Chris_ANZFM
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Posts posted by Chris_ANZFM
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On 02/05/2024 at 18:24, _Ben_ said:
I know! With over 250,000 players in my database - there are some real hidden gems that either my scouts or my statistical recruitment methods pick up. Feels very realistic!
Finding the gems is something that I’ve found a lot harder following the changes to scouting. But man it feels good when you find them.
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13 hours ago, _Ben_ said:
Also, I'm well into pre-season and, to be fair, my transfer business hasn't quite gone to plan - so there are still times where I'm second guessing myself!
This is exactly the type of chasing the dragon that keeps us all going too. Especially with an approach such as yours where it’s about built, not bought.
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Can you really call yourself an FM player if you haven’t brought in a few aging “stars” for the feels.
A pretty impressive hit rate too to be getting performances out of Raya and Goretzka0 -
3 hours ago, _Ben_ said:
- are the most promising of the bunch and the most likely to make the move to earning professional, first team football either here or elsewhere
I feel like this is such a key element that so many FM players don’t consider when it comes to intakes.
Judgement on an intake almost always comes down to how it will impact the Users first team.
5 hours ago, _Ben_ said:
Chris, I haven't missed this post, I'm just a little bit stuck in the middle. Whilst things are going really well, I'm yet to really create a style that is representative in statistical form. I'm seeing nice shapes but I'm not, yet, seeing a huge number of dribbles or a particular closed defence, for example. We're good crossers, but that's a little inconsequential, as neither of our strikers are good in the air! I think that this year, I'll be able to set the baselines and then start to create my performance improvement areas. Perfection is not an end goal, it's a process!
Honestly, the time required is not surprising. Sometimes this kind of thing is a little too much of a niche compared to what FM can realistically achieve. The fun though, can be found in the process of trying to replicate rather than actually achieving the end result. Either way, I look forward to seeing what you come up with.
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On 12/02/2024 at 09:32, _Ben_ said:
Faced with predicted losses of over €10m a season, I knew that this transfer window would really be tough and I'd need to pull as many strings and think as far outside of the box as I could to ensure that we came out of it in a stronger position. To be fair - the window has been a little vanilla, in all honesty. I've looked for upgrades where possible and experienced squad depth, rather than expansive scouting and high risk signings. With board demands of only reaching the top half of the 2.Bundesliga this season, I feel that I've got a bit of a free shot whilst I continue to repair the financial damage to the club. My first order of business was to cash in on Agustin Alvarez, who moves to Holland for €8m. This gets over €40k p/w off the wage bill and moves on a player who really was not at his best last season. With a USA snub, part of me expected Tillman to kick up a fuss but, with my recent wage reworking, his salary commitments are way above anyone else here and, as a man with no interest in negotiating anything new, I felt that this could be used to our advantage. As of the time of writing, he remains at the club but efforts to replace him are being explored with more haste than before.
Despite the outgoings of Alvarez and the pre-arranged deals previously mentioned, I decided to instead put my money towards signing free agents, most of whom performed well at their previous clubs. Again, I'll mention the vanilla element to this window but I really think that it was needed. I mentioned the want for an overhaul in a previous update but have now gone ahead and signed just four players - however, each of those brings experience, quality and potential to offer more than just a name on the team sheet. It is that, I truly believe, that will allow me to take the gambles with blooding youth players, changing roles and elements of individual players' games as well as the team shape.
Arijon Ibrahimovic - no relation to Zlatan, who is on my coaching staff - moves to us after a dominant season with Bayern's II team in the 3.Liga. Last year, he recorded thirteen goals - third best in the league - from 8.67xG and a total of 0.59 goal contributions per ninety in a team that, despite finishing fifth, only had the fourteenth best goals scored tally. 0.29xA/90 compared to just 0.16 assists/90 further backs up that a reasonable number of assists (joint 25th in the league) could, and probably should, have been better. Over five and a half progressive actions with a skew towards dribbles and 2.36 key passes per game show me that he's a carrier and a creator, too. With great Flair, Dribbling, Technique and a solid, agile physical base, I truly think he's a coup for the club and expect him to be making noises for a move to the top tier very soon. It's Bayern's loss, clearly, but a testament (and a shock when we get to this level) of their depth that he's not been able to break into the first team. Another man at the top of the scoring charts is Willem Geubbels, whose twelve strikes - from 8.65xG - sits him fourth in the league in a season where his St Gallen side romped to the title. Therefore, this move can be considered another huge coup. Guebbels' average shot xG of just 0.10 is pretty poor and his 14.77% conversion rate can definitely be worked on but his eye for goal is nothing short of fantastic as he covers ground, takes players on and can turn into a creative force, too, with seven assists to his name, bringing his goal involvements to 0.56 per game. I remember him from previous games and what he could become but it seems that he's landed in Switzerland and somewhat found his level; he's really well rounded with little in the way of deficiencies but, most importantly, was €8m cheaper than Alvarez and earns €18k p/w less than him, too. I believe that he could go on, like Arijon before him, to feature at this level and in the top flight, whether that comes with us or not; this two could be a deadly duo!
