FIFA 14 Realism Series: Review: Two Steps Forward and One Step Back

                       This weekend, I will be doing a three-part mini series, celebrating and analysing the release of the most successful and popular football game series of all time. I am, of course, speaking of the immortal FIFA series. A franchise that has generated upwards of £3.7 billion since its inception in 1993, the game has made its way into the hearts (and homes) of football fans and gamers across the country. Last year's edition of the game has seen over 4.5 billion goals scored, at a staggering average of 13.3 million per day. The hotly anticipated release of their '14' version, which hit the shelves last Friday, sold over 2.5 million copies on the day of release. Having got my copy on the day, I have decided to see whether FIFA 14 can be considered to have achieved its primary objective: to be realistic.

                         This first post of the series will focus predominantly on reviewing the game itself. I will examine what makes FIFA 14 arguably the most realistic football game of all time, and assess just how realistic I really think the game is. By looking at the progression of the gameplay (and the graphics) over the past few years, we will get some indication of whether they are moving in the right direction for realism. I will also be giving my opinion on whether it is possible to make FIFA too realistic, where it being true to life actually works to its detriment.

                           Over the last few years, FIFA fans have seen a dramatic overhaul of the vast majority of gameplay and graphics involved in the game. Since the transfer of the game from the PS2 to PS3 platforms, we have seen a plethora of advances made. With the introduction of HD, the look, feel and sound of the game is far more realistic than that to which I had been accustomed in my younger years. I will examine the beneficial changes and the pitfalls in more detail later, but now I will briefly run through the major changes made to the game in the last three editions. FIFA 11, the first game I played in HD, saw the gameplay develop significantly from the previous year, and began to concentrate more on the touch and moment of players, with close control generally speaking the way that games were won and lost. The defending, whilst improved on previous editions, remained sluggish and primitive, with diving into challenges the only real way of reclaiming possession. It meant that teams could easily be cut open with passing and touch alone, and as a result many more goals than normal were scored. In terms of realism, the movement and passing between players became more realistic, but the instantaneous control and difficulty defending means that the series still had some way to go.

                             FIFA 12 saw major alterations to the methods of defending, with interesting (and often infuriating) lessons to be re-learnt about how to best play the game. The touch remained perfect, and therefore unrealistic, but it therefore became far more difficult to rack up the huge scores that happened the previous year. The addition of 'second man marking', where a player can send a computer player to challenge the man on the ball, also helped prevent this. However, FIFA 12, unlike any FIFA I had previously experienced, was overly reliant on the speed of the individual. A simple long ball for a quick player to run onto was sufficient to score the majority of goals. This prevented the need for any real possession football, and in my mind, ruined the realism of the game. It also had the knock-on effect of nullifying the difference between gold, silver and bronze players, as any quick player could get in behind the defence and finish. It meant that a player like Omar Cummings, from the MLS, was much easier to play with than Wayne Rooney or Didier Drogba, adding to lack of realism.

                              FIFA 13 saw fewer major overhauls than its predecessor, but there were still a few changes that were made to find that elusive realism that the EA Sports team so crave. Touch was the main focus for last year's offering, with this aimed to create an element of difference between the various levels of player. To an extent, this worked, as gold players did control the ball more quickly than their silver and bronze counterparts. However, there was no real differentiation between the different types of gold, silver and bronze player. For example, in reality, David Silva will have a considerably better first touch than the likes of Peter Crouch, but this was not really addressed on the game. The speed remained an issue, as players with high speed kept an unfair advantage over all other types of player. This is proven by the sheer amount of online Ultimate Team players that select only the fastest players in their teams. This plagued the FIFA games, denying them that realism that they desired.

                              So how have FIFA rectified these errors? And are there any areas that could be improved upon? Certainly, the touch issue has been rectified. There is a marked difference between those more creative players and those that are more defensive. There is also a clear difference between the three different classes of player, meaning that it has now become much harder to player with bronze and silver players than it is to play with those top quality individuals. Speed has also been lessened as an essential attribute, as the strength of players has now been taken into effect. Stronger players can now prevent those quicker players from exploiting the space quite as easily, making the balance of the game more realistic. However, it still does appear that speedy players have retained a small advantage, meaning that whilst this is a step in the right direction, there is still some way to go.

                               Despite the positives, this newest FIFA installment has thrown up a few new problems, which calls into question the realism debate. All of these have been discovered whilst playing the game, some of which will be quick fixes with future patches, and some will take far more work. The first of these is the fact that on occasions, if a player is not passed the ball directly to his feet, he just stops dead, allowing the opposition to come and steal the ball unchallenged. Whilst this is only a minor change, it remains a fault with the game, and one could argue that it denies the EA Sports team the 'realistic' tag. A second problem that I have unearthed is that the new shooting system, whilst perhaps making shooting within the box more realistic, does this to the detriment of long-range shots. Gone are the days where you knew exactly where to shoot from and curling it beautifully into the top corner, and this is undoubtedly a good thing, as it removes the element of predictability. However, I think that FIFA have perhaps gone a stage too far in this process, meaning that long shots are now much harder to score, and for the lower leagues, they are next to impossible. If we look at action from the Football League, we often see individual moments of brilliance or the odd 30 yard screamer. In FIFA 14, these have become even more difficult to do, meaning that the vast majority of goals (or mine at least) are scored within the confines of the 18-yard area. Not particularly realistic.

                                  So has FIFA 14 become the most realistic football game in history? I would say yes. There are issues that need to be solved, but I think that absolute realism is an impossible goal that they will be forever chasing. We therefore have to applaud how close they come on a yearly basis, as some of the graphics and gameplay are superb. However, the final thing I will say on the matter of realism in this post is, is it really a good thing for FIFA to be truly realistic? If we look at fixtures that take place across the world, there are an awful lot of appalling games of football, with the ball marooned in the centre of the pitch, scrappy and sloppy passing and tackling, wayward shots and overhit crosses. Would it really be enjoyable for a significant portion of game time to be spent playing matches like that? Yet this is apparently the goal that EA are chasing. I would argue that ensuring the game is enjoyable comes above and beyond the realism. If you want enjoyable realism, continue to add detail to the stadiums, pitches and fans, so that the atmosphere matches that of a football stadium. The makers have done a remarkable job with FIFA as a series. I simply worry about where they will go with it from here. If it is towards true realism, I fear that there will be a step backwards from previous editions of the game.

Hull City Tigers: Roaring Back To The Big Time

2012/2013: 2nd (Championship)

Transfer(s) In: Yannick Sagbo (Evian, Undisc), Danny Graham (Sunderland, Loan), Steve Harper (Newcastle, Free), Allan McGregor (Rangers, £2 Million), Curtis Davies (Birmingham, £2 Million), George Boyd (Peterborough, Free), Maynor Figueroa (Wigan Athletic, Free), Ahmed Elmohamedy (Sunderland, £2 Million), Calaum Jahraldo-Martin (Dulwich, Free), Tom Huddlestone (Tottenham, £5 Million), Jake Livermore (Tottenham, Loan), Mohamed Nagy (Al-Ahly, Loan), Medo (Al-Ahly, Loan)

Transfer(s) Out: Corry Evans (Blackburn Rovers, Undisc), Andy Dawson (Scunthorpe United, Free), Seyi Olofinjana (Sheffield Wednesday, Loan)

Transfers Review:

                                          As you can see from the lists above, Hull's incomings this campaign far outstrip their sales this summer. This clearly implies their intentions and their spending power, with their Egyptian owners clearly happy to splash the cash. In Yannick Sagbo and Danny Graham they have two strikers highly capable of scoring goals in the Premier League. The Tigers have also improved their defence, with Curtis Davies and Maynor Figueroa having the necessary Premier League experience to keep them in the league this year. Goalkeepers in McGregor and Harper will also be very useful in their first season back in the top flight.

                                          Similarly to the other two promoted clubs, Hull have managed to keep hold of many of their top players from their promotion winning season. Players like Sone Aluko and Robbie Brady will have been wanted by several other clubs, and Hull will do well to hold onto them until the end of the window. This, coupled with the incomings, leave Hull with a promising squad for survival at the end of May 2014.

Pre-Season:

                                            Hull's pre-season was dominated by the news that, due to the commercial benefits, the club's name would be changed, from the traditional Hull City AFC, to the more commerically attractive Hull City Tigers. This has been met by mixed reviews from the Hull City fans, and football fans in general. My personal opinion is that this can only be a negative move for football. I dislike the changing of the majority of stadium names (having lived in Newcastle I am well aware of the anger a name change can make-Sports Direct Arena!), and I think that changing the name of the club is an even worse step. Even more annoying, rather than just changing the ending from 'City' to another generic name like 'United', they have added the club's nickname 'Tigers' to the end. In my opinion, this makes Hull City sound more like an MLS team, where ridiculous names like San Jose Earthquakes and Montreal Impact are commonplace. I would hate to see a Premier League with names like 'Manchester Volcanoes' or the 'Chelsea Rhinos'. Whilst Hull's suffix at least has some relevance to the club, other foreign owners may not be so considerate of the traditions of the club.

