https://preview.redd.it/ilp5rspki45d1.png?width=1365&format=png&auto=webp&s=c3fd5ea698760d7cacc2676e63f9e4d9759ebcfa
I m playing this tactic from first season in this online FM24 save, in which we pick some just above relegation Ligue 1 teams and try to win all (Montpellier me, Reims and Strasbourg the other two). My goal was to recreate the Valverde Barcelona Diamond, as it happened to have some pretty good midfielders on the team and no wingers at first. So I took an already set tiki taka based tactic from a youtuber, and swapped the positions in a way I thought it would work, in order to create sth better. It didnt went well first season, but second season we went on to finish 5th, and third season we finished 7th and won Europa League, playing magnificently. With the Europa League money and some sells (Pellistri on for free, left for 25m, Koyta for 1m, left for 7m), I went and bought Vitor Roque for 44m, in order to finally able to face the undisputed league champ PSG.
But things arent going as expected. The AI teams seem to have figured out my system, and while we have the possession, we cant score easily, and we fail to secure clean sheet. At this SS, im second in league and 8th in ChL, but by March, Im 3rd, have lost against PSG, have two blunders against low tier teams (Rennes and Troyes), and Glandbach threw me out of the ChL on penalties. Seems like I have to change my system, but I dont know how. Any ideas? I m thinking on changing Mezz to regista, or my Am to trequartista. Do you have any suggestions?

Part 5: Wingers

I’m building a team with a budget of 34k per starter (3) and 10k per bench player (2)! I’ll only use standard players with real faces, sorry!
Last post, the M&M midfield, Moutinho and Morita, won the most votes. These two will slot into our double pivot and provide a little bit of everything. As a Wolves fan, I love João Moutinho, so I’m also a little bit biased :)
Now, for our wide attacking players. Again, there are many options, play styles, and player profiles. Who do we choose?
My Winger Wishlist:

1. High stamina, again. these players need to last all 90 minutes comfortably.
2. Ball-carrying ability. These players are wingeAMF/SS hybrids. They will be our primary creative attackers. want them to be able to cut inside, score, pass, cross, assist, and make plays happen. Would not be opposed to a traditional right-foot RW and left-foot LW though!
3. A solid mix of skills. Dribbling, passing, shooting, track-back, gamesmanship, whatever it is. These 2 players should be exciting and involved in lots of goals.

My Potential Picks:
Left: * Kyereh, Ghana * Thorgen Hazard, Belgium * Trezeguet, Trabaonspor * Gabriel Strefezza, Lecce * Ndiaye, Marseille
Right: * Bobby Decordova-Reid, Fulham * Ito, Reims * Ritsu Doan, Japan * Višća, Trabzonspor

Who do you recommend? Let me know!

Remember, the most upvotes will win the starting spot!

The First Weltkrieg:
As Europe burned in the fire of the Great War, the United States of America prospered. President Wilson’s vow to remain neutral is what got him elected and he is sticking to it… mostly. The President is partial to the Entente and Kaiser Wilhelm II knows this. In a rare moment of intelligence, the Kaiser listened to his advisors and made the decision to not resume unrestricted submarine warfare and to begin massive propaganda operations inside the US, providing stark evidence of the hunger and hardship that the Entente blockade is inflicting on Central Europe to newspapers. Moved to action, wealthy German-Americans start a charity for German children, gathering clothes, toys and treats to be distributed as Christmas gifts. Tragedy struck when a Royal Navy submarine mistook their vessel, the SS George Washington, for a German ship and torpedoed it, taking it down with all hands.
The SS George Washington Before Being Sunk by a British Submarine
Confused initial reports implied that the sub had full knowledge that they were sinking an American vessel and even left drowning passengers to die in the North Atlantic. German spies and prominent yellow journalists such as William Randolph Hearst seized on the opportunity, and by the time the full story was revealed, public outrage had already reached a fever pitch. President Wilson implored the British to compromise and let non-war supplies through before Congress votes for sanctions or other punitive measures. With little choice, the blockade ceases counting farm products, foodstuffs, and other critical goods as war material, delivering the Central Powers from looming famine.
