Liverpool FC Guide

[zurask]

There used to be some real neat guides for the various clubs in the last game. Dunno why they aren't springing up now.

Anyways, I'm gonna write up a guide because a) I'm kicking *** b) Liverpool in FM are better than the ones in real life (if you manage well) and c) I've been playing this game since 01/02 and really wanna write a guide for Liverpool!

If you don't like reading a long post, just check the screenshots. They sum it up.

1. Squad

Transfer budget of 25m pounds with 11.1 patch! Yay! More than Man U

A few details about the squad:

• Torres is the best striker in the game (has all the stats, he's consistent and he performs in important matches)
• Torres will get injured regularly if you give him a heavy workload. So will Gerrard which I find strange (high injury proneness stats as checked under FMRTE)
• Gerrard still rocks
• Joe Cole isn't great
• You need a backup for Johnson (he rarely gets injured but you don't want your players playing 60 games in a season)
• Gerrard plays best in the AMC role (bangs in goals from distance)
• Wingers all suck
• Agger and Skrtel aren't world-class and you need two world-class CBs to challenge for the title

Bearing all this in mind, I used a 4-1-2-1-2 tactic modifying Onox's 4-3-3 tactic dropping the CM to a DMC position.

Sold or loaned out: Babel (loaned), N'Gog (loaned), Krygiakos (1m), Rodriguez (3m), Lucas (5.5m)
Promoted: Shelvey & Wilson
Bought or loaned: Dzeko (23m), Granero (loaned in Jan), Santa Cruz (loan), Babacar (loan with 1m fee and 7m future fee), Tomovic (loaned with 3.5m Future Fee), Gilberto Silva (1.2m) & Lugano (3m Minimum Fee Release Clause), Heinze (6m)

So there you have it.

• Torres & Dzeko make a killer combination and the back-up strikers mop up the weak sides. I always sub off Torres after 60 mins to reduce the likelihood of injuries.
• Every player has a back-up and wingers are totally not needed.
• Gerrard assists and scores and Gilberto Silva does a great job winning the ball. Meireles is good and scores regularly for me.
• Lugano kicks *** and alongside Carragher, Heinze, Johnson & Reina, they have the meanest defence in the league (just 11 goals let in by the end of Jan).
• Every signing has done well.
• Lucas, Kuyt, N'Gog, Babel, Krygiakos, Rodriguez are all good players but for the money they rake in, you can get better replacements in my opinion. Also, you need the money for Dzeko or any other big signing (I recommend a big signing instead of buying 3-4 players)
• I'm still keeping Poulsen, Jovanovic, Konchesky, Aurelio, Kuyt, Cole because I only care for them as back-ups (and no real manager sells off a player who was just bought!). Itjande cannot be gotten rid off annoyingly enough.

Players that I should have brought in: Pires (free), a great creative Central Mid, Enyeama (250k), a better Rightback (but costing a max of 3m)

But new players need to be 'adaptable' (if you don't mind cheating then check out the Adaptability stats in FMRTE). This saves you a lot of time as you avoid wasteful signings.

Also, too many signings upset team chemistry. This thread is great (I like his tried-and-tested philosophy)

Should have probably sold or loaned out: Kuyt as in this tactical system, he's useless (unless he's your backup striker) and Agger OR Skrtel (one's a decent ball-playing defender, the other's a hard tackler but they seem to be frozen out and a promising DC would be better on the sub bench).

2. Tactics

With Onox's tactic, I don't have to do much. It's brilliant. I just change it to Counter against top squads and control against lower league opposition if I've been winning quite often.

• Make sure Gerrard is not in the box during corners (allowing him more scoring opportunities) and that Lugano attacks near post.
• Against Arsenal, Chelsea, City & Man U, man-marking Rooney, Lampard, Malouda, Drogba, Fabregas, Van Persie, Tevez, Arshavin, Carrick is a must.
• For touchline instructions, use Exploit Middle, Retain Possession & Pass Into Space as this tactic does not require width and you can capitalize on the speed/goalscoring instincts of Torres.
• Set Torres as penalty taker for some extra goals (goals builds confidence)
• Torres is STCL (the poacher in the tactic). Think about it. If you're a right sided player, then you will wanna shield the ball from the defender (who's to your left) and if you're the right striker then that doesn't leave for much of an angle. Dzeko's ambidextrous so he can be STCR.
  

3. Man-management

• People will get ****** off at you and will want to talk to you. "Let's get on with our jobs" is the best option almost always (except for Carragher, strangely enough)
• If a player's below 6.5, discipline him with a warning or else do a private chat and inform him he wasn't good
• If Torres doesn't score as regularly mid-season then try to cheer him up. Ask him for a recommendation for a young prospect (they never know anyone anyway). Such harmless questions cheers players up and they perform better
• In away games, always encourage. Getting annoyed doesn't help (unless it's at specific players)
  

4. Training

I really don't care about this so much. I don't play multi-seasons. I try to do the best I can within the first season and then move on to a different team. Stats don't change as much anyway. But should I care about devising a training regime, Gerrard & Torres would warrant a specific and customized training schedule.But these are the top coaches that are available and getting them will probably save you some time.

5. Disclaimer and results

Every experience is unique. Results may vary, lol.

Also, I don't care for Europa League/League Cup/FA Cup and I field a weak side (letting Gerrard, Torres & Dzeko rest) and Go On Holiday for 1 day and make sure Use Same Selection & Match Tactics is checked and let Sammy Lee take control.

I've been kicked out of League Cup and I am 3rd in the Europa League Group Stage so I need to make sure I win the last 2 matches!

I've lost only to Rooney (he scored 4 goals and the rest of their squad was ****) and once or twice thus far. Man U, Arsenal & Chelsea are close behind and I'm 1st in Feb with 54 points from 25 games!

Enjoy! YNWA

 

[rexus]

What do you mean by 4-2-1-2? Where's one more?oO)

 

[zurask]

My mistake. 4-1-2-1-2. Can anyone do well with wingers? Especially considering Torres is more of a pacey poacher than a target man.

 

[athertpa]

quite a good guide mate, a lot of liverpool fans seem to be adopting that formation, quite like the idea. Might quit my man u save and give it a go

 

[TGW]

quite a good guide mate, but I prefer Aannddyy's. Sorry :S, but it's very well done, and very hard to execute a team guide. You've done well

 

[benmadrigal]

good guide mate. you mention an rb for £3m is needed, i always buy joao pereira he has a minimum release of £3m and the fans always think he is a fantastic signing. i play liverpool too btw

 

[glennspb]

Nice guide mate liking it!

 

[Alcaraz]

Good Guide mate but take a look at Aaandys, it may give u a few pointers on formatting and layout , either way well done