Football Manager 2017

[sk3since03]

8 hours ago, stripeyfox said:

I’m really enjoying my latest save on the “full fat” version of FM. I intended to make it a Leicester save put things went pear shaped early on with a 7-0 defeat to Arsenal, a 3-0 pasting by Celtic in the first CL game and a devastating 3-2 loss at home to Swansea after being 2-0 up. I decided to jump before I was pushed and left after just a couple of months in charge.

 

The first job that became available was Dover Athletic and so that’s how I ended up there. They were struggling at the bottom of the Conference, but they’d got some decent young players and a couple of old pros. We went on a great run which culminated in promotion via the play offs to the football league for the first time with a splendid 3-0 win against Forest Green Rovers at Wembley.

 

The first season in League Two has been amazing. I’m now on a long unbeaten run on 30 odd games (if you don’t count the Checkatrade Trophy defeat to Watford) stretching back to the middle of the promotion season and top of League Two despite being heavily tipped to be relegated. My free transfer journeyman captain – Steven Schumacher (formerly of Everton) is playing  a blinder but my exploits in the EFL cup have been brilliant (possibly helped by a favourable draw):

 

First round – beat Ipswich at the Crabble in Dover’s first ever League Cup  tie

Second round – edged out Barnet away

Third round – fortunate to draw Eastleigh and won 3-1

Fourth round – stuffed Norwich 3-1 at Carrow Road

Quarter Final – due to play Villa (away) – and I fancy my chances of a another shock

 

The club turned professional on promotion and I have been steadily expanding the coaching / medical teams.

 

Money is very tight but hoping the cup run will give me some funds!

Can't beat a save like that

 

Enough encouragement there for me to start one  

[stripeyfox]

EFL Cup Quarter Final, Villa Park

Aston Villa 0 Dover 1

 

they'll be dancing in the streets of Dover!

 

Manchester United next in the semis! Can't see me winning that but the money will come in handy. 

The prize money in the EFL cup is crap - I got £25K for beating Villa in the QF, which is about the same as you get for winning in the 2nd round of the FA Cup!

 

[Lovejoy]

On 5/4/2017 at 07:02, stripeyfox said:

EFL Cup Quarter Final, Villa Park

Aston Villa 0 Dover 1

 

they'll be dancing in the streets of Dover!

 

Manchester United next in the semis! Can't see me winning that but the money will come in handy. 

The prize money in the EFL cup is crap - I got £25K for beating Villa in the QF, which is about the same as you get for winning in the 2nd round of the FA Cup!

 

Top work that. I had a York save not so long ago that went to the Championship, would have gone further but it coincided with the next year's version being released. I never did well in the cups though, I've always managed teams to be flat track bullies who win the games against similar level opposition but have struggled to step up against better opposition.

[stripeyfox]

33 minutes ago, Lovejoy said:

Top work that. I had a York save not so long ago that went to the Championship, would have gone further but it coincided with the next year's version being released. I never did well in the cups though, I've always managed teams to be flat track bullies who win the games against similar level opposition but have struggled to step up against better opposition.

I've never had much luck in the cups as a smaller team, so this was a brllliant season. In the end I got batterred by Man United in the two legged semi final but did bank almost a million quid from gate receipts which considering my bank balance was around 50K was a huge windfall. 

 

I also went on to win League Two, and took Watford to a reply in the FA Cup 4th Round before losing on penalties at Vicarage Road. 

 

Looks like my cup luck has extended into the new season as well, as I beat Stoke 5-4 (in normal time) in the EFL Cup, bizarrely the game was played at Hillsborough whilst Stoke's ground is redeveloped.

 

 

[Ashley]

How would you create a defensive possession counter attacking 4-4-2 similar to Atletico? @Finnegan @shen

[Stadt]

1 minute ago, Ashley said:

How would you create a defensive possession counter attacking 4-4-2 similar to Atletico? @Finnegan @shen

AML/AMR/ML/MR defensive positioning is a weird on fm1, they're too wide most of the time so it's difficult to replicate Atletico.

 

However I'd go strikerless, choose a Shadow striker and an attacking midfielder as the front two to get the compactness, defensive or counter and structured tram shape. One defend duty central midfielder and probably wingbacks on support.

[Ashley]

14 minutes ago, Wookie said:

AML/AMR/ML/MR defensive positioning is a weird on fm1, they're too wide most of the time so it's difficult to replicate Atletico.

 

However I'd go strikerless, choose a Shadow striker and an attacking midfielder as the front two to get the compactness, defensive or counter and structured tram shape. One defend duty central midfielder and probably wingbacks on support.

 

That was my thinking with the AML/AMR, would defensive wingers work?

[Stadt]

7 minutes ago, Ashley said:

 

That was my thinking with the AML/AMR, would defensive wingers work?

It's a match engine problem, doesn't matter what role you pick. I'd go with wide midfielders one on attack one on support 

[Finnegan]

9 hours ago, Ashley said:

How would you create a defensive possession counter attacking 4-4-2 similar to Atletico? @Finnegan @shen

 

It's difficult because the match engine is, in my opinion, not very good at simulating the way we play.

 

Like Wookie says, it's very difficult to get everyone back behind the ball pressing in a Leicester / Atleti way but also get them attacking all out a la Vardy once you win the ball back.

 

To be honest, I'm a bit of a Kevin Kegan in football manager and always have been, score as many goals as possible at all costs, plating with anything less than Attacking as an overall teams philosophy is a kop out.

 

I would say Leicester City play as follows, in FM terms, however:

 

 

Defensive Forward(s),

AMC(s, with very high closing down),

AMR - Inside Forward(s/a, depending on his mood)

Defensive winger(s), B2B(s), BWM(s), 

Full back(s), limited cb(d), limited cb(d), full back(d)

 

With either a defensive or counter attack team philosophy.

