Sunderland AFC Guide

SunderlandDanny1973

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Sunderland AFC Guide

Ok so I got asked to do this guide for the greatest team in the North-East, by no means is this definitive guide towards playing with Sunderland, this is simply a framework towards playing with Sunderland. I have been SAFC all the way back to Champ Man 2000/01 so I have decent knowledge of the club.

You get a decent transfer budget with Sunderland it is between £10–17.25 million depending on where you reckon you will finish and you get a healthy wage budget. In my opinion I feel it is realistic to say top-half finish and if you want to take a risk say European spot but in the long run it will add too much pressure to your game.

When discussing player positions I will be implementing them into primarily a 4-1-2-1-2 formation or a 4-1-3-2 as I feel this is what works best with Sunderland:

Goalkeepers
Craig Gordon
Martin Fulop
Trevor Carson

As you would imagine Gordon would be your automatic first choice as his stats are very good on the game, as he is injured at the start of the season on FM 10 use Fulop in the first few games of the season so Gordon can regain his fitness. Carson is one to look for in the future, as he is half decent, but later on down the line if you can get another back-up keeper, as Fulop tends to leave as he wants first team football.

Left Backs
George McCartney
Michael Liddle

Investment is needed in the left back area, as McCartney is the only viable option in the position. If you do not wish to invest in left back you can get away with re-training Richardson as a DL, but when playing him set him as wing-back as he will thrive in that role.

Right Backs
Phil Bardsley
Nyron (Nugsy) Nosworthy

Anton Ferdinand

Again like the left back position investment is needed as Bardsley is really the only viable option, Nugsy can play there but is stats going forward or not the best and he best employed as a centre back. Anton has the right stats for right back and he can be used there in emergencies.

Centre Backs
Michael Turner
John Mensah
Anton Ferdinand
Nyron (Nugsy) Nosworthy
Paulo da Silva
Russell Anderson

Jean-Yves M’voto

This is one of the strongest areas of the SAFC squad. Turner should be an automatic choice as his stats are immense and he is very consistent and rarely lets the team down, he is also brilliant in the air at the back and set pieces. The second slot is up to you really; I tend to use a ball-playing defender in this role next to Turner. Either Anton or Da Silva can occupy this role, as they both have good passing stats. This role can of course be changed when playing tough teams away and what not. Really the second CB is up to you and how you wan to play, all the options are solid at the back and offer a good spine of the team. Anderson is back up and that is far as he goes in the team, only use him in emergencies. M’voto is out on loan and can be good decent young centre back so keep an eye on him.

Defensive Midfielders
Lorik Cana (Captain)
Lee Cattermole
David Meyler

If you are playing with a DM in your team then look no further than Lorik Cana. Although Cattermole can play this role effectively I feel its better to have him slightly further forward in the midfield. You can set Cana in all the available roles but I feel the best role for Cana is Deep-Lying Playmaker as he has the creativity stats to fill the role, and if he is suspended, which can happen with him, Cattermole can easily slot into this role without much changing.

Centre Midfielders
Lorik Cana
Lee Cattermole
Andy Reid
Jordan Henderson
Steed Malbranque
Kieran Richardson
Teemu Taino

If you are playing with the suggested 4-1-2-1-2, wide players are not needed, however the great thing with the Sunderland side is that you have players that can play both in the centre and out wide without losing any of effectiveness, players like this are Reid, Henderson, Mabranque and Richardson. If using just two in the centre of the park I go for Cattermole and Reid, as you have a good balance with Cattermole in a ball wining midfielder role then Reid as either a box-to-box or an advanced playmaker role. Taino is out on loan but he is worth looking at when he comes back as he will be cheap option for midfield.

Attacking Midfielders
Andy Reid
Steed Malbranque
Jordan Henderson
Kieran Richardson
Fraizer Campbell


This is the role up for deliberation in my opinion. It is at your discretion that you play there as well as what role you have them in. I tend to use Malbranque as he as good passing and creativity stats for an attacking midfielder. Campbell can also be employed there, as an inside forward on attack, but again it is up to you how you employ the AMC, if you need one.

Strikers
Darren Bent
Kenwyne Jones
Fraizer Campbell
David Healy
Daryl Murphy
Roy O’Donovan
Martyn Waghorne

In my opinion players like Murphy and O’Donovan should not get a look into the team. Bent should be your first choice as he has great pace and finishing (it is only 13 which I find shocking they have put Ameobi at 14 finishing which is just criminal!!!!!), and can grab you goals. The second slot is up to you and your style of play; Campbell is similar player to Bent, someone with pace and good finishing, while Jones has the stats to be your Drogba, great in the air, good pace and powerful. I personally use Jones, as he is good foil for Bent. Have a look at Waghorne when he comes back from Leicester he can be a great prospect for the future

Tactics
The tactic I use and I feel works best with Sunderland is a 4-1-2-1-2, as Sunderland don’t have any real out and out wingers, but if you like to play with width I recommend using a 4-1-3-2 with a DM and two wingers. The tactics are also up for change depending on the opposition, against the big four or tough opposition you could employ a 4-2-3-1 with two DMs and play a fast counter attacking game. It is up to you of course which tactics you use this is merely what I am doing in FM10.

