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Shock As Pocchettino Is Sacked From St. Mary's

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Mauricio Pocchettino has been sacked from Southampton for unknown reasons by chairman, Nicola Cortese. He has been replaced by unknown Englishman.
My Plans

With Southampton, I hope to play a skilful short passing game with an aim to develop as many youngsters as possible on the way to success.

 
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My Tactic

This is the tactic I hope can use to engineer my success:
View attachment 461004
There are several things that I have incorporated into this tactic. Firstly, I'm playing the typical, high line, short passing and high pressing of possession play. I then added in my favourite defensive system, a back three with attacking wing backs, and a defensive midfielder in front. I then added two box-to-box midfielders to try and make use of the success of gegenpressing. Then the shadow striker and false nine combo that can wreck havoc with defences.
 
Transfers

It's time to report on my progress in the transfer market:
View attachment 460711View attachment 460710View attachment 460709
Firstly, everyone who has left is dead wood who I'm glad to get off the wage bill and get some sort of small payment for. Then, to bolster my defensive options I have signed Ashley Williams, who will start in my back three. I then have got Keisuke Honda joining for free in January, who should increase merchandise sales and will be my star box-to-box midfielder.

In other news, I've had my junior coaching updated:
View attachment 460706
 
Hi! Your tactic seems really good, and as I had just started a new save with Southampton, i'm trying to emulate it. Got a 0-0 draw with City in the first home match. Anyways, do you think that a high defensive line is good for this kind of formation?
 
wiper05 said:
Hi! Your tactic seems really good, and as I had just started a new save with Southampton, i'm trying to emulate it. Got a 0-0 draw with City in the first home match. Anyways, do you think that a high defensive line is good for this kind of formation?
Click to expand...
I don't know how good my tactic is, I've got some player instructions as well I don't know if they help the team or hinder them. Once I have attacking movement match prep and the tactic fully learnt and my players are trained in the positions I'll know how good my tactic actually is. To be fair, the only player instruction that is likely to improve things is for the goalkeeper pass to your most able at passing centre back. I think with these kinds of tactics, it is imperative to have a high defensive line because otherwise you'll struggle to score. I'm even flirting with the idea of changing the false nine to a deep lying forward.

For my threats from pacey strikers should be covered by Ashley Williams or the problem sweeped up by the half back or sweeper keeper. That's why I have the sweeper keeper and half back roles, also the half back and centre backs are good at breaking up moves. A good half back, like Wanyama, lowers the threat of the high defensive line, so does pacey defenders, like Ashley Williams, and also a sweeper keeper with high rushing out and moderate pace + acceleration. Interestingly due to the help with defence and finishing, a key attributes in the wing backs is composure since they get a surprising amount of chances to score from their runs near the box. I played a tactic with similar wing backs and attack on FM13 with Liverpool and Glen Johnson was one of my main goalscorers.
 
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August

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Southampton 1-0 Sunderland
Jack Cork, 69
We played decently here, controlled the game.

Fulham 0-1 Southampton
Gaston Ramirez, 61
Another dominant 1-0 win.
Capital One Cup - Second Round
Southampton 0-1 Fleetwood
Shocking! 75% possession, no CCCs and conceding a goal from a free kick with half a minute to go.

Southampton 1-1 Liverpool
Morgan Schneiderlin, 83
A pretty decent result.

League:
View attachment 460453
Player of The Month:
Artur Boruc - his goalkeeping was brilliant and helped us stay so defensively solid.

 
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September

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Manchester City 0-0 Southampton
We didn't deserve this, Artur Boruc, Wanyama and Shaw played well to salvage a game we deserved to lose.

Cardiff 0-1 Southampton
Lambert, pen 92
We deserved to win this earlier not in the last minute.

Southampton 1-0 Tottenham
Lambert 21
I'd say we were slightly better but a great result

League:
View attachment 460423
Very good here, our wins aren't that convincing though, so I don't expect it to last.

Player of The Month:

Luke Shaw - His defence was paramount to this month's success, and he assisted Rickie Lambert's goal against Cardiff.

