The Purple Dragon's Roar (FM14)

[Izulde]

So while digging around for a team to pick, I stumbled across this awesome fictional team turned real team called the Harchester United Dragons, who are based near Hull.

The real team logo looks like this:



The fictional team logo looks like this:



Too awesome not to include, right? So I edited Egerton in Cheshire Division Two to be the new Harchester United team, based in Hull, with 2013 as their original founding date, as per real life. What this means is that it will be a while before we can get into cup play, because a club needs to be in existence fore three years.

No stadium, but the default setup, which is below average/average for stuff for Egerton.

I'm implementing a 4-2-2-2 rigid control pressing tactic, in which I learn much about player instructions and the ideal set piece tactics.

To use this tactic, I hunted for 10 Natural Fitness, 10 Pace, 10 Stamina guys as much as possible, ignoring everything else for now. Sometimes I had to sacrifice Pace a bit, but I cobble together a lineup.

Friendly vs Ecclesfield
G: Dermot McMurray (27)
D: Ray Shearwood (23)/Mark Ruddock (28)/Danny Farthing (30)/Leon Drysdale (31)
MC: Simon Willis (19)/Chris Melia (28)
AMLR: Callum Amis (17)/Alex Benjamin (31)
S: Mark Threlfall (26)/Mykel Beckley (27)

I was just watching the match for now, not necessarily planning to make a dynasty of it, as I wanted to test things out. But then this lineup went out and destroyed the opposition 5-0

It's even more incredible because there are no attack roles in this formation. It's all defense and support, kind of like a dragon who just prefers to chill in his lair, but if you invade, watch out!

Warrington Reserves and Maine Road Reserves are joint 1-5 favorites to win the 16 team league. Everyone else, including us, is a 5000-1 longshot to win.

Need to head out for a bit, but I have hope in these Dragons (for at least moving up to Level 11 anyway...)

[Izulde]

Transfer In - AMR/ST Chaz Wrigley (24)
12 Natural Fitness, 11 Pace, 13 Stamina, plus a couple other 10s. Should be our new starting AMR.

vs Cleethorpes (Friendly)
G: Dermot McMurray (27)
D: Liam Cattermole (26)/Tyrone Gay (24)/Danny Farthing (30)/Leon Drysdale (31)
MC: Ollie Pinner (27)/Chris Melia (28)
AMLR: Callum Amis (17)/Alex Benjamin (31)
S: Mark Threlfall (26)/Mykel Beckley (27)

This system requires players to be exceptionally fit. The original creator says 95% is the lowest amount of fitness allowed. Not possible for preseason, but it's something to keep an eye on going forward, and probably means we need more bodies in here.

Drysdale is subbed in for at the half by Keith Wedge, a 25 year old who he's battling for the starting spot.

76 - Beckley subbed in for by Threfall

We should have won, but we were robbed just before the half when Beckley was clearly onside.

@Maine Road Reserves
G: Dermot McMurray
D: Liam Cattermole/Danny Farthing/Tyrone Gay/Leon Drysdale
MC: Simon Willis/Chris Melia
AMLR: Callum Amis/Chaz Wrigley
S: Adam Furness/Mark Threlfall

Good test of where we're at by drawing one of the favorites to win the league early in the season. Oh, and we got a roughly $10k a year sponsorship deal for 2 years.

10 - Willis is slightly knocked, so Pinner comes on.

14 - WTF? Now Melia is knocked! Wrigley moves to MC and Benjamin comes in at AMR.

27 - Benjamin with a precision pass to Threlfall, who does his own needle threading to Furness. Five defenders converging, but Furness cooly puts it in before they can touch him. 1-0

51 - Wow, this tactic is pretty to watch! Furness gets in front of the opposing keeper, blocks the pass attempt, and dribbles round. Defense collapsing, but he again hoofs it in! 2-0

91 - Lots of buildup on the left side between Amis, Pinner, and Cattermole. It caps off with Amis curling it to Pinner in the box as the intermediary before the pass to Furness in the six yard box, and he has his hat trick!!! On the debut!!! 3-0

7.4+
Adam Furness - 9.6 (PotM - duh)
Danny Farthing - 7.9

Just sheer dominance. We do lose Simon Willis for 4-5 weeks, but we have enough cover there that we don't need to sign anyone I don't think.

