Home
Blog
Careers
Forums
Downloads
FM24 Real Name Fix
FM23 Real Name Fix
FM23 New Leagues
FM24 Tactics
FM24 Data Update
FM Database
FM Guides
FM Shortlists
FM24 Wonderkids
FM24 Free Players
FM24 Bargains
FM24 Players to avoid
FM24 Club Budgets
FM24 Club Facilities
Graphics
Installation Guides
Records
Prediction League
Fantasy Football
Search
#259658 This is Anfield
willz121
Round Up
After a shaky start, September was a lot better for us. We returned to London to face Fulham, where goals from Chambers (x2), Bale and Grealish gave us a 4-1 win. This was followed up by an outstanding 5-0 win over Gothenborg to open our Champions League campaign. Demetri Mitchell scored his first goal for the club, as I rotated the side, but goals from usual suspects Swarbrick, Roberts (x2) and Woodrow sealed the win.
Our run continued until the very end of the month, as we saw off Brentford 2-0 in the league before beating Fulham 2-1 in the Carling Cup. We repeated the same score, winning at Loftus Road in the league.
Out of our first seven games (six league and 1 Carling Cup), we have only played London sides so far, and Chelsea next up.
Our final game of September was an away tie with Stuttgart, and we came back with a 2-2 draw. Not quite the result I envisaged, but four points from our first two games is good enough.
Better month this time, which sees us return to the top four. Chelsea have bombed out completely, down to seventh, so it will be interesting to see who is up there come the end of the season.
World Cup qualification has beeng pretty easy going so far, with wins over Armenia (4-0), Latvia (4-1) and Finland (3-0). I've been using new players in the games to see who will be on the plane next summer!
Top of the group after four games, and we are at the half way stage. Almost perfect barring the goal we conceded against Latvia!
Two of our young loanees are making big waves in the Championship this month with Dean Wilson (Brighton) and Wayne Boddey (Wigan) both having outstanding months. A quick look at the pair:
Dean Wilson is thriving on loan at Brighton, and I am pleased he is getting game time there. He's highly regarded by my coaching staff, but competing in an area that is already well blessed.
Wayne Boddey is also competing in for a similar role as Wilson, and I feel Wilson is maybe a little further along in his development. However, 4 goals already this season is brilliant from the former Norwich youngster.
#259654 This is Anfield
willz121
Round Up
Before the season begins, we had the small matter of the Confederations Cup Final to contend, facing rivals Argentina. Two Liverpool players stole the show, as Ings (x2) and Roberts scored to give us a comfortable 3-0 win.
Delighted to add this trophy, as it's another one ticked off the list.
After beating us to the FA Cup last season, we faced Arsenal in the Community Shield. I was really surprised that we came away with such a comfortable win! Bale, Hughes (x2) and Ings scored to start the season off to a flyer.
We followed it up, as last season, with a win in the European Super Cup. A double from Gareth Bale saw us retain the trophy, and that's two out of two to start the new season off.
As league duties began, we looked weak at West Ham, where a James Ward-Prowse penalty saw us start with a draw, before staying in London to face Arsenal at the Emirates. Unlike the Community Shield, we didn't impose ourselves and we lost 1-0.
Our first home game of the season saw us ease past Crystal Palace 4-1, with Batth, Grealish (x2) and Roberts scoring. This gives us a real mixed bag of results to start the season off with.
Nothing new here really, board expectations are to reach the semi finals of the Champions League and win the FA Cup and Premier League.
We are once again in seven tournaments this season, and with six trophies last year, we have a lot to live up to!
A distinctly average start for us, with Chelsea and United starting the season well. Not too worried yet as we started slowly last year too.
#259649 This is Anfield
willz121
In other news...
When hunting around for players during the summer window, I came across Jannik Engels, currently playing for Leverkusen. He looks like a bit of a beast to me, and if I wasn't restricting myself to British players, he'd certainly be on the want list!
His physical stats are pretty good, but his mental stats at just 22 years of age I would suspect to mean that he is only going to improve over time! Will need to keep an eye on him, as think he's going to be big!
Franck Bamba is a player I've kept tabs on since managing France as I really believe he could be a massive player for them and whichever club he ends up at. Currently at Bordeaux, I can only see this as a springboard for him to propel his career from.
I gave him his four caps, and he hasn't been back in the France squad since, but it's only a matter of time before he develops.
#259627 This is Anfield
willz121
Transfers
A lot of pundits speak of Alex Ferguson's success at Old Trafford as knowing when to change a winning team. For me, it was always going to be this season as a number of big players were approaching contract expiry in 2022. I hope the right decisions were made during the summer window as I began to tinker.
Transfers Out
Michael Keane - Arsenal £11m
Keane was always on the periphery of the first team at Anfield, and he was becoming frustrated at the lack of opportunity to play. Arsenal offered us £11m and with his contract running down, I think this was a good departure for the club.
Mads Olsson - PSG £17.25m
Olsson has been a player that I have watched develop whilst out on loan, but due to my British policy, he was never going to feature for us. PSG made a big offer, and I was happy to allow him to leave for France.
Leighton Baines - Newcastle £475k
Baines' time at Anfield was very short, but he did a massive job for us in the run in last season. I never planned to keep him for this season, and happy to recoup some money for him.
Dele Alli - Brighton £6m
Much like Keane, Alli never really staked a claim in the first team here. Other departures could've allowed me to give him more of a chance this season, but it came down to selling him or Will Hughes, and I think Hughes is the better player. He will play in the Championship with Brighton next year, and is a brilliant signing for them.
Jordan Henderson - Napoli £13.75m
A big departure for us, but he was ageing and his contract was due at the end of this season. He wanted £250k per week to stay at Anfield, and he was promptly listed. This opens the door for Hughes and Kuhl to fight for his position alongside Ward-Prowse in midfield.
Kieron Gibbs - Leicester £2.9m
My original plan was to keep Gibbs for an additional season, and I offered him a one year extension to his contract. However, his wage demands were steep so I decided to get what cash I could for him. I leaves us without a recognised left back, but Calum Chambers has been retraining to play the role so I am not too concerned.
John Ruddy - Atalanta £1.2m
With Jack Butland needing to become our first choice goalkeeper this season, it made sense to move Ruddy on. He's been with us a long time, and it's a shame to see him leave, but he wouldn't be happy with a backup role, and wouldn't accept reduced wages.
