Football Manager 2020

[Hornso]

Just hammered Leicester 6-0 at Villa Park. Very enjoyable 

[Villaphan04]

On 30/04/2020 at 15:12, Villaphan04 said:

After signing all of these players, I went on an unbelievable unbeaten run until the end of the season (won 13, drew 5). After the loans, the squad was way too good for Serie C (most of them are going to be regulars for me in Serie B too).  Ended up winning the league by 4 points over Bari. 

I was able to bring in a few young guys on frees as their contracts expired: I also asked a few of my key guys for some recommendations in youth prospects and signed a few to increased their relationship w/me and putting me as a favored personnel.

I signed Ethan Galbraith, Adam Phillips, and Matt Macey all on frees.

Was able to get a few more loans in as well

Lukas Nmecha (Felix's brother ), Matt Smith, and Gonzalo Maroni (who signed for them on a free) all from Man City

Fabrice Hartmann who had just signed for PSG from Leipzig

On deadline day, I snagged Troy Parrott from Spurs and Tosin Adarabioyo from City again both on an end of next season loan. 

Extended all the other loans for end of the season as well except Shackleton which is a bit disappointing as he's the best of the bunch but Leeds want to give him an opportunity in the first team.

 

And on another note, because I've loaned/declared loan interest in so many city players, Pep now considers me a friend  and I'm in his favored personnel now. 

[Hornso]

Another question for the experienced managers on here. I've got a nice small core of 3.5.-4 star midfielders in McGinn, Almada, Grealish, Luiz, & Longstaff. However my lowest rated midfielder Conor Hourihane is also my best performing (7.51 average rating from 27 appearances.) Looking beyond this season, should I stick with him because of his outstanding performances or do you look to upgrade him? Is this season likely a one-off or do players like this defy their ratings continuously?

[Mjvilla]

6 hours ago, Hornso said:

Another question for the experienced managers on here. I've got a nice small core of 3.5.-4 star midfielders in McGinn, Almada, Grealish, Luiz, & Longstaff. However my lowest rated midfielder Conor Hourihane is also my best performing (7.51 average rating from 27 appearances.) Looking beyond this season, should I stick with him because of his outstanding performances or do you look to upgrade him? Is this season likely a one-off or do players like this defy their ratings continuously?

How's he getting his high rating? Is he scoring/assisting alot? In my opinion, a player can do **** all for 88 minutes, net a 2 yard tap in created by someone else and have their rating jump a point or even more. I guess it's fair, but I always look at it differently. Perhaps another player would've offered more during a game and you could've won by more?

[Mjvilla]

In my save, just began season 5 with a 2-1 victory home to wolves. Season 4 was a flop in reality. Finished 11th, but struggled in the league due to europa league. Lost in the semi final to Lazio. 2 European semi finals in 2 years where I've made a semi and lost a player through sending off in the first half hour of the first leg. Knocked out Hoffenheim, Milan and Leipzig to get there. Felt Lazio was slightly easier than Milan and Leipzig. Absolutely gutted.

Esposito was a beast scoring 35 goals in all comps. Reluctantly accepted a £93m offer from Milan for him. Immediately signed his replacement (7.5m on an Argentinian regen from river who's value immediately went to 23m), only for Esposito to turn Milan down. He's staying now. In the January of season 4, I lost soyuncu to arsenal. He was a bit of an arse and kept kicking up a stink. So I got rid and bought in ampadu who's been really good. 

With no European competition, have high hopes for a top 6 finish this season, have £50m to spend and not sure what to spend it on. Love this Dutch regen from feyenoord, would be mcginns long term replacement, but at the moment feyenoord want £100m. Waiting for that to come down as he has 2 years left on his contract. I'm going to keep unsettling him.

Massively pissed off with NSWE though. Part of my club vision: have best youth facilities in the country. So, 75% of the wy through the youth facilities upgrade, they cancel it. What's that about? Junior coaching, junior recruitment is maxed out. Have been steadily improving my coaches. (All working with youngster 20). Want to change my HOYD, anyone have any ideas? Really struggling to find one better than Harrison that wants to join me.

