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WC2014 Portugal Preview

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Portugal have produced many of greats in its time. Eusebio, Paulo Furte, Luis Figo and of course a world star of this generation, Cristiano Ronaldo. Some of the football witnessed by its fans has been incredible, and they have earned the tag of ‘The Brazilians of Football’. On paper the team now still looks great, but there are lingering problems which plague this Portuguese team. They will know be looking to put past disappointment behind them as they head to the World Cup in Brazil, the true home of football.

Portugal have been handed a tough draw in Group C alongside Germany, USA and Ghana. Nonetheless, Portuguese fans will be hoping that their players can finally live up to expectation and have a good run in the tournament. As I said if the Portugal players turn up and perform to their best then it may finally be the time where these talented players find glory after being regarded as a threat for so long.

World Cup History


Despite Portugal featuring many top players and fielding some very talented line ups in the past their honours list is pretty abysmal. Their senior side has failed to ever win a major competition, however they did finish in 3rd place in the 1966 World Cup as well as being the runner up in the 2004 European Championship. Will this be Portugal’s year to finally bring home the World Cup?

Key Players



Arguably the best player in the world today, Real Madrid’s No.7 Cristiano Ronaldo has been nothing short of extraordinary over the last few years. Again he was in fantastic form in the season just gone by, helping his club lift the Champions League and personally winning the 2013 FIFA Ballon D’or. No side is a one-man team, but Portugal, at times, do a pretty good impression of one with Ronaldo being the centre of everything. He is in his prime and although never quite making much of an impact in the World Cup so far, this could be his time to shine on the international stage. He is vital to any possible Portugal success.



Another Real Madrid man who will be key to Portugal’s plans in the upcoming World Cup is experienced central defender Pepe. At 30 years old, Pepe is still in great shape and when on form can be a very tough player to get past. Although his discipline problems are a bit of a problem if he can stay on the pitch he will be a huge asset with his top quality defensive attributes. Pepe can be the rock at the bock and provide a very solid backbone to the Portugal side for the competition.



Every national team needs balance across their side, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe alongside them is AS Monaco’s midfield talent Joao Moutinho. Moutinho is of the perfect age, 27 years old, and is a real creative force in this team. He will be expected to provide Cristiano Ronaldo with the ball on a constant basis as well as forge other moves with his great technical ability and passing. Not just that but Moutinho is a ‘workaholic’ making him the complete midfield player, and adding a lot to the Portuguese starting 11.

Ones to watch



Although he may be relatively unknown and his stats on Football Manager show limited current ability, Braga’s young 20 year old attacking midfielder Rafa Silva is certainly one to watch in the Portugal team and could be a real hot prospect for the future. It is most likely that he won’t start and instead will be utilized as an impact player from the bench which could be very effective. For Braga he has had an impressive season but even if he doesn’t stand out at this World Cup, expect him to be an important part of the future.



Another player to keep an eye out for is 22 year old prodigy, who plays his trade at Sporting Lisbon, William Carvalho. He is, no question about it, Portugal’s next big thing and is already being monitored by Europe’s top clubs. Carvalho is intelligent with and without the ball, capable of covering for his defence without making too many fouls, rarely loses possession and physically is very strong and quick too. He is a complete player and is still young so still has his best days in front of him. He will slot into the Portuguese team perfectly and if he can hit his best, will be one to watch most definitely in this World Cup.

The Manager


Leading his home country to Brazil is 44 year old Paulo Bento . He has been in charge of Portugal since 2010 and led the national team to the European Championship Semi Finals in 2012 meaning he already has experience in managing Selecção at a major tournament. His man management skills are very effective and he will be looking to get the most out of his players in order to achieve success in the World Cup.

Players ruled out due to injury

Unfortunately for Portugal, key man Cristiano Ronaldo is an injury doubt with the World Cup not long away now. He is of course part of the squad and is back in training now but is battling to be fit for the competition. If he doesn’t make it, this will obviously be a massive, massive blow and severely ruin their World Cup hopes. Early signs suggest that he should be OK though. In terms of players definitely ruled out, there are not any too significant players missing so now it will all rely on whether CR7 will be fit in time.

Prediction

In terms of the media prediction, it is widely agreed that Portugal will progress from their group although it won’t be easy and many are predicting that they will finish in 2nd spot. As for the knockout stage, Portugal are seen as a quarter final team but with Ronaldo in their side, he could single handily push them further.

I honestly agree with the media’s prediction, in saying that they will progress from their group albeit not easily and finish second place. Lapses in concentration and inconsistency throughout the team has been their major weakness of late but if Ronaldo performs well, who knows how they will do in the knockout stage? They could go reasonably far, but in the end I think it will be too much of a job completely piled on one man and they will make the Semi Finals at most. More realistically, will be knocked out in the quarter finals.



WC2014 Chile Preview

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Chile are one of the most underrated nations leading into this year's FIFA World Cup. A team for the neutrals, Chile have gained plaudits for their fast paced attacking football and could potentially cause an upset come the group stages.

The footballing gods have not been kind to Chile - placing them in Group B, alongside the two finalists Spain and Holland as well as Australia. While it looks incredibly tough on paper, Chile could spring a surprise and maybe sneak into the next round.

World Cup History


Chile have never won the World Cup before and have never really tasted success in many competition. Their trophy cabinet is pretty bare.

Key Players



While Chile have a well rounded squad, their star is undoubtedly midfielder Arturo Vidal. Vidal's versatility cannot be underestimated and if the 27-year old can replicate his stellar form at club level on to the international stage then Chile will have a much greater chance.



Another key player in Chile's ranks, Barcelona forward/winger Alexis Sanchez will want to show the world what he's truly capable of after having his playing time somewhat decreased due to competition at his club. Sanchez's pace, dribbling and finishing are all top class and Chile are counting on the 25-year old to deliver.



Somewhat of a veteran, the 30-year old goalkeeper Claudio Bravo will play a pivotal role between the sticks and look to nullify some quality opposition, including the likes of Manchester United forward Robin van Persie. If Bravo is up to standard, the Chilean defence won't have to sweat.

Ones To Watch



Napoli youngster Eduardo Vargas will look to impress on the big stage at the World Cup. The striker, who can also play on the wings, is a natural finisher with great acceleration and pace. Vargas will want to show his nation he has what it takes to merit a place on the squad.

The Manager


Jorge Sampaoli is labelled as a Bielsa "disciple" because of his love for quick, flowing attacking football. His team plays energetic football and they can out run opponents on most days. The Argentine had great success at club level with Universidad de Chile, but now he'll want to go one better with Chile.

Prediction

Chile are a top quality side and that was demonstrated in their friendly victory over England. Their defence could be an issue but their midfield and attack is quite formidable. They haven't been handed a kind draw at all, but are largely underrated considering they've been in the top 15 of FIFA rankings for two years now. If they can beat Holland and Australia, they might just get through, but it's hard to call.


WC2014 Bosnia & Herzegovina Preview

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Bosnia and Herzegovina is a small country population 3.9 million, and a relatively new player to the competitive scene, prior to their beginning was being part of Yugoslavia’s team. Before the state becoming a republic in 1992, and what the country is eventually today in 1995. In the footballing world they acquired FIFA registration in 1996, and UEFA registration soon followed in 1998.

