How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

[texasbum06]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

First Choice XI

Carroll and Valencia is such a deadly striking combo. Your midfield is absolutely outstanding as well, not one weak point in it. Also love how you have kept so many West Ham players that were there when you started in your first XI.

[CENTER]

Lacazette, Schurrle, and Barkley is great trio to run your attack through. I figured that Barkley would play more as a CF for you like you said. I love your back 4 though. Big fan of Clichy and Clyne, and your center back pairing is extremely solid. Lots of quality in your team, and I like the roles you have each of them playing.

[indiblue]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

The Wednesday: November '15



November 7, Hillsborough Stadium
Barclays PL: Matchday 11


SHW 2-0 MUN

Sheffield Wednesday pulled off a grand upset, putting two past an in-form Manchester United led by the tenacious, energetic Wayne Rooney. The first goal came with 10 minutes on the clock, Caolan Lavery smashing in Fabian Delph's cross with one touch. Wednesday then stood their ground until the 61st minute, when Gary Mackay-Steven flummoxed Chris Smalling and Daley Blind before gently guiding the ball past Anders Lindegaard. The game marked Wednesday's first use of the 4-4-2.

"After a run of mixed results, we really wanted to remind everyone that we belong at this level. We did well to get the early goal, and it was a fantastic response from us to hold our nerve. It was important to go back to the basics: holding the ball, controlling the tempo, building up from across the pitch, and taking our chances whenever we could. Obviously, this does a wonderful job for our morale, and we'll look to use it as a platform for the next couple of games."

November 11, St. Mary's Stadium
Barclays PL: Matchday 12


SOU 1-1 SHW

The atmosphere at Southampton was akin to a boiler room as Sheffield Wednesday came to town. Fabian Delph received the ball after Jasper Cillessen punched away an early corner. Delph lured the keeper out to his right, tricking him and passing into an open net. Wednesday held the lead until the 79th minute, when Dusan Tadic struck low and hard from a very tight angle, before being sent off in injury time for a studs-up tackle on Joe Mattock.

"It's a fair result. I'd say we had a very good game, but that can't be said of the officials. The referee had a particularly rubbish day. Their players spent most of the game kicking us instead of the ball. That's something you have to deal with in any division, but you don't expect it from Southampton. And that's a shame when you see the things their players are capable of, so I just have to wonder why they were allowed to get away with so much."

November 21, Hillsborough Stadium
Barclays PL: Matchday 13


SHW 1-2 ARS

Sheffield Wednesday may have started the game fancying their chances on the back of two great performances, but it was Arsenal who assumed the driving seat early on. Fernando Llorente connected with a header in the 14th minute, before adding a second off a set piece. Diafra Sakho was able to restore some sort of hope just seconds before halftime, and despite some excellent defending in the second half, Wednesday couldn't rescue a point.

"We tried our best. If we had played as well in the first half as we did in the second, we might have got something out of this one. There's really no shame in losing to a team as good as Arsenal; certainly not when they're in this incredible run of form. You look at their squad, and there's quality in every position, but I think it's important to see that we were able to match that quality for long periods of time. It's a fair result to Arsenal, but I think we will be the side happier in terms of performance."

November 28, Goodison Park
Barclays PL: Matchday 14


EVE 2-2 SHW

Sheffield Wednesday's visit to Everton was a thriller of a match. Gary Mackay-Steven opened the scoring on 25 minutes with a stunner. Recovering the ball at deep left, he dribbled all the way up the pitch, beating no less than six men before unleashing an unstoppable shot. Kevin Mirallas restored parity before the break, Romelu Lukaku headed in Everton's second shortly after play resumed, and Caolan Lavery's clever equaliser in the 71st minute ended a good month for Wednesday.

"This kind of game isn't good for the heart! It was genuinely end-to-end stuff for 90 minutes. Everton are the first side to deny us this much possession, and it was really down to the energy and drive they displayed, so well done to them. I can't pick out too much that we did wrong. It was just one of those games where both sides display enough quality going forward that you can't do much to stop them from scoring."

December/Transfer Preview

Five points from four tough games isn't too bad, especially since they now bring us to 21 points, two behind a struggling Chelsea and three ahead of Newcastle. I don't think anyone expected us to beat United, and away draws at Southampton and Everton aren't poor results. Arsenal are on fire at the moment, four clear of Spurs at the top with 38 points, so we can't be mad about losing to them, especially since it was by just one goal. November was kind to us, and December should be kinder.

Next month, we face: Aston Villa (H), Liverpool (H), Chelsea (A), QPR (A), and Wigan (H). Villa, QPR and Wigan are all among the bottom five sides, so we should beat them all given our form, but we'll see. Chelsea are struggling but can do damage if they play well, and it's going to be at Stamford Bridge, so we have to guard against any sort of complacency or 'take-it-easy' thoughts. Liverpool are flying, having won their last five after a bad start and a few weeks in the relegation zone, but the return of Simon Mignolet from injury has bolstered them. I would say that 9 points is the minimum return we should gun for, with anything up to 11 or 12 being possible.

On the contract front, we've hit a bit of a brick wall negotiating a new deal with Sam Hutchinson, who has no desire to accept anything other than an improved role in the side. I quite like a M/H + H/H combination in midfield, and Fabian Delph is definitely my first-choice M/H player. This means Hutchinson can't have too big a role, because his role will be determined by Delph's form and fitness, but I've found a way out.

Tom Lees hasn't grown at all, and his performances at centre back have been nothing *********. Josh Meekings has been far better, and Claude Dielna has often been the partner of choice for Meekings. Hutchinson is adept at CB, so I'll be playing him next to Meekings throughout December, which should give me enough time to assess his value there before coming to a final decision over the terms of his new contract.

