[FM22] - The Friends of Lyngby

[HowzatFM]

 

 

 

Lyngby Boldklub 

Lyngby Boldklub, formerly known as Lyngby FC is a club located in the northern suburb of Copenhagen, Denmark, founded in 1921. The club play their football at Lyngby Stadion, holding a capacity of 10,106 fans. 

In 1983 Lyngby became the Danish champions for the first time and played in the European Cup for the first time in 1984. The club won its second Danish championship in 1993. In December 2001 the club went bankrupt, forced to used amateur players and relegated to the amateur league. The club eventually climbed back up the leagues and re-joined the top flight in the 2006-2007 season, also reaching the final of the Danish cup. The club went through a period of relegations and promotions between the Superliga and 1st division.  

However, during the 2017-2018 season the club experienced financial difficulties, leading to the departure of key players. The club was saved by a group of local business people and fans collectively known as ‘The Friends of Lyngby’.  

 

Stadium and Kits 

 

Denmark / League Structure 

The league structure can be seen above. We will start the 2021/22 season in the NordicBet Liga, but begin as heavy favourites for promotion. The Denmark national team have always been considered dark horses and produced a strong showing at Euro 2020, losing to England in the semi-final. I have loaded a large database of players with all 5 Scandinavian countries as active leagues.  

Why Lyngby? 

I have always wanted to do a ‘build a nation’ type save with a large focus on youth development and have always enjoyed reading about and watching saves in Scandinavia but never ventured into one myself. Being as Aston Villa fan I decided to look into the history of our Danish Director of Football Johan Lange. He managed the club in 2013 and was formerly a coach in 2007-2008. Throughout his time at Lyngby he worked with the current Danish manager Kasper Hjulmand and Thomas Frank. I found this article

Key Points regarding Lyngby: 

• Back in the 2000’s - The work of Hjulmand, Frank and Lange focused on the younger generations of players - "It was good people, good coaches, a good environment.” 
• "In the Danish national youth section, the U16 coach, the U17 coach and the U19 coach are all former Lyngby coaches."  

Therefore... Key Motivations / Objectives within the Save 

• Create a group of hardworking, motivated players and staff to produce a new future for Denmark 
• Win the Champions League with Lyngby and help other clubs based in Denmark climb the European rankings / Coefficients  
• Develop young players (Scandinavian focus) to become some of the best in the world and hopefully produce a Ballon d’Or winner 
• Denmark – World Cup winners?  

 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2021 by benhoward12

[HowzatFM]

 

Facilities and Club Information

 

 

Tactical Ideas 

I am going to base and build my tactics on the back of Denmark's success using 5-2-3 at Euro 2020. I have never used 5/3 at the back formations in FM, so this is a good opportunity to do that! The starting template and ideas are below, but will likely be adjusted as the squad develops. 

 

My tactical principles will consist of an aggressive high press, expansive and controlled possession style and flexibility to adapt to changing situations. I want to defend from the front and the majority of the attacking focus will be created down the wings, with flying wing backs providing the width. The Centre midfielders will need to be hard working to provide defensive solidarity combined with attacking support.  

Edited December 30, 2021 by benhoward12

[HowzatFM]

Season 1 (2021/22) Preview: 

We are heavy favourites to be promoted to the Superliga. We have a strong squad with decent core of players. I have signed some players on free to bolster the squad and I expect us to win the league. The Key players who will form the spine of the team are below.  

Kristian Riis

Spoiler

 

Frederik Gytkjær

Spoiler

 

Abdul-Halik Hudu

Spoiler

 

 

 

Staff recruitment will be heavily based from Scandinavian nationalities.  

I have recruited the below HOYD; he is the best we can get right now.  

 

 

Edited December 30, 2021 by benhoward12

[HowzatFM]

2021/22 Youth Intake 

Not bad for a first intake!  

 

The best player is a young 15yr old striker Kaltoft, some decent stats, just a shame about the personality.

