[FM17]Basquet Case...

[BoxToBox]

4 minutes ago, noikeee said:

With Griezmann and Laporte there's no excuses if the Champions League isn't Basque this season.  

Well, Griezmann can't play in the Champions League, but we'll take a damn good crack at it regardless.

2 minutes ago, Keano16 said:

Of course he does, how could you ever question that man!

It was a terrible mistake.

[BoxToBox]

Only Latvia, but still, an international hat-trick! 6 in 8 overall.

[deltablue]

Well Denmark has won more Euro's than England so they obviously know better

[BoxToBox]

Chelsea are working on one of my star players.

Later that day....

[Benjoe]

Quality match!

...but. Garrido looks suspiciously Asian. *cough* fake passport *cough*

[Jellico73]

Why leave to score for Chelsea when its so easy to score on Chelsea?

[BoxToBox]

Well, well, well.....

[BoxToBox]

So, it was decided, if we were going to the national team's stadium, to take on bitter rivals PSG practically on their own turf, in the biggest game in the clubs history, we were beating them! Not only that, I wouldn't accept less than beating them with style!
That's right, three strikers, even if we only have two strikers, **** it, **** them, double **** Mourinho.

We started on the front foot, and looked likely to pick up the lead. So of course, it didn't take long for team captain Julen Gonzalez(co-opted to striker for today) to pick up a knock after a dirty tackle(ended up being a very dirty game). So, 13 minutes in, he was hobbling, a dead leg, but the beast that he is, he wouldn't come off, he'd play until he was dragged off and that was the end of the discussion.

This just fired the team up, really, and we started to take them apart, but they have the incredible Donnarumma in goal(best keeper in the world at this point), and he was like a steel wall.

After having one shot all match, PSG picked up a corner on 44 minutes, and Rugani heads home for the lead.... as I'm concerned was my aggressive stance an error, or as it's increasingly looking like, just not our day....

Half time, Roy bollocked them, Roy suggested(practically a bollocking) that I bollock them. I bollocked them. Gonzalez bollocked the rest of them. Both my CM's on yellow, and not playing well, both subbed. Another risk. We switch to attacking, All in, eh?

So, 48 minutes on the clock, things go from bad to worse, we have a kick out, launched towards Gonzalez, as he's about to receive the ball, Marquinhos launches out of position, and clatters him from behind, hard enough that not only did he aggrivate Gonzalez' injury enough that it was impossible for him to continue, he injured himself enough that he had to come off, could have been a red otherwise.

No striker on the bench.... Alvaro Ramos comes on, at AMC, a slight tactical shift, but still playing as a Shadow Striker, as close as we can get to the 3 striker system now...

Few moments later though, Donnarumma mis-aims a kick out, our full back Eizmendi wins the ball in midfield, team picks PSG apart as the ball shreds their backline to bits, reaches opposite full back Martinez, who whips in a mean cross leaving Garrido one on one, and he's never missing an opportunity like that. 50 minutes in, 1-1.

We've rattled them now, and keep pushing hard.

67 minutes in, we have a throw in near their box, I have Eizmendi trained for such situations, we're not above Stoke style bullets into the box.... and one goes in. Donnarumma comes out for it, but Laporte gets his head to it first, and flicks it on, looks like it's going in.... David Alonso is the first to get to it and lashes it in to be certain. Laporte may be gutted, but it was the sensible thing to do.

Roy suggests I draw them back into a more sensible shape, and "kick the ever loving **** out of them". I'm reckless though, and want to hurt them. We keep attacking!

They get more chances, but no clear cuts, and we're still picking them apart almost at will only to be stopped consistently by Donnarumma.

That pattern continues to the end. We run out 1-2 winners, after coming back from a goal down. Not as stylishly as I wanted, sadly, but dominating them in our biggest game ever, alone makes it worthy, oh and the CL win too!

The other two yellows were Inigo Martinez and Oscar Gil.

Gonzalez had just aggravated his dead leg, be fine in a few days, Marquinhos would miss a month with a sparained ankle, were the season not just ended....

That's all three goals.

With that, we've overtaken PSG as the most reputable club in France, and second most reputable in the world behind Man Utd, whom we lost to in last years final, but beat in this years semis.

[ManUtd1]

7 hours ago, deltablue said:

Well Denmark has won more Euro's than England so they obviously know better

It's simple math, really.

[ManUtd1]

Woohoo! Finally catching up! What a final! Congrats, man!

[Keano16]

Yes! Get in. Alonso is a bit of a ***** for that though....

[BoxToBox]

18 minutes ago, ManUtd1 said:

Woohoo! Finally catching up! What a final! Congrats, man!

Cheers! It was one of the most nervy and exciting games of FM I've had.

10 minutes ago, Keano16 said:

Yes! Get in. Alonso is a bit of a ***** for that though....

Aye, it was naughty alright!

[BoxToBox]

Season Review!

Elation, we won the biggie, against bitter rivals, in France, it doesn't get much better than this! We were dominant in the league, and PSG surprisingly average given the money and quality at their disposal... We could have done better in the cups, but had bigger priorities. We're now rated amongst the big boys.

League 1 - League 2 - Cups - Europe

So, what now? Well, the transfer window opens two days after the CL final, and we have 5 deals already in place. The squad has key issues, we're not great at DM. Inigo Martinez is well on the decline, and Griezmann too, to a lesser extent. Maybe we should commit to a three striker system? Though that version with two strikers and a shadow striker was very nice too, and most of my wingers are happy at AMC. We need to be more consistent in competing on all fronts. Our young guns still have a lot of development in them.

So, plenty of work ahead!

Oh,we're also 12 months out from the World Cup in the USA, and a Nations League to finish up in the mean time...

[Benjoe]

I'm going to do this comment for your CL final in the same way you did the cover of the match. In real time!
(This will probably not be very entertaining and I can't imagining ever doing it again, so here goes)

Three strikers! Love it, they should give you the trophy already and Mou's ugly face on a plate with it. 

Julen is a fighter, I like him. I do not like PSG having a steel wall in goal, however, and likewise I don't like Rugani scoring on a corner. Why do they have so good Italians anyway? They're supposed to be proud Frenchmen, I mean, they are in the capital ffs. But whatever, they're scum and managed by Scoumrinho.

Marquinhos should have gotten a red as he was carried out on the stretcher!

Gaaaaarrriiiiiiddoooooo!

ALSNONSN! LEGEND! GET IN!

Roy being the sane and sensible? whaaa

VICTORY!

Haahaha sucks to be Marquinhos with a 'sparained ankle'!

 

League win wuuuh!

18k avg. attendance? When are you getting a new stadium mate?

3 striker system would be good and entertaining but maybe your squad is better suited for 2 strikers and a Shadow. Looking forward to the window!

Nice succes anyhow.

 

[BoxToBox]

5 minutes ago, Benjoe said:

I'm going to do this comment for your CL final in the same way you did the cover of the match. In real time!
(This will probably not be very entertaining and I can't imagining ever doing it again, so here goes)

Three strikers! Love it, they should give you the trophy already and Mou's ugly face on a plate with it. 

Julen is a fighter, I like him. I do not like PSG having a steel wall in goal, however, and likewise I don't like Rugani scoring on a corner. Why do they have so good Italians anyway? They're supposed to be proud Frenchmen, I mean, they are in the capital ffs. But whatever, they're scum and managed by Scoumrinho.

Marquinhos should have gotten a red as he was carried out on the stretcher!

Gaaaaarrriiiiiiddoooooo!

ALSNONSN! LEGEND! GET IN!

Roy being the sane and sensible? whaaa

VICTORY!

Haahaha sucks to be Marquinhos with a 'sparained ankle'!

 

League win wuuuh!

18k avg. attendance? When are you getting a new stadium mate?

3 striker system would be good and entertaining but maybe your squad is better suited for 2 strikers and a Shadow. Looking forward to the window!

Nice succes anyhow.

 

PSG only have three Frenchmen in their squad, compared to five Italians. We can't brag too much, as we have but 5 Frenchmen, and 18 Spaniards.

The 18k stadium is the new stadium! First year in it too! Getting a 9k expansion finished by end of season, though! Shame, as when we were loaning the Bordeaux pitch for European games, we could attract massive crowds.

[Benjoe]

Just now, BoxToBox said:

PSG only have three Frenchmen in their squad, compared to five Italians. We can't brag too much, as we have but 5 Frenchmen, and 18 Spaniards.

The 18k stadium is the new stadium! First year in it too! Getting a 9k expansion finished by end of season, though! Shame, as when we were loaning the Bordeaux pitch for European games, we could attract massive crowds.

I imagine you have more Spaniards than the Spanish teams themselves.

Hahah should I have known that from reading the thread? Guess I missed it. Hope you can expand it more than those 9k. 

[oneronaldo]

7 hours ago, BoxToBox said:

Chelsea are working on one of my star players.

Later that day....

"Don't touch my damn players"

[BoxToBox]

Just now, Benjoe said:

I imagine you have more Spaniards than the Spanish teams themselves.

Hahah should I have known that from reading the thread? Guess I missed it. Hope you can expand it more than those 9k. 

I think only Athletic Club might have more Spaniards than me.

I'm hoping we can, though even 18k is far better than the 5k we were working with.

[BoxToBox]

1 minute ago, oneronaldo said:

"Don't touch my damn players"

[Benjoe]

4 minutes ago, BoxToBox said:

I think only Athletic Club might have more Spaniards than me.

I'm hoping we can, though even 18k is far better than the 5k we were working with.

Aye, of course, Athletic. Still impressive, you should be allowed to switch league with all them Spaniards.

No doubt. 5k really isn't something to brag about, 27k isn't exactly that either, but it's getting you closer to something. And then one day you'll have the finances to actually build something impressive and name it after you, or more likely, Y2K or Alsnson. 

[BoxToBox]

What are the odds on three stadiums in a row named after Deschamps?

[BoxToBox]

Right, whilst watching the most bland United game in ages, an impressive feat considering how bland we've been the last few seasons, I had plenty of time to think.

I can just about go to three strikers full time, especially as I'm after picking up a decent 18 year old from Sociedad, and a 16 who I believe has massive potential from Athletic.

There are three main issues, one, we have no real quality forwards that can play a Defensive Forward role(surprising lack of good Basque forwards with good work rate), the only one available is Inaki Williams, who's 31. Two, the system as I've been using it has a BWM, similar issue to the DF, but perhaps less of an issue because of.... Three, we have lots of good playmakers(and one of our greatest prospects is one). I reckon I can just change the BWM(s) to a DLP(s) and kill two birds with one stone, but it might not work as well, as we may be slower to win the ball in midfield, but the idea of having a DLP who might be able to set the forwards off in space is quite interesting.

We'll need to retrain two of the wingers as strikers(along with Gonzalez moving there full time), and one as a full back, and I reckon a full back as a DM, and we could be doing quite well, if all things go to plan.

These would be the six strikers, short term.

 

This guy would probably have to try out life as a fullback, should have room to grow into it.

 

[ManUtd1]

2 minutes ago, BoxToBox said:

Right, whilst watching the most bland United game in ages, an impressive feat considering how bland we've been the last few seasons, I had plenty of time to think.

As a great man once said, somewhere in the Algarve, there's a geriatric Dutchman with an erection. It was dire, the first 45 in particular.

Looking forward to seeing how the new tactic shapes up, man.

[Benjoe]

Sounds good with the formation man!

And you have quite the players at your disposal to make great use of the trident. Vicious attack they'll form. 

Edit: the root of your problems; all the siesta in the blood of the basque players kills the work rate.

[BoxToBox]

13 minutes ago, ManUtd1 said:

As a great man once said, somewhere in the Algarve, there's a geriatric Dutchman with an erection. It was dire, the first 45 in particular.

Aye, 80% possession and nothing done with it. I imagine in the 2nd half, one of the widemen said to Rooney when he came on, "they're defending our crosses with ease, what do we do now?" only to hear back, "Try another cross, they'll never expect it after all the failed ones."

16 minutes ago, ManUtd1 said:

Looking forward to seeing how the new tactic shapes up, man.

Cheers, it's not really new though, just copied from the Giza/Hoyvik save, with the one change in midfield.

4 minutes ago, Benjoe said:

Sounds good with the formation man!

And you have quite the players at your disposal to make great use of the trident. Vicious attack they'll form. 

Edit: the root of your problems; all the siesta in the blood of the basque players kills the work rate.

Cheers!

Might need to get Roy to fire them up! "Siesta, siesta?! Back in my time we ran all day, stopped at 6 for a pint, and then ran all night! Now, get a ******' move on or I'll set my dogs on you!"

 

[Benjoe]

You just buy one of those Freddy Krueger Halloween costumes and make him run around chasing the players when they siesta.

Actually you only need the glove. Roy's face will be scary enough, no need for the costume.

[kidthekid]

Just curious, I know I could scroll back a few pages, but I figured you may remember. Were most of your world class players bought on a cheap, or were they already established when you bought them?

I know you have bought some players for significant sums, but I know you've bought a lot of players on the cheap as well, just wondering what the balance is.

[Jimbokav1971]

Another best of his generation youth product. 

I didn't even realise that Griezmann was Basque. 

[BoxToBox]

12 minutes ago, kidthekid said:

Just curious, I know I could scroll back a few pages, but I figured you may remember. Were most of your world class players bought on a cheap, or were they already established when you bought them?

I know you have bought some players for significant sums, but I know you've bought a lot of players on the cheap as well, just wondering what the balance is.

Looking at the current squad, you have,

Julen Garrido - 1.7m at 16.
Xabier Alvarez - 2.8m at 16.
Antoine Griezmann - 1.3m at 33, with 6 months of his contract left.
Julen Gonzalez - 18.5m at 22(If I remember correctly), after a loan, he was pretty developed, but hit another level at Bayonne.
Aymeric Laporte - 20m at 30.

Other key players, and/or debatably world class include...

David Vazquez - 2.5m at 16.
Pablo Martinez - 27m at 21, after a loan, more key than world class, was fairly established.
Igor Eizmendi - 400k at 19.
Mikel Merino - 21.5m at 26.
David Alonso - Academy.

So, 4 we developed from the ground up, 3 good players we pushed to the max and 3 we bought at their prime, a fairly even balance, but as we move forward it'll now be a stronger focus on academy kids and poached cheap prospects.

We also had the 37m buy of Mikel Oyarzabel at 26, who left after one season, and the 18m buy of Aritz Elustondo at 27 who left after two seasons worth of time, spread over three seasons.
 

[kidthekid]

wow at Garrido.

[BoxToBox]

3 minutes ago, Jimbokav1971 said:

Another best of his generation youth product. 

I didn't even realise that Griezmann was Basque. 

For the last few FM's he's been pretty much the key buy for any Athletic save(and I usually have an Athletic save), or I wouldn't have known either.

Actually, after starting this post, I looked it up on wiki, and he's from Mâcon, which is nowhere near the Basque region, and is of Alsation and Portugese descent....

The only Basque connections I can find are that he played for Sociedad and whilst in their academy commuted from Bayonne as he went to school there. I think that's actually Basque enough for even Athletic Club now, as they've laxed their rules slightly to include anyone who grew up and had their "football education" in the Basque Country.

[BoxToBox]

Train roll on....

A long window of most telling clubs to shove it, and the board expect us to win everything but the CL, which they want a QF appearance minimum. The CL win has kind of put a damper on things, feels like we're about to start a repeating cycle.
To be quite honest, what's really holding my attention right now is the France side. Won that weird league thing, and smashing the World Cup qualifiers.

As for transfers, turns out the pre-arranged 5 were all that came in, along with a mini clear out.

Inigo Martinez was thanked for his service and off he goes, Ujia is a victim of depth, he's a good RB, but Eizmendi is much better, and our third is much younger. Doubly sad as the moment he landed in Liverpool he broke his leg. Oscar Gil goes to make room for an academy grad. Diego Garcia(4A) is the saddest, he was one exciting player when he was a teen, but had peaked at 18, fairly rapid and physical, but not much else, and not much use outside of wing play.

He has the potential to be a really useful DLP if his passing and composure picks up.

Was rated quite a bit higher when the deal was arranged(Sociedad's hottest prospect too), hopefully he can still become a good mid.

I really like this guy! Lot of work ahead, but nicely balanced to make a creative forward or amc.

Athletic's latest key prospect, guy looks like he could develop into a monster, though his personality is crap.

Arranged to be a backup for the three striker system before I started retraining everybody, I still think he's a good deal and there's a quality player in there. If I could get his workrate up a few points he'd make a useful DF(s).

 

[BoxToBox]

We're at the halfway point, and in complete cruise control.

As for France, even more so, and have qualified for the World Cup with ease.

Some impressive stadiums to visit. I wonder does FM's engine factor in altitude.....

[BoxToBox]

Lille are in third too....

[ManUtd1]

36 minutes ago, BoxToBox said:

Lille are in third too....

Wow.

[Keano16]

Just the 12 today thank you.

[BoxToBox]

I was worried about Garrido straining his foot from kicking the ball in the net so much. Had three assists too.

[Benjoe]

Your three striker system is marginally more successful than mine?

[BoxToBox]

2 hours ago, Benjoe said:

Your three striker system is marginally more successful than mine?

Not sure if it's the system, or Garrido is just on fire.

[BoxToBox]

Youth Intake Day.

Not much worth writing home about.

This guy looks the business though, and finally a striker with work rate.

[hessemte]

I ve just read the whole thing and definetely following. Funny that few years ago I tried the same policy in a save by the time Bayonne were in National  (late 00's) but was sacked half-season. Ive read also your faroese story and it seems like we dont even play the same game :D. 

I wanted to ask (and sorry for this off-topic) if you would mind to give the actual CA/PA of your team in both saves even if I fairly doubt that you have fmrte or something thing like that.

Congrats anyways for overachieving the way you do.

[BoxToBox]

1 hour ago, hessemte said:

I ve just read the whole thing and definetely following. Funny that few years ago I tried the same policy in a save by the time Bayonne were in National  (late 00's) but was sacked half-season. Ive read also your faroese story and it seems like we dont even play the same game :D. 

I wanted to ask (and sorry for this off-topic) if you would mind to give the actual CA/PA of your team in both saves even if I fairly doubt that you have fmrte or something thing like that.

Congrats anyways for overachieving the way you do.

Cheers!

I'd prefer not to look at stuff like CA/PA though, not until I'm done with the save at least.

[Benjoe]

"Nothing much to look at here" Mate, you just got a killer striker who is aged 15 and already got all the means to be just about perfect and you tell us there's nothing to see!?

I am offended.

[Jimbokav1971]

Does anyone know why some Nations have youngsters generated at 14 and others have youngsters generated at 16? 

It seems outrageous to get a whole 2 additional years to develop a player. 

Is this always the case in France? (I'm SOOOOOOO jelous). 

[Benjoe]

10 minutes ago, Jimbokav1971 said:

Does anyone know why some Nations have youngsters generated at 14 and others have youngsters generated at 16? 

It seems outrageous to get a whole 2 additional years to develop a player. 

Is this always the case in France? (I'm SOOOOOOO jelous). 

I'm not really sure why, but Germany also gets 14 year old regens and they can't even use players under 17 years in their league iirc. 

In Spain I don't recall ever getting a regen under 15, actually in last intake all regens was 16 years old. Feels bad man.

[Benjoe]

5 hours ago, BoxToBox said:

Not sure if it's the system, or Garrido is just on fire.

Could I maybe borrow him for a season then? Just for research purposes.

[BoxToBox]

1 hour ago, Benjoe said:

"Nothing much to look at here" Mate, you just got a killer striker who is aged 15 and already got all the means to be just about perfect and you tell us there's nothing to see!?

I am offended.

I'd have been far more excited three or so seasons ago, plus currently his PA is rated at solid squad player.

1 hour ago, Jimbokav1971 said:

Does anyone know why some Nations have youngsters generated at 14 and others have youngsters generated at 16? 

It seems outrageous to get a whole 2 additional years to develop a player. 

Is this always the case in France? (I'm SOOOOOOO jelous). 

I don't know about all leagues, but I bugged SI about it in regards to English kids, and there it's to do with the age they'd be scholars entering the U-18's.

The 14 year olds are all in the "almost 15" range, so it's a year and a bit rather than two whole years extra. That year is massive though! It's a great help in developing youngsters.

Sometimes in England, unless they have, or you can develop them to have great personalities quickly, they just can't develop fast enough to catch up and end up being wasted even if they have great potential.

I wish every country had early 15 year old regens.

54 minutes ago, Benjoe said:

I'm not really sure why, but Germany also gets 14 year old regens and they can't even use players under 17 years in their league iirc. 

In Spain I don't recall ever getting a regen under 15, actually in last intake all regens was 16 years old. Feels bad man.

Spain is one of the most annoying, even those I'm poaching from the Spanish Basque sides, often by time summer rolls around and they join, they're 17 and at a massive disadvantage compared to my own 15 an d16 year olds.

14 minutes ago, Benjoe said:

Could I maybe borrow him for a season then? Just for research purposes.

I'm sure something could be arranged, lad could do with a holiday in Spain.

[Benjoe]

2 minutes ago, BoxToBox said:

I'd have been far more excited three or so seasons ago, plus currently his PA is rated at solid squad player.

I wish every country had early 15 year old regens.

Spain is one of the most annoying, even those I'm poaching from the Spanish Basque sides, often by time summer rolls around and they join, they're 17 and at a massive disadvantage compared to my own 15 an d16 year olds.

I'm sure something could be arranged, lad could do with a holiday in Spain.

Ungrateful. If you don't want him you can just send him on holiday with Garrido to Vigo! We got bloody rollercoasters after all!

Me too. 

I've had quite a few coming through at 16 with apparent massive potential ie. 4.5 pa but who didn't get to be anything due to tutoring not working and not having enough years to actually get them rolling before it was practically too late. Sometimes I feel pressured to have my regens in the first team before I find them ready just because I feel they need to be rushed a bit more due to being a bit older. Sometimes they are ready, however, and develop really nicely as they are almost ready straight away but it is certainly not always the case and then they just stagnate and I cry. 

[BoxToBox]

1 minute ago, Benjoe said:

Ungrateful. If you don't want him you can just send him on holiday with Garrido to Vigo! We got bloody rollercoasters after all!

Me too. 

I've had quite a few coming through at 16 with apparent massive potential ie. 4.5 pa but who didn't get to be anything due to tutoring not working and not having enough years to actually get them rolling before it was practically too late. Sometimes I feel pressured to have my regens in the first team before I find them ready just because I feel they need to be rushed a bit more due to being a bit older. Sometimes they are ready, however, and develop really nicely as they are almost ready straight away but it is certainly not always the case and then they just stagnate and I cry. 

The worst of those youths are the ones you buy in I find, as I don't want to loan them if they can get homegrown at club status, which would get them the football they need to develop.

I like in Spain you can have your b-teams at a highly competitive level, which helps out, it's kind of possible in France too, but I haven't been able to get my reserves into a playable league.

[Benjoe]

1 minute ago, BoxToBox said:

The worst of those youths are the ones you buy in I find, as I don't want to loan them if they can get homegrown at club status, which would get them the football they need to develop.

I like in Spain you can have your b-teams at a highly competitive level, which helps out, it's kind of possible in France too, but I haven't been able to get my reserves into a playable league.

It can really be a tricky decision to make. HG at club or needed football to develop. 

I actually hate it to some extent. At first I wanted to utilize my B-team, but as you can't control training or tutor them I feel it is really a hinder to their development unless they are already good and if they are I'd rather have them in the first team truth be told. Also the staff are separate for the B-team iirc and their stats are lower giving the overall training less impact. I like the idea, just not using it currently as I find it more useful for own academy regens to be in u19s and then go on to first team or loans to teams with decent facilities. I have to start using my b-team again I believe though.