[FM16] Kafra FC - All Youth in England

[noikeee]

16 hours ago, abulezz said:

My right backs - and defensive line in general - are expected to be very defensive and hold their positions.  I am not a fan of attacking full-backs, as I feel I have enough options up front and don't need the extra offense at the expense of defense.  As for Ziccardi, I think I like his skill set too much to have him play fullback! I really want to see what he can do in a CM position. 

I'm biased as I'm the opposite and prefer my fullbacks to bomb forward whenever possible. And it's very much possible it'd make you more vulnerable defensively without being covered elsewhere, FM16's ME is exceptionally tough and every advantage comes with a disadvantage. However this ME is also notorious for getting some absurd ratings and assist numbers out of attacking fullbacks, so I wonder if it's not worth a shot when you've got such a talented player for it in Meyers.

[abulezz]

We got out of an extremely tough group that featured PSG, Mainz, and Celtic, and it was a small consolation to us as we knocked out Mainz - the CL and Bundesliga champions who had ended our run in the Semi-Finals last year - and advanced alongside PSG.  Our first leg with Gelsenkirchen went alright - we did not score as much as I had hoped, but we also did not concede.

[abulezz]

4 minutes ago, noikeee said:

I'm biased as I'm the opposite and prefer my fullbacks to bomb forward whenever possible. And it's very much possible it'd make you more vulnerable defensively without being covered elsewhere, FM16's ME is exceptionally tough and every advantage comes with a disadvantage. However this ME is also notorious for getting some absurd ratings and assist numbers out of attacking fullbacks, so I wonder if it's not worth a shot when you've got such a talented player for it in Meyers.

Might as well give it a try! I'll have him put in an attacking role and lets see how he does!

[numbas2]

I'm one of those benefitting from full backs attacking. I have my DR attacking and my DL supporting, so as to provide some defensive cover... it has worked very well for me to date. My formation though does rely on them for width - 4-3-1-2 (three CMs).

[abulezz]

Good job in the second leg, as we pulled off victories in both matches.  Off to the Quarter-Finals!

[abulezz]

Lady luck smiled our way for once and we drew Sturm Graz in the Quarter-Finals - incredibly enough, they weren't even the least accomplished team in the Quarter-Finals! Nevertheless, the result was great, and exactly what I had hoped for.  We still have the home leg to play, but we have one foot in the Semi-Finals already - how about Hibbert and his fantastic performance!?

[BoxToBox]

Cracking form from Hibbert.

[abulezz]

The boys played at half speed, and then after scoring in the first part of the second half, slowed down even more, lol.  Thankfully, our opponents were very much inferior to us, so we're off to the Semi-Finals for the 4th time in our history!  Hibbert was the obvious star this round.

[abulezz]

Another German opponent - this time, it is the resurgent Bayern Munich.  We have faced them four times - in 2049 in the Europa League Group Stages, and in 2050 in the CL Group Stages.  They are the current leaders in the Bundesliga, but they have had a relatively easy time in the CL Knockout Rounds thus far, defeating Krasnodar of Russia and Slaven Belupo of Croatia.  The first leg was in Germany, the boys really played their hearts out - the Bayern defense was great, but a 1-0 away result, even though we did not score, was still a result we could work with in London.

[abulezz]

OH THE HEARTACHE! It went to extra-time, they scored, and even though we got one back, we just didn't have enough to score two.  So close....SOOO CLOOOSSSEEE!

[MichaelBrown]

Can we see your formation and instructions, including player instructions Abulezz? Be interesting to see it. 

[noikeee]

Bloody hell. This is the closest you've been to a final, no? Or have you actually made the final and lost, I can't remember?

[numbas2]

Oh the pain

[deez0r]

Have been reading this over past few weeks. Easily the best story I have read this year. Well done. Lets hope that elusive CL can come before the switch over to FM17.

[abulezz]

19 hours ago, MichaelBrown said:

Can we see your formation and instructions, including player instructions Abulezz? Be interesting to see it. 

Sure - I usually just go with what the instructions the player is strongest with. It used to be a flat CM line, but I figured Awad was a better defensive midfielder, and he has actually done better this year. 

[abulezz]

19 hours ago, noikeee said:

Bloody hell. This is the closest you've been to a final, no? Or have you actually made the final and lost, I can't remember?

In 2054, one year after winning our first PL, what I believe to be our most talented and complete team of all-time made it all the way to the Finals, only to fall to Man City.  That was the only time we made the CL Finals.

10 hours ago, numbas2 said:

Oh the pain

Tell me about it!

6 hours ago, deez0r said:

Have been reading this over past few weeks. Easily the best story I have read this year. Well done. Lets hope that elusive CL can come before the switch over to FM17.

Wow - thank you for the high praise! I am glad you enjoyed reading it! I really hope it comes - I thought we were going to the Finals this year.  This game can be so painful, lol.

[Torminator]

Damn! So close!

Any sneak preview of the youth intake this year? Please tell me the gods gave you something beautifull

[abulezz]

21 minutes ago, Torminator said:

Damn! So close!

Any sneak preview of the youth intake this year? Please tell me the gods gave you something beautifull

Lol - I will have the update up today, hopefully, but no - second straight year of weak Intakes.

