Xavier Lukhas

Glad it worked for you. Did you manage to also make the panels in the Inbox translucent? I'd be curious to see this. I admit I never bothered with trying to make it work, so I'm curious on how well it works for you.

I think (again) that I've found something that works for me and doesn't make me want to break the ankles of my wingers with a baseball bat. I don't know if it's on the back of my players getting better (the defence certainly didn't though), but my players now pass a lot around instead of dribbling into corners and shooting it in the side-netting, or building near the box, or stopping sending those stupid crosses despite being told to hit low ones because a striker and a winger hardly can win headers against two CBs and a GK. What do you know? The solution to having players stop doing stupid stuff was to completely and utterly lower their Mentality as much as possible. I've put the CBs as BPD only to have them work on the role, but they're actually fairly incompetent at being BPDs. I could've used IW(S) and put the same instructions on, but for some reason it doesn't play as well as WM(S) with a whole stack of instructions on top. I tried WB(S), but they leave acres of space behind them too early in the build-up, and HBs don't seem to do much besides screwing up the CBs. The only "issue" is that it's harder to put much pressure on teams playing from the back due to the wingers being naturally low in the ML/MR strata and being too far to press the opposition's CBs, allowing them to quit easily recycle possession. They try, but thei start from too deep despite the very high line of engagement and D-line. At least the wingers attempt to support their FB instead of throwing their hands in the air when the ball is behind them and saying "well it's no longer my problem Gaffer".

For me FM has been "high floor, low ceiling". As noted my others and many threads in this forum, the game for a beginner is almost an obstacle course of confusing wording, things not meaning what they would mean when taken at face value (I'm looking at you, "Exploit Left/Right Flank"), learning not to trust the AI in any way, shape or form because your staff ranges from merely incompetent to untrustworthy to actually downright stupid, learning the hidden options or sub-menus or vice-versa when something that used to be there no longer is (I still don't know where SI put the Agent Offer options in FM20, it used to be in Responsibilities!)... FM always had this thing where unlike most strategy games where the information and inner working is very clearly laid-out and the mechanics and systems are explained, FM is supposed to remain somewhat mysterious in how it actually works, resulting on too many curveball explanations. It became so unnecessarily complex to the point that in the last few releases, SI tried their best to try to simplify the game; but combined with the addition of more feature, it resulted in more layers of graphical interface and more sub-menus, and options being added and removed; basically more confusing stuff. I'd dare say earlier FMs are simpler despite there being less obviously explained as a result of all that's being added on through the years; and I think it's been echoed in the forums before, so I don't think it's that controversial of an opinion. As such, FM is incredibly reliant on its community to actually help you with the game instead of the game being able to explain itself and tell you how it works without looking up on "what do you mean positional ratings are objective and based on the player's Versatility hidden attribute but role ratings are your staff's opinion and you can disregard it? They're in the same screen!". But when you actually know how to play FM, there isn't a whole lot more to it. The flaws just jump at your face: the opposition's AI isn't good, your staff is stupid, promises serve no purpose, how the opposition plays you isn't based on scouting or adapting to your tactics but just on Reputation, you'll want to slap your players for spitting you in the face when you congratulate them about their first international goal, the FM's ME hardly looks or play like real football despite SI (or specifically Miles Jacobson) being extremely adamant that FM is the closest there is to the real thing. I suppose he isn't technically wrong in that FM is the closest thing to the real beautiful game; I just wouldn't call it a simulation either.

I mean, technically they're on View Only, so they only have two real defenders. But yeah, let's say that this Champions' League was one to quickly forget. Especially with a minus thirty-six goal difference. In comparison, Arsenal merely ended with a minus nine goal difference despite their six losses...

Fifteen to nil. FIFTEEN. FREAKING. GOALS. TO. NOUGHT. In a Champions' League group match. Oh, and there's some epic Farça action going on as well. Next time I hear home bias isn't blown out of proportion in FM I freaking swear that- oh, forgot about Arsenal picking exactly zero points in a group with Bilbao, RB Leipzig and some random Dutch small time club (which is me).

