Hattrick Season 74

[Donut102]

A new season is nearly upon us:

Div IV

Achieved 3rd place last season. Looking at the teams joining the league I don't think I can maintain that lofty perch. I'll go for a cup run instead and hope to achieve R.7.

Div V

I guess for me this is where the action will be this season. I auto-promoted from a Div VI full of bots into an easy V league that had 4 bots. Nice
Looking at the human players I had myself pegged down for 3rd spot, and use the season to consolidate the training programme.
However...4 human managers also saw the easy league and all switched in - so I switched out to a league with 2 bots. The human managers are good though, but I have avoided the risk of auto-demotion.
I just sold a YA graduate for £850k - together with the VI prize money it was enough to allow me to finally convert an Inadequate Leadership, 18 experience player into an Excellent coach for just over £1.2m.
Ideally I would have kept the YA player, but thought the excellent coach was a better long term bet.

So training this season at minimal stamina. No need for transfers for a few season yet - the roster is pretty much there, other than a GK. A titanic goalie is ~£6m, so unless I get very lucky with the YA, it will take me at least 6 seasons to save up the cash. At which point my core players will be aged 23-25 and coming into their prime.

Good luck all in the new season!
Donut

[UncleIan]

My second consecutive season in III.1. That's the first time I've been able to write that since I joined in season 20. July 2003. I guess this is just a habit now, and has been for a long time. I could give it up anytime I like. I could! Probably won't though.

In the off season we sold a winger that I've been training in PM for a while, and accidentally kept him to so long his PM was more than his wing, and sold him for about £1.3m less than I bought him for. Probably should have thought about it a bit more and played him as an IM before sale. Got an expensive replacement I'll probably lose money on too (oh, and carefully timed so his nasty nature has knocked my TS ready for the new season, well done me).

I've overtrained my midfield, top two lads now mythical, and the rest not that far behind. I guess I should switch back to passing for a bit, but I'd have to swap my forwards for younger models, and it'll all start to unravel I think. I should probably sell the B team IMs for loads, swap forwards, and train passing then scoring...it's effort though.

How's the league looking though? Frankly, it's a bit of a mystery. 5th and 6th both lost their qualifiers and 1st won theirs, so there's five new teams, and only three carrying on from last year. Not much chance of long running league rivalries building up here! Looking at the stats from last season and...we're first. What? Max ratings, average ratings, average stars, all first, only pipped for max stars, but stars don't mean anything anyway. Hmm. Looks like the team coming down is rebuilding or giving up, auto-relegation favourites. There's another team with 66 in defence and 6 in attack, that's a bit extreme! Shame we're not set up for long shots, but they are by the look of it. As for the rest of us, it looks very tight, while I'm top of the stats pile, with 41, 6th are only three back on 38. I guess momentum is going to be key, and no team is going to run away with it.

Fans think we'll be mid table. I'd take that.

[UncleIan]

Thanks to finishing third, we start the season with a home match against fourth. Having played twice, drawn twice, 4-4 and 6-6, I was expecting goals! No sign my opponent was going to deviate from a 2-5-3 AIM so a 2-5-3 from me also, with a suspicion we'd take midfield.

We raced out the blocks to a 2-0 lead, but by half time we were pegged back to 2-2. Nothing much happened for a while, then we scored, and they, of course, equalised. Then we managed to stick another one in, and we were all waiting for an equaliser that never came. Final score 4-3. Chances were 5-6, and we did indeed edge possession. Nice to start with a coin flip going your way.

Next week we're away to a promoted side, and I've no idea what I'll be facing, well, I've not looked properly, but looking at the recent matches it'd be quicker to list the formations they haven't played, so it'll probably be a case of just picking my best team on form and going with whatever formation fits that.

[Donut102]

Div IV

At home in 3rd to 4th placed opponent. Played twice before - one loss away from home and one draw at home. Decided to go 523 CA, and lost 3-1. Despite getting a divine CA rating, my defense wasn't strong enough to keep out his attacks.
So 1 week in and the focus is already on the cup....

Div V

Got hammered away from home 7-1. Already out of the cup, so lets just call this a training season.....


Sigh...

[Bink333]

The weekend went as expected in England with a routine 3-0 win over the team that finished 2nd last season. They'd spent money overhauling their squad after the TS reset, and this meant I had no fear of the new players at all, because of TS hits.

In South Africa I was away to a much stronger opponent, so oped for a 5-5-0 Press with a 2-0 win for them.

The fun game was in Oceania. I'd opted for a 5-3-2CA (magical rating) at home to the team that finished 4th. They went 4-5-1 play creative (SN rating).

