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Top 10 Best Young Strikers in Football Manager 2015

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There are a lot of incredibly talented young players in Football Manager 2015, here though we’ll be looking at the top 10 best young strikers in Football Manager 2015, some incredible young attack minded players can really add something to your squad, either straight from season one or at some point in the future once fully developed. All players listed here are aged 20 or under at the start of the summer transfer window 2014.

Paco Alcácer (Valencia)

The oldest player in this list, Paco Alcácer has some cracking stats on him right from the off and is therefore well worth signing up as a first team player right from the start. With excellent finishing ability, powerful heading and incredible work rate, Paco Alcácer is a young Spanish striker with a great amount of ability in FM15. Not just a shining star within the confines of Sports Interactive’s Football Manager title, however, Paco Alcácer also has a really solid scoring record for Spain right now in reality and definitely looks to be one to watch out for in the future.

Gabriel Barbosa (Santos)

Hailing from the same club that Neymar rose through the ranks at, young Santos striker Gabriel Barbosa is seen in Brazil as a player with a similar amount of potential. At just 17 years old, Barbosa is a player that holds much promise, and with fantastic first touch, technique and finishing, in Football Manager 2015 he is most definitely a player well worth taking a look at. Given how highly rated Gabriel Barbosa is in Brazil, Santos are unlikely to want to part company with Barbosa and this therefore could make him quite expensive to purchase, if you are at a club with the budget to invest in Gabriel Barbosa then it’s certainly well worth doing so though as he looks to be one of the absolute rising stars of this year’s Football Manager.

Carlos Fernández (Sevilla)

With some very well rounded stats, Sevilla striker Carlos Fernández is a young Spanish player that it’ll definitely be interesting to keep an eye on in Football Manager 2015. Just 18 years old at the start of the game, Fernández should progress well in all areas and develop to become a very solid striker in Football Manager 2015. Fernández has already made several appearances for the Sevilla first team in real life and is definitely a player well worth keeping an eye on both within the game and in reality.

Carlos Fierro (Chivas)

Carlos Fierro has been on the FM radar for some years now, first appearing as a wonderkid way back in Football Manager 2012. Fast forward to Football Manager 2015 and Chivas’ Carlos Fierro is once again a very impressive player to pick up within the game. Still only 19 years old at the start, it’s hard to believe that someone that’s been an FM wonderkid for so long is still so young. A big money move is yet to materialise for Carlos Fierro in reality, if you decide to snap him up in FM15 then you should be incredibly pleased with what you find from the player though as he’s likely to develop to become one of the very best players at your club.

Luka Jovic (Red Star)

As he’s only signed to a youth contract at Red Star, Serbian striker Luka Jovic may well be this year’s Richairo Zivkovic; a cheap young striker that can develop to become an absolute world beater. Jovic’s stats aren’t exactly groundbreaking at the start of the game, at only 16 years old he certainly has much development to come in the future though and it’s therefore well worth trying to sign him at the start of the game in the hope that he’ll develop to become a superstar. Pick Luka Jovic up in Football Manager 2015 and you may just bag yourself a bargain.

Munir (Barcelona)

With good vision, great technique and a huge amount of flair, Barcelona’s young Spanish striker Munir El Haddadi is seen as somewhat of a new Messi due to his great footwork and keen eye for goal. Munir can play in behind the main striker at CAM or fill in on the wing, he’s at his best in FM15 when played as an out and out striker, however, and if you bring this young Spanish player through in the right way then you may just find that he develops to become one of the very best forward players in the game.

Divock Origi (Liverpool)

Liverpool’s Divock Origi is a young striker that no one really knew about prior to the 2014 World Cup, he was a surprise pick in the Belgian squad, however, introducing himself to the world with a goal against Russia at the group stage. Origi has yet to really hugely impress in an international capacity, he’s currently on loan at Lille though where he’s establishing himself as a regular first team player, and with fellow Liverpool summer signing Mario Balotelli currently misfiring so horribly at the Anfield club at present, Origi may well find himself returning to Liverpool in January. Divock Origi is definitely well worth taking a look at in Football Manager 2015.

Timo Werner (Stuttgart)

An impressive looking forward in reality, Timo Werner also looks to have great potential in FM15 with his clinical finishing and huge amount of pace and acceleration. Werner has a very impressive youth record with Germany in reality, scoring a lot of goals when with the Germany Under-17 team and still progressing strongly now with the Under-19s. Timo Werner is a young German striker well worth checking out in Football Manager 2015; his Stuttgart career is yet to really ignite in reality, he’s still only 18 years old though and there may well be a lot more to come from this young forward in the future.

James Wilson (Manchester United)

Young James Wilson looked a real talent towards the end of the 2013-14 season in reality, bagging a brace on his Manchester United début after impressing for the reserves. Wilson made himself a Manchester United hero when he scored all 4 goals in Manchester United Under-21s’ 4–1 victory over Manchester City in the Manchester Senior Cup final in August 2014, and after a very solid start to his Manchester United career he definitely looks to be a star of the future for the club. With incredible pace and acceleration as well as some very good finishing ability, young James Wilson looks to be one of the very best young English players that Football Manager 2015 has to offer.

Richairo Zivkovic (Ajax)

Richairo Zivkovic was an FM14 favourite due to a his youth contract status that therefore meant that he was available in the game incredibly cheaply. Zivkovic has since transferred to Ajax and will therefore no longer be able so cheaply as he was in last year’s game, he’s certainly still a player well worth investing in, however, and is definitely a young striker worth keeping an eye on as it’s very likely that he’ll develop to become an absolute superstar striker.

10 Great Movies to Check Out This Halloween

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A look at 10 of the very best Halloween movies to watch this coming Halloween. Do you wish to be spooked, or would you rather watch something that is fun and uplifting? Either way we’ve got something for you to feast your eyes on here so read on to find out the terrific ten movies that we’ve selected as some of the very best Halloween movies of all time…

1. John Carpenter’s Halloween

An obvious choice? Definitely! It’s still a great Halloween horror movie however and one that is well worth watching on All Hallows Eve. Perhaps not the scariest movie out there, it’s still a very good one to watch, and turning out the lights and watching it with a group of friends whilst wearing suitably scary costumes will surely add to the whole experience (especially if there’s someone in a Michael Myers costume in the room).

Halloween is a movie about young Michael Myers; a six year old boy who brutally stabs and kills his sister one Halloween whilst wearing a clown mask. During the opening scene we get to see things from Michael’s point of view as he picks up a knife from the kitchen and walks upstairs with it, finding a mask on the stairs that his sister’s boyfriend has dropped in the process, picking it up and wearing it as he continues to her bedroom. Michael never speaks again.

What perhaps makes the movie so scary is that we know not why he has committed this act; we’re completely in the dark as to why he’s done this and this makes him seem all the more evil. Rob Zombie remade the movie in 2007, provided us with an explanation as to why Michael is the way he is and did a good job of it too; this is most definitely one of the factors that makes the original stand out however and a matter which makes Michael Myers all the scarier. He’s unpredictable, incredibly evil, and we know nothing more about him other than that he’s stabbed his sister to death and never spoken ever again. After this he remains in Smith’s Grove Warren County Sanitarium for fifteen years under the supervision of Dr. Sam Loomis where it is decided one day that he is to be moved elsewhere. It is then that Myers escapes and all hell breaks loose as he is now free roaming around the streets of America and heading back towards the town he originally came from; Haddonfield.

It’s an R-Rated movie and therefore not really one for the eyes of children of a young age; times have certainly changed and it’s not as brutally gory as some, still not one to be watched by those of a young age however and therefore more one to be watched in the company of other adults (or even on your own if you’re feeling brave enough).

Halloween has always been one of my very favourite horror movies and is most definitely a movie that I’d thoroughly recommend renting out for Halloween if you do not already own it. John Carpenter’s Halloween is my first choice movie for the season each and every time; check the local TV guide if you can as it’s often shown on one channel or another on October 31st of each year.

2. The Evil Dead

On the night of Halloween there’s nothing better than sitting down and ‘relaxing’ with a good horror. San Raimi’s The Evil Dead is an absolutely brilliant tale of possession; it’s your typical teen cabin in the woods setup, but it’s certainly not one to be scoffed at, and definitely not a film to be missed.

Made with a budget of $375, 000; The Evil Dead grossed $2.4 million upon its original release in the US thus making it the 121st biggest box office hit of 1983; not a massive success but still not a bad profit nonetheless. Sam Raimi would later in his career go on to direct the super successful Spider-Man movies, it’s this early cult success I’ll always remember the man for however and this most definitely is one to watch at Halloween.

The basic plot is that five teenage friends here travel out to a cabin out in the woods of Tennessee. It is here that they find the Book of the Dead, they also find a tape located in the cabin and decide to play it. What they do not realise is that playing this tape will release evil flesh eating zombies. They must now tackle the evil dead in an attempt to escape from the cabin and live to tell the tale of tackling the evil dead.

Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead is now somewhat of a cult classic; it’s a great film and one which has over the years been watched and enjoyed by many fans of the fantastic genre of horror. What makes this such a perfect Halloween movie though? Well, it’s one of the very best of its kind, and if you’re looking to be spooked then you won’t find much better than this. Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead is a great American classic, a true horror great and one to watch this coming Halloween. Not to be watched in the presence of young children, I do however remember watching it for the first time at the age of 14/15 and loving every single minute of it.

3. Night of the Living Dead

Fresh at number three; Night of the Living Dead is another classic zombie horror and the first in a long line of supremely strong ‘Dead’ zombie movies from George A. Romero. Dawn of the Dead followed on from this one a decade later, and then came Day of the Dead a further seven years after that. Several more Romero Dead zombie movies have followed; these are the only three of note however and the only ones I’d considered watching at Halloween.

What makes Night of the Living Dead such a perfect Halloween movie then? Well, like The Evil Dead; it’s another classic zombie movie and one which is bound to provide you with many a Halloween scare. It’s just a very good zombie movie, filmed in black and white and perhaps all the more scary for it too. The film was made on a small budget of $114, 000; the $30 million it grossed internationally wasn’t so small however and just about sums up the fantastic quality of this supreme zombie horror that is Night of the Living Dead.

A Venus space probe has exploded in the earth’s atmosphere; the radiation caused by this has resulted in the dead waking up. The dead are coming back to life and they’ve got a real thirst for human flesh too. Several survivors lock themselves away in an old farmhouse; they barricade the doors and the hope is now that the dead will not be able to get to them. There’s a truck outside but it needs fuel; someone’s going to have to go out there and brave the dead in order to get to the pump and get the van fuelled up. It’s not going to be an easy task, but if they want to get away from the farmhouse then someone’s therefore got to do it. A blow to the head will stop the zombies in their tracks and once more knock them dead; this is the thing to be remembered as the zombies are braved and quest for fuel now takes place.

It’s a fantastic low budget zombie flick; none of your modern day special effect rubbish, just a good honest black and white horror which is always thoroughly entertaining to watch. What’s so scary about this one is that as you watch it you can actually imagine this happening in a strange sort of way. It’s quite farfetched and unlikely to ever actually happen; the scary thing is that you start to wonder ‘what if’ however and become all the more creeped out for it. This is not just a movie to be dragged out of its box once a year for the event of Halloween; this is one to be watched time and time again and thoroughly enjoyed with each and every viewing.

4. Scream

Wes Craven has directed some absolute classics over the years; it’s my belief that Scream is one of his very best however and this is most definitely a movie that is well worth watching at Halloween. Scream is a satire, it draws upon popular horror movie conventions and pokes fun at them; it’s still a pretty scary movie in itself however, and whilst having a tongue-in-cheek stab at horror conventions; Wes Craven has also here created a great scary horror movie at the same time. It uses the conventions we all know and love, the characters speak of ‘what would happen right now if we were in a horror movie’ and it’s all incredibly self-aware; a very funny horror movie, but still one that is spooky enough to provide perfect Halloween movie material. You want a bit of light relief at Halloween, it’s a fun time of year to celebrate and Scream is a movie which brings out both sides of Halloween; the fun factor and also its spooky side.

Scream tells the story of a masked murderer, the murderer is recognisable by a white ‘ghostface’ mask and the weapon of choice here is that of the hunting knife. It’s the anniversary of Sidney Prescott’s mother’s horrible rape and murder. Understandably she’s incredibly cut up about it all and once again thinking of her mother more than ever. The night after the anniversary the ghostface killer breaks into her home and tries to murder Sidney. Sidney manages to escape, it’s a traumatic experience for her however and added to the fact that she is currently grieving heavily for her mother; it’s a very tough time for her. As the film unfolds the ghostface killer continues his killing spree and carries on coming after Sidney. The movie revolves around Sidney and the actions that she takes here. She’s the horror movies virginal character; a general convention of horror is that the ‘virgin’ is always the survivor whilst the more outwardly sexual individuals are killed off early on. Is this the case here though? You’ll just have to watch the film and find out!

Scream is most certainly a super film for Halloween; it features a number of excellent actors and always the script is compelling and the movie truly scary. The film has you hooked at all times and this is most definitely one film I’d personally highly recommend to watch at Halloween. You won’t find many greater Halloween movies than Wes Craven’s Scream! It’s the perfect movie to watch as part of a proper Halloween all night movie session.

Scream features (amongst others): David Arquette, Courteney Cox, Drew Barrymore, and Neve Campbell. Neve Campbell is the lady that is cast in the main role of Sidney and a very good job she does here too. Scream has a super spooky feel, a great Halloween presence, and there’s nothing I like more than dimming the lights and settling down to watch Scream on that dark day in October that is the 31st of the month.

5. Shaun of the Dead

Moving on from the Halloween fun I mentioned before when talking about Scream; another great Halloween movie to watch is that of Shaun of the Dead. It won’t provide you with any scares, it’ll certainly make you laugh though and sometimes that’s what Halloween is all about; relaxing into the occasion and making the most of the one day of year that is Halloween. October 31st only comes around once a year and it’s always good to laugh. Shaun of the Dead is a very funny comedy movie and if you like your comedy horrors then you’ll definitely enjoy Shaun of the Dead.

Writers Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright are huge Romero zombie fans; it shines through strongly in their work here in this wonderfully fun rom-zom-com that is Shaun of the Dead. Rom-zom-com – now there’s a movie genre you don’t see every day! There are a lot of comedy zombie movies out there, Shaun of the Dead is one of the best though and if you’re tired of watching scary movies at Halloween and fancy a bit of a change then what better way to celebrate the occasion than with a fantastically funny film as this?

Like any good zombie film – the basic plot line here is that the whole town has become overrun with zombies. At the same time as is this though, main character Shaun (Simon Pegg) is having problems with his partner Liz (Kate Ashfield) as all they ever do is go down to the local pub The Winchester. Liz is getting a bit bored of it all now and the couple’s relationship is running a little flat. The film unfolds as a gang of friends run away from zombies, all the while Shaun and Liz are bickering and their relationship is teetering on the edge of breaking point.

If you’ve ever seen Spaced and enjoyed it then I’d definitely say that you’ll love Shaun of the Dead. Even if you’ve already seen the movie then it’s still well worth getting it out again and watching it at Halloween. It’s not exactly spooky, it’s still a very good film though and therefore one that all should have on their ‘Films to Watch at Halloween’ list.

6. Zombieland

Continuing down the Shaun of the Dead zomedy path, my next pick is Zombieland. Zombieland stars Jesse Eisenberg and Emma Stone, and whilst I’m British and should probably be favouring Shaun of the Dead, I have to say that I think that Zombieland is actually as good as, if not better than, Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead.

Any film that has a cameo appearance from Bill Murray is always going to be onto a winner in my book, and I also actually really like Jesse Eisenberg as the film’s main male lead and feel that Woody Harrelson and Emma Stone work well alongside him. The film is just a great zombie comedy really, it certainly makes me laugh anyway and have happily watched it a number of times since its release in 2009.

Zombieland is most definitely a film that is well worth owning, not just for bringing out on Halloween, but also for watching all year round in fact. Even if you’re not usually a fan of zombie films I think that there’s a certain attraction with zombie comedies, and Zombieland is most certainly a film that ticks all the right boxes for me.

Jesse Eisenberg’s 2 main films of 2009 both feature a theme park (Zombieland and Adventureland), and they’re both actually really good films as well, Zombieland is the one that you want to be watching at Halloween though and that’s why Zombieland is taking it’s rightful place in my list of the top 10 films to watch at Halloween.

7. Se7en

What film could possibly make a more fitting seventh inclusion on my list than Se7en? A film about a serial killer that concentrates his killings based on the seven deadly sins, Se7en has to be one of the most brilliant crime thrillers from the 90s and is a film that you just keep on going back to once you’ve seen it the once.

Se7en is one of those films that just begs to be watched on a cinema screen, watching at home on your big screen TV is the next best thing though and certainly something that I’d recommend doing this Halloween. It may not be a film that you’d specifically associate with Halloween, regardless of that though, there’s never a bad time to watch Se7en, and if this is a film that you’re yet to see then now would definitely be the time to do so.

The film stars Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, and Gwyneth Paltrow amongst others, and is just one of many great films that these 3 stars appeared in throughout the 90s. With such a brilliant cast and from such an awesome director as David Fincher, Se7en is most definitely a film to watch, and if you do so this Halloween then I’m sure that the film won’t leave you in the least bit disappointed.

8. Saw

In terms of horror franchises from the 2000s, the Saw franchise would have to be my very favourite. I loved the early films in the series, and whilst the series did rather trail off in quality towards the end, the first 3 films in the Saw franchise at least are most definitely films that are well worth watching.

The whole torture porn genre is something that has been done to death now and with new films of this ilk that are released you don’t really get the same sense of excitement that you did at the start, when films such as Saw and Hostel were released there was something really new and fresh about it all however and for me it was Saw that really stole the show.

When Saw 1 was released, the whole concept of it all was just so gripping, and the film still remains a classic in my eyes. I very happily own this film on DVD and must have watched it very many times throughout the years. Right from the start the film has your full undivided attention, and there’s never a dull moment with this film as you wonder what torturous tricks and games the film will have up its sleeve next.

