Ha, I can't play that way. The ball needs to be on the deck to try and play some good possession football. Have been experimenting with tactics/formations - I did like the the get in behind instruction. Although I'm hesitent to experiment as Im halfway through the season in 4th (9 points off the pace) and in the Quarters of the ECL - Desperately need results. As the board expects me to win the league. :shock:

Maybe after leaving for greener pastures in Career Mode you'll finally forgive Ange :cry:

I play with a Holding 4-3-3 but push my left CM a little further up into a CAM position (similar to how Belgium line up as a Custom Formation.

When chasing the game I will switch to a 3-4-3 and keep the 2 central mids as a CDM slightly on the right and a deep CAM (right on the line where it crosses over from CM) left and give my wings the instruction to attack and not bother tracking back, again a Custom Formation and Tactics/Roles.

4-3-3 just lets me hold possession really easily and instructing my wide players to drop back in D really helps. The 3-4-3 lets you play a lot of attacking players but you need mobile defenders in the backline. Floods a lot of numbers into the box for crosses late as well.

Both formations require a bit of midfield quality/depth on the bench to bring in to the game.

Highly recommend Johannes Geis. Is a CDM as primary position so pretty cheap player. Around 78 or so at start of first season. Slowish (60s) but awesome at everything else and a lashing long shot/free kick... passing is slick.
Striker I like to pick up for around $5M is an Argentinian bloke who plays in Mexico called Dario Benedetto. Awesome if you want a cheap, fun, effective striker to come off the bench. Rated around mid 70s. Reminds me of Muriel from FIFA14 in terms of how he feels to play with. Kind of player I wish A League clubs would sign IRL.

I'll just see what happens but now I'm right back in the title hunt (In 3rd only 3 points off the lead).

I'm pretty much set on my strikers at the moment, have a great quartet going on; Gameiro & Aboubakar have been two very shrewd signings on frees.

I think I've decided I'll stick around at Wigan for a couple more seasons (Hopefully win the Champions League) keep rebuilding and then jump ship to another EPL club and just see what unfolds without me in charge.

Also just played against WBA and there keeper Jack Rose had an absolute mare and conceded four howlers.
1. He went to make a save paried it straight back to my striker.
2. He received a backpass and attempted to pass to his other CB instead went straight to me and I waltzed into an open net.
3. He received the ball on the edge of his box and ran straight into me and once again I waltzed into an open net.
4. I have the ball at the near post and have cut it back to the fair post and he's come out and jumped at shadows allowing me an easy tap in.

It was some really good hustle from me but something funny was going on there. :lol:

I've been almost religiously devoted to possession football, but found it increasingly frustrating to work it up the pitch then get crowded out in the final third - as soon as I switched to the more direct tactics I started getting results. I'm playing 442 with a diamond in the middle, and the DM set to stay back during attacks.



Nothing as funny as seeing the opposition keeper drop a clanger, nothing as frustrating as watching your own keeper do it... I had Costel Pantillimon run out of goal and pretty much step over the ball rather than kick it... Leaving the opposition to just roll it home.

in the golden years of drogba in league one, and then the championship, with oxford - any keeper not hoofing that shit was destined for epic failure. must have dispossessed keppers and scored 20 goals in 2 seasons like that.


i have found my mojo in world class. ive had to basically play by parking the bus and grinding out results. but focusing on not letting the other team score. this is a really frustrating and unfun way to play and i was getting the shits.

so i tweaked the tactics and i can start to play good attacking possession football. close passing, max shooting, keep the pack thin. its becoming fun again.

Do yourself a favour and sign Ivan Perisic from Wolfsburg. Then play him as a striker.

Seeing as we're sharing... Danilo, DM from Braga. You can sign him relatively cheap as an 18 year old, and his long range passing is sublime (although his stats indicate that this shouldn't be the case). Defence splitting throughballs from just about anywhere on the pitch.

Edited by Benjamin: 15/6/2015 12:53:43 AM

Aitor (GK) from Villareal. Available on a free at the end of the first season, starts in the low/mid 60s but always ends up around 90 (after maybe 5 to 7 seasons depending on game time).

what about australians for your career?

ive got luongo up to 78 and sainsbury on 73. sainsbury hasnt budged all year, but luongo might have a few more points in him. they are both 26.

i had de silva in another campaign and had him at the very high 70's.

leckie is a beast at 72. well worth the acquisition. probably the best aussie on the game because of the speed bias. i played him at DM. his speed is huge. he can be marking one guy have a pass get away and catch the receiver at the same time as the ball.

I've got Amini at 85 in a current save, think it must be a glitch cos I've only ever seen him at the high 70s.

that's epic. he looks like he's not going far when Ive checked him out. he's always sitting in my shortlist, but by the time i can afford him, i can afford better.

tommy oar is decent as well - high 70's - except he gets knocked of the ball a little too easily and i dont play true wingers so I need him to move around nearer the box. picks up some goals and he's decent with corners. i think his dribbling pace is a bit underrated on fifa. and his strength. seriously he can take challenges and keep the ball, just because he's 5 ft and 40 kg doesnt mean a breeze pushes him over.

but if you are into crossing or need a deep playmaker he would be good.

