Beaulieu FC make the news!

.. the Saunders news!

We're featured as top story in the first edition of the Saunders Star on the FML main page (http://www.footballmanagerlive.com/news/?newsid=3205) for our victory in the gold cup! hummels moment imortalised in FML history!

In other news, I've tried and failed to make any new signings of note, and the teams form is ropey, but looking up before the season starts. :)

Is this a return to inflation?

Not long ago, I lauded the gameworld as coming to life due to the influx of new managers and, most importantly, new cash. Put simply, I was wrong. In the last week, a number of high profile auctions have taken place, including the incredibly talented Beaulieu FC acquisition Jorge Martinez, world class defenders Kolo Toure and Nicholas Burdiso, and German goal machine Mario Gomez. So, what’s the thing that links every one of these players? In a free market, they’ve gone for under their acquisition fees, every one of them. Given the title of this post, you may think I’m having a laugh, with market value toppling in many cases to the same value as acquisition fee – ridiculous given the amount of money you pay for signing on fees now. But even with this, inflation is most definitely present in one form in the gameworld. I always use the off-season to replenish my youth teams. This season it’s been supremely difficult due to the huge inflation that has been apparent in the wages being paid for youth superstars. This has been heightened by former managers returning to the gameworld, offering up huge wages for youngsters as they turn to a complete youth policy, but it’s a cascading effect. As more managers pay more for wages, other managers must pay way above the odds to secure young potential superstars. The most recent example was moderator and fellow AEFA manager JMP of Loftus Road AFC bidding 15,000 to take one of Neil Baldwin’s young protégés. You may say this isn’t excessive – the youngster already has an AF of £275,000 and is most probably a 5 star potential player. But when you consider he’s had almost no progression since he was 17 and is about to turn 20, it underlines how desperate normally prudent managers are to secure any youngster with that 5-star millstone around their neck.

In other news…

The youth team for next season is slowly taking shape. Although still lacking in a few key areas, it’s looking good, with the defence particularly strong at the moment. I’ve still got cash to spend, especially with a large chunk of the Dessena transfer fee due to be paid, so I’m working on bringing in one or two more before the start of the season. I’m looking to try and field an U19, U20 and U21 team for the second season in a row. Former youth team stalwart Julien Kipre has gone out on loan to further his development. Although very high potential, he’s got bogged down over the last season or so and hasn’t really kicked on. However, signs are promising with plenty of games and plenty of goals for his new side and the glimmering hope offered by the appearance of a scattering of new green arrows. Similarly, Miljan Stamenkovic has joined his reserve team comrade in going out on loan to Terry Bennets’ Birmingham Southside, where he’ll hopefully get enough games to further his own progression.

Two wonderkids join Beaulieu FC

After the excitement of the last season, I knew I had to freshen up the squad to challenge for honours this season. I looked long and hard to find the best players for Beaulieu FC. In the end I managed to secure the signing of two prized genuine wonderkids, with one player shown the door.




Vanderson Canela was the best young DL available. I don't often make buys at wage auction as I hate paying over the odds for wages. In the end, I couldn't resist and just about managed to secure him to Beaulieu FC with a very large contract offer. his ability to take freekicks, given the lack of set piece specialists at The Anchor, makes him even more valuable in my eyes. With Balzaretti about to turn 33, Canela is the long term future of Beaulieu FC's left back posistion.




Helton had played well, but he'd given away vital goals at the worst occasions. I had never planned to lock him, so I needed to find a replacement. I asked around and managed to strike a deal for Maurizo Setaro. At a price of £1m, he wasn't cheap, but he's truly world class, on low wages and I think he'll prove to be a brilliant investment over the next few seasons. With his signing, Helton was shown the door for £100,000, recouping a little of the fee paid for his successor.

6th Season – A review

I was going to post an update on how things were going, but given that it was almost the end of the season, I decided to wait and post a retrospective summary. Here’s what happened to my side in the sixth season…


All Evening Premiership

It was a mixed year in the premiership, with my worst starting form of any campaign to date. The big triple deal mid-season didn’t help things, with the destabilisation of the team coinciding with some more poor results. Miraculously, none of the other sides pulled away. The biggest challenges came from Alun’s Monobrow City and Hr’s Noerrebro Pak Rangers. I had a shocking start to the season, drawing 5 of my first 9 games, before turning things around. A tight 1-0 loss to Monobrow left my side ahead only on my very impressive goal difference with just 5 games to play. Winning against Bohemians, Eagles and Carpathia left me with two tough games to play – away to Bannons XI and Huntstown Villa. Win both, and I’d win the league by virtue of my goal difference, drop any points and it was out of my hands. I duly dispatched Bannons, but came acropper against Huntstown Villa drawing 2-2. The lads had their fingers crossed, but then had their hearts broken when Barry Campbell scored in the 95th minute to hand Monobrow the win and the title.


