Hattrick

[ArsenalTexan3]

I have tried doing a youth pull up on keepers before and they usually SUCK big time UNTIL tonight. My youth squad has been on solid for several weeks now and I pulled my first PASSABLE keeper, a 21 yr old who is sympathetic guy who is balanced and upright(whatever that means).

Although I don't want the drop, it might do me some good so I have something to build on.We'll see how it all pans out.

[champmanager]

"Balanced" means he doesn't have a temper which will lead to a lot of yellows for violent conduct, and "upright" means he won't be booked for diving very often.
If you don't have a passable keeper, put him right into your starting lineup. If you do, you probably want to sell him.

I can clinch my league title with an away win at the #2 team today, and put myself in a position where I'd probably only need 4 points from my last three matches to win autopromotion -- and one of those matches is a walkover.
I don't know how likely a win is today though -- a 2-2 draw seems more likely.

[Footer Phooter]

Well, I'm now 8 points clear of the 2nd place team. Almost time to pop the champagne.

[kuhnscoot]

Pulled off a 3-1 win today against the team right below me. The win though pushed me up into fourth place with a game against the fifth place team at their place next week. I should be able to win again, because the team has been kinda inactive, they lost this week to the last place team who had only one win before that. If I can win that game, I'll be five points clear with two to play, and a game against the worst team in the league to close the season. If I can do that I'll avoid playing the qualifier and fighting to stay up in d5 for another year.

[ArsenalTexan3]

Lost 2-1, but decided to pic. Had the lead until the 57th minute and then my team thought they were the Dallas Burn. :(

Right now I'm in 7th, but I play the last place team and the 4th place team before I end the season again the 2nd place team.

Good news is I'm less than $100,000 in the hole. I've found 2 young inad. defenders for 1,500 or less. I figure get a young backline that I can train in defense for next season for when I bounce back.

[kopiteinkc]

Got my first ever 0-0 match this weekend.

I was surprised as I was playing away against a better team.

My inner mids are young and have been improving all season long, so I expect I am catching up a little bit with some of the older squads in my series.

Looking at hatstats I should have a fairly comfortable play off to stay up. I am almost guaranteed 6th place now.

I have $150,000 in the bank which will help as I play away again next week.

Got one of my inner mids injured for 4 weeks though :(

[antbacker]

Originally posted by Craig P
In my series:

Flashotcite (second most talented team) is active, started out more or less day trading and I see him/her from time to time in the forums
Go Mart FC (most talented team in the series) is active, transfers players occasionally, and has improved to the point that I'd really like to get them to promote. They managed to screw up a game against me and play only a 3-2-3 and I won despite PICing on the road
Me. I'm active, I read the conferences every day and participate in three different Hattrick communities (this, USCHO, and FOFC).
vick tyme's logs in regularly and has a handful of transfers. I've never noticed them in conferences, but I confess I haven't been paying close attention. Although their team is very competitive (mid-50's NSIs), they don't seem to be taking steps to improve.
Decatur Bengals doesn't have any logins on record and hasn't played a friendly since last season.
Stingers is basically the same as vick tyme's, but with exactly one transfer in their history (purchased a 3* forward for $300k). She doesn't play friendlies, either.
Pullman Cougars had a post in the series conference early on but has struggled. S/he does log in multiple times in a day, had a bunch of buys early and a couple of sales more recently.
Couch Potato FC sold off all but six of their players and hasn't logged in since, going walkover. Looks like they blew up their team and have given up.

(Pullman and Couch Potato were replacements for the autopromoted bots in my series.)

What is USCHO?

[AAGunner3]

Ah well. The team I first opened play with in my miniscule arena, tied me in the opening game after I lose an IM in the opening minutes.

I played him again this week and tied him at his place.

What sux is he got a bunch of points from the team whose position he took over. So, he's sitting pretty in 2nd place.

That's gonna make it hard for me to break into the top 4. Maybe a good thing as I could use the revenue from the relegation match.

I hope our series' #1 will fight to promote. I think next season could be very interesting if he does. I think, me and the team I just tied are good enough to vie for the #1 spot next year. Everybody else will be close behind. But if those other teams have pocketed a bunch of profit this year (their not spending it on transfers thats for sure) all bets are off.

[Craig P]

Originally posted by antbacker
What is USCHO? US College Hockey Online.

