FM:11 Official Norwich City Thread sponsored by Q.I. & Celebrity Chefs

[Chongtom]

Welcome to the FM11 Thread for Norwich City Football

Club!

Backround: Norwich City Football Club known as The Canaries or The Yellows is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. The club was founded in 1902. Since 1935, Norwich have played their home games at Carrow Road and have a long-standing and fierce rivalry with East Anglian neighbours Ipswich Town. On The Ball City is the famous anthem that is sung before every game by the passionate supporters. The club has won the Championship 3 times, the Third Tier twice and the League Cup twice. They are the only side to have beaten Bayern Munich in their Olympic Stadium in the Uefa Cup in the glorious year of 92-93 where City finished 3rd in the Premier League. The clubs colours are yellow and green.

Website:

http://www.canaries.co.uk/

Full name: Norwich City Football Club

Nicknames: The Canaries /The Yellows

Founded: 17 June 1902

Ground: Carrow Road (27,000 all-seater)

Manager: Paul Lambert

Chairman: Alan Bowkett

League: Championship

Previous season (2009–10): League 1, 1st (Promoted)

Mascots: Captain Canary, Splat the Cat & Aviva the Lemur

Main Rivals: Ipswich Town, Colchester United

After a successful season last year bouncing back up to the Championship after a series of disappointing seasons, it will be interesting to see if Norwich can continue on this run of form. Under Paul Lambert they play attractive football in a diamond formation and have many adequate Championship players. As always with a newly promoted side it will be a challenge but City are a club with a great atmosphere, fantastic support (25,000 pack out Carrow Road every game) and promising young players plus a celebrity board that includes comedian Stephen Fry and ranting chef,

. So let’s kick it off, throw it in, have a little scrimmage!

FM Club Information: Estimated Value: 12.5m (17.5m Loan Debt)

Season Ticket Holders: 20500

Facilities: Good training, adequate youth academy, above average youth recruitment, good corporate

Affiliated Clubs: Kings Lynn, Lowestoft Town

Tranfer Budget: 1.2m, 80K wage budget (1.8m, 92K for winners)

Media Prediction: 17th

Captain: Grant Holt

Vice Captain: Michael Nelson

Squad Analysis:

Goalkeepers

John Ruddy - very good on this game. More than capable of leading a championship fight

Declan Rudd - good young keeper, can get leading Championship standard

Jed Steer - another good young who will get better if given the chance

Goalkeepers are good enough

Defence

Zak Whitbread - Would be a solid reserve for defence

Russell Martin - Solid RB but could get better

Adam Drury - Consistent LB and is good enough to stick around in the Championship

Jens Askou - Looks good enough to play in the Championship

Michael Nelson - Strong defender with a good leap and just about good enough

Elliott Ward - Would be a good centre half but a Marking rating of 10, let's him down. Probably one to sell.

Leon Barnett - on loan from West Brom. Only CB with a bit of pace (14) but composure and concentration is poor.

Stephen Smith - Better than Drury and more than good enough for the Championship.

Defence needs to be improved through transfers with the exception of LB.

Midfield

Matt Gill - Not good enough for Championship

Owain Tudor-Jones - Very average, could be shipped out

Simon Lappin - Okay to deputise but not brilliant

David Fox - Good in places but not so in others. Another who could go.

Andrew Crofts - Combatative midfielder who is worth keeping

Stephen Hughes - Like Gill, Tudor-Jones and Fox, not quite good enough

Korey Smith - Fantastic 19 year old who could become leading championship/low prem standard

Wes Hoolahan - Most technically gifted along with Surman, could play top Championship standard

Andrew Surman - Very good left midfielder and one of the best players at Norwich

Midfield has a few too many CM's that are effectively very average. Would need to bring in someone better. And if your playing with wingers, there is no RM.

Attack

Grant Holt - Captain and top scorer last year and good enough for mid Championship team

Simeon Jackson - New signing who has a bit of pace and is a good finisher

Chris Martin - Good allround striker but perhaps not starting XI quality

Oli Johnson - Definately not good enough.

Attack needs to be strengthened with atleast 1 quality forward.

Youngsters: Aside from Korey, Adeyemi will be a good midfielder, Josh Dawkin is fairly promising.

Top Players - Ruddy, S Smith, K Smith, Hoolahan, Surman, Holt

Look forward to hearing this whenever Norwich score!

Have fun, remember to post your experiences and ON THE BALL CITY!