The mass media struck another killing blow to the interventionist cause in the Fall of 1917, when leaks from the FBI surrounding the investigation into the Black Tom Explosion implied that there was a belief the explosion had been orchestrated by foreign operatives. After the George Washington incident, hints of foreign action pointed squarely to the Entente and by the time official statements were put out, most of America believed the Entente was trying to spur the US into action by blaming sabotage on Imperial Germany.
The End of the War:
With the US firmly out of the war, famine and economic collapse staved off, and the Russian Revolution effectively ending the Eastern Front, Germany could focus its efforts on ending the Western Entente. Wanting to try to end the war before German reinforcements arrive after the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, France and Britain begin the Great Spring Offensive which is only barely repulsed at great loss of life to both sides. Once again the fighting stabilizes across the front. The Japanese Empire, eager to expand its territory and stop the red menace from threatening the Home Islands, intervenes in Russia, propping up a puppet government in Vladivostok headed by Admiral Kolchak. Using the loyal Czechoslovak Legion, the Whites are able to consolidate their control across Siberia.
Angered by the continuing stalemate and loss of life, as well as radicalized by widespread pamphlets, most of the French Army mutinies in January of 1919. Seizing the opportunity, Germany launches their January Offensive. Using the breakdown of the French chain of command, they are able to capture Nancy and Reims, however the British and Belgians are able to mostly hold back the Germans in their sectors. But the center does not hold. Order is only barely restored among the French ranks and by July, strikes on the homefront and German strategic bombardments clog resupply and reinforcements. In one last grand push, the Imperial German Army advances on the city of Coulommiers. A mere 27 miles from the outskirts of Paris. Another offensive in the North effectively cuts off the British Expeditionary Force from assisting the French Army.
The French Army had to Resort to Executions of Mutinying Men to Restore Discipline, Something that led to Greater Hatred Within the Ranks
In September, rumors of the General Staff's plans for an offensive to push the Germans out of Coulommiers set off one final soldiers' mutiny. In solidarity, the General Confederation of Labor (CGT) begins a general strike, grinding all production to a halt. Ferdinand Foch, the previous commander of the French Army, is replaced with the popular Philippe Pétain who wishes to continue the war at all costs. Britain, fearing that France would collapse as a result of their own stubbornness, pressured Paris to immediately sign the German peace conditions to prevent a complete collapse of Western Europe into civil war. Pétain eventually buckled to the will of the civilian government, and France gave in to Germany's demands. The Treaty of Versailles was signed on October 6th, 1919 in the Hall of Mirrors of the Palace of Versailles. The same place where the German Empire had been proclaimed 48 years prior. After five years of fighting, and millions dead, the First Great War was over.
The Treaties:
The Treaty of Versailles stipulated among other things the following major points:

1. The blame for the war is directly on the Entente and France and Britain would have to pay reparations.
2. The French territories of Longwy, Belfort, the Briey Basin and the western slopes of the Vosges are to be annexed by Germany. Additionally, the region Nancy is to be demilitarized for the next 30 years.
3. A plebiscite in Luxembourg about whether or not the Grand Duchy should join the German Empire will take place.
4. The colonies of Ivory Coast, Dahomey, Gabon, French Congo, Ubangi-Shari, Madagascar, French Somaliland, the Comores, Reunion island, Indochina and the various French territories in the Indian and Pacific oceans including its Chinese concessions are to be transferred to German control.
5. Belgian Congo is to be ‘sold’ to Germany. The Belgian Concessions in China are also to be given to Germany.
6. Belgium is to accept a demilitarization of it’s military into only a ‘State Police Force’ and will accept favorable tariffs and tax breaks to German companies. Additionally in the case of an attack on Germany, Belgium is obligated to assist the Reich.
