Soccer Gaming

Hi guys, sorry for the late post, but I’ve been busy with parties and friends, plus playing some new games

Anyways, this week, as I’ve promised, I’m going to give out some more (Hopefully) helpful tips for FIFA 09 PC. Now that Youtube finally lets me upload 720p HD, I’ve added a link to the bottom of the videos where you can see them in HD :-). Lets get started:

Advanced Free Kicks: Using the second man

This concept is basically the same from my previous post. First, press “R2″ or the “Pace Control” button to call the second man during a free kick. Your second player will show up (you don’t get to choose who the second player is, EA picks it randomly for you). From here, you can hold down the “Pace Control” button and press left or right to change which side you want the second man. Hold “Pace Control” and pass to perform a layoff, or hold the “Chip Shot” button and pass to pass with the free kick taker.

Now if you want to fake out your opponent and take the free kick with the second man, hold down the “Chip Shot” button and power your shot. Make sure you hold down the chip shot before you power your shot. You can also add spin as well, just make sure you hold down the direction key before your player kicks the ball.

Just as if you were taking a free kick with a right footed player, aim towards your right. Power your shot according to distance and hold down the direction for spin.

HD Quality Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xt9QPoh_Co&feature=channel_page&fmt=22

As you can see, I scored with Gallas as my layoff man. You can use this technique to try and surprise your opponent, but as for most of the times, I wouldn’t really recommend using this unless your opponent is defending in anticipation for the original free kick taker. Also, be aware of which foot your second man is using, as you may use their weaker foot when doing this and that will result in a poor free kick.

Low Cross:

Ah, one of my favorite ways to score, the low cross. With the right use, a low cross can be devastating. I like the low cross because:

• It has a fast delivery
• It’s on the ground so players don’t have to worry about heading it
• Because the ball is usually delivered with so much pace, all the finisher has to do is just tap it in for a score.
• Goalies usually can’t react fast enough to save it (Unless you’re about the length of the penalty box away, then they usually parry it)

To perform a low cross, you have to tap the “Cross” button twice. As with “original cross”, you can aim your delivery with the direction button/joystick. I usually find the low cross useful on counter-attacks, when my players are making a run. The low crosses are useful on the wings; simply run towards the corner, then once a player makes a run into the box, deliver it in. Case and point here:

Tomas Rosicky, my right midfielder, has the ball and is in a good passing position right now. My opponent made the mistake of pushing his left fullback, Patrice Evra, forward to pressure Rosicky. This leaves a lot of space open for my right striker, Theo Walcott. I like playing Walcott as a forward because he is fast, has some dribbling skills, and is a good crosser. I usually use him as the support striker, the one who delivers all the crosses to my target man, Adebayor. And Walcott can finish as well, so I prefer him over Van Persie (no offense, still a great player) as my right forward, and instead, I drop Van Persie back as a supporting/attacking midfielder. This way, Van Persie receives the ball from the back and just feeds Adebayor and Walcott through balls. It also allows him to take some of those long distance shots.

Rosicky is a good passer, so he delivers the through ball to Walcott, who has all sorts of space to work with. I could run diagonally down with Walcott and try to score, but here, I’m planning to cross it into the box righ into Adebayor’s path. As I see Adebayor making a run, I prepare to cross the ball into him.

As you can see, the goalie Van Der Sar is in a poor position to try and stop the cross, and Adebayor has a half step on the center back Rio Ferdinand. Adebayor will continue to make the run, and if Walcott delivers his cross, Adbayor should have an easy finish.

HD: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glXKJjeIaLg&fmt=22

Walcott delivers a perfect cross, and Adebayor won’t miss from that close. Easy finish, and Van Der Sar has no chance.

I really recommend using the low cross because once you master how and when to use it in certain situations, goals will be much easier to score usually because the ball as well as the player making the run on the receiving end will be meeting with a lot of pace, and the receiver usually has a good angle at the goal. The delivery is usually very fast that opponents will not be able to react in time to stop the cross.

Strange Moments Online:

Well, this first one was LOL material. My opponent online has a goal kick and kicks the ball short, only to have it kicked straight at Theo Walcott. His ensuing header from almost 40 meters out is an absolute joke, and shows how poor EA’s programming is (as well as how bad of a goalie Van Der Sar is LOL! jk.) At least he was accurate and on target!

HD: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do7JAQtEZjw&feature=channel_page&fmt=22

This second one was something bizarre that has never occurred to me before. I was clean through with Adebayor, when my opponent brought out his goal keeper Victor Valdes to try and keep me from scoring. Trying to chip a shot over him, the goalie leaps and saves the shot. However, the referee blows his whistle and play stops. At this point, I was like, “WTF??? Is he offsides?” for a second, then I realize, no he couldn’t have been offsides. The ensuing replay shows that Valdes was out of the penalty box when he made the save, and therefore, was sent off. However, there was no cutscene of the referee showing Valdes a red card, and there was no commentary either about the sending off. It wasn’t until the ensuing free kick that I could tell Valdes was sent off.

