Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?
The Globetrotter CM
Copa America 2019 + Summer Transfer Window Update
After a disappointing showing in the World Cup last summer I put extra work with the Venezuelan NT during this past season to field the best possible roster for the oldest international soccer tournament on earth.
Group A
Brazil
Chile
United States
Ecuador
Group B
Uruguay
Venezuela
Paraguay
Bolivia
Group C
Argentina
Colombia
Mexico
Peru
Group Match 1
Bolivia - Venezuela (1-4)
Vaca 4'
Peñaranda 12' (Otero)
Otero 27' (Peñaranda)
Murillo 66' (Otero)
Rivas 90' (Otero)
With Juanpi Añor serving a one-game suspension as a result of a red-card in our last friendly I moved Romulo Otero to CAM from RM in our diamond midfield and he looked like a world-beater, reminding me of how much I enjoyed having him during my time at Dorados. Otero scored once and assisted thrice, putting his mark in every goal scored by us as we routed Bolivia.
Group Match 2
Venezuela - Paraguay (5-2)
Ortiz 10'
Otero 18' (Rondon)
Sanabria 21'
Garcia 33' (Martinez)
S. Rondon 38' (Garcia)
Juanpi 68' (Becerra)
Juanpi 80' (Signorelli)
Our sudden scoring outburst made up for some sloppy errors in the first quarter of the game that helped Paraguay give us a real scare. Luckily we were able to finally take a lead before the end of the first half and we played a much more composed second half to run away with this game and clinch a spot into quarter-finals which was our first goal going into the Copa.
Group Match 3
Uruguay - Venezuela (2-1)
S. Rondon 44' (Garcia)
Laxalt 67'
Suarez 79'
We couldn't sustain our high-scoring ways against Uruguay who clamped down on defense and held us to a single shot on goal. On other side of the pitch, even though this was our best defensive game, we were unable to manage a good result as Luis Suarez made the difference for the Charruas to give them the group lead.
Quarter Final
Colombia - Venezuela (3-2 ET)
Jackson Martinez 62'
Del Valle 69' (pen)
Del Valle 76' (Martinez)
Jackson Martinez 78'
Jackson Martinez 93'
Colombia's Jackson Martinez, who had yet to score in this tournament, netted a hat-trick to hand us a heart-breaking loss in extra time. This rivalry game did not lack any of that rivalry feel to it, being closely contested in the first half then breaking out for 4 goals in the second half in a 16-minute span before it would head for extra time where JM would once again punish our defense for what would turn out to be the game-winning goal. We did everything we could with 10 shots (6 on goal) but Colombia was equally non-stop in their attack with all 8 of their shots on target.
While we had a better showing in this Copa than how we performed in the 2018 World Cup, I am far from satisfied with our performances and I expect the squad to crank up the results in the upcoming WC qualifiers. I'm also bitter about losing to Uruguay as otherwise we would had drawn USA which would had been a better match-up for us. Missed opportunities.
__________________________________________________ ___
Transfer Window Update
New sheriff in town meant a lot of changes could take place and to my own surprise there was a lot more movement during my first transfer window at FC Twente than I had anticipated, thanks in large part to my ability to get creative with the wheeling and dealing. The board provided me with $11 million for transfer budget and $50K for wages which was a small improvement on the $7 million and $35K I had to work with last season at Kayserispor.
TRANSFERS
OUT: Hakim Ziyech (CAM, 81 OVR), sold to Everton for $22 million. Kamohelo Mokotjo (CDM, 75 OVR), swapped in deal. Felipe Gutiérrez (CM, 75 OVR), swapped in deal. Sonny Stevens (GK, 71 OVR), swapped in deal. Jelle van der Heyden (CM, 68 OVR), swapped in deal. Jerson Cabral (RW, 68 OVR), sold to SC Cambuur for $1.3 million. Tim Hölscher (RW, 67 OVR), sold to VfL Bochum for $1.3 million. Richard Jensen (CM, 67 OVR), sold to SC Cambuur for $1.25 million. Nick Marsman (GK, 67 OVR), sold to Roda JC Kerkrade for $775K. James Abass (CAM, 66 OVR), sold to De Graafschap for $1 million. Chinedu Ede (LW, 65 OVR), sold to FC Vaduz for $525K. Timo Plattel (GK, 64 OVR), sold to Willem II for $550K. Michael Verrips (GK, 60 OVR), sold to SD Huesca for $250K. Patrick John (LB, 59 OVR), sold to Doncaster Rovers for $190K.
