Senior Squad review - Grasshopper Club Zürich #FM16

Today's blog is a 1st team review of Grasshopper Club Zürich (GCZ) in FM16. I'll be focussing on the immediate challenges and areas that need strengthening from Day 1. I will finish off by discussing likely tactics and offer an insight into how I will be approaching my save on Nov 13th.

The first thing I always consult when joining a new squad is the reports view within the squad screen. The ability, potential and recommendation star rating system are a initial indication as to who my important players are.  So I can see straight away that there are 4 stand out players (Källström, Ravet, Dabbur and Caio), who will be discussed further below. 

Goalkeepers

GCZ have two evenly classed Goalkeepers, with Joel Mall (24) signing from Thun in the summer.  Mall will compete with Vaso Vasic (25) during pre-season for the No.1 spot.  From looking at attributes Joel Mall slightly shades it in my opinion, although I am worried about his Determination stat of 3:

  • Joel Mall (24 years old), earning £1.5k until 2017
  • Vaso Vasic (25 years old), earning £1.8k until 2017

Recommendation: With transfer funds low, I would advise keeping the two GKs as they are and rotate on form and attitude.  Certainly this is a position I may need to think about from Season 2 or 3... 

Full Backs/Wing Backs

At GCZ, there are 3 full backs: left sided Nemanja Antonov (20), right sided Benjamin Lüthi (26) and versatile Moritz Bauer (23) who can play both DL and DR.  As it stands all 3 will get game time with Bauer able to play both in both flanks.  However, should an injury arise early on in the season, I may need to approach another left sided fullback. Personally, Moritz Bauer is the better defender but I may need to select these three based on the opponent I play:

  • Nemanja Antonov (20 years old), earning £2k a week until 2019
  • Moritz Bauer (23 years old), earning £1.8k a week until 2016
  • Benjamin Lüthi (26 years old), earning £1.8k a week until 2017

Recommendation: The immediate action for me is to extend Bauer's contract.  Not only does he cover both flanks, at 23 he is likely to improve a bit more.  I certainly do not want to lose him, as it effectively means I need to recruit at least another 2 players!  As mentioned above, rotating these three will be key depending on the opposition. A game where I am expecting space in the final third might merit Antonov and Lüthi's involvement, whereas a problematic opposition winger may need Bauer's marking skills. Considering a loan to provide further cover...

Central Defenders

GCZ have three decent central defenders (Levent Gülen, Alban Pnishi and Alexandre Barthe) with another two youthful covers (Noah Loosli and Jean-Pierre Rhyner). From the onset I plan to play with 2 central defenders, so with frequent rotating I could get away with not reinforcing here.  New signing Alexandre Barthe is perhaps the better defender with much needed experience:

  • Noah Loosli (18 years old), earning £600 a week until 2016
  • Jean-Pierre Rhyner (19 years old), earning £625 a week until 2017
  • Levent Gülen (21 years old), earning £2.5k a week until 2017
  • Alban Pnishi (24 years old), earning £1.9k a week until 2018
  • Alexandre Barthe (29 years old), earning £2.4k a week until 2018

Recommendation: I plan to rotate in pre-season and see how the 3 experienced CBs are performing with one another. Using Loosli and Rhyner could be an option in cup games, provided they are partnered with an experienced team-mate.

Central midfielders

For a vital position of the pitch, GCZ is somewhat lacking here.  We have a very special Deep Lying Playmaker in new signing Kim Källström (32) who will most certainly become one of the chief playmakers in the team. To assist Kim, we have Marco Basic (27) who provides solid defensive cover in the centre of the pitch. We also have Harun Alpsoy (18), who has the potential to be a solid Super League player in the future.

  • Kim Källström (32 years old), earning £7.25k a week until 2018
  • Marko Basic (27 years old), earning £2.6k a week until 2018
  • Harun Alpsoy (18 years old), earning £800 a week until 2018

Recommendation: I definitely need to strengthen in this area.  If Källström is to flourish as my DLP, he needs protection.  So I plan to play at least one central midfielder alongside Kim, if not two - perhaps a Ball Winning Midfielder AND a Central Mid (defend) in certain games.

Attacking Midfielders/Wingers

The positions within the space between the midfield and the attack are perhaps GCZ's strongest area.  With adequate cover in the AML, AMC and AMR positions.  Caio and Yoric Ravet are the experienced heads with over 100 GCZ appearances between them. A tactic will need to focus on utilising both players.  I have already focussed on Caio in a previous blog, so here is Yoric Ravet:

My initial thoughts about Yoric Ravet is that he will play effectively as an Inside Forward.  He has good Pace, Dribbling and Off The Ball & he also has associated Player Preferred Moves (PPM) such as Move Into Channels and Tries Killer Balls Often.  This dynamism is perfect for the IF role.  One thing to note is that Ravet's preferred foot will be different after the Winter Data update, as the Left Foot stat has been slightly exaggerated.  I am still in two minds whether or not to edit the DB or base my role dependant on an enhanced left foot.  For instance, Cuts Inside PPM can actually combine with a left footed right sided player very well...especially if that player is playing as an Inside Forward.

