How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

[texasbum06]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

Portsmouth FC
FIFA 15 - Season 5

Pompey's March to the Top

October 2018

Portsmouth FC 1 - 0 Stoke City
POR - Çiftçi 60'
MOTM: Çiftçi

Pereira played the ball off to Çiftçi running down the right wing and he cut the ball inside around the defender to work his way towards the middle and fire a shot past the keeper into the left side of the goal.

Liverpool FC 1 - 1 Portsmouth FC
LIV - Allen 59'
POR - Veldwijk 76'
MOTM: Zieler

Balotelli played Allen through on the right side of the goal and he turned to slot the ball past the keeper inside the near post from a tough angle. Russell got the ball and beat his man down the right side of the box to send a low driven ball across the box for Veldwijk to tap in from in front of goal.

Portsmouth FC 4 - 2 Manchester United
POR - Tisserand 3', Çiftçi 11', 42', Russell 79'
MUN - Hernandez 24' (PEN), Di Maria 51'
MOTM: Çiftçi

Çiftçi played the ball to Telfer in the middle and he laid it off for Tisserand running into the left side of the box and he slotted it past the keeper. Russell found Çiftçi running into the box and he hopped over a challenge before playing the ball through the keeper's legs. Fatau took down Mata just inside the box and Hernandez converted from the spot just past the keeper's reach. Çiftçi cut the ball inside and had his first shot saved by the keeper, but he was able to put the ball away with a jump kick just before the defender got there. Herrera found Di Maria unmarked on the left side of the goal and he turned to slot the ball past the keeper on the near post. Russell cut the ball in from the right wing and worked his way to the middle of the box and fired a shot just past the defender's foot into the left side of the goal.

Capital One Cup Round of 16
Portsmouth FC 1 - 0 Middlesbrough FC
POR - Mason 83'
MOTM: Heymans

Aguirre beat his defender on the left side of the box and sent the ball into the middle just before he reached the end line and Mason was waiting in front of goal to place it in between the keeper and his defender for the only goal of the match.

League Table



Youth Academy

Paddy O'Neill - 16 yrs old, Ireland, RM, 59-63 OVR, 76-82 Potential, Playmaker

Monthly Highlights

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Manager Comments

League Play - Amazing to take a point at Anfield and then follow that up with a fantastic win against United. Our players are in unbelievable form right now, and we are trying to stay consistent with our rotations in order to keep everyone rested and available for the season. There is a long way to go, and a lot of great teams for us to still face, but we are very happy with our current position.

Capital One Cup - Another year of advancing to the quarter finals, and we are focused on trying to bring this trophy to Portsmouth. We went with the reserves once again, and Aguirre proved to be a nightmare for Middlesbrough running down the left wing. His continued pressure ultimately resulted in the deciding goal when he sent the ball into the middle for Mason to knock in. Next round we will be facing Huddersfield Town, but that fixture won't take place until December.

[texasbum06]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

Portsmouth FC
FIFA 15 - Season 5

Pompey's March to the Top

November 2018

Portsmouth FC 0 - 0 West Ham United
MOTM: Spiegel

West Ham's best chances came just 2 minutes in when Carroll's header soared over the bar, and then they barely threatened the rest of the match. Portsmouth controlled the game from that point forward, but in the end neither side was able to separate themselves on the scoreboard.

Aston Villa FC 1 - 1 Portsmouth FC
ASV - Kozak 17'
POR - Çiftçi 48'
MOTM: Pack

Lowton sent a cross in from the right wing and picked out Kozak in the middle who was able to get his head on the ball and flick it on to the far post where it hit off the crossbar and deflected down and in. Çiftçi used his speed to beat the defense down the right wing and cut towards the goal to fire a shot across the goal into the top left corner.

Portsmouth FC 2 - 1 Watford FC
POR - Hahn 45', Pack 67' (PEN)
WAT - Teixeira
MOTM: Bentley

Murray sent a corner into the box and Fabrini was able to head it down where Teixeira was waiting to hit it on the half volley into the left side of the goal. McLaughlin played the ball to Hahn on the right wing and he cut it inside to the middle and fired from in front of goal into the bottom left corner. Murray slid through Heymans legs inside of the box and Pack powered the penalty into the top right corner just past the keeper's reach for the deciding goal of the match.

Crystal Palace 0 - 0 Portsmouth FC
MOTM: Hennessey

Each team traded chances on goal, but the keepers were up to the challenge. Hennessey was the key factor for Palace recording 7 saves while keeping Portsmouth off of the score sheet to earn a point.

