Really enjoying it already, Washington is scoring for fun, debt is still an issue but we'll wipe it eventually. I also broke the defensive xG graph for L1 in the first two months of the season.
And here comes my dark, dark confession of my slide into alcoholism.
We have a drinking game for it...
You pick a player at the start of each game on your team with your friend and have a can of beer/cider/whatever.
Every goal on either side is one sip Red cards 3 Own goals 3 Debut goal 10 First goal for the club 5 If it's their birthday a shot
If your picked player scores the other person drinks:
1 extra if striker (so totalling 2) 2 extra if AM 3 if MC 7 if DF
Any player that came through the teams academy is automatically picked for all players, have some pride in your youth setup!
Also, all of the above is doubled if it is a cup game Tripled if it is a final, or against Palace, West Ham, Millwall, or any rival at the club you are playing, or any game against a former managed club. These compound
For example:
You are playing Millwall in the Final of the FA Cup, every one of the 4 goals they score against us would be a 3 for it being a final, times by 3 because it is Millwall, so everything is timesd by 9. So if there is a red card in that game, it is instantly a 27.
Everything is multiplied by 3 in injury time in any game, and the same goes for extra time.
Penalty shootouts are 1 for a goal, 3 for a save/miss, although these are doubled in a final.
Any 30 sips that has to be done, which can happen, can be substituted with a shot.
I think I once had a debut goal in a cup final in extra time by a picked player. It was a 180, 6 shots....
I haven't really followed the development cycle of it this year. Have they done anything with transfers finally? The transfer system has been the same since Champ Man 01/02. Offer an amount, have it rejected, suggest a higher amount for a player valued at £3m, get quoted £117m and a 50% sell on fee, repeat with no nuance forever. Two buttons. For years I've wanted them to turn transfers into actual negotiations with some back and forth and a feeling of ongoing communication over a transfer. When teams want to make a big signing, like Havertz to Chelsea, the formal approach is made and the dialogue starts. The two teams never start with the same valuation but there's back and forth constantly for weeks in the form of conversations and there's sometimes only one or two formal bids in there. In the game it's just staccato bids and you never really get the feeling that there's an ongoing transfer saga over the summer like there is in real life. You also don't have big teams throwing their weight around as much as in real life. There's a couple of public options to try and unsettle players but it's so limited. The reality is that if Man Utd want to unsettle a Newcastle player there's a lot of ways they can do that publicly and privately to do so.
So much time is spent on the 3D match engine and the additional of xG and Twitter feeds every year but I wish they'd do some real heavy work on the mechanics of transfers soon. I love FM and I always get the new one but they're feeling more and more similar in terms of basic use at the moment
Agree on the transfers, my biggest bug bear is the contract negotiations though - hate it when it goes 'orange' and you've got one chance or they won't talk to you for 2 weeks, after which they've totally forgotten about it.
You don't have a chance to talk the guy down, the conversation just goes... "5k? No, 10k. 7k? Nope, see you in a fortnight." After all the scouting and transfer bids to get to that point it just feels very flawed/repetitive - not a negotiation, just a pretty basic formula.
Even worse, when they won't suggest a starting point - I imagine meeting in a Little Chef on the M6 after protracted negotiations with the club, guy and his agent walks in and shrugs, you pull a figure out of nowhere and they both just get up and leave (it goes red instantly).
I'm sure it's hard to programme but surely it can have a bit more nuance or just be easier so it's less of a chore. If you let your DoF do it it'd be good to 'sit in' and tweak rather than just find out if you got them or not - quite often they've messed it up majorly so you've got to wait 2 weeks again.
Edit: Oh! And not being able to offer wages to people because you've got other contract negotiations going on taking up budget (before you've signed them).
Only started a game yesterday and already really liking the new economic model they've put in. Players at our level seem to be a lot more affordable than in previous versions, if a player is worth £200k, by and large a club will accept around that level.
Managed to re-sign Rob Elliot, liking the scouting system too (havent played a version since fm18). Generally it feels like this is their best beta release. Although having a problem when trying to sign non-playing staff, I can never match their proposed wages and then they ask for a yearly wage rise which the board won't agree to.
Also, not sure who the FM researcher is now, but hasn't Sandgaard said in 5 years we will be in the prem? Surely the 5 year plan should be updated for that.
Agree on the transfers, my biggest bug bear is the contract negotiations though - hate it when it goes 'orange' and you've got one chance or they won't talk to you for 2 weeks, after which they've totally forgotten about it.
You don't have a chance to talk the guy down, the conversation just goes... "5k? No, 10k. 7k? Nope, see you in a fortnight." After all the scouting and transfer bids to get to that point it just feels very flawed/repetitive - not a negotiation, just a pretty basic formula.
Even worse, when they won't suggest a starting point - I imagine meeting in a Little Chef on the M6 after protracted negotiations with the club, guy and his agent walks in and shrugs, you pull a figure out of nowhere and they both just get up and leave (it goes red instantly).
