WGL FIFA16 PS4 Serie B Midseason Review

We have reached the midway point in the inaugural season of our WGL FIFA16 PS4 leagues. After a disappointing finish in the preseason tournament, the 16 teams left to scrap it out in the B league are all determined to be crowned the league champ, and with it, secure a spot for promotion to Serie A. However, it is not just the league champion that gets promoted; the top four finishers in Serie B will all be playing at the top flight next season. On the other hand, teams at the bottom of the standings must fight just to avoid being relegated out of the FIFA leagues all together. Up to four players face relegation from Serie B, depending on how many new challengers await on the waiting list to join. At this point, it is uncertain how many teams will end up being relegated, so it is best to just avoid that bottom four altogether.

For the midseason review, the 16 teams will be broken down into categories: promotion contenders, middle of the pack teams, and teams in danger of relegation. Following that breakdown, the race for the Golden Boot award (league’s top scorer) will be updated. As always, the table and league leaders will continue to be updated on a regular basis.

*Please keep in mind that, since an extra advance is allowed before games are simulated, some teams have played more games than others.

Promotion Contenders:

1. Dominic – Roma (Record: 5-1-2 – 16 points)

Roma came out of the gates slow, suffering a 1-0 defeat to Bayern and a 1-1 draw against Borussia Dortmund, but ever since Match Day 3, this team has really started to click. A 2-0 loss to Napoli is the only blemish on the schedule in their last six games. That result aside, Roma have picked up 15 points during that time frame, and scored 16 goals in those five wins. This is a team lacking a breakout star, but with balanced scoring throughout, Roma could ride the wave all the way to the league title.

2. Jabbo – Bayern Munich (Record: 4-1-1 – 13 points)

At the time this article was put together, Bayern were just three points behind the league leaders Roma, but they had two games in hand. Favorable results against Borussia Dortmund and Lyon could move the German powerhouse right to the top of the table. With wins already in hand against fellow title contenders Roma and Chelsea, plus the presence of a goal-scoring machine like Robert Lewandowski, Bayern have a very good chance at ascending to Serie A next season.

3. Moonwalk – Lyon (Record: 4-1-2 – 13 points)

After getting out of the blocks quick with a pair of shutout victories (2-0 vs. Manchester United and 5-0 vs. PSG), the French side cooled off considerably, picking up just one point in their next three matches. Those included a pair of shutout defeats and a 1-1 draw against a struggling Barcelona squad. Lyon have since rebounded, and they are coming off of a 4-0 drubbing of Manchester City. A key Match Day 8 fixture against Bayern Munich could determine if Lyon are serious title contenders.

4. Chino – Napoli (Record: 4-3-1 – 15 points)

Napoli has quietly flown under the radar to this point in the season. They have not been dominant by any means (just a +4 goal differential), but they have been beaten just once in eight games. This team has been carried by the goal-scoring prowess of Gonzalo Higuain, who has scored eight goals in as many games, best in the league. The remaining schedule is murderer’s row for Napoli: five of their last seven games are against teams in the top half of the table. We will found out soon whether or not this squad is a true contender.

5. Danny – Chelsea (Record: 4-1-2 – 13 points)

Chelsea started off strong through the first five games of the season, notching 13 points and leading the table. Since then, the Blues have dropped consecutive games, including a heart breaker in the final seconds of stoppage time against Bayern Munich, bringing this team’s title (and promotion) challenge into question. Despite a variety of attacking options in the midfield and up top, Chelsea have struggled to score goals this season, and that problem could continue to show up down the stretch against more difficult competition.

6. Kimbomma – Inter (Record: 4-2-2 – 14 points)

The league’s newcomer is among the short list of contenders for the top four despite a couple of questionable results in the first half of the season (3-0 loss to Roma and 6-1 thrashing by Arsenal). Inter does not always evenly match up against its opposition based on talent alone, but the team is continuing to make it work nonetheless. Expect Inter to rely heavily on Stevan Jovetic (6 goals) down the stretch in hopes of getting past a challenging second half schedule and into a promotion spot.

Safely (for now at least) Middle of the Pack:

7. Khaze – Manchester City (Record: 4-0-4 – 12 points)

At the start of the season, Manchester City came out guns blazing, winning four of their first five matches, including an impressive 3-1 takedown of Bayern Munich. Only a tight 2-1 loss to Chelsea in Match Day 4 prevented them from being unbeaten. However, Man City has come crashing back to earth of late, losing three consecutive matches. The dream of getting promoted may be slipping away, but this team should at the very minimum, be safe for another season in Serie B.

