_Ben_ Posted October 11, 2020 Author Share Posted October 11, 2020 Retaining? With 11 matches left, this little run leaves us in a precarious position if we want to win our fourth consecutive title... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 11, 2020 Author Share Posted October 11, 2020 Compounded misery? If our league worries weren't enough, we've also been dumped out of the Liberdatores at the semi-final stage: --- Making me think that my last full season could be the biggest disappointment yet and therefore making me question whether it will be my last... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 11, 2020 Author Share Posted October 11, 2020 Who is to blame?! We are horribly out of form, but things like this really do not help: Add that to a long injury list and things don't look like they'll be improving any time soon... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 11, 2020 Author Share Posted October 11, 2020 (edited) 2040 run in - mini update: The announcement of 'Volta Redonda have qualified for the 2041 Liberdatores' isn't that amazing when the top 12 qualify! We've picked up some form of late and have closed the gap on the top two, despite a terrible performance at home to Sao Paulo. I have a feeling that this season hasn't seen it's last twist and turn yet though... EDIT: This is potentially it. Without my talismanic scorer for the remainder of the season: Edited October 11, 2020 by _Ben_ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 11, 2020 Author Share Posted October 11, 2020 Game week 36 We've been pretty goal-shy this season, but a big win at Flamengo helps... --- Next? Internacional, of course. But we are at home. Internacional boast the 2nd best away record whilst we are only the sixth best team (10-6-2 with 25GF and 13GA) at home. Anything other than a win and surely this title is lost. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 11, 2020 Author Share Posted October 11, 2020 (edited) Game week 37 We rescue a point but it's probably not enough. 10 shots to their four but a pretty timid offensively display (ratings: 6.4, 6.4, 6.4, 6.5 for forward four) shows how much we miss Joao Fernando. --- Bragantino have won two of their last five, whilst already relegated Bahia have won 60% of their recent games and Botafogo have won just once in that time. Our opponents have secured continental football whilst Botafogo cannot reach it and are also not mathematically safe. We need to win in the hope neither of the other two do. A draw for Sao Paulo could see us overtake them. The league sorting rules: Mean that a win takes us to 21 wins (level with Internacional) but our goal difference will be superior, despite have drawn once and lost once to them this season. ---- Internacional have not won the league since 1979, whilst Sao Paulo are chasing their first Brasiliero since 2008, in a spell which has included two stints in Serie B. We are outsiders and, to be fair, have only ourselves to blame. Edited October 11, 2020 by _Ben_ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 18, 2020 Author Share Posted October 18, 2020 2040 End of season review In the end, this season has what can only be described as a disappointment. Our lowest finish since 2034 combined with a very goal-shy seasons leads me into, what looks like will be, my final hurrah with a squad who maybe aren't as good and in form as may be suggested based on recent history. --- I think that this is a very good example of why we've struggled. With the exception of strikers (Giovanni: 53(5), Antonio Jose: 19(33) and Helder 16(22)), there has been very little chance to rotate my squad. Take 32 year old Geilton, now a DM and (by star rating) one of the weakest players available to me - yet has accrued nearly 4,800 minutes. I think it's right to say that, despite the massive successes of my youth academy, it's been a little drier of late - although that is compounded with several players who have been good enough to move to Europe. A poor league season by Joao continues on with his incredible goal scoring record. ---- We finally make the move to our new stadium for next season, too. ---- Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 18, 2020 Author Share Posted October 18, 2020 Residential nationalities One thing I've just been looking at is those players who have been shipped abroad and haven't been able to make the grade for Brazil. There are a couple of nationalities in here who do not allow dual nationality and insist of relinquishing their Brazilian passport, which is not modelled in game (China and Ukraine), so I have added them manually. The three Belgian's have all just completed their five years to gain nationality so hopefully they will be able to represent their new country (should they wish) soon whereas Marinho has been in Ukraine for 8 years and Cris in China for 7. I don't know if 'adding the nationality' for them makes them eligible but it's always nice to see my exports getting international recognition, as they hasn't happened widely to date: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 18, 2020 Author Share Posted October 18, 2020 Tactical nuances This is certainly not a tactical post but merely a sharing of my plan for my last Carioca State. I want to break the record of 54 goals so I'm turning my pretty-balanced 4-2-3-1 to this monster: The wing backs move up to the DM strata leaving just two defenders (and one was originally an AMC anyway!) and the normally placid DM(s) duo become a SV(s)-Reg(s) duo to form that running/passing pair that can be deadly. Up front, we move to two Inside Forwards, with the right sided one moving from an AP(s) and the striker is now a pure finisher rather than being involved in the