forameus

You have to think the club consulted its main sponsor in this regard. That's why I put "released" like I did. Obviously we'd have to honour his contract, but he could have easily been told to stay home under full pay until then. Surely his actions have breached something in his contract.

After the one game I mentioned playing with a Scottish side, I've since punted all the tradeable IFs I got. Maybe a bit hasty, but it highlights the problem with the game as it is now. In ye olden times, there would probably have been a use for teams like that. Maybe a silver-only, or a ratings cap tournament where you could guarantee you'd be up against a side roughly equal to you. But nowadays, what's the point? I'm not going to spend weeks trying to get used to a new team, probably tanking my Rivals score (the only way I could match up well) and being a non-starter in the WL. The days of building fun wee teams as a diversion are gone sadly.

Wow, it was really worth keeping him on to play a fruitless sub appearance against County, and show some of our fans up to be quite moronic, wasn't it? Mistifying why he wasn't just quietly "released" when this all came out, before it became official yesterday.

Finesse shots are definitely becoming the new "thing". I remember many games ago, the thing was to dribble one on one, then square it to your teammate for an easy tap-in. It'd happen again and again, and it felt so fucking horrible to do it if you had to wheel it out. Now you've got people whose only thought is to dragback, dragback, dragback until they get an inch to shoot a largely unstoppable finesse shot into the back of the net. That's if they haven't already hit it first time, before you can even think about positioning anyone to stop it. I'm not against it being an opportunity to score, but to see every match follow a similar pattern it's just boring at times. Particularly if it's by one of the millions of near identical PL teams. After seeing two Scottish-based players in the TOTW, I decided it was time to finally build a Scottish side to take advantage of having Tierney and Morelos SBC card and Forrest IF. Campbell and Maldini in front of Szczzzzzeznee to try and protect the shite in front of them. One game and I got absolutely cuffed. Morelos is absolute dogshite compared to some of the players I've been using.

Don't get me wrong, I hope he isn't. With his physical attributes he obviously has potential, the potential Forest saw, and the same that saw him go to Germany. But it's sounding more and more like either his attitude stinks or the rest of his ability does. Just a big shame.

What a massive comedown that would be. The potential that led to him being given a tremendous opportunity for a record fee, now being touted around the Championship or sent back home. I wonder if it's down to him purely not having it in him to make the changes, or an attitude problem. Probably a bit of both, but I expect his physical attributes have masked a lot of sins that have now been laid bare by multiple clubs. Still, at least this thread will be good value for going back to in a few years and picking out some of the ridiculous takes. Actually interesting looking back at page 1 that Ryan Fraser gets mentioned alongside him - I know which I'd rather have right now.

How far do you think you could realistically punt Miles Storey? Or would it be a better idea to just let him do what comes naturally and run in a straight line until he's too far away to matter?

Yeah, I'd agree. You really see it with having Insigne up there. I rocked Insigne and Callejon on opposite sides most of the way through 18, and for a bit of 19, and the difference between them in that regard is quite stark. I love having Perisic in that LM role in the 3-4-2-1, he's got enough about him to help out going back if needed, but he's even better going forward supporting Insigne/Costa/whoever I've got with him. Just as easy to play him at LW too. Just took a look at who else you could have from Serie A in that position, and the only ones markedly better (base card) would be Insigne or Costa. If I could only play one, it'd definitely be Perisic out of those two. Better base stats, taller, stronger, more rounded.

No complaints about him whatsoever. If you're looking for a winger that will burn down the wing with pace he's probably not your guy, but everything else he does well. Decent strength so even if a defender catches him you can often bludgeon your way through anyway. I'd say he's probably your best bet.

Also, has Caldwell brought in hauners? There were about 7 people standing up in their standard issue Thistle jackets in the dugout, never seen so many at any other games.