Charity Shield

The charity shield was only introduced this season, with the inaugural members being myself, Huntstown Villa (as runner up in the League), AFC Carpathia (as winner of the All Evening Cup) and Ultimate Irons (as winner of the Non-Prem Cup). The initial league stage saw two clear contenders emerge as nothing could separate Beaulieu from one of our bogey teams, Huntstown Villa. Both sides emerged from the group stages with 4 wins and 2 draws (both 2-2, against each other) to ensure the final was contested between two sides of the highest quality.

A tough match saw Beaulieu come out on top, mostly due to Huntstowns’ inability to hit the target (10 shots, none on target). The Italian duo of Dessena and Donadel secured Beaulieu FC’s first trophy of the season.

Prem Cup

Group Stage

Once again I finished as the strongest qualifier from the group stage with 7 wins and 1 draw in a group featuring top opposistion Noerrebro Park Rangers and Bohemians FC.
The only place I dropped points was away to Noerrebro. I struggled to create much at all yet, despite being man marked by two defenders throughout the match, Pato proved the man to salvage a point by smashing the ball into the top corner from the edge of the area. Noerrebro are nothing if almost impossible to break down.

Quarter Finals vs Monobrow City

My prize for being the best qualifier across all groups was the toughest possible draw in getting Monobrow City in the quarter finals. Next season I might throw a game or two to get better draw. A goal apiece from Pato and Wellington secured a 2-0 victory at The Anchor in a game Beaulieu FC didn’t look like losing. The return leg was a different matter, however, as Monobrow took a 2-0 lead going into the 80th minute. DanI Alves and Capitani scored late goals to secure Beaulieu’s progress to the semi finals.

Semi Finals vs Eagle Warriors

Eagle Warriors were the main competitors over the last 2 seasons, picking up the Prem Cup and the Premiership in Season 4. Having been inactive for the last month or so, his team has waned but is still potent with Leandro Lima, Jo and Ashley Young. But my team made a mockery of close pre-match predictions as they reached to a 4-0 halftime lead, only to concede two sloppy goals to Jo in the second half to hand Eagles a way back into the match. Jo then scored again in the second leg, before my side managed to find an equaliser to ease the nerves a little. Ashley Young then fired home a belter from 30 yards to make the dying seconds nervous, but my side clung on to secure a place in the final for the second season in a row.

Final vs Noerrebro Park Rangers

The final saw me play Hr’s Noerrebro Park Rangers, never an easy game. Within 10 minutes I was staring down the barrel of defeat as Wagner curled home a free-kick to underline Hr’s early dominance. I made a quick decision to completely change my game plan to try and negate some of his strengths, to great success. Jorge Martinez was a long-time target for Noerrebro before Beaulieu FC snuck in at the last minute, and he underlined why he was so coveted with a goal and an assist as Beaulieu FC pulled into a 3-1 lead. I maintained my dominance without adding to the score until the 70th minute, when Hr changed up his tactics and got back on top. A Robert Huth header in the 89th minute was little more than a consolation as Beaulieu FC retained the Premiership Cup as the 6th official trophy for the side.


All Evening Cup

1st Round vs Jondal IL

Due to a quick of the numbers entering the tournament this season, my tie against Jondal IL was the only 1st round tie, making my route to the final longer than any other side in the federation. Jondal IL had their best player James Vaughn injured, making a tough task even tougher. It wasn’t to be for Jondal as his side went down 5-0 across the two legs.

2nd Round vs Copenhagen Wonderboys

The second round saw a tough draw against premiership side Copenhagen Wonderboys. Jannick’s side is full of class, headed by Rosina, Walter and Diego. A lucky away win saw my side take a 2-0 lead back to The Anchor thanks to Gourcuff and Pato. Pato scored his second of the tie to secure a 3-2 home win and a 5-2 aggregate win.

3rd Round vs Milenator Roar

After a tough draw against the Wonderboys, Milenator Roar was another difficult prospect for Beaulieu FC. Despite only residing in the championship, Soroen’s German outfit are a tour de force, with a number of really good players underpinned by Kalinic upfront and David Luiz in defence. A tough first leg should have seen a 2-0 win, but with Milenator reduced to 10 men, he pulled one back to give himself a fighting chance in the tie. Pato scored early in the return leg and another 2-1 victory ensued to hand me the tie 4-2 on aggregate.

