BakerMan >> monday august 16 - 10:31

Maybe controversial as we all complained about the match engine, but I think there's a good argument that it isn't random enough - the number of surprise results is really very low and I'd argue much lower than in 'actual' soocer. Not my biggest bugbear however - that is injuries. They really make very little difference and I think that's mainly due to the ability to pay to reduce the time. Don't see the logic of it as the high HC already reduces the time. What it enables us all to do is go through a season with basically a first choice eleven and pretty much no backup - if injuries were more meaningful it might produce a wider spread of results and require a working squad of 15+ players. Imagine if Seaburn had Addo out for half a season. If I'd had my GK out for a significant period of time, mu backup was not existent, but it was a easy risk to take. The top teams would still most likely come out on top, but we might see a greater spread - though I'm sure people would adapt their squads. Personally having to run 15-16 first team ready players would kill my current financial setup - I'd have to rework things entirely. It'd also reduce the reliance on 1 or 2 star players to carry a team, but would it challenge smaller teams even more than the bigger ones?

What I say is injure more players and keep them out for longer!

Discuss.

Stephen >> monday august 16 - 15:02

First then, the match engine. Vincent turned down the random by making main skill more important after years of complaints from the big sides. (This was before Seaburn were any good I'd like to add and the Beach was always happy with a spawny win over one of the big boys from back in the day.)

I suppose there's a balance to be had and that probably isn't quite right at the moment. In the old days, the number of matches where the shot count was 22-1 or something similar and the dominant team lost 1-0 seemed too high to me. A hard fought draw here and there is much more realistic to me. But now the Beach lads (we tried for Boys at one time, but a record company came after us pretty hastily not least after we tried to release Surfin' Cohendet as part of Willy Cohendet's testimonial season) stand on the brink of their second 38-0-0 season. That feels a bit ridiculous.

Seaburn has only lost once in the league this calendar year (Jan 4 2021, 2-1 to Jaypridee Town). That again feels unrealistic, but I have spent ages building this side and too many comedy defeats would get right on my nerves.

As for injuries, these are hugely expensive to heal for quality players. Because I am obsessed with saving money, I have now stopped healing  them unless they're absolutely critical players for crucial games. So this does mean I need some squad depth albeit less than in real life because in this game two or three good players can be enough.

BakerMan >> monday august 16 - 16:47

I just think we need a bit more randomness without it getting silly - I've finished in the top 4 for (I think) 23 seasons in a row. I reckon the number of 'dodgy' defeats I've had in that time can be counted on one hand. Unless there's a way of evening up formations - lets face it, its 5-3-2 for all of us unless you feel like experimenting and bringing in your own randomness - there has to be a happy-ish space somewhere with the match engine. In my satellite team I'm avoiding 5-3-2 just to give myself something to do as I wait (for a long time) to catch up to the top team who has won the league and cup double for the last 30+ seasons.

Injuries seems a way of bringing in the unexpected - even if its more short term injuries that have more players miss a few matches rather than chopping the leg off a player. And again as you said Stephen - you'll heal them if its a crucial player for a crucial match - what if you didnt have that option. Man City could probably cope with 2 or 3 injuries against Morecambe, but maybe less so against PSG.

Youth matches do seem to have a level of 'realistic' randomness and variation in formation (though this would partly be because we're prepping players for different positions).

Bet you 27p I can write down next seaons top 4 now and most people could do it for the league they are in (top divisions only - things are closer on the way up/down).

This isn't meant to be me complaining - I benefit from the lack of randomness as I'm one of the bigger boys in the league. 

I don't know, but I think the game needs something. 

BakerMan >> monday august 16 - 17:06, Edited monday august 16 - 17:09

And of course before anyone says - we could probably write down the top 4 in the Premier League this season now, with of course Man United returning to glory under the mighty Ole Gunnar

Could you confidently write down the winner of the FA Cup this season bearing in mind there's been 6 different winners in the last 9 years? We've had 3 different winners in 22 seasons. The Youth Cup has had 5 different winners in 5 seasons (though admittedly 2 in the previous 10) - there's some 'randomness' in the youth game that isn't translated into the first team.

Quality will out in the league the vast majority of the time (and would with more randomness), but one offs should be more uncertain. I should be in danger of being beaten by a lower league team if I don't take a match seriously and at the moment, I'm not.