Football Manager 2012 - Wonderkids (2)

Part 2!

Wonderkids you must buy in FM2012.

I'm into my third season now and these are the players I'd rank top 5 when it comes to must buys when you just started a new game. All attributes are as of 2013 (so do not be disheartened if you see less than impressive stats early on. It's the potential you're looking at (unless you're Manchester City who just wants to buy players at their prime)

Fire away!

1. Vaclav Kadlec (AML/ ST)

Pretty expensive but worth the dosh. A real poacher up front if you play him as Poacher or Advanced Forward. Really pacy and good finisher stats with only issue being poor in the air.

Stat wise, keep in mind he's only 21 (or much younger if you just started your game). Be very patient, aye?

2. Ivan Rakitic (M/AMC)

A player you must buy regardless the formation you're using. Really good at long shots and through balls. Play him just behind the strikers and watch them rockets fly in. Young too! My replacement for Stevie G once he retires.

3. Christian Eriksen (M/AMC)

From the ranks of the Ajax youth system and in a same mold as Rakitic but 4 years younger! Physical stats still growing so don't be fooled earlier on about his attributes. Imagine a faster Charlie Adam.

Christian Eriksen vs Ivan Rakitic

These two will be my Liverpool FC's future midfield pairing, flanking Lucas who plays Box-to-box midfielder.

4. Leandro Damiao (Striker)

If you're just starting a new game, grab him. He'll cost you a bomb later on. I'm now into my third season and the minimum acceptable bid for Damiao is $28mil. How do you compare him with the top (well, in my opinion) Brazilian striker in the game, Hulk? Make your own conclusion.

Kinda bummed I missed buying him early on.

5. Lucas Moura (AM/ ML/AMR/L)

Another case of 'get him early before he gets bloody expensive'. Minimum bid starts from $31mil and he's only 21. Good buy i guess considering he's able to play several positions. Potential man. Potential!

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6:44 PM | 0 comments

Football Manager 2012 - Liverpool FC, tips & tricks about the starting squad.

Obviously the first team I took over when I launched the game is Liverpool FC and now I'm into my second season (28 games I think).

Main issue when it comes to LFC is resources - player quality and cash. So how do you maximize the resources and players?

I'll admit I haven't found the proper balance yet- still got some deadwood in the team by the name of Aquilani and some round holes which I'm filling in with square pegs. But rest assured - come the third season everything would be sorted.

So what are the main issues?

From day one, I was entrusted with a budget of 4mil. Only 4mil! A little wheeling dealing will take you far, and spread installments up to 48 months whenever possible. I sold several players including Jack Robinson to Real Madrid for 6mil and Jonjo Shelvey to Spurs for 12mil as I considered them surplus. Hope I wont regret this.....

But with a team already packed with confirmed buys such as Suarez, Carroll, Coates, Bellamy etc, it is sufficient, yes? Maybe not.

But how do you get by?

My first priority is getting a backup striker. Bellamy is more of a super-sub, coming in around the 70th minute for Suarez and Kuyt is getting old. So I spent a bulk of my transfer money here by getting Darwin Quintero and Felipe Caicedo. I bought Vaclav Kadlec in my second season and from the looks of it, Andy Carroll's days are numbered. Buck up, fatso. RUN MORE!

Second priority is a backup in midfield. Adam, Henderson, Gerrard and Downing can be swopped interchangeably with one another but Downing is over rated, and Adam isn't the fastest one out there. So getting another or two central midfielders is a good idea. My pick? Ivan Rakitic and Christian Eriksen. Sorted.

Backup for Lucas - Do not spend money on this. Just be patient. Stick with what you've got in Conor Coady and Jay Spearing. Same type of players and if you feel like spending, get Anthony Vanden Borre at around 600k.

In defense, no need to spend so much as LFC has got lots of promising youngsters in the form of Danny Wilson, Martin Kelly and John Flannagan. All can play more than two positions and couple with Coates, you are sorted in defense. With Carragher due to retire in a couple seasons, defense would probably holds the most promise and HG players in seasons to come.

Goalkeeper - Reina is top class. Doni and Brad Jones...are not. So spend a bit for Luis Guilherme. He'll be a solid backup keeper for domestic cup games as early as the first season.

Current LFC team, 28 games into second season -

Formation - 4-3-3; Control.

GK - Reina, Jones, Guilherme

RB - Johnson, Flanno, Kelly

LB - Enrique, Wilson

CB - Skrtel, Agger, Carra, Coates

Midfielders (i move them around so positions arent rigid)

Gerrard, Adam, Rakitic, Eriksen, Lucas, Coady, Downing

Forwards (same like midfielders, i move them around depending on defenses I'm facing)

Suarez, Quintero, Carroll, Caicedo, Leandro, Kadlec

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8:57 PM | 0 comments

Football Manager 2012 - Wonderkids (1)

Second part (of many) of my Football Manager 2012 tips and tricks share.