[Saxonaitor]

On the Ball City

Just started up a game a 3-0 win against the reserves and a 5-1 win against TNS. I'm pulling out a 4-4-2 like so;

Ruddy

Drury Ward Askou (Whitbread) Martin

Tudur-Jones Crofts

Hoolahan Surman (Mcnamee)

Holt Martin

Looking to bring in Darius Vassell and Jordi Lopez whilst I have already got defender Derek Geary on a free

[Ty]

Korey Smith looks like he can become pretty handy

[football_master_94]

On the Ball City

Just started up a game a 3-0 win against the reserves and a 5-1 win against TNS. I'm pulling out a 4-4-2 like so;

Looking to bring in Darius Vassell and Jordi Lopez whilst I have already got defender Derek Geary on a free

You might want to look at DeMerritt too

[Chongtom]

Apologies for not posting last night about what i'm doing with my team but i was shattered In the demo i'll just route around looking for players to sign and when i get the full game i'll start again.

Need a RB, CB, CM/DM and a striker and with the 1.8m i've given myself, should be OK to find some decent replacements. In the free transfers, there are some quality players to sign for a season or two.

Danny Shittu, despite his low mentals would probably be a good player and i've put in a contract offer for him along with Andranik Teymourian, who seems to be a quality Iranian CM/DM and Olivier Kapo simply for the positions he can play.

On loan, i always sign Richie De Laet because he can play across the back 4 and i've put in a loan offer for him. Other decent free transfer include Finnan and Franco but i feel i am unlikely to get them.

I've signed a veteran Argentinian striker who seems very good aside from 9 pace. His name is Julio Cruz. I'm still getting to grips with the agents and how best to negotiate with them. I look at their stats and go from there though maybe i'm not pushing them enough as they have accepted every time

[Chongtom]

Managed to get Franco on 7K wages which i'm pleased about and got the Gearing guy that Saxonaitor got for RB. Also got De Merritt Wage budget's pretty high but no transfer budget used yet!

I've won the 3 games i've played 6's and 7-0 with no problems though i haven't played a decent side yet. I will be away for 5 days for a short break so won't be posting. Keep the yellow n' green flag flying high!

[LincolnCanary]

Come on you Yellows! Great OP, I'll be contributing. I hope you guys will also support my general Championship thread.

I'll copy and paste my post from that thread in here.

[LincolnCanary]

Nice to see this thread doing okay!

Right, just to kick off the Norwich chat. I'm pleasantly surprised with the strength of the squad available to the club. Players like Grant Holt, Wes Hoolahan and Andrew Surman are well represented in the game and are good, solid players. And with £1.2mil and a fair whack of the wage budget left, there's plenty of scope to improve too.

A few tips for all Championship players; rearrange loan contracts! Leon Barnett is available for nothing per week rather than the £5.75k a week contract the game starts him with. His stats aren't particularly impressive, but he has performed well for me in the game.

I've signed a few players so far. Out the door has gone Matt Gill, Owain Tudor Jones, Stephen Hughes and sadly, Oli Johnson. Oli in particular disappointed me. His potential appears to be near to his current ability. I think most Norwich fans would agree he's a lad with good potential. Stephen Hughes is the only one who has fetched a fee; I managed to get £100k for him from Bristol City. I think Hughes could be useful, but on £5k a week I felt the wages were better spent elsewhere.

I've signed a one on loan and one on a free. Through the door is Arsenal's Craig Eastmond. He's a very useful utility player who I've brought in to offer someone to cover the right back berth and defensive midfield berths. He can do either role very well. Signed on a free is Jérémie Aliadière. Aliadiere is another who's stats should be taken into context. If you're in the Championship, just take this lad on trial. I guarentee you'll be impressed. His pace up front (I play him in the left striker position) coupled with his PPM to move into channels makes him a dangerous striker. He performed abysmally in the AMR position, however. Finally, his wage demands initially are high; but negotiate with him. I found he'd accept as low as £4k a week. A bargain if you ask me.

Finally, my one and only paid signing (and you'll see why). Barnsley's Adam Hammill. Hammill is exactly my kind of player, quick, nimble and technically good. Not terribly strong, though, and may require a capable substitute to replace him near the end of games. He cost me £1.5mil, £500k up front, the rest over 48 months. I did have a plan B, that being Watford's Don Cowie. Seemingly available for £500k, Cowie is not quite as quick as Hammill but technically superior. He'd have made a great alternative if I'd have lost out.

I'm still in the market for a good DM and about to restart the demo (the demo ended with me second in the league). I've got my eye on Guy Moussi but Nottingham Forest don't seem to want to negotiate. I'm quite pleased with the tactics I'm employing at the minute, they seem to be effective. I managed a 2-1 loss to Cardiff the first game of the season and lost to Middlesborough and surprisingly Scunthorpe away from home. I'm playing a 4-4-2 with the MR in the AM position. It looks something like (right to left):

-----------------Ruddy----------------

Martin---Barnett---Ward---Smith

-----------Korey---Wes-----Surman

Hammill--------------------------------

-----------Holt-----Aliadiere---------

Subs: Declan, JBA, Fox, McNamee, Jackson, Eastmond, Drury

Obviously for the first couple of months, Smith is injured so Drury replaces him with usually Lappin on the bench instead.

