Ana, FM 2012 : Season 1 Arsenal 2026 -2027

Hello everyone,

So after completing my last season which seemed to have took forever I really wanted to get another post out a lot quicker and thankfully I was less busy so I managed to do that.

My new team is one that I’m sure everyone has heard off however the English league is quite alien to me as the last time I managed their was a few years ago with a story I wrote when I really first started writing. The premier league is one I tolerate having to sit through game after game with my boyfriend as he is a massive Chelsea fan while he tells me time and again that its ‘the best league in the world’.

Funny as he never watches any other leagues or teams and judges them on a few champions league games a season, not ranting! Just I believe that the premier league is not the best league in the world just the best marketed but thats a disagreement for another day! :)

So Arsenal it is, my favourite English team (even though they like to poach all of Barcelona’s young players! ;)) I really like the way they do things in terms of buying within their means and not relying on massive billionaire owners to provide success.

I would like to add that my knowledge of England isnt brilliant and I dont really understand how work permits work, so if anyone can explain that would be fantastic.

This post will conclude all of my first season along with the world cup which I will post first!

Managerial C.V

— Black Aces (June 2011 – June 2018)

African Premier League : 2016

Super 8′s Winner : 2015, 2016

First Division : 2012

South African Knockout Cup : 2016

The African Champions League : 2017

— New York Red Bulls (January 2019 –December 2021)

U.S. Cup : 2019

MLS : 2020, 2021

North American Champions League : 2020

— FC Seoul ( January 2022 – December 2025)

K-League : 2023, 2024

Korean FA Cup : 2022

Korean League Cup : 2024

The Asian Champions League : 2025

— Arsenal (July 2026 -Present)

International Career

— U.S.A (May 2017 – July 2021)

Nothing.

— Spain (July 2024 – Present)

——————————

The World Cup — Mexico 2026

So first up our group games and we began with a terrific four zero victory over Norway, Vargas is actually an Arsenal player so am really happy to have a Spaniard at my new team!

Columbia actually led our second game for almost 80 minutes as we looked like we may lose but Martinez scored before an 93rd minuted header from Edu sealed our passage to the next round.

We rounded the group off with a comfortable win over Burkina Faso with Fernandez, Delgado and Martin on the score sheet as we met a tough opponent in Holland.

World Cup Second Round Results — Mexico 2026

So some big sides didnt even make the second round and as you probably have noticed that both Brazil and Argentina disappointed but they were joined by a whole lot more of the bigger sides as England, France and Portugal fell out of the competition alongside Holland of course.

The game was a tough as you would expect as Holland are 6th in the world and although we led they did level the scores, but Martin struck again seven minutes from time as we progressed into the quarter finals were we would face Italy.

World Cup Quarter Final Results — Mexico 2026

The dream is over!

Again my terrible record in the world cup strikes again as we fell against Italy in a pretty good game. It could have gone either way in truth but after claiming so many late goals we pushed too hard and got caught short at the back , Italy took full advantage and we had no time to recover.

Russia and Senegal continue to surprise and the holders Mexico continue to dominate but Italy are now massive favourites.

World Cup Semi-Final Results — Mexico 2026

Russia! Another penalty win how lucky are they!

Mexico also cruised through with a comfortable win over Senegal so in Mexico the hosts have a chance to retain the trophy, but can Russia win their first ever?

World Cup Final — Mexico 2026

They couldn’t!

So Mexico continue to dominate world football and now have the opportunity to become only the second ever side to win three world cups in a row. The fallout from the tournament was freighting here is a list of the mangers who lost their jobs!

So many big nations have now become available but what of Spain?

Did I join this amazingly long list of casualties?

I didnt, they even understood why we went out.

I was pretty pleased that they were determined to keep faith with me and now I want to repay that faith by winning the European Championships!

