News & Media

[KurtJP35]

AOR XB1 FIFA - Season 4
News & Media

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Inspired by the very interesting thread of similar nature created by Kptk92 for the AOR Forza BTCC league we here at the cod team bring you an exciting new venture for the FIFA league. Here we will be writing reports on season previews, team selections, tri-weekly updates on results , season reviews at the end and more! If anyone does opt to record their games they can post them in here for other people's viewings too.

YOU GUYS ARE FREE TO POST YOUR OWN ARTICLES HERE AND I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO. HERE'S THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS BY Kptk92:
Forza N&M Thread

Contents
Season 4 Preview
KurtJP35 Preview
Lewis_TIds' Rumour Mill
Troyfmcg Preview
TRL Schumacher Preview
JordanMcGonigal Preview
xHPExFootie Preview
MrJonesyy Preview
AORFA Cup Announcement
FisiFan91 Preview
OTELL0 Preview
InfamousVader1997 Preview
Weeks 1-4 Review
Weeks 5-11 Review​

 

[KurtJP35]

A New Era: FIFA XB1 S4 Preview

The FIFA leagues are back for what is sure to be a thrilling season 4 with many returning faces but also a wide array of fresh talent to be unleashed upon the league. With the coordination team having a big swap of with @JordanMcGonigal stepping down as cod and @KurtJP35 taking the head coordinator spot there was bound to be a swap up of ideas. The introduction of media coverage, a new league format system, extended and longer seasons than ever before and split team selection options across divisions will surely all add up to make this a great season.

One of the largest changes was the introduction of what I, in the Football Manager league, like to call 'People Power'. This is essentially where you guys get to make some of the big decisions on the league and us cods just guide those decisions along appropriately. For the first time you guys had the power to decide what teams we would be selecting from and on a fairly dominant vote it was decided we would be using BPL in Division 1 and SBC in Division 2. This means that both divisions will be using some of the strongest teams from their respective leagues with the likes of Man City, Chelsea, Norwich, Fulham and Cardiff sure to be thrown in there early on.

Title Update 3
Another factor that has to be considered for the upcoming season is the recent patch which EA introduced to FIFA 15. This 'update' gave the game a new feel and was supposed to change the way the ball's trajectory was affected during the use of lobbed through balls and how defenders dealt with them. These changes didn't affect everyone but certain people last season had a horrid time adapting to the new changes including title competitor @TRL Schumacher who had his worst run in the AOR yet as a result of it. If certain competitors fail to adapt they may have a very difficult time performing at the level expected of them so solid practice under the new title update may be vital to ensure they're ready.

The Most Competitive Season Yet?
I feel we may be in for one of the best title races we've ever seen in the AOR leagues with so much talent across the board. Division 1 will have its usual culprits of @KurtJP35, @TRL Schumacher and @JordanMcGonigal no doubt but with both @MrJonesyy returning to the league and @FisiFan91, @OTELL0 and @xHPExFootie making their Division 1 debuts we are in for a total shake up of the top division. We also shouldn't forget @Troyfmcg who after a disappointing season 2 where he almost got relegated really put himself back on the map with a solid 3rd place finish last season. The loss of @SamBradley17 means the league has lost of its strongest players but this will surely just open the door of opportunity for someone else to put themselves into the frame.

As for Division 2 it is impossible to know what to expect as there is a quite astonishing 7 new faces and 2 returning members from past seasons. @InfamousVader1997 finds himself back in Division 2 after failing to have the impact in the top divisions he'd have liked. Despite making a respectable comeback late on in the season he ended up finishing bottom and will surely be looking to recover and start over again for the new season. 7th and 8th place @Devastation and @Lewis_Tids find themselves back and will be looking for a far improved season after their last campaign. Returning players @Relezy and @Chris johnson will be looking to build on the seasons they've already had and gain more experience in competitive play. @Relezy will surely be up there again after already getting a promotion but missing out on it due to real life difficulties at the time. Very few of the new members I have experience against so it is difficult to say what to expect from them but I'm sure they will all have their eyes of the title from the get-go. @SadowGear , @Smithycity99 , @FormulaMoss F1 , @iR3versal , @jordankelly2013 and @LST Viperz will be able to have their impact on the league this season and as their campaigns go on we'll be able to get a better idea of just who are the strongest players.

As team selection goes on we'll be doing individual breakdowns of everyone and their team choice so keep your eyes peeled to see what we here at the coordination team think of your chances in season 4.​

 

[KurtJP35]

A Champion Returns: KurtJP35 Season Preview

Living off the glories of season 3 Kurt finally managed to put aside his consolidation finishes and landed big time as he snatched the title right at the end of the season. The choice of Napoli paid off well as he got the very best out of key figure such as Higuain, Insigne and Mertens. So, let's look at the chances of him being able to build on his AOR name for season 4.

Having first pick for the upcoming season put him in a very strong position and the pick of rather Chelsea or Man City seemed inevitable with their extremely strong squads thanks to the tycoon ownership they possess. It didn't take long to decide though as he is thought to not be a big fan of Chelsea FC so earlier today it was announced that he would be taking the reign of Man City manager for the upcoming season.

Man City's wide range of squad depth will offer Kurt
practically unlimited options to work with.

Kurt's play style on FIFA is complemented by his team choice very well as they have strong CAMs in which Kurt is known to favour over traditional wingers. We anticipate heavy use of the 4-2-3-1 formation throughout with those 3 attacking midfield spots sure to be rotated a lot as he gets to grips with what he values as his strongest XI. In the few pre-season games he has featured in so far it is rumored that Nasri has fallen out favour and a surprise appearance in Edin Dzeko interests Kurt as he offers physical presence no one else can. If he does indeed bring Dzeko in on a regular basis then we predict Aguero will find himself playing a shadow striker role tucked in behind him with the two wide AMs acting as overlapping cover.