In group F they have to continue the world cup tradition of keeping Messi, and an aging but dangerous Argentina squad quiet, alongside a fairly good Iran under Carlos Queiroz, and Nigeria who seem to qualify for most world cups of late, who have well... Shola Ameobi... let’s move on.

World Cup History

With only registering and being allowed to compete in qualifying after the UEFA registration in 1998 in mind: Bosnia and Herzegovina have only got to the playoff stage of world cup qualifying prior to this tournament, so this is uncharted territory. Especially considering that this team has not played in a Euro competition either. Making them an unknown factor in regards to the format of an international centrepiece, raising question marks over their capability to perform on the world stage.

Key Players

So Bosnia and Herzegovina do not have a star studded team, but they do have a few gems, which could cause problems for those in group F:

Edin Dzeko


Possibly the most recognised player in the team, currently coming off a strong season for Manchester City, resulting in starting 3rd choice striker, and finishing as a key player to some extent. But more importantly he finished second top scorer in the UEFA section of qualifying with 10 goals. His ability to both be a threat in the air, and with the ball at his feet (as shown in his FM attributes) make him a force to be reckoned with.

Miralem Pjanic


Personally one of my favourite players, Pjanic’s performances from midfield have helped Roma get to a second placed finish in Serie A behind the unstoppable Juventus. Also scoring 4 and assisting 8 from midfield shows his creative talents in the last 12 games he has played for Bosnia and Herzegovina. His attributes point towards being a playmaker, one which provides Dzeko with ammunition from the centre.

Asmir Begovic


The big man between the sticks Begovic has made a name for himself with his performances for Stoke, often being used as the last line of defence, he has grown up in the Premier League with the best, and is one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s big assets. An asset which may provide hope against some of the big strikers bearing down on his goal.

Ones to watch

Sead Kolašinac


The German born left-back is causing a stir also gathering 40 appearances in 3 years at Schalke 04, and breaking into the international set up 8 months ago to secure his place on the plane. Seems like a prospect will probably be used sparingly, but one to watch in future tournaments, and games for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Izet Hajrović


Winger spent last 6 months playing for Galatasaray 13 appearances in all competitions, had a solid start to his international career also with 2 goals in 7 appearances, the young 22 year old winger is likely to take a seat on the bench, but may be used to liven things up for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Manager


Safet Sušić - was a PSG legend in his playing days, but after a management career based mainly in Turkey, he returned to manage the team of his birth, and who he represented through Yugoslavia in his playing days. Tends to focus on attack with the weapons he has, leads to slightly unbalanced in terms of defense/attack. But this has been shored up as of late with sacrificing two strikers for one.

Prediction

150-1 in some parts to win, and that’s for a reason, Bosnia and Herzegovina are
entering their first tournament. There's a distinct gap between star players and the rest. They are up against Argentina, and 2 experienced World Cup Teams.

But all in all, their pure firepower, and creativity could get them through in second place in the group. And then in my opinion they face more of an uphill task against the 1st place of Group E (which will probably be France or Switzerland) so I predict Second Round exit.

WC2014 Netherlands Preview

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The Netherlands have always played an attractive brand of football, and have always had some of the most talented players in world football in their squad. Currently 15th in the FIFA World Rankings, their previous players include the likes of Clarence Seedorf, Dennis Bergkamp and Johan Cruyff - all of whom were known globally for their footballing abilities, Cruyff especially for his "Cruyff Turn" at the 1974 World Cup held in Germany. Now, blessed with current talents such as Robin van Persie, they will be looking to do their nation proud by winning their first World Cup.

Holland have been handed what is considered a very tough group in Group B, but the Dutch should squeeze through. They know that they must get results against world champions Spain, South American side Chile, and Australia if they are to progress from the group stages.

World Cup History


Holland can be classed as one of the unluckiest nations to ever compete in the World Cup. They've finished as runner-up on three different occasions, against fellow Group B nation Spain in the most recent World Cup in South Africa, and also to Argentina and Germany. They have qualified for the World Cup Finals 10 times now at the tournament, but this will only be their second tournament in South America In the other South American World Cup that they entered, they finished as runners-up to Argentina - could this be a sign of things to come? The Dutch public will be expecting great things from their team over the course of the World Cup, and will hope that a World Cup win will finally be on the cards here in Brazil.

Key Players



One of the obvious stars of the current Holland squad is Manchester United striker Robin van Persie. The 29-year-old has just finished his second season at Old Trafford, with the season just ended being less memorable than the first season he spent with the club. The 2012-2013 Barclays Premier League Golden Boot winner has been capped 84 times by his nation and, in what could be his last World Cup, will be looking to go out with a bang.



Holland manager Louis van Gaal will also be looking to AS Roma midfielder Kevin Strootman, who is highly rated across the globe and will be a key part in the squad, without doubt. Strootman is often referred to as a "tough tackling midfielder", and comparisons have been made between himself and former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane for his 'take no prisoners' attitude.



Finally, in defence, while the team is not overwhelmingly blessed, Daley Blind will be a key feature in it. He has only been capped twelve times by his national team but the Ajax fullback is one of his domestic sides most important players, and thus he was awarded the chance to prove himself by being given a place in the team. Last season, he was switched into a defensive midfield role, and plaudits came his way for his performances. Could we see the same thing happen to him in the national side?

One to Watch



Memphis Depay is a phenomenal talent in world football. At age 20, he has been capped in six international friendlies, and had a fantastic season with his club PSV last season. We may not see much of him this time round, but whatever we do see of him, we are in for a treat, but I think van Gaal will go for more experienced players in his last games in charge of the team.

Prediction

The verdict of Sky Bet is that Holland will not make it out of their group. They are 28/1 to win the World Cup, so the odds are not stacked up against them too much, but they're predicted to be eliminated at the first stage with the odds of 5/4. The odds of reaching the Semi Final are quite favourable, at 9/1.

My personal opinion is that Louis van Gaal will lead the team to the Quarter Finals and then we will see them be knocked out by an inferior team, so I think we could be in for a surprise, definitely. Surprises are all part and parcel of the World Cup and there will be plenty in store for us along the way.


WC2014 Star Players - Oscar

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Oscar (dos Santos Emboaba Júnior) has already found the spotlight in this year’s World Cup competition after a dazzling performance in the competition’s opening game between Brazil and Croatia. The much loved attacking midfielder was key in his side’s victory over a Vatreni side who certainly impressed the millions of people spectating the fixtures world-wide. While Oscar did not pick up the Man Of The Match award, he played an important role for o Canarinho, scoring the third goal in the 3-1 victory.

Who is Oscar? Oscar grew up in the Brazilian city of Americano. He began his footballing career at the age of seven when he joined the youth ranks of União Barbarense, where he progressed through their system for six fruitful years. In 2004, Oscar’s potential was discovered by talent scouts who made his presence known to Sao Paolo FC, who he subsequently signed for at the age of thirteen. Oscar made his professional debut for the club in 2008, aged just seventeen, and he went on to make a total of 11 appearances for Sao Paolo. However, after disputes regarding Oscar’s contract, he left for Internacional in 2010, where he began to make a large impression on football. In two years, Oscar played 36 times and bagged 11 goals for Internacional before moving to Chelsea in 2012 for £19.35M.