We opening the scoring with a CA free kick, finished off my my new set piece taking IM (19SP). They scored an unlikely conversion through the left and it was 1-1 at the break, they had 62%.

On 55 one of my quick Wb playing on the wing had a quick SE passing it to my PNF who put us 3-1 up after having converted a right side attack just 8 minutes earlier.

A minute later things began to unravel. My homegrown powerful Wb was injured and replaced by a lightweight unpredictable. Next up a stamina sub for my GK, the one coming is struggling for form a bit, but is solid leadership and training defence midweek. He'd pnly been on 9 minutes when the oppo had a corner to anyone SE, and they scored for 3-2.

On 75 we had an unpred SE, but my best forward failed to convert. 7 minutes later a 2nd yellow for the CDTW that created that chance meant he was offski. A minute later they scored for 3-3, which is where it finished...

[Eastheath]

Doesn't time fly.....

So, back in series IV. This is the 10th time I have promoted from V to IV, in 50 seasons. Yes, 50. Haven't managed to get to III yet. You never know!

Anyway, Cup R1 was a 0-7 bot bash. Nothing of note there.
League Round 1 was at home to the other promotee. Dispensed with a 5-0 win, was a bit closer until we got four goals in last 11 minutes.
Cup R2 should be a stroll, although they have good defence and attack they have no midfield.
Next league game is away to what are probably the favourites. We'll see how that goes.

Ambitions for the season? Fans think mid-table. What do they know that I dont! Survival would be good. My longest spell in IV is 7 seasons but is typically three...

Strategy, Tactics, Training
After 50 seasons I realise I'm not doing this properly. Will therefore keep that tradition going.
Have bought a winger (because I didn't have one) and am thin on IMs and DFs but will buy one if I get injuries. Still training scoring.

good luck all!

[UncleIan]

Week 2, sailed through the cup.

In the league we were up against one of the new teams, which doesn't narrow it down as there are five new teams this season. They were looking like a big defence and me winning midfield and them likely CAing, so I thought, let them, and went ultra gung ho 2-5-3 with both wingers offensive. Because I was going to win midfield I dismissed AIM despite central attack predicted as 60% if memory serves, and the wings (until I went offensive, but even then not changing massively) more like 25%. Of course, they must have been sandbagging or PICing or something, and come game day they were edging us in midfield. AIM would have been perfect. And there attack was up at 65% relative to my defence right across the park. Not looking in great shape if I'm honest. Half an hour in and we were 0-1 up, but disaster struck, and my keeper (ex-England U20, oh he's 31 now, talk about trading on past glories) went off injured. His replacement is only passable keeper. Not good. Second half saw the inevitable equaliser, but somehow they managed to fluff another three chances, while we fluffed one, for a final score 1-1. Chances 4-4. Definitely feels like I dodged a bullet though.

Two games, four points, we're in fourth, stats also have us in fourth. Only one team is on max points and they visit Albumen Towers next Sunday. Looks like we'll take midfield (famous last words), but they've got a monster defence and a decent attack. Another tough match.

Keeper is out for +2, so at this vital time of the season, might get a ringer in for a few weeks of duty between the sticks. I can't really expect my two passable keepers to do the business for me can I?

Oh, and my Young Eggs have won the TMF Youth League with a week to go, after a six pointer with Kevsters in second, went 2-0 up, then 3-1, then 3-4, and ended up 5-4 to us. Champions two seasons in a row!

[Donut102]

Div IV

Sailed through the Cup.
In the league I was up against a team I'd played 4 times before, won 3 drew 1.
Opted to go 550 long shot, and put a titanic defender in midfield to mark one of their IMs.
Despite my mediocre LS ratings, the tactic worked - final score 1-0. It wasn't pretty but got the job done.

In 4th on 3 points.

Div V

Sailed through a consolation cup game.
League opponent was tough. I didn't feel I could compete in midfield, despite being at home, so went 532 CA.
In the event it was my attack ratings that failed me. I had 4 chances and missed them all - he had 8 chances and converted 2.
Probably the right tactic, but my team is just too young to be competitive.

Despite 2 losses so far in the league, I'm holding 6th place. I'll take that!

[Eastheath]

Cup
seemed to go OK with a 2-6 win, so onwards to R3, where we met an equally matched team. So I guess its down to who really wants it more and might sacrifice training for the win with their first XI....

Div IV
Hmm...not quite as close as I had hoped. Away to likely league champs, we lost 5-1, 8 chances to 2, wiped us across the board to be honest.
That leaves us in 4th on 3 pts, and on reflection I think 4th to 6th is about where we could end up. Next week we are at home to 6th but the oppo have more than twice our TSI and pull some serious numbers, so I guess we will be swapping places.

