brightonrock

@Experienced Defender - thanks so much, that's very detailed! A lot of that makes good sense, I will take your suggestion and make some changes. One thing I'm not 100% sure about though is using tight marking Vs pressing. Both obviously have the potential to cause the team to lose shape; especially against very good opposition players who can either pick passes through a press, or use movement to drag a marker out of position. Would you therefore think to tweak/swap between the two, depending on the opposition personnel and shape? I.e. mark a weaker side like Cardiff to take advantage of their inferior passing/creativity, but play deep, narrow and vertically compact with a press against a stronger side like Liverpool, to minimize the space and time for their players to pick passes? The last thing I've wondered about is whether it might be an idea to remove the playmaker role altogether, as that is obviously one-dimensional to a certain extent in that build-up play will be more likely to channel through that player, and it has the potential to slow down the counter attack. Ideally I'd like to utilise and balance the good passing skills of Gross and Propper (who in a different squad would be well suited to the DLP or AP roles) versus my tactic being varied and unpredictable. In your save did you ever use a Mezzala/Support with a Central Midfielder/Attack, especially with the DM as an Anchor Man as you suggest, and reduced full back mentalities? That might leave good cover in defence in transition when losing the ball, but also allow both CMs to find pockets of space and to drive forward when attacking?

That's fair enough! I guess maybe I should reword the question - how can I create more chances from open play and get my my centre forward more involved, rather than relying on set pieces? Maxi Gomez, from Celta Vigo. I've not got my laptop on me but I've attached a screenshot of his stats at the start of the game. I've started off using him as a DLF as I say, to try and get him more involved in the buildup and less isolated. But, I'm open to playing him as a complete forward as his stats are very well rounded - if that gets him linking up with midfield and then getting into the box to get on the end of crosses, through balls etc, that would be ideal. That's a good suggestion - my logic for using it was to get my midfielders and wingers driving forward with the ball more (especially in transition) to get numbers into advanced positions rather than them passing to my centre forward and then being 20+ yards behind play. But, it's fair to say my midfielders probably don't have the quality (other than Gross) to move the ball short & quickly, so maybe a more direct pass length and less dribbling would be more penetrative. It makes sense to remove play out of defence, alongside the more direct passing above, maybe it will get my players moving it a bit quicker in that counter-attacking style. One I'm not sure of is removing the flank focus - I'm trying to channel play down the wings to create the overloads, using wingers and full backs, which seems to be going well. I'd be inclined to leave those as they are and work on getting more bodies supporting the play in central positions. Re: Gross, I like him drifting into the channels as a mezzala, as him finding pockets of space takes advantage of his good vision, crossing, passing and technique. I definitely want him surging into the box as well though, arriving late on the edge of the box/penalty spot in the way Lampard & Gerrard used to. He has the physicality, decent passing and long shots to be that player, but I've found as a box-to-box midfielder he makes fairly predictable 'vertical' runs, and as an advanced playmaker he seems to be more static outside the box. I'll give him a go as a CM-a, and possibly add a couple of PI, to him moving a bit like a mezzala, and try to get the best of both worlds? I think my main concern is trying not to change too much - I'll tweak Gross' role, and remove a couple of TI (run with ball, play out of defence). Re: my forwards, would anyone have an opinion on which type of role might fit better; a number 10 style forward who drops deep, or a number 9 style line-leader? Thanks everyone for their advice!

Hi, I'm having trouble getting my 4141 DM Wide to work well with Brighton - specifically chances created from open play, and getting a proper goal threat as my STC. I've attached a screenshot - I'm trying to create a solid counter attacking tactic for a side like Brighton with very few exceptional individuals. I'm doing pretty well - half way through the season we're mid table - but it's not convincing and doesn't feel like it's sustainable, as we're low scoring (approx 1 goal p/g) and we're not creating many decent chances from open play. My centre half (Dunk) is top scorer with 5 goals from set pieces. My striker (Murray) has four as a TM-A or P-A, but three have been penalties - so only one goal from open play. My second choice, Andone, only has one goal as a PF-A or AF-A. I've gone out and bought Maxi Gomez in early January to have a different option as a DLF-A. Defensively, I'm generally solid through the middle - the defensive roles at CB & DM are doing this fairly well. I'm then defending with width so the centre halves are nearer to a marauding winger if our full backs are caught out of position. In attack, my full backs are naturally overlapping to create width - and both my wingers are naturally using the opposite foot, and inclined to cut inside. This means my AMR & AML are naturally quite varied in their movement - sometimes running wide as a winger, sometimes cutting inside onto their stronger foot. I like this variety but my striker just cannot seem to score, no matter who I play. Either the winger cuts in and shoots from range, or they go to the byline and their cross is usually cut out. Using the Mezzala is creating decent overloads on the left flank, so my AMR is more of a goal threat than the AML, with more space. However, Gross is not getting into the box in the way I'd like/expect, and I don't want to push my other AMC too far forward in case we're caught on the break. I'm a decent threat from set pieces, but would like to not have to rely on them so heavily, as I am at the moment. Can anyone advise what I might do to create more decent chances from open play, especially for my STC? Bringing in Gomez might help as he'll drop deeper and link up with my AMs & MCs, so might not be so isolated - but I'm concerned he'll then be too far from goal to be on the end of chances. Thanks!

