FM15: Chelsea F.C. - The Blue Monster Is Complete

Goalkeepers

Thibaut Courtois

Nationality:

Position: GK

Age: 22

No.: 13

Courtois is your first choice keeper hands down. At 22, he's already one of the world's best keepers and should be your first choice for the next 10+ years. His ability in the air is the highlight of his skill set, but in truth he's a fantastic player all around. Signed through 2019 you won't have to worry about a contract for some time, but when you do keep him at all costs.

Recommendation: This is your keeper for the present and foreseeable future, no doubt.

Petr Cech

Nationality:

Position: GK

Age: 32

No.: 1

Able to walk into most teams in the world as their first choice keeper, Petr Cech is now Chelsea's no. 2. Still a very good player, with Courtois in the squad it's likely that he'll be no more than a world-class backup, but on £100k a week that peace of mind isn't coming cheap. Keeping him satisfied with playing time could be an issue.

Recommendation: If you feel you can keep both Courtois and Pete happy with their playing time for the first season, then it might not be a bad idea to keep him. However, every season you keep him his value declines and the amount you can get out of him on the market does too.

Defenders

Cesar Azpilicueta[/url]

Nationality:

Position: D®|D(L)

Age: 24

No.: 28

In Azpilicueta you have a fantastically well rounded fullback who can play on either side of the pitch. Consistent, hard working, and good in the final third there is no reason why Azpilicueta shouldn't be your first choice at right back. The only compromise you will have to make with his performances is that of his long throws, so take them for what you will. Signed through 2019 you won't have to worry about negotiating a new deal any time soon, but when that time comes pen this guy down for another 3-4 years.

Recommendation: The only reason he shouldn't be playing at right back for you is that you're rotating the squad for a lesser competition or he's covering the left side of the pitch for Luis. With that said, his ability to play both sides of the pitch and him being either footed gives you the ability to play both him and Ivanovic at the same time.

Branislav Ivanovic

Nationality:

Position: D®/D©

Age: 30

No.: 2

Ivanovic seems to come up with goals when we need them most and is a rock at the back. Capable of doing a job at both fullback and center back, you can use him as cover for both positions or start him at right back with Azpilicueta on the left. Going forward is the weakest part of his game when playing at fullback, but what he lacks there he can make up for with his ability in the air during set pieces. At age 30 and with his contract expiring in 2016, you'll have a decision to make on whether or not to keep him beyond his current contract.

Recommendation: Providing good cover for two positions and possibly operating as a starter for one of them, keeping Ivanovic until his contract runs out seems like the best idea. Whether or not you keep him after that will depend on the development of youngsters and the signings you make. Beyond the first season I would say he's fair game.

John Terry

Nationality:

Position: D©

Age: 33

No.: 26

Mr. Chealsea himself, John Terry is the leader and captain of the squad and a legend for the club. Terry's performance has seen somewhat of a resurgence since Mourinho's reunion with the club. You won't find a smarter defender or a better tutor for the youngsters at the club. Despite his lack of pace he can still do a job, and a very good one at that, as long as he's complimented by the defender he's paired with.

Recommendation: With his contract coming up at the end of the first season you'll have to weigh the pros and cons, but in my opinion you keep him. Keep him forever and let him retire with the club and then bring him on as a coach.

Gary Cahill

Nationality:

Position: D©

Age: 28

No.: 24

Chances are he won't win you matches, but he won't lose them for you either. A well rounded center back, Cahill provides a decent counterpart for Terry at the back, though he lacks the pace one might desire. He makes up for this a bit with his acceleration, but at 28 I wouldn't view him as a long term option at the back.

Recommendation: For the first couple of seasons he can be a good player, but with the likes of Zouma and Kalas creeping up behind him it might be a good idea to cash in on him before his contract is up in 2017.

Kurt Zouma

Nationality:

Position: D©/D®

Age: 19

No.: 5

The word used to best describe Zouma: Titan. At 19, Zouma is already an unbelievable physical specimen making him able to deal with any variety of attacking player. With decent attributes in all the key areas for a defender, Zouma is a fantastic backup and should probably even be rotated now that Terry is getting on. A prospect that should develop into an absolute monster, Zouma should be at the heart of your defense for a long time to come.

Recommendation: Zouma is a fantastic prospect with his development at the point where he can start to be rotated immediately. His pace can make him a perfect compliment for Terry or Cahill and at 19 he's only going to get better. Hang on to this one as long as you can.

Filipe Luis

Nationality:

Position: WB(L)/D(L)

Age: 28

No.: 3

Luis was brought in to help fill the hole left by Ashley Cole's departure to Roma. A regular in Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid side over the past few years, Luis is a well-rounded fullback that can do almost any job at the position. While maybe being a little better going forward than he is defensively, Luis is no slouch when helping to break down an attack and with his technical skills being so good he can help play out from the back as well.

Recommendation: Luis is no youngster, but certainly provides a well-rounded option at fullback. His skill going forward can be used to great effect when played with Azpi, given that he can whip in a good ball for the strikers and can provide some width with his technical ability. At 28, you can be content with him as a member in your squad for a couple of years to come, but with that said, you should also start looking for a first team option beyond his contract.

Midfielders

_{Nemanja Matic}

Nationality:

Position: DM©/M©

Age: 25

No.: 21

_{Used as a bargaining chip in 2011 to help bring in David Luiz, Matic is back and better than ever. Matic prowls in front of the back four cleaning up any messes or putting a timely stop to opponents' attacking movements. Physical and great at reading the game, Matic can be deployed to neutralize a variety of attacking threats and his size and ability in the air lead to him being an additional defensive presence when defending from set pieces.}

Recommendation: There really shouldn't be much competition when trying to decide who will be starting for you at the DM role, or even as a central midfielder. Matic is well-rounded and can be deployed as a pure defensive midfielder and/or be given a little more responsibility in build up play. At 25, he still has his best years ahead of him and should be a rock in your midfield for some time to come. Keep him tied down unless an astronomical bid comes in (£35-40m would do it for me).

_{John Obi Mikel}

Nationality:

Position: DM©/M©

Age: 27

No.: 12

_{Mikel has been a consistent presence within the first team squad for some time now. Composed on the ball and a good passer, Mikel is good at retaining possession and moving the ball between the defense and attacking players. His physical presence and ability to read the game make him a viable option at defensive midfielder and is always a great option to come on to see out a game.}

Recommendation: An argument could be made for Mikel being a regular first team option if playing a more direct tactic given his attributes, but in most cases I would have Matic edging him out. However, in Mikel you have a fantastic backup and a player who, if injury or fatigue strikes, can do a completely serviceable role in the midfield. At 27, Mikel is a great squad player, but options should be looked at to replace him beyond his 2017 contract.

