[FM22] Matryoshka

[_Ben_]

(End) February 2038

Another slightly shorter one with just two games to update on but two wonderful performances as we keep pace with Feyenoord above us.

In terms of players, I was sadly unable to agree terms with Danilo Duarte as he insisted on more than double the wages of my next top earner. However, wages were not a problem as I wrapped up the Benjamin Kokora deal, in what I hope will be an absolute steal at full back. My loanees are still performing really well with me often dropping in to NAC and Roda games to keep an eye on them: a place that Pander will likely stay at should they not earn promotion this year.

Lastly comes a wonderful table that can only be found in the stat pack against the next opposition but is really important:

I love these kinds of things because it starts to bring together match strategies and allows us to work on weaknesses. Clearly, from this, I need to improve against teams in the bottom half - with five draws considered to be dropped points. However, the biggest thing is the fact that we've never won when going behind. Granted, this isn't a huge amount of games but still something that I really need to sort out.

---

A really pleasing victory coming off the back of two draws but, longer term, there is much to be learnt from this kind of game. As I alluded to, our record, particularly with draws, against teams in the bottom half, isn't great and Vitesse - in that bracket - nearly did the same to us. You can see, from this pass map graphic above, that, against teams who just sit back against us, we can end up with a very ineffective shape. We end up holding the ball for too long in the defensive or middle third and, by that time, all of the running has happened. This leaves us with all of our offensive players in a line and outnumbered by their defensive players. Again, this is a match by match thing that I really need to work through, identifying those triggers early on and overcoming. In this case, we were somewhat lucky, but I'm not going to write any kind of complaints about getting three points when my tenure here has been beset with far too many draws.

Some moans in the last game but absolutely perfect here. A convincing win with a tactical victory and two goals for an academy graduate who is getting game time in order to assist in my decision making for next season.

Excelsior play a pretty standard 4-4-2 so my plan was to push both wingers onto their inside feet and also change the defensive width to as wide as possible, cutting off those crossing opportunities. With two against two in midfield, I went tight on them, even though mine very offensive but this is something that I've utilised in the past to good impact. Keeping on the Tight Marking from the staff feedback a month or so back has been a great addition as we are regularly seeing the feedback of not allowing many touches in our box. Again - it's these little tweaks that make these wins super pleasing!

[Jtomsett11]

1 hour ago, _Ben_ said:

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my ramblings!

I have spent much of my 'FM career' as you have in your Jersey save, using the instant result. I sincerely hope that none of my posts about that past come off as patronising or undermining the ability of FM players who play like that, but I've really found another gear in terms of FM play and really enjoy it. Having a forum like this where I can literally air my thoughts and learnings is great and I'm privileged to sit and reply to people who enjoy reading that!

Not at all patronising, you've made it clear that you are now enjoying this new style of play without disparaging any other styles!

[rich ruzzian]

Against the bottom half teams it seems that your squad is not really pushing to get more goals and then somehow you conceed when you are upfront. The games when conceding first and then in the end a draw, are they againt the bottom half or the top half? 

[FiftyBeforeThirty]

Having a gander at this thread daily is like topping the car up with fuel for free - insane the amount of work you put both into the game, the analysis and the subsequent content and it is riveting as well as thoroughly enjoyable while immeasurably enlightening. As someone who has always wanted to "go deeper" it's a rocket in the rectum and gives so many little ideas for ways to begin to incorporate the statistics and analysis hidden behind a tab that's never used. I love it - so much! Thank you  

[_Ben_]

2 hours ago, rich ruzzian said:

Against the bottom half teams it seems that your squad is not really pushing to get more goals and then somehow you conceed when you are upfront. The games when conceding first and then in the end a draw, are they againt the bottom half or the top half? 

I love that question and wanted to really dig into to see what I could find. For reference, below are the draws we've had this season and here is the table right now.

However, the issue with that stat I posted is that it counts the results from the time we played them meaning that, there are only actually two teams that are currently in the bottom half. Whilst that shows us how wonderful our football has been against the weaker teams, it also makes the analysis more difficult.

Here is the xG match story of our defeat to ADO Den Haag and the draw against Vitesse:

In pure xG terms, we didn't deserve to not win either but there are clear areas where we just have a bad time. In the first game, that comes for nearly forty minutes mid match period. Sadly, it's too far back to be able to dig any deeper to find out what happened. Against Vitesse, we've had a succession of low quality shots across the game but, once we finally score, we just seem to have given up. It's almost like we've huffed and puffed so much that we had nothing left once we got the equaliser.

Whilst I've not really been able to answer your question, it has really opened up a thought process that I can use going forward - so thanks for that!

[_Ben_]

2 hours ago, FiftyBeforeThirty said:

Having a gander at this thread daily is like topping the car up with fuel for free - insane the amount of work you put both into the game, the analysis and the subsequent content and it is riveting as well as thoroughly enjoyable while immeasurably enlightening. As someone who has always wanted to "go deeper" it's a rocket in the rectum and gives so many little ideas for ways to begin to incorporate the statistics and analysis hidden behind a tab that's never used. I love it - so much! Thank you  

Thank you so much! Posters like @SixPointer and @13th Man have been of huge inspiration to writing these more tactically based posts because, as you can probably see, my background (outside of FM) is more of data and data analysis so it's much easier for me to port those skills into the game and explain my processes.

I, too, did not know that the Data Hub even had that tab until, probably, the off-season break in this game. Now it's my go-to and, with the Next Opposition tab (which I've been writing more about given that I'm about to play against PSV), it's probably become my most important and used area - giving me that extra feedback from what I see during the games.

[rich ruzzian]

1 hour ago, _Ben_ said:

I love that question and wanted to really dig into to see what I could find. For reference, below are the draws we've had this season and here is the table right now.

However, the issue with that stat I posted is that it counts the results from the time we played them meaning that, there are only actually two teams that are currently in the bottom half. Whilst that shows us how wonderful our football has been against the weaker teams, it also makes the analysis more difficult.

Her.

Whilst I've not really been able to answer your question, it has really opened up a thought process that I can use going forward - so thanks for that!

Hmm, the data seems flawed then. Cause i would think it shows you the results against the actual position. It is not that dynamic  it seems. And maybe the problem is not as big as i (and maybe you) thought. Looking at the table you posted the most draws are against top half teams. 

What could be interesting and maybe worth investigate is if the teams you draw against are taking most of there points home or away. 50% of them are away. And home is a draw against Feyenoord and Ajax who both are strong teams. 

This opens up a whole new level of investigation. 

Edited July 29, 2022 by rich ruzzian

[SixPointer]

3 hours ago, _Ben_ said:

Thank you so much! Posters like @SixPointer and @13th Man have been of huge inspiration to writing these more tactically based posts because, as you can probably see, my background (outside of FM) is more of data and data analysis so it's much easier for me to port those skills into the game and explain my processes.

I, too, did not know that the Data Hub even had that tab until, probably, the off-season break in this game. Now it's my go-to and, with the Next Opposition tab (which I've been writing more about given that I'm about to play against PSV), it's probably become my most important and used area - giving me that extra feedback from what I see during the games.

Nice to see I tactically inspire, someone who i consider to be one of the very best writers. Probably my favourite of career updates.

suppose it’s what it’s about I’ve been driven towards stats and recruitment strategy from your posts.

both taking bits from each other’s favourite parts of the game is why the forum is so good. 

