Gaming Football Manager 2020 (PC, Mac, Switch, Android, iOS, Stadia)

[Maluco]

Season ended very well, a 2nd double for us now even though it took us 4 years to get back to winning anything. Should really have won the league by a few points more but my team decided that the pressure of needing just 1 more win was far too much for them. Might well need to invest in some new wide players this summer as the ones I currently have are just turning in terrible performances game after game. Top scorer only getting 13 goals is a bit of a worry as well. I think we mainly did so well due to conceding a lot less.

Construction will now begin on our new stadium, it's not far off double the size of our current on and does give us a decently sized loan to pay off over the next 10 years. Hopefully we don't go the Arsenal route.

I have been wondering when the best time is to ask about the stadium. Mine is only 8 or 9k after upgrades and have to use Feyenoords ground for my CL ties.

It hurts domestically and because my wage bill has risen so much, it means I am losing money pretty consistently and will have to pay for it by selling players on every year.

Did you ask for it or did they decide to build it themselves?

That’s a great season, your patience during the 4 years is paying off!

 

[Solius]

Got fed up of all the awful balding regens so I've download a pack from a girl on Patreon who makes these. They look class!


This is 8 I've just picked out.

 

[Solius]

Another example. Gives regens so much more character.

 

[No Love]

Another example. Gives regens so much more character.

They do look excellent. Is it from ‘Chilled Moose’, per chance? How does that work then, could you pay the $5 once, download what you want and then cancel your subscription, or does it tie you into a lengthier commitment?

 

[Solius]

They do look excellent. Is it from ‘Chilled Moose’, per chance? How does that work then, could you pay the $5 once, download what you want and then cancel your subscription, or does it tie you into a lengthier commitment?

Yep Chilled Moose. I paid and got a month but just cancelled straight away.

 

[sebsheep]

I have been wondering when the best time is to ask about the stadium. Mine is only 8 or 9k after upgrades and have to use Feyenoords ground for my CL ties.

It hurts domestically and because my wage bill has risen so much, it means I am losing money pretty consistently and will have to pay for it by selling players on every year.

Did you ask for it or did they decide to build it themselves?

That’s a great season, your patience during the 4 years is paying off!

Board just decided it themselves, they extended the stadium to just over 18k about 4 or 5 years ago and we're constantly getting 98% average attendances.
How is your attendance looking and how is the club doing financially?

 

[sebsheep]

Got fed up of all the awful balding regens so I've download a pack from a girl on Patreon who makes these. They look class!


This is 8 I've just picked out.

Wow they're quality.

 

[Maluco]

Board just decided it themselves, they extended the stadium to just over 18k about 4 or 5 years ago and we're constantly getting 98% average attendances.
How is your attendance looking and how is the club doing financially?

Getting sellouts not for big games and massive turnouts for CL ties in Feyenoords ground, but I don’t know if that would translate to the league. We have over 70 million in the bank but that is going down fast because we don’t get any attendance money.

I don’t want to ask too early and get a 15000 ground. We had a consortium takeover and the new chairman is really stingy too and says no to everything, which made me revolt and pay for transfers in installments to get things done!

 

[No Love]

Yep Chilled Moose. I paid and got a month but just cancelled straight away.

Think I’m gonna do that, too. I remember a comparable concept, albeit not as impressive, in previous years. It was called something like, ‘Debski’s World of Hair’. Just adds so much to the game. No more bald 16 year olds with handlebar moustaches.

 

[Solius]

Think I’m gonna do that, too. I remember a comparable concept, albeit not as impressive, in previous years. It was called something like, ‘Debski’s World of Hair’. Just adds so much to the game. No more bald 16 year olds with handlebar moustaches.

Yep I had that one too! This one is definitely a lot better.

The only issue I'd say it has it that sometimes it doesn't match the player background. For example I've seen a few Ghanaian players with the face of a white Scandinavian. But I still think overall it's better than the current system and also makes me wonder why FM can't make them better themselves. They've been shit for years.

 

[Lay]

Is there a reason they always seem to be bald?

