Are you using the squad planner?

[phnompenhandy]

4 minutes ago, godlessshoes said:

Went through setting it up manually because for some reason none of the assistant buttons work to fill it out, clicked on a player to look at his profile, clicked back and the whole planner was blank again.

Can't be arsed to go through that every time

Yeh, same experience for me. I think it was asking the assman for his ideas that wiped out mine. Can do just fine without it.

[Dagenham_Dave]

Weird, I've never had that issue with it at all. 

Sometimes I'm happy SI give me a better version of the game than everyone else 

[Jonthedon26]

I like the concept of it, but not the execution. 

All SI had to do to make a good squad planner was to take a leaf out of MLB The Show, that is easy to view, simple to use and tells you everything you need. 

[Platinum]

51 minutes ago, Dagenham_Dave said:

Weird, I've never had that issue with it at all. 

Sometimes I'm happy SI give me a better version of the game than everyone else 

Its a known issue with the squad planner, only happens in certain circumstances

[(sic)]

So not only did they not update/fix the ME, but they also failed to fix known bugs outside of the ME....

I'm just lost for words. I have no intent to use the Squad Planner as long as it is bugged. It just keeps resetting constantly, that any changes I make are pointless.

[HighFlyingDwarf]

Maybe the most insulting feature released this year. I'm reinstalling FM22 to do a comparison of why the squad planner doesn't work to share here once I get a moment.

edit: rings and watches may be up there but I don't really care about those.

Edited November 8, 2022 by HighFlyingDwarf

[DMaster2]

It was implemented badly, i'm not using it and i'm back to an excel file to keep track of my squad

[HighFlyingDwarf]

Okay. I get to finally get to vent on this because I really am not happy about it at all. (There's going to be a lot of bold text for emphasis here)

Here's the squad depth screen from FM22:

I have two ultrawide monitors, so the wasted space at the side of the pitch is a bit of a burden, but it's one of the few detrimental things about the FM22 Squad Depth page. (Just add a toggle to switch the way the pitch is facing. Problem solved)

From a single screen I have access to the following:

1. A toggle allowing me to display:

• My team by perceived current ability
• My team by perceived potential ability
• My player role suitability based on my current formation and roles
• Matches played in a position during the current season
• A position overview based on current ability giving a more generalised opinion on depth in the squad (this is flipped so the pitch is left to right as well.
• A position overview based on potential ability
• My overall best XI

2. Individual position depth, which is persistent and can change based on my removals and additions, including developmental players, in addition to some relevant, salient information regarding player age and performance.

3. The abililty to initiate a scouting mission as neccessary if I feel like I want to look for a specific position, and then tailor that to my specific need.

4. The abillity to use different staff members to source opinion rather than purely my assistant manager (although few could hold better opinions than the great Miroslav Klose, I will admit).

5. The ability to change the formation being assessed via a toggle.

---

Okay, now let's look at the squad planner. (Full disclosure, I'm aware I'm using the Work The Space skin but these are all applicable to the base skin having used them both).

From a single screen I have access to the following:

1. A single position, in addition to only allowing me to see players which my assistant has predesignated that I'm allowed to see, rather than giving my full team to allow me to properly assess everybody across the entire breadth of the squad, whether it be in my first team, academy or players on loan.

What are the filters even intended for when my entire team is not present in this section as a matter of course? If the aim is to reduce clicking, why do I have to click to add MY OWN PLAYERS into this screen.

2. The only way of me seeing the entirety of my squad, but only those within the squad planner, is by pressing the "Show Full Squad View button", which gives me this:

All of those lovely drop downs I mentioned from FM22? All gone. Excised to only the ability to change my tactic, which is shorn of much of its import or relevance due to the fact that said drop downs have been removed.

Even worse. The modal screens are now gone! Pressing the positions now sends me back to the initial screen, which feels like an entirely separate entity rather than something which is supposed to be a natural extension.

Bonus point! Just look how far that "Hide Full Squad View" button is from where it was originally placed!!

4. Adding recruitment focuses onto this area is an interesting touch, except for when you try to create them and it doesn't actually even add the focus to the page that you're already looking at.

This is maybe the exemplification of just how poorly thought through and implemented this entire thing is.