build up. We've also moved to be significantly more direct allowing us to really overload the poor defenses and have made a risky move to 'Very attacking!' Game 1 went well: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 18, 2020 Author Share Posted October 18, 2020 (edited) Jaja Arena Although the stadium is not named after me, I am really happy that it is in honour of Jaja, who really kick started the view on player personality development in this team. Some action shots: Edited October 18, 2020 by _Ben_ 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 18, 2020 Author Share Posted October 18, 2020 Player Sale I didn't need to do this but felt like it as Guangzhou have paid way over the odds for Giovanni. --- More importantly - this is what it does to my tracker for academy exports: Amazingly, we have topped £500m of player sales! Incredible and much of the thanks must go towards the academy staff and hard work of developing youngsters. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 18, 2020 Author Share Posted October 18, 2020 2041 Carioca Turn One All going to plan, so far! We are scoring at an average of 5 goals/90, which would see us surpass the Flamengo record of 54 goals. I now face Flamengo in the Turn One final and, for record breaking purposes, could do with losing - as this would add a 'grand final' to the State if I was to then win the second turn final, adding another chance to score some more goals. However - that is a risky plan as, despite us winning the last seven in a row, we have proven (league wise anyway) that we aren't invincible! --- I've opted for a really strong set of players to be used throughout this competition, which may actually come back to haunt us in the regular season. However - my plans are to not finish the whole Brasiliero campaign, instead, just keep players fit and ready for the 2041 Club World Cup, which may be my last hurrah! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 18, 2020 Author Share Posted October 18, 2020 Cheeky! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 18, 2020 Author Share Posted October 18, 2020 Transfer I figured that my best chance to take on the world is to have the best group of players possible - therefore, I've broken my record (by £48.4m) to bring this man back! Cabral is clearly a class act and will reunite with Joao Fernando is my 'offset striking duo.' Despite playing well for Chelsea, he was listed, by request, for a little over his £47m value. I think that the previous club, enjoyable loan, favoured club, staff and manager were part of the reason that there was so little opposition (plus, the European transfer window is closed) and why his wages are just shy of my top earner, Joao Fernando. I'm excited to manage him again! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 18, 2020 Author Share Posted October 18, 2020 Record breaker I stand corrected - it was smashed by £48.7m! I already held this record but I guess it's nice to actually give it a meaningful value - especially as my plan (and how I always end my saves) is to let the AI take over for a bit, meaning that they'll probably smash it immediately. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 18, 2020 Author Share Posted October 18, 2020 Loan Deal I actually signed Luis earlier in the save on a Bosman, but a crash lost it so I'm happy to bring him in again, even if this time it is only a loan deal. If you remember - he actually was poached by Botafogo way back at the start of the game and, at that time, was by far the best player to come through my academy. He's aging and lost his way a bit over the past couple of years but is still elite and makes the triumvirate of Joao Fernando - Luis Claudio - Cabral even more scary at this level! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 18, 2020 Author Share Posted October 18, 2020 Carioca State Turn One Final Maybe I don't need the extra game?! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 18, 2020 Author Share Posted October 18, 2020 Another record! It was a hatrick, too! I've not looked at Liberdatores records, to be fair - but there is definitely one I think I can break: My plan is to just find my youngest player and give him a run out next time! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 18, 2020 Author Share Posted October 18, 2020 Finally... At least two games left to score two goals... We start with Serie D side Duque de Caxias in what should see us safely past it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 18, 2020 Author Share Posted October 18, 2020 Carioca State Turn Two Fifty five goals in the league stage see us break the record before even adding the five against Flamengo in the first final with another final coming up too... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 18, 2020 Author Share Posted October 18, 2020 Carioca State Champs A 3-1 final win over Flamengo sees us win our 10th title - some 33 off the amount won by Flamengo. We have also secured some really good records: --- I will genuinely miss the State Champs; such a good way to get playing time, built confidence, try tactics and enjoy some big wins! It's a shame literally no other country in the world employs this style of scheduling. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 18, 2020 Author Share Posted October 18, 2020 (edited) Cabral and Joao Fernando: Unplayable! The return of Cabral and the introduction of xG (and hopefully more) on FM21 sees me make a return to some radars - this time to show how incredible these two are! Joao Fernando is in yellow and Cabral in grey/black: Both have scored a ridiculous amount of goals and, whilst Cabral is the out and out striker, who plays little role in our defensive efforts (there haven't been many, yet) they seem to compliment each other amazing well. Fernando creates the passes into Cabral who has an absolutely unbelievable conversion rate of nearly 39% - 15 goals from 39 shots. For comparison, here are the top 8 Big Five League goal converters from 2020: Kylian Mbappe – 20.7% Timo Werner – 22.1% Robert Lewandowski – 23.1% Romelu Lukaku – 23.6% Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – 26.2% Ciro Immobile – 26.7% Wissam Ben Yedder – 28.2% Jamie Vardy – 32.2% Nineteen goals from 59 shots. That shows how insane he has been! I love Fernando is his direct IF(a) role and I think the introduction of Luis Claudio (2.84 chances/90 and 1.3 Key Passes/90) compliments both he and Cabral amazingly well. Edited October 18, 2020 by _Ben_ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 19, 2020 Author Share Posted October 19, 2020 Worries At this rate, I won't even be making the Club World Cup... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 19, 2020 Author Share Posted October 19, 2020 Milestone Still going strong... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 19, 2020 Author Share Posted October 19, 2020 Beginning of the end? 'Wear and tear' worries me the most. A big drop in bravery for Geilton as he loses 2 points but I'm hoping he can return from this... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 25, 2020 Author Share Posted October 25, 2020 Club World Cup Group Stage Draw This favours us hugely! I'll go in depth for each game... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 25, 2020 Author Share Posted October 25, 2020 Club World Cup Game 1 I sent a strong team out first up, to make sure that we got some points on the board and left with good morale. A week gap between this and the Tigres tie also enabled me to be strong. Joao Francisco, who, every time I look at him, I realise how criminally both I and the game (34 Goals/26 Assists in 195 games at an AR of 7.0) rates him - as he is really a wonderful #10, took the man of the match with a hattrick and laid on another. Although he was playing as an IW(s) - his only progressive passes came deep and he actually only made one dribble yet managed to find himself in the right place at the right time to score three easy goals. I quite liked his energy as his third goal comes from a superb deep run, off the ball, from inside his own half: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 25, 2020 Author Share Posted October 25, 2020 Club World Cup Game 2 I made some wholesale changes, including a new back three. Pacato, Orlandelli and Fernando Luis moved out for Vinicius, Jose Esdras and Lucho - with the former, at 6'4" coming in to add some height to the defence and the middle adding some pace - against the two real players that Tigres have in their squad. I also brought in Luis Claudio for Geilton who, at his tender age, struggles with a tough run of games. It was absolute demolition. Claudecir aside, who managed just four minutes before being withdrawn through injury, every single person did their job and performed really well. Five clear cut chances and five half chances show a great effort going forward and the link up betwen Ernani and Joao Fernando (18 passes) shows a particularly good threat down the wing. --- Sevilla up next, but this time it is only two days away. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 25, 2020 Author Share Posted October 25, 2020 Club World Cup Quarter Final Much easier than I expected! Our game, with the VOL(s) and REG(s) means that we are putting a lot through the centre of the park. However, I was most pleased that we took advantage of the 3-4-2-1 that Sevilla were playing to dominate the middle - barely losing the ball in that area. --- The semi-final pits us against Sao Paulo, in what is a very winnable tie! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 25, 2020 Author Share Posted October 25, 2020 Club World Cup Semi Final Wow! We face Chelsea in the final.. My final game. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 25, 2020 Author Share Posted October 25, 2020 2041 Club World Cup Final Not how I wanted it to end - but a valiant effort from everyone. Chelsea are the best team in the game and we cannot give them a three goal head start! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 25, 2020 Author Share Posted October 25, 2020 The End The right time. Time to wrap this save up. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 25, 2020 Author Share Posted October 25, 2020 Joao Fernando What a man. A man who deserves a final post. Brasiliero record scorer. Club record scorer. Unplayable on his day. When/if I re-use his face on FM21 - it'll be for a special type of player. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 25, 2020 Author Share Posted October 25, 2020 Geilton I can't post about Joao and not Geilton. 823 games for me and my a player who epitomised everything I tried to do within this save. An absolute legend. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 25, 2020 Author Share Posted October 25, 2020 Just how good was my mentoring set up? Just before resigning - I decided to take a sneak peak at the hidden attributes of my first team. I have not seen these before today and I must say that I am amazed by the level of them! @Jimbokav1971- I hope I've made you proud! 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherifdinn_ Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 What was João Fernando's g/90 record? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherifdinn_ Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 2 minutes ago, _Ben_ said: Just how good was my mentoring set up? Just before resigning - I decided to take a sneak peak at the hidden attributes of my first team. I have not seen these before today and I must say that I am amazed by the level of them! @Jimbokav1971- I hope I've made you proud! Wow! maybe you need to start a whole separate post on how you achieved this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 25, 2020 Author Share Posted October 25, 2020 2 minutes ago, sherifdinn_ said: What was João Fernando's g/90 record? As of the end of last season - 0.71 goals/game across 778 appearances. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 25, 2020 Author Share Posted October 25, 2020 2 minutes ago, sherifdinn_ said: Wow! maybe you need to start a whole separate post on how you achieved this. I've documented it throughout the whole thread! I started with one Model Pro, Jaja, and built from there. My backroom staff have all had really positive personalities which has helped and we've just grown exponentially from there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 25, 2020 Author Share Posted October 25, 2020 Manager appointment I love to see that, even if I'm unemployed, ex-players of mine are getting top jobs. Kayky is looking like a top manager, too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 25, 2020 Author Share Posted October 25, 2020 Destroyed! I resigned two months ago and return from holiday to see this! No wonder the league looks like this: Ridiculous how it's falling apart, already... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherifdinn_ Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 19 minutes ago, _Ben_ said: I've documented it throughout the whole thread! I started with one Model Pro, Jaja, and built from there. My backroom staff have all had really positive personalities which has helped and we've just grown exponentially from there. Right! I guess I have some digging up to do. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
keeper#1 Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 Well done, sir. Tough luck in the final. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 26, 2020 Author Share Posted October 26, 2020 9 hours ago, keeper#1 said: Well done, sir. Tough luck in the final. It just wasn't to be. We've had our fair share of disappointment in this save but, overall, I cannot complain at what we've achieved! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 26, 2020 Author Share Posted October 26, 2020 2041 Review I've obviously left Volta but I'm going to sim through a few years and see how things progress. As you saw, the squad was decimated after new manager Marcos Acuna was poached from Palmeiras. He spent big on aging players from Europe but I'm not going to document those, only the youngsters that have been produced at the club. The league season saw another failure - with now two years since the league title: Interesting, Joao Fernando turned creator, notching a record (for him) number of assists this season as he ran out as the Brasiliero top rated player. He's also doubled his wages to £300k p/w as it appears that he, unlike many others, won't be sold! After selling most defensive players - Leonardo has had first team minutes despite clearly being nowhere near ready. The curse of the 'poor planning AI' at it again! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 26, 2020 Author Share Posted October 26, 2020 Joao Fernando testimonial It's a shame that I didn't get to manage this but it's nice to see that Joao is getting this - even if he didn't come on to the pitch until the 70th minute... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 26, 2020 Author Share Posted October 26, 2020 Managerial appointment My ex (and first) real superstar player and ex-coach makes his way to Spain to take charge of Espanyol. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 26, 2020 Author Share Posted October 26, 2020 More outgoings I resigned in July of 2041 and it is now February of 2042 and, sadly, the team I built is almost unrecognisable, based on Volta's last game: Those in orange are my ex-players. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 26, 2020 Author Share Posted October 26, 2020 2042 Review Another league failure for Voltaco, although they did win the Liberdatores, ending a four year wait from my win in 2038 to add to the Copa do Brasil and another Carioca State. Whilst the main club has performed badly, again, it is has been nice to see three feeder clubs in Serie C (Juventus, Barcelona and Duque) with other RJ side Bangu actually getting promoted. Joao had his worst goals:game ratio since our first season in Serie A as even he doesn't appear to be a regular starter. Even elite Cabral managed just seven league goals in 30 games - a clear sign of huge mismanagement from the new staff. --- Once again, the squad has been decimated but this time of up and coming talent - Lucho and Ferretti actually made their moves abroard but the sales of Clei, Helder, Richard Julio Luiz Alberto and Lenilton, all to other Brazilian teams, goes against everything that I tried to build for the club. It is also sad to see legend Geilton leave and move to Romania for what can only be a twilight season or two. --- As heartbreaking as this is, I want to continue for another few years to see what the future holds for Volta and it's wonderful players. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Ben_ Posted October 26, 2020 Author Share Posted October 26, 2020 Ex-players --- I'll pick through some of these at a later date but this is everyone that I have managed who is still in the game! There are several pages below this too, with some famous faces like Edilson on. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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