30 games. Although in the other leagues the winners did have more points

Ah, fair enough. Who won the other leagues?

Arsenal (71), Milan (76), Bayern (67, that league's got a mix of countries in it). Chelsea and Inter also got 70 points tho. Not only a couple more than Barca then.

Couple of interesting signings. Got Paco Montanes from Barca, surprisingly good stats. Also picked up a randomly generated 19 year-old keeper called Wolf . Great stats, luckily I he played for Aston Villa so I could pick him up.

Lost the first friendly to Bolton though. Anelka double, Arizmendi for us.

Thought I'd need a couple of strikers with Solskjaer and Riki gone. Got Soldado from Osasuna and picked up Hirayama (Japanese, big target man).

2-1 win against Celtic. John opens the scoring and Serrano sets him up for a second, before Beattie gets one back. 0-0 against Galatasaray though, Hirayama heading against the bar.

Soldado

Final friendly against Juventus. Sergio finds John who tucks in for 1-0. Some great defending and goalkeeper keeps us ahead until Trezeguet heads in an equaliser. Balzaretti sees red (in a friendly ffs ) and Podolski exploits the space, setting up Hirayama to win it with his first goal for us

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C5%8Dta_Hirayama

Impressive goalscoring record

" His debut for the senior team came on 6 January 2010 in a 2011 AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Yemen, and would be a game he would never forget. After 30 minutes, Japan were down 2–0, but Hirayama scored a hat trick to help Japan to a 3–2 victory. It was the first time in 80 years and the second time overall for a Japan player to score three goals on his debut. Takeo Wakabayashi last managed that in 1930."

Good omen

How's Soldado doing?

like irl soldado. although tbf he has only played a few friendlies. great shooting stats, good passing as well. got lots of strikers and with Valeron not being able to play every game I'll probably try a 4-4-2.

Note to present-day EA. This is how you do player development. Different types of growth, some faster than others, some in shorter bursts, levelling off younger. Easy to see that good performances = better growth. Older players' stamina decreasing but good performances keeps technical stats at a level.

We start the season against Levante. Hleb guides in the first goal of the season and we dominate, but Jensen levels with a rebound. We can't get a winner and it ends 1-1, 2 points dropped

First EC qualifier at Old Trafford doesn't go much better. No high-scoring drama like in last season's quarter final, just a Cristiano Ronaldo goal and van der Sar keeping John at bay.

Now we're finding some form Sergio's penalty and a Podolski goal put us in cruise control at Porto, then John centres for Podolski to, for reasons unknown, score a rabona from close range

We then beat 10-man Atletico in EC qualificatin. Dos Santos nods in a loose ball, and Soldado gets his first goal as he heads in from Capdevila's corner.

Two matches against Bilbao. First in the league, and another new boy, Montanes, sets up Raul Garcia and Bodipo to make it 2-0. Milevskyy gets one back, but Hirayama's hold up play allows Garcia to fire home his second. We then go away in the EC and strikes from John and Hleb seal the win, despite Iraola's goal.

Valeron sets up both goals away at Betis, dos Santos and John the scorers.

United at home in the fourth qualifier. Capdevila puts into his own net early on and Coloccini picks up a harsh red card. We have our chances but it looks like van der Sar's kept us out again, until Podolski hits a late equaliser to earn what could be a valuable point..

Sergio's pen is decisive as we get the only goal against Villarreal in the league.

Away at Atletico and Hleb sets up John to fire in, before Hirayama's late strike seals qualification from to the EC group stage along with Man United with a game to spare.

We lose our first league game against Espanyol through David Garcia's goal. They move level with us on 13 points. Barca currently lead with 6 wins from 6 games, 19 goals and only 1 conceded

We draw in the final qualifier with Bilbao. James Walker (don't think he's Basque ) for them, before Bodipo makes it 1-1. United top the group.

1-1 draw against Sporting. Reila hits the opener, but we draw level through some head tennis, John heading into the middle for Soldado to nod in. Despite some penalty area chaos, neither side scores a winner.

Away at Real Madrid, and Valeron's low shot gives us the lead. Madrid are usually clinical but not even van Nistelrooy and Borowski can find the target as we keep a clean sheet and get the win.

Routine 2-0 win over Atletico, Jonathan de Guzman opening the scoring with a lucky break, and Estoyanoff unselfishly passing to John to make it 2-0.

First cup game away at Zaragoza. Jonathan de Guzman passed to Capdevila whose right-footed effort from outside the box found the far corner (possibly his first goal in 100+ games). Arizmendi found an opening to make it 2-0, before Sergio Garcia headed one back. Estoyanoff got the third and then turned provider, setting up Hleb with a one-two. 4-1, should be able to take the second leg easy.

Away at Celta who already look like relegatin certanties. Hleb sets up Jonathan de Guzman to continue his great form with another goal. 1-0.

Dang difficult EC group with Milan, Chelsea and Man United. We begin at Old Trafford and Saha comes closest, hitting the post as it ends without a goal.

1-1 draw with Valencia in the league, Soldado and Villa with typical strikers' goals.

Milan in the second EC group match. Wolf makes a full-stretch save from Kaka, before John manoeuvres himself to glance in from Capdevila's corner. In the second half Akinfeev saves from Jonathan de Guzman and John stoops to head in his second. We win 2-0.

We lose our second league game of the season at Sevilla. Kanoute with two headers, and although Hirayama came on and headed a goal of his own, taking John's cross in his stride, it wasn't enough.

Still 2nd after 12 games, but Barca are still unbeaten and are 8 points clear.

Second leg of the cup against Zaragoza. We're basically already through, and Bodipo puts us ahead after dos Santos' shot was saved. Soldado hits the post off the bench, then meets dos Santos' corner with perfect tenchnique to volley in Maloney pulls one back but we go through 6-2 on aggregate.

Soldado's cool finish opens the scoring against Benfica too. Mezague levels but Podolski and Raul Garcia seal a 3-1 win.

Away at Chelsea in the third EC group game. Baros put them ahead in the first minute after Joe Cole's shot was saved. Podolski brought us level with a free header from Capdevila's corner. We came closer through John and Jonathan de Guzman, as well as Montanes' volley against the post, but Chelsea held on for the 1-1.

Another close game against league leaders Barca. Iniesta and John come closest but it ends 0-0 as they remain 5 points clear.

Fourth group game is United at home John opens the scoring, van der Sar is kept busy in the first half. We seal it with a great move which ends in Podolski scoring into an empty net. 2-0, we move back to the top of the group with 8 points.

We sent them packing in the cup, but Ponzio's free kick is parried out to Ewerthon who gives Zaragoza the lead, and they nearly double it when Milito hits the bar. Podolski's fouled in the box and scores the pen himself as we grab a 1-1 draw. 29 points at the halfway stage, 7 behind Barca. Hanging on in the title race

Sevilla in the cup quarters. Maresca plays Chevanton through and he finishes well. Estoyanoff gets us an equaliser, but we can't win it as Garcia strikes the post and Kahn saves from Serrano.

Soldado's goal sets us on our way at Levante, but after the breaker Ettien strikes back. Bodipo and Soldado test the keeper but we have to settle for a draw.

It was a tricky first leg, but Soldado guides in a great left-footed finish to give us the advantage against Sevilla. Sergio sets up Valeron, then crosses for Soldado to expertly head in. Hleb's flick sets up Soldado for his hat-trick before half-time. Alves crosses for Fabiano to head a consolation. Podolski nearly scores another rabona goal but has to make to with a tap-in thanks to Hleb. 5-1, 6-2 on aggregate and it flattered them in that second match.