Ryan Kent - Newcaste £2.3m
After a good loan spell at Newcastle last year, I had high hopes for Kent, but when I asked the scout for a report he didn't even come close to the likes of Grealish & Wilson, so I transfer listed him and moved him on. A ruthless transfer really, as he was never given a shot here, but I don't think we'll miss him.
Daniel Sturridge - Viktoria Plzen £825k
This one I am still unsure of, but his moaning was becoming deafening. He is well off the pace of Woodrow and Ings, and with Swarbrick returning from loan too his chances were really limited here. Better to get something than nothing, but after turning down bids from Real Madrid for him in the past, it's quite a fall from grace!
Jordon Ibe - Norwich City £3.6m
This is a disappointing loss on two accounts; firstly I had hoped he would really become a Liverpool star but fell down the pecking order too quickly. Secondly, he decided he wanted to play for Nigeria, thus removing his chances to play for my all British side. Easy deal, player gone, and I don't think he'll be missed.
A few other players left the club at the end of their contracts. The most notable was Theo Walcott, with the others squad players who didn't work out for us.
Transfers In
Darren Ferguson - Celtic £5m
Quite an expensive transfer for a 17 year old, but I really can see him becoming our left back for years to come. Debating whether to loan him out or keep him at the club this year, but scouts were raving about him and his potential.
Stewart Robinson - Norwich £100k
Another AMC/FW plucked from the lower leagues. He was transfer listed and unhappy at Carrow Road, and for £100k he is worth a gamble. He will potentially leave on loan, but I may also keep him here to train his stats up.
Work rate and determination stats are both 15 so that should help him achieve something here, even if the position is pretty jam packed already!
Bryan Biggs - Walsall £1.1m
Biggs has been loaned back to Walsall for the season, and this will be the time where he can prove his worth. I am unconvinced by his stats, but the scouts were impressed enough and for just over a million, it's a gamble worth taking. Versatile midfielders are always welcome here, so I hope he will have a good season at Walsall.
Demetri Mitchell - Cardiff City £155k
Former Manchester United youngster, was unhappy at Cardiff and a cheap signing. I've signed players like this before (Callum McManaman being one) that I thought I could develop and sell, and it didn't really pan out for me, but there is a chance Mitchell can develop and is a decent enough backup.
Chris Smalling - PSG £1.5m
Return of the Smalling! He was listed at PSG, and with the departure of Keane, this is a deal that made sense to me. I will do my best not to play him very much as I'd rather develop Batth and Kelly as much as I can, but he's a great backup.
Chiori Johnson - Nottingham Forest £7.5m
Nothing like a bit of pressure on a young defender, signed from Nottingham Forest for £7.5m, I hope he will become a key player for us. Left back is an issue after Gibbs and Baines left, and with Ferguson still learning his trade, Johnson will fight Chambers for a place at left back. I don't want to have too many full backs, but I couldn't resist signing Johnson.
James Milner - Manchester City £0m
The opportunity to sign Milner arose, and I think he is a great player to have in the squad. He's not overly expensive, and no transfer fee means he can sit in and around the squad and play when required. His mental stats are brilliant, and he's only on a contract until the end of this season so if it doesn't work out he can move on.
Danny Bradford - Free Transfer
Danny Bradford was released by Newcastle, so I snapped him up. Good work rate and determination, so I hope he will develop here alongside the likes of Ferguson, Gallagher and Kelly to give us a really good home grown core in a few seasons time.
Carl Jenkinson - QPR Loan
Not the best backup, but he's a cheap option and will cover when needed. I hope he will do a job for us when required, but the loan deal was for him to be a backup so hoping QPR won't moan if he doesn't feature much this season.
Overall, pleased with how this window has gone for us, as it was a big risk to lose so many key players in one go. I have faith in the team I have for this season, and I expect us to meet the demands the board have set for us.
#259278 This is Anfield
willz121
June 2021
June is a very random month with a lot of international fixtures as we play games in three tournaments.
World Cup Qualifiers
Just one game in this tournament for us for now, and a 3-0 win over Ireland gets us off to a great start. Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sturridge (x2) scored our goals, and I expect us to win every game in our group and qualify easily.
Nations League
After winning our group, we were drawn with Germany in the Semi-Final, and we managed to beat them 2-1 at Wembley. The home advantage certainly helped, and set us up with the final against Spain.
Aaron Kuhl scored for us late on to send the tie to extra time, and eventually penalties, as we won the game on spot kicks.
England are Nations League Winners!
Confederations Cup
Finally, we kicked off our Confederations Cup campaign with games against Argentina and New Zealand. Argentina proved to be a very tough task, and despite Henderson's goal, we ended up losing 2-1.
The Liverpool connection got us back on track against New Zealand, with Patrick Roberts and Daniel Sturridge scoring to give us a 2-0 win over the Kiwi's.
We have to win against South Korea to qualify top of the group, although Argentina will fancy their chances against New Zealand.
Daniel Sturridge finally broke Wayne Rooney's scoring record for England, and I am very pleased for him as his international career will be winding down after this summer.
Liverpool Awards
Fans' Player of the Year? You guessed it, Patrick Roberts. Danny Batth came second with Ciaran Kelly third. Batth has featured in this award every season so far I think, and well there isn't much left to say about Roberts!
Ruddy, Batth, kelly, Gallagher, Ward-Prowse, Roberts and Woodrow were all named in the Dream Team for the Champions League, and all deserve their mention.
Delighted to see Kingsley Coman recognised too, as he will be a brilliant player for France and Juventus.
Champions League golden boot for Cauley Woodrow - who would've thought he'd be this successful for us straight off? Delighted for him, 13 goals in the tournament is a brilliant tally.
Roberts again, best player in the Champions League with 9 goals in 11 games, and an average rating of 8.28!
#259276 This is Anfield
willz121
Results
We start with the big one, a trip to Chelsea where a win would guarantee us the title. In fact, a draw would've been enough... but we lost 1-0. Not the end of the world, but would've been great to lift the trophy at our rivals ground. They require us to lose again in the final three games to win the title.
A small distraction of Galatasaray rocking up at Anfield for the Champions League semi final, where we were very professional with a good 4-1 win. Grealish, Wilson and Woodrow (x2) gave us the advantage before the away trip to Turkey.
