Why is “speed” a gray skill for DC players?

[pat0812]

So from reading in forum most people recommend training only white skills and that’s what I have been doing lately but had a question.
DC players their skill “speed” is gray, so my players are low on that skill.
But if I want to play offside trap, my knowledge is that my defenders should be faster than my opponent attackers so why is “speed” a gray skill?
Anyone can share some more insight on this?

[Toxcatl]

So from reading in forum most people recommend training only white skills and that’s what I have been doing lately but had a question.
DC players their skill “speed” is gray, so my players are low on that skill.
But if I want to play offside trap, my knowledge is that my defenders should be faster than my opponent attackers so why is “speed” a gray skill?
Anyone can share some more insight on this?

Individual skills don't seem to matter. Don't try to find logic here, this game is not a football simulator.

Also,speed is not important for offside trap in real football, is it? Your opponent have to be offside in the moment of pass. When the pass is not made, your player don't need to run fast; and when it's made, it's too late to run anywhere to create an offside. I'd say positioning is way more important in this case.

[pat0812]

So what you are saying is that if I have 2 players with a 120% average it doesn’t matter what their individual skills are?
So if I have a striker with 250% shooting and finishing and another one with 100% on both skills it won’t make a difference if both are 7 stars and 120% average?

[Der_Ryan_M]

So what you are saying is that if I have 2 players with a 120% average it doesn’t matter what their individual skills are?
So if I have a striker with 250% shooting and finishing and another one with 100% on both skills it won’t make a difference if both are 7 stars and 120% average?

Nah, he is just saying that it doesn't matter which white skills you train or which grey you don't... There is no real life logic like speed is important or shooting is important for this and that player. If it's a white skill it's important, period.

[Seeker85]

If you buy a good young 18 yr old CB, and plan to keep him a few seasons, it’s worth training DL, or DR as that will make speed a highlighted attribute and ensure his speed stats don’t get warped down to 30% after a few seasons while his major stats are 150%+.

I just bought a 99% 18yr old DMC and have trained MC today so that he now only has 2, greyed stats. Crossing and finishing, which he doesn’t really need as my long term DMC.

[Toxcatl]

So what you are saying is that if I have 2 players with a 120% average it doesn’t matter what their individual skills are?
So if I have a striker with 250% shooting and finishing and another one with 100% on both skills it won’t make a difference if both are 7 stars and 120% average?

Aha, it looks like this. There is no noticeable correlation between high skill(s) and player's performance. Maybe only the average of key skills for this position matters, who knows. So maybe there is a real, hidden, current quality of a player -- the average of his current position's key skills. And maybe it's something else, like, grey skills matter too, but with penalty multiplier.
We don't know.
Nik thinks individual skills don't matter. I was disagree, but now I think he's right. Even if skills have an effect, it doesn't visible on individual level.
The game mechanics seems to be very simple with huge random factor in play. TE is more like "strategy + slot machine" than "strategy + tactics". And by "strategy" I mean "farm greens and feed your players", nothing more.

If you buy a good young 18 yr old CB, and plan to keep him a few seasons, it’s worth training DL, or DR as that will make speed a highlighted attribute and ensure his speed stats don’t get warped down to 30% after a few seasons while his major stats are 150%+.

But if you keep playing him as DC only, why do you think it makes Speed useful? Set of key skills is determined by player's position only, so it is logical to assume that it doesn't matter if a player has a skill white or gray, if this skill is not a key skill for this position. In other words, Speed is not important for DC; therefore it doesn't matter how high player's Speed is, if he plays on DC position. Don't you think so?

[Seeker85]

You would think so in theory, as opposition attackers tend to be quick, but it’s hard to tell whether it makes a real difference when watching the match engine. Another benefit of training additional positions, is the increase in key stats should give the player a better chance of training the various individual drills, that increase various stats. This should mean the player gets more from training, and if you want the player as a long term prospect,it’s always nice to see him training as many stats as possible.

Aha, it looks like this. There is no noticeable correlation between high skill(s) and player's performance. Maybe only the average of key skills for this position matters, who knows. So maybe there is a real, hidden, current quality of a player -- the average of his current position's key skills. And maybe it's something else, like, grey skills matter too, but with penalty multiplier.
We don't know.
Nik thinks individual skills don't matter. I was disagree, but now I think he's right. Even if skills have an effect, it doesn't visible on individual level.
The game mechanics seems to be very simple with huge random factor in play. TE is more like "strategy + slot machine" than "strategy + tactics". And by "strategy" I mean "farm greens and feed your players", nothing more.


But if you keep playing him as DC only, why do you think it makes Speed useful? Set of key skills is determined by player's position only, so it is logical to assume that it doesn't matter if a player has a skill white or gray, if this skill is not a key skill for this position. In other words, Speed is not important for DC; therefore it doesn't matter how high player's Speed is, if he plays on DC position. Don't you think so?

[Toxcatl]

Another benefit of training additional positions, is the increase in key stats should give the player a better chance of training the various individual drills, that increase various stats. This should mean the player gets more from training, and if you want the player as a long term prospect,it’s always nice to see him training as many stats as possible.

We, I mean the community, know a thing or two about training, and you should read this guide. Player will not get more from training, regardless of amount of positions and key skills he has.
It doesn't matter if a drill contains grey drills or it's a "clean" drill -- the player will gain quality with the same pace. Only level of the drill matters.
And it is never nice to train as many skills as possible. If there are more and less useful skills, it is a waste to train less useful for the cost of more useful.

[Seeker85]

If your happy to have players with seriously warped stats after a few seasons, that’s up to you, but I like my players to have high, balanced stats. It makes for ‘total football’ in essence when your players have as many high attributes as they are capable of.

[Seeker85]

And for what it’s worth, iv read many of your posts and learned a lot but on this subject, I just think it is beneficial, to use your reaources wisely and train an additional position while a player is 18, in order to give him is overall stats some longevity as you have him for 5 or 6 seasons.