Hello and welcome to a new type of save here on Norman Proctor FM, and if this is the first time discovering my blog, welcome again and please feel free to check out my other content!
The basic idea for this new series “Saving Squads 2021/22” is to simulate one season of FM with the updated teams in the 2021/22 English Premier League. The slight twist is that I will be in charge of the summer transfer business for all 20 of the teams. Based on some input from actual club fans, I will be making realistic transfers for each team and then simulating the season to see if we can get some early predictions for how the league table will shape up.
The 2021/22 database update I am using is from Espen on Passion4FM, this is the link where you can download it for yourselves. (https://www.passion4fm.com/football-manager-2021-leagues-update-database) I have additionally edited this database myself slightly as this did not include any squad updates, so I have recalled all loanees in and out of Premier League clubs. I have also given each team a 1 year transfer embargo to stop any new signings we make in this experiment being immediately loaned out or other players signed by the AI to take their place.
Some rules that I will try to stick to:
- The players that are out of contract will be released from their clubs (i.e. basically the entire Crystal Palace team), but if they haven’t signed with a new team in real life before 1st July, I can re-sign them as if they were offered a new contract by their old club.
- I will be including all of the confirmed transfers that clubs have made up until 1st July (otherwise I will keep having to go back and edit these when a new deal is confirmed).
- I won’t be bothering with the U23s teams and making sure all the clubs prospects are loaned out etc. This is focusing on the first team squads.
- I am going to try and make this as realistic as possible. No spending £200m with Norwich to try and keep them up or not buying anyone for Manchester United because they are my team’s rivals. It is tricky to predict clubs budgets, but incomings will be somewhat balanced with sales and clubs will spend within their means.
Each team will have a designated post in this series. They will be set up with a little introduction to the club and the confirmed signings and departures made by the club up until 1st July. Then will be the main breakdown of the team, highlighting some strengths and weaknesses of last season leading into their transfer needs. Each transfer I make will get a little explanation followed by the exciting bit… the season simulation results.
Now I won’t be able to please everyone. Multiple clubs get linked with players who can only join one or not move at all. Please don’t take it personally if I don’t make the exact signing you want for your club or sign a player for a different team to where you think they should go. Let’s try and keep this fun and friendly!
Without further ado, let’s get into the teams. We will be going alphabetically through the teams beginning with Arsenal and ending with Wolves. I have no set schedule for the release of each team but am hoping I can get one out at least every week. Due to the Euro 2020 final (It’s Coming Home!) the first team post won’t be released until Wednesday or Thursday next week, to give everyone time to recover from the match.
I hope you enjoy this series and thank you very much for reading.
Norman Proctor FM 