FM2007 - Life of a Professional Football Player

[law90026]

So I ran an interactive dynasty a while back but I wasn't completely satisfied with it. I've since been reading a lot of the sign-ups on the actual SI forums as well as the editor pages and I think I have a better handle of how players work in FM2007.

However, before even attempting to run another interactive dynasty, I figured I would use myself as a guinea pig first.

This is going to track the careers of two professional football players in FM2007 with the same name, positions, etc. The key difference between the two is that one will have a PA rating of -10 (which essentially means worldclass potential) and the other will have a PA rating of 0 (which means completely random). I wanted to see how their careers diverge along the way.

Having a mod called FMGenie also allows me to look at their hidden stats over time easily.

Finally, I wanted to figure out the best way to present their careers on the boards and how much detail would be enough, too little or too much. So the content may vary from time to time.

[law90026]

The players:

No. 10 is the player with PA -10
No. 0 is the player with PA -0

I decided to make them defender/midfielder/forwards that can play on the right, left and centre so they can conceivably play any position on the pitch.

Leagues in play are the English, Italian and Spanish leagues on a large database.

Edit: It looks like I can't get No. 0 in the game for some reason. Ah well, onwards.

[law90026]

At the start of the 2006 season, 3 offers came in for No. 10, from QPR, Wolves and Norwich. This was not altogether surprising since No. 10 had no reputation to speak of.

He eventually chose to join Norwich although a host of clubs still remain interested in him, though none of the big names.

No. 10 has been placed in the reserve team.

[law90026]

Season update till 31 August 2006

No. 10 appeared in 3 games for the first team before being sent back to the reserves. It appears the issue for him at this time could be his lack of stamina as he ends games very very tired as well as the fact that he simply isn't ready yet.

Appearances (first team):
Leftback in a 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday: 7 rating
Sub (88th minute) in a 1-1 draw against Luton: 5 rating
Leftback in a 3-1 loss to Coventry: 5 rating (subbed out after 15 mins)

Appearance (reserves):
Leftback in a 1-1 draw against Leeds: 7 rating

Overview:
No. 10's value is currently at 75,000 pounds and his poor performances appear to have scared off all the other clubs formerly interested in him.

No. 10's stats of note:
Tackling: 16, Anticipation: 15, Off the Ball: 16

[law90026]

September update

Overview:
No. 10 continues to ply his trade in the Reserves. He has now been shifted to the right-back position. At this time, he has a mentor in Robert Earnshaw, a 25 year old striker in the Norwich first team. Is this a sign that there's a potential change in position for No. 10 in the future?

Stats of note:
Tackling: 17 (+1), Anticipation: 16 (+1), Flair: 15, Off the Ball: 17 (+1)

Appearances (Reserves):
Rightback in 1-1 draw against Sheffield Wednesday: 7 rating
Rightback in 3-1 win over Burnley: 6 rating
Rightback in 1-1 draw against Wolves: 7 rating
Leftback in 2-1 win against Derby: 6 rating

[law90026]

October update:

Overview:
No. 10 is slowly making progress in the Reserves as he continues to hold down the right back spot as his own. His value is now 85,000 pounds, an increase of 10,000 pounds since August.

Stats of note:
Tackling: 17, Anticipation: 16, Flair: 15, Off the Ball: 17

Appearance (Reserves):
Rightback in 2-1 loss to Nottingham Forest: 6 rating
Rightback in 3-1 win over Boston United: 7 rating
Rightback in 1-0 win over Hull: 6 rating
Leftback in 1-0 win over Preston: 7 rating

[law90026]

November update:

Overview:
Dramatic increase in value this month as No. 10 is now worth 300,000 pounds (was 85,000 before). Perhaps clubs are starting to recognise his potential ability? No. 10 is now slotted in as the left back.

Stats of note:
Tackling: 17, Anticipation: 16, Flair, 15, Off the Ball: 17

Appearances (Reserves):
Rightback in 2-0 win over Chester: 7 rating, Goal!!
Rightback in 1-0 win over Leicester: 6 rating
Rightback in 2-0 win over Stoke: 7 rating
Rightback in 3-1 win over Port Vale: 7 rating
Rightback in 1-1 draw with Shrewsbury: 6 rating

[law90026]

December update:

Overview:
A loan move for No. 10 as he joins Brighton (League 1 team) on a 3 month loan. This move gives No. 10 a chance for more first team appearances, albeit in a lower division.

Stats of note:
Tackling: 17, Anticipation: 16, Flair, 15, Off the ball: 17, Pace: 15

Appearances (Brighton First Team):
Leftback in 1-0 win over Blackpool: 6 rating
Leftback in 1-1 draw with Millwall: 6 rating, subbed after 45 mins

[law90026]

January update:

Overview:
No. 10 is appearing regularly for the Brighton first team at either fullback position. He has seen his value increase by a further 25,000 pounds as well. This month also saw his first ever yellow card!