Last 16 vs Monobrow City

The Blues got the toughest draw possible in having to face Premiership challengers Monobrow City, but two goals from Pato, one in each leg, saw Beaulieu win 2 – 1 on aggregate to progress to the quarter finals. This was no mean feat given the quality of Alun’s side, with his defence being the most stingy in the league and his current world ranking of 5 highlighting his exceptional form.

Quarter Finals vs Nottingham Majorie

Here I faced Nottingham Majorie. Despite being a newcomer to the Premier league this season, Andy has firmly entrenched himself in mid-table and looks set to secure his place in the premiership for a while yet. With the majestic, world-class striker Marcelo Moreno upfront in a potent 4-3-3 formation, his side is one to be reckoned with. It was close, but my side came out on top over the two legs mainly due to Mr Pato.

Semi Finals vs. Camberwick Green

I was given a favourable draw against Camberwick Green. Home of some quality, world-class players it was never going to be easy, but given their mid-championship status my side was the clear favourite. A dominant 5-2 win at home, with goals from Wellington, Pato, Martinez (2) and Donadel, decided the match. 2-0 up away, I took off Pato, Wellington and Menez and the score drifted to 2-2 at the death, resulting in a 7-4 aggregate victory.

Final vs Noerrebro Park Rangers

Yet again the final saw two of the heavyweights of the AEFA meet, as Beaulieu FC met Noerrebro Park Rangers in the final of the All Evening Cup. Both sides put out their strongest teams, signifying just how important this trophy is. Having learnt my lesson from the Premiership Cup final win earlier in the week, I started out with nullifying tactics which resulted in a game notable for its complete lack of chances. It was going to take someone or something special to break the deadlock, and Pato duly delivered with a breakaway goal, slotting home the ball after rounding the ‘keeper. The match was tight until a moment of magic sealed the match. Balzaretti sprayed the ball down the left wing for Menez to pick up, before the French wizard cut inside and weaved his way past two defenders. With the ball on his right foot, he smacked an unstoppable strike which rebounded off of the right hand post, back across goal into the opposite side netting. Moments later, Giovani Capitani broke down the right, outpacing the defence before neatly finishing between the ‘keepers legs. A great 3-0 win secured the All Evening Cup for the first time for Beaulieu FC.


Gold Cup

Group Stage

I’m often favourites for groups given my world ranking and team, but compared to previous seasons, this was hard but not impossible. Drawn against Cottingley FC, Eagle Warriors and GTG FC, I expected my side to go through. A draw against Eagle Warriors in a match we dominated was followed by the match away to Cottingley. Former Beaulieu legend Guilherme scored twice as my side los 3-2 to put qualification in doubt. Two solid wins in the last 2 matches saw my side progress as winners of the group for the third season in a row with a respectable total of 13.

Last 16 vs Camel FC

The Last 16 match was against Thierry’s world class Camel FC and home of one Lionel Messi, alongside other top draw players as Jovetic. His team was severely weakened given the number of players he had loaned out this season, including Nasri and Zapata, but his side still represented a real challenge. I was therefore extremely surprised to see my side race 4-0 up before halftime, Pato dominating the Camel’s backline. After half time, MEssi pulled one back before Pato got his 4th of the match to make it 5-1. Inexplicably, my side then fell apart, with Messi completing his brace and Jovetic snatching 2 more. Dessena managed to score once more, but a 6-4 win with 4 away goals for the Camels was not the result I’d hoped for when 4-0 up. Going into the second leg, I knew I realistically just had to avoid defeat by more than 2 goals. With 10 minutes to play I was sitting comfortably at 1-1, 7-5 on aggregate. Then things went wrong, yet again. Two goals in as many minutes put the Camels 3 – 1 up on the night and progressing on away goals – the bane of my side in cup competitions. I thought that was that, but in the 93rd minute Pato stepped up and slammed home the winner to send me through to the Quarter Finals.

