Gaming The SM RedCafe League

Gythio

Full Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2015
Messages
536
villa got lucky
had to play messi vvd etc to get outplayed and barely beat kabak romagna dalot etc
but i'd rather lose to villa than damien jong-un
:lol: Yeah was a bit lucky to be fair. See you in the cup next year
 
Last edited:

BenitoSTARR

One Minute Man
Scout
Joined
Sep 1, 2015
Messages
12,508
Technically it is a strikerless team as none of the players have F(C). Much prefer yours with Dzeko up top.
You played Sancho upfront right? I can do you a favour and swap Dzeko for him so you have a good back up striker?
The joke is his reserve side will be his first team in a couple seasons.
I understand the joke... :lol:
I'll be in trouble if Boateng is in my first team in a couple of seasons.
I’m still surprised you haven’t gone all out for Van Dijk, Koulibaly, Varane, Marquinhos etc.

Alaba should be good enough as CB with Gaya at LB though.
 

Damien

Self-Aware RedCafe Database (and Admin)
Staff
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
97,066
Location
Also won Best Gif/Photoshop 2021
You played Sancho upfront right? I can do you a favour and swap Dzeko for him so you have a good back up striker?

I understand the joke... :lol:

I’m still surprised you haven’t gone all out for Van Dijk, Koulibaly, Varane, Marquinhos etc.


Alaba should be good enough as CB with Gaya at LB though.
I've tried.
 

BenitoSTARR

One Minute Man
Scout
Joined
Sep 1, 2015
Messages
12,508
I've tried.
Then I think you’re stuck with Ramos and Boateng as I can see anyone offering good youth for them maybe Ramos but he’s at the age where everyone thinks he’s dead even though you could get 6 SM seasons out of him!
 

BenitoSTARR

One Minute Man
Scout
Joined
Sep 1, 2015
Messages
12,508
Pogba + Griezmann for VVD
Genuinely curious because people rarely ever publicly discuss offers etc. What would it take to lose VVD.

I’m assuming a young CB with potential plus for your side a top CM?

Or two young CBs and CM?
 

Gythio

Full Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2015
Messages
536
Genuinely curious because people rarely ever publicly discuss offers etc. What would it take to lose VVD.

I’m assuming a young CB with potential plus for your side a top CM?

Or two young CBs and CM?
Yeah probably something like that. A decent CB just to replace him in the backline, and then a worldclass CM like Pogba.

In the past i’ve always thought that centre-backs are worth more because of how rare they are, but i’m not really sure anymore. Goals win games
 

BenitoSTARR

One Minute Man
Scout
Joined
Sep 1, 2015
Messages
12,508
Yeah probably something like that. A decent CB just to replace him in the backline, and then a worldclass CM like Pogba.

In the past i’ve always thought that centre-backs are worth more because of how rare they are, but i’m not really sure anymore. Goals win games
Thanks for responding. I’d agree that Pogba (or Kroos) + 90 rated Young CB would be fair. I remember way back when I first started SM some managers were absolutely stuck in the mentality that the end numbers should add up to one another.
E.g. 92+91= 93 rated player

I think CBs are the hardest to make deals for because as you allude to they don’t score often and so the impact they make isn’t as noticeable but equally it’s so rare to find a top one like VVD so they have value from the human manger perspective. They also hold ratings a lot easier into their 30s than strikers who need to keep scoring. So a good CB investment early can last you the lifetime of most GWs.

I’ve always found having a top striker or two covers a multitude of sins (hence why I don’t mind having older high rated ones). My thought process is most people’s defences will have 90 rated players and if they are lucky some 92+ but it’s very rare to come up against an entire defence better than a good striker in game.

A good one to look at is United (sorry Damien) undoubtedly an amazing squad:

Oblak 95
TAA 92 Ramos 95 Alaba 93 Gaya 91​

Very good defence but even one of the best in the league can only muster a 91 rated LB (or 91CB if you put Alaba there) so there’s always somewhere you can get a good striker to have a rating advantage.

So even my Cardiff can have an advantage over 3 of his back 4 (I know I won’t beat him) but you get the point.
 

