Football Manager 2016 - 16.2.0 Official feedback thread

[noikeee]

Not sure this is entirely accurate. Think people are trying to tie down far too many specifics into this. My setups vary from a control level 4-2 DM 3-1 (wide) to a standard 4-4-2, to a counter 4-3-3, across all three conceding against crosses is relatively. Crosses don't just come from the possession battle, but also quick transitions, so you cant really say its a narrow formation that wont see it/be the most dangerous.

I'm not saying the ONLY way you concede crosses is from deep, or that there isn't any other problem beyond the lack of marking of the fullbacks making the delivery... I believe there is another problem with marking in the area of the players that finish the cross, specially at the far post. And/or the fact finishing from volleys is too good (tbh I'd be inclined to even say by contrast there's not enough headed goals!).

I was just trying to explain in which circumstances the issue with the unmarked AI attacking fullbacks occurs the most. And those circumstances are pretty damn weird...

[onecockygeezer]

Ive just seen a blindin' bit of commentary. "And hes scored on his birthday, that's gotta be one of the best presents he received"

TBf that may have been in older versions but ive never noticed.

[s1111]

Offsides may be the most frustrating bug I have seen in the last few years of FM. There were 37 highlight clips on Comprehensive in this game, 15 of them were these offsides as you're forced to watch every single one. It's getting to the point where I just expect any highlight to be an offside. This isn't a one-off either, 10+ a game is common, the real life average is 4. It just destroys any sense of flow and kills several good scoring chances per game.

[Kriss]

Worth a bug report with pkm if you have that many in one match?

[Dagenham_Dave]

Total amount of offsides in my last 5 matches - 5, 7, 6, 5, 4.

In the last game, my team were caught offside 4 times, the opposition none, so this is something I haven't really noticed.

I guess if this is a bug, it might be dependent on some tactical set ups? Would be worth uploading to see.

[noikeee]

I'm not seeing that many offsides neither, but it's worth filing as a bug if every single one of them is picked as a highlight... that's not meant to happen, surely.

[Deisler26]

Just wanted to share my story on FM so far! I'm really loving this edition and after having a hiatus for several years I am firmly rooted back into my addiction!

So, I started as Aston Villa with some low beginner level stats, I'm talking Sunday League player and the lowest level of Coaching badges. First year was a struggle, to say the least, as I got to grips with the new features etc. I ended up getting sacked in November... Undeterred, I started the game again, with the same stats as before, determined to make it work. Again, I struggled with Player demands and results and telling my players that I was not pleased with the result (I won 3-0, I didn't mean to press this option, I saw pleased and just rushed through it. That was the final straw and I again got sacked but this time in December...

Again I started the game again, Aston Villa, same stats as before! This year was better, much better..to begin with. I went on a 10 match unbeaten run and won a fair few matches. I was safely mid-table by February. Disaster strikes, hubris sets in and my players simply stop performing, losing game after game and a devastating spiral of poor morale sets in. The team is stuck in an absolute rut with my inexperience unable to pull them out of it. I am 18th by May. It comes down to the last game of the season and all I need is a point and for Palace to not win. Happy days, I stay up.

I make some solid signings in the summer including Charlie Austin and Bas Dost. I start the season magnificently and am 6th by November. However, the deadly spiral of Over-Confidence sets in which quickly sinks into poor morale as I don't win for 5 games. There are talks of a take over at Villa...January arrives and I am under transfer embargo, unable to sign anyone. This is particularly vexing as I have my sights set on 5 million pound transfer listed Jack Wilshire. The take over goes through and the new owner tells me the plan is to get their own manager in charge, I am 10th and the comment strikes me like a knife through the heart. I lose the next game, and get sacked. I am devastated, ready to quit.

