Football Manager 2016 Out Now - Official Feedback Thread

[bababooey]

Unless Benfica's entire squad is hiding in a bomb shelter, there is no chance Tondela goes to Lisbon and hits over 470 passes. Ever. Ever.

[HUNT3R]

Okay here's a match where we weren't outnumbered. We had the same formation!

That's a screenshot. It's not proof of anything. It's only proving that your pressing system isn't working.

But, you know the drill. If there's an issue, report it with the PKM and the instances where the pressing isn't what it should be. It's a very difficult area of the game to code, as you know.

[bababooey]

That's a screenshot. It's not proof of anything. It's only proving that your pressing system isn't working.

But, you know the drill. If there's an issue, report it with the PKM and the instances where the pressing isn't what it should be. It's a very difficult area of the game to code, as you know.

Of course, of course. But you know, we have to vent our frustrations somewhere. You've seen enough of me on the tactics forum. Besides this is the feedback thread

But also I just want to add this.. It is just a screen shot. But, it provides a good deal of information. In the above post I've shown my tactics exactly. I added OI's, too. Everything is there. You can see the opposition shape, and you know they're playing VERY defensively.

In terms of the system I've created, it's incredibly simple and I don't think it's flawed in a major way. A simple attacking 4-3-3 that aims to win the ball back high up the pitch, transition quickly, and play fairly direct / vertical. We've got adequate cover for every attacking player. We're a dominant team in Liga NOS, we can afford to play this way.

[szp]

My issue with mentalities is that they change instructions in both the attacking and defensive phase which can lead to confusion as they are separate parts of the game and are not necessarily related. For instance, the counter mentality states clearly that it is best used when you expect to lose the battle of possession and want to get men behind the ball, but by editing the team instructions you can get a high pressing, patient possession style of play a la Barcelona which completely contradicts the purpose of choosing that mentality in the first place. I think it would be much simpler to separate these two phases of the game by ditching the mentalities.

I think a build up style as a base for the offensive phase and a pressing style as a base for the defensive phase would be a more user-friendly way of doing things. Below is how I would re-work mentalities:

Build Up Style - Possession / Mixed / Direct

Default instructions

Possession (passing style = short, mentality, tempo, width = medium-low)

Mixed (passing style, mentality, tempo, width = medium)

Direct (passing style = direct, mentality, tempo, width = medium-high)

Additional build up instructions

Mentality - much safer / safer / riskier / much riskier

Tempo - much lower / lower / higher / much higher

Width - narrow / fairly narrow/ fairly wide / wide

So by default a possession style will have a lower mentality than a direct style.

Pressing Style - Low / Medium / High

Default instructions

Low (defensive line, closing down = low)

Medium (defensive line, closing down = medium)

High (defensive line, closing down = high)

Additional pressing instructions

Defensive Line - deeper / higher

Closing Down - less / more

Instead of choosing a counter mentality with various instructions to replicate a possession-based, high pressing style of play, now all you need to choose is a possession build up style and a high pressing style.

This is a fantastic idea. I hope that SI will at least think about it

[martplfc1]

How long does it take for your team to get to "accomplished" or "fluid" tactical status? I set 3 tactics at the beginning of the season, and I've had my training on full match training, high or very high, and I'm still only competent (below 50%) with the tactic I've used for most of the season (I'm at the end of September, so 2 - 3 months playing time).

I have no TIs or PIs either, other than those assigned to the role.

[RobertPage]

Still finding defensive midfielders are getting lower ratings than deserved. Playing brilliantly but struggle to make a 7 rating as the rest of the team make it comfortably (in comfortable wins that is)

[Loversleaper]

^ Yeah, not much you can do about it now. The main issue is indeed the pressing in areas higher up the pitch, if you're facing teams such as Academica playing with Benfica they will start cautiously or borderline time wasting from from kick-off, the clue is in the match odds prior to kick off as to how big an underdog / favourite an AI team will see itself.

High Pressing in the Attacking Strategy still implements Less and Much Less Closing Down for most roles in contrast to the Team Settings. Here are a few examples of Highest Defensive Line + Highest Closing Down + Prevent GK Distribution:

I have tried these settings on home field as Large Favorites in an attempt to see if we could prevent the short pass. I could post screen shots all night of it not working...

