One Final Story: Saving The Eagles

[seanhrfc]

well your 442 is awsome

Yeah, in truth I haven't used it in a while other than a net game, been fiddling with other tactics. Great to be back using it and now I can really start to shape my squad to suit it.

 

[seanhrfc]

View attachment 467197

April 2013 Update

Spurs 2-2 Palace (Premier)
Martins, Jedinak
View attachment 467201

We extend our unbeaten run to 10 games now with a respectable away draw. Chances were few and far between but both sides were clinical in finishing them off

Palace 3-0 Newcastle (Premier)
Williams, Strandberg, Gayle
View attachment 467198

A sluggish looking Newcastle side allowed us to kill them off, they're looking destined for relegation

Palace 2-1 Wigan (FA Cup Semi)
Guedioura, Martins
View attachment 467199

FA Cup Final here we come! We should have won by more and it was a sloppy goal to concede, but at this stage its only the result that matters. We will be facing Everton who beat Man United in the semi's

Hull 1-2 Palace (Premier)
Zaha, Bannan
View attachment 467203

A very disappointing first half but we came back fighting in the second. It was a long time coming but Zaha finally scored his first goal of the season

Palace 3-2 Cardiff (Premier)
Martins, Rhodes (2)
View attachment 467204

A game that we dominated and should have won by more. We conceded a late sloppy goal which flattered Cardiff in all honesty

Player of the Month

View attachment 467202

Obafemi Martins

Obafemi's trademark back-flip goal celebration was witnessed on three occasions this month, as well as laying on three goals for his team-mates. He's been on consistent goalscoring form since signing and rightfully deserves this award

League Table


View attachment 467200

I'm extremely happy with our season. Its now squeaky *** time with 3 games left and given our form and the fact that Spurs and City have to play each other and others high in the table, there is a small chance of us stealing 4th place. However we need to keep a eye on what's going on behind us and not let Chelsea overtake us.

​

 

[seanhrfc]

View attachment 467188

May 2013 Update

Southampton 0-3 Palace (Premier)
Zaha, Martins, Rhodes
View attachment 467191

Another good win to spur on Southampton's hatred of playing us. Zaha is looking more dangerous each game

Palace 2-1 West Ham (Premier)
Jedinak, Rhodes
View attachment 467190

We should have made this game more comfortable given our domination, but wins are wins

Palace 2-1 Everton (FA Cup Final)
Martins, Gayle
View attachment 467192

Ohhhhh yessssss!!! FA Cup winners for the first time in the clubs history!!! Apart from the one chance from Lukaku, we dealt with any kind of threat from Everton and thoroughly deserved the win.

Palace 0-0 Everton (Premier)
None
View attachment 467193

A bit of a come down after the euphoria of the cup. We just couldn't find the net despite being rock solid at the back, with just one slip up giving an opportunity from a penalty - fortunately Baines missed. Nevertheless, we finish the season on an 18 match unbeaten streak.

Player of the Month

View attachment 467194

Stefan Strandberg

Yet again proving to be Mr. consistent proving immense value in his transfer

Final League Table

View attachment 467189

Well, what a debut season we have had. Crystal Palace's best Premier League season by far finishing in 6th, miles ahead of Chelsea in 7th place. Though we will need to come in the top 3 to equal their best ever top flight finish. Incredibly, Liverpool clinched the title, the first time they've done that since 1990 so kudos to Rodgers and the team he's building there. Man Utd will be ruing missed opportunities as both ourselves and Hull got the double over them. Both Sunderland and Newcastle found themselves relegated alongside Hull City, so even more shocks this season. Newcastle have a few players I want to pinch.

​

 

[kitchin75]

holy cup double batman and 6th my hats off to you mate and to all them that say your 442 does not work just read this story nuff said cant wait for next season mate awsome

 

[seanhrfc]

holy cup double batman and 6th my hats off to you mate and to all them that say your 442 does not work just read this story nuff said cant wait for next season mate awsome

Cheers. I've already played until the beginning of August and made all my signings. I have to say this has been my busiest and best transfer window I've ever had on FM from what I remember. Will post up the 2012/13 awards then I will do a feature on my transfers.