I'm sure it's hard to programme but surely it can have a bit more nuance or just be easier so it's less of a chore. If you let your DoF do it it'd be good to 'sit in' and tweak rather than just find out if you got them or not - quite often they've messed it up majorly so you've got to wait 2 weeks again.
Edit: Oh! And not being able to offer wages to people because you've got other contract negotiations going on taking up budget (before you've signed them).
Yep, also very annoying. The idea that you'd have a bid accepted and then go in to talk to a player officially and hear about their wage demands for the first time is hilarious. They've got agents in the game but they don't have anywhere near the influence they have in real life. Maybe that's deliberate to keep the game fun and stop it turning into a cesspit like the actual world is but I'd like a change. The most enjoyable part of FM for me is always the summer, having a look at your squad, seeing where you need to improve, who you need to move on and who's out there to improve you. It's incredible to me that they haven't felt the need to make this aspect more fluid and complex in the last few years.
I'm also sick of the contract conversations with players. They're a year into a 4 year contract and they ask for a new deal in the middle of the season. You say 'no, you've got loads of time left on your current deal' and unless you're 5 Champions League titles deep they do their absolute nut and try and rally the dressing room into rebellion. Off one conversation that you then can't really redeem apart from offering them a new deal, which they'll probably refuse to discuss anyway because they're now furious. It's actually easier to just keep selling them and buying equivalent quality players than it is to bother managing that stuff
I enjoyed fm20 a lot, although agree with some of the bugbears people have listed above, but I didn't find it that off-putting.
My biggest hope is that they have improved the match engine. It wasn't terrible but any means but after a while playing you did tend to see the same types of goals being scored. And certain brands of football are just totally unfeasible to play because of the quirks of the match engine.
Still, looking forward to getting hold of the demo and ploughing hours of my life back into it.
I’m in January and top of the league. You only need to supplement the squad but be careful, you are allowed a max of £48k per week and there is about £5k of wiggle room after some brutal decisions. (I loaned Mbenza from Huddersfield which took up most of that). Most players wages are registered as £1700 providing they were signed before the cut off. Anything after is recognised in full. You have to be quite clever to sign anyone in January.
Gomez buy out clause became active for me in December. Sold it but only saw 10% of the £7.5m due to the restrictions on transfer income.
Brexit for me was 17 foreign player limit in squad.
Can’t wait to get out of this league! We are not financially stable at all and my projections for next years transfer budget is £0 at the moment.
Some learnings:
- Bogle has about 27 goals in 22 appearances. - Morgan and Doughty should be promoted from the reserves. - Pearce is excellent - Our squad is good enough to go up already. - 4-2-3-1 gegenpress is working well for me.
Started a reading save, until the full version is out not worth starting a proper charlton one i assume... Firstly expectations were mid table, then when i replied we will go for playoffs and my players were unhappy. needless to say i am 2nd in January with quite a settled team, signed Smith Rowe from arsenal on loan, not really been amazing but good enough. Also another guy up front Inside forward mostly from Arsenal.
Started first couple of games in the wrong formation, finding out my teams strengths and seem to have quite a few decent wins away from home eg. Swansea 0-4, only ones who have really beat me since the first couple of games was Norwich (who are 8 points claear, i am 4 points ahead of Brentford) also Brentford beat me once and i drew 1-1 at home. Quite like my squad and have built a team brimming with confidence, will be a shame when i move onto my next challenge eg. charlton.
Just out of interest how long can you play the beta? eg. will it do a full season, in the past demos would stop at Christmas but i've got into January now.
A big shame i cant really carry on with it when the full version is out, or can you?
PS- First proper FM i have had since 2010, although have had a couple of phone versions.
Only played preseason but liking it so far. The match engine seems a clear upgrade from last year.
Will update when I've played a fair few games but based on stats, reports and pre season performances a few of our lads seem a bit underrated. Doughty and Matthews for sure, and, based on their early season form IRL, Inniss, Famewo, and Gunter. Maatson is the worst. I guess it's understandable as he is totally unproven in men's football but his stats are atrocious. I would also add Chucks as I think he's class but I know not everyone would agree with that.
On the plus side, JFC, Oshilaja, Levitt, Willaims and Bogle all seem very strong compared to where I would pitch them at.
Unfortunately there appears to have been a bit of an oversight with regards to Sandgaard as the clubs finances are listed as insecure and transfer budget is a big fat 0. He also refused to allow couches to go on any courses due to the club's perilous financial situation. Hopefully this gets fixed.
Comments
I also broke the defensive xG graph for L1 in the first two months of the season.
I really like the match engine.
My friend who is nuts is just desperate to press the "throw water bottle" button in the dressing room talks, there really is something for everyone.
Racked up around 1800 hours on FM19.
And here comes my dark, dark confession of my slide into alcoholism.
We have a drinking game for it...
You pick a player at the start of each game on your team with your friend and have a can of beer/cider/whatever.