[_Ben_]

4 hours ago, rich ruzzian said:

Hmm, the data seems flawed then. Cause i would think it shows you the results against the actual position. It is not that dynamic  it seems

Yeah - it must record that with the position they are in when they play the game. Just makes the analysis a little more complex...

4 hours ago, rich ruzzian said:

What could be interesting and maybe worth investigate is if the teams you draw against are taking most of there points home or away. 50% of them are away. And home is a draw against Feyenoord and Ajax who both are strong teams. 

Absolutely would be good to look at! It hasn't taken much time to put together but is pretty strong in what it shows (the opposition's home record is on the left and away is on the right):

Essentially, we're dropping points to teams who, maybe Vitesse away aside, who are performing well at either at home or on the road. Just another thing that goes to show that we've had a really strong season!

[_Ben_]

2 hours ago, SixPointer said:

Nice to see I tactically inspire, someone who i consider to be one of the very best writers. Probably my favourite of career updates.

suppose it’s what it’s about I’ve been driven towards stats and recruitment strategy from your posts.

Appreciate it!

[SixPointer]

I love the little table as well showing where an when you’ve dropped points. Very good for tracking patterns! 

[_Ben_]

14 minutes ago, SixPointer said:

I love the little table as well showing where an when you’ve dropped points. Very good for tracking patterns! 

You can find it in Data Hub > Next Opposition > Stat Pack. Obviously, the other half is their data, which is why I ported that bit to Excel. 

[SixPointer]

6 hours ago, _Ben_ said:

You can find it in Data Hub > Next Opposition > Stat Pack. Obviously, the other half is their data, which is why I ported that bit to Excel. 

Thanks for the tip! 

[_Ben_]

March 2038

I am simply running out of superlatives for this side. Three games, three wings, eight goals, zero conceded. A rare Feyenoord slip up and we're in second place. The gap back to PSV sits at twelve points with six games to go. Dare I dream of the Champions League?!

----

FC Groningen 4-0 Fortuna Sittard

Domination.

It seems a world a way from last year where, on occasions, we'd put up xGs similar to this yet score just once. We ran riot against poor Sittard, who tried to sit back against us. Again, the choice of full backs, Couto on the left so he'd cut in and hopefully play more diagonal balls forward, was key as he was named man of the match. I was very happy to see another goal for Escalona, who, essentially, is playing to decide whether he'll be here as a backup or out on loan next year. All in all, a routine win but one that adds a little more bit of joy to what is already a wonderful season.

PSV Eindhoven 0-1 FC Groningen

In preparation for the biggest game of the season - albeit one that I won 5-0 last time out - I've spent a fair bit of time looking at what PSV might bring. Last time, they were very open in a 4-4-2 shape but look like they're going to play a 4-2-3-1 this time out. Looking through their stats (and, please, advise me if you see something I've missed), I would say that they're likely to be working the ball into the box with such a high number of possession actions in the opponents half but will look to control the game from the middle, presumably with a deeper playmaker. I think that there is a clear area to exploit and it's cleverly worded in the stat pack - they defend well down our left because they do not down their left. Mohammed Oulhaj plays as a CWB and seems to (from their last game) link well high up the pitch with their winger, who, himself, doesn't seem to offer much in terms of cover and support. 

To counter these threats my plan is above.

I've pulled the wide men back to make us a little more compact, as I did against Ajax and Feyenoord away and also instructed them to mark the opposition full backs. Furthermore, I've decided to defend wider as both wingers are weak on their inside feet and I want to push them centrally, restricting the space for their own attacking midfielder. But, to counter their threats I've used a split mentality midfielder of a support and attack but, hopefully, the W(a) and Mez(s) will be able to exploit the spaces left by their marauding wing back. I've decided against using the focus play as I don't want us to become one dimensional, just use the numerical overload if possible. I keep harping on about these individual match tweaks but I just feel so much more confident doing it now and, also, feel like writing about them is only further validating my (whether right or wrong) thoughts.

It worked!

To take six points from the reigning champions in two games, scoring six and conceding none is amazing! Tactically, the game played out as I expected - as you can see here, there were times when doubling up on the left back led to promising chances but PSV - as you'd expect - came back with their own. Two bookable offences for their playmaker Sosa, a man I'd identified to mark tightly and trigger press, led to a bit of a sense of 'what if?' as we entered the final twenty. A huge chance went begging for them late on but we showed so much grit by going down the other end and Ter Burg netting a simple header at the back post from, you guessed it, a positional overload.

FC Groningen 3-0 Willem II

Saving our most complete victory until last.

Willem II didn't stand a chance against an in form, fit and happy team that I've currently got. Our defensive record of just eleven goals conceded this term is a great credit to the work put in on this area but we're now turning into a really dangerous attacking team, too. What is more - we have options off the bench; Cespedes didn't even start but managed to score and run riot in his thirty minutes, earning man of the match. Once again, the work of pushing certain players inside and others outside, as well as focusing intently on opposition instructions, is really showing it's importance as we essentially stifled them from doing anything of note offensively.

---

March also brings youth intake day, so here is the full intake and here are the key players, below:

    

(All images are clickable)

I am becoming more aware of why the Groningen team was full of academy players when I took over and am getting myself more and more acclimatised with the culture that we have here as this is the second fantastic youth intake in a row. The above crop, plus the likes of Wahid Samim, Fatawu and Hellemons all intrigue me and I will certainly immerse myself in their development. 

In Quaye, he'll need to get a bit taller (not that I can train that) but will also develop his Heading and hopefully Jumping Reach before looking to polish his ball playing skills. His current ability means that he's already good enough for my Jong team and will be moved to that team immediately. Kartal isn't the type of player I utilise at DM and doesn't really have the attributes to move elsewhere but he's a gifted playmaker and I'll look to develop that, possibly making him a centre back too - it won't work for us but could enhance a sell on fee for a team looking for that middle man in a three. Rocky (what I wonderful name) is a little short, too, but is nicely balanced for a keeper. I'm excited about managing Johnson's personality and, if he lives up to that, will try to utilise a hefty sell on clause early in his demands so I can cash in if he decides he's too big for us. Lastly, Timmermans is a really strong option at full back and could sit, nicely, behind Schuur in the coming years.

With that, in just two years, I've already been able to establish a squad whereby I already have pretty much a star and then a protégé in the youth team, as seen here: 

Further to this, with the arrival of Kokora in the summer and then the transfer of Verveer, a left footer, to right back, I should be able to steadily ease Couto out over the next three to four years (whether I am here for that long though is a different matter). Even this side leaves out the likes of Schaap, Kampman, Schrijver and Etim as well as Gregory Sharpe, who, at 19 is just considered a squad player, despite his accolades:

There's quality running deep through this team and, whilst the likes of Swager and Ostergard show that potential isn't something that every player will reach, we are putting ourselves, as a club, in a really strong position to dethrone Feyenoord and Ajax and have the means to stay there.

[Sonic Youth]

Hitting some good form at the business end of the season and looking a good ticket for your fans to watch 

That youth intake looks very midfield/defender heavy. What were you hoping for to come through? For a tall nation, that’s a reasonably short intake! Also, is that a couple of feeder club players?

