USA - Mexico

[Coffee Warlord]

We're off and running. I picked a decent day to call in sick (which, unfortunatly, I *am* sick, but hey, at least I can watch the world cup!)

[KevinNU7]

BORING!

[damnMikeBrown]

How much did you bet on it?!

[KevinNU7]

Question

If you have Jud wouldn't you run an Offensive CD instead of a TtM Winger? I mean your Central defense will still be divine (a level or two less) but your wing attack will be soooo much better

[DukeRulesMAB]

TM wingers don't affect defense except to lessen the winger's contribution to it slightly.

It bumps your midfield.

[RPI-Fan]

Duke: He's saying that playing that CD offensive would hurt the defense... not moving the winger from TM to wing.

[-Panther]

problem with that Kevin is offensive CDs are harder to come by at that level.

I think TM wingers also give a bigger boost to midfield than an offensive CD.

[KevinNU7]

I think TM wingers also give a bigger boost to midfield than an offensive CD.Is that really true? I was planning on making the switch next season to an OCD instead of a TtM Winger.

Just curious, what kinda of playmaking does a national team TtM Winger have compared to a national team OCD?

[DukeRulesMAB]

Ah, misread

There are no team OCD's (at least not in the US). No one trains up both defending and playmaking (largely because defending trains so slowly that it's impossible to double-train). So even if it were a valid strategic point (I don't think it is, but someone more experienced than me like TP6, apoc or Billy could better answer), there doesn't exist the personnel to run it.

Further note: I'm pretty sure for most big time nat team defense trainers, playmaking is considered a "dirty" skill for trainees. Which means, not only do they not train it up, having playmaking skill is considered a bad thing, because of the wage hike.

EDIT: apoc would be the one to ask about my latter point.

[KevinNU7]

Ok, that answers that. I assumed that a national Winger TtM had playmaking above brillaint to go along with their great winger skill. It seems like CD aren't trained at all in playmaking and they rarely excellent/formidable. That makes sense I guess.

Makes you wonder though if a market could be created

[DukeRulesMAB]

FWIW, there are two types of nat team TM wingers, one is the balanced type you referenced there (such as Longoria), but the main is basically a midfielder with a nominal degree of winger skill (inad to solid). The TM guy today was of the latter type.

[KevinNU7]

thanks for the info!