[FM21] Hometown Heroes

[_Ben_]

April 2034: The shopping list

These positions, at a minimum, need strengthening...

[_Ben_]

2033/34 End of Season

Despite some fireworks from Vlad in April, we fell just short of my target.

The troublesome run in February really stopped us in our tracks and we never recovered, as witnessed in the hamming by mid-table Rotherham in March. Goalscoring is still a huge problem and, even if the young American has scored his way into my plans for next year, we really need to sort out that area of the team.

An above average season overall with a strong defence and a weak attack - which is nothing new to me:

My major concern, as previously mentioned is the xG. We are underperforming and scoring less goals than we should be - and only creating 1.6 xG per game.

----

I'll keep this simple:

• Bennett and France - wonderful introductions to the first team. Now amongst my best players.
• Abrahamsson - not good enough for this level, yet.
• Offord and Ramsey - leaving at the end of their deals.
• Glasscoe - going back to the youth team for more experience
• Grant - not able to keep him as he's signed a pre-contract in America for Portland.
• Ferencik - could be his breakout next year but can't be relied upon.

----

A big summer ahead!

[ajt]

Have to say I love the detail you go into! A great read.

[_Ben_]

7 hours ago, ajt said:

Have to say I love the detail you go into! A great read.

Thank you! Very much enjoying the save at the moment.

[_Ben_]

July 2034: Sell on clause

Nice free money from Williams, who makes his way back to Europe.

 

 

[_Ben_]

2034/35 Recruitment

I turned the game off earlier as I realised I'd spent about six hours straight on this - probably my longest session since my university days! However, I'm absolutely delighted with my transfer window!

 Samuel Amazu. Anderson Griffith. Scott Turner. Lukas Maczkowiak. Alex Smith. Matty Toms. Carter Vincent-Day. Shaun Morrison.

I said I needed a big rebuild.

I am still delighted that I have not spent a penny in transfer fees to build this team - with all of these being unattached players or players that I have been able to sign for nothing from their clubs.  Firstly, Amazu comes in as a backup goalkeeper. Resilient (Pressure 17-19, Determination 15-17 but Professionalism <18) is not a personality I've worked with much and it gives no indication of Professionalism - but I think he'll be just fine for what I need. Next up is is the Trinbagonian Griffith, who was released by Crystal Palace after three loan spells: one in League One and two in League Two. He's got 4 Premier League appearances but over 50 international caps, which tells me his pedigree and experience. Smith has spent his whole career north of the border, minus a short loan spell in Australia and comes in after his Hearts deal expired. He was originally signed by them, back in 2028, for £1m so the pedigree is there. Turner, formally of Ipswich and a big signing, at £3.8m, is coming off the back of a terrible Championship season with them (18 games - 6.54 AR) but I couldn't turn down his class. He's also an ex-Villa academy player and from relatively nearby. Toms lacks any first team experience after spending years in the Chelsea academy but is a really promising playmaker type who'll get himself plenty of action here. Vincent-Day is an absolute Rolls-Royce at this level with a personality to boot and, formerly a £3m acquisition for QPR, I can't believe Hull let him go for free before his contract expired. Another product of a local academy too, this time Walsall. Maczkowiak is a dual national Aussie/German, who has slightly less experience than I wanted but it does all come in the A-League for Newcastle Jets. Having Matty Ryan (ex-Brighton keeper) on my coaching staff gives me the knowledge of these kind of players and I couldn't turn him down. Lastly, Morrison, who Barnsley paid £825k four years ago, makes the drop down to League One after 1 goal in 10 for a Barnsley side who made the playoffs in the Championship last year. He's my top earner and someone who wants the team built around them, which I can do in the short term.

Sometimes, when the academy isn't producing what you want, you have to step into the outside world. I've done that this year and brought in more than I'd normally do (1 player last year and 4 for the previous two years before that) but this will hopefully set me up for a long and prosperous future, hopefully not in this league!

----

Squad DNA. Squad DNA suitability over time.

Goalkeepers

Brad will be my first choice goalkeeper here but Amazu will offer support in the cups, allowing youngster Brad Weaver time with the development squad or out on loan. 

