"Enjoys big matches" but actually sucks in big matches

[jimi87]

I'm playing FM18 and I have this regen striker, world class player (won the Ballon D'or etc) who has the "Enjoys big matches" trait. He doesn't have a trait regarding consistency. The weird thing is, he's great in maybe 1 out of 10 big matches, sometimes he plays ok and most of them he's just awful. We're consistently winning the Serie A and playing in the Champions Cup (won it a couple times), so I have these big matches every season and every year it's the same thing. I just can't understand why this one guy who's supposed to shine in important matches completely underperforms in them so often. Been playing FM since '07 and I've never encountered this before. 

[Celtic_1967]

It says he 'enjoys' them, not that he's any good in them. Maybe it means he likes watching them on TV. 

Could it be that domestically your tactic works fine for him but it all unfolds when he comes up against better players. Therefore it being your tactic rather than the player? Just a thought.

[phnompenhandy]

Traits can be a trap. I have a striker who's just "succeeded" in 'tries to beat the offside trap'. Since then every damn run he makes is offside!!

[Mars_Blackmon]

9 minutes ago, Celtic_1967 said:

It says he 'enjoys' them, not that he's any good in them. Maybe it means he likes watching them on TV. 

Could it be that domestically your tactic works fine for him but it all unfolds when he comes up against better players. Therefore it being your tactic rather than the player? Just a thought.

Or could be that he’s always motivated for them, doesn’t make up for his lack of consistency though if that is a problem.

[Celtic_1967]

14 minutes ago, Mars_Blackmon said:

Or could be that he’s always motivated for them, doesn’t make up for his lack of consistency though if that is a problem.

Maybe he isn't phased by playing in big matches and as such he doesn't 'freeze' when they come around but he's inconsistent and so struggles with them sometimes.

[Heywood JaBlowme]

And then there can be this dichotomy:

 

[HUNT3R]

The trait doesn't have any connection to actual performances. It just means he'll play to his full capability/ability (more) often in big matches. If your player isn't performing, it could be down to a lot of things. Player ability, team ability, the players selected in the team and whether they fit the tactic, the tactical setup, decisions/tactical changes during the match etc.

[Celtic_1967]

3 hours ago, Celtic_1967 said:

Maybe he isn't phased by playing in big matches and as such he doesn't 'freeze' when they come around but he's inconsistent and so struggles with them sometimes.

 

12 minutes ago, HUNT3R said:

The trait doesn't have any connection to actual performances. It just means he'll play to his full capability/ability (more) often in big matches. If your player isn't performing, it could be down to a lot of things. Player ability, team ability, the players selected in the team and whether they fit the tactic, the tactical setup, decisions/tactical changes during the match etc.

What @HUNT3R said was what I was trying, and failing, to say.