"2022 World Cup" - Rio de la Plata #FM20

April 3, 2020

Previously on Rio de la Plata, Ángel Bastardo won his fourth consecutive Uruguayan Primera División league title.

The Final Venue: Lusail Stadium | Capacity: 80,000 seats | Scheduled inauguration: 2021 | Status: in planning.

“Estimado señor o señora,

World Cup 2022 was always going to be my final adventure with La Celeste. I am taking this Uruguayan side into the Qatar World Cup as continental champions, having conquered South America in 2020’s Copa América. The squad I have chosen is a mixture of exuberant youth and guys who have seen this all before. All of them are warriors with the Garra Charrúa spirit, I assure you.

I can also assure you that I will do my best to continue the miracle of Uruguayan football. We will stay true to your country’s values and represent each and every one of you as best we can. This is our pledge.

Best Wishes,

Ángel Bastardo

Manager of Peñarol & La Celeste”.

The Group Stage

Group F

Belgium (ranked 5th in the World)

Uruguay (ranked 12th in the World)

Poland (ranked 23rd in the World)

Mali (ranked 46th in the World)

We started with a win against a Malian 4-4-2 low block, filmed live on-air with my podcasting co-host, Daniel Gear. Perhaps not the best game to stream and get your MVP on board, but we saw two goals: the predatory instincts of Edinson Cavani and a Maxi Gómez header. 3 points was the absolute minimum requirement and I am glad we came out of this game unscathed. Mali 0-2 Uruguay.

If we thought Mali's approach was disgusting, Belgium lined up in a defensive 3-4-3 DM formation against us in the second group game. The streamed game started poorly, not only was Dan Gear replaced with DatGuyJayCee, we also went down 1-0 after 4 mins to a Romelu Lukaku close range strike. But we're Bastardo's Uruguay…and we instantly rallied in the 1st half. A 15 minute period of exciting football saw us grab two goals: Gómez and Cavani once again the scorers. The 2nd half fizzled out, not only did Eden Hazard ping one into the top corner (with our GK taking a moment to relax), Belgium continued with the same defensive formation. Uruguay 2-2 Belgium at FT. 4 points from a possible 6 isn't bad, but it meant our fate went down to the final group game against Poland (who smashed Mali 5-2).

Going into the crunch match Vs Poland we were missing Gómez, due to suspension, and Cavani was a major doubt. Chatting to co-commentator FridayNightFM, I decided that we’d give Cavani the hour and play Suárez in place of Gómez. The remaining headache was Lucas Olaza, who was my only recognised ‘fit’ Left Back…despite his condition being jaded.

I was probably over worrying! Both Olaza & Cavani scored and we were comfortable throughout. Lucas Olaza in particular highlighted that condition means absolutely nothing in Football Manager 2020, as he bossed the left hand side of the pitch. Box-to-box he was sublime and quite rightly earned Man of the Match: Poland 0-2 Uruguay. We did not outscore Belgium though, so goal difference means we drew Germany instead of Netherlands.

Last 16

Uruguay Vs Germany (ranked 2nd in the World)

Nobody wants to face-off against Germany in a Last 16 tie, especially my FM20 Uruguayan side. Germany were the current European Champions in the save, having won Euro 2020, and now had Roger Schmidt in charge. Right away my guest commentator for the night, Matthias / FM Scribe, predicted that we’d see a very high pressing 4-4-2; and that’s exactly what we got. The wonder boys of Kai Havertz & Timo Werner were upfront, and on the wings they have the rapid pace of Leroy Sané & Serge Gnabry. Due to my stubbornness (and a lack of alternative familiarity in the 4-1-4-1 / 4-4-2 formations we had locked in), we’d go with the 4-1-3-2 Gallardo approach. Sometimes good football, sometimes frustratingly mundane.

Unfortunately, we never got going in the 1st half. A VAR decision correctly ruled out a José Giménez far post headed goal and my accompanying joy lasted only a second or two. Then it was a hard slog to Half-Time. On the way, Lucas Olaza (MOTM from the Poland game) came down with a foot injury…he was ruined. I decided to keep him on until Half-Time, where we’d review his situation and adjust. Big Mistake: a minute into injury time (due to Olaza’s injury of course) Lukas Klostermann played a ball from the touchline into space for Timo Werner to run onto. It was now a race to see who was the fastest, Olaza Vs Werner, and there was only one winner. Werner’s cross-cum-shot [DO NOT GOOGLE] was parried by our Goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, the ball then fell kindly for Kai Havertz to place into the net. 1-0 Germany. It’s pure FM shitness…a 45+1 minute goal.

