FM13: Leeds United - Marching On Together

[auditt05]

Do any of you that are past the second season have any cheap suggested signings? Promoted in first season but went a bit overboard on 48 month deals so now I've only been given £2.5mill to spend. Need 2 DCs, LWB, CM (2 if possible) and an SC. Trying to sell players to raise money but I only get 10% to spend so I'm not going to have much more to spend!

I think it would have been easier if you had your scouts already out there hunting younger talents.

Thats what I did, now in 2nd season(and didnt promote), but got like 4-5 youngsters, that should be ready for first team football next season.

My 2cents anyways, is to filter out expiring contracts withing your scouting range and sign any player who is highly recommended then.

YOu can opt for older players (32-33yrs). These are usually best hunts for a season and no longer.

Also, you might think of loaning players from WW giants like Barca and Real. They usually have high CA players on loan lists.

One fast question : What was your tactic? was it your own or did you use one premade here?

[Nicko Blaggo]

Well just started my first leeds save and must admit it's very frustrating not being able to sell mccormack for £3m+ and I'm stuck with the likes of varney, norris and somma never seems too great on FM.

I've been experimenting with the use of the unwanted Leeds. You can sell McCormack & Becchio at game start using it. Patience is required as you have to repeatedly add and remove them to & from the unwanted list every couple of days until you get a buyer. It can take you well into August to move them on, but if you do want to sell them it can be done, and the £ is very handy indeed.

[macca72]

I've been experimenting with the use of the unwanted Leeds. You can sell McCormack & Becchio at game start using it. Patience is required as you have to repeatedly add and remove them to & from the unwanted list every couple of days until you get a buyer. It can take you well into August to move them on, but if you do want to sell them it can be done, and the £ is very handy indeed.

I'm going to post an update of my save tonight but I offered McCormack out for £3m right at the start (kept Becchio as he fits with my tactic) and Southampton & QPR bid for him, you have to do it immediately though.

I've tried to buy in players that will see me through to the Prem (even if I don't manage promotion in the first season) as it looks like budgets are tight, also no 48 month deals this time...

The other thing I've noticed is that one of my loan signings (a Greek winger from Olympiakos, I forget his name, but have a look), he wouldn't come unless I offered a future fee, then he agreed straight away, something keep an eye out for.

[Nicko Blaggo]

I'm going to post an update of my save tonight but I offered McCormack out for £3m right at the start (kept Becchio as he fits with my tactic) and Southampton & QPR bid for him, you have to do it immediately though.

I've tried to buy in players that will see me through to the Prem (even if I don't manage promotion in the first season) as it looks like budgets are tight, also no 48 month deals this time...

The other thing I've noticed is that one of my loan signings (a Greek winger from Olympiakos, I forget his name, but have a look), he wouldn't come unless I offered a future fee, then he agreed straight away, something keep an eye out for.

Interesting on McCormack. Do you transfer list/unwanted etc or just offer him out immediately then transfer list him?

You can still do 48 month deals on the Brazilians with the min release fees: Ademilson (£5.25M), Wellington Nem (£3.5M), Adryan (£875K), Muralha (£875k) & Doria (£525K). I bought them all with the Becchio/McCormack/White money. Ademilson, although very expensive, is absolute top quality.

I've also got Fred (Internacional) & Willian Jose (Sao Paulo) from Brazil's U20 squad - thanks to Jed! - coming on frees on 1.1.13

[Welshace]

I really don'r know how you guys are getting those types of players in for that type of money...

The strict wage structure alone stops me being able to offer the amount they ask for, and that's after selling mccormack for a million and some other dead wood.

I'm stuck with freebies like :

plestan.

boudjemaa 60k

dallamano

pederzoli

gustavo

[Nicko Blaggo]

I really don'r know how you guys are getting those types of players in for that type of money...

The strict wage structure alone stops me being able to offer the amount they ask for, and that's after selling mccormack for a million and some other dead wood.

I'm stuck with freebies like :

plestan.

boudjemaa 60k

dallamano

pederzoli

gustavo

You can adjust the wage budget if you sell White to hoover up a couple of the best freebies and/or free transfers for 1.1.13. If you sell Becchio & McCormack you can do deals for the Brazilians again by adjusting budgets. If you don't/can't sell them then I agree it's tough to improve the squad.