5. Changing formation via a toggle survives! Of dubious usage I think given all the things I've highlighted, but there you go.

---

So how about the new elements that have been added on the other pages?

Squad Matrix: A fair idea, but I feel this advances the cause of spoon feeding information that SI seems to be advocating for of late. It also pulls from the players in the squad planner and not the entire team, so you end up with situations like this.

Yuck.

Reports: Best XI is moved here and adds a best youth XI. Not a bad change if it were in squad depth last year but within the new format it's almost irrelevant. Somewhat ironically, this is the only place you can get another staff members opinion obviously within the screen and not via a hidden dropdown. See my prior quote:

Quote

This is maybe the exemplification of just how poorly thought through and implemented this entire thing is.

The Assistant Report is also here and includes the analyst reports facts from last year in addition to the pros/cons of the team.

Stats is unchanged. There may be more to view. I don't think this page changes lives.

---

In conclusion. Atrocious. Atrocious. Atrocious.

In a screenshot, here's how it should have been done (adding the fact that all current squad players should be included by default unless I have explicitly removed them).

 

Edited November 8, 2022 by HighFlyingDwarf
spelling

[RedLichtie]

1 hour ago, HighFlyingDwarf said:

Okay. I get to finally get to vent on this because I really am not happy about it at all. (There's going to be a lot of bold text for emphasis here)

Here's the squad depth screen from FM22:

I have two ultrawide monitors, so the wasted space at the side of the pitch is a bit of a burden, but it's one of the few detrimental things about the FM22 Squad Depth page. (Just add a toggle to switch the way the pitch is facing. Problem solved)

From a single screen I have access to the following:

1. A toggle allowing me to display:

• My team by perceived current ability
• My team by perceived potential ability
• My player role suitability based on my current formation and roles
• Matches played in a position during the current season
• A position overview based on current ability giving a more generalised opinion on depth in the squad (this is flipped so the pitch is left to right as well.
• A position overview based on potential ability
• My overall best XI

2. Individual position depth, which is persistent and can change based on my removals and additions, including developmental players, in addition to some relevant, salient information regarding player age and performance.

3. The abililty to initiate a scouting mission as neccessary if I feel like I want to look for a specific position, and then tailor that to my specific need.

4. The abillity to use different staff members to source opinion rather than purely my assistant manager (although few could hold better opinions than the great Miroslav Klose, I will admit).

5. The ability to change the formation being assessed via a toggle.

---

Okay, now let's look at the squad planner. (Full disclosure, I'm aware I'm using the Work The Space skin but these are all applicable to the base skin having used them both).

From a single screen I have access to the following:

1. A single position, in addition to only allowing me to see players which my assistant has predesignated that I'm allowed to see, rather than giving my full team to allow me to properly assess everybody across the entire breadth of the squad, whether it be in my first team, academy or players on loan.

What are the filters even intended for when my entire team is not present in this section as a matter of course? If the aim is to reduce clicking, why do I have to click to add MY OWN PLAYERS into this screen.

2. The only way of me seeing the entirety of my squad, but only those within the squad planner, is by pressing the "Show Full Squad View button", which gives me this:

All of those lovely drop downs I mentioned from FM22? All gone. Excised to only the ability to change my tactic, which is shorn of much of its import or relevance due to the fact that said drop downs have been removed.

Even worse. The modal screens are now gone! Pressing the positions now sends me back to the initial screen, which feels like an entirely separate entity rather than something which is supposed to be a natural extension.

Bonus point! Just look how far that "Hide Full Squad View" button is from where it was originally placed!!

4. Adding recruitment focuses onto this area is an interesting touch, except for when you try to create them and it doesn't actually even add the focus to the page that you're already looking at.

This is maybe the exemplification of just how poorly thought through and implemented this entire thing is.

5. Changing formation via a toggle survives! Of dubious usage I think given all the things I've highlighted, but there you go.

---

So how about the new elements that have been added on the other pages?

Squad Matrix: A fair idea, but I feel this advances the cause of spoon feeding information that SI seems to be advocating for of late. It also pulls from the players in the squad planner and not the entire team, so you end up with situations like this.

Yuck.

