This Game Is Immense At Times... ^^

YES!

Best Christmas EVAH!

Going into an away game against league leaders Manchester United, a few games left in the season and I'm two points behind.

I have six injuries and four international absences.

I get absolutely battered from pillar to post, Carrick scores a screamer from 30 yards after 2 minutes and I'm predicting a beating.

Then...

Best. Season. Ever.

To give an idea how weak that team is, Santa Cruz was enjoying his first game after a four month injury and has scored 1 goal for me, Leigh Griffiths made his first appearance, out of position, Magaye Gueye has been a reserve player all year and Beckford has just returned from injury too and is a reserve team player on the transfer list, and has only scored once for me too. Heitinga has never played in midfield for me either.

To get the winner in injury time... I was out of my chair celebrating ^^

[video=youtube;sOrSXSVV9TQ]

Just amazing. I mean, even though FM11 isn't the best of the series, it still has the ability to literally make you jump off your seat and make your day!

Glad to hear you are enjoying yourself mate!

Glad to hear you are enjoying yourself mate!

Hehe yep! The ME is the best it's ever been in the series, although the game has a multitude of other niggling problems the core of the game that makes this series great is still here.

First season Everton title win on the cards. All the better after the real life game featuring the mediocre Toffees was called off due to burst pipes ^^

Haha, brilliant, nice one mate, now you've just gotta get the job done and bring in the title! Good luck and KUTGW

Nice one dude, out of curiosity how is Cahill doing for you? I always got him to perform better at AMC rather than MC.

Nice one dude, out of curiosity how is Cahill doing for you? I always got him to perform better at AMC rather than MC.

I'm playing him as a striker, Deep Lying Forward. 15 goals in 15 league starts, 23 games total. 17 in 30 in all competitions with 10 assists.

He has the physicality and mental strength to play up top. He plays well in the MC role too on a support duty arriving late in the box, but I don't play an AMC; I prefer a front two that drop deep into the "hole" to pull defenders out of position.

Most teams who play 4-5-1 in real life really play a 4-4-2 with one of the strikers dropping off - Everton actually play a combination of Cahill with Yakubu/Saha this way in reality.

Screeny to show the stats

Haha. I bet you thought 'come on, not again!' when Carrick scored the early goal.

That is pretty impressive, I am a Sunderland fan but Everton are my favourite team apart from them to manage on FM so much talent in the starting squad.

Second season in, Just beat Luton Town away 2-1 and an injury time winner from my AFC Telford side, on the counter after a backs to the wall second-half. Takes us nine points clear of Luton now at the top.

The match prior to that was an FA Cup 3rd Round win at home to Reading, 3-2. After the legendary effort my lads gave in that match, I would have been happy to come away from Luton with a draw, given the condition of my players after the cup match.

So two important matches in the space of a few days that left me with a beaming grin too.

haha I could imagine what you were like when you scored that last goal

If I was Man U manager, I'd make a topic to say how annoyed I was.

If I was Man U manager, I'd make a topic to say how annoyed I was.

haha indeed

One thing that I've really noticed, having been a CM fan in the past, is that when you concede goals, they're because of your players, not because of some crap AI flaw which makes your striker turn around and try a weak ground pass all the way back to your keeper which gets intercepted easily, or your keeper pushing an easy save into the path of a striker, or blasting a goal kick at the opposition striker. The AI is much better which makes the game feel much more realistic, and more enjoyable.

As Reading, today I bounced back from a 5-2 defeat at Portsmouth with 3 own goals (two for the same player) by beating Chelsea 5-0 away from home in the cup, with a hat-trick from an 18 year old academy product. It's moments like these that keep people hooked on manager sims.

If I was Man U manager, I'd make a topic to say how annoyed I was.

Hehe glad to see you having a bit of fun at your own expense!

Anyways, I know this isn't a career thread but I have to post this.

Arshavin sent off, Overload, two goals in the last five minutes in a crucial game.

Four points clear, five games left

by beating Chelsea 5-0 away from home in the cup, with a hat-trick from an 18 year old academy product.

Jeeebus!

