To relegate, or not to relegate?

[Kingreno]

My dilemma:

A) In the true spirit of the game one should always try to do his best to stay up in the league, or is the "game" Hattrich just flawed in the fact that going down is not always a bad thing?

B) If I stay up this year, I'll be having the same trouble (read below) next year, whilst going down...well, that should cost me initially but can I reap the fruits later?

The situation:

If I lose my next 4 games I will probably relegate. Losing them all is, with the current squad, very very likely. I train defending, and as you may know, I play 5-3-2 only due to the fact that losing one training spot is worse then relegating! I have 10 trainees now, planning to stay on defending for quite a while to come. At least the full next season.
Now, I could buy my way in to staying up. Selling my best trainee plus my current bankaccount would net me a whopping 7M to spend instantly on 2 World Class Playmakers: Enough to grab some points from the last 2 games. But is that profiatble? My Goal at the start of teh season was to get 10M in cash to let economists get me up to 90k a week. In the long run, the vastly supperior way to go...
I could also just do nothing, pray for a lucky point and stay up, having severe trouble next year (though that depends on who go up/come down). But at least I'd still be in the 6th...
Doing Nothing could also mean I end up 7th, relegate and enter some 7th division...losing 10% of the supporters, but not having to fear relegation, and keeping an easy 5-3-2 to train train train.

Thanks for reading, nopw what'd you do?

[akots]

Same here but I hope I can win one game out of 4 certainly and then can grab 4th place at best and should be probably not below 6th. But training scoring sucks whereas training defending sucks less apparently. I think I'll switch to keeper training next season if I stay in 5th or may be even playmaking training.

Doing nothing is easier. :)

[Shabbaman]

You can get into the top leagues playing either 5-3-2 or 3-4-3. I've had three defense trainers in my division over the past years. Guess what, they didn't relegate...
I think you need a better attack. Getting counter opportunities are nice, but a poor (!!!) central attack isn't going to cut it. Sell that FTW that gets 4.5 stars (but probably only has excellent scoring) and get a real forward. Same goes for that other one. Even with a FTW you only have an inadequate wing attack. I doubt that creates a lot of goals, since most teams should match that with a comparable or better wing defense. So, either ditch the wing, or get a really good winger. If you ditch the wing you can play with 3 IM's or a WTM.
Without spending money, this strengthens your midfield considerably. I thought the whole idea of playing counter meant that your midfield has to suck [:O]

[Melifluous]

quote:Originally posted by Kingreno


Thanks for reading, nopw what'd you do?


Relegate without a second thought.

It means that your training goes on indefinately without interruption and you will most likely come back stronger.

I've been playing hattrick since September 2003 and if there is one thing I've learnt, it's patience. Your time will come.

2 bulls, one young and one old, look down upon a field of cows.

The young one says "Look! Let's run down there grab a cow and fuck it!"

The older bull stares at the cows for a little while chewing some cud and then replies.

"No, let's walk down there and fuck them all!"

Take it easy man, fuck them all the season after next :)

[meli]

[Kemal]

I definitely wouldn't relegate on purpose, if you do not strengthen your squad you might even be only in the middle of the pack in the 7th, as such is the fate of those training defenders.

If you look at the latest matches, Helpman fielded an attack that any 7th div. side could manage, same goes for the Sparta55 match. And since a weak (low) midfield isn't anything special anymore even in the 7th, you could still face those losses in the 7th too, with all the negative effects included.

Also, I think you should be able to get a result against all teams in your league atm. You've already proven that yourself by beating Helpman and texel. So why relegate to a lower division then? If it happens, it happens, but doing so on purpose would seem like throwing away fans and sponsor money to me...

As for the training spots... unless all your 10 trainees are at the exact same skill level (impossible I think with injuries etc), losing one spot from time to time is not a big thing and shouldn't cost you much money at all. After all, at one point you will stop training defense, and at that point training above a "pop" is as good as wasted training, since people will pay for the denomination of his defense skill, not for TSI. Maybe you get a few 100K extra if his TSI is really high, but for several weeks of training this is next to nothing per week.

These are just my thoughts about the situation, and is what I'd do... not necessarily the best option. I've been known to be strongly against the "relegation on purpose" philosophy, so it might be I'm a bit biased and lean towards the notion of a team fighting to try and stay up... ;)

[Shabbaman]

I took a look at your league's statistics (long live alltid hattrick) and what stands out is that you have the weakest attack of all teams. Not. Good.

[Kingreno]

Thanks for the feedback guys. All in all I decided I'm better of trying to stay up. Another reason is that I don't want to wait till 9 o'clock for the games to begin.

