[FM 21] Arsenal - Still Waiting For Arteta's Tiki Taka!

[VP.]

1 hour ago, RossoneriGunner said:

I downloaded this megapack.  https://sortitoutsi.net/graphics/logos  but haven't loaded it yet.  There are loads of individual kit packs for different leagues but no megapack as of yet

Kitmakers won't allow a megapack, we've never understood why as would be so much easier but will probably never change.

[RossoneriGunner]

24 minutes ago, SortitoutsiVP said:

Kitmakers won't allow a megapack, we've never understood why as would be so much easier but will probably never change.

Thanks for the info. I'll just download the European league ones

[Harper]

7 hours ago, lomekian said:

First thing I did is download the anti-brexit mod (partly for political reasons - I wonder how long it will be before people realise they were conned to vote for tanking their economy and limiting their way of life just to make a few rich men richer - and that it won't have any impact on immigration either) because I don't believe SI's interpretation is how it will actually work in practice. As it happens, I've subsequently doubled my number of homegrown players and am prioritising youth...

I believe I tried signing Santi before the v21.1.3 with updated Brexit rules. I can't remember.

The real Brexit rules around football aren't as restrictive as SI implemented in 21.1.0 - 21.1.2.

I'm with you on the political reasons though, but as a US citizen, we have enough of our own issues, can't go around throwing too many stones around.

[puffascruffowitz]

Just had to vent here, had my most brutal run of results ever. In my first 2 seasons with AFC we won the PL my first season and a Carabao Cup. Decent enough, but in first 2 seasons I also lost an FA cup final, Europa final, and a CL final. 

In 3rd season I had won Carabao cup, and was poised to do the quadruple. Going into last game of PL I'm in 1st place on goal difference. Away to West Ham and we are awful, can barely create a chance, nil nil draw. Chelsea win their game and win the PL. Then I proceed to lose the FA Cup final and CL final both to Chelsea. The FA Cup we lost 1-0 on a penalty, the CL final we lost 2-1 in injury time of extra time. Heartbreaking stuff. I think I need a month break at least. 

[Tee2]

Sorry for not posting earlier, it's been a hell of a few days...

January 2021

We are playing nine matches in January, a torrent of fixtures, including home ties against United and Liverpool, which represents our chance to gain some traction on the leaders, or fall further behind. We make a signing. Rafa Marin is an 18 year old Spanish centre-back from Real Madrid B who costs £325,000. His arrival marks my attempt to placate the board, who have rumbled dissatisfiedly about the fact I haven’t brought in any players for the future. Basically he was cheap, and the hope is to get him out on loan.

Brendan Rodgers has done a remarkable job at Leicester City by turning an exciting squad of players into something rather predictable and boring. We have to respect them because any side containing Tielemans, Barnes and the evergreen Vardinho deserves it, but we’re tipped to win and we do, running out 3-0 victors. This comes at a price, however. Nicolas Pepe is removed with what turns out to be sprained ankle ligaments. It’s a blow as the winger is bang in form, both scoring here and firing in the free kick that Vinicius slots beneath Schmeichel. Kolasinac gets himself dismissed for a second yellow before the end, luckily at a point when the game is in its closing stages and going down to ten has little effect on the result.

Newcastle United are next in the semi-final of the Carabao Cup. With the games coming thick and fast I select a largely second eleven and then get angry when they go in at half-time a goal down. It’s a vexing one to concede. The Geordies have done nothing throughout the period, then Lascelles heads in a corner kick from their one significant attacking move of the entire half. In hindsight though, I’m wrong to throw the water bottle in the dressing room. Not only are those things expensive but I’ve picked this line-up, far from my best players, so how much do I really want to win it? Whether through fear or just simply being the better team, we roar back after the break. Lacazette, Willock and Chambers all find the back of the net to seal the turnaround victory. The only negative is a late knock to Reiss Nelson, which will remove him from the action for a fortnight. In the final, taking place at the end of February, we’ll be up against the considerable obstacle of Liverpool.

The Aston Villa FA Cup game produces another injury in Ainsley Maitland-Niles. After a rough challenge from Grealish, which results in a booking for the winger, Ainsley has to go off in what turns out to be a hamstring strain. That’s three to four weeks without his services, and my squad options are becoming thin. We win the tie 2-1. Aubameyang scores from a terrific solo effort, leaving traces of concern in my mind that we are relying on him more and more. Grealish equalises, a goal resulting from comically bad defending, but our lead is restored just after the break when Gabriel heads in a free kick. John McGinn is red carded for a frankly horror show tackle from behind on Auba, one that leaves me feeling grateful when the striker picks himself up, brushes himself down, and gets on with his work. We get Fulham in the fourth round.

A defeat has long since been coming, but it’s disappointing that we receive it at Brighton and Hove Albion. In fairness to the home team they work like Trojans and deserve their 1-0 win, but we look toothless and suddenly out of sorts. Okay, so Pepe and AMN are unavailable, and Nelson is close to being back, but these players aren’t our only difference-makers, surely. Of course, Liverpool bloody win again. The gap between them and us is now up to eight points.

Travelling to Everton is no one’s idea of the ideal remedy fixture. Despite being rooted in mid-table Uncle Carlo’s lot can give anyone a game when they want to, and there’s no doubt they want to. In the meantime, I’ve sent Saliba (Burnley), Rafa (Oxford), Martinelli (Genk) and Nketiah (Ajax) out on loan for the rest of the season. All are leaving on deals where they are to be treated as important players. They need the playing time, otherwise I might as well keep them around as our ranks get thinner. Over at Sp*rs they’ve finally sacked Uncle Jose, who has led his Champions League side to fourteenth.

Back to the Toffees. Out of form and treating the league table as though it’s coated in grease, it’s a good time to be going to Goodison Park. They should be doing a lot better than they are. Gomes, Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison and Digne could do a job in my team, and then there’s former Gunner Iwobi and the curse of coming up against the ex-player… I set out to score and then defend our lead. If there’s a time to grit our teeth and put Brighton behind us, then this is it. The goal is one of our most prosaic, an Oxlade-Chamberlain corner that Gabriel heads past Olsen early in the second half. Luckily, the lack of morale among the home team is such that they don’t ever raise their heads to try and force an equaliser. If anything, we should have scored more goals, but we’ll take it.