We aren't looking to do much business in January. Ruben Loftus-Cheek had his loan deal terminated early, and Chris Maguire will be allowed to leave despite having made a return to the side under my 4-4-2 system, primarily because he's a passenger most games. I have Jacques Maghoma to replace him and young Jack Stobbs for depth, and I can always take another winger on loan if I really need to. We will be looking to sign a pre-contract deal with a winger, preferably one with a natural right foot and a good left, but vice versa also works as long as the weak-foot rating is 4/5 stars. We want a very fast player with good positioning; someone who can cross the ball well, dribble and finish chances. On the shortlist are Aaron Lennon, Craig Noone and Tom Ince.

The summer will be a bit busier. Joe Mattock and Liam Palmer have been wonderful at the full back positions, but I need to upgrade them if I want to push on and challenge for trophies. I've been scouting Jordan Obita and Carl Jenkinson as replacements, but I might only pick up one or the other. And if Lees drops to the bench and isn't happy with his new role, I'll have to look for a replacement centre back; that won't be cheap.

As well as shoring up our defence, I want to bring in a new H/H midfielder. Giles Coke is getting towards 30 without any sign of growth since I joined, so it's a testament to his ability that he still gets chosen as Delph's preferred partner. Jordan Henderson is up for grabs on a free, but his wage demands put him beyond our reach. I signed Gael Bigirimana for cheap this past summer but have used him sparingly, so I'll give him a few games in December to see what it's like to pair M/H with M/M in a 4-4-2.

In attack, we will be in for at least one striker. I hope we can afford Diafra Sakho next summer, because he's been absolutely fantastic, especially in the big games. Stevie May has been disappointing despite netting five times, so I will be considering offers for him beginning in January. I've been thinking about finally signing Will Buckley, who I think can flourish as part of a striker partnership with Caolan Lavery, who has been a revelation with his amazing ability to adapt to the top flight without a lean period.

The biggest source of our upgrade, however, is going to be in goal. Alex Smithies has been very vocal about his desire to leave after failing to do enough to displace Keiren Westwood, even though he has displayed that potential on a number of occasions, so he will be off in the summer. Westwood himself is a great shot-stopper, but I need a more complete goalkeeper to form the base of my spine. Scouts have been watching Anders Lindegaard, Kevin Trapp and Matt Ryan, all of whom can be had for free.

[Keano16]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

FIFA 15 | PS3 | Season 3 | 2016-17

The Swans

Squad Report as of September 2016

Goalkeepers
Simone Scuffet - 76 Ovr, 20 Years Old
Lukasz Fabianski - 75 Ovr, 31 Years Old
Joe Wilson* - 66 Ovr, 18 Years Old

Defenders
RB, Ashley Richards - 69 Ovr, 25 Years Old
RB, Nathaniel Clyne - 77 Ovr, 25 Years Old
RB, Curtis Obeng - 60 Ovr, 27 Years Old
RB, Angel Rangel - 72 Ovr, 33 Years Old
CB, Kurt Zouma** - 75 Ovr, 21 Years Old
CB, Kalidou Koulibaly - 74 Ovr, 25 Years Old
CB, Kyle Bartley - 69 Ovr, 25 Years Old
CB, Daniel McCann* - 52 Ovr, 17 Years Old
CB, Jordi Amat - 76 Ovr, 24 Years Old
CB, Winston Reid - 75 Ovr, 28 Years Old
LB, Ryan Bertrand - 74 Ovr, 27 Years Old
LB, Bernat - 75 Ovr, 22 Years Old
LB, Raheem Hanley - 60 Ovr, 22 Years Old

Midfielders
CDM, Jose Canas - 73 Ovr, 29 Years Old
CDM,Benjamin Stambouli - 78 Ovr, 26 Years Old
RM, Nathan Dyer - 75 Ovr, 28 Years Old
RM, Adrian Centurion - 76 Ovr, 23 Years Old
CM, Ki Sung Yeung - 76 Ovr, 27 Years Old
CM, Josh Sheehan - 60 Ovr, 21 Years Old
CM, Fabian Delph - 75 Ovr, 26 Years Old
LM, Shane Brennan* - 59 Ovr, 17 Years Old
LM, Nathan Redmond - 75 Ovr, 22 Years Old
CAM, Jonjo Shelvey - 77 Ovr, 24 Years Old
CAM, Gylfi Sigurdsson - 78 Ovr, 27 Years Old
CAM, Jay Fulton - 67 Ovr, 22 Years Old
CAM, Mark Tidser* - 68 Ovr, 17 Years Old
CAM, Declan Graham* - 63 Ovr, 17 Years Old

Forwards
CF, Tom McKenzie* - 63 Ovr, 18 Years Old
ST, Saido Berahino - 70 Ovr, 23 Years Old
ST, Danny Ings - 72 Ovr, 24 Years Old
ST, Marvin Emnes - 71 Ovr, 28 Years Old
ST, Wilfried Bony - 84 Ovr, 27 Years Old
LW, Jefferson Montero - 74 Ovr, 27 Years Old
LW, Felipe Anderson - 76 Ovr, 23 Years Old

Out on Loan
CM, Rhys Randall* - 64 Ovr, 17 Years Old
ST, Rory Donnelly - 67 Ovr, 24 Years Old
CDM, Elliott l'Anson* - 66 Ovr, 18 Years Old
ST, James Loveridge - 63 Ovr, 22 Years Old

* Denotes Youth Player
** Denotes Loan Player

[Keano16]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

@Moose: As said above you have a strong midfield and attack! I'm sure by the time Noble and Downing retire Kouyate and Morrison will be able to fill their shoes comfortably. I'd go for maybe a better CB for your B team, as Collins is getting on a bit.

