Conceding Way Too Many Goals...

Hi guys, hopefully someone can help me...

I started my first FM14 career with Man City, but I am having some problems...

The only player I have signed is Jordi Alba (as I only had £34m transfer budget), which means my defence is now Jordi Alba at LWB, Kompany and Demichelis at CB and Zabaleta at RWB, quite strong I'd say. I'm 3rd in the league after 12 games (W7-D4-L1) which isn't that bad, but I have conceded 17 goals in those 12 games! I have scored 28 which is why I am 3rd but 17 goals conceded in 12 games is not right for a team chasing the title. In fact, I have conceded in every single game I have played in all competitions except 2! I have messed around with my tactics and player/team instructions but nothing seems to make a difference... I am kind of being forced to take an attacking approach as one of the philosophies the board wants me to have is to play attacking football, plus Man City's best players are attacking minded players (Silva, Navas, Nasri, Jovetic, Aguero etc) - best players on FM14 that is, attribute wise. I will post some screenshots below, feel free to make criticisms or suggestions to help me out because I'm starting to get frustrated! Also feel free to ask for any more information or screenshots.

Thanks!

Fluid + Attacking + 2 attacking full backs + no midfielder on defend + wingers in the AM strata + no striker on support.

I'm really not surprised you're conceding so many!

Thanks for the advice. I'll try that now but I'm 90% sure it won't make the slightest difference. My tactic hasn't always been as you have just described, I have been through many other tactics! But I shall try your suggestions. Since posting this, I beat AC Milan 5-0 away, drew 0-0 with Stoke away, Lost 1-0 to Newcastle at home and lost 4-0 to West Brom away.. It appears to be completely random!

Try stick to the same formation for a few games, that in itself should help. My advice would be to set Zabaleta and Alba to fullback with support. Then have at least one ball winning midfielder, probably Fernandinho or Garcia as Toure can be an absolute beast going forward. As for Navas and Nasri drop them back into right and left midfield position and set to attacking as wingers. Get rid of run at defence, work ball into box and higher tempo, then switch to balanced and attacking, you should have more possession which means less chances for the opposition.

Given Man City's run of form I'd say its quite a realistic problem you're suffering from!

But in all seriousness, I'd agree with K3VO, you can play attacking with a couple of solid defensive players - Arsenal with Flamini and Arteta are prime examples in real life. Another option, if it allows it is to set the full backs to Auto, I'm sure players of their calibre would know when to drive forward and when to track back.

Cheers guys! Sounds like good advice... Its annoying having to score 3 goals to win! I'll make a few changes and let you know... And yeah, it does let me select auto.

Nothing works guys. I have even resorted to saving the game before a match and playing the same match repeatedly using different tactics to witness the differences, to which there are very little. For me, FM has gotten worse and worse over the years, although it has never been right. When I first started buying it, if you had a good team, you'd win most games. Now, unless you have the tactics PERFECT is seems, you can have the best 11 players in the world in their positions and you wouldn't win. They need to find a good balance of players AND tactics to decide a result, as I know the game would be very unrealistic if the best 11 players always won (which it was when I started playing). I really think this will be the last year for me, although I said that last year......

FM has not got worse, the problem is your side has no balance.

Just because you are Man City does not mean you will be able to steamroll every side by 5 or 6 goals. Other than your CB's who is actually defending? Tighter marking means exactly that, your player will follow their opposite number allover the pitch, and if they are up against someone with great movement that is inevitably going to create gaps. Put abit more thought into your team tactics.

Your fullbacks are bombing forward but nobody in midfield is covering for them. I think FM is as close to real life in terms of management that you are going to get. 1 formation will not be enough to win you a game, you have to chop and change depending on circumstances in a match and you your opposition is. Also, your team has to become adept at playing the way you want them to before you get the best results. This often means dropping points against teams you would probably expect to beat until their familiarity increases.

I would recommend setting your fullbacks to automatic, so they do not neglect their defensive duties and having a holding midfielder next to a box-to-box type player, so somebody sits while the other one supports attacks. Ultimately you need to exercise some patience in your team, the game has moved on from the championship manager days where you can have a team of stars and batter teams no matter which way you play.


Also, I have to add blowing your budget on a left-back was absolutely ridiculous. You should have spread your funds around the squad in a wiser fashion to give you more options when things are not going as you expected in a match. All the best though!

You've given me a lot to think about... The reason I bought Jordi Alba is because £34m is not really enough money to buy any strikers/midfielders that would improve a squad like City. If I bid for players that are around the £7.5m - £10m mark, the club usually comes back asking for somewhere in the region of £40m, which is ridiculous. I have tried many tactics since I posted this topic, and I have to say that nothing has worked. I really appreciate all the advice everyone has given, but I seem to win some games 3-0 and lose some games 3-0, no matter what tactics or players I put on the field. Again, I do not expect to win EVERY game just because I am City, but I do not expect to concede in practically every game I play either.