Our league game against Leicster was pivotal. A win gave us the title, anything less gave Chelsea hope. Cue a 3-0 win, and the game was over within half an hour. Goals from Ward-Prowse (x2) and Woodrow secured another league title, and allowed us to focus on the cup competitions...
In which we managed to hit another four goals past Galatasaray, with Inman, Grealish, Roberts and Ward-Prowse sealing our place in the Champions League final to face... Manchester United... AGAIN!
A heavily rotated side overcame West Ham, with Woodrow and Henderson scoring. I didn't want to rest Woodrow as I hoped his form would carry him through to the Internationals in June.
Patrick Roberts then secured us a final day win over Norwich with two goals at Carrow Road to round off a tough season in the Premier League. Chelsea won their remaining games, meaning our perfect finish was required to lift the title.
The FA Cup Final didn't go to plan though, and a 2-1 defeat saw us lose out on a trophy. Woodrow scored late on to give us a consolation goal, but disappointingly we didn't win the FA Cup.
It put more emphasis (if it was required) to win the Champions League. United scored twice to cancel out strikes by Woodrow and Grealish, and we headed into extra time. Out of nowhere, Harry Wilson decided to make himself an Anfield legend, and scored twice with five minutes remaining, and we had won the Champions League again!
Six out of seven trophies isn't bad, but that one we missed is disappointing. We fight on all fronts again next season, so we have something to aim for... perfection!
League Table
Well we got there in the end, and maitained our four point lead after the defeat to Chelsea. It would've been awesome to finish off the league sooner, but the title is secured!
England
No international duty in May
In other news...
Manager of the Year again, meaning I am only missing one in seven seasons. Delighted with another excellent year, but also gutted not to win all seven trophies.
Danny Batth and Patrick Roberts in Team of the Year, although I am disappointed that Woodrow and Kelly only made the bench. Both have been superb this season, and all four deserve their place here.
Anyone surprised? I'm not, but it's fully deserved and he continues to wow critics. At just 24 years of age, he has a long career ahead of him still - which is quite scary!
#259273 This is Anfield
willz121
Results
After the defeat to Palace, I feared the worst as we arrived at Old Trafford. What played out was a great game for the neutral, but not a great result for us. Kelly, Roberts and Grealish scored our goals as the game finished 3-3. Scoring three times at Old Trafford should really give you a win, but we didn't defend well and paid the price.
Another away derby next, this time at Everton, and this time we did it right. Goals from Henderson and Woodrow secured a massive win for us and the fans, and also relieved some pressure of selling Sterling. The fans were not happy with his departure, but three points here makes it all a little easier!
Another new opponent in the Champions League, as we faced AC Milan. The first leg was in Italy, and despite us taking an early lead, we lost the game 2-1. A vital away goal, but disappointing defeat.
Oh there's United again - I am fed up of facing the Manchester sides this season, but thankfully a Cauley Woodrow double saw us through to the FA Cup Final. We're still on for the complete haul of trophies, and face Arsenal in the final.
With the away goal, I knew we'd need to score against Milan - and score we did! Somehow, we managed to fire five goals past the Rossonari with Kelly, Keane and Woodrow (x3) finding the net. Delighted with how Woodrow has performed this season, and the decision to spend £10m on him has been fully justified.
Two home games to finish the month, and we scored four times in both. Firstly, a 4-0 win over Spurs set us up for a 4-3 thriller with Newcastle. Bale and Roberts scored three times each over the two matches, as our attacking threat continues.
League Table
Seven clear of Chelsea with twelve remaining means we can't tie up the title just yet, but we are in pole position to retain the title. I'm pleased how far we are ahead of the Manchester clubs, as this season continues to be a fight between ourselves and Chelsea... and we face Chelsea next!
A win against them would see the gap up to ten points with just nine remaining, and would give us the title!
England
No international duty in April
In other news...
Manager of the Month again, and despite drawing with United, three massive wins for us to finish April off.
Player of the Month goes to Roberts, and leaves me asking Raheem who? Delighted he continues to develop and he is having another fantastic season.
Two Liverpool loanees in the Young Player of the Month category this month with Swarbrick and Hamilton picking up second and third. Hamilton is a young goalkeeper who is impressing and will be loaned out again next year, with Swarbrick really excelling and pushing for a place in our side.
Green arrows everywhere, and I am delighted with how Swarbrick is taking his chance at Southampton to get himself in with a chance of playing first team football here next season.
Hamilton is developing well at Burnley, although he is conceding on average two goals a game!
#259272 This is Anfield
willz121
Results
Our 5-3 win in Naples gave us a fantastic chance to win this tie, but the 7-1 win at Anfield wowed everyone! Woodrow banged in a hat-trick, with Roberts, Baines (penalty) and Ings (x2) scoring the others. It was a fantastic show by our players, and a really dominant win.
The FA Cup draw had also been kind, with a home tie against Derby. Aaron Kuhl scored on his return from injury, along with Sturridge who captained a much rotated side.
The first team players returned for the game against Burnley though, and stepped up massively as we took a vital 4-1 win at Turf Moor to apply further pressure on Chelsea. We then muddled past Brighton with an own goal the difference between two lacklustre sides.
Henry O'Sullivan grabbed a brace at home to West Brom, with Harry Wilson also scoring before a sickening defeat to Crystal Palace, where we went down 3-0. It was a very tough defeat to take, but we must push on and try to get back on form with United and Everton up next.
League Table
Ah order is restored, as our games in hand give us a four point gap over Chelsea with eight games to go. City, Arsenal and United are way off the pace, so it's a two horse race for the finish line!
England
A friendly with Portugal was our only game in March as we gear up for a very busy Summer. Sturridge and Roberts scored at the end of each half to grab us a draw.
In other news...
Pleasing to see that Henry O'Sullivan has picked up this award. He's been given a run in the side as we look to keep Bale and Roberts fit, and he has really taken it on. He will be a big player for us I am sure!
In his nine appearances for us, he's scored three times and picked up Player of the Match once. He's far from the finished article, but he looks like a brilliant acquisition!
#259271 This is Anfield
willz121
Results
After our massive win over Arsenal, we hosted Brentford and again hit scoring form. Proberts (x2), Woodrow (x2) and Gareth Bale on his debut netted the goals as we beat Frank Lampard's side 5-3. This scoreline will be repeated in a couple of games time...