_Ramires

Nationality:

Position: M©/DM, M/AM®

Age: 27

No.: 7

_{A player with an incredible motor, watching Ramires mill about the pitch is almost tiring in itself. Ramires is a player who will never stop working and for that reason, can be a decent option in your midfield depending on his role. A decent, if sometimes reckless, tackler of the ball and a player that comes up with a cool finish every once in awhile means Ramires can be used working from box to box or as a physical presence best. However, his passing isn't the greatest, so a high tempo and/or direct tactic might not be the best fit for the Brazilian.}

Recommendation: A player that can be a liability in the passing game, for me, Ramires should be no more than a rotation option or deployed as a ball wining midfielder. With that said, he is a versatile player and will never quit playing for you and at £55k p/w you could do a lot worse than him. However, given PSG's interest in him I have fetched as much as £35m for him at the start of the game and with that sum of cash there is no shortage of talent you could bring in to replace him.

_{Cesc Fabregas}

Nationality:

Position: M©/AM©, ST©

Age: 27

No.: 4

The current golden boy of the squad, Fabregas is quite possibly the best we could have done to replace Frank. Announcing his arrival just 10 days after Frank broke the news that he wouldn't be returning, in Fabregas you get a proven EPL midfielder with an abundance of talent and no shortage of accolades to his name. An absolute creative force and a player who consistently makes inch-perfect passes, Fabregas has the ability to change the outcome of a game on his own. A signing that might have been a bit of a surprise, given his previous employer in the league, this guy should be the driving force of the team's midfield for some time to come.

Recommendation: There really isn't much to write here. Keep him, use him, and reap the rewards. A fantastic player all around and just now creeping into his prime.

_Oscar

Nationality:

Position: AM©/M©, AM®

Age: 22

No.: 8

A tenacious midfielder with fantastic technical ability and a superb passer of the ball, Oscar is a player who will win you games, simple as that. His versatility and skill set can see him have an impact at a handful of positions and he can do a couple of jobs at each one. There is so much to say for Oscar, yet not enough. The thought of having him paired alongside Fabregas is scary and there should be no shortage of quality coming from the middle of the park.

Recommendation: Much like Fabregas, there really isn't much to say. A 22 year old phenom, hang on to this guy and use him well.

Attackers

Willian

Nationality:

Position: AM©/ M©, AM(RL)

Age: 25

No.: 22

A wonderful technical player who is able to take on defenders from a central position or out wide, Willian is a fantastic option to have in the squad. Though perhaps he isn't the best finisher of the ball, he makes up for this in the quality of ball that he can deliver and his ability to to set a defender on their heels with his dribbling. Much like the rest of the squad, Willian can be used in a couple of different positions and files into the growing list of attacking options nicely.

Recommendation: An out and out attacker, Willian can help break down defenses for years to come. Played best as a winger and able to play out wide right, he's a go-to option for most formations that require a player there. His main competition for playing time is Oscar, however, both can be utilized simultaneously with no problem. I would keep him for the foreseeable future unless you receive a huge bid for him, because while he's a fantastic player he's certainly not irreplaceable.

Eden Hazard

Nationality:

Position: AM(L)/M©, AM(CR)

Age: 23

No.: 10

This is the guy. This is the one single player you should be most excited about. An absolute magician while on the ball, Hazard is able to test, probe, and push a defense to their absolute limits. His speed, skill, finishing ability, and strength (for his size) make him a handful for any defender in the world. Last season we saw him really hit his stride and will be looking for that form to bleed into this coming season. Perhaps the scariest part of Hazard as a footballer is that he's only 23, which means he has plenty of time to become and even more impressive player. The sky is the limit for the young Belgian, and maybe that isn't even high enough!

Recommendation: C'mon, really?

Andre Schurrle

Nationality:

Position: AM(L)/AM®, ST©

Age: 23

No.: 14

Schurrle is coming off of a pretty impressive World Cup display and a 2013/14 season that saw him make a pretty decent contribution seeing him split time starting and coming off of the bench earning him a growing reputation as a super sub. A decent finisher of the ball, Schurrle lacks the decisiveness of a truly great goalscorer and can squander some chances, but with that said there is room for growth. Viewed as a good prospect within the Chelsea organization and the German national team, it should be interesting to see where the future takes the young German.

Recommendation: It doesn't look like he'll be beating out Hazard for first team football any time soon, but he can certainly be a fantastic rotation option who won't leave a huge gap in quality in regards to what he contributes to the team. With a decent amount of time left on his deal you shouldn't have to worry about his contract any time soon, however, Schurrle seems to be the most "despensable" option you have in attack given his value and who's playing ahead of him. Judging his possible sale would be dependent on the style of football being played and the prospects you have lined up.

Mohamed Salah

Nationality:

Position: AM®/AM(LC)

Age: 22

No.: 17

Having arrived in the January transfer window, Salah has already been given a handful of opportunities to make an impact on the first team and has seemingly been eager to make the most of each one. Given his stature and the way he moves around the pitch dribbling busily around the opposition defense, he reminds me a bit of Hazard (take that with a grain of salt). At first glance, he might not have the look of a first team Chelsea player, but is already an established international with a high ceiling for his potential. His lack of determination could hinder his development, but is worth having around to see what happens.

Recommendation: At this point in his career he should be given some time to see where his development takes him, but given the standards at Chelsea he could be left behind if not given the proper playing time and training. For the first season he could do a job as a backup to Willian or Oscar out wide, but beyond that it will be hard for him to cement his place in this team. A decent player value could lead him to exiting The Bridge to make room for future players.

Loic Remy

Nationality:

Position: ST©/AM(L)

Age: 27

No.: 18

His last two stints in the Premier League saw Remy bag 20 goals in 40 appearances and he's got all of the attributes to continue such a scoring record if/when given the opportunity. Looking set to sign Liverpool, Remy failed his medical and landed in the lap of the squad at Stamford Bridge. Much like the dynamic between Schurrle/Hazard, it will be hard for him to break into the first team with Diego Costa in front of him, but he is an absolute poacher and should come good if given the opportunity.

Recommendation: Remy is absolutely worth keeping around for the first couple of seasons as he's the most capable striker you will find who's okay as a rotation option at the moment. At 27 he's on the brink of his prime, but also on the verge of becoming a bit older. Given his player value, a string of good performances could end up seeing Remy turn into a healthy piece of transfer business.

Didier Drogba

Nationality:

Position: ST©

Age: 36

No.: 11

Losing a legend in Frank we gain one in Drogba's return, with his last kick for the club winning us our first ever Champions League title. Though the reunion is sweet, Chelsea fans should be under no illusions: Drogba is a shadow of the dominant Ivorian we became accustomed to. That's not to say, however, that he can't do a job for the club. A natural leader and determined player on the pitch, Didier is still a physical presence to be reckoned with and merits a place in the squad for the first season, if for no other reason that being Didier Drogba.

Recommendation: His homecoming is not limited to parading him around in a Chelsea shirt one last time before he calls it quits, as he can actually still be an effective player. With a frightening Costa and clinical Remy in front of him, though, it may be tough for Drogs to get a decent amount of playing time. After the first season, it may be time to let the legend go. Again.

