BoxToBox Posted August 30, 2017 Author Share Posted August 30, 2017 4 minutes ago, oneronaldo said: Will Keane, not a big game player according to his coach report....yeah right like Liverpool and Valencia are gonna believe that It's amazing, he's possibly the biggest big game player I've ever had, never lets me down. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneronaldo Posted August 30, 2017 Share Posted August 30, 2017 29 minutes ago, BoxToBox said: It's amazing, he's possibly the biggest big game player I've ever had, never lets me down. Lingard had the same thing on his coach report too for me, think this was before the 17.3 update, he basically monstered every cup final I started him in. FA Cup, League Cup, Community Shield, he has his fingerprints all over them. I still don't understand how was he so good considering his hidden attribute was only 7/20 when I checked the save with the in-game editor Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted August 30, 2017 Author Share Posted August 30, 2017 1 minute ago, oneronaldo said: Lingard had the same thing on his coach report too for me, think this was before the 17.3 update, he basically monstered every cup final I started him in. FA Cup, League Cup, Community Shield, he has his fingerprints all over them. I still don't understand how was he so good considering his hidden attribute was only 7/20 when I checked the save with the in-game editor Bizarre! maybe he just really suited your tactics? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneronaldo Posted August 30, 2017 Share Posted August 30, 2017 24 minutes ago, BoxToBox said: Bizarre! maybe he just really suited your tactics? Bizarre indeed, certainly a plausible theory as I use Counter mentality which could generate more space for him to exploit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SixPointer Posted August 30, 2017 Share Posted August 30, 2017 5 hours ago, BoxToBox said: Cheers! Cleon etc. are all much better though! Yes they are class but I love your style specially what you done with brondby I'd say for a regular career update man your as good as Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted August 30, 2017 Author Share Posted August 30, 2017 Cheers! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted August 30, 2017 Author Share Posted August 30, 2017 Season Preview! Weirdly long summer, quite a few youths brought in from the lower leagues, lot of friendlies. We're still very short in areas, the right wing is now a ghost town with Hiwula's loan ending and Clarke's injury.... Lots of lower league punts, probably not all come good, but I don't mind spreading the wealth around and had noting else to spend it on anyway, that said, some do look real prospects! Senior signings. Maguire is a brilliant CB, a player I rate in FM quite a bit, but has an 11m release clause for CL clubs. Guilavogui is a real beast, but with hindsight on the massive hole that RW is, I may have been better off spending my senior signing there and relying on Vincelot again. Youth signings. These are three of the ones that seem most likely to crack the first team. Our own two gems are coming along very nicely. Sanchez is kicking on well, after being tutored by Clarke and is now on his second run with Will Keane. Probably ready for the senior side. Beadle, well, he's our best available RW, might have to be promoted, ready or otherwise.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted August 30, 2017 Author Share Posted August 30, 2017 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneronaldo Posted August 30, 2017 Share Posted August 30, 2017 1 hour ago, BoxToBox said: Should have played Britney Spears' "Oops I Did It Again" over the stadium PA for some bantz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted August 30, 2017 Author Share Posted August 30, 2017 Soft... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted August 31, 2017 Author Share Posted August 31, 2017 Midseason update. I forgot to do this pre-January, but in the end, there was no real need as January didn't amount to much transfer wise. We've firmly entrenched ourselves as the middiest of mid table sides, bouncing between 8th and 12th all season and for brief moments touching the tail end of the chase for the Europa. Absolutely brilliant considering our restrictions, situations and the fact that most of the season our right wing position was commanded by a 16 year old the staff rated as having League Two ability(he's up to League One now). We have a league cup final, against a rampant Man Utd side. Also, as January was petering out, the board offered me a new contract... Which I happily accepted after negotiations included this... That's the second upgrade since the last intake, so hoping for a nice bit of recruitment this spring. Also, Junior Coaching is maxed already. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted August 31, 2017 Author Share Posted August 31, 2017 Youth Intake Day! What a day at that! A generational talent, can play CB, DM and MC, all places we need depth. Already 2* CA, he's not far off the pace of our backups.... Couldn't have been a better pick. Look at that! He'll be able to pitch in short term, and long term could be an absolute monster. I don't think either of these will hit the heights, but both could become useful backups.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneronaldo Posted August 31, 2017 Share Posted August 31, 2017 If Donelly can't make it, nobody will. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted August 31, 2017 Author Share Posted August 31, 2017 I'm chucking him right into a FA Cup 6th round game. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
