FM10: Official Sunderland Thread - The only North East EPL Team

[RabEss.Safc1879]

Started a game with the lads signings so far

Tim de cler

Baraja - valladolid

Mista - loan deportivo

Stuart Holden.... coming back to paradise....got him free

just now needing more players so will keep posted

[BlackCats Rule]

On the demo i found a guy for right back called Cosmin Contra (think the first name is spelt right), cost about 500k was very solid although is only a short term replacement due to his age. Not started my real game yet, that will be tomorrow.

[Wilson123]

Started as Sunderland on a network game. Having a nightmare.

P8 W0 D3 L5

Darren Bent, Frazier Campbell, Kenweyne Jones and David Healy are absolutely dreadful no matter what partnership i try. Bent spends half his game stood offside and Campbells touch is beyond that of a JCB Digger. Healy is just useless and Jones never seems to do anything! I am absolutely pulling my hair out watching the games, we play ok, not great but enough to grind out more than the 3 points we have so far but lack of a clinical striker is making it an uphill struggle.

[safcrhys]

Whats Jordan Henderson like lads? I heard he's worth holding onto.

[Decadoice]

I brought in Van der Vaart and Diakite and was sitting comfortable in the top half of the table by the jan transfer window.

Frazier Campbell has been getting most of my goals, so i've brought in a few younger players to give them a try. Salvio has been amazing so far.

7 goals in 3 games so far, with an average rating of 7.5 - he's been sensational.

Also brought in a number of other young promising players to try out. Unlike most guys i've not had much success with Cattermole, preferring to use Cana.

I'm a bit surprised by the success to be honest, I was expecting to finish around about twelfth, I've not even been out of the top 9 yet, so i feel like it's going rather well.

[Jockie_safc]

Salvio is top drawer, scored and set up the winner for me in my epic extra time league cup final victory over Chelsea. I sold Henderson to Man Utd for 3.5 mil to fund the Salvio transfer, but if Man utd are interested in him, there's every chance he turns into a pretty good player.

Chuffed to bits with this like.

I love this game.

[Jordanknox]

Does anybody know how good Jordan Henderson becomes? Im just debating whether to sell him or not

Just finished first season, finishing 9th but we should have finished higher, Demba Ba was the star player with 21 goals.

Overall im happy with the first season and hope to rebuild over the summer

[reflection22]

Has anyone managed to sell any players as Sunderland? I just started a game with them, and every player I transfer list, no-one puts in any bids.

[Jordanknox]

Has anyone managed to sell any players as Sunderland? I just started a game with them, and every player I transfer list, no-one puts in any bids.

It is very difficult, you have to loan them out for the first season. First season i only managed to sell Nosworthy and had to loan out the other. At the end of the season i managed to sell Bent for 6.5m, Reid for 2m, Ferdinand for 1.8m but had to give Tainio away for free to West Ham. Its very difficult because they have high wages. I cant even sell Jones for free :/

Ive just started the second season and what a summer its been. Due to financial problems i was only given 1.8m transfer budget but after a few sales (Di Maria for 20m) i have brought in some quality players including Edin Dzeko.

Players in:

Stephane Sessegnon 10m

Edin Dzeko 23m

Rafinha 12m

Salvatore Bocchetti 15m

Artim Milevski 8m

Most have been done over 48 months except for Milevski. Fingers crossed for successful season

[reflection22]

It's a joke. I transfer listed and set to not needed to following players.

Jones- value £4.7m- offered for £2m

Bardsley- value £2.3m- offered for £1m

Ferdinand- value £3.4m- offered for £1m

McCartney- value £3.1m- offered for £2m

O'Donovan- value £1m- offered for £400k

Reid- value £3.3m- offered for £1m

Richardson- value £3.8m- offered for £1.8m

Murphy- value £2.4m- offered for £500k

Healy- value £3.4m- offered for £1m

What the hell's going on? Even in the demo, I could at least get £2m for Richardson, £1m for Reid, £2m for McCartney and £2m for Bardsley. Can't even get 1 bid now! Anyone else had any luck selling any of these? I've just quit because I can't be bothered to play the game like this.