The great thing about Saw is that you can watch it every so often and the film still remains exciting; there are certain bits and pieces that you forget about the film and don’t accurately remember until they’ve occurred again. Saw is not just a one time watch to forget about, Saw is a horror film that you can keep on coming back to and still keep on enjoying.

Saw may not be specifically Halloween themed, I certainly feel that Halloween is as good a time as any to watch it though, and if you’ve not dusted off your copy of Saw for a while then the Halloween period is definitely a good time to do so. If however you’re someone that hasn’t yet seen/doesn’t currently own Saw then it’s definitely another film to consider picking up to provide you with a few Halloween frights this October 31st.

9. The Mist

Watching this film after AMC’s The Walking Dead had come out, I think that the first thing that struck me about this film was just how many of the cast also appear in The Walking Dead. What also struck me was that there are certain scenes and elements of the film that made me think of The Walking Dead, and given that Frank Daranont wrote and directed the pilot episode as well as being executive producer of the first season of The Walking Dead, I guess that shouldn’t really come as any real surprise. I watched the film on the basis of a friend’s recommendation though and hadn’t even looked at who the director was, so to me at least it came as quite a (pleasant) surprise.

I absolutely love The Walking Dead, and The Mist is a film that really did appeal to me. I’m not always the biggest fan of sci-fi type films, The Mist blends sci-fi with horror brilliantly though, providing for a film that is not only full of suspense and excitement, but also packed full of all kinds of crazy creatures that are sure to put a smile on your face for Halloween. Halloween is all about things that go bump in the night, and The Mist is most definitely a film that delivers in this department.

Whilst not all Stephen King novels tend to convert to film particularly well, The Mist is most definitely one of the better efforts, and Frank Darabont really did do a brilliant job with this one.

I both loved and hated Marcia Gay Harden’s character in the film, and there are a number of other actors that also put in some cracking performances within the film. The cast is extremely well chosen, it’s a brilliant novel by Stephen King, and Frank Darabont’s screenplay is also hugely successful. Everything about this film just works, and in my opinion this would be another great film to watch at Halloween.

The Mist has all the suspense, spooks, and creepy crawlies that you could possibly want for in a Halloween film, and including it in this list was another very easy decision for me to make.

10. Dracula

Having started my list with the obvious Halloween movie pick of Halloween, I will end with another fairly obvious pick also in the form of Dracula (or Horror of Dracula as it’s known in the US).

This campy Hammer Horror production from Terence Fisher is an absolutely brilliant film to watch at Halloween; when was the last time you went to a Halloween party and there wasn’t at least one person dressed up as Dracula?! The film stars Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, and I for one absolutely love this fine classic British horror film.

Dracula is one of those films that is fun for the whole family to watch. It’s not like the majority of the other films that I’ve included in the list that wouldn’t be safe for younger children to watch at Halloween, this one would provide good entertainment for the entire family and I feel that this would be a great one to watch at Halloween if you’re spending it with slightly younger kids. Frankenstein (1931) starring Boris Karloff is another film that’d fit this family oriented bill, Dracula is the one that I have chosen to include here however and is a film that I’d happily spend a Halloween afternoon/evening watching.

Dracula is a classic vampire tale from Irish author Bram Stoker, a story that predates the likes of Twilight and True Blood by a very long way, and most definitely transfers to a film that is well worth watching. There are of course many different versions of the Dracula story that have been released throughout the years, Terence Fisher’s is my favourite filmic version of Dracula however, a fun and family friendly film that is sure to raise more than a slight smile on All Hallows’ Eve.

Top 50 Player Ratings in FIFA 15

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FIFA 15 Top 50 Players

A look at the top 50 highest rated players in FIFA 15, exploring their key attributes and comparing their ratings this year to their ratings in FIFA 14. Also outlines any position changes that may have occurred from FIFA 14 to FIFA 15 and how this may have impacted upon the overall rating of the player within FIFA 15.

Cristiano Ronaldo won the Ballon d’Or in 2014, cover star Lionel Messi is once again the highest rated player in the game though, so how do the rest compare then and who are the significant movers and shakers in this year’s game? All will be explained and explored in the videos below.

How to Set Up a Home Recording Studio

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Home Recording Studio

When you’re a musician there’s nothing greater than having your own home recording studio. If ever you have any ideas you can quickly get them down and record them in your very own studio; professionally and cleanly for perfect future reference. By setting up a home recording studio you provide yourself with a great place to go to get your musical ideas down on demo. As a musician it’s a great idea to have your very own home recording studio and always the possibility of this becoming a reality is made all the greater as prices come down and home recording studios are made all the more affordable to have.

How do you go about creating your own home recording studio though? Well, this is something that I here wish to share with you. Dependent upon how much money you have to spare/what the studio is to be used for then this will determine how minimal or how elaborate you may wish to be when it comes to creating that perfect home recording studio.

Read on to find out more about the sorts of things you’re going to need if you’re serious about creating the perfect home recording studio for you.

First of all: Find the Space
Find an empty room, Create an empty space

It’s all very well thinking ahead and buying all the gear that you’ll need; first things first though and before doing anything else it’s always best to find the space. Are you going to set aside a whole room for the recording studio, or is the recording studio going to be a part of another room which is already in use? This is something that needs to be decided, and you also need to work out how much space you’re going to have available for equipment.

I’d personally recommend setting aside a whole room for the recording studio; you’ll get better acoustics this way and your recording studio will therefore be of a better quality. Make sure you’ll be able to space the equipment out, you don’t want things to be too cramped; always make sure the space you’re using is of an adequate enough size to allow movement and also to allow for the sound to travel. It’s not nice to work in cramped conditions and it’s also better for the sound quality if you’re recording in a fairly open area rather than in a tight space.

So the first step to be taken is to choose the area in which you wish to record. Once you’ve decided where your home recording studio is to be located then it’s then and only then that you should move on and start thinking about other aspects such as which equipment will be featuring in your music studio and how you’re going to go about treating that space to provide the best possible acoustics for your recordings.

Treating Your Room
Creating the perfect environment for your production

If you’re looking to treat your room (and if you’re interested in getting the most out of your home recording studio then you should be), then I highly recommend getting in touch with the team at GIK Acoustics.

They’ll be able to tell you the best possible treatment for your specific room set-up, and you’ll be able to get acoustic treatment that is specifically catered to your needs.

They’re a very friendly, helpful bunch, and are bound to be able to help you get the very best treatment that you can for your home recording studio.

Alternatively, if you’re a creative type you may wish to consider the DIY options available, or you may wish to consider some of the various products that Auralex have available such as their Roominator Kit’s or their Max Wall’s.

Hardware and Software Tips
Picking the Perfect Products

So now that you’ve found the space for your home recording studio you next need to start thinking about recording equipment. What sort of equipment are you going to need and what sort of budget do you have at hand? You can spend a lot of money on a home recording studio; alternatively however you can buy basic bits and purchase more as you go. It all depends just how much money you have at hand, how much you can afford to spend and how much you really need to save. Know your budget and always be sure that you try to stick to it as much as possible. It’s great to have a home recording studio; you don’t want to spiral into uncontrollable debt as a result of it though.

You’re going to need hardware and you’ll also require software; think long and hard about both, ask around on internet forums, ask your friends if you know anyone else with a home recording studio, and also go into specialist stores and ask there too. Independent music stores are always the most helpful I find; stores that are run by people that have set up shop out of a pure love for music. They’re often very knowledgeable and there’s a good chance that they’ll be able to help.

There’s a lot of software/hardware out there on the market to buy, my best advice is to try out all the different options that are available work out which one you like best. See which programs are best suited to you; find out what equipment you gel best with, and also what equipment is best suited to the style of sound that you wish to create. Ask people for advice, see what other people prefer best, but ultimately your purchases need to be based on the equipment that you’re personally going to get on best with. That’s great that a friend of yours is very happy with the equipment and software that they have, what’s going to work out best for you though? That’s what you have to try and figure out.

I know I said before about sticking to your budget, if there’s something just outside your budget that seems a lot better however then save that extra money to afford it. You don’t want to buy a lesser product to save a slight amount of money only to later regret it. It’s good to know your budget, but it’s also best to hold out for that perfect piece of software/equipment if there’s not much of a price difference.

Choosing a DAW
Which digital audio workstation is right for you?

If you’re a Mac user such as myself then you’re probably going to be looking towards either Logic Studio or Pro Tools as your DAW of choice.

Logic Studio is now only available from the Apple App Store; you did previously use to be able to buy it as a physical copy, not just from Apple, but also from other retailers. Apple seems to be trying to bring about the death of the optical drive however (as can be seen to be apparent with its optical drive free retina display Macbook model) and therefore they’ve stopped offering physical copies of both Logic Studio and Final Cut. A plus point of Apple now offering Logic Studio from the app store is that the price came down considerably when they switched across to digital, and the price drop therefore makes Logic Studio an absolute bargain.

The good thing about Pro Tools is that it’s available for both Mac and Windows. It used to be a Mac only product, it’s been available for both operating systems for some time now however, so if you use both Mac and Windows based systems then Pro Tools may just be the perfect cross-platform solution for you. Ableton Live is another potential DAW to consider and is another that is available for both Mac and Windows, as too is Cubase.