Diego Costa

Nationality:

Position: ST©

Age: 25

No.: 19

The second half and equally exciting part of the Spanish influx from La Liga, Costa joins the club after an impressive 2013/14 season with Atletico. With that said, it was really his only prolific season as a goalscorer, but he shows no signs of slowing down. A physical presence who requires the full attention of any defense, he shows a lethal finishing touch and has exceptional goalscoring instincts. He always seems to be in the right place at the right time, waiting for the possibility of pouncing onto the end of a pass, cross, or deflection. A player who's known for getting under the skin of defenders, he's not one to shy away from a physical contest. With the creative forces Chelsea has at its disposal there is no reason Costa shouldn't be finishing as top scorer in the league, which will surely be the expectation of most fans.

Recommendation: Costa IS your number one choice up top. His attributes allow him to play in almost any role in any style of football and at 25 he's fairly young for a striker of his caliber. He should be a fantastic player for the squad for years to come and should be able to lead the line unlike any since, well, Drogba.

Managing the U21 & U18 squads the first couple of seasons can end up being a tricky undertaking for a number of reasons, if nothing else then because the fact there are just so many players. This portion of the team page is to highlight standout prospects and with that said, will only list players of 2 stars of minimum potential or more. A quick overlook tells us that:

- Given the sheer number of players you have out on loan, you'll have to be careful of signing more players than you really need. Many players can do the job of backups or rotation options (Kalas, Omeruo, Bertrand, Chalobah, van Ginkel, Romeu, and Piazon)

- The raw talent is there, but many youngsters have low determination so tutor wisely. Some of your brightest prospects (Chalobah, Omeruo, Boga, Rodriguez, Feruz, Ake, Christensen) all have Determination ratings of less than 15.

- A few work permits still need to be sorted. Wallace, Traore, and Davila all need work permits still, so if they figure into you plans in any way then you need to sort that out. (Wallace and Traore can definitely contribute something to the team.)

- These guys can make you some cash! Don't get me wrong, some of these guys can definitely do a job for the club, but much like in real life these youngsters can create quite a lot of cash for the club. (Remember that the sale of one of the youth players should be offset by a potential homegrown talent.)

The Players

Nathaniel Chalobah

Nationality:

Current: 2*

Potential: 3.5*/4.5*

Position: M©|D©, DM

Age: 19

Chalobah is by far and wide your brightest youth prospect. A player who at 19 can already do a job for the squad, he is currently on loan at Burnley. With the right tutoring he could potentially be a fantastic player. As stated above, though, his determination is an issue, so whoever you have tutoring needs to be able to help him in that regard most importantly. Seeing as he's an accomplished central defender, it is possible to get JT to tutor him, which would be the best possible move as the stats he's lacking in are all mental and defensive.

Recommendation: Chalobah is the closest we have to another JT. Now, I'm not saying he'll be that great, but he is a homegrown player who can be a first team stalwart for years to come. With that said, upon his return from Burnley his development should be taken into your hands by giving him the tutoring and game time he needs.

Marco van Ginkel

Nationality:

Current: 2*

Potential: 3*/4*

Position: M©|M(RL), AM(RLC)

Age: 21

Van Ginkel is currently on loan at AC Milan with a squad status of backup, so the playing time he will receive can vary. One of the few prospects who's highly determined (17), van Ginkel isn't one you'll have to struggle to get the best out of. A competent central midfielder with a mind to attack, he can easily do the job of a rotating squad player, and given his potential he could very well become a nice player for you. Tutoring shouldn't be a primary consideration as his mental stats are already quite decent for a 21 year old.

Recommendation: Van Ginkel could be a nice little surprise for the club. A well rounded attacking midfielder, he can contribute something to buildup play on the pitch and given he is only 21 years old and has some potential left, he can contribute for years to come. However, you can get a fair amount for him in the second summer transfer window after his return, so if it so happens that you signed someone during one of the first two windows he can help recoup some of that cash. What you do with him is a 50/50 tossup. It will largely depend on your signings and need for central midfielders.

Thorgan Hazard

Nationality:

Current: 2*

Potential: 2.5*/3.5*

Position: AM©|M/AM(RL

Age: 21

It's easy to see the last name Hazard and get incredibly excited as a Chelsea fan, and while this isn't Eden we're talking about, Thorgan is a good little player in his own right. A well rounded attacker who has the same competitive drive as his brother, Thorgan can certainly bring something to the squad. He can play pretty much any position in the attacking third and that versatility is always something welcomed into a Chelsea squad. His determination is okay, but could use a boost if you have a spare tutor sitting around with nothing to do.

Recommendation: A good little player, he may be worth keeping for no other reason but to see two Hazard's on the pitch at once. On a serious note, he's another player who can definitely do a job for the first team, but has the potential to be pushed out by more attractive signings made for the squad. Keeping him could be a budget-friendly way to add an attacking threat to the squad, however he's another young player who can fetch a decent price during the second summer window.

Lucas Piazon

Nationality:

Current: 2*

Potential: 2*/3*

Position: M/AM(L)|M®, AM(RC)

Age: 20

Signed at quite a young age, Piazon has been at the club for 5 years already. His development has seen him switch between attacking midfield and striker roles, which leaves you with a fairly versatile attacking player. Even taking Piazon as is without developing him, he can be a decent option as an inside forward on the left or backup for whoever you may have playing on the right and can even do a job as a advanced forward in a pinch. While most of his mental stats are okay, he could definitely use a brush up via tutoring.

Recommendation: I sound like a broken record, but this fact rings true with the majority of Chelsea's prospects: you can hang on to him as a thrifty attacking option, but he could definitely fail to see time due to Schurrle and Hazard or the addition of new signings. However, the prospect of selling Schurrle for a hefty fee and having Piazon fill the void that is left is an attractive option.

Kenneth Omeruo

Nationality:

Current: 1.5*

Potential: 2*/3*

Position: D©|D®

Age: 20

At 20 years young Omeruo already has most of the necessary skills physical stats to compete in the EPL, though he is on loan at Middlesborough until the summer of '15. A player who is seen as a consistent performer and one who enjoys the big matches, Omeruo's competitive mentality would fit right in with the rest of the first team players, though his determination is on the low side (10). With the right Tutoring from JT, Cahill, or Iva, this shouldn't be a problem for long.

Recommendation: A solid defender with a little room to grow he can contribute as a rotation option upon his return. As stated above, with some proper tutoring and some firs team playing time, he can become an important part of your defense. With the likes of Stones, Balanta, etc. being snapped up, it might be hard for him to break into the first team.

Oriol Romeu

Nationality:

Current: 2*

Potential: 2.5*

Position: DM/M©

Age: 22

Brought in from Barca under Vilas Boas, Romeu has had a hard time breaking into the first team since then. A hard worker and team player, Romeu is a workhorse in the middle of the park with good mental attributes and technicals to go with them. He is on loan at Stuttgart until the end of the first season, so don't plan on having him back before then.