 

[sebsheep]

Is there a reason they always seem to be bald?

Probably linked to the drugs they give them to get 6'5" 17 year olds.

 

[SilentWitness]

You tell me that after I have just bought him permanently Congrats in the league win though. I am sure it’s the first version you have done it on where you retained so many players.

Sorry mate I was a bit annoyed too, I wanted to try and make him our record top scorer but doubt that will happen now. He's still very good of course but I have Fabio Silva now (The Porto youngster) that is edging him out slowly and turning him into my back up. He's performing better now in my 4th season with a 1 in 2 record but not nearly like the first 2 seasons for me where he basically had a 1 in 1 ratio.

Well in on your achievements too, time to end that Ajax for good.

 

[sebsheep]

Getting sellouts not for big games and massive turnouts for CL ties in Feyenoords ground, but I don’t know if that would translate to the league. We have over 70 million in the bank but that is going down fast because we don’t get any attendance money.

I don’t want to ask too early and get a 15000 ground. We had a consortium takeover and the new chairman is really stingy too and says no to everything, which made me revolt and pay for transfers in installments to get things done!

Now might not be too bad a time to ask then really. Worst thing they can do is give you a 20k stadium and not even put your name on it.

 

[sebsheep]

So far this summer we've had a long term injury, lost 2/3 of our CBs due to release clauses being met with the 3rd one (who is also club captain) kicking off because he wants a higher wage.
Turned down an approach to manage Spain thinking it'd be nice to manage Greece, noticed that job was up for grabs so applied. They turned me down.

 

[Chipper]

Another 10 games, another 20 points. Did go top at one point but just for one game. Looking like it will just be a 2 horse race now.

Lost 4-3 in the FA Cup to WBA which was a good showing and am also out of the FA Trophy. Did have many injuries/suspensions and that's all clearing up now so we can focus on the league.

Got an unexpected bid for the one player I had out on loan. Tried to sell him for nothing in the summer and had no takers, and the only loan move I could get for him to League Two Macclesfield involved me paying all his wages. Took it as he wouldn't feature and now with just a few months left on his contract Doncaster want to pay £38.5k for him to move in the summer. Not a huge windafll, will pay about 2 weeks of squad wages but it's welcome!

Spoiler: Table after 30 games

 

[Duafc]

The green circle is a staff recommendation based on his attributes, not his favored position/role.

Wait, what.

 

[Chipper]

Another block of 10 matches, picked up 23 points. It's not been enough to close the gap with Chesterfield, in fact it's grown slightly. Just drew 0-0 away against them with some random kid in net for me as my first choice goalie was away with Poland U21s and my second choice injured.

Will have to win all 6 remaining matches to have any hope of winning the title by the looks of it and even that might not be enough. Already qualified for the playoffs and it looks like that's what we'll end up in.

Spoiler: Table after 40 matches

 

[Maluco]

Another block of 10 matches, picked up 23 points. It's not been enough to close the gap with Chesterfield, in fact it's grown slightly. Just drew 0-0 away against them with some random kid in net for me as my first choice goalie was away with Poland U21s and my second choice injured.

Will have to win all 6 remaining matches to have any hope of winning the title by the looks of it and even that might not be enough. Already qualified for the playoffs and it looks like that's what we'll end up in.

Spoiler: Table after 40 matches

Still hope! I have seen stranger things happen. One mistake and it’s game on!

 

[Chipper]

Still hope! I have seen stranger things happen. One mistake and it’s game on!

Promoted via the playoffs. Chesterfield bottled it and then my lot did.

They went L-D-D-W-W-W
We went W-W-W-L-L-W

Won both playoff games on pens. Phew!

Spoiler: Promotion

 

[Maluco]

Promoted via the playoffs. Chesterfield bottled it and then my lot did.

They went L-D-D-W-W-W
We went W-W-W-L-L-W

Won both playoff games on pens. Phew!

Spoiler: Promotion

Haha, that’s a late night nail biter to finish it off . I would have definitely bottled the playoffs!

 

[Berbaclass]

Wait, what.

It's pretty meaningless really. Players cant actually learn roles you're just given his suitability based on the attributes, when you train a 'role' you are training a group or attributes required for a role and only if a players attributes increase then so will his suggested role familiarity.

The way I think about it is that a role is just a bunch of individual instructions and the player can get better at carrying them out if he improves his attributes, specifically the key ones that they recommend.

Also, tactical familiarity plays a part but if the player knows how to play the position then you're good.

This video gives a very good explanation

 

[sebsheep]

Promoted via the playoffs. Chesterfield bottled it and then my lot did.

They went L-D-D-W-W-W
We went W-W-W-L-L-W

Won both playoff games on pens. Phew!

Spoiler: Promotion

Congratulations!
Aldershot and Notts County really turned it on towards the end of the season there.

 

[sebsheep]

Transfer window completed no more major outs, although Arsenal did pop a late bid in for my GK, who is now England's #1.

Standard new formation for a new season, pulled my wide players back and moved the CM to AM, wanted to try to add a bit more threat from midfield.

Spoiler: Formation

Bigger new players are
Feels like ages since I've managed to get a real player and he is quality.

Spoiler: CB

This guy had a buyout clause of 8m, it would be rude not to activate that.

Spoiler: AM

Greek wonderkid, has started the season on fire as well with 5 goals in 3 games. Cost me 11m but should be well worth it.

Spoiler: ST

On a side note, not my signing but this guy is the fastest CB I have ever seen in the game.

Spoiler: Zoom

 

[Duafc]

It's pretty meaningless really. Players cant actually learn roles you're just given his suitability based on the attributes, when you train a 'role' you are training a group or attributes required for a role and only if a players attributes increase then so will his suggested role familiarity.

The way I think about it is that a role is just a bunch of individual instructions and the player can get better at carrying them out if he improves his attributes, specifically the key ones that they recommend.

Also, tactical familiarity plays a part but if the player knows how to play the position then you're good.

This video gives a very good explanation

Yep, watched the vid. Had no clue! Had a look through my current save and the differences are quite marginal but there were a few players who I could have been using in a way I’d been put off due to the lack of green circles!

 

[Berbaclass]

Yep, watched the vid. Had no clue! Had a look through my current save and the differences are quite marginal but there were a few players who I could have been using in a way I’d been put off due to the lack of green circles!

As a broad overview, they are fairly accurate but it's not the be-all and end-all I would say. Lots of people see red and orange and are put off playing certain roles and shouldn't be. If you look at the attributes and decide that they're not good enough then fair enough. I found that it made me think about things more freely in a tactical sense.

The amount of times you will find a right-footed left-winger (and vice versa) who is nearly always recommended as an inside forward but also has good attributes for a winger would absolutely be good on the right with his right foot.

 

[Chipper]

Congratulations!
Aldershot and Notts County really turned it on towards the end of the season there.

Thank you, and yes those 2 went on a great run of form. Aldershot won 12 in a row from match 33-44 before losing at home to Chesterfield in match 45 and drawing their final game. They put themselves in contention to win it and before they played Chesterfield it was:
Chesterfield 97
Southport 96
Aldershot 93

If Aldershot had won there would have been 3 potential champs going into the final match but instead Chesterfield's win and my loss gave them the title with a game to spare. Notts Co took 29 points out of 33 from game 30-42 then weakened at the very end including a defeat against Aldershot.

 

[Chipper]

Transfer window completed no more major outs, although Arsenal did pop a late bid in for my GK, who is now England's #1.

Nice signings, especially liking the younger players from the perspective of possibly selling them in the future for bigger money if you need to. How are your finances and do you think you will one day? Last version of FM I played extensively was FM 2015 and even though the team I started with became the best in the world we were still a selling club because we were in Scotland and the lack of big tv deal meant we had to. Wages alone would have bankrupted us so it was always a case of finding great young players then selling them by the time they were 28 or 29 at the latest as transfer value tended to collapse at 30. Do you have to do anything like that or are the finances balanced?