It's good that we’ve arrested our malaise because next up are Manchester United at home. Win here and we put ourselves among the title chasers. Lose and the top two float ever more towards the sunset. In an evenly matched contest, Martial fires them into a first half lead, a moment of cutting edge brilliance. But Aubameyang equalises shortly before the break, and several minutes into the second period Saka gives us the lead. We don’t ever give it up again. Credit goes to Bellerin who ploughs forward to generate the assists for both goals.

We travel to Fulham in the fourth round of the FA Cup, a fixture that has wrestled the league tie against Liverpool into February. With big challenges on the horizon to round off January I put out a largely second eleven. They get the job done, Nelson’s superb volley giving us a lead that we are able to retain. The Cottagers defend well, especially my transfer target Adarabioyo, but we shackle Mitrovic well enough to leave them toothless in attack. Newcastle await in the fifth round.

The only downside of this one is that Saka picks up a pulled knee ligaments injury and we’re without his services for at least two weeks. The youngster has used his appearance time really well and he’ll be missed. A couple of tough games to finish the month starts with an away day at Tottenham Hotspur, currently managed by caretaker Chris Powell. They’ve been poor so far and an extra bonus comes with the news that Harrington Kane is out with an injury, but there’s still Son, Debbie Alli, Bale and Lo Celso to contain. Our outlook is improving again. Auba puts us in front after five minutes, as we attempt to blitz Sp*rs out of the game. But that’s all we produce, and when Son equalises after the break I’m regretting those missed chances. Back on the attack and looking down the barrel of a tied contest, Reiss Nelson pops up to conjure a winner in injury time. We’ve been the better side but it still has the feel of daylight robbery.

Finally there’s Manchester City at the Etihad. In fourth place but currently the division’s in-form team, Uncle Pep’s lot look fearsome. There’s no Sterling or Mahrez, but with KDB present and correct they’re always a problem. We can welcome Pepe back to the subs bench. Behind the scenes the board have agreed to make an offer for young Inter striker Sebastiano Esposito, who is currently scoring goals and winning admirers on loan at SPAL. He was terrific for me in FM20, and the £15 million fee we’re putting up seems fair for someone who will charged with eventually gazumping Lacazette.

I set the side out to play cautiously, containing De Bruyne and Bernardo, and they do just that. We don’t register a shot in the first half, which must be a thrill-fest for the fans, while City do little with their few efforts. After the break I bring on Ceballos and Lacazette and the pair combine for the latter’s volley. For ten minutes I get the little ecstasy of thinking we will grab the points and go top, but then the home team conjure a reply from Foden and moments later Bernardo scores, only for the Portuguese’s apparent winner to be ruled offside. The honours are shared and I’m happy with that.

A good month’s work then, with the Gunners positioned nicely in second having slowly eaten into the leaders’ points cushion. A titanic February awaits. Four league fixtures, the FA Cup and Europa League adventures continuing, and it all culminates in a visit to Wembley for the Carabao Cup final.

[VP.]

Quick season 4 update, started very strongly and the league already looks like a two horse race after just a dozen or so matches. Made just the one summer signing and no big outgoings either, other than Auba leaving on a free. Had a look at Ramsey but he'd already left Juve for West Ham, also asked the board to sign Mbappe as he's very interested in joining but they didn't wanna know. We've only £20m in the budget but over £200m in the bank ffs.

[RossoneriGunner]

8 minutes ago, SortitoutsiVP said:

Quick season 4 update, started very strongly and the league already looks like a two horse race after just a dozen or so matches. Made just the one summer signing and no big outgoings either, other than Auba leaving on a free. Had a look at Ramsey but he'd already left Juve for West Ham, also asked the board to sign Mbappe as he's very interested in joining but they didn't wanna know. We've only £20m in the budget but over £200m in the bank ffs.

Nice to see the youngsters have come on really well

[VP.]

9 hours ago, RossoneriGunner said:

Nice to see the youngsters have come on really well

Yeah they have done brilliantly really. One player that hasn't developed great though is Smith-Rowe, did have a decent run in the team last season but just seems to be so injury prone he soon loses his place.

[RossoneriGunner]

7 minutes ago, SortitoutsiVP said:

Yeah they have done brilliantly really. One player that hasn't developed great though is Smith-Rowe, did have a decent run in the team last season but just seems to be so injury prone he soon loses his place.

Sounds like a Jack Wilshire MKII

[RossoneriGunner]

Just seen a very interesting YT video regarding a players star rating. Here's the link......

 

[Tee2]

February 2021

The Sebastiano Esposito deal falls through because his work permit isn’t arranged by the time the transfer window closes. A strange one as I saw the teenager as a signing for the summer (his loan agreement would keep him at SPAL until then), but c’est la vie, as the French say. We lose no first team players, though Nicolas Pepe is on a number of radars and Sead Kolasinac – who I wouldn’t mind losing – is winning admiring glances from Chinese clubs. Bayern and Barca want Bellerin. They can carry on wanting.

We’re straight into the new month with a home tie against West Bromwich Albion. Never higher in the table than sixteenth, this one’s seen as a routine affair and to make it even easier Ivan Strinic gets himself sent off for a horror movie tackle on Pepe. Now on Easy Street and more than capable of dealing with Robson-Kanu, we stroll out 2-0 winners after goals from Demiral and a Cook screamer struck from outside the box. It could have been more emphatic, but the points are what count.

A few days later and we’re entertaining Chelsea. This lot beat us earlier in the campaign and we’re keen to get revenge. It looks like it’s all going to plan too, when Pepe gives us a first half lead. Auba has one disallowed, but that’s okay. We’ve spent the first half blowing the visitors away, the fact we’re only one to the good whilst our tails are up registering as only a minor concern. Then it all goes wrong in a ten-minute blitz as Werner, Lozano and Ziyech all put shots beyond Leno. Each time we’re caught out on the flanks, Tierney and Maitland-Niles collapsing defensively against the attacking virtues of Ziyech, Pulisic and their mates. Shell-shocked after believing we had the match in the bag and I’d been busy resting tired legs for future challenges, we pull one back via Willian, but it’s done. We’ve lost at home. What a crushing feeling.