7. The complete removal of French defensive forts on the French-German border.
8. The transfer of the Moroccan protectorate from France to Germany.
9. Egypt, Libya, and Anglo-Egyptian-Sudan are to be given to the Ottoman Empire. All colonies East of the Suez are also to be given to the Ottomans.
10. An International Suez Canal Zone is to be created.

​
The Treaty of Versailles Conference
While outcry to these points was terrible, the fear of imminent social collapse of the Western Entente was forced into signing on the dotted line. The plebiscite that would follow in Luxembourg ended in favor of annexation by Germany.
On the other side of the world the Empire of Japan fought on. Their delegation walked out of the Versailles Peace Conference when the UK refused to support their claim to the German-leased Chinese territory, the Kiautschou Bay concession, which they had occupied since 1914. Therefore, the Weltkrieg's hostilities remained officially ongoing in East Asia, albeit without much real fighting.
Afraid of international isolation and the risk of severance from Chinese investment brought Japan into agreement with Britain, Germany, Russia and the USA. The nations agreed to a separate peace, adopted in August 1920, that declared a return to the pre-war territorial status quo in East Asia, included multilateral recognition of Japan's "existing special interests" in Manchuria, and pledged German forces to intervene in the Russian Civil War. The treaty that was signed was known as the Tsingtao Treaty. In early November 1921, Japan withdrew from Tsingtao and Germany's Pacific territories.
Imperial German Troops March into Tsingtao Once Again
The agreement was very unpopular among the Japanese civilian population, as a "free hand in Manchuria" was much less tangible than the very visible lowering of the Japanese flag over Tsingtao. The public believed Japan already had an iron-clad position in Manchuria, given its much-lauded victory over Russia in 1905, and the more recent war was seen as "lost" by Britain and France, not by Japan. From their perspective, Tsingtao was a well-earned prize of war, sacrificed to appease powers that were, at best, indifferent to Japan's struggles, and at worst openly hostile. When the terms of the treaty became clear, protests and riots broke out in urban centers across Japan and there was very nearly a coup to end the civilian government. While civil war was staved off, out of the treaty many restorationist and ultranationalist groups were formed. Their goal; end the civilian government, return the Emperor to ultimate power, ensure military supremacy over society, and expand the Japanese Empire. These groups quickly, easily, and effectively infiltrate almost all ranks of the Japanese military.
End and Beginning of Revolution:
After the Germans ripped up the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk and formally intervened in the Russian Civil War in order to kill communism in the cradle, another ideology was quickly taking root in the West. Syndicalism, or more formally Revolutionary Syndicalism, is a political ideology that aims to overthrow capitalism by coordinated action conducted by industrial workers united in trade unions. The basis of organization of all syndicalist movements is found in workers' unions, also known as syndicates, a relation which continues within syndicalist states as unions form the basis of their political systems. With the Bolsheviks in Russia collapsing under the combined weight of the White Army and Germany, trade unions in France, Britain, and the United States officially adopted syndicalism, seeing it as the next step in liberating the workers. On the 20th of November, mere weeks after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles and days after the German pullout, Paris fell to the firm hands of the revolutionary mob, and the government temporarily retreated to Versailles. It was the beginning of the French Civil War, which slowly began to escalate further and further as more and more cities were taken over by revolutionaries and threw their support behind the Paris Commune.
​
A Mob Proclaims the Commune of France, Beginning the French Civil War
Though Moscow had been under siege from a combined army of Whites and Germans since January, it took until April 22nd, 1920 for the Bolsheviks to finally submit a formal surrender. Outnumbered, outgunned, and crippled by starvation and desertion, the Reds had little choice but to throw themselves at the mercy of the Provisional Government. And while the Whites stand victorious at the formal conclusion of the civil war, the German Empire is exhausted after six years of bloody fighting.
