FIFA 19 - Sponsored by Promes to Sevilla

[The Merse]

Got excited by Kurosawa as I bloody loved his Futmas 17 card, but it looks more than a little meh. I’ll fill up on Silver players again I reckon.

Getting to grips with the patch. Have played 19 games today, having not played for 10 days and am sat on 12 wins, not my finest but should hit Gold 2 as my minimum standard.

I need to get better at pens, 3 losses were in shootouts and another 3 I missed pens in during the game.

[Boom-Boom-18]

I was watching the EA stream earlier today and I noticed that most of the pro players had the 87 IF Sandro at left back and the 85 UCL Walker at RB.

Are they really the best options in the entire game? It isn't like they were adding them for chemistry because they were able to choose any players in the game (including icons).

[Yevrah]

Is there a way to tell which players whip the ball in on corners before using them?

I've got Red IF Chilwell in the team now and he's lethal from them.

[The Merse]

Sandro is a tank, though I have dropped him to my B team since getting UCL Live Telles, who shades him going forward due to his agility/balance. I think Lalla and IF Cancelo are far better than Walker, but chem dictates the value of both.

[Trancemeister]

Vidal, Sokratis & Jorginho from my SB rewards.

[SincereTheRebel]

Hopefully Torreira gets an IF. His common gold card played great during the early part of FUT.

[Gray Fox]

Played on a little last night. Hit my 11 wins pretty quick so decided to take it to 14. Every damn game was 5-4 one way or the other. I think I ended 14-3 or 14-4.

My main formation is 4-2-3-1 with the 3 CAMs and I was experimenting with leaving them all forward whilst I defend. It's definitely harder to keep people out. It does save on Stamina though so it's an interesting trade off.

Speaking of stamina, I've destroyed many a constant pressure wanker in those 14 wins simply by staying in the game. Get to the 70th minute and they are powerless to stop you.

Doing some squad maintenance and I may well sell Mbappe back. Him and Lala are good, but I didn't realise I could link Walker direct to my red Mahrez. That will pump about 500k back into the quest for Messi too.

[The Merse]

I never picked up the controller again after the 12 wins. Enough to qualify me for next week where I can balance the workload and get back to Gold 1 hopefully.

[Danny]

https://www.reddit.com/r/FIFA/comments/a2mgb8/for_anyone_who_is_looking_for_profitable_sbcs/

[Danny]

Flashback Alves. Jesus.

https://www.futbin.com/19/player/17348/Dani%20Alves/

They finally went “big” on one of the flashbacks.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Fuck me he looks good.

[Yevrah]

That is tempting, but High/Low is scary.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Stay back will sort it out no problem.

[Yevrah]

I'm having a go at the 4-2-3-1 as in theory it should be mustard. Does anyone who has used it have any tips?

What I don't like initially is that I can't tell the CAMs to make forward runs in the instructions, would be very useful if I could.

[SincereTheRebel]

CDMs on stay back. CAMs on default for me

[Raoul Duke]

https://www.reddit.com/r/FIFA/comments/a2mgb8/for_anyone_who_is_looking_for_profitable_sbcs/

Err...cheers - just did the Sporting Lisbon one and packed Stuani and


Mbappé :|

[Danny]

Good shit! I saw it when I was at work so I havent had a look yet.

[Raoul Duke]

Once I've flogged him I'll work my way through the others :checkit:

[Danny]

Gary Medel for me :moop:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I did Sporting and Napoli.

Nothing in the first but SIF Stuani in the second.

[Danny]

I did Napoli and Roma when the UCL Lives were in packs.

Did Lazio and got Insigne. Nothing from Besiktas though

[Gray Fox]

Okay so I was planning on getting Messi and Ramos in to finish the team, but god damn that Dani Alves card. FUTBIN reckons 275k to do it, but it's got to be done hasn't it?

[SincereTheRebel]

Card does look beastly and statistically, it is the second best right back behind zanetti. That LOW defensive work rate looks awful though. I haven't played with any full back with less than HIGH defensive workrate so I dont know how they work. The moment an opponent plays a through ball to Sane and Dani Alves is nowhere, Im going to be furious.

[Gray Fox]

I guess the best comparison is going to be Marcelo. I almost exclusively tell my full backs to stay back, but I'm looking at a situation where I'll have 2 with High/Low. If they bomb on as they please, I'll be golden in attack but lost defensively.

I have been watching other people to see how they go about it and I came across Bateson who went 30-0 last weekend. He plays the narrow 4-1-2-1-2 but asks his full backs to bomb on at all times. It's like going complete overload in FM and he pens people right in. Looks crazy but it seems to work for him.

[Danny]

I am tempted to have a game or two in SBs with Alves regular card. See how he behaves.

People on Reddit seeing he actually stays back if you as him to.

[Yevrah]

He’s a vey tempting card to work towards and I’ve got so many untradeables that he’ll be so much cheaper for me.

I’ve been allowing the full backs more freedom in the 4231 I’m experimenting with and I love it.

I doubt much would top Bale and tots Kimmich from 18 though as they could both score goals as well. Absolutely ravaged squad battles with that set up, so it’s tempting to go for it again.

[thommo]

I used the regular Dani Alves exclusively this weekend in FUT Champions - I really like him on the ball and he doesn't feel too bad defensively. The flashback card looks utterly mental and I'm very close to just forking out for it. It would be one of the top 3 RBs until April/May, no doubt.

Speaking of FUT Champions, I ended up not playing Sunday night, so finished 11-9 for my first weekend. Pretty pleased overall with how it went.

[Gray Fox]

I used the regular Dani Alves exclusively this weekend in FUT Champions - I really like him on the ball and he doesn't feel too bad defensively. The flashback card looks utterly mental and I'm very close to just forking out for it. It would be one of the top 3 RBs until April/May, no doubt.

Speaking of FUT Champions, I ended up not playing Sunday night, so finished 11-9 for my first weekend. Pretty pleased overall with how it went.

A positive record on your first showing is quality. You'll no doubt have learned a lesson or two during the games.


The release of Flashback Alves has sent UCL Kimpembe extinct. Because you can now do this...

https://i.gyazo.com/26644b081e533dfd16436d9149fcb49c.png

I can afford to do all bar Messi on that. I have 1.1m in the bank which would buy me Kimpembe, Alves and Mbappe, but it'd be several weeks until Messi.

The other option is fully commit to my hybrid team and use exclusively that and gut the club of all other assets. That should raise a few 100k.

[Danny]

https://www.futbin.com/19/squad/2629245

Would cost me 1.7m. Telles and Sanchez would be on 8 chem.

[thommo]

A positive record on your first showing is quality. You'll no doubt have learned a lesson or two during the games.

Cheers, I've definitely learnt a lot, and swallowed some pride when playing against clearly better players. It's also been quite rewarding and immensely satisfying closing out tight games, and honestly a lot more enjoyable than Rivals has ever been so far this year.

I used this squad throughout:

https://i.postimg.cc/y6XgS1vm/team.png (https://postimages.org/)

Sancho was really fun to use, the ball felt like it was stuck to him, and with a Sniper card, his finishing was good enough to get by. Alcacer is a bit sluggish at times but so effective when shooting. I'd occasionally replace him with Rodrigo if I needed a bit more zip up front. Tolisso is absolutely everywhere and I hope he gets an inform or two down the line. Flashback Alves would slot in so well, so I'm very tempted.

[Gray Fox]

I want to do Alves now, but I'm hanging fire on the very off chance they release something for Modric tonight.

[SincereTheRebel]

Have they ever released ballon d'r related content?

[Yevrah]

If they release something for Modric I'll be quids in as my 86+'s will finally be worth proper coin.