IN: Derlis González (RM, 78 OVR), acquired from San Lorenzo de Almagro for $6 million + Gutiérrez. Lenny Nangis (LM, 77 OVR), acquired from LOSC Lille for $3 million + Mokotjo. Juan Pablo (Juanpi) Añor (CAM, 76 OVR), acquired from Málaga CF for $8 million. Nathan Aké (LB, 75 OVR), acquired from Wartford for $1.8 million + Stevens. Lars Veldwijk (ST, 74 OVR), acquired from Nott'm Forest for $4 million + van der Heyden. Krystian Bielik (CDM, 71 OVR), signed to one-year loan from Arsenal.
Transfer Window Recap
Obviously one of the first things to jump out at you is Ziyech's sale --> let me tell you I was very disappointed about that for multiple reasons. #1, upon my arrival to Enschede the Moroccan was one of the first players to jump out at me and I had big plans for him as the CAM in a diamond midfield, but before I could even play him in a game in that formation he had already turned in a transfer request.
I had spend most of the transfer window turning down offers for him ($32 million from Sporting CP, $30.5 million from VfB Stuttgart, $28 million from Club Brugge KV, $27 million from RSC Anderlecht, $26.5 million from Girondins de Bordeaux, $26 million from FC Krasnodar and Rubin Kazan, $25.5 million from Lokomotiv Moscow) although I did entertain interest from FC Bayern but, thinking I had leverage, I asked for a fee well above his value ($22.5 million) at $60 million. They came back as high as $33.5 million but I pushed the envelope with a counter of $55 million and they lost interest at that point. I probably could had gotten $35 million from them.
Instead, after Ziyech turned in his transfer request and the board decided to grant his wish AND take over the negotiations for him, the offers just weren't coming for him. Fiorentina tried to get him at his value and I got them to agree to a counter offer of $30 million but before they could enter in negotiations with the player the board had apparently already agreed to a deal with Everton (WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE) and Ziyech had already agreed to terms with the English club. I must say the way Ziyech's situation was handled was not a good start to the honeymoon between me and the board.
Nevertheless, we managed to bring in some really good talent during this window even if we sold more players than we acquired which leaves us with limited depth over the first few months of the season. Ziyech was really the only player sold that was a main part of what I want to run, and all the other sales helped improved our budget for the acquisitions we made. At this point I have the tools to run either the 4-3-3 that was being ran before my arrival or my 4-4-2 diamond wide, where the arrivals of González and Nangis come in very handy for those wide midfield positions. I would had liked to keep Mokotjo on the roster but once I realized Kyle Ebecilio is my preference at CDM I was willing to part ways with the South African midfielder if we were going to get Nangis in return. Gutiérrez would had been an useful player off the bench but was worth including in a deal to bring in González. A glaring observation once I arrived at the club was the desperate need for fullback help so I was stoked about being able to get Aké from Watford - I made it a point to bring in Dutch talent. That's also the reason why I targeted Veldwijk among other strikers and I'm really excited about his 6'6" frame in either the 2-striker formation or as the front man in the attack in the 4-3-3. Finally, I have a thing for bringing in Venezuelan talent wherever I go but Juanpi was never really in my plans before Ziyech's departure, and he was far from my top choice afterwards. Our main targets to get a new starter at CAM where Lucas Lima, Rémy Cabella, Manuel Lanzini, and more than anyone Manolo Gabbiadini but I have to say that the board settling for just $22 million for Ziyech (and the availability of the funds being moderate) left us handicapped in our search, which is why we had to turn to Juanpi as an emergency plan on deadline day. The positive on him is that he's just entering his prime and can still get better but hopefully he'll be able to run the show that way I want him to (he's been decent in the CAM role with Venezuela but not spectacular). Also the fact we didn't have to break the bank for him left us with some money that could be a good base for the next transfer window.
Thank you as always for the read. I look forward to your comments/questions!
