FM11 - Southampton F.C.

From League One to Champions League group stages in just 4 years! A tad unrealistic!

 

Season 4

 

How good is Chamberlain ?? My chamberlain hasn't improved at all.

Any ideas for tactics? I tend to pick a formation, set the team instructions and then buy/sell players to fit in.

Any ideas for tactics? I tend to pick a formation, set the team instructions and then buy/sell players to fit in.

I just use 442, with a support complete striker and an attacking advanced striker.

Seems to work for me

Sign Brandy and play him upfront with Lambert, he scores sh*tloads

I only ever use 442, 41212 or 451 when I play FM. All the other formations are pants. I might use a 433 if I need to push for a late goal in an important game though.

I've been playing 4-2-4 with AML and AMR with a DMC and CM and won the league with Saints with 109 points, Peterborough got 94 so comfortable victory.

Signed a few more CM's though before Championship campaign so am toying with the idea of 4-1-3-2 but not sure I want to sacrifice the wing play!

Which in itself can be argued is unrealistic and could open up arguments about coaching vs natural talent etc.

I see what you mean, but it seems as most young players in the game will hit their peak by the time they are 22-23, it never seems that you can sign an average 24 year old that will then develop into a world class player through good training.

I see what you mean, but it seems as most young players in the game will hit their peak by the time they are 22-23, it never seems that you can sign an average 24 year old that will then develop into a world class player through good training.

That seems quite realistic to me - except goalkeepers maybe.

Got Basingstoke to the FA Cup 3rd round , drew 1-1 at the Camrose with Leeds and lost 3-2 in the replay at Elland Road - giving them a really good game.

Really loving the game so far , some good new editions.

Not being in a reserve league actually works out much better. Just arrange a friendly every 4-5 days against non-league opposition. This way you save on the fee you'd pay to be in the league and make around £1k for every reserve game. Not much in the long term, but better than nothing - more often than not you win by a good amount of goals so your players get lots of confidence and strikers get back in the scoring groove. It's already worked wonders on Barnard for me.

Anyway, for my save; I made a lot of signings. Got quite a big squad but I change the team almost completely for cup games and still win them well. Play a fast tempo, short passing game with emphasis on width, and I slow the tempo down if I get a couple of goals ahead to save on fitness.

I let Holmes, Wotton, Pulis and Forecast go for pennies and sold McNish for £100k.

Signed;

Chaplow - £110k

(Rest on frees)

Gai Assulin (winger) - potential to be a good Prem player and rips up league 1 defences.

Yildiray Basturk (CM) - my worst signing so far, but his stats were too good to turn down. Will play a part for me as the season goes on, no doubt.

Puydebois (GK) - Didn't like the look of Davis to be honest. Good keeper.

Ali Fuseini (CM) - been outstanding so far!

Febian Brandy (ST) - a must buy in this game, him and Lambert up top score shedloads.

Ali Gharzoul (CB) - as good as Fonte and only 24, brilliant find.

Gari Uranga (CM, R/LW, ST) - brilliant utility man

Anderson Silva (DM) - another must buy, set him to anchor man and the "goals conceded" column doesn't change. Ever. For the rest of time. My most astute signing on any FM game so far.

Salva (ST) - 35 years old, but very good technical stats and physical stats all over 10. Great back up.

Credit to anyone who actually reads all that.

Update:

Ended up winning Championship on the last day again. Drawing 1-1 with Barnsley.

John Bostock, Alex Smithies, Jay De Merit and Leigh Grithis on fire for me.

Managed to qualify from that disgustingly hard group in second place, beating Rosenborg and loosing to PSV. Ended up loosing to AS Monaco 4-2 on agg after winning 1-0 in first leg!!

Premiership:

Phil Jones (£8m)

Philip Degan

Fabio (LOAN)

Roysten Drenthe

Ryan Babel

Tiago

Yaya Sanogo (LOAN)

Sergio Araujo (LOAN)

All freebies except Phil Jones, should be enough to avoid relegation.

Found some amazing regen european youth players, under 18's could easily compete in League 1.

St Marys now is a 35,629

Top Class facilities.

Was offered Arsenal job considering I haven't even managed in the Premiership yet. Declined wanting to give Premiership a crack.

Pompey in League One and Nigel Adkins is England Under 21 manager.

What did you guys do in The Championship?

I can't get anywhere and I feel my squad is quite strong, anyone offer any help?

Got promoted two years in a row via the play-offs, beating Pompey 6-1 in Championship play-off final! Finished 14th in first season up after a decent run at the end of the season and won the league cup. This is where the problem lies...