noikeee Posted August 31, 2017 Share Posted August 31, 2017 Winning the FA Cup whilst at League 1 was pretty spectacular even for your standards. Steady progress. I must say I wouldn't be able to play with all those complicated restrictions though, I tried something vaguely similar a few careers back and it got too complicated/cumbersome to remember everything. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted August 31, 2017 Author Share Posted August 31, 2017 6 minutes ago, noikeee said: Winning the FA Cup whilst at League 1 was pretty spectacular even for your standards. Steady progress. I must say I wouldn't be able to play with all those complicated restrictions though, I tried something vaguely similar a few careers back and it got too complicated/cumbersome to remember everything. It's not too bad now that I'm in the prem and half have become irrelevant. I did have to check the OP once or twice, though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted August 31, 2017 Author Share Posted August 31, 2017 Season Review! Our form in the league was incredibly up and down, but in the end we were good enough value for an 11th finish, and that I'm delighted with, all things considered. The surprise though, was when we picked off Man City in the FA Cup semi final, and went on to handle Championship side Middlesbrough in the final, for two FA Cups in three seasons. All after 3rd and 4th round replays.... This leads to one issue, I arranged a good few transfers from the lower leagues for the coming window, the FA Cup gives us Europa football, so I should have paid double the prices I did. I never expected to get past Man City, as they had battered us in the league and league cup..... Early in the season, the weakest point was right wing, which I planned to address this summer. Simon Beadle has done quite well after playing a lot of games, and is coming along nicely, I could keep faith with him, and use my two senior transfers on other spots, we definitely need to replace Josh Cullen with a new box to box mid, Rory McArdle could do with upgrading too, as could either fullback. I also have to consider, if I act quickly, Marco Asensio is possibly on the cards.... Could play in midfield or RW. That's Beadle's progress. Lad'll never score like that again, an equalizer to take the FA Cup 4th round to a replay..... Also, his long shot attribute is 5. 5!!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted September 1, 2017 Author Share Posted September 1, 2017 Some surprises. More money than we'll need for a very long time! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted September 1, 2017 Author Share Posted September 1, 2017 A pretty meaningless game, and United certainly didn't put out their best possible side, but I'm still delighted. 3rd goal was a treat. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
john1 Posted September 1, 2017 Share Posted September 1, 2017 Impressive win over Man Utd Pretty decent budget for next season, any targets you looking at? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted September 1, 2017 Author Share Posted September 1, 2017 4 minutes ago, john1 said: Impressive win over Man Utd Pretty decent budget for next season, any targets you looking at? Already made both senior signings, Jeff Hendrick and Tyrone Mings. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rikulec Posted September 1, 2017 Share Posted September 1, 2017 2 hours ago, BoxToBox said: Beautiful. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted September 1, 2017 Author Share Posted September 1, 2017 Season Preview! The board demands are quite lenient, avoid relegation, a single win in each cup, and have fun in the Europa, eh? Don't much care for the shield, but I'll happily take it! Suits my slow build down to the ground though, we had massive budgets too, but didn't spend a great deal(relatively, considering Premiership money). In spite of some heavy scrounging of the lower leagues for talent. Meredith asked for his leave, and was granted it, we also release the first batch of youth. Surprisingly enough, Shaun Cresswell (1C) was quickly picked up by Cardiff, they see something in him I don't, maybe his 15/16 acc/pace..... Senior signings. No. 1 priority was to replace "our" star box to box mid, Josh Cullen, and I think I done that well, but we also needed a CB, RW, RB, LB and quite badly a keeper as we're screwed if Nestor picks up any knocks(he's already had one, but just