Kurt is also known to reinvent players in roles they aren't known for as shown by both his ST use of Insigne and CDM use of Hamsik last season. In a similar fashion to Hamsik we feel Lampard may be able to feature in Kurt's plans but only as the on the CDMs where he will most likely take up a deep lying playmaker role, commanding the counter-attacks and movements of play. His lack of agility means playing an advanced role would be difficult especially against an opponent who favours high pressure defending. Lampard's partner is up for debate but we feel Fernandinho will take the spot but if he doesn't perform then no doubt he will be questioned early on. His role is likely to be that of the same nature as Inler played last season which proved to be key in any blocking central play of opponents he came across.

The defence may pick itself with the most likely combination being Clichy, Kompany, Mangala and Zabaleta. This mix of pace and defensive ability will set Kurt up nicely for when he feels a more cautious approach is necessary. As they say, sometimes the best form of attack is defence. Joe Hart is the obvious conclusion to the XI which whilst not being one of the strongest keepers around is still a solid player who with a good balance of stats will be reliable if nothing else.

Potential XI


So not just do we anticipate Kurt to be right up there but also we think he has a very strong team to support this. Anything other than a title challenge would be a huge letdown and unlike his predecessors he'll be looking to become the first successful defendant of the AOR FIFA Title.

PREDICTION: 1st - 3rd​

 

[Lewis_Tids]

Championship Teams on The Hunt

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With the start of the season just weeks away, Sky Bet Championship sides are still looking for managers before the first game of the season. As pundits and fans around the country wait on the news of their Club hopefully bringing in a new manager to kick start their Title Race and to be able to get into the promotion spots for that all important, Division 1 that all clubs and fans in the league wish their side could feature in. The bookies are already one step ahead as they have shortlisted the most likely managers to be joining the league this month.

Rumours:

Rumours from various Newspapers such as: Daily Telegraph, The Sun, Daily Mail, The Guardian and even international Newspapers like BILD have emerged about currently unemployed manager Lewis Tidbury will be joining one of the bigger clubs in the league. Rumours linking him with Cardiff City FC, his most local team Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest and a surprise none the least for most, Blackburn Rovers, hoping he can recreate the success period of when one of the clubs most prolific players, Alan Shearer, was at the Striker position. However, we can confirm that during the pre-season spell for the clubs, Tidbury did attend 2 of Nottingham Forest's games as it has been rumoured he is in talks with the clubs chairman about joining them for the season to come.

We at Sky Sports News managed to get a quick interview with Lewis Tidbury:

SS: "So, Lewis, there have been plenty of rumours linking you with multiple clubs elsewhere around the world, but what made you turn your back on them and focus on being hired by a Championship side?"

LT: "Well, at the current point in time, there is nothing saying that I will not go elsewhere, but since I am unemployed, I should try and focus more on playing the English style of play that I have been used to. I encouraged it at Borussia Monchengladbach and at FC Porto. Both clubs where I felt that an English football tactic wouldn't work, and it didn't."

SS: "There are links of you going to clubs such as: Cardiff, Bournemouth, Blackburn and Nottingham Forest. Is there anyway that you can give us and the fans who are eagerly awaiting News on their clubs decision any hints as to where the next step in your career will take you?"

LT: "I wish I could, however, I feel that ruins the surprise of everything. You will bound to see more rumours about me being linked with different clubs, whether you decide to believe those rumours or not is a different matter, just bear in mind this. A good Manager never reveals his secrets..."


We will have more News about Lewis Tidbury and his next step in his career later on once we get word of anything new. In the meantime, make sure to follow us for more Football and Managerial News as we get closer to the start of the season.

 

[KurtJP35]

A Dark-Horse in The Making?: Troyfmcg Season Preview

Troy has had some of the most mixed performances in the AOR but if ones thing's for sure he is a worthy Division 1 contender. He has been in the division from the start after securing a solid 5th place finish in season 1. He failed to follow up on this though as he barely escaped relegation in season 2 staying up by just 1 point after finishing 6th. Last season showed far more promising signs though as he managed to come 3rd, only 4 points of the title so what can we expect this season?

Troy has managed to secure Chelsea as his team, arguably the strongest team alongside City which will be a huge catalyst in challenging for the title this year. I feel that Troy will confidently avoid the relegation areas due to the team choice alone and despite his season 2 mishaps I still believe him to be a quality FIFA player.

Just like City, Chelsea are oozing with class. Troy
will have a fine squad to select from.

Chelsea are, needless to say, a great squad and with several world class players at his disposal Troy must be feeling confident about his chances managing them. Troy must aim for more than just a mid-table finish this campaign as I truly feel he has the ability and team to finally put himself on the map as one of the league's favourites. He has plenty of FIFA experience and if he can tighten up on his defending and watch people's play more carefully he has to be up there come 11 weeks time.

Chelsea's attacking side is certainly there strongest third and the options they have are quite something. A very wide range of formations could be employed for this campaign but I feel to get the most out of their key players in the likes of Hazard a 4-4-2 Diamond Wide would operate well. Other options of a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 could also be applied or even a 3 at the back formation with the correct rotation. I feel that a strike partnership between Costa and Rémy could operate well with the mix of their physical presence plus pace although Costa could quite easily play up there on his own. Drogba is also an option but I doubt he will find his way into the team too often.

Tucked in behind these two I feel Oscar is the prime candidate due to his high dribbling and passing stats. Whilst there are better CAMs in the league Oscar still does the job very well and can even operate out as a RM if Troy feels like something needs changing. RM and LM are heavily subjective spots but I think a Hazard and Schurrle partnership would suit best. Many would consider Willian over Schurrle but for me Willian just doesn't offer the same level of striking potential and traditional wingers tend to fall out of favour on FIFA 15 anyway. CDM is a spot of high competition with Fabregas, Ramires and Matic all potential options but Cesc has to take the spot as he is one of the best central midfielder on the game.

