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Nice to see Vencedor is developing for you @cemendur88. He just hasn't progressed at all on my save despite having excellent potential...he's playing for the B team in the Segunda this year so it's his last big chance for development really.

It was a bit crazy with lots of misses. yeah tactic worked well, I need to think about how to make that tactic more effective going forward in those situations, but a 3-4-3 like that is quite tough to break down. Solution may be to bring the wide players inside and overload the middle. Need to experiment

No I think that’s the only one! The only other thing I have player specific is the central defender roles, but that’s the role itself rather than PI’s....I just have it set so Nunez plays as a CD while Yeray, Martinez and formerly SanJo were set as BPD’s

Just won the Supercopa in the season curtain raiser. It was a thrilling 0-0 draw that we won in an 18 penalty long shootout. We played Barca who just bought Pogba for 175million, they have Conte in charge playing a 3-4-3 which is unfamiliar territory for me. I went with the 4-5-1 on the basis they had coutinho and messi out wide who clearly look to be either inside forwards or advanced playmakers, so either my full backs would track them or they would run in to my DM. I had an extra man in midfield to create a 3v2 there so I aimed to stifle them. I didn’t know how my attacking trio would get on given they had 3 at the back but figured if I could control the game I’d have the better chances. it went to plan really, I controlled the game but didn’t create too much...however they created less. Winning on penalties was a nice surprise given out distinct lack of decent takers on the pitch!

He looks solid! Yeah RB never seems to be an issue with an Athletic save. This year in particular...Zaldua, Elustondo, Odriozola plus Capa/Lekue/De Marcos... I'd save your money and stick with Capa/Lekue....full backs on this game can get some really high average ratings, so could be worth looking at how you are set up to make the most of those two - they're solid options.

Summer Window 2020 Well I didn't think I'd be doing this so soon as I expected a very quiet window, but things changed quickly. As planned I sold SanJo - I have an excellent young CB coming through, and he just wasn't getting in the side. Martinez, Yeray and Nunez are quality at CB, and Iturraspe and Zubeldia had been holding down the DM spot. On the 25th June it was all quiet, Odriozola was keen to chat but Real Madrid wouldn't sell 'under any circumstances'. His value was in the early 30million region as he'd played a lot of games last seasn (Carvajal picked up a long term injury). Sociedad had achieved promotion from the Segunda so Oyarzabal seemed completely uninterested. However come the end of June things changed quickly. Odriozola was transfer listed by Real Madrid out of the blue for 27.5 million and every big club was interested in him. I acted quickly as I had enough money to pay the fee in full. My bid was accepted but PSG also had a bit accepted...I knew our reputation wasn't going to get the move over line so I went huge on the contract terms. Fair to say I've paid a lot...let's just say the appearance fees are significant and leave it at that. I managed to get the deal done. Then before I know it Kepa is available as well...I actually saw it during the Odriozola negotiations but I decided to let it pass...Simon and Remiro are very capable and Odriozola would have a bigger difference to my team. Then Ander Herrera became transfer listed...they wanted way too much for him given he is nearly 31, but they were happy to accept a loan offer of only 30% of his wages. He has one year left on his deal so there's some potential to get him on a free after the season. The problem was that I had no budget to spend, I was waaaay over my wage budget after the Odriozola thing. I shifted Capa and Dani Garcia for 5 million each to free up the funds and make the deal work. I like Dani Garcia, but at 30 years old Herrera is a natural improvement at a similar age so I thought it worth the switch. I also brought Asier Villalibre back to the club. I'd lost him on a free (unwillingly) last summer - he'd become unhappy over first team appearances, so I agreed to give him games (this is in the first season). When Jan 1st rolled around he was happy with his game time but the promise hadn't run it's course yet. Due to this he wouldn't negotiate a contract with me. Girona swooped in and took him. He had a full season in La Liga for Girona last season and came on fairly well, my scouts rated him at 2.5 CA, 3.5 PA. Given he's the ideal player for my system as a pressing forward, I brought him back for a few million to rotate with Cordoba and fill the gap left by Aduriz and Raul Garcia. I'm really happy with our business and we have great depth now for the Champions League this season: GK - Remiro and Simon to rotate RB - Odriozola clear first choice, Lekue back up LB - Yuri, Ganea back up CB - Martinez, Yeray and Nunez rotating. Eneko Goni (quality youngster as back up) DM - Zubeldia and Iturraspe CM - Merino, Herrera, Sancet & De Marcos (he will be used a bit all over the place to be honest) AM - We don't have a natural AMC, but De Marcos can play there, as can Herrera. We can also play Muniain there with Cordoba wide left and Villalibre up front AMR - Williams, Artola back up AML - Muniain, Cordoba can rotate in there as can Williams and De Marcos CF - Cordoba and Villalibre to rotate

