Football Manager 2016

[filbertway]

SHUT ALL THE DOORS IN THE HOUSE

 

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL HAT TRICK I TAKE IT ALL BACK JAMES

 

Those stats!

 

This Bolton gig is easy, into the FA Cup second round. My only concern is that I have looked at the projected bank balance in 3 seasons time and it's expected to hit -£5,000,000 haha.

 

Hopefully a few promotions and winning football will bring my average crowd up from 5k to 15k.

[RoboFox]

Recently bought it, and it's the same as FM14 & 15... SI need to up their game.

 

I'm about half a season into a game with FC United of Manchester. 

 

I find playing with top teams a bit boring, so usually I opt for 2nd or 3rd tier teams and try to get them to the top flight of their respective countries... I've never managed as low down as the conference north, and even though I consider myself to be decent at FM, it's HARD.

 

It's difficult to attract any players, and because most of the players are on non-contracts they can just be poached by other teams as soon as they start playing well.

 

It's hard to tell who's good for the level as most players' stats struggle to break into double figures. Although I find it a bit unrealistic at times, especially with physical stats. Eg. I've never found a player that has over 12 or 13 pace at that level. They might be s**t footballers, but it doesn't mean they can't be strong or quick.

 

Tactically it's pretty straight forward... Variations on 4-4-2, mostly hoofball. 

 

Nonetheless, not doing badly. 3rd in the league. 

[Carl the Llama]

Those stats!

 

This Bolton gig is easy, into the FA Cup second round. My only concern is that I have looked at the projected bank balance in 3 seasons time and it's expected to hit -£5,000,000 haha.

 

Hopefully a few promotions and winning football will bring my average crowd up from 5k to 15k.

I fooking deserved those stats after losing 1-0 Spurs in the FA cup final a week earlier despite making something like 19 shots to their 4!  Never known FM to deliver such delicious karma before.

[filbertway]

I fooking deserved those stats after losing 1-0 Spurs in the FA cup final a week earlier despite making something like 19 shots to their 4!  Never known FM to deliver such delicious karma before.

 

Haha, it's so frustrating when it happens to you isn't it. Only seems to happen in cup games, you know when you've had 7 key highlights go your way and nothing has gone in, the opposition will be scoring sometime between the 80th and 90th minute.

[LCFC FOX]

Just keep playing him. I've had one or two players who want to leave for a bigger club, so I just play them a bit more back to back, get a few decent results, then offer a contract again and they are willing to discuss.

it's the end of the season now though, can't play no more games he played most games as well!

[Darkon84]

it's the end of the season now though, can't play no more games he played most games as well!

 

Not a lot you can do there unfortunately then. Sorry mate. Just keep checking to see if he's willing to enter talks over a new contract, or hope that no one comes in for him. I've had players before that leave the club on a free, then I've been able to re-sign them. That said, I always try to keep an eye on the contracts now and offer a new one before it gets to only 6 months left.

[Grantham Fox]

I really need help with tactics. Nothing is working! Please.

[AjcW]

8 goals in 3 games for 3rd season Jamie Vardy!

 

That's what I love about this game and what shows that it is down to how different players of the game use players differently, on here it is split 50/50, half sold Vardy and are getting goals out of Kramaric and half sold Kram and are getting goals out of JV!

[Dan]

Here Wookie Wookie

[shen]

Haven't had a lot of time to play FM16, but currently halfway through the first season in the yearly Leicester save, and it is eerily similar to real life.

 

17 games in and sitting comfortably in second place with 41 points, seven ahead of Chelsea in third and two behind Arsenal in first.

Wins against Chelsea home (3-1), Liverpool away (3-1), Man City away (4-3) and most recently Man Utd away (5-0 !!), with Schlupp scoring his first four goals in the season in one game , are the most notable performances so far.