[abulezz]

SEASON REVIEW 2068/69

Even though the season wasn’t a disappointment by any means, the fact that we came so close in both the PL and especially the Champions League before falling flat leads to heartache.  In the Premier League, a resurgent Man United team beat us to the title, winning their first in 18 years and leaving us finishing 2^nd for the second year in a row.  Defensively, we produced some amazing results – only 23 Goals conceded, by far the best mark in the Premier League.  Offensively, we were the second best team in the league, despite not having a star striker – there was no doubt, however, that we definitely have a harder time coming by goals as opposed to a few years ago.  Guest retained his title as the best GK in the PL, and he must be amongst the best in the world at this point, while Watts defied his age and gave us one of his finest seasons of his career.  We can rely on the former to continue his form, but Watts will inevitably slow down, possibly as soon as this coming season – thankfully, we have some decent prospects at the position that should be able to fill his role in the next couple of seasons.  The strength of this team was in our midfield and on the wings, however – Awad, I am sure, played a major part in our strong defensive showing, while Ziccardi was simply amazing this season.  Our wing play has always been strong, and remained so this year, and while Knight is no Duncan, he did a decent job.  In the Champion League, we got lucky with a couple of good rounds after going through one hell of a Group Stage (Mainz, Paris Saint-Germain), and we were just a goal away from advancing to the Finals – Bayern Munich, who defeated us, eventually fell to Sporting, who won their 3^rd ever CL title.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GOALKEEPERS

Dale Guest (2062), 23 Years Old:  For the second time in his young career, Guest was named the PL GK of the Year, and was named in his second Premier League Select team.  Simply put, he is the best GK in the league, bar none.  Our defense was once again best in the PL by a far margin, and once again Guest played perhaps the biggest part in that achievement.  In 38 Games, he registered a ridiculous 0.61 Con/90, a career-high 21 Clean Sheets, and 6.98 AR, which was not a reflection of inconsistent form but rather of him not having much today a lot of the time.   I said it before, but I think Guest might be the best GK that my Youth Academy has produced in any FM save I have ever played – he is that good.  I wish his Aerial skills would get a little bit higher, but now I am just nitpicking – he is World-Class and already a Kafra legend. 

 

 

 

LEFT DEFENDERS

Martin Atkins (2053), 32 Years Old - Career:  It is safe to say that Atkins has probably spent his last year as part of the rotation at left-back – starting next year, the position will become permanently Owusu Seidu’s responsibility.  Atkins has lost a lot of his speed and physical abilities, and in turn that means he can no longer be relied on to perform day in and day out.  Still, in 19 Games, he registered 7.07 AR, which means he was still able to do the job when called upon.  Injuries have really ravaged him over the past few seasons – he has not played in more than 26 Games per season in each of the last four seasons.  Even though he was nowhere as talented as his predecessor Gary Isasi, he still gave us some solid form over the course of the past decade – now it is time he hands over the mantle to Seidu.  

 

 

 

CENTRAL DEFENDERS

George Watts (2051), 34 Years Old, Career:  Only one other player in Kafra history has played at such a high level at such an advanced age, and that is the person I consider the greatest Kafra player of all-time – Daniel Friar.  That is some really good company right there.  Despite his age, he gave us one of the best seasons of his career thus far – in 37 Games, he registered 4.97 TpG, 128 Key Headers (6^th in PL), 596 Interceptions (2^nd in PL), and 7.33 AR.  What was even more surprising is that he lost very little in terms of his Physical and Speed abilities, and I have no qualms about having him start for yet another year, which is good because Stanford and Clarke could use another year to develop before becoming full-time starters.  As for Watts, what a legend – Guest and Watts are the reason we have become such an historically magnificent team. 

 

Anthony Dobson (2060), 25 Years Old:  For the first time in his career, Dobson featured in less than 20 League Games, thanks to the development of prospects Stanford and Clarke.  My assumption is that in the coming two years, it will become even less as Dobson will get phased out in favor of the two youngsters – however, he will still have a place in the squad because as of now, he remains our third choice CD once Watts retires.  He has served us well, and he has become better than I could have ever hoped for, and for that, I am appreciative – in a rough transitional period where we had so little CD talent, we managed to win three PL titles with him as a starter. 

 

 

 

RIGHT DEFENDERS

Oliver Meyers (2055), 30 Years Old - Career:  Based on the advice of noikeee, I switched Meyers to be an attacking full-back mid-season, and I must say, he was right.  Not only did I not give up anything defensively, but Meyers ended up with a 7.22 AR after languishing around the 7.00 AR mark much of the season.  In 37 Games, he registered 3 Assists, 2 PoMS, 5.15 TpG, 80% Pass Ratio, 1.18 DpG, and 7.22 AR, as he delivered probably his second best season of his career.  Even though it is not his favorite, I am going to keep operating with a more offensive role next season, and observe how he is going to perform over the course of the full season.  The bottom line is, if it is not harming us defensively – which it didn’t – there is absolutely no reason why he can go forward more often.  He just turned 30, so he still has 2-3 years at the top level for us, but the worrying thing is, we don’t have a real replacement for him yet.    

 

 

 

CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS

Lee King (2057), 28 Years Old - Career:  A slipped disc (3 months) and a pulled hamstring (1 month) limited King to only 25 Games this season it what easily the most frustrating of the midfielder’s career.  In those 25 Games, he registered 2 Goals, 4 Assists, 3.12 TpG, 75% Pass Ratio, 1.38 DpG, and 7.48 AR – he basically would have had one of the best seasons of his career if it wasn’t for the injuries.  Unfortunately, the injuries severely affected his pace, and at this age, I am not sure it is something he can reclaim.  The same thing happened to Billy Bailey before, and although he was able to win back his form, his pace never came back.  King remains a World Class talent, and he certainly remains one of our finest players – I fully expect him to give us his 4-5 best seasons in the next few years coming up. 