Am registering my squad for Europe but don't have enough players that were developed at Saints. Have three so only need one more, am trying to register some of my Under 18s as Saints developed but even this doesn't seem to work. Any way around this? ****ing annoyed I got rid of the likes of Doble and McNish now...

Ignore that! Just had to leave a few spaces in the squad...

Second season in league one, 6K transfer budget. That's maximum I am allowed. Ridiculous.

Second season in league one, 6K transfer budget. That's maximum I am allowed. Ridiculous.

You are lucky to still have a job to be fair! If you have been spending lots previously they won't have much left to let you spend. Can you not make any changing with the edit budget button in the boardroom?

Managed to get in Owen on a free in my first season in Championship, managed to make Cortese stump up and buy Jordi Gomez for 775k and now starting to pick up but running out of dosh and I won't be going up.

Owen though - goal machine! 16 goals in 34 games!

You are lucky to still have a job to be fair! If you have been spending lots previously they won't have much left to let you spend. Can you not make any changing with the edit budget button in the boardroom?

Just got promoted thankfully in my second season in League One. Just starting in the Championship and my transfer budget is 0.. Why!? I can't adjust budgets or move the slider. When I ask the board for more money they say they can't. Is it something to do with the new patch I've installed or is this the same for everyone?

Just got promoted thankfully in my second season in League One. Just starting in the Championship and my transfer budget is 0.. Why!? I can't adjust budgets or move the slider. When I ask the board for more money they say they can't. Is it something to do with the new patch I've installed or is this the same for everyone?

Well if you have -£4m, they aren't going to give you any more chances to increase the debt. Would end up like Pompey!

Well if you have -£4m, they aren't going to give you any more chances to increase the debt. Would end up like Pompey!

I guess not

I think they have the southampton finance model all wrong and the finance model ingeneral too mant free transfers and too many low transfer fees.

Finally picked this up this weekend. Won league 1 with something like 113 points. Signed Smithies and then just relied on loans for the rest of the season. Was feeling good about my championship campaign, then Cortese went and sold Lallana to Wolves above my head! £1.8m. He's given me £2.5m plus wages of £150k for a midtable finish, which I thought was decent. (I have shifted a lot of players out though, so was massively in credit on transfers)

Managed to bag Steven Taylor on a Bosman and got John Sutton from Motherwell to add some more firepower up front. Have Kakuta and Delph on season long loans as well. Watford went down and went into financial meltdown, so managed to get Scott Loach for a bargain £150k! Got Man Utd as a parent club and been offered Bebe on loan for the season. Is he any good?

Everyone in football is after Chamberlain. Already knocked back bids from Man Utd and Man City.

I think they have the southampton finance model all wrong and the finance model ingeneral too mant free transfers and too many low transfer fees.

I'm glad YOU know whether we're still loaded or skint, because no-one else does...

And as far as "too many frees and low fees" go, have you noticed that football contract rules are changing ? There are also rules in the Football League on expenditure as a percentage of turnover and in the Prem, UEFA competition entry regulations will mean that clubs (at least on the balance sheet) can't run at losses, so (in theory) they will have to find different ways of buying players which doesn't put them in enormous debt. The days of massive transfer fees could be over altogether in Europe - athough most likely it'll be the accountants who are the winners, getting paid huge fees to hide expenditure and losses in areas which aren't subject to the rules.

What did you guys do in The Championship?

Only bought a few players since winning league 1. After Do Prado left in January of that season I snaped up AMC Iago Aspas from Celta Vigo for £140K, Ousmane Dabo and Jay Demerit where also key transfers at the start of the game, on a frees after thier release from Lazio and Watford respectively. They have been nothing short of sensational. My key purchases in the off season after promotion are:

GK: Manolo Reina from Levante, £130K

DL: Salaheddine Sbai from Nimes, £110K

DR: Marcin Waselewski, Free

AMC/F: Eidur Gudjohnson, Free

DC/DM: David Edgar from Burnley, £150K

I have also loaned John Bostock and Nile Ranger to add more depth/options.

My current tactic is a 4-2-3-1 and lines up like so.

---------------------- Gudjohnson ------------------------

Lallana ----------------- Aspas ------ Chamberlain/Puncheon

------------- Schneiderlin ------- Dabo --------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------

Sbai/Harding -- Fonte/Edgar ----- DeMerit ------- Wasilewski

------------------------ Reina ----------------------------

Currently, 18 games played and I am in 2nd in the Championship, 1 point ahead of a gaggle of clubs and 5 points adrift of an extremely in form Norwich.