Let's get to the players, shall we?

1. Felipe Caicedo - Trivia! He was at Manchester City in real life until 2008 where he was loaned out to make way for Emmanuel Adebayor, Santa Cruz and Tevez. Is 23 years old if you buy him in the first season and is probably the best cut-priced striker you can get in the game. (Well...there are lots out there, but do check his stats in your game and tell me what do you think, aite?). Good pace, strength is 20 and has a very good eye for goal.

2. Mathias Jorgensen - tall defender you'd score on a budget too. He's 21 which makes him a good cover for the future - loan him out or something but he's a good early on investment if you have ageing first team choices.

3. Luis Guilherme - A young Brazilian international goalkeeper (he was given the captaincy in his international squad recently) - probably the best young keeper in the game (Joe Hart is excluded) with good stats.

4. Wellington - Defensive Midfielder- No outstanding stats but is a good workhorse especially if you're looking for a Mascherano/ Vieira/ Lucas Leiva/ Roy Keane/ Scottie Parker sort of player. I play with three midfield players with one designated box-to-box support player and he fits the bill.

5. Sebastian Coates - Seriously tall and pretty good early on. Put him to attack the near post (attacking corners to near post also) and watch the goals pour in...... Like Jorgensen, a good buy for backups and future first teamer.

6. Abel Hernandez - Young. friggin pacy. Good dribbling stats and also a frequent scorer. Cost a bomb tho. Generally expensive as a youth player, but his mental and tech stats justifies it. Physical attributes might be low at the start but it means you only need to focus on his physical development from now on!

7. Thiago - Barca's youth meaning he won't be cheap. Stats indicate he's the next Iniesta of sorts so be warned- be ready to dig deep into your pockets.

8. Bojan - In real life, he's left Barca for Roma but is definitely worth bidding for (cross fingers his first season is a disaster). A very good Villa-isque type poacher an his lack of height is his only main issue. Ok issues considering his poor strength makes him prone to falling over. Then again, winning penalties!

9. Taufic Guarch - another Chicarito perhaps? Please do!

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1:08 AM | 0 comments

Football Manager 2012 - tips, tricks, players and my team! (1)

Hello hello! If you clicked on this link from Twitter - then obviously you're a Football Manager fan and being one, love sharing your tactics too! I'm no different so let's get on with it aye?

Transfers! Transfers!

First thing you have to know before entering transfer market - what you really need - your most pressing issues with the team. For me (I'm managing Liverpool) , it was a backup striker for Andy Carroll, and a secondary need, backups for Kuyt and Suarez up front.

My recommendations - (i bought the guys in bold) - not in order- but hey, why not?

1. Hulk - a beast i tell you! Like a faster Ronaldo (Luiz Nazario de Lima) and he is able to play winger too.

2. Darwin Quintero - another Luis Suarez. Very good dribbler and vision. Good speed too. Available around 4-5mil.

3. Yaya Sanogo - cheap early on. A Drogba-isque type player. Good addition if you play one man up front.

4. Jelle Vossen - Huntelaar/ Van Nistelrooy-ish - not very fast but good finishing stats. Play him as a poacher or target man. Comes at the cheap too! But if you have the money for more expensive player, get.... Sanogo (#3) instead.

5. Ivan Rakitic - my best player found in FM2011. Good footballing brains. Superb long shots. Good vision and creativity making him a suitable playmaker if you play a fluid formation. Must buy.

6. Eden Hazard- buy him if you have the money. (35mil and still Lille wont budge!) Absolute gem. Best player in the game? Maybe not. But probably top 5?

7. Christian Eriksen - LFC didnt have the money so i bought Eriksen. But ain't that cheap either. 15mil! Possible wonderkid with good offensive stats. Younger than Hazard too so might be a better buy if you want to build your squad from the younger players.

8. Anthony Vanden Borre - what he lacks in skill, he covers with versatility. Able to play any position in midfield and also doubles up as wing backs, fullbacks and centre backs when need to. Friggin cheap too! Snap him up early on (under 1mil!) or wait for a bit for January window when he will decline to renew a contract renewal making him even cheaper. Good choice if you need cover in several positions.

9. Jay Spearing - assuming you're not playing as Liverpool, that is. Hardworking, Mascherano-type player. Occasional good long shots too! Good buy considering LFC MIGHT be willing to let him go with their surplus of players in midfield.

