Football Manager 2011

[Dynamite]

Just started a game up and as part of the initial meet your staff bit, I've been advised to hire a 'Squad Management Expert'. What exactly is this?

[Pesci]

Got to the Championship in successive promotions but this league is gonna be a lot harder and I may actually have to use tactics instead of just throwing my players into a 4-4-2 and having them smash everything in their path.

Just beat Birmingham 6-2 doing essentially this, so maybe it isn't the case at all. Harewood (who I managed to nab all the way back in League 2 and has scored 52 league goals for me with 22 assists so far) and Earnshaw have formed a formidable partnership up front if the last two games are anything to go by, so that's awesome. Leaves me with the problem of what to do with record signing James McFadden when he comes back from injury, though, since I suspect Etherington will be too awesome on left wing to just drop.

[Benji]

Just started a game up and as part of the initial meet your staff bit, I've been advised to hire a 'Squad Management Expert'. What exactly is this?

A staff member with good man management skills.

[Thrilla]

My Blackburn team play the same formation as Gazz, although sometimes I'll bring on Olsson and Hoilett and have them play as wingers and bring the DMC into MC for a traditional 4-4-2.

I'm thinking of starting a new game, taking a fallen giant back to glory. Any ideas? Thinking maybe Sheffield Wednesday.

[Jimmy]

I stick with a formation until the other teams figure out who to play against it. It really depends on what team I'm playing as, but I always have four at the back, I never tamper with that. I usually always play with a DM too, because, as I like to play attacking football, I love having a player in the middle who just breaks up the play. At the moment, I switch between 4-1-2-1-2, 4-1-2-3-1 and 4-1-2-2-1 (with two attacking wingers).

[Katsuya]

Hm. So finished second to Arsenal in the 10/11 season (and they knocked us out of the Champs League, which very nearly had an Old Firm final), now in to December '11. United have made a resurgence and it's now pretty much us, Arsenal & United in the title hunt with Ipswich and Birmingham currently fighting over 4th place. Found an amazing regen guy who was playing at Olympiakos, who's now up front for me alongside Tsigalko and Tunzi in a 4-2-1-3 formation of awesome.

[Benji]

My Blackburn team play the same formation as Gazz, although sometimes I'll bring on Olsson and Hoilett and have them play as wingers and bring the DMC into MC for a traditional 4-4-2.

I'm thinking of starting a new game, taking a fallen giant back to glory. Any ideas? Thinking maybe Sheffield Wednesday.

Leeds, Notts Forest and Sheffield Wednesday are the three I'd go with, in order of personal preference.

[Thrilla]

Leeds and Forest seem a little easy and already on their way up, hence why Wednesday were my pick. Maybe Southampton? Charlton?

[Benji]

Preston North End! Original top league champs!

[NobBe Nobbs]

Brighton used to be massively overrated in the CM games due to Marc Vaughan. Probably still are, but no one plays CM anymore.

I remember them also being really good in Premier Manager '98 due to having Ian Baird in the squad. He was old, but shockingly good with it. Always my first signing if I wasn't playing as Brighton.

[Summers]

I love a good 442. Flat back four, attacking wide players, one midfielder focused on breaking up the play and the other supporting the attacking. Then I prefer a big man - little man combo up top. But it depends on my options. I tend to like one striker to support the other and aim to create chances for one to finish. My 442 with a relegated WBA isn't working. So attempting a 451 with an anchor man formation now. Not keen that it means benching Boselli, but he hasn't scored the goals I'd hoped yet.

[ADG]

Hm. So finished second to Arsenal in the 10/11 season (and they knocked us out of the Champs League, which very nearly had an Old Firm final).

That must be UEFA's worst nightmare.

[stokeriño]

Leeds and Forest seem a little easy and already on their way up, hence why Wednesday were my pick. Maybe Southampton? Charlton?

AFC Wimbledon

It counts, damn it.

[METALMAN]

Queen's Park were beaten by Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup finals of 1884 and 1885. See if you can end 120 years of hurt and finally bring the FA Cup to Glasgow.

[Liam]

4-1-2-3-1

Otherwise known as the 'too many men on the pitch' tactic.

[Meacon Keaton]

Whatever advantage you can get, I guess.

[METALMAN]

Maybe he plays without a goalkeeper.

[Katsuya]

Hm. So finished second to Arsenal in the 10/11 season (and they knocked us out of the Champs League, which very nearly had an Old Firm final).

That must be UEFA's worst nightmare.

They ended up with Dortmund vs. Arsenal. Rangers and Celtic pretty much destroyed everyone else though on their way. Dortmund have got an amazing team though, Ronaldinho, Ferdinand, Cole...and I managed to draw with them in pre-season which I was happy with >_>

[DavidMarrio]

So I go from getting battered against Reading 2-0 only having a whole shot in the game to dominating Preston 7-0 away from home. Guess that's the Championship for you haha

I bitch at Chopra cause he'd been having a stinker for the past few games and having not scored in ages saying If you don't perform I'm dropping you for super Jon Parkin. He goes and scores a hattrick, great man management skills

[TCO]

I remember why I loved 2008 so much, Michael Owen is awesome! He's scores basically every game and never gets unhappy despite how mediocre I'm doing in the league and with Liverpool of all people sniffing arounf. Tied him down until 2012 without giving him a pay rise, so if Liverpool want him, they'll have to pay!

12th after 29 games and 4 points off my target of the top half on the bright side I managed to sneak my way to the FA Cup semi-final playing despite being taken to a replay by Sheffield United in the 3rd Round and only beating 1 Premier League team (20th Place Sunderland). I even managed to avoid Arsenal and Man City in the semi draw, getting an away tie at Wigan. It'd be magnificent if I got a Europa League spot out of nothing.