FM14: Leeds United - The past is the past, Marching On Together again...

[Coen]

Btw Macca and Marling - interesting to see the regens, they look decent!

It sounds like others are having similar troubles to me in finding top established players who would be interested in signing for Leeds in the first season back in the Premier League, so as an alternative I'm trying to bring in promising young players (until I can increase the clubs reputation a bit) which generally means regens - here's my first decent find!

[MichaelBrown]

It's a shame he has no aggression Coen, he'd be absolutely brilliant otherwise.

[Coen]

Aye you're right, if he had decent aggression as well he could be a really top quality midfield enforcer or central defender, as it is I'm a bit more limited in what I can use him for. At the moment I'm playing him as a Central Defender (cover) alongside a more aggressive Central Defender (stopper) - Scott Wootton is well suited to that more aggressive role so they have the makings of a pretty decent central defensive partnership.

My other decent find so far is another Scandinavian, this time a left back.

[MichaelBrown]

He'd be a good ball playing defender I feel..

[Coen]

I never really use ball playing defenders tbh, I can see what you mean although I don't think Neimi has the height/jumping reach to use him as a central defender. But I do need to work on his crossing if he's going to be a really top quality full back - typical that it's about the only part of his game that doesn't seem to be improving based on that screenshot!

[MichaelBrown]

I never really use ball playing defenders tbh, I can see what you mean although I don't think Neimi has the height/jumping reach to use him as a central defender. But I do need to work on his crossing if he's going to be a really top quality full back - typical that it's about the only part of his game that doesn't seem to be improving based on that screenshot!

Feel like such an amateur! Normally the first thing I check on any defender is their height. In this case, I just ignored it!

Scrap what I said before, he really needs to be on the wing. He'd be the perfect wing-back in my 5-3-2.

[Coen]

Feel like such an amateur! Normally the first thing I check on any defender is their height. In this case, I just ignored it!

Scrap what I said before, he really needs to be on the wing. He'd be the perfect wing-back in my 5-3-2.

Easy to miss this stuff on screenshots, whereas I've spent hours analysing these guys' attributes etc.

The other thing about this guy is his best (natural) position is left-back, but he's actually right footed...which has also been bugging me. But Byram is going to be first choice right-back for the foreseeable future so Niemi is just going to have to play at left-back!

[MichaelBrown]

Easy to miss this stuff on screenshots, whereas I've spent hours analysing these guys' attributes etc.

The other thing about this guy is his best (natural) position is left-back, but he's actually right footed...which has also been bugging me. But Byram is going to be first choice right-back for the foreseeable future so Niemi is just going to have to play at left-back!

Hm, every time you post something else bugs me about your player as well , no in all seriousness, the problem with being one footed is that he could be robbed of possession which would be horrific as he's a full back. Whats the chances of him learning to use both? Is it even possible?

[Coen]

Hm, every time you post something else bugs me about your player as well , no in all seriousness, the problem with being one footed is that he could be robbed of possession which would be horrific as he's a full back. Whats the chances of him learning to use both? Is it even possible?

He's actually also already got the "Avoid Using Weaker Foot" PPM (I don't remember training him in this so must have already had it when I bought him!) so I don't fancy my chances of getting him to start using his left now.

But maybe a right footed left back who gets forward and then cuts in rather than crossing might work, I tend to play quite a defensive minded midfielder rather than a winger ahead of him on the left anyway.

I may need to play around with this a bit, he's potentially the best player in my entire squad so it's probably worth trying to get the best out of him!

[MichaelBrown]

He's actually also already got the "Avoid Using Weaker Foot" PPM (I don't remember training him in this so must have already had it when I bought him!) so I don't fancy my chances of getting him to start using his left now.

But maybe a right footed left back who gets forward and then cuts in rather than crossing might work, I tend to play quite a defensive minded midfielder rather than a winger ahead of him on the left anyway.

I may need to play around with this a bit, he's potentially the best player in my entire squad so it's probably worth trying to get the best out of him!

With Byram being a really attacking full back, will this leave your wings exposed? Obviously you could put Byram to support, but that would be limiting his actual ability on the wing.

Could work as a wing back I guess.

[Coen]

With Byram being a really attacking full back, will this leave your wings exposed? Obviously you could put Byram to support, but that would be limiting his actual ability on the wing.