Uruguay have a great First XI, but when you need to make changes…the lack of depth can quickly become evident. Our second Left Back, Federico Ricca of Sevilla, was also carrying a groin strain…so we turned to Lucas Torreira to deputise. We kept the 4-1-3-2 with Rodrigo Bentancur now playing in the Half-Back role, and hoped for a better 45 minutes.

Alas, it never really got going. Our system was relatively effective at coping with Germany, but a goal is what we needed. Plus, when you do get a golden chance…you need to take it. As Maxi Gómez proved on minute 69, when failing to beat Marc-André ter Stegen in a crucial 1v1 duel.

The game fizzled out in the last 20 minutes, but it left enough time for Nahitan Nández to grab two yellow cards in the space of three minutes (‘83 & ‘86). It summed up the frustrations that myself, and most of the stream, were feeling. But I suppose it wouldn’t be Uruguay without a bit of Garra Charrúa (Warrior Spirit) in the face of adversity.

It ended Uruguay 0-1 Germany. Ángel Bastardo’s 1,057 day spell in charge of the Uruguayan National Team had come to an end: 31 played - 16 wins - 7 draws and 8 losses. But please don’t forget that 2020 Copa América title he brought home to his adopted country!

Oh and Germany…

The Fall

Italian Referee Massimiliano Irrati blew his whistle for Full Time. Uruguay were exiting the World Cup and Bastardo's demons pulled him back to the painful realisation of failure. In that moment, the muscle memory in his hand reached for the concealed pistol in his blazer pocket…a habit of the old ways he could never shake. He turned to face Roger Schmidt and his backroom staff…but they were gone, and the crowds around both technical areas rapidly dispersed. Bastardo felt uneasy, something was off.

The screams of joy from spectators in the stands…suddenly turned to cries of fear. From across the field, by the far corner flag, stood Russia’s Superior Agent, Ruslan Chepiga. With two armed guards by his side, he paced towards Bastardo’s direction with equally measured strides. His polished black shoes kicking up dust from the scorched Qatari pitch. The guards wore striking Kevlar jackets, the yellow letters on them unmistakable: F-B-I. Americans. Americans advancing.

Without hesitation, Bastardo took the safety off his pistol and began to fire.

To Be Continued.

"Paradise Lost" - Rio de la Plata #FM20

March 23, 2020

Previously on Rio de la Plata, Bastardo’s Peñarol lost ground to Nacional.

Intro

Last time out on the blog it felt like we were embarking on a period of great regression. Not only did Nacional win an Opening Stage, we also lost on penalties in the Intermedio to the giants of Montevideo Wanderers. After three seasons of domestic success, Bastardo’s crown was up for grabs.

Today’s update is brief: a look back at the climax of the 2022 Closing Stage in the Primera División and a look ahead to the 2022 World Cup. Where Bastardo hopes to sign off his National Duty escapades with a World Cup win. Vamos…

Season 2022

Domestic

The reaction from the players in the Closing Stage was pleasing (was it the three bastards from Argentina that helped?). We equalled our best ever Closing Stage, from season one : 11 wins, 3 draws and 1 loss. The highlight being a set piece special away in Nacional’s Estadio Gran Parque Central. A thumping own-goal header from an Agustín Álvarez freekick put us on our way, before a second half penalty converted by Facundo Milán helped arrange a Play-Off showdown with Montevideo’s most tragic of clubs.

The domestic showpiece (played for the first time in this save) was a horrible watch and no advert for Uruguayan football. It can be re-watched in the short-term over on Twitch, before it’s reported and taken down for crimes against Football Manager. We ultimately fought our way into the penalty shootout, which I was pleased for as somebody would now have to show the cojones needed to win! Up steps Matías de los Santos in sudden death to win the title with his last kick in a Peñarol shirt before leaving. He joins Palmeiras for around €4m…representing our biggest transfer sale in this save so far.

For as long as I remain Peñarol boss, there will be those hating on my successes. My reaction to this hate has always been consistent: kill them with trophies (which now stands at 9 trophies in 4 seasons). This latest domestic title is our 4th in a row in FM20 and means that Peñarol now have won six in a row: a Uruguayan record. Haters will be crying.

Our 2022 top performers (all comps) are below:

Goals: Facundo Milán (19 goals), Tobías Zárate (13 goals) & Agustín Canobbio (8 goals)
Assists: Agustín Canobbio (11 assists), Matías de los Santos (10 assists) & Giovanni González (9 assists)
Average Rating: Agustín Álvarez (7.65), Matías de los Santos (7.55) & Emmanuel Mas (7.36)

Continental

Continental woes continue however, as we were drawn with current Libertadores holders Boca Juniors in the First Knockout Round. The difference in class was easy to see as we exited with a 6-2 aggregate loss - Boca’s FM20 acquisitions have led to them owning some of the continent’s best players like Wuilker Fariñez, Leonardo Balerdi & Agustín Manzur. Boca went on to defend their title in the Final Vs Flamengo before losing out 1-0 to the Brazilians.

