I can't stay away, I'm an Addick...

[Deisler26]

GAME 13

Unlucky 13 for Middlesbrough as it was the Late, Late Show at The Valley. Time was running out when Rhian Brewster's expert hold-up and through ball set free Albie Morgan. With the entire Boro defence at his heels, he took off and just as he got inside the box, he lashed the ball high into the net. That would have been it, were it not for an ill-timed corner conceded. It was badly cleared and Isi was put through by a good through ball. He drew out the keeper and passed it into the corner to seal the game.

Standings

[Deisler26]

GAME 14

Gotta keep your concentration up for the whole game, Wednesday. Right from the kickoff, we pushed forward and the ball found its way to Curtis Jones, who pushed forward and hit a 20 yard dipping strike past the keeper to give us the lead within a minute. Wednesday equalised midway through the second half with their only shot on target and I was livid. Classic us. Deep into stoppage time, we had a free kick on the right. Oztumer crossed the ball for Gomes to get his head on the ball. The Wednesday keeper flailed at it and managed to keep the ball out, only for Mohammed Daramy to stab it in on the line for his first goal for the club.

Standings

[Deisler26]

CARABAO CUP FOURTH ROUND

Well, we sent the U-19's out for this match as we pulled Arsenal out of the hat for the second year running in the Fourth Round. Much better to concentrate on league matters.

[Deisler26]

GAME 15

A riot in Yorkshire. We conceded a penalty early on, but equalised five minutes later after a beautiful crossfield ball by Genevois found Isi who whipped the ball low past the unmoving keeper. Isi then turned provider three minutes later by outpacing the full back and sending in a low cross to which 16 year old Connor McCarthy got a toe to, before two defenders. The ball was diverted into the far corner and McCarthy collected his first ever senior goal for the club. Despite being pulled back to 2-2, Rhian Brewster made it 3-2 from the spot on 34 minutes after Genevois was pulled down at a corner. Genevois was involved again, just before half time, but in the wrong aspect. He saw a second yellow for a foul and collected a red. We conceded a minute later and finished the half, pegged back to 3-3. They took the lead midway through the second half and we left it late as a corner sent in from the left was headed at goal by Matty Foulds. The Terriers keeper kept it out, but couldn't hold it and Isi was on the doorstep to put it in and give us the draw.

Standings

Edited July 26, 2020 by Deisler26

[Deisler26]

GAME 16

A good performance and a brace from my star of the season so far. On 25 minutes, Rhian Brewster picked the ball up from a throw on the right hand touchline. He looked up and bent a beautiful ball with the outside of his boot into the path of Isi who slotted home. He doubled his tally and our lead just 7 minutes later. A corner was cleared to the edge of the area by a Birmingham defender and picked up by Isi who took two steps and whipped a left footed shot that was fumbled into the net by the keeper. We conceded late, but it was a comfortable result.

Standings

Edited July 26, 2020 by Deisler26

[Deisler26]

INJURY NEWS

My top scorer, my player of the season so far. FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCKKKKK

[Deisler26]

GAME 17

A good comeback for us. Poor defending meant we went behind, but we gradually took control of the game, rattling the woodwork twice. We drew level midway through the second half, after a game of pinball in the Derby defence, a chipped cross from Page found an unmarked Rhian Brewster who slotted home.  We continued to attack and some good work down the right hand side saw Macaulay Bonne's cross charged down. The ball ran out to Ki-Jana Hoever who swung in an odd cross, far too close to the keeper. However, the keeper seemed to be decieved by the flight of the ball and it sneaked inside the near post. 

Standings

[Deisler26]

GAME 18

A scrappy win this one, with the only goal coming early on in the game. A jinking run from Rhian Brewster saw him put in a cross that was headed beyond the keeper by Lyle Taylor, fresh back from two months out with a hip injury.

Standings

[Deisler26]

GAME 19

All notions of bad form are by the wayside as we racked up our fourth win in a row. Lyle Taylor celebrated his new contract by heading home his second goal in two games since his injury. Our second was a thing of route one beauty, A long kick out by O'Hara was picked up by Lyle Taylor on the halfway line. He turned on the ball, looked up and played a perfect ball into the path of Connor McCarthy, who let the ball bounce and thundered a shot off the inside of the post from 25 yards, past a stunned keeper who didn't move. Three passes, 4 touches. That settled the game and we ran out the clock comfortably.

Standings

We're one point and two places better off than last season at this point right now, a remarkable turnaround.

