Domestic football - spam version

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

I've had FIFA 13 for months, and I just finally started playing it today, in anticipation for the upcoming EPL season. Started an Ultimate Team for the first time; this game is so complex, and so much better than FIFA 12 it's ridiculous. Like, one of the few sports games I've played where I feel the upgrade was worth the $60.

Also, how long are they going to keep updating it? I played a Portland vs. Chicago game, and the commentators started talking about how the Timbers were in the playoff hunt, and how Chicago was just on the border and there's still a few weeks left to play in the season. It's really cool how it keeps itself up to date. There was a Seattle trade that just happened last week that was already made.

 

[Tastycles]

Dawson seems ridiculously cheap at 5 million. My backline has got Dawson, Agger, Ivanovic and HMS Mertesacker and I can still comfortably afford Persie.

This thread is only about the Premier League or can I talk about (Portuguese) Liga Zon Sagres?

My 1st of 2 Liga Zon Sagres anecdotes

I used to work with a guy from Portugal. One day we decided we were going to start a five a side team, so this happened:

Tastycles:Do you like football?

Portugese man: Yes.

Tastycles:Do you support a team?

Portugese man: Yes, Sporting Lisbon, but I used to play for Belenenses.

Which was a bit of a surprise. I think he meant the youth team, but he was still miles better than us in trainers whilst he wore loafers.

My 2nd of 2 Liga Zon Sagres anecdotes


Until about a month ago, I worked in Stockwell, or "The Portugal of London" as it should be called, and all the kids were Benfica fans.

 

[Alastor]

What is everyone's opinion on Van Persie, Bale and Baines inflated fantasy value this season?

I see Baines as a midfield player with the points he potentially can achieve but I am worried about Martinez weakening Everton's defence and lowering his points total.

Bale seems to be on the way out to Real so I am unsure whether the risk of him leaving is worth gambling on.

Van Persie at 14m is ridiculously priced. For him to be worth taking there needs to be a 6m ish bargain player that can score points. Is RVP + 6M player better than 2x 9-10m players?

 

[Loveless]

If you can pick up someone decent who is cheap, they're the key to everyone else. New transfers always come in at a low price, along with players who were injured in the previous season.
Someone like Jack Rodwell for 5.5mil is a bargain if he's playing and in form, as he was at the end of the season. A better option is Aaron Ramsey if he can get back his form from before that horrific injury (he's been good pre-season), Scott Parker for 4.5mil is outrageous, someone like Darren Bent for 6.5mil (if he can get away from Villa) would be an utter steal and Anelka for 5.5mil is irresistible.

 

[Alastor]

RVP + Anelka = 19.5m

Soldado + Giroud = 18.0m

All 4 are main strikers for their team and I assume would play the bulk of the minutes. The 2nd pairing gives me more flexibility for my midfield but the first pairing is tempting especially if Anelka can score like he is scoring in pre-season.

There is a reason players like Rodwell, Ramsey and Parker cost low in fantasy football. They just don't score enough fantasy points with goals or assists compared to others.
Darren Bent isn't worth the risk for me until his future is settled.

 

[Loveless]

RVP + Anelka = 19.5m

Soldado + Giroud = 18.0m

All 4 are main strikers for their team and I assume would play the bulk of the minutes. The 2nd pairing gives me more flexibility for my midfield but the first pairing is tempting especially if Anelka can score like he is scoring in pre-season.

There is a reason players like Rodwell, Ramsey and Parker cost low in fantasy football. They just don't score enough fantasy points with goals or assists compared to others.
Darren Bent isn't worth the risk for me until his future is settled.

The problem with Giroud is, that while I rate him, I think he's in a team that's already striker heavy and looking for another. Soldado should be a good buy but typically players take a year to settle in. I've heard good things about Van Wolfswinkle at Norwich but again, new striker and also, it's Norwich.
I've heard good things about Aspas at Liverpool but I doubt he'll be a first teamer. Bony at Swansea could be a real success going on pre-season. I expect Weimann at Villa to step up this season as well.
The biggest bargain of all might be Berbatov for 7.5mil, especially if Fulham buy Bent to go alongside him.

 

[Tastycles]

Players like Rodwell and Parker are cheap because they never get any assists. Even a fairly average winger like Matt Jarvis will normally get more points.

 

[Lee]

I keep changing my team. Not a clue as to who will do well or not. Van Wolfswinkle is one hell of a player though.

 

[Tastycles]

If Norwich get Quagliarella, they're attack will be the dogs bollocks next season.

 

[Hard Hit Prince]

I keep changing my team. Not a clue as to who will do well or not. Van Wolfswinkle is one hell of a player though.

As you may know Wolfswinkle played in Sporting CP and I was able to see how he plays. I gotta tell you that he was very cheap given his qualities, he's a great striker and he has good finishing. However he lacks sometimes in positioning, as sometimes he looks like he isn't in the game. He's a very good player though and if he has a chance he won't miss it. The media can really work him up and his time in Sporting wasn't really good thanks to management problems and always having bad press. It's a way to evolve in Norwich and he's gonna be able to exceed fans expectations.

BEST STRIKERS CURRENTLY IN PORTUGAL
1. Jackson Martinez (26Years)- FC PORTO -
Colombia has been on a role when it comes to producing great players. First FC Porto got his hands in the best striker in the world today, and yes, I'm talking about Falcão. Now, the man that filled his shoes may be able to surpass him. Jackson Martinez had only one season with the blue and white team and he scored 31 goals in 43 games and believe it or not, in his only season here, he scored against EVERY 1st division portuguese team. He was the top scorer of Liga Zon Sagres too and has teams like Man Utd, Napoli.. interested in him.

