[Football] Football Manager 2021

[Frutos]

What do people make of this year's instalment?

I've been playing for a couple of weeks now and really enjoying it, no huge revolutionary new features but plenty of tweaks and improvements as always.

I couldn't really get engrossed in my usual Albion save, so I'm currently working on dragging Deportivo La Coruna out of Segunda B (through a labyrinthine mess of a play-off system) and then back towards the Primera - its going well so far, got back to the Segunda at the first time of asking, and currently on course for another promotion as well as dumping Barca out of the Copa del Rey.

Main bargain has been Peque, a young striker signed from Barca in the Jan 2021 window for about £200k. He has 26 goals in 24 games for me so far in 2021-22.

 

[schmunk]

I'm playing the mobile version and have taken Eastbourne Borough up to League 2 so far, in 22/23.

Albion got relegated in 21/22...

 

[Lenny Rider]

I'm playing the mobile version and have taken Eastbourne Borough up to League 2 so far, in 22/23.

Albion got relegated in 21/22...

Is Greg Luer scoring goals for fun for EB still?

He's betrothed to my Neice and works in the family business.

 

[Dorset Seagull]

I have only just taken the plunge and moved from FM10 to FM13. However I am doing OK in my FC Nantes Fallen Giant save. I did acquire a free copy of FM20 when it was made available recently so might have a dabble over Xmas to see what that is all about

 

[SweatyMexican]

I may or may not have over 100 hours in it already.

I only usually get it every few years but I'm very much liking this addition.

Currently on a journeyman save, just been given the Wigan job to try and sort out their financial problems.

 

[schmunk]

Is Greg Luer scoring goals for fun for EB still?

He's betrothed to my Neice and works in the family business.

Sorry, I got rid pretty sharpish and signed in a load of pacier youngsters released from bigger clubs on frees, one of whom is Ryan Longman of this parish...

Greg's now at Alfreton.

 

[WhingForPresident]

I'm in my second season with Albion, in 6th with about a third of the season left. Really enjoying it but it is taking me even longer than usual to get through games with all the additional stats and data and even more staff roles to worry about.

I always tell myself I'll try not to sell all our players but that's easier said than done- I've been very busy in the transfer market. Bissouma (China), Propper (China), Ostigard (China), Andone (China), Burn (China), Groß (China) March (Bournemouth), Maupay (Fulham), Ryan (Schalke), Bernardo (China), Jahanbakhsh (Saudi League) & Izquierdo (Newcastle) netted me around £180m. Someone actually gave me £5m for Locadia as well which was hilarious. I've spent the cash (over two seasons) on Sandro Tonali, Gustavo Assunçao, Dominic Livakovic, Kristoffer Ajer, Josep Gvardiol, David Brooks, Dominic Szoboszlai, Patson Daka, Denzel Dumfries, Adria Pedrosa and Nikola Vlasic, also have Minamino and Mariano on loan with buy options. Almost feels like cheating bringing in Ajer, Tonali and Szoboszlai but they were available and in my budget so had to do it. This save's all about getting a feel for it anyway before I go off to some mad league with zero budget.

Only disastrous signing I've made so far was Ben Davies from Spurs for £18m out of desperation, he was terrible. Fortunately I recouped most of it (thanks again China). Dumfries has been pretty shit as well actually.

So yeah, the only regular starters remaining are White, Trossard, Lamptey and Connolly. Alzate, Lallana, Mac Allister and Dunk make the odd appearance and Karbownik is a surprisingly good utility option. Haydon Roberts is well on his way to stardom as well, he is averaging a 7.08 on loan to Sevilla this season and should be taking over the mantle from Dunk next season, though I'll still keep Lewis around obviously.

We finished 13th last season but could have actually been relegated on the final day... Started really strong then just went on the shittest run imaginable, hence the massive changes to the squad. I was trying to recreate our current tactics whilst playing a 3-5-2 which was probably a part of the problem... I switched to a tiki-taka flat 4-4-2 though which is serving us well at the moment, along with the massive squad overhaul.

 

[studio150]

I suffered with a few bugs at the outset, with the cursor not aligned correctly, and unable to get a correct screen size, which effectively made the game unplayable, It was so bad, I was about to delete the game and seek a refund.
Fortunately I found a work around in the screen size issue on a forum, and the big update recently issued has solved the cursor issue and other minor issues.

I tend to swap between top division teams and lower league ones to get some variety,

I'm currently at Feyenoord and am 4th in the table with a game in hand at the Winter break.

 

[The Fits]

I'm in my second season with Albion, in 6th with about a third of the season left. Really enjoying it but it is taking me even longer than usual to get through games with all the additional stats and data and even more staff roles to worry about.

I always tell myself I'll try not to sell all our players but that's easier said than done- I've been very busy in the transfer market. Bissouma (China), Propper (China), Ostigard (China), Andone (China), March (Bournemouth), Maupay (Fulham), Ryan (Schalke), Bernardo (China), Jahanbakhsh (Saudi League), netted me around £150m, which I've spent (over two seasons) on Sandro Tonali, Gustavo Assunçao, Dominic Livakovic, Kristoffer Ajer, Josep Gvardiol, David Brooks, Dominic Szoboszlai, Patson Daka, Denzel Dumfries, Adria Pedrosa and Nikola Vlasic, also have Minamino and Mariano on loan with buy options. Almost feels like cheating bringing in Ajer, Tonali and Szoboszlai but they were available and in my budget so had to do it. This save's all about getting a feel for it anyway before I go off to some mad league with zero budget.

Only disastrous signing I've made so far was Ben Davies from Spurs for £18m out of desperation, he was terrible. Fortunately I recouped most of it (thanks again China). Dumfries has been pretty shit as well actually.

So yeah, the only regular starters remaining are White, Trossard, Lamptey and Connolly. Alzate, Lallana, Mac Allister and Dunk make the odd appearance and Karbownik is a surprisingly good utility option. Haydon Roberts is well on his way to stardom as well, he is averaging a 7.08 on loan to Sevilla this season and should be taking over the mantle from Dunk next season, though I'll still keep Lewis around obviously.

We finished 13th last season but could have actually been relegated on the final day... Started really strong then just went on the shittest run imaginable, hence the massive changes to the squad. I was trying to recreate our current tactics whilst playing a 3-5-2 which was probably a part of the problem... I switched to a tiki-taka flat 4-4-2 though which is serving us well at the moment, along with the massive squad overhaul.

Karbownik and Roberts are both 'wonderkids'. We have four- Lamptey and Ostigard the other two.

 

[Barnet Seagull]

Usually I'm all over it but lost my way on it a bit last year as nothing much changed and spending time on Fifa instead. Perhaps I'll pick it up in a over new year.

 

[Swansman]

Is Greg Luer scoring goals for fun for EB still?

He's betrothed to my Neice and works in the family business.

I had him on my Athletic Sussex (started in League 2, only allowed to use players born in the region) save that I made this summer and he was scoring lots of goals up front with Conor Chaplin next to him and Dean Cox behind them.

 

[SimpKingpin]

I'm playing the mobile version and have taken Eastbourne Borough up to League 2 so far, in 22/23.

Albion got relegated in 21/22...

So the big question.

Did BHA stick with Potter when they got relegated?

 

[schmunk]

So the big question.

Did BHA stick with Potter when they got relegated?

Errr, no - it's now Aitor Karanka.

 

[Frutos]

On a Football Manager/Championship Manager note, I've just read that Champ Man 01-02 legend Maxim Tsigalko has passed away, aged 37.

RIP.

 

[studio150]

Time travel arrives to FM21

 

[Ali_rrr]

Enjoying this one a lot more than the last couple although I would say it's far too easy to get big money for players. Seems you flog anyone off to China for £15m+ and it's hard to reject it.

 

[blue-shifted]

Glad the latest instalment of the tool most people who come to NSC with transfer speculation use, is decent this year

 

[Barnet Seagull]

So, picked this up finally and decided to re-create my FM20 "play like Graham Potter" tactic. Thought I'd sign a new striker and left winger for added firepower. I think the tactic is spot on...

FFS

 

[HastingsSeagull]

I like this version. Seems to run quicker on my very old rig whilst at the same time letting me run more leagues than usual.

1st season in the bag as Albion. 4th in EPL plus won both FA Cup and League Cup. Signings were GK Livakovic, LB Wijndal, DCM Lewis Cook, AMR Marcus Edwards, ST Edouard. Most of them funded partly by future installments. Shipped loads of dead wood out.

Play a progressive, confident, posession based 4-2-3-1 95% of the time with a couple of 5 at the back defensive systems for when well ahead or for games against biggest sides. One was long ball and one the Italian sit back with librero one Catenaccio(sp?).

Preseason preparing for Champions League campaign and determined to be above Manure this year and at least challenging Citeh and Liverpool for league. Signed Max Aarons to give me 3 quality FBs, Anel Ahmedhodzic from Sweden who looks a good Bosnian CB upgrade on Webster for bench, Sessegnon when got transfer listed mainly for English flexible depth on complete left side but was a bit of a spur of the moment buy, Brooks for AMC/AMR and Dolberg as another striker. Hopefully biggest bargain is Sander Berge for 6M from relegated Sheff Utd who'll rotate around central 3 midfield spots. Wanted some young English (ex city) CB at Fulham but price was crazy. Wanted the young Burnley left winger when they got releagated but he sold for something like 49 million to Fulham �� Kept trying to prize Rice from West Ham and he's keen but they don't seem to be. Run out of money now anyway.

Brexit seems a bit scary so been trying to look for half my signings to be British.

 

[BadFish]

I have only been playing for a couple of days but I am impressed so far.

Playing a 3-4-2-1 Gegen press with wingback, I tried this on fm20 but reverted to a 4-2-3-1. Seems to be going okay so far (just beat Spurs 2-0 - which is nice).

Sold BDB and Ali J and am trying to offload Gross (too slow). Bought in Pato on a free, Gaglardini from Inter, Sean Longstaff on loan, Ben Johnstone on loan as back up for Lamptey and a defender from Malmo.

Welbeck is banging them in for me (7 in 8), with good back up from Pato and Connolly). Trossard playing well behind the strikers with Lallana as an attacking CM playmaker.

Dunk is a Libero which seems to be working out nicely.

Now watch it all fall apart.