FM22: The English Football League thread

[CityAndColour]

Results went our way on the final day, leaving us just needing a solitary point at home to lowly Hendon.... but of course we choked.

Thankfully we put in a much better display against Gosport, giving us another chance at promotion.

[warlock]

Fulham, October 2022

We're now established in our PL campaign and a good time to see how we've adapted to life back in the top flight.

As expected, it was a busy transfer window... and it started before the window opened. Barely had the whistle blown on the last match than I started moving out the players who I thought had no part to  play in our post-promotion season. They included LB Joe Bryan who was struggling late in the season, and he went to relegated Norwich for £7.25m. 30-year-old Anthony Knockaert departed to West Brom for £6m. I also tried to move on attacking midfielders Neeskens Kebano and Ivan Cavaleiro, but there were no takers.

Coming in the other direction, I signed Hull's AML Keane Lewis-Potter for £10.5m, Southampton's Adam Armstrong for £3.7m, and former Forest youngster, CB Anel Ahmedhodzic, from Malmo for a bargain £3m. To replace Bryan at LB, I signed former Reading youngster Omar Richards from Bayern for £3.8m. At RB, the experienced Youssouf Sabaly joined us from Betis for £1.9m. I had been concerned about lack of depth in central midfield so I went a little mad, making 3 signings here: Daniel Bragança joined from Sporting Lisbon for £5.75m; 21-year-old Croatian Marko Bulat arrived from Dinamo for £5.75m; and I couldn't resist personal favourite James Garner, from Manchester United, who came in on a season-long loan that will cost us a total of £1.8m.

The biggest cloud on my horizon requires a little background. Way back in September I opted to move on the ageing Tim Ream to free up some funds for a more dynamic CB (Bournemouth's Chris Mepham). Aleksandar Mitrovic took the hump and wouldn't be talked round. And half the squad supported him, although it never developed into a full-blown crisis. Eventually, in April, he graciously dropped his concerns. Then this window saw the return of Andre-Franck Zambo Anguissa, who had signed for Fulham back in 2018 and spent two of the next 4 years out on loan. He made it clear Fulham wasn't good enough and he wanted out. When PSG offered £37m I didn't hesitate. Then Mitrovic kicked off again, again he wouldn't be persuaded and, again, half the squad supported him. This time I had the player delegation in my office. Even though I averted that crisis, Mitrovic wouldn't change his mind and I still have 5 first-team regulars who support him. I decided enough was enough and he was transfer-listed.

Eventually, the only offer we received was a loan-to-buy deal from St Etienne that would have amounted to a total fee of £13m, and saved us around £3m in wages. Then the board stepped in and cancelled the deal - they wouldn't sell him for less than £14.5. So he's playing for the u23s and earning £60k a week for the privilege. Boards, eh? 

Early form

Off-pitch soap operas aside, how have we found life in the PL? Not bad, actually:

We've played a lot of the better teams early and just about held our own. Starting with a brilliant win against Arsenal and worthy draws against Spurs and Chelsea, I have to be pleased - although it remains to be seen whether our September form is a harbinger of worse to come or - as I hope! - we'll pick up more wins against teams in the bottom half of the table.

And if that Liverpool result looks bad (and it was) we faced them in the Carabao Cup shortly after:

Early stars of the show include Armstrong who leads the scoring charts, our midfield dynamo Garner, and first-choice CB partnership Mepham and Adarabioyo.

A final word about finances: the club is awash with cash. Between new sponsorship deals, and a surplus from transfer dealings, we're sitting on a balance of £190m, while I have a transfer budget of £54m and a spare £245k a week in wages. We'll see what happens between now and January and where we might need reinforcements.

 

[Parmie]

Bradford City Season 13 (2033/2034)

Following on from the 3rd position, I'm looking to further consolidate with strengthening of the centre back positions. I've never re-signed a player I've sold before, but Paulo Cezar wasn't getting games at Man City, and although it's more than we sold him for, I think his leadership qualities justify an outlay of £51m. Our goalkeeper Elijah Smith keeps rattling my cage about moves and I let him go to Man United for £59m, recruiting a like for like from Liverpool for a mere £20m.

Season Review

We struggle with the Premiership campaign, the constant bids from other clubs for key players upsets them, we manage this by promising to sell for certain values the player agrees to which aren't met, but it doesn't seem to stop the morale impact. The number of European and Cup games doesn't help, and I need to start thinking about sacrificing a competition in future seasons. We scrape into the minor European places to avoid upsetting the board too much.

We reach another domestic cup final, The Carabao Cup but lose out to Man City. In Europe we very much over-achieve, and get as far as the semi-finals before a narrow defeat to Juventus. So overall, with that Champions League depth plumbed, a successful season.

Off the Pitch

The board approve a further expansion to the Stuart McCall Arena to a capacity of 54.470, they take a loan to do this which shows weirdly in red on the finances screen but once all the end of season money is in, they pay off whatever it is. The original build loan of £73m is down to £28m outstanding. I continue to push for upgrades to anything that needs it, we don't seem able to get to State of the Art yet, which is the ultimate aim.

Transfers in

Spoiler

Selecting the analogy between scalpels and hatchets, it feels like the squad needs a carving knife level of change. My advanced forwards, supposedly my main goal scoring threat, are both fast and pacey but not top finishers, Hugo Felix was a great initial gap filler, but seems a bit below the level of everyone else. I'd like a top level right back too, there is an English one at Real Madrid who wants to leave but his wage demands are staggeringly high.

[warlock]

1 hour ago, Parmie said:

I need to start thinking about sacrificing a competition in future seasons

Seems like the sensible option in the PL (a lot of my success against Liverpool in cups is because Klopp always fields a reserve side).

Good to see Fulham up there  - gives me something to aspire to, although I hope it won't take that long!

No silverware for you this time, but I guess it still counts as a successful season.

[GrayMatter]

9 hours ago, warlock said:

Coming in the other direction, I signed Hull's AML Keane Lewis-Potter for £10.5m, Southampton's Adam Armstrong for £3.7m, and former Forest youngster, CB Anel Ahmedhodzic, from Malmo for a bargain £3m. To replace Bryan at LB, I signed former Reading youngster Omar Richards from Bayern for £3.8m. At RB, the experienced Youssouf Sabaly joined us from Betis for £1.9m. I had been concerned about lack of depth in central midfield so I went a little mad, making 3 signings here: Daniel Bragança joined from Sporting Lisbon for £5.75m; 21-year-old Croatian Marko Bulat arrived from Dinamo for £5.75m; and I couldn't resist personal favourite James Garner, from Manchester United, who came in on a season-long loan that will cost us a total of £1.8m.