Ajax unfortunately too far this season. It was curious though to see the breakdown of your draws, and then find out that it’s harder to read which part of the table they were against. That though is the place to concentrate on moving forward and your approach is definitely helping you get to this point (draws instead of losses, and I see wins instead of draws next step ).

Going to be an exciting finish to the season 

[SixPointer]

What a month!! Love the thinking behind your tweaks for PSV!

The green men in the Noord are going to Europe!

[_Ben_]

1 hour ago, Sonic Youth said:

Hitting some good form at the business end of the season and looking a good ticket for your fans to watch 

Thanks!

Yeah, we're certainly dishing out some more of that attacking football that the board want. It's lovely to see, and, given that I'm still a regular at the Jong and U18 games, watch it through all levels of the club.

1 hour ago, Sonic Youth said:

That youth intake looks very midfield/defender heavy. What were you hoping for to come through? For a tall nation, that’s a reasonably short intake! Also, is that a couple of feeder club players?

No, none from feeders but just poached from other Dutch academies. I haven't had a single play in this entire career come from a youth feeder; it just feels like it's a myth! I'm quite happy with the distribution of players but, to be fair, did want to get some centre backs through. Quaye looks like the kind of player that'll be at Bayern or Chelsea in years to come: he could be insanely good.

1 hour ago, Sonic Youth said:

Ajax unfortunately too far this season. It was curious though to see the breakdown of your draws, and then find out that it’s harder to read which part of the table they were against. That though is the place to concentrate on moving forward and your approach is definitely helping you get to this point (draws instead of losses, and I see wins instead of draws next step ).

Going to be an exciting finish to the season 

Yeah - I was disappointed at the lack of usability with that and might request it to be developed into a table of when it happened and one for current (although that could easily be remedied with another two rows added).

Ajax are too far away but we have overachieved this season and/or it's been somewhat easier than I expected. I'm absolutely falling in love with this club but am aware that there is an end goal: Germany. I don't think I'm within two to three seasons of that move yet as, whilst we're making great progress, we're not a European heavyweight or league champion yet. But, as you say, the way to do that is to turn those draws into wins. I still cannot believe we've only lost once this season - and that was to relegation threatened ADO Den Haag!

[_Ben_]

31 minutes ago, SixPointer said:

What a month!! Love the thinking behind your tweaks for PSV!

The green men in the Noord are going to Europe!

As we've both said a few times - there is so much to be said about developing a wonderkid but that thrill of tactically getting it spot on is hard to beat! PSV are a really good side - you don't win the Eredivisie otherwise - and that was one that was a real battle of tactical attrition. No fluking or 'FMing' here!

I can't believe that some six hundred days ago, their manager had moved on, leaving them mid-table. Compare that to where we are now: infrastructure developments, huge team overhaul (with more to come in the summer), a clear pathway to the first team and then all what I've done with our style of play, it's just insane!

I can't lie that I'm sceptical about Europe and would much prefer to drop into the Europa league, but the finances will do us, in the long term, a world of good. In the short term, however, there'll need to be a huge restructure of club finances, with player wages probably being the biggest change over the summer and one that I won't really start my recruiting until is in place. This means that the saves at the end of this season - to utilise stats from the 2036/37 season and the 2037/38 season - are super useful!

[tyler16]

Fantastic progress, second has to be the aim now.

Quaye is amazing at 15. I can see him being the first choice right footed centerback you've been craving within a year's time.

[SixPointer]

3 hours ago, _Ben_ said:

As we've both said a few times - there is so much to be said about developing a wonderkid but that thrill of tactically getting it spot on is hard to beat! PSV are a really good side - you don't win the Eredivisie otherwise - and that was one that was a real battle of tactical attrition. No fluking or 'FMing' here!

I can't believe that some six hundred days ago, their manager had moved on, leaving them mid-table. Compare that to where we are now: infrastructure developments, huge team overhaul (with more to come in the summer), a clear pathway to the first team and then all what I've done with our style of play, it's just insane!

I can't lie that I'm sceptical about Europe and would much prefer to drop into the Europa league, but the finances will do us, in the long term, a world of good. In the short term, however, there'll need to be a huge restructure of club finances, with player wages probably being the biggest change over the summer and one that I won't really start my recruiting until is in place. This means that the saves at the end of this season - to utilise stats from the 2036/37 season and the 2037/38 season - are super useful!

Agreed, I’ve always been more inclined to enjoy those tactical battles and aspects. Hence why am so slow. Playing games on comprehensive will do that to a man 🤣

but the reward is unbelievable when it comes off. I have a good instances of it in tomorrow update. 
 

you’ve completely transformed the clubs fortunes. I love that clear pathway to the first team as well. That’s something I’m working on closely.

ahhhh saving for stats thats the one. I’ve always ended up losing the stats end of season and not having a way to track it etc.

Champions league money is tough to turn down but I know the feeling of the squad not being ready only too well! 

[_Ben_]

13 hours ago, tyler16 said:

Fantastic progress, second has to be the aim now.

Quaye is amazing at 15. I can see him being the first choice right footed centerback you've been craving within a year's time.

Second is the aim, yes, but we do have to go to Ajax in May and I have a feeling that it might be an important game for us and Feyenoord!

Quaye is ahead of everyone in terms of potential, as you can see here:

But I'll take his introduction nice and slow. The fact that he's already better than Bruneck and five years younger is telling!

[_Ben_]

11 hours ago, SixPointer said:

Agreed, I’ve always been more inclined to enjoy those tactical battles and aspects. Hence why am so slow. Playing games on comprehensive will do that to a man 🤣

but the reward is unbelievable when it comes off. I have a good instances of it in tomorrow update. 
 

you’ve completely transformed the clubs fortunes. I love that clear pathway to the first team as well. That’s something I’m working on closely.

ahhhh saving for stats thats the one. I’ve always ended up losing the stats end of season and not having a way to track it etc.

Champions league money is tough to turn down but I know the feeling of the squad not being ready only too well! 

It has felt a little easy at times, I must admit. On paper, we're no better than fifth or sixth but I've been able to get the upper hand tactically and squad building wise and that's really helped. 

I think next year will be a shock to the system though but one I need to spend a little bit of time preparing for!

[_Ben_]

April 2038

In a month whereby I extended my contract, welcomed the 2038 scholars and watched my Jong team perform valiantly in the International Cup before winning the Reserve Eredivisie title, we continue with our great progress towards European competition.

I must say that I'm loving the schedule here in Holland: the lack of a winter break means that there are a similar number of league fixtures per game and, with only one cup (which we've been knocked out of early, twice), we can really focus on the league play and not be overworked by a tough schedule.

---

Cambuur 0-4 FC Groningen

What I'm starting to appreciate a bit more is that when we are playing weaker teams and have those spells of dominance, that we are then putting the ball into the net. I've also experimented by playing Jonsson a little deeper in games like this as an extra bit of firepower and a better finisher than the rest: it worked this time as he netted twice. Another highly polished performance against a team that are really struggling to stay in this division.

FC Groningen 3-0 AZ Alkmaar

The stats on the right show just what a wondrous season this has been. It's hard to believe that we've not lost in 24 matches and that I've only lost twice this season when you add in the (unlucky) cup defeat to Ajax. It is - genuinely - a level that I didn't think we'd reach for several more seasons. 

