Do tactics really work or this game is pay to win

[InvincibleGinger FC]

I just cant understand too why playing counter attacks with long ball you have more possession than oppo. After all counter attacking means that you give possession away and try to score on the break when you win the ball back.
Probably Khris is absolutely right that you should see this game not as football game but mathematical engine game. And change orders or player placement in such way that it tries to improve match scenario in your way. But it doesnt mean that those changes should be logical that you made during the match

Okay, so suppose I am playing against a stronger opponent. How do I determine the correct "mathematical" action else than just straight up trial and error?

A few things I try is to keep ahead on the defense-normal-attack-defense- circle and tackles based statistics and passing based on player ratings or superior numbers.

[khris]

Okay, so suppose I am playing against a stronger opponent. How do I determine the correct "mathematical" action else than just straight up trial and error?

A few things I try is to keep ahead on the defense-normal-attack-defense- circle and tackles based statistics and passing based on player ratings or superior numbers.

Reading the scenario (of course knowing where are the game distances, what I call the Beatability Margin) and understanding the process that the game uses to simulate.
How the engine creates a particular scenario, by doing a simplification of the team players based on previous performances and variables (so thats how you can, manipulate ratings, to get a push in a particular game) and understanding that the game works basically per lists.
...understanding the design of your own team players, and the internal roles assigned, knowing, the streaks that each player can reach (key players get usually 2-3 max. ratings, which are 9-10 as both are the same, so... if a key player have a 7-10-9-8-7- you can expect a push, meaning that he'll very likely be selected to be determinant in the upcoming game once the engine does the team simplification to determine what players will impact in the scenario) and a etc of stuffs.
But at some point the most important is about scenario lecture, read the report and the situation to know what to do just at the minute 20' and ofc this means to be able to read the opponent settings just with the animations and the report.

[khris]

Reading the scenario (of course knowing where are the game distances, what I call the Beatability Margin) and understanding the process that the game uses to simulate.
How the engine creates a particular scenario, by doing a simplification of the team players based on previous performances and variables (so thats how you can, manipulate ratings, to get a push in a particular game) and understanding that the game works basically per lists.
...understanding the design of your own team players, and the internal roles assigned, knowing, the streaks that each player can reach (key players get usually 2-3 max. ratings, which are 9-10 as both are the same, so... if a key player have a 7-10-9-8-7- you can expect a push, meaning that he'll very likely be selected to be determinant in the upcoming game once the engine does the team simplification to determine what players will impact in the scenario) and a etc of stuffs.
But at some point the most important is about scenario lecture, read the report and the situation to know what to do just at the minute 20' and ofc this means to be able to read the opponent settings just with the animations and the report.

"this means to be able to read the opponent settings just with the animations and the report"


But not for tactical reasons. Because the simulation isnt a tactical 1vs1. A scenario is always different from any other, because between all factors that can impact the match, the engine select few factors to impact the game, so sets the options in ON-OFF, and then set some fixed conditionants (aggressivity/ %effectivity favouring etc) and then as theres a maingroup of conditionants, for example, you can realize how some settings you try, impact both teams in the same way, like -you activate counters = you see the oppo doing a counter attack and scoring in the upcoming animation or, as the tackling isnt = aggressivity, if you realize that your opponent has a aggressivity factor applied, you can focus passing to a player that have a yellow card, set hard tackling and force a red for the opponent. Its kinda awkward.

[Polotoed]

"this means to be able to read the opponent settings just with the animations and the report"


But not for tactical reasons. Because the simulation isnt a tactical 1vs1. A scenario is always different from any other, because between all factors that can impact the match, the engine select few factors to impact the game, so sets the options in ON-OFF, and then set some fixed conditionants (aggressivity/ %effectivity favouring etc) and then as theres a maingroup of conditionants, for example, you can realize how some settings you try, impact both teams in the same way, like -you activate counters = you see the oppo doing a counter attack and scoring in the upcoming animation or, as the tackling isnt = aggressivity, if you realize that your opponent has a aggressivity factor applied, you can focus passing to a player that have a yellow card, set hard tackling and force a red for the opponent. Its kinda awkward.