Better keep a Saturday in May free, because I can't see anything other than us being in another playoff. It's basically now going to be a race to see who can bring in enough players to avert the course between us and Falkirk with the "winner" getting the playoff. Unless we can both improve enough to overhaul Alloa, but they at least look like a competent team. I've said it before, but the thing that always gets me is the complete lack of movement in the team when we've got the ball. Was Archibald - and now Caldwell - actually instructing this as part of the gameplan? It certainly seems that way, because that's two managers now where we've played the same slow, ponderous, unimaginative football. So many times on Saturday we'd have the ball in a promising position, but take two, three, four touches, and think about it until the point that Morton had eleven men, subs, the manager and their entire travelling support behind the ball. For a team that can ping the ball quickly, or one with any kind of creativity within their ranks, that might not be so bad, but do we have ANYONE in the team - or even the squad - that you could trust to unlock a defence? We're a team who looks like our only chance is a counter, who steadfastly refuse to counter. It doesn't matter if you're likely not to get the ball, but you're always going to be harder to pick up when you're actually moving. I hate the da's in the crowd screaming at every pass going even remotely sideways, but I bet there'd be a lot less if the player in possession actually had options that weren't standing around picking their nose. Doolan seems to be shying away from coming deep to get the ball now, which is a step in the right direction, but there's no point having him in the box waiting for service when he's surrounded by a gang of absolute shitebags who are never going to give him what he needs. A few times where he did actually get involved, he had to come slightly deeper, leaving no-one in the middle to receive the eventual ball. He's definitely lost a few yards, but he's being made to look far worse than he actually is thanks to his supporting cast. And I'm not usually one to give players anything more than equal blame as the manager and staff, but I fucking hate Miles Storey. I'm not going to go as far as hoping something awful happens to him, as I'm sure he's a nice guy, but surely something can happen to him that's not a serious injury that keeps him from bringing his insipid style of football to us? I'm also never usually one to suggest managers should be punted as quickly as others are, but Caldwell better act quickly when the window opens and get players in. I expect we'll get a standard 2-0 pumping from United, but then it's three home games in a row. Lose either of the first two, and I'd get rid. I'm not convinced that there's no-one out there that could at least steer us to 8th in the fucking Championship.

I've done a few (even though I know EA are only doing it to drain people's clubs in preparation for the next promo). Think I maybe did 5 in total. Absolute shite from the first two, put them in to the tradeable and got some Championship jobber. One more untradeable, and got Lala. Worth about 130k when I got him, but of course, untradeable. f**k sake. Dropped two more rubbish ones into tradeable hoping for same luck...77 rated jobber. Fucking EA. Better results out of the Serie A upgrade. Rinsing the enormous number of cards I've got into them to try and get a few of the players I'm missing. Only one I had any interest in keeping was Immobile, but a few of the high rated ones went nicely into the TOTW SBCs. May do a few more today with the results and see if I can get the players I really want (Dybala, basically, or perhaps Mertens...or maybe a wee Ronaldo?) But the club is looking pretty light on golds right now, because in all the excitement of FUTMAS, I decided I had enough in my club to go after an icon. Sir Sol and his sizeable arse join the club to sit alongside the absolute ride that is Maldini. Cost me probably more than was sensible, but I'd started stockpiling high rated cards when I was fairly rich in coins, so apart from now being pretty poor, and having to lose IF Suso, Perisic and Chiellini amongst others, I'm pretty happy with the balance of the team Campbell and Maldini are absolutely imperious. I still think the former is a little clumsy if you're a shite defender like me, but I've never felt more in control at the back than I do with those two. Both got a fairly decent turn of pace on them, so don't really miss having no full-backs. Especially with Szczezzzzny behind them, who is the best keeper I've used in a number of editions. Don't actually regret doing Rigoni anymore. Not the sort of physical monster as the rest of the midfield, but does a job, particularly with his pace. Also absolutely don't regret doing Insigne anymore. As long as you don't expect him to win any kind of physical battle, just put it in front of him and watch him rip teams apart. Same with Callejon, although not quite to the same degree. Honourable mention too for the one guy who has never started a game for me, but is probably the most fun I've had with a player. James. Fucking. Forrest. Seriously, that IF is absolutely wonderful for me. I've already got quite a bit of pace up top, but bringing him on around the hour mark gives you boundless energy. Chases down, fairly decent defender, and dribbles like no-one else I've used. Get him bought, generate some seethe.

