Relatively short update today as another busy weekend carrying on with the Cinema/Movie room renovation, and other commitments so gaming time was sparse, however I did squeeze a few games in, season 8 has reached mid December, we are still pushing at the top of the league, only 6 points separate 1st and 6th places, very tight with the top 5 all winning games regularly, so we have to keep up the winning momentum.
We are in the semi-final of the Carabao Cup, as defending champions it would be great to defend the trophy again this season.
We also qualified for the KO stages of the Europa League, as group winners, fixtures are piling up and player fatigue is kicking in.
The stamina levels are a proper thing in FIFA 19, playing a Europa League game on the Thursday, then a Premier league match on the Sunday, often leaves several players tired and prone to injury, my LM Diaz, pulled up hobbling in a match recently, holding his hamstring, he’s out for 2 months now, a broken toe is also keeping my CB Denswill out for 5 weeks, I may have to bring in a couple of reinforcements in the January window,
Talking of transfers, I set my scouting network to find me world-class players with less than a year remaining on their contracts, January is the time when you can negotiate directly with any players within their last 6 months of contract, and sign them on a pre-contract deal.
I have shortlisted the below players, and will be looking to try to secure a deal for them in the January window, to bring them in on free’s for the start of next season.
Below is a clip of the goal that secured us a 2-0 win over Admira Wacker to clinch Europa League qualification, and a nicely finished goal against Bournemouth, purely because I love playing them at their Vitality stadium, the broadcast camera angle is true to life and low down, close to the pitch, I wish this angle was available as a default for all stadiums, it’s so realistic.
FIFAFX.com 
I admire a wacker as much as the next man, but something-something-something [I can’t think of a Chris99 quip].
Another weird parallel between your CM and my ML – a currently lesser team riding high in your Premier League.
I’m approaching the endtimes with PES2019, just the rest of this season and one more I think, and then it’ll be my annual stab at FIFA. The one ending in ’18’.
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NG – So many puns about Wacker!
SOuthampton came from nowhere, I was surprised to see them top of the league, after i noticed they were dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Brighton, 2-0.
Last season it was Wolves who were shock contenders, only to fall away late on.
Have a look on ebay, there’s copies of FIFA 19 for PS4 going from anywhere between 3 quid and 20 quid. the change in game play and more sim-orientated focus is worth going for 19.
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I went for 18 too Paul – simply because I traded PES for £23 and didn’t want to hand back more than I should. 14 worked for me, 15 never took off, so 18 is a fair old jump in my FIFA world.
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That’s fair enough Turf. I only mention 19 because the game play is vastly different from18 to 19 with 19 being much more old school PES like. Weightier players and more simulation based.
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By the time I get round to doing anything 19 will likely be cheap as chips everywhere. I’ve set up a new career, as drogheda in my old stamping ground of the Irish league. I usually get fed up of how poor the players are there so it may well be just an initial experiment.
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Paul – it’ll be ’18 for me too as it’s the one I have right here with me, and I’ve heard there’s been a lot of watering-down of FIFA19 as well (I have dipped into the FIFA section on EvoWeb a fair bit all year). Also there’ll be less pressure on FIFA if I’m just playing what’s to hand rather than making a fuss over getting the latest and greatest. One of these days another FIFA12/FIFA15-style fire is going to take hold again.
With the weather today I’m really looking forward to the hazy lazy days of post-ML footy gaming. Although it’ll go cold again before the spring truly arrives, never mind the summer. Always amusing to see the ones in shorts and t-shirts on days like today who will NOT admit defeat when the brief warm spell goes away and winter resumes.
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I was just pointing out that I don’t ant to hear the usual FIFA criticisms if you are not playing the latest and much changed version of the game 😉
As for the ‘watering down’ – I don’t think so.
The game has had multiple patches but i still feel each player has a feel and a weight to them, and that stats play a huge part on how you handle certain players, also the stamina/fatigue thing is very much there to contend with.
With the game on slow speed and the OS sliders, its probably a vastly different game to the vanilla version, which is what people on forums comment on.
Im heavily invested, nearly 9 seasons in, and still seeing new things, new passages of play and every match feels different.
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Still finding defending quite easy on world class – my problem is scoring and my faffing about with the player transfers has left Arsenal a very unstable squad (which I like). Defenses are really hard to break down, I’m usually stifled as soon as I get in the final third. Defensive ai positioning is quite clinical but good – they seem to follow tactical instructions to the letter. Van Persie has scored no goals at all and the news reports are already labeling him as a bad buy by me. Ziyech despite his 84 ovr rating is doing nothing for me either.
However I’ve changed formation to a flat 4-3-3 and just won my past two games, beat both Leicester and Fulham both scrappy 1-0 victories.
Again ai seems a bit toothless… Only 11 games in though so that might change.
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#1 – I can’t remember if you are using sliders or not?
