Topic: FIFA 18 Switch

@Zkibu Nice to hear you're back in the game 😉 To be honest, I'm still not totally happy with my current playing styles, formations and tactics but beyond a certain point it remains a mystery to me ☺️

My main issue is that more often then not, my strikers just can't seem to beat their last man and make a goal scoring chance. So often the opposing defender just whisks the ball off their foot at the last minute. I guess I need to learn how to do some of the tricks to beat the last defender? Any advice how to do these moves is most welcome.

Or when I can manage to get past their defensive line, their keeper saves it in a one-on-one or I strike the woodwork. Seriously, I must hit the posts and crossbar multiple times in a series of three matches. I don't think I have played two consecutive games without hitting the post?!

As things stand in my career, my debut season in the Premiership with Northampton Town ended in celebration but also somewhat with a reflective tinge of what could have been.

We managed to win the League Cup, defeating Manchester Utd 2-0 and we also secured Europa League qualification by finishing the season in 5th place.

Obviously, a major achievement for such a small team but we 'could' have won a domestic Cup double, losing the FA Cup Final to Manchester United, no less. This was particularly painful as we had survived an epic FA Cup Semi-Final against Leicester City where we scored in the 115th minute, only to have them equalise in the 120th minute and then straight from kick-off, my loanee-to-club icon Arachabar, dribbled past countess blue shirts to stick the winner in the back of the net to avoid the need for penalties. We thought our name was on the Cup. Alas.

We were also in amongst the Champions League places until two straight defeats in our final league matches put an abrupt end to such hopes. We practically had a play-off against Arsenal for fourth place and lost to them 2-1 and even when they dropped points in their last game we couldn't defeat Man Utd (yes, them again) to make it count.

So yes, a season to be proud of but also a reminder we still have quite some way to go to really prove ourselves strong contenders for more silverware.

My continued inconsistent form and lack of goals when it really counts has convinced me to persist with Professional Difficulty. I had thought about upping it to World Class to match @gcunit and @zkibu but I think two more seasons as is with Northampton Town is what I'll stick with for now. Might start a World Class Save File on the side and do a Gerrard and take the reins at Rangers? Just worried I'd find all my matches either 1-0, 0-0 or heavy defeat.

Pre-season with Northampton is already well under-way and I have spent a club record 7.5 million on Neal Mupay (?) from Brentford. He was previously recommended in this thread and I'm determined to make him a number 9 to be worshipped at the Cobblers.

He impressed in pre-season competiton and scored a hat-trick on his home debut against Leicester City. So fingers crossed he can be a big part of the area of improvement my team needs to push on this season.

Other transfer activity saw me terminate all three glitch 'short-term' loan players I had. Sent Quaran back to Huddlesfield with a warm pat on the back. He done us proud in the lower leagues but failed to spark in the top flight. I then went and bought Agyeni from Burnley as he had progressed a lot stats wise during his time with me and Arachabar simply because he scored goals for me in every division when it counted.

Off-loaded some of my promoted youth team on season-long loans and also sold a few as I had been too keen before and bloated my senior side to 52 players?! Sold off a couple of the remaining nearly men who seldom got a game last season too.

Revamped both my Global Scouts and Youth Scouts, putting most of my transfer budget into getting at least 4 star staff across the board.

As always, keep the advice coming and update us on how your careers are progressing.

@Lroy
I feel that I have developed good understanding how strategies do work in this game. What part of your game do you wanna improve or do you need help with player instructions and sliders?

@Zkibu I just seem to create at least double the amount of shots on goal as my opponents, yet seldom score more than one goal a game. In each of the last three seasons, I have conceded by far the least amount of goals. However, I also have one of the lowest goals scored ratios. So, I guess, I need help converting chances into goals.

I play with three strikers - one through the centre and then one either side - postioned a little further back. Each of these three strikers typically score less than ten goals a season and the same for my main attacking midfield player. I have yet to have a season with a striker scoring 20-odd goals.

The number 9 - central striker position has been my biggest headache as they often seem incapable of beating defenders to shoot. Hence most of my transfers to date have been on trying to hit upon the right players for my three striker postions.

Where does your shots come from and how do you usually score? Maybe instead of trying to dribble against top flight defenders with your big central forward you could use him as a target man (pass on the foot not head). Buy some time to your other forwards by protecting the ball and play passing combinations. Maybe you have already done that just a suggestion. I guess nowadays the striker playing closest to the goal is not usually the main scorer.

