Football Manager

Discussion in 'Soccer Board' started by Principal McVicker, Sep 21, 2009.

  1. prerecordedlive

    prerecordedlive Sworn Enemy of Standard Time
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    Florida State SeminolesTampa Bay RaysOrlando CityWolverhampton WanderersBarAndGrill

    What a glorious gamble. Well done.
     
  2. Corky Bucek

    Corky Bucek Placeholder for a Custom Title
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Auburn TigersLos Angeles LakersLos Angeles RamsAnaheim DucksManchester UnitedLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim

    Lost my last 2, but still survived :badasswolf:
     
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  3. Lemmy Caution

    Lemmy Caution Lurking since Alice's mugshot
    Donor

    Nicely done. What's the off-season plan?
     
  4. Corky Bucek

    Corky Bucek Placeholder for a Custom Title
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    Auburn TigersLos Angeles LakersLos Angeles RamsAnaheim DucksManchester UnitedLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim

    Get rid of the dead weight left over from the Champonship squad and upgrade a bunch of other positions. Most glaring needs would be a new LWB and a striker.

    Edit: Just realized I have $72 mil in transfer funds and currently $400k under the salary budget, but that's the current year for salaries. Hopefully I'll have the ability to sign bigger contracts as my highest earner only makes $38k p/w laugh:
     
    #1304 Corky Bucek, May 14, 2017
    Last edited: May 14, 2017
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  5. Andy Reocho

    Andy Reocho Please don't get lost in the sauce
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Kansas JayhawksKansas City RoyalsKansas City ChiefsNewcastle UnitedBig 8 ConferenceFormula 1

    Another transfer window passed, another transfer window where no one bid on the really good fuck boy leading my squad. Maybe one of these years he will get the hint that he's Parma4lyfe
     
  6. Corky Bucek

    Corky Bucek Placeholder for a Custom Title
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Auburn TigersLos Angeles LakersLos Angeles RamsAnaheim DucksManchester UnitedLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim

    Are you asking too much for him?
     
  7. Andy Reocho

    Andy Reocho Please don't get lost in the sauce
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Kansas JayhawksKansas City RoyalsKansas City ChiefsNewcastle UnitedBig 8 ConferenceFormula 1

    Honestly, I don't want to sell him. He's valued at like 35mil or so right now, I was asking between 60 and 70 through the summer(offered him out like 5 times dropping from 70 to 60 and no one was interested at all).
     
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  8. BleedinGreen

    BleedinGreen Detroit, Michigan State, and Celery
    Donor
    Detroit PistonsDetroit LionsMichigan State SpartansChelseaDetroit Red Wings

    Got that Morata, Hazard, Asensio, Dembele front four for my Chelsea save.

    The defense on the other hand....
     
  9. H/T

    H/T Top 3 Swansea City AFC Poster
    Donor
    Clemson TigersBaltimore OriolesCharlotte HornetsBaltimore RavensSwansea

    Started aGateshead Save a while ago and I finally got them to the Premier League. I've been getting shut down for two years now for a new stadium. Now that we are going up we are building a new 15K seater lolol.

    The kicker is that for the year it's being built we are playing at Loftus Road....nowhere near Gateshead.

    Wtf
     
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  10. Lemmy Caution

    Lemmy Caution Lurking since Alice's mugshot
    Donor

     
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  11. Mix

    Mix I own a Fuddruckers with Scottie Pippen
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    UCF KnightsPittsburgh PenguinsOrlando CityPittsburgh Steelers

    Started a new one with Southport. Currently in the Championship after a couple promotions from Conf National.
    My strategy of good defense and buying players who can hit penalties won me the FA Cup over Watford in penalties so competing in Euro Cup.
    Got like $100 mill in the bank after new owner and selling some guys but they won't spend money on new stadium. Every year they had like 1k seats so we are almost always playing at some random stadium. Its so stupid.
     
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  12. MA

    MA Surprisingly normal looking
    Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideSan Antonio SpursWashington CapitalsManchester UnitedAtlanta United

    Finally started playing this save and I think it's gonna be my first time getting fired.