I have also retrained Rickie to be a fully fledged AMC, he is excellent playing in Aspa's role if required. In January I am looking for back up on the left side, but I have only 300K to spend. Lallana is the only player not performing consistently but I may hope I can win promotion regardless.

As a side note: I LOVE how the shirts revert to Stripes from the second season. Great attention to detail.

I'm glad YOU know whether we're still loaded or skint, because no-one else does...

 

And as far as "too many frees and low fees" go, have you noticed that football contract rules are changing ? There are also rules in the Football League on expenditure as a percentage of turnover and in the Prem, UEFA competition entry regulations will mean that clubs (at least on the balance sheet) can't run at losses, so (in theory) they will have to find different ways of buying players which doesn't put them in enormous debt. The days of massive transfer fees could be over altogether in Europe - athough most likely it'll be the accountants who are the winners, getting paid huge fees to hide expenditure and losses in areas which aren't subject to the rules.

I agree with what you are saying, just think the game has gone a little too far the other way. As far as Saints are concerned if they have a budget of under 20K in the championship then a 5 year plan is deffo out of the question.

I am top about mid way through the Championship season after winning League one with over 110 points. I rely heavily on free transfers and loans which allow you to pick up good players for no transfer fee and as a result have bought anyone yet. For example I have managed to sign players like Delap, Jonathan Woodgate and Mido for no transfer fees although they do have high wages.

Team

GK - Davis - still doing a decent enough job

LB - Paul Robinson - solid defensively and decent going forward

CB De Merit - great player, a rock at the back and scores outrageous amounts of goals from corners

CB Woodgate - classy and another goal threat at corners

RB Halford(loan) - never makes an error

RM Mendy - fast with a quality cross

CM Delap - unrealistically good at long range shots and his throw is awesome

CM Osborne - powerful box to box midfielder

LM Kapo - great shot and a quality passer

ST Volanthen - fast too good for championship

ST Mido - goal machine

Subs

Anichebe

Bart

Nyman

Bebe(loan)

Lallana

Gosling(loan)

Valeron(very creative player)

Has anyone got any tips about training? I am giving Oxo all cup games and frequent sub appearances but his stats have barely improved.

I agree with what you are saying, just think the game has gone a little too far the other way. As far as Saints are concerned if they have a budget of under 20K in the championship then a 5 year plan is deffo out of the question.

Have Saints made public how much they will spend in this 5 year plan? No

If it looks like the club will start spending again then the transfer window data update will reflect it. Until I have more evidence it won't change. Saints start the game in July 2010 with £6m in the bank, which I think is quite a lot for a League One side!

In the patches for FM10 I made Saints have a sugar daddy, which just made managing Saints far too easy and not a challenge at all. A more conservative approach is now the best course of action imo.

Portsmouth are the bane of my life! I've played them three times, with the following results:

Portsmouth 4 - Southampton 1

Portsmouth 2 - Southampton 2 (a late fightback in the FA Cup)

Southampton 0 - Portsmouth 5 (FA Cup replay)

They're 20th in the Championship compared to my 6th.

Have Saints made public how much they will spend in this 5 year plan? No

 

If it looks like the club will start spending again then the transfer window data update will reflect it. Until I have more evidence it won't change. Saints start the game in July 2010 with £6m in the bank, which I think is quite a lot for a League One side!

 

In the patches for FM10 I made Saints have a sugar daddy, which just made managing Saints far too easy and not a challenge at all. A more conservative approach is now the best course of action imo.

Well I suppose we will both know more come the end of January...

Portsmouth are the bane of my life! I've played them three times, with the following results:

 

Portsmouth 4 - Southampton 1

Portsmouth 2 - Southampton 2 (a late fightback in the FA Cup)

Southampton 0 - Portsmouth 5 (FA Cup replay)

 

They're 20th in the Championship compared to my 6th.

You should be sacked purely for the F.A Cup replay. Bet you wish it had just finished 2-0 in the first tie!

Got the game last week but have barely had time to play it. Made some decent signings and am doing well in the league so will post up my squad and how I'm getting on when I get home from work. I did sign Ghanain right back Yakubu, he is fecking superb!

Back in the Premiership after going up in the play offs, usually fail miserably in CM/FM when it comes to play offs, so quite surprised to go up. My squad really is nowhere near ready to stay up, still have Lambert/Barnard as my partnership in attack, so would really appreciate tactics/signings that can help me survive in top flight. Thanks.