Could be a painful week!

[UncleIan]

Only one team is on max points and they visit Albumen Towers next Sunday. Looks like we'll take midfield (famous last words), but they've got a monster defence and a decent attack. Another tough match.

I wasn't wrong. I did my usual thought process, and if we're going to win midfield, why not try and score as many goals as possible? Plus they'd gone out the cup this week, so they're bound to struggle for goals...On reflection I think I've played 2-5-3 one two many times and got a bit predictable against an active opponent. They also had a much bigger side attacks than I expected, but hey, most chances go to the middle right? They started with a 3-5-2, we had 61% in midfield, but only 15/43/15% up front, while defence was 19/50/17%. I'd got a new keeper in during the week, so that was another knock in defence. They banged one in down the middle, then they had a technical v head special event, a forward v one of my midfielders that was on the other side of the pitch. So 0-2 up after 30 minutes, and they move a midfielder (oh, on a plaster, so I wasn't even facing a full strength team!) into defence and a striker into midfield. Nice for them to have that flexibility. 0-2 was the halftime score.

Second half and we let in another goal on the left, made some subs, got one back, but any faint hopes were dashed in the 89th minute when they smashed in two more from the left. 1-5 final score. Chances 4-8, which seems a bit harsh. I'm not saying I was bent over by the match engine, it wasn't quite that bad, but I'm feeling a little hard done by for sure.

Maybe I should have gone 3-5-2, but one of my wingbacks is on a plaster. I guess I could have put a CD in there defensive or something. Hey ho.

This means we're still on 4 points, and drop down to 5th. Next week we're away to 4th, in what looks like another tough match. Oh, and still in the cup for now, but that also looks like a game that's easily lost. Could be an ugly week for the Albumen.

[Donut102]

Div IV

Sailed through the Cup 4-0 on 523 CA. Having been mugged off so many times by strong CA teams in the past, it was nice to be delivering the spanking for a change.

In the league I was in 4th on 3 points. I'd played my opponent 4 times before, W2 L2. Went 550 Long Shot, and won 1-0 - pretty chuffed with that.
Still in 4th on 6 points, but so are 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
Next week I'm playing 1st away from home, and not expecting much from the game.

Div V

Consolation Cup went to extra time and penalties, and we were duly eliminated. Not too worried, as friendlies work better training defenders in terms of more likely to get an extra 30 mins of training through pressing.

In the league I was on 0 points, in 6th place. In the league I have 2 bots, 2 weak humans, and 4 strong opponents. This week I faced one the weaker teams away from home, so set up for a win. Went 532 AIM, and scraped through 1-0.
Still in 6th on 3 points, and a bot next week. 1st & 2nd are unbeaten, and the title is already beyond my grasp. Training season.

[Bink333]

In England the high point of the last couple of weeks has been Richard 'The Zombie' Crombie's ascent to the U20 team. As a player with a support spec, the extra experience needed to help trigger the spec will be boosted playing U20 games, and in turn he's a nasty, which will cause the U20 minimum damage when he reaches that age where they can't use him anymore.

In the meantime I'm training playmaking until he's over aged, which suits the U20 but may mean my PNF NT prospects get a little more PM than the new NT manager deems absolutely necessary, which in turn will make them less efficient as out and out forwards.

In the league we won 0-5 in week 2 (the opponent had a winger sent off) lost in the Cup playing 2-5-3 vs 5-4-1 with 64% possession and 47/47/31% attack at kick off - think it was harsh to lose that 0-2. It was 9 chances to 5, and they had 2xSE . They were always going to convert a higher %, but had a lot more chances than I'd have expected, and our conversion rate should have been better than 0.

Yesterday we played a bot and won 9-0, leaving us 2pts clear at the top...

In South Africa, we're out of the Cup and lost in week 2 as expected to a top 5 side. Yesterday we played the auto-promotee that we should be able to nick 6th spot from come the end of season. We won that 1-3. This means they are currently 5th with us 6th -7GD behind them, bith of us on 3pts (they've played the bot, we have not).

In Oceania it's been a tough season in the league, and although we beat a bottom 2 side 1-6 in week 2, we lost yesterday after going 0-3 down thanks to a Pen, a free kick and them converting 1 of 4 middle chances (they played AIM as expected) and went from expected conversion of one in 5 in the middle at kick off to one in 3 by the 90th minute (low stamina from my lads) so I couldn't grumble about that one. A planned 60th minute sub in defence (linked to my Cup plans for subs vs training) seemed to inspire a fightback and we scored twice before the final whistle, but lost 2-3.

