Life in Football Manager

At last I can spend a few hours playing Football Manager, I have hardly been around lately mostly because work has had me travelling the country first of all to the middle of our Island visiting a lovely college in Birmingham before coming back up and then across to Yorkshire were Hull was kind enough to play host to me. But the break from writing has let me get back into a few games of Football Manager which helps me when I actually come back to return my findings

So I think it is time to update you on the goings on down at Ashgrove, to remind you I am in the process of bringing back the glory days to a Gunners side that has failed to break into the top 3 for the past 4 years and in the process of my managerial careers have never finished above 3rd. We are in 2012/13 season and I have splashed the cash and put a squad together that should in theory bring home some silverware, but it is as never as straightforward as that when you are competing against Liverpool which I built up including strong squad of young players including Aguero and Torres, Manchester United who for the last couple of seasons have dominated the Premiership and Chelsea, who are now under control of Vialli, still have great financial backing of the Russian Billionaire and are never out of the running.

The season started at Wembley, where the season ended for The Gunners last season when they beat Manchester United to the FA Cup. This time Manchester United were looking for a psychological victory for the forthcoming season. But my team destroyed The United side which consisted of an old favourite of Arsenal, Mr Van Persie. After 25 shots at the at the United keeper, one was able to find itself at the back of the net to secure my first bit of Silver Fabregas the only man to find the net.

I managed to secure to victories against Blackpool and Manchester City helping me relax in the fact that the team that I had assembled was gelling nicely. Samaras taking two against his old team to show them what they were missing out on. But the team wasn’t ready to take on any of the giants in the League. Chelsea made the trip across London, There Ghana international Gyan hit me on the counter attack as Snjider quickly seen him through to goal to put in the only goal of the game. But that was only one of two games I have lost so far this season the other being Blackburn again at home when Matt Derbyshire scored late after a game I should have really scored around 5, Eduardo even missing the chance to get the opener from the spot. Draws against Liverpool courtesy of a Walcott hatrick and Manchester United have made sure that I have not strayed too far away from the pack and currently lingering in 3rd 2 points away from Chelsea who are struggling to keep players happy, I am just waiting to bounce on the likes of Cech and Dani Alves who both want to find the exit. It is so close this season, probably the closest challenge for the title I have been involved in so far.

The highlight of the season so far was the local London derby against Tottenham, a game that produced 35 shots in total, the only difference between the two teams was who was able to convert their chances. Nicklas Bendtner, a player that had been found neglected by myself stepped up into the first team and scored the equalising goal, picking up a lose ball and running it into the goal. It stayed 1-1 through most of the match until Fabregas made way for Merida who put us in the lead in the 73rd minute in a real poachers goal as the ball was knocked into the box and bounced clear Merida ran into the box firing it into the top corner. This opened up the flood gates and Trejo got in on the action as a fiery Silva put the ball on a silver tray and delivered it to Oscar. Bendter finished up the scoring three minutes later to complete a 4-1 victory at the Emirates a day made even better when you consider that Tottenham are battling for a Champions League place and at the time of playing were a place behind me in 5th.

My team have already been dropped from the League cup despite a 4-0 thrashing of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, I was able to make it to the quarter finals before Van Persie and Rooney took United through to the semi finals who have managed to get to Wembley setting up a draw against rivals Spurs. The FA cup has passed it’s 4th Round, my former club Birmingham were the first victims and to avoid any upset a strong team was fielded Silva and Bendter setting us up a game against Sheffield Wednesday, on a side note does anyone know why they are named after a day in the week? Either way the steel makers from up north were on the end of 2 great Samaras strikes which keeps us in the competition. Europe has been a straightforward affair all but one game was won seeing us in the knock out stages against Dortmund.

The signings have all contributed to the success of the team and gave me options all over the field, but what I have done is unleashed the talent that was already at the club. Nicklas Bendtner has arrived in the first team with a bang in less then 9 games and 7 substitute appearances he has scored 12 goals after complaining about me leaving him in the reserves. He definitely is proving a point and has been a gem and allowed me to get rid of the over rated Adebayor. Walcott tops the clubs goal scoring charts with 15 goals and Samaras who took a few weeks off through injury has started repaying his debt with 11 goals. David Bentley has been another player who has proven me to be bad of judgement, after reverting back to have Hleb in the first eleven, Bentley put his head down and when called upon put in some great performances and winning back his first team status. One player I have been disappointed in is Cesc Fabregas who has underperformed in the first half of the season, I hope I won’t live to regret keeping him at the club even after several clubs came in offering me £35 million for his services. Although he has gone running to the papers complaining that a player such as him should not be made to honour his contract, complaining that I haven’t let him speak to other teams.

So all is looking good, the top 4 is close you couldn’t get a hair between us, the plan will be to keep up, beat the teams below me and grind out decent results against the teams behind me and hopefully consistency will prevail crowning us Champions, along with bringing some cups in at the same time. I never had any money left over for transfers during January and the money from the Adebayor sale when straight back into the clubs bank balance, so no mixing up is needed in the first team.