    It's currently December. I've yet to play a match with my full starting XI. Two matches ago I lost 3 players to injury in a draw against the worst team in the league. My worst player just put in a transfer request after I told him to go fuck himself for complaining about our shitty performance (maybe we wouldn't lose so much if you didn't play like shit). Oh, and the parent club I got at the beginning of the season refused to loan me any players.

    I had such high hopes, honestly can't wait to be sacked now.
     
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  13. MA

    MA Surprisingly normal looking
    Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideSan Antonio SpursWashington CapitalsManchester UnitedAtlanta United

    They never fired me, but I quit cause it just sucked.

    Started up a new save with Castel Rigone of Serie C2/B. They're noteworthy purely because the club no longer exists in real life.

    After 23 matches and losing my top 3 forwards, I finally lost my first league match. I'm angrier than I should be at a computer game.

    I'm running a narrow 4-4-2 diamond and have the field at its most narrow dimensions. My three best players are in their 30's, and until these most recent injuries, 6 of my starting XI were loan players.

    Edit: Just lost the fourth forward. Got another week till I get the first of those four back.
     
    #1313 MA, Aug 12, 2017
    Last edited: Aug 12, 2017
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  14. Mix

    Mix I own a Fuddruckers with Scottie Pippen
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    UCF KnightsPittsburgh PenguinsOrlando CityPittsburgh Steelers

    Absolutely dominated the Championship. Didn't lose all season. Won each game by an average of 2 goals. Had what was prob a mid table Premiership squad playing in the Champ. Won the Euro Cup as well so excited to play in the Premiership finally.
     
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  15. Lemmy Caution

    Lemmy Caution Lurking since Alice's mugshot
    Donor

    I don't have it in me to start another save. I've been playing OOTP and Motorsport Manager to feed the habit but I had a 3 year long save lost in a bricked hard drive. Every time I try to start again I lament the loss of my Coventry City Sky Blues. Nasty ass Ricoh stadium had been rebuilt into a monolith of the sport. The whole thing kicked off with a 17 year old Brazilian with EU citizenship. Juliano was a Schweinsteiger-esque midfielder who led my Coventry FC to countless honors. A 15 year career with one English club. Never got a Balon but he was clearly the most valuable player in football. I miss this game.
     
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  16. MA

    MA Surprisingly normal looking
    Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideSan Antonio SpursWashington CapitalsManchester UnitedAtlanta United

    Been playing some of my Unterhaching save. Despite winning the last four Bundesliga titles, I've had to promise two of my players that we'll win it this year or else they'll "leave" (not sure how that works since they have 3+ years on their contracts).

    And, of course, it just so happens that Bayern is fucking steamrolling people 5 and 6-0 this season. Meanwhile I've been doing some squad rotation to try to win CL. So, I'm probably not clawing back the 9 point deficit I have to them.

    Also one of those players isn't scoring for shit this season and it's annoying that I might not fulfill the promise in part because he's doing a shit job.
     
    #1316 MA, Aug 27, 2017
    Last edited: Aug 27, 2017
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  17. MA

    MA Surprisingly normal looking
    Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideSan Antonio SpursWashington CapitalsManchester UnitedAtlanta United

    I recapped the latter part of my season in long-form if you want to read that.
    Bayern did end up winning by 10. Somehow I ended up making the CL final. Beat Arsenal 3-1 away and 3-0 at home in the quarters, and then beat AC Milan 4-2 at home in the first leg of the semis. Edged them out on aggregate after a 2nd half penalty save saw me only lose 2-1 away.

    Three days before the DFB Pokal final, Bayern clinched the title and those two turned in transfer requests. I, of course, rejected them because it was some bullshit. Was able to assuage their concerns by promising to buy players, which I'd already planned on doing anyway. Beat Dortmund in that final 3-2, barely hanging on in the second half. It was also at this point that I became concerned my $60MM GK had a weakness for important matches. He'd given up one of those goals through a horrendous clearance and then finished the match with a 6.2 rating. He'd also been responsible for both conceded goals in the AC Milan home leg.

