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X11 season 45 - de rigueur Mortis

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    Might have to have a look! Which country are you (all?) based in - does it matter?

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      We're all over the globe jdsx I think I'm the only one in Sri Lanka, you can transfer countries at the end of the season. Levin has set up a friendly league and there's still time to join that.

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        Happy coincidence at the Hollows this weekend – for the second time in not terribly long, Vita Mortis have added a player's relative to our backline. Two seasons ago I bought underwhelming 18-year-old Robin Buckley mostly on the strength of his name, deciding he'd be the nephew of retired former club legend and founder member of the squad Seymour Buckley. This act was itself motivated by our academy having serendipitiously served up Ernest Crompton a couple of seasons earlier, who obviously had to be the nephew of Seymour's perennial midfield colleague and BFF, Gregor Crompton.

        Now this weekend the academy has pleasingly popped out a 17/4 D named Baldur Rúnolfsson, who slots into the backline alongside not just Buckley Jr but also his own 24-year-old big brother Birkir Rúnolfsson. This will make it the second time ever Mortis have had two brothers in the squad, the last time being fellow Icelanders Arnor and Gondor Gunnlaugsson – who were also twins – back in the first few months of our existence. I did cheat on that occasion though by requesting the latter's name from the YA after we'd already had Arnor, so as to have a Lord of the Rings in-joke for my own benefit if no-one else's. Arnor went on to become a club legend; Gondor in deep contrast played only a handful of games and was sacked as a 21/4, by which point he was memorably valued at precisely 1% of his twin's worth. I'm hoping Rúnolfsson Minor will make a rather better fist of things for us.

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          Looks like Sits will be waking up to a pleasant 11m econ surprise at Gloucester Old Spots any time now.

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            He did. Thanks for running that Sean.

            <shuffles away slightly sheepishly>

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              Commiserations to the Csiki Sods who missed out on promotion to the top flight of the Heineken on goal difference. That would have meant five OTFers in the top division which would have surely been a record. This is obviously a roundabout humblebrag that Sárkányok have finally made it up there.

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                Congratulations to Etienne and Sits and commiserations to ad hoc.

                I've got another promotion in the Heineken, it's division four for me next. I'm in the top quarter of the league now after starting off at the bottom. Promotion in every season bar one.

                I think this is the season that I'll struggle, my midfield isn't up to it I feel and I've got no money to train players.

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                  ad hoc hard luck.

                  Etienne congratulations.

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                    I kept thinking that about Royal Atlantis when we were climbing the ladder, but somehow we kept on stumbling from one promotion to the next so I'm sure you can manage it AE! Congratulations Etienne on finally getting Sárk to the Premiership and fingers crossed the Sods can join us the season after following their narrow miss this time.

                    Touch wood the rest of us can survive up there, as this is at long last getting to the sort of OTFer density in the top flight that I always imagined it would back when I was doing the weekly roundups like five years ago! Atlantis have not had a vintage season this time and our DVs are looking pretty ropey to say the least as well – we've only got four real developing midfielders, for instance, with two veterans set to go backwards at the CR, most youngsters coming through sold off for emergency cash and the only one left (the aptly-named Erik Ploughpenny) set to be sacked as a complete waste of time and investment as he ended on just 11 DV after firstly going on the back burner and then getting crocked as soon as he was brought into the team. I just hope we can get a couple of good youths through soon... but how often am I left clutching at that particular straw, eh?

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                      Just noticed, Foxy's Framley Obstreperous are narrowly 3rd in the Team of the Month standings right now in the Heineken, with only 0.198 points separating the top three. And they won away today (which neither of the two just ahead of them could manage) by 5-1 to finish their HLC15 title-winning campaign in style – so there's a strong likelihood of them vaulting to the top of the chart by a fair margin when the overnight update happens in a couple of hours' time.

                      Edit: None of the rest of the current Top 10 won away, in fact, and there's currently a gap of 2.436 points back to fourth – so Foxy's lot should take the summit by a good two or three points from the current leaders tonight and their advantage on the chasing pack could be five points or more. Given that most of the rest of the month will be close-season, they'll have a very decent shot at holding on to claim that TotM prize!
                      Last edited by Various Artist; 13-04-2020, 22:18.