Full Backs

My end goal is to have inverted wingbacks here - so Either footed players are always great in a shape that brings them centrally and requires considering technical and mental ability. In Griffith, I have a season international who has had a bit of top flight experience and is probably the starting right back. Smith and Okafor will rotate at left back and Ofori can offer some support here. I do have my own academy youngsters Glasscoe and Haywood, who are both developing really well with great personalities - so I hope to be able to bring these through at some point soon.

Centre Backs

I'm able to have five centre halves for the first time and I really like this group. Fenney was first choice but has fallen behind France, who is now considered potentially be a Premier League player at some point. He and Duncan are probably the top two but Bennett and Bohana are developing nicely as well. I love that this area contains three academy players.

Midfielders

The signing of Matty Toms is a bit of a luxury as I was quite happy with the five I had before. My concern here is depth and real star quality in the DM role - Airey is good and is an academy graduate but Xavier Simons is the weakest link here. He's also the oldest and I don't really have anyone that can step into his shoes as a ball winner. I really like what Turner brings to this team and his combativity, along with the creativity of any of Toms, Suarez or Maczkowiak could be what unlocks defences.

Wide attackers

Vincent-Day is a real top player and in his peak too. This is a nice strong area with four really decent players but I am worried about what I have beneath this. Broome will probably start as my wide playmaker on the left and Gale will move to a backup role now the aforementioned Vincent-Day comes into this role.

Forwards

I have been experimenting with Abrahamsson as a bit of a Mezzala type player, as he seems to fit that and did struggle up front last year. In Morrison, we have a top class player and hopefully one that Ferencik can look to learn from. This area contains two academy graduates, which is great - and I'm really hoping for big seasons from the both. The difference to the end of last season is that I don't have to rely on them this time around.

 

[_Ben_]

August 2034: Good start!

Accrington are a newly promoted side but this is more than a good start to the new season!

[_Ben_]

September 2034: I have a (tactical) dream

I try not to replicate the same tactics year on year with my FM saves - especially when trying to develop players to fit my style of play as it can get a little boring. I always long for a game whereby I am completely tactically fluid but I always struggle with that when I get down a rabbit hole with player traits etc. However - I'm thinking about a future style that may or may not work and, rather than do anything useful with my day, will post about my procrastination.

My wants for our style of play:

• Comfortable on the ball all over the pitch
• The ability to keep possession but not have possession for possession sake
• Off the ball movement and quick interplay where necessary.
• Interceptions are more important than tackles.

---

I have very quickly mocked up a shape that I want to consider:

From back to front and right to left - my roles would be something like: SK(s), IWB(s), BPD(d), BPD(d), IWB(s), HB(d), BBM(s), CM(a), AP(a), AP(s), CF(s).

The general idea is that I can use both wide playmakers to attract the ball to the wings whilst overloading the centre with runners from midfield with the cover of inverted wingbacks and a half back making a three at the back. I have never used two APs out wide, and - to be fair - have only experimented with one out wide in this year's game so it's a big gamble and means I lose all wide penetration and crosses into the box, but it does mean that I can overload the centre of the pitch, look for pull-backs and get some nice offensive interplay between the five attacking players - creating, essentially, a 3-2-5 shape. With two inverted wingbacks and a half back, it'd allow my midfielders to be a bit more offensive minded, too.

I need to look at instructions, but I think the key principles would be something like:

• Focus play through the middle
• Wider attacking shape (to help keep APs wide and create space centrally - but I'd also have to probably give my APs individual instructions/traits to help)
• Counter, but not counter press.
• Distributing short to either full backs or centre backs.
• Play out of defence (although that may lessen the more vertical style I want by getting the ball to the wide areas quicker).

---

No idea, just some thoughts! 

Would love to hear some feedback on this idea though.

[_Ben_]

August/September 2034

A really strong start for us this season, but it could have been even better!

Below are the xG comparisons for the Bolton and Hull ties, where you can see that we have, clearly, been the better side, and yet have only picked up one point from these two games. This is something that we're working on - being able to still pick up points when either our main game plan isn't working or when we're stuck against a really solid defence - as was Hull's intention from their own xG of just 0.16.