League Table



Youth Academy

Chandler Maddison - 15 yrs old, England, GK, 47-63 OVR, 71-94 Potential, Goalkeeper
Ian Lumley - 15 yrs old, England, ?, 48-62 OVR, 66-84 Potential, Unknown
Paddy O'Neill - 16 yrs old, Ireland, RM, 59-63 OVR, 76-82 Potential, Playmaker

Monthly Highlights

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Manager Comments

League Play - The month was unbeaten, but too many draws left a lot of points on the board. Chelsea has separated from us now, and the rest are catching up. Still, 2nd place is far more than anyone expected from us going into this season. We are on a great run, the true test is where we finish the season though.

Upcoming Fixtures - Next month will be a big test of where we stand in this league. We will host Chelsea, then visit the Emirates to face Arsenal, and we will also host City and visit Tottenham at the end of the month. It's unlucky to have all of these come up in the same month, and as a newly promoted team they will surely be smelling blood. Our confidence is high right now though so we will be looking to take some points out of this month.

Capital One Cup - No cup games were played this month, but next month will be the quarter finals of the Capital One Cup. We have drawn the most favorable match up remaining and will take on Huddersfield Town. I am debating on whether to stick with the reserve sides or not since the competition is reaching such a defining stage and going out now would be a huge disappointment. Still, this falls in the middle of a tough fixture schedule for us so the reserves may end up being deployed out of necessity.

[10cabee]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

With my Exeter team close to winning the league, I want to ask you lot what you want to see for the future of my career. I don't think I'll be getting FIFA 16 straight away so I probably have enough time for maybe 3 or 4 seasons max.

Once i've won the Premier League title with Exeter I will stay there for an extra year or two depending on my performance and then I'll be looking to move on. What do you guys most want to see from my career once I get to that position? Any feeback would be great. Vote here for your choice:

http://strawpoll.me/5369255

[redsox4evur]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

OK so I finished my 2nd season at Spurs. And we had a great season if I say so myself we won a double in one of the domestic cups and the EPL. But got torched by a great FC Barcelona side in the UEFA Champions League in the semifinals but the board was thrilled our performances in everything this year. So I was able to retain my position for another season. My goals for this season are lowered because I accidentally left my A- team in after my season was over. So I have to win the league, reach the knockout stage in the UEFA Champions League, and reach the final for the domestic cup.

Now I am halfway through October. And I am 4 points above Arsenal for the league lead. We have won our 8 games. And with the squad I have I should be this dominant. So the first transfer offer I get this year was for EPL Keeper of the Year Hugo Lloris from his home country and PSG. I had no plans on moving him. His value from the owner was between 40-50 million Euros. So I countered with 75 and PSG replies back we have accepted your counter offer. I honestly was like this is great. I have a ton of money to spend now to add some depth another Keeper and a decent CB to go along with Vertonghen, who was an 84. And then I get an offer for 3rd striker Charlie Austin. And my main guy off the bench, with bringing in the disgruntled Wayne Rooney last year in the Winter Window. So I countered Southampton wanted Austin and I'm like I will counter at 50 million and after a back and forth I sold him for 50 million. And I brought in a ton of talent this window. I started the fireworks by bringing in Courtois as Lloris' replacement. So after the Austin sale I sold Vertonghen to Valencia for Nicolas Otamendi and brought in Gerard Pique from Barcelona. Also I sold Raheem Sterling for 50 million after Barca came asking for him. Didn't want to as I liked him and wanted to keep going with him and thought the 50 would have got shot down in a heart beat. Also I brought in 18 year old Mastour from AC Milan. Also I brought in Davis Alaba from Bayern to upgrade our LB. And then sent out some younger guys on loan and another couple guys that I can't remember.

So summary:
IN:
Thibaut Courtois
Gerard Pique
Mastour
Alaba
Sylla (a decent young CDM that has good physical attributes).

Money Spent:

130,000,00

Out:
Vertonghen
Lloris
Mcqueen (crappy RB, 56 OVR)
O'Grady (Loaned out to Wycombe)
Eric Dier (to West Ham 19 million)
Shama top youngster (loaned to Bolton)
Yedlin (Loaned to Derby County)
And three other players loaned out.

Money in:
194,050,000

Profit:
64 million, 50K.

Gutted my team brought World Class talent and still cleared 60 million in profits.

[_ChicoBass]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

Congrats on the title! Especially after moving up to Legendary you still managed to make a considerable gap between you and Bournemouth. Really good run in the FA Cup, shame about the way it ended though. Glad to see that the Bravo transfer paid off and Sharp along with Adryan picked up their form. Really unlucky that Adryan broke his toe in his first game with the first team go. Not a great budget for next season but it's doable I feel. It'll be interesting to see if you struggle next season, it's a real possibility with that budget compared to other teams. Good luck!

