Mandy42
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Posts posted by Mandy42
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Into October and Wheelchair is gone. He ended up in an actual wheelchair yet again. This time with a sports hernia. He was due to be out of action for eight weeks. So I sent him packing back to his parent club. I wasn't paying him 160 quid a week to just lounge around doing sod all.
So I now have nearly 300 quid in the wage pot. But still can't find anyone who actually wants to come and play for us for that a kind of money.
Gloria Buzau is our first opponent of the month. A team that along with CSM Resita apparently aren't eligible to be promoted to the first division. Not sure why. Either way we struggle to turn our chances into goals. And we end up with a 0-0 draw. I tell myself that getting rid of Wheelchair hasn't been a bad omen. As we wouldn't have had him available for the game anyway.
Ripensia are up next. And we are awful. We lose 2-0. 180 minutes of football since I kicked Wheelchair out and we haven't looked like we could hit the broadside of a barn door. We did manage a new second tier Romanian league record with 10 games unbeaten. But that has come to an end.
With FC Rapid up next just after our first league defeat. The vultures are circling saying this is the beginning of our slump down the table to our "rightful position" But goals from Razvan "Despicable Me" Greu and Laurentiu Ardelean saw us mount a second half comeback to win 2-1.
Last game of the month was against our cup nemesis Metaloglobus. Chesney Hawkes (Alexandru Stoica) so now named as he has taken to singing the one hit wonders song at every opportunity. Put us on our way after just nine minutes. But a well worked set piece saw them draw level in the second half and we scrapped it out to a fair result of a 1-1 draw.
We sit second. One point behind FC Rapid but with a game in hand. UTA Arad sit one point behind us having played the same number of games.
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If I thought that going from August to September would somehow make all our problems go away. I was grossly mistaken. After the injury lottery that is the international break. We would play Man Utd at home in the league. Before Barcelona away in the Champions league just three days later. I've no clue who else we play in September, as I've not been able to get my head past going to the Nou Camp.
On a positive note. The ending of August saw the closing of the transfer window and the end of speculation as to who was going to stay and who was going to go. Now just to get our head down and get some games played.
Its strange how different players are effected by football. Romelu Lukaku played both of Belgium's internationals. Scoring three goals in two games. He came back fit as a fiddle and raring to go. Andreas Christensen played one of Denmark's matches and came back knackered.
Meaning I had the choice between a tired Andreas and a fully fit Trevor Chalobah as my third defender. With Thiago Silva injured my back line didn't look as solid as I might like. Not when faced with the company of Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho for 90 minutes.
A comfort to me, though not my backroom staff or some of the players. Was the fact we were at home. Call me old fashioned but I am of the opinion that being the home team comes with a responsibility to drive the impetus of the game. So I had no qualms with sticking with our more open, attacking 3-4-3 formation. The rest of the dressing room seemed worried it would leave us exposed at the back. Now I don't want to play like Kevin Keagan's Newcastle. But I'll stand by being ok with a bit of a swashbuckling mentality.
In terms of keeping the ball we were just as good as against Liverpool. Averaging high 60 to low 70% all the way through the match. Unlike the game at Anfield. We actually looked like we were going to do something with it.
Most pleasing were the combinations between the players. Lukaku and Mount seemed to be playing their own private game at times. The former coming away from the Man Utd back line to collect the ball. To then feed Mount going past him and in behind. This pattern started in the opening 10 minutes. Forcing De Gea to make a finger tip save down to his right to stop Mount from opening the scoring. As the combination continued to bare fruit. Mount once more through on goal. But forced wide by a defender. Smartly cutting the ball back into the area for Romelu Lukaku to finish high and hard into the middle of the net.
Another good combination saw Marco Asensio finding pockets of space in the right channel. Enabling him to feed the ball to an overlapping Callum Hudson-Odoi. This not only had the benefit of keeping the Man Utd left back. Luke Shaw. Honest. But provided a great out ball and dangerous service into the opposition box.