Stats of note:
Tackling: 17, Anticipation: 16, Flair, 15, Off the ball: 17, Pace: 15

Appearances (Brighton First Team):
Sub (on in the 90th minute) in 3-0 loss to Northampton: 6 rating
Striker in 1-1 draw with Crewe: 7 rating, yellow card
Leftback in 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest: 5 rating
Rightback in 2-1 loss to Bournemouth: 6 rating
Leftback in 2-0 win over Gillingham: 7 rating

[law90026]

February update

Overview:
No. 10's loan with Brighton is slowly drawing to a close. No. 10 will probably look back at this period as a good learning experience. Currently valued at 350,000 pounds.

Stats of note:
Tackling: 17, Anticipation: 16, Flair, 15, Off the ball: 17, Pace: 15

Appearances (Brighton First Team):
Striker in 1-1 draw with Carlisle: 6 rating
Striker in 2-1 win over Port Vale: 7 rating
Striker in 3-0 win over Brentford: 7 rating, yellow card!, substituted after 67 mins
Leftback in 3-1 win over Tranmere: 6 rating, subbed after 29 mins
Striker in 3-0 loss to Chesterfield: 7 rating

[law90026]

March update

Overview:
Another significant jump in value for No. 10 as his value increases to 850,000 pounds. He'll be disappointed that he has been sent back to the Norwich reserves after his loan spell with Brighton ended.

Stats of note:
Tackling: 17, Anticipation: 17, (+1), Concentration (15), Flair, 15, Off the ball: 17, Pace: 15

Appearances (Brighton First Team):
Rightback in 1-0 loss to Scunthorpe: 7 rating
Rightback in 1-0 loss to Doncaster: 6 rating
Rightback in 1-1 draw with Bradford: 7 rating

Overall stats for Brighton stint:
15 games, 6.40 rating

[law90026]

April update

Overview:
A number of lower division clubs are starting to show interest in No. 10 again, who is now valued at 1.2 million pounds. Perhaps they feel they can entice him to move since No. 10 hasn't been given that many first team opportunities with Norwich at this time. Having said that, No. 10 appeared in 4 first team games for Norwich in April.

Stats of note:
Tackling: 17, Anticipation: 17, Concentration (15), Flair, 15, Off the ball: 17, Pace: 15

Appearances (Norwich First Team):
Leftback in 3-1 win over Preston: 7 rating, subbed 52nd minute
Rightback in 3-2 win over Plymouth: 7 rating, injured after 13 mins (not serious), subbed after 13 mins
Sub (85th minute) in 2-1 win over QPR: 6 rating
Leftback in 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace: 6 rating

[law90026]

May update

Overview:
No. 10 is now promoted to the first team for good it appears. And great timing too as he gets a couple of games in, including both legs of Norwich's play-off win against Crystal Palace. His value has increased again to 3.2 million pounds, probably because Norwich is now Premiership bound (they won the play-offs).

Stats of note:
Tackling: 17, Anticipation: 16 (-1), Concentration 14 (-1), Flair 14 (-1), Off the ball: 17, Pace: 15

Appearances (Norwich First Team):
Leftback in 2-1 win over Crystal Palace: 6 rating, 59 min subbed out
Leftack in 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace: 7 rating

[law90026]

Season Overview

It's been a bit of a struggle for No. 10 this year although he has made some steady progress over the course of the season. He started out very shakily but the loan spell at Brighton did him a world of good as he got more first team games there. On his return to Norwich, he was able to hold his own in the main squad and appeared in a number of games.

In terms of stats, he hasn't been fabulous. An average rating of 6.50 after he returned to Norwich is decent but he's never been able to get anything better than a 7.

No. 10 alternated between playing as a fullback and as a striker for both Norwich and Brighton. However, he's probably better suited to be a defender for now as he's a very good tackler while his offensive stats leave quite a lot to be desired. This is reflected in the fact that he didn't score or create many goals.

Season stats:
21 games (2 as a sub), 6.43 rating

[law90026]

Season Preview:

One of the players to watch out for this year will be Norwich's versatile 19 year old, No. 10. There are hopes at Carrow Road that No. 10 will continue to improve this year and become a mainstay in the first team. By all accounts, the sky is the limit for this youngster. A ferocious tackler with good reading of the game, No. 10 is also one of the faster players around and he moves intelligently without the ball.

Some comments from scouts:
"He looks potentially like a young Ashley Cole to be honest"
"Still very raw but with tons of potential. With the right training, he could be world-class"
"An unknown name for now but playing in the Premiership this year may make him more popular... that'll be the time Norwich start to worry"
In other news, there are reports that Norwich may look to cash in on No. 10 soon, with a number of clubs expressing an interest for him. The biggest name of the lot is West Ham United.