The defence could be laid out in many ways but after looking through their options I feel Luis, Terry, Cahill and Azpilicueta would be my personal choice. If Terry's lack of pace proved an issue you could potentially rotate Ivanovic in at CB although his defensive stats aren't as good. For goalkeeper both Courtois and Cech are outstanding options and if there has ever been such a thing as a 'good problem' it would be picking from these two. Whilst Courtois is a higher overall Cech is notorious on FIFA for being 'Mr. Reliable' so either would be solid options. For me though I'd say Thibaut just about edges it out thanks to his 87 handling.

Potential XI


For me Troy this season really has the opportunity to emerge victorious but it wont be an easy task. It may take him a few games to figure out his best team too but come the end of the season I feel he will be up there.

PREDICTION: 2nd - 4th

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[KurtJP35]

Getting Back on the Rails: TRL Schumacher Season Preview

Last season was one to forget for Grant who, thanks to a patch done by EA on the game, collapsed late on to suffer a staggering four consecutive defeats. He ended up finishing 4th behind Kurt, Sam and Troy in what must have been a extremely frustrating finish to an otherwise strong campaign.

Grant has arguably the strongest track record in the AOR FIFA leagues with very competitive finishes every season. Whilst other title favourites such as Kurt, Troy and Jordan have all off seasons Grant has always been up there from season 1 through to season 3. In season 1 we saw him miss out on the title by just 3 points but he still confidently qualified for Division 1 in season 2. He used this qualification to lift his first AOR FIFA title by a very convincing margin finishing an unbelievable 7 points clear of 2nd place Kurt. Season 3 was the most disappointing yet but even then had he still finished 4th and is it weren't for his form collapse he'd have most likely sailed to his 2nd title.

Grant spent quite a lot of time experimenting around in order to figure out what team was for him. He trialed Swansea, Southampton, West Ham, Everton, Liverpool and Arsenal but in the end decided on Manchester United for his team choice. United were the logical 3rd pick thanks to Van Gaal's strong work in the transfer market giving them a huge boost of talent to work with. Grant is also known for favouring a 5 at the back formation which United accommodate to well although he is still open to try other tactics with such versatility available among the squad.

Whilst still having a strong squad, United suffer
from a severe lack of defensive talent unlike
City and Chelsea. De Gea could turn out to be key.

With so many attacking players it is very difficult to get everyone on the United team into the squad but I feel personally I'd go with a 4-3-1-2 formation. For the strikers I think you'd have to go with Falcao and Van Persie whom may be slow be there is no doubt they are among the finest strikers in the game. On the last FIFA Falcao was my favourite striker and with his 90 finishing and 93 heading he is assured to bag you some goals if you get in the right positions. Their lack of pace is an issue but this can be solved with a slower tempo game. Tucked in behind them I'd have Rooney to utilise his strong shooting stats and relatively solid dribbling stats too.

Moving back to the midfield I think there is quite a few options to field here but I'd go with Mata and Di Maria playing the advanced LCM and RCM roles with Daley Blind placed in the more defensive central role. This way your two CMs can play box to box football offering options everywhere whilst Blind sits deep offering constant defensive support. With this layout Di Maria and Mata, some of United's two best players, will also see a lot more of the ball which could be a huge advantage. In saying this though it could also be an option to play Di Maria in a more advanced role in CAM and swap Rooney out potentially.

The defence is a serious weak point for United with Shaw, Evans, Smalling and Rafael all being mediocre at best. If there is a saving grace it's De Gea who is not just a brilliant goalkeeper but also is constantly getting boosted rating thanks to his real life performances. Case in point he's currently a 88 overall! The recent signing of Valdes does offer slightly more depth and a 2nd good keeper although with De Gea there isn't much value in playing him.

Potential XI
​

Grant has to be up there come the end of the season and anything below a title challenge will be a huge let down for him. It should be interesting to see if he can regain his title or if that deadly patch has still left a bitter taste.

PREDICTION: 1ST-2ND

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[KurtJP35]

Time to Step it Up: JordanMcGonigal Season Preview

Out of the competitors yet to win a title Jordan is the most surprising for me. Whenever I've come across him he always plays so well and gives me some of the best games I have yet when those final standings are announced he always seems to fall short. This season has to correct that and nothing less than at least a title challenge should be accepted.

In season 1 Jordan got very close but lost it on the final week as Jimmy Leeky ended up finishing a narrow 2 points ahead in what a lot of people consider one of the closest title races yet. Most people expected Jordan to build on this for season 2 but instead he finished 8 points off the title down in 3rd place. Season 3 brought with it the worst season yet by far with him finishing 5th place, just 4 points off the drop. Looking at this decline it's about time Jordan turns his fortunes around and gets back to where he belongs.

For the upcoming season he has got his hands on Tottenham after deciding to avoid Arsenal due to last year's poor performance. Spurs may not be one of the most obvious teams to pick this early on but that's not to say they don't have some real quality among their rankings. Despite having a decent range of strikers I'd still operate with a 1 up front formation due to none of the strikers being particularly outstanding. Based on this and the wingers available I'd go with a 4-2-3-1.

Whilst Spurs lack many stand out
names they have a solid squad that's
very well balanced out across the board

In Striker I would have to go with Soldado as Kane is somewhat underrated on FIFA and Adebayor is too average all around. Whilst Soldado isn't exactly stunning he has a nice variety of stats and can play a wide range of roles from poacher to target man.

The more exciting part of Spurs' team comes in the attacking midfielders and wingers. There are a lot of options but I feel Lamela and Lennon would be the best choices with their pace and technical ability although the likes of Chadli could offer something different against a more defensive opponent. In the middle Eriksen is a no-brainer as the Danish playmaker offers the passing ability unmatched by anyone else in the squad.

The two CDM spots are well covered with options such as Capoue, Paulinho, Bentaleb and Dembele can all operate there but Paulinho and Dembele are the stand out players. Capoue could partner to offer a more solid defensive side but Dembele offers more in certain technical areas.

