FM15 : Liverpool FC - Re-rebuilding, all over again

[AdZV]

I got several of those, then I check there PA. Not as good as what my coaches think..

Getting 5* Pot for players with 125PA..

See that's where your going wrong, don't check its part of the fun. Get an assistant with good player potential stat.

[eastley]

Taking 3 minutes to save a game...

Such Fail.

[glenn28]

Taking 3 minutes to save a game...

Such Fail.

Been a few complaining about the save issue

[eastley]

Been a few complaining about the save issue

SSD surely should make it quicker, might invest in one..

So my nestest save, coming to end of season 1, going to have to get 90+ points to win, on 76 after 31 games and I am 1 point ahead..

[JRoberts2]

Just been knocked out of the Champions League after 4 games. (Did have Bayern+PSG). Have won every home game bar Champo League so far but lost all but 1 away game. Is it that away games are now even more difficult in this ME?

[Snootch]

Managed to only get a slight improvement over Mig in January in the first season as I was offered Muslera for roughly 9m. Hopefully he succeeds.

Also cannot get Flanno to sign a new contract he totally wants out because I was rotating him with Manquillo. Smarmy little fecker.

[birkelse]

Here is the stats so far

transfers

Looking for new keeper in jan 2015 , any good idea ? Looking at Shuffet and Bardi , can they do it ?

[glenn28]

Looks like the update has improved the defending

Played 3 games so far winning 2 & 1 draw

[rywilson]

How the hell are people doing so well?

It could be the fact I refuse to not play with 2 wide attacking midfielders, I also prefer 2 up top.

11th in the league after 18 games it's embarrassing ha.

The team in the tactics page is my best eleven IMO

Also noting I'm conceding very early on, first 10 mins, in most games. Leads to me playing catch up all game

Forget that gonna start new and tinker with tactics

[guruhd]

Just played my 16th game in the Premiership, beating Arsenal who were top. I'm now third, 4 points off at the top. I've also qualified for the next round of the Champions League, albeit from a fairly easy group.

At the start of the season I neither sold or bought anybody. I tried to buy Lars Bender, who wanted wages I wasn't prepared to pay, and then Christoph Kramer, for whom his club wanted about £40million!

Injuries have been a bit of a problem, I've been without Sturridge and Ballotelli for the past 8 games or so, had to make do with Borini who has done okay, till he then got also injured, so had just Lambert, and called up Sinclair At the moment I'm tempted by getting Victor Valdez in but imagine he'll want some hefty payments, and Mignolet has done okay for me. Tempted instead to splash out in January, depending on the injury situation, on some sort of attacking player, to help ensure I finish in the top 4. If I decide not to spend may instead line up somebody like Tielemans for the following season.

Unsure at the moment about whether to keep Johnson on. He's been really good, him and Flanagan give great (differing) options at right back. He may have to accept a lower wage or I shall let him go.

[guruhd]

How the hell are people doing so well?

It could be the fact I refuse to not play with 2 wide attacking midfielders, I also prefer 2 up top.

11th in the league after 18 games it's embarrassing ha.

The team in the tactics page is my best eleven IMO

Also noting I'm conceding very early on, first 10 mins, in most games. Leads to me playing catch up all game

Has it occurred to you your defence has pretty much zero protection?

[DaveDaveDave]

Ach! I just had one of those really frustrating games. Lost 1-0 to Hull at Anfield. I had 20 shots, 3 CCCs etc, they had 7 shots, 0 CCCs. I had more of the ball, more territory, everything. I hate those games. They still have Bruce as manager and they're still playing 3 at the back, which I can never figure out how to play against. I know 2 strikers doesn't work, but a lone striker always feels outnumbered. And because they have 2 forwards, they have an AMC and their wide players are midfielders rather than wing backs, I was really concerned about being outnumbered everywhere, so I played 4-3-3/the games labels it "4-1DM-2-3". The 3 were totally isolated for some reason and couldn't make any ground, and I was still being outnumbered. So I decided to go 4-2-4 - or as close as you can on the game - with Sterling, Origi, Sturridge and Depay all playing forward, with Allen and Henderson backing them up. Even with that amount of attacking ability on the pitch I couldn't make anything happen. They didn't have any counterattacks or anything, my players just couldn't finish chances. Horrible game

