Amazing Regen, rubbish positional ability

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I've picked up this incredible Regen with definite world-beater potential but he's ML only and left-footed which really doesn't fit well with my tactic which uses very narrow inside forwards playing on the opposite side to their weaker foot.

He's also an incredible crosser but average finisher which isn't ideal as my IFs don't do much crossing.

If he just had decent potential I'd develop and sell him for some profit but this guy is leagues ahead of the other highly promising regens I got already after just 6 months training.

Is it viable for me to train him from zero to accomplished/natural on the right or should I use up some of that growth potential making him two-footed and just keep him on the left as a two-footed IF/Winger hybrid?
 
Retraining him uses up a bit of CA but it just takes time otherwise. If you play him there, it won't take that long. Trying to develop the other foot is less certain. You have to develop the PPM and then the other PPM and those might not work, all while the player is able to spend less time on actually getting better as a player.
 
Retraining him uses up a bit of CA but it just takes time otherwise. If you play him there, it won't take that long. Trying to develop the other foot is less certain. You have to develop the PPM and then the other PPM and those might not work, all while the player is able to spend less time on actually getting better as a player.

So preferably to retrain him to the opposite side of the field & keep him one-footed? Suppose that's safer. Just wish more of my team where two-footed. The one player I do have who is "both" is one of my top scorers/performers despite other players having better attributes for finishing/technique/composure.

I didn't think positional retraining cost CA though, just changed CA weightings for attributes but given AML & AMR have the same weightings, there shouldn't be an effect on CA should they?
 
What about an attacking fullback?
 
He's perfect for it but it's a tad wasteful of a top talent. Just used the MacAssistant to check him out and his PA is 197!!!
 
It's wasteful not using him. This way he gets used and I think you're underestimating the influence of a decent fullback, but okay.

So since he's suited to the left and you're currently playing your left footed IF on the left (which works according to you), so get his scoring attributes up.
 
This is him at the moment. He's the perfect offensive winger but my tactic relies on my two wide forwards coming very narrow and being available for passes in and around the box. I play a short-**** F9 so there's no target-man for crosses. The only crosses that really work are short ones across the 6-yard line.

If I could override the Winger instructions to ask him to sit narrow, I'd probably just do that and let him shoot across the goal rather than cutting inside onto the right foot (my IFs are frequently forced onto their weaker, outside foot anyway) but that's not an option sadly. The game insists on "sit wide" and "run wide" instructions.

View attachment 83320
 
This is him at the moment. He's the perfect offensive winger but my tactic relies on my two wide forwards coming very narrow and being available for passes in and around the box. I play a short-**** F9 so there's no target-man for crosses. The only crosses that really work are short ones across the 6-yard line.

If I could override the Winger instructions to ask him to sit narrow, I'd probably just do that and let him shoot across the goal rather than cutting inside onto the right foot (my IFs are frequently forced onto their weaker, outside foot anyway) but that's not an option sadly. The game insists on "sit wide" and "run wide" instructions.

View attachment 1127955
Okay but now you're saying something different. Your OP said you were using left footed IFs on the left, which is why I said that you should use this guy the same way. So which is it?

And of course a winger sits wide and runs wide. It's what they're supposed to do. If you do intend on using him on the right, he'll naturally cut in anyway.
 
Okay but now you're saying something different. Your OP said you were using left footed IFs on the left, which is why I said that you should use this guy the same way. So which is it?

And of course a winger sits wide and runs wide. It's what they're supposed to do. If you do intend on using him on the right, he'll naturally cut in anyway.


My fault, I mean I am currently using right footed IF on the left and left footed IF on the right.

The question is how best to develop this guy.

He naturally fits as a left-winger but I play too narrow for that. I figure I could either try to retrain him to play on the right (from 0 ability there currently) or keep him on the left & train his weaker foot so he can shoot/pass on either foot from the left.
 
There's no best. Make a choice based on what you have and what you need and where you can play him.

Looking at him, I don't see why 1) he can't be an IF and 2) why he can't be on the left. Or if you have to, play him on the right, but I'd look at using him on the left.
 
There's no best. Make a choice based on what you have and what you need and where you can play him.

Looking at him, I don't see why 1) he can't be an IF and 2) why he can't be on the left. Or if you have to, play him on the right, but I'd look at using him on the left.


If I play an left-footed IF on the left side, wouldn't he frequently be shooting on his weaker foot after cutting inside?

I tend to see my IFs shoot in one of two scenarios:
  1. On the break & played in by the F9/a CM. - Usually they try to get goal-side of the defender here and shoot on inside foot but sometimes forced wide & forced to shoot with outside foot (across the goal). Lower conversion rate on this chance.
  2. When we have them pressed into their box with F9 & IFs in and around their back-line looking for a one-two into the box or space for a long-shot - almost always shooting on the inside foot here as they're cutting into the centre of the box.
>50% of my team's goals come from scenario 2 so I worry that playing a left-footed IF on the left will make it hard for him to score in these situations as his inside foot would actually be his weaker foot.
 
I do like WJ's suggestion. I don't think retraining him as an attacking fullback/wingback is waste at all? Is Dani Alves a waste? An attacking wide defender can be an amazing attacking outlet if utilized properly. Almost undefendable. If your wingers are cutting inside, you need width. Your attacking fullback provides that.

Good inside forwards are not hard to find in FM. Good old school forwards are a bit more rare. Great attacking fullbacks are not common at all
 
If I play an left-footed IF on the left side, wouldn't he frequently be shooting on his weaker foot after cutting inside?
So it's okay to shoot with your left if you're a wide left winger, but suddenly you can't when you're a very narrow inside forward?

Your thoughts seem to be all over the place. I'd play him on the left since he's already suited there and he's getting played through by other players. There's very little cutting inside to do especially (as you said) if they're "very narrow". If he struggles switch him and see how he does. This is what I'd do. You do what you think is best.
 
So it's okay to shoot with your left if you're a wide left winger, but suddenly you can't when you're a very narrow inside forward?

Your thoughts seem to be all over the place. I'd play him on the left since he's already suited there and he's getting played through by other players. There's very little cutting inside to do especially (as you said) if they're "very narrow". If he struggles switch him and see how he does. This is what I'd do. You do what you think is best.

It's more to do with the types of shots I have observed by my current IFs.

Of course there is nothing wrong with him shooting with his left foot on the left side if he is in the position to do so. However, I've seen most of my goals come from the IF getting onto the inside shoulder of the CB to receive a pass into the box and from that position, the ball is on their inside foot.

Take this very crude drawing to illustrate. When he receives the ball his body is open to goal with the right foot the most natural to shoot with first-time.


View attachment 83313


You could shoot on your left there but it's a more difficult shot as the goal is at a more acute angle to the left foot than the right.

Maybe I'm still not making much sense? :S
 
Could you play him as a left sided IF but ask him to shoot less often? I think IF's with a stronger outside foot can be very useful because they're less likely to shoot wastefully on their weaker foot, and vary their threat more by going on the outside more often than a standard IF who will almost exclusively cut inside.

He doesn't look like a natural goalscorer anyway - although depending on his age he could improve those attributes significantly - but could be a very useful mixed threat of a playmaker/occasional scorer
 
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