[Gray Fox]

Have they ever released ballon d'r related content?

I don't believe so, but then they're throwing an SBC at everything this year so who knows.

[Danny]

Could be a decent shout purely because it’s not a Messi or Ronaldo. He will likely be in TOTY though, making this a little less likely.

[Danny]

https://www.reddit.com/r/FIFA/comments/a2zloy/has_anyone_posted_a_hidden_controls_or_techniques/eb286n8/

What? I didn’t not know the L2 bit for those

[Gray Fox]

Yeah Gignac is not what I had in mind.

I'll get Alves and try him tonight. I'll let you guys know if I think he's worth it if you're interested.

[Yevrah]

EA Are fucking obsessed with giving Gignac special cards via SBC's and he's always bollocks.

[Gray Fox]

50k for that piece of garbage too.

I've just completed Alves, be advised the cheapest way to do part one currently involves the loyalty glitch, so don't leave it til last minute if you're wanting to do it the cheapest way.

It cost me 280k with me only getting 30-40k back in the packs.

[Danny]

https://www.reddit.com/r/FIFA/comments/a32kkb/visual_representation_of_if_upgrades/

For anyone unsure.

[Gray Fox]

Which will take anyones Renato Sanches from 81 to 84 when Bayern go through. 86 if they win the first leg too.

[Danny]

:nod:

And that’s why I nabbed one a few week ago.

[Gray Fox]

He'll be in or pretty damn close to the Gullit Gang with the 84 upgrade alone.

[Raoul Duke]

Are there any other wonder-cards who stand to end up god tier as their team's progress?

[Danny]

Messi Lingard will hit 86 in a few weeks but I can’t see us going much more.
Kimpembe is already a beast and you would think PSG will do well.

Outside of that I would look at Telles as a reasonable cost/rating

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Nacho is really nice too.

They've been shit in the league but doing alright in the Champions League so I can see him getting two upgrades at least.

[Gray Fox]

Kimpembe is great but almost extinct now there's the flashback Alves to give him a great link.

Given I think City will win the thing, Aguero should end up god tier. Florenzi, Davison Sanchez and Fabinho will get stupidly good if their teams go far.

[Raoul Duke]

:nod:

And that’s why I nabbed one a few week ago.

What did you pay for yours?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Bought a clean Renato Sanches for 126k.

'Mon Bayern, win the UCL.

Was a little high at the time but he's at 190kish on PS4 right now.

[Yevrah]

Despite gutting some players from the club Renato Sanches survived. I've been waiting for a high 80s version of him since getting back into FIFA 3 years ago and was gutted when he missed out on a Futties in FIFA17.

Mon' Bayern.

How's Dani Alves Fox?

[Danny]

What did you pay for yours?

I bought at 150k, so even higher than 'how but expecting him to be a little higher once he gets upgraded. People love him

[Danny]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWG788VD3zs&t=414s

I own 7 of the 22 needed from this. He normally solves well too. Only a few are part of my black friday purchases. Still standing at just under 1.8m to sell

[SincereTheRebel]

99% of my games today came across either a defence of three or five. Really difficult to play against and not enjoyable.

[Yevrah]

99% of my games today came across either a defence of three or five. Really difficult to play against and not enjoyable.

Nepenthez posted a draft earlier where he used 5-2-2-1 and nailed it, hopefully it's just a fad on the back of that.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I used a 5-2-2-1 in draft (single) and it was pretty nifty.

I got Bale and he was fucking ridiculous at RWB. I had him on get forward and he was involved in everything.

[Yevrah]

Not sure I'm a fan of 4-2-3-1, really struggling to get the outside CAM's to work going forward.

[Gray Fox]

How's Dani Alves Fox?

A couple of items I was expecting to sell, didn't, which would have netted me another 200k to put the last few pieces in. Hoping to get them sold this morning and get on it. I'll also be buying Bale to try out too.


Not sure I'm a fan of 4-2-3-1, really struggling to get the outside CAM's to work going forward.

I have struggled since the latest patch to find the right balance. Best thing I've found is to double up on the opposing full back. Most people are playing the narrow 4-1-2-1-2 or some variation of 4-3-2-1 leaving their RB/LB 1 on 1.

Pass the ball into your RAM/LAM and watch what they do with their full back. If they charge out to pressure you, lay it back to your full back with a LB + A pass. Your opponent then has a choice. Follow the ball out to continue pressure or turn and track the run back. If he does the latter, just carry the ball forward and move into the space created.
If it's the former, zip on into your CAM and give it a first time through ball to your now unmarked winger. Assuming the pass is at least decent you're now in behind his defence. At worst you have moved some way up the pitch.

[Gray Fox]

I've just played a couple of games with Alves.

If you have him set to stay back whilst attacking, he will do just that. I have Marcelo on the other side too and he does the exact same as Alves.

However on my 4-1-2-1-2 I removed it and set it to balanced attacking. This is when it became interesting. He behaves exactly as he would have during his Barca days. In your half he will creep forward a little, probably getting about level with your CDM. Once you get into the final 3rd he will(and Marcelo did) absolutely act as a winger. The compromising thing here is I noticed on this setting he was only jogging back after possession loss. I didn't manage to notice him every time, but he was definitely doing it a few times. You will absolutely need a CDM that will not go forward.

In summary:

Pros

- Fantastic going forward on the ball
- Good forward movement off the ball
- Long shots very good
- Crossing very good
- Fantastic aggressive tacking
- Great recovery speed

Cons

- Height
- Strength. He's not going to push anyone strong off the ball
- Can be caught out of position if allowed to overlap
- Stamina is okay, but not amazing

Overall

If you have the pieces to link to him already or can afford them, this is a no-brainer. If not you have a decision to make. He'll cost you 275k from scratch and you'll be lucky to make much back. Then there's linking him. You're looking at having to play either some form of Kimpembe or Mbappe. Both are easy to link out to, but it's more expense.

I'd give a score of 8.5/10. He's not quite perfect, but he's damn close. I'd recommend anyone thinking of doing it to get it done. The only caveat is if you prefer a defensive full back.
However at 90 rated, he's +4 on the next available RB in game that isn't an Icon. Even then, that's Kimmich.

[SincereTheRebel]

Good review. I not doing him purely becuase of the low defensive work rate. It sounds like it does not matter too much, but I want to stick to my prem team. I regretted not doing Juan Fran and I may regret doing Dani Alves also.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Bought Messi Lingard UCL and will try him out at ST as I haven't got on with IF Arnautovic.

Strength is shit but I think it could work:

https://www.futbin.com/19/player/17235/Jesse%20Lingard/?chem=deadeye&pchem=10&schem=100

Nice balance of stats with deadeye on him and the boost(s) will help if United can pull their finger out.

[Danny]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DtqVSlZV4AAyCyl.jpg

Not great.

[SincereTheRebel]

That Bakayako could play savage. How is his gold card this year?

[Yevrah]

I only used it for a couple of games, but very clunky and not a patch on last year's version.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Just packed the new IF Chiellini :drool:

[Yevrah]

Right, I'm gonna do Dani Alves tonight.

Anyone fancy helping me work out how to do it as cheaply as possible from this list of untradeables:

Isco 89
Bonucci 86
Fernandinho 86
Pjanic 86
Kompany 85
Illaramendi 84
Sokratis 84
Gundogan 84
Lacazette 84
Bernardo Silva 84
Javi Martinez 84

If there's not enough there to do it without it still costing a fortune, let me know as I might be prepared to offer up some special untradeable cards.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Chiellini almost went instantly at 300k.

Probably should have kept him around until they changed his price range but I'd end up selling too late and I'd get like 220k.