Could work as a wing back I guess.

I tend to have my right-back on a "support" duty with an attacking right winger ahead of him, again this does make me wonder if I'm getting the best out of Byram by doing. Plus he has the "Gets forward whenever possible" PPM...

(Actually at the moment I'm using Byram as the attacking right winger a fair bit anyway, he's probably my best right winger as well as my best right-back. )

[MichaelBrown]

I tend to have my right-back on a "support" duty with an attacking right winger ahead of him, again this does make me wonder if I'm getting the best out of Byram by doing. Plus he has the "Gets forward whenever possible" PPM...

(Actually at the moment I'm using Byram as the attacking right winger a fair bit anyway, he's probably my best right winger as well as my best right-back. )

IRL he's probably our best attacking outlet, hopefully he's developed as well as he should have on your game?

I don't want to advise on your game but would Niemi be suited to a WB (s) role?

[JJSaxton]

Finished my first season managing to finish 2nd overall but pretty far behind QPR who ran away with it in the end. Back end of the season I managed to bring in Sebastian Coates for 2.3Mill in installments which I was delighted with as Iv had him on nearly every other FM and he usually becomes amazing at the back.

Only got given 9 Million budget with 500k Wage budget so left me no choice but sell a fair few players. And managed to strengthen my midfield with two quality players for the formation that I play. Still very short upfront and may struggle to find the back of the net.

Samba Diakate - Had him last season bought him in within the January transfer window as he was doing brilliant. Ive read a lot of people have had him and thought he was a flop but got nothing but good words for him from me.

Mohammed Diame - Liverpool wanted rid and hes rated very highly. Got the old shirt sales boosted by big name signing once he came and he hasn't demanded a massive wage he actually took a cut to join us which surprised me.

Jem Karacen - Bought from Reading, my formation demands 2 very physical hard working and strong CM's to sit next to the creative CM in the middle who pretty much gets a free role to create the chances and play the balls through.

Anthony Stokes - Bought for 775k Last season and is Ideal in a False Nine position upfront. Brilliant at picking out passes and when the ball gets chucked upto him he is very useful with it. Managed to notch up 16 Goals aswell last season not bad for the provider of the two forwards.

Matej Vydra - Hoping that he becomes as good as he did on the last FM, perfect for my poacher role and massive potential hopefully alot of exposure to the first team that hes going to get with me will turn him into a superstar.

Kirk Broadfoot - Signed for 625k in the first season and ended up been in the team of the year in the Championship so bargain buy. Ended the season with a 7.49 average so lets see if he can cut it in the premier league. Always have Tom Lees, Wooton as back up although he may not be good enough.

Still looking to sell Morisson and Kenny and bring in some youngsters instead as there wages have gone quite high due to there promotion clauses.

And here is the formation I will be playing and the starting line up that hopefully will manage to keep me up. And really want to find a few regens to bring in but with such a small budget I was just concentrating on getting a few decent players in and staying up then build from that.

The tactic works really well, with the full backs getting forward and into the box often putting in good balls. When they do this the DM drops back and creates a back 3 in effect so doesnt leave you too open to counter attacks. The Central Midfielder is my playmaker and gets a free role to roam around the middle of the pitch and ocassionally overlaps the forwards to bang them in. Johansen got 12 goals from this position in the championship. The other two midfielders are you battlers get players with high teamwork, work rate, strength and determination and your onto a winner.

Any recommendations for players to bring in in January just incase im strugging?

[Nicko Blaggo]

Just about to kick off the Premiership Season in 2014/15. Here is the side (& fees for new signings):

GK Jefferson*, Botafoga (free), Fernando Henrique.

DR Santiago Vergini, Sam Byram.

DL Tsepo Masilela, Nicolas Tagliafico, Jonathan Silva, Estudiantes la Plata (£3.5M & £1M over 48).

DC Rever, Atletico Mineiro (free), Eder Alvarez Balanta, River Plate (£6.5M), Vergini, Lees.

DMC Jucilei* Anji (free), Landry N'Guemo, Girondins Bordeaux (free), Mario Bolatti, Franco Zuculini, Austin.

MR Vitinho, CSKA Moscow (free & agent buy out), Keko, Abdelhak Nouri.

