So, since I haven't seen that many team guides for this year's FM, I figured I'd make one for Southampton. I've had many successful seasons with them, and took them to be the richest and most reputed club, so I thought I'd do an initial guide, incase it is helpful.
SOUTHAMPTON
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HISTORY
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Facilities
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The facilities are already pretty good for a mid-table team. The Youth Setup is probbaly the best in the Premier League, and will constantly produce excellent regens for you. Eventually, you should focus on upgrading Training Facilities, in order to reach 'Top Training Facilities'. You stadium can hold upto a maximum of 50000, so upon winning, you should look to expanding it, in order to increase ticket sales. I'd advise against this at the start, due to the uncertain nature of your finances as of yet.
CLUB PHILOSOPHIES
View attachment 428526
This is the slightly annoying part. Initially, the Southampton board refuses to even consider changing their philosophies. However, when you get to contract re-negotiations, you can continue to whittle down the requirements. However, 'Players from Chairman's Home Nation' cannot be undone. However, it doesn't matter much, since it won't affect anything big, even if you don't follow it.
BUDGET/SEASON EXPECTATIONS
View attachment 428517
For this, the latter two are the only things you should be considering. Southampton have quite a good team, so it shouldn't be that big an issue.
SQUAD
GOALKEEPERS
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ARTUR BORUC: For now, Boruc should be your main GK. I haven't had much luck in selling him for any decent value, but he'll still do a pretty decent job. However, his low concentration and high eccentricity means he definitely shouldn't be your first option in the coming years. He's an excellent GK coach, once he retires though.
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KELVIN DAVIS:
It is unlikely you can find takers for him, but if you do, I'd recommend selling him. Low concentration, low positioning, and overall average stats doesn't make him an ideal Premier League GK. It's unlikely you can mutually terminate his contract since it runs upto 2016. Get rid of him if you can.
View attachment 428508
PAOLO GAZZANIGA: A pretty decent younger option, actually. Okayish concentration, I'd probably get Boruc to tutor him, if you can. He's pretty decent, but not world class, and on saves, he didn't reach that level either. But overall, he's ok, and will definitely improve with game-time.
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DEFENDERS
FULLBACKS
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LUKE SHAW: No need to talk about him, this kid is an absolute monster. He also gives you HG status for eventual Europe competitions. One player you mustn't sell, no matter what. It's hard to find a better CWB than him.
View attachment 428500
DANNY FOX: He is a monster ingame - whether as a FB or CWB. Consistent high performances, ****-load of assists. A great player to have, I'd keep him easily for 2 or more seasons.
View attachment 428498
NATHANIEL CLYNE: At the moment, he's the best option for RB. He can grow up to be pretty well, although he's been a bit inconsistent for me. He's worked for others, so I'd keep him. Plus, I've got offers of around 35 Million $ for him, into the 3rd season, so definitely keep him for now.
View attachment 428496
CALLUM CHAMBERS: Another product of the youth academy, he can be retrained to play on the wings. Has a pretty good future ahead, but needs match time. He can be inconsistent at first, but eventually grows into it.
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CENTRAL DEFENDERS
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DEJAN LOVREN: Probably the best CB in the team, as of now. He needs to improve his composure by quite a bit, but otherwise, he's an excellent option. He should be one your main Central Defenders, but could also consider rotating him occasionally, until he improves his composure. Was a bit inconsistent for me, due to the low composure and concentration.
View attachment 428476
JOSE FONTE: Another rather good option. He should also be amongst your main CB. Although his positioning is a bit low, he consistently turns in very good performances, and scores some goals as well.
View attachment 428475
MAYA YOSHIDA: Doesn't look like a very good option, but with a bit of game-time, he can improve very well. A rather good rotation option, so one to keep, actually. Needs to improve his strength a bit.
View attachment 428474
Jos Hooiveld: The oldest bunch of the lot, he's pretty decent, but if you can offload, you should be looking towards doing that. However, since you have only 4 CB, you should probably keep him as a cover for injuries, or sell him, and get Stefan Strandberg, instead.
