the_eristic

Depends on how it's executed. I loved the recruitment/development of your assassins in the last game, but after you'd built up a crack posse, there wasn't much of anything to really do with them. I wanted some missions where we could all run around as a group and wreak havoc, and more specific controls, almost like a squad-based strategy/action game.

Abandon all hope, ye who clicketh here.

Iirc, Heskey brutally violated Spurs last year until he was forced off with a knock.

Perhaps if the CL were turned into an actual international league with promotion/relegation to/from domestic top divisions. Logistics might be tricky, but that could prove interesting. A fixed league with the same big teams forever, no thanks.

Don't complain, he might hear you and try to defend!

Rubbish.

Do we have strikers on the pitch?

With the form Warnock was showing last season, anyone persisting with him would've been obviously clueless. I'm pleased he's playing well again, as it's good to have an experienced left back in the side, but he was absolutely horrible before he was dropped.

Wasn't there an almost identical article after he spanked United's reserves and was everywhere against their first team in that 2-2 at VP last year?

What little I saw of him at Leeds, he was always getting forward and willing to shoot, but it appears that's been discouraged, given how deep he's staying most of the time. Imo, this stems from not having a true DM (which also prevents Petrov from contributing more going forward). Delph looks like he's caught between wanting to play further up the field and being required to cover defensively and collect the ball from defense (on the rare occasions they don't just hoof it). It's awkward and keeps him stuck in traffic and under pressure.

**** this game.

Is Clark on the bench? If so, get him on for Delph

Charles N'Zogbia is quickly becoming the most frustrating player I've ever seen. Argh!

Yet again, taking off one of our better players for Albrighton, leaving on our worst.

Wat. Well, at least that should give Bannan a lift!

The Scottish Maicon!

Poor crossing, but at least we're getting forward some. Why are we taking long goal kicks when we don't have a single 6'+ attacking player (or even midfielder), though?

Jesus, we get it forward, intercept their clearance at the half way line with several players in their half, then PASS IT ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE KEEPER AND HOOF IT TOWARD THE SHORTEST PLAYER ON THE PITCH WHILE UNDER NO REAL PRESSURE FOR PRETTY MUCH THE FIRST TIME IN THE GAME. Delightful.

This patented 9-1 formation is overrated.

I got up early, all excited because Villa was live on TV again, and all I got was this shitty t-shi... I mean, performance.

Far too many first team starters playing against a team in horrific form in a not-terribly-important (imo, anyway) match. Really need to get Guzan some game time, because with Given's injury proneness, never know when he might have to come into the side, and what's happened to Baker and Clark?

Our only midfielder that seemed genuinely committed to making something happen, even though he was stuck out wide. Surprised he was substituted, I would've taken N'Zogbia off instead.

Only to lower leagues, I think.

Villa Park is in PES, just unlicensed under the name "Rose Park". You can change the name yourself in Edit or just download a patch or option file with a fully accurate version. I very much dig the passing (turn pass assistance off or at least on low, otherwise passes are actually too precise and fast) and AI movement in this version of the demo, but haven't been able to get tackling and defending as consistent as I'd like. The general improvements in positioning compensate somewhat, but from time to time, it goes a bit screwy and just lets the attackers waltz by. Tons more animations and responses to various situations are a plus, as is no blackout before throw-ins. Keepers are still a bit rubbish and prone to parrying, though they are faster off their line and have much improved distribution. Game speed is too fast and arcade-like on 0, but if you lower it, while the player movements become more natural, the ball becomes ponderous. Defensive catchup scripting is gone, but now every AI player has the ball on a string, ridiculous control and precision dribbling from all of them, even central defenders, so one annoying AI buff traded for another (which, tbf, is a hallmark of PES). The next demo should be a more complete build, and just about everybody in the PES community has bitched about the same stuff, so hopefully they'll try to address as much as they can before it is released. I'm somewhat excited about the allegedly more simulation-style aspects of the long term game modes this year, so if the next demo improves on this one, I might actually buy 2012 at release, which I haven't done in a while!