Gaming The SM RedCafe League

[Damien]

@JB7 can you please post screenshots of your bids for Leonardo

 

[Damien]

 

[Damien]

Thanks for the previews Benito. Great job.

Selling De Jong for a couple of high rated or youth prospects would probably be a necessary lever at this point.​

 

[CrackersJr]

Some growth of the Irish contingent in the North East, as Melia, O Sullivan and record breaker Noonan join a healthy community of Bazunu, Razi, Kelleher, Parrot, O Brien and Mc Nulty.

With these 3 purchases, Ireland becomes the best represented country in Newcastle FC.

 

[Damien]

Some growth of the Irish contingent in the North East, as Melia, O Sullivan and record breaker Noonan join a healthy community of Bazunu, Razi, Kelleher, Parrot, O Brien and Mc Nulty.

With these 3 purchases, Ireland becomes the best represented country in Newcastle FC.

I'm shocked nobody bid for Noonan. I was at cap or I would have done. Congrats.

 

[BenitoSTARR]

Season 33 Redcafe League Preview Part 1 - Division 2
This Sunday the 33rd season of the Redcafe SM league kicks off with a bang. This is your friendly guide to the movers and shakers in Division 2 as we delve into the potential starting XIs, ones to watch and predicted finishing positions of the top flight clubs.

West Ham (18th Relegated)

Marmardashvili 91
Cash 89 Tah 92 Todibo 90 Cambiaso 90
Tchouameni 93 ️ Anguissa 91
Mbuemo 90 De Paul 91 Torres 90
Watkins 92
​

A very solid side with plenty of quality making relegation a surprise. Could they bounce back?

Defensively they are solid, Cash does need replacing and with no real deputy in the squad is a real concern. The CB partnership though is surely as good as most other sides. Tah and Todibo is solid and has top quality in Tah. The issue is more the depth here. An injury to either and the drop off is significant. Left back is probably the strongest part of the back line Cambiaso and Hato is a good combination of current and potential ability (Hato formed part of the Endrick mega deal).

In midfield we have the outstanding Tchouameni who has spent a significant period playing CB for Madrid. There are rumours of him moving in the summer to a side more willing to play him in midfield. Anguissa and De Paul are solid but when they fade I don’t see an obvious replacement unless O’Riley develops beyond expectation. In the No10 slot we have Eze as the specialist who is a great option to have but does fall short of the competition in other sides who would have him as a back up or rotation option.

In the forward line there is quality with room to rise. Mbeumo (Cardiff too), Watkins and Dovbyk are solid options with Watkins the main man. Torres and Johnson are decent back up options to rotate amongst the wide areas but there is a lack of top prospects coming through.

Predicted Finish: Play offs at least

Manchester City (19th Relegated)

Nubel 89
Di Lorenzo 91 De Vrij 91 Gabriel 93 Mendy 91
Enzo 92 Ceballos 89
Rodrygo 93 Koopmeiners 92 Mitoma 90
Osimhen 93 ️
​

How did this side get relegated?

Defensively it’s as good as some top 4 challengers, 91+ in all positions with good depth at CB with Van De Ven, Boscagli and Thiaw. Gabriel is the stand out and is imperious at the back. Of course LB and RB could do with better understudies but De Cuyper looks decent here too.

Midfield looks really good. Enzo and Koopmeiners (Cardiff ) are outstanding players. Mainoo and Bellingham as prospects are two of the best in the English game too so it’s a position that seems settled for a little while. Ceballos is still a starter but very expendable when the time comes. In attacking midfield the prospects here are sublime. Cherki, Mastantuono and Rigg are a special trio and I’m sure the envy of many a side in the league. Lovely bit of squad building here!

Finally in attack Osimhen and Rodrygo should be enough for any side to avoid relegation so quite how City find themselves in Division 2 is beyond me. Two world class players on 93 ratings with Mitoma a solid 3rd wheel should make them a deadly prospect in Division 2 and certainly one of if not the best sides. Fini, Lacey and Diarra are three promising youth prospects that one day should supplant Mitoma.

Predicted Finish: Champions (or at least they should be on paper)

Blackburn (3rd 86 points lost in play offs 85 goals)

Carnesecchi 90
Royal 89 Balerdi 89 Colwill 90 Lino 90
Luiz 92 Diaz 90
Antony 89 Neymar 92 Leao 93 ️
Thuram 92
​

To understand how this side didn’t get promoted I need to understand the manager. God help me.

Defensively the side is below average. It’s clear this is not the focus of the team. Colwill and Lino are good options (with Lino used like a wingback) Ozcan is a decent prospect though.

Midfield is weak. Luiz is a good player not worth his 92 now though and there isn’t another natural CM 90 rated so Diaz is forced back. The AM options leave much to be desired so Neymar plays there out of position to compensate. It’s a short term solution but should get them through the season.

The attack however is good. Thuram and Leao are both good ages and very good ratings and are more than capable of hurting any side. Division 2 should be a walk in the park with those two. Antony is rediscovering his form at Betis so while I think he’ll be stuck on 89, he’s at least not going to free fall. Højlund is a solid youth back up, very raw still and under pressure, but good enough to eventually come good.

Predicted Finish: Play offs.

Rochdale (4th lost in play offs)

Maignan 92
Aina 88 Konsa 90 Calafiori 90 Mendes 90
Hjulmand 90 Pasalic 90
Trincao 89 Ederson 91️ Iwobi 89
Jackson 91
​

Rochdale are a pretty decent side that have been transformed by the recent drafts. Attacking options will probably stop them winning the league but there is room to grow in the side.

