Dennis Moberg's XEFA Championship Update

Alright, here we go with the 2nd update. Today we're taking a look at the Championship.

Contents

1. Standings
2. 10 Quick Questions
3. Team Stats
4. Tactics Corner
5. Player Stats
6. The Interview

1. STANDINGS

Current Top 3:
1. Relegation Fodder - 61 Games, 34 GD, 120 Points
2. Whitstable Galaxy - 59 Games, 33 GD, 109 Points
3. FC Cornelius - 56 Games, 31 GD, 109 Points

Projected Top 3:
1. Relegation Fodder - Projected 149 Points
2. FC Cornelius - Projected 147 Points
3. Whitstable Galaxy - Projected 140 Points

Current Bottom 4:
17. Tricky Trees FC - 57 Games, -20 GD, 67 Points
18. Killer Saints - 60 Games, -13 GD, 65 Points
19. Adrian Monk FC - 57 Games, -37 GD, 51 Points
20. Kavchester City - 57 Games, -55 GD, 25 Points

Projected Bottom 4:
17. Alchoholics - Projected 87 Points
18. Killer Saints - Projected 82 Points
19. Adrian Monk FC - Projected 68 Points
20. Kavchester City - Projected 25 Points

2. 10 QUICK QUESTIONS

..with Amjad 'The Flash' Parkar, manager of Made in Beverley Drive. Famous for losing big to me back in Season 1, and now runs the Cloughite together with Dave - "Clough's only tabloid news paper".

* Snow or Sand?
- snow

* Premiership or Championship?
- champ

* Coffee or Beer?
- none

* Youth or Experience?
- youth

* Tabloid Newspapers or Normal Newspapers?
- normal

* Stadium or New Signings?
- new signings

* Watching a movie or Reading a book?
- movie

* Winning all games vs. me in the Champs or Losing all games vs. me and winning every other game in the Champs?
- the first one

* Sleeping or Being Awake?
- being awake

* XEFA or Shaun?
- XEFA (after answering Shaun but changing his mind )

3. TEAM STATS

Top 3 Most Goals Scored:
1. Whitstable Galaxy - 59 Games/109
2. Relegation Fodder - 61 Games/109
3. Huish FC - 63 Games/101

Most Dribbles per Game:
Falmer BHA - 27.19%/Game

Most Yellow Cards:
Kop fc - 59 Games/128

Most Penalties Recieved:
Made in Beverley Drive - 8

Top 3 Most Corner Goals:
1. Kop fc - 59 Games/34
2. Whitstable Galaxy - 59 Games/30
3. Ann Arbor Arsenal - 61 Games/30

Most Goals from Indirect Free Kicks:
Whitstable Galaxy - 15

Most Goals from Direct Free Kicks:
Alchoholics - 6

Most Fouls Against:
Alchoholics - 871

Top 3 Team Avarage Rating:
1. FC Cornelius - 56 Games/6.99
2. Kop fc - 59 Games/6.92
3. Ann Arbor United - 60 Games/6.92

4. TACTICS CORNER

..with Dave "Cloughite" Parker, manager of Relegation Fodder, one of the wealthiest teams in the world. This has shown this season when they are on the course to playing Premiership football for the first time in their history.

What is your tactical philosophy in FML?
I value a a strong midfield over all else, I play thee central midfielders that most would consider defensive, but I think they're pretty complete players and can contribute as much going forward as defensively despite being labelled "DM". I rely on the full backs to provide support to a front 3, even though it can leave me short at the back I like to see goals. I'm happy to concede 4 as long as we score 5 ourselves.

When you make your tactic, do you design it after what you have at your disposal or do you like to decide on a tactic and then try and fill it with what you got?
I have a tactic in mind from the start and aim to sign players that fit my overall goal -- it's a rarity that I'll sign a player with low technique and/or passing anywhere on the pitch -- even at CB I look for players with high attributes in technique and passing. Occasionally a player does come along that I'll modify my system for slightly though, but I've seen the results of picking indivuals over forming a team from suffering through the last 6 years of supporting England

How do you go about setting up set pieces? A topic that always is hot is the one of the "corner exploit" - are you an "abuser" of this and what is your general tought on the subject?
I get my fair share from corners. I have 1 man attacking the far post, 1 the near post and the big CB challenging the keeper. I keep plenty back to prevent counter attacks and keep most of the midfield outside to area to pick up any lose ball to keep the pressure on even if the opponents do clear the initial corner.

