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

[mikcheck]

2 hours ago, Dr. Hook said:

I don't care. Like a lot of the stats in FM, it has it's own algorithms for calculation that do not always match up with what you see in the game. The CCC stat is the best example of this, but key passes is another one where it behaves funny at times. There has been some discussion about how it is calculated and like all stat deliveries it is continually being tweaked to better represent what actually occurs. There was a prior issue with key passes where it was awarding far too many where they weren't warranted.

Thanks Dr. Hook,  i'll be less paranoid about it then.

[Ji-Sung Park]

9 hours ago, Dr. Hook said:

Yes, those are certainly personality indicators. Players that get nervous when holding a small lead late into a game I believe have a lower pressure rating. The complacency indicator is tough, as it would seem to be a lack of professionalism, but I have seen it afflict professional players also, so I am not sure what exactly is in play there. Maybe someone else has an idea. Some of the body language indicators are also situational in how they trigger personality traits- long winning streaks can produce complacency, and certainly matches perceived as big will trigger the important matches trait.

Cheers Dr. Hook.

[aditya]

3 questions: 

1. I am playing my GK as a sweeper keeper on attack mode, but I dont see my goalkeeper standing "far" from his box, I picked SK because I am playing with a high defensive line and i need my keeper to be ready to clear through balls or crosses in my half. Am I missing something?

2. Playing  a 4-1-2-2-1 formation (1DM,2CM,2winger). Control and Fluid settings on. When attacking phase, my 2 CM, Ozil as AP(support) and Ramsey as BBM(support) often does not attack along with my other strikers, instead they sit pretty deep duringa attack phase. how should I set my two CM so my Winger (attack), Inside foward (attack) and DLP (support) arent isolated? 

3. as a 4-1-2-2-1 system, what is the best striker role, so my striker comes deep and help my winger while defending?

thank you!
 

[bbgunn]

7 hours ago, aditya said:

3 questions: 

1. I am playing my GK as a sweeper keeper on attack mode, but I dont see my goalkeeper standing "far" from his box, I picked SK because I am playing with a high defensive line and i need my keeper to be ready to clear through balls or crosses in my half. Am I missing something?

2. Playing  a 4-1-2-2-1 formation (1DM,2CM,2winger). Control and Fluid settings on. When attacking phase, my 2 CM, Ozil as AP(support) and Ramsey as BBM(support) often does not attack along with my other strikers, instead they sit pretty deep duringa attack phase. how should I set my two CM so my Winger (attack), Inside foward (attack) and DLP (support) arent isolated? 

3. as a 4-1-2-2-1 system, what is the best striker role, so my striker comes deep and help my winger while defending?

thank you!
 

I haven't used a sweeper keeper on attack duty before, so I'll leave #1 to others, but I'll try the other two.

2.  In a 4-1-2-2-1 it's better to have a CM on an attack duty to get forward and help out the lone forward.  An AP on support won't do that; they'll kind of stay back and dictate play from there.  A BBM will get forward, but they will be starting from very deep most of the time, so if it's not fast enough for you, have one of the CMs on attack.

3. I think a False 9 is the best role for you, although I'm not sure how much they help defensively.

[pilif25]

On 6.11.2016 at 19:40, pilif25 said:

If I want my team to play more of low, but whipped crosses, should I go for a TI "whipped" or TI "low"? Which one gives me a higher probability of seeing my players perform those low, driven passes into the box from both wings?

Anyone?

[NoTekkersRB]

23 hours ago, Ji-Sung Park said:

Greetings;

A question about nerves during a match. I've never payed too much attention to it, but on my current Atl Madrid game some players get easily nervous when leading 1-0 against inferior teams. Just played a home match against Eibar and minutes after going 1-0 up Carles Planas, Gabi (!) and Augusto Fernandez become "nervous" and "very nervous". Combined, these 3 players are 110 years old with heaps of La Liga experience.

Which factors plays in here? 

For Planas - as soon as we got the second goal he insta went "complacent" after being nervous. A sign of weak hidden attributes?

 

I remember reading that players also get nervous due to them worried about how the match expectations are against small teams. I've seen players at Home get nervous within 10 mins in the first half after scoring once as they are expected (by media and fans) to be winning at least 3-0! If the match odds are quite predominantly in my favour with media expecting us to steamroll the opposition I actually tell the players to relax under the notion they'll be under pressure from Home fans too. 

[Firehouse]

I'm conceding to many goals from free kicks. Not direct, but indirect, aiming at far post. And due to lack of options for free kicks, I just don't know how to set them. Can anyone help about this?