Defensively I like them. Aina should hit 89 this season, but probably needs replacing (Hakimi anyone?) the CBs are solid and the LB is a good long term option too. There are some promising players here who aren’t playing either due to injury or just being too young. As well as this Murillo look destined to be a top CB for the future. A solid department in need of high ratings to help out.

Hjulmand and Ederson in midfield are useful and quality options. The rest of the side just isn’t quite there in terms of excitement and I’m not sure where it would come from without more investment. I find it hard to see who takes them to the next level.

The attack has two very good strikers, Jackson gets the nod for me, but not any quality on the wings. The starters and bench options are uninspiring. Gruda and Sulemana are the most likely to change that perception. But if it doesn’t improve you can’t climb.

Predicted Finish: Play offs

 

[CrackersJr]

I'm shocked nobody bid for Noonan. I was at cap or I would have done. Congrats.

Me too, fortunately only you and JB had him shortlisted!

 

[BenitoSTARR]

Thanks for the previews Benito. Great job.

 

[BenitoSTARR]

Me too, fortunately only you and JB had him shortlisted!

I saw him added but is he even that good?

 

[Damien]

Been a long while since I won both the Charity Shield and Super Cup in the same season. 2:0 victory away to Southampton with three of my star players missing.

Oblak (93)

Trent (94) Kounde (92) Stones (93) Hakimi (92)
Rice (93) Pedri (92)
Sancho (90)↓ -- Pulisic (92) -- N. Williams (92)
Bellingham (95)​

Subs: Debast (87), Frimpong (92)↑, Bade (89), Gomes (89), Zakaria (90), I. Williams (90), Reyna (87)
Suspended: Mbappe (96), Van Dijk (95), Alaba (93)
Did not travel: n/a

Key:
= Goal
= Assist
= MOTM
↓ = Subbed off
↑ = Subbed on
Orange = Not in natural position

Next three games:
MD01: Milton Keynes (H)
CCGAG1: Fenerbahce (H)
MD02: Arsenal (A)

Manchester United v Southampton fixtures this season

Game	Utd Poss	Southampton Poss	Utd Shots (SoT)	Southampton Shots (SoT)	Utd Goals	Southampton Goals	Utd SoT Conv.	Southampton SoT Conv.
15th Feb: Southampton v Utd (Super Cup)​	54%​	46%​	10 (5)​	11 (1)​	2​	0​	40%​	0%​
Combined​	54%​	46%​	10 (5)​	11 (1)​	2​	0​	40%​	0%​

Spoiler: updated major honours

 

[Damien]

I saw him added but is he even that good?

Doesn't matter. He's Irish and since Big-Red doesn't have Gold, @CrackersJr has a monopoly on Irish talent now regardless of how bad they'll turn out.

 

[CrackersJr]

Doesn't matter. He's Irish and since Big-Red doesn't have Gold, @CrackersJr has a monopoly on Irish talent now regardless of how bad they'll turn out.

Spoiler: Me with irish talent

 

[CrackersJr]

I saw him added but is he even that good?

Tbh, way too soon to tell about any of those 3. They are all pretty much playing debut seasons. Melia played a bit last year (~1500 mins) and earned a move to the UK for next January so will have a whole season of LoI before going into the u21s at Spurs.

The other two have done well in their cameos and looks like Noonan will play a lot with Rovers this season. Worth a punt either way, just will have to wait see if they move to England or Europe. Can obviously move sooner to a european team than an english team.

 

[RedSky]

Ireland has talent? *Hides*

 

[CrackersJr]

Ireland has talent? *Hides*

Yeah, just not in football or women...

 

[RedSky]

Yeah, just not in football or women...

You take that back you scoundrel.

 

[JB7]

@JB7 can you please post screenshots of your bids for Leonardo

Done. Looking forward to LB telling us all again how he was definitely the first to bid now.

 

[CrackersJr]

You take that back you scoundrel.

 

[BenitoSTARR]

Season 33 Redcafe League Preview Part 2 - Division 2

Sheffield (6th lost in play offs)

Kobel 91
Dedic 86 Beukema 89 Bisseck 88 Ruggeri 89
Veerman 90 Ricci 89
Colpani 88 Barrios 88 Sudakov 88
Lukaku 91 ️​

Sheffield are an emerging side that need time to build a truly competitive team. Their focus on young talented prospects should pay off in the future as the side has many top prospects.

Defence is probably the weakest area of the pitch. No 90+ options (as I’ve ignored GKs in this whole preview and can’t be arsed to go back and review them all) but there are some promising players. Ruggeri and Juma Bah in particular stand out (Bah having one of the best duel winning %s of any CB in the top 5 leagues in real life and someone I am gutted I lost a bidding war on). There’s green shoots but right now they will struggle to compete with clubs that have 93+ forwards coming for them.

Midfield is much healthier, again lacking in 90+ talent but there are three outstanding prospects in Ricci, Sudakov and Barrios. Sucic (who I also lost to a bidding war with Sheffield) is also a promising player who has made a move to Inter Milan in the January window. So this looks promising and is somewhere I’d expect to see more 90+ ratings in the next year. The same problem here though is that again other midfields there just isn’t the current rating level to compete.

The forward line has a solid 91 maybe even 92 rated striker in Lukaku and my advice would be to hold onto him! Strikers below that rating don’t tend to score and goals win games (Michael Owen eat your heart out). Beyond that we can’t not mention Sheffield’s brightest prospect, Ben Seghir. He’s a terrific player, great technical level and he’s getting goals at a greater rate. I have full belief he will be a 92+ rated player having extensively looked into him whilst I owned him. Beyond that though they could do with another winger the side is lacking those players meaning AMs will likely play instead.