Recommendation: A solid central midfielder, he can play either defensive mid or central midfielder and do quite a good job at either. If interest is taken in Mikel, Romeu could definitely fill his shoes after his departure. I would look to keep him as he doesn't cost any money and you won't find many players who are better on a similarly cheap contract. Give him a shot and you could be rewarded.

Wallace*

Nationality:

Current: 2*

Potential: 2*/3*

Position: D®/WB®

Age: 20

Still lacking a work permit Wallace has the potential to turn into quite a good player for you. Another couple of seasons on loan and he should be eligible for his work permit, however, finding a team to loan him to during the second season has proved problematic for me. The downside to this is that after he has attained a work permit he won't be able to receive tutoring from other senior players, and he could use a bit of that.

Recommendation: Even though he can become a good player, the work permit problem can be quite troublesome. As a player with a decent value, it may be easier to offload him in place of a younger English or European player.

Christian Atsu

Nationality:

Current: 2*

Potential: 2.5*

Position: AM(L)

Age: 22

Atsu begins the game on loan at Everton as a backup and will remain there until the end of the season. A decent player from the get go, his downside is that he doesn't have much room to grow from there. His pace, dribbling, and movement off the ball are his strong suits and if he improves there he may merit a start or two.

Recommendation: With all of the youngsters you have that are able to play his position, it seems unlikely that Atsu will ever get a true shot at the first team level, and probably rightly so. With a release clause of £7.5 he can be sold for a decent amount, though I have been able to offload him for more to clubs that are interested and willing to pay (~£10m)

Cristian Cuevas

Nationality:

Current: 1*

Potential: 2*/3*

Position: M(L)|D/WB/AM(L)

Age: 19

Cuevas is an interesting player you have at your disposal. He's adept at playing up and down the left hand side in its entirety and can do many different jobs for your squad. However, if he doesn't fulfill all of his potential he may never do any of those jobs well enough to stay in the first team. At 19 he has plenty of time to develop, but will he get a chance?

Recommendation: Cuevas is worth hanging onto beyond his return for loan for the sole fact that he can cover so many positions down the left. I have used him once or twice when injuries come up and he did an okay job. Beyond that it will be hard for him to find a regular, or even rotating spot in the squad. As he doesn't have a high player value the amount you would receive from selling him is negligible.

Bertrand Traore

Nationality:

Current: 1*

Potential: 3*/4*

Position: AM®|M(RL), AM(CL), ST

Age: 18

One of the more exciting prospects you have in your squad at the moment, Traore has the potential to really become an exciting player. His work permit issue could see his place in the first team become a little more difficult and delayed than you might hope, but if you send him on loan to some good clubs his development should continue just fine. A player with a good amount of pace, Traore looks like, if developed right, could terrorize defenses down the right flank for years to come.

Recommendation: Keep an eye on this one's development as he goes out on loan to gain a work permit. Sadly enough, if he doesn't stay at the club I feel his progress could be hindered. If his development stays positive while loaned out then by the time he is eligible to play for the first team, you should have a pretty solid player on your hands.

Matej Delac

Nationality:

Current: 1.5*

Potential: 2.5*/3.5*

Position: GK

Age: 21

Delac starts out on loan for the entirety of the first season. A good, young keeper, there's nothing stopping him from developing into a solid backup behind Courtois. Seeing as this is all you will be looking for in a young keeper for the next ~8 years or so, his development can save you a lot of money in the transfer market that you would otherwise spend on a young developing keeper.

Recommendation: It's worth it to keep Delac after he gets back from loan. His contract is cheap and he'll be fine with taking a backseat role to Courtois. You have maybe a season after his return where he'll be third choice (if you decide to keep Cech), but will have time to be tutored by him as well.

Andreas Christensen

Nationality:

Current: 5(s)*

Potential: 3*/4*

Position: D©|D®

Age: 18

Christensen is your brightest prospect at central defender. Kalas and Omeruo are more match ready, but Christensen is young and has the highest amount of potential. With that said, he is still good enough to earn a spot in cup games, garbage group stage games etc. Definitely have him tutored by Terry or Cahill off the bat and watch him grow into a first team player.

Recommendation: There is no reason you shouldn't keep Christensen. If for no other reason, keep him as your backup's backup. He should grow into a fine player and with him being so young it is one less position you have to worry about for the future.

Write-ups and images to follow

4-3-3: With the 4-3-3 you get a good balance with the squad. Given Hazard and Willian's ability to cut inside, I would look to play with wing backs overlapping behind those two continuing to provide width and the ability to cross balls into the box. A potential midfield duo of Oscar and Fabregas spells trouble for opponents, while they're able to retain possession extremely well with Matic behind them to clean anything up that may come through. Costa is more than capable of playing up top alone, but look for him to play in a deeper role (Deep Lying, Complete, etc.) to hold the ball up and help bring the wings into play.

4-2-3-1 (Asymmetrical): Though it looks a bit wonky at face value, this particular formation suits the squad's depth the best with there being a player to cover at every position, with the exception of LB. The other advantage of this tactic is that you have a presence in every part of the pitch. I have found that this tactic is extremely useful for retaining possession as there is ample room between players to keep moving the ball around without certain parts of the pitch getting congested with players. The other advantage is that you have a playmaker behind Costa. The combination of the two is almost guaranteed to stretch the opponent's back line with their movement on and off the ball. With the presence of centralized attacking midfielder, the presence of wing backs isn't absolutely required, though if playing an attacking mentality can still be very useful.

4-2-3-1: To play this tactic successfully, pacier center backs than Terry and Cahill are needed as balls over the top can stretch the defense and pace will be needed to make up ground. It is probably best to deploy either Matic or Mikel in one of the central midfield roles in a defensive capacity as the lack of defensive presence in the midfield can surely make you pay with a goal or two. The attacking potential with this formation is fantastic, however. With all of your skillful players being deployed closer to the attacking third, the ability for them to rotate and weave through the field is one that makes your mouth water. In this formation Costa can switch to being an out-and-out goalscorer in a primarily attacking role (Poacher). Finding a balance between the defensive and attacking third is the key with this formation.

Transfers

As stated in the opening post, the Chelsea squad is a very balanced and versatile squad, not to mention incredibly skillful and hardworking. However, given that there is no single squad that can be tailored to everyone's uses, there are certainly some changes and/or additions that could be made to the existing squad. Let's take a look at some of them.

Outs

As was mentioned in certain parts of the first team overview, cases can be made to let go of a few players based on tactical formations, styles of play, or even preference. Though you start of with a sizable transfer budget, finances could be another driving force behind the sale of a player, so let's take a look at possible exits from Stamford Bridge.

Ramires

Player Value: £24m

Contract: £55k p/w - 6/30/17

Sale Value: ~£35m

Ramires can be an effective player for your side, but only if he fits the role(s) you need. Many possession and/or attacking brands of football might end up being a bad fit for Ramires due to his poor passing and vision, unless you just need a midfielder to hassle the opposition. The main thing to consider here is who you'd be able to bring in for the £35m you can get for him. If those players outweigh Ramires' contribution to the team, I'd say capitalize on PSG's interest and grab the cash.