 

Turki Awad (2058), 28 Years Old - Career:  You know, when it comes to Awad I honestly thought I was going to end up with a legendary DM that was going to become one of the top players in the world irrespective of position.  While he is considered a World-Class talent, he never became that game changing player I had hoped for – don’t get me wrong, I love Awad and I think between him and King, when their careers are done, one of them will be the greatest CM Kafra has ever had.  Still, I wanted more from him because I saw unlimited potential – in the end, though, I have no complaints.  I shifted him back to DM this season, and he responded with his best season in three years: 37 Games, career-high 7 Assists, 5.54 TpG, 81% Pass Ratio, 1.29 DpG, and 7.29 AR.  The Pass Ratio and TpG were both very impressive, and Awad rarely has a game where he underperforms – I just wish we could get more 8.00+ AR games out of him. 

 

Jason Zaccardi (2064), 21 Years Old:  For the past few years, I have been saying how enamored I am with Ziccardi’s skill set – this season, he repaid my faith in his with what was the greatest season any CM in the history of the club has given us.  His form this year won him the Kafra Player of the Year award, and even though my coaching staff think he is a 4/5 player, I think he has just become my favorite player on the team.  Look at these crazy numbers: 35 Games, 5 Goals, 7 Assists, 4 PoMs, 3.26 TpG, 1.92 DpG, 183 Key Passes (8^th in  PL), and 7.71 AR (6^th in PL) – no CM in the history of Kafra can come even remotely close to the AR.  The only complaint my staff have about him is that, of course, he is prone to injuries, but he did fine this year – I always take that Con with a grain of salt because Daniel Friar was supposed to be very prone to injuries, yet played a full career having faced only two relatively big injuries that ruled him out for a couple of months at a time.  Ziccardi is still so young, which is so encouraging – if he can give me another 10 years of this type of form, you can call me the happiest manager in the world!

 

 

 

LEFT WINGERS

Jermaine Ward (2057), 29 Years Old - Career:  Injuries really hampered Ward’s third season as our full-time starter down the left wing, but he was having another great all-around season for us before going down.  He only played 24 Games, registering 11 Goals, 8 Assists, 2.24 TpG, 4.34 DpG, 62% Shot Target, and 7.55 AR – he might not be the goalscoring threat Neill was, but he definitely gives us better all-around numbers.  In fact, in terms of being a prototypical winger, I would have to say that Ward is probably the most complete left winger in terms of talent in Kafra history.  Hopefully the injuries don’t slow him down because he is extremely reliant on his unbelievable pace for his form, but I have a feeling he is going to bounce back with little or no ill effects next season. 

 

 

 

RIGHT WINGERS

Nathan Dawson (2053), 32 Years Old - Career:  He has 307 career Assists and counting – what an amazing number.  He has been the best right winger on the planet during the 2060s, and although he is slowing down considerably, he still managed to give us a very respectable season.  In 29 Games, he registered 7 Goals, 13 Assists, 3 PoMs, 2.07 TpG, 3.21 DpG, and 7.45 AR, while tutoring Steve Hibbert to eventually take his place.  It will probably come a season sooner than expected because of Dawson’s heavy drop in his athletic ability, but considering Dawson is just as adept at playing AM as he is playing down the right wing, he will remain a heavy part of the rotation.  Dawson and Watts are the last remnants of Generation 2.0, with Neill and Duncan retiring at the end of this season, and he is our most decorated player of all-time.  Some will argue he is our greatest of all-time, and while I would still consider Daniel Friar our greatest, I would not drop Dawson beneath the Top 3, which I think are Friar, Robertson, and Dawson. 

 

 

 

ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS

Ali Al-Thagafi (2064), 21 Years Old:  He became an England international this year, but he took a step back in form for us.  He is still rated as 5/5 CA by my coaching staff, even though his progress was just a bit stagnant.  In 31 Games, he registered 4 Goals (down from 11), 2 Assists, 1.55 TpG, 74% Pass Ratio, 1.36 DpG, and 7.10 AR (down from 7.43 AR).  Obviously, those are not the kind of numbers I expect from potential World-Class stars, and he will have to do better next year.  When you compare his efforts to that of Ziccardi, I start wondering if I am identifying the wrong midfielder as my starter! Still, I do trust him and I do believe in him, he just has to become more consistent and have more of an effect on the pitch.  He is very young, and this season could very well be just one where he had some growing pains, but I definitely expect better next season. 

 

 

 

FORWARDS

Sean Knight (2064), 21 Years Old:   The good news? Knight has become the clear favorite in terms of replacing Duncan as our starting striker, and he did a decent job at it this season.  The bad news? If you compare him with Duncan at the age of 21, the legendary striker was far more developed than Knight.  Still, I can’t complain considering the numbers: 30 Games, 15 Goals, 5 Assists, 3 PoMs, 3.04 DpG, and 7.23 AR.  The new reality of the squad is that its strength is definitely in its midfield, as opposed to its front four, and we did a decent job this season, finishing in 2^nd Place and advancing to just within a few minutes of the CL Finals.  If Knight can give us around 20 Goals a season and around 7.40-7.50 AR, I will be a very happy camper. 