Copa America 2019 + Summer Transfer Window Update
After a disappointing showing in the World Cup last summer I put extra work with the Venezuelan NT during this past season to field the best possible roster for the oldest international soccer tournament on earth.
Group A
Brazil
Chile
United States
Ecuador
Group B
Uruguay
Venezuela
Paraguay
Bolivia
Group C
Argentina
Colombia
Mexico
Peru
Group Match 1
Bolivia - Venezuela (1-4)
Vaca 4'
Peñaranda 12' (Otero)
Otero 27' (Peñaranda)
Murillo 66' (Otero)
Rivas 90' (Otero)
With Juanpi Añor serving a one-game suspension as a result of a red-card in our last friendly I moved Romulo Otero to CAM from RM in our diamond midfield and he looked like a world-beater, reminding me of how much I enjoyed having him during my time at Dorados. Otero scored once and assisted thrice, putting his mark in every goal scored by us as we routed Bolivia.
Group Match 2
Venezuela - Paraguay (5-2)
Ortiz 10'
Otero 18' (Rondon)
Sanabria 21'
Garcia 33' (Martinez)
S. Rondon 38' (Garcia)
Juanpi 68' (Becerra)
Juanpi 80' (Signorelli)
Our sudden scoring outburst made up for some sloppy errors in the first quarter of the game that helped Paraguay give us a real scare. Luckily we were able to finally take a lead before the end of the first half and we played a much more composed second half to run away with this game and clinch a spot into quarter-finals which was our first goal going into the Copa.
Group Match 3
Uruguay - Venezuela (2-1)
S. Rondon 44' (Garcia)
Laxalt 67'
Suarez 79'
We couldn't sustain our high-scoring ways against Uruguay who clamped down on defense and held us to a single shot on goal. On other side of the pitch, even though this was our best defensive game, we were unable to manage a good result as Luis Suarez made the difference for the Charruas to give them the group lead.
Quarter Final
Colombia - Venezuela (3-2 ET)
Jackson Martinez 62'
Del Valle 69' (pen)
Del Valle 76' (Martinez)
Jackson Martinez 78'
Jackson Martinez 93'
Colombia's Jackson Martinez, who had yet to score in this tournament, netted a hat-trick to hand us a heart-breaking loss in extra time. This rivalry game did not lack any of that rivalry feel to it, being closely contested in the first half then breaking out for 4 goals in the second half in a 16-minute span before it would head for extra time where JM would once again punish our defense for what would turn out to be the game-winning goal. We did everything we could with 10 shots (6 on goal) but Colombia was equally non-stop in their attack with all 8 of their shots on target.
While we had a better showing in this Copa than how we performed in the 2018 World Cup, I am far from satisfied with our performances and I expect the squad to crank up the results in the upcoming WC qualifiers. I'm also bitter about losing to Uruguay as otherwise we would had drawn USA which would had been a better match-up for us. Missed opportunities.
__________________________________________________ ___
Transfer Window Update
New sheriff in town meant a lot of changes could take place and to my own surprise there was a lot more movement during my first transfer window at FC Twente than I had anticipated, thanks in large part to my ability to get creative with the wheeling and dealing. The board provided me with $11 million for transfer budget and $50K for wages which was a small improvement on the $7 million and $35K I had to work with last season at Kayserispor.
TRANSFERS
OUT: Hakim Ziyech (CAM, 81 OVR), sold to Everton for $22 million. Kamohelo Mokotjo (CDM, 75 OVR), swapped in deal. Felipe Gutiérrez (CM, 75 OVR), swapped in deal. Sonny Stevens (GK, 71 OVR), swapped in deal. Jelle van der Heyden (CM, 68 OVR), swapped in deal. Jerson Cabral (RW, 68 OVR), sold to SC Cambuur for $1.3 million. Tim Hölscher (RW, 67 OVR), sold to VfL Bochum for $1.3 million. Richard Jensen (CM, 67 OVR), sold to SC Cambuur for $1.25 million. Nick Marsman (GK, 67 OVR), sold to Roda JC Kerkrade for $775K. James Abass (CAM, 66 OVR), sold to De Graafschap for $1 million. Chinedu Ede (LW, 65 OVR), sold to FC Vaduz for $525K. Timo Plattel (GK, 64 OVR), sold to Willem II for $550K. Michael Verrips (GK, 60 OVR), sold to SD Huesca for $250K. Patrick John (LB, 59 OVR), sold to Doncaster Rovers for $190K.
