I give up! It's useless!

[Wee Aja]

It's threads like this that put me off buying the game.

I shouldn't have read all that tbh....

[Hairul Misay]

what you have posted is true and yet soo obvious. i have tried all those and it doesnt always gives the best outcome. one of your instructions is to play long passing, hoof from defence to corner flags, in my situation my players hoof the ball to the oppsoing team and they start their attack from there which then leads to a amazing chance or a goal.

[MrPompey]

what you have posted is true and yet soo obvious. i have tried all those and it doesnt always gives the best outcome. one of your instructions is to play long passing, hoof from defence to corner flags, in my situation my players hoof the ball to the oppsoing team and they start their attack from there which then leads to a amazing chance or a goal.

OK try short passing low tempo to keep possession

[JGN_1982]

OP - very good post

Think you should have given more mention to the number of injury time goals it is beyond ridiculous and not sure how this could not be seen as a problem that needed fixing in 9.2. The number of shots off the post is laughable.

That said, I have to admit 9.2 is MUCH more enjoyable than previous versions

[CobainK]

OP - very good post

Think you should have given more mention to the number of injury time goals it is beyond ridiculous and not sure how this could not be seen as a problem that needed fixing in 9.2. The number of shots off the post is laughable.

That said, I have to admit 9.2 is MUCH more enjoyable than previous versions

Thanks mate.

Yea I agree with you regarding injury time goals as well. As I said in my OP, I couldn't mention all the things that were really bothering me ... got tired writing!!

Regarding 9.2 .. I'm just curious .. did you continue a saved game or started a new game with 9.2? Because it seems like if you continue a saved game the problems won't go but if a new game is started with patch 9.2, it would be better. Many people have said this anyway.

Would like to know before I consider restarting the game some day.

[CobainK]

It's threads like this that put me off buying the game.

I shouldn't have read all that tbh....

These are our real experiences of the game my friend ... I've played all the CM/FM series and this is the FIRST time ever that I had to write 2 threads listing all the problems encountered with the game! And I am NOT a casual gamer!

All the others prior to FM09 were really good & never put me in a depressing state like this one!

I suggest you think thoroughly before purchasing ... or maybe wait until the next patch (yes, the next patch .. you are reading well) .. that is 9.3, comes out! Hopefully that will be the final one which solves at least most of the stupidities that occur, especially within the match engine!

[Wee Aja]

I think I might just do that, CabainK.

I've waited for the final patch the last few times and only though about getting FM09 because 9.2 was released. If there is still a "final" patch to come then it's worth waiting for it.

[BobbyMooreIsGod]

Mate,

Do like I'm doing and hold on for CM09 coming in Spring 2009

FM is sh*te and is now officially for the birds

Some people here are saying that patch 9.2 has made big improvements .. to be honest, I haven't seen that much improvement! The idiot players are still there ... the laughable mistakes are still there ... the match engine telling you 'no way, you're not gonna win' is still there! The list is endless ... & honestly, I just give up.

This is the first time ever I said I will give up while playing CM/FM ... the first time! And before accusing me (like all 'friends' of SI do here in the forums) that 'it's my tactics', I would like to list only a few of the problems with this 'poor' game. And yes, I repeat, poor when compared to all the other CM/FM series, which, as you might've guessed, I had them & played them with great pleasure all of them.

1. Can somebody please explain to me how come in FM09 all the wingers are exceptional players?? They just grab the ball from midfield, run like horses up to the byline (no matter which world class fullback you might have), cross 'perfectly' on to their striker & yes you guessed it, goal!! Wow .. if only football was that simple! It's like watching the 1954 World Cup!

2. Can someone please explain to me all the ping-pong sessions in a game? And apart from that, why 60% of the passes/shots/crosses have to hit another player?!!? Especially crosses! Since the release of patch 9.2 I noticed an increasingly number of crosses hitting the full-back & going out! I'm like, WTF, does this really happen that often IRL?

3. Can someone please explain to me why defenders & midfielders very regularly just stay staring at their opponent without doing nothing? & don't come to me saying you must close down bla bla bla ... I did my part in tactics, rest assured about that!

4. Can someone please explain to me why even if I'm playing deep, my opponents are really really good that they STILL manage to get the ball behind my defence?? Or better ... are my defenders that stupid that even though I tell them to stay deep they just don't give a f*** about my instructions & they just push up? & I play with Liverpool .. therefore, the defenders shouldn't be that stupid I assume! & again I repeat, don't tell me it's my tactics because it's not ... the match engine is bad, really bad. I went through all the guidelines provided by SI .. I didn't change tactics regularly, just tinkered a bit from game to game, I've always used the same tactic but for nothing. It works for maybe 2 or if I'm lucky 3 games & then bang ... I don't win a single game for the next month or more! So if it's my tactics, it shouldn't have worked properly from the beginning right? But why it works well for a couple of games & you feel great ... then, all of a sudden, it just doesn't anymore? Maybe the computer managers of FM are that good that once they figure out your tactic, you don't have a chance? If this is the case ... it's stupid!