It is very difficult, you have to loan them out for the first season. First season i only managed to sell Nosworthy and had to loan out the other. At the end of the season i managed to sell Bent for 6.5m, Reid for 2m, Ferdinand for 1.8m but had to give Tainio away for free to West Ham. Its very difficult because they have high wages. I cant even sell Jones for free :/

Ive just started the second season and what a summer its been. Due to financial problems i was only given 1.8m transfer budget but after a few sales (Di Maria for 20m) i have brought in some quality players including Edin Dzeko.

Players in:

Stephane Sessegnon 10m

Edin Dzeko 23m

Rafinha 12m

Salvatore Bocchetti 15m

Artim Milevski 8m

Most have been done over 48 months except for Milevski. Fingers crossed for successful season

[safcrhys]

First thing I'm doing when I get the game tomorrow is starting a game with Sunderland.

[Jordanknox]

ive got the same problem but im working through it, ive managed to sell Richardson for 5m but i couldnt sell Jones or McCartney even for £0 so ive loaned them both out with no loan fee just to save on their huge wages.

Ive still got the likes of Zenden, Beckham, Murphy, Healy and Da Silva in the reserves who i just want rid of because of their massive wages

[reflection22]

When did you sell Richardson? I transfer listed him at the start of season 1 and offered him out for £1.8m, but no bids...

ive got the same problem but im working through it, ive managed to sell Richardson for 5m but i couldnt sell Jones or McCartney even for £0 so ive loaned them both out with no loan fee just to save on their huge wages.

Ive still got the likes of Zenden, Beckham, Murphy, Healy and Da Silva in the reserves who i just want rid of because of their massive wages

[Jordanknox]

End of first season, £5m to QPR

[twentythree]

Henderson's got random potential so he'll turn out differently every game.

Im sitting in an uneventful 10th with 13 games to go. Only signed Zenden and Jankulovski on frees. Was offered Veira for nothing as well but couldnt afford his wages. Sold no-one yet, Healy, Anderson and Murphy are out on loan. Just waiting to see if struggling Villa go down now to sign all their good young English players.

Neil Bailey will resign as a coach after a few months, well worth it. Got scouts all over the world looking for youngsters but they havent found anyone worth going for yet.

[schtee]

Not even sure if this is worth sharing, but share I will. Backroom advice recommended Cana be discouraged from shooting long range, yet in my first two games he's scored two awesome goals from 20 yds+ out, playing as DM too.

Also, who do you folks usually sign for RB?

Steve

[pelicanstuff]

I just thought I'd mention I seem to be having quite a good time deploying Cattermole in a slightly more advanced MC position in front of Cana as a DM. Putting Reid and Malbranque either as extra CMs pushing out to cross or as LM/RM depending on how much extra help I feel I need in the middle of the park for each game.

Not bought anyone as have transfer budgets turned off in first window...

[RabEss.Safc1879]

Need to start a new game since the update i wanted for the scottish league came out on editor .....

So il play with sunderland aswell again.. what sort of tacts do you guys play?

[marcftm]

Awesome result Jockie, congrats.

For those asking about Henderson, he looks like he'll be very good backup for me and I'll be holding onto him for a while.

I play a normal 4-4-2. Bent as poacher, Jones/Campbell/Ronaldo as a defensive forward. Two wingers, Catts as a box to box midfielder, Cana as a ball winner (you can switch these two though as they both do excellently in both roles). I also have Turner set as a limited defender as I think he's important but makes to many mistakes if he has the ball too much.

Finished 14th first season after my team came together at the end of the season and started to play properly (see post 47 for proof ). Bent managed to hit 21 league goals, with Jones getting 8 and being my next top scorer. So far in pre-season I've snapped up Deco on a free for a couple of years, but Adam Johnson rejected me to stay at the Smogs.