[Dante_Lockhart]

8 hours ago, Hornso said:

Another question for the experienced managers on here. I've got a nice small core of 3.5.-4 star midfielders in McGinn, Almada, Grealish, Luiz, & Longstaff. However my lowest rated midfielder Conor Hourihane is also my best performing (7.51 average rating from 27 appearances.) Looking beyond this season, should I stick with him because of his outstanding performances or do you look to upgrade him? Is this season likely a one-off or do players like this defy their ratings continuously?

Hourihane won player of the season on my save first year. He took free kicks and corners and ended up with 18 assists, 9 goals. McGinn did naff all throughout the season, and Luiz not far in front. Seemed like apart from Conor no midfielder did anything, including the wingers (3/4 goals assists each)

[Hornso]

2 hours ago, Mjvilla said:

How's he getting his high rating? Is he scoring/assisting alot? In my opinion, a player can do **** all for 88 minutes, net a 2 yard tap in created by someone else and have their rating jump a point or even more. I guess it's fair, but I always look at it differently. Perhaps another player would've offered more during a game and you could've won by more?

Like Dante said in his post it's mainly through assists by not from corners in my case. He has 16 to go with 4 goals in 32 appearances. He's quite good at pinging diagonal balls through to my wingers

[Dante_Lockhart]

Heading into the season after the FA frenzy like this;

[villa4europe]

What do the likes of city, psg and barca look like? 

Where's messi and Ronaldo? 

[Dante_Lockhart]

1 minute ago, villa4europe said:

What do the likes of city, psg and barca look like? 

Where's messi and Ronaldo? 

Messi and Ronaldo are still both available on a free transfer.

Barca: Pellegrini, Kimmich, Oliver, Fabian, Aguero

PSG: Rashford, Pogba, Ramos, Savic

City: Partey, Telles, Angel Correa, Milenkovic

 

Surprisingly not as busy as some. Jacks ended up at Sheff Utd.

[Dante_Lockhart]

Chelsea have probably picked up the strongest team. Benzema and Icardi up front. Maquire and Vertonghen/Bonucci in middle of defence. Neves and Witsel. Robertson and Alves. Douglas Costa our wide.

[Villan_of_oz]

On 05/05/2020 at 08:57, Hornso said:

Another question for the experienced managers on here. I've got a nice small core of 3.5.-4 star midfielders in McGinn, Almada, Grealish, Luiz, & Longstaff. However my lowest rated midfielder Conor Hourihane is also my best performing (7.51 average rating from 27 appearances.) Looking beyond this season, should I stick with him because of his outstanding performances or do you look to upgrade him? Is this season likely a one-off or do players like this defy their ratings continuously?

If he's playing well, I would keep him until he shows signs of decline. I usually always have at least one player in my star studded team that is only a 2.5-3 star player, he's in because he's playing out of his skin and earning his spot.

Also these types of players usually don't kick up a fuss if they miss a few games and don't ask for stupid wages. I've definitely felt at times you can have too many demanding players in your team and you can never keep them all happy.

If Conor has a 7.51 rating over 27 appearances, he would be a lock for me next season.

[Hornso]

2nd season in charge of Villa in the books. Finished 6th which is enough to get me into the Euro Cup. Chelsea overtook me on the last day, but I was still 13 points off Champions League so still a lot of ground to make up on the big boys. United ended up taking the title comfortably from Liverpool, Man City & Arsenal. Leeds, Fulham and Norwich went down.

As alluded to in other posts Hourihane was player of the season with 4 goals and 17 assists, although French winger Isaac Lihadji went under the radar with 13 goals and 11 assists. Goals came from mixed sources, in addition to Lihadji I had Samatta (12), Haberer (10), Green (10). Wesley also chipped in with 7.

Got another 50m to spend, with the focus on getting a standout striker and improving the defence. We scored a lot of goals but also leaked far too many. I'm sure some of that down is to mind-set and formation, but we also seemed to concede a hell of a lot from set pieces. 

[Mjvilla]

Half way through the 5th season. Flying going into January, 2nd and thinking of champions league. Playing well and dominating games. Concede a 95th minute goal away at runaway leaders Liverpool to lose and haven't won since. Drop out the top 4 and Esposito, who had scored 14 in 15, hasn't scored in 5 all of a sudden. All the top 4 spend 50+m on one world class player. How do I cope with that? I have nothing to spend. Looks like I'll miss champions league again. Think I'll finish 6th or 7th again. Pissed off to say the least.