And yes, please no advice like sign better players.

[Artin]

There's probably no solution to this but any way I can make my Inside Forward stop dribbling the ball towards the defenders and losing it? I'm managing Bayern and Ribery/Robben loses the ball to the defenders 95% of the time. I have them at IF-S but it still has the Dribble More PI.

Mentality set to Control or Standard and Be More Expressive is *NOT* selected.

[vasilli07]

12 hours ago, Firehouse said:

I'm conceding to many goals from free kicks. Not direct, but indirect, aiming at far post. And due to lack of options for free kicks, I just don't know how to set them. Can anyone help about this?

And yes, please no advice like sign better players.

Sacrifice some of your shorter players for the taller ones even though they are poorer. That's probably the only solution you have. I remember reading somewhere saying this is 1 of the reason why Mourinho always play Ivanovic. 

[vasilli07]

1 hour ago, Artin said:

There's probably no solution to this but any way I can make my Inside Forward stop dribbling the ball towards the defenders and losing it? I'm managing Bayern and Ribery/Robben loses the ball to the defenders 95% of the time. I have them at IF-S but it still has the Dribble More PI.

Mentality set to Control or Standard and Be More Expressive is *NOT* selected.

Put them back at WM position and set up the IF role using PIs(with dribble less) and probably use the don't run with ball TI as well.

[Artin]

5 minutes ago, vasilli07 said:

Put them back at WM position and set up the IF role using PIs(with dribble less) and probably use the don't run with ball TI as well.

That's a great idea! Two concerns though:

1) Is it OK if they're not Natural in that position (I'm guessing it doesn't matter as long as they have the correct attributes)?

2) Are there any hidden PIs with regards roles? I know there are hidden attributes like Consistency etc and was wondering if there's something similar with regards to player roles? Basically, safe to copy the PIs for IF and add them to WM with virtually no negative effect?

[vasilli07]

1) There is no problem at all. I always do that as I played 4-4-1-1(4-2-3-1 during attack). The most important thing you should consider are their attributes. Do they have what it takes to play in the role you want? If they are awkward in WM position, put them on training on that position as well.

2) Yes, no negative effect.

[Artin]

Cheers ^^^

That settles it then!

[woland]

On 11/7/2016 at 23:38, woland said:

Hello everyone.

Tell me please, are long balls (i'm not sure how it call in english. i mean a passes over heads) risky or not? Another words, when i set "more risky passes", increase it amount of long balls over defenders head?

Any ideas?

[Guest]

closing down question:

for some roles, closing down bar in PI interface goes all the way to the right, but it say only "sometimes"..

So what does that mean - is that player

a) closing down maximally as the bar is suggesting  (in abstract terms, the highest degree of closing down in ME)

b)closing down only sometimes, but the bar is there to visually show you that you can't get more closing down with that role (so words, not the bar, are relevant)?

[Firehouse]

11 hours ago, vasilli07 said:

Sacrifice some of your shorter players for the taller ones even though they are poorer. That's probably the only solution you have. I remember reading somewhere saying this is 1 of the reason why Mourinho always play Ivanovic. 

The only ones I could really sacrifice are my wingers. My right back is 1.86m, two defenders are 1.91m and 1.86m, my left back is 1.84m and my DM is 1.86m, which I think are tall enough to deal with free kicks.

But freekick options are just lacking, and something has to be done about this. I started a thread in suggestions about it, but I thought that someone could clarify if there is some instructions that may help, and I don't know about them. Not just buy new players or put 10 trees on pitch.

[herne79]

On 07/11/2016 at 20:38, woland said:

Hello everyone.

Tell me please, are long balls (i'm not sure how it call in english. i mean a passes over heads) risky or not? Another words, when i set "more risky passes", increase it amount of long balls over defenders head?

Long balls are quite risky as they have a greater chance of going astray or being intercepted.  "More risky passes" may increase balls over defenders, however much of that will depend on whether the opposition is using a high defensive line.

[herne79]

36 minutes ago, charisma_charisma said:

closing down question:

for some roles, closing down bar in PI interface goes all the way to the right, but it say only "sometimes"..

So what does that mean - is that player

a) closing down maximally as the bar is suggesting  (in abstract terms, the highest degree of closing down in ME)

b)closing down only sometimes, but the bar is there to visually show you that you can't get more closing down with that role (so words, not the bar, are relevant)?