United and Liverpool both win and we’re back in our traditional berth of third. I’d have gleefully taken that position had I been offered it at the start of the campaign, but now I want more. Newcastle are next in the cup. No such mistakes this time, as we restrict the Geordies to one shot while Nelson and a Lacazette hat-trick put us out of sight. This is more like it, though in reality I appreciate we’ve simply bullied a weaker opponent and worked some frustration out of our system. In reaching the quarter-final I have met a club vision, and that’s good because the draw pits us against Manchester United. The fun could end here.

City lose the Manchester derby at home to United and Uncle Pep is sacked. We have Sheffield United, quite a different challenge to Chelsea as the Blades are rooted to the table’s foot, having accumulated sixteen measly points. By now we are in a two-games-per-week cycle. I’m rotating my players each time. At Bramall Lane Cook starts, after serving his FA Cup suspension. Partey drops to the bench – he more or less crawled off the pitch at the end of the last match. We struggle to cope with the pace of Lys Mousset. He gets two for the home team, both inspired by incisive breakaways. But we score six – Auba, the Ox, an own goal and a Pepe hat-trick. The latter’s list of suitors grows as Real Madrid joins the gaggle of top clubs fluttering their eyelashes at him. I can’t say I blame them. He's playing out of his skin and he has eclipsed Willian as our preferred right sided attacking midfielder.

Back to the Europa League and a tie that propels us to Mother Russia and FC Krasnodar. Despite knowing little about the opposition there’s little I can do but rotate the personnel again. I’m a hostage to that stinking heart icon… In any event, it quickly becomes apparent that there’s little to fear. All the action happens in the first half. Saka and Lacazette score the goals in a 2-0 win. Two more strikes are disallowed due to narrow offside decisions. Resolute second stringers like Cook and Wilshere both feature here, and they play well. The former’s booking rules him out of the home leg and also lands him with the fine of a week’s wages. That’s forty-nine grand he won’t see again.

No sooner are we back in Blighty than we’re preparing for Burnley’s visit. The relegation contenders are under pressure and I’m forced to defend Sean Dyche when I’m asked if he should be sacked. Solidarity with a fellow manager, and all that. I might support him in public, but on the pitch we have to put his team to the sword and we do with a very fine 3-0 victory. Another Pepe double and a superb solo effort from Oxlade-Chamberlain cause the damage as the visitors barely feature in our half. The only downside is a calf injury to Chambers, which will rob us of his services for up to a month.

With Liverpool on the horizon, we first have to get our European League tie with Krasnodar out of the way. I’ll be happy if we get through this unscathed and safely through to the next round. The latter wish comes true. It takes us until the second half to turn our dominance into goals, however strikes from Xhaka and Lacazette see us over the line. Dani Ceballos is removed halfway through the first half with a knock, something relatively superficial that will make him unpickable for the Carabao Cup final but quickly recoverable. In the last sixteen we’ll be up against Leicester.

The key moment in the League Cup final comes when Fabinho is dismissed late in the first half for a second booking. It’s 0-0 at this stage, a bad-tempered and thrill-free occasion when the referee’s card waving hand has had a lot of work to do. I’m persuaded to switch from being cautious to positive, and that turns out to be a mistake. Mane nudges them ahead, then Salah adds a second, and there’s nothing I can do but make us more attacking still. Auba scores a penalty when Gomez is adjudged to have held Pepe back in the area, and that gives us some hope, but Liverpool can defend as well as produce one of the more emphatic pressing games out there, and the time peters out.

In fairness, there’s no shame in losing this one. It was close and for long swathes we were the better side, however the opposition turned out to be that bit more decisive when it mattered and kept us under pressure with our passing and movement throughout. Alisson claims the match ball, which speaks volumes about where the match was lost.

[Tee2]

3 hours ago, SortitoutsiVP said:

Yeah they have done brilliantly really. One player that hasn't developed great though is Smith-Rowe, did have a decent run in the team last season but just seems to be so injury prone he soon loses his place.

I've sent him out on loan in my first season, however I don't trust him very highly. He spent a season with Derby back in my FM20 save and did absolutely rock all. No idea what the problem was but increasingly he was just unable/unwilling to perform. Part of me wonders if it was a positional thing. Does he thrive more as a number 10 rather than on the left? In any case, he will be my problem in 2021/22 and I will be watching...

[VP.]

4 minutes ago, Tee2 said:

I've sent him out on loan in my first season, however I don't trust him very highly. He spent a season with Derby back in my FM20 save and did absolutely rock all. No idea what the problem was but increasingly he was just unable/unwilling to perform. Part of me wonders if it was a positional thing. Does he thrive more as a number 10 rather than on the left? In any case, he will be my problem in 2021/22 and I will be watching...

Yeah similar problem for me when he played, no real consistency. I played him central mainly as an SS or AM-A and never set the world alight, but has always been a player I never want to sell for some reason. Currently valued at £38m too though I'd never get that for as can't remember there ever being a club even slightly interested in him.

Nelson on the other hand is at times like watching a mini Cristiano Ronaldo!

[WillyBroadband]

Hello all, AMN is a funny/frustrating one...

He requested a transfer - I accepted - Bellerin injured - AMN comes in, plays well - I offer him a new contract (which was the initial reason for requesting a transfer) - he accepts - he's still transfer listed & I'm being asked questions about that in every press conference. 

It's weird, not sure if it's a bug or something or he's just being a wally. 

Has anyone else had similar issues? 

[DatGuyKiy]

Nketiah has just finished 28/29 season 1 goal short of breaking Thierry Henry's goal record,  Haaland isn't far behind and will likely beat it the season after!

[VP.]

16 minutes ago, DatGuyKiy said:

Nketiah has just finished 28/29 season 1 goal short of breaking Thierry Henry's goal record,  Haaland isn't far behind and will likely beat it the season after!

Been great for me too.

Season 1 - App 14 Gls 7

Season 2 - App 43 Gls 42

Season 3 - App 43 Gls 41

Season 4 App 17 Gls 16 (so far)

 

[DatGuyKiy]

He's slowed down for me and I thought he was done, but he's coming back to consistency again, he's 30 now so I'll be keeping an eye on him.