    So, I had all that going into the UCL Final against Manchester United. They'd won 4 of the last 6 finals, including the last two. Additionally they had two players at the top of the UCL golden boot standings. I had a chat with my GK, telling him he'd sucked recently but that I had faith in him, and luckily he responded well to that. United scored off an indirect FK in the second minute. Then I equalized in the 10th. They went back up after a corner in the 42nd, both of their goals going to Matija Nastasic. I made three changes in the second half, and was able to equalize again in the 88th minute. It went to ET and I really felt we had the momentum. And we capitalized on that in the 94th after Nastasic passed it straight to my RB. After some combo play it was laid-off to my in-cutting RM who put it in the far side of the net with an outside-foot strike. I then dropped from a 4-2-3-1 to a 4-1-4-1-0 and we were able to hold on to the finish.

    Was really happy that my first two major signings, who'd I'd gotten two months shy of 12 (age 16) and 10 (age 17) years ago, respectively, were able to play in it. They were the first two I landed with 5 star potential, and though they both peaked at 3.5, they've been crucial to my success. The RM is the latter of the two and he won UCL best player. He's averaged like .75 points (goals or assists) per match since he's been here, and has done 1 per match the last 5 years.

    I'm at a new hard part of the game where my coaches start to retire and I'm having to find new players. The latter caused part of my goal scoring issues this season, having been unable to find a proper rotation placement for Ronaldo at LM. Natural Inside Forward LMs are like fucking unicorns in my save.

    If not, cliffs below:
    -Bayern won the league
    -Those two players sent in transfer requests that I rejected, but was able to appease them with more and easier promises to fulfill
    -I won the DFB Pokal and UCL.
    -Having trouble finding a natural inverted left winger.

    Also, this may be weird but the three parts of this game I look forward to the most are getting the new youth intake, getting new/upgraded shit from the board, and getting new sponsorhips and tour invitations during the summer. Honestly everything else I do is grinding just to get to that stuff. Of course that makes it all the more disappointing when I have underwhelming intake like this year or when the club recommends shitty feeders (cause somehow I still can't choose my own after 13 damn years here). On the bright side, my jersey sponsorship just went from 7.43/year to 38, so pretty stoked about that.
     
    #1317 MA, Sep 3, 2017
    Last edited: Sep 3, 2017
  18. Illinihockey

    Illinihockey Well-Known Member
    Chicago CubsChicago BullsChicago BearsChicago BlackhawksIllinois Fightin' IlliniLiverpool

    Is Football Manager Mobile as good as the game on computer? Is it at least comparable? Don't want to buy it for my phone/ipad and have it be a terrible copy of the real game. Thanks.
     
  19. Andy Reocho

    Andy Reocho Please don't get lost in the sauce
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Kansas JayhawksKansas City RoyalsKansas City ChiefsNewcastle UnitedBig 8 ConferenceFormula 1

    I personally hate the mobile version. Not very in depth compared to computer version.
     
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  20. Illinihockey

    Illinihockey Well-Known Member
    Chicago CubsChicago BullsChicago BearsChicago BlackhawksIllinois Fightin' IlliniLiverpool

    Damn. Thanks for the reply.
     
  21. danny2430

    danny2430 Well-Known Member
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    Miami HurricanesMiami MarlinsMiami DolphinsLiverpool

    Mobile version is awful, Touch version is not too bad
     
  22. MA

    MA Surprisingly normal looking
    Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideSan Antonio SpursWashington CapitalsManchester UnitedAtlanta United

    Winter break update:
    Sold the underperforming-transfer-threatening striker to Monaco for $104MM. Club record for me. I bought two CDs, a winger, and a striker with the ~$140MM transfer budget I had. Finally making use of monthly payments, so I'm paying partial on most of them for the next 4 years. On the bad side, the amount of sunk money I have from those buys probably wipes out my transfer budget each year, so I'm gonna need to do some wheeling dealing to give myself some breathing room.