ML Anton Putsila, Volga (free), German Pacheco, Juan Aurich (£110K), Nouri.

ST Lucas Viatri*, Boca (free), Matej Vidra, Udinese (free), Marcelo, Hervin Ongenda, PSG (free), Richairo Zivkovic.

* Jefferson (£1.6M), Jucilei (£1.1M), Viatri (£235K) are running their contracts down and the amounts are the buy now fees.

I've said I'll avoid relegation, but I'll be disappointed if we do not get a Euro Cup spot and could even do top 4.

Looking at the side I need to improve the DR, DL, a DMC, AML and a ST over time.

I've focussed on first team building largely and I'll need to scout quality new gens through 2014-15.

[Coen]

Just finished my 3rd season, 1st in the Premier League and we finished 14th. Which I probably would have taken at the start of the season given this was pretty much my Championship squad with 2-3 regens added, I couldn't seem to attract any significantly better players so ended the season with £20m in unspent transfer funds and £105k a week under the wage budget. I still feel we should have finished higher, we were 9th at the end of February but then went on a really bad run and only managed 1 win in the last 10 games.

But looking at some of players that JJSaxton and Nicko have been able to sign, my lot are nothing like that sort of quality at the moment. Most of those names are already at top clubs on my game (e.g. Matej Vidra is currently at Barcelona) so I've got no chance of getting them, guess I missed the boat by sticking with my starting squad for the first season and not really trying to bring many new players in.

Anyway, I reckon I need at least 5-6 new players to improve the first team, hopefully having survived one season in the Prem I can start to attract some better players now, plus I've got a decent level of funds available so hopefully I can get some quality in and push for at least a top 8 finish in my next season.

[Nicko Blaggo]

And we've got off to a good start too. A 3-1 home win against Villa and a 0-0 shut out at Old Trafford. The Manchester United game was marked by a commanding performance in goal from Jefferson and a Bolatti challenge on Vidic which saw him carried off. I can't say anything here, can I?

[lufc_4_eva]

first off just like to thank the OP for creating thread always love seeing how everybody else goes along with the mighty Leeds united.

Any way first season i just snuck into 2nd place had been in the playoff picture for most of the season but just had that little extra push come the back end of the season, obviously i was happy to be going up but didn't really have the squad depth to go up, playing most of the season with a 4-4-2 but then switched it up after a bad run of results which nearly got me the sack so i switched to 5-2-1-2 and the good time came back it went with some young future starts (hopefully) for the majority of my budget here were my transfers for the first season

Abdelhak Nouri Ajax £750K

Richairo Zivkovic FC Groningen £550K

John Souttar Dundee Utd £775K

Sergi Samper Barcelona £1.2M

Pajtim Kasami Fulham Loan

Craig Conway Cardiff Ln Fee £26K p/m

Luciano Becchio Norwich Ln Fee £43.5K p/m

Marius Zaliukas Free Transfer Free

Yaya Sanogo Arsenal Ln Fee £31K p/m

Anthony Pilkington Norwich Ln Fee £8.25K p/m

Jason Holt Hearts £43K

Max Clayton Crewe £1M

so into the holy land of the premiership with a measly budget of £10m it was a struggle like many have said the sign up players so i had to rely on most of my squad from the previous year plus some free signings and a regen cinquetti who i stole under the nose or arsenal lucky me here all of my signings to date so far

Éder Álvarez Balanta (the beast) River £9.5M

Dennis Hunter Gainsborough £9.25K

Billy McKay Inverness CT £750K

Adam Smith Tottenham Free

Yaya Sanogo Arsenal Loan

Nicholas Cinquetti FeralpiSalò £120K

Kasper Schmeichel Free Transfer Free

Sebastián Coates Liverpool Ln Fee £21.5K p/m

Tom Cairney Hull £450K

i would recommend balanta to everybody he has been superb for me along with adam smith play of the year for me so far, i have tweeked my system just a tiny bit dropping 1 of my strikers to a 2nd AM player, and so far its working a treat i was aiming for avoiding relegation but ive just started december and im sitting 7th really didnt expect that, mostly down to my younger players really stepping up and achieving there potential as i saw it, now im looking to try and find a couple more exeption regens to push me onto the next level.