[weebob88]

It's a joke. I transfer listed and set to not needed to following players.

Jones- value £4.7m- offered for £2m

Bardsley- value £2.3m- offered for £1m

Ferdinand- value £3.4m- offered for £1m

McCartney- value £3.1m- offered for £2m

O'Donovan- value £1m- offered for £400k

Reid- value £3.3m- offered for £1m

Richardson- value £3.8m- offered for £1.8m

Murphy- value £2.4m- offered for £500k

Healy- value £3.4m- offered for £1m

What the hell's going on? Even in the demo, I could at least get £2m for Richardson, £1m for Reid, £2m for McCartney and £2m for Bardsley. Can't even get 1 bid now! Anyone else had any luck selling any of these? I've just quit because I can't be bothered to play the game like this.

Yeh I think there is a problem, i even tried offering most of those players for 0 and still no offers in, if i was a lower prem team high champ side id take jones, reid, murphy and healy in fact most of those players for nothing without a second thought.

[Jockie_safc]

I think the issue is that in the first transfer window budgets are adjusted for whats already been spent, so most teams don't have a lot of cash to splash. Sunderlands 8-12 mill is actually quite a lot in comparison.

Finished my first season last night finishing 6th, just above Tottenham. Di Maria decided to be a dick and got moody after i rejected a pathetic bid for him, so i cashed in and sold him for about 8 million, after seeing someone else got 20 mill for him I'm regretting it now! Stadium expansion plans cost the club 20+ million, so unfotunately my transfer budget for season 2 wasn't amazing. Sold Da Silva for 1.9m, Reid 1.6m, Tainio 1.9m Bardsley for 2.6 and sent Fulop and Murphy out on loan, so my wage bill was nicely chopped and on top of the sales earnings, the board gave me an extra 8mill to spend after season ticket sales, making my budget about 20 mill overall.

Players i brought in : Lucas Neill on a free (I know he's a dick and rejected us in real life, but finding good fullbacks is hard and I don't have enough money to splash out on a really good one) Jerzy Dudek for GK backup, Zoran Tosic from Man utd on loan, Christian Poulsen on loan, CB called Henrique who looks pretty good 4.3m, Ibrahim Affelay for 8.75 mil and a Brazillian called Welliton who just has ridiculous pace and finishing and cost an arm and a leg. My scouts gave him 5 stars though so I couldn't resist. He cost 18 million though with about half of it in installments.

Looking forward to beating the scum, they're my third game this season away from home. FTM!

[RabEss.Safc1879]

Good transfer to get is STUART HOLDEN remember this lad?, wish we kept onto him as hes quite a decent player now .... u get him on a free from houston in jan.

[djsaunders]

Only just kicking off in my game. Currently played 6 in the league, won 4, lost 2. My results being:

v Birmingham (H) - Won 3-0 (Bent 2, Cana)

v Man City (A) - Lost 0-1

v Liverpool (H) - Lost 1-2 (Richardson)

v Hull (A) - Won 3-0 (Bent 2, Beckham)

v Wigan (H) - Won 3-0 (Bent, Turner, Van Nistelrooy)

v West Ham (A) - Won 3-0 (Cattermole, Van Nistelrooy 2)

Somewhat of a pattern developing in each of my wins.

Signed Di Maria (£2.6m), Beckham (£400k), Van Nistelrooy (£1.4m), Belletti (£700k), Milito (Loan to buy), Salihamidzic (loan), plus a few youngsters (Muniesa from Barca, Muniain from Ath.Bilbao being 2 of them).

Only player i've managed to sell so far is Nosworthy for £2m to Hull. Fans and Eric Black thought it was the wrong decision, only for Nyron to gift me 2 goals when I played Hull. Safe to say, Eric Black isn't with me anymore.

