FM2009 - The thread, we still need one.

[katmai]

Thanks for pointers Norgy.

Always been a LLM fan so starting out at low low low lvls of English game, so no shot at managing Premiership clubs yet

And i'll be sure to add determination to list of attributes (always look for high workrate and teamwork as well)

[Norgy]

Actually, the pitch size thingie really had escaped me. Only after losing all 3 games against a lesser teams at their home ground, I realised I had been fooled by a short, narrow pitch. No space for my players.

Tight marking and closing down works best against teams who play possession-based football.
In the lower league, I imagine closing down the big target men will do much good, though. And possibly closing down and pressing the opposition defenders so they won't be able to hit those long balls.

[Liep]

This slightly annoys me. The game somehow got the idea that I'm a female coach from Botswana. :S

[Norgy]

Are you hot?

[Liep]

I could star in Baby Got Back.

[Saladin]

How's your game going? And I want screenies damn it! 

[Norgy]

I am wondering how low my reputation must be when Marco van Basten fields an entire reserve team against me on Anfield or what the fuck the new stadium is called as Liverpool manager. The sole exception were their DCs.

The good news was of course that I had never won at Liverpool before and did now.

Once again, the short pitch created some concerns before the game. Okay, it's not that short, since it must be over 100m, but fairly short. I tried to solve the problem of "lack of space behind their DCs" by lowering our mentality to 10 for attackers, 9 for midfielders and 7-8 for the defenders, put passing on 3 at the back, 7-9 for the midfield and 14 (direct) for the strikers. In the first half, possession was 69-31 in my favour and we were up 2-1. I think I may have found out how to crack that pitch problem now. The second half was uneventful as I turned off counterattacking and just focused on keeping possession and keeping the liverpudlians from getting space.

I've experimented with something resembling Arsenal's style of play, which means a high mentality (11-15), high tempo (15+) and passing set at 3, which is very short. Despite not possessing great players, it's been successful against poor teams.

I am not going to play that way against Arsenal, as their team thrashes mine 9 times out of 10.
Fortunately, the 10th time was at Emirates. :p

[katmai]

I'm back on the crack that is FM.

[Norgy]

Ah, the "just one more match, then I will..." addiction. 

[katmai]

Ah, the "just one more match, then I will..." addiction. 

And the contemplating about search parameters to find best players i can afford for a LLM team, finding hidden gems for loan, etc...

after two trial runs to get use to new set up of 2009 version I started at lowest possible rung of the English game in Conference South side Dorchester town.

After searching out multitude of tactics and reading various web sites I'm trying out a  4-5-1.
Halfway through the 1st season leading league in fewest goals allowed, but also in fewest scored
But for a team that was predicted to be relegated sitting in 12th with  half of my matches being draws.
Desperate for a striker as the defense and keeper have been phenomenal.

[Viking]

Hidden Gems, I'd look at Natural Fitness and Determination. Especially in your lower leagues. Sometimes a player with high stats there and low everywhere else will be great in leagues where skills don't count for as much. I'd also look at the basic stats for each position and search based on them.

I wish I could search with terms like "Sum of "Off the Ball" and "Pace" is greater than 34". 

[Viking]

http://www.fmformation.net/general-guides/34505-player-attributes-guide.html

This is a guide to the meaning and usefulness of player attributes. You can use them to set search terms for finding good players for each position. I suggest that when you search you don't include only players in that specific position. You might find a potential genius left winger that is only an attacking midfielder

[Ed Anger]

Thinking about picking this up on Steam, as it is on sale for 15.

Hmmm, I wonder if forming an all midget team would be possible?

[Viking]

Thinking about picking this up on Steam, as it is on sale for 15.

Hmmm, I wonder if forming an all midget team would be possible?

Define midget

[Ed Anger]

Thinking about picking this up on Steam, as it is on sale for 15.

Hmmm, I wonder if forming an all midget team would be possible?

Define midget

Anybody under 5 feet(1.5 m or so).