Some really good signings here for a first season in the Premier League, I've long admired the first four on the game. I'm especially jealous of you getting Armstrong as he went to Stoke on my save in the January of the 2nd season and wouldn't join the Shrewsbury revolution in the summer! Ahmedhodzic is always a no brainer at that price, as is Omar Richards. Braganca is similarly an absolute steal! I've only ever seen him go for £20m+. Bulat has a lot of potential to be a really solid midfielder as well, I think I had him on FM20 at one point if I'm not mistaken. A bit of a shame that Zambo-Anguissa got the hump as he'd have been top to keep hold of.

I'd have thought you should be comfortably mid-table with those acquisitions but having said that, you never know what Mitrovic-sized curveballs FM will throw at you!

[GrayMatter]

Summer Signings

I was very bury here, realistically I had to be or else I'd go straight back down with a whimper. Keep in mind the fees may be distorted in the sense the fees I pay upfront are always very minimal yet the game tends to display the first figure as if you've already paid that whereas that figure in total will be over three years. So yes, I've not actually spent silly money from my actual transfer budget but over the course of the years.

Transfers - Josh Dasilva for £3.3m (£3.6m), Melvin Bard for £5m (£5.5m), Henry Lawrence for £375k (£425k), Sotiris Alexandropoulos for £10m (£10.75m), Breno Bidon for free, Josh Tymon for £1.1m (£1.3m), Josip Stanisic for £350k, Stipe Biuk for £3.5m, Nathan Wood for £8m (£8.5m), Daniel Ballard for free, Leif Davis for free, Adrian Fein for free, Jimi Tauriainen for free, Maro Katinic for £6.75m, David Brooks for £9m, Marcus Forss for £100k, Alex Collado for free, Christian Doidge for £750k (£1.8m), Ajdin Hasic for free.

Loans - Isak Johannesson for £725k, Tim Ronning for free, Xavi Simons for free and Tyler Morton for free.

Essentially, I signed some of the impressive loanees. Biuk had proven to actually perform better in the Championship compared to League 1 and considering the amount of important winning goals he scored last season, £3.5m was a fee I couldn't miss out on. Wood's pace was an asset at the back, Katinic was imperious in defence last season and had a minimum fee release clause for foreign clubs which I felt I needed to activate while he was still on loan or else a PSG or Man City would snap him up.

I was also extremely pleased with the price points for a lot of these players. Sotiris came in with a low reputation but provides genuine quality in the box-to-box midfielder role, I had absolutely no qualms with parting with a record fee on the Greek. David Brooks was a similar ol' trusty signing of mine. After his first season recovery, he departed Bournemouth for Union Berlin of all places but I was more than happy to welcome him back to English football as I only paid around £2m upfront. 

The standout was probably Alex Collado who was released from Barcelona. On paper, fantastic. Consistent performer, good on the set pieces and versatile playing from either wing. Sadly, his effectiveness throughout the season was very much inconsistent. I'm hoping he will improve in the second season as he is one of the highest earners at the club.

I'm also not going to delve into all departures as the majority were players released who I deemed not good enough for the Premier League. The majority of them wanted £20k+ a week which was a no go for some of them. The only real fees brought in were: £250k for George Nurse, £100k for Daniel Udoh, £2m for Adam Zrelak (a club record!), £350k for Robert Hernandez and £2m for Saikou Janneh. Ajdin Hasic also went on loan as he didn't have a work permit.

Premier League Table - 2023/24

I don't know what I expected coming into the season but the final table flatters us somewhat. At the start of the season, our first win came in late October against Burnley which said a lot really. We did then go on to beat Chelsea 3-2 away from home with 10 men which was an absolute anomaly but also one of my best results on FM in years. We were wildly inconsistent from game to game and it took me a while to finally get a version of my tactic working after the League 1/Championship instructions and roles seemed to hit a wall. What I thought was pivotal was taking 12 points from Bournemouth and Barnsley as they were seemingly the league whipping boys. What was also interesting was how they got promoted with me and we also played them consecutively both times which was great for morale mid and late season.

Although seemingly on a decline according to this screenshot, here is Sotiris who was our star performer with 9 goals and 10 assists in 36 games. He averaged a 7.2 which was significantly above any other players. He does have a £30m release clause however so I'm going to have to rectify that as I'm pretty certain a bigger club will happily pay that.

January Transfers

I did also bag a couple of extra players in the window as our strong balance (£40m+) saw the board give us around £8m to spend. As always, I tried to make the most of it! Martin Baturina arrived for £8.75m which was only around £3m upfront and Nick Cacace arrived from Wellington Phoenix for £400k upfront and £1m in installments. Baturina is a player I've also liked on the game but never been in a decent enough position to sign, until now! He was largely very good from the bench for us in the second-half of the season. Cacace is New Zealand-born with English second nationality, sadly he has represented New Zealand at full international level but then decided he wanted to play for England's u21s. I am hoping he returns back to playing for New Zealand if he doesn't get the nod for England before turning 21. He is touted as the next Alan Shearer, however and ended up as the FA Cup top goalscorer so the future is bright for him. He's working on his finishing so I'm sure he'll be even better in a year.

[Sysiphus]

Sheffield Wednesday – 2023/2024 review

Last season update.

In January we were being sucked into a relegation battle but we managed to turn our luck around after January, having reinforced our attacking options by adding striker Samuel Mulattieri from Inter (2.7M) and highly sought after Nico Serrano from A. Bilbao (6.5M) who was facing a contract stalemate in Spain. We also bought in a youngster from Accrington, Tom Birch (400k). Mulattieri reinvigorated our attack and scored 8 goals in 13 games. Serrano unfortunately suffered two injuries and never got going but I'm hoping for a good season from him next year. We had been on an almost consistent two month losing run but ended the season on this incredible run to propel us up the table from 17th to a safe 13th, only one point away from the top half of the table.