Bale continued his excellent start to his Liverpool career netting both goals in a 2-0 win at Fulham, and he is justifying his price tag. Sterling hasn't been missed as Roberts and Wilson are also playing really well at the moment.
Here comes the 5-3 again, this time away in Napoli in the knockout phase of the Champions League. Wilson scored twice, along with Grealish, Woodrow and Roberts. Unfortunately, Bale is cup tied for the rest of the tournament.
With a visit to Tottenham in the FA Cup, we rested a couple of players as I think the other competitions are more important, and it led to a scoreless draw at New White Hart Lane. This isn't ideal, as fixture congestion is piling games up, but we've got a good chance with the tie at home.
Having said that, Chelsea came to Anfield and took three points off us. Roberts scored, but it wasn't enough to keep Chelsea at bay, and gifts them a chance to open a lead up in the league. This was then supported by a 2-2 draw at Southampton. Bale scored against his old side, along with Sturridge, but it's more points dropped.
The replay with Tottenham was just days before the Capital One Cup Final, so again I rested a couple of players, but Batth, Ings and Ward-Prowse scored in a routine 3-1 win.
A chance to add our fourth trophy saw us play Crystal Palace in the League Cup. It was a very close game, but Jack Grealish scored in first half stoppage time to add our fourth trophy out of four!
League Table
Two games in hand on Chelsea, but we are one point behind. Two wins will see us comfortably clear, but it won't be easy to claim maximum points.
England
No international duty in February
#259269 This is Anfield
willz121
Results
January is a very busy month for us as we catch up on the games in hand we missed being away. As usual, the month began with the FA Cup and a game against Chesterfield. I've not faced them before on this save, so it was a nice game to give some of the fringe players a chance. Goals from Inglis and O'Sullivan saw us 2-0 winners.
Our first game in hand came against Tottenham, and we were very fortunate to come away with anything! Danny Batth scored the equaliser in the 90th minute before Calum Chambers scored in the 93rd minute to secure a massive three points!
Our first of three games against Manchester City then followed, this one in the league where Will Hughes and James Ward-Prowse secured us a 2-0 win. It's a great win as City defeated us in Round 2 at the start of the season.
A trip to Derby followed, and after a big win I thought we'd crush them. Quite the opposite as Jack Grealish nudged us past them with a 1-0 win. Thankfully we returned to form with a 3-0 win over Sunderland with Gallagher and Roberts (x2) scoring.
We then faced City again, this time in the Capital One Cup semi finals. Starting at the Etihad, we played really well and came back with a win, although we conceded twice which could make the second leg harder than it should be. Roberts, Ward-Prowse and Wilson scored our goals, giving us a 3-2 lead to defend at Anfield.
Fulham found themselves in the City sandwich, and whilst we rotated some players, we came away with a 2-0 win, with Woodrow once again scoring against his former side.
The second leg with City was a goalfest, as we won 4-1 at Anfield giving us a 7-3 aggregate win. Woodrow, Roberts and Inglis (x2) scored our goals, and we were through to the final again.
The excitement from that game boiled over into our game with Arsenal, as we thumped the Gunners 4-0 at Anfield. Woodrow netted twice, along with Wilson and Hughes.
League Table
A seven point gap opens up between ourselves and Chelsea, and we're 12 clear of the Manchester sides. With a game in hand still to play, we could give ourselves a great chance to secure the title.
England
No international duty in January
Transfers
Raheem Sterling departs to PSG for £60m. He is a great player, but he is at his peak and moaning each transfer window to leave. The fee is acceptable, as I had a replacement in mind...
We welcome Gareth Bale to Anfield! He cost us £40m, but his value in shirt sales alone will make up for any short fall we have. He's expensive, but a player I've been longing to sign for the club.
With Kieron Gibbs picking up an injury, I decided to bring Leighton Baines in on the cheap to cover for the rest of the season. His contract runs until the end of next year, but hopefully we can move him on in the summer. Still a very good backup, and I think he will do a job for us!
In other news...
Manager of the Month for January - I've started to forget what it feels like to get these, but it's a nice award to pick up after a good month.
#259263 This is Anfield
willz121
Results
Two local derbies to start off December before we flew off for the Club World Championships. First up, we were at home to Everton where a Wilson goal in the 90th minute won us the tie. We managed to pull the win out in the end, and Everton have been quite pesky opponents so far!
We then travelled to Old Trafford in the League Cup where both sides fielded weakened teams. Stewart Inglis jumped on his chance to start and scored both goals in another 2-1 win. We face Manchester City in the semi finals.
We were seeded for the Club World Championships, meaning we only had to play two matches. Firstly, we beat Seattle 4-1 in the semi final, with goals from Woodrow, Roberts and Ward-Prowse (x2). Flamengo awaited us in the final, and we came back with another trophy in tow winning 3-1. Henderson, Grealish and Woodrow scoring the goals.
So far, that's three out of three on the trophy hunt (Community Shield, European Super Cup and Club World Championship).
Back in the UK, we struggled to a 1-0 win over Leicester, before thrashing Norwich 5-2. Ward-Prowse scored the only goal at the King Prawn stadium, before goals from Batth, Henderson (x2), Sterling and Kelly saw us past Norwich.
The month ended with a rather dour 0-0 draw with West Ham, a disappointing result, but a very strong month for Liverpool.
League Table
Just one point behind City, with two games in hand - but they are against Tottenham and Chelsea!
England
No international duty in December
In other news...
Patrick Roberts was named in World Team of the Year with Raheem Sterling amongst the 'substitutes'.
#259242 This is Anfield
willz121
Thanks Dan, pleasing to continue the tradition of winning the early season tournaments, and regardless of stature it's always good to win trophies!
Thank you both for continuing to follow and comment!
November 2020
Results
A comfortable win over Partizan kicked off November, as we beat them 5-0 with goals from Wilson, Sterling (x2), Batth and Woodrow, before Woodrow scored again in the 2-1 win over West Brom. His former Fulham colleague Roberts scoring the other goal.
We then followed up with the North West derby, as United arrived at Anfield. Goals from Kelly and Wilson saw us win the game, and exert further pressure on our local rivals.
A much rotated side overcame Red Bull Salzburg, with Alli and Ings scoring, before Keane and Grealish scored at Newcastle to win 2-0.
We go into our final game at home to Atletico needing a win to top the group. Should make for a great tie at Anfield at the start of next month!