[law90026]

Genie Update (hidden stats):
Current ability: 99 (that's below average, esp for the Premiership)
Potential ability: 186 (world class if he can reach it)
His best positions at this time are: Fullback, Wingback, Sweeper

[law90026]

August 2007 update

Overview
The season has started. Let's see how No. 10 does this year. He's slated to play at leftback.

Stats of note:
Tackling: 17, Anticipation: 17 (+1), Concentration 15 (+1), Flair 15 (+1), Off the ball: 17, Pace: 15

Appearances (Norwich First Team):
Rightback in 2-1 loss to Watford: 7 rating, yellow card!

[Chief Rum]

I'm about to go to bed, so can't read up on this right now, but I like the concept, and the speed you're going. Keep it up.

[law90026]

September 2007 update

Overview
No. 10 has been used very sparingly this year and he's getting upset about it. Just two substitute appearances in September is hardly enough for the youngster. He's currently valued at 5.75 million pounds.

Stats of note:
Tackling: 17, Anticipation: 17, Concentration 15, Flair 15, Off the ball: 17, Agility: 15 (new), Pace: 16 (+1)

Appearances (Norwich First Team):
Sub (119th minute) in 1-1 draw with QPR in League Cup: 5 rating
Sub (57th minute) in 2-0 loss to Arsenal: 5 rating

[law90026]

October 2007 update

Overview:
This season is slowly becoming a disaster for No. 10. It's understandable that the Norwich manager wants to put his best team out there to get points but that has resulted in very very limited opportunities for No. 10. Watford, another Premiership club, is the only club currently interested in the 5.5 million pound youngster.

Stats of note:
Tackling: 17, Anticipation: 17, Concentration 15, Flair 15, Off the ball: 17, Agility: 15, Pace: 16

Appearances:
8th minute sub in a 5-0 loss to Reading: 5 rating

[law90026]

November / December 2007 update:

Overview:
An up and down couple of months from No. 10 in November and December. November was rough as No. 10 failed to play in any games and his morale plummetted to poor. December saw No. 10 play more regularly in a starting role .. then getting injured when he tore a groin muscle. Football can be a cruel game.

Stats of note:

Appearances:
Substitute (69th min) in 1-1 draw against Liverpool: 6 rating
Leftback in 2-2 draw against Portsmouth: 7 rating
Leftback in 2-2 draw against Wigan: 7 rating
Leftback in 1-0 loss to Sheffield United: 6 rating
Leftback in 3-1 win over Charlton: 6 rating
Right Midfield in 2-0 loss to Blackburn: 6 rating (injured after 31 mins)

[law90026]

Jan - May 2007 update

Overview:
Compressed 5 months since No. 10 didn't do very much of note during this period. He took a while to recover from his injury and failed to secure a regular first team spot thereafter.

Stats of Note:
Tackling: 18 (+1), Anticipation: 17, Concentration 15, Flair 15, Off the ball: 18 (+1), Agility: 15, Pace: 16, Strength: 16 (new)
Appearances:
Rightback in a 2-1 loss to Liverpool: 6 rating
Leftback in a 3-1 win over Charlton: 6 rating
Right Midfield in a 2-0 loss to Blackburn: 6 rating, injured after 31 mins

[law90026]

2007/2008 Season Recap

Definitely not a great season for No. 10. A lack of first team opportunities as well as injuries ensures that No. 10 did not get to play in many games. He's also not a regular sub on the bench as well.

However, the good thing is that he's still improving and that gives hope for the future.

Observations: Clearly the club a player joins plays a big deal in developing. From the last interactive dynasty I ran, players that joined big clubs appeared to develop better/faster. Also, games played is important, even if it's in a lower division. These aren't new things but it's always nice to get affirmation of how the game mirrors real life I guess?

No. 10 has since been capped at U-19 level for England.

Season Stats:
11 games, 6.09 rating

[law90026]

In an interesting twist, Norwich has come out to say they do not wish to sell No. 10. Apparently they now feel he's off-limits, unlike last season when they were prepared to move him.

[law90026]

Season Preview:

No. 10 is slowly starting to blossom. He has an impressive array of physical stats and he looks to have potential to be a very good defender. It doesn't look like he'll ever develop into a solid attacking player though.

Prediction for the year? No. 10 will hold down a regular place in the Norwich first team in a fullback position and get capped at the U-21 level. There's also quite a lot of interest in him but the clubs are non-Premiership. I don't expect him to move yet.