 

 

 

 

HOT PROSPECTS

Owusu Seidu (2065), 20 Years Old – Left Back:  The transition to having Seidu be our starting left-back is pretty much complete, despite my doubts about his defensive abilities.  In 23 Games, he registered 4.84 TpG, 74% Pass Ratio, 1.92 DpG, and 7.14 AR – the last number is very encouraging because it represented a big jump from last season.  My full-backs tend to find consistent form closer to their mid-20s than their early 20s, so Seidu has been the exception in this case.  I might take noikeee’s advice and experiment with giving him a more attacking role next season.  Owusu Seidu Training Levels

 

Andre Clarke (2065), 20 Years Old – Central Defender:  He has been dropped to a 3/5 PA, so he does not seem to be progressing the way my coaching staff and I have hoped.  He played in 12 Games, and did a decent job, but we were relying on him to be a decent partner for Stanford at CD in the future – hopefully, we can show some real improvement over the course of the next season and raise his CA and PA up a step or two.  Andre Clarke Training Levels

 

Dean Taylor (2066), 20 Years Old – Striker:  Like Lee Skidmore, his PA has peaked at 3/5, apparently, and like Skidmore, he doesn’t seem to have too much more to offer.  He is decent, and he will do a reasonable job when asked, but he isn’t the type of player that will help you win the league.  Dean Taylor Training Levels

 

Steve Hibbert (2066), 19 Years Old – AM/Right Winger:  Along with Stanford, Hibbert is my favorite prospect under 21, and he really showed his abilities this year as I made sure to give him as much playing time as I could.  In 24 Games, he registered 4 Goals, 5 Assists, 3 PoMs, 2.19 TpG, 3.99 DpG, and 7.40 AR – simply put, those are magnificent numbers.  On top of that, he continues to show great improvement in his attributes, and how now mastered the right wing position.  Steve Hibbert Training Levels

 

Bryan Stanford (2066), 18 Years Old – Central Defender:  Out of all our prospects, none carry on their shoulders the expectations Stanford does, and the hype surrounding him continues to grow.  Unfair or not, that is the reality, and the hope is he will not fail to live up to what is expected of him.   Bryan Stanford Training Levels

 

Charlie Parker (2066), 18 Years Old – Left Winger:   Parker has really come out of nowhere to become one of the brightest young talents on the team, much in the same way Lee King did a decade ago.  I can only hope that Parker, although he plays a different position, ends up being as good as King – he already has taken the first steps towards that.  In 13 Games (most when Ward went down injured), he registered 6 Goals, 2 Assists, 2 PoMs,  Charlie Parker Training Levels

 

 

 

 

 

RETIRING

Ken Duncan (2049), Career – Biography:  Irrespective of whether he ever became the No.1 striker in Kafra history or not, you can take nothing away from Duncan’s legacy.  A contributor in all 5 of Kafra’s PL titles, we won 3 of them with Duncan being one of the most important players on the team – it is no coincidence that the ’58, ’63, and ’66 titles were all won with Duncan scoring 30+ League Goals.  Of course, he is most famous for his incredible 45 PL Goals – a record which still stands today and I doubt will be easily broken – during the 2063/64 season, which was one of the six seasons that Duncan scored 30+ League Goals.  Many will argue that John Robertson was more natural goalscorer, and they would not be wrong, but none can argue against the fact that Duncan was the more complete player.  He might not have become a truly indispensable part of the team until perhaps his mid-20s (he was a late bloomer), but what he accomplished in his career can never be denied.  He is one of Kafra’s finest ever, and one of England’s most dangerous weapons of all-time (93 Caps/88 Goals). 

 

Jackie Neill (2050), Career – Biography:  Our captain and perhaps most influential player over the past 15 years, Neill’s presence on the pitch was always second-to-none.  The 2063 title was won because of Neill – as our most important players starting dropping because of injury during the final stretch of the season, it was Neill who put the team on his back and delivered some ridiculous games for us to help Kafra win its 3^rd title.  In 2066, even I thought Neill was done – he had previously gone through 2 injury-riddled seasons, and at age 31, I did not think he was going to be able to bounce back.  This is where Neill showed just how big his heart is and just how great of a player he is – not only did he come back, but he delivered one of his greatest seasons ever and was possibly the most influential player in our 2066 title run.  From the mid-2050s to the mid-2060s, he was one of the world’s best left wingers, and he was definitely the best scoring winger on the planet.  He got goals like a striker, and although he was not your conventional winger, he thrived in his partnership with Duncan, Dawson, and Friar up front.  Those four formed what was probably one of the most feared attacking squads on the planet, and an integral part of it was Neill’s ability to find the net.  Like Duncan, he retires an absolute legend for both club, country, and league – end of an era indeed!

 

 

 

YOUTH INTAKE

                                                                                                       

 

 

Martin Beck - Prince Collins

Combined, the last two Intakes have been my worst in quite a number of years – after delivering me Bryan Stanford and Charlie Parker in his first Intake, my legendary left winger turned HOYD has really underwhelmed in the last two tries.  There is no one of note in this Intake except for Collins – even he is more of note not because of his talent but because of his position and my need for a right back. 

 

 

2069/70 PRESEASON REPORT

 

The starting eleven is starting to become more set – we currently don’t have a single player over the age of 30 that is a starter with the exception of Watts and Meyers.  Of course, there is always Nathan Dawson, but I honestly think the team will be better off having a rotational system at right wing between Dawson and Hibbert this season.  Our oldest players are Watts, Meyers, Ward, Awad, and King, and the last three are the new leaders of the club.  We have some exciting talent being developed despite the last two Intakes, but will it translate into titles? I still believe my finest team was the early to mid-2050s team, and I think the Generation 2.0 boys were generally more talented than these lads, but I really hope they can prove me wrong.