Damn, that's really interesting.

[InvincibleGinger FC]

Reading the scenario (of course knowing where are the game distances, what I call the Beatability Margin) and understanding the process that the game uses to simulate.
How the engine creates a particular scenario, by doing a simplification of the team players based on previous performances and variables (so thats how you can, manipulate ratings, to get a push in a particular game) and understanding that the game works basically per lists.
...understanding the design of your own team players, and the internal roles assigned, knowing, the streaks that each player can reach (key players get usually 2-3 max. ratings, which are 9-10 as both are the same, so... if a key player have a 7-10-9-8-7- you can expect a push, meaning that he'll very likely be selected to be determinant in the upcoming game once the engine does the team simplification to determine what players will impact in the scenario) and a etc of stuffs.
But at some point the most important is about scenario lecture, read the report and the situation to know what to do just at the minute 20' and ofc this means to be able to read the opponent settings just with the animations and the report.

The issue with my league is the extreme variability in power to where teams are either +10% or -30% with a few around +2-5% who I haven't played yet. This makes it hard to make predictions since the player ratings basically go up and down based on the difficulty of the opponent. Do the "ideal" tactics and formation change whenever the opponent makes a change?

[Tzzz]

To be honest, I didn‘t know all this stuff. Interesting.
How to interpret the rating of my topscorer?

League:
Games played: 10
Goals: 36
average rating: 9.8
last 5 games: 10-10-10-10-10



Seems to have a good run so far didn‘t change something but this season he goes crazy. I think a lot of things in this game cannot be under control.

[HeavensAAA]

To be honest, I didn‘t know all this stuff. Interesting.
How to interpret the rating of my topscorer?

League:
Games played: 10
Goals: 36
average rating: 9.8
last 5 games: 10-10-10-10-10



Seems to have a good run so far didn‘t change something but this season he goes crazy. I think a lot of things in this game cannot be under control.

When things can be very good, they could also go very bad - I expect the next set of 5 matches he will be on straight-4s ratings and with RC whenever he plays. Lol! (Joking obviously haha!)

Had some similar seasons like that before, though from experience it will come with a short run of 3-4 matches in a row in the middle of the season when such a player just can’t score, then back to top form again. Hopefully yours keep top form throughout the season!

[Tzzz]

Haha okay we will see to be honest I‘ll expect some weak games from him, he can‘t score like this forever. At the moment he scores 95% of the freekicks 😂

Hey big thanks HeavensAAA! You are the only reason for it. Your advise some months ago was a real gamechanger for me. Thank you

[RaiKo]

To be honest, I didn‘t know all this stuff. Interesting.
How to interpret the rating of my topscorer?

League:
Games played: 10
Goals: 36
average rating: 9.8
last 5 games: 10-10-10-10-10

This means nothing to analyze your player. You need to share his general rating stats within league-cup-cl from team squad line-up menu. Also we need to know your opponent's quality.

[khris]

To be honest, I didn‘t know all this stuff. Interesting.
How to interpret the rating of my topscorer?

League:
Games played: 10
Goals: 36
average rating: 9.8
last 5 games: 10-10-10-10-10



Seems to have a good run so far didn‘t change something but this season he goes crazy. I think a lot of things in this game cannot be under control.

In this case you need to be sure that theres an alternative to resolve your games, too you need to pay attention at the ratio of dominance/contributive power (animation slots that the player use to score/miss and the effectivity he have) so, because ofc. it can work for you to have a single key player, resolving the 70% of the matches, but you can feel that theres a line that a player never cross, regarding the contribution.
Like, when a player usually earns 1-2 goals and seems so hard to earn the 3rd, or different variables that are quite common in TE, still for the stats seems that this one is doing all the job.
Just remember that the game works with variables and limits by default in different areas to create realistic simulations.

If I were you, I would now focuss on train just 2-3 more players that should be always surpassing the quality of your best opponents to guarantee a equality in the margin and the chance to overcome them when playing, and probably the GK -and the Anticipation skill to be 160+- is one of these players.
Good luck