***The Official Football Manager Thread***

[rsnomar05]

The best football game on the planet doesn't have its own sub-forum or dedicated thread. It's time to change that.

To get the ball rolling, let's hear some managerial stories. Who are you with, how are you doing, what players have you signed, etc.?

I am managing Arsenal. I usually start with a top-tier team just so I will be able to fully explore all the new features, and then I switch to a lower-division team and try and bring them to top-flight glory.

This year that didn't happen, thanks to Manchester United.

Throughout my first season, I was battling Manchester United for everything. They first eliminated me in the Carling Cup Semis (then they lost to Portsmouth in the finals), but since I could care less about that tournament, it was no big deal. Until I lost to them in the Champions League Semis. Thanks to Barcelona, Man Utd. didn't win that competition either.

Then came the league. Heading into the last game, we were both tied in points, but I had a three goal lead in goal-differential. I won 1-0, and I felt really confident. Surely I had just won the league, as there was no way in hell United were going to- THEY WON 5-0???!!! That's right. Tied on points for the Premier League lead, but in second place by one goal in goal-differential.

To make matters worse, the board was lowballing me, offering terrible contract after terrible contract. My players were vouching for me, as new signing Ribery in particular told the press he believed Arsenal should pay up and sign me. But the board wanted trophies, and I had so far delivered none. The only thing standing between me and trophy glory was....you guessed it, Manchester United. On to the FA Cup.

Up 1-nil in stoppage time, with the five minutes given by the refs already up. Ronaldo, with the ball deep in my half, dribbles past Gallas easily, moves into the box, and nets one far post. Crap. Now it's deep into the second extra time's stoppage-time. Second-half sub Vela (replacing Van Persie who's match rating was a 5.2) beat out Ferdinand to a long-ball and was one-on-one with the keeper. Unfortunately a miracle save denied Vela the goal, but set up a corner, where new signing Pirlo swung it in far post to Adebayor who was waiting to head it in. GOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!

After winning the FA Cup, the board paid-up, but I was only signed, once-again, to a one-year deal.

Flash forward to year two. New signings Arshavin, Sergio Asenjo (an incredibly high-potential GK), and Micah Richards had me breezing through the CL group stages, advancing easily in the FA Cup (it's fun watching your B team destroy championship sides), and eking out a two-point domestic league lead over...Manchester United.

So it should be no shock that in the Carling Cup Final (the last game I played), I was matched with the hated United. I hate them more than Tottenham now, because Tottenham just plain suck and got relegated. In fact, while last year I didn't care about the Carling Cup, now I do, because I want to kick United into the ground. Here is the lineup I've been trotting out:

Ade                  Van Persie

^
|
|
Nasri                           ^
                                   |
                                   |
                                   |
^              Fabregas       Ribery
|
|
|
Pirlo
^                                    ^
|                                     |
|                                     |
Clichy   Toure    Richards    Sagna
              |            |                     
              |            |                      
             \/           \/                        
                   
                Asenjo

EDIT: Those are supposed to be forward-arrows for Ribery and Sagna.

So Fabregas is injured, and that means normally Denilson would play CM. Problem is, he's injured too. So Nasri becomes my CM, with Arshavin subbing in at Nasri's usual spot.. Second problem is, United score three unanswered goals in the first half, are dominating possession, and I think it's over. I'm trying to justify the loss to myself, saying, "Well, Carling Cup isn't important anyway." But the board is going to be extremely upset at the loss, and the squad harmony that has helped the team a ton may go down the toilet. I switch a more direct approach, bringing in Walcott and Vela for Van Persie and Ade. My assistant says that both are playing with a total lack of confidence, both ratings at the end of the half 5.0. I also start counter-attacking to try capitalize off all the Man. Utd. Pressure.

And it doesn't work. The attacking has been better, I've been gaining more possession, but I'm still down 3-0 entering the 80th minute, when a direct pass from Sagna on the counter finds Walcott streaking unopposed in the box for an easy goal. At this point I'm on all-out attack, desperate, but without hope. Until Vela puts one in off a Pirlo corner in the 89th minute. Now I'm thinking, "there is no way this is happening. I won't score again. The players are just teasing me." But in the waning seconds of stoppage time, Vela scores from 35 yards on a goal that has to be goal of the year. TIE GAME!!!!!

Fast-forward to the first extra-time period, where Rooney scores on a bogus PK call. At least I think it's bogus, because Richards is absolutely furious. We head to the second extra-time period, down one. I can't believe the team is going to squander a miracle comeback. Arshavin is exhausted, so I move Vela back to LAM, and sub in Bendtner at striker. Bendtner is supposed to be good at headers, and just seconds after I put him in he heads a Nasri cross into the net. TIE GAME AGAIN!!!! One minute later, Vela nets the hat-trick on a beautiful counter attack that resulted in a two-on-one and Walcott drawing the defender, then passing to Vela for the easy shot. GOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It should be no surprise that from there on out I went into the bunker. The strategy paid off, I won the game and the Carling Cup with two miracle comebacks, and the board and fans were delighted. What a game!

I haven't gone past that point yet, but I'm still alive in every other competition, and I hope I do well enough that I'll get offered a gig with a high-profile national team. Because thus far it's been Paraguay and Chile.

So, what's going on your career?

[miget33]

Haven't been able to buy this year's version yet, and my laptop won't read my 08 version. So I've been in withdrawal for a while.

[Bruins]

Probably going to start a game with Parma soon and try and return them to their former glory...

[Perceptor]

Dude I love this game lol.

I am in my second season at Barca after a treble winning 1st season in charge. I won the league over Real Madrid by a whopping 19 points while I also beat Real Madrid in the Spanish Cup final.

The Champion's League was one of the easiest finals as I took advantage of an injury-riddled Arsenal to beat them 5-1.

In my 1st season, I only signed young players for the future like Henri Saivet, Lamine Gassama, and Davide Santon as cover. I also signed Asenjo and got rid of Keita, Gudjohnsen, and Marques.

After my major wins, I was able to go on a spending spree by getting Gareth Bale and David Silva to further bolster my team. I am primarily looking for Spanish talent and build a good Spanish Barca side.

I am playing a tactic I found on the si forums called Sexy Football. It is a quick passing 4-4-2 where the main playmaker is the central midfielder. Xavi had 22 assists with that tactic.

As for Messi, he was World Player of the Year and very awesome in the game.

[rsnomar05]

Quote: Originally Posted by Perceptor

Dude I love this game lol. I am in my second season at Barca after a treble winning 1st season in charge. I won the league over Real Madrid by a whopping 19 points while I also beat Real Madrid in the Spanish Cup final. The Champion's League was one of the easiest finals as I took advantage of an injury-riddled Arsenal to beat them 5-1. In my 1st season, I only signed young players for the future like Henri Saivet, Lamine Gassama, and Davide Santon as cover. I also signed Asenjo and got rid of Keita, Gudjohnsen, and Marques. After my major wins, I was able to go on a spending spree by getting Gareth Bale and David Silva to further bolster my team. I am primarily looking for Spanish talent and build a good Spanish Barca side. I am playing a tactic I found on the si forums called Sexy Football. It is a quick passing 4-4-2 where the main playmaker is the central midfielder. Xavi had 22 assists with that tactic. As for Messi, he was World Player of the Year and very awesome in the game.

That wasn't a very successful first season now was it?

Did you get any international offers?

[Bruins]

I need a RB for Parma. Any suggestions?

[rsnomar05]

Sagna has been phenomenal for me so far. I would recommend him.

Btw...for anyone looking for a DM, Pirlo has had few games under a 7 match rating for me. I know he's not young, but he's great at free kicks and corners (he does both for me), PKs (he's a 20), and he leads my team in man of the match awards.

[Bruins]

Thanks, but I wouldn't be able to bring in Sagna. No way he'd leave Arsenal for a Serie B side.

Brought in Davide Santon from Inter for $1.2M. He'll immediately take over the RB spot (once he gets back from the Olympics), and has tremendous upside for when I get back into Serie A.

[Perceptor]

Quote: Originally Posted by rsnomar05

Sagna has been phenomenal for me so far. I would recommend him. Btw...for anyone looking for a DM, Pirlo has had few games under a 7 match rating for me. I know he's not young, but he's great at free kicks and corners (he does both for me), PKs (he's a 20), and he leads my team in man of the match awards.

Pirlo is good, but if you want younger, Miguel Veloso can be had at the start of the game for 12.25 million. I signed Ignacio Camacho fro Atletico Madrid for 12.9 million for Barca only because I wanted a Spanish team

[Tomasperez9]

Well, I'm in my second season with Fulham (I guess I should say Ray Hudson -- from GolTV -- is in his second season with Fulham). Either way, I came in 15th in the first season, which I was content with, as my ambition was to avoid relegation. I was something like 10 points out of the drop-zone, so I was playing fairly well, including a late season 2-1 away victory over Chelsea that pretty much secured my spot in the league and put a lid on Chelsea's league title ambitions . I didn't really have any major transactions during the season: I picked up Lee McCulluch on a loan-to-buy over the summer (he managed to bag 11 goals in all competitions, which was pretty nice considering he played half of the games at LM); Robert Lewandowski and Claudio Hussein (a CM/DM from Brazil who is quite good and acted as cover when Adranik went down for 2 months) joined the Cottagers during the January window; I also grabbed Dudu Aouate because Schwarzer is terrible, single handedly costing me 2 games in the Prem.

As for the second season, I just finished my first game, a 4-0 thrashing of Blackburn. Samba scored an OG and was sent off in the 38th minute, so I knew things would go my way. Over the summer, I brought in Juan Angel Albin on a loan because I desperately needed a winger who could take my set-pieces and whip in some nice balls from the wing (it worked out pretty well, as he already has 2 assists -- one on a corner and one on a nice cross to Lewandowski). I also managed to snag Ariza Makuluka from Benfica for only 1.6m who will primarily play in midweek games or act as backup for McCulluch, Lewandowksi, and Andy Johnson. Simon Davies went packing to West Ham for 6.5m (a steal by my standards).

Anything else you need to know, I'd be more than happy to share (screenshots, game results, etc.)