Petr Cech

Player Value: £21.5m

Contract: £100k p/w - 6/30/16

Sale Value: ~£21.5m

Oddly enough it doesn't seem like there is a large market for Cech at the moment, but if you're able to move him it should be for a sizable amount. Now, there is definitely still a job for him to do at the club, but depending on transfers and your financial policies there is room for him to move. The biggest factor to consider when weighing Cech's options is that the longer you keep him the less he's worth.

Branislav Ivanovic

Player Value: £10.25m

Contract: £60k p/w - 6/30/16

Sale Value: ~£15m

The idea of selling Ivanovic comes as a preemptive measure against his age and contract. Ivanovic is a good versatile player who can be useful for the first season at least, but again, depending on your transfer policy and your desire to purchase/bring through some youth it may be worth selling him.

Ins

Unless you really want to mix things up at The Bridge, there shouldn't be a whole lot that you'll find you need to do to improve the squad. The tricky part about making purchases in the first summer is that there are so many players out on loan you have to make sure you're going to be able to balance the squad's playing time the following season, or have a list of players you're willing to let go. Let's get started.

Marco Reus

Player Value: £26.5m

Contract: £80k p/w - 6/30/17

Sale Value: £21m (Buyout Clause)

Reus is an absolute luxury buy as you don't absolutely need him. However, at a purchase price of £21m, he's an absolute bargain for the caliber of player you get. Able to play on either side of the pitch, Reus would provide a world-class backup to Hazard and probably take over the starting job from either Oscar or Willian on the right wing. At only 25 years old he has his best years ahead of him and with a value of £26.5m at the beginning of the game he might be a good financial investment if you flip him the next season, if nothing else.

John Stones

Player Value: £10.5m

Contract: £20k p/w - 6/30/19

Sale Value: ~£17m

Eder Alvarez Balanta

Player Value: £2.3m

Contract: £5.75k p/w - 6/30/16

Sale Value: ~£6.5m

Perhaps the most glaring "weakness" of the squad is at center back and while there is no shortage of quality the only cover you have at the moment is Zouma. If you get extremely lucky you may be okay with the 3 defenders you have at the moment in Terry, Cahill, and Zouma, but with the way injuries seem to pop up in this year's version it'd be a miracle. In Stones and Balanta you have two different sorts of players. Stones is a bit more technically inclined being able to help build play up from the back, while being a solid defender with a great upside in potential. The fact that he is English helps with squad restrictions/requirements as well. In Balanta you have a similar specimen to Zouma. A physical freak of nature who can use his size and power to help neutralize some of the world's best attackers, while also reading the game fairly well. Depending on your style of play, either of these boys could do you well, though Stones comes with a much heftier price tag.

Sergi Samper

Player Value: £3.6m

Contract: £11k p/w - 6/30/17

Sale Value: £10.25m (Buyout Clause)

Another player who could be considered a "luxury" buy, Samper looks to be an extremely bright talent for the future. His mental and technical attributes are fantastic for only being 19, and if retrained to be able to also play central midfield he could do just about any job in the center of the park. While you don't absolutely need the cover at defensive midfielder, at £10.25m he has to be considered a bargain.

Will Hughes

Player Value: £8.25m

Contract: £12k p/w - 6/30/18

Sale Value: ~£8.25m

Will is a good all around midfielder able to do a variety of jobs from defensive mid to attacking mid. His marking and lack of strength might prevent him from being a good physical midfielder, but he can deliver a good ball and pass it around the park. Another young English player, Hughes helps with squad restrictions and requirements and has a great upside, making him one for the future who can also do a job in cup games and against lesser league opponents.

Yeah! Thanks Pitch,looking forward to this.

Love the thread, except.....I 100% absolutely positively completely and utterly hate the nickname 'Mou'.

Yeah! Thanks Pitch,looking forward to this.

Cheers, I figured enough people are getting on with their saves that a thread should start as well.

Love the thread, except.....I 100% absolutely positively completely and utterly hate the nickname 'Mou'.

I hear you, I just had to think of a name on the fly and it came about. Maybe I can adjust it once everything is finalized.

In January of 2016 in my save, just signed Khedira for 18million, 10 points clear in the league with Roma to play in the CL. Lost in both cups stupidly as i played teams that were a bit too weak!

On another note, i've somehow got Schurrle outplaying Hazard at the minute, he's got himself 11 goals 5 assists in 13 league games, 9 of those being starts!!

Brown just hit a hat trick in his home league debut against Reading, came on at half time and tore them apart

In January of 2016 in my save, just signed Khedira for 18million, 10 points clear in the league with Roma to play in the CL. Lost in both cups stupidly as i played teams that were a bit too weak!

On another note, i've somehow got Schurrle outplaying Hazard at the minute, he's got himself 11 goals 5 assists in 13 league games, 9 of those being starts!!

In my test save I tried to unsettle him enough that he'd turn down any contract offers from Madrid so I'd be able to get him on a free in Jan, but he ended up signing a new contract a few months in.

Great to see the Chelsea 2015 thread up. Thanks PitchPosh!

Love the thread, except.....I 100% absolutely positively completely and utterly hate the nickname 'Mou'.

However I have to agree with tcoleman1 on this one haha. Just refer to him as Jose or in case of the thread name...The Blue machine is complete?

Just finished my first season. Didnt go as well planned as I liked. At one point in the season I was in eighth position and almost got the sack but luckly hit my target of 9 points in the following 5 games. Ended up in 3rd behind United and Arsenal.

Heres how we did in our Competitions:

As you can see not a great season but started getting better towards the end once I started getting use to the match engine and the game. However I was pleased to see that the team who knocked me out in the quarter finals (Juventus) went on to beat Barcelona 2-1 in the final.

On the bright side the u21 won the European Champions Cup 5-0

They were predicted a draw and penalties pre match but Boga, Brown and Solanke were just too good for them! I like to think I had something to do with the result as I decided to watch the match.

These were my transfers:

Players that cut off that were sold:

Andre Schurrle-15 mill-Fiorentina

Todd Kane-1 mill-Derby

Another update to come soon.

On the bright side the u21 won the European Champions Cup 5-0

Under 21's in an Under 19's cup?! How's that work then?

Under 21's in an Under 19's cup?! How's that work then?

In England as you know it's either U21's or U18's so it puts the U21's into it but if you went into the games you would see that it only plays (Or you're coach/manager of that team) players that are 19 and under. It did on last years anyway.

In England as you know it's either U21's or U18's so it puts the U21's into it but if you went into the games you would see that it only plays (Or you're coach/manager of that team) players that are 19 and under. It did on last years anyway.

^^^ What he said and yes it is still the same in this years version.