After one such ball down the wing. Hudson-Odoi was left prone on the ground from a late challenge from Shaw. The result was just a free kick. One which Mount stood over menacingly. Looking to whip the ball in dangerously. Trevor Chalobah was the most prominent runner towards the near post. David De Gea was caught between whether to come or not. Wary of the run across him by our players. Mason Mount's ball missed everybody and nestled in the bottom corner of the net at the far post.
At half time I praised the players for keeping so much of the ball and in doing so reducing Man Utd to little more than scraps off the table. We continued in the same manner over the second period. I was continually impressed at the maturity of Trevor Chalobah's game. He had Ronaldo in his pocket for the full 90 minutes. Mainly by being in the right position to cut out service to the Man Utd front man. Rather than taking him on directly.
We secured the three points and moved to second in the league. Equal in points with Liverpool. Though they had a game in hand over us.
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September. We are first name out of the hat in the fourth round of the Romanian Cup. We play the greatest club ever named fellow league two side Metaloglobus. At home at the not quite named O-ZONE. Apparently if we kill off all three members of the group. We wont have to pay them anything for using the name. And we remove the chance of them reforming and producing any more crap music.
We have Pandurii Targu Jiu away in the league before we play the cup game. But before that. Alexandru Stoica. (The winger who isn't nicknamed wheelchair) pulls his groin and gets put in a wheelchair. Perhaps as a protest that his namesake was given a nickname and he wasn't? Meanwhile Wheelchair is on the pitch for the Pandurii game and scores four goals! As we give them a double pumping 8-0! Bodo Kanda is injured again. He seems to take more knocks than a homeless person in a bus station!
Next is the cup game. And coming three days after the last league game. Its the shortest turn around we have had between competitive fixtures. It shows in the tiredness of the players and the selection I am forced in to making. Of course I could have prioritized the cup game and rested more players for it. But the chairman only wants us to get to the fifth round (we start in the fourth) so I figured I'd chance my arm. Though I wanted to try maximize the number of points we could accrue in the league. Before the inevitable slump the pundits keep saying week in and week out, is just around the corner.
Metaloglobus go ahead mid way through the first half. Its nothing more than a punt by the keeper that we let bounce. Their striker gets on the ball and finishes the 1v1 against our keeper. Poor any way you look at it. Wheelchair gets us back into the game just before the half. And when a Dimciu Halep tap in gives us the lead about 10 minutes into the second half. It feels like momentum is rolling our way. However we start making silly mistakes. Pressed out of possession too easily from a throw in. In our own third. The globus pull level. Cezar Gherghiceanu (Keanu for short) puts us back ahead with only three minutes left to play in the 90. We look like we are going through. Seven minutes later we are going to extra time. 30 minutes after that we are exhausted and out having shipped two goals in added on periods.
Hopefully our outstanding league form will cushion the blow of us not meeting the boards expectations in the cup!
Five days later we are back in the league against the other pre season promotion favourite UTA Arad. Its a nail biting first period. Even if we are doing better than the predictions suggest. They are certainly intent to give us a game. Wheelchair rises imperiously at the back stick just before the half time whistle to send us in 1-0 up.
Hobo Kanda hobbles off once more in the second period. And we begin to lead some what of a charmed life. They hit the woodwork twice. Then in the final 10 minutes. We save a penalty. The commentators suggested it was a rather harsh decision. However just as the whistle blows for the soft penalty. Tudor Moldovan. On for the hobbling Hobo. Scythes down an Arad player in the box. Our keeper Vlad Mutiu saves it either way. And we hang on for the win.
There is no hanging on in our next game. A 6-1 demolition of Dunarea Calarasi. Moldovan gets us on our way after just 10 minutes. Halep scores a brace. And Wheelchair chips in with his now almost customary appearance on the scoresheet.
He's at it again eight days later. This time at home against Csikszereda. Which the lads were trying to get me to say after a few tipples. Heck I couldn't even say it sober. He arrived at the back stick just before the half hour mark to head us into the lead. Hobo Kanda scored a second for us before the half ended. I took him off at halftime. Before he could put his hand up in the second half and ask to be taken off. Our opponent, I'm not spelling out their name again. Kept us honest with a belting direct free kick goal late in the second period. But we once again held on for the win.