Then we go and produce performances like this one. AZ are eighth in the league but, on that pitch, there looked to be divisions between the two of us. We let them play the game that we wanted them to play - huge amounts of possession between their backline but then picked them off, countered and looked dangerous in literally every attack. 3-0 didn't even flatter us and it's just so pleasing to watch when these things come off.

FC Groningen 0-0 ADO Den Haag

Our nemesis!

Even from the scout report, I knew that it'd be an interesting match up. ADO played a variation of the 5-3-2 that has two centre mids and two attacking mids behind one striker, meaning that I was forced to use the double pivot to give us the extra man. But what that does is really exacerbates the problem with just one forward against three defenders. I wonder whether a two man attack, or maybe even a strikerless shape to draw the defenders out, might be more useful going forward.

What this does, despite Feyenoord's draw, is, providing Feyenoord don't mess up again, making the tie against Ajax even more important. We're away and they'll be champions by then but that result is what will give us second or third I think.

---

My thoughts are slightly panicked however, as we edge nearer to summer and our pre-arranged deals look like this:

We're losing four important first team players and so far have just one replacement arriving. What is more, three of the players moving on represent this:

I'm ok with losing Team Leaders and they've been good in that they've accepted lower squad roles as the season has gone on meaning I've been able to blood younger players without having kick back from them for not getting game time. Each of them is now over 33 and, whilst that's not the issue, the decline in their attributes and outputs whilst on the pitch is.

Whilst we are now officially a Champions League team (although that may just be for two qualifying games), we still cannot really attract the quality of player that would move us to the next level and certainly cannot entertain the wages that the likes of Feyenoord, PSV and Ajax pay. Therefore, I need to continue being really smart with my transfer business. The deal to sign Kokora was just that - looking across Europe at full backs who excelled in dribbling and interceptions, two of the key metrics that I require there. By searching that way, I was able to find a man who excelled at those things whilst playing in a poor team. However, he is a key player for Chaves and that made the deal somewhat easier to justify.

My next step comes in finding value in those who are undervalued by their clubs.

The wording of that is slightly different to my previous one. Kokora is undervalued by FM - he's not been signed by a big AI club and isn't valued really highly by the game's system but is valued by Chaves, which is why he plays week in, week out for them. I'm talking about the likes of:

  

(Images are clickable)

Three players all offered to me by agents in the recruitment centre. Three players who I'd normally turn my nose up with a combined 7(7) appearances for their clubs this season. I can look back at Dao's performances last year for SPAL and see that the only reason he's listed is to meet registration rules: an error on their behalf I'm sure as he started 29 times last season. However, I need to go back three years in Outtara's history to find when he last played a full season and I know how much a player can change in that time. Even worse, Iqbal hasn't had a full season, ever, really. 

Yet I'm offered these players and my scouts are somehow picking up on them, with initial reports telling me that they're good enough for this level. 'Old me' would look at their attributes but that's not how I'm trying to recruit these days but I just cannot really see a way that I can recruit these players who aren't even appearing for their club's reserves teams. Extending this even further, I'm always using the filter of More than 1000 minutes to look for players, but that's completely missing out on those youngsters on the fringes of their first team.

I'd welcome any thoughts on this!

[tyler16]

I would personally ignore the trio of players you listed to stay consistent with your recruitment model.

Sometimes "house rules" are needed to preserve immersion and while players definitely can go without accumulating minutes IRL, they probably wouldn't wind up at a CL club on the merit of their attributes, since those would be a lot muddier than they are in FM.

Just my opinion!

[_Ben_]

2 hours ago, tyler16 said:

I would personally ignore the trio of players you listed to stay consistent with your recruitment model.

Sometimes "house rules" are needed to preserve immersion and while players definitely can go without accumulating minutes IRL, they probably wouldn't wind up at a CL club on the merit of their attributes, since those would be a lot muddier than they are in FM.

Just my opinion!

I'm in agreement, completely with this! @SixPointer alluded to something with his loan signings - if they've made a move to Real Madrid etc, they're going to be good as they'll have been scouted and watched by the best scouts in the world and, therefore, they can kind of sign, on merit, without the stats to back them up. But a St Pauli, Levante and SPAL player - probably not!

[_Ben_]

May 2038

The season is over and it's been magnificent. We end wind up in third place, four places above our finish last year but - probably for all fans other than Feyenoord fans - unlucky not to finish second. We can look back with so much pride over the course of the season: a 24 game unbeaten run of which we kept nine clean sheets and a 5-0 thrashing of PSV. We end the season with a ridiculous GA column of just 14, scoring 64 times - slightly under our xG for the second year in a row but the signs of progress are so clear to see.

I've decided to merge together the last month of fixtures as well as a deeper look into the stats of the players, so that I can keep my June update to solely recruitment stuff.

---

De Graafschaap 0-5 FC Groningen

What a win! However, I want to really dig into the play of Emile Escalona from this game, as he's becoming a really intriguing player to watch. In the screenshot, above, you can see all the passes that he received in that game; and interesting array and one that I think stems from the second and third player trait, as seen below.

At present, I'm using an AF(a) as my sole attacker but these traits really extend that role into something that is becoming quite unplayable from time to time. His scoring form towards the end of the season has been great and his job for next season is to cement himself as the number one, which would move Jonsson back to the middle of the midfield, a role that he can also play well.  In this shot here, he comes deep to lay the ball off, which is indictive of a DLF or even a F9 and you can see it again, here. Despite being an AF(a), he's playing at the same level as the wingers and centre mids, making him really difficult to mark. Yet, as seen here, he's still able to make darting runs across the defenders and onto the last man, scoring on this occasion as well as this one where a clever run took the defender out of the game, made easier by the presence of the centre mids. All in all, I think that these traits really alter the way that he plays, maybe turning him more to a CF but without the lateral roaming. I'm really excited to see what he can do as he continues to mature.

Whilst the win was comfortable, I am happy that another slight tactical tweak helped us along the way. De Graafschaap play really wide wingers so my plan was to push them inside, stopping their chances to cross. What is more - in a move I've made previously - like to switch the IWB so that their strongest feet are on the inside. When they are tight to the touchline, I feel that cutting back inside opens up a lot more in terms of opportunities to dribble and to play through balls. This clip here shows Schuur doing just that and playing a ball over the top that Jonsson finishes. It's the little things!

Ajax 2-0 FC Groningen

We gave it everything!

In the end, this may be the result that sees us drop to third, given that Feyenoord mustered up just enough to beat N.E.C 3-2 and leapfrog us but, if that's the case, we can finish third with our heads held high. An incredibly even game with an incredibly even xG score when you remove the sixth minute penalty that we conceded. I'm always going to say that it's a harsh decision but when it get checked by VAR following a 'that looked harsh' commentary line - I think it adds to my point! Giving a possession hungry team an early lead and with us being away from home was the nightmare start but we kept at it and created some really good chances following the early move to push the wide men back into the winger strata. Eventually, our attacking threat led to our demise as we were caught a little short on the back and they slotted in from a well worked move.