Exactly, the Mou machine is complete.. So no point in playing as Chelsea in FM15. (sorry for the hate)

Tbf Chelsea is the one save I look forward to most even if the team is almost complete. Like updating any possible weaknesses we have, bringing through loads of youngsters and eventually making us the best team in the world. Then you've got PL and CL wins records to aim for

Tbf Chelsea is the one save I look forward to most even if the team is almost complete. Like updating any possible weaknesses we have, bringing through loads of youngsters and eventually making us the best team in the world. Then you've got PL and CL wins records to aim for

Depends on how you classify complete. Players who play specific and rigid roles or more complete players that can interchange... I dont think the machines quite complete just yet. However it wouldnt matter I always look forward to playing my Chelsea save every year

Exactly, the Mou machine is complete.. So no point in playing as Chelsea in FM15. (sorry for the hate)

I think the fact that the team is complete makes the save more fun. As a fan, it's where I'd like it to be, but I still get to add a couple players of my liking and develop the youth, which there a bunch of bright prospects this year. I can see where you are coming from, though.

Spoken to Drogba about becoming a coach and he replies with "i can start right away if you want", i agree. Click off the conversation and can't find his staff attributes, nor will he negotiate a new deal to become anything other than a player?! help? I'm in Novemeber of the first season.

He only rejoined the club this season so he wont be open to a new contract until December 31st I think.

he begins negotiating for a contract, but the dropdown for coach doesn't appear, only player.

So what formations are all you lads playing in your saves?

4-2-3-1, trying to get it to work though. Can't seem to get my team to defend at all, 2 clean sheets in 11 games is just no where near good enough, and no one but Hazard seems to know where the goal is..

How about yourself?

The issue with the 4-2-3-1 is the space between the defensive line and the mid-fielders is often so big that the opposition can float into the space. So then you increase the d-line and the space is in behind. This means you need specific type of players-pacey central defenders and that means no Terry and Cahill as there pace isnt great. I only ever seem to use that tactic with Terry and Cahill unless I drop the 2 mid fielders into the defensive midfield positions ahead of the defence and look to play counter attacking football ala Mourinho and Simeone. I am currently playing a 4-1-2-2-1 and looking to play similar to Barcelona with limitations and players I have brought in.

Just had Terry retire at the end of the 2nd season aged 35, probably didn't help that i'd only played him twice in the league this season but interesting nonetheless. Have kept him on as a coach but atm he's pretty useless.

4-2-3-1, trying to get it to work though. Can't seem to get my team to defend at all, 2 clean sheets in 11 games is just no where near good enough, and no one but Hazard seems to know where the goal is..

How about yourself?

It seems the ME still punishes players for not using a DM. Natedgo is right, though, any tactic without a DM and you need pacey center backs.

I too have abandoned the notion of trying to get FM 4-2-3-1 to work; defensive issues if using 2 MC and going with 2 DM potentially compromises Fabregas potential as he is best deployed in MC role. I have been playing FM Classic mode to help sort out a preferred tactic prior to starting full career mode save when full game released (no need to train tactics up to fluid in FMC). My preferred formation to date is, like Natyedog17, a 4-1-2-2-1 but with Control Mentality and Flexible shape. This formation seems pretty secure defensively with Fabregas, Hazard, Oscar and Costa providing the attacking threat. Means Willian being on the bench rather than in starting line up.

Current preferred starting X1 as follows:

GK Defend Courtois

Full Back Right Support Ivanovic

Central Def Right Cover Cahill

Central Def Left Defend Terry

Full Back Left Attack Azpilicueta

Def Mid Centre Support Matic

Roaming Playmaker Centre Right Support Fabregas

Central Mid Centre Left Defend Ramires

Winger Right Attack Oscar

Inside Forward Left Support Hazard

Complete Forward Centre Attack Costa

In this set-up Matic and Ramires effectively become the main defensive pair, freeing Fabregas to provide creativity going forward whilst still tracking back. Using Oscar as main cover for the Fabregas role.

So far going well.

The issue with the 4-2-3-1 is the space between the defensive line and the mid-fielders is often so big that the opposition can float into the space. So then you increase the d-line and the space is in behind. This means you need specific type of players-pacey central defenders and that means no Terry and Cahill as there pace isnt great. I only ever seem to use that tactic with Terry and Cahill unless I drop the 2 mid fielders into the defensive midfield positions ahead of the defence and look to play counter attacking football ala Mourinho and Simeone. I am currently playing a 4-1-2-2-1 and looking to play similar to Barcelona with limitations and players I have brought in.

I've not had a 4-1-2-2-1 formation do the job for me for years now. How is yours set up? I can never get the striker going in that formation.

I've not had a 4-1-2-2-1 formation do the job for me for years now. How is yours set up? I can never get the striker going in that formation.

Mentality-counter

Team shape-flexible

Shouts:

-retain posession

-shorter passing

-work ball into the box

-play out of defence

-push higher up

-Stay on feet

-higher tempo

GK-Sweeper Keeper-defend

Dl-Fullback-support

DC-CD-defend

DC-CD-defend

DR-Wingback-attack

DM-Halfback

MCL-Advanced playmaker attack

MCR-roaming playmaker-support

AML-inside forward-attack

AMR-winger-support

ST-False nine-support

I would also say that opposition instructions pre match is extremely important because you decide where you want to win the ball back. I chose to close down the goalkeepers, defenders and dms etc.

Last season Costa scored 28 goals but I got a lot of goals from the likes of Oscar, Remy,Gabbiadini and Hazard too. I changed my tempo and focused my attention on opp instructions and I am unbeaten so far this season but only mid September. However I did have Liverpool, PSG and Arsenal all within 7 days and beat them 2-0,2-0 and 3-0.

Yeah 4-2-3-1 absolutely needs pace at the back. Haven't played beta but in fm14 I always found success using it. Midfield pairing of CM(D)+DLP(S) was key and only using standard+fluid/balanced on the old match engine.

Just finished the summer of 2016 and there have been some significant transfer activities...

Coming in: Boris Nemtsev - 18 year old regen striker costing 7 million, tall, pacy, good dribbling, just lacks a decent first touch and composure. Have sent him to Middlesborough for the season in the hope first team football does him some good.

Jose Luis Valdez - 18 year old striker from Argentina who cost 2.8 million, looks very promising. Great technical stats and good enough physical and mental stats that i've kept him at the club as the 3rd striker. I recommend you guys look him up!

Seamus Coleman - cost me 9 million, with 32 year old Ivanovic leaving the club i think this was a pretty great deal for 27 year old of his ability.

Paul Pogba - The marquee signing of the summer, costing 58 million! Wanted a world class player to go into midfield, tried Gotze and Koke but in the end i settled on Pogba, doesn't get better than him! Will slot in nicely alongside Oscar and Khedira.

Going Out: Kakuta - sold for 4 million to Burley, deadwood.

Ivanovic - left at the end of his contract, aged 32, has gone to Everton.

Torres - Now Championship standard, left at the end of his contract, now at Palace in the Premier League.