FL Studio is another DAW to consider, however keep in mind that FL Studio is only compatible with Windows based systems.

I’ve heard brilliant results with all DAW’s; if you know your DAW, anything is possible with any system. It’s important then that when choosing a DAW you pick one that you’re comfortable with. Try a few out if possible, and ultimately settle with whichever DAW you feel you’re going to be most comfortable with. There’s no point just going for the cheapest or the most expensive DAW and then being incredibly unhappy with it. You want the DAW that you’re going to be most productive with, and it’s therefore important to consider all options available to you.

My personal DAW of choice is Logic Studio. Does this mean that Logic Studio is the perfect choice for everyone then? Definitely not. It’s what I’m comfortable with though and it’s therefore the system that I use.

Choosing an Audio Interface
Plug in baby

Now that you know about treating your room and choosing your DAW, you should think about picking yourself out an audio interface. The audio interface is what all your core equipment will be connected to in order to create your music; your studio monitors, your microphones, your keyboards, your headphones, your guitars/mic’d amps if you’re using any; all equipment such as this, this will be connected up to your audio interface, and this is an extremely important part of your setup that can have a huge bearing on your recordings.

My personal audio interface of choice is the Mackie Onyx Blackbird. I did a lot of research before purchasing my audio interface, and to me; the Mackie Onyx Blackbird seemed like the best option. I’ve heard a few things about driver support not being too hot with Mackie devices once their products have been around a while in terms of updating the drivers for new OS releases, we’ll see on that though. Mountain Lion isn’t currently supported with the Mackie Onyx Blackbird, it is very new right now though and support for Lion is provided, so I’ve no doubt that it won’t be too long before Mountain Lion is supported also (you can check on its availability on the Mackie Onyx Blackbird website). The brilliant thing about the Onyx Blackbird is that the preamps are absolutely the best in the business, and although some may find it problematic that there’s no midi input and therefore wish to look at other options such as the M-Audio Profire for example, I personally don’t find the lack of midi input to be a problem however as the majority of my midi devices also feature us input, and even for those that don’t; it’s pretty cheap and easy to bag yourself a midi to usb adapter as you can pick one up on eBay for really very little. It’s a problem if you’re short of USB space, sure, but otherwise it’s a workable issue that will have little real bearing on most users.

My personal recommendation with the audio interface is to go for the best possible interface that you can. I’d definitely recommend the Roland OctaCapture, the Mackie Onyx Blackbird, the Presonus FireStudio, and the M-Audio Profire 2626, if these really are out of the question for affordability issues however then the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is a cracking compact budget audio interface that may just be the perfect solution for you. The Apogee Duet 2 is another fantastic compact product to consider if you’re looking for something that’s nice and portable, if you’re going for something a bit smaller and portable for issues of affordability however then the Apogee Duet 2 is really not for you as whilst it may be nice and compact, its price point is also on a par with the more expansive audio interface options that I’ve mentioned here and it’s therefore only really for those that have the money there to splash but are wanting a product that’s nice and compact and portable.

Picking a Midi Keyboard
Finding the right one for you

Midi stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface; a midi keyboard itself has no onboard sound, what you do with a midi keyboard however is connect it up to your production program (FL Studio, Cubase, Logic, Garageband etc.) and it is there that the sound is provided through VST’s (Virtual Studio Technology).

Midi keyboard’s range in size from 25 keys right through to 88. The size of the keyboard you wish to invest in will depend on your budget and space availability, basically though you should always look to purchase the best midi keyboard that you can afford. If you’re just starting out then it’s perhaps a sensible option to start with a lower end midi keyboard, if you’re an experienced keys player however then you may wish to look at purchasing a midi keyboard with 61/88 keys, and if you’re coming from a piano background then it may well be worth your while purchasing a fully weighted keys midi keyboard such as the Akai MPK 88.

Entry level midi keyboard models include the Akai LPK 25, the Akai MPK Mini, and the Korg nanoKEY. All of these midi keyboards feature 25 keys and both have their benefits. Both the Akai LPK 25 and the Korg nanoKEY are quite similarly priced, and if you’re looking to purchase one or the other then my personal recommendation would be the Akai LPK25 for its higher quality keys and raised black keys. The LPK25 inclues an arpeggiator and for the price is a very fine piece of kit. If you’re going to get the Akai LPK25 though, then the MPK Mini is definitely a product to consider. It’s basically an LPK25 and an LPD8 joined together, so that you have a mini device that performs both keyboard and drum machine functions all in one. If you’ve not got much space/are looking to have a portable secondary device for producing on the move then the MPK Mini is certainly a very tidy all in one device and one that it pretty reasonably priced too for all that you can achieve with it.
If you don’t think a 25 key midi keyboard is quite going to cut it for you then you might want to consider a larger option from the likes of Akai, Novation, and M-Audio.

Personally I use an MPK61 and couldn’t be happier with it! I was originally going to buy myself an 88 key midi keyboard, I’m not a trained pianist however and the 61 key keyboard more than meets my playing needs and requirements. If you’re from a piano playing background then you may well feel that an 88 key midi keyboard is the perfect option for you, if you’re not though then a 49 or 61 key midi keyboard should more than meets your needs. You can use the octave up and down function after all to get to higher/lower notes where required, and unless you’re going to be composing pieces using the full breadth of an 88 key keyboard then you’re better off saving yourself a bit of money and going for a midi keyboard with fewer keys, investing the money you save more wisely elsewhere on other equipment for your studio.

The Microphones
For your vocals and/or your instruments

The microphone can be an extremely important part of the studio. You could have the best set-up in the world, without a good quality microphone though for capturing your recordings then it’s just not going to sound right. The same advice applies for microphones as for all else when it comes to setting up a home recording studio; try out as many different microphones as you can and purchase the one you feel is best within your budget. You don’t want to spend too little on a microphone, it is a very important part of your set up; you don’t have to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars to achieve decent effect however and if you go to local music stores and try out different options then you’ll be able to get a feel of which option is best for you. By all means don’t necessarily buy the microphone there; if you can find it cheaper elsewhere then do so, you still need to go into a store to try it though as without trying it out for yourself then you just won’t be able to make an informed decision. You want to know what you’re buying and know that it’s of a good quality; you don’t just want to spend your money and hope for the best as that could turn out to be a huge waste of time and more importantly money.

Personally I think you can’t go wrong with owning a Shure SM58 for getting your vocals down, and an SM57 for recording your instrumental efforts. They’re not the best microphones out there, they are ‘industry standard’ however and not hugely expensive either. I have an SM57 and an SM58 at my disposal for my personal projects, and have always been very happy with the results that I’ve achieved with them; it’s a good, solid sound that you get with these microphones, and a sound that you can always recognize and appreciate in the work of others. If they’re good enough for U2 then they’re good enough for me!

The Ever Important Studio Monitors
A crucial element for assessing your sound

Perhaps the most important part of your studio; the speakers. It’s through your monitors that you judge as to the quality of your recordings, and if you haven’t got a good pair of speakers to let you know how your recordings sound then this will be a big mistake to make.

You want to be sure of the quality of your recordings, and it’s therefore important to pick out the right speakers. Head along to your local music shop, check out the monitors that they have to offer, and see what you think of the sound that they have to offer. Read internet reviews, listen to YouTube reviews, do what you have to, but just make sure you pick out some speakers that are perfect for you. It’s extremely important to get it right with the studio monitors, but once you’ve found the perfect pair, you just know they’re the ones when you find them.

Personally I did a lot of research and took my time before settling with the Adam A7X, and I’m very glad that I took the time choosing and ended up with studio monitors that I’m really very happy with. Adam A7X monitors may not be the ones for you, for me however I absolutely love them and am very pleased with my purchase. A lot of people seem to have KRK Rokit’s and I very nearly just went with the crowd and bought Rokit’s too, in researching the right monitors for me though I feel that I definitely made the right choice, and my Adam A7X monitors now sit very proudly in my personal studio setup. At around $1000 for a pair they’re probably not the perfect solution for everyone, if your budget can stretch to it though then these are definitely studio monitors that are well worth investing in.

Potential Football Manager 2015 Wonderkids

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I shall here be taking a look at some of the best young players to sign in Football Manager 2015. As and when I come across new talented young players I shall be adding them to the list, and if you feel that there’s a player that I’ve not included here that you feel is worthy of the ‘wonderkid’ title then please leave me a comment at the bottom of the page and I’ll consider adding them to the list. This is not currently a complete list of all the best players to sign in Football Manager 2015, as time goes by and I delve deeper into the Football Manager 2015 database I’m sure it’ll become so though, especially with your input in helping me make this Football Manager wonderkid resource as complete as possible.

Keep checking back here for updates on the very best young players to sign in Football Manager 2015 and I hope that you enjoy the read and discover some great new players to go uncover in your quest for Football Manager glory.