 

[kitchin75]

Cheers. I've already played until the beginning of August and made all my signings. I have to say this has been my busiest and best transfer window I've ever had on FM from what I remember. Will post up the 2012/13 awards then I will do a feature on my transfers.

well if you have not gone out and got messi or cr7 ill be very sad lol

 

[seanhrfc]

View attachment 467186

2012/13 Premier League Awards

Robin Van Persie
Premier League Footballer of the Year
View attachment 467184

Steven Gerrard
Premier League Players Player of the Year
View attachment 467182

Sandro
Premier League Young Player of the Year
View attachment 467179

Robin Van Persie
Premier League Top Goalscorer (29)
View attachment 467180


Brendan Rodgers
Premier League Manager of the Year
View attachment 467183

Premier League Team of the Year
View attachment 467181


2012/13 Crystal Palace Awards

Mile Jedinak
Supporter's Player of the Year

Mile Jedinak
Manager's Player of the Year
Stefan Strandberg Runner Up

Jose Campana
Manager's Young Player of the Year
Jon Williams Runner Up

Dwight Gayle
Surprise Package of the Year
Damien Delaney / Joel Ward Runners Up

Stefan Strandberg
Signing of the Season
Obafemi Martins Runner Up

Obafemi Martin
Top Goalscorer (15)
Dwight Gayle (13)

2012/13 Best 11

View attachment 467185

Champions League

Barcelona 2-3 Chelsea
View attachment 467176

European League

Tottenham 2-1 Galatasaray
View attachment 467175

Championship Promotion

Blackburn, Watford, QPR
View attachment 467177


​

 

[seanhrfc]

well if you have not gone out and got messi or cr7 ill be very sad lol

Haha, think it may be a few seasons before I can sign either of them

 

[kitchin75]

Haha, think it may be a few seasons before I can sign either of them

aye i paid 120m for him on my man u save and that was when is was 30 but i have money to burn so what the **** could have got cr7 back the season b4 for 70m but did not do it

 

[seanhrfc]

View attachment 467173

Main Transfers Out


​

[TABLE="width: 600"]
[TR]
[TD]Player[/TD]
[TD]Sold To[/TD]
[TD]Fee (Pounds)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Yannick Bolasie[/TD]
[TD]Middlesbrough[/TD]
[TD]1m[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Jose Campana[/TD]
[TD]Paris St Germain[/TD]
[TD]23m[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Jonathan Parr[/TD]
[TD]Southampton[/TD]
[TD]8.5m[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Damien Delaney[/TD]
[TD]Arsenal[/TD]
[TD]5m[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Adlene Guedioura[/TD]
[TD]Monaco[/TD]
[TD]8m[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Jack Hunt[/TD]
[TD]Swansea[/TD]
[TD]9m[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Adrian Mariappa[/TD]
[TD]Southampton[/TD]
[TD]8.75m[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Jimmy Kebe[/TD]
[TD]Porto[/TD]
[TD]10m[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Florian Marage[/TD]
[TD]Caen[/TD]
[TD]1m[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Glenn Murray[/TD]
[TD]Doncaster[/TD]
[TD]500k[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Dwight Gayle[/TD]
[TD]Schalke[/TD]
[TD]Loan[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Stuart O'Keefe[/TD]
[TD]Aberdeen[/TD]
[TD]375k[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Peter Ramage[/TD]
[TD]Doncaster[/TD]
[TD]500k[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Kagisho Dikgacoi[/TD]
[TD]Udinese[/TD]
[TD]1m[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Owen Garvan[/TD]
[TD]Sunderland[/TD]
[TD]3m[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Dean Moxey[/TD]
[TD]West Brom[/TD]
[TD]925k[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Chris Baird[/TD]
[TD]Everton[/TD]
[TD]1.8m[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

As soon as the transfer window opened I became very busy in getting rid of the deadwood in the squad. All in all, 54 players were either released or sold, making a total of 82 million. The biggest transfer out of the club was youngster Campana going to PSG. I wasn't planning on selling him as he's got great potential but 23 million was too hard to refuse. I managed to get very good money for the likes of Guedioura, Kebe, Parr, Delaney, Mariappa and Hunt who may not have gone had clubs not come in for them, whereas other players were harder to shift. Arsenal must have been impressed with Delaney's form to come in for him, but I have no idea why they signed him as he's way below their level. Dwight Gayle has been shipped out on loan to Schalke to see what he is capable of as a regular starter.

