Second Season Dilemma

[woody2goody]

Hi guys, I wondered if I could have your input on a big decision I have in my game.

After 12 years of playing CM and FM, I earned my first promotion last week! I managed to get Kallithea of the Greek National B Division up into the Superleague, rubbing shoulders with AEK, Olympiakos, Panathinaikos, PAOK and the rest, but despite having a much-improved squad, a larger wage budget and the adoration of the board and fans, nothing I try is working.

After winning the first league game 3-1 (giving me a decent feeling about the upcoming campaign), we have taken precisely one point from the next 12 games and conceded 27 goals in the process while scoring only 5. I've tried two upfront, one upfront - wingers, a flat four, a Chelsea-style 4-5-1/4-3-3. I've switched keepers, used all three passing styles, and nothing. Most of the games aren't even close, and the ones that are just aren't going our way.

So now I've come to a bit of a crossroads - do I stay, try to do the seemingly impossible task of staying up, or resign and start again.

I know some of you will say that I'm giving up too easily, and I have thought that myself today. After the miracle promotion, I am fairly unlikely to be sacked no matter how badly we do this season, but I have lost the dressing room to some extent, the wage budget is now only sustainable in the Superleague - relegation would make operating with the current squad very difficult, but I don't really want to leave.

However, playing over half a season with virtually no hope of survival is not fun at all. The players are decent, and it's not like the other teams are amazing, but I'm just struggling to get anything going no matter how hard I try or who plays.

What should I do??

[Cougar2010]

Well first off stop changing tactics all the time.

If you choose to stay and fight then you need to concentrate on making your team hard to beat. Pack the defence and midfield, play narrow, push the opposition wide/back and try to pick up points with set pieces/counter attacks.

[woody2goody]

I stuck with my tactics from season 1 for about 8 games before messing about with it.

I just played 5 at the back in the last game and did a lot better, so I'm going to go with that for a few games, switching between 5-3-2 and 5-4-1 depending on the opponents.