Oscar’s move to the Premier League has been one well appreciated by all football fans as he has become a key part of Chelsea’s attack under Roberto Di Matteo, Rafa Benitez and current manager Jose Mourinho. Deployed in attacking midfield just behind the striker, Oscar has contributed to Chelsea’s goal scoring over the past two seasons, bagging 12 goals in 67 appearances. With his reputation increasing on a club level, Oscar has solidified his place in Brazil’s starting line-up since making his international debut in 2011, and has made 32 appearances, scoring ten times, the latest of which came againt Croatia.

How does he play? Oscar is an attacking player and is deployed either behind the striker or on the right wing. Reaching just 5’9’’, Oscar is slight in stature but he more than makes up for it with his pace and strength. He is an athlete and is strong in all physical aspects, except for his height. Off-the-ball, Oscar gets in to good areas when his team has the ball and tracks down opposition players when his team doesn’t have the ball. His positional awareness is one to envy and he is rarely in the wrong place at the wrong time. His work ethic was visible in yesterday’s fixture against Croatia, as he hussled and harried the Croatian players when they got on the ball anywhere near Oscar. He made them uncomfortable on the ball and he was almost impossible for them to pick up with his darting runs.

On-the-ball, Oscar hardly ever makes a mistake. Oscar’s technique and control of the ball is fantastic and during last night’s game, the ball seemed to stick to his feet as he ran rings around the helpless Vrsaljko. Combined with his creative mind and great awareness and intelligence, Oscar broke through Croatia’s defence time and time again, creating chances for others and a goal for himself in the end. He always made the correct decision in every scenario and worked the best out of whatever was thrown at him. His range of passing helped to stretch the Croatian defence and brought his team-mates in to the game.

Goals make great attackers and Oscar has scored plenty of great goals so far in the early stages of his career, most notably for Chelsea against Juventus in the UEFA Champions League. Oscar scored Brazil’s third goal last night in stoppage time as he held off two Croatian defenders, who were much bigger than him, and expertly dispatching a skillful ‘toe-poke’ from range in to the bottom left corner of the goal, leaving goalkeeper Pletikosa helpless in the Croatian goal. Oscar’s great goal-scoring ability was certainly not wasted last night and he almost scored, previous to his goal, with a wonderful curled effort from range with his weaker foot in the first half but Pletikosa denied him excellently. Oscar had to settle for just one goal but he has instilled fear in to all the goalkeepers present at the World Cup with his attacking display against Croatia.

Oscar has already impressed with a star performance and I tip him to be one of the World Cup’s star players. Brazil have a great history in this competition and plenty of great memories and legends. I predict Oscar to help Brazil battle for their sixth World Cup victory and to earn legendary status in his country. At the age of 22, Oscar has many World Cups ahead of him, but can this one be a successful one for him?

Special skin for FM14

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Screenshots




Installation instructions

Step 1

Download the skin and extract the file (using either 7-Zip for Windows or The Unarchiver for Mac).

Step 2

Place the extracted files to a folder, name the folder special skin and move it into your skins folder:

Win Vista/7/8: C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2014\skins
Win XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2014\skins
Mac OS X: /Users/<username>/Documents/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2014/skins

Create the folder "skins" if it doesn't exist.

Step 3

Start the game and go to Preferences screen and Interface tab.
You should see "special skin" as option in the skin drop down of the Overview box.
Hit the Confirm button.

Please note this skin is provided as is. It has nothing to do with Sports Interactive or SEGA and won't be supported by them.

Counter Attacking 4-2-3-1

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The best teams must not only retain possession and pressurize the opposition team back to their own penalty box. A good team must also be able to counter attack with quickness, unpredictability and directness. Of course will there be teams who won't be able to switch between different playing styles that easy (as the players requirements and demands are totally different from what they possess). A Counter-attacking playing style can be very proficient to use as it strikes the opposition team when in unbalance.

Counter attacking football is somewhat opposite of possession football and relies very much on a deeper defensive line who looks to intercept the opponents passing play - taking merely advantage of the few seconds when no one has possession of the ball. It's a good playing styles for teams who are outsiders to the title, who often faced better opponents and who wants to utilize their main strength - stamina, aggression, creativity, quickness in movements and utilize a direct passing play. Players will look to play more direct with as few passes as possible to penetrate the final third. Counter Attacking football uses elements of both attacking, defending, short and direct passes. It's recognized by high match tempo leaving the opponents with no time to recover!

Netherlands WC2014 Tactic

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A look at the tactic used by the Netherlands in the 2014 World Cup, specifically to defeat Spain 5-1 in the opening group game. Expect goals galore and some amazing wide play.

Firstly let me say this is a tactic created based on the first game of the 2014 World Cup. The aim is to recreate the tactic used by the current Netherlands team, in Football Manager 2014. I hope lots of people give it a go and most of all I hope it creates some discussion and debate.

For team and positional instructions please watch the video and download the tactic!

The formation is a 5-3-2 or more specifically a 3-2-2-1-2.

I've got the tactic set to balanced but I'd definitely suggest switching to counter at times depending on opposition and the game situation.

The key positions in this formation are the two wing backs and of course the explosive attacking players. RvP and Arjen Robben.

There is a real mix between direct passing and playing the ball short. Allowing quick incisive attacks but also the ability to retain possession.

Video

Please watch the video, comment and try out this brand new tactic!


If you've enjoyed this content then please consider subscribing to my channel.

DL'14 Logos V2

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This pack includes over 1500+ logos of clubs. It's intended for use with Football Manager 2014 but it will work with earlier FM versions as well.

Version 2.5 Features
Added 552 club logos. (Total:1651)

Version 2 Features
Added 1099 club logos.
Added 7 federation logos.(FİFA,UEFA,CONCACAF vrs.)
Added 118 competition logos.
Added 65 country's flags.
Added some clubs new logos.

Version 1.2 Features
Added new teams in Turkey leagues.
Added new logos Turkish team's.
Added Everton's new logo.

Screenshots



How to add these in your FM

Step 1

Download the .zip archive and use a tool such as 7-zip for Windows or The Unarchiver for MacOSX to extract the folders.

Step 2

Cut and paste the extracted folder to:
Win Vista/Win 7/Win 8: C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2013\graphics\logos\
Win 2000/XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2013\graphics\logos\
Win 98/ME: C:\My Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2013\graphics\logos\
Mac OS X: /Users/<username>/Documents/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2013/graphics/logos/

Create folders "graphics" and "logos" if they don't exist already.

Step 3

Run Football Manager 2014 and go to: Preferences > Interface

Click Using caching to decrease page loading times "OFF"
Click Reload Skin when confirming changes in preferences "ON"
Confirm!

Devastating Dutch humiliate World Champions Spain

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After their previous clash in the 2010 World Cup Final, both Spain and The Netherlands locked horns once more to kick off their World Cup Group Stage at Arena Fonte Nova, however the game went very differently than first predicted.

Louis van Gaal's men destroyed the World Champions in a 5-1 thrashing with Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben getting two goals each, making many fans around the World doubt Spain's chances of winning the World Cup yet again after previously winning it in 2010.

