How does Liverpool do with everyone defensive? – Football Manager 2022

How does Liverpool do with everyone defensive? – Football Manager 2022

 

By Jim James

 

I just got FM22 for the Xbox Series X, and I’m stunned at the realism, so experiment season is back underway! In our first experiment we try and see how Liverpool does with everyone in defensive positions. Not everyone will be in the back line, but the will all be in defensive positions. Alongside that, I will do an ultra-defensive tactic to make this an even more defensive experiment. Let’s begin!

 

Our tactic was 5-at-the-back, with 3 Defensive Midfielders and 2 Wing Backs. I made Trent and Robertson No-Nonsense Full Backs that would mark tighter, tackle harder, and stay wide. I made Virgil and Matip No-Nonsense Centre-Backs with the same specifications as Trent and Robertson, and I made Fabinho a Center Defender because that looks defensive as well. I made Alisson a Goalkeeper that would tackle harder and take fewer risks. I made Sadio Mane and Diogo Jota Inverted Wing Backs that would Mark Tighter, Tackle Harder, Shoot Less Often and Take Fewer Risks. I made our Defensive Midfielders Half-Backs that would Mark Tighter, Tackle Harder, Shoot Less and Take Fewer Risks. 

 

My Overall Tactic Started as a clean slate but made it an ultra-defensive monster. I made the width very narrow, Played out of Defense, Made passing directness very short, Tempo Much Lower, Time-Wasted whenever possible, took low crosses, played for set-pieces, dribbled less, and were more disciplined. When possession was lost I regrouped, when it was won I Held Shape, Slowed the Pace Down when the keeper was on the ball, distributed to Center-Backs, and Rolled it Out. I forced the oppsition outside, triggered the press much more often, and Got Stuck in. These were the tactics I would use for the entire season. 

 

I then go on to transfer list all the players at CM and higher in Position, and create a transfer targets list.

 

Needs: 

• Defensive Depth
• 2nd Star CB
• Wing-Backs (Especially RWB)
• 3rd CDM (Currently Using James Milner)

 

Wants:

• More Defensive RB than Trent
• Traditional GK

 

Targets:

Defensive Depth: Scout will find some players

2nd Star CB: K.Koulibaly, T.Silva, M.Skriniar

Wing Backs: A.Davies, A.Hakimi, D.Dumfries, A.Grimaldo

3rd CDM: F.Kessie, W.Ndidi, M.Brozovic, T.Partey

More Defensive RB than Trent: K.Walker, K.Trippier, N.Mazraoui

Traditional GK: J.Oblak, T.Courtois, G.Donnarumma

 

The board wants me to challenge for the Premier League, reach the Semis of the Champions League, Real the Final of the FA Cup, and play attacking and entertaining football. Pff. 

 

Now to start actually moving forward.

 

On the first day we get offers galore. It would appear that Divock Origi, the Ox, Takumi Minamino, Sadio Mane, Curtis Jones, and Mo Salah. The transfer fees are to be decided later.

 

While we work behind the scenes on signings, we will play our first friendly vs Anderlecht.

Half-Time, 0-0.

60’ Goal Zirkzee. 1-0.

Full-Time, Anderlecht have 16 shots but only 1.25 xG as we lose 1-0.

 

After this game I bought the “No Sacking” feature for $5.50 Canadian and applied it to this save. I’ve also gone on and scouted a bunch more players for defensive depth and last-ditch options for our needs. Suspiciously, Diogo Jota was taken ill with food poisoning the day after being linked with a move to Spurs. Not making that up. With no news on departures and favourites emerging for respective needs, we go to the game vs Ajax. However, I would like to call out Ludimany Payet from Social Media for saying that Joel Matip is our best player. What a doofus.

34’ The lightest penalty in the world is called against us and Tadic converts. 0-1.

85’ The goalscorer gets his second yellow and is off! 0-1.

The man advantage counts for nothing and we go home with another 1-0 defeat. We got our first shot of the whole thing though.

 

The first sale happens with Takumi Minamino signing for Napoli for 7.5m, then Mo Salah signs for PSG for 39m. Man City also snag Mane and Ox from us for a combined 58 million. Divock Origi also goes to Spurs on loan, and we’re given 3rd best odds to win the Premier League. Thiago also then goes to Man City, and we make our first signing of the window, in Noussair Mazraoui. Curtis Jones also joins Bayern the same day as our Getafe game. I also realize that we don’t need a RWB with Mazraoui in the side and ditch a deal for Juan Cuadrado and a sale of Trent.