Not that I've found - a defensive winger "closes down" ahead of him, rather than necessarily tracking back - granted he is more defensively minded, but the idea as far as I can see is for him to defend against the opposite full back, rather than help out his own full back with the opposition winger. That's the distinction - creating essentially a 'Complete' Winger, like a Complete Wing Back - contributing equally as a primary attacking threat, but not being 'carried' by the team defensively.

I think the new roles are the most exciting thing so far - the scouting overhaul looks to be a sensible and realistic evolution to that feature, and I am reserving judgement on dynamics. IMO the two tactical things that have been difficult to replicate in FM12-17 are defensive shape/tracking back of forward players, and lateral movement by central players. If you're playing a winger at MR/L, I tend to find their starting position is a little too deep when moving into the attacking phase - they may get a few assists if they're a decent crosser of the ball, but they don't often score as they're releasing the ball before they get close to the box. However, playing them as an AMR/L has the opposite effect - they join your central striker or attacking midfielders in and around the box, but leave a full back very isolated and rarely track back much beyond the half way line when defending. Now possibly this is the classic 'it's your tactics' - I've tried various combinations of MR/L with Attack mentality and get further forward, but all of this seems to kick in when they have the ball themself, rather than the moment a BWM wins possession. Equally giving the AMR/L a more neutral or defensive roles or PIs means they don't play as assertively in the final 3rd. Secondly, I find it difficult to get my central midfielders to track laterally - if I have a full/wing back getting forward on the overlap, I want a defensive minded central midfielder to cover that gap, or at least be aware of the space and ready to cover, in the event we lose possession and the opposition launch a counter-attack down the flank. The BWM/BBM's tend to cover a lot of ground up and down the pitch, but largely stay in the central 3rd - so a counter attack usually ends with a centre half being dragged over to close down a rampaging winger, leaving space in the middle for opposition strikers for a tap in from a cross or cut-back. Having more flexibility here will be a big win IMO - as I understand it, this could be achieved using the carrilero ("shuttler") and segundo volante (essentially a half back with stopper mentality who rushes out from deep into midfield or out wide to make tackles). I hope the tornante ("returner") makes an appearance - a winger who tracks back - as this will be key to the way I like to play. IRL my team, Brighton, play this way - our wingers are expected to get back and help out the full back completely, often even filling in as an auxillary FB, allowing the actual FB to tuck in and add another body to our box in defence. Mourinho also plays this way with Man Utd, asking Rashford/Mata to track back and help out, whilst simultaneously having the awareness and work rate to drive forward quickly in the transition, as soon as possession is regained. Fingers crossed...

I've input all the scores (I was intending on doing it for more than just the English Prem) and started a new game. I did this mid-way through to check on my progress and if I'd made any mistakes, and it actually looked okay - the results worked fine, and the players had a reasonable number of goals (i.e. 10/12ish by January). However now I've finished inputting the results for the regular season (i.e. before the playoffs), it's cleared player stats altogether - they only have stats from the cup games that have been simulated. Also, I can't get it to start on the day I want. I've found a way to get it to start on 2nd May, but can't get it to start on the 10th as I want it to. Does anybody have any ideas for how to get the game to start on a specific day? I thought if I added a new nation (e.g. Gibraltar) and set it's season start date as 10th May, then added Gibraltar & England as active leagues, I could select "Gibraltar season start date" and it would work? But it seems to be greyed out every time. Is there a 'cut-off' date for the game that it won't let you start after?

Thanks!!

Hi all, hopefully somebody can help! I want to start a save at a mid-point in the mid-season in FM16, but having input the real results...so for example I could start on February 1st, with the results/league tables accurate to real life at that point. I know to add a league under advanced rules and set it with a start date of Feb 1st, which would start the game at that date - but I can't work out how to input the 'real' results, rather than having the results simulated? Am I being simple? (Probably!!) Any help would be greatly appreciated - thanks!