There's no secret that I'm aware of for scoring goals, it's just a matter of gaining experience with your players to begin to understand where their strengths lie, and learning the game more regarding timing your shots. I probably have a pretty reasonable shots-to-goals ratio currently, and it comes from just relentlessly trying to work the ball into what looks like a too-good-to-refuse opportunity. But without experimenting in other circumstances you'll never learn how to maximise those situations. I'm constantly getting closed down inside the box because the defence has had time to contract in front of me. Just keep putting the hours in and you'll improve your feel.

So I finally finished my first season, in 10th position I think. Fortunately I didn't get too much of a telling off for that and kept my job. Winning the Cup probably helped

Into the close season I couldn't be bothered to put much time into scouting players, and my only intention says to buy a killer CAM...

...but as is the way, if you don't take your time, things don't always go to plan, and I haven't got a better CAM yet. I did have David Silva about to sign for the Viola for 22 million, but as he's 32 I chickened out, cos he'd have been a big drain on my wage budget if he wasn't doing the magic.

I also quite unexpectedly sold my top scorer, Simeone, after I was offered about 50% more than he was worth.

My main signings have ended up being Jamie Vardy and Wilfried Zaha. Plus a few others of less notable quality.

Vardy perhaps doesn't really suit my style of play, as he won't often get opportunities to get behind the defence in my ST position. And he seems to have trouble with spanking the ball, most of his shots have seemed underpowered. But his pace will always help, and he's bagged a few headers already too.

Zaha was my most expensive signing so far - 30 million plus an 8 million player I wasn't using in exchange. But he seems worth it. He's pacey, seems to provide good crosses that result in headed goals, and cuts inside from the right wing to score with his left quite nicely too.

My potential bargain signing recommendation is a chap called Ernest Ohemeng, a LW I got for 2.4 million. He's 22 and only has an overall rating of 71, but he's quick. On his debut, he came off the bench in the second half, picked the ball up deep on the left and just cut across the opposition, into the box a la John Barnes against Brazil, to score. Straight after the restart he did exactly the same thing and scored with an even better finish. So now I have to stop myself from spamming that approach

That was in a 6-0 away win against Genoa (I seem destined to always get multiple goals against them), where Vardy and Zaha also scored, so I was well happy. Next match I lost 3-0 home to Sampdoria though, so clearly work still to be done.

League form still needs to improve, but I've won 2 from 2 in the Euro(pa) League.

Next summer I must buy a world class keeper. My current one is the second lowest rated player in my team, and an obvious weak point.

This boy Ohemeng has just scored 2 in a 2-1 away win against Lazio - one from outside the box!

@gcunit @Zkibu Yeah, I appreciate there are no obvious sweet spots to exploit and score from every time ☺️ (Evidently that was my go-to tactic back in the day, lol!).

Just slightly irritating that I can have 15 shots on goals and either their keeper saves it or I hit the woodwork and then they get one chance the whole game and score it.

Anyway, I've tinkered a bit more with my player instructions for both my preferred 'attacking 4-3-3 at home' and my 'counter-attacking 4-3-3 away' formations. I've also tried to adapt how I actually play in the final third. These changes seem to be working to some degree. Ten games played in the Premiership and my new record sigining No9 Neal Maupay(?) had bagged 7 league goals.

At the same time my left sided striker hasn't scored at all yet this season which typically was a position I was scoring from in the past?

Overall, I think I am scoring slightly more goals (e.g. winning 2-0 now instead of always 1-0) but also shipping a few more at the back (some 2-2 draws rather than 0-0).

My attention though has been averted from my strike force for once as the latest drama is now my young and hugely promising goal keeper, whom I made my No1 this season having signed him previously on the cheap and training him up for past couple of seasons... He is now out for 5 months or more with an injury. Arghh!

Been offered the manager's jobs at the likes of France and Portugal but sticking to club football for now. I just turned down the chance to join Leicester City (they are currently 8th in the Premiership and just beat Liverpool 1-0, odd time to look for a new manager). I intend to stick it out for this season and the next. That would mean 5 years at Northampton and hopefully a piece of silverware or two to add to the League Cup and Premiership stability I have already brought to the club. Then when a big offer comes my way after that, I'll take it.

