FOOTBALL MANAGER 16 — CHELSEA (PART 3)
Welcome back to Part 3 of my “Football Manager 16 — Chelsea” save.
If you would like to read the previous entries in this series, head over to PART 1 & PART 2.
To give you a brief rundown of the “Football Manager 2016” series, it is the most realistic, in-depth and immersive football management simulation available — it’s the closest thing to doing the job for real.
Taking control of any squad from more than 50 countries across the world, you decide who plays and who sits on the bench, deal with the media and solve player problems.
You’re in total control of tactics, team-talks, substitutions and pitch-side instructions as you follow the match live with the acclaimed 3D match engine.
After the Disastrous 2015/16 campaign in under Jose Mourinho in real life, I’ve decided to take the reigns of Chelsea for the 20016/17 season. We had a very average preseason, but i was happy with how our first month in the premier league went. We picked up 7 points from 12 after facing three title contenders. I’ll let you choose the three 😉.
Just four games coming up in september thanks to 1. International fixtures and 2. The lack of European football at Stamford Bridge, a blessing in disguise really for my first season. Cheers José! We face Stoke and our feeder club Middlesbrough away then host West Brom at home twice. Once in Capital One Cup and once in the league.
Injuries to Willian & Hazard on International duty means Kennedy gets a run on the left. I’m hoping to see the partnership of Costa and Batshuayi flourish the more minutes they get together up top. They are two powerful strikers who would be a handful for any center back pairing on thier day.
I couldn’t of asked for a better start! A Batshuayi long shot came back off the post and fell to Costa who tapped it in after 39 seconds. Cuadrado made a run down the right and drilled a cross into Batshuayi’s feet, he rolls his defender and slots it past Butland at the near post. 2–0 after 10. Batshuayi scored his second not long after to make it 3–0. 15 minutes gone. A neat one two with Cuadrado on the edge of the box sees Batshuayi complete his first half hat trick and puts us 4–0 up after 40. Scenes! I’ve seen it all now, Kanté tries a through ball that deflects off the American Geoff Cameron and falls to the feet of Costa on the penalty spot. Tap in. Job done. 5–0. HALFTIME.
Glenn Whelan opened the scoring in the second half with a long range screamer on the 62nd minute mark. Whelan scored again in the 68th minute. 5–2 win. Would of taken that before the game!
Batshuayi is named in the team of the week.
Up next is an away fixture against Middlesborough. They are coming off a 6–0 tonking from Liverpool, so it’s a dangerous time to play them.
Team news: Willian and Hazard are out. Pedro is the only change, coming in for Kennedy.
We started quite strong. Pedro’s cross shot was ruled out after a foul from Batshuayi on the keeper after 10 minutes. Cuadrado’s cross in the 22nd deflects off George Friend and past Victor Valdes. 1–0. Friend then brings down Costa from a corner, Penalty! Fabregas slots it, 2–0. HALFTIME. Middlesbrough haven’t actually had a shot yet.
The second half gets underway and 10 minutes in, Costa’s at it again, tangling with Daniel Ayala. PEN! Stones steps up and sends the keeper the wrong way. A first goal for Stones at the club. No idea why he’s put himself on pens but he scored so i can’t complain. Fabregas got bullied. The game finishes 3–0. We’ll take it, it wasn’t flash but we looked very comfortable throughout!
It’s good to see Stones settling in well:
3 days later we welcomed West Brom in the Capital One Cup. I made 8 changes to the team that beat Middlesbrough. The two boys up front get a rest and a few more changes spread throughout the team.
Salomon Rondon opens the scoring in the 29th minute. Sloppy defending! A mis hit clearance and Djilobodji doesn’t squeeze up with back 3. He keeps Rondon onside as he slides one past begovic at the near post. 1–0. Just as we were about to head into halftime, Cuadrado breaks down the right, beats his man then hits a pinpoint cross straight onto Kennedy’s head. 1–1. HALFTIME.
I brought Kanté on for Mikel at halftime and Batshuayi on for Rahman after 60. Instant impact. Batshuayi heads a Kennedy cross onto the crossbar with his first touch and Cuadrado taps it in back post. 2–1 after 60. the game fizzled out over the next 30 minutes and finished 2–1.
We’ve been drawn a home fourth round fixture against Newcastle:
I finally have Willian and Hazard back in time to face West Brom at home for the second time this week. We have a much more experienced starting 11 this time out, so i’m hoping for a more polished performance.
This is easily my strongest 11: Oscar and Pedro make way for Hazard and Willian
We take the lead after 10 minutes. Batshuayi again! Some great movement from Costa sees him get free down the left and hangs a cross up for Batshuayi to come steaming in at the back post and nod home. 1–0. Similar to our previous meeting, there’s a goal just before halftime. This time it’s the other way round and it’s Rondon who breaks through, rounds Courtois and slides it home. Nightmare! Hint of offside, i blow up and the 4th official tells me to take a seat. 1–1. HALFTIME.
I let the boys know that’s not good enough, we need more in the second half. The first 15 minutes was very even and with Hazard and Willian tiring i had no choice but to bring on Oscar and Pedro. Kanté chips a through ball over the fullback for Pedro to run onto, He cuts inside and beats the center back then curls one into the side netting. 2–1 after 73 minutes. Costa heads one over from 2 yards out in the 80th minute. Ivanovic on for Khacheridi. we sit in for the last 10 minutes and see out the game. 2–1. FULLTIME
That win means we picked up maximum points in September securing 9 from 9. Plus a Capital One Cup win.
Batshuayi picks up Young Player Of The Month:
I get named Manager Of The Month:
I’ve had a board confidence update. They are very pleased with my overall leadership of the team and our attacking play, however they think we should be playing a more possession based game. “Jog On” I’m not Wenger!
It’s all pretty tight at the top. Man United, Man City and Everton are the only unbeaten teams still.
This is how the Top Goalscorer charts are looking:
Thank you for reading PART 3 of my CHELSEA FM16 Blog. Be sure to come back and check how we go in October!
#COMEONYOUBLUES