 -- 2019/20

Edited July 26, 2020 by Deisler26

[Deisler26]

GAME 20

Another game, another win. Lyle Taylor burst through two defenders into the box and laid it back for Connor McCarthy to thump home from close range with barely two minutes on the clock. It stayed that way unti a few minutes from the end of the game, Hoever's cross was met by a thunderous strike by Lapslie, but it was blocked by the defence, fooling the keeper who dived to save. The ball rebounded to Lewis Page who hit the ball into an empty net to double the score and seal the game.

Standings

Edited July 27, 2020 by Deisler26

[Deisler26]

This is amazing. O'Hara joined us on a free from Manchester United. Since then, he's gained 4 caps for the Republic of Ireland and cemented himself as our #1.

[Deisler26]

GAME 21

Our offensive juggernault gets stopped, but at least we didn't lose.

Standings

[Deisler26]

Contract News

My deal ended at the end of this season and it was a no-brainer to re-up for another two years. Finding myself more and more into this save.

[Deisler26]

2021 Youth Intake Preview

Lots of green which is good. Guessing this is a direct result of the below...

[Deisler26]

GAME 22

The Charlton train keeps on rolling. We took the lead on 16 minutes as a cross in from the right found Rhian Brewster and his header was spilled into the path of Connor McCarthy and the teenage striking sensation finished the chance with aplomb. About 10 minutes later, a ball out of defence found Rhian Brewster on the halfway line. He evaded a wild tackle and took off down the right. Reaching the edge of the area, he thundered a shot into the top corner, giving the keeper no chance. Curtis Jones was subbed on at half-time and it was his run and pass that set Connor McCarthy free on the edge of the area. He rolled the ball past the keeper to double his tally and seal the game for us.

Standings

Edited July 27, 2020 by Deisler26

[Deisler26]

GAME 23

The teenage scoring sensation cant stop scoring! His first came just before half time, when Lyle Taylor's barnstorming run down the right saw him cut in and release Connor McCarthy to fire home emphatically. Just after half time, a deep cross from Page was weakly headed out by the Preston defence. George Lapslie headed back into the danger zone and there was Connor McCarthy to volley home his and the club's second. Midway through the second half, Lapslie was pushed during a corner and Connor McCarthy stepped up to send the keeper the wrong way and complete his first senior hat-trick.

Standings

[Deisler26]

GAME 24

It's Christmas time and with two games in three days, we needed to play the backups which included a debut for 17 year old midfielder Aaron Henry. And it seemed to be going against us as first, a mistake by Curtis Jones let in the Boro striker to score, then Djukic was beaten all ends up from a 25 yard free kick. 0-2 down and struggling, we caught a lifeline on 38 minutes as Henry cleared the ball upfield. The ball sailed over the defence and running on to it was Macaulay Bonne who got into the box and fired low between the goalie's legs to halve the deficit. We carried on our pressure into the second half and pulled it level midway through the half as good work down the byline by Bonne saw him cut the ball back for Erhun Oztumer to poke the ball into an open net.

Standings

[Deisler26]

GAME 25

One of those games where we utterly dominated, but conceded a stupid penalty and faced a mass defence. Our equaliser came from a run down the left by Page, who cut back to Morgan on the edge of the area. He played a short pass to Isi, who turned his marker and fired a low shot in off the post.

Standings

[Deisler26]

THE EMIRATES FA CUP THIRD ROUND

Well, the U-18's aquitted themselves well in this one and took a shock lead as a raking long ball from Dafydd Roberts found a marauding Aleksandar Sojic who beat the keeper to score. But 4 goals in 10 minutes either side of HT knocked the stuffing out of the boys. We're thankfully out and looking forward to the league.

Edited July 28, 2020 by Deisler26

[Deisler26]

GAME 26

STUNNER AT THE HAWTHORNS!! We took the lead at the end of an intricate move that involved Ki-Jana Hoever putting in Curtis Jones, whose cross from the byline was nodded by Lapslie to Isi, who laid it back to George Lapslie who finished emphatically! The game was finely balanced all the way through the game until the much-maligned Mohammed Daramy picked the ball up in his own half. He surged forward into the opposition half and, upon reaching their box, opened his body and clipped the ball past the keeper into the far corner. Even Lewis Page's red card for a second yellow couldn't dampen our spirits as we'd won and ruined WBA's unbeaten season!!!

Standings

[Deisler26]

GAME 27

We battered them from pillar to post, without getting our reward.

Standings

 

[Deisler26]

GAME 28

Revenge is sweet. We faced the Sheffield side for the first time since Opening Day and came away with the win. George Lapslie opened the scoring around the half hour, hammering home a shot from new signing Kieran Dowell's cross that the keeper fumbled into the net. Around midway through the second half, Morgan played Isi through and his whipped cross was headed into a gaping net by Rhian Brewster. We conceded just after the restart, but had enough about us to hang on.