Every goal on either side is one sip
Red cards 3
Own goals 3
Debut goal 10
First goal for the club 5
If it's their birthday a shot
If your picked player scores the other person drinks:
1 extra if striker (so totalling 2)
2 extra if AM
3 if MC
7 if DF
Any player that came through the teams academy is automatically picked for all players, have some pride in your youth setup!
Also, all of the above is doubled if it is a cup game
Tripled if it is a final, or against Palace, West Ham, Millwall, or any rival at the club you are playing, or any game against a former managed club. These compound
For example:
You are playing Millwall in the Final of the FA Cup, every one of the 4 goals they score against us would be a 3 for it being a final, times by 3 because it is Millwall, so everything is timesd by 9. So if there is a red card in that game, it is instantly a 27.
Everything is multiplied by 3 in injury time in any game, and the same goes for extra time.
Penalty shootouts are 1 for a goal, 3 for a save/miss, although these are doubled in a final.
Any 30 sips that has to be done, which can happen, can be substituted with a shot.
I think I once had a debut goal in a cup final in extra time by a picked player. It was a 180, 6 shots....
You're all welcome.
Teamaheets look a bit decent too.
You don't have a chance to talk the guy down, the conversation just goes... "5k? No, 10k. 7k? Nope, see you in a fortnight." After all the scouting and transfer bids to get to that point it just feels very flawed/repetitive - not a negotiation, just a pretty basic formula.
Even worse, when they won't suggest a starting point - I imagine meeting in a Little Chef on the M6 after protracted negotiations with the club, guy and his agent walks in and shrugs, you pull a figure out of nowhere and they both just get up and leave (it goes red instantly).
I'm sure it's hard to programme but surely it can have a bit more nuance or just be easier so it's less of a chore. If you let your DoF do it it'd be good to 'sit in' and tweak rather than just find out if you got them or not - quite often they've messed it up majorly so you've got to wait 2 weeks again.
Edit: Oh! And not being able to offer wages to people because you've got other contract negotiations going on taking up budget (before you've signed them).
Managed to re-sign Rob Elliot, liking the scouting system too (havent played a version since fm18). Generally it feels like this is their best beta release. Although having a problem when trying to sign non-playing staff, I can never match their proposed wages and then they ask for a yearly wage rise which the board won't agree to.
My biggest hope is that they have improved the match engine. It wasn't terrible but any means but after a while playing you did tend to see the same types of goals being scored. And certain brands of football are just totally unfeasible to play because of the quirks of the match engine.
Still, looking forward to getting hold of the demo and ploughing hours of my life back into it.
Gomez buy out clause became active for me in December. Sold it but only saw 10% of the £7.5m due to the restrictions on transfer income.
Brexit for me was 17 foreign player limit in squad.
Can’t wait to get out of this league! We are not financially stable at all and my projections for next years transfer budget is £0 at the moment.
Some learnings:
- Bogle has about 27 goals in 22 appearances.
- Morgan and Doughty should be promoted from the reserves.
- Pearce is excellent
- Our squad is good enough to go up already.
- 4-2-3-1 gegenpress is working well for me.
https://www.cjs-cdkeys.com/products/Football-Manager-2021-CD-Key-For-Steam.html
FYI this site is good for PC games but i'm not sure how legal the keys are. Haven't had one that doesn't work yet though.
Did you use this for FM21 mate? I notice the site says not availbale until 24/11 but some of the reviews talking about speedy delivery etc.
I guess my question is, if I buy this now... would I get access to the BETA when I get in from work?
Unbelievable value for money £35 for probably close to 250 hours of entertainment over next year.
Proper FM junky.
https://www.shopto.net/en/dwnld58827-football-manager-2021-p510778/
Started first couple of games in the wrong formation, finding out my teams strengths and seem to have quite a few decent wins away from home eg. Swansea 0-4, only ones who have really beat me since the first couple of games was Norwich (who are 8 points claear, i am 4 points ahead of Brentford) also Brentford beat me once and i drew 1-1 at home. Quite like my squad and have built a team brimming with confidence, will be a shame when i move onto my next challenge eg. charlton.
Just out of interest how long can you play the beta? eg. will it do a full season, in the past demos would stop at Christmas but i've got into January now.
A big shame i cant really carry on with it when the full version is out, or can you?
PS- First proper FM i have had since 2010, although have had a couple of phone versions.
Will update when I've played a fair few games but based on stats, reports and pre season performances a few of our lads seem a bit underrated. Doughty and Matthews for sure, and, based on their early season form IRL, Inniss, Famewo, and Gunter. Maatson is the worst. I guess it's understandable as he is totally unproven in men's football but his stats are atrocious. I would also add Chucks as I think he's class but I know not everyone would agree with that.
On the plus side, JFC, Oshilaja, Levitt, Willaims and Bogle all seem very strong compared to where I would pitch them at.
Unfortunately there appears to have been a bit of an oversight with regards to Sandgaard as the clubs finances are listed as insecure and transfer budget is a big fat 0. He also refused to allow couches to go on any courses due to the club's perilous financial situation. Hopefully this gets fixed.