Here are my opinions running through some of the options at both the £6.0 and £6.5 price point in defence and their viability in obtaining a spot in your team. At such premium price tags, there is no question that these players should be making your starting XI, week in week out. Oddly this year, there seem to be less nailed on picks in the premium bracket, mostly as a result of both the World Cup and new managers coming in.
In spite of this for forwards and midfielders the £6.0 and £6.5 price points are high risk and carry a lot of uncertainty, although we may see a couple players emerge as solid picks at that price, it is hard to be confident as to which of these players will come out the block running. For £6.0 or £6.5 in defence, you can almost be guaranteed points, with players like Azpilicueta outscoring the top comparatively priced midfielder and attacker over a number of seasons in most cases. I’d be interested in seeing what people think about a load up in premium defenders from the start until we get a better idea of the mids and attackers who will perform, but that’s just an idea.
I’m trying out a similar, but new format, in order to try and convey the information more objectively, whilst still giving my opinion at the end, let me know which you prefer. As always advice is always appreciated, thanks!
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Chelsea Azpilicueta (£6.5) / Alonso (£6.5) / Moses (£6.0) / Rudiger (£6.0) The Blues will be hit hard by the world cup and although there may not be too many key absences in the actual defensive line, missing Kante’s ability to shield the backline and break up attacks for the first few games of the season could prove poor for Chelsea’s clean sheet potential.
As a somewhat unknown quantity, we are still not sure how Sarri’s Chelsea men will lineup. In spite of this, if we go off what we know from his Napoli days we could presume that Sarri will play some variant of a 433 with the obvious change from Conte’s days being a revert from a 5atb formation with wing backs to a 4atb. Sarri’s Napoli kept 19 clean sheets in the Serie A last season, which bodes well for Chelsea’s defenders, but it may well take a while for the team to adapt to the ‘Sarriball’ play style.
Moses • The possibility of Azpilicueta moving to the RB position in a 4atb formation could mean either the rotation or dropping of Moses to the bench.
• Not the most prolific in the final third, but after his defensive development under Conte last season, Moses will most likely go into the 18/19 season as Chelsea’s second choice right back, if plans to sell Zappacosta go ahead.
• At £6.0, the price is probably a bit excessive for a player who won’t likely have guaranteed minutes.
• For £0.5 more the added security of Azpilicueta, yields more attacking returns and consistent minutes.
• For £0.5 less a punt on either Christensen or Emerson could prove beneficial, once we get a better idea of who might break into the starting lineup, either could hold phenomenal value.
Moses xG 0.13 xA 0.10 is one of the best in terms of premium defenders and only just shy of Alonso.
Rudiger • At the same price as Moses, Rudiger offers an alternative way into the Chelsea backline, however with a greater chance of nailing down a starting role in the CB position.
• When starting for the Blues in 18 games they won 13, only conceding 0.7 goals per game. Without the German at the back, in 10 games they were left with a lacklustre 3 wins and 1.3 goals conceded per game.
• Most likely partnered with Christensen, unless further signings are made, Rudiger leaves somewhat to be desired in the attacking department. Although 2 goals and 1 assist last season, is far from horrendous, for a premium sum of £6.0, one has to question his value when put up against similar options with more to offer in the final third.
Rüdiger xG 0.08 xA 0.02
Alonso • In spite of Alonso’s impressive underlying stats in the final third and notable attacking returns of 7 goals and 2 assists last season, it has to be noted that the implementation of a 4atb formation is less than preferable for Alonso.
• There have often been question marks over Alonso’s defensive abilities and the move to a 4atb formation would likely mean less offensive returns / a further position back in open play.
• Alonso could also be left more exposed at the back, especially without the third CB to cover him. This has lead people to believe that Sarri may prefer the more defensively sound Emerson over him.
• At a £6.5 price point it is hard to justify Alonso not only due to uncertainty over his starting position, but a likely reduction in attacking returns.
• There is a slim chance it goes the other way, and Alonso moves forward into a winger position, in which case it’s hard to imagine they’ll be many teams without the Spaniard.
with an xG of 0.14 and an xA 0.1, Alonso stands among the best per 90 minutes.
Azpilicueta • Contrary to Alonso, a shift to a 4atb formation could demonstrate positive for Azpilicueta.
• A return to his old position of RB, whilst maybe decreasing bonus point potential, has the possibility to further increase attacking output, freeing him up to bomb down the wing more and put in his deep crosses which he is known for.
• With a tally of 2 goals and 6 assists, Azpilicueta would be my pick of the bunch if I were to go for a premium Chelsea defender.