[safcrhys]

Right, I've played 1 game, away to Fulham and won 3-1 with Bent, Reid and Campbell getting on the scoresheet.

Made 2 signings, Javier Garrido from Manchester City for £2.5m and a youngster called Salvio from Lanus (sp) for £4.5m, didn't think I was going to be able to push the deal over the line but the work permit was accepted on appeal.

Desperate for a new right-back, tried to sign Srna but didn't have enough money, anyone recommend me one?

[RabEss.Safc1879]

Rhys check the transfer rumours place mate... i picked up a few lads who was linked with other teams

[twentythree]

Desperate for a new right-back, tried to sign Srna but didn't have enough money, anyone recommend me one?

I used Nos in the first season, seems like pace is vital in that position. Mensah doesnt take long to train as a rb either.

Finished 13th after blooding the youngsters for the last 8 games. Quinn spent every last penny on expanding the stadium so could only bring Deco in on a free. Second game of the new season, beat Newcastle 4-1 away, Cana was sent off in the fifth minute.

Rafa has unsettled Bent with a £9m bid and Villa want Fulop but Carson isnt good enough back up so they're both staying.

[RabEss.Safc1879]

Sign a new keeper then.... try getting loan signings in

[safcrhys]

Got Belletti for £800k from Chelsea, better than Bardo and will do for the first season, played 2 more games, beat Brum 4-1 with Bent scoring all 4, then got hammered off United 4-0 at Old Trafford.

[RabEss.Safc1879]

Yeah i cant seem to win against big teams 3-1 v chelsea and 4-1 v united.. need to sort it out if i wanna challange for mid table

oh btw a good backup striker is mista get him on loan from deportivo

[Tocororo]

I recommend using a 3-4-3 or 3-3-1-3 formation without any full backs. It has worked wonders for me as I finished 3rd in the Premiership with most goals scored.

The good thing about the squad is that there are a lot of players who can be sold on to generate more funds. I sold Bardsley, McCartney, Nosworthy, Reid, and loaned out Fulop, Richardson to help fund moves for Enyeama(£220K), Shawcross(£8.25m, half upfront), Beckham(£450K), Beletti(£850K), Kily Gonzalez(£800K), Di Maria(£2.6m), Riquelme(£3.5m), Milevskyi(£7m), Boriello (Loan fee £900K), Patrik Berger(~£35K), Libor Sionko, Smolarek on frees.

Enyeama, Milevskyi, Boriello and Riquelme were my best buys. Enyeama is a fantastic goalkeeper and can be signed as long as you offer him first-team footballer and around £20k wages. Played Riquelme as a Trequartista and he ws dominant scoring 15 and getting 17 assits in the prem. Milevskyi(25goals) played great as part of my forward three as a deep lying forward, Boriello as target man and Bent(28 goals) as poacher.

Just starting my second season having picked up RVN on a free, Gignac for £9m to replace Boriello (wouldn't make loan permanent), Dario Srna (£15m) to play right mid, Miranda (£15m) at centre back and Heranaes from Sao Paulo for £20m. I pay these high transfer fees by deferring most of the fee over 48 months.

[Wilson123]

victory at last!!

Got a drubbing from everton (A) 1-4, but in the big 6 pointer as it has come to be against Burnley (A) I came out on top 3-2 (after trailing twice). Missing so many one on ones it has cost us easily 3/4 games so far this season (now played 12).

I have Hull (A)next, another must win game followed by "winable" games in Wigan and Wolves. Hopefully if I can get back to back wins we can go on a run and resecure my job status which has slowly slipped towards Very Insecure in what has been the worst opening to a premiership season I have ever had on an FM.

[safcrhys]

Good luck mate, I beat Hull 1-0 away and then in a vital game against Portsmouth at home I was 2-0 down at half-time but then a Darren Bent inspired comeback meant that the final score ended up at 3-2 to me, Salvio got a 93rd minute winner, I think its safe to say I went mental.