  

Elsewhere, things are looking good. For the first time, I've been able to field pretty much a different XI for both of the cup ties. This season, I don't care for either the Carabao Cup or the EFL Trophy and only really have an interest in the FA cup is we are at a point whereby we can win a few games to get some serious prize money. The focus this season, with all of the money spent on the increased wage bill, is about promotion. As you can see from the below graphic, we are losing a lot of money per month - with nearly £400k pcm going out on my youth setup and, if we don't reach the promised lands of the Championship next year, will have burnt through the £10m Wiktor Krasniqi fund and find ourselves back in the same position but without our best player.

----

Considering the large scale recruitment over the summer and the number of minutes that they have played, as seen below, this can only be considered as a really strong start for us as we all gel together.

Looking forward to the rest of the season!

[keeper#1]

11 hours ago, _Ben_ said:

September 2034: I have a (tactical) dream

I try not to replicate the same tactics year on year with my FM saves - especially when trying to develop players to fit my style of play as it can get a little boring. I always long for a game whereby I am completely tactically fluid but I always struggle with that when I get down a rabbit hole with player traits etc. However - I'm thinking about a future style that may or may not work and, rather than do anything useful with my day, will post about my procrastination.

My wants for our style of play:

• Comfortable on the ball all over the pitch
• The ability to keep possession but not have possession for possession sake
• Off the ball movement and quick interplay where necessary.
• Interceptions are more important than tackles.

---

I have very quickly mocked up a shape that I want to consider:

From back to front and right to left - my roles would be something like: SK(s), IWB(s), BPD(d), BPD(d), IWB(s), HB(d), BBM(s), CM(a), AP(a), AP(s), CF(s).

The general idea is that I can use both wide playmakers to attract the ball to the wings whilst overloading the centre with runners from midfield with the cover of inverted wingbacks and a half back making a three at the back. I have never used two APs out wide, and - to be fair - have only experimented with one out wide in this year's game so it's a big gamble and means I lose all wide penetration and crosses into the box, but it does mean that I can overload the centre of the pitch, look for pull-backs and get some nice offensive interplay between the five attacking players - creating, essentially, a 3-2-5 shape. With two inverted wingbacks and a half back, it'd allow my midfielders to be a bit more offensive minded, too.

I need to look at instructions, but I think the key principles would be something like:

• Focus play through the middle
• Wider attacking shape (to help keep APs wide and create space centrally - but I'd also have to probably give my APs individual instructions/traits to help)
• Counter, but not counter press.
• Distributing short to either full backs or centre backs.
• Play out of defence (although that may lessen the more vertical style I want by getting the ball to the wide areas quicker).

---

No idea, just some thoughts! 

Would love to hear some feedback on this idea though.

Giving the goalkeeper an instruction to distribute to the fullbacks but don't tick the "play out of defense" instruction SHOULD give you the wide vertical passing game you desire.

[_Ben_]

October/November 2034

We are really getting there.

Very nearly a perfect couple of months with just a blip against Wigan, in a game that we really should have won. I don't want to be the manager that sits and talks statistics (Hi, Mr Arteta) but that is the second time we have completely outplayed a team and then come away with nothing, after the Bolton game earlier in the season. I'm hoping that this doesn't become any more than an irregular occurrence and that we can take advantage of our game in hand over the Dean Smith-led Oldham side, before pushing on towards, hopefully, a league title.

It has been a good couple of months for Sam Broome; who picked up the EFL Player of the Month for November, Vlad Ferencik; who is now scoring a at 0.73 goals/90, used as a great weapon off the bench and Carter Vincent-Day; who is being touted as a potential record breaker for assists in one season - he's currently on six and the record is 10 yet we have way more than half the season left.

---

I'm planning on making absolutely no transfer moves in January as the squad is already considerably different to what it was this time last year.

[_Ben_]

December 2034: Youth Intake preview

Same old. Same old.

[_Ben_]

December 2034: Rejection

It was hard to say no, but I have a job here!

[_Ben_]

December 2034: Full backs of the future

The two bright sparks of the last intakes have been full backs. I am lucky that there play on opposing sides and cannot wait to integrate them into the first team.