TOON TO THE TOP
SEASON 4
PS4

Spoiler

Squad
* denotes Youth Academy product

Goalkeepers
Asmir Begovic 88
Karl Darlow 68
Rob Elliot 68

Defenders
Calum Chambers 79
Nathaniel Clyne 83
Jamaal Lascelles 76
Mapou Yanga-M'Biwa 81 (C)
Jerome Boateng 87
Kurt Zouma 77
Gael Clichy 82
Paul Dummett 70
Massadio Haidara 75

Midfielders
Gary Medel 81
Jack Colback 75
Vurnon Anita 75
Sofiane Feghouli 86
Enzo Perez 84
Roussillon Murnane 80*
Fabian Delph 82
Paul Gomez 74*
Bruno Saltor Carver 76*
Mehdi Abeid 71
Andre Schurrle 84
Rolando Aarons 74
Shane Ferguson 70
Ross Barkley 83
Roberto Firmino 82

Forwards
Alexandre Lacazette 84
Wilfried Bony 81
Ayoze Perez 80

2018 World Cup Qualifiers

Greece 0-0 England

Ireland 2-1 England
Brady 12
Long 69
Rooney 77

Match 4

Liverpool 0-1 Newcastle
Lacazette 90
In a tight match where neither side attacked well and both sides defended well, it took until stoppage time to find a deadlock breaker, and the eventual winner. Firmino played the ball through and Lacazette ran clear onto the perfectly weighted pass to convert through the keepers legs.

Champions League Group Stage Match 1

Newcastle 2-0 PSV
Ayoze 86
Firmino 90
In a dull match, the game came to life at a rainy St. James' Park in the last 5 minutes. Ayoze Perez gave us the lead, flicking past the defender before showing his composure to calmly tuck into the bottom corner past the onrushing keeper. Firmino made it 2 in the last minute, operated on the right, he cut inside, skipped past a defender and tucked it in through the keepers legs.

Match 5

Newcastle 3-0 Arsenal
Lacazette 33
Lacazette 50
Schurrle 89
We took the lead in this match through a wonderful Lacazette header. Chambers whipped it in on the volley with the outside of his boot perfectly to find the head of Lacazette who powered it into the top corner. He made it 2 not long after half time, tackling Mertesacker before running clear and curling into the bottom corner. The game was wrapped up late on, Medel going on a great run before getting surrounded in the box. He prodded it square to Schurrle who curled it beyond the keeper.

League Cup Round 3

Doncaster 1-3 Newcastle
Firmino 7
Zouma 36
Aarons 73
McKay 90 (PEN)
Simmed.

Match 6

Norwich 0-1 Newcastle
Barkley 21
Barkley got the only goal of an awful game, knocking in over the top of the keeper after jinking past the defender, finding the underside of the roof of the net with a wonderful effort.

Champions League Group Stage Match 2

AIK 1-2 Newcastle
Aarons 18
Borges 25
Ayoze 77
This match was incredibly entertaining and was the debut of my new B-Team tactic, (see above post). Aarons gave us the lead, Bony playing it through and he coolly tucked into the bottom corner. Borges equalised for AIK after a brilliant passing move. Aarons, Bony and Delph all forced great saves from the keeper and Ayoze smashed wide on the half volley. The winner came late on, Ayoze getting the ball out wide in the box. He flicked it past the sliding defender and curled into the bottom corner at the far post, an excellent goal.

League Table

1. Newcastle 15
2. Southampton 15
3. Chelsea 14
4. Everton 11
5. Manchester United 11
6. Manchester City 11
-----
18. Crystal Palace 3
19. Watford 3
20. Swansea 2

Champions League Group Table

Newcastle 6
AIK 3
Juventus 1
PSV 1

Final 2018 World Cup Qualifying Table

England 23
Denmark 19
Ireland 17
Scotland 13
Greece 6
Bulgaria 5

A very strong first XI! Your second team is very good also. What Ovr did Murnane come out of your Academy at? He seems to have progressed very nicely.

The games now: Come on Ireland! A good month in League and European action! Lacazette is doing well in the big games for you! Good to see you are top of all your groups/tables.

The Wednesday: November '15

Spoiler

November 7, Hillsborough Stadium
Barclays PL: Matchday 11


SHW 2-0 MUN

Sheffield Wednesday pulled off a grand upset, putting two past an in-form Manchester United led by the tenacious, energetic Wayne Rooney. The first goal came with 10 minutes on the clock, Caolan Lavery smashing in Fabian Delph's cross with one touch. Wednesday then stood their ground until the 61st minute, when Gary Mackay-Steven flummoxed Chris Smalling and Daley Blind before gently guiding the ball past Anders Lindegaard. The game marked Wednesday's first use of the 4-4-2.

"After a run of mixed results, we really wanted to remind everyone that we belong at this level. We did well to get the early goal, and it was a fantastic response from us to hold our nerve. It was important to go back to the basics: holding the ball, controlling the tempo, building up from across the pitch, and taking our chances whenever we could. Obviously, this does a wonderful job for our morale, and we'll look to use it as a platform for the next couple of games."

November 11, St. Mary's Stadium
Barclays PL: Matchday 12


SOU 1-1 SHW

The atmosphere at Southampton was akin to a boiler room as Sheffield Wednesday came to town. Fabian Delph received the ball after Jasper Cillessen punched away an early corner. Delph lured the keeper out to his right, tricking him and passing into an open net. Wednesday held the lead until the 79th minute, when Dusan Tadic struck low and hard from a very tight angle, before being sent off in injury time for a studs-up tackle on Joe Mattock.

"It's a fair result. I'd say we had a very good game, but that can't be said of the officials. The referee had a particularly rubbish day. Their players spent most of the game kicking us instead of the ball. That's something you have to deal with in any division, but you don't expect it from Southampton. And that's a shame when you see the things their players are capable of, so I just have to wonder why they were allowed to get away with so much."

Spoiler

November 21, Hillsborough Stadium
Barclays PL: Matchday 13


SHW 1-2 ARS

Sheffield Wednesday may have started the game fancying their chances on the back of two great performances, but it was Arsenal who assumed the driving seat early on. Fernando Llorente connected with a header in the 14th minute, before adding a second off a set piece. Diafra Sakho was able to restore some sort of hope just seconds before halftime, and despite some excellent defending in the second half, Wednesday couldn't rescue a point.