Predicted Finish: Play off challengers

Kidderminster Harriers (7th 1 point off play offs)

Trubin 89
Clauss 89 Saliba 94 ️ Lucumi 89 Truffert 88
Lobotka 91 Samardzic 88
Bowen 91 Gibbs-White 89 Kvaratskhelia 92
Schick 90​

Kidderminster are incredibly well set up for the future with a plethora of youth options. In the short term their squad looks competitive but not the best in Division 2.

Defence has a clear stand out in Saliba snd Lucumi is a solid option but they lack 90+ ratings across the line. There are promising players in Beraldo and Meijer in particular who should be capable of hitting 90 ratings but for now there are a one man army and I’m not sure that they won’t be exposed in wide areas without investment or sales.

Midfield is looking scarily strong for the future. A quick glance at some upcoming talents and you’ll find Wharton, Samardzic, Bergvall, Smit, Ouedraogo, Baturina, Paez, Enciso, Babadi, and Mec. Combine this with the solid base of Lobotka and MGW who should hit 90 soon and while they aren’t the best now, Kidderminster have some potential world class options (93+) coming through. Again top squad building!

Finally the forward line. It’s already solid with Bowen, Kvaratskhelia and Schick but there is also some good depth here with Zaccagni and Zhegrova decent backup. The bright sparks here are Osman, Nuamah and Sonko on the wings with Oskarsson the most promising striker. A lovely balanced part of the squad.

Predicted Finish: Play offs

Bristol City (9th)

Sa 89
Dumfries 91 Romero 92 Danso 89 Guerreiro 90
Neves 90 McTominay 90
Kluivert 88 Tielemans 91Garnacho 89
Martinez 94 ️​

I really like many players in Bristol’s squad, it’s not the best in the league but it’s got some really fun players and a few top talents which make me feel all warm and fuzzy.

In defence there is a very respectable back line mainly 90+ with only Danso not quite there. Again it’s not the best but it should do the job. The trouble here is the long term prospects De Winter is ok and so too Kumbedi but I’m not sure about their 90+ potential. It’s probably where they need most work.

The midfield feels very “United fan” as McTominay starts and is performing well so should be solid on his 90. Then there is Gomes who on his 89 is a decent rotation option. The real gem is Neves who looks to have 93+ potential. Tielemans has been important for Villa so his 91 should be safe too. Ratings wise it’s quite below others but there are also the likes of Prim and Fernandez coming through with 90+ potential.

Finally the attack. Garancho is probably the brightest talent here but he’s stalled a little under Amorim and I do worry if he’s going to just be hovering around 90 while United sort themselves out. Kluivert is having a top season but is more of a 10 than a winger so they are lacking something here too. The strikers position is probably one of the best in terms of starters and then youth prospects in the entire league. Martinez on 94 is a good age, not as prolific as most other strikers as he’s not really a 9 and probably isn’t a 94 rated player if we’re being brutally honest but while he is he’s a great option. Then Samu is one of the most sort after players in Europe and we all know the promise Chido Obi has too. I know I’m biased but I do think Isak + Endrick + Mheuka is the best combination here though even if they are currently slightly lower rated.

Predicted Finish: Play off challenger

Norwich City (10th

Trapp 89
Vasquez 89 Djimsiti 90 Botman 91 Gaya 91
Kante 91 Joelinton 90
Tadic 90 Gundogan 93 ️ Kramaric 90
Wissa 89
​

I’m worried about Norwich. There’s too many old players Vasquez, Trapp, Kante, Tadic and Gundogan. Unless there are big changes I’m not sure how competitive they can be.

Defensively they are pretty solid, but RB is an issue that may be solved by 17 year old Sangare eventually but it will take time. At CB I think they are fine in the medium to long term. Both CBs are good solid starters for their respective sides. Left back Gaya is quality but I don’t see an obvious long term replacement in the squad so while not a major concern for now, it’s something to consider.

The midfield has really good ratings currently, Kante and Gundogan on 91 and 93 will be solid and keep them competitive but at their ages can’t be considered long term solutions. Sadiki is a decent ball winner for the long term (having played many games in defence in his teens) but those central slots will be vacated soon. They do however have a shining star in Nwaneri who I think could be a 93+ player for the future so AM is set up nicely.

In the forward line we have major problems in the short term. The starting 3 aren’t top quality but hopefully Wissa can rise to 90 end of season. The age of the other two is a worry but at least Nusa looks a quality option to replace Kramaric soon. Delap (also formerly Cardiff) is a solid future option who should be able to hit 90. In a few real life seasons, that may depend on him making a summer transfer though.

Predicted Finish: Missing out on play offs

Reading (2nd Place Division 3 Promotion)
Meslier 87
Bradley 87 Diomande 89 Silva 89 ️ Lewis 88
Van Den Bosch 85 Vranckx 84
Farias 85 Tillman 88 Ndiaye 87
Duran 88
​

When analysing this squad we have to be fair. It’s incredibly new to the set up and so is always going to take time to catch up. With this in mind all judgements are made through that lens.

Defensively they have the best back 4 prospects overall of any side in the league. I mean any. All 4 players are capable within the next season of reaching 90+ ratings. Drafts helped this massively of course (and I’m still gutted I lost the bidding war for Bradley all those years back) but it now means they only need to scout certain positions going forward.

Midfield is a worry. Tillman is the only player I’d be confident of hitting 90 anytime soon. That said there are some promising youth options. Comotto, Van Der Vaart and Gebel are probably the best of the bunch but it will be a while before any of them make significant progress to higher ratings. It very much feels like this is the area of the pitch that needs the most work.