Los 23 jugadores de Bastardo

I’m really looking forward to the International element over the next 2 months in my save: we’re off to the World Cup as Copa América title holders. Immediately after that tournament win, I decided to phase out certain oldies and introduce a few youngsters, and the outcome is a 23 man squad full of youthful exuberance…but with a hint of tournament know-how experience.

For the 2022 World Cup squad, I have the seven players under the age of 25; who all have a chance being in the First XI for our opening game Vs Mali. The three Centre Backs of Ronald Araújo, Sebastián Cáceres & Bruno Méndez (all 23) have the fight to replace Diego Godín (who, now aged 36, ends on 160 International Caps) and partner Elite Centre Back José Giménez.

The two youngest players in the squad are Peñarol’s Ezequiel Busquets (22) and Anderlecht’s Juan Manuel Gutiérrez (20) - who has beaten Matías Arezo as the youthful Striker to complement Maxi Gómez (26) and the veterans of Edinson Cavani & Luis Suárez (both 35). It’s unlikely I will partner both oldies together upfront, but I simply couldn’t overlook giving these two one last tournament before they inevitably retire. 134 goals in 285 International caps between them…beautiful.

As followers of FMG may know, I kind of like to make a big deal out of my mediocrity at Football Manager. So, to celebrate my final few games of International football in Football Manager 2020, I will be streaming Full Match VirginFM over on Twitch: twitch.tv/fm_grasshopper.

It’s obviously pandemic dependent (and all the force majeure that comes with it), but I hope to stream my games for others to watch on the below dates and times:

Mali Vs Uruguay - Tuesday 24 March 2020 - 2000 UK time
Uruguay Vs Belgium - Wednesday 25 March 2020 - 2000 UK time
Poland Vs Uruguay - Friday 27 March 2020 - 2000 UK time

I can’t promise good football…a facecam/greenscreen…or even any decent chat whatsoever. But if you wanted to get a beer and watch virtual football, there’s no better time, seeing as the World has given up on real football anyway.

Expectations? I’m hoping to get out of the Group Stages and into the Knockouts. This means I need to start well Vs Mali, take what I can against Belgium and then face a crunch game with Poland. If we can do that, then there’s hope that our momentum takes us all the way to the grand finale. You’ve got to dream, right?

Paradise Lost

The full Caporegime stood in military formation on the tarmac of Montevideo's Carrasco International Airport. They were there anticipating the arrival of Don Bastardo who would board his private flight to Qatar, along with the Uruguayan National Team, at noon. At the foreground of the huge posse, the Venezuelan Free Folk stood motionless…loyal statues willing to fight for the Peñarol cause. These 50 partisan warriors were led by 20 year-old Hugo Ojeda - now the Head of Bastardo's security services. Despite his youthful looks, his broad frame towered over most of the Free Folk and his smart grey suit glistened in the Summer sun. He had grown into a man during his 5 years in Montevideo, with the full respect of his people and the melange of the Argentine & Uruguayans that had joined Bastardo's journey.

Hugo advanced towards the creeping jet black modified Renault Kwid, Bastardo's luxury city cruiser emblazoned in the black and yellow of Peñarol. The car grounded to a halt as Hugo opened the door to reveal Bastardo to the masses.

"Hola patrón, the aircraft is ready and players are on board" Hugo announced proudly, "We leave in 10 minutes after safety checks. Destination: Qatar".

Bastardo eased out of the car with the deftly stillness as he often did "Just I, Hugo" Bastardo replied, "You're to remain here, with your people".

Hugo rushed his response, not realising how juvenile it sounded: "But, I'm your head of security. I need to be there…given the threats made on you".

Bastardo took off his sunglasses to pay one final glance at Hugo with his own eyes "You're exactly where you need to be Hugo". Bastardo passed over an envelope, the seal visibly untouched, and placed it into the hands of Hugo Ojeda. A red lion amongst golden flames: Bastardo's seal.

"Execute Operation Isabella, do not hesitate and show no mercy" Bastardo said, before coolly walking towards the aircraft's steps for Destination Qatar…

"Rule Of Three" - Rio de la Plata #FM20

March 8, 2020

Previously on Rio de la Plata, Ángel Bastardo turned boys into men.

It’s 2022 and AI controlled Nacional have finally woken up!

