The Match Engine & Form

I can't quite believe that some on the forum now are asking for form to be removed. Next we'll have a campaign to remove the round ball!

The argument goes like this, I can't influence form so remove it. First off lets try and get a grip on what form is.

Swansea City are now 3rd in the Championship and last night got there by beating Derby 1-0. It was a late goal yet a few weeks back they were drawing games all the time. Why?

Well form of course! But the Swans manager can influence the players by talking to them! True without question and in my opinion the most important part of football managers job.

Managing people though is the most complex of jobs, attempting to simulate that in a football game would be just plain daft.

The Swans manager would also have an influence on form in how he reads his team & their current form, the opponents team, their form. Exactly what tactics to pick mindful of the opponents tactics and all the factors already listed.

Take two games I played from last night, we're not in rich vein of form currently. First game I play a team away from home 50th ranked, decent side he has and we've two players out.

Man for man I think my team is better but they seem to be playing well and we're not exactly buzzing. I go counter attack to try and absorb some of the pressure but 60th minute they score. Despite changing tactics can't really open them up. Fair result.

Next up is a team ranked 120th coming off the back of a bad run. On paper it should be a walk in the park but this team I'm playing are going well currently.

Go down to an early goal, I know my team, off the back of a defeat can be very dangerous and going a goal down sees them pounding the opposition. Just before half time we score to make it 1-1 and in the second half we coast to a 3-1.

Now then I can actually see the mentality of the players, yes little dots but somehow the Match Engine manages to convey how fired up and focused the players are (or not).

The game has it's issues but this ain't one of them!

In saying that I do sympathise with managing expectations. Most managers I think just think ok I'm ranked 20th their ranked 200th 2-0 to me, when that doesn't happen for whatever reason then it's off the forums to get SI to fix the game.

A little bit of feedback to say 'opponents are really fired up for this today', 'your captain reports that the mood in the dressing room is one of total confidence' (not necessarily a good thing) etc so at least managers can understand it all a little better.