Possible Signings
Areas that need investment in the side Left/Right backs and you could do with another midfielder, primarily a DM/CM, and maybe another striker.

Michael Chretien Plays right back/wing back and can be signed for, between £5-7 million from Nancy. He will offer great competition in the right back position.

Filipe- Plays left back/wing back and he can be signed for around £6-7 million from Deportivo. He is a worthwhile investment, the only stumbling block is the fee, if you want a cheaper alternative at left back you can get Michael Ball on a free as a good back-up.

Bolo Zenden – Plays centre midfield, left wing and can be re-trained to play at left back. He is a worthwhile signing as he is good for one season and adds experience and ability to the midfield. And with Cattermole and Cana in the team you run the risk of suspension so having a decent back-up is important.

Tom Huddlestone – Plays defensive midfield/centre midfield. He is available from Spurs at the start of the game and he is worth a look, as people will already know he is a quality player. He is up for sale at about £6 million.

Ryan Babel – Plays left wing/striker/attacking midfielder. Not a usual choice if you are playing with no wingers but he is available on loan and a fee of around £4 million. He has raw pace and acceleration so he can be used up front as a poacher. I would only recommend him if you are happy to not get a right back or left back.

As you have probably noticed the quoted figures have gone over the money that would be available, so it is up to you where you invest. My recommendations are just that I am not saying you have to sign these players; I am just saying these players may help. In my opinion though a left back is a MUST, as you can survive without investing in a right back, but McCartney is injury-prone and a decent back up is needed.

Players to Sell

These are the players that I feel you can get rid off, maybe not in the first window as teams are unwilling to invest. You do not have to sell them if you feel they offer something to the team but in most cases they will not be missed

Daryl Murphy
Roy O’Donovan
Russell Anderson
David Healy
David Meyler
Robbie Weir

You will not get the best of fees for these players but for the first season they offer nothing. Of course as you move through the seasons with the team other players can be sold at the start of the 2nd season, I would suggest that the first players to go would be Nosworthy, Malbranque and Taino, not because they will be poor players just simply to make way for the next level of players.

I hope this has helped if you need any help or have any questions about the guide leave a comment or pm me and I will try and help.

[FONT=&quot]SunderlandDanny1973 :D[/FONT]
 
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That's really useful for those who plays with Sunderland, good job, mate!
A lot of effort is always good for reasons like this.
 
Great guide! I am currently playing Sunderland myself:)

Recommended signings: Mathias Jørgensen(CB), Angel Di Maria(LM/CM), Tinga(CM), Diego Renan (LB) and Chretien (RB) :D
 
Great guide Danny, even though I won't be managing Sunderland. :p
 
You can tell you spent an awful lot of time on this thread Danny, in my opinion the best guide so far (No offence to any of the others)
 
Once I got going I couldn't stop lol If anyone wants any advice against certain teams and what not jsut PM me will be happy to help :)
 
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Not bad

Well, the wide backs are the main problem but also the lack of a true playmaker. You should bring di maria and retrain Richardson, that gives you a deadly left flank even if richardson would get skinnned now and then. I have two saves with sunderland, in one i brought Rivaldo and Vaan nistelroy (took me a while to convince him) and played a 4-4-2 asymetic with either rivaldo or van nistplayig deep liying forfard with bent/jones as advanced forward, and then added beckham to play wide midfielder and di maria on the left. cana and cattermole in the middle, either as Anchor man DM support or as Ball winning/ box to box (but ball winning role on either cana or cattermole means a lot o suspensions). Close to the season start i sold Both malebranque and Richardson (got 11 million for him an 20% next sale from arsenal :) dumb londoneers!) i used the money to get van der viel and garrido (not the best buy, lack of possitioning ends up killing you)
Then i bought a bunch of youngies to develop muniesa and otamendi because i think the CB suck except Turner (really low concentration on ferdinand makes him have key mistakes almost every game, and da silva is too slow to be paired with turner), gt brazite from arsenal. To be honst thebest of the first season was getting becks to train henderson and cattermole, their stats got up and Di maria is a beast, I abuse his game by designating him man target run to ball with becks as main playmaker. dude crosses the ball all the way over and di maria gets it cuttin in and either scores or sets the strikers. Rivaldo has helped training di maria, but nothing else much and he tends to dissent but Van nistelroy is money.

The other save i just started it, nothing much yet, i want to try and play a 5-2-3 with Wing backs and inside forwards (di maria on the right side he's too cheap to pass on) i got otamendi-turner-mensah as cb with mensa and otamendi set to go wide and ten cana and cattermole in fron so the wingbacks can play freely, i sold reid and malebranche and spend th rest on McGeady so far pre season is going fine, but i aknowledge team is thin and bardsley is nothing near as good as wb.
 
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