5. Can someone please tell me why Jamie Carrager is so bad & stupid in this game?? Surely not the Carra in real life!

6. Patch 9.2 was supposed to fix the 'rugby-like' shots from strikers/midfielders ... it didn't!!! I still have 5-6 rugby shots in each game ... and no, my players don't have long shots set to often! Another thing which the patch was 'supposed' to fix was the number of times shots hit the post and/or bar .... well, no, it wasn't fixed. I still experience a high number of shots hitting the bar/post in each game .. and not only by my team.

7. Can someone please explain why if a player is 'clearly' offside, the ref just lets him run, come near the keeper, shoot & then blows his whistle??!? It's not like that IRL .. if a striker is clearly offside, the ref blows his whistle instantly! Well, not in FM09 for sure! & this happens very regularly.

8. Can someone please explain to me why, if Im winning & I change a bit my tactic to be more cautious, almost instantly my opponents score a goal?? Im like, hey, what did I do wrong?!?

9. & now Im gonna end with the most laughable of all! Playing against Everton away, winning 1-0 ... it's the 89th minute. So obviously, I decide to change my tactics + make a substitution. I instruct my players to be more cautious, deep etc etc. Ok, I confirm my tactics & obviously the action that was going on before I entered the tactics screen keeps going. Fair enough, I accept that .. the ball is still in play. But then, we win a freekick & I say to myself .. right, now the match engine will apply my tactics BECAUSE THE GAME IS STOPPED! But NO! The match engine has other plans, maybe because results are pre-determined before kick-off in this game! So what happens?! My keeper takes the freekick (remember, my tactics+sub haven't been applied for some reason) .. Everton win the ball & SCORE!!! & Im like WTF?!?!? It was our freekick therefore WE HAD THE RIGHT TO make the substitution! If it was their freekick MAYBE I could understand that they take it quickly but only maybe! So they score & then the match engine decides to change my tactics etc!! & we lost 2 points or better were stolen 2 points!

In my opinion the tactical changes in a game are flawed in FM09 & need drastical changes. Let me explain why. IRL, if a manager wants to give tactical instructions to players, he doesn't need to wait for the ball to go out to shout them to the players. & usually, tactical changes/instructions within a game occur instantly. Why isn't that way in FM? Why for example can't we have an option that, I don't know, we right click on a particular player during the game & provide instructions accordingly? It's how it's done IRL sort of .. you regularly see managers either giving instructions to full backs/wingers & then they relay them to the rest of the team ... or else you see managers shouting & giving instructions to players. I believe these tactical instructions need a major overhaul in FM .. otherwise, many gamers like me are gonna lose confidence in SI. & to be honest, I've lost it!

Well that's basically it .. it's not all I had to say but Im tired of writing! There are so many flaws & bugs in this game that it's impossible to list them all .. & I've just given up hope of playing it anymore.

Any comments would be appreciated ... but I very much doubt that they will convince me to start playing the game again!

[MrPompey]

Mate,

Do like I'm doing and hold on for CM09 coming in Spring 2009

FM is sh*te and is now officially for the birds

Waiting for CM09? You are having a giraffe mate, have a play on CM09 and see the difference. Though it has some oddities FM09 is the market leader

[toffeeman66]

The reason cm got screwed up in the first place made me turn to FM. Since then FM has been far and away the better, bugs or no bugs......

[cxavie]

@CobainK

Dude I agree with everything you said!

PEACE!

[Frankie 7]

The patch has made some improvments, But i am still finding players hitting the woodwork a lot is still there. In my last game there, One of my strikers hit the bar three times. Also the full backs seem to have a mind of thier own, Not to mention during watching games in 3D, Certain players have clearly won the ball, but the opponent player some how ends up with the ball running towards goal. Impossible considering my player who won the ball was away from the opponent who he won the ball from. It's like the screen misses a beat or two. Weird.

[Nomis07]

at "PEACE!". Where the hell do we get these guys from?

[CobainK]

@CobainK

Dude I agree with everything you said!

PEACE!

Thanks mate, I appreciate

[GillsMan]

Mate,

Do like I'm doing and hold on for CM09 coming in Spring 2009

FM is sh*te and is now officially for the birds

Please don't swear. Thanks.

