Oct 06
Thoughts on Blackburn and the Weekend action
The good news for the other Barclays Premier League clubs is that Paul Scholes, Michael Carrick and Owen Hargreaves are injured and Cristiano Ronaldo has yet to find his best form. The bad news is that Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov are starting to hit the high notes, Darren Fletcher and Anderson are no mugs in central midfield, Ryan Giggs continues to defy the years, Rio Ferdinand appears to be impregnable at the back and Ronaldo will start destroying the opposition, as he did so often last season, soon.
This was a glimpse of the future. For 11 minutes here, Manchester United’s forward line read Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez, Cristiano Ronaldo and Dimitar Berbatov, the first time the fab four have been fielded together. It was short-lived but the quartet sparkled both individually and collectively, suggesting they will soon become the world’s most devastating attack.
As you would have observed by now, the theme of our victory has been fairly consistent across the board. It’s rather convenient to bring up the buzzwords — or should we say buzz-phrases, or rather, buzz-analogies?; the Berbatov-Cantona comparisons, the “mouth-watering fearsome-foursome” — all seem rather made up and artificial to me personally. I must admit, I did fall victim to use of such comparisons, but now it just looks little bigged-up, so to speak, by everyone looking to see such an array of top class talent strut their stuff, all at once, on the field.
One can’t blame them though; after all who wouldn’t want to see Tevez, Rooney, Ronaldo and Berbatov tear the opposing defenders to bits with some mazy interplay? Of course, the question would be asked to fans of sides who are neither our title rivals nor the opposition in question. But the chances of us seeing all four at a time from the start seems a little remote. And Ferguson will have to call upon his famed man management skills to the fore to ensure we are still a team of very good artists performing in harmony — not a set of sulking soloists looking to pitch their compositions at the expense of the symphony. Poorly constructed analogy, but point conveyed, one would hope.
At the moment, at least on Saturday’s evidence, we seem to have a happy bunch. And long may that continue.
Fergie, to everyone’s surprise, chose to start Rooney. Mind games or not, it looks a good indicator of who, between Tevez and Rooney, the manager rates higher. I thought it was unfair to bench Tevez considering we could take it easy on Rooney for the moment. But then, I would hope Fergie’s not making enemies in the dressing room with his team selections. Of course, I really don’t know how many managers can command the amount of respect and ability to manage dressing room egos, in today’s football — so if Fegie can’t do it, I don’t think we can find too many who can. But that’s how it was and Tevez started on the bench for the second game in succession.
But man management aside, I do think I could question Fergie’s tactics at times. Playing Rooney out wide makes little sense to me. Considering the presence of a proper target man, the stage is set for Rooney to do his thing in the “hole”. Thankfully he did get a bit more involved in the second half as he drifted into the middle.
Wes Brown must be a relieved man, though. And his celebration, after scoring the goal, was a sign of how badly he wanted to play — always good to see the hunger, which seemed a little absent at the start of the season, return to many of the players on display on Saturday.
But the performance, on the whole, was a bit iffy, despite the scoreline. We were sublime at times, and, at other times, we gave the ball away too easily. But I could excuse that because the weather was diabolical. It was pissing rain and, perhaps, Noah’s Ark might have seen better days.
But let me reserve a significant portion of my commentary for the attacking end, which, despite all the honours won in the past two seasons, is still — amazingly so — a work in progress. Actually, scratch that — our attack is evolving again, and this time, blossoming into something exciting and equally dangerous. It’s a different beast this, than the devastating one we saw last season. Note the word, different. If our last season’s attack was built upon tactical unpredictability — in terms of defenders being able to read and mark our attack — this season’s attack adopts a more traditional and classical touch, but with a pinch of the sublime added to it.
Both, Berbatov, and Rooney (at his best), are blessed with the deftest of touches. Ronaldo is no mug either. But a significant subtext to our attack — over the past week — is the blossoming of the “pairs”.
I mentioned Ronaldo and Berbatov could link up in a way that could be mouth watering, and Saturday saw a bit of that in great evidence. Berbatov’s vision can pick a pass to an on rushing Ronaldo in counter attacks and it did lead to our second goal. But I see promise in some excellent interplay if Ronaldo hits his high strides of last season. Ronaldo and Rooney are the second pair, and their link up play has been well documented over the past season — as well as against Bolton. The second goal on Saturday served as further evidence.
