Poll: The official Football Manager 2008 thread

Would you buy FM09?

  • Yes definitely

    Votes: 145 40.3%

  • Perhaps, depends on the reviews/bugs

    Votes: 102 28.3%

  • Definitely not

    Votes: 113 31.4%
  • Total voters
    360
MarcLister said:
Woot! More tactics. :D Can I add the link to my first post? :)
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Feel free to add the link Marc :) i will be making some more over the next week or so and adapting this tactic to a more defensive minded one, this is more counter attack and attacking based. Will also sort out training schedules i am using into a zip and upload them for others as well.

SCM
 
bailey12856 said:
When im home I will upload my two tactics (one attacking, one balanced) using the Rule of One theory used by the boys over at FM Britian. However im not home from work for another week n half, although gives me more time to tweak a little
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Cheers. That'd be great. :)

SCM said:
Feel free to add the link Marc :) i will be making some more over the next week or so and adapting this tactic to a more defensive minded one, this is more counter attack and attacking based. Will also sort out training schedules i am using into a zip and upload them for others as well.

SCM
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In that case I may as well wait. I'll let you finish the tactic then link to it. Training schedules would be good as well.

bailey12856 said:
Ive never really worked at making my own Training schedules, for the past FM ive used Tugs Training always seems to improve any promising players tenfold
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Same. I really should try and develop my own training schedules. That and a tactic using the RoO theory.
 
The tactic is fine right now Marc and can be added to the main links, all i will be doing is making a new version of this which is a bit more defensive under a different name. This one is not changing its staying exactly the same.

SCM
 
attacking 4-4-2 diamond formation was the way I staged my comeback against Man Utd :)

spurs.jpg
 
Still sitting in 4th place with Man City, played Chelsea, Man U, Arsenal and Liverpool all in a row so that was a test! Got wooped by Arsenal 5-2, Chelsea beat me 1-0 but managed a 2-1 victory at Anfield and 1-1 with Man U, so happy with 4 points from them games!

The top 3 are quite ahead so I'm just trying to keep ahead of Liverpool, think I'm 4 points clear of them. Just brought in Obi Martins to keep pressure on Petrov and Elano upfront, bought doing really good up front!
 
I'm looking forward to trying some of these tactics tonight, I'm struggling no-end with Swansea in my second season.

Won the League 1, Johnstone's Paint Trophy and FAW Cup (invitational cup for Welsh teams, designed to help other smaller Welsh teams play TNS,Swansea and Cardiff to bring in larger crowds and more money.) All in my first year...

Now in the championship, sold nearly all the dead weight in my squad and opted to rebuild from the ground up...
Statistically speaking, I've got a better squad than I had last year... but they haven't gelled at all.

The teams that came up with me from last season are having their way with me... Last season I was comfortable in front of any team in League 1... Take Crew as an example... they won the playoff to be promoted last season, I trounced them 4-0 last season.... This year I took a beating... a 1-0 loss, but it should have been a lot, lot more.

I've used to same tactics as last year, but they're not effective at all.

I've won 1 game in 7 in the league so far and I'm sitting dead last.... I'm doing well in the FA cup however, through to the Third Round after beating an injury riddled Wigan who fielded an almost entire reserve/under 18 team - 14-1 :confused: They got relagated last year and are regularly losing games by conceeding four or five goals.... No idea what happened to Wigan at all :confused:

Despite all this the fans are behind me, I'm making money and the board are apparently pleased with the clubs progress. We're in progress of updating our Youth and Training facilities and I've just assembled the best staff possible.

The media expect Swansea to finish 18th this year, I told the board I'd finish in the top half of the table... I'm going to really have to turn things around otherwise it'll be a tough season with them... I'm not sure the board will be too pleased with a relegation battle after I've told them we'll be comfortable.


edit: I meant league 1 not league 2
 
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nikebee said:
I'm looking forward to trying some of these tactics tonight, I'm struggling no-end with Swansea in my second season.