Thanks! I struggled with Legendary at first but once I got the hang of it we started grabbing points consistently. Legendary is really fun though definitely not how I remember it back in FIFA 13. As long as my defense stays focused we have a chance every match. Bravo has been fantastic I was not expecting him to play this well in the Championship. The only downside is that he's 35 years old now and because of that the game is frequently decreasing his stats even though he hardly ever finishes a match with anything less than a 7.0 rating and he gets MOTM almost every match. I hope the off season isn't too harsh to him and he can go into the premier league with some decent stats left. And I'm glad Sharp picked up his form since he will most likely have to fill Bravo's shoes when he retires. Sharp already had his opportunity as our starter so I hope that when it comes around again he doesn't waste it like last time.

Congratulations on the title! Leeds are finally back where they belong, or at least used to belong... anyway, like Keano said, you had a great cup run although I would've been disappointed in the Sunderland loss after beating Liverpool. You didn't get a great budget but you can still do at least some work with the money. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with the money, especially because you don't tend to buy too many players.

Man that match against Sunderland was really humiliating. We were all over the place and not in a good way. And did I mention we also had a man sent off? That just shows our frustration. We were already down 2-0 so it's not like we lost the match because of the sending off, but the red card was a result of a bad foul inside the box which led to a penalty and that was Sunderland's 3rd goal. I think the highest rating one of our players had that match was like a 6.3 so yeah everyone had a bad match. Thanks man and don't worry I'll stay true to keeping my wallet closed during the window lol

@ChicoBass Congratulations on taking Leeds up to the Premier League once again. As a Chelsea fan, may I just say how much I hope this actually happens so we can start beating them twice a year again! I think that is not a bad budget for your first year back, but you will probably find it tough to match the wages of any players you want to sign. That's been the main issue for me so far. I can see you finishing in the top half though, for sure

Haha this guy! Thanks man and yeah I definitely see what you mean. There is this one player that I wanted to sign just for the fact that he's a former Manchester United player that failed (I want to turn him into a world class player as a way to slap United) but he would take my entire budget to bring in. No way that's happening right now. I could ask the board for more money, but I don't want to mess with my objectives since I'm going to be playing legendary in the premier league :/

Congrats on the promotion! Leeds back in the Premier League is going to be fun for you, especially the first time you go to Manchester United and revive that old rivalry. Good to see that Adryan finally came good for you, although the injury is really unfortunate. But, now you know that he can be useful going into next season.

Thanks man I'm really looking forward to that derby! Adryan's injury was very unfortunate but like you said at least I know he can be useful next season. I'll definitely try to hold on to him for as long as I can before we make the move to a UK-dominant squad.


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[Pdice19]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

Finally decided on where I will manage with a coin toss. Heads I stay, tails I go. And I had to leave Luton Town. But I left the team unbeaten in the league and they were in second place. My plan of trying to have a team full of promoted players from the academy still applies. And with a better transfer budget, I'll be able to have the club's youth academy up and running in no time.

[SnapeKillsDumbledore]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

Bologna S03: March '17




Roma 2-3 Bologna
19' Pjanić, 70' Douglas (OG)
12' Zuculini, 62' Zampano, 89' Ferri

• Bologna progress to final vs. Milan with 5-4 aggregate win
• Roma wingers stifled by unconventional 5-2-3 formation
• MOTM Zuculini — 1 goal, 7 tackles, 5 interceptions

Bologna 2-1 Parma
45' Zampano, 63' Bernardeschi
23' Biabiany

• Biabiany plays 90 minutes with kick-off injury
• Mbaye one booking away from suspension
• MOTM Zampano — 1 goals, 4/5 shots on target

Atalanta 0-1 Bologna
51' Ferri

• Scrappiest game of the season so far with 3 shots, 61 tackles
• Win puts Bologna 5 points clear of sixth
• MOTM Ikoko — 13/17 passes completed, 9 tackles, 4 interceptions

Sampdoria 1-1 Bologna
56' Melo
90'+3 Wzołek

• Bologna return to 4-3-3 seeking width in attack
• Mbaye suspended for one match due to discipline
• MOTM Casarini — 23/26 passes completed, 3 tackles, 1 interception

Talking Points

Form — We picked up two wins and a draw to go unbeaten in the league this month. We haven't been playing particularly well, so that's all the more reason to enjoy the magnitude of our achievement. Teams like us win stuff!