If the bar is all the way to the right, that player is closing down to the max.  The fact that it may only say "sometimes" can be a bit confusing and may depend on that player's starting point, eg., a trequartista.

[Reedy_1988]

Currently using a 3-5-2 counter attacking system. My strikers tend to be AF & DLF (s). The DLF (s) player is more suited to a Target Man so I have given him this role and added the PI (Dribble Less). My AF however can be susceptible to injury and my only backup striker has the PPM 'come deep to get the ball' & just doesn't suit playing the same role, he is a player with a v.good workrate though.

What other roles are there that I could potentially use to compliment my other forward the DLF (s)?

[Guest]

3 hours ago, herne79 said:

If the bar is all the way to the right, that player is closing down to the max.  The fact that it may only say "sometimes" can be a bit confusing and may depend on that player's starting point, eg., a trequartista.

So it's a)?

So when the bar goes all the way to the right, it means that that's the highest possible closing down that exists in ME (on that certain mentality)?

 

Edited November 9, 2016 by Guest

[Llainen]

I have a little question four you guys. Every singel game (99%) is like this i show you in my SS. I dominate create by far the most chances in average scores 3 goals a match which is very good and nothing to complain about, but i also need an insane amount of chances to score, while my opponent are the most effective players i have ever met in 2/3 of the matches i have played. It was like this in the previous versions of fm to and i still cant figure it out how to deal with it... Like in my SS here in a europe league quarter finale it would be better to just win 1-0 instead of 6-5.. i cant understand that my players are so much more ineffective then all my opponents, it has nothing to do with my tactic that my players need that many chances to score and my opponent which espacially in the czech league are worse then mine are so effective.. i understand my defence have problems, but i tried everything, high/low/normal defensive line, tighter markings not mark tighter offside trap etc you name it. And i dont switch all the time i use them for 7-8 matches to see if theres a difference and there not.. All of mye defensive players are very quick with good consentration, positioning etc all you need in a good defense ( i know this is hard to believe hehe) So please if you can help me or have any tips please respond and it would make my day, thanks:) one more thing so you lear nnorwegian maybe you understand but: Skudd= shots. Skudd på mål = shoots on target. hehe just in case!

Edited November 10, 2016 by Llainen

[Dr. Hook]

18 hours ago, charisma_charisma said:

So it's a)?

So when the bar goes all the way to the right, it means that that's the highest possible closing down that exists in ME (on that certain mentality)?

 

Yes, it is as high as it goes with that mentality or role. For individual players, the bars are always shown in relationship to where the overall team is set.

[mhaffy]

seeking some basic advice/clarification on Post Match Analysis Report. On the Focus of Attacks tab you see a heatmap and then focus of attack % split between Central, Right Wing, Left Wing. Presumably the heat map is always shown from your perspective (GK through to Striker) and Right wing refers to your right wing. The reason I ask is that Left wing was shown as main focus of attacks yet heat map reflected substantially more right wing focus......

[roggiotis]

Anyone knows which attributes must have a '' Sports Scientist '' ?

[Llainen]

7 hours ago, roggiotis said:

Anyone knows which attributes must have a '' Sports Scientist '' ?

If you enter any coach and highlight the job you want him do to you can see the important stats get "highlighted", but with a sport scientist nothing happens. BUT i really think fitness is the only important attribute. His job is to stop the frequency of certain injuries and i think he also will help them recover from the injuries. 

 

I have a question, i want and need to hire more u-19 coaches, but when i want to ask the board the only staff related i can ask for is more coaches for the 1st and u-21 team... do i just have to wait until i can ask for it? Bit frustrating and weird they do not allow you to ask, worst thing that can happen is that you get a no!

Edited November 12, 2016 by Llainen

[Cleon]

11 hours ago, roggiotis said:

Anyone knows which attributes must have a '' Sports Scientist '' ?

None it doesn't matter what attributes they have as the role does the job not the attributes like all the other staff roles. A sports scientist and data analysts give the same amount of info or do the same job regardless. Someone with all 1's for attributes does the exact same job as someone with all 20's.

[Footix]

If you see a player not performing the way you want, how do you determine whether or not it is down to 

- wrong role 

- wrong duty

- wrong PPM'S

- wrong player

- none of the above, the player is just having an off day 

 

I find this ridiculously hard. I can see "you're not doing what I want you to do", but going from there to identifying the cause is too much of a trial and error process. I feel like I don't have a clue really. 