Edited December 12, 2020 by DatGuyKiy

[RossoneriGunner]

Does anyone know the password to take control of a saved game please. I have not set a password and the so called default sportsinteractive does not work. TIA

[VP.]

12 minutes ago, RossoneriGunner said:

Does anyone know the password to take control of a saved game please. I have not set a password and the so called default sportsinteractive does not work. TIA

C:\Users\Your Name\AppData\Local\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2021\Preferences\version 4\Profile0.xml

Apparently it can be found there.

Edited December 12, 2020 by SortitoutsiVP

[RossoneriGunner]

1 minute ago, SortitoutsiVP said:

C:\Users\Your Name\AppData\Local\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2021\Preferences\version 4\Profile0.xml

Apparently it can be found there.

Thanks, will take a look 👍🏻

[VP.]

Have decided I'm gonna try and sell at the end of the season, he now seems to pick up his next injury before the current one has heeled

[RossoneriGunner]

I have just about had it now, I'm getting a headache trying to sort things out. Im going to uninstall FM21, reinstall and start again. WhyTF cant it be simple like a PC.

[DatGuyKiy]

1 hour ago, SortitoutsiVP said:

Have decided I'm gonna try and sell at the end of the season, he now seems to pick up his next injury before the current one has heeled

I sold him early to Atalanta £12.25 and then he went to Lyon for £51m 5 years later!

 

[VP.]

12 minutes ago, DatGuyKiy said:

I sold him early to Atalanta £12.25 and then he went to Lyon for £51m 5 years later!

 

Maybe I'll keep him then

[RossoneriGunner]

That's it guys. Thanks for all your help but, this is not even funny anymore. Uninstalled then reinstalled and this stupid game is looking for a ******* password, one that I've searched for and cant find and NO ONE on the internet or in the universe knows.

Bye guys have a great Christmas 🍺

[VP.]

24 minutes ago, RossoneriGunner said:

That's it guys. Thanks for all your help but, this is not even funny anymore. Uninstalled then reinstalled and this stupid game is looking for a ******* password, one that I've searched for and cant find and NO ONE on the internet or in the universe knows.

Bye guys have a great Christmas 🍺

Once deleting the folders I said about if you can find them.

[RossoneriGunner]

This was posted on Thursday 10 Dec 2020 on these forums.  Now I am not even on an online game and it has happened to me.

So each year I host a 12 Man save.  And couple of day ago we had a new member join us. Now for some reason it says he has a password on his profile. But he never added a password on to it. With the fact that the old "sportsinteractive" password no longer works.

How can we resolve this?  Other then using the editor to "sack" that manager. But then again that leaves him just standing there. We are more then happy to provide the save file for it as well. We have already checked the Profile0.xml , Profile1.xml , etc to find the password but with no luck.

Edited December 12, 2020 by RossoneriGunner

[hasdgfas]

6 hours ago, WillyBroadband said:

Hello all, AMN is a funny/frustrating one...

He requested a transfer - I accepted - Bellerin injured - AMN comes in, plays well - I offer him a new contract (which was the initial reason for requesting a transfer) - he accepts - he's still transfer listed & I'm being asked questions about that in every press conference.

It's weird, not sure if it's a bug or something or he's just being a wally.

Has anyone else had similar issues?

I'm pretty sure you have to manually remove them from the transfer list via "set transfer status"

[hasdgfas]

I have had an interesting first 3 seasons. A lot more transfer activity than usual for me. I tend to try to stick to youth development, but the bloated poor squad that I feel Arsenal have right now has meant I need to do a lot more in the early seasons.

First: The League

A weak overall League in season 1 leads to us losing the title on GD in heartbreaking fashion. We just couldn't quite overtake Liverpool.

Season 2, Man United cruise it as we draw too many times to keep it interesting.

Season 3. It's all starting to come together. 33 wins and 102 points and we walk to the title. Fantastic improvement after two seasons where we perform well, but not well enough.

 

EUROPE:

S1: Europa League. An easy road to the finals, but the finals were much tougher than I was expecting. A penalty win kept me on the edge of my seat for the initial 120 minutes as well as the shootout, but we get it done.

S2: Champions League: We end second in our group to Lyon, each of us on 15 points in a weak group, they take the tiebreak on head-to-head, which makes us open against PSG. I assume we're going to go out there, but an absolute mad two-legged tie gets us through, where it doesn't get any easier. Man City, Man United, then Bayern in the finals. After that road it was really disappointing to lose to Bayern, but they were better on the night.

S3: Champions League: Boy, the CL doesn't mess around. We again finish second in our group, this time to Zebre. We have Lyon in our group again, but don't struggle with them as much this year. So we start off with Bayern and again, I assume we're going to go out in the first knockout round. But we make it past them fairly comfortably, only to get Zebre again. We SNEAK past them on penalties to get United AGAIN. When we get past them I assume it's going to be Real in the finals, but Lazio makes it instead, and we win it comfortably.

 

No FA Cup wins and only a semi-final appearance to show in 3 seasons in that competition. It hasn't been as much of a priority for me(although we've had some real tough draws)

We did win the Carabao Cup in S2 and S3. The S2 Final was absolute madness, with a 6-2 win in Extra Time over Norwich. Yes, you read that right.

 

Current Squad and Transfers to come in another post shortly.

[VP.]

8 minutes ago, RossoneriGunner said:

This was posted on Thursday 10 Dec 2020 on these forums.  Now I am not even on an online game and it has happened to me.

So each year I host a 12 Man save.  And couple of day ago we had a new member join us. Now for some reason it says he has a password on his profile. But he never added a password on to it. With the fact that the old "sportsinteractive" password no longer works.

How can we resolve this?  Other then using the editor to "sack" that manager. But then again that leaves him just standing there. We are more then happy to provide the save file for it as well. We have already checked the Profile0.xml , Profile1.xml , etc to find the password but with no luck.

Have you tried a complete uninstall? Search the net on how to do so but I'm guessing you also need to remove the files a basic uninstall leaves behind (you don't need to delete your graphics etc though).

[RossoneriGunner]

4 minutes ago, SortitoutsiVP said:

Have you tried a complete uninstall? Search the net on how to do so but I'm guessing you also need to remove the files a basic uninstall leaves behind (you don't need to delete your graphics etc though).