*All players featured in this article are 21 years old or younger at the beginning of the game*

Football Manager 2015

– GOALKEEPERS –

Alphonse Areola (PSG)

Alphonse Areola is a French goalkeeper that I’ve been following the progress of for a while now, and if you’re on the lookout for a good young goalkeeper then PSG’s Areola is definitely a great one to consider. I’ve often signed Areola in previous versions of Football Manager, and this 21 year old Frenchman really is a true talent of a footballer. Areola is currently out on loan at SC Bastia for the duration of the 2014-15 season.

Rubén Blanco (Celta de Vigo)

Rubén Blanco is a cheaply available Spanish goalkeeper definitely well worth investing in. Currently playing for Celta de Vigo, Blanco is just 18 years old at the start of the game and looks like he could definitely have a huge amount of promise if brought through properly. As he can be snapped up quite cheaply, Rubén Blanco would be a very good backup goalkeeper to have right from the start of the game, someone that you can bring through slowly whilst learning from your first choice goalkeeper and gaining valuable knowledge and experience from an older keeper that has already been there and done that. Blanco may never develop to become an absolutely world class shot stopper, due to his age and price though he is certainly a young player well worth taking a gander at.

Jonathan Bond (Watford)

An England Under-21 international, Jonathan Bond is a young English goalkeeper that came through the Watford youth academy and has since gone on to progress into the Watford first team. At 6 foot 4 tall, Jonathan Bond is an incredibly powerful presence in the net, with excellent reflexes, agility and jumping reach making him an absolutely sensational shot stopper. At 21 years of age, Watford’s Jonathan Bond is a young English goalkeeper well worth checking out in Football Manager 2015, and should you choose to sign this player up then you will no doubt be incredibly pleased with the performances that he provides.

Jack Butland (Stoke City)

When young Jack Butland was taken to Euro 2012 as England’s third choice goalkeeper, there were many in the country that questioned ‘Who?!’ to this young goalkeeper’s inclusion. As a bit of a Football Manager addict, however, I was already well aware of Jack Butland’s ability as a goalkeeper and as a fan of League Two’s Oxford United I was also aware of his talent in reality after his impressive performances for Cheltenham Town in the 2011-12 season. Jack Butland is sure to be a great young goalkeeper in Football Manager 2015, and the chances are that you’ll often see him go on to become a full England international. Butland has yet to really be given much of a chance at Stoke, he has proven himself away on various loans since he has been at the club though and at 21 years old there is certainly plenty of room for progression and improvement from the young goalkeeper.

Maxym Koval (Dynamo Kyiv)

Maxym Koval is a player that I’d not really previously come across in the Football Manager series up until Football Manager 2014, in Football Manager 2015 he is sure to be a great goalkeeper to invest in, however, and this teenage Ukrainian goalkeeper will no doubt develop to become a key member of your squad. Even at a top European team, Koval is a young goalkeeper that will complement your squad very nicely and I for one most definitely find Koval to be a very handy goalkeeper to have at your disposal.

Simone Scuffet (Udinese)

Simone Scuffet is, without doubt, the strongest looking young goalkeeper in Football Manager 2015. At just 18 years of age, Simone Scuffet is a goalkeeper that is already showing huge signs of development, earning himself a place in the Udinese first team as well as progressing his way up the youth ranks for Italy. Born in Udine itself, Scuffet is doing his hometown team proud as he continues to develop at Udinese and looks to have a very bright future ahead of him in football. Not only is Scuffet an excellent prospect in reality, but in Football Manager 2015 he looks to have the potential to become an absolutely world class goalkeeper. If you bring Scuffet through in the right way then you may just find that he develops to become the very best goalkeeper within the game.

Mickey van der Hart (Ajax)

Currently out on loan at Go Ahead Eagles from Ajax, Mickey van der Hart is a promising young Dutch goalkeeper that looks to have a solid career ahead of him in football. Van der Hart is yet to really be given much of a chance in the Ajax first team, he’s already a Dutch Under-21 international though and if he can prove himself with Go Ahead Eagles in the Eredivisie then he may just find himself being given more of an opportunity to impress at Ajax in the future.

– DEFENDERS –

Nathan Aké (Chelsea)

At just 19 years old, Nathan Aké is a young Chelsea player that has already been promoted to the Chelsea first team and now looks to be progressing strongly as he continues to keep making appearances for the first team. A Dutch Under-21 international, Nathan Aké looks to be a very promising player in reality and is also a player that is well worth taking a look at in Football Manager 2015 as well. Depending on the size and stature of your club, Nathan Aké might not be a regular starter for you right from season one, bring him through in the right way though and you may just find that this young Dutch player becomes an absolutely cracking player within the game and he’s also unlikely to make you break the bank in order to secure his services. At the start of Football Manager 2015 Nathan Aké is a player that should be available quite cheaply and is definitely a young defender that you should at least consider scouting.

Tyler Blackett (Manchester United)

Tyler Blackett is a player that seemed to appear from virtually nowhere in summer 2014, returning to Manchester United from loans at Blackpool and Birmingham City in the 2013-14 season and suddenly finding himself to be a key player in Louis van Gaal’s pre-season tour plans. As the season has started, Tyler Blackett has continued to be utilised as a first team player for Manchester United, starting the first two games of the season for the club and playing the full 90 minutes in both fixtures. Due to Tyler Blackett’s sudden rise to prominence in the Manchester United first team, it seems certain that Football Manager 2015 will take note of this and that Blackett will therefore be a player of great potential within the game.

Calum Chambers (Arsenal)

Southampton had a huge crop of exciting young players in the 2013-14 season, with Calum Chambers certainly one of them as the 19 year old put in some impressive performances for the club throughout the season. A £16 million move to Arsenal followed in the summer for Chambers after the youngster more than proved his worth at Southampton, so it’ll now be interesting to see how Calum Chambers grasps the move as he makes the step up from playing with a promising group at Southampton, to playing in the Champions League with Arsenal.

Doria (Olympique de Marseille)

Doria has been an absolutely excellent prospect in Football Manager for the past few years now, a fantastic young Brazilian that was previously playing his trade in his home country with Botafogo. In the past Doria would always secure a big money move to Europe within the game, in summer 2014 it became a reality for him though when he signed for Marseille on September 1st 2014. As he’s only just joined Marseille it’ll therefore be quite difficult to secure his signature right from the start of the game, keep an eye on this young centre back though as it’s entirely possible that he’ll become available for purchase in the future; Ligue 1 isn’t the most high profile league in the world, so if you’re managing a club in England, Germany or Spain then it’s highly probable that you’ll be able to lure him away from France in the future.

Matthias Ginter (Borussia Dortmund)

An incredibly promising young centre back in reality, Matthias Ginter won the World Cup with Germany in the summer and looks to have a very promising career ahead of him in football. Ginter signed for Borussia Dortmund on a five-year deal in summer 2014, joining the club from SC Freiburg. Ginter is already establishing himself strongly as a German international and at just 20 years old it looks as though there’ll be a lot more to come from this young player in the future. With solid strength, excellent heading and some very powerful tacking ability, Matthias Ginter is a young centre back well worth picking up in Football Manager 2015; Ginter only joined Dortmund in the summer so you’ll probably have to wait a while if you do want to sign him up within the game, it’s certainly worth keeping an eye on him though as if you can sign Ginter then he’s sure to go on to spend many successful seasons with you at your club.

Michael Keane (Manchester United)

At the start of the 2014-15 season there was talk that 21 year old Manchester United centre back Michael Keane was about to be sent out on loan to Cardiff City. With Manchester United not currently having a huge amount of centre backs and with Louis van Gaal wanting to operate with a formation that requires 3 centre halves, the move seemed like a bit of a strange one and sure enough was put on hold, at least until the club had the time to sign a few more defenders. Keane has since gone on to make his Premier League début for Manchester United, performing well as a substitute when he came on for Chris Smalling in an away game against Sunderland on August 24th. Keane has been a great player in Football Manager for some years now and given his promotion to the Manchester United first team this season this is sure to be something that continues into Football Manager 2015.

Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Bilbao)

At just 20 years old, Aymeric Laporte is a towering young French centre back that’d surely stand out strongly in most defences in the world. A brave player that is excellent at tackling, Laporte is an absolute beast of a centre back to pick up in Football Manager 2015, a strong and hard working young player that could potentially help improve your defence hugely. Laporte is yet to be capped as a full French international, he has already worked his way up to the Under-21s though and it is surely only a matter of time before he starts to follow in the footsteps of fellow centre back Raphael Varane as the latest French player to move into the national team whilst earning his trade out in La Liga.

Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain)

Marquinhos is a young Brazilian centre back surely destined for huge success in the future. Having joined PSG from Roma in 2013, Marquinhos has established himself strongly at the French club and now sits as a part of a very Brazilian defence that also includes the likes of Thiago Silva, Maxwell and David Luiz. Marquinhos has already been capped several times for Brazil and with excellent tackling, work rate and pace, this young Brazilian is well worth picking up in Football Manager 2015.