Noah Lemina - younger and less-famous brother of Mario - is another player to be joining us after a spell in the Swiss top flight. The Lausanne man, on loan from Nice, averaged over three dribbles a game as well as 1.15 key passes per game. FIve goal involvements overall do paper over the cracks of a couple of wobbly years in and around the two Nice sides and the PSG 2 side earlier in his career, sandwiching a successful loan at second tier Sochaux. At 23, I think he's got time left in him to develop and is, again, well rounded - a really clear recruitment decision I have made. However, Lemina is the most creative of these signings whereby I want to utilise him in the centre of the pitch. He's slight - 5'6" and 62kg but he's fast, clever and can progress the ball: ideal for what I want as a central winger, the direct translation of the Mezzala role. There is, of course, some flexibility in this choice as he could easily play wide left, pushing Ibrahimovic to the right and Tillman to the CM(a) role - it's all about options! I have to go back to 2025/26 to find the last full season that Dominik Stumberger played and it was whilst he was at WSG Tirol before a €4.7m move to Salzburg. A left footed centre back who can progress the ball and offer something more than most going forward feels like a sensible transfer, particularly when I face the prospect of losing Hajrizi in the summer and require a stop gap for a couple of years until any of my youth may be ready for first team action.
After successes with this method for Elfsborg and the quality of youth I am really focussing on, I think that my core squad - of just twenty players - provides me with enough depth in most areas of the pitch, as you can see below. I intend to keep the defence as solid as possible, rotating as little as I can in order to maintain the solidity that you can get with well-built partnerships. Plus, the area of the squad where I have most youth quality is in defence, therefore I don't feel overly worried. Going forward, the signings I've brought in and the players I've looked to retain all offer me flexibility in different roles and will allow me to deviate from my original tactical styles and plans when needed. There will be multiple questions to answer further down the line: a considerable number of the squad are entering their final two years, with many in their last, there is a considerable divide between old and young within the squad and we still need to be aware of being usurped by bigger teams for stronger players in the squad who'd happily move elsewhere.
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Pre-season has come and gone by quite nicely. Three cups - courtesy of the @danielgear method and my players are fit and ready to go. I know my strongest side but the reality is that they won't be playing together that often as I want to really dig into the analysis of our opponents this season. Our 3133 shape, with sets of overloads - originally down the right in our earlier transition but then again on the left when we approach the goal, which, to me, is screaming out for a player who can switch play or move quickly to change the dynamic of our attack but, overall, is feeling positive and suited to what we have here.
With eight parts to last season's updates, I intend to split this much cleaner into another couple of updates, giving me a bit more time to dig into the game and develop both tactically and develop the players I have at my disposal. I also want to dig into some player amortisation stuff as I will need to keep a closer eye than ever on the financial implications at the club. I'm positive about the season but also conscious we share a league with Eintracht Frankfurt, Mainz, Heidenheim, Hannover, Kaiserslautern and several other really strong sides.
I need to come back and read this latest update but I just had to say this before it slipped my mind.
I thought of you immediately when I saw that Hammarby post on X. So I was rather pleasantly surprised to see that it made its way into the thread.
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Welcome to Germany.
This move seems better timed than the original move to Elfsborg; can already sense your enthusiasm returning.
I’ll very graciously accept your return to attributes as I will most definitely take advantage of your skin now, I tried without atts but it’s just too much to take in without appropriate playing time to sink into it all.
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Here I am 😂.
What a wonderful start this has gotten off to. Really enjoy the concept, couple geographical areas of the game that I’ve never paid much attention too so I get to enjoy this all as new.
Also, just wanted to make a special mention to the moustache on that CB in the intake, absolutely outstanding.
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On 08/01/2024 at 14:38, Shrewnaldo said:
Cheers Chris, much appreciated. If you haven't seen it already, I've started a new thread for the new save here. I'll certainly be taking some of the new logic and ideas to the new save.
Oh thank heavens the new thread is up already. I was starting to stress as I got caught up on this and sensed the inevitable.
This has been the first thread of yours that I’ve really delved into properly before and I’ve really enjoyed. So thanks for the read and see you again soon in Spain.
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Brilliant to see the improvements that you’ve gained simply from switching that DM role.
Combined with the incredible output from two different strikers this could well be your year!
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Taken a couple of lunch breaks to get myself all caught up again after the Christmas break, happy holidays and all that.
Initially I was surprised to see you leave GIF but having been able to read the way that your thoughts/feelings developed over the following posts it looks to be the perfect move.
Congrats on the title! First of many, eh? Whether that be here or further afield.
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On 02/12/2023 at 08:06, MattyLewis11 said:
Building on from the Ajax way DNA blog, which focused on how DNA can be used to drive talent identification at AFC Ajax. I wanted to document how I will use the DNA score to create player pathways, ensuring that I apply a consistent approach to providing talent with the same opportunities.
PLAYER PATHWAYS IN FOOTBALL
THE ROLE OF A PATHWAY
In the intricate tapestry of English football, pathways emerge as not just a vital thread but a dynamic force, echoing the wisdom that Rome's grandeur was not erected in a mere day. These pathways transcend mere routes; they are the lifelines that guide young players through the labyrinth of development, infusing them with not just direction but an unwavering motivation to sculpt their own destiny. A shining exemplar of this football alchemy is the legendary "Class of 92," a masterpiece sculpted by the visionary Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United—a testament to the club's artistry in cultivating talent that blossomed into triumphant success within the first team.