1st vs Warrington Reserves (2nd)
G: Dermot McMurray
D: Ray Shearwood/Danny Farthing/Josh O'Grady/Keith Wedge
MC: Paul Rutter/Chris Melia
AMLR: Callum Amis/Chaz Wrigley
S: Adam Furness/Mykel Beckley

Talk about having a murderer's row out the gate, with the two favorites back to back. Warrington Reserves also won their opener 3-0. One good thing about this system - it requires me to rotate a lot of guys and that means quicker match fitness and better cover in case of injuries.

21 - Short passing game in the middle that ends up in Amis to Rutter, and that starts a straight line to Furness and on to Beckley in the box for the score! 1-0

26 - Shit pass by McMurray leads to fluke goal and the end of our unscored upon run. 1-1

36 - Melia is yellow-carded, and this system requires auto sub when a booking occurs, so on goes Pinner

62 - Drysdale in for Shearwood after the latter's booking.

64 - We get a PK... and Rutter converts! 2-1

This was not the prettiest of wins, but 3 points is 3 points, particularly against some of our toughest competition we'll face this year. Our keeper in particular was shit. Paul Rutter was our only 7.4+ with 7.5.

Mark Ruddock is appointed Team Captain; Adam Furness Vice-Captain for the year.

Transfer In - AMR David Barnett - 24
12 Natural Fitness and Stamina, 11 Pace and Acceleration, 12 Work Rate, 10 Determination. Since he's already a 3.5* Defensive Winger by my assman, I'm going to make him the first guy I train at a new position (AML).

1st @Poynton (14th)
G: Dermot McMurray
D: Ray Shearwood/Danny Farthing/Tyrone Gay/Leon Drysdale
MC: Ollie Pinner/Chris Melia
AMLR: Callum Amis/Chaz Wrigley
S: Mark Threlfall/Mykel Beckley

For some reason, we're actually underdogs going into this one. Evidently oddsmakers believe we're not as good as we've been, Poynton not as bad.

9 - Just when I think we've given up our first genuine goal, the opposition is whistled for offsides. Sure thing!

11 - They get it on a corner kick though 0-1

20 - Pinner knocked; Wrigley to MC and Benjamin at AMR.

22 - A PK for them 0-2

37 - THAT WAS HORSESHIT! HE WAS ONSIDES!

43 - Shearwood with a yellow. Drysdale to DL; Andy Marlowe in at DR.

50 - Auto-lose today 0-3

54 - Yellow for Melia, who has a 5.9 today. In comes Murray Nicholls, and we're all subbed out.

How bad did we play?

Sub 6.0 Players
Chris Melia - 5.7
Chaz Wrigley - 5.6
Mykel Beckley - 5.4

Been a long time since I've seen that. I don't scream, though. It's just one of those games where everyone played like ass, and we weren't favored anyway. Or maybe we were. It's called a surprise result in the writeup. WTF.

[Izulde]

100 season tickets sold. Nice!

3rd vs Moore United (1st)
G: Dermot McMurray
D: Ray Shearwood/Danny Farthing/Mark Ruddock/Leon Drysdale
MC: Ollie Pinner/Chris Melia
AMLR: Callum Amis/Chaz Wrigley
S: Mark Threlfall/Adam Furness

Things sure don't get any easier, do they?

9 - Melia sent off on a red, so the usual Wrigley to MC, Benjamin at AMR.

48 - Gorgeous skimming free kick goal by Amis! 1-0

52 - Beautiful pass by Furness to Benjamin in the box, and I think he's going to shoot, but instead he holds up and waits until Furness is in the six yard box, and it's a cross and shoot. 2-0

59 - Shit. Furness with a knock. Beckley in. Kills me that we're losing the guy who has proven our best striker by far.