[Villan_of_oz]

4 hours ago, Mjvilla said:

Half way through the 5th season. Flying going into January, 2nd and thinking of champions league. Playing well and dominating games. Concede a 95th minute goal away at runaway leaders Liverpool to lose and haven't won since. Drop out the top 4 and Esposito, who had scored 14 in 15, hasn't scored in 5 all of a sudden. All the top 4 spend 50+m on one world class player. How do I cope with that? I have nothing to spend. Looks like I'll miss champions league again. Think I'll finish 6th or 7th again. Pissed off to say the least.

It took me a few years of finishing 5th-9th, don't get too disheartened. You can do it!!

 

[villa4europe]

Playing in the EL in 2022

No 3rd place CL team dropping in and no 2 legs, not sure if that's something SI cooked up

[Mjvilla]

20 hours ago, Villan_of_oz said:

It took me a few years of finishing 5th-9th, don't get too disheartened. You can do it!!

 

Well, since I posted that, form took a massive upturn, beginning with a 2-1 win at the trillion trophy stadium, or whatever shut it's called, in the fa cup 4th round. Left it last night with 5 games to go and I'm sitting in 3rd. It's in my own hands to finish top 4. Esposito back amongst the goals and I have my first potential 4 star player come through. Things are looking rosy. 

There was I, moaning about having no money, I didn't realise that due to a couple of big sales at the end of the summer I had £50m to spend. Spunked it all on an 18yo regen central midfielder from Leicester. He has since won his first England cap and been dominating games. Absolutely love him.

Ooo, and also a fa cup semi final to look forward to after I've put the kids to bed tonight. I play Chelsea, who were 3rd in the table. I've just beaten them at VP 2-0 to move above them with Esposito scoring a brace. 

Also, still looking for a bloody right back. Had Yan couto on loan from man city this season, he's done well but I doubt I'll get him next season. My whole summer budget will be going on full backs this year.

Another question for everyone, how's everyone been getting on with Louie Barry? He's been on a few loans, culminating in this season's loan to Zaragoza where he's scored 12 la Liga goals in a struggling side. His value has gone to 18m and he's back next season to challenge the first team. Anyone else been successful with him?

 

[Mjvilla]

10 hours ago, villa4europe said:

Playing in the EL in 2022

No 3rd place CL team dropping in and no 2 legs, not sure if that's something SI cooked up

Yeah, I had the same. Because of the world cup wasn't it? Not sure how it'll work irl though!

[villa4europe]

Yeah, 2 legs came back for the QFs

My run my ludogorets in the 2nd round, schalke, feyenoord, now got a decent atalanta side in the final

Sat 13th in the league, struggling with a really young side, esposito came back from the world cup injured which **** me big time as pellegri was shite and out of contract so I cashed in on him, my oldest CM is 19, had a couple of one more game media warnings including one before baggies away which I won 6-0, 5 up after 30 mins mellberg is still chirpy as ever the prick, 4 league games left and its the same as every year so far win them all and I can finish 8th lose them all and I could slip to 15th 

And Liverpool are pissing the league, spent some serious cash, pretty much every game I've played they buy milenkovic savic in year 1 but in this game they added dybala and mbappe and smash it

edit: I got offered the Napoli job, they're sat 8th in serie A, I think if wasn't doing well in the EL (and I better still get CL for winning it!) I might have taken it

Edited May 8, 2020 by villa4europe

[villan-scott]

 

This player is phenomenal, paid top whack for him at 18 as saw the potential and boy is he living up to it now at age 25. 45 league goals and 73 goals in all comps including 20 in the CL this season and 50 plus for the last 3 seasons. 

Also smashed the record for league goals scored for a team, 157!!

Would have had the record points total and wins in a season but threw away a 2-0 lead away at Everton last day. 

Also managing England and have my first World Cup this summer to now have a crack at. Lost the Nations League final to Belgium so need an international trophy! 

Edited May 8, 2020 by villan-scott