FM19: The Lone Wolf Dies but the Pack Survives: A European Super League Save

[sjg11]

So this save is an attempt to create the definitive European Super League on FM. To start with, I've created four divisions, although more divisions will be added in time. My method for deciding who goes in and who stays out is done by looking at each club's preferred formation (normally the manager's preferred formation) and then calculating an average Current Ability for each side before ranking them and putting them into various divisions. The various European competitions are now Extinct and will cease to exist after the game's first season is completed. After forming the various Leagues I randomly selected Wolves to play as, who play in the European Super League Division Two. 

There are 20 teams in Division One and 24 teams in the other three Divisions.

Wolves, as I'm sure you all know, were one of the first English sides to compete in European competition in the 50s. They even reached the UEFA Cup Final in the 70s. They are one of England's grand old clubs and they have a great starting squad to potentially allow me to compete with the finest teams in Europe in the not too distant future. 

By my method, Wolves were predicted to finish 12th in the European Super League Division Two. The media have us down to finish 24th. The board are anticipating a top-half finish so seem to agree more with me than the media. 

Pre-Season

I'm largely going to be using the following tactic this season. It's modelled on the Fluid Counter-Attack mentality but is significantly tweaked. I went for a 4-1-4-1 Wide over a 3-4-3 or a 3-5-2 simply because Jonny Otto is better at LWB in real life than he is in the game. Trying to use wing-backs with only Ruben Vinagre (who isn't a great player) as my only LWB seemed destined to end badly so I've stuck with a back four as Jonny actually makes a competent LB. Costa is actually my third choice RAM but Cavaleiro's injured and Traore was suspended for my last game. Leander Dendoncker would also normally start in place of Saiss but is suspended as well. 

The other main tactic I'll be using is literally a tactic for seeing out the game if I'm leading with 15 or 20 minutes. Again, replace Costa with Cavaleiro or Traore and Saiss with Dendoncker. I'd also normally bring Vinagre on for Jonny in this system (although I'm happy to use this Screenshot to prove my point about Jonny at LWB):

I only had the funds to make a single signing so welcome Victor Nelsson to provide reinforcements at CB or in midfield for the next season:

He's not far off displacing Conor Coady at CB already and he's got great potential along with the ability to play a variety of positions to a strong level. Should prove to be a useful player for the years to come. 

August 2019

We started with a defeat against Leicester which I feel was harsh. Jamie Vardy is a bit of a bogey player for me on FM and he inevitably scored from his only two shots on target but we probably deserved to take a point from this one, with Raul Jimenez pouncing on a Wes Morgan error to pull one back for us. Still, performances often matter more than results on the first day and this was a good performance. 

This game was far more straightforward. Two Joao Moutinho corners and a pair of Raul Jimenez headers at the back post giving us our first win of the season. We also picked up our first clean sheet of the season too. 

This was another good win. Memphis Depay scored a screamer to give Lyon the lead before Raul Jimenez pounced on an Anthony Lopes error to equalise. Jonny Otto then fired in from the edge of the box after an unconvincing clearance from Rafael to seal a second straight win. 

We ended the month with a trip to Florence which proved to be a little bit frustrating. Diogo Jota finished off a good counter-attack to give us the lead but Hernani curled in an equaliser from the edge of the box during Fiorentina's last attack to rescue a point for the home side. 

Tables
Division One

Juventus and... ummm... somehow Arsenal are currently top of Division One. Chelsea and Atletico have both started fairly ominously while Madrid, Bayern, PSG and Barcelona in particular have failed to convince. City and Liverpool also need to find some form quickly in order to put some pressure on Juve at the top. At the bottom, Valencia, Bayern, Napoli and Sevilla are still winless. 

Division Two

In Division Two, we currently sit 9th but with a game in hand on most of the teams above us which, if we win, would put us right in the mix of the early promotion battle. Bayer Leverkusen look like the best side in the division so far but things are still very congested. Lyon, Palace and Atalanta are still winless. 

Division Three

Wolfsburg are the early pacesetters in Division Three, another league which is reasonably congested so far. Newcastle and Bournemouth currently fill the other promotion spaces. For the English sides, Fulham, Huddersfield and Southampton look like it could be a fairly long season. But there's more than enough time for them to recover for the moment. 

Division Four

I won't be playing in Division Four until I've added another League in, which may take a little while. Mainz are the early leaders with a Spanish trio of Alaves, Getafe and Vallecano also looking dangerous. Burnley are the only English side in this division and they haven't started particularly well, although they have recovered after a poor start to the season. Fenerbahce are trash. 

#WolfPack

[sjg11]

September 2018

Results

We started the month with a win over Monaco. Adama Traore ran in behind their defence and scored to put us in front. Moutinho then whipped in a corner for Jimenez to make it two. Adrien Silva scored a pop to pull one back and Monaco then pressed late on but it was too little too late for them to snatch anything. 

We then travelled to Selhurst Park to face Palace. Traore continued his good form by scoring a nice curling shot from the edge of the box to take the three points. Palace pushed late on but couldn't find an equaliser. 

We then went to Bilbao and had a completely crazy game. I was delighted at half-time as a Ruben Neves pop and an Adama Traore tap in at the back post had given us a 2-0 lead which we deserved. Sadly, after half-time, Muniain and Inaki Williams went on a rampage. Williams converted a Muniain cross to make it 2-1 before Neves scored another pop to put us  3-1 up. Sadly Bilbao then scored straight from the kick-off from through Aduriz from a Yuri Berchiche cross. We then failed to clear a corner and Inigo Martinez drilled in a shot which was deflected in for 3-3. Williams then converted another Muniain cross for 4-3 before substitute Morgan Gibbs-White fired in a screamer for 4-4. Williams then provided the cross for Muniain to make it 5-4. From the kick-off, we worked a shooting opportunity. Neves fired it in but it hit the post and deflected out for a corner off of Remiro. Neves swung the corner in and Willy Boly headed in at the back post to equalise. Absolutely mental game. 

Porto then came to Molineux and clearly decided that our previous game had been far too entertaining so they set up for a 0-0 draw. Which they got. 

Leipzig then came to Molineux and, to be fair, they were unlucky to lose this. Traore pounced on a Peter Gulacsi error to put us in front before Traore went on a run to cross in for Jimenez to double the lead. Timo Werner pulled one back late on but it wasn't enough for Leipzig. 

 

 

 

 

After an unbeaten month, Neves finished second in the award for Young Player of the Month while Adama Traore wins player of the Month

 

Tables
Division One

Atletico are currently top of the division. Their closest challengers are still (somehow) Arsenal with Juve and Man City also lurking ominously. At the other end of the table, Real Madrid have been abysmal while the rest of the bottom half are still fairly congested. 

Division Two

We currently sit third, which would be enough for us to claim promotion this season. Leverkusen, Everton, West Ham, Porto, Leicester and Fiorentina are the other sides lurking dangerously at the top half of the table. The bottom half is still fairly congested, with Villarreal the only side looking in danger of being cut adrift at the moment. 

Division Three

Wolfsburg's early season optimism stalled this month as Newcastle took top spot. The top of this division is still very tight, although the bottom of the table looks less congested than in other leagues as there's a bit of a gap between the bottom 7 and everyone else.  

Division Four

Mainz, Augsburg and Vallecano all looking strong at the top of the table. A pool of teams are going to fight it out for the final play-off spot. Fenerbahce remain terrible.