Pathways, akin to artistry, assume myriad forms, whether through a carefully orchestrated ballet of loan moves or an enchanting pas de deux in first-team training sessions. Each step is a brushstroke, painting the canvas of a player's journey with experiences that shimmer like the finest strokes of a masterpiece. These meticulously laid-out avenues not only offer fledgling players the chance to dance with destiny but also provide a front-row seat to the symphony of the professional game, fostering the hope that they will one day command the grand stage of the first team.
THE CHALLENGES
While academies and pathways play a crucial role in player development, there are also challenges associated with their implementation. One of the most significant challenges is ensuring that there is a clear pathway from the academy to the first team. This can be difficult, as first-team managers often have a short-term focus on results and may be hesitant to give young players a chance.
Another challenge is ensuring that young players receive a well-rounded education and are prepared for life beyond football. This can be particularly challenging for players who leave school early to pursue a career in football, as they may miss out on important life skills and experiences.
PLAYER PATHWAYS IN FOOTBALL MANAGER
THE PROCESS
Given that player development in my save 'The Ajax way' will be driven by the individual's performance against DNA, it made sense for me to set KPI's at given points in a player's development to ensure that we have a consistent approach.
For those of you who are science heads, you will know the importance a constant plays in any experiment, a constant variable does not change throughout the course of the experiment, enabling conclusions to be understandable.
If I were to provide variable pathways into the first team, how would I be able to judge the impacts fairly, different players would have experienced different journeys, which would not help me to understand what factors impact progress and ones which do not.
THE AJAX WAY
The below will walk you through the different stages of the Ajax way player pathway, covering any specific actions which I apply at each given stage.
It is important to remember that I have refined my Jong Ajax side to conform with the Ajax way, in which youth sides are made up with 16 players, the squad is as follows.
2 – Goalkeepers (Sten Kremers and Charlie Setford)
4 – Right footed players for positions 2,6 and 7. (Olivier Aertssen, Gabriël Misehouy, Amourricho van Axel Dongen, and Alvaro Henry
4 – Left footed players for positions 5,8 and 11. (Ethan Butera, Rico Speksnijder, Ar'jany Martha, and David Kalokoh)
3 – Players for positions 3 and 4. (Ahmetcan Kaplan, Oualid Agougil, and Avery Appiah
3 – Players for positions 9 and 10. (Skye Vink, Yoram Boerhout, and Jaydon Banel)
140 DNA POINTS - JONG AJAX REGULAR
At 140 DNA points this is where the fun begins, for those of you who play FM simply for the matches, this approach will not be for you. For others, who enjoy taking control of a club, with the view to maximising talent and fully submerging yourself into the role, strap yourselves in!
There are two things which I like to control when players secure enough DNA points to be considered a Jong Ajax regular.
- Take control of a player's individual training - with this I mean selecting what positional training the individual will participate in. Position training enables a player to become more familiar with any playing position that is not natural to him, thus improving his performances when playing in that position. However, at this time I will not be looking to train the player in the role which I think he is best in, I will simply select the role which has a wider attribute spread, helping to form a well rounded player. At this stage think more, Ball Playing Defender, Central Midfielder, Winger, and Deep-Lying Forward, the more vanilla options.
- Influence selection - in game you will receive inbox notifications from the B Team Manager asking for confirmation of the first team players that you want to make available for the upcoming fixture. Use this opportunity to ensure the selection aligns with the DNA, as the B Team Manager often will look to play individuals based upon their current ability, which could lead to less game time for those that align better to the DNA.
150 DNA POINTS - POSITION SET/ EXPLORE PATHWAY
At 150 DNA points, the focus changes from a wide lens to one with a little more attention to detail, here we dial things in a little in terms of development, and also make our first key decision with regards to the individual's development pathway.
Here we review the pathway into the first-team, analysing the route, exploring the level of competition ahead. This will decide if we make the plyer available for loan, this isn't the crossroads for the player but a key moment in deciding which pathway the individual will follow for the next season.
Here are two examples to help demonstrate the process.
Exhibit A, Ethan Butera - Ethan is a left-footed wide centre-back, looking at the potential players ahead of him in the above DNA visual, there is only Gastón Ávila and Jorrel Hato ahead of him, when considering the individual's natural position. Given that Ávila has also played a significant number of his matches in the DM strata, Butera has a clear pathway as no other individuals are blocking his pathway. If there were multiple players entering the first-team integration phase at the same time this would lead me to exploring an alternative route.
Exhibit B, Don-Angelo Konadu - at 17 years of age, Don-Angelo is still playing in the under 18s, he has nearly drawn down enough DNA points to enter the assessment phase. Given that we already have three strikers in the first-team and the likes of Skye Vink and Yoram Boerhout nearly entering the First Team Integration phase, Don-Angelo's pathway is blocked. Therefore, for me I would look to send the individual out on a short-term loan, given his access to minutes at the next level (Jong Ajax) will be limited due to the players mentioned. If Skye Vink and Yoram Boerhout also enter the First Team Integration phase at a similar time, the same will apply to one of the two, a move to another team in the Eredivisie or a league with a similar reputation would provide exposure to a similar level of competitive football.
After the pathway review has taken place, and of course, notes added to the players profile, there are a few more tasks to action.
Set Loan Status - For individuals who have a pathway which isn't clear, the emphasis is placed on securing them access to significant exposure to football at a relevant level. Here you can utilise affiliate clubs, or look to chance the market by placing the individual up for loan. Remember, always favour loan moves to sides who are offering increased playing time, and if possible those clubs which have a solid infrastructure, to aid development off the pitch.
Targeted positional training - Now the player should be more rounded as an individual, the focus dials into specifics. Here we look to only focus his individual training to either the best role aligned to our current tactic, or the role which the player will excel the most in. Remember just because a player is playing in a given role, doesn't mean he will carry out the duties in match the same as another.
155+ JONG AJAX KEY PLAYER
Key players within the Jong side, but not quite ready to take the full step into the First Team. These players need a taste of what is to come, but only for a select few. Those who have read any of my previous work on youth development know I value the importance of praising individuals.
Here at Ajax it is no different, I like to keep track of the best trainers at the club and have been rewarding those that finish in the top three for two consecutive months with the following.
Add to First Team training - Exposure to first team training, training with players who are accustomed to playing at a higher standard is key to any youth players development. Youth prospects will be given the chance to impress, whilst gaining access to better coaching staff, who in theory should aid their development. Again, providing individuals with this opportunity should impact both morale and overall happiness.
165+ DNA POINTS - FIRST TEAM INTEGRATION
At 160 DNA points, I believe players to be at the stage where they need their armbands removed, these players have been playing a significant role in the Jong side and should have been given exposure to first-team training, it is time for them to be a small fish in a big pond.
Move to Senior Squad - this speaks for itself.
Mentoring - the mentoring system consists of placing individuals in groups where they will learn off each other. Now there isn't a one size fits all to mentoring, different clubs have different personalities within the playing staff with varying levels of experience and personality types. However, what essentially we are looking to do is place a younger, less experienced player with either a senior player, or someone who has exemplary behaviours. The view, to improve determination, personality type, adopt traits, and harvest good relationships.
Exposure to First Team football - Ideally you only want to move players into the senior squad if they can add value, exposure to playing first team football will aid the development of talent. However, be warned that if you bring players into the senior squad and do not provide them minutes on the pitch, you are directly impacting their development. Exposure at first can be from the bench, 15 minutes here, and 15 minutes there, whilst the player finds his feet. The importance here is making the player feel a part of the match day squad and providing opportunities, why have a focus on a youth philosophy, if you aren't going to trust youth! The Ajax way philosophy ensures players have the opportunity to showcase their talent, performing what they have learned through their years within De Toekomst.
175+ DNA POINTS - FIRST TEAM REGULAR
At this stage in the journey, players will be well on their way to entering their prime, individuals would have benefitted from exposure to the best coaching available at the club and took part in many training sessions geared towards your game model. These individuals find themselves familiar with the Ajax way philosophy and will be placed well with regards to the clubs hierarchy and social groups.
The average lifespan for an Ajax player within the first team is four years, hence the importance of ensuring there is a consistent pipeline of talent running through the production line in Amsterdam.
185+ DNA POINTS - KEY PLAYER STATUS
Looking at the clubs experience matrix you will note that only three of the key players when regarding DNA stem from the Peak, and Experienced footballer. This differs from the more traditional way of viewing players, in which most key players will either be in their prime or beyond.
These individuals are key to the success of the group, they epitomise the club and are fully aligned to the game model. This is clear to see when looking at minutes played to date, with three of the top four players regarding minutes on the pitch stem from the Key player status group.
A point to note, given the exposure these individuals are getting, paired with their alignment to the game model, it is likely to be these individuals that are the ones being heavily scouted by some of the continent's bigger clubs.
ADDITIONAL VALUES OF ADOPTING A DNA WITHIN YOUR FM SAVE
AGREED PLAYING TIME
The KPI against the Ajax way DNA also provides managers with a system which can help dictate agreed playing time. Looking at the snippet below from in game, you can see how our 'Important Players' are those which hold the highest DNA, our key players.
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS
As per the above, player pathways can aid when to offer players new contracts. Prior to this save I always used to offer new contracts to draw down talent of key performers, other than that simply wait until just before the players final year, before offering players an extension.
Using the player pathways system, you can see that it provides perfect opportunities as players pass through each stage to ensure they have a contract which reflects not only their ability but their individual pathway and player status.
WAGE STRUCTURE
Finally, by implementing a DNA related player pathway, like I have in the Ajax way, will ensure that you aren't handing out bumper contracts to individuals that are not aligned to the clubs philosophy, and reward players that are progressing up the DNA hierarchy.
Looking at the above, you can see that five of the top six earners within the AFC Ajax squad, are those individuals who have the best DNA alignment.
TL;DR
This week's blog discusses the implementation of a player pathway system, focusing on DNA scores, in football management, particularly within the context of managing Ajax in Football Manager. The pathway involves stages based on DNA points, guiding players from the youth team to the first team. The author emphasises the importance of consistent development, challenges in player pathways, and how the DNA approach influences training, loan decisions, and integration into the senior squad. The system is also linked to playing time, contract negotiations, and wage structure, aligning with the club’s philosophy.Sensational stuff man. Have been thoroughly enjoying this read so far.
I had been reading/commenting over on the website but it doesn’t come with all the additional dialogue that you get in a forum so here I am.
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Excellent as always man. With the detail you go into it’s almost as though I can visualise the processes you’re going through as your doing it.
All the best for the season.
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Just now caught up on everything.
First up, thanks for taking the time to delve into and explain the spreadsheet process. Something that I’ll definitely return to in future. Even just for the fun of creating the sheet.
As for the save though. I am very glad you came back to it despite the bug. This has been a tremendous journey so far. The financial issues really fascinated me as I’ve just started to encounter the same types of cuts in my own save (Czech Republic).