Spoiler

 

 

Edited December 30, 2021 by benhoward12

[HowzatFM]

Season 1 (2021/22) Review: 

Following a positive covid test I have been able to fly through the first season. As expected, we were dominant in the league. Winning the league comfortable, scoring lots of goals! Gytkjær was our best player, scoring 33 goals in all competitions!  

Unexpectedly we managed to reach the final of the Sydbank Pokalen, losing narrowly to FC København in the final! 

Promotion to the top tier and a cup final - A repeat of the famous 2006-07 season!!! 

A very solid start to the save, we put in a very strong showing and produced a solid first youth intake. However, this was expected and the club is struggling financially. The next few seasons are likely to be a tougher ride, but now the focus is about building solid foundations for the future.

Edited December 31, 2021 by benhoward12

[HowzatFM]

Season 2 (2022/23) Preview:

I was offered and signed a new 2-year contract worth 4k a week!  

My tactical principles have been recognised!  

The media predict us to finish in lower mid table.  

 

Transfers and Squad: 

Following a 4M cash injection from the board to cover outstanding debts, I was able to be busy in the transfer market and have made some useful additions. Unfortunately, Gytkjær did leave the club, but Karim Konaté should fill the void and Telasco Segovia is a very exciting signing. Although both do have release clauses for around 2m each. Desler on a free should be a solid signing down the right wing, along with some squad players on loan. 

Karim Konaté

Spoiler

 

Telasco Segovia

Spoiler

 

Mikkel Desler

Spoiler

 

 

First Choice XI and Tactics: 

The tactic remains largely the same, however I have dropped mentality and the defensive line slightly and will adjust the LOE depending on quality of opponent, and adding the ‘counter’ instruction for when when we sit deeper. 

Edited January 1, 2022 by benhoward12

[Tubs]

Lyngby is a very likeable club who has always brought their youth through to the first team.

Great signings so far. Following with high interest on this one!

Just started with Dalum in the 3. Division of Denmark, so your progress can be my guiding star haha

[HowzatFM]

39 minutes ago, Tubs said:

Lyngby is a very likeable club who has always brought their youth through to the first team.

Great signings so far. Following with high interest on this one!

Just started with Dalum in the 3. Division of Denmark, so your progress can be my guiding star haha

I’m enjoying it so far! Good luck on your journey to the top division! 

[HowzatFM]

2022/2023 Youth Intake:

Another good intake based on the stars, some Ok players, but no player jumps out massively

Nedergaard looks a promising centre back, but lacking physically. Hopefully with some training he can develop nicely!

Spoiler

 

 

Edited January 1, 2022 by benhoward12

[Sheriff7]

Hulk and plays for Porto...?

[HowzatFM]

1 hour ago, Sheriff7 said:

Hulk and plays for Porto...?

Haha! I thought the same when his name popped up in the scouting centre, was only left disappointed 😂

[HowzatFM]

Season 2 (2022/23) Review:

We had a very poor start to the season, however we did manage to put a run of results together and scrap into the championship group. Telasco Segovia basically carried our team throughout this period, a very good young player for this level. The mixed form continued, after changing the tactic to a slightly more direct approach and a focus on the counter we ended the season strongly and finished 5th.  

Mixed Form:

 

We have a few stand out players, our back 3 in particular performed well. I now need to build a more solid squad to become more consistent. However, this will need to be on free transfers as the club continues to struggle financially.  

Overall, a very nice start to the top division!

Edited January 2, 2022 by benhoward12

[karanhsingh]

Nice, I had such a good time in the Danish leagues on FM21. Will definitely keep an eye out on this. 

[HowzatFM]

17 minutes ago, karanhsingh said:

Nice, I had such a good time in the Danish leagues on FM21. Will definitely keep an eye out on this. 

Thank you! It’s a first for me but really liking it! 

Edited January 3, 2022 by benhoward12

[HowzatFM]

Season 3 (2023/24) Preview: 

We are predicted to finish 9th again by the media, after some work in the transfer market I have made some nice additions via free transfers that will add some quality but also depth to the team. In particular former wonderkid Armini and former Barnsley LWB Williams should bolster the left side of the defence. Karim Konaté has signed a new deal with a release clause of £6.25m, he has been leading the line well and should only improve!  