FC Groningen 1-1 Go Ahead Eagles

The curse has not been broken. We still are yet to win a game this season after going behind. We huffed and puffed and took a stupid number of low xG shots as well as a handful of really, really good chances but we couldn't beat the Go Ahead keeper more than once.

A bit of a nothing game as soon as Feyenoord raced into a 2-0 lead at Excelsior but still not a damper on the season we've had.

---

With so much focus on the tactical and team performances this season, I want to really dig into some player metrics and, to assist with that, I've put together a little bit of analysis that looks at some key, personalised, metrics as well as a comparative look at players of a similar level. This is a little subjective but I've taken players of different areas (defenders, midfielders and attackers) from the top seven leagues (Big 5 plus Portugal and Holland) to create some kind of target for each area. Whilst this isn't set in stone and is really dependent on team styles, it's a good benchmark for where we want to be at. It will be something that develops - as you can see, there are gaps to separate the areas that these players play and I might narrow it down even further to compare DMs with DMs, for example but, for now, these numbers will work.

For clarity, I've borrowed a fair few things from @FMStag's wonderful work here. 

• Defensive success rate is an average of their headers and tackles won. Whilst it's not weighted to the number of each completed, it's a decent idea of who is good at those areas.
• Key defensive actions is, as you'd guess, a total of Key Headers and Key Tackles, per 90 minutes.
• Key Pass % is the number of passes attempted that turned into key passes.
• Creative efficiency is the number of passes a player attempted that turned into chances. There is a small nuance between this and key pass percentage, purposely.
• Conversion rate is goals divided by total shots.
• Attacking contribution is dribbles, key passes, chances, non pen goals, non pen shot xG and G+A - all per/90 metrics - added together.
• Defensive contribution is interceptions, headers and tackles - again, all per/90 - added together.
• Overall is then the sum of those two, which is then ranked to the right.
• The highlights represent: green - the fiftieth percentile of players from that area of the pitch and blue - the ninetieth percentile. 

What this shows is that we are both really well suited for the style I want and also performing really really well!

My aim is to progress the ball quickly, take risks with our passes and be clinical with our forward play in an almost total football approach, merging goal scoring opportunities between centre mids, wingers and forwards. Both Couto and Schuur have put up excellent numbers of Interceptions but also Dribbles too. They are both in the top 10% of the Big 7 players for Key Pass % and Creative Efficiency, which is even more fantastic when you consider that this area is being compared with midfielders, as opposed to full backs (as that was too much hassle for this initial trial). Considering that Konte is not a set piece taker, his key passes and creative efficiency is absolutely insane but, as it is with marginal gains, my plan is to work on his defensive contributions, bringing him more in to line with the others. Nearly one goal contribution a game for Bouma is world class and even better considering that he used pre-season to play himself into my plans. I have been most impressed with Jay ter Burg who, after a couple of posts about his conversion rate, has really buckled down and ends with sixteen goal contributions, at 0.63 per 90 minutes. Escalona's end of season form has put him up there as a strong attacker, usurping Gregory Sharpe, who has disappointed somewhat on his first season in Europe.

Breaking it down a little further, I want to dig into a couple of individuals - clicking on the polygon gives you a link to their profile:

It's never easy to replace a goalkeeper, especially not in mid-season, however that is what I did and I have been so impressed by the performances of Leino. I wanted someone who could command the area a bit better and was also handy with their feet, enabling us to start counters with his distribution. Whilst, as a team, we don't concede a huge amount of xG per game, Christian has, time and time again, made wonderful saves and preserved his clean sheet. An absolute steal at €550k.

It's always a great feeling when you have a player that you earmark for a backup become a really strong member of the team. Whilst I have confirmed the signing of Kokora, he will have to displace Marco from the side based on his fantastic performances across the year. Whilst Schuur has the attribute balance that I would expect could give him these types of returns, Couto is a steady, well-rounded, experienced pro and has performed exactly what I've wanted him to do, without moaning or getting upset at all. Eight goal contributions, over 2.2 key passes/90, nearly 3.0 dribbles a game and a golden chance created about every two games. This is the reason why I love to look for undervalued and underused players: I can categorically say he wouldn't be doing this in the second tier at Twente.

Another new face for the summer and one that, as the year has gone on, I've relied upon more and more. I had some concerns about fielding two left footed centre backs together but he and de Wit have formed a great partnership at centre back. Whilst a lot more of his defending (than de Wit anyway) has been clearances (12.23 to 9.12 per/90), he's matched him for Interceptions. At 6'4" tall, I'd like him to be more of a threat from corners as he's failed to find the net this season from a total of 1.73xG but, as defending goes, he's been pretty fantastic.

The data viz above also doubles as a mass player search and, through that, I was notified that two of the top three players in the Big 7 for Creative Efficiency are mine, with Jordi Thijssen - of Excelsior - being the third. If I'm being honest, these are the kind of numbers I wanted from my Chilean, who has somewhat underperformed this season. The red flags are there though: poor Work Rate doesn't do too well in a team that has to hustle hard up and down the pitch, poor Finishing doesn't work when your inside forwards are relied upon to get in at the back post or through the half space and poor Teamwork doesn't work when you've got a specific set of instructions to follow. Even more concerning is that, at just 20, he should be relishing his time at our facilities, developing and progressing as he performs but he just hasn't. He's moaned at training and made no progress off the pitch. I know the role can work as Jay ter Burg has played quite well in it so I'm happy to persevere with Ariel but he really needs a strong start to next season.

---

It's been a truly wonderful season and I hope that's been reflected in how I've posted and how engaged I've been with trying to make it an enjoyable read for all! It's certainly been my favourite ever season in any FM game.

The summer will be fun for us as we look to strengthen in a few areas that will make us competitive in Europe and hopefully challenge Feyenoord again for that second spot. I then also have to manage the transition to a new set of team leaders, a new captain and vice captain and a much younger, less experienced squad plus dealing with any transfer bids that do come in for my players.

[_Ben_]

I've just looked back at the last two pages and, if you needed any further confirmation that I'm invested here, have a look at this:

That's just the monthly posts by me from July 2037 to May 2038.

[SixPointer]

Great progressive season, your ability to un lock performances from undervalued or un fancied players is something else.

Style of play stats are what I’ve come to expect, those incisive passes. Not holding onto the ball to shift the opponent but striking them in transition. While remaining unbelievably solid at the back, phenomenal numbers.

While it’s direct, i don’t see it pure counter attacking football. It’s a hybrid as your movement patterns are a lot more complex than everyone just committing to space. Players know where and when to go into space.

looking forward to your recruitment drive as your prepare for potential champions league football.  

[_Ben_]

9 hours ago, SixPointer said:

Great progressive season, your ability to un lock performances from undervalued or un fancied players is something else.

Style of play stats are what I’ve come to expect, those incisive passes. Not holding onto the ball to shift the opponent but striking them in transition. While remaining unbelievably solid at the back, phenomenal numbers.

While it’s direct, i don’t see it pure counter attacking football. It’s a hybrid as your movement patterns are a lot more complex than everyone just committing to space. Players know where and when to go into space.

looking forward to your recruitment drive as your prepare for potential champions league football.  

Thank you!

I really don't know what to call my style and, with modern life meaning I watch probably 20% of the football I did in my childhood and teens, I really don't know who I could say it's comparable too. It certainly has that positional play ideology of Pep but the passing and, most importantly, the defensive structure, is nothing like Pep's style.