Hammill is usually playing as an inside forward, Korey as a supportive central midfielder, Wes as an attacking playmaker and Surman as a supportive winger. Aliadiere is a poacher and Holty as a supportive target man. I'm experimenting next time with him a bit more attacking. I also need to tighten the defence up a little. We've conceeded some stupid goals and I need to cut that out if I have proper aspirations of anything this season. I think the personnel are right, I just need to tweak the tactics somewhat. I may ask the collective knowledge of the Thread when I get my faulty motherboard fixed and computer back!

[LincolnCanary]

Also, I'm surprised as to the level of quality in the youth of Norwich City. Korey Smith is by far the best prospect. But Chrissy Martin is worth keeping hold of as a potential talent, Josh Dawkin capable of doing well and George Francomb worth signing to a professional contract straight away (before he gets an agent!). And let's not forget Declan Rudd and Jed Steer.

One to sign for the future is former loanee Omar Koroma. He looks quite potentially handy. Will accept a hot prospect contract of £1k a week.

[Chongtom]

Yes the youth does look good. Smith will either be a very good player or if you sell him, a surefire way of making a fairly large amount of money.

At the minute i have a 4-3-1-2 formation (and will probably create an ultra-attacking formation for the last 20 and a defensive 4-6-0 for the last 20 depending on the teams position plus an away formation). When fit my team will be...

--------Ruddy--------

Geary--DeMerit--Shittu--Smith

Smith------Crofts---------Surman

-------------Hoolahan---------

---Julio Cruz--G Franco---

I may have to work on the tactics though as i am coming to the end of pre-season without a serious test. With the lack of pace upfront, poacher might not suit Franco, which is what i'm using now with Jackson while Cruz is injured. Could also do with an actual right winger because Korey isn't the man for that position.

Closing down could also be a problem as i fear we stand off teams too much, but i am not looking for a pressing game from us. Tweaking to come!

[Shake Appeal]

If I manage an English team this year (which I do about once every three or four years), it'll probably be Norwich, as I lived in the city for a year and have a lot of fond memories.

[Chongtom]

If I manage an English team this year (which I do about once every three or four years), it'll probably be Norwich, as I lived in the city for a year and have a lot of fond memories.

I certainly hope you do Good city and good club

[Chongtom]

Haven't got my copy from amazon yet though it has been dispatched :@ Monday hopefully

[Timbers]

So it has been a year without football manager (2010) as my motherboard went and i was slack in getting it fixed and after burning out my old computer with it (less than 512mb ram haha) my beast is back!

Norwich look decent maybe a little disappointed to find McNamee in the reserves and maybe lacking in some of his areas, as Lincoln said above Oli Johnson should be a prospect and isnt as he is playing close to potential...

Youth looks good, will be interesting to see how they develope..

Will let you know of what i do later on...

[Chongtom]

So started with Norwich on monday and have just played my first game of the season against Crystal Palace.

Selected the minimum expectation of safe mid-table position that i should be able to get. The cash i got was £1.2m and £80K per week to spend on wages which is more than enough. Most of the cash has been blown on wages and signing on fees as i have only signed 1 player that isn't a free agent. Had a couple of wrangels with the board over staff and just about managed to get everyone i wanted in including Andy Cole and Robert Prosinecki! Almost all old staff were shipped out aside from my beloved Gary Holt and Ian Culverhouse has stayed as an assman. Am liking the look and feel of everything though i'm not great at negotiating contracts at the moment!

Transfers In: Danny Shittu (Free), Derek Geary (Free), Julio Cruz (Free), Ousmane Dabo (Free), A Yakubu (Free), David Hoilett (Loan), Gueida Fofana (400K)

Of these i'm most excited by Fofana, a good young DM who my scouts say will be good premier league quality Hoilett is a steal as i'm not paying his wages or a fee and was in need of a RM. Shittu will be first choice CB, Geary would have been but then i spotted Yakubu, supposedly a prem quality RB available on a free and at cheap wages (3K)!! Cruz and Dabo are very good quality ST and CM's but they are old.

Transfers Out: S Lappin (120K), Russell Martin (30K), McNamee (20K), Gill (Free), Johnson (Free)

I've let a lot of these go on the cheap to free up wage space as probably aside from Lappin, none of these would play even on the subs bench! Also i don't want unrest.