I wouldn't put it past them not to. I think they could still do the Becky storyline without it, but probably as a triple threat instead. Not that that's particularly bad, but do they really want to have a "Bryan not number 30 moment" next month? Ideally they have her enter both and make a proper story out of it, but WWE have form for taking the shitty end of the stick and rubbing it all over themselves and anyone closeby.

Mind when they said a few days ago that automatic rematches were over? Seems like they announced Asuka vs Becky for Royal Rumble. During Main Event. So unless she's pulling double duty, looks like no Rumble win for wee Becks.

To be fair Insigne was completely unmarked about 8 yards out, but I do agree headers often don't make sense.

Safe to say, these loan icon SBCs are great fun Gives a good idea of how each one of them plays without having to waste all those coins on the main card. Managed to do all of them with what's in my club, so nothing really lost. Not too convinced about Ballack really, not seeing a huge difference between him and the likes of SMS and Boateng in the middle. Keane has been largely invisible, good but not like he's leaping out or anything. Haven't used Rivaldo yet, but interested to see. Campbell alongside Maldini is the real revelation though. He's a bit clumsy for people who can't defend very well, but they mop up absolutely everything together. Think out of all the icons I've used so far, I'd be most interested in picking him up permanently. Still angling for someone like Nesta though. EDIT: Oh, and I previously said Insigne's TOTGS card was a bit meh. I was talking complete pish. Two rivals matches yesterday, he came on at half-time in the first. 8 goals, some incredible finishing, and even scored a header despite being 4 foot nothing. If you play to his strengths he's incredible.

Nice wee Christmas break for the boy. Top effort.

Removed my downvote then. You fucking knob.

Didn't manage the rarified levels in the WL that some had, but largely shite pack results from both that and rivals. Got some 82 guy from player pick...meh. He'll be useful if I need Champs players for an SBC. After being absolutely flush with players a while back, I'm now running pretty low on any kind of useful golds. Absolutely hunners below 80, but I'm going to need to buy my way to any higher-rated SBCs now. Should be able to easily cobble together solutions for cheaper SBCs though, and no doubt Marquee Matchups will be a piece of piss tonight again.

Since I'm effectively a magpie at this stage, I did that one. He's...alright. Probably about as good as what I've already got, but makes it so that I can probably get rid of 2IF Suso if I need to raise coins given I've got Callejon and Rigoni for that right-hand side (as well as Forrest as a sub)

Still knocking it about in testing, but if it looks good after that I'll fire it up.

Without looking, are Heavy Machinery the ones that one of them looks like a cartoon version of one of the War Raiders? EDIT: To answer my own question, yeah, kinda. I don't think I've ever seen them wrestle

I'd rather see Vince appear sporadically than either of the others at this stage. Stephanie is slightly better, as she fits the role better, but they all need to take a step back. I don't grudge Vince strutting his way out every so often as long as he does something useful. Particularly if he's goading younger men into beating the shit out of him like he did with Owens. Mad fucker.

To be fair though, one of those sides looks like they stand a decent chance of a shot at the Premiership next season, and it isn't us.

I've been working on a Scottish edit to try and revive my waning interest in the game. Kill off all Scottish clubs and create 32 cooncil teams, one for every region in Scotland. New stadiums in "interesting" locations, new competitions, basically the sort of thing some mad American billionaire would do to "revive" our game. Test runs saw new club Falkirk United, as well as Dumfries and Galloway win the inaugural Scottish Champions League (because if you're going to copy England, why not just copy Europe?) while Glasgow City (Old Firm fans singing We Are The World together no doubt) and Edinburgh City struggle.