My portsmouth Game

My Formation and Tactics

since starting my season as Portsmouth manager i knew that some players would need to be replaced. With some positions very weak i decided to buy some new players and sell some players due to having no transfer budget.

my First Team:
Formation: 4 - 5 - 1 Attack


Goalkeeper: David James

Defender Right: De Silvestri
Defender Left: Armand Traore
Centre Back: Federico Fazio
Centre Back: Younes Kaboul

Midfield Centre: Lassana Diarra
Defensive Midfield: Miguel Veloso
Midfield Centre Zdravko Kuzmanovic

Winger: Niko Kranjcar
Winger: Dos Santos
Striker: Obafemi Martins

i think this is a good formation based off my formation from Football Manager 2008 with the arrows from Jack F's formation. i have had some good results with the 3 - 1 win over West Brom being the best and the 1- 0 defeat to Saturn (Euro Cup) as the worst performance.

i have Martins up front but i when Crouch comes back from injury i will have Martins in Utaka's position and have crouch in Martins position. the good thing about having 3 strikers is and this position is that just changing one player and the Target Man Supply can help alot in games so if the long ball to crouch's head isnt working then i can try "Run On To Ball" with Defoe or "To Feet" with Martins

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v299/mastergippal/formation.jpg

Team Tactics

Mentality: Attacking
Creative Freedom: Normal
Passing Style: Direct
Tempo: Fast
Width: Normal
Closing Down: Normal
Time Wasting: mixed
Defensive Line: Normal
Tackling: Normal

Focus Passing: Mixed
Marking: Zonal Marking
Target Man Supply: To Head (Crouch) Run On To Ball (Defoe) To Feet (Martins)

Use Target Man
Use Playmaker

Player Tactics

De Silvestri: Full back
Armand Traore: Full Back
Federico Fazio: Centre Back
Younes Kaboul: Centre Back

Lassana Diarra: Centre Midfield
Miguel Veloso: Defensive Midfielder
Zdravko Kuzmanovic: Centre Midfield

Niko Kranjcar: Wiger
Dos Santos: Winger

Obafemi Martins: Target Man

Changes To Tactics
though i set the position to give the tactics i have changed some, below is what i changed for each player

Cross Aim:

Lassana Diarra: Target Man
Zdravko Kuzmanovic: Target Man
Niko Kranjcar: Target Man
Dos Santos: Target Man

Long Shots:

Armand Traore: High
Younes Kaboul: High
Obafemi Martins: High
Niko Kranjcar: High
Jermaine Defoe: High
Zdravko Kuzmanovic: High
Lassana Diarra: Normal
Federico Fazio: High
John Utaka: Normal
Glen Johnson: Normal
Steven Defour: Low


Transfers

So after i had picked my team - it was always going to be Portsmouth and finding out i have £0 transfer budget i knew i had to sell in order to buy.

First i sold Distin for a massive £14million to Spurs. next to be sold was Kanu also to Spurs for £2.5million. i then sold Pamarot to Fulham for £2.5million and Traore also for £2.5million to Reading and i then finished off my selling spree by selling Hreiorasson to wolves for £2.5million

that gave me a total of £24million to spend as i would only accept money up front i had all the money at my disposal - minus a few million which got taken away.

i started my buying with the £5.75million purchase of Zdravko Kuzmanovic a central midfielder from Fiorentina i then went and got Steven Defour another central midfielder for £12million from Standard De liege. i then went onto purchase Federico Fazio a central denfer from Sevilla for £9.25million and to finish it off i went and bought Obafemi Martins a striker ( just in case you didnt know ) from newcastle ( again just in case you didnt know )for £13.5million all together it came to £40.5million but i managed to make it so that i pay some upfront and then pay the rest over 24months for Steven Defour, Federico Fazio and Obefemi Martins - with £230,000 for Defour for the next 22months, £220,000 for Federico Fazio for the next 23months and £400,000 a month for the next 24months for Martins.

The club was sold about a month after taking over which both helped and hindered my search for new players. it hindered my search as i was unable to make any offers for players that i was after but once it had been completed i was given another £13million for new players

After the transfer window closed i sold Diop and Davis to Middlesbrough for a total of £5million and now i have £10.8million to spend on players for january - im also hoping to try and get some money from the new owners in january for more players i have a couple of targets and i know where im weakest.