Recruitment is coming along nicely and, again, I'm going for players who are statistically doing well - hoping to blow some minds in Europe with a cheaply constructed and undervalued squad!

[_Ben_]

(Early) June 2038

As I said, all recruitment and a lot of what I'm going to be doing here is just gathering names and creating some statistical analysis. My plan is to then use the DoF lists to create priorities for the signings in terms of what I'm willing to pay etc. I feel that giving the DoF a list of 'I have x number of targets, do your best' is a really realistic option to use.

To reuse an old image, my confirmed deals are as follows:

That means that the areas I'm looking to recruit are:

• Goalkeeper - to allow Ikeda to move on in order to maintain a starting spot in the Japan team.
• Left Back - ideally a backup for Schuur and an older player as Timmermans is promising in the U18 squad.
• Centre Back - Rotational option good enough for a couple of years until Quaye is ready for first team football.
• Centre Back - Older, short term option so that Bruneck can spend another year out on loan.
• Central Midfielder - Older, shorter term option so that Pander can spend another year out on loan.
• Winger - if the opportunity arises to move either Cespedes or Sharpe for profit comes about.

With my new statistical tool, I'm able to see who's performing really well in comparison with the averages from the big leagues. Therefore, my first port of call was to scour the relegated teams from the top flights: Blackburn, Nottm Forest, Middlesbrough, St Pauli, Fortuna Düsseldorf, Deportivo de La Coruña, Almería, Rayo Vallecano, Cagliari, Monza, Crotone, Stade Brestois 29, Valenciennes FC, Paços de Ferreira and Arouca, to see what players I could see that stood out:

  

(As always, all thumbnails throughout the post are clickable)

I've got a potential left back here in Pavlovic, who, as I recall, wasn't awful as we routed De Graafschaap twice this season. 2.75 dribbles and 2.43 interceptions per 90 is a really strong output for a player who will have been stuck defending resolutely for the majority of the season. Majostorovic looks to be a decent ball playing defender but there are worries, from what I can already see, about his actual defending skills - but does come with 70%+ in both header and tackle completion and nearly three interceptions per game. Bernard looks an interesting, two-footed, high-flair option, who creates a clear cut chance every five games but 1.23 key passes per 90.

These will be added to the shortlists as I get scout reports, hoping that they'll match up with the good statistical outputs.

----

I've also been able to use the normal statistical-based searching to uncover these players:

Centre Back:

Ten goals from 9.37 xG is an unreal return for a centre half but, more importantly, both tackle and header completion are above 70% and he's hitting more than 3.5 interceptions per 90, on a par with De Wit. He's also spent two seasons at this level with Twente before their relegation but wants to move on after they've failed to come straight back up: meaning he should be quite an easy steal if I want him. Early indicators tell me he's potentially a good leader and that's something I think we can benefit from, too.

Central Midfield:

  

Zhang has created 1.06 clear cut chances per game for PEC Zwolle in the second and Krajnc, despite playing his entire career in Slovenia, has twenty-five goal contributions in thirty-two games, also creating 0.99 clear cut chances per game. It's not a flash in the pan for Rok though as he has 93 goal contributions in his career and a handy career average rating. Dariusz is more of a dribbler than a creator - although has over 1.5 key passes/90 and 0.5 chances created/90 - and has recorded nearly 3.5 dribbles/90, far exceeding my own central midfielders, although I believe this will be due to where he is played on the pitch.

With four players identified and the scouting and analysis process beginning, I can create this:

It's a priority group for my DoF and I've stipulated the fact that I want a squad player who isn't breaking the bank in terms of wages and also isn't a record signing. I also really like how the six dots on the right of the name mean that I can change the order should new things come to light and I feel that Dariusz maybe isn't the best option for the club. This player group, as you can see from the ages I'm identifying, is a player who'll likely be here for a short term, until Thijs Pander is ready for the first team but has enough left in his legs that he may command a fee.

I've ensured that these are On Hold until I have finalised reports with 100% knowledge, knowing that I'm not in a rush really, as I've done the hardest part of this process. 

[Sonic Youth]

So good team/position/transfer analysis in your last couple of posts 

I really like the squad breakdown table. Would include a top score add to that table as a second comparative statistical marker of what the top player (passes eye test) has? Or not relevant?

I like how your keeping us hanging on your top Central Midfield target 

It’s curious how the players you end up with from your statistical approach aren’t what you’d typically look for if searching by skill levels. It’s bringing a different dynamic to your save.

[rich ruzzian]

The suspense is killing. Which one will it be. 

[_Ben_]

June 2038

Firstly, some outgoings: Thijs Pander extends his loan at NAC (how weird that it says he trains with us still - never seen this before?) and Koji Kawanami joins PEC Zwolle, another title chaser in the second tier. Both of these are year long loans with a view to them returning to the first team.

A loan may be explored for Alfred Asante but, like Bouma last summer, he has the pre-season to impress me and earn his place in the first team.

---

Next, the incomings so far...

(Full profile on click of thumbnail and link to my statistical analysis in Excel on the logo next to it)

  

Area of recruitment: Central Midfielder - Older, shorter term option so that Pander can spend another year out on loan. ✔

As soon as I was made aware of an old release clause to clubs in continental competitions - of just €1.7m - I knew that Dariusz was the man. I kept the priority list there but only started the deal for him, leaving the others on hold, almost forcing me to re-negotiate if I had any issues initially. However, a deal was quickly negotiated with squad status and wages inside the parameters I set and I think that I've really got a great player here. After spending much of his early career in the second team at Mainz, a €450k move brought him to the Eredivisie and Twente where he went on to score twenty-seven times and assist twenty further goals in 121 league games. He was part of their squad that was relegated in the summer of 2037 but was never sold. In the Eerste Division, he's excelled: eighteen goal involvements and inside the top 10% in the division for dribbles per/90, xG per 90, shots on target/90 and goals/90 across all midfielders. Those kind of numbers would be synonymous with somehow who plays as a #10 or a winger but, no, Dariusz has mainly played as a central midfielder for Twente and his possession stats show strength there, too.

What I like most is that he brings a bit of variety to my midfield. Initially thought of as more of a carrier, he's actually the best passer, by numbers, too. I'm really excited to have him on board and think that he'll really surprise people with his performances this year.

---

 

Area of recruitment: Centre Back - Rotational option good enough for a couple of years until Quaye is ready for first team football.  ✔

Again, a deal was negotiated by Tyrick Volkers, with us paying Twente €1.6m for the services of Pihl. I wanted to move early, knowing that I want two defenders and, realistically, he could fit in as either the rotational option or someone who does take more of a backup role. The fee was a little steeper than I wanted at this point, considering that I've yet to receive any European prize money but I've got myself a solid option in defence who has enough Natural Fitness to keep going for a while longer. Looking at his statistics from last year, he's proved a good option from corners too - and that's obviously an area of marginal gains that I want to focus on.

He's a little uninspiring, I get that, but is a pretty solid player who'll hopefully serve us well.

