[The Ultimate Personality/Media Handling Guide]

Apparently, nobody knows. But it is unlikely that SI has made extensive changes to these parts of the game.

[Quickfire Questions and Answers Thread (Tactic and Training Questions Only)]

Or that the assistant is good at reacting and adapting to things that happen in the game. He'll do this and alter things regardless of how good/bad the tactic is. So it really doesn't give you an idea of how good a tactic is, it gives you a false security.

Yes there is no guarantee, of course. Generally, though, the human user is better at that adaptation than the assistant. More creative and a bigger tool-box. Doing it this way is time-saving (and frustration-saving) and one of the net results of doing so is that you don't swap tactics after a couple of bad results in the beginning, which I am pretty sure is a very bad idea. One of the reasons it is a bad idea is that a poor start is probably going to affect confidence and thus the next few performances regardless of tactics. Loss of tactical familiarity is another.

Oh I have a question regarding tactical familiarity and the use of the Tactics Only match training; apart from helping learning the tactic quicker, what does Tactics Only do in-match?

[Quickfire Questions and Answers Thread (Tactic and Training Questions Only)]

Hi Guys

Instead of starting a thread on the following I thought I would post in this one and was hoping for some advice on a few questions/issues

Very briefly Ive been playing FM/CM since the very first addition, last year I struggled and this year well in my 3 attempts so far the longest I have last is about 8 months and that was only because the board couldn't afford to sack me! Im definitely not any sort of tactical whizz although I would like to think Ive got a decent understanding of football, so where is it all going wrong? Ive read over the last year or so a hell of a lot of the guides on here which whilst I find fascinating to read, clearly aren't helping me too much when I put the ideas into practice.

* - One of the first things I find when starting a game is that the players very quickly don't want to play for me. They don't listen to me, when they do come and talk to me I upset them etc etc. Whenever I start a new game I start on automatic rep, could this be my first mistake? especially when taking over a top tier side. Do most of you having success start as an ex-international? I know this is not strictly tactics and training but something is stopping these players from playing for me.

* - As soon as I start with a team I analyse the squad and from their decide what tactics I should play. Im very flexible with this. For example I started a save with Preston and straight away realized Kevin Davies was too good for the division so decided that 4-4-2 would be my chosen way to incorporate him. I also had decent wingers. I then also set up a 4-2-3-1 as this is a formation that makes sense to me and I also chose a 3 at the back system as a back up. One of these would have been fluid attacking (the 4-4-2), one rigid Control (probably the 4-2-3-1) and one balanced counter (3-5-2). Is this a total error of my ways. Should I instead just set up one set of tactics, or 3 sets of the same formation with different player roles, or maybe 3 sets of the same formation with different playing styles or am right to set up 3 completely different formations. arrrgggghhhhhh im annoying myself writing this as im so clueless.

* - Once ive set up my chosen way to play I obviously play a few pre-season matches and every thing seems to be in order. I will smash a couple of non league teams and think to myself at last Ive cracked it my team are playing so beautifully, treat the wife and kids to some take-away to watch in front of X-Factor so I can start marching up the league in peace. 3 games into the season proper Ive lost 4-1 at home, 3-0 away and flucked a 0-0. My team is getting absolutely battered al over the place. This is the time I start deleting learned tactics and start creating new ones. In my previos mentioned now deleted Preston save I think by the end of it, (about 45 games) I had created about 7 different tactics. I know this a big no no, but the question is should I not just be persevering with my tactics making little adjustments or if ive just been smashed twice in a row against teams I should be getting results against (and im not just talking score but getting smashed in every department) should I then be going back to the drawing board.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can offer me a few words of wisdom. Im not and never will be a massive tactics man, im guessing you can have great success in the game creating a tactic and the not doing too much with it, a few little tweaks here and there maybe depending on opposition. I just want to be average at this game but im not. Please help

1. The starting reputation helps a lot with the problems you talk about, but there seems to be a "bedding-in period" regardless of reputation; you need to build up a relationship with each player and this becomes more difficult the less respected you are. Automatic sets your reputation to suitable for Skrill N/S if you have this loaded.

2. I normally have three variations of the same tactic loaded. An attacking, a counter and one ultradefensive.

3. Yes a tactic that "works" will not make your players behave totally moronic. What I sometimes do when I create a tactic is to turn off autosave and holiday (with instructions to use my tactic) until November or something. If you come back from your holiday and are placed as high or higher than expected and the results seem fine, you can assume that the tactic is sensible. Friendlies aren't really that useful to determine this...

[Quickfire Questions and Answers Thread (Tactic and Training Questions Only)]

Honestly I have no idea why the attack play stopped. Have you watched the games back to see why? It could have been a knock on effect from asking them to move into channels meaning the normal link up play was slightly disjointed and not as fluid as normal. Normally something small that seems unimportant can have a big negative impact if its a vital cog in how you've set up and how the whole tactic works.