[macca72]

Interesting on McCormack. Do you transfer list/unwanted etc or just offer him out immediately then transfer list him?

You can still do 48 month deals on the Brazilians with the min release fees: Ademilson (£5.25M), Wellington Nem (£3.5M), Adryan (£875K), Muralha (£875k) & Doria (£525K). I bought them all with the Becchio/McCormack/White money. Ademilson, although very expensive, is absolute top quality.

I've also got Fred (Internacional) & Willian Jose (Sao Paulo) from Brazil's U20 squad - thanks to Jed! - coming on frees on 1.1.13

Just offered him for £3m and they both bid. It took me until deadline day to get rid of Pugh though. I did get rid of the usuals (Connolly, Rachubka, Kisnorbo) for peanuts, which basically covered agents & loyalty fees for my signings, and sold the Howson clause also.

I've read in a few threads that 48 month deals can cripple your budget when you get past 1st season (don't know if it's true) but I avoided it this time. I ended up bringing in...

Mancienne - Loan with a future fee of £1.8m

Stefan Johansen - 250k looks a beast and can play DM or CM, check him out

Ole Salnaes - £1m Again looks brilliant and only 18, will be good for a number of years

Paddy McCourt - Loan with future fee of 300k, tried to sign him perm but he wanted 15k per week, whereas i'm only paying 4k on loan. Decent at this level

Jamie Mackie - Loan with future fee of 2.5m. Don't know how he will pan out, but him and Becchio will rotate up front and he can cover on the wings

"The Greek" - Who's name I can't remember right now, Loan (only 2k pw wages) with a future fee of £2m. Scouts say he has the potential to be a good premier league winger, and he's a proper inside forward, one of the few I could find. Will 100% be trying to sign him.

That leaves me with circa 10k per week and 700k left of my transfer pot, I just couldn't find that many players who would make a difference this year. Usual suspects of Jali & Bressan etc went to big clubs for big bucks.

You're right though, if you can get rid of Becchio or McCormack (whichever doesn't fit) it really helps to build the squad. I could have maybe done more but never mind.

[Nicko Blaggo]

Just offered him for £3m and they both bid. It took me until deadline day to get rid of Pugh though. I did get rid of the usuals (Connolly, Rachubka, Kisnorbo) for peanuts, which basically covered agents & loyalty fees for my signings, and sold the Howson clause also.

I've read in a few threads that 48 month deals can cripple your budget when you get past 1st season (don't know if it's true) but I avoided it this time. I ended up bringing in...

Mancienne - Loan with a future fee of £1.8m

Stefan Johansen - 250k looks a beast and can play DM or CM, check him out

Ole Salnaes - £1m Again looks brilliant and only 18, will be good for a number of years

Paddy McCourt - Loan with future fee of 300k, tried to sign him perm but he wanted 15k per week, whereas i'm only paying 4k on loan. Decent at this level

Jamie Mackie - Loan with future fee of 2.5m. Don't know how he will pan out, but him and Becchio will rotate up front and he can cover on the wings

"The Greek" - Who's name I can't remember right now, Loan (only 2k pw wages) with a future fee of £2m. Scouts say he has the potential to be a good premier league winger, and he's a proper inside forward, one of the few I could find. Will 100% be trying to sign him.

That leaves me with circa 10k per week and 700k left of my transfer pot, I just couldn't find that many players who would make a difference this year. Usual suspects of Jali & Bressan etc went to big clubs for big bucks.

You're right though, if you can get rid of Becchio or McCormack (whichever doesn't fit) it really helps to build the squad. I could have maybe done more but never mind.

I've found with Pugh that if you reject any bid from Charlton for Brown and then immediately offer him at £550k over 48 then they bid for him.

I couldn't get Jali either as his wage demands are crazy and his agent insists on highest earner clause. On Bressan you can do a deal to sign him for 1.1.13 but he always goes elsewhere. I know Jed got him but tbh I've just abandoned attempts to land him and I've signed the players that I've tipped who you can get without competition if you go for them quickly enough.