This is the squad and how they performed during the season. Cameron Dawson, our no. 1 GK was the only player to average over 7.00 in rating (GKs are missing from the screenshot though). The squad looks to be of very diverse nationality but in truth we have 18 first team members homegrown in the UK/Ireland, however many of them have chosen to play for other countries (Oxford, Iorfa, Diangana, Forss) or arrived to the country very young (Bielik).

The board has given me a nice budget for the upcoming season. I have four players that are already on their way in and two of them will strengthen the match day squad, the others will play for the u23s or be loaned out. I'm keen to add in strong personalities and have finally gotten to the reputation level needed to be able to convince transfer listed players at larger clubs that Sheffield Wednesday is a good club to join. Exciting summer ahead.

Fulham have offered me a job interview and while they have a nice squad, I'm not leaving the Owls. A nice tidbit here at the end—I accidentally played my DR Ciaran Brennan in goal in our rivalry against Sheffield United, luckily we restricted them to only three shots on target!

[warlock]

4 hours ago, ShaunG95 said:

Some really good signings here

Thanks, and the same to you . I've tried to sign Brooks for years but never managed it, and Ronning would be my first choice for a new GK but my scouts insist he won't get a work permit (although I guess that could change since you're a year or two ahead of me in game). Looks like you had a pretty good season after a slow start. KUTGW!

55 minutes ago, Sysiphus said:

I accidentally played my DR Ciaran Brennan in goal

 Good that you got away with it! Impressive run to end the season and a mid-table finish. I might have to look into this Biuk fella... seems like this year's must-have accessory 

[CityAndColour]

2022/23 - Willand Rovers - Southern League Premier South

Season:

We adjusted very quickly to the step up in quality, and despite briefly dropping to 10th early on, basically stayed in and around the playoff spots up until the festive period. From there we really kicked on, climbing to the summit on matchday 27 and remaining in the top three from thereon out.

Entering the final stretch, it seemed a battle between ourselves, Taunton and Salisbury for the title, however none could take the ascendancy, which allowed Chippenham to close the gap. Going into the final day, we faced lowly Hendon, however the occasion got the better of us. None of the other teams in contention won on the final day either, however an 80th minute equaliser pushed the Bluebirds above us, and we couldn't find the point we needed.

We faced Gosport in the playoffs and saw them off far more comfortably than the 1-0 score line would suggest. Salisbury on the other hand had shaken off their poor form to see off Taunton, and we faced them at Yeovil's Huish Park for a spot in the Conference South.

The lined up in a 5-3-2, allowing our star right back Panashe Makokowe to overlap at will. He set up the first after nine minutes and, despite a Salisbury equaliser, proceeded to set up two more in a virtuoso display, sending us up.

Players:

Once more, plenty of green.

Without doubt our player (and signing) of the season was Bradley Keetch. Playing predominantly as a box to box midfielder, he barely played even an average match, finishing with seven goals, 10 assists and more or less a 7.5 average rating.

Playing on the right as an inside forward, Chekaine Steele scored 20 and set up another seven, while fan favourite Finn Tapp chipped in 11 goals from centre back, although six were penalties. Adam Sharif and Makokowe also kept their place in the back four from last season's title side, and both found the step up fairly comfortable.

Next season:

The board expects us to avoid relegation and I would be hoping to do the same. They have given me a competitive budget with which to achieve this, however the challenge will be finding players who are willing to join, rather than affording them. Finding a reliable striker will be the biggest priority, as will be replacing club captain George Burton in goal.

We will also be ground-sharing with Taunton as our home, Silver Street, doesn't meet the minimum requirements.

[warlock]

20 minutes ago, CityAndColour said:

a spot in the Conference South

Well done, and I have no doubt  you'll exceed the board's requirements.

[GrayMatter]

7 hours ago, warlock said:

Thanks, and the same to you . I've tried to sign Brooks for years but never managed it, and Ronning would be my first choice for a new GK but my scouts insist he won't get a work permit (although I guess that could change since you're a year or two ahead of me in game). Looks like you had a pretty good season after a slow start. KUTGW!

Brooks on paper is really, really good but he can be a bit inconsistent - fantastic in front of goal when he gets a chance though. Ronning had already been signed by Arsenal in January of the first season, so presumably he managed to get a work permit then - however yes, I have found he is quite difficult to get one for! 

Great season also @Sysiphus, you did a lot better than me I think considering how much installment cash I threw around in comparison. Serrano was a steal at £6.5m, similar in ability to Biuk but playing off the right!

[warlock]

First time I've had to deal with the winter World Cup. It's a bit weird 

[Jogo Bonito]

Everybody seems to be doing well, the majority of you consolidating your PL positions after promotion(s). 

Well done with Willand Rovers too @CityAndColour

[hasdgfas]

On 07/04/2022 at 15:57, warlock said:

And if that Liverpool result looks bad (and it was) we faced them in the Carabao Cup shortly after:

you and those cups again! Good luck the rest of the season, this may be the one?

[warlock]

2 hours ago, hasdgfas said:

you and those cups again!

But we got spanked by Villa in the next round.

[Parmie]

Bradford City Season 14 (2034/2035)

I take my knife to the squad, letting Sikiru Bello go to Watford for £66m (they qualified for the Champions League and he wanted to continental football), and as planned I bring a similar but better finisher Marcao from Juventus for £32.5m. I also just want to freshen up the squad, Biereth goes to Ajax for £21m, Hugo Felix to Brentford for £20.5m, Simon Tipple to Chelsea for £32m whom I replace with a Man United Wonderkid, Roy Johnson for £35m. In January we do more business, Cameron McLean, another United wonderkid arrives for £50m but could be a world-class player in the future and Ahmed El Sayyed, for just £11.5m, he's already described as good with leading prem potential, and an upgrade on the aging Calvin Ramsay.

Season Review

I field a weakened team in the Euro Cup II and we go out in the qualifying against Vitesse on penalties, not something I am happy about but if it helps us with league form then that will compensate for it. Also for the first time for a while we don't get far in the Carabao.

Initially this bodes well for the Premier League, going the first 6 games unbeaten, we have a blip in November to December but recover well and threaten the 4th spot for a while before 3 losses in April-May see us drop down, we rally and finish in a European place again.

In the FA Cup, we have another strong showing, and reach the final vs Chelsea. We just don't seem able to get going but get it into extra time at 0-0 but then capitulate, losing 2-0. Some of the team do have adverse traits for big matches and I will need to weed them out (Ramsay being one but El Sayyed wasn't fit).

