[FM21] Controlling the Center

[bpecanha]

"I like to play chess. Chess is more or less like football in some ways. You have a goal: to score in the opposite net. Or to deliver checkmate. But it's not that easy - you need to be alert to avoid counter-attacks. However, there is a way to get, at least, a little bit of superiority: control the center. 

It's easy: if you have enough pieces in the center of the board, it will be easier to fight your opponent. If you have enough players in the center of the pitch, you won't take the risk of seeing you Assistant Manager say "we're being seriously overrun in midfield". And you will be more capable to neutralize your opponent. So why would anyone employ tactics with three or four players in the midfield? Guardiola, Fergie, Klopp... they're all in the past. I heard football developed from 7 men in front to what we have today. What a bunch of dumb people."

Meet Vassily Sokolov, a former Russian chess player who never made it at the highest level. "I'm a good chess player, but theory in the game is already developed by computers and all. I want more", he said. So he went to football. And he's going to manage in countries where chess is a passion - of course, football is way bigger, but those places are the best in terms of talent. And he wants to make a statement.

Sokolov presented his ideas to the Russian specialized media in a powerpoint: "This, boys, this is how football should work. Look. Eight players in the midfield. Look how we are going to strangle them in defence. This is pure magic. Wait and see", he said. One reporter asked him what would he do if his team started to be pressed: "We sub off the striker and replace him with a centre back. There is enough depth in midfield to cope", Vassily answered.

Vassily Sokolov still unemployed and searching for the first mad team to give him a chance. However, there is always a scared club looking to change their fortunes. From now on, he'll tell his story. Let's hope it will end well.

[bpecanha]

Azerbaijan, home of Mamedyarov, the 8th best chess player in the world. There is also Radjabov, in 10th, and so many other great names. And now it's also my home. I'm going to the city of Tovuz, where the managerial seat of Turan awaits for me. The board wanted me to fight for a mid-table position, but the media sees us as the best club in the First League, the second division. So why shouldn't I believe that we can win the league?

i don't have a clue about how transfers work, but the chairman said there's this guy called Iman Hesenov who's going to take care of contracts and players. Don't know if I should trust this man, but I'm going to do it anyway, that's my only option.

They showed me the squad. I think it's great, hopefully we will develop the next Cristiano Ronaldo here. A lot of midfielders, maybe that's why they signed with me. I'm sure they saw my interview. I'm sure. By the way, I've been alerted that we need a striker. So Hesenov are going to bring me one, or he's fired.

There are ten clubs in the division, we are going to play everyone three times and the best team is promoted. Football rules are very straightforward compared to chess, I should say. Ah, the worst one is relegated, but I'm not worried about that.

[karanhsingh]

Wow interesting shape with one defender - keen to see how this works out for you! 

[abulezz]

Nice intro - what are your goals in the save?

[ToMexico!!]

Will give this a follow as someone who had a cracking save with Sumqayit on FM19. 

I guess the league rules are the same in terms of there's a limit in the amount of foreign players you can have?

[lupinho]

Really intriguing approach, can't wait to see more!

[bpecanha]

11 horas atrás, karanhsingh disse:

Wow interesting shape with one defender - keen to see how this works out for you! 

Obviously it will need some adjustments all the way, but let's see if it works out (or if Sokolov will be a huge failure). By the way, I won't stick only with this formation, but the idea is to always have at least six players in the midfield. Thanks for commenting!

10 horas atrás, abulezz disse:

Nice intro - what are your goals in the save?

I haven't set any goal, just try to develop and play with bigger clubs with this formation (or similar ones). Maybe reaching the hall of fame.

7 horas atrás, ToMexico!! disse:

Will give this a follow as someone who had a cracking save with Sumqayit on FM19. 

I guess the league rules are the same in terms of there's a limit in the amount of foreign players you can have?

I don't know how it was in FM19, but I'm allowed to sign 10 foreign players. Hope you enjoy the story!

7 horas atrás, lupinho disse:

Really intriguing approach, can't wait to see more!

I'm also curious to see how this is going to work, thanks for commenting!

[bpecanha]

Pre-season

My three first challenges were against lower league clubs. Someone will say that we have conceded three goals every match, but as long as we keep scoring more than four, I'm fine. In the first match, Samkir played with two strikers and scored twice in 20 minutes, so it was hard to correct. The other two matches were very easy, we had some big chances and should have scored more.

I'm learning how to position players in the pitch. Heard a lot about this so called 'Carrilero', I'm using them because I want my central midfielders to be like knights in chess. If they are well positioned in the board, with just one move, one decision, they can help to defend or attack almost everywhere.

Transfers

So like I said, I don't have a clue about transfers, I'm letting Hesenov take care of this. And I must say he's completely garbage. Look, the man has brought two players for our U20 squad and zero strikers. Really. I'm playing with this dude called Bayramov upfront because there is no other option. 

By the way, here they are: Elçin Mustafayev and Adil Abbasov (I'm going to play him at the right wing if he starts singing Dancing Queen).

[bpecanha]

Azeri Cup - 1st round

We have faced Azeri Premier League side Sabah and got knocked out after a 6-4 loss, but I'm pleased with how we played. They went to the first half winning 3-0, but Qasimov was on fire and scored a hat-trick to take us into extra time. However, they have employed a 4-3-3 formation who brought us a lot of problems combined with our poor fitness levels after 90 minutes of constant pressing, who costed us three more gols in 15 minutes. Suleymanov pulled one back eventually, but it wasn't enough.

And again we have scored four, but they were good enough to score six. Congratulations to them, we are going to do better against the boys in our league, that's for sure.