Oh and before I forget, our unexpected adventures in Europe are well under way in the Europa League. Round 5 of Matches and I hammered Nuremberg 0-4 away from home. Superb stuff, felt I got the tactics and approach play just right in that game. Alas, I've been given a footballing lesson in my two games against our Group Leaders Nice. Their Dutch midfield maestro Snjieder (sp?) and Balotelli up front embarrassing us both home and away. Fingers crossed we somehow progress but if not. Oh well.

Okay, now at the half-way point in my fourth season in charge of Northampton Town. We currently sit 5th in the Premiership after 19 games. Same position I finished last season in. My defence of the League Cup ended rather abruptly in the fourth round with a sub-par performance against Southampton. Drawn Liverpool in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup and face Roma in the first knockout stage of the Europa League.

I'm definitely noticing a slight change in how I now play with this set of players. The signing of Neal Maupay from Brentford ending my long my search for an afforfable but prolific striker has certainly been the game-changer in this regard. He currently has 9 league goals and will undoubtedly set a new club record for me come the end of this season. I've tweaked my player instructions to assist my preferred style of play and am becoming more adept at using my established two formations for home/away games. Both Sylla (my young LS star in the making from Monaco) and my Burnley loanee-to-purchase RS Agyei (sp?) have started to more consistently chip in with vital goals. Competition for places remains throughout the side but this season I am sticking with the same 11 whenever possible.

My squad is progressing nicely with young players in key postions now up in the 70-75 rating bracket and this will continue to rise. Youth has been my main focus for training but has anyone had any success with aging first team players too?

Some of my ever-present dependable men are now starting to show signs of weariness in that they are losing stat points and their overall rating is decreasing marginally as the season goes on. Feels strange having to now consider replacing them as I've become so familiar with my defensive back line. Youthful replacements are lying in the wings, just a matter of time until they leapfrog ahead of these club stalwarts as first-choice regulars.

The transfer window has just opened. I have some cash in the kitty but don't want to disrupt my squad too much. Thinking maybe of buying a couple of Wing-Backs and introducing a 3rd formation into my arsenal? This would allow me to vary my style of play further when needed and allow me to support my aging but dependable defence by effectively dropping my full-backs (both in their thirties now) and adding in one of my rising talents in central defence to a new three-man back line. Any tips on such a formation, tactics, player instructions or specific affordable wing-backs much appreciated.

Decided to find and sign a youth goalie to bulk up my keeper roster in view of the aforementioned injury my Number 1 suffered. Reverted back to my older original keeper to cover his absence in the meantime.

What game speed are you fellas playing on? I've left mine on the default setting of 'Normal' but recall maybe @gcunit mentioning he plays on 'Slow'. Can anyone explain what changes this brings to the gameplay?

Also, are you guys adjusting any sliders for you or the CPU or turning hand ball on etc? Again, I've left all these settings on default but wondering if I should tweak anything?

@Lroy I think I have everything on default. Though if handball default is off then I must have turned it on (and am tempted to turn it off) as my team handball it about 100 times more than the CPU. Seems ridiculously uneven how many times I get done for it.

Quick update: I'm now 115hrs in. I love this game ☺️

My Northampton side are once again holding steady around the 5th spot in the Premiership with only 8 games of the season (my 4th with the club) to go. Again, like last season I am drawing more games than my Champions League qualification rivals and scoring less goals. However, I also continue to concede less than they do. So fingers crossed I can hit a streak of form and my main man Neal Maupay (record signing from Brentford for 7.5million) will come good with the goals. He is having quite the debut season with me. My club top scorer by a long way with close to 20 goals from 40 starts in all competitions.

Got knocked out of both domestic Cup competitions earlier than I would have liked (especially as I had won the League Cup last year). However, I've managed to have a terrific run in the Europa League/Cup putting such notable names as PSV, ROMA and NAPOLI to the sword. MARSEILLES await in the Semi-Final. These games have been epics. Sometimes with Maupay and my left sided striker Sylla (signed from Monaco last season) hitting hat-tricks or in other games like against Napoli, hanging on, tactical chess, for a slender 1-0 aggregate victory.

So the business end of the season awaits.

Good luck to all in their careers, let me know how you are getting on.

And so the curtain comes down on Season 4 of my Managerial Career with Northampton Town. We took Champions League qualification all the way to the last game of the Premiership season this time round but alas, a goalless draw against relegation threatened Watford meant we finished 5th again - this time on goal difference - allowing Manchester City and Liverpool to leapfrog over us. We beat Manchester Utd the game before, ending their hopes of winning the league as Arsenal took the title.