Can’t argue that you haven’t put up a hell of a fight here and like you have acknowledged the club is probably punching above its weight just by being in Serie B never mind gunning for promotion.
You’ve earned your move Sir Shrew. Enjoy it when it comes.
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On 14/11/2023 at 11:21, Shrewnaldo said:
So it looks like this is a wider FM24 bug. I thought our terrible defending was because our players were terrible... turns out the match engine is churning out quite ridiculous numbers of goals just now. People might think I'm being over-dramatic about this but the more I look at this the more game-breaking it feels. The immersion has just completely broken. It's like the glass-smashing moment in How I Met Your Mother. Going to sleep on it and see how I feel tomorrow but might just put this on hold until it's patched.
I’ve not read the rest of the thread yet, I will do momentarily, but the HIMYM reference demanded I stop and acknowledge it. 😍
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On 26/11/2023 at 04:23, _Ben_ said:
I had to make this graphic especially for this update! I was not planning another update until the end of the season but - for me - the best way to solve a problem can sometimes be to dive head first into it. Here are the first five fixtures following the previous update, with a full set of match stats available by clicking on each thumbnail:
Four draws and one victory is not exactly what I’d call title contender form but, luckily, Varnamo went 3-2-0, GAIS went 2-3-0, Osters went 2-1-2 and Varbergs went 2-1-2, meaning we didn’t really lose pace. Yet, things just didn’t feel right with our game play. The lack of any clean sheets does not sit well with me but I also felt that our attacking play was a little bit rigid and forced and we lacked the little bit of a spark needed to put the games to bed. We’re tired, obviously, as late goals in the last three games (although the Ostersunds goal was a little more than a consolation) shows that both fatigue is an issue as is my use of substitutes.
But I also wanted to break it down further than that, so this is what I did:
I compared each of the five games with our overall season averages, where possible, and looked to draw any conclusions from the opponents we were facing. What I found most interesting though came through some deeper diving, look at the shots and shot quality from each area of the pitch. I know that I have one striker compared to five midfielders, but seeing a maximum of 16.7% of all shots taken by them feels a bit concerning, but, a shown by the green cells, two of the games saw some very good chances – with Mattson somehow missing a 0.90xG open goal in the GAIS tie. The majority of shots are coming from midfielders, which is great overall, and the quality of them is generally better than what Engblom and Matsson are getting, but they aren’t strikers for a reason! I dug even deeper into this and watched all the moves that led to midfielders shooting and a good proportion of the time – of the total 48 shots – the ball was worked back to the edge of the box where the majority of them were before a long shot came in. The higher xG shots really skewed the overall stats and it just felt pretty clear that, by the time we’d got forward, the opposition defences had recovered and, as such, we were outnumbered in the box.
So, I did this. We already regroup when we lose the ball and our rest defence is really strong but I’ve added the Counter instruction to try and increase the pace that we break at, creating – hopefully – more opportunities where we can have numerical advantages, or, at least, not such disadvantages in and around their box. My hope is that this allows our midfielders better shooting options and gives more chance of the ball finding our strikers, who are – predominantly – in the team for their finishing ability.
My little change ran for two games before I decided that I’d already written enough words in this update…
Rule one – don’t make five subs when 4-0 up at half time with a completely complacent bench! Rule two – utilise the counter! Ten goals scored feels like a strong turnaround statistically, particularly the Orebro result, as they are a team of a similar stature. We created 5.13xG against Karlstad from a total of 24 shots, which did include one penalty whilst two of the goals came from midfield in Palsson and Damus. 2.77xG from 19 shots against Orebo with strikers scoring none of them also feels like I’ve half fixed this issue.
Again, it’s one to let run and to monitor as time goes on!
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This man.
I think that 95% of the comparison idea came from seeing ‘Yaya’ on the back of his shirt burst through the midfield, making me think of a fellow Ivorian-born midfielder with a similar name. Whilst, at 5’11”, he does lack a little bit of the stature that Yaya Touré had, I do see my Malian man as being a key cog in the team and someone who can help us drive forward. I used a Bleacher Report article to get a nice explanation of the change in role that Yaya Toure went through following his move from Barca to Man City:
“There he was asked to sit deep, break up attacks, play simple balls to the likes of Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta, and generally do the leg work in order for the attacking players to shine. It was an incredibly narrow remit for a player with such an obvious array of qualities. He was eventually usurped by the emerging Sergio Busquets, an out-an-out defensive midfielder and a native of Catalonia who had risen through Barcelona’s youth set-up. The former City boss, Roberto Mancini, who had made his interest clear months before, wasted no time in bringing him to City once the transfer window opened. Under Mancini, everything changed. Suddenly he had licence to run at the heart of the defence with his pace and power. He was central to City’s attacks, becoming a box-to-box midfielder and exerting influence all over the pitch—a far cry from being a small cog in the glittering Barcelona wheel.”
I think that this role is absolutely perfect to our style of play. With that in mind, I created a little comparison between FM24 Fofana and FM12 Yaya, who – at the time – was 30 and playing at Man City. The results were, thankfully, pretty much what I expected – a man who lacks a little bit of defending quality plus that overall top-end strength that Yaya was synonymous for when moving with the ball. Immediately, my development plan for Fofana has switched from VOL(a) to BWM(d) with a Defensive Positioning focus; he’ll still play, for now, as a Volante, but this will allow him to both learn his new DM position and develop a couple of his weak areas.
