retired_badmaru

[QUOTE]Originally posted by lukekarts:

ML - Duff (£75k)

Is that Damien Duff?

retired_pamela

Yeah its Damien Duff. Although he's being kept out of my team by Seedorf at the moment.

retired_kittyajh

that was a bargain. i had to pay £4.6m fir him half way through my third season, but hes been great and got loads of teams after him now </BLOCKQUOTE>

On my game Boca sold him to some Israeli club at the end of the first season for £400k then bought him back at the end of the second season for £10m.

:thdn:

retired_pamela

Well I couldn't sign anyone else, and as predicted, the first half of my season was a disaster.

1 win; 9 draws; 10 losses. 42 goals for, 55 against.

The signings of Pletikosa and David Mendes Da Silva in the transfer window have helped, I've now won 5 on the trot and am back up to 15th - there is hope yet but my team are ridiculously inconsistent.

retired_pamela

Damnit this is frustrating, I've never seen so many 4 ratings in FM in my life, all in one season! What the hell is going on?! I just lost 5-1 to bottom of the table Aston Villa, at home...

retired_pamela

Well I stayed up!

The board were disappointed by my job is still secure - I finished 17th!

Anyway, my squad for 2008, at the start of the transfer window is:

GK - Pletikosa / Dida
DL - Vilhaz
DC - Breno
DC - Mendes Da Silva / Cathcart (he's crap!)
DR - Kevin Wilson
ML - Duff
MC - Banega / Ropotan
AMC - Kallon / Buonanotte
MR - Chris Eagles
FC - Stancu
FC - Doudin / Ronaldo (almost 34)

For this season I've ambitiously opted for a top half finish and been given a £29m budget.

I might be signing Akinfeev on a free, which would be great.

I've had a £6.75M bid on Cahais accepted - hopefully he will come.

I'm also planning on another top striker to replace Shevchenko, and as many experienced defenders as I can get!

I conceeded 80 goals and my keeper averaged 7.20 so its definitely my defence that needs some work!

retired_issie

try and buy hutton at RB - a class acquisition if you can get him (should be about £5M)

retired_pamela

Thanks - will try for Hutton. He is still at Rangers and will be my priority when I get home!

My defence has been so appalling and I've had real difficulties in buying anyone up until now, but things will change! At least the struggle for survival has kicked some reality into the board and they only want a mid table finish!

iAM-Faheem

Stick with Cathcart-I ad him on loan in season 3 and he did well. Have a look at Kaboul aswell because he did a cracking job for me (nice and dominant as a CB).

To be honest, with that squad you should be finishing above 17th. I'd forget about trying to sign your way to the top - tweaking your tactics will help. i reckon you'd improve at least 7 places with good tactics and training etc. To many managers rely on signings. I have a Walsall team in the Premier League and am relying on 19,20 + 21 year olds like Nordtveit, Gosling, Dalle Valle, Gunter, Mattock with a sprinkling of the odd experienced player. Basically my tactics make me hard to beat and even though no "stars" will join me, i'm getting the best out of the likes of Stephen Hunt and Shola Ameobi along with my youngsters steadily improving.

retired_red26

he had a good first year for me but half way through 4th season hes been class and coaches are rating him as better than coloccini, and theres loads of teams after him. a great signing if you get the work permit