Ah. I may have to go back to the drawing board then, or at least over to the tactics forum so as not to clog up GD. Thanks for the reply.

How do I set target man supply instructions? I.e. run onto ball/to feet/to head etc? This may have been taken away (or hidden away somewhere!) in fm13 or fm14 but I never really got into either. I've been playing fm12 for 3 years now, so I'm a bit behind the times!

I've not often had the time and/or not got engrossed enough to get really far into the game. The three longest for me were: FM07 - Bolton - 12 seasons, including a UEFA Cup & FA Cup win, and culminating in a Prem/CL double in my final season, upon which I quit. I remember Anelka & Voronin scoring hatfuls as my front 2 with an ancient Figo pulling the strings from set pieces and some all-round wizardry from a certain Sherman Cardenas. Great memories FM08 - a created team which I started in BSS and got to the Championship - 8/9 seasons before becoming corrupted. Some of my favourite ever regens came from this game as I gave myself no money and had to develop youth. A DLC called Jim Atkinson who came through my youth team in BSP & L2 ended up being sold for £1m and went on to play for England. Legend in my eyes. FM12 - Brighton, up to my 15th season, 9 consecutive PL titles and going for a 10th in a row, with 3 FA Cups & 4 CLs. The most successful save I've ever had, with only 1 remaining "real" player in my squad. Hated FM13 so I kept playing FM12 and built somewhat of a dynasty!

We all know about Wonga rates, they probably only sponsored them a fiver for the first week of the deal.

I could be wrong, but as I understand it, an important match is any of the following: (a) a match against an opponent with a higher rep than your team (although I'm not sure how much higher); (b) a match against a rival club (i.e. Tottenham v Arsenal); © a league match against a title rival/relegation rival, i.e. someone you HAVE to beat to mathematically achieve something; or (d) a cup final. I'm not sure exactly how (a) works as obviously if a non-league team drew a Premier division team in the cup, this would qualify - but I don't know whether for example Everton playing Tottenham (who have a slightly higher reputation) would be classed as particularly important, or the game would read the situation as 'just another league game'. Certainly b, c & d are all classed as "big games" because there is something riding on them - e.g. a trophy, or fierce expectation from your supporters.

I can't believe anyone can look at a video of the ME right now and tell me, in their heart of hearts, they think that ball is moving like a real football. If someone from SI says they "don't think it's an issue" then they're either under strict orders to deny it as it can't be fixed, or they're blind. I'm not the sort of person to moan non-stop about the game; as an avid FM geek I have worked very hard over the years and various versions to understand the tactics module, and how the changes you make relate in-match. I've read the epic tactics guides by wwfan and others, and built my own solid tactics rather than download a 'diablo' tactic and moan when it doesn't work. There are far too many people who throw their toys out of the pram because they had three injuries in one game, or a goalkeeper did something stupid etc. Generally I think the game is very solid, things can be improved/tweaked, but generally speaking it gets better year on year. The way the ME looks now though is so off-putting, I can't explain it. The ball skating around just looks so mind-blowingly stupid, I can't watch it. FM12 had no collision-detection to speak of so players could run through each other, and the engine was far too heavily weighted towards pace IMO. But win, lose or draw, it was at least fun to watch and to play. I've had a number of saves on it, of varying success, and even when I've been struggling I've not looked at the ball physics in the ME and thought I was playing Ice Hockey Manager. I realise any 'protest' on my part of not buying FM14 makes little difference to SI, no skin off their nose; I'm just speechless that in threads of thousands of posts, there are only a handful of people who seem to have a problem with this. With all the (seemingly) petty things being criticised, it confuses me why something staring people in the face is seemingly not worth complaining about. Bizarre. ???

My biggest problem with this is the ball physics. I can't believe more people aren't kicking up a fuss about it. The decision making of the keeper is strange but not beyond comprehension, the technique required by the attacker to hit it first time is top quality but not impossible, in theory. However the ice-rink style bouncing and acceleration of the ball across the turf like there's no such thing as friction, completely puts me off. I hated FM13 and never got into it for a number of reasons, mostly because the ice skating physics of the ball were absurd. I've vowed to leave it until after January before thinking about getting FM14, when it's been properly patched. I pop in now and again to lurk on feedback threads and gauge what state the game is in - to see a video of the ME in 14.2 and the ball is still moving like its on an air hockey table, is gutting. Clearly it's not considered a problem or it would've been fixed two games ago, as a priority, let alone several patches and updates into this version. Will keep going with my FM12 save at this rate - a flawed ME in many ways itself, but at least the ball moved like, you know, a football, rather than an ice hockey puck.