Nicolò Armini 

Spoiler

 

Ben Williams 

Spoiler

 

Telasco Segovia – remains the key player, he doesn’t want to sign a new contract as we can’t match his ambitions currently.  

Spoiler

 

First Choice XI and Tactics:  

I don’t see any need to change the tactic after the success of last year. The formation allows for good passing and attacking options, and I hope to be able to control the possession in more games this season. However, flexibility will be needed once again to adapt to the quality of our opposition.  

Edited January 4, 2022 by benhoward12

[HowzatFM]

New Contract:

I signed another new deal with the club! The current club cultures are below:

 

A disappointing January:

I knew we wouldn't be able to keep Segovia and Konate for too much longer, however losing them within a week of each other isn't ideal. As both release clauses were met I couldn't even negotiate a % profit of future sales. The money won't be going into the transfer budget, but will help stabilise the club financially. Both players will stay on loan until the end of season, so I will need to enjoy them while I can! 

Although I have been able to put the money to some good use:

 

Better news on the pitch:

We are having a strong season on the pitch, I mentioned the need to be flexible to adapt to different opponents. The success of this can be seen below with a win against the best team in the country! By dropping the line, staying compact we hit FC Copenhagen on the counter! 

 

Edited January 4, 2022 by benhoward12

[HowzatFM]

Season 3 (2023/24) Review:

Wow! What a brilliant 3rd season! Segovia and Konate may be leaving us now, but their strong performances pushed us to 2nd place in the league! We gained some strong momentum in the middle of the season and managed to hand on to 2nd place! We will be competing in the Europa Conference League next season, starting in the 2nd round of qualifying! 

The transfer window is going to be key. We have a bit more money to play with this time due to the player sales! I am going to focus on first team players under the age of 25 but also younger players to build stronger foundations for the future. My scouts have been busy over the season and I have identified some players to bring in. Although replacing the quality of Segovia and Konate is not going to be easy. 

Edited January 6, 2022 by benhoward12

[HowzatFM]

Season 4 (2024/25) Preview: 

An improvement in the media predictions this year! 

A very busy and active transfer window, with a number of players joining the club. Although we have lost our 2 key players, we start this season with a stronger all-round squad. I managed to sell Miguel Falé for 1M to Porto, he was signed the season before for free, played 14 games scoring only 1 goal, so an offer I simply could not refuse. The left us light in the striker department.  

Welcome Alex Mahama – I’m excited by this one, all round striker, 30K!, only 19 and NO release clause!  

Spoiler

 

Callum Moore – The replacement DLP, an all-round midfielder who is strong from set pieces!  

Spoiler

 

Bob Holman – Staff only rate his potential at 4 star, but will be a useful squad player and should make some profit down the line 

Spoiler

 

Kolbeinn Birgir Finnsson – I've not been able to find a consistent LWB, released from Dortmund and from Iceland, hopefully I have found the solution! Although wages are slightly on the higher side 

Spoiler

 

Santiago Silva – spotted by a scout, decided he was worth a punt! Young, decent growth potential!  

Spoiler

 

 

First Choice XI and Tactics:   

I’m not expecting to be as successful in the league in the first few months due to a number of new players, but hopefully we can have another strong end to the season. Although another 2nd place finish might be a tough ask.  

Edited January 8, 2022 by benhoward12

[karanhsingh]

Mahama looks a right bargain! Nice find. 

[HowzatFM]

Early Season 4 (2024/25):

A mixed start to the season, not all players had arrived yet and the schedule of Europa Conference had a negative impact on the fitness of the squad with rotation was needed. We unfortunately got knocked out in the third round of qualifying, losing 3-0 at home to Wolfsberger, after a 4-3 away win the first leg.  

 

Season 4 (2024/25) Youth Intake Preview: 

The youth intakes have been impressive overall. This is the best yet. I think it could even be my first ever golden generation in FM!! I’m looking forward to March!!  

