FM touch version inconsistent

[James lishman]

Hi, I've been playing the fm21 touch version on the ipad and have found it to be very inconsistent...you can beat a top team convincingly, dominating the game, then lose to a poor team in the same fashion, feeling like you have no control over the game. It's almost as if playing a match is like pressing random score generator button. 

Does the actual game have this issue? 

 

Thanks 

[rp1966]

11 minutes ago, James lishman said:

Hi, I've been playing the fm21 touch version on the ipad and have found it to be very inconsistent...you can beat a top team convincingly, dominating the game, then lose to a poor team in the same fashion, feeling like you have no control over the game. It's almost as if playing a match is like pressing random score generator button. 

Does the actual game have this issue? 

 

Thanks 

Doing really well against top sides and then failing against struggling sides is usually a sign of relatively low reputation in the league and use of a counter-attacking tactic. Other than differences around morale and match cohesion FM and FMT play the same.

[HUNT3R]

You have to remember that playing a top team vs playing a relegation team is a very different prospect. I'm generalising, but just to give you an idea:

Top teams are more likely to be more aggressive, both with and without the ball. They would commit more players forward or take a few more risks in choosing when to make forward runs in possession.

Relegation teams are more likely to be cautious. Keep things tight, don't concede and hope for counter attacking chances or set-piece goals. They will commit fewer players forward and/or make decisions to attempt forward runs when it's safer to do so.

With that in mind, top teams are likely to leave more space for you to use. This is because they tend to close down more and commit more players forward, sometimes taking calculated risks (according to Mentality) in doing so. When in transition especially, you're likely to have more space to attack.

Relegation teams look to reduce space in the final third and that's done because they're deeper, more compact and have more players back to counter any counter attacks in the transition. So while you have a lot of space in front of them, entering the final third will see the space you have reduced or non-existent.

It comes down, in the end, to how you set up. If you have a tactical setup that relies on there being lots of space, you may struggle against weaker teams not giving you any. Or you may be transitioning too fast and/or with not enough players. In either case, you may sit with a (for example) 3 vs 5 or 6 attack and there are just too many defenders to get through. You may need to slow things down and get players to create space better. Or get support players forward quicker so you have the numbers.

[James lishman]

21 minutes ago, rp1966 said:

Doing really well against top sides and then failing against struggling sides is usually a sign of relatively low reputation in the league and use of a counter-attacking tactic. Other than differences around morale and match cohesion FM and FMT play the same.

Ye I get that it's possible to lose to a poor team as they might score a flukey goal and your striker might have an off day. But it's not realistic that you can beat spurs, more possession, more shots. Then you play Watford, lose 3 0, get no possession and have very few shots. Just doesn't make sense. Even if they counter attacked they wouldn't dominate like this...thanks for your reply.

By the way I'm man utd. My team is reasonable...using gaegenpress. 

Edited January 20, 2021 by James lishman

[XaW]

6 minutes ago, James lishman said:

Ye I get that it's possible to lose to a poor team as they might score a flukey goal and your striker might have an off day. But it's not realistic that you can beat spurs, more possession, more shots. Then you play Watford, lose 3 0, get no possession and have very few shots. Just doesn't make sense. Even if they counter attacked they wouldn't dominate like this...thanks for your reply.

Liverpool last season says hello.

[rp1966]

9 minutes ago, James lishman said:

Ye I get that it's possible to lose to a poor team as they might score a flukey goal and your striker might have an off day. But it's not realistic that you can beat spurs, more possession, more shots. Then you play Watford, lose 3 0, get no possession and have very few shots. Just doesn't make sense. Even if they counter attacked they wouldn't dominate like this...thanks for your reply.

It definitely is - look at how often teams that are on a winning streak IRL trip up against relegation fodder - think Liverpool against West Brom this season or Fulham's recent string of draws upsetting better teams.  Read through HUNT3R's response. It's very much about space - both in the final third and behind you team when you are attacking.  Normally what happens in those games is the poor team just sits behind the ball; you throw more and more at it to break them down - sometimes you'll get a breakthrough and a narrow win, more often they'll stifle you and catch some luck on the break.  Often in those games you need, counter-intuitively, to play much more conservatively and draw them out.

But that's better discussed in the tactics forum and if this is a common pattern in your games it may be worthwhile asking about it in there.

Edited January 20, 2021 by rp1966

[James lishman]

23 minutes ago, HUNT3R said:

You have to remember that playing a top team vs playing a relegation team is a very different prospect. I'm generalising, but just to give you an idea:

Top teams are more likely to be more aggressive, both with and without the ball. They would commit more players forward or take a few more risks in choosing when to make forward runs in possession.

Relegation teams are more likely to be cautious. Keep things tight, don't concede and hope for counter attacking chances or set-piece goals. They will commit fewer players forward and/or make decisions to attempt forward runs when it's safer to do so.

With that in mind, top teams are likely to leave more space for you to use. This is because they tend to close down more and commit more players forward, sometimes taking calculated risks (according to Mentality) in doing so. When in transition especially, you're likely to have more space to attack.

Relegation teams look to reduce space in the final third and that's done because they're deeper, more compact and have more players back to counter any counter attacks in the transition. So while you have a lot of space in front of them, entering the final third will see the space you have reduced or non-existent.