78 - Amis to Wrigley to Pinner... and here's the dribble into the box and shoot for a gorgeous goal! Dropping off instructions to take a breather now that we have the game in hand. 3-0

82 - Aaaand breather over. 3-1

7.4+
Callum Amis - 8.8 (PotM)
Ollie Pinner - 8.5
Alex Benjamin - 7.6

Chris Melia gets warned for his red card, and he's officially dropped from the starting lineup in most situations. 6.27 average rating through 4 games and he's cost us a lot.

2nd vs Golborne Sports (15th)
G: Dermot McMurray
D: Liam Cattermole/Danny Farthing/Tyrone Gay/Leon Drysdale
MC: Paul Rutter/Chaz Wrigley
AMLR: Callum Amis/Alex Benjamin
S: Adam Furness/Mykel Beckley

As it turns out Chris Melia got himself a 3 match ban for the red card. Simon Wills isn't back to playing condition, so we're a little thin at MC at the moment.

20 - Cattermole is forced out due to injury. Will Hayton makes his debut now.

21 - Bitchass long shots. 0-1

39 - Beckley gets the ball outside the box after the defense makes a fantastic interception. He wings it out to Amis, who draws the opposition, then crosses far post to Benjamin, who puts it in. 1-1

47 - Fucking defense caught with shorts down 1-2

83 - O'Grady in for Rutter the yellow.

Definitely a match we had no business losing. But morale is shaky right now, so I'm gentle.

Bad Trains
Danny Farthing
Andy Marlowe
Leon Drysdale

Great. Just three of our defenders. :P

$9.61k profit. Board is pleased, yo.

Transfer In - MC Ben Steane - 30
12 Natural Fitness, 13 Pace, 11 Stamina, 10 Corner, 13 Free Kick, 15 Flair, 12 Work Rate. Basically fantastic in everything physically but jumping and strength.

I'm having trouble maintaining a consistently good morale for some reason.

2nd @Daten United (3rd)
G: Dermot McMurray
D: Liam Cattermole/Danny Farthing/Tyrone Gay/Leon Drysdale
MC: Simon Wills/Ben Steane
AMLR: Callum Amis/Alex Benjamin
S: Adam Furness/Mykel Beckley

Breaking the rule of 95% to get Steane in. Big game.

9 I select the best corner defense and it still sucks 0-1

Steane is benched for O'Grady at half.

68 - O'Grady down to DC, Nicholls at MC.

82 - Barnett in for injured Benjamin. Our offense has been nil today.

83 - Drysdale with the long free kick score 1-1

89 - FAGGOT ASS REF!!!! THT WAS NOT A MOTHERFUCKING PENALTY YOU DICKCLOWLN!!!!!! 1-2

7.4 - Leon Drysdale
Sub 6 - Ben Steane (5.9), Liam Cattermole (5.5)

We got well and truly fucked by the refs there, dropping down to 4th with a shit ton of teams.

5th @Malpas FC (11th)
G: Dermot McMurray
D: Ray Shearwood/Danny Farthing/Tyrone Gay/Leon Drysdale
MC: Paul Rutter/Ben Steane
AMLR: Callum Amis/Chaz Wrigley
S: Adam Furness/Mykel Beckley

3 - 0-1

10 - Threlfall in for Furness due to hurt

24 - A simple Steane to Beckley head free kick goal 1-1

36 - FUCK THIS TACTIC!!!! 1-2

44 - Amis to Rutter on a short pass, and then a long bounce pass to Wrigley for the sink-in. 2-2

48 - lsnafglabhsdflkhgsdoghsaoifgfi94tyoi4ghi9ty493g4o5brqgowrgys9atfgoghfoagsfdasgfaofgasodfga9t29tr9w 2-3

58 = GOD DAMN FUCKSNOGHSOHGIOSAGHFIGASIGAOHOSHFOADFPASF SAG NOT A FUCKING PIK NOT A FUCKING PK NOHOASGHOGHAOIGAHGOIAF 2-4

MY ETIRE FUCKING BACKLINE HAD BELOW A FUCKING 6! THE WHOLE GOD DMANED FUCKEINGOIAHSOGHASOHGOASHGO;ASHGOHASGOFHAWOGHAO9GH9AOGH

AND I DID FUCKING EVERYTHING THIS PUNK BITCH ASS FUCKING TACTIC TOLD ME TO FUCKING DO!!!!