---

These two will, hopefully, be joining the first team that already has some depth in terms of academy players:

[_Ben_]

January 2035: Academy bias

Five of these six, minus Rothwell, are academy products and will be starting in the New Year's Day game against Rotherham. Add in Sam Broome and Niklas Abrahamsson ahead of them and this is a great example of what I want to be doing on a regular basis with this squad.

[_Ben_]

January 2035: Krasniqi update

---

Made two substitute appearances for Watford before joining 2nd in the Championship 'Boro. The 22 appearances is not an accurate representation as 17 of those have been off the bench and he averages just 40 minutes per game. Sadly, he's yet to find the net but has recorded two assists whilst playing as a left winger. They've afforded him just two games as a striker, which is weird, considering the success he had with us in that position.

It's a shame that he's not doing too well but we definitely needed the money - of which we've just been paid another £1.43m instalment, which is great.

[_Ben_]

December 2034/January 2035

Getting closer!

Another great couple of months with just the one league defeat, and an annoying one at home to Crawley. I think the last two games of the month - the draw away at Walsall and the home win against Oldham are the most important this season as a) they give us some breathing space at the top, with a game in hand and b) that we can mix it with teams that have played Championship football recently.

The star of the show has been Vlad Ferencik, who has made a wonderful goalscoring start to his career, and, by looking at those xG stats, you can really see why he's the hottest prospect in the league at the moment and has dislodged Shaun Morrison, my 'marquee signing' as first choice. He recently changed nationality to American so I can't image they haven't got him on their radar, maybe even for the senior team too.

---

January is a good time to take stock of my playing squad, particularly those who aren't playing as much. The below players all have the next months to prove themselves:

Amazu has been solid as a backup keeper, but my academy graduate Weaver is doing well out on loan. Fenney has agreed a move to Crotone as he wanted a new challenge but I've managed to keep him until the end of the season. Maczkowiak and Smith haven't performed amazingly well in their first season here and older players, Gale and Chib may have been usurped by better players. Suarez also hasn't really impressed or kicked on as I had wanted.

I have little in the way of depth nor any ideas for recruitment as this stage as I want to see which division I'll be in next year.

---

In other news, Cairo Arreola moved back to Europe, and France this time, giving me some more 'free' money, as seen below:

 

[Watson156]

Looking really good now. Hopefully you can finish it off and go up as champs.

Please tell me that Olof got the Villa job!?!?

[_Ben_]

49 minutes ago, Watson156 said:

Looking really good now. Hopefully you can finish it off and go up as champs.

Please tell me that Olof got the Villa job!?!?

Sadly, King Olof retired post Milwall and, as for Villa, I don't know what to say...

Eddie Howe did really well at the start of the save but then couldn't bring the success the second time round so they hired this man, who's only experience is Real Madrid's youth team. He's been there a month but I doubt he'll do much to sort their current 19th place in the Premier League out.

[_Ben_]

February 2035: Mentoring groups

I now have three M.Pros at the club so this is a great time to dig into the mentoring system. Sadly, one of those is a Goalkeeper so his efficiency as a mentor is somewhat limited. However, I've got three groups set up, as seen here:

Group 1:

Vincent-Day has the following attributes:

• Model Pro (Professionalism 20, Temperament 10-20)
• Level-Headed (Professionalism 13-20, Loyalty 12-20)
• Determination: 15

Suarez is Fairly Loyal (great loyalty (15-20)no better than average ambition [8-14]) and is Level Headed so is Professionalism is between 13-17, as, if it was 18, he'd be classed as Professional. He has 10 for Det so can definitely grow here. Abrahamsson has 15-17 for Pro and 13 for Determination so he can grow also and Ferencik is between 11-17 for Pro and has 13 for Det. With him being Unflappable (15-20 Temperament and 15-20 Pressure) I can, possibly, aim for the best personality, Model Citizen:

I have no idea of his Ambition, Loyalty and Sportsmanship but, if I can raise his Professionalism and Determination through this group, then I may be able to tip him over. I can, however, compare with another personality I know - Light Hearted (Pressure 15-20, Sportsmanship 15-20, Determination <18, Professionalism <18, Leader <19) to presume that he does not have the pre-requisite Sportsmanship, yet otherwise he'd be Light-Hearted and not Spirited. 

