Quote Originally Posted by WizPT View Post
Kenny, we're still waiting...
Firstly, an apology. It has taken me a long time to put this together. I apologies If I have come across ignorant or rude.

Top Eleven

I am a computer engineer. I understand that this is a game programmed by an algorithm. The skill lies in trying to understand that algorithm. It is likely to not be complicated and probably never changed. Nordeus found something that worked and are unlikely to have changed it.
I have been playing this game for 4 years and have only just started to figure it out.
This game is not about winning matches but about playing matches and winning resources.
My team is at 127% and I have won an average of 1 trophy for every season that I have played the game. I have found that staying around 130% at the end of the season, with my players with high white skills gives me the most competitive draws for the next season.

Game play

My experience is different to Kris. I believe that there are 4 or 5 key positions in a squad and 4 or 5 key players. I also believe that there is a hidden player attribute of form which varies from player to player and day to day. The trick to this game lies in working out who are your key positions and players. Every squad is different. These key players seem to change every time a new player is added to your squad, but the key positions stay for the season. You need to have those key players in those key positions and hope that they are in form.
Find a formation that involves your key positions and then put your key players into those positions. You may need to adjust this every season.
Counter formations with players with high white skills can work. But you also need your key players in key positions and their form to be good.

Friends
Make lots of friends with players at least 5 levels below you. You can find them by watching who bids on players in the transfer market. Keep a watch on those friends who have abandoned the game. Find a Friendly Championship where most of the teams are lower than you. You can win 1 green, 1 red and 3 blues from each friendly.

Squad
I have at least 22 players, enough for a first team and a reserves. The reserves contain at least 3 players that can fit into my first team to make a substitution in the match and to cover for suspensions. The reserves can be trained extra to increase your Teamplay Form. I also play a friendly every day with my reserves against an abandoned team from a lower level with tackling set to easy. You can win 1 green, 1 red and 3 blues from each friendly.

Training

Only white skills count. Train your players to train only their white skills. High White skills and low grey skills gives you a lower Average % and therefore likely to be drawn against lower % opponents.
If the average % of two opponents is similar, the higher white skills of the players is a factor in the result. Key players in key positions with high white skills will produce good performances.
Defenders physical attributes do not seem to be taken into account in the algorithm.

Fast Trainers

There are many videos on how to identify fast trainers. You need to find fast trainers for your key positions.
Every day you get 25 videos to save. Collect green resources. In a season you can easily get 600. Every 2 seasons you will have 1200. That is enough resources to power train the white skills of your new fast trainer in one of your key positions. 5 key positions means that if you replace one every 2/3 years then you will be able to produce a constant stream of highly trained players in key positions. Train them well when they are under 21 and they will last until they are 32/33.

Transfers
Never buy your recommended daily player. Although, why it should be offered at such a ridiculous price means that it should never be considered. Sometimes, one of your free players offered by the Assistant manager that only costs tokens as the sponsor is paying the cash, sometimes they are fast trainers.

Money

I used to spend money every month on this game, but now I realise that there is no need to purchase offers to enjoy the game. It is now impossible to complete special sponsor without further purchases so I only purchase the special sponsor task every 2/3 seasons. This allows me to get a premium special ability for my newest key position. It works out about £12 every 3 months, which is £1 per week. I see this as a subscription to allow me to play the game.
I never buy Boost lab or Hot Shots.
Of course, I understand and accept that there are players who can and will spend lots of money on this game. They will have bigger and stronger squads than me. But that is their choice. Without them paying all this money we probably would not have a game to play.

Tokens

Collecting tokens is necessary to purchase players in the transfer market. You may need to buy more than 10 before you find a fast trainer. Although, at level 15 and below it is possible to spot them using a table provided elsewhere on this forum. I am in a Diamond association that gets me 80 tokens a season. I also look at the Free tokens when the X2 is on. There are some you can get quite easily. Often needing to invest little more than time. Doing surveys is a good one. You can get 20 tokens for half an hour of answering questions. I have earned 400 tokens+ just by watching a movie trailer!

Time
You need to invest time in this game. I generally spend an hour each day, but some of that is watching videos to collect the green packs, which can be done while focusing on something else.
I can then spend an hour or 2 power training my fast trainer when sat at a station, on a train or in an airport.
I can do tasks to collect tokens also at that time, or when I have no player needing training.

Draw Frenzy, Kick around, Penalty shoot out and that other merge game.

I only play these for free and never spend tokens. If I am out then I am out. They cost tokens and money – always. And they are nothing to do with a football management simulation game. These are for gamblers and not game players.

I have not told you all that I have learnt, I need to keep some secrets to myself!
But following the points above has allowed to me to enjoy Top Eleven as a game that I can play as a distraction to my normal life, without it costing me more than £1 each week.

Issues
The algorithm needs changing. The tactic of 3DC-DMC-5-1, with the DC’s all at 1% should not be able to win every match. You would not expect Manchester City’s attack to win everything if they have Stockport County’s defense. This is an issue that the programmers need to change so that the defense plays a bigger part in the game engine.