******* Official Football Manager 2015 Thread *******

[No1newts]

It was wide, wasn't really working after an initial burst, I drew with bottom of the league and only beat second bottom with an 89th minute winner.

Switched to a more standard 442 with a high tempo and pressing/closing down using the wingers a lot. Only playrd one match but beat 8th (I was 4th) 3-1 away so I'll gove this tactic a runout for a bit.

 

[robmol]

You're much better off keeping it nice and simple 442 or 4411 in lower leagues, and set specific instructions to make the most of your key player(s). You might struggle with stringing passes together if it's too quick tempo for your players skill.

In my game i'm aiming for top 4 in prem with Cambridge now, going really well in europa league for first time too. I've switched to a rather unconventional formation this season with great success, I guess it's a 3-3-3-1 or switching to 3-4-3 against tough teams. Really liking the 3 at the back, seems very solid conceding half what I was the season before and leaves options for changing up the central midfielders roles to keep AI guessing. Need to invest heavily in CBs good on the ball next though and I should win the prem!

edit: based on Bielsa's tactic, some reading here: http://www.zonalmarking.net/2010/06/08/marcelo-bielsa-chile-world-cup-2010-tactics/

I'd also recommend this site for tactical analysis on a weekly basis http://beautywithinfootball.com/ click read more on each. Obviously many things won't transfer directly into FM but it certainly helps, and more interesting than simply shoving in a downloaded tactic if you have the spare time!

 

[No1newts]

Well after 27 games in second top 2 points behind first. Drew far too many games which has let me down but scoring for fun at least.

Using either a basic 442 playing wide or the 4123 tactic I downloaded both tend to work well, really getting into studying opposition tactics and playing against their weaknesses, really fun.

Got some youth striker from Newcastle on loan who has been unreal but when it looked like his loan was ending I signed Francis Jeffers to cover, well the loan ended up getting extended and Jeffers is complete guff

Also a bit irritating two of ky best players have been injured for months but then tstupudly are unhappy they aren't getting first team football both their contracts are expiring but they won't discuss a new deal due to being unhappy and I can't do anything about it due to their injuries. Any suggestions?

 

[philstanbridge]

Is your game updated? It should recognize the fact in due course that the players aren't able to get first team play due to their injuries. They will likely sign new deals (providing of course you can afford to) towards the end of the season, sometimes even within a few days they will change their mind. But you need to keep on top of it.

 

[No1newts]

I only got it a few days ago so I would assume it's updated. One of them has acknowledged he can't play due to the injury but is still unhappy. I'll monitor them and hopefully they'll change their tune soon.

Just won my last game 5-1 away with a mixed team with a lot of reserve players due to tiredness sadly lost my stupidly good CM to injury for 2 month so now missing best CM, my main right wing and back up forward and got some tough games incoming. I've scored 30 more than first place and only conceeded 5 more but they just seem to keep winning 1-0/2-1 but I'll keep plugging away.

 

[No1newts]

Beat first place and took the lead at the top, built toward this all season.... then the team implodes in typical FM fashion that I remember. Injuries go through the roof and my record since winning to go top is w3,d2,l3 leaving me 3 points behind now

First choice CB, both my DM's, right winger and 2 backup strikers all out and my 2 main CM's and my RB just recovered from injury so out of match practice

It's only one auto promotion spot and doubting I'll get it now

 

[Lord-Jaffa]

How's the multi player of this now over steam, does anyone use it
?

 

[Andybtsn]

I'm wanting to try lower leagues (conference or lower), does anyone have a formation they'd like to share that has been competitive? If it's one thing on FM I rarely delve into and that's tactics!

 

[No1newts]

I'll post mine later that has me 2nd after 38 games.

I play either 4123 or 442. I tend to focus on getting the ball out to the wings and attacking that way. Box to box or/and ball winning CM to (try) and control the centre and dependent on the team you are facing and their tactics I will drop deeper against long ball teams.

Apart from the last 8 games in the first 30 I won 19, drew 8, lost 3 and the ones I lost were just because of **** finishing. I'm no expert mind but I can post a few dumps of the formation, tactics and instructions if you want?

 

[No1newts]

Woohoo won the FA trophy and the title with a game to spare (well 2 games as they needed to turn around a 52 GD to win it ) after my horrific run went into the last 7 and won 6, drew 1 including beating Woking 3-0 who were top at the time. Woking won 1, drew 3, lost 2 so 8 points clear with a game left

Onward and upward! Come on the 'heed!!!!!