In the West, with the fall of Paris into syndicalist hands, the French Republican Government was quickly disintegrating. As more and more provinces and military divisions rebelled, the government once again retreated, this time to Marseilles, where in an extraordinary meeting of the remaining members of the National Assembly, the hero Philippe Pétain was proclaimed as interim President of National France. He then led the evacuation of the government, military loyalists, and any anti-syndicalists or fearful moderates to the French holdings in North Africa. There the Marshal was able to solidify his power and create a firm French Republican government-in-exile. The hope was that this would be a temporary measure as most French exiles believed either the commune would collapse or Germany would intervene. Neither happened, and instead a peace treaty was concluded between the German Empire and the Commune, with little to no regard towards the exiled government. The Commune was recognized as the successor of the French Republic by most of the newly German-aligned world, while the exiles remained seen as the legitimate government by those who had fought beside them in the Weltkrieg.
In the United Kingdom, the reigning government tried to put a good spin on the war that had cost them three quarters of a million dead. They called the Treaty of Versailles the “Peace of Honor” and did their best to lick their economic wounds. However, mere weeks after the peace treaty, the British Empire would plunge into a deep-rooted political crisis, which would be just one of several in the coming years. The tremendous losses for so little gain caused many returning soldiers to turn to Labor and radicalism rather than the Liberal and Conservative Parties which had overseen the slaughter. The Liberal Prime Minister David Lloyd George, derided as “the man who lost the war”, lost the support of his Tory coalition partners and was forced to call a snap election in 1919. Soundly defeated by the Conservatives, Tory leader Andrew Bonar Law became Prime Minister. Opposed to even Home Rule for Ireland, Law increased the forces present to try and crush the revolt. The fall of France inspired the trade unions, radicals, and moderates alike to call for another revolution in Britain and all merged into the Syndicalist Party of Great Britain. They campaigned throughout the early 1920s.
In early 1923 Law began to lose his voice due to terminal throat cancer. Unable to speak in the House of Commons, he resigned as both Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party. Austen Chamberlain became its new leader while a general election was called. Instead of trying to cooperate with the now ever popular SPGB, Chamberlain decided to draw his line in the sand and would only cooperate with the Liberal Party. In the election that followed, the Tory-Liberal coalition received a majority in the House by only a few seats. The new National Government caused controversy across the political spectrum, though especially from the left. It grew less popular with the passing of an austerity budget. With the UK deep in debt, and the current state of affairs failing to improve the economy, pay was cut in all branches of the armed forces. Many officers were decommissioned amidst accusations that preferential treatment was being given to men from the peerage or with well-connected families. Thousands of dock workers were left unemployed and with the prospect of an upcoming cut in unemployment benefits.
The Revolution began in earnest in 1924, after a strike by Royal Navy sailors over pay cuts in Plymouth escalated into a riot after the troops sent in to quell the mutiny joined the strike. The strike quickly became national news and all over similar strikes were starting, not just by the military but also the common people of all walks of life. Sensing their moment, the Trade Union Congress issued an emergency declaration announcing their intention to hold a general strike to protest the government’s treatment of the rank and file troops. This move polarized opinions in the military, and quickly lines were being drawn between the syndicalists and loyalists. By now millions of people across Britain were striking and the government saw no other option than to quell the striking and rioting by declaring martial law and stretching their loyalist units across the nation. Unfortunately for the government, loyalists hated the syndicalists and it didn’t take long for an incident to occur. When troops opened fire on a protest march outside of Liverpool, that was all the spark needed for tabloids and agitators to rile up strikes across Britain and turn them into full blown rebellions.