I've discovered that I need to sell my forward, ideally to a scoring trainer, as he's the best quick in his Oceanic age group and I'm training defending... I'll probably sell both forwards once i'm out of the Cup, as the league isn't going well and I can use the money wisely later in the season when the crazy prices dial out a bit. This week's Cup tie is going to be fun, playing a III side, trying to win whilst giving my solid leadership players plenty of match time for the experience as well.

The Vietnamese NT manager was summarily sacked by the NT-GMs this week after buying 7 solid leaders and selecting them for NT duty despite not being nearly good enough to represent their country. The manager's objective here, was clearly to enrich his own club by helping solid leadership players gain value with NT experience, and this clearly is not what the National Teams are about.

[Eastheath]

Next week we are at home to 6th but the oppo have more than twice our TSI and pull some serious numbers, so I guess we will be swapping places. Could be a painful week!

Got that partly right. We won last week's cup game 3-4 in a 'could go either way' competition. Then the league game came up, and the weight of the oppo bore fruit as they beat us 1-2. We pressed to restrict their chances, and despite that they had 10 chances to our one, and their winner came very late in the game, so I think we did well to contain the score to a single goal differential.

That set us up for this weeks cup game, at home and with a decent chance of pulling off a win. So, whats the mistake that I cant seem to eradicate from my planning? Yes, penalties. 1-1 at full time and extra time, we had the majority of chances. We lost on penalties 1-3 , so 2-4 overall, and I can kick myself for that as the team orders hadn't been properly set. So we slip into the losers pot and get a second bite in the Conspirator Memorial Cup...

In the league we are now in 6th on 3 pts, one win and two defeats. Next game is away to second, so we will try to keep the score down again. There are two team most likely to relegate, so its a case of trying not to mess up and replace one of them! Still wondering where I might end up - 5th or 6th looks quite likely at the moment.

[Donut102]

Div IV

Made heavy work of the Cup game. Went 442 CA, and after 90 minutes it was 2-2. An extra time counter attack sealed the victory, final score 3-2.
Much easier game this week....(famous last words)

Next week I'm playing 1st away from home, and not expecting much from the game.
Went 532 AIM. I toyed with CA, but I figured there would be chance I'd win the midfield battle. Hmmm,,,got that wrong.
Opponent got 70% of the chances, and won 2-1. The final score flattered my efforts greatly....

In 4th, playing 8th at home next week. Should win...

Div V

Out of the cup, and a bot this week.
In 5th spot, playing the league leaders away from home next week. Training game me thinks...

[UncleIan]

Next week we're away to 4th, in what looks like another tough match. Oh, and still in the cup for now, but that also looks like a game that's easily lost. Could be an ugly week for the Albumen.

Let's start with the cup. I swear it looked tricky in review, tricky enough for me to carefully set my penalty takers. My opponent for whatever reason decided to throw the match, we had 96% possession, and won 0-8. They could have warned me I'd have made less effort! At least I still PIC'd so there's that.

The league match did indeed look tough, us in 5th away to 4th. Decided I'd been doing 2-5-3 too much recently, so went 3-5-2, good job too, my opponent decided to play both forwards towards the wing. They also lined up in a 3-5-2 which they'd not used since game 1 of the season. I was slightly shocked that they were edging possession as the game started, then six minutes in they had a confusion event and their organisation dropped to passable. Seemed to drop all their stats about 4%, enough for us to start edging possession, that's better! First half and we fluffed three chances, they fluffed one, but my CD managed to score for 0-1 at the break. Second half they equalised, then we went ahead, they pulled it back again, but we managed one more goal for a tight old 2-3 win. Looking at the stats it was a bit of a coin toss, so I'm glad to have come through that one.

In the league we jumped up to 3rd place on 7 points. First place lost at home to second in what looks like a harsh result, but that means first is only three ahead on 10 points, then again, 7th is only 3 points behind me on 4.

Defensive crisis is abating, wingback is back, and my (ex-England U20 etc etc) keeper is on a plaster.

This week should be interesting, both in the cup and the league I expect to face 5-5-0 long shots teams. I asked about it on here a couple of seasons back so I'll be having another go based on what I've read. The cup match they are chock full of (mostly head) specialists, so no way I'm doing Play Creative. Looking at their last three cup matches (they play 2-5-3 in the league), looks like they've scored as many from corners as they have from long shots. Of course, whatever I do could well be analysed by my next league opponent, should I show my hand? Or look like I don't know what I'm doing (which I probably don't) but then, unless I throw everything at it, I'm probably going to lose the cup match, and the loss of confidence will affect the league match. Lots to ponder. In the cup I think I'll just try and grab midfield (2-5-3 2xWTM 2xCDO etc) take away scoring chances and see what happens. Might go for a press at the weekend, depending on how things look after Tuesday. Mustn't forget to set penalty takers.