Azpi xG 0.03 in last 4 seasons xA 0.05 average, except 0.13 in 17/18
We will have to see during Chelsea’s preseason how Sarri sets up, but it is hard to recommend any Chelsea defensive assets from the outset, with both the uncertainty of a new manager and the world cup playing into this decision. Nevertheless Azpilicueta still offers a great option in the premium bracket and wouldn’t be a bad pick. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Liverpool Van Dijk (£6.0) / Robertson (£6.0) Whilst they are less negatively impacted by the World Cup than Chelsea, possible defensive absences of Lovren and Alexander Arnold could hinder the Reds defence. Nevertheless strong signings of the midfield pair in Keita and Fabinho could prove vital in further solidifying Liverpool’s ability to shut out their opponents. It remains to be seen if replacing their entire midfield in one window will bring imbalance to a Liverpool side that exceed under Klopp last year.
Van Dijk • Almost anyone who watched Liverpool’s games pre the signing of Van Dijk, will see the drastic defensive improvement since the addition of the Dutchman.
• Quickly becoming a rock in the Reds backline, Van Dijk is an integral part of Liverpool’s defensive system.
• Whilst he individually might not always stand out stats wise, Van Dijk is a player who will bring all the players around him up a level.
• This may not be the best in terms of FPL, but definitely boosts the desirability of Liverpool commodities elsewhere.
• Somewhat underwhelming in the attacking department, Van Dijk had 0 attacking returns last season.
• In spite of this, the Dutchman has been known to be decent from a set piece, and can score a goal with his head.
• At the same price of £6.0 as Robertson, whilst he may have a greater chance of scoring, the more consistent attacking returns of Robertson make Van Dijk a less favourable pick, as long as both are nailed on as they should be.
xG 0.08 xA 0.06 (basically same in 2.5 seasons in Southampton)
Robertson • After a full summer off, Robertson should have the LB position nailed on for the Reds from the start.
• Known for his attacking returns, the Scotsman should rack up both a good number of assists and score the occasional goal fairly consistently.
• He scored 1 goal and got 5 assists last year.
• With fairly favourable opening fixtures, Robertson should be a solid pick, with a good chance of bonus points.
• Whilst many of the top teams defensive assets may be away due to the World Cup, Robertson could be the perfect shout for the premium defender slot, with both guaranteed minutes and a high chance of attacking threat from the outset.
• For now Robertson is the best pick from the Liverpool backline in my option and possibly even the £6.0 defender pool.
• When Alexander-Arnold returns to the Premier League after his World Cup run with England, he could prove the preferable option into the Reds defence at £1.0 less, until we see his return and consistent minutes, Robertson is the best pick for now.
Robertson xG 0.03 xA 0.22 Obviously his stats have massively improved since his move to Liverpool.
With a good set of opening fixtures and a side which will be looking to build upon the success of last seasons Premier and Champions League campaigns, Liverpool players should definitely be high up your priorities list. Nailed on in an offensive fullback role, with many of his opposition at the £6.0 price point missing out on the start of the season, Robertson goes down as one of my favourite picks for the premium defender bracket. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Manchester City Otamendi (£6.5) / Walker (£6.5) / Mendy (£6.0) Storming the league last year and becoming the first centurions in the Premier League era, a good chunk of Manchester City’s squad made it into their national teams for the World Cup. In fact only 7 of their players did not make it to the tournament and of the 16 that went, only two have embarked on the Citizens preseason US tour, those being Mendy and B. Silva. As we know, with Pep already known for his wheel of rotation and the World Cup adding further ambiguity around the City squad, it could be hard to find value in their players.
Otamendi · Otamendi played 34(1) games last year, so seems to be one of the few players who is mostly free of Pep’s rotation.
· Scoring 4 goals during the 17/18 season, the Argentinian is clearly a threat from a set piece, and his attacking potency helps to at least somewhat justify his £6.5 price tag.
· Whether or not he makes the start of the season or not, remains to be seen, as he hasn’t joined the Citizens preseason tour thus far, but with Argentina only making the last sixteen, his hopes are more probable than that of Walker, Stones or Kompany.
· Should he start the season, which we should get a better idea of as we move nearer the opening fixture, he is a good pick for what should be consistent point returns, with less insecurity comparative to some of his competition in Azpilicueta, Alonso, and Walker.
· However £6.5 is still a lot, especially considering, Manchester City could be quite hard hit from the World Cup, having to play a patchwork defence at least for the first few GWs.
xG 0.10 (0.04 in previous seasons) xA 0.04
Walker · With 6 assists last season, Walker also represents a decent attacking threat.
· 32 apps last season also proves Walker as one of the players less prone to rotation.