I have to confess... That's the first time I've ever seen FM in 3D. And it looks pretty dam good!

(This is coming from someone who has played FM to death for years but always turns 3D off )

Time to give it a try I think.

I have to confess... That's the first time I've ever seen FM in 3D. And it looks pretty dam good!

(This is coming from someone who has played FM to death for years but always turns 3D off )

Time to give it a try I think.

It's streets ahead of FM10. It really has come along leaps and bounds.

I'm one of those who was a disciple of 2D (and I still use it for tactics), but I'll never use it again for simply watching the game and making general changes during a game.

It's little subtleties like this:

[video=youtube;FVA8GtZ8Wuk]

In 2D you wouldn't quite appreciate the delicate flicked header towards goal from Cahill - it just immerses you into the game a lot more, like you've missed the game during the day, don't know the score and you're watching the highlights on Match of the Day!

Jonny Evan throwing away the game by letting the guy, whom he's supposed to mark, score the winning goal is nothing new this season.

Go Timmy! We need goals from him in the Asian Cup

Hehe yep! The ME is the best it's ever been in the series, although the game has a multitude of other niggling problems the core of the game that makes this series great is still here.

This. I never understood people saying it wasn't good.

Good job with Everton! Glad that you are enjoying the game! Wish I could enjoy as much!

This. I never understood people saying it wasn't good.

Yup. There's several valid criticisms to make of FM11 but the ME ain't one of 'em.

Just to wrap up...

Easily my best first season on any FM. xD

Best Christmas EVAH!

...and a Happy New Year!!

Absolutely delighted, after one of the scruffiest, most "backs to the wall" performances I think I've ever seen from a team I've managed in FM.

Middlesbrough are currently Championship leaders. Through to the 5th round having also beaten Reading along the way. Reached the 4th round last year and didn't get a Premier League club. Fingers crossed we'll get the Man Utd, Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea or Liverpool away match we clearly deserve. If we get one of those, I could care less about the result!

Jeeebus!

Just followed it up by beating Man United 3-1 in the Quarter Finals too. xD

Brilliant....

Reached the 4th round last year and didn't get a Premier League club. Fingers crossed we'll get the Man Utd, Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea or Liverpool away match we clearly deserve. If we get one of those, I could care less about the result!

Of course, after saying "I could care less about the result" and being a Man Utd fan, who do I get?

That's right, Liverpool at home!

Obviously the only negative I'll take from that is away would have been nice, for a bumper share of the gate receipts. I'm really not expecting to get a result, but you never know. My pitch is awful at the moment and hopefully the weather will be too when we play them. My pitch conditions have actually been working in my favour during the winter period as I've been able to use them to my tactical advantage.

Still, it's a big ask to hope we can beat the current FA Cup holders and a team that's currently 3rd in the Premier League.

Results like this make the game immense. Struggling to stay up and hardly expecting a win against Watford, then smash 7 past them! Maybe there's hope after all (or maybe Taylor Fletcher should play more often given he set 3 goals up)

edit: Lost next game 4-0. Oh well, back to where I was before then..

Gotta be hoping for some Kopite complacency then Heath

And Russ, awesome result - "there's only one Adel Taarabt!" as a crowd chant doesn't have a ring to it sadly xD

...and a Happy New Year!!

Absolutely delighted, after one of the scruffiest, most "backs to the wall" performances I think I've ever seen from a team I've managed in FM.

Middlesbrough are currently Championship leaders. Through to the 5th round having also beaten Reading along the way. Reached the 4th round last year and didn't get a Premier League club. Fingers crossed we'll get the Man Utd, Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea or Liverpool away match we clearly deserve. If we get one of those, I could care less about the result!

If I was middlesbrough manager I would make a thread of how the FM is so unrealistic.

And congrats tubey. good luck heath lol.

oh and tubey I know exactly how you feel. FM can bring out so much emotion.

i remember the day i got so frustrated playing fifa 11 all day. i turned on fm 10 and beat spurs 7-0

i had the biggest smile on my face for the rest of the evening.

in fact....

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/3713/resultnq.png

http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/8307/statsbj.png