 

[Duafc]

As a broad overview, they are fairly accurate but it's not the be-all and end-all I would say. Lots of people see red and orange and are put off playing certain roles and shouldn't be. If you look at the attributes and decide that they're not good enough then fair enough. I found that it made me think about things more freely in a tactical sense.

The amount of times you will find a right-footed left-winger (and vice versa) who is nearly always recommended as an inside forward but also has good attributes for a winger would absolutely be good on the right with his right foot.

Yep that’s exactly the position that’s been the biggest headache and really needn’t ever have been.

 

[Chipper]

How important is this when it comes to roles?

Back to back promotions playing a MEZ with a BBM and it's not stopped me even if the game seems to hate it. Players are playing well, 7.03 and 7.05 average ratings for my 2 main guys this past season, 7.57 for the MEZ from the season before, not sure about the BBM because he retired and the game didn't keep his full stats.

Thinking I might change one of them but don't know.

Edit: Just been playing around, I suppose it would be the MEZ I'd bin off as it seems like a rogue position in a flat 4-4-2 with a winger next to him. Been effective though! The only position I can see that has the player exactly as high/low up the pitch on the formation screen as a MEZ Su is an AP Su but the default instructions are completely different and I'm not sure I'm bold enough to do that. The game says it does work with the BBM though.

More likely to go with a CM + BBM if I change. CM At is slightly further forward than the MEZ Su, CM Su, slightly further back but it's a bit of a blank slate. MEZ comes with Get further forward, Stay wider, Roam from position and Move into channels as presets. For CM you can turn on Get further forward and Roam but can only choose one of Move into channels and Stay wider at a time. Could make him play rather like a MEZ while actually being a CM with 3 of the 4 instructions the same. The game seems to like CM and BBM as a combo.

 

[sebsheep]

Nice signings, especially liking the younger players from the perspective of possibly selling them in the future for bigger money if you need to. How are your finances and do you think you will one day? Last version of FM I played extensively was FM 2015 and even though the team I started with became the best in the world we were still a selling club because we were in Scotland and the lack of big tv deal meant we had to. Wages alone would have bankrupted us so it was always a case of finding great young players then selling them by the time they were 28 or 29 at the latest as transfer value tended to collapse at 30. Do you have to do anything like that or are the finances balanced?

Without looking too deeply into stuff we mainly make money through the CL and our transfers. There is no prize money in the league and we get just over €4m a year from our league TV deal. The CL money really helped us out but as the team gets better wages will go up and that's where the potential struggles may come in. I'm trying to keep our wage bill down, it's just over €400k p/w when we have an allowance of over €500k.
New stadium will hopefully help out as well.

It's still useful to sell our players if a good offer comes in because I can often fund a couple of transfers from it. Looking at last season we had €166m income with €69.4m coming from player sales, with expenditure of €161m with 48.4m paid for players. €33m of the expenditure was a one off fee for half of our new stadium though. So it was essentially a €38m profit with €21m of it coming from our net transfer spend. It was the 1st season we've made it to the knockout stages of the CL and we got €9m just for playing in that round.

 

[1950]

How important is this when it comes to roles?

Back to back promotions playing a MEZ with a BBM and it's not stopped me even if the game seems to hate it. Players are playing well, 7.03 and 7.05 average ratings for my 2 main guys this past season, 7.57 for the MEZ from the season before, not sure about the BBM because he retired and the game didn't keep his full stats.

Thinking I might change one of them but don't know.

Edit: Just been playing around, I suppose it would be the MEZ I'd bin off as it seems like a rogue position in a flat 4-4-2 with a winger next to him. Been effective though! The only position I can see that has the player exactly as high/low up the pitch on the formation screen as a MEZ Su is an AP Su but the default instructions are completely different and I'm not sure I'm bold enough to do that. The game says it does work with the BBM though.