[Craig P]

Originally posted by AAGunner3
I hope our series' #1 will fight to promote. I think next season could be very interesting if he does. I think, me and the team I just tied are good enough to vie for the #1 spot next year. Everybody else will be close behind. But if those other teams have pocketed a bunch of profit this year (their not spending it on transfers thats for sure) all bets are off. For your sake, you should hope your #1 sticks around. His/her performances are well below the median for a top team in division V, and there's a decent chance that the team coming down from IV would be better. There's no question you can be competitive in that series next year, just be careful about promoting before you're ready.

[AAGunner3]

Originally posted by Craig P
For your sake, you should hope your #1 sticks around. His/her performances are well below the median for a top team in division V, and there's a decent chance that the team coming down from IV would be better. There's no question you can be competitive in that series next year, just be careful about promoting before you're ready.

You are absolutely right. I am sorta hoping for him to just get into autopromotion and our series get some team whose manager is just totally demoralized at being dead last and placed back in div 5.

I just want to compete for control of the top spot. It might indeed be better for me to just be patient and overtake our series' current leader.

[champmanager]

I clinched my league on Sunday.
I can clinch auto-promotion with a win this week against the #2 team. I think this is the sixth time I've played the #2 this season.

[AvidSinger]

Originally posted by AAGunner3
You are absolutely right. I am sorta hoping for him to just get into autopromotion and our series get some team whose manager is just totally demoralized at being dead last and placed back in div 5.The problem with playing against relegated teams is that they've been getting more income over the past year than you have, so they can afford better players and better training.

[Craig P]

Originally posted by AAGunner3
You are absolutely right. I am sorta hoping for him to just get into autopromotion and our series get some team whose manager is just totally demoralized at being dead last and placed back in div 5.
I figure better the devil you know (and you know is within reach). Sure, there's a chance you'll catch one of the walkovers, or one of the weak sisters of IV (who'd have trouble holding down the top spot in an average V division). There's also a chance you'll catch somebody who averages 10 to 15 points higher NSI than the top guy in your series now. I haven't put in the effort to figure out how it breaks down, but I'd figure it to be too much of a crapshoot. Your current leader is beatable, why risk getting a better one?

[AAGunner3]

One of the teams that has been inactive, but winning some games nonetheless, just got a new owner. I play them next week. Thankfully, I get to see them play this week, IF the owner sets up for this week's game in what they consider their best lineup.

Theoretically, I've got an edge because now the new owner is starting off with what what I basically had 10 weeks ago. I just hat the unkown. Been tracking this other team all season, picking up tendencies and whatnot, only now to have this random event. Ahh phooey! ;)

My biggest worry is that he's likely to get auto-relegated and will MOTS me to get out of the cellar. He's now got a clean slate as far as team spirit goes, so he can afford to do that. But I didn't have a full grasp on what I wanted to do after my first 8 days, odds are he won't either unless this is his do over team. Like I said before. Ahhh phooey!

Had another stamina camp this week. Just for your info:
Out of 20 players with a weak coach
Form Up......2
Form Down..7
Stamina Up..12

[ArsenalTexan3]

Looks like I'm heading down towards Division 6 next season. My team is playing like crap. I'm going to train a week of stamina and then it is off to train the defense I go.

Anyone have any info on USA VI?

[Mattinho]

We should start a Bigsoccer Federation in Hattrick. We would be fairly large me thinks. I've always wondered how many of the American players in Hattrick come to Bigsoccer.

Anybody willing to be President?

[ArsenalTexan3]

Originally posted by Mattinho
We should start a Bigsoccer Federation in Hattrick. We would be fairly large me thinks. I've always wondered how many of the American players in Hattrick come to Bigsoccer.

Anybody willing to be President?


We tried this, but only had 2 people join.

Also I spoke too soon. I've drawn level.

[ArsenalTexan3]

I lied. I came back from 0-2 to win 3-2.

Defense to right and left were passable with central excellent. Midfield form was poor, but that is better then wretched. :D

Funnist part of the match was "The bicycle kick from Martín Suárez would have been the Goal of the Year, had it not hit the posts."

[kopiteinkc]

I am bummed the 7th place team won away at the 2nd place team 2-1 and has gone ahead of me on goal difference.

I lost 5-0 away to the 1st place team.

I play the last place team in the final week and should be guaranteed 3 points there. My rival is playing the top of the league away next week. Surely he will lose that one. Which means I need a point at home to the 5th place team who is marginally better than me to stay up. Ugh.