FM13: Borussia Dortmund - Echte Liebe.

[Ryknow]

Nice work so far with your transfers. Isco is currently listed at €35mil and I have the money. So tempted but it's a lot of money for a non-German.

Anyways, sorry to hear about your save file crashing. I would recommend going into preferences and changing your auto save to 3 rolling save, and weekly. It is definitely the safest bet to avoid losing everything because it makes 3 saves, and will save every ingame week. You can make it monthly if you find it's too frequent.

[jaybert]

I needed instant impact to my first XI in january window due to Reus and Gundogan injury and I just couldnt resist Isco being transferlisted for 30.5m. He is doing really great in AMC tho.

For summer transfers I might consider buying new CB however Santana avg is above 8.00! and will offload Schieber and bring in young blood Gabbiadini. Some youngsters will promoted into first team too.

Will post some screens when I get home...really enjoying playing as Borussia!

[Ryknow]

Season 2013/14 Summary

Won the DFB Pokal, but after our unbeaten run in the 2nd half of the season we were unable to catch Bayern. They won by 9 points, our huge 10 draws during the season being the main culprit.

After smashing Bayern out of the UCL in the quarter finals we met Porto who proved too much for us away from home. Lost 4-3 on agg. They went onto win the UCL against PSG. Speaking of PSG, they just keep buying all the players. It's amazing how much they spend.

Union Berlin beat Leverkusen to the 4th spot, but lost to Sevilla in the playoffs for the UCL group stage. Still not sure how they maintained their form over the season. From promotion to Europe, with a fairly basic squad.

Oh, and Hamburg got relegated. Adler went off to Barca, Son to Spurs. No body wanted van der Vaart.

Transfers - August 2014

INS:

Artur Sobiech - Free

Brought in as a backup striker

Denys Garmash - Free

To replace Sahin after he left, but offers more of a support role for the other central midfielder.

Johannes Flum - Free

Added support for the midfield, backup player.

Landon Donovan - Free

Brought in to be a tutor and add cover for all the forward positions. Still good attributes for 32 years old.

Marco Verratti - Loan (only paying €10k pw of wages, no payments)

Bargain of a loan deal, but was brought in with the intention of loaning out Leitner. No one came in for Leitner, so not sure I need him now. I can always cancel his deal, but the added depth is needed to compete against Bayern.

Newgens

I got sick of waiting for my German newgens to turn 17 years old. The main reason I play this game is to develop players, so I went and bought some to bide my time until the youngsters start turning 17.

-An Austrian centre back (loaned out to feeder) - Free

-Portuguese centre back, Got recommended by a scout, spawned at the age of 19, already has a cap for the national team. Looks really good) - Free

- A Dutch right winger, talented but probably only become backup/rotation in the future - Free

- Two lads from River Plate. A 5 star rated goalkeeper, will be back up/rotation for this season - future star, aged 18. - €3mil

And, a talented 18 yr old Right winger, 5 star rated. Backup/rotation this season, future world class player. - €7mil

- A German centre midfielder, turns 17 after the window. High potential, turned 17 on 2nd of September! Score! He gets registered. - €4mil.

TOTAL EXPENDITURE - €14mil (All on 5 star rated newgens)

Simply no one around for me to sign, or anyone I really needed. Podolski got listed, I got a bid around €10mil accepted but he wanted €90k pw, and huge loyalty bonus/agent fee. Didn't really need him in the end.

Arsenal bid for Isco, so I matched it just to see. Despite my scouts estimates he wanted €90k pw, and huge bonuses so I pulled out. Didn't want to sign him in the end anyways. Just interested to see his demands.

OUTS:

Neven Subotic - €16.5mil

Simply didn't play well for me.

Mitchell Langerak - €2.8mil

Not good enough for BVB, my Argentinian newgen is better than him already.

Hiroshi Kiyotake - €16mil

Good player but simply won't get any game time at the club, especially as Honda is a more rounded player for my needs.