[SmurfDude]

Play CM or FIFA and you will see just how spoiled you have been with the realism of FM. The better FM gets the more people expect from it and the more disappointed they are when there's a tiny abnormality in the engine

People were happy watching a text box and some commentary a few years ago yet act as if FM is now a disaster because of a few small issues that cause them to lose the odd match. Heaven forbid you beat Arsenal one week then lose to Fulham, that would NEVER happy in real football, afterall, Fergy has been using the same master tactic since 1990 and hasn't lost since

Perhaps SI should do away with 2D and 3D so we are forced to once again read that our striker has put the ball into row Z instead of burying it in the back of the net, then everyone would be happy. Our imagination is the future of FM, right?

You may of sensed sarcasm. That's because it's ridiculous how much some people on here overreact

[CobainK]

Play CM or FIFA and you will see just how spoiled you have been with the realism of FM. The better FM gets the more people expect from it and the more disappointed they are when there's a tiny abnormality in the engine

People were happy watching a text box and some commentary a few years ago yet act as if FM is now a disaster because of a few small issues that cause them to lose the odd match. Heaven forbid you beat Arsenal one week then lose to Fulham, that would NEVER happy in real football, afterall, Fergy has been using the same master tactic since 1990 and hasn't lost since

Perhaps SI should do away with 2D and 3D so we are forced to once again read that our striker has put the ball into row Z instead of burying it in the back of the net, then everyone would be happy. Our imagination is the future of FM, right?

You may of sensed sarcasm. That's because it's ridiculous how much some people on here overreact

Nobody said that losing to Fulham for example never happens IRL .. no way. Nobody said that we want to win each & every game .. no way. Nobody said that we would like to have a super-tactic that works everytime ... no way.

Noone said that ... all we are saying is that there are MANY problems with the game, not just a few tiny ones like you are saying & they drive you bananas.

Well ... you're one of the 'friends' of SI anyway .. no doubt you talk like that! How much do they pay you? I'm curious!!

It's unacceptable that each time that many of us try to mention the several problems with this game, someone like you & many others try to ridicule us - it's not fair.

Or maybe it's our tactics?!! Because apparently, all of us listing lots of problems with this game, are stupid idiots who don't know how to manage a team or how to set-up a tactic! Well, speaking about myself, I've played all the CM/FM series & believe me, I've never felt so humiliated in my 'CM/FM' experience as in FM09! I believe I have a strong idea about tactics etc after playing all those managerial games! But again, it's my tactics .. right?!

[yowg8ynwa]

Play CM or FIFA and you will see just how spoiled you have been with the realism of FM. The better FM gets the more people expect from it and the more disappointed they are when there's a tiny abnormality in the engine

People were happy watching a text box and some commentary a few years ago yet act as if FM is now a disaster because of a few small issues that cause them to lose the odd match. Heaven forbid you beat Arsenal one week then lose to Fulham, that would NEVER happy in real football, afterall, Fergy has been using the same master tactic since 1990 and hasn't lost since

Perhaps SI should do away with 2D and 3D so we are forced to once again read that our striker has put the ball into row Z instead of burying it in the back of the net, then everyone would be happy. Our imagination is the future of FM, right?

You may of sensed sarcasm. That's because it's ridiculous how much some people on here overreact

haha I have to agree with smurfdude here

[Bubsa]

The beef I have is how FM is constantly striving to get closer to 'realism', the match engine is being anything but.

You can have all the features, press conferences, finances, transfers, coaching, cotnracts and details you want, but ultimately Football Manager is a management simulation. It simulates a football match, which you can effect.

What the match engine simulates right now is no where near a football match simulation. It has been in previous versions, don't get me wrong, but as the game progresses, features are added and, most importantly (IMO), pockets get bigger - the simulation gets worse.

And if its a bad football simulator, then someone please tell me: "what's the point"?

[CobainK]

The beef I have is how FM is constantly striving to get closer to 'realism', the match engine is being anything but.

You can have all the features, press conferences, finances, transfers, coaching, cotnracts and details you want, but ultimately Football Manager is a management simulation. It simulates a football match, which you can effect.

What the match engine simulates right now is no where near a football match simulation. It has been in previous versions, don't get me wrong, but as the game progresses, features are added and, most importantly (IMO), pockets get bigger - the simulation gets worse.

And if its a bad football simulator, then someone please tell me: "what's the point"?

Totally agree .. very good point.

[DanGLiverpool]

I noticed Carragher, Terry and especially Gerrard were nearly always complacent in my friends 9.2 patch game, which is unrealistic imo.

