FM 2009: Official Villarreal Club de Fútbol - El Submarino Amarillo

[george94]

Cheers Purefun

End of Season Update

After a fantastic end to the season, we managed to win the league. Valencia had led the way since December but, towards the end of the season, they slipped up and we went on a great winning streak to secure the title:

http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/4475/ligabbvavil0.jpg

We fared less well in the Champions League though. Having knocked out Arsenal, we lost to Man United in the quarters. We also went out to Barcelona in the quarter finals of the Spanish Cup.

I'd like to try and bring in David Villa during the summer and maybe a good right winger. However a lot of my star players are attracting interest in them, and some may be sold. In particular, Balotelli is linked with AC Milan and, apparently, they'd be willing to spend £40 million on him, a price that I would take for him

[Lisandro Lopez]

george94

Great achievement winning the title.

By how many points though? Chopped off the points.

[george94]

Haha, sorry: we got 91 points, Barca and Valencia had 87 and 86 respectively

[george94]

Pre-Season Update

A busy summer of transfers that saw me bring in my main target: David Villa. In order to keep my finances as healthy as possible, I had to get rid of a few players and bring in some cheaper, but hopefully just as good, alternatives:

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/1663/viltrans10.jpg

Antonio Lopez went back to Atletico just a year after I bought him for £15 million, which got me a great £6.75 million profit from him. Balzaretti came in in his place for £6.25 million, and I actually think Balzaretti is a better player than Antonio Lopez. Gonzalo Rodriguez went to Arsenal for £17.5 million purely to ensure that I could recuperate the money I paid for Villa. We had 5 centre backs anyway and he wasn't really first choice anymore so it made sense tbh. Villa came to us for £33.5 million, a decent price for such a great player. Santi Cazorla went to Inter for £20 million and Jesus Navas was brought in to replace him for £11.75 million. Key behind my signings and sellings this summer was the need to ensure I didn't spend too much overall and jeopardise my very fragile financial situation and, as such, I sold some of my big name players and bought some cheaper players in to replace them. That was all done so I could finance my big name purchase of David Villa.

I won the Super Cup against Betis 5-2 aggregate. We lost the first leg 2-0 but won the second 5-0 and secured the trophy (although it means extremely little tbh). But we lost our first game of the season 2-0 to Barcelona

[Walk On]

Hi all. Been a few weeks since I posted on here. I've decided to start a new game with Villarreal as i've never managed them before.

I've made a few changes during the transfer window and am pleased with my squad as the first game of the league season draws nearer.

IN:

Santon -£1.7m

Parejo - £4k

Cassani - £1.5m

Defour - £6m

Goian - £2m

Paloschi - £1.7m

Laurito - £1.4m

Zuculini - £500k

OUT:

Javi Venta - £3.5m

Bruno - £3m

Franco - £2m.

Zuculini and Laurito will be arriving at a later date - both are considered stars for the future. I sold Venta and replaced him with the reliable Cassani with a view to use Santon as my main RB in a few years time. Bruno and Franco were both very average and I decided to bring in Defour to partner Senna in CM. Goian and Paloschi are players I usually sign no matter what team i'm managing. Goian scores more goals from corners than any other CB i've encountered and is a reliable rock, while Paloschi becomes an awesome striker within 2 years.

I'm aiming for a top 4 finish and to get through to the CL knock-out stages. I'll be using Tyler Bode's 442 Piranha V6.

[AcidBurn]

I am not sure if anyone will even read this as its been a few months since the last post in here but here goes. Just started a game as Villarreal on an updated database that my mate has done, so the team was slightly different no Matias Fernandez, although we still had Nihat and I tihnk he has moved on in real life now.

Transfers

We only got a budget of £7 million so I decided to bring in Gago and Higuain on loan both have had good solid season there is an option to buy each one of them for £5 million. Gioda was brough in to provide cover at the back but he didnt play many games at all due to the excellent form of Marcano and Gonzalo Rodriguez. Riquelme was very expensive at £13.5 million but it was all they would accept as some of the money had to be paid over monthly payments. So the team for the upcoming season would be.

GK Diego Lopez

LB Capdevilla

RB Javi Venta

CB Marcano

CB Gonzalo Rodriguez

CMd Senna/Gago

CMa Riquelme/Gago

LM Cani/Pires

RM Carzola/Higuain

ST Rossi/Higuain

ST Nihat/Higuain

La Liga

We entered La Liga and I was expecting to finish 4th to 6th but we did much better thanks to the attacking flair of Rossi, Nihat and Riquelme. To finish second was great Real Madrid won their first 20 games in a row, Barcelona did well to come 3rd as 10 games in they were stuck around 6th-8th but then won lots of games in a row to shoot up the table.