[elland road boo boys]

Oh god, I'm just dreaming about the players who you have seen. My best player for Leeds? Snodgrass hahaha

Jonny Giles Billy Bremner Norman Hunter Peter Lorimer etc.... Need I go on:D

[Leedsfan111]

Started up a new save with Leeds on 14.1.3

Ins

Canuto - £175k

Tsepo Maisela - £275k

Renan Teixiera - £100k

Kasper Kusk - £475k

Bolanas - £200k

Marcelo - £1.9m

Javier Patino - £190

Outs

Jason Pearce - £2m (Hull)

Adam Drury - Free (Boro)

Michael Brown £100k - (Boro)

Aidy White - Season Loan (Future fee £850k) - (Reading)

Matt Smith - 3 month loan - (Doncaster)

Danny Pugh - £300k - Sheff. Wed

Michael Tonge - £60k - (St Johnstone)

Currently playing a basic 4-4-2. Two wide men as defensive wingers. Also using an advanced forward & a poacher.

Results so far

Leeds 2-0 Brighton - (Canuto & Og)

Leeds 3-1 Burton (LC1) - (Varney, Canuto, Patino)

Leicester 1-2 Leeds - (Teixera & McCormack)

Leeds 4-4 Sheff Wed - (Marcelo 2, McCormack 2)

Ipswich 1-3 Leeds - (McCormack 2, Teixera (Austin s/o))

[RIW123]

Not a bad start only signed Cywka (I think thats how its spelt) from Barnsley and Jamie Walker more for the future. Cywka has actually been my stand out player so far.

[Coen]

Interesting as ever to see how everyone is getting on. I'm now midway through my 4th season, 2nd in the Premier League and it's looking good for a top half finish -

Not bad considering the media prediction was 17th!

Much of my squad is made up of regens these days, but this guy is probably the best "real" player I have (other than Sam Byram), he only cost me £3.3m.:

[MichaelBrown]

Jonny Giles Billy Bremner Norman Hunter Peter Lorimer etc.... Need I go on:D

Please don't!!

[macca72]

I'm just into October, 2nd Season. Now that the window is closed I'll motor through until January. My scout has found a few interesting regens, but I'm restraining myself to only go for those he rates at a full 5* potential.

I'm 3rd in the Prem, having only lost 3-2 at home to Chelsea, wins over West Brom, West Ham, Norwich, Blackburn & Reading. All lower teams really, so yet to see how I will hold up. Did beat Spurs in the 3rd round of C1 cup, 4th round away at Huddersfield.

I have a horrid run of games coming up, with Newcastle, Arsenal, Man City & Everton, all in the next 4 league games, will be interesting to see where I stand after these!

In terms of players, Johansen still working wonders, 4 goals from midfield from him and Ryan Gauld is looking good at only 18, with 2 goals and 3 assists in 7 games. Espinosa another one who has proved amazing value for money at only 125k, still rated 4.5* by my assistant.

EDIT: A 4-0 loss at Arsenal, ALL of their goals came from corners. Very annoying.

EDIT2: Time for a break, lost 5 on the spin and conceeded 9 of 12 goals from corners or free kicks, plus 1 was a penalty.

[Coen]

Ouch Macca, I've noticed an annoying amount of goals from set pieces as well - annoying because it seems impossible to change anything tactics-wise that does anything about it. Hopefully this sort of thing will get updated in the ME soon.

Anyway, just had this happen which I thought was kinda funny - Dirty Leeds!

(We won 2-1 so it was worth it)

[elland road boo boys]

Ouch Macca, I've noticed an annoying amount of goals from set pieces as well - annoying because it seems impossible to change anything tactics-wise that does anything about it. Hopefully this sort of thing will get updated in the ME soon.

Anyway, just had this happen which I thought was kinda funny - Dirty Leeds!

(We won 2-1 so it was worth it)

Naughty naughty:herman:

[Marling]

Finished 6th first season in prem, no europe though, and only 12mil to play with again which makes it a challenge!

[Nicko Blaggo]

The January 2015 transfer window has just closed and we're sitting an improbable 3rd. I think we'll settle at 5th and that would suit as I'd like a crack at the Euro Cup before the Champions League.

Finances continue to be tight and we have a meagre £3M balance.