Cup final — We're into the final against Milan! After being denied a place in 2015 despite being better than Juventus over two legs in the semi-final and then crashing out early last season, this seems to be the year our luck has turned. We played well against Roma, and the reward is we now get to fight for a trophy at the Stadio Olimpico one week after our league season ends.

Formation — There was no doubt about the solidity of the 5-3-2, but I was not getting the width in attack I needed. A switch to 4-3-3 with two wide forwards playing off a striker ahead of three central midfielders will help us stretch play in the final third without sacrificing control in the middle of the pitch. We have the players to make it work, so I expect immediate results.

1. Juventus — 61 points
2. Milan — 58 points
3. Inter — 55 points
4. Bologna — 54 points
5. Napoli — 51 points

[SnapeKillsDumbledore]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

Bologna S03: April '17



Inter 3-3 Bologna
14' 70' Icardi, 90'+5 Rossi
18' Bernardeschi, 78' Ikoko, 87' Ferri

• Rabiot, Zuculini fill in for suspended Mbaye, injured Melo
• Controversial penalty denies Bologna deserved win
• MOTM Günok — 9/10 passes completed, 9 saves

Bologna 2-1 Verona
29' Chapuis, 70' Zampano
26' Lafata

• Mbaye booked in first game after suspension
• Zampano runs length of the pitch to score winner
• MOTM Zampano — 1 goal, 6/9 shots on target

Genoa 0-1 Bologna
3' Cataldi

• Early penalty is the only clear-cut chance all match
• Genoa toothless due to striker injury crisis
• MOTM Rugani — 11 tackles, 6 interceptions, 3 blocks

Roma 1-1 Bologna
53' Doumbia
76' Ferri

• Several chances go waste for both teams
• Roma jinx rears its head yet again
• MOTM Kevin Strootman — 24/24 passes completed, 6 interceptions

Bologna 1-0 Napoli
17' Bernardeschi

• Mancosu returns earlier than expected on bench
• Napoli play Hamšik in midfield due to injury crisis
• MOTM Kevin Strootman — 24/24 passes completed, 6 interceptions

Bologna 0-1 Fiorentina
73' Vargas

• Ikoko suspended due to two yellows in previous match
• Fiorentina win with stunning free kick
• MOTM Stefan Savić — 5 tackles, 7 interceptions, 4 blocks

Talking Points

Form — It was a big month for us, and the players stepped up to win 11 of 18 possible points. We really should have won what was without doubt our best team performance all season, the 3-3 thriller against Inter at San Siro.

Roma — Talk about going off the boil! Roma have lost the ferocity and the momentum of their early days. From strong title contenders, they are now in a position where they have to win all their remaining games to qualify for the European football. I can't figure out what the problem is, though. Their best players are fit and in form, with Seydou Doumbia top of the goal chart.

Title race — With three games left and 10 points between us and Juventus, we've been mathematically ruled out of the title. Of course that was never our aim, but it's a bit of a sting all the same. Perhaps in two or three years!

1. Juventus — 75 points
2. Milan — 74 points
3. Inter — 68 points
4. Bologna — 65 points
5. Napoli — 60 points

[_ChicoBass]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

Finally decided on where I will manage with a coin toss. Heads I stay, tails I go. And I had to leave Luton Town. But I left the team unbeaten in the league and they were in second place. My plan of trying to have a team full of promoted players from the academy still applies. And with a better transfer budget, I'll be able to have the club's youth academy up and running in no time.

On one hand, I wanted to see the Luton CM keep going because it reminds me of the penalty shoot out that promoted Wimbledon to League 2 :')

On the other hand I'm looking forward to Plymouth Argyle because you'll have Tyler Harvey in your squad. I signed him in my first season with Wimbledon and he became a VITAL player in my squad all the way to the premier league. Also since you're staying in League 2 you'll have to face Luton Town a couple times, and it'll be exciting to see how you fare against your old club.


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[SnapeKillsDumbledore]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

Bologna S03: May '17



Palermo 2-1 Bologna
65' 76' Makienok
54' Bernardeschi

• Only the fifth loss of the season for Bologna
• Mancosu appears as late substitute
• MOTM Simon Makienok — 2 goals, 3/6 shots on target

Bologna 1-0 Milan
55' Mancosu

• Milan required win to stay in title race
• Mancosu reaches 10 league goals
• MOTM Rugani — 1 assist, 3 tackles, 3 interceptions

La Spezia 0-1 Bologna
48' Melo

• Chapuis red card rules him out of TIM Cup final
• Bologna qualify for Europa League group stage
• MOTM Cataldi — 1 assist, 41/45 passes completed, 3 tackles

Talking Points

Successful season — We've had a lovely campaign this year! A points total of 71 is a considerable improvement from last year, while we have a strong showing offensively with 19 wins out of 38. We compete next season in the Europa League, which was the goal I set to the board when trying to get more funds in the summer. We also have a cup final to prepare for, which is going to be a high point for many of the players in our team. On we go!