My team is coming together though. My last league result was a 2-1 at Stamford Bridge, and I'm dominating my Champions League group. Origi has bedded in really well. I loaned him to Vitesse in the second season. He started really well there and then got injured and couldn't get his form back, but I decided he was a better option than Balotelli, and that Balotelli's wages were too much for a guy who was far from guaranteed a starting position. Arsenal were happy to part with £35m for him, which I was more than happy to accept as I'd already signed Ezequiel Rescaldini as my 3rd striker for a lovely £8m. Rescaldini hasn't been amazing though. He scored on his debut to win the game against City, but I got a crash dump in the press conference, and officially he has now never scored for me. He'll get there though, but he needs Sturridge or Origi to lose their form, or get injured or suspended.

I've played 14 games in all competitions, but I have a fairly big squad and I've been rotating a lot as my players never seem to be anywhere close to match fit during the first couple of the months of the season. My top scorers:

Divock Origi - 6 goals in 9(3), 2 assists, 6.95

Daniel Sturridge - 5 in 8(2), 3 assists, 7.18

Mamadou Sakho(!) - 3 goals in 8, 7.56. I always seem to have one defenders that gets 5 or 6 goals by Christmas, but then doesn't score any more. Every season, every version of the game.

Raheem Sterling - 2 in 10(2), 2 assists, 7.04. The numbers aren't great, but I have been playing a flat 4-4-2 more often than not. He always looks like my best player though, even ifnot all of the chances he creates go in. He creates 1.21 chances per game, has 1.38 shots on target, 8 dribbles, 84% pass rate, he makes a lot of tackles and interceptions. He's very important.

Jerome Sinclair - 2 goals in 2(1), 6.97. He's been effective in the lower-priority games I've had. I'm not sure for how long he'll at the club - probably until another, better, club-grown player is ready for the first team. However, he's useful cover for now.

Other outstanding players - Wanyama, Lallana (broken his ankle now), Caulker, Flanagan and Tielemans. I think I might have to try and find Lallana a new club though - if he can stay fit through a transfer window.

[glenn28]

Started again signing Szczesny in my last save killed my finances lol gonna watch who i buy this time

[eastley]

First Season Transfers

IN

Bakkali

Benzia

OUT

NIL

Second Season So far

IN

Sandro

Balanta

Danilo

Horn

Roberts

Romagnoli

Scott (Awesome looking Regen)

Tielemans

Ward-Prowse

Still yet to finish season 1, but I got my kitty in April I think, so hit the market early.

[Staf9]

Started again signing Szczesny in my last save killed my finances lol gonna watch who i buy this time

Timo Horn is a great buy at the start. 3.8m release clause. gives you a quality keeper who can be number 1 or a great back up choice from Season 2

[glenn28]

Timo Horn is a great buy at the start. 3.8m release clause. gives you a quality keeper who can be number 1 or a great back up choice from Season 2

Yeah got him in the beta save & was great for me

[eastley]

Won EPL first season, on last day, 95 points it took, 1 point winners..

Won FA cup as well, didn't realize I was i the final.

[Nick A]

So I played my first league game in a career save. Home against Everton. Played 11 friendlies beforehand. Rotating squad but importantly targeting competency in formation etc.

Won 3-2. 2 for super Mario and 1 for Markovic. The 2 I conceded? Corners! lol

[Nicko8]

So with the small match engine patch I couldn't resist starting my save

Ins: Tielemans and Balanta, feel I paid more than everyone else for Tielemans though, around 12.5m pounds. No outs.

Season started indifferently, drawing 4 of the first 5 games, possibly in part to the team unfamiliarity with my tactics (mid november and still not 100% familiarity, but close). Did win the next 6 prem games though, a few unconvincingly with a late pen, a scraping 1-0 & 2-1, but I've played Burnley, QPR, Hull and Sunderland. With Man City next I'm not optimistic.

Out of the Capital 1 cup with a loss against Citeh and 2nd in my Champs league group of Schalke, CSKA moscow and Sparta Prague which it arguably an easy group.

Quick player notes:

Sturridge quality when fit, joint top scorer with Balo 9 goals each from 10(2) and 10(6) starts. Balo's been good enough but once again taking the opposition into consideration. Only play one up top and he's had a little cry about playing time already. Speaking of this at the start of November I had four players be concerned about playing time (Balo, Lallana, Lovren and Borini).