---

 

Area of recruitment: Left Back - ideally a backup for Schuur and an older player as Timmermans is promising in the U18 squad. ✔

A deal was quickly thrashed out thanks to Tyrick once more and I must say that, compared to Couto and Schuur, he's not a million miles off. For a player at a club that has been relegated from the top flight, I must say that his statistical output is phenomenal: top 10% of all full backs for dribbling, which is on a par with my own and then a great cross success rate, which is odd considering that's something he doesn't naturally excel at. I'm hoping that there is a blurred line between a cross and a cross-field ball - which we certainly utilise from our full backs. Not very strong in the air either but, otherwise, has good defensive stats.

For the price, this was a no-brainer for me. He, although slightly lower in quality, has a good skillset that matches with my other full backs and I think he'll do well given the chances.

---

I fully appreciate that these aren't exactly marquee signings and are probably quite uninspiring signings for a new-to-Champions League side but until we've had a year of money and until we've experienced these games, ramping up our reputation, we really are quite short on options. What is more, this save has been built around statistical analysis and the overperformance of undervalued players (without calling it moneyball!) and I really think that these three, Szkudlarek especially, are proponents of that style of recruiting and will come good for us.

From the pessimist side - what if we fail in Europe? Well, we've replaced four players who have barely featured for us with three (plus Kokora to come) who are, statistically better and, attribute wise, probably on a level playing field. Therefore, a finish of anywhere between 2nd to 4th, given how we've spent and awaiting much more excessive spending from the other sides, would be a perfect show of steady, well planned growth.

I'll review any further signings and the pre-season as time goes on.

[rich ruzzian]

Skudlarek almost seems a typish poor mans Frenkie de Jong  bal carrier. 

The German back would never be my pick, (the attributes way of looking for players in FM) but the stats output he has, shows i could be wrong.  

Edited August 2, 2022 by rich ruzzian

[tyler16]

Not the most exciting signings as you alluded to but incredibly realistic and strengthens the squad on all fronts. Really enjoy that you have shorter term options in mind as you loan out the academy players, making sure they come in at the right time.

[_Ben_]

2 hours ago, tyler16 said:

Not the most exciting signings as you alluded to but incredibly realistic and strengthens the squad on all fronts. Really enjoy that you have shorter term options in mind as you loan out the academy players, making sure they come in at the right time.

Does this data from the Eredivisie give you any more excitement?

I don't think the Sharpe experiment quite worked but I didn't expect this when I offered him out...

[_Ben_]

3 hours ago, rich ruzzian said:

The German back would never be my pick, (the attributes way of looking for players in FM) but the stats output he has, shows i could be wrong.  

I agree, actually! That’s what makes this experience all the more fun. I had doubts over Couto - with similar stats - last summer and he proved me wrong so I’m hoping this might happen again. 

[SixPointer]

Wise decision not throwing money at a potential first year in the UCL. Smart recruitment (as always) and will provide a better chance of achieving sustainability and the long term vision. 

[_Ben_]

8 hours ago, SixPointer said:

Wise decision not throwing money at a potential first year in the UCL. Smart recruitment (as always) and will provide a better chance of achieving sustainability and the long term vision. 

Yeah, absolutely.

The money wasn't really there at the point of making these signings simply based on the fact that we didn't have a progressive, young squad that held it's value. I managed to scrape funds together and the €19m for Sebwe last summer bankrolled the season, covering debts and wage bills. However, now the majority of the players within the club are my signings, I think that the focus continues to shift towards playing who will either hold their value or increase in value. A little spoiler but that is exactly what Gregory Sharpe has done.

[_Ben_]

(Early) July 2038

A record signing and record departure on the same day...

   

(Images are clickable to show player profiles)

As I have said a few times across the course of the season - Gregory Sharpe was essentially a round peg that I wanted to fit into a square hole. He won't be the scapegoat here as it was my choice to sign a pacey striker and try and convert him to a number of - not necessarily finisher friendly - roles across the season but, to be honest and frank, he was the weakest member of the first team last season. Now, at 18 and coming in from the not-so-highly thought after Jamaican league without speaking a word of Dutch, I could have foreseen a slow start and steady growth as time goes on. However, that time won't come as Pumas complete on a deal making him the most expensive Liga MX transfer ever, by some margin, too.

Now, why have they paid that much money for a player with little career history? Probably because Gregory is an already an established international with a great track record and a player who has shown that he has the potential to play at the highest level. His seven goal contributions last season put him level with Cespedes and ahead of Neira, which is no mean feat considering that he'd played quite a lot less minutes.

The €16.5m upfront also gave me an opportunity to dive into the market as - like I've alluded to previously - it was the first time we actually had any money free from a sellable asset that wouldn't hugely diminish the quality of the first team.

You have to feel a bit for Excelsior and Ramón Costa, but I've got my man!

At 50% of the Sharpe sale and a straight, up-front offer that met his clause, I (by 'I', I mean my DoF, Tyrick Volkers) has picked up another signing and this one could that marquee, inspirational signing that my recruitment so far has probably missed. Before I discuss any of his attributes and how I want him to play and develop, I need to share the statistical analysis that made this signing an absolute no-brainer. Clicking the above thumbnails below takes you to the breakdown of Thijssen's stats compared against other Eredivisie wingers and then compared against other wingers from the Top 7 (England, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Netherlands, Russia) leagues:

   

Essentially, and regardless of any of his attributes, what you have got here is simply the best ball carrier in Europe - better than every single elite player and Ballon D'Or contender. Little old Excelsior (who, famously, produced Iljas Zherabyatjev for me too) have got the best best dribbler in all of Europe in a move which, slightly hyperbolic maybe, reminds me of my beloved Villa in the last season we were graced with the presence of Mr Grealish. Now, what FM is missing is that take-ons, because I don't actually know whether a dribble is just a period of time where he moves (and not necessarily progressively) with the ball at his feet or where he actually moves past a player with the ball at his feet: never the less, he's doing this, on average, five times a game. Our style is purpose built for this and ter Burg and Cespedes are only averaging around three per game. Utter madness.

But, more than that, he actually looks a very good player and will fit in well:

He can play in the midfield strata so is immediately first choice against the big teams and when I need to be a little more compact. He's incredibly physical, Agile and well Balanced, and, pairing that with great Technique and his slight frame, it's no wonder he's so good with the ball. Earning more fouls than any other winger across the big European leagues, he brings another Grealish similarity, too.

At 22, he's young and only has one season of first team football under his belt after moving from Feyenoord, where he shared reserve team minutes with Jay ter Burg, so I appreciate the risk but can balance it out with what will hopefully be a chance to recoup, if not increase his sell on value should his form be just a flash in the pan.

---

It's been a busy time for me as I was able to renew some contracts for the key players within my squad:

Whilst these are all a rise in wages, the increase in wage bill will be offset by the near €40k p/w saved when four players left on the 1st. I also unveiled Benjamin Kokora as a Groningen player following his move from Chaves. I won't detail his stats again as I've already done that when I was in the process of signing him but I look forward to watching him battle it out with my other full backs.

I'm still in the market for a goalkeeper and another centre back although I'm not hugely concerned if I fail to recruit for these slots as my team is settled developing, which certainly can't be said for ex-club Krasnodar, who have been severely depleted of players I'd brought through and in.

[tyler16]

Consider this a request for some videos of Thijssen's best carries this season.

[_Ben_]

1 hour ago, tyler16 said:

Consider this a request for some videos of Thijssen's best carries this season.