Standings

[john1]

Impressive results you have done so far, incredible unlucky with the injuries  

[Deisler26]

5 hours ago, john1 said:

Impressive results you have done so far, incredible unlucky with the injuries  

Thanks man. Yeah, those missing players killed me in the first half of the season.

[Deisler26]

GAME 29

A pretty even game which no-one really deserved to win. Eddi Gomes opened the scoring from a corner, rising higher than the defenders to head home emphatically. The fly in the ointment was Lyle Taylor's injury which will see him out for 2-3 months.

Standings

Two places and 7 points better off this season than last!

 - 2019/20

[Deisler26]

GAME 30

Knew this game was a bust from the moment we missed the penalty. We conceded a poor goal from a corner, had 9 blocked shots and had two goals (rightly) ruled out for offside. Classic FM'ing by the last-placed side.

Standings

[Deisler26]

THE SQUAD: JAN 2021 TRANSFER WINDOW

A few players came in this transfer window.

Jeremy was signed from Welsh side The New Saints for £5.25k. He'll take a season or two, but make the first team.

Stephy came home! The ex-Arsenal graduate spent a chunk of two seasons here on loan before joining Juventus. We snared him for £250k from the Italians and he'll be a good option going forward. 

The jewel in my January signings. Kieran was signed for £1.5m from Everton and he'll be a key player going forward.

Caoimhin was transfer-listed by Liverpool and we needed a more experienced back up with Djukic being only 20. He'll be a decent backup with insurance if we can't keep hold of O'Hara

Almir was recommended by one of my scouts. Being a free agent, if we can sell him on for a fee, we're doing well!

 

[Deisler26]

GAME 31

Another dominant performance against a bottom-of-the-table side, only this time it had a happy ending. Macauley Bonne opened the scoring from the penalty spot, after Mavididi was fouled as a corner came in. Mavididi was involved once again in our second, his run down the left hand side and pass infield found Kieran Dowell, who ran towards the 18 yard box before lashing an unstoppable shot into the top left hand corner for his first goal for the club.

Standings

[john1]

How did you find Jeremy?  He looks absolutely class! Good win over Wycombe

[Deisler26]

6 hours ago, john1 said:

How did you find Jeremy?  He looks absolutely class! Good win over Wycombe

I've learnt on FM20 that Wales has some cracking youth coming through. I just sent my best scout there.

[Deisler26]

GAME 32

Thirteen may be unlucky for some, but for one person, it was very good indeed. A poor first half saw us create very little. A free-kick by the left hand corner flag was whipped in to the far post by Jeremy Pilkington and there was Stephy Mavididi there to head into the opposite corner of the goal from an impossible angle. It had taken him 13 games to open his account for the club and much celebration was had. However, with just 5 minutes to go, a bun fight in our defence from a corner saw Wigan equalise and two points slip away. With just seconds to go, a corner from the right by Jake Forster-Caskey, himself in his first game from a broken leg, was met at the far post by a bullet header by Stephy Mavididi to double his tally, our lead and his goals for the season!

Standings

[Deisler26]

GAME 33

Our best win of the season so far! And it came with the second XI on the pitch. We took the lead on 12 minutes when Alfie Doughty sent over a hanging cross that was met powerfully by the head of Macaulay Bonne. The two minutes either side of half-time were frenetic. Ben Purrington doubled our lead with an outragous daisy-cutter strike from 30 yards that beat the keeper via the foot of the post. We conceded a minute after the restart. However, on our first attack after the goal, Mavidid laid the ball off to Macauley Bonne to curl the ball into the bottom far corner to double his tally.  It stayed that was until 82 minutes, when Curtis Jones flicked a Ki-Jana Hoever free-kick into the net to make it 4-1.

Standings

[Deisler26]

GAME 34

A very nip and tuck game, with the deadlock broken early in the second half. Lapslie's raking ball out to the left flank found Lewis Page and his cross to the back post found Rhian Brewster who headed past the keeper.

Standings

[Deisler26]

GAME 35

An absolute classic FM'ing. An errant pass lead to Derby's opener inside a minute, only to pull level on 4 minutes, thanks to Stephy Mavididi's coolly-taken penalty. Ki-Jana Hoever saw red for a bad tackle midway through the second half, which put us in the lurch and we then conceded a penalty of our own to compound the loss. Derby were 19th FFS..