Stats of note:
Tackling: 18, Anticipation: 18 (+1), Concentration 16 (+1), Flair 15, Off the ball: 18, Positioning: 15 (new), Acceleration: 15 (new), Agility: 15, Jumping: 15 (new), Pace: 16, Strength: 17 (+1)

Genie Update:
Current ability: 122, up from 99 (about average now maybe)
Potential ability: 186, no change (world class if he can reach it)
His best positions at this time are: Fullback, Wingback, Sweeper still but he's nearly ready to play as a Centerback or as a Defensive Midfielder

[law90026]

August to October update

Overview:
If a club doesn't want to play a player, at least loan him out. Norwich continues to refuse to play No. 10, save for the occasional cup appearance. They also refused to loan him out to other clubs. It makes no sense sometimes.

One prediction is right though: No. 10 has gotten his first cap for the England U-21s.

Stats of note:

Appearances:
Leftback in a 2-1 win over Charlton: 7 rating. yellow card
Rightback in a 2-2 draw with Bolton: 7 rating
Rightback in a 2-1 win over Middlesborough: 6 rating
Substitute (40th min) in a 2-0 win over Charlton: 6 rating
Rightback in a 2-0 loss to Watford: 7 rating, yellow card
Substitute (86th min) in a 1-1 draw with Fulham: 6 rating

[law90026]

November update:

Overview:
No. 10 makes 2 first team appearances this month, once in a 3-2 win over Man Utd in the League Cup and the other in a 2-0 loss to Middlesborough in the league.

Stats of note:
Tackling: 18, Anticipation: 17 (-1), Concentration 16, Flair 15, Off the ball: 18, Positioning: 14 (-1), Acceleration: 15, Agility: 15, Jumping: 14 (-1), Pace: 16, Stamina: 16 (new), Strength: 17 (+1)

Appearances:
Rightback in 3-2 win over Man Utd: 7 rating
Rightback in 2-0 loss to Middlesborough: 7 rating, yellow card

[flere-imsaho]

Interesting stuff so far, I'm most interested in how such a versatile player is used.

[law90026]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

Interesting stuff so far, I'm most interested in how such a versatile player is used.

It's good to see that when the AI chooses to use No. 10, they most often use him in the positions he's strongest at, i.e. fullback. This time around I left all of No. 10's stats completely random, save for his Potential Ability and as luck would have it, he's got good defensive stats.

I really should try this with a few players to see whether it is completely random or whether there are preferred stats that get emphasized. Also, whether preferred moves would affect a player's stats.

[law90026]

December and January update

Overview
December was a bad month for No. 10 as he failed to get any games. Since then though, he's started to appear more regularly again and, at least on paper, is slotted in as the first choice left back.

Stats of note:
Tackling: 18, Anticipation: 17, Concentration 16, Flair 15, Off the ball: 18, Acceleration: 15, Agility: 15, Pace: 16, Stamina: 16, Strength: 17 (+1)

Appearances:
Rightback in 2-0 win over Hucknall: 7 rating
Rightback in 2-1 loss to Leicester: 8 rating (highest ever!)
Right Midfield in 1-1 draw with Portsmouth: 6 rating, yellow card
Leftback in 2-0 loss to Chelsea: 6 rating
Leftback in 3-1 win over Leicester: 7 rating, yellow card, GOAL!!
Leftback in 2-1 loss to Arsenal: 7 rating
Rightback in 2-1 win over Bolton: 6 rating
Rightback in 3-1 loss to Man City: 7 rating, sent off after 61 mins

[law90026]

February - March update

Overview
Norwich only had 2 games in February and No. 10 was suspended for one of them. No. 10 continues to play regularly for the first team in March in some capacity or other and is continuing to ping-pong between 6 and 7 ratings.

Stats of note:
Tackling: 18, Anticipation: 17, Concentration 16, Flair 15, Off the ball: 18, Acceleration: 15, Agility: 15, Pace: 16, Stamina: 16, Strength: 17

Appearances:
Rightback in 3-1 win over West Ham; 7 rating
Leftback in 2-1 win over Newcastle: 7 rating
62nd min sub in 4-1 loss to Arsenal: 6 rating
43rd min sub in 1-1 draw with West Brom: 6 rating
Rightback in 3-1 loss to Sheffield United: 7 rating

[Passacaglia]

Very cool dynasty!

[law90026]

April to May update / End of Season Review

Overview:
No. 10 ends the season decently as he continues to make regular appearances for Norwich in the Premiership. Out of the last 7 games, he appeared in 6 games and was an unused sub in the other.

Overall, I think my predictions came true. No. 10 managed to get an extended run in the first team in the second half of the season and he has also been capped 5 times by the England U-21 squad. He's currently valued at 8.25 million pounds, which is around the figure he's been floating at all season long.

Currently, no teams are interested in him but with Norwich getting relegated from the Premiership, it'll be interesting to see what happens next.

