help me get my neglected team back on track

[cthomer5000]

Ok, after getting bumped back from D4 to D5, i've pretty much neglected my team. We apparently stumbled to a 3rd place finish in D5 last year, and this season i've paid *some* attention to the team. We're at least cruising to a D5 title and an auto-promotion and/or promotion match.

I've been training playmaking, and really haven't been rotating players at all. Those who happened to be there when i stopped paying attention have benefitted, while some other players have fallen by the wayside. We've been playing a 4-5-1 for ages, so we're obviously great in that department.

What I'm looking for is some advice on how to pick up the pieces, find a direction, and get back to actively managing the team. I get the feeling I should probably sell off some players and/or switch to a new training. I'm also thinking it might be time to switch formations, as 4-5-1 just doesn't really deliever on the offensive level (or can it, with the right players?)

I'll post my entire roster below, and will appreciate any and all input on what I should do.

some more important facts:
My youth squad is excellent, I've I've been routinely pullind passable/solid keepers and selling them.
I'm in great financial shape with 1.3 million (US) in the bank.
My stadium holds 30,000 and doesn't appear to need to be expanded.

[cthomer5000]

Your 23 players

Edward Clevenger 139 000 US$, 22 years, wretched form Has disastrous experience and weak leadership abilities

Stamina:	solid	Keeper:	passable
Playmaking:	disastrous	Passing:	disastrous
Winger:	disastrous	Defending:	disastrous
Scoring:	disastrous	Set Pieces:	disastrous

Will Fay 410 000 US$, 24 years, passable form Has poor experience and inadequate leadership abilities

Stamina:	inadequate	Keeper:	solid
Playmaking:	disastrous	Passing:	disastrous
Winger:	disastrous	Defending:	disastrous
Scoring:	disastrous	Set Pieces:	wretched

Dean Babb 660 000 US$, 20 years, solid form Has poor experience and wretched leadership abilities

Stamina:	excellent	Keeper:	disastrous
Playmaking:	outstanding	Passing:	wretched
Winger:	weak	Defending:	wretched
Scoring:	weak	Set Pieces:	wretched

Frederick Staples 95 000 US$, 20 years, inadequate form Has disastrous experience and passable leadership abilities [Head]

Stamina:	excellent	Keeper:	disastrous
Playmaking:	excellent	Passing:	poor
Winger:	poor	Defending:	wretched
Scoring:	wretched	Set Pieces:	wretched

Alan Malin
16 000 US$, 30 years, poor form
Has weak experience and weak leadership abilities

Stamina:	excellent	Keeper:	disastrous
Playmaking:	wretched	Passing:	inadequate
Winger:	weak	Defending:	weak
Scoring:	weak	Set Pieces:	inadequate

Alton Lawson
48 000 US$, 20 years, wretched form
Has disastrous experience and poor leadership abilities

Stamina:	inadequate	Keeper:	disastrous
Playmaking:	poor	Passing:	solid
Winger:	wretched	Defending:	passable
Scoring:	wretched	Set Pieces:	poor

Bruno Balsiger
39 000 US$, 26 years, passable form
Has poor experience and wretched leadership abilities

Stamina:	excellent	Keeper:	wretched
Playmaking:	poor	Passing:	inadequate
Winger:	wretched	Defending:	inadequate
Scoring:	weak	Set Pieces:	passable

Buddy Lopez
72 000 US$, 26 years, solid form
Has inadequate experience and poor leadership abilities

Stamina:	excellent	Keeper:	disastrous
Playmaking:	weak	Passing:	passable
Winger:	poor	Defending:	weak
Scoring:	inadequate	Set Pieces:	passable

Byron Bray
4 000 US$, 33 years, weak form
Has poor experience and poor leadership abilities

Stamina:	excellent	Keeper:	disastrous
Playmaking:	inadequate	Passing:	wretched
Winger:	inadequate	Defending:	poor
Scoring:	wretched	Set Pieces:	solid

Ferdynand Swiderski
498 000 US$, 24 years, passable form
Has inadequate experience and inadequate leadership abilities

Stamina:	formidable	Keeper:	disastrous
Playmaking:	outstanding	Passing:	poor
Winger:	wretched	Defending:	disastrous
Scoring:	weak	Set Pieces:	weak

Fulco Pelaez
163 000 US$, 26 years, solid form
Has inadequate experience and passable leadership abilities

Stamina:	excellent	Keeper:	wretched
Playmaking:	solid	Passing:	poor
Winger:	inadequate	Defending:	poor
Scoring:	wretched	Set Pieces:	solid