Goals scored & conceded — We scored just 52 goals, the lowest of any of the top six teams and the only one below the 60 mark. Juventus of course topped the scoring charts with 67 goals. However, we conceded just 31 in 38 games! Milan match that record, and only Juventus let in fewer (28).

Five losses — After last season where we threw away 2-0 and 3-0 leads for fun, it was great to see us be defensively robust. That helped us record a great tally of just five losses in 38 games. That those losses came against teams like Roma, Palermo (2), Fiorentina and Udinese who all fought for the win is a small solace. We will improve, especially against Roma and Palermo.

Goals & assists — Seydou Doumbia topped the goal chart with Mauro Icardi, both strikers scoring 18 times in the league. Carlos Tévez recorded a grand 13 assists for Juventus as Paul Pogba top-scored for them with 16. Matteo Mancosu was our top scorer with 10 league goals, signifying a less prolific season for the team as well as less reliance on one superstar, both good.

Clean sheets — Fehmi Mert Günok wins the Golden Glove award for keeping 13 clean sheets in 38 appearances, a better than 1-in-3 record. No doubt we will be receiving a lot of bids for him this summer, though with his total lack of growth it may be something to consider if the money is very good.

Stories of the Season

Udinese — After spending most of the season in the relegation spots, they rallied to win 7 of their last 10 games and pick up a lower mid-table finish. I never understood their poor form, though it could be down to having many older players whose time had come seasons ago. They ought to do better.

Roma — How can someone go the bulk of the season fighting for the title yet fail at the last moment? Roma are the South Africa of Serie A, choking at the death when it really matters. I can't see them winning a title until a number of issues are sorted, chief among them this odd refusal to invest in top full backs. Gervinho also seems past it, so Roma have some work to do.

Emergence of youth — Our own team was a different story. Young players came through from the reserves to the first team with aplomb. Francesco Ferri scored 4 goals and made 2 assists since joining from Milan in January, and Leonardo Suárez showed us that he can operate in a variety of roles with ease. But perhaps the biggest success was Maxence Chapuis making a lengthy series of starts for the first team. With us moving back to four at the back, Chapuis is going to be fighting with Rugani and Melo for a spot at centre back while providing cover for Ikoko at right back and in midfield.

Aberdeen — A lot of the teams that won their leagues this season were the usual names. Chelsea dominated the Premier League, Real Madrid edged La Liga, and Juventus and Bayern regained Serie A and the Bundesliga after stumbling last season. But it was Scotland where the biggest surprise lay, as Abderdeen ended a 32-year duopoly on the title between Rangers and Celtic. Ironically, it was Aberdeen who last won in the 1984-85 season.

Final Table

1. Juventus — 84 points
2. Milan — 80 points
3. Inter — 74 points
4. Bologna — 71 points
5. Roma — 66 points
6. Napoli — 64 points
7. Cagliari — 58 points
8. Palermo — 56 points
9. Fiorentina — 54 points
10. Genoa — 53 points
11. Torino — 52 points
12. Atalanta — 51 points
13. Lazio — 48 points
14. Sampdoria — 48 points
15. Udinese — 39 points
16. Sassuolo — 34 points
17. Parma — 33 points
18. Verona — 30 points
19. Brescia — 24 points
20. La Spezia — 19 points

[SnapeKillsDumbledore]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

Match Preview

Matteo Mancosu has been named in Severo Bombo's starting lineup to face Milan in the 2017 TIM Cup final at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. Franco Zuculini starts in midfield, with Felipe Melo dropping to centre back in place of the suspended Maxence Chapuis. Club captain Domenico Maietta, who is set to retire at the end of this season, has been named to the bench with Francesco Ferri. Marios Oikonomou and Samed Yesil, both of whom seem on their way out of Bologna, fail to make the 18-player matchday squad.

For Milan, Ignazio Abate remains unavailable due to a tibia injury sustained in March, while Stephan El Shaarawy will have to remain content with being named to the bench in favour of Giacomo Bonaventura. Antonio Nocerino is expected to start in midfield over Sulley Muntari, who remains out of favour with Siniša Mihajlović. Milan also play without the suspended Jérémy Ménez.