Which sees us still sitting top of the league. Very surreal. Five points clear of UTA Arad. Although they have a game in hand. And a whopping 19 points above our projected 17th place.
I think I want an apartment with a pool.
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good start. Nice to see you back and wanting to write again. Hope you enjoy it
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August. My birth month. And the start of the Romanian league season. If the pre season form continued into the competitive fixtures. I could see myself being out of a job before my birthday.
With the start of the season looming. A swathe of bookmaker predictions had been published. Perhaps unsurprisingly we didn't feature in the golden boot, young player or player of the year predictions. Though surprisingly we had moved from 17th to 11th place in the predicted final league standings. Now I'm by no means a humble man. But even I didn't feel like I could consider myself the reason for a six place bump in the virtual table. Yet nothing else had happened.
Actually that is a lie. We offered one of our players a new contract. Which smashed us over the wage budget. Seem as that was basically the first thing on the list the chairman had given me as requirements for my job. I was fuming. I would have to take Mr Florea aside and give him a good thrashing until he learnt the appropriate contract negotiation technique.
Mainly that the offer is written on a folded piece of paper and slid, silently across the table. No eye contact is made. Due to the fact both parties are equally as embarrassed by the amount written on the paper. The paper is passed back and forth until an unspoken bargain is struck. Confirmed with a handshake.
That was for later. Right now in this instant I had to get the wage bill back under the allotted amount. I could hear Ciprian Marica the chairman shouting. "YOU HAD ONE JOB!"
We had a loanee goalie who had pulled some lower limb ligaments and was due to be injured for the majority if not all of his loan contract. He came by the club every couple of days in a wheelchair. I cleaned out his locker, had all his stuff packed. Next time he came in. I packed the chair full of his belongings. Turned him round and pushed him back out the door. Back off to his parent club he went and the wages were back where they should be.
I don't however see that bit of business causing the bookies to think we are going to do better in the table than before pre season.
Speaking of pre season. I've heard of clubs absolutely smashing it, and then the wheels falling off in competitive fixtures. But not the other way around. I wasn't confident enough in the clubs chances that I considered myself in the market for green bananas.
First game Concordia Chiajna. Playing the 4-2-4 that had seen us pump 7 past Husana in our last friendly. My mood was soured before kickoff when loanee star striker Alexandru Stoica was ruled out with a twisted knee. I got Mr Florea to get him a wheelchair. A clear message if ever one was required. Pre game injuries aside. We started brightly. So brightly that I began to feel it was only a matter of time before we were made to pay for not putting away our chances.
Bodo Kanda, our right winger. A player actually under contract at the club. Was pulling all kinds of strings. He had the entire left side of their team on toast whenever he had the ball. It was his strike, parried by the keeper into the path of Dimclu Halep. That saw us take the lead on the 26th minute. Concordia grew into the half and just before halftime they drew level. I was buoyed by the fact we had actually scored in a competitive fixture. But felt that the tide had turned. We had wasted our brief time in the sun. The second half would surely belong to them.
I was wrong. We were even more dominant in the second half. Goals from box to box midfielder Antonio Cruceru and the man himself Kanda. Sealed a win on my managerial debut.
We wouldn't play again for eight days. In one regard it meant that I could field the same team in game after game. The problem however would be injuries. If a regular starter was injured. Then inadequate rotation could leave their replacement woefully lacking in match practice.
I made one change to the lineup. Viitorul Targu Jiu were our first home fixture. We have begun the necessary discussions to get the stadium renamed to the "O-ZONE". We were apparent favourites. A tag that always makes me uneasy. However on this occasion we didn't disappoint. Running out 5-1 winners in a completely one sided affair. Where had this team come from?
Alexandru Stoica. (Not the one in a wheelchair) another one. Playing on our left wing (confusing having two players with exactly the same name I know.) Scored a brace. Halep scored again.