IN: Derlis González (RM, 78 OVR), acquired from San Lorenzo de Almagro for $6 million + Gutiérrez. Lenny Nangis (LM, 77 OVR), acquired from LOSC Lille for $3 million + Mokotjo. Juan Pablo (Juanpi) Añor (CAM, 76 OVR), acquired from Málaga CF for $8 million. Nathan Aké (LB, 75 OVR), acquired from Wartford for $1.8 million + Stevens. Lars Veldwijk (ST, 74 OVR), acquired from Nott'm Forest for $4 million + van der Heyden. Krystian Bielik (CDM, 71 OVR), signed to one-year loan from Arsenal.
Transfer Window Recap
Obviously one of the first things to jump out at you is Ziyech's sale --> let me tell you I was very disappointed about that for multiple reasons. #1, upon my arrival to Enschede the Moroccan was one of the first players to jump out at me and I had big plans for him as the CAM in a diamond midfield, but before I could even play him in a game in that formation he had already turned in a transfer request.
I had spend most of the transfer window turning down offers for him ($32 million from Sporting CP, $30.5 million from VfB Stuttgart, $28 million from Club Brugge KV, $27 million from RSC Anderlecht, $26.5 million from Girondins de Bordeaux, $26 million from FC Krasnodar and Rubin Kazan, $25.5 million from Lokomotiv Moscow) although I did entertain interest from FC Bayern but, thinking I had leverage, I asked for a fee well above his value ($22.5 million) at $60 million. They came back as high as $33.5 million but I pushed the envelope with a counter of $55 million and they lost interest at that point. I probably could had gotten $35 million from them.
Instead, after Ziyech turned in his transfer request and the board decided to grant his wish AND take over the negotiations for him, the offers just weren't coming for him. Fiorentina tried to get him at his value and I got them to agree to a counter offer of $30 million but before they could enter in negotiations with the player the board had apparently already agreed to a deal with Everton (WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE) and Ziyech had already agreed to terms with the English club. I must say the way Ziyech's situation was handled was not a good start to the honeymoon between me and the board.
Nevertheless, we managed to bring in some really good talent during this window even if we sold more players than we acquired which leaves us with limited depth over the first few months of the season. Ziyech was really the only player sold that was a main part of what I want to run, and all the other sales helped improved our budget for the acquisitions we made. At this point I have the tools to run either the 4-3-3 that was being ran before my arrival or my 4-4-2 diamond wide, where the arrivals of González and Nangis come in very handy for those wide midfield positions. I would had liked to keep Mokotjo on the roster but once I realized Kyle Ebecilio is my preference at CDM I was willing to part ways with the South African midfielder if we were going to get Nangis in return. Gutiérrez would had been an useful player off the bench but was worth including in a deal to bring in González. A glaring observation once I arrived at the club was the desperate need for fullback help so I was stoked about being able to get Aké from Watford - I made it a point to bring in Dutch talent. That's also the reason why I targeted Veldwijk among other strikers and I'm really excited about his 6'6" frame in either the 2-striker formation or as the front man in the attack in the 4-3-3. Finally, I have a thing for bringing in Venezuelan talent wherever I go but Juanpi was never really in my plans before Ziyech's departure, and he was far from my top choice afterwards. Our main targets to get a new starter at CAM where Lucas Lima, Rémy Cabella, Manuel Lanzini, and more than anyone Manolo Gabbiadini but I have to say that the board settling for just $22 million for Ziyech (and the availability of the funds being moderate) left us handicapped in our search, which is why we had to turn to Juanpi as an emergency plan on deadline day. The positive on him is that he's just entering his prime and can still get better but hopefully he'll be able to run the show that way I want him to (he's been decent in the CAM role with Venezuela but not spectacular). Also the fact we didn't have to break the bank for him left us with some money that could be a good base for the next transfer window.
Thank you as always for the read. I look forward to your comments/questions!
Lewandowski 74'
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