 

 

[noikeee]

Whilst I advised you to attempt more attacking fullbacks, I'd be wary on throwing both of them forward without keeping a close eye on them to figure out whether it's fine or unbalances the side too much. I noticed you went WB/A on Meyers which can be an extremely aggressive role - under "flexible" that probably works fine as movement is not as pronounced, but when I played "structured" I used to have WB/S's (not even WB/As!) get caught offside all the time as they'd go that much far forward.

Also Seidu has "stays back at all times" PPM which will probably negate any attacking role you give him.

[abulezz]

4 hours ago, noikeee said:

Whilst I advised you to attempt more attacking fullbacks, I'd be wary on throwing both of them forward without keeping a close eye on them to figure out whether it's fine or unbalances the side too much. I noticed you went WB/A on Meyers which can be an extremely aggressive role - under "flexible" that probably works fine as movement is not as pronounced, but when I played "structured" I used to have WB/S's (not even WB/As!) get caught offside all the time as they'd go that much far forward.

Also Seidu has "stays back at all times" PPM which will probably negate any attacking role you give him.

I see - I give my team the freedom to play fluidly, perhaps I should set him at Automatic? As for Seidu, I only experimented with Meyers this past season - I had kept the left-back at his previous instructions. This coming season though, I think I'll set both at automatic and see how it goes.

[noikeee]

No all that "automatic" does is set the role duty at the same mentality of the team. So if you're playing on Control or on Attacking they'll both play as WB/A if they're automatic. If you play Standard they'll be WB/S, and if you play Counter or Defensive they'll be WB/D.

[abulezz]

Just now, noikeee said:

No all that "automatic" does is set the role duty at the same mentality of the team. So if you're playing on Control or on Attacking they'll both play as WB/A if they're automatic. If you play Standard they'll be WB/S, and if you play Counter or Defensive they'll be WB/D.

Ah - I did not know that! I thought Automatic meant whatever the situation called for at that specific time, or rather giving them the freedom to decide whether to attack or defend! Thanks for telling me!

[abulezz]

I could not find it in my heart to let them go after they retired - meet my new legendary U18 coaches!

 

 

[abulezz]

He's coming along nicely.

[abulezz]

The 2070 Champions League Second Round pits us against the competition's most decorated team of all-time, Barcelona.  After their 2015 title, they went 23 years before winning their next CL title, and then proceeded to win an incredible 9 title from 2038 till 2050.  Their only CL title since then was in 2067 - in the La Liga, they have been consistently the second best team in the La Liga behind Real Betis during the 2060s, winning the La Liga title 3 times this past decade.  We went into this match without George Watts, Sean Knight, and Lee King coming off the bench due to just returning from injury.  Thankfully, the boys played with poise and control, and we were rarely threatened all game, winning the first leg away 1-0.

[abulezz]

Excellent result - off to the Quarter-Finals!

[BoxToBox]

Come on!

 

Also, Madeira!?!

[abulezz]

Our Quarter-Finals opponents need no introduction - Real Betis.  Probably the best team in the world over the course of the last decade, they have also defeated us the last couple of times we faced them in the Knockout Rounds. We went into the match without Oliver Meyers, Turki Awad, and Jermaine Ward - in other words, 3 of our most experienced and most talented players. They completely outplayed us and outclassed us - they scored 4 goals in the first half and decided that was enough.  Even though we scored 2 goals, this doesn't look like a tie we can win.

[abulezz]

Simply put, they are a better team than we are, and it was blatantly obvious throughout this matchup.

[abulezz]

Our 6th ever title!

[Torminator]

Wow awesome that you won the PL again! To bad you keep drawing betis. They have a monster squad right?

[numbas2]

Congratz on another title and I see Knight has scored more than he did the previous season

[noikeee]

Premiership titles are becoming routine now. 

[MichaelBrown]

Still no CL

[abulezz]

On ‎10‎/‎3‎/‎2016 at 01:00, Torminator said:

Wow awesome that you won the PL again! To bad you keep drawing betis. They have a monster squad right?

 

On ‎10‎/‎3‎/‎2016 at 01:34, numbas2 said:

Congratz on another title and I see Knight has scored more than he did the previous season

 

21 hours ago, noikeee said:

Premiership titles are becoming routine now. 

 

17 hours ago, MichaelBrown said:

Still no CL

 

Our 6th PL title, but Betis stand in our way of the CL title again.  Torminator, yes, they are probably the best squad on the planet.  Update should come later today!

[abulezz]

SEASON REVIEW 2069/70

Another amazing defensive effort, coupled by some crazy offensive numbers in a late season surge, brought home our 6^th ever Premier League title, and perhaps the “Last Generation” first undisputed title they have won on their own without any help from Generation 2.0.  Dale Guest continued to show why he was amongst the best GKs in the world, winning his 3^rd PL GK of the Year award despite not turning 25 yet, while George Watts continued to defy father-time and play as if he was in his late 20s.  Oliver Meyers gave us probably our greatest season of any right-back in the club’s history thanks to his switch to a support role instead of defend.  The rest of the team did what they have always been doing with two notable exceptions – Sean Knight, and more prominently, Steve Hibbert.  The former scored 24 Goals to become one of the top scoring players in the PL, but the real story was the latter – at the age of 20, Hibbet captured the PL Player’s Player of the Year after an absolutely insane season.  Please read below for a summary of his season, but what I can tell you is that his value is now double any other U21 player in the world! In the Champions League, we again fell to our nemesis, and probably best team in the world, Real Betis – the Spanish La Liga champions ended up winning their 5^th CL title, defeating Benfica in the Finals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GOALKEEPERS

Dale Guest (2062), 24 Years Old:  Three PL GK of the Year awards before turning 25 – that is how you know you are an amazingly talented GK.  He played 38 Games for the second straight year, registering 0.68 Con/90 and 20 Clean Sheets, along with 7.10 AR – how much coaching staff have him rated 4/5 CA is beyond me.  I have not seen a GK with better attributes in the present day or past few decades of my save.  There has been the looming issue of his contract, however – he has one more year to go, and his agent keeps insisting on a ridiculously low Minimum Release clause, so I have refused to proceed with negotiations.  Obviously, I am not going to lose him, as he is easily one of my top players and an integral piece of the “Last Generation”.    

