Special Ability - Useless or useful?

[Saransh Vatsa]

my dmc has corner SA 5 assist so far useful I use to have a penalty SA player he score 1 out of 5 useless

At least he scored one out of five. The one I had had missed 7 in a row. Sold him off after the seventh mistake.

[kd18]

From my experience, aerial defenders are very useful. I have 2 of them in my team and my opponent's have scored only 3 goals so far this season from corners. Also, for me the penalty-kick specialist has resulted slightly useful as my penalty specialist scores every penalty he shoots. Dribbler has been completely useless so far. Corner specialist and free kick specialist for me have resulted useful.

[dv8r]

A bit of an update here...

Dribbler is utter useless, shadow striker is average really....

[Mexanik]

App wouldn't let me write a long post, so dividing it up:

Aerial Defender - Totally useless
Have a 5 star (short of 6) DC with that SA. Hasn't been of any use in corners defensively or offensively.

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[Mexanik]

Playmaker - Totally useless
Some people say "He is of use when there are players in front he can play to". Well, 4S (short of 5) DMC with 3 MCs in front and has done pretty much nothing so far to prove the opposite. ~15 games into the season and his "playmaking" skills are useless.

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[Mexanik]

Corner Specialist - Useless
My 4S (short of 5) Corner Specialist didn't convert any corners for first 3 games, so I swapped him with my Freekick Specialist.

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[Mexanik]

Freekick Specialist - Somewhat useful
My previous freekick taker had that SA and was scoring every single freekick 2 seasons ago. Now he is totally useless, so I bought a new one. 5S (short of 6) MC with good attacking skills, scores 1 of every 3 freekicks and assists 1 out of 3-4 corners (he is the top guy for crossing attribute).

[Philip L. Willis]

As a manager that has always had 18+ SA players on a 22 Roster team for 4 winning seasons, I believe in using SA's. 'GOOD' players with a SA will out perform 'good' players without a SA at that Special Abilities, PERIOD! Your 4 star SA wall will block like a 5 star when they hit that free kick or shoot from afar, your one-on-one SA 6 star will round their goalkeeper like an 7 star player! Everyone that doubts this is always talking about "Exceptions" and not the "Rule", bad way to think in general and of course poor way to manage (they can't be bothered to hunt down transferring SA players, or spend the tokens to get that scout!).
Of course, some types of SAs are better than others for YOU, because it all depends on your playing style, formations, tactics, training focus, your opponents.. etc, etc... the list goes on. If you don't train the SA for what he was purchased for, or build the team to utilities your SAs, then they are all "JUST FOR SHOW", you will just prove the SA doubters right, when they kick your butt, and reinforce their lazy bogus management theories! It is pointless having A1 SA 'Corner takers' when your receiving strikers fear messing up their hairstyles with a header. Good players with lousy crossing, shooting and finishing are useless Free kick specialist. If you never add speed, handling, positioning to your Penalty SA Goal keep, he will SUCK!
"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles" ~ Sun Tzu, Art of War. Build your team knowing what opponents you face, plan to play in 3 competition till the last few days of the season and YOU WILL. I had to played the level 7 Cup when I was level 3, I had to learn every counter and every re-counter formation, fool and hid my formation, push the clock back to mess with my opponent, utilize every aspect of every player, as my CUP opponents out-classed me everytime, every game and round was murder, and eventually at level 4 league, I won a 3rd place in a level 6 Cup competition.
Build with formation, tactics, players abilities and 'Special abilities' in mind, attack them where they are not, defend where they are.
If you have the time, money and/or the tokens choose that good player with the free-kick SA or the header specialist, he will surprise you, nothing beats watching your 4/5 star Penalty SAs, performing to perfection against their "Moon Shot" 6/7 star 'Big Name' non-SA strikers in a shoot out! Priceless! LOL. GOOD LUCK.

P.S. In Football, its better to be Lucky than Good!

[shakiraa]

so far, free kick specialist and corner specialist has been treating me very well.

playmaker, dribbler and shadow striker dont really make any difference for me.

aerial defender do help as i see from comment they keep head out clearance.

[khris]

For me the most effective, is the defensive wall, 2nd, the aerial ability.
Corners, penalties, fouls SA's depend (like all SA's ) of the % of internal programming.
I was in a moment in what I had 4 free kick specialists +1 of penalties, and the 4 failed 80% fouls, and the only with SA of penalties was the only that failed in the round...