Subject: USA Future Stars Season 10

Am I the only one who thought pm is like the 4th or 5th most important skill for defenders? I thought i was like...Defending, Tech, Pace...passing...a charming personality...then PM.Or something like that.

Defending tech and pace are important, but I won't buy a defender that doesn't have at least average playmaking. I rely on counterattacks.

Ah. Thanks.

i cant tell u how many times i wanted to rip my hair off seeing my poor passing/playmaking defender try to pass the ball...always over the sideline. im starting too feel the high def/pace is overated since there is always a dangerous throw-in after he steals the ball:)

I cringe every time I see an NT defender kick it out of bounds. The throw-in is usually more dangerous than when the defender stole the ball in the first place.

In my opinion, most people give too little importance to playmaking and too much importance to tech for defenders.

A high caliber Defender needs very good/excellent tech but only needs good PM.

The trouble is when their PM is below "average". Defenders need PM but not a lot of it.

And I say you have it backwards. They only need good tech, but excellent playmaking.

This is an interesting debate.

One of the big features HT has over Sokker is the federations. People can have private conversations there, so it promotes tactic discussions without fear of your opponents reading them (not to mention social interactions).

I was thinking of starting a friendly league and using it as a sort of federation (Striker Training), but I don't know if it would fly.

We're both right in a way. I've watched him PM def play and they compensate for lower tech in other ways.

Only "good" tech defenders are not fumble proof and could get ran through by Pickens/Russel type strikers.

What does tech have to do with a striker running thru them?

If a defender only has good tech, then a striker with only average defense can take the ball from in front of him, leading to a breakaway.

Of course, how I deal with that is to play with 2 central defenders, which can lead to some nice counterattack possibilities.

hmmm, I always thought of it as ....


When a striker runs thru a defense by dribbling the ball around or thru the defenders. not as a striker stealing the ball away from the defender.

But if thats what your calling I understand.


to add my 2 cents, most defenders who get the ball stolen by strikers can attribute the bad play to low pm as much as low tech. A defender with decent pm wont allow a striker the chance to steal. (in theory)

Oh, I'm not calling it anything. That's just my interpretation of Lakay's comment.

And I agree with you.

u guys are forgetting a huge part of this arguement, which is that there are 2 different kinds of defenders; central and outside (moreso if youre playing with 4 defenders). ive got completely different expectations for those positions skillwise

people have been getting away with having 3 defenders in the ML against me because my two wings have been in horrible form all season, but as soon as thats back up ill be punishing that mistake again
(edited)

glad to have your two matches behind me then.