Intro

The Rule of Three is a writing practice that assumes that a trio of things are more memorable to the reader, even if we don’t consciously notice it at the time. As a Blogger, using the rule of three makes me appear [somewhat] catchy and relatable (lol). An example from this blog series is Hugo, Ruslan and Ángel kicking off the FM20 blog, or the start/middle and end of most of my blog posts. Using the Rule of Three is also specifically applicable to today’s blog post which takes a look at the Uruguayan Premier Division, where the rule of three is demonstrated it its structure and design. The 3 stages of Opening, Intermedio and Closing offer managers a classic Latin American experience. Effectively three attempts to win a league title. If you don’t win the Opening, don’t worry, there’s always the Closing; and if you don’t win either: just be consistent through the mid-season Intermedio and hope to top the Overall table.

This is all topical for the generic save update you’re about to read (if you stick with me), where the rule of three remains present throughout…

Season 2022

Domestic

We began our 4th season with a nervy penalty win Vs Boston River to win our 8th trophy: the Uruguayan Super Cup. From then on though, I can’t really fault the first two and a half months of our league campaign. But FM can be cruel sometimes, especially in Uruguay’s bitesize league chunks…where a couple of bad results see us miss out on the Opening Stage win. AI controlled Nacional going unbeaten, which included a gut wrenching win in our own stadium. Sickening and equally unacceptable.

Until now, Bastardo’s Peñarol has won each of the last six possible Opening and Closing stages (and therefore three straight titles). So, Nacional’s unbeaten stage has come as a real surprise and perhaps highlights some complacency creeping into Uruguay’s most successful club. We needed a big Intermedio campaign…

Intermedio

Six wins and one draw saw us hit form in the mid-season tournament. But the complacency once again manifested itself with a wasteful draw, and subsequent penalty loss, against Montevideo Wanderers in the trophy showpiece. I can’t quite put my finger on what’s missing, perhaps it’s Mauro Zárate’s big game heroics or a lack of fibra when it matters. Something I would need to address in the Transfer Market before going into the Closing Stage.

Continental

At one point in the Copa Libertadores we looked like we were in trouble of not getting out of the group. But we finished strongly with two wins to see us qualify for the Copa Libertadores Knockouts, which is now the Board’s minimum requirement. Our reward is a re-match with Boca Juniors, who knocked us out at the Quarter Final Stage two years ago.

I’ve put weekly friendlies in place in the lead up to the end of July fixtures and it’s probably a good time to face an Argentine club like Boca Juniors, seeing that it’s in their early pre-season. Fingers crossed for a Peñarol upset!

Rule Of Three [Competitions]

What we have in Uruguay are three distinct competitions that feed points into an overall table: Opening, Closing & Mid-Season’s Intermedio. The reason for this is that you can have various winners through the year, that then play one another in the final stages in order to crown the ‘Annual Grand Champion’ (I wrote about this in a bit more detail here).

Until now, I’ve never had to worry about it. My Peñarol side have won outright by winning every Opening/Closing stage and topping each Overall Table. But Nacional’s 2022 Opening Stage win changes that, and Bastardo’s Bastards are preparing for end of year drama this time round. Additionally, 2022 could possibly give us the unique situation of three winners battling it out. Nacional have their place as Opening Stage winners, but their total collapse in the Intermedio (dropping 14 points) and our rise to form…mean we have an 8 point lead in the Overall Table (see below).

The Closing Stage could add a third team into the mix, which would make domestic football exciting again, at least for the neutrals. Or it could simply mean Nacional and Peñarol fight it out for supremacy.

One thing is for sure though, Bastardo isn’t going to cede his crown easily…

Rule Of Three [Free Transfers]

I alluded to the point previously that I needed a bit more fibra and proficiency in the big games. It just so happens that the moves to correct this deficiency also aligned itself with the Rule Of Three: Schunke, Fernández & Blandi all joining from the Argentine Superliga on Free Transfers. This brings the total number of concurrent Argentines in the Peñarol squad to six, which is three more than the First XI quota for domestic games. Nothing exceeds like excess, right?

Estudiantes de La Plata ally Jonathan Schunke is by no means a first choice CB, but he offers professionalism and experience and will be welcome in our setup. Julián Fernández, on the other hand, is a fibra machine. Strong mentally and at the peak of his physical powers, he’ll be the perfect Half-Back to compete with Agustín Álvarez, who I praised last time out on the blog. The signature of Nicolás Blandi is reminiscent of Lucas Viatri, who I inherited when kicking off this save. Like Viatri, Nicolás Blandi is ex-Boca with good movement and finishing - something I am hoping to see in the upcoming Copa Libertadores knockout games.

Rule Of Three [Months]

The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar (which I will blog as Uruguay’s National Team manager) means that the domestic and continental club calendars end a month earlier in October, which produces a congested fixture list…where the games come thick and fast over three months. I believe, with the youth coming through and the aforementioned Argentine reinforcements, Peñarol can mount a defensive and retain our league title from the clutches of Nacional.