Complete uninstall every file removed. Reinstalled from Steam, started as new manager went right through to setting tactic and talking to the team, saved game, tried to load saved game and I cannot take control as I don't have a password. Just to be sure I tried the sportsinteractive, with and without the space and still won't load. I have just ordered the DVD from Amazon, arriving Monday, to see if that makes any difference. I'm not really a great lover of Steam.

[lomekian]

26 minutes ago, RossoneriGunner said:

Complete uninstall every file removed. Reinstalled from Steam, started as new manager went right through to setting tactic and talking to the team, saved game, tried to load saved game and I cannot take control as I don't have a password. Just to be sure I tried the sportsinteractive, with and without the space and still won't load. I have just ordered the DVD from Amazon, arriving Monday, to see if that makes any difference. I'm not really a great lover of Steam.

How strange - have never had that experience or anyone else having that experience. Is it a Mac issue? Have you done a tech support request on the forum on here. they normally respond in a day or two at most.

[RossoneriGunner]

2 minutes ago, lomekian said:

How strange - have never had that experience or anyone else having that experience. Is it a Mac issue? Have you done a tech support request on the forum on here. they normally respond in a day or two at most.

I haven't done a tech support request. My iMac is the top of the range as I used to use it for XPlane which allowed me to play at maximum on everything.  I was going to give up....AGAIN 😂....but I really want get back into FM.

[hasdgfas]

SQUAD:

I'll list my main squad as well as at least one "to watch" player in each position.

GKs:

Leno is still the undisputed #1 and he has been fantastic. 26 clean sheets last season in the League and I feel very confident with him between the sticks.

Runarsson is still the backup, as I have a ton of difficulty trying to find specifically backup keepers. However, it's the last year of his contract, and I don't think I'm going to renew. While he did a solid job in 2021-22 during a period of a couple months that Leno was out injured(better than I expected), he hasn't really gotten better than when he started, and I don't think he's of the quality to ever be more than a backup.

I would rather try to keep developing Hein, who looks way better than in any previous FM(and believe me, I've tried). He's currently on loan at DC United as their starter. 11 Clean Sheets over in America in 25 appearances, and when he gets back midway through the season, he's my backup and cup keeper. I'm not sure he'll get good enough to be a starter to take over for Leno, but I'm excited to find out if he can!

Fullbacks:

Tierney is incredible. Obvious quality in real life(one of the brightest spots in the squad right now), and that translates to FM too. My starting LB, and will be as long as possible.

Bellerin partners him wonderfully from the right. Not quite as bright a star as Tierney, but the clear starter.

Frimpong was a season 1 purchase from Celtic to be a backup on both sides of the pitch. He...hasn't really developed the way I hoped. It's the last year of his contract, and I think I need to move him on. Maybe I'm expecting too much from him at his age, even just as a backup, but I'd rather cash in now than have to give him a new contract.

Saka is currently getting more time as left-back than up front as I have a very crowded front line. He does well in his performances, and I honestly feel bad that I can't get him more game time.

Collazos is currently on loan at LA Galaxy and is someone I'm very excited to see develop after I was able to grab him on a free.

CBs:

My 4 CBs are all very solid and consistent performers, and I feel good playing any 2 of the 4 in combination.

Gabriel is my first choice.

Saliba as his partner.

Holding is no slouch though.

Onguene was acquired last season and might claim one of the first two choice spots if he performs to the same high quality he did during it.

King I found on a free from Rangers somehow. He looks like he'll be a star. I sent him off to Sporting for this season as he won't get a look right now, but if PSG or China comes in with a monster bid for someone, I'll be very happy slotting him in as 4th choice CB.

DMs:

Partey is the starter here, and while he might not be a complete bruiser, he does really well at cleaning up balls that get through the midfield.

Torreira I gave a chance after his S1 loan to Atletico(where FM-Simeone hated him), and he's a serviceable backup. 

Rubirosa is the one to watch here. 1.1 million from Club America and looking like a steal if he keeps developing at this rate. He's at Chivas right now, but I think he'll be in the mix when he gets back.

Midfielders:

Rice is my main playmaker. I picked him up for about 40 million the January after West Ham went down and he started angling to leave. He's a player I really like in real life. He's performed well, but hasn't been outstanding. I'm not quite sure what he's missing. Maybe a little more freedom to roam forward? 

Merino was my pickup after season 1 to try to improve the creativity of the midfield. 40 million to Real San Sebastian, and he's been great. He partners Rice in midfield, and as soon as they started partnering together(January of Season 2), my creativity started looking better. Merino was awful in the first half of the season I picked him up in, but as soon as he had Rice alongside him, performances improved. I recently got rid of a release clause he had, offering him a new contract after Chelsea triggered the clause. I'd have let him go if it were a foreign club, but I'm not giving him up to Chelsea if I can help it.

Willock is still hanging around the first team, but is clearly a backup right now behind the quality of Rice and Merino. He is serviceable as a backup, and I intend to keep him around as an Arsenal boy, but at some point he may want to be more than a backup. I'm not sure he can be that here.

Vera was another cheap pickup(I love cheap pickups to try to develop them). He can fit in anywhere in the midfield or as DM as a backup, but I think that's all he can be here. I'm worried he'll want to be more, but I'll have to sell him at that point.

Mora is the one to keep an eye on here. Another Colombian like Collazos, and he looks a gem. I'm trying to get him a loan move this season, but he might replace Vera next season.

Wingers:

It starts to get crowded here. I'm honestly kinda hoping someone comes in for some of my backups, I can't get everyone enough time right now.

Pepe. Ah, Pepe. Possibly the most frustrating player in the real life squad, no such issues here. Consistently the best performer in the squad when I play him Inverted Winger AMR. It's not especially close either. First name on the teamsheet.

Aubameyang. His performances are falling season upon season now. He's in the final year of his contract, and while I love him, he's now 34 and starting to decline. He's been the starter, but I don't think he will stay that way all season, and I might even start to replace him now.

Nelson. Performs well when he gets time. I'd like to get him more time, but as mentioned, very crowded up front.