The other notable talents are Nikola Gjorgjev (17), Shani Tarashaj (20) and Mergim Brahimi (22) who with game time will no doubt become solid Swiss Super League players.  I am especially excited by both Gjorgjev and Tarashaj who I expect will become regular Swiss International players with the correct development.

  • Nikola Gjorgjev (17 years old), earning £170 a week until 2017
  • Shani Tarashaj (20 years old), earning £3k a week until 2019
  • Mergim Brahimi (22 years old), earning £1.5k a week until 2018
  • Yoric Ravet (25 years old), earning £5.5k a week until 2017
  • Caio (29 years old), earning £6.25k a week until 2018

Recommendation: All of the above players are pretty versatile and interchangeable within the attacking midfield positions.  For this reason, this is one area where no immediate changes are necessary.  Longer term, I may wish to cash in on Caio or Ravet to maximise their sale value...and I certainly should be focussed on developing the younger three players - who will hopefully go on to great things at GCZ.

Strikers

The most valuable player in the squad is Munas Dabbur, who aged 23 yeas represents GCZ's best chance of scoring goals. The immediate challenge is keeping hold of him as there will no doubt be many clubs looking to sign him.  Dabbur has very good Finishing and Off The Ball stats and is completely two footed.  If you want to know why two-footedness is so important for a Striker, read here.

Other than Dabbur, there really is not much to talk about here.  There are upcoming young strikers who show potential like Florian Kamberi and Manuel Kubli (both 20) and another two wild cards in Sherko Kareem and Semir Music (both 19).  Shani Tarashaj can also naturally play Striker as well.

  • Sherko Kareem (19 years old), earning £900 a week until 2018
  • Semir Music (19 years old), earning £850 a week until 2015 (Dec)
  • Florian Kamberi (20 years old), earning £1.6k a week until 2019
  • Manuel Kubli(20 years old), earning £625 a week until 2017
  • Munas Dabbur (23 years old), earning £3.8k a week until 2017

Recommendation: Keeping Dabbur for at least another season is wise.  He will be hard to keep beyond this date if Bigger Clubs come in for him and he is unlikely to want to sign a new contract in Summer 2016.  I may want to consider extended his contract, because he WILL bang the goals in.  The other youngsters have a chance to impress during pre-season but if there is any doubt ahead of the new season, I may want to consider a loan or an experienced striker on a Free Transfer.  The lack of excess quality in this area leads me to think that a One Striker formation is best...

Formations

 

Above are formations that, I believe, can be taken forward from Day 1 of the GCZ save (from left to right: 4-3-2-1 asymmetric AMC, 4-2-3-1 DM Wide, 4-2-3-2 Wide and 4-3-1-2 Narrow).  The final formation and tactic I end up with will be tweaked and (hopefully) perfected in pre-season/early weeks of the season, which I will blog on.  What I would like to stress though is my underlining belief that formations and tactics should become before any player selection.  For instance, there are certain playmakers discussed above that I want in the team (my Engance in Caio and my Deep Lying Playmaker in Källström).  I cannot just chuck them in a 4-4-2 and hope it works.  Football is luckily more complex than this.  I need to think about how both Caio and Källström prefer to play (hints are found in their stats, PPMs etc) and how I want to utilise them and others around them, in order to bring about a greater good e.g. directness, movement, pressing etc.  The combinations of players into a formation therefore develops around a set of ideals and beliefs in how I want my team to play. 

To cut a long story short, I am therefore leaning towards a 4-3-2-1 asymmetrical formation.  I have spent a long time thinking about Källström and Caio, my playmakers who dictate play.  What they both require are players who can press and make runs around them (see my IF, WBs and BBM).  Offering them an outlet to playmake.  But I also need a player who can hold centrally, so that the DLP has protection and does not have to press oncoming attackers alone.  The roles and shape are fluid and will often change based on the opposition I face, but that's my initial thoughts so far.  

Next week's blog is another focus on the beta: Part 2: Potential GCZ targets for 2015/16 and beyond... (Friday 13 November 2015).

FM Grasshopper

#FM16Beta - who needs staff?