Without FM12 to fire up to get a direct, SI Games comparison and, to be fair, without FM12 having the depth of stats that FM24 had, I was able to dig into another Bleacher Report article to find out really what made Yaya good on the pitch:
“The outstanding form of Fernandinho has been key to Touré's brilliance so far this season. Fernandinho has been superb for much of this campaign, offering excellent protection to the back four. He is consistently in the right place at the right time, and his energy levels mean he makes tackles and interceptions all over the pitch.
That has allowed Touré to increase his performance, as demonstrated by the stats below. He has scored seven league goals in 14 appearances, and has managed an incredible 92 percent passing accuracy level. He barely ever gives the ball away, and is adding more goals to his already accomplished game.
Passing, Chances & Goals:
· 2012/13 – 90% pass accuracy, avg length 17m, 22 chances created, 2 goals and 2 assists. 63.5% of his passes are forwards.
· 2013/14 – 92% pass accuracy, avg length 17m, 17 chances created, 7 goals and 3 assists. 65.3% are forwards.
As these stats show, Touré is more clinical when in possession and is making better use of the ball this season compared to last.
Shooting:
· 2012/13: 40% shot accuracy, 25 shots at a 8% chance conversion rate.
· 2013/14: 65% accuracy from 15 shots at a 41.2% chance conversion rate
His shooting accuracy and conversion rates are also up considerably on last season.
His powerful bursts from midfield are an incredible facet to his game, and gives City an edge that few other sides can match. Touré moves through the gears at pace, with his close control and sheer strength meaning he can beat players and take City up the pitch within seconds. This season, he has a 70 percent take on rate.”
Whilst I can’t measure pass length, I can quite easily look at two metrics that made Yaya stand out: High conversion rates and highly progressive ability – mainly through passing.
With that in mind, and, with this essentially being my first signing for the first team, I wanted to get a deeper analysis of his play, so dug into his first six games with us. Below you can see the combined map for passes, dribbles and shots:
The role that I’m creating is really niche and, prior to this, had trusted Pichkah with it, without really making a concerted effort to find out whether or not he was actually good at it. Below are the statistics that I was able to collect, with a comparative colour at the bottom – but more on that later on.
I feel that Bleacher’s stats on ‘forward passes’ must include sideways, too, because that rate is far far higher than what I have seen, even with such an aggressive role in the VOL(a) one. However, looking at a total of 79% not-backwards passing feels pretty decent, although I do feel that his defensive outputs are lower than I’d like and his scoring exploits, minus a goal against Ostersunds, could be much better. Overall, I didn’t feel that he was enough of the heartbeat of the team, but I did – and still do – feel slightly conscious about making him an RPM(s) because a) the support role will mean less aggressive play than an attack role and b) I don’t necessarily want to use a playmaker as I feel it can take a little away from a pacey and, ultimately, lethal, counter attack. So… I modified his player role, as seen below. Adding Dribble More, Shoot More Often and Take More Risks, as well as asking him to Move into Channels when the team has the ball would hopefully make him engage with the attacking phases of our play, creating, essentially a 3-2-5 shape from the 3-box-3 that we transition with.
Obviously, this run of form coincides with a slight dip in our own fortunes and I must remember that this is a man who, initially, was without match sharpness, new to the country and not being able to speak a word of Swedish and new to the tactical setup, without being even competent in the DM role. With that in mind, I do feel he’s done a pretty stellar job of adapting, yet, I am ever the perfectionist and think he’s capable of more! Which makes the next two games even more satisfying – both to watch and to analyse. New instructions in place and a chance to get some minutes in against a lower league team in the cup and a team of equal standing to ourselves in a tough, tough league game at home.
In red, I am able to compare where a statistic has decreased in value compared to the previous set of games and in green where it has increased. Whilst Yaya has made fewer forward passes, his overall total of non-backwards passes has risen to 84%, which has allowed an increase to 3.7 key passes a game and a 7% increase on the percentage of total passes that can be classed as ‘key’ – certainly a nice step forward. Now also created an xA of around 0.5 per/90 and registering an assist in each of the two games is – albeit a small sample – an example of extra impetus going forward. His attacking outputs, registering a goal in each set of matches, is quite similar and he’s completed less dribbles but I do feel that there is progress here.
His overall output from six games looks pretty top draw, if I’m honest. I can’t wait to see just how far he can take this role! My thoughts for his continued development are:
Develop traits of ‘Runs with ball through the centre’ and then ‘Tries killer balls often’ – I believe that both of these will work with his attribute set and allow ability to progress the ball more, especially as dribbling is one of the weaker areas of his statistical output at the moment. I may then look at ‘Plays One-Twos’ as I do think that has progressive qualities but when you look at how we build up, below, I think it’s important that I give him the space and freedom rather than dragging him closer to others, as this trait may encourage.
Following that, I may look at a Finishing trait, such as ‘Curls ball’ or ‘Places Shots’ given his high levels of Finishing, Technique and Composure and the fact that he’s a right footed player predominantly cutting in from the left.
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I will - almost definitely now - be back at the end of the season for a wrap up and, hopefully, some good news on the promotion front!
Much like the others are saying the depth of analysis is next level. I’ve been a fan of your work for a good few years now but there’s something about this one. The section on Yaya in particular that really feels quite special.
