[FM 21] Eredivisie

[3rik]

52 minutes ago, karanhsingh said:

Well done, that's a great effort! Soares looks phenomenal. Surprised that Inter are continuing to send Esposito out.

Thank you! This season fealt worse then the table says. Probably because of some bad beatings in europe. Trying to decide if I should stay at Groningen or search for some new adventure. Yeah, initially they said that they were going to use him in their team but I raised my bid a bit and then they accepted. 

[3rik]

The season started of with a crazy game in the supercup. Esposito still proving he's way too good for this league. 


To keep my interest in staying in Groningen I have changed my transfer focus to BeNeLux and free signings only, the free ones can still be from anywhere. To keep it somewhat interesting instead of searching South America and Portugal for every talent there is like I've done until now. Especially now when the economy is blooming and paying £1-3M for a talent is nothing when the transfer budget is £51M after selling some players.  

[bendixkunert2]

34 minutes ago, 3rik said:

The season started of with a crazy game in the supercup. Esposito still proving he's way too good for this league. 


To keep my interest in staying in Groningen I have changed my transfer focus to BeNeLux and free signings only, the free ones can still be from anywhere. To keep it somewhat interesting instead of searching South America and Portugal for every talent there is like I've done until now. Especially now when the economy is blooming and paying £1-3M for a talent is nothing when the transfer budget is £51M after selling some players.  

that's what I have done. But honestly even if you only raid the best U18 talents from every club in the Netherlands every year, you will build a really, really good team. Add Belgium on top of that, and you can win the UCL potentially.

[3rik]

19 hours ago, bendixkunert2 said:

that's what I have done. But honestly even if you only raid the best U18 talents from every club in the Netherlands every year, you will build a really, really good team. Add Belgium on top of that, and you can win the UCL potentially.

Yeah I know but I don't think i'm going to stay that long at Groningen but maybe. It is still to much fun to search for the perfect talents to have crazy recruitment rules. Will have to see how the save turns out. I'm not going to sell all foreigners right away, i'm going to phase them out naturally is my plan.

[Maski]

NAC Breda Season 1 Review

 

I've just finished my first season with NAC Breda in the Dutch second division, the media predicted a fourth place finish, with the board aiming for me to reach the play-offs. In the end it turned out to be a comfortable season, winning the league with no real trouble. All four defeats came to teams outside of the top 8 which does put the shine off of a season which could have been undefeated. In the cup I managed to get to the Quarter Final's before getting knocked out by Alkmaar on penalties - taking a top 3 Eredivisie team to penalties does give me hope I should be able to compete and finish mid-table next season though.

 

League Table

 

Tactics

I've kept it fairly simple in respect of instructions, with Van Hooijdonk being the key player in the Raumdeuter role. The team has been defensively solid for the most part, but investment is needed in the centre of defence and in goal if I'm to compete next season. 

 

Star Players

Sydney van Hooijdonk

Thom Haye

Nick Venema 

 

Transfers

 

I made limited signings in the first season, adding a couple of players recommended by scouts to bulk out the side for the end of the season. Doyle is on loan until next January, and Sandler's loan may be extended for next season as long as City are fine with me continuing to contribute nothing to the wages.

[Sport Lacost]

On 12/12/2020 at 11:55, Maski said:

NAC Breda Season 1 Review

 

I've just finished my first season with NAC Breda in the Dutch second division, the media predicted a fourth place finish, with the board aiming for me to reach the play-offs. In the end it turned out to be a comfortable season, winning the league with no real trouble. All four defeats came to teams outside of the top 8 which does put the shine off of a season which could have been undefeated. In the cup I managed to get to the Quarter Final's before getting knocked out by Alkmaar on penalties - taking a top 3 Eredivisie team to penalties does give me hope I should be able to compete and finish mid-table next season though.

 

League Table

 

Tactics

I've kept it fairly simple in respect of instructions, with Van Hooijdonk being the key player in the Raumdeuter role. The team has been defensively solid for the most part, but investment is needed in the centre of defence and in goal if I'm to compete next season. 

 

Star Players

Sydney van Hooijdonk

Thom Haye

Nick Venema 

 

Transfers

 

I made limited signings in the first season, adding a couple of players recommended by scouts to bulk out the side for the end of the season. Doyle is on loan until next January, and Sandler's loan may be extended for next season as long as City are fine with me continuing to contribute nothing to the wages.

How are you getting on in prep for the 2nd season? I’m debating starting a game with NEC atm.

[Maski]

On 13/12/2020 at 12:13, Sport Lacost said:

How are you getting on in prep for the 2nd season? I’m debating starting a game with NEC atm.

Into October and we're currently 6th, managed to get draws against Ajax and Feyenoord so it looks like we should be competitive in the upper half of the league this season.