Pre-match Robben spoke before the game of the still-vivid memory of Casillas denying him the chance to give Holland a potentially winning lead in the World Cup final of four years ago in which Andreas Iniesta scored in the dieing moments of the game to win Spain the World Cup, describing it as a snapshot he will never forget but one which now belongs to the past tense. However the memories came back to Robben as Diego Costa, who had a hostile reception from the Brazilian fans as he decided to play for Spain instead of Brazil, got brought down in the penalty box and Spain were awarded a penalty to take the lead early on.

Xabi Alonso stepped up and emphatically finished past Cillessen to make it first blood to Spain and demoralised the Dutch players, or so it seemed as what we witnessed after that goal was anything but that.

Just as we thought the half was going to end with Spain in the lead, Daley Blind advanced forward and swung in a beautiful cross which Robin van Persie ran onto past Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique and what we saw next was truly incredible as van Persie rose up high and made contact with the ball using his head and it flew up and over Iker Casillas and into the back of the net to equalise the game! van Persie then ran over and celebrated with van Gaal which showed how good their relationship is currently.


van Persie celebrated with van Gaal by giving him a high-five after he scored his wondergoal

The Dutch players went into half-time with a huge spring in their step due to van Persie equalising and when they came out for the second half they really stepped up their game and started to press the Spanish midfield deeper and deeper up the pitch and started to show more desire than they did in the first half.

van Gaal's men deservedly took the lead when the ever so reliable Xavi lost possession and Blind supplied another pinpoint aerial pass from the left, which Robben expertly controlled before eluding Gerard Pique and finishing confidently.
Spain were really struggling now and van Persie almost got his second and Holland's third when the ball bounced up in-front of him and he struck it sweetly, rattling the crossbar which gave even more confidence to the Dutch as they knew Spain were vulnerable.

Then the inevitable happened as Holland won a free-kick which Wesley Snejder swung in towards the back post where De Vrij bundled the ball into the net as Casillas completely missed the ball and the goalkeeper complained the referee that van Persie fouled him but the captain earnt himself a yellow card for his protests.
David Silva could have given Spain some hope when he scored from close-range but his effort was correctly ruled offside as Cillessen saved a shot which he parried towards Silva who was standing in an offside position.

If you thought it couldn't get any worse for Spain, you were wrong as Casillas mis-controlled a backpass and van Persie was the first on the scene and the Dutch captain scored his brace making it 4-1 in favour of Holland which left many people questioning Casillas' abilities after he'd struggled all game.


Casillas gave the ball away to van Persie and the Dutch forward scored his second of the game

Robben then capped a fine individual performance with a fine solo goal. The winger raced from inside his own half to latch on to Sneijder's through ball and outpaced Ramos before taking the ball round Casillas and smashing past two defenders on the line.
Spain were in pieces and continued to be torn apart, substitute Jeremain Lens and Robben going close.
And Spain's torrid evening was summed up when substitute Fernando Torres failed to score despite having an open goal. The Chelsea striker looked certain to score but Daley Blind rushed in and stopped Torres with a perfectly timed challenge.

Torres's miss summed up Spain's performance as they were practically out-played by Louis van Gaal's men and this victory will be a huge catalyst for Holland to go on and win the group whereas Spain will need to re-group and prepare to face both Chile and Australia in their next two games.

Spain – Casillas, Azpilicueta, Sergio Ramos, Pique, Jordi Alba, Alonso (Pedro 63), Xavi, Busquets, Silva (Fabregas 78), Diego Costa (Torres 62), Iniesta. Subs not used: De Gea, Albiol, Javi Martinez, Villa, Juanfran, Mata, Koke, Cazorla, Reina.

Holland – Cillessen, Janmaat, Vlaar, De Vrij (Veltman 78), Martins Indi, Blind, De Guzman (Wijnaldum 62), Sneijder, De Jong, van Persie (Lens 79), Robben. Subs not used: Vorm, Verhaegh, Kongolo, Kuyt, Clasie, Fer, Huntelaar, Depay, Krul.

Referee – Nicola Rizzoli, Italy.

WC2014 Switzerland preview

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Though Switzerland are one of the smallest nations participating in this World Cup, one can hardly say that they have a lack of talent. With several of their new generation's stars now plying their trade in the German Bundesliga, the Swiss fans will hope that their side has a relatively successful World Cup.

Placed in Group E, the Swiss team's main challenge comes in the form of star-studded France, but they will hope to get the better of Honduras and Ecuador to make it to the next stage.

Honours


With no honours at all for the National team's senior squad, the side's trophy list hardly makes for good reading. With just a U-17 Euros and U-17 World Cup under their belt, they haven't really been a successful team on the international stage, and that isn't expected to change this summer, although they will hope to do better with what is arguably one of the best Swiss teams ever.

Key Players



The Switzerland team will be banking on a strong midfield foundation of the likes of Valon Behrami as well as captain Gokhan Inler. The 29-year-old midfielder has the ability to perform a variety of roles in the team, and could be utilized as a holding midfielder, a deep-lying playmaker as well as a box-to-box midfielder.



The 2014 Brazil World Cup will be his third, and so fans will be relying on Wolfsburg stopper Diego Benaglio to provide some much-needed experience to the squad. With 57 caps to his name, Benaglio goes into this World Cup as the first choice between the sticks, but could be displaced by talented young goalkeeper Yann Sommer, who has just recently signed for German team Borussia Monchengladbach.



Understandably, he's found it difficult to break into the first XI at Bayern Munich, but that doesn't mean that winger Xherdan Shaqiri is not talented. The speedy winger has been looking to move away, and a good World Cup for him could drum up interest from clubs all over Europe. Shaqiri's pace and exciting dribbling could help carve through defenses for Switzerland.

Hot Prospects



21-year-old Josip Drmić finished as the third highest league scorer with 17 Bundesliga goals, despite being in a team that got relegated this season. The big clubs were bound to swoop in, and after a brief period of interest from Arsenal, Drmić went ahead and transferred to Bayer Leverkusen. The young striker will be hoping he can replicate his club form on the international level, and establish himself as his country's first choice striker.



After stellar 2013-14 season for Wolfsburg, Ricardo Rodríguez has found himself on the wanted list of top clubs around Europe, and the German club have set a €18m tag on their prized asset. Rodríguez will be responsible to keep things tight on his left side, and with Stephan Lichtsteiner on the other side, the Switzerland have a solid fullback pairing.

Manager


Switzerland will be glad to have a coach as experienced and successful as German Ottmar Hitzfeld. The 65-year-old boasts 7 Bundesliga and 2 Champions League titles as manager, and has managed sides of the caliber of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. The Former World Coach of the Year is set to retire after this World Cup, and will hope to sign off with a bang with some more exciting attacking football as he leads a young Swiss side into the world's biggest football competition.

Expectations

While the small landlocked country aren't expected to pull up any trees in the competition, bookies are tipping the Hitzfeld-led side to clear their group and qualify through to the next round. Despite being well stocked at central midfield, full-back and winger positions, Switzerland lack two dominant central defenders to shut down scoring chances at their end of the pitch, and that could very well hamper their progress in this World Cup.

Squad



WC2014 Ecuador Preview

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Ecuador has always been stuck in the shadows of the bigger CONMEBOL nations, and although they have had their moments the national team has never really achieved success on any stage, let alone a global one. In fact, the small South American nation, home to over 15 million, has only appeared at the World Cup twice before Brazil.

This year they send their strongest squad yet in an attempt to match it with the big boys. Ecuador has been drawn into Group E , alongside France, Switzerland and the Honduras. Luckily for them, this one of the easier groups and with the exception of France they have a great chance of recording some victories and progressing to the next round.

World Cup History


Ecuador has always struggled to qualify for World Cups, with Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay and Colombia usually getting there ahead of them. However, this year, with Brazil as hosts, Ecuador took full advantage of South America’s 5.5 places and qualified from the CONMEBOL group in 4th place. They made their first appearance in 2002, but didn’t make it out of the group stages. 4 years later in Italy, they managed to make it to the round of 16, only to be knocked out.

Key Players

Ecuador have an obscure squad; however many are very accomplished players.

Antonio Valencia



The undoubted star of Ecuador, the Manchester United right winger will be heavily relied upon for creating chances and leading the team in a positive manner. Valencia will use his incredible pace and crossing to good use as Ecuador need him to set up play. He is a great team player with good work rate and you can guarantee a consistent, hardy effort from him all cup long.

Felipe Caicedo



The spearhead of the side, Caicedo will be the focal point in attack. The Al-Jazira striker is a great match for Ecuador, possessing good all round skills including great stamina and strength. Like Valencia, Caicedo will be a man Ecuador can rely on to put in a good game.

Christian Noboa



Noboa is the heart of the Ecuadorian midfield, and with his technical no-how, could be the supplier for the likes of Caicedo and Valencia to do some damage. He is a good passer, has a great work rate and can run all day. Noboa will be the linchpin of centre midfield.

Ones to Watch


Frickson Erazo



Once languishing in Ecuador, central defender Erazo is now at Brazilian club Flamengo and will be the go-to man in Ecuador’s undermanned defense. Although not the best attribute-wise, he can still do his job and will be a vital link in Ecuador’s chain.

Jefferson Montero



One of the players to watch on Ecuador's team sheet is pacy young winger Jefferson Montero. Known by many throughout his homeland and Mexico, where he plays domestically for Morelia, Montero could be one of the surprise packages of this team due to not yet hitting the European stage.

The Manager

Reynaldo Rueda



Colombian manager Rueda has been at the helm for 4 years now, and under his guidance Ecuador won the Pan-American Games. He is a reasonably good manager given his low reputation, and Ecuador will benefit from his tactical knowledge.

Unavailable due to injury

Ecuador have come into the Cup missing no key players, and have been gifted with immunity from the injury bug. In a way, they got even worse as key striker Christian Benitez tragically died of cardiac arrest last year. Benitez would have been a major factor in the Cup and his death has affected the entire world football community. RIP mate.


Prediction

Ecuador are expected to finish 3rd in their group, below France and Switzerland. I, for one, believe they can beat Switzerland although I expect the trio of Switzerland, Honduras and Ecuador to throw up some interesting fixtures. If they did make it out of the group stages, they would probably struggle to make an impact and bow out cheaply. Ecuador are a side to be respected, and if Antonio Valencia can fire, who knows, maybe they can become a giant killer in Brazil.



WC2014 Honduras Preview

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In the World Cup, we always have those teams who are predicted to finish bottom of their group, and we have one here with Honduras, who are in Group E along with France, Switzerland and Ecuador, who are all expected to finish above Honduras but they do still have a pretty decent team which gave England a run for their money.

World Cup History


As expected, Honduras have not won the World Cup before, and their trophy cabinet is pretty much empty except for one trophy which is the Copa Centroamerica. And honestly, I don't think we're going to see Honduras win the World Cup anytime soon.

Key Players



Now every team has some 'stand-out' players and Honduras are no different, with their most well-known player being Maynor Figueroa, who has played for a few seasons in the Barlcays Premier League. The left-back has notched 179 appearances for Wigan and he will be an important part to the Honduras defensive. He also has a cracking shot which we've seen many of times playing for Wigan.



Another Wigan player who plays for Honduras is Roger Espinoza, who like Figueroa, has experience in the top flight of English football. He is very good defensively but can also play as a winger and can be one of Honduras's shining stars in Brazil. His partnership on the left with Figueroa will also been key in their quest to get out of their group.



And finally Honduras have another player from the English Leagues, with Wilson Palacios being a key figure in the centre of the park for Honduras. He has very good pace and defensive attributes making him a very solid player and one of the most important in the squad. His experience at Stoke will be vital when playing against some of the top teams.

Ones To Watch



Although Honduras don't have many known players, one player who will be interesting to watch will be Emilio Izaguirre from Celtic. The full back has blistering pace and caused England a few problems in their friendly match in Miami. He will be an exciting prospect for Honduras and he could be the catalyst to success.



Andy Najar is a huge prospect for Honduras in Brazil as the young Anderlecht winger not only has lots of pace, but has the flair and trickery to trouble even the strongest of defences. He also has a decent shot on him which he will try and take advantage of whenever possible.

The Manager


Luis Fernando Suárez has some much needed experience managing International teams, recently leading Ecuador to their best finish in their entire history. Although not known to many, he will help lead his men to a decent Group Stage.

Predictions

To sum up Honduras, although they have some good players, they will finish in last place in my opinion, as Ecuador, Switzerland and France have much better quality than Honduras and I think that'll prove the be the difference. They will perform admirably but I just can't see them gaining a single point. Although if they perform like they did against England they could surprise us all.

PMS Portrait + Icon Picture Megapack (135.500 Pics -> Update 2.8.1 available)

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Preview



Alternative Download

PMS Megapack 2.0 via Gamefront

PMS Megapack 2.0 via Mega


UPDATES

PMS Portrait Picture Update 2.1 (All october pictures)

PMS Portrait Picture Update 2.2 (All november pictures)

PMS Portrait Picture Update 2.3 (All december pictures)

PMS Portrait Picture Update 2.4 (All januar pictures)

PMS Portrait Picture Update 2.5 (All februar pictures)

PMS Portrait Picture Update 2.6 (All march pictures)

PMS Portrait Picture Update 2.7 (All april pictures)

PMS Portrait Picture Update 2.8 (All may pictures)



Installation Instructions

Extracting the facepack
Download via Mediafire:
Just extract the .rar file.

Download via MEGA or Gamefront:
Download all parts.
Just extract PART I, all other parts will be extracted automatically.

After extracting the pics put them to following folder:
User/Documents/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 20xx/graphics/players
The folder "players" has to be created by yourself.

Run Football Manager and go to:
Preferences -> Interface
Click Using caching to decrease page loading times OFF
Click Reload Skin when confirming changes in preferences ON
CONFIRM


If you want to add new pics, please use fmxml or grahics configurator to overwrite the existing config.xml.

Video Tutorial for creating a config .xml for facepacks by Octavianus


Just refresh the skin and all pics are in-game.