Finally the forward line. Jack must be absolutely fuming that Duran went to Saudi. It will be incredibly hard for him to justify any rating increase in such a poor league. Generally speaking you move there and stick on your current rating. Ndiaye is having a good season so might be due a small rise to 88 which will also help in the summer. Van Brederode (ex Cardiff traded for Semenyo) is also a solid young player but I’m not sure he has the athleticism required of a modern winger which may hold him back. It’s not as urgent as midfield but it’s definitely something that needs addressing to compete in Division 2 now with managed clubs.

Predicted Finish: Midtable but behind all other managed sides.

 

[BenitoSTARR]

Season 33 Redcafe League Preview Part 1 - Division 3

This Sunday the 33rd season of the Redcafe SM league kicks off with a bang. This is your friendly guide to the movers and shakers in Division 3 as we delve into the potential starting XIs, ones to watch and predicted finishing positions of the lower league clubs.

Torquay (Div 4 Champions Promoted)

Hermansen 86
El-Hilali 85 Van Hecke 89 Parades 89 Yilmaz 89
Gravenberch 90 Smith Rowe 88
Millot 89 Goncalves 90 Yildiz 88
Solanke 90 ️
​

Torquay were ridiculously good last season. 112 points undefeated with 160 goals scored and only 8 conceded. They were sublime! My crystal ball tells me they won’t go undefeated but they clearly are a side ready for more. Make no mistake this team has a bright future.

The defensive situation is decent, especially for a newer managed side to the league. Two solid CBs who could hit 90 eventually in their careers. I would question if they could move further than that though. LB is more of a wingback but is a good player nonetheless and El-Hilali is decent for his age, though I think Fort will out rate him long term.

The midfield is great for this early on in a teams development. Gravenberch, Mukau, Urbanski and Mario Dorgeles are some good pick ups that should keep developing in the next year. The AM spot is also ridiculously strong, Gonçalves, Millot and Paz are 3 wonderful players all capable of 90+ ratings and it’s something I’d just let develop now over the next year to see what happens. Great squad building here!

Then the attack. I mean wow! Messi, Ibragimov, Dibling are 3 good potential U18s then you have Yildiz, a top quality young wide forward with Solanke (39 goals and 24 assists last season) that means there is some current and potential firepower coming through. Keep an eye on Alejo Sarco too who got his move to Leverkusen in real life and while raw, could be a big name in 2 years.

Predicted Finish: Champions (just)

Bury Div 4 (Runners Up Promoted)

Bulka 89
Giay 85 Ordonez 85 Flamingo 86 Maatsen 88
Diouf 85 Veiga 85
Saka 94 ️ Kudus 90 Estevao 87
Sesko 89
​

fecking hell! What a selection of talents we have here!

Defensively there are two of the best younger options around. Ordonez is considered the 2nd best all rounder by some reliable sources and Flamingo is one of the better CBs for his age too lovely CB pairing that can grow together over time. LB is solid but Maatsen has stalled a bit, and Giay is one of the best attacking fullbacks around. A lovely back line. There are a lot of potentially good CBs not mentioned here and with such a large squad cap you can see Bury taking full advantage.

Midfield isn’t quite the same level yet. Diouf is someone I’ve had under consideration for a while due to his well rounded game and Veiga is a solid choice too. Kone and Ugochukwu are promising other options along with Atangana and Nypan. Some lovely prospects that should rise in value and rating over time. In the number 10 role, Lennart Karl is promising but they are clearly lacking a starting player here. Kudus has to play out of position to be there.

In the attack there is Saka, Sesko and Estevao which is just unfair in how much quality they gained from drafts. They have one of the best talents in the game in Estevao for cash. Sesko of course exchanged for Bynoe-Gittens and Reis is a stunning striker for his age range too. It’s a crazy front line that even made me feel the need to ignore Retegui! Add to this Biereth who also could be a future Sesko power forward, Reis, Santos and Harder and there are so so many top talents that I wonder how on earth the fit them in? Outstanding squad building in a short space of time.

Predicted Finish: 2nd place promoted

​

 

[Damien]

Incredible work Benito. Thank you so much for doing all that, enjoyed reading the previews.

 

[Damien]

3:2 victory over MK Dons to start the league season. Made the most of the five sub change, and did a bit of creative tactics by moving Trent out of position to midfield for the second half:

Oblak (93)

Trent (94) Kounde (92) Zakaria (90)↓ Hakimi (92)
Gomes (89)↓ Pedri (92)↓
Frimpong (92) -- Pulisic (92) -- Sancho (90)↓
I. Williams (90)↓​

Subs: Bade (89)↑, Santos (87), Debast (87), Stones (93)↑, Rice (93)↑, N. Williams (92)↑, Mbappe (96)↑,
Did not travel: Van Dijk (95), Bellingham (95), Alaba (93)

Key:
= Goal
= Assist
= MOTM
↓ = Subbed off
↑ = Subbed on
Orange = Not in natural position

Next three games:
CCGAG1: Fenerbahce (H)
MD02: Arsenal (A)
MD03: Southampton (A)

Manchester United v Milton Keynes Dons fixtures this season

Game	Utd Poss	Milton Keynes Dons Poss	Utd Shots (SoT)	Milton Keynes Dons Shots (SoT)	Utd Goals	Milton Keynes Dons Goals	Utd SoT Conv.	Milton Keynes Dons SoT Conv.
16th Feb: Utd v Milton Keynes Dons​	56%​	44%​	15 (6)​	11 (3)​	3​	2​	50%​	66.6%​
Combined​	56%​	44%​	15 (6)​	11 (3)​	3​	2​	50%​	66.6%​