​
Former Royal, now Republican, Army Soldiers March off to Fight after Deserting their Regiments
In Parliament, the walls were closing in on the Prime Minister literally and figuratively. As more and more land was lost to the Revolution that now proclaimed the “Union of Britain”, the Liberals broke off the coalition, many defecting to the Labor party that now served as the official representation of the Revolution in Parliament. And then the Labor Party decided to once and for all throw in their chips. Casting off the title of “His Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition” the Labor Party walked out and joined the Revolution. Remaining Members of Parliament grew ever more erratic as the Cabinet assured them the situation was under control even while plans were made to move the Royal Family to Canada. With the police, army and navy suffering thousands of desertions, military ranks had to be filled with ex-servicemen, most notably former Black and Tans and former members of the Auxiliary division. The power vacuum that was left in Ireland after the Army had to pull out to defend the mother country was perfect for Michael Collins and his Irish Republicans to sweep Ireland and declare independence, a declaration that was quickly recognized by Germany. Still though, it was not enough to hold back the revolution. The Union of Britain began to receive foreign aid from France and as the rebels made more and more breakthroughs in the country and cities, what remained of the British government was unsure of the situation but was nevertheless terrified by the prospect of a French invasion. The order was given for any loyalist divisions to reach a port and await evacuation from the remaining elements of the Royal Navy.
London descended into chaos as the last of the civil service officials were evacuated with the government and Royal Family, abandoning the city by December 20th, 1925. The way to London lay open and on Boxing Day the Republican Army arrived to mop up whatever resistance remained leaving countless wealthy and aristocratic citizens trapped in the country. On the radio Prime Minister Chamberlain announced that the government was ceasing armed resistance to the advancing “Syndicalist Traitors” for now, but that in the fullness of time His Majesty’s government would return and restore order to Britain. Seeing the fight as futile though, the last loyalist holdouts on the isles surrendered and the Union of Britain was proclaimed.
Aftermath:
The Entente:
Like France, a government-in-exile was set up by the fleeing British exiles. They found safe harbor in the Dominion of Canada, which by now was the strongest, loyal state of the Empire. A political crisis ensued as a flood of British political refugees poured into Canada, together with King George V and the Royal Family. Prime Minister of Canada, Sir Mackenzie King, realized the presence of a British government-in-exile was a threat to Canadian unity and his power, and under the provisions of the War Measures Act and martial law, PM King promulgated a legislative union act, merging the two governments into one under his control. He was then able to outmaneuver and replace all British leaders who could conceivably try to become Prime Minister of Canada in the highly charged emotional mindset of the fall of Britain. With King George V’s reluctant blessing, PM King then embarked upon a new imperial policy of shoring up whatever was left with the remnants of the Royal Navy and Army.
British India, already plagued by revolts for over five years, completely collapsed into three states. The remnants of the British administration in the northwest, the syndicalist Bharatiya Commune in the northeast, and an independent Princely States of Hyderabad in the south. The Commonwealth of Australia and the Dominion of New Zealand merged to form the Australasian Confederation to help maintain order in that part of the Empire following the syndicalist influenced Melbourne riots. However, without the protection of the Royal Navy, which remained in the Atlantic to protect the Royal Family, and with unrest and rioting throughout Australasia, nothing could be done to prevent the German occupation of many remaining British colonies in the Pacific. PM King’s reinforcements ensured that the remaining states stayed loyal to the Empire. Including South Africa and a frankenstein federation of British and French Caribbean and South American colonies that formed the West Indies Federation.
The remaining rump states of the Entente stayed together and in a ceremony in Bermuda, representatives from Canada, the British government-in-exile, National France, the Dominion of India, Australasia, and the Kingdom of Italy in-exile located in Sardinia, signed a pact dedicating themselves to the reclamations of their homelands.
