Episode 2 of the ‘Roker Rebuild’ continues, my quest to lift Sunderland back to the Premier League, and keep them there.
Things have been tough in these early stages, as they always are with the fledgling phases of a ML, my players are no better than if I had started with the ML defaults, a squad average OVR of around 63, too many goals conceded, led to 8 defeats from our opening 12 matches and staring relegation places full in the face.
Team spirit (TS) rating has much to do with this, whilst so low, the coherence of the team is substantially low, lack of runs, player awareness, and general overall performance, add another layer of difficulty to proceedings, as it stands now, in January, my TS rating is still only 62.
I knew this was going to be a long journey, a tough challenge, the squad simply isn’t good enough to compete, key focus was to make some signings, bolster the squad, free up some wage budget and slowly start to cobble results together, to increase the TS, and morale.
I made a few additional signings in the January window, as well as shipping out some surplus players, the below starting lineup shows the new additions, slowly but surely bringing in better, more able players.
Gassama (CF), Mbenza (CF), Rick (RMF), Rui Peres (DMF) and Arce (GK) were all brought in, we needed some added firepower up top after losing our recognised striker, Danny Graham to a 2 month injury, which left us with just one CF.
Mbenza was signed after he scored a hat-trick against us, Gassama picked up on a free, as was Rui peres and 70 OVR rated GK Arce was a direct replacement for Stockdale who is only rated 63.
Gassama has been the surprising star signing, netting goals regularly, whilst Mbenza had failed to score in any of his first 6 matches, but has since found form, netting 3 in 3. McDowall (RB) was also promoted from the youths.
Of course new signings takes a hit on the team spirit whilst they bed in but with the added little bit of quality, results have picked up, losing only twice in our last 9 matches, to help us climb from 20th, up to 9th.
With just under half the season left, realistic aim has to be to push for at least 6th and squeeze into the playoff places, we need to lock up the defence a little more though, far too many goals being conceded still, even a 3-1 lead isn’t safe with us, back to the old tried and tested method of keep a tight ship and try to grab the win.
The mods I’m using and the game play patch are all superb, but you still cant hide the fact that ML remains very hollow, I find myself literally playing matches back to back with nothing much else to do in-between, other than the odd negotiation, accept/reject bids etc, it is what it is, but not sure how many seasons it will be tolerable for, the 10-12 ML season days are well behind us I think, until Konami actually put some effort into offline and redesign ML from the ground up, I expect major changes for PES 2022, with the new engine and unparalleled power of the PS5.
Rounding off with a compilation of goals from recent sessions, showing various different Championship stadiums, Graham on fire before his injury, tidy finishing from new signing Gassama and other new signing, Rick, scoring a belter.
FIFAFX.com 
Greetings!! I’m back into Fifa 20 again. Got beat in CL final 2-1 by Man City and scraped into Europa League qualifiers. Going all out for the League this season. Reserve team for all the cup comps. Best league finish so far was 4th.
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That’s a key failing Paul – the supposed overhaul of master league has never happened with absolutely nothing to do for long periods, even training reached a point where you had to query whether it was having any impact on development. Even a return to masked attributes and scouting would do something,or the choice of coach, physio,etc levels. They gave up a long time ago.
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Great read Paul, but I can’t help feeling you’re over optimistic about PES2022. A revamp of the ML doesn’t require the extra power of the PS5, EA have shown that a more rounded career is perfectly possible with this generation of consoles. Bottom line is I don’t think Konami want to put the effort into offline, as they get a higher return from the online side of the game.
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Comiserations Lloyd – sounds like an epic career mode.
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Turf/Chris99 – Under no false illusions here, when i started this modded, pimped up PES21 Master League I wasn’t expecting anything other than what we already know to be a forgotten mode, I just hoped the pimped up game play, stadiums, and presentation could carry it, and it is, for now, I just wish there was more substance to the ML.
In FIFA, season’s took a while as there was just enough to do between matches to make you feel like you was managing a club, scouting youths, setting up an academy, managing staff, planning transfers ahead of time, player interactions, setting up different team sheets and tactics for cup comps and league etc, just substance, obviously in Ml there is none of that, I am literally playing matches back to back with nothing in between, the odd accept/reject a bid for a player now and then, and when it gets to a transfer window, signing a few players, it doesn’t feel alive, or involved at all, as a result im whizzing through a 46 game Championship season, and whilst thoroughly enjoying the game play (mods) I just don’t know for how long it can carry the poor excuse of a ML mode.
Of course we know too well Konami don’t care about offline modes, as you rightly pointed out, they make ££ from MyClub and esports comps, but I think they severeky underestimate how many devoted loyal fans still only play the game for ML, and also feel perturbed about the state of it.
I just think the time is right, after all the years of empty promises, now, with the new Unreal engone, and PS5 coming, its the absolute perfect time to draw a line in the sand and actually deliver a solid ML mode, with all the bells and whistles that next gen can offer, and win back a fair few fans.
Whether or not thwy will is to be seen, I know which way i’d bet, but one can live in hope.
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#1 – I tried the Lewpop v4 game play mod last night, I’d highly recommend it.
I’m using Hollands v5.2 exe and the Lewpop DT_18_all.cpk file – 2 versions are included, one standard ‘enabled’ low pass version and one where he dials back the assistance, its kind of like a pass assistance 0.5 level, its really good, gives you a small amount of assistance but lets you ;play passes not possible on PA1, little balls round the back of defenders etc, that would normally be guided to a more standard linrear path.