Aside from obtaining a Top 5 finish again we also had the no small matter of our first venture into European football with the Europa League. Astoundingly we managed to defy all the odds and beat Neymar's Paris St. Germain in the Final. A solitary goal was enough for us to take the Cup and boy did we celebrate. Does this mean we do gain entry into the Champions League after all?

So another eventful season and one in which the team continues to grow and key personnel are brought in. Will be another summer of tweaking and rebuilding as we have more financial muscle than ever before and we say goodbye to some aging first-teamers who served us well over the years.

@RETRO_J Thanks for the update on your progress buddy. Relieved to hear I'm not the only Manager playing on Professional difficulty 😉 What Cups or Leagues have you won so far?

I've won the Checkatrade Trophy, the League Cup and now the Europa League Cup. Fingers crossed I can mount a challenge for the Premiership in this coming season, possibly my last with Northampton. Does anyone know if you do accept another job offer when you take charge of your new club. Is the change immediate or at the start of the next season?

What's your friend code by the way? Or sent me an invite if you like, my code is in my sig.

I'll be adding every player you mentioned to my shortlist. I'll also try and add to the three players I previously recommended in this thread in my next update.

@Lroy @RETRO_J Nice updates, thanks. I'll try and post one later, but for now just wanted to post a video demonstrating the kind of goals/opportunities it seems quite easy to create using fast wingers.

I've only scored 4 goals doing it so far, but created several other very good openings.

This goal was scored by a new signing, only cost me about 1.5 million I think. His name is Sacko and is actually a ST, but my winger needed a rest so I gave him his first start, putting him on the wing. He has Acceleration 91 and Sprint Speed 89 (Dribbling 78, Finishing 72), but his overall rating is only 69, aged 21.

As you'll see, he picks it up inside his own half. And this is against 'World Class' difficulty opposition (excuse the framerate, I've had PC issues and had to set this up quickly on a backup OS so my capture settings are default):

Admittedly this was against SPAL, and I was 4-0 up by half-time

@gcunit Great run and finish ⚽️🥅

Hi folks, thought I'd stop by as I'm just getting in to a bit of FIFA on the Switch. Having dabbled in a few games I've set off on a career with Coventry City. Having settled on 4-3-3 on Xbox for fifa 17 I'm sticking with that although the first few league games are proving hard work. Shots to goals ratio needs improving!

A 5th Season, mid-season update from me. So following @Retro_J 's advice (I will always listen to this man as he brought Neal Maupay 76 OVR from Brentford to my attention a season or so back, at last I have a goal scoring No. 9), I brought in both left-footed Striker, Meris Skenderovic for 1.4 million and attacking midfielder Sieve Schrijvers for I believe a club record fee of 8.75 million and smashed my club wage structure in the process, handing him 30,000 a week (my next highest paid player at the time was club Captain Matt Crooks (now 28 and 75 OVR) on 9,000).

Pre-season saw me experiment with some new formations, allowing me to try out having 3 at the back with attacking wing-backs, also tried having 5 in midfield with very wide wingers. Still not sold on either but helpful to allow me the opportunity to field nearly all of my large senior squad. Some 50 or so players, at least half promoted from the Youth Academy.

Once the season proper began I settled on a general starting eleven - handing Schrijvers the Attacking Midfield birth over club stalwart Hoskins and hot prospect Hamed Junior Traore - and set 4-3-3 formations, one more attuned for counter attacking when playing away from home and another built exclusively attacking to entertain at home. I also finally decided to make young keeper Frederick Rej-Rosenqvist my number 1. I'm expecting big things from the Scandinavian, signed a few seasons back for less than a million, as he continues to rise stats-wise (currently on 74 OVR and still only 22 in the 5th season). Can he be my Peter Schmeichel?

An early and most unwelcome pre-season hiccup occurred when one of my main defensive midfield players, a young unknown I had bought for pittance from a low league German side, Ron Schallenberg (still only 23 in the 5th season) and who was blossoming into a potential star and lynchpin of my team, suddenly claimed homesickness and my board granted his request to leave. I held on for as good a bid as I could get but wanted him out if he was going before our challenge for the Premiership title began in earnest. Thus he was sold to Norwich City for 5million (I wanted 10 million but was put under pressure by the board to accept). Quite how Norwich is closer to home, home being Germany for this player, than Northampton is beyond me but oh well.