Bologna (4-3-2-1): Günok; Ikoko, Rugani, Melo, Mbaye; Casarini, Zuculini, Cataldi; Bernardeschi, Zampano, Mancosu

Milan (4-3-3): Diego López; De Sciglio, Rami, Alex, Dídac Vilà; De Jong, Nocerino, Poli; Suso, Cerci, Bonaventura

Milan vs. Bologna

The teams are out, and referee Gianluca del Tarano is ready to start the match. Both goalkeepers and captains give the okay, and we kick off!

3' Mancosu drives forward right from kick-off. A couple of passes exchanged around the box, and the Italian has a shot that goes well wide.

14' Poli has been cautioned twice so far, now he sees yellow for a late challenge on Bernardeschi. That's deserved.

21' What a fantastic save! Nocerino plays Cerci through, and Günok makes a timed dive to his left to deny Milan's striker. How important will THAT be?

23' Oh, and it looks serious. The medics are out and Casarini is being stretchered off. He looks to be in serious pain. I don't know how Poli is still on the pitch. Young Leo Suárez is on for Bologna, this is a big game for him.

29' And we have the breakthrough! Ikoko runs down the right flank completely unmarked, that's poor defending from Dídac Vilà. The Frenchman stops dead before putting a low cross in to the edge of the box, where Zuculini thumps it into the roof of the net. That's got Frank Lampard written all over it!

34' We have our second booking of the match as Nocerino sees yellow for kicking at Cataldi. Milan are losing control of this game. They need to get the ball to Bonaventura.

42' Incredible from Diego López! With just five yards separating him and the goalkeeper, Mancosu sends a fiery shot fizzing straight into the top corner, but Milan's custodian is on hand with a lovely save to deny Bologna a second.

45' We have three minutes of stoppage time added on here. Both teams look happy to take this into the second half.

45'+3 Bologna have completely got this by the scruff of the neck. The teams go in at halftime separated by one goal and plenty of quality.

Though the match is delicately poised at 1-0, it's going to take a big effort from Milan to step back into this. Their midfielders have been too rash in their tackles and focusing too little on getting the ball to the forwards. Milan's front three are being starved of possession by a wonderful Bologna defence. I think we'll see a change or two at halftime from Milan.

45' We have Stephan El Shaarawy coming on now for Dídac Vilà as Milan change to a 3-4-3 formation. Bonaventura has dropped into midfield to hopefully get the ball to the forwards. And we're off for the second half.

47' Bologna have been called into action right away. Günok comes off his line to claim a through ball that would have otherwise seen Cerci with acres of space to score. Bonaventura is already making an impact.

56' We have a first yellow card for Bologna, who have Mbaye booked for a rough challenge on Bonaventura. This is getting exciting now.

60' And it's Günok again! The keeper comes out to claim a cross, and what a move it is with Cerci unmarked in the box.

65' Bologna make their first unforced substitution with Alessandro Chiosa on for Bernardeschi. Suárez moves up to the right of attack

70' How have Milan not equalized yet? Günok is forced to make another diving save as Cerci has his way with Bologna's defenders. You can see the Turk exchanging words with Rugani there.

74' Oh, my word! With all the time in the world and an empty net in front of him, de Jong fluffs his shot from 10 yards out and puts it wide off the post! What is going on with Milan!

82' That's the end of the game for Bonaventura, who comes off for Luca Antonelli. Bologna also make a substitution, their last of the game, as Melo makes way for Maietta. The club captain, retiring after this match, comes on to applause from both sets of fans. That's a classy touch from the Milanese.

87' And that's surely the game! Completely against the run of play, Maietta dispossesses El Shaarawy and plays a lovely ball 30 yards up to Mancosu, who sees Zampano's run in behind. A perfect through ball from the striker, and Zampano unerringly finds the back of the net with nobody around him. Milan have had the wind knocked out of them, right when it looked like they might steal an equalizer. De Sciglio is in tears on the touchline as his captain urges him to get up and play.

90' There will be four minutes extra to play here. Several of the Milan fans are in tears. Their team worked so hard, only to be denied a chance to take the title race into the final day by the very same team that has now all but stopped them from winning a first trophy since the 2010-11 Serie A title. Surely this is grounds enough for a new rivalry on the cards.

90'+4 And that is full time! Bologna have won the TIM Cup, the Coppa Italia! The players are absolutely stunned. Milan are shell-shocked! Some very classy behaviour from Mihajlović as he goes to shake Bombo's hand. Maietta is being mobbed by the Bologna ultras. Mancosu is being mobbed by the ultras. Fehmi Günok is consoling poor Mattia De Sciglio, who can't even stand up. The entire stadium is applauding, bar a few thousand inconsolable Milanese. Bologna have achieved something so beautiful here today!