Gavin Etheridge
22 000 US$, 21 years, inadequate form
Has wretched experience and wretched leadership abilities

Stamina:	excellent	Keeper:	disastrous
Playmaking:	weak	Passing:	weak
Winger:	poor	Defending:	inadequate
Scoring:	poor	Set Pieces:	weak

Geoffrey Wallace
166 000 US$, 23 years, passable form
Has wretched experience and disastrous leadership abilities [Technical]

Stamina:	excellent	Keeper:	disastrous
Playmaking:	excellent	Passing:	poor
Winger:	wretched	Defending:	poor
Scoring:	weak	Set Pieces:	disastrous

Gerard Matthews
78 000 US$, 21 years, poor form
Has disastrous experience and wretched leadership abilities

Stamina:	excellent	Keeper:	disastrous
Playmaking:	solid	Passing:	wretched
Winger:	disastrous	Defending:	poor
Scoring:	weak	Set Pieces:	wretched

Haywood Shoemaker
31 000 US$, 20 years, weak form
Has disastrous experience and poor leadership abilities [Powerful]

Stamina:	excellent	Keeper:	disastrous
Playmaking:	inadequate	Passing:	poor
Winger:	poor	Defending:	poor
Scoring:	inadequate	Set Pieces:	poor

Jamey Lind
47 000 US$, 20 years, inadequate form
Has poor experience and poor leadership abilities

Stamina:	excellent	Keeper:	disastrous
Playmaking:	poor	Passing:	weak
Winger:	wretched	Defending:	passable
Scoring:	inadequate	Set Pieces:	poor

Jose Miguel Esteban
102 000 US$, 28 years, inadequate form
Has poor experience and wretched leadership abilities [Head]

Stamina:	excellent	Keeper:	disastrous
Playmaking:	excellent	Passing:	disastrous
Winger:	wretched	Defending:	poor
Scoring:	poor	Set Pieces:	poor

Marcus Hall
175 000 US$, 21 years, inadequate form
Has poor experience and poor leadership abilities [Quick]

Stamina:	inadequate	Keeper:	disastrous
Playmaking:	weak	Passing:	passable
Winger:	solid	Defending:	weak
Scoring:	inadequate	Set Pieces:	inadequate

Mitchell Kellogg
0 US$, 49 years, wretched form
Has solid experience and inadequate leadership abilities

Stamina:	inadequate	Keeper:	disastrous
Playmaking:	disastrous	Passing:	disastrous
Winger:	disastrous	Defending:	disastrous
Scoring:	disastrous	Set Pieces:	disastrous

Phil Luce
38 000 US$, 21 years, inadequate form
Has poor experience and inadequate leadership abilities [Head]

Stamina:	solid	Keeper:	disastrous
Playmaking:	weak	Passing:	poor
Winger:	inadequate	Defending:	inadequate
Scoring:	weak	Set Pieces:	poor

Scottie Ivey
475 000 US$, 20 years, passable form
Has poor experience and wretched leadership abilities [Head]

Stamina:	inadequate	Keeper:	disastrous
Playmaking:	formidable	Passing:	poor
Winger:	solid	Defending:	passable
Scoring:	weak	Set Pieces:	wretched

Serafin Barreira
401 000 US$, 20 years, passable form
Has disastrous experience and inadequate leadership abilities

Stamina:	wretched	Keeper:	solid
Playmaking:	disastrous	Passing:	wretched
Winger:	disastrous	Defending:	disastrous
Scoring:	disastrous	Set Pieces:	disastrous

Tomas Hultstedt
171 000 US$, 19 years, passable form
Has disastrous experience and weak leadership abilities

Stamina:	weak	Keeper:	disastrous
Playmaking:	weak	Passing:	inadequate
Winger:	passable	Defending:	poor
Scoring:	excellent	Set Pieces:	poor

[fantastic flying froggies]

Did you neglect your HT team the way you neglected your Rutgers TCY dynasty ?

On a more serious note, you need offense. I've found only one player with a scoring above inad, that is a definite need for upgrade.

You're probably all set at keeper, with 2 solids and 1 passable. I'd sell of the 2 solids (probably the 20 yr old, he's still trainable and would bring more money) and keep the passable as backup.

Some of your midfielders can bring some serious money, even with their lousy passing skills.

With the cash you already have, you could have lots of cash to play around with.

I guess my main point is that this is supposed to be fun. You should decide which way you want to go, and then use your money to go there.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by fantastic flying froggies

Did you neglect your HT team the way you neglected your Rutgers TCY dynasty ?

Pretty much.

On a more serious note, you need offense. I've found only one player with a scoring above inad, that is a definite need for upgrade.

