How do I improve this team?

[Tullekunstner]

Playing as Newcastle and about to go into the 24/25 season. My idea is basically to create a super team, but forcing myself to play a 3 atb I haven't done since like FM15 or so.

However, I can't decide how I want to improve my team anymore or where to focus. Last year I finished 3rd with the least goals conceded (30), but not scoring that much(77)and drawing too many matches (11).

Budget: £200m

Want Haaland or Mbappe, neither is interested so you can ignore those two. Not sure there's many other forwards that would improve on the ones I currently have.

Current squad:

 

Current tactics, just added the 'be more expressive' for next season so hopefully that'll help me. Tactics #2 is a pretty much just a slower version of this one.

[Poison]

I think your tactics are somewhat conservative, use one of the 2 support midfielders in attack role, that will rectify the "final third entries -  central" thingy. To keep it balanced, consider using a forward in a support role to draw the opposition defence. That will make it easier to score in some matches. Also consider removing get stuck in and leave it to normal. How do you concede? And how did you get all those superstars o.O

Edited January 9, 2022 by Poison

[Tullekunstner]

On 09/01/2022 at 18:44, Poison said:

I think your tactics are somewhat conservative, use one of the 2 support midfielders in attack role, that will rectify the "final third entries -  central" thingy. To keep it balanced, consider using a forward in a support role to draw the opposition defence. That will make it easier to score in some matches. Also consider removing get stuck in and leave it to normal. How do you concede? And how did you get all those superstars o.O

I started with the PF as a DLF (s) as well as switching it up with a F9 at times. Had the AP on the right side of the midfield on attack (for a while as a Mezzala instead of AP, also on attack). Found that the current set-up actually works better then the previous one, even though I agree with your reasoning. Maybe I'll try changing it up a bit in matches where I struggle to break down teams.

I've also contemplated putting my winbacks as complete wingbacks, any thoughts on that?

My goals conceded are usually in periods where I don't have the ball and the other team is hammering in crosses and set-pieces, as well as the odd wonderstrike every now and then. I really don't concede that much though, so I'm not too worried about it.

 

As for getting the team together, you get a lot of money starting as Newcastle, so it's a case of splashing a bit in the first window so you get a team capable of attracting better and better players. I got CL football in my first season, which helped tremendously in attracting better players going forward. And Trent somehow got transferlisted as 'surplus to requirements' at Liverpool. Lol, got lucky with that one...

These are my transfer windows leading up to this season:

 

 

As for my current season, I still can't attract Mbappe or Haaland. Looking to get one of them next summer hopefully, but I still feel like I've gotten significantly stronger with Fofana and Bellingham coming in:

 

Still have £70-80m left to spend, so I'm considering getting Alphonso Davies in at WLB,  which will basically mean my wing backs are sorted for the next 8 years. Galan has been by far my best performing wing back though, so I have some mixed feelings on relegating him to a rotational option, but like I wrote in my first post, this *is* my all-out superstar save this year.

 

 

 

edit-

by the way, am I the only one super annoyed by transfers you finish before the summer transfer window opens gets added to the season *before* they can play in the transfer history?? Becomes a mess on screenshots like the above. For instance, Galan and Mancini should've been in the 22/23 season and Barella in the 23/24 season.

Edited January 15, 2022 by Tullekunstner

[sedge11]

If you want a striker and can’t get Haaland or Mbappe, I highly recommend Vlahovic he is brilliant.