 

 

 

LEFT DEFENDERS

Owusu Seidu (2065), 21 Years Old:  Noikeee, where have you been all my life!?  Following his advice, I shifted both my full-backs to play Support instead of Defend, and the difference was alarming – just look at Seidu’s numbers: 35 Games, 4 Goals, 3.56 TpG, 1.45 DpG, and 7.31 AR.  He gave us the type of season only Isasi had done before him, and he has not even turned 21 yet.  I am disappointed in his development, however – he did not improve much in his attributes this year, and despite his great pace, his defensive skills are still somewhat lacking.  Still, considering we again were the top defensive team in the league, and have won our first PL title with Seidu as our full-time starter at the position, there is not much to complain about. 

 

 

 

CENTRAL DEFENDERS

George Watts (2051), 35 Years Old, Career:  Even though he was a contributor at 35, Daniel Friar never had this importance to the squad at such an advanced age.  Not only that, I have no doubts about his abilities as we go into next season because this guy is just not ready to be dropped.  His pace might have waned off, but all his other skill-sets are still there – no one in the history of the club has played at such a high level at such an advanced age before.  He is the leader of the best defensive team in the league and the PL champions, and his stats continue to impress – 35 Games, 2 Goals, 4.87 TpG, and 7.27 AR.  Just 10 Games away from 600 now, barring injury, that will easily be crossed next season.  I think the debate about whether Watts or Marvin John was the best CD ever produced by the Kafra Youth Academy is now effectively over. 

 

Bryan Stanford (2066), 19 Years Old:  This was the teenager’s first season as a starter, and he did not do bad at all, considering we won the PL title.  In 30 Games, he registered 3.16 TpG and 7.03 AR – what was just a little bit concerning was the fact that my coaching staff dropped him from a 5/5 PA to a 4.5/5 PA.  I still hope he ends up being World-Class, especially now that Andre Clarke has shown he is incapable of being good enough to be a primary starter for the club at the position, and especially considering how old Watts is getting.  When he first came out of the Youth Academy, I was so very impressed by his attributes – nowadays, although he does have a nice set of skills, I am less so due to the lack of expected progress over his first few years.  Who knows, maybe he will pick it up now that he has become a starter, because we are in desperate need for talent at the position. 

 

 

 

 

RIGHT DEFENDERS

Oliver Meyers (2055), 31 Years Old - Career:  Meyers gave us perhaps the greatest season ever by any right-back in the history of the club, thanks to noikeee’s fantastic advice.  Check out the numbers: 34 Games, 3 PoMs, 3.62 TpG, 78% Pass Ratio, 1.00 DpG, and 7.56 AR, which was the highest AR of any right-back ever in our history.  He is considered a Star Player for any Premier League side, and he is the England national side’s starting right-back as we head into the World Cup year.   At this rate, when it is all said and done, I think he could probably surpass both Johnson and Burton as our greatest of all-time at the position.  I hope he can maintain this form for another two years at least. 

 

 

 

CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS

Lee King (2057), 29 Years Old - Career:  I think Lee King is perhaps our most underappreciated player, and this year, he was probably our second most in-form player.  In 33 Games, he registered 6 Goals, 5 Assists, 3 PoMs, 2.96 TpG, 73% Pass Ratio, 1.14 DpG, and 7.58 AR, which was a career-high and brought his career average up to 7.33 AR.  This was his 4^th PL title as a starter, and it was the first year he was shortlisted for the World Golden Ball award.  He is considered a legend for the club already, and deservedly so – I have been saying for years that King and Awad will end up being our two best CMs of all-time, ahead of York, Medaglia, and Bailey.  Right now, I would give the slight edge to King, and despite several small nagging injuries this season, he definitely showed he is over his major slipped disc injury from last season. 

 

Turki Awad (2058), 29 Years Old - Career:  Awad continues to thrive as a straight DM instead of a defensive CM, as he once again had a very good season.  At this point, Awad is our highest rated player in terms of World Reputation and CA (4.5/5 CA), even if he still isn’t quite our most in-form one.  Nevertheless, I have no complaints – in 33 Games, he registered 6.42 TpG (8^th in PL), 81% Pass Ratio, 1.37 DpG, and 7.30 AR.  While King might get the more mainstream statistics, when you delve deeper into the numbers, you can actually see Awad is the more efficient and minute-for-minute influential player on the pitch.  He is on course to earn over 100 Caps for England before his career is done, and considering he has just hit his prime, I expect the next 2-3 seasons from Awad to be special. 

 

Jason Ziccardi (2064), 22 Years Old:  After taking the Premier League by storm last season, the young prospect came back down to reality.  It is not that he had a bad season – on the contrary, he did pretty good – but the lofty heights that he reached last season were always going to be difficult to live up as it was perhaps the single greatest season of any CM in the history of Kafra.  In 35 Games, he registered 5 Goals, 5 Assists, 3 PoMs, 2.78 TpG, 1.88 DpG, and 7.24 AR, which was down from 7.71 AR last season.  Still, I expect this was probably a down season for him, and for his form to rise up to around 7.40-7.50 AR in the coming few years.  I have always loved his talent, and with King and Awad both turning 30 next season, Ziccardi will see his playing time maintain and possibly increase.