Edited January 8, 2022 by benhoward12

[HowzatFM]

On 08/01/2022 at 04:45, karanhsingh said:

Mahama looks a right bargain! Nice find. 

He took a few games to get going, but looking really promising now, but already can’t match his ambitions 😔  

Edited January 10, 2022 by benhoward12

[HowzatFM]

On 08/01/2022 at 17:45, benhoward12 said:

Early Season 4 (2024/25):

A mixed start to the season, not all players had arrived yet and the schedule of Europa Conference had a negative impact on the fitness of the squad with rotation was needed. We unfortunately got knocked out in the third round of qualifying, losing 3-0 at home to Wolfsberger, after a 4-3 away win the first leg.  

 

Season 4 (2024/25) Youth Intake Preview: 

The youth intakes have been impressive overall. This is the best yet. I think it could even be my first ever golden generation in FM!! I’m looking forward to March!!  

Season 4 (2024/25) Youth Intake:

Here is the 'golden generation' - not quite what I was expecting, poor personalities on the whole. 

Mark Bidstrup is the best player, but very poor determination  

Spoiler

 

 

Edited January 11, 2022 by benhoward12

[HowzatFM]

On 01/01/2022 at 22:30, benhoward12 said:

Nedergaard looks a promising centre back, but lacking physically. Hopefully with some training he can develop nicely!

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

Although the latest youth intake might not be the best, I have had some very positive developments from previous intakes! The most significant has been Nedergaard, he is a first team player at the age of 17 and continues to improve rapidly! I am using @RDF Tacticstraining schedules with great success, check out his recent video on training!

 

We have had 3 players ranked in NxGn 2025. Nedergaard ranked 15th!!!! 

Ajay Barau - signed on a free, but has a 3.4m release clause, so fingers crossed I can get him on a new contract before he leaves!

Spoiler

 

 

Edited January 11, 2022 by benhoward12

[karanhsingh]

Wow that's crazy. Can you link the training schedules?

Ajay Barua sounds Indian does he have dual nationality?

[HowzatFM]

6 hours ago, karanhsingh said:

Wow that's crazy. Can you link the training schedules?

Ajay Barua sounds Indian does he have dual nationality?

Sure! Downloaded from his website, check out his video and also twitter feed where he talks about how he tackles the development of certain players! Some nice tips 

I will need to check Barua when I have access to the save! 

 

[HowzatFM]

14 hours ago, karanhsingh said:

Wow that's crazy. Can you link the training schedules?

Ajay Barua sounds Indian does he have dual nationality?

Yes he does!

Edited January 12, 2022 by benhoward12

[karanhsingh]

Nice! Needs to brush up on his Hindi though 

That's probably the best (part) Indian newgen I've seen on FM

[HowzatFM]

Season 4 (2024/25) Review: 

I didn’t think it would be possible again, but we have finished 2nd in the league again, and went even closer this time, but lost on the last day of the season to ruin any hopes of snatching the title! We were really consistent throughout the season, with the majority of defeats against the top teams in the league. Mahama was excellent up top and I really hope he continues his development at Lyngby, but I am sure teams will be circling!  

Maybe a tad unlucky not to win the league:

I am now planning to review the data hub in detail to review our strengths and weaknesses and then start to address any issues in the summer break both tactically and in the transfer market! I want to improve the facilities but financially we are still in the red, hopefully a better showing in Europe next season can ease the financial worries.  

Edited January 15, 2022 by benhoward12

[karanhsingh]

Ouch- very unlucky i would say!

But I guess it'll make it all the more sweeter when you do win it. 

[HowzatFM]

Season 5 (2025/26) Preview: 

The young players in and around the squad have been improving and performing very well which leaves me hopeful for the upcoming season. Hopefully this year we can snatch the title, but I also want to qualify for the ECL groups, so balancing playing time is something that will need to be considered if we do get past qualifying.  