I endeavour, this time letting the game run its course and see where I end up next. I get a few offers from League 2, they all reject me. they want more experience in charge. Northampton come in and I ace the interview, I am Northamptons manager in February. I dislike it very much. I am not used to the league 2 system and how to play the league. The coaches are dreadful, the scouts are dreadful, the squad is massive and in my inexperience I do not know what a good player is at this level. They sign me outside of the transfer window leaving me only with free transfers to work with. There's no one available except for...the one, the only, Roberto Carlos!! He is 42 and very slow. He does ok for me, making some assists but the season is a write off, I finish 14th, the position they were when I joined.

I make some good signings in the summer again, 2 strikers again. They are unbelievable and in 10 games the one has 10 goals and 5 assists. I dominate the league with these 2 scoring as and when they feel like. 20 games in they both have 15 goals but the one has 10 assists also to his name. Come January I am top of the league, I get a few bad results and I then play Colchester who had are now 1 point ahead of me, they soundly beat me to take a 4 point lead at the top. I have a few more middling results, my star striker gets injured for 6 weeks. Disaster.

I bring in my back up striker who hasn't had a sniff all year, gets a hat trik in his first game, I feel like Harry Redknapp after lucking out. He goes on a scoring run and has 12 goals in 12 appearences, my star striker comes back and I rotate them. They all chip in when needed and I gain automatic promotion with 3 games left to play. The league title is still within reach and it goes to the last game with 1 point separating three teams. I need to win and for Blackpool and Colchester to lose. Colchester go a goal behind, as do Blackpool...I am at 0-0 and winning the title. Blackpool score, Blackpool score again. Then Colchester score. I need to go for the win and go all out attack, it backfires and I lose 3-0.

Nevertheless, what a buzz I got from that campaing. My striker finished on 24 goals and 15 assists, gets signing of the season, team of the season and player of the season. My other 2 strikers get 20 and 18 goals. Now I must prepare for League 1 and I am absolutely hooked!! Aston Villa also get relegated from the premier league, this makes me happy. You reap what you sow.

TL:DR I failed as Aston Villa manager, getting sacked 3 times in 3 starts with my settings as no experience. Go to Northampton and absolutely love my time there, getting them promoted in my first full season.

Sorry for the wall of text, I am very excited!

Love this. Best of luck, dude

[Bigpapa42]

More transfer AI shenaniagns. Sim to mid-2022. Martin Odegaard has developed into a monster player for Real Madrid and he helped Norway win the World Cup. I happen to look at his history. In January 2018, RM sold him to PSG for 31m. In January 2019, Real Madrid buys him back. For 57m. he played 8 matches for PSG in that year. So basically Real Madrid paid them 25m for a "loan". Great business, that.

[Dagenham_Dave]

No-one seems to remember that Juventus signed David Platt for £6.5m (this was 92 so a lot of money), then sold him barely a year later for just over 5mill after only a handful of appearances. Sometimes players just don't settle at a club. Perhaps it happens more regularly in FM than in real life, but it's certainly something that happens.

Angel Di Maria being a more recent example of course.

[Bigpapa42]

No-one seems to remember that Juventus signed David Platt for £6.5m (this was 92 so a lot of money), then sold him barely a year later for just over 5mill after only a handful of appearances. Sometimes players just don't settle at a club. Perhaps it happens more regularly in FM than in real life, but it's certainly something that happens.

Angel Di Maria being a more recent example of course.

Staying at one club for a year isn't my issue, Dave. Its RM selling him and after 8 matches and one year, buying him back for almost double the price. Has that particular sequence ever happened? A club selling a player then buying them back a year later - after they hardly played at all - for double the price? Matic going back to Chelsea is the closest, which was 3 years and a small price increase.

[Welshace]

Staying at one club for a year isn't my issue, Dave. Its RM selling him and after 8 matches and one year, buying him back for almost double the price. Has that particular sequence ever happened? A club selling a player then buying them back a year later - after they hardly played at all - for double the price? Matic going back to Chelsea is the closest, which was 3 years and a small price increase.

Small price increase?

[Bigpapa42]

Small price increase?

Misread the amount on Wikipedia. Should have just went right to Transfermarkt.