League Table
Top of the league at the end of November, and a slender 3 point lead over Chelsea. Manchester City are five points behind us, with Everton in fourth ten behind. Looking like the top three will continue to move away, but would be nice to ditch City or Chelsea and make it a two horse race!
England
Two games to finish up November and the group; a hat-trick for Cauley Woodrow and Gary Swarbrick's goal saw us beat Russia 4-1 before a 90th minute equaliser from Swarbrick rescued a point in France as we won the group.
In other news...
400 games now at Liverpool, as we approach the middle of season 7. Very pleased with how this career has flourished, and nice to make a milestone!
New contract signed as my current deal was due to expire at the end of this season. I had hoped to let it run down to see if it would be time to leave, but my heart told me there is still work to be done here.
Manager of the Month, very pleased with the results and all round excellent month for me with the new contract and England results going to plan.
#259096 This is Anfield
willz121
Results
After the frustration in Madrid, we nearly came unstuck at Frank Lampard's Brentford. We were rescued by Danny Batth's last minute winner, and it would've been a really poor result had we not won. We were well on top throughout, but lacking the cutting edge in front of goal.
James Ward-Prowse and Cauley Woodrow both scored as we beat Southampton 2-0 at Anfield, before the former Southampton midfielder scored the only goal against Partizan in the Champions League.
Woodrow, Sterling (x2) and Will Hughes scored as we thrashed Burnley, a pleasing goal for Hughes who really has fallen down the pecking order at Anfield after injury and other players out performing him. Hopefully we will see him break back into the side this season, but JWP and Henderson are a formidable partnership in midfield.
Sterling scored again as we edged past Stoke in the Carling Cup, before scoring again against Brighton in a 2-1 win. Henderson bagged our second and gave us a vital three points against the Seagulls.
League Table
A better month, with four wins out of four for Liverpool. Unfortunately, Man City continue their winning start to the season and our early defeat to them remains the difference between the two sides in the league.
England
A 1-0 win in Russia sees them relegated from the top tier of the Nations League, although we still haven't achieved our progress into the next stage yet.
In other news...
Raheem Sterling picks up Player of the Month for us, and as usual it comes with a plea to sell him to Barcelona. I have told him that I will accept a bid if they meet our valuation, but so far no bids have come in for him!
Our young striker Gary Swarbrick picks up Young Player of the Month on loan at Southampton, with him being noted as a wonderkid. He has been starting every game for the Saints as a lone striker which bodes well for his return to Anfield!
And here he is... I see him more as a shadow striker to play in the AM role, but Southampton have used him up front and it's working well for them. I am looking forward to his return to the club, although he will face stiff competition here, and might favour another loan spell next year. We shall see!
#259091 This is Anfield
willz121
Results
Cauley Woodrow continued his excellent start for us, scoring again as we won at Crystal Palace. Danny Batth confirmed the win, but a late goal from the Eagles certainly rattled the cages of our players. Palace are becoming a pain!
Our first game of the Champions League group stage saw us entertain Red Bull Salzburg, a game which we came away with a 4-1 win. Kelly, Roberts, Sterling and Grealish did the damage, and we didn't really look in any danger of losing the game at any point.
Then came our trip to the Emirates. Over the last few seasons, Arsenal have been finishing fourth, but miles behind. Cue an away defeat for us, as Henderson's goal wasn't enough to see us bring anything back from the capital. Two defeats against sides who will be in the top four end of season isn't a great start really!
Thankfully we got our Carling Cup campaign off to a flyer as our fringe players beat Tottenham 2-0. Patrick Roberts scored both goals, and whilst he isn't a fringe player, he's very difficult to leave out of the side! He played as a winger this time, and showed his ability in either the winger or shadow striker role. I think I've been drawn against Tottenham in a cup every season so far.
We then entertained Fulham at home in the league, with Cauley Woodrow leading the line against his old side. He proceeded to score a hat-trick, and confirms that he is my first choice striker ahead of Sturridge and Ings this season... much to the disappointment of the other two!
A trip to Madrid rounded off September, as Kieron Gibbs' consolation strike saw us come back defeated by 2-1. Hopefully we can do enough in the remaining games to claw this defeat back and still top the group.
League Table
A repeat of last month, with two wins and a defeat. Fortunately City and Chelsea have also dropped points, so we're keeping tabs on the early leaders.
England
A smashing 4-0 win over France in the first game of the Nations League was brilliant against my old side. All four goals came from Liverpool players, with Jordan Henderson opening the scoring before Daniel Sturridge scored a hat-trick. He is fast closing in on Wayne Rooney's record of 58 goals for England.
Disappointingly, after naming my squad, the media criticised my bias for Liverpool players after naming 13 players from my club in the squad. I find this difficult as most of the best English players are at Anfield so of course there will be a bias.
#259084 This is Anfield
willz121
August 2020
Transfers In
Henry O'Sullivan joins us from Southampton for £2.8m. Not that we don't already have an abundance of talent who can play in the shadow striker role, but he has a lot of potential that we don't want to miss out on!
Wayne Boddey arrives from Norwich City for £2.5m, but will spend the season on loan at feeder club Hibernian. Boddey looks like a different type of striker to the ones we currently have at the club, but I think he could become one to watch. Will be keeping tabs on how he does north of the border.
CL = Semi
PL = Winners
FA = Finalist
CC = No interest
No major shocks here, and it's starting to become the usual expectation from the board. I will use the Carling Cup to play the fringe players and any youngsters showing promise in the U21 set up, but we go all out again on the other three fronts.
We will also compete in the Community Shield, European Super Cup and Club World Championships this season, giving us seven trophies to go after.
Results
After losing to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup Semi's last season, the Eagles went on to lift the trophy and we faced them in the Community Shield. We struggled against them again, eventually winning the tie on penalties.
We then faced Europa League winners Shakhtar for the European Super Cup, with Ings, Roberts and Ward-Prowse on the scoresheet. So far, two trophies already added to the cabinet!
We started the season against Derby, and it was plain sailing as we scored four times against the Rams. Two goals in each half got us three points as Ciaran Kelly got the ball rolling before Ward-Prowse doubled the lead before half time. Ryan Kent and Cauley Woodrow completed the win in the second half with Woodrow opening his Liverpool account.
A trip to the Etihad came next, and we really were poor against Man City. They won 3-0, and we just didn't have any answer for it. They played fantastically and deserved the win. Annoyingly, it gives them a head start on us now, but happy to get this away day out of the way early doors.