Strap in for the ride…

As always, thanks for reading/sharing/caring.

FM Grasshopper

"Boyz II Men" - Rio de la Plata #FM20

February 12, 2020

Previously on Rio de la Plata, Ángel Bastardo swapped Zárate for Zárate.

Intro

“Bastardo, ooh na-na, Half of his heart is in La Plata, ooh-na-na”

Transitioning young players into a thriving First Team squad is not as straightforward as you’d think, there are demands and expectation on Bastardo’s Peñarol like never before. Could Bastardo win his 3rd straight league title? Would they cope without the flamboyance of Mauro Zárate? Could the team challenge for the Libertadores title, 34 years after the club’s last success? Given this pressure, it takes a brave manager to put faith in youth; it takes a club with cojones to turn boys to men. This is Bastardo’s Peñarol.

Today’s post summarises Season 3, then moves on to look at Youth Development…before concluding with a v.brief update from the National team. ¡Vamos!

Season 2021

Domestic

We finished our 3rd season with a domestic treble: League, Super Cup and the mid-season Intermedio Cup (as blogged last time out). Once again our ‘stage’ coincided with a match engine update, and once again it altered the form and trends of the league. On this occasion though, it suited us…losing only once (to Danubio away) since updating shortly before the Liverpool match. The Gallardo-inspired 4-1-3-2 producing some scintillating stuff to win the Closing Stage on the final day of the season…

We top the Overall Table once again, with a healthy lead over 2nd place River Plate Montevideo. In addition, our main rivals Nacional finished in a disappointing 4th position. We scored more goals (+25) and conceded less (2) when compared with last season, so there are reasons to be cheerful…but I am still wishing for an unbeaten domestic calendar year. Maybe next year.

Our 2021 top performers (all comps) are below:

Goals: Luis Acevedo (21 goals), Mauro Zárate (16 goals) & Francisco Ginella (9 goals)
Assists: Emmanuel Mas (9 assists), Matías de los Santos (8 assists) & Agustín Canobbio (7 assists)
Average Rating: Agustín Álvarez (7.54), Ezequiel Busquets (7.49) & Matías de los Santos (7.41)

Continental
Copa Libertadores humiliation came in the form of a Second Round 4-1 exit Vs Corinthians this season. The battles with Argentina and Brazil will continue if I’m ever to win this trophy…with both nations having a duopoly over the competition in FM20:

Copa Libertadores Past Winners in FM20.png

Financially I cannot compete with either nation, and this financial gap will likely grow as Peñarol receive no domestic prize money whatsoever. The money we make instead comes from gate receipts and Libertadores prize money, so we’d need to use this carefully. I always knew this was the case when choosing my save, which has led me to keep and adhere to the Club Vision of developing players via the club’s youth system (something I noted down in my FM20 intro).

This is a nice segue into my post’s next section, but even if you don’t want to read that far…please note: 7 homegrown youngsters from the Peñarol youth system have played over twenty 1st team games this season. It might not look much at first glance, but it’s a large portion of the team’s make-up. It’s been three years in the making, but I feel I am slowly starting to realise a Peñarol Golden Generation (think América de Cali 2020, but possibly better), something that might just upset the above Libertadores duopoly in future years…

Boyz II Men

CurrentGen

I am not going to detail every young player coming through, but I’ll revisit the previous four I wrote about in my 1st season at Peñarol. These guys have been a success in the first team and although they are still here with me, I consider them to be ‘graduating’ (as Boys to Men) and who no longer require further updates after today’s post.

Agustín Canobbio - born 1998

With their movement and technical qualities Wingers make good ‘Central Wingers’. Hardly surprising is it? Agustín Canobbio hasn’t quite hit the heights from his 1st season with me, when played as a Winger (and scoring 18 goals in the process!). But I am willing to overlook Season 3 as Agustín’s year of transition: moving as a wide player and slotting into our midfield as a Mezzala on Attack. It’s also been 12 months of niggling injuries for Canobbio and this has obviously impacted on how quickly he has adapted.

The most worrying injury was 2 months out with a knee injury and then two bouts of a virus which completely ruined his fitness. The record is quite worrying:

Agustín is my top earner now and needs a good 2022 if he’s going to stay in Montevideo with Peñarol. His record to date under Bastardo: 117 appearances and 33 goals. We need more from him.

Bastardo's graduation report:

+ Slight room for growth, which will hopefully be used at becoming Natural at MC.
+ A Match Winner on his day.
- A worrying injury record and requires careful management to get the best out of him.