    Last season that striker finished with 14 goals and 4 assists in 34 apps, and through halfway this season at Monaco he has 9/1 in 17. The new striker has given me 11/3 in 14 and the new winger has given me 7/11 in 23.

    Truthfully for all that money I spent on four guys, I could've kept the striker and just bought a world-class LM using some delayed money, so I'm really lucky all of the players I bought have worked out. Part of it I think is that I have a defensive mindset, so even though my squad gave up the fewest goals in the league last season, I was still looking to bolster that side of the team, even though goal scoring was what I really lacked.

    To that defensive end, one CD I signed is a stalwart for Argentina at 24 and the other is a 21 year-old with world-class potential. They've been incredible and have given me a legitimate two deep on the back line so that I can rest full lines at a time.

    On the performance end, so far this season I've won the German Super Cup, the European Super Cup, and the Club World Championship. I also won my UCL group (face PSG next round), and lead the league by four points over Schalke and 5 points over Bayern, with a game-in-hand against both. Importantly, my point total includes a 4-1 trouncing of Bayern at home.

    On the downside, the difference between my team's play at home and away has become more pronounced. 2 of my 3 draws and my lone league loss have come away from home. And I have numbers 2, 3, and 4 in the league away in the second half.

    All of this has been done in my newly-implemented 4-3-3 formation. I've never successfully run this formation on FM, so I'm pretty thrilled with how it's going this season. I had three reasons for moving to it: 1) I've always wanted to run it, 2) my Portuguese wonderkid is a natural center mid and it just wasn't going amazing deploying him at CAM, and 3) with a tight 4-3-1-2 becoming the tactic of choice for Bayern and others, I needed to flip my midfield to better handle that (DM instead of CAM).

    The standout of this new formation is an Italian striker, dubbed the next Robert Baggio. I'd had my eye on him for years, but never pulled the trigger. I finally bought him for 45 a few years ago and he's been my second striker since then. He finally started coming into his own last season and has just exploded this year. In only league play last year he has 10/6 in 24. At the fucking break this year he has 20/5 in 16.

    Does anyone actually read this?

    Cliffs:
    - Sold my underperforming-transfer-threatening Brazilian striker, once dubbed the next Fred, for a club record
    - More or less bought four players with that money and they've all been killing it, lucky for me
    - Have won every cup I can this season and am atop the table
    - I think the age of my squad (and maybe that like half of them can't yet speak German) is what's causing some Jekyll and Hyde home and away form
    - My other star striker, the next Robert Baggio, is currently averaging 1.29 goals per 90.

    I also found out that there's an achievement you have to get before a club will let you select your own feeder clubs. It's 90% board confidence, which I've achieved before. Obviously I'm still not able to choose my own, so I'm trying to get back up to 90% this season. I think it's an impossible task though cause my board won't give me a big enough salary to get a high percentage in "job status" and then I've only got like 50% in several competitions even though I've won them, purely because the board just doesn't care about them. So that's frustrating.
     
  23. Lemmy Caution

    Lemmy Caution Lurking since Alice's mugshot
    Donor

    MA I read the thread and enjoy the details
     
  24. MA

    MA Surprisingly normal looking
    Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideSan Antonio SpursWashington CapitalsManchester UnitedAtlanta United

    Gonna make this one a longer one cause I'm bored this morning.

    2nd Half of Season recap:
    Rounding out a couple of things from December, my new Argentine(Argentinian?) CD, Martin Ortega, was named in the World Team of the Year. That was mainly to do with his WC performance I think, but I'll still take the credit. I also picked up Tom, of the Russian Premier Division, as a feeder club for youngsters, and FH, of the Icelandic Premier Division, as a feeder club for first options on players. I'll come back to my affiliates later.

    January saw me do a tour of Belgium on the break. Was nice to have some matches to keep the boys fresh and hopefully I'll see some financial benefits of that too. The break is nice though cause I've noticed FM tends to give me some 3-6 week injuries in late Nov/early Dec, so it gives me a chance to get them back at full fitness. January also saw a couple of my players come of age and I was able to send them out on loan. This included Eli, a wonderkid Brazilian striker, and the second player I've had be called the next Fred (The first being Laurinho, who famously earned me a club record transfer fee this past window).