I'm playing a 4-3-1-2 formation with wide midfielders. My team: [DEF] Ruddy, Yakubu, Shittu, Askou, Smith (when fit) [MID] Hoilett, Dabo, Surman [AM] Hoolahan [sT] Julio Cruz, S Jackson

In pre season, i narrowly lost to Lyon 1-0 and to Newcastle 2-1 and drew with Luton 2-2 but the rest were comfortable wins. On the first day of the season i played Palace and dominated the game with 5 CCC to their 1 and 60% possession but narrowly scraped it 1-0! I was going mental! Rochdale next in the cup

[LincolnCanary]

David Hoilett on loan is a great signing. Just what I'd be looking for if I hadn't just signed Don Cowie on my new game, lol!

At the minute, I'm sticking to my guns and playing the tactic mentioned above, but significantly tweaked. It seems the patch added a bit more bite to players. They seem more willing to tackle, and my wingers are now less effective. So I'm trying to play a more balanced game that doesn't involve quickly playing to the wings and and building forward like that. Grant Holt has found better form as a deep lying forward rather than a target man. I've also signed Leigh Griffiths this time around to give Jackson more competition.

[Maviarab.]

Well...

Been very busy myself this last year. if it could have happened, it did....

Anyway.....just got my copy....installing as we speak.....lets hope this thread builds some momentum

Edit:

Good to see you still around Lincoln

[Chongtom]

Good good, welcome

I've had some poor results where i really should and could have done better. Morale hasn't been great and it has been hard to keep everyone going but we're battling through it!

After the win on the first day of the season i beat Coventry 2-1, Rochdale in the cup 1-0 but then things went downhill for us. Back to back 4-0 thumpings by Bristol City and Hull followed by losses to Cardiff and Pompey. Managed to draw with Preston 1-1 then beat Leeds 3-0 then lost 2 more games on the trot. After this fortunately morale perked up after we beat Barnsley in a brilliant match where we were 2-0 down and lost Askou to a red card but came back to win it 3-2! Then we beat Middlesborough 2-1 so things are certainly looking up!

Defensively we're not great but Holt has banged in 7 so far and is joint top of the goalscoring charts after 11 games where we are 7th with 16 points but could easily drop to 13th in an instance.

Ipsbitch up next

[Spc1485]

So finally got a chance to start my Norwich game last night and funny to see that I've made some of the same decisions and signings as you guys above. So far I'm sitting 12th after 5 games, W2 - D1 - L2 and relatively happy with my squad. In have come - A Yakubu (RB), Anderson Silva (DMC), Michael Tonge (MC - Loan) & Leigh Griffiths (ST). Out so far is only Owain T-Jones although I'm trying to get rid of a few more.

Griffiths along with my other strikers have yet to fire so hopefully a run of form is just around the corner but I'm lacking width at the moment. I looked at both Cowie and Hoilett but decided to stick with my usual 4-3-1-2 tactics until January.

Will take mid table this year and then hope to build on that next year. Hopefully will make some progress over the weekend and let you know how I get on

[steviejay]

Started my Norwich game. Started badly before going on a great run before xmas. Sitting 5th in February.

Wages are killing me. Transferred ALL my transfer budget to wages. No one will buy my high earners.

Sold

Oli, mcnamee, lappin, askou, nelson and adeyemi

Bought

Gonçalves, yakubu, shittu, assulin, bruggink, kabous and Franco on freebies.

Assulin's was wanted by Bayern and Chelsea but they dropped interest. Bruggink's been brilliant in the AMC role. 8 goals and 5 assists in 24. The others have been good but not great

Brought in Nørregaard in January on a free and he looks solid. I experimented with loan signings and got in Bannan and Lansbury. Both done the job but could only get them on 3 month deals. Also got in Corry Evans from Man U and he's been great

[stunimmo1]

so far it's been a struggle as Norwich (not helped by some 'interesting' player transfer requests - but that's a story for the bugs forum!). Culled the staff and brought in a completely new set of coaches (have kept Culverhouse though) and scouts which has improved the back room but trying to offload some of the high earners on the field hasn't been easy. I've been offering some players out to clubs for as little as 1k and no interest from anyone. In the end I managed to clear Stephen Hughes (1k to Sunderland), Lappin (100k to Milwall), Askou (240k to Alcorcon), Grant Holt (1.5m to Stoke) and Oli Johnston (50k to Watford) but had to resort to letting Gill and Russell Martin go on frees in an attempt to free up some wages.

Scoured the forum and managed to pick up some good freebies - Aliadiere has been a great supersub up front, Yohan Hautcouer has been a fine defensive anchor man, Jay deMerit has been the pick of the bunch and I've even made him captain - cannot recommend him enough. Picked up a young FB by the name of Yassin Moutaouakil who has done well down the right flank and also signed off the street one Abderrahman Kabous who has been great as a CM (I remembered him from FM2010 and he was a great buy then!)I still had a little bit of budget to play with so I signed Leigh Griffiths for 300k from Dundee and he has scored one sensational goal and that's about it but still has a player ave rating of 7.02 somehow? Also picked up Wilfried Niflore for 16k and he has filled in very well where Holt left off. Hugo Alcantara for 140k from CFR Cluj has formed a great partnership with deMerit but it's up front where I just don't seem to be scoring goals.