More likely to go with a CM + BBM if I change. CM At is slightly further forward than the MEZ Su, CM Su, slightly further back but it's a bit of a blank slate. MEZ comes with Get further forward, Stay wider, Roam from position and Move into channels as presets. For CM you can turn on Get further forward and Roam but can only choose one of Move into channels and Stay wider at a time. Could make him play rather like a MEZ while actually being a CM with 3 of the 4 instructions the same. The game seems to like CM and BBM as a combo.

First off: if it works for you, there is no need to change anything.

That said, a pairing of Mez and BBM is quite adventurous and might leave your defence exposed. For a general idea on pairings, see here:

https://community.sigames.com/topic/292186-pairs-amp-combinations-part-1-central-midfielders/

And a note on the Mez, it is actually best paired with a traditional Winger, because it doesn't operate on the flank, but in the half-space.

 

[Chipper]

First off: if it works for you, there is no need to change anything.

That said, a pairing of Mez and BBM is quite adventurous and might leave your defence exposed. For a general idea on pairings, see here:

https://community.sigames.com/topic/292186-pairs-amp-combinations-part-1-central-midfielders/

And a note on the Mez, it is actually best paired with a traditional Winger, because it doesn't operate on the flank, but in the half-space.

Cheers, that's given me a lot to think about and at the same time nothing at all as I might just now ignore all thoughts of changing things up.

Interesting about the Mez's areas as I was envisaging something like an inverted winger or inside forward cutting in then the Mez finding space in the areas that were vacated by them and that's where they'd be at their best. Perhaps then if having IWBs they could fill in for the Mez. I know it mentions half spaces in the descriptor of the Mez but it also mentions drifting wide so I was thinking very wide. To me any CM with attacking intent would be looking to get himself between FB/CB and CB /CB anyway, and that would be a general lane he operates in so the drifting wide part threw me off, thinking it must mean wider than that.

 

[Maluco]

I think the idea is that a MEZ doesn’t hold position as a midfielder proper, so you could get in a position where you lose the ball and have a MEZ drifting wide in attacking space and a BBM making a run into the box and leaving you short for the counter. At least a CM (AT) would stay in more central positions.

I had a lot of joy playing a DLP (def), BBM and AP (sup) while keeping both the wide players attacking.

At the same time, my ridiculous home formation at the moment has only one midfielder in the midfield line and he is a BWM who doesn’t hold position. It leaves me wide open through the centre but overwhelms smaller teams at home by keeping the ball in their half.

Basically, if it works, it works, and whenever I have had that complaint (usually about CB pairings), it has always gone away on its own.

 

[Chipper]

I was thinking it would be like this and he and the winger might be able to combine with some very intricate interplay at times and just get in other's way at others.

Now it's sounding more like this, trying to get into the circled area and draw either the FB which leaves the winger free, or the CB which leaves the CF free. He could also cross to the far post from there and if FB and CB don't get drawn in can waltz between and beyond them should he lose the CM picking him up.

Edit: Or I could watch a game and pay attention for a while instead of just goals/key highlights.

 

[sebsheep]

I was thinking it would be like this and he and the winger might be able to combine with some very intricate interplay at times and just get in other's way at others.

Now it's sounding more like this, trying to get into the circled area and draw either the FB which leaves the winger free, or the CB which leaves the CF free. He could also cross to the far post from there and if FB and CB don't get drawn in can waltz between and beyond them should he lose the CM picking him up.

Edit: Or I could watch a game and pay attention for a while instead of just goals/key highlights.

Yeah, that's the sort of area they look to operate in, should change a little depending on your attacking width as well.
For me it's always worth having the highlights on extended to see how your team is playing, then you either want 2D or 3D with a camera angle giving you a good look at how your team is lining up.

As for the CM-A, last season was the first time I've used one in a while and the guy I had there made some amazing off the ball runs in behind. Never had any other CM role do that. They always seem a bit basic, but they do seem to have their own unique things.

 

[Chipper]

Decided I will change it up and now it's going be DLP Su with my BBM Su. It's a lot different from my Mezzala or making a CM push forward like I was talking about but I am confident it will work.