And it's Domenico Maietta to lift the cup beside his vice-captain Matteo Mancosu. We're getting word that Federico Casarini's injury from earlier in the match has turned out to be a toe fracture, forcing him away from the celebrations. What a shame that Bologna's academy hero is not here to enjoy this moment. And they are the cup winners of Italian football, pushing a grateful Napoli into European football!

Analysis

Siniša Mihajlović: First of all, we have to congratulate Bologna for playing so well. You can feel a bit less upset because the better team won. We tried very hard. I have no complaints about my players. We will try again next season. There is room to improve and we have shown that we will continue to compete against the best teams. For now, let us allow Bologna to enjoy their victory today.

Severo Bombo: I asked my players to give everything today and there was total commitment from all of them. This is the type of football we love to play. Fast, methodical, devastating. It's going to be a difficult summer to improve this team, but we will see what can be done. Now it is time to enjoy the win. Milan were worthy opponents. We feel incredibly fortunate that we played against such a great team today.

Domenico Maietta: I think today is the end product of everything the boss has been trying to do since he came to the club. Milan were very good but it all came together for us today, and I think we would have won against any team in the world. There was so much passion, from all the fans and all the players who made today so special. I will miss this game and Bologna, but the time has come for me to look after myself rather than keep playing football. I know the club has a bright future ahead.

Giacomo Bonaventura: You have to accept the loss. It will take time to deal with it, but we have to accept that Bologna were better than us. We saw them playing consistently all season, and if they scored maybe 10 more goals, they could have fought for the title. We played with all our effort today. I have to apologize to the fans for disappointing them twice in one month. We will try harder next season.

Fehmi Günok: I wasn't trying to do anything different. Most of the saves, I went with my instinct on what to do. I think there was some fortune with us today also, because de Jong could have given them one goal before we scored the second, and the balance of the game changes with the equalizer. I did not have an easy game because Milan are a top side. They deserve to be in the Champions League for sure. We want to join them!

Bologna dominated the first half, going forward with plenty of intent but finding just one goal. Milan came into it after the break with some smart tactical moves, forcing Bologna to rethink their game plan. But Bologna improved defensively after the hour mark, and a swift breakaway ensured they came away with a shiny piece of silverware. Fehmi Mert Günok was the deserved man of the match. Consider that Bologna had three of their five shots on target, with Milan registering four of their six. Bologna got two goals from that, Milan none. That's down to Günok's six saves, including his dominant presence in the box on crosses. Other noteworthy players across both sides include Felipe Melo, Giacomo Bonaventura, Jordan Ikoko, Matteo Mancosu, and Alex. In the end, Bologna deserved this more than Milan did.

0-2
FT

[SnapeKillsDumbledore]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

Bologna S03: Squad Report



Key Players

Fehmi Günok — 15 clean sheets in 43 appearances

Jordan Ikoko — 5 goals, 2 assists in 40 appearances

Daniele Rugani — 1 goal, 1 assist in 40 appearances

Felipe Melo — 5 goals, 4 assists in 42 appearances

Federico Casarini — 1 goal, 1 assist in 31 appearances

Franco Zuculini — 4 goals, 2 assists in 26 appearances

Danilo Cataldi — 6 goals, 5 assists in 42 appearances

Ibrahima Mbaye — 1 goal, 2 assists in 42 appearances

Elia Zampano — 11 goals, 5 assists in 33 appearances

Federico Bernardeschi — 10 goals, 6 assists in 41 appearances

Matteo Mancosu — 11 goals, 5 assists in 31 appearances

Future: Squad

I have a budget of €16.5 million this summer, and I expect to raise another €10 million through player sales. With that sort of money, I can finally have the kind of team I've been trying to build since I signed with Bologna. It will be a tactical wet dream. I'm looking for 18 players in the first team rated 70 or higher, plus five reserves in the high 60s. The bench needs to be able to cover every position in a 4-3-2-1 system ex. GK, CB, RB, LB, CM and CF/ST.

On the way out for sure is Samed Yesil. We bought him cheap in 2015 in the hope that he would develop into Mancosu's eventual successor. He did not impress on the pitch, but with an expected going rate of €3.5 million, he will net a very good profit margin. Marios Oikonomou is also listed for sale. You remember how I gushed over him as recently as last summer, but he lost his position to Rugani and Melo. Chapuis' breakthrough means he has no future with us, but we expect to get around €3 million for a player of his quality.

