[FleaDeluxe]

So almost every season I play in FM, I encounter 'The Hump'. The season is going well, but then through some external force (suspensions, injuries, etc), it starts to take a turn for the worse. Example:

Currently playing with Histon in League 2, and had a great start to the season. 17 games in and I was sitting third, 4 games later and i'm at 4 losses in a row. Morale is taking a hit and it's not looking good.

Normally my solution for The Hump is to change my tactic, but the hardest part of that is figuring out where my current tactic is going wrong. Obviously it's been fine for the previous games, but now something needs to change.

So, has anyone else witnessed this strange phenomenon, and if so, what have you found to be successful in combating it?

[alilane4]

One way to combat this is to make sure your captain has very high mental attributes, this can help your players on the pitch.

Another way could be to be a little more cautious on the pitch, go for a couple of draws, or to not concede as many goals. I did this with a Birmingham team a few years ago and we build on a few good draws and sneaked a couple of wins too. Morale built and we ended up 12th at the end of the year.

The other way could be to praise anything small that happens. For example even if your team loses try to find the positives in that defeat. This could help your morale a little bit and that can help your overall situation.

Hope this helps in some way

[Fandango]

Yip I've had this too, even when chasing in a championship, a few pointers on how to cope.

1, scenario is you have started well and your team morale is ebbing away, I find players with high determination and teamwork and work rate, regardless of ability will dig you out of the mess alot quicker than the more mentally weak or average players.

Look for the players character traits, you want people that will give you the rallying call, the blood and sweat and tears

2, Make sure you back your Captain and Vice Captain even more in hard times, and crucially your goalkeeper, a positive thinking keeper is key to success.

Look for these individual trait in your players, Highly determind, Highly professional, perfectionist, born leader. (even if it is a kid in the reserves or the under 18's) Mental dexterity will win over technique and physical attributes in the short term fix scenario.

3, Change the shape of your team is dangerous, remember that your team played well in the formation to get you where you are, altering it can affect them, as new formations your team need high stats in concentration, positioning, teamwork and workrate, and the hidden versitility, so I'd say keep changes basic, drop someone in behind midfield as an anchorman or a deep lying playmaker.

4, Even at home don't be afraid of going out to defend and steadily if you are winning the key areas, mix it up, remember to read the scouts advice and backroom meeting advice too, play the team in the suggested formation to suit style of play to play to your strengths and counter the enemies.
Read the enemies match report, single out the threats, if their winger is a hell sarter, double team the fek.

5,Confidence, in FM AND REAL FOOTBALL CLUBS (look at Chelsea last term, Liverpool this term) can't be bought, can't be found instantly, but it can instantly dissappear from you at crucial moments, so to counter this, you should try and use squad players against weaker opponents i.e. in the FA Cup, JP Trophy, etc etc, allowing other players to play collectively brings up your overall rating for the entire squad. Importantly rest your entire team after a big rival game, dont train the keypayers all the time.

6, if you think you have been really hard done, ask your board for extra time to rebuild your team ( if you are in the bottom 5, it essentially reboots confidence in your squad) only do it once and if you genuinelly think there is a realistic chance of recovery.

7, Did you make a blunder and sign a fancy dan, or someone that has stinking adaptability skills, i.e. signing Adriano for Flamengo or some other latino hothead ( not sterotyping honestly, or an irishman in China, there you go poking fun at myself) Morale that is built up and great comeradriary, team playing together collectively without major overhauls each summer will usually stick together for you in a crisis.


8, Did you get taken over by a sugardaddy and he is undermining you and your backroom staff indirectly, I have had this at Juventus the chairman or feking CEO decided that Gigi Buffon wasn't the bizz and bought none other than Iker the mighty, yes pleasing but not when I had a goalkeeper, it unsettled Gigi, and as he was Vice Captain unstabilized the dressing room balance, harmony lost and a worried boardroom ( stupid plebs) anyway, I had to have a poor run neither goalkeeper doing well, I dropped both and played the reserve until they sorted out their confidence crisis.

I'm just writing form experineces I've had personally, but I'll try and help you if you think I can buddy.

[nikkileah]

Some interesting ideas. Gives me a few things to think about myself - Thank you!