forameus

I'm also enjoying it, but I think I can feel the tide turning. I've gone from Division 8 to Division 3, seemingly never losing, but the past few days I seem to have hit my ceiling. Went back to the 20 feeling of not being able to get near my opponent, and in the last five games of Rivals I was getting easily beaten. Probably needed one more win to secure Rank 1 and managed to scrape together a 4-2 win after being 2-0 down. Then greeted afterwards by my transfer market getting unlocked on mobile. Feels good to sit watching how bad the mobile app is when it comes to the market again.

*waves* I don't buy games that often, but I've probably not bought an actual physical copy in years. I'll happily pay extra for the convenience of being able to essentially buy instantly (I know you'll have the download time, but even day 1 physical releases need you to download updates now) and not have to switch disks around. Managed to pick up quite a few good ones in their sales too, even if they are mostly populated by utter guff. Was going to say, you think PSN is bad, Nintendo are fuckng ludicrous. It's interesting to see how being a well-thought-of company lets you get away with so much.

Who'd be as big a VL as to do this, for f**k sake? Aye, OK. I did it too. Realised I had a small number left to do, so smashed through beginners squad battles. Couple of pointless IFs, and I think the only decent offering was Handanovic. EA have conditioned people so well to not expect much that they've seemingly tanked promo weight in 21 and no-one bats an eye. Getting the good cards has always been hard, but now that they only release a handful of cards, and there aren't really any shite options, people are going to get largely f**k all.

So log on to see there's a new Swaps thing where you can get packs. Cool, I'm sure it'll be some fairly enjoyable objec... Nah, get it fucking round you. You have to watch our shitty eSports in what's essentially a bribe for the packs.

Is this worth coming back to for a shot at this zombies mode? Haven't played in a while, was getting frustrated with being someone spending an hour or so on it every few weeks, and getting absolutely pummeled by people who are much better at it than me.

I heard mention of them maybe building up Big E now they've "split up" the New Day. Doubt it would ever go as big as Daniel Bryan did for 30, but they could easily build a story like his/Kofi's leading up to him beating Reigns. He deserves something big at least. I expect they'll be at least partially holding out hope for Reigns/Rock. There's barely a snowball's chance of it happening, but it would be either a terrific end to the story, or basically the making of Reigns.

A fairly solid show, if nothing spectacular. Reigns/Uso was another good pure story match, but the cell was utterly pointless when you're just going to use it like bumpers at the bowling. Matches like that really show how pointless the mandated Hell in a Cell season is. That would've stood just as well on its own as an I Quit match rather than putting the cell around it. Still though, good stuff from both, and it's great to see Reigns (well, just great to see that handsome fucker) really settling into a role he's good at, rather than trying to shoehorn him into what they want. Compare the guy Cena spent 10 minutes eviscerating on the mic to the guy stalking around the ring, it's night and day. Main event was quite meh for me. Probably the right time for Orton to win it, shame Drew had to lose it, particularly as his entire reign has come at a time where it feels like nothing really matters. I think they'll go with a super face to go up against Reigns for the Rumble winner, but wouldn't be against Drew winning it again if they can be absolutely sure that WM will be in front of a crowd. Match of the night is obviously the women's cell match. There's just something visceral about Sasha Banks going in there and genuinely trying to end her life. Both of them trying to make unique spots really shone through on a night where the other two cell matches where a bit paint-by-numbers. The other matches, I quite like where they're going with Otis. Stupid idea to give him the briefcase in the first place, so makes sense to have him lose it (although I'm not sure Miz is that good a choice at this stage - feud with Orton or Reigns? Nah...) and Tucker goes from someone you couldn't give less of a shit about to at least something in the space of one promo. It's not exactly feud of the year, but it's something. And Retribution? Just....just...why?

I had him up top in my La Liga side but was really disappointed. Not quite quick enough to get into the right positions early enough. Switched things around chem-wise to get Ben Yedder up top, leaving Benzema in CM but getting forward, and he's been incredible. Not needed to sprint behind the lines, just arrives late and pushes beyond the forward. Only thing that'll displace him will be some incredible La Liga card coming out.