The defence may not be particularly great stat wise but if there's one thing Spurs have on their side, it's pace. At LB you could have Rose or Davies but I'd give Rose the go ahead due to his better physical stats. CBs have to be Vertonghen and Kaboul all year around with no one else even being able to challenge their spots in all honesty. At RB we have on of the sweatiest players on FIFA and the personification of pace in Kyle Walker. Not any defensive stats at all really but he's fast, really fast. Finally in goal we have one the best goalkeepers in the world and Spurs' strongest player by far with Hugo Lloris. In a similar way to United, Jordan may find himself putting a lot of trust into Lloris due to his brilliance and ability.

Potential XI
​

Whilst I really do think Jordan has to get right up there again and put his season 3 experience behind him I'm not quite convinced he'll be able to do it. For me I anticipate a good title challenge though and perhaps with a good run of form he can prove me wrong.

PREDICTION: 2ND-4TH​

 

[KurtJP35]

Learn from Other's mistakes: xHPExFootie Season Preview

Our first of 3 debutees come in the form of Season 2 champion xHPExFootie. So, what should Footie's aims for the upcoming season be and what pitfalls must he avoid at all costs?

So far promotees of Division 2 have had pretty rotten times adapting to Division 1 and I spent a lot of time during last season trying to figure out just why this was. Was it down to a lack of FIFA ability? No that's not right. Both Sam and Michael were more than capable of staying up based on skill level alone as they showed with some impressive displays in selective games. I thought about a few other options before finally coming to a conclusion, it's the difficulty in adapting from Division 2's nature to Division 1's nature. Division 1 is far more demanding on consistency and constant concentration during games, something neither Sam or Mike learnt until far too late into the season.

Expanding on this I feel Footie has to avoid the same fate and must figure out what is needed of him very early on. Just being good at FIFA doesn't cut it here, you have to be experienced and it is crucial you can stay calm in difficult positions. After all you're in Division 1, it wouldn't right if it was a walk in the park would it now?

Looking at Footie's campaign last season around I am pretty confident he'll stay up this year although until I play him I can't get a real feel of what he's capable of. One thing that will help Footie's survival bid is his team choice of Arsenal, a team filled with good quality across the whole XI.

No matter what previous AOR history
suggests, Arsenal are a force to be reckoned with.

Looking at Arsenal's team I have to say their attacking options are up there with the finest teams in the leagues. As I do with any team with a strong attack I would choose a 4-2-3-1 with Arsenal although their squad is generally so versatile you could more or less pull anything off.

For my 4 attacking players I feel a slightly unorthodox layout would be more beneficial. Giroud and Welbeck aren't bad but when you have Sanchez, Cazorla, Ozil, Walcott or Oxlade-Chamberlain to fit into the team I just can't see how you'd fit them in. Due to this I have opted for Sanchez as the striker with Cazorla, Ozil and Walcott playing in behind him. This offers a good mix between physical ability and technical ability to accommodate for the differing types of opponents within the league.

Playing the CDM roles I think WIlshere and Ramsey are obvious picks as neither Flamini or Coquelin quite offer the same technical side of their game. Arteta would bring some semi-decent free-kick stats with him but he feels very sluggish on the ball and lacks certain stats to compete with the selected 2.

The back 4 is a real love it or hate it kind of defence as it all comes down to how you defend. For someone like me who tracks off and plays fairly low pressure I think it works very well but if you're someone who likes to rush your opponents into mistakes you may need to rotate around. With this in mind I've gone with Gibbs, Koscielny, Mertesacker and Debuchy with Szczesny in goal. Whilst Wojciech isn't great Gibbs and Debuchy are solid full backs who also offer attacking options with their decent pace stats. Koscielny is very good on FIFA and whilst Per may slow he has outstanding strength, heading and defensive stats on the whole.

Potential XI


Honestly, with Arsenal's team you can do so much so there are countless possibilities of effective teams you could field. My team is down to personal preference and what I feel would work best on the competitive stage but with the Ox, Rosicky, Giroud, Welbeck, Campbell and Arteta on the bench/reserves there is still many possibilities.

For me Footie may not quite be able to launch title bid but I can't see him getting relegated. Hopefully he'll prove me wrong and prove to be the underdog that could but I'm predicting solid mid-table.

PREDICTION: 3RD-6TH​

 

[KurtJP35]

A 2nd Chance: MrJonesyy Season Preview

Are first and only returning member of Division 1 who'd not competed in it last season is Ryan who is ready to prove a point after being relegated back in season 2.

Unlike his 3 other promotees, Ryan does have experience in this division and has also played everyone in it at some point in a competitive game in the leagues, giving him invaluable experience and knowledge of his opposition. So, what should he aim for this season? Well the obvious answer would be the title but I feel Ryan would be content with a solid mid-table finish for the upcoming campaign.

Being seeded 6th in the team selection order meant that options were beginning to be thinned out but with both Merseyside clubs still available one of those was always going to be the obvious pick. Ryan, in the end, opted for Liverpool who come with their strengths and their weaknesses as you'd expect.

Liverpool may not seem outstanding on paper
but they have a very strong attack with a good mix
of both technical ability and physical ability

The formation I'd opt for was a very difficult pick as Liverpool have so many attacking players to pick from, arguably even more than Arsenal. In the end I decided a 4-3-3 attack or 4-3-2-1 would work best depending how central you play. For the purposes of making the most out of the CAMs available I've opted for the 4-3-3 attack.

Leading the upfront is the over-rated Balotelli who FIFA still sees as an 81 overall despite the likes of Hendo being just a 78 (I wont go into detail here but come on EA!). Due to this rating he is actually solid on FIFA although he often suffers from downgrades through the match day due to his sub-par play in real life. On the left and right you'd have Sterling and Sturridge although if Balotelli's rating got dropped too much I'd move Daniel into the centre and place Lallana, Markovic or even Coutinho out on the wing. Both Sturridge and Sterling offer a great mix of technical talent and outstanding physical stats, mainly pace.

