What exactly have I paid for here?

[SiLarcs]

After starting numerous games in the Skrill North & South juggling tactics, trying every formation thinking "one's gotta work - this team that I've assembled is surperior to most", I came to the conclusion that it was absolutely impossible to hit the big time with lower league teams like I have previously done on FM13, 12, 11 etc. Anyway, I thought I'd rediscover that winning feeling by resorting Editor & putting together a dream team like I did when I was 12 or 13 and wanted Beckham, Zidane & Rivaldo in the same team.

Chosen club: Blackburn

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Team News: Devastated to learn that Bale starts with a 2 month injury, but thought the other 10 world beaters in my line up should be able to carry a somewhat 'capable' replacement in Alan Judge.

So Derby away, not the easiest but it won't matter surely. I have the ultimate team, the team that you hope to achieve after playing it for 30 seasons and trying to get the best player in every position!

Slightly puts my lower league efforts with Dover & Eastleigh into perspective, how was I ever going to succeed? Played FM for years & years, way back into the Championship Manager days but never known a game like this. Is this an error that needs fixing? Or have I just turned into the gaming equivalent of Steve Kean where no one wants to play for me & nothing I do or try will work?!

[daylight]

Messi, Ronaldo pffft.

1 Conor Sammon, theres only 1 Conor Sammon.

[cdleedsfan]

You need an anchor man.

[Stewart91]

Your problem is no Bale on the left.

[V50]

Hate to add the cliché, but it's likely your tactics You have a big space between defence and midfield if Fabregas or Vidal do not have defensive duties. This can be made worse if your full-backs aren't pushing forward either. it could also be that the whole team is new and totally clueless in teamwork

[Arisilan]

Playing with Colwyn Bay (lowest league) and using the same formation. Was tipped for relegation but atm i'm sitting securely in top 3.

So yeah, it's very much possible to start successfully from bottom.

[SiLarcs]

Had Fabregas as DLP and Vidal as BWM (Both Defensive). And should it really matter? Really?!

[SiLarcs]

Priceless!

[milnerpoint]

I think you have just shown everyone how poor you are at the game, well done.

[Keyzer Soze]

How can i say this..... You suck at this game!

[daoan]

regardless of the tactic no small team should be able to beat a team of world beaters like that..

[Erimus1876]

This is interesting.

You should keep us updated as your season progresses. Keep an eye on morale, even the best players in the world will play like passionless zombies if their morale is shattered.

Also try and stick to default tactics and roles to eliminate the "its you tactics" argument. At the very most keep it simple if you feel the need to tweak them.

From my own experiences I've found player ability and attributes come in a very distant second to morale management, which isn't always a bad thing, but in a game where the transfer market is a big part it can kind of negate the fun factor if you know you can get an average skilled nobody to constantly out perform a £25m superstar.

Interested to see how your season pans out, especially once your team has gelled

[Dagenham_Dave]

Also, I'm quite sure most of those players are going to be desperately unhappy playing in the English Championship. And they'll take a while to gel. And you're clearly rubbish at it.

Other than that, good point, well made.

[forameuss]

What? You can't exploit the game by editing in a seemingly tabloid-created super-team? Call the red-tops!

[Fabio MVP]

Priceless!

You are the worst football manager I have ever seen.

[HTC]

What? You can't exploit the game by editing in a seemingly tabloid-created super-team? Call the red-tops!

I am waiting for you and all the others claiming that the ME is working fine to post screenshots of your realistic results.

[DizzyPenguin]

I think you have just shown everyone how poor you are at the game, well done.

It's comments like "is this an error that needs fixing" that make me laugh the most!!

Can you imagine if, when Cardiff beat Man City earlier this season despite all their world beaters in the squad, Pellegrini came out and said "With my players against their players to lose is an absolute impossibility. Something fishy has gone on."

In short OP... no this is a not a bug. Teams on paper don't win games. Good players help, but tactics, team-talks and morale, managers experience, weather style of football oppo's AI yada yada yada there's loads of factors not just how good are the players on paper.

[DizzyPenguin]

I mean, after a chuckle at this, it's actually quite annoying that some people out there think the game is as simplistic as that.

All this thread does is show just how much better the game is than it's competitors. It is SO realistic, it takes everything into account, not JUST attributes.