Romeu - Went to Porto for 10million which i was pretty happy with, not good enough compared to Khedira/Matic.

Moses - got 7.5 million for him from Cardiff, dropped down to the Championship which i thought was strange.

Bamford - sold to Brentford for 500k, originally planned for him to be my 3rd choice striker but he hasn't developed how i hoped.

Ramires - sold to Barca for 13 million, didn't want to sell to them but he got angry when i refused the first time. Aged 29 with a year left on his contract and having been injured for 4 months i felt like this was the time to let him go, especially when we've got so many top midfielders.

Piazon - Went to Hoffenheim for 7.75 million, could have kept him but there wasn't really room in the squad with Depay being my Hazard backup.

Omeruo - Sold to Twente for 4.4million, just not good enough for Chelsea.

Pasalic - went to West Ham for 5 million, decent midfielder but again, just not good enough for my team.

I'm playing either 2-3-2-2-1 or 3-3-1-2-1 depending on how many strikers the opposition are playing. Lots of goals at both ends!

Remy and Hazard have been impressive so far.

Pre Season update:

So this season I decided I was going to play with higher tempo in my 4-1-2-2-1 formation and focus more on opposition instructions. I also decided to play an advanced playmaker attack in the left sided central midfield and a deep roaming playmaker on the right sided central midfielder. Obviously the increase in tempo took a while for the team to adapt.

Fixtures played:

USA Tour:

Seattle-8-0

Houston-0-0

New York-4-0

NYCFC-5-0

Over all it was a very good tour and bar the Houston blip, I was very happy with out performances. It was good to play against Lamps and David Villa (they play for NYCFC) too

South Korea Tour:

Gangwon-4-1

Jeonnam-2-0

Busan-1-0

Again a good tour and our players showed that defensively we were looking solid but at time the weird or different formations they played posed a strange and different threat.

Rest of fixtures:

Bristol City-3-0

Club Brugge-2-0

Bournemouth-5-2

Everton-2-1

Ramped up to the Everton game who would be out toughest test this pre-season.

Transfers in:

Edoardo Goldaniga-Free-Italian central defender who has some potential and could be sold for a profit if I dont want him at the club

Marc Duffy-825k-Decent your english regen striker who has potential

Santi Mina-250k-Celta-Great young player with bags of potential-Great signing by my director of football- I signed it off.

Adryan-Flamengo-1.8 mill-Great young player who has potential to improve and challenge for a part in the team in the future

Sergi Roberto-3 mill- For 3 mill Sergi is a steal and provides competition for Marco Verrati. A steal.

Lucas Digne-12.25 mill-Another great director of football buy. I lacked class in this area other than Baines and he accepred a back up role. So happy to take him on.

Pierre-Emile Hojberg-Loan fee 190k pm-Great all round midfielder, which I like. He also has great physicality and offers more work rate and defensive work to the team than Fabregas from the roaming midfield role-45 mill buy when I want during loan clause.

In-20.07

Transfers out (Main):

Moses-9.25mill-Basel

Salah-10 mill-Udinese

Atsu-8.25-Cagilari

Willian-20 mill-Inter

Marin-10 mill-Granada

Romero-30 mill-Roma

Davilla-1.3 mill-Leon

Delac-2 mill-Southampton

Kalas-5 mill-Southampton

Piazon-7.75 mill-Olympiakos

Pasalic-7.75 mill-Verona

Wallace-7.5 mill-Dortmund

Out-120 mill

Happy with the business side of things and very happy with the play on he pitch. So all in all a great pre-season. Update later.

I bought Digne at the end of the first season too, he's a decent player and should be good enough for a long time!

I bought Digne at the end of the first season too, he's a decent player and should be good enough for a long time!

Digne has been one of my favorite buys the past couple of versions and it seems he should be a good player this version as well. Love the guy!

4-2-3-1, trying to get it to work though. Can't seem to get my team to defend at all, 2 clean sheets in 11 games is just no where near good enough, and no one but Hazard seems to know where the goal is..

How about yourself?

It's working very well for me. Fabregas in MCR while Matic in DMCL, Oscar AMC. Looks weird but does the job strangely.

It's working very well for me. Fabregas in MCR while Matic in DMCL, Oscar AMC. Looks weird but does the job strangely.

Agreed. I've been experimenting along same lines and although it does look strange, it seems to work with Fabregas Roaming playmaker.

Agreed. I've been experimenting along same lines and although it does look strange, it seems to work with Fabregas Roaming playmaker.

I'm playing the same formation with Southampton in a sugar daddy save while I wait for the final release. I've noticed that the formation is great for retaining possession, but I have had trouble creating chances. I might look to have my fullbacks a little more attack minded to open up the pitch.

I bought Digne at the end of the first season too, he's a decent player and should be good enough for a long time!

Digne has been one of my favorite buys the past couple of versions and it seems he should be a good player this version as well. Love the guy!

He is a good player and I was surprised they ask for so little for what I can deem to be a quality left back. He has been solid every time I have played him and he is good off the bench. However he did just score a silly own goal against Shakhtar away but luckly we beat them 3-2. Not happy with the goals leaked though.

According Jose i am destroying Chelsea due to my different tactical approach... Brilliant haha.

Yeah i've lost count the number of times he's said that to me!!

He is a good player and I was surprised they ask for so little for what I can deem to be a quality left back. He has been solid every time I have played him and he is good off the bench. However he did just score a silly own goal against Shakhtar away but luckly we beat them 3-2. Not happy with the goals leaked though.

To be fair, I think that might be more of a match engine fault than anything else. It seems there is quite a bit of silly things happening when it comes to defender/keeper play.

Yeah i've lost count the number of times he's said that to me!!

I actually think in real life he would respect the way we play. I mean Chelsea averaged about 55%+ possession playing under Chelsea last season and about a 82% pass completion as seen in this article on Zonal Marking- http://www.zonalmarking.net/2014/05/16/pass-completion-and-possession/

To be fair, I think that might be more of a match engine fault than anything else. It seems there is quite a bit of silly things happening when it comes to defender/keeper play.

It seems to be happening slightly less recently and he has gone on to really make it difficuilt to chose between him and Baines. Another french men I always seem to buy is Layvin Kurzawa and he always produces good performances. When Baines goes may look to bring him in.

Has anyone else had trouble with converting CCC's? I have a great number of them during most games, but usually score through set pieces, long shots, or rebounds. This has been the issue on a couple of saves for me with the likes of Pelle, Welbeck, Costa, and Giroud.

Sort of, PitchPosh. I've found that my players rarely score one-on-ones and never score if they've run with the ball from a fair way out and beaten opposition players along the way. I get a lot of goals from pull backs, crosses and inside out balls into the channel, but then again I do play with two wingers on each side so that's probably to be expected.