Any tips would be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks 

[mikcheck]

Hello,

After reading Cleon's thread i wanted to do a kind of box tactic. And i'd like to know please your opinion about roles and duties distribution in this tactic.

TI are shorter passing, much higher tempo, work ball into box, prevent short gk distribution, much higher defensive line and close down more.

Thanks.

Edited November 12, 2016 by mikcheck

[max787]

Which attributes determine how good a goalkeeper is at saving penalties?

I bought a new keeper in the summer and he's saved 5 penalties in a row so far this season, I'm curious about what makes him so good.

[RandomGuy.]

This is the tactic I'm using. Its been fairly successful since I changed to it, but I quite often struggle when teams overload the wings. For example when I come up against an attacking 4-2-3-1 my wing backs are overrun by the opposition full backs and wingers. 

Any idea how to combat that effectively? I'm pondering a role change or even dropping a striker, but it ruins my attacking chances.

[Llainen]

8 hours ago, max787 said:

Which attributes determine how good a goalkeeper is at saving penalties?

I bought a new keeper in the summer and he's saved 5 penalties in a row so far this season, I'm curious about what makes him so good.

hmm i will think/guess because i really dont have any sure answer for you but i will guess; reflexes, courage, decisions, suppleness, height(?) and maybe eccentricity (which is both positive and negative with a keeper).  

[superdave]

On 11/5/2016 at 16:25, Vinsanity666 said:

I've often come up against AI managers who switch to a 4-3-3 to come back from behind and i've had a lot of trouble with it. My defenders have an awful time picking up the strikers when pressing, when not pressing the opposition get A LOT of the ball. Most of the time they are succesfull.

I've tried putting an extra man in defence, keeping my full backs on defend, putting in a DM in all sorts of roles... Anyone got an idea how to counter the threat of this AI 4-3-3?

What I've tried against the 4-3-3 is to go fairly defensive to avoid getting outnumbered on counters, but look for the overlap.  My fullbacks usually have much time and space.

 

On 11/7/2016 at 05:40, mikcheck said:

Hi.

Do you care about your players key passes? I'm always frustrated when my players have very few in a match, even if i win comfortably.

Oh man, I have the opposite problem.  I always set up a squad that goes two deep.  I have two AMCs who play as advanced playmakers.  One gets more assists and goals, the other get TONS of key passes and thus higher ratings.  But strangely few assists.  Don't know how to handle that.

[Bigpapa42]

So this is rather a "try it and see" situation but I figured I would ask before I go forward with it.

Startiing up a save I hope to last a few seasons at least. My main tactic will be a 4-1-4-1 Very Fluid/Standard with a high press. My intent was to create a secondary tactic with the same formation but without the high press, a Structured or Very Structured counter approach. But I started toying with the idea of a Very Fluid Counter approach for the secondary tactic. The main reason is having the same Team shape should make the tactical familiarity grow faster. My main thought is that with the Very Fluid mentality, the side will have a fair bit of creative freedom, which is shouldn't be too harmful in a defensive sense, and rather helpful in an attacking non-counter situation. Just curious if anyone else has tried a Very Fluid counter tactic with the idea of sitting deep and countering? Anyone foresee obvious concerns I'm overlooking?

[wetfred]

When starting a new save should I train just 1 main tactic until it's mastered then add the other 2 or is it ok to train 3 different tactics at the beginning of training and will I be ready for the new season?

 

[Llainen]

16 minutes ago, wetfred said:

When starting a new save should I train just 1 main tactic until it's mastered then add the other 2 or is it ok to train 3 different tactics at the beginning of training and will I be ready for the new season?

 

make 3 to begin with, then move on to the training meny choose  team then match preparation and pick your'e first choice tactic. Thats what i prefer.

[stockportguy86]

When's the best time to use wingbacks or does anyone not use them for whatever reason?

[phnompenhandy]

2 hours ago, stockportguy86 said:

When's the best time to use wingbacks or does anyone not use them for whatever reason?

When you play 3 central defenders.

[Sussex Hammer]

I'm tinkering with a structured 4141 I used last year and with this 4141 in FM16 if I played a striker on attack duty I would have the Assistant banging on about a gap between the midfield and forward, so I always used a lone striker on support unless I used the AM strata.  In FM17 I have been playing about with a few roles and have noticed that if I play a striker with an attack duty in the 4141 the Assistant never mentions this gap.  Is this progress in the ME this year which makes it easier to have a lone striker on attack in such a formation or is it just my Assistant being not very observant? 