Back in the Premiership after going up in the play offs, usually fail miserably in CM/FM when it comes to play offs, so quite surprised to go up. My squad really is nowhere near ready to stay up, still have Lambert/Barnard as my partnership in attack, so would really appreciate tactics/signings that can help me survive in top flight. Thanks.

Is this the second season in? You may have about 20 million to spend (well I did....) but still so scout for frees. I managed to pick up David Bentley, Mido (Unproffesional but good) and Hatem Ben Arfa (Moody but good). Try loaning Federico Macheda if you can get him. As for Centre backs my three of Jose Fonté, Jay DeMerit and David Edgar (Can also play centre mid) are doing well. Tyrone Mears has also been a cracking signing. Andrew Driver from Hearts is a cracking left sided winger and Salaheddine Sbai from Nimes Olympique a great budget left back. (Keep Harding as back up.) I signed Manolo Reina (keeper) from Levanté for 130K, an utter steal. As another quick and excellent winger/forward look for Abdoul Camara of Stade Rennes.

I am 8th in the Prem first season up using this:

------------------------- Macheda -------------------------

Driver ------------------- Ben Arfa ----------------- Bentley

-------------- Schneiderlin ---------- Edgar ----------------

-----------------------------------------------------------

Sbai ----------- DeMeritt ----------- Fonte ---------- Mears

------------------------Manolo Reina ----------------------

Chamberlain is developing superbly, use him were you can.

Is this the second season in? You may have about 20 million to spend (well I did....) but still so scout for frees. I managed to pick up David Bentley, Mido (Unproffesional but good) and Hatem Ben Arfa (Moody but good). Try loaning Federico Macheda if you can get him. As for Centre backs my three of Jose Fonté, Jay DeMerit and David Edgar (Can also play centre mid) are doing well. Tyrone Mears has also been a cracking signing. Andrew Driver from Hearts is a cracking left sided winger and Salaheddine Sbai from Nimes Olympique a great budget left back. (Keep Harding as back up.) I singed Manolo Reina (keeper) from Levanté for 130K, an utter steal. As another quick and excellent winger/forward look for Abdoul Camara of Stade Rennes.

 

I am 8th in the Prem first season up using this:

 

------------------------- Macheda -------------------------

 

Driver ------------------- Ben Arfa ----------------- Bentley

 

-------------- Schneiderlin ---------- Edgar ----------------

 

-----------------------------------------------------------

 

Sbai ----------- DeMeritt ----------- Fonte ---------- Mears

 

 

------------------------Manolo Reina ----------------------

 

 

 

Chamberlain is developing superbly, use him were you can.

Brilliant, thanks. £20m to spend would be great, as the current squad will really need to improve, I haven't spent much in transfer fees in the first two seasons, just a big wage bill signing a few frees, so hopefully the board will provide.

I was gearing myself up for another season in the Championship, then made a late surge for the play offs and had a bit of luck on the way, Lambert and Barnard were still doing the business, Olivier Kapo and Fitz Hall have been great for me too.

well after it finally arrived i done my usual test season to learn about the new things...

I stuck with default formation and let my coaches choose the team, and i finished top

can't see too much different too it apart from layout, and the conversations with players, agents etc.

havent played it in 2 days since i gave it a blast, not a good sign.

Does anyone have any suggestions on training and fitness. I'm only in my first season (first couple of months actually) and the players seem permenantly knackered. Is this just new to the game as in the last few versions the fitness and recovery levels of the players seem to have been better, or is simply that I need to adjust the training?

Cheers

OOO

You can create new training schedules, I usually create a training schedule for Goalies, Full Backs, Centre Backs, Central Midfielders, Wingers and Strikers which focuses on the most important facets of their game. Put the Aerobic and Strength training levels up to one notch below 'High' and then shift the other levels around accordingly. When you start a season, focus really heavily on physical training during the pre-season period to help your players build up fitness, although rotation during friendlies is crucial so you don't knacker your players out. A good thing to do might be to put your assistant in charge of friendlies, as they tend to use all the subs and have a good rotation of players in pre-season friendlies, and it gives you more time to focus on other things.

Also, if you have a congested fixture list, resting your players inbetween games is important.

11.2 patch is out

Played this again for the first time in ages today. Where I left off we were second in the league...but as soon as I load up I just cannot win to save my life, and we're conceding about 4 a game. I've always struggled to keep clean sheets in this game as I like to play attacking football, but I literally cannot stop conceding. All the defenders in my squad are on very poor morale and nothing I say or do will change it. Starting to think the patch has f*cked my game up or something, because i've lost the last 5 games conceding 23 goals in the process, and when I loaded up we were undefeated in 14.