Transfer activity:

In

Luciano Vietto, ST (£1.9M). He was running his contract down hence the price.

Fernando, DMC (£2.2M). A player I've always liked. Running his contract down he was picked up by Cruizeiro from FCP before he would consider a move to Leeds. But I got him six months later. The DMC pairing of him and Jucilei is tasty.

Out

Keko, AMR (£3M). A tidy return on the £55K I paid.

Transfers in on 1.7.15:

Koen Kasteels, GK Hoffenheim.

Ondrej Mazuch, DC Dnipro.

Ignacio Camacho, DMC Malaga.

Tomas Martinez, AMC Barcelona. Surprised he opted for Leeds after moving from River Plate to Barcelona.

Joel Donald, ST AZ.

Overall the side is now a good one, but the main weakness continues to be the lack of a top drawer DR.

[mrplufc]

abit bored of fm so going to start as leeds and see if i can re kindle a save. will be starting after work tonight! also nice to see a few famililur faces after a long while. my most succesfull leeds save was when we started with -15. we all had some real fun on that game!!

[Nicko Blaggo]

Improbable or not, we secured a comfortable second place in our first season in the Premier League. With a more clinical ST we would probably have won it. Kicking off the third season we have, just like Coen, been taken over by a UK based consortium. Until now, money has been tight so I've wheeled and dealed to improve the side. Here it is (with prices for new additions):

GK Jefferson, Koen Kasteels, Hoffenheim (free).

DR Argentinian Regen* (£8.25M), Santiago Vergini, Byram.

DL Jonathan Silva, Nicolas Tagliafico.

DC Rever, Eder Alvarez Balanta, Vergini, Ondrej Mazuch, Dnipro (free).

DMC Jucilei, Fernando, Zuculini, Ignacio Camacho, Malaga (free), Tibbling.

MR Vitinho, Marlone, Gremio (free & £800K buy now fee, gets w/p; eventually at 4th time of trying), Rafinha, Barcelona (£135K - ridiculous really), Nouri.

ML Putsila, Otavio, Internacional (£5M), Rafinha, Nouri.

ST Vietto, Marcelo, Vydra, Zivkovic, Ongenda, Mexican Regen* (£6.25M).

Arriving 1.1.16:

Cassio, GK Corinthians (gets w/p).

* The Argentinian and Mexican Regens are rated at 4 1/2* with potential to be World Class and seem to have similar potential ability to Balanta

With CL footie it is going to be a tough season. I don't see us progressing much beyond the Group Stage, but I think that we'll go well in the Prem again. The main limitation on the side is the relative youth of the ST force. However more experienced options are well beyond current financial reach.

[Coen]

Great first season in the Premier League Nicko, well done. You must surely be in with a decent shout of winning it within the next couple of seasons.

As for me, I've just finished my 2nd season in the Premier League and managed a 6th place finish which I was happy enough with. Thing is, I'm following my usual approach of basically building a team of young regens so I always expect it to take 2-3 seasons before I can challenge at the very top, but we're well on track. Of my 24 man first team squad the only "real" players I now have are:

- Luke Hyam (MC)

- Enes Unal (ST)

- Mats Daehli (MC)

- and Sam Byram, but sadly I think he will be sold soon to bring in a 22 year old scottish regen right back I've just spotted who is rated as potentially a 5 star player.

Average age of the first team squad is only 21 so I'm hopeful that I now have the core group of players who will develop in to a team capable of challenging for the title.

Edit - just had a £2m bid come in for Hyam, at age 25 he's the grandad of the team, time to take the money and promote someone else from the U21s to take his place I reckon.

Edit no 2 - and we just drew Aberdeen in the qualifiers for the Europa league, always enjoyable to play Scottish teams in European competition!

[markantony]

Anyone know how to get MacCormack to not be crap? Whats his best role?

[Nicko Blaggo]

Great first season in the Premier League Nicko, well done. You must surely be in with a decent shout of winning it within the next couple of seasons.

As for me, I've just finished my 2nd season in the Premier League and managed a 6th place finish which I was happy enough with. Thing is, I'm following my usual approach of basically building a team of young regens so I always expect it to take 2-3 seasons before I can challenge at the very top, but we're well on track. Of my 24 man first team squad the only "real" players I now have are:

- Luke Hyam (MC)

- Enes Unal (ST)

- Mats Daehli (MC)

- and Sam Byram, but sadly I think he will be sold soon to bring in a 22 year old scottish regen right back I've just spotted who is rated as potentially a 5 star player.

