Vol. 3, Issue No. 3 — Cup Groups, Power Rankings Released

Imgur Link: http://i.imgur.com/q9IRWYx.jpg

 

FA Cup groups released
6 group stage games to be played over 4 weeks

By @nubsy004
LGFA Extra Time Editor/LGFA Access Co-Host
Going back to a one-league LGFA, 14 teams will vie for the $4 million cash bonus and title of FA Cup champion in Season 8.
Teams will play six group stage games over the next four Wednesdays, with the top four teams in each group advancing to the quarterfinal stages in Week 5 of the season.
Group A consists of Liverpool, Sunderland, Manchester City, Bournemouth, Arsenal, West Ham and Swansea. Group B has Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton, Crystal Palace, Manchester United, Middlesbrough, Chelsea and Everton.
Predictions
Instead of picking the top four teams for each group, it seems easier to pick the bottom three that will not advance — which is not easy.
In group A, the obvious struggler will be Manchester City, whose management shakeup in preseason will surely have a lasting effect on the team's results. New Owner @Torched Xans will have a tall task ahead in making a winning squad with the remnants left by @xCFx l GATOR l and @Bottomless Pit.
West Ham's Owner @LAINGX15 has in the last two seasons, been strong in the cup format, but losing his top striker and defender will make things interesting for his new squad. I put this team a point outside of the top four come Nov. 30.
Those former teammates of Laing, striker @Fatal Enjoyment and center back @Risxn, have somehow landed on the same squad this season — Swansea. While this team looks strong up top and in the midfield, @Risxn will have to find a big backpack to carry its defense, and new goalkeeper signups @Blaney l7l and @CamelAcrobat136 will have an uphill battle proving themselves in the LGFA. The Swans will need to have some big upsets to make that top four.
Group B is equally as difficult to predict, as all the teams would stand a good chance of knocking out the last qualifier from Group A. Come Week 4, I expect each of these teams to still have a shot at advancing.
Fighting hardest for that shot will be, in my opinion, Middlesbrough, Chelsea and Manchester United.
Middlesbrough may very well be tied for a qualifying spot going into its final game, as @Jabo x 42 has put together a formidable squad in his first season at the helm of a team. New ownership is the only reason his team is listed on the bubble.
Chelsea rebuilt its core from Season 7, where it finished mid-table and was knocked out of cup contention early. It's tough to tell if going with the same main group will produce different results in a group with so many strong teams.
Manchester United, the friends club, will have to rely on @gordy5567 to show up big on Wednesdays, and rely on its slew of midfielders to hold down a back line. While the squad performed well in preseason, history shows that is not a true indicator of how a season will go. The Rebels are better than Wolfsburg or Aston Villa of Season 7, but again, may struggle in such a stacked group.

Week 1 Power Rankings

By nubsy004
LGFA Extra Time Editor/LGFA Access Co-Host
Top 3
1. Liverpool
With a great preseason showing and probably the most competitive squad ever built by Owner @SovereignMamba, expect Liverpool to turn some heads. Striker and AGM @Unlucky Dustin will lead a strong core, and GM @Unlucky Evo, @DeToX l 22 l and @SuLLy x11 will run the midfield. Mamba, @Pridemaster and @Van der Duke are the squad’s only primary defenders, but Liverpool will bank on playing a possession and pressure game to keep the ball up top. The Reds managed to snag two keepers at low prices in @JimmY x JoneS and @Symbieh. Anything less than a top three finish in the league table and at least a semifinal appearance in the FA Cup would be a disappointment for Liverpool. Another facet to watch, Mamba is notorious for making booku trades every season. With such a strong team to start, will that trend continue?

2. Tottenham Hotspur
Despite a rather poor, 0-2-2 preseason, counting out the management team of @NinoRT9, @lL A lK lE and @Roon l 44 l would be a big mistake. $0MIL Owner Nino this season and @GoldenPandaDude will team up to lead the offense. Lake and Roon will seemingly both play CDM, and guys like @FiveNakedNinjas and @marino swag will hold down the back line. Unlike most teams, Nino the Spurs put a fair amount of cash in its goalkeepers, @Itz Hotpantz at $7 million and @l Steve McG l at $3.75 million. If this team has any weak points, it would be at attacking and outside mids, but with such strong talent on either side of those spots, Tottenham will be primed for a run at the league title and cup glory.

3. Arsenal
Keeping quiet in bidding, Arsenal Owner @CreepyKlepto has in blind bidding and trades built a mighty fine lineup. GM @PANDA SwA will lead the attack, with talented players @oO Leo Messi Oo and @Not A Big Deal in support. A late trade for @SHIEK l 10 l and blind bidding pickup in @PsychSmokeBBQ gives the Gunners a powerful midfield core that can slow attacks and quickly move the ball forward. On defense, new signup @AsToTic Dew will be joined by @hack theez and @RAWRKOR in front of former Golden Gloves winner and AGM @zMayhemIV in net. Klepto had originally intended to build a cheap team and save money for Season 9, but he now has a squad that could lowkey contend for a league title and cup hardware.