Damien

Self-Aware RedCafe Database (and Admin)
Staff
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
97,066
Location
Also won Best Gif/Photoshop 2021
Thanks for responding. I’d agree that Pogba (or Kroos) + 90 rated Young CB would be fair.
I wish you were Villa manager :lol:

A good one to look at is United (sorry Damien) undoubtedly an amazing squad:

Oblak 95
TAA 92 Ramos 95 Alaba 93 Gaya 91​

Very good defence but even one of the best in the league can only muster a 91 rated LB (or 91CB if you put Alaba there) so there’s always somewhere you can get a good striker to have a rating advantage.

So even my Cardiff can have an advantage over 3 of his back 4 (I know I won’t beat him) but you get the point.
It was only as recently as December 2018 that my back four was

Kimmich (92) Ramos (95) Boateng (94) Alaba (93)

Boateng's fall was rapid. Was already trying to get a replacement in for him before the plummet but no success.

And yes, defence doesn't really matter that much. I had the best defence at one point and barely won anything. Getting your attackers to score is key but Arsenal and Darlington are 10000x better offensively than me and on the whole don't win that many trophies so I dunno what the secret is to success despite having over twice as many trophies as the second most successful club in the league.
 

BenitoSTARR

One Minute Man
Scout
Joined
Sep 1, 2015
Messages
12,508
I wish you were Villa manager :lol:



It was only as recently as December 2018 that my back four was

Kimmich (92) Ramos (95) Boateng (94) Alaba (93)

Boateng's fall was rapid. Was already trying to get a replacement in for him before the plummet but no success.

And yes, defence doesn't really matter that much. I had the best defence at one point and barely won anything. Getting your attackers to score is key but Arsenal and Darlington are 10000x better offensively than me and on the whole don't win that many trophies so I dunno what the secret is to success despite having over twice as many trophies as the second most successful club in the league.
I mean I’d probably reject the Kroos offer but if you said Pogba plus Dias/Zakaria...

Anyway. I think you’ve weathered the Boateng drop well enough. You have 3 90 rated CBs at good ages with enough potential to rise in future in the right team and at worst they are solid 90s you could trade up for.

The difference on the attacking side is tactics. The Rock Paper Scissors of SM. As I’ve had more time to get back into the tactics I’ve noticed a few things (that I might share end of season if we get top 4) I took a gamble at the start of the season with 5 at the back experimenting and noticed a few things from that.
 

infamous7

Full Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2005
Messages
770
Location
Fulham (soccermanager)
Who would you accept from his squad as a fair deal?
im not doing a 3 for 1 deal with 1 half decent player and the rest squad players, waste of time and why would i want to deal with selling squad players to make room for 2 more squad players
thats all people seem to want to do
if im giving up a good player of value give me 1 back in a different position
or if you want to give an aging player throw in an elite prospect
its that simple
 

Damien

Self-Aware RedCafe Database (and Admin)
Staff
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
97,066
Location
Also won Best Gif/Photoshop 2021
im not doing a 3 for 1 deal with 1 half decent player and the rest squad players, waste of time and why would i want to deal with selling squad players to make room for 2 more squad players
thats all people seem to want to do
if im giving up a good player of value give me 1 back in a different position
or if you want to give an aging player throw in an elite prospect
its that simple
You wanted Sancho outright.
 

Damien

Self-Aware RedCafe Database (and Admin)
Staff
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
97,066
Location
Also won Best Gif/Photoshop 2021
Bounced back from my bad spell of form to beat Sunderland 3:0 away from home. Got Cardiff next and Benito says he has the secret of how to beat my team, so it'll probably be my fourth loss of the season.

Oblak (95)

Trent (92) Ramos (95) Alaba (93) Gaya (91)
Eriksen (94) Kroos (95)
Mbappe (95)➕ -- Brandt (91) -- Sterling (94)⚽
Griezmann (95)⚽⚽⭐

Subs: Elvedi (90), Pogba (93), Boateng (91), Sancho (91), Kovacic (91), Goretzka (91), Pulisic (90)
Did not travel: Dias (90), Christensen (90), Zakaria (90)

Key:
⚽ = Goal
➕ = Assist
⭐ = MOTM
= Subbed off
= Subbed on


Next three games:
MD19: Cardiff City (A) :(
LSR4: Aston Villa (A)
MD20: Bristol City (H)

Manchester United v Sunderland fixtures this season

GameUtd PossSunderland PossUtd Shots (SoT)Sunderland Shots (SoT)Utd GoalsSunderland GoalsUtd SoT Conv.Sunderland SoT Conv.
18th June: Sunderland v Utd​
57%
43%​
14 (7)
7 (2)​
3
0​
42.9%
0%​
Combined
57%
43%​
14 (7)
7 (2)​
3
0​
42.9%
0%​
 

Damien

Self-Aware RedCafe Database (and Admin)
Staff
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
97,066
Location
Also won Best Gif/Photoshop 2021
Played a half and half side today and glad to have beaten Cardiff City 1:0. Tuesday's game I'm 100% expecting Villa to win but hoping to try and pull off an upset.