Average age of the first team squad is only 21 so I'm hopeful that I now have the core group of players who will develop in to a team capable of challenging for the title.

Edit - just had a £2m bid come in for Hyam, at age 25 he's the grandad of the team, time to take the money and promote someone else from the U21s to take his place I reckon.

Edit no 2 - and we just drew Aberdeen in the qualifiers for the Europa league, always enjoyable to play Scottish teams in European competition!

Thanks Coen! Yes, I figure that we can win the Prem in the next couple of seasons. We're certainly controlling games, just need to convert more of the chances we create. I can't decide whether it is the STs composure/inexperience, or just the ME, leading to lots of chances blocked on line/missed? Possibly a little bit of both.

You seem to be scouting out regens really well. Even though I'm working to the FM14 regen dates, I've not quite got it right. Ideally I'd prefer to be 'approaching to sign' as soon as they are created, but don't seem to have my scout there in time to do so. Do you have any tips Coen?

Interesting about Byram. He and Lees are the only players I have left from the original squad and that is because they are HG.

[blackdog]

Like I said, Im a slow player compared to some, but... One last push lads for a great end to the first season. And in FA Cup semi v Blackburn. We can do it!!

[Hurricanez]

Hey lads, I finally found a thread on the Internet where we can talk about Leeds, tried different FM boards, but no one really helped me. I hope you will. So basically I thought about rebuilding this squad with British talent. I don't want to bring in any foreigner. Or if I do, I'll grow him and eventually sell him. Thing is that I have no idea who to bring in, from Scotland, Wales, Ireland, N. Ireland or England (those are the leagues that I loaded). The budget is quite low for a big revamp and I doubt I'd get some money on the deadwood, or high-wages players. I am looking for advices on who to buy, first season I'd target a top half finish, then win the Championship. Do you have any ideas for cheap and great potential players? I've heard about some guys from Dundee Utd, Gauld and a central defender, but when I tried to get them, Prem clubs were after him and they'd barely come to Leeds. Even that, Dundee ask too much for them, which would let me with nothing but zero budget afterwards and I am not a fan of buying on Monthly installments. Or should I?

Aye and those who signed Zuculini, how much salary did you gave him? He always seems to be off to bigger teams.

@OP - You forgot to add Aidan White.

[Nicko Blaggo]

Hey lads, I finally found a thread on the Internet where we can talk about Leeds, tried different FM boards, but no one really helped me. I hope you will. So basically I thought about rebuilding this squad with British talent. I don't want to bring in any foreigner. Or if I do, I'll grow him and eventually sell him. Thing is that I have no idea who to bring in, from Scotland, Wales, Ireland, N. Ireland or England (those are the leagues that I loaded). The budget is quite low for a big revamp and I doubt I'd get some money on the deadwood, or high-wages players. I am looking for advices on who to buy, first season I'd target a top half finish, then win the Championship. Do you have any ideas for cheap and great potential players? I've heard about some guys from Dundee Utd, Gauld and a central defender, but when I tried to get them, Prem clubs were after him and they'd barely come to Leeds. Even that, Dundee ask too much for them, which would let me with nothing but zero budget afterwards and I am not a fan of buying on Monthly installments. Or should I?

Aye and those who signed Zuculini, how much salary did you gave him? He always seems to be off to bigger teams.

@OP - You forgot to add Aidan White.

I can't really help with British talent, sorry.

48 month deals don't seem to work this year, I've found that the selling club ask for the fee and the same amount over 48 in addition!

In terms of Zuculini, load his signing bonus; he usually comes for £350K+ or so. Also, don't forget to express interest to the press as it can't do any harm.

[blackdog]

With Zuculini I think I started at around 15k. As other clubs came in I bumped it up to £18,500.Like Nicko says too, bonus helped. Highest paid player I have (1st season) but well worth it. Terrorising the Championship as a wide midfield and stick Poleon up front for him to feed. 26 or more goals for Poleon keeping my big hope Stevie May out of the team.