Quarter Finals vs Flux Capacitor

Here I met Thomas Mullens’ Flux Capacitor. Ravaged by injuries, I was bullish of my chances, but was soon brought crashing to earth as Rosicky found the top corner to take the lead for Flux. My side dominated the rest of the match, carving out chance after chance, but we simply couldn’t find the back of the net. When Pato then missed a penalty, I knew I was going to be facing a battle at the return leg in the Anchor, especially without any away goals. The return leg carried on in much the same way, with the exception that Flux’s attacking pivot, Rochi, had picked up an injury and missed this match. Wellington put my side ahead, but another wonder goal from Rosicky looked to have sent my side packing. Once more the Brazillian magician Pato stepped up, with 2 goals in 5 minutes to secure our place in the Semi-Finals for the first time in Beaulieu’s history.

Semi Finals vs Los Benditos

You don’t get easy draws in the Gold Cup, and the semi finals saw me take on the best side in the gameworld – Los Benditos – featuring Giuseppe Rossi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Thiago Silva. The first leg saw an imperious performance from Beaulieu FC, creating chance after chance and racing to a 2-0 lead through the outstanding new signing Jorge Martinez. The tie swung back towards Ronaldo & Co as Rossi fired home from close range to grab a precious away goal. The second leg saw my side defend brilliantly as they withstood wave after wave of attack to emerge with an incredible 0-0 draw and progress to the final of the Gold Cup for the first time.


Final vs FC Azazel

The final saw me take on AK’s FC Azazel. A quality side made the final partially on the back of on loan stars Samir Nasri and Christian Zapater. With those two stars returning to their parent club, things swayed back into my favour, but with players of the calibre of De Jong and Agbonlahor, anything could happen. The game started with a cagey opening, with both sides not wanting to give anything away. Beaulieu FC carved out a couple of early chances, Pato guilty of wasteful finishing. To the horror of Beaulieu FC fans, Azazel took the lead as none other than Scott ‘Ronaldhino’ Carson curled home a freekick from a wide angle to hand the XEFA side the lead going into the break. Things were looking bleak until Pato latched onto a bad pass from Garay to fire Beaulieu FC back into the match. There were chances at both ends, with Beaulieu FC generally on top, but as normal time ended and extra time ticked down, the dreaded penalties looked likely. I’d made many tactical changes throughout the match, but I took one last gamble, taking off the shattered Wellington and replacing him with Longobardi, switching to 4-4-2 and pushing Dani Alves to right wing. I told the lads to give Dani the ball at every opportunity and in the dieing minutes another of his blockbuster runs resulted in a corner. Dani Alves whipped in the cross and Hummels rose tallest at the near post to score, securing the biggest trophy in club football for Beaulieu FC and ensuring his place in Beaulieu FC folklore.


Gameworld Cup

2nd Round vs Villain Victorians

The Villains got off to the best possible start as Dessena inadvertently found his own net instead of behind the goal. Beaulieu FC quickly found their stride as Pato rounded the keeper and poked home the equaliser on 15 minutes. The Blues where then stiffled in their attempts to grab a winner, as bad finishing results in a whopping 15 shots off of target. It took Pato, again, to pop up and score the winner in the 84th minute.

3rd Round vs Juventude

A toughter match saw Beaulieu FC travel to Juventude, powered by some quality players and in the top 100 rankings. A tough match saw Beaulieu FC emerge with a 2-1 victory courtesy of goals from the prolific Pato and captain Caceres.

4th Round vs Noerrebro Park Rangers

Yet another meeting against Hr’s side was yet another very tough draw - a top 10 side at this stage is never good. Hr’s side edged the match, but my side showed a greater cutting edge and grabbed their chances to emerge with a tough 3 - 2 victory. Pato, twice, and Menez made sure of the victory, meaning I’d personally put Hr out of three cup competitions - sorry mate!

Last 32 vs AFC Tromp

Tromp are a good side, but not of the level of Noerrebro, so I was expecting an easier ride. My side raced into a 3-0 lead through Pato, Wellington and Dessena. With the game seemingly won, the lads took their foot off the pedal and relaxed. Beaulieu FC almost paid for it, as Tromp scored in the 82nd and 88th minute to leave a furious and nerve-wracked Beaulieu manager checking his watch every two seconds until full time was blown.

Last 16 vs The Big Pink

A very tough match away to The Big Pink, featuring Oscar, Baxter, Vela and Fazio was always going to prove a challenge. I started the match with Longobardi at RB and Dani Alves at RW, but after 20 minutes (and a booking) I decided Longobardi was going to get mullered, so moved Dani Alves back to nullify the threat and put on Capitani. It proved to be the master stroke. Dani Alves’ influence in defence turned the match in my favour and Capitani scored a blinder as my side rolled out 1-0 winners.

