Football Manager 2017 - General Chat

[Guest Cannabis]

A place to discuss everything about the most addictive and most time consuming game on the planet. Are you a globe-trotting Guardiola or have you taken the Dog & Duck XI from the pits of Sunday League to a Champions League final? Everything and anything relating to the beautiful, virtual game should take place here.

Update (22/04): Due to popular demand we have now opened a Football Manager sub-forum which can be used to create individual threads for your diaries. Going forward this means that this will become a general topic for the game as opposed to where you'll post your updates. 

[Bluebird Hewitt]

So......copy and paste job?

[Dave]

ill post a mid season review. Don't worry. This one won't be as long as the last.

[Dan+]

Quite good timing. I've got a new save going. Honved just wasn't cutting it sadly. There are merits to it, but I'll explain in better detail why I simply couldn't be arsed in the end. It's too big a task.

[Dan+]

 Ridiculous.

Anyhow, I felt Honved had to come to an end. Things were going well this season and we were fighting for the title, but we were about to be picked apart again in January and I think realistically it was going to be another 20 years+ until we really did see any significant growth in the league. It's a project a little bit beyond me. That, coupled with the excessive winter break, put me off.

We move back to the more renowned leagues of Europe. A question was put out on Twitter, and immediately I got a suggestion from my mate to take over a club that many of Leicester's own fans actually have a small affinity with. It's come about from a few years ago where a few of our fans did a trip to Germany and ended up making friends with a group of other fans from said team. Slowly but surely it's become quite a regular thing and I've met a lot of them myself. I didn't want to be too sentimental with my pick, but even in footballing terms I think it's actually got potential to be quite an interesting save.

 

[Dan+]

It's been a bit of a disaster so far  That Munster save was very good actually, just a shame I ended up going to Liverpool. Was great at Liverpool for a couple of years but I wonder if I could've taken Munster even further than I did.

[Stan]

So I'm Leicester & Italy manager.

Just had a friendly with Chile. 4-0 up at HT. 4-4 by 85 mins. Won it in the 89th min . Crazy.

[Mazzari]

Might jump back into FM16, since I never bothered buying 17. Just didn't have the time for a lot of last year, might be able to find it now. I'll probably wai until 18 before buying another though, every other year seems a decent pattern.

[R-D]

Nice to see there's still somewhere to post my FM updates haha. I think I'll copy paste my last update over, then I've got an end of season to do.

I look forward to another successful FM thread.

[Dan+]

This save has been nothing short of disastrous.

[Storts]

Current save is exceptional, although broken my laptop so out of action currently.

Took over Derby, long story short I'm the best side in the world 6/7 seasons in. Won the CL back to back last two years, but my first league title last season. Won a couple of league cups and FA Cups. Club world Championship - was England for 4/5 years but got sacked after the world cup. Had a gimme game in the second round so rotated the whole squad and lost haha.

When I get my laptop back I'll update properly, but want to turn this Derby side into a dynasty, want to be top of the managers Hall of Fame as well. We've got a 50k stadium, maxed out the expansion but board won't build me a new one, even though my current balance is well over £200 million. All my youngsters I purchase are making me huge money and the best of them all homegrown now. Seriously best save I've ever had I think. We're exceptional.

[Dave]

I want to download your tactics. Now.

[Stan]

This name  

[Storts]

18 hours ago, Aaroncpfc said:

I want to download your tactics. Now.

 

I'll upload them when I get my laptop back. I have an attacking 4-2-3-1 I use in 80% of matches, and a full contain defensive 3-2-2-3 - with three shadow strikers for tricky away games, which is brilliant.

[Stan]

Finally get to move in to my new stadium. Bit shit that it didn't get called Parmar Arena (as it has in previous games when I've won PL titles).

Ah well!

[Panna King]

Finally the Mac version got updated, so I will start with Everton and make them great again! 

[R-D]

FC Groningen - 2019/20 - April

April results

Eredivisie; started the month with an incredibly impressive 4-0 victory over PSV, we were 1/6 faves and played exactly like it. Really encouraging and filled us full of confidence going into the next set of fixtures in a busy month. We then drew to RKC which felt quite damaging. Crammed between a Champions League quarter final I rested a few key players and we didn't hold our nerve. Fortunately SC Heerenveen drew their game too. We then finished the month the same way we started, with a 4-0 win over Willem II. Dominated them.