Martí Riverola is also going to be leaving the club, though as a promising player we think we can get around €4 million if we sell, perhaps more if one of the big clubs makes a move. Douglas also has no future with us, though as a very unhappy player we probably won't be getting more than €2 million for him. Depending on how much we have left after buying the players we need, there may also be a loan move to continue Maxwel Cornet's growth.

Starting XI

Günok will continue in our goal unless we get an offer of €16 million or more to sign a considerable upgrade. In defence, I will persist with Ikoko at right back. Melo and Rugani will be my first-choice central defensive pairing, and though Mbaye has been playing well at left back, I think he might be better suited to a midfield role with the way he has grown. In that case, he would join Zuculini and Cataldi in the middle of the park, leaving us open to signing a starting left back. But if Mbaye stays at left back, we'll need an all-action midfielder. Attack is where we will see considerable change. Mancosu likely will drop to the bench, leaving two spots open once Zampano goes back to Juventus. He's out of our budget after the season he had with us, so we'll have to look elsewhere. Bernardeschi is a god, but I'm still open to selling for a big fee. As much as I would love to keep him, if we could get around €50 million from a big club there is no way I could turn that sort of money down. The player I signed in January on a pre-contract will go some way in easing the financial burden of signing attackers, but there is still one space open. So we will need one attacker, plus either a midfielder or a left back.

Substitutes

Here is where the bulk of the summer spending will be. Over the last couple of seasons, I have not been able to rely on a strong bench, forcing me to field half-fit players when I would prefer to rest them. Bernardeschi has low stamina, and he's not suited to playing without at least three days of rest, otherwise he isn't as effective as he can be. Zampano helped with that this season, but once Mancosu got injured I realized I did not have that same depth. That's why I want to have two reliable, out-and-out goalscorers on the bench. Mancosu will probably be one, and the other will be either a new player or Francesco Ferri. That depends on our finances after I've filled all the other spots. Aside from the two attackers, I will have Werther Carboni and Chapuis on the bench as my reserve goalkeeper and defender. Chapuis can cover at right back as well as centre back, and he can play deep in midfield in a pinch as well. That leaves three spots open, which offers the chance to have three midfielders. I would like one of them to be left-footed and able to cover at left back, and one right-footed and able to cover at right back. I would also prefer if one or both can also play at centre back in a pinch. The third midfielder should be able to play in the centre of the park or in attack, wide or central as the situation demands. A bit of versatility to play at full back wouldn't hurt either. So the key here is to sign complete players with good work rates, preferably one each of H/H, M/M and H/M, but more important will be their attributes. First, I'll need to sell deadwood.

Reserves

This is fairly straightforward: one goalkeeper, one defender, one defensive midfielder, one attacking midfielder, one forward, all in the 60s but with the right attributes and stats. This is the area I will look to complete once the rest of my squad is full, though it looks like Pierluigi Gollini will be the keeper.

[SnapeKillsDumbledore]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

Got a couple of polls for you guys. I would appreciate everyone chiming in so I can get some feedback.

Player of the season: http://strawpoll.me/5372580

Opinion-A: http://strawpoll.me/5372590

Opinion-B: http://strawpoll.me/5372604

[texasbum06]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

Preview of my next update:


Reserves were deployed against Huddersfield in the Capital One Cup quarter final. The game did not go as expected. Will we still advance?


3 games left to play in the month, I think I should have them done tonight and probably have an update out by tomorrow.

[texasbum06]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

Plymouth is a team full of big potential for a League 2 side. They should easily have the best squad in a couple of years from any League 2 side you could have chosen without making any huge purchases. Looking forward to seeing how your youth movement goes.

OK so I finished my 2nd season at Spurs. And we had a great season if I say so myself we won a double in one of the domestic cups and the EPL. But got torched by a great FC Barcelona side in the UEFA Champions League in the semifinals but the board was thrilled our performances in everything this year. So I was able to retain my position for another season. My goals for this season are lowered because I accidentally left my A- team in after my season was over. So I have to win the league, reach the knockout stage in the UEFA Champions League, and reach the final for the domestic cup.

That is one eventful transfer window. Crazy to spend so much and still pull in a 50M profit! Good business done by you, and your squad is stronger as a result of it.

Bologna S03: Squad Report

Unbelievable season. A top 4 finish and the domestic cup! Huge achievements for a club like Bologna. Next year will be a lot of added fixtures with European football, and you will need to really make sure your squad is deep enough to be able to handle it. Your budget should give you something to work with though. Can't wait to see what you do this off-season! I'm expecting some big changes.