· Making the 3rdplace playoff with England means we could see a considerably late start to the Citizens campaign, as a result of 5 starts and 448 minutes played.
· With an xG90 of 0.02 and an xA90 of 0.16 he weighs up against Otamendi’s xG90 of 0.10 and xA90 of 0.04, take that as you will, but when choosing between the two, they are pretty similar. It’s a decision on whether you take the punt on Otamendi’s goals or Walker’s assists.
· It’s hard to see him being a great pick at the start, with a high chance of missing a good number of games, but as the season goes on, he’s probably going to become one of the better picks into Pep’s ever-changing team.
xG 0.02 xA 0.15 Similar numbers to spurs
Mendy · Coming in at £0.5 less than both Otamendi and Walker, Mendy offers an interesting route into the City defence.
· Only playing 7(3) games last season, largely due to a serious knee innjury, it is difficult to tell how great his attacking potential is, and whether he’ll garner consistent minutes in Pep’s team.
· Nonetheless, creating 9 goal scoring chances and having 5 shots on target in just the 361 minutes he played, he definitely shows promise.
· One of the few City players to head to Russia and travel with the Citizens to the US, Mendy’s chances of starting are pretty solid, at least in comparison to the other premium City defenders.
· With the Manchester City defence looking makeshift for the start of the season, if you entrust the City defence to still shut out their opponents, then Mendy should be a great pick.
xG 0.03 xA 0.24 (7 games), 0.17 Monaco (25 games), 0.1 Marseille (56 games)
City being one of the worst affected by the World Cup, could see them struggle defensively in the opening weeks. With Pep’s wheel of rotation, there are limited options for City clean sheets, coming in at £5.5, Ederson is probably the best bet for consistent minutes, and could be more worth while than all premium City defenders. At £6.0 Mendy could offer value if he nails down a spot for the sky blues, but with options such as Robertson with more attacking potential and guaranteed minutes, it’s hard to bring him into your starting squad before seeing some concrete evidence for him as a pick. At £6.5 both Walker and Otamendi have a fairly decent chance of attacking returns, with Walker almost definitely missing the start of Manchester City’s premier League campaign, it is probably best to hold off until a later stage. Otamendi will likely be a good pick if he starts from the outset, but with Valencia also at £6.5 it may be a better option to buy into a team whose sole purpose is to keep a clean sheet at times. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Manchester United Valencia (£6.5) / Smalling (£6.0) / Young (£6.0) A team renowned for their ability to shut out the opponent and their occasional park the bus tactic, Jose Mourinho’s teams are always defensively sound. With the most clean sheets (19) last season, a defensive asset from the Red Devils is sure to be a good pick. However they too are quite heavily impacted by the World Cup and also quite regularly rotate their squad, but still not to the same extent as their Mancunian counter parts. With the holding midfield signing of Fred we could see not only the freeing of Pogba to attack more, but a further solidity in United’s backline.
Valencia · Without summer commitments with Ecuador, Valencia should be ready to go from the outset for United.
· With not amazing, but respectable attacking returns of 3 goals and 1 assist last season, Valencia provides at least some danger in the final third.
· Most likely United’s most nailed on defender for now, the only other option for as many minutes would be De Gea, but at £6.0 he is not much cheaper, when alternative goalkeepers could represent better value.
· There is talk that Valencia could be phased out as the season progresses due to age.
· With the same points per game as Azpilicueta last year and without the insecurity surrounding Chelsea’s manager, Valencia could well be the best pick of the £6.5 going into the season, at least until Chelsea acquire some sense of stability.
(under Mou only) xG 0.05 xA 0.07
Smalling · With 29(1) apps last season, Mike Smalling appears to be one of the more nailed on options as United’s centre half.
· The possibility of defensive absences in Jones, Lindelof and even Lindelof or Matic should mean Smalling starts for at least the first few fixtures.
· This could mean a weaker defence for the Red Devils, but with relatively easy opening fixtures and Jose still being Jose, clean sheets are still on the cards.
· With 4 goals last season Smalling is definitely an option for your starting squad, especially if you plan on an early wildcard.
· At £0.5 less than Valencia, the Englishman is definitely a solid pick, especially with about the same chance of attacking returns, However without as much of an assurance of guaranteed minutes.
(under Mou only) xG 0.06 xA 0.02
Young · Another of my favourite picks at the £6.0 price point, the only thing edging it more in favour of Robertson is the fact that Young again will most likely miss the start of the season due to the World Cup.
· Coming off probably his best season with United last year, and with a reclassification to defender, Young could prove decent value at £6.0
· First choice in the long term, Young could be perfect to bring in when he returns to save an extra £0.5 if ou were to start your team with Valencia or one of the other £6.5s.
