***The Official Football Manager Thread***

[Bellsprout]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

I know he's on Chelsea in my Fulham save, yes.

[jvalverde88]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

Yup, Ben Arfa is in Chelsea in my Monaco save.

[Suntan Superman]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

Players react to press conferences a lot more in 13, jeez.

[ImTellinTim]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

Just looked. Yep, Ben Arfa's on Chelsea in mine as well.

[HKPound]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

Does Hatem Ben Arfa sign with Chelsea in your guys' saves? He always does in mine.

Yup. He's signed with Chelsea in my Wigan save.

[Suntan Superman]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

Perhaps they have the 18m offer Chelsea was going to make during the summer ingrained in the game?

Also, after every victory, the media predicts that my team will slide down the table, and that the end is near, and yet, it's now December, still miraculously in first place. 14 wins, 2 draws, 0 losses. Have beaten Lugo, Recreativo, and Malaga in the Spanish Cup.

And of course, since it's December, I'm required to hand out 20 bazillion hands off warnings on all of my players.

[Altimus]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

No because I'm Chelsea.

[Bezzey]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

Chelsea have always grabbed Ben Arfa and Martin Kelly in the my run throughs

[Suntan Superman]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

Finally recorded my first loss, 18 games in to Osasuna. 1-0 on what was the single worst penalty ever given. (In fact, the FA remained silent when I lashed out aggressively about it) But, I suppose now we begin our slide down the table.

[justblaze09]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

So Ben Arfa is this year's James Tomkins.

Funny how Newcastle is always involved.

[Suntan Superman]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

it's the first leg, it was at home, they didn't play a lot of their best players but....



















HOLY ****ING **** I JUST BEAT REAL MADRID 3-0

[HKPound]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

Just finished my first season at Wigan. Kone' and di Santo combo were great, sucks i had to lose Kone' for the African Cup though, he ended the season with 17 goals, probably would of broke the 20 mark if it weren't for that Cup. Probably would of made a stronger push for top half as well if it weren't for his absence. Ended the season at the 14th spot, got Rory Delap dirt cheap, quality cover and defending midfielder, also got Hitzlsperger as well who ended up warranting a starting spot in that crowded Wigan midfield. Sent Jordi Gomez on loan because he just wasn't performing well at all. Got Leon Osman for about 2.5 mil who ended up being a disappointment, promptly sold him in the summer. The midfield will be interesting in my second season still with Hitzlsperger, Delap, McArthur, McCarthy, Ben Watson, Jordi Gomez, and now Tomas Rozicky on a free transfer. McCarthy is a lock and Hitzlsperger was wonderful last season so I'll have to see how things pan out throughout the preseason and first month or so. Beasuejour, di Santo, Kone', my defenders and goalie are a lock, may try to upgrade at right attacking mid over Maloney , but a rotation with Rosicky at center rather than Maloney could be adequate

[Suntan Superman]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

I feel cheated. Madrid didn't feel a very good squad in the second leg, and I won, 6-1. It feels great beating Madrid to make it to the Spanish Cup Final(vs Valencia), but it's kind of a hollow victory.

[Kobalt]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

Losing in the PK for a chance at a promotion is the worst

Finished my first year with Leeds in 3rd place. I was on 1st for after 16 games, then slid to 2nd during the next 18 games, and then finished the year at 3rd after that.

I use the 3-5-2 formation which is terrible. I rarely have the possession, crosses kill my team, but I'm too stubborn to change. Cameron Jerome(loaned from Stoke) scored 27 goals for me, but when I needed him, he disappeared down the stretch. My other striker Luciano Becchio broke his leg on the last match so I need to find some strikers, not sure how much the board will give me.

[jasontoddwhitt]

Re: ***The Official Football Manager Thread***

Another Christmas swoon for Rangers, but this time, I'm actually losing games and my 21 point lead in the Scottish First Division is now down to 12 points heading into February. Yet I beat Hearts in a Scottish Cup replay 2-0.

As for the January transfer window, I signed two guys to pre-contracts....

32-year-old DM Serginho Greene (Vojvodina) - valued at $190k
20-year-old ST Gaetano Monachello (Metalurg D) - valued at $3.4M

Also got 20-year-old DC Remie Street (Newcastle) on loan till the end of the season.

Also, I was able to extend the loan of James McFadden until the end of the season (and now I'm not contributing any salary), however, Southhampton refused to extend the loan of Steven Whittaker until the end of the season. He finished with 30 apps, four goals, six assists, and four player of the match awards (7.24 average rating). I cancelled the loan of Luke Williams from Middlesbrough. He made 12 appearances and was very underwhelming.

And the other big news was Carlos Bocanegra announcing his retirement at the end of the season. A shame to because he is the anchor of my defense and still has plenty in the tank.