Russia:
With the fall of Bolshevism in Russia, a joint German-White Army Russian Republic was created. Under President Kerensky, the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed once again and in return the Germans pulled out. Russia was forced not only to surrender huge swathes of its former western territories in Poland, Ukraine, White Ruthenia, the Baltics, the Caucasus, and Finland, but also to pay indemnities to the victorious Central Powers. Elements of the White Army were angered by this and attempted to overthrow the new republic. Though anti-German sentiment was the seed of discontent, the birth of an organized, anti-Kerensky movement was born in the shared anxieties of conservative military and business circles, who watched with growing concern as Kerensky implemented many elements of his political program, which borrowed heavily from the Socialist Revolutionaries' playbook. Soon a coup was planned for November of 1924 and was led by Admiral Kolchak, the Russian Cincinnatus and hero of the White Army, and while it began without issues the response shocked Kolchak and his backers. Rather than rally to his side, the overwhelming majority of Russian enlisted soldiers and even officers refused to join the putsch, and while they refused to open fire on the putschists, no help was extended from that corner. Kolchak immediately laid the blame for this on the shoulders of General Lavr Kornilov, who refused to help Kolchak out of lingering resentment for not being chosen as White commander-in-chief during the Civil War. Kornilov and the rest of Russia's military high command realized that antagonizing the Germans while Russia was in such a weak state would simply make the situation worse, and that Kerensky was a necessary evil to moderate the demands of the still-strong Socialist presence in the country.
Czechoslovak Legion Troops Loyal to Admiral Kolchak Storm the Winter Palace in the Doomed Kolchak Putsch
The coup attempt fell apart with most units surrendering to the government without a shot being fired. As for Kolchak, the Admiral and his closest supporters fled east to the Japanese Primorye, later renamed to the Transamur Republic. The last bastion of "Entente" controlled Russia, wherein he would lay claim to the title of legitimate ruler of Russia. However the Transamur Republic is little more than a Japanese puppet state. By 1936, it had become a corporate and militaristic state, politically, economically and militarily under the thumb of the Japanese with Kolchak merely as a figurehead.
Germany:
The German Empire revels in its victory over the Entente and the creation of it’s European economic bloc “Mitteleuropa”. However, the economic and social problems the war had caused continued. The population had been pushed to the brink of starvation by the British blockade, which had only truly ended in 1919, and the economy was in a similarly dire state. Demobilization had created a great mass of unemployed men which strained the urban economy. Trade with the USA and other neutral countries was only slowly beginning to pick back up and the eastern puppets were in near-constant chaos. With the Reichstag still indefinitely suspended and the Ludendorff dictatorship fighting on, newspaper agitation became the modus operandi of the non-parliamentary opposition, leading to a country increasingly divided between supporters and enemies of the regime; the SPD, exempt from the complete ban on all Socialist party activities, followed a strategy of publicly pushing the boundaries of what was legal, therefore rebranding itself as the only true opposition. It only took one major scandal to push the dictator out though, and after years the first elections were held.
Grand Admiral Tirpitz won the majority with a grand national coalition of the conservative and centrist parties and was chosen by the Kaiser to become the Reichskanzler. Tirpitz embarked on a program of economic decentralization. Coming after a period of internal stagnation, his reforms coincided with the profits of long-term investments in Mitteleuropa finally arriving; the result was an economic miracle that would last for the duration of von Tirpitz' chancellorship. He also led Germany in its conquest of the British colonial territories during the break up of its empire and created an alliance with the Zhili Clique, saving the Qing Empire and ensuring stability in China for a little while longer. Unfortunately he did not have the same success in Europe and failed to stop a new hostile alliance from forming on Germany’s doorstep. With the Union of Britain, Commune of France, and Socialist Republic of Italy forming the Third International.
When Tirpitz died in 1930, the grand coalition fell apart with each individual party vying for power. In the vacuum, the SPD continued to grow its majority, but the Kaiser would not pick an SPD Reichskanzler. Instead, after an uncharacteristically long waiting period, Kuno Graf von Westarp, chairman of the German-Conservative Party (DKP) became Reichskanzler out of the blue. However Westarp and whatever coalition he was able to build was ineffective and after two years and another election, Westarp's DKP won 28% and the SPD stayed the largest party with 34%, as they had been for twenty years at this point.
An SPD Rally After von Westarp was made Reichskanzler
The Germans have lost any thirst for adventure; all they - and their politicians - hope for is an extension of the status quo for as long as possible. But the Kaiser is getting old, and so is the post-Weltkrieg order. And even if Germany has never been so powerful, neither has it ever had such heavy burdens.