· Playing a fairly advanced role for the Red Devils and with 2 goals 6 assists last season, Young yields good attacking returns and may even be on some set pieces / direct freekicks.
· At £6.0 I think Young should be a great pick when he returns and will probably end up in my team, but we have to wait until he returns before considering him.
(under Mou only) xG 0.03 xA 0.14
With one of the strongest defenses in the league, a United defender or goalkeeper should definitely be a consideration for the first few weeks if not the whole season. Valencia is one of the best picks out of a very limited £6.5 bracket, but will most likely be usurped by either Azpilicueta or one of the City defenders during the season. For £6.0 Young hopefully will represent great value once he returns, but for now I prefer Robertson due to his nailed on position and great attacking return potential. The same could be said for Smalling, although he could be a good option, especially at the start, Robertson is still my preferred pick for the same price. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tottenham Vertonghen (£6.0)/ Sanchez (£6.0)/ Davies (£6.0)/ Trippier (£6.0) It appears the people in charge of pricing the players got a bit lazy when pricing the Spurs defenders, all valued at £6.0 bar poor old Walker-Peters. All jokes aside Spurs are another team that will be greatly affected by the World Cup almost as much if not more than the Citizens. With a large number of their 12 participants making the late stages of the World Cup, especially with key deficiencies in defence, we could see Pochettino’s side struggle early on, especially with harder fixtures to start of than most of the other top 6 sides.
Davies · We know that Pochettino loves a good rotation of his fullbacks and whilst that might not be a problem early on for Davies, with Rose most likely out due to the World Cup, it is definitely something to consider.
· With 2 goals and 7 assists last year, Davies has a very prominent offensive aspect to his game and yields good attacking returns.
· With a high chance of rotation throughout the season, I would only consider Davies if we see a long-term injury to Rose.
xG 0.04 xA 0.14
Trippier · With the same amount of assists but 0 goals last season, Trippier also presents a good chance of attacking returns.
· After a good World Cup campaign with England, arguably one of their players of the tournament, we have seen his ability to whip in a deadly cross, owever this also means he will likely miss the start of the season.
· Consequently if I were to pick one of Trippier or Davies for the start of the season, Davies would be my pick, don’t let the Englishman’s 24.3% ownership (as of time of writing) fool you.
· Without repeating too much of what I said about Davies, Trippier will also likely get rotated a lot during the season with Aurier, so probably best to avoid.
xG 0.02 xA 0.20 (0.44 in 16/17 but very small sample size)
Vertonghen · Spurs player of the season last year, Vertonghen should be 100% nailed on.
· Despite not having a good chance of attacking returns, at all really, he has a good chance of BPS and his guaranteed minutes make up for this.
· After a deep World Cup run with 6 starts and 540 minutes played, it is safe to say the Belgian will miss a fair amount of Spurs opening Premier League fixtures.
· When he returns he is my pick into the Spurs defence and could prove a main stay all season given no injury troubles.
xG 0.02 xA 0.03
Sanchez · Without repeating too much of Vertonghen’s segment, Sanchez shares similar worries about returning in time for the start of the season, however with Colombia only making the last 16 he should be back before the Belgian.
· With very little to offer in attacking threat, his main advantage is his play time, once he returns.
· But at the same price as Vertonghen, it is hard to make a case for Sanchez over his centre back partner, who is more nailed on.
· There is still very much a chance he makes Tottenham’s opening fixture, in which case it is probably a toss up between him and Davies for the best short term Spurs defender, but in the long term Vertonghen takes the cake.
xG 0.02 xA 0.00
It would probably be advisable to avoid all Spurs assets bar maybe Eriksen for a good number of weeks. If you were dead set on a Spurs defender for your starting team, Davies offers more in terms of attacking potential, but will eventually be rotated, whereas Sanchez will likely keep his place throughout the season, but offers little in the final third. Given their fixtures I’m not sure why you’d want one anyway. In the long term Vertonghen will be a good pick once he returns and will be an excellent way into a traditionally strong Spurs defence. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Summary: At the £6.5 price point with few options, my preferred pick going into the season would be Antonio Valencia. One of, if not the strongest backlines in the Premier League, United will keep a lot of clean sheets and the Ecuadorian will pick up the odd attacking return. However be wary of Dalot who could be gunning for Valencia’s position as the season progresses. After a couple weeks / months we could see either Azpilicueta or one of Otamendi / Walker become a more favourable option, but with ambiguity shrouding the Chelsea team at the moment and a small chance of rotation in the City defence, I prefer Valencia for now. At £6.0 Robertson is by far the best pick in my opinion. A Liverpool team looking to build upon the success of last season, he is a great way into their defence. Nailed on and with a great cross on him, he is bound to get attacking returns. At £6.0 I would probably take him over any £6.5 option anyway. Other players to watch at the £6.0 price point would be Mendy, Young and Vertonghen, but with at least both Young and Vertonghen looking likely to miss the start of the season they aren’t picks for your starting squad. A chance of Mendy making the start of the season makes him a more enticing option, but with the City defence looking more heavily impacted than that of the Reds, Mendy is definitely the riskier choice, as well as the lack of minutes we have actually seen the Frenchman play. Let me know whether you would like to see similar pieces done on the various price points for midfielders and attackers, I’m definitely considering it given all the support I’ve been receiving, but I just want a better idea if people still want it, Thanks!