[dkouv]

Some thoughts:

1/ To echo my comments on 16.1, I'm very happy with the difficulty level, i.e. that the game is hard to beat and that you need a good squad, can't just have a half-decent squad and dominate with a good plug-and-play tactic like on FM15. Also lots of small improvements made by SI make this game very smooth and fun to play, e.g. the tweaks to AI transfers, regen attributes, maximised borderless mode...

But I do find a few negatives with this 16.2 patch, mainly concerning the ME. Namely:

2/ Crosses: has been mentioned plenty of times so I'll be brief. Vastly overpowered. Not cross quality, but fullbacks finding space and defenders marking strikers seem to be the main problem. I've played with a variety of tactics and saves, mostly in LLM, and this is a very persistent issue. Fullbacks topping ratings and assists regularly.

3/ Types of goals I concede/score. Guess this is related to the above. No matter what tactic I've tried, vast majority of the goals I concede are a deep cross + tap-in, or winger dribbling, cross, tap-in. Gets boring and unrealistic. Almost like I'm sitting there waiting, knowing what's coming. If I try a passing/through-ball tactic, I watch my team waste a load of chances, then wait for AI to score with their 1 tap-in. Ok, can switch to a fullback-crossing tactic and watch my fullbacks get 9s every game, demanding a new contract and topping the assist ratings. But the gameplay isn't much fun to watch in this case.

I want to be clear: I am not complaining about results here. I still get good results, e.g. my strikers in the end do put away some one on ones, or my fullback also does that amazing far-post cross thing. It's just the balance in the goals and the gameplay.

4/ Runs of form: when you hit a good run, you're flying. Then one unlucky draw or defeat, and I basically have to wait for a lucky win to turn it around, enduring one bad performance after another. Ok momentum may be a thing, but seems overpowered in the game.

Hope the above doesn't sound too negative, I just tried to concentrate on things which need improving. I'm still enjoying the game and appreciate the effort SI put in. But I don't play as much as on previous versions, and it feels like 16.2 messed some things up in terms of gameplay. Like back in the days of Diablo tactic and buying Oskarsson, well maybe not that much Been playing since CM 01/02 so have quite a lot of experience to compare to. So I hope in the new patch SI keep the difficulty as it is, but solve the crossing issue or at least add try to add a bit more variety to the way goals are scored. Also hope that they don't nerf crosses too much of course so e.g. all the goals suddenly are scored from through balls.

Lastly, just had a quick look at the thread and it seems like the mods are coming down pretty hard on people complaining about the issues with this patch. I know people always complain and moan and it must get annoying, but I really feel this patch for this game has bigger ME issues than most before it, and I hope SI take the feedback on board. It's a bit of a shame that it's February and to me the ME feels pretty incomplete and somewhat disappointing. At the same time, I guess I'm still playing the game so it can't be that bad...

[Fancy Gaffot]

I checked with Genie Scout and found out that in 2028 I only have 5 goalkeepers in the world with PA >170. So in 13 years of youth intake in more than 20 leagues game only generated 5 keepers with good potential, seems extremely low.

What's even worse that with AI's ability to develop players none of those actually reached their ceiling;

PA 180 CA 166 - 14 points difference

PA 179 CA 145 - 34 points difference

PA 177 CA 127 - 50 points difference

PA 177 CA 150 - 27 points difference

PA 172 CA 130 - 42 points difference

[Cocu]

I'm disappointed that the winner/nominees for Goal of the Month/Year is/are almost always a long range shot.

I wish Messi/Ronaldo didn't have such a stranglehold over the player of the year awards.

I notice that the in-game commentary sometimes refers to "end of the match" when the first half ends.

[Ignats75]

If as many players as seems to complain, there needs to be more different options of what to say to them when they whine about playing time. Too many of the choices are just saying the same thing differently. tedious and boring.

[edk77]

If as many players as seems to complain, there needs to be more different options of what to say to them when they whine about playing time. Too many of the choices are just saying the same thing differently. tedious and boring.

Most frustrating and boring aspect of the game.

