If there is a consistent thread in the changes that Football Manager 2022 - which you can buy here - makes to its winning formula, it's that this is a brilliant reflection of how modern football works. Stats, staff meetings, and processes matter more than ever, but for all the hours you can pour into match momentum charts and xG curves, the only thing that matters is how the team performs on the field. And if you can't react when you're a goal down, if you can't see the gaps in midfield, or understand why your wingers are constantly backtracking, then you're going to struggle, your team's going to turn on you, and eventually you'll be looking for a new club to take you in.
That's not to say that additions like the new data hub aren't welcome, more that it complements an already robust, grounded simulation game. This new tab in the main menu bundles all of the tricky graphs, xG (expected goals) data, and pass maps into one quick-look page. An 'ask an analyst' option is hidden away in there too, which is probably the most powerful tool of the lot, returning a stack of graphs based on the keywords you type in. A creeping sense that your team is struggling to keep clean sheets can be turned into actionable objectives by simply searching for 'defender' and scanning a few graphs.
Despite hovering around the automatic promotion places, Fulham (or my Fulham, at least) have one of the poorest defensive records in the league. The culprit? We're just not tackling enough, and in particular our star signing from Torino, Alessandro Buongiorno, has made the fewest tackles in the whole league. I could drop him, but his marking and aerial qualities are among the best in the league. Instead I adjust his training schedule to improve aggression and ground defence, and this helps a little, but a few matches later we're still looking leaky at the back. Further investigation reveals that our back four aren't getting much help from our defensive midfielders, who I've been playing in supporting and attacking roles all season.
RELATED LINKS:
Football Manager 2022 is available now in early access, but not on Game Pass
Football Manager 2022 is getting a new match engine
Football Manager 2022 release date set for November