smplfc123

Hello guys, Having spent most of my FM19 career in the EFL, I've decided that it's time to try something different. I've toyed with idea of coaching abroad, but firstly, I want to try an Arsenal challenge. I'm starting with just a local-pro reputation with an A Licence and transfers turned off. This will hopefully make the save tougher to start and try and keep it realistic in the first season. Wish me luck.

Unfortunately, my love for the Boro save has died. I had a few more days away with work and came back to the save not having the same interest in them now that I've achieved promotion. I'll keep checking in on the thread as I love reading how you chaps are all getting on

WE'VE DONE IT!!!!! 11 goals and 7 assists is an impressive enough return for a youngster, but Marcus Tavernier has shown that he is a big game player too. A goal in each semi-final and the final itself, the youngster has really stepped up when the strikers have misfired. Can't wait to get stuck in to my first Premiership pre-season since I took Reading up about 6 months ago.

"We're going to Wembley...."

Congratulations on the promotion @robterrace. Keen to see what you do in the summer for the heights of the Prem. I've been absolutely snowed under with work this week so haven't had chance as of yet to get my play-off semi finals done. Will look to do an update this weekend!

Our terrific end to the season wasn't enough for us to catch the top 2. 90 points and finishing 4th seems a bit unlucky to me, but our good finish to the season gives me confidence going in to our semi-final with Derby. Wish me luck

Unfortunately 6 draws in our last 7 games has meant that we've got too much to do to keep up with the top 2. We are 12 points behind with only 11 games left, but we're the same amount of points ahead of 7th, so play-offs look nailed on.

That's a decent budget then! To be honest I can't offer too much help as it's the same position i'm struggling to find a main target for at the minute. If you're willing to give a youngster a go, Adam Idah and Kevin Cannavo have excelled from the off when I signed them both for Reading in a previous save. I have the likes of Venema, Platte, Sporar, Wind and Teuchert on my shortlist from various teams across Europe, but I'm also considering bringing an experienced striker to cover that poacher role as I find the attributes assigned to that role are ones you'll find are built up through experience and know-how. Hope this helps.

Thanks @warlock and @Jogo Bonito as you said hopefully we can keep the home form up and turn some of the away performances around and find those key players to take this club to the next level. @Rollin93 How much do you have to spend? And any particular striker you're looking for? a poacher, creator, target man etc.?

MID-SEASON UPDATE: So when I left you last, we had started fairly well, with me looking to slowly change the style that the club had adopted over the previous 2 seasons. As the games went on, the changes happened much quicker than I'd normally like, with a number of players handing in transfer requests, unhappy with their playing time. This meant there was quite a bit of activity in January: Downing, Ayala, Flint and Mikel were all unhappy with their lack of starts and with all of them being on high wages and bringing in decent fees, I was happy to let them go as early as January. Mcnair wasn't listed, but a bid came in from Stoke and with his injury record, I decided to cash in. These deals brought our wage budget down and gave us some dough to spend. As i'm planning a long term save, I didn't want to buy stop gaps just for the sake of it. Schurrs, Morilla and Christensen were all youngsters, that if I remember correctly, I hadn't bought before and ones I feel fitted in with my long term plan. Lowe is someone I bought and after months of trying to decide on what wide man to bring in, the Pompey man was my choice. However despite a brilliant start, he later got injured in the same game. Woodburn has been brought in on loan to cover the attacking options as there were no other players I was really committed to buying. I flirted with Che Adams, even getting him to hand in a transfer request, but with just 1 goal in 20 games, a 6.5 average rating and my memory suggesting that he's flattered to deceive with some other players in this thread, I decided to give him a pass. So as you can see, just the 3 league defeats in 4 months, but just a couple too many draws for my liking. We switch between being toothless with 4 or 5 0-0 draws to being brilliant, knocking 3 or more goals past Bristol, Reading, Milwall, Blackburn and Wigan. I think the lack of depth and quality up top has hurt us in a few games, but again that's something I'm looking to add to in the long term. Bad injuries to Lowe and Xadas aren't helpful mind you. If we keep this up, we're looking nailed on for a play-off spot, meeting the expectations I set at the start of the season. Wish me luck and up the Boro!

Meanwhile, on my save i'm having no luck with signings... Having taken hours to finally decide on Jamal Lowe as the wide option to bring in, he instantly repays me with 2 goals in 15 minutes on his debut at home to Milwall. Then, later in the same game, this happens....

He was doing so well too.....

Well it's actually Xadas who is my top scorer, with 6 in 16 in the league. Fletcher and Tavernier are 2nd with 5 each, which, explains in itself really, that i'm having the similar problem to you in creating and scoring enough, but at the moment, our resilience in defence is helping us pick up points. I've got a huge list for January, which I plan on narrowing down in order to identify specific targets. With some outgoings confirmed, I'm looking for a cover CB, DLP, WGR and ST. I'm hoping when the window opens, I'll have the option to terminate and recall some loans.