[ono]

Hi guys i took over Sunderland after 1 season of being Man City manager (i was sacked).

Anyways i inherited a nice transfer kitty and a lot of saleable assets so i got to work straight away.

Big changes were required as i had one of the worst teams in the league in terms of fitness, passing ability, first touch and dribbling.

So with that in mind i decided to practically put most of my first team up for sale...with the exception of Bent, Turner, Cattermole, Cana and Craig Gordon.

Anyway out went Ferdinand and Richardson, both to Spurs for a combined £8m. Kenwyne Jones was sold to Bolton for £6.25m, McCartney went to WHU for £4m, Reid went somewhere (can't remember) and then i received a big offer for Michael Turner, from Aston Villa. £13m was too much to turn down knowing i was close to signing a few centre halves of equal quality. He agreed terms practically straight away so i felt less bad about selling him.

I then received an offer for Craig Gordon of £5m, which after looking around for a new GK, i decided to accept. The reason being, Joe Hart was on the transfer list for just £1.9m.

So i made Joe Hart my 1st signing and i quickly followed that up with a swoop for the two Argentinian lads, Otamendi and Salvio for a combined £8m. Both players didn't look ready for 1st team Premier League action, but i'm hoping for the future.

Back to the transfer list to notice an abundance of talen available at knock down prices...

Santa Cruz, Kompany, Zabaleta, Owen, Carlton Cole, Banega, S.Keita, Heskey, Adriano (sevilla).

I'm not going to lie, i practically put in bids for all of them and within no time i'd secured the signature of Banega for £4m, Keita for £4m, Owen for £2m, Cole for £3.3m, Zabaleta for £5.8m and Adriano for £7m (although injured on his 1st day of training)

I failed with a bid for Santa Cruz and Kompany as their wage demands were too high. After securing Owen and Cole i decided to pull the plug on Heskey (sorry Emile).

I then decided to see who was available of loan. Plenty of promising youngsters who seems to have been snapped up by Man Utd. Hazard, Assulin for example. I decided against these as they are unlikely to improve me yet. I did notice the experienced name of Christian Poulsen of Juventus though and within no time i'd signed him on a year long loan.

I then checked through the free agents and found a couple of gems. Mauricio Pernia, Nicolas Burdisso and Deco all available for free. I offered them all generous contracts and whilst Deco was difficult to deal with, i finally convinced him to enjoy his final years at the S.O.L.

So going into my first game of the season my team basically looked like this....

------------Hart-------------

Zabaleta-Otamendi-Burdisso-Pernia

------------Banega----------

------Cana--------Keita-------

-------------Deco------------

--------Bent------Owen------

Subs: Cole, Fulop, Cattermole, Poulsen, Henderson, Belhadj (already here), Salvio

First game of the season was at home to newly promoted West Brom. Home banker surely? Unfortunately they were more than a match to my team of strangers. Maybe it was a mistake to change my squad to such an extent, but despite losing 1-0, i was confident that i'd still done the right thing, and i'd brought in the sufficient quality to aim for a Europa League spot. I just needed time to gel the squad together.

Next up was a tough home game against Champions League team Spurs. I kept with the same line up but after going 1-0 down (thanks Robbie Keane) i decided to change things fast. I took the ineffective Deco off shortly after half-time and replaced him with Cole. I changed from a containing mentality to an attacking one. Nothing really happened for the next 30 minutes so i decided to go for broke. I took an exhausted Michael Owen off and replaced him Salvio. I changed to 'overload' and in the 92nd minutE, i got my reward. Salvio rifled home a belter from the edge of the area to give me my first point of the season.

Next up was the tough trip to Anfield and boy did it bring me back down to earth. 4-1 in a game where i was lucky to get within 3 goals of them. They played me off the park. It was uncomfortable and again Deco was so ineffective. Maybe his legs have gone.