Reports: Best XI is moved here and adds a best youth XI. Not a bad change if it were in squad depth last year but within the new format it's almost irrelevant. Somewhat ironically, this is the only place you can get another staff members opinion obviously within the screen and not via a hidden dropdown. See my prior quote:

The Assistant Report is also here and includes the analyst reports facts from last year in addition to the pros/cons of the team.

Stats is unchanged. There may be more to view. I don't think this page changes lives.

---

In conclusion. Atrocious. Atrocious. Atrocious.

In a screenshot, here's how it should have been done (adding the fact that all current squad players should be included by default unless I have explicitly removed them).

 

Well put together post.

[hyrule_king]

I am , however can anyone advise if the on trial players show up within a squad depth screen like on 22?

[kingjericho]

As with many things in recent years, I think it's a little add-on but it doesn't do anything so ground-breaking that couldn't be done before.

I always used a squad view + squad depth + shortlist combination to plan ahead, if needed I grab a pen and paper to help. 

[kokafalasi]

Nope, didn’t use the squad depth screen before either.

[marcMCFC1986]

I just don't understand it.

 

Also, I have Josko Gvardiol in my Newcastle Save, club captain, one of my highly influential players, and definitely one of my best players - but, in the backroom staff meeting the suggested I transfer list him as he isn't in my Squad Plan!! If I'd been on Autopilot and just clicked 'Accept Suggestions' it could well have created a problem with his happiness at the club!

[stg34tx]

On 07/11/2022 at 16:57, FelixForte said:

I do use it every time my loan players and signings return, etc. But during the season I still find myself doing a first and second 11 in the tactics set up.

 

The structure of the squad planner encourages you to have players in multiple positions. E.g. you put your best right footed centerback as the second op left center back. While I may play him there on occassion, it does not give you the feel you’re assessing ‘squad depth’ like you are when setting your first 11 and subs for a game. For instance, you could have on left centerback a squad planner with 4 players (e.g left centerback, right centerback, left back and defensive midfielder), but in practice I actually need a back up left center back. That would have become obvious when setting up my best 11 and subs, because the others would already be accounted for in my line up. I guess my broader point is that positions are mutually exclusive, while the squad planner is not.

 

I do understand the appeal because I may very well play me left back on left centerback, but it doesn’t help me in assessing where I lack depth

I agree with this. I do use squad planner, mainly as a tool to assess my squad depth, especially with a new club where I am not familiar with the players. When I decide on a player's role with the team I remove him from all other positions, so that I can truly assess where I might need to buy. I used to do this on a spreadsheet, so it is nice to have this option in the game.

Edited November 9, 2022 by stg34tx
Spelling

[mibsweden]

I started using it now. Not bad at all, I think I can now stop using my Excel spreadsheet. :-)

[Tjorven]

Never used it, probably Never will. 

Squad planning is always in my head, I dont need a specific screen for it. 

[BrightLad5]

On 08/11/2022 at 20:09, hyrule_king said:

I am , however can anyone advise if the on trial players show up within a squad depth screen like on 22?

I haven't tested myself, but I have read elsewhere that triallist DONT show up on the Squad Depth screen. I read this before fully release so not sure if this has been added from Beta to Full (if only we had a change log to check... )

Not sure if anyone can confirm or deny this 100% as Im not on my gaming PC at the moment...

[HighFlyingDwarf]

12 minutes ago, BrightLad5 said:

I haven't tested myself, but I have read elsewhere that triallist DONT show up on the Squad Depth screen. I read this before fully release so not sure if this has been added from Beta to Full (if only we had a change log to check... )

Not sure if anyone can confirm or deny this 100% as Im not on my gaming PC at the moment...

They do appear to my recollection on the old squad depth page but can be filtered out. I'm away from FM for a few days but can confirm once I get back

[hyrule_king]

13 minutes ago, HighFlyingDwarf said:

They do appear to my recollection on the old squad depth page but can be filtered out. I'm away from FM for a few days but can confirm once I get back

old squad depth page?

[BrightLad5]

21 minutes ago, HighFlyingDwarf said:

They do appear to my recollection on the old squad depth page but can be filtered out. I'm away from FM for a few days but can confirm once I get back

My mistake, my original comment should have read that I heard they don't appear on the new Squad Planner, didn't mean to say Depth. Not sure if this has been patched now from beta to Full and Triallist now do appear on the Squad Planner?

