When you're deep into a game save in Football Manager, sometimes you often wonder how many other people are carrying out the same actions as you.
Here are some answers to the questions you've always wanted to ask.
It comes as no surprise that a classic 4-2-3-1 is the most used formation among FM fans. The formation is so effective, some players considered it a cheat code. This is my go-to formation until I have a squad strong enough to use my favoured 4-2-4 formation. It's also highly effective in away games against top teams. A 4-2-3-1 gives you get a solid base of three in the middle of the park and enough width from your wingers and overlapping full-backs to still provide an attacking threat.
What use is a trusty 4-2-3-1 if it's not paired with a gegenpress style? This combination is a match made in heaven. It's so effective that if you want a new challenge in Football Manager, try managing a team for a single season without once using a 4-2-3-1 formation and gegenpress tactical style. This is the type of formation pairing that can lead a team like Derby from a 21-point deduction to the Premier League within two seasons. If you're stuck on deciding how to set up your start at the start of your game, you can do a lot worse using a gegenpress.
So, you've got your formation (4-2-3-1) and you know which tactical style you want (gegenpress), but what choice should you make when it comes to attack versus defence? If FM21 is anything to go by, deploying a positive attitude would suggest most managers head into their fixtures favouring their team's attacking threat over the oppositions.
Of course, an attacking mentality is just the starting point. If you need to grind out a win, a very defensive style may come into play but if you're trailing, it may be wise to upgrade that mindset from positive to very attacking.
Jose Mourinho has never completed a fourth season at a club and, according to FM21, that's entirely normal. Before his reign at Manchester City, Pep Guardiola wouldn't often stick around for more than four either. For a lot of FM fans, it's common to get through a few easier saves, where you either win everything you can or lose interest early, before arriving at a club you feel comfortable managing for longer.
It would seem the data backs up that point, too. Building a team from the ground up in the lower leagues seems to be the way to maintain long-term interest. For a list of longer-term saves to consider in FM22, check out our list of the best European teams to manage and the best non-European teams to manage.
The data gurus who work for Football Manager pointed out that the longest save where someone was actively playing was 147 seasons long and the team they managed was Hamburg. Whoever this player was, we salute you for your immense dedication to managing one team for so long without getting bored.
They also pointed out that they have seen several players simulate over a thousand seasons into the future (without ever playing a game) just to see what transpires.
On average, people in the UK sleep for around six to seven hours per night. That means that on the days users boot up the game, they are spending around 28 per cent of the time they are awake playing this beloved computer game.
There are 168 hours in a week, so if 16 of those are spent playing FM, you're only spending 9.5 per cent of your time playing the game.
What that contrast between days and weeks tells us is that people seem to enjoy playing FM in lengthy bursts rather than a sustained period of intense gaming across the week. Still, dedicating nearly 10 per cent of your life to one computer game represents immense dedication.
Here are some answers to the questions you've always wanted to ask.
The most used formation
4-2-3-1It comes as no surprise that a classic 4-2-3-1 is the most used formation among FM fans. The formation is so effective, some players considered it a cheat code. This is my go-to formation until I have a squad strong enough to use my favoured 4-2-4 formation. It's also highly effective in away games against top teams. A 4-2-3-1 gives you get a solid base of three in the middle of the park and enough width from your wingers and overlapping full-backs to still provide an attacking threat.
The most used tactical style
Gegenpress or a custom tactical styleWhat use is a trusty 4-2-3-1 if it's not paired with a gegenpress style? This combination is a match made in heaven. It's so effective that if you want a new challenge in Football Manager, try managing a team for a single season without once using a 4-2-3-1 formation and gegenpress tactical style. This is the type of formation pairing that can lead a team like Derby from a 21-point deduction to the Premier League within two seasons. If you're stuck on deciding how to set up your start at the start of your game, you can do a lot worse using a gegenpress.
The most used mentality
PositiveSo, you've got your formation (4-2-3-1) and you know which tactical style you want (gegenpress), but what choice should you make when it comes to attack versus defence? If FM21 is anything to go by, deploying a positive attitude would suggest most managers head into their fixtures favouring their team's attacking threat over the oppositions.
Of course, an attacking mentality is just the starting point. If you need to grind out a win, a very defensive style may come into play but if you're trailing, it may be wise to upgrade that mindset from positive to very attacking.
Average length of each game
Approximately 3.5 seasonsJose Mourinho has never completed a fourth season at a club and, according to FM21, that's entirely normal. Before his reign at Manchester City, Pep Guardiola wouldn't often stick around for more than four either. For a lot of FM fans, it's common to get through a few easier saves, where you either win everything you can or lose interest early, before arriving at a club you feel comfortable managing for longer.
It would seem the data backs up that point, too. Building a team from the ground up in the lower leagues seems to be the way to maintain long-term interest. For a list of longer-term saves to consider in FM22, check out our list of the best European teams to manage and the best non-European teams to manage.
Longest game save
147 seasonsThe data gurus who work for Football Manager pointed out that the longest save where someone was actively playing was 147 seasons long and the team they managed was Hamburg. Whoever this player was, we salute you for your immense dedication to managing one team for so long without getting bored.
They also pointed out that they have seen several players simulate over a thousand seasons into the future (without ever playing a game) just to see what transpires.
If they play that day, how long do people spend playing Football Manager?
Approximately five hoursOn average, people in the UK sleep for around six to seven hours per night. That means that on the days users boot up the game, they are spending around 28 per cent of the time they are awake playing this beloved computer game.
How long do people spend playing Football Manager each week?
Approximately 16 hoursThere are 168 hours in a week, so if 16 of those are spent playing FM, you're only spending 9.5 per cent of your time playing the game.
What that contrast between days and weeks tells us is that people seem to enjoy playing FM in lengthy bursts rather than a sustained period of intense gaming across the week. Still, dedicating nearly 10 per cent of your life to one computer game represents immense dedication.