[Hurricanez]

I'm using yearly wages so how much should I offer him per year?

And what's signing bonus? The loyality bonus? Or the agent fee?

[Nicko Blaggo]

I'm using yearly wages so how much should I offer him per year?

And what's signing bonus? The loyality bonus? Or the agent fee?

Loyalty bonus.

[Hurricanez]

Okay, I've started the game, if you have any good staff advices, please tell me.

[mpitts]

Long time listener, first time caller, well... not quite, but it's been a while...

I thought i'd give an update on my progress...

I've after failing with numerous tactics, including getting sacked with Brian McDs real world 3-5-2, I've settled on a 4-4-2 with two DMCs reminiscent of our "lliving the dream" period with Batty and Dacourt

I had an eventful 1st transfer window

and after a slow start, we won the league, Hamad and Kusk were the standout performers

[blackdog]

Wahey!!!

Standout performers were Zuculini, Kasper Kusk, Rodolph Austin and Dominic Poleon.

Poleon got 27 goals in all competitions.

Austin was a rock as Dm though he got 17 yellows and 1 red card. Gave me a lot of fun denying the Dirty Leeds tag in press conferences. Ha Ha!!

Brought in Dedryk Boyata from Man City at New Year and he did well in partnership with Lees.

Other signings were Stevie May who got injured early season and there was just no way to drop Poleon who worked extremely well with Hunt as a F9.

Spanish keeper Adnan (after Christmas) who got homesick and then injured when he came back.

Tactics were my own 442 with a DM dropped back and a tweaked Sacchi off this forum.

[Nicko Blaggo]

Long time listener, first time caller, well... not quite, but it's been a while...

I thought i'd give an update on my progress...

I've after failing with numerous tactics, including getting sacked with Brian McDs real world 3-5-2, I've settled on a 4-4-2 with two DMCs reminiscent of our "lliving the dream" period with Batty and Dacourt

I had an eventful 1st transfer window

and after a slow start, we won the league, Hamad and Kusk were the standout performers

Good to see you on the thread and some interesting transfers there. After just moving to Emelec, I didn't think Sracqualursi would be interested in a move in the first window. I got that one wrong. How is he doing?

[Nicko Blaggo]

Wahey!!!

Standout performers were Zuculini, Kasper Kusk, Rodolph Austin and Dominic Poleon.

Poleon got 27 goals in all competitions.

Austin was a rock as Dm though he got 17 yellows and 1 red card. Gave me a lot of fun denying the Dirty Leeds tag in press conferences. Ha Ha!!

Brought in Dedryk Boyata from Man City at New Year and he did well in partnership with Lees.

Other signings were Stevie May who got injured early season and there was just no way to drop Poleon who worked extremely well with Hunt as a F9.

Spanish keeper Adnan (after Christmas) who got homesick and then injured when he came back.

Tactics were my own 442 with a DM dropped back and a tweaked Sacchi off this forum.

Many congratulations on a double success!

[blackdog]

Cheers Nicko.

I suppose I should really ask this in the feedback thread but it looks like Id be walking into the Lions den if I did.

I have my initial budget for season 2. (£12 million transfer and £453000 wages.) Is there a bug where the players Im interested in signing don't actually realise I have won promotion at the moment? I.E - On my home screen etc Im still down as a Championship club and if I recall it wont change until Pre Season? Therefore in the case of Tom Huddlestone of relegated Hull, he thinks he is taking a step down? Bear in mind I am also in Europe too.

Reading through older posts it seems a few of you have noted its somewhat hard to attract players.

Either way I may start a Dundee Utd save (which is normally my second choice of save though normally later on) and wait for a patch and see what changes are announced.

Thanks in advance anyone who can shed any light for me on this.

[Nicko Blaggo]

Cheers Nicko.

I suppose I should really ask this in the feedback thread but it looks like Id be walking into the Lions den if I did.

I have my initial budget for season 2. (£12 million transfer and £453000 wages.) Is there a bug where the players Im interested in signing don't actually realise I have won promotion at the moment? I.E - On my home screen etc Im still down as a Championship club and if I recall it wont change until Pre Season? Therefore in the case of Tom Huddlestone of relegated Hull, he thinks he is taking a step down? Bear in mind I am also in Europe too.