As far as the corner exploit itself goes -- I've wanted it fixed since back in beta, it's far too often that goals are scored from corners in my opinion. But it's part of the game at the moment and as frustrating as it is seeing 2 out of 3 goals come from a corner it's in the game and I feel I've got no choice but to use it without handicapping myself.

For freekicks I rely on the brillaince of Edimar Teixeira ... no instructions needed

How do you think when setting up the Closing Down in your tactics? Do you let your strikers push hard, and then let the slider fall a little for every part of the team? Or do you do it differently?
My midfield three are charged with closing down the opposition, the three forwards have a free role pretty much with very little, if any, defensive responsabilities. The back 4 are all set to "normal" still, but tbh that's more because I can't decide what to do with them rather than any tactical insight into it's effectiveness. When they close down the get dragged out of position too early and when I tred setting them to rarely close down I think they took it a little too literally and ended up escorting the opposition into the 6 yard box more than anything

What are your best tips for tactical beginners that would like to be as succesful as you?
Aim higher :) Erm ... don't mess with things too much I guess would be the biggest tip. I found that keeping the tactical sliders between 25% and 75% worked best for me -- at the extremes the effects seemed to have more negative impact than positive.

Alright, thanks for your time Dave and good luck with winning the Championship - Cheers, no thanks to that 3-1 reverse earlier -- I'll be expecting a similar score when you face FC Cornelius tomorrow

5. PLAYER STATS

Top 3 Most Goals Scored:
1. Oscar Cardozo - 56 Games/46
2. Giampaolo Pazzini - 61 Games/40
3. Itamar - 62 Games/30

Most Penalty Goals:
Sejad Salihovic - 7

Most Dribbles per Game:
Sean Franklin - 8.91

Most Clean Sheets:
Gábor Németh - 20
Justo Villar - 20

Most Assists:
Wágner - 57 Games/35

Top 3 Most Man of the Match:
1. Oscar Cardozo - 56 Games/12
2. Fabricio Coloccini - 57 Games/11
3. Giampaolo Pazzini - 61 Games/11

Most Fouls Committed:
Rafal Kosznik - 143

Most Offsides:
Roberto Soldado - 151

Top 3 Highest Avarage Rating:
1. Wágner - 57 Games/7.36
2. Oscar Cardozo - 56 Games/7.29
3. Wilson Palacios - 58 Games/7.27

6. THE INTERVIEW

..with Daniel (El Niño) Sammut, manager of Kop fc. A lot has changed since last season, and that certainly merits an interview with the old Relegation King of the XEFA?

Hello again Dan. A lot has happened since last season - back then we were both in the relegation battle, next season we might both be in the Prem. In your case, what has happened?
Well not much has happend i discovered a new formation in late stages of last seasin wich saved me from relegation (yup i needed to win to be safe not like someone ) and have say too that wagner decided he want to have his best season so pretty much owe this to him being gr8

Yes, Wagner has been great this season, in many ways. Best avarage rating in the Champs, as well as most assists... And you're playing in the same league as guys like Pazzini and Cardozo. How important is he to you?
He's my gerrard he can turn games in 10 mins hes defenitly never leaving the club


You've recieved the most Yellow Cards in the Champs this season so far - have your team toughened up a bit?
Think it was like that even last season no ? well i try to stop that but with no success honestly think that divers are the problem not my defenders

So you're not using any Hard Tackling then?
Nah its set to normal i got enough problems like this imagine hard tackles would double the fouls

What are you hoping for now? Think you got what it takes to secure a top 3 spot?
I want 3rd place wont be easy tho was aiming higher before i lost a couple of games and some draws now ill be happy with 3rd place

Alright the newsletter is running out of space, do you have any last comments for our readers?
No, thats ur job mate lol