Ultimate Football/Soccer Thread 2016-2017

[New Serrland]

Can you hear the drums Fernandooooooo

https://streamable.com/ugfbq

What kind of link was that supposed to be?

Like Fernando Torres himself, the link didn't perform under the weight of all the watching eyes.

[Teemant]

Barcelona just got raped by PSG. 4-0 to PSG. Di Maria was insane.

Amazing game. Told my brother before the game that PSG will win and he was like "yeah sure mate ".

[New Serrland]

Tony Pulis wouldn't have got himself thrashed 5-1...

Pulis 2 Arsenal!

[Forsher]

Tony Pulis wouldn't have got himself thrashed 5-1...

Pulis 2 Arsenal!

On the other hand, if Arsenal play like PSG against Barcelona... who goes through? (Not Bayern.)

This is unlikely. For one thing, that 200 goals conceded statistic is completely misleading* but it does mean that Arsenal concede more than a goal a game, so, realistically, the away goals are against them.

*How many opportunities have they had to concede a goal versus the other English teams? I think it's roughly more than a 100 games played than Liverpool and probably City, which means how many games have ManU and Chelsea played in the Champions League and how many have they conceded (my suspicion is less than a goal a game; but they're less consistent and the Champions League is not that old so I suspect Arsenal's played more games... qualifiers included).

[Seraven]

Tony Pulis wouldn't have got himself thrashed 5-1...

Pulis 2 Arsenal!

First PSG won 4-0 against Barcelona. Now Muenchen won 5-1 against Arsenal.

Was not a good month for Barcelona and Arsenal.

[Stellonia]

Guys, I'm back to request more Football Manager advice. My side, which plays a 4-2-3-1, has failed to score in the past four matches. How can I improve my team's attacking prowess without having to buy any new players (the transfer window has just ended).

[New Serrland]

Guys, I'm back to request more Football Manager advice. My side, which plays a 4-2-3-1, has failed to score in the past four matches. How can I improve my team's attacking prowess without having to buy any new players (the transfer window has just ended).

Which year of FM, and what roles are your players in?

[Osarius]

Need a bit more info than that, bro.
Who is in your squad? strengths, weaknesses? what roles are you using? what instructions? Who have you just played against? Did you have many chances? Are you winning the possession battle? etc etc

There is a distinct possibility that you just don't have the attackers to score a lot, in which case maybe a change of approach is required on your part. Focus on defending and snatching goals from set pieces maybe, a la Pulis-era Stoke. Too many potential variables to really give you any solid advice at the moment though.

[Val Halla]

I guess a semi local team in Lincoln are doing aight

[New Serrland]

Need a bit more info than that, bro.
Who is in your squad? strengths, weaknesses? what roles are you using? what instructions? Who have you just played against? Did you have many chances? Are you winning the possession battle? etc etc

There is a distinct possibility that you just don't have the attackers to score a lot, in which case maybe a change of approach is required on your part. Focus on defending and snatching goals from set pieces maybe, a la Pulis-era Stoke. Too many potential variables to really give you any solid advice at the moment though.

Depends a LOT on the level you're playing at, too.

In non-league England (where I spend much of my time because maximum fun, but also works in Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scottish League 2 and League 1) I've found that a lot of times pace, dribbling, and agility trumps all. Setting your outside backs as wingbacks, outside attacking midfield as wingers, giving them instructions to dribble more and hug the touchlines while getting as far forward as possible could help.

In my experience at lower tiers if you build your starting 11 based around pace and physical traits you will do just fine. If you move the game to the two touchlines you will do just fine. It sounds like heresy, but disregarding the central positions is alright in non-league play. Most opposing outside backs won't be able to handle it.

Just make sure you have a big and strong striker (doesn't really need to be particularly technically gifted as long as the physical traits are there) to get on the end of crosses when your speedsters beat their men outside and whip em in from the goal line.

Dunno if this works on later games or not though - I've been at FM14 and have no plans on getting any newer ones for the time being.

[Stellonia]

Guys, I'm back to request more Football Manager advice. My side, which plays a 4-2-3-1, has failed to score in the past four matches. How can I improve my team's attacking prowess without having to buy any new players (the transfer window has just ended).

Which year of FM, and what roles are your players in?

For a bit of context, I am playing FM17 with Academica de Coimbra, which is currently playing in the Portuguese Liga de Honra (second division). Currently, our main issue is with chance creation. What roles and tactical instructions are ideal for such a formation?

[New Serrland]

Which year of FM, and what roles are your players in?

For a bit of context, I am playing FM17 with Academica de Coimbra, which is currently playing in the Portuguese Liga de Honra (second division). Currently, our main issue is with chance creation. What roles and tactical instructions are ideal for such a formation?

4-2-3-1 like so?



I'm not too familiar with the Portuguese second tier, and FM17 is said to be a little weird compared to the others, but...

A few possible suggestions:

Set striker to Target Man (given the appropriate skills)

Set one of your holding midfielders to Defensive Playmaker, Support, personal instructions to be more direct. Hopefully you'll see more balls launched forwards to your striker (although that isn't too much help if there's no wide support.