The Squad Performance

As you can see the squad performed well Aquino and David Luiz were brought in Jan to boost the squad as fitness issues were beginning to take a big toll on the team. Nihat and Rossi were a great combination up front, we had to fight off interest in Jan for Nihat I offered him a new contract the day after Man City bid £18.75 million to activate his minimum fee release clause I am not sure if I would of kept him but I was glad he signed with us in the end. Nihat was very hit and miss he would play a 8 or above and set up 2 goals and score 2 himself or play a 6.3 and be absolutely garbage.

The defence is okay although we conceeded alot of goals I feel I will look for some new fullbacks next year and hopefully the CBs and GK will be okay. The wing play was good Higuain is suprisingly good at right mid, Carzola and Cani were also great but their fitness is pretty low.

Nilmar is moving on next season and Llorente will get some games as I went on holiday and he wasnt registered to play in the league.

Cup Competitions

Copa Del Rey - Beat Cadiz 8-2 on agg in the first round, lost the away leg 4-2 to Zaragoza in round 2 but spanked them 4-0 at home, then we went out to atletico Madrid in the next round losing 3-2 at home and 2-0 away.

Europa League

All those games just to be disappointed in the final we were unlucky as Nihat, Riquelme and Rodriguez were injured. We seemed to have a real problem winning in europe away from home but strong home performances took us to the final. This was gutting for me as I have never won the Europa League or UEFA cup on FM09 or FM08.

Targets For Next Season

Well I dont think I can win the league unless Real Madrid and Barcelona had really bad seasons, this season has seen the team peak in my opinion at one point we were 16 wins and 1 draw. At one point we went 23 games undefeated and won 17 in a row, on the flip side we only went 3 games without conceeding and kept only 24 cleansheets and conceeded a goal a game. I think the fullbacks will need improving for next years so I will be looking at Azpilicueta and Monzon for RB and LB respectively. Van der Vaart is another target for when Riquelme is not fit enough, trouble is I want to sign Gago and Higuain so I will have to see what happens.

With Villarreal having such a small ground we are losing £1 million to £2 million a month so I may have to leave for a bigger club at some point but that will be in the future.

[tomtuck01]

AcidBurn

Some good dealings in the transfer market, although I think you overpaid for Riquelme considering hs age. I also wouldn't have got rid of Godin as I have found him to be a very good defender, but I appreciate that you needed to raise money.

And as good as what Higuain has performed for you, he is completely wasted if not used as a striker and see no point in signing him permanently if that is where you are going to play him.

You performed extremely well in the league and the Europa League, and with a bit more luck regarding injuries you will probably have won one of them. Next season it will be tougher though, as you said, to maintain your form in the league. The Champions League will be tough, but atleast it will generate more money for the club.

As for the future, you are right about the fullback areas, never mind becasue of the quality, but alo because of the age of them! You should also try to use Llorente more, he is a very hand player.

And about possibly leaving in the future, I would keep going with Villarreal as it is a challenge if you are having to constantly rebuild your team.

Good luck with next season.

[AcidBurn]

Cheers for the reply, Gago and Higuain would not sign for us. Monzon is arriving for £6.5 million and Van der Vaart as maybe a replacement for Riquelme, I know I highly overpaid for him but his return has been fantastic I mainly bought him because I thought I wouldnt get into the game and now I have lol. There has been interest for alot of my players Carzola and Diego Lopez mostly along with Nihat. I think every player has their price mainly because its so hard to raise funds with the small ground.

[AcidBurn]

Players In

Rafael Van der Vaart £8 million from Real Madrid

Fabien Monzon £6.5 million from River

Hernanes £8.5 million from Sao Paolo

Giourkas Seitaridis £2.5 million from Hull City

Players Out

Robert Pires Released

Pascal Cygan Released

Fabricio Fuentes Released

Nilmar £6.5 million to Sevilla

All the positions covered that I needed to get both FBs, an attacking CM to help out Riquelme but will also be trained to play the wings and Hernanes who can cover all of the midfield.

Contracts ran out on the players released and Nilmar never impressed me, he is nowhere near as good as Nihat or Rossi and I think Altidore will develope better than him and Llorente is just as good.

[Lisandro Lopez]

Nilmar.

[AcidBurn]

Nilmar.

Was hoping you wouldnt read this lol.

[Purefun]

Good transfers Acidburn.

[AcidBurn]

Cheers Purefun.

Got £40 million to strengthen the team any suggestions?

I sold Gonzalo Rodriguez and bought Ben Haim as he was the only CB I could find willing to join for under £5 million. Now I have loads of cash to spend not sure how to spend it though.

[Lisandro Lopez]

Haha, I always found Gonzalo Rodriguez to be quite useful myself. No worries on the Nilmar scenario, it's your save. Nilmar really needs a structure built around him though as he lacks any strength at all.

[AcidBurn]

Rodriguez is very useful but £5 million and £40 million after one international appearance was too good to refuse. Hoping that David Luiz can become as good and fill his place as Marcano was and is brilliant.

I really like Nilmar did well for my Nantwich Town team from the ages of 32-34 but he just didnt fit the way I played at Villarreal.