And finally Rooney and Berbatov. Much has been made about Rooney’s need for a target man to allow him some freedom in his favoured position. The pair has taken time, but are fast developing an understanding that could have already translated into several goals — but for some good goal keeping and a lack of luck. I cannot talk about yet another pair — Tevez and Berbatov, because I’ve seen precious little of that combination.
A triad (of Rooney, Berbatov and Ronaldo) however, could be devastating — but for most part we would attack in pairs.
But from pairs and triads, let’s talk about an individual. Dimitar Berbatov came for an inflated price — and for that I hope to hell Spuds get relegated. But we can already see what he is capable of and has done. A fully fit Louis Saha was a part of such attacking verve at the start of the 06/07 season (and even when Ruud was dropped in the tail end of the 05/06 season). Berbatov is a far fitter (fingers crossed) and a classier version of the Frenchman, and I see us getting only better from here on. As I’ve been saying for the past week or so.
Saturday made me feel happy, as Sunderland held Arsenal to a draw, but Sunday was gloomy, as City inexplicably let in three second half goals to give the dippers another sense of “self-belief” and all that motivational garbage. Watching City vs Liverpool is a strange feeling anyway. It’s like watching an ideological debate between Hitler and Osama bin Laden: you don’t know why you are watching it in the first place; you don’t know how, or whom to cheer; and even if one of them wins you really want the ground they are standing on to gobble them up.
So while my interest was piqued by their half time scoreline, I gave it a pass — partly assuming the ‘dippers will surely not win this one. I just couldn’t believe my eyes when I read about Dirk Cnut’s equaliser — I mean, how does he get time to make contact with the ball when he’s in the midst of his headless chicken routine around the pitch for a good part of the 90 minutes?
Oh well, I think I will have to get back to watching paint dry as the international break approaches. Cheerio.
Related items from Red Rants:
- United get Milan, Giggs gets new deal
- Deadline Day Looms…
- United Close Out U.S. Tour With Barcelona Rematch
- CHAMPIONEEEESSSSSS! YESSSSS!
- Some More Thoughts Ahead of the Scouse Trip
Tags: Match Reports
Opti (542)
Stephen (500)
RedDevilEddy (462)
Craig Mc (349)
Moscow is my heaven (272)
Guys, what do you think about United buying Valencia or Palacios? I would have taken Valencia, I dont think Palacio is needed cause of Scholes, Anderson, Carrick, Hargreaves, Fletcher, Giggs and Possebon in midfield. Our wingers are Nani, Park and Ronaldo. One of them will probably leave in a year or two. The other is a marvellous talent that needs to learn when to pass and when to shoot. The third is not a real winger, no speed, no crossing ability, only lots of enrgy and little skills. If we buy Valencia we will be covered all the position on the field.
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@Wheezy: Yes I did forget Pittsburgh but considering the team was on the verge of folding before they drafted Sid the Kid, I don’t really consider them a truly stable franchise despite their climate. Then again I included Minnesota and Winnipeg and they aren’t stable hockey areas either despite being cold weather places.
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@RedDevilEddy: Good points but for me there are better players available for both positions than Valencia and Palacios.
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Interesting stuff from the Guardian which also echo’s many of my concerns that I wrote about a few days ago.
Premier League threatened with salary cap as FA vows to get tough
“The Football Association chairman, David Triesman, yesterday threatened to enforce a salary cap on England’s leading clubs as part of a wide-ranging and often damning address on the game’s finances.
Setting out the FA’s plans to become a stricter regulator for football and placing himself on a collision course with the Premier League, Lord Triesman attacked an industry that he said had run up £3bn of debt, speaking of the “very tangible dangers” for the game at a time of much uncertainty in global finance.
“In the current climate it could be that we have to work out [wage] restraints and what they might be,” he said during a speech to the Leaders in Football conference at Stamford Bridge. “A sensible form of [wage] restraint would make sense and it is not inconceivable. It’s very hard to do anything unless all parties want to do it and everyone needs to want to do it. Preferably without being compelled.”
Triesman’s proposals will put the FA squarely at odds with the Premier League, particularly his ambitions for the governing body to become the English game’s regulator. Senior government figures have this week been explicit that the FA’s powers should be extended, and Uefa, the European governing body, is certain to offer support, having itself lobbied the European Commission to become football’s statutory regulator.
Triesman set out an ambitious manifesto for reform of the game’s regulatory structure. “I think we are too fragmented with too many bodies responsible for too many parts of the sport,” he said. “Greater clarity is needed about who is responsible for the fitness and future of the game. A clear sports law could clarify the position. The time has come for a comprehensive sports law apportioning responsibility and accountability.”