Champions League; so as if knocking Bayern Munich out wasn't enough, we go and knock out Arsenal over two legs as well! Absolutely incredible. Arsenal scored after about 38 seconds in the first leg, and I thought we were going to be in for a struggle, but we pulled level after only 4 minutes through Maupay. We went behind just before half time, but just after half time we got the equaliser again and thats how the first leg finished. I would absolutely have taken a 2-2 before kick off. Home leg, penalty for us after 15 mins, Berardi who has been so clinical with them hits one down the centre and it's saved. 2 minutes later they score. We equalised on 31st min, they took the lead about on 32nd. Couldn't believe it. Right on half time Maupay gets his and our 2nd and go into the break at 2-2, what a tie this has been. Maupay has now scored 4 goals in two games vs. Arsenal. Second half and we're the better side, much more efforts on goal, however Arsenal always looked dangerous with some of their speedy dribblers. However it fell to us on 65 mins with Ismael picking up the goal. We then held on and come away 3-2 winners, 5-4 on aggregate. Mad scenes.

Champions League semi-finals. Never did I think we would get here. In our way to the Champions League Final was Leverkusen, who have a very tidy looking side with some remarkable regens. Home leg first, paramount we stake a claim here as this is where we turn a tie. They're a heavy pressing side, so I wanted some fluidity between the lines, have passing options, but not take too many chances. It started well for us, we had most of the highlights and chances. We then took the lead, through Maupay, on 24 mins, buzzing. 32nd minute, 2-0, Maupay. What's going on. 45th minute, we give away an absolutely needless penalty, livid, 2-1 at HT. Still, I'd take it. Second half begins, a few of our players beginning to show signs of nerves, and on 65 mins Leverkusen get the equaliser. But, we're not done either, 72nd minute Maupay fires in for his hatrick with an outstanding volley on the edge of the area, 3-2, pandemonium ensues. Dreams shattered with almost the last kick of the game, they find space to play the ball through, and they shoot across goal, post and in. 3-3 FT. A tough away leg to come, but won't be too disheartened if we don't make it to the final. Maybe.

FC Groningen 4 - 0 PSV

Arsenal 2 - 2 FC Groningen (Champions League QTR)

RKC 2 - 2 FC Groningen 

FC Groningen 3 - 2 Arsenal (Champions League QTR)

FC Groningen  4 - 0 Willem II

FC Groningen 3 - 3 Leverkusen (Champions League SF)

Top of the league still with 2 games to go. 1 win will do it with our superior GD. 43 goals so far this season for Maupay, absolutely insane stuff, he is so often the difference maker. What a guy.

I signed a new two year deal as well keeping me at the club until 2022, but depending on which jobs are available end of season and what we achieve this season will determine what I do next season. 

[R-D]

FC Groningen - 2019/20 - May

May results

Eredivisie; two games of the season to go with still needing 4 points to guarantee the title, SC Heerenveen really did push us all the way this season. First game saw us take maximum points with a 3-1 win over AZ. A huge win considering it was between our Champions League semi-final, and we rested a few players with that in mind. SC Heerenveen won their game 5-0 vs. PSV - huge result for them. This left us 3 points ahead with 1 to play, but with such a superior GD we had all but sealed the title.

Final game of the season came after a short rest period away to NAC. Our away form hasn't been that impressive lately, but we haven't lost since the away defeat to SC Heerenveen, so at least a point was very likely. And a point is what we got in a 0-0. The better side but couldn't finish, and didn't really need to. Champions for a third straight season. SC Heerenveen won their game to finish 1 point behind and 13 goals shy of our GD.

Champions League; last update saw us draw 3-3 with at home with Leverkusen, 3 away goals is such an advantage for them, we essentially have to win the away leg if we're to go through, and our away form is slack. So second leg gets underway, 6 minutes in Leverkusen take the lead, god damn. They lead 4-3 on aggregate and we need to score two. 13 minutes and we're back in it. Maupay with the goal and we can then build again and still in with a chance. Excellent response from us. The game was very even in terms of possession and chances created, and it could still go either way. HT and still 1-1. Second half flies by. 60th min, no highlights, 70th minute no highlights, 80th minute no highlights. I feel lost and unable to do anything. 82 minute, a highlight, a freekick for us 25 yards. Surely just a wind up. Berardi steps up and swings that sweet left foot and it flies into the back of the net. Unbelievable, 2-1 away from home. 8 minutes to hold on for a Champions League final. We shut up, and the game ends. We win 5-4 on aggregate. Scenes.