Personal thought: I actually would not buy No. 10 if I was playing in this game. I tend to take only a cursory glance at a player's stats to consider whether to even consider buying him and No. 10's stats aren't that impressive .. yet.

Stats of note:
Tackling: 18, Anticipation: 17, Concentration 16, Flair 15, Off the ball: 18, Acceleration: 15, Agility: 15, Pace: 16, Stamina: 16, Strength: 17

Relevant Weak areas:
Crossing: 5, Dribbling: 6, First Touch: 10, Marking: 10, Passing: 6

No. 10's high stats make him look like a defender for sure, albeit one that could potentially overlap on the wings to lend support to the attack. However, I think his weak areas highlight why he's not effective in that sense (no assists yet thus far in the game) since he's not a good passer or dribbler. I have visions of No. 10 just getting the ball on the flank, hoofing it up field and trying to out-pace the other guy then just swinging his foot wildly to get the ball in the box without any great precision.

Appearances:
Rightback in 3-1 win over Watford: 7 rating
Substitute (71st min) in 3-2 loss to Charlton: 6 rating
Rightback in 2-0 loss to Fulham: 6 rating
Rightback in 3-0 loss to Wigan: 6 rating
Rightback in 1-1 draw with Man Utd: 7 rating
Rightback in 1-1 draw with Tottenham: 7 rating

End of season stats:
27 games, 1 goal, 5 yellow cards, 1 red card, 6.63 rating

[law90026]

So I realise I can keep up this pace (work permitting) for a single player career.

However, it's not possible for an interactive dynasty though because it's too time-consuming to sift through players and get down so much detail.

Now to switch to a monthly reporting standard with just some comments and a breakdown of stats.

[law90026]

Start of season review 2008/2009:

Overview:
Dropping back into the Championship results in No. 10's value decreasing to 6.75 million pounds. He's now considered an important member of the first team and is contracted until 2012. On paper, No. 10 is slotted in at the leftback slot.

By all indications, No. 10 looks to be very happy plying his trade in Norwich. There are no clubs interested in him at this time, which is a pity as it would be interesting to see how he copes on a bigger stage.

Stats of note:
Tackling: 18, Anticipation: 17, Concentration 16, Flair 15, Off the ball: 18, Acceleration: 16 (+1), Agility: 15, Jumping: 17 (back in with a +3 increase), Pace: 16, Stamina: 16, Strength: 17

Predictions:
1) First team for Norwich, should appear in the majority of games unless injured
2) Continues appearing for U-21 team
3) Will NOT leave Norwich this year

[law90026]

Hm, silly me, I appear to have advanced one year instead of one month. So I guess an annual update follows instead.

Overview:
Prediction No. 1: First team for Norwich? Check. No. 10 appears in 48 games for Norwich this year and is really beginning to blossom. 5 goals is a nice return for a player that I didn't think would be good offensively. A 6.60 rating for the year is his best thus far in his career.

Prediction No. 2: Continues appearing for U-21 team? Check. 16 caps and 2 goals in all.

Prediction No. 3: Not leaving Norwich? Check. Still here, still no clubs interested.

A good year I think for No. 10. At the ripe old age of 21, he's cemented a place in the team and should probably be a mainstay for a long time. The only question now is how much success, individual and club, will he be able to achieve if he stays on at Norwich.

Stats of Note:
Tackling: 18, Anticipation: 18 (+1), Concentration 16, Flair 15, Off the ball: 18, Acceleration: 16, Agility: 15, Jumping: 17, Pace: 16, Stamina: 16, Strength: 17

No. 10 appears to be slowly capping out at this time as his major stats haven't taken major boosts in a while now.

Genie Update:
Current Ability: 138 (up 16 pts since 2 years ago)
Potential Ability: 186
Best positions: Leftback/Rightback/Sweeper/Central Defence

Season stats:
48 games (3 as a sub), 5 goals, 6 yellow cards, 2.71 tackles/game, 58% pass rate, 6.60 rating

[law90026]

Pre-season predictions for 2010/2011:

1) I think this is the year No. 10 has a major breakout. I'm going to predict a higher average rating while maintaining a first team spot for Norwich.

2) First England cap for No. 10 this year.

3) A move away from Norwich.

[law90026]

And prediction no. 3 comes true as No. 10 moves from Norwich to Chelsea for a fee of 8.5 million pounds.

No. 10, in a press release, stated:
"It's a dream come true for me to move to Chelsea, one of the biggest clubs in the world. It's been a crazy 2 weeks as I had to consider offers from some really important clubs but I ultimately felt that Chelsea would give me the best opportunity to shine and really improve my game. It also helped that Frank Lampard, a player I really admire, is part of the Chelsea set-up and I hope to be able to learn from him.