Targets For January

for the january transfer window im hoping to get a new striker, right back and right midfield i have a couple of targets for each position. for Striker position im looking at Mario Balotelli im thinking about 13million could get him and im also looking at Nani and even Andres Guardado for the left position as a replacement / backup for Kranjcar and im looking at Micah Richards for the right defense position and now im looking at about £30million for all three and though i only have £10.8million i think i could get maybe two of them if i pay a fee upfront and then the rest over 24months - would mean i wouldnt be able to spend much for the next few seasons but i think it would be worth it.

sold Mvuemba to Sunderland for £10million and he was only valued at £3million

and Spurs is interested in Glen Johnson - so i might offer him over for £10-£15million and see what happens

Aston Villa have just made a £20million offer for Johnson - gonna be able to buy some class players now i will have upwards of £50million to spend with the sale of Mvuemba as well.

i have already got sergio Asenjo, 19 a goalkeeper who looks very good and will be the replacement for James.

i have also finally agreed a deal to sign Axel Witsel for £15million (£10million upfront and £5million over 24months)

i have also made bids Stevan Jovetic, Andres Guardado and Miguel Veloso. i am also looking for a another striker a centre back (Vincent Company) and a new right back with the sale of Johnson - i might go for Vaden Borre but he plays best in either CB or WB that will just leave right midfield but havent found many quality players for that position Gervinho is a possibility

got Axel Witsel and in contract talks with Miguel Veloso (£17million) and have made offers for Mario Balotelli(£13million), Dos Santos (£9million), De Silvestri(£13million) and Stevan Jovetic (£14.25million)

i have £50million to spend
i am then going to sell Diarra - many teams interested and Kranjcar


i just finalized deals for Dos Santos, Veloso and De Silvestri. i have £24million left to spend. that brings up the players coming in January 5 and counting i plan on another 2 signings

but i have offer Kranjcar and Diarra for £20million each

My European Adventure

Qualification

the First round to qualify was against Saturn Moskovskaya Oblast. the first leg was at home and started great with a Younes Kaboul goal on 8minutes and Peter Crouch making it 2 - 0 on 19minutes. then they went defensive and we just couldnt get the third - though we were always in control. at the end of the day i was pleased to have the first leg - knowing the second leg was going to be harder and indeed it was with Alexey Eremenko scoring on 10minutes to make it 2 - 1 but their second goal didnt come but for the second half i had to go defensive as i had Steven Defour sent off on 47minutes and though i was disappointed with the lose i was happy that we had made it through.

Group Stage
Upon seeing who i had the the group stage i wasnt expecting to very well due our performance in the league - and i would have been happy with 4 points from all the games.

the first match was against AEK and though it took us some time to get going Niko Kranjcar scored on 38minutes with Peter Crouch adding the second on 43minutes to make it 2 - 0 at half time. the second half began and we stayed together and played well but on 71minutes disaster struck Michalis Pavlis scored for AEK but we managed to hang on and get the win which could have been higher.

the next match was against a much harder team in the form of Stuttgart but we managed to limit to them to 4 shots (2 on target) and while we had 16 shots only 4 were on target which im disappointed in but thanx to a Armand Traore screamer of a freekick in the 70th minute we won, two games gone and 2 wins - very pleased which left me on 6points - 2 ahead of Benfica.

The next match is against Heerenveen and a win here will guarantee passage to the next round - i could even win the group which is great. i then finish with a match against Benfica - this match will if i win the game against heerenveen and Benfica win against AEK will be the decider on who wins the group - a draw for me will be enough

sticking with my 4 - 3 - 3 formation that i had used in the previous 2 games i went all out on the attack from the start against Heerenveen and though i was caught on the counter a couple of times i kept with it and on 34minutes the deadlock was broken it was Diarra with a nice finish. after the break i replaced Martins who i had down the middle with defoe and Utaka on each side with Crouch and changing it to make players do the long ball no more goals come - but i was close on a couple of occasions. the 90minute mark and Heerenveen went all out on the attack and with the very last kick ont he game missed a great chance to make it 1 - 1. but i got the win i needed and im through to the next the worst i can come is second but with the game against Benfica i could go on to win the group.

with a close 2 - 1 win over Benfica it was confirmed i won the group and i found out who i would be playing in the 1st knockout round -it was Paris Saint-Germain, pleased that i didnt get the likes of AC Milan. if i win this roung i will be playing either HSV or CSKA Moscow in the next round - again glad that i didnt get the likes over Valenica, AC Milan, At Madrid

im into the seond knockout round of the EURO with an Agg: 4 - 1 win over Paris Saint Germain. i wont the first leg 2 - 0 but i didnt even score they conceded 2 own goals. the first was in the 17th minute and was strange - the ball was knocked upwards Crouch and the keeper kicked the ball against his own player before it came to Diarra who crossed the ball into the area despite no players being in the box and the balled hit one of the defenders and went into the goal. the second goal came in the 93minute from a corner - it was a very close match but i was glad that we took a result and it being an away game i was pleased.

