And So it Begins....
So I've created the game, what next? Didn't know where to start with this one tbh, I usually start with evaluating and replacing staff but as this was a long save I decided the best thing to do was shortlist the stars of the future to keep an eye of them and so I'd know if any rivals were making a move on them.
I started with the obvious - Neymar! Was really tempted to buy him right away but figured with 4 relatively good strikers He would be surplus to requirements for now and left it at that - Something I'd later regret! Nonetheless i kept earmarking those I felt required it - Eriksen, Shaqiri, Ganso, Lucas Moura, Varane.
Next i moved onto the staff and training - surprisingly they all had above average stats and the training selections had 3.5 stars or above so i deemed this adequate and just added 3 first team coaches that were needed.
Then i began work on the players - Immediately deciding I'd have no use for Djourou, Mannone, Almunia & Rosicky I offered them out to clubs and they were sold right away.
I was keen to develop my own young players as this was a long save so I'd have talent lined up for the future & to make a decent profit! The ones standing out at Arsenal already Frimpong, Miyachi & Chamberlain - so much so i was reluctant to even loan them out.
The obvious area that needed improving at Arsenal was defence, so i brought in Jan Vertonghen, a Centre back from Ajax - At just 24 i felt he had the necessary quality to be a top defender with Arsenal and at just £8m i could hardly turn him down. Next I was looking at the Left back position - where i only had the average at best Keiran Gibbs & Andre Santos. Now theres a distinct lack of great yet affordable wingbacks around at the minute so rather than break the bank I spent £10m on Cristian Ansaldi (with a further £1.5m after 30 appearances) - The argentine wing back from Rubin. I felt i could retrain him at Fullback and as he can play on either side its a good buy. I also brought in Bjorn Kopplin from Bochum for £1.7m - A promising young fullback who can also play on both sides, this was more as cover for Sagna on the right than anything else.
My last purchase in this window was Willian - a brazillian playmaker from Shakhtar - he had some great potential according to my scouts and can play in virtually any midfield position so a great bargain at £8m.
January Window
Things were going well at the turn of the year, heavily involved in the title race and still in all competitions so the only players i initially brought in were 3 promising youngsters. However I had forgotten about the African Cup of Nations and that Gervinho would be departing and Walcott had suffered a season ending injury so i was light on the right of midfield. I loaned in Joaquin for a fee of 2.4m until the end of the year to help out. I loaned out Squillaci & Diaby after their recovery from injury they had no place in my current plans.
The Champions League Dream
I'd drawn Benfica in the first knockout round and was playing away first. Despite taking the lead it finished 3-2, while it wasn't the best result I felt with 2 away goals and my impecible home form thus far we would prevail in the second meeting. And Sure enough i wasn't wrong, 3 weeks later Benfica travelled to London i was slightly nervous but confident at the same time - the boys didn't let me down and hammered them 8-0!!! My largest winning margin so far.
Quarter Finals Draw wasn't quite as kind and we pulled the favourites - Real Madrid. This time we were Home first and I knew it was going to be my hardest Challenge so far, after being 1-0 at half time i slammed the team and got a positive response - the game ended 2-1 to us. 8 Days later we travelled to spain knowing a clean sheet would mean a semi final spot but it wouldn't be easy by any means. I decided to keep an attacking lineup and push for that away goal that would be oh so important. However this was a fatal mistake and we were stunned by the quality of madrid and walked away with a 4-0 defeat, 5-2 on aggregate.
Its Not All Doom & Gloom
So we were out of the Champions League, at the hands of the best no less, the board had expected a Quarter Final appearance so atleast they were happy, and I could focus on the League. I had already won the Carling Cup after a semi final victory over chelsea and beating Fulham in the final. I played mostly reserves throughout as its not a meaningful trophy to me and the league battle was getting closer between us and united as we pulled away from Man City. From the 1/1/12 until the end of the season we only dropped 9 points in the league and managed to lift the Barclays Premier League!!! Finished on 97 points, 5 above Man Utd. But there was more - After a narrow 1-0 win over Chelsea in the FA Cup 6th Round we were heavy favourites to win it, a 4-0 win over Wolves in the Semi final left us with Everton in the final. I was tense before the game as Everton had been the first team to beat me in the league so far just 3 days before, but i need not have worried - a stunning Mertesacker hat trick (including this strike) lead the way in a 6-1 final victory to lift the treble!
Gallery
The final league standings
Transfer Overview
I know this is old but what formation did you use? love the story
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