Matías de los Santos - born 1998

Everybody likes a Homegrown Fringe Player to Star Player fairy tale. Matías de los Santos has peaked and I’m loving it. In the Roaming Playmaker role he’s like my homemade version of Steven Gerrard, picking it up and…well roaming. He has a large influence in our game and at the epicentre for a lot of our great team moves. He recently signed a new deal removing a transfer release clause, which was a concern…seeing as he is one of Peñarol’s Favoured Personnel nowadays.

However, the major downside is that he has now probably peaked and Youth Development was not perfect for him. I never got the Player Traits from Mentoring and in return I got a decline in Determination. [Sh]It happens, we live with it and move on.

Bastardo's graduation report:

+ Matías de los Santos has a real affinity with the fans. He’s in serious contention when the Vice-Captain role becomes available.
+ Our No.8 now has 123 appearances and 21 goals for Bastardo’s Peñarol.
- The gains have dried up a bit.

Ezequiel Mechoso - born 2000

Training Ezequiel Mechoso as a Central Midfielder on Attack for the best part of two years meant that the switch to playing him as a Mezzala on Attack wasn’t so much of a jump for him in the new 4-1-3-2. Profiting from Canobbio’s injuries over 2021, Mechoso has staked a claim at this role but additionally he has also been tried out as a replacement playmaker for de los Santos. It means Mechoso gets the one thing that a player his age needs to develop: game time.

Three years ago I added an extra session to his training (Attacking Movement), and I’ve seen growth in his Anticipation (+4), Decisions (+4) and Off The Ball (+3). Instead of keeping this going, I am now going to switch his extra session in order to improve ‘Shooting’: Finishing, Long Shots and Technique. It’s really the former two I want to see improved, seeing that Mechoso will get into shooting positions in the Attacking Mezzala role.

I am confident we will see a rise here, due to Mechoso not quite at his ceiling:

Bastardo's graduation report:

+ Mechoso now has 87 games in a Peñarol shirt.
+ Peñarol’s most valued player in December 2021.
- Never naturally found a Player Trait via Mentoring.

Ezequiel Busquets - born 2000

It’s funny that the guy who impressed the least last time round is the only one to gain an International cap. Obviously that’s down to a few factors, not only am I the Uruguayan National team manager…gaining a cap internationally at Right Back is much easier than in the Uruguayan Engine Room. Nevertheless, Ezequiel Busquets impresses whenever he plays.

This is despite not making many gains. Technically there has been hardly any improvement in 3 years, instead growth appears in both the Mental and Physical areas of his game. In particular, I am happy with the +4 growth in Determination (something I sought to correct in the previous Youth Dev post)…having been in a Mentoring Group with some Elder statesmen.

3 years ago Busquets was Bastardo’s 1st choice in the Uruguayan U20 setup. In 2022, Busquets might just do enough to be in a World Cup squad [spoiler].

Bastardo's graduation report:

+ A solid Primera División Right Back.
+ Peñarol’s third highest valued player in December 2021.
- Technically may never be impressive enough to be elite level.

NextGen

So, we’ve seen four players integrated from Day 1 of this save and each of them have risen to stardom. The next four players you’ll see are a mixture of success and frustrations, which was my deliberate decision to highlight that Youth Development isn’t always straightforward. We will start with the good…

Facundo Torres - born 2000

Starting with the oldest of the new Boyz II Men project, Facu Torres has done fairly well as a make-shift Deep Lying Forward on Support duty. Especially in the final three games of the 2021 season with 4 goals and 1 assist to help us win the title. I’ve played him as a Striker in his first 12 months with us in the 1st team and he’s moved from Accomplished to Natural. There has been glimpses of a top player and I definitely plan to keep him and use him as a DLF understudy, but he’s no Mauro Zárate.

My immediate plans with Facu is to add a few Player Traits. I’m thinking either ‘Runs With Ball Often’, to make use of his Dribbling or ‘Plays One Twos’ in order to increase the likelihood of some pass and move combinations with onrushing Mezzalas.

Bastardo's reflection:

+ Potential still to fill.
+ Successfully adapted as a Natural Striker.
- Need to add some Player Traits.

Agustín Álvarez - born 2001

If there is one youngster that benefited from the move to playing a 4-1-3-2 with a Half-Back, it’s Agustín Álvarez. Before that, the deeper DM role in the side was occupied by playmakers: Walter Gargano and the two youngster previously mentioned: de los Santos & Mechoso. But ditching the wingers in favour of central runners, and advancing the playmaker role into the midfield strata, opened up a clear pathway for Álvarez…and boy did he take it!

