I don’t want to win.
I want to destroy.
To crush.
To dominate.
Winning is not enough for me on Football Manager. It is a game of fantasy, always has been and for me the fantasy is to never lose and win every game, mostly by utterly devastating the opposition but sometimes with an exceptional comeback.
For that reason the project with New England Saints was always destined to fail. Or at least fail to remain pure. Though winning was not a problem the levels of destruction were not as I would want.
If I were a different FM player then maybe the story would look more true to it’s original form, but I must be true to myself in order to enjoy playing and it to not become a slog.
Saints 2020/21
In the last instalment Saints were sailing along scoring at a stunning rate having brought in Gabriel Jesus, Kevin de Bruyne, Felipe Anderson and Joshua Kimmich. Pulisic and Vietto were sold. This was a squad of immense quality, but no longer with a commitment to England.
League Cup
The league cup proved a cruise, with Arsenal crushed 5-0 in the quarter final. Nottingham Forest put up a fight against a reserve team before ultimately being beaten 4-2 in the simi final. Aston Villa would be the opponents in the final but this would be another simple victory.
FA Cup
There were early struggles in the FA Cup before the 5th round, quarter final and semi final flowed with goals. The final against Tottenham was a far tighter affair, going to extra time before being settled by a former Spur.
Champions League
The Champions League campaign was not without flaw but it was without defeat. Once again it was Spurs who offered resistance. For half a tie. Barcelona also fought hard in the first game before being taken apart 5-1, one of the highlights of the season.
The scoreline in the final would look tight but it was only a 9.5 PoM performance from the Bayern goalkeeper that prevented a thrashing.
Premier League
Perfection. The 100% record was achieved. More goals scored than ever and fewer conceded.
The season was one of consistency. Lots of most of the games were won scoring 3 or 4 goals. With some exceptional exceptions.
Saints 21/22
Only one player was signed for the new season. I went back in for Rui Pedro from Real Madrid. The fee was not a small one but I finally had my man. The players sold were far more significant. Out go the Englishmen.
Lewis Cook
Cook was and is a very good player. He just is not as good as Joshua Kimmich. He was sold to Manchester United for £20 million and was a prominent figure for them. For me he simply did not improve enough, or I could not improve him enough. This would be the case for all of the players moved on.
Kyle Walker-Peters
Walker-Peters was only sold because of the competition in the right back position (still an issue at left back). He returned to Spurs for £17 million and played 40 games in all competitions.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles
Maitland-Niles would have been a good squad player for the Saints but he also suffered from the weight of competition for places. QPR would be his destination and he started 37 games.
Reece Oxford
Reece was doomed from the moment he suffered a serious injury weeks after joining. He joined the ranks of ex Saints at Sheffield United.
Andre Dozzell
Dozzell never got close to the first team and was never likely to. A decent player, quite similar to Maitland-Niles. Dozzell would help Brighton to promotion.
Ryan Sessegnon
The weight of competition at left back meant that Sessegnon didn’t have much of a chance to break in to the side. Nor had he developed particularly well.
.
Ademola Lookman
At one stage it looked like Ademola would make the break through, playing a few games for the first team. He was never going to be able to compete with de Bruyne and Anderson. He joined Sunderland on a free.
League Cup
At one stage Manchester City were an impassable obstacle to winning this competition. Now no one stands in the way. Victory in the final would be utterly convincing. As they would be all season.
FA Cup
The competition very nearly went awry in the 3rd round. Chelsea came from two goals down to earn a replay. The response was to sweep them aside.Dominic Solanke’s five goals in the semi final are worth noting, becoming the second player to get a five for in the season. City (more specifically their regen goalkeeper) fought hard in the final but could not keep out Rui Pedro and Felipe Anderson.
Champions League
One draw in the competition this season. Wins in all the other matches. Ten goals scored in the last two fixtures without response just illustrating how dominating the Saints have become. The 5-0 win in the final was the second crushing victory in a final this season against big name opponents. Josh Onomah is the missing scorer.
Premier League
The 100% record from the previous season was not repeated. A solitary 1-1 draw with Arsenal put that to a halt.
We would have to be satisfied with 37 wins and another record breaking season in front of goal. The defensive record was not as good but that could be because Jack Butland missed a big part of the season with injury.
The Players
Not surprisingly in a prolific campaign some of the numbers put together by the players are quite stunning.