                                             In terms of their matches, Hull started their preparations for their first season in the Premier League for 3 years with a couple of matches against Championship opposition. Matches that the newly promoted Premier League side would have expected to win. However, they left those matches without a victory. Beginning with a boring 0-0 draw against Sheffield Wednesday, they moved onto Birmingham, where they lost a tight game 2-1. After these disappointments, they moved back to their home ground, with a final match against Real Betis. There they produced a much more promising performance, with goals from Danny Graham and Sone Aluko before the break. George Boyd topped the match off with a third, as Hull won 3-0. This is the perfect platform for the start of the Premier League season, as the Tigers will want to carry their form into the league.

Key Players:

                                              The first player that I believe will be able to make the transition from the Championship to the Premier League is George Boyd. The ex-Peterborough man only recently made the step up from relegation battle to promotion push, and I feel he will take the next step in his stride. Scoring on a regular basis, the Englishman quickly became an integral part of the Hull City setup, and he will continue to do so in the Premier League.

                                                Secondly, I think that Allan McGregor will play a crucial role in any success Hull has. A goalkeeper of proven ability and continental experience, McGregor will relish the opportunity to get back to the highest level of football, after a couple of years in the wildnerness in the Scottish lower leagues. He will also be critical in terms of defensive organisation and will aid in the keeping any clean sheets and victories the promoted side gets.

Key Fixture Dates:

24/08/2013: Hull vs Norwich
14/09/2013: Hull vs Cardiff
23/11/2013: Hull vs Crystal Palace
14/12/2013: Hull vs Stoke
18/01/2014: Norwich vs Hull
28/01/2014: Crystal Palace vs Hull
22/02/2014: Cardiff vs Hull
29/03/2014: Stoke vs Hull

Top Goalscorer:

                                                  After a season of anonymity since his break-through onto the Premier League scene, I strongly suspect that Danny Graham will find form again at Hull. At Swansea, he had proven that he had the ability to find the net on multiple occasions, and I expect him to recover that when given regular football. In his second season in the Premier League, neither Swansea, nor Sunderland provided the right fit for the English striker. Hull, I believe, will provide the right type of football for Graham to thrive.

Prediction:

                                                   Of all of the promoted teams, I fancy Hull to be the one to beat the drop. There is always one side that performs better than expected, and I fully expected this year to be Hull's year. If we remember the last time that Hull were promoted, they had a superb start only to fall to within points of relegation by the end of the season. I suspect that the same may be the case this time, but I am certain that most Hull fans would take that now if it were offered! Their experience and key members of the team mean that I believe that Hull are the best equipped of the three, and I think that there are three teams that are worse than the Tigers.

Hull City 2013/2014: 15th

Rugby League’s ‘Magic Weekend’ 2013: Back With A Bang

             Rugby League’s ‘Magic Weekend’, hosted at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium, sees all 14 rugby league giants in action on the same pitch over two days of bone-crunching action. Huge credit must go to the ground staff of the Manchester stadium, as I remember our school rugby pitches after a PE lesson, as it was never a pretty sight! So to have men twice the size, hitting each other twice as hard, for twice as long, must be a gruelling 48 hours without sleep! Once again, the ‘Magic Weekend’ threw up some extraordinary ties, and some fantastically competitive matches, ending with a bang on each days with truly show-stopping games. On Saturday, we had St. Helens vs Warrington Wolves, and to end the weekend, the champions Leeds Rhinos vs the league leaders Wigan Warriors. How can you top that?

 

                The weekend started in fantastic form, with Catalan Dragons beating the London Broncos in the opening fixture. Though the 46-18 final scoreline suggests a thrashing, it was far from it in the first half. Whilst Catalan started strongly, with two quick tries, London quickly regrouped to level the scores just before the break. The second half was a different story, with Catalan half-back Scott Dureau coming back from eye surgery to inspire his team to a resounding second half victory, keeping them in the hunt for the playoffs. A quick turnaround, and the Etihad was ready to grace its second game, Castleford Tigers vs Wakefield Trinity Wildcats. The first derby to be staged at the grand stadium, and the pre-cursor to the Hull derby, Castleford came out of the blocks quickly to establish a 20 point lead by half time, leading 32-12. Their dominance continued into the second period, where, despite an early scare, they finished as comfortable 49-24 victors, handing new boss Daryl Powell his first win.