Default pics


Download Default pics
These pics should be put to:
C:/Username/Documents/SportsInteractive/FootballManager20xx/skins/chosen Skin/graphics/pictures

PMS Portrait Icon Megapack 2.0



DOWNLOAD

PMS Portrait Icon Megapack 2.0

Alternative Download
PMS Portrait Icon Megapack 2.0


Updates

PMS Portrait Icon Update 2.1

PMS Portrait Icon Update 2.2

PMS Portrait Icon Update 2.3

PMS Portrait Icon Update 2.4

PMS Portrait Icon Update 2.5

PMS Portrait Icon Update 2.6

PMS Portrait Icon Update 2.7

PMS Portrait Icon Update 2.8



Installation Instructions

Extract the folder to your graphics-folder within your userfolder (User/Documents/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 20xx/graphics/players)
Refresh the skin and all pics are ingame.

Updates

Any update for the PMS Portrait Megapack will be resized for this pack.

Credits

Aachen4ever, BBB Croatia, Bodylove, Commondore, crocodile, dNs, ggpofm, maalivahti, makua, matze616, P-Jo, Shakespeare, smedhult, svennos, Urban Classic, Vay, Veyron

The Football Manager Whizzkids 2014 Database

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The Football Manager Whizzkids are back again with another database for the new Football Manager game, in recent times weve had over 140,000 downloads in 3 years and were hard at work again to make it the best, most up-to-date database going around.

This database covers all major and minor transfers and staff changes from around the world, promotions and relegations from the following countries - England, Scotland, Spain, Germany, Italy, France, Netherlands and Portugal, 2014/2015 UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League new teams + much more.

We release once every week so the link here will be updated. Hope you all enjoy it as much as our 9500 Facebook likers do. I hope you give our Facebook page a like, thanks from all the admins - James, Martin, Andy and Edvard.

Database updated as of 15th June 2014.

Our Facebook page

Installation Instructions

Step 1

Open the "Files" folder.
Then move the downloaded .dbc file in your Football Manager 2014 editor data folder:

Win Vista/7: C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2014\editor data\
Win XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2014\editor data\
Mac OS X: /Users/<username>/Documents/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2014/editor data/

Create the folder editor data if it doesn't exist.

Step 2

Start a new game.

WC2014 Nigeria Preview

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A whole country full of hope, Nigeria, will see their heroes hit the Brazilian shores, for the 5th time in their history. Fresh off from winning the African Cup of Nations, Nigeria will be hoping to put their South Africa 2010 results behind, and progress out of the group stages. With their best finish, the Round of 16 Stage, coming exactly 16 years ago, an entire nation will be expecting much from their stars, which include Chelsea duo, John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses.

After Nigeria were drawn into Group F, they could breathe easier, as their African counter-parts were drawn into much harder groups, which include the likes of Portugal, Colombia and Germany. However, they will clash with top-class players, as they will have to face Argentina's Messi, Bosnia's Dzeko and Dejagah's Iran. But, under the guidance of a former player and national hero,, Stephen Keshi, a whole nation has the possibility of dreaming to get out of Group F.

World Cup History



Nigeria, as stated earlier, have only recorded a Round of 16 Stage as their best result, albeit doing it twice, but are two rounds shy of surpassing the African record. However, Nigeria will be looking at upcoming stars such as Kenneth Omeruo, Ahmed Musa and Ogenyi Onazi, to shine at this year's World Cup in Brazil.

Key Players

Nigeria will be facing the likes of Bosnia, Argentina and Iran, and will be looking at the experienced likes of Vincent Enyeama, John Obi Mikel and Emmanuel Emenike to help them out of the Group Stages.



Vincent Enyeama has just finished off a glittering season at Lille, keeping 22 clean-sheets, and amassing an impressive streak of 11 clean-sheets in a row. In addition, he went 1,067 minutes before conceding, which saw him linked to a host of big clubs in the January transfer window. With 91 caps to his name, the experienced goalkeeper will be put under test against both Bosnia's and Argentina's glittering attack, which include Sergio Aguero and Vedad Ibsevic. Nigeria will have all their eyes on their captain and will fully expect him leading them out of the Group Stages.



Nigerians will be hoping that John Obi Mikel will be the key of stopping Argentina's style of play with his strong and effective tackles, and is seen as a key-player for them. The current Chelsea player has more than 200 Premier League appearances to his name, although he is not considered as a key-player for his club. The 27 year-old currently has 51 appearances for his country, and will be looking to add more than the 3 caps the Group Stages offer, as they will fight for their ticket to the Round of 16 Stage.



In the striker department, most Nigerians will have their eyes set on Fenerbahce striker, Emmanuel Emenike. The striker only made his debut almost a year ago, in a friendly against Sierra Leone. Even with a limited time-frame before going into the World Cup, the Nigerian striker has 23 caps to his name, and has scored 9 goals. His last national competition he played in was the 2013 African Cup of Nations, and was named in the 'Dream Team', after he scored 4 crucial goals, as well as assisting his team-mates a further three, as Nigeria won their 3rd African Cup of Nations in their history.

Players to Watch

Nigeria have been blessed as a whole 'golden' generation is rising up, with the likes of Kenneth Omeruo and Ogenyi Onazi paving the way. Stephen Keshi has decided to call up a host of youngsters, which include CSKA Moscow winger, Ahmed Musa, and will be looking at them to impress in this international showpiece.



Kenneth Omeruo has struggled to break in the first-team set-up at Stamford Bridge, but has become an important player for Nigeria, cementing his first-team spot. The Chelsea player has been loaned out to ADO Den Haag and Middlesborough recently, and can be counted as he currently has 17 caps for his country. Omeruo will perhaps be one of the few players that can say that his spot is assured, as he has played an instrumental part in their 2013 AFCON cup win, as well as appearing in all 3 of Nigeria's matches in last year's Confederations Cup. The youngster will be looking to impress scouts from Europe, as he looks to set to move from Chelsea, at least on a loan basis.



Lazio midfielder Ogenyi Onazi will most likely partner Mikel in the heart of the midfield, and could be one of the players to watch in Nigeria's camp. The 21 year-old midfielder will be in charge of supplying the passes to the attacking department, who has the likes Ahmed Musa, Shola Ameobi and Emmanuel Emenike. The Lazio youngster has 51 appearances for the Italian club, and in the past two years, has broken into both his club and national team, and just might be the key for Nigeria to the Round of 16 Stage.

Manager


Nigeria's manager is a very experienced man on the international frame, even at his young age. The former Nigerian captain has managed Togo in two different spells and managed Mali as well. The former Nigerian player qualified Togo to an unexpected World Cup in 2006, but was unable to to lead them in Germany, as he was dismissed 6 months earlier, after a dis-hearted display in the African Cup of Nations in 2006. In his latest job as the manager of his own country, Nigeria, he has proven to be successful, winning the 2013 African Cup of Nations. Even though he has been criticized by leaving out stars such as Kalu Uche, Nosa Igiebor and Nigeria's hero in the 2013 AFCON final, Sunday Mba, it seems that he is happy with his squad he selected.

Unavailable due to injury

It's been a nightmare for international stars lately, as stars such as Marco Reus, Radamel Falcao and Frank Ribery have been ruled out. It has not been any easier on the Nigerians, as starting left-back, Elderson Echiejile, has recently been ruled out of the World Cup with a muscle tear, which will see him in the sidelines for at least 3 weeks. Former Inter winger, Victor Obinna will also be watching his nation kick-off without him, after a resurgent knee injury made him struggle for fitness. To make matters worse, Obinna's former team-mate at Inter, Joel Obi, will also miss Brazil's second World Cup as hosts, after he struggled with an ankle injury.