I've almost reached the end of a very successful first season, but am giving it a rest after something strange happened. My laptop crashed during a game (it's been doing that a lot, despite having more than enough power to handle FM comfortably), it is the beta after all so I'm not going to complain about that. The weird thing was what happened next - the game was IDENTICAL down to every little detail to when I'd played it first time around. Whatever I did, it didn't change anything and I knew exactly what was going to happen next! Like following a script. Anyway, the game's going off and I'll update on my first season when I'm back in control and not watching a movie on repeat.

Sort of, PitchPosh. I've found that my players rarely score one-on-ones and never score if they've run with the ball from a fair way out and beaten opposition players along the way. I get a lot of goals from pull backs, crosses and inside out balls into the channel, but then again I do play with two wingers on each side so that's probably to be expected.

I've almost reached the end of a very successful first season, but am giving it a rest after something strange happened. My laptop crashed during a game (it's been doing that a lot, despite having more than enough power to handle FM comfortably), it is the beta after all so I'm not going to complain about that. The weird thing was what happened next - the game was IDENTICAL down to every little detail to when I'd played it first time around. Whatever I did, it didn't change anything and I knew exactly what was going to happen next! Like following a script. Anyway, the game's going off and I'll update on my first season when I'm back in control and not watching a movie on repeat.

My laptop had the same problem with last year's version due to overheating. I had plenty of power, but it would overheat due to the processing demands. Not sure if that could be it, but worth mentioning nonetheless. You're spot on with the striker beating players on the way, though. I have seen a striker miss after settling a ball from over top and beating a defender more times than I can count now. It seems as though the ME can be polished a bit still, but I realize it's the beta.

My laptop had the same problem with last year's version due to overheating. I had plenty of power, but it would overheat due to the processing demands. Not sure if that could be it, but worth mentioning nonetheless. You're spot on with the striker beating players on the way, though. I have seen a striker miss after settling a ball from over top and beating a defender more times than I can count now. It seems as though the ME can be polished a bit still, but I realize it's the beta.

Did you find a way of fixing the overheating issue PitchPosh? I have noticed the same problem but also understand that is a beta and hopefully it will be sorted by the full release.

I have to say how is Matic's bravery only 10? I would say he is pretty brave in the role he plays for the team? Also Hazard wants to leave because Pep and Bayern have come sniffing... He is now unhappy that I wont let him leave and that has upset other players. Slightly annoying but I like the realism.

I've just reached the end of the first season and it was pretty darn good! We won the quadruple, playing free-flowing, anti-Mourinho football .

We won the league with 92 points, scoring 117 goals along the way (37 more than the next best - 2nd place Utd) and conceding 46 because of our gung-ho style. That meant we scored more than my stated aim of 3 goals per game. In the cup finals, West Ham were beaten 3-0 in the League Cup, Spurs 4-0 in the FA Cup and Dortmund 3-1 in the Champions League.

Our scoring record was as follows:

PL: 117 - 46 (+71) in 38 games

CL: 38 - 17 (+21) in 13 games

FA: 18 - 3 (+15) in 7 games

LC: 18 - 5 (+13) in 6 games

Overall 191 - 71 (+120) in 64 games. Annoyingly, that's one short of 3 goals per game for the entire season!

I used two formations, 3-3-1-3 and 2-3-2-3, initially depending on how many strikers the opposition were playing before plumping for the latter and more attacking variant for the second half of the season. We played on control/flexible, with the following instructions: close down much more, much higher defensive line, exploit the flanks, retain possession, shorter passing, work ball into box, play out of defence, use offside trap and prevent short GK distribution. There were a few player instructions too, but in line with those mentioned.

This is how the 2-3-2-3 looked:

GK: Sweeper Keeper (Attack)

DCR: Central Defender (Defend)

DCL: Central Defender (Defend)

WBR: Complete Wing Back (Attack)

DM: Anchor Man (Defend)

WBL: Complete Wing Back (Attack)

MCR: Roaming Playmaker (Support)

MCL: Box To Box Midfielder (Support)

AMR: Advanced Playmaker (Support)

STD: Complete Forward (Attack)

AML: Inside Forward (Attack)

A couple of tactical issues that I might try to tweak. Firstly, either swapping the sides of the midfielders to ensure the two playmakers aren't on the same side of the pitch or making the AMR a second inside forward, potentially dropping the striker deeper which would suit Costa. The other concerns the 3-3-1-3 and getting the wingbacks inside more often to help out in midfield (like Chile under Bielsa) as the inverted wingbacks don't appear to play as they should. Perhaps with more instructions that will be solvable.

I signed 4 players:

Kwadwo Asamoah (Juventus) - £33M

Juan Cuadrado (Fiorentina) - £31M

Nicolas Nkoulou (Marseille) - £6.5M

Marco Reus (Dortmund) - £21M (January)

and sold 2:

Ivanovic (Napoli) - £8.5M

Salah (Villareal) - £10M

The main reason was to have powerful attacking options at wingback.

The line-up was as follows:

GK: Courtois (Cech)

DCR: Cahill (Zouma / Terry)

DCL: Nkoulou (Azpilicueta / Chalobah)

WBR: Cuadrado (Ramires / Azpilicueta / Willian)

DM: Matic (Mikel / Ramires / Nkoulou / Chalobah)

WBL: Asamoah (Felipe Luis / Azpilicueta / Willian)

MCR: Oscar (Hazard / Fabregas / Willian)

MCL: Fabregas (Ramires / Asamoah / Willian)

AMR: Reus (Schurrle / Oscar / Hazard / Remy / Willian / Costa / Cuadrado / Ramires)

STC: Remy (Costa / Drogba / Reus)

AML: Hazard (Reus / Remy / Willian / Schurrle / Oscar / Asamoah)

The top performers over the course of the season were, in terms of Average Rating:

Reus: 7.63 - 18(1)

Hazard: 7.57 - 58(3)

Asamoah: 7.47 - 27(4)

Remy: 7.43 - 34(17)

Oscar: 7.37 - 52(4)

Goals:

Remy: 43 - 34(17)

Hazard: 30 - 58(3)

Schurrle: 22 - 34(15)

Costa: 16 - 31 (11)

Reus: 11 - 18(1)

Assists:

Hazard: 35 - 58(3)

Cuadrado: 19 - 50(8)

Fabregas: 16 - 40(10)

Oscar: 13 - 52(4)

Schurrle: 12 - 34(15)

Minutes played per direct influence on goal (goals and assists, minimum 10):

Remy: 50 @ 64.8 minutes

Hazard: 65 @ 77.4

Reus: 20 @ 80.2

Schurrle: 34 @ 94.8

Costa: 24 @ 111.0

I didn't delve too deeply into training, youth team, transfers, tutoring, kick takers etc as I just wanted to test out some players and tactics. I might try to play a little bit further on the beta and then come back to it down the line after the game comes out .

Did you find a way of fixing the overheating issue PitchPosh? I have noticed the same problem but also understand that is a beta and hopefully it will be sorted by the full release.

I only used it for a short while until I built my desktop, but I would imagine a laptop cooling pad might help. Getting rid of all that hot air in a laptop can be a problem.