Reading through older posts it seems a few of you have noted its somewhat hard to attract players.

Either way I may start a Dundee Utd save (which is normally my second choice of save though normally later on) and wait for a patch and see what changes are announced.

Thanks in advance anyone who can shed any light for me on this.

It will not change until you get to the seasons' expectations on about 23/24 June. However are players simply unwilling to discuss a contract, or are they saying 'it will take a really good offer'? I signed Rever and Jefferson when it was the latter. They wanted good £, but they would have wanted that anyway and they improved the team immensely.

[mpitts]

On my home screen etc Im still down as a Championship club and if I recall it wont change until Pre Season? Therefore in the case of Tom Huddlestone of relegated Hull, he thinks he is taking a step down? Bear in mind I am also in Europe too..

I found this as well, in fact with Huddlestone too... I think it was when the transfer window opened, that they recognised me as a premier league team...

Nicko, Stacqualursi was immense last year, I was pretty lucky to be fair, it was his Italian passport that attracted me to him...

[blackdog]

Cheers guys, that's how I seem to remember it always being. (Seems feedback CAN make you paranoid as well as pointing out legit stuff. Lol)

I'll plough on.

As you say Nicko, some players just aren't interested anyway. In past games I know Ive paid over the odds. Some work, some don't.

[Coen]

Hi guys just catching up on this thread.

Anyone know how to get MacCormack to not be crap? Whats his best role?

I played McCormack as a poacher alongside Hunt as a deep lying forward (support) in a 4-4-2 in my first season and he got 22 goals in all competitions (but we only finished 9th in the league). 2nd season I had the same formation but Ross was used more in the Deep Lying Forward role as I'd brought in someone else with better finishing to play as Poacher, he got 17 goals and 18 assists in all competitions and we won the Championship. So I found he could be pretty effective in either a Poacher or Deep Lying Forward role in a 4-4-2.

blackdog - Congratulations on winning the FA cup and promotion, great season!

There does seem to be an issue with it taking a while to recognise that you've got promoted before the start of a new season, it does take until June or so which can be annoying when trying to sign players early. Plus reputation seems to have a bigger inpact on ability to sign players in FM14 so I really struggled to attract players first season back in the Premier League, but now I'm a couple of seasons in and established as Premier League team (plus have had a takeover so have more reasonable wage budgets) it's become a lot easier.

Quick update on my current season, my 3rd in the Premier League - after a 6th place finished last season we're now through to 1 January in the 2017/18 season and so far it's going pretty well:

Not bad considering my best player has been out injured since early November....

But with Torres hopefully back from injury by the end of January plus a bit of money to spend in the January window I'm hopeful of a strong 2nd half to the season!

Oh and in terms of finding regens Nicko - tbh I'm no good at spotting them early a lot of the time, I just do regular searches using filters looking for young players who already have decent attributes in the key areas for the roles I play in my team (e.g. looking for strikers aged 18 or under who already have finishing, composure, anticipation, pace etc at around 11-12 so they might develop into good poachers). I then scout them all and try to sign up the ones rated with 4.5 star or better potential. Sometimes I can get them pretty cheap, occasionally I end up having to pay up to £10m for them so I generally work on identifying 2-3 top prospects each season, probably half the time they end up not developing in to top players as scouting is always a bit hit and miss which is why it generally takes me 4-5 seasons to build a team of really good regens.

[Hurricanez]

You guys are doing so well, I am absolutely awful, after 15 games or so, 21st with 20+ points. I cannot get any unluckier since my best players, Espinosa, Murphy, McCormack and Byram are doing so average. Poleon is the main threat for the opposite defences as he kept banging one or two constantly. Unfortunately the game is on halt as I spilled beer on my laptop and I think it did some damage.

[Nicko Blaggo]

Cheers guys, that's how I seem to remember it always being. (Seems feedback CAN make you paranoid as well as pointing out legit stuff. Lol)

I'll plough on.

As you say Nicko, some players just aren't interested anyway. In past games I know Ive paid over the odds. Some work, some don't.

Yes, I think that is right.

I've learnt a few things on my first Leeds save and signing players who say 'it needs to be a good offer' is one of them. The other really important thing is getting my scouting right. I missed out on a 5* Slovenian DMC regen because I just didn't get set up properly.