"We tried our best. If we had played as well in the first half as we did in the second, we might have got something out of this one. There's really no shame in losing to a team as good as Arsenal; certainly not when they're in this incredible run of form. You look at their squad, and there's quality in every position, but I think it's important to see that we were able to match that quality for long periods of time. It's a fair result to Arsenal, but I think we will be the side happier in terms of performance."

November 28, Goodison Park
Barclays PL: Matchday 14


EVE 2-2 SHW

Sheffield Wednesday's visit to Everton was a thriller of a match. Gary Mackay-Steven opened the scoring on 25 minutes with a stunner. Recovering the ball at deep left, he dribbled all the way up the pitch, beating no less than six men before unleashing an unstoppable shot. Kevin Mirallas restored parity before the break, Romelu Lukaku headed in Everton's second shortly after play resumed, and Caolan Lavery's clever equaliser in the 71st minute ended a good month for Wednesday.

"This kind of game isn't good for the heart! It was genuinely end-to-end stuff for 90 minutes. Everton are the first side to deny us this much possession, and it was really down to the energy and drive they displayed, so well done to them. I can't pick out too much that we did wrong. It was just one of those games where both sides display enough quality going forward that you can't do much to stop them from scoring."

December/Transfer Preview

Five points from four tough games isn't too bad, especially since they now bring us to 21 points, two behind a struggling Chelsea and three ahead of Newcastle. I don't think anyone expected us to beat United, and away draws at Southampton and Everton aren't poor results. Arsenal are on fire at the moment, four clear of Spurs at the top with 38 points, so we can't be mad about losing to them, especially since it was by just one goal. November was kind to us, and December should be kinder.

Next month, we face: Aston Villa (H), Liverpool (H), Chelsea (A), QPR (A), and Wigan (H). Villa, QPR and Wigan are all among the bottom five sides, so we should beat them all given our form, but we'll see. Chelsea are struggling but can do damage if they play well, and it's going to be at Stamford Bridge, so we have to guard against any sort of complacency or 'take-it-easy' thoughts. Liverpool are flying, having won their last five after a bad start and a few weeks in the relegation zone, but the return of Simon Mignolet from injury has bolstered them. I would say that 9 points is the minimum return we should gun for, with anything up to 11 or 12 being possible.

On the contract front, we've hit a bit of a brick wall negotiating a new deal with Sam Hutchinson, who has no desire to accept anything other than an improved role in the side. I quite like a M/H + H/H combination in midfield, and Fabian Delph is definitely my first-choice M/H player. This means Hutchinson can't have too big a role, because his role will be determined by Delph's form and fitness, but I've found a way out.

Tom Lees hasn't grown at all, and his performances at centre back have been nothing *********. Josh Meekings has been far better, and Claude Dielna has often been the partner of choice for Meekings. Hutchinson is adept at CB, so I'll be playing him next to Meekings throughout December, which should give me enough time to assess his value there before coming to a final decision over the terms of his new contract.

We aren't looking to do much business in January. Ruben Loftus-Cheek had his loan deal terminated early, and Chris Maguire will be allowed to leave despite having made a return to the side under my 4-4-2 system, primarily because he's a passenger most games. I have Jacques Maghoma to replace him and young Jack Stobbs for depth, and I can always take another winger on loan if I really need to. We will be looking to sign a pre-contract deal with a winger, preferably one with a natural right foot and a good left, but vice versa also works as long as the weak-foot rating is 4/5 stars. We want a very fast player with good positioning; someone who can cross the ball well, dribble and finish chances. On the shortlist are Aaron Lennon, Craig Noone and Tom Ince.

The summer will be a bit busier. Joe Mattock and Liam Palmer have been wonderful at the full back positions, but I need to upgrade them if I want to push on and challenge for trophies. I've been scouting Jordan Obita and Carl Jenkinson as replacements, but I might only pick up one or the other. And if Lees drops to the bench and isn't happy with his new role, I'll have to look for a replacement centre back; that won't be cheap.

As well as shoring up our defence, I want to bring in a new H/H midfielder. Giles Coke is getting towards 30 without any sign of growth since I joined, so it's a testament to his ability that he still gets chosen as Delph's preferred partner. Jordan Henderson is up for grabs on a free, but his wage demands put him beyond our reach. I signed Gael Bigirimana for cheap this past summer but have used him sparingly, so I'll give him a few games in December to see what it's like to pair M/H with M/M in a 4-4-2.

In attack, we will be in for at least one striker. I hope we can afford Diafra Sakho next summer, because he's been absolutely fantastic, especially in the big games. Stevie May has been disappointing despite netting five times, so I will be considering offers for him beginning in January. I've been thinking about finally signing Will Buckley, who I think can flourish as part of a striker partnership with Caolan Lavery, who has been a revelation with his amazing ability to adapt to the top flight without a lean period.

The biggest source of our upgrade, however, is going to be in goal. Alex Smithies has been very vocal about his desire to leave after failing to do enough to displace Keiren Westwood, even though he has displayed that potential on a number of occasions, so he will be off in the summer. Westwood himself is a great shot-stopper, but I need a more complete goalkeeper to form the base of my spine. Scouts have been watching Anders Lindegaard, Kevin Trapp and Matt Ryan, all of whom can be had for free.

What a way to start the month by beating United! Followed by a good showing against Arsenal and 2 good points against teams with the quality to get into Europe. Hopefully next month you can pick up a point or 2 against Chelsea and Liverpool and manage to beat the rest. Good to see that Delph is doing as well for you as he is for me. It'll be a bit sad to see May go if he does seeing as he done so well for you last year but I guess some strikers are just Championship strikers. Also will Westwood stay as back up? Seeing as he's Irish!

[jamiec47]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

A very strong first XI! Your second team is very good also. What Ovr did Murnane come out of your Academy at? He seems to have progressed very nicely.

The games now: Come on Ireland! A good month in League and European action! Lacazette is doing well in the big games for you! Good to see you are top of all your groups/tables.