Let in 51 goals in each of the last two seasons (46 games) and I think this could tighten me up a touch. DLP Su is classed as a positive mentality in the edit instructions box but it seems to be the most disciplined of the precise roles/mentality that are still regarded positive. @1950 the thing you posted was saying you really should consider having a player on defensive duty in midfield, that's sort of my attempt to be more defensive without actually doing that.

Second I managed to sign a good player already who will play well as a DLP. He was about to retire I think having sat around for almost a year after Leeds released him. Prior to that he had 2 loans to Luton and hit 7+ ratings the Championship and League one. About to turn 32, but I think he'll be good for me for a season in League Two.

Spoiler: Eunan O'Kane

Mentioned before that the tactics I was using were someone elses, someone called knap at FM Scout. He's got loads of his tactics up on there, mostly tested with Liverpool which makes it a bit easier but they're still tested. Was using something called BEOWULF 442 TM P P102 ALL CUPS and as the name suggests it uses a target man with a poacher up front. That got 102 points with Liverpool and won all the cups on his test, scored 135, conceded 42.That uses the MEZ + BBM in midfield.

Now I've noticed he has one called VENOM & FAITH 442 P109 FA CC which seems more defensively sound on his test, scored 131, conceded 19. The only difference between the two tactics seems to be a DLP + BBM instad of the MEZ+BBM and the strikers are set up differently with 2 AFs. All general instructions seem to be the same. Going to go for a hybrid of the two, switch the midfield to the DLP+BBM from VENOM & FAITH but still keep my TM+P up front from BEOWULF. Don't think he's actually tried that looking through all the tactics on there I reckon that will be fine.

 

[1950]

@1950 the thing you posted was saying you really should consider having a player on defensive duty in midfield, that's sort of my attempt to be more defensive without actually doing that.

As I understand it, Defend duty usually makes the player sit in his position (unless it is overwritten by the role as with the BWM, who goes chasing after the ball), but the DLP does it naturally to an extent, so Support duty should work too in that case.

I personally use a DLP-Su/De next to a BBM and a AM-Su in front of them. I also make sure that my DLP plays on the same side as my more attacking wing-back.

It's always worth considering the other duties of your team though. If your whole back four is on defensive duty, there is absolutely no need for it in your midfield as well.

 

[SilentWitness]

The Olympic qualifying in 2024 pisses me off a lot. On every save I lose 4 or 5 players and if you're in the PL and in a few competitions it puts a big strain on squad fitness.

Slowly weeding out Everton players. Sold Pickford in the summer because he was crap. Didn't realise his average rating for 4 seasons was below 7 so accepted a bid from Inter of 40m and brought in a regen. Sold DCL too which is a shame but he was the older player out of him and Kean and they were similar in ability so he got the boot.

Digne is still starting most games but will probably be on his way out soon. Gomes is brilliant on this game but slowly easing him out of the squad. Richarlison/Holgate/Branthwaite/Kean I'd like to hold onto as long as possible.

Players I have wanted to keep like Davies/Kean just weren't good enough to even be back-ups and they ended up getting 40m and 20m bids so was a no brainer to sell.

Won the league twice in a row now but can't crack the CL. Made it to the QF each time and fail each time. PSG last season embarassed me 8-2 on aggregate, every shot they took wanted to go in and I have them in the First knockout round this season too so hopefully Mbappe will be injured otherwise it's curtains. I don't want to end the save until I win the CL though.

 

[sebsheep]

Slowly weeding out Everton players. Sold Pickford in the summer because he was crap. Didn't realise his average rating for 4 seasons was below 7 so accepted a bid from Inter of 40m and brought in a rege

Goalkeeper ratings have always been poorly done, I just tend to keep him as long as he isn't doing too much of the crap goalkeeping FM loves.

Won the league twice in a row now but can't crack the CL. Made it to the QF each time and fail each time. PSG last season embarassed me 8-2 on aggregate, every shot they took wanted to go in and I have them in the First knockout round this season too so hopefully Mbappe will be injured otherwise it's curtains. I don't want to end the save until I win the CL though.

That's pretty rough. Will feel grand when you do finally break that barrier though.