Quote Originally Posted by dave1311 View Post
Things I have noticed in my years playing this game:

1. Player ratings after 20 minutes. If your opponent ratings are better, your defenders have low ratings (6 & below) and your attackers have a rating of 6 or low 7’s, you are destined to lose especially against a stronger or higher League position team.

2. If the opponent GK has a rating of 7 or above and he is saving everything (especially against a lower ranked or placed team) you’re destined to lose.

3. If you make positional or tactical changes and there is no improvement, you’re destined to lose.

4. If you withdraw your worst rated player (usually a defender) and his replacement player rating immediately drops to below 6.5, you know it’s going to be a bad day.

5. If your GK has a rating of less than 5, you will usually lose.

6. If your opponent scores inside the first 5 minutes, your best player (or GK) is injured very early or you have a player Red carded in the first 10 minutes, you know the game is going away from you.

7. You stand a better chance against a stronger opponent if you do not attend your game. Sometimes against a weaker opponent too as that lessens the chance of a troll result. And it is better for you if the other Manager attends the game whether you watch it or not.

Whilst it is possible to change things in your favour, I have found that the above factors or a combination of them usually means that the game is destined to go against you. I have managed to battle the game engine and swing things my way by recognising these signs very early and changing things quickly, even making a sub inside the first 20 minutes.

Just my observations and by no means hard and fast rules.
Dave - your so bang on the money, especially with #7. I had a semi final away against a stronger team yesterday. It kicked off at stupid o’clock so I didn’t attend because I was asleep. My opponent’s manager attended with a few of his mates. Woke up in the morning to find that I’d won 7-3. My opponents keeper was rated at 4. This reinforces my view that if you don’t attend the game, your opponents keeper is downgraded. Therefore, I’m
actually happy when an important game is scheduled at a time I can’t attend so that I don’t get pissed off when my player is inexplicably sent off after 5 mins and concedes a penalty for his troubles.