However, this is definitely a goal to try and reach!

---

Group 2:

Duncan has the following attributes:

• Model Pro (Professionalism 20, Temperament 10-20)
• Evasive (Professionalism 15-20, Pressure 15-20)
• Determination: 17

Both Bennett and France are F.Pro (Professionalism 15-17, Temperament 11-20) and have 12 and 14 for Determination respectively. Bennett is Outspoken (Controversy 15-20) and France is Media Friendly (same as Balanced but for MH) so I can't get a lot. Ideally, they'll both just grow naturally towards what Duncan is like.

---

Group 3:

A bit of a long shot really - I want to change Broome but he's already very much established. If I can get his Pro up a small amount to match Airey and Turner, then I'll be happy!

Edited December 22, 2020 by _Ben_

[_Ben_]

February 2035: Player Sale

I had contemplated selling Smith in the summer anyway to allow Glasscoe a pathway to the first team, so I have no qualms with doing it a few months earlier. He joins the ever growing list of players I've shipped off to the MLS.

[tyler16]

Don't always comment but this thread is daily reading for me. Love the way you see the game and incorporate visuals.

[_Ben_]

February 2035: What has made Vlad Ferencik so good?!

He's on absolute fire at the moment and I'm trying to work out just why! Granted, we are playing him as a PF(a) and he is also my penalty taker, but I've reduced it down to two particular areas of strength - his Concentration and his Speed.

---

Vlad generated with an amazing 14 for this attribute. This, from my experience, is unusually high for attacking players and, as you can see below, given his five point development (which is even more amazing considering that I haven't specifically trained it) puts him in a really strong position in the game world:

My scouting package, as expected, is pretty poor - so there may be better players out there but this is anyone I have an idea of, who can play as a striker with a Concentration attribute of 16 or more. 

---

The other thing is his speed - with 17 for Acceleration and 16 for Pace and, given that we are still at quite a low level actually - means he's going to be dangerous but, if you look at the Gls/90 statistics for all players I have data for, here, he's head and shoulders ahead of everyone!

From the table below, you'll see that pacey strikers (matching or bettering his Acc and Pac) do seem to perform well

---

Either way, he's been an absolutely fantastic asset for us and I'm shocked that he's not received a USA call up or any interest from elsewhere!

[_Ben_]

7 minutes ago, tyler16 said:

Don't always comment but this thread is daily reading for me. Love the way you see the game and incorporate visuals.

Many thanks! Glad you're enjoying reading as I'm really enjoying playing.

[_Ben_]

2035 Youth Intake

Excel Player Analysis. Intake Tracker. Nationality Tracker.

---

[GK] Martin Sadler

[DL] Roberto Llorente

[DC] Brandon Bond

---

In Sadler, we have yet another goalkeeper who could be quite decent and, in what I think is a first for me, one of two through this intake. The lad from Abergavenny has a good personality and is decent across the board. Spaniard Llorente looks to be a decent full back and adds to my depth in that position but, with his great Tackling and Bravery, combined with his great Technique and not too shabby ball playing ability - I wonder if he could become my Half Back going forward. Bond joins the position whereby I've had the most success at from my academy and where I have a decent amount of depth. There is an awful lot of work needed with him though, I feel.

----

If I take an overview of my academy and the players that it has produced of late, minus, of course Wiktor Kransiqi, I would say that we have done incredibly well:

Of this list: France, Glasscoe, Ferencik, Bohana, Abrahamsson, Bennet and Airey are in the first team and getting football with Haywood hoping to break through soon with Grandison and Weaver, who are out on loan. Kevin Boyle is moving on as he's not progressed as I wanted him to but I must say that we are making some great moves towards the academy ethos that I want here.

My next step is to have so many of these players that I can move them on to secure the longer-term future of the club.

[tyler16]

Agree with your assessment of Llorente, can see him being a really nice DM.

I'd try to teach him traits to encourage long passes and switches of play to take advantage of the high technique.

 

[QP]

As always such a great read.