Won the League 1, Johnstone's Paint Trophy and FAW Cup (invitational cup for Welsh teams, designed to help other smaller Welsh teams play TNS,Swansea and Cardiff to bring in larger crowds and more money.) All in my first year...

Now in the championship, sold nearly all the dead weight in my squad and opted to rebuild from the ground up...
Statistically speaking, I've got a better squad than I had last year... but they haven't gelled at all.

The teams that came up with me from last season are having their way with me... Last season I was comfortable in front of any team in League 2... Take Crew as an example... they won the playoff to be promoted last season, I trounced them 4-0 last season.... This year I took a beating... a 1-0 loss, but it should have been a lot, lot more.

I've used to same tactics as last year, but they're not effective at all.

I've won 1 game in 7 in the league so far and I'm sitting dead last.... I'm doing well in the FA cup however, through to the Third Round after beating an injury riddled Wigan who fielded an almost entire reserve/under 18 team - 14-1 :confused: They got relagated last year and are regularly losing games by conceeding four or five goals.... No idea what happened to Wigan at all :confused:

Despite all this the fans are behind me, I'm making money and the board are apparently pleased with the clubs progress. We're in progress of updating our Youth and Training facilities and I've just assembled the best staff possible.

The media expect Swansea to finish 18th this year, I told the board I'd finish in the top half of the table... I'm going to really have to turn things around otherwise it'll be a tough season with them... I'm not sure the board will be too pleased with a relegation battle after I've told them we'll be comfortable.
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Sounds like you are having a nightmare. Have to added the Beta Patch yet? If so, did you do it during the season? In my game with Spurs (slightly differnet settings I know) I finished 4th in my first season, and like you sold the dead wood and signed come good players to make my team considerably stronger. Yet this season (added the patch with 3 games left of the last season) I am struggling a lot. Getting beaten by the top 4 sides, drawing away against teams I should be beating and conceeding silly goals.

I have put it down to the patch update, but struggling to find a new tactic, and its harder now the season is underway to get a new tactic sorted and settled.
 
nikebee said:
The teams that came up with me from last season are having their way with me... Last season I was comfortable in front of any team in League 2...
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Sorry I did say League 2, I meant League 1... any team in my league or below I was extremely comfortable with. If I faced any Championship team in a cup last year I was comfortable with them, and only got knocked out when I faced teams either in the Premiership or a Championship side knocking on the Premiership Door...

Twinblade said:
Sounds like you are having a nightmare. Have to added the Beta Patch yet? If so, did you do it during the season? In my game with Spurs (slightly differnet settings I know) I finished 4th in my first season, and like you sold the dead wood and signed come good players to make my team considerably stronger. Yet this season (added the patch with 3 games left of the last season) I am struggling a lot. Getting beaten by the top 4 sides, drawing away against teams I should be beating and conceeding silly goals.

I have put it down to the patch update, but struggling to find a new tactic, and its harder now the season is underway to get a new tactic sorted and settled.
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Nope, I haven't installed any patches or updates yet.
I just can't understand it at all... I will say though, a few of the players I've signed don't speak English... and three in particular have expressed themselves as liking the club but finding it incredibly hard to settle in this area.

I managed to get my hands on Rafinha at the end of last season, the Brazilian's work permit finally came through and he has been brilliant for me. He's scored some screamers... Genuine goal of the season contenders :D
But he's out for at least a month and a half, the same goes for some of my major signings so far... :(

My main problem is that in at least 4 games of the 7 league games this season, I've conceded a goal in the first 2 or 3 minutes of the game... Meaning I basically start the game 1-0 down... I pull it back, 1-1 sometimes edge it to 2-1... but they always get another goal (mostly late winners). So I'll lose 2-1, or draw 2-2...

I'm still a bit confused with Wigan as well... and I still can't understand that 14-1 drubbing I gave them... They've lost a lot of big players through injury at the start of the season and it looks like they've sold some players to save some money after relegation last year... but the players they've lost means they have no cover for their injured players and are regularly fielding reserves or under 18's.... They started decently by the looks of it, but if this carries on I'll be battling them for relegation :p
 
I can only assume your poor form is down to a mixture of the following. The non speaking English players not settling, therefore their poor morale is affecting their performance. Also, if your having many injuries, then your constantly changing your team and thus not giving them time to settle.

