FM24 - RandomAttempt at managing Saints

[RandomGuy.]

Been waiting for bug fixes to try this, but might aswell dive in now. Managing my favourite club, St Johnstone, likely for a couple of months until they sack me.

The Club

 

Since promotion in 08/09, been one of the top clubs in the country. Alongside multiple top 6 finishes, we've also won 2 Scottish Cups and a League Cup, managing a cup double in 20/21.

Since then? Its been a mess. 21/22 saw a play off win save us from relegation, then 22/23 a managerial change kick started a late surge to avoid a similar battle.

The Summer window saw a huge turnover in players as the squad was required to be slashed alongside the wage bill.

This season started poorly in real life, with new manager Steven MacLean sacked after being knocked out the league cup (with a 4-0 home loss to 3rd tier Stirling the low point), and failing to win any of the first 9 games.

Decided to start with the "Your World" database, to see if I can rebuild the club and have a better season.

Expectations fairly low.

The Squad

A decent starting 11, but not really much depth at all. Two of the strikers, Clark and Kane, start off injured so thats probably the position ill try and get strengthened in the first window.

Rules

- DOF will negotiate fees/contracts for players being signed, players renewing, and players being sold.

- I will decide who comes in, who renews, and who goes out, by using the wanted/unwanted lists.

- I will be using an attributeless skin

- I will only sign players who have been scouted (I cant set assignments), offered by an agent, or played against us.

Edited December 2, 2023 by RandomGuy.

[RandomGuy.]

First day

Good stuff.

[RandomGuy.]

League Cup Group Stage

Tradition now for the group stage to act as the season opener, and also virtually pre-season.

Embarrassing.

Thought I could get away with the lack of depth, treating this as pre-season, and trying to get a defensively sound tactic built in for the league season. Failed on all counts really.

Really poor, Cove/Kelty/Stirling all in the 3rd tier.

3-1 v Stirling

Spoiler

Great start really, lost control by the end but the players were tiring and I probably held off too long due to the lack of quality on the bench.

1-1 v Cove

Spoiler

The first red flag really, dominated by a League One side.

Players were still shattered from the weekend end game and I didn't change much, should still have held on to win but wouldn't have deserved it.

1-2 v Kelty

Spoiler

We actually played well, but couldn't finish anything. Kelty took their only real chances and that was that.

Lack of depth up front need resolved quickly so hoping the scouts unearth a striker signing soon, couldn't really change anything to get us back into the match.

0-1 v Raith

Spoiler

We were already out so things got experimented with, but yet again we couldn't do enough while on top.

League season up next, with Hearts at home the opening game. Really need to step things up quickly or I'll be following reality and not making Christmas in charge.

[RandomGuy.]

Summer Window 23/24

Doing attribute-less skin, so not really a lot to show player profile wise, so just a wee run down of each signing instead. They all signed on deadline day as it took so long to make sure they were the right ones and then the DOF took ages to sign them.

So heres the 3 signings...

Josh Ruffels - 29yo - LWB - £12k from Huddersfield

Had been desperate for a LWB. My other options are Callum Booth (whos been almost always injured) and Tony Gallagher (whos fine but never stands out).

Ruffels was identified as a solid all rounder and seemingly has some solid physicals. My wing backs will be pretty isolated so I need engines out there.

Frankie Musonda - 25yo - CB - £25k from Ayr

A bit of a panic signing, if I'm honest.

Desperately, desperately, needed a 4th CB and the scouts weren't giving me anything until this guy so had to gamble.

Again, really solid physically and they believed hes also decently quick and able to play all 3 roles in my back 3. A back up really.

Connor Barron - 21yo - CM - Loan from Aberdeen

Another the scouts believe is a great physical motor. Surprised Aberdeen wanted rid but happy to take him as again, my shape will require a lot of players covering ground/

 

New Tactics

We've changed shape after the, frankly embarrassing and disastrous, League Cup campaign.

Its about being solid, having lots of passing options when we win the ball, and relying on physically excellent players covering lots of ground.

 

Squad Depth

Depth after the transfers now...

[RandomGuy.]

August/September 2023

First glance it maybe doesn't look great, but I'm genuinely chuffed with it after the cup results.

Generally always competitive, and if we score first theres a real chance we'll then win. Adding more goals key, and that likely involves improving the striker or finding the best role for it.