View attachment 428473
MIDFIELDERS
CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS
View attachment 428472View attachment 428471View attachment 428470View attachment 428469View attachment 428468
JACK CORK: A pretty decent player, actually. Turns in consistent performances, and could quite easily make your first starting team, if not for the quality of players present already. Still, a very good rotation option. And, he doesn't complain about lack of playing time.
View attachment 428467
MORGAN SCHNEIDERLIN: One of your best CM ingame, you should definitely hang on to him. Arsenal come sniffing around for him, do not sell him. He grows to be a bigger monster ingame. Pair him up with Wanyama, and they'll run the midfield for you.
View attachment 428466
VICTOR WANYAMA: Your best player, and arguably one of the best BWM ingame, along with Papadopoulous, with Fellaini closely behind them. Wanyama is a beast, and will rule over the midfield for you. He is EXTREMELY effective as a BWM. Again, if you're looking for a long-ish save with Soton, you shouldn't sell him, no matter what money is offered.
View attachment 428465
STEVEN DAVIS: He is actually a pretty good player, but since your midfield is filled with other excellent players, you may want to sell him. However, I opted to keep him, since I couldn't be sure of injuries. Plus, he has a slightly wider playing range than the previous ones.
View attachment 428464
JAMES WARD-PROWSE: He'll grow up to be the best English midfielder ingame. Just give him game time (and he'll easily make it to your first team), and he'll become a monster after just the first season. Don't ever sell him, and don't send him out on loan, use him. I alternated Ward-Prowse and Schneiderlin for DLP/BTB, and Wanyama for BWM (with cork and Davis as subs/rotation), and my midfield was easily the best in the PL.
View attachment 428463
ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS
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ADAM LALLANA: Your current captain, and he's pretty good. Easily slots into the AMC role, scores many, and assists quite a bit too. Keep him, because he's pretty good, and since he's the current captain, it's better for team morale to retain him. However, if you decide to want to sell him, maybe try to get Hughes as one for the future.
View attachment 428460
GASTON RAMIREZ: Your best bet at AMC. He grows to be a **** monster ingame, scoring lots, and assisting in quite a bit too. Sharp passing, and a mean free-kick taker. Between Lallana and Ramirez, your AMC role is excellently filled. Plus, he's a very good tutor, for wings as well as midfielders.
View attachment 428457
WINGERS/AML/AMR (Options)
Since natural wingers aren't present in Southampton, you'll have to improvise slightly. Jake Sinclair is a natura though, and if you give him game time, he'll score and assist for fun.
View attachment 428452View attachment 428453View attachment 428449View attachment 428448View attachment 428445
GULY do PRADO: He's old, and normally, the first instinct would be to offload him. However, since you're a bit short on options for the wings, I'd hold on to him, atleast for a year. He scores and assists quite some bit on the right. But you can let go of him, especially since you'll get some better options on the wings through transfers.
View attachment 428441
PABLO OSVALDO: He can be pretty good on the left wing, although it's not his natural positions. Excellent goal scorer, and even assists quite a lot too. He can easily perform excellently for 2-3 years, after which you can still sell him for a reasonable profit.
View attachment 428438
JAKE SINCLAIR: Probably the best option on the RW as of now, although he doesn't look like it. With game time, and good tutors, he simply grows to be a monster. When he was 24, Man United bought him for 50 Million $ on my save. Will score and assist for fun. Get him good tutors in the first half, and then play him fairly regularly in the second half, and he won't let you down.
View attachment 428434
LLOYD ISGROVE: Another Southampton academy product, he's pretty decent actually. Although he develops slower than Sinclair, at the beginning, he's a more rounded and better player than him. Pretty decent option, although I never had much use for him.
View attachment 428426
OMAR ROVE: Another exciting Southampton academy product, if given game-time, can prove to be a killer-player. Advantage is he can play on either wings, so is definitely a useful player to have. Needs to work on his Balance though.
View attachment 428424
Strikers, Transfers and other stuff will be written after I get back.