Quarter Final vs LKS Dolphin Lodz

A match to highlight the flaws with the game, in some regards. I ended up 2 - 1 winners. I battered the Dolphins on occassions, but simply couldn’t find a way through - expect for corners. All the goals came from centerbacks (Caceres and Hummels for Beaulieu), making a mockery of the beautiful attacking play I’d produced at some points. Never-the-less, a win is a win, and I progressed to the last four.

Semi Final vs Inter Melamb

The semi-final saw me draw world number 2 and perennial SFA champions Thomas Reeves’ Inter Melamb. Tom’s side is world class, with Zlatan and Thiago Luis upfront, and a midfield comprising Sneijder, Silva and Mark Noble adds real firepower. Needless to say – this was going to be a tough match. I took the lead through … and continued to dominate the early play. As time ticked by Tom got more and more cavalier in his tactics, forcing my side on the back foot. Things looked bad as, in short succession, Thiago Luis conjured an equaliser before Pato was carried off the field clutching his ankle (scans showed no further sign of damage). This forced me to push Jorge Martinez to striker and bringing on star youngster Ibon Angulo as the game went to extra time. What a stroke of luck that the Spanish playmaker came on the pitch, as he powered home twice from close range to hand me a hard fought 3 – 1 victory and a place in the GWC final.

Final vs Los Benditos

Finals are rarely great football matches. This was no exception. Bendito resigned Aaron right before the match and it proved to be a master stroke. The Spaniard (formerly of Beaulieu FC - if you remember the incident with the released players…) was instrumental in scoring twice. Donadel had a nightmare match, as did Martinez, while Pato missed a glorious chance. In the end Pato found the back of the net in the 90th minute, but it was nothing more than a consolation as Beaulieu FC lost 2-1 in the final to end an epic season.

Two stars are shown the door at The Anchor

The title is a tad misleading, but at the same time it’s completely correct. Since the signing of Jorge Martinez, I’d been forced to play Dessena wide right with Dani Alves at right back to accommodate all of the world class players at my disposal. This resulted in both Matteo Longobardi and Giovani Capitani sitting on the bench – not an ideal situation by any stretch of the imagination. The signing of Martinez had also stretched the club financially and with improvements needed elsewhere in the coming weeks, I couldn’t afford for that to continue.

I therefore made the decision to sell Daniel Dessena. Although he’d been very good in his season and a half at Beaulieu FC, he’d not been out of this world. Dan Cashmore, owner of former Beaulieu FC players Gourcuff, Baptista and Radoi, made an offer I couldn’t refuse of 1.2m cash (500k upfront and 800k spread over 8 weeks) and world class defensive midfielder Stelvio (AF 650k MV 925k). Within an hour I’d found a buyer for Stelvio at £750k for a quick sale and the coffers at Beaulieu FC were swelled by some £2m, with Capitani taking up his previous role at right flank.

The competitions are progressing well and there will be a quite huge update come end of season on all that has happened in what could be either a year of heartbreak or a watershed season for Beaulieu FC.

Beaulieu FC Dream Team

I’ve been reading The Independent’s excellent recent series of articles on various clubs’ Dream Teams. I decided it’d be fun to create a Beaulieu FC dream team given that the game has been running for some time now. As I’ve played numerous formations over the previous seasons, I’ve picked one that includes most of the best players while remaining balanced. Given the number of quality players who have come and gone at The Anchor, this proved difficult, especially in the midfield.


GK – Rogerio Ceni

490 Games, 5 Goals, 0 Assists
Seasons 1 - 3

The Anchor hasn’t seen many world class ‘keepers grace the space between the sticks as I try to keep wages for this position as low as possible. Rogerio Ceni was the exception, with a high reputation and high wages to match. Having been bought for next to nothing, he performed admirably a string of fine performances over the course of two seasons. Rogerio Ceni holds off competition from Helton and Handanovic simply due to the length of his stay and the quality of his performances during that time.


DR – Nelson

334 Games, 10 Goals, 29 Assists
Seasons 3-5

The Portuguese defender was perhaps under-rated during his stay at Beaulieu FC. A truly world-class player, with explosive pace and great stats for defending and going forward, he’s a worth addition to the dream team. In truth, a lack of other real options down the right hand side ensures his place, with Longobardi far too young and not having enough impact to be considered.


DL - Balzaretti

326 Games, 1 Goal, 11 Assists
Seasons 4-6

Frederio Balzaretti is another player who deserves his place by merit, but gets it through lack of options. Pernia was a set piece wizard, but his defending left a lot to be desired while other options like Villagra and Zambrano simply weren’t of a high enough quality to consider. Never-the-less, Balzaretti adds sheer quality at left back, with enough skill to go forward and enough pace and defensive know-how to stop all but the best right wingers.