[DasMagicMullet]

Pen --> Paper

 

Doesn't reset, doesn't glitch. 

 

Enjoying FM23 so far, but selling FIFA style cosmetics as genuine upgrades makes me cringe. The people creating the game aren't the same people who play it. 

[jayahr]

Frankly, I just don't get what the use may be.

I have the squad of next year in my head and don't need this tool. I know that clubs work like this irl but imho this concept has no benefit in a management game.

[grff]

No, I'm avoiding it like the plague. I've kind of got a work around where I temporarily move my whole squad to the u18's and then use the traditional squad depth screen found under u18's > reports.

Players that make the grade are then moved back to the senior squad.

Unfortunately you can't select a staff member in the opinion dropdown. Good news is that temporarily demoting the whole squad hasn't come back with the usual player unhappiness (tested with Chelsea, Derby County and Wrexham).

Edited November 10, 2022 by grff

[janrzm]

This sums up how I feel about the squad planner in its current form. I already posted about what I'd add to it before I refunded and about how its a huge missed opportunity in its current form because it has the potential to be a core feature in anyone's save. There's been a lot of good posts on here about things that could be done to improve it's functionality/usability. It saddens me that something as rudimentary as the Squad Planner in its current form made it into the game without someone spotting all the obvious flaws in it. 

I've already mentioned wanting the ability to stack players in each slot. For instance I need a new first choice DLP and here are the five players I'm considering in order under the 1st choice slot. Even having alternate planners for (On promotion) and (missed out on promotion) or whatever scenarios your team is facing seems so obvious to me. 

Edited November 10, 2022 by janrzm

[dℍaisa]

26 minutes ago, grff said:

bring. this. back. albeit as  a part of this 'new' planner, but please!

[upthetoon]

On 09/11/2022 at 02:07, HighFlyingDwarf said:

Okay. I get to finally get to vent on this because I really am not happy about it at all. (There's going to be a lot of bold text for emphasis here)

Here's the squad depth screen from FM22:

I have two ultrawide monitors, so the wasted space at the side of the pitch is a bit of a burden, but it's one of the few detrimental things about the FM22 Squad Depth page. (Just add a toggle to switch the way the pitch is facing. Problem solved)

From a single screen I have access to the following:

1. A toggle allowing me to display:

• My team by perceived current ability
• My team by perceived potential ability
• My player role suitability based on my current formation and roles
• Matches played in a position during the current season
• A position overview based on current ability giving a more generalised opinion on depth in the squad (this is flipped so the pitch is left to right as well.
• A position overview based on potential ability
• My overall best XI

2. Individual position depth, which is persistent and can change based on my removals and additions, including developmental players, in addition to some relevant, salient information regarding player age and performance.

3. The abililty to initiate a scouting mission as neccessary if I feel like I want to look for a specific position, and then tailor that to my specific need.

4. The abillity to use different staff members to source opinion rather than purely my assistant manager (although few could hold better opinions than the great Miroslav Klose, I will admit).

5. The ability to change the formation being assessed via a toggle.

---

Okay, now let's look at the squad planner. (Full disclosure, I'm aware I'm using the Work The Space skin but these are all applicable to the base skin having used them both).

From a single screen I have access to the following:

1. A single position, in addition to only allowing me to see players which my assistant has predesignated that I'm allowed to see, rather than giving my full team to allow me to properly assess everybody across the entire breadth of the squad, whether it be in my first team, academy or players on loan.

What are the filters even intended for when my entire team is not present in this section as a matter of course? If the aim is to reduce clicking, why do I have to click to add MY OWN PLAYERS into this screen.

2. The only way of me seeing the entirety of my squad, but only those within the squad planner, is by pressing the "Show Full Squad View button", which gives me this:

All of those lovely drop downs I mentioned from FM22? All gone. Excised to only the ability to change my tactic, which is shorn of much of its import or relevance due to the fact that said drop downs have been removed.

Even worse. The modal screens are now gone! Pressing the positions now sends me back to the initial screen, which feels like an entirely separate entity rather than something which is supposed to be a natural extension.

Bonus point! Just look how far that "Hide Full Squad View" button is from where it was originally placed!!