The Third International:
The Third International is an international leftist organization advocating for world syndicalism and global cooperation. It is to the syndicalists what the Entente and Reichspakt are for the imperial powers of the world. A military, economic, and political alliance that advocates for the world revolution. The International was originally formed as a way to support the revolution outside of France, propping up the Union of Britain and Socialist Republic of Italy in their respective revolutions. Now it reaches out across the world even further and has memberships ranging from Chile and the Patagonian Workers Front, to the Bharatiya Commune, and even the exiled Chinese Syndicalist Party. The syndicalist countries are solidifying their power at home, but plan to ensure that world revolution is inevitable. Through force if necessary.
In early 1926 in Britain, the Provisional Revolutionary Government convened the Constitutional Convention in the ruins of London. Its priority was rebuilding, and for that end masses of volunteers were organized for such tasks as supplying food and medicine and repairing roads and railways. A year later the constitution of the Union of Britain was formally brought in, proclaiming universal suffrage. Scottish and Welsh independence referendums came but after mob violence on both sides they were suspended indefinitely in return for more unofficial autonomy.
In France, the CGT's image as integral members of the revolution, was able to give them primary participation in arranging the constitutional setup of the new state. Through ensuring that leading Jacobins and Bolsheviks were often engaged in the conduct of the war, the CGT and their orthodox syndicalist allies were able to cultivate and protect their own image as the Revolutions' legitimate political leaders. Thus they were in charge when it came to the writing of the constitution and the reconstruction.
Powerbases secure, factions began to spring up in the International. Though political parties are legally untenable, these factions act as such and include the radical autonomists, orthodox syndicalists, and authoritarian maximists. However the maximist faction is mostly unorganized and without a proper doctrine. At least for the time being. With reconstruction ending, the people of the International are vengeful. Vengeful against the Entente for controlling the people and putting them through a meaningless war. Vengeful against the Reich for defeating them but also for stepping on the working class. Vengeful at capitalists and reactionaries everywhere for their mere existence. The peace cannot hold.
Conclusion:
This is the rest of the world on January 1st, 1936 where the story truly begins. Will the Third International wipe the scourge of imperialism off the map? Will the Entente reclaim their homelands? Will the Reichspakt be able to maintain the Kaiser’s power and the status quo forever? Will Japan finally conquer itself the sphere it so desperately wants? Or will an entirely new power rise in the world of the Kaiserreich. 1936 is an election year in the United States of America, and things have not gone well in the land of liberty since it was last mentioned.
Stay tuned for the next installment of a brand new series: The President, the King, and the Kaiser. In the next post the United States' lore will be explained and the polls for the 1936 election will open.
The World in 1936

Profile
Firstly we have to look at the profile of the attacker we're looking for in the summer. In the summer of 2020 we let go of Suarez. He had so many attributes that it would take me all day to list them off, but I feel some of these attributes were extremely important in our system over the last few years. The most important attributes were his goal scoring, hold up play, and ability to occupy the centre backs and drag players out of position. Since his departure, Messi is our only world class goal scorer and now the opposition focuses on him even more as they don't have to worry anymore about Suarez creating goals from all sorts of positions.
Suarez' hold up play and physicality was essential for us. It gave us the option of going a more direct route, by playing the ball long into him, where he would take it down and allow us to escape pressure. Suarez leaving has meant that we now only have Braithwaite as a CF option, a massive downgrade in a department that we have always held to such high standards.
The type of striker I believe that we need is someone who is great at hold up play and creating the type of passing option that neither Griezmann nor Messi provide, who has the ability to run in behind, and most importantly, score a high volume of goals at a reliable consistency to ease the pressure off of Messi's shoulders.
