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Category: Experiments

Non-League Legends: Introducing Future FM21 Series

Non-League Legends: Introducing Future FM21 Series

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Welcome back readers! Hope everyone had a productive off-season. Some might know me as Crusadertsar over on SI Games forums and Twitter. In short, I’m just another guy who spends a bit too much time playing Football Manager. I also double as a bit a sports history aficionado, and like to sprinkle in my research into my tactical musings. You may recognize my ramblings from Man United-focused series Young Devils which debuted on our site last year. And there was…

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FM Experiment – Gareth Bale’s return to Tottenham

FM Experiment – Gareth Bale’s return to Tottenham

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Gareth Bale’s return to Tottenham has made them a very interesting choice as a club for FM21. It’s been a while since Spurs had a major star partnering Harry Kane, so all bets are off as to what Jose Mourinho can achieve with them… or are they? Maybe Football Manager can give us some clues as to what to expect. Let’s hop in the time machine and take a look!

Playing time and player development on FM20 – Part 3

Playing time and player development on FM20 – Part 3

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To play or not to play, that is the question for many FM20 managers. Especially when it comes to developing young players. U18 players highly value training, while older players need playing time to keep developing. Playing time alone isn’t enough though, as a manager you need to provide your player with games at the right level. The level needs to be challenging, but not too difficult. The optimal level will vary based on age, current ability and potential ability….

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Playing time and player development on FM20 – Part 2

Playing time and player development on FM20 – Part 2

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To play or not to play, that is the question for many FM20 managers. Especially when it comes to developing young players. U18 players highly value training, while older players need playing time to keep developing. Playing time alone isn’t enough though, as a manager you need to provide your player with games at the right level. The level needs to be challenging, but not too difficult. The optimal level will vary based on age, current ability and potential ability….

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Roles: Do they matter Part2
Roles: Do they matter? Part 3

Roles: Do they matter? Part 3

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In the series where discuss the usefulness – or uselessness – of roles, we’ve already theorised that role suitability is just an opinion given to you by the scouts. Truly, what difference do these roles make? This is the quest we’ve set ourselves up for. Through thick and thin, rough and smooth, Leroy Sané’s insane pace and John Stones’ twisted knickers, this is: Roles, do they matter? Part 3!

Competing in the Premier League with limited pace and acceleration | FM20 Experiment

Competing in the Premier League with limited pace and acceleration | FM20 Experiment

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How would a team with players of below-the-league average quickness perform in the Premier League? Would they cope against the likes of Adama Traore and Raheem Sterling? Or manage to penetrate through defensive monsters like Virgil van Dijk and Aymeric Laporte? In this Football Manager 2020 Experiment, let’s see if I can surpass expectations using players with limited pace and acceleration within a league known for its end-to-end action.

Playing time FM20
Playing time and player development on FM20

Playing time and player development on FM20

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To play or not to play, that is the question for many FM20 managers. Especially when it comes to developing young players. U18 players highly value training, while older players need playing time to keep developing. Playing time alone isn’t enough though, as a manager you need to provide your player with games at the right level. The level needs to be challenging, but not too difficult. The optimal level will vary based on age, current ability and potential ability….

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How crucial are Assistant Managers?| FM20 Experiment

How crucial are Assistant Managers?| FM20 Experiment

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Whether you want to manage your local team or childhood dream, to create the world’s most dominant club or simply test out your wildest football ideas, Football Manager offers you endless opportunities. In this FM20 Experiment, we take a look at two different Assistant Manager, one is a high quality, the other being a low quality. Having recently watched the ‘All or Nothing: Manchester City’ sports documentary, the sheer complexity around the day-to-day operations of a football club blew my…

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Roles: Do they matter Part2
Roles: Do they matter? Part 2

Roles: Do they matter? Part 2

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Introduction When we last wrote about roles, we considered that the green ratings for roles when choosing one for a player was less about his actual ability in that role and more about an opinion based on facts, attributes and form. We looked, particularly, at Gabriel Jesus‘ ability and attributes. In game, the staff recommend playing him as an Advanced Forward, based purely on his best attributes. They feel that he would then play best as an Advanced Forward. This…

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Total Football Journeyman: Sir Alex’s Strikerless Masterclass

Total Football Journeyman: Sir Alex’s Strikerless Masterclass

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In a series about Total Football, you might wonder why I am writing about Sir Ferguson’s Manchester United? While Ferguson’s Man United achieved amazing success between 2006-2009, they were not known for playing Possession-style, associated with Total Football. Or for that matter one cannot really pin point a specific style of play or formation to that legendary team. However, one constant that contributed to Ferguson’s success was his masterful management of his players. Sir Alex Ferguson was a people manager…

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