VP. - Comments

SEASON 3 SEPTEMBER TO JANUARY
(Played A Few Months Due To Me Having No Internet For A Couple Of Days)

Going well so far this season, second in the league, through our champions league group as winners and into the Carabao cup final. Our main strength is our defence, just 12 conceded after 25 games. We've been fairly strong at the back every season to be fair with Leno keeping a total of 90 clean sheets in 128 matches, I've not seen defensive stats like that for years!

I made two signings during the January window, Phil Foden signed for £52m from Man City in a deal I just had to make as soon as he became interested. I also agreed a deal of £37m for Norwich's Max Aarons, though to try to help them stay in the league (currently bottom) I set the deal to be completed at the end of the season. This will almost certainly mean that Ricardo Pereira will be sold in the the summer.

SEASON 3 AUGUST

Firstly transfer news, I decided to move on more players than I originally intended. Jota was only sold after he requested to go after me not increasing the number of coaches (still can't remember him asking ffs), the rest was just me wanting to get the long term squad together as quick as possible. The deal for Sancho only came about due to Jota leaving and me thinking I need to give the fans something to show I'm not simply trying to make the club money. Before that I did my usual style and looked for players I've not signed before, both Pinamonti and Szoboszlai look great prospects and have settled in well already.

We've started the league season brilliantly with no goals conceded and a superb result away to Man City, lets see how long that lasts... We've a favourable draw in the champions league and a group we really should be topping.

SEASON 2

A season of what might have been, in the league we never really challenged for the title but always looked like making the top four though. Both Manchester teams spent close to £300m each and current champions Liverpool invested £187m into what is already a very good squad. We spent a lot (for Arsenal) but still managed to make a profit of £15m, due to me not wanting to simply go out and buy ready made players and instead build a squad that should within 5 years be challenging every season for the title. This summer I will try to move on another couple of the senior players and we've already agreed a £26.5m deal for Benjamin Nygren from KRC Genk, the 19 year old is being brought in to play the shadow striker role in my 4-4-1-1. We also have three regens coming through, two of which are classed as wonderkids and the third a centre back touted as the next Tony Adams (fuck me could we do with him now in real life).

In the domestic cups we once again didn't fair to well, mainly down to myself rotating the squad trying to manage the fitness of a small squad as best I could. Now, the champions league is where the 'what might have been' comes in, we did fantastically to reach the semi finals and were well in control of our first leg against City but could only manage the one goal. The second leg was a very cagey affair, we had no reason to go for the win and was holding them off at ease until the 89th minute, when Bernd Leno decides to throw the ball out with velocity of a Sidewinder missile into the back of Ruben Dias, the ball falls to Sergio Aguero who slots it into the empty net. Then just a minute later a long ball over the top see Diogo Jota one on one with Ederson only for his tame effort to be pushed away for a corner, extra time it is... Both teams were by now very tired and the dreaded penalties looked a certainty, now to cut the whole story of shoot out down I'll let you know that we had three, yes three fucking chances to win and each was missed and eventually Bernd Leno stepped and had his shot easily saved. Shame he couldn't throw the ball as it would have probably taken Ederson into the goal too. Nevermind, maybe next year.

SEASON 1

Decided to play through the first season as I rarely make many changes (transfers) until season 2.

In the Premier League we performed much better than I expected, had Liverpool not have played like Liverpool we really could have won the league and 89pts is a very good total. A tough draw in the Carabao saw us knocked out early and in the FA Cup we were badly hit with injuries and suspensions where I had to include u18's in the starting line up so no real surprise we lost away to Palace. In the Europa League however we was great, our only bad performance came at Old trafford in the semi final 2nd leg, where after such a big first leg lead I felt we could rest players in preparation for our next league match, which was also away at Man Utd (drew 1-1, should have won).

Transfers, as always I've refused to sign any players and really want to give our younger players a decent chance. Hoping to offload a couple more of senior players during the summer and will mainly be looking at improving our defence, could do with losing Ozil's wages too but that's usually near on impossible. We have a huge budget to use if needed and also Real Madrid have been sniffing around Laca and Auba though I'm in no real rush to sell either of those unless a massive bid comes in.

Gonna have to scrap my original story style idea as I just don't have time to write it up and play ffs. Would take me forever to complete a season so back to basics it is.

Introductory Press Conference

In attendance: BBC Sport, Sky Sports News, Arseblog & Arsenal Fan TV

Ablog: Lee, thank you for having a fan site here in what I believe is a first
LC: No problem at all, I've been a reader for a long time and thought it would make a nice change to involve some fansites

BBC: With Mikel Arteta making the shock decision to retire completely from all football related work to be the new face of LEGO (here) is it true that your initial job application was based around the computer game Football Manager?
LC: Yes that is true, I recently got myself to the top of the Turkish hall of fame, plus in the past I have won the champions league with Southend Utd so what better credentials does someone need?

SSN: How do you think the fans will react to you taking over when being such an unknown
LC: Naturally there will be some that are scratching their heads but those that have played the game will know I'm the right man for the job

AFTV: Will yo... (LC cuts in)
LC: Next question please

Ablog: What style of play can we expect to see from your teams
LC: Well I grew up with the defensive discipline of George Graham in charge and then of course the flair of Arsene, so I intend to try and bring a bit of each back to the club

BBC: What formation will you play?
LC: I'll be mainly using the old fashioned 4-4-2, I'm not a fan of one upfront and also prefer the balance of a team when using a 4-4-2

SSN: Finally Lee, have you a message for the fans today on what to expect from the team this season
LC: The absolute minimum is that we qualify for european football next season and to do this each and every player will need to work very hard. I am still undecided on my first 11 so all players have a clean slate and a chance to impress me. I will be making no transfers in or out in pre season so the months up until January are very important for those players who want to be here to show me just that

AFTV: Can we please just ask one question before you go
LC: Yes but be quick
AFTV: Will yo... (LC cuts in)
LC: Sorry we're out of time and that's it for today everybody thank you for the questions