I'm going to insist on that part, because in real life, it's true. The real Jong Ajax usually has something like 16-18 players maximum to give everyone a chance. In FM, there's no point. Eleven is enough. If there are missing players, you can get a first team youngster who isn't subject to U23 rules to show up... and I heard that IRL Ajax does just that: fly young bench players from a squad to another during the day so that they're present for a Jong match after being on the bench for the main squad the day before. Tifo had a good video about how la Masia screwed up. Part of the issue is having too many players and not giving them enough opportunities in the main team. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b-EzUmWx7E I've set up my own U19 and B team in the Netherlands to maximize their growth: eleven players, loan, sell or release the rest. My main issue is that my B team is a bit low in the leagues, but I've recruited young also-rans and other sorts of released cheap players that most likely have little hope of featuring for my main squad due to a lack of potential. Hopefully I can turn a profit on them in the process, but I doubt it: the main goal is to promote the B team so that when I get the buying power to get good youngsters, I also have the facilities and setup to make the grow. Yes, I'm that merciless: I have recruited players I know won't play for the main squad to advance my club's profile.

There's a lot of discussion in the last few pages of the TCS skin thread about making transparent panels. If you're willing to roll your sleeves, you could start there.

UPDATE: I got so tired of the options on the wings I've eventually threw some Wide Playmakers at it with MEZ(S) to see how they play. I like the interplay between the two roles. I may end up with a WM(A) role with the same instructions as a WP(A) plus Get Further Forward: they wouldn't completely act the same, but they wouldn't be as much of ball magnets and a bit more sustainable overall. I don't know what kind of FB/WB to put behind them with which kind of DM. The tactics if a proof of concept and not definitive, but the symmetry of the system coupled with WB(S) makes the team vulnerable behind the FBs... and HBs still don't do anything special if you don't have players in the WB strata. I haven't been convinced by a partnership with a CM(A), be it CM(A)/MEZ(S), CM(A)/BBM, CM(A)/RPM, or CM(A)/CM(S). So MEZ(S)/MEZ(S) here we go. I've also sent my main striker Djoni on loan since he wasn't scoring for me. The result? He's killing it at Chievo. While Chievo has played only 7 official matches and lay at an unimpressive 11th place in the league after six matches and only 7 points and already three losses, Djoni is considered a key player at the club. He has scored 5 goals in 7 official matches including Coppa Italia. The AI seemingly plays him as a lone DLP on top of a 4-2-3-1 Wide, which is nothing but his favourite role according to my AssMan. I've requested a report from my scouts to see what kind of tactics Chievo usually uses to see what's going on. He also has attracted the interest of LA Galaxy, so good on him. Ah, and he also hates my guts for forcing him out of the club.

To be honest, having a B club in a competitive league, especially countries such as the Netherlands or Spain where the B quad can reach the second division, is a huge advantage in FM for youth development. Your club has likely better facilities and coaching than clubs in the same league as your B squad, and you can keep a tighter leash on how the youngsters train; especially since the AI isn't particularly good at developing youth at all. I wouldn't loan out the kids unless they require football at a higher standard than what your B team requires, but you cannot feasibly make the player part of the rotation of the main squad. Since you're Ajax, and having played in the Netherlands myself, there probably are some opportunities for you to play the kid in some matches and give him a dozen or plus appearances in the first team on top of his playing time in the B squad. Beyond that and as I said, only look for loan moves in clubs that 1) promise a Regular Starter status or better, 2) have decent enough facilities, 3) provide a higher standard of football than you can provide the kid with. But indeed, there's more often than not no point at all in loaning a player to a team in the same league as your B squad. Well, there can be a reason to loan anyway: the player is in the shadow of another in the B squad who is better. The AI coaches won't rotate both players properly, and I suggest you keep your Youth squads as slim as possible: 11 players is good enough if you strictly have one per position. Loan away, sell or release the rest: they're not going to see much action because bar catastrophic injuries, they're not going to see much action on the pitch. You can handle having a position filled by a grey player if there's an injury happen, and worst case scenario, you can still send a main squad player looking for match sharpness to the Youth squad for a match or two.

For whatever reason, 4-3-2 with dual MEZ, DM and fairly attacking fullbacks works well when I'm down. The interplay between the full backs and MEZ works fine, and the MEZ support the strikers well. I'd dare say it even works better than my regular tactics in some aspects, like creating space; even though I'm using identical duties on either side of the pitch save for the strikers...

Not that I'm aware of. You could always set a preference for a given formation to all AI manages and clubs before starting a save, but nothing prevents them from switching tactics for something else (which they do over time), and nothing prevents regen/newgen as well as retired real players from using a given tactic when they become or are generated as managers.