STOP PRESS. The FM16 beta is out! Meaning that this blogpost and the next two (06 & 13 Nov) will be analysing the FM database in order to fully comprehend the Grasshopper Club Zürich (GCZ) FM16 challenge. I will be managing GCZ but please note this is NOT my official save. I plan to start the proper project at 00:01 on Friday 13 November (in full suit attire of course).

Today's blog is rather hurried as I have only been able to dedicate 7 hours to the beta (and I am yet to hit Continue!). I discuss the backroom staff at GCZ, or most importantly the lack of it:

You will note from the above image that there is a serious lack of staff at GCZ. In particular no Physio or Head of Youth Development...critical roles for the season(s) ahead. More on Head of Youth Development can be read on respected FM blogger Cleon's blog from yesterday afternoon.

After a bit of searching, Zvonko Radic seems to be a realistic target (only £2k compensation fee required) to take up the important role of developing youth at GCZ. Radic has good stats for the level of GCZ and also provides me with a gateway into the Eastern Europe with his scouting knowledge of Serbia and Russia:

I spoke last week about bringing back former GCZ players as staff members. Well my number 1 target, Blaise Nfuko, is interested in joining as an U18 youth coach! Blaise is a keen motivator with respectable stats in Attacking and Determination. 

Finally, I found a decent physio from the Netherlands. Meet Ronald Vermeer:

Future blogs...

I plan to invest a lot more research time into the beta during the next week and I plan to structure the next two Friday blogs in two parts:

Part 1: Review of GCZ's playing staff & likely tactics (Friday 06 November 2015)

Part 2: Potential GCZ targets for 2015/16 and beyond... (Friday 13 November 2015)

FM16 will be in our lives after these posts and I plan to start blogging the weekly happenings within my save. Also a YouTube channel will follow in time, which will upload certain goals and highlights to further document the GCZ journey. For now, enjoy the beta friends...

FM Grasshopper

5 ex-Hoppers to bring back in #FM16

Today's blog outlines my top 5 staff targets who can count Grasshopper Club Zürich (GCZ) as one of their ex-clubs.  As you may be aware, my FM16 challenge sees me do my utmost at developing youth and making the club sustainable. It will be a style similar to Ajax, where 1-2 young players are expected to be breaking into the first team every couple of years. Therefore I need ex-pros who have been at the club and can contribute to the evolution of GCZ. Disclaimer: one or more of these players are not considered 'Club Legends' and they may also be unattainable in FM16 for a number of reasons. There is a possibility I sign none of these ex-players. Anyway, here we go:

5 - Alain Sutter

At 5 we have a Club Legend.  Alain Sutter played 8 years in the GCZ 1st team and became one of the most well known Swiss players in Europe during the 1990s. Unfortunately Sutter's in game stats in FM15 reflect a very average coach:

4 - Stéphane Chapuisat

At 4 we have another player who contributed to many good memories for GCZ fans. After winning the Champions League and Bundesliga with Dortmund, Stéphane Chapuisat signed for GCZ. He won the 2000-01 title and maintained a goals to games ratio (in league) of 1.5 during his 3 year spell. After this he made the rather awkward move to Young Boys (where he now acts as their Chief Scout). Maybe not a popular choice in game, he does have respectable scouting stats. Signing him would also weaken Young Boys at the same time!

3 - Hakan Yakin

Anybody who has read my 'Return Of The Enganche' blog knows that I am in admiration for the playmakers. Hakin Yakin is one such example. Elegant on the ball, with an eye for a pass and goal, Hakan developed into one of the best Swiss playmakers whilst at GCZ. His obvious love is his hometown club, FC Basel, but I still think he could be persuaded to join my GCZ revolution. Again his stats are average in FM15:

2 - Richard Núñez

Winner of GCZ's last title in 2002-03, Richard Núñez's playmaking and finishing ability was of the highest calibre. He contributed to a massive 81 league goals in 113 league games and was highly sought after in Europe. Atlético de Madrid made their move in 2004, but the move was a failure (11 apps and 2 goals in La Liga). In 2005,  Richard Núñez moved to Mexico where he spent 3 successful years. Now into his 40th year, Richard Núñez is still playing in his native Uruguay. For this reason he does not make the top spot, but you can guarantee I will be keeping a close eye in FM16 if he decides to retire and subsequently stay in the game...

1 - Blaise Nkufo

You may forgive GCZ fans for forgetting about Blaise Nkufo as he is in no way a legend. He played a total of 18 league games scoring 4 times. But he did go on to play in the FIFA 2010 World Cup for Switzerland and propel himself to legendary status at FC Twente (where Blaise Nkufo scored 114 league goals in 223 games becoming their all-time leading goalscorer).

