2025-10-05, 03:40 PM - Word count:
So I'm on my second player here, and for the second time I have joined a newly formed team. Helping to build something new is pretty much the definition of delayed gratification, or to put it bluntly, it kinda sucks balls for the first few seasons.
Probably because of that - and because of the need to write an article on something - I want to look back at the best team I was ever involved with, and that was the S14 AC Romana team that won the league.
S14 Romana lined up with what was essentially a 4-2-4 formation, with two defensive midfielders and two inside forwards coming off the wings.
GK - Elmis The Heretic
Elmis conceded only 19 goals (=#1 in Majors) and kept 3 clean sheets (#2 in Majors) with a save percentage of 70.31% (#4 in Majors). A solid keeper, he did everything he needed to while having the benefit of facing the second fewest shots in the league.
CB - Glenn Smart, CB - Bob Divesinalot
Glenn and Bob get lumped together here. It can be hard to show defensive performances with stats (I've mentioned 19 goals against), but Glenn made 27 clearances (#3 in Majors) and Bob made no mistakes leading to goals all season. Glenn scored 1 goal, Bob scored 3. Not only were they defensively excellent, they kept it simple, with the #5 and #6 Pass % in the majors respectively, both close to 93%.
Also, with only 21 attempted tackles all season, Bob Divesinalot... didn't.
RB - Fallon D' Floor
One of the unsung heroes of the team, Fallon D'Floor was:
#6 in distance covered (205.1km)
#1 in dribbles (63)
#1 in attempted crosses (167)
#5 in progressive passes (95)
#5 in chances created (17)
(all stats for Majors)
With space opened up by a winger cutting inside, D'Floor would reliably exploit the situation by doing what he did best - running up the touchline with the ball, and crossing it in. He did this to great effect.
LB - Milton Nunez
Nunez didn't have the stats of D'Floor, partly as he got injured for about a game and a half of the season, but also because Romana played down the right more than the left. This was probably a wise decision. Milton was a bit of a wildcard, he liked to cut inside and shoot as much as he did to go wide and cross it. He scored 3 goals from outside the box (#1 in Majors).
DM - Jay Cue, DM - Donna Rumma
Lumping players together again, the Romana "double pivot" kept the ball and shielded the defence remarkably well. Again, stats can be tough to fit to a narrative. Cue's pass completion of 89.17% was impressive for central midfield, while the slightly more physical Rumma would win aerial duels in the centre of the park - his 63.46% header success rate was up there with the centre backs.
LW - Pascal Anivierre, RW - Vui Kemoeatu
Look, they both scored 6 goals and made 4 assists on 10 chances created. I had to group players again. Occupying their respective channels and lurking at back posts, both were crucial to Romana's success going forward. On the defensive end, Anivierre attempted 211 presses (6th in Majors) while Kemoeatu was no slouch either - they were closing opponents down relentlessly, defending from the front.
ST - Jerry
Calling Jerry a striker here is unfair. Though he nominally started up front, Jerry was very much a classic number 10. His 86.7% pass completion was absolutely insane for a forward, and with 88 crosses, he attempted more than both "wingers" put together. Only one assist feels unfair for someone who moved the ball so well in the final third, but Romana were set up to put crosses into the box, and Jerry had no aerial presence, leaving the number 10 as a spare part if he wasn't the one crossing it.
ST - Walter Pinkman
Pinkman was set up to be the focal point of the attack, and the target of the many crosses supplied. With 8 goals (5th in Majors) and 4 assists, he certainly held up his end of the bargain. Good in the air (43.55% header success rate) and decent in front of goal (he had a slightly disappointing 39.29% shot accuracy) he did well enough for an overall match rating of 7.5 (3rd in Majors).
Nostalgia. It's not what it used to be.
Probably because of that - and because of the need to write an article on something - I want to look back at the best team I was ever involved with, and that was the S14 AC Romana team that won the league.
S14 Romana lined up with what was essentially a 4-2-4 formation, with two defensive midfielders and two inside forwards coming off the wings.
GK - Elmis The Heretic
Elmis conceded only 19 goals (=#1 in Majors) and kept 3 clean sheets (#2 in Majors) with a save percentage of 70.31% (#4 in Majors). A solid keeper, he did everything he needed to while having the benefit of facing the second fewest shots in the league.
CB - Glenn Smart, CB - Bob Divesinalot
Glenn and Bob get lumped together here. It can be hard to show defensive performances with stats (I've mentioned 19 goals against), but Glenn made 27 clearances (#3 in Majors) and Bob made no mistakes leading to goals all season. Glenn scored 1 goal, Bob scored 3. Not only were they defensively excellent, they kept it simple, with the #5 and #6 Pass % in the majors respectively, both close to 93%.
Also, with only 21 attempted tackles all season, Bob Divesinalot... didn't.
RB - Fallon D' Floor
One of the unsung heroes of the team, Fallon D'Floor was:
#6 in distance covered (205.1km)
#1 in dribbles (63)
#1 in attempted crosses (167)
#5 in progressive passes (95)
#5 in chances created (17)
(all stats for Majors)
With space opened up by a winger cutting inside, D'Floor would reliably exploit the situation by doing what he did best - running up the touchline with the ball, and crossing it in. He did this to great effect.
LB - Milton Nunez
Nunez didn't have the stats of D'Floor, partly as he got injured for about a game and a half of the season, but also because Romana played down the right more than the left. This was probably a wise decision. Milton was a bit of a wildcard, he liked to cut inside and shoot as much as he did to go wide and cross it. He scored 3 goals from outside the box (#1 in Majors).
DM - Jay Cue, DM - Donna Rumma
Lumping players together again, the Romana "double pivot" kept the ball and shielded the defence remarkably well. Again, stats can be tough to fit to a narrative. Cue's pass completion of 89.17% was impressive for central midfield, while the slightly more physical Rumma would win aerial duels in the centre of the park - his 63.46% header success rate was up there with the centre backs.
LW - Pascal Anivierre, RW - Vui Kemoeatu
Look, they both scored 6 goals and made 4 assists on 10 chances created. I had to group players again. Occupying their respective channels and lurking at back posts, both were crucial to Romana's success going forward. On the defensive end, Anivierre attempted 211 presses (6th in Majors) while Kemoeatu was no slouch either - they were closing opponents down relentlessly, defending from the front.
ST - Jerry
Calling Jerry a striker here is unfair. Though he nominally started up front, Jerry was very much a classic number 10. His 86.7% pass completion was absolutely insane for a forward, and with 88 crosses, he attempted more than both "wingers" put together. Only one assist feels unfair for someone who moved the ball so well in the final third, but Romana were set up to put crosses into the box, and Jerry had no aerial presence, leaving the number 10 as a spare part if he wasn't the one crossing it.
ST - Walter Pinkman
Pinkman was set up to be the focal point of the attack, and the target of the many crosses supplied. With 8 goals (5th in Majors) and 4 assists, he certainly held up his end of the bargain. Good in the air (43.55% header success rate) and decent in front of goal (he had a slightly disappointing 39.29% shot accuracy) he did well enough for an overall match rating of 7.5 (3rd in Majors).
Nostalgia. It's not what it used to be.
![[Image: gmSTbwI.png]](https://i.imgur.com/gmSTbwI.png)