 

[Damien]

Return of the tables (though this time there's no alternate table, too much work)

Latest table:

This time last season:

Spoiler

 

[BenitoSTARR]

Div 1 Predicted Finish Table ​

1. Manchester United​
2. Newcastle United ​
3. Everton ​
4. Aston Villa​
5. Leyton Orient​
6. Southampton​
7. Arsenal​
8. Nottingham Forest​
9. Middlesbrough ​
10. Southend​
11. Bournemouth ​
12. Cardiff​
13. Barnsley​
14. Hereford​
15. Fulham ​
16. Sunderland​
17. MK Dons​
18. Liverpool ​
19. Wolves​
20. Tottenham Hotspur​

Div 2 Predicted Finish Table​

1. Manchester City​
2. Blackburn ​
3. West Ham​
4. Rochdale​
5. Kidderminster ​
6. Sheffield United​
7. Bristol City ​
8. Norwich ​
9. Reading ​
10. Who Cares?​

Div 3 Predicted Finish Table​

1. Torquay​
2. Bury​
3. Who Cares?​

 

[IRN-BRUno]

Season 33 Redcafe League Preview Part 1 - Division 3

This Sunday the 33rd season of the Redcafe SM league kicks off with a bang. This is your friendly guide to the movers and shakers in Division 3 as we delve into the potential starting XIs, ones to watch and predicted finishing positions of the lower league clubs.

Torquay (Div 4 Champions Promoted)

Hermansen 86
El-Hilali 85 Van Hecke 89 Parades 89 Yilmaz 89
Gravenberch 90 Smith Rowe 88
Millot 89 Goncalves 90 Yildiz 88
Solanke 90 ️
​

Torquay were ridiculously good last season. 112 points undefeated with 160 goals scored and only 8 conceded. They were sublime! My crystal ball tells me they won’t go undefeated but they clearly are a side ready for more. Make no mistake this team has a bright future.

The defensive situation is decent, especially for a newer managed side to the league. Two solid CBs who could hit 90 eventually in their careers. I would question if they could move further than that though. LB is more of a wingback but is a good player nonetheless and El-Hilali is decent for his age, though I think Fort will out rate him long term.

The midfield is great for this early on in a teams development. Gravenberch, Mukau, Urbanski and Mario Dorgeles are some good pick ups that should keep developing in the next year. The AM spot is also ridiculously strong, Gonçalves, Millot and Paz are 3 wonderful players all capable of 90+ ratings and it’s something I’d just let develop now over the next year to see what happens. Great squad building here!

Then the attack. I mean wow! Messi, Ibragimov, Dibling are 3 good potential U18s then you have Yildiz, a top quality young wide forward with Solanke (39 goals and 24 assists last season) that means there is some current and potential firepower coming through. Keep an eye on Alejo Sarco too who got his move to Leverkusen in real life and while raw, could be a big name in 2 years.

Predicted Finish: Champions (just)

Bury Div 4 (Runners Up Promoted)

Bulka 89
Giay 85 Ordonez 85 Flamingo 86 Maatsen 88
Diouf 85 Veiga 85
Saka 94 ️ Kudus 90 Estevao 87
Sesko 89
​

fecking hell! What a selection of talents we have here!

Defensively there are two of the best younger options around. Ordonez is considered the 2nd best all rounder by some reliable sources and Flamingo is one of the better CBs for his age too lovely CB pairing that can grow together over time. LB is solid but Maatsen has stalled a bit, and Giay is one of the best attacking fullbacks around. A lovely back line. There are a lot of potentially good CBs not mentioned here and with such a large squad cap you can see Bury taking full advantage.

Midfield isn’t quite the same level yet. Diouf is someone I’ve had under consideration for a while due to his well rounded game and Veiga is a solid choice too. Kone and Ugochukwu are promising other options along with Atangana and Nypan. Some lovely prospects that should rise in value and rating over time. In the number 10 role, Lennart Karl is promising but they are clearly lacking a starting player here. Kudus has to play out of position to be there.

In the attack there is Saka, Sesko and Estevao which is just unfair in how much quality they gained from drafts. They have one of the best talents in the game in Estevao for cash. Sesko of course exchanged for Bynoe-Gittens and Reis is a stunning striker for his age range too. It’s a crazy front line that even made me feel the need to ignore Retegui! Add to this Biereth who also could be a future Sesko power forward, Reis, Santos and Harder and there are so so many top talents that I wonder how on earth the fit them in? Outstanding squad building in a short space of time.

Predicted Finish: 2nd place promoted

​

Thanks for this, enjoyed reading the others as well.

Defence is the area I probably need to improve mostly. Full-back positions are fine for the moment but are the obvious ones that would need upgrading in a higher division, not sure Yilmaz plays at LB or RB often enough to keep those either. Would agree about Van Hecke and Paredes likely being capped at 90 as well.

 

[Damien]

Rule vote: Should anybody at all be allowed to bid after the AI puts counter offers out, or should it be restricted to the original bidders? Vote "Yes" for anyone to bid, and vote "No" for just the people who bid before the counter offers are released.

Yes (3 - 9.7%): Blackburn Rovers, Norwich City, Rochdale
No (16 - 51.6%): Barnsley, Bury, Cardiff City, Everton, Manchester City, Manchester United, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes Dons, Newcastle United, Reading, Sheffield United, Southampton, Southend United, Sunderland, Torquay United, West Ham United

Yet to vote (12 - 38.7%): Arsenal, Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Bristol City, Fulham, Hereford, Kidderminster Harriers, Leyton Orient, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, Tottenham Hotspur, Wolverhampton Wanderers

 

[BenitoSTARR]

Thanks for this, enjoyed reading the others as well.