[Danny]

Right, I'm gonna do Dani Alves tonight.

Anyone fancy helping me work out how to do it as cheaply as possible from this list of untradeables:

Isco 89
Bonucci 86
Fernandinho 86
Pjanic 86
Kompany 85
Illaramendi 84
Sokratis 84
Gundogan 84
Lacazette 84
Bernardo Silva 84
Javi Martinez 84

If there's not enough there to do it without it still costing a fortune, let me know as I might be prepared to offer up some special untradeable cards.


I can have a look when I get in, do you have any IFs or are you buying?

[five time]

Not sure if it's because this is my first time playing the new patch or because I'm now in division 5, but I'm suddenly facing much better players/teams.

Lost 4 straight tonight and first time I've really encountered skill move/timed finesse abusers. More annoyingly, on defence it felt like I just couldn't lock onto players properly a lot of the time and they'd walk past me.

[Boom-Boom-18]

Aubameyang's IF is currently going for the max price of 750K. I am assuming this will drop vastly over the coming days?

I regret not doing his POTM card so I am hoping to do this one. I was hoping for it be to priced no more than 500K.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I've not done any SB this year.

How many points do you need to secure the Swap player?

I'm on 4,361 and based on last week that's fine but I wonder if there is a big spike on Swap weeks.

[Danny]

Right, I'm gonna do Dani Alves tonight.

Anyone fancy helping me work out how to do it as cheaply as possible from this list of untradeables:

Squad 1 (17k outlay for you according to FUTBIN)
https://www.futbin.com/19/squad/2676832


Squad 2 - About 20k more than the most reasonable "low" chem futbin solution. Not cheap at all. Hopefully you have an IF to use instead of buying one.
https://www.futbin.com/19/squad/2677107

I would probably use Isco in the second one first, just for the chem boost.

[Gray Fox]

New TOTW looks okay. A few obvious choices you'd want as your reds. I really hope this isn't the week they chuck me a mega red and give me Aubameyang. But pretty much anything 83 and below is useless, bar Bakayoko. Anything 84 and up is going to be either usable or great SBC fodder.

Speaking of SBCs, I reckon these reds are going to come in useful sooner or later for them. Annoyingly this year they have made them not count as TOTW items in SBCs, so you'd think there'll be something coming along where you'll need them. Maybe FUTmas?

[Danny]

They counted for FUTMAS last year I believe. So likely will this year too.

[Danny]

Did Alves and pulled IF Hernandez and Sule.

[Yevrah]

Cheers for the suggestions Danny.

[Danny]

First one was pretty good. Second is pricey pretty much which ever way you swing it I think!

[Gray Fox]

Red Bakayoko and Chicharito this week. Decently rated, but missed out on all the big ones again. Hopefully they are useful in SBCs.

Nothing in the packs either but I can't complain after recent luck. Though I'm now ever so slightly shy of 800k in the bank. I'm very close to Messi(860k) but not by enough that I can raise it this weekend.

[SincereTheRebel]

Ive got some time so im selling all the silver and bronze players for SBCs. The Japan league didnt get the momentum i was hoping so most cards sell for less than 1k which is still good. I had all the players from Turkish league which i also need to sell.

[Yevrah]

I'm doing all the value SBC's for a pack opening spree.

[Gray Fox]

I may well do the same as it'll be my only way of earning coin before next Thursday. This is the flaw with the current system a big chunk of coins is only available once a week and there's a limit on it.

Also I was looking at what I could use my coins for in the meantime. The thing that came to mind was Icons. I'm now in the ball park of affording some. The likes of Shevchenko, RvN, Kluivert, Owen, Shearer and Trezeguet are available to me(their base and middle cards) or a proper midfield destroyer is there. Middle Makelele is there too, but so is every version of Gattuso. Also if I wanted someone a bit left field the likes of Litmanen, Deco, Hagi or Nakata are there.
All of those options would pretty much wipe out all of my coins remaining though.

I was waiting on maybe an Icon SBC, but I stumbled across this tweet:

https://i.gyazo.com/82e90dd456ad1ae37d336f3e2b4cfd5c.png

He's one of the guys being questioned every day to get a baby Icon SBC out or to fix the requirements for set 4(if it ever comes). He finally responded with this and it makes me think we aren't getting the former of those any time soon.
It reads to me like they think too many people are now saved up and ready for them, or the market is too off balance to make one sensible. Quite disappointing to see.

[Yevrah]

Nepenthez spoke about this in his last video.

I don't know how it all knits together but apparently there are some Spanish accounts getting round EA's checks that are generating 2m coins a day and EA are loathed to do anything big with the market until that's sorted.

Then I saw a post on reddit saying the market behaves like this every year (after Black Friday, but before Futmas/TOTY), so fuck knows.

[Yevrah]

As for Icons, I will be getting Baby Matthaus at some point and swapping him in game with Guilavogui.

[Gray Fox]

If I do buy a midfield Icon it means I can get POTM Aubameyang into the team on 8 chemistry.

:sherlock:

EDIT: Also, why the fuck is Gattusos 85 card better than his 90? Go and check their in-game stats.

[SincereTheRebel]

Nepenthez spoke about this in his last video.

I don't know how it all knits together but apparently there are some Spanish accounts getting round EA's checks that are generating 2m coins a day and EA are loathed to do anything big with the market until that's sorted.

Then I saw a post on reddit saying the market behaves like this every year (after Black Friday, but before Futmas/TOTY), so fuck knows.

What checks are they doing? I have saw a 76 rated IF from the Congo, and he is being sold for 49750. How difficulty it is?

[Danny]

If I do buy a midfield Icon it means I can get POTM Aubameyang into the team on 8 chemistry.

:sherlock:

EDIT: Also, why the fuck is Gattusos 85 card better than his 90? Go and check their in-game stats.

Yeah, Gattuso is broken rating wise.

[thommo]

Finished up the Dani Alves card - cost me 237,750 coins all told, saved about 50k as I could use Fernandinho and some other lower rated players to fill out the squads.

Didn't even get a board in the two big packs. Fucking joke. Best card was 82 Kruse.

Excited to use Alves though, not sure whether to use an Anchor or a Shadow card on him.

[Danny]

I will be looking at Sentinel or Backbone I think.

[thommo]

I suppose 90 pace is plenty enough with a boost to physical. I'll try Sentinel first and move on to Anchor if he does need a little more. I'm not going to bother with instructions - see how he does when he roams first.

[Gray Fox]

I should have mentioned in my mini-review, I used Anchor on him.

You get the exact same boost to defensive stats except you have 72 strength with Sentinel instead of 67 and 99 stand tackle instead of 97. However with Anchor you get a boost to his speed.

[Yevrah]

Hammered through 14 SBC's, so with the untradeable division rivals rewards now sat on 20.

Need to do Dani Alves tonight and then carry on cracking through the SBC's. Loads of value ones in there now.

Should probably redeem weekend league entry as well.

Ooh, team of the Group Stages incoming.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Balls.

Duckquackk mentioned picking up Sokratis OTW in his discord and I decided not to. Since his public predictions have gone out he's gone from 26k to 53k...

[Yevrah]

What was his rationale?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Just said he's got a good chance of being in the TOTGS.

I hadn't watched any Europa League so left it alone.

[Gray Fox]

We should get EPL POTM and Bundesliga POTM soon, if not tomorrow and we're looking at that being Sterling and Reus.

Reus is the one that interests me. His previous POTM set was 380k to complete. Given that this time around he's going to be 89/90 rated, surely they're going to want one of his special cards put towards getting him?

As for Sterling, would it be worth doing something like picking up a tonne of Kompany cards and hoping he's a requirement, or needed for a high rated squad?