Murnane came out of the academy at 72 and him and Carver were the 2 players that came out before the corruption. He has developed insanely well and I can only hope Carver and Gomez do the same.

[texasbum06]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

Fabian Delph seems to be a mainstay across several midfields here. No surprise considering what he brings to the table. Giles Coke looks like the ideal box-to-box midfielder for a lower division team though. I know with your promotion though it might be hard to keep him out there, but his stamina and work rates are something that is hard to replace. I like your center back pairing though, not the biggest guys out there, but both are good jumpers which should no doubt help you win those battles in the air.

[Cruzerr]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

@Keano16 - Some really good signings, starting with securing Bernat and I also like the Anderson deal.

Haha, saw your second post now. Nice job winning the shield. All the games you had seem like they were really interesting and a lot of goals. Not the greatest start in the league, but it is still really early. :P

@jamiec47 - That team is stupidly good, holy. You didn't start badly at all, though the loss to Nottingham Forest is surprising, but that can happen when you play a weaker side.

Right, your second post, everything was perfect, except for the part of you beating the Gunners, can you lose next time? k thx.

@Simppu12 - Tough loss in Europa league, but you won the league so, so close. I also enjoyed the review and how you brought out everybodys pros and cons, well done.

@Chicobass - Why play a B team in the Europa league, is the focus more on the league? I know it isn't the weaker team, but they don't look too good at the moment. A pretty tough month, you played well against Madrid though, which is nice. You are in a good position in the league aswell, keep it up.

Oh, and Guillermo = Suarez.

@Tex - A lot of talented youth in the team, who do you think will be the first one to hit 80, Werner?

@Moose141 - Good video as always, even better after the loss against Arsenal.

haha, joking. The league looks very tight, interesting to see how your next game against Manu goes.

Oh and what did I tell you, Potts man! As for the rumored signings, I like Grenier, he seems like a really interesting piece.

@Indiblue - See, everybody, Indi does it the right way. He beats United, he plays a good month, writes with passion and loses to Arsenal, perfect!

I am guessing you will beat 4 teams next month, potentially losing to either Chelsea or Liverpool, Chelsea is my guess. Your team looks quite interesting and if you get somebody like Ince in there, it could be a whole lot better. Nice post!

[texasbum06]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

@Tex - A lot of talented youth in the team, who do you think will be the first one to hit 80, Werner?

I think Werner is the likely choice. Çiftçi is in far better form, but I think he has already surpassed what his given potential is so it may be harder for him to continue to grow while Werner still has plenty of room to fill out.

[moose141]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

I struggle to keep up with your videos but I watch them when I can. Because of this, thanks for the tactics talk.

I really like the midfield combination you have going on, with Downing as AM and Ox as CM. They both have the skill set to operate in the midfield extremely well and it's good to see them working out. Delph, when utilised properly, is one of the best, cheap playmakers in he game. The defensive duo of N'Koulou and Reid is one I really like, both strong and quick. Unfortunately, when I had Reid he didn't work out but it's good to see he is holding down a spot for you. Cresswell is a superstar in the making. On top of all that, the attack is my favourite part of the entire team. Carroll the big strong man and Valencia the little speedy forward that will play to each others strengths and give you more options for attacking style.

As for the video which I did manage to catch, incredibly unlucky results. As for transfers, I think Grenier would be a great signing with Downing getting on a bit and Sertic would be an interesting move.

Sure thing, thanks for commenting! The attack is definitely a focal point, similar to you with Bony/Perez combo of power and speed, coupled with Downing in a free role behind them and the Ox pressing forward into attack is very dangerous and free flowing which gives us a ton of options. Thanks for the transfer thoughts, yeah Grenier is definitely my number one target since he can be had on a free transfer and I don't have a ton of funds to work with. Sertic may be someone I look at as well in maybe a swap deal if I can get the funds for it, just as an upgrade over Noble.

@Moose141 - Good video as always, even better after the loss against Arsenal.

haha, joking. The league looks very tight, interesting to see how your next game against Manu goes.

Oh and what did I tell you, Potts man! As for the rumored signings, I like Grenier, he seems like a really interesting piece.

I figured you might enjoy that result... You were right on Potts as well, he took his chance when called upon, though maybe it was just beginner's luck haha. Grenier is definitely my top target, not least because I can bring him in on free and save myself some cash.

Carroll and Valencia is such a deadly striking combo. Your midfield is absolutely outstanding as well, not one weak point in it. Also love how you have kept so many West Ham players that were there when you started in your first XI.

Agreed, it's a perfect combo of power and pace, like a lot of the lineups we are seeing on here actually! Yeah, I think the midfield is very balanced, though Noble could potentially be upgraded, but it would break my heart to do it! I love trying to keep a semblance of the old squad involved, because oftentimes they have the quality to play well but just need to be deployed in the right system, as we have seen IRL.

@Moose: As said above you have a strong midfield and attack! I'm sure by the time Noble and Downing retire Kouyate and Morrison will be able to fill their shoes comfortably. I'd go for maybe a better CB for your B team, as Collins is getting on a bit.

Agreed, definitely some strong talent in the pipeline, but I worry that guys like Noble have peaked out so definitely will need to strengthen if we want to progress in European play and push for league titles. Collins is definitely one who's on the way out, my only positive is that Kouyate can play CB as well so I may have a ready made substitute already!

Thanks everyone for commenting!

[texasbum06]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

Finished March last night, will have the update up whenever I get a chance to work on it tonight. But, with only April left until the May Update, Niklas Lechleiter has a chance to be the first ever prospect I have gotten through 3 May updates.

April 2015: Niklas Lechleiter (Germany) - 15 yrs old, 49-57 OVR 76-90 POT (Attacker)

May 2015: Niklas Lechleiter (Germany) - 15 yrs old, 62-68 OVR 79-87 POT (Attacker)

April 2016: Niklas Lechleiter (Germany) - RW, 16 yrs old, 63-67 OVR 80-86 POT (Attacker)

May 2016: Niklas Lechleiter (Germany) - RW, 16 yrs old, 68-72 OVR 80-86 POT (Attacker)

April 2017: Niklas Lechleiter (Germany) - RW, 17 yrs old, 68-72 OVR 80-86 POT (Attacker)

May 2017: ????


