I didn’t feel like playing PES today. Let me correct that: I didn’t feel like playing PES2008 today. I almost didn’t play it. I had my copy of PES5 in my hands and was about to uncork it (a very fine vintage), when I remembered that I’m only two games short of the mid-season Negotiation Period in my PES2008 Master League career. I might as well get them out of the way.
It never used to be like this. It used to be the case that my PES disc lived in my console for months at a time and saw daily action without me giving it a second thought. PES2008 has a lot to answer for.
To be brutally honest, I think I have almost given up on PES2008. I don’t play it with any kind of enjoyment or involvement. There’s little or none of the sheer joy that’s sustained my Master League play for almost a decade now.
There are lots of reasons for this. I’ve spoken of them ad nauseum over the past few months. The primary reason is the game’s ease after you get some good players. I’m struggling with the default squad, but I know that these struggles are almost worthless. All I have to do is make it to the negotiation period, and then everything will be different. There’s no sense that I’ll have to start playing well or anything.
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In my last two games before the mid-season period, I played Feyenoord and Parma, two teams who presented my Default players with a formidable challenge.
I came into these games on a run of nine consecutive defeats.
Something was different today. Perhaps it was the pervasive bank holiday ambience that is still very much in the air. I was relaxed, and instead of playing with the defaulters as if they are the world-beaters that I will soon (too soon) be playing with, I played very much to their strengths and taking account of their weaknesses.
The first and most important thing with the default players is not to concede goals. You have to defend doggedly, with discipline. This is advice I have singularly failed to heed for most of this season so far. (Largely because I’m just not bothered.)
It is possible to defend well with the likes of Stein, Ceciu, Baumann et al. It’s tough and it’s hair-raising at times, but it is possible. You have to maintain a low attack/defence posture, and ensure that you don’t drag your defenders out of position when chasing a pacy winger or tracking a midfielder running through the centre.
The second most important thing is to keep possession as much as possible. This is easier than it sounds, even with the default stiffs. Post-match possession stats of 65% or so in your favour are easily achievable. One-touch and two-touch passing is the key. Never try to run with the ball, unless there are no CPU players within 10 yards. Lay the ball off as soon as a CPU player comes within 5 yards. You need to lay it off ‘early’ because of the way the default players handle. There can be an appreciable delay between pressing the pass button and the action being carried out; there can also be a loss of passing accuracy with a CPU player very close by.
Using these techniques, and being patient, and being content with 0-0 scorelines if that’s what I had to do, I had two very good games against Feyenoord and Parma. I beat Feyenoord 2-1, and drew 1-1 with Parma. I’ve stopped the rot, and now I’m about to enter the mid-season negotiation period. I decided to save it for tomorrow.
Filed under: Default players, defending, passing | Tagged: Deafult players, defending
Usually when I’m well into a ML with a nigh-unstoppable squad containing two to three of the world’s best (insert any position here), I get sentimental for the early days of an ML with the defaults, when all points really had to be earned with disciplined play and principles-first negative football.
Then I start one, and after three or four games lost in the last ten minutes by headers from corners, or points dropped because my strikers have a bet on to see who will be the first to punt a well-worked chance “out of the park,” my nostalgia fades and all I can think about is how satisfying it’s going to be to pass these bums on to some other poor bastard, and start playing with real footballers for a change.
Hehe, I can totally relate cklarock.
Totally randomly out of topic, I’m currently playing what I can the ultimate Konami players super team, let me know if you guys agree:
Fredriksson GK
Guimarães RB
Mattsson CB
Bos CB
Doesburg LB
Prieto DMF
Bradley CMF
Kaiser AMF
Shaw LWF
Gambino RWF
Kim Cyun Hi CF
Playing 4-3-3. Kim has scored about 130 goals in 4 seasons. He’s currently at his peak. I’ll take a pic of his development graph and stats to post later. I’ve developed a great fondness for this new Konami player. I say new because I had never seen him in other versions of the game.
ck – Every PES (even 2008) has been the same – thankfully! However *down* I am on PES2008, at least the initial ML stages are as much of a slog as ever. But, yes, after a few games with the defaulters I start to wonder what I’m doing. Why not just start an ML with a custom team like almost everyone else seems to? I’ve tried it a few times in the past but it just doesn’t feel right.
MIrandinha – That First XI looks *awesome*. Mouthwatering, even. Prieto – I haven’t mentioned him yet this year but for the past couple of years he was a rock for me.
I looked for Kim Cyun Hi in the mid-seasons just gone but he wouldn’t come to my team. It surprised me, seeing how many other players would. Maybe next time.
[...] Boxing Day blues [...]
I won the treble with that lineup last season, and I’m challenging for it again. I’ll make sure to take a pic of Kim’s stats to post on the net. He’s absolutely amazing. Currently at the top of the goal ranking with 184 goals, and he’s only 22. He’s slotted in 5 goals in a single game twice this season. I’m afraid I’ll have to either sell him or keep him in the bench, as this is becoming way too easy.
well, im sorry that this has absolutely nothing to do with your post (apologies) but i have had pes 2008 only a matter of short weeks before xmas, and i am already sadly agreeing to the points you are making here.
As the first PES to hit a 3rd gen console, i was expecting nothing short of a real match between two teams playing realistic football, one of which i would be controlling. instead PES has become arcade like, and to say the least i am dissapointed.
to further my argument about how s**t PES is, the game doesn’t even know the offside rule.
“A player is in an offside position if:
he is nearer to his opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second last opponent”
this rule does not and can not apply if the ball is infront of the player. i know this as i often ref on saturdays and did a FA coaching course
i went to the byline (or near it) with my winger and crossed it into the box. the ball was met with my players head and ended up in the net, only for the linesman to raise his flag. HOW CAN THAT BE!!!!! i was rather annoyed and just needed to let someone know about this. i just couldn’t beleive that a game about football doesn’t even know the rules.