the second leg ended 2 - 1. Peter Crouch scored the goal int he 24th minute with a header from a Diarra free kick. they drew level on 76minutes with a Ludovic Giuly but the winner came on the 85th minute by Crouch's replacement Martins with a nice 1 - 2 pass Witsel before scoring shooting into the top corner.

i have CSKA Moscow in the Second knockout round got some major doubts with Jo and Traore out injured for the first leg but Jo should be back for the second leg but Traore is still a major doubt but with Traore with my best left back im worried about the upcoming matches with Belhadj as the only replacement and he isnt as good as Traore - hoping to sign on permanent deal.

well the first leg against CSKA is done it finished 1 - 1, glad that i got an away goal but that came in the 95th minute thanx to a Crouch header. i have west brom in the league before the return leg at fratton park and with injuries piling up im wondering just how far i can go - ive already been knocked out of the league cup (sunderland 2 - 1) and the FA Cup (Arsenal 3 - 2) but after 27 games in league im 5points off the top but i still have return legs of arsenal, man u, liverpool and chelsea to go i got 5points from the first games against them with a draw, win, draw, lose respectively

though to next round after a narrow 1 - 0 win over CSKA in second leg and i now have Shakhtar in the Quarter Final

Wow this is brilliant

Your skills in the transfer market are awesome!

The Distin & Mvuemba deals stand out to me!

And also your on course to win the UEFA Cup which is great!

What impressed me most was the fact you had £0 now you have £50m thats just amazing!

This has everything to make a good SOMS if you wanted to make one in the FM09 stories thread

KUTGW mate and keep us posted on how your doing

Jesus Ash sum great deals in the transfer market and a fantastic tactic a whole new team within less than a year takes some doing good luck against Shakthar in the Quarter's

yeah starting with £0 but ive spent over £116million with around £60million gained from the sale of players. im happy i just need a couple more signings and i think i might be able to challenge for the champions league - im after Rossi. and im going to sell defoe and crouch and use Martins, Jo and Rossi as my main strikers and get another striker as backup then i just need to get a couple more defenders and i think the squad will be good enough to get into the champions league

Rossi is the greatest player of all time clues in the name he scores for fun and yup I think with that squad your aiming for you could reach top 2

yeah but he will cost me £19.75million+

my transfer history
spent more then i thought
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v299/mastergippal/trans.jpg

Nice to see you got Witsel ArmageddonAsh im a big fan of him, whats he like on your game?

Rossi, This quality thread has given me an idea

We need to get people doing SOMS everyone loves a good SOMS

yeah ive seen some good ones on other forums.
i may give one a try some time

Yup we do need SOMS I'll be delivering 1 when we get more members should be soon

Some good deals there mate. Very good.

Make sure you keep hold of Diarra as he's one great player. Martins and Dos Santos deals are quality. I would aim for a Top 6 finish in the EPL, Carling Cup finalists and FA Cup semi-finalists.

yeah im pleased with the signings i have made. i have had £20million offers for both Diarra and Kranjcar very tempting but im going to wait til i have players that can replace them

i got knocked out of the FA Cup and the League Cup
Arsenal 3 - 2 and Sunderland 2 - 1 but that was before i got most of my signings in January im hoping to get to the Semi Final of the EURO cup

Who are you likely to get after shakthar

i will paly either Wolfsburg or Udinese

Racing vs Maresille
Shaktar vs Portsmouth
Wolfsburg vs Udinese
Lyon vs AC Milan

Good signings you are doing great in the transfer market but i think you paid to much for veloso he is available for around 13 million.

yeah is is at the beginning but i had to buy him in January as i didnt have the money before

Udinese have a great team so that will be tough but good luck

thanx it was a very close game at CKSA with getting the draw in the very last minute in the first leg and getting the win in the second legin the very last minute of that game as well

Well done sounds enthralling

Play up POMPEY!
POMPEY! play up

yeah had some close games im hoping to do a lot betetr next season with th players im going to try and get in

sign a better striker called cardozo or even daniel cousin(mint even though his stats arn't great)

i had Cardozo in the demo, he was poor.
i have Jo, Martins, Defoe and Crouch

will be trying to get Rossi in the close season and will be selling Crouch and Defoe, i need a good young striker as backup looking at Sanchez from Udinese

If you can get Rossi theirs non better

yeah i got him scouted and he looks very good

there is actually
rafael sobis was at betis but his at an arabic club now on fm09
signed him for man city
a must get

thanx i had him on 08 but he wasnt really any good, is he any better on 09?