[Cleon]

4 minutes ago, Sussex Hammer said:

I'm tinkering with a structured 4141 I used last year and with this 4141 in FM16 if I played a striker on attack duty I would have the Assistant banging on about a gap between the midfield and forward, so I always used a lone striker on support unless I used the AM strata.  In FM17 I have been playing about with a few roles and have noticed that if I play a striker with an attack duty in the 4141 the Assistant never mentions this gap.  Is this progress in the ME this year which makes it easier to have a lone striker on attack in such a formation or is it just my Assistant being not very observant? 

You could play that way on FM16 and be perfectly fine. Advice is exactly that just advice but I feel you are reading far too much into it, so much so its impacting what you can do tactically. There has been some work on commentary and feedback (as that's all it is) but nothings actually changed in terms of the ME. It's always been easy to have a lone striker on an attack duty if you wish. The important thing is not the spacing between the players it what kind of supply he gets and support. 

[Sussex Hammer]

Thanks Cleon.

[mikcheck]

Quick question: Does an AM(a) still get into goalscoring chances like an SS? I'm trying SS behind supporting striker but the role makes the player dribble to much for my liking and i dont like that. thanks.

[Fosse]

6 hours ago, mikcheck said:

Quick question: Does an AM(a) still get into goalscoring chances like an SS? I'm trying SS behind supporting striker but the role makes the player dribble to much for my liking and i dont like that. thanks.

Yeah, my AM-A was my top goalscorer one season notching a not particularly impressive 13 goals

[ChrisWillock]

A few questions, as I've just been getting into the game for the first time, but am pretty obsessive and meticulous in my approach:

 

a) I'm pretty obsessive about my youth teams, I set the tactics for them, including roles, before every single game, and am constantly moving players between U23s, U18s, and the first team making the lineups. One worry I have is, when I set my tactics for the first team a certain way (I'm already 100% familiarised with my three tactical setting for the first team)-- I have my tactics for the youth teams set to first team tactics, as by manipulating the first team tactics is the only way I know how to control them--am I having some effect on the first-team? For instance I've been trying to train Alexis to play CF, and Iwobi to play AM (C), etc., and although I continually get good reports from my coaches on their progression, I don't actually see tangible progress in terms of their adaptation to the position (via their little circle/bar filling up in terms of adaptation to the position). My question is, by changing the tactics midweek while the first-team isn't playing and the youth team isn't, or constantly changing the tactics and roles around radically, am I negatively affecting the first-team players' progress in training somehow? I don't think it should, especially because as I say I've got the familiarity for all 3 tactics at 100%, but wanted to resolve the doubt. 

 

b) Do my youth coaches change my tactics even though it's set to Use First Team tactics? For instance, if I've got a player set to play as an Inside Forward instead of a Winger (as I loathe wingers), but it's the same relative position (AM--L), do the youth coaches change him in match or when the match is simming to the position he's more familiar/'suited' to? 

 

c) Finally, any suggestions on getting players to adapt to new roles/positions faster? I've had Alexis playing as a Complete Forward (as well as training there, of course, I'm not that much of a newb, just to be clear) for a full season now, and despite positive reports from my staff, I'm not seeing the tangible progress. Same with a few other cases like Ben Sheaf at Ball Playing CB and Iwobi at CF, or Joe Willock and Emile Smith-Rowe at Inside Forward (the latter two are youth players, hence why I'm wondering if my youth coaches might somehow be changing their role on me despite having it set from the First Team tactics). 

 

 

 

Finally, this is least important, but once or twice I've changed the tactic (I play either a 4-2-3-1 wide, 4-1-4-1, or a custom 3-1-4-1) to set the youth team squad, and while the lineup I set for the team remained the same it got all messed up in terms of their positions (this was with the 3-1-4-1), anyone know why this may be the case? Just a glitch, or did I not set the tactics for the youth team in time? (I tend to wait til the day of the youth match to set the lineup/tactic, because if not it's just a hassle logistically). 

[Artin]

Why is there a downward orange arrow on a player's profile but their CA hasn't really gone down?

[mikcheck]

1 hour ago, Fosse said:

Yeah, my AM-A was my top goalscorer one season notching a not particularly impressive 13 goals

Thank you for your reply.

What would be the main difference between AM(a) and SS? I'm still playing FM15 but SS has dribble more and move into channels, while AM(a) doesn't. I suppose those are the differences?

[vasilli07]

3 hours ago, mikcheck said:

Thank you for your reply.