Despite a hideous score of 1 for Aggression, Álvarez’s performances have outshone Club Captain Guzmán Pereira and he is now my 1st choice Half-Back. With 33 starts in 2021, Agustín Álvarez tops the Average Rating score with 7.54 (all comps). This has attracted the interest of China, including Shanghai Shenhua, who could trigger the €1.2m release clause at any minute.

Both learned Player Traits came from Walter Gargano via Mentoring and I feel they’ve really added to his game as a Half-Back. Especially the switching of play, where he often has full sight of the pitch given his withdrawn position in our 4-1-3-2.

Bastardo's reflection:

+ Nearing his peak.
+ Our top performer and an integral part of our new tactic.
- Perilous transfer release clause that we’ll have to review via DoF contract negotiations.

Andrés Acuña - born 2002

Now on to two guys who I feel I have let down a bit in FM20, incidentally both called Andrés. First up is Andrés Acuña, a fast striker who joined us in the 1st Youth Intake. I was immediately happy with how he looked, as I love the Advanced Forward role and there was no question that this was the role I would train him in.

After winning the Uruguayan U19 and Reserve competitions with 12 goals in 20 appearances and turning 18 years old, he looked ready for 1st team football. So I sent him off to Cerro Largo where he played 7 times and did not score, before experiencing relegation to the Segunda División. A masterclass of Youth Development right there from Bastardo! He’ll return to Peñarol for 2022 and I’m of the belief that he needs a few months with me after Cerro Largo…hopefully he’ll find his shooting boots in the Reserves and possibly with the 1st team as our 3rd choice Advanced Forward.

Bastardo's reflection:

+ At least 2 Stars of ability to fill.
+ Suits our new 4-1-3-2, where having a supporting player alongside Andrés could free him to do the one thing I demand from my most advanced forward: to score goals.
- Awful loan spell. I’m sorry Andrés.

Andrés Cabrera - born 2003

Despite not featuring in the first team, Andrés Cabrera has been included in this little update because things have not gone so well. It wasn’t that long ago that Andrés was the youngster that was the most highly rated at the club - a Newgen from the 1st Youth Intake. But I’ve included him to show that youth development in FM isn’t an exact science and there are many pitfalls in the way from preventing a guy from reaching his potential. He’s still only 18, so I’m not completely ruling out his Peñarol future…but his critical make-or-break year is now upon us.

A 4 month hip injury, days into his loan away from the club (with Club Atlético Cerro), set the tone for his 2021. I know from experience that hip injuries are nasty, a friend in youth football had one and never recovered. His brain continued to move fast post-injury but his body could never keep up. The lack of mobility is frustrating to see and I hope the same doesn’t happen to Cabrera. I recalled him right away as I wanted him to recover with our facilities and not the loanee club’s. Nursing him back to injury, FM tells me to place him on an individual rehab-training regime; in order to help him recover strength. I’ve chosen an individual focus of ‘General Rehab’ that works on all the Physical attributes (excluding Natural Fitness).

Shoulda, woulda, coulda means I’m outta of time. But in hindsight I should have kept Andrés Cabrera with me at Peñarol and tried to correct his unambitious mentality - as this will influence how he applies himself to training. I feel like I have wasted a year with him, but at 18 years of age…time is, just about, on our side.

Bastardo's reflection:

+ “Brave, committed and considered a Leader” accordingtofm.
+ Still room for growth.
- A year wasted was perhaps the kick up the arse we both needed. Trainer and Trainee, we need to be better.

Meanwhile as the Heir to Tabárez…

I have rambled on long enough, but here’s just a quick note to tell you that Uruguay qualified for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar! A ‘final day comeback draw’ (is this a thing?) against Brazil was enough to secure our place as the 4th best qualifier. But don’t judge those rankings, Bastardo’s Uruguay are still the reigning Copa América champions and we’ll look to win the World Cup in a year’s time.

The tournaments are what make International Management bearable in Football Manager, so I’ll aim to blog this event before resigning (whatever the outcome) in order to concentrate on club duties with Peñarol. A club where boys become men…

As always, thanks for reading/sharing/caring,

FM Grasshopper

"The Zárate Swap" - Rio de la Plata #FM20

January 29, 2020

Previously on Rio de la Plata, Bastardo’s Peñarol won a second league title and the Caporegime neared completion.

Intro

Ángel Bastardo always knew that signing Mauro Zárate would come with controversy. After 18 goals and 12 assists in his 1st season in Uruguay, Zárate rejected Peñarol’s new contract extension…meaning he leaves in 6 month’s time for Poland…for nothing (!). Legia Warszawa are the team to offer 34-year-old Zárate one last European adventure and despite the disloyalty shown, Bastardo always respected the maverick nature of his fellow countryman. However, with Zárate’s decision came opportunities: a new Match Engine (from FM’s Public Beta), meaning that Peñarol could switch things up tactically sooner than expected, and a chance to proactively move on from the dependency on Zárate’s mercurial talents. Or could they?