So you'll turn the ball over in a couple of moves even on fairly moderate team mentalities such as standard, whilst the AI team on defensive mentality will have the keeper take the ball, roll it out to a defender and the time wasting underdog has multiple times the passes as during each spell of possession.

Here lies the other problem that bababooey and others like him are experiencing in the possession department:

The green circles should be primary targets, yellow secondary and the red line is the line of the pass and the orange circle with the arrow picks up the ball.

One of my favorites:

In this frame, Rooney has three options but launches a wild wide pass that gets easily intercepted. Quite frustrating as a spectator and this is with retain possession + short passing + play out of defense. If your team isn't over the halfway line, this is the type of football you are going to see in the more attacking frameworks...

[bababooey]

Of course, of course. But you know, we have to vent our frustrations somewhere. You've seen enough of me on the tactics forum. Besides this is the feedback thread

But also I just want to add this.. It is just a screen shot. But, it provides a good deal of information. In the above post I've shown my tactics exactly. I added OI's, too. Everything is there. You can see the opposition shape, and you know they're playing VERY defensively.

In terms of the system I've created, it's incredibly simple and I don't think it's flawed in a major way. A simple attacking 4-3-3 that aims to win the ball back high up the pitch, transition quickly, and play fairly direct / vertical. We've got adequate cover for every attacking player. We're a dominant team in Liga NOS, we can afford to play this way.

The TI's chosen in that SS were an adjustment in game. Not the baseline we use, my mistake!

[phnompenhandy]

How long does it take for your team to get to "accomplished" or "fluid" tactical status? I set 3 tactics at the beginning of the season, and I've had my training on full match training, high or very high, and I'm still only competent (below 50%) with the tactic I've used for most of the season (I'm at the end of September, so 2 - 3 months playing time).

I have no TIs or PIs either, other than those assigned to the role.

you're giving them too much to think about. I start with ONE formation/tactic which they plug away with pre-season until they become fluid about a month into the season. Then I switch to a back-up formation and work at that until fluid and then maybe a third. I never do 2 or even 3 at once.

[jujigatame]

Yes, although I am playing as them. I was a bit disappointed to be honest, as my first league game, away to Man City, resulted in a 4-1 win. Lukaku is a goal machine and with good wingers and full backs the reality as defined by the current match engine is easy wins against the big boys by counter attacking. A bit of patience (ie not control or attack) against the small teams and you waltz to the league.

I assume you're accomplishing this with the counter mentality and maybe 'exploit the flanks'?

[bababooey]

As soon as you switch over to a lower mentality your possession stats go up drastically regardless of the amount of effort that goes into winning the ball back.

Obviously this makes sense in theory, if lower mentalities are designed to be more cautious and retain the ball HOWEVER... A user who wants to press high up the pitch / close down aggressive should benefit from a more aggressive mentality choice by default, as they have in previous FM's.

Right now, it just doesn't make sense.

Loversleaper's post is really good to see as well. Passing has its issues, and he's rightfully pointed that out.

We've heard a lot of talk about how counter-attacks are more effective, and that teams are able to defend properly now compared to FM15. That may be true to an extent. But I think a large part of why that is the case is because teams are incredibly cautious defensively. In FM15 people would close down like crazy and teams were easily exposed. Scoring goals was literally too easy. Now in FM16 I think attacking play looks good and there's plenty of goals to be had. But winning the ball back has become an exercise in futility.

[Sussex Hammer]

Anyone else experiencing a lot of red cards (2 yellows) from defenders? I have had 7 already in first season and it's only January.

[RvN#17]

Anyone else experiencing a lot of red cards (2 yellows) from defenders? I have had 7 already in first season and it's only January.

I ended one game with 8 players after my GK got injured I had to place my LB at goal, he got the 2nd yellow, placed my DM on goal, he also got the 2nd yellow.

Also what is this?

Valued at 20k and they ask for 7m for him, and that's not the first time. I had a save with HSV and in my third season and Passlack from Dortmund was also TL by his own request and valued at 2.5m and they asked 40m for him.

[jujigatame]

As soon as you switch over to a lower mentality your possession stats go up drastically regardless of the amount of effort that goes into winning the ball back.

Obviously this makes sense in theory, if lower mentalities are designed to be more cautious and retain the ball HOWEVER... A user who wants to press high up the pitch / close down aggressive should benefit from a more aggressive mentality choice by default, as they have in previous FM's.