I did something similar recently with my striker, I asked him to hold position and my average of 4 goals a game over 42 games suddenly began to dry up because he was no longer roaming. I did it for a one off game because he didn't have the space to roam in this particular game but out of character I saved the tactic with the new changes in it. And for about 10 games I wanted to ram my head against the wall because I couldn't figure out what had changed. Viewing the games back I soon realised just how vital a little shift to the right or left was for the way I play.

Maybe you experienced something similar?

Yeah, much the same thing, really. I thought Move into channels meant that he would move wider. Once I took it off the first highlight I see is where the left striker gets the ball in the wide AMLC spot just where I thought he would move more often with this change...

[Quickfire Questions and Answers Thread (Tactic and Training Questions Only)]

It's vertical movement.

It is? Why did the whole attacking game stop then? The difference was extreme and had defensive consequences as well (loss of possession I assume). Once I removed it, the strikers again dropped deep to get the ball and invited others into play like they should (and must).

[Quickfire Questions and Answers Thread (Tactic and Training Questions Only)]

I tried to make my DLF-A's move better in my 343 (the central striker is a TQ) and gave them the Move into Channels instruction before a match. I must be sleepy or something because I forgot all about it and for several matches I was lucky to win against anyone. A match ended like 6 vs 16 shots and then I suddenly realised the instruction had been on the whole session. Worst I have seen.

Anyways, am I right to assume that the Move into Channels instruction makes the striker move laterally on the offside line between the defenders? I wanted them to move wider and deeper to receive the ball.

Will this mean that a two-striker system where both are moving into channels is flawed as they will both refrain from dropping deep even when their role is not that attacking?

[Quickfire Questions and Answers Thread (Tactic and Training Questions Only)]

What's the relationship between Long Shots, Free Kicks, and Finishing? I have a Midfielder with 8 Finishing, 11 Free Kicks, but 20 Long Shots. I have him set to have a go from range whenever he likes, but I'm just wondering if these other attributes are bringhimg him down.

When he shoots from 30 yards, is it only his Long Shots that matters, or does his 8 Finishing harm his chances. And with free kicks, will the Long Shots help him or does only the actual Free Kick attribute matter? Thanks guys.

The shooting attributes (Finishing, Long Shots, Free Kicks and Penalties) are about shooting accuracy. Lots of other attributes come into play before the ball leaves his foot, to put it like that. In order to get into a position to shoot, Off the Ball and Anticipation attributes are for instance no-brainers for clever movement. Then he needs to control the ball and get ready to shoot, and for that Balance, Technique, First Touch, Composure, Strength (to hold off opponents) are all likely to have a say. Then there's the player's mental focus; nervous? Likely to shoot too early... And finally there's the keeper to beat!

For Long Shots, I think Flair and Decisions come into play, as well as Technique. Maybe even Determination, as the will to win may influence his decision to shoot. I usually consider a 30 meter cannonball shot that flies into the top corner a Flair shot rather than related to the Long Shots attribute. But then maybe I'm a bit too harsh on FM

[Quickfire Questions and Answers Thread (Tactic and Training Questions Only)]

I honestly don't think it is clearer. It actually looks like the man on the right is actually behind play so it's possible your player hasn't seen him appearing in the corner. Plus your player has low team work of 12 which means he's more inclined to shoot.

Add to this you instructed the players to run at defence which he has done, he then shoots. This doesn't help the situation because you are telling them to dribble which means head is down as they drive forward, which makes it harder to see passing options.

To be honest, I have been missing the Run With Ball + Pass option (in actual gameplay) for years. Not seeing it too often since FM2011. Most of the time, it is Run With Ball + Shoot or Run With Ball + Cross. I don't know how often that happens in real life, though. Maybe it is statistically accurate. I only know that when I was running with the ball through the centre myself in the old days (at very amateur level) I was often just waiting for the backing-off defender to finally decide that enough is enough (as I neared shooting range) before then playing a short through ball in the space he left for an attacker to run onto it. I am sure I have also seen it in professional football.

What are your impressions regarding RWB + pass/shoot/cross in FM13 and 14?

[Quickfire Questions and Answers Thread (Tactic and Training Questions Only)]

It could also be PPM related or even low decisions or low creativity. If its low creativity he might not actually see the simple pass to his right.

And Team Work. Doesn't low Team Work make players selfish?

... and Complacency/Nervousness. I have found that players who aren't properly focused tend to shoot early.

[Quickfire Questions and Answers Thread (Tactic and Training Questions Only)]

in the first case he actually wasNn't looking the wrong way he was dribbling the ball in the right direction but i took the screenshot a moment later and in the second i don't actually want him yo pass directly to him but a through ball,shoot less is applied to every possible player and work ball into box is chosen too

There is no space for a through ball. He is on 7 meters! A shot is the correct decision there, but he could go pretty close to the goal and then either have the chance of a quick, short pass to Vietta or shoot. If he shot from there that is a poor decision. Trying a through-ball there would be a poorer decision, though.

@a.speirs: that is an ME problem that will hopefully be fixed in the next update.

[Quickfire Questions and Answers Thread (Tactic and Training Questions Only)]

I'm doing that :-) attacking strategy and higher defensive line, get stuck in

Hummm the strategy has a direct influence on how our team is pressing ? I can have more players pressing where the ball is with a higher strategy ?