Welcome to The Zárate Swap…

Season 2021

From 4-4-2 to 4-1-3-2

I expected to continue with the 4-1-4-1 that had brought success over the previous two years, albeit with some frustrating moments. These moments are probably not in relation to my tactic, more so the endemic nature of the current FM20 match engine. However a blessing arrived in early January: the public beta! Match Engine v2031 isn’t so bad now. So, I decided to go with two up top for the first time in this save: Mauro Zárate as my dreamboat Deep Lying Forward and an Advanced Forward, who could run onto his through balls and finish (usually Luis Acevedo).

Initially I tried a flat 4-4-2 and although I was getting some results, I didn’t like the highlights on offer. The football just didn’t seem exciting and I was getting some really tight games…I mean 1-0 Vs Cerro Largo FC, come on! It all culminated in a 1-0 loss away against Nacional and I quickly decided enough was enough.

Instead, we’d turn to a replication of the Marcelo Gallardo 4-1-3-2 system, which I wrote about as part of my Football Manager Tactics series. Adoption of this tactic came one season earlier than I would have hoped, as I wanted to transition and externally recruit a Mezzala or two before I tried it with Peñarol. So I quickly instructed the DoF to submit a Deadline Day offer for transfer listed Francisco Ginella (of Wanderers), who can play this role. In addition, I did the sensible thing and started re-training a wide Attacker to play the attacking variant: Agustín Canobbio. You’ll often find Wingers like Canobbio doing well in this role, as the Mezzala requirements correlate with the good Technicals of Dribbling, First Touch & Technique that effective Wingers [should] also possess.

Francisco Ginella - my new €205k signing from Wanderers.

Agustín Canobbio - re-training as an attacking Mezzala.

There’s no need to wax lyrical about this formation, as you can re-read my love for that in the Gallardo replication article. But what I would say is that this tactic is a bit of a hackz on the current v2031 match engine. If your three central midfielders can shoot, you’ll see many ridiculous volleys and long-range efforts go in. I have also found playing a Half Back with "‘Likes To Switch The Ball To The Other Flank’ extremely effective too, on numerous occasions in a match he will recycle the ball and release the Wing Backs who provide a cross to the Advanced Forward, which results in a goal.

Domestic

The switch to 4-1-3-2 brought about 8 wins and 1 draw to see us win the Opening Stage once more - the Nacional result obviously still hurts…but the recovery from that result is encouraging. Also don’t overlook that Super Cup win…Bastardo’s 5th FM20 career trophy and 4th with Peñarol.

Continental

The 2021 Copa Libertadores campaign has been tough going. We narrowly lost to Argentine 2020/21 Superliga Champions Independiente in injury time and also had frustrating draws at home in Peru Vs Melgar and away in Venezuela Vs Deportivo Lara. However, we just about did enough in the end to go through to the Knockouts with a 79th minute Acevedo equaliser in Peru’s second largest city: Arequipa.

Next up is heavyweights from Brazil, and popular figures, Corinthians.

The Zárate Swap

Usually I would stop my update here and not document the mid-season Intermedio tournament, instead leaving this for the end-of-year save update. However, it felt right to tie this in with 34-year old Mauro Zárate’s final few games for Peñarol. In short: Mauro Zárate’s hat-trick Vs Boston River (in a 6-0 demolition) ensured a 5th Peñarol FM20 trophy and our 1st Intermedio cup win of the save:

Mauro Zárate’s last touch in a Peñarol shirt was to complete a hat-trick, before being subbed to a standing ovation…

Mauro Zárate’s 18 months in Uruguay has been pretty decent: 69 games, 34 goals, 17 assists, 3 cups and 1 league title. I knew that he came with a lot of baggage and could have caused a nuisance in Uruguay, but he’s been nothing but the gifted No.10 I always hoped he’d be. It’s a real shame to be losing him, when I feel he could provide at least two more years of brilliance. So, how on earth do you replace a guy like Mauro? Well, you do The Zárate Swap:

20-year-old Tobías Zárate, nephew of Mauro, joins Team Bastardo on a Free Transfer from Vélez Sarsfield. He comes with a reputation as a goalscorer with 15 goals scored during 2020/21 whilst on loan at Santamarina in Argentina’s Primera B Nacional. It’s an obvious shame I couldn’t field Uncle and Nephew together upfront, but Tobías is gifted with the famed Zárate DNA with high Technicals in Dribbling, Finishing and Technique. Meaning that perhaps the elder Zárate will not be overly missed? Only time will tell…

As always, thanks for reading/sharing/caring.

FM Grasshopper