DC – Caceres

1192 Games, 186 Goals, 75 Assists
Seasons 1-6

Martin Caceres is about to complete his 6th season at Beaulieu FC and is the club’s all time appearance record holder. This alone would be enough to tell you he’d be in this list, but the fact is this – he’s one of the best defenders that exist and would walk into pretty much any side in the gameworld. ‘Nuff said.


DC – Onuoha

931 Games, 49 Goals, 48 Assists
Seasons 1-4

Nedum Onouha was another long time player at The Anchor, gracing the pitch at center back and right back for 3 and a half seasons. Blessed with unbelievable pace, over the seasons he added aerial ability and incredible strength to become a beastly defender. His time at The Anchor was only cut short due to the quality of the offer that came in for him. Time will tell whether the impressive Hummels can oust Onouha as Caceres’ partner, but as it stands, Onouha has the edge.


MR - Dani Alves

1061 Games, 139 Goals, 584 Assists
Seasons 1-6

Superman, Dani Alves, wasn’t included at right back so he could feature higher up the pitch where he is more influential. The goals have dried up for Dani over the last couple of seasons, but he’s been just as influential in the assist stakes – he’s averaged better than an assist every other game for the last 6 seasons. There was no real competition for this role, with Diego Valeri, Felipe Monteiro and Rommano Denneboom simply not of a high enough quality. The only real contender is young prodigy Giovanni Capitani. He’s already forced Dani Alves into the right back role on frequent occasions this season, and given time, he could well force himself into this dream team.


ML – Menez

309 Games, 51 Goals, 89 Assists
Seasons 4-6

The toughest choice so far in this list was the position of left wing. Over the course of 6 seasons, I’ve had 4 truly world class players sit in this position – Andres Guardado, Jeremy Menez, Carlos Eduardo and Ismael Aissatti. Carlos Eduardo was in and out of the anchor faster than the roadrunner given his poor performances, while Aissatti was never as comfortable on the wing as he was in the centre, and so misses out in this position. That left Menez and Guardado, and at the end, I decided that both in length of stay and quality of performances, Menez just about edged it. Guardado will have to make do knowing he scored the best goal in Beaulieu FC’s history – a chip over a defender followed by a sublime volley from 30 yards.


MC(d) – Donadel

61 games, 8 Goals, 10 Assists
Season 6

Throughout the history of Beaulieu FC I’ve always had (at least) one defensively minded centre midfielder. The list of players in this position is impressive, including Gobbi, Zapater, Guana, Johnson, Gourcuff, Dessena and most recently, Donadel. Ultimately, I opted for the perhaps controversial choice of Marco Donadel. A truly world class midfielder, I chose the Italian as he’s a real work horse in midfield, with great tackling, ensuring at least one member of the midfield is capable of tracking back. His rounded skillset and defensive nature put him just ahead of the other candidates in my eyes, who were lacking quality (Gobbi, Guana), too defensive (Zapater) or too attacking (Johnson, Gourcuff, Dessena). Whilst Gourcuff, Dessena and arguably Johnson are better players, his defensive qualities combined with brilliant passing combine to bring the best out of the players around him.


AMC - Julio Baptista

580 Games, 328 Goals, 231 Assists
Seasons 2-6

There was never a doubt that club record signing Julio Baptista would be part of any Beaulieu FC dream team. Almost a unique player in the game, The Beast average a goal every other game and an assist almost as often in a long spell at Beaulieu FC. Only a combination of old father time and the need for locks lead to his departure, he’ll be sorely missed by the Beaulieu FC faithful and rightly revered as one of the best players to grace The Anchor.


AMC – Guilherme

866 Games, 608 Goals, 229 Assists
Seasons 1-5

The other AMC position was hotly contested, with a number of world class players eyeing up a place in the dream team. Leandro Lima, Ismael Aissatti, Yoann Gourcuff, Danielle Dessena, Wellington and Pienaar, to name but a few, where all players who would demand a place in most people teams. Ultimately, though, I opted for a player who played upfront for most of his career at The Anchor – Guilherme. Although not his favourite position, he played in the withdrawn role very rarely, I think Guilherme would have thrived alongside Baptista. With great pace, good finishing and long shots, good passing and very apt preferred moves, the club legend Guilherme makes this spot his own.