Moving back to the midfield I feel Coutinho picks himself as with the way this game works, dribbling being over powered, he was born for the role with his 87 dribbling, 86 ball control and 85 short passing. He is a natural CAM to fit into the team. I guess Lallana is also an option but I feel he is just a watered down version of Coutinho on FIFA sadly. For the two CM positions behind Coutinho I've gone with Henderson and Gerrard although Lucas was a very close placement and only narrowly missed out.

The defence is a saddening sight for the most part although it is probably comes off better on FIFA than in real life. Alberto Moreno is a class wing-back to deploy who offers both pace and attacking intent to overlap with Sterling. CBs Skrtel and Toure are both pretty good on FIFA and Toure even offers some nice pace stats on top of some respectable defensive stats. Lovren and Sakho are also options to rotate in. The RB position is pretty painful with Johnson being downgraded to just an 74 overall, Manquillo and Flanagan being rated at just 67 and 71 respectively. I suppose you could shove Enrique RB if you wanted but for the purposes of this team I've stuck with Glen. Finally, the goalkeeper. Oh dear. So Mignolet, 76 overall with some okay reflex stats but very poor handling, kicking and positioning. Your other option is Brad Jones, let's not speak about Brad Jones.

Potential XI



So on the whole Liverpool's team is actually very strong although RB and GK is a serious problem. There is a chance mind you that Rodgers will look to fix the GK problem this window IRL so there's still hope there. Ryan will have to make the most of the attacking options in order to avoid suffering from the lack of defensive ones to succeed.

For me Ryan will have a strong fight at staying up and I anticipate he will be able to do so. Relegation is still possible though, especially if that GK problem doesn't get sorted out by Brendan Rodgers. It should be an interesting campaign and I'm excited to see how it plays out.

PREDICTION: 4TH-7TH

​

 

[KurtJP35]

A Brand New Competition

We here at the AOR FIFA COD team are proud to announce that for the first time within the AOR FIFA leagues we will be running the AORFA Cup on the side of the league. We are highly anticipating that this will give a new face entirely to the competitive scene and will although offer players across both divisions a top honour to compete for.



The fixture list will be updated soon to accommodate for the opening round. The preliminary round draw will be done over a live stream for viewing purposes to avoid controversies in draws. Further details will be given about the live stream once the details are confirmed. Keep your eyes open for further announcements on the cup.

Format:
Preliminary Round -> First Round -> Quarter-Final -> Semi-Final -> Final

Preliminary Round:


First Round:


Knockout Stages:


The exact format of the cup is not 100% confirmed. We may change the format still if seen suitable.


Link Post:​

@Troyfmcg , @TRL Schumacher , @JordanMcGonigal , @xHPExFootie , @MrJonesyy , @FisiFan91 , @OTELL0 , @InfamousVader1997 , @Devastation , @Lewis_Tids , @Unbreakable Tom , @iR3versal , @Smithycity99 , @FormulaMoss F1 , @jordankelly2013 , @LST Viperz , @Chris johnson , @Relezy , @RandyMcScrandy1

​

 

[KurtJP35]

A Big Challenge Ahead: FisiFan91 Season Preview

The 2nd of our Division 1 debutees is the well known FisiFan91, the founder and head of the AOR league. The real question though is where will Fisi finish this season and will he be able to avoid the dreaded drop?

Looking back at Fisi's performances so far in the leagues it is safe to say we have a pretty large mix of results. Back in season 1 Fisi finished 14th, picking up less than a point a game on average. In season 2 Fisi was forced to withdraw due to issues with the game. Season 3 was Fisi's best finish, coming across the line in 3rd and getting promoted due to the lack of numbers in Division 1 last season.

Whilst Footie and Ryan both finished confidentiality ahead of our other promotees that's doesn't mean we should expect to see Fisi struggle this season. Fisi may have dropped off with some disappointing form mid-season but on the whole he proved himself to be just as skilled as those at the top of the Division. How he ranks up in Division 1 could be perceived differently. It's hard to say exactly where he'd come in as we don't have documented games against the majority of the league since season 1 but I feel Fisi may be in for a very challenging season.

I'm not necessarily saying relegation is assured but it's going to be a tough fight to stay up. He'll have to make the most of his team choice, Everton, and retained composure throughout the coming campaign. With the fixtures announced we also know he'll be playing seasons 2 and 3 champions for his opening week which should really let us see how he shapes up in comparison.


Everton don't have the strongest squad
but there is a lot of physical ability
in there for sure.

InfamousVader chose Everton in season 3 and whilst he got relegated he did seem to enjoy the team he got to play with. They have a very good mix of technical and physical ability along with some very strong individuals, especially with how this FIFA works. Looking at the team as a whole I honestly found it really hard to fit everyone in and so I can't really recommend a single starting XI and I'd heavily recommend rotation with this team. Despite this I've given it my best go using the 4-4-1-1 formation.

Leading the upfront is none less than Lukaku who may just be the strongest player on the team, both literally and figuratively. Playing in behind him I had a real dilemma but in the end I opted for Cameroon veteran Samuel Eto'o to take up the CF role. I considered pushing Barkley forward but didn't feel he had shooting stats to do a good enough job. I even looked at the possibility of Atsu taking up this role but outside of his pace I didn't feel he offered anything of interest.

Looking at the midfield we have McCarthy and Barkley taking up the two central midfield spots. It's a pretty common sense partnership to have the more defensive minded CM and the more offensive minded CM together and within those criteria I felt these two were best suited. Barry is also an option to rotate in for McCarthy. I decided to put McGeady LM as I feel his 5* skills and rapid pace give Everton something entirely different to use but Pienaar is also worth a shout with his frightening 90 agility stat. Finally, Mirallas finishes the midfield off at RM with his high pace stats and impressive skill attributes including 84 dribbling, ball control and crossing as well as some solid finishing.