No more low esteem or a pessimistic attitude time to deliver on the national stage! And break my horrible run at international management I plan to qualify then win the tournament I will leave if I fail in that task. :)

My New Job — Arsenal

So as you expect joining the money obsessed English premier league I was handed a massive £30 million for transfers with an enormous £2 million in wages and I am so far away from the struggles in South Africa its untrue. That said I would mind earning £29k per week. ;)

So on to the club info and am sure most of these names are instantly recognisable to all you English premier league fans I know a few like Patrick Viera and of course Thierry Henry! Also Dennis Bergkamp and Robin van Persie along with Arsene Wenger and Ian Wright the rest I have never heard of so sorry for that! :)

Jack Wilshere apart from being very good looking! Is also my captain but he is old now at 34ish and on huge wages of over £100k he is out of contract in the summer so I will let his contract run out, but everything is as you would expect at a team like Arsenal lots of money, fantastic stadium and the best in training and youth facilities.

So just the £40 million in the bank not too much! Having spent my time struggling with my finances at both the Black Aces and Seoul it some how feels weird to have almost infinite money! :)

So I’m not biased towards Spanish players………….ok I am! :P

But I did just click assistant report and clicked the player that was on top and it was Vargas, I know him well from my time at the Spanish national team and he is my first choice holding midfielder and thats the role he will do at in my Arsenal team also.

 Transfers In and Out — First Window

So I did join a little late so some transfers had already gone through before I arrived, anything in red was my transfer activity.

Arsenal already had an amazing scouting set-up so it was easier to pick players I wanted for the upcoming season. However some transfers did confuse me as I manged to sign Pedrinho from Brazil with no problem but when I bought  Ricardo Garcia from Mexico he needed a work permit?

I managed to loan him out to our feeder club in Bulgaria where in three years he will be eligible but both Pedrinho and Matheus were fine to play even though they are Brazilian and had no other nationality?

If anyone can explain the rules to me that would be great, I also bought Tajeddine who was half Moroccan and half Belgian so am guessing players from Europe are fine to get work permits but what about those from Africa, Asia and South America?

If you know the rules please let me know in the comments, thanks. :)

Pedrinho

Matheus

Pedrinho is the obvious star with some amazing stats already for someone so young, but we did pay a lot of money so he is a risk I guess at the moment.

Matheus was pretty cheap for the player he is I feel and am very happy with him, Garcia was also a really good signing but I must wait three years to play him!

League Results and Table Halfway Point

So amazingly we are unbeaten through the first half of the season!

Infact the games we drew we should have probably won the team has really taken to my tactics well scoring lots of goals and our defence hasnt been too bad either.

What pleased me the most was some of our comeback victories after being behind like at Newcastle, West Ham, Blackburn, Tottenham and Manchester United, so far so good I guess!

Phew! 700 Games Played!

:(

I think that every landmark game I have posted I have then gone on to lose!

Liverpool scored in the 96th minute of normal time! Then knocked my team out on penalties so my 700th game ended in defeat just like my 600th and 500th etc!! :)

Transfers In and Out — January/Second Window

So I made a few experiments to try and work out the rules on work permits and now am super confused!

I bought two dutch players one who was also half Ghanian but declared for Holland and they were bought with no problems. Then when I bought my former Seoul defender Tosin Williams who is Nigerian he was ineligible to play so had to loan him out!

Trabelsi was Tunisian and again couldnt play so was loaned out yet Sonmez from Turkey had no problems. Otieno was Kenyan I think and coudnt play due to a work permit but I couldnt loan him out for some reason yet Washington who was Brazilian was fine to play!

Am so confused with these work permit rules! I did also sell a few players including one of our better forwards to Barcelona but for £24 million I got good price, I also sold a few fringe players to raise our finances.

Washington

League Table and Results Four Games to Play

OMG!

We have let the pressure get to us and have let our massive lead slip away! Some bad defeats and some poor performances have cast doubt into our title hopes I aimed for a top four finish but having led for so long I did think we may go on to win the league so four games to play and finally a title race!

Can we hold on, read on and find out. :)

vs Reading Final League Fixtures

Wow!

My biggest win ever and just when I thought we would struggle over the line, Man City also lost to rivals Man Utd so we did have a bit of breathing room once again.

