Finally started playing it. Feels identical to last year except with some added annoying complications to things like recruitment. Other than that it's the same, only we're much, much worse. Managed to win L1 easily though. Chuks immediately got injured for 2 months in game one so I brought in Jack Vale on loan and he scored 32 goals. Got in two proper LBs as well, seemed to do the trick. Real Charlton take note. I've found it's impossible to sell players on this edition though. They're all getting upset when they don't play and threatening to leave on Bosmans 18 months down the line (oh no, please don't go Terrell Thomas..) but no club wants to come in for them even when they have basically no transfer fee and are on tiny wages. It's odd. And annoying. I'm also in a running feud with Chuks where he's killing me on wage but no-one can even afford to cover his salary on a loan. I hate him.
Also, if you do manage to get promoted, you really do have to cash in that Gomez clause immediately. I got rid of Stockley and some of Chuks' wage off the bill and I still had nothing. Signed Jay Dasilva on 9k and John-Jules on 5k and I was immediately over my budget. That extra £5m is the only thing standing between you and wishing you'd renewed Ryan Inniss's contract. Pissing the Championship though. A couple of generous loans and some cheapo free transfers and you can do alright without too much trouble
I had the problem with selling as well. When I got to the prem I still had a load of the original squad on the payroll, in the end had to offer them out for no fee and managed to get rid of them.
I’m 25 games into my 3rd prem season, finished 12th, 10th and on course for mid table mediocrity again. My squad seems to have the same problem as the real life prem years in that I get to 40 points and then can’t win again. Miles got 19 goals in each of my first two premier league seasons but has only 5 this year due to injury and competition.
been my own worst enemy really as each yeah I’ve changed tactics half way through the year, tried 442, 4411, 343 and now on a 433. Each time I get a little boost in form but then seem to struggle after 10 games or so.
What’s everyone else using?
My only holdovers were Dobson, McGrandles and Wollacott. I've kept two of them and am currently farming out McGrandles for a fraction of his salary on loan just so he stops looking at me like that. As always you can't get a loan without paying over £1m in fees and all the wages but all teams will offer you for yours is 10% wage coverage if you're lucky. It's a very irritating game. The only player I have sold for anything like his value is Fosu, who I picked up on a free the season before while feeling annoyed that I was essentially using the same scouting system as real life Gallen.
I've used 433 the whole way. Inverted wingers and gegenpress is always the solution. Counter-press in transition, press high out of possession and high tempo in possession. As long as you've got that happening you just need 2 players in every position. Substantially inferior players can do well with an aggressive gegenpress, it's more important that you can rotate regularly to avoid burnout and injury
Yeah that’s what I’ve moved to now and it appears to be effective, haven’t gone full gegenpress as my squad is seriously thin due to a few moody players being moved on in January. I know what you mean about the loans, it’s quite frustrating. Transfers in general are a bit broken with the AI making low offers but expecting ridiculous money for everyone.
Wollacott was great for me but left season 4 January as he wasn’t playing too much after I signed Iversen from Leicester. I had the same with Fosu, had him for a year and then he was moaning too much so got £7m for him from Sheffield United. Leaburn is the last man standing now from the original squad. Only rated two stars and down the pecking order but I’ll try and keep him around forever as he’s been a 1 in 2 man until season 5.
However, as a sneak preview, I can share progress that’s been made towards one of the most requested features from our forums over the last 20 years – and that’s the ability to transfer saved games from one version of FM to the next.
FM24 – Marking our 20th anniversary of Football Manager by delivering the most complete version in the series' history, across Steam, Epic, Microsoft Store, Game Pass, PS5, Xbox, Apple Arcade, Switch and iOS & Android for mobile.
FM25 – For the first time in decades, a true sequel. The Unity engine will bring a new graphics engine, a fresh user interface and advanced animations, alongside the introduction of women's football (plus lots more, across platforms).
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Here’s the key bits:
However, as a sneak preview, I can share progress that’s been made towards one of the most requested features from our forums over the last 20 years – and that’s the ability to transfer saved games from one version of FM to the next.
FM25 – For the first time in decades, a true sequel. The Unity engine will bring a new graphics engine, a fresh user interface and advanced animations, alongside the introduction of women's football (plus lots more, across platforms).