[scott MUFC]

Formation most vulnerable to facing on scout report, and the backroom suggestions are not helping at all, the latter destroys your tactics

and the former doesn't make any difference at all to the result especially in away games, where players seem to play worse all the time.

and players complaining about champions league selection squads when they don't get selected regardless of age, please.

[OrientTillIDie]

Formation most vulnerable to facing on scout report, and the backroom suggestions are not helping at all, the latter destroys your tactics

and the former doesn't make any difference at all to the result especially in away games, where players seem to play worse all the time.

and players complaining about champions league selection squads when they don't get selected regardless of age, please.

I was going to mention something along these lines. The coach feedback about the tactical tweaks to make for a game are pointless in my opinion. I get about 8-10 changes he thinks I should make each week. So basically, he wants me to create a new tactic then? Then get this... He comes to me the next day saying our tactical familiarity isn't good enough yet. Hang on... You want me to make all these changes and make the players less familiar with the tactic and then say you're worried how they're not familiar with the tactic? That makes sense. I've had to turn off the advice because it annoys me so much. For me, the intelligence of the AI coaches in your team needs to be vastly improved because they hardly ever have any useful advice.

[Sussex Hammer]

Anyone up to speed with real life stats? I have just finished the first season of a new save in the EPL and only 7 goals were scored via direct free kicks all season. One goal apiece from 7 different teams. 95 goals came from indirect free kicks and 93 from corners. Not sure of the real life stats but only 7 from direct free kicks seems extremely low.

[ajw10]

I'm just not seeing a variety of goals. The vast majority of goals seem to come from crosses. There are also far too many one on ones missed. What is it with players with high finishing, composure and technique missing vast amount of chances? Is this a 'fix' because there are far too many chances created?

[KingCanary]

The crossing thing doesn't seem to change at lower levels either- I'm playing as Leyton Orient in League 2 but still see a huge number of perfect crosses to the far post that an attacker just gets to tap home. My inside forward has 10 goals in 19 games and they are almost all from that sort of goal.

[shirajzl]

The crossing thing doesn't seem to change at lower levels either- I'm playing as Leyton Orient in League 2 but still see a huge number of perfect crosses to the far post that an attacker just gets to tap home. My inside forward has 10 goals in 19 games and they are almost all from that sort of goal.

I've got a club from Vanarama North to PL and those goals are the norm. Since I don't know how to stop them I decided to exploit it and outscore the AI in the same way. I play with two WM(a) on the wings which are both my best goalscorers, most of which they score after a cross to the far post.

[scott MUFC]

i'm conceding most of my goals from set pieces, usually silly stuff like goal mouth scrambles, random penalties conceded from corners, and players getting counter attacked because a player smashes the ball against the shins of a defender and it bounces 40 yards, last night my midfielder made a tackle in the centre circle and the keeper had to save the ball it went with such speed

[Conquistadore]

Have anyone noticed if players have too many matches for their respective leagues? I just finished a season with Levante, Ayoze Pérez (Newcastle) is Europe's top marksman with 33 goals in 44 matches in the Premier League. Seems like other players have the same amount of matches.

[noikeee]

I've got a club from Vanarama North to PL and those goals are the norm. Since I don't know how to stop them I decided to exploit it and outscore the AI in the same way. I play with two WM(a) on the wings which are both my best goalscorers, most of which they score after a cross to the far post.

Same, I'm kinda fearing the patch now. I've just had a match my team made 78 crosses. (incidentally the only goal came NOT from a cross, but I think this match highlights beautifully just how easy and unrealistic it is to make far too many crosses - the opposing team were playing a wide 4-3-3, so had 2 men on each wing, too).

[Georgik]

Incredible, i give up. I've started a save with Barcelona and in my first away game at Bilbao, Messi misses 4 ccs and Suarez 2 and i lose 5-0, they scored every chance. First rage quit in a long time for me.

I think this issue should be adressed, it's inconceivable IRL that both Messi and Suarez will miss more than 2 clear-cut chances in a game, like they are some sunday league players.

