Re: How's Your FIFA 14 Career Mode Going?
Hey guys, it's been a while since I've had the time to get some games in, let alone log in and share my updates. I've been really busy with work and some medical stuff, but now that things have blown over I'm ready to get back to gaming.
I've spent the last couple of weeks going through my first season with Villarreal. I've not done a career in La Liga since FIFA 12, barring half a season with Atletico Madrid in FIFA 13. Originally, I was going to go with Athletic Bilbao as they're one of the country's most successful clubs, but their player policy wouldn't let me buy a lot of guys, and that wasn't what I wanted. I went with Villarreal because of their ability to overachieve, their excellent kits, and the fact that they've never won a major trophy.
I blocked the first transfer window and invested in a 5/5 scout from Croatia, sending him around Spain in search of technically gifted players. My season got off to a decent start with three straight wins, but I hit a rough patch in October where I lost five in a row. That's when I moved from 4-4-2 to 5ATB, usually 5-2-1-2. That helped me make it to January in the top half of the table, in ninth with 24 points. I eventually lost to Valencia in the cup that month.
At this point, I decided to spice things up with a financial takeover. With my new funds, I bought a 4/5 Spanish scout and got him to scour Netherlands for playmakers. Matteo Mussachio refused an extension to his expiring contract, so I straight-swapped him for Rodrigo Caio of Sao Paulo. Come deadline day, I still needed a defensive midfielder and another forward, so I sprung for West Brom's Claudio Yacob (3.8 million euros) and Kamil Grosicki from CSKA Moscow (Jeremy Perbet + 3 million euros). I also got Serge Gnabry and Ryo Miyaichi on loan from Arsenal, with the option to buy Ryo for a million euros in the summer.
I finished the season well as Grosicki formed an excellent partnership with Uche, with dos Santos in the hole behind them. The Pole scored 8 times in 16 league games to help me finish in tenth place, just shy of 50 points. My top scorer was Javi Aquino, a RM, who ended up with 11 goals in 34 outings before pulling his quad during the run-in. More importantly, I ended up with a strong youth academy -- two or three wide midfielders, a centre back, a central midfielder, two attacking midfielders, and a left back all with 85+ potential!
I decided to let go of every player whose contract was expiring except for two: backup goalkeeper Juan Carlos and right back Mario Gaspar both got extensions. I also promoted some youth players: Spanish RM Sebastian Varela and CB Pablo Barrios, and Dutch CAM Jeroen Broerse all have 88+ potential. I also released Gino John, a poor youth player I promoted during an injury crisis but who would never be good enough for the first team. I opted to sign Miyaichi, but he wanted too much money so I eventually declined. Also, I was pleasantly surprised to see that Jonathan de Guzman was back from loan at Swansea.
Carrying over my takeover funds and league prize money, the new board (it's a financial takeover and I like to role play) decided to keep backing me with a transfer budget of 52 million euros, and 250k in wages. The first thing I did was put my deadwood up for sale, or for loan if they had expiring contracts. I also put Moi Gomez up for loan, but he's a long-term prospect. My Brazilian CB Gabriel had been itching for a raise since March, but I had to wait until the summer when he had 4 years left on his existing contract.
With that wrapped up, I went hunting. Sergio Asenjo went back to Atletico (thank god), so I snapped up Rui Patricio from Sporting CP for a cool 6 million euros and 50k per week. I needed a better right back, so I offered Celta Vigo 5 million plus RB Aleksandr Pantic for Hugo Mallo, which they took. Next up was a centre back, preferably Spanish. I had enjoyed playing with Inigo Martinez at Nottingham Forest, so I enquired about him at Real Sociedad. They wanted 21 million, and I offered 12.5. They replied that they had set a price of 17 million, and I offered 16. A few days later, he was mine on a 45k/week salary.
Since I had chosen to play 4-2-2-2, I needed another striker. Loic Remy was just what I wanted, and I managed to agree a deal worth 12 million with newly-promoted QPR and lure Remy on a 60k/week contract. Tomas Pina wasn't impressing me, so I offered him plus 3 million to Feyenoord for Jordie Clasie, who joined on 30k/week as my third-choice central midfielder behind Bruno and Yacob.
This is my squad the day of the first friendly against Palermo, so I still have time to make additions and changes.
Goalkeepers: Rui Patricio, Juan Carlos, Aitor - total 3
Defenders: Hugo Mallo, Gabriel, Inigo Martinez, Bojan Jokic, Rodrigo Caio, Mario Gaspar, Pablo Barrios (academy) - total: 7
Midfielders: Claudio Yacob, Bruno, Jordie Clasie, Jonathan de Guzman, Moi Gomez, Javi Aquino, Jeroen Broerse (academy), Sebastian Varela (academy) - total: 8
Attackers: Loic Remy, Kamil Grosicki, Giovani dos Santos, Ike Uche - total: 4
By moving a couple of deadwood players on loan and transfer, I freed up about 50-60k in wages. This means I still have plenty to upgrade Ike Uche, who's not all that good and will only get worse now he's hit 30. Since I have two pacey strikers in Grosicki and Remy (and dos Santos can play there as well), I want to get someone who's more along the lines of Diego Costa (aggressive, loads of stamina, high work rate, good finishing) but have no clue who. Suggestions that are still (semi) realistic?
Hey guys, it's been a while since I've had the time to get some games in, let alone log in and share my updates. I've been really busy with work and some medical stuff, but now that things have blown over I'm ready to get back to gaming.