Of course!

The only stone I'd left unturned in this deal was to actually get to a live match and watch him but, with pre-season nearing, I'm sure I'll get a good glimpse.

[_Ben_]

(Mid) July 2038

Another one through the door and another one who is a real 'statistical' purchase. Garvey Juliaans, inside the last year of his deal, comes in for €60k from Feyenoord, who have now two players that have come directly from their academy and a third, in Thijssen, who was developed there. 

 

Area of recruitment: Centre Back - Rotational option good enough for a couple of years until Quaye is ready for first team football.✔

The deal slightly changes my squad building strategy here, with him being considerably younger than I'd intended him to be. With the signing of Pihl - originally for the longer term option - I now must consider who, if anyone, remains longer term, putting pressure on Bruneck to develop well again whilst out on loan.

The deal maker here was his performances on loan at second tier Almere City, who won the Eerste Divisie. However - this is a first and a slightly trickier one here so I'm glad I've dived in and made the move. Garvey didn't play as a centre back, instead a full back but has shown that he's fantastic in possession - inside the top 20% for assists, chances created and key passes when compared with any defensive player in the second tier. However, his attributes, to me, give me the encouragement that I can Kyle Walker him and convert him to a centre back. His height is a worry but his Jumping Reach puts him above Pihl, who is two inches taller. I don't know if he'll necessarily be the first choice on the team sheet, particularly against more physical teams who play down the flanks, and he'd probably be more suited in a back three, but I want to see whether I can utilise statistics that aren't directly correlated to what I want.

It's a low cost experiment, basically.

Works? There'll be a choice between the regression in then-33 year old Pihl and progression in Bruneck, who's close to joining either NAC or FC Emmen in the second tier. Doesn't work? There's less pressure on either of the two aforementioned players and I've lost €60k and the cost of his wages for however long he stays.

There is a clear requirement building for my centre backs and I worry that Bruneck, five years older than Quaye but arguably no better than him, might not be a great fit for it. I no longer use BPD(d) as I don't want them to be ball magnets, instead using regular CB(d) who are, hopefully, pretty decent with the ball at their feet - at minimum, composed with it. I'm looking to increase the Pace and Acceleration that we have at the back allowing us to recover faster as our style does make us rather option to counters through the middle and over the top, too.

---

I also decided to expand the scouting network with the acquisition of some 'old boys.' I was unaware that Hlynsson had retired and pleasantly surprised by how good they actually are in their roles - considering that most ex-players normally start out pretty low quality.

  

[SixPointer]

Record signing = baller! Insane his dribbling numbers, does point out another weakness or let’s call it vagueness of FM stats. Dribbling being one the most vague of all. Could be running down a empty channel for all we know. But I’m sure he has the flair to go by people!

Feyenoord is your go to academy in terms of where players start, very hard in Holland to avoid Ajax & Feyenoord academy players.

Much like my save, end of the season I’ll probably be shipping 6/7 players who are just below par for Ajax, who will be great players for all levels of the league. So it very outside the big three to have lots of these types.

[rich ruzzian]

1 hour ago, SixPointer said:

Record signing = baller! Insane his dribbling numbers, does point out another weakness or let’s call it vagueness of FM stats. Dribbling being one the most vague of all. Could be running down a empty channel for all we know. But I’m sure he has the flair to go by people!

Feyenoord is your go to academy in terms of where players start, very hard in Holland to avoid Ajax & Feyenoord academy players.

Much like my save, end of the season I’ll probably be shipping 6/7 players who are just below par for Ajax, who will be great players for all levels of the league. So it very outside the big three to have lots of these types.

About dribbling, would you see the output when you als manager attended a game to watch the player? 


I really like the policy to contract a backup/rotation player while Quaye can grow @_Ben_

[tyler16]

More excited to read about your upcoming season than I am to play the game myself, lol.

How many qualifying rounds do you have before reaching the CL group stage? Has the draw happened yet?

[_Ben_]

10 hours ago, SixPointer said:

Record signing = baller! Insane his dribbling numbers, does point out another weakness or let’s call it vagueness of FM stats. Dribbling being one the most vague of all. Could be running down a empty channel for all we know. But I’m sure he has the flair to go by people!

8 hours ago, rich ruzzian said:

About dribbling, would you see the output when you als manager attended a game to watch the player? 

Thanks both! Yeah - the dribbling is a vague one but, just from one friendly, I have seen what he can offer going forward. His traits do it for me:

Great Dribbling, Pace, Agility and Technique and a player who will Try Tricks is just wonderful to watch. Obviously, the IF(s) role contradicts the Runs With Ball Down Left so I'll watch as to whether that trait gets removed or, in the worse case scenario, we slightly adapt to how he play: maybe using a Mez(a) to overload slightly wider on that side whilst he's out wider than a normal IF(s) would be.

10 hours ago, SixPointer said:

Feyenoord is your go to academy in terms of where players start, very hard in Holland to avoid Ajax & Feyenoord academy players.

Much like my save, end of the season I’ll probably be shipping 6/7 players who are just below par for Ajax, who will be great players for all levels of the league. So it very outside the big three to have lots of these types.

The plan will, hopefully, be to move Groningen to one of those sides too. I have no idea the longer term plans and the time I'll have on this save before FM23 but establishing the club to have a sought after academy, much like where Krasnodar is at now, is definitely an aim of mine. 

8 hours ago, rich ruzzian said:

really like the policy to contract a backup/rotation player while Quaye can grow @_Ben_

Thanks. To me, it just feels realistic and, as you've read over the past 27-pages, that's how I like to play this game these days.

1 hour ago, tyler16 said:

More excited to read about your upcoming season than I am to play the game myself, lol.

How many qualifying rounds do you have before reaching the CL group stage? Has the draw happened yet?

There are two rounds and, if we lose in either, we enter the Europa League groups - which is, probably, where we belong at this stage. The draw has just been made though and I couldn't be happier...

Locking horns against against my old nemesis! Obviously, we won't travel to Russia for the away leg - we played in Poland most of the time when facing central European opposition with Krasnodar - and I feel that it's just right to have my first European night against a team from a country where this career started and against a team that provided me - for a couple of years at least - a great challenge.

I'll be facing two of my old players - Magomedov and Sakheishvili and I'm under no illusions over how hard it's going to be.

[tyler16]

Oh wow, Sakheishvili has become quite the player!

He was on the fringe of breaking through at Krasnodar when you left, correct?

[Tom14]

I've not commented on your threads for a while, but as always I'm immensely enjoying this one. I love the writing style and the logical explanations, but more than anything I love that your posts are not just copy/pastes of each other with little narrative other than what your screenshots show. There are amazing descriptions of your thought process and the variety is really, really engaging, as is your enthusiasm. Brilliant work!

[_Ben_]

10 hours ago, brookie1402 said:

I've not commented on your threads for a while, but as always I'm immensely enjoying this one. I love the writing style and the logical explanations, but more than anything I love that your posts are not just copy/pastes of each other with little narrative other than what your screenshots show. There are amazing descriptions of your thought process and the variety is really, really engaging, as is your enthusiasm. Brilliant work!

Thank you so much for the kind words. I really appreciate it that other people enjoy to read what often turns into ramblings and tangents from me.