As you can see Reading havent had the best of seasons and we have put a combined total of 17 goals against them I dont want to sound cruel but we could easily have had five or six more but our goal difference is now way ahead of our rivals if it does go down to that.

vs Aston Villa Final League Fixtures

Ok, this game makes me scratch my head in bemusement at times!

We have gone form creating lots of chances and wasting so many to being the most clinical I have ever seen! Then Man City went from winning fourteen games in a row to then losing two against Man Utd then Stoke and now we are one win from the title!

What madness will occur next………………..?

vs Brighten Final Fixtures

Thankfully none!

So we managed to win the league which at the halfway point I felt we would cruise to, then we hit a barren spell of game were our lead was taken away only to hit top form with  a few games remaining.

I guess we just hit a bad patch where the pressure got to my players and we took our frustration out on poor reading but that did re-ignite our title push as we claimed the league for the first time in 14 years! :)

Final Game of the Season and League Table

So a drab end of season game but a win at least so cant complain too much.

A weird season in all honesty of ups and downs I still cant believe how many goals we scored but our defence is quite leaky and it seems to just shut off at times so I may need to address for next season, but a win is a win and we got champions league football which is exactly what I was after.

Cup Competitions

The Europa league

The Final

Yay!

So I did take the Europa league seriously and I did want to win it despite playing so many games. After coming through a few qualification games we sailed through our group then beat Ajax, Inter Milan, Palermo and Fiorentina to get to the final.

It did look comfortable but it was only in the last fifteen minutes when Washington our super sub struck a tremendous hat-tick to make absolutely sure as the game was in the balance but another trophy so am pleased with that.

The FA Cup

The Final

Yay!

So after winning the likes of the South African FA cup and the South Korean FA cup it was really nice to finally win the original FA cup!

It was a close game but we struck in extra time to finally overcome Manchester City, Fabio Silva had scored first but that was cancelled out after a horrendous mistake at the back. Thankfully Maric struck to give us the advantage and as Man City pressed for an equaliser we struck again through Washington to make the game safe and avoid those horrible penalties! :)

Final Player Ratings of the Season

So my front four were amazing, I ended up playing Pedrinho wide left with Chapman wide right and Washington and Fabio Silva as my two strikers and they just scored so many goals between them and on the counter attack they are devastating to watch.

Kolonis scored 2o times from set plays and at 6’6» he is a big target to aim for!

Matheus looks a real talent in the center of midfield in creating chances and Vargas does a great job of holding but I feel down the left we are quite weak so I will be looking for a new left back in the summer.

End of Season Finances and Save Game Status

This club is badly run! We are losing so much money every month and the staff wages are incredible!

I found a scout on £17k a week with some coaches on £18k and £22k!!

I will be getting rid of them as well as some of my high earners like Wilshere, Smithies and Sterling who just dont warrant that kind of money. But this is the premier league so I will get probably £30-40 million in TV revenue plus all the extra money from the champions league to help boost the clubs finances.

End of Season Round-Up

Phew!

Big post but lots to get through so hopefully is was enjoyable to read.

I was disappointed but not surprised with our world cup progress I really need to improve at international management so am aiming high at the European championships.

League wise was weird we dominated scored for fun and looked as if we would cruise to the title, then we hit a bad patch couldnt score struggled to win and looked as if we would get caught only to re-find our form and cruise again to out first title in fourteen years.

My aim is obviously the champions league but we did win three trophies in my first season so am very pleased with that, I feel we have a great squad and going forward we are probably the best in the world in my opinion. However at the back we are leaky and at times very poor, suicidal some say!

We tend to overplay and get caught or attack with every player and get caught short in defense, I love attacking football but at times it borders on the ridicules!!

But I cant complain with our season and I quite enjoy England, I can see the draw to it with the high amounts of money available but I just dont get the work permits rule. I buy some players who are fine to play and some who are not despite being from the same regions?

I got denied a work permit all together for an Argentine player I wanted and the same story with a South Korean yet I see Argentine and South Korean players at other teams in the premier league?

So any help would be appreciated as always thanks for reading and until next time bye bye! :)