I continue with my Sheffield United career on FIFA 16 and in this article, I’ll be writing about my opening game of the season and the first cup match of the year as well!
In the last Career Mode article, I began to sign some players and sell some too, while also competing in a pre-season tournament. if you want to see who I signed or how I got on, then click here.
So let’s get on to how I went on in my first game of the season!
Firstly, I didn’t sign any more players. The reason being, that I wanted to test my current squad out in a competitive game first to see if there were any areas that needed improving or if there was a lack of depth in any area.
I’ve decided that I could probably do with another centre-back, as I currently only have three and one of them (Edgar) is currently out injured, although he is due to return soon.
I also think CAM could be a position for me to look out. I am currently playing 4-4-2 which means that I don’t currently play a CAM and I do have Jose Baxter who can fill that role but I think I might start using it more and it means I may need a backup. I do have a few ideas in mind – it just depends if I can pull off the signings or not!
Onto the games and in my first game of the new League 1 season, I was pitted against Blackpool.
The above team is the squad that I decided to start the game with. I didn’t make too many changes to the side, although I tried new signing Bidwell at LB and left Done up-front alongside Sharp, despite Sammon having a higher overall.
The game went just as well as I would have hoped. Within the first ten minutes, I went 1-0 up, Matt Done (the decision paid off!) smashing the ball in off the crossbar. We then went close again just a few moments later, Coutts cutting in from the right and smashing a shot at goal, only to have it tipped onto the post.
Blackpool barely troubled in the first half and when the half-time whistle went, we had dominated in pretty much every area.
I decided to bring on Sammon for Sharp at half-time as the latter had rarely touched the ball in the opening 45 minutes. When the second-half kicked off, it became a reversal of the first half – Blackpool began to get on top of the game and we were forced back into defence as they continued to unleash shot after shot at our goal.
However, a quick counter-attack down the left led to Che Adams crossing the ball into the path of Done, who bagged his second of the day to make the score 2-0 with 72 minutes on the clock.
I managed to control the game from there on out and the game finished with a win for us. It’s a valuable first three points of the season and it was a fantastic performance from the squad, most notably from Done and Adams.
I was then given the task of taking down Derby in the first round of the Capital One cup for us. It’s no easy task, with Derby having a multitude of top players and battling for the title in the Championship. However, I went into the game full of confidence and even decided to tinker a bit with my squad, changing most of the side that beat Blackpool.
After an opening 20 minutes that consisted largely of midfield battles, Patrick Roberts (the man on loan from Man City) broke past their LB and swung a ball into the box that was met by Sharp, who headed home. I couldn’t believe we were 1-0 up.
The mistake I then made was to go ultra attacking to try and push for another goal – my theory was to hit them again quickly to get a secure lead. it backfired – a few minutes later, Chris Martin found the ball on the edge our box, worked his way past two of our defenders and slotted the ball into the back of the net.
I went back to a balanced style of play and the rest of the game petered out without too many other chances. it meant that in our first Capital One Cup tie, we were heading for extra-time and penalties. The only real talking point to take from extra-time was when Sammon was clearly fouled in the box, only for the referee not to give a penalty that could have won us the game without the need for penalties.
As it happened, he didn’t award it and the game went to the dreaded penalty shoot-out.
After scoring all five of my penalties (and saving two), we were through! We had managed to see off the threat of Derby and had progressed through to the next round of the cup.
What a successful opening two games! Onwards and upwards we go!