[Yevrah]

I'm pretty sure Sterling's IF will be needed, but I don't have the balls to go balls deep into it.

[Yevrah]

That's Alves done.

I had to sacrifice my 87 IF Pjanic and buy Bonucci and Manolas, but job done.

[Gray Fox]

You'll love him.

I think he's by far the best flashback they've done. Makes me wonder who is next.

We should be due FUTmas tomorrow too, right?

[Boom-Boom-18]

We should get EPL POTM and Bundesliga POTM soon, if not tomorrow and we're looking at that being Sterling and Reus.

Reus is the one that interests me. His previous POTM set was 380k to complete. Given that this time around he's going to be 89/90 rated, surely they're going to want one of his special cards put towards getting him?

As for Sterling, would it be worth doing something like picking up a tonne of Kompany cards and hoping he's a requirement, or needed for a high rated squad?

Kompany always seems to be a money maker when you can pick him up for around the 11K mark. I have bought and sold him every single week for profit.

If he isn't required for anything tomorrow I would expect him to drop to 10-11K during the increase in pack opening (due to the team of the group stage cards) and then rise back to 12K until he is wanted in an SBC.

[thommo]

I opened my Rivals and Weekend League rewards already. Got Carvajal from the player pick, 86 rated, can't complain about that for Silver 1. I'll keep him by and might build another alternate squad around him, but if not, he's a good rating for SBCs in the future. I've gone from having no real standout RB, to 2 of the highest rated in game.

From the mega packs I got back-to-back walkouts, Insigne and Fernandinho, but virtually nothing from the rest, just a couple of 83s (Depay and Savic).

[Yevrah]

All the FIFA18 SBC's. Useful for possible Futmas etc. requirements.

https://www.futhead.com/18/squad-building-challenges/?filter=expired

Makes me wish I'd stayed on 18 really. I enjoyed it more, I believe Squad Battles are still going (which were fun on that version) and there's a whole host of SBC's still live.

[SincereTheRebel]

Games like FIFA, you cant be playing the previous version while the current version is out. Its just not right. For me, they should close down the servers of the game once the new one is 6 months old.

[igor_balis]

Regretting buying this already. Since the start of fifa 18 (maybe 17?) I've just been so awful. I genuinely don't know what I'm doing wrong. I was never that good, but kinda passable, able to get to div 2/3 on FUT. I'm 0-1-10 so far on this one. Defensively massive shit show, after years of spamming whatever the pressure button is on sprint it takes all of my effort to not do that, but when I try to "jockey" and back off, the other team just passes through me and scores. Going forward i'm constantly getting into a situation where I'm in an advanced position with the player on the ball, but all the other players on my team are like 15 yards behind me. Whereas my opponents seem to be able to make about 4 passes from where they win the ball in their box and suddenly they have about 7 players on 2.

Any obvious advice to be less shit??

[Yevrah]

Are you on Xbox Igor? I could give you a game tonight and give you my two pennies worth. Unbelievably it sounds like you might be worse than me at playing the game.

In other news, 25 packs stored now, with a shitload more SBC's still to go at.

[Danny]

CAM Neymar coming in TOTGS

Hyperlink to that shiny new fullback and strong link to Kimpembe/Mbappe. I might have a new right hand side.

[The Merse]

Woah now. That might tempt me.

[Danny]

https://twitter.com/EASPORTSFIFA/status/1071102042020532226


EL one too. Sokratis OTW should go up.

[Yevrah]

Fuck those futswap objectives look a grind.

And have I missed a meeting? What is the point of those TOTGS players? They're no better than the existing UCL card.

[Danny]

But they are prettier!

[Yevrah]

EA are taking the piss royally with 'upgraded' players this year.

[Yevrah]

The fucking state of this as well.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dt1f2i8WsAAY__G.jpg

https://twitter.com/NepentheZ/status/1071118792426688514

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Sokratis OTW dead at 55k.

Fuck sake.

[bruhnaldo]

Are the TOTGS cards dynamic? SIAP

I have Koulibaly's regular CL card so if the GS one is dynamic I'd like to think Napoli could go far in the Europa if anything and bump that up real nice (if these cards work as I suspect anyways).

[bruhnaldo]

Nevermind, the Griezmann is basically the same as the dynamic CL one so that makes no sense.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Fekir is also the same.

It's pointless.

[Danny]

https://www.reddit.com/r/FIFA/comments/a42imo/spot_the_differences/

Fekir :face:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

It's a joke.

I've got his UCL live as an untradeable.

[Yevrah]

The more I think about it the more I think they've fucked up again. Either that or it's a test to see exacty what shit they can re-package and still cream it in.

[Yevrah]

How long are these fuckers in packs for? The overall pack weight will be garbage while they are too, so I may have to sit on and grow my stash of packs for a bit longer.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Did the MM and those 2 UCL themed SBC's.

Best normal pull was Miranda.

Best UCL pull was fucking Pyatov.

[Boom-Boom-18]

Stocked up on 40 Kompany cards @ 10.5K.

Should make an easy 3K per card in the hype of a Sterling POTM card.

[Raoul Duke]

I bought RTTF Taglifico (Ajax LB) and am having trouble getting him into a hybrid squad. Was thinking of getting Scream Mascherano (his stats look bonkers for a DM) - anyone have any suggestions? There aren't many decent Argentinian defenders to give me an "out" from the LB position. I could go for Di Maria but I'd prefer him on the right cutting in.

[The Merse]

IF De Ligt gives you a strong link.

[Raoul Duke]

IF De Ligt gives you a strong link.

He does, but then where do I go from there?

I was thinking maybe Wijnaldun and/or De Vrij

[Danny]

Whats the rest of the team like?

You can like "out" from De Ligt with players like VVD and Wijnaldum if you are going prem.

Alison
'RB' - VVD - De Ligt - Tagliafico

[Gray Fox]

5-0 start again but I can feel my eyes going so I'll stop.

Gameplay has felt very off tonight. It's felt like a thousand mph. I'm not even sure if that's in a good way either. I'm usually in control of games with 55-60% possession, but tonight saw me struggle to hold the ball against constant pressure. The one thing I did a bit more was knock it around the back. I let them sprint at me all game and then pounced late on.

I'm using red Batsman up top for now to fill in the gap. Once I can afford Messi, he'll drop into the CAM spot and I'll play Griezmann as the striker. This team is so enjoyable going forward. If I ever find myself through on goal now I have full confidence I'm scoring.

[Shindig]

Games like FIFA, you cant be playing the previous version while the current version is out. Its just not right. For me, they should close down the servers of the game once the new one is 6 months old.

Nah, I've skipped years twice with Pro Evo. If I'm not feeling the new one, I'm fine to hold off. Helps that you can edit PES to a new season, though.

[Raoul Duke]

Whats the rest of the team like?

You can like "out" from De Ligt with players like VVD and Wijnaldum if you are going prem.

Alison
'RB' - VVD - De Ligt - Tagliafico

Hmm, yeah - VVD is probably a bit out of my price range, but is maybe the best option.

So far I've planned out this (which would leave De Light on 7 chemistry with Loyalty, which is probably ok for a centre back)

Handanovic
Taglifico - De Ligt - De Vrij - Skriniar - Florenzi
Mauidi - Hamsik - Milinkovic-Savic
Mertens - Dybala

[Danny]

Dutch Manager + Serie A league. Everyone but Tag gets a link and De Ligt is then on 8 I think.

How Frankie De Jong doesn’t have another card yet I will never know.

Edit: Did you end up selling Mbappe?

[Yevrah]

I might actually do that Kroos.

