FOOTBALL Football Manager Discussion

[Auwais]

I haven't properly go into an FM game since 10. I'm still playing my Juve save on that where I'm in 2043.

The added features and modes are nice but I preferred the pick up and play value of the previous versions, going back to CM 01/02.

My OCD forcing me to get all the logo, kit and facepacks is also preventing me from properly starting a game on 13.

 

[puddleduck]

It's a miracle... I've finally stopped playing CM 01/02 and actually gotten in to FM 2013.

Initially started one up as Spurs just to check it out and it didn't grab me, but then did my usual game of going with the second lowest reputation and no club. Currently sitting 4th after 20 games with Havant and Waterloo and slowly introducing marginally more expansive football (as in two up front instead of a packed midfield and strict instructions to play it down the flanks with no creative freedom)!

It's slowly getting it's hooks into me at the moment, decided not to go with classic mode yet, but stick with the full roast with all the trimmings. This will be the first one since about 07 to really get me playing it, and the first game to turn me away from 01/02

Hoping for a decent year, maybe finish somewhere around the playoff spots and with the prediction of 16th should be able to wrangle a job at a club that is actually professional

 

[hedger_14]

Well this thread has died completely but thought I might update my progress

Just started playing FM12 again with Crystal Palace and got promotion, thanks to Zaha's 34 goals in the season, and Ambrose picking up the player of the season. Still don't know how I managed to win the league though, considering my squad was so thin, the wages one of the lowest in the championship, in order to stop ourselves from going into the red. That got worse at the end of season when injuries meant I had about 14 fit senior players, meaning I was playing my 15 year old left fullback (to avoid playing my 36 year old Feher who I would have to give an extra year on his contract if I played him in one more league game - 20 for the season ). In the end, lost 4 of my last games, but luckily I only had to win one of them, which I did 3-1 against Cardiff, Murray sealing the game with a stoppage time game after some close scares. Won the FA Cup as well surprisingly, beating United on penalties in the final, although threw away two leads after going behind early, but Speroni made 3 saves to make sure we won 3-1 on penalties, Ambrose and Zaha missing their penalties but Gardner, Jedinak scored theirs before Scannell calmly put the last penalty in.

So I really needed to build a proper squad for this season and I think I've done a decent job, to try to avoid relegation. With a 16m pound wage budget, I had a lot to work with, considering my previous wages were about half of that, I think a little less even...

But I managed to bring in Jack Hobbs for 4.3M and Matthew Etherington for 2.7M, my big purchases, while also getting in Martin Montoya and David Albelda on a free transfer, the latter a short-term option in the defensive midfield while I look to build in the next few seasons. Also brought in Ryo Miyaichi from Arsenal on loan to provide backup on the wings. In the end, my team looks like this:

GK: Speroni (3.5 star)

DL: Parr (4 star)
DC: Hobbs (4 star)
DC: Gardner (3.5 star) - Backup: McCarthy (2.5 star)
DR: Montoya (4 star) - Backup: Clyne (3 star)

DMC: Albelda (4.5 star) - Backup: Jedinak (3 star)
MC: Williams (3.5 star)

AML: Etherington (4 star)
AMR: Miyaichi/Ambrose/Scannell (all decent)

ST: Zaha (4 star)
ST: Murray/Scannell/Pedroza (2.5 star)


I think that's going to be the last of my activities. Still trying to get rid of Easter but can't which is a pain in the ass -_-

----------

Nevermind, just signed Colombian midfielder, Fredy Guarin for 1.5m from Porto, very cheap. Saw him on the transfer list and really can't do a lot better for that price Didn't think he'd gain a work permit (scouts report told me he wouldn't) so I'm happy at that

 

[Bevab]

Damn, Guarin for 1.5 is a steal. Was he really that poor?

 

[treva]

I'm still going on my Pentagon Challenge save. Was going to update the thread once I've finished the season. Currently on a miracle mission trying to save Leicester from relegation. Turned things around after 15 losses in a row!

 

[hedger_14]

Ouch. That would be the time where I just give up and look for a new job :P

and Guarin was transfer listed for some reason or another.

Will be looking forward to hearing of your progress. After my exams, I might do the Vaduz challenge and try and get somewhere with Liechtenstein

 

[hedger_14]

And somehow managed to win the Community Shield

After losing the final in the Olympics (managing Great Britain), Palace rebounded a day later, taking a 3-1 victory over Man City. Thought it would be a thrashing early when Weiss scored within minutes and it was all City, but Speroni kept us in it, before Etherington's free kick found Parr, who ran onto it, scoring his second goal for Crystal Palace after scoring one in the only game he played on the left wing last season. Jack Hobbs was rock solid on debut as well, as he intercepted the ball from a City free kick and with all the men forward attacking, Hobbs was able to get the ball forward, and Scannell playing in the poaching role in the absence of Zaha (who had an extremely solid Olympics, scoring 4 goals, only Welbeck scoring more for us, and Zaha scored our only goal in the final off the bench so good effort from him ) wasn't going to miss one-on-one with the keeper. Hobbs capped off his MOTM performance by scoring himself to seal the result, helping on Ambrose's corner as we stole the Community Shield.

Now whether we can keep up that form in the actual season

 

[hedger_14]

Well I think you'll struggle to find more interesting games for a team's first game in the premier league after promotion...

We conceded within 40 seconds. In the end, it was 4-3. 6 goals were scored in the first half (3-3), we scored the winner in the 92nd minute after Parr's optimistic shot (maybe cross) was dropped somehow by Novota, and Scannell pounced on the loose ball. Between the 40th second and 92nd minute goals, there was an own goal, as Zaha's shot/pass hit Meira and went into the net, Guarin scored a stunner on debut, smashing a curling shot in from 25 yards, there was also a Zaha goal, as Jedinak intercepted the ball (coming off the bench for the injured Albelda) and set Zaha through on goal. Along with these goals, Cisse was sent off early in the second half after a second yellow card and there were injuries to Albelda and Faurlin.

And I wouldn't be too certain but after the red card, we must have had about 75% of possession.

 

[hedger_14]

Well we have progressed to the group stage of the Europa League, after winning 5-2 against Mallorca at home after a 1-0 loss away. We lost 1-0 away, as we went down a goal early and despite the opposition having a player sent off, we couldn't convert. It was Antonio Pedroza who shocked the Spanish side at Selhurst Park though, scoring a magnificent second half hattrick to guide the Eagles to a great victory. McCarthy who had been in a poor run of form recently, having a shocker against Man Utd (as we lost 3-1). but rebounded strongly with a flying header off the corner. Pedroza ensured the game would be decided in 90 minutes when he scored a couple of minutes after the interval, but Claudemir put Mallorca ahead on away goals as a lapse in concentration after the goal being scored ended up hurting them at the other end. Pedroza put Palace back on top with his 67th minute goal, only for that to be cancelled out 10 minutes later and it seemed like Mallorca had snatched victory. Etherington played a sublime through ball for Pedroza though who made no mistake in completing his hattrick as Palace once again had the lead. Glenn Murray coming off the bench put the game beyond all doubt in the 89th minute, when Parr's cross was hit with pinpoint precision and Murray fired it home after knocking it down for himself.

Our Group for the Europa League (Wow, we were seeded above West Brom, we were the lowest third seed, them the highest fourth seed xD)

Dynamo Kyiv
Rubin
Crystal Palace
Feyenoord

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Still, we'll be lucky to get anything at all out of this group.

 

[treva]

Doing well mate. Just finished my season with Leicester, updated the Pentagon thread in the other games stories forum.

 

[hedger_14]

Okay, well don't know where I plan on going with this save but hopefully can turn it into something interesting. Just going to set myself a few rules to this challenge though:

> Must start from the bottom playable league in each country (club does not matter), however if I come back to that country later in my career, I can start from the league I have progressed to. E.g. just say I took a team from the Blue Square North to League 2, then moved to another country. If I came back to England, I can manage in League 2 or below.

> Cannot manage in the same country twice in a row

> Leagues can be added/removed at any time

> If the Liechtenstein job comes available, I must apply for it. The long-run goal is to qualify for a World Cup with Liechtenstein.


Game Overview:

FM12 (Updated transfers etc.)
Database: Large + All players in Liechtenstein

Starting Leagues Loaded (all to the lowest level playable). (42 leagues in total)

South Africa, Australia, South Korea, Austria, England, Ireland, Italy, N. Ireland, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia

Game Start Date: July 2011

Enable Player Attribute Masking Ticked

Manager Details:

Nationality: Liechtensteiner
Second Nationality: Swedish
Reputation: Sunday League Footballer
Starting Club: Unemployed

Now for my database to load and then I'm ready to go

 

[hedger_14]

Oh, and my other goal is to learn as many languages as I can

Anyway, did not take me long at all to find a job. Applied for two jobs, one in Northern Ireland and one in Russia so I will be starting my journey at:

Nizhniy Novgorod (Russian First Division)

Contract: ?62k p/y - 2 year contract
Transfer Budget: ?0
Wage Budget: ?1.3m p/y
Current Player Wage: ?1.33m p/y

Current Position: 9th after 17 games


The squad looks pretty solid. A couple of decent striking options for this level, two quality attacking midfielders and another good central midfielder so not sure how I will utilise them. Our defence-line looks a bit average but we have two quality defenders (one CB and one RB), but we will need to steal a better goalkeeper and left-back. Our wingers are pretty ordinary as well. Our left-wing is non-existent and our only real option on the right wing is our striker, although Sergey Vaganov could probably do a decent job at this level. Still an area that we need to address.