edit: thanks to
u/icelandichorsey for compiling all xG and xA stats
The take aways being,
- Alonso and Moses are standout beasts who're good at both xG and xA
- high goalscoring threats are Ota, VVD, Smalling and Rüdiger
- Wingback assist threats are Mendy, Robertson, Walker, Young
So, I was getting through post-meals with family where it would be frowned upon if I was playing FM, but acceptable if I was checking stuff on the phone once in a while... I decided to look up how my players in FM15 are doing IRL, and I thought it would be cool to post my findings.
Context of my save: I'm playing FM15, managing Plymouth AND Wycombe from Sky Bet 2 to Premier League. I editted both teams to have Sugar Daddies owners, so it was a very fast climb to Premier League. My 5th season Plymouth won Premier League and Euro Cup. First year on ECL coming up.
GKs:
Marcus Bettinelli: IRL - Still at Fulham, current England international, valued ~4M€ MySave - Bought from Fulham on second season for 300k, currently valued 17M€, was recently called up to England NT but never played.
Paul Nardi: IRL - Still at Monaco, loaned to Cercle Brugge, valued ~2M€. MySave - Bought last season from Monaco for 3.4M€, currently valued 6.5M€, rotates 1/3 of games with Bettinelli.
Daniel Bentley: IRL - Free transfer to Brentford, currently in Sky Bet Champ, valued ~1.5M€. MySave - Bought for 2.2M€ on my first year. Sold him when I was promoted to Premier League to Swansea, for 15M€. Next season I stayed up, they were demoted.
DRs:
Andre Wisdom: IRL - Sold for 2.3M€ to Derby County in Sky Champ, valued ~2.5M€. MySave - Bought from Liverpool for 2.9M€ when I was killin it at Sky Champ. Current Eng NT international, valued 17M€.
William Kvist: IRL - Free transfer back to Kobenhaven, valued ~400k€. MySave - Bought from Wigan when I got promoted to Sky Champ for 375k€, valued 200k€, merely a tutor, captain, and a rotation for cup and easy games. Now at 34yrs old feels he needs to leave for first team soccer -_-'.
DLs:
Chris Solly: IRL - Still at Charlton, valued ~500k€. (wow that was a shocker!) MySave - Stoke bought him from Charlton for 4.8M€, I bought him for 5.25M€ from them when I joined Premier. Been plagued with injuries, still valued 7M€.
Rubén Duarte: IRL - Bought by Alavés for 400k€, currently valued ~4M€. MySave - Bought him from Espanyol for 1.9M€ when I was killin it at Sky Champ. Currently worth 7.25M€, dealing with maddening inconsistency. Almost sold him to Tottenham for 15M€ this offseason, but decided to develop him for one last year.
Bryan Oviedo: IRL - Sold to Sunderland for 2M€, currently valued ~2M€. MySave - Got him in Free Agency when I got up to Sky Champ, he was amazingly good, and when I got promotion, bunch of teams sniped him for his 15M€ release clause. He refused to discuss a new contract with Plymouth, so I also tried to snatch him with Wycombe and he ended up joining there, still one of the highest paid there, still killing it in Premier League, still haven't been able to replace him. Current value 11M€.
DCs:
Curtis Nelson: IRL - Free agent to Oxford United, valued ~250k€. MySave - Being the best Club HomeGrown player I had, I invested all I could in developing him. He is an absolute rock in my defense, the absolute King of "Key Passes" category every year, selected English Player of the Year among other prizes last season, already a club legend (both him and me) and just completed 5 games at Eng NT. Valued 14M€. Won't ever sell him, love this guy.
Jack Hobbs: IRL - Free Agent to Bolton, valued ~350k€. (another shocker!) MySave - Bought for 11M€ from Notthingham Forest during Sky Champ to start preparing to all the demands of Premier League. Has been pretty good, but now wants 400k€ a month and his friends in the team have an opinion on it too. Seriously considering selling him. Valued 15M€.
Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa: IRL - Lyon bought him for 9.4M€, valued ~2M€. MySave - Bought him from Roma for 3.5M€, average but dependable, tackles too hard every game, currently wants to join Real Madrid because they are a bigger club, might get what he wants. Currently valued 11M€.
Lloyd Jones: IRL - Free (?) to Luton in Sky Bet 1, valued ~100k€. MySave - Bought him from Liverpool for 950k€, because I need Club HomeGrown players. Can't trust him, constantly underproduces. Valued 1.3M€.
MRs:
Federico Cartabia: IRL - Free agent to Deportivo, valued ~2M€. MySave - Atlético Madrid bought him for 7.5M€, I bought him from Atlético for 3.5M€. Has been a beast as a winger, 12 goals, 23 assists in Premier League last season. Currently valued 27M€.
Nathan Redmond: IRL - Bought by Southampton for 13.5M, valued ~18M€. MySave - Just bought him from Norwich this offseason for 13.5M, to prepare for ECL. Excited to test him out. Valued 16M€.
Thorgan Hazard: IRL - Sold to BMG for 8M€, currently valued ~38M€. MySave - Got him cheap from Chelsea for 1.8M€, while I was still in Sky Champ. Almost lost him to release clause of 25M€, but was able to renegotiate the contract, problem is, he still has Match Highest earner clause and now nobody wants him. Still a decent rotation player, valued 18M€.
MLs:
Denis Cheryshev: IRL - Bought by Villarreal for 7M€, currently on loan at Valencia. Still valued ~7M€. MySave - Napoli bought him for 3.6M€, then BayernM bought him for 8.3M€, then I bought him for 5M€. He has been an absolute beast as a Left Winger. Nobody can't stop this man. Man city came asking for him, I negotiated a 65M€ sale, but ended up cancelling last minute, just can't let go of him when Im about to fight in ECL. Valued 27M€.
Ryan Fraser: IRL - Still at Bournemouth, valued ~15M€. MySave - Bought him for 475k€ from Bournemouth, after I got him on loan 2 years in a row. Average Winger, gets the work done. Valued 9M€.
MCs:
Martin Odegaard: IRL - Still at Real Madrid, currently on loan at Vitesse, valued ~4M€. MySave - Still on loan for 2nd year in a row, Real Madrid won't accept anything below 56M€ clause... I might just pay it... Valued 11M€.
John Obi Mikel: IRL - Free Agent to chinese team, currently a FA since few days ago! Valued ~3.5M€. MySave - Got him as a Free Agent to get team ready for Premier League. Solid player, helps a lot as a ball winning midfielder in hard games. Grossly overpaid. Valued 7M€.
Victor Camarasa: IRL - Sold for 7M€ to Betis. Currently loaned to Cardiff. Valued ~6M. MySave - Bought him for 4.5M€ from Levante for Sky Champ campaign. Has been a very dependable MC. Drew interest from Real Madrid last season, currently trying to sell him to Barcelona for 40M€. Valued 18M€.
Paul Anton: IRL - Sold to Anzhi for 400k. Valued ~1.5M€. MySave - Got him as a Free Agent when I reached Premier League. Dependable MC. Valued 15M€.
Strikers:
Zach Clough: IRL - Bought by Nottm Forest for 3M€. Valued ~2.5M€. MySave - Bought from Bolton for 8.5M€ while I was killin it at Sky 1 and has been top goalscorer ever since. Dude's a beast and Man City keeps hovering to buy him but I'll never sell. Already the English National Team Star. Valued 29M€.
Luka Jovic: IRL - After disappointing massively at Benfica (my fave club IRL), he is finally playing to his potential in Bundesliga. Frankfurt is going to pay 12M to buy him, and he is valued at ~40M€. MySave - Bought him from Sassuolo for 17.5M€ while he was killin it at Serie B. Has been Robin to Clough's Batman. Valued 30M€.
(Edited to try to make it more organized with text in bold, and actual line changes. Long time lurker, first time poster here :s)
submitted by So, I was getting through post-dinners with family where it would be frowned upon if I was playing FM, but acceptable if I was checking stuff on the phone once in a while... I decided to look up how my players in FM15 are doing IRL, and I thought it would be cool to post my findings.
Context of my save: I'm playing FM15, managing Plymouth AND Wycombe from Sky Bet 2 to Premier League. I editted both teams to have Sugar Daddies owners, so it was a very fast climb to Premier League. My 5th season Plymouth won Premier League and Euro Cup. First year on ECL coming up.
GKs:
Marcus Bettinelli: IRL - Still at Fulham, current England international, valued ~4M€ MySave - Bought from Fulham on second season for 300k, currently valued 17M€, was recently called up to England NT but never played.
Paul Nardi: IRL - Still at Monaco, loaned to Cercle Brugge, valued ~2M€. MySave - Bought last season from Monaco for 3.4M€, currently valued 6.5M€, rotates 1/3 of games with Bettinelli.
Daniel Bentley: IRL - Free transfer to Brentford, currently in Sky Bet Champ, valued ~1.5M€. MySave - Bought for 2.2M€ on my first year. Sold him when I was promoted to Premier League to Swansea, for 15M€. Next season I stayed up, they were demoted.
DRs:
Andre Wisdom: IRL - Sold for 2.3M€ to Derby County in Sky Champ, valued ~2.5M€. MySave - Bought from Liverpool for 2.9M€ when I was killin it at Sky Champ. Current Eng NT international, valued 17M€.
William Kvist: IRL - Free transfer back to Kobenhaven, valued ~400k€. MySave - Bought from Wigan when I got promoted to Sky Champ for 375k€, valued 200k€, merely a tutor, captain, and a rotation for cup and easy games. Now at 34yrs old feels he needs to leave for first team soccer -_-'.
DLs:
Chris Solly: IRL - Still at Charlton, valued ~500k€. (wow that was a shocker!) MySave - Stoke bought him from Charlton for 4.8M€, I bought him for 5.25M€ from them when I joined Premier. Been plagued with injuries, still valued 7M€.
Rubén Duarte: IRL - Bought by Alavés for 400k€, currently valued ~4M€. MySave - Bought him from Espanyol for 1.9M€ when I was killin it at Sky Champ. Currently worth 7.25M€, dealing with maddening inconsistency. Almost sold him to Tottenham for 15M€ this offseason, but decided to develop him for one last year.
Bryan Oviedo: IRL - Sold to Sunderland for 2M€, currently valued ~2M€. MySave - Got him in Free Agency when I got up to Sky Champ, he was amazingly good, and when I got promotion, bunch of teams sniped him for his 15M€ release clause. He refused to discuss a new contract with Plymouth, so I also tried to snatch him with Wycombe and he ended up joining there, still one of the highest paid there, still killing it in Premier League, still haven't been able to replace him. Current value 11M€.
DCs:
Curtis Nelson: IRL - Free agent to Oxford United, valued ~250k€. MySave - Being the best Club HomeGrown player I had, I invested all I could in developing him. He is an absolute rock in my defense, the absolute King of "Key Passes" category every year, selected English Player of the Year among other prizes last season, already a club legend (both him and me) and just completed 5 games at Eng NT. Valued 14M€. Won't ever sell him, love this guy.
Jack Hobbs: IRL - Free Agent to Bolton, valued ~350k€. (another shocker!) MySave - Bought for 11M€ from Notthingham Forest during Sky Champ to start preparing to all the demands of Premier League. Has been pretty good, but now wants 400k€ a month and his friends in the team have an opinion on it too. Seriously considering selling him. Valued 15M€.
Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa: IRL - Lyon bought him for 9.4M€, valued ~2M€. MySave - Bought him from Roma for 3.5M€, average but dependable, tackles too hard every game, currently wants to join Real Madrid because they are a bigger club, might get what he wants. Currently valued 11M€.
Lloyd Jones: IRL - Free (?) to Luton in Sky Bet 1, valued ~100k€. MySave - Bought him from Liverpool for 950k€, because I need Club HomeGrown players. Can't trust him, constantly underproduces. Valued 1.3M€.
MRs:
Federico Cartabia: IRL - Free agent to Deportivo, valued ~2M€. MySave - Atlético Madrid bought him for 7.5M€, I bought him from Atlético for 3.5M€. Has been a beast as a winger, 12 goals, 23 assists in Premier League last season. Currently valued 27M€.
Nathan Redmond: IRL - Bought by Southampton for 13.5M, valued ~18M€. MySave - Just bought him from Norwich this offseason for 13.5M, to prepare for ECL. Excited to test him out. Valued 16M€.
Thorgan Hazard: IRL - Sold to BMG for 8M€, currently valued ~38M€. MySave - Got him cheap from Chelsea for 1.8M€, while I was still in Sky Champ. Almost lost him to release clause of 25M€, but was able to renegotiate the contract, problem is, he still has Match Highest earner clause and now nobody wants him. Still a decent rotation player, valued 18M€.