 

 

 

LEFT WINGERS

Jermaine Ward (2057), 30 Years Old - Career:  After having to deal with some relatively major injuries last season, it seemed like Ward was not quite as dominant as he had been the previous few years.  In 30 Games, he registered 7 Goals, 9 Assists, 3 PoMs, 2.41 TpG, 3.47 DpG, and 7.43 AR – all down from previous years.  We already have a ready replacement for Ward, who is now 30, so I have no worries about the state of the left wing position – it has historically always been a strong position for us.  Ward might have become a starter later in his career than most, but he has made the most of it, and is now an integral part of the England team heading to the World Cup this summer.

 

 

 

RIGHT WINGERS

Steve Hibbert (2066), 20Years Old:  Wow – just wow! Before the season began, Hibbert was a good looking prospect who was bound to replace Dawson in the starting lineup in the next year or two.  Fast forward ten months, and Hibbert’s value is now at £50m, almost double that of any other player 21 years or younger.  I don’t think there has ever been a more impressive season from any player this age – 38 Games, 14 Goals, 28 Assists (Best in PL), 10 PoMs (2nd in PL), 2.10 TpG, 6.13 DpG (5^th in PL), and 7.86 AR (6^th in PL).  Obviously, he was the Kafra Player of the Year, but he was also the PL’s Players’ Player of the Year, as well as receiving his first call-up to the Premier League Select and being named the European Golden Boy recipient.  His pace is second to none, but his outstanding Mental and Technical attributes were the reason he completely replaced the aging Dawson this season, and looks to be Kafra’s best player for the next 10 years.

 

 

 

ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS

Ali Al-Thagafi (2064), 22 Years Old:  I always had a feeling it would happen, and it finally did – my coaching staff lowered him from a 5/5 PA to a 4/5 PA, and now he is considered playing at full potential.  He never ended up being the World-Class AM I kept being told he would be, but I kind of saw it from the beginning, so I am not too disappointed.  He did OK this season – 26 Games, 4 Goals, 1.53 TpG, 73% Pass Ratio, 1.69 DpG, and 7.10 AR, which is nothing to write home about.  He is no Daniel Friar and will never be, but if he can improve his form a bit then I will require nothing more from him.  As it stands, he is a bit below par, but he is still young and some room for growth.  He remains our starting AM for the foreseeable future.

 

 

 

FORWARDS

Sean Knight (2064), 22 Years Old:  Buoyed by a late season surge in form, Knight ended the season having scored 25 Goals in 37 Games, which was excellent for us.  He might never be Duncan or Robertson, but for now, Knight will serve us just fine, especially considering we captured our 6^th Premier League title of all-time with Knight leading the frontline.  He is now heads and shoulders above the rest of the pack that was competing for the starting spot (Skidmore, Taylor), and also made his England national squad debut this season.  My coaching staff have him rated at 4/5 CA and he is considered a Star Player for any PL side, which I would not doubt at this point – he certainly proved that was true for us this season.  I am more than happy with his progress and more than happy to make him my starting striker for the at least the next few years.

 

 

 

 

HOT PROSPECTS

Charlie Parker (2066), 19 Years Old – Left Winger:  Not quite as impressive as his previous year, but still showing plenty of talent nonetheless.  He played in 16 Games, registering 4 Goals, 2 Assists, and 7.03 AR, down from 7.50 AR the previous year.  Although it is early to be talking about it since Ward is still 30 years old, but Parker is looking like our long term replacement at the left wing. 

 

Prince Collins (2069), 17 Years Old – Right Back:   He didn’t get to play much, but as it stands, the Nigerian is the only real right-back prospect we have on the squad.  Given that Meyers is now 31, we need him to at least develop into a serviceable right back that could be capable of starting for a title-chasing team. 

 

 

YOUTH INTAKE

                                                                                                       

 

 

Nasser Al-Shemmari - Russell Bogard

There has been a real dearth of talent coming out of the Kafra Youth Academy the past few years, with Bryan Stanford being the only talent of note the past three years.  Nothing changes this season, as our Intake, although relatively deep, is weak with no real sure-fire prospect.  I am glad to get some defensive help, but again, it is hard to get excited about Intakes like this. 

 

 

2070/71 PRESEASON REPORT

 

England, which had 7 Kafra players, made the Semi-Finals of the World Cup 2070 in Argentina before losing to Germany, who ended up winning the World Cup for a record 7^th time and a record 4^th consecutive time.  As for the team, we are looking pretty solid, as long as Watts can maintain his form and standard at the age of 36.  The rest of the team looks good – we have some good prospects at all positions except full-back, and our starts are all quality.  The strength of the squad remains in the center of the pitch, but our best player looks to be situated down the right wing – we have had a World-Class right winger for the past 20-25 years in Stephen Hunter and Nathan Dawson, and that proud tradition looks set to continue with Steve Hibbert. Do I believe we have a better team than last year? Yes, I do, but again, a lot of it is dependent on how well Watts holds up, because we are by far a weaker team defensively without him.

 

[BoxToBox]

Man, Watts isn't even slow for a CB yet! With his personality and natural fitness, he should be good for a while yet. What a guy.