    Speaking of loans, I've had 27 players on loan this season, which is a high for me. It was a pretty even split of players that went to either the 2nd, 3rd, or lower German divisions. And I'm happy to report that three of players were at top division clubs - two as defenders in the Bundesliga, and Eli with Europa league side FC Metz.

    Of that bunch, only Eli will ever start for me, but it works for me if I can get another club to pay their wages knowing I can recall them if I ever have a bad run of injuries. I've also found another benefit to loan players. My feeder club, Frankfurt, starting three of players, beat Dortmund in like the 2nd round of the DFB Pokal. That was great as obviously them and Bayern are my only real competition for that trophy.

    Speaking of youth, I'm averaging about one 4.5-5 star player per youth intake. Currently I have 5 players 17 or younger at that level. Two wingers, two CAMs, and one CM.

    I'm happy about that, but youth has its downsides too, it seems. My Jekyll and Hyde form continued in the second half of the season. I dropped 0 points at home, but a staggering 13 points away.

    Two other themes continued on from past seasons this year: Feb injuries and Mar/Apr drops in form. Both of my starting wings (Kraus and Hoyos) picked up injuries, which saw them out for 7 and 4 weeks. And they never recovered their form. After returning at the beginning of April, they combined for 3 assists and 1 goal over the last 13 matches. Just horrendous. This also spelled some trouble for Roberto Baggio the Second, Laert Elezaj. After putting the team on his back from mid-Feb to mid-April, with 12 goals and 2 assists in 8 starts and 1 sub, including scoring in every match he started, he (by his standards) practically dropped off the face of the Earth for the next month. In 4 starts and 6 total apps, he contributed only 3 goals and 1 assist, failing to tally either a goal or assist in two of his starts and both of his subs.

    Wow this was a lot of words, gonna spoil the match-by-match of the last three matches:
    This brings us to the last three matches of the season. It's May 5th; I'm fresh off back-to-back losses away to Schalke in the Bundesliga and Manchester United in the UCL. We've conceded 5 and only scored 2. Thankfully, we'd already won the league with four matches to go. But troublingly, and despite getting an assist to give us a 4-3 aggregate victory, Laert has just turned in a 6.3 performance. Pavel Kraus has gotten injured again, and Portuguese wonderkid Tiago Bras scored an own-goal.

    It's May 9th, we're in the 63rd minute against middling Augsburg. We're up 2-0 and solidly in control. I bring on Laert, hoping he can regain some form against a clearly-outmatched side. But the minutes tick by and nothing happens. No good runs of play, no last ditch saves by the keeper. First the 70th, then the 80th. It's the 84th minute and I finally see him with the ball, heading it to my second-choice right wing (Baumann, the next Jurgen Klinnsman). He plays a quick one-two with Charrier (this year a WC winner and starter at only age 19) that puts him dribbling into the inside right edge of the box - great position to cross or pull back to the middle from. And Laert has racked up the goals from both. But God love him, Baumann crosses over his defender and cuts inside, ready to shoot. Son of a bitch.

    And then, just as he was taking the last touch to get it on his favored right foot, the defender throws in a scissor tackle that catches every bit of Baumann. It's a penalty. Elezaj drills it in the right corner with as much power as I've seen this season. But is scoring outside the run of play enough to put him back right?

    The last two matches are Leverkusen for the DFB Pokal final and Manchester City for the UCL Final. My saving grace are this point is my team handles neutral sites much better than away matches.

    Leverkusen also presents another opportunity for my players to get their form - and they duly deliver. Laert converts an LB cross in the 17th minute. Then in the 36th, he forces an own goal from his marker on a header back across the box from Hoyos off a corner from Kraus. Finally, in the 77th, he puts them to the sword again. A textbook counterattack starts with him holding up the ball at midfield. He plays it out to Maksimovic, our long-serving left winger, who drives down the flank. He dumps to our LB, Narvaez, and then attacks into space at the left side of the box. Receiving the ball, he then lays it off to Laert, who's arriving at the left corner of the arc. Settling it to his front, he curls a beautiful left-footed shot to the top right corner. And he finishes the match with an 8.8.

