FM can be a daunting prospect for anyone who hasn't played it before, especially in those first couple of weeks.
From meeting your squad and your backroom staff to agreeing targets with the board, there is plenty to take in.
But one section you simply must know about is your team reports, we'll help to run you through it.
What are Team Reports
The aim of the Team Reports feature is to tell you everything you need to know about your new squad.
Don't think that they won't be valuable to you if you're running with your boyhood club because whilst you think you might know everything there is to know about them, trust us, you don't!
Assistant Report
Your Assistant Manager holds the key to your success as he will run you through all the Strengths and Weaknesses within your squad in his Assistant Report.
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This Report will also tell you finer details such as the most creative players, the deficiencies within the squad and much more.
And don't forget about those youth talents, your Assisant Manager can help ensure you don't let any of the young talent rot away in the depths of your squad.
Squad Depth
This is a key area of the Team Report to dive in to as soon as you can, as it will help your transfer strategy no end!
You can find out who the best players in your squad are, where they feel most comfortable playing and exactly how to build your perfect eleven.
Analyst Report
This is one that you'll use later on in your save once your games begin, but it's one you must remember to referent to.
This breaks down all of the statistical information from your recent games so that you can see exactly how well a particular individual performed in a range of different metrics.
It will break down the likes of: Goal Attempts, General Play, Discipline and Goalkeeping in order to ensure that no matter what you're expecting of the individual's in your squad, you will be able to see exactly how they have fared.
There is also a comparison feature implemented into this report, one which allows you to see how your team and their players are faring against the best in your division.
Match Analysis
The Match Analysis feature ties in well with the Analyst Report in allowing you to see match data from your five most recent fixtures as you prepare for your next.
It will show positives and negatives from your performances as well as making recommendations to alter your Team Instructions.
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You can dive even deeper this year though, with the brand new Individual Match Analysis screen.
This allows you to pick any game from the season and relive it in order to see what the keys were to your success or failure in that particular fixture.
Next Opponent
The final feature may be the most important.
The Next Opponent area of the Team Report section will show you everything you need to know ahead of your next game.
You will see an overview of your backroom staff's pre-match research, insight to the likely starting XI of your upcoming opposition and the tactical output to expect from your opposite number in the dugout.
There can be no excuses this year, everything you need is right under your nose!
You can find out more about the importance of Team Reports by heading to the FM site here.
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