Squad analysis at a new club: how do you handle it?

[Grumblewatcher]

When starting a new game or switching to another club, I tend to spend a lot of time analyzing the squad. And then I really mean a lót of time. This can sometimes take up to ten hours or even more. So, I don't even get close to pressing 'continue' after landing at a new club... Now i wonder how others handle this. 

Not only the first team, but also the reserves and the youth players get my attention. I analyze player by player and then compare the options per position extensively. From there, I come to at a first draft for the tactics and game principles that suit the current squad. My starting point is therefore the available pool of players and the quality they bring. More than the implementation of a predetermined vision, tactics or focus on bringing in new players. I will look at that later, when I have a clear picture (and better feeling) of the situation at my new club.

Do you, like me, spend hours puzzling and comparing the squad with notepads and spreadsheets all around you? Or do you have more of a 'let's go!' mentality and do you discover your new environment while the first ingame weeks (or months) pass by?

Edited April 27, 2022 by Grumblewatcher

[FrazT]

This is very much down to the individual- whatever makes you comfortable.

I will look at which players can play in which position and which is their strongest, look at the squad depth chart, ask the AM for his recommended line up but then fine tune after the first lot of friendlies- so not nearly as much depth as you

[Freakiie]

I load up my tactics, force my team into said tactics and then offload anyone who can't make themselves useful in my system (which generally is every newgen winger at the club for some weird reason...). My coach is very rigid ok? Step 2 is offloading all those CDs that can't jump to save their lives. Then step 3 is to please my board by signing U23 players for the first team and since I got plenty of cash from offloading useless wingers I can splash on some solid talent to build on. Or, I just poach a bunch of Brazilians if cash is tight. That's always an option.

My coach is basically Bosz, he has his system, he likes that system and he will force that system down your throat. At least my coach has more cautious variants of his system, so I guess he's not quite as inflexible.

 

[Jonthedon26]

I usually just use the filter options on the squad selection screen to compare all the different players that can play in each position, will do this for the reserves too. Then I will set up my tactic (I have my own tactical preferences and I shape my team around my tactic rather than form a tactic around the players) and get rid of anyone that wont fit my tactic and look to sign players for positions of weakness. I usually only spend a couple of hours doing this. I will browse the U18s see who has potential for the future, but I won't do much else outside of that initially. 

[du Garbandier]

Life is short... I look at the squad & staff before I apply, and again before I attend interview. On arriving, the main early tasks are to set up tactics, and individual training. I handle everyone's individual training, and delegate teams' training to AM/B team M/u19M etc. After that, I'm looking for any staff that I can appoint without advertising, as it gets things moving more quickly -- AM (if vacant) & first team coaches being top priority. Also, setting staff duties as I want them. I send my scouts to look at my shortlist, to get a quick sense of where I am. 

One thing that would be useful when looking at squad depth would be if you could toggle the view to show each player in only one position -- either his best or most useful for the team -- rather than all the positions he can play.

Edited April 28, 2022 by du Garbandier

[DarJ]

I'm similar to you. In the long term save I had in FM21 it took me days to make a decision on what I wanted to do with the team because when I looked at the first team, they were very suited for a back 3 and then looking at the youth teams they were more suited to play a 4231 so I didn't know if to go for a back 3 in the first season and transition to the 4231 the next season (I don't make transfers in the first season unless there is a position I absolutely need someone for and I'll usually get a loan) so after like 3 days of thinking about it IRL I decided to just go fort the 4231 and promote some of the youth players to the first team so I'd have enough players in those position