Smith Rowe. Broke into the first team squad for me last season. Still a backup, but he's a very versatile one. I'll sometimes drop him back into midfield if a bunch of midfielders are tired

Bowen is one of my pet FM players the last couple years. I was excited to pick him up from West Ham after their relegation and try to get him to work here instead of one of my other team saves. He's been...fine? He's happy enough to be a backup, but I play him probably more than I should based on his performances. He's getting some interest from Norwich right now and I might just let him go.

Jota. Yes, that Diogo Jota. He was transfer-listed at Liverpool and I snapped him up. This led to one of my favorite ever FM screenshots: This one. Unfortunately, he was very disappointing after a debut goal and found himself as a backup. At least he was happy enough to be a Squad Player

Le Tien Thanh is the one to watch in this position. Part of my Season 1 Youth Intake, he made a couple first team appearances at the end of last season after the title was secured. I'm incredibly excited about him. I'm trying to loan him out for this season(I think he's Championship quality, so if he can start regularly for a team there, I absolutely want to do that), but if I can clean up my first-team squad a bit, he might be a backup next season.

Strikers:

Milik is technically the starter. I picked him up on a free after Season 1, allowing me to offload a disappointing Lacazette to PSG for 45 million. He was quite good that season, but his performances dropped quite a bit for 2022/23. We'll see how this season goes.

Nketiah is the backup. After a season and a half on loan to Burnley where he was excellent, I figured I wanted to get him some first team time. And oh boy did he deliver. Top goalscorer for 2022/23 (23 goals in all competitions), and if he keeps it up, he's going to clearly displace Milik.

John-Jules is someone to keep an eye on. He's right on the fringes of the first team, but I'd rather get him some regular minutes right now than keep him as 3rd choice.

Balogun is similarly right on the fringes, but someone I'd rather get regular minutes on loan than be my 3rd choice. 

---------------------

And that's the first team squad, as well as some youngsters to keep an eye on. Any questions? Or anyone I may not have mentioned you're surprised to not see somewhere?

[lomekian]

The development pathways thing now introduced is deeply flawed. I've got various kids complaining about not sorting them the loans I promised, when I did nothing of the sort, and when I learnt they felt I did, I tried loaning them out, no-one wants them and when I tell them that they say they know I'm lying.  WTF is that all about?

[RossoneriGunner]

4 minutes ago, lomekian said:

The development pathways thing now introduced is deeply flawed. I've got various kids complaining about not sorting them the loans I promised, when I did nothing of the sort, and when I learnt they felt I did, I tried loaning them out, no-one wants them and when I tell them that they say they know I'm lying.  WTF is that all about?

The more I hear the more I'm thinking I shouldn't have bothered 😂.  It could be that these 'bugs' if they are 'bugs' may be sorted out with updates.

[lomekian]

On the plus side the team keeps battering every middle ranking team or lower in its path and squeaking past the big boys, so I'm 14 points clear by the start of Feb. Seemed to v quickly stumble on 2 tactical systems that suit the team down to the ground.

Just as good Spurs sacked Mourinho (though sadly have clawed their way out of the bottom 3).

The Jan transfer window couldn't have gone much better either.

Outs:

Xhaka to PSG for £35m. He hated me but i kept playing him as DLP (D) in a 4-1-2-2-1 so his value crept up, so when I listed him there was a bit of a bidding war.

Balotelli to Liverpool(!?!) for £20m. After his stellar 5 goal debut, he scored a couple more times to boost his value, then played badly, got dropped, sulked and requested a move. Not sure he'll last long in his second spell up there!

Willian to Man U for £35m. Played well for me, but not very often, and was starting to complain. I offered him out more as a test, and Utd immediately bid £35m. With Pepe being so good, and Nelson needing games it was a simple choice.

Mustafi to Dortmund £25m. Managed to renew his contract after his hat-trick, and in all honesty he was good for me, but with Gabriel & Stones ahead of him, Holding & Chambers being home grown, and Saliba and a couple of freebie youth signings coming up, it seemed a perfect way to boost the transfer budget.

Less notable outs were Imbula & Human Tariq who arrived on frees and were not as good as I expected - raised £10m between them though ;-)

on top of the earlier outs thats £900k p/w of the original wage bill and £160m raised in sales in season 1 without losing anyone really contributing - if only it were as easy in real life!

Ins:

A couple of freebies from South America who complained about not being registered and have left on loan with options to buy (cheap of me, I know!)

Erik Bothiem from Rosenborg on a free - different profile of youth striker, and done well on previous versions

Edu went on another random spree and spent nearly £20m on Brian Oddie from Sassuolo, Aimar Sher from Hammarby, Odin Thiago Holm from Valengria & Savio from Athletic Mineiro - who all look quite promising. He and Per also hoovered up some more free and almost free random kids (most rubbish, but a couple from Benfica look like possible future fringe players).

THE BIG TRANSFERS!

1) Camavinga. I'd already lined up a buy now pay later deal that could rise to £76m before the window opened. This kid is special on the game and IRL, and after some bedding in, should be a first choice midfielder for over a decade.

2) Aaron Ramsey (as planned). Not all was rosy at Juve, so I managed to snap him up for £17m. For some reason he was happy to take a massive wage cut, so is on the same Xhaka was on. 5 assists in 6 games for the returning Welshman.

3) Dominik Szoboszlai £23m. Looks like it not happening IRL, but managed to unsettle him, and give him the love, so got a cut price deal. This has shifted my home formation to 4-2-3-1, and he, so far, is smashing it. 4 starts and 2 sub appearances - 7 goals and 5 assists. Not sustainable, but has immediately clicked with Auba and Ramsey and Tierney in a big way, and has been my best player in his first month.

4) Giroud £1.2. Wanted a bench target man for when teams start sitting back or chasing late goals (I was also trying to drum up interest in Laca, unsuccessfully despite decent performances. Twice off the bench and a late goal to seal a 2-0 so far.

5) Thilo Kehrer. £5m. Super versatile, and will no doubt be sold for a profit in the future. Just allows me to have a more flexible bench.

6) Thierry Correa £2.6. Put in a £10m bid which was accepted, but changed my mind when I realised he's right footed not left footed. Next thing I know there's a transfer request and he's at a bargain price and still counts as u21 this year, allowing him to bed in and be prepped for when I cash in on Cedric in the summer.