Everton's defence is pretty solid on the whole starting off with Baines, my favourite LB in the league. Not just does Baines offer some great defensive stats but also some nice set piece stats as well as a wide array of impressive attacking stats. The two CB spots were closely competed for but in the end I went with Jagielka and Distin due to their heights and defensive stats. Stones was a close 3rd but I felt he lacked that certain something. Coleman sweeps the RB position without much competition and just like Baines he offers some impressive attacking stats to overlap with. The final spot is the American goalkeeper, Tim Howard, we is about as solid as it comes as an all rounder. He may not have the ability of De Gea or Lloris but he is still a great goalkeeper and Fisi should be able to rely on him when required.

Potential XI


So to summarise I have to admit I see Fisi in for a difficult season. Relegation can't be crossed out but neither can safety and it'll be far easier to make a judgement once we get to see more of what he can offer in Division 1. It should certainly be a chance for Fisi to prove himself as a top FIFA player within the league.

PREDICTION: 5TH - 8TH

​

 

[KurtJP35]

Arduos Campaign Expected: OTELL0 Season Preview

It was a surprise when OTELL0 found himself in the unlikely position of competing in Division 1 this year but that's exactly what happened thanks to a mix of numbers being needed and his 4th place finish last year. With this outlandish promotion is OTELL0 good enough?

To be honest the answer to that question is probably a yes. It's not particularly easy to say if he is or isn't but there is no chance of him being flat out uncompetitive and no doubt he'll be able to at the least put up a strong fight for survival.

OTELL0 made his debut in season 2 where after a mix of form throughout he finally finished in a respectable 4th place. A solid finish but still far off promotion, finishing 6 points behind 3rd and 10 off the title. Season 3 gave a very similar final product as he once again finished 4th but this time just 6 points off the title. More importantly he finished 3 points in the better, this shows progress which is what matters.

OTELL0 had the unfortunate position of 8th seed which in the BPL can cause issues as the big 7 have all gone. In saying this I did still expect him to go with West Ham or Southampton but in the end he chose a somewhat surprising choice in Q.P.R. For this team I think a simple 4-4-2 complements the squad well.

A somewhat unusual choice but
not necessarily a bad one.

When you first think about QPR you may not think they really have much appeal at all. I honestly thought this choice was a brave one at first but upon actually looking at the team I actually think this may be a great pick. Starting off with the attack we have quite a few options. Personally, I'd go with Zarate and Vargas due to their immense agility stats but Austin is certainly worth a shout.

Far out on LM you could have Kranjcar but Hoilett has that something more with his high pace stats and long shot taker trait. The central roles have many options with Faurlin, Barton and Sandro worthy calls but Fer and Taarabt have to be the most suited to the game. Fer's strong physical presence and Taarabt's technical ability is unmatched by the other options. On the far right I'd have Phillips although if you wanted to play Austin you could drop Vargas back into this role.

The back 4 is fairly impressive for QPR with Traore, Caulker, Onuoha and Isla making up my choices although Ferdinand and Dunne do offer some good rotation ability against slower tempo opponents. In goal you could go with either Green or McCarthy but I think Green edges it out as he gets regular upgrades on the match day system. This back four may not be the best defensive wise but they are fast and with some good back tracking it could be very difficult to break them down.

Potential XI


All in all I feel OTELL0 should be in for a tough but enjoyable season. It isn't going to be easy to stay up but there isn't anyone in this division who isn't capable enough to do it so I see no reason why he can't stay up. The team choice is an intriguing one and it'll be interesting to see how it plays out.

PREDICTION: 6TH-8TH​

 

[KurtJP35]

No Time to Dwell: InfamousVader1997 Season Preview

After my experience across the two games we played last season I honestly find it hard to believe a player of Sam's calibre found himself relegated but I suppose that is a testament to how difficult Division 1 really is. So, what can we expect from Sam now he's back in Division 2?

Sam's aim for the season should be a pretty simple one, get promoted again. Mind you, whilst that may be simple in thought, in execution is a different element altogether. Division 2 has a lot of fresh blood to face-off against this season and Sam wont be familiar with the majority of the league and as such it is essential that he stays alert throughout the season.

As our first Division 2 pick he had a strong position to pick his team from. It is not surprising that in the end he opted for Norwich City, arguably the most reputable and strongest team in the Championship this season. Their squad is very fortified from front to back which means many combinations of starting XI could work so I've had to try and pinpoint what I feel would be the best all around XI.

Norwich are a very strong choice of team.
Sam will have some serious talent at his disposal
for the upcoming season.

The formation I have decided on is a 4-2-2-2 which, despite being a formation I personally am not keen on, I feel works well with the players in the team. The two strikers are fairly straight forwards choices with there being limited options in depth with only Grabban and Lafferty offering any rotation. Based on this I feel Cameron Jerome and Gary Hooper would offer a good upfront with a strong mix of pace and shooting ability.

As for the LAM and RAM I did have some difficulty due to the many options available here but in the end I opted for starlet Nathan Redmond and playmaker Wes Hoolihan. My main reason for choosing these two over the equally good Bennett or Howson is the presence of 4* skills. This coupled with some very nice work rates (both have high attacking) and you have some players who can offer some quality support for your strikers.

The CDMs are absolutely solid for Norwich with Tettey and Odjidja-Ofoe both offering similar set-ups of good pace and very impressive physical stats. If you wanted though there are many deep lying playmaker options in the likes of Howson, Johnson and even Hoolihan if you wanted to drop him into a deeper role.

The back four is once again very impressive although not perfect. Olsson is probably the best you could wish for at this level and Bassong may be even better than what you can wish for but outside of this there isn't anyone super appealing. Carlos Cuellar is decent enough although he really does lack some of the defensive stats to justify his 45 acceleration stat which could leave him vulnerable to pacy opponents. I've gone for Whittaker at RB more down to personal preference than anything although Russell Martin isn't too bad. Another option could be to put Martin in the CB position instead of Carlos and then putting Whittaker RB instead. Finally you have Ruddy in goal who is basically just a good all-rounder for the level he's playing at.

