[Mr Hough 10.3 Tactics]

It's got to be the lack of quality of your team. What team are you managing?

I am Portsmouth. Yes, my team is not the greatest. And like I have said many times before. I am not looking to dominate Europe, but we should be doing better than this.

Played CH1 Leeds in a league cup match. I won 1-0. On a god damn penalty shot. So I beat a team two leagues below me by a penalty shot. Sad, very sad indeed.

Well, now we have fallen to 0-5 on the season and just lost to Stoke at home 2-4. Defensive is horrible. losing the possession game, just getting killed all over the field. 6 goals for 16 against. this is not even close to working.

Final Edit, Portsmouth 2 Plymouth 2 in a tourny game that I needed a shootout to win. This tactic is now in the recycle bin. Thank you very much Mr. Hough. I know you have worked hard on this tactic and I appreciate you posting and helping people out. I just don't understand how my team can hardly beat Leeds and need a shootout to beat Plymouth. There is no sense in that. 0-7 in the league with 8for and 20 against. Portsmouth simply is not this bad. Could be that I am the problem and most likely is, but I'm following along with what people are doing and it's getting much worse.

[Mr Hough 10.3 Tactics]

I don't know why everyone is having luck with this tactic. I'm getting worse results by the game. After playing last year with the classic tactic and doing mid-table. Really not that well overall, I switched to the new tactic for this year.

I had a good pre-seaons, but the first two games of the season have been an absolute nightmare. First game to Chelsea. lost 2-3, but they dominated and I was lucky to get 2 and that they didn't score more.

My second game was at home against those world class beaters the Blackburn Rovers. Well, we lost 2-0 , could have been much, much worse as they had 3 goals disallowed. Shots 17 for them 4 for me. Passing 57% for me 68% for them. I just don't get how this game works any longer..... What can I possibly do? My team is getting worse and worse.

[Mr Hough 10.3 Tactics]

thanks for the response. Generally, I don't have much of an issue with the team talks. At least I don't think I do. I will look over what you wrote about that.

Maybe I will have to just re-play the same game over and over and change the sliders. I thought that in previous versions you couldn't do this as the result would always turn out the same. That could be one of those old wives tales I imagine.

Like I said, I just want to have fun. I don't need to dominate Europe. It's a shame you can't just create a tactic without having to rewatch games and change sliders to see what the difference is. Just seems like a goofy way to create tactics. But since I can't win any other way, this might be the only option.

The shame is, i thought that when they were making this version it was supposed to be easy to make tactics and not take much time to do it. That was what the big deal about the creator was. Make tactics quickly and simply. I kind of just want to play the game. Not spend countless hours going over the same game moving a slider. Ok next game move a slider. I just feel that there should be a different way I guess. Maybe some folks love creating and spending endless amounts of time on this part, but I like to play the games and get through seasons.

I feel my success rate will not be good. I appreciate your help. Although my request is still out there for someone to create a tactic with a BELOW average squad and explain how they do it.

[Mr Hough 10.3 Tactics]

I don't know what to do, if anyone is also having my problem I would love to hear it.

Portsmouth, using this tactic, started out 6-1-1, lost 8 straight while scoring 2 goals, came back and barely won against the Wolves. Now I am getting my ass kicked again 1-4 on the road against West Ham, as if they are Man U or something.

I have tried other peoples suggestions of moving back one striker, and a few other moves, but my defensive just gets shredded. Might as well just put up 11 strikers. After 5 straight different teams. 5 different leagues and 5 different tactics, this game might just get the boot.

I will admit my knowledge of football tactics is poor. I get the Fox soccer channel and watch the Premier league all the time, but it does not help me with the finer points of tactics and what to watch for.

Is there no way for someone with a lack of knowledge in the tactic area to actually play this game and enjoy it without having to play with Man U or Milan or Madrid. If it comes to that. Sorry SI, I'm done with your games. I don't want to have to use the best players in the game to win and make a tactic "work".

I am not looking to win Europe with Portsmouth, don't get me wrong. But come on, my players are passing the ball and hitting team mates in the back of the head, missing passes and just giving the ball up. Once the other team has the ball, forget it. They run thru my defense like it's not there.

I just don't know what to do anymore I guess. I understand I'm not good at tactics, but at least somehow make the game playable for people like me. I thought the Tactic Creator was supposed to help idiots like me. It actually has not helped one bit and my teams are now worse than any other version of this game.

edit, for example, my right full back, Steve Finnan, has good attributes. Well, this piece of "crap" has a rating of 6.32 and a 6.04 in the last 5. That's basically my team as a whole.

Tommy Smith, one of my main "strikers" or if I had a choice the guy on my team who I would push in front of a bus, has a rating of 6.59, 6.08 in the last 5.

David James. Should be a decent keeper with his attributes. 6.59 rating, 6.42 last 5. It's like this all over my team.

Are there people that play this game with crappy teams and win or not. I am serious. When I go on this forum looking for advice, all I see is people commenting on their Liverpool, Arsenal, Man U, Madrid, Milan teams. As I said in another thread. Where is the forum for us who need real help? Not help with world class teams. Please point me to that forum.

I appreciate that folks come to the forums and post their tactics. My request is for someone to create one with an below average team and show how it's done.

[** Tylerbode's Head start on FM10 **]

All I can say is thanks for the tactics. I honestly suck at creating my own, so I rely on the kindness of strangers to create them for me. I am currently in my fourth year with Elgin City of the Scottish leagues.

My first season in the Third Division was an absolute disaster. Even with your tactics, I finished with 6w - 7d - 23l, with a g.d. of -44. That's right -44. I thought for sure I was sack material, but they kept me on.

Season two was much better, actually went from worst to first winning the Third Division. I had a record of 22w - 7d - 7l. My g.d. that year was +35, an incredible 79 goal difference (from the year before). The season came down to the last day, but we pulled it off gaining promotion to the Second Division.

Didn't know what to expect this year. So I was very surprised that we finished in 2nd place. 19w - 7d- 10l. Our g.d. this season was +15. Really happy with this season as the top 5 teams were fighting all season for the last 3 playoff spots. In the end I won promotion to the First Division through the playoffs.

Now we are in the First Division and obviously have no hopes of repeating last years wonders. I have done a decent job of improving the squad and had a 16 yr old youngster come through the ranks that will be playing a decent amount in his first season as he is quite good. We have just started the new season, so tonight should be interesting.

TACTICS USED.

HOME= I have used the Elite tactic. About the only changing I do is maybe slow the pace up or change the passing to lower mixed. I also tick/untick the TM just to change things up. Do any of these changes have an effect. Who knows, but it makes me feel important and like I'm doing some sweet managing of my players.

AWAY= This is a little tougher as once in a while you just can't win on the road. But for the far majority and I mean 9/10 games, I use version 2. Same thing with the tweaking, just change a little of the passing, TM and pace. It was somewhat of a bend but don't break defense and it seemed to hold.

New ver 5 tactic. I have not really tried this much yet as I obviously had success with the others, but I might try out the new one on the road and see what happens.

So, all in all, this tactic works wonders for me. And you obviously don't need great players as you can imagine what kind of talent I can get at Elgin City. good luck folks.