S.S. Lazio- Take them back to the 90's

[Coolman]

wow you made some really impressive signing..well done! witsel and defour are class! ya i had to sell pandev cause i never offered him a contract when i started and he became unhappy and wanted to be transfer listed! good riddance i say...got rossi for the pandev money and hes scoring alot more than pandev did! id say sell for as much as you can get for him!

[deejay10]

Remember Pandev plays better as part of a front 2, rather than a lone striker. So if thats definitely going to be your formation, then maybe sell Pandev, and sign a more complete forward who can play up front on his own, like Cavani.

[Trumdum]

Coolman, I've got to agree with Purefun. Feghouli might not have the most impressive attributes but he's rock solid and have kept my ridiculously strong regens out of the first team. Also I just have to mention how glad I got when I saw you had Di Maria in your squad, he kicked some serious ass and it hurt alot when I had to sell him and Balotelli due to a change of formation.

Robchamp, I'm quite impressed how you managed to cream out so much from that little amount of cash we get to spend in the beginning. Get a couple of feederclubs as soon as you can and you'll soon have a transferbudget like Man Citys. I don't see why you went after Gago though. I think there are alot of prime quality players around for that kind of money.

How does Paloschi perform as a single striker?

In my dreamworld as Massimo Di Lauri I recently finished my 6th season as headcoach of Lazio. In the 5th season I won everything that I possibly could, again but still failed to become a favoured personnel. This time I "only" won the Scudetto and world championship for clubs. Winning Serie A for the fifth time in a row have somewhat made it a bit boring and my goal was to score more than 100 goals in the league. I managed 95 thanks to a crappy finish(all blame on Marquinhos crappy form!).

Before the season started I changed my effective 4-4-2 to a 4-3-3 with offensive wingbacks and crazy midfielders trying to shoot like Gerrard or Lampard. The change of formation forced me, as previously mentioned to sell both Balotelli and Di Maria while moving up Saivet and Marquinhos to share the scoring-burden with Keirrison, Bojan and my regen Reece. It was alot of fun and I conceided about as much as before but scored alot more.

For the upcoming season I hoped to move on and try my luck with a smaller team in Spain but I never received an offer and will have to stick by, coaching Lazio and Italys nationalteam simultaniously. I did however have an immense transferbudget this season from not spending more than a few quid the last two seasons and a few players leaving. This gave me the opportunity to buy Messi,haha. Since I'm not planning to stay another season I thought 108m £ was a good deal,haha.

1-3 away at Genoa in the first game of the season, it looks quite promising. 100 goals, here I come!

[Soaps]

Just started a game up as Lazio.....not a lot of money to play with...

What tactics do you guys use?

[Lisandro Lopez]

Just started a game up as Lazio.....not a lot of money to play with...

What tactics do you guys use?

That depends on who you have, who you buy etc?

[Trumdum]

I've had great sucess with alot of different 4-4-2's, 4-3-3, 4-5-1, 3-4-3. I prefer to chose a formation so I know which positions I need to hm...is the word strengthen? It sounds so weird when you say it. Also you have an idea of what attributes you want your players to have on each position.

But I guess you could go the other way around aswell.

[grahamf]

Just reached January in my first season as Lazio and West Ham have offered 7.5m with 600k after 10 goals for Rocchi. He is my captain and leading scorer but Inaghi, Del Nero and Foggia have already gone. I have Pavone on loan with an option to buy for 1.7 and Sadick Adams and Antonio Mihaylov are both joining in January but I doubt either will be starting soon.

The defence looks sorted as I have Rivas already and Albertazzi joining in January along with Miodrag Panic. These along with the decentish looking youth players mean should do ok for now and the next couple of seasons. I'm playing a 4-1-2-1-2 and Guana has been a bargain buy, along with Aguilar joining in the summer so my DM position looks sorted for now.

Basically should I sell? And if so who should I bring in? I have 14mil in the bank but the board wont let me at most of it, do they get more generous in the second season? I'm sitting in 8th so Europe is a possibility but I would probably need Rocchi,s goals and experience to ensure it happens. Zarate has been woeful not a chance of me trying to sign him fulltime.

[Trumdum]

Try to get some feederclubs in the US and China to increase your economy, it helped me out alot and I didn't have any trouble financial trouble when it came to signing players although you might need to give yourself a helping hand the following summer shipping off some dead meat.

