Parma fc

[Alexgriff]

Have just began my first save with Parma in numerous years and am looking to bring them back to Serie A. 

After gaining promotion from Serie D last season, the task is to now help get them out of Serie C at the first attempt.

I will keep you posted on my progress throughout.

[Alexgriff]

The target for the season is to reach the playoffs within serie C, though with a playoff system more confusing than Fifa rankings it appears that so long as your not in a relegation dog fight you should always achieve this aim. 

The squad

Goalkeepers

Here you have a straight choice between two young but ultimately poor keepers in Zommers and Coric, here I will keep one as a back up and try replace them with a clear first choice.

Right back

Your current choice at right back is Garufo as a clear first choice with Messina onloan from Fiorentina as a back up. However as you are paying Messina's wages in full and him barely having an attribute in double figures he will be sent back immediately. 

Left back

Here you have an excellent first choice in Nunzella who will be my starting left back for the season, with our youth prospect in Ricci as adequate back up. 

Centre back

Again this is another area where you have plenty of options, as Coly and Cannini will be your first choice pairing, with Lucarelli and Bennasi as solid reserves.

Right wing

Here we currently have Niccolini, who appears to be a decent enough squad player, but we do lack depth here as Melandri and Mazzochi aren't naturals in this position.

Left wing

First choice here is Yves Baraye, though he is far from exceptional at this level and our only natural too, so we may have to keep him.

Centre midfield

In this position we have plenty of options, as our first choice is certainly Scavone, with notable other options in Corapi, Miglietta, Simonetti and Giorfino.  However, we do need to add some quality here, and I'll be looking to add a quality attacking midfielder to provide further flexibility. 

Strikers

As I'm only likely to be playing with one striker most of the time, this would therefore appear to be one of our strongest positions, Calaio and Evacuo are excellent options at this level. I will therefore try to get rid of the aging back up options of Melandri, Guazzo 

[Alexgriff]

Transfer window

I decided that loyalty to my current squad would not be wise, especially given how old, slow and technically hopeless some of my players were, as my forward line does seem to resemble a veterans 5 aside team.

The only problem is that no one wants my players, and so I have decided to let them rot in the reserves to grow even older and staler like moldy cabbage. 

On the plus side, I have decided to seemingly take ownership of the loan market, as how locatelli, chiesa and adjapong agreed to join is a mystery to me. 

I have also been able to strengthen in goal with Radu from Inter, who along with all my other loan signings of Fazzi and Sabbione in midfield, Marchizza in defence and Bonfiglo up front do mean that I have considerable strength in depth. 

I did however manage to make one signing myself with Russotto joining for 150k , and he is key for me, as it will be him who my team is built around in the playmakers role. 

 

[Alexgriff]

Tactics

Am going to play 4-2-3-1, with a high press, high tempo strategy. Am looking to control the game with a deep lying playmaker and an attacking playmaker too.

i will have both fullbacks pushing on and with an inside forward on the left hand side, and a winger on the right. Whilst I'd normally want either a complete forward or an advanced forward in the solitary role upfront, I will due to personel have to play with a target man instead. 

Gk - Radu/ Coric

Rightback - Adjapong/ Garufo

Leftback- Nunzella/ Ricci

Left Centre back - Cannini/ Lucarelli

Right centre back - Coly/ Marchizza/ Saporetti

Deeplying playmaker - Locatelli/ Sabbione

Ballwinning midfielder- Fazzi/ Giorfino

Attacking midfielder - Russotto/ Scavone

Left inside forward - Lo Faso/ Baraye

Right wing - Chiesa/ Niccollini

Target man - Calaio/ Evacou 

 

That just leaves the following players whom I can't sell for love nor money:

Benassi, Miglietta, Zommers, Guazzo, Corapi.

i have also terminated the loan of Messina to save funds. 

Whilst the squad is of a high standard I just hope they gel in time for the upcoming season.

 

[Ginola*]

I'm very tempted to start a Parma save

[MShing]

I'll be interested in how you get on in this save. Tempted to try a Parma save myself

[DaveMUFC]

I support Parma and actually went to Italy to go and watch them for the first time a couple of weeks back! was always considering to start a proper thread with information to get people into it, but might be a bit late into the season for that now..

Just a note for anyone looking to start, I think that the OP is using the pre-winter patch, as the team has had quite an overhaul in January, for the better. 

Cannini, Bennassi, Melandri, Evacuo have all left, and Serie B players Iacaponi (RB), Scozzarella (CM), Fratali (GK), Gianni Munari (CM), Valerio Di Cesare (CB), amongst others have come in, and are all pretty much your best players in the squad. 

Great save, I am enjoying it immensely, and if you don't finish top you get put into a 30 team playoff, with only 1 winner, which makes things interesting! Also be cool to bring in previous players as you work your way up (Paletta, Paloschi, Giovinco etc.) 

 

 

[Alexgriff]

After not posting for a long period of time, I've managed to play 6 seasons so far. Just a summary below of how each season went:

1st Season

Managed to win promotion pretty comfortably from Serie C.

Key player - Andrea Russotto 

2nd Season

After a horrendous start where we tried to switch to a 3-5-2 and I had a vote of confidence, we managed to again to somehow get promoted through the most complicated playoff system imaginable. Poor start may have also been due to numerous new players bedding in.

key player - Bruno Zucullini

3rd Season

Solid first season back in Serie A with a host of new signings and managed to finish 7th. For which i have attached my transfers below.

 

[oneronaldo]

Use Alt-F9 to take screenshots, mate.

[Cal585]

Wondering how people have gone with updated Parma? They look like they should walk the league, but I'm having trouble getting consistency out of them. I wanted to try a possession game with their technical ability but they don't have the speed for a high press (or a counter). Everyone is generally competent at passing and quite strong, but most are old and slow and both forwards are average height and not that quick. I feel like they should be easy mode but with one eye on Serie B, I'm not sure how to set the team up. Any advice?