Really bad one too, seems like they're still not up hours later.

The "Grass is Always Greener" effect. See Fletcher, Steven and Rhodes, Jordan.

I qualified yesterday, but not really much interest in playing in it. Will wait until it gets a bit more busy with people other than the sweats, maybe play the odd one. Until TOTS I never really see the point in playing for the small chance of a decent TOTW and a few packs. The way it's set up now, I'll play RIvals Monday - Wednesday, spot of objectives over the weekend then get some time with other games other times. Don't want it to get to the point of last year where I'm spending all hours grinding for f**k all.

I seem to remember we did the opposite a few years ago and played a friendly against Qatar which somehow impacted negatively on our rankings and we either missed out on going up a pot, or went into a lower one. We also went through a period of doing what seemed like everything in our power not to play friendlies. Didn't we have most of an international break where they just fucked off to Mar Hall for a "training camp"?

Looks like Rivals rewards are from whatever division you finish in, rather than where you started (which I think it was last year). So 2 Mega Packs, 2 Prime Gold Players and 2 Rare Gold Packs for me untradeable. Fills up the club nicely, few decent CL cards should I need them, Di Maria and Sterling too. Need to build up first owners for Icon Swaps so they'll do nicely.

Safe to say he looooooooves you though.

Up to Division 4 now. I've no idea what the f**k is going on. I think I've lost 1 and drawn 2 out of what feels like 15-20 matches. A few close games, but I'd say I've been better in almost all.

Baws...didn't check objectives, and couldn't be arsed waiting anymore. Picked up one player for full BIN to finish the set (and packed f**k all of course). Just went to check there, and of course I'd completed that objective and got the players that would've finished it off nicely. Oh well.

He'll probably tombstone every single one of Retribution one after the other. Just cos.

To be fair, I've been desensitised to defending after using 3-5-2 most of last year, and generally being shite at defending. I feel like I'm defending a lot better, but there are still games I'm conceding 3 or 4 silly goals. Luckily I'm still putting them in at the other end. I know the dip is coming, and probably hard. I'm unbeaten in something like 10, and I know the 10-match losing streak is on the way.

Like playing 3-at-the-back systems but don't like that you defend like an U12s team? Play any variation of the 5-* formations. Seems that just by starting your full-backs a little further forward, they're fucking everywhere. Backward you've almost always got five behind the ball unless you're being caught really hard on the counter, and going forward you're getting loads of support without ever seeming like you're queueing up to shoot. Absolutely wonderful fun. Up to Division 5 now, and passed the 1000 skill rating for the first time...well, ever. Don't think I've ever been this high up in Rivals, and I'm still winning games pretty comfortably when I do.

Decided I'd give him a shot, shifting the team about so I can get him in at CM. Had to buy Ferland Mendy though, so adding him with Varane probably has people meta-seething at me. First game, 2-0 up in 8 minutes, both from the rat-looking fucker himself. This is going to be fun.

I've still not bought a team back after selling off pretty much everyone. Packing Varane untradeable is probably leading me to a La Liga side, and Messi's price is crashing hard. Down to 680k at the moment...so tempting even though I'd only be left with about 300k. Might just go cheap and try and get used to the players to lower the risk. Maybe even chuck in a shitty icon striker.

I could imagine him being utterly seething after the first, can see him getting a bit more angry in the play, but that second one....ooft. Proper fucking seething. Still, not like you're just going to let him score. and it's funny.

He sent him off on laps of Hampden after that though. With the carcass of Chris Martin on his bacck.

To be fair to him, he's protecting his own interests. Why would Warburton give a shit that Scotland look good now? Hell, there's actual Scotsmen in charge of clubs who would agree with him. He's well within his rights to complain, just like Clarke is well within his rights to laugh and continue while protecting his own interests.

I've cashed in my chips and sold pretty much every PL player I had worth more than a basic amount. 1.5m now sitting in the bank waiting to be invested into a team. I managed to get an untradeable Varane from rewards, so I'm planning on building a La LIga/Serie A hybrid that'll rush me about 350k. Plenty left over to "invest". And by invest, I mean fritter away on shite options that end up losing me money.