I’m loving how your feelings for Sweden are growing because I don’t ever want this save to end.
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On 13/11/2023 at 05:36, _Ben_ said:
Ahh, the
summerwinter break: a time for a nice long holiday, a gentle bit of pre-season and a cup competition that is all but worthless to us. NOT! Only the latter of those are actually true. What is more - this period of time has conflicted with the release of my Statman24 skin as well as then the flurry of bug fixes and changes, of which many can be seen below. The biggest change is the way that player attributes are now displayed as an overall level per training group is now displayed, one which varies with scouting knowledge.---
After thirteen games at the helm, I’ve been able to create the beginnings of a plan that I want to implement at the club, built around clever recruitment and tactical nous. With us just about in the black, but expected to end the year (pre competition prize money anyway) to the tune of €1m in debt, financial prudence is also high on my agenda. At the time of writing, SI have just acknowledged an issue with the Director of Football whereby he won’t complete on any deals. Therefore, my plan going forward is to move to still consult him but then create those deals myself: still a bit more control than I’d like at this stage of my career. However, even the ‘suggest target’ feature is somewhat useless as only two players, both highlighted, are playing within Sweden and, and such, can be scouted without incurring a fee of at least €3k per player – eclipsing the €22k budget and putting all of my eggs in a basket which doesn’t even belong to me.
With that in mind, I first wanted to take a picture of our squad depth to see where we were short on players and where we could, maybe, make do. I like to run a pretty small first team squad, but that is often when I’ve reached the highest levels of the game and can rely on quality youth products coming through. Here, I absolutely cannot. The image, somewhat worryingly, also includes the loanees – Salaou and Svanberg as well as Blomqvist and Jonsson, whose deals are close to expiring. The depth behind the first eleven is worryingly thin, but, as you can see from some financial work, below, we’ve got some constraints!
Using the data from last season where I could (n.b. I can’t get a completely accurate figure on the clean sheet bonus for defenders as the game cannot calculate that stat but, to calculate the potential number of Unused Sub fees – I’ve used the percentage of game time missed – from the Medical Centre – to calculate the difference between the games they were available for and the games they appeared in, assuming that, due to my small squad, they were unused on the bench if not on the pitch at any point) I have calculated some costings and compared them to game time. Overall, I’m quite happy but also wary that near half a million euros has been spent on wages before these bonuses, which equates to around €10k per week. When I’m averaging a gate of around 2,300 people a time, we’re not getting close to even covering that. In terms of particular issues – I must say that Pontus Engblom, last year’s top scorer, is somewhat of an issue here. He’s an important player and the club captain but he just doesn’t really fit in with how I play and we’re paying him more than anyone else. Fortunately, he’s got a year left on his deal and is considering his options. Elsewhere, thanks to the little enforced cull, we’re not really paying anyone an unreasonable amount of money based on their game time – but do need to consider some clauses in contracts that, unfortunately, may force my hand somewhat. Whilst I have just spoken about Pontus Engblom’s overall wages and costs – he will actually cost me €200 for every game that I don’t play him in; obviously, less than the €300 for when I do play him but I’m then choosing to field another striker in place of him, who would also have an appearance fee.
Overall, it feels like a pretty straightforward task – keep the weekly wage below €1k and minimise other costs, whilst finding hidden gems in the lower leagues and scouting sensibly around the country! What I could have done is listen to every agent in the world, who wanted to offer me players but, really, I didn’t think that it was realistic. I did, prior to understanding the issue with my director, ask him to make deals for five players who had all left clubs in Sweden at the end of their contracts: Henry Offia, Jake Larsson, Adam Ben Lamin, Charlie Weberg and the statistically-strong Filip Schyberg. However, we were usurped in each one, with more money and bigger and better clubs beating us to our targets. Whether this would’ve been different if I’d have been making the deals or not, I do not know; it feels very much part and parcel of the recruitment process though, so I am not going to complain too much.
However, there was good news to celebrate! I was able to seal new contracts for Jonsson in goal and Blomqvist at centre back as well as the return from loan of Ronaldo Damus – a very one-dimensional forward but a forward with the pace we’ve been craving. Three players who have all represented the club in the top level are going to be staying for, at least, one further year to help us in our attempts to return there. I am also delighted to announce that both Abundance Salaou and Ludvig Svanberg have returned on loan for another season. Below you can see the level of their contributions to our game, with Salaou on the left:
Two brand new players also came through the doors here at Idrottsparken.
Fredrik Martinsson fits the bill for a player who, if I’m being honest, is a bit of a luxury. He’s spent this season at Utsikens, so knows this league well and has come with pretty rave reviews from my coaching team. His performances this season, as a full back, have been strong, with good performances in areas that I like for this role: interceptions and progressive passes (although I’ve realised that this hasn’t worked on my skin).
The luxury element comes when he is compared with Forsberg, my other right back. They are not the same type of player. Forsberg operates as an IFB(d) but I really see Martinsson as more conventional wing back, therefore, would be loathed to have him in the team when we are facing two or more attackers. On the other hand, though, he may be that difference when we’re able to build up in a 2-3-5 rather than a 3-2-5 and I think this different option could be quite powerful when I need to change a game.