Other News:
I'm signing Alexander Milosevic in January fotr ?525K, will go straight into the first team
View attachment 460421
 
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320px-StMary%27sStadium-1.jpg

October​
  • Quiet Month For the Saints with just Three Matches
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Southampton 2-0 West Ham
Jos Hooiveld, 55, Jay Rodriguez, 62
TWO GOALS!!! Wasn't sure how to lay out the scorers, we don't normally score this many.

Crystal Palace 1-1 Southampton
Ramirez, 35
Back to normal with just the one. We also lose our record of a silly amount of clean sheets. We were better, but proligate, we should have won.

Newcastle 2-0 Southampton
We deserved to lose this one really. Totally dominated. We just missed a load of passes, leaking possession. I've now changed team training to ball control to get first touch and technique up a bit across the entire team.
Player of The Month:​
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Victor Wanyama - A bit of a poor month where everyone was average. I chose Wanyama because he didn't have a bad game and if we didn't play him against Newcastle, the scoreline would have been embarrassing.

Also, I'd like to know if you would like me to continue colour coding results, or to change to a plain text, like the one here.
 
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Just analysed my tactic and I think I need to take out the AMC and change it to a striker because they are crowding each other out. I think a CF-A will get Osvaldo and Lambert scoring while contributing to team play, with Ramirez as my Deep lying forward. If that fails, I will probably change a box-to-box midfielder to CM-A or make him push up further, so then we have someone to link up with Ramirez.
 
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I've just had a crash dump, but fortunately I've not lost anything at all.
 

November
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  • Big Month For Southampton As They face Chelsea and Man U.
​Southampton 1-2 Aston Villa
Jack Cork, 28
We lost. We just weren't that good.

Southampton 1-0 Chelsea
Pablo Osvaldo, pen 56
Brilliant result!

Everton 2-1 Southampton
Osvaldo, 51
We were trounced, they should have had more.

Arsenal 3-0 Southampton
Awful, awful. We went back to school here.

Player of The Month:

Pablo Osvaldo - Simply for his goal against Chelsea​


 

December
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Southampton have busy month, playing six matches.

Southampton 0-0 Man Utd
Decent match. Decent Result.

Southampton 2-0 Hull City
Ramirez, 35 Osvaldo, pen 41
We won by more than one goal! The world is upside down. I'm dizzy.

Southampton 0-0 Stoke City
We were just profligate. Should have won.

Norwich 0-0 Southampton
Profligate again.

Swansea 1-2 Southampton
Osvaldo, 23 Ramirez, 73
Pretty good.

West Brom 2-1 Southampton
Clyne 84
We were far better, just a silly penalty and a conceded corner.


Player of The Month:


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Victor Wanyama - Solid and consistent.

The League:
View attachment 459530
The incoming January transfers (and Maya Yoshida is leaving):
View attachment 459529View attachment 459528View attachment 459527
Keisuke Honda is going to be key in midfield. Milosevic and Balanta are long term, but they're fourth or fifth and 1st choice at CB respectively.


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balanta is amazing even in year one.

You got an awesome determination on him too, 19 in january for a 20 year old is nuts. He's only a 13 on my long term save w/ arsenal, still a monster though.

Key w/ southampton is patience, 6/7th should be first year goal, then 4/5th then 1/2/3rd with all that talent. honda should be fun.
 
I don't know but I think it's your tactic that's holding you down in the matches you dominate. Whenever I've tried only tiki-taka like possession football, I've crashed. I play a direct 4-2-3-1 with retain possession and shorter passing but some of my players are allowed to run at defense. Try training a second tactic, preferably a 4-5-1, since you're Soton, you'll need more defensive stability.

1HB, one AP, one Box to box, two inside forwards and one F9. Inside forwards to attack, but set instructions to play through defense. Great story though, subscribed! Haven't gotten my hands on FM14 yet, so might not be accurate about tactics.
 
Thanks, mwhitehorn, Balanta looks pretty good, I like determination but I don't think it's key to player development. I think I should get 6th/7th this year.

@AayushCFC: I'm fine with my tactic, it doesn't score much but it gets results. With better players and when my tactics can be more aggressive, the goals should come then.
 
It's not about scoring more, it's about scoring in matches you're dominating but failing to score.
 
Doing well mate, Southampton have been amazing in my Arsenal save first season and have already nabbed Lovren off them and tried Luke Shaw, Least you have been able to get Osvaldo scoring goals!
 
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