First two matches and otherwise.....

Well, since i decided to make this blog a bit late.....well, actually i decided to make this blog beore actually starting the Manager Mode, but i was too lazy to do it, lol. Anyways, since i decided NOT to be lazy a bit later than when i started, the first two pre-season matches have gone by and i can only just give you vague reports about the happenings in these two weeks.

First, i had to choose 4 pre-season opponents. I chose Celtic(wanted to face Nakamura), Benfica(My Minor League Fav. Team), bayern Munich and Villeral(this time, i wanted to face Riquelme).

NEGOTIATIONS :-

I always like to keep my squad to a managable amount and based around a formation and gameplay i like to play. Since i most always play a 4-4-2, i would need, at the bare amount, 22 players, with 2 GK's, 8 Def's, 8 Mid's and 4 Attackers. Each player with a substitute just in case. Anyways, after having a good look at my squad, i found that i had 3 extra midfielders and an extra striker. Plus, i didnt have a Left Back Sub. So i placed Henri Camara on the transfer list(since he's on loan in real life anyway and he hasnt played a single match of importance at West Ham yet) and Nolberto Solano on the transfer list. I left it with 2 extra midfielders just in case. I also went to the transfer list, and found a 17 year old LB by the name of Bhasera on the transfer list. Bingo, a LB and one who was below 25 years old. It was like hitting two birds with one stone so i bid the given amount for him and since only 3 bids are allowed at first, i left the transfers at that.

MY TEAM :-

Anyways the Default West Ham formation is a 4-4-2 with a midfield based on two side midfielders, an attacking midfielder and a defensive midfielder. So anyways, this was my West ham squad before any transfers were made.

1st Team -
Pos - Name - Age - Overall Rating
GK - Green - 27 - 77
RB - Neill(Captain) - 29 - 77
CB - A.Ferdinand - 22 - 78
CB - Upson - 28 - 79
LB - McCartney - 26 - 70
DMF - S.Parker(Actual pos. - CMF) - 26 - 82
RMF - Ljungberg - 30 - 80
LMF - Boa Morte - 29 - 77
AMF - K.Dyer - 28 - 77
CF - Bellamy - 28 - 78
CF - Ashton - 23 - 77
Subs -
GK sub - Wright - 29 - 73
RB sub - Spector - 21 - 68
CB sub 1 - Gabbidon - 29 - 77
CB sub 2 - Collins - 23 - 72
DMF sub - Mullins - 28 - 73
RMF sub 1 - Faubert - 23 - 76
RMF sub 2 - Solano(Transfer List) - 32 - 75
LMF sub - Etherington - 25 - 75
CMF sub 1 - Noble - 20 - 72
CMF sub 2 - Quashie - 28 - 74
CMF sub 3 - Bowyer - 30 - 75
CF sub 1 - Henri Camara(Transfer List) - 30 - 79
CF sub 2 - Zamora - 26 - 76
CF sub 3 - C.Cole - 23 - 73

Also there were two youth academy products which i checked out but wasnt too impressed.
Anyways after all this, my first ever match at West Ham and the first pre-season was against Celtic.

The match ended in defeat with me struggling a bit in my first match. Two Vennegoor goals sealed my fate. But bright spots such as good play and a Dean Ashton goal were good signs for a New Manager.

TRANSFERS -

I got offers for both Solano and Henri Camara and sold them both out.(Ironically, Henri Camara went back to Wigan. the team from which he's in loan at West ham United in real life). bhasera, the 17 year old LB was snapped up and so i had finished on of the board requirements. Also, i upgraded my Stadium Manager and finished another expectation.

ACHIEVEMENTS -

Two Expectations Met (Stadium Upgrade and Buy a player under 25)
Two Extra Players sold (Solano to Birmingham City and Camara to Wigan)

SECOND MATCH -

The Match with Benfica HAD to have a good result. Doing Bad in the beginning of your career isnt a good thing. I was left without Ashton, Bellamy, Ljungberg and Boa Morte, but was able to capitalise on the situation. My team played flowing tight football based around good passing, and tight possesion. Though we finished the first half 0-0, we had a possesion advantage of 68-32. Finally, the goal came with a mistake by the Benfica Keeper, and Carlton Cole pounced on it. Tight play and good defedning gave us the win from there on.

WEEKLY RESULT -

My bid for the free agent Di Natale was rejected and i recruited both the youth academy products and immediately loaned them to second division clubs.