[forameuss]

I am waiting for you and all the others claiming that the ME is working fine to post screenshots of your realistic results.

Once they've built the game you clearly want where attributes beat all, then at least you'll be happy. Good luck.

[Macshimmy]

Its

Your

[vikeologist]

Go into editor and give all you players 20 for all attributes and change all the other championship team's players to 76 year olds who are all goalkeepers. I reckon you could squeak out a draw.

[SiLarcs]

Also, I'm quite sure most of those players are going to be desperately unhappy playing in the English Championship.

All happy actually, not one wants to leave or has said anything about moving to a bigger club.

From my own experiences I've found player ability and attributes come in a very distant second to morale management, which isn't always a bad thing, but in a game where the transfer market is a big part it can kind of negate the fun factor if you know you can get an average skilled nobody to constantly out perform a £25m superstar.

Interested to see how your season pans out, especially once your team has gelled

All of the players had either good/very good/superb morale before both games!

And from my experience if only one or two individual players have bad moral, it doesn't usually make much difference. I played with Torquay for a couple of seasons, my only stand out player (attribute wise) was Krystian Pearce who despite handing in 2 transfer requests was always the top performer.

[Wiitastic]

No wonder you can't succeed at Lower level when you have all superstar players at Blackburn, you still fail. It must be your tactics.

[nottmred1]

regardless of the tactic no small team should be able to beat a team of world beaters like that..

I take your point but I don't think Derby County and Nottingham Forest can ever be described as 'small clubs'.

[Georgik]

Some people here are really blind, also some comparing his team with Man City, i tell one thing, IRL Nottm Forret or Derby wouldnt stand a chance against this even if they are woken up at 4 AM , drunk , jog on.

[deltablue]

Low squad familiarity won't help either, though I don't claim that's the main reason, just stating one of many reasons why a team of superstars thrown together may not been anything like as good as you expect.

[Macshimmy]

I've never had a pint with either of them, but something tells me Messi and C.Ronaldo wouldn't get on.

Ramos and Pique aren't exactly the best of pals either.

Alan Judge and Falcao might just possibly struggle to communicate.

[Dagenham_Dave]

The OP clearly didn't witness how PSG struggled in the early part of last season when they threw together all these superstars to play at once. They failed to win any of their first three games, and this with a world class manager in charge. You cannot just throw together a team of superstars and expect them to win every week from the off, particularly if they're playing in a more physical division. In that regard, I'd say the start your team has made is pretty much to be expected, although better management may have yielded slightly better results.

Your players will all have demanded transfers by Christmas of course, as within weeks, none of them will be happy playing at that level.

As a test of your management, it's an epic fail, as a social experiement, only slightly less so.

[Liquid Cool]

Low squad familiarity won't help either, though I don't claim that's the main reason, just stating one of many reasons why a team of superstars thrown together may not been anything like as good as you expect.

Exactly. Plus factors like low morale, low motivation (superstars playing in the championship for a no-name manager) and a lack of tactical familiarity when you keep changing things around.

It really is about trying to get work on long term stability and coherency. In my Liverpool save, it has taken half a season for my squad to gel and start playing some good football.

[screwy]

Realism seems to be the driving force for FM at the moment, if something happens in real life SI instantly mimic it in the virtual FM world. The problem is, all these little accumulations are really starting to sour the game. Realism is a good thing but FM is not real, it is a game.

The more they try to make it real, the more they polarise the outcome of any response you give as a human player. Leaving a right or wrong answer. A pre determined computer outcome with only one result. FM has become about finding out what the game wants you to do. Not imitating real life football. oh and your players cannot hit a cows back side with banjo even after after 40 plus shots in a game over the bar hits the post hes round the keeper but by a miracle its been cleared /gone wide/ blasted overand the you defender makes a howler and there forward with the crappy stats scores a worldy lob but its not you its your tactics .... uninstall the game and don't waste your money buying it next year

[le_crab]

This whole scenario is hilarious. Maybe you should try a more balanced formation.

[themadsheep2001]

I would love the OP to upload the save. Would like to see the varying results from people.

[Dagenham_Dave]

I would love the OP to upload the save. Would like to see the varying results from people.

That's a belting idea! Get on it SiLarcs!