    So, as it did last season, the finale comes against a team from Manchester. This time it's City. They've won the EPL the last 5 seasons and will win it again this year. In route to the final, they've beaten a murderer's row of Real Madrid, Bayern, and Chelsea. Madrid especially is really good team in 2027. There's also a bit of history, as City is the reason I have Laert Elezaj. My first sell of a star player was to City. They gave me $71 million for my striker, who was bound to start playing second fiddle to Laurinho. It beat my next highest transfer by $68 million. Sadly for him, he's again playing second fiddle at City - to a striker I picked Laert over, and who truthfully I rate as a second striker like his fellow Dutchman Nick Kuipers, who I acquired this season.
    All that buildup said, I won't bore with the details of the match. It finished 2-0; we had 62% possession and Elezaj netted a brace. City, to my surprise at the time, never really troubled us.

    As far as awards go, my new signing right wing Hoyos won UCL best player and my entire back line plus Hoyos and Laert Elezaj made the best XI. My GK, Vusurovic won Bundesliga GK of the Year. Kraus won midfielder of the year. Somehow Laert didn't place in the player's striker of the year and no one placed in the player's player of the year. But he won the other player of the year award. I also finished second in both head coach awards.

    Laert also set a new Bundesliga record rating, his 7.86 topping Phillip Lahm's 7.8. And he finished one goal shy of the league scoring record with 39. All total, he finished with 54 goals and 11 assists in 39 starts and 10, which was good enough for 1.3 goals per 90. Arguably just as key to my success was my defense, which conceded a paltry 23 goals in 34 league matches (we scored 87). We also pitched 16 shutouts.

    All this is great, but what I really wanted was to get a high enough confidence to choose my own feeder clubs. That did not happen. Despite winning every single trophy I could and spending 400 thousand below my budget payroll, I got 66% confidence for competitions and salaries, which had me end with like 77% overall confidence, below the 90% I apparently need to choose my own feeders. That's very frustrating because, as I highlighted earlier, feeder clubs in Iceland are far below what the 3rd most reputable and 11th richest club should be getting.

    Going into the offseason, I need to start tracking down a true left wing replacement for Maksimovic, who's 32, and my LB Narvaez, who struggles a bit with consistency. Also gotta find a new fitness coach, as one of mine just retired. And lastly, I'm cutting ties with the first of my triumvirate of old-guard players this year (Domenico Santoruvo, Pavel Kraus, and Fredrik Thelin). They've all been with the club for at least a decade now, but Thelin's contract is up and he wants starter money when he's, by quality, a backup player here.

    Cliffs:
    - Picked up some shitty feeder clubs
    - Stuggled Feb-Apr with injuries and poor form
    - Won every competition
    - Laert Elezaj is incredible but gets no respect
    - Still didn't get 90% confidence
    - Need to sign some left side players
     
    #1324 MA, Sep 16, 2017
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2017
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  25. Lemmy Caution

    Lemmy Caution Lurking since Alice's mugshot
    Donor

    MA Your posts have inspired me to start a new save. Boreham Wood FC on FM 2014. BWood, a suburb of London, was home to Stanley Kubrick's production and editing facilities for 2001 and The Shining.
     
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  26. Mix

    Mix I own a Fuddruckers with Scottie Pippen
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    UCF KnightsPittsburgh PenguinsOrlando CityPittsburgh Steelers

    Beta for 18 out now. Already been cracked.
     
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  27. MA

    MA Surprisingly normal looking
    Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideSan Antonio SpursWashington CapitalsManchester UnitedAtlanta United

    Gonna try out my first MLS save with this one. Should be a real shit show.
     