Season Two Review We went in to this season with a small squad, combined with Aduriz being fairly useless for our style of play and Raul Garcia being on the decline. For that reason we had to take some calculated gambles in European competition and allow a couple of younger players opportunities to play and develop here and there. In the end we went out in the group stage (3rd) in the Champions League in a very tight group. I wanted to focus on the league and make sure we regained Champions League status at least, we also rested players in the Europa League knockout, but lost a tough second round to Dortmund which was no disgrace either way. This was partially done because I fancied we could work our way to something quite impressive in the league with a bit of luck..and it played out just right. We got on a roll and we just kept on winning. Next season is going to be a bit of a transition, I am planning to sell Capa and San Jose to make room for younger players coming through, and Raul Garcia (despite some excellent performances this year) won't be getting his contract renewed. We desperately need an attacking midfielder to replace him, but I don't think Oyarzabal is going to happen, so youngsters will be getting time. It'll be tough for us to repeat the league win next year that's for sure. The B team also made it through the Segunda B playoffs and will be in the Seguna next season! Tactical Analysis I wanted to share my tactical process and how I went about setting up the team. We have a firm style which we put across 3 different formations to manage the oppositions set up. How I decided on the set up I know the Athletic squad very well, but this always starts with an analysis of the squad and goes from there....I felt we had the following characteristics: Strong work rate, pace out wide, movement in the middle (when Cordoba is up front and Raul Garcia in attacking midfield), Cordoba offers a good pressing forward option, absolutely quality defence and strength in the air. Weaknesses in the middle - the signing of Mikel Merino was a must as he's a step up, outside of him though, we have some decent players but no one exceptional. Zubeldia, Iturraspe and SanJo offer good options in defensive midfield, and Dani Garcia is a good BBM. There's a heavy reliance on Merino, but I do have variety at least in this area of the pitch with willing runners. With this in mind I wanted our team to have the following characteristics: 1) Counter press - we have the work rate to do it and winning the ball in transition will allow our pacey wide players to stretch the opposition if we move quickly once the ball is won. 2) Compact - I want us to be vertically compact - we have pace in defence so I've no concern in playing a higher line, however I don't want us to have a high line of engagement, as we want space in front of us to exploit with our pace when the ball is won. The counter press gives us quite a high engagement anyway, but when we need to regain our shape, I don't want the top end of the team to be too high. 3) Narrow defensively. I want a balance where we are narrow defensively and compress the space. We have good defensive midfielders positionally, and lots of strength in the air. I don't mind conceding space out wide as we can deal with crosses. If we don't win the ball on transition, I am confident we will be difficult to break down with this set up. 4) Key TI's - run at defence...Cordoba, Williams and Muniain can all do this and they form our 3 key attackers. Urgent pressing intensity and a higher tempo to build on the above style. 5) Full backs - Yuri and De Marcos (or Capa/Lekue/Ganea) are all attacking. When we are going forwards I want them to stay wide and stretch the play. We have the defensive quality in midfield to be ballsy in the wide areas and overlap. This also allows Williams and Muniain to sit narrower and support Cordoba. 6) No messing around - when we win the ball in transition especially I don't want the team to hang about. We get the ball in the box quickly and and try to catch the opposition off guard...this comes down to quality movement from the attacking players and midfield to allow us to do this. For that reason the wide players are set to play very direct, as I want them to play the ball quickly (rather than stick to the short passing TI). 7) This is tied together by movement and runners from the middle. In all of our formations we have two players in the middle who are constantly on the move, either BBM's or Mezzala's, or a RPM in one instance. Formations Formations for me are purely a defensive structure. The attacking system is designed by player roles and fluidity. I want my team's formation to reflect the opposition - our goal is to mirror them in some ways and press in key areas, forcing them wide or into poor situations. This led me to 3 options: 4-3-3/4-5-1 This is designed to play against the 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-1-1. Our DM is there to stop their AM getting on the ball in dangerous areas...we basically mirror them in midfield to force them wide. With this formation we are a little deeper anyway due to the midfield triangle, so I allow our wide players to push further up. I have no concern with the full backs being 1v1 against their wingers as we can handle the crosses. If their wide players are moving inside and overloading us we can adjust things in game to counter that. The most important players in this system are the two central midfielders...their movement makes this system work. The RPM is expected to always be working the ball forwards, where as the Mezzala is our difference maker...he runs from the midfield strata into the box and exploits space. Without the midfield runners this formation would be static and unimaginative. 4-4-1-1 This is designed to play against a 4-3-3/4-5-1 or 4-1-4-1. Again we are basically mirroring their formation by placing an AM on the pitch to press their DM and restrict his space. As our AM is set to an attack mentality, his role is to push in to the box to find space when we are attacking. The BBM is then able to fill his space and the DLP (D) is the anchor who is always available to recycle possession. As our central midfield is fairly forward thinking, in this formation our wide midfielders sit in the midfield strata rather than the attacking midfield strata to better balance our shape. These player roles in a 4-2-3-1 would be very risky indeed. However their movement is still very important in stretching the opposition. 3-5-2 This is designed to play against the 4-4-2. I wanted my defenders to have a man advantage with a covering defender, so 3 centre backs vs their 2 forwards puts them in an advantageous position. We then also have 3 CM's to out number their central players. As mentioned before, I don't mind conceding a bit of space out wide as with 3 centre backs who are all good in the air, we can manage anything coming in to the box. Going forward this formation allows the wing backs to provide width, with 2 runners from central midfield supporting the forwards. The goal is for the mezzala to get right up there and force a 3v2 against their central defenders.