View attachment 480888
HISTORY
View attachment 428529
Facilities
View attachment 428539
The facilities are already pretty good for a mid-table team. The Youth Setup is probbaly the best in the Premier League, and will constantly produce excellent regens for you. Eventually, you should focus on upgrading Training Facilities, in order to reach 'Top Training Facilities'. You stadium can hold upto a maximum of 50000, so upon winning, you should look to expanding it, in order to increase ticket sales. I'd advise against this at the start, due to the uncertain nature of your finances as of yet.
CLUB PHILOSOPHIES
View attachment 428526
This is the slightly annoying part. Initially, the Southampton board refuses to even consider changing their philosophies. However, when you get to contract re-negotiations, you can continue to whittle down the requirements. However, 'Players from Chairman's Home Nation' cannot be undone. However, it doesn't matter much, since it won't affect anything big, even if you don't follow it.
BUDGET/SEASON EXPECTATIONS
View attachment 428517
For this, the latter two are the only things you should be considering. Southampton have quite a good team, so it shouldn't be that big an issue.
SQUAD
GOALKEEPERS
View attachment 428515View attachment 428514View attachment 428513
ARTUR BORUC: For now, Boruc should be your main GK. I haven't had much luck in selling him for any decent value, but he'll still do a pretty decent job. However, his low concentration and high eccentricity means he definitely shouldn't be your first option in the coming years. He's an excellent GK coach, once he retires though.
View attachment 428510
KELVIN DAVIS:
It is unlikely you can find takers for him, but if you do, I'd recommend selling him. Low concentration, low positioning, and overall average stats doesn't make him an ideal Premier League GK. It's unlikely you can mutually terminate his contract since it runs upto 2016. Get rid of him if you can.
View attachment 428508
PAOLO GAZZANIGA: A pretty decent younger option, actually. Okayish concentration, I'd probably get Boruc to tutor him, if you can. He's pretty decent, but not world class, and on saves, he didn't reach that level either. But overall, he's ok, and will definitely improve with game-time.
View attachment 428507
DEFENDERS
FULLBACKS
View attachment 428505View attachment 428503View attachment 428504View attachment 428502
LUKE SHAW: No need to talk about him, this kid is an absolute monster. He also gives you HG status for eventual Europe competitions. One player you mustn't sell, no matter what. It's hard to find a better CWB than him.
View attachment 428500
DANNY FOX: He is a monster ingame - whether as a FB or CWB. Consistent high performances, ****-load of assists. A great player to have, I'd keep him easily for 2 or more seasons.
View attachment 428498
NATHANIEL CLYNE: At the moment, he's the best option for RB. He can grow up to be pretty well, although he's been a bit inconsistent for me. He's worked for others, so I'd keep him. Plus, I've got offers of around 35 Million $ for him, into the 3rd season, so definitely keep him for now.
View attachment 428496
CALLUM CHAMBERS: Another product of the youth academy, he can be retrained to play on the wings. Has a pretty good future ahead, but needs match time. He can be inconsistent at first, but eventually grows into it.
View attachment 428492
CENTRAL DEFENDERS
View attachment 428488View attachment 428487View attachment 428486View attachment 428485
DEJAN LOVREN: Probably the best CB in the team, as of now. He needs to improve his composure by quite a bit, but otherwise, he's an excellent option. He should be one your main Central Defenders, but could also consider rotating him occasionally, until he improves his composure. Was a bit inconsistent for me, due to the low composure and concentration.
View attachment 428476
JOSE FONTE: Another rather good option. He should also be amongst your main CB. Although his positioning is a bit low, he consistently turns in very good performances, and scores some goals as well.
View attachment 428475
MAYA YOSHIDA: Doesn't look like a very good option, but with a bit of game-time, he can improve very well. A rather good rotation option, so one to keep, actually. Needs to improve his strength a bit.
View attachment 428474
Jos Hooiveld: The oldest bunch of the lot, he's pretty decent, but if you can offload, you should be looking towards doing that. However, since you have only 4 CB, you should probably keep him as a cover for injuries, or sell him, and get Stefan Strandberg, instead.