Right now, it just doesn't make sense.

Loversleaper's post is really good to see as well. Passing has its issues, and he's rightfully pointed that out.

We've heard a lot of talk about how counter-attacks are more effective, and that teams are able to defend properly now compared to FM15. That may be true to an extent. But I think a large part of why that is the case is because teams are incredibly cautious defensively. In FM15 people would close down like crazy and teams were easily exposed. Scoring goals was literally too easy. Now in FM16 I think attacking play looks good and there's plenty of goals to be had. But winning the ball back has become an exercise in futility.

As far as I can tell the attacking mentality has been made completely worthless. The high line and combination of wonky defensive positioning and overly aggressive closing down leave you extremely vulnerable, and on the attacking end you lose possession from excessive long balls. Playing control/attacking in the current ME is a recipe for underperformance.

[themadsheep2001]

As far as I can tell the attacking mentality has been made completely worthless. The high line and combination of wonky defensive positioning and overly aggressive closing down leave you extremely vulnerable, and on the attacking end you lose possession from excessive long balls. Playing control/attacking in the current ME is a recipe for underperformance.

Except that is explictly not true. Pretty important to stress that such sweeping statements are very much incorrect.

[bababooey]

Except that is explictly not true. Pretty important to stress that such sweeping statements are very much incorrect.

From a literal standpoint of course it's not correct. But.. there's also something to be said for the general perception of how the game is playing out right now. We're not all Cleon when it comes to tactics. And fair play to him, he's phenomenal and incredibly helpful. But that isn't all of us, for sure.

I think that there is a LOT of evidence pointing towards horrible passing and shoddy defending. A quick view of the bugs forum shows that, and even the normal tactics forum, too.

There isn't a conspiracy to get SI, we love the game. But it's okay, IMO, for a paying customer to bring up legitimate concerns.

TL;DR jujigatame has a point, even if it's sort of a sweeping generalization, there's a degree of truth to it.

[samdiatmh]

I agree, being 6 points clear at the top of the prem after 27 games (of which I also have 2 in hand) is unrealistic, I should be doing better

[jujigatame]

Except that is explictly not true. Pretty important to stress that such sweeping statements are very much incorrect.

I'm sorry but I strongly disagree. Perhaps I am exaggerating with "completely worthless" but my point stands. I wouldn't go so far as to call it an exploit but tactics based around the counter mentality and wing play seem greatly overpowered right now. Both humans and the AI are able to boss the league with Everton using counter-attacking. Attacking almost invariably leads to an awful combination of depressed possession stats and defensive vulnerability.

[jujigatame]

My away record is just as good as my home record, and I'm fairly certain it's because I'm more conservative away and avoid control/attacking mentalities.

[Cleon]

As far as I can tell the attacking mentality has been made completely worthless. The high line and combination of wonky defensive positioning and overly aggressive closing down leave you extremely vulnerable, and on the attacking end you lose possession from excessive long balls. Playing control/attacking in the current ME is a recipe for underperformance.

This is what my next article I'm half way through writing is about. Showing people how to make attacking/control mentalities work and showing that you can use them to to play the perfect possession game.

[TurkishWonderkid]

While I was offering for a player, profit percentage fee is marked and locked by other club and I withdraw it. After a week later I wanted to give a new offer which %20 was still locked and could't give my new offer. Maybe I am gonna double the price why %20 was still locked even a week passed after the negotiations. Am I the only one had this problem?

[isignedupfornorealreason]

This is what my next article I'm half way through writing is about. Showing people how to make attacking/control mentalities work and showing that you can use them to to play the perfect possession game.

I wish for a day when that isn't necessary. (Absolutely no offence intended Cleon, as your work is fantastic.)

Tutorials would be great. We have coaching badges in the game now, why aren't they being used as a method to 'teach' the gamer how to work the ins and outs of the tactic creator. With the lower badges covering the simpler stuff and so on. In fact, do it twice - once as an optional pre-game thing and once as a mandatory thing if you wish to start with no qualifications in game.

Doesn't matter if no one uses it/reads it, at least then it is in the game.

[Dagenham_Dave]

Unless Benfica's entire squad is hiding in a bomb shelter, there is no chance Tondela goes to Lisbon and hits over 470 passes. Ever. Ever.

