How Many Players...

[boblight24]

Quote: Originally Posted by MrRudy

The ratings should be adjusted now. It usually only takes them about a week after the window is closed to finish making all of the transfer moves. By the way, you mentioned that player that was young enough with a high rating, but no more upside as he is right at that age... you've got the eye and appear to be willing to pull the trigger. Personally, as an American who loves some American Football and Baseball, there is no game that has ever pulled me in like career mode on Fifa. The idea that you could get an offer for $20 million more than your star striker is worth from Barcelona and that feeling of, "What do I do now? Sell my soul for the money and send my player down the river or stay loyal?"

From one baseball fan to another, my big benchmark is the 'Age 28 Season.' I'm not sure how that translates to soccer, but I think it's a good place to start. For instance, I have a midfielder who is 29 and rated a 67 - as a baseball guy I'm inclined to think that his ratings have hit their peak and we can only assume they will begin to decline with age. Don't get me wrong, a 67 CM as a reserve is a great problem to have, but when the transfer window opens and a team comes to me with an offer to buy him at $1.2mm, then he's probably out the door. At that point I can take that money (minus whatever the boards thinks they are entitled to) and try to get a younger CM with a rating of at least a 67. Sometimes it works and sometimes you have to move some pieces around, but I don't like to have a roster full of 28+ year old players, unless they are 72+ and even then I have a Plan B and sometimes a Plan C as the transfer windows open and close.

Keep in mind that I played with Sporting KC and IFK Goteborg, both great teams, but in leagues that are not on par with La Liga or Serie A or even Ligue 1, once I move onto a more prestigous team things could change, but the core of my belief is that after age 28, the ratings are as good as they are going to get. I learned this because my 2nd season at KC some team offered me a boatload of cash for a Striker who was 31 and rated a 73, I said no. A year later, after only playing in 7 games the whole season because he couldn't walk 8 steps without breaking his ankle, he was down to a 64.

You live you learn.

Please note that I am firmly entrenched in my 30's so it pains me to write that the age 28 season is the peak for athletes. Trust me.

[eyeamg0dly]

you really dont see the stat decline until they are 30 or 31 and even then if they are playing regularly, it will be a minor drop. However every year it will start to drastically drop regardless of playing time. Stats can drop at any age though if the player gets injured and then doesn't get much playing time.

personally if your player is not replaceable, then don't sell him. Lets say you have an aging player who isn't great but he has stats that are vital, for example free kick accuracy, finishing, heading, etc. Keep him because players with any of those key skill sets are difficult to afford if you are on a budget.

You should only sell players that can be replaced with a cheaper version. Lets say you have a pacey winger but has moderate technical skill abilities. Sell him, because he is dime a dozen.

[boblight24]

Quote: Originally Posted by eyeamg0dly

you really dont see the stat decline until they are 30 or 31 and even then if they are playing regularly, it will be a minor drop. However every year it will start to drastically drop regardless of playing time. Stats can drop at any age though if the player gets injured and then doesn't get much playing time. personally if your player is not replaceable, then don't sell him. Lets say you have an aging player who isn't great but he has stats that are vital, for example free kick accuracy, finishing, heading, etc. Keep him because players with any of those key skill sets are difficult to afford if you are on a budget. You should only sell players that can be replaced with a cheaper version. Lets say you have a pacey winger but has moderate technical skill abilities. Sell him, because he is dime a dozen.

That's the kind of response I love! I hadn't even thought about the details like that. I usually just do a quick look at their overall rating and age and what I have on the roster and make a move, stupid, stupid, stupid!!! This is going to change how I make moves going forward.

I discovered loan players - I got a guy from Lazio on a season loan and I LOVE HIM! It didn't cost me anything and he's my starting RM and he's a BEAST - faster than all get out and has a ton of strength so anything in his area is HIS. I also discovered free agents - picked up some under 20 players with 65+ ratings, not if I could just get a handle on the scouting part.

Also - here's something that I need to drill into my brain - you DON'T HAVE TO get players at each window. I have needlessly stacked my roster with too many better than average players who are all clamoring for more playing time. I just lost my Euro League qualifying match so that's about 8-10 less games that I will have to utilize my swollen roster (that sounds weird).

Goalkeepers - what on earth do I do with these guys?!? I always look at their reflexes rating, in addition to their age and overall rating. What is the consensus on these enigmas? Does age matter? Should I be focusing on more than their Reflex rating? Because I'm 8 games into a new season with IFK Goteborg and my opposition has scored some weak goals very late in games and has cost me points, that could be defense, but I don't remember these from the past 2 season. My current keeper (John Alvbage) is 33, 70 overall, and a 75 Reflex. I picked up Crocefisso Pucciorelli from Juventus on a loan, I don't have his rating in front of me, but it's 65+ overall, should I platoon these two? Ugh.

[eyeamg0dly]

generally speaking keepers are kind of a mystery to me. I have had some that have grown just like any player but most have extremely low growth even though they get a lot of playing time. You will find the better keepers to be older in age usually late 20's to mid 30's.

TBH because I can't figure how they grow, I don't focus on them much. Keepers in this game are odd because they seem like they are always in form. Personally my defense is pretty tight, so I am comfortable playing with a lower rated keeper. I know for him to be scored on, the offense is going to have to create some insane shots.

If you have a young team that is growing into their positions, loaning becomes great for filling the gaps, however if you have no intention on purchasing them, you really should be giving time to your bench even if they aren't highly rated. If you have a pretty solid team, take a youngster in on loan for positions you need depth at. Even if they don't play, you get a free scout on them for later on if you decide to buy them.

[MrOctober430]

Quote: Originally Posted by ~LiverpoolRed~

I always stick with a squad of 25. 11 starters, 7 bench and 7 reserves.

This.

But sometimes I'll stretch my reserves to 11, one player for each position. But always have them loaned out for playing experience.

[boblight24]

Boy did I step in it this time. That player from Lazio I mentioned earlier I got on loan, apparently it was a short-term loan because I'm in November and he got sent back, not recalled. Not only that, but another CB I had on loan got sent back as well, so I went from 3 1/2 stars back to 3 with a hole in the middle of my defense now filled by players rated 65-68, ugh. I don't know if I didn't pay attention to the loan terms or if I forgot, but I am disappointed now. I inquired about the player from Lazio and they will sell him for $5mm, too rich for me right now. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Interesting sidebar - I've played 3 full seasons now with zero redcards, all of a sudden I get 2 in 3 games. I was up 2-0 at Helsingborgs, lose 2-4, give up to Penalty kicks for goals, one I actually stopped, it hit off the crossbar and they headed it in, ugh x2. Up 2-0 again, this time vs Atvidabergs, ended up a draw at 2-2, an own goal (yeah!) and absolutely no defense on the other goal.

Is there a button for get you heads out of your butts when the ball is in your own box? I'm trying to clear the ball and my RB does a 3 foot pass to the guy right next to him, he can't control it and boom they score. OMG.

[RonMexico1992]

Im currently playing in Chile with all MLS teams in my CM, so that mean 2 17 game seasons per calendar year, with two playoffs of top 8 teams...

with that being said, the 17 game tournament is quicker then an european double round robin league, so the pressure to win is higher, cuz a bad start and you'll miss playoffs if you dont correct yourself in a hurry.

So i run a 18 man squad, including my backup GK that plays 1-3 times a year. Gonna call up a few youth players, and loan them out, might keep one and sell a CB. my bench consist of 4 defensive players, and 2 offensive players so i could use more depth up front.

[RonMexico1992]

also wanna add, if I qualify for the South American champions league then i will def probably move my squad from 18 to 20 players.