Played six league games - 2W,2L,2D - 6 goals for and 7 against and am sitting 13th. Playing a narrow 4-1-2-1-2 formation and am still tweaking tactics to suit and try and create some more opportunites. Hope everyone else is having more luck!

[steviejay]

hmmm

Elliot Ward, having been sidelined by Shittu and Goncalves is mouthing off. He's listed, and I'm trying to sell him but no one seems to want to buy.

Stevie Smith is unhappy and wants a word

I don't get on with Elliot Ward and it's affecting my game

I'm aware of the problem and will be selling Ward sooner rather than later

I don't believe you'll keep your word.

wait...... what?

Stupid interactions :-\

[Chongtom]

The interactions are ok if you manage them well but sometimes the players are just stupid. Yakubu (who despite having the stats to play EPL has been atrocious at worst, very average at best) has had to have a word with me over supposed squad indicipline, however that has happened as i warn players for 1st red cards and have been hard with them after games that have been shocking. Now i supposedly have promised him the management of the squad will be improved, however that will be acheived?!

Another annoying thing seems to be the amount of CCC i have that don't get put away. I always create and my players do have the ability to finish at least half but often don't whereas the opposition are far more clinical :S Squad morale is also very tempramental, with massive highs and lows and it really does seem to affect performance. ATM with 4 games unbeaten morale is generally okay to good but the players that have poor and very poor often don't perform which explains why Surman, despite being the best player i have, really hasn't done it for me playing as a wide midfielder...

Drew with Ipswich 1-1 and Millwall 2-2 so average results. Hoilett and Holt best players by far and i have signed Ferebory Dore a young striker for 30K with good physicals who hopefully will give me another option in attack and Martin is okay but i don't play him much as Sim and Grant are up top and Cruz has been an absolute flop so far! Should arrive in January

[Myth0logy]

Simeon Jackson is a very underated player, by far the best in the starting squad.

I played him up front in the prem with Mista and got 17 prem goals.

I won the npower championship in first season and then finished 7th in my first season in the Prem.

This was update from demo which is tricky because there are not many players and just nobody will join.

Currently on my second game (with a bigger database) and just won the npower championship.

[LincolnCanary]

So I've just been criticised by Sven. Check it out. Rather amusing.

[steviejay]

Eriksson never really liked me for some reason...... never worked out why. Never got the chance either since he got his ass sacked after about half a season.

Finally into the play offs (just) after a bad run of form saw me needing to beat Watford to clinch the last play off place.

[steviejay]

Simeon Jackson is a very underated player, by far the best in the starting squad.

I played him up front in the prem with Mista and got 17 prem goals.

I won the npower championship in first season and then finished 7th in my first season in the Prem.

This was update from demo which is tricky because there are not many players and just nobody will join.

Currently on my second game (with a bigger database) and just won the npower championship.

What tactics are you using. I tended to play a sort of 4-2-3-1 formation with two MC, two wingers, an AMC and a Striker but at times it's been a struggle to keep it all together.

[steviejay]

Promoted. Nice.

My only concern now is some of my already high earning players have clauses which trigger a wage increase once we're promoted...... need to watch the finances now.

[Chongtom]

Congrats on promotion, just getting in the playoffs for me at the minute would be stretching it but i'm happy in mid-table first season. If i went up straight away, i would struggle in the EPL with the players i have ATM. Jackson has scored 7 in 7 just recently after a quiet start. He's got all the important attributes in the right places, he's just not well rounded, but will get you goals playing as poacher.

I beat Sven 4-3 in a thriller, should have had a little niggle at him in the press afterwards My 7 game unbeaten streak is over with a 4-2 loss to Reading. Now i'm 10th about 10 points above Relegation but with Forest coming up next who are top.

Signed Gary Deegan from Coventry for 150K and will be mine in January Technically gifted creative midfielder who's 23, should be good when attacking. Fox, Tudor-Jones and Highes don't really get a game so i'll have to ship out at least 1 of them in January.

[steviejay]

Pre-season has been interesting for me. Pretty much all my staff left as I didn't judge them good enough, so brought in my own team.

As for the players,

Drury left as I didn't rate him over Smith, along with Gill and Habergham

Sold Ward to Ipswich because he wasn't getting games (was worth about 45k, no takers. Get promoted and his price jumps to 525k, Ipswich buy him. Thanks very much)

Sold Chris Martin to Swindon (100k, again was getting no takers at 0k, soon as I was promoted, 100k, crazy)

Loaned Shittu to Bordeaux for 325k as I wasn't happy with my defence running up to the end of the season.