 

To the Getafe game we go.

The Game ends 0-0, no shots on target, 84% possession to us.

 

Not very active between fixtures, the day of our Premier League debut, we sign Kali Koulibaly from Napoli for 58 million. Let’s start the Spurs Game!

40’ Spurs score through Hueng-Min Son, 1-0.

1-0 again, 3 times in a row. This won’t be a fun season.

 

Yet again, one signing in Franco DiMarco from Inter. He will start vs Wolves.

AGAIN a boring 0-0 draw. 6 shots, 3 on target for Wolves as we get none.

 

One more signing before the Brentford game, being Adrien Rabiot for 22 million from Juventus.

Another 0-0 draw. Boring. 

 

I noticed that Leeds just beat Spurs 5-1. Wow.

 

On Deadline day:

• Had a move for Phil Jones Collapse
• Signed Tanguy Nianzou on loan
• I failed in a Gigi Donnarumma bid
• Bid for Jan Oblak rejected
• Transfer for Marquinhos falls through
• Loan moves away for Naby Keita and Diogo Jota rejected
• Jules Kounde deal collapses
• Signed Mattigs de Ligt for 60m (could go up to over 170m)

 

Really I don’t know why we signed Mattijs de Ligt, it seemed like a good signing.

 

Going into the Merseyside derby, here’s how it went.

65’ Dele Alli scores. 0-1.

Another 1-0 defeat. It’s either 0-0 or 1-0. Either way, we’re in the relegation zone.

 

The fans aren’t happy about our negative tactics and I don’t care. This is the challenge.

 

The first UCL game is up next and it’s against Besiktas.

Aand that’s it. 0-0, I can understand your getting a little bored at this stage.

 

It’s now Leeds in the Carabao Cup, a game that will have a ball hitting the net.

26’ Raphinha scores. 1-0. Glad he’s signed for Barca in real life.

46’ 2-0. Bamford. Our first multi-goals conceded.

63’ It’s 3. Bamford again. A collapse of major proportions.

 

After that game, we’ve set a new record of 6 consecutive games without scoring for Liverpool.

 

Chelsea now.

42’ Goal. Havertz. 0-1.

I’m starting to be a little frustrated at the lack of results here. 

 

Next UCL game vs Slavia Prague. Please team.

There wasn’t even a highlight. 0-0.

 

Our next game is the famous Northwest Derby vs Man Utd. If we ever needed a result, it would be now.

53’ En-Nesyri scores for United. They lead.

74’ Fernandes converts from the spot. 2-0.

Our 2nd multi-goal loss of the season. To save time, I will sim the next 5 games then tell you about them.

 

Next 5 Games:

Liverpool 0-0 Brighton

Lille 0-0 Liverpool

Newcastle 1-0 Liverpool

Liverpool 0-0 Southampton

Liverpool 0-0 Lille

 

In the Process:
Transfer Revenue that goes to budget decreased to 55%

Andy Robertson getting calls to be dropped by Scotland

I got calls to be sacked

 

That’s right. 1 goal in 5 games. This is a grueling experiment.

 

Leeds next. Just not by too much please.

1’ Goal Harrison, 0-1 Leeds.

35’ Raphinha gets on the scoresheet. 0-2.

2-0 is the final score.

 

Going up until January here were my games

Norwich 1-0 Liverpool

Slavia Prague 1-1 Liverpool (de Ligt scored)

Liverpool 0-2 Aston Villa

Man City 3-0 Liverpool

Liverpoool 0-1 Leicester

Liverpool 0-1 Besiktas

Arsenal 1-0 Liverpool

Liverpool 0-0 Burnley

Watford 1-0 Liverpool

West Ham 1-0 Liverpool

Liverpool 0-2 Crystal Palace

Brighton 3-0 Liverpool

 

In the Process:
My Board Confidence went down to F

Finished 3rd in UCL group, drew Frankfurt in UEL

 

I don’t even have to finish the season to see how this will go, but I do anyway. Here is what happens.

 

No Goals. We finish the Premier League Season with 10 Points. 10 Draws and 28 Losses. We lose the Europa League tie 1-0 on Aggregate to Frankfurt, and we lose in the FA Cup in the Third Round on Penalties to Hartlepool in a replay. Terrible.

 

Anyway, that’s what happens when you use an entirely defensive formation on FM. Wow. I’m Jim James, until next time!