Transfer window: 

A fairly quiet window overall, but a decent amount of player sales! I received a bid for Abraham Marcus that I couldn’t turn down, with some squad players also leaving. I mentioned above the need to review the data hub and see what needed addressing, I really wanted a new central midfielder. 

Welcome Emmanuel Gyabuaa – a name I recognised from previous FMs, an all-round box-to-box midfielder with real quality for this level. He will be a key player alongside Moore in the midfield and will hopefully address the issues I found which are detailed below 

Spoiler

 

Top clubs are circling for ‘wonderkid’ Mahama – All bids have been rejected, but I’m not sure how long I will keep him for 🙁  

 

Data Hub Review: 

I want to be a possession-based team and control matches, something the 5-2-3 / 3-4-3 allows us to do well, ranked 3rd in the league for average possession with a 90% passing %. I have been forced to use a counter attack approach against some teams, so as the squad develops, I hope to see some improvement on this. We don’t just keep the ball for possession sake, creating the most clear-cut chances in the league. I am happy with how we use the ball to create chances, control matches and score goals, so no drastic changes are needed.  

I was aware that the tactic was not perfectly defensively, but conceding 361 shots in the league is something that needs addressing if we are to push on. So, I had a deeper look into other stats 

The below screenshot shows that we only won 301 tackles in the league, ranked 12th. I wouldn’t be expecting us to ranked top of this list as we are a possession based team, but this is an area for concern that certainly needs addressing.  

As you can see our midfielders don’t make many tackle attempts and tackles are genrally of a poorer standard. This is the reason for the Gyabuaa signing, a well-rounded player in the middle of the pitch. I will now be asking the wing backs, central midfielders and wingers to all ‘tackle harder’. This is to encourage my players to get stuck in, and in turn I hope it will also prevent shots on our goal as we try to win the ball more aggressively before it reaches our box.  

 

First Choice XI and Tactics:   

A strong first choice XI, one I hope can now be more aggressive further up the pitch. I have also added the ‘hold-shape’ instruction so we become a little bit more patient and controlled keeping our shape in attack!  

Edited January 16, 2022 by benhoward12

[Tubs]

Gyabuaa looks like a great addition at this level!

Good luck with the ECL, the prize money from European competition can really push things.

[karanhsingh]

Good stuff, Gyabuaa looks great surprisingly never seen him before. 

[HowzatFM]

On 17/01/2022 at 04:03, karanhsingh said:

Good stuff, Gyabuaa looks great surprisingly never seen him before. 

Thanks, he’s made a massive difference to the team

[HowzatFM]

Mid-Season Update: 

We qualified for the ECL, and received £2.49m for doing so, money that is very much needed! I have been able to get the board to start improving the youth facilities once again! 

The Group – A tough draw with Lazio, but am confident we can go through to the knockout rounds. You get 427k per win, so will need to priortise winning these matches  

The double over Lazio!!! - Gyabuaa was essential to both victories against his former Italian rivals! - My tactically changes detailed above have resulted in improved performances and this tops the lot! 

A very impressive group stage! Fingers crossed we get an easier draw in the knock out rounds!  

Edited January 19, 2022 by benhoward12

[HowzatFM]

January Transfer Window 2026 – Goodbye Mahama 

I knew this day was going to come, his media description changed to ‘wonderkid’ and every club in the world was interested. A number of bids between £1m-4m came in and were instantly rejected. I wanted to ensure a % of next sale! Wolves and Wolfsburg both offered £12m with 40% of Next Sale. Although I would have loved to keep him with 20 goals in 26 games, the finances involved in the deal will secure the short term and hopefully long-term future of the club.  

I also lost Barua, he had a 4.3m release in his contract and a number of teams circling. I decided to offer him out for £4m with 40% of future profit for the same reasons above.  

Mahama is already making his mark on the premier league... and I will be following his progress very closely 

We’ve lost 2 of our best players and no obvious replacements are available for a reasonable price and wage so I not going to rush into signing players, which is likely to impact results, we have been doing very well in the league but I am fearful of the impact these departures could have, but there is not too much I could do. This remains a long term save with long term goals, the Mahama sale could prove pivotal in a few years!  