[Seb Wassell]

Incredible, i give up. I've started a save with Barcelona and in my first away game at Bilbao, Messi misses 4 ccs and Suarez 2 and i lose 5-0, they scored every chance. First rage quit in a long time for me.

I think this issue should be adressed, it's inconceivable IRL that both Messi and Suarez will miss more than 2 clear-cut chances in a game, like they are some sunday league players.

Hey Georgik,

Didn't that match finish Athletic Bilbao 4-0 Barcelona in reality?

That being said, if you've got some examples where you think the finishing has been overly poor please do head over to the ME bugs forum and upload PKMs.

Cheers,

Seb.

[Georgik]

Hey Georgik,

Didn't that match finish Athletic Bilbao 4-0 Barcelona in reality?

That being said, if you've got some examples where you think the finishing has been overly poor please do head over to the ME bugs forum and upload PKMs.

Cheers,

Seb.

) You're right mate, but it was in the Supercup, i forgot to mention that it was the first league game, in the Supercup i lost only 1-0.

It got on my nerves, i'll wait for the next update though, i think it would be adressed in it, too late now to report it in the bug section though.

[Guest]

Played every version but one from the start and I'm finally done with FM.

Didn't play the previous version because I was so disillusioned with FM2014 and this one is even more infuriating. I dunno if it's just the ME representation of what's going on or the actual mechanics behind it but watching a match is just a hugely frustrating experience these days. Why are my players chipping slow 10 yard passes instead of playing it along the floor? Why when I break from a corner does the player on the ball nearly always just punt it up the pitch instead of passing to the guy in front of him and trying to work the obvious 2v2 on the break? When a match isn't going to plan, is it the tactics, is it the morale, is it the team talk, is it the conditions? It's impossible to tell without watching the full match (and even then it's not obvious), and watching the full match is beyond painful. The amount of outright INSANE decisions by players with great mental stats on the highlights is bad enough but in the full match it's aneurysm-level pain.

The ME itself is just so weird to watch, players running with the ball suddenly leave it behind, the ball hits players on the heel because they're facing the wrong way, it's proper clown shoes stuff. And this is all without talking about the horror show that is player interaction and all the media stuff which just hasn't moved on for the past few versions of the game. I know exactly what responses I need to give players and the media to get the right reaction and it's annoying as hell because it's not how I'd react in real life if I were a manager, but I know off by heart which options result in positive responses from players.

I just wish that for the next version (which I absolutely won't be buying) the team behind FM just concentrate on the ME and make sure that's perfect, forget the rest of the fluff, it's the ME that's the heart of the game and for it to play like it does this many versions down the line is just really uninspiring.

It's just such a chore to play these days and I've got better things to do with my time. Things I didn't have time for when FM was better.

[Valo]

It's just such a chore to play these days and I've got better things to do with my time. Things I didn't have time for when FM was better.

When exactly was FM better? When was media/player interaction better, and when was player AI more sophisticated during matches?

I don't understand how those quirks of the match engine can enrage you when similar things were present in 'better' versions.

[s1111]

Anyone up to speed with real life stats? I have just finished the first season of a new save in the EPL and only 7 goals were scored via direct free kicks all season. One goal apiece from 7 different teams. 95 goals came from indirect free kicks and 93 from corners. Not sure of the real life stats but only 7 from direct free kicks seems extremely low.

There should be about 25-30 goals scored from direct free kicks a season.

[Cougar2010]

When exactly was FM better? When was media/player interaction better, and when was player AI more sophisticated during matches?

I don't understand how those quirks of the match engine can enrage you when similar things were present in 'better' versions.

When he could exploit the ME and win easily?

[Sussex Hammer]

Is there an issue getting rid of certain players? In every save I play I just cannot offload Doneil Henry. 23 years old, a Canadian International but I want to move him on. Offer for loan, for transfer, for free, even try and mutually terminate contract and I cannot shift him. So basically stuck with the guy till 2019 when his contract runs out.

[Guest]

When he could exploit the ME and win easily?