Potential XI


For Sam then this has to be a season where promotion is the aim. Obviously a title would be a benefit and you never know, he could even bag himself a AORFA Cup on the way but promotion should be his priority. He certainly has the ability to do it (as he's already shown) and he has the team to do it so based on this I'd be surprised to not see him up there come April time.

PREDICTION: 1ST-4TH
​

 

[KurtJP35]

Weeks 1-4 Review

It's been a while since I've reported something on the league but as promised at the start of the season I am going to be doing reviews throughout. With the cup underway this week I though it'd be a good opportunity to look back at what's happened so far and how people are performing in the early stages of the season.

Division 1
Division 1 sees some familiar faces kicking the season off with a strong start with both @KurtJP35 and @JordanMcGonigal putting on impressive displays to place themselves in the top 2. Their main strengths early on seem to be in opposite thirds of the pitch with Kurt conceding the lowest in the league, 3 goals, and Jordan scoring the most in the league, 16 goals. When these two met earlier on in the season it ended in a 2-2 draw where arguably Jordan may have deserved more on the day. Thanks to that result though Kurt remains one of the two unbeaten players across both competitions to remain in the league. Looking at the title race it's important to not forget about @Troyfmcg who has not played as many games as his rivals and so could pull it back to put him right back up the table again. Troy also has a huge game still to play against league leader Kurt which could be defining come April time.

Further down the division we have the plucky @FisiFan91 who has settled into Division 1 well thus far. Whilst a title bid seems unlikely you never know what the Norwegian could have up his sleeve. One of Fisi's main strengths so far in the season has been the ability to snatch wins even when play isn't on his side. This is crucial for any top contender as winning when you're on top is easy, it's winning when things aren't going your way which is the difficult part.

Both @TRL Schumacher and @MrJonesyy have gotten off to a slow start but luck hasn't been on their side. Ryan was very unlucky against Fisi to lose and Grant conceded in the 90th minute against Kurt when the game was more than merited to finish as a draw. There's still plenty of time to turn their fortunes around and I still feel relegation shouldn't be an immediate concern for either of them judging by their performances so far.

@xHPExFootie has had a jagged start in terms of form but is still in a position where safety is a possibility. He also has a game in hand on his relegation contenders which could be crucial in pushing back up to the mid-table safety zone. Footie does has some hard games coming up though so he'll have to be at his absolute best to take full advantage of his position.

@OTELL0 has had a horrid start to Division 1 and will surely be extremely disappointed to be where he is currently. Whilst it's true that team selection didn't favour him you still have to expect more from the promotee and to be doing this poorly can't be accepted by him. Something has to change clearly and it is vital if Otell0 wants to stay up that he identifies this quickly before the task of safety becomes an impossibility.

Division 2
Division 2 has, for the most part, been very close early on although there are some clear above all else talents emerging within the division. Leading this list is @JordanK2406 who really has stormed through his early games picking up an incredible 15 points from 5 games, a 100% win ratio in the league. It's early days and things can change in the matter of a week or two but Jordan is looking good early on and must surely have ambitions of lifting that Div 2 title.

Other top players include @Smithycity99 and @LST Viperz who are being prompted by many to battle it out for that title alongside Jordan. Both Callum and Dan have shown early signs of their ability and just like Jordan have led me to believe they are Division 1 material. Speaking of Division 1 material @RandyMcScrandy1 has certainly been no slouch either as Dan is right up there with said players and will also be hoping for promotion for the end of his campaign. Whilst I feel these 4 are the stand out players in the Division that doesn't mean no one else is worth considering, especially now we are using a play-off system.

@iR3versal , @Chris johnson and @InfamousVader1997 are all sure to be in the place-off race but it will be no easy task. Sam has thus far failed to adapt to his Norwich team but there has been many positive signs to go by. The former DIvision 1 player almost became the first competitor to knock out a Division superior but narrowly lost out on golden goals to Fisi. I feel Sam will begin to pick things up and a top 6 placement should be the minimum aim for him. Chris is performing well so far and perhaps a slight surprise to see him in the play-off race. On top of this he also glided into the group stages of the cup, an impressive feat for someone not even using one of the Championship's strongest sides.

Further down the league it's a bit of a mess due to the huge mix of games played as of this week. Division 2 veteran @Devastation is performing somewhat below where he'd like and @Whoz jinx has had a tough time taking over from Lewis. @Unbreakable Tom has been struggling having failed to pick up a win and FormulaMoss has recently left the league. On this basis I find it hard to say too much about any of these contenders but no doubt all of them will be looking to push on and begin to look up that league table for a potential play-off spot.

AORFA Cup
The preliminary round was somewhat underwhelming in terms of upsets as almost everyone who was expected to proceed did so. All 4 Division 1 players went through with only Fisi having a tough time as he was forced to go into golden goal ruling against Sam. Callum, Dan and Dan (the other one ) all dropped out as they were all given tough draws which they couldn't overcome on the day. Tom managed to put his league difficulty behind him to overcome Relezy to place him into the group stages. Finally, Chris got through on golden goal ruling against FormulaMoss which will be very pleasing for him no doubt.

The group stage draw was nice to some but horrid to others. Group B was considered the group of death as you had the champion, an experienced Division 1 player and one of the strongest players in Division 2. Group A is certainly nothing to mock though as it hosts 3 of the 8 Division 1 players in a single group. Group C turned out to be a very kind draw for Troy who will face off against 2 Division 2 opponents in what sets him up nicely for a quarter-final spot. It will be interesting to see if a huge upset can occur there. Group D could be very interesting too as we have a good mix of players, all capable of causing each other issues. Grant and Fisi will be representing Division 1 but I feel Chris may have a surprise or two for his top division counter-parts.

The only games to be played so far have been Group B ones where the group has actually been rounded up altogether. The shock of the group was the Division 1 player Ryan has dropped out of the cup failing to score a single point in both of his games. Kurt narrowly edged out Jordan for the top spot although this holds little meaning as the quarter-final will be a random draw, not related to group or position. Jordan will be very pleased to become the first Division 2 player to book a spot in the quarter-finals as he remains unbeaten in all competitions.

