Football Manager 2021

Just bought this and started as SAFC (of course)

Here we go again...
yep same old shite. A mixture of 25 yard blockbusters..long ball over the top or...defensive errors. We'll see how the season ends and then it's probably getting uninstalled again.

NOT using anyone else's tactics, training. syste,s etc etc
Update and this might cheer some of you up. SACKED after 19 matches=152 days...So, this is the 1st time I have ever failed with a fresh install of any version of FM. On my FM19 save. SAFC have over 700m in the bank so wtf has happened to this game? I see a lot of comments on here about the domestic league being easy. How's tactics? and training schedules are you sing? YOUTUBE tactics? etc haha

I'm a bit stunned by how harsh that was and listen. I know how to play the game, I just will not resort to expolits...if the game can't be won honestly then fuck the game. I'll go kill some zombies.
I came back to the game after playing every once since CM1 92/93 until FM05, and then entirely stopping until FM20.
The biggest learning curve was just how involved the tactics are now. Its massively complex under the hood, and basically it was clear I had no idea what I was doing.

After a few seasons, I did resort to using a Knapp tactic, which really helped.
 


I came back to the game after playing every once since CM1 92/93 until FM05, and then entirely stopping until FM20.
The biggest learning curve was just how involved the tactics are now. Its massively complex under the hood, and basically it was clear I had no idea what I was doing.

After a few seasons, I did resort to using a Knapp tactic, which really helped.

After 19 games haha SACKED. So the devs have clearly turned up the BS meter to combat the little shits exploiting the game! Or maybe, i'm not micro-managing everything to death. Can't be arsed with all that!

I signed a couple of very decent players on a free, my point is I didn't change the fundamentals, i.e. stats based players..but it didn't matter. It was all AI BS again. Unless you have an exploit. ME is the usual shit too. I mean fuck it. I got it half price and, I love footy but this game is annoying now. Because so many gamers exploited it.
 
Thinking of starting an England save for the euros, first international game i have done in about 15 years.

Also does anyone use football manager for nintendo switch? I always use PC but got a switch lately and got FM21 for the craic, had one game and was awful, is it harder on switch?
 
Just bought this and started as SAFC (of course)

Here we go again...
yep same old shite. A mixture of 25 yard blockbusters..long ball over the top or...defensive errors. We'll see how the season ends and then it's probably getting uninstalled again.

NOT using anyone else's tactics, training. syste,s etc etc
Update and this might cheer some of you up. SACKED after 19 matches=152 days...So, this is the 1st time I have ever failed with a fresh install of any version of FM. On my FM19 save. SAFC have over 700m in the bank so wtf has happened to this game? I see a lot of comments on here about the domestic league being easy. How's tactics? and training schedules are you sing? YOUTUBE tactics? etc haha

I'm a bit stunned by how harsh that was and listen. I know how to play the game, I just will not resort to expolits...if the game can't be won honestly then fuck the game. I'll go kill some zombies.
:lol: You say the same thing every year man ;)
 
I honestly don’t understand how he’s so bad at it year after year. You’d think by law of averages he’d eventually stumble on something that worked. Would love to see the tactics he uses.
haha all of the ABOVE POINTS Are FAIR. It got uninstalled yesterday. So, like I say my 2019 fm game was fine. We've got tons of money, I can't remember if we've wont the prem or CL because I haven't played for ages. I know we have nearly a billion in the bank. This version....just under constant pressure from the off. I used my own tactics etc..got sacked. tried again. got us in the playoffs. then we couldn't win the playoffs so i resorted to save scumming.

New season in the championship I cheated and used someones tactic on youtube, a 442 winger system which works very well if you have the right players, i didn't. we lost every game and i had enough. so, uninstalled.

 
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You used a tactic off the internet that requires certain types of players that you don't have?

Look at the knapp tactics, find one that suits your team and then give your team the time to learn it (its flagged in training how well they have learned it). It takes time. Preseason is ideal of course.

People say its cheating, but its a game. If tactics don't make too much sense, and spoil the game, then use an alternative. Its not a bad thing.
 
haha all of the ABOVE POINTS Are FAIR. It got uninstalled yesterday. So, like I say my 2019 fm game was fine. We've got tons of money, I can't remember if we've wont the prem or CL because I haven't played for ages. I know we have nearly a billion in the bank. This version....just under constant pressure from the off. I used my own tactics etc..got sacked. tried again. got us in the playoffs. then we couldn't win the playoffs so i resorted to save scumming.

New season in the championship I cheated and used someones tactic on youtube, a 442 winger system which works very well if you have the right players, i didn't. we lost every game and i had enough. so, uninstalled.