Lazar has been an assist machine (7 in 10(4)) from AMR(W) whilst Coutinho has none from the same amount of starts. I dont play an AMC so he's playing AML(AP) and CM(AP).

Probably wont be top much longer if my team doesn't play better against quality opposition.

Re: Markovic: Why are so many selling him, great potential.

[Sabine]

I wouldn't be worried about Tielemans' transfer fee, Nicko. He has such a high potential that you probably got the high end of that potential and he's going to end up becoming incredible for you.

By the way, if anyone is interested, Martin Odegaard, who is due a trial at Liverpool is now in the game, you need to download him from the Steam Workshop, but it's not that much of a hassle.

[the SLC]

I wouldn't be worried about Tielemans' transfer fee, Nicko. He has such a high potential that you probably got the high end of that potential and he's going to end up becoming incredible for you.

By the way, if anyone is interested, Martin Odegaard, who is due a trial at Liverpool is now in the game, you need to download him from the Steam Workshop, but it's not that much of a hassle.

sabine how are you getting on with your tactics? i know how well you did last edition and just wondered if you can enlighten us all? im struggling with tactics. i can play one game and win 5-0 next game i can lose 6-2. its very very frustrating this year more so than last years game!!

[Sabine]

In all honesty, I'm still in the testing stages of the game. I have a specific formation, but I don't have everything that I want yet and have been playing over the pre-season games and trying to fix any flaws that I notice. I have played competitive games, and have been doing very well, but not really being challenged yet, but I've restarted so I can get Martin Odegaard into my team.

My formation however, is going to be something like this, with no team instructions for now, just opposition for when I'm in a game.

I would like to point out however that a lot of people have been conceding a lot of goals from crosses which is irritating (it's happening to me too), but I'm going to start Tight Marking and Show on Weak Foot as opposition instructions to the wide players and Closing Down - Always for strong, great in the air strikers that seem to be scoring in such a situation like this.

[Dan Selby]

I too restarted after the match engine patch came out, 6 games in, won 3, drawn 2, lost 1. Lost away to Villa on the opening day despite dominating and drew with Arsenal and City.

Wasn't expecting this however....

9 shots on target, 7 goals scored while they didn't even have a shot. Wonder goals from Markovic, Flanagan and Kent too, who was brought on at half time due to Lallana getting injured!

[Dan Selby]

Then 2 PL games later, it happens again...

[Nicko8]

I wouldn't be worried about Tielemans' transfer fee, Nicko. He has such a high potential that you probably got the high end of that potential and he's going to end up becoming incredible for you.

By the way, if anyone is interested, Martin Odegaard, who is due a trial at Liverpool is now in the game, you need to download him from the Steam Workshop, but it's not that much of a hassle.

Haha yeah, but I've formed a bad habit of wanting to pay as little as possible and receiving as much as possible for transfers over the years of playing FM.

[Staf9]

Sadly you have to start again to get odegaard into your game.

[Staf9]

Just had a very impressive result in my CL group

First game away to barca and won 5-4 epic match

[Staf9]

Shocking September overall

Chelsea away lost 3-2

Barca away won 5-4

West Ham away lost 3-2

Chelsea home LC lost 5-4

Burnley away draw 1-1

[cezar.sl]

I wouldn't be worried about Tielemans' transfer fee, Nicko. He has such a high potential that you probably got the high end of that potential and he's going to end up becoming incredible for you.

By the way, if anyone is interested, Martin Odegaard, who is due a trial at Liverpool is now in the game, you need to download him from the Steam Workshop, but it's not that much of a hassle.

But you have to start a new game.

[cezar.sl]

I restarted my beta save, mainly because I had overwritten the files while testing . Updates to follow.

[cezar.sl]

Season 1, September 1st Update

Transfers IN

I got Tielemans on loan (can't buy him because I play without first summer transfers). This way I get an extra year of developing him.

Aranzubia is a backup goalkeeper, because Jones got injured and I don't want to risk something stupid happening. He's 2.5 stars rated.

Transfers OUT

Sent some reserves on loan, everyone I want to develop is in my u21s now so they get enough games.

I found that releasing player early from their contracts tends to upset people so now I don't do it anymore.

Matches

Balotelli started of as expected, Sturridge will be his backup, given how likely he is to get injured.