ST - Pato

262 Games, 320 Goals, 67 Assists
Seasons 5-6

Keeping club-legend Guilherme off the front spot is no ordinary feat, but then Pato is no ordinary player. Over two seasons he’s averaged better than a goal a game upfront and his place is richly deserved. Blistering pace, great finishing and the ability to be in the right place at the right time make Pato one of the best strikers in the game. Diego Milito, Chamakh et al didn’t even come close to ousting The Duck at the spearhead of my samba attacking triumvirate.

Big new arrival at The Anchor

Usually I’d wait until the end of the season to build upon the squad, but this hasn’t been a usual season. For once, I’m still involved in numerous cup competitions while I’m still fighting to the league, and I felt I really needed to add some quality for the final push. I therefore splashed out a cool £750,000 on Jorge Martinez:



In a way, this signing is a direct replacement for Julio Baptista – my side has most definitely missed his aerial presence, both at set pieces and in general play. Moreover, since the departure of The Beast, I’ve lacked a penalty taker, which has threatened to cause me no end of troubles. Martinez is brilliant in the air, is a great finisher and passer of the ball, has good preferred moves and has a bit of pace, to boot. Moreover, he’s a decent set piece taker and will be taking over responsibilities for free kicks and penalties from now until the end of the season. His ability to play upfront as a striker also offers a fantastic Plan B. My only problem now is trying to fit all these players into a team together. One thing is definitely for sure; my side can cope with a few injuries now in the run in, as I’ve got two world class players sitting on the bench!

Season 6 Line-up

Season 6 is well under way and yet again I’m behind schedule in updating this blog! Instead of taking you through the numerous, extensive transfers that have taken place over the last couple of weeks, I thought I’d just introduce you to the players who have been gracing the Anchor in Season 6 in Saunders…


GK – Helton

To the surprise of many, the Brazilian buffoon returns for a second season in-between the sticks for The Blues. Several high profile gaffes (much like in real life) had brought his place into question, but the lack of money to sign a suitable replacement ensured the aging South American of a starting berth.


DL – Balzaretti

The veteran Italian is another player starting his second season at The Anchor. Adept at right or left back, Frederico is a quality player who turns in solid performances in defence. Although never really chipping in with the goals and assists, he rarely makes mistakes and is a reassuring presence in the backline.


DR – Longobardi

The first of the new arrivals, Matteo Longobardi is a true wonderkid at right back, signed for £550,000 (AF £475,000). Blessed with strength and pace, amazing metal skills and a mean tackle, he’s fitted in solidly as a replacement for Nelson. Although nowhere near as good as the Portuguese monster, Matteo is on just 1,500 a day, making him a true bargain.


DC – Caceres (Captain)

Martin Caceres is entering his 6th season at The Anchor and remains an integral part of not just the team, but the identity of the club. A truly world-class defender blessed with both pace and aerial ability, he’s an ever-present rock in my back-line. This season will see him take on the responsibility of being captain of Beaulieu FC, a well deserved reward for his lengthy stint.


DC – Hummels

The second new arrival joined as part of the biggest and most complex deal in the clubs history. Mirel Radoi, Julio Baptista and Yoann Gourcuff where sold in exchange for £400,000, Hummels and two replacement midfielders, with transfer negotiations lasting an incredible 2 hours. Hummels is brilliant in the air and with silky skills with the ball at his feet, the versatile German can also shift forward into central midfield. His arrival cements the Beaulieu FC backline as one that is truly formidable.


MC – Dessena

The Italian playmaker was shackled during the 5th season in order to accommodate both Gourcuff and Baptista in midfield, but with both of those players at pastures new, Dessena has been transformed into an attacking playmaker. Blessed with real pace, good finishing and shooting and a great eye for a pass, he’s an integral part of the team.

MC – Donadel

The second of the trio of new signings, Donadel has adopted a more defensive role within the Beaulieu FC side. Acting as the anchor in midfield, he’s got a great work rate combined with a biting tackle. Importantly, he’s a stunning passer of the ball and is not just a destructor, but also a Xabi Alonso-esque deep lying midfield playmaker. In my time in FML, I’ve found that the DM seems to get the most of the ball, so having a player of such quality in this position is a real coup for Beaulieu FC.


MC – Wellington

Wellington was the final player to move to Beaulieu FC in the huge transfer with Dan Cashmore’s side. At just 23, he’s a little raw, but adds youth into a previously aging midfield. Able to play at CM, in the hole or even as a striker, the Brazilian is blessed with good finishing and pace and loves to run at people with the ball. He’s caused real havoc so far this season and will hopefully fill the very large Julio Baptista sized hole in my side.