 

In respect of signings/departures; 

In

Jacob Italiano - Borussia Monchengladbach - Free

Yann Bery Nana - Troyes - Free

Jesper Drost - PEC Zwolle - Free

Thiago - Estoril - £300K

Jesper Lofgren - Brann - £170K

Ante Palaversa - Man City - Loan

Henrique Pereira - Unattached - Free

Elie Youan - FC Nantes - £500K

Christian Frydek - £54K

 

Out

A number of squad/rotation players including Dogan, Olij, Malone and El Allouchi for a total of £2.1M

[kazm]

On 13/12/2020 at 13:13, Sport Lacost said:

How are you getting on in prep for the 2nd season? I’m debating starting a game with NEC atm.

NEC is really fun and easy because basically their whole squad consists of talented 18-19 year olds. Started my NEC save during the beta and crushed the league (but beta was too easy anyway) and finished 5th in the eredivisie 2nd season. Promotion and staying up still shouldn't be hard.

[Sport Lacost]

13 minutes ago, kazm said:

NEC is really fun and easy because basically their whole squad consists of talented 18-19 year olds. Started my NEC save during the beta and crushed the league (but beta was too easy anyway) and finished 5th in the eredivisie 2nd season. Promotion and staying up still shouldn't be hard.

Sounds good! Who were your standout players from the original squad? Also, what signings did you make in prep for the Eredivisie?

[kazm]

2 hours ago, Sport Lacost said:

Sounds good! Who were your standout players from the original squad? Also, what signings did you make in prep for the Eredivisie?

Playing a 4231 gegenpressing (very original i know):

GK: Branderhorst, mediocre for 1st division, let alone eredivisie. One of the mistakes i made was not signing a better gk.

RB: Bart van Rooij 26 apps 14 assists. Sold him to Hertha BSC for 12m Euros after 3 seasons. 

Rens van Eiden: great veteran DC.

Odenthal: average dc, never amounted to much. Not worth investing a lot of time in. DC

El Karouani, in my save he was decent. Unfortunately he is an inverted leftback. Scored 8 goals mainly from penalties the first season. Can still do a job in the Eredivisie but isn't as talented as Van Rooij. 

Baretto, veteran bwm, slow. I sold him in the winter break but that was a mistake. MC

Dirk Proper: biggest talent at the club, just a great dlp, biggest drawback is that he is tiny. 27 apps 2g 7a. Could've sold him to Feyenoord for 21m E after a few seasons but he turned it down. MC

Elayis Tavsan: decent talent but stopped progressing after 3 or 4 seasons. 23(4) apps, 4g 11a. Twofooted. AMR (also used Terrel Ondaan as a winger on AMR and he also did well). Good enough for midtable eredivisie.

Sellouf: can play on both wings but used him mainly as my AMC because he has decent flair. In my save he improved more than Tavsan and is still a backup for my squad in 2024. 26(4) apps 5g 3a 

Jordan Okita: superfast left winger, did way better than he should. Think thats because the beta match engine wasnt balanced. 30 apss 22g 3a. Sold him for half a million after the first season. Can do a job low level eredivisie because of his speed but needs to be replaced. AML

Rangelo Janga, loannee. Maybe I shouldve bought him after the first season. Did well but had some injuries. 20(4) apps 14g 0a. 

 

Talented players:

Mathias de Wolf. Talented Belgian AMC. Never became a first 11 player in my save but becomes good enough for midtable Eredivisie level.

Roefs: 17yo GK, became my first gk in 23/24. One of the biggest talents at the club.

Joep van der Sluis. Good backup, never a starter for me because I am extremely biased against low determination players. 

 

Players to look out for/buy:

Asenele Velebhayi. Talented AMC, but it seems to vary a lot how good he is/becomes.

Joseph Baffo: DC, Halmstad. This guy will be free on 1/1/2021. Never renews his contract with Halmstad. Just a good, cheap DC that can do a job in the Eredivisie for 1 or 2 seasons.

Wouter Burger: pretty good MC to get on loan if you manage to get promoted.

Sven van Beek. Free after 1st season, might not want to join you even after promotion. Injury prone.

Lazar Tufegdzic: versatile MC, got him for 68k. Also bought him in other saves. Eredivisie level but nothing special.

Mulatierri: Italian striker. Never did this but should have loaned him from Inter. Very wellrounded.

Federico Bonini: young Italian DC, got him for 76k in 21/22. First team player since the start. 

 

Things I shouldve done differently: the strikers I bought werent great and werent fast enough. I didnt sign Janga after the first season. Maybe I should have because none of my strikers scored enough. 

edit: i just started a new NEC save and there are some differences between players with my earlier save. Mainly in terms of determination. So in your save Van der Sluis might be better than Sellouf or Tavsan. 