[Eastheath]

Frustratingly lost 4-3 away. Probably should have been 4-0, but it looks like we gave them a game (we went CA) hence the frustration to have got so close and but no cigar.
That leaves us in 7th on 3 pts (W1 L3), hopefully its only a temporary position. 4th is on 5 pts, so four teams (4th-7th) are quite close. Next we are away to 8th, the leagues whipping boys, so hopefully pick up a few more points there.

Conspirator Cup, meh will give it a bash but not particularly hopeful.

[UncleIan]

Do I not like long shots teams!

First up in the cup we faced a team full of head specialists, we went 2-5-3 with one FD (the other two don't have the PM skills), 2xWTM, and 2xCDO. This gave us 61% midfield chances. They were ET at longshots and were 5-5-0 of course. We started off by missing a chance, then they bagged a goal from a corner, and missed a quick chance, second half we missed another chance, as did they. 1-0 final score and that's me out of the big boy's cup.

On to the league and could we learn anything from the cup match? Of course, the main thing that I forgot was that we'd gone out of the cup, so were due a cup hangover and a total lack of scoring boots. This time round the long shots team had even less possession, and even worse attack ratings, and I had a slightly more even attack ratings, but not great. They were divine +2 at longshots. We did the same 2-5-3 as the cup pointing a fair few players towards the middle. We also man marked their best midfielder with a defender. First half they nearly scored an own goal thanks to an unpredictable SE, and then scored a penalty. Second half they scored a long shot, and missed a counter attack. Final score 0-2. That's bad. Chances were 9-3.

I *really* do not like long shots teams!

On reflection, having gone out of the cup pressing would have been a good choice knowing that I probably wouldn't score. Ho hum.

At least I wasn't the only one suffering a cup hangover, 1st place only drew away to the whipping boys, who got their first point and scored their first goals of the season!

The loss sees me drop down to 6th on 7 points. 7th is on 4, 1st on 11, and 2nd on 9. So we're not far behind, but also not far ahead!

Next week we're away to first place, that's just what we need! Looks a bit of a coin toss.

[Donut102]

Div IV

Cup was a nail biter.. Decided to go 352 AIM. 0-0 after 90 minutes, and 1-1 after 120. Down to penalties which we won 5-3. Phew!

In the league I was in 4th on 6 points. Opponent was in 8th place, and we hadn't played each other before. I went 532 AIM, and he surprised me with a 550 Long Shot (Ian - 550 seems to be a trend....). My two strikers were Titanics played normal with reasonable passing skills, but breaking down a 5 man defense is getting harder and harder. Won possession, and final score was 1-1.

Still in 4th, 5 points off 1st and 4 points above auto-relegation. I'll take that.

My cup opponent this week also plays with 5 at the back, but chooses to go CA. Once again I'll be unable to penetrate the defense, so I've decided to meet fire with fire and go for the hated 550 long shot. Whilst I'm giving away chances to his CA, my 5 man defense should be able to keep most of the attacks out....

Div V

In 5th on 6 points. Up against 1st place, away from home. Wasn't expecting much from the game, and we lost 1-0.
Next week we play 3rd at home - I fancy my chances.

[Eastheath]

In the Conspirator Cup last week we walked away with a 1-3 away win, which was nice. We started with trainee forwards, but at 70 mins and 0-0 we brought on two heavy hitters, and scored on 78 mins. They got an equaliser in injury time, but two more goals in ET gave us the win.
In the league we were away to the leagues whipping boys, and duly did our duty, winning 1-7, which was nice. That lifted us into 5th and gave us a fighting chance.
This week in the Cup we were away again, and like last week started with the trainee forwards. One of their players got booked, scored a goal then got sent off, we then lost a player to a +2, but nicked an equaliser on 60 mins. at 70 mins another heavy hitter was brought on up front and lo and behold on 81 mins we took the lead and won 1-2. Which was nice.
The next league game we will be at home to 3rd, not hopeful and will try to keep the score down.
The next Cup game is away and winnable. I think I will stick with the winning tactics....

[Eastheath]

The next league game we will be at home to 3rd, not hopeful and will try to keep the score down.

Surprised ourselves with a 2-0 home win. They looked a bit under par, we scored twice early, not many other chances in the game (5 v 2) and a quiet second half, nothing much to see really. The win does put us into third, but we could be in 7th in a fortnight, such is the closeness of the league. Still, nice to be in third.