[FM18] Success is how high you bounce when you hit rock bottom

[Slipky]

 

SUCCESS IS HOW HIGH YOU BOUNCE WHEN YOU HIT ROCK BOTTOM
LITEX LOVECH, BULGARIA

2015 - Litex Lovech is expelled from the Bulgarian league after their players walked off the pitch in protest over the referee's decisions in a match against Levski Sofia.
It's been a long way back up, but the club is finally back to the 2nd tier of Bulgarian football. A long, slow journey back to the top starts here. With astonishing facilities compared to this level, I'm going to try and use only academy players, with a strong preference to Bulgarians.

This might also be a setting for a full game save. We'll see.

[Slipky]

LITEX LOVECH APPOINT GLESKO AS HEAD COACH!

Litex Lovech have confirmed appointing 20 years old Maxim Glesko as the club's new head coach. Glesko, who turns 21 in September, has expressed his joy to join his favorite club. Born in Lovech, it was only natural for the amateur football coach to take the big leap forward. The Litex spokeperson announced Glesko's arrival and sparked mayhem in social networks. Glesko is known mainly for his work as the manager of non league sides, and as an assistant to head coach Zhivko Zhelev, who left the role because of personal issues.

Glesko often said he considers his tactical mentors to be Marcelo Bielsa and Jorge Sampaoli. Similar to the latter, Glesko's football career came into a painful halt when he was 17, playing for a local Lovech team. Since then, he took the reins at local lower league teams around Lovech and the rest of the country. He now starts his first ever senior club job, and we'll definitely follow.

[DavidBeckham]

I remember myself signing a couple of full-backs from Litex in the older versions of FM. Will be following this. Keep up the good work mate! 

[Slipky]

SUCCESS IS HOW HIGH YOU BOUNCE WHEN YOU HIT ROCK BOTTOM

Litex Tactics Explained - The 3-1-4-2

For this save I'm going to try and continue a tactical mindset I've favored during my late FM17 days. I had the 3-1-4-2 going with San Marino Calcio and it was a massive success.
The Deep Lying Forward / Defensive Forward combo is intended to create pressure on the rival defenders (Kanev, as DF) while also looking to create chances during attacks (Atanasov). The side midfielders has the Defensive Winger role so defense would not be stranded without wing support. The midfield central trio, is intended to help moving the ball (Todorov, Redentsov) and create chances or even score from behind (Hristov).

While I might be wrong with the description of actions that each role is doing, this tactic did wonders during FM17 and I'm curious to see the transition to FM18. A lot of my tactical knowledge wouldn't exist without this forum.  Friendlies start soon, expect more in the next couple of hours.

[Slipky]

LITEX 2 - 1 NESEBAR

An exciting game after only one friendly. I was too lazy to set up more, apparently my ass man is as lazy as me!
The 3-1-4-2 worked pretty well for a first "real time" show, and we controlled the match like we should have. Both my strikers copped debut goals and we get to start the season with a win.
Overall, tactically, I liked the pressure applied by my midfield and defense. Pass distribution could be better but the tactical knowledge isn't the best it could have been yet.

[john1]

Good luck  

[Scoham]

Good to see someone managing Litex - I've also started with them. After taking Merthyr Tydfil and Edinburgh City up the leagues on the last two versions I wanted to do something different. Hopefully it won't take too long to be playing European football. It'll also make a change playing with a higher standard of player.

I'm also going to look to use the academy though not as extreme as youth only. It'll be good to try to develop my own players, something I've not done for a few versions.