I'll be so upset if he doesn't make it! I don't know how much, or if even at all the May update will effect his ratings since I've seen instances where a player who has already been through one had a minimal effect in their second one. But he got a huge boost in both of the ones he has been through so far.

[moose141]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

Spoiler

Just realized I haven't posted a squad update in quite some time. I'll try to remember when I get home today to go through and get you guys the updates squad with all of their ratings.

Was thinking about formations which is what made me realize that. Sooooooo, time for some formation talk!

I changed my formation this season after running a 4-4-2 with 2 holding midfielders, 2 wide midfielders, and 2 strikers. I realized that I was having some trouble linking up from the midfield to the strikers since there was no CAM playing in that gap to direct the action. I switched to a 4-2-3-1, which was helped by the addition of Timo Werner. My starting XI looks like this now.

Werner and Çiftçi are a nightmare combination up front, and Werner can also slide over to either of the wings and Çiftçi can play well in the CAM role if I bring Rubio Rubin in. Michal Mak also can play on either wing, or in the CAM or striker role as well. This formation works so well since I have a so many versatile players.

Which formations do you guys prefer to use for your squads, and how do you like to use your main players? I feel like we haven't had a big discussion on this in a while and everyone has either started new careers, or made a lot of changes in theirs so I thought it might be interesting to see what everyone is running right now.

Werner and Ciftci is an absolutely deadly combo, that's very smart to get them in the best available positions in front of goal where they can work with each other, not to mention Mak is a tank as well in terms of picking up goals for you. I love seeing this team and having to figure out who people are haha, I remember for a while when you would say Khedira in your updates that I could've sworn somehow you picked up Sami!

Spoiler

Figured I'd add my team to the discussion:

With my main team I've been using a 4-4-2 Holding since last season and the beginning of this season.

Ratings:

Simone Scuffet 76 Ovr

Nathaniel Clyne 77 Ovr
Winston Reid 75 Ovr
Jordi Amat 76 Ovr
Bernat 75 Ovr

Adrian Centurion 76 Ovr
Benjamin Stambouli 78 Ovr
Fabian Delph 75 Ovr
Nathan Redmond 75 Ovr

Danny Ings 72 Ovr
Wilfried Bony 84 Ovr

Only real thing I have set is for Stambouli to stay back on attack and for Redmond to cut in. With Ings and Bony up front I can either cross it in for Bony to attack or go in behind and use Ings' pace. Delph links the midfield and attack up really well. His energy is amazing. Clyne also overlaps quite a bit so he adds more width along with Centurion. Stambouli attacks a bit too but is good at cutting out attacks and winning the ball back.

My B team uses a different formation. The 4-3-3 but with 2 CDMs and a CAM.

Ratings:

Lukasz Fabianski 75 Ovr

Ashley Richards 69 Ovr
Kurt Zouma 75 Ovr
Kalidou Koulibaly 74 Ovr
Ryan Bertrand 74 Ovr

Ki Sung-Yeung 76 Ovr
Jonjo Shelvey 77 Ovr
Gylfi Sigurdsson 78 Ovr

Nathan Dyer 74 Ovr
Saido Berahino 70 Ovr
Felipe Anderson 76 Ovr

Here Ki is instructed to stay back on attack. As Shelvey is naturally a CAM he gets forward with Sigurdsson, who acts as the link. Anderson and Dyer cut in and get crosses into the box. Mostly cut in or use low crossing as Berahino isn't the greatest in the air. Montero can alternate with Dyer/Anderson if need be.

I'll post a full squad with Overalls and Ages either tonight or tomorrow.

I feel like you're hiding more talent on your second team than you are on the first! Haha, not exactly, but having Shelvey and Sigurdsson as secondary options is a great problem to have. Looking at the ratings, you've really gotten the team to overachieve, though Bony, Clyne, and Delph seem to be mainstays of a lot of lineups so clearly they are doing something right! Definitely Bony is your big man, and I can see why he is so important to you.

The Wednesday: November '15

Spoiler

November 7, Hillsborough Stadium
Barclays PL: Matchday 11


SHW 2-0 MUN

Sheffield Wednesday pulled off a grand upset, putting two past an in-form Manchester United led by the tenacious, energetic Wayne Rooney. The first goal came with 10 minutes on the clock, Caolan Lavery smashing in Fabian Delph's cross with one touch. Wednesday then stood their ground until the 61st minute, when Gary Mackay-Steven flummoxed Chris Smalling and Daley Blind before gently guiding the ball past Anders Lindegaard. The game marked Wednesday's first use of the 4-4-2.

"After a run of mixed results, we really wanted to remind everyone that we belong at this level. We did well to get the early goal, and it was a fantastic response from us to hold our nerve. It was important to go back to the basics: holding the ball, controlling the tempo, building up from across the pitch, and taking our chances whenever we could. Obviously, this does a wonderful job for our morale, and we'll look to use it as a platform for the next couple of games."

November 11, St. Mary's Stadium
Barclays PL: Matchday 12


SOU 1-1 SHW

The atmosphere at Southampton was akin to a boiler room as Sheffield Wednesday came to town. Fabian Delph received the ball after Jasper Cillessen punched away an early corner. Delph lured the keeper out to his right, tricking him and passing into an open net. Wednesday held the lead until the 79th minute, when Dusan Tadic struck low and hard from a very tight angle, before being sent off in injury time for a studs-up tackle on Joe Mattock.

"It's a fair result. I'd say we had a very good game, but that can't be said of the officials. The referee had a particularly rubbish day. Their players spent most of the game kicking us instead of the ball. That's something you have to deal with in any division, but you don't expect it from Southampton. And that's a shame when you see the things their players are capable of, so I just have to wonder why they were allowed to get away with so much."

