Big changes

[Shabbaman]

Having said that, let me add a question to that. Do you think a OCD should be a midfielder playing as OCD with some defending as a benificial sidestat, or a defender with PM as a sidestat? Under the old rules an OCD contributes less to midfield than a WTM, so to have at least some effect the OCD should have a huge PM stat. I think in that case it can't be any better than simply running a third IM.

[akots]

Originally Posted by Shabbaman

I think in that case it can't be any better than simply running a third IM.

That is most likely IMO.

[socralynnek]

I agree with respect especially to OCD. A CD already contributes almost as much to midfield than an OCD (I think it was 25% of PM for CD, 40% of OCD, but an OCD loses a lot of his def skill)

But: Let's play with numbers.

Let's assume, the penalty for each player with 2 IM is 10%, with 3 IM it's 20% (don't know whether that might be, but considering the low ratings I have seen yesterday, it might be possible)

Let's assume: OCD: 40% midfield
WTM: 65 % midfield (totally unsure about that)
defFor: 50% (no one knows the new values)

If you have 3 midfielders with strength 10:

You'd get as weighted sum for midfield strength:

1 IM: 10
2 IM: 18
3 IM: 24
2 IM + 1 WTM: 24.5
2 IM + 1 OCD: 22
2 IM + 1 defFor: 23

Therefore I still consider the defFor to be an option, as if that player has at least some passing and some scoring, the stronger attack might offset the lower midfield.

But that's just numbers, the real numbers might differ, but still I think that if your defenders have some midfield than your relative boost for midfield is bigger than before, which makes lineups with 2 IM stronger compared to before (if 3-5-2 is still king is another question)

[Shabbaman]

Defensive forward might be an option, but then my wing attack has to improve first. Still, to have a reasonable contribution to the midfield the DFW (or OCD) needs to have a very large PM skill. In fact, I think you'd be talking about an IM that has something like passable scoring.

[Aggie]

Originally Posted by Shabbaman

I think you'd be talking about an IM that has something like passable scoring.

If you would go for that, than that passable scoring will have a negative effect on the other striker(s)/defender(s) as well. Reading the HT announcement regarding the changes all strikers/defenenders/midfielders should be about equally strong. In this case that passable player's contribution might be no more than that of a weak strikerdefender. That being said, I guess the DFW or OCD will only be put in to contribute to midfield in that case.

One of my conclusions of the changes is that my replacement defender, midfielder and striker should also be of A-team level. So that means I have to buy an additional defender and another midfielder.

[socralynnek]

Not necessarily. I don't think (and AFAIK it is not worded that way), there is no penalty for having different skill levels.

There is only one penalty, i.e. the overcrowding penalty.

It is already induced from that penalty that e.g. 2 IMs are stronger than 3 IMs if one of them has almost non-existant skill in terms of midfield contribution. There is no extra-penalty for that.

Which means: if the defFor does for midfield what he should, then there is no need for him to have a high scoring level, probably passing is even more important for him than scoring.

Which also means that the need for good replacements is as important as before.

[Aggie]

In essence we are talking about the same thing I believe (regarding the penalty). At least I meant the same thing.

[Aggie]

I was shocked to see the midfield rating with three mids, no OCD, no WTM, no DFW. PiC-ing I still would have passable (high) last season. Now I had weak (very high)...

[Shabbaman]

PIC, 2 extraterrestrial IM's + 1 titanic IM, two offensive wingers (outstanding and inadequate PM): results in inadequate (low) midfield. I think this is about half a level lower than it would've been. But I could (should) check that in Hattrick Organizer I guess. What's more shocking is that I don't get over passable offensive ratings. I don't understand how, but I'm shocked.

[Aggie]

True, my offensive rating is far lower than what it would be last season.