7) Having already done more business than I wanted, I saw Badiashile on the market for £3m on Deadline Day, only hours after Pablo Mari started bitching about playing time. Get him in, bed him in, and if Pablo still wants to go in the summer, his replacement is already in place.

In all honesty this much business only happened because of the Willian surprise sale and Klopp's mad Balotelli moment (mario has scored on his debut for them too, in the cup). The fact the last 4 players were listed by request also meant their combined wage packet was under £200k p/w, with the highest earner by far (Giroud) only being on an 18 month contract.

Really please becaused now my midfield has the quality to play both systems I want, and not be a turgid mess like real life, AND its a mixture of short and long-term signing.

This allows me to be opportunistic in the transfer market going forward, and save up for Auba's replacement if none of the kids step up.

On top of all of the above, the wage savings gave me the freedom to pursue some bosman action. - so lined up for the summer we have:

Milik - (basically to replace Laca and make Giroud expendable), young prospect Ali Akman, Sergio Gomez from dortmund (a kid with huge talent who has lost his way a bit), and a few risk free kids.

Trying a charm offensive on those who don't want to negotiate with anyone yet like Donnarumma & Depay. Sadly Alaba wanted £300k p/w, so made me look elsewhere.

I

 

[upthetoon]

no matter what formation i play i struggle against liverpool. their extreme high press is just too much to handle. get dominated everytime.

[Harper]

7 hours ago, lomekian said:

How strange - have never had that experience or anyone else having that experience. Is it a Mac issue? Have you done a tech support request on the forum on here. they normally respond in a day or two at most.

I play on a MacBook an have not experienced this issue.

[Tee2]

8 hours ago, hasdgfas said:

Pepe. Ah, Pepe. Possibly the most frustrating player in the real life squad, no such issues here. Consistently the best performer in the squad when I play him Inverted Winger AMR. It's not especially close either. First name on the teamsheet.

 

Lovely. Exactly the same for me - he's effortlessly overshadowing Willian (who I will probably try and offload in the summer, especially because I like Nelson) and becoming exactly the £72 million thriller Arsenal thought they were getting in 2019. It makes me wonder if there will ever be a moment when things just click into place for him in real life also.

[RossoneriGunner]

5 hours ago, Harper said:

I play on a MacBook an have not experienced this issue.

Did you get your FM21 from Steam or on DVD?

[Tee2]

March 2021

Arsenal are making a loss of close to £10 million each month. Entering March there’s £19 million left in the budget, which means we will almost certainly be in the red by the season’s end. Hopefully the club’s considerable pulling power will rake in a small fortune in sponsorship because I want my big transfer budget in the summer. Apparently this is a guaranteed £45 million, which doesn’t quite tickle my dreams – the Projections screen on the other hand suggests we’re in for a £70 million+ bonanza. We’ll see.

I’m also getting a good idea of who I would like to offload. Of the out on loan players, Elneny and Mari were dispatched with the intent of drumming up some interest in them. I don’t see any future in the side for Guendouzi. Ceballos is likely to be thanked for his contribution and not welcomed back – the costs to sign him would be prohibitive and I’m just not that into him. His Real Madrid stablemate Vinicius is here specifically to swap around with Saka on the left while Smith Rowe and Martinelli make themselves worthy of the first team during their loan spells. Other first team members I’m looking to replace are:

·         Runar Runarsson – nowhere near the first eleven, so it all depends on Leno remaining hale and hearty.

·         Sead Kolasinac – decent but wanted by other teams, presumably those who like a violent thug to play in their left wingback role.

·         Grant Xhaka – he does okay, but the aim is to gazump him in 2021/22 for Partey, and I’ve no place for someone earning £100,000 a week for sitting on the bench. We aren’t PSG!

·         Willian – another high earner, and not as good as Pepe nor with the prospect for improvement that Reiss Nelson is showing.

There are also moves afoot to bite into the front two, probably by aiming to replace Lacazette. He’s doing well enough but we have an aging pair of centre forwards and that makes me uncomfortable. Arsenal spend £430k per week on these two war horses, which seems like a criminal outlay to me.

Licking our wounds after the Liverpool defeat, we take on Leicester in the first leg of the Europa League endless round and come away with a 1-0 home win. It isn’t brilliant. We batter them and reduce Vardinho to scraps, but it takes us until the eighty-fifth minute for Auba to find a way past Schmeichel. Not one for the ages. We’re all feeling the fatigue right now.

The laboured performance continues as we play relegation threatened West Ham in the league. Aubameyang scores a penalty (which we probably shouldn’t have been awarded) in the first half and then adds a superb solo strike late in the second to seal a 2-0 win, but it’s a victory that’s been dragged out of the players rather than emphatically produced. Pepe has a quiet game by his standards, and it’s worrying the amount of reliance we are have in the possibility that he will turn up and perform.

Back to Leicester for the Europa League second leg. All I want here is to escape with the tie in the bag and no more injuries. The game is a dress rehearsal for the weekend, but with mainly second string players as we set out to contain and defend our opposition. It works. The Foxes have quality – Vardinho can score against anyone, Maddison and Tielemans are capable of unlocking most defences – yet so have we, and it finishes 0-0. We go into the draw for the quarter-final, where we’re drawn against Shakhtar. Prevail and we get Manchester United or Braga.

It's Liverpool at Anfield next, a team we have lost to two times in as many attempts. I don’t want to go into it with a Kloppian moan, but the fixture computer makes us play this two days after Leicester in the Saturday lunchtime slot. The Pool haven’t been in action since the previous Saturday. This I think will make a difference in terms of freshness. Or perhaps they’re just better than we are. Salah has them ahead in the first twenty minutes, slotting the ball calmly beneath Leno after a goalmouth scramble. After that we’re chasing the game, trying to live with their relentless press, and we get a reward of sorts when Auba plants a cracking missile past Alisson late in the game. Sadly Origi has already made it 2-0 by this stage, so we come away with nothing.

This puts us six points behind Liverpool, albeit with a match in hand. It’s difficult to see us bridging the gap. In the meantime, Arsenal’s new youth intake is announced. I was advised previously not to expect too much from this lot, but there are one or two decent prospects. Michael Musah, a 15 year old winger hailing from Leigh, looks like he has no little potential.