So why try to sign Blaise Nkufo for GCZ? Well, his experiences across 4 continents will help boost GCZ's global scouting pool: (below). 

Blaise Nkufo was born in Africa, played in Asia, Europe & North America - the definition of a journeyman.

I hope you enjoyed the more jovial nature of this week's blog post. There is a strong possibility that next week may see the release of FM16's Beta. This will signal the onslaught of a lot of scouting and player reviews from me. So for now...make the most of the 'other' parts of your life, speak to your partners, watch films...because FM16 is coming!

Consider Natural Fitness in #FM16, before it's too late

Each FMer will have their own opinion on what is the single most important attribute for a player in Football Manager. But there is one attribute that if often overlooked by the masses: natural fitness (NF). How do I know this? Well take a look at the SI forums in 4 weeks time, where I guarantee you will find numerous threads detailing an overabundance of injuries once FM16 launches.

NF is several things, but it primarily indicates as to how quickly a player recovers between matches. The word 'between' is key here, because the stamina attribute relates to fitness (and the depletion of it) within games. A fit player (let's say Sylvain Distin who has a 20 in NF in FM15) is like a top of the range lithium battery who has an abundance of fitness-capacity to play matches every 3 days. Whereas Adriano (the Parma/Inter one - who has a NF of 1 in FM15) is akin to a Triple A dry cell battery...he's at 50% fitness at Full Time and can no way recover and play within 3-5 days.

Sylvain Distin - A NF God

One of the first things to look for when assessing your new squad is reviewing each player's natural fitness. This is important. Why? Well I argue 3 important reasons:

(1) It will highlight WHERE you need to strengthen

You may have 4 adequate 1st team central midfielders playing in a 4-4-2, which seems enough cover for a long season. However, if 3 of these have poor NF (< 5) you may want to consider a strict rotation policy or even additional resources.

(2) It will indicate where to focus special training

Players of low NF will need to be managed correctly. Overworking them in training will mean they are jaded come match day. Not only does this mean they will perform poorly on the pitch, they are increasingly susceptible to injuries. This is the reason players like Craig Bellamy and Ledley King had reduced training programmes in their playing careers. If you plan on playing FM correctly, you ought to have a specialist training regime for these kind of players. This approach of reducing a player's training is known as Periodisation. The Dutch Fitness Coach, Raymond Verheijen details Periodisation here. One quote in particular from that BBC article has stuck with me since reading it 5 years ago. It changed my view of how I should approach training in Football Manager...forever:

"A lot of coaches treat players the same way, whatever their age, whatever their body composition, whatever their injury history, whatever their playing position"

At the time of reading, I was one of those coaches. My training was a 'one size fits all approach' and I suspect a lot of the fledging FMers who complain about injuries in November will be of the same ilk. By considering NF, you will be given a clear indication of whom to manage differently.

(3) It will highlight WHEN you need to strengthen

I have already explained above that NF will show you where you need to strengthen, in order to cope with a testing season. NF will also indicate the longevity of a player and when you should ideally strengthen. NF dictates how soon a player's prime will end. High NF means that a player has a higher chance of remaining competitive after his 29-30s. An example of this is aforementioned 37 year old Sylvain Distin who, with a NF of 20, has managed an average of 33 Premier League appearances in the last 14 campaigns (since 2001/02). That's 457 apps out of a possible 532.

If you have players with high NF, then consider hanging on to them for a bit longer. On the other hand, if your player is low in NF and is nearing 30...you may want to considering cashing in.

Summary

Caio - A headache for any fitness savvy FMer

With the release of FM16 nearing, I have already started making a list of areas and players I feel may need reviewing with the 3 items above in mind. One player that needs both extra attention and a realistic assessment is Caio (above screenshot), who was mentioned in my Enganche blogpost. Caio's NF of 4 has left me worrying for what lies ahead in FM16. He will be unable to play twice a week and he is already 29 years of age. My Enganche role will help him (as he is not required to move much in the match engine) but I will need a specialist training regime laid out early on in my save. This is a great example of why I feel NF needs to be considered from the onset of your FM16 save. Good luck and thanks for reading.

FM Grasshopper

My #FM16 'Grasshopper challenge'

This week's blog sets out my challenges in FM16. If it has not been apparent until now, I will be managing Grasshopper Club Zürich (GCZ) in FM16. If you want to understand why, read my first ever blog post here.

I will make the below article a persistent part of my website nearer to the release date of FM16 (13 November 2015). Failure in any aspect will not result in me ditching the save...I simply wish to complete as much of the below within the documented timeframes. 

Here we go...