[_Ben_]

9 hours ago, tyler16 said:

Agree with your assessment of Llorente, can see him being a really nice DM.

I'd try to teach him traits to encourage long passes and switches of play to take advantage of the high technique.

 

Yeah - I think he'd potentially become a decent BPD if he was taller so using the best of both worlds but mitigating his height in the DM role may be the way forward!

8 hours ago, QP said:

As always such a great read.

Many thanks!

[_Ben_]

February/March 2035

Five games. Nine points.

I'd, obviously, rather win the league but we have all but secured our place in the Championship next year, minus a complete meltdown! We've hit a little tough run with just one win in five but there are some tired legs and we've worked really hard to get ourselves to this point, so it's kind of understandable.

My last five games will see some more rotation as my squad players play for their futures - whilst, hopefully, wrapping up the league!

---

An interesting development with mentoring:

This was the group he was in and I really like that I'm being told about the changes to all the hidden attributes. Something to really keep an eye on.

[Watson156]

17 hours ago, _Ben_ said:

Sadly, King Olof retired post Milwall and, as for Villa, I don't know what to say...

Eddie Howe did really well at the start of the save but then couldn't bring the success the second time round so they hired this man, who's only experience is Real Madrid's youth team. He's been there a month but I doubt he'll do much to sort their current 19th place in the Premier League out.

Well hurry up and win everything with Redditch and then take over Villa and win everything again!!

Great work so far. Can't wait to see how you can get on in the Championship

 

[_Ben_]

1 hour ago, Watson156 said:

Well hurry up and win everything with Redditch and then take over Villa and win everything again!!

Great work so far. Can't wait to see how you can get on in the Championship

 

We'll see! I'm very much a one-manager game universe kind of person and I'm hoping that this game lasts the entirety of FM21, but I will never say never.

Thanks - here's a spoiler:

Edited December 23, 2020 by _Ben_

[_Ben_]

2034/35 end of season review

Note: This is going to be mainly images as I've been playing around with Tableau, thanks to a recommendation from @F0rzaH - so will try and get some more analysis via this later on.

A really good league win as we were, by far, the best and most consistent team across the season.

---

I am really pleased with this season and I am looking forward to our adventures in the Championship. However, before then, I'm going to play with some data visualisations!

 

[_Ben_]

May 2035: Data analysis?

This has taken me ages and I'm not entirely sold on the concept, but here are a couple of things I managed to produce:

 

1. Interceptions are key

As said, I value interceptions way ahead of tackles as this implies we are in the right positions to reclaim possession of the ball. We have plenty of players among the top interceptors in the league:

---

2. Possession for possession sake

I could have made this on Excel, but never mind! We still are completing significantly more passes that are 'meaningless' and I love to see a little more clinical passing:

 

----

I need to spend a bit more time looking through these things and, maybe, try to include on focus area per update as I play through the next few seasons!

On to recruitment and getting our house ready for next season!

[_Ben_]

June 2035: International call up

I knew it was but a matter of time...

[_Ben_]

June 2035: Assessing the current first team

Using Tableau again, I've had a little look at my first team and the principles that I want to build this squad around. I have posted them before, but here they are:

• Comfortable on the ball all over the pitch
• The ability to keep possession but not have possession for possession sake
• Off the ball movement and quick interplay where necessary.
• Interceptions are more important than tackles.

This is where the massive focus on Intelligence (Ant, Con, Dec and Det) come in to play for me as well as picking the correct personality and having players of the right age in the first team. I have, relatively quickly, built a chart that demonstrates the areas of strength and weakness within the attributes for my players. Obviously this does not build in any of their performances and how well they fit into my style, but that will come afterwards.

The plan is to now look at the players at the lower end of this scale and assess them on the following:

1. Am I doing enough to develop their attributes? Do they need different training schedules to improve their intelligence.
2. Am I doing enough to develop their personality? Do they need to be in a mentoring group.
3. How are they performing on the pitch? If they are a weak link to my ethos and a weak link on the pitch, then they should not be at the club.