 

Off the Pitch

We're now 'State of the Art' for training and youth facilities. I really want to leverage these going forward, and a number of good prospects are in the U18s, no one seemingly world beating but players that should reach squad status in the first team. However, I am not convinced by my Head of Youth and I replace him with someone slightly better.

I lose track of contracts expiring, while I recover some of them, I am forced to sell a top Japanese prospect we had or face lose him on a free, and Rens Rutten, who had been with us for 6 seasons in central midfield, won't renew and leaves on a free despite being worth £50m or so.

Transfers In

Spoiler

Looking ahead, I want to do more targeted scouting, trying to get either a good level player in at first team level or a prospect who could be a leading player. I have 12/18 scout positions filled so I have plenty of room to expand the recruitment department and start looking for the Uberkids.

[Darkside Pioneer]

5 hours ago, Parmie said:

Bradford City Season 14 (2034/2035)

I take my knife to the squad, letting Sikiru Bello go to Watford for £66m (they qualified for the Champions League and he wanted to continental football), and as planned I bring a similar but better finisher Marcao from Juventus for £32.5m. 

 

 

 

 

 

Another good season, hopefully you can push on and become a consistent CL club, I always find that one of the hardest parts of the save though. Marcao looks filthy, how many goals did he score all season?

[warlock]

Fulham, January 2023

Having got off to a flying start in August and September, October brought us down to earth with a crash:

Against Brighton we had a half-time lead but blew it in the second half, so I was pleased to follow up with wins against Brentford and Watford. But we ended the month with back-to-back defeats. November was a matter of meh, as we played just two games ahead of the world cup break:

But at least the City result was instructive. We normally play with a positive mentality but away against superior opposition I've dropped to 'balanced' and tried to play more on the counter. As in this instance it hasn't worked but it planted a seed.

In December we scheduled a trio of friendlies not so much for morale but to maintain some level of fitness and match sharpness:

Job done! And on our return to competitive football we faced a daunting away trip to Old Trafford. With the City game in mind I decided we would change nothing... we'd play our game, and if that resulted in a defeat it probably wouldn't be much worse than trying to play more defensively. And this happened:

I've no doubt United had a bunch of players away at the world cup, and they were probably a bit rusty as a result. But we were nothing short of magnificent. Yes, they bossed the possession but were horribly wasteful in front of goal while we - and Muniz in particular - were lethal, with assists from all over the pitch. Am I foolish to dream that this result might mark a turning point in our season. If the players can take the self-belief from this result into future matches, who knows what we might achieve this season!

That result vaulted us into the top half and even when games in hand are played, we will start the new year in the top 10:

On the subject of the new year, the January window will see some changes. Mitrovic still has a sulk on and, hopefully, will depart, while the likes of CB Mawson and RB Tete are looking to leave on free transfers in the summer so they are transfer-listed to try to raise some funds. Regardless of whether they leave or not, they will all have to be replaced. Elsewhere I'm looking for an upgrade on Robinson at LB, and a future replacement for the ageing Neeskens Kebano. Should be a busy month!

[hasdgfas]

15 hours ago, warlock said:

That result vaulted us into the top half and even when games in hand are played, we will start the new year in the top 10:

Real tight in the middle of the table there for you! Hopefully you'll kick on post-World Cup! Just gotta establish yourself this season. 17th is good enough, and you're well on your way.

[Parmie]

On 10/04/2022 at 16:23, Darkside Pioneer said:

Another good season, hopefully you can push on and become a consistent CL club, I always find that one of the hardest parts of the save though. Marcao looks filthy, how many goals did he score all season?

Not that prolific yet, he finished the league on 14 goals from 33. I'm focusing his training on the final third to help his composure so let's hope for an improvement,

[GrayMatter]

Summer Signings

Reminiscent of last summer, very busy once again to try and improve on that mid-table finish!

*Italics - arranged in previous January

*Bold - January deals

Transfers In - John Bennett for £750k (£950k), Chris Mepham for £11m (£12m), Goncalo Esteves for £13m (£14m), Jorrit Hendrix for £1.6m (£2.4m), Pietro Pellegri for £11m (£12m), Don Coughlan for free, Jan Paul van Hecke for £15m (£17.5m), Toby Savin for £3.3m (£4.5m), Filipe Cruz for £1m (£2m), Oliver Dovin for £2.3m (£3.3m), Lyu Haoyu for free, Matthaus Taferner for £3m (£4.5m), Roony Bardghji for £9.5m, Dominik Livakovic for £9.5m (£10.25m), Hidemasa Morita for £7.5m (£9.5m), Rayan Ait-Nouri for £15m (£19m), Jorg Schellin for free, Luca Kronberger for £10.5m (£13m), Armando Broja for £3.5m (£4.8m).

Loans In - Willot Swedberg for £1.5m, Tim Ronning extended and Filip Ristanic for £675k.

Transfers Out - Josip Stanisic for £7.5m to Astana, Adrian Fein for £7.5m to APOEL, Harry Burgoyne for £4.5m to Southampton and Marlon for £1.8m to Burton.

The idea here was greater squad depth. Bennett is a very promising full-back who was nearing his contract end at Fulham and it was a steal to get him for so cheap.

Mepham, Hendrix, Paul van Hecke, Livakovic and Morita were all signed as really solid players with good personalities to influence some of the younger players.

Pellegri arrived as the new starting striker as I felt Bloxham's influence on the pitch was very restrained compared to the animal we had in League 1 and the Championship. 

Esteves, Haoyu, Taferner, Bardghji and Ait-Nouri were all masterstrokes for the future. Haoyu is a Chinese/German CB/CDM who was released by Bayern but has top-level potential so I'm optimistic as to how well he will progress over the coming years. Bardghji was arguably the most exciting signing of the lot as I'd tracked him for a long-time before getting the opportunity to sign him, I was really pleased that no other club had got to him before me and he arrived at Shrewsbury as an 18-year-old earning an astronomical £70k a week. I've also adored Ait-Nouri on this game for years so when I saw that he was interested and available for a relatively cheap fee for him, I couldn't resist. He's a massive upgrade on Tymon and Bard.