Spoiler

November 21, Hillsborough Stadium
Barclays PL: Matchday 13


SHW 1-2 ARS

Sheffield Wednesday may have started the game fancying their chances on the back of two great performances, but it was Arsenal who assumed the driving seat early on. Fernando Llorente connected with a header in the 14th minute, before adding a second off a set piece. Diafra Sakho was able to restore some sort of hope just seconds before halftime, and despite some excellent defending in the second half, Wednesday couldn't rescue a point.

"We tried our best. If we had played as well in the first half as we did in the second, we might have got something out of this one. There's really no shame in losing to a team as good as Arsenal; certainly not when they're in this incredible run of form. You look at their squad, and there's quality in every position, but I think it's important to see that we were able to match that quality for long periods of time. It's a fair result to Arsenal, but I think we will be the side happier in terms of performance."

November 28, Goodison Park
Barclays PL: Matchday 14


EVE 2-2 SHW

Sheffield Wednesday's visit to Everton was a thriller of a match. Gary Mackay-Steven opened the scoring on 25 minutes with a stunner. Recovering the ball at deep left, he dribbled all the way up the pitch, beating no less than six men before unleashing an unstoppable shot. Kevin Mirallas restored parity before the break, Romelu Lukaku headed in Everton's second shortly after play resumed, and Caolan Lavery's clever equaliser in the 71st minute ended a good month for Wednesday.

"This kind of game isn't good for the heart! It was genuinely end-to-end stuff for 90 minutes. Everton are the first side to deny us this much possession, and it was really down to the energy and drive they displayed, so well done to them. I can't pick out too much that we did wrong. It was just one of those games where both sides display enough quality going forward that you can't do much to stop them from scoring."

December/Transfer Preview

Five points from four tough games isn't too bad, especially since they now bring us to 21 points, two behind a struggling Chelsea and three ahead of Newcastle. I don't think anyone expected us to beat United, and away draws at Southampton and Everton aren't poor results. Arsenal are on fire at the moment, four clear of Spurs at the top with 38 points, so we can't be mad about losing to them, especially since it was by just one goal. November was kind to us, and December should be kinder.

Next month, we face: Aston Villa (H), Liverpool (H), Chelsea (A), QPR (A), and Wigan (H). Villa, QPR and Wigan are all among the bottom five sides, so we should beat them all given our form, but we'll see. Chelsea are struggling but can do damage if they play well, and it's going to be at Stamford Bridge, so we have to guard against any sort of complacency or 'take-it-easy' thoughts. Liverpool are flying, having won their last five after a bad start and a few weeks in the relegation zone, but the return of Simon Mignolet from injury has bolstered them. I would say that 9 points is the minimum return we should gun for, with anything up to 11 or 12 being possible.

On the contract front, we've hit a bit of a brick wall negotiating a new deal with Sam Hutchinson, who has no desire to accept anything other than an improved role in the side. I quite like a M/H + H/H combination in midfield, and Fabian Delph is definitely my first-choice M/H player. This means Hutchinson can't have too big a role, because his role will be determined by Delph's form and fitness, but I've found a way out.

Tom Lees hasn't grown at all, and his performances at centre back have been nothing *********. Josh Meekings has been far better, and Claude Dielna has often been the partner of choice for Meekings. Hutchinson is adept at CB, so I'll be playing him next to Meekings throughout December, which should give me enough time to assess his value there before coming to a final decision over the terms of his new contract.

We aren't looking to do much business in January. Ruben Loftus-Cheek had his loan deal terminated early, and Chris Maguire will be allowed to leave despite having made a return to the side under my 4-4-2 system, primarily because he's a passenger most games. I have Jacques Maghoma to replace him and young Jack Stobbs for depth, and I can always take another winger on loan if I really need to. We will be looking to sign a pre-contract deal with a winger, preferably one with a natural right foot and a good left, but vice versa also works as long as the weak-foot rating is 4/5 stars. We want a very fast player with good positioning; someone who can cross the ball well, dribble and finish chances. On the shortlist are Aaron Lennon, Craig Noone and Tom Ince.

The summer will be a bit busier. Joe Mattock and Liam Palmer have been wonderful at the full back positions, but I need to upgrade them if I want to push on and challenge for trophies. I've been scouting Jordan Obita and Carl Jenkinson as replacements, but I might only pick up one or the other. And if Lees drops to the bench and isn't happy with his new role, I'll have to look for a replacement centre back; that won't be cheap.

As well as shoring up our defence, I want to bring in a new H/H midfielder. Giles Coke is getting towards 30 without any sign of growth since I joined, so it's a testament to his ability that he still gets chosen as Delph's preferred partner. Jordan Henderson is up for grabs on a free, but his wage demands put him beyond our reach. I signed Gael Bigirimana for cheap this past summer but have used him sparingly, so I'll give him a few games in December to see what it's like to pair M/H with M/M in a 4-4-2.

In attack, we will be in for at least one striker. I hope we can afford Diafra Sakho next summer, because he's been absolutely fantastic, especially in the big games. Stevie May has been disappointing despite netting five times, so I will be considering offers for him beginning in January. I've been thinking about finally signing Will Buckley, who I think can flourish as part of a striker partnership with Caolan Lavery, who has been a revelation with his amazing ability to adapt to the top flight without a lean period.

The biggest source of our upgrade, however, is going to be in goal. Alex Smithies has been very vocal about his desire to leave after failing to do enough to displace Keiren Westwood, even though he has displayed that potential on a number of occasions, so he will be off in the summer. Westwood himself is a great shot-stopper, but I need a more complete goalkeeper to form the base of my spine. Scouts have been watching Anders Lindegaard, Kevin Trapp and Matt Ryan, all of whom can be had for free.

