Football Manager 2022 has arrived, bringing with it a plethora of exciting new features.
One such feature is the Data Hub, a brand new section that displays your team's statistical outlay in a succinct and accessible manner.
However, if stats aren't your thing, it can be a daunting feature that looks more like a Maths exam than a tactical guide.
In this article, we'll be taking you through the simple ways in which you can take full advantage of the brand new Data Hub, allowing you to make informed alterations to your tactical style.
Overall Performance
The Data Hub offers an in-depth look at many specific stats - many of which we'll look at later - but it also allows you to keep track of your team's overall performance.
Tracking your team's overall performance is an important metric to measure your strongest and weakest areas.
The purple graph indicates how your team is performing compared to the average stats in each area for your specific league, allowing you to make the necessary tweaks to get your team back on form.
This element of the Data Hub also allows you to make sensible signings in the transfer market, ensuring that your scouts are on the hunt for players that can fill the obvious gaps.
Requesting Statistics
One of the best things the Data Hub allows you to do is request specific stats from your Data Analysts.
With a simple search box saving you the time scrolling through endless menus, the request system is a great way to check up on previously under-achieving stats, as well as offering you complete freedom to analyse your team's strengths and weaknesses.
Using your analysts is hugely important in Football Manager 2022, and taking the time to work through your stats could lead to major results in this year's game.
Opposition Report
Opposition reports aren't a new feature in Football Manager 2022, but their display and layout certainly are.
Offering a more comprehensive look at your next opponent, the Data Hub allows you to make the necessary tactical tweaks in order to nullify your rivals.
For instance, if Bournemouth (as shown above) deploy a Tiki-Taka style that enables them to play through your press, it may be a good idea to soak up some of that pressure and allow them more space, meaning their style may not prove to be as effective.
This is just one of the many ways that the Data Hub can benefit your team, and we highly recommend delving deeper to achieve the best results.
Strengths and Weaknesses
We've mentioned throughout that the Data Hub offers you a great insight into your team's strongest and weakest areas, and that is most apparent when it comes to looking at the stats from your last 5 games.
Giving you a simple positives and negatives list allows you to easily understand the best and worst parts of your game, meaning you can immediately act on the data being presented.
Opposition crests link directly to each positive and negative comment, meaning you can easily understand why certain things lead to a positive or negative result.
Football Manager 2022's Data Hub truly is one of the most intelligent and advanced features we've ever seen in the Football Manager series and we can't wait to see how the team at SI continue to develop this wonderful addition.
Click here to find out everything we know about Football Manager 2022.