Yes Overload will make your players more aggressive, less concerned with balancing risk and rewards and push up higher. It might be that you are already doing this the maximum possible amount, though. Without sliders it is impossible to know for sure.

The strategy affects everything.

[Quickfire Questions and Answers Thread (Tactic and Training Questions Only)]

Thanks.

I'm not having doubts between man or zonal, I've always played zonal. I'm just trying to find out if there is way to pressure the opponent that has the ball with more than a player, no matter he's a defender, a midfielder or an attacker. I want to increase pressing wherever the ball is in order to recover it to my possession.

Then I suppose you'll need to overload the midfield, play a high defensive line, an attacking strategy and select Hassle. Max you can do is Overload, Hassle, Much higher Defensive Line, Get Stuck In (some of these may already be selected when you go Overload).

[Quickfire Questions and Answers Thread (Tactic and Training Questions Only)]

Sorry to repeat the text but I really need some ideas on this

Ok, I have read the post and although I'm little more clarified, I'm still a bit confused... sorry, sometimes my CPU is slow :-)

So mark tighter keeps defensive shape because our players allow the opponent to come close, close down may be dangerous because it can open gaps in defence although our players press more the opponent with or without the ball (right ?), hassle opponents it's more like a man to man marking without specifying the man to mark.

If this is correct, how can I have always 2 or 3 players pressing wherever the ball is ????

Zonal = keep shape

Zonal tight = follow men around a little bit more but main focus is the position

Man = stay close to the opponent inside your zone

Man tight = stay even closer to the opponent inside your zone, don't worry too much about defensive shape

Man specific = follow the specified player around wherever he goes and don't mind anything else

Whenever a player closes down an opponent, he is by definition not marking anyone else and so he has left his place in the formation. This is dangerous because the space he left in order to close down can be exploited.

Hassle opponents is a shout/instruction that increases Closing Down instructions. It is a team instruction so it affects all your players. It is useful to reduce the amount of time the opponent has on the ball to make trouble, which is a good idea if your defensive line is high and you are playing attacking football.

Edit: wait... is even the choice man/zonal in FM14?

[Quickfire Questions and Answers Thread (Tactic and Training Questions Only)]

What's the most productive way to train players, both youngsters to reach their potential and keep the skills up of developed players.

Should i set all workloads to high then drop it for those that complain?

Also should i drop any match training once the season starts and stick to player development?

Thanks in advance!

If a player is developing fine even though he complains about the workload, I have never bothered to lower it and can't remember any negative effects because of that. Some players aren't professional enough to be happy with any form of training.

If I understand it correctly, training does two things; distribute ability points gained through match experience, and maintain match fitness. I am unsure if it is the case that training does not add CA (current ability) at all or if it is just very little, but I am pretty sure that the most important thing is match practice at the highest possible level.

[Quickfire Questions and Answers Thread (Tactic and Training Questions Only)]

Well, the thing is that it won't really be a partnership. A TM-A is looking for people to put in crosses to his head so he can put a header in on goal, or through balls to his feet so he can turn and shoot. A DLF-A is looking to get the ball in a somewhat deeper position, and then run at the defense and look for a shot for himself.

So, they're not really working together, and very, very few teams can have the luxury of two strikers who are expecting to be the focal point of their teams.

This is why most people have one on Attack and one on Support when doing a two-man strike team. In your case I'd keep the TM on attack, and switch the DLF to Support or give him a CF-S role & duty, as Britrock suggested.

I don't think the DLF-A role is as selfish as you say. It is a deep-lying forward role and he won't run with the ball very often, and he will look to balance creating chances for others and himself, while a DLF-S will primarily look to create chances for others. An Advanced Forward (AF-A) is different from a DLF-A mainly in that he will do as you said; he wants to be the central focus of the team's attacks, and he is told to run with the ball often. A DLF-A will still be not as far forward as a AF-A.

[The Ultimate Personality/Media Handling Guide]

Hi! Thanks for your research and write-up! Really interesting, but...

Are you sure about this? In my search for the perfect tutors I found a player: Model Professional and Reserved/Evasive.

This tells me he's Con(sistency) 1-5. Yet in his scouting report, it says his "Specific Strength" is Consistency.

How does this work?

Controversy.

[The Ultimate Personality/Media Handling Guide]

Spoiler here - I'm going to reveal the injury proneness level of a player who has a reputation to be very prone to injuries in real life.

Ledley King has an injury proneness attribute of 20 in the editor

, therefore I think it's safe to assume a high injury proneness attribute is still very bad.

Ok then we can assume that high numbers in an attribute is MUCH of something. So why is low numbers in Temperament bad? It would be nice if SI told us about their reasoning behind high/lows vs good/bad in the editor, since many of us like to edit data.

[The Ultimate Personality/Media Handling Guide]

You are absolutely right ... my bad. I mistook it for Controversy, where the lower is better.

I think they changed things up so that ALL attributes are better when high now. So Injury Proneness 20 means he is very unlikely to become injured. I have not had this confirmed, though. I think this happened either in FM11 or 12.