Champions League final - vs. Real Madrid - at the Amsterdam Arena - home soil - remarkable stuff. I happened to be going to a wedding when I played this, so I was actually fully suited and booted for the occasion haha. 

In typical classic FM fashion our key CB who has played every game this season unscathed goes and gets injured before the final so he misses out. And unfortunately it showed. 5 minutes in and Cristiano put Real Madrid ahead. Defence certainly looked a little shakey. 10 minutes they have a corner, Begovic claims and we hit on the counter - excellent counter it was, bodies forward at pace, it found it's way wide left, we take a shot, it rebounds to Berardi on the right, open goal, on his favoured left, and he skies the fucker. Champions League final, open goal, and he fucking skied it. I was devastated. We then look bereft of confidence after that, and Madrid added a second on 34 minutes with Ronaldo getting his second. An almost impossible task to come back now. HT and it's 2-0.

Second half we have to try and make something, but I wanted us to control the tempo of the game. If we got one by 70/75 there's always a chance. We did better with possession, but created very little until the 57th minute when we were awarded a penalty, which Berardi steps up and puts away - I thought he was going to miss. 2-1 with 30 minutes to go, there's definitely a reason to believe. Chances fall to either side, but both unable to finish. Maupay had a bad game for us, he was marked out of the game superbly to our detriment. 65th minute, we pick up a poor clearance, work it into the final third, set Berardi through - 1 on 1, this is it to level. Wide. Absolutely couldn't believe it, so much time, so much of the goal to aim at and he's put it wide. He's buried us this game. Time begins to tick down, 80 minutes gone and we just need to get bodies up there and try our luck. Unfortunately it wasn't meant to be and Madrid run out 2-1 winners in the Amsterdam Arena. 

FC Groningen  3 - 1 AZ

Leverkusen 1 - 2  FC Groningen (Champions League semi-final)

NAC 0 - 0  FC Groningen

Real Madrid 2 - 1  FC Groningen (Champions League final)

So there we have it, another season with FC Groningen and more successful than the last (if we ignore the cup run).

Squad review

A quick run-through of some of our key players in the side:

Defence:

Begovic - solid, arguably best keeper in the league, a few lapses of concentration in big games, but generally impressed

Fuentes - incredible RB, won't be able to keep for much longer, but a top fullback

Omeruo - became a first choice CB. Very capable in the league, found out against some of the better attacks

Verdasca - lead the defence, a shame only a loan signing as he's simply fantastic

Moussaoui - for half a season backup for Para, he was top drawer

Midfield:

Llorente - still my main man. Wanted by all the top clubs now

Zendejas - Mexican star who jumped into Sturaro's grave. Likely to retain his position, but a bit lightweight

Berardi - superstar in this team. 18 goals, 24 assists in his first season, amazing

Propper - struggled start of the season, but changed his role and he became a mainstay at AMC. 13 goals, 9 assists

Ismael Diaz - improved drastically throughout the season. Went through some purple patches and some really off-form patches. Hoping for more consistency next season. 17 goals, 10 assists, which is still pretty strong

Attack:

Neal Maupay - alongside Berardi, the absolute star of the show when it came to the final third. 46 goals! 8 assists. Far too good for this league, and easily showed his worth on the European stage too, finishing just two goals behind Ronaldo in this season's Champions League. Won numerous awards too.

What's next

Decisions to make now. Quite happy to stay at Groningen to be honest, I'm still enjoying it, and looking forward to seeing some of our youngsters develop some more. Be interesting to see how many we retain over the summer. Been given a £22m transfer budget to spend, and we need a left back and CB as priority. 

No jobs currently available that interest me - the likes of Liverpool and Fulham are going, but still unsure if I want to go to England yet. Napoli, Barcelona and Real Madrid all insecure, so could see about those. 