He also called for a strengthening of the fit-and-proper-persons test for club owners to include considerations of human-rights abuses alongside a prospective buyer’s financial history. But most of his speech was given over to the volatility of the credit markets and its impact on English clubs. Triesman was referring to Manchester United when he talked of the “impenetrable instruments” of debt clubs have accrued. He said clubs must “decrease their indebtedness” by refinancing – although market conditions forbid most that luxury – or paying it down.
In response the Premier League’s chief executive, Richard Scudamore, compared Triesman’s aversion to debt with that of the Uefa president, Michel Platini, who Scudamore claimed “thinks all debt is bad”. Scudamore instead believes that borrowings are sustainable if they are in keeping with revenues. Despite the biggest anomaly of Manchester United, whose debts are £666m, he pointed out that the ratio of debt to earnings at Premier League clubs is broadly 1.1:1.
But Scudamore was most strident in responding to Triesman’s regulatory ambitions, insisting that the league should not yield to the whims of an organisation that is in some ways its commercial rival. “We are like competitors,” he said. “We compete for sponsorship and for television rights and we are in the same space.
“The way it works here is tripartite. The Football League with its long reach, the Premier League with its different focus and different appeal and the FA all working together. If we draw three circles the overlap doesn’t need to be huge.”
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@Grognard: If I could, I would buy David Silva to United. Great left winger, really Ronaldo-style player, getting into the box alot and scoring some goals during the season. With Nani getting better(hopefully!) and Ronaldo not staying for long, a winger must be bought soon. If I remember correctly, United got a bid for Silva rejected this summer.
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Yet more juicy talk of reform.
Uefa considers banning debt-ridden clubs from competing in Europe
“The Uefa general secretary David Taylor has warned that in future teams carrying excessive debt may be banned from taking part in European competitions. Speaking at the Leaders in Football Conference, where Football Association chairman David Triesman yesterday threatened to enforce a salary cap on England’s leading sides, Taylor accused clubs of spending so irresponsibly that only a “white knight” could save them.
“There would be forms of communication, even warnings, even reprimands before one would ever get to a situation of exclusion but it’s absolutely possible,” said Taylor. “We are looking at strengthening the minimal financial criteria and other forms of self regulation that may impose greater standard on clubs that want to compete in European competitions and beyond that club football.”
Taylor’s remarks came 24 hours after Lord Triesman revealed English football clubs had amassed a debt of £3bn, and that last season’s top four Premier League teams accounted for a third of that. Significantly, all four reached the quarter-finals of last season’s Champions League.
Uefa’s current club licence is issued annually in May and Taylor said this would now have to be reviewed in the light of serious overspending, perhaps copying the French model which, he said “looks at clubs over a period of time and has a continuous assessment of financial stability”.
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@RedDevilEddy: The Spanish Damien Duff.
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And just one more on the same theme to either break the boredom or add to it whichever may be the case. All this stuff has major implications for United by the way.
Premier League: Burnham backs Blatter’s call for ownership reform
“The culture secretary, Andy Burnham, has backed Sepp Blatter’s call for tighter rules on club ownership and insists it is vital to restore “confidence” among supporters.
The Fifa president appeared before MEPs at the European Union yesterday when he claimed investment in football was “out of control”. Blatter asked for help from Europe’s lawmakers to draw up more stringent regulations governing who is permitted to seize control of clubs. Burnham backed that plea this morning, and challenged the Football Association to take the lead in tightening up rules for the Premier League.
“We need a strong and reformed FA who is responsible from grass roots level to the England team,” Burnham said. “They are the people who need to regulate the game in the interests of everybody.”
Already this season, fans of Newcastle United and Manchester City have been left to deal with the after-effects of takeovers which have turned sour.
“It is important that the supporters know what the person’s intentions are for that club and they understand the traditions and the issues around the wider health of the game,” Burnham added. “That’s why I’ve said there should be a single, strengthened fit-and-proper-persons test applied before someone takes over. But it should be applied before they take over the club, not after the event as it is at the moment.”
Yesterday, Blatter blasted the super-rich investors willing to buy and part with clubs “like you would sell a shirt”, citing the example of former City owner Thaksin Shinawatra, who sold up to Abu Dhabi United Group amid allegations of corruption in his homeland, Thailand.
“We have to be alarmed,” Blatter said. “We have one prime minister from Thailand going back to his country and he sells his club like you would sell a shirt. Something is very badly wrong here. I don’t know how it can be stopped, but there is always a danger that these people will just one day leave.