Defence is the area I probably need to improve mostly. Full-back positions are fine for the moment but are the obvious ones that would need upgrading in a higher division, not sure Yilmaz plays at LB or RB often enough to keep those either. Would agree about Van Hecke and Paredes likely being capped at 90 as well.

To be fair between me writing this El-Hilali had a great game.

 

[Damien]

Left to complete:

Players	From	To	Date TB Expires
Nico O'Reilly (Bradford City)	Rochdale	Wolves	17th Feb 2025
Lennon Miller (Bradford City)	Manchester United	Everton	17th Feb 2025
Gabriel Moscardo (Bradford City)	Newcastle United	Bristol City	28th Feb 2025

 

[Damien]

@JB7 you should be able to bid cash for Miller

 

[Damien]

Just going through all the other deals now to confirm which Gold clubs have players they need to get rid of from the part exchanges and I'm so jealous that @CrackersJr managed to get bids for his no bother. I've been waiting days for the AI to bid on my transfer listed players.

 

[Damien]

Draft related exchange players left at the Gold clubs awaiting AI bids (don't count to squad cap as long as not being played)

1. Andy Robertson (Manchester United)
2. Pol Fortuny (Manchester United)
3. Youssouf Ndayishimiye (Manchester United)
4. Alessio Romagnoli (Manchester United)
5. Gassova Wesley (Manchester United)
6. Horatiu Moldovan (Manchester United)
7. Hugo Guillamon (Manchester United)
8. Santiago Mourinho (Manchester United)
9. Igor Zubeldia (Barnsley)

 

[JB7]

@JB7 you should be able to bid cash for Miller

Done, ta.

 

[Damien]

Done, ta.

Excellent. Will try to post all updated FFPs etc tomorrow. Keeping track of the draft players complicated things but only a few left I can keep track of now.

 

[Varun]

Rule vote: Should anybody at all be allowed to bid after the AI puts counter offers out, or should it be restricted to the original bidders? Vote "Yes" for anyone to bid, and vote "No" for just the people who bid before the counter offers are released.

Yes (3 - 9.7%): Blackburn Rovers, Norwich City, Rochdale
No (16 - 51.6%): Barnsley, Bury, Cardiff City, Everton, Manchester City, Manchester United, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes Dons, Newcastle United, Reading, Sheffield United, Southampton, Southend United, Sunderland, Torquay United, West Ham United

Yet to vote (12 - 38.7%): Arsenal, Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Bristol City, Fulham, Hereford, Kidderminster Harriers, Leyton Orient, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, Tottenham Hotspur, Wolverhampton Wanderers

I already voted no in that chat, Damo.

 

[Dom Gill]

Hi all,

Benito asked for someone to do a writeup on his squad as he felt it was difficult being objective about his team, so I offered to give it a shot. Don’t shoot me Benito!!!!

I will base my team on last weeks formation, (I do not look at who you played in each position), and then as close fits real life primary positions for players in that formation.

Cardiff City

Formation setup 4-2-3-1 with wingers

Neuer (94)
Pavard (91) Tomori (91) Rudiger (94) Hernandez (92)
Barella (94) Palinha (91)
Diaby (91) Pellegrini (91) Kubo (91)
Isak (92)​

To start with it is worth calling out the Defence being solid with a 94 rated keeper and defender. Following this through into central midfield with another 94 rated player, it feels off to say that the attacking midfield is the part of the team that is consistently low in their value, however all three are 91 rated. Finally Isak upfront gives a really solid striker in the team. Initial thoughts are the team is solid with a good spine.

Delving deeper into the starting 11 though you start to see some of the cracks. Neuer, who is probably the best there ever has been in his position, (alongside Buffon), is definitely starting to show his age with with the number of injuries he has had over the last few years I cannot see him going on for much longer and there is no backup in the team that will likely hit the big time in the near future and I cannot see Owusu-Oduro being the permanent number 1 for this Cardiff side. There is definitely room for a better backup and keepers are ten a penny in this league, well sort of anyway.

Looking at the defence next I really like Tomori, and I think it is criminal he is only sitting at 91, but I will not rant about it here.Rudiger and Pavard are starters for their teams and Hernandez has only recently come back from a Cruciate Ligament tear and has been getting good game time on his comeback. In general SOLID is the word, with no real issues on age and being surpassed by another player for their teams. I do worry about the depth in defence for the future, but with these players it is not a concern for now.

The Midfield

In the defensive positions we have Barella and Palinha. Barella is one of my favourite players for Italy, and when used correctly he is absolutely awesome. Being 94 in the center of the team definitely helps to shore up any direct passing tactics that may want to be utilised with him as the playmaker. Palinha on the other hand is not nailed on as a starter for Bayern and has been unlucky with injuries and illness, also the resurgence of Leon Goretzka may hamper him this season and into next. I would not count on him losing his rating but I definitely cannot see it increasing. The only real backup being Milinkovic-Savic has me worried as I think he will at least drop to 90 in the next cycle but he is there to do a job at this moment in time, so he will do I am sure. The good thing is Hinshelwood, Lavia and Ferguson show some potential for the future.

The Attacking Midfield
Kubo….One of my original Barnsley signings (when he was 16 I think), was very difficult for me to give up as he is phenomenal and I can see him making the next move and the sky is really the limit for him. Pellegrini is solid in the center of the park but I think he has reached his potential, and being 28 he is a solid hold for building around him. The left winger I was struggling to place as there is no natural player I would be selecting, so Diaby ended up here. I wonder how long he will keep his 91 rating, but I think he is another player that will do a job for the season. There are some extremely exciting prospects in Pino, Semenyo and Bardghji alongside a smattering of other high potential young prospects.