[Dalmore]

 

I recently downloaded this for my android and it looks just like the football manager we all know. Has anyone played it yet? It's pretty good for a game that you can play on your mobile during work for example 

[Berserker]

12 hours ago, Dalmore said:

 

I recently downloaded this for my android and it looks just like the football manager we all know. Has anyone played it yet? It's pretty good for a game that you can play on your mobile during work for example 

I don't know if it's from the same company, but Championship Manager was the real deal about 20 years ago. Football Manager acquired part of CM's team when they started, they competed a few years but ultimately FM won the battle a few years ago.

[Stan]

5 minutes ago, Berserker said:

I don't know if it's from the same company, but Championship Manager was the real deal about 20 years ago. Football Manager acquired part of CM's team when they started, they competed a few years but ultimately FM won the battle a few years ago.

Even longer than 20 years. 

I remember playing CM 93/94 in my early teens and having to use match results as a password/code to get in to the game . And remember players like Brian McCLair and Nii Lamptey being absolute beasts on the game. Was so basic yet so fun to play CM93/94 like that. 

Then came the later versions of CM with legends like To Madeira, Tonton Zola Moukoku, Cherno Samba, Mark Kerr & Michalis Konstantinou 

[Bluebird Hewitt]

20 minutes ago, Berserker said:

I don't know if it's from the same company, but Championship Manager was the real deal about 20 years ago. Football Manager acquired part of CM's team when they started, they competed a few years but ultimately FM won the battle a few years ago.

Pretty close. Football Manager was indeed Championship Manager when the series first started and continued until Championship Manager 03/04. 

Sports Interactive and their original publishers Eidos broke up the partnership and SI lost the naming rights. And so, Football Manager was born under new publisher Sega.

[Berserker]

24 minutes ago, StanLCFC said:

Even longer than 20 years. 

I remember playing CM 93/94 in my early teens and having to use match results as a password/code to get in to the game . And remember players like Brian McCLair and Nii Lamptey being absolute beasts on the game. Was so basic yet so fun to play CM93/94 like that. 

Then came the later versions of CM with legends like To Madeira, Tonton Zola Moukoku, Cherno Samba, Mark Kerr & Michalis Konstantinou 

Yeah it was fun as hell, i loved the 2003/04 version with Cavenaghi being a wonderkid that became better than Batistuta and a lot more beasts we had in our team.

3 minutes ago, Bluebird Hewitt said:

Pretty close. Football Manager was indeed Championship Manager when the series first started and continued until Championship Manager 03/04. 

Sports Interactive and their original publishers Eidos broke up the partnership and SI lost the naming rights. And so, Football Manager was born under new publisher Sega.

Yeah that was what happened, been quite a while since i read up about it

[WhoNose]

Ah what a game. FM2013 is the one I still play. The things I've achieved...

[Cure]

23 hours ago, R-D said:

FC Groningen - 2019/20 - May

May results

Eredivisie; two games of the season to go with still needing 4 points to guarantee the title, SC Heerenveen really did push us all the way this season. First game saw us take maximum points with a 3-1 win over AZ. A huge win considering it was between our Champions League semi-final, and we rested a few players with that in mind. SC Heerenveen won their game 5-0 vs. PSV - huge result for them. This left us 3 points ahead with 1 to play, but with such a superior GD we had all but sealed the title.

Final game of the season came after a short rest period away to NAC. Our away form hasn't been that impressive lately, but we haven't lost since the away defeat to SC Heerenveen, so at least a point was very likely. And a point is what we got in a 0-0. The better side but couldn't finish, and didn't really need to. Champions for a third straight season. SC Heerenveen won their game to finish 1 point behind and 13 goals shy of our GD.

Champions League; last update saw us draw 3-3 with at home with Leverkusen, 3 away goals is such an advantage for them, we essentially have to win the away leg if we're to go through, and our away form is slack. So second leg gets underway, 6 minutes in Leverkusen take the lead, god damn. They lead 4-3 on aggregate and we need to score two. 13 minutes and we're back in it. Maupay with the goal and we can then build again and still in with a chance. Excellent response from us. The game was very even in terms of possession and chances created, and it could still go either way. HT and still 1-1. Second half flies by. 60th min, no highlights, 70th minute no highlights, 80th minute no highlights. I feel lost and unable to do anything. 82 minute, a highlight, a freekick for us 25 yards. Surely just a wind up. Berardi steps up and swings that sweet left foot and it flies into the back of the net. Unbelievable, 2-1 away from home. 8 minutes to hold on for a Champions League final. We shut up, and the game ends. We win 5-4 on aggregate. Scenes.