Middle 8
4. Middlesbrough
5. Southampton
6. Everton
7. Bournemouth
8. Sunderland
9. Crystal Palace
10. Swansea
11. Chelsea

Bottom 3
12. Manchester United
The Rebels reeled off a respectable preseason showing, going 3-0-1 with wins over Arsenal, West Ham and Everton. However, games that don't really matter tend to not be an indicator of how a team's regular season will go. The biggest concern with United is unchanged from last week's Extra Time bidding rankings — too many friends. Owner @Python x 77 took a back seat in bidding and allowed management newcomer @ANGELSKYWALKER3 put the team together. Manchester will rely on its GM and striker @gordy5567 to produce offense. The team is stacked with midfielders, taking 11 of its 16 roster spots, and still has no primary defenders to speak of. Without a true leader of the back line, the day-in, day-out grind of LGFA will be a challenge for United.

13. West Ham United
Owner @LAINGX15 two seasons ago won an FA Cup and an Owner of the Year award, but since then, rumors of a hardline-style management have run off some of his top players, and he is now left with a West Ham squad that would be impressive with a mid-table finish. GM @xJettx is joined up top by Season 7 Ballon d'Or winner @xWDx VOLZ, and big contracts were awarded to midfielders DandyAND3 and HazardofEden. Defensively, @Beast l 14 l and @O Magic Italian are the leaders, and Season 7 Golden Gloves winner @Bauer l 43 l will netmind. The biggest question for this team is availability. The Hammers forfeited the first two preseason games and tied the second two. With no stats put in for those games, it is unclear whether they even had the required seven or played the game short just to play. If people show up, West Ham could have a fair season. But, even still, it seems like too much weight will be put on too few players' shoulders to go big.

14. Manchester City
Oh, Man City. Where do we start with this one. If we put aside the 0-1-3 preseason, with a 5-0 loss to Swansea in the first game, we find ourselves one day away from the start of the season, and the Owner and GM both hang up their hats. New Owner @Torched Xans struggled last season at Aston Villa, but has a stronger starting squad than he did in that campaign. Losing @marino swag and @SuLLy x11 will be tough on the team, but not all is lost. @DosXeP1C had a strong season last year at striker, @McCullough l 9 is a proven player, and @LegendaryFig V4 is a top center back if he can manage to keep from playing CBST and going up on attacks. If this team can forget all the drama in the preseason and move forward heads held high, they may produce something. By Week 2, we should know if the Citizens will avoid catastrophe.

Top City brass bounce from league
Bottomless Pit incites chatbox riot, gets banned

By nubsy004
LGFA Extra Time Editor/LGFA Access Co-Host
Before the season has even kicked off, two top managers have been banned from the league, assumed to have quit because they saw the writing on the wall after building a sub-par squad.
Manchester City received new ownership and a new general manager this week after @xCFx l GATOR l and @Bottomless Pit each received two-season bans for quitting.
While Gator quietly quit with little fire, Pit took to the chatbox on Thursday night to announce his intentions to the league.
"The retirement window is not open for this league," he said. "To leave now is considered quitting. So let me quit!"
The box then devolved into a comparison of ball sizes, with @Risxn, @K inG x NeymaR and @zMayhemIV all jumping on the bandwagon against the former GM.
"Who's Pit?" Neymar asked.
"Yo Neymar….can you show me how to get banned? You'ree good at it and have been every season," Pit replied.
Risxn, on the other hand, went for the more direct attack.
"Just don't show up, you fucking shitty waste of space," Risxn opined. "You have to be one of the biggest bitches in LG. And this season, your team is ass. Couldn't beat a bunch of blind people."
"If you were any quality or skill, then you wouldn't be sayin' what you sayin'," Pit replied. "We fuckin' threw games just to have a shitfest and laughed our heads off…and you still struggled."
Pit went on to talk about the size of his own balls.
"[I won't be] missed by anyone?" he replied to an earlier jab. "You tell me when, if ever, I cared about anyone's opinion from here. I'm the only one with any balls in this league.
"Maybe now someone will eventually tell staff and I can get my ban. Thank you everyone."
"You can quit. Your team will be happy," Neymar said. "Man City might finally have a chance to win something."
Mayhem jumped in late after the fire was mostly out.
"I wish I was as good at FIFA as Pit," he cried.
Some of City's moves were called into question by many in the league, namely paying $12 million for @The Worthy 1, then signing him to a three-year contract. Sub Ross, a $4 million bid, also agreed to a three-year deal.
Stepping in to save the Citizens is @Torched Xans, owner of Aston Villa in Season 7. @SP1DERMONK3Y111 has been named GM, and @KillaAqua99 is at the AGM post.

ACCURACY DISCLOSURE: This article is 100% accurate in nature. If you believe what you have read here, good! These are direct quotes from the chatbox and entirely real. That said, Extra Time and the LGFA still relinquish all responsibilities regarding your actions. Carry on.

 

Middlesboro has copy of Apollo, not Man City...

 

My bad. Don't know how that happened but it's fixed.

 

Gaaaahhhhh

No worries lol.