Released/sold all the BVB II deadwood, and Kehl, Kirch.

TOTAL INCOME - €36mil

Notable events:

Schalke signed Valdes on a free. Great signing for them. They made some good additions and didn't sell anyone noteworthy.

Leverkusen sold Schürrle to Chelsea, then spent €54mil on transfer. Made some good signings, including Maher. Now have Klopp at the helm.

Guardiola left Bayern for the Spain job, Martin Jol came in. They sold Gustavo to Wolfsburg (just like IRL), and a few others left. Spent €84mil on transfers including Javier Hernandez, De Bruyne and Ayew.

Played Bayern in the Super Cup, won 2-0 but Ayew looks dangerous. Not looking forward to playing against them with the new signings.

[jaybert]

Hey folks! So season 2013/2014 is over and we had great succes. My team lifted DFB Pokal and finally Champions league trophy! We beat Bayern in tactical battle 1-0. I am glad my team finally started to work as I imagined.

Season fixtures:

and my squad:

Transfer targets for summer: Ter Stegen, Gabbiadini and central defender

[Anxiietyyy]

Managed to pinch him for just £18.5M in January of the first season after he was transfer listed by request. Adds to the ever-growing German core. Don't mind if I do!

[Ryknow]

Congrats on your treble Jaybert!

Anxiietyyy, that's a great price for a fantastic player. He went to Man City first season for €38mil in my save.

Few months into 2014/15 season and I'm looking good for the title. Team is playing brilliantly.

Kagawa has been listed but at €22mil. I'd love him back but it's a bit pricey and he's on huge wages (€125k pw). Prob pass as my squad is pretty solid atm.

[Anxiietyyy]

To say things are going well would be a bit of an understatement - Look at the top scorers and average rating tables!

[john1]

Nice to see you joining us in managing Dortmund, Anxiietyyy and Ty

@jaybert Congrats on winning the treble

[john1]

@john1 - What sort of 4-5-1 are you using? I'm tempted to try a version of it for my tougher games, most notably against Bayern, as my form is patchy (to say the least!) when I play them.

I'm using 4-5-1 with DM, MC MC, AML,AMR, FC on normal team settings.

[Anxiietyyy]

Can not recommend Lukaku enough. 31 goals in 32 starts in all competitions going in to April. Absolutely insane for a 19-year-old! Still got 2 stars worth of potential to fulfil according to my Assistant manager, too!

[mkabas]

Starting a new save and decided to play with Dortmund!!!! Hope this save bring me loads of fun!!!!

[Ryknow]

To say things are going well would be a bit of an understatement - Look at the top scorers and average rating tables!

Are you playing an edited database? Bayern shouldn't be past winners in 2012. 2011 and 2012 went to BVB. It's like you've missed an entire season, and have 2013/14 season clubs in the Bundesliga for 2012/13 FM season.

[Anxiietyyy]

Are you playing an edited database? Bayern shouldn't be past winners in 2012. 2011 and 2012 went to BVB. It's like you've missed an entire season, and have 2013/14 season clubs in the Bundesliga for 2012/13 FM season.

Indeed I am, I should've clarified that. Using LFCMarshall's Summer update.

[Ryknow]

Indeed I am, I should've clarified that. Using LFCMarshall's Summer update.

All good, just confused me. I was like, "but we won two titles, 2011 and 2012!"

So you have Müller and Lukaku in your first season plus the real signings? Mkihitaryan, Auba, Sokratis? If so, that's a scary amount of attacking power, but then again you wouldn't have Götze either. Does the update change any CA/PAs eg. Joan's Hofmann. I suspect he'll be far better in FM14, considering how highly they rated Leitner and Bittencourt.

[Anxiietyyy]

I haven't delved in to the editor to check the CA/PAs of any players; Jonas Hofmann is only 1* CA, 2* PA according to the assistant manager.

Anyway, we managed to... erm... scrape? our way through to the Cup Final.