Striker
What can I say, for me, a future Ballon D’or if he carries on his trajectory and gets out of Newcastle in the next 2 or 3 seasons. He is quick, knows where the goal is nearly with every shot recently and he is young. One to build the team around and never to sell or trade. Looking deeper with Endrick and Emegha, personally I think the striking department is set for the long term.

Final summary
I think the starting 11 is solid, a word that kept on coming to mind throughout this writeup, but the strength in depth to carry through a whole season is a bit worrying especially with other teams able to use the 5 substitutes to bolster fitness more. I see the team getting knocked out of the cups pretty quickly, and injuries could cause some problems in key positions to results and ultimately the final position in the Div 1 table. If this happens I would expect a defensive counter attacking long ball game to appear in order to manage the tactics just to keep clean sheets. If it was me, the lack of depth and cover in the defence causes me most concern and believe a few solid 88 and 89 rated players could help, however Hinshelwood could solve pretty much all the defensive and midfield issues in one go if he hits 88 in the next review (if he keeps the ridiculous positions). The youth setup has a number of gems but there are also a lot of long shots in here, albeit some are getting good time on the pitch for their ages but not many at this moment are for me wonderkids.

 

[BenitoSTARR]

Hi all,

Benito asked for someone to do a writeup on his squad as he felt it was difficult being objective about his team, so I offered to give it a shot. Don’t shoot me Benito!!!!

I will base my team on last weeks formation, (I do not look at who you played in each position), and then as close fits real life primary positions for players in that formation.

Cardiff City

Formation setup 4-2-3-1 with wingers

Neuer (94)
Pavard (91) Tomori (91) Rudiger (94) Hernandez (92)
Barella (94) Palinha (91)
Diaby (91) Pellegrini (91) Kubo (91)
Isak (92)​

To start with it is worth calling out the Defence being solid with a 94 rated keeper and defender. Following this through into central midfield with another 94 rated player, it feels off to say that the attacking midfield is the part of the team that is consistently low in their value, however all three are 91 rated. Finally Isak upfront gives a really solid striker in the team. Initial thoughts are the team is solid with a good spine.

Delving deeper into the starting 11 though you start to see some of the cracks. Neuer, who is probably the best there ever has been in his position, (alongside Buffon), is definitely starting to show his age with with the number of injuries he has had over the last few years I cannot see him going on for much longer and there is no backup in the team that will likely hit the big time in the near future and I cannot see Owusu-Oduro being the permanent number 1 for this Cardiff side. There is definitely room for a better backup and keepers are ten a penny in this league, well sort of anyway.

Looking at the defence next I really like Tomori, and I think it is criminal he is only sitting at 91, but I will not rant about it here.Rudiger and Pavard are starters for their teams and Hernandez has only recently come back from a Cruciate Ligament tear and has been getting good game time on his comeback. In general SOLID is the word, with no real issues on age and being surpassed by another player for their teams. I do worry about the depth in defence for the future, but with these players it is not a concern for now.

The Midfield

In the defensive positions we have Barella and Palinha. Barella is one of my favourite players for Italy, and when used correctly he is absolutely awesome. Being 94 in the center of the team definitely helps to shore up any direct passing tactics that may want to be utilised with him as the playmaker. Palinha on the other hand is not nailed on as a starter for Bayern and has been unlucky with injuries and illness, also the resurgence of Leon Goretzka may hamper him this season and into next. I would not count on him losing his rating but I definitely cannot see it increasing. The only real backup being Milinkovic-Savic has me worried as I think he will at least drop to 90 in the next cycle but he is there to do a job at this moment in time, so he will do I am sure. The good thing is Hinshelwood, Lavia and Ferguson show some potential for the future.

The Attacking Midfield
Kubo….One of my original Barnsley signings (when he was 16 I think), was very difficult for me to give up as he is phenomenal and I can see him making the next move and the sky is really the limit for him. Pellegrini is solid in the center of the park but I think he has reached his potential, and being 28 he is a solid hold for building around him. The left winger I was struggling to place as there is no natural player I would be selecting, so Diaby ended up here. I wonder how long he will keep his 91 rating, but I think he is another player that will do a job for the season. There are some extremely exciting prospects in Pino, Semenyo and Bardghji alongside a smattering of other high potential young prospects.

Striker
What can I say, for me, a future Ballon D’or if he carries on his trajectory and gets out of Newcastle in the next 2 or 3 seasons. He is quick, knows where the goal is nearly with every shot recently and he is young. One to build the team around and never to sell or trade. Looking deeper with Endrick and Emegha, personally I think the striking department is set for the long term.

Final summary
I think the starting 11 is solid, a word that kept on coming to mind throughout this writeup, but the strength in depth to carry through a whole season is a bit worrying especially with other teams able to use the 5 substitutes to bolster fitness more. I see the team getting knocked out of the cups pretty quickly, and injuries could cause some problems in key positions to results and ultimately the final position in the Div 1 table. If this happens I would expect a defensive counter attacking long ball game to appear in order to manage the tactics just to keep clean sheets. If it was me, the lack of depth and cover in the defence causes me most concern and believe a few solid 88 and 89 rated players could help, however Hinshelwood could solve pretty much all the defensive and midfield issues in one go if he hits 88 in the next review (if he keeps the ridiculous positions). The youth setup has a number of gems but there are also a lot of long shots in here, albeit some are getting good time on the pitch for their ages but not many at this moment are for me wonderkids.