View attachment 428473
MIDFIELDERS
CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS
View attachment 428472View attachment 428471View attachment 428470View attachment 428469View attachment 428468
JACK CORK: A pretty decent player, actually. Turns in consistent performances, and could quite easily make your first starting team, if not for the quality of players present already. Still, a very good rotation option. And, he doesn't complain about lack of playing time.
View attachment 428467
MORGAN SCHNEIDERLIN: One of your best CM ingame, you should definitely hang on to him. Arsenal come sniffing around for him, do not sell him. He grows to be a bigger monster ingame. Pair him up with Wanyama, and they'll run the midfield for you.
View attachment 428466
VICTOR WANYAMA: Your best player, and arguably one of the best BWM ingame, along with Papadopoulous, with Fellaini closely behind them. Wanyama is a beast, and will rule over the midfield for you. He is EXTREMELY effective as a BWM. Again, if you're looking for a long-ish save with Soton, you shouldn't sell him, no matter what money is offered.
View attachment 428465
STEVEN DAVIS: He is actually a pretty good player, but since your midfield is filled with other excellent players, you may want to sell him. However, I opted to keep him, since I couldn't be sure of injuries. Plus, he has a slightly wider playing range than the previous ones.
View attachment 428464
JAMES WARD-PROWSE: He'll grow up to be the best English midfielder ingame. Just give him game time (and he'll easily make it to your first team), and he'll become a monster after just the first season. Don't ever sell him, and don't send him out on loan, use him. I alternated Ward-Prowse and Schneiderlin for DLP/BTB, and Wanyama for BWM (with cork and Davis as subs/rotation), and my midfield was easily the best in the PL.
View attachment 428463
ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS
View attachment 428462View attachment 428461
ADAM LALLANA: Your current captain, and he's pretty good. Easily slots into the AMC role, scores many, and assists quite a bit too. Keep him, because he's pretty good, and since he's the current captain, it's better for team morale to retain him. However, if you decide to want to sell him, maybe try to get Hughes as one for the future.
View attachment 428460
GASTON RAMIREZ: Your best bet at AMC. He grows to be a **** monster ingame, scoring lots, and assisting in quite a bit too. Sharp passing, and a mean free-kick taker. Between Lallana and Ramirez, your AMC role is excellently filled. Plus, he's a very good tutor, for wings as well as midfielders.
View attachment 428457
WINGERS/AML/AMR (Options)
Since natural wingers aren't present in Southampton, you'll have to improvise slightly. Jake Sinclair is a natura though, and if you give him game time, he'll score and assist for fun.
View attachment 428452View attachment 428453View attachment 428449View attachment 428448View attachment 428445
GULY do PRADO: He's old, and normally, the first instinct would be to offload him. However, since you're a bit short on options for the wings, I'd hold on to him, atleast for a year. He scores and assists quite some bit on the right. But you can let go of him, especially since you'll get some better options on the wings through transfers.
View attachment 428441
PABLO OSVALDO: He can be pretty good on the left wing, although it's not his natural positions. Excellent goal scorer, and even assists quite a lot too. He can easily perform excellently for 2-3 years, after which you can still sell him for a reasonable profit.
View attachment 428438
JAKE SINCLAIR: Probably the best option on the RW as of now, although he doesn't look like it. With game time, and good tutors, he simply grows to be a monster. When he was 24, Man United bought him for 50 Million $ on my save. Will score and assist for fun. Get him good tutors in the first half, and then play him fairly regularly in the second half, and he won't let you down.
View attachment 428434
LLOYD ISGROVE: Another Southampton academy product, he's pretty decent actually. Although he develops slower than Sinclair, at the beginning, he's a more rounded and better player than him. Pretty decent option, although I never had much use for him.
View attachment 428426
OMAR ROVE: Another exciting Southampton academy product, if given game-time, can prove to be a killer-player. Advantage is he can play on either wings, so is definitely a useful player to have. Needs to work on his Balance though.
View attachment 428424
Strikers, Transfers and other stuff will be written after I get back.