Depay's Attributes
​
https://preview.redd.it/auknnc0s4uq61.png?width=1069&format=png&auto=webp&s=3047533081f59745b6991135eb9c106f7752055a
Positives
Depay is a dangerous dribbler, he has the ability to beat players using incredible flair and skill. He is an incredible creator, he has an xA / 90 of 0.42, better that 99% of forwards in the top 5 leagues this season. He is also in the 97th percentile for KeyPasses and the 92nd percentile for completed passes into the box. As a 9 he could provide link up play and individuality.
Negatives
Depay is an average goal scorer. This season he has scored 14 league goals which may sound impressive, but 7 of his goals are from the penalty spot. At Barca, Messi is our main penalty taker and has been for over a decade. 7 non-penalty goals is very little for the CF position at Barca. Depay also doesn't press much, he is only is the 39th percentile for possession-adjusted pressures. Another issue is his turnover rate. Depay loses the ball a lot, even more than Messi. It remains a question whether or not Depay will be allowed to stick to his high risk playstyle.
Depay's Positioning
​
Reims 1-1 Lyon
​
Lyon 1-0 Rennes
These are pass maps from the most recent matches Depay has played for Lyon that I have access to. Depay plays as a false 9 for Lyon, he has a free role in the team, often finding himself in the left half space, looking to attack from a deeper position than what a more conventional CF would. In both of these matches, Karl Toko Ekambi is the most forward outlet. For Barcelona, Griezmann has played in that position for most of the season, the exception being when Fati played as the left winger before his injury.
​
Barcelona 2-1 Real Madrid 2015
Just to illustrate what I would like our future striker to do, I have presented a pass map of our 2-1 win against Real Madrid. Suarez leads the line and in this game he scored an excellent goal, running beyond Real Madrid's backline to latch onto a long pass. Suarez showed the awareness to run in behind, he had the speed to fashion himself the shooting opportunity, the physicality to hold of the opposing defender, and most notably, the finishing ability.
Conclusion
Depay is a good player, he possesses dribbling skill and a good passing range. However I do not feel this is enough to warrant us paying a large wage to a player whose skillset we already have in an abundance. Fati, Dembele and Trincao are our winger options, they posses the speed and dribbling ability to function well in wide areas, whereas Depay is more of a central player who prefers the free role. We already have Messi, Griezmann, Coutinho and Pedri who are able to play the CAM role.
Depay is also poor off the ball. Griezmann, no matter his attacking play, provides an exceptional work ethic and willingness to press and track back. It has made Messi's lack of work rate less of a problem and it allows him to focus his energy in the attacking phase of the game.
Lastly, Depay will not sort out our dependence on Messi for goals. Depay is slightly underperforming his xG but that isn't the main issue, its the volume of chances he gets. Depay doesn't get himself into goal scoring opportunities enough in order to become a proficient goal scorer. Only once in his professional career has Depay crossed 20 league goals, and that was with PSV in the Dutch League in the 14/15 season, over 5 years ago. The roles that he has played over his career are as a creative winger or as a False 9, whose main role is to create chances through ball carrying and passing, rather than to solely score goals.
Signing Depay will not be a productive move as we have seen in the last few years what signing CAMs and SS have done. Coutinho, Griezmann and Pedri are not able to play their original position. Pedri and Griezmann's immense work rate is a main factor in their ability to play a slightly different role. We don't need another 10 because we have Messi, and Messi is the best 10 we will ever get.
Extra Notes
The tool for creating the visuals is made by Soumyajit Bose. I use this tool to create custom visuals, inputting the stats that I feel are the most relevant to a player's position and role. I'm not able to share this tool put I am able to create these visuals for my own discretion and to provide them for you guys.
This is my first post of the month and this was a topic I had a lot on my mind about. I hope to do more of these posts but I will be quite busy for these couple months. Either the quantity or quality of post will be affected but I will do my utmost to find a balance and keep producing these OCs.
I'm looking forward to feedback on the post and also to your own opinions on whether Depay will be a good option for us. I'm happy to answer any other questions you would like to ask. Have a great Day / Night / Evening / Morning !