What would be the main difference between AM(a) and SS? I'm still playing FM15 but SS has dribble more and move into channels, while AM(a) doesn't. I suppose those are the differences?

I believe SS is more aggressive in attack. If you look at the positioning, he is alot higher than AM(A). He probably also needs to be a more complete player considering he has to do almost everything, be it putting in a killer pass, running at the defence, scoring and etc.

[mikcheck]

Thanks!

[superdave]

16 hours ago, ChrisWillock said:

custom 3-1-4-1

Oh, I'll bet it's customized!

I'm really curious about your question on youth team tactics.  My youth teams aren't producing for me at all.  Not sure why.

It's a problem now that I've qualified for Europe and I have to have 4 HG.  The HGs I have are miles away from being good enough.  On a side note, I've bought a couple of really young kids, like 16.  Will they count as HG from my own club at some point?

Keep in mind I'm American so I haven't really followed the FFP and home grown rules changes that UEFA has put in IRL.

[Pippadoc]

3 hours ago, superdave said:

Oh, I'll bet it's customized!

I'm really curious about your question on youth team tactics.  My youth teams aren't producing for me at all.  Not sure why.

It's a problem now that I've qualified for Europe and I have to have 4 HG.  The HGs I have are miles away from being good enough.  On a side note, I've bought a couple of really young kids, like 16.  Will they count as HG from my own club at some point?

Keep in mind I'm American so I haven't really followed the FFP and home grown rules changes that UEFA has put in IRL.

Yep, they will become homegrown after having been at the club for three years, if they are loaned out then those days won't count towards homegrown (club) status. If you loan them out to a team in the same country they will still accrue days toward homegrown (nation) status.

[ChrisWillock]

5 hours ago, superdave said:

Oh, I'll bet it's customized!

I'm really curious about your question on youth team tactics.  My youth teams aren't producing for me at all.  Not sure why.

It's a problem now that I've qualified for Europe and I have to have 4 HG.  The HGs I have are miles away from being good enough.  On a side note, I've bought a couple of really young kids, like 16.  Will they count as HG from my own club at some point?

Keep in mind I'm American so I haven't really followed the FFP and home grown rules changes that UEFA has put in IRL.

 

Haha I have a number of CBs that I want to get playing time to, including a few ball-playing CBs who are reasonably mobile (Chambers and Bielik--Holding on loan right now though West Brom is ****ing me over, FM really is ****ing realistic btw, West Brom promises truly promising young Arsenal players playing time and then doesn't play them just like in real life!--behind Kos, Mustafi, and Per, who I play in the middle of those 3), though tbh it hasn't been too successful of a tactic for me, it makes me really good in terms of controlling the game and playing in the opponents' half, but the opponent tends to create loads of chances on the counter, but yeah, the idea behind it was to use Chambers as my back-up RB to Bellerín, but as I don't like him as RB I wanted a formation that would accommodate him as a CB. Then I thought that Coquelin would make a good wing back as he's really just a ball-winner (in real life, in the game he's pretty overrated tbh), but he's not good as a wing-back so I end up putting Elneny as the DM in front of the defence, with Xhaka/Wilshere/Zelalem and Coquelin (gotta have Coquelin in it or else there's just not enough athleticism for it to not be a total non-starter defensively) in front of them. 

 

On the youth teams, I'm a newbie to the game, but I've had a lot of success with development (my namesake, and Donyell Malen, Bielik, Joe Willock, and Emile Smith-Rowe, players who weren't rated THAT great by the game when I started it, have improved loads in ability and potential, and the other ones who *were* rated by the game--Reiss Nelson, Vlad Dragomir, and Eddie Nketiah, have developed similarly well), even the players I don't play show really good development tbh. But the ones I'm interested in I play absolutely as much as possible between the U18s, U23s, and picking my spots for them with the first team, and the ones I'm not I either send out on loan or release, so my youth coaches won't have the option to play them as subs above players I prefer. 

 

Dunno what team you're using, it might just be down to the quality of my youth team players, but I also have now upgraded my Youth facilities twice--I don't really spend on transfers so I have loads of money and leeway to make the requests--and get the absolute best coaches/Head of Youth Development I can, put a lot of effort into that, even fired Andries Jonker (along with Steve Gatting and basically the rest of the current Arsenal youth set-up aside from a few exceptions) in favour of a guy named Thomas Albeck who has absolutely brilliant coaching stats, and then I pay other high level coaches extra money so they reconsider youth jobs they don't really have much interest in. 

Edited November 14, 2016 by ChrisWillock