i still say that something got screwed up in the transition .
target minutes used to work really well. And when they added fatigue settings as a second choice, you would think that the target minutes option would work just like it used to.... but it never did. and we never got a good explanation why.
this was one of those things that was better off not trying to imitate real life. I agree that the old method was not very true to life (you set a target minute range for each player and then if the other team goes uptempo and you didnt expect it, you just watch as your players droop to the floor while fresh replacements sit the bench) BUT...
it added a neat strategy element to the game that is gone now and i, for one, miss it