 

[No1newts]

How should you setup your pre-season Rosler out fitness levels?

I'm doing surprisingly well in league 2, got some good signings and 4 loanees and sitting joint top on 16 points after 8 games. However my fitness is horrific, I'm rotating loads as my players conditioning is horrendous and if I get two ganes in a week in boned. Getting loads of niggling injuries too.

How do you do pre-season? Also, is there any way I can fix the fitness problem I've now got? Thanks.

 

[Tummy]

I always hammer my players in fitness training pre season.

 

[Martini1991]

Just won the PL for a third time in a row with Boro.
Will Hughes is starting to get on abit now like, 29 . I've got an average age of about 24.

I can sell Hughes for 30M, and then sell Ewandro (Even though he has stats of 17/18/16 in Dribbling/Finishing/First Touch) as he's not good enough anymore for me, since I have 3 world class strikers.

Once I sell them my oldest player is my 26 year old Goal Keeper

 

[Andybtsn]

Sorry, newts, forgot I requested tactic advice! I messed up in the play off final with Barnet but second season I'm on course for promotion, understatement actually, I'm miles ahead, I finally sorted my tactics out!

 

[No1newts]

Good job Andy!

I've went off a cliff now. Lost to 8 men (2 red cards and an injury) 2-1 in the same match losing my starting striker (10 in 7 games) for 7 month and sub striker for 2 month and my RW for 2 month to go on top of my main CM missing 3 month.

Then followed that up by getting soaked 3-1 at home by 18th damn you fm!!!

 

[Frosti]

I find the simpler the better in the lower leagues, players don't usually have the technical or tactical ability to perform some of the more complex team roles especially when combined with multiple instructions.

 

[philstanbridge]

Just won the PL for a third time in a row with Boro.
Will Hughes is starting to get on abit now like, 29 . I've got an average age of about 24.

I can sell Hughes for 30M, and then sell Ewandro (Even though he has stats of 17/18/16 in Dribbling/Finishing/First Touch) as he's not good enough anymore for me, since I have 3 world class strikers.

Once I sell them my oldest player is my 26 year old Goal Keeper

Can you share pics of your best players? I am enjoying this a lot. But I haven't had a lot of experience in the top tier due to it being somewhat more of a challenge than before. As a result I haven't spent a lot of time with wonderkids or such like.

 

[robmol]

How do you do pre-season? Also, is there any way I can fix the fitness problem I've now got? Thanks.

I do nothing but team cohesion and teamwork in preseason. To keep players all fit I arrange a ton of U21/Reserves friendlies, at minimum 1 a week with the U21 league games too. In my experience more players seem to get injured when I focus fitness training for too long or hard, I do it maybe a couple times throughout the season in international breaks. Where are your injuries happening?

Get yourself a decent fitness coach and a physio to help with the injuries and don't go near any players with low natural fitness and stamina.

 

[No1newts]

Few injuries in training and then a few in game, not one thing is a main cause they just keep occurring. I think my mistake was probably too few friendliest, I only played 3 which probably wasn't enough conditioning.

I'm in even worse straights now. I've got 1 striker left, 4 midfielders out and missing my main CB. Last match my sub bench was a keeper, 5 defenders and a midfielder

Lost 2 more in the league against crap teams then beat top 3-0 and beat Bradford from the league above in the Johnstone Paint. I seem to beat better teams, draw against worst teams and in evenly matched games I lose.

Still though, after 13 games just been promoted sitting 4th 4 points off top is pretty good (though 12 teams below me are 3 points or less away )

 

[this_is_gav]

Get yourself a decent fitness coach and a physio to help with the injuries and don't go near any players with low natural fitness and stamina.

The only role physios have in the game is their accuracy in determining the length of time a player is out for. They have zero effect in stopping players being injured or in helping them recover.

I don't think fitness coaches have any effect either - in fact I think the only attributes which makes a difference are the condition of the player and the hidden attribute of injury proneness, as well as how hard you're training them. Players returning from month long plus injuries are more susceptible to muscle injuries upon their return, so it's important not to throw them straight back into the starting eleven again - a few sub appearances and build it up slowly until their match fitness reaches near 100%.