Football Manager

[Lanteri]

Been running into hot keepers every where. Scott Carson stoned me twice in the Carling and then the League, and now Steve Harper is putting on a clinic

That reminds me.

Friedel and Guzan's contracts are up at the end of this season. I'm letting Friedel go for sure as he just turned 39. He's missed the last 3 games with an injury and is out for a couple more weeks. This is giving Guzan a decent opportunity to prove whether or not I want to keep him.

Still probably going to be looking for a keeper in the summer window.

Keepers I'm scouting:

Oscar Ustari
Stephane Ruffier
Sergio Romero
Asmir Begovic
Artur Boruc

[calgaryballer]

Switched a 4231 formation, goals are flowing. To be fair, it's only Stoke, but I need to get Carlton in good positions

[BigHouseUSA]

Demba Ba also can't score for shit

I remember getting him for cheap in FM09, probably one of the best purchases I've ever made. Sucks they've changed him.

[calgaryballer]

I remember getting him for cheap in FM09, probably one of the best purchases I've ever made. Sucks they've changed him.

His stats are OK, and at one point I know his finishing was a 9 (now a 12), but he just can't finish 1 on 1s. Probably has something to do with the 8 composure

Regardless, through to the Carling Cup quarters against Sunderland

[mgoblue2290]

Going to go with Fulham so I can utilize Dempsey...and potentially make a move for Donovan.

edit- Yeah scratch those Donovan plans. Bargain shopping it is.

[Lanteri]

Best team in England since the end of January baby.

8 wins, 5 draws, 2 losses.

If not the best team, gotta be top 3.

We're in the middle of a 5 game win streak.

[Lanteri]

I got fucking jobbed for manager of the month too.

How is Man City beating:

Birmingham 4-0
Fulham 2-1
Man U 2-1
Wigan 2-0
Sunderland 1-0

more impressive than Villa beating:

Man U 1-0
Wigan 2-1
Sunderland 3-1
Everton 4-1
Arsenal 2-1

?

Both undefeated and I had two big wins against teams I'm not supposed to beat.

[calgaryballer]

Just noticed that Jermaine Beckford accepted Grenadine citizenship. He bagged all 4 goals in a 4-0 win over Nicaragua

Crazy

[Justo]

just started a new save with CSKA Moscow, wanted to try something outside of England and i'm kinda lost already lol, this team is decently young so it should be interesting

[Fappin Raptor]

Just noticed that Jermaine Beckford accepted Grenadine citizenship. He bagged all 4 goals in a 4-0 win over Nicaragua

Crazy

He's got 31 caps and 34 goals for them now in my save.

[Lanteri]

End of the 2010/2011 season with Villa





Ashley Young was named as English Footballer of the Year. He tied Florent Malouda for the league lead in assists with 17 despite missing 7 games.

[Lanteri]

Plans for the summer window by position:

GK: Friedel is gone. He had a respectable year with a 7.04 rating, but his contract is up and he's 39-years-old. Not a ton of interest in keeping him around. I may offer to have him as a player/coach.

GK: Guzan. Guzan was really quite unimpressive. I'll likely sign him for cover, but I'm definitely going to be actively seeking a replacement.

LB: Warnock - No complaints with Warnock at all. He played in all but one game and was a very solid presence the whole way through. Not going to be actively seeking a left back, as I view Ciaran Clark as the future in that position.

RB: Tony Hibbert - Was very happy with Hibbert's play prior to his injury. He's not getting any younger though, so I'll certainly be scouting this summer for some cover/the future. Walker was a decent player and I'd love to keep him around, but there's no way Tottenham will let him go for cheap.

CBs: Dunne and Vertonghen - Dunne was a rock back there all year. My only reliable centreback prior to January. Vertonghen exceeded all my expectations for when I brought him in. The duo make a perfect stopper/cover combination that I have no intention of breaking up. I will, however, be looking to move James Collins and will be scouting for a stopper-type for the future to replace Dunne.

CMs: Bannan, Ibricic, Reo-Coker, Makoun, Bradley - Bannan had a quality year and has been improving steadily in training. He's going to be a mainstay as my deep laying playmaker (I'm running a 4-4-2 with two inside forwards, and two central midfielders, one being a BWM, the other a DLP). Ibricic was decent, nothing spectacular, not worth the money. He'll be around for cover. Reo-Coker's contract is up, and I'm letting him go. He's not awful, but he's nothing particularly special either. Bradley, I'm going to try and keep around once my new transfer budget for the upcoming season gets approved. Right now I don't have the funds. Makoun's likely to be the starter in the upcoming season. Selling Ireland when he returns from loan as well

Wingers/Inside Forwards - Probably going to be no movement here, definitely not of Young. Albrighton came on strong in the second half, and a rather poor second half from Downing led Albrighton to take the starting job. Costa was a bit of a non-factor. There's a good chance I try and send him out on loan as he was whining about playing time. I'm not looking to bring in any new faces at the position at this point.

Strikers - Gabby and Derdiyok linked up terrifically following the January window. They will be my starting pair this upcoming season. Bent was pretty unimpressive for the most part, scoring just 12 goals. He'll stay for cover for now, unless I can move him for a good amount of money.

[Lanteri]

Summer transfers:

In:

Michael Bradley - £5.5m
Artur Boruc - £3.5m
Kryiakos Papadaopoulos - £8.5m
Bobby Zamora - £3.7m
Rafinha - £18m
Roque Santa Cruz - on loan from Man City
Michael Owen - signed on a free.

Out:

Ireland - £3.6m to Fulham
Bent - £8.5m to Everton
Heskey - £100k (lol, just didn't want to pay his wages another year) to West Ham
Beye - £625k to West Ham
Douglas Costa - on loan with option to buy for £15.5m to Manchester United.
Bunch of reserve guys out on loan as well.

Reo-Coker, Pires, Luke Young, John Carew, Brad Guzan, Andy Marshall, Isaiah Osbourne, Daniel Devine, Elliot Parish all gone on frees.

I decided to offer Friedel a contract as backup/GK coach. He said he wanted to be an ass man, but accepted the GK offer. His staff attributes, are actually really good for an assistant manager.

Dumping Bent was more of a wages thing than anything else. Too much money to pay for a rotation player. Zamora's a solid enough rotation player and can certainly start in a pinch.

Starting XI

GK - Boruc
DL - Warnock
CB - Vertonghen
CB - Dunne
DR - Rafinha
MCL - Makoun
MCR - Bannan
AML - Young
AMR - Albrighton
STCR - Derdiyok
STCL - Agbonlahor

Subs: Friedel, Zamora, Hibbert, Papadopoulos, Downing, Clark, and Bradley
Others: Ibricic, Collins, Lichaj

[calgaryballer]

Big draw against Man U as Robbie Keane scores 2 minutes after making his debut

[Fappin Raptor]

I attempted to bring 38 year old David Beckham back to England so he can retire there, but he doesn't want to enter negotiations with me. If he had the transfer fee would've been only $10k, lawlz.