I have got to say the AI system in FM 08 hasn't changed too much but the parts that have have really made it tough to cope with, even to the most experienced of FM managers. If you don't understand the basics you will end up pulling out your hair and leave home with a head resembling that of Homer Simpsons.

Right to put it simply (Well as simple as simply could be with something like this) -

The Scenario:

You have begun a match with the upper hand because your tactics on first look overpower your opposition in every part of the field. Think again if you have it easy as you have several close shots but haven't scored. The AI will make sense of how you are doing this and it will change a few notches of its own, making some players mark tighter or give players with ability some creative freedom to tear you apart. So you will need a bit of help from your own wisdom as a manager and some carefully placed notches onto your players.

The Solutions:

Situation:- You are winning 2-0 nice and comfy you thinkg then the commentator will announce that your opposition have changed to a 'defensive style'. Defensive for them being a mean counter attack and they will let you throw everything you have at them without you actually having any success, they will play to your weaknesses and throw your strengths back in your face. They take the game back to 2-2 and you spend your last minutes of the game in All-Out-Attack, leaving you just as vunerable if not more.

Solution:- If you DONT want this to happen then you will need to counter their intelligence straight away to get anything out of the game. They go defencive, then use that to your advantage. For example, david vs goliath, goliath had the strength, but david had the speed and brains over the situation. That is the equivalent to your situation. You need to switch to a slower more built up passing game BUT have your fast/good finishing striker as the target man, and depending on how good the opposition is, either play the ball to his feet or play balls in over the top. The AI cannot switch that quickly and basically it gets confused like Steve Maclaren managing a team full of retarded Englishmen. You will get the upper hand as they cannot counter you if they cannot catch you. Understood?

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Situation:- You are 0-0 with a few seconds left, and your defense looks like the china wall and nothing will ever get passed it. Your opposition decide to stick a 4-2-4 formation, change their style to 'attacking' and bring on two tall/speedy strikers, you now are faced with the threat of some terrific goal poachers and a threat of 2 midfielders that can spank a ball into the goal from 30 yards without your goalkeeper getting close to it. You end up losing 2-0 in the last 2 mintues of injury time, you leave wondering what would have been and if your next game will be as upsetting.

Solution:- STOP, THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING! you are 0-0 and your defense ARE keeping them out, before they get a chance to go All-Out-Attack, BEAT THEM TO IT. Your team will most nearly always get the upper hand and depending on what form your strikers are in then they might grab you a goal before time runs out, either way you'll come out with nothing less than a point. It's simple logic of being quick off the mark and not letting the AI trick you into thinking they will sit back for the match.

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Situation:- You have just gone 1-0 down and you are getting outplayer, suddenly the commentator bar informs you that the opposition has 'reverted to their normal style', you do your best to get a goal but they seem relaxed and then out of nowhere you find yourself playing attacking football and losing the ball so that it comes back to haunt you. The final score 3-0 to your opponents and you don't know how.

Solution:- Don't let the AI fool you, reverting back to a normal style always means going back to their starting formation and placing of players. So just wait a minute and see your beauty unfold, the AI will want you to go in at the deep end and try to get the equaliser, they put on counter-attack and leave you in dead at the back. So just stick to YOUR normal style, because before the match if you have worked it out, your team should over power the opposition from the start, just be patient and your team will come good.

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A word of advice TEAM TALKS have a huge affect on how well your players listen to your instuctions and how well they play to your tactics, and since this is a guide on how to counter certain AI's then you will have to figure that one out for yourselves, good luck fm'ers.