AML – Menez

Jeremy Menez has emerged as a truly world class player over the course of the last season. A quite brilliant, two-footed winger, the Frenchman causes constant trouble for whoever he’s up against. I’d love to be able to move him inside to AMC, but having seen how badly Carlos Eduardo struggled in his short time at The Anchor, I’m sure there are few better left wingers in the game.


AMR – Dani Alves

Although he’s now hit his 30’s, Dani Alves is still, put simply, one of the best players in the game. A dynamic influence from the right wing, he single handedly wins me games on a number of occasions. His influence at right wing has cemented his place further up the field, although he has often been shifted to right back to accommodate the emergence of another genuine wonderkid Giovanni Capitani. I paid £900,000 and Jake Thompson (a player of massive unrealised potential) to secure the right wing wizard (AF 950,000) and he’s put in a number of solid if unspectacular performances at both senior and youth level. By the time he hits his prime, Dani Alves may well be on the wane, so the right wing is now sorted for the next 10 seasons, locks permitting.


ST – Pato

The 24 year old striker is following up his stunning debut season with another season of destruction. He scored 5 goals over 2 recent Gold Cup matches, scoring an average of 1.10 goals per game so far. He struggled in the early parts of the season, but this coincided with a general lack of form across my team. His form recaptured, my team has hit a new wave of good results.

A resurgence in Saunders?

There is no denying that 2 months ago Saunders was on it's knees. A lot of established managers left, new managers came in but became inactive, noone had money and the community spirit was fading. Fast forward to now and things are looking considerably more rosey.

Recent promotions for the gameworld seem to have had an affectm but the influx of new managers hasn't been the main driver for the resurgence. That'd be the influx of cash. When stadiums came in, no-one had money to the extent that you simply couldn't sell someone on big wages for anything. More than that, a numer of world class but flawed (high wages, old or both) players where available for free for a long time. Now, these players are appearing in people's teams, with Elano and Petr Cech recently being snapped up despite large AFs and large wages. A few multi-million pound deals have also gone through and this increased activity in the market has bouyed the gameworld, at least in my eyes.

The next problem is how to curb this increase in capital. with most people making healthy profits having paid off their stadiums, I can only see a return to rampant inflation that blighted the game for the first 3 seasons. Fingers crossed SI have something up their sleaves.

In other news..

I'll try and post a couple of updates about my team early next week. Better late than never, huh!

It's been a while... (Season 5 Round-up)

First of all, apologies for the lengthy delay since any meaningful update, it's been a really busy time at work and I've only just had enough time to play FML, let alone write about it! Anyway, without further delay...

Premiership

I left to go on holiday in a strong posistion, but my team did their utmost to throw it away at the last. After two AI wins vs Bohemians and Eagles, I looked in a very strong posistion, but as soon as I came back my team started to play like muppets. 3losses from the final 6 matches almost saw me throw it away, but an autoresolved victory against the number two team Huntstown Villa saw the title return to The Anchor.

The Prem Cup

A 4-3 AI victory over two legs against Eagle Warriors saw my side progress to the final, where Barry Welch's AFC Carpathia awaited. A dominant first 30 minutes saw my side go 3-0 up, but after that it was all Carpathia. Barry Welch's tactical wizardry managed to pick a hole in my defence I couldn't plug and I was lucky to escape with a 3-1 victory - Landin guilty of missing a hatful of chances to claw his side back into the match.

Gameworld Cup

I was stupid in this competition. Pitted against a weak opponent in the last 32, I opted to play the match despite having injuries to both Pato and Baptista. I duly lost, dominating the match but lacking a cutting edge, conceding two soft goals. This one hurt, as I had a genuine chance of winning a UFFA competition for the first time and threw it away.


Team of the Season

GK - Helton
DR - Nelson
DL - Balzaretti
DC - Caceres
DC - Radoi
ML - Menez
MC - Johnson
MR - Alves
AMC - Gourcuff
AMC - Baptista
ST - Pato

Player of the Season

N choice here. Gourcuff and Baptista had stunning seasons at AMC. Dani Alves was his usual majestic self, but Pato upfront was otherwordly. The best strike rate of any striker in the gameworld at 1.35 goals per game, an average rating close to 8, he's been a revelation. It took a big man to fill Guilherme's boots, Pato did that and more.

I'll try and update the transfer news for season 6 at Beaulieu FC over the next couple of days.