That said, you shouldn't be struggling to the extent you are, although the confidence of players have been changed a lot for FM08 so it has a greater outcome on their performance over the previous versions.

The late goals could be down to fitness, players tiring a lot at the end of games, especially the defence? Also, do you work them too hard in training? Especially a concern if your playing twice a week.

As for the Wigan scenario, cant help you there, can only assume they are struggling financially, I know they start with a £9m transfer kitty, but only £300,000 or so in the bank, so instant financial problems.

Going to uninstall FM tonight and reinstall it without the poxy Beta Patch I think, will teach me to trust Beta patches.
 
Twinblade said:
I can only assume your poor form is down to a mixture of the following. The non speaking English players not settling, therefore their poor morale is affecting their performance. Also, if your having many injuries, then your constantly changing your team and thus not giving them time to settle.

That said, you shouldn't be struggling to the extent you are, although the confidence of players have been changed a lot for FM08 so it has a greater outcome on their performance over the previous versions.

The late goals could be down to fitness, players tiring a lot at the end of games, especially the defence? Also, do you work them too hard in training? Especially a concern if your playing twice a week.

As for the Wigan scenario, cant help you there, can only assume they are struggling financially, I know they start with a £9m transfer kitty, but only £300,000 or so in the bank, so instant financial problems.

Going to uninstall FM tonight and reinstall it without the poxy Beta Patch I think, will teach me to trust Beta patches.
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YES morale has became a very big thing in this new game, also making lots of transfers can also upset the balance so to speak.

One thing I have heard (but havent tried it myself) is to keep morale very high. You will notice that players who dont start gradually drop in morale and if a injury occurs and they start they may not be match fit or happy. A way ive read to keep these players happy is to create a friendly against some easy non league opposition every few weeks and just play the players that you dont select. This should hopefully keep the morale at least on good so when they are put in the team they aint unhappy and give you under par performances.

Also team talks are key (just like they were on FM07)
 
bailey12856 said:
YES morale has became a very big thing in this new game, also making lots of transfers can also upset the balance so to speak.

One thing I have heard (but havent tried it myself) is to keep morale very high. You will notice that players who dont start gradually drop in morale and if a injury occurs and they start they may not be match fit or happy. A way ive read to keep these players happy is to create a friendly against some easy non league opposition every few weeks and just play the players that you dont select. This should hopefully keep the morale at least on good so when they are put in the team they aint unhappy and give you under par performances.

Also team talks are key (just like they were on FM07)
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In order to counteract the morale issue and the lack of match fitness for my fringe players is to make them available for all reserve team games. If you right click them on the first team playing squad and select the make available for reserve team option they are picked to play for the reserves each week.

You need to remember to do this every week though, as each request only lasts for 5 days. It generally keeps them happy, unless it is someone who thinks they should be a first team regular.

Currently have the best reserve team in the league due to some of the players I make available each week, shame my first team cannot perform as well.

I usually take control of all 3 of my sides, but havent done so yet in FM08.
 
Thanks for the advice guys.

A lot of my transfers came through pretty late into the window, so there wasn't any preseason friendlies for most of my new signings... instead they had to make use of the reserves to get match fit... and now are finding it harder to gel with the team.

Rafinha has mentioned he hasn't settled as well as he would have hoped, but he was signed on day one of the transfer window because he was ready to sign last season. So he's had preseason friendlies and a few league games to get used to the squad.... that could explain why he's seemed to have fitted in so well. It's just a shame he's out for a month or so now.

However, despite the fact I'm not winning games... my team is still putting in okay performances. It's not like I'm losing the games and the players have 5 or lower ratings, they seem to constantly be getting around 6-7 (mainly seven)... with my keeper getting 8's and 9's due to being constantly under pressure.

I don't think I'm pushing them too hard in training. As I said, it could just be down to late signings struggling to find fitness.

Still, I shouldn't be complaining - it's nice to have a challenge really :)
 
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