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Meet the youths of Brixton! These are the 17 players I added to the database before I started this save. I will be adding more players to give the squad more depth and, almost as important, elder players who can be the Captain and Vice Captain, and be mentors to some of the youths.
I added two goalkeepers as I wanted to make sure an injury to the best keeper doesn’t hamstring us.
Neither one is great and there is very little difference to the naked eye but my AssMan thinks Webb is currently better. At this point I have no idea which one will be better.
I also added two right fullbacks.
Okay, so technically Peter Maguire isn’t a right fullback, he’s a centreback. But at only 178 cm I’m not too sure he’ll grow enough to ever be an effective central defender, even if he is only 14. (I’ll be keeping track of his growth to see how tall he gets. I want my DCs to be 182 cm tall at a bare minimum but 185 is the realistic bottom end.) Considering he has world class Acceleration (16 is considered world class in FM) and a 14 Pace, his future is only the wings, even if his Crossing is abysmal. He’s clearly better and I don’t need my AssMan to tell me that. (Can you believe his Stamina?!?)
Note: I capitalize certain FM terms to highlight that I’m referring to elements of the game.
The real second DR is Kevin Parker whose Preferred Foot is Either so I’ll be working on getting his DL up to Natural.
Jefcoate is clearly the better player and I’m not even counting his 16 Pace. But of course Parker is going to get plenty of opportunities so he can be my utility fullback as at this level of the pyramid I will only be able to suit up 5 substitutes.
I set up the database so I’d have one left-footed and one right-footed centreback. I didn’t set their heights so I’m glad both are tall for their ages.
I suppose they are alright for this level but Carroll’s Strength is a bit of concern.
I love playing with DMCs as I love the Regista role. FM2014 didn’t really institute the role well as it was the first year of its availability in the game; I’m hoping it’s instituted properly in FM2018.
Smith is my first choice and it has nothing to do with his tremendous height for a lad of only 15. He’s six-foot-five, for you Americans in the audience. If I can’t find some more centrebacks to relieve Spearing and Carroll then Smith can drop back and McAdam can fill his role.
I’ll be starting the season training the 4-4-2 formation with Standard Mentality, which should get Smith ample time to get his MC up to Natural.
I’ve got three MCs to choose from with Terry Barlow being the best option.
Barlow is the better MC so I’ll pair him with Smith in the 4-4-2, with Smith as the defensive-minded one and Barlow as the creator.
I only have one right midfielder.
He’s not that good except his speed and Teamwork. I’ll look to find a better winger soon. I eventually will be using Wingers exclusively so I’ll start Pearson on improving his position there.
Similarly, I only have one left midfielder.
Daniel is going to be around for quite a while. I’m sure he’ll get a new large contact in the future so he can get the duckets. (Anybody? Remember slang from ’87, ’88? Just me? Drat.)
Finally, I have two strikers.
We’re in good shape with these two strikers. Obviously Ben is going to be an absolute beast this far down the pyramid and it’ll be a challenge to keep him. I imagine he’ll be gone before we make it to the Conference South, the sixth level of the pyramid. He’ll probably get unsettled by a lower-level Premier team and become extra pouty and start playing horribly. Hopefully not.
I plan on using Ben as a Target Man and I hope to bring in a captain who is also a striker and can mentor Ben, then Paul, to get their Determination higher.