[Danny]

SBC priced at about 90k. His normal card is about 90k.

So worth it if you like him/were looking at him.

I might hold on for someone different.

[Yevrah]

Just picked up 10 regular Toni Kroos for under 400k.

There's got to be something over Futmas that will push his price up from 40 to at least 60.

[Gray Fox]

Hmm so he'd replace Modric in my team if he came in. Modric can be sold for 55k so this Kroos would only really cost 30-40k then take away anything earned back in the packs.

He's slower than Modric, and is worse on the ball, with 1 star less skills and 13 less stamina. However, he's taller by a fair amount, is a much better in the final 3rd, has a 5* weak foot and is 16 points stronger as well as being a bit of a better defender.

[Yevrah]

2-2 after 4 games in FutChamps. Aborted the 4-2-3-1 after the first three games and the 4th match felt much better going back to the 4-3-2-1.

37 packs and counting and just bought Paul Pogba for 380k.

[Gray Fox]

What's the team like after you gutted the club Yevrah?

On further reflection, that Kroos card is a marginal upgrade on the previous card and has now risen to 110k. It's still there for 6 days in case I change my mind but for now it's a no from me.

I've not been happy with my midfield myself but I can fix it in a big way if I drop the Messi plan. It'd mean bringing in Fabinho, Mbappe and either Kante or Pogba. Mbappe would replace Bale on the right(lol at Bale being 50k more than what I bought him for on Thursday) on the right. Aubameyang could be brought back in and then have the CDMs be Fabinho and then add in Kante for security or Pogba for more midfield attacking presence.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I've got the UCL card untradeable.

[Raoul Duke]

Dutch Manager + Serie A league. Everyone but Tag gets a link and De Ligt is then on 8 I think.

How Frankie De Jong doesn’t have another card yet I will never know.

Edit: Did you end up selling Mbappe?

Cocu is in the slot, so that makes it work. Got the team together pretty much as I posted above but couldn't quite stretch to Dybala so he's my main target now.

Yeah Mbappe went for not far off 480k I think and basically paid for this lot. Top lad.

[Gray Fox]

You can get the loan Dybala from the catalogue if you want to try him out. I think you get 6 or 7 games with him too.

[Yevrah]

This is what I'm rocking now.

https://i.postimg.cc/gcLXBz36/Untitled.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

With Red Chilwell.

Was moving to the 4-2-3-1, but I realised I'm rubbish with it. Couldn't get the outside CAM's to do much and worse still, couldn't get Dani Alves into the game at all. 9 games from him with no goals and no assists. Switched back to 4-3-2-1 and he's gone 3-1-1 now and been a constant threat. I've gone bollocks to trying to reign him in, stuck a Sniper on him and he's causing havoc. Absolute joy to play with he his.

3-3 now, could have been 5-1 and definitely should have been 4-2. I've had two rage quits so far, which is more than I've managed in an entire weekend before.

[Yevrah]

3-5 now. Two solid defeats, albeit I took the lead in one.

Gutting.

[Boom-Boom-18]

This is what I'm rocking now.

https://i.postimg.cc/gcLXBz36/Untitled.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

With Red Chilwell.

Was moving to the 4-2-3-1, but I realised I'm rubbish with it. Couldn't get the outside CAM's to do much and worse still, couldn't get Dani Alves into the game at all. 9 games from him with no goals and no assists. Switched back to 4-3-2-1 and he's gone 3-1-1 now and been a constant threat. I've gone bollocks to trying to reign him in, stuck a Sniper on him and he's causing havoc. Absolute joy to play with he his.

3-3 now, could have been 5-1 and definitely should have been 4-2. I've had two rage quits so far, which is more than I've managed in an entire weekend before.

Surely you must be thinking about spending the money you have built up and improving that side.

[Yevrah]

Course, I'll have something like this by the end of the year:

https://i.postimg.cc/DyGRWWH6/Untitled.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[Raoul Duke]

Kante for Guilavougi, surely?

[Yevrah]

It'll line up like this in game.

https://i.postimg.cc/ydmxL6bz/Untitled.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

Guilavogui makes an obscene centre back.

That said, if Gameiro is crap I'll have to change things (I think he'll be brilliant with a sniper) and I'm not 100% on Makele. It's just a bit of a bugger to get Neymar and Telles in the team on full chem without him or another icon.

[Yevrah]

Won 2 in a row to take me to 5-5 in FutChamps, including the last game where I was 3-1 down to a complete shitehawk.

Disappointing not to be 7-5, but still, I'll take that for the day. I was aiming for at least Silver 3 as I don't know how many games I'll be able to play, so should be good for at least that now.

[Yevrah]

Oh and a word for this man who scored the winner in the last game.

https://i.postimg.cc/5tYW4PB7/08-12-2018-23-31-38-th2f5qks.jpg (https://postimg.cc/hJB5M13T)

Pound for pound the best player in the game for me.

[Gray Fox]

5* weak foot is so valuable in a forward. Especially one quite dainty and able to shift the ball quickly. Very nearly a goal contribution per game is a great return.

After seeing you added Pogba I decided to try it myself. Brought in Fabinho to keep Neymar on 10, Mbappe to link it all up and then brought POTM Aubameyang back in. The frenetic gameplay seems to have stuck around. But it seems to suit me well. The added height and strength in midfield is also a big bonus. I've got myself up to 11-0 but am out of time tonight. I don't really have time tomorrow either which is a shame, considering we could well see Messi, Kante, Son and Salah in this TOTW.

[SincereTheRebel]

I had a nightmare last night that I packed middile Laurent Blanc. I woke up and had to check my team to see if I really did. :face:

[The Merse]

Fancy using that Kroos in place of Rabiot. I can either shift on Mbappe and Lalla in favour of Bale and IF Carvajal, or keep them and get everyone on chem by switching from the 451 into 433(4) in game. Not a fan of formation switching but may give that a go first as Mbappe is such a big player for me.

[igor_balis]

Are you on Xbox Igor? I could give you a game tonight and give you my two pennies worth. Unbelievably it sounds like you might be worse than me at playing the game.

In other news, 25 packs stored now, with a shitload more SBC's still to go at.

I am, aye. I'll PM my gamertag thingy if you fancy a game later.

[Yevrah]

Sounds good.

[Boom-Boom-18]

5* weak foot is so valuable in a forward. Especially one quite dainty and able to shift the ball quickly. Very nearly a goal contribution per game is a great return.

After seeing you added Pogba I decided to try it myself. Brought in Fabinho to keep Neymar on 10, Mbappe to link it all up and then brought POTM Aubameyang back in. The frenetic gameplay seems to have stuck around. But it seems to suit me well. The added height and strength in midfield is also a big bonus. I've got myself up to 11-0 but am out of time tonight. I don't really have time tomorrow either which is a shame, considering we could well see Messi, Kante, Son and Salah in this TOTW.

11-0 is a cracking start, what do you usually end up on?

I have have gone from 16-8 to 16-13. Very frustrating because I wanted to get to the 17 and put the game down for the day.

[Gray Fox]

Might have some game time in a second. If I can make good progress I may sacrifice some sleep tonight, but you in here know my hate for playing on Sundays. From 11-0 the aim is to get 9-10 from here which would take me to Gold 1.

If I start getting BS or get a loss streak, I'll just stop at 14 or 17.

[Gray Fox]

11-0 is a cracking start, what do you usually end up on?

I have have gone from 16-8 to 16-13. Very frustrating because I wanted to get to the 17 and put the game down for the day.

Sorry just missed this. I've only actually played the full 30 games three times. I went 18 wins, then 20, then 23 wins. My struggle is the time to play the games. I find I play a lot better with the kids in bed, but they've been ill and up all hours for weeks now.

