Football Manager 2021

[Adramelch]

It's the defence for sure. Centre backs and left back. 7 games in and we've scored 11 which I am very pleased with, but we've also conceded 15. We could have very easily conceded more than 20 though.

I got some prime attackers and midfielders by scouring the Balkans and Latin America, but didn't have any luck with defenders. I found some good ones but their clubs wouldn't sell.

Here's the cream of the crop:



Picked him up on a free the previous winter.



Kind of a last minute signing cause we had no other competent right winger. Cost around 5 million but he's so young, I will at least make great profit even if he doesn't deliver.



Steal of the century. 700k is all he cost and asked for very low wages comparatively.



Saving the best for last. We had to fork out a bit more than 10 million for him but he's the only player in the club that's genuinely Premier League standard.

[Adramelch]

And this is us at the half-way point:



Things are looking a lot better now, courtesy of us getting a good run in December with 8 points in 4 games. Our home record is abysmal with just 6 points in 9 games, but we've won 4 in 10 on the road which made up for it. Defence is definitely our weak point, with 45 goals conceded, which is joint bottom, tied with Cardiff. The one saving grace being that 29 of those goals have been against the big 7. I have arranged a good left back to join us in January but I doubt it will make things much better.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I always find that once you hit the elite centre forwards (say, those with 16+ in the key stats) they will just smash goals in with ease, usually in the first 20 minutes of games, unless you have elite defenders to counteract them. It's been that way for quite a few years.

The only way the game stops them scoring 100 a season is via the curse of shit finishing. It's impossible to defend as a team in the way real life sides might.

[Adramelch]

It's even more infuriating that a lot of the goals seem to come from the edge of the box from players that are surrounded by defenders. And while it's okay when it happens with the Haalands of the world, it seems to happen way too often for my liking.

[Yevrah]

I always find that once you hit the elite centre forwards (say, those with 16+ in the key stats) they will just smash goals in with ease, usually in the first 20 minutes of games, unless you have elite defenders to counteract them. It's been that way for quite a few years.

The only way the game stops them scoring 100 a season is via the curse of shit finishing. It's impossible to defend as a team in the way real life sides might.

That is so true Jim. I lost count of the number of times I was 3-0 down inside 8 minutes to one of the big teams. I'm watching in 2D and it's ludicrous how fast the dots move.

[Yevrah]

And cracking stuff Adra, looking pretty positive there. We conceded 98 goals in our debut season, so it looks like you're headed to improve on that.

How are you finding work permits btw? I'm starting to suspect the more wages I offer a player the more likely they are to get one.

[Adramelch]

Yeah I haven't had many issues with work permits this season. Even players from the backwaters of South America seem to get them easily.

[Yevrah]

Oxford City Summer Update 2035/36 Season - Championship

God it hurt typing that last word. Anyway, gonna do this piecemeal as there's a shit ton to get through in what I think has been our best off season yet. Starting with finances, some exciting things happened in mid June.

Firstly our three star reputation led to some new sponsorship deals being done:



Bringing £14m into the coffers and up from £1m the previous year.

Then the parachute arrived:



Unlike the tv money in the premier league you get this in one lump sum and we were now sporting a bank balance of over one hundred and ten million quid. Our wages would go on to rise a bit but they're still under £500k a week, so the £25m per annum cost there would take a while to touch the sides. Safe in the knowledge of financial security for at least three seasons, I peppered the board with requests to get the Oxford City structure up to snuff.

And one after the other, they accepted...









In addition, the John Woodley II Stadium completed:



Which took our facilities to a frankly outrageous level:



The board have just recently agreed to this as well.



So I think that's just one more training ground upgrade to go and maybe a bit more on the Youth/Junior side and we're perfect. After that it's just the stadium, which I did ask to expand (about a month after they'd finished building it) but they weren't having it.

Still, excellent progress.

[Adramelch]

Yeah I've been pestering our board for facility upgrades every chance I get too. Helps with increase the club's reputation too which is a nice extra benefit. If I am to join you in the Championship, I am thinking of just sticking to the squad I have now (bargains excluded) and go all out in the season after.



Game sort of sums up our season so far. We could have easily been 2-3 goals up before the scored their first (from a long shot of course). If this happens against City or someone, I'd be fine, but it's Aston fucking Villa. Just have us lose 1-0 or 3-2 or something and I'd be fine, but now we take a hit on morale for no reason.

[Smjffy]

Chaps.

You couldn't have written the script if you tried. We made it out of the group stage for the first time and...



