Arsenal America

Back in ?97 as I was starting to really get into football, I picked up the FIFA ?97 video game. I thought it was awesome. I grabbed the next couple of games from that series, but in the last year or so I stopped playing. I was aware of the ?management simulation? games, but had never played one. Recently the good folks at Justfootball sent me a copy of ?Arsenal ? The Official Management Game.? I don?t have anything really to judge it against, but I think this game is absolutely fantastic. It?s compelling and addictive and perfect for all us punters who think we know more than Le Boss.

The basic premise is simple: You are the manager of Arsenal, starting with the 2002-03 season. You deal with contracts, training, team tactics and lineups, and transfers. Let?s take a look at these areas:

Training ? With the help of your computer assistant manager you find out who needs to work more in certain areas. Simple to adjust, and certainly a small issue, but one you don?t want to ignore.

Team Tactics ? Attack with pace or retain possession? 4-4-2 or 4-3-3-? You decide the formation and style of play. Also, you pick the lineups and who goes on the subs bench. The game includes all the first team regulars of course, plus guys like Pennant and Aliadiere as well as Svard, Chilvers, Stack, etc. Sure, playing the youngsters sounds good, but you?ve got to win now.

Transfers ? Ok, Parlour-bashers, here?s your chance. Think we need a stud to partner with Sol? Well go get him. You can grab players from all around Europe.

The main screen is the ?Manager?s Diary? page. It looks like a monthly calendar and as each day ticks by, new items come up on your calendar. You?ll be alerted to players who have contracts coming up for renewal, offers from other teams, players who want to be transfer listed, notes from the Chairman about recent results, and of course upcoming games in the FA Cup, League Cup, League and Champions League. That?s right, you?re playing in all four competitions.

So, what happens on a game day? After you set your line-up the computer sims the matches. The clock runs and you get a paragraph on game details as the match happens. You can sim an entire match fast in about five minutes or go slow and it would probably take half an hour, no more. In addition to the description you?ll get an action (still) photo of the Arsenal player involved. When a goal is scored you?ll often see a crowd reaction shot. The graphics really aren?t the point here. It does get nerve wracking as you hold a one-goal lead and the game is running into the final 10 minutes. Is the computer going to throw a ridiculous goal to your opponent? You never know.

So, with that as the set-up, let me tell you about how well I managed the Gunners in 2002-03?

It starts in July with training camp and Barcelona want Wiltord. Now, I like Sylvain, but GPB25 million is GPB25 million. Thanks for the memories buddy. I then go out and grab Rafael van der Vaart and Chrisian Chivu from Ajax. Those of you who know me know I love these two. With that I?m ready to start the season. I win the Community Shield and start off the season great. The computer is a little screwy as Sunderland seem to be pretty good. I march along with a loss in the League Cup the only real disappointment, I wanted to get more time for the youngsters. I mow through the Champions League first group phase. (Side note here, for some reason the computer puts teams from the same domestic league in the same group. This would seem an easy fix and would increase the verisimilitude.)

Mid-season and I?m cruising along. I find out that Keown and Seaman will be retiring at the end of their contracts. Fine, best wishes. Van der Vaart has been awesome, paired with Vieira we?re looking good. I?m picking up some injuries and Chivu has been a bit of a disappointment. I decide to get an extra stud striker and grab Mateja Kezman from PSV. Up front with Henry he?s scoring a ton of goals. I try to get Pennant involved, but he just can?t handle it at this level. I?m not playing Bergkamp much and as contracts come due for the youngsters like Chilvers I just let them go.

I cruise through the second group phase of the Champions League, but now the problems start in the final two months of the season. I didn?t pay attention to Seaman?s contract and he?s done in early April. Now I?m going to have to rely on Taylor. Well, he was going to be my guy anyway, so let?s see what he?s got. Injuries and suspensions pile up. I get knocked out of the FA Cup in the semis by Blackburn. I draw Madrid in the Champs League quarterfinals at go out on aggregate 3-2.

After leading the League for almost the entire season it comes down to the last game. I?m trailing Man Utd. by two points and I?ve got Sunderland. But I?m not really paying attention and figure I can put out a second-rate squad and win. I forgot Sunderland is in third place in this game, not dead last like in real life. So here we go with everything on the line. I attack with pace searching for the goals, I push everyone forward as the clock heads towards 90 minutes. The season has come down to this? I lose 2-1.

So, the season finishes with no silverware save the Community Shield. I made some bad errors, caught some bad breaks but did about as well as could be expected. A quarter-final loss to Real Madrid, a loss in the semi-final to Brad Friedel and two points behind Man Utd. for the title. That sounds pretty realistic. A bit disappointing, but realistic.

One area that wasn?t as realistic is the goal-scorers in the match sims. I think Luzhny, Campbell, Cygan and Cole banged in about a dozen goals combined, maybe more. But that?s possibly the only thing that struck me as odd. Otherwise, the game was dead on. Injuries, yellow cards, transfers, the whole thing. And keep in mind, when the season ends the game keeps going. You?ve got the next season to prepare for. Go out in the transfer market and pick up a partner for Sol and grab a first rate goalkeeper. But remember, funds aren?t unlimited and sometimes your offers get rejected.

I would highly recommend this game to all Arsenal fans. I raced through an entire season in about four, 90-minute sessions, so I can see how the game might not have a lot of ?playability? left for me. I don?t think I?d try to play the season over, and I don?t know if I?d want to play eight or nine years into the future. But, if I were to do it again, I would probably play just a day or two of ?game time? each day and play closer attention. And yes, I would play two or three years into future to try and grab the Champs League trophy with Henry, Sol, Vieira and Freddy. Played that way, I would guess this game would be fantastic and give great value as well.

If you?ve played other management sims I?d love to hear about them. Let me know if you want to write a full review or you can just post comments to this review if you have comparison points.

Finally, stay tuned as I will be giving away a copy of ?Arsenal ? The Official Management Game? in the near future.