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  28. Mix

    Mix I own a Fuddruckers with Scottie Pippen
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    UCF KnightsPittsburgh PenguinsOrlando CityPittsburgh Steelers

    I like that idea. Don't plan to get too into it during this beta
     
  29. JonathanCoachman

    JonathanCoachman The Coach
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    EvertonSouth Carolina Gamecocks

    Has Tim Howard gotten his first MLS save yet?
     
  30. MA

    MA Surprisingly normal looking
    Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideSan Antonio SpursWashington CapitalsManchester UnitedAtlanta United

    My plan is to do Colorado for the Beta and Atlanta for the real game, but Colorado's so fucked compared to ATL that I kind of want to stick with them.

    Going from 14 to 18 is like going to a completely different game though. I love the complexity, but it's just so many more screens. It legitimately took me multiple minutes to figure out how to search for players. And I still haven't found backroom advice, if that's even a thing anymore.

    Also MLS looks likes it's gonna be a real bear with so few international slots and its other rules.
     
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  31. Mix

    Mix I own a Fuddruckers with Scottie Pippen
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    UCF KnightsPittsburgh PenguinsOrlando CityPittsburgh Steelers

    I ended up figuring out how to get my 17 game up and running again so waiting til the 2nd patch or so of the game before I move to 18.

    Currently sitting top of the table in the Premiership with Southport in our first year 5 games in. Have a brutal early schedule too with Tottenham, Arsenal, Leicester (still very good) and Man U all in my first 6. But got home wins over Arsenal and Leicester and road draw vs ManU. Not feeling good about Tottenham next match on the road. I then get 4 of the bottom teams in a row so hoping to come out in top 2 after the first 10. I am predicted to finish 16th but have added a few nice pieces since the season began.
     
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  32. El_Pato

    El_Pato Nunca Caminaras Solo
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    Texas RangersDallas CowboysTexas State BobcatsUTEP MinersLiverpoolEl Paso LocomotiveJuarez

    I still like my 12 save
     
  33. Mix

    Mix I own a Fuddruckers with Scottie Pippen
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    UCF KnightsPittsburgh PenguinsOrlando CityPittsburgh Steelers

    I like that you can basically a wear a guy down by making him your top target and constantly scouting him to make him go from not at all interested in coming to sure would love to.
     
    MA likes this.
  34. DelapThrows

    DelapThrows Comforter, Philosopher, and Lifelong Mate
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    Florida State SeminolesAtlanta BravesDallas MavericksStoke City

    [​IMG]
     
  35. NittanyKnight

    NittanyKnight They got love bites and everything
    Donor TMB OG
    Manchester CityOrlando CityPenn State Nittany LionsUCF Knights

    MLS is such a glorious mess on FM. Every trade always required me to try to get an international spot. Not sure if I want the heartbreak of losing CCL finals to Mexican sides that I experienced in my '16 save. But I will get '18 and enjoy restructuring Orlando City.
     
  36. Mix

    Mix I own a Fuddruckers with Scottie Pippen
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    UCF KnightsPittsburgh PenguinsOrlando CityPittsburgh Steelers

    Sitting somehow at 21-3-3 in our first season up. Snagged Puli from Dortmund for a lot of cash and some players. He has a goal and 4 assists through 7 games. He somehow missed 2 open nets and hit 2 posts in the last game which we drew.
    I also was just named US manager and there is no talent to be had. Bradley still listed as top central mid and he plays in Saudi Arabia for 9 mill a year.
     
  37. NittanyKnight

    NittanyKnight They got love bites and everything
    Donor TMB OG
    Manchester CityOrlando CityPenn State Nittany LionsUCF Knights

    FM18 is clearly bugged. Just got notification that Ruud Gullit has been hired as the new USMNT coach.
     
  38. Corky Bucek

    Corky Bucek Placeholder for a Custom Title
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Auburn TigersLos Angeles LakersLos Angeles RamsAnaheim DucksManchester UnitedLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim

  39. MA

    MA Surprisingly normal looking
    Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideSan Antonio SpursWashington CapitalsManchester UnitedAtlanta United

    He's such trash. Won't come out for balls, won't play it short, and takes up a third of my payroll. And he's about impossible to offload.
     
  40. JonathanCoachman

    JonathanCoachman The Coach
    Donor
    EvertonSouth Carolina Gamecocks

    But remember that time that the Belgians kicked the ball straight to him a zillion times for 90 minutes? Hero,
     
  41. Andy Reocho

    Andy Reocho Please don't get lost in the sauce
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Kansas JayhawksKansas City RoyalsKansas City ChiefsNewcastle UnitedBig 8 ConferenceFormula 1

    I don’t care what you say, he was great that game.
     
    SugarShaun likes this.
  42. JonathanCoachman

    JonathanCoachman The Coach
    Donor
    EvertonSouth Carolina Gamecocks

    My opinion may be skewed by the fact that I'm an Everton fan that had to put up with his puffed up ego and the many horror shows of performances that followed.
     
  43. Andy Reocho

    Andy Reocho Please don't get lost in the sauce
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Kansas JayhawksKansas City RoyalsKansas City ChiefsNewcastle UnitedBig 8 ConferenceFormula 1

    I get that. But you’re lying to yourself if you try to say he wasn’t amazing in the Belgium game.
     
    SugarShaun likes this.
  44. NittanyKnight

    NittanyKnight They got love bites and everything
    Donor TMB OG
    Manchester CityOrlando CityPenn State Nittany LionsUCF Knights

    How many tactics does everyone use? I am thinking of going with 4-6 since it seems that winning away is a huge challenge in '18.
     
  45. Mix

    Mix I own a Fuddruckers with Scottie Pippen
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    UCF KnightsPittsburgh PenguinsOrlando CityPittsburgh Steelers

    You can use more than 3?
     
    MA likes this.
  46. Mix

    Mix I own a Fuddruckers with Scottie Pippen
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    UCF KnightsPittsburgh PenguinsOrlando CityPittsburgh Steelers

    Won the Premiership rather easily. Just got my ass kicked in the FA Cup final by Man City 3-0. My central def put up a beautiful 4.8 game rating and blew it over and over.
    My forward led the league in goals that I got 2 years ago from Arsenal for almost nothing (and is American) scoring 24 in league and 44 overall this year with 17 assists. About to go get stomped by PSG in Euro Final.
    Have a new owner so we'll see what kind of money he brings in. Need to upgrade 2 in the back and 1 mid prob to repeat.
     
    MA likes this.
  47. NittanyKnight

    NittanyKnight They got love bites and everything
    Donor TMB OG
    Manchester CityOrlando CityPenn State Nittany LionsUCF Knights

    Saved tactics. Load 3 and get them to level you want and load others. I usually keep 1 or 2 for friendlies or cups before spring it at the end of season on someone.
     
  48. Andy Reocho

    Andy Reocho Please don't get lost in the sauce
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Kansas JayhawksKansas City RoyalsKansas City ChiefsNewcastle UnitedBig 8 ConferenceFormula 1

    Any big new features/upgrades from 17 to 18?
     
  49. NittanyKnight

    NittanyKnight They got love bites and everything
    Donor TMB OG
    Manchester CityOrlando CityPenn State Nittany LionsUCF Knights

    MA and Ned Yocho like this.
  50. NittanyKnight

    NittanyKnight They got love bites and everything
    Donor TMB OG
    Manchester CityOrlando CityPenn State Nittany LionsUCF Knights

    Finished 1st season with Orlando. Lost in the Open Cup to Miami (lol just like real life), #1 seed in the east, set league record for goals scored, Larin had 31 goals and won MVP, Dwyer 22 goals and 13 assists. Got shafted in the conference finals by two unexplainable back passes. Portland won MLS Cup over Philly.

    For some reason the board felt it was necessary to explore building a new stadium without me asking. Portland is getting a new stadium as well. Also Maradona is managing the Red Bulls and Michael Laudrup took over at Atlanta after Martino got sacked following a 7-2 home loss to me.

    Currently tapping up Thiago Silva to come to Orlando.
     
    Mix and MA like this.