PaulC2K

I never bought FM24 around release and kept fancying the idea of jumping into it and hoping its more enjoyable than watching them on TV lately. I'd completely forgot i had access to it on GamePass until Thursday, so i've been having a read on here, and jumped in. Last FM i played was FM22 i think, and was interested in seeing just how unpleasant it was going to be with the club in the state it is these days, and fully expected it to be miserable and equally demoralising, but somehow everything seems to be going really well. 8 wins in 8 in the league, just about keeping ahead of City through goal difference (+16 vs +13). We had a kind fixture list, Forest (2-0), Burnley (5-2) & West Ham (2-1), then a potential speed bump in Chelsea (2-1) & Liverpool (2-1, coming from behind), followed by Sheff Utd, Palace & Brighton (3-0, 1-0 & 4-0). Villa are 3rd 5pts behind, then Arsenal (-6) and Liverpool & Newcastle (-10). In Europe we got Sevilla, Milan and Union Berlin. I rested most of the squad in Berlin and it finished 1-1, and battered Sevilla 5-0 at home. League cup, we got City away ffs. I put out a largely rotated side and lost 1-0 which was better than expected tbh. Its a chance of silverware lost, but with how the season has gone, dropping some of the early season cup fixtures might do us a lot of good later on. I have City (H), Arsenal (A) and Spurs (H) as my first 3 fixtures for December, hopefully i can get the ECL group wrapped up before Game 5 and rest players ahead of those league games. Im playing 4-2-3-1 Wide, with either Positive mentality or Cautious, depending on the opposition, and really not doing anything special. We're getting a nice spread of goals now Hojlund is fit. Even Hugill got on the spreadsheet after 6min against Sevilla. McTominay got a brace in his first game at Shadow Striker following what people had said on here, hasnt scored since but come close a few times. Defensively i feel like we havent been great, 8 conceeded in 11 games, but with 5 clean sheets it suggests we're just a little sloppy some times. Thankfully we're scoring so for the time being its not a problem but with 3 big PL games in December we could do with tightening up at the back, as either the goals will dry up or we'll face opposition who dont give us the same chances. Varane has been great (alongside Martinez), and Maguire has covered well, but i think both will have to go to freshen up the defence. Same story with Casemiro, but im seeing no issues with either of them currently and so that can might get kicked down the road for another day, see if i can get 2 seasons out of them both. I've been encouraged by what ive seen about Mainoo on here, so immediately promoted him to first team and been giving him regular minutes. He's been topping the training session feedback regularly so thats something i like to go off when putting players like him in, obviously it doesnt work for everyone but i'd imagine if the game implements training performance, it also integrates that into the players expectations & happiness and so giving them games rewards that. He played 90min vs Chelsea & Liverpool (scoring the equaliser), and while he hasnt particularly stood out in highlights, he's been reliable and just as in real life seems composed and moves the ball around cleanly. For now he's rotating with Eriksen, and occasionally Mount, but i expect he'll be my #8 next season. Garnacho hasnt done much of note yet, but hasnt been given as much opportunity. Sancho has been playing okay, im trying to utilising him over Garnacho in the hope of encouraging an offer. I started with transfers locked, and ive already shortlisted a handful of names from this thread. So far though, im actually happy with the squad, the only person who hasnt been involved so far is Donny & Evans (injured), and Lindelof has only had a couple of games. I think we need another striker for rotation, and any fringe & aging players will need offloading and replacing. Hopefully injuries are kind to me and we can carry on this vein of form. Does anyone have any advice for things like Mentoring and individual training? A lot of these things im either ignoring or leaving to van der Gaag to deal with. I think the last time i went to give someone new training instructions the game wanted me to either take full control or step back, is there no way to let someone else operate it and still tinker when i feel like it? I couldnt find a way to give the whole squad the day off after a big win. I know i can do it manually per player, is there a way to tell everyone they've earned the next day/morning off? I shouldnt have to call each of them into my office to thank them and say take the day off etc.