Our final game of the month came against Sunderland, as we overcame the Black Cats with a last minute winner from Woodrow. He scored both goals for us taking his tally to three goals in three league games. At least that was something positive to take from two poor games.
League Table
The solitary defeat leaves us just off the pace as Chelsea and City start with three wins out of three. Nothing too much to worry about in the early stages, but disappointing not to be up there!
In other news...
Ciaran Kelly picks up Young Player of the Month, with Lee Gallagher and Gary Swarbrick (loaned to Southampton) giving us a hat trick here.
#258867 This is Anfield
willz121
Results
We were drawn with Serbia, Germany and Denmark, and with the new setup the games were dotted around Europe. In an interesting twist, the best third placed side will progress through to the knockout along with group winners and runners up.
Alexandre Lacazette scored the only goal as we snuck past Serbia, a game in which we were very disappointing. This was compounded with a 2-1 defeat against Germany. Griezmann scored the goal, but Germany were by far the better side. Fortunately we scored twice to overcome Denmark and actually ended up winning the group.
The rest of the tournament was plain sailing, as back to back 4-0 wins over Ukraine and Spain saw us into the semi final where we were comfortable 4-1 winners over Turkey. It took extra time, but we won the final 2-0 against Holland.
Lacazette was superb throughout, with Kingsley Coman also a key figure. Franck Bamba looks a decent talent, although Lacazette's form kept him out of the side towards the end of the tournament.
In other news...
The final against Holland was my 400th career game, which was a great landmark in such a massive game.
Our back five were named in the Dream Team for Euro 2020, with Koman and Ongenda also being named in the side. Oddly, the two players I thought were better (Griezmann and Lacazette) only made the bench.
With the tournament over, England sacked Guardiola and I had to apply. I have unfinished business in France, but the chance to manage the England national side was an opportunity that I couldn't resist.
#258866 This is Anfield
willz121
Results
No screenshot here, but a quick run down of the results...
Liverpool 1-1 Everton (Ings)
Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea (Ings)
Brentford 0-4 Liverpool (Sterling, Inman x3)
We made it incredibly difficult for ourselves, but in the end we made it over the line with the win over Brentford making it look a lot better than it was. Everton continue to frustrate us, but in the end the title was ours.
Our final game was Manchester City in the Champions League, and we won easily beating our compatriots 4-1 with goals from Gallagher, Sterling, Roberts and Ings.
League Table
In the end, we won the title by four points over Untied, and sixteen clear of Chelsea in third. We also pick up the Champions League trophy, Carling Cup and Community Shield. The only blip was the FA Cup, where we lost in the semi final to eventual winners Crystal Palace.
In other news...
Patrick Roberts wins Footballer of the Year... massively deserved, but will add further interest to his already growing list of suitors. I want to keep hold of him as he is the heart of the team, and I hope he will stay for a long time!
Fans Player of the Year for Roberts, Batth second and Sterling third.
Always good to look at Patrick Roberts' page, and he has been dominant again with his performances. 27 goals, 25 assists and 10 Player of the Match awards in 53 (1) games. Brilliant!
Manager of the Year award for me, which makes it five in six seasons!
We are well represented in Team of the Year, with Chambers, Kelly and Roberts in the eleven. Danny Batth makes the bench, after another good season for the former Wolves player.
A quick look at our summer signing Lee Gallagher. He has been in good form this season although I have rotated him with Chambers during the league games. He was a key player in our European and domestic cup games, and is becoming a fantastic addition... green arrows is always a good sign!
Been keeping tabs on Cauley Woodrow, and have decided this is a good time to add him to the squad. He will cost us £10.5m eventually, but happy to add him to the squad to compete with Sturridge and Ings.
#258865 This is Anfield
willz121
Results
Another game against Manchester United, this time in the league where we won 2-0 at home. Ings and Wilson scored the goals as we kept our nearest title rivals at bay. We then had Chelsea to contend with in the Champions League quarter final. Harry Wilson scored for us at Anfield as we drew the tie 1-1. Our fantastic run then ended at Tottenham, where we lost 2-1 despite a late goal from Sturridge.
Our good fortune returned at Stamford Bridge though, as we hit Chelsea for four and move into the semi final of the Champions League to face Real Madrid. Frustratingly though, we lost our next game to Crystal Palace 1-0 at Wembley in the FA Cup semi final. Really disappointed as we were the better side but we didn't take any of our chances.
Real Madrid was next up, and we looked a different side as we won 3-1 at Anfield to give us a great chance in the Bernebau to progress to the final. Sunderland were the filling in a Madrid sandwich, where Robers and Sterling scored to get us a valuable win, before we headed to Madrid. Roberts scored, but Madrid scored three times to force extra time. With almost the last kick of the game, Danny Ings fired home to put us through to the final to face Manchester City.
League Table
Gap is still five points with two games remaining for United, although we have a game in hand which would hand us the title if we can win it. The game in hand is against Chelsea though, and a win for them would set up a thrilling round of fixtures.
#258864 This is Anfield
willz121
France Results
Two games, two wins, and both were 2-0! Kingsley Coman has been fantastic in both games and is fast becoming an international star. Two wins mean we qualify for Euro 2020 due to the new format of the tournament.
Results
A late goal by Ciaran Kelly forced extra time and penalties in the Capital One Cup Final which we won again. It's great to keep adding this trophy despite the board not really caring for it... and it's always pleasing to beat United! Southampton proved a tricky tie, with Danny Ings scoring the only goal as we drew with them in the league.
Another tie with United saw us come out 3-0 winners, this time in the FA Cup before our return tie with Barcelona. Sturridge and Ward-Prowse scored as we moved into the next stages with a 3-2 win on aggregate. A massive win, but Sterling and Roberts still see a move to Barcelona as a step up!
With a number of big games, we rotated for the Swansea and Fulham game, with Jack Grealish netting the only goal against the Swans before a Sturridge double saw us past Fulham. Sturridge scored again at Norwich City, before netting all four against Cardiff City to cap a remarkable month for him.
League Table
Now that's more like it, five points clear with 6 games to go for all sides. Arsenal persist in fourth, but it looks a straight shoot out now with United for the title, and we are in a great position.
In other news...
Daniel Sturridge is Player of the Month, and fully deserved with his seven goals in three games.
