Football Manager 2008

[Manny]

Right, being a student and general lowlife scum like most people on here I don't get out much when money is tight and spend most of my time watching crap on the box or playing games for no reason.

Been back on FM08 recently and being Bolton, found it increasingly stressful and annoying when you're expected to get into the Champions League without spending any money.

Whats the best position any of you have finished with Bolton in the first two seasons and any tips. Mid-table mediocrity and a decent cup run is all I can do.

[DannyW]

On my first save with 2008 i finished 3rd with Bolton in my second season but don't remember tactics too well, remember getting about 30mill to spend and bought pretty well, in van der Vaart, Nihat and Tymoshuck, good players you should try and sign who arnt too expensive.

Ive just started a new game with Bolton after downloading an updated data base i found on the SI forums with most of the latest transfers on it. Ive just reached January and im currently competing for a champions league place so doing pretty well.

I play 4-2-3-1 with Muamba and Joey O' as DMs, 2 wide attacking mids, usually Taylor and Davies, Nolan in an AMC and Elmander up top. Offers a good balance and if you have the wingers supporting the strikers they normally grab themselves a few goals. I used this formation at West Brom on my last save game so id gotten to know it pretty well, just had better players to execute it with at Bolton.

[Manny]

I'm going to try that formation. I think teams get used to my formation after a while and eventually I start getting hammered.

Lost Jussi to Barcelona at the end of my first season and struggled for a keeper since. Now got Andreas Isaksson, Steve Harper, David James and Al-Habsi fighting for the shirt (all crap, conceded the most in the league).

Here's my team (February 2009):
Andreas Isaksson, Gretar Steinsson, Gareth Bale, Gary Cahill, Jonathan Woodgate, Alou Diarra, Gavin McCann, El-Hadji Diouf, Ricardo Gardner, Andrei Arshavin, Billy Sharp.

Subs:
David James, Andy O'Brien, Matt Taylor, Kevin Nolan, Michael Mancienne, Fabio Rochemback, Kevin Davies.

Squad Players:
Nicky Hunt, Jlloyd Samuel, Blerim Dzemaili, Ricardo Vaz Te, Ali Al-Habsi, Steve Harper, Jaroslaw Fojut, Tamir Cohen, Heidar Helguson (plus others in reserve).

Set out like this:
---------------------Isaksson---------------------

Steinsson----------Woodgate------Cahill-----Bale--

--------------McCann--------Diarra---------------

Diouf--------------------------------------Gardner

---------------------Arshavin---------------------

-----------------------Sharp---------------------

[DannyW]

If your struggling for a keeper then I'd suggest Juan Pablo Carrizo from River Plate, although it depends on whether he's already moved. I signed him at west brom at the beginning of my second season, first in the prem, he' s good for a 23/24 year old and over a couple of years he becomes quality. I had him for 2 seasons then sold him for 20mill so good bit of business there.

[Manny]

That's how I managed to get Woodgate. Signed a 19-year-old Argentina defender called Eziquel Garay for £2m and sold him at the end of my first season to Spurs for £19.

Got Woodgate for £16 so got a better defender and made an overall £3m profit out of it and signed Sharp from Sheffield United. Really good striker.

[bwjackfc]

list of players who are young and great signings on it....

Ustari (GK)
Zapata (CB)
Briand (ST)


them 3 are pretty much available to sign to teams like bolton but some others require a better reputation.

i won everyhting there is to win with bolton within 4 years. not been on the game recently but will probably buy 09

[DannyW]

I'll add a young brazilian defender to that list, Sidnei he's called, normally ready for first team action in late second season, and definatly for beginning of the thrid season. I got him for nowt then sold him to Madrid for 20mill so shows how good he gets.

Ive just started a new game at Oxford in the conference. The aim is to get them to the Prem, ive done it on all FM games since 05 but not got round to it on 08 yet so im gonna try and do it before 09 comes out.

[Manny]

I've got a habit of picking out these young gems but then as soon as an offer comes in, the board accept it.

Sold Gary Cahill back to Villa for £13m and got Dawson in from Spurs for £6, who is rated better than Cahill. Dawson and Woodgate in defence, not too bad.

[DannyW]

I seem to find a few quality young players but alot of the time the problem is that they are Brazilian and it means i cant get them till they're 17 which means i dont get them as young as id like to get them to their full potential. Any players i find from england or europe tend only to go on to become decent or good players, i dont pick up many quality ones.

[Howfen White]

I'm Morecambe, I've only just started but I've got Ian Ashbee, Spencer Prior, Jody Morris and Marcus Stewart playing for me at the moment!