Football Manager 2009

[METALMAN]

Fiorentina is always fun.

[Mongrel]

Southend.

[Hobo]

I've got the same problem as Martin O'Neil did last season in real life. I have had a shit March. Dropped from second to fifth though level on points with United and Arsenal in 4th and 3rd. Adebayor is about a goal away from scoring more goals than anyone has in the EPL in a season since Alan Shearer and Andy Cole in the 90s! They got 34 for in 93/94 and 94/95 I think and Adebayor is on 33! There may be a real chance of him getting 40

[IAceI]

2-0 up against Newcastle, away, in the league.

Rosicky pulls one back with a free kick with 10 minutes to go, at the death Martins smashes a volley in on the counter attack to equalise, 2-2.

I hate football at times.

[9 to 5]

I haven't been able to get into a game on this for ages, someone recommend a team to manage.

What sort of team do you want, as in what level of football?

[Pesci]

So despite becoming furious at my team's poor run of form and engaging in fisticuffs with the wall next to me (the wall won) the other day, I still couldn't give up and I finished the season in pretty good form, eventually finishing 4th with Betis. Of course, despite never finishing higher than 6th and only coming in in November when some ballbag had already fucked up their title challenge, the board weren't pleased with my performance and didn't offer me a new contract. Considering that Real won the league with 98 points, letting me go because I didn't win the title seems a little harsh. They hired the guy who Inter hired to replace me when I resigned as well, and he duly fucked them up and finished 7th, so I hope he does the same at Betis.

Anyway, after getting to the final of Euro 2016 with England thanks to a 95th minute equaliser from Matt Derbyshire (his first ever international goal!) and another from him in extra time, ultimately losing the final to Portugal 2-1 and officially being let go by Betis, I declared interest in the Man City, Liverpool and Valencia jobs. Man City laughed my interest off (and it said I had no chance of being offered the job, despite being the one who built them up and the fact that they've only won the FA Cup in the three years I've been gone :@) and Valencia said that a decision wouldn't be made until they resolved their manager's future but Liverpool were like see ya later Benitez and offered me the job straight away. I took it, and now with a 40M budget I have to provide some stability to a team that's finished 1st, 4th, 6th, 4th, 9th, 3rd, 2nd and 5th. And their team isn't great.

For some reason they have both Reina and Carson again, and they're both too good to sit on the bench, and as Carson's English and younger I'm desperately trying to flog Reina. I signed Tim Howard to sit on the bench for Carson as neither of the reserve goalies they have are up to scratch. It appears that Steven Gerrard was first choice right back and if he wasn't I can't figure out who was. So I've signed Eboue on a free (he's 34 but he's still good enough to provide backup) and a pretty tasty 22 year-old regen, Adrien Vautrin. Looks like Retro Ziegler is their first choice left back even though he seems to play better further up the pitch, and I signed another free transfer in my old buddy from Man City, 34 year-old Federico Balzaretti to provide competition. Agger and regen Dejan Arvidsson are good at centre back but beyond them, there's nothing at all. Tried getting 35 year-old Demichelis on a free transfer since he's still awesome, but he went to Leverkusen instead. Missed out on a few other aging centre backs who had their contracts up as a result of focusing all my energy on Demichelis, who took like a month to make his mind up, so Didier Digard can be both 4th choice centre back and centre mid, which isn't a bad plan since hopefully that way he'll get enough games to prevent the problem I always have of my backup players whinging. I'll look for a good young centre back as well to work his way into the team.

Using my trusty 4-2-3-1 formation, Mascherano and Fellaini look good enough to keep their places. 36 year old (and still awesome) Steven Gerrard can deputise for them, and for a few guys further up the park. Babel and Kuyt are still there and all I have for the wide attacking midfielders, and Kuyt is too old, so hopefully I can add some depth for a reasonable price. I signed Matias Fernandez for the third time, though, who I guess could play on the left, but I'd prefer to play him in the middle, or I'll have to play Gerrard there. Up front they have Torres, Vagner Love and Caicedo so I don't really have to worry about that.

Average age of the first team is 29, which needs changing. Biggest areas of concern seem to be AMR, CB and back-up for AML. I've got 18M plus what I get for the pittance I eventually let Reina go for and whatever I can muster from my fringe players. 18M usually isn't enough for one player for me, let alone three

[Hobo]

Clinched third on the last day of the season by drawing 1-1 with Man City. Man Utd and Arsenal miss out on the CL next season too! Adebayor finishes the season with 37 league goals, sadly he didn't score in the last game of the season and hit 38 but it does mean he scored about 38 in his first season with us. Now the problem will be keeping him I think.

[9 to 5]

So despite becoming furious at my team's poor run of form and engaging in fisticuffs with the wall next to me (the wall won) the other day

It's only a bloody game!

I get annoyed at it too, but to hit the wall due to a bad result? :/

[Adam]

I'm like that too, get far too carried away sometimes with it. The wall, the desk, even the computer tower sometimes, they all get an involuntary smack. I can't seem to help it, either.

[Pesci]

So despite becoming furious at my team's poor run of form and engaging in fisticuffs with the wall next to me (the wall won) the other day

It's only a bloody game!

I get annoyed at it too, but to hit the wall due to a bad result? :/

I get frustrated when I don't understand things

[Big Red Fury]

Started a game with Corby Town after giving them a sheik owner, based on the whole Notts County takeover. Went through Blue Square North and Prem pretty easily. Then finished runner up three consecutive years in League 2, League 1, and the CCC. My first year in the Prem was pretty tough but a favorable end of the season schedule saw us finish 14. The second season we bounced up to 9th and now in the 3rd I am again 9th with 5 games to go. Boro got taken over by a Slovakian billionaire and have finished in the top 4 twice. Man City have also busted the top 4 a few times and Everton and Tottenham each did it once. I'm having a tough time keeping my stars happy though so we'll see how long my success runs for.

[Syrjis]

How do you go from winning the first leg 6-0 and then lose the second 7-3 (Carling Cup Semi-Final vs. Chelsea but nevertheless). Advanced to final thanks to Tevez's hat-trick. None of my defenders bothered to defend at all in that game by the looks of it. Srna 4.8 (sub 59. => Gassama 6.3), Evra 5.2, Vidic 6.0 and Evans 4.1. Evans played the whole game only because Ferdinand was suspended and my other DC was with Cameroon.

I issued warnings to Srna, Evra and Evans.. everyone one of those three complained that I was too harsh. -.- Play better and I don't have to warn you! Cunts.

EDIT: And oh yeah.. Carvalho got sent off at 49., Chelsea scored THREE times after that. -.-

Edited August 27, 2009 by Syrjis

[TheArsenal]

I went into a press conference and got asked the question... "Who do you think will win the league?" And then it showed me the answer I gave last time...

[9 to 5]

Wow, that was shocking!

[Pesci]

This game places way too much emphasis on home advantage. How the fuck do you win away?

[TheArsenal]

Wow, that was shocking!

It was more the "You also commented...." bit that got me. Totally forgot I'd put that. Tina Turner would be spinning in her grave.

[Blue Rosler]

There's a weird box in the bottom right hand corner of my screen, any idea of how to get rid of it?

Cheers

[Marcos]

Only thing I can think of is a problem with your steam account graphics. Try shift and tab to see if that helps, as that should get rid of any steam boxes.

[Blue Rosler]

Strangely it did, cheers for the help (Y)

Now I no longer need to guess whether I am accepting or refusing offers.

[ADG]

Whooo, took the East Stirlingshire job and just got promoted as Third Division champions in my first season. Bring on Division Two!