Never mind, Carling Cup week is just around the corner, although i have a potential banana skin of a tie, away at Southend. I decided to give Salvio and Cattermole a run out, along with Belhadj. I gave Cole his first start of the season aswell. 15 minutes into the game, i get that familiar sinking feeling. 1-0 Southend, and within no-time, it's half-time. I decide to bring Deco on to see if his legs can hold out against lower league opposition. Master-stroke! Within 2 minutes he had won me a penalty and a passage back into the game. Owen stroked it home and from there on, it was all Sunderland. Attack after attack followed. Only lady luck prevented me from running away with it. As it stood though, i was heading into extra time. This was the last thing i wanted with a trip away at Hull just 3 days away. As extra time started, i noticed that Southend had physically exhausted themselves so it was the perfect time for me to up the tempo. I did, and they couldn't live with it. 2 quick goals, by Keita and Cole ensure my safe passage through to the next round. My first win. Things are looking up.

My trip to Hull would also yield me my first win of the league campaign. Despite again going a goal down, i managed to turn it around and come home with a 2-1 victory. Another late goal from Keita, snatching the game away from the Tigers.

With the Summer transfer window coming to a close i decided to check out the transfer list again. With my squad looking a little thin on the ground and a little weak in places i decided now was the perfect time to spend the remainder of the kitty.

Looking at the transfer list i was amazed at what i saw. Van Der Vaart, Raul Albiol, Ezequial Garay and Samir Nasri. VDV turned me down, opting to join Lazio on loan, but i was successful with Garay, Albiol and Nasri. I even managed to pay for the deals in installments, totalling around £16m for the 3 players. Bargain considering i managed to get £13m for Turner.

So now my team (once they have settled) seem more than capable of a top 7 finish. My line up will be...

GK: HART/FULOP

RB: ZABALETA/ADRIANO

CB: GARAY/OTAMENDI

CB: ALBIOL/BURDISSO

LB : ADRIANO/BELHADJ/PERNIA

DM: BANEGA/POULSEN

CM: KEITA

CM: CANA/CATTERMOLE

AM: NASRI/DECO

ST: BENT/SALVIO

ST: OWEN/COLE

Happy times ahead!

[adamsafc]

Just started a save with my beloved SAFC. Brought in Shorey on loan for compertion at left back, the fantastic Michael Chretien at RB for £6mill, Becks for under 500k, and Angel De Maria on the left flank for £6 mill (over 48 months).

Teams been playing well, Gordan, Turner and Chretien in perticular, Bent is looking a bit dodge in goal, but has still managed 2 in 3. Started with a steady 1-1 draw against Spurs, followed by a shakey 1-0 victory away to Burnley. The lads really stepped things up last match at home to Birmingham, with a fantastic 6-1 win!

Really enjoying the new tactic creator, I know its not every bodies cup of tea, but I find it alot easier now to tell my players what i want them to be doing instead of relying on confusing sliders!

Howay the lads!

[Wilson123]

Well the winnable game against Hull (A)...a dire 0-0 game. Followed by a very surprising 2-0 (H) win over Wigan, we looked good and strong. Then (A) at Wolves we were 2-1 up with 6 minutes to go, and Doyle put two in - one in the last seconds (seems to be a reoccuring thing that), for us to lose 2-3.

Then the visit of Man Utd, where we rode our luck and rode it well coming out 3-1 winners! Then, our lack of back to back wins shone through as we lost to Fulham (A) 1-2 after leading. Next a visit to the Emirates. Arsenal went 2-0 and were running away with it until a Di Maria penalty brought us back and we probably should have gone on to get a point but the game ended 2-1.

A must win game against Bolton at the Stadium of Light. We struggled to break them down but were on top...a 93:34 (of a +3) and Bolton bundled a goal in. I'm not looking forward to the press conference...

[Jordanknox]

Won the league with Sunderland in the second season, Edin Dzeko was the main man. 39 league goals in 38 starts, hes just unstoppable in the air and with his feet. Made a few big signings in the close season but im very concerned with the finances, £19m in the red after winning the league is not good and ive already been bailed out by the Owner with a gift loan.