“You get people turning up with banker’s guarantees who are not interested in football and then they lose interest in the clubs and leave,” Blatter continued. “What happens to the clubs then? We are facing now investment in football, particularly the Premier League, that is out of control. English football is attractive to investors – it is a phenomenon of the era. The economic power of football is immense.”
Blatter called on EU lawmakers to work with world football’s governing body to draw up plans that would make it tougher for unscrupulous money men to make their profits and run.
“We must ask ourselves about what motivates these owners and are they really interested in the game or just making money?” he said. “There must be better control of football’s finances especially in the difficult climate we are facing. I urge Uefa to work with the EU to tighten up the rules, otherwise there will be big financial difficulties in the future.”
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@RedDevilEddy: Ah thats right, Martin Tyler. No idea why I spaced and thought it Derek Rae. I’ve had them muted for about 6 months now. Is it the same old garbage with a few add on’s or did they actually do something new for once (I’m afraid i know what your going to say)?
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@RedDevilEddy: Silva did say a couple of weeks ago that he would welcome interest from Manchester United and not Liverpool or Chelsea. Now it’s all about United’s interest and if they truly even have the money to make a deal. The economic crash in America must have done tremendous damage to the Glazer’s that I would not be surprised if by next year at this time, some Dubai Consortium isn’t the new owners of Manchester United. Until then, I think the spending will be very limited indeed.
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@RedDevilEddy: I think it is Andy Gray and Clive Tyldesley in PC. Is it different in Xbox and PS3?
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@Krishnan: PC: CL and Euro commentator. PS3 and Xbox 360: PL commentator.
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@RedDevilEddy: When buying ne midfielders I wouldnt add scholes and Giggs to the equation. No disrespect to them, but at this time they should affect our transfer policy because they both are essentially playing on borrowed time. As far as Im concerned any games we get out of them from now on is just a bonus but I wouldnt count on them.
Is scholes injury worrying anyone else but me? I have a sinking fear that his injury will have the same affect Nevilles injury had on him. At their age its just too hard to come back from setbacks like that especialy when you have youngsters nipping at your heels.
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I’ve been playing Fifa09 nonstop since I got it yesterday. What really amazes me is the body physics they’ve enhanced in this version, esp on collisions. Though it doesn’t really add a whole deal to gameplay, it is SO DAMN realistic.
@Krishnan: I reckon you’re playing it on the PC too like me. Did you try out the new mouse controls yet? I haven’t but it sounds like it’s gonna be amazingly tough; just wanted to hear another gamer’s views before I get started on it.
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@Grognard: When you play managager mode how many season do you play before starting a new campaign? depending on the team I will play for 8-12 years in the future. most of the time all the “real players” are gone. Its funny cause usually when I plan on quitting my scout will unearth some 18 Year old prodigy and find myself seeing him out for a few more seasons.
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@johnsom33: I never play more than two or three seasons. For a couple reasons. By the time I finish the third season so much has changed in real life football that what I am playing hardly resembles it and secondly, I am not for creating or developing complete unknowns or creating fantasy teams by buying everything in sight. My enjoyment of the game is to accurately simulate the real teams and to see if my tactical knowledge can influence my team in a more positive and attacking manner. Oh I’ll add a player two and even buy some young pups from other teams but my United closely resembles the one that really exists. I just don’t play the same style or system that Fergie occasionally bogs himself down in. No 10 men behind the ball and playing for a 0-0 at Barcelona for me. I like to play diamond formation or a 4-1-3-2 formation. I find it unnecessary to have 2 defensive midfielders when one good one like Hargo is more than enough. I am a big believer in the attacking midfielder and I want one who scores goals. A Ballack or Arshavin is a player who would be on my team. Hell, I’ll perform a miracle and bring in Riquelme and tell him he doesn’t have to work hard on defense. Just pass, create and score. Rooney plays just behind Berbatov and my wingers are Nani and Ronaldo. I like Wes Brown but I may be very tempted to try out R Da Silva when I get the game. His offensive probes upfield really turn my crank. Hell, I am as close to Klinsmann in attack mindedness you can all call me Juergen from now. It’s the way the game should be played.
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@Grognard: Nani & Ronaldo are my wingers – yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
.
Rooney just behind Berbatov –
.