8. Jeezy – Borussia Dortmund (Record: 3-1-2 – 10 points)

Like their German rival Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund also had two games in hand on the rest of the field at the time of this post. If Dortmund can win both of those games, they would shoot up to 16 points and be among the promotion contenders. However, those two games are against Bayern and Chelsea, making it possible that Dortmund does not come away with any points. After that, the schedule does not get any easier: Lyon, Inter, and Napoli.

9. Cash – Arsenal (Record: 3-1-3 – 10 points)

Arsenal are in a decent spot at the moment, hovering around mid-table with a game in hand and a better goal differential than the teams in their immediate vicinity. At times, this squad as played like world-beaters, as shown by the 6-1 dismantling of Inter on Match Day 6. However, a slow start to the season (just one point in their first three matches) and inconsistent play throughout has derailed Arsenal’s chances of contending for promotion.

10. DBrasc – Manchester United (Record: 3-3-2 – 12 points)

This is another team that has flown under the radar this season, catching teams by surprise and picking up quality wins against the likes of Napoli and Chelsea. Manchester United have had trouble finding the back of the net, as they are the second-lowest scoring team in the league, averaging just one goal per match. Defensively, they are compact and organized, and they seem to be playing better as the season progresses. Manchester United should be in no danger of relegation.

11. Sleddrin – Atletico Madrid (Record: 3-1-4 – 10 points)

Atletico are just three points clear from the bottom four, but for now, they get the benefit of the doubt and are safely in the middle of the pack. Their second half schedule is weak, with only two matches remaining against teams in the top six of the table. Atletico are somewhat surprisingly tied for third in the league with 16 goals scored on the season. However, this team is usually known for its strong defense, but they have conceded 16 goals, largely explaining why the Spanish stepchild sits in 11^th in the table.

In Danger of Relegation:

12. Pom – Real Madrid (Record: 2-3-3 – 9 points)

Real Madrid are a team that has greatly underachieved this season. Despite having one of the most talented rosters in the world, this team has been unable to pick up solid results on a consistent basis. Their only two wins this season have been against their Spanish rivals, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, who have also struggled mightily. At this point, being just two points clear of relegation, Real Madrid need to regroup and focus on just making it back for year two.

13. Crackfriends – Juventus (Record: 2-1-5 – 7 points)

Like Atletico Madrid, Juventus is another team that prides itself on defense but has looked horrendous in that aspect of the game this season. The Old Lady has conceded 18 times through eight games, which is tied for second worst in the league. Paul Pogba has played well this season against some of the best teams, and with a very soft second half schedule ahead, he has a chance to carry Juventus safely away from the bottom four and retain their place for next season.

14. DrPierre – Barcelona (Record: 1-3-4 – 6 points)

The current holders of the La Liga and Champions League titles are in a world of trouble at the season’s midway point. They have accrued just six points in eight matches, with Lionel Messi playing like a shell of himself thus far. Barcelona’s only win happened to come against AC Milan (last place in the table) on Match Day 7. The remaining schedule does not appear too challenging, and this team certainly has the talent to save themselves from relegation, but the chance of that happening grows increasingly unlikely by the day.

15. Trini – AC Milan (Record: 0-3-4 – 3 points)

AC Milan are the only team in Serie B without a win so far. They are ranked ahead of PSG on this list simply because they have an additional game in hand. This team has struggled mightily to score goals; they have been shut out on three separate occasions and are the only team in the league that is currently averaging less than one goal per game. With five of their final seven games coming against teams in the top seven of the table, AC Milan needs a miracle to avoid being relegated.

16. Bahanag – PSG (Record: 1-1-6 – 4 points)

Unlike AC Milan, PSG do have a win this season (against Real Madrid), and they played close matches against both Inter and Napoli, losing by just one goal to each. However, several blowout losses have pushed PSG’s goal differential to a league-worst -15, all but insuring that they will lose any relevant tiebreaker scenarios that may occur. Those potential tiebreakers look irrelevant for this team though. Despite the best efforts of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, PSG is well on its way to finishing in the bottom four.

Race for the Golden Boot: