Special Ability - Useless or useful?

[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!