Give it a go, its over on evo-web.
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Paul, that sounds interesting, installing straight away. I seem to remember some talk about lewpops mod having a bit more CPU script in it…noticed any of that?
Also, while we’re on the subject, PMOTU’s is great as well, the one thing is that ground passes are very slow (I’m guessing this is what lies at the core of the mod).
And I agree on master league. I’ve played a lot of the game despite its misgivings last year and it’s getting stale quickly already. I’m playing league for now but it’s all so familiar and…tired really. I honestly could play the game for all eternity if it had this year’s (modded) gameplay and Pes 2010’s master league. That’s all that’s needed. Crazy that that ML still holds up. Even the visual style is more modern than what we have now. Bonkers.
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#1 – There is scripting in the lewpop GP mod, but there was in Hollands mod too, even despite him claiming scripting had been removed.
I witnessed some of the most blatant disgusting scripting I’ve ever seen whilst using Holland’s mod, I think its so deeply embedded into PES that its impossible to remove totally.
Yes, the ML mode is pretty much just League mode with transfers, nothing more.
It’s something ive said for many many years but the lack of attention to detail, even basics is staggering.
PES 10’s ML was superb in the depth, striking that balance between managing a club and not being too full on Football Manager, the menus, whilst weird and slightly cumbersome, were innovative, unlike what we get today, where you get a message informing you of a transfer bid, but then you have to exit that message and peform another 5 clicks through various menus to get to the transfer.
or 5 clicks through menus just to view the league table which is also displayed in part on the main screen but isn’t clickable, just wrong.
Still really enjoying the modded game play but i can feel the novelty of rebuilding the side is going to wear thin soon, only so long you can sign a player or two, play game,s sign a player, play ganmes, needs more substance than that.
I still haven’t bought FIFA 21, keeping an eye on the modding situation first.
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Good post Paul, suspected that ML ennui would kick in sooner rather than later but at least it sounds like gameplay and player individuality are there which is something. I have four final games on FIFA19 tonight, including FA Cup final v Wolves and Champions League final against, somewhat anti-climatically, Spurs. First quadruple still up for grabs
Sorry to hear England’s heading back into lockdown, hopefully you guys will follow the rules a wee bit better this time
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Abbeyhill – good luck for tonight, cup finals and a possible quadruple, epic stuff.
It’s not a case of not following the rules here, you see the odd isolated incident of mass gatherings but its few and far between, certainly the city i live in, its all been very organised and people largely follow all the rules.
The reason we are in this state is because of the government, they make it up a sthey go along and have no actual clue what they are doing and are totally indecisive, with members of their own oarty contradicting eachother.
If this 2nd lockdown had been instigated when all the scientists and advisory people were telling them too, beg-mid september, then we could have had a 2-3 week lockdown and been done with it by October, instaed they delayed and delayed and delayed and couldnt decide, now they are forcing a month long lockdown right before xmas, but schools etc are all staying open, its a complete clusterfuck shambles, overseen by a bunch of raging imbeciles.
Eat out to help out, heres 50% off in bars and restuarants for all of august – support your economy …… we did, Government: You all went out too much its your fault cases have risen, lockdown !!!
absolute disgrace the lot of them.
I’be totally uf for a coup, a civil war to overtthrow the government.
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I agree entirely Paul – was being a little provocative with my ‘follow the rules’!
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Just all a joke Abbeyhill, fed up with it all now, leaderless, clueless, and years of tough times ahead all because the government haven’t a clue what they are doing.
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My annoyance with our own incompetent lot will be as nothing should our American cousins get it wrong on Tuesday. Just finished reading the BBC chap’s book on Trump and it’s quite astonishing. The man shouldn’t have won the church raffle let alone the presidency.
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End of First season climax was a humdinger, just editing it all together into a video diary for Thursdays post. Feelk quite exhausted now.
Shall put the US election foasco on tv later tonight and settle down with a cheese toastie and a cup of offee and give it a watch, bound to be amusing if nothing else.
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You’ll need a bigger cup of coffee and a few more toasties to make it through this one…(not that any of us believe you eat toasties, it’s the classic politicians ‘man of the people’ act – your butler might eat them after he’s brought you your grilled swan).
Is this good for business abbeyhill? Bad? Is brexit worse? Does none of it matter as people like you secretly run the world from Swiss mountain tops? If he’s seen Spectre then Werd will already have reinforced the tin foil hat. I’m finding mortal kombat to be the perfect switch on and switch off game for such times.
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good question Turf, I would say the US election does not matter much for business or financial markets for now. Although a tight, disputed contest with no clear winner was meant to be a worst case scenario according to pundits most stock markets are actually rising sharply today. Maybe longer term the effects of these divisive, parochial Western leaders such as Trump on building cohesive societies and economies will be more painful. Brexit definitely worse though – a pile of big clear negatives and absolutely nothing positive to offset. Having been a firm NO in the last Scottish independence vote I shall switch sides if we get another chance
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The stock markets have risen largely on the back of there not being a clear winner. That means neither candidate can bring in their version of market regulation, and the status quo will be maintained. This removes the uncertainty that always makes the markets twitchy.
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Yep, definitely true Chris given that it’s tech stocks leading the charge including a number of my Chinese favourites
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This week’s post will be delayed until tomorrow guys, sidelined with work and other bits so haven’t had time to piece together the post yet.
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I am declaring myself owner of FIFAFX.com….as far as I’m concerned I’d won it, then all of a sudden the post is delayed?
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