Speaking of players with the same name. Alexa the google companion wench person has been banned from the club. Not only were people making her play that dam O-Zone song over and over again. But whenever someone called out her name. Half the squad would respond thinking you were talking to them!
Never in my wildest dreams would I think that our third match of the season would see us involved in a second vs third place clash to see which team could maintain a perfect start to the season. We were up against newly promoted CSM Resita. A game we lined up in as underdogs. Which I considered mildly insulting. To be fair we weren't anywhere near as dominant as we had been. But we still came out 2-0 winners. Keeping a clean sheet was a wonderful bonus. As was Alexandru Stoica (having gotten out of his wheelchair.) Scoring on his return from injury. He had however earned the nickname "wheelchair" as a way of identifying him from his namesake on the wing. Halep scored yet again. Making it three in three.
Wheelchair struck again six days later. Scoring the only goal in our win against ASU Politehnica. Unfortunately Bodo Kanda was injured in a crunching tackle. With Daniel Toma also being injured. The former was wrapped in cotton wool. The later had his loan contract terminated and was sent home. The wheelchair might be considered slightly excessive. Seen as he'd only sprained his wrist.
Final game of the month saw us against CS Mioveni. A 0-0 draw which was high on work rate and enthusiasm but low on quality. Was likely a fair result. It unbelievably saw us top the table with 13 points from five games. One point ahead of pre season title favourites FC Rapid. I also scooped the manager of the month award.
I'm not quite leaving the hotel to look for an apartment. But things are definitely looking up.
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Week 14
Tuesday 30 November 2021
Newcastle 0 v 2 Norwich 19:30
Leeds 2 v 2 Crystal Palace 20:15Wednesday 1 December 2021
Southampton 1 v 1 Leicester 19:30
Watford 0 v 3 Chelsea 19:30
West Ham 1 v 1 Brighton 19:30
Wolves 0 v 2 Burnley 19:30
Aston Villa 1 v 3 Man City 20:15
Everton 0 v 3 Liverpool 20:15Thursday 2 December 2021
Spurs 1 v 2 Brentford 19:30
Man Utd 0 v 2 Arsenal 20:150 -
11 minutes ago, Carambau said:
This story needs more O-Zone music jingles
(Mai-ai) ha ha!
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Defeat has the habit of making everything very short term focused. What went wrong today. Why didn't the plan work. So you make changes. Then if the defeats continue. Then the changes continue. Not long after your trying something new every week. Sometimes even two new things. Like the fat man at the Chinese restaurant working his way through the whole menu one dish and day at a time.
Gone is any semblance of building on last weeks result or performance. Because every week your trying to get a win from your players. Desperate to stop the slide. Your players don't know if they are coming or going. You however have no doubt that your going if you don't get this fixed.
That was how I felt through pre season. After the pointless game against Shakhtar in June. We had six friendlies scheduled in July. Well technically seven. But I cancelled the game against Lokomotiv Moscow. As I saw that as another pointless morale sapping fixture. Unfortunately that might be the most successful thing I managed all month.
A 0-0 draw against Luceafarul Oradea felt like a decent step forward after the Shakhtar game. Until I realized they were a third tier team and we'd been the ones expected to pump them.
A 3-0 defeat to another third tier side ACS Foresta Suceava made my skin crawl. And for the first time the board were on my back regarding the drop in morale in the changing room. I didn't want to tell them that the lads had taken me out for some local food. It hadn't agreed with me. 12 days into my tenure and the lingering smell in the changing room was just beginning to dissipate. That probably had more impact on the team morale than the poor showing on the pitch.
ACSM Ceahlaul Piatra Neamt were our next opponents. And if I hadn't of laughed I would have cried. We won 1-0. Without managing a shot on target. A mix up between defender and goalie led to an embarrassing own goal which is probably on Youtube by now. We've now played 360 minutes of football and haven't scored a goal of our own yet.