Good advice on 48 month deals. What I try to do is offset the expenditure by selling players on 48 month deals. I can usually balance it out over the course of the first season.

Good signings there. I like Salnaes in particular. Is the Greek lad Fetfatzidis? Looks quality.

[macca72]

I've found with Pugh that if you reject any bid from Charlton for Brown and then immediately offer him at £550k over 48 then they bid for him.

I couldn't get Jali either as his wage demands are crazy and his agent insists on highest earner clause. On Bressan you can do a deal to sign him for 1.1.13 but he always goes elsewhere. I know Jed got him but tbh I've just abandoned attempts to land him and I've signed the players that I've tipped who you can get without competition if you go for them quickly enough.

Good advice on 48 month deals. What I try to do is offset the expenditure by selling players on 48 month deals. I can usually balance it out over the course of the first season.

Good signings there. I like Salnaes in particular. Is the Greek lad Fetfatzidis? Looks quality.

Spot on mate, it is Fetfatzidis, i'm looking forward to him playing he gives me something different to Diouf (unpredictability seems to be the way forward this year). Charlton didn't come in for Pugh on my save, it was Sheff Wed who bought him in the end 100k up front and 300k over 48 months i think.

Johansen is doing very well also, just a solid player, and cheap.

[auditt05]

Guys how do you get all these brazillians with any Work Permit issues?

[Nicko Blaggo]

Guys how do you get all these brazillians with any Work Permit issues?

During the first transfer window, Nem gets his w/p straight away. All the others get their w/ps on appeal.

EDIT Just to add, if you sign a Brazilian Scout like Gilmar Francisco and he scouts 'known talent' you can see through the scout reports who will get w/p's. There are a large number of young players who will get w/ps but most of them do not have a minimum release fee. For example, Victor Andrade at Santos does not, but Pedro Paulo (£875K) at Cruzeiro does.

[MichaelBrown]

I don't know how people find buying ''the usuals'' on 48 month deals interesting. I realise that they're good players and they will develop into good Prem-standard footballers, but isn't it monotonous doing the same as everybody else?

[Nicko Blaggo]

I don't know how people find buying ''the usuals'' on 48 month deals interesting. I realise that they're good players and they will develop into good Prem-standard footballers, but isn't it monotonous doing the same as everybody else?

As per the earlier discussion on tactics, it's about how you want to play the game. I'm happy having Wellington Nem and Edemilson playing for Leeds.

[MichaelBrown]

As per the earlier discussion on tactics, it's about how you want to play the game. I'm happy having Wellington Nem and Edemilson playing for Leeds.

I understand that and I accept it. Out of interest, do you change how you approach different saves in this respect?

[Nicko Blaggo]

I understand that and I accept it. Out of interest, do you change how you approach different saves in this respect?

Very good question, yes but not yet. I've found FM13 quite challenging on a Leeds save. For example the wage budget and small transfer budget as well some of the new innovations like the unwanted list. What this means is that 10 or so days on since I first bought the game, I'm only just comfortable with who I can buy to improve the team. In previous FM's I've tried to find and sign good players at cheap prices, usually from South America. This year the price of players from Argentina has been massively increased in the database so signings the likes of a Cahais/Caruzzo this year etc is out of the question. Hence the Brazilian players with their minimum release fees so you can make the most of the money that you raise.

[MichaelBrown]

Very good question, yes but not yet. I've found FM13 quite challenging on a Leeds save. For example the wage budget and small transfer budget as well some of the new innovations like the unwanted list. What this means is that 10 or so days on since I first bought the game, I'm only just comfortable with who I can buy to improve the team. In previous FM's I've tried to find and sign good players at cheap prices, usually from South America. This year the price of players from Argentina has been massively increased in the database so signings the likes of a Cahais/Caruzzo this year etc is out of the question. Hence the Brazilian players with their minimum release fees so you can make the most of the money that you raise.

I haven't been Leeds yet, despite being a life-long fan and a (unfortunate) follower up and down the country. I reckon it'd take me 2/3 seasons to get promoted; in FM12 I would create a one-size-fits-all tactic and tweak certain things minimally. This year it seems that the AI has become smarter and more aware at tactics.