Set keeper instructions to boot it long to your target man (you can draw a surprising amount of free kicks in the attacking half from unskilled defenders going for second balls after the target man tries to take it down)

If your wide players are set to attack, set central midfielder to support (or vice versa). Having too big of an empty space / back-pass options too far deep can utterly destroy attacking movements.

Or if you're not too married to that formation...

Try moving one of your holding mids to central midfield and moving your wide mids to AMR and AML. That striker looks mighty lonely up there.

[Stellonia]

Thanks for your advice, but I think I have things figured out. I set my striker and central attacking midfielder to a deep-lying forward/shadow striker combination, which has worked wonders for me.

[Osarius]

In my experience at lower tiers if you build your starting 11 based around pace and physical traits you will do just fine. If you move the game to the two touchlines you will do just fine. It sounds like heresy, but disregarding the central positions is alright in non-league play. Most opposing outside backs won't be able to handle it.

Just like real life, then... lol
The reason hoofball is prevalent at lower levels (and youth level) is because it works. When there are vast differences in physical attributes, technique is less important. It generally falls apart at higher levels because there is less variation in athleticism, imo.

Anyway, based on the apparent fix, it sounds like the front four weren't close enough to each other in open play. The change to having the striker drop deep and the attacking midfielder push up means there are two attacking players in close proximity in or near the final third. Lone strikers don't often work well without good supply and strong physical stats (either pace, strength or both) because they can't get and/or keep the ball otherwise. Two players makes it easier in most cases -- hence the prevalence of two-forward systems like 4-4-2 at lower levels; the second forward allows for a pass option when it's not possible to go it alone -- which will increase chance creation.

There is a potential flaw in that change, depending on personnel, though. If you insist on having the attacking midfielder central to your attacking play, but your remaining central midfielders are too defensive, you might end up with a "broken team" which has no clear transition path from defence to attack at times. Particularly when the opposition is a bit stronger in midfield (see: Argentina under Maradona). Ideally, one of the "defensive" two in midfield has the attributes to play box-to-box, so you can give him license to push forward in the attacking phase, without sacrificing too much on the defensive side.

[Seraven]

Sutton's Goalkeeper (the one who ate pie) was sacked. Sad.

[New Serrland]

Sutton's Goalkeeper (the one who ate pie) was sacked. Sad.

Not particularly, given the circumstances.

[Dumb Ideologies]

Sutton's Goalkeeper (the one who ate pie) was sacked. Sad.

Not particularly, given the circumstances.

Eh seems like the humour has gone out of the game sometimes.

[New Serrland]

Not particularly, given the circumstances.

Eh seems like the humour has gone out of the game sometimes.

When it became clear that SunBet offered 8:1 odds on him eating a pie at halftime during the match... it's not so much a question of humor.

[Dumb Ideologies]

Eh seems like the humour has gone out of the game sometimes.

When it became clear that SunBet offered 8:1 odds on him eating a pie at halftime during the match... it's not so much a question of humor.

If SunBet offered odds of him having a shit at half time would he have to hold until the game finished?

Regulate the stupid excesses of the "in-play" betting market and allow the chubby sub keepers of the world to eat in peace.

[The Blaatschapen]

Eh seems like the humour has gone out of the game sometimes.

When it became clear that SunBet offered 8:1 odds on him eating a pie at halftime during the match... it's not so much a question of humor.

Why don't I know about these things before they happen

[New Serrland]

When it became clear that SunBet offered 8:1 odds on him eating a pie at halftime during the match... it's not so much a question of humor.

If SunBet offered odds of him having a shit at half time would he have to hold until the game finished?

Regulate the stupid excesses of the "in-play" betting market and allow the chubby sub keepers of the world to eat in peace.

In this case he has admitted he knew that this was an in-play prop. SunBet was the one-off shirt sponsor of Sutton for that match. He was on sketchy grounds, is facing investigation, and resigned. That seems appropriate.

It would have been great fun - were it not a publicity stunt by SunBet.

I'm in complete agreement with you on eliminating in-play prop bets though.

[Greater Slavic Union]

Any of you gus interested in the Serie A?

[Auremena]

Any of you gus interested in the Serie A?

I don't follow it terribly closely, but I'd say I'm a fan of AS Roma.

[Greater Slavic Union]

Any of you gus interested in the Serie A?

I don't follow it terribly closely, but I'd say I'm a fan of AS Roma.

Yeah, they are doing pretty well. Unluckily, Inter got back from their crisis, and thus they are ahead us (Milan)... but we can still do that.

Unluckily, I feel like the Serie A is already given to Juventus...

[The Blaatschapen]

Any of you gus interested in the Serie A?

I don't follow it terribly closely, but I'd say I'm a fan of AS Roma.

AS Roma is okay. One of the few teams I can actually tolerate from the Serie A. Not much else there. Lazio are fascists/racists. Juve are the big calciopoli cheaters. AC Milan is/was Berlusconi.

Inter is okay too. Unless my mind forgets something.