:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/33747061/20140517_ajl_bg2_086.JPG.0.jpg)
I'm a little confused. The New England Revolution are on a 5-game winning streak, and yet after last week's 2-1 win over D.C. United, they have only two in-form players: Diego Fagundez and Patrick Mullins.
In fairness, both of those players are on fire and deserve an in-form bonus. But I'm a little shocked that no other player on the Revs is considered in-form and worse, Teal Bunbury and Daigo Kobayashi are considered out-of-form with a negative attribute bonus.
Also, the Montreal Impact are not good at soccer and this is reflected in their form. Their entire starting lineup aside from Justin Mapp and Sanna Nyassi are out-of-form though and for a team with only one win on the season and coming of a 4-1 loss to the Colorado Rapids, it's hard to disagree.
VIRTUAL REVS LINEUP (4-1-4-1)
Shuttleworth; Farrell, Soares, Goncalves,Tierney; Dorman; Bunbury (-3), Nguyen, Kobayashi (-3), Fagundez (+6); Mullins (+3)
VIRTUAL IMPACT LINEUP (4-2-3-1)
Perkins (-3); Camara (-2), Lefevre (-7), Pearce (-3), Brovsky (-3); Bernadello (-2), Bernier (-2); Mapp, Nyassi, Felipe (-2); McInerney (-2)
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
Nine minutes in Diego and Lee work a really nice one-two that leads to a blocked shot and a corner for the Revs but nothing comes of that either. Montreal counterattacks in the 15th and forces Shuttleworth into an early save but only after virtual Goncalves over ran a cut back by 10 yards (not kidding). Kobayashi does a bicycle clearance on the ensuing bouncing ball in the box.
Kobayashi earns a dubious free kick on the edge of the area and and Nguyen chips it about 4 yards right to McInerney, I wish I was kidding. First half ends 0-0 with the Revs holding a 63-37% advantage in possession with one shot (blocked) and a 92% passing accuracy. Virtual Patrick Mullins or Teal Bunbury have barely touched the ball, whole game is being played on the left wing for the Revs.
55th minute Andy Dorman dribbles his way to the top of the area but doesn't unleash from twenty yards and is dispossessed. Rowe and Imbongo subbed in for Kobayashi and Mullins and Rowe immediately losses the ball after a long sideline-to-sideline dribble.
70th minute and Shuttleworth has to charge off his line to cover a through ball that almost found McInerney in stride. The virtual Impact have resorted to playing long ball but they're really bad at it. Caldwell on for Dorman in the 75th and he finds Bunbury on the right wing. It's a beautiful cross right to Imbongo on the penalty spot but the header is high and wide. Last chance for the Revs in the 89th but Kelyn Rowe is dispossessed at the top of the Montreal box and this game ends scoreless. I should be shocked.
WHY THIS SIMULATION WILL BE RIGHT
Because it's MLS. Should I be shocked that the worst team in the Eastern Conference that hasn't been able to stop a nosebleed all year defensive suddenly cools off the hottest team in the league? No I guess not, but I still think my FIFA14 is drunk.
WHY THIS SIMULATION WILL BE WRONG
Because Lee Nguyen, Andy Dorman and Kelyn Rowe take shots from outside the box all the time. Because Patrick Mullins will have more than five touches (Imbongo had 6 in half as much time) and probably at least one shot. Because the Montreal defense will not have 27 tackles compared to the Revolution's 5, although that might have more to do with the Revs out-possessing the Impact 64-36% and completing 92% of their passes but probably zero inside the box.
If you have any settings tips, there will be tinkering in during the World Cup break, leave them in the comments below. Trying to get FIFA14 to generate more shots and less dribbling in the midfield.