[Izulde]

Transfer In - DC Michael Laws - 30
Great physical attributes and a lot of 10+ mental attributes. Love his 16 Strength and 18 Bravery in particular. Hope he can shore up our suddenly leaky backline.

Good Train
Andy Marlowe

Bad Trains
Adam Furness
Simon Wills
Mark Ruddock

Board still pleased. $5.78k profit. They love the Adam Furness signing.

8th vs Sale Town (15th)
G: Dermot McMurray
D: Liam Cattermole/Danny Farthing/Michael Laws/Leon Drysdale
MC: Simon Wills/Paul Rutter
AMLR: Callum Amis/Chaz Wrigley
S: Adam Furness/Mykel Beckley

27 - This fucking useless team 0-1

67 - O'Grady on for Wills

68 - Farthing sent off on a red, so O'Grady to DC and Nicholls at MC.

84 - 0-2

I talk to Danny Farthing about his poor performance the last few games, and he promises to sort it out.

Meanwhile, I'm being criticized for sticking to my 4-2-2-2 despite our poor form.

There's only 3 teams who have non-gray players, so it's hard to get a comparison result. I do notice that we're the worst at tackling, however, so perhaps we should be standing off rather than hassling. Let's try it.

We also hold a team meeting to try and improve morale, which we do. Team captain Mark Ruddock stops by to ask for more PT, and I'll give it to him.

11th @Lostock Graham (10th)
G: Dermot McMurray
D: Liam Cattermole/Mark Ruddock/Michael Laws/Leon Drysdale
MC: Chris Melia/Ben Steane
AMLR: Callum Amis/Chaz Wrigley
S: Adam Furness/Mark Threlfall

7 - Melia to Furness for the immediate high leg pass to Threlfall, who controls it, shoots, and we get our first lead for the first time in forever. 1-0

13 - Yeah. Of course. 1-1

35 - Yellow for Ruddock, so in O'Grady

45 - 30 fucking seconds before the god damned fucking break 1-2

58 - Melia forced off with injury. Nicholls on.

69 - Laws converts a PK 2-2

75 - Cattermole to DR, Hayton at DL as Drysdale gets a yellow.

78 - Amis forced off with injury. We now have to play a man down.

82 - Yeah. Fuck this tactic. 2-3

92 - Fuck it up the ass. 2-4

We lose Callum Amis for 2-3 months, so we have to dump the tactic by default.

Going to go with a default 4-4-2, all default roles and duties, Go Route One, Pass Into Space, Higher Tempo to take advantage of our Stamina and Pace advantages.

12th vs Penlake (8th)
G: Dermot McMurray
D: Liam Cattermole/Mark Ruddock/Michael Laws/Leon Drysdale
MC: Will Hayton/Simon Wills/Chris Melia/Chaz Wrigley
S: Adam Furness/Mark Threlfall

4 - Nothing we do matters. 0-1

33 - Nothing at fucking all. 0-2

46 - Cattermole to Furness on the far left wing, and then a long, booming cross to Wrigley for the one-back. 1-2

66 - Whatever. Cattermole to ML; Shearwood at DL. 1-3

We just keep sinking lower and lower and NOTHING FUCKING WORKS!

14th v Sandbach United (1st)
G: Dermot McMurray
D: Liam Cattermole/Mark Ruddock/Michael Laws/Leon Drysdale
MC: Will Hayton/Simon Wills/Chris Melia/Chaz Wrigley
S: Adam Furness/Mark Threlfall

I'm changing to Defensive and Rigid for now to try and see if we can stop these constant goal leaks.

85 - Yeah. 0-1

Transfer In - AMC/AMR/ST Christopher King -21
10 Dribbling, a bunch of 9+ Mental Attributes, 11 Acceleration, 10 Balance. Going to try and start working towards a different style of player, I think, because what we have isn't working.

I adjust our original 4-2-2-2 to instead be a 4-4-2 Narrow Diamond. King will be an Attacking Engarche and the Fullbacks will be set to Support. I'll also adjust the striker roles.

Transfer In - DLC Danny White - 33
Phenomenal Mental attributes and an immediate starter for us.