[john1]

Class result there What formation are you using?

[Ryknow]

I haven't delved in to the editor to check the CA/PAs of any players; Jonas Hofmann is only 1* CA, 2* PA according to the assistant manager.

Yeah, was the same in my game. He's pretty average in this version.

[john1]

September 2015

Disppointed with how we start September month, we was appalling against Gladbach and deserve to lose. Played well against Standard and Frankurt. Disappointed with our 1-1 draw, Jovetic had a decent goal disallowed. Was drawing 0-0 against Wolfsburg til I took Jovetic off for Benzia We gave a crack against City and should have got a goal from Hummels and officials decided to disallow it as Hummels apparently fouled Kompany. Just show that we are far apart from them

Table

[Anxiietyyy]

In to the Champion's League final after overturning a 3-2 deficit against Arsenal with a 2-1 win at home (aet) with Marco Reus bagging a brace - he has been utterly brilliant for me. 30 goals and 28 assists in 42(3) games!

Update:

All hail Romelu Lukaku.

[Pampu20]

I found it in the Skinning Hideout... it is actually Christian Bale but he looked like a German 32 year old to me!

Can you post the link of the page where did you find the face please?

[john1]

In to the Champion's League final after overturning a 3-2 deficit against Arsenal with a 2-1 win at home (aet) with Marco Reus bagging a brace - he has been utterly brilliant for me. 30 goals and 28 assists in 42(3) games!

Update:

All hail Romelu Lukaku.

Congrats on winning Champions League I'm yet to win Champions League with Dortmund

[Anxiietyyy]

Congrats on winning Champions League I'm yet to win Champions League with Dortmund

Cheers man! It'll come soon enough, I'm sure.

Been forced to sell Lewandowski in the summer of 2013 as the transfer update I'm using has him leaving at the end of his contract. Set his asking price at £40M and received 3 offers, one from Chelsea, one from City... and one from Bayern. Of course, I swiftly rejected Bayern's offer, which Lewa wasn't too happy about...

Update:

Just after posting this, Lewa agreed to move to Manchester City earning £225k per week. This massively increased my transfer budget, taking it up to £63M. Time to replace.

[john1]

Bayern also went for him when I offered him to club and I turned down and he didn't complain at all, Went to Juventus in the end.

Any targets you have in your mind to replace Lewa?

[john1]

Just sold Kazuma Hayashi to Gladbach for 8m. Wasn't happy that he wasn't getting game time so Gladbach came in and I swiftly accepted it. My transfer budget is now at 104M. Reus is out for 3 months Got injured against HSV. Currently short at AML, which Jovetic has been playing since, Currently looking at Draxler from Schalke.

Any suggestions on who I should look at?

EDIT: Currently looking at him;

[Anxiietyyy]

Any targets you have in your mind to replace Lewa?

Had bids of £15M and £16.25M accepted for Rodrigo and Alvaro Negredo respectively. Both have also agreed contracts. Which one do you reckon I should go for?

[john1]

Had bids of £15M and £16.25M accepted for Rodrigo and Alvaro Negredo respectively. Both have also agreed contracts. Which one do you reckon I should go for?

I would go for Rodrigo He's young and looks better than Negredo.

[Anxiietyyy]

I would go for Rodrigo He's young and looks better than Negredo.

The thing is, they're different types of striker. Negredo is sort of in the Lewandowski mould, whereas Rodrigo is more of a Suarez type of striker, making this more of a tactical decision than anything...

[john1]

Good point there, Anxiietyyy. It's up to you who you go for that would fit in your football style/formation.

[phoenixemperor]

What kind of wages should they be wanting? If they're asking around the same it would depend on your tactics and who else you might have lined up for the future. If you've got a good young striker coming through, then maybe Negredo is worth a 4/5 year contract.

I've never managed Rodrigo at club level, but in another save as Spain manager, he is more of a deep playing striker setting up as well as scoring, although Negredo could be a good pivotto allow other players in. In my 4-2-3-1, Reus at AML and Mkhitaryan at AMC score almost as much as Jovetic does himself and he's often teeing them up for the final shot.

