Struggling with FM21 - any advice?

[sue_donym]

I've always played Football Manager and Championship Manager and have always managed, after experimenting with my tactics and messing around a bit, to find a winning formula.   

However I've found this incarnation really difficult. I've just been sacked by Newcastle in my fourth season and rightfully so because I was rock bottom in November. I'd continued with my tactic which saw us be the third best team in the league in the second half of last season, but things fell apart incredibly quickly.  

Now I recognise that part of the issue will have been teams affording me greater respect and defending deeper and playing more compact against me, and at the start of the season I was getting caught on the counter and in transition a lot. But I tried to rectify the issue and by the time I got sacked we were1th in xG for, 10th in xG against and won the xG battle in 12 of 18 games and actually won one of those.  I'm genuinely at a loss as to what to do - it felt like we were creating decent enough chances and the players in question should have been good enough to put them away, but they just weren't, and at the other end every shot was going in, 

I know the answer - it's my tactics - but we've created the 12th most big chances as well.  We conceded 33 goals - 15 are from set pieces of some description.  I've tried every defensive set up for set pieces going and it doesn't seem to change anything.  

So what am I missing?  I know it's hard to say without seeing my tactical set up, but I just feel like there's something I don't get about this game.  My wingbacks in particular who on paper should be good create absolutely nothing - countless crosses that hit the first man despite support passing options and decent crossing stats.   

I appreciate this is a bit all over the place. I guess my question is are there any recognised idiosyncrasies in the match engine that mean that some styles are doomed to fail and some overpowered? Or were my tactics just rubbish? 

Thanks 

[Experienced Defender]

We have to see a screenshot of your tactic. That's the only way you can get proper feedback and useful advice here in the tactical forum.

[crusadertsar]

Before blaming it on the match engine, why don't you post a screenshot of your tactic

Edited February 1, 2021 by crusadertsar

[CARRERA]

On 01/02/2021 at 16:41, sue_donym said:

Now I recognise that part of the issue will have been teams affording me greater respect and defending deeper and playing more compact against me

 

On 01/02/2021 at 16:41, sue_donym said:

So what am I missing?

well, thats basicly it. once you have good results / increased your reputation, AI teams will change their approach which leads us to the point of 

 

On 01/02/2021 at 16:41, sue_donym said:

countless crosses

where you tactics simply doesnt work anymore, because your players are overdoing it. While it was possible to beat your opponents with quick transitions and high tempo in the past seasons, you may now need to switch to a more patient style utilizing the creativity, vision and flair of your players. But yeah, obviously without seeing your tactics, noone can give you actual advice.

[silentwars]

On 01/02/2021 at 15:41, sue_donym said:

I've always played Football Manager and Championship Manager and have always managed, after experimenting with my tactics and messing around a bit, to find a winning formula.   

However I've found this incarnation really difficult. I've just been sacked by Newcastle in my fourth season and rightfully so because I was rock bottom in November. I'd continued with my tactic which saw us be the third best team in the league in the second half of last season, but things fell apart incredibly quickly.  

Now I recognise that part of the issue will have been teams affording me greater respect and defending deeper and playing more compact against me, and at the start of the season I was getting caught on the counter and in transition a lot. But I tried to rectify the issue and by the time I got sacked we were1th in xG for, 10th in xG against and won the xG battle in 12 of 18 games and actually won one of those.  I'm genuinely at a loss as to what to do - it felt like we were creating decent enough chances and the players in question should have been good enough to put them away, but they just weren't, and at the other end every shot was going in, 

I know the answer - it's my tactics - but we've created the 12th most big chances as well.  We conceded 33 goals - 15 are from set pieces of some description.  I've tried every defensive set up for set pieces going and it doesn't seem to change anything.  

So what am I missing?  I know it's hard to say without seeing my tactical set up, but I just feel like there's something I don't get about this game.  My wingbacks in particular who on paper should be good create absolutely nothing - countless crosses that hit the first man despite support passing options and decent crossing stats.   

I appreciate this is a bit all over the place. I guess my question is are there any recognised idiosyncrasies in the match engine that mean that some styles are doomed to fail and some overpowered? Or were my tactics just rubbish? 

Thanks 

Would recommend looking at training, are you doing match prep such as defensive positioning and defending corners/free kicks? Also try to ensure the dynamics are good, which you can do through team bonding and interacting regularly with the players. For tactics would need to see what you were doing otherwise would just be speculating.