I try to take it in 5 game segments or play objective to objective. Anything into Gold I'm usually happy with.

Good luck with the last game!

[Yevrah]

You have kids and you can still play this? :hail:

[Yevrah]

First game of the day and it's the third win in a row to go 6-5 and Silver 3.

It was one of those games where the opposition sat back for almost the whole game. I had 70% of the ball and loads of speculative chances, hitting the woodwork too. As it wore on I felt sure I was going to lose, but Pogba stepped up in the 90th minute with the winner.

[Yevrah]

Is it my imagination or was the tied finishing trainer available before and now it's gone?

[Gray Fox]

You have kids and you can still play this? :hail:

Three of them. Now you see why I'm not often completing my games.


Is it my imagination or was the tied finishing trainer available before and now it's gone?

You are correct. You have the marker above your players head that changes colour though so you still have some kind of guide.

12-0 after an absolutely batshit 8-4 win. Can't be doing with that over again.

[Danny]

I dont even play 20 a week right now never mind on a weekend with kids. Bravo!

[Yevrah]

You are correct. You have the marker above your players head that changes colour though so you still have some kind of guide.


Why in the fuck have they done that, mid weekend league? It's completely fucked me. Absolute shower of tossers.

6-7 now.

[Yevrah]

7-8 at the halfway point.

Not sure how much longer I'll soldier on for.

[Gray Fox]

The streak was finally stopped at 15. I've now had 2 absolutely excruciating losses back-to-back. The first saw me lose pushing in extra time. I'm shit at penalties so I tried for the winner and got stung.
The 2nd saw the guy obviously feeding the ball into his players 25 yards out for first time finesse shots. I managed to snuff out every one, bar one, which of course flew in. Hit the post in the last minute pushing for an equaliser too.

From here I've 2 options really. 5-8 gets me Gold 1. 8-5 would get Elite 3. The level of opposition has kicked up a notch too. I was smashing 4+ goals a game easily up to the 15th win.

[The Merse]

Why in the fuck have they done that, mid weekend league? It's completely fucked me. Absolute shower of tossers.

6-7 now.

It’s never been there in WL, only Rivals. Unless a bug meant it was there for a while.

[Yevrah]

15 wins on the bounce really is incredible. Cracking stuff Fox.

[The Merse]

Considering that Kroos as my replacement for Rabiot.

It means either swapping in Bale and IF Carvajal for Lalla and Mbappe or switching formation in game. May try the latter first and see if I can be arsed doing it. Either way, I can easily complete it with what’s in the club and the ‘opportunity cost’ should be worth it for a 91 Real/Germany special player in the long run anyway.

[Yevrah]

It’s never been there in WL, only Rivals. Unless a bug meant it was there for a while.

Fair enough, it's been a while since I've played FutChamps so have probably mis-remembered.

Gonna have to turn it off everywhere now then.

[Yevrah]

Considering that Kroos as my replacement for Rabiot.

It means either swapping in Bale and IF Carvajal for Lalla and Mbappe or switching formation in game. May try the latter first and see if I can be arsed doing it. Either way, I can easily complete it with what’s in the club and the ‘opportunity cost’ should be worth it for a 91 Real/Germany special player in the long run anyway.

The stat upgrade is so offensively bad that the only reason to do him is to have a 91 special card for future SBC's. Which is quite a compelling reason, I admit.

I'll leave it until 6 and see what comes then.

A new icon set would be nice.

[The Merse]

There's just enough of a boost to make it worthwhile since I was already of a mind to give him a go anyway. Plus, I can see myself building out further La Liga links this year. Got rid of quite a few untradeables too. The constant stream of 85/86 red cards is helping this year. When they were monthly rewards I'd always have had a weekend or two in the month that I didn't have much time resulting in me getting shite pulls - all 81/82s. This year I've had 8 or 9 85+ Red Cards, equivalent to £300-400k's worth.

Got a TOTGS Dzeko in the packs too, but he's only worth 18k. Hopefully there's a swap SBC.

[Yevrah]

Am I looking at the wrong cards? There's almost no boost at all.

[Danny]

He has plus 3 over his normal card in terms of pace. After that its not great.

[Yevrah]

I was looking at the wrong card. The newer one is first in the comparison on Futbin for some reason.

Apologies, as you were.

A rage quit at 2-0 after only 20 minutes takes me to 9-9, comfortably my best showing at this stage so far I think. Would be silly not to push on and try and get Silver 1, but I've reached the fatigued stage now.

Are you on this weekend Danny?

[Danny]

Nah. I have played about 10 games over the past two weeks. Eyes on the market and do some trading but cant be bothered to play.

[Yevrah]

just got what I can only assume is no loss glitched at 10-9.

Close-ish game, which I was on top in. I score with Son (who is a beast by the way) to go 1-0 up, the screen freezes, connection lost and the game doesn't count.

Fucksticks.

[Gray Fox]

I've stopped for a break. Managed to stop the rot and improved to 18-2. The last win has me needing a break. The guy was an ultimate ping-pong passer that I just played stupidly against. He went 2-0 up quickly. By then I got a bit used to him and managed to spring one counter on him, then some nice play saw it 2-2. He then raced into a 4-2 lead and I thought fuck it. Switched to 4-1-2-1-2 with the full backs pushing on. Overturned it inside 15 in game minutes. 3 lots of RB + Y through to Mbappe. Worked a treat. He sent me a message after the game telling me EA and I had just cost him Elite. A message back and forth indicated that was his last game and he finished 22-8.

10 games remaining puts me in the exact spot I didn't want to be in. Given the state of the potential TOTW I need to be getting into Gold 1. But a 5-5 record from here would get me Elite. The last thing I need is to do as the guy I just faced did and miss out on the last game having sacrificed a lot of sleep. I'm going to have to try though.

[thommo]

10 games from here shouldn't be too bad Fox. I've got no chance of finishing my games, currently 7-6, so I will aim for Silver 1 and just see how long I have left to determine if I push on tonight. I can't imagine what it was like when you had to complete 40 games in the past two iterations. Back in university, I would have had no problem smashing through them, but I've had my first kid this year and it's pretty much impossible to play during the day. 30 is a real struggle over the 3 nights.

[Yevrah]

Break time for me to. Some fucking odd stuff is going on and it's triggering the shit out of me.

2-0 down in the replayed 20th game, with 15 minutes left and the connection goes and it doesn't count as a loss for me. Admittedly I benefited that time, but what a shitshow.

[Yevrah]

Some good coin to be made from those two SBC's out tonight.

Think I'll do Kroos now as a result.

[Gray Fox]

10 games from here shouldn't be too bad Fox.

My problem is being up at 5am for work tomorrow.

Thinking of selling my Bale and bringing in either Kante or Ramos. Bringing in Kante would drop Neymar to 8 chem, but Ramos would keep Fabinho being the one on 8.

Currently using the 83 Kimpembe.

[Trancemeister]

English wingers are selling like crazy.

[Yevrah]

English wingers are selling like crazy.

Yep, just sold Walcott, Townsend, Gray and Satnislas for a combined 30k.

[The Merse]

TOTGS Kroos is magic. 11 games, 9 wins, 3 goals and 6 assists. For a stay back CM, not a bad return at all, especially considering he’s replaced a geezer (Rabiot) that managed just 11 goals and 48 assists in 189 games.

Will bow bow out at Gold 2 or 1 as usual. Probably the former as I can’t be arsed playing past midnight tonight.

[Yevrah]

Cleared about 140k tonight on Premier League and La Liga 75-80 common golds.

