Man, I was cleaning up my PC, and have deleted all my FM save files
I'm devasted, as my Alfreton and Liverpool ones were about 7 seasons in and I was really enjoying them
I restarted my Liverpool game, and it's actually fun, had a 7.9m transfer budget as Hicks and Gillet haven't taken over yet.
I bought in some decent players:
Sagna <- Auxerre (3m)
Okaka <- Roma (1.1m)
Costa <- Porto (2.3m)
Millan <- Colo Colo (220k)
Guardado <- Atlas (2m)
Modric <- Dinamo (2m)
Eduardo <- Dinamo (2.4m)
Reinke <- Werder Bremen (Loan)
While I've sold:
Warnock -> Arsenal (2.2m)
Zenden -> Tottenham (1.4m)
Paletta -> Rangers (2m)
I'm really happy with how I've constructed my squad, Eduardo, Modric, Sagna and Guardado are excellent squad players for me, and will break into my first team soon.
I like the look of Costa, has looked solid and is mainly going to be used as back up to Carra and Agger. While I loaned in Reinke to have a 3rd keeper, as Martin and Carson are both out on loan, he'll just be staying for a season till I get Carson and Martin back.
While Okaka I feel with break into my first team probably next season or the season after, on my old Liverpool save he was a legend, so I'm expecting big things from the man again :laugh:
I started my season with a pre-season friendly against Preston North End at Deepdale, it wasn't our best performance, but I was happy with it, we won 2-0, with Crouch netting in the 33rd and Bellamy netting in the 77th, the Preston game was Sagna's first Liverpool game after jetting in earlier in the day, I put him on the bench and he came on at half time and put in a solid performance.
Our next friendly was against Cowdenbeath at Central Park in Cowdenbeath, I presume they are a fairly shitty Scottish team, and it showed, as I recorded a comfortable 6-0 over there. I started with a weaker side, giving some of the fringe players a run out and also bring players like Hamimll, El Zhar, Parrat and Threlfall on at half time to give me a taste of senior football.
Auerlio opened the scoring on 4 minutes, then Gerrard scored a superb 25 meter drive in the 27th, then Sissoko and Gerrard again both netted to make it 4-0 at half time. Just after half time, Crouch came on and netted in the 53rd, before Fowler completed the rout with a spot kick on 55 minutes.
It wasn't the greatest pre-season, and then when I was drawn against Red Star in the 3rd Qual round of the CL, I was a bit worried, specially after finding out Modric and Eduardo and both ineligible for my CL campaign due to playing for Dinamo in the opening Qual rounds.
But the worries were nothing as I got a easy 3-1 at Anfield against them. Perovic scored a own goal in the 6th minute, before Kuyt netting on either side of the half to make it 3-0, Georgiev got a late goal for them in the 87th minute to give Red Star a bit of hope going into the second leg back in Serbia.
My first big game of the season was the Community Shield against Chelsea, it was the best start I made to a game, I was up 3-0 within 20 minutes, Luis Garcia shocking Chelsea and netting a hattrick, things got worse for Chelsea when Terry was stretched off and wouldn't be playing further part in the game. Sheva managed to pulled one back in the 29th for Chelsea to make it 3-1 and thats how it stayed up to half time. After half time Chelsea came out all guns blazing and had about 8 shots in the first 6 minutes, before Ballack found space and slotted home cooly to make it 3-2, then in the 67th, Ballack managed to find space again and hit a powerful shot into the top corner. The game was all Chelsea in the 2nd half, and a string of fantastic saves by Reina was the only thing keeping Liverpool in the game.
It then came down to pens, Garcia and Ballack both scored, before new signing Eduardo's was stopped, while Kalou slotted his home, giving the advantage to Chelsea, Gerrard and A.Cole in the next round of pens both converted. Making it Liverpool 2 - 3 Chelsea on pens. Then the 4th Riise converted for Liverpool while Lampard hit his straight at Reina who deflected it away. Then in the 5th round of Pens, Bellamy missed for Liverpool, but luckily J.Cole had his pen saved by Reina, leaving it at 3-3 still. Then the 6th round of pens, vice captain, Carra stepped up, and hit a good penalty into the top corner, making it 4-3 for Liverpool, then devastation for Chelsea when Robben hit his penalty badly leaving Reina for a easy save, despite Chelsea working so hard, once again Liverpool foiled them on penalties, and Liverpool win the Community Shield.
6 days later, I open my Premiership title challenge, with a home game against Portsmouth, always a tricky game. The game was one sided for most of the first half with Liverpool finishing the half with 11 shots at goal compared to Portsmouths 3, Riise had managed to break the deadlock with a 25 metre free kick in the 41st minute. After half time, Portsmouth came out and looked promising with 2 shots at goal early on, both coming to nothing, one of them was attempted to be headed behind by Costa, who made a right shit out of it and lobbed it over Reina but luckily the post was there to save Liverpool.
Things got bad for Portsmouth though, Liverpool had got back into the game, and had got another 7 shots at goal since half time, pressuring James on a number of occasions. Then debutant Sol Campbell bought down Kuyt in the box, a clear penalty, and was also given his 2nd yellow, meaning a early bath for the veteran and the disgrace of being sent off on debut. Garcia calmly slotted the penalty home to make in 2-0 in the 77th minute, 5 minutes later Garcia popped up again and netted in the 82nd minute to seal the deal for Liverpool, and meaning Garcia had 5 goals in 2 games, and a superb start to his season.