[MichaelBrown]

Any chance we could see the RB and CB who you got in the intake? That's a backup to Meyers/Collins there and he might even surprise you.

 

[abulezz]

35 minutes ago, BoxToBox said:

Man, Watts isn't even slow for a CB yet! With his personality and natural fitness, he should be good for a while yet. What a guy.

He has been amazing - its crazy, he's 36 and I don't think twice about starting him!

 

5 minutes ago, MichaelBrown said:

Any chance we could see the RB and CB who you got in the intake? That's a backup to Meyers/Collins there and he might even surprise you.

 

Sure! Here they are:

 

 

[MichaelBrown]

I think both are serviceable which is important when Watts has 2/3 years left if we're optimistic, Dobson's in the wilderness (didn't even get a review this time around :D) and Meyers is at the latter stages of his career. 

Could Ziccardi take Thagafi's position behind the striker?

[noikeee]

lol @ the comments on the fullbacks

I'm surprised despite the increased ratings they're not getting many assists though. I wonder whether they're contributing that much, because there was a bit of a bug in which a lot of passes higher up the wing count as "key passes" and therefore highly inflate the ratings. So they get fantastic ratings but their contribution is not really that fantastic in practice. However some people also get loads of assists from their fullbacks.

[MichaelBrown]

Just been running through this thread again, it was a real read, remembered some old favourites like Tom Ferguson and Jordan Webb!

Who can forget these though?

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img924/2589/yOqNgs.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img921/8392/3HTgFZ.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img922/9919/BF8Tbp.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img922/8884/ifs0EO.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img924/6086/rHWgNl.jpg

What would you do to have a Burton, John or Robertson right now  Even though the Dakoutros/Gwinnett partnership is my favourite - relatively speaking, it was, imo, the most important and integral partnership you've ever had, even more so than the Jones/Forde one. PS. The backup to Dakoutros/Gwinnett was a certain Matty York  
 

[abulezz]

2 hours ago, noikeee said:

lol @ the comments on the fullbacks

I'm surprised despite the increased ratings they're not getting many assists though. I wonder whether they're contributing that much, because there was a bit of a bug in which a lot of passes higher up the wing count as "key passes" and therefore highly inflate the ratings. So they get fantastic ratings but their contribution is not really that fantastic in practice. However some people also get loads of assists from their fullbacks.

They played much, much better (according to the stats, that us), but I did not see an uptick in assists, though.  It could be with the way I have my team play, as my wingers tend to get loads.  It could be a bug, I really don't know, but considering I was able to win the PL title, I cant complain!

 

2 hours ago, MichaelBrown said:

Just been running through this thread again, it was a real read, remembered some old favourites like Tom Ferguson and Jordan Webb!

Who can forget these though?

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img924/2589/yOqNgs.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img921/8392/3HTgFZ.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img922/9919/BF8Tbp.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img922/8884/ifs0EO.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img924/6086/rHWgNl.jpg

What would you do to have a Burton, John or Robertson right now  Even though the Dakoutros/Gwinnett partnership is my favourite - relatively speaking, it was, imo, the most important and integral partnership you've ever had, even more so than the Jones/Forde one. PS. The backup to Dakoutros/Gwinnett was a certain Matty York  
 

In response to your first post: Dobson's playing time was very limited this past season as Stanford made his move into the starting lineup - I am not too excited about any of my prospects from this last Intake because my coaching staff isn't, and they usually get it right.  Still, I will be making sure they got the right training and tutoring.  Ziccardi already gets a lot of playing time at AM, as I tend to rotate him and Al-Thagafi - the good thing about Ziccardi is that he is equally efficient in CM and AM, while Al-Thagafi doesn't do so well at CM.

Second Post: Man, you are bringing back memories! If I had Marvin John and John Robertson right now, my life would be set! Could you imagine a combination of Watts and John at CD! I hear what you are saying about Dakoutros and Gwinnett - they were like the trailblazers, but for me, nothing can replace these two tandems: Jones/Forde for obvious sentimental reasons, and Robertson/Hunter - those two were just so freaking efficiently ruthless.  I quite enjoyed the Neill/Duncan/Dawson trio, and at CM, Yorke/Medaglia have always been favorites but I think they have been replaced now by the Awad/King combo.  I still remember that half a season of brilliance Ferguson gave us, but when its all said and done, I think my two favorite players in this save have to be: Shane Forde and Daniel Friar. 

 

[RonPenalties]

Who has the all-time England caps record by this point in the game, and is Watts anywhere near to breaking it?!

Although I'm thinking Dale Guest must already be on track to beat whatever it is, especially if he can play into his late 30s like other legendary keepers. 

[abulezz]

The all-time leader in caps and goal scored is probably, in my save's world, England's finest player of all-time, Mr. Shane Gardner! He was instrumental in leading England to their 2032 and 2044 European Championship titles, as well as countless titles with Man City.  Below are screenshots of Shane in his prime, his career, and biography.

[MichaelBrown]

Watts has beaten Gardner

[abulezz]

29 minutes ago, MichaelBrown said:

Watts has beaten Gardner

Actually, the picture of Gardner was in his prime - he ended up featuring for England a record 150 Appearances.  Watts announced his retirement from international football after the World Cup this past summer, so his official Caps number is 145 - he was so close!

[RonPenalties]

shame Gardner's managerial career never quite hit the heights of his playing days

[abulezz]

12 hours ago, RonPenalties said:

shame Gardner's managerial career never quite hit the heights of his playing days

LOL - no not quite, but I remember when Shane Gardner was playing in my save, he seemed so unstoppable and always a winner.