That's already telling when you can't tell if he's a ST from his attributes alone. It's not him; it's that statistically, headers aren't a good way to score in football and the second part is that you need at least to players able to win headers inside the box, and usually it's the other winger; and neither of my wingers are particularly good at Heading, Jumping or movement (Pace+Acceleration+Off the Ball). A lone option in the box is easily picked out by the defenders, who usually aren't worse at Jumping, Heading or Strength, but don't need to aim for a target. The shape itself hasn't changed, but the roles and duties have. So having two MEZ(S) may have happened in a match, but not necessarily in every match. I don't quite like the combination. Aside from that, usually I prefer DLP(D) since they seem good at tracking back to cut passes since their position is way higher than HB. HB defend by moving forward, and while it shouldn't be a disadvantage, they're also easily dribbled by incoming attackers. There's also that lingering issue with how HBs work in a system without players in the WB strata that has been reported by other users; maybe it has an impact on how well HBs behave in such instances. As for using BPDs... At first, it war a sacrifice to further the development of my defenders not because they're all able to play as BPDs, but mostly because i want them to show the same qualities. But to be honest, usually only one of my four centre-backs plays as a BPD in matches. That's because this best 11 is the AssMan's opinion; and surely you know how... "valuable" the opinion of the AI is. I consider Mitakovic a promising DM who makes good progress, but he isn't my starting DM usually. I also ended up loaning out Djoni to make way for a Colombian player I found during the summer break, which obviously made him unhappy. That being said, I don't really consider nor see a DLP(D) as a creative role. I think they play as a DM(D) that's a bit easier on the ball: they have low Mentality due to their defensive duty. If I counted on them to create, I'd use a DLP(S) tasked to Hold Position; even though a DLP(S) plays higher up the pitch regardless.

Often is based on Reputation, or at least the standard of your team increasing faster than your Reputation (if you have multiple successive promotions). Also, the Chairman has their attributes, and some really are penny pinching cheapskates and/or lack the overall vision and foresight to see the point of turning Semi-Pro quickly. And when you leave, the incoming manager gets what they want because it's part of the negotiation process. welcome to Football Manager, enjoy your stay. It's more an issue of how FM works fundamental than an issue with database settings or rules. Normally if the whole league is Semi-Pro, you will turn Semi-Pro as well if you dare ask... unless the club is set to "Always Amateur". Doesn't mean you'll have much available money to sign contracts though.

So I'm bumping this thread, because even though the results are positive, I don't actually know what I'm doing and I'm dissatisfied with the football on display. The formation is what it is, but I've been fumbling around with the roles and duties. In terms of attributes, the squad shines by how average they are as players, with few drawbacks but few outstanding qualities. The wide players cannot help but shoot from crappy angles; I'm not the only one to complain from it. I'm looking to experiment with Cross More Often. Players lose possession with really basic passing mistakes instead of forcing the opposition to actually anticipate or tackle accurately. Even as playmakers and regardless of whether I'm playing wide or narrow, the CMs don't seem to have much impact in the final third. The team plays better the worse the possession, with more chances and goal scored without actually conceding too many chances. Too bad I don't actually know what I'm doing that makes it happen. We struggle more against Positive mentalities than more conservative ones. When facing teams with Positive mentalities, the Possession is more evenly balanced between both sides and my players aren't too great when spending time with the ball in their feet both offensively and defensively. Overall the shape is defensively rather solid; we have little possession, but we don't concede many chances. Using Tighter Marking has really helped defensively; otherwise the team was way to passive and content with watching the opposition dance around them, always being late on the challenge. My striker(s) are unremarkable at scoring goals despite not being useless with their feet. The overall Anticipation of the strikers is significantly below the league's average, at 10.50 vs 11.83. Finishing is a mere 11.00 vs a 12.54 league average. We really need to avoid playing headers to the strikers and wide midfielders. They don't score from these, and they're not going to. Seemingly, we have the best Long Shots in the league, with a 11.67 average when including both midfielders and strikers vs. a 9.78 average for the league. Most of our assists are in the farthest central zone of the penalty area, so Long Shots aren't actually used as a weapon by the squad. DLP(D) is the best compromise in the DM strata. DM(D) doesn't do much with the ball, and HB makes the team defensively weaker somehow: we just concede more chances either on the break or right in the middle of the pitch with a HB before the defence. If instructed properly (Play Short Kicks), my GK doesn't lose much possession and passes the ball to the ML/R. The team tends to hoof the ball when trying to play from the back, even when instructed to Play Out of Defence. Overall, it feels like the way the team plays is more dependant of what the opposition does than what I actually tell them to do. It doesn't feel like I have much control over what the team does. Here's the best eleven according to my staff. The captain is Daniel Cetnarski, who plays on either wing.

Dare I say absolutely nowhere actually.