[mrdanbartlett]

Seems harsh on the OP this thread.

I agree with him that this FM seems hard, actually they usually always do upon release..... then I eventually work out a few good tactics and can win with any team using them.

So i'd say try a load of different tactics and see if there is one that really hits the spot, IMO FM doesn't always tally up on that front, I.e you can pick a tactic that suits your team perfectly and still struggle, pick another one that's a bit weird and it works wonders etc.

[FrankFizzle]

Really are some laughable responses here. The typical ignorant comments of "It's just your tactics" - are people typing with their eyes closed?

Let's get this straight we aren't talking about the 5 time Ballon'D'Or winner Connor Sammon or Stuart Parnaby the next Bobby Moore, it's Derby County with an average Championship squad.

If you seriously think Ronaldo, Messi & Falcao rocking up at Pride Park & losing 2-1 because of their "managers tactics" you really need your head tested. I can understand how morale / pitch / player positions matter playing a team with similar quality but comments like "you should've played a defensive midfielder" wouldn't really matter with that super elite XI.

My interpretation of this years FM14? the AI are too good. Every tactic since the recent updates just don't have an effect. Like the original poster I have started in the lower leagues & manage to get Leamington a respectable 7th position with a small wage budget. Few updates / patches here & there & everything hits a brick wall. For some reason in both teams I've been in then Skrill North my normally dependable fullbacks have been banging out ratings of 5.45 after 10 games or so.

To justify the above paragraph regarding the AI if you have the time SiLarcs then start again with yourself as Derby, put a complete ****** regen manager at charge of Blackburn & play the game again. I can guarantee It will be a cricket score & you will get hammered beyond sight.

[ragnarokflame]

"After starting numerous games in the Skrill North & South juggling tactics, trying every formation thinking "one's gotta work - this team that I've assembled is surperior to most","

this one sentence addresses almost your entire point.

choose/tweak a formation that suits your players, and is well balanced between attack and defence, STICK WITH IT! and you should win easily in no time. i pretty much end up ignoring my first few results in a new game as they will be inconsistent after i change the formation and style quite dramatically from what they are used to, and new players bed in.

also using 2 relatively weak and not really very defensively accomplished players (replace them with Alonso and Yaya Toure and your rolling) in your central midfield isnt exactly a bright move. i can already see from the first screencap that most managers would likely be able to beat you by simply playing through the middle.

[9sublime]

I took over Bath, 20th in the Skrill South mid-season. In my first 20 games, I won 14 of them. By the final game, we won a play off place. It's not impossible at all, you just need to accept this isn't FM10, 11, 12 or 13.

I play no nonsense, probably quite unattractive football - direct, counter attacking, fairly rigid.

My guess is you are probably trying to play a fluid, attacking, creative football with this team from the off. Start off playing something a bit more simple and effective until they are comfortable with it, then tweak it slowly until you are eventually playing the kind ofattractive football a team like this would like to play.

[le_crab]

It seems a lot of effort going into the editor assembling a dream team just to get an easy 3 pts. Maybe someone should guide the OP over to the tactics forum.

[FM_test]

It's funny how people tries to find valid explanations to that unrealistic behaviour. It's clearly an unexpected subroutine/script called in a rare scenario (Messi &co playing all together in a lwoere division)... By the way, I would focus on other bug fixes that need to be implemented yet!

[themadsheep2001]

Really are some laughable responses here. The typical ignorant comments of "It's just your tactics" - are people typing with their eyes closed?

Let's get this straight we aren't talking about the 5 time Ballon'D'Or winner Connor Sammon or Stuart Parnaby the next Bobby Moore, it's Derby County with an average Championship squad.

If you seriously think Ronaldo, Messi & Falcao rocking up at Pride Park & losing 2-1 because of their "managers tactics" you really need your head tested. I can understand how morale / pitch / player positions matter playing a team with similar quality but comments like "you should've played a defensive midfielder" wouldn't really matter with that super elite XI.

My interpretation of this years FM14? the AI are too good. Every tactic since the recent updates just don't have an effect. Like the original poster I have started in the lower leagues & manage to get Leamington a respectable 7th position with a small wage budget. Few updates / patches here & there & everything hits a brick wall. For some reason in both teams I've been in then Skrill North my normally dependable fullbacks have been banging out ratings of 5.45 after 10 games or so.

To justify the above paragraph regarding the AI if you have the time SiLarcs then start again with yourself as Derby, put a complete ****** regen manager at charge of Blackburn & play the game again. I can guarantee It will be a cricket score & you will get hammered beyond sight.

You didn't watch the early struggles of PSG then? Never saw Pellegrini's Madrid get embarrassed by lower level opposition? If his whole set up is flawed, not just his on pitch tactics, but the whole cohesion and set is off, then he is going to have issues.

The simple fact is, most real life sides are well drilled at their basics in terms of cohesion, so you rarely see that level of no cohesion. PSG were an excellent example of when that cohesion isn't there in a big team.

Your interpretation is wrong by the way.

[Shanksie1975]

Quite an interesting notion I might give it a go myself (tho if I also fail I'll manage not to post SS's ).

[le_crab]

Really are some laughable responses here. The typical ignorant comments of "It's just your tactics" - are people typing with their eyes closed?

Let's get this straight we aren't talking about the 5 time Ballon'D'Or winner Connor Sammon or Stuart Parnaby the next Bobby Moore, it's Derby County with an average Championship squad.

If you seriously think Ronaldo, Messi & Falcao rocking up at Pride Park & losing 2-1 because of their "managers tactics" you really need your head tested. I can understand how morale / pitch / player positions matter playing a team with similar quality but comments like "you should've played a defensive midfielder" wouldn't really matter with that super elite XI.

My interpretation of this years FM14? the AI are too good. Every tactic since the recent updates just don't have an effect. Like the original poster I have started in the lower leagues & manage to get Leamington a respectable 7th position with a small wage budget. Few updates / patches here & there & everything hits a brick wall. For some reason in both teams I've been in then Skrill North my normally dependable fullbacks have been banging out ratings of 5.45 after 10 games or so.

To justify the above paragraph regarding the AI if you have the time SiLarcs then start again with yourself as Derby, put a complete ****** regen manager at charge of Blackburn & play the game again. I can guarantee It will be a cricket score & you will get hammered beyond sight.

Really got to disagree with you Frankie. I think it really is as simple as tactics or to a greater extent management style. If it was just Ai being too good everyone would be struggling and that's not the case. An unfamiliar team would also not help as the mad sheep said look at psg last season.

[Macshimmy]

Seems harsh on the OP this thread.

Yes.*

*Providing of course that the OP isn't the transparent alias of an embittered serial whinger who has constructed this entire wholly fatous experiment

for the sole purpose of increasing the amount of whine in the universe.

Regarding galactico teams, I think Fergie put it quite well:

'The work of a team should always embrace a great player but the great player must always work.'

[FrankFizzle]

Are you really suggesting that because a PSG early struggle & Real Madrid losing 1 match against a team in a league below them justifies the fact that a team combining Falcao, Messi & Ronaldo all fail to score for 180minutes, against opposition of the mighty Nottingham Forest & Derby County?

To be honest, I've tried the whole "sticking with formation" signing players for specific positions (copying a respected posters formation) all to no avail.

I actually spent 2 hours yesterday reading through WWEFAN (?) 12 page guide on player roles etc & did pick up some useful information. Put it to the test & was back to square one with damaging defeats to Brackley Town.

On one season I experimenting with both my defensive midfielders specifically marking the adjacent wingers to stop the shed loads of goals from the wings. Stopped that problem but then got bored of the 30 yard goals that went in all the time as there wasn't any cover for defenders.

At times it seems if you are trying to tackle a problem you get penalised by the AI. Another example being my left back specifically marking / tight marking a 17 left midfielder in one game (a good left defender at that) & he plays 5.40 & the 17 year scores a hattrick. Again, if I didn't set him them instructions he wouldn't have scored a hattrick. (Goals would've come elsewhere though guaranteed)

Like I said at the very beginning of the BETA I didn't experience too many problems but since a couple of updates it's been ridiculous.

[themadsheep2001]

Are you really suggesting that because a PSG early struggle & Real Madrid losing 1 match against a team in a league below them justifies the fact that a team combining Falcao, Messi & Ronaldo all fail to score for 180minutes, against opposition of the mighty Nottingham Forest & Derby County?

To be honest, I've tried the whole "sticking with formation" signing players for specific positions (copying a respected posters formation) all to no avail.

I actually spent 2 hours yesterday reading through WWEFAN (?) 12 page guide on player roles etc & did pick up some useful information. Put it to the test & was back to square one with damaging defeats to Brackley Town.

On one season I experimenting with both my defensive midfielders specifically marking the adjacent wingers to stop the shed loads of goals from the wings. Stopped that problem but then got bored of the 30 yard goals that went in all the time as there wasn't any cover for defenders.

At times it seems if you are trying to tackle a problem you get penalised by the AI. Another example being my left back specifically marking / tight marking a 17 left midfielder in one game (a good left defender at that) & he plays 5.40 & the 17 year scores a hattrick. Again, if I didn't set him them instructions he wouldn't have scored a hattrick. (Goals would've come elsewhere though guaranteed)

Like I said at the very beginning of the BETA I didn't experience too many problems but since a couple of updates it's been ridiculous.

did you even read what I said? PGS hugely struggled for a number of matches. He has zero cohesion and struggled in to score 2 games, there is nothing outlandish about that. The comparisons of a total lack of cohesion/tactical balance are are there.

You do realise the match engine cannot tell the difference between the AI and you, right?

Re defender, did you consider that your instructions might then not have been the ones to give? Because he clearly has you on toast. What did you do after he got the first? or the second?

[le_crab]

The first season the qataris took over at psg they finished 2nd behind Montpelier.

[themadsheep2001]

The first season the qataris took over at psg they finished 2nd behind Montpelier.

Playing some pretty bad football too. But I wasn't comparing a whole season, but the opening two games of a season which a bunch of (extremely) talented players with zero cohesion and balance (which compares to the OP)

[cynet]

Pre-Order cancelled!!!!

[screwy]

my man city team with world class players in it steamrolled the other team my stats first possession 67%/33 shots 45/8 on target 28/2 and the score man city a big fat 0 Lincoln city 2 with there world class keeper haha only a pre season friendly, its not a game no more the only way to play is to cheat so theres no fun in it, and lets face it who wants to play a game were you buy players for a certain formation only to find that after 10 games the AI has sussed you out you have to change formations and some players you don't need etc not real at all as most teams have 2/3 tactics at most and stick to them , Barcelona do they play 442 1 week 3421 the next 352 the week after 433 after that 451 week after 4231 and so on no they play same way every week every game every team knows that do that get thrashed all the time ? no , man u in there pomp played same way never changed ,arsenal play the same every game ,on fm the AI stops you every game and the fact your players carnt score/defend .

[Liquid Cool]

Are you really suggesting that because a PSG early struggle & Real Madrid losing 1 match against a team in a league below them justifies the fact that a team combining Falcao, Messi & Ronaldo all fail to score for 180minutes, against opposition of the mighty Nottingham Forest & Derby County?

To be honest, I've tried the whole "sticking with formation" signing players for specific positions (copying a respected posters formation) all to no avail.

I actually spent 2 hours yesterday reading through WWEFAN (?) 12 page guide on player roles etc & did pick up some useful information. Put it to the test & was back to square one with damaging defeats to Brackley Town.

On one season I experimenting with both my defensive midfielders specifically marking the adjacent wingers to stop the shed loads of goals from the wings. Stopped that problem but then got bored of the 30 yard goals that went in all the time as there wasn't any cover for defenders.

At times it seems if you are trying to tackle a problem you get penalised by the AI. Another example being my left back specifically marking / tight marking a 17 left midfielder in one game (a good left defender at that) & he plays 5.40 & the 17 year scores a hattrick. Again, if I didn't set him them instructions he wouldn't have scored a hattrick. (Goals would've come elsewhere though guaranteed)

Like I said at the very beginning of the BETA I didn't experience too many problems but since a couple of updates it's been ridiculous.

You honestly thought it was tactically sound to have your defensive midfielders get dragged out of position by marking the wingers? Of course that's going to cause problems when they attack down the middle.

There are still some issues with overpowered wingers because of low aggression from defending full backs. SI are working on tweaking that. In the meantime you can try closing the wingers down more and tackel them harder. And have your own wingers man mark the opposing wing backs, if they're overloading the flanks.