---

Early indications tell me that Sam Broome is struggling. He's pretty much at his potential, he's not making changes to his personality as the mentoring isn't working but he's just holding on based on his /90 data for passes and assists - his job in the team. Elijah Suarez, too, passes the first two with potential and a mental heavy schedule (Carrilelo) as well as performing above average in the areas I want - despite actually only getting a 6.88 AR for the season. Maczkowiak though, actually fails all three and isn't performing any better than the rest of the league, which isn't good in a team that have, overall, performed far better than the rest of the league.

I'll run the rest of my team through this process as we go through the off-season.

 

[_Ben_]

June 2035: New season...

Three big clubs before adding in the likes of Swansea, Boro, Forest and Brentford.

For comparison - before I renew contracts, our wage bill is about £1.6m per season and Middlesbrough's, who finished 4th, is £45m. Even Cambridge and Plymouth, who came down, spend over 4x what we do!

[_Ben_]

June 2035: Budgets

I was hoping for a little more than this...

Working backwards to find a new wage budget, spending this money and excluding bonuses - I have just £62k p/w to play with, which, with a squad of 25, is just about £2.5k p/w each. If I can raise some money through player sales I can improve that though as my plan this season (being as I have no previous data for finances at this level) is to spend only prize money and sales.

1. £1m of player sales

2. £2m of player sales

3. £5m of player sales

---

Raising this money won't be easy but, to run a steady ship, I really need to do what I can.

[Nottingham Forest]

The amount of effort and time you put in to create something special(in all your saves) is amazing. The thought processes, the logic behind why and how. I’d be interested to see how your side play in a proper game. As in watching them to see whether they do as you wish.

[_Ben_]

51 minutes ago, Nottingham Forest said:

The amount of effort and time you put in to create something special(in all your saves) is amazing. The thought processes, the logic behind why and how. I’d be interested to see how your side play in a proper game. As in watching them to see whether they do as you wish.

Thank you so much for reading and commenting throughout the save.

What do you mean by a proper game? I have plans to document the gamplay this, and the next few seasons, in a lot more detail than the past fourteen!

[_Ben_]

July 2035: Creating central overloads

Having a little play around in pre-season with the formation I mentioned above, using two wide playmakers to create central overloads. Okafor and Gale were my full backs in the game and have tucked in and are more advanced than the half back, which is great. I would like more width from the APs, but it's good to see that both the BBM(s) and CM(a) are ahead of them and overloading that central space. We were playing a small side who sat back behind the ball but the interplay between the offensive players was really nice.

[_Ben_]

July 2035: Clauses

I think he could go for much more than this but Wiktor has stagnated a little and this kind of money could massively help me become sustainable in the Championship.

I'm doing it...

[Nottingham Forest]

15 minutes ago, _Ben_ said:

Thank you so much for reading and commenting throughout the save.

What do you mean by a proper game? I have plans to document the gamplay this, and the next few seasons, in a lot more detail than the past fourteen!

I’d love to see some videos of the movements and passages of your team playing.

[_Ben_]

17 minutes ago, Nottingham Forest said:

I’d love to see some videos of the movements and passages of your team playing.

I'll see what I can do! Tempted to go back to 2D for a bit of the playing around with my team shape...

[_Ben_]

July 2035: New Signings

Still working through some things but I've managed to pull through two deals which I am quite happy with, smashing my transfer record in the process.

Matthew was a product of the Stoke academy but moved abroad last season, sharing his time between the Bordeaux 2 team, in the fourth tier and their first team - making 4(16) appearances at an AR of just 6.47. However, he's young, can play on both wings, very well rounded and has the potential to be a game changer for me. His wages are low and his agent reckons I would be able to purchase him for no more than about £300k at the end of this.

---

I don't often 'shop abroad' - particularly for players with no understanding of English, but this lad popped up through a recommendation from my Spanish scout. I've worked, tirelessly, over the years in bringing in and through solid defenders and often forget about those 'creative' players. Perfecto (wonderful name) is a bit of that luxury - bags of flair and technique but also works, surprisingly, hard for a Spanish winger. He cost £210k from Celta Vigo, which, as I've never paid for a transfer before, is a new record. He could either be a flop or a superstar - I don't think there'll be an in between for this one!