missed a single game). I think Hendrick is stellar pickup, facilitated by Burnley's relegation. Mings is a handy wingback, I hope he's decent between the sticks and all. Youth signings. Presland was picked from under the nose of Man Utd, long term I expect him to be a top DM. Bonneau, I'll be happy if he becomes a reasonable PL player. Watkins just looks a potential monster. @wynter Presland and Bonneau are the pair I'd mentioned to you earlier, they picked up interest in the end. Promotions. We've also called up some of the youth team players. Sanchez and Beadle played a lot of first team football, but now they're officially senior squad members. Hogg and Griffiths add much needed depth, Hogg especially though, deserves a chance after impressive levels of development last season. I should say, last intakes star, Chris Donnelly isn't far from the senior squad already! I expect to give him some cup games, and possibly promote him in January, though I'm loath to quickly throw stalwart Roman Vincelot to the wayside after 3-4 years of good service(even if his decline is starting). Then again, Donnelly is mainly a CB, where we also need depth, so maybe room for both yet. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted September 1, 2017 Author Share Posted September 1, 2017 These are all the ex-youth players that have picked up new clubs since leaving us, mostly low/non league, but it's good to see them do something beyond leaving us. EDIT: I forgot to add Reece Webb-Foster, who's still at Aston Villa, in their u23's, he was transfer listed earlier, but taken back off the list since. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted September 1, 2017 Author Share Posted September 1, 2017 This is an actual disaster... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
john1 Posted September 1, 2017 Share Posted September 1, 2017 Hogg is pretty decent Looking forward how he's develop over the season. What are the reason behind the letters (ie 2A) after their name? Apologies if you have already explained it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted September 1, 2017 Author Share Posted September 1, 2017 6 minutes ago, john1 said: Hogg is pretty decent Looking forward how he's develop over the season. What are the reason behind the letters (ie 2A) after their name? Apologies if you have already explained it. Oh sorry, I never explained it, it's tagging the players from youth intakes. 2A being the highest rated player of the second intake. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wynter Posted September 2, 2017 Share Posted September 2, 2017 Presland and Bonneau could have been a magic centre back pairing if Pres was a few inches taller Paul Hogg looks incredible though, looking forward to seeing how good he is in a season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted September 2, 2017 Author Share Posted September 2, 2017 Aye! Still, I'm very hopeful of Presland at DM, and since Maguire's injury, Donnelly has been putting in a decent shift at CB. Donnelly/Bonneau and Presland in front of them could be a mean defensive triangle. Hogg could even cover at CB at a push, especially if I wanted a ball playing CB. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted September 2, 2017 Author Share Posted September 2, 2017 Midseason update. We're halfway through, and in cracking form, having only lost three league games we're definitely in the mix for European football, though we're still miles and miles way from a title challenge. Scraped first place in our Europa group too, and have been rewarded with one of the better draws in Basel. Backup keeper Colin Doyle had picked up knee tendonitis for the third year running, and I have a strong feeling he'll be retiring in the summer(he's declined to a National League North/South level). I'll have to spend one of my two senior signings on a replacement, like as not. An injury to Nestor and we are ruined, he's picked up two knocks this season. Luckily small ones, but the danger is there. This was probably the most exciting match of the season so far for us, even if I was enraged at half time after dropping a 3-1 lead... Our three intake stars are coming along sparklingly well! Some of the bought youths are coming along greatly as well, the latter two of these looking like potentially real quality players, and coming from non-league intakes... Hogg scored all three goals in one game. Lake wasn't rated especially highly when he joined us, but as his attributes have rocketed, so have the staffs rating of his potential. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted September 2, 2017 Author Share Posted September 2, 2017 Nothing much happened in January, besides a deadline day bid by Man Utd for Nestor, 13m, no thanks.... Fair selection of youth grads playing down the leagues now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted September 3, 2017 Author Share Posted September 3, 2017 Youth Intake Day! It's a bloody good one, and all! The one the HOYD has pointed out, is a goalkeeper, just when I needed one, albeit far from ready, but the surprise is, he's the 2nd best by PA, and CA.... So yeah, a nice bit of depth here, a few may make it as backup/rotation options. Shah is a fairly rounded DM, but lacks positioning, Alcock is a quick-ish fullback who needs a lot of work on defending. Kelsey is really fast, has a mean cross but is otherwise awful, but will make it at least to League One. Etc, etc.... This is the one Wetherall likes, needs work on his positioning, but could become a really handy keeper, definitely. This fellow's clearly the real star of the show though! He's basically the perfect striker for how we play, or the template for it at least, once he's developed he should be an ideal False 9, and can play just as well in CM..... Really excited about this bloke! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dexter_Morgan Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 I'm really enjoying this save so far, it helps that you seem to be really enjoying it too going by your writing so far Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted September 3, 2017 Author Share Posted September 3, 2017 2 hours ago, Dexter_Morgan said: I'm really enjoying this save so far, it helps that you seem to be really enjoying it too going by your writing so far I really am, cheers! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted September 3, 2017 Author Share Posted September 3, 2017 That's a kick in the ween, a relatively minor injury sure, but it's a season ender for one of our starters when we need him most. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted September 3, 2017 Author Share Posted September 3, 2017 Season Review! We hit a pretty nasty patch of form in the spring, and were quite lucky to scrape 5th(a terribly flukey win for our backups over Liverpool made up pip past Man City and Arsenal) after earlier looking like 4th and CL football was a real possibility. Struggling a bit for a variety of reasons, injuries, lack of depth, but mainly, we went on a run in Europe! A series of lucky draws combined with a lot of other underdogs doing well in the competition lead us to the final, against Marseille.... Bizarrely, our star left back Mings, accepted a callup to Barbados the week of the final, and missed the least league fixture and the final. Livid doesn't begin to describe..... I was going to do a full match report on the final, but the game was horrible in the end. In a dour game, who else but our record signing Jeff Hendrick pops up with a late run into the box to make the difference. Who won player of the match, our backup left back replacing Mings! Couldn't make it up... Leipzig were by far the best team we faced. Next season, for the two senior signings, I need to pick two of a CB, RB and GK... Probably CB and RB, just take a chance that Steve Hoskin (4B) will develop with some low priority games(played two times already, been alright). If I were less restricted, or stronger all round, Mings would be turfed out and replaced too, but we still need him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dexter_Morgan Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Not a million miles off United's end of last season by the sound of it Well done though, some tricky sides you played to win that will be interesting to see how you do in the CL and league next season Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted September 3, 2017 Author Share Posted September 3, 2017 I suppose it was! Speaking of, they won the treble. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
john1 Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Another decent season Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted September 3, 2017 Author Share Posted September 3, 2017 45 minutes ago, john1 said: Another decent season Yup! Tipping along nicely now! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidthekid Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Sorry coach, the Barbadian times reported that Rihanna was going to be at the game "supporting" the players Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted September 3, 2017 Author Share Posted September 3, 2017 Season Preview! Expectations have been upped a little, with the board wanting a top half finish, a group appearance in the CL(which is what we got for the Europa win), a hit the fifth round of the FA Cup(two wins), and the fourth in the League Cup(one win). I think we should manage all that fairly handily, really. The transfer window was bizarrely quiet, I had all my deals pre-arranged, Spurs declared interest in Beadle(who's just got the call up to England), but a new contract saw him happy. Man City wafted a 35m, rising to 48m non negotiable offer for Donnelly in our direction, and were told to clear off. Mings came asking to join Bayern(!?!), but was fine when I told him no, deadline day bids of 18m mostly in clauses, non-negotiable from Bayern and Atletico were laughed off. Sunderland spent all summer chasing Phil Martin, but never came close to an acceptable price. That's the ins, outs and youths released, there's a contract on the table for O'Brien to