Mandy42 Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 aggressive, brave, natural fitness, tackling and marking all looking good, at only 22 he looks like he has the potential to be top class. That does look like it's where the hole in your depth chart is, you've got good attacking cover, and having to "make do" with Ozil isn't the worst player in the world, though I'm not sure Felix will be there in another years time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 10, 2019 Author Share Posted June 10, 2019 3 minutes ago, Mandy42 said: aggressive, brave, natural fitness, tackling and marking all looking good, at only 22 he looks like he has the potential to be top class. That does look like it's where the hole in your depth chart is, you've got good attacking cover, and having to "make do" with Ozil isn't the worst player in the world, though I'm not sure Felix will be there in another years time. I've just edited the last post with a bit more info as I've negotiated both transfers now. Which do you reckon? Ascacibar? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 10, 2019 Author Share Posted June 10, 2019 Ah. Had it taken out of my hands. I planned to get both deals ready to go and then make a decision but my board pushed through the Felix transfer. I'm going to see if I can arrange Ascacibar's transfer for next summer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maw74 Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 15 hours ago, GreyedOutMan said: POSTED WITHOUT COMMENT. I feel sick. Still, Burnley in Baku should allow me to finish the season on a high. COYS! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 (edited) This could be simply because I haven't caught up with the new reality of transfer fees, but if I'm spending £46m, I'd want a player who greatly improved my side. I'm not convinced that's the case with Ascacibar judging from your scout report. Edited June 10, 2019 by withnail316 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 10, 2019 Author Share Posted June 10, 2019 8 minutes ago, withnail316 said: This could be simply because I haven't caught up with the new reality of transfer fees, but if I'm spending £46m, I'd want a player who greatly improved my side. I'm not convinced that's the case with Ascacibar judging from your scout report. He would improve my side, for sure. But Felix more so. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 10, 2019 Author Share Posted June 10, 2019 (edited) This is an interesting development. I don't think I had any choice, really, given that he is 30, and only scored 22 goals last season. That's not bad but it's not £100m good. For a year, Lacazette as my main striker is fine. But it does leave me with two big holes to fill, at BWM and striker. Hopefully, Nketiah or Vega/Maciel can step up in the next twelve months to fill one of those gaps and I can fill the other one with another marquee signing next summer. EDT: He has rejected United's contract offer so not relevant now. I think I'm going to have to accept I will not get a fee for him. Edited June 10, 2019 by GreyedOutMan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sourgrapes11 Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 1 hour ago, GreyedOutMan said: This is an interesting development. I don't think I had any choice, really, given that he is 30, and only scored 22 goals last season. That's not bad but it's not £100m good. For a year, Lacazette as my main striker is fine. But it does leave me with two big holes to fill, at BWM and striker. Hopefully, Nketiah or Vega/Maciel can step up in the next twelve months to fill one of those gaps and I can fill the other one with another marquee signing next summer. EDT: He has rejected United's contract offer so not relevant now. I think I'm going to have to accept I will not get a fee for him. Yeah PEA is fantastic but I'd have to agree with seling for £100m, either irl or in FM. Crazy money for a 30 year old. Shame he didn't agree to the move. So have you sold Ozil now if you're signing Felix? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 10, 2019 Author Share Posted June 10, 2019 (edited) 14 minutes ago, sourgrapes11 said: Yeah PEA is fantastic but I'd have to agree with seling for £100m, either irl or in FM. Crazy money for a 30 year old. Shame he didn't agree to the move. So have you sold Ozil now if you're signing Felix? I'm trying. He's currently bench/CL group stage fodder! He won't terminate his contract and I literally can't even give him away. And I agree with PEA logic. Was gutted he didn't want to leave. Edited June 10, 2019 by GreyedOutMan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 10, 2019 Author Share Posted June 10, 2019 44 minutes ago, sourgrapes11 said: Yeah PEA is fantastic but I'd have to agree with seling for £100m, either irl or in FM. Crazy money for a 30 year old. Shame he didn't agree to the move. So have you sold Ozil now if you're signing Felix? That was sudden. I was really struggling to get rid. But then suddenly, a bid came in from Colombus Crew (no money, but with his wages, so what!), and before I could even check how much I was saving (about £35m) from his wages, Sanllehi pushed through the transfer and Ozil is no longer an Arsenal player. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 10, 2019 Author Share Posted June 10, 2019 I can't remember many better debuts than this from Felix. I'm feeling good about 2019-20! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 10, 2019 Author Share Posted June 10, 2019 £20m for a sixteen year old is a lot, but I think Blake is well worth it. Thoughts? Solves my keeper issue longer term. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 10, 2019 Author Share Posted June 10, 2019 I've been scouting across the world and can't find anyone as good as Ascacibar for the BWM role. When I search for players like him, all I get are players of 30+ years of age, Victor Wanyama, Diego Demme and Taulant Xhaka, none of whom are as good as him. He is 22 and a really good player. Delaying for a year is going to cost me something in the region of £30m, but I think he is worth it. I'm going to try to push this through (for the end of the season of course), unless I have any dissenters, my glamorous assistants?!?! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy42 Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 only dissent from me is about Blake's headband! a Petr Cech skull cap it is not... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 10, 2019 Author Share Posted June 10, 2019 1 minute ago, Mandy42 said: only dissent from me is about Blake's headband! a Petr Cech skull cap it is not... Can you imagine being a keeper with that hair, though? Nightmare... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 10, 2019 Author Share Posted June 10, 2019 Change of plan, because the price got a bit silly and my scouts are really unconvinced, so I got cold feet. I've also found this guy, who is coming in at the end of the season (regen, not marquee). Won't get a work permit but.... It leaves me in a bit of a pickle short-term, though. And it's back to the drawing board to find my marquee signing for the summer... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 11, 2019 Author Share Posted June 11, 2019 Question. I've just been playing against Spurs, a title rival. 1-0 up in the dying minutes, and Leno comes up for a corner, leaving nobody in goal at all. What do I need to change? I have him playing as a Sweeper-Keeper, on support duty, but surely this shouldn't mean he come up for corners in the dying minutes when we're WINNING?! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy42 Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 31 minutes ago, GreyedOutMan said: Question. I've just been playing against Spurs, a title rival. 1-0 up in the dying minutes, and Leno comes up for a corner, leaving nobody in goal at all. What do I need to change? I have him playing as a Sweeper-Keeper, on support duty, but surely this shouldn't mean he come up for corners in the dying minutes when we're WINNING?! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA sorry that is the best thing I've read all day! What is your structure and mentality for the game, I read somewhere that on Very Fluid the whole team considers itself a single unit, thus: Very Fluid - Cautious will have your strikers sitting deeper and creating fewer chances as they help out in midfield Very Fluid - Attacking was described as "playing with 4 David Luiz's at the back" If it isn't mentality / structure based I've no idea why, I've never seen it before, does he have a PPM, *must score a goal against Spurs* or *Comes up for corners in injury time* Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 11, 2019 Author Share Posted June 11, 2019 1 minute ago, Mandy42 said: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA sorry that is the best thing I've read all day! What is your structure and mentality for the game, I read somewhere that on Very Fluid the whole team considers itself a single unit, thus: Very Fluid - Cautious will have your strikers sitting deeper and creating fewer chances as they help out in midfield Very Fluid - Attacking was described as "playing with 4 David Luiz's at the back" If it isn't mentality / structure based I've no idea why, I've never seen it before, does he have a PPM, *must score a goal against Spurs* or *Comes up for corners in injury time* I don't think "Fluid" is a concept in this FM? I can't see any reason, at all, why this would have happened. Luckily we didn't concede but imagine if we had!!! I play with a balanced mentality and I think I probably had it on cautious at the end, there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 11, 2019 Author Share Posted June 11, 2019 What do you reckon to this guy for marquee 2020? I'm having real difficulty finding a genuinely world-class BWM, and Torreira is actually doing really well there despite not being ideally suited to it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy42 Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 Moise Kean is on a lot of wonder kid threads but I always thought he was a better striker than inside forward, but he stand's out as marquee enough for me. What about your shortage in squad depth at the BWM position? Declan Rice not a good enough fit? or can he not play the position? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 11, 2019 Author Share Posted June 11, 2019 I couldn't resist this for a player who I don't think is quite elite. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 11, 2019 Author Share Posted June 11, 2019 8 minutes ago, Mandy42 said: Moise Kean is on a lot of wonder kid threads but I always thought he was a better striker than inside forward, but he stand's out as marquee enough for me. What about your shortage in squad depth at the BWM position? Declan Rice not a good enough fit? or can he not play the position? Don't think Rice is quite good enough and anyway it's quite low on his list of suitable roles. As for Kean - he's fine as either, but I'm not convinced he's quite good enough for the amount I'd have to spend. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 11, 2019 Author Share Posted June 11, 2019 This is my current first choice team. Torreira is doing OK as the BWM in a DM position now. As you can see, Nketiah is stepping up so no urgent need for a striker at all. With Smith-Rowe now my first choice left winger with Trae Coyle as back-up, that position is now a possible area for a marquee signing. But I'm not at all sure, so still open to suggestions. Basically the positions I'm currently ruling out are the striker, right winger, attacking midfielder, deep-lying playmaker, right wing-back and centre backs. So that means it's going to be one of: Goalkeeper, Left Wing Back, Ball-Winning Mid or Left Winger. Currently using the left wing as an inside forward with Nelson as a pure winger on the other side, which I think I'll stick with. Right now, given that I can't find a standout BWM, I think I'm leaning towards a left-winger - Kean perhaps??? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 17, 2019 Author Share Posted June 17, 2019 (edited) I'm looking at Umtiti as a BWM. What do you reckon? Obviously has the added bonus of being able to cover at centre-back if necessary too... EDT: Don't worry - I stalled and he won't renegotiate. Edited June 17, 2019 by GreyedOutMan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 17, 2019 Author Share Posted June 17, 2019 (edited) Season Report: 2019-20 After such a good first season, it was always going to be hard to top it. We certainly did produce our best performances in my tenure so far, with a fantastic 2-1 win at the Camp Nou. A 21 minute Eddie Nketiah hat-trick in the return leg meant that nerves were ended before the half-hour. See later to see how much further we got. Transfers I let Ozil go on a free just to get him off the wages. I bought Joao Felix as my marquee for £51m. But the savings of £14.5m per season on Ozil plus Felix being 10 years younger means I see this as really good business. And I was really struggling to even get rid of Ozil on a free! And despite a slow start and finish to the season, Felix was a step-up in quality on Ozil from last year. I tried to move Aubameyang on as well, and had a lot of money lined up for him but he rejected the move, sadly. Nketiah's form this season showed me I was right to try and sell but I fear that chance may have gone now. This is the current make-up of my squad, ordered by minutes played, although plenty of youngsters got minutes. Notable performances from youngstersJoe Willock scored on his first appearance back from loan in a 4-0 drubbing of United on the opening day, and Smith-Rowe also got on the scoresheet as well as Felix, who is still very young himself. Eddie Nketiah then scored 3 goals in four days in games against Leverkusen and Southampton, and scored regularly though the season, scoring all the goals in a 3-0 drubbing of Wolves in November for his first hat-trick, and though his worst days in an Arsenal shirt almost lost us the Champions' League Knockout Round game against Porto and then DID see us knocked out of the FA Cup, he is certainly looking the part. Emile Smith-Rowe, who I had been unconvinced by, hit a first-half hat-trick against Southampton in February and could have had a fourth before the break, and actually got a fair load of goals throughout the season. But you'll notice I haven't mentioned the league much. We were never truly in the title race this season, but the end of the season was exciting nonetheless. The penultimate game of the season was against Chelsea, who were 3 points above us in 2nd. But, with the game sandwiched between the CL Semi Finals and having lost 1-0 to Leverkusen, I played a youth side. Completely. I was hoping we could at least keep it respectable, but I never dreamed we would get this result. Sadly, our performance at home against Leverkusen was still pretty poor and we got trounced, so no trophies this year sadly. And then we threw away the 2nd place that the Chelsea result should have given us thanks to a final day defeat involving another injury to Aaron Ramsey at Stoke, a result that also saw them survive relegation. I don't like this world! Breakthrough youngster of the year Easy. Eddie Nketiah. I had my doubts last year, but he has proven me wrong. Honourable mentions though to Reiss Nelson who played a lot and Michael Schreiber who filled in both at centre back and DM with distinction. Season League FA Cup League Cup Europe Youth Signings (non HG) Marquee Signing Achievements/Notes ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2018/19 4th R5 R3 Europa League Winners 5 Milan Skriniar First European trophy in 25 years, CL qualification 2019/20 3rd R6 R3 Champions League SF 16 Joao Felix CL qualification. Links to previous years:2018/19 Edited June 19, 2019 by GreyedOutMan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy42 Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 from 4th to 3rd and a win over Spurs which you didn't manage in the 1st season, no silverware but a successful year in my book, well done. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 17, 2019 Author Share Posted June 17, 2019 52 minutes ago, Mandy42 said: from 4th to 3rd and a win over Spurs which you didn't manage in the 1st season, no silverware but a successful year in my book, well done. I got 4 points off that lot this time around. But how did you work that one out? It's not in the update is it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 17, 2019 Author Share Posted June 17, 2019 (edited) I've gone for Ascacibar a year later than originally planned. I can't find anyone even close to that who I can afford (Umtiti was briefly the other choice but as outlined above that option was short-lived and I think this guy is better). Good news - means that I have a natural BWM. Bad news - probably means selling Ramsey which is sad. The plan is to play Ascacibar behind Torreira as a DLP, where he is better suited. Then with Guendouzi and Willock as backups, I have plenty of cover. Lots of youngsters coming through too. Edited June 17, 2019 by GreyedOutMan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy42 Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 44 minutes ago, GreyedOutMan said: I got 4 points off that lot this time around. But how did you work that one out? It's not in the update is it? I remember things, especially when they are funny, and nothing is funnier than your keeper going up for a corner at the end of the game against them when you are winning. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 17, 2019 Author Share Posted June 17, 2019 (edited) Just now, Mandy42 said: I remember things, especially when they are funny, and nothing is funnier than your keeper going up for a corner at the end of the game against them when you are winning. No I don't mean that, I mean how did you know I got a win against them this year??? EDT: Oh, I've just remembered that was this year, and it didn't cost us. Right you are! Edited June 17, 2019 by GreyedOutMan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 17, 2019 Author Share Posted June 17, 2019 An instant chance for revenge awaits!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy42 Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 always nice to smack them in the mouth as soon as possible after a poor result Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 18, 2019 Author Share Posted June 18, 2019 10 hours ago, Mandy42 said: always nice to smack them in the mouth as soon as possible after a poor result So much for that....!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_mxrky Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 Strangely in my save I also have Regen st called Ben beechey. Does John jules become any good? I have a very good Regen st coming through but he is injury prone and nketiah has not developed in his two seasons on loan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 19, 2019 Author Share Posted June 19, 2019 10 hours ago, _mxrky said: Strangely in my save I also have Regen st called Ben beechey. Does John jules become any good? I have a very good Regen st coming through but he is injury prone and nketiah has not developed in his two seasons on loan. Squad player, no more. Yeah, I feel like I've seen a Ben Beechey before too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 19, 2019 Author Share Posted June 19, 2019 (edited) So, I've started to consider my squad for next season again. Things are going well so far this year, although I don't want to give too much away right now. This is the state of the squad currently, although Mkhitaryan isn't shown there (525 minutes, average rating 6.89, so not a long term option for sure). Ousmane Dembele was highly rated by my scouts, but I'm not convinced by him, although left wing does seem to be a position that could be useful to me (any dissent there?). From a player search, I've identified Olmo, Martial and Under but none of those ones totally convinces me either. Any thoughts? Edited June 19, 2019 by GreyedOutMan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 19, 2019 Author Share Posted June 19, 2019 Look carefully at this screen. There are many reasons why it is rather a dramatic one! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 19, 2019 Author Share Posted June 19, 2019 (edited) Season Report: 2020-21 Things were starting to look very promising for half the season. Then we hit February. Although we lost in the 1st Knockout Round to Real Madrid, the scoreline flattered them, as we dominated the second leg from start to finish and the result only got ugly after their first goal in extra-time, after which I had no choice but to go for it, needing at least two goals from that point. I was pretty proud of the overall performance, especially from Nketiah. But after that disappointment, I was really frustrated by the squad's reaction to it. Four days later we lost to Liverpool in the FA Cup, albeit narrowly, then got spanked 3-0 in our return to Anfield in the last two weeks later. It didn't get much better and I lost to Huddersfield and Bournemouth in the final two away games of the season. Despite a good 2-0 win at home to Spurs, a surprise win from them at City combined with a late Lukaku winner at the Emirates providing our first home defeat all year ended our Champions' League hopes. To have been unbeaten at home right up to the final day and yet miss out on the Champions League is abysmal. There is something wrong with this side at the moment, I fear. It wasn't really the last day; from the new year on, I dropped 12 points at Newcastle, Cardiff, Huddersfield and Bournemouth. The final table shows that was the difference, and why I didn't win the title. Transfers So I did decide to go for Ascacibar, basically because he was the best suited to the BWM role, even though I wasn't entirely convinced. He didn't do that well in the first half of the season, but I stuck with him and he started to grow into the role. Is it fair to say that BWMs are not particularly well suited to the ratings system? Because his pass completion rate was fantastic, he had a good tackling ratio, and yet he was still averaging under 7. My thinking is that maybe the bias towards goals means that actually he is better than that suggests. This is the full list of incomings, and the fee-paying departures. Some of the youngsters that came in (£48m between 16 of them, including £42m on two very promising keepers) look extremely exciting. Expect to see some of these names featuring heavily for years to come. Notable performances from youngsters He made his debut last year and managed a goal in a cup, but on December 4th, Kristoffer Ingelsten came into the side and scored six goals in four games. A winning goal in the FA Cup 4th round against City was another moment that seemed significant and he is now very much in the picture for first-choice. He is another player who doesn't look very good, but somehow comes up with the goods. In the last FM, I had a player like that. He scored about 400 goals for me! Breakthrough youngster of the year I had a bit of a think about what qualified as "youngster" this year, because I was considering Matteo Guendouzi briefly, who really started to look the part. I've decided that to qualify for this "award", the player must a) be under 21 at the start of the season (which ruled out Guendouzi and Nketiah, just), b) have had his best year by Average Rating and c) not have won this "award" before (which again ruled out Eddie Nketiah who would have been an absolute shoo-in without a and c). With that in mind, this was an easy decision. Though Thiago Sa, Emile Smith-Rowe, Dominic Blake and Joel Lopez had good years and could easily be set for breakthroughs next year, it had to be Kristoffer Ingelsten. Previous years: 2019 - Ainsley Maitland-Niles; 2020 - Eddie Nketiah Season League (pts) FA Cup League Cup Europe Youth Signings (non HG) Marquee Signing Achievements/Notes ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2018/19 4th (82) R5 R3 Europa League Winners 5 Milan Skriniar First European trophy in 25 years, CL qualification. 2019/20 3rd (81) R6 R3 Champions League SF 16 Joao Felix CL qualification. 2020/21 5th (77) R6 R4 Champions League KO1 18 Santiago Ascacibar None. Links to previous years:2018/192019/20 Edited June 19, 2019 by GreyedOutMan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 19, 2019 Author Share Posted June 19, 2019 Little update - I have cleared £340k off the weekly wage bill from two players who have barely played this season in Ramsey and Mkhitaryan. Oddly, both have gone to Palace, for a combined fee of around £30m. It means players like Willock, Guendouzi, Torreira and Ascacibar will need to step up further, and cements my ambition to sign a left winger this summer. Watch this space. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 19, 2019 Author Share Posted June 19, 2019 (edited) I think I'm leaning towards a proper bargain for my marquee signing this summer for just £15m. The other option is Leon Bailey, probably for £94m. I don't see Bailey as being £80m better than Barco....not a lot of time for feedback here but if you see it in time I'd love any comments. EDT: Ah. Seeing the true cost of failure to qualify for the CL - Bailey won't even discuss terms with me. Barco? EDT: Another hitch. Barco can't get a work permit. Didn't see that coming....now back to square one. No idea what to do, although this screen should show that left wing is probably the right position to be filling this summer. I'm going to bid a little more to see if that makes enough difference - I know the transfer fee does impact on this. EDT: That worked. £20m instead of £15m, and he got his permit. Edited June 19, 2019 by GreyedOutMan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 19, 2019 Author Share Posted June 19, 2019 (edited) I've done some major surgery to my squad this summer. I may have gone too far. This is my squad. Is it too late on 7th August to switch to 3 at the back? Could I justify bringing in an emergency loan to cover at right back from January - would that be against the spirit of the rules? I'm done for tonight so take your time letting me know! Edited June 19, 2019 by GreyedOutMan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 25, 2019 Author Share Posted June 25, 2019 I've reached an interesting point in my game. A couple of my young non-EU signings are starting to get work permits, and players like Schreiber and Sa are establishing themselves in the first team on merit. Now that In-Seob has one, I have decided to cash in on Torreira. He was only ever OK, and Guendouzi and Willock had overtaken him anyway. Now that In-Seob is there, I see no reason not to move him on. I couldn't quite get £60m for him. I probably could/should have got more than the £49m from Barca that I did get, but frankly given that I'm only signing one expensive player a year, I don't really need to worry too much about maximising profits when selling players on. Meanwhile, I'm top of the league at the half-way stage (well, not quite, but there's an international break now!). Oddly, my defenders are my best players so far! But Nketiah is now establishing himself as clearly my best striker. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 26, 2019 Author Share Posted June 26, 2019 (edited) I'm turning my attention to my next big signing. I'm in a new position this year: I can literally afford any player I want. I'd like a right-back but the best two are Dalot and TAA, both would cost around £100m and whilst I can easily afford that (I have £400m transfer budget), neither look so good as to be worth that. I also looked at getting a left wing upgrade but Dembele, who can play left wing and is gettable, is best suited to the right, where Reiss Nelson has really pushed on this year. I do have a youngster who could be extremely good in Steve Yates, but he isn't ready yet, is he? Looking at my squad, what do you think? Edited June 26, 2019 by GreyedOutMan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 27, 2019 Author Share Posted June 27, 2019 Season Report: 2021-22 I was excited about this year with some new youngsters coming through to stake their claim and I was not let down. But it was actually some of the current real-life youngsters who really stepped up this year. I was actually top of the league well into April, but with Liverpool, Chelsea and United within the last four games of the season, I never really thought the title was on this year, although it was nice that the Champions' League place was secure nice and early, and indeed this was my best season in terms of points to date, and my highest finish. The season ended with a familiar final: against Chelsea in the Europa League! Unbeaten throughout the competition up to the final (which I would show you but my fixtures screen is buggy), the final saw us seconds from glory, just to have it snatched away, before snatching it back in extra time, and then having it snatched BACK in the last minute of extra time! Penalties was an exciting way to end it. Transfers A work permit issue meant I had to splash out £5m more than I needed to for Ezequiel Barco, but that's still my cheapest marquee signing by a long way. Good value at £20m, I thought. But then I got a huge bid for an unsettled Skriniar, and given that he had been making noises about disrupting the squad, I had little choice but to accept, although I was concerned that I might not have enough in central defence to get back into the top 4 without him. The problem is, that also happened with Bellerin, and I knew I didn't in that position. Along with sales of Ramsey, AMN and Mkhi, bringing in a total of £227m in transfer fees alone, it also means I have a ridiculous amount of money at the moment, so I reckoned a huge marquee signing in summer 2022 is in order. However, with only Trent Alexander-Arnold and Diogo Dalot really standing out in the relatively urgent right-back position and neither seeming to quite fit the bill for a £100m ish signing, I kept looking, thinking that a player with similar potential but not quite the finished article yet would be a good idea. You'll see how that works out next year! Notable performances from youngsters As I mentioned earlier, it was current real-life youngsters that really stepped up. They don't qualify for this section, really, but Nketiah scored 23 goals, and Nelson really became a top quality player at last and won player of the season with 59% of fan votes and set a record of 16 assists, 5 more than Lacazette's previous record. He would have been an absolute shoe-in for this award had he been a year younger but sadly, my rule about being under 21 at the start of the season has now been established. He still gets an honourable mention! However, as far as players who DO qualify for this section are concerned, there were some significant performances from youngsters. Stephen Hunt was man of the match at Stoke, and two games later Daniel Crespo, in the same position, got a hat-trick, albeit against inferior opposition. But Nelson's form prevented either from playing enough for this award to be possible. Michael Schreiber gave his best performance to date at Bournemouth, and was only overshadowed by the first of two Nelson hat-tricks in ten days (told you he stepped up!). After he got his work permit, Shin In-Seob made an almost immediate impact at home to Stoke, whilst Kristoffer Ingelsten should have won us the Europa League with two goals in seven first-half minutes, but cruelly was then the player who missed the crucial penalty! Amazingly, having won the competition in 2019, we actually haven't lost a single game in the competition in 30 games over two seasons in it. On a side note, this academy graduate sounds terrifying, it's just a shame he's rubbish! Breakthrough youngster of the year In reality this was no contest. Michael Schreiber has become the first indisputable first-choice newgen at Arsenal this year. Previous years: 2019 - Ainsley Maitland-Niles; 2020 - Eddie Nketiah; 2021 - Kristoffer Ingelsten Season League (pts) FA Cup League Cup Europe Youth Signings (non HG) Marquee Signing Achievements/Notes ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2018/19 4th (82) R5 R3 Europa League Winners 5 Milan Skriniar First European TROPHY [1-EL] in 25 years, CL qualification. 2019/20 3rd (81) R6 R3 Champions League SF 16 Joao Felix CL qualification. 2020/21 5th (77) R6 R4 Champions League KO1 18 Santiago Ascacibar None. 2021/22 2nd (83) R5 R3 Europa League Finalists 13 Ezequiel Barco CL qualification. Links to previous years:2018/192019/202020/21 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 27, 2019 Author Share Posted June 27, 2019 (edited) A while back someone mentioned that they thought a keeper would be a good target. I can see what they meant. But I disagreed. Let me briefly show you why. Last year, Leno and Blake were competing for a first team place. This year, however, Mariano Erramuspe has a work permit, and has immediately moved into the first choice slot, and I think he will stay there for some time. Thoughts? Edited June 27, 2019 by GreyedOutMan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 28, 2019 Author Share Posted June 28, 2019 Anyone know why the 2022/23 season starts in July?! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy42 Posted June 28, 2019 Share Posted June 28, 2019 it to do with the Qatar world cup? and your 21 year old keeper looks good, the only potential stumbling block is when to blood him in the 1st team and keep him there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted June 30, 2019 Author Share Posted June 30, 2019 (edited) On 29/06/2019 at 00:48, Mandy42 said: it to do with the Qatar world cup? and your 21 year old keeper looks good, the only potential stumbling block is when to blood him in the 1st team and keep him there. Ah yes - no games between 2nd November and 31st December. Weird. I hope that's how they do it IRL, will be an interesting change of pace. As for Erramuspe - answer is immediately. He is a significant step up on the other two. 3 clean sheets in 7 games so far, 6.99 rating. Edited June 30, 2019 by GreyedOutMan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyedOutMan Posted July 5, 2019 Author Share Posted July 5, 2019 Sorry, had a busy week. Should get another season done by Monday, with any luck. Maybe before. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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