 

For the record, I don't think that'd be overly effective but it is what we play.

 

Generally I'd follow Wookie's advice but for one small change - don't play wing backs, not only are they awful but full backs actually set to be full backs are the most strangely over powered position in the game.

 

Remember how we said AML and AMR are really poor in their coding? Well full backs are the opposite. A full back set to attack, to cross to the back post and with crossing above about 12 will not only nearly always be in position defensively but will probably lead the league in assists.

 

It's mental.

 

(edit: unless he meant wing backs in front of full backs which sounds weird af but might actually produce the result you want. This match engine man.)

[Stadt]

I meant wingbacks on support in the DL/DR strata based on how Atletico play, our full backs would be fullbacks on support duty, Simpson maybe a full back on defend 

[sk3since03]

I use attacking wing backs all the time now with a narrow midfield 3 with instructions to overlap! 

 

433

 

If i use AML/AMR i'll use inside forwards!

 

Never had any look with wingers, they never seem to cross or get any assists at all 

[Finnegan]

I just find all wide players other than straight up full backs to be turd. It hasn't always been the case, I used to always have an AML and AMR but not anymore.

 

My favourite tactic going back about four or five years was an asymmetrical system that pulled the whole defence left and set up an AMR on inside forward who would be the top scorer in acres of space.

 

Last two years though I'd rather play with three strikers than one and two wingers.

[The Doctor]

12 hours ago, Finnegan said:

Remember how we said AML and AMR are really poor in their coding? Well full backs are the opposite. A full back set to attack, to cross to the back post and with crossing above about 12 will not only nearly always be in position defensively but will probably lead the league in assists.

Can attest to that - my backup right back comfortably hits 15 assists a season.

[sk3since03]

My keeper has just let the most stupid goal in..

 

Gathers the ball and just drops it for their striker to tap in to an open net

 

What a Bastard! And it was Chris Kirkland

 

He's getting sacked in the morning 

[Lovejoy]

I haven't played as a "big" team on FM since 2012 when I had a Juventus save, mainly because I think it takes the fun out of the game.

 

However, I'm thinking of starting as Dortmund, I'm just concerned this will get boring. Their team is absolute filth and some of the younger players such as Dembele, Pulisic and Isak are going to be world class. So I'm thinking of imposing some restrictions, such as not signing anyone or trying to build a team that is all German.

 

Any decent suggestions welcome .

[Ashley]

4 minutes ago, Lovejoy said:

I haven't played as a "big" team on FM since 2012 when I had a Juventus save, mainly because I think it takes the fun out of the game.

 

However, I'm thinking of starting as Dortmund, I'm just concerned this will get boring. Their team is absolute filth and some of the younger players such as Dembele, Pulisic and Isak are going to be world class. So I'm thinking of imposing some restrictions, such as not signing anyone or trying to build a team that is all German.

 

Any decent suggestions welcome .

 

£25-£30k a week wage cap contracts made up of bonuses etc 

[Lovejoy]

5 minutes ago, Ashley said:

 

£25-£30k a week wage cap contracts made up of bonuses etc 

Brutal. One that could tie in with this could be an age limit. I was thinking no players older than 23.

[Ashley]

28 minutes ago, Lovejoy said:

Brutal. One that could tie in with this could be an age limit. I was thinking no players older than 23.

Should be used more in real life gives players something to fight for. Goal bonuses, assists, clean sheets etc 

[ThurmastonFox]

Just finished season 2 with Cov. Finished 7th missing out on play offs by a point after drawing on the last day of the season. 

 

Anyone else experiencing lots of failed take overs? Had three now and the first meant I couldn't sign anyone in the last summer transfer window. 

[Ashley]

Someone tell me I've been doing my opposition tactics wrong, I've got them set on my main tactics screen however when going into game it always says about setting them? So.. I do? 

[Finnegan]

17 minutes ago, Ashley said:

Someone tell me I've been doing my opposition tactics wrong, I've got them set on my main tactics screen however when going into game it always says about setting them? So.. I do? 

 

I just set them before each game because it varies depending on the opposition, their tactics, their players, how good they are.

 

Worth adding that a lot of people don't bother at all.

[Ashley]

2 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

I just set them before each game because it varies depending on the opposition, their tactics, their players, how good they are.

 

Worth adding that a lot of people don't bother at all.

 

Majority of my team have 14 or higher work rates so try to play a high press whilst maintaining possession. Got some lovely young English players coming through and 3 are regens 

[Rain King]

I've done alright on this version but my latest save is a complete car crash.

Started as Rangers and was sacked in November languishing 6th in the SPL. I then got the Aston Villa job (who were 16th in the Championship). By March I have managed to drag them down to 22nd despite January signing Leonardo Ulloa scoring 8 goals already.

The board then imposed a target of 12 points from the next 5 games to save my job. Beat Rotherham 6-2 but then lost the next two meaning I have lost 2 jobs in less than a season.

 

In summary, I'm rubbish at this game.

[Col city fan]

16 minutes ago, pds said:

I've done alright on this version but my latest save is a complete car crash.

Started as Rangers and was sacked in November languishing 6th in the SPL. I then got the Aston Villa job (who were 16th in the Championship). By March I have managed to drag them down to 22nd despite January signing Leonardo Ulloa scoring 8 goals already.

The board then imposed a target of 12 points from the next 5 games to save my job. Beat Rotherham 6-2 but then lost the next two meaning I have lost 2 jobs in less than a season.

 

In summary, I'm rubbish at this game.

 

Great post!

[Ashley]

Do I don't I start a new game with Atletico or carry on with my current save