Southampton was one of the toughest matches, with Joe Allen getting sent off an leaving us to fight for 3 points for half an hour.

The draw at home with Hull was disappointing, but I have only myself to blame. I played a weaker team and couldn't go through their 5-4-1 diamond.

The CL draw was reasonable, but Shakhtar will be a tough couple of games.

[profii]

First season complete

Finished 2nd in the league

Carling Cup is ours!

FA Cup quarter finalist (lost to Newcastle on penos)

Champions League first knockout round lost to Bayern 2-4 on agg.

Transfers in:

Gino Peruzzi

Will Hughes (season loan back)

Kristoffer Ajer

Lucas Romero (Jan)

Out:

Lucas (Jan)

Good season I felt, struggled for wing cover. Balotelli was very hot and cold and scored 16 in 25 (19 subs) so I sold him for £33mil to Arsenal.

Introduced a lot of new midfielders so dropped the ever injury prone Lallana and boring Joe Allen also.

I brought in Pablo Sarabia and Andrija Zivkovic to cover the wings, Vincent Aboubakar to replace Balotelli and Markus Henriksen to help Coutinho.

I also lost Brad Jones and brought in free agent Nicola Leali to sit on the bench.

Now up to November sitting joint top with Dortmund in the CL Group, 2nd in the league but 6 points behind after a few draws.

I got killed by the board who gave me 30% of revenue during the transfer window so I couldn't really bring in the level of quality I wanted but now they've put it back to 100% hopefully I can start bringing in Marquee signings as apposed to the Sarabias of this world!

[glenn28]

Started again changing my staff around & will sign youth no outs at this stage

[CurnRaisin]

See a lot of mixed performance form people managing Liverpool, is there a common denominator tactic wise for all these people doing well? I Started again on full release, figured id go with some simple tactics (flat 4-4-2) and my preseason was great, team played exactly how I wanted them and how I imagined the tactics working out got all excited for the season ahead, lost to city first game but only 1-0 so wasn't to dispirited, but with 3 draws in a row against, Hull, Palace and Swansea then a loss to Newcastle my motivation has all but left me.

[tomthered]

I appreciate this is probably for a separate thread in its own right, but has anyone EVER had any success with the loans system? The only feedback I ever get from my assistant is that my promising youngsters aren't playing, or have barely improved. Are LFC's U21s a better experience for an 18/19 y/o than league 2?

[rywilson]

See a lot of mixed performance form people managing Liverpool, is there a common denominator tactic wise for all these people doing well? I Started again on full release, figured id go with some simple tactics (flat 4-4-2) and my preseason was great, team played exactly how I wanted them and how I imagined the tactics working out got all excited for the season ahead, lost to city first game but only 1-0 so wasn't to dispirited, but with 3 draws in a row against, Hull, Palace and Swansea then a loss to Newcastle my motivation has all but left me.

I can't get anything to work, tried all sorts. Not a clue how people are winning the league haha!

[glenn28]

Just sorted out my staff & made bids for Balanta & Romero not gonna sell anyone if I have some cash left over gonna sign Horn as competition for Migonlet & will be 1st choice from season 2

[..Valhalla..]

Just noticed this:

I've started a couple of Liverpool games so far (trying to get the hang of the game), and each time I renew Flanno's contract, the supporters "question" my decision.

Yet I'm holidaying through a season here (unemployed) to start as Liverpool in 2015, and I've just seen a news report thing saying his contract renewal, which was given by BR, has been greeted positively by supporters.

Weird.

[Staf9]

Just sorted out my staff & made bids for Balanta & Romero not gonna sell anyone if I have some cash left over gonna sign Horn as competition for Migonlet & will be 1st choice from season 2

all 3 will be on low wages so you should be able to adjust your budget to bring them in. 18m will prob cover all 3 in transfer fees.

great thing about romero is you can sell him for 30m in season 2 if you don't like him. value just rockets

[glenn28]

all 3 will be on low wages so you should be able to adjust your budget to bring them in. 18m will prob cover all 3 in transfer fees.

great thing about romero is you can sell him for 30m in season 2 if you don't like him. value just rockets

Yeah hes got a release Clause of 43 mill so might come in handly

[Dan Selby]

Coming up to the new year on my save and got a message through that one of my Transfer Targets contracts was expiring in 6 months. For some reason Soceidad haven't offered Rulli an extension yet! Just offered him a contract, hopefully i can snap him up to come in at the end of the season to take over the gloves from Mignolet!