Prediction

The media have touted the Nigerians to put up a strong fight against Bosnia and Argentina, but ultimately fail to progress from the Group Stages, the same result that happened 4 years ago. Even though Bosnia's match-up against the African side will most likely decide who's going to go through, I have to agree with the media's prediction, as Dzeko, Begovic and Pjanic, can become a nightmare for other teams, and become one of the unlikeliest dark horses in this World Cup.


WC2014 Iran Preview

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Asia’s 4 qualifying places will always throw up a minnow, and this time around it is Iran. Known for its wars and controversial laws, Iran will be looking to put in a positive performance in Brazil.

Iran have been drawn into Group F, alongside Argentina, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Nigeria. It is neither a good or bad group, and the underdogs of Iran could just cause some upsets if they play well.

World Cup History



Iran have gotten to the FIFA World Cup on just 3 occasions before 2014; 1978, 1998, 2006. In those 3, they failed to advance past the group stages and they have only won 1 game, defeating the United States 2-1. Iran have always struggled to qualify, due to limited AFC places and their record once in the Cup is even worse.

Key Players

Ashkan Dejagah



Dejagah is the superstar of the Iranian team, and is one of just 6 Iranians playing in Europe. Dejagah is undoubtedly playing at the highest level as a rotation option at Fulham and will be the key to any success for Iran. The right winger possess good speed, and can dribble well. He will be used on the right flank primarily, and the flamboyant Dejagah will be leading the team with his performances.

Javad Nekounam



USA has Landon Donovan, Australia has Tim Cahill and Iran has Javad Nekounam. The captain and midfield king of the side, Nekounam has been a stalwart of the country for 140 caps, and is still going strong as one of Iran’s stars. Nekounam is not just a mediocre player stuck in Iran, he has good skills as well. He is a good header, can position himself well and can run all day long.

Masoud



Iran’s midfield is actually more potent than at first glance, and Dejagah and Nekounam are joined by attacking midfielder Masoud. The Las Palmas AMC/left winger is a great asset to Iran and will form a deadly winger duo with Dejagah. He is an amazing dribbler and has great flair. Masoud, Nekounam and Dejagah will be the heart of Iran and the trio could pull the team over the line in matches by themselves.

Ones to Watch

Bakhtiar Rahmani



Iran have safety in numbers in their midfield with young Rahmani lining up alongside Nekounam in the centre of the park, whilst also providing cover for Masoud. Rahmani is hitting his strides at 22 and has good all round stats.

Alireza Jahanbakhsh



Iran have a small group of unknown strikers, but this youngster could just lead the attack. His youthfulness and obscurity could see him become a big headache for opposition defenders.

The Manager

Carlos Queiroz


Iran will come to the World Cup under the tutelage of a world class manager, with Queiroz having previously managed New York Red Bulls, Real Madrid and Portugal twice.

Unavailable due to injury

Luckily for Iran, their select group of stars has not sustained any injuries and they will go to the World Cup clean.

Prediction

Let’s be honest, Iran isn’t the most illustrious team coming in the Cup. And despite my love for underdogs, they will undoubtedly suffer at the hands of Nigeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina and especially Argentina. The fact that Argentina’s worst is better than Iran’s best is just the top of a long, daunting list of why Iran will have the life ripped out of them.

WC2014 USA Preview

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The United States of America are placed in Group G alongside past winners Germany and Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal, but also they will have to face Ghana, who have some good players in their ranks making USA's chances of progressing out of the group very slim.

However The USA themselves have a very solid team and have caused a few shocks before. It will be tough for them but they have some players with much needed experience at this level to guide them through a tricky group stage.

World Cup History


The USA have never won a World Cup which really isn't a huge surprise but they have won the CONCACAF Gold Cup 4 times, but overall their trophy cabinet isn't very full and I doubt they'll even get close to winning this years World Cup.

Key Players



As I mentioned before The USA have some very good players in their squad, with the most notable one being Everton's number on goalkeeper Tim Howard. The 34 year old has lots of experience and is a very good shot-stopper, making one of The USA's biggest players and he will be key when it comes down to trying to progress out of Group G.



The USA also have a very solid midfielder in their ranks, with Michael Bradley. The 25 year old will be a huge figure in the centre of the park for The USA as he has very good vision when it comes to passing but more-so in a defensive sense as the midfielder is sublime at tackling and marking. He will either play just in-front of the defensive or more further forward.



And finally we have Jozy Altidore, who although didn't have a great season at Sunderland, always comes up good for The USA. The 6ft 1 forward has some amazing strength and aerial ability but he also has decent pace and finishing. He will more than likely play as a lone striker and will use his incredible physical attributes to bully the oppositions defenders.

Ones To Watch



The USA have some very good young players in their 23 man squad, with one of them being Aron Johannsson. The young forward may not be a regular starter due to Jozy Altidore but he can certainly impress if he does get a chance to play. He has some decent physical attributes and is very capable finisher.



And finally The USA have Timothy Chandler, who is only 22 years old and is a very solid right back. He has blistering pace which is vital for any full-back when getting forward and is a more than capable tackler. He will be hoping to show the World that he is a very good full-back by performing well for The USA in Group G.

The Manager


The USA have a very experienced manager at the helm, Jurgen Klinsmann. The 49 year old had a very good playing career notching over 500 appearances and he has managed both Germany, Bayern Munich and now The USA.

Prediction

Although they have some very good players I just can't see The USA progressing into the last 16 with both Germany and Portugal in their group. I see them finishing third just above Ghana but with the difference in quality between them and Germany and Portugal, there is no way they'll finish above any of those two teams.



4-2-3-1 Counter

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[h3The Tactic[/h3]
I wanted to create a counter formation that was attractive, it's almost attacking really. You won't get many clean sheets but you will score goals, maybe you'll get those cleans sheets that eluded me if you try this tactic with a big team. I find the midfield moves the ball around well and the CWB provide a natural width and are vital in many attacks. So you'll often see you two centre backs all alone in their half when your team attacks, like I said this formation is counter but really its based around fast, short passing attacks, getting as many men forward as possible, while hassling the opposition when you don't have the ball.



The Players

GK - someone solid, doesn't need to be good on the ball or at passing.

CWB/L/R - Will mostly attack and need great stamina. Decent crossing and shooting will help in the final third.

CB - Strong, good in the air, 6ft or over, half decent pace as they will be left to cover the CWB often.

BWM - The anchor in the midfield, will sit back mostly so pure defensive attributes and decent passing needed.

DLP - Will both defend and link up with attack. Good creativity and passing, but also needs decent defending attributes.

AMC - All need to be good creative players. The middle of the three will sit back more and tend to be the main creative outlet. The two outer midfielders will get into more scoring positions so need to be good finishers.

DLF - The striker will support the midfield, dropping back and allowing the two attacking mids to run past him. So a mix of finishing and creative attributes will be needed. In the first season El Arabi scored 18 league goals, but in his second season he only managed 6 (due to injury and the African Cup of Nations) so I loaned Robinho who managed 8 in 19 games.

