Football Manager 2012

[Plubby]

I think my team couldn't give a stuff that I am managing them. The touchline shouts, team talks or tactics I use seem to have no bearing on the result. They just go our and knock the ball around and if they score, so be it.

[stokeriño]

Feel in the mood for a massive squad overhaul in the summer. This is partially because I have at least half a dozen players who struggle to get on the bench, let alone game time (including Malouda, Bosingwa, Alex, Essien, etc.), partially because the performances are getting steadily worse (I've just drawn away at Leeds and at home to Cardiff to put the title decider down to the last day, FFS)...and partially because Chelsea need it IRL so I want to do it vicariously...or something.

Problem is, surely most of my players 'out' will leave for nothing or at most a token pittance, while if I want to have some fun with the quality of players 'in', it's going to cost a bundle.

Shame the Chelsea board feel that financing a purchase of Messi would be "unrealistic".

[The Lusophone]

Limping over the line in my United game... despite two games in hand thanks to reaching the FA Cup Final and the CL semis (where I face Barcelona hurray) we've drawn two of our last three and I have this terrible feeling that we might just choke :~(

[Lineker]

FAO Gazz

[Gazz]

Messed around with the database to make all players in the EPL unnattached.

First signing of the season?

Steve Harper to Man Utd

[FLiam]

Started a game with Chelsea, heard other people starting with them, overhauling the squad. Did so myself;

INS

Tranquillo Barnetta (£10.5m)

Willian (£10m)

Kevin de Bruyne (£3.7m)

Facundo Ferreyra (£1.2m)

Marc Muniesa (£1.6m)

Jake Sinclair (£1.2m)

Eidur Gudjohnsen (£1.3m)

Kevin Pannewitz (£2.3m)

OUTS

Florent Malouda (£11m)

Alex (£9m)

Didier Drogba (£15m)

Salomon Kalou (£6.5m)

Overall think I did well with net profit as well.

Sitting 1st in the Premier league, P30 W25 D1 L4. Finding the league a bit easy, but cup competitions something else. Lost at home to Blackpool 1-0 in the FA Cup 4th round, with a pretty strong team. Lost in the Carling Cup final 1-0 thanks to a 89th minute Rochina goal.

Got knocked out the Champions League group stages in a group containing Trabzonspor (who are in the quarter finals now), Valencia and Kobenhavn. Drew Rapid Bucharest in the Europa League, beat them, then knocked Ajax out, now I've drawn Tottenham in the quarter finals, with Schalke/Besiktas possible semi final opponents and one of Sporting, Celtic, PSG or Udinese in the final. Should really be winning it.

Already outlined positions I need to strengthen in the summer, being mainly right back and a central midfielder to replace Lampard. I've been thinking Kyle Walker and Jack Rodwell. Any ideas? Would prefer homegrown, because Chelsea are a bit weak in that regard.

[stokeriño]

I can't decide whether your outrageous selling of Drogba is made up for in Chelsea fandom stakes by the random return of Eidur. ...Probably not.

For homegrown central midfielders: Erm, Ross Barkley? Annoyingly I can only think of young ones. Although if you get them young enough they become homegrown eventually anyway...and you might as well just play McEachran if you go that route, come to think of it.

I got Kyle Walker for right-back but Tottenham were fucking bitches about selling him. Might be tricky.

[FLiam]

I only play with one up front, Torres has bagged 26 in 29 so not doing too badly. Lakaku has chipped with a few as well as Sturridge, so don't really miss him, plus £15m for him is great business. Gudjohnsen mainly signed as backup for the slot in behind the striker, has come in handy in cup games and as a sub.

Ross Barkley is a good shout, I'd prefer someone to come in and do a job straight away, didn't even realise Essien is pushing 30 as well.

Trying to retrain Ramires as a right back at the moment, has good attributes for it already.

[stokeriño]

Ramires as RB is probably good but it only goes to make your central midfield even more shocking...

Just finished playing the season (no diary spoilers ). Torres scored 45 goals in all competitions, 35 in the Premier League. ^_^

[Jimmy]

I must have got lucky, because in my Brom game I got Walker for 3.7 million because Tottenham had him sitting in the reserves, it was nice. But to take him to Chelsea with me I had to pay 14.

[stokeriño]

Has to be the Chelsea factor. Think that Spurs accepted a much, much lower offer than mine from Everton...but luckily Walker rejected them.

[The Lusophone]

So much overinflation of prices in my game ;__;

In other news, Wayne Rooney will miss the Olympics with a sprained ankle and now I (and by 'I', I mean you guys ) must pick a replacement to go with Andy Carroll and Theo Walcott:

Alex Chamberlain: the £6.75 million rated 18 year old didn't play a single game for Arsenal last season, instead being loaned to Salamanca, scoring 11 goals in 20 games in all competitions and is an all round worse player than some of the others on this list, but his physical stats, especially his pace which is second only to Gabby Agbonlahor, and his versatility (can play anywhere in midfield apart from DM) make me consider him.

Gabby Agbonlahor: 14 goals and 7 assists in 34 league games made Gabby Aston Villa's Fans Player of the Year and I considered him for my original squad but in comparison to Chamberlain he's actually pretty equal in attributes. Would be my third over 23 year old along with Ashley Young and Goalkeeper Fraser Forster.

Connor Wickham: An £8 million signing for Sunderland, Wickham scored 6 goals in 21 games after a loan spell at Ipswich for the first 3 months of the season, helping ensure Sunderland's revival from 20th place to 17th after an injury to Asamoah Gyan. The 19 year old is good in the air and has a monstrous long throw stat which would provide more chances for Carroll.

Jermaine Defoe: Spurs finished third in the league and it was due in no small part to the 29 year old's 15 league goals, an injury kept him out of the League Cup final loss to Aston Villa but he's fully fit and could fill the Rooney void.

Jay Rodriguez: Was just snapped up by surprise 7th placed team Swansea in a £5.25 million deal, Jay scored 23 goals in the Championship last season, helping Burnley reach the Play-off Semi Final. Stats are on a par with Chamberlain or Wickham, and he scored more than both of them put together.

[Summers]

Gabby.

[The Future]

On FM? got to be Agbonlahor.

[stokeriño]

Still haven't forgiven him for pissing off to Chelsea on my FM08 Villa game.

[Dingle]

Jay Rod. He's a wonderkid damnit!

[Hobo]

My Whitecaps beat the Galaxy 2-0 followed by 3-1 over Seattle then a 3-0 win over Colorado. This has resulted us going up to third, level on points with San Jose in second. Mostly thanks to the goals and pace of Baky Koné.

I also changed my formation from 4-1-2-2-1 to 4-1-2-1-2 after the Galaxy came as an experiment. It's resulted in six goals in two home games. I'm thinking I might try to use 4-1-2-1-2 at home and 4-1-2-2-1 in away games, along with the counter attacking football that I normally have been playing.

Fun thing: Alex Ferguson retired to be replaced with ALAN CURBISHLEY.

[FLiam]

Got knocked out the Europa League by Spurs 3-0 on aggregate. Don't understand, we're pissing the league, but generally shite in the cups.

[Dynamite]

Fun thing: Alex Ferguson retired to be replaced with ALAN CURBISHLEY.

Alan Curbishly replaced me when I left my Southampton team for Chelsea. It only took the guy three months to ruin what I spent 6 years building.

Edited February 2, 2012 by Dynamite

[Sam]

3rd season with Coventry is going really well, we've taken 37 points from 25 games and sit 10th in the league, just went out of the FA Cup to Reading but it was a good performance and we have a lot of injuries, which means playing fringe players who are in reality 18 year olds that I spent ages scouting out!

This season was another one of free signings, I've actually only spent a million across three seasons and have made 3.2 million in player sales. Spend ages negotiating wages as well with the players, the team is the youngest in the Championship and is basically a team which has great potential but current ability of League One, therefore I'm delighted that we're doing so well. Also the big debt will be paid off the next time we get into credit which will hopefully see a gradual improvement in our finances meaning I can sign the right players to progress. Exciting times at Coventry City!