Football Manager 2012..

[stevegull]

Having a bit of a torrid time on my Torquay save. About 4k over my wage budget and not getting results on the pitch. Rene Howe has gone into FM's infamous 'goal drought sydrome' and hasn't scored since his hat-trick a couple of games in. My defence is incredibly leaky, and i'm not even playing Saah! Ellis is currently my top scorer with 4 and i'm in September! Finally found this Aluko chap, and after having him on trial where he netted 3 in a game for my ressies, my budget was too overstretched for me to get him in. Got Derby as my affiliate now and they are helping me out with cheap loanees.

As part of the 'get the wages down' part of the deal, Atieno is on the list (as his stats are WOEFUL) and he only really showed up for one pre-season game when he netted a brace. I'm currently so light up front though that Spear is on the bench regularly, but Stern John is starting to find his feet now!

[Plymouth Gull]

4k over?!?! Have you sold anyone? Shame you couldn't afford Aluko.

I left Southport, after about a month there. They were dreadful, and I signed 10 players who were all old and rubbish (Leon Constantine, for example).

Sigh.

[Plymouth Gull]

Sorry for the double post!

Safe to say, I've well and truly landed on my feet here! I don't know how, but heres the latest.

I left Southport in mid-December, after just over a month there. Hopeful of getting a job back in the BSP, I was applying everywhere - got offers from Salisbury and some Irish team which I rejected, then in mid-January League One side Carlisle offered me the job. There over 1m in debt, but I couldn't refuse that.

I've been in charge 3 games, beating Bury and Rochdale 1-0 and 2-1, before I travelled to 5th placed Chesterfield.

I expected a defeat, if I'm honest, but nothing could prepare me for what happened after. Perhaps the greatest game I've had on FM.

Chesterfield 1-0 up - 3 mins
2-0 - 13 mins
3-0 - 25 mins (at this point I thought it could not get worse, changed to more attacking tactics)
4-0 - 29 mins (went on to overload, in a strange 4-2-4 formation)
4-1 - 41 mins
4-2 - 42 mins
4-3 - 44 mins
4-4 - 48 mins
4-5 - 53 mins (could not believe this!!!)
5-5 - 65 mins
5-6 - 68 mins
6-6 - 75 mins

FT 6-6.

Absolutely unbelievable.

[Scott Brehaut]

Unbeaten so far this season, beating Saints in the League cup - taking them to penalties in the process.
Beat Plymouth 4-0 in the league.
Just beaten Norwich 3-2 in extra time in the second round of the league cup....Adam scoring twice and Aluko with his first for the club. Robbo and Ellis were like rocks at the back.

Saah is a moody old sod though....he has been my best defender so far this season (he was only rested for the Norwich game as he was knackered!!), and when I praised him he moaned that he was nowhere near his best (average score of 8.9 over all games so far), and that I was praising him when I shouldn't. He has also fallen out with Lee Mansell in the team meeting I held to praise everybody for the great start to the season!!
Might leave the miserable git on the bench - that'll teach him

[Regiment]

how are you all finding the game ? i still haven't bought it, as i've read so many reviews complaining about Steam, and game freezes etc. i've kept my money in my pocket, but it is starting to burn a hole. i'm still playing FM2010, but itching to upgrade if it's worth the £30.

[Plymouth Gull]

I love it, Brady. It's alot fresher, the new features are nice, as is the layout..

I've had none of the problems you've mentioned though..

[shaunicus]

Having a ridiculous time of it with Torquay. Managed to go up automatically first time of asking playing a kamikaze style of attacking football Kevin Keegan would be proud of, and just carried it on in L1. Had a sticky start but managed to turn it round and after a bit of wheeling and dealing in January and I'm now in the playoffs with six games left.

Jamil Adam is literally unbelievable. I almost feel like I'm cheating with him in the team, he is that good. Look at these stats: http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2rnk4fc&s=5" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here's the table with six games left, should make the playoffs: http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=546jwm&s=5" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My team scores a lot of goals: http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=348odxk&s=5" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[stevegull]

Sounds good shaunicus, bit gutted i missed out on Adam now as my team has long spells of not being able to find the net whilst shippings hundereds of goals!

What formation are you playing that is so attacking? I could do with some help if i'm going to be in a job at Christmas.

The wage situation is now so bad that i can't offer my youth plays full time contracts on £90 a week. :/

[Plymouth Gull]

Terminate some contracts, Steve.

[TUFC92]

Still going with Darlington, I'm in 8th at the moment which is roughly where I was when I took over.

I have only played 5 games though, and I've won 3 of them, scoring 12 in 5 but conceding 7.

Hatch has been good for me, scoring a few, and I'd highly reccomend Simon Dawkins and Sone Aluko, both are beasts! Not been able to sign Jamil Adam as I signed him for Nuneaton when I went there and they want to much money for him! But, I'll be looking to sign him in the summer for sure.

[stevegull]

Operation terminate contracts is well underway, Nick. Unfortunately, i think Manse might be for the chop, but i will do everything i can to keep him on!

I think my main flaw with this game is staying too loyal to players i like!

How's yours going mate? Still dominating the lower echelons of English football?

[cambgull]

Just started a new game on the demo and I've decided the TUFC physio's are possibly the worst in football history. Considering we only get 5 months to play...

Nico - first friendly, out for 4-6 months
Howe - third friendly, broken leg, 6-8 months
Chris Cleaver - signed for 12k, played 1 game, torn ligaments, out for 5-6 months
Jamil Adam - fourth friendly, torn hamstring, 6-8 weeks
Olejnik - Fifth friendly, severe concussion after a collision, 2 weeks
O'Kane - Sixth friendly, torn hamstring, 6-8 weeks
Manse - 1st Game of season, torn cruciate ligaments, 9-10 months
Kudi - Picked up a virus which kept him out for 3 weeks
Robertson - Made unavailable due to 'medical reasons', due back in September 2013!

At that point, I quit and started again...

[Plymouth Gull]

Steve, you can't get rid of Manse (unless he's crap). I kept Ellis all through my game on FM11, captaining my side to the championship - although that was more due to the fact he scored 10 a season, and was really good).

No longer in the lower echelons, I left Southport and got the Carlisle job, who were 21st in League One. A couple of signings and getting rid of high earners brought a bit of stability to the club (they were 6k over the wage budget, now we're under it just), and we've gone up to 15th/16th. I think another 4/5 wins will take us to the magical 50 mark - then the work really begins there.

EDIT: Bit more about my game further up Steve.

[Eirik]

Just finished my first season with Torquay and ended up on 16th place. This has just been a dreadful season. Struggled to find the best formation and half way through I was dead last. Then I switched to 433/451 with Jamil Adam as the lone striker and he just started to score for fun. He ended up with 22 goals in 34 matches. Got a leaky defense though as I conceded 82 goals in the league.

Just hope next season will be better. Will have a cleanup in the squad now as my wage budget has blown through the roof.

-Eirik-

[stevegull]

I wrote a monster reply to you Nick but it appears to have been lost in some abyss. I will muster the energy to write one soon!