Football Manager - Your Career

[Madejski]

I generally don't play too much lower league management so my advice may not be the best, and haven't yet on FM15. But normally when I do a game from say Conf Prem level I use the same tactics.

• Stick with a very basic formation that most player should be comfortable playing (4-4-2) and don't go too extravagant with tactics. I normally used retain possession, stay on feet, mark tightly and slower tempo.
• Invest in the key positions. I made sure that I used my budget to allow me to have at least a good core, a striker, centre mid and centreback who were very good for that level, a goalie too if you can afford it. Don't unbalance your team by being top heavy etc.
• I liked having one player in my team who was very good at set pieces (good corners, free kicks, penalties) if I could find one. Great opportunities to score so well worth getting someone capable.
• Also know when to sell if a good offer comes in. You might have a very good striker, but he may not want to sign a new contract/may take up too much wage budget. Sell him, make sure you get % of transfer revenue and use it to bring in more players.
• Never hurts to use loans, but try and get players that are either 1) Far too good for you to have normally or 2) Would perhaps consider joining you in the future, "try before you buy"

That's what I personally do, but others who do lower league management more often might have better ideas.

 

[smat]

Anyone have any advice on under-performing players with great stats.

I'd have two strikers in my squad like this (Championship level). One was 22 years old, had 16 for finishing, 14 composure, fairly quick and decent well rounded stats. Should have been more than good enough to score a reasonable amount - yet couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo and struggled to hit 7 rate performances. I managed to sell him for about the same as I bought him for after just one season.

I then replace him with a great regen I found, 19 years old with 19 for finishing 16 for composure, technique, 14 for pace and stuff. Great little prospect, one that I will persevere with. However again he can't score, not a single goal, and can't get above 6.5 performances.

Both of them I benched for a spell and started them in reserve games, and they scored for fun in the reserves.

I have on paper far lesser players doing very well in my system and my side is successful enough, I score enough goals around the side. Just these individuals who should be doing far better given the ability they have. Just a case with sticking with them? Tinkering with their individual instructions until you hit upon something? Or just the way it goes?

Are they missing a lot of easy chances or just not getting involved in attacks? If it's the former then the problem could be mental, and you might have just got unlucky with those particular players. If it's the latter (or they are just missing every chance but they aren't coming around often), it's probably your tactics. Play around with the roles of the attacking players, make sure the forwards aren't too isolated. A problem I've had is when forwards aren't getting involved enough, they go through droughts and their confidence drops, and it becomes cyclical (like child poverty. In some ways much worse).

 

[yellow]

look at this, one promotion and smat thinks he's the special one

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Generally the latter Smat, not involved or in the right place enough to get the chances. And as you say, when chances do come along they struggle. Where as others (not as talented) I might put in their place seem to do ok, different types of player I suppose. Trouble is I started off with a pretty defensive tactic with the striker fairly isolated because the team was crap. Now I've improved a bit I'm trying to let the reigns go a tad but I'm hesitent to totally change a defensive tactic that has worked for a few seasons. Will keep tinkering.

 

[smat]

Thing is, you don't really have to go fundamentally more attacking to make him less isolated. Just make the player roles around him a bit closer together, ie make the striker a deep-lying forward, playing with attacking wingers/inside forwards, or an attacking midfielder/advanced playmaker or something. Just linking them up a bit closer seems to do the trick, and don't pay too much attention to the labels (e.g. my 'deep lying forward' often runs beyond the last man to shoot, despite the role sounding like he'll be pottering about on the halfway line looking for the ball).

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Cheers Smaturinho!

 

[smat]

*countdown to my next 'sacked' post commences*

 

[Libertadores FC]

I play with a 3-4-1-2. It actually works quite well although we had an abysmal start to the season which is why we won't get promoted.

I'm generally terrible with 4-4-2 and 4-3-3 which is probably why I always fail tactically in Lower League Management.