[auditt05]

It happens a lot that I just have a winning streak of like 4 matches then I lose 3 games with only 1 chance against me which was the goal.

Am I advised to change the tactic always? or 2 have 2 tactics and change between them always rather than 1 tactic?

[Nicko Blaggo]

I haven't been Leeds yet, despite being a life-long fan and a (unfortunate) follower up and down the country. I reckon it'd take me 2/3 seasons to get promoted; in FM12 I would create a one-size-fits-all tactic and tweak certain things minimally. This year it seems that the AI has become smarter and more aware at tactics.

Yes, I think that is definitely the case. Maintaining team morale is challenging too, one defeat and morale dips and you start on a poor run.

[Nicko Blaggo]

It happens a lot that I just have a winning streak of like 4 matches then I lose 3 games with only 1 chance against me which was the goal.

Am I advised to change the tactic always? or 2 have 2 tactics and change between them always rather than 1 tactic?

The one chance and one goal is so frustrating isn't it? As is the opposition Goalkeeper making top saves over and over again.

In terms of the tactic, some posters on the tactics forum say rotate tactics to outwit the ME. However, I guess early in the game that you have to factor in team familiarity with your tactic.

[auditt05]

The one chance and one goal is so frustrating isn't it? As is the opposition Goalkeeper making top saves over and over again.

In terms of the tactic, some posters on the tactics forum say rotate tactics to outwit the ME. However, I guess early in the game that you have to factor in team familiarity with your tactic.

What is the ME factor?

[Nicko Blaggo]

What is the ME factor?

Sorry for the abbreviation, ME is match engine.

[Ady682]

for those who got promoted first season, are there any good freebies to look out for in the 2nd season transfer window, last years FM there was a lot of really good players free for newly promted teams!

[just_1986]

1st season currently sitting top of championship after 40 games on 86pts,

becchio 24 goals, brown (retrained so can play dmc) and austin (dmc) been brilliant in mr hough 4 1 2 3

not made many transfer signings, but have bought in quite few loans both short term and long term.

loans in - df; zullo (season in jan window), perico (season in jan window), nosworthy (3mth), elliot ward (3mth), chris herd (season)

mf; bradley johnson (april 3mth), glenn whelan (x2 3mth)

fw; sidibe (season but sent back), hulse (season), bangura (season in jan window), goodwillie (april 3mth)

total fees 170k

kenny

peltier / zullo /

perico lees pearce white

austin

brown / johnson /

norris whelan

bangura / becchio mccormack

hulse /

goodwille

[jimmybigliver]

Has anyone toyed with replacing the DOF? Is there someone that comes in that is better at 'shopping' other players to clubs on the unwanted list? Or does it not make any difference?

[MichaelBrown]

Yes, I think that is definitely the case. Maintaining team morale is challenging too, one defeat and morale dips and you start on a poor run.

How FM should be. I think it's been too easy in the past to sign a dozen 17 year old world beaters for a average club and turn them into superstars.

[Welshace]

So finally got round to starting a proper save...

Transfers

Rather a large overhaul really, but I felt our beloved Leeds have been festering somewhat the past two seasons. After all.. stopping the rot is what they hired me for

I spent a LOT of time considering who to buy and getting it just right. We don't have much room to work with as far as money is concerned so 48month payments are a necessity I feel, hence how I was able to spend £10million + getting my team right.

Of particular note are :

Bajrovic

RATED:★★★★

He was happy to come to us for a compensation fee of £350k and I was happy to oblige. He has decent potential and can even get some game time this season.

Wajeed

RATED:★★★★

Took a bit of work to get him to get a work permit but it was worth it, the lad has star quality at this level. Pace to burn and a great finish make him a shoe in for a role up front spearheading our promotion run.

Just got through Pre-season and won all of the games, barring a 2-0 defeat to Barcelona, who opted to play a pretty much full strength team..hey ho...

Tactics

Which basically gives us this first team:

Pretty strong if you ask me.

If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask, I'll update as I go along

.

[Nicko Blaggo]

So finally got round to starting a proper save...

Transfers

Rather a large overhaul really, but I felt our beloved Leeds have been festering somewhat the past two seasons. After all.. stopping the rot is what they hired me for

I spent a LOT of time considering who to buy and getting it just right. We don't have much room to work with as far as money is concerned so 48month payments are a necessity I feel, hence how I was able to spend £10million + getting my team right.