come back as a coach, sadly Doyle is a DOF now, and I won't use one. Senior signings. I chose to forego the keeper and pad out the defence, so of course Nestor instantly picked up a knock.... Skriniar was a steal, listed at Juve and will form a fine partnership with Maguire. Byram rounds out the backline, an adept wingback, but can also play anywhere up the wing when needs must. Youth signings. Only the one real notable one, and very, very expensive, but we had a real stroke of luck with Brighton's shock relegation, and their star prospect who was still 18, and just eligible for us to sign. So I went for it, the bafflingly cheap deal for Skriniar makes up for it, heh. Boy is going to be an absolute monster though, once developed! Being tutored by Will Keane, and it's already paying off with increased Professionalism and Determination. Scored on his debut, against Man Utd, and done something we struggled with for ages, putting the ball past De Gea(Romero was in goal for that 0-4 win). Promotions. McArthur and Bonneau join the seniors, Donnelly had already, around last Feb, but I forgot to mention it. Plenty of youths rebuilding their careers. CL group is about as kind as I could have expected. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted September 3, 2017 Author Share Posted September 3, 2017 21 minutes ago, kidthekid said: Sorry coach, the Barbadian times reported that Rihanna was going to be at the game "supporting" the players In hindsight he has my full blessings. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManUtd1 Posted September 4, 2017 Share Posted September 4, 2017 Why am I not surprised at the incredible progress in here? Tremendous stuff, and a pleasure to see the Bantams taking England and the continent by storm. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted September 4, 2017 Author Share Posted September 4, 2017 6 hours ago, ManUtd1 said: Why am I not surprised at the incredible progress in here? Tremendous stuff, and a pleasure to see the Bantams taking England and the continent by storm. Cheers! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted September 4, 2017 Author Share Posted September 4, 2017 Down a man against Sevilla in the CL(my fault using all my subs very early), no problem for new boy Southam, who's currently the teams top scorer despite starting on the bench most often. This is bad, at 30 too..... Presland is promoted to replace him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted September 4, 2017 Author Share Posted September 4, 2017 Midseason update. We're flying along in the league, with a CL spot looking more and more like a realistic target! In Europe we done brilliantly, taking advantage of a really quite reasonable group. Drew Bayern in the knockouts, as a reward.... There should be no transfer business incoming, but I guess there's always opportunity for a sale, and I do have three DM's now... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted September 5, 2017 Author Share Posted September 5, 2017 Nothing happened in January, on to the youth intake.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted September 5, 2017 Author Share Posted September 5, 2017 Youth Intake Day! Back after a long wait, and was it worth it? Oh yes... Oh yes, indeed! We've got our second generational talent! A few all look handy enough too, Smith, Heath, Marchant and oddly, the French kid Girod. Smith I could see becoming a very good box to box mid, bags of flair make him look more creative than he really is, but flair is always good. Heath I'm not sure what to do with, odd mix of attributes, likely a jack of all trades bench mid. Marchant could be a very handy striker, if he trains up his finishing. Girod, maybe doesn't have the potential to be at this club long term, but he has the keys to make it as a handy playmaker at some level. He's quite clearly a player that'll be capable of playing well above his CA, albeit maybe not all that often since he has consistency issues. On to the main event! Professional, consistent, determined, a haircut that can be tested with a spirit level, and all the necessary attributes to dictate and dominate games. He could become a star playmaker. Now is possibly a good time to look back at past star intake graduates. Sanchez had a nasty goal drought, but is developing into a top class forward. Beadle is now our star man, but that's no surprise considering he's owned our right wing since he was 16 years old. Donnelly is an iron wall in front of our defence, and can even pitch in back there when needed, becoming a real monster. Powell is not quite ready for first team football yet, but is coming along very nicely! His goal record doesn't look too saucy, but I've mostly given him a chance at CM, I played him up front against Stoke in the league and he picked up a brace. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted September 5, 2017 Author Share Posted September 5, 2017 I.... I.... What? Real Madrid up next... Somehow! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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