 

                Next came the Hull derby. In a fiercely competitive match, Hull FC started the brighter, scoring the opening try through Richard Whiting. Hull KR hit back quickly, with two quick scores to lead 10-6 at the break. A second half penalty and an Alex Brown try looked to have settled the game, as KR led by 10 points with only 8 minutes left on the clock. Hull FC fought back, with late tries from Tom Lineham and Kirk Yeaman levelling the scores. Then came the controversy. Hull FC prop Chris Green ran the ball in after KR misjudged the bounce of the ball in the last minute to win the game for FC, despite replays showing he was clearly in an offside decision. The RFL quickly acted, suspending the video referee and stating that a full enquiry would be held into the event. Nevertheless, the game provided us with just the tension and drama we needed going into Saturday’s headliner.

 

                St Helens vs Warrington Wolves, another derby in its own right, started at breakneck speed, with Warrington’s Chris Riley going over in the first minute. Wire soon doubled their advantage, as Ryan Atkins collected a chip to score, but Saints hit back quickly with two tries to move within two points of the Wolves. However, three rapid Warrington tries before half time knocked the stuffing out of St Helens, and gave the Wolves a comfortable cushion going into the break. Early second half tries from Jordan Turner and Lance Hohaia gave Saints hope, but three more tries late into the game from Warrington settled a pulsating tie, and ended an invigorating opening day.

 

                12 hours or so for the ground staff to go to work, before the opening game of today was on: Salford City Reds vs Widnes Vikings. Another intriguing and close encounter, which began with a scoreless first half hour, before Salford’s Lee Gaskell broke the deadlock with a 90 metre try. A quick second soon followed, with Jordan James going over. Widnes responded with two quick tries either side of the break, with Joe Mellor bursting through the Salford line on both occasions. In a game which ebbed and flowed throughout, Salford once again re-established control, through Martin Gleeson’s try. Once again, this would be short-lived, as Mellor claimed his hat-trick of tries to leave the contest tied at 16-16 with 12 minutes to go. With tries being exchanged regularly, Salford’s Theo Fages thought he had won the game for his side, before Kevin Brown cancelled out his try with only 5 minutes remaining. But in the final minute, up popped Jordan James once more, to clinch a thrilling contest in the Reds’ favour.

 

                Huddersfield Giants vs Bradford Bulls followed this encounter, and in a bit of a mismatch, the Giants comfortably saw off a disappointing Bradford side by 42 points to 6. Three tries in the first half ensured that the Giants held a comfortable lead by half time. A lead that was only extended after the break, as Dale Ferguson, Shaun Lunt, Brett Ferres and Anthony Mullaly all went over in the second half, boosting Huddersfield’s title charge. Next was the big one: champions Leeds vs rampant league leaders Wigan. Leeds, prior to the game, boasted a 100% record at ‘Magic Weekends’, whilst Wigan were looking for their 11^th consecutive Super League win. Something had to give.

 

It was Wigan who started the brighter, with last year’s Man Of Steel Sam Tomkins going over to hand the Warriors an early lead. A vicious shoulder charge by Wigan’s Michael McIlorum gave Leeds skipper Kevin Sinfield the chance to reduce the arrears with a penalty, which he duly took. This signalled a change in momentum, as the Rhinos took the lead soon after, as Sinfield touched down after work from Zak Hardaker. Unfortunately for Leeds, their lead only lasted a matter of moments, as journeyman Pat Richards went over in the corner to regain the lead. Whilst Kallum Watkins responded for the Rhinos, a late first half Charnley try left Leeds with some work to do in the second period, trailing 20-12. But it was the Warriors who started the brighter, nearly adding to their lead. Leeds did eventually awaken, with Joe Vickery going over to reduce the deficit. A breathless end to the contest ensued, with the pitch still looking in mint condition, allowing for free-flowing and fast rugby league. Danny McGuire thought he had won it for the champions, but he saw his late try chalked off, leaving the Rhinos too short on time to respond.

 

            A fantastic end to a thrilling weekend of rugby league action. Much has been said about the merits and pitfalls of the ‘Magic Weekend’, but I think it is a fantastic advertisement for the game. To play in a nigh-on 50,000 seater stadium is not a chance many of these rugby league players will have all too often, and as the pitch does not make for a worse game, I see no reason why these weekends should not continue. The drama, controversy and passion are all part of the modern game, and taking that into larger stadiums will only attract more people, which can only be good for the game.

Aston Villa: Youngsters Back From The Brink

2012/2013 Season Review:

                With the departure of the largely unpopular Alex McLeish at the end of the previous year, and the arrival of new boss Paul Lambert from Norwich, Villa started the season in positive, albeit nervous mood. With a number of unproven recruits from the lower leagues of English football, and a big Belgian by the name of Christian Benteke, Villa started the season rather worryingly, accruing only one point from their opening three matches. This inconsistent form continued, and whilst Villa did have highs, such as the victory in the Capital One Cup at the Etihad over Manchester City, who had previously gone unbeaten there for the best part of two years, the opening part of the season was one largely of frustration for the Villa fans.

