Let me tell you something straight from the dugout: mastering Football Manager 2020 isn't just about picking a formation and hitting "continue." It's about control, about understanding the fine margins that separate a title-winning campaign from a season of "what ifs." I've spent, conservatively, over a thousand hours in this iteration, and the difference between good and great often hinges on the details most managers overlook. You're not just a tactician; you're a man-manager, a talent scout, and a psychologist all rolled into one. And sometimes, the game, much like a controversial refereeing decision, can leave you feeling utterly dejected. I'm reminded of a quote from basketball, of all things, that a frustrated player once said after a tough loss: "I'm not gonna say much. You all saw the play. I don't agree with the call. That's the exact opposite of the right call." That feeling of injustice, of a pivotal moment swinging against you due to a factor you perceive as outside your control? That's FM in a nutshell. Your star striker missing a 90th-minute penalty, a dubious red card for your key defender, the board selling your wonderkid from under you—these are the moments that test your managerial mettle. The true path to domination is building a system so robust that these setbacks become mere footnotes, not season-defining disasters.

It starts, unequivocally, with a tactical identity. You can't just download a plug-and-play tactic from the forums and expect sustained success. Well, you can, but where's the fun in that? More importantly, it won't teach you why it works. My personal philosophy has always been anchored in a high-pressing, vertical tiki-taka system. I want possession, but with purpose—lots of shorter passing, but with a higher tempo to disrupt defensive lines. The key instruction most people miss? "Counter-Press" and "Regroup." I toggle these dynamically. When I'm dominating a weaker side at home, it's constant counter-press. But away at a rival's ground? I might instruct the team to regroup and hold a more disciplined shape after losing the ball. The data matters here. I aim for a pass completion rate above 88%, and I get genuinely annoyed if my team's average possession dips below 58% in a match I'm controlling. Player roles are the secret sauce. Don't just use a "Central Midfielder." Is he a "Mezzala" on attack to overload the half-spaces, or a "Deep-Lying Playmaker" on defend to orchestrate from the back? Forwards are another classic pitfall. The "Advanced Forward" is often a black hole for possession. I've had far more joy with a "Pressing Forward" on support duty, paired with a "Complete Forward" or even a "False Nine." They create chaos, drop into pockets, and let my inside forwards, on "Inverted Winger" duties, become the primary goal threats. My current star, a regen from Argentina, notched 32 goals and 18 assists from the left wing last season using this exact setup.

But a tactic is just lines on a screen without the right players. This is where the real art comes in. Scouting is everything. I rarely, if ever, sign a player without sending a scout for at least three reports. The hidden attributes—Consistency, Important Matches, Injury Proneness—are absolute game-changers. I once splurged £65 million on a striker with 18 Finishing and 17 Composure, only to discover he had a "Inconsistent" tag and a tendency to vanish in big games. He became a very expensive lesson. Personality is non-negotiable for me. I will always prioritize a player with "Model Citizen," "Professional," or "Resolute" personality over a slightly more talented "Temperamental" or "Slack" individual. They develop faster, mentor youngsters better, and maintain morale during a rough patch. Speaking of morale, it's the invisible stat that wins leagues. One-on-one chats are powerful. Praise good training for a player with a 7.8 average rating? Do it. Warn a player about poor form if it dips below 6.5 for a month? Absolutely. That direct communication builds relationships and, frankly, makes the save feel more personal. I remember a veteran centre-back, a leader in the dressing room, who was declining physically. Instead of freezing him out, I reduced his playing time but made him a key mentor for my 18-year-old defensive prospect. His influence off the pitch was worth five points that season, easy.

So, how do you achieve total domination? It's a synthesis. It's building that tactical system, then relentlessly recruiting and developing players who are not just skilled, but are perfect personality fits for its demands. It's managing the human element as diligently as you manage the tactical one. You will have those "I don't agree with the call" moments—the last-minute equalizer, the career-ending injury in a friendly. The game's engine will sometimes feel like it's working against you. But by creating a cohesive, resilient footballing operation from the youth team up, you mitigate that variance. Your system becomes bigger than any one bad bounce or questionable AI decision. You stop reacting and start dictating. The final piece of advice? Embrace the long game. A save isn't truly mastered until you've taken a club from obscurity to a dynasty, with your philosophy ingrained in every team from the first XI down to the under-18s. That's when you move from being a player of Football Manager to a true master of it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a Champions League semi-final to prepare for, and my left-back is complaining about a new contract again. Some things never change.