Just how many column inches would have been devoted to Wrexham, a Welsh club plying their trade in England, rising from the National League to the Premier League using only players that had come through the academy, no new arrivals not already ad the club, not a penny spent on transfer fees and only £4.8M paid to agents in nearly 15 years and yet here they are as champions of England ((technically, we still were at least) ready to take on Manchester United in the Champions League final, at the Welsh national ground, the Millenium Stadium in a bid to become Champions of Europe whilst fielding an entire team of Welshmen with seven of the starting eleven being local lads from the area. Even former servants to the nation like Sam Vokes, James Collins and record holding Ben Davies played their part as long term members of the backroom staff.

It's the only game we have left to play so proper update coming shortly but I can't bring myself to press continue at the moment. It's too poetic.

We have now won everything bar the FIFA Club World Cup which we feature in for the first time in December 3037 and the FA Cup has remained out of reach thus far along with the prestigious Community Shield, the season opener merely adds to the above as it was Manchester United that we kick started the current season against, losing 4-3 at Wembley in the early season showpiece.

[Yevrah]

Humping the fuck out of the xg only to lose or draw against someone shit 1-1 at home has been my 'favourite' part of this whole journey.

[Yevrah]

Cracking stuff there Smiff. I'm genuinely having dreams about the Champions League now.

[niko_cee]

How are you finding work permits btw? I'm starting to suspect the more wages I offer a player the more likely they are to get one.

Isn't this how it works 'IRL' now?

[Yevrah]

Isn't this how it works 'IRL' now?

Is it? Haven't heard that much noise about it yet.

[niko_cee]

I think they changed it so the bigger clubs could just chuck wages at someone without the necessary caps etc and they could get one.

It always was a bit of a bizarre system.

I'm sure under the old system Michael Essien was touch and go as to whether he could get one when he went to Chelsea because Ghana were so shit at the time (in terms of rankings at least).

[Yevrah]

Oxford City Summer Update 2035/36 Season - Championship

Onto the player movements. This was our best 11 in the Premier League.



Hines and Valpoort the star performers so I'd love to keep hold of them both, a decent bid received for anyone else wouldn't bother me too much, albeit we have a few relegation release clauses that could be an issue.

Players Out



Hamblin was the first to exercise such a clause as he moved to Premier League Palace for £14.75m. Annoyingly he also trousered half of that himself.

Valpoort then signed a new deal that got rid of his clause, which just left Derosa who followed suit the week after. A few other players on the periphery left, before the motherload happened.





Clearly a fantastic player, but try as I might I couldn't get a work permit for him and as he only had a year left on his deal I had to tout him for sale. Selling him to a future relegation rival might prove to be a mistake, but the 50% of profit from next sale could well make up for that.

And finally this chap, who became a fan favourite at the club, holds our record for league appearances with 462 and played in every division with us bar tier 6.





Shame his only Premier League game was that one against Liverpool. Just checked and he's since found a home for himself at League Two Wrexham.

Players In

We set up deals for a shit load of youngsters, including raiding PSG's youth squad three times, but in terms of first team squad INS, you're looking at the following:



Not a new signing, but bought three years ago and he's been out on loan since. Finally got a work permit for him and he's absolute mustard.



Former Man City Man who can basically play anywhere on the right side of the pitch. Picked up on a free, albeit we did give him a £350k loyalty bonus to seal the deal.



Former Atleti' player who also joined on a free. £450k on the loyalty bonus for this one.



£9.5m from Bristol City, becomes our record signing.



£550k from Bradford. Brought in for backup reasons really. I'll do a separate post for the kids as it'll be facking huge. Oh and Brobbey and France came back on loan as well.

[Danny]

Is it? Haven't heard that much noise about it yet.

I think they changed it so the bigger clubs could just chuck wages at someone without the necessary caps etc and they could get one.

It always was a bit of a bizarre system.

I'm sure under the old system Michael Essien was touch and go as to whether he could get one when he went to Chelsea because Ghana were so shit at the time (in terms of rankings at least).

https://worldfootballindex.com/2020/...-libertadores/

The rules are nuts but it does lend itself to Adra being able to snap up South Americans.

[Yevrah]

Cheers Danny. You still/ever play FM?

[Adramelch]

Well that was miserable.



Apparently you don't deserve to stay in the division if you only get 1 point in 13 games:



What's most infuriating is how close most of those games were and in fact we took the lead in half of them and then just squandered it away. It looked like we would make it at some point, but I guess it was a big ask to begin with.

[Yevrah]

Tough break Adra, the squandering leads thing rings so true. Board take it ok?

[Adramelch]

Yeah, they are still in a "pleased" status. I've been considered a Legend at the club every since we reached the Championship or so, so it'd be a bit out of left field if they got rid of me now.

