Manager Mode updates sounds good. BUT even if the sim engine is realistic, they still have to put a lot of effort on the AI while you actually play against it. Every team still feels very much the same in 09. The AI has to understand what players are good at specific things and use it in the game. If there is someone on the midfield with amazing vision and passes, then the AI should use this player as a play maker, so that much build up goes through them more often. Same with every speciality different players have. A strong player on top? Well he should try to use him as target player. One of the wingers are an amazing crosser? Well he should try to make him get in position for crosses more often than the other winger. And so on...
Unfortunately I don't think this will be in FIFA 10, but I hope they have it in mind for FIFA 11. Because they don't really need to put roles on specific players. If someone has amazing vision and passing then he already should be treated as a playmaker dynamically. Then we should be able to see some different and more realistic playing teams I think.
The new sliders are good, but they don't work for individual players like this would do. I think they would complement each other perfect.