I'll need to re-stock for the league SBC's, but hey ho.

[thommo]

Made Silver 1 even more comfortably than last week, 11-7 so far. Might push on briefly and see how quickly Gold 3 can be achieved, but with work at 7am it might be tough. Futswap Guilavogui has been immense for me so far, just an all-round tank.

[Boom-Boom-18]

Interesting to see a few competitors using Tierney in their teams in the FIFA tournament this weekend. Shame he can't really be fitted in without icons.

[Boom-Boom-18]

Actually, why are they not using Roberto Carlos? I have barely seen him in these tournaments.

[Yevrah]

The third attempt to play the 20th game also ends in a disconnect. This time at 1-1.

What in the fuck is going on?

[The Merse]

Cleared about 140k tonight on Premier League and La Liga 75-80 common golds.

I'll need to re-stock for the league SBC's, but hey ho.

Made money on the EPL English wingers at 5k a pop but which La Liga players are going?

[The Merse]

Interesting to see a few competitors using Tierney in their teams in the FIFA tournament this weekend. Shame he can't really be fitted in without icons.

I’d love to get him in at some point. Looks as good as any LB I’ve seen in the game.

[Yevrah]

Is Dembele likely to get a totw? Hold me.

[Yevrah]

Made money on the EPL English wingers at 5k a pop but which La Liga players are going?

Centre Backs and Full Backs. 2k a pop when I sold them.

EDIT: Spanish ones.

[Boom-Boom-18]

What has made those players jump in price?

[Yevrah]

One of the SBC's with the brick slots in it.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://i.imgur.com/7HAL2QD.jpg

Any suggestions on how to improve? I've got 700k in the bank right now.

Weakest link is by far the striker. I tried IF Arnautovic, Lingard and now Gabriel Jesus, I have not been impressed with any of them. Lingard is the best against the AI but when I play rivals he gets bullied. Says a lot that Kroos with 0.41 gpg is my best scorer.

[Yevrah]

Finally finished the 20th game at the 4th attempt and it was probably the best game I've ever played on FIFA. Winning 5-0 against someone who'd I'd class as a good player.

Weathered the storm, scored two goals with fake passes, it was awesome.

So that takes me to 11-9 and Silver 1. I should be going to bed, but 3 wins from 10 gets me Gold 3. God dammit.

[Yevrah]

Mahow - Have you tried Aubameyang?

His potm is special, but I'm guessing his IF or even gold card will be pretty good too.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I have not, although he is one I'm thinking about (Aguero and Kane on the list too).

Thinking about switching to a 4-1-2-1-2 narrow in game or starting with it. It makes Sterling and Felipe Anderson less effective but the rest of the team plays so much better.

Every time I switch to it now, I find myself troubling opponents a hell of a lot more.

[Yevrah]

3-0. 12-9 and my first hate message.

"Fucking luck"

I don't know what's happening here lads, but something seems to have clicked. Cue an 8 game losing streak.

[thommo]

Won my first game after reaching Silver 1 which gave me hope that Gold 3 wouldn't be too long to reach, but since lost 3 on the trot, to either great opponents or utter cunts. I can feel myself getting irritated and tired so I'm leaving it there, 12-10 and Silver 1.

[Yevrah]

3-1. Another rage quit. 13-9.

1 win in 8 needed to surpass anything I thought I could do this weekend. In fact, I probably already have.

[Yevrah]

Ooh, there's a Matthaus on a start price of 858k. Now might be the moment.

[The Merse]

Any suggestions on how to improve? I've got 700k in the bank right now.

Weakest link is by far the striker. I tried IF Arnautovic, Lingard and now Gabriel Jesus, I have not been impressed with any of them. Lingard is the best against the AI but when I play rivals he gets bullied. Says a lot that Kroos with 0.41 gpg is my best scorer.

Maybe this? It's given me food for thought that I may come back to for myself... Werner interchangeable with Lewandowski.

Should cost around 550k with those you already have.

http://oi63.tinypic.com/dpxs2t.jpg

Suggest upgrading Kroos from UCL to the TOTGS since the former still sells for 80k and the latter is 100k with a couple of decent packs back... If you're willing to go untradable and providing the UCL is tradable!

[The Merse]

3-1. Another rage quit. 13-9.

1 win in 8 needed to surpass anything I thought I could do this weekend. In fact, I probably already have.

Nice one Yev

Hope you enjoy the player picks to go with the effort

[Danny]

Got the one of the EL Group Stage cards in my packs, 82 RM. Nothing else after that.

[Yevrah]

I'm sat on 52 packs now. It's getting a bit silly.

Cheers Merse. Got schooled in game 23, but won game 24 to a rage quit in 7 minutes, having been 2-0 up. Takes me to 14-10 and Gold 3.

Annoyingly that does however mean that I only need to go 50/50 over the remaining 6 games to get gold 2. I should really be going to bed, but I'm playing so well.

[Yevrah]

The servers are going batshit.

Played on only to be 4-1 down in game 25. Disconnected and no loss for me. Second attempt, 1-0 up, disconnected and no win for me.

[Yevrah]

15-10. Sheeet.

2 from 5 needed. I'm guessing now with +5 form I can play some absolute beasts...

[Gray Fox]

I despise this system of matching you up with harder and harder people as you go on, if you're doing well. I needed to go 5-5 from my final 10 games and I've gone 4-6 to finish 22-8 in the end.

1 loss on penalties where I was battering the guy all game. Late in extra time I rolled one across to a waiting Mbappe who did the animation of pulling up to a muscle injury.
Then 3 games running where I took the lead on the first attack. Then they instantly went all out attack. I missed good chances to put in a 2nd and they came storming back and won 3-1. Literally copy and paste 3 times over. Then came another loss in extra time. This time a first time finesse from a 360 spinning Mbappe saw me off at the death.
Needing to win my last game I came up against the toughest opponent and best team I've faced all weekend. He was 5-0 up at half time and I'm sat here gutted. More annoyingly I won my first 2 games on to get to Gold 1. Had I known this was going to happen I'd just have stopped there.

Considering the names coming in TOTW I'm gutted to have missed out. But I repeat, I fucking hate playing on Sundays.

[Yevrah]

15-10 becomes 15-12, including an absolute humping to a Nepenthez type who I can only assume had started late (he skipped every replay).

I'm out of squad fitness cards, the finger next to my thumb hurts and my contacts are welded to my eyes. I think it's time to call it a night.

Still, Gold 3. Fuck me.

[five time]

Pulled De Bruyne in one of those CL SBCs. Liked using him in previous FIFAs so considering something like the below to fit him in:

http://i.imgur.com/h0L3cvW.jpg

I'd buy the normal Fabinho instead of the live item as price wise it doesn't make sense. He's also apparently the most used player in FUT this year, is he actually that good?

[five time]

I could also go with Marcelo (or any La Liga/German) LB and play that new Kroos card instead of Guilavogui.

Opinions on Kroos/Marcelo since you're using both @Mahow?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Marcelo is brilliant, put stay back on him and he wont maraud forward when he wants. Seems to always been in the right position defensively too.

Took me a little while to click with Kroos but he's a brilliant attacking minded midfielder. He can go missing at times but his long range shooting and passing are great.

[The Merse]

I'm really enjoying him as a box to boxer. Little less energy than the H/H's that I prefer but great output. Ended up with 5 goals and 9 assists from the 15 I played last night.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Think I've made my decision.

UCL live Alexis Sanchez and UCL live Raheem plus Aguero.

Alexis and Aguero will play up front with Raheem as the CAM when I switch.

[The Merse]

Think I've made my decision.

UCL live Alexis Sanchez and UCL live Raheem plus Aguero.