My biggest concern comes with the contract that I agreed. When he was originally brought to my attention, I was told that his wage demands would be no more than around €500 a week, but, unfortunately, I wasn’t able to agree a deal of less than €800 which included a locked-in non-promotion clause: the first time I’ve seen that! This means that, potentially, we’ll be putting circa €50k into a player who can walk away for nothing at the end of the season. I must admit to being somewhat hasty with this deal once I’d found my man and may end up regretting it. What it also does is creates two genuine rotational options at right back, which, given my limited budgets, will stretch them even further. Below, I have recalculated the financial impact of this – reducing Forsberg’s game time to twenty appearances and adding twenty for Martinsson, too. This would save somewhere around €40 a week on Lucas’ deal but add nearly €900 for Fredrik, giving a total change of just over €850. A relatively tiny amount, even at our level, but a change never the less which significantly impacts our ‘spare budget’ of around €3k per week.
A financial risk, certainly, but player who will develop our tactical creativity and game changing situations. I think I’m happy with this one!
Next through the door is a much safer signing – a loan deal for Malmo youngster André Álvarez Pérez.
Looking at his attribute spread, I’d say he’s nicely aligned to become a decent ball playing defender within our team and has shown the aptitude for that whilst out on loan last year, as you can see from his stats above. Brave, quick and surprisingly good on the ball for a youngster of his age at this level, I am keen to see what he can do on loan. We’re paying €325 per week for his loan spell, which, overall, feels like a good move. The only concern is that is now gives me three right footed centre backs and I am more comfortable playing with one righty and one lefty, but, should he, Svanberg and Blomqvist all be in great form, I also have the option of the false centre back at RB, currently occupied by the aforementioned Forsberg and Martinsson.
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I'm going to get back into the pre-season, assess where I feel I am and continue the tactical driven posts, particularly as I'm really looking to push on this season!
Absolutely amazing stuff here man. I’ve often wondered about why finances tend to crash the way they do in the smaller markets but never taken the time to dive in the way you have.
Lots of takeaways to be had from this one!
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On 08/11/2023 at 11:23, Shrewnaldo said:
Thanks, hope you enjoyed it
I think FM has, for a number of years now, been slowly getting better with the AI reacting to the human player's tactics. This has made it progressively more and more important to react mid-game. I know some people are saying "now with FM24 you need to do x", but mostly these are the same people who have been saying the same thing with every iteration... so I'd take take it with a pinch of salt. But, if you want to compare it to, let's say, FM16, then there's a definite step up in the ability of the AI.
Plus it's just fun to play this way and probably more realistic.
Fair point, but having finished 14th last season I'm really looking for a step up this term. In 2023/24, we got to 43 points by scoring 43 and conceding 55. I'd like to see improvements across each of those three simple metrics. Something like 48 points, scoring 50 and conceding 50 would do me.
Absolutely a fair expectation. Quite a reasonable one too!
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What an absolute superstar you are, sir. Thanks for all your time developing this one, looks incredible at first glance. This might be the year I finally make the jump attribute less.
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It is always such a treat coming into this thread and finding multiple updates.
A strong start so far. Certainly making the most of what’s available to you. Excited to see which direction you steer towards during the off season
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Despite not quite living up to your own expectations there’s a lot to be said for the how quickly you’ve appeared to establish the club at this level.
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Been following your stuff for a few years now ever since Redditch saved me from the borefest of days at work during Covid lockdowns.
You heading to Scandinavia has me thinking this could well be your best material yet. All the best for the save and I throughly look forward to the unveiling of this years edition of the skin.
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I have long enjoyed your works but never really been one to comment. I don’t expect either of those things to change anytime soon but just wanted to say thanks! The attention to detail is excellent!
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Did somebody say Scandinavia?! Thanks @vara for the tip off about this. Very much looking forward to following along!
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9 hours ago, _Ben_ said:
Yes, but look at it this way...
I think it provides us a really clear target in terms of what we need to do to become profitable. I've created some really basic stuff off the back of our €1.275m wage bill per annum. I we just win three games next year and don't increase the wages, prize money from these fixtures alone, will offset my spending (remember, there is zero prize money at this level) but nearly €500k. If we win ten games and maintain the wage budget, we'll actually create a profit of over €350k. Our current wage bill looks like this compared to Super Lig clubs:
- Genclerbirligi - €1.27m p/a
- Altinordu - €2.49m p/a
- İstanbulspor - €3.17m p/a
- Goztepe - €6.05m p/a
If we double our wages and and finish with the same record as the team finishing 17th last year did, we'll have made a wage:prize money loss over just over €250k, which isn't much when you then add in increased merchandise sales, tickets, any TV revenue or the like. I have no accessible data for this because we've never experienced it before but immediately, from the rules page, I can see that 17th last year got €210k for staying in the league, which would almost offset that overspend on wages. Then you consider our stature as a small club with limited resources, so we'll naturally be recruiting cheap, probably free agent talent and hoping to get the best out of them.
Whilst I was initially sceptical about the realism behind winning promotion eighteen months after being bottom of the league, I feel that we're playing well enough to do so, I am still early into my challenge (as @SixPointer can vouch for in terms of completion) and it'll be right up my alley to recruit cheaply and smartly to mix it with the big boys!
When you put it that way it certainly seems much less daunting. I guess I was just caught off guard initially by that approach to prize money.
Quite the month you’ve just had here too, goals a plenty!
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[FM24] The Norseman
in FM Career Updates
Posted
What a magnificent response to the change in shape. Name a better feeling than instant gratification of your tactical decisions in FM