Most of my tactics utilise wingers though so I'm going to have to come up with some different tactics, most likely to move the ball through the middle. Might play a diamond midfield, although might be a very asymmetrical formation, I have a feeling. Something like two central midfielders, an attacking central midfielder and a right winger Have some thinking to do though.

 

[hedger_14]

This team is plagued by injuries though. Maybe I shouldn't have got rid of the deadwood. I had 14 players available for selection... (well 15 but I have 3 keepers). 2 away on international duty and 3 injured for a long-long time.

 

[hedger_14]

August Update

I've tried to rebuild this squad with a few new transfers, including the signing of Internacional Fraga Augusto for ?150k, but it doesn't seem like my tactics are working at all, struggling in the attacking half while lapses in concentration have really cost us defensively.

11th July: Nizhniy Novgorod 0 - 2 Sibir

Our only game before our mid-season break and we were pretty disappointing. We struggled early but found our feet and dominated from the 20th minute on-wards. We just couldn't find the back of the net though and against the run of play, Medvedev scored in the 76th minute. He made the scoreline look even worse for us when he scored again a minute from time.

9th August: Nizhniy Novgorod 2 - 0 Volgar

After a break and a few new transfers, it was time to start over. Missing a few players through injury and international duty, we were forced to only have 3 subs. The game was pretty balanced but we had the better chances and it showed on the scoreboard, as Salugin opened the scoring early, breaking his goal drought before Kazantsev scored his first goal for the club as Kvasov's corner found him at the far post.

12th August - SKA Khabarovsk 2 - 0 Nizhniy Novgorod

We didn't play badly and probably deserved to take a point from this game but lack of quality finishing meant they led 1-0 for a majority of the game before a late goal again showed there was much work to be done when defending late in the game.

19th August - Nizhniy Novgorod 1 - 3 Alania

We really didn't stand much chance against the top placed side but we held our own well and were the much better side for most of the match. Salugin opened the scoring early for us before Bakaev equalised on the counter-attack before half-time. Late goals were hurting us dearly as Zelaya scored a late double to seal the game.

22nd August - Dinamo Bryansk 0 - 1 Nizhniy Novgorod

Well against all the odds, we took all 3 points. We were on the backfoot for all of the game but somehow denied them from scoring before Salugin (what a surprise) stole the ball from their left fullback and made no mistake in converting the one-on-one chance.

29th August: Ural 1 - 1 Nizhniy Novgorod

Well we were the better side but again failed to make chances pay. It was about time we had a little luck though as we were behind for most of the game before Vaganov picked up Salugin's through pass and calmly slotted it past Kot in the 94th minute to take a point, although we probably should have had all 3.


Current Position: 9th

Well no change since when I've taken over the club although we've moved around the table a little. We're still well under-performing though and everyone knows that. We have a lot of resources and fire-power but we just can't capitalise on it. We need a huge turnaround if we want to challenge for a top 6 finish.

And we might find ourselves in financial trouble over the next season. We are getting in no money at all and our 2m that we had before I took over has quickly shrunk to 1.36m. Unless we can get money from somewhere, I think I'm going to be looking to be finding myself another job or we really won't be able to compete for promotion.

 

[hedger_14]

September Update

1st September: Nizhniy Novgorod 0 - 2 KamAZ

Well we never really had any chance of winning. 0 shots on target for the game... Their first goal came from a pretty harsh penalty though before we conceded yet another late goal, losing 2-0, probably a fair result given our lacking performance.

6th September: Nizhniy Novgorod 2 - 1 Torpedo Vladimir

The first game all season that we've looked like a team that can hold our own. Then again, we were playing the team in second last place... We probably should have won by more than 1 goal, and their goal came in the 85th minute (what a surprise, another late goal...) after they got a red card surprisingly though. Dvornekovic finally broke his goal drought though which was nice and Vaganov extended our lead shortly after half-time.

12th September: Shinnik 0 - 0 Nizhniy Novgorod

We looked strong again in this game, looking a lot stronger defensively but again failing to make chances play, resulting in a nil all draw.

25th September: Gazovik Orenburg 0 - 0 Nizhniy Novgorod

Even a 13 day break couldn't solve our goal-scoring woes as neither side failed to hit the target more than once in the match. A pretty dull game and a dull result to match.

28th September: Nizhniy Novgorod 0 -0 Mordovia

Well I really don't know how this is happening. 3 scoreless games in a row. This is boring the fearsome tweak out of me. We've proven we can make good chances but they are rare and our players really haven't made the most of what's been given to them. All these draws are hurting us though.


Current Position: 12th

My team has looked a lot better defensively over the past month, but we still seem very vulnerable on the wings, and if not for some good executions of the off-side trap, we would have lost all 3 recent games, I think. Our attacking is still ordinary. Doesn't matter who I throw up front, they just can't cement a spot in this side. It's not like our strikers are that bad anyway. I don't know. I've been trying different things and I've made our defence in the middle of the park a lot stronger as a result but nothing seems to be solving our problems up front.