Game is definitely broken with that patch for me, started a new game as United and every single game i'm conceding at least 3 goals. Brilliant.

Anyway to uninstall it? I downloaded through steam so I didn't even have a choice.

Hm, suggests they've nerfed some of the tactics you've been using... back to the drawing board then...

Hm, suggests they've nerfed some of the tactics you've been using... back to the drawing board then...

I always use the same tactics, for every team on every game. Gutted.

David Edwards

Henri Lansbury

John Guidetti

Are 3 great players to get on loan 1st season.

You can occasionally get Edwards on a free

You can also get transfer-listed players on loan quite easily, just arrange a Future Fee (i.e. a set amount you can buy that player for during their loan period) and they'll almost always join. Keith Fahey is a great one to get.

Coming to the end of my 1st season (I’m slow)

I’ve got 3 games left of the season, been promoted as champions, and have 108 points, and scored 108 goals, losing 3 games. I don’t think i’ve ever had a team on this game ever do so well. I knew I had some decent fire-power with this squad, so I’ve played an attacking 4-2-4 and it’s paid off.

Free Transfer Signings:-

Brandy – Lived up to the hype. 37 goals in 41 games (don’t think i’ve ever had a striker like that!) Would’ve had more if it wasn’t for the 10 week injury lay-off he’s current got.

Gyan – Solid, but not spectacular. Did a job as cover.

DeMerit – Fantastic signing. Missed out on my main DC target, but he’s been outstanding alongside Fonte.

Cash Signings (Brought using MLG’s ‘credit card’ scheme (pay over 48 months)

Nordveidt – Signed from Arsenal. Got some good potential. His main attribute for me has been his versatility.

Bennett – Risky signing. Cost me over a million. Acts as cover for Fonte & De Merit. Time will tell if he was worth the money.

Lewandowski – Old, experienced head. Lots of quality. Hell of a shot on him too.

Loan Signings:-

McEachran – Done well for being so young. (Signed up due to Chelsea being my parent club)

Kakutua – Needed cover when Guly left in January. Versatile, and did a job. Never played him in his strongest position though.

Van Aanholt – Awesome signing. Trusted my scouts on this one (after already having Dickson and Harding, but this kid was a class apart)

Kightly – Signed short-term as cover when Lallana got injured.

Pacheco – Been outstanding in the latter few games of the season with Brandy out.

Hmm....

quick question, in my second season and in the championship, i have a relativity big squad which i rotate (although barnard, lallana, and ****tu all have long term injuries for some reason at the same time) Just wondering whether its worth sending AOC on loan to L1 for a season as he'll probably only get about 10 apps with saints and Wycombe are my affiliate.

quick question, in my second season and in the championship, i have a relativity big squad which i rotate (although barnard, lallana, and ****tu all have long term injuries for some reason at the same time) Just wondering whether its worth sending AOC on loan to L1 for a season as he'll probably only get about 10 apps with saints and Wycombe are my affiliate.

My advice, Put AOC in the team every week. I am on the verge of being 5 times back to back Premiership/European champions and he is still a key first team squad member. He needs to be playing to develop though and as the right sided player in a 4-2-3-1 wing forward formation he has been excellent.

Who is your other option on the right?

My advice, Put AOC in the team every week. I am on the verge of being 5 times back to back Premiership/European champions and he is still a key first team squad member. He needs to be playing to develop though and as the right sided player in a 4-2-3-1 wing forward formation he has been excellent.

 

Who is your other option on the right?

Bernard Mendy with Kapo on the bench, his average rating is 7.10 or something at the moment

I loaned AOC out to Luton in the first season and that helped him a lot, second season he was a first-team player for me in the NPC.

I loaned AOC out to Luton in the first season and that helped him a lot, second season he was a first-team player for me in the NPC.

He made 21 apps for me in the first season and I've got pretty good coaches so I think that was best for me, I've actually changed my formation to 4-1-3-2 now so he's playing a little out of position but no one wants to loan him any more so I'm stuck with him til at least january

Oh well, looks like AOC is off anyway, apparently he didn't get on with Puncheon, I was gunna get rid of Puncheon in the Jan window anyway so said I'll transfer list him, he said he didn't believe me, I said sorry you feel that way, and he stormed out and has now demanded a transfer... surely this is a really extreme reaction, especially as southampton is listed as his favourite club?

EDIT

Just had two consecutive promotions to the prem as champions! Only won the Championship my one point (drew to Colchester who were bottom on the last day) who needs AOC!

(FWIW Smithies has been fantastic this season)