 

Basically using the same tactic I ended up using in FM15, a 4-5-1 high-pressing system with the only new first team arrivals being Mammana and Zivkovic, the latter of whom only appears every other game. Kanté is surprisingly good while Fuchs has the most messed up stats with 2 goals and 8 assists in 14 league appearances, however he's also picked up 3 yellows and 3 reds!!

[Dan]

You managed to attract Mammana to Leicester and I somehow missed out on him at Juventus.

[shen]

You managed to attract Mammana to Leicester and I somehow missed out on him at Juventus.

 

It happens. There were other targets I missed out on, despite offering better deals than they eventually got.

Where did Mammana end up in your save?

[Carl the Llama]

You managed to attract Mammana to Leicester and I somehow missed out on him at Juventus.

That's mad, he cost £4.2m and £18,750/w in my second January window at Leicester.  Marcelo Meli at Boca's a brilliantly rounded CM who can be used as a ball winner or box to box midfielder, I strongly recommend picking him up and Coquelin too when he inevitably has his fall out at Arsenal.

[RoboFox]

I really need help with tactics. Nothing is working! Please.

 

Try downloading a tactic or two from one of the FM communities or fansites. 

 

There's no exact science to it though, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

[Carl the Llama]

I really need help with tactics. Nothing is working! Please.

Are you Leicester?  What signings have you made so far and what formation are you trying?

[shen]

I really need help with tactics. Nothing is working! Please.

 

Make sure you train 'tactics only' on 'match training' on the Team Training screen. A lack of Tactical Familiarity is probably the single-biggest factor for tactical failure, providing the tactics are otherwise halfway sound. You want this to be 'fluid' in all aspects.

 

Team cohesion is another important factor, so if you have many new players or sell off a lot of your existing ones, cohesion will drop and will take time to get up to a high level again, although you can accelerate the process by selecting it as a training focus.

 

If you need help setting up your team tactically (i.e. formation, playing style, player roles etc.) the quickest solution is to look for a popular tactic in the SI Games forums. If you like this part of the game and want to create your own tactic, there are plenty of good guides on the SI games forums, guidetofootballmanager.com, passion4fm.com and maybe even sortitoutsi.net among others.

[Guest Mee-9]

Milik is so good. Got him for about 1.5m, he's banging them in.

Teamed him up with Embolo up top.

[Stadt]

crikey for someone who talks so authoritatively about this I'm not half struggling this year

[Dan]

It happens. There were other targets I missed out on, despite offering better deals than they eventually got.

Where did Mammana end up in your save?

 

He went to Arsenal. Feel a mug but I'm half contemplating buying him as Chiellini's past-it, Bonucci's ageing and has just broken his foot, Caceres isn't that good as a centre half, Mere is crap and I don't have a clue why I signed him.

 

It isn't beyond the realms of possibility that I chuck this title. Horrific luck with injuries as usual has screwed me over. Think I'll be fine but it's embarrassing how much my defence has fell apart without Bonucci.

[shen]

He went to Arsenal. Feel a mug but I'm half contemplating buying him as Chiellini's past-it, Bonucci's ageing and has just broken his foot, Caceres isn't that good as a centre half, Mere is crap and I don't have a clue why I signed him.

 

It isn't beyond the realms of possibility that I chuck this title. Horrific luck with injuries as usual has screwed me over. Think I'll be fine but it's embarrassing how much my defence has fell apart without Bonucci.

 

Ah, well at least he didn't go to Lyon or some less reputable club. Tough to compete with Arsenal's wage and the Prem pulling power compared to Serie A.

 

Have you noticed how the injuries arise, what type of injuries they are and whether some of those players are injury prone? Genuinely curious about it as training injuries could've been tweaked (i.e. high workload in training will increase number of injuries).

I remember in previous versions that the discipline attribute for coaches could also adversely affect training injuries if it was particularly high.

[Grantham Fox]

Are you Leicester? What signings have you made so far and what formation are you trying?

I've got a Leicester save (started for the second time) got Balanta in for £3.3m and a young Chelsea 'keeper Beeney in my u21s. That's it atm. Just got up to the first friendly. But my first save with Leicester I lost all the time, and just none of my saves are working no matter what I do. Eventually I want a Leicester save and a save starting in the VCN/S.

[shen]

Unreal stuff... Can't remember ever having such a good first season. Only went and somehow beat Arsenal away after getting seriously pummeled (nice revenge for an undeserved opening day defeat to them) to take the lead and extend the gap to third to 11 points. I just cannot see myself finishing outside the top two at this stage.

 

Some interesting team stats, some of which sound strangely familiar:

• Worst discipline (by a long way) with 57 yellows and 8 reds in 21 games
• Fifth-lowest possession in the league (47,3 %) and second-lowest passing accuracy (67 %)
• Fewest headers won ratio (58 %), but fourth highest cross completion ratio (17 %) and crosses completed (100)
• Most goals from corners (9), direct free kicks (2) and indirect free kicks (10) in the league meaning I've scored a whopping 45 % of my goals from set pieces!!

Oh and to those dissing Kanté on this, he won African midfielder of the year on mine and was selected in the African XI of the year too.

[Carl the Llama]

I've got a Leicester save (started for the second time) got Balanta in for £3.3m and a young Chelsea 'keeper Beeney in my u21s. That's it atm. Just got up to the first friendly. But my first save with Leicester I lost all the time, and just none of my saves are working no matter what I do. Eventually I want a Leicester save and a save starting in the VCN/S.

Based on my experience with Leicester I'd say focus on buying a left-winger (I keep mentioning Kakuta because he's bossing it for me - I got him for just £6.5m but I'm pretty sure he was a fair bit cheaper than his value because he'd fallen out with his club and unfortunately you can't guarantee that will happen in your game) and a cm with decent tackling (Marcelo Meli cost me £4.5m and £34k/w). Mammana at CB is a must buy - you shouldn't have much trouble getting him in the first window. I get my best matches playing a 4-2-4 like so:

                         

                             Kramaric (P)  Vardy (DFs)

Kakuta (Wa)                                                          Albrighton (Ws).

                             Kante (BBM) Meli (BWMs)

 

Fuchs (WBauto)   Huth (CDd)  Mammana (CDd)  Vrsaljko (WBauto)

                                  Schmeichel (Gd)

 

Shape: Standard.  Tempo: Higher.  Defensive line: Higher.  Width: Fairly wide.  Closing down: More.  Build-Up: Clear ball to flanks.  Attack: Hit early crosses.  Passing directness: More direct.

 

I win more than I lose against the big teams and I lose matches I really shouldn't far less frequently when I use this formation. The trouble for me is I have to try to avoid it right now because I have Lodeiro, Khazri, and Wilshere to make room for and the easiest way to do that is by having an AMC...  Oh and Albrighton instead of Mahrez is no joke by the way: In the Premier League 16/17 Albrighton played 20 with 4 goals, 17 assists, and a 7.77 average rating against Mahrez's 22 played, 7 goals, 3 assists, 7.25 average rating.  Barmy but true.  

 

I left Vrsaljko out of my suggestions to buy up there because once you've found and purchased a left winger that you like along with Meli and Mammana you probably won't have enough money left but if you do, buy him!  Also look out for Rulli in goal - he's available on a free at the end of the first season and he looks like he'll be one of the best keepers in the game.

[Carl the Llama]

I've just done a pre-season friendly at Hinckley and it was already 14-0 at half time so I tell the boys 'good job' and send them back out for the second half as you do.  Second half starts, bang, 15-0, good job I'm doing this on text-only or it would be an hour long match.  Then suddenly the game lurches straight to the post-match screen and I'm all like wtf.  So I opened the highlights and it turns out the game glitched on a throw-in at around the 50 minute mark making the players spend the last 40 minutes of the match gormlessly staring at a ball on the touchline lol

[Stadt]

Change the BWM-s to a CM-D and you'll concede less, a ball winning midfielder aggressively closes down leaving a big gaping hole in your midfield