Brought in Graham Carey and Eric Addo on bosmans and then I started to splash the cash. Jelle Vossen from Genk (2.5m) and Emil Salomonsson (625k) before I pulled off a coup with the signing of Axel Witsel from Standard (5m)

I brought in Michael Owen on a trial but his wages are stupid, same goes for Aimo Stefano Diana (looking for a replacement for the loose cannon Yakubu, finished the season on 21 yellows and 3 reds from 41)

Still need a good defender though. Got about 5m left. Scowering Eastern Europe atm although Preston did get relegated...... might look at St Ledger.....

[Spc1485]

Just gone past the halfway mark in my first season and despite a poor run of late (only one win in 5) I'm in 5th after 29 games and just 7 points off the top (W 14 D 8 L 7). So far I've been reliant on Griffiths and Holt (12 goals each) for goals as my midfield have been poor with the exception of Tonge and Surman.

As such I've just bought in a 30 yr old spanish AMC - Manu Busto and Tom Soares (Loan) to hopefully improve my squad depth in the run in to the end of the season. Originally I was aiming for mid table but hopefully theplayoffs should be achievable now if my home form can improve.

[steviejay]

Holt broke his leg 3 games in or me and he's been a shadow since he got back.

Have a look at Lansbury from Arsenal. He's solid for the time he was with me

[norwich1982]

Started my Norwich game by shipping out all the staff except Culverhouse and the physio Reynolds. Got some good people in to help me namely Richard Hill as 1st team coach.

Transfers in:- Sam Parkin 1m, Steve Finnan free, Olivier Kapo free, Jay DeMerit free, Jose Goncalves free, Eastmond on loan

Transfers out:- None cause no one wants my duffers, but have listed Nelson, Gill, Tudor-Jones, Daley and Fox and cancelled the Barnett loan

I am using the 4-1-2-1-2 formation for games im favourite to win and 4-2-3-1 with 2DMs 2 Wingers and 1AMC for games im not favourites to win.

Pre season went well only losing to Celtic, but played the 2nd half with 10 men as Surman was sent off!!

[Chongtom]

Seems like everyones been doing pretty well Shame about Holt breaking his leg, he's been one of my top performers! Not sure whether i should continue until the patch is out with all the talk of the transfer bug etc. how are things on your game? At the very least i'll take it slower in the hope of a hotfix. Might mess around in the editor for a bit creating a team of elderly legends

[Spc1485]

Just finished my first season in charge and unfortunately it was heartbreak in the playoff final, losing 2-1 to QPR with my nemesis Akos Buzacky scoring against me yet again (he has tormented me at this level on many past FM's) Overall the season was a success, however we were left to rue a mid season slump (13 pts in 11 games) which meant the automatic slots were ultimately out of reach at the end of the season, with the canaries ending up 5th.

Special mentions for the season must go to Barnett (avg - 7.47), Manu Busto (signed for 400k in Jan) and all three of my strikers - Holt (17 goals), Griffiths (16 goals) and Jackson (22 goals including 4 in the playoff semi's).

My preferred starting X1 is as follows:

Ruddy

Yakubu, Ward, Barnett (L), Bennett (L)

Smith Silva Surman

Busto

Holt Jackson

The summer will see numerous squad players leave (yet to decide on Hoolahan but I think he will go) in order to make room for some new signings. I'm in desperate need of a good LB, DMC and attack minded MC.

[Maviarab.]

Just an update, started the game as Antwerp (like to get some experience in what is really a much lower classed league system)..

Got promoted and and was top of the Pro League just before the Champions Mini League kicks in (for those that don't know belgian operatea system similar to scotland) when unfortunately (for him) Lambert was sacked as Norwich were languishing in mid table in league 1 (yes they got relegated)....I applied and got the job, starting on the 1st July...

So not officially taken over yet (3 weeks to go) but will keep you guys updated as to how I get on....

[LincolnCanary]

Good to see people doing well here.

Me, not so much. My tactics are resulting in a lot of draws and stupid goals conceeded. Grant Holt is performing very poorly and Simeon Jackson and Andrew Surman seem to be the only players scoring. I signed Simon Cox from WBA on loan and he's doing well so far as a loan striker in a 4-5-1/4-3-3 formation I've resorted too. I've also signed Richard Stearman on loan and he and JBA are forming a decent partnership. I'm currently say mid table and hoping for a push into the top half of the table.

Wes Hoolahan has been sold to Celtic who offered me £1mil for him. Even though he'd signed a new deal, I couldn't really refuse a mil. Am definitely on the look out for a new keeper too, Ruddy is poor, IMO. David Templeton as well is extremely annoying as he can't seem to find the net despite a plethora of chances every game.

Grrrr!

[stunimmo1]

I'm having the same problem Lincoln - lots of draws and they are made even annoying by the opposition scoring late equalizers. Number of times I have decided to shut up shop with ten minutes to go and then literally in the 82-86 minute bang they score. Have just gotten to 1 January and Leeds have come in for Hoolahan (1million) and he's off and I've splashed what cash I have on Taufic Guarch for 1.7million (half up front and rest spread over 48 months) and scored Fabricio (ex-Palmeiras) on a free to shore up my defence and also possibly get me some goals! Have found Holt very unreliable but perhaps I'm asking him to play a more skillful game than he is used to. Am now looking for players with contracts expiring to see if I can prepare for next year.

Am sitting eighth (have been as high as fourth early November) am going through a lean patch of 6 games without a win (only 2 losses though). Board have asked me if I want to revisit my season expectations but I'm still going to stick with midtable finish. Am really enjoying the championship though - very close and only 8 points separating 4th from 13th and makes tactics much more important than having 'big' names.

Good luck all!

[stunimmo1]

Taufic Guarch has been the buy of the year to date! played 7 games, 5 goals, 2 MoM and an ave rating of 7.28. Top quality and has sparked a great run of form - nine games, five wins, two draws and two narrow away losses (1-0 in FA Cup 3rd to Bradford?! and Sheffield United 1-0 who are top of league) which has seen us cement fourth and we're only 4 points off 2nd. It appears that my 4-1-3-2 tactics are finally working and the team is maintaining possession and creating lots of chances. Fabricio has only just played 3 games (was away on international duty with Brazil youth) but is fitting in nicely. For some reason George Burley really doesn't like me but Nigel Clough is a great fan? Not sure how that happens - considering i've not said anything about them to the media.

Also some issues I've had with players being unhappy due to not being in the first team appear to have dropped off - I had two players ask to go on the transfer list (not my fault - they played 6 out of a possibly nine games and the three they missed they were at 75% fitness so no way was I going to risk them) but they have now asked to come off.

Anyone noticing more injuries than previous versions? I'm down 6 players from my first team squad with fairly severe injuries...

[Maviarab.]

Yeah also noticed a lot of injuries, to go along with the insane amount of managerial sackings and ridiculously silly managerial appointments....but...

Well,

Took over to rapturous applause from the faithful (well ok, maybe in my head...but anyway)...and was promptly told that departing Paul Lambert had left me with....

An absolute load of toss! Plus 3 transfers I couldn't get out who are also...not even fit for League 2, never mind a promotion chasing League 1 side.....and 2 of those players coming in were goalkeepers, which instantly upset Ruddy who has wanted to leave since the 1st July grrrrr.......

So, onto the squad. Depleted, disastrous, woeful, terrible (and a whole host of other unrepeatable words on this forum) !!!!! Utter disgrace. The club is a decimated shadow of what it should be. He may be great in real life, in the game is has single handed destroyed city

On the bright side, taking over 2 years into the game, revealed a whole host of interesting free transfers Anyway, enough rambling, let’s get to what’s happened, where we are now, and some screen shots.

(Give some history first)

When they got relegated at the end of the 2011/2012 season the following players were allowed to leave or were sold etc:

Rudd, Holt, Steer, Lappin, Davids (yes that Edgar Davids), Surman, Drury, Hughes, Askou, Francombe, Adeyemi, Martin, Mcnamee, whitbread and Luke Daley....all gone....

Mark Howard (AGF), Lucasz Sepela and Kyle Benedictus were coming in (from lamberts reign).....so yeah.....not great eh?

So, there was a lot of work to be done in the summer. I started by clearing out the rest of the rubbish (and a lot of it was rubbish)....out went:

David Fox, Michael Nelson, Simeon Jackson, Stephen Hughes, Oli Johnson, Cody McDonald, Derek Greary, Andy Highes and Juanpa on free transfers. Sold were Chris Martin (Scunthorpe- 75k), Mark Howard (Burnely 28k), Richard Chaplow (Sheff Utd – 26k), Matt Hill (Hearts – 65k) and finally Thomas Phibel (Torino - 130k).

At this stage the squad was looking incredibly unhealthy (but at least all the dead wood had gone and I had freed up some wages), so the recruitment drive began.

In came: Leon Osman (free), Péter Halmosi (free), Danny Shittu (free), Jay Bothroyd (free), Adam Drury (free – yes, got him back for cover), Stélvio (free), Wayne Brown (free – was a trialist), Anton Ferdinand (FREE!!!), Kieran Trippier (another free trialist), Frederic Veseli (free), Javier Paredes (free), Li-Su Dong (free – awesome regen), Alessio Baglio (another great free regen)......AND........BECKS! (free – despite interest from Pompey, I somehow managed to convince him to come to City). Also Bruno Godeau (Anderlecht – 28k), and Zacherie Boucher (Havre – 800k)came in to the club.