#258863 This is Anfield
willz121
Results
A really enjoyable win at the Emirates to start February, with Sturridge and Roberts scoring, but again we struggled against a weaker side as Ciaran Kelly nudged us past QPR 1-0. Two good 2-0 wins at Newcastle and Cardiff set us up for a massive game in Barcelona, which we drew 1-1 as Roberts scored our goal. He scored two more in the next game at Palace as we drew 2-2. Roberts was on the scoresheet for the third successive game as we won 3-2 at home to Manchester City - our first home game in five games!
League Table
Two points clear of United with a game in hand. We've also got two games in hand on Chelsea. Arsenal are now well out of the title race, although not unusual it's the same top three.
In other news...
A good month for the team, and another Manager of the Month award for myself. Very pleased this month.
#258861 This is Anfield
willz121
Results
The FA Cup was our first game of January, as we looked very comfortable against Stoke. Sturridge, Sterling and Lundstram netted as we moved through to the fourth round. Sterling was at it again with a double against Brighton, with Roberts adding a third. Daniel Sturridge then took it upon himself to score four times against Leicester, a remarkable feat and he continues to lead the line for us.
Surprisingly, we looked very comfortable in the semi final first leg of the Capital One Cup, winning at Anfield 5-0. JWP, Henderson, Wilson, Kelly and Roberts scored as Chelsea failed to really trouble us. In exact opposite, we then struggled past Huddersfield in the FA Cup fourth round, with Walcott bailing us out before the return leg at Stamford Bridge. Roberts and Sterling scored the goals to take us through to the final against Manchester United.
League Table
Level on points with Manchester United as both teams continue to push for the title. Our goal difference is keeping us ahead of our local rivals and I'm pleased that we are approaching +50.
#258859 This is Anfield
willz121
I really hope to keep him, he's such a great talent and it won't be long before a "bigger" side come after him. Thanks for continuing to follow.
#257098 This is Anfield
willz121
Results
Massive game to start the month; not only a local derby but with the league being so tight, a must win game - that we proceeded to lose. A terrible result for us, and we bottled it completely. In complete contrast, we then went and thrashed Tottenham 3-1 in the next game with practically the same starting eleven.
A rotated side faced Lyon in the Champions League, where a 4-1 win rounded off what was a very straightforward group. I rotated due to the impending Chelsea game, which we drew 3-3 at the Lampard Arena. After dropping points against both of our title rivals, it gives me slight hope that we face them both at home next time out and that could give us the edge.
We faced Tottenham again (fed up of playing them in EVERY cup), where Patrick Roberts and Raheem Sterling scored twice each to give us a 4-0 win, before we hammered Frank Lampard's Brentfor side 5-0.
A disappoint 0-0 draw at Goodison Park on Boxing Day was infuriating, as once again we choked in a big game, before we returned to Anfield to over run Sunderland 5-0 in the final game of 2019.
France have been drawn with Belgium in the play offs for Euro 2020, which will take place in March so it gives me a good chance to look at the players available in the mean time.
League Table
A slip down to third as we hit the middle point of the league season. It's extremely tight between the top three again and it's difficult to see the title ending up anywhere outside of those teams.
Manchester City are the best of the rest, and we are already 13 points clear of them in third. We should be on target for the board expectation of a top four finish, but after this month I want the title back.
In other news...
The Patrick Roberts award goes to Patrick Roberts, again... he's picking this up on a regular basis now, which only concerns me if Real Madrid or Barcelona take notice and he wants to leave.
After starting the game with just the Level 2 qualification that I hold in real life, I set the challenge to myself to get the top qualification possible. I've now completed my Continental B, so moving through them.
It's that guy again, Patrick Roberts features in World Team of they Year. Delighted for him, but he is the only Liverpool representative. Bale and Shaw represent the UK, but I have no chance of signing either.
The transfer of Jack Grealish was agreed in December, with the Irishman joining for £8.5m from Aston Villa. With his contract expiring, Villa offered him a new deal and we made a transfer offer, which was accepted.
#257097 This is Anfield
willz121
Question is, do I now break my British only rule if I find some amazing French players?
Thanks Dan, really pleased to start so strongly, but disappointed that the others have followed suit.
Thanks to you both for comments and for following!
#256903 This is Anfield
willz121
Results
A 90+1 minute equaliser from Cauley Woodrow saw Fulham end our 100% start to the season. Roberts had put us 1-0 up and we looked comfortable until the Fulham striker equalised late on. We followed that with a goalless draw in Milan. The result sees us through, but top spot is yet to be secured.
Our seemingly easy run of games continued, with Southampton the only challenge this month. We overcame them 2-0 thanks to Sturridge and Roberts, before destroying Swansea 4-2 in Wales. Roberts and Sturridge (2) were again on target, with JWP adding to the goals.
We travelled to Belgium to face Anderlecht, and a much changed side came away with a good 2-1 win. Ashley Inman has been struggling with injury, and the form of Ings and Sturridge has kept him out of the team... as shown in our final game where we won 4-0 at home to Norwich. Ciaran Kelly scored his first goal for us, before Danny Ings scored a wonderful hat-trick.
League Table
13 games in, 12 wins and a five point gap over United. Chelsea have a game in hand on us, so could close the gap with a win.
In other news...
Out of left field comes a managerial offer from the French national side. They have just sacked their manager after failing to qualify for Euro 2020. I accepted the role as it will be an interesting side mission.
The England job has come available twice on this save, and despite applying for it both times it went to van Gaal and Guardiola, so this might be my best bet to get some international experience.
It may also determine a potential managerial move from Anfield... but I can't see that happening for a while yet!
Patrick Roberts continues his excellent form, and again picks up the Player of the Month award.
Ciaran Kelly has been in great form this month, and he has really caused me a selection headache at the back. Batth and Chambers are working well as a pair, with Gallagher fitting in at right back. However, Kelly has displaced Chambers in the middle after a string of top performances.
#256894 Bringing Success to the South West
willz121
#256893 La Roja
willz121
I totally missed that, my apologies buddy! Sorry to see you leave Old Trafford too. In my FM14 save I fell foul to a couple of takeovers which forced me out of the job, so appreciate you feel unloved by the new board.
Wish you even more luck with Spain now!!
#256875 This is Anfield
willz121
Results
A trip to France at the start of the month saw us ease past Lyon 4-0. Danny Ings continued his purple patch, with goals from Sterling and JWP completing the rout.
