How is my team doing this?

[hefewe1zen]

Someone please help me explain.  It's my FM2019 save.

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I'm playing Port Vale, starting from League Two. I finished the first season 4th on goal difference as I was tied in points with both 2nd and 3rd (promotion places). Next year, I missed the automatic promotion place again when Oldham scored a 90th minute goal in the last game (again 4th on goal difference). We dominated in the Playoff games and eventually earned promotion with a 90th minute winner in Wembley.

I wasn't sure about how we would do in League One but we were predicted 13th which was a good sign. The games so far:

2-0 Burton Albion (A) shots 15/6 - 9/2 
0-0 Scunthorpe (H) 17/8 - 3/0
2-0 Sunderland (A) 19/7 - 7/4
4-0 Doncaster (H) 27/13 - 6/2

We have dominated every game, including an easy away win vs. the newly relegated Sunderland who have about 3.5 times bigger payroll.

It just seems the game got a lot easier in the second half of my promotion season. 

I have brought in 5-6 first team players each year (free agents or transfers up to 30k) but 2 members of the original teams are still key players, 2-3 more are in the rotation. I couldn't sign significantly better quality players for League One (apart from 2 loan players) and I'm still 6k p/w under budget (currently spending 15th most in the league). Most of my players have 3 stars.

Tactics: 4-5-1 with a flat back 4, flat 3 midfield, inside forward AML, varying AMR, deep lying F. Two CM are getting further forward so there is lot of movemenent.

I think there are two huge exploits:
-  Attacking LWBs (behind an IFL) constantly averaging 7.2 ratings, giving lots of assists
-  Shorter passing, lower tempo and playing out of defense means 83-85% passing and 58% possession. Passing is waaay higher than everyone else not just in the league but in England. These are pretty basic settings (no magical tweaking) and yet no one else seem to be using them.

So I'm wondering whats happening and why is it getting easier. I guess it's a combination of them.

- Simply a hot streak?
- Game too easy in general?
- Tactics are beating the match engine?
- AI really bad at team building compared to human?
- Team gaining cohesion over the years?

Edited October 4, 2020 by hefewe1zen

[Fatkidscantjump]

If your tactic is designed well and suits your players, you will overachieve, especially on lower leagues.

Also 4 games is a really small sample size so it could just be some luck.

[3runhomer]

The game is easy in lower leagues because FM gives a performance boost to us human clubs. It’s enough to overwhelm the AI clubs at low levels. But in the Premier League you’ll need talent, tactics and the performance boost to overcome the billionaire clubs. 

[HUNT3R]

4 hours ago, 3runhomer said:

because FM gives a performance boost to us human clubs.

No, it doesn't. There isn't an artificial 'boost' for anyone. The ME is the same for human and AI too and so are the tools at their disposal. By all means, clarify if you meant something else, but there isn't a 'boost' at all.