Of particular note are :

Bajrovic

RATED:★★★★

He was happy to come to us for a compensation fee of £350k and I was happy to oblige. He has decent potential and can even get some game time this season.

Wajeed

RATED:★★★★

Took a bit of work to get him to get a work permit but it was worth it, the lad has star quality at this level. Pace to burn and a great finish make him a shoe in for a role up front spearheading our promotion run.

Just got through Pre-season and won all of the games, barring a 2-0 defeat to Barcelona, who opted to play a pretty much full strength team..hey ho...

Tactics

Which basically gives us this first team:

Pretty strong if you ask me.

If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask, I'll update as I go along

.

Good to see you with a Leeds save

Interesting that you were able to shift Norris on loan, how did you do that?

On Majeed's w/p, did he get it on appeal and/or after repeated attempts etc?

Very strong side that.

[Welshace]

Norris has been sitting in my reserves on the unwanted list at half value. no-one was interested in buying but after the first few weeks Charlton were interested in a loan along with Preston. I didn't do anything other than accept the first offer of a loan that came in from anyone.

Hilariously, his reaction to moving to Charlton was:

Ahhh yes, london....paris....rome..... charlton... that most cosmopolitan of cities....

Majeed was on appeal... second attempt at appealing, Didn't expect to get it as in previous attempts in other games I never did, but there's never any harm trying, and I was starting to panic about who was going to lead my line as I'm trying to get rid of Becchio too, Torino and Burnley are interested in buying, but claim £1million is too much, so I'll hold out till transfer deadline day I think, I'm sure to shift him then.

Interestingly, I had a move for Pugh break down too before I loaned him out, it was for a suprising £800k too

[Nicko Blaggo]

Norris has been sitting in my reserves on the unwanted list at half value. no-one was interested in buying but after the first few weeks Charlton were interested in a loan along with Preston. I didn't do anything other than accept the first offer of a loan that came in from anyone.

Hilariously, his reaction to moving to Charlton was:

Ahhh yes, london....paris....rome..... charlton... that most cosmopolitan of cities....

Majeed was on appeal... second attempt at appealing, Didn't expect to get it as in previous attempts in other games I never did, but there's never any harm trying, and I was starting to panic about who was going to lead my line as I'm trying to get rid of Becchio too, Torino and Burnley are interested in buying, but claim £1million is too much, so I'll hold out till transfer deadline day I think, I'm sure to shift him then.

Interestingly, I had a move for Pugh break down too before I loaned him out, it was for a suprising £800k too

Good idea on Norris that, wish I'd thought of that for him, Varney & Peltier.

With Becchio I found that if you repeatedly put him on the unwanted list you'll eventually sell him at value. It may take you until towards the end of August.

[Welshace]

I'll keep trying with Becchio...

I'm keeping Varney, Peltier and Green around... great backup to have until season's end.

[Marling]

Won league cup third season

[js150]

Just about to start my 2nd season, promoted in 1st as Championship winner.

Transfers in 1st season:

Oskar Hiljemark - 900k

Jonas Svensson - 650k

Joel Pohjanpalo - 100k

Antony Vanden Borre - Free

Starting 11 for 1st season:

GK: Kenny

CB: Lees

CB: Pearce

WBR: Vanden Borre

WBL: White

DMC: Austin

CM: Svensson

CM: Hiljemark

AMC: Pohjanpalo

ST: Bechhio

ST: McCormack

I would recommend everyone to try this 5-4-2/4-1-3-2 formation with Leeds, works very well with the players available. I'll upload my version of the tactic when I get home. Lees as Covering CB, Pearce as Stopper, WB's set to defend, Austin set to Anchor, the two CM set to Box to Box, AMC to Trequartista and the two forwards to Complete Forwards.

As for the second season I've still got some strengthening to do, I usually only buy youth and this has ended up in me shelling out far too much money for one player, but I'm happy to have got him and I'm sure he will be worth it in the end.