I could exploit the ME on FM2014 really easily and win matches on that one but I still didn't feel like I was ever really in control. Maybe it was the ME being simpler back in the day, I dunno. Just feels like I've got less influence over what happens, even though on the surface I have more. There's more of a looseness to the ME these days.

[Cougar2010]

How much influence do you think managers have IRL?

[Guest]

How much influence do you think managers have IRL?

More than they do on FM.

I'll give you an example of my main problem with the ME over the last few editions, I'm playing a game now where every highlight is my team working the ball up to the opposition box and then not crossing from obvious positions. So I look at my tactic and I untick 'work ball into box' in the hope that they'll cross more. What then happens is that nearly every highlight from then on is the opposition gaining possession because my team are playing ridiculous long balls when they're under no pressure. I make one change in the tactics related to the opposition box and it results in my team suddenly turning into hoof merchants.

This is really unintuitive stuff and the thing that bugs me the most over the recent FMs is if your tactic isn't working for whatever reason, it results in what seems to be your players decision making dropping by 10 points.

[Marcosta]

[FMT 16.2.0] Players keep getting tired quickly during matches

I've noticed that my players were getting very tired during the end of the match (60-70%). the AI players are mostly 70-80%.

- changed my tactic from to much pressure the whole time

- not playing in a high tempo

- my intensity witch training is not heavy

i've read that some other persons had the same problem, but didn't find a answer...

Does anyone has this problem or knows the answer?

Hope to hear from you!

[HUNT3R]

More than they do on FM.

I'll give you an example of my main problem with the ME over the last few editions, I'm playing a game now where every highlight is my team working the ball up to the opposition box and then not crossing from obvious positions. So I look at my tactic and I untick 'work ball into box' in the hope that they'll cross more. What then happens is that nearly every highlight from then on is the opposition gaining possession because my team are playing ridiculous long balls when they're under no pressure. I make one change in the tactics related to the opposition box and it results in my team suddenly turning into hoof merchants.

This is really unintuitive stuff and the thing that bugs me the most over the recent FMs is if your tactic isn't working for whatever reason, it results in what seems to be your players decision making dropping by 10 points.

Work Ball Into Box reduces crossing and long shots. It doesn't affect passing options and/or long balls. The 'ridiculous' long balls would have been there before too.

[hluraven]

Is there an issue getting rid of certain players? In every save I play I just cannot offload Doneil Henry. 23 years old, a Canadian International but I want to move him on. Offer for loan, for transfer, for free, even try and mutually terminate contract and I cannot shift him. So basically stuck with the guy till 2019 when his contract runs out.

Does he need a work permit? That could limit the clubs who want him considerably.

[skam]

and watching the full match is beyond painful.

On the contrary. It does take a lot of time to watch the full match, but I enjoy it alot. Only by doing this I can really get to know what my team and players are doing during the game - and most important WHY they do it. Even loosing while watching the full match is enjoyment. Winning on key? Meh!

On thing though. I really struggled with this year's edition of FM. And even more with FM 2015. As I did struggle with FM 14. I mean I had some succeses, mainly because I tried to copy (maybe not past n copy, but still) some of Cleon tactical ideas (possesional, counter in FM14) without putting much of my own work into it. It's even got so ridiculous that this year I played the 4-1-2-2-1 possesional tactic that he created, even though I don't admire possesional tactics! So, I had some succes with it, but firstly it wasn't MY way of playing and second - I didn't really understand why my team plays the way it does? How my tactis really works? Why one of my CM has to be B2B, the other Roaming Playmaker and why the heck I need Wide Midfielder on the wings? I mean I knew why - cause Cleon explained it alot is his topic - but I just didn't feel it. It didn't come through me, so it wasn't mine. And so I kept playing this possesional 4-1-2-2-1, even though it was killing me. I had some succes though but not so much fun.