Squad:

GK: Gordon, Hart, Areola

RB: Rafinha

LB: Bochetti

CB: Sakho

CB: Turner, Papastathopoulos

RM: Obasi/ Feghouli/ Salvio

LM: Sessegnon

CM: Rodwell/ Cattermole/ Cana

CM: Hamsik/ Kroos

CF: Dzeko

CF: Milevskyi/ Ba

Ive also got a whole reserve side full of promising youngsters that im trying to develop who were very expensive, the main one being Axier who cost 12m as a 17 year old :|

[J. Walker]

I've been doing kind of a silly game - I'm only using players from the UK + Irish region. They also can't be naturalized citizens (so, no Reina etc.). It's a pretty decent challenge, but I'm 8 points clear at the top in January somehow and through to the LC final after wins over Arsenal and Chelsea that surprised me more than anyone.

Sold off everyone whose nationality didn't fit...mostly on year-long loans, got good money for Jones and Nosworthy though. Brought in Thomson, Davis and Fleck from Rangers, as well as guys like Hutton, Shawcross, Chris Brunt, Don Cowie, Richard Cresswell - almost all on 48-month installment fees. Also signed Michael Ball on a free. By the end of December I was able to line up deals to send guys like Daryl Murphy, Bardsley, Healy, etc. out - guys who I wasn't going to need. Signed Beckham on a free, and thanks to the ridiculous amount of extra cash the board gave me I brought in David Bentley, Dean Ashton, Steven Fletcher, Henri Lansbury, Michael Mancienne, Joe Mattock, and Scott Loach - as well as having a deal lined up for Joe Hart when his loan is up. Team looks something like this:

GK: Gordon, Loach

DR: Hutton, Mancienne

DL: McCartney, Ball, Mattock

DC: Turner, Ferdinand, Shawcross

ML: Brunt, Richardson, Fleck

MC: Cattermole, Thomson, Reid, Davis

MR: Beckham, Bentley

ST: Bent, Campbell, Fletcher, Ashton

Notable reserves: Lansbury, Adam Lallana, Jose Baxter, Rhys Murphy, Jordan Henderson, Richard Cresswell

Been playing a pretty attacking-oriented style, even before bringing in the big guns - it seems like FM10 makes it a lot easier. Reid/Davis are usually an advanced playmaker with Cattermole/Thomson as either deep-lying playmaker or a ball-winning midfielder. ML usually plays as a winger with MR being a standard wide midfielder, and I use a poacher/TM combo up front - Campbell or Bent as boacher, Ashton, Cresswell, Fletcher, or even Bent as a TM (he's surprisingly good in that role for no reason).

I might not be able to bring in much of anyone over the next few years - although next season at least I can sell guys like Cana, Malbranque etc. if their current teams don't want them - but I don't really think it's a big deal. Left-back aside I'm in good shape and Mattock can develop there. Basically I plan to look for high-profile frees, transfer-listed players, and keep this core together.

[Chelsea 1-0]

Just started a Sunderland game. Having a fair bit of trouble selling my strikers. No offers for Healy, Campbell, Bent or Jones.

Just finished my first game at home to Arsenal and was hammered 3-1. They took the lead with a dubious penalty. Three of my players then got light injuries. A fourth player went down, but instead of putting the ball out, Arsenal played on and proceeded to score. To top it all off Cattermole got himself sent off. If nothing else, I'm certainly having the luck of a Black Cat.

[Jordanknox]

Its difficult to sell players as their wages dont match their ability, im in the third season and still havnt sold Jones, hes been on loan at Wolves for 2 seasons.