2nd Season transfers in so far:

Adryan - £20.5m (Over 30 months, minimum release clause)

Ademilson - £5.25m

Jeroen Zoet - Season long loan (No keepers I fancy buying atm, backup/rotation to kenny, will get one in January/after this season)

2nd season team atm:

GK: Kenny

CB: Lees

CB: Pearce

WBR: Vanden Borre

WBL: White

DMC: Austin

CM: Svensson

CM: Hiljemark

AMC: Adryan

ST: Ademilson

ST: McCormack/Becchio

Happy enough with the starting 11 just need to strengthen the backup, for me the back 4/5 are pretty solid from the outset for Leeds give them game time and you can spend time on improving other parts of the squad that are needed much more.

[Welshace]

I've just picked up Stefanos Kapino for 200k, he'll join end of my first season, and he has potential to be a great keeper imo

[Nicko Blaggo]

I've just picked up Stefanos Kapino for 200k, he'll join end of my first season, and he has potential to be a great keeper imo

Looks very decent, indeed. Moggi says "definite purchase"; better have a bit of him too then

[js150]

Oh yeah also go Zanetti in as Assistant Manager at the start of the 2nd season, he retired after the 1st for me, one of the best Assistant you can get after just getting promoted who should get better. Didn't ask for too much either.

[Nicko Blaggo]

Oh yeah also go Zanetti in as Assistant Manager at the start of the 2nd season, he retired after the 1st for me, one of the best Assistant you can get after just getting promoted who should get better. Didn't ask for too much either.

Is that Sergio Zanetti the Inter Coach?

I'd like Valdir de Moraes - just need to employ him before he retires!

[js150]

Is that Sergio Zanetti the Inter Coach?

I'd like Valdir de Moraes - just need to employ him before he retires!

No Cristiano Zanetti, former player retires after the 1st season for me.

[Nicko Blaggo]

No Cristiano Zanetti, former player retires after the 1st season for me.

Righto, shortlisted him; thanks for that. Might be worth having a look at Hernan Crespo - became a top attacking coach in FM12.

[Welshace]

Looks very decent, indeed. Moggi says "definite purchase"; better have a bit of him too then

It was a case of hearing rave reviews about him IRL so checked him out.

[Welshace]

Just lost in the Capital One cup to Southampton ... but it was the best game I've seen so far in FM 13 .. truly stunning 3-3 after extra time and went to penalties.. Beginning to love the game again.

[js150]

Here's my tactic I've made and been using:

http://www.mediafire.com/?0efe0wn700ihzm6

It is suited to the squad Leeds have at their disposal with our lack of wingers.

------GK------

----CB-CB----

RWB-DMC-LWB

----CM-CM----

-----AMC-----

----ST-ST----

As I said in a previous post I use the following players in the 1st season for this formation:

GK: Kenny

CB: Lees

CB: Pearce

WBR: Vanden Borre

WBL: White

DMC: Austin

CM: Svensson

CM: Hiljemark

AMC: Pohjanpalo

ST: Bechhio

ST: McCormack

The Scandinavian 3 work really well as 2 Box to Box CM's and a Trequartista there is a lot of intricate passing outside of the box probing until space opens up or one of the Strikers make a run. Makes for some very visually satisfying football I would recommend the 3 Scandinavian's as signings for any club let alone just Leeds. Personally I play both Strikers as Complete Strikers as I think they can both play this role well but it maybe worth trying other options.

Some player stats from last season using this tactic season long:

Becchio: 24 Goals, 9 Assists

McCormack: 25 Goals, 14 Assists

Pohjanpalo: 6 Goals, 15 Assists

Hiljemark: 1 Goal, 3 Assists

Svensson: 2 Goals, 13 Assists

Expecting more from my CM's this season to be honest, they have both come on leaps and bounds.

Anyway give it a try and let me know how you like it.

[Welshace]

Loving this game so far..

Was getting to the end of the transfer window and realised that my tactic just wasn't cutting it, I could see I was getting outnumbered up front clearly in the games I played and I could see that my AMC just wasn't getting any joy either, so I moved to buy some extra firepower for upfront to help the struggling Wajeed upfront.

On transfer deadline day, I managed to get johnny russell after getting rid of nunez, somma and kisnorbo.