Standings

[Deisler26]

GAME 36

Could be a vital result at the top. Bristol City were in front of us and, realistically, the last team we could overtake. George Lapslie opened the scoring midway through the first half, heading home from a yard out after a good knockdown from Rhian Brewster following a free-kick. With time running out, Albie Morgan dispossessed the full back and set up Mohamed Daramy to roll the ball into the net past the keeper.

Standings

Edited July 30, 2020 by Deisler26

[Deisler26]

GAME 37

Could this be a turning point with nine games to go?

Standings

[Deisler26]

INJURY NEWS

Our captain and mainstay centre back. Crap.

He's a loanee and we have cover, still he's been one of our better players over the season..

[Deisler26]

GAME 38

Done in by free kicks. The first was fumbled into the path of the striker by Kelleher, the second was a peach pushed into the net by Kelleher. FFS. The third beat Kelleher all ends up from 30 yards. Absolutely stunning.

Standings

[Deisler26]

2021 Youth Intake

I've been eagerly awaiting this since we went up a youth level.

 My God... It's so beautiful.... Let's have a look at the Fab Five

AMRC Jordan Adowa - He'll be dynamite on the wing in the next season or two. Depending on where this season ends, he could see himself in the first team picture next season!

MC Joel Grant - The talent of his kid. I hope he hasn't reached his peak. We'll leave him to hot-house in the U-18's. 

 

MC/AMLC/ST Kim Jong-Woo - Well, pretty surprised to get a Korean into the intake, but he has talent and should provide service from next season.

DM/MC Austin Ajao - Hopefully, Austin will fit into the DM role, but he has a lot of learning to do before that point. Another player who will take the full time in the U-18's

AML Callum Webber - Callum is another who will sit for a while, depending on how Isi's stock rises and if Daramy continues his wretched form.

 

I am so excited about these new academy graduates. They've accelerated our program by a number of years. The real measure of the club will be if I can nuture them to become first team players.

 

[Deisler26]

GAME 39

DOMINATION! Stephy Mavididi opened the scoring with a cooly-taken finish, passing the ball into the far corner after being set free by McCarthy. Jake Forster-Caskey doubled the lead on 29 minutes with a side-foot volly following Hoever's cross. This was his first goal since his dreadful leg break and he looked delighted. Forster-Caskey turned provider next, swirling in a dangerous corner to be met by a good far post header from Connor McCarthy. The game was beyond Hull at this point and Stephy Mavididi wrapped up the game and the points by heading home Kieran Dowell's corner on 76 minutes.

Standings

Two places better off and an astonishing 12 points better off than last season

 - 2019/20 Season

[Deisler26]

GAME 40

So close to beating the league leaders. Macauley Bonne opened the scoring deep into first half stoppage time. heading home after a good cross by Doughty. Doughty was provider once again, midway through the second half. His cross allowed the much-maligned Mohamed Daramy to nip in front of the defender and head home. Sadly, two goals in the last ten minutes meant that this was two points lost, rather than a point gained

Standings

[john1]

Wow, some insane youth players you have got!

[Deisler26]

1 hour ago, john1 said:

Wow, some insane youth players you have got!

First intake with a Cat 1 Youth System. Hoping that because the current U-18’s are poor, that the star ratings actually link up

[Deisler26]

GAME 41

FFS. Just three points seperate us from falling out of the playoffs...

Standings

[Deisler26]

GAME 42

I'm speechless. Twice in two games. Is Wales our kryptonite??

Standings

[Deisler26]

Here's to the next 100!

[Deisler26]

GAME 43

It's only the fact that other teams are crap that is stopping this being a crisis.

Standings

[Deisler26]

GAME 44

A VITAL win. Puts us three points clear and puts Ipswich right in it. We opened the score early on. Some good passing around the box saw Jake Forster-Caskey play a one-two with Isi and thunder an unstoppable shot from the edge of the box that was tipped into the roof of the net. Lyle Taylor sealed the win with a solid penalty after he was brought down inside the area.

Standings

Edited July 31, 2020 by Deisler26

[Deisler26]

GAME 45

This wasn't pretty, but it sealed our playoff spot. Macauley Bonne scored the only goal of the game, beating the Preston goalie to the ball to head home.

Standings

[Deisler26]

GAME 46

With our playoff spot assured and, barring massive goal swings either way, our matchup guaranteed, I took the opportunity to blood a lot of our recent academy graduates. And it was Jordan Adowa who came up with the goods, heading home after good work down the left by Almir Skopljak.

Final Standings

We eventually finished one place higher than the previous season and 12 points better off.