Premier League Table - 2024/25

We were much, much better this season. I'd say we were quite fortunate to get into the Europa League given how tight it was leading up to the final day. Fortunately for us, we played Leeds and comfortably beat them while West Ham and Chelsea dropped points. We had some lovely victories throughout the season, mostly at home against Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City. The next task of course is either to match what we've done this season or push for a Champions League spot but it does seem quite daunting given the quality around us in the table. We shall see.

In regards to performance, Pellegri came in and was prolific. The Italian scored 21 Premier League goals, only 4 shy of top scorer Erling Haaland's tally. Again, a star player yet seemingly on a rapid decline as I capture him!

Sotiris was consistently good as well, scoring 8 from midfield with a solid 7.2 average rating once again. Worth noting that his finishing has made quite a significant jump (2 attribute points) too as I've been training that individually.

As far as the upcoming season goes, I have a BIG deal in place to sell one of my players (all will be revealed) and I want to bring in Swedberg and Ristanic permanently from PSG and Bayern respectively. Although Henry Lawrence has become a cherished model citizen at RB, I am also looking for a more senior RB. Cruz and Esteves are good but not really at the level to be competing for a Champions League spot. I would also love to sign Arsen Zakharyan from relegated Leicester as he's a personal favourite for me on this game but it doesn't seem they want to sell him anytime soon.

[warlock]

1 hour ago, ShaunG95 said:

Pellegri came in and was prolific

Interesting to see... I've signed him on a few saves over the last couple of years and he has never performed to the level his attributes suggest. He may be a late-bloomer but I always seem to need someone who can perform Right Now!

[GrayMatter]

54 minutes ago, warlock said:

Interesting to see... I've signed him on a few saves over the last couple of years and he has never performed to the level his attributes suggest. He may be a late-bloomer but I always seem to need someone who can perform Right Now!

The match engine does tend to favor well-rounded tall strikers and he fits the mold, albeit I'd say he's a mid-table Premier League striker. I'd still love a Benjamin Sesko as the years go on.

[Darkside Pioneer]

Second season in the premier league, and the board gave us another £30M to try and fight bravely against relegation I guess they were fearing a 2nd season slump. In the transfer window we managed to pick up our usual bragade of youngsters but also a key signing was Marcus Edwards for £15M from Brighton who finished the season with 8 goals and 15 assists in the league alone. Along with RB Uche Udumoso who finished with 10 assists from right back. Both players were initially brought in to play wide midfield in our 3 at the back however due to a slow start to the season and a growing number of midfielders and strikers who needed game time and a change in role to thrive the formation quickly changed to a 433 narrow and it paid dividends. Our two Serbian strikers netting 18 goals and 21 goals each in the league we managed to finish 3rd and grab a UCL spot. 

Best of the new signings below 

Spoiler

 

Jankovic thrived last season as a pressing forward on attack, however we have again strengthend our front line which has left him playing in the DLF(s) role which he has struggled in to be honest, is he good enough to play as a complete forward (s)? or maybe a switch to PF(s) as I still want one of the strikers to drop a little bit deeper and help In the build up. 

Current tactic is 

PF(A) DLF(S) AF(A)

 

Mezzala (A) BBM(S)

      HB(D)

 

WB(S) BPD(S) CD(C) WB(A)

Edited April 14, 2022 by Darkside Pioneer

[Darkside Pioneer]

On 13/04/2022 at 10:04, ShaunG95 said:

Summer Signings

Reminiscent of last summer, very busy once again to try and improve on that mid-table finish!

 

 

 

 

 

 

European football should really help you make the next step, I've found so many more players are willing to join and negotiate with me once I was in Europe

[Parmie]

Bradford City - Season 15 (2035/2036)

Coming into this season, some players are reaching 30 and over, Calvin Ramsay, dependable but not outstanding, leaves us after making 319 league appearances over 10 seasons. I also can't settle on a keeper, I don't think he's that good, but interest in Millan is high and I sell him to Juventus for £47m, profiting £27m in just 2 seasons on him. In comes an Egyptian keeper who looks comparable but with a better personality type. I also pick up one of my first top youth prospects, Jeremy Gangadin from Ajax for £13m.

Season Review

Overall, it's another successful but not outstanding campaign. We just can't beat any of the big sides, so with the occasional loss that also pops up from time to time, we lose too many games to threaten the Champions League spots. And I decide that for the future I need an underdog tactic as I've been using my main one with a more cautious mentality which just sees us panned by big sides regardless. 

We reach yet another cup final, the EURO Cup II, where we again lose, this time to Roma 2-1. I still need to get depth in terms of enjoying big matches it seems if we're ever going to win anything.

Off the Pitch

We are debt free! With my ongoing transfer frugality keeping spending and income fairly steady, the board use the surplus to clear the remaining stadium build loan. We're state of the art in training and youth facilities which produces our first 5* potential youngster, an Italian keeper who does look promising. Replacing the HOYD last year seems to have worked. I also focus on the coaching staff, and eek up training star ratings to at least 4.5* in all areas but it's easy to forget about staff that are acceptable but could still be improved upon.

Transfers In

Spoiler

It feels like the squad is really good but still a bit short in numbers, I do find myself loaning out players like Gangadin so they get a full first team season, but should I be keeping them for depth? I think so as quite often I can't field a full bench of first team players and it feels like my own fault.

Players begin to expect a trophy as part of their contract negotiations now which puts us under some pressure, however, no one has asked to leave after being reminded what a great dressing room atmosphere we have.

[warlock]

Fulham, May 2022

With season 2 of this save in the books, time to take a look back and evaluate our progress.

January transfers

We ended up with a busier window than I was expecting while also failing to complete some of the moves I wanted. Most of the changes occurred in defence. First out was CB Alfie Mawson, a player I liked and who had been ultra-reliable in the Championship. Unfortunately, he struggled to handle the step up after promotion but was always complaining about playing time. In the end I let him see out his contract on loan at Sheffield United that saved us close to a million in wages. It was a similar story with LB Antonee Robinson. He spent 6 months on loan at Watford earning us £230k a month in wages and fees, plus a mandatory transfer fee of £11.25m. RB Kenny Tete was a player I wanted to keep, but he didn't want to renew his contract. When Atletico Madrid offered £21.5m he was on his way.

