After replaying that Betis game AGAIN (I just don't like simming) and winning 3-2 (sort of cheaty but I blame EA) I finally signed Benzia after they decided not to leave it until the last second to replay (on the second go, first time they raised their asking price, luckily I saved manually after the game).

US businessmen looking at Malaga

Facking hell, Sweden 1-2 Turkey. Took a lead through our first attack with Ekdal. I slightly edged it but they levelled through Turan in the 76th minute. Granqvist hit the post for us from a corner soon after and they got lucky with the bounce to be able to clear, then in the 90th minute Tore sent in a dangerous but extremely slow, looping cross towards the back post and Nordfelt made absolutely no effort to get to it giving Yilmaz a tap in from a yard. He could've easily got to it, I held triangle but he just refused to move and then didn't even make an effort to dive for it. Ridiculous.

Beaten 4-0 by Germany. Surprisingly I played more passes and had the same pass accuracy but they were clinical, didn't help I gifted them the third.

Benzia stars in his first game with a goal to beat Getafe 5-1. Montanes, Jese 2, Postiga off the bench with a stunner

Postiga, Montanes and two more for Benzia off the bench in a 4-0 win at Granada. Quality signing for £1m

England bow out of the world cup at the quarters. The defending in every game was absolutely atrocious, my "defenders" were more interesting in pretending to be statues than actually marking people. My defending isn't great anyway so I need at least SOME help from the game but nope it never came. Conceded 10 goals in 5 games.

WE WUZ ROBBED

But at least I got us over our shootout hoodoo by beating Russia on pens.

Andrei I got Benzia once on loan for the business end of the season, he was fantastic. Scored the winner with a free kick in the play-off final.

Lol PI Staker.

For £1m he's been great so far. 4* skills and dribbling brilliant, passing decent, workrates and positioning very helpful. He's missed a couple of sitters but more than makes up for it, good variety of shooting and finesse shot trait. Vital as Postiga's stats have started decreasing slowly, they're quite similar players.

Somehow beat Bilbao 2-1. They took a lead through an insane De Marcos goal, headed out to him and volleyed first time from 20 yards, swerving away from Roberto and into the top right. Jese scrambled home after Iraizoz dived to palm a cross into his path. They spent the rest of the game camped around my box playing silly passes Barca would be proud of but defended well, and finally hit them on the counter for Benzia to rifle home a winner.

Can't believe they only had one more shot than me. That was crazy domination in the second half from them.

Jese rated 77 and has 6 goals in 5 games. I play him at CAM so his acceleration, dribbling and passing can be used better. Benzia 4 in 3, Postga 3 in 4, Montanes 3 in 6.

Roberto's stats are mad. 83 overall:
Diving 81
Handling 81
Kicking 86
Positioning 82
Reflexes 90

Combined with being 6'4'' and having good physical stats I don't think I'd swap him for any keeper. Crazy.

Wow, Mark Schwarzer is rated 60 Let's see if that's realistic in a year. Gerrard 74. Ferdinand 74. Steve Harper 58. Jaaskelainen 61. Puyol 74. Carvalho 68.

I have seen some players who decline quite reasonably, played Belgium recently and Vermaelan is 77, Vertonghen is 78 and Kompany is an 80, I'm 7 seasons in so they're in their early 30s.

Which also reminds me, my Italy team is great

Sirigu(84)
De-Sciglio(84) Masi(86) Carmirelli(85) Santon(80)
Poli(84) Verrati(85) Natali(86)
El Sharearaway(88) Balotelli(87) Galli(92)

Galli has been on fire during the qualified http://i.qkme.me/35ctva.jpgstages, got about 6 goals and 5 assists in 6 games. Italy finished the group second and have qualified for the European Championship

I do realise I've gone against all things Italian with playing Galli and SEW wide, but the 4321 formation just didn't work, full-backs even with high attacking work rate didn't get up fast enough, and SEW kept going AWOL with his high defensive work rate.

Whoops, pasted what was in my copy thing for some reason, meant *qualifying stages

While Balotelli was injured I tried Insigne, and now I have a selection problem

Insigne is 8 inches shorter than Balotelli, but actually makes runs. Balotelli is still the best finisher in the squad though, and has a great shot.

Four, four, fooking two

4-4-2

I can't play it anymore. I need someone to join up the midfield and attack

I need some decent defenders and powerful DMs for the England team but there aren't any. All my valid CM options are weak and pathetic and don't track runners. Rodwell is a shocking player.

I would quite like to get the Spain job at some point, depending on how long I stick with this. I'd pick Roberto, Alvaro, Jese, Deulofeu, Montanes. Basically all my good Spanish players.

Figured I'll give my old Oxford pairing a go at DM, can't be any worse than having Rodwell and dare I say, Wilshere there.

Golden generation

We are the lazy generation

I liked Rodwell when I was with England

Wilshire was good as well. Cleverly, Milner, Lallana all rubbish though.

I would like to get offered the French national job. Good pool of talent. Germany would be great as well.