I’m having a vastly different experience to you, regards the AI, they often pose a threat, and the thing I like so much is the threat is different depending on opponent or situation in the match.
FIFA AI does pack the box, but its pretty realistic to what you see most teams do when defending IRL, the key is patience, don’t force it, pass and move, trigger runs with the L1 button, and wait for that gap, it will appear eventually.
Also pressing R1 when you have the ball is useful as that calls for a player to come short to receive a pass, I use this to drop my players short around the box, so the defender moves in to, then get other players to then run in behind into the space vacated by that defender.
And don’t forget holding L1 whilst dribbling around their box to use the’close control’ which allows you to turn a lot tighter and keep possession.
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Paul – thanks for those tips, forgot all about the close control in particular, will be making use of that later on. You are right about patience, I kept trying to “PES it” before i.e. straightforward attacking but that doesn’t cut it on FIFA. Getting the hang now of passing it around and waiting for those openings. Won my last 5 now – just beat Crystal Palace and Liverpool in succession. Won all of those matches 1-0 which kind of illustrates my point in the previous post. To be honest Palace and Liverpool played the exact same brand of football and both were just as easy to defend against – remember my back 4 are nothing special. No sign of gegenpressing by Liverpool – the commentary team did warn me for that but it just never came to pass and should have been of the key issues for me in this match. I remember FIFA18 having the dinstinct per-match / situational feel that you’re seeing in spades but alas I’ve yet to experience anything like it – so far.
In matches it doesn’t * feel * like I’m dominating but the stats tell a different story – outshot Liverpool 9 to 2 just now. This is on World Class, with OS sliders in place (the most recent set). Possession usually dead even, oftentimes zero fouls.
Aside from it being a bit flat for me I am otherwise enjoying it quite a lot. It’s growing on me and looks to me more of a slow burn kind of deal – usually a sign of a good footy game or game, period, for that matter. Even had Vinicius Junior in the running for Player of the Month – lost out to Vardy but handled so much better than PES, these kinds of things.
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I’ll make a note of them too Paul. Had my first match last night, I’m on world class and entered the hardest pre season tournament as they all looked tough for my drogheda. I had to mess on with camera settings to find one I liked, the players seemed very small and a little hard to pick out. I ended up on tele broadcast which seems a good balance with the scope of field needed. Found defending tricky and conceded a penalty, challenges seem risky compared with containment. However I scored twice and won 2-1. My first was an actual mid-long ranger after a bumbling keeper throw out, second a header from a corner. Neither of which I had in three seasons of the other game. Overall a decent game made so much better by the commentary being very accurate to my situation and the fact it was an upset.
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#1 – No probs, close control is essential in those tight spaces in and around the box, as is the L2 shield the ball method.Keeping possession, working the ball around until that opening appears then making the most of the chance is the key to those tricky compact games.
Shame your not seeing AI variation, I do a lot, Man City for instance will ping the ball about like a ping pong machine, everything goes through Sané down the wing, De Bruyne is a monster in midfield, Liverpool do press me alot, but have a much changed team so the forward 3 aren’t quite as potent.
I think as the seasons go by and players move clubs or retire, then some of the distinctive team play styles may be diluted as Liverpoool for instance, don’t have the same players they do now, so their style is a bit different, but I absolutely do see enough variation to make each game feel different.
And key players do feel and handle very differently, and standout.
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Turf – PES players may say the presentation is just fluff, but its not, it definitely increases the enjoyment, realism and immersion in the game.
Most of the FIFA YouTubers use Tele Broadcast, its the defacto camera I think, I personally cannot stand those elevated views, like the one NG uses for PES, I find it horrible, the broadcast cam I use does not give as much of a wide-field view, but can still see enough to plan attacks and coordinate defense, plus I love the realism, and detail you see from the crowd and stadium, which again adds to the atmosphere.
Check out The Vitality stadium in broadcast. Glorious.
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Paul – could be I’m stifling it as well.. Dunno. The thing is I do see some variation and identity, for instance Liverpool were constantly setting up Salah for a run down the wing. However my Daley Blind could easily keep up with him and dispossess him each and every time. Now blind is a good player but shouldn’t be able to keep up with Salah by any means.
I’ll just keep taking it as it comes as otherwise it’s a very good game and most definitely growing on me.
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How many seasons in are you #1 ? How old is Salah? his pace would deteriorate over time.
I’ve found the more seasons I play, the better the game gets and the more invested I become, such as there’s so much to do outside of the actual matches.
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Paul – oh that is definitely the case. I enjoy just screwing around with training and spending time with scouts, reading the league news and whatnot.
I’m on season 1 in this arsenal save so Salah should still be quick. I get the feeling the script is going to knock me back in a bit though. I had a rough start to the season so maybe good ol table scripting was helping me get back in the saddle. We’ll see!
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#1 – There’s lots to see and do. I’ve sussed out the regens and how they work so am focusing on signing a few of those now.
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