Oblak (95)

Trent (92) Dias (90) Ramos (95) Gaya (91)
Kovacic (91) Pogba (93)
Brandt (91) -- Goretzka (91) -- Eriksen (94)➕
Griezmann (95)⚽⭐

Subs: Elvedi (90), Kroos (95), Boateng (91), Sancho (91), Sterling (94), Mbappe (95), Pulisic (90)
Did not travel: Alaba (93), Christensen (90), Zakaria (90)

Key:
⚽ = Goal
➕ = Assist
⭐ = MOTM
= Subbed off
= Subbed on


Next three games:
LSR4: Aston Villa (A)
MD20: Bristol City (H)
MD21: Southend United (A)

Manchester United v Cardiff City fixtures this season

GameUtd PossCardiff PossUtd Shots (SoT)Cardiff Shots (SoT)Utd GoalsCardiff GoalsUtd SoT Conv.Cardiff SoT Conv.
21st June: Cardiff v Utd​
53%
47%​
11 (6)
9 (2)​
1
0​
16.7%
0%​
Combined
53%
47%​
11 (6)
9 (2)​
1
0​
16.7%
0%​
 

christy87

Full Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2012
Messages
7,118
Location
Chelsea manager soccermanager
Supports
Dipping tea in toast
Played a half and half side today and glad to have beaten Cardiff City 1:0. Tuesday's game I'm 100% expecting Villa to win but hoping to try and pull off an upset.

Oblak (95)

Trent (92) Dias (90) Ramos (95) Gaya (91)
Kovacic (91) Pogba (93)
Brandt (91) -- Goretzka (91) -- Eriksen (94)➕
Griezmann (95)⚽⭐

Subs: Elvedi (90), Kroos (95), Boateng (91), Sancho (91), Sterling (94), Mbappe (95), Pulisic (90)
Did not travel: Alaba (93), Christensen (90), Zakaria (90)

Key:
⚽ = Goal
➕ = Assist
⭐ = MOTM
= Subbed off
= Subbed on


Next three games:
LSR4: Aston Villa (A)
MD20: Bristol City (H)
MD21: Southend United (A)

Manchester United v Cardiff City fixtures this season

GameUtd PossCardiff PossUtd Shots (SoT)Cardiff Shots (SoT)Utd GoalsCardiff GoalsUtd SoT Conv.Cardiff SoT Conv.
21st June: Cardiff v Utd​
53%
47%​
11 (6)
9 (2)​
1
0​
16.7%
0%​
Combined
53%
47%​
11 (6)
9 (2)​
1
0​
16.7%
0%​
What happened to benitos secret way of beating you
 

BenitoSTARR

One Minute Man
Scout
Joined
Sep 1, 2015
Messages
12,508
The goal was in the 51st minute! Did you only set a tactic switch for half time?
I had three in place but none of the scenarios were satisfied. It was literally a case of you scored at the perfect time!
 

Damien

Self-Aware RedCafe Database (and Admin)
Staff
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
97,066
Location
Also won Best Gif/Photoshop 2021
Shock 1:0 victory away to a full strength Aston Villa side. Zakaria and Alaba miss my next game through injury and suspension respectively - a huge loss.

Oblak (95)

Christensen (90) Dias (90) Alaba (93) Elvedi (90)
Zakaria (90) Kroos (95)
Brandt (91) -- Pulisic (90) -- Sterling (94)⚽
Mbappe (95)➕⭐

Subs: Gaya (91), Boateng (91), Pogba (93), Goretzka (91), Kovacic (91), Eriksen (94), Sancho (91)
Suspended: Griezmann (95), Ramos (95)
Cup tied: Trent (92)
Did not travel: N/A

Key:
⚽ = Goal
➕ = Assist
⭐ = MOTM
= Subbed off
= Subbed on


Next three games:
MD20: Bristol City (H)
MD21: Southend United (A)
LCQF: Aston Villa (H)