I leave Norwich with great regret though as they have given me so many opportunities to succeed. The Canaries will always have a special place in my heart and I am glad that this entire deal was carried out so smoothly".

Media report (made up):
"Chelsea splash out 8.5 million pounds for No. 10, one of the brightest talents in England today.

Chelsea managed to beat off 3 other clubs, including Arsenal, in signing the 21 year old England U-21 international, who has played at either fullback position for Norwich the past 3 seasons. What makes No. 10 attractive is the fact that he's very versatile and is able to play everywhere on the pitch.

It is an astute move by Chelsea to pick No. 10 up now, especially since their fullback position is one of the weaker areas in the squad. They currently have 31 year old Paulo Ferreira and 27 year old Emmanuel Eboue as their right backs and 29 year old Ashley Cole as their sole leftback.

However, at the press conference to unveil No. 10, manager Roberto Mancini said, "We are in no rush to push No. 10 into the first team at this stage. While everyone appreciates his eagerness to play immediately, he also realises that he has a lot to learn. We hope to get him some games when the time is right and it's not unforeseeable that he will be loaned out to get some first team exposure elsewhere."

No. 10 was also practical in his reply. "I can't expect to be first choice here at Chelsea obviously. I'm just chuffed to be part of the set-up and I hope to eventually be able to contribute to the team's success."

Chelsea have been one of the most dominant English sides the past few seasons as they have won the Premiership in 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2010 and were runners-up in 2004, 2007 and 2009. It provides the ideal set-up for a young player to learn and blossom and No. 10 now has every opportunity to develop."

Edit: Soon after this report was published, we were informed that No. 10 has been loaned out to Scottish Premierleague side, Celtic. Celtic was also in the running to sign No. 10 before this but were never serious contenders once Chelsea and Arsenal made their bids. This is a great opportunity for No. 10 though as Celtic is one of the best sides in Scotland and No. 10 may get some European games this year.

[law90026]

Question: On the assumption that I do eventually start another dynasty, what would you like to see?

[law90026]

End of season 2010/2011 update:

Overview:
So of the 3 predictions I have, 2 out of 3 ain't bad.

No. 1: Regular at Norwich. Well I wasn't technically correct but No. 10 was a regular at Celtic, so I think that counts.

No. 2: First England cap. No luck here.

No. 3: Moved to Chelsea at the start of the season then promptly loaned out to Celtic.

No. 10 played decently at Celtic, managing to appear in 33 games and scoring one goal in the process. What was a major concern though were his 8 yellow cards and 2 red cards, which suggests some disciplinary problems. An overall rating of 6.67 is his best thus far.

Stats of note:
Tackling: 19 (+1), Anticipation: 18, Concentration 16, Off the ball: 18, Positioning: 15 (new), Acceleration: 17, Agility: 15, Jumping: 17, Pace: 16, Stamina: 16, Strength: 17

No. 10's flair drops from 15 to 14, perhaps an indication that he hasn't been allowed to do as many things as he would like to in terms of being tricky. However, his positioning improves and that's a good tradeoff in my opinion, considering No. 10 plays as a defender.

Season stats:
33 games, 1 goal, 8 yellow cards, 2 red cards, 6.67 rating

[law90026]

Pre-season news:

In surprising news, No. 10 has left Chelsea to join Reading, who were 4th in the Premier League last season. Reading has reportedly paid a fee of 6.75 million pounds for the 22 year old, who had spent the previous season on loan at Celtic.

This move comes as a surprise on various levels. At Chelsea, they only have 2 fullbacks now, Eboue and Ashley Cole. They appear to be relying on Tom Ansell and Norman Bloomfield, 18 and 17 years old respectively), as the backups. It's a bold move by the Blues and we'll wait to see whether it backfires, especially if Eboue and/or Cole get injured.

For No. 10, it'll be disappointing to have been sold off without ever being given a chance to play for Chelsea. On the bright side, he does stay on in the Premiership with Reading where he has reportedly been promised the rightback spot. However, what was surprising was that No. 10 rejected moves to Everton and Arsenal, clubs that are technically "bigger" than Reading. Perhaps No. 10 wants regular football rather than being at a big club. We'll see.

Predictions:
1) No. 10 is regular in the Reading squad.

2) No. 10 gets his first England cap.

3) No. 10 moves again at the end of this season or start of next season. I feel he's too good to play in Reading.

Genie update:
144 Current Ability (up 6 pts)
186 Potential Ability
No. 10 has added a new position into his repertoire as he's now adept at playing in Central Midfield.

Comparisons with other players:
Eboue and Cole are 2 of the best fullbacks in the world, with current ability ratings of 161 and 172 respectively.