---

I'm working on a couple more deals but, as you'd expect from a newly promoted team, am being outpriced and 'out-reputationed' because players are worried we'll be a one-season wonder in this league!

[_Ben_]

July 2035: Redditch vs Accrington Stanley - Tactical trials

It's only a friendly and against a team I beat 9-0 over the course of two League One games last year, but it's a good time to have a play and a deeper look at my tactical ideas. I have lined up with the below shape, with my only instructions for both AP's to Stay Wider and Hold their positions.

My intention is to create a 3-2-5 in attack with the IWB(s) sitting ahead of the HB(d). I want to force the play wide to the playmakers who are quite static in order to allow the on-running midfielders to get into the box and get on the end of pull backs or through balls. This article has been a big inspiration in creating that 5-5 offense/defence split for me. I would, on reflection, like us to be a bit more steady in our build up but to then carefully move it out wide after making use of the space (and I feel player intelligence is a massive driver towards this) then getting the overload in - so I've kept Play of Out Defence and Shorter Passing for this means - as the triangles we naturally create can be used for passing combos.

I've tried to keep everything else pretty vanilla and see how it plays out.

My plan is to split up a load of highlights into the three phases to include plenty of links to screenshots so that this isn't just a big post of pictures and contains some more 'thoughts!'

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Attacking phase

1. Kick off: 3-3-4 shape is evident and CM(a) is ahead of play.

2. Ball wide on the left: CM(a) in the box and BBM(s) on edge of area. HB(d) cautiously joins the attack.

3. Ball from Left IWB. CM(a) up with attack but BBM(s) too deep for proper overload of centre. AP's both too narrow.

4. Ball wide on the right: Hopefully the AP(a) will hold up the ball so that we can get more bodies into the box. IWB(s) are marshalling the central areas allowing 5 offensive players and protecting against a break.

5. Using the PF(a) as a pivot. The ball comes in and is turned around the corner leading to a goal. Interestingly, the furthest man forward is the CM(a).

----

Transition phase

1. BBM(s) drives forwards: IWB(s) are pulling in field and AP's are moving wider.

2. HB(d) collects ball: Triangles evident all over the pitch but PF(a) is exposed up top. No want for a 'quick' break here.

3. Right IWB has the ball: 8 defensive players against five attackers, however, some slick interplay led to the below goal:

Not a huge xG from that and I'd not expect him to be scoring everyone of those but I really like how we have so many players around the ball in dangerous positions who could get the ball and score from it.

----

Defensive phase

1. Dropped to a 5-at-the back. HB(d) drops in to form, essentially, a 5-4-1 whilst in defensive phase.

Edited December 24, 2020 by _Ben_

[_Ben_]

July 2035: Redditch vs Accrington Stanley - Post Match Analysis

  

• I really like how our formation changes from a 4-1-4-1 in defence to a 2-3-4-1 in attack.
• Even though we didn't defend a lot, we still made plenty of interceptions.
• My Wide Playmakers acted as I wanted with lots of horizontal balls back into danger areas.
• Both CMs are receiving the ball in advanced areas

---

There are, of course, lots of things to work on, but it's a decent start!

 

 

[_Ben_]

July 2035: Youth upgrades

I know that there is the initial cost and then the yearly upkeep of this but I really need an u18 team. Currently, my u23 team do not participate in a league and I'm reaching a level where I need competitive football for my younger players as the only other option is loans to non-league clubs, due to the level they are at.

[Nottingham Forest]

Basically should just give every FMCU award to you this year. Your threads provide me with much entertainment as you create an atmosphere that makes you feel like you’re playing the save. 
 

Edit: By you’re I mean me!

Edited December 24, 2020 by Nottingham Forest

[_Ben_]

August 2035: Championship Game 1

• Burnley, predicted 4th. Redditch, predicted 22nd.
• Burnley, £47.1m salary per annum. Redditch, £2.68m salary per annum.
• Burnley, 1.12 xG. Redditch, 2.59xG.

 I did not expect that!

[_Ben_]

August 2035: Poor performances

I'd forgotten about this!

Jadon gained a point of Work Rate but I've seen this increase on Determination, too. With us not winning as much (spoiler alert!), I think it'll come out a bit more often...