I've spent the last couple of weeks going through my first season with Villarreal. I've not done a career in La Liga since FIFA 12, barring half a season with Atletico Madrid in FIFA 13. Originally, I was going to go with Athletic Bilbao as they're one of the country's most successful clubs, but their player policy wouldn't let me buy a lot of guys, and that wasn't what I wanted. I went with Villarreal because of their ability to overachieve, their excellent kits, and the fact that they've never won a major trophy.
I blocked the first transfer window and invested in a 5/5 scout from Croatia, sending him around Spain in search of technically gifted players. My season got off to a decent start with three straight wins, but I hit a rough patch in October where I lost five in a row. That's when I moved from 4-4-2 to 5ATB, usually 5-2-1-2. That helped me make it to January in the top half of the table, in ninth with 24 points. I eventually lost to Valencia in the cup that month.
At this point, I decided to spice things up with a financial takeover. With my new funds, I bought a 4/5 Spanish scout and got him to scour Netherlands for playmakers. Matteo Mussachio refused an extension to his expiring contract, so I straight-swapped him for Rodrigo Caio of Sao Paulo. Come deadline day, I still needed a defensive midfielder and another forward, so I sprung for West Brom's Claudio Yacob (3.8 million euros) and Kamil Grosicki from CSKA Moscow (Jeremy Perbet + 3 million euros). I also got Serge Gnabry and Ryo Miyaichi on loan from Arsenal, with the option to buy Ryo for a million euros in the summer.
I finished the season well as Grosicki formed an excellent partnership with Uche, with dos Santos in the hole behind them. The Pole scored 8 times in 16 league games to help me finish in tenth place, just shy of 50 points. My top scorer was Javi Aquino, a RM, who ended up with 11 goals in 34 outings before pulling his quad during the run-in. More importantly, I ended up with a strong youth academy -- two or three wide midfielders, a centre back, a central midfielder, two attacking midfielders, and a left back all with 85+ potential!
I decided to let go of every player whose contract was expiring except for two: backup goalkeeper Juan Carlos and right back Mario Gaspar both got extensions. I also promoted some youth players: Spanish RM Sebastian Varela and CB Pablo Barrios, and Dutch CAM Jeroen Broerse all have 88+ potential. I also released Gino John, a poor youth player I promoted during an injury crisis but who would never be good enough for the first team. I opted to sign Miyaichi, but he wanted too much money so I eventually declined. Also, I was pleasantly surprised to see that Jonathan de Guzman was back from loan at Swansea.
Carrying over my takeover funds and league prize money, the new board (it's a financial takeover and I like to role play) decided to keep backing me with a transfer budget of 52 million euros, and 250k in wages. The first thing I did was put my deadwood up for sale, or for loan if they had expiring contracts. I also put Moi Gomez up for loan, but he's a long-term prospect. My Brazilian CB Gabriel had been itching for a raise since March, but I had to wait until the summer when he had 4 years left on his existing contract.
With that wrapped up, I went hunting. Sergio Asenjo went back to Atletico (thank god), so I snapped up Rui Patricio from Sporting CP for a cool 6 million euros and 50k per week. I needed a better right back, so I offered Celta Vigo 5 million plus RB Aleksandr Pantic for Hugo Mallo, which they took. Next up was a centre back, preferably Spanish. I had enjoyed playing with Inigo Martinez at Nottingham Forest, so I enquired about him at Real Sociedad. They wanted 21 million, and I offered 12.5. They replied that they had set a price of 17 million, and I offered 16. A few days later, he was mine on a 45k/week salary.
Since I had chosen to play 4-2-2-2, I needed another striker. Loic Remy was just what I wanted, and I managed to agree a deal worth 12 million with newly-promoted QPR and lure Remy on a 60k/week contract. Tomas Pina wasn't impressing me, so I offered him plus 3 million to Feyenoord for Jordie Clasie, who joined on 30k/week as my third-choice central midfielder behind Bruno and Yacob.
This is my squad the day of the first friendly against Palermo, so I still have time to make additions and changes.
Goalkeepers: Rui Patricio, Juan Carlos, Aitor - total 3
Defenders: Hugo Mallo, Gabriel, Inigo Martinez, Bojan Jokic, Rodrigo Caio, Mario Gaspar, Pablo Barrios (academy) - total: 7
Midfielders: Claudio Yacob, Bruno, Jordie Clasie, Jonathan de Guzman, Moi Gomez, Javi Aquino, Jeroen Broerse (academy), Sebastian Varela (academy) - total: 8
Attackers: Loic Remy, Kamil Grosicki, Giovani dos Santos, Ike Uche - total: 4
By moving a couple of deadwood players on loan and transfer, I freed up about 50-60k in wages. This means I still have plenty to upgrade Ike Uche, who's not all that good and will only get worse now he's hit 30. Since I have two pacey strikers in Grosicki and Remy (and dos Santos can play there as well), I want to get someone who's more along the lines of Diego Costa (aggressive, loads of stamina, high work rate, good finishing) but have no clue who. Suggestions that are still (semi) realistic?
). I also tried a last ditch attempt on the final day to acquire Emanuel Insua or Davide Santon at LB but it didn't work out. The formation I play is 4-2-3-1 wide without Guarin in the lineup and 4-1-4-1 with him in it because he is definitely not a defensive mid! I realize the De Sciglio transfer was highly unrealistic but oh well. I still have Walter Samuel, Javier Zanetti, and Diego Milito but I just don't see myself using them very often. Thanks for reading this whole long thing!
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