I sold Rocchi after the first season for about the same money West Ham offers you. You can't deny the fact that he's growing old and there are a couple of strikers that you can sign for that kind of money. Milevskyi, Pogrebnyak, Marquinhos, Keirrison have all performed well for me. If you're looking for an italian choice you could take a look at Alberto Paloschi. I'm trying him out atm with Man U to see what he can develop into.

Quite a few chaps on the forum has seen good results from his part.

When it comes to my game on the other hand I parted with Lazio after the last season, ending my 8 season long partnership. Yet again I failed to score over 100 goals in the league, stumbling on 95, again. Neither do I become a favoured personnel after another treble so I decided to jump across the ocean for a sejour in Spain with Espanyol.

I plan however to return in the future when Lazio no longer are invincible and I have to build it up again from the very first bricks.

[gibson_lp2]

Hi all,

I read these forums all the time and have been playing FM for years, but I have never really posted anything... I am a huge Lazio fan and always play my game as them (and them only) and thought I would give an update on my (short) progress so far.

Season 1:

With the limited transfer funds I had available my goal was to try and get a top half finish. In doing so, I wanted to get a decent tactic and also nut out the players I wanted to keep and those I did not want to keep. First things first, there were a few obvious places I needed to re0inforce my squad. Since I didnt have much cash, I knew I needed to sell players or try loan deals. From my memory (I am writing this from work so cannot remember exactly) I bought Sakho for the defence and Blanco for the mids in the hope he would develop into a quality player as he was cheap. I also got a few loans: emerson, caceras and acosta.

After a dismal start to the season, I kept tweaking tactics/formations etc I finally managed to get one that seemed to do well for me: 4-3-1-2

carizzo

kolarov - sakho - caceras - de silvestri

emerson - ledesma - matulazlem

acosta

pandev - rocchi.

In the winter transfer window, I also bought lewandowski and tiago.

I managed to finish the season a respectable 7th and qualified for the quropa league. I was knocked out in the first round of the coppa.

For the second season, I made alot of changes. I sold alot of my players that were previously on loan, and bought new players. I sold Radu (lotito accepeted the bid) and a few other players like rozenhal, inzaghi, megnhi, zauri, and a few more i cant remember at the moment... But I sold alot of deadwood.

I managed to get Lugano, tiago motta and bosko jankovic on free transfers and I managed to buy matias fernandez, banega and milevsi (cant spell his name properley). There were a few other very small transfers but they were not really important, just young cheap players possibly for the future.

So my lineup is now:

Carizzo

kolarov - sakho - lugano - de silvestri

banega - ledesma - jankovic

fernandez

pandev - milevski

I have tiago motta, lewandowski, rocchi, foggia as backup which I think is decent enough.

Season has only just started, and I have easily qualifed for eurpoa league group stage and won first game 4-0 against chievo. So hopefully I will have a better year this season!

[Trumdum]

Oh Banega. One of my favourite players on 07/08. Is he doing well for you? Milevskyi is a beast and nothing else. After I sold him to Tottenham he's been the topscorer for 2 seasons.

I know it hurts to sell Rocchi but he's getting quite old. I would sell him as soon as possible if I were you.

[grahamf]

Just starting my third season, dissapointed to miss out on the champions league this time. Had an end of season slump.

My team looks like this -

Carrizo

De Silvestri

Kolarov

Garay/Rivas

Leo/Materazzi

Bolzoni/Aguilar

Ledesma/Guana

Sammarco

Marquinhos/Jankovic/Mauri

Pandev/Marquinhos

Adriano/Laquinta

Radu has been retrained to play anywhere across the back so is providing cover along with Zauri who has done well since coming back from loan. None of my young mids or forwards have stepped up so far, just more defenders which isnt what I need.

[Trumdum]

Are you playing a 4-4-2?

Who's covering up for Sammarco? Tosic at Man U performed well for me on the right wing. Santon or Balotelli would be good choices if you want young italian players.

I think I'd sell Mauri. Havn't really seen the need for a third choice during my games. If I'm unlucky enough to get two injuries on the same position one of the youngsters should be able to fill in for the moment.

[grahamf]

I'm playing 4-1-2-1-2.

