I never realised this was possible – Superstar Invincibles

by Chappers  23/08/2013 | 10:28 1 Posted in Football Manager 13 

I’ve been playing football manager for well over a decade, longer than I care to remember but now with the release of the 2014 model, I have some fresh enthusiasm to try out some new stuff, do things a bit different, nothing more so than my most recent Arsenal game.

My aim with this save was simple, to do things I have never done.

So first up my standard variations on the 4-2-3-1 formations were ditched, in its place stood 2 fresh 4-3-3 alternatives with one being 3 narrow strikers, the other being 3 wide. Something that I had never done.

Next up in my big change, my transfer policy.

Usually I am a creature of habit, buying a selection of players all the time and adding a sprinkling of fresh faces along the way, not this time, this time I was going for the 1 or 2 big signings, world class players that would change the game, consistently.

All I can say is wow, I never knew that a measly team like Arsenal could attract such players and win what I did within a couple of seasons.

Before I tell you who I have in my lineup, let me tell you what has happened.

I’m in 2016 and already at the top of the manager hall of fame, last season I won every trophy possible and went the whole season unbeaten, in every competition.

I won the charity shield, the league cup, club world championship, champions league, FA cup, premiership and the super cup. A clean-sweep and a first for me and only the second time in my FM history that I got the ‘invincible’ achievement.

To do that, this was my starting line-up for the season.

Just to note, all the players were bought fair and square, there was no ‘tinkering’.

Sczesny

Caravjal   Varane   Koscielny   Santon

L Bender   Fabregas

Wilshere

Sharaawy           Neymar          C Ronaldo

Bench:  Sakho, Shaw, Ramsey, Bale, Lewandowksi, Falcao

Never in my FM career have I signed the likes of Fabregas and Ronaldo.

Never would I spend £31m on a right back or £110m on Ronaldo when you can pick up others with better potential for 10% of the cost.

And never in my career had I signed Lionel Messi, who has just signed on the dotted line of a 450k a week contract to come to Arsenal at the end of my third season. I had to pay him £275 a week for 5 games then bump his wages to 450k and offer him top-wack on everything else to get him to come.

My biggest realisation with this was the fact that I could actually afford these players at Arsenal, yes my funds are going down by £11m a month, but my ‘normal’ teams still lose 75% of that so whats the difference.

The one thing that is clear though, is the game really does favour these legends of our modern game. So far in my 4th season, after dropping Jack to MC and playing Messi at AMC, I am yet to concede a goal in 10 games and have put 45 goals away. Ronaldo, Messi and Neymar are truly astonishing.

One thing that does have to be said is that Arsenal actually have a good foundation to build a team like this and although nearly every player was bought over months, the funds were not hard to raise.

With players like Podolski, Giroud, Walcott, Cazorla, Vermaelen, Mertersacker and many more being easy to sell at £20m+ and the likes of Park, Bendtner, Denilson etc on high wages in the reserves, its easy to terminate contracts to raise wage budgets and make astronomical amounts of money from sales.

In my second summer, I spent £186m on 4 players, but sold £163m worth of talent, 18 players.

Give it a try, stop bartering over a few mil here and there, stop buying bargains and players with potential, buy the big names now and have a play. It really opens your eyes to the difference between a player with 5 start potential and one playing at that level already.

How this will end I don’t know, I’ve won it all with this team and although it was enlightening to see the constant big-name signings come in to the club, the long procession of regens is likely to start a takeover soon.

I must say though, this game has been enjoyable, its opened up a new chapter in my FM book that I didn’t realise was possible and one that will be an exciting prospect come Football Manager 2014.