Arsenal Under-23s win the Papa Johns Cup, the Joel Campbell Trophy as we know it, and the first team are taking on Aston Villa at the Emirates. The visitors come into this one in good form. Our former keeper Martinez is developing a reputation for keeping clean sheets, so we might be in for a test. In reality they aren’t as good as we are, and we work off the frustrations of Liverpool in the best way by wailing on them from the start. We’re fortunate to have Pepe putting on a show of his class here. Two goals, the second a beautiful, placed shot from a tight angle, and a free kick that Saka volleys home, are the best moments of our 4-0 win. It’s a really good team performance, especially considering the side is rotated for this one. I’m unimpressed with Xhaka, who gets booked in the first minute and hooked at half-time, and I think he should be concerned that Wilshere puts in the sort of full-blooded, committed performance that he fails to produce.

Sometimes it all goes right. As with Liverpool we are the more jaded side when we host Manchester United for our FA Cup tie. I select Pepe. He’s not fully fit, but we need his inspiration and Willian is out for a week with blisters. Despite us being the better side it’s 0-0 at full-time, and we face the additional thirty minutes with the likes of Cook, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Vinicius at crawling pace. But it’s the latter who gets the decisive goal, a well worked cross from Nelson that finds him in a position to slot home. Most of the bigger teams are now out of the competition. We will take on Southampton in the semi-final, with Leicester or Bristol City lying in wait for the winner.

The international break takes over to give us a break ahead of the final push. Holding and Saka are selected for the England squad. As for us, we’re tucked in neatly behind the front two, as always it seems, just about clinging on in the race for the title, while Chelsea are somewhat distant in fourth. Champions League qualification looks likely. According to my addled maths five league victories from the eleven remaining fixtures should be enough, but at this stage should we want more?

 

[VP.]

Season 4 Conclusion

Well we stumbled over the line in the end mainly thanks to Man Utd also dropping points the same time as us over the last couple of games, very unlucky in the CL final too where we had so many chances to score we could/should have had 8 goals. Not too sure how to improve the squad over the summer as still have £109m in the bank but we've just been taken over and something has happened that I've never had before.

As you can see the new owner decided to sign two new players which should be great, but I don't really want them as will mean having to sell a couple of players I'd rather keep plus I try not to sign known wonderkids where I can. I guess the deals could still fall through, Sancho is costing a total of £156m and Harlaand £158m...

Edited December 13, 2020 by SortitoutsiVP

[RossoneriGunner]

14 minutes ago, SortitoutsiVP said:

Season 4 Conclusion

Well we stumbled over the line in the end mainly thanks to Man Utd also dropping points the same time as us over the last couple of games, very unlucky in the CL final too where we had so many chances to score we could/should have had 8 goals. Not too sure how to improve the squad over the summer as still have £109m in the bank but we've just been taken over and something has happened that I've never had before.

As you can see the new owner decided to sign two new players which should be great, but I don't really want them as will mean having to sell a couple of players I'd rather keep plus I try not to sign known wonderkids where I can. I guess the deals could still fall through, Sancho is costing a total of £156m and Harlaand £158m...

I wish I woke up this morning and the last bit (takeover) was the BBC sports top story lol

[Tee2]

50 minutes ago, SortitoutsiVP said:

As you can see the new owner decided to sign two new players which should be great, but I don't really want them as will mean having to sell a couple of players I'd rather keep plus I try not to sign known wonderkids where I can. I guess the deals could still fall through, Sancho is costing a total of £156m and Harlaand £158m...

Not the sort of board interference I would hate personally, and there's part of me that wishes the Kroenkes nothing other than a kick up the backsides out of the club, but I do get the point that you have set up your squad how you want it and with this move all your work has been undermined. It reminds me of Abramovich in his earlier days at Chelsea and the notorious capture of Schevchenko, who manager Mourinho didn't want. Cue terrible returns from a striker who had previously been on fire in Milan.

[RossoneriGunner]

13 minutes ago, Tee2 said:

Not the sort of board interference I would hate personally, and there's part of me that wishes the Kroenkes nothing other than a kick up the backsides out of the club, but I do get the point that you have set up your squad how you want it and with this move all your work has been undermined. It reminds me of Abramovich in his earlier days at Chelsea and the notorious capture of Schevchenko, who manager Mourinho didn't want. Cue terrible returns from a striker who had previously been on fire in Milan.

Looking at it that way with Shevchenko, I have to agree 100%. If the take over team asked what players you want and you say Sancho and Haaland, then I'd be ok with that.

If I remember rightly, didn't Abramovitch want to sign Roberto Carlos because his son was a big fan of his, a big NO! NO!

[VP.]

Sancho rejected the new owners contract offer but Haaland accepted, though I can still reject it myself. Had a think about and decided to agree to it as has already been said its not a bad thing to have and usually nothing happens with a takeover so may as well make the most of it. Shame it wasn't Mbappe he signed and would have even had to think about that for a second.

[BrickCommo23]

3 hours ago, SortitoutsiVP said:

Season 4 Conclusion

Well we stumbled over the line in the end mainly thanks to Man Utd also dropping points the same time as us over the last couple of games, very unlucky in the CL final too where we had so many chances to score we could/should have had 8 goals. Not too sure how to improve the squad over the summer as still have £109m in the bank but we've just been taken over and something has happened that I've never had before.

As you can see the new owner decided to sign two new players which should be great, but I don't really want them as will mean having to sell a couple of players I'd rather keep plus I try not to sign known wonderkids where I can. I guess the deals could still fall through, Sancho is costing a total of £156m and Harlaand £158m...

Hi mate, can I just ask what roles you use for your AMC and St? 

I'm working on a 4231 and that balance is proving a little tricky... 

[WillyBroadband]

19 hours ago, hasdgfas said:

I'm pretty sure you have to manually remove them from the transfer list via "set transfer status"

Good afternoon mate, I've tried that but I'm unable to do so. 

[VP.]

30 minutes ago, BrickCommo23 said:

Hi mate, can I just ask what roles you use for your AMC and St? 

I'm working on a 4231 and that balance is proving a little tricky... 

This is the tactic I'm using if you wanna take anything from it https://sortitoutsi.net/content/57145/fm21-vps-let-me-entertain-you-4-1-3-2