So, what changed?

[eLmaestr0]

Seriously.

First season in the premiership after back to back promotions from League 1 after spending....120k in total. Expecting another 775k transfer budget but the board give me 18m after injecting their own money to stop the club going into receivership (about 7m in debt). Slowly making a profit back...

Quickly bring in some solid players ; Granero/Gago on frees after being released by Madrid (lol), Vela for 4m from Arsenal, Zaccardo for 2m, Corluka for 2m, KAGAWA on a free from Dortmund (wtf - fallen out with Klopp and ''doesn't want to play in Germany'', awesome.) Iturbe for 4m, Barzagli for 500k as DC back-up, Fierro 2m for Erick Torres/Caruzzo coming next season and 3 highly rated regens, 2 coming in summer next year. Also cleared out some deadwood who couldn't cut it at prem level.

First half of the season I'm getting trashed - I was 16th in January. Constantly shipping late goals and losing 2/3 goal leads (4-4 against Newcastle, 2-6 v STOKE), missing penalties/conceding from them, injuries/suspensions constantly, no luck at all. I was loving the dogfight, looking forward to strengthening in summer if I stayed up and got the Prem money and then this happened....

View attachment 250230

What? I actually might qualify for the Europa. Same 3 tactics, same line-up's, nothing has really changed. Few team meetings, few threats to drop players, but nothing substantial. The turning point was beating Spurs 3-0 in the F.A cup, blip v Blackburn 3-4 (3-0 up at HT! 2 90+ min goals!)..Now i'm getting penalties, scoring FK's, countering like a world class team, scoring straight after we concede (if we do).

My top scorer is this guy, a Romanian regen from last season with no outstanding stats apart from good jumping. My scouts don't even rate his potential as being particularly world class, ''good premier league striker'', but my Assistant seems to like him.

View attachment 250236

I almost want to lose a game! Think it would be a tad ridiculous to gain back to back promotions, then be in a relegation battle (3 points of bottom) till Jan then win every game back to back and get Europa. Hm. Also made the FA Cup final which is win-able.

 

[TheBetterHalf]

Well, your players came together as a unit

 

[eLmaestr0]

Perhaps - I've just lost two on the bounce, made it 1-1 late on v Villa but conceded a goal straight away and then lost 5-2 to Spurs. Phew! I'm actually glad we can't finish top 6..

8th is pretty respectable. Just about to play the F.A cup and like how i've had a 3 day break before it. Awesome. My squad has no depth whatsoever.

 

[eLmaestr0]

I've just won the F.A Cup 3-0 v Liverpool? Holy ****. View attachment 250240

Luckily for me ''Mark Bunn'' was playing, who is unhappy and wants to leave the club. Not sure why Reina didn't even make the subs, I've just checked and he's fit. I soaked up all their pressure with a deep defensive line and stood my ground not pressing to hard keeping a rigid shape and counter attacked through Vela and Kagawa out wide all game with their team out of position. Epic stuff. The media said it was a ''triumph of tactics'' haha, love the little touches. So I am in Europe this year after all. I actually made the group stages getting to the F.A Cup final in my first season (easiest run i'd ever had, think I had one prem team and lost to Liverpool in the final, funny how FM throws those almost real life scenarios at you) Drew 2 games and lost the rest so I hope this time is different.

I've gone from 3 wins in 15!! games in all competitions to a F.A cup and top half of the table finish. I <3 FM sometimes. My board issued a statement declaring that a ''club of Charltons stature was always going to be a contender and are...Happy''? Wankers. Cardiff, West Ham and Stoke have a higher rep than me!! We had 2000-1 odds to win the League, yet were ''always expected to qualify for the Europa'', meh...I wish it made you feel more special haha.