[mlp071]

1 and 2 are mutually exclusive, you are saying in 1. that winger runs , crosses and striker scores. In 2. you are saying that FB blocks crosses. 1 is maybe applicable to 9.1 and 2. to 9.2 , but it can't be both ways , sorry.

3 & 4 Or you did told them to close and they didn't (aka staring in 3) or they tried to close and they got caught out of position (aka opponent got behind behind them). Again mutually exclusive.So which way it is?

5.I don't bother myself to watch EPL, but in game Carragher has low agility ,dribbling, crossing and creativity. That would pretty much remove him as potential threat , other then headers , and make him quite prone to get dribbled by opponent.Is that like iRL or not , can't help you about that one.Although i am pretty sure he is not worlds best defender or close to that.

6. I noticed number of those goes down as the season progress, i blamed it to squads not gelling yet . That's on newly started game though , after the patch.However , if even 50% of those shoots by your opponent hit target, you would be having issues that they are scoring to many goals from distance.

7.If striker doesn't interfere with game he is not offside IRL. He can be sleeping next to the corner flag, and still be onside

8.Honestly, it doesn't happen to me at all, and I do change to more defensive as soon i get ahead all the time.

9. I would suggest you to change tactics earlier then 89th, because like in all earlier CM/FM it takes time to apply that.89th minute...that's just to late in the game.

10. i am not trying to convince you play game again, as i wouldn't try to do that to myself either. it is your choice after all.

[margaritop4p]

Is it me, or was the last great truly enjoyable management game, Championship Mangager 02/03?

It was a simple game. No sliders, just basic tactical options, and formations. The majority of results would depend on the right formation, and good, quality players. I remember being PSG in league 1, and I won 5 out of 5 titles. I also got to a Champions League Final. I used to love that game. Don't get me wrong, I am all for added tactical options, but Football Manager needs to go back to basics and get them right first.

If somebody gave me the 02/03 with updated media options, and database, I would bite their hands off.

[mihnea5]

Is it me, or was the last great truly enjoyable management game, Championship Mangager 02/03?

It was a simple game. No sliders, just basic tactical options, and formations. The majority of results would depend on the right formation, and good, quality players. I remember being PSG in league 1, and I won 5 out of 5 titles. I also got to a Champions League Final. I used to love that game. Don't get me wrong, I am all for added tactical options, but Football Manager needs to go back to basics and get them right first.

If somebody gave me the 02/03 with updated media options, and database, I would bite their hands off.

I hear you!

I loved those trainig activities. Now you have to appoint 8 (!!!) coaches to get results in training and assign them to full backs, central defenders, midfielders....Who trains like that in the real world?!

[PERCIVA11]

Mate lets be honest.

You're another keegan.

[totti_is_god]

Is it me, or was the last great truly enjoyable management game, Championship Mangager 02/03?

It was a simple game. No sliders, just basic tactical options, and formations. The majority of results would depend on the right formation, and good, quality players. I remember being PSG in league 1, and I won 5 out of 5 titles. I also got to a Champions League Final. I used to love that game. Don't get me wrong, I am all for added tactical options, but Football Manager needs to go back to basics and get them right first.

If somebody gave me the 02/03 with updated media options, and database, I would bite their hands off.

I completely agree with this.

[hursty2]

Carragher is not up to International standard no more and there are alot more defenders that could better him at the moment anyway:)

[Butts]

I love it when people come on here and start blaming the game because they're losing:D

[TwoShedsJackson]

Unfortunately it's the moaners who insist that it's bugs or AI cheating that is causing their crappy tactics to fail who shout the loudest. Those who are enjoying it are too busy enjoying the game

[chopper99]

1. Can somebody please explain to me how come in FM09 all the wingers are exceptional players?? They just grab the ball from midfield, run like horses up to the byline (no matter which world class fullback you might have), cross 'perfectly' on to their striker & yes you guessed it, goal!! Wow .. if only football was that simple! It's like watching the 1954 World Cup!

Agreed, although I think it has something to do with closing down. I.e. full backs simply don't seem to close down wingers properly. That being said I don't see the opposition doing this much, it's mainly my wingers and full backs that manage to hit the byline without fail.

2. Can someone please explain to me all the ping-pong sessions in a game? And apart from that, why 60% of the passes/shots/crosses have to hit another player?!!? Especially crosses! Since the release of patch 9.2 I noticed an increasingly number of crosses hitting the full-back & going out! I'm like, WTF, does this really happen that often IRL?

I've not played a lot with the new patch so haven't seen this tbh.

