In terms of the your first response, do you agree or disagree that the result might be pre-determined?
Of course not. But every season I have hmmm about one-two games for my teams, where it seems that everything I 'll do in the game (subs, orders, formation), it's impossible to win (playing vs weaker teams).
The games are pre-determined without the presence of managers but some times (rare) because of the connection/synchronizing or maintenance, the server isn't recognizing it and make the calculations as the managers are absents.