Not a bad month by any stretch of the imagination for you, especially with that big win over United coupled with seeing your squad... yikes, you're definitely in about punching weight with some of those guys in the starting lineup, so you're doing really well if you stay in the top flight and really allow for reinforcements to come in. A few middling years and then you should be ready to start challenging the big boys!

Here's my responses to all of your posts/tactics:

Spoiler

Thought I'd contribute.

My first team is a simple 4-2-3-1, however each player has a certain role in the team. Clyne and Clichy are always overlapping, as they have the pace to attack and defend. To go alongside this, Schurrle tends to get in behind the defence drifting infield while Feghouli sits off and lets Clyne do the overlapping, acting as a playmaker. In the centre of defence is M'Biwa and Boateng, both strong, quick and tall, perfect for countering tall strikers, quick strikers and strong strikers. The defence is incredible. My holding midfield duo is what pulls the team together, Medel utilised as a box-to-box midfielder to use his brilliant tackling and excellent dribbling while Enzo stays central and links up the play between attack and defence. Barkley acts as more of a CF than a CAM as he sits in and around the box, looking to capitalise. Lacazette is tall and quick and this allows me to play down the middle or down the wing to cross in.

This B-Team is brilliant in this tactic. We'll focus on the midfield as the defence is largely the same, except Colback doesn't always overlap, he is more balanced with his play, while the goalie is either Begovic or Darlow. Delph sits in the holding midfield role, cutting off passing lanes before making key passes himself. Murnane and Firmino are playmakers, Murnane stictly in that position while Firmino has a more of a free roam, a role that comes naturally given his flair. Aarons on the tip of the diamond is the innovative part of this tactic, the natural winger placed there and he works wonders. Also given a free roam, he acts as a third striker or a playmaker or a winger. His passing is excellent, as is his finishing and because of this he is instructed to stay forward. The tactic would fall apart without him. Ayoze is utilised as a second striker, with Bony the target man. However, this means Ayoze gets more goals and Bony shields the ball and lays it off to the speedster.

Lacazette, Clyne, Barkley, Feghouli, Schurrle, Boateng, Begovic at 88?!.... when you have Bony on the second team with Firmino, that's when you know you're stacked! What an unreal lineup, fantastic work carving that team out and creating some great depth as well, good to see my boy Fabian on the squad as well aha.

[texasbum06]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

Werner and Ciftci is an absolutely deadly combo, that's very smart to get them in the best available positions in front of goal where they can work with each other, not to mention Mak is a tank as well in terms of picking up goals for you. I love seeing this team and having to figure out who people are haha, I remember for a while when you would say Khedira in your updates that I could've sworn somehow you picked up Sami!

Thanks haha! I've really had to step up my research on players for this career since I had been playing with English teams for so long and I like to keep my transfer targets within the country, or in countries that are in immediate proximity to the one I am in. It's been fun though to find all of these under the radar players that I had never looked at before.

And nope not Sami! Just his younger, less talented brother I had figured some people might get confused at times on that haha.

[Keano16]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

Finished March last night, will have the update up whenever I get a chance to work on it tonight. But, with only April left until the May Update, Niklas Lechleiter has a chance to be the first ever prospect I have gotten through 3 May updates.

April 2015: Niklas Lechleiter (Germany) - 15 yrs old, 49-57 OVR 76-90 POT (Attacker)

May 2015: Niklas Lechleiter (Germany) - 15 yrs old, 62-68 OVR 79-87 POT (Attacker)

April 2016: Niklas Lechleiter (Germany) - RW, 16 yrs old, 63-67 OVR 80-86 POT (Attacker)

May 2016: Niklas Lechleiter (Germany) - RW, 16 yrs old, 68-72 OVR 80-86 POT (Attacker)

April 2017: Niklas Lechleiter (Germany) - RW, 17 yrs old, 68-72 OVR 80-86 POT (Attacker)

May 2017: ????


I'll be so upset if he doesn't make it! I don't know how much, or if even at all the May update will effect his ratings since I've seen instances where a player who has already been through one had a minimal effect in their second one. But he got a huge boost in both of the ones he has been through so far.

I really hope he stays!! One of mine stayed until he was 18 so there is hope! My guess is he'll go to 70-74 Ovr.

[jamiec47]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

Lacazette, Clyne, Barkley, Feghouli, Schurrle, Boateng, Begovic at 88?!.... when you have Bony on the second team with Firmino, that's when you know you're stacked! What an unreal lineup, fantastic work carving that team out and creating some great depth as well, good to see my boy Fabian on the squad as well aha.

Yeah, the team is stacked. Begovic is an absolute beast and his continued growth is just due to his form. He rarely has an off day. Delph will definitely be the successor to Enzo, they both play similarly and with Delph on the bench, I don't think I need to spend money on a replacement.

[Keano16]

Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?

@Keano16 - Some really good signings, starting with securing Bernat and I also like the Anderson deal.

Haha, saw your second post now. Nice job winning the shield. All the games you had seem like they were really interesting and a lot of goals. Not the greatest start in the league, but it is still really early. :P

Thanks! Hopefully Bernat can progress nicely in the next couple seasons and get even better. Anderson I think will do really well too. A lot of goals is right. I want to be more compact though but at least I'm able to score more or the same as the other team haha.

I feel like you're hiding more talent on your second team than you are on the first! Haha, not exactly, but having Shelvey and Sigurdsson as secondary options is a great problem to have. Looking at the ratings, you've really gotten the team to overachieve, though Bony, Clyne, and Delph seem to be mainstays of a lot of lineups so clearly they are doing something right! Definitely Bony is your big man, and I can see why he is so important to you.

I just couldn't really fit either Sigurdsson or Shelvey into the team. The 4-4-2 Holding was working really well so I had no need for CAMs. Delph and Stambouli work really well together so Shelvey wouldn't be able to fit in there either. It's good to have talent like that on the B team though! Bony has improved really well from season 2 on. He didn't go up in Ovr at all in season 1 but has grown to 84 in season 2 and 3. Hopefully he doesn't peak there.