Really appreciate this Dom. I think completely fair criticism and praise and you’ve come to many of the same conclusions I have about my side. It’s nice having a different set of eyes pointing things out to you as I’ve definitely slept on the GK longer than I should have.

Solid is definitely a great description of the side. It’s not bad, it’s not great and there’s not a glaring hole in the starting XI so it’s good, solid but can’t compete with the best teams for depth.

I am seriously concerned about defensive injuries ruining the season and ideally don’t want to be knocked out of cups early (but know my 2nd string isn’t good enough to compete here too).

I think everywhere else on the pitch I can get by with this season by rotating what I’ve got. Pino, Semenyo, Ferguson and Milinkovic-Savic are probably going to play a lot of games for me.

Cheers again!

 

[Dom Gill]

Really appreciate this Dom. I think completely fair criticism and praise and you’ve come to many of the same conclusions I have about my side. It’s nice having a different set of eyes pointing things out to you as I’ve definitely slept on the GK longer than I should have.

Solid is definitely a great description of the side. It’s not bad, it’s not great and there’s not a glaring hole in the starting XI so it’s good, solid but can’t compete with the best teams for depth.

I am seriously concerned about defensive injuries ruining the season and ideally don’t want to be knocked out of cups early (but know my 2nd string isn’t good enough to compete here too).

I think everywhere else on the pitch I can get by with this season by rotating what I’ve got. Pino, Semenyo, Ferguson and Milinkovic-Savic are probably going to play a lot of games for me.

Cheers again!

No problem.

I actually quite enjoyed it as you may have noticed by the insanely long write-up.

 

[BenitoSTARR]

No problem.

I actually quite enjoyed it as you may have noticed by the insanely long write-up.

It was definitely good fun reviewing the other sides so I can see why you get into it. There were so many players on other teams I wanted to go into detail about why I liked them but I wanted it to be a short summary of the short and medium/long term set up of the squads

It’s interesting to try and get into the mind of other managers, and as a thought experiment “what would I do here”
?” Especially trying to figure out the gaps in squads.

 

[Damien]

New FFP (Feb 2025)

Div 1

1. Tottenham Hotspur - 37/42
2. Manchester United - 45/45
3. Arsenal - 41/48
4. Liverpool - 42/48
5. Newcastle United - 49/50
6. Sunderland - 45/51
7. Aston Villa - 49/52
8. Barnsley - 52/52
9. Bournemouth - 37/52
10. Cardiff City - 51/52
11. Everton - 49/52
12. Fulham - 46/52
13. Hereford - 48/52
14. Leyton Orient - 48/52
15. Middlesbrough - 53/52
16. Milton Keynes Dons - 53/52
17. Nottingham Forest - 51/52
18. Southampton - 45/52
19. Southend United - 52/52
20. Wolverhampton Wanderers - 52/52

Div 2

1. West Ham United - 47/50
2. Manchester City - 48/51
3. Blackburn Rovers - 45/54
4. Norwich City - 45/54
5. Bristol City - 37/55
6. Reading - 53/56
7. Sheffield United - 51/56
8. Kidderminster Harriers - 54/57
9. Rochdale - 55/59

Div 3

1. Bury - 63/61
2. Torquay United - 54/64

Teams with changes to FFP:
Tottenham Hotspur (44 to 42)
West Ham United (48 to 50)
Manchester City (49 to 51)
Barnsley (54 to 52)
Milton Keynes Dons (54 to 52)
Reading (58 to 56)
Rochdale (60 to 59)
Bury (63 to 61)
Torquay United (66 to 64)

– Middlesbrough and Milton Keynes Dons are at the 'new cap' taking into account the p/ex ban we agreed to. If they want to bring any new players in, they need to sell first.
– Bury was promoted and as is standard they have a couple of weeks to get to their new cap.

 

[CrackersJr]

New FFP (Feb 2025)

Div 1

1. Tottenham Hotspur - 37/42
2. Manchester United - 45/45
3. Arsenal - 41/48
4. Liverpool - 42/48
5. Newcastle United - 49/50
6. Sunderland - 45/51
7. Aston Villa - 49/52
8. Barnsley - 52/52
9. Bournemouth - 37/52
10. Cardiff City - 51/52
11. Everton - 49/52
12. Fulham - 46/52
13. Hereford - 48/52
14. Leyton Orient - 48/52
15. Middlesbrough - 53/52
16. Milton Keynes Dons - 53/52
17. Nottingham Forest - 51/52
18. Southampton - 45/52
19. Southend United - 52/52
20. Wolverhampton Wanderers - 52/52

Div 2

1. West Ham United - 47/50
2. Manchester City - 48/51
3. Blackburn Rovers - 45/54
4. Norwich City - 45/54
5. Bristol City - 37/55
6. Reading - 53/56
7. Sheffield United - 51/56
8. Kidderminster Harriers - 54/57
9. Rochdale - 55/59

Div 3

1. Bury - 63/61
2. Torquay United - 54/64

Teams with changes to FFP:
Tottenham Hotspur (44 to 42)
West Ham United (48 to 50)
Manchester City (49 to 51)
Barnsley (54 to 52)
Milton Keynes Dons (54 to 52)
Reading (58 to 56)
Rochdale (60 to 59)
Bury (63 to 61)
Torquay United (66 to 64)

– Middlesbrough and Milton Keynes Dons are at the 'new cap' taking into account the p/ex ban we agreed to. If they want to bring any new players in, they need to sell first.
– Bury was promoted and as is standard they have a couple of weeks to get to their new cap.

heaven forbid it be easy!

Good effort though D, really appreciete the hard work you put in to the GW.