No. 10's potential ability amongst fullbacks rates him as potentially 5th best in the world, behind 4 other unknown players who are less developed than him (ranging from 104 to 124 current ability).

The 2 youngsters in the Chelsea squad, Ansell and Bloomfield, are at 86/105 and 77/129 respectively. They're definitely not first team material and I expect to see Chelsea sign at least one full back.

Out of the 9 defenders in Reading, No. 10 is no. 6 in terms of current ability, although he's probably 4th out of the lot in terms of the fullback position.

No. 10 also has 2nd highest potential ability in the squad and only loses out to a 20 year-old central defender called Graeme Miller (187). It'll be interesting to see if the 2 of them can gel together and develop to become half of a good defensive unit.

[law90026]

End of season 2011/2012 update:

Overview
No. 10 played 46 games for Reading and his poor disciplinary record continued with 2 red cards. No. 10 also managed 1 goal and 1 assist but his overall rating of 6.59 is a slight dip from previous years.

No. 10 also managed to garner 2 Premiership Team of the Week awards although there is reportedly some dissatisfaction on his part. This arose when his manager called him out for some poor performances and No. 10 is currently considering his options.

No. 10 generally played both fullback positions although he did make some appearances in central defence.

Stats of note:
Tackling: 18 (-1), Anticipation: 17 (-1), Concentration 16, Off the ball: 18, Positioning: 15, Acceleration: 17, Agility: 15, Jumping: 17, Pace: 16, Stamina: 16, Strength: 17

A slight dip in stats is a possible cause of concern. No. 10 doesn't appear to be very happy at Reading.

Season stats:
46 games (5 sub), 1 goal, 1 assist, 1 yellow, 2 reds, 6.59 rating

[law90026]

Start of season 2012/2013:

Overview:
No. 10 is now 23 years old and his career has definitely not blossomed yet. We all know he has the potential to be great but his development seemed to have slowed last year. However, a good offseason sees a number of No. 10's stats improve.

Last year, he seemed a tad upset at Reading near the end of the season but he finds himself still at the club, where he's slated to be the rightback for the team. Valued at 7.25 million pounds now, he'll be hoping to make a real breakthrough this year in the Premiership.

Genie Update:
Current Ability: 149 (up 5 pts)
Potential Ability: 186

Stats of note:
Tackling: 19 (+1), Anticipation: 18 (+1), Concentration 17 (+1), Flair: 15, Off the ball: 19 (+1), Positioning: 16 (+1), Acceleration: 18 (+1), Agility: 16 (+1), Jumping: 18 (+1), Pace: 18 (+2), Stamina: 17 (+1), Strength: 18 (+1)

It's nice to see a lot of plus's

Predictions:
1) Breakthrough year for No. 10;

2) England cap (c'mon, I have to get this right sometime).

Going to try monthly updates to see how it works out.

[law90026]

August 2012:

No. 10's blog on the Reading website:

So it's been an interesting first month in the Premiership for me. Out of the 3 games we've played, I only started one at my customary fullback position and I've actually played in central defence with Anton (Ferdinand) the last 2 games. It's different but I have to say I'm enjoying it.

I think I've started the season better this year and I hope to be able to carry on this decent form I have. Footie magazines say I managed 2 7's and a 6 out of the 3 appearances I made, so I guess that makes me better than average?

I have been asked how I feel about the team this year. Well, we are 4th in the Premiership so far, which is good, though it's early days yet. We have some really good players and I hope we can challenge for titles or cups this year.

I'm not sure why the gaffer is rumoured to be in trouble though and that he might be replaced. I'll never understand these politics and I'm not sure I ever want to be involved in them.

As for the rumours that Manchester City want to purchase me? Well, I never pay attention to these rumours until a firm bid is made and the club tells me so. While I'm not going to say I'll never leave Reading, because who knows what the future might bring, I can say that I am enjoying myself tremendously this year and I hope to be able to win trophies here soon.

[law90026]

September 2012

Wow, it's been a crazy month but Reading are top of the table!! I'm so happy. Yes, I know it's early but it's always nice to know that your team has the quality to at least be around there, which is more than can be said for some clubs.

6 wins and 1 draw puts us 4 pts clear of Chelsea. I hope we beat them ... I like to think I've had a part to play in the stingiest defence in the league too 3 goals conceded in 7 games is an awesome record.

The boss has had me rotating between either fullback spot or the centerback spot. I think I've played decently but it's not always easy to transition from game to game playing a different position. Still, I'm not playing too badly I think.

I know one of the things I've to work is my disciplinary record. Sadly, I picked up my first booking this year but it really wasn't my fault! Well, maybe it was ...

Yes, I know the Manchester City rumours are still swirling around but I'm still here aren't I? Don't pay too much attention to them.