To start I bought:

quote: Jorge Salcedo (37094742)
23 years, passable form, healthy
A sympathetic guy who is calm and upright.
Has poor experience and weak leadership abilities.

Nationality: México
Total Skill Index (TSI): 17 720
Wage: 6 768 €/week including 20% Bonus
Owner: Aristocats
Warnings: 0
Injuries: Healthy


Stamina: solid Goalkeeping: disastrous
Playmaking: [b]magnificent Passing: passable
Winger: poor Defending: wretched
Scoring: passable Set Pieces: poor


Now I need a new forward as well, but I can "only" spare 1.4M MAX on him. I'd be great If I land him before 19.30h this evening as he then will be able to play. Forwardtrainers; any clue what 1.4M should buy, knowing he won't be needed for training (ever).

[Shabbaman]

For 1.4 you should be able to buy an outstanding scorer. I don't know how important forward passing skill is in the whole CA tactic though.

EDIT:

I did some quick scouting, but forget about the outstanding scorer for the moment. The market value is around 1.4M, but today's apparently not a good day to buy. So I'd aim for a formidable scorer with good secondaries, that'd cost you around 900k.

Just as a reference, how good is your current forward? Do you have players with high set pieces skill?

Check this:

Manuel Garcés de Marcilla (41923607)
Marks Spoci#326;š (59804318)

You'd have to cope with temperamental trait though. But you can always sell them in the long run.

Didier Durand (14864478) 1M, but he has passable experience and solid form! Deadline is at 19:32 though, don't know what time your game starts exactly...

Kurt Merritt (37106890)

[Kingreno]

quote:Just as a reference, how good is your current forward? Do you have players with high set pieces skill?


Highest is excellent on an Innermid, and several with passable in defence.

As for the CA, I plan to play 4-4-2 tonight, getting posession, just to see what that's like.

That Didier Durand (14864478) seems very decent!!

EDIT: the current forwards...are not too good!

- excellent scoring, weak passing, passable winger (tech)
- solid scoring, inad pass, passable winger (tech)
- solid scoring, excellent PM, weak passing. (he'a an innermid this evening)
- inad scoring, passable passing, passable experience. (unpred)

[Kingreno]

Did I get lucky?

quote:
Leonhard Runyan (44110357)
21 years, excellent form, healthy
I speak Deutsch, Français, Italiano & Rumantsch!


A controversial person who is balanced and upright.
Has wretched experience and weak leadership abilities.


Speciality: Head

Nationality: Schweiz
Total Skill Index (TSI): 4 280
Wage: 2 808 €/week including 20% Bonus
Owner: Real Eindhoven
Warnings: 0
Injuries: Healthy


Stamina: weak Goalkeeping: disastrous
Playmaking: weak Passing: weak
Winger: poor Defending: weak
Scoring: outstanding Set Pieces: poor


Bought for 1 106 000 euros

[ProPain]

Wow, only 1.1M euros for a guy that speaks 4 languages!!!

[Shabbaman]

Wow! Missed that one because I had inad passing as a minimum. Looks like a bargain, especially the head specialty. Congratulations, and good luck tonight!

[Kingreno]

quote:Originally posted by ProPain

Wow, only 1.1M euros for a guy that speaks 4 languages!!!


And his speciality is giving head! This is one happy manager!

thanx shabba! [beer1]

[ProPain]

Could have bought this one from me:

quote:Tony Cathala (71301590)
19 years, passable form, healthy
A pleasant guy who is temperamental and upright.
Has disastrous experience and inadequate leadership abilities.


Speciality: Head

Nationality: België
Total Skill Index (TSI): 3 890
Wage: 1 344 €/week including 20% Bonus
Owner: PP SV
Warnings: 1
Injuries: Healthy


Stamina: weak Goalkeeping: disastrous
Playmaking: poor Passing: inadequate
Winger: wretched Defending: poor
Scoring: outstanding Set Pieces: inadequate

Career Goals: 14
Career Hattricks: 2
League goals this season: 9
Cup goals this season: 4

[Shabbaman]

Not for 1.1M I assume...

[ProPain]

quote:Originally posted by Kingreno


And his speciality is giving head! This is one happy manager!



I thought giving head didnt require any language skills...[confused][:p]

[ProPain]

quote:Originally posted by Shabbaman

Not for 1.1M I assume...


No, he would have had a different price tag. But for now I;m gonna hold on to him and train him 1 more season at least. Maybe even more depending on my new league and such.

[Kingreno]

Well, the new addons are no guarantee for winning. 0-2 behind and no signs of things getting better. F***

[Shabbaman]

I share your pain. 64% possession and still 1-0 behind.