From memory, Rodrigo does have a low Important Matches rating if that comes into your thinking.

[Ryknow]

Had bids of £15M and £16.25M accepted for Rodrigo and Alvaro Negredo respectively. Both have also agreed contracts. Which one do you reckon I should go for?

You said you signed Lukaku earlier. I'm not sure you need either of these, especially with all the other attacking talent. Would be a waste. Müller can do a damn good job as the front man too.

Maybe just get Volland in for added backup, he's sensational on my save.

[Ryknow]

Bayern also went for him when I offered him to club and I turned down and he didn't complain at all, Went to Juventus in the end.

Any targets you have in your mind to replace Lewa?

I think Bayern came in for Lewy on mine but the bid wasn't that great. He ended up going to Barca. I would have sold him to Bayern mainly because I want to sell good players to Bundesliga teams to make it even harder for myself.

In regards to Paulo Lima, he looks good. With the right training and tutoring he could be a class inside forward IMO, especially with that potential.

Have you got Schürrle or Volland? If you still have Großkreutz hanging around I found he puts in a great shift and scores important goals. Also, lets the fullback attack more, because he'll help out.

[jaybert]

john1: if you are looking for young AML as a sub for Reus, look for Memphis Depay. Natural AML with great mental stats. Currently managing him and will post screenshot of him later if you want btw Lima looks great! good allround stats

Anxiietyyy: I wouldnt go for Rodrigo as lone forward. He lacks strength, jumping skills, heading, teamwork, workrate. He is more like inside forward to me. Try to look at Rondon from Rubin

Ryknow: How do you play Volland? I change him from ST to AMR but he could perform better as a striker where I want him to play

[Ryknow]

Ryknow: How do you play Volland? I change him from ST to AMR but he could perform better as a striker where I want him to play

As the lone striker or alongside Lukaku. Tbh, this season I've changed between my 3 formations in each game to counter threats (before/during). As a result nearly every game I've had the message, 'Tinkering Ryknow keeps opponents guessing' or whatever. I even recently had the fans/players hail me for being a tactical genius or something along those lines, haha. Hadn't seen that news item before.

Anyways, what I'm getting at is I change the formation a fair bit, so it all depends. He works great as an advanced forward in a 4-2-3-1 or a deep lying forward in my adapted 4-4-2. I've found he's only competent as a AMR, but accomplished as AML, so you might want to train him to play AMR if you intend to permanently move him there. Would work best on the right as he's left footed.

I'm at a point where Volland will play/come on when Lukaku stops firing, or starts in the 4-4-2 as DLF.

He only starts on the wings if Reus/Götze are injured. I find he's great at running directly through the centre of the pitch, rather than cutting in.

[john1]

I think Bayern came in for Lewy on mine but the bid wasn't that great. He ended up going to Barca. I would have sold him to Bayern mainly because I want to sell good players to Bundesliga teams to make it even harder for myself.

In regards to Paulo Lima, he looks good. With the right training and tutoring he could be a class inside forward IMO, especially with that potential.

Have you got Schürrle or Volland? If you still have Großkreutz hanging around I found he puts in a great shift and scores important goals. Also, lets the fullback attack more, because he'll help out.

Grobkreutz at Valencia (Sold him this season)

Schurrle at Chelsea

Volland at Inter (Sold him last season)

[jaybert]

Ryknow: I dont plan to play him on AMR because there is Gotze or Isco destroying right side as advanced playmaker-attack. Currently he is my 2nd choice for striker behine De Jong who banged almost 40 goals last season and backup for AMR if injuries occur. I just want to use him as a striker in future but I am affraid he lacks aerial abilities and strength to be my 1st choice lone striker. I like him really much tho :/

gonna post screenshot of his development cause his stats are great (worked on his finishing 16 now)

[john1]

