Shifty*i Messes Around at FM

[ShiftyPowers]

I'm not going to win the league, but I JUST BEAT BAYERN!

E: My strategy was pretty much to wait until next year and see what kind of players were available and what kind of transfer funds I would get. The only signing for this season was Ricardo Rodriguez, but considering I was unable to sell Gibbs I probably should have done with him what I did with the others. I signed Serge Aurier and Timo Werner for reasonable fees, but loaned them back to their clubs for the duration of the year. Aurier could do more at his club and this allowed me to hang onto Sagna for his final season. Werner, IMO, probably wasn't better than Bendtner and I knew that he'd get time at Stuttgart. Next year he'll come to London and backup Giroud who is a good striker IMO who can play in other players.

I don't see any glaring holes in the side for next season, so I'll be making more transfers of opportunity. I unsettled Schurrle at Chelsea, but they want 26m for him so far. That should drop in the summer. I've explained my Ramsey problem and I may sell him in order to find a more suitable partner for Wilshere; I'm thinking Veratti, who I've had in every version of FM and is a little boring, or Strootman who I've never had. I'm also watching Rafinha, Pogba, and Lucas Romero who became a monster in my Southampton game. Theo is having a great year and his value is skyrocketting. I may end up selling him because I see Ox as my long term right wing with Gnabry on the left. Also am going to need a good young DC, especially if I can sell Vermaelen; trying to get Ginter, but I'm open to any legitimate possibility.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

Team is cursed

 

[ShiftyPowers]

Lost the CL Final 3-2 to Barcelona as well. The Arsenal is very strong with me.

Kos was injured for both. Vermaelen put in two of the absolute worst defensive performances I've ever seen. Conceded the winning penalty for Everton, and got sent off at the end against Barcelona, in addition to being at fault for just about every goal against either team.

 

[Mus]

Get balanta

 

[Back Door Skip]

Do Colombians have trouble getting work visas, too?

 

[Bobby]

I was thinking of trying the MLS for the first time, can you give me a quick rundown on how it works?

I broke the game playing MLS. The salary cap is weird as hell.

Vermaelen was a nightmare for me in my Arsenal game. Constantly out of position.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

Get balanta

I had him in my Southampton game. I like to buy different players.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

Pretty good summer and I think we now stand a good chance in the Premier League:

GK: Szczes, Enyeama

DL: Rodriguez, Gibbs
DR: Aurier, Jenkinson
DC: Kos, Ginter, Smalling, Marquinhos (loan)

MC: Wilshere, Arteta, Verratti, Henderson, Flamini
AMC: Ozil, Cazorla, Zelalem
Wings: Walcott, Ox, Schurrle, Poldi, Gnabry

ST: Giroud, Werner

Had to sell Ramsey to Chelsea for 42m

E: Now sent Per to PSG because he wouldn't renew his contract at a reasonable level. Replaced him with Ginter.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

The Ginter for Per swap might end up hurting me this season, but I felt like it was a very Wenger thing to do. Per was making 125k/week and wouldn't renew for anything under like 140, plus he was 29 years old. I've got Ginter on 42k/week for 5 years and no yearly raises.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

All my games end up the same. I'm considering handicapping myself by only allowing myself to buy players over the age of 24. I think that's more realistic if I take charge of a big club. I'd consider it as a mid table club, because it would restrict me to mostly transfer listed players, but the problem with player values makes it too expensive and thus impossible.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

I just played an entire pre-season match without a single highlight. The only time I got to see players was when my RB took a throw in, and the whistle was blown immediately, before his target even got a touch. I stood there stunned, telling myself I wouldn't make a substitution until there was a highlight. No subs.

 

[yoyo913]

I'd be wary of the tactic.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

It was a weird experiment tactic I wanted to use, but I beat Milan like 6-1 a week before.

 

[Mus]

I just played an entire pre-season match without a single highlight. The only time I got to see players was when my RB took a throw in, and the whistle was blown immediately, before his target even got a touch. I stood there stunned, telling myself I wouldn't make a substitution until there was a highlight. No subs.

Mourinho?

 

[yoyo913]

It was a weird experiment tactic I wanted to use, but I beat Milan like 6-1 a week before.

Interesting. I like stuff like that. Describe it in detail.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

Well, it started with my trying to squeeze a libero and a false 9 into the same team. So I have 2 CBs and a DM "halfback" because I find that he operates better in the midfield although it sure does stretch my CBs wide. I have a wingback on the left who does wingback things. There are two MCs, one is a DLP and the other is a CM-S because I just can't figure out how best to use this player; all I know is that I want him to get forward, but I also don't want him bombing forward all the time. I have an MR who is a DW-S. Up front I have a slightly off centered to the right AMCR-SS, a ST-False 9, and either an off centered to the left DF-S, or a FL-IF. I've just been experimenting really, and it's hard to find a team with these kinds of players which is why I was using my Southampton team from 2025 who has tons of great players. Sadly, I don't overload the midfield as much as I expected so I don't think I can call it successful.

My team instructions are all "high tempo" and "press"; I tell my FL to stay inside and if he's a DF-S I'll tell him to stay wide because I really want this player in the gap between fullback and CB which is very hard to do. Wing(back)s stay wide. That's the gist of it.

 

[yoyo913]

Ah.

I want to try a 442 with DMs instead of CMs and with pressing forwards. Main offense outlet will be dribbling wingers.

 

[Bobby]

Do you find yourself constantly rotating wide players because of high tempo? Mine get tired really quick.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

Ah.

I want to try a 442 with DMs instead of CMs and with pressing forwards. Main offense outlet will be dribbling wingers.

I've done that before. It got a little boring though. I fully committed with Leverkusen; I had Keissling and that tall Swiss guy that used to be there up top. Think I won the league though.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

Aw man, I had a decent first real game going!

Fluked my way into 4th in the Bundesliga my first season with Wolfsburg on the back of the incredible De Bruyne and the European Golden Boot winner, Lacazette who netted 26 somehow! Had Depay on the left. Just managed to make some huge signings for next year: Oxlade-Chamberlain and Lucas Romero mainly. Really thought I was set, but then my game crashed. It's always so disheartening. I'll have to go back to the last 4 games of the season, and it's very unlikely that Schalke collapse like that again. Might start over

I actually regret signing Depay, for the record; someone who dribbles so much can really open up a defense, but that PPM for taking long shots is just a menace. So much wasted possession and shitty shots. Compare to a great dribbler who passes the ball like De Bruyne and it's not even close. At least as far as FM is concerned. If I do start over I will probably use that money on someone else.

But Lacazette is amazing.