Pre-season lineups are bonkers. You’ll see a 17-year-old academy kid making his first-team debut next to a 34-year-old veteran who’s been there since dial-up internet. It’s beautiful chaos.
You’ll also see substitutions that make zero sense. Three subs at once? Yes. A goalkeeper playing as a striker for five minutes? It’s happened. The manager is basically playing FM24 on “experimental” mode.
Embrace it. Laugh at the misplaced passes. Cheer for the random youth player who looks like he’s never seen a football before. This isn’t the Champions League. It’s the Emirates Cup, where vibes matter more than victories.