[RabEss.Safc1879]

I wouldn't sell jones the now anyways.. only want rid of that moron healy

[comby]

ive just hit jan 1st and im sitting 12th at the mo. keep yoyo-ing between 7th-12th on a unbeaten run of 8 games at the min but sadly 6 have been draws. Bent has yet to score for me yet! playing in a 442 as a poacher while campbell in the same role has 11 can't understand it but at least someone is scoring.

i'll be happy with a top half finish at the min.

[Wilson123]

Yeah I haven't managed to shift ANYONE! Thankfully that included Richardson, who I sold off in the demo to purchase Nani, but I couldn't get rid and he has been absolutely vital in me picking up points so far.

We are just yo-yo'ing on form, can't secure back to back wins at all at the moment - I feel like Brian Laws :-/

[Josquius]

Sunderland's attack is indeed criminally underrated in the game, messing with the demo I've found that Bent absolutely sucks!

I picked up Beckham too, seemed a good idea. Tried for RvN also but his wage demands were too big.

[marcftm]

Started well in my second season and I'm third after 10 games, only losing to Arsenal away and Chelsea at home despite me going 1-0 up after 78 minutes. Beat Man United again, this time at Old Trafford 2-1 with Michael Owen scoring a late winner. What was funny was that in the news item I got about the game, it had Anton at fault for my goal and Rio at fault for both their goals.

Signed;

Michael Owen £1.7M

Deco £0

Martin Petrov £1.8M

Juliano Belletti £1.1M

Bruno Zuculini £800K

Zezinho £2.4M

Vicente £3.6M

Toby someone from Ajax on loan, a defender that I can't remember the name of at the minute.

Deco's been amazing, scored 5 goals. 4 from long range. 2 away to Birmingham to bring me from 1-0 down to win, 2 against Wigan in a 4-3 win and can't remember the other.

[Keanos Grey Beard]

I'd advise everyone to not get rid of Campbell straight away ! The bloke just scored 44 goals in 42 games in my 2nd season despite being more attracted to signing for the interested Liverpool than scoring goals for SAFC ! Finished 6th both seasons while winning the league cup the 2nd season round but now have interest in Milito Campbell Senderos and Cattermole ( Chelsea rare after him and he fancies a move ) 3rd season should be fun after letting go Ronaldo Owen and Beckham !

[Details1988]

Any good Ass managers about, so i can get rid of Black?

[twentythree]

Any good Ass managers about, so i can get rid of Black?

Neil Bailey's alright. Kevin Ball gets quite good after a couple of seasons. Or look through the Man Utd/ Arsenal youth coaches.

[x2reamm]

im finding it hard to get rid of players for sunderland.. just started my first season..

im going insane buying players haha.. buying them with 48months installment.. bought

Darijo Srna - £18m

Angel Di Maria - £3.5m

Cristian Ansaldi - £3.3m

David Beckham - £450k

Eduardo Salvio - £5m

Rafael van der Vaart - £7.25m

Moussa Sissoko - £9m

Nicolas Otamendi - £6.5m

thinking of buying chamakh but they asking for £17m.. and i dont have the wage budget anymore haha

im left with £3m+ but my wage bill is over by £100k+

hoping no consequences for buying on installment later..

[djsaunders]

Any good Ass managers about, so i can get rid of Black?

I got Brian McClair, he's alright.

[Fulham_Mic]

im finding it hard to get rid of players for sunderland.. just started my first season..

im going insane buying players haha.. buying them with 48months installment.. bought

Darijo Srna - £18m

Angel Di Maria - £3.5m

Cristian Ansaldi - £3.3m

David Beckham - £450k

Eduardo Salvio - £5m

Rafael van der Vaart - £7.25m

Moussa Sissoko - £9m

Nicolas Otamendi - £6.5m

thinking of buying chamakh but they asking for £17m.. and i dont have the wage budget anymore haha

im left with £3m+ but my wage bill is over by £100k+

hoping no consequences for buying on installment later..

That would work out at about £1m a month taken from your balance for the next 48 months, not taking into account any other outgoings such as wages etc ... I think you may have just bankrupted Sunderland !