But one day I cracked a bottle of Jameson, poured me a glass and thought to myself "It's a game. It's supposed to be fun. It isn't just about results. It doesn't matter whether I win or loose; what really matters - at least for me - is to enjoy the whole goddamn process of playing! I may loose", I thought to myself, "but I need to know why". I poured me another one, wiped away Cleon's tactis, looked at my squad with sober (ha!) eye and realised I don't have quality winger (or IF, for that matter) but I do have quality midfielders. So I created 4-1-3-2. Control. Flexible at first, but after two matches I changed it to very rigid, which hit the bullseye. I set my two fullback on attack, my AP and CF on attack, besides my F9, B2B and RPM are on support. And oh God how I enjoy the game! How I like them little players moving around with and without the ball! I do admitt - having both fullback on attack sometimes really takes advantage of the ME weakness with crossing. I don't want it though, so in every way I can I try to make them not to cross (I use work the ball into box and cut inside with the ball). But sometimes it happens and I feel like I'm cheating. Both FBs keep getting the highest notes on my team (besides the AP and CF). But nonetheless now I really enjoy watching matches - even on full details. Now I finally know why I need B2B. I stll don't know few thing - like is the RPM the best role in the whole system, maybe simple CM would be more appropriate, maybe another B2B, or maybe I should set the AP to support? But I love the proces of learning. It's nice.

So to everybody having difficulties with the game - read some posts, learn few thoughts but don't ever copy other folks' tactics. It may work for you, but it sure as hell won't bring you happiness of the game. Try to create something new, something your own. I choosed 4-1-3-2 mainly because that tactis suited my players, but in year or two - if the crossing won't get toned down - I'll probably try to use something without wide defenders or wide midfielders. Just to get a tactic that will - or will not - work only because of how I set it up, not because sometimess crosinng may be overpowered.

But it's the future. For now I will simply pour me some Jameson and watch a game. On full.

[Guest]

Work Ball Into Box reduces crossing and long shots. It doesn't affect passing options and/or long balls. The 'ridiculous' long balls would have been there before too.

So which tactical instruction causes players to hit the ball long instead of choosing a short option when they're under no pressure, have options available and have no instruction to play long? Recent FMs have been really unhelpful with regards to giving feedback as to why things are happening, and even though I spend a lot of time reading through the tactic sub-forum, I'd rather the game itself were clearer instead of having to check things with people who understand how it works (up to a point).

I would pay top dollar to have one of the ME programmers sit next to me during a full match and explain to me exactly why things are happening. The ME representation of your tactic not working is your players make woeful decisions, it's been this way for a while now and is hugely frustrating.

[HUNT3R]

So which tactical instruction causes players to hit the ball long instead of choosing a short option when they're under no pressure, have options available and have no instruction to play long? Recent FMs have been really unhelpful with regards to giving feedback as to why things are happening, and even though I spend a lot of time reading through the tactic sub-forum, I'd rather the game itself were clearer instead of having to check things with people who understand how it works (up to a point).

If there aren't options within your set instructions (or the player doesn't see the options) and especially if you have a Target Man, players will hoof the ball.

You can get all the advice you want (in the Tactics Forum) if you provide details.

[Cougar2010]

So which tactical instruction causes players to hit the ball long instead of choosing a short option when they're under no pressure, have options available and have no instruction to play long? Recent FMs have been really unhelpful with regards to giving feedback as to why things are happening, and even though I spend a lot of time reading through the tactic sub-forum, I'd rather the game itself were clearer instead of having to check things with people who understand how it works (up to a point).

I would pay top dollar to have one of the ME programmers sit next to me during a full match and explain to me exactly why things are happening. The ME representation of your tactic not working is your players make woeful decisions, it's been this way for a while now and is hugely frustrating.

There is no black & white instruction.

Higher mentalities and duties encourage quicker, direct play forwards rather than shorter, safer sideways & backwards passing

Likewise shorter passing reduces the passing range of a player which can leave what looks like the easy ball on the pitch outside the range of the player on the ball. In effect he doesn't consider it because it doesn't match the instructions you have given him.

As Hunt3r has also said above the use of a target man or a playmaker who is in an advanced position will encourage balls to them.