October 2015

Fantastic month for us, even we started with away games to HSV and Schalke. Delighted to pick up wins there Injuries are mounting up against us. Had to play half fit Jovetic in last 2 matches. Gala proved to be very difficult team to face and should have score few goals before 89th minute winner. Players was shattered from playing 2 games in 3 days. Also happy to see us only conceded 2 goals

Table

Great to see us opening up 5 points gap at the top

[jaybert]

Nice results m8! Good to see Bayern on 5th place. This will never happen in my save where Bayern is almost unbeatable finishing season with 1 loss and Gomez scoring 39 league goals

[Ryknow]

Ryknow: I dont plan to play him on AMR because there is Gotze or Isco destroying right side as advanced playmaker-attack. Currently he is my 2nd choice for striker behine De Jong who banged almost 40 goals last season and backup for AMR if injuries occur. I just want to use him as a striker in future but I am affraid he lacks aerial abilities and strength to be my 1st choice lone striker. I like him really much tho :/

gonna post screenshot of his development cause his stats are great (worked on his finishing 16 now)

Yeah then it all depends on how you play. I find Volland type players fine, as I use drilled crosses. They either get onto it with their foot or a diving header. Lukaku is always there for the headers if I need, but generally most goals are with feet. It will change when I find a newgen completed forward though.

Remember to post spoiler tags to hide the image, as I think it's frowned upon to show real players later in a save. Maybe not so much in the Good Player forum though, so you should be fine in this one however. I don't mind so much.

Volland and Lukaku are developing really well on my save. Class players. Great to see Volland starting the season well IRL.

[john1]

When I had him, I found him hit and miss, miss plenty of chances for me and got few winners for me, and didn't live up to it.

[Ryknow]

Grobkreutz at Valencia (Sold him this season)

Schurrle at Chelsea

Volland at Inter (Sold him last season)

Difficult to suggest any when later in a save, eg. Due to player moves, injuries, etc.

Any talented 20/21 yr old newgens in your game, eg. Ones that spawn from inactive leagues at 18/19 yrs old? Hopefully Reus' injury doesn't mess up his physical attributes too much.

[Ryknow]

When I had him, I found him hit and miss, miss plenty of chances for me and got few winners for me, and didn't live up to it.

A save started from 13.3? Or before?

[john1]

I am hoping to get a decent intake this season If not, then I will raid the top clubs for their youngsters and fast track their development.

Unfortunely Reus's physical attributes does have some arrows going down

[john1]

A save started from 13.3? Or before?

From 13.3

[john1]

Nice results m8! Good to see Bayern on 5th place. This will never happen in my save where Bayern is almost unbeatable finishing season with 1 loss and Gomez scoring 39 league goals

Yeah, shocked to see Bayern had a poor start to the season, when I first started with Dortmund, they just seems win every games which is quite ridiculous.

[john1]

Found 2 players for back up to Reus, not sure who I should go for?

Juan Leyes - River accepted my 4.5M for him, Found him when I picked him for my Argentina u's 20

Sezer Yiğiner - Thinking about converting him to AML if I could get a good deal on him.

Or stick with this guy?

[jaybert]

I would go for Leyes from those 3

[john1]

Asked the chairman to find a feeder club to send youngsters on loan and rejected at first but agreed after I said it would be a good idea.

[john1]

I have decided to go for Leyes in the end, My head scout said I should sign him, Hopefully He will give Reus a run for AML spot.

[Ryknow]

I have decided to go for Leyes in the end, My head scout said I should sign him, Hopefully He will give Reus a run for AML spot.

Good choice, I would pick him too. Strong Right footed player with natural position on the left. Also, higher work rate and teamwork, which I find important in the Dortmund pressing machine.

[batty1]

Jesus wept another bloody injury! Lewa was out for 2 months (back in light training), Kuba out for 2-3 months, Reus 1 month (9 days left), Schmelzer 3 weeks (5 days left), Hummels now out for 2 months.