The big curtain raiser for the season was the European Super Cup or whatever its called where as Europa League winners we got to play Manchester United (Yes, them again, seemingly our regular Cup rival) as they had won the Champions League last season. Hoping for a sign of things to come we managed to beat Man Utd and claim another piece of Silverware to add to our League Cup and Europa League Cup in the Trophy Cabinet.

Fast-forward 19 league games and despite being knocked out of the League Cup (I fielded a youthful, weaker side) we sat atop of the Premiership with 8 points breathing space and to date unbeaten. Schrijvers is having a decent first season, scoring some wonder strikes from distance, Dan Agyei my versatile forward and a free signing from Burnley after being on loan with us for years continues to progress stats wise and is likely to become my first 80 rated player, hence ensuring his place in my starting eleven. Thankfully, he has started to finish and chip in some key goals from the right side of my 3 pronged attack.

Meanwhile, my central striker and club talisman, Maupay leads my goal scorers and is mounting a modest challenge for the golden boot with an average of a goal every two games. 22 year-old (fifth season) Moussa Sylla (78 OVR) is my true rising star, a pacey, left sided, striker signed from Monaco last season IIRC for less than 2.5 million. He is now worth 10 million and rapidly rising. He is scoring vital goals and creating chances for others. Clubs are beginning to circle him in an attempt to unsettle him due to his sparkling form, especially in the Champions League.

Speaking of which, by the half-way mark of the season we had also successfully qualified from our Champions League group, seeing of Wolfsburg and Sporting Libson to progress along with old Europa League Cup rivals PSG into the knock-out stages. Barcelona await in what is most definitely destined to be the biggest game I have been involved in during my 5-year tenure at Northampton Town.

Other notable performers include my previously recommended left footed central defender: Daniel Matsuzaka. 24 years old now in the fifth season and has broken into the first team and rising to 73 OVR. Not bad for a 300, 000 signing from Southend United a few seasons back. As well as previously recommended midfielder Emil Bohinen, the Norwegian is still only 22 years of age in the 5th season and up to 74 OVR and rising.

Cue the Winter period where the game changes to snow and the orange ball and disaster, two defeats and two draws with barely a goal scored. Curses! I seem to find it much harder to play and score in the snow. To make matters worse my rising superstar striker Sylla picks up an injury and is out for 3 months. F%#k!!!

Alarm bells ringing as the goals had dried up from the usually reliable Maupay and Agyei. So with cap in hand I go to the board and ask for 20 million more to add to the 20 million I have already accrued in wages and transfer kitty. I promise Europa League qualification, knock-out stages in Europe (already achieved 😉) and the last 16 of the FA Cup. I must get my challenge for the title back on track.... the board refuse and I have to lower my ask to 13million. Still no dice but I get 10million. So with about 25 million to spend, leaving cash for higher wages off to the shops I go.

I wanted and tried to get Marcus Rashford (ST 84 OVR) but simply couldn't afford what Man Utd wanted and other high profile strikers, Vitinho (PSG 80 OVR) wanted wages beyond my means. So on transfer deadline day, I signed an entire new 3-Man front-line to plug my existing injury gaps and hopefully give me quality cover in case of a similar scenario happening again.

The three players I bought were 22 year-old (5th Season) right-footed forward, Ben Brereton (ST 74 OVR) from Bayern Munich by way of Nottingham Forest - cost 8.5 million, £25,000 wages, Samuel Adegbenro (LW 78 OVR, 26 yrs old in 5th season) a versatile forward from Rosenberg who is comfortable with both feet and can play anywhere across the front line - cost club record fee of 10 million, 15,000 wages. Finally, took a punt on unknown but potentially great Emmanuel Latte Lath from Pescara in Italy. Plays RW but I intend to use him as a right sided striker as needed. 23 years-old in fifth season and 72 OVR. Cost 7 million and 4,000 wages.

Don't want any excuses if I don't win the league this season. Wanted to give it everything I had. So with the money spent it was time to push on despite Moussa Sylla's continued absence.

Despite all this new-blood it took tried and tested Neal Maupay to rekindle our title challenge as he returned to scoring ways and with a little help from new boy Adegbenro chipping in with a few goals we are now back ontop of the League albeit only on goal difference above an inform Spurs. We are making hard work of the FA Cup needing a replay to beat Newcastle in extra time and then drawing to Everton (again in the snow). So another stamina sapping replay awaits.

