Football Manager

[Bigpapa42]

Took home the Carling Cup with a 0-0 (3-2 Pen) win over Bolton. Winston Reid was sent off for a last man foul in the 49th, but we still threatened going forward.

Cole, Upson and Stanislas are all exhausted and will get a rest now

Nice work.

It seems that going a man down isn't quite as much of a negative as it was on earlier versions. I remember on 08 and 09, it seemed the getting a player red-carded pretty much meant you gonna give up a couple of goals. Not so much now.

[calgaryballer]

Aston Villa sacked Houlier, and the rumour is I will be approached for the job. Think I will decline, but the team is probably more talented than mine. They picked up Douglas Costa in the transfer window, so that's nice

[Bigpapa42]

Huntelaar has 18 goals in 24 matches. I've never had a striker be this prolific. Usually the goals are spread out but he's just on fire. I can't help but wonder what his tally would be had he not had an entire month where he went to pure shit.

Huntelaar was pure magic a few years ago when I played as Ajax. I think it was his actual last season there and he just scored for fun in that game (much like reality). When he left Ajax, I really thought he would be a success but he's been pretty mediocre everywhere...

[BigHouseUSA]

Had Man City in back-to-back games, one on Wednesday and the other on Saturday. Beat them in the FA Cup Replay with a largely backup squad, then drew them on Saturday, scored a late one to do it, so they're still one point ahead of me in the league.

Drew Udinese 1-1 away in the first league of the CL quarters, too. Still a good chance for the treble.

[mgoblue2290]

Huntelaar has 18 goals in 24 matches. I've never had a striker be this prolific. Usually the goals are spread out but he's just on fire. I can't help but wonder what his tally would be had he not had an entire month where he went to pure shit.

I was looking at his attributes and he is ridiculously good in that game. I'm going to have to try and buy him at some point.

[BigHouseUSA]

He was one of those definite buys for the past few games, along with Eddie Johnson in 08. :ooops:

[calgaryballer]

Been struggling for results since we won the Carling Cup, but just went in to Old Trafford and took a 2-0 win. Tom Cairney returned to play 15 minutes off the bench, Hitz scored his first since joining us and Matty Upson finally posted a rating better than 6.5. All around, might be the impetus for a good run in.

6 games left in the season, 4 home, 2 away. Rovers, Birmingham, Wolves, Blackpool, Bolton, Sunderland

Sitting on 41 points, Blackburn is in 10th with 43, Sunderland 9th with 47, Fulham 8th with 48. I think Top 10 is possible, any higher might be tough.

[mgoblue2290]

With 8 matches left, Bremen is sitting in the relegation zone. You better believe that if they get relegated I'll poach Mertesacker and Marin.

Mertesacker was a beast for me in FM 2010. I signed him for a pretty large fee and he ended up getting something like 10 goals, all on corners, plus his average rating for the year was about 7.6. Was the cornerstone of my defense for the rest of my time playing that save.

[BigHouseUSA]

I'm keeping my eye on Everton in my save, only about eight games left and they're in the relegation zone, quite a few players I'd love to have.

[mgoblue2290]

Where exactly do you find your shortlist? I can never find the damn thing. Does it even exist?

[BigHouseUSA]

In the CL semi's, every team is English.

[mgoblue2290]

So far I've won all of the 8 Eredivisie matches I've played. Ola Toivonen has been excellent up top with 12 goals in 13 appearances. However I would still like to get a striker with much better finishing to play with him up top. I think he'd be better suited as the guy working the ball to someone else, rather than being my target man like he is now.

[Lanteri]

Doing a Liverpool save now. Just finished 2010/2011.

My only transfers were bringing Jose Enrique, Moussa Sissoko, and Gary Cahill in. Agger and Maxi Rodriguez out.

Lost in the Europa League Semi-Finals 1-1 on away goals to Juventus. We really sputtered out in the final 10 games of the season. We were in a tight race with Arsenal at the top of the table, trailing them by 1 point up until about 10 games to go in the season. Glen Johnson got hurt and missed the remainder of the season, which really hurt our side, as I ran a 4-1-2-1-2 narrow rigid counter attacking diamond which relies on the fullbacks for width. Martin Kelly was a huge downgrade from Johnson.

Andy Carroll was a massive disappointment, sustaining two month-long injuries, and even when he was fit managed only 4 goals. Not really sure what I'm going to do in the Summer window about it. Also going to look at long term replacements for Carragher and Gerrard.

[Lanteri]

It's weird that Carroll didn't really work out as he's got very good attributes for the target man role in this formation. Suarez, was naturally the ideal choice for the Advanced Forward role. I guess I'm hoping that with a full season Carroll can bounce back.

I'm sure a good part of his struggles can indeed by attributed to the tactics. He's obviously not a particularly pacy guy so I can see how he would struggle a bit in a counter attacking side.

[Lanteri]

I'm looking to play a Liverpool save next after I put down my Schalke save. I'm already planning on playing Carroll as a poacher. I'm also going to train him individually on quickness. He is good off the ball, has good anticipation, and determination. He lacks creativity, but that doesn't matter to a poacher. Playing him as a poacher would ensure he's always around the goal. It's the same way I play Huntelaar. He get's his fair share of goals off headers.

Also it depends on your team tactics. He could very well be simply holding the ball and bringing in other players. I imagine you want people putting crosses into him, not holding up the ball, if so I suggest increasing the frequency of crosses by your wide players.

Have you gone into the team tactics and set your primary target man to your striker? You can do that and still play Carroll as a poacher, advanced forward, etc. I'm planning on playing him as a poacher, setting him as the primary target man, and changing target man supply to "head".

Yeah he's been set to target man the whole way. That's a good idea though to change him to poacher.

I think I'll move Suarez over to the right side, keeping his role as advanced forward/attack, as he's a good crosser/dribbler, while switching Carroll's role from TM/attack to poacher, and keep him as target man in the team instructions then and see how that works in the coming season.

That should work with not needing to search for a new striker either, as N'Gog can play the poacher role as well. Wasn't comfortable playing him as an advanced forward.