Just finished my first season with Barca. This is my first save with them and I really enjoyed it.
We won the league by 8 points and in the process went on a 45 game unbeaten run (all competitions).
League Table 48 Game Unbeaten Run (All Comps)
Also won the Champions League. We beat Real Madrid in the final but I ended up having one of themost difficult draws I have ever had playing on FM.
Group Stage - Stuttgart, Levski & PSV
1st Round - AC Milan
Quarter Final - Man Utd
Semi Final - Arsenal
Final - Real Madrid
I din't half ride my luck on the way to the final either. Last minute goals against
Man Utd and in the final against
Real Madrid made sure that my name was on the Cup (Man U in 99 anyone)
My Squad was:
GK - Valdes / Jorquera
RB - Rafinha / Zambrotta
LB - Abidal / Zambrotta
CB - Puyol / Breno
CB - Thuram / Milito
CM - Deco / Iniesta
CM - Xavi / Dos Santos
DM - Toure / Edmilson / Marquez / Banega
FR - Messi / Gudjhonson
FL - Ronaldinho / Henry
SC - Henry / Eto'o / Bojan
As you can see we play a
4-3-3 with the wingers pushed right up front to make it more like a 3 pronged strike attack. One of the reasons for this is that on some of my previos saves this system, when played with wide AM's, sort of islates the striker and with either Henry, Bojan or Eto'o up front I didn't want to isolate them as this isn't their game. This has worked for me even though most of the time we haven't had the lion's share of possession but we have still scored goals for fun.
My middle CM has a b-arrow and becomes as DM when we don't have the ball. Defensively this has worked a treat as we also had one of the best defensive records in the league.
I feel that in the summer I need to look at getting in a LWB possibly Guardado???? I haven't signed him on FM08 yet has anybody had any experince of him? I am also looking at another keeper possibly Ustari or Akinfeev.
I was looking at getting in another striker as I didn't think Bojan was ready for first team football. Rotating Henry and Eto'o was fine untill the latter went away for the African Nations Cup and then I was left with Henry. But towards the back end of the season
Bojan improved out of sight and started to become the player I thought it would take a couple of seasons to be.
In the summer I am looking to offload Gudjohnson (Not really played), Thuram (Age / Contract), Ezquerro (Not played)& Jorquera (Not Played).
I'm also looking forward to developing some of the youngsters such as Oier Olazabal (C Team Keeper), Thiago, Dos Santos (well impressed with him in limited appearances), Bojan, Benega and Breno.
My only complaint (and this is about the game in general) is the Board Confidence. I won the league and Champions League yet they still aren't happy about my Semi Final exit from the Spanish Cup and also the 3-2 defeat away at Sevilla that ended my unbeaten run. They keep reminding me about this every month and it annoys me because I feel they should be concentrating on what I've won!! Ah well!
Linear Mode