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                        Christ, I see the Sods missed out by drawing their last game 0-0 away, having had 60% possession and 3 shots to 0. They hadn't drawn a game since February. And they had won 7 of their previous 9. Must've been short odds to get over the line, that's so frustrating.

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                          Adding to the frustration is that last season I missed out on the last day on GD too

                          Last season's final table


                          This season's

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                            Oh wow, that sucks. When you do come up, you'll probably take the title at the first attempt.

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                              Originally posted by Various Artist View Post
                              Just noticed, Foxy's Framley Obstreperous are narrowly 3rd in the Team of the Month standings right now in the Heineken, with only 0.198 points separating the top three. And they won away today (which neither of the two just ahead of them could manage) by 5-1 to finish their HLC15 title-winning campaign in style – so there's a strong likelihood of them vaulting to the top of the chart by a fair margin when the overnight update happens in a couple of hours' time.

                              Edit: None of the rest of the current Top 10 won away, in fact, and there's currently a gap of 2.436 points back to fourth – so Foxy's lot should take the summit by a good two or three points from the current leaders tonight and their advantage on the chasing pack could be five points or more. Given that most of the rest of the month will be close-season, they'll have a very decent shot at holding on to claim that TotM prize!
                              Thanks VA - Just checked and we are now 5,322 points clear of 2nd placed Hawkesies Hornets. Be nice to claim it again, having won it just 2 months ago. Nice turnaround from a club that according to the League Merits graph, was in the Premier League (Northern) in Season 27, and then was relegated every season since right the way down to HLC18 by season 45, where its bobbed along in the bottom 2 seasons ever since.

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                                Not a bad first season back in the Heineken. Hautcharage Ubu finished 4th in, erm, whatever division they're in (10 or 11), though some way off promotion. Currently hoping my best player and FK taker doesn't decide to retire.

                                I've identified a long-standing problem I have with developing players, which applies across all my teams. Some players will accrue a lot of DV early in the season - one Northern Star defender is already on 15. But then they plateau, and at the end of the season they usually max at 16 or 17 DV at best - I hardly ever get anyone to 18. So those 22/10 players end up as 30/15s - not bad, but not title winners. Anyone got any idea what I'm doing wrong?

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                                  Anyway, with a few minutes to kill and with some of the more popular leagues amongst the OTF contingent in the close season, how are things going for the teams based in Framleyshire I hear you asking...

                                  Flapton Nogley(Golden League) - just a piece of whimsy with a squad of kids who beat the zombies, of which there are any number in this league, and lose to familiar opponents due to the leagues being based upon managerial geography. The fact that I only have to set tactics once a week is the only reason why I bother with this club, and by extension this league.

                                  Hazeldean Inchmistress(Xpert Ladies) - another team with a lot of youth, 6 of the 17 ladies are under 21, the Imperials missed out on promotion from Division 6 last season in the play-offs. Hopes that were high for similar or better this season were dealt a blow by losing the first 2 games of the nascent season, albeit by the 2 teams who are top and second currently. Will keep on plugging away, if only so that we get a mention in Janik's wonderous reports, and hope that the youngsters continue their DV progressions and we end up being at the sharp end of the league in the near future.

                                  Effing Sodbury(MLX) - relegated from the MLX last season, we managed to scramble a third place finish in GLX B this time around, so are looking forward to another season of getting our arses kicked next time around. The defence, which loses accident prone Gerard Frownhead, needs investment but as the 3 teenagers in the squad all have decent DV, hopes are high that all 3 will double jump. Interesting also to see if midfielder Ben-Deryk Pringles, whos aged 30 but with a DV of 17, double jumps or not. Even if they all do, its hard to see beyond another season of struggle and a quick return from M to G.