League Tables


First Season



Second Season



That's all for now, not won any cups so far that's my next aim. Need to add some real quality to my team also before I can even think of winning the league, especially up front. Hope it works for you, give it chance, get it fully fluid asap and let me know how you do. I waited two complete seasons before deciding to upload this.
Good luck

FM Story Weekly 17/06/14

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Stories For This Week:
The Pentagon Challenge
Uruguay - Ghost of Maracanazo
Truro City - All The Way From Lemon Quay
Jason Newell - A South American Adventure
Coventry City - The Sky's The Limit

#1 The Pentagon Challenge



Owen Hargreaves fitness is well known to the world, as his body has constantly failed him at his most recent clubs, both Manchester clubs. However, with his footballing mind fresh and young, the recently retired England international has found an managerial opportunity.. in India. Now at the reigns of East Bengal F.C. and India's U21's, the former tough-tackling midfielder will have to cut his work to get at the top of football management. After a single match at the helm of India's U21's, the midfielder was left reeling in his debut, as his team played out a bore 1-1 draw against Kyrgyzstan's own U21's, much to his rage. Now, will he be able to accomplish his managerial goals in India?

Carlos V96 has featured in previous editions of FMSW, and with his new story, he can count on another nomination. With his impressive writing skills, he has already managed to get the readers' attention, after landing his new job(s) at India, and the content of this new story is great, albeit starting early on. His writing is pretty easy to understand, and keeps it interesting enough to keep the reader waiting for the next update. Considering that it is pretty early in Carlos' story, he has maintained a good job in his presentation, keeping it clean, using the bold to highlight important players and facts, which I particularly like. Even though it's early days and Carlos has yet to put many graphics, I still believe that his story is good enough for any reader, and has the potential to become a SoTM winner.

Content:
Writing:
Presentation:
Graphic Use:
Overall:

: The Pentagon Challenge

#2: Uruguay - Ghost of Maracanazo



One year before the World Cup in Brazil starts, the unthinkable happens. 'El Maestro', or known as Oscar Tabarez, hands in his resignation as the Uruguay national team manager, after experiencing 'minor' heart attack. Fast-forward three days, and 'El Loco' Bielsa takes over the post in Uruguay, and will be looking to surprise the world, like his present team did 4 years ago in South Africa. With his fast-paced and attacking football, will the likes of Edinson Cavani, Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez, be able to suit his 'loco' tactics in time for the World Cup? Will he be able to repeat history with Uruguay, by guiding them to another final in Brazil in the Maracana?

Neal has started his fourth active story in FMScout earlier this week, and considering with the updates we've been treated with in the previous ones and in this one, you can expect much. With many thinking that national icon, Diego Forlan, would take over the post with his national team, another plot twist has seen Marcelo Bielsa take over Uruguay, much to my delight. With few updates pumped out since it's start, Neal's writing has been exquisite, leaving the reader wanting more. With a clean-look, Neal's presentation is basic, but effective. As I said earlier, not much can be said, with this story being early days, but he has used some good graphics, as his banner looks marvelous at the start of every update.

Content:
Writing:
Presentation:
Graphic Use:
Overall:

: Uruguay - Ghost of the Maracanazo

#3: Truro City - All The Way From Lemon Quay



Truro City have baffled last year's critics, and finished in the last play-off spot in the Skrill South, and won promotion to the Skrill Premier, after cruising to the final, which they won. Now, in the Skrill Premier, they have struggled, as they continue to fight to remain in the league in a relegation fight against Tamworth, Braintree and Hereford. However, the return to their home ground, Treyew Road and the addition of Stephen Quinn and Ben Harding has seen an uproar in shirt sales and results. Now, will they be able to survive another year in the Skrill Premier, or see them instantly relegated to the Skrill South?

Griffo's story has, in my opinion, great content and writing, as he constantly writes up the details of the matches he plays in, which takes amazing effort. Story-wise, it's been a ride, as he constantly shifts from relegation spots to mid-table or a surprise finish in the play-offs. He never seems to lack graphics, as he constantly uses screenshots, pictures of players and the club's crest in his updates, something that can be pivotal to improving any story. Presenting wise, Griffo has the same template for the monthly updates, which is clean and basic, which I honestly like.

Content:
Writing:
Presentation:
Graphic Use:
Overall:

: Truro City - All The Way From Lemon Quay

#4: Jason Newell - A South American Adventure



Jason Newell has always had a special spot for football, and it got better, as he turned out for Oldham's youth. But, as his chance improved, something unexpected happen. His father found a job opportunity in Brazil, and the Newell family moved to the warm shores of Brazil. As his opportunity for professional football faded, Ituano F.C., of the lower leagues of Brazil, gives the English youngster a chance, and in his debut, he knocks out Brazilian giants, Santos F.C., out of the Brazilian cup with a brace. Not long after, it is announced that the player will move to Santos F.C., after the final, in which he scores to earn his first professional medal. But will he be able to live up to his expectation at Santos?

Zapdos has got an avid fan base after a handful of updates, as the writing and the content of the story is great. We get to see plot twist after plot twist and it catches the eye of every reader. I have to say that Zapdos must improve his presentation, as it just is paragraph after paragraph, which can be hard to digest, and some graphic pauses, (f/e: put pictures between paragraphs) can relax the eye and picture how the action really is for the reader. Like I said, Zapdos' presentation and graphic use is very low, but if he can change that, we will probably see this story pass the FMSW hurdle and get a SoTM nomination.

Content:
Writing:
Presentation:
Graphic Use:
Overall:

: Jason Newell - A South American Adventure

#5 Coventry City - The Sky's The Limit



Coventry City have been docked 10 points in the Sky Bet League 1, and now they have appointed care-taker manager, Mo Hawk. Fans are losing faith in the board, and are demanding the head of the young manager. However, after 14 matches, Coventry City find themselves with 20 points, in 8th place, just 3 points out of a play-off spot. Not only has the young manager led the club out of a certain relegation fight, but he has done it in a great fashion, maintaing a +17 goal difference. With the addition of Tottenham Hotspur, a club challenging for Champions League qualification, as a parent club, the fans have been wronged and will be looking at the talented manager to lead them to greater heights, maybe even the Championship first time asking.

With NVDTahir having one SoTM win under his belt, he has used his previous story writing skills to task, by filling it with twists and more importantly, great results. The content and writing of this story are pretty good, and so is the presentation. Using a lot of graphics in the presentation and keeping it neat and basic makes it a lot easier for the reader to read and catches the eye more often than not. Overall, I think this story is one that can easily go onto winning SoTM, but will be fighting against the likes of Walt's Oriental Lisbon, Josh_MU's Stockport and a couple other's who have successfully passed on the 'FMSW test' and went on and got a SoTM nomination!

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: Coventry City - The Sky's The Limit

So that is our round-up of FM Stories for this week. I hope that you enjoyed this and if you wrote one of the stories above, that you perhaps learned where you could improve your technique. Just remember, this is just the opinion of myself, the judge, and others could very well have a different opinion. Don't let any criticism put you down, it is all intended to help you! Every story included here is a good one and one everybody enjoys reading.
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