Post your tactic here and we might be able to pinpoint where you're going wrong?
 
Post your tactic here and we might be able to pinpoint where you're going wrong?
I'm still 442 but not using the extreme settings the lad off youtube is. In fact, all of these famous tactics use extreme settings to counter the utter BS the AI resorts.

My favourite goals to concede are from thrown ins, set piece from deep and it's a long ball over the top and undefendable.. The 25 yd blockbuster gets rolled out every other game. 2nd season in and we're 16th in the Championship.

I won't be using a knap tactic with this group of players. Easy enough if you're managing PSG.
 
I'm still 442 but not using the extreme settings the lad off youtube is. In fact, all of these famous tactics use extreme settings to counter the utter BS the AI resorts.

My favourite goals to concede are from thrown ins, set piece from deep and it's a long ball over the top and undefendable.. The 25 yd blockbuster gets rolled out every other game. 2nd season in and we're 16th in the Championship.

I won't be using a knap tactic with this group of players. Easy enough if you're managing PSG.
Forget about YouTube tactics. What are your roles, instructions and mentality?
 
Far too easy this year. In 4 years I've won the Premier League with Sunderland. I think I'll see how I get on in the Champions League in my 5th season before deciding to start a new challenge
pull the other one
Forget about YouTube tactics. What are your roles, instructions and mentality?
GK, 2FB's on defend. Both CBs on std defend. both CMs on default, both wingers on default (not playing as AMR/ AML. in attack I have DFL and AF..basic setup. There are a shit ton of instructions though but nothing extreme. mentailty is positive or balanced.

From what i've seen so far we are missing sitters, game is like..nah you're not having that mate....I won't go on. thanks for the reply though.
 
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pull the other one

GK, 2FB's on defend. Both CBs on std defend. both CMs on default, both wingers on default (not playing as AMR/ AML. in attack I have DFL and AF..basic setup. There are a shit ton of instructions though but nothing extreme. mentailty is positive or balanced.

From what i've seen so far we are missing sitters, game is like..nah you're not having that mate....I won't go on. thanks for the reply though.
Well I think there's definitely a few things there you could change. How are you looking to create chances? How aggressive do you want to be in defence?

You've got both full backs on defend. They will sit in line with the centre backs and invite wingers onto them and won't support your wingers.

The two centre midfielders are neither one thing or another. If you've got mentality set to positive they will both be a bit more attacking and you'll get overrun in midfield. That's probably why you're conceding a lot of long range goals - your defence is sitting deep but your midfield is pushing forward, there'll be loads of space for them to push on and shoot from without being challenged.

If your strikers are missing sitters, are they actually sitters that they're missing? With only one player on attack in the whole team you probably aren't stretching the opposition defence enough and their defence will sit tight and block you off.

Also, if you're starting with Sunderland, we're the biggest club in League One by a mile so everyone sits back and defends against us. Think the Championship is easier once you get promoted as you can hit teams on the counter.

I'm about 7 years in but think in my first season I played something like this:

4231

Burge - SK Defend

O'Nien - WB Support
Teden Mengi (loan from Man United) - CB Defend
Willis/Wright - CB Defend
Hume - WB Attack

Leadbitter - DLP Defend
Power/Scowen - BBM

Gooch - Winger Attack
Maguire - AM Attack
Michael Duffy (cheap Irish winger) - IW Support

Jason Cummings - AF Attack

Don't need loads of instructions. Higher defensive line so there isn't a big gap between defence and midfield. Slightly higher line of engagement so we win the ball higher up the pitch, although later in the season you might need to drop it down to encourage teams to come at you more and create more space. Cummings is cheap as chips and scores for fun if you get service to him. Maybe try hit early crosses instruction - he has 'tries to beat offside tap' preferred move so will spend the whole game trying to run off the shoulder of the defender as soon as you get the ball, that will encourage your team to hit through balls to him as soon as they can.

You may struggle to break teams down in League One but should win the league fairly comfortably. Then get shot of the deadwood in the Championship, focus on grinding out draws and nicking wins on the counter and you should have enough to be challenging within a year or two.
 
Well I think there's definitely a few things there you could change. How are you looking to create chances? How aggressive do you want to be in defence?

You've got both full backs on defend. They will sit in line with the centre backs and invite wingers onto them and won't support your wingers.

The two centre midfielders are neither one thing or another. If you've got mentality set to positive they will both be a bit more attacking and you'll get overrun in midfield. That's probably why you're conceding a lot of long range goals - your defence is sitting deep but your midfield is pushing forward, there'll be loads of space for them to push on and shoot from without being challenged.