Main Transfers In

[TABLE="width: 600"]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]Player[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Bought From[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Fee (Pounds)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]Nathaniel Clyne[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Southampton[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]7.5m[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]John Ruddy[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Norwich[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]6.75m[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]Luke Shaw[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Southampton[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]7m[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]Darren Fletcher[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Man Utd[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]2.7m[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]Steven Taylor[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Newcastle[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]4m[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]Daniel Sturridge[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Liverpool[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]11.75m[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]Will Hughes[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Derby[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]6m[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]Andre Wisdom[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Liverpool[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]7.25m[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]Cheikh Tiote[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Newcastle[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]13m[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]Jelle Vossen[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Genk[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]7.5m[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]Tomas Rosicky[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Arsenal[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Loan[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]George Green[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Everton[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]2.5m[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]Kara[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Genk[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]7.5m[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]Marcelo Estigarribia[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Dep. Maldonado[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Free[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]Darryl Janmaat[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Feyenoord[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Free[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]Wilfried Zaha[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Man Utd[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Loan Extension[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

With lots of players on the way out, there was room to expand the squad.I understand I have made a lot of transfers, so I am going to expect a couple of inconsistent months ahead before the team is able to gel again. I am very happy with my transfers in, I feel all these players coming in bring top 6 quality with them. Bringing in players like Tiote, Taylor, Fletcher and Ruddy have started to mould the team into the way I like it. Hard working players, with high determination and teamwork to fit my Arrigo Sacchi 4-4-2 system as well as great tutors for the youngsters. I've also invested heavily in young English players in Wisdom, Clyne, Sturridge, Hughes, Shaw, Zaha and Green of whom I believe will be the nucleus of my squad for years to come. Sturridge found himself out of favour at Liverpool and will probably feel he has a point to prove. It's my job now to unleash his full potential. I also brought in two of my favourites from Genk, Vossen and Kara. Both are top quality and will be exceptional tutors - in my Genk save I had Vossen tutoring Schrijvers so I will do the same here. Janmaat and Estigarribia were both pre-signed in January, with the additions I have now made they are no more than back-ups. They have been shipped out on loan to Norwich and Fulham to gain Premier League experience.

Overall, we spent 85m on 22 players. We now have a first team squad of 22 and a youth team squad of 19, of which I am looking to add 3 high potential defenders to.

​

 

[seanhrfc]

What screen shots would people like to see?

 

[iHoward]

What screen shots would people like to see?

Maybe with all these transfers we could get a proposed first XI, obviously I understand performances will shape selection but what you believe to be your best selection

 

[kitchin75]

how come you went with palace btw

 

[seanhrfc]

Maybe with all these transfers we could get a proposed first XI, obviously I understand performances will shape selection but what you believe to be your best selection

Excellent Idea, I will post it up in a minute.

 

[seanhrfc]

how come you went with palace btw

Went with them because they are predicted 20th and start with the weakest squad on LFCMarshall's update.

 

[seanhrfc]

Best 11

View attachment 467138


Second 11

View attachment 467137

Looking at the 22 first team players, I am very happy with the squad depth. Any of the players in the squad are capable of doing a good job and lots of them have European experience. I now have a nice blend of young, experienced and prime players with a British core, I've now just got to gel them into a winning team!

 

[SVB]

Some awesome signings their lets hope they gel quickly! Can't believe you sold Bolasie for 1m he's been one of my favourites on fm13 then again not to sure wat his stats are like on the update! Keep up the good work

 

[seanhrfc]

Some awesome signings their lets hope they gel quickly! Can't believe you sold Bolasie for 1m he's been one of my favourites on fm13 then again not to sure wat his stats are like on the update! Keep up the good work

Cheers, Who do you think my best signing has been so far?

View attachment 467127
​

There's your lad, have to admit atts wise he looks decent. However in the chances he was given he didn't perform and found himself out of favour. He constantly moaned about not getting football and rejected tonnes of loan deals that would have given him that. In the end I just wanted him off the books so 1m was a bargain for Middlesbrough.

 

[LovanoFM]

You should use Shaw for Buttner and Hughes for Fletcher IMO! good story

 

[seanhrfc]

You should use Shaw for Buttner and Hughes for Fletcher IMO! good story

Yeah I will be using those four players very much in a rotation so the youngsters get plenty of games. August Update to follow