Been playing a CM with Genoa for a few seasons now. I bought Sainsbury in the first January window and have been playing him as a DM as well as at the back. My god he's good as a DM. Breaks up the play so frequently and his passing stats are so handy.

yeah right. that sounds awesome. i cant believe i havent given it a go yet. ive got him in my squad at 73 and we are about to be promoted to the PL. Ive been looking for a solid ball breaker to play next to luongo as a DM but I havent been sold on anyone yet.

that also lets me get someone a bit taller a the back without giving him up. WIN!

just had oxford united promoted to the premier league after a four year effort from league 2.

board expectations - finish with a euro league spot. in my first year of PL. what a fkn arse load of shit.

also! i purposely lost the FA cup final (backpassed an own goal from the keeper) so I wouldnt have to deal with euro league in my first year of premier league. somehow I have qualified. board expectations - euro league final.

what the fuck. who makes this shit up? its pretty frustrating.

Been playing Football Manager (and later Championship Manager) since it first came out in the early 80s, switched to FIFA around the 2002 World Cup... Have always played to the results I get... 'Cheated' for the first time last night. The shame of it.

Have spent 5 years building up a great squad and very strong financial position, used my market strength to sign a raft of top quality Bosmans, then slipped up toward the end of the season and ended up getting the sack at my 'review'. Had to go back to my last save 4 times in order to get the 4 wins from the last 4 games to keep my job... I feel so cheap.

You'll never forgive yourself if you dont start again.

I always play as leeds but once in 14 i was doing pretty well in the EPL and had developed quite a nice squad, plenty of youth and quality youth at that. Lost 3 games on the trott and got a draw, still high mid table, SACKED.

Fuck you i thought and took up an offer from another team with a bit of money and raided the fuck out of Leeds in the next transfer window

Have never been sacked. Might anti-cheat in my Wolfsburg CM and lose on purpose just to see what happens.

Ive definitely had my funds cut for poor performance. Like giving you less money is a way to fix poor results.

One thing I wish they woild change is after you release a player you cant re-sign them, even if theyve been sitting around as a FA for months/years.

Id love to see them take a leaf out of Madden's book at have a GM mode, where you still play, etc. but can hire and fire coaching staff, sign new sponsers, improve your stadium (especially those teams with one of the generic ones), edit/make new jerseys, have a fan rating (fan happiness and demands which can effect on field performances), etc... keeping all the cash youve made as a carry over into the oncoming seasons would be nice too, especially when you already give a % up to the board.

Edited by roary's mane: 29/6/2015 01:09:22 PM

Forgave myself very easily, got all my summer signings in... Then couldn't leave well enough alone - went out and sold a few players in pre-season, unbalanced the whole thing, got a bad start to the season and just as I was sorting myself out I got the sack again... Unfortunately only 2 games after my last save. This time I haven't been able to dig myself out. Have to start again, but don't want to do it as Sunderland (because I've done that into the ground). Toyed with the idea of taking on one of the big clubs - but can't get motivated; toyed with the idea of taking a League Two side on - again, don't have strong enough feelings for any of them anymore... Suspect I'll end up back at Sunderland again.

EDIT - a couple of days on... I went for Sunderland.

Edited by Benjamin: 2/7/2015 11:02:31 AM

it kind of sucks dicks that you can get the sack. it kind of fucks with the appeal of career mode. especially considering the completely unrealistic expectations of the board.

I havent found the expectations overly unrealistic. However the lack of transfer funds available at leeds makes it bloody hard to buy in real quality as a result you have to take a gamble on youth.

Would be great if in coming years you actually start with a clubs proper academy as your youth academy so you can promote straight away

I don't so much mind the sackings, more that they seem to come at fixed times in the month for me... The one that killed my last game was in mid-November, after an average start to the season, but just as I'd turned the corner and started winning games. If I had been sacked 4 games earlier I wouldn't have been so bothered - but on a run of 2 wins, 2 draws... Annoyed.

Seriously, in the gaming part of your life, is there anything quite as satisfying as when everything clicks and you smash someone 4 or 5-0 at a level you so often struggle to score even 2 goals in a match?

Just started a new save as a player.

ST for Chesterfield (mum was born in chesterfield so a bit of a soft spot them).

Debuted on Matchday 1
Scored my first goal with a peach of a volley in Johnston's Paint trophy match against south end
Scored a hattie next match up after the Johnston's Paint trophy match
Got a roos call up for friendlies against Romania and Mexico
started in both friendlies and scored against Romania

Currently sitting 4 points clear on top of league. Scored 5 league goals in 8 matches.

I hope in 16 you can use your player in Manager mode as well like you used to be able to. Makes it so much more appealing. Im sure EA could tack on like $1.99 upgrade packages to buy if they wanted to monetise it a bit.

Yeah that would be pretty sweet.

I managed to save to reply of the volley I scored. If I can find a way to do ill upload here.

By the way - in the 'players to sign' catagory - I always nick Cedric, a right back playing in Portugal, 22 yr old and rated 76, he gets up to mid 80s within 2-3 years. Very tidy player. Will set you back about 5 mill but it's worth every penny.