I have to say I'm finding Fifa 11 uber hard to play - I started a career mode on League 2 in pro-mode difficulty, and I can score goals, defend, draw the odd game... Then get thrashed 6 - 1 by Cheltenham... I mean is it supposed to be flicking hard?  Or am I supposed to play on some 'lame-ass' difficulty setting for n00bs, even though I owned every Fifa for about 5 years running a decade a go?  
 
Have things changed that much?  I think it plays more like a real football game now, the old cross - bicycle kick, score routine seems to have gone... *sigh* Finding it really frustrating at the moment.  Anyone got any tips?  I didn't want to play on lower difficulties as I think there are no leader boards or anything - should I drop down and try an easier setting?  Or persevere and hope to improve?    

I had the same problem. So I played a bunch on Semi-Pro and when I started winning big I turned it up to professional. I guess it takes a while to get used to the new systems. But yeah scorring is a lot harder. 
 
Edit: Oh and I might have to put it on World Class soon.

I had the same problem with Fifa 10. Too be honest, I think it's a bad game. I think the systems are bad, the controls are bad, and the AI is bad. I was hoping Fifa 11 would be better, but probably not considering how the series normally iterates. And like you, I've been playing Fifa for a long time but took a break between generations. 

Unfortunately the iterative changes mean that yes, the old strategies that I used from the older FIFA games had to go year after year. You probably should start at the lowest difficulty, which you probably should be more than capable of handling, and then see where your skill takes you up to.

Thanks all - will try a lower setting tomorrow and see if matters improve.  Will let you know how that goes :)

I dropped down to Semi-pro and started to rack up draws or wins, last match I won 4 - 1 so... Yeah, I'll play semi for a bit.

It seems there is a greater emphasis on skill moves to me, defenders tend to stick to you like glue and once you get past one its pretty easy to outrun the rest and get a few goals in. I normally play on Professional but i've yet to score more than two goals in a single game.

Personally, I find any setting above semi-pro just winds me up. Your team become so artificially bad it's not funny; or likewise, terrible teams because stupidly amazing.

I thought it was too easy :S, played FIFA10 and this on hardest difficulty(Legendary?) and got sick of it after just half a season on career mode and now the game is at a friend's house and been sitting there for a couple off months while i'm playing PES11. I loved FIFA10 and played it too death both online mode and career mode, but I don't know just got sick of the "same" game I guess.