Up next is Barcelona in our first knockout round of the Champions League. Wish me luck, I'm gonna need it! Sylla can't come back to full fitness soon enough.

@Lroy Epic update, nice, looks like you have a tight run-in on your hands and plenty of leg-sapping games to keep your injury list topped up

Seems like Fiorentina weren't entered into the national cup this season, presumably because we're playing in Europe, because I'm pretty sure I've been left out of the cup, so no chance to defend our crown but it does mean I get the occasional chance for players to recover.

I'm still only in my second season, and haven't played much in the last week. I wonder if my addiction harms my performance, because coming back to it for a single game yesterday worked wonders, tonking Roma 4-1 in a very one-sided game. Then played a single game this morning, which turned into an epic away against the formidable league leaders, Juventus. They scored early but we drew level after 25 minutes and then on 70 minutes we took the lead when an inspired break down the left and an early cross saw the Juve centre back nutmeg Buffon for an own goal. Minutes later and they'd equalised, only for the man who made our second goal to go into Titan mode and get a delightful third for us. But we couldn't hold on. Juve are just so clinical in and around the box and score goals you wouldn't expect others to score.

So it ended 3-3 and we're disappointed, but for us to take the game to them like that at their own ground tells me we can mount a title challenge next season. Some quality defenders should probably be my priority, as I always neglect this area.

As it is, we're currently sitting 4th with 6 games to play, 5 points clear of 5th, 3 behind 3rd. We've improved as the season's gone on, for the most part, thanks probably to my desperation for a new goalkeeper in the January transfer window causing me to buy the only one my scouts had found that looked worth getting. He has saved a lot of shots that my previous goalie would have let in, so I feel the money and extortionate wages I agreed to have been worth it.

Jamie Vardy has slowly risen up through the goal-scoring table to joint 4th. But too many games have been drawn, and I don't feel I've gotten enough out of Zaha. My fault more than his probably, as I tend not to favour the right side of the pitch when I attack, so I will soon begin experimenting with him in a more central position. Having seen the FA Cup Final on Saturday I've decided starting games cautiously is daft, and my default formation is 3-3-4, attacking.

Don't feel like experimenting too much now though as I've really got to try and finish 3rd to qualify for the Champions League...

@Lroy Well, as you asked...

I snuck in a few games today and we are now reaching the climax of the season. We've shown very good form recently and despite losing 1-0 at home in the first leg of the Europa League quarter finals to Sporting Lisbon, we won the tie 3-3 on away goals in a titanic second leg at their ground. Up against Zenit St. Petersburg in the semis, the first leg of which is my next game.

Unfortunately though, that win at Lisbon took it's toll, with Jamie Vardy suffering a knee injury - out for 4 weeks which effectively ends his season and his late run for the league top scorer (he was joint 3rd before the injury).

And the games are coming so frequently that every game needs some squad juggling and fingers crossing to escape further injuries. The squad have hung in there really well for me, repeatedly finding late winners in tight games, goals from several different players just about plugging Vardy's gap.

We're on a bit of a winning streak in the league, but annoyingly, so are Inter, the team we were chasing for 3rd. Every time we win, so do they, so we've been stuck in 4th for weeks, 1 point behind them. And we don't play each other again this season. Only 2 league games to go. But luckily I'd misinterpreted the colour scheme on the league table, and it turns out finishing 4th, which is now guaranteed minimum for us, qualifies us for the Champions League, so my job is safe for another year and hopefully I might get a bumper transfer budget in the summer ...

I've dropped the half length from 6 minutes to 5, and haven't really missed those extra 2 minutes, so I'll go with 5 for a while to speed things up a bit. Though part of me was tempted to try 15 or 20 minute halves, and I will next season, just to see if the extended stamina let's me get out of sight in 1st half then rest in the 2nd.

@Lroy I keep checking your play time to see if Football Manager has pushed FIFA aside for you, so pleased to see you're still at it. But Norwich is closer to Germany than Northampton is, so I don't know what you're complaining about

@Lroy I decided I had nothing to lose and set the match time for the first leg (home) of my Europa League semi final to 2 x 15 minutes.

And the crowd are certainly getting their money's worth - about 25 game minutes left and it's 4-3 to Fiorentina. Leandrinho has suddenly resurrected his form and has scored a hat-trick.