Mauri was there providing cover as Marquinhos has had to move up front regularly because Pandev kept getting injured last year. He did ok, but got loaned out on deadline day this season as I brought Petrucci in from Man U and Tafer from Lyon who was a legend for me on another save and I want to get them as much playing time as possible. Which should be plenty as all my other youngsters other than defenders are obviously going to be flops. Clement Grenier is an injury prone waste of space who will never amount to nothing unless he stops moaning and does what I tell him too. (Eg pay some attention to Pandev or Jankovic, run through the middle etc)

To be honest there has been no need for anyone extra in central/defensive midfield but I got offered Ciurlizza on loan and decided to bring him in just in case. Also picked up this guy who is apparently going to be the next Guti, Assman says he will be better than Ledesma.

http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/8985/azpiroz.jpg

Brocchi is in my reserves and due to retire at the end of the season, he looked ok as emergency cover up until the start of the season when his stats crashed, Materazzi is going the same way but its to be expected at 37yrs old. He still has the mental stats to make up for his lack of pace and all my other CBs are pacey enough for me to feel ok keeping him about for this season. By next year one of the youngsters should be good enough.

Still early season (October) but happy with 5th at the moment, easily beat Juve on the opening day and Milan sneaked a draw in the San Siro. Only loss was against Fiorentina who are my bogey team, Santana got an amazing goal for them dribbling from the halfway line past all of my players.

Most of my goals have come from Adriano and Laquinta with Marquinhos providing better than an assist a game. Hoping somebody will make another big bid for Pandev as he keeps thinking it might be time to move on, then changing his mind and then falling out with Carrizo who is far more important to the team. Wish I had a save back when Arsenal offered 30mil for him as that could be put to good use now.

[Trumdum]

I've never really had any sucess with Tafer. Had him both with Liverpool and Lazio. He had great attributes but not good enough so I shipped him off and he started scoring for fun unlike when he was wearing my colors. Hopefully I havn't jinxed him for you know.

I like your regen. It's loads of fun buying young gems and tutor them a couple of years so that they become a part of the national team. With Ledesma still in your squad you sure have a great tutor for him aswell. Piece a cake!

[grahamf]

Tafer is coming along ok, just need his mental stats to improve inline with his other ones, but he is still only 20 so plenty of time yet. The regen is coming along nicely and should be a solid backup this year.

Just starting my 4th season after a dissapointing end to the last one. I had a midseason clear out, selling of some reserves, failed youths, and a couple of first teamers. I sold Garay for a 2 million profit after 6 months at the team, Jankovic went to Portsmouth and Pendev left for Barca and 30mil. As a result I obviously had a drop in form and injuries which knocked me out of the CL race.

On a positive note Adriano ended up Serie A top scorer.

The 40mil or so I got in transfer fees let me bring in Chyrgrnskyi, Matias Fernandez. I snagged a CB from Roma age 17 who has the potential to be a leading Serie A defender, obviously I had Materazzi tutor him so I look forward to him kicking lumps out of people in future Rome Derbies.

During the summer I just looked to get some more strength in depth to avoid a slump like last season.

Dessena

Coutinho

Gosling

All came on frees and also a few more promising newbies.

Amusingly since I sold him, Anichebe is now a star for Boca Juniors scoring 20 for them in 27 matches last year.

Hopefully my first match is a promise of things to come, walked it 4-1 against Atalanta with some lovely football and even increasing my lead after bringing on 3 youngsters and going down to 10 men from the inevitable injury you get after using all your subs.

[FulhamForever]

Just started a game as Lazio! has anyone tried to develop some of their youth players? Tuia and Faraoni look very good prospects indeed!

[grahamf]

Just started a game as Lazio! has anyone tried to develop some of their youth players? Tuia and Faraoni look very good prospects indeed!

I still have them both and they look ok, I think maybe they have random PAs and also they get better star ratings from the coaches as the first team isn't so good to start with. However each season I do find I have at least one player coming through who is worth keeping. The best one of the starting youth players for me is Campoli, the 2 you mention ae both in my squad but on loan at the moment, 20 and 21 years old respectively. I doubt they will ever make it as first team regulars. Probably good enough to keep about as HG players for European campagnes.

[FulhamForever]

Thanks, I am hoping to turn one of them into the next Alessandro Nesta! I am currently in Febuary (Season 1) and Tuia has gone on loan to Livorno and has now secured a first team place and he seems to be developing very well! I have also read that he has already captained all the youth teams within Lazio so sounds very promising!

Faraoni on the other hand has all the right stats to develop into a very good defender!