I've seen that quite a few times but never been let go. As long as you're not underperforming I think it's unlikeky. I am going to have another go at Odriozola this summer, but pressure is off a little as I have an amazing RB regen coming through

10million!!!

I did exactly the same thing with Segunda B...no idea how I managed it. I just moved any good players to the first team and rotated them where possible to manage it. I was only reaaaallly worried about one or two of them anyway. In the second season now with the league active and I don't think the issue really affected me or the players in the end. How are Berenguer and Hervias doing for you? I've scouted both repeatedly and never moved on them as I don't see them as an improvement really. Hervias in particular though has a nice attribute spread, reminds me a bit of Ibai Gomez.

40 million in the bank, I wait patiently for an increased transfer budget for January after being given 313k budget at the start of the season. Nothing is forthcoming, I frequently check the board interaction options and eventually get the chance to ask for my wage budget to be increased. To my delight they accept, I scroll excitedly to the news feed to assess my bounty, to find an increase from 1.16mil p/w to 1.19mil p/w. Well **** you I say to the board, you're diddling me with an extra 30k p/w offering and I don't like it. I continue to wait for my transfer budget increase... Nothing in December... 1st January roles around and there it is, the message in my inbox I've been waiting for, what will it say I wonder... after all I have 40million in the bank. A budget of 15-20million would give me enough to have a good go at Odriozola or Oyarzabal with some hefty instalment options this month, it be huge for my season! But oh what's this...

@dothestrand I didn’t get chance to play yesterday or today really but my save is progressing almost identically to yours except I’m a few months behind. Finished 3rd in my Champions League group sadly but was a fun group to be part of. Im gonna need to consider depth in the attacking areas next summer. Really hoping I can get Oyarzabal as he would add so much quality in a key area for us. Then next season I’ll be starting to bed in Borja Borja too so that would be enough depth I think.

I've had Sancet in the first team this year, he's coming in for the odd game and making apps off the bench as well. He's progressing really well. I don't think Nolaskoain is ever going to make it on my save sadly, looks like I got the rough draw with him. Cordoba on the other hand has been superb for me, he's up to 3* CA with a 4* PA and is averaging a 9-10 rating every week in training!

I’m in the same boat with Aduriz retiring and looking to keep Garcia for one more year...not on 100k per week though. At the moment I’m using Córdoba as my main striker and he’s doing well. Nolaskoain is an interesting one, I think he must have a variable PA in the DB because in my save he might become a La liga quality player in the future, but in the save I made to create the opening posts of this thread he had way more potential. I used him on and off during my first season and he’s currently on loan in the segunda. How is Sancet going on your save?

In December of season 2 now. In a very tight champions league group but I think I’m likely to finish 3rd as we are away at PSG on the final match day. We are on 7 points, with besiktas and Leipzig behind us on 6 and 5 respectively. If they draw on the final day we will go through provided we avoid a tonking from PSG, but a win for either will mean we will be in trouble. We have gotten off to a good start in the league, sitting at won 9, drawn 2, lost 1, but are somehow 5th with a game in hand. Hopefully a couple of teams who have shot out of the blocks will drop off. Have 50mil in the bank but no news on an improved transfer budget. I’d like Odriozola or Oyarzabal in January but neither looks likely at this stage.