Champions League final - vs. Real Madrid - at the Amsterdam Arena - home soil - remarkable stuff. I happened to be going to a wedding when I played this, so I was actually fully suited and booted for the occasion haha. 

In typical classic FM fashion our key CB who has played every game this season unscathed goes and gets injured before the final so he misses out. And unfortunately it showed. 5 minutes in and Cristiano put Real Madrid ahead. Defence certainly looked a little shakey. 10 minutes they have a corner, Begovic claims and we hit on the counter - excellent counter it was, bodies forward at pace, it found it's way wide left, we take a shot, it rebounds to Berardi on the right, open goal, on his favoured left, and he skies the fucker. Champions League final, open goal, and he fucking skied it. I was devastated. We then look bereft of confidence after that, and Madrid added a second on 34 minutes with Ronaldo getting his second. An almost impossible task to come back now. HT and it's 2-0.

Second half we have to try and make something, but I wanted us to control the tempo of the game. If we got one by 70/75 there's always a chance. We did better with possession, but created very little until the 57th minute when we were awarded a penalty, which Berardi steps up and puts away - I thought he was going to miss. 2-1 with 30 minutes to go, there's definitely a reason to believe. Chances fall to either side, but both unable to finish. Maupay had a bad game for us, he was marked out of the game superbly to our detriment. 65th minute, we pick up a poor clearance, work it into the final third, set Berardi through - 1 on 1, this is it to level. Wide. Absolutely couldn't believe it, so much time, so much of the goal to aim at and he's put it wide. He's buried us this game. Time begins to tick down, 80 minutes gone and we just need to get bodies up there and try our luck. Unfortunately it wasn't meant to be and Madrid run out 2-1 winners in the Amsterdam Arena. 

FC Groningen  3 - 1 AZ

Leverkusen 1 - 2  FC Groningen (Champions League semi-final)

NAC 0 - 0  FC Groningen

Real Madrid 2 - 1  FC Groningen (Champions League final)

So there we have it, another season with FC Groningen and more successful than the last (if we ignore the cup run).

Squad review

A quick run-through of some of our key players in the side:

Defence:

Begovic - solid, arguably best keeper in the league, a few lapses of concentration in big games, but generally impressed

Fuentes - incredible RB, won't be able to keep for much longer, but a top fullback

Omeruo - became a first choice CB. Very capable in the league, found out against some of the better attacks

Verdasca - lead the defence, a shame only a loan signing as he's simply fantastic

Moussaoui - for half a season backup for Para, he was top drawer

Midfield:

Llorente - still my main man. Wanted by all the top clubs now

Zendejas - Mexican star who jumped into Sturaro's grave. Likely to retain his position, but a bit lightweight

Berardi - superstar in this team. 18 goals, 24 assists in his first season, amazing

Propper - struggled start of the season, but changed his role and he became a mainstay at AMC. 13 goals, 9 assists

Ismael Diaz - improved drastically throughout the season. Went through some purple patches and some really off-form patches. Hoping for more consistency next season. 17 goals, 10 assists, which is still pretty strong

Attack:

Neal Maupay - alongside Berardi, the absolute star of the show when it came to the final third. 46 goals! 8 assists. Far too good for this league, and easily showed his worth on the European stage too, finishing just two goals behind Ronaldo in this season's Champions League. Won numerous awards too.

What's next

Decisions to make now. Quite happy to stay at Groningen to be honest, I'm still enjoying it, and looking forward to seeing some of our youngsters develop some more. Be interesting to see how many we retain over the summer. Been given a £22m transfer budget to spend, and we need a left back and CB as priority. 

No jobs currently available that interest me - the likes of Liverpool and Fulham are going, but still unsure if I want to go to England yet. Napoli, Barcelona and Real Madrid all insecure, so could see about those. 

Real Madrid manager unsercure after a UCL win? That doesn't at all sound like a certain club from West London. 

Gutted for that loss. Getting a team like that to arguably the biggest final in competitive football is really impressive anyway.