[Yevrah]

Oxford City Summer Update 2035/36 Season - Championship

Youth signings

Some joined now that had been queued up previously and some (actually many) were arranged for a later date. Those who joined the club in the window are:



£4m from Blackburn. On loan now, but injuries mean I could actually do with him back. Forgot to put an option to recall in the deal though.



£750k from Red Star. No Work Permit, so off he trots.



No work permit and looks more than a bit suspect physically, but I need to take a chance on youth, centre backs especially.

Future Ins

Some of these were queued up before, but most done after we were relegated:

Toggle Spoiler

Into Jan 2036 now and this one has just joined.





















Quite hopeful on a fair few of those.

[Yevrah]

Oxford City Mid-Season Update 2035/36 Season - Championship

And to get us bang up to date, our first half season back in the Championship.

Firstly, more upgrade news:







A bit of a dodgy start but we then hit our stride. We really should be top and both finished and started the year in incredibly frustrating fashion drawing 1-1 (always 1-1) against some relegation fodder, so instead we sit 2nd.



The further good news here is that Huddersfield haven't been in the Premier League before so if one or even two of the teams going up (hopefully with me) are in that boat it'd be fantastic. I still have £100m in the bank so lord only knows what budget I'd get while they're falling victim to the prudent approach of understandably cautious chairman.

[Adramelch]

That Belgian wing back looks sick.

[Yevrah]

That Belgian wing back looks sick.

Yeah, I have particularly high hopes for him, the Serb midfielder and the Polish striker.

This window is a nightmare so far, I'm having to fend off bids from lower half Premier League teams and Chinese clubs at every click of continue.

[Adramelch]

I just noticed that our reputation took a nosedive again. We were below 7-8 championship clubs a couple months back and now we're below most of them. Pretty infuriating that.

[Yevrah]

Did you go from three stars to two and a half when you went down? Mine did temporarily but then I went back up to three again shortly after.

[Adramelch]

Nah, still at 3, just fell below other 3-star ones. I wonder how big a difference winning the Championships would make, versus just getting promoted.

[Yevrah]

Just checked and I'm behind almost all of the teams in the Championship on the list and even a team in League One (Norwich).

[Yevrah]

Not even half way through January yet.



All shocking bids as well.

[thommo]

Shame about that relegation Yev. Going to be all the better when you do reach the top though. Has Hines kicked up a fuss at all?

+1 for the Belgian wing back looking insane. He will be some player. I also like the look of the Russian full back - he looks like he could be retrained into a more attacking position easily.

[Yevrah]

Hines has been a legend. Not a peep and Watford just came in for him with a £22m bid and he didn't even want to talk to them.

[Danny]

Cheers Danny. You still/ever play FM?

I buy it every year, play it for a few month and then sack it off.

This thread picking up its pace has had me want to fire it up again though. I am figuring I can save that energy for 22 though.

[Adramelch]

What's your media prediction out of curiosity Yev? Ours is 11th.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Marseille 2045/46 Season Update:

Transfers Out:



Harry White and Bittner were the only starters for me but I tried to sell White last year so he was always going. Bittner went in January as my youth RB Ammerpohl was looking almost as good as him and I couldn't refuse £60m plus 50% next sale.

Transfers In:





I didn't really need a keeper but I couldn't say no to a cheap French lad.



He was a starter for me for a while and he was doing fairly well but then he damaged his spine and was out for a good few months so didn't get too much action after.



I'm not too sure on this lad but he was cheap and my scouts love him. I doubt he'll ever really get game time for me so he's been bought to sell on.



I think he looks class and wasn't too much money. Had a stint where he got quite a few starts and he did well too.



He doesn't suit my system but he was damn cheap and I do quite like giants.



Speaking of giants. I bought him to United for £40m and I decided to bring him with me to France when Harry White sold. It's a bit on the high side but I like height in the centre of midfield and he brings a lot of that as well being pretty well rounded.



I had this guy on a shortlist for a while but never ended up buying him as I'd have other options or his club was asking too much. I got a notification that his contract was expiring so I got him to sign and then asked his club if we could sign him now. I'm glad I did as my strikers had turned a bit shy and he came in and just starting firing. 20 goals and 3 assists in 21(3) matches with 16 of those goals coming in 14 league appearances. He'd have played in more but he got injured for the final few weeks.



Tried to sign him twice before and he stayed at his club both those times. I needed a backup LM so I went back in for a third time and he accepted finally. He was called upon a lot more than I thought due to injuries and he was great.



I tried to sign him but another club (Cremonese) came in and he accepted their loan offer. I went back in and gave him the exact same offer and he was at my club a few days later. Strange but oh well. He's going to be a God tier finisher.

League:






We struggled a bit at times early but we led the league for most of the season, I was sure Lyon would catch us at one point but they were unable to do so.

Cup:



The last two games were tough. In the semi-final we scored an equaliser to make it 4-4 in the 88th minute and then had our RM sent off just before full time. They then scored a fifth fairly early in extra time but thankfully Zucco and Leask scored a goal each in the final 5 minutes. In the final we were just fucked, so many injuries or players who were unfit so we huffed and puffed but thankfully we got it done.

Europe:



We went through as group winners by head to head over Hertha and then we smacked Palermo but Man City were sadly just too much for us. We were doing well in the first leg but they scored two goals just after half time and it seemed to take the energy out of us.



Still can't win the damn thing.

Squad:




Leask was a great addition and Perkins runs the team. I think the team is lacking depth in full backs but other than that I'm happy right now, I'm going to stay here for a while and I'm looking forward to seeing these players kick on.

Here are some select few btw:



The pre-concern is concerning because he's looking like a star already. He's willing to listen to a contract but I don't want to give him one yet as he's got 4 years left already so I'd just be giving him a fat pay raise.



I almost didn't buy him but decided to go for him after some injuries a few years ago and he's kicked on nicely. He rarely has a bad game no matter who is next to him.



I bought him when I was at Leverkusen and they gave up on him which was great for us. He can sometimes go missing which is a shame but when he's on it he's brilliant.



The head is almost as big as his potential.

[Shindig]

So when he peaks his head will be normal size?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I think it's just going to keep rising and then stop when he manages to peak.

[Yevrah]

What's your media prediction out of curiosity Yev? Ours is 11th.

14th. My board expected mid table too.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I think I'm going to have to buy him and not just because of the name and the fact that he looks about 40.

[thommo]

Wembley outing number 2 for Slough Town...





When Molumby was sent off I feared the worst but they only threatened late on. I did worry when 5 mins of added time were played and there were about 3 highlights back-to-back but we held them out.

Unfortunately I lost in the league the game before which ended my 22 game unbeaten streak dating back to October. We're only 1 win away now from securing promotion to the Championship.

[Yevrah]

Great work thommo! My solitary trophy remains the Vanarama South.

[thommo]

Cheers! Not a trophy I marked as important but once we'd got through to the latter rounds, the chance of silverware suddenly became real.

We've very quickly made it a double, despite a draw with Leyton Orient in the next game - champions of League 1 with 5 games to spare! And the board have already outlined our initial budgets for the Championship...

[Yevrah]

A cracking run that saw us unbeaten for nearly two months in the league has put us on the brink.

[thommo]

18 in 17 for Hines there. What a man.

[Yevrah]

And we're back.

[SvN]

The board and media expectations are always so much lower than they should be when you climb through the ranks like that. Which is a nice bonus I guess as it takes the pressure off a bit, but it feels like a bug rather than a feature.

Congrats on the instant bounce back. I reckon you'll be top half next season.

[Yevrah]

I think on the way up it's been fine, but getting relegated and finishing mid-table in the Championship would have been an absolute joke with all that cash flying about.

And I hope so. Not finished the summer business yet, but I think we've already got a better squad than we had at the first attempt. The field might be slightly stronger though. I feel if we manage to stay up once, that'll be it and we'll be an established (albeit at the low end) Premier League side.

[Adramelch]

It's all connected to the club reputation that has been slow to update for quite some time now. And while it does create lower expectations which takes the pressure off, it's also what keeps you from signing players that match the level you're playing at.

I think I'll spend big on central defenders when we inevitably go back up Yev. The rest of the squad felt decently good (and I've kept all of them), but the defenders definitely let us down. I might also have to do some tweaks to tactics, as we concede quite a few in " one striker vs two defenders" scenarios. Often the one defender will push forward to mark the solitary striker, miss his interception and then the other defender seems to always be just a bit too far to catch-up to the attacker. Defenders with great positioning should alleviate the problem, but I am not sure I'll have many options there.

[Yevrah]

Indeed. They're like bloody gold dust. I went big on young centre backs in the last summer window in the hope of one of them developing into a top half Premier League player in due course and I'll be doing it again if I can find any this window. The number of defenders with 15 for Tackling, Heading, Marking, Strength, Anticipation and Positioning is pitifully small. Even worse if you try and add decent pace and acceleration into the mix.

On the flip side, fast and composed strikers, who can dribble, seem ten a penny.

[Adramelch]

You know what's even more elusive than good centre backs? Players that can score penalties. Now that's like looking for a needle in the haystack.