Edited January 20, 2022 by benhoward12

[karanhsingh]

47 clubs interested  that's crazy

[HowzatFM]

11 hours ago, karanhsingh said:

47 clubs interested  that's crazy

Yep! Never seen that many clubs before 😅

[HowzatFM]

Season 5 (2025/26) Review: 

Overall, a very up and down season. Following the strong ECL group stage, we unfortunately lost two of our best players and the form suffered as a result; we should have won a lot more games based on xG but didn’t have Mahama leading the line.  

We matched Lazio in the knock out rounds, this time they showed their true class and the tie was effectively over after the first leg. I was more concerned about the league form, but I managed to turn the form around towards the end of the season finishing 4th. However, we did win the DBU Pokalen! - Europa League qualifiers now await us!  

I have continued to use the finances from player sales to improve both the training and youth facilities!  

Edited January 25, 2022 by benhoward12

[karanhsingh]

Great stuff winning the cup! Well done

[HowzatFM]

We have moved up a massive 146 places in the European Club Rankings!  

Not limited to club success... Denmark is currently ranked 8th in the coefficients table, and now the league champions will qualify direct for the CL group stage! A massive boost for the Danish League! 

 

Edited January 26, 2022 by benhoward12

[HowzatFM]

Season 6 (2026/27) Preview: 

After the disappointing league performance, but success when looking a xG, I needed to recruit some real quality. I have been doing some reading on the importance of Mental attributes and the key attributes to look for when creating a ‘club DNA’. The key attributes I am looking for are below, with 12 as a base value!  

Transfer Window: 

A very busy window, with lots of players that will come straight into the starting 11. Attracting better players has resulted in higher wages but was massively needed! We have massively improved the squad dramatically and still made a decent amount from out-goings. 

Key Players signed below:

Eric Kahl – The left back position continued to be a position of weakness that needed addressing.  

Spoiler

 

Di’Shion Bernard – Released from Man Utd, too good not to snap up!  

Spoiler

 

Dan Popovici – Signed on loan with an option to buy for 2M. Left footed player for the wide centre back role 

Spoiler

 

Paulo Bernardo – I have finally found the midfield partner for Gyabuaa! Signed on a free with high wages but should be worth it! Great mentals and traits for the DLP role.  

Spoiler

 

 

The new look front 3: 

Victor Flores – The Mahama replacement! Has a bit of everything  

Spoiler

 

Felipe Jhones – A very technical hard-working player, a new left footed creator for the team 

Spoiler

 

Tiganá - Brazilian Partner for Jhones, he will play the IF(A) role.  

Spoiler

 

Edited February 1, 2022 by HowzatFM

[HowzatFM]

We Beat Genk and Sparta Prague in the Europe League qualifiers, and have drawn Lazio once again! It’s likely to be a battle with Club Brugge for the 2nd place spot!  

[HowzatFM]

Mid-season tactical change: 

The team wasn’t quite ticking how I wanted and I was struggling to get the best out of Jhones and wanted to get the best out of his excellent vision, technique and passing. To try and achieve this I have changed the IW to an attacking midfielder with the instructions ‘Take more risks’ and ‘roam from position’. The RWB will be on attack duty to take advantage of the wide space, with the DLP dropping to defend to provide re-enforced cover.  

First Choice XI and Tactics:  

The formation creates good passing links and an overload on the right, with the IF(A) and AF being the main goalscorers

 

Europa League Group: 

We lost the first group game to Club Brugge and drew the second the Lazio. However, after 2 back-to-back wins against Legia, it came down to the last game vs Brugge where we got our revenge and finished 2nd in the group!  

Although I’m not sure how much longer we will last, our first leg will be the first game after the winter break

Edited February 5, 2022 by HowzatFM

[HowzatFM]

Youth Intake (2026/27): 

I recruited a new HOYD, with a Model Citizen personality, this should improve the personalities of our youngsters coming through! 