Andrew Robertson (Hull City)

Andrew Robertson was always an incredibly cheap and reliable left back in Football Manager 2014, a player that could easily be signed from Dundee United and would always do a solid job. In summer 2014 the young Scottish player earned himself a move to the Premier League with Hull, just one year on from making the huge step up from the Scottish Third Division with Queen’s Park to the Scottish Premier League with Dundee United. Despite taking another very large step up, Andrew Robertson continues to keep proving himself in reality and looks to be a very good player with a big future ahead of him in football. Definitely take a look at Andrew Robertson in Football Manager 2015; if you’re after a young left back then you can certainly do a lot worse than signing up this young Scottish sensation.

Jack Robinson (Liverpool)

In Football Manager 2012 I often saw Jack Robinson signed by Real Madrid (at least when I hadn’t got in there first, anyway), and in Football Manager 2013 and 2014 the young player continued to be a very exciting prospect. In Football Manager 2015 Jack Robinson will once again a player well worth signing, so if you’re looking for a real high quality young left back then you can definitely do a lot worse than signing up Jack Robinson. Robinson is another player yet to have really been given a chance yet in the Premier League, just like Chalobah he is also an established England U-21 international though an is definitely a player well worth keeping an eye on in the future.

Luke Shaw (Manchester United)

Manchester United paid £30 million for Luke Shaw in summer 2014, a huge amount of money for any 19 year old fooballer, let alone one that plays his trade at left back. Time will only tell as to whether or not Luke Shaw will represent good value for money at Manchester United, at 19 years old he has the potential to hold down the left back position at the club for many years to come though and if he’s given the time and patience to prove himself then he’ll surely more than make the position his own and develop into an incredibly important player for both club and country. Before the start of the season Luke Shaw was unfortunate enough to suffer a hamstring injury, so his Manchester United professional début has had to be put on hold for fans of the club to see what the 19 year old English left back is truly made of.

John Souttar (Dundee United)

With Ryan Gauld and Andrew Robertson both having moved onto pastures new, John Souttar remains to be the one and only still remaining shining star in the Dundee United youth ranks right now. Souttar has been an absolute sensation in Football Manager for a few years now and in Football Manager 2015 he is once again an absolutely excellent young centre back to pick up. Signing Souttar is certainly not something that will break the bank if you do decide to pick him up, it’s a highly recommended action to at least try and undertake in fact as he truly is a very talented young defender and would be a fantastic investment for any team within the game.

John Stones (Everton)

An excellent young central defender that can also do a very impressive job at right back, John Stones is a fantastic player to pick up in Football Manager 2015 that has good heading ability, superb passing precision and also some very good physical attributes. Stones is a very promising young English player in reality and most certainly a defender well worth taking a look at in FM15 as well.

Raphael Varane (Real Madrid)

Raphael Varane is a very talented 21 year old centre back and another great player to consider signing in Football Manager 2015. The one issue you may find with Varane is that he may be a little unwilling to leave a club like Real Madrid early on in the game, definitely keep an eye on him though as you may just be able to secure signing Varane at a later stage.

Kurt Zouma (Chelsea)

Although yet to really be given a chance at Chelsea, Kurt Zouma is a very promising young centre back that’s always an excellent player to invest in when it comes to football games. Pacey and strong, Kurt Zouma is an excellent player to pick up in both FIFA 15 and Football Manager 2015; Zouma is an absolute beast of a centre back, a tank at the back that can definitely help you pick up a lot of points throughout a season. Scout Kurt Zouma within Football Manager 2015 and you’ll no doubt be incredibly impressed by the stats that you find on this player. Zouma may only be 19 years old at the start of play, already at this age he is a player that can do a very fine job within the game though and is a young centre back that will only get better in the future.

– MIDFIELDERS –

Ross Barkley (Everton)

Ross Barkley is a teenage midfielder well worth taking a look at within the game. Send one of your scouts to check out Ross Barkley and I’m sure they’ll come back telling you that the young Everton player is a real talent. In past versions of the game Ross Barkley has often gone on to become an England international, and in Football Manager 2015 if he’s brought through in the right way then I’m sure you’ll see this young player go on to achieve great success for both club and country. Still only 20 years old, Ross Barkley has already made numerous appearances for England and impressed with his tireless ability to get forward. Ross Barkley is a bright young talent in reality and an absolute gem in Football Manager as well.

Nathaniel Chalobah (Chelsea)

Nathaniel Chalobah is a player that first came to my attention in an FA Youth Cup game the other year which therefore prompted me to check him out within Football Manager. Sure enough, Chalobah is just as promising in Football Manager as he looks in real life, and is a young central midfielder that’d no doubt add bags of quality to your squad. Chalobah can slot in at central midfield or can also operate strongly at centre back, so this young player is certainly nice and versatile; a teenager that seems to have been on the radar for some years now despite still only being 19 years of age. Nathaniel Chalobah has yet to be given a chance at Chelsea, he has performed admirably out on loan though and has also established himself strongly as an England U-21 regular. Chalobah may not be a household name yet in football, he certainly looks as though he has the talent to become one though and will no doubt go on to become a full England international in the future.

Ante Ćorić (Dinamo Zagreb)

Currently playing for Dinamo Zagreb out in his homeland of Croatia, Ante Ćorić is definitely a player to take a look at in Football Manager 2015, a low cost attacking midfielder that could really make a difference to your squad. Despite only being 17 years old, Ćorić is a player that can have a great impact right from the start of the game; I picked him up for Hull City in one save, expecting him to just be utilised as a backup and maybe get a bit of cup football, Ćorić soon established himself in the first team squad, however, ousting out players much older and more experienced due to his solid performances and at times very keen eye for goal. Ante Ćorić is definitely a player to keep an eye on in Football Manager 2015, and given that he’s not too expensive at the start of the game it’s therefore well worth taking a punt on him.

Ángel Correa (Atlético Madrid)

With Correa having only just joined Atlético Madrid from San Lorenzo in the summer, it’ll probably be quite difficult to secure his services at an early stage, keep an eye on this impressive young CAM though and you may just find that you’re able to bring him to your club at some point in the future. With fantastic technique, flair and dribbling, Ángel Correa is a really impressive creative player that can be incredibly effective at the offensive end. Correa is not the strongest of players, his stats are certainly very good for a creative player of his sort though and he has fantastic potential to develop into a truly phenomenal attacking midfielder.

Memphis Depay (PSV)

Still only 20 years old, Memphis Depay is an incredibly skilful player in reality that will no doubt be of huge importance for you should you choose to sign him up in Football Manager 2015. A product of the PSV youth academy, Depay was taken to the 2014 FIFA World Cup by then Netherlands manager Louis van Gaal (now of Manchester United) and despite his young age has been able to carve out quite a successful career for himself to date as an explosively talented left winger. If you’d like to add a bit of pace and trickery to your team in Football Manager 2015 then you can definitely do a lot worse than picking up PSV’s Memphis Depay.

Kerim Frei (Besiktas)

Managing Fulham in Football Manager 2014, Kerim Frei is a player that I came to know very well, and he really is a very talented footballer within the game. In Football Manager 2015 Frei will no doubt once again absolutely brilliant, and if you’re looking for a talented young attacking midfielder then Kerim Frei may just be the perfect option. He’s only just recently transferred to Besiktas in Turkey so it might be quite hard to get hold of him at the very start of the game, remain patient though and Kerim Frei is a player that’s well worth picking up in the future.

Will Hughes (Derby County)

Will Hughes has long been an absolute Football Manager favourite of mine and it’s highly unlikely that you’ll ever see a Premier League team of mine in which this young English midfielder doesn’t feature. For a number of years now Will Hughes has been an absolutely brilliant player within the game as well as in reality, he remains at Derby County, however, still yet to be snapped up by a Premier League giant despite his absolutely dominating performances for both Derby County and the England Under-21s. Still only 19 years old, the spotlight seems to have been on Will Hughes for a long time now and as he heads into his third season as a Derby County regular it seems inevitable that sooner or later a much larger club is going to sweep in and sign up this prodigious young English talent. If you’re after a central midfielder in Football Manager 2015 then Will Hughes should certainly be your first port of call as he can absolutely dominate the midfield in the present as well as be an absolute superstar of the future. Will Hughes may still be a teenager, right from the start of the game he’s ready to tackle the Premier League though and would be a worthwhile addition to any top level squad.

Adnan Januzaj (Manchester United)

Young Adnan Januzaj was one of Manchester United’s best performers in the 2013-14 season, particularly in the first half of the season where it was only really he and goalkeeper David de Gea that looked particularly worthy of wearing the shirt. Januzaj has been given Giggs’ iconic number 11 shirt for the 2014-15 season, with Giggs only having recently hung his shirt up after retiring at the end of the 2013-14 season and becoming the assistant manager of the club. Januzaj had a great season in the 2013-14 campaign and looks like he might have a strong future at Manchester United; Januzaj will definitely be a player of fantastic potential in Football Manager 2015 and it’ll be well worth making him your number one priority in the transfer window.