Well, not unless Benfica ever hire you as manager anyway...

[Svenc]

You can play a more possession based game on more attack-minded mentalities. This is about the duties and roles you pick, how players position themselves and behave. You'll need a few players who stay deep rather than rushing headfirst into the area. You are not and were never going to get a continental game at its most stretching and lateral though with any of the more aggressive mentalities. More aggressive mentalities restrict lateral and backwards passing. With lower pitched mentalities,

, not so much on "attack" at all. One of the reasons why screaming "attack" was never the guaranteed solution to crack open a team parking the bus, as forward passes prioritized over lateral passing meant play and the opposition was less stretched, and rather aggressively funneled towards goal. Duties are given more of an influence in that as of FM 2016 as they by default influence passing options and directions too now, less lateral and backwards passes on attack duty players in particular, moreso on defend duty ones (what was posted about thinking about going with more support dutys if you prioritize keeping possession and recycling the ball). I can see why this was made a default, attack duty players being generally more aggressive in their mentalities, as it makes those players for instance a little more aggressive in their positioning, for instance. The conflict that creates is naturally that you chose say a CM/a primarily because he's at all making forward surges from his position always vs. a cm/D or CM/s because he really doesn't.

It seems inconsistent on how oftenly and when the AI teams appear to switch to their time-wasting ploys, likely in parts because it is dynamic and a little different for each AI manager. They all have traits and formations edited into the db. Played an AI team in a pre-season match where it was just immediately visible the lowly sides wasn't engaging in such much as their keeper always kicked it rather than rolling it out to the next guy.

It wasn't as easy to do with lesser players/against better teams pushing up more aggressively though. Interestingly even against the lowliest of teams, the passing numbers you could accumulate previously are out of reach in FM 2016 though, which is likely an effect of AI teams being able to keep position better due to reworked tactics, though play in general seems to be more forward pushing, dunno. When I previously set up teams at extremes, like prioritizing playing keep-ball above everything else for 90 minutes it was often that the only shots/chances created genuinely came off set pieces*, whereas you get a very high shot count in this one even with defensive mentalities and players barely pushing up. Managing Arsenal has a few restrictions in that regard, as almost every wide player has runs with ball often, gets forward etc ppms though.

* mind, this was all with Arsenal too back then, which means a gifted team playing regularly against lesser opposition who themselves never aggressively pushed up/attacked. That clear-cut favourite vs underdog thing. Still matches away at City were a little tougher in that regard as they should be.

[luka_zg]

As far as I can tell the attacking mentality has been made completely worthless. The high line and combination of wonky defensive positioning and overly aggressive closing down leave you extremely vulnerable, and on the attacking end you lose possession from excessive long balls. Playing control/attacking in the current ME is a recipe for underperformance.

I've never had any succes in playing attacking mentality in any FM ever tbh.

Now I'm playing control almost every home game except if playing against much stronger opposition and it works quite well. And I don't use 10 TI's. Play out of defence,close down more, work the ball in the box,shorter passing and low tempo. I even have possession stats often on my side

[jc1]

In my save I play attack/fluid and after 15 games of the season I'm 14 points ahead of Rangers and yet to concede a goal. I don't give my players many instructions as they ones I want all seem to be locked in naturally with the team instructions, I've dropped my defensive line back a bit and kept is fairly simple, not over complicating things. I will during a game change my mentality depending on how the game is going but apart from that I play 4-3-3 narrow with attacking wingbacks and a good solid DM for cover, after reading all the main guys in the tactics forum over the past year or so I've realised that simplicity seems best, get the balance right for the team, not too many specialist players and just a few instructions and like any manager, don't be scared to change things during games if things aren't working.

[Muzolini8]

Quality release this year SI. However there are a few things that I've found a bit frustrating.

1. Pass completion. 34 games into the league and only 12 outfield players in the premier league have a pass completion greater than 80%. This is a bit frustrating. I play with a standard mentality, with retain possession and shorter passing, and it's a rare occurrence for my match pass completion to be above 81% (has probably happened only once or twice). I thought it might be my tactics until I saw that it was a wider problem in the game.

2. One on ones. It's very annoying to see my players get one on ones and just pass the ball to the opposition goalkeeper. I haven't seen my players tey to round the keeper even though I taught my striker the ppm. It's quite annoying. I know not every onevone is scored in real life, but you'd expect top players like Alexis, Morata, Dybala to score more than they miss. Either Si improve the defending, and make one v ones rarer, or improve the one v one finishing. I don't even bother getting hopeful when we get them anymore, my goals usually come from other types of chances (crosses).

3. Corners. What's the point?

[themadsheep2001]

I'm sorry but I strongly disagree. Perhaps I am exaggerating with "completely worthless" but my point stands. I wouldn't go so far as to call it an exploit but tactics based around the counter mentality and wing play seem greatly overpowered right now. Both humans and the AI are able to boss the league with Everton using counter-attacking. Attacking almost invariably leads to an awful combination of depressed possession stats and defensive vulnerability.

You might strongly disagree, and thats your choice, but its still fundamentally wrong.

[themadsheep2001]

I wish for a day when that isn't necessary. (Absolutely no offence intended Cleon, as your work is fantastic.)

Tutorials would be great. We have coaching badges in the game now, why aren't they being used as a method to 'teach' the gamer how to work the ins and outs of the tactic creator. With the lower badges covering the simpler stuff and so on. In fact, do it twice - once as an optional pre-game thing and once as a mandatory thing if you wish to start with no qualifications in game.

Doesn't matter if no one uses it/reads it, at least then it is in the game.

This is a whole other debate ( and one that I'm fully on the side on, though aware the actually implementation is tricky). But more info like Cleons and wwfans (among others) needs to be codified and added to the game itself.

[jc1]

You might strongly disagree, and thats your choice, but its still fundamentally wrong.

Exactly, I'm bossing the league in my Hibs save playing attacking/fluid occasionally changing to control or standard during the game, never once have I played counter attack and I'm scoring an average 3 goals per game with only 3 goals against in 17 games, I sometimes wonder if I'm playing a different game to a lot of posters on here.

[jujigatame]

I've never had any succes in playing attacking mentality in any FM ever tbh.

Now I'm playing control almost every home game except if playing against much stronger opposition and it works quite well. And I don't use 10 TI's. Play out of defence,close down more, work the ball in the box,shorter passing and low tempo. I even have possession stats often on my side

Well part of what youre doing with low tempo and short passing is making control play more like standard/counter. Im very shocked to hear you dont have defensive issues stemming from 'close down more' though. I had to remove it as it made an already high line even higher and my defenders were constantly scrambling to deal with balls over the top. Id also see issues with multiple defenders closing down the same man which opened big gaps in the line.

[Loversleaper]

Exactly, I'm bossing the league in my Hibs save playing attacking/fluid occasionally changing to control or standard during the game, never once have I played counter attack and I'm scoring an average 3 goals per game with only 3 goals against in 17 games, I sometimes wonder if I'm playing a different game to a lot of posters on here.

I think you haven't been following the issue - no body has been questioning the results of games or struggling to win - it's merely that the team settings you implement don't visually fit the description when looking at the screen. It's not all of the settings, it's that some of them either don't work or contradict the intended game plan.

You are presenting another problem with your Hib side that we haven't gotten too much into yet...

[jujigatame]

Exactly, I'm bossing the league in my Hibs save playing attacking/fluid occasionally changing to control or standard during the game, never once have I played counter attack and I'm scoring an average 3 goals per game with only 3 goals against in 17 games, I sometimes wonder if I'm playing a different game to a lot of posters on here.

Well youre going to have to explain what sort of voodoo youre using to accomplish this feat because Hibernian having a +48 goal differential after 17 games is utterly ludicrous.

[forameuss]

Well youre going to have to explain what sort of voodoo youre using to accomplish this feat because Hibernian having a +48 goal differential after 17 games is utterly ludicrous.

Why is it "utterly ludicrous" given that they're the clear 2nd strongest side in a league of some absolute haddies? They've got +18 after 15 games in real life, add in the "user always knows best" shenanigans, and it's easy to see Hibs scoring three goals a game on average, with most of them being to nil.

Unusual? Perhaps. Utterly ludicrous? Wind the hyperbole in.

[Loversleaper]

Well youre going to have to explain what sort of voodoo youre using to accomplish this feat because Hibernian having a +48 goal differential after 17 games is utterly ludicrous.

It is possible to achieve that, actually - speaking for myself, I have managed to get quite close to that type of scenario with mediocre teams as well.

[isignedupfornorealreason]

This is a whole other debate ( and one that I'm fully on the side on, though aware the actually implementation is tricky). But more info like Cleons and wwfans (among others) needs to be codified and added to the game itself.

Think my idea is a decent one? Linking it with the badges I mean. Obviously it would be optional and also accessible outside of the badges but since they are already there it would be a good thing to match together. It could even be made into a challenge scenario with a club 'grooming' your manager's career with the education, and the use of time-skips to advance to future seasons in order to create specific situations to teach specific things for example.

I'm more frustrated at this not being tackled yet, especially as I've got the young 'uns (*disclaimer: Not my actual young uns...) picking up a copy this year, and they've fallen into many traps that they came seeking my advice about. Unfortunately I'm not as good at conveying the information!

[isignedupfornorealreason]

Well part of what youre doing with low tempo and short passing is making control play more like standard/counter. Im very shocked to hear you dont have defensive issues stemming from 'close down more' though. I had to remove it as it made an already high line even higher and my defenders were constantly scrambling to deal with balls over the top. Id also see issues with multiple defenders closing down the same man which opened big gaps in the line.

Just to touch on this, all the mentality descriptions imply a direct brand of football except Control, with Counter being indirectly implied to be a possession game only after the fact of a direct counter has failed.

[jujigatame]

Why is it "utterly ludicrous" given that they're the clear 2nd strongest side in a league of some absolute haddies? They've got +18 after 15 games in real life, add in the "user always knows best" shenanigans, and it's easy to see Hibs scoring three goals a game on average, with most of them being to nil.

Unusual? Perhaps. Utterly ludicrous? Wind the hyperbole in.

I dont mean i dont believe him, i just mean hes acheiving a highly unrealistic result. Even rangers dont have a 3 goal differential per game IRL.

[jc1]

I think you haven't been following the issue - no body has been questioning the results of games or struggling to win - it's merely that the team settings you implement don't visually fit the description when looking at the screen. It's not all of the settings, it's that some of them either don't work or contradict the intended game plan.

You are presenting another problem with your Hib side that we haven't gotten too much into yet...

Sorry I thought the issue was playing attack or control doesn't/can't work and counter aattck with wingers is the only thing people can get to work, if this isn't the case then I misread it somewhere along the way

[Loversleaper]

Sorry I thought the issue was playing attack or control doesn't/can't work and counter aattck with wingers is the only thing people can get to work, if this isn't the case then I misread it somewhere along the way

The strategy ladder has a purpose, like svenc mentioned in regards to match odds. If you know how to use strategies you always do better than worse - it's always been like that (well, at least since 2006 when the ME changed). If you use only one tactic/strategy to gain success throughout the whole season/game - then what we are talking about is either 1) that the user found a tactic/settings that the ME can't cope with and/or 2) that the ME values are pretty weak (maybe in certain areas) so that they are easily overridden. Neither scenarios are good and usually needs a couple of patches to fine tune...

Edit: Forgot to add that the strategy ladder still works - a little too good maybe... That was the eventual point I was coming too...

[jc1]

After checking I have scored 52 goals with 9 against in 17 matches.

[jc1]

The strategy ladder has a purpose, like svenc mentioned in regards to match odds. If you know how to use strategies you always do better than worse - it's always been like that (well, at least since 2006 when the ME changed). If you use only one tactic/strategy to gain success throughout the whole season/game - then what we are talking about is either 1) that the user found a tactic/settings that the ME can't cope with and/or 2) that the ME values are pretty weak (maybe in certain areas) so that they are easily overridden. Neither scenarios are good and usually needs a couple of patches to fine tune...

Edit: Forgot to add that the strategy ladder still works - a little too good maybe... That was the eventual point I was coming too...

Fair enough, I have 2 tactics, one I play the majority of games but I vary the tactic depending on players and who we play, also the tactic changes during the game again depending on how we're playing.

[jc1]

I dont mean i dont believe him, i just mean hes acheiving a highly unrealistic result. Even rangers dont have a 3 goal differential per game IRL.

Rangers have scored 44 goals in 15 games, one short of 3 per game, not too hard to achieve is it.

[macca72]

This is a whole other debate ( and one that I'm fully on the side on, though aware the actually implementation is tricky). But more info like Cleons and wwfans (among others) needs to be codified and added to the game itself.

I think there's a couple of things that could be done almost immediately that aren't that tricky.

1. Tactics screen - When you are building a tactic the players move up and down as per role & duty, I would suggest they also move as per the current team instructions you have applied, you would get a much, much clearer visualisation.

2. Tactics "pitch" view - Sort of a predictive heatmap. This would be a view of the pitch showing which areas the roles / duties would cover the most (I get how the opposition play would impact this, but as an illustration).

3. Visual indication of risk. A simple visual indicator of the level of risk your current set-up provides e.g Attacking mentality + Higher DL + Faster Tempo + 4 attacking duties = Risk factor 5/5. I appreciate that's not the most sophisticated way of explaining it, but again I think it will help people to understand better what impacts TI's, Roles & mentality have on one another.

[Sir James Lancaster]

I think there's a couple of things that could be done almost immediately that aren't that tricky.

1. Tactics screen - When you are building a tactic the players move up and down as per role & duty, I would suggest they also move as per the current team instructions you have applied, you would get a much, much clearer visualisation.

2. Tactics "pitch" view - Sort of a predictive heatmap. This would be a view of the pitch showing which areas the roles / duties would cover the most (I get how the opposition play would impact this, but as an illustration).

3. Visual indication of risk. A simple visual indicator of the level of risk your current set-up provides e.g Attacking mentality + Higher DL + Faster Tempo + 4 attacking duties = Risk factor 5/5. I appreciate that's not the most sophisticated way of explaining it, but again I think it will help people to understand better what impacts TI's, Roles & mentality have on one another.

I think these are all truly excellent suggestions. For example it would make it obvious that having the GK distribute to a right/left back drags that player's average starting position much closer to the GK. Also, once you display this predictive visualization, you can add all sorts of useful information to it. Like displaying a heatmap of passing range for each player. Or display a region around a player that visually shows his closing down threshold.

I really don't want to have to watch an entire match just to figure out how tactical settings affect an players average position with or without the ball. It really should be visualized as you suggest.

[jujigatame]

Rangers have scored 44 goals in 15 games, one short of 3 per game, not too hard to achieve is it.

Right but you were also claiming to only have allowed 3 goals the whole season. Such a high GD for hibs makes you wonder if a ME imbalance is being exploited, much like when i see everton winning the league.

When i say "attacking is useless" i dont mean you cant win using it, particularly in a situation like rangers and hibs where your squad is much stronger than most of the league. What im saying is that more conservative tactics overperform and theres little reason to go attacking.

[themadsheep2001]

I think these are all truly excellent suggestions. For example it would make it obvious that having the GK distribute to a right/left back drags that player's average starting position much closer to the GK. Also, once you display this predictive visualization, you can add all sorts of useful information to it. Like displaying a heatmap of passing range for each player. Or display a region around a player that visually shows his closing down threshold.

I really don't want to have to watch an entire match just to figure out how tactical settings affect an players average position with or without the ball. It really should be visualized as you suggest.

You'd still have to watch the game to see if it played out the way you set it up. Games are dynamic and your will shape will be influenced (and influence) by the opposition

[themadsheep2001]

I think there's a couple of things that could be done almost immediately that aren't that tricky.

1. Tactics screen - When you are building a tactic the players move up and down as per role & duty, I would suggest they also move as per the current team instructions you have applied, you would get a much, much clearer visualisation.

2. Tactics "pitch" view - Sort of a predictive heatmap. This would be a view of the pitch showing which areas the roles / duties would cover the most (I get how the opposition play would impact this, but as an illustration).

3. Visual indication of risk. A simple visual indicator of the level of risk your current set-up provides e.g Attacking mentality + Higher DL + Faster Tempo + 4 attacking duties = Risk factor 5/5. I appreciate that's not the most sophisticated way of explaining it, but again I think it will help people to understand better what impacts TI's, Roles & mentality have on one another.

On 3: This is where I have an issue with the current names of the mentalities. Because they are actually varying degrees of risk, from Contain to Overload

I'd also add that we need to add more to show attacking and defensive transitions.

[WayneRomney]

Should it be possible to storm the refs locker room?

[HUNT3R]

No .