The final departure was AM Ivan Cavaleiro. Like Mawson, he had been great in the Championship, much less so after promotion. A number of clubs were interested before he finally agreed terms with Monterrey in Mexico in a £10.75m deal. The one that didn't happen was ST Aleksandar Mitrovic. In an earlier update I mentioned that the board had blocked a deal that would have been worth around £15m in fees and saved wages. Instead he spent the year in the reserves and is still on our books but now worth just £5m. Hopefully, we can get rid this summer.

To replace Mawson I turned to Norwich hot prospect Andrew Omobamidele, for an initial £15m, maybe rising to £17.5m. At LB, I think I pulled off something of a coup, attracting a genuine wonderkid in FC Kobenhavn's 20-year-old Victor Kristiansen for £12m (£18.5m). Replacing Tete at RB proved more difficult before my scouts eventually flagged 23-year-old Argentinian Marcelo Weigandt, who looks like the real deal and cost us a measly £5m (already valued at £23m-plus). Again, there were moves that didn't happen - notably my search for a striker to replace Mitrovic, and a new face at AMR to either back up or supercede Harry Wilson.

On-pitch performance

In my last update I noted our fantastic 4-0 victory over Man Utd at Old Trafford and wondered what it might mean for the rest of the campaign. Early signs were promising:

An excellent month, with just the one league defeat and a convincing FA Cup victory. But winter was coming...

Beating derby rivals Brentford in the FA Cup looked great but may have led to some complacency and we struggled to a defeat a week later in the league. The 5-0 against Blackburn looks good but they have been the PL whipping boys and were all but relegated at that point. The real bright spot was the win against Everton who had threatened to become a bogie team after we lost in cup and league at Goodison. Inevitably by this time we were slipping inexorably down the table. However, there were better spring days ahead in the final two months of the season:

We completed the double against the Red Devils - although they are not the force of old and finished below us in the league - and produced a strong finish in May with just a single defeat from 5 matches. Those results pushed us to a final position far beyond our wildest dreams:

Not just mid-table but top-half (just). We spent most of the season in or around the European qualification spots, but our form in January through March saw us slip badly. But for a team predicted to flirt - or fail - with relegation I was delighted. Happily, the board are, too, and a new contract has been agreed. The obvious stars appear above, but equally deserving of praise is the defensive unit where the new FBs did sterling work alongside a solid CB crew of Adarabioyo, Ahmedhodzic, Mepham and Omobamidele, not forgetting GK Marek Rodak.

We have a transfer budget of £54m (and a generous wage budget, too). I'm largely happy with our first-team squad but we need better strength in depth - it is no coincidence that the severe loss of form arrived as our key players started succumbing to niggling injuries and fatigue.

On a personal note, I have achieved a long-standing ambition of completing a post-promotion season in the PL. I have also learned that it would have been difficult, if not impossible, to have achieved it without one of the best squads in the Championship. Perhaps the promotion/relegation/promotion route is the right way to do it.

[Jogo Bonito]

1 hour ago, warlock said:

I have achieved a long-standing ambition of completing a post-promotion season in the PL. I have also learned that it would have been difficult, if not impossible, to have achieved it without one of the best squads in the Championship. Perhaps the promotion/relegation/promotion route is the right way to do it.

Truly outstanding effort there and well done for sticking out the whole season. I like the three signings you made in the winter window, great choices.

Is that mission accomplished? Or you now want to try and kick on from there with Fulham?

[warlock]

50 minutes ago, Jogo Bonito said:

Is that mission accomplished? Or you now want to try and kick on from there with Fulham?

I'm planning for the next season. Seems a shame to give up on it now 

[Jogo Bonito]

1 minute ago, warlock said:

I'm planning for the next season. Seems a shame to give up on it now 

I agree. You're on to a new experience so crack on and enjoy 

[GrayMatter]

Not a full update from me but this was extremely pleasing to seeing given that it was our first taste of European football!

[GrayMatter]

11 hours ago, warlock said:

 

Great finish for a first season. Muniz seems to be some player for you! What's his attribute profile looking like?

[RageMaster]

Great work @warlock Good luck in the new season and one in which you won't have a pesky World Cup in the middle of! 

[warlock]

1 hour ago, ShaunG95 said:

this was extremely pleasing to see

Yeah, that's an impressive debut in Europe.

1 hour ago, ShaunG95 said:

Muniz seems to be some player

Here's a curious thing... I know exactly what I want, attributes-wise, from players all over the pitch, except I haven't a clue what to look for when searching for strikers . Muniz would be a good example - no outstanding attributes but a pretty good spread across the board; not the best finisher but he scores plenty. I guess his mentals might be key - he's very good at being in the right place at the right time.

[Woolly]

Just finished the 2023/24 season with Rochdale (their first ever in the Championship). Not only did I manage to avoid relegation back to League 1 but the team comfortably managed a midtable position, finishing 11th.  Next season will be a tough one especially when the majority of my squad are still under 25 years and therefore still developing. If it wasn't for a very dodgy run of 8 games without a win in January/February when the team picked up only 2 points the position would have been slightly higher.  Can't complain however. I've had a couple of job interview offers this season one from a bigger English club and one from the Danish side Kovenhagen both of which I turned down as I want to see how far I can take Rochdale. I think the key to the side was my GK Coleman and the CB Fish and Talyor who were rock solid for much of the season. 

[hasdgfas]

On 15/04/2022 at 07:00, warlock said:

Here's a curious thing... I know exactly what I want, attributes-wise, from players all over the pitch, except I haven't a clue what to look for when searching for strikers . Muniz would be a good example - no outstanding attributes but a pretty good spread across the board; not the best finisher but he scores plenty. I guess his mentals might be key - he's very good at being in the right place at the right time.

I've always been impressed with strikers who have good Off the Ball and solid Pace. Even low finishing isn't the worst if they're always in the right spots.

[smplfc123]

Afternoon Everyone,

I hope you're all well?!

Unfortunately work and personal life has prevented me from a good go on FM22 this year, but now I'm ready to get stuck in and where better to start than in the best thread of them all, the EFL?

Now that the game has been updated to January transfers etc., i'm not keen on starting with a new club in the summer, so I've holidayed to November and will now begin looking for a job. With a Pro Licence and Local Pro background, I should be able to attract the attention of League 2 teams and maybe those struggling in the lower depths of League 1. I'm looking to take over a club struggling in the table and become their saviour and then build the club up with my philosophies over a number of years.