Lucas Piazon (Chelsea)

A new signing for Chelsea in summer 2012, Lucas Piazon is a left winger with absolute bags of talent at his disposal. Due to Chelsea’s great abundance of talent on the wings right now, Piazon is a player that tends to get pushed to one side by Chelsea in the game, Chelsea’s loss is your gain however as this means that should be able to get hold of Piazon for a pretty decent price, or at least bring him through on loan for a few season’s and then make your move to sign him on a more permanent basis. Unlike most of the other players on this page, Piazon is a player that I’ve not really had experience signing in previous Football Manager game’s, in Football Manager 2015 Lucas Piazon has been an absolute revelation for my Rangers team however, and a quick scout report on the player should show you that this is a young winger that is very much much worth signing. Lucas Piazon is only 20 years old, he’s a player that potentially has a great career ahead of him however, is a brilliant winger to sign in Football Manager 2015, and not only can he play on the left, but he can also play through the centre, and also on the right wing. High quality, but also incredibly versatile; exactly what you want from a winger really. Lucas Piazon is currently out on loan at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga.

Paul Pogba (Juventus)

Paul Pogba made headlines for all the wrong reasons in 2012 as he turned his back on Manchester United and set off for pastures new with Juventus in Italy. When Manchester United signed the player from Le Havre there was controversy surrounding this move for the young teenager as well though, so it seems that things rather went full circle on that front. Anyway though, away from the controversies surrounding his various transfers, Paul Pogba is viewed to be a very promising young player, and this is something that is reflected in his potential ability in Football Manager also. Pogba was a great central midfielder in Football Manager 2014, and in Football Manager 2015 Pogba is once again an absolute wonderkid that just begs to be signed. Paul Pogba had a fantastic World Cup with France in the summer and has come a long way since leaving Manchester United in 2012. Pogba has established himself as a regular at Juventus, winning back-to-back Serie A titles with the club and in the 2014-15 season will now be looking to extend that title winning run to three consecutive triumphs. Pogba is likely to cost a lot of money in FM15, he’s worth it though and if you sign him up in the game then you’ll no doubt be incredibly pleased with your decision to do so.

Nick Powell (Manchester United)

Having joined Manchester United from Crewe Alexandra in summer 2012 having won promotion from League Two with his former club, Crewe, Nick Powell is looking like a very exciting young English prospect right now, and this is reflected in Football Manager where he is a player that is well worth signing. Powell is best placed in the central midfield area, in addition to this he can also play across the attacking midfield areas very effectively however, and can even fill in upfront if you need him too. He’s a versatile little player, and still only 20 years old right now we are sure to hear plenty more about this young man for many years to come. Powell had a successful loan spell at Wigan last season where he impressed for the club with his performances in the Europa League and the Championship, and although it remains to be seen whether he’ll stay at Manchester United or go out on loan again to gain further first team experience, Nick Powell will no doubt have another strong season in reality and continue to establish himself as a really very promising English footballer.

Dennis Praet (Anderlecht)

At just 20 years old, Dennis Praet has already won the Belgian Pro League three times with Anderlecht and represented Belgium at every youth level right through to the Under-21s. Praet is one of the many promising players in Belgian football right now, an attack minded player that should have a fantastic career ahead of him in football. Praet has been a strong player in Football Manager for some years now and if you pick him up in Football Manager 2015 then you’ll surely not be disappointed with what you find.

Pavel Savitskiy (Neman Grodno)

Out of contract at the end of December 2014, Pavel Savitskiy is a teenage Belarusian well worth offering a contract to right from the start. Not only is he an excellent young player, but he’ll also be available completely for free upon contract expiry so it’s therefore a very good idea to offer him a contract the very second you load up a new save. An incredibly promising looking left winger, Savitskiy is probably one of the stand out stars of Football Manager 2015 as far as wonderkids go; it’s not very often that you’ll be able to bag yourself a wonderkid completely for free, Savitskiy certainly falls under this category, however, and if you bring him through properly then you may just find that he develops to become an absolute world beater. A lot of clubs are likely to be interested in Savitskiy and many clubs will no doubt compete with you for his signature, if you can manage to snap him up then it’s definitely well worth doing though and ultimately you’ve got to be in it to win it.

Raheem Sterling (Liverpool)

There seems to be an absolute abundance of talented young players playing their trade in Liverpool right now, and Raheem Sterling is another one of them. He’s a great player in real life, but he’s also a really very impressive winger in Football Manager as well. If you can get your hands on Raheem Sterling in Football Manager 2015 then he is most definitely a very worthwhile investment. He’s only 19 years old right now (and when you start the game of course), and yet he’s already absolutely brilliant. This is a young player to keep watching out for in the future as he continues to learn his trade with Liverpool, and an absolute must have signing in Football Manager 2015 as well. Sterling had a strong 2013-14 season with Liverpool and will no doubt continue to progress and improve in the future as well; this young English winger really does have a powerful future ahead of him in football and it’ll be interesting to see what the 2014-15 season has in store for him as he continues to improve and gain further experience for both club and country.

Youri Tielemans (Anderlecht)

Along with Aleksandar Mitrović and Dennis Praet, Youri Tielemans is a real shining star in the Anderlecht team right now and looks to be a really promising player for the future. At just 16 years, 4 months and 25 days old, Tielemans became the youngest Belgian to play in the UEFA Champions League back in 2013, and with a solid season behind him in the Belgian Pro League, Tielemans is already looking like a star of the present, let alone the future, despite only being 17 years of age. Tielemans is a really solid player to pick up in Football Manager 2015, a young teenage midfield sensation that will add fantastic quality to your team and continue to grow as a player for many years to come, probably developing to become one of the very best creative talents in world football.

– STRIKERS –

Paco Alcácer (Valencia)

Featuring some pretty solid stats for a striker, Paco Alcácer is a decent forward to take a look at in Football Manager 2015 that can add goals to your team right from the off. Alcácer is certainly not the quickest player in the world, with excellent finishing and heading as well as an incredibly high work rate, however, you’ll often find that Paco Alcácer will put himself into the right positions and therefore end up scoring a lot of very good goals. Composed and brave, Alcácer is a very good striker to consider adding to your squad and is definitely well worth scouting in this year’s game in order to see just how he compares to the other strikers that you currently have at your disposal.

Gabriel Barbosa (Santos)

Seen in Brazil as somewhat of a new Neymar, Gabriel Barbosa currently plays for Santos (the same club at which Neymar himself of course first shot to fame) and looks to be a very promising player in reality as well as within the game. Thought to be a star of the future in Brazil, if you want to sign Gabriel Barbosa in Football Manager 2015 then you’re definitely going to have to shell out a lot of money for him, he definitely looks as though he’d be well worth it though and if you do end up signing him up within the game then you should have yourself an absolutely brilliant player for the future that should be a shining star in your squad for many years to come.

Federico Bonazzoli (Inter)

Currently only signed to a youth contract at Inter Milan, Federico Bonazzoli is therefore available incredibly cheaply within Football Manager 2015 and is definitely well worth taking a look at. Bonazzoli will have only just turned 17 at the start of the summer transfer window 2014 and therefore has a huge amount of development left to come within the game, right from the start he can score you goals if played though and this therefore makes him an excellent player to pick up right from the word go, particularly if you’re managing a slightly smaller club where you can afford him a decent amount of game time right from season one. Bonazzoli is a young Italian that looks to have a huge future ahead of him in football; he’s already progressed his way up the youth ranks to the Italian Under-21s despite still only being 17 years of age, and if you pick him up in Football Manager 2015 then under the right guidance you might just be able to develop him into an absolute world beater of a striker.

Carlos Fierro (Chivas)

Carlos Fierro is a player that I first discovered quite late on into my experience with Football Manager 2012, ever since then I have been a huge fan of his though and he has often developed under my guidance to become an absolute Football Manager hero. As Fierro is currently playing in Mexico, if you’re a top level club then you shouldn’t find it too difficult to get him signed up to your team, and all being well and good he shouldn’t completely blow your budget either. Regardless of price though Carlos Fierro is a very worthy investment and a player that will no doubt improve your squad considerably. Fierro was insanely impressive in Football Manager 2012 and still remains to be a very exciting prospect even now in Football Manager 2015.

Luka Jovic (Red Star)

At just 16 years of age, Luka Jovic is currently under a youth contract at Red Star and is therefore available for less than a million within the game. Richairo Zivkovic was probably the best youth contract bargain to be had in Football Manager 2014, he has since moved on to Ajax, however, and in this year’s game it looks to be Luka Jovic that is the biggest youth contract bargain to be had. He’s not the only one of course and as I mentioned before, Federico Bonazzoli is also only on a youth contract right now and likewise has huge potential for the future, Luka Jovic is the youngest and cheapest of the two though and whichever team you choose to manage within the game I would definitely highly recommend trying to sign up Luka Jovic as soon as you start as if you do manage to secure his services then you may well have yourself an absolute star of the future for an incredibly knock-down price.

Romelu Lukaku (Everton)

Lukaku has long been an incredible young talent greatly appreciated in the Football Manager series, and after two strong seasons out on loan in the Premier League has now been given a full transfer to Everton for a fee of £28 million. Given that he has only just joined Everton for a large amount of money, Lukaku will no doubt be a lot more difficult to get hold of in Football Manager 2015 than he has been in previous versions of the game, keep an eye on him as the seasons progress though and he’ll no doubt show his worth as a player well worth signing within the game.