                                  Framley Obstreperous(Heineken) - as noted above, after bobbling around in the darker depths of the Heineken, Framley managed to scramble out of HLC18 last season in 3rd place, so hopes were pinned on a nice mid-table season of consolidation. The team had other ideas and have an 18-3-1 record for the season to finish as champions and (hopefully) team of the month for 2 of the last 3 months. Barry Badger in defence (our only X11 player), Leonard St Chapel (top of the points standings) and Gordon Gnarl (top of the assists) holding the midfield together and providing the ammunition for glittering Christmas signing Gordy Bauble (13 goals in 17 games + 3 assists) have been the mainstays, but its been an all-round team performance. With only 1 player over 30, hopefully this will get a team that becomes better and better and can make the League merits graph begin to resemble a deep glacial valley rather than a ski-slope that would scare the pants off Franz Klammer (or Stenmark or Tomba, your pick Sits ).

                                  Queues Likely(Human League) - and now for Something Completely Different. The team that propped up the whole of the Human League last season and early indications are that Season 21 will not differ too much. However, here comes that Y-word again. 20/7 keeper (literally) Penny Black, 20/7 defenders Lottie Lyon-Lybraryan (one for The Apprentice watchers), 19/7 Desree Rotherham and 17/4 Rosemary Beads, midfielders 21/8 Nell Loverlysnout and 20/6 duo Tilly Goodstuff and Daisy Cutter and forward 24/10 Bex Oxblood should all mature, along with other juniors so that hopefully, one day in the none too distant future, we can dream of finishing 9th in Division 4.

                                  Whoft Fluffopolis(OTF) - to Dare is to Dream (though how you can have that as a motto and Jose Mourinho as manager seems an oxymoron to me). Whoft dreamed. Dreamed big time and for the Big Time as we headed up Division 1 and dreamt of rubbing shoulders with the Big Boys of OTF who we have only studied from afar. And then the dream turned into a nightmare. A cheddar sandwich with extra stilton followed by a large cheeseboard type of nightmare. So the dream of OTF is now the reality of Division 2 next season. Feck. (and a shout to VA and HO for their reports too, though I did have to read them through gritted teeth, for most of the season anyway)

                                  Wotten Plodney(Xpert Zone) - obviously someones pet project gone sour, I picked up the squad with 5 midfielders all with Intelligence and all aged 23. The keeper, 4 defenders and 1 forward were also of the same age, but lacking Intelligence (and in some matches, skill as well). Hopes were high of a promotion push from the Beginner Zone, but the season before drifting caught up on the team and a promotion charge was never a realistic possibility. With a 100% win record against the 6 teams beneath us, the real issue has been with the 4 teams above, with a record of 1-0-7. The Plodders do contain my favourite current player though, 20/7 forward and with a DV of 17, hopefully he'll double jump now he's found his correct sport, Jennings Cortbehind.

                                  Wripple Vetivers(Brythonnic) - after the Good (Framley), the Bad (Queues) and the downright Ugly (Whoft) comes more Good. Unluckily (in my opinion) to be relegated to Division 4 on the last day of last season, Wripple girded their loins - which were in considerable need of a good girding - took a good deep breath and uttered those magical words "Lotty Division 4 East, we are going to OWN you" and promptly set about doing so. This is bound to jinx it, but so far, it's played 13, won 13, for 55, against 3, with 5 games to play. Promotion was assured after beating FC WitBlauw 3-1, but the champers will stay on ice until the season is over, and hopefully the perfect season at that. Geoffrey Buggles (Points & Assists), Ahab Jones (Goals) lead their respective charts, though no players have made the X11; though to be fair, only 2 have so far, Sven Seubert and Ray Roslin from Mortal Joes old charges Kilmore Quay United.
                                  Last edited by nmrfox; 14-04-2020, 13:30.

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                                    In reply to dm:
                                    You probably need VA to answer this comprehensively! DV depends on Match Experience and Average Form. In my experience, you can get someone's DV up to AF +2 or perhaps +3 with a youth (under 20). So if his AF is 15, you can get him up to 17 or possibly 18 if he has enough ME. (This becomes harder as AF increases: if his AF is 16, 18DV (i.e. +2) is probably the maximum, I would say.)
                                    This becomes harder as they get older. By the age of 30, it's extremely difficult to get anyone's DV above their AF unless they play in every minute of every match. Beyond about 33 or 34, DV will always be below AF.
                                    Does that help? Some more info here if you scroll down to near the bottom: http://x11stuff.blogspot.com/2014/

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                                      Could you be tempted by the cricket nmrfox ?

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                                        Thanks jdsx. AF is one of those things you can only see with a premium account, isn't it? I knew it interacted with DV but not the details.

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                                          Originally posted by Antepli Ejderha View Post
                                          Could you be tempted by the cricket nmrfox ?
                                          Am working long hours thanks to the increase in hack attacks and whilst I can get into here on my work laptop, I cant get to the cricket or X11 except on my mobile. I'm just about coping with X11 but I feel that I won't be able to give the cricket the time and attention it needs (as well as compromising my already poor eyesite peering at my mobile screen too much). Thanks for asking though and hopefully when work/life gets to a reasonably more normal state, I'll give it a look.

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                                            Sorry to hear that Foxy, look after yourself please.

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                                              Originally posted by delicatemoth View Post
                                              Thanks jdsx. AF is one of those things you can only see with a premium account, isn't it? I knew it interacted with DV but not the details.
                                              Ah, I didn't think it was VIP only. If you look at your squad page, under 'Form', is there not a number of 'broad' green lines (current form) and immediately underneath some 'narrow' green bars? The narrow bars represent AF....

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                                                I just train them as much as I can afford. Well, more than I can afford. Only occasionally get above 17 DV. Never really understood those AF/ME formulae above. Probably explains a lot.

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                                                  I think jdsx has covered things admirably. DM, I'm sure AF isn't VIP only is it? As noted, Average Form (AF) is the row of little green bars straight under the longer green bars on your squad page/player pages, with the longer ones being Current Form (CF).

                                                  I virtually never get anyone to 18 DV – 17 is my 'standard' target, in fact, and I'm very happy if I can get a load of players to that each season. I think I've had two or maybe three 19s ever, anywhere, and certainly never a 20!

                                                  I never have enough spare cash to train like crazy, but have always instead lived by something Sean said very early on after I first joined, which is prioritise training anyone with a red arrow, and after that if there's spare cash anyone with a CF of 12 or under even if they're on a green arrow. The other thing is to keep a close eye on anyone with a black (sideways) arrow as it risks turning red after the next game.

                                                  15 DV seems to equal exactly 1 full skillbar for a teenager, so if they can get a few 17s in early on then they'll stand a chance of getting ahead of the curve and double-jumping somewhere – then it's a case of luck as much as anything when they get older, as well as strategic training as just mentioned to try to keep their form high as possible.

                                                  I have players in their mid- to late-20s though who have the odd season here and there where, for whatever reason, they just can't maintain any sort of decent form (injuries, repeated random form drops whenever they play even if they've just finished training, poor results from training even when on very low form, etc.) and crash out with something like 11 AF by the end of the season. That effectively writes off that season developmentally; with some really unlucky (or stubborn) players they seem to do it every other season or so even after having 8 or 9 training sessions per campaign. That tends to be what stalls out very promising 22/10 types and leaves them as adequate-but-underwhelming 30/15 types.

                                                  My current Sandringham Park midfielder Louisa Jolly-Goodfellow is an example of this par excellence:
                                                  17/4 – 18/6 – 19/7 – 20/8 – 21/9 – 22/10... so far so good... 23/10 – 24/11 – 25/12 – 26/11(!!) – 27/12 – 28/12(!)

                                                  So that's a top-notch 22/10 prospect, a free-kicker to boot, who six seasons later has only added another two net skillbars. I'd be bloody over the moon if she somehow made it to 30/15 but even that's impossible now.

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                                                    Speaking of Sandringham, I just had the small pleasurable experience of reading out today's Human League top flight results to myself in the manner of James Alexander Gordon. I hope anyone else who tries this will agree it was worth it.

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