 

[Luke Imp]

The one thing I've still not cracked is scoring from corners, or set pieces in general really. Can't for the life of me get anything working.

I've just finished another season with Lincoln, so tempted to start a career game. 3 random selections and choose one of them to start with.

 

[smat]

Yeah I rarely score from set pieces as well. Score the odd direct free-kick and occasionally from a goalmouth scramble after a corner, but very rarely from free headers. I'll try attacking set pieces as match preparation and see if that makes a difference.

 

[Luke Imp]

Tried that as well but makes fuck all difference.

 

[Libertadores FC]

I've noticed you seriously need a player who knows how to score from corners. I had a player named Kenzer Lee at Bath and always scored from corners.

 

[Paddy]

Tall strikers with good heading & bravery stats would do the trick no?

 

[yellow]

Does the old 'CB attack near post' + 'CB mark keeper' and 'Cross to near post' not work anymore?

I have noticed I don't seem to score much from corners, but put that down to the fact I hadn't set anything up?

 

[Pyeman]

This might seem like a weird question, but does anyone else find themselves reluctant to have more than one save going at once?

For the last three or four versions of FM I've only had one game with Burnley which has taken my full attention. Now I find myself in 2020 on this year's version, but I'm wondering whether to try something new. I've never really tried lower league management before and it looks like it might be fun to give a try.

My problem is that I've got some irrational reluctance to be involved in more than one game at any time. I can't explain why, but the thought of starting a second game alongside my original Burnley one is strangely difficult to comprehend. Has anyone else ever experienced this? Or should I just stop being weird and get on with it?

 

[smat]

^^ More than one save on the go is fucking... immoral.

First season in the Conference Prem with Brackley is over, finished 11th. Really need to get a couple of good CBs and a defensive mid, but I don't think I'll have the wage budget for it. Could be in plateauville.

 

[Libertadores FC]

Basically here's the issue.

I'm Cambridge City at the moment, and I can't sign anyone fucking useful. Either I cant afford their wages or they aren't interested. They telling me they don't want to join because its not enough to match their ambitions yet they are a division below me.

Whats a good way to sign good players?

 

[Techno Natch]

Get promoted.

 

[yellow]

^^ More than one save on the go is fucking... immoral.

First season in the Conference Prem with Brackley is over, finished 11th. Really need to get a couple of good CBs and a defensive mid, but I don't think I'll have the wage budget for it. Could be in plateauville.

Were there any 7-0's?

 

[smat]

None, sorry pal.

Think my worst defeat was 4-1.

 

[yellow]

damn

 

[yellow]

Ok, gone onto my save as I've got a bit of time before footy..

10 games to go, 2 points out the playoffs but Scunthorpe have a game in hand. Still plenty of time to go, and we haven't lost in a while. Just need to stop throwing away 3-goal leads, and we're golden.

edit: Torquay are romping to the Conference title thanks to my squad building efforts. Just wish I'd stayed

 

[smat]

Just turned down interviews with Yeovil (lost in the Conference playoff final) and Doncaster (just stayed up in League 2). Was tempted by both.

 

[yellow]

Oooft, I'd have gone to Doncaster probably.

First game back since that last post…. lost.

 

[smat]

Soon after that post... I was offered an interview at League 1 Bolton. Couldn't refuse. Turned down Brackley's understandably desperate efforts to persuade me to stay, and was offered the job soon afterwards.

Goodbye, Brackley... I will miss you verily.

League 1, baby!!!

 

[yellow]

you are joking

sell out

 

[smat]

 

[yellow]

Wrexham vs Barnet

Shots: 18-2
On Target: 6:2
Poss: 63-37

Wrexham 0-1 Barnet

 

[smat]

Bolton is a screaming hellscape. £5,000 over the £25,000 wage budget, unable to sign anyone, having to get rid of everyone on over £2,000 a week.

What have i done

 

[yellow]

ha, that makes me happy. I actually had an interview there in my first stint at Wrexham, they were in admin and shit though so in a way I was glad not to get the job!