A nice intake to start! With much better personalities which is what I was hoping for!

Kasper Petersen looks a very good keeper, especially at 15!  

Spoiler

 

Solberg was sold to Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Jan window, his contract was running down and he wanted a low release clause so I decided to cash in 

As expected, the EL run is over. We took a 1-0 league in the first leg and then proceeded to get 2 red cards and the tie was over. 

It's now time to focus on the league and win the first league title since 1992! 

Edited February 5, 2022 by HowzatFM

[Domoboy23]

Loving this - also had such a good Danish save on Fm21 but with AC Horsens! I love their floodlights as odd as that sounds

[HowzatFM]

6 hours ago, Domoboy23 said:

Loving this - also had such a good Danish save on Fm21 but with AC Horsens! I love their floodlights as odd as that sounds

Thanks! I’ve just had a look, very unusual 😂, no idea how you would even describe them 

[HowzatFM]

Season 6 (2026/27) Review: 

Icon status at Lyngby achieved – winning the league title for the first time since 1992!!!

We put together a 9-game winning run to finish the season. Winning the league comfortable and setting a new points record!  

An overview of the squad below, displaying the effectiveness of the new tactical principles, overload down the right wing, creating for the IF(A) and AF to score! The squad DNA is also now starting to look stronger! 

Edited February 6, 2022 by HowzatFM

[HowzatFM]

Season 7 (2027/2028) Preview:

After last year's dominance in the league, I expect this to continue. We will have to play a rotated squad in the league to keep our best players fit and ready for some very tough Champions league matches! 

Transfer Window: 

We spent a bit more money this window, with the CL this year we need more quality and depth which requires higher spending. Despite this, the balance book remains positive with some squad sales and the £12m sale of Jhones.

The board accepted an offer for Jhones and there was nothing I could do about it, we will miss his creativity, but £12m is a decent return for a player who lacks the physical attributes to be a top European player. 

Key Signings below: 

Aleksander Andresen – Signed for 2.9m, probably a little expensive looking back, but adds some quality in depth in the middle of the park. 

Spoiler

 

Milan Gavrilović - For 650k it was no brainer, seriously impressive stats for an 18-year-old! 

Spoiler

 

Viktor Szanyó - A versatile player, and will be used in AM spot this year, he’s not quite for the technical ability of Jhones, but still a very good player.

Spoiler

 

Saman Zamani – There seems to be a golden generation of Iranian players in this save game, Zamani is a very good young centre back, although he did insist on a release clause of £6.75m.

Spoiler

 

First Choice XI and Tactics:  

I’ve made a few small changes, removing tighter marking to hopefully reduce the balls behind my CBs where they were getting too tight. The Pressing intensity is now maxed out, at least to begin the games with. I’ve changed the WCB on the right to the defend duty to offer bit more protection on the counter when the right-wing back attacks! For CL games tactical flexibility and adjustment is going to be very important as we won’t be able to dominate games like the league. 

Edited February 8, 2022 by HowzatFM

[HowzatFM]

The CL group draw was always going to be tough, and it certainly is that. It’s going to be a big test of our squad, but will be an exciting challenge! 

In the first group game we lost to Milan, this was my fault as I wanted to see how our usual high pressing tactic would play against a top team. I knew it was probably stupid, and Milan dominated us. We have a hard-working group of players so, for the next 2 games, I dropped the lines to make us more compact and hit both Leipzig and Porto on the counter. At the half way point, we sit top of the group!! 

You also get £2.39m per win, which is a lovely added bonus! 

All games have been close, hopefully the luck can stay on our side! 

Edited February 15, 2022 by HowzatFM

[HowzatFM]

We have managed to scrap through the tough group, finishing 2nd. Only losing 2 games 

We remained un beaten against Leipzig and Porto, Milan had simply too much in attack for my defence to handle! 

After being draw against Man Utd in the round of 16 in the EL last year, the draw has not got any easier. Liverpool will probably be an impossible challenge, but bring it on! 

Edited February 21, 2022 by HowzatFM