Aleksandar Mitrovic (Anderlecht)

Anderlecht’s Mitrovic is another player from this list that seems to have been on the radar for some years now, but at just 20 years old is still very much developing his trade as a footballer. Mitrovic had a solid first season in Belgium with Anderlecht last season, signing for the club from Partizan in Serbia where he was also a huge success. Mitrovic has already worked his way into the Serbian national squad and is sure to have a huge career ahead of him in football. If you snap this young striker up in Football Manager 2015 then you’ll no doubt reap the rewards of this decision for many years to come and see Aleksandar Mitrovic develop to become one of the very best players at your disposal.

Munir (Barcelona)

18 at the start of the summer transfer window 2014, Munir is an incredibly promising young Spanish player that has already been capped for Spain as a full international in reality. Munir is incredibly highly rated at Barcelona and indeed throughout Spain, seen as a Messi type player that could therefore play a huge role for both Barcelona and Spain in the future. Munir seems to be establishing himself strongly at Barcelona right now and despite his young age is proving himself to be a real handful of an attacker. Munir El Haddadi is a striker well worth checking out in Football Manager 2015, and given that he can also play on both wings as well as at CAM, Munir is a very versatile young footballer that would certainly add supreme strength and depth to your squad should you choose to sign him.

Divock Origi (Liverpool)

Having joined Liverpool from Lille in the summer for £10 million, Divock Origi is a promising young forward that may well have a huge career ahead of him for both Belgium and Liverpool. Origi is still only 19 years old and yet to really set the world on fire in reality, the potential is certainly there for him to establish himself strongly in the future though and it’ll be interesting to see how this young player develops as he returns from loan at Lille at the end of the 2014-15 season and begins to try and make his mark at Liverpool. Origi has a great amount of pace in FM15 as well as possessing good dribbling skills and solid technique; he’s certainly well worth scouting within the game and given that he’s still only 19 years old it’s therefore safe to assume that he’ll only get better as the game goes on.

James Wilson (Manchester United)

A promising player in Football Manager 2014, Manchester United’s James Wilson is once again a player to watch out for in Football Manager 2015. The young English striker got off to a great start last season with two goals on his début, and pressing forward into the future he is sure to impress many more people as well, looking like he has a strong future at Old Trafford with a fine ability to find the net and make himself a menace for opposition defenders.

Richairo Zivkovic (Ajax)

Richairo Zivkovic was a fantastic player to sign up in Football Manager 2014 with his incredibly cheap buyout clause. Even though Zivkovic didn’t always make it within the game, he was always still well worth signing up due to his price tag and the potential that he may just become an absolute world beater. Having moved to Ajax from FC Groningen in the summer, 17 year old Dutch striker Richairo Zivkovic should once again have a huge amount of potential in Football manager 2015 and is definitely well worth keeping an eye on within the game in order to discover just how well he progresses.

The worst own goal ever scored in FIFA 14?

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There’s always something incredibly satisfying about scoring a beautiful goal in a football game. Whether you score it with Lionel Messi or Lionel Ainsworth, the feeling of satisfaction that you get from a well worked FIFA goal is always one to be savoured.

Scoring own goals in football games can be slightly less satisfying, however, potentially resulting in a defeat or draw in a match where you probably should have triumphed.

On rare occasions these two opposing feelings can collide; an absolute master class of a goal can be scored… The only problem being that it was scored in the wrong goal.

This Thomas Vermaelen goal in FIFA 14 is one such occasion where an absolute world beater is scored in the wrong net.

Is EA Access a good value subscription service for gamers?

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A look at EA’s new subscription service EA Access and whether or not it represents good value for money for gamers when considering what is currently being offered for those that subscribe and the potential of the service for the future.

EA Access’s value to the consumer is currently an area for debate since Sony actually rejected the proposal to have the service on PS4, claiming that the current subscription service from EA would not represent good value for PlayStation gamers.

As it stands, EA Access will cost £19.99/$29.99 for an annual subscription, or will also be available at a monthly cost of £3.99/$4.99. Madden NFL 25, FIFA 14, Battlefield 4 and Peggle 2 are the four games currently included for digital download as a part of the subscription cost, with additional perks including 10% discount on EA digital purchases on Xbox One as well as 5 days early access to titles such as Madden NFL 15, NHL 15, FIFA 15, NBA LIVE 15 and Dragon Age: Inquisition.

If EA Access is a success on the Xbox One then it remains to be seen whether or not Sony will backtrack on their stance and allow for this service to be opened up for PlayStation gamers.

FUT World Cup – Road to World Cup Glory

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FIFA 15 Messi

A video series for the FIFA 14 FUT World Cup, taking on a starter squad within the game and looking to win the tournament using only that initial squad of players and the individual players picked up from completing each game within the series.

Following the squad from the group stage right through to the World Cup Final.

FIFA 14 Ultimate Team Squad Builder – 10K Brazil Team

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Brazil 10K Team

With the World Cup about to begin in Brazil tomorrow, World Cup fever is certainly well upon us now, and with this in mind here is a 10K Brazil team that can be built in FIFA 14 Ultimate Team that features a number of Brazilian superstars that are set to feature in this summer’s tournament.

World Cup 2014 squad member Jefferson (Botafogo) can be found in goal, meanwhile in the back four are Felipe Luis (Athletico Madrid), Dante (Bayern Munich), Bamba Anderson (Eintracht Frankfurt) and Mariano (Bordeaux). Felipe Luis and Mariano offer pace down the flanks and are also extremely capable full-backs, Dante and Bamba Anderson meanwhile are both defensive titans at the centre of the defence that can stand up strongly to remove any danger and can also provide a strong aerial threat from set pieces.

In the middle of the park are Fernandinho (Man City) and Felipe Melo (Galatasaray) fulfilling central midfield duties, Roberto Firmino (Hoffenheim) meanwhile can be found slightly further up fulfilling the CAM role. Melo has strong all round stats and can defend strongly as well as shoot well from long range, Fernandinho and Firmino are less defensively minded however and tend to be at their strongest when on the attack. Fernandinho has a lethal shot on him, is pretty quick and also has good dribbling stats, Roberto Firmino meanwhile is not blessed with quite so much pace as Fernandinho but he does have 4 star skill moves and can therefore be incredibly effective if you choose to take the ball through the centre. All three of these players certainly have their uses and none of them are particularly expensive within the game either which makes them perfect squad players even if you’re not going to be starting with them.

On the left wing is Fernandinho (Atletico Mineiro), an incredibly talented player within the game that is for some reason available for discard price. Fernandinho only has a two star weak foot, despite this he can still score amazing goals with both his left and his right foot though, making him an absolute bargain of a player to have in your team. I’d have happily paid several thousand coins for Fernandinho, to get him for 600 is absolutely incredible though and if you have a Brazil team/are looking to set one up within the game then this is definitely a great player to have in your squad.

On the right wing, once again with a two star weak foot, is Hulk (Zenit). Hulk’s weak foot is definitely a lot more noticeable than Fernandinho’s, and the reason for this is that it’s his right foot that’s the weak one and this therefore makes crossing slightly problematic. Hulk has incredible strength and is brilliant for cutting in and scoring with, playing with him can perhaps be a little predictable at times though as you’re probably going to want to cut in with him a lot and the person you’re playing against will be able to see this coming a mile off if you do this too often throughout a match. Hulk is the most expensive player in the team at 2200 coins and can definitely be criticised in terms of his predictability when playing with or against him, due to his phenomenal strength he can usually hold on to the ball well though, and I’d definitely recommend having him in your team as he can certainly be a handful and cause a lot of problems.

As the lone striker in this team we have Alexandre Pato (Sau Paulo), formerly of AC Milan. Pato went back to Brazil in 2013 after a series of injuries at AC Milan limited his chances and forced him to look elsewhere for regular first team football. Pato used to be a regular for Brazil, he was left out of the World Cup squad in 2010 though and has again been left out in 2014 and it remains to be seen whether or not he can force his way back into the fold. Pato won a bronze medal with Brazil in the 2008 Olympics, a silver medal in 2012, and also won the Confederations Cup with Brazil in 2009. Not quite so highly rated as he once was as a teenage wonderkid, Pato is still only 24 years old and could still have a strong career ahead of him. He’s suffered some serious knock backs in reality, he’s still got considerable talent though, and in FIFA 14 Ultimate Team he is a really solid striker to play with.

Joey Sturgis’ Drumforge now available for pre-order

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Joey Sturgis Drumforge

Award-winning producer Joey Sturgis has joined up with fellow producers Joel Wanasek and Joe Wohlitz to create Drumforge, a new sample library complete with a selection of snares, toms, cymbals and kick drums, spanning from the 1940s right through to modern day classics.

This new sample library is available to pre-order now at an introductory price of $259, and will be officially released on May 26th with the price then increasing to $299.

Joey Sturgis had the following to say about the collection:

This library has changed the way I look at mixing drums forever. Not only do I have these great sounds to start with, but now there’s a user friendly system for interacting with multiple microphone setups to help me create more than one tone out of each drum. The possibilities are endless, and with our à la carte store setup, you’ll be able to own only the drums you want to have!

You can find a sneak-peek of the product and further explanation about Drumforge from Joey Sturgis, Joel Wanasek and Joe Wohlitz below: