Football Manager 2011

[Whisper]

Been wanting to start a journeyman game. How does the game run with say 5 or 6 leagues active? My computer is reasonably good and the performance thing is at 5 stars when i run just 1 or 2 leagues. Just wondering how well it runs in general with more on.

[stokeriño]

I've said it before, but my life will not be complete until I get a Zola Stadium of my very own.

[Benji]

Damnit. With Telford I missed my opportunity to jump way ahead of 2nd placed team by drawing with them, my best right midfielder then left his loan spell and then my best midfielder got injured until the end of the season all within the space of three days. Media asked me who I would choose to replace the injured guy and I told them a back up player because I felt he was ready to make the jump - four team members were worried by my choice. I used the guy in a cup tie against a rival division team and told him I expected a performance in order to reward what might seem like a dubious decision to his team mates and the fans... he rewards me with a hat trick.

[britneyspearsisgod]

So, I took on U.D. Vecindario of Gran Canaria, Spain. 9th place in Spain's Segunda B-1, I am just going to piss about and have fun with this. With that in mind, they've magically been bought out by a very rich Spanish man and I will strive to create a team of pure dominance

I also have a Bristol Rovers game where I took over them lying in 24th. Bottom of the table, but I know how to get them going so it's no big deal.

[Timmoru Suzuki]

Re: Liverpool game. Beginning to ever so slightly regret NOT signing a striker. WHY, OH WHY did I fall into the standard Liverpool trap!? Curse Ryan Babel and his deceptively good pre-season form!

Really can't seem to get the best out of Torres. I'm going to try setting his role to 'poacher,' in the hope that he, well - poaches - a couple of goals to get his confidence up. By scoring. At All.

[The Quasi Juice]

Re: Liverpool game. Beginning to ever so slightly regret NOT signing a striker. WHY, OH WHY did I fall into the standard Liverpool trap!? Curse Ryan Babel and his deceptively good pre-season form!

Really can't seem to get the best out of Torres. I'm going to try setting his role to 'poacher,' in the hope that he, well - poaches - a couple of goals to get his confidence up. By scoring. At All.

Complete Forward seems to work very well for me and Torres could certainly pull that off, don't know if you have tried. Hell, it even works for Sturridge and he's not even that good.

Edited January 11, 2011 by The Quasi Juice

[britneyspearsisgod]

The problem is Torres works best when he gets in the penalty area. You need people behind him who can lay the ball to him. I would have 3 attacking midfielders up there with him. You signed Hazard, didn't you? Sit Hazard on the left and let him run with the ball.

My problem with Liverpool was simply defending - they were terrible at letting defenders get behind them and being caught on the break, but I think that's down to the tactics I employed. Attacking was fine. I had Eden Hazard and Tranquillo Barnetta on the wings as Inside Forwards, cutting inside and supporting Torres up front. I never had a central AM, prefering three central midfields (mostly because my defence leaked goals). However, I would recommend Hazard going behind Torres (to utilize his amazing dribbling skills), Gerrard on the right and Jovanovic on the left. The three of them behind Torres should either support him or score themselves. Then stick either two DM's to defend or two central players with one defending and one supporting. But don't use Joe Cole as a CM, because he's wank.

I hope your defence is better than mine however.

[Timmoru Suzuki]

My defence isn't too bad, aided by Jan Vertonghen. I'm playing Johnson, Verthongen, Agger and Auerlio and it seems to be okay defensively.

And, after making the above post, Torres scored 2 in a 3-1 win over Tottenham; and I realised a left-winger I signed on loan, Jefferson Montero can play up front too, so I gave him a go there and he scored too. From now on, I will openly criticise every player who has a bad game in this thread >_> I was playing 4-1-2-1-2 with a DM, two RM and an AMC. Poulsen at the back, Maxi and Hazzard as wingers and Gerrard behind Torres and Montero.

My problem with Liverpool was simply defending - they were terrible at letting defenders get behind them and being caught on the break, but I think that's down to the tactics I employed. Attacking was fine. I had Eden Hazard and Tranquillo Barnetta on the wings as Inside Forwards, cutting inside and supporting Torres up front. I never had a central AM, prefering three central midfields (mostly because my defence leaked goals). However, I would recommend Hazard going behind Torres (to utilize his amazing dribbling skills), Gerrard on the right and Jovanovic on the left. The three of them behind Torres should either support him or score themselves. Then stick either two DM's to defend or two central players with one defending and one supporting. But don't use Joe Cole as a CM, because he's wank.

I started off the season playing a variant of that; with Maxi and Hazzard as Attacking midfielders, but with Gerrard as a normal CM not an AMC. In a couple of games it clicked really well, but in others we got nowhere near scoring at all, so I changed to the diamond formation I described above. Thanks for the suggestion though, I'll keep twatting about with the formation - especially when my current formation inevitably flops!

And, finally, Quasi - no, not tried Torres as a complete forward yet, will give that a bash.

[britneyspearsisgod]

As I said, my tactics failed me in that game because I grew frustrated at them never listening (which didn't help with me berating them).

I have to say, every time I sign or use Daniel Ayala in FM, he turns into a fantastic CB. I absolutely frigging love him.

[Benji]

Matthew Pike. Oh man. Signed him because of a series of injuries as a potential future player, played him to rest players in a low match and haven't rested him since. He's a central defender and he's scored five goals in seven games. Blue Bet Conference Premier, here we come!

[Hobo]

Djurgarden are good at drawing. I have drawn three in three. Not much chance of us finishing higher than 7th. I'll sort the team out a bit in the close season.

On the international front. Both Eto'o and Thomas Billong my two big players appear to be out for the Cup of Nations.

[The Future]

How are you liking Sweden? I am trying to win it with Osters IF, a team with not much money incredibly lucky to get promoted in the first place. Relying on loans from my two parent clubs Gremio and Brondby who send me loads of great players.

15 games played and I am 5th now, Quarter Finals of the cup too...hoping it doesn't fall apart from here on out.

[Hobo]

It's okay so far. Wishing we had a little more money and could better hold a lead (just drew a match we were winning 2-1). If I can make the right improvements to this squad it could challenge for the title. This team drew 13 games this season and I have not won since taking over. Nor have I lost for that matter.

I'm still casting a bit of a jealous eye over my old club Shinnik who have just won promotion to the Russian Premier League with the squad I built. Like I said, I figure with some good purchases I could get this Djurgarden team to challenge for the title or at least Europe.

[Benji]

Did I get Telford promoted? The answer is... oh fuck how is it 3AM and yet totally worth having stayed up for?

[The Quasi Juice]

There are 5 of my Chelsea players in England's starting line-up in 2014, 4 of which don't start and 2 basically never play (Jack Cork & Terry). Kind of weird they get called up regardless.

[Benji]

Media predicts Telford will be 23rd out of 24 teams in the league, I lowered my budget significantly by dropping a bunch of dead weight whose contracts expired and have managed to slash half the team's wages because they were overpaid, allowing me space to expand and add more depth to the team. I told the board I will avoid relegation because I'm unsure how well the team will cope since they're so young overall.

Anyone got any tips for the jump from being promotion contenders to high relegation odds? My defence was only mediocre at conceding last year despite high ratings all round, though my goals scored was significantly higher than anyone else in my league and I've managed to find two new strikers to back up Uwezu's poor form and give him some strike partners, both of whom are rated as League 1/2 quality strikers by my (high ratio of being correct) assistant manager, Huw Lloyd. Wondering if I should look into defensive mids to try and help the defence as well as create more playmaking.

[therockbox]

Just signed three highly rated Brazilian 15 year-olds (4 star potential according to my scout, who has 20 in judging player ability), but completely forgot about the rules that stop Brazilian players moving abroad before they're 18. Annoying.

Anyway, started a game where I holidayed through until December 2010, then took over at a struggling club. Liverpool were 15th (REALISM!) so went with them. Ended up finishing 6th, two points behind Everton, and got to the FA Cup Final against Chelsea. Lost on penalties, after Lampard and Gerrard missed penalties in normal time, Chelsea won 1-0 on penalties. Everyone missed bar fucking Bosingwa, so yeah. We're shite at penalties, basically.

Just started pre-season, my squad's looking like this:

GK: Reina/Gulacsi

DR: Johnson/Kelly

DL: Insua (back from loan)/Aurelio

DC: Agger/Carragher

DC: Subotic (£12m from Dortmund)/Wilson

MC: Lucas/Meireles

MC: Aquilani/Shelvey

AML: Turan (£14m from Galatasaray)/Babel

AMR: Hulk (£17m from Porto)/Maxi

AMC: Gerrard/Honda (£10m from CSKA)

ST: Torres/N'Gog/Carroll (£4.5m from Newcastle)

Then I've got the likes of Ayala, Spearing, Ecclestone etc supplementing the squad, and players like Hulk and Gerrard can cover three or four positions each. Might try and sign one more defensive midfielder, but if I don't get one I should be alright.

[Meacon Keaton]

Just signed three highly rated Brazilian 15 year-olds (4 star potential according to my scout, who has 20 in judging player ability), but completely forgot about the rules that stop Brazilian players moving abroad before they're 18. Annoying.

Forgive my ignorance, but what happens there? Do you still pay them for the length of the contract despite them not leaving Brazil? Or does the contract go into effect once they turn eighteen and join your squad?

I ask because I've seen a few 14/15/16 year old kids from Brazil worth signing, but have never had the budget to sign them anyway.

[therockbox]

The contract starts once they arrive. It's basically a pre-contract, they'll stay with their current clubs until 2014 then join in the first window after they've turned 18.

[The Future]

I just found a 15 year old Nigerian defender at Kano Pillars whose already got better stats then my back up defenders....kid is going to be huge when he joins...just 3 more years