Starting up with Lazio in FIFA19

Donning the Light Blue of Lazio started a new adventure in this FIFA fairy tale.

The Eagles started with a 3-5-1-1 , but the relatively older starting lineup ensured that the team lacked dynamism .

INITIAL LINE-UP

The team played quite narrow and the only source of width was provided by two wingbacks who were actually midfielders. So, I changed to a 4-2-3-1 and put Luis Alberto in number 10 role in which he thrived and ended up scoring 10+ goals and 10+assists.

Starting lineup showing Ratings(R) and Age(A)

SUBS and DEPTH

The team had some able backups in L. Leiva (CDM, Rated 83) , M. Badelj (CDM, Rated 80) and M. Caseres(CB, rated 78).

Along with them, the squad had some high potential youngsters in Luiz Felipe(CB, POT- 84) , Wallace (CB , POT- 84) and J.Correa (LM, POT- 84).

SUMMER TRANSFER

TRANSFER OUTs

Transferring out players who are in their last year of contract without any significant potential is always a good technique in FIFA. Combined with average players at the age of 29-30 should be cashed-in in the first season. Thus A.Lulic(Age-32) , Bastos(Rated 78) and Caicedo(Age 29 , Rated -77) were transfered out.

TRANSFER INs

Buying young players in your first season is always the best way to go forwards. They come to their best by your second season or third season , when you are seriously competing in all fronts.

I bought in Jadon Sancho (LM, Rated 72, POT- 87) , Ferland Mendy(LB, Rated - 77, POT-85) and Dolberg(ST, Rated-76 , POT -83). Diogo Dalot(RB, Rated-73 ,POT-85 ) and Callum Hudson-Odoi (LW, Rated - 68, POT-88) were brought on loan from Manchester United and Chelsea respectively.

All of them started during cup games and Europa league campaigns.

WINTER TRANSFER WINDOW

The Winter Transfer window presents the chance of playing really good players for freee who have around 6 months remaining on their contracts.

TRANSFER OUTs

M.Caseres was nearing his last 6 months so I made a swap deal with Naldo who was also nearing his last 6 months. So did M.Parolo. J.Lukaku also left due to lack of game-time and Marusic also left for $25m as his performances weren't upto the mark.

TRANSFER INs

Naldo was bought to sure-up the defence as he has that big aerial presence. David Neres was bought for $32m(costliest player for the season), as the wingers weren't providing any goal threat and R. Loftus-Cheek was bought as replacement to Parolo.

SEASON REVIEW

The team performed decently in the first half of the campaign, losing odd games and fluctuating between 3rd and 6th. In the second half of the campaign, a RO32 loss against Eintracht Frankfurt , saw Europa League Campaign coming to an early end. Coppa Italia campaign ended in Semifinals. Misfiring forwards contributed towards lack of goals and a dip in form for Luis Alberto led to stage when we were sitting at 6th with 5 games remaining.

Incoming players like F.Mendy and Loftus-Cheek didn't greatly help the team. While David Neres proved to be goal-threat since joining.

However a late upsurge in performance from Immobile meant we somehow finished in the 4th position, thus securing Champions League football and improved Transfer budget for next season .

TOP PERFORMERS

1 Immobile 10+ Goals

2 Dolberg 10+ Goals

3 Luis Alberto 10+ Goals and 10+ Assists

4 Sergej Milinkovic-Savic 5+ Goals and 5+ Assists

5 David Neres 7 Goals(joined in January)

NEXT SEASON PLANS

The idea for next season was to start competing for medals. Jan Vertonghen(CB, Rated-87) and Petr Cech(GK, Rated -78) were signed on Pre-Contract basis. Also the extra money left was tranferred as wages and was given to 2 players with the idea of selling them and thus recouping their wages , as FIFA doesn't allow to carry saved finances from one season to another.