I've already had an interview with Salford City (They approached me), but I'm yet to find out the outcome of that interview. I'll admit, as a Liverpool fan, I'm not sure I can convince myself to work with the likes of Neville and Butt should they offer me the job and I'm not sure I like the way they've spent their way up the divisions.

I'll keep you updated on who I end up with!

[warlock]

15 minutes ago, smplfc123 said:

now I'm ready to get stuck in

Welcome back. By November you'll be well into a parallel universe, but Carlisle, Barrow, Harrogate and Orient seem to struggle a lot  in L2. In L1 Fleetwood and Morecambe are prime relegation candidates.

Hope you find the right challenge 

[smplfc123]

Thanks @warlock

After a couple of interviews, I've jumped in at the deep end.....

It's the 23rd of January and I've agreed an 18 month deal at Prenton Park. The aim for this season is to survive, which I'm happy with. However, they have lofty ambitions of automatic promotion the following season, which did put me off somewhat, but I'll cross that bridge in the summer.

I've been given a £0 transfer budget, with just £4k available in the wage budget. We do some have experience and quality in the likes of Jay Spearing, Kayne Hemmings and Callum McManaman who should ensure that we do stay clear of relegation this season.

I probably won't do anything in Jan with only a week left, but never say never. 

As you can see the squad really aren't in a good run of form, with the club on a 5 game losing streak in which they failed to find the net. 

The challenge is on to turn this around, but it's one I'm really looking forward to getting stuck into.

[warlock]

1 hour ago, smplfc123 said:

I've jumped in at the deep end

That's pretty deep . AI doing a bad management job there - in a few saves I've seen Tranmere fighting for promotion so, as  you said, the squad isn't terrible. But it can be hard to deal with tanked morale.

Good luck with the turnaround.

[smplfc123]

17 minutes ago, warlock said:

But it can be hard to deal with tanked morale.

Yeah.....it may prove tougher than first thought. The low morale really didn't help me in welcoming table-toppers Forest Green in our first game, with us getting thumped 4-0!

I think I may need to see what I can do in the final 2 days of the window to help lift things around here.

[warlock]

Fulham, September 2023

Seems like a while since the end of our first PL season but we've made it to the start of the campaign, and the end of a complicated transfer window.

Transfers

Ahead of the window I was expecting a relatively simple recruitment because I was more than happy with most of the squad. We had an excellent first-choice GK in Marek Rodak; a very good defence, including backup/rotation cover; some good midfielders; good-to-great options in attacking midfield; and a solid and  improving striker in Rodrigo Muniz. So I had the following shopping list:

Essentials: a backup/rotation option for Muniz. With Mitrovic languishing in the u23s and Adam Armstrong rarely better than OK, I wanted someone who could push Muniz for the role. At the other end of the pitch, we'd been lucky in that Rodak had played every single game for us last season and his only cover were a couple of u23 prospects who didn't look ready for the PL. I wanted a good 'keeper who was happy to accept a backup role but would be reliable when called on.

Good to haves: the tactical plan involves both a 4231 and a 433dm, but we're short of natural AMCs in the former system. We have several AMs who can play there, but only Josh Onomah has been really consistent. Neeskens Kebano and Harry Wilson are OK, but better in the wide roles. And playing one of them at AMC left us a little short of cover elsewhere when the inevitable injuries arose. So, preferably a solid AMC or, at least, another good option at AMR. Meanwhile in central midfield, I had already renewed James Garner's loan from Man Utd but then we had Harrison Reed, Nathaniel Chalobah, Daniel Braganca and Marko Bulat. All are reliable, and Bulat in particular will be great eventually, but with the exception of Reed they all want to be DLPs. What I wanted was someone to give us a bit of dynamism in the middle.

With a sizeable transfer budget and plenty of room in the wage budget, I didn't anticipate too many problems. My optimism was misplaced.

First, the good news - my scouts drew my attention to the fact that GK Vanja Milinkovic-Savic was transfer-listed at Torino. Far from world-class, he does have plenty of experience in Italy's top flight and he was prepared to accept backup status. He joined for £2m. First essential ticked off... but that proved to be the last good news for a while.

The first bad news came in the form of a release-clause bid for LB Omar Richards. I tried to counter with a new contract but he said he was 'desperate' to return to Germany and off he went to Hoffenheim. So we began an unexpected search for a replacement. In the meantime, backup RB Youssouf Sabaly tore a hamstring on international duty and would be missing for the start of the season. Not really a problem (Harrison Reed is a capable RB)... until first-choice Marcelo Weigandt broke his foot and would be out for 3-4 months. Now we also needed an emergency RB.

I did find a likely candidate for the vacant AM slot, although not the AMC I really wanted. Luiz Henrique is a 22-year-old Brazilian with bags of pace, dribbling and flair, and natural on both wings. He joined from Fluminense for £6.5m and looked great in pre-season. We also found cover at RB in the form of Leeds youngster Cody Drameh who joined on a 6-month loan. But the rest of the window was an exercise in frustration - we scouted and bid on multitudes of CMs, AMCs and strikers but couldn't agree terms with any - one wanted to jump from £12k a week to £90k wages (our highest-paid players are on £60k), while another insisted on a £15m minimum fee release clause when we were about to pay £23m for him! But with time running out we did eventually solve (I hope!) the two most pressing problems.

The LB vacancy was filled by OGC Nice WB Melvin Bard, who joined for £8m, and our new striker is Norwich's Adam Idah. The young Irishman had been outstanding on international duty during the summer, scoring 9 goals in 7 appearances and his £15m release clause seemed like a no-brainer.

Once again we failed to spend our transfer budget - in fact, once again we ended up with more than we started with thanks to a number of outgoing sales:

The one missing from that pic is Mitrovic, who we've finally managed to move on - he'll be joining Argentina's Racing Club in December for £3.3m. Unfortunately, I have no ability to tell the board "I told you so" after they refused several bids for three times that amount .

Early form

Little to report at this stage: the season didn't get underway until mid-August and we've played just 3 competitive matches. But I can't complain about our results:

We could, perhaps, have done better against newly-promoted Wolves after taking an early lead, and I'm disappointed we couldn't break down Leeds until Muniz bagged a last-gasp winner.