EDIT:

You know, v.s. a 3-4-3 formation 5-3-2 might've been a better choice...

[Kingreno]

How's that??

I am playing 4-4-2 with 3 innermids.

[Shabbaman]

Because then you could have smothered his attack and get a counter attack in return.

[Dell19]

I am in a similar situation although with 13 points I could stay up if the team below me fails to win against me or the bottom team in the league.

I've tried to stay up so far although there is a nagging doubt that next season is going to be even harder for me to compete as potentially the two promoted teams will be even better and the division is slowly progressing up the list of most difficult V divisions (currently 41st).

[socralynnek]

quote:Originally posted by ProPain

I thought giving head didnt require any language skills...[confused][:p]


In Germany, giving head is also called "French"...
So there are girls who say, French was one of their specialities, only their language was bad...

[Shabbaman]

Yeah, a french massage.

[Kingreno]

To stay on topic [rolleyes]

In my quest to avoid relegation, my next opponent is Fc Texel away. It will be very difficult to get a muchneeded point there.

advantages:
- he's lazy. Predictable 3-5-2 lineup with a sucky left-offensive winger and the other TM. Two def WB's. Two Off IM's.
- He plays either AIM or Creative. never anything else. I say 75% AIM.
-History. in all our 3 previous matches he scored not a single goal against me! :)

disadvantages:
- His defense...is massive, and better then mine, even using 2 players less!!![:o]
- His Central attack is strong, his innermids are better then mine...
- History. in all our 3 previous matches I scored once, from a SP-SE.

Da Plan:

- 5-3-2 with a montrous central defense. 2 WB's TM.
- 2 Innermids, one offensive (passable passing, the new guy). One defensive. 1 Winger with unpredictable for SE.
- two forwards, nothing fancy.
- CA!!!!!
- Pray. [worship]

Any reason to take thisone on completely different?

[Kemal]

If his defense is so good, I would consider putting a 3rd (and maybe even a 4th) playmaker as a defensive forward, especially if you have PMs with quick or unpredictable, since your best chance will be a SE (or free kick) anyway to score against him. This way, you'll at least reduce his chances more, and increase your chances on getting a free kick, which you don't need attack ratings for anyway to finish them off.

Unless this might mean CA becomes an invalid option, since with your defense CA should mean 2 extra chances at least. Agree with everything else.

[Kingreno]

quote:A well placed corner kick from Mirek Kurnicki was followed by Leonhard Runyan's hard but accurate header. The nice combination marked a goal for Aristocats, the score now 0-1.

And it stayed that way.[beer1]

In theory I could still relegate, but as far as I can tell this Topic is closed?:D

[Dell19]

I can still relegate :\

[Melifluous]

Me too...

But a 2-2 draw at home at the weekend whilst PIC'ing was a lovely surprise :)

[meli]

[Kemal]

I MotS-ed, but lost 2-1 away to the league leaders in the 89th minute. :(

Season is over now for me, and I'll perform below par in the CDZ cup now too because of the MotS, I suppose. Still, nothing compared to the relegation troubles some of you are experiencing, good luck in those final games people.

[Dell19]

To stay up, I need to either draw one game or hope the team in seventh drops a point in the last two games. I was a bit bitter yesterday as he injured my two best midfielders and grabbed a lucky point against my side. He should drop points next week but he could easily win the midfield battle and somehow win the match.

[Shabbaman]

quote:Originally posted by Kingreno

but as far as I can tell this Topic is closed?:D


Think again [spam2]

Congratulations anyway, rest of you good luck!

[akots]

I am firmly finishing 5th apparently no matter what and will try my best to get to 4th place but this might not be possible. Does 5th place get a better qualifier than 6th place? I mean against a weaker team? Or it is all random and does not matter? I'd hate to lose a qualifier but anything is possible.

[Dell19]

Theoretically you should play a team that has earned less points than if you finished sixth but that doesn't really mean that they have a worse side as it depends on who they played. Finishing fifth is probably a lot more valuable than finishing fourth or even third because of the extra training and the extra match attendence which in turn helps for experience pops and should allow you to start the following season with better form as half your squad will have only missed one match.

[Mistfit]

n00b question but it is topical

who all gets a post season match?

[bed_head7]

quote:Originally posted by Mistfit

n00b question but it is topical

who all gets a post season match?


Check promotion for your league, is the general answer. But as you are in sixth, like myself, only number one has to play promotion, and that is only if they are under the auto promotion line. I was playing for that spot, but two ties in a row when at the very least one of them should have been a win means I will finish second or third, unfortunately. I really wanted the extra training and cash for a qualification game, even if i was going to throw the game in order to stay in division six.