4. Adding recruitment focuses onto this area is an interesting touch, except for when you try to create them and it doesn't actually even add the focus to the page that you're already looking at.

This is maybe the exemplification of just how poorly thought through and implemented this entire thing is.

5. Changing formation via a toggle survives! Of dubious usage I think given all the things I've highlighted, but there you go.

---

So how about the new elements that have been added on the other pages?

Squad Matrix: A fair idea, but I feel this advances the cause of spoon feeding information that SI seems to be advocating for of late. It also pulls from the players in the squad planner and not the entire team, so you end up with situations like this.

Yuck.

Reports: Best XI is moved here and adds a best youth XI. Not a bad change if it were in squad depth last year but within the new format it's almost irrelevant. Somewhat ironically, this is the only place you can get another staff members opinion obviously within the screen and not via a hidden dropdown. See my prior quote:

The Assistant Report is also here and includes the analyst reports facts from last year in addition to the pros/cons of the team.

Stats is unchanged. There may be more to view. I don't think this page changes lives.

---

In conclusion. Atrocious. Atrocious. Atrocious.

In a screenshot, here's how it should have been done (adding the fact that all current squad players should be included by default unless I have explicitly removed them).

 

Great Post. To call this even a headline feature is... It feels like there wasn't enough headline feature and then they just threw this in at the 11th hour. 

That's how badly its implented. Horrible. 

[HighFlyingDwarf]

14 hours ago, grff said:

No, I'm avoiding it like the plague. I've kind of got a work around where I temporarily move my whole squad to the u18's and then use the traditional squad depth screen found under u18's > reports.

Players that make the grade are then moved back to the senior squad.

Unfortunately you can't select a staff member in the opinion dropdown. Good news is that temporarily demoting the whole squad hasn't come back with the usual player unhappiness (tested with Chelsea, Derby County and Wrexham).

I had NO idea this was a thing. Thank you for sharing this.

[gunnerfan]

On 05/11/2022 at 15:59, roykela said:

Not using it at all. I have everything i need in my squad view.

I tried the squad planner, but my tried and true method of customizing the squad screen and filtering by position allows me to make up my own depth chart by position. I could probably tweak the squad planner to do the same things, but why waste the effort? In my view, the squad planner is a solution in search of a problem.

[BuzzR]

When squad planner was announced I thought that would be a nice tool to work with. The idea remains good but the execution... it's just bad.

1. It's just too complicated to add players. Why don't they used an already existing approach and tweak it a bit: there is the tactical panel ( screen ) where you have the list of players on the right and the target setup on the left. You can filter and add players to the list immediately. You even get the AssMan suggestions on dropdowns. Why is this list in squad planner so stripped down of functionalities ? 

After we add players - let us have another tabbed panel and show us the depth per position. Let us switch between tabs and see list of players in the squad or the plan for the selected individual position. If we play on a wide monitor maybe I could modd them side by side.

2. Columns ! Why are they fixed ? Again, there is already a list of players in squad view and tactics view. Why do we use another view with fixed columns ? 

3. Why are AssMan suggestions exclusive - clearing your inputs ? And is under dropdowns menus.. The punishment for high resolution players - dropdowns and side menus cascading = 2 pixels to the side and you lose the menu.

4. Why is the experience matrix decoupled from the squad, using only players in the planner ? For me, this is the most baffling decision regarding squad planner.. 

To summarize, for me it's just not worth the hassle.. Back to squad view and pen and paper.

[jimbo22]

2 hours ago, BuzzR said:

When squad planner was announced I thought that would be a nice tool to work with. The idea remains good but the execution... it's just bad.

Like many new "features" that SI add to the game. I've looked at it a couple of times, messed around with it and decided there'e simply no reason to waste time with it. Granted that this website is just a small number of the people that play FM but to have a poll that goes so far against a new feature cannot be a good thing. 

[nico_france]

It's becoming more and more useful when you progress through your save

As you can see your loans that you might have forgotten, and your prospects in the B team

I kind of like to have a look at it at the end of the season

[msadler04]

I find it useful as previously I'd be writing stuff down or doing it from memory. Also helps when you have rules to follow in competitions related to home grown etc.

[thehig2]

not used it once