And I *just* bought that player. Should I look for some middies with better scoring?

You're probably all set at keeper, with 2 solids and 1 passable. I'd sell of the 2 solids (probably the 20 yr old, he's still trainable and would bring more money) and keep the passable as backup.

Yeah, the 20 year old was my most recent pull - he's already on the market. Any idea on what he'll probably go for?

[fantastic flying froggies]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

And I *just* bought that player. Should I look for some middies with better scoring?

I think your middies look very good right now. It's the other areas you need to upgrade.

Yeah, the 20 year old was my most recent pull - he's already on the market. Any idea on what he'll probably go for?

Nope, the keeper trainers will be better suited to answer that one.
Where are our experts when we need them ?

[cthomer5000]

Is 3-5-2 generally the consenus top formation? I guess maybe I'll look to pick up another forward.

[Alf]

Solid keepers sell for $200k

[Havok]

some of your midfield trainee's are getting rather.... old. I see a couple 24 year olds in there.

If i were you i'd sell a couple of the old ones and buy some new 17 year old solid trainees. In a couple seasons you'll be glad you did.

[YoSoySean]

I would like to add that scoring on middies is useless. Passing on middies is what improves offense.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by YoSoySean

I would like to add that scoring on middies is useless. Passing on middies is what improves offense.

thanks. see I've forgotten almost everything I knew about the details of the game.

[cthomer5000]

I'm going to sell this guy, what should I price him at?

Geoffrey Wallace (8479760) 23 years, passable form, healthy A popular guy who is temperamental and honest.
Has wretched experience and disastrous leadership abilities.


Speciality: Technical

Nationality:	USA
Assessed value:	166 000 US$
Wage:	1 260 US$/week
Owner:	North Plainfield Plague
Warnings:	0

Stamina:	excellent	Goaltending:	disastrous
Playmaking:	excellent	Passing:	poor
Winger:	wretched	Defending:	poor
Scoring:	weak	Set Pieces:	disastrous

[Carligula]

Originally Posted by YoSoySean

I would like to add that scoring on middies is useless. Passing on middies is what improves offense.

Although it's useful (for any player) if coupled with set-pieces, right? Even then it may not be worth the extra wages, but just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Havok

some of your midfield trainee's are getting rather.... old. I see a couple 24 year olds in there.

If i were you i'd sell a couple of the old ones and buy some new 17 year old solid trainees. In a couple seasons you'll be glad you did.

There will be a new 17 year old (excellent) middie starting in my next friendly.

I think i'm gonna need to toss in a few weeks of stamina training though.

I feel like Dan Snyder tossing around as much cash as I've been recently.

[Mr. Wednesday]

Originally Posted by Carligula

Although [scoring]'s useful (for any player) if coupled with set-pieces, right? Even then it may not be worth the extra wages, but just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.

Yes, you can get long shot special events from scoring and set pieces, and I'd tend to agree that it's not likely to be worth the extra wages.

[Mr. Wednesday]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

Is 3-5-2 generally the consenus top formation?

For a midfield trainer, yes, absolutely. You might want to maintain experience in a 4-5-1 so that you can throw it in a match where you need to buff up the defense to keep it close and try to steal a result, but I would recommend against using it as your first choice formation.

I guess maybe I'll look to pick up another forward.

You'd probably want more than one more, to allow for the vagaries of form and injuries. I'd be thinking of a total of three or four.

[Chubby]

I didnt think thatset pieces affected worth or wages.

[Mr. Wednesday]

Set pieces doesn't, but scoring does. I took Carligula to be talking about wages from the extra scoring -- if you coupled it with set pieces, the scoring wouldn't go completely unused, but it still probably wouldn't be worth the extra wages.

[Doug5984]

ok I have a little time before I run to class...
If you are tringing midfield and run the 3-5-2 in both friendlies and league games then this is the roster breakdown I would have...
2 Keepers
2 Central Defenders
4 Wingbacks
4 Wingers
6 Middies (3 starters, not too old...3 young trainiees)
4 Forwards.

You are set at keeper with Fay and Clenger as your backup.
At midfield your starters should probably be Babb, Swerderski, and Staples.
Ivey could be a great TM winger...and Hulstedt is a good forward. Hall is also a solid winger, and is very capable of being a stater. Your team is really lacking defense, and 1 forward...once you fill those holes your starting team should be set. I would look at getting a whole crop of trainees (3- 17 year old IMs and 2- 17 year old wingers). Then after you do that I would shop around for 1 solid backup at defense and forward- then a passable or inad. would be good to fill out the B team. Gotta run to class I will look over it some more when i get home.