HD: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaCjbEOkgKQ&feature=channel_pageh&fmt=22

PL and Transfer talks, FA Cup

Life without Cesc Fabregas begins for Arsenal, as the midfielder is out 4 months from his knee injury against Liverpool 2 1/2 weeks ago. Against Villa, Arsenal were lucky not to be behind early, but the same could be said for Villa in rescuing a point in the dieing seconds. Bacary Sagna made one of the most amazing plays I’ve ever seen, an amazing bicycle kick off the goal line to preserve a 0-0 tie at that moment. The Denilson goal was questionable, but that Diaby goal was just pure class. What an excellent build up and finish by the Frenchman. Van Persie had a chance to kill off the game by scoring a third goal, but was denied by the woodwork. Eventually, Zat Knight rescued a point for the Villans by scoring a goal in stoppage time. Give credit to Knight for a keeping a cool head and having a good finish. Against Portsmouth, it was a gritty game, one that was a “win ugly” type, but a win is a win, and if one could choose to tie/lose pretty or to win ugly, 99% would take the win.

In today’s FA Cup action, Arsenal beat Plymouth 3-1 with a brace from Robin Van Persie, who wore the captain’s armband in place of the rested Manuel Almunia. Mikael Silvestre left the game and is out 3 weeks with a thigh injury.

Chelsea are beginning to feel the pressures of an injury depleted squad, and many are beginning to question wheter Luiz “Big Phil” Scolari is the right man for the Chelsea job. After getting Chelsea off to a flying start, Chelsea have dropped points against Fullham,West Ham, and Everton, and after today’s 1-1 draw with League One team Southend Utd, rumors are saying that Scolari is giving special treatment to Portugese star Deco, as well as unable to control the many egos of Chelsea’s star players. Dider Drogba has been questioned as to wheter he will leave for Inter Milan to be reunited with former boss Jose Mourihno. Drogba has publicly admitted that after his grandmother’s death in June, he had lost his passion for football. Drogba has also questioned Scolari’s infrequency to partner him together with striker Nicholas Anelka, as many times Drogba has played in a lone striker formation with supporting wingers. Chelsea’s next Premier League game is against Manchester United at Old Trafford on 1-11-08.

Liverpool is currently sitting atop the Premier League with 45 points in 20 games, and no one can doubt their talent as displayed recently by a 5-1 drubbing on Newcastle United. However, skipper Steven Gerrard has made headlines for the wrong reasons, recently arrested after a barfight in the town of Southport and charged with assault and affray - a sentence which can lead to a maximum 5 years in prison.

In today’s FA Cup Action, Liverpool beat Preston North End 2-0, with a goal from Albert Riera and sub Fernando Torres. Steven Gerrard was included in the line up despite his controversial arrest, and Rafa Benitez fielded a side which featured Gerrard, Robbie Keane, Ryan Babel, Riera, and Xabi Alonso. Gerrard played a good game and created many opportunities for his teamate, but Robbie Keane wasted countless great opportunites to score and in reality, Liverpool should have had this one sealed up before half time. Torres came onto sub the wasteful Keane in the 73rd minute, and as a result, scored in injury time on a breakaway set up by Gerrard to ensure that Liverpool would advance to the next round. An injury note: Xabi Alonso was taken off at half time and was seen limping.

Coming off a Club World Cup victory in which they beat Ecuador side Liga de Quinto 1-0, Manchester United are currently in 3rd place with 38 points, however, they have 2 games in hand. Recent 1-0 late victories over Stoke and Middlesborough, along with a 0-0 draw with Tottenham have the Red Devils seeing a goal drought, however, Sir Alex Ferguson has said that he predicts the goals to start coming soon. Manchester United are playing relegation threatned Championship side Southhampton tommorow in the FA Cup.

In transfer news, Wayne Bridge has finalized a 12 million pound move to Manchester City. In my opinion, Bridge was grossly overpaid for, but after seeing today’s 3-0 drubbing by Nottingham Forest, City needs a defensive haul, and they need it soon if they are serious about competing in the PL.

Manchester Utd have signed Adem Ljajic and Zoran Tosic from Partizan Belgrade, in a reported deal the could be worth 17 million pounds. Ferguson has said that this is the only move Manchester Utd will make in the transfer window. Ferguson also has said that he will offer Gary Neville a new contract, but is still undecided on finalizing a 32 million pound deal for the on loan Carlos Tevez.

It was confirmed that Kolo Toure requested a transfer out of Arsenal, but Arsene Wenger has said that he spoke with Toure personally, and afterwards, Toure withdrew his transfer request.

Bayern Munich striker Lukas Podolski has said that both Manchester City and Tottenham are interested in signing the German forward. Podolski has requested a transfer out of Bayern as Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose are starting ahead of him. With the addition of USA forward Landon Donovan on loan from LA Galaxy, Podolski is not seeing enough playing time for him to warrent staying at Bayern. Podolski has stated, however, that the team, and not money, will be the main factor on deciding where he wants to go, which may be a problem considering the low placements both City and Tottenham currently find themselves in the standings.

Shay Given, one of the few bright spots on a disappointing Newcastle team, gave indications that he is considering leaving Newcastle after their 5-1 loss to Liverpool. Although the scoreline represents a different story, Given has played well through Newcastle’s disastrous campaign, one which has seen Kevin Keegan leave the club once again, and club owner Mike Ashley desperately trying to sell the club, but finding no buyers. Ashley lacks the funds to help Newcastle bring in big name players, and Micheal Owen’s future with the club is still unknown.