I'm glad to see that my first club, Norwich, are back in the Premiership and are in 7th spot. Being relegated with them in 2010 was a really painful experience but I would like to think both Norwich and myself have come out of that experience stronger than before.

[law90026]

October 2012

6 points clear at the top, joint best defence in the league (just 6 goals conceded in 10 games), unbeated in 10 games ... we're doing really well. I look around in the locker room and I see an air of confidence that we maybe didn't have last year.

Diego (Forlan) has been great so far this year and so has Leroy (Lita). Between them they've scored 9 league goals in 10 games.

I'm disappointed in myself though. I've gotten suspended for our next game against my old club Norwich because I've accumulated 5 yellow cards. At least I get to face them again in the 4th round of the League Cup.

I'm glad to say we beat Chelsea 2-0 earlier this month. That'll show them I jest .. kind of. And for those people out there that said we can't beat good teams? Well, we've also beaten Liverpool 1-0 and drawn 1-1 with Man Utd. Not much more you can ask from us I think.

[law90026]

November 2012

November was a rough month. 3 losses in 4 league games makes me wonder if we had gotten complacent, especially when they came against Norwich (3rd), Aston Villa (10th) and Sheff Utd (12th). Our sole win came against West Brom (13th).

I'm glad to say we beat Norwich in the 4th round of the League Cup though, albeit on penalties. I missed the 4th one for Reading and my heart was in my mouth when Leroy stood up to take our 5th and final one. Thankfully he scored and saved my blushes.

I'm back to my regular leftback spot now and my performances have varied between average and not bad I think. I need to find some way to perform more consistently.

In shocking news, Arsenal are currently 18th in the league. They're really struggling right now. Well, time to buckle down and get Reading focussed again, December is a really intense month in English soccer.

[law90026]

December 2012

Reality sucks, it really does. We crash back down to 4th in December. If you had asked me at the start of the season whether 4th place would be good, I would have said yes. But after having topped the table for 2 whole months, it feels disappointing to have dropped 3 spots.

We're currently on 35 points, 4 behind leaders Chelsea, 3 behind Man Utd and 2 behind Norwich. We played 6 games in the Premiership and only won one (3-1 over Ipswich), drawing 3 (2-2 Wigan, 1-1 Man City, 2-2 Chelsea) and lost 2 (4-0 to Everton, 2-1 to Arsenal). We did beat Sheffield Utd in the League Cup Quarters though, so we're through to the semis.

I played in some of the games but missed 2 weeks due to a damaged heel. Injuries really suck though I did manage to return for the Chelsea draw.

I'm reportedly valued at 8million pounds now. That's a lot of money for a player isn't it? Considering all we do is play footie. Still, I have the best job in the world and I wouldn't change it for anything.

So what exactly is going wrong with the team? Well, our defence isn't as good now for some reason. We haven't kept a clean sheet in a really long time, 13 games to be exact. I'll have to work harder to do my part.

[law90026]

January 2012

January is always a crazy period as teams sign players to improve their chances for the 2nd half of the season. How crazy? How about Inter paying 107 million pounds for Anderson, who's this hotshot 24 year old Brazilian midfielder/forward, that plays for Valencia. Or Juventus spending 85 million pounds to bring in 5 players? Man Utd spent 37 million pounds on Nelson Valdez, a 29 year old striker, and Chima Henry Ilioski, a Spanish U-21 winger.

For us, we brought in Conor McCormack from Man Utd to shore up one of our weak areas, Central Midfield. We also brought in Juan Carlos Menseguez, a 28 year old Argentinian right winger, from Tottenham. Hopefully this gets us going again.

We managed to maintain 4th spot in January. I'm close to getting suspended again as I now have 9 yellow cards. Seriously, I feel like I'm being picked on.

I was a true utility man this month as I played at fullback, center defence, left wing and even central midfield. But January was a really long month and I was dropped to the bench a couple of times, just so I could get a breather. That was really really appreciated coz my legs were getting so heavy. I'm not one to brag but I'm fast ... and if I'm not playing fast, I'm not playing well.

We're now 7 pts behind Chelsea, who even have one game in hand. They have been so dominant the past few years. Shows you what money can buy.

[law90026]

February 2012

We win, we win, we win!!! 1-0 to the Reading in the League Cup Final as we beat Middlesborough. The only sad bit is that I was on the bench Ah well, at least I get a medal.

Good ol' Leroy scored the only goal of the game but the Man of the Match was Anton Ferdinand, who was a rock in defence.

But we let the cup run distract us as we fell to 7th in the league. We need to get focussed again. But February was a short month so I'm going to assume we can do better, since we only played 2 league games and lost both (1-0 to Liverpool and 4-1 to Spurs). We trashed Hartlepool though in the 5th round of the FA Cup.