[glenn28]

Missed out on Horn as he renewed his contract & his clause is now 35mill

[eastley]

Second Season Transfers

IN

Sandro

Balanta

Danilo

Horn

Roberts

Romagnoli

Scott (Awesome looking Regen)

Tielemans

Ward-Prowse

Sule

Grealish

OUT

Balotelli ($50m)

Leiva ($20m)

[glenn28]

Signed Alex Meret whos gonna be world class keeper in a few years from now might get Valdes once he recovers then Sell Mignolet at seasons end & play Valdes for a few years until Meret is ready

[eastley]

Just in case anyone is wondering, Keep hold of Origi, put time and effort in to him, he turns into world class..

[Dan Selby]

That's my keeper sorted for the next 10+ years then My scouts have his personality as a Model Professional so he'll be tutoring any young keepers coming from my youth intake!

[Staf9]

decided to start again with the Odegaard update.

will try and keep the majority of signings to U21's. will make an exception of the player is considered worldclass (Rues) or best in position (Danilo/Alex Sandro)

[Generation-Next]

I've just started my first game with Liverpool for this year. Need to really get a long termer going as I'm a Liverpool fan, but never get past the first season in any.

Well, I've gone for some non-ME-exploiting tactics, as I don't see the point in having 8-4 score lines. So far I've P3 W1 D2 L0. GF5 GA2. 0-0 against Newcastle, 4-1 against Hull, and a thrilling 1-1 against Man City.

I've so far brought in Sergi Samper on loan with an option to buy for £15m. Balanta, and Tielemans.

[Dan Selby]

I've just started my first game with Liverpool for this year. Need to really get a long termer going as I'm a Liverpool fan, but never get past the first season in any.

Well, I've gone for some non-ME-exploiting tactics, as I don't see the point in having 8-4 score lines. So far I've P3 W1 D2 L0. GF5 GA2. 0-0 against Newcastle, 4-1 against Hull, and a thrilling 1-1 against Man City.

I've so far brought in Sergi Samper on loan with an option to buy for £15m. Balanta, and Tielemans.

I brought in Samper on loan on my save also. He's played well coming on as a sub and playing in low key league/cup games. If his contract hasn't been renewed yet by Barca, in his contract he has a 10.25 million release clause.

[Nicko8]

Good November followed by a tougher Dec/Jan.

Won all my matches in November and got MoTM whilst Balo won PoTM by banging in a bunch of goals, since that month he's effectively shifted Sturridge out wide to IF(A) on the right, and is now my leading goalscorer.

Dec/Jan involved a handful of losses to the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham and QPR. The Chelsea loss was a 1-0 involving a Mignolet special where he lost an aerial duel in the box from a long throw in. Did batter ManU 6-2 though, Sterling had been under performing for most of the season prior to this match and I was due to give him a bake but he was PoM and has been playing well since. Coutinho has turned it on lately too. Speaking of the league table I'm now third at the end of Jan, 4 pts behind Chelsea who have won 15ish games straight in the Prem. Still alive in the FA cup but my 'reserve team' hasnt made it pretty, a couple of replays required to get through.

Also finished top of my Champs league group, drew Barca in the first knockout stage though, pessimistic to say the least.

Rant: Team can't defend corners at all. Easily 2/3 of the goals I concede are from corners. Before every game I set training focus to defending set pieces, doesnt matter if I'm playing Chelsea or Burnley, doesnt end up helping. Balanta is also complaining alot about lack of games, probably going to have to give him a solid run in the team cause he wanted to leave.

Seems there are alot of volleys/karate goals from crosses, though the match engine was meant to fix this? Looked up the stats page and I concede majority of my goals from crosses but was surprised that passes were my main assist, was expecting crosses based on what I've been seeing form the match engine (maybe I'm not able to differentiate a cross and a pass form out wide from the match engine).

Outs: Sold Borini for 7m but have to pay him 15k/w for a couple of years.

That's my keeper sorted for the next 10+ years then My scouts have his personality as a Model Professional so he'll be tutoring any young keepers coming from my youth intake!

Need a new keeper, had a look and he signed a new contract in October, bummer. As previously mentioned now a 33m release clause.