2. Oscar Cardozo (30Y) - SL Benfica
Cardozo has been one of the top strikers in Portugal for some years now, he has had some bad press due to the way he lets him emotions carry him. He signed for Benfica in 2007 and he scored more than 105 goals. He was always linked to great teams, but the transfer never really took of, with the numbers reaching the €30Million, but greed cost Benfica. Last year Benfica was supposed to have his "dream" season, by competing in three major competiotions, such as Europe League final, Liga Zon Sagres head to head with Porto and in the Portuguese Cup finals, which believe it or not, they LOST them all. That made Cardozo flip out and threaten their choach on live television, so he was put in the transfer list. But €8.5M still didn't put him out of the team. He was top scorer here in two seasons 09/10 and 11/12.

3. Rodrigo (22Y) - SL Benfica
If you play Football Manager, there is a really good chance that you have heard about this kid. He's a spanish striker, formed in Real Madrid that somehow Benfica got his hands on. He has the potential to be one of the best strikers in the world, as he's one of the best in Portugal with only 22 years. He's very good technically speaking and, he works best as 2nd striker, just because he's great in passing and he does have some midfielders capability, like game vision, etc... Him and Cardozo make a great team, however his young age and somehow lack of adaptation doesn't really make him a first team striker, but I am sure that by next year he'll be representing someone else, like a Liverpool...

4. Fredy Montero (26Y) - Sporting CP He's another Colombian star and a great striker that only signed (loan with future buy clause) with Sporting some weeks ago. Last night however, Fredy Montero already showed promises of genius by scoring an amazing goal against Fiorentina. The team worked really well and he looked like a guy that can save Sporting from their bad momentum. He's very smart, not very fast but a killer when it comes to shooting. He was a star in Major League Soccer, being even used in the MLS All Star team twice. His current team is Seattle, but if he has a good season, I'm sure Sporting will try the full transfer.

5. Nabil Ghilas (23Y) - FC Porto
Since Porto plays in a 4-2-3-1, it's very hard for him to be in the first team, specially when he has a guy like Jackson Martinez to top. However, since Jackson is so good, the market has been following him so closely that I wouldn't be surprise if he left the team by January, or in the end of the next season. Ghlias will mainly play in the Portuguese Cup or/and League Cup and I'm really looking forward to see what he has for my team. He's a very strong guy, a killer when it comes to shooting and he's that type of player that really showed a lot in a C-Team, he has heart, determination and I'm sure he can be a guy that can and will make something about his opportunities. He has that 50/50 chance of surprising everyone and turn into a great striker, or flat out flop.

 

[Blade]

Dawson seems ridiculously cheap at 5 million. My backline has got Dawson, Agger, Ivanovic and HMS Mertesacker and I can still comfortably afford Persie.

I'm pretty sure it's due to Dawson's bad history with injuries. I went with Baines, Jagielka, Williams and Koscielny in my starting back four with Lowton on the bench. I don't feel good about putting a Liverpool player in my defence.

I also have Anelka and Long as two of my three options up front. If they're allowed to play together regularly, the goals and assists will flow.

 

[Tastycles]

Nicolas Anelka is 34 years old and has scored 10 goals in 3 years, one of which was spent in the mighty Chinese league. He is not likely to have the goals flowing next season, or even play 90 minutes very often.

 

[Blade]

Well, in China he didn't have much in the way of creating talent behind him. And at both Juventus and Chelsea, he was 3rd choice. As second choice in a two striker system, he could do well, especially with Shane Long alongside him.

 

[Tastycles]

All I can say, is a mate of mine was living in China and said he went to see Shanghai Shenua play and said Anelka looked awful. I just think he never really had any motivation, and now he's old and even more of a journeyman than he was early in his career, I can't imagine he'll be good.

 

[Lee]

He'll score past Southampton though.

 

[Captain Morgan Freeman]

I had an argument with Ming back in 2011 that Anelka had become absolutely shit and that's when he was 32. At 34 he's going to do feck all.

 

[Alastor]

I think most picked Anelka due to them also picking RVP. If RVP scores the same amount of points as last year, Anelka is worth the gamble at only 5.5.

I would prefer having two 8m-11m rated strikers to rotate through form but looking at Man-U's team I can't see where the goals will come from besides RVP. Not having him might mean not even competing.

I'm still undecided on my team too. So many teams are leaving it late to buy new players that could start.

 

[Tastycles]

If you're going to pick a cheap has been, you should buy Kevin Phillips. He's cheaper, and even though he'll never, ever start he'll probably still score.

 

[Lee]

What abotu Bellamy? £5.5mil and they have him as a midfielder.

 

[¡Roján!]

I want Deulofeu on my team so bad but yet he's listed as an attacker on the page. Is he worth giving up either Bony, Giroud or Kone?

 

[Alastor]

Starting to think Anelka would just be third choice instead of 2nd choice behind Shane Long now that West Brom signed Vydra on loan. Cardiff' Cornelius and Hull's Danny Graham could be better options at 5.5.

 

[Tastycles]

I really like Danny Graham. He was shit at Sunderland, but took ages to get going at Swansea too, so you never know. I originally had Bellasie. Quality player.

 

[Lee]

I think Hull and Bruce is a good fit for him.

 

[Lee]

 

[Lee]

Oh Jake we also get a clash of the titans thread this season!