                Of particular frustration for Villa fans at the beginning of the season was Paul Lambert’s seemingly nonsensical decision to leave Darren Bent, a proven Premier League goalscorer on the sidelines for the new signing Benteke. Lambert’s philosophy was clearly one of bringing the youngsters to the fore, and slowly phasing out the old guard. Players such as Carl Baker, Matt Lowton, Fabien Delph, Andreas Weimann and Benteke all received the opportunity to prove themselves on the big stage. For the majority of the season, it appeared as though this decision would backfire on the manager, as his side rarely escaped the clutches of the bottom three throughout most of 2012. Whilst performances were generally impressive, such as the 2-3 defeat at home to Manchester United in November, the lack of experience often led to mistakes, which inevitably cost the Villains points.

                However, as the season progressed, one player began to stand out. Christian Benteke’s power, touch and goalscoring ability soon vindicated Lambert’s decision to leave Darren Bent out. Benteke announced himself on the Premier League stage during the 3-1 victory at Anfield. Two goals, and an outrageous backheel to create the third illustrated exactly why Lambert spent £7 million on him from Genk in the summer. After the euphoria of the Anfield win, typically Villa were brought back to earth with a bump, being hammered in their next outing 8-0 at Stamford Bridge. An appalling run of form during January saw Villa slip into the bottom three once again, battling for survival became their primary aim. A shame after the early season enthusiasm, but foreseeable with the lack of experience at their disposal. No win in 7 League games, coupled with a shambolic exit in the Capital One Cup Semi Final to Bradford over two legs, and a poor defeat to Millwall in the FA Cup Fourth Round, extinguished all hope of a trophy, and placed their survival hopes in the balance.

                The beginning of March saw a dramatic upturn in form and results, as Villa began to believe they could escape trouble. Roared on by the 12^th man in the Holt End at Villa Park, Villa narrowly lost to Man City, but then proceeded to earn back to back victories against two relegation rivals in Reading and QPR. An incredibly valuable time to earn the first back to back victories of the season. These results put Villa on the cusp of escaping relegation. Two further relegation ‘six-pointers’ were to occur before what seemed the inevitable relegation playoff between Wigan and Villa at the DW Stadium on the final day. Firstly, a trip to the Britannia to face Stoke. An outstanding performance that once again threatened to produce only one point instead of three until the 86^th minute. Then, step forward Matthew Lowton, with an absolute stunner from 30 yards into the top corner, to leave the Villa fans dreaming of survival. Even more astonishing was Villa’s 6-1 demolition of Paolo di Canio’s in form Sunderland. A result no-one saw coming, and one that practically guaranteed Villa’s place in the Premier League for next season, rendering the ‘last day showdown’ with Wigan irrelevant.

                Aston Villa, considering the lack of experience within their ranks, have performed well to escape relegation. Having watched them several times this season, they have never produced performances worthy of going down. They have lacked luck and experience, something which Paul Lambert may need to address. However, they showed signs towards the end of the season that they were beginning to gel, something which bodes well for the next campaign.

 

Player of the Season: Christian Benteke – The big Belgian has been a revelation at Villa Park this year. His goals have almost single-handedly got Villa out of trouble and his bullishness and strength on the ball have earned him many plaudits at home and abroad. That £7 million is looking a snip now!

 

Game of the Season: Aston Villa 6-1 Sunderland – Undoubtedly the most unbelievable result and performance from the Villa players, arguably the culmination of all of Lambert’s hard work to gel such an inexperienced team. Headed by hat-trick hero Benteke, this is the Villa side the claret and blue army from Birmingham want to see more of next season.

 

Summer Transfer Targets (Who I Think They Need): Keeping hold of Benteke is an absolute must for the Villians, as they appear resigned to lose Darren Bent this summer, after several months of bench-warming duty. A little more steel and experience in the midfield would be useful, in order to replace the retiring Stilian Petrov, who has served the club admirably, and on a personal note, it was wonderful to see the club and the fans honour him with the minutes applause every home game. In terms of signings, perhaps someone like Wigan’s James McCarthy, or Stoke’s Dean Whitehead to sure up the midfield. Other than that, the progression of the youngsters should allow Lambert to challenge for a top 10 berth next year.

 

Transfer Gossip Links:

In:

Dwight Gayle (Peterborough, CM)

 

Out:

Darren Bent (Fulham, ST), Christian Benteke (Arsenal, Liverpool, Juventus, ST)