MLs:
Denis Cheryshev: IRL - Bought by Villarreal for 7M€, currently on loan at Valencia. Still valued ~7M€. MySave - Napoli bought him for 3.6M€, then BayernM bought him for 8.3M€, then I bought him for 5M€. He has been an absolute beast as a Left Winger. Nobody can't stop this man. Man city came asking for him, I negotiated a 65M€ sale, but ended up cancelling last minute, just can't let go of him when Im about to fight in ECL. Valued 27M€.
Ryan Fraser: IRL - Still at Bournemouth, valued ~15M€. MySave - Bought him for 475k€ from Bournemouth, after I got him on loan 2 years in a row. Average Winger, gets the work done. Valued 9M€.
MCs:
Martin Odegaard: IRL - Still at Real Madrid, currently on loan at Vitesse, valued ~4M€. MySave - Still on loan for 2nd year in a row, Real Madrid won't accept anything below 56M€ clause... I might just pay it... Valued 11M€.
John Obi Mikel: IRL - Free Agent to chinese team, currently a FA since few days ago! Valued ~3.5M€. MySave - Got him as a Free Agent to get team ready for Premier League. Solid player, helps a lot as a ball winning midfielder in hard games. Grossly overpaid. Valued 7M€.
Victor Camarasa: IRL - Sold for 7M€ to Betis. Currently loaned to Cardiff. Valued ~6M. MySave - Bought him for 4.5M€ from Levante for Sky Champ campaign. Has been a very dependable MC. Drew interest from Real Madrid last season, currently trying to sell him to Barcelona for 40M€. Valued 18M€.
Paul Anton: IRL - Sold to Anzhi for 400k. Valued ~1.5M€. MySave - Got him as a Free Agent when I reached Premier League. Dependable MC. Valued 15M€.
Strikers:
Zach Clough: IRL - Bought by Nottm Forest for 3M€. Valued ~2.5M€. MySave - Bought from Bolton for 8.5M€ while I was killin it at Sky 1 and has been top goalscorer ever since. Dude's a beast and Man City keeps hovering to buy him but I'll never sell. Already the English National Team Star. Valued 29M€.
Luka Jovic: IRL - After disappointing massively at Benfica (my fave club IRL), he is finally playing to his potential in Bundesliga. Frankfurt is going to pay 12M to buy him, and he is valued at ~40M€. MySave - Bought him from Sassuolo for 17.5M€ while he was killin it at Serie B. Has been Robin to Clough's Batman. Valued 30M€.
submitted by 2pts e.w. Freddie Ladapo to be the top goalscorer in Sky Bet League One at 25/1 1pt e.w. Matt Warburton to finish as top goalscorer in Sky Bet League Two at 80/1 Hot Topics 27th January 2021 2021 Dubai Desert Classic Golf – Tournament Outright Tips and Betting Preview; 27th January 2021 2020-21 Sky Bet Championship – Wednesday 27th January Matches Tips and Betting Preview; 27th January 2021 2020-21 Premier League – Wednesday 27th January Matches Tips, TV and Betting Preview; 27th January 2021 2021 German Masters Snooker – Day 1 Tips and ... Sky Bet League One predictions, tips & odds. View all our latest predictions and betting tips for Sky Bet League One - build your acca or grab a single betting tip - and get odds comparison for all major betting markets on each and every fixture. Latest table for Sky Bet League One. Key. Positions: Promotion 1,2. Play-offs 3,4,5,6. Relegation 21,22,23,24. League 1 - Top Goalscorer Betting Odds. Get the best available League 1 odds from all online bookmakers with Oddschecker, the home of betting value. Sky Bet League One 19/20 Nav. Competition phase. League table. Home league table. Away league table. Latest results. Goals. Player standing - Overall. Top goal scorers. Most assists. Top Strikers. Players goals by month. Goal scorers method (players) Goal scorers type of play (teams) Goal scorers type of play (players) Goal scorers distance ... Premier League top scorers 2019/20. Sky Sports Racing Selector. Select 7 winners for your chance to win £1,000 Sky Bet League One 19/20 Nav. Competition phase. League table. Home league table. Away league table. Latest results. Goals. Player standing - Overall. Top goal scorers. Most assists. Top Strikers. Players goals by month. Goal scorers method (players) Goal scorers type of play (teams) Goal scorers type of play (players) Goal scorers distance ... SkyBet League 1 2018/2019; Premier League 2018/2019; Sky Bet Championship 2019/20; World Cup 2018; Premier League 2017/2018; ... 2020-21 Sky Bet Championship – Tuesday 26th January Matches Tips and Betting Preview; ... Search for: Home Top Goalscorer Top Goalscorer. Football ... League 1 betting on the third tier of English football. View all match odds, plus outrights including league winner. Bet using free bet offers