10. Jonjo Shelvey - A young Gerrard perhaps. Same like Spearing, LFC might let him go at the cheap. Just try and ask.

11. Nicolas Lodiero - Young playmaker. Not much on the physical stats but technical and mental stats are good.

Tiki-Taka?Tiki-Taca?

Like in FM 2011, I've converted my LFC to play the Barcelona-way - tiki-taka. (or however you spell it)

The basics of tiki-taka (I don't care, I'm spelling it this way from now on) revolves around having versatile players who can interchange positions with each other, and focusing A LOT on short-range, patient passing game. Best formation to play this philosophy is, like the real-life Barcelona, is 4-3-3.

Defense!

Your fullbacks will be converted into wingbacks - and they will run a lot, do lots of crosses and help in attack. Good thing for LFC, Glen Johnson and Jose Enrique are natural dribblers and crossers. Sorted.

Two center-backs must be able to play the ball and pressure opposing forwards early on. So I played one as a ball-playing defender, and the other, a stopper.

Midfield!

A three midfield formation might look narrow but dont forget - your width is supplied by both converted wingbacks and your forwards who play deep-lying forwards (more of that later). My midfielders consists of a deep-lying play-maker (support), a ball winning midfielder (defend), and a center midfielder (support, or attack as you see fit) - but please do experiment - you might get a better mix than mine. It's all about the players.

Forwards!

I have Andy Carroll playing middle as my target man, with supplies focusing to feet rather than head. Suarez and Kuyt play as deep-lying forwards. Close down on oppositions often and preferably use the 'work ball into box' shout.

Team philosophy -

Close down often. You know your midfield is kinda thin, so make sure your forwards ALWAYS close down the moment you lose possession of the ball. Keeps them under pressure all over the field.

Keep passes short, with the formation fluid and give high creativity room for the players - magic word - fluidity. Short passes keeps the ball close to your players, and play ball to feet rather than into space - unless it's in the rain.

Some might find it tedious at first but when you see the possessions average 55% and above, with passing rates 80% +++, I highly doubt you'd change to another. Your opponents can't score if they don't have the ball, right?

So feel happy to give it a try, and share suggestions on how to improve the tactic. I made 4-3-3 as my standard tactic for LFC, and this is the opening game of the season, VS Man City which I won 2-1 thanks to Suarez and Carroll's goals.

Note the passing rate, possession, shots on goal and chances created by both teams.

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7:26 PM | 0 comments

Football Manager 2012 - a review.

Those on Twitter might (or may not) have noticed I've been less active there especially after working hours recently. And it is down to this.

I've got a copy of the new Football Manager 2012 and man that game is addictive (like any other Football Managers before it).

Picked it up for RM 135 (i got a 4 ringgit discount YAY!) - hey. It might very well be the ONLY original game I'd be buying in the next one year or so. So why not yeah?

No pirated one available yet, and since FM2012 needs you to be logged into Steam to install, I'd suggest just get the bloody original why dont ya?

So what's new?

For those who are used to the FM games, they would still need a couple hours to get around the reworked interface which i think in the long run, will serve well despite the niggling changes for those still trying to get the hang of it.

The transfer system has been tweaked - players can have a better say when it comes to negotiating contract talks (and I thought last season's was complicated. Damn you, and bless you (at the same time), Sports Interactive for doing that.

Interaction with players, managers, team talks (it's called Pep Talk now - What sort of talk you give to Pepe Reina ?A Pep talk! #Ha!) now come with a new feature where you can choose what sort of tone you wanna use. Be meek, or aggressive? And the response is instant.

Tactics wise, managers can now prepare a set of shouts to be instantly used from kick-off itself, or whenever throughout the game. So unlike last season where usually players will pause the game before picking out certain combination of shouts, they can have it sorted from the whistle itself.

Graphics-wise, not much of an improvement but the weather and stadium effects are much more...umm...tolerable. But your players will STILL move about like they're not wearing skates on an ice ring.

Weather takes bigger effect on the game with seasoned players surely taking advantage from the wind, rain or snow.

I've always been a stat nut and scouting for gems is an obsession to me. Uncovering that hidden gem - like Anatoli Todorov (was it in FM2007?) or Ivan Rakitic, Yaya Sanogo and Steven Defour last season (more on my tactics later, in another post) - scouting for talent is something i pride myself for. So the player search tool and customizing searches are much sleeker now.

Funnily, i noticed FM2012 runs smoother on my PC compared to FM2011. Maybe it's just me. But do share your experience with the game.

I gotta get back to whooping Sir Alex Ferguson's ass. ;p

Final verdict - Buy it! Buy it! Buy it!

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7:06 PM | 0 comments