3. Can someone please explain to me why defenders & midfielders very regularly just stay staring at their opponent without doing nothing? & don't come to me saying you must close down bla bla bla ... I did my part in tactics, rest assured about that!

Can't say I've seen this myself if I'm honest. My defenders and central midfielders play very well and I've got one of the best defensive records in the league.

4. Can someone please explain to me why even if I'm playing deep, my opponents are really really good that they STILL manage to get the ball behind my defence?? Or better ... are my defenders that stupid that even though I tell them to stay deep they just don't give a f*** about my instructions & they just push up? & I play with Liverpool .. therefore, the defenders shouldn't be that stupid I assume! & again I repeat, don't tell me it's my tactics because it's not ... the match engine is bad, really bad. I went through all the guidelines provided by SI .. I didn't change tactics regularly, just tinkered a bit from game to game, I've always used the same tactic but for nothing. It works for maybe 2 or if I'm lucky 3 games & then bang ... I don't win a single game for the next month or more! So if it's my tactics, it shouldn't have worked properly from the beginning right? But why it works well for a couple of games & you feel great ... then, all of a sudden, it just doesn't anymore? Maybe the computer managers of FM are that good that once they figure out your tactic, you don't have a chance? If this is the case ... it's stupid!

I've not done much testing with the deep defensive line so I can't say much about that, but as for your comments about that AI figuring out your tactics I simply can't agree. I always stick with the same tactic (and this is the way I've always played the game, I refuse to use tactic sets as I'm simply too lazy) and I've been using my current one for 3 seasons straight now with great success. It took me a while to get it right, and I still feel that the user needs more help in this area, but now that I have I don't tweak at all and just stick with the same tactic for each game and throughout each game. While this may be boring to many people, it proves that the AI simply dosn't just suss out your tactics every time.

5. Can someone please tell me why Jamie Carrager is so bad & stupid in this game?? Surely not the Carra in real life!

Maybe it's the way you're using him that makes him crap. To be fair he's not world class any more imo.

6. Patch 9.2 was supposed to fix the 'rugby-like' shots from strikers/midfielders ... it didn't!!! I still have 5-6 rugby shots in each game ... and no, my players don't have long shots set to often! Another thing which the patch was 'supposed' to fix was the number of times shots hit the post and/or bar .... well, no, it wasn't fixed. I still experience a high number of shots hitting the bar/post in each game .. and not only by my team.

None of that hear. I know you don't want to hear that it's your tactics but I have a sneaky feeling that your players don't have enough options and are therefore forced to shoot from distance, despite being instructed not to, as they have no other choice. Unfortunately I belive it's too difficult for the user to identify things like this and know how to do something about them.

7. Can someone please explain why if a player is 'clearly' offside, the ref just lets him run, come near the keeper, shoot & then blows his whistle??!? It's not like that IRL .. if a striker is clearly offside, the ref blows his whistle instantly! Well, not in FM09 for sure! & this happens very regularly.

Not really noticed this, even if it does happen it's pretty minor.

8. Can someone please explain to me why, if Im winning & I change a bit my tactic to be more cautious, almost instantly my opponents score a goal?? Im like, hey, what did I do wrong?!?

9. & now Im gonna end with the most laughable of all! Playing against Everton away, winning 1-0 ... it's the 89th minute. So obviously, I decide to change my tactics + make a substitution. I instruct my players to be more cautious, deep etc etc. Ok, I confirm my tactics & obviously the action that was going on before I entered the tactics screen keeps going. Fair enough, I accept that .. the ball is still in play. But then, we win a freekick & I say to myself .. right, now the match engine will apply my tactics BECAUSE THE GAME IS STOPPED! But NO! The match engine has other plans, maybe because results are pre-determined before kick-off in this game! So what happens?! My keeper takes the freekick (remember, my tactics+sub haven't been applied for some reason) .. Everton win the ball & SCORE!!! & Im like WTF?!?!? It was our freekick therefore WE HAD THE RIGHT TO make the substitution! If it was their freekick MAYBE I could understand that they take it quickly but only maybe! So they score & then the match engine decides to change my tactics etc!! & we lost 2 points or better were stolen 2 points!

These last two I do agree with, it's been a problem for a few versions now imo. It takes far too long for the users tactical changes to take effect when using key or extended highlights, despite the ball going out of play at times and giving the game the chance to make the changes. Why should those of us who don't have the time or inclination to watch full matches be punished in this way?

So, while I think you have a couple of valid points I do think some of your issues are down to tactics and some are very minor. While frustrating for you they don't make the game in any way unplayable, some things will just always need improving. Especially now that we have the 3D engine and can see the areas that need improvement more clearly.