Rui Pedro
The big signing scored 37 times including 5 against Manchester City. His 27 league goals would not be enough for the golden boot. Saido Berahino managed one more. Berahino scoring 28 league goals. Fantasy.
Anthony Martial
If Martial hadn’t picked up a mid season injury he would most likely have finished the season as the top scorer in the league.
Domininc Solanke
The Solanke success story continued. Of all the players who started out as project players Solanke has been the most spectacular success.
Kevin de Bruyne
The Kevin de Bruyne we have all become used to at Manchester City is creative force. The Saints KDB created 25 goals but also netted 32 times across the competitions.
Felipe Anderson
Anderson’s first season at the club was spectacular, with 28 goals and 26 assists in all competitions. This season he would top that. In the league Anderson scored 21 goals and broke all assist records by creating 30 league goals. Overall he scored 28 times and created 36.
Josh Omomah
If Solanke is the biggest hit Onomah is a close second. He has been a steady goalscoring and creator from the difficult attacking midfielder position for five seasons. This season he scored 18 times, amongst them some spectacular efforts.
Christian Eriksen
Eriksen suffered a mid season injury that limited his productivity. His 8 goals were good but his 20 assists from 35 appearances were excellent.
England
Back to the project. I ended the philosophy at Saints but the England job became available in 2021.
Slaven Bilic had become England manager in 2016. New England Saints players would make up the bulk of his squads. Despite a poor 2018 World Cup Bilic would keep his job.
At Euro 2020 England would win the competition. Apart from Raheem Sterling the goals would all be scored by Saints or ex Saints.
The Dominic Solanke story broke new ground with two goals to eliminate Italy and the winner in the final.
Five Saints and ex Saints would make the Dream Team for the Euros.
Early in World Cup qualifying, following a defeat in the Confederations Cup Final to Chile, Bilic resigned. I swooped in.
The Confederations Cup squad contained 12 Saints players (not including ex Saints this time). I would not pick as many Saints in my squads as Bilic chose players who were far from first team regulars.
World Cup qualification was simple and prolific. Goals were spread around, Ox top scored with 8 goals in 6 games. Sterling scored 7 and Solanke 5. On a Saints note, Rui Pedro scored 16 goals in 8 games and Martial scored 11 in 6.
The World Cup
In the squad were 12 Saints (or ex Saints). The squad depth is vital for World Cup campaigns on FM because the players struggle to play 2 games in a row.
Group F
The tournament started against Croatia. Not the easiest of foes but a good solid win ensued.
Game 2 was a dramatic clash with Senegal. England dominated but Harry Kane was performing like the player I shipped out of New Saints and Berahino looked like the West Brom/Stoke player we all recognise. That was before Luke Shaw picked up his second yellow.
Game 3. Mexico. In the game Mexico have a number of very talented players and this game could have meant an early exit from the tournament. England turned on the style, Josh Onomah grabbed a hat trick and Harry Kane got off the mark.
Second Round
The reward for winning the group was a game against Italy. Had we finished second we would have faced the Dutch. Sometimes you can’t win.
The game was a close encounter but Kane had awoken.
Quarter Final
Ghana waited in the quarters. Two early strikes and a last minute goal sealed a non event of a game.
Semi Final
Surprising semi finalists. A Pulisic inspired USA. We would be a Berahino inspired England. Fantasy.
World Cup Final
On a hot July night in Morocco England faced Argentina in a historic second World Cup Final.
England’s starting line up would contain six Saints and two ex Saints.
Domination. Twenty two shots on target. Goals from Stones, Kane, Oxlaide-Chamberlain, Solanke and Dier. A dream of a final.
Ten England players made the Dream Team. Eight in the starting eleven. Three of whom were current Saints, one an ex Saint who would win the Player Of The Tournament award.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
The beginning of the project was to develop the England players from the golden 2017 summer. Initially that plan was to develop them at club level but the ultimate judgement for England players is success at international tournaments. England won two tournaments, which now included a first World Cup since 1966. Three of the players at the core of it featured heavily in that 2017 summer.
Mission accomplished.
********************************* This was intended to be the ending of the Saints tournament. Which was in turn intended to be the ending of my using FM 2016. However, I had an idea for a new project on 2016. Then when finishing off this project I found I really enjoyed my Saints side. The mission may be extended. *********************************************