[Sussex Hammer]

Does he need a work permit? That could limit the clubs who want him considerably.

It's possible I guess because I haven't played him much so I suspect he hasn't played a quota of games to get a WP for someone else but how can you tell in FMT? Having said that if he didn't play enough games would his work permit not be renewed anyway so he couldn't play for me? I seem to remember in a past FM that I didn't play a player much over a season and the following season he had a little WP icon next to his name which meant he couldn't play to a lack of starts the previous year. Not so with Henry so far.

I struggled to offload Jarvis and Zarate as well although eventually sold them for peanuts, but with Henry I just cannot shift him in any save I play. Most players that you add to the development list usually get loaned out but the only Clubs I have interested in him baulk at his wages although they are only 15,000 per week and when I try and loan him I a not asking for any wages.

I have a similar problem with a goalkeeper I purchased. I grabbed Rulli on a free with the intention of loaning him out. I know that he is good enough to play anyway despite his young age but Adrian has been doing fine so thought Rulli on loan elsewhere for a couple of seasons would be a good idea as the idea is that he becomes Adrian's long term replacement. I can't loan him out for love nor money and you would think someone would snap him up on loan. At 24 too old for the development list so can't even get help from my DOF. So it looks like I will have a Clemence/Shilton situation where I will have to play Rulli one week and Adrian the next just to keep them both happy. That one may be my fault contract wise possibly but the Henry situation I have had no input whatsoever.

[Danchinaski]

Both Cougar and Hunter are spot on, but l think Tubbtcrabs point, regarding how difficult it is to equate what he sees on the pitch with what he's actually done, is not without merit. It took a lot of patience and trial and error on my part to recognise exactly how my instructions affected the matches and, having found set-ups l'm comfortable with, there are still some things l won't ever touch for fear it might crumble like a house of cards.

IRL we could just shout "Pass, Pass, PASS!!" at our players, whereas achieving the same result on FM requires a lot of patience and affinity with the mechanics on the part of the player. I like it, but l can also see how some folk may find it a head-mash.

[Guest]

Danchinaski gets it. You see a player hitting in long in real life when he doesn't need to, you tell him to play it short. In FM, there's a huge amount of variables at play that influence that one action and there's a lot of trial and error involved with working out how it all fits together.

I think the game is sort of heading in the right direction with the tactics screen preventing you from picking contradicting instructions, but it's still really vague and not entirely intuitive.

EDIT: And I know that target men and play makers will be ball magnets, I've been on these forums long enough.

[Welshace]

I'd agree on that one point...

I do wish I could simply ask my team to do what I ask in a more simplistic fashion sometimes..

The passing it long issue being a great example..

If I see a player in real life passing it long, i'd tell him to cut it out and keep it simple and on the ground. In game if I see a player hitting it long, I have to go through a whole mental process of assessing the underlying reasons behind it i.e he's not got enough options available to him to pass to etc... which while adds a tactical complexity to the game that was needed in some ways, I can see why some find it jarring and counter intuitive.

[Guest]

You'd still have to do that irl, you can shout at a player to pass it short all you like but if he doesn't have an obvious option because of the wider tactical setup he'll likely revert to going long.

In this case I'd say that any potential solution is likely far more complex than the problem.

[s1111]

Is there an issue getting rid of certain players? In every save I play I just cannot offload Doneil Henry. 23 years old, a Canadian International but I want to move him on. Offer for loan, for transfer, for free, even try and mutually terminate contract and I cannot shift him. So basically stuck with the guy till 2019 when his contract runs out.

He's on 15k a week which is more than most Championship clubs pay any of their players. He's got a League One reputation, bottom 5 Championship ability but with a low end Prem wage about 5 times as much as he should be being paid. So basically he has no incentive to leave as he knows he's hit the jackpot and nobody would possibly want to take him as he's useless.

The fault with the game if anything is that his reputation is too low for ability, which makes him less attractive as a loan signing than he should be. But really the blame is with whoever signed him for West Ham in real life