The england squad off on a new adventure, exploring Steven Gerrard, Joe Hart, Frank Lampard and Glen Johnson all feature.

How many can you find?

After winning the Premier league in such dramatic fashion with Sergio Aguero’s last minute goal can Man City repeat their feat and retain the premier league?

Rated as 13/8 favourites the bookies tend to agree, but at this stage they’re not wholly convinced. Given that Chelsea’s surprisingly impressive form has catapulted them into the mix, along with fellow long shots Arsenal, it appears to be much less of a two-horse race this year.

City still have to be regarded as nailed on certainties to retain their Premier League title next May and if they land Radamel Falcao don’t bet against them.

A tribute to Man City’s historic day

“To sum it up it was absolute joy and disbelief that we actually pulled it off to end what started as quiet confidence to joy (at 1-0) to despair (1-2) and going full circle. One of the greatest days of my life as a football fan!! Period.” (johno smash it Owen)

If you are anything of a mix between avid football fan and computer games addict then there are two dates that hold prominence in your diary; the release of Football Manager and the release of FIFA. The latter is now here, and with the best part of two million downloads for the demo alone it’s time to take a look at how this shapes up.

Some of us felt that last year’s edition had lost some of the impetus and excitement that previous years had brought. In fact, XBOX magazine went through seven great flaws. Part of the strapline is that “FIFA 13 captures all the drama and unpredictability of soccer” and some of the new features have made it a must buy to many people.

New features

National teams in Career mode – A huge part of the franchise and its success is the career mode, and how detailed it can be. One problem that many have suggested is that of being unable to control national teams at international tournaments. This had always been to make room for their alternative titles. From this edition you are able to mix in this dynamic and enjoy a major part of any footballer’s career.

First touch control – One of the biggest changes the EA Sports has ever made is arguably the addition of this feature. In times gone by a long-ball will have been trapped instantly by a covering defender or attacker and led to an easy clearance or goal scoring opportunity. Now it is all about being in the mindset of a footballer, you can’t just bring it under your spell instantly; there is a thought process you need to go through. Without a doubt, this will take time to get used to but as the game becomes more and more realistic, it’s a step in the right direction.

Complete dribble – Big advancement for the game again this, as FIFA starts to offer a more authentic, direct style of play. For many players, the art of dribbling hadn’t been evident in the series and this makes it less complex to beat a man. Previously, once you were contained by a defender it was hard to get round them but now you can show your intelligence going forward by leaving your opponent on their backside.

Attacking intelligence – The fourth and final noted improvement is the attacking intelligence. The tactical defending of last year has come to a better attacking fluidity. Support options were often limited previously, and it was only on two-player that you could really play intelligently. Now, your players will anticipate what is going to happen next and work to create an opening. The curving of runs and opening of space is a great addition that gives more options going forward and different ways to score for the player.

Final thoughts

There have been quite a few changes this year. Honourable extra mentions go to increased defensive intelligence, a more direct and intelligent AI and tactical free-kicks. Sometimes it is hard for video games to improve year-on-year but it is time to sell old computer games and get your entertainment collection ready for FIFA 13.

With Liverpool having no option but to sign a forward on a free who would fit in best?

Liverpool’s lack of firepower means manager Brendan Rodgers must look at free agents.

Who would you choose?

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