Football Manager 14 Feedback Thread - 14.1.4

[scott MUFC]

yea sometimes get 2 or 3 scout reports reporting the same players.

what are my scouts doing?

[ajw10]

These lobbed goals are getting out of hand now. Becoming even more clear when I go 5/6 games with conceding and then concede a lob. Not exaggerating now when I say that it's pretty much the only type of goal I see against me.

It's an issue with the keepers, they come charging out as if they're blind to the defenders covering.

[ndias]

Just bought the game as usual, this time trusting it's quality and improvement over the years, without reading anything about the new "features"... Just found out the sliders are gone (haven't followed the foruns for a long time). I see that a pool took place and this issue has been largely discussed, as the thread is closed I just wanted to drop my thoughts and this seems the right place (if not, sorry).

I dont get it. Why is it more realistic "say" to a player, I want you to play the role of a defensive midfielder with defend duty, rather than have sliders to adjust? Who says that there is a universal understanding of what a defensive midfielder with defend duty is? The work of a coach during the week is tunning the players understanding of what he expect from them in the field, either for his vision of the team filosophy or for a specific strategy for a match, I allways saw sliders like that. Surely the roles translate into sliders, than what is the problem with having them?? Talk about realism is bs, in my opinion. It just feels that options are being removed from the user, freedom is lost. It feels that instead of improving the match engine to be able to cope with "crazy" tactics, the options to set the team are being trimed to set boundaries with which the match engine will cope well and produce more "realism". In my opinion the same happened with the removal of arrows but I wont go into that.

Really gutted with slider removal, in my opinion it just makes the game feel more similar to a facebook football manager game (a bit extreme example but hope you get what I mean). I don't doubt the good work in the creation of the roles, there are a lot of options, but I also want to set my roles, not have to go with predefined conceptions of what is what.

Again a bit extreme, but I dont want to play FM for dummies.

Wont make a difference for FM future, but a part of the gamer me, just died.

[jc1]

Setting your defence to drop deeper doesn't mean you'll never be caught out by a long ball over the top. People need to get out of the way of thinking 'If I do A, then B will NEVER happen', otherwise they'll simply never enjoy the game.

I never said it would, I had push higher as the previous defensive instruction, I was just seeing if by making them sit slightly deeper, it was would help eliminate the way they seem to deal with the long ball overhead. The 2 central defenders nearly always hesitate when the ball comes over, by the time they've realised what's happened, they're a yard or two behind the striker. I was curious to see if by setting them deeper, they might anticipate the overhead ball a bit more, or if the AI team would realise they were deeper and maybe not try this as often, it's called trial and error to attempt to change things for the better and get caught less with this ball.

Just played a few more games with this newer tactic of sitting slightly deeper, the defence now seems to anticipate the long overhead ball a bit more and seeing less of it in game

[nilsatis]

Just playing through my first season after the patch and I seem to be having some strange behaviour from my scouts it seems if I set my scouts to roam regionally they seem to get stuck bouncing between a couple of countries for instance I have newton motta roaming in south America he has his 100% Brazilian knowledge as a given so he starts in Argentina he maxes that then will try to go back to brazil but never seems to want to go to any of the other countries but to make matters worse they seem to ignore your overall club scouting knowledge so sending another scout to south America with the same duty to roam they overlap each other so the second scout will start to scout Argentina when the first one has just finished there so its totally inefficient so at the moment I have 2 scouts scouting the same 2 countries in the whole region forcing me to now scout each individual country manually.

Hope I made clear what I'm trying to get across is happening and is this an actual bug or something I just don't understand about how it works I don't remember anything like this in any other version.

[Magnakai Haaskivi]

I have a great deal of respect for his contribution to tactics over the years. However, I fundamentally disagree with his "gamer approach" perspective, as it tends to result in beating the game, not the AI, and thus weakens the simulation. I also think that that kind of approach ultimately harms the "learning to play" FM process.

I don't understand how "beating the game" isn't in line with "learning to play". Isn't the point of learning better tactics to win more games?

For me the problem with the tactics forum is that it constantly acts like the ME is an absolute; at the end of the day, this IS a game, and I DO want to win games. I'm not sure there's really a "pure" way to play FM like you seem to think there is, or a "right" and "wrong" way. There's things I wouldn't do in my game, but I'm not sure it's fair to constantly throw condescending statements at everyone who complains about something not working the way they think it should be working. At a point, it's counterproductive. LL has long, incredibly well thought out posts about setting up tactics that I relied on for several years, and his was the very first tactic "set" I used; it made far more sense to me than things that I was reading elsewhere. Dismissing him because he writes them from the perspective of someone who's playing a game is silly.

[BiggusD]

I don't understand how "beating the game" isn't in line with "learning to play". Isn't the point of learning better tactics to win more games?

For me the problem with the tactics forum is that it constantly acts like the ME is an absolute; at the end of the day, this IS a game, and I DO want to win games. I'm not sure there's really a "pure" way to play FM like you seem to think there is, or a "right" and "wrong" way. There's things I wouldn't do in my game, but I'm not sure it's fair to constantly throw condescending statements at everyone who complains about something not working the way they think it should be working. At a point, it's counterproductive. LL has long, incredibly well thought out posts about setting up tactics that I relied on for several years, and his was the very first tactic "set" I used; it made far more sense to me than things that I was reading elsewhere. Dismissing him because he writes them from the perspective of someone who's playing a game is silly.

There is little difference between beating the ME and beating the AI.

There are exploitable holes in the tactical setups of the AI, that makes them as helpless as when you see a weakness in the ME (for instance corner bugs) and use it to your advantage. This was easier to see in previous versions, when all the AI did when they went a goal down was to swap to 424 and boot the ball up as quickly as possible. Hardly "inventive" and easy to deal with. Now the AI goes from Standard/Counter or whatever they start out with, to Attack and eventually to Overload whether the formation and role distribution is designed to make that work or not.

If one person doesn't feel bad about employing a tactic that makes superior sides utterly fail repeatedly at what they are trying to do, why should other players feel bad about exploiting errors in the code (like for instance the long through balls currently).

[SpartyOn]

These lobbed goals are getting out of hand now. Becoming even more clear when I go 5/6 games with conceding and then concede a lob. Not exaggerating now when I say that it's pretty much the only type of goal I see against me.

It's an issue with the keepers, they come charging out as if they're blind to the defenders covering.

Never seen one of these lobs. Have noticed the keeper issue though. They charge out all the time and my dumb strikers wait until they're 2 feet away and then blast it right into them. Maybe need to start training the lob PPM.

[Lord Rowell]

My defender, Chris Smalling, was sent off and he was given a one-match ban.

I fined him 1 weeks wages.

Following a disciplinary committee meeting, he was given a further two-match ban.

I was then given the option to fine him... except I'd already done so?

Do you think this is a bug, or is this something that would normally happen?

If its a bug, I've already taken screenshots and saved my game at that point - but I just want to check before reporting it as I appreciate it might just be a normal event.

[dracon]

The problem is that this happens too often:

I have been playing CM/FM for 20 years, and I know that sometimes these things happen, but this year it happens too often, and it is a problem. A big one.

[roykela]

Just me or the scout reports always report at least 2 of the same players over and over again?

Same for me. My Head Scout reports even the same 3 players for about a year.

Then he changes one or two players, which he'll report back on for about a year.

[roykela]

Can't remember if i've mentioned this before or not; but i've noticed that sometimes players might

be on a run with the ball and while being in full control of the ball and the run, and with no players

around him, he can all of a sudden dive in in a sliding tackle, knocking the ball further away from

himself and thus, as a result, losing it.

Has anyone else noticed it?

[jimbob1000]

The problem is that this happens too often:

I have been playing CM/FM for 20 years, and I know that sometimes these things happen, but this year it happens too often, and it is a problem. A big one.

I just wish SI would accept it as an issue, then i wouldn't get so mad about it.

I went out of the CL against Galatasaray, they had 1 half chance over 2 legs, i had 6 ccc's and 8 half chances and i lost 0-1????????????????????

[pigfacemonkeyman]

I have often used the touchline shout "Pass To Feet" in boggy/wet conditions and felt it helped my team to hold things together better than the opposition, particularly in the early stages of a match. It can't be the default setting of every tactic and it isn't in the list of instructions, what happened to it?

[RTHerringbone]

My defender, Chris Smalling, was sent off and he was given a one-match ban.

I fined him 1 weeks wages.

Following a disciplinary committee meeting, he was given a further two-match ban.

I was then given the option to fine him... except I'd already done so?

Do you think this is a bug, or is this something that would normally happen?

If its a bug, I've already taken screenshots and saved my game at that point - but I just want to check before reporting it as I appreciate it might just be a normal event.

I'd log a bug just to be safe, it does seem a bit odd.

[RTHerringbone]

The problem is that this happens too often:

I have been playing CM/FM for 20 years, and I know that sometimes these things happen, but this year it happens too often, and it is a problem. A big one.

Three Clear Cut Chances from 36 shots, of which just a third were on target.

How many long shots?

For me, this isn't an issue with the game, but the fact that Cardiff sat deep and frustrated you, and the changes you made to break them down weren't effective.

[David91]

Any info on the next patch?

[Federico]

My defender, Chris Smalling, was sent off and he was given a one-match ban.

I fined him 1 weeks wages.

Following a disciplinary committee meeting, he was given a further two-match ban.

I was then given the option to fine him... except I'd already done so?

Do you think this is a bug, or is this something that would normally happen?

If its a bug, I've already taken screenshots and saved my game at that point - but I just want to check before reporting it as I appreciate it might just be a normal event.

Oh that happened to me too.

[dracon]

Three Clear Cut Chances from 36 shots, of which just a third were on target.

How many long shots?

For me, this isn't an issue with the game, but the fact that Cardiff sat deep and frustrated you, and the changes you made to break them down weren't effective.

Only 9 long shots. I think that it is an issue that my world class players shoot 27 times from inside the box and only manage to put 12 of them on goal, and none of them end on the net. This happens too often.

[RTHerringbone]

Only 9 long shots. I think that it is an issue that my world class players shoot 27 times from inside the box and only manage to put 12 of them on goal, and none of them end on the net. This happens too often.

Sorry, but one third of shots on target, and a quarter from distance is a tactical issue.

You are creating generally poor chances, and there aren't many world class strikers around who can finish poor chances.

Post your setup in the tactics forum if you want some suggestions about how to improve things.

[CactusC]

Another rage quit for me. This game is just impossible. I win games I should lose and lose games I should win. I don't care if it is my tactics or the ME, if I cannot build a somewhat consistent team after playing FM for 20 years something is clearly not right.

[Cougar2010]

Only 9 long shots. I think that it is an issue that my world class players shoot 27 times from inside the box and only manage to put 12 of them on goal, and none of them end on the net. This happens too often.

The problem is STs don't shoot to "Get it on target", if they did the % would be a lot higher.

Generally they are aiming for a much smaller target which is wide of the keeper and inside the post which is why the % of on target is far less. 12 from 27 is around 44% and while being a little on the low side for my liking is certainly not miles away for a one off match.

If its something thats happening to you regularly over a season then you need to look at why. It could be partly down to tactics, partly down to the player(s), partly down to teamtalks/morale/confidence.

Does it happen more often in FM than IRL? Once past the initial perception issues then perhaps for some users but generally even then its partly influenced by their choices.

What I would say though is the first goal is always vital, in the match you showed if you had got a goal I suspect you would have gone on to score a few more, the problem was you never got the goal resulting in confidence dropping in your team and growing in the opposition as the match progressed.

[dannyfc]

The AI doesn't pick up on short corners.

[Federico]

I think everyone should enjoy the game they want to play. A lot of us like 14.1.4, I personally think it's a big stepback compared to 14.1.3, and I would love to rollback to that version of the game.

Unfortunately it seems impossible to do that, Steam doesn't allow to install the game when "offline" (despite I already activated the code on the same machine) and just ignores the "disable auto-updates for this game" option (why?).

Am I condamned to wait for the next patch to play again then?

[Lord Rowell]

My defender, Chris Smalling, was sent off and he was given a one-match ban.

I fined him 1 weeks wages.

Following a disciplinary committee meeting, he was given a further two-match ban.

I was then given the option to fine him... except I'd already done so?

Do you think this is a bug, or is this something that would normally happen?

If its a bug, I've already taken screenshots and saved my game at that point - but I just want to check before reporting it as I appreciate it might just be a normal event.

I've filed a report in "other issues" here is the link. Thanks RTH

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/377268-Asked-about-fining-player-after-I-d-already-fined-him?p=9264469#post9264469

[Guest]

The one thing I wish that SI would change is tactics not working = players unable to pass the ball 10 yards under zero pressure. Or at least make it obvious why they can't make simple passes when they've got all the attributes needed and the mentality/tactical set up is specifically catered for a slow, simple passing game.

[afailed10]

Same for me. My Head Scout reports even the same 3 players for about a year.

Then he changes one or two players, which he'll report back on for about a year.

i got the same bug, got like 8 scouts but i always get the same reports from them even when after i keep clicking "skip nation" ...

[Magnakai Haaskivi]

Three Clear Cut Chances from 36 shots, of which just a third were on target.

How many long shots?

For me, this isn't an issue with the game, but the fact that Cardiff sat deep and frustrated you, and the changes you made to break them down weren't effective.

The problem is that you're both right. Yes, in THIS GAME, maybe he's poorly set up tactically. You can see his frustration, though, right? He's obviously set up a tactic that, for the most part, is successful. He's getting shots. He's holding possession. He's restricting his opponent's chances, and has built a quality team. Cardiff probably not on his level, and if you look at the season I bet this is one of the only games they've had this fantastic "sit deep and defend" performance. Does it happen in real life? Sure. But a LOT of people are complaining about this, with screenshots very similar to this, which means that there's either a mass delusion amongst the fanbase of the game OR there's some things that need tweaked. Plus, I'd almost guarantee that in the release notes for 14.1.5 (or whatever it is) there'll be a note that says "Tweaked striker accuracy" or "Tweaked chance conversion rates" or something.

If it were just him, I'd agree; it's a tactical problem. But I've seen this exact same complaint throughout the forums over and over again; frankly, I'm surprised he didn't lose the game, because that's something I'm seeing a lot of.. I'm sure it is a tactical mistake on some level, but if this many people are making that mistake then it's possible something in the ME isn't being understood by the people who are playing the game, or even needs to be tweaked.

[afailed10]

OK the average tackles per game on the EPL is ~17... but i get an average of 50 tackles per game against me? isn't something wrong? why my players get so easily disposed of the ball so often? it really gets to my nerves

http://www.whoscored.com/Regions/252/Tournaments/2/Seasons/2935/Stages/5476/TeamStatistics/England-Premier-League-2011-2012

[afailed10]

Also it's usual to get +20 attempted crosses and only 3 completed... In real life it's not that poor at all.

Btw, is it me or there is no dribbles per game stats anymore?

[howhigh1337]

btw anyone noticed how low FM14 dropped at most played games list at steam? I'm wondering why...

[themadsheep2001]

btw anyone noticed how low FM14 dropped at most played games list at steam? I'm wondering why...

It's 7th....

[howhigh1337]

It's 7th....

remember it being 3th/4th...

[BiggusD]

I see a lot of these insanely long goal kicks. Exchanges like the video below aren't uncommon, and I am currently counting how many goals like these I have actually seen in the league so far this season. I also count the number of goals resulting directly from a free kick taken in the middle of the pitch and how many from long passes and long attacks.

Is SI aware of this issue, or should I post my findings and .pkm examples in the ME bug forum?

[BiggusD]

So I have scored 54 and conceded 30 goals so far in my Skrill Premier campaign (18th of December, round 23)

Of those 84, 25 were of the type seen in the youtube clip in #1385, where most of them were scored by me and of a more direct kind than in that video, where there is some passing on the ground before the shot goes in. Most, both for and against, were long punt, ping on striker's head to other striker's feet and bam goal.

4 were from stupidly bad throw-ins. Of the kind where for no reason the taker neglects closer and easier options for what appears to be a clearance that goes directly to an unsuspeting opponent.

11 were from long passes behind the defense that were controlled exquisitly by the onrushing attacker.

Surprisingly, only one goal resulted from the defending team remaining high up the pitch when the opponent had got an indirect free-kick in the middle of the pitch by the flanks, only to be caught with the pants down as they lobbed the ball over the defense for an easy tap-in. I thought I had seen this a lot, so my mind must have tricked me. Although I haven't counted the cup matches, and this is the second season, so I am 100% sure I have seen it several times.

[Hit the upright]

Top of the league with Wrexham after 31 games, 81 goals scored, 21 against, I've scored 13 goals from corners 0 against but not a single goal from a free kick, for or against.

[jimbob1000]

The problem is that you're both right. Yes, in THIS GAME, maybe he's poorly set up tactically. You can see his frustration, though, right? He's obviously set up a tactic that, for the most part, is successful. He's getting shots. He's holding possession. He's restricting his opponent's chances, and has built a quality team. Cardiff probably not on his level, and if you look at the season I bet this is one of the only games they've had this fantastic "sit deep and defend" performance. Does it happen in real life? Sure. But a LOT of people are complaining about this, with screenshots very similar to this, which means that there's either a mass delusion amongst the fanbase of the game OR there's some things that need tweaked. Plus, I'd almost guarantee that in the release notes for 14.1.5 (or whatever it is) there'll be a note that says "Tweaked striker accuracy" or "Tweaked chance conversion rates" or something.

If it were just him, I'd agree; it's a tactical problem. But I've seen this exact same complaint throughout the forums over and over again; frankly, I'm surprised he didn't lose the game, because that's something I'm seeing a lot of.. I'm sure it is a tactical mistake on some level, but if this many people are making that mistake then it's possible something in the ME isn't being understood by the people who are playing the game, or even needs to be tweaked.

I COULD accept the problem being tactical to a point, but what kills off that argument is the way that either human goals are missed or the way AI scores its goals.

I cannot tell you how many times i've watched my star striker hit the post or crossbar when he has an open goal and the chances my team create through good play, only to keep witnessing the following.

AI Goals

* My GK spills a ball that is slowly rolling back to him straight to opponent

* My GK kicks ball to opponent striker instead of picking ball up when opponent has kicked it into box

* Own Goals - bullet headers from the middle of the box usually, when they could clear anywhere

* Penalties - I've even seen them given when the AI player appears to foul MY player

* Long ball clearance - A blind clearance from AI defender puts AI straight through on goal/or my 3 defenders surround the player who receives the ball and lets him walk in on goal unchallenged.

* Opponent is well marked but my player BEHIND the AI player decides to help by sliding in, amazingly putting the AI straight through on goal(a 3rd of all goals conceded this way in my previous season)

* My player trys to pass ball but instead hits it off the player in fronts heels, which then rolls straight into the path of AI striker

*Rebounds - I've seen 5 or 6 rebounds at a time go straight back to AI, this often makes it look like they have had more chances, when actually they all came from the same incident

There are loads more CHEAP GOALS the AI are always scoring, it makes up for about 80% of goals i concede, whilst at the other end about 80% of MY goals are genuinely well made deserved efforts.

That is why i think this "its your tactics" thing is ******** AND why i think the game is rigged.

[afailed10]

can't score a s-i-n-g-l-e header from crosses!!!!! even if the header is in the tiny box FFS it's a bug surely

[ajw10]

The amount of red cards is getting ridiculous now. Near unplayable this.

[hluraven]

The amount of red cards is getting ridiculous now. Near unplayable this.

I agree, I'm on 0 for me and 1 for my opponents in total so far, and I'm near the end of the season.

[TIR669]

Still because of my tactics?

Six games, goal difference 5-5. Then five games, all wins, goal difference 20-1 and then, AS I EXPECTED, comes mighty Kilmarnock, side whose players' have abysmal morale, sitting 12th with no wins in six games. And mighty Kris Boyd scores after a corner kick deflection in 83rd minute. They even had a player sent off in 60th minute. But nothing, after scoring 20 goals in five games, my players forgot to make a CCC so some people here can blame it on me and my tactics.

http://i.imgur.com/QtANQ25.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/pp86Onj.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/pEkWCg7.jpg

Not to mention all three lost league games finished 0-1, with goals in 92th minute (TWICE!) and 83rd.

http://i.imgur.com/zNuYmmh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/3Hg0Rzo.jpg

Cheers.

[BiggusD]

Still because of my tactics?

Six games, goal difference 5-5. Then five games, all wins, goal difference 20-1 and then, AS I EXPECTED, comes mighty Kilmarnock, side whose players' have abysmal morale, sitting 12th with no wins in six games. And mighty Kris Boyd scores after a corner kick deflection in 83rd minute. They even had a player sent off in 60th minute. But nothing, after scoring 20 goals in five games, my players forgot to make a CCC so some people here can blame it on me and my tactics.

http://i.imgur.com/QtANQ25.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/pp86Onj.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/pEkWCg7.jpg

Not to mention all three lost league games finished 0-1, with goals in 92th minute (TWICE!) and 83rd.

http://i.imgur.com/zNuYmmh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/3Hg0Rzo.jpg

Cheers.

Could be team talks.

[ajw10]

I agree, I'm on 0 for me and 1 for my opponents in total so far, and I'm near the end of the season.

After 14 Premier League games there have been 26 red cards.

[afailed10]

There's definitely an issue with headers. It seems players have a square box head and when they have an easy chance 2feet from the goal line the ball hits on the side of the square and misses the goal by a large margin, almost striking it to the side as a defender.

[Dagenham_Dave]

After 14 Premier League games there have been 26 red cards.

43 red cards in 19 games in the Championship this season in real life. It happens.

[Dagenham_Dave]

Still because of my tactics?

Six games, goal difference 5-5. Then five games, all wins, goal difference 20-1 and then, AS I EXPECTED, comes mighty Kilmarnock, side whose players' have abysmal morale, sitting 12th with no wins in six games. And mighty Kris Boyd scores after a corner kick deflection in 83rd minute. They even had a player sent off in 60th minute. But nothing, after scoring 20 goals in five games, my players forgot to make a CCC so some people here can blame it on me and my tactics.

http://i.imgur.com/QtANQ25.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/pp86Onj.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/pEkWCg7.jpg

Not to mention all three lost league games finished 0-1, with goals in 92th minute (TWICE!) and 83rd.

http://i.imgur.com/zNuYmmh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/3Hg0Rzo.jpg

Cheers.

Sorry, what actual point are you making here? Are you not allowed to lose games?

[ajw10]

43 red cards in 19 games in the Championship this season in real life. It happens.

The Championship has four more teams and a lower standard of player. Eden Hazard should not be getting sent off in the first 30 seconds for a two footed tackle. Joe Cole should not be the most sent off player in the Premier League.

[Dagenham_Dave]

The Championship has four more teams and a lower standard of player. Eden Hazard should not be getting sent off in the first 30 seconds for a two footed tackle. Joe Cole should not be the most sent off player in the Premier League.

In your game, he did and he is. In someone else's game he wouldn't and he won't be. Everyone's game is different. Before it happened last season, would you have predicted that Eden Hazard would have kicked a ballboy at Swansea? It's not in his character, but he did it. Same with what's happened in your game, he's got a red card for an out of character challenge early in a game.

Imagine the amount of people who would be moaning if Man Utd were sitting mid-table in the first season of their game having lost two home games in a row to Everton and Newcastle had it not actually happened in real life.

You really need to stop looking out for every single little perceived inconsistency in the game. No wonder you're not enjoying it.

The game's not perfect, but it's still a tremendous bit of software.

[ajw10]

I know it can happen, but it happens way to frequently on this game. And actually, I'm fine with inconsistencies, just not glaring ones like this. Players are getting sent off against me an alarming amount of times. Makes the game much easier.

[BiggusD]

43 red cards in 19 games in the Championship this season in real life. It happens.

To me it is not the number of red cards that is faulty. It seems fine when checking in large enough samples.

However, there is a problem with -how- red cards come about in my game. There is an extreme amount of hapless fouls from behind in the middle of the pitch. I'd say that a vast majority of the yellow cards I see are caused by that kind of foul. Consequently most reds are too.

When you have got the ball carrier to face his own goal and you pressure him so much that he can't turn around and create something dangerous, you have succeeded with your task. There is no need to stick out a foot and trip him over. There is no need to actually get the ball! Just let him make that backpass, rinse repeat.