Tyrone Gay is released.

Transfer In - DLR Danny Hutton - 22
Wanted to be a backup only, but he's got solid mental game and 11 Stamina. He's going to start on the left side.

Keith Wedge and Tyrone Gay are released on frees.

Transfer In - AMC/MC David de Oliveria (29)
A Portuguese player to fill my annual amateur one non-English guy signing apparently. On a serious note, he's a fantastic fit for the Engarche role that we've accidentally made part of our formation.

David Barnett is next to be released on a free.

14th v Barnton United (2nd)
G: Dermot McMurray
D: Danny White/Mark Ruddock/Michael Laws/Danny Hutton
DM: Ollie Pinner
MC: Simon Wills/Chris Melia
AM: David de Oliveria
S: Chaz Wrigley/Mark Threlfall

30 - Can't exploit the middle if we're being outnumbered by in the midfield, so that instruction falls off, as is Play Narrower. Instead, we'll play Wider.

41 - Yellow for Pinner, so in hops O'Grady.

81 - Damn right he was offsides!

92 - FUCK YOU! THAT WAS NOT A FUCKING PENALTY!!!!!!!!!!!!! 0-1

Assfucked yet again. We're on an 8 game losing streak, and everyone is wanting to leave the team.

[Izulde]

Transfer In - DC Danny Smith - 27
New starter in the middle

15th @Tarporley Victoria (3rd)
G: Dermot McMurray
D: Leon Drysdale/Danny Smith/Michael Laws/Andy Marlowe
DM: Ollie Pinner
MC: Paul Rutter/Ben Steane
AM: David de Oliveria
S: Chaz Wrigley/Mark Threlfall

9 - Yeah. 0-1

At the half, Melia in for Steane, King for de Olivera

49 - Oh loo, Threlfall off injured. Furness in.

73 - Pinner, Melia, Rutter and finally Furness finish. 1-1

Moral victory. Mark Threlfall out 6 to 8 weeks and Christopher King will miss our next game most likely.

Good Train
Ben Steane

Bad Trains
Andy Marlowe
Adam Furness

$6.32k profit. Board still satisfied. They love Ollie Pinner

ST Ian Graham - 26
We've been really weak up front, and my assman swears that Ian is a phenomenal threat for this level. We'll see. He does result in a strategy change for us, becoming a Poacher.

[b]15th @Congleton Valley Rangers (14th)

Another draw, 2-2. Furness with another sub goal, Smith with a goal on a corner via help from Pinner's head.

This game continues to be a fucking annoying as shit Rubik's cube that I just can't solve no matter what I do or how much I read. Why do I bother even playing it? Even if I have short-term success, Ill never put anything together two years in a row. I never have in FM.

[Izulde]

Somewhere out there is a world where people actually win games in FM, and are super successful. Izulde's world is never that world. It's been 10 matches since we've won. The big double digits.

15th vs Grappenhall Sports (8th)
0-1 loss. Chris Melia gets a yellow, so he's suspended for next game.

15th vs Maine Road Reserves (12th)
Guess things are tough all over for preseason favorites to do well in the league.

22 - Pinner with the great steal and on to de Oliveria. A slip pass to Wrigley in the box, and we have a lead finally. 1-0

26 - Pinner short-passes to Wills, and here's the long ball to Graham just outside the box. He's still looking for his first goal, but he lays off to Wrigley inside, and bada bing, bada bang, is a win finally in sight?! 2-0

32 - Heh. 2-1

45 - The red for an opponent sure helps!

O'Grady for Laws at break.

50 - Yep. 2-2

67 - Yeah fuck you. Graham was onsides.

The board meets with me after the game and is on the verge of firing me. They don't buy my blaming the refs, but I'm safe for another game.

Our coaching must be lousy because every month, bad trains outweigh any good trains.

Mark Ruddock leaves on a free transfer. Chris Melia replaces him as captain.

$4.06k profit. Very Insecure

16th vs Poynton (5th)
The team is pissed that Mark Ruddock left.

0-1 loss.

My assman signs elsewhere, apparently seeing the writing on the wall.

This means I have no assman. Not that it matters, really.