We'll have a tougher time of it in September when we visit both Man Utd and Spurs - we'll have a better idea of where we stand after that. The board are increasing the pressure this season, demanding a mid-table finish while the media predict we'll make 14th

[nickcabo]

Il 14/4/2022 in 16:46 , Parmie ha scritto:

Bradford City - Season 15 (2035/2036)

 

Hi Parmie,

I'm reading your post as they look very interesting to me. I've Bradford City in EPL now too.

Though we use different tactics (mine is a 4-4-2), I'm curious about squad rotation: how many players do you use?
I've seen that "impact sub" players can play 50% (even a bit less) of the total matches and be happy, while "important players" have to play around 75% of the matches to be happy.

So I have (for my 4-4-2):

- 2 goalkeepers (one "1st choice", playing almost every game and one "back up" playing some easy match)

- 7 defenders
                         1 DR "sub", 50% as a DR
                         1 DRC "important players", 50% as DR + 25% as DC
                         3 DC, "two" sub playing 50% each as DC + one "important players" playing 75% as DC
                         2 DL "sub" playing 50% each as DL

- 7 midfielders
                         2 MR "sub" playing 50% each as ML
                         3 MC, two "important players" playing 75% as MC + 1 "sub" playing 50% as MC
                         2 ML "sub" playing 50% each as ML

- 3 attackers
                        2 SC "important players" playing 75% each
                        1 SC "sub" playing 50%

 

I've this scheme in mind every time I buy new players, because, after the first season (when I did no market), almost everyone was unhappy (even though we've reached promotion).

With this scheme everyone is happy

[smplfc123]

 

So after holidaying through the first part of the season, I was offered the chance to save Tranmere from relegation in to the Vanarama Conference.

Let's see how the first month has gone:

A mixed bag, 3 wins and 3 defeats. We were smashed in my debut at home to table-toppers Forest Green, but bounced back with a vital 1-0 win over play-off chasing Swindon.

We didn't lay a glove on Walsall, but we were stunning against Barrow and followed it up with a crucial home win over relegation rivals Port Vale. A last minute goal killed what would have been a good point away in Newport, but overall, 9 points from 18 and I'm happy. We only made 2 signings before the window closed. Keenan Appiah-Forson joined on a 6 month loan deal from West Ham and Callum Jones on a similar deal from Hull. Both have already made the CM positions their own in our 4-3-3.

The results leave the table looking like this heading in to March:

We currently sit 3 points clear of Hartlepool, but equally, we're the same amount of points away from Stevenage in 18th, so it's all very tight.

I'm hoping we'll be able to pick up the points early enough so that I can start some early planning for next season. Big earner Callum McManaman has agreed a pre-contract deal to go and play down under next season.

Really enjoying this so far!

[warlock]

2 hours ago, smplfc123 said:

A mixed bag, 3 wins and 3 defeats

Any progress is good progress, right? Narrow margins for the places above you should see you safe if you can repeat your February form.

[warlock]

Fulham, November 2023

Quick update... we're definitely deep in "difficult second season" territory. We've been awful:

We picked up a single league win against Stoke, who are rock bottom with just 1pt from 8 games, and a cup win against L1 Ipswich. You could argue that draws against Spurs (6th) and Leicester (7th) aren't bad, and a single goal defeat to leaders Liverpool is not too shabby. But it's not so much the results as the performances - we look a much worse side than we did last season. Apart from Rodak in goal and our 4 CBs - who have been brilliant - and Muniz who leads the scoring charts with 4 goals from 7 starts, everyone else has been abysmal. Even our standout players from last year - CMs Garner and Braganca, and AMs Wilson, Carvalho and Lewis-Potter - seem to have regressed massively. New signing Adam Idah has failed to find the net in 6 appearances so far.

We're eking out those draws by playing deep and conservative but I'm facing tedious press conferences every week asking why I refuse to play more attractive football - we have the worst scoring rate in the league - but we can't pass, can't create, and can't finish the chances that do come our way.

It's a challenge and no mistake 

[smplfc123]

But the fact you're picking up points @warlockwhilst not playing too well I'd argue is a positive. Away draws in the Prem are not to be taken lightly i'd say, especially whilst keeping clean sheets!

Hopefully you can keep picking up points here and there until you do go on that inevitable run of good form. Do you have any early plans for the January window?

[warlock]

1 hour ago, smplfc123 said:

Hopefully you can keep picking up points here and there until you do go on that inevitable run of good form

Cheers, mate! But things are going from bad to worse. After that update I held a team meeting to try and lift morale, which worked. And then I saw our next two fixtures... Man City away in the cup, and then Man City at home in the league. We did OK in the cup tie when they played a rotated side but we still came up short in a 3-2 loss. Any optimism swiftly vanished in the league match and we were utterly spanked 1-6. Next we had what I thought was a 3-point banker at home to Palace, who the media describe as our "relegation rivals" - we eked out a 0-0 draw. Finally, in our most recent fixture, we had to visit Arsenal. Once again we looked great in the first half as we had 7 shots on target while the Gunners failed to get a single shot away. I imagine Arteta gave them the full hairdryer because they tore into us in the second half and we left with a 2-0 defeat that could easily have been 5 or 6.

Those results have dropped us firmly into the relegation zone and - will this never end? - we have to visit Chelsea in our next match. As for the January window, I'm thinking about transferring myself back to my comfort zone in L1 or L2 . 

[smplfc123]

Well when I took over the job in January, the club had played 28 games and had amassed 25 points, leaving them sat in the relegation zone.

We started well winning 3 of our first 6 and quickly escaping the relegation zone, but there was a long way to go. Here's how the rest of the season unfolded:

I didn't want the season to end! After a rude awakening in our first game against Forest Green, we went on a brilliant run of 13 wins in 17 games.

We kept it simple with a 4-3-3 (DM Wide) and Kane Hemmings went from his awful tally of 1 goal for the season to finishing on 14 goals. Our 2 loan signings from Hull and West Ham in CM really added some much needed youth to our midfield and it'll be the area of priority going in to the summer window.

Here's how the final table looks:

I honestly couldn't have been happier with the job. The owners have actually lowered their expectations for next season, with them expecting a play-off place at a minimum. If I can keep the core of the team together and make some shrewd additions, I believe we can definitely make a run at the play-offs.

Looking forward to a busy summer!

[warlock]

3 hours ago, smplfc123 said:

there was a long way to go

Fantastic turnaround and a great run from March to the end of the season. Shows you what a good manager can do