That more or less summarises everything up to now. I hope you guys enjoyed this read and I'll be sure to do another big review kind of thing once a few more weeks have gone by.
​

 

[Devastation]

Weeks 1-4 Review



Division 2


Further down the league it's a bit of a mess due to the huge mix of games played as of this week. Division 2 veteran @Devastation is performing somewhat below where he'd like and @Whoz jinx has had a tough time taking over from Lewis. @Unbreakable Tom has been struggling having failed to pick up a win and FormulaMoss has recently left the league. On this basis I find it hard to say too much about any of these contenders but no doubt all of them will be looking to push on and begin to look up that league table for a potential play-off spot.
​

Hey, I've been playing better than last season here

 

[KurtJP35]

Weeks 5-11 Review

And we're back after quite a break for the mid-season review for the AOR FIFA leagues. So, how have things changed to my first review and has there been any disruptions in my early season predictions?

Division 1
The title race is still as hot as ever as @KurtJP35 and @JordanMcGonigal are still continuing to brawl it out right at the top. Whilst a couple other contenders have began to close the gap I feel it is clear that it will be one of these two celebrating that title win come the end of week 14. In my last review I commented on how impressive they were in opposite thirds and that still is the case here. Jordan has gone on to score an impressive 28 goals whilst Kurt's solid defensive strategy means he's only conceded 10 in 11 games. With 2 games in hand it will be crucial for Kurt to get wins here but with some difficult games coming up he'll have to be on his best to take advantage of his position.

Looking further down at the mid-table region there has been some movement. @MrJonesyy has come into his own and finds himself just 3 points off of Jordan. To have gotten 30 goals is immense and if Ryan can tidy up his defence than we may have a genuine title contender on our hands. @FisiFan91 has had a troubled time in the mid-season and has stuttered results on too many occasions. In saying that he can still stay up as long as he maintains solid performances against his opposition. He also just got a huge 2-1 win over title contender Kurt which will hopefully show his Div 1 opposition what he's capable of.

@xxkrypto joined in a difficult position when Grant left but has so far shown himself to be more than competent in Division 1. His past experience may have played a card but what's for sure is that he has caused problems for some of the leagues strongest players. Whilst games in hand aren't in his favour Mike could still stay up if he keeps this level of performance up and then next season who knows what could be possible.

An unfamiliar face in the relegation zone comes in the form of @TroyzeH who has been somewhat disappointing this season. He has shown in previous seasons that he is more than able to make a title challenge so being near the bottom will be a huge letdown for him. In saying this he has games in hand which, if used right, could elevate him back in for a solid mid-table finish.

Finally we have @CPFC_BreweR and @OTELL0 . Harry was always going to have a huge task when he took over Footie but early signs suggest that he may be capable of pulling it off. He's scored some huge results and with several games in hand it is certainly possible for him to cross the line on the right side of the red. OTELL0 has not really played many games since my last review so it is no surprise he sits rock bottom of the table. He still has a huge task to save this season but you never know with FIFA.

Division 2
At this point there's one thing we can deduce from Division 2, @JordanK2406 is too good for division 2. In all seriousness though, dropping just 3 points over 16 games is incredible and I am very much looking forward to seeing what he can do in Division 1.

2nd place is beginning to look like a done deal too as @iR3versal has come into his own in recent weeks. He has flew up the table to the point where that 2nd promotion slot is within arms reach for him now. All he has to do really is make the most of his games in hand and I can't see anyone else catching up with him.

Ah, the most interesting part of the entire AOR FIFA league in my opinion, the Division 2 play-off race. I really have come to love this idea as it's just so competitive in this section of the division. First off we have @Smithycity99 who sits nicely in 3rd place. Games out of hand are not treating him nicely but if he can continue his current form I'm certain he'll wrap up a play-off spot. Our second candidate is @LST Viperz who is in a fairly similar position to Callum. As long as he keeps up his current form and doesn't fall apart I think he should safely secure that play-off spot. @Whoz jinx has a big task to seal top 6 as the people below him have a lot of games in hand. It's possible mind you, especially if people fail to get their games done. He's certainly going to need to be at his very best to get the job done. @RandyMcScrandy1 may be on the outskirts on the table but in reality his 3 games in hand mean he looks very likely to grab a play-off spot. He has been one of the strongest players all season (shown by his win over Jordan "One Loss" Kelly) and I'd be very surprised if we didn't see him battling it out. Someone who has re-entered the battle is @InfamousVader1997 . Getting relegated from Division 1 last season must have left some bruises as it took him quite a while to get the performances he would have wanted. In recent weeks though he has found a new formation and with that a new burst of life to catapult him up the table. With so many games in hand too he has a huge opportunity for a top 6 finish this season.

Moving away from the big play-off contenders we have some of the outsiders who could still have a chance. @Devastation has been struggling on FIFA recently and sadly the standings show this. In all fairness to George though he did get some huge results if this season's improvements are anything to go by he could be a big contender in the near future. @Choothedemon and @Chris johnson have not kept on top of their games amazingly and thus it's somewhat difficult to predict where they'll cross the checkered flag. Honestly though, I can't see a play-off spot for either of them but optimism is key in the leagues so they have to keep their head high.

To wrap up this division we have @CAMER0N64 and @goalsmith.98 who have had a mixed start to the leagues. They have been lacking defensively but I feel there is enough signs there to suggest improvement in the near future. It takes some time to adapt to competitive FIFA (I didn't get to the level I wanted till near the end of season 2) so I wouldn't judge them just yet. If they can tidy up their defence then you never know what these two could be capable of in the not too distant future.

And that's my overlook of Division 1 and 2 wrapped up. I hope you guys enjoyed the read and more importantly are enjoying your seasons in the league. I wish you all good luck for the final third of the season and hope you can all achieve you personal aims for you campaign. ​

 

[Troyfmcg]

I've had the rottenest luck this season haha! Definitely need to capatalise on my games in hand on those above me!