It comes down, in the end, to how you set up. If you have a tactical setup that relies on there being lots of space, you may struggle against weaker teams not giving you any. Or you may be transitioning too fast and/or with not enough players. In either case, you may sit with a (for example) 3 vs 5 or 6 attack and there are just too many defenders to get through. You may need to slow things down and get players to create space better. Or get support players forward quicker so you have the numbers.

Thanks for the reply. My recent results were

Lose to Leicester 3 0

Beat qpr 3 0

Lost to man City 5 0

Beat arsenal 7 3

Draw with wba 1 1

Lose to Southampton 3 0

 

Similar tactics used in all games apart from City where I went defensive...obviously didn't work. So sometimes I beat bad teams like qpr dominating games. Then other lesser teams like wba and Southampton trouble me (saints smashing me having all of the ball and plenty of shots). Leicester are mid table like arsenal on my game and again very different results. Still think it's unrealistic. 

Using the usual gaegenpress. Not playing fast tempo. Not passing ball in to space.

Thanks 

[HUNT3R]

5 minutes ago, James lishman said:

Thanks for the reply. My recent results were

Lose to Leicester 3 0

Beat qpr 3 0

Lost to man City 5 0

Beat arsenal 7 3

Draw with wba 1 1

Lose to Southampton 3 0

 

Similar tactics used in all games apart from City where I went defensive...obviously didn't work. So sometimes I beat bad teams like qpr dominating games. Then other lesser teams like wba and Southampton trouble me (saints smashing me having all of the ball and plenty of shots). Leicester are mid table like arsenal on my game and again very different results. Still think it's unrealistic. 

Using the usual gaegenpress. Not playing fast tempo. Not passing ball in to space.

Thanks 

Looking at your results, it seems you're very attacking/aggressive. That 7-3 match against Arsenal is the clearest sign to me that with how you've set up, results could be a bit of a lottery. Who are you managing, by the way?

If I'm honest, it just seems to be a tactical setup that needs improving. You've conceded (with your main tactic) 10 goals in 5 matches. That's not good at all.

The tactics forum is available, if you want tactical advice or want articles to read about tactics and get information from guides etc. If not, it's definitely worth analysing your matches.

[James lishman]

3 minutes ago, HUNT3R said:

Looking at your results, it seems you're very attacking/aggressive. That 7-3 match against Arsenal is the clearest sign to me that with how you've set up, results could be a bit of a lottery. Who are you managing, by the way?

If I'm honest, it just seems to be a tactical setup that needs improving. You've conceded (with your main tactic) 10 goals in 5 matches. That's not good at all.

The tactics forum is available, if you want tactical advice or want articles to read about tactics and get information from guides etc. If not, it's definitely worth analysing your matches.

 

3 minutes ago, HUNT3R said:

Looking at your results, it seems you're very attacking/aggressive. That 7-3 match against Arsenal is the clearest sign to me that with how you've set up, results could be a bit of a lottery. Who are you managing, by the way?

If I'm honest, it just seems to be a tactical setup that needs improving. You've conceded (with your main tactic) 10 goals in 5 matches. That's not good at all.

The tactics forum is available, if you want tactical advice or want articles to read about tactics and get information from guides etc. If not, it's definitely worth analysing your matches.

Managing man utd. 4 2 3 1 which is the standard formation. Positive mentality. Don't dribble as much. Be more disciplined. Shorter passing. Lower tempo. Work into box. One defensive mid, one deep lying. I don't see it as too attacking really. 

Thanks though 

[Zoolok42]

I find 4-2-3-1 Positive to be very attacking, to each their own I guess.

[XaW]

1 hour ago, James lishman said:

Thanks for the reply. My recent results were

Lose to Leicester 3 0

Beat qpr 3 0

Lost to man City 5 0

Beat arsenal 7 3

Draw with wba 1 1

Lose to Southampton 3 0

 

Similar tactics used in all games apart from City where I went defensive...obviously didn't work. So sometimes I beat bad teams like qpr dominating games. Then other lesser teams like wba and Southampton trouble me (saints smashing me having all of the ball and plenty of shots). Leicester are mid table like arsenal on my game and again very different results. Still think it's unrealistic. 

Using the usual gaegenpress. Not playing fast tempo. Not passing ball in to space.

Thanks 

Based on those results it seems that your are winning most games you take a lead while lose when you concede first. Without knowing details it's hard to know for sure, but that indicates your team will play very well when they get space, but struggle when that space is constricted. And Man Utd have a lot of good players, so they will have a chance of taking the lead no matter the tactic, and when that happens for you, the opponents have to go more attacking and give you the space your team thrives on. Conversely, when you go down first and the other team pulls back to defend their lead, which many teams will do against a better side, you struggle even more and get caught out on counters.

Based on that I'd say you should have an alternative tactic lined up, a more patient one that recycles more possession and try to wear out the opponent and encourage movement between the lines to pull out defenders from their lines and create space you can exploit. So if you see you are struggling you can use that, and if that gives you a goal, you could try to change back into the tactic you know works against opponents that give you space.

As Hunt3r wrote, if you need some ideas of changing the tactic (not necessarily formation, mind!) then head over to the tactics forum and post a screenshot of your tactic and ask for some tips. There are loads in there who can help you with just about any tactical choice.