Football Manager 2008

[Darloboy]

I too recently started a game as Barca, I'm coming up towards the end of the second season.

At the start I spent £5.5m on Leonardo Ponzio as cover for Yaya Toure, he only made about three appearances all season. Won the vast majority of the games in the league, fighting it out with Valencia who went unbeaten for something like the first 20-odd games, but drew a few too many of them to allow me to build a lead at the top of the table. In January, out went Xavi to Sevilla for £10m, in came Micah Richards for £20m. He performed averagely for me, got a couple of important goals but overall was a bit disappointing. It didn't matter too much, as by the end of the season I won La Liga and the Champions League, beating Real Madrid in the final.

During the summer, there was lots of activity. Notable departures were Thuram, Sylvinho, Ezquerro and Edmilson who were all released. Zambrotta went to Roma for £8.75m, Iniesta to Real Madrid for £30m, Gudjohnsen to Villarreal for £2m and Ponzio to Betis for £3m. In came Daniel Alves, Franck Ribery, Eduardo and Sergio Aguero. Alves has been brilliant, Ribery very good, Aguero has a 7.45 average which is very respectable but only has 7 league goals as of March, and Eduardo has been shit.

So yeah, I'm near the end of the 08/09 season, after 28 games I'm five points ahead of Valencia, having won 24, drew 3 and lost 1. Valencia have won 21, drew 7 and lost none so they're still well in the title race.

My first choice XI is:

GK: Valdes

DR: Alves

DC: Puyol

DC: Richards

DL: Abidal

DMC: Toure

MR: Ribery

ML: Ronaldinho

AMC: Messi

FC: Eto'o

FC: Aguero/Bojan

Yeah it's too easy managing Barca, but this is my first game as a world class team on 08 so I'm enjoying it so far.

How does/did Deco perform for you? He has been very below par for me this season, im thinking of moving him on in the summer

He's been really poor for me, he was below average in the first season and this season he's been even worse, his stats are declining and he's getting old so I'll be moving him on. Thierry Henry's in exactly the same boat, last season he wasn't too bad but in the second season he's been dreadful.

[TheArsenal]

That was supergrass I believe, who then moved on to Brentford, making a really good diary about the end of his career at Leeds and the start at Brentford.

Meh... they both start with an "s"

[Darloboy]

Yeah so I ended up winning the treble, won the Spanish Cup, La Liga and the CL. The game we became champions was good, we needed just a draw at home to Valencia who were in 2nd, and thumped them 3-0. I beat Man Utd in the CL final on penalties, got a bit lucky since they dominated the match but hey, I'm not complaining.

Into the transfer window, I've shipped out Deco, Henry and Eduardo on loan since I can't even give them away, and in come Tevez and Walcott on a Bosman, and Cristiano Ronaldo for my entire £60m budget. Good times.

[Crybaby Bunting]

Just decided to delete every save i've ever done and start afresh, seriously it's been pointless trying to get all the good players, then running out of funds then having to sell everyone to keep afloat >_<

So opened up the Editor, gave Aberdeen a massave wad of cash, a complete new team of the worlds best and am tearing up the SPL.

Who cares if it's pointless, it's fun and nothing is better than forcing Celtic out of all european competitions

[Fire Storm]

Well after talking to a friend I decided to play the game for the first time since I somehow managed to keep Wrexham in League Two many months ago. I chose Derby for the challenge and immediately captured Sergey Ignashevich's signature which was my main aim for the first season, hopefully he'll provide the rock for what promises to be an extremely tough season. I'm going to tough it out with the regular 4-4-2, little/big man combination up front. I missed out on signing Almunia from Arsenal who'd have been a solid 'Keeper to sign at this stage, so now the hunt for an experienced replacement for Lewis Price continues, although I do like Price, he just can't cut it when it comes to the Premiership.

I've currently put a loan offer in for Hilario from Chelsea, I'm desperate... I was even willing to sign Barthez had Strasbourg not poached him.

[stokeriño]

I was looking up some information on Rushden & Diamonds on wiki (mainly to remind myself why they crashed and burned the way they did), and I found myself surprised how many of the players had links of articles of their own.

Clearly, if you've not played in the Championship or higher, no one cares what gets written about you.

So blatantly starting up a R&D game when my 01/02 arrives through the post. That was when they had a ridiculous amount of money - like £2m transfer budget or something.

Edited April 15, 2008 by stokeriño

[IAceI]

Probably able to play more attacking than that. In my experiences Derby usually survive with relative ease.

[Fire Storm]

Really? I haven't seen much attacking potential from them, then again I haven't seen any defensive potential either. Steve Howard is the main focus of the attack for me, the other strikers just lack... well, they lack eyes.

[IAceI]

Bah it's FM. Looking passed Finishing, Acceleration, Pace and possibly Composure in a striker is pointless >_>

[Hajjhowe]

So, any advice on how to get other teams to up the bidding on players you want to sell?

[IAceI]

Unfortunately, it's pretty hard to shift players for much money on FM these days it seems.

Which team did you pick?

[Guest Kou]

If they're playing well they'll probably sell for more.

[Fire Storm]

I think you put them on the transfer list and not changing his status to "not needed by club" means you'll get more for him since it gives the impression you aren't extremely desperate to sell them, but the only problem is that you get less offers.

My start at Derby has been nothing short of... horrifying... I swear Macken, Earnshaw and Miller spend most of their time at Burger King because they just cannot score. If I was a real manager I'd probably be verging on the psycho level of Stuart Pearce by now. But can you blame me? Losing 1-0 to Burnley then 4-1 to Cardiff in friendlies.

[Baddar]

I think you put them on the transfer list and not changing his status to "not needed by club" means you'll get more for him since it gives the impression you aren't extremely desperate to sell them, but the only problem is that you get less offers.

My start at Derby has been nothing short of... horrifying... I swear Macken, Earnshaw and Miller spend most of their time at Burger King because they just cannot score. If I was a real manager I'd probably be verging on the psycho level of Stuart Pearce by now. But can you blame me? Losing 1-0 to Burnley then 4-1 to Cardiff in friendlies.

Friendlies?

Well, there we are then, nothing to worry about.

[Fire Storm]

True, it was just worrying that the majority of my first team was playing when we got hammered. But the start to the season has been decent, we drew 1-1 to Birmingham and then in the second game were 3-0 down at half time to Man City and managed to turn it around in the second half to get a 3-3 draw. If only we played every game like we played that second half.

[TCO]

I chose Derby for the challenge and immediately captured Sergey Ignashevich's

Ha, he's Man United manager in my game now, I'd snap him up as an assistant when he retires in 6-7 years.

Edited April 16, 2008 by The Cool One

[stokeriño]

CM01/02 has returned to me!

[therockbox]

CM01/02 has returned to me!

And me

Started a game as Liverpool, some of the names are awesome. My strikeforce: Owen, Heskey, Fowler, and a 17-year old Torres.

In midfield I've got McAllister, Redknapp, and a young Steven Gerrard.

Kirkland in goal, Babbel and Riise down the flanks.

Edited April 16, 2008 by therockbox

[stokeriño]

I just threw on a game as Chelsea. So many memories come flooding back...

- The board expect European qualification! Back when any league place higher than 6th was an achievement!

- The eternal struggle to get rid of Winston Bogarde, sitting in the reserves with wage demands so high that no other club's stupid enough to buy him.

- Who to start up front out of Hasselbaink, Gudjohnsen, and the almighty Zola? DILEMMA~!

- Transfer funds of £4.2m...but Taribo West always starts the game without a club, so there's a nice bit of defensive backup for free!

Initial squad:

GK Cudicini

DL Babayaro

DR Melchiot

DC Desailly

DC Gallas

ML Zenden

MR Gronkjaer

MC Lampard

MC Petit

FC Hasselbaink

FC Zola

S1 Bosnich

S2 Ferrer

S3 Stanic

S4 De Lecus

S5 Gudjohnsen

(Terry, Le Saux and Morris all out injured to start)

I'm on the world's biggest nostalgia trip right here.

[Fire Storm]

I chose Derby for the challenge and immediately captured Sergey Ignashevich's

Ha, he's Man United manager in my game now, I'd snap him up as an assistant when he retires in 6-7 years.

Might not last that long in my team afterall if he keeps up the terrible start to the season, is there such a thing as ballphobia? Because I swear he has it, when the ball is near him he freezes up.