Avoiding relegation the main aim, and I've set a target of 40pts with the idea that guarantees it. So we now require 30pts from 31 games, which feels doable even with a dip.

Refusing to look higher than that just yet due to the lack of goals.

3-2 v Hearts

Spoiler

Still in the same shape as the cup games, but felt far too open and got so lucky that we got two penalties.

0-2 v Ross County

Spoiler

First iteration of the new shape, and it didn't go well. County know their style with lots of links in their team, and it showed.

0-1 v Celtic

Spoiler

A bit gutted by how this went. Definitely deserved to lose I guess, but the goal comes from a set play thats saved, with Ralston scoring the rebound.

0-1 v Dundee

Spoiler

Sounds stupid since we lost, but this was the game I knew the set up was going to be the one I'd keep as a default "fall back" option.

We'd have at least drawn this with a better striker.

1-0 v Rangers

Spoiler

Love it.

Scored a well worked goal from a corner, then hung on for dear life, in a way.

Think the shape helped, was fairly compact and then when we won the ball we could kind of keep it.

0-0 v Hibernian

Spoiler

Fairly happy with this too, as Hibs are really good in this years game I've found.

We struggled more than we did v Rangers, but defence was fairly solid and restricted Hibs to longer range efforts until a penalty, which was dragged wide.

2-1 v Livingston

Spoiler

First game under this shape, and probably this season, where we were expected to win.

Ended up being more nervous than it should've been, but realistically the job was done pretty early until Livingston went all out attack late on.

Can see my issues with no real striker though.

 

[RandomGuy.]

October 2023

Yeah this inability to score regularly is what will stop us really pushing on, but until we're safe I'm going to resist going overly attacking tactically and see if I can find another way.

Grinding out points away, while winning at home, is fine.

A nice healthy looking gap to bottom. Now just require 26pts from 28 games to hit my 40pt target,

Do worry lack of goals will lead to a winless run soon though.

0-1 v Aberdeen

Spoiler

Conceded early and never really threatened to get back into it. Disappointing really but a reminder how much better some teams are than us.

Barron out due to being on loan was a blow.

1-0 v Motherwell

Spoiler

Saw this is a big game, as a win would cut them adrift from us a lot.

Barron came back in and won us the game, really. Laid it on a plate for May to tap in.

Huge win.

0-0 v St Mirren

Spoiler

Not bad, not great.

Nice ground out point away from home and again a lack of goalscorer holds us back.

 

[RandomGuy.]

November 2023

A poor month. Two home games against 10th and 11th and we win neither.

Keeper had an absolute shocker v County.

Hearts battered us but we still managed to miss a sitter at the end. I really don't like our strikers.

Avoiding relegation still the aim, but starting to feel like we need to hope neither County or Motherwell hit form.

40pt target = 24pts in 25 games, so a win or two are needed soon.

We play 8 games next month, and then Dundee on January 2nd, before the winter break. So we play everyone apart from Hearts and Ross County.

Going to be tough.

0-0 v Kilmarnock

Spoiler

Do lots of good, can't finish, can't win.

Story of a lot of games just now.

2-2 v Ross County

Spoiler

Something about Ross County just beats us, I don't know what it is but we just struggle against them completely.

0-1 v Hearts

Spoiler

Pumped.

 

[RandomGuy.]

Potential Signings...

Josh Edwards our first attempt at a PCA signing, he playes in the tier below.

Ruffels has done well and he'll still be first choice initially, but I'd like a more attacking option on that wing too, and Edwards ticks boxes for me.

His agent claims he'll be happy with a squad player status, and a wage below £1k a week, so it feels a gamble worth taking.

 

Other player a PCA has been made for is Connor Barron, whos currently on loan at the club.

Edited December 10, 2023 by RandomGuy.

[RandomGuy.]

Delighted with these deals, well done to the DOF and club for pulling them off.

Edwards wage slightly higher than expected, but don't mind that. Squad status situation roughly what I had planned for him too.

Edited December 10, 2023 by RandomGuy.

[RandomGuy.]

December 2023

In a death spiral.

Fine until Aberdeen. 1-1 after 90 minutes, 5 minutes added on, Aberdeen score a winner in the 97th minute.

Next game v Rangers its 1-1 until they get a penalty in the 86th minute.

We then concede a penalty in our next 3 games.

Players have completely chucked it by the Dundee game.

Luckily a 3 week break to try and sort this out, but I think my time is up.