If your strikers are missing sitters, are they actually sitters that they're missing? With only one player on attack in the whole team you probably aren't stretching the opposition defence enough and their defence will sit tight and block you off.

Also, if you're starting with Sunderland, we're the biggest club in League One by a mile so everyone sits back and defends against us. Think the Championship is easier once you get promoted as you can hit teams on the counter.

I'm about 7 years in but think in my first season I played something like this:

4231

Burge - SK Defend

O'Nien - WB Support
Teden Mengi (loan from Man United) - CB Defend
Willis/Wright - CB Defend
Hume - WB Attack

Leadbitter - DLP Defend
Power/Scowen - BBM

Gooch - Winger Attack
Maguire - AM Attack
Michael Duffy (cheap Irish winger) - IW Support

Jason Cummings - AF Attack

Don't need loads of instructions. Higher defensive line so there isn't a big gap between defence and midfield. Slightly higher line of engagement so we win the ball higher up the pitch, although later in the season you might need to drop it down to encourage teams to come at you more and create more space. Cummings is cheap as chips and scores for fun if you get service to him. Maybe try hit early crosses instruction - he has 'tries to beat offside tap' preferred move so will spend the whole game trying to run off the shoulder of the defender as soon as you get the ball, that will encourage your team to hit through balls to him as soon as they can.

You may struggle to break teams down in League One but should win the league fairly comfortably. Then get shot of the deadwood in the Championship, focus on grinding out draws and nicking wins on the counter and you should have enough to be challenging within a year or two.

@gards2 you need to sign this fella, got 39 in my first season as I walked away with the league. Used him in the championship where he was still banging them in, but also got a lad called Adam Idah on loan from Norwich. He eventually took over from him. Also got Marcus Maddison who was top drawer.

Play the formation that @Definitely Maybe has posted above, virtually the same as mine. I
 
@gards2 you need to sign this fella, got 39 in my first season as I walked away with the league. Used him in the championship where he was still banging them in, but also got a lad called Adam Idah on loan from Norwich. He eventually took over from him. Also got Marcus Maddison who was top drawer.

Play the formation that @Definitely Maybe has posted above, virtually the same as mine. I
Also see if you can get Billy Gilmour on loan from Chelsea. I had him on loan for around 3-4 years running. Also had a lad called Facundo Pellistri or something from Man Utd who saw me up the leagues too.
 
I just use a standard 4-2-3-1 formation with my Lyon side. Currently in my 3rd season.

Season 1 - Finished 2nd behind PSG, lost in the cup quarter final to PSG
Season 2 - Won the league and cup, lost in Champions League semi finals 4-2 on aggregate to Man Utd
Season 3 - Currently 4 games in, 12 points. Joint top with PSG and St Etienne.

Im not doing anything special with my tactics, just fitting my players into their favoured roles. Although I am Lyon and have Depay, Moukoko, Kaio Jorge and Sandro Tonali in my side. Might have something to do with it :lol:
 
Anyone started a save at international level?
Thought I'd give it a go, and I've appointed myself as manager of Canada. Only had friendlies so far against some Caribbean islands and thrashed them 5 and 6 nowt.
My aim is to get them to the world cup
Finding it really hard to appoint any half decent scouts or assistant manager.
 
Well I think there's definitely a few things there you could change. How are you looking to create chances? How aggressive do you want to be in defence?
first of all thank you for your thoroughly detailed reply. I wanted to wait till the season 2022 finished before updating you. We are currently 16th in the CCC and have avoided relegation. Results have definitely picked up and it's not baceuse I found an exploit tactic where you win 4-0 every match. there are 3 games to go..I'll go into signing later. As for the tactic it's still a simple one. 442.
 
Dear all but especially Mr Maybe. We got promoted to the EPL in my 3rd season via the playoffs. No BS with settings etc I did do a few save scums here and there, two. first 6 games were against the top 6..we have won 1 game in 8 matches. My player values compared to every other teams are laughable, I checked every team. I expect to get relegated but hope I keep my job. I haven't installed the editor software this time, was thinking i'll go hardcore and not use the editor to find the hidden CA and PA ability but..I'm starting to think it's there for a reason..level the playing field when it comes to transfers etc because the hidden attributes system is not helping.

Anyhoo! We got up in less than 4 seasons without resorting to exploits. that's enough for me. Good luck to England in the Euro's i'm hearing we are favourites..Well, had my heart broken too many times, I no longer give a shit but great for them if they do win the tournament.
 

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