Alexis and Aguero will play up front with Raheem as the CAM when I switch.

Nice. Aguero and Alexis would scream 'finesse cunt' as soon as I saw your team ;)

Sanchez NIF was amazing for me, that UCL is tempting actually, but I can't link it in any meaningful way in the B team at the moment and I'm reticent to let my Red IF Bailly go to waste, still in my mind though. Lemme know how you go with him.

[Gray Fox]

15-10 becomes 15-12, including an absolute humping to a Nepenthez type who I can only assume had started late (he skipped every replay).

I'm out of squad fitness cards, the finger next to my thumb hurts and my contacts are welded to my eyes. I think it's time to call it a night.

Still, Gold 3. Fuck me.

Cracking stuff this mate. Hopefully you get rewarded for your improvement on Thursday.

[Yevrah]

Cheers mate. Looking back at the thread I was 7-8 at one point, so must have gone 8-2 to go 15-10. I was genuinely smashing people throughout that run and all the frustration and pain to get there felt genuinely worth it.

I need to get those skill moves nailed down to kick on. Oh and penalties too, I suck absolute balls at those.

[five time]

Apparently there's a bug with penalties where the other player can see where you're aiming by where your player is looking. I've never noticed it myself though.

Since buying Shearer I've felt obliged to look at a side and then just blast them down the middle.

[Yevrah]

I always go down the middle in live play, but you can only get away with that for so long in an actual shoot out.

[Danny]

I always leave the arrow down the middle and move it right before the kick is taken.

[Raoul Duke]

Apparently there's a bug with penalties where the other player can see where you're aiming by where your player is looking. I've never noticed it myself though.

Since buying Shearer I've felt obliged to look at a side and then just blast them down the middle.

It's not a bug, it's a feature - gives the other person some kind of chance to save it and is more akin to the real game.

[Danny]

Laporte TOTGS card up. Not sure it’s worth the extra 50k over his UCL

[Yevrah]

Not for me, but one hopes it will be useful in shifting some 83s and 84s from my trade pile.

[Yevrah]

Are we on 7 swap deals players available up to now for this month?

[Yevrah]

Did Kroos for about 30k outlay and 70k of opportunity cost from the club.

[Boom-Boom-18]

Laporte TOTGS card up. Not sure it’s worth the extra 50k over his UCL

Dreadful SBC. Not a chance is he worth anything close to 50K. M

My first thoughts are it's an attempt to get investors to give up their Man City cards which have no doubt been massively stacked in anticipation of a Sterling POTM.

[Yevrah]

Wouldn't it be easier just not to make Man City players a requirement?

[Boom-Boom-18]

Wouldn't it be easier just not to make Man City players a requirement?

I guess so, just a thought I had when I first saw it.

[Danny]

Kimpembe UCL Live is up to 360k :|

Seriously beginning to consider selling him even though I did Alves.

[Danny]

Are we on 7 swap deals players available up to now for this month?

Yep

https://www.reddit.com/r/FIFA/comments/a2iwz8/futswap_december_list/

[Yevrah]

Cheers Danny.

Just need to do the La Liga scorers one in rival wins to get me up to 7.

Can't miss one as need all 14 for Gameiro.

Anyone doing Parolo? After Tah I can't face it and I have worse Italians than I do Germans.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Anyone come across a good finishing tutorial video?

I'm so bad this year after nerfs to the driven shot and crosses.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Also, I'm not sure on Sterling as he's not that great as a CAM.

Really liking the front two of Sanchez and Aguero though. Haven't scored a great deal with them (shit finishing) but they're linking up so much better and getting into great positions.

[Yevrah]

Crossing definitely works this year, you just need 3 bars+ and perhaps someone who can jump and head to finish.

My Weekend League transformation was borne about by the realisation I was hitting crosses far too tamely.

As for finishing, use the trainer to get to grips with it. You can turn most of the rest of the shit off.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I must not be using enough power then.

95% of the time a defender calmly heads it away.

[Yevrah]

Two clubs to go to finish the Bundesliga SBC first time around. Which even though they're the shitters is probably worth doing so I can unlock the value packs for the 2nd round.

[Gray Fox]

I've been watching a few people the past few weeks to try and get better and make my way up into Elite. I was doing well this past week until I started having an eye on my finishing position. As soon as I got to 21 wins with 5 games left, in my mind I had already made it and it definitely altered my playstyle. The big games that haunt me are the 3 in a row I took a 1-0 lead in and then switched off. But the penalty shootout loss was the one that hurts. I should have had that game.

Still, onto the new week. Team still looks like so:

https://i.gyazo.com/e329902a60fd22e6da0c55350fa6246e.png

100k in the bank with another 100 or so coming on Thursday. Not really sure what to do in terms of upgrades bar the obvious one.

[Yevrah]

Update live on console.

Didn't realise there was one coming.

[Gray Fox]

Further nerfing on the first timed finesse shot. Made goal kicks favour the kicking team a little more. The ball will stick to the foot more when doing the Elastico. Supposedly fixed there being a giant player avatar in the background sometimes after coming out of a match.

https://fifaforums.easports.com/en/discussion/437884/patch-notes/p1?new=1

It has apparently made the position change glitch re-appear though.

[thommo]

Pleased to hear about the first time finesse getting a further nerf. Towards the end of Sunday, I found myself facing more and more of the sort of player who pings a ball into Hazard/Mbappe/Griezmann/Reus 25-30 yards out, only for them to swivel and thwack it into the top corner with the first touch.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNxgYCUj_s0

I really like that. A perfect through ball by Aguero and then a first time outside the foot shot by Lingard.

Shame I lost 4-3 though. Don't usually let in so many online this year so that's a bit of a dick after managing 3 myself.

[Danny]

https://www.futbin.com/19/player/17411/Lorenzo%20Insigne/

90 Insigne the latest SBC. 336k ST card.

Also UCL MMS are up.

[Gray Fox]

At least it's a decent upgrade on stats and a position change. But 350k? No thanks.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNxgYCUj_s0

His IF isn't much worse and a ST.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1 upgrade - Feghouli the best
MM rewards - No boards in my normal packs and Murillo my best UCL.

Awful.

[bruhnaldo]

that Insigne looks shit for what it's supposed to be.

Finishing at 79 is keeping me away at the moment.

[The Merse]

Further nerfing on the first timed finesse shot. Made goal kicks favour the kicking team a little more. The ball will stick to the foot more when doing the Elastico. Supposedly fixed there being a giant player avatar in the background sometimes after coming out of a match.

https://fifaforums.easports.com/en/discussion/437884/patch-notes/p1?new=1

It has apparently made the position change glitch re-appear though.

Meh. The first time finesse was needed enough. The issue is with the minuscule error in finesses from the top of the D, where only a drag back is needed to create the space. That’s what’s game breaking. The first timers are fine.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

If Salah gets a ST IF tomorrow then I'll sell Sterling and Sanchez and go with this:

https://www.futbin.com/19/squad/1469664

If it's at RW/RM then I'll pick him up, sell Sterling and keep Sanchez with Salah dropping into the CAM role when I switch.

Sterling has been better today in the CAM role but he still feels wasted.

[Gray Fox]

If he doesn't it's a fucking travesty. Could reasonably have Kante and Messi in this TOTW too. I'm going to have to pray I get lucky in those 100k packs.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

They can't leave him out.

Hopefully it's as a ST rather than a winger.

[Gray Fox]

He definitely played Striker all game too. Though saying that, Aubameyangs POTM item could easily have been argued to be a LW.

[Yevrah]

Specific team objectives are such a ballache. 1-1-3 so far or this La Liga Futswap one and it's driving me mad.