Alavés – Basque to the big time (and the latest of the 3-4-3 project)

My Alavés save has taken something of a backseat recently as I’ve been kept busy at work and the majority of my free FM time has been taken up by the network save with Petr Uchio. We have, however, completed a successful second season with Deportivo Alavés and continued the Cantera project in earnest.

Of course, if you read the last blog article on my 3-4-3-ish idea, you’ll be aware that the Cantera is not the only ‘project’ which I’m currently undertaking. Unfortunately, some events are transpiring within the save which look likely to prevent me fully experimenting with the 3-4-3 and so I can only give it a few cursory run-outs in friendlies.

Nevertheless, I should be able to highlight some significant findings on the proposed tactic and the necessary amendments that have been made to the starting shape… but only after a brief update on Alavés’ second season and our promotion back to the big time…

Deportivo Alavés – Basque to basics…

Sorry about the tabloid-esque title but I think this could be a theme for this save. Despite primarily playing my network save with Petr Uchio, I’ve found time to complete a relatively successful first season with Alavés and have, in fact, reached the winter break of season 2.

In a minor spoiler for the update to come, we are slightly ahead of the 3-year plan which I laid out in the opening post – both in terms of on-the-pitch results and the Basque turnover of playing staff.

There have, however, been some disappointing aspects – particularly on the transfer market and in the facility improvements. Read on for more…

Deportivo Alavés – An alternative cantera

Thank you to all of those who voted in the last post about whether or not I should continue with the Rapid and Austria club and country save. I agree with the vast majority – the mistake I made with the edit renders the save more or less unplayable and so I have canned it for now and gone looking for a new challenge.

This post will look at how I’ve arrived at my decision, lay out my overall ‘vision’ for the save including some different ground rules than usual and consider the early days of setting the club up for a medium term save.