So replaced virtually the entire squad lol. Using Mr Hough’s winger 10.3 tactic we made a blistering start to the new campaign. Confidence is high, we are easily the best team in the division and the new players have had no problems in gelling together as a unit quickly. Only real issue so far is that Ferdinand is a walking one man disaster waiting to happen, he been injured more times than he played so far, but when he has played he has been a rock. Will keep you informed as to how the promotion push goes 

Current standings at Christmas, along with tactics screen and player ratings etc.

[steviejay]

Fecking hell what a start to the season. Never expected it to be this difficult (suppose it's realistic)

Ended up signing Éric Botteghin from Dinamo Bucharest (2.8m), Billy Jones (Preston, 1.2m) and Nathan Clyne (Crystal Palace 1m) to try and save my backline but needless to say it's touch and go. Decided to bring in another goalkeeper. Tried to get Begovic but Stoke wanted silly money. Then as soon as the window closed they offered me him at price hmmmm (anyway I gave them 1m up front and 1m over time and snapped him up, just need to wait till January now.

[Maviarab.]

Sneaky tactics from stoke there stevie heh.....

As for me, romping away with League 1, but as to how well this team will do in the Championship (I have no money) is anyones guess...

[LincolnCanary]

Just trying to get me a right back at the moment on a new game. Any suggestions? All the usual suspects have been sold. May wait and see what turns up on the transfer list.

[Chongtom]

Yakubu & Geary are solid, cheap choices though i believe they are already up there. Yakubu in particular is a very good signing. After the first few shaky games and unhappiness problems he's played very well for me. I'm waiting for the patch before continuing BTW which is why i haven't been posting..

[Maviarab.]

Lincoln, try stelvio or maybe Javier Paredes....

I got both of those offered to me by agents, both performed solidly for me

as for yakubu....he might be great......just cost me 1.6 mill to get grasshoppers to allow me to speak to him (recruiting for Championship now)

[slakey]

Just started a game with Norwich

They are my local team, so I decided to make myself and have set myself as the RM. Hopefully I can be a Norwich legend (y)

[LincolnCanary]

So, I had an epiphany with the tactics which lead me to restart and, huzzah, I won the league at a canter. All I did was tweak a little with the team's mentality (instead of a slower, more steady build up, my players build up steam from back to front, so the less skilful players aren't being asked to play split second passes and the more skilful players are passing the ball around quickly and moving into space themselves to prevent them losing possession) and now I find myself scoring more and conceeding less. Very pleased.

Anyway, Premiership here we come. I'm afraid I've done the despicable thing and sold everyone in the squad except Surman, Ward, Korey Smith and Tom Adeyemi (who, it seems, has the potential to be a good Premiership midfielder!). I've sold Petr Janda for £2.5mil, Grant Holt for £1mil, Wes for £1.5mil and Ruddy for £500k. I also begged the board to up the amount of transfer revenue made available. It's gone up from 60% to 75% as a result.

Brought in so far is Peterborough's Joe Lewis, Ryan Bennett and George Boyd, Fulham's Stephen Kelly and relegated West Brom's Joe Mattock as well as free agents Wojciech Szczesny and Stuart Panarby. Offers are in for Matt Derbyshire of Olympiakos who is on the transfer list there and Adam Hammill at Leicester who I missed out on in the Championship. I'm also looking at Burnley's Chris Eagles. A loan bid is also in for Genoa's Magnus Troest, who looks a very capable budget centre half. I need two good DMs, MC, and a STR. Got about £10mil left for the lot too.

[Maviarab.]

Excellent news Lincoln....got Eagles myself, and while not my first choice for either flank, is a consistent super sub for me.

Slakey, lol, let us know how you get on

Anyway...on to my news...now into my 5th season at Carrow Road, now in August 2016 and we are terrifying Europe

Last season won the Premier League by 1 point over Man Citeh and also claimed the Chamions League crown too.....was quite the season...Unfortunately, said Citeh have just poached my star striker (to which the fans are horrified apparently), far as I'm concerned though, we got an excellent price for him, and he been wanting to move for the last 30 months. Yup, footballers these days, rather be at Citeh on £130k a week than at the European and Premier League champs at 60k, oh well balls to him I say.

Have lots of screenies, will try get some up at weekend.

[slakey]

Having some trouble getting the results going

[LincolnCanary]

Having some trouble getting the results going

It's not easy. Taken me time to get to grips. If there's anything we can do, just shout.

Have just signed Danny Welbeck on loan from Man Utd. Has been very effective so far in the friendlies. Also signed Daniel Braaten on a free and he's shown glimpses of being a good player. I hope he'll improve though for the proper thing. Am having really hard times finding a decent DM. Once I get them, I'll feel confident of the strength in the squad.