I Signed Too Many Centerbacks

[Lurking Manager]

I want to share a quick story about the consequences of buying too many CB’s.
 

In my first successful season in Europe (with Sevilla), I went a little overboard with our transfer budget. The first season with them I spent 120$ million on an attacking midfielder that was tearing it up in the BL (and that played with me back in my MLS days). The rest I used on bringing in quality defensive players (not aware of the squad limit in La Liga). Fast forward to the end of that season, we stood victorious with winning the league and the domestic cup as well as a great run in the CL (lost in the semi’s). We had the best goal differential, and the best defense in the league. 
 

My current (second) season I signed a few players with the intention of loaning them out to increase their value and sell them after a season or two. Now, where I went wrong is I signed too many centerbacks with high potential at a reasonable price and am now paying the price for it. 

In 3 games (including the Spanish Super Cup) I’ve conceded 9 goals. 5 in that SSC match (lost 5-4 to Atletico Madrid) and 4 against Leganes at home (won 4-3). I can attribute the leaky defense to one of my starting CB’s: Luiz Felipe Ramos, who had an amazing World Cup with Brazil, but always seems to be injured throughout the season. Well he’s injured and I’ve had to rotate between two new CB’s. The newest one had his debut in our first home match, causing an own goal which put us down early. I promptly subbed him off for a more experienced newer signing (Jordan, who spent years with Hertha Berlin and was only 25 and a top defender) and locked down the hole at CB. My captain, Mustafi had a rare poor match but he’s 31. He’s on the way out depending on how this season goes. I loaned a 19 year old wonder kid defender (Manuel Mina from Colombia) to make room for Mr. I Want A Key Player Contract So I Can Score An Own Goal On My Debut from Portugal. The lack of tactical familiarity with our new signings, instability in our back 4 because our experienced fullbacks played like complete and utter ***** in the SCC (I’ve used Ricardo Baena, my academy player with high potential and a Tello, a younger FB with potential to send a message to the experienced guys), has contributed to my once proud defense being leakier than the Titanic. Also, one of those backup centerbacks I first signed, Ruben Semedo, ended up being a major player last season when Ramos (the Brazilian World Cup defender) went down for large chunks of the season. Semedo stepped up and impressed me with his performances, even in the Champions League. 
 

My plan to remedy this is in the rough draft phases, but this is what I have in mind:

 

1. STOP BUYING SO MANY PLAYERS!!

2. Once Ramos gets healthy, keep him and Mustafi as my starters as intended. Mina (wonder kid) is on loan which is fine for now. Jordan (Hertha Berlin CB) will be my main backup CB since hes more familiar with our system than Mr. Own Goal from Portugal. Own Goal will train and earn his way onto the bench despite having been signed as a key player.

3. If Ramos picks up another lengthy injury, I might consider selling him. At the conclusion of the season. 
 

I also have the dilemma of having two quality academy defenders who I would love to bring into the first team. Currently they’re on loan with our affiliate (Standard in Belgium) getting minutes. At the end of the season I have to do some serious trimming of my squad because I feel bad signing a lot of players when I can give them enough minutes. Plus, defense isn’t an area where they should be so much rotation and instability. A self inflicted wound I have to mend. 
 

All in all, be careful how many players you sign in the same position!

[Woolly]

I have a similar problem as I'm a sucker for  attacking midfielders lol.

[thehig2]

I also buy too many centre backs, but I will often play them defensive full backs when Im parking the bus or when I have injurys.

[LokiValfar]

Central Midfielders for me...  Though I tend to only ever sign youth (on my current save the only over 22 players I've signed were free and end of contract (Rossi, Fletcher, Ibrahimovic, Ronaldo))..

Right now in my first team I have 5 first team central midfielders with three or four that come in and play the cup games or when players are injured.  On my fm19 save, it was strikers...  No striker seemed capable of taking over from Rashford until he retired so my turnover for strikers was immense lol  When he did retire, my AMR became my star striker lol

[Viking]

Hello. CM hoarder here. I just can't say no to a hard working, determined, centre midfielder. I always end up with 4-5 more than I need.

Edited January 15, 2020 by Viking

[Tyburn]

I’m the total opposite. Only ever have a 22 man squad. Everyone gets a game, keeps them all happy. Occasionally I’ll need to play players out of position but is also a great way of giving some game time to youth prospects if I have an injury crisis. I’ve found those situations are quite rare though. Weirdly for me the smaller my squad the less injuries I seem to have. 

[s0ni42]

Especially when from South America or obscure European nation

[Lurking Manager]

14 hours ago, Viking said:

Hello. CM hoarder here. I just can't say no to a hard working, determined, centre midfielder. I always end up with 4-5 more than I need.

**** man same here. On my 25 man roster, behind CB’s are midfielders in terms of how many players I have at that position. Different types tho. Defensive, supporting and a couple creative beasts.

 

13 hours ago, sidslayer said:

I’m the total opposite. Only ever have a 22 man squad. Everyone gets a game, keeps them all happy. Occasionally I’ll need to play players out of position but is also a great way of giving some game time to youth prospects if I have an injury crisis. I’ve found those situations are quite rare though. Weirdly for me the smaller my squad the less injuries I seem to have. 

How do you maintain such discipline lol 

 

3 hours ago, s0ni42 said:

Especially when from South America or obscure European nation

I just diversified my scouting network and hired one that specialized in Croatia, Bosnia and a couple other nations from that region, and man .. the urge to just sign these guys is strong lol 

Edited January 15, 2020 by Lurking Manager

[RPM_01]

I love 2 or 3 good attacking midfielders especially when they're not even in my tactic 

[thehig2]

Im managing Lokomotiv Gomel in Belerus low league and I can't find full backs or centre mids I can afford.

However centre backs are in abundance so I have 4 centre backs in my back line and one is my defensive minded midfielder.

I have 3 centre backs on the bench too.

[jcp1417]

IMO, if you're going to overload at a position, you should do it at CB

[ajt]

I have the opposite problem, I sold a centre back to a middle Eastern club for good money and now my squad are complaining that we don't have enough

[6Times]

Same with me. Too many attackers. Working with Salah, Mane, Havertz, Eriksen, Pogba, Felix, Sancho, Ronaldo, and I have Fati coming in the winter. 

[Lurking Manager]

28 minutes ago, 6Times said:

Same with me. Too many attackers. Working with Salah, Mane, Havertz, Eriksen, Pogba, Felix, Sancho, Ronaldo, and I have Fati coming in the winter. 

Yet you don’t want to sell a couple of them because you never know lol 

 

I keep finding these quality CB’s but I desperately need fullbacks. I sold my 31 year old FB after a 5-4 loss at home to the Spurs in the CL Group Stage. I fined him and told him he played poorly, disagreed with me and I transfer listed him immediately lol