Manchester United v Aston Villa fixtures this season

GameUtd PossAston Villa PossUtd Shots (SoT)Aston Villa Shots (SoT)Utd GoalsAston Villa GoalsUtd SoT Conv.Aston Villa SoT Conv.
7th May: Aston Villa v Utd​
61%
39%​
21 (13)
6 (1)​
5
1​
38.5%​
100%
23rd June: Aston Villa v Utd (Shield)​
50%
50%
12 (5)
9 (1)​
1
0​
20%
0%​
Combined
55.5%
44.5%​
33 (18)
15 (1)​
6
1​
33.3%​
50%
 

BenitoSTARR

One Minute Man
Scout
Joined
Sep 1, 2015
Messages
12,508
I feel I should formally apologise to Preston. My poor management has been the result of return to full working and I’ve been off the ball with team changes.

This has meant I did not change a pretty much full strength Cardiff side (Jonathon David aside) and hammered them 4-0. That was not fair. And I am sorry.
 

Damien

Self-Aware RedCafe Database (and Admin)
Staff
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
97,066
Location
Also won Best Gif/Photoshop 2021
Teams in Last 8 of Cup
Aston Villa
Bournemouth
Cardiff City
Manchester United

Mansfield Town
Nottingham Forest
Southend United
Wolves

Teams in Last 8 of Shield
Barnsley
Blackburn Rovers
Cardiff City
Ipswich Town
Manchester United
Southampton
Southend United
West Ham United

Bolded teams = in both
 

BenitoSTARR

One Minute Man
Scout
Joined
Sep 1, 2015
Messages
12,508
Teams in Last 8 of Cup
Aston Villa
Bournemouth
Cardiff City
Manchester United
Mansfield Town
Nottingham Forest
Southend United
Wolves

Teams in Last 8 of Shield
Barnsley
Blackburn Rovers
Cardiff City
Ipswich Town
Manchester United
Southampton
Southend United
West Ham United

Bolded teams = in both
Bolded teams that will win both
 

Damien

Self-Aware RedCafe Database (and Admin)
Staff
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
97,066
Location
Also won Best Gif/Photoshop 2021
Bolded teams that will win both
I wish. I will be disappointed if I win 'just' the one trophy this season but been a while since I've won a cup competition.

Teams in Last 8 of Cup
Aston Villa (3)
Bournemouth (0)
Cardiff City (0)
Manchester United (27)

Mansfield Town (0)
Nottingham Forest (9)
Southend United (0)
Wolves (1)

Teams in Last 8 of Shield
Barnsley (0)
Blackburn Rovers (2)
Cardiff City (0)
Ipswich Town (2)
Manchester United (27)
Southampton (0)
Southend United (0)
West Ham United (2)

Put major honour wins in brackets. Good chance of a club winning their first major trophy this season.
 

Damien

Self-Aware RedCafe Database (and Admin)
Staff
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
97,066
Location
Also won Best Gif/Photoshop 2021
4:0 victory at home to Bristol City. An invigorated Southend United up next - and Griezmann has picked up an injury which means his fitness won't be high enough to face them. Disaster.

De Gea (93)

Trent (92) Dias (90) Ramos (95) Gaya (91)
Kovacic (91) Pogba (93)
Goretzka (91)➕➕ -- Pulisic (90)⚽ -- Eriksen (94)➕➕
Griezmann (95)⚽⭐

Subs: Boateng (91),Christensen (90), Kroos (95, Sancho (91)⚽⚽, Brandt (91), Sterling (94), Mbappe (95)
Suspended: Alaba (93)
Injured: Zakaria (90)
Did not travel: Elvedi (90)

Key:
⚽ = Goal
➕ = Assist
⭐ = MOTM
= Subbed off
= Subbed on


Next three games:
MD21: Southend United (A)
LCQF: Aston Villa (H)
MD22: Everton (A)

Manchester United v Bristol City fixtures this season

GameUtd PossBristol City PossUtd Shots (SoT)Bristol City Shots (SoT)Utd GoalsBristol City GoalsUtd SoT Conv.Bristol City SoT Conv.
19th Apr: Bristol City v Utd​
59%
41%​
19 (9)
11 (3)​
2
0​
22.2%
0%​
25th Jun: Utd v Bristol City​
63%
37%​
19 (7)
5 (0)​
4
0​
57.1%
0%​
Combined
61%
39%​
38 (16)
16 (3)​
6
0​
37.5%
0%​