How to get the best out of your best player

[50_kwache]

I have a rediculously talented regen centre mid (imagine a Norwegian Stephen Gerrard but better), and I play him in in the right-centre mid role in a quite authodox 4-4-2 formation. I would like to build a team round him in the way Liverpool have around Gerrard for the last 10 years, and for him to be at the centre of the play. However, this never happens despite my best tactical efforts and he always ends up with low ratings - lowest last season about 5.9 and the highest about 6.7. He also failed to score and only set up 5 goals. Not the impact I was hoping for. I also tried him as a playmaker for a few games and he was still poor.

I am certain this is predominantly my tactical errors and providing the wrong player instructions as I tried dropping him and playing other pretty talented squad players, however they also end up with low ratings. Any ideas on how I can turn this player from an average youngster with massive potential (PA 197) into a midfield powerhouse who I can build my whole team around.

I have always had the same problem with whatever team I have been whether it be Sheff Wed currently or trying to get Gerrard or Kaka to perform like they do in real life for Liverpool and Milan respectively.

Any advice would be great. Cheers.

[Thunda]

I'm the same with my midfield guys - I don't know if its a bug in the ratings or not tho I tend not to think so though .. I play a 352 formation with TNS in the Welsh League (I enjoy the challenge of trying to get them into the group stages of the champs league!) - and player wise, I'm head and shoulders above anything else in the league .. When my 2 attacking midfielders play well (ratings wise) - I tend to thump teams 3 or 4 nil ... when they play bad (usually in the 5's) - I'm grinding out 1s and 2s and my defence is winning me the games.

I've tried almost every combination of Player, Mentality, FWR etc etc that I can think of .. Now their ratings tend to swing quite sharply during games .. going from 5.5 to 7.0 over the course of 15 minutes and back again .. so I'm wondering if its to do with possesion or the lack of (not worked out which yet!). So - if we have a lot of possesion, it seems to bypass them and they end up running round like headless chickens with the ball zipping everywhere but to them .. or, when the opposition is enjoying a bit of possesion - they are doing great defensively and the rating go back up .. or vice-versa - as I say, I've not worked it out yet as it seems a bit random at times!!

I would lean towards they are struggling when in possesion because their performance tends to link with the FCa .. when they are low rated, so is he ..

However - as you mention in your second last line - ".. always had the same problem with whatever team .. " and no doubt you could say ".. whatever player in that position .. " .. so it seems an engine problem maybe ..???