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@Grognard: Good team. im in January 2009 at the moment and my team is:
VDS
Richards–Rio–Vidic–Evra
Ronaldo–Carrick–Anderson–David Silva
Rooney—Berbatov
subs: Foster, Brown, Rafael, Hargreaves, Possebon, Nani, Tevez
I play a mix of 4-1-2-1-2, 4-4-2 and 4-3-3. Carrick sitting back, Anderson working defensive and offensive creating chances and controlling the game, Silva moving in from the left and crossing a lot, Ronaldo playing as a RW/RF, that way he goes into the box when I cross with Evra or Silva. Rooney playing just behind Berba. I score goals with 1-touch passing, crossing and long range shots. Im a corner God, Rio, Vidic and Richards have together scored 11 goals for me from corners. Rooney take corners for me, Rio being captain. I love the game, its awsome!
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@RedDevilEddy: Definitely not for the £18m price tag thats been quoted in the press for one of Valencia(i think). If Fergie is really considering that, i hope he doesn’t go beyond £10m. Its just October and silly season is already on.
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Rio has taken a pop at Blatter and saying that he doesnt do his job when it comes to stop racial and homofobic abuse. He says he only cares about things that will make him look good, not the stuff that actually are important. WOOOO, GO RIO!!!
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@RedDevilEddy: PLay Fifa 09 ! Play! While I prepare for my first exam which is on Monday!
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@RedDevilEddy: Eddy, Hargo and Nani SUBS
, your team is no good without them mate 
.
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@RedDevilEddy: Yeah, Rio says it as it is. Good for him. Kick Blatter where it hurts Rio, and make sure you have hob nail boots on at the time
.
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@Red Diablo: Good luck with your exams Diablo. Hope you fly through them Bro
.
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@antsBoy: No mate not yet. Will try that out this weekend though. No time. The collisions are especially gruesome and I’ve already lost Carrick, Scholes, Nani and Ronaldo to injuries. Imagine that in real life.
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@Krishnan: Lost Nani and Ronaldo, you poor feck
. How unlucky can you get?. Feck those injuries eh Bro 
?.
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According to the great RVN, Ronnie is heading for Real Madrid next summer. So I hate to gloat, but the United player who told my friend that a Ronnie and Nani move to Spain was on the cards for next summer, seems like there might just be some truth to it eh?. What’s the odds on Andie staying if this materialises?.
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@Craig Mc: I got Messi and Anderson has already scored 5 goals in 10 matches
I don’t think I’ve missed them.
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@Krishnan: Anderson scored 5 goals?,
, Krishnan bro, that really is way out there fantasy football. Nuff said 
. If Andie scored 5 goals in 10 games, imagine how many Ronnie and Nani would score .
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@RedDevilEddy: Hargo subs for nobody mate.
When healthy Hargo is a god. 
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@Krishnan: When Anderson can score 5 in 10 there are serious issues with regards to realism don’t you think? Anderson is a quint when it comes to scoring goals.
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@Craig Mc: I actually dont see Ronaldo leaving anymore. Call it wishfull thinking but I think Madrid burned their bridges with Ronaldo. From what I saw played out in the media, Madrid tapped up Ronny and told him to agitate for a move. Once he did his part Madrid didnt do their part and meet Uniteds asking price. So when the dust settled Ronaldo alienated himself from the old trafford faithful for no reason. I dont know if that is what really happened, but if I were ronaldo I would be pissed off at Madrid not fulfilling the promises they made.
I can only see Nani moving on if Fergie gives up on him and/or he finds a better winger like David Silva who has a slight better temperment.
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@Grognard: See im the opposite, I love building my team. I dont go out and buy Galacticos, but I tend to focus more on scouting than buying in the transfer market. I like to leave the tops clubs in europe as they are so I dont poach there superstars like Kaka or Eto. The fact we can play the same mode two different ways is why FIFA is such a good game. I can easily play a FIFA game 6-8 months before it gets stale to me.