Short term challenges (Seasons 1 to 3) 2015/16 until 2017/18

GCZ's immediate priority for the 15/16 season is to finish in the European Places (1st-4th) in the Swiss Super League. The club's finances are rather fragile and there is an expectation that a major sale may be a necessity every summer. Therefore, my short term challenges below for Seasons 1 to 3 are perhaps the most testing. Not only do I want to beat Basel to the league title within the first 3 seasons, I also want to compete in the Champions League Group Stage.

I have also set the target of improving the facilities at the club (either Youth or Training) in order to help with the challenges further on in this save. The sooner I can start producing and nurturing young talent...the more successful (and sustainable) I will be.

You will also note I have placed restrictions, in both wage structure and net transfer spend. This will force me to be prudent and should set me up well for the challenges ahead.

Challenges:

  • Win the Swiss Cup
  • Win the Swiss Super League
  • Reach a surplus of £10m in the bank
  • Compete in the Champions League Group Stages
  • Improve the Youth or Training facilities

Restrictions: 

(1) Maintain a strict wage policy - not exceeding a player wage of £15k per week before tax.

(2) Do not exceed net transfer spend of £5m in a season

Mid-term challenges (Seasons 4 to 8) 2018/19 until 2022/23

If I am lucky enough to be in the GCZ dugout for the 2018/19 season, it is hoped I can begin Phase II of my FM16 challenge: domestic dominance with regular European appearances. A real test for title winning teams is whether they can defend their league title the following season. This is a measure of good teams compared to great ones. During this 5 year period, it is also hoped that I will start to see the fruits of my labour with regards to youth development. I therefore would like to push myself to developing 5 International capped players. These must be newgens.

GCZ's philosophy from Day 1 of the save will be to develop players through the youth system. As a result, I have placed rather tight restrictions on transfer spend and wages. I have also introduced a requirement of having at least 5 Homegrown GCZ Newgens*in the match day for domestic games. What qualifies as 'Homegrown' is below in the notes section. This restriction will allow me to blood the youngsters in early and hopefully assist their development. In real life this season we see GCZ currently doing this, with the likes of Alpsoy, Gjorgjev and Tarashaj featuring regularly in the 1st team.

Challenges:

  • Win two consecutive Swiss Super Leagues
  • Win the Swiss Super League and Swiss Cup (Domestic Double) in a single season
  • Compete in the Champions League Knockout Stages
  • Produce 5 players (Newgens) and see them become International capped players whilst at GCZ
  • Reach a surplus of £30m in the bank

Restrictions:

(1) Do not exceed net transfer spend of £15m in a season.

(2) Wage policy - not exceeding a player wage of £30k per week before tax.

(3) At least 5 Homegrown GCZ Newgens* must be in the match day squad for each domestic match (league and cup)

Long term challenges (Seasons 9+) From 2023/24

From 2023/24 I will either be a distant memory of GCZ's chequered past OR hopefully their legendary manager. Let's take the view that I have gone some way to completing the above challenges. 2023/24 therefore will be my endgame. There are no restrictions as to when I have to complete the below challenges but I still wish to be frugal with net transfer spend (because I am tight like that) and I still wish to be true to the overall philosophy of the club by developing youth.

What I really hope to complete within the below is seeing GCZ move into a new stadium. Purpose built for them and only them. As to whether I complete any of the rest, you will all just have to follow my story on the blog or on Twitter: @FM_Grasshopper.

Challenges:

  • Produce and develop a Newgen, through the club's youth intake, and see them go on to become a Ballon d'Or winner (either at the club or elsewhere)
  • Win the Champions League, Swiss Super League and Swiss Cup in a single season
  • Win the Club World Cup
  • Commission a new all-seater stadium for GCZ
  • Improve the Youth and Training Facilities to World Class

Restrictions:

(1) Do not exceed net transfer spend of £40m in a season.

(2) At least 8 Homegrown GCZ Newgens* must be in the match day squad for each domestic (league and cup) AND Champions League matches. 5 of these must be Swiss nationality

Notes

(1) I will document when I have completed certain challenges in my save on the persistent part of my website. I will document if certain items are also achieved in advanced of the planned timeframes. However, if a challenge is achieved after the planned timeframe I will not count it e.g. Winning the Swiss Cup for the first time in Season 4. For those challenges that can be achieved in a single occurrence, they will looks similar to this:

  • Compete in the Champions League Knockout Stages - achieved on September 2017 <screenshot>

*A home-grown player will be defined as one who, irrespective of his nationality or age, has been registered with Grasshopper Club Zürich, continuous or not, of three entire seasons or 36 months prior to his 21st birthday (or the end of the Season during which he turns 21).