is all as it 'should' be across my saves, however.

[kiwityke]

I constantly get double digit corners for both sides almost every game.

It's ridiculous as wingers and fullbacks once they get to the byline i already know it's going to be a corner.

I will tell you what the reply will be...it's your tactics...read wwfans 12 steps...even though the last ME I did that and I could see what was wrong and change my tactics to the situation to erm influence the game. This ME, I have no clue it's a random number generator as far as I am concerned.

[Hit the upright]

Missing a few sitters being highlighted is different from needing twice as many chances to score as other top strikers or whatever that nonsense was. He was among the best players in the Premier League at converting chances.

Sorry when did I say he needed twice as many chances I didn’t say anything of the sort, what I say was that maybe his conversion rate was maybe not as good as some, that was certainly his reputation at the time and I can remember a host of games where that seemed to be the case, It may well be that over the whole of his career that evened out, but he certainly had some sticky runs.

[Ryknow]

It seems so many people complaining about this patch are ones who were fine with the 14.1.4 patch. Now it's 14.2 patch so many of the issues people talk about we're issues I encountered in 14.1.4. So people who disliked 14.1.4 (me), now enjoy 14.2.

From all the posts on this forum if feels like 50% are playing a different game, while the other 50% are playing what I am. I felt like that with 14.1.4 too. I couldn't fathom how people were scoring so many goals when my strikers simply missed sitters, fired straight at the keeper or the keeper simply made an unrealistically easy save. Now I'm the opposite, I can't understand issues that others are stating because in my experience many of them have been fixed.

Don't get me wrong the ME could still use some tweaks. Just an observation.

[Äktsjon Männ]

Sorry when did I say he needed twice as many chances I didn’t say anything of the sort

Andy Cole springs to mind, lots of goals but he seemed to need twice as many attempts to get them when compared to many of his contemporaries.

But, yeah, whatever. his reputation was undeserved and based on a few high profile misses as well as some of the steaming pile of nonsense that comes out of Glenn Hoddle's mouth.

[pemell]

Are you joking SI?

I've replayed a home game vs. Chelsea 4 times now.

First and third time I had goals dissalowed.

Second and third time I made own goals.

First, second and third time I conceded freekick or corner.

Fourth time I conceded from a stupid a stupid mistake from my defenders, playing the ball onto their forwards feet.

Chelsea made 0 own goals, 0 stupid mistakes that led to a goal, didn't concede from fk or corner and had none goals disallowed.

I'm not going to make it any longer.

[joel1031]

I wonder if the reason people are seeing differences in scoring and gameplay is because they are starting new saves. Like the argument about strikers scoring in the EPL above

really don't want to and shouldn't have to start a new save but I wonder if that has any bearing

[Dagenham_Dave]

Are you joking SI?

Chelsea made 0 own goals, 0 stupid mistakes that led to a goal, didn't concede from fk or corner and had none goals disallowed.

What is your conclusion to the above then?

[HUNT3R]

I wonder if the reason people are seeing differences in scoring and gameplay is because they are starting new saves. Like the argument about strikers scoring in the EPL above

really don't want to and shouldn't have to start a new save but I wonder if that has any bearing

Regardless of what you do, it's the same ME, so it won't matter.

[ScottGooner]

What is your conclusion to the above then?

That the game doesn't like him

[pemell]

Ok. Look at my post three posts above this.

The fifth time I conceded a penalty and had one goal disallowed.

SI??!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[joel1031]

I'd offer my own game's goal tallies but honestly I've only played like 6 matches on the ME so :\

[HUNT3R]

Ok. Look at my post three posts above this.

The fifth time I conceded a penalty and had one goal disallowed.

SI??!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What is SI supposed to do?

[Dagenham_Dave]

Ok. Look at my post three posts above this.

The fifth time I conceded a penalty and had one goal disallowed.

SI??!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's almost as if penalties and disallowed goals don't happen in football.

[Dagenham_Dave]

Oh look, Man City have just scored from a corner.

SORT IT OUT REAL LIFE!!!

[pemell]

Guys. It's the one same game. Try telling me is a coincidence.

5 times replayed and every time something against my favour is happening.

[CityAndColour]

Andy Cole springs to mind, lots of goals but he seemed to need twice as many attempts to get them when compared to many of his contemporaries.

This was a myth spread by the media (and Glenn Hoddle) tbf.

[Dagenham_Dave]

5 times replayed and every time something against my favour is happening.

So, what is your conclusion to this?

[pemell]

Don't know, any idea?

[Dagenham_Dave]

Don't know

So, just a frustrated, baseless rant. At least you're honest.

[Hit the upright]

But, yeah, whatever. his reputation was undeserved and based on a few high profile misses as well as some of the steaming pile of nonsense that comes out of Glenn Hoddle's mouth.

Seemed I said not did and that was the perception at the time, blimey does it really matter, what are you his brother, so you thought he was a great player and you are obviously a bit of a fan, in your words whatever.

[CityAndColour]

So, just a frustrated, baseless rant. At least you're honest.

Which thread are you doing your whinging in now that you've stopped playing dafuge's?

[Dagenham_Dave]

Which thread are you doing your whinging in now that you've stopped playing dafuge's?

I don't whinge, I observe. A subtle, but crucial difference.