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@johnsom33: You see I don’t just play Man Utd in thiis game. I create tournaments both Champions League and international ones. I like to play Germany, Bayern Munich and some other teams like Argentina and clubs like Monchengladbach and Ajax. I find it much more fun to try out different leagues and tournament features which give you more feel for the game. United is great but after I play a season with them, I am bored. I love playing Bayern Munich too but I also like taking minnows and making a few moves to see where I can take them. I was looking forward to creating a Champions League tourney and then play Zenit but the fucking idiots at EA decided to ignore the defending UEFA Cup and Euro Super Cup Champions. What a bunch of bozos. Also, they need to ensure that all teams from the last World Cup, Copa and EURO 08 be included in the game as well as all the teams from the CL. And what’s with not including the highly competitive Russian and Argentine leagues. Give me a break. No Super Classico for me that means anything. Not when there isn’t a league at stake. They better have Boca and River Plate at least. Do I care about the Second divisions in Italy, Spain, Germany or even England? I don’t think so. I’d rather have the inclusion of the Argentine, Russian, and Greek leagues for some added spice. And I’m sorry but is there a reason why Canada’s national team is not included considering the game is made there and that the game is strongly marketed and sold there? Sure Canada may be shite but I would like to have them so that I can play the qualifying tournament from this region. Really stupid omission in this game. The two biggest for me though is the omission of Zenit and no kit number changing tool. Just a joke. I should drive over to EA and their impregnable fortress and egg it. What a bunch of morons.
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@Grognard: i hate the fact they remove the kit editing tool, even if it doesnt add much to your gameplay, it still plays a big role if you want a realistic detail in the game.. i am still wishing they get the russian league next year, i want to play and get arshavin during transfer windows, he is class.
or just put zenit in the rest of world section. 
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@count berbatov: I’ll just use the search tool before I start a season and find Arshavin on the Russian National team and move him to which ever team I want. If they aren’t going to bother to put Zenit in, I’ll take him and get him on my roster any which way I can. Then I’ll save the game and then create my season. As for me I am placing him on Bayern Munich when I get the game. With him and Ribery in the midfield, Bayern will be unstoppable in the Bundesliga.
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@Craig Mc: Thanx alot man.
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@Grognard: Yeah, but in the game Carricks passing is the best Ive ever seen. His trough passes are amazing. Carrick+Rooney/Ronaldo run=goals
And Anderson works his socks off in the game so he is must being my favorite player and him being amazing in the game. So that leaves out Hargo. He is good, but I go for Andy and Mike in that midfield. Silva is great and Ronaldo is God. Btw, I play in Legendary already.
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@Red Diablo: Good luck from me too.
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@Grognard: do you have xbox live? Inter are easily the best team in the game IMO. I mean they have Viera and Stankovic in their reserves ffs. Ibrahimovic is probably the best player in the game and Quaresma is more effective than Ronaldo from what I’ve played. Their CMs of any combination of Muntari/Cambiasso/Viera/Stankovic/Zanetti(even though he’s better at RB) just create a fortress in midfield
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@Craig Mc: RvN’s words were: One day Ronaldo will join us. This could happen next summer, or the one after.”
The way he says it, it’s as good as we people discussing if Ronnie will go or stay. Sorry to burst your bubble there but it really doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that Ronnie will leave United one day.
Or at least it wouldn’t be surprising if Nani or Ronaldo leave some day. It’s not news anymore.
Tell me if it’s Rooney that will leave next summer and I’ll be surprised.
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@Liam: Sorry I don’t have Live. I am one of those old goats that doesn’t buy into the online live environment. I’m not a shy person in general but the idea of playing strangers or a group of strangers live is just not appealing. This is why I buy games that have great single player campaigns as well, the AI for a game has to be impressive so that when I am playing the games computer created intelligence, it isn’t acting like a complete muppet. Who knows, one day maybe I’ll try Live, but right now, it doesn’t float my boat. I guess they have injected the Mourinho factor into the game because frankly, Inter isn’t that good. I am not an Ibrahimovich fan and he is one of those players I just despise. Yes he has talent when he wants to wake from his slumber and show it. He’s also soft. A real wimp. Man I can’t stand him. I think I will play a lot of games to see how badly skewed the game is towards certain teams and players and then I will make fair and practical adjustments. After all, I want to play against those teams in the game, not the programming muppets at EA who take liberties in their statistical building of players and teams.
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@Grognard: I cant believe you dont Like Zlatan! He is a bit of a sulk, but he is an unbelivable talent. WHat makes you despise him?
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@johnsom33: He’s lazy, inconsistent, overrated, selfish, moody loafer and a piece of Swedish shite. Other than that I guess he’s ok.
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@johnsom33: yeah he isnt fantastic, he can be on occasion. He has great attributes but doesnt use them for long enough in a game to be as good as he could be (maybe like Berbatov)
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@Grognard: live adds so much to a game. I would strongly encourage you to try it. You are up against real intelligence so it can be a different game online. Also its not like you have to speak to the people that you’re playing. You can mute anyone annoying you and in FIFA not a lot of people talk anyway. There is also a 10 v 10 be a pro mode which I haven’t tried that may be good.
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