Edited December 18, 2020 by kazm

[Sport Lacost]

3 hours ago, kazm said:

Playing a 4231 gegenpressing (very original i know):

GK: Branderhorst, mediocre for 1st division, let alone eredivisie. One of the mistakes i made was not signing a better gk.

RB: Bart van Rooij 26 apps 14 assists. Sold him to Hertha BSC for 12m Euros after 3 seasons. 

Rens van Eiden: great veteran DC.

Odenthal: average dc, never amounted to much. Not worth investing a lot of time in. DC

El Karouani, in my save he was decent. Unfortunately he is an inverted leftback. Scored 8 goals mainly from penalties the first season. Can still do a job in the Eredivisie but isn't as talented as Van Rooij. 

Baretto, veteran bwm, slow. I sold him in the winter break but that was a mistake. MC

Dirk Proper: biggest talent at the club, just a great dlp, biggest drawback is that he is tiny. 27 apps 2g 7a. Could've sold him to Feyenoord for 21m E after a few seasons but he turned it down. MC

Elayis Tavsan: decent talent but stopped progressing after 3 or 4 seasons. 23(4) apps, 4g 11a. Twofooted. AMR (also used Terrel Ondaan as a winger on AMR and he also did well). Good enough for midtable eredivisie.

Sellouf: can play on both wings but used him mainly as my AMC because he has decent flair. In my save he improved more than Tavsan and is still a backup for my squad in 2024. 26(4) apps 5g 3a 

Jordan Okita: superfast left winger, did way better than he should. Think thats because the beta match engine wasnt balanced. 30 apss 22g 3a. Sold him for half a million after the first season. Can do a job low level eredivisie because of his speed but needs to be replaced. AML

Rangelo Janga, loannee. Maybe I shouldve bought him after the first season. Did well but had some injuries. 20(4) apps 14g 0a. 

 

Talented players:

Mathias de Wolf. Talented Belgian AMC. Never became a first 11 player in my save but becomes good enough for midtable Eredivisie level.

Roefs: 17yo GK, became my first gk in 23/24. One of the biggest talents at the club.

Joep van der Sluis. Good backup, never a starter for me because I am extremely biased against low determination players. 

 

Players to look out for/buy:

Asenele Velebhayi. Talented AMC, but it seems to vary a lot how good he is/becomes.

Joseph Baffo: DC, Halmstad. This guy will be free on 1/1/2021. Never renews his contract with Halmstad. Just a good, cheap DC that can do a job in the Eredivisie for 1 or 2 seasons.

Wouter Burger: pretty good MC to get on loan if you manage to get promoted.

Sven van Beek. Free after 1st season, might not want to join you even after promotion. Injury prone.

Lazar Tufegdzic: versatile MC, got him for 68k. Also bought him in other saves. Eredivisie level but nothing special.

Mulatierri: Italian striker. Never did this but should have loaned him from Inter. Very wellrounded.

Federico Bonini: young Italian DC, got him for 76k in 21/22. First team player since the start. 

 

Things I shouldve done differently: the strikers I bought werent great and werent fast enough. I didnt sign Janga after the first season. Maybe I should have because none of my strikers scored enough. 

edit: i just started a new NEC save and there are some differences between players with my earlier save. Mainly in terms of determination. So in your save Van der Sluis might be better than Sellouf or Tavsan. 

Great post

I'm only 3 games into the season atm but won all 3 and starting to play some decent football. on FM20 I played as Cambuur and got them promoted and then to a 9th place finish so I'm hoping for a similar sort of journey this year with NEC.

Joep van der Sluijs has been a nice surprise for me so far - only early days but I think I got a bit lucky with him stat wise as he's been performing above expectations.

[3rik]

4th season is over and it's a double again! The Eredivisie sorted itself when Ajax form dipped and we was knocked out of Europe. Europe is still something were whe have not been good att all. The offensive tactic is not well balanced there but no surprise. I choose to resign after the season as I felt that there not so much fun in staying and trying to poach to the few players we could get from BeNeLux. Those players could never replace Esposito, Diogo Leite, Nascimento etc. 



Esposito improved his scoring this year and ended with 29 goals in 32 matches. This means that he ended on a total of 107 goals in 112 matches in total. Incredible. 



Soares got a knee injuri and missed half of the season. That was very boring for the save as well as he was my biggest star in works. It is probably going to mess with his physique unfortunatly.



Will upload some screens of the best players in spoiler section below. 

Spoiler

 

 

[AndyFromDonny]

Hi all, fair few seasons in playing as Breda (joined 2025).  Question I have, does the opportunity to present your own b team in the structure ever arise?  I'm finding it tough to loan out young players despite many being quite good thus stunting development.  Any ideas?

 

[Gungner]

After a previous save with Ajax, which lasted 4 seasons, I now want to return to the Netherlands... 

I'm thinking either Heerenveen or Groningen.