All games previously had ended 1-0, 2-1 etc ... first game with tweaked tactic... 5-1 .. hattrick from debutant Russell and everyone's avr. ratings up dramatically.. loving it.

[js150]

So managed to get Jason Steele in for £5.5m and Andile Jali in for £6.5m in January transfer window. Wilfried Bony was also transfer listed at Chelsea with an asking price of £5m but his wage demands were too high, no one picked him up so hopefully will be able to go back in for him in the summer. Currently sitting in 9th knocked out of the League Cup by Man City but still in the FA Cup, been a really good season so far. Will need some better full backs and some backup/rotation options at Centre Back in the summer pretty happy with how my squad is at the moment apart from that. Think I have an outside chance of qualifying for Europa League this year.

[Lubomir]

Just casually lost seven consecutive games using the Mr. Hough tactic. Avoid at all costs.

[Thorovic]

Just began my second season with Leeds, got promoted after ending in 2nd place which I think is a miracle, as in November and December I only won 1 game out of 13.

Had a rough time finding decent players to sign for the wage budget I got is terrible with only like 5M transfer budget.

But after some shuffling around here is the squad i have in the beginning of 2nd season:

GK: Viviano / Tiago

DC: Dória / Lees

DC: Jorge Teixeira

DC: Alexsandar Dragovic

WBR: Chris Solly

WBL: Joe Mattock / Aidy White

MC: Vanden Borre / Paul Green

MC: Austin / Murat Yldirim

MC: Madson

AMC: Thomas Drage / Boudjemaa / Pavel Niakhaichyk

ST: Becchio / Pohjanpalo / Gavranovic

As all can see I have a very small team that cant afford any slip-ups in injuries, bans, etc.

The start of the season shows that I have an ok team in my hands as for I am sitting 4th after 6 games.

p.s.

Just casually lost seven consecutive games using the Mr. Hough tactic. Avoid at all costs.

I am using the Mr. Hough tactic and have won 5 games drawn 1 and lost 2 so I am happy with it

[Nicko Blaggo]

Just casually lost seven consecutive games using the Mr. Hough tactic. Avoid at all costs.

I've found with this FM that if you lose once you've got the potential to go on a losing run. Keeping morale as high as you can seems to be really important.

I'm using Mr Hough's tactics too (but changed service to ST to feet), and sometimes am a little frustrated with the passing around the opposition box. But then I look at how many the opposition have behind the ball. The AI opposition defend well and every keeper seems top.

[macca72]

So after much teacup throwing, sulking, tactical tweaking and losing to Guiseley in pre-season, I've settled into what will probably turn out to be my career save until at least the January transfer patch. My transfers look like this.

Not too bad, and I left 7k pw in wages and just over £1m in the transfer pot. I'm very light on the wings, with Diouf covering both sides, so injurys here will really hurt me. Early stars are undoubtedly Fetfatzidis, Mancienne & Selnaes.

Unbeaten so far including a nice domination of Leicester at Elland Road, Mancienne had Beckford in his pocket, and a 3-1 win at Brighton with Wayne Bridge been booked twice in 3 minutes...

[macca72]

Check out his value after a dozen or so games, as soon as I spotted this I offered the £1.5m in the transfer clause in his loan (500k now, £1m over 48 months), had to have him now before he attracts bigger teams and wouldn't sign.

[Welshace]

Little update

Results:

As you can see, a bit erratic, but I was trying to sort my tactics out. But we are sitting comfortably in 3rd position, and at this early stage, I'm happy enough.

Player Update:

So, star performers so far :

Stefan Strandberg

Strandberg has been a total rock in the heart of my defence, 2 player of the match awards and has improved considerably

Johnny Russell

Russell came in to help Majeed out, and has been a revelation, 5 goals in 6 games so far. Brilliant.

Aaron Cresswell

Cresswell has done extremely well at WBL providing many an assist... all action hero

So there we are.... will update as the season goes on in a bit more depth. What I will say though, is that I was happy to just consolidate our position in the Championship and just improve my team for a promotion run next season, but I've now changed that mindset, my team is strong enough for promotion this season for sure. Early days yet though.

[SamwiseLUFC]

Hiljemark is class. Have him starting in the prem 4th season in, no problems at all.