Then something weird happened, four 2-0 wins on the bounce! Using a smaller squad this season has seen the side pick up form really well, and that showed with the wins we achieved. It started at QPR, with Roberts and Ings scoring the goals, before we hosted Newcastle. Sterling joined Ings this time on the scoresheet before we hosted Inter. Sterling and Roberts got the goals before Roberts scored again at home to Palace. Ings continued a very good month with the second.
Finally, we travelled to Brentford who are managed by Frank Lampard in the Capital One Cup. Harry Wilson's strike in the second minute saw us through, but we could (and should) have hit them for a fair few more.
League Table
Nine out of nine now, and we're flying in the league. United and Chelsea are keeping close tabs on us, but with a three point gap already opening between the top three and the rest, it could be a similar race to last season!
In other news...
Patrick Roberts picked up Player of the Month for October, and he has been simply outstanding. Here he is:
He has played all of his games in AMC, and he's really flourished in that role. With finishing of just 12, he's scored 7 goals in 12 games this season, as well as scoring once in three for England.
It is hard to believe that he has only recently made his England debut!
#256874 This is Anfield
willz121
Yeah was as straightforward as we could've asked for really!
Last year reaffirms my faith that when you are comfortable and winning, FM will kick you back down and remind you that it's their ball and they want to go home!
Thanks both for commenting and following still!
September 2019
Results
September was a solid month again for us, as we began our journey in Europe and also faced some "bigger" teams. The month began with a 3-0 win at home to Leicester, as Alli, JWP and Harry Wilson scored. Alli has been moaning about lack of first team football recently, so I've given him a chance to play more regularly.
The Champions League drew us in a group with Anderlecht, Lyon and Inter, and we started with a home tie against the Belgian giants. Danny Ings scored twice as he came in for the jaded Daniel Sturridge and he earned his place in the side. We kept pretty much the same team for the game against Manchester City, with Sterling scoring the only goal at the Etihad. A very pleasing result!
A heavilyu rotated side scored twice at home to Hull City to knock the Tigers out in Round 3, with Jordon Ibe and Ryan Kent taking their chances. Kent has been out of the team due to the form of Sterling, but whenever he plays he is one of the best players on the pitch. I've listed him for loan as I think more first team football will see him blossom, and keep Sterling happy.
Finally, we hosted Arsenal who at times last year tried to be a big team again. A late winner from Jordan Henderson kept our 100% record going, and we ended the month with a fantastic win.
League Table
Six games, six wins, and only two goals conceded in the league so far. Delighted with how we have started this season, but still to face any of our title rivals from last year.
#256727 This is Anfield
willz121
Competition Expectations
CL: Semi Finals
PL: Qualify for CL
FA Cup: Reach the final
LG Cup: Not important
After finishing third last season, it appears the board are happy for a similar season and have been quite lenient on me with the League expectation.
Champions League semi-final will be tough, as will the final of the FA Cup, but I've been there a few times now so we should be able to do well this season.
Transfers
Gallagher was the only purchase during the summer transfer window, and it signalled the departure of Seamus Coleman to Crystal Palace. I also finally managed to get Adam Lallana off the books by selling him to our feeder club Malaga. We didn't get a transfer fee, but he's gone from the wage budget at long last.
The biggest news were the players leaving for big fees; Ryan Gauld was moaning about lack of game time, and when PSG offered £20m for him, it was easy to accept. It could be a mistake as he is well recommended on FM, but he didn't fit the rotation system I use, and Patrick Roberts is a much better option all round.
With the arrival of Gallagher, and my intention of moving Chambers to the middle alongside Batth, I transfer listed Chris Smalling and Steven Caulker. Both were on good wages, and nothing more than rotation options as I intend to develop a settled back four of Gibbs, Batth, Chambers and Gallagher (left to right). Smalling ended up joining Gauld at PSG, whilst Caulker moved to Manchester City. Both left for £15m each, boosting our bank balance further.
Other departures were Joe Allen, Jacob Murphy (younger brother of Josh Murphy) and Jesse Lingard. None of them were really involved with the squad, and with youngsters such as Alli, Wilson and Kent all pushing for the first team, these guys wouldn't get much of a look in.
I tried to offload Theo Walcott, and also accepted a £25m offer for the other Murphy, but neither left. Walcott is now rotting in the reserves with recurring injuries ruining his career at Anfield.
One player who slipped our grasp was Aaron Ramsey, who joined Manchester City for £34m! I offered £40m, which was rejected, so I asked Arsenal how much they wanted - not for sale. This then was followed up with Ramsey confirming his move for £34m, with the fee rising to £44m. Very frustrated, as he is at the top of his game, but with hindsight I don't know who he would replace in the starting eleven.
Results
A penalty win in the Community Shield resulted in our first trophy of the season. It doesn't mean a lot to some, but it's another trophy in the cabinet.
A trip to where it all ended last season saw us visit Derby for our first game of the season. A comfortable win, with Roberts, Sturridge, Wilson and Batth all scoring. Wilson will be given a lot of chances this season, as I believe he will become a very good player for us.
Wilson scored again as we hosted Brighton, but Roberts stole the show with a hat-trick in 13 minutes. Delighted with his progress, and it's going to be difficult to rotate him out of the squad based on this form.
Our final game was a trip to Cardiff, where Sturridge scored twice, and Ryan Kent scored his first goal for the club. He has been out on loan in recent seasons and is in the same crop of youngsters as Wilson. I hope to give him as much time on the field as I can, but the likes of Sterling and Walcott are not happy about being rotated.
Ideally, my attacking midfield trio would be Harry Wilson, Patrick Roberts and Ryan Kent supporting Daniel Sturridge, but it remains to be seen whether I can keep them all fit, and others happy.
Due to a mistake on my part, I made Gallagher available for U18 duty, so he hasn't made many appearances as yet, but will come into the first team next month once I realised the reason he wasn't available.
League Table
A perfect start to the season sees us top, along with Arsenal, who seem to have reignited the "1-0 to the Arsenal" them after winning their first three games by that score.
Really pleased to put some big numbers on the board already, although Manchester United are also scoring for fun. Chelsea have started poorly, and I hope that continues!
In other news...
Three wins, and three big wins to start the season. All games I would expect to win easily, so I am delighted to get them won and out of the way.