Master League: Share Your Tips For Transfers, Aging Players and Building

[jmel07]

I was hoping to get some tips from the community that may have more experience with Master League than I.

My situation is this, I'm running Fulham in the Championship and it's now the first week of January in my league. I've begun to get better at the game, and while I'm still in the bottom six in the table, I want to say I lost my first 8 games, I still think I can move up the table.

More importantly, I have some decisions to make with my team, the aging players and the younger players on the upswing.

I've received transfer offers for Scott Parker, who is the captain for Fulham, and aside from the fact that I love his defense in the midfield, I'm wondering how accepting a transfer offer would affect team morale. I'm not really considering the offer at this point, but I do have a plethora of young midfielders that can fill the role. Parker is rated 71 overall, and I have several other mid-70s rated players with varying skill sets I could use in the role.

I've also received larger sums of money for Tom Cairney and Kevin McDonald. I've used these players both as RMF and CMF/DMF and they are rated more highly and are younger.

I have also built up a decent core of younger LBs and with Denis Odoi emerging and steady play from Scott Malone I feel like Tim Ream (29) is expendable.

So I guess my questions are two fold. How do you approach the January transfer window in this game especially as it relates to aging good players, and how is it actually handled in real life (I don't have a ton of experience here)?

[half-fast]

I'd hang on to an older player or two for their leadership qualities. It's looking like you most likely won't be promoted this season, so I guess your focus should be on next season. My opinion would be to find a young forward with potential, and perhaps even a younger outside mid, or amf who you can train and groom.

Young players with potential in this game can have growth spurts where their stats go up very quickly in a short period of time, so if you get lucky, and also train these players properly, you could have a star on your hands to help you get promoted next season.

[jrose57]

Quote: Originally Posted by half-fast

I'd hang on to an older player or two for their leadership qualities. It's looking like you most likely won't be promoted this season, so I guess your focus should be on next season. My opinion would be to find a young forward with potential, and perhaps even a younger outside mid, or amf who you can train and groom. Young players with potential in this game can have growth spurts where their stats go up very quickly in a short period of time, so if you get lucky, and also train these players properly, you could have a star on your hands to help you get promoted next season.

how does leadership play into effect in the game...

[half-fast]

If I can recall properly, it helps players stay focused on the task, keep calm under pressure and mount counter attacks. I'll need to go find the information again though for a citation.

[KG]

Quote: Originally Posted by half-fast

If I can recall properly, it helps players stay focused on the task, keep calm under pressure and mount counter attacks. I'll need to go find the information again though for a citation.

It also helps your team spirit as well as helps to train youngsters into team roles.

[jmel07]

Well, this is probably more suited for the Master League Chronicles thread, but I'll leave the note here anyway and maybe do a proper write-up after my first year.

I did end up initiating a sell-off after a two game losing skid at the end of January and it was quite painful. I was able to sell off a few MFs where I had depth and brought in nearly $30M in transfer cash. That was the good news.

From there, it's been nothing but bad news. I've been trying out some other tactics with my new team, but I ended up going 1-4 in February. I just can't seem to get the scoring touch back quite yet. My lone win was 1-0.

In combination with the sell-off, I also had my main striker Vincent Janssen absent for upwards of 6 games with a red-card glitch throughout December and January. Unless of course someone can tell me that there is a punishment where you miss 6 games for a red card that I'm unaware of.

Anyway, I was able to pick up a RWF (Sandro Ramirez) on loan for 6 months, and paired him with Jozabed (AMF) and Piazon (LWF). Those three along with Janssen make up the front of my 4-2-3-1.

I'm trying to feel out how to play and position with the two forwards way out on the wing. Any suggestions? I was kind of built for feeding Janssen with through-balls and scoring that way, with the occassional cross, but now it feels like I've been playing much more cross dependent.

Curious to hear if anyone has any suggestions on that front.

I was also able to acquire a new CB and RB via transfers that have beefed up the defense. I can also confirm that having the veteran Parker in the midfield does have some sort of benefit to the other younger kids. I read something in his profile that confirmed that.

[KG]

Quote: Originally Posted by jmel07

Well, this is probably more suited for the Master League Chronicles thread, but I'll leave the note here anyway and maybe do a proper write-up after my first year. I did end up initiating a sell-off after a two game losing skid at the end of January and it was quite painful. I was able to sell off a few MFs where I had depth and brought in nearly $30M in transfer cash. That was the good news. From there, it's been nothing but bad news. I've been trying out some other tactics with my new team, but I ended up going 1-4 in February. I just can't seem to get the scoring touch back quite yet. My lone win was 1-0. In combination with the sell-off, I also had my main striker Vincent Janssen absent for upwards of 6 games with a red-card glitch throughout December and January. Unless of course someone can tell me that there is a punishment where you miss 6 games for a red card that I'm unaware of. Anyway, I was able to pick up a RWF (Sandro Ramirez) on loan for 6 months, and paired him with Jozabed (AMF) and Piazon (LWF). Those three along with Janssen make up the front of my 4-2-3-1. I'm trying to feel out how to play and position with the two forwards way out on the wing. Any suggestions? I was kind of built for feeding Janssen with through-balls and scoring that way, with the occassional cross, but now it feels like I've been playing much more cross dependent. Curious to hear if anyone has any suggestions on that front. I was also able to acquire a new CB and RB via transfers that have beefed up the defense. I can also confirm that having the veteran Parker in the midfield does have some sort of benefit to the other younger kids. I read something in his profile that confirmed that.

You should probably go and play with some advanced tactics like "attacking fullbacks". This will make your fullbacks overlap (bomb down the wings) which makes your main attackers go more central. Jansen is pretty good in the air so if you have fullbacks that are good at crossing you can send some in and take advantage of his aerial prowess.

One thing I have found helpful is the monthly scouting reports. They give some good insight into how you play, especially if you're true to one formation. The reports will tell you how you score (low pass, cross, etc...) and how you concede goals (time of the match and through what kind of threat).

I've been trying to focus on where I'm weak at and addressing those issues.

[jmel07]

I concur with the monthly scouting reports and I've figured out I'm just much better at playing counter attack. Not really sure why, but when I tried playing short pass build up possession game I was awful.

Janssen is very good in the aerial battles so I've been trying to take advantage of that. Ive also turned a lot of the midfield of my team over and I'm just getting a feel for some of the players I took on loan.

Ill ask a couple questions though, how do you implement advanced tactics. I physically know where to input the settings but what do you do during the game?

Secondly, can someone here explain the idea of "early cross" to me. I'm not enhraihed enough in the game to know what this is/means/does.

As an aside I also ran into a bug in transfer negotiations where the transfer fee negotiated was more than what I had on hand for cash, so I cleared up some contracts and sold a few players to make the deal with my 17yr old Brazilian winger happen only to have it still tell me I don't have the funds. My only choice was to attempt to renegotiate at 62% success rate :/