In that time I've been looking for a reaction. I've scrapped the 4-1-4-1 Dinklage model. Just trying to get something going I've flung two other forwards on and gone for a 4-3-3. No good. In or next two games against Arsenal (not that Arsenal). But Arsenal Tula we lost 3-0. And then 1-0 to Vorskla.
Which brings me to another problem. I don't know enough about my own team or league. So when we are playing against Russian and Ukrainian teams I've no point of reference for how good they are. Or what is a good or bad result. I also feel at this rate. That if I don't get a win. I won't be here long enough to learn much of anything.
So in the last friendly of pre season. I figured go back to basics and roll with a 4-4-2. Yet even that isn't possible. As the only wide players we have are attacking midfielders. It is beneath them to play that deep in midfield. So its more of a 4-2-4. Oh well, at this point I feel like I'm pulling tactical tweaks out of a hat. Husana Husi are our opponents. Another third tier Romanian side.
26 minutes in and we score a goal. All of our own! And what a goal. If its the only goal we score during my time here. I might still die happy. Just as I was about to berate the team for playing the ball through the center. When I've instructed them to build up down the flanks. Daniel Toma unleashes an absolute beast from 35 yards. Another Daniel, my assistant manager Mr Florea spends the next few minutes picking my jaw off the floor. And repeatedly reminding me that he doesn't think I've soiled myself in the excitement.
Shortly after the floodgates opened. On the pitch, not in my pants. We ended up scoring seven unanswered. Which by my calculations makes that near enough a double pumping. My orders to Mr Florea were clear. If they had been on the Colombian marching powder before the game then they could stay on it. If they hadn't then they weren't starting now in celebration. The real work starts now. As the season opener is in a week.
Oh and book me a new hotel room. I was that certain I was going to be gone before the season started. That I'd not renewed the one I was in. Some other swine had booked it on Trivago and I was expected to be checking out in the morning!
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On 26/11/2021 at 08:46, Jon1982 said:
Sounds interesting. Might have a challenge on here..
We will see. Thanks for reading. But I reckon I'll be sacked before I can mount any form of challenge to anyone!
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Be aware. I have been known to ramble.
Think it was the movie Last King of Scotland. Where the doctor spins the globe at random to see where he wanted to go work. If memory serves his first spin saw him in Canada. He thought this was too mundane and so spun again.
Who could blame him. Who wants to go to Canada anyway. Especially now your more likely to find Ryan Reynolds at Wrexham these days. Mmmmm Mr Reynolds, you can fondle my smooth criminals any day.
Ahem... speaking of Wrexham. Is it just a joke on Ryan's part taking a team whose name means royal excessively theatrical actor. From the Latin Rex meaning king, and ham, originally American slang for an amateur actor.
Or does it simply mean King ham? As in giant pig? Mmmmm pork, the other white meat.
ANYWAY!
Going back to Kings of Scotland. In my quest for a managerial challenge I took my first spin. Landing in Romania. From there I was offered a job with Farul Constanta in the second tier. They are predicted to finish 17th of 19 teams. A forecast which places us firmly in the relegation places. A future I have been hired to prevent.
At first glance, no easy task. The squad is about as balanced as dog with no hind legs. Dutifully provided with one of those wheeled platforms by its owner in order for it to navigate life. The dog is perfectly happy. As it knows no different. Plus it can use its mechanical rear end to injure people who **** it off. But that was not what nature intended. The dog could be so much more. And this analogy has quite quickly run (no pun intended) its course.
We don't even have a right back! One of the center backs might have once suggested he can kick the ball with his right foot. So he's the right back. There's no money in the transfer pot. There's 40 quid per week in the wage budget. I've no clue what the Romanian currency is. So until anyone tells me any different I'm classing it as quid.
Most if not all of the squad is on loan from teams from the first division. My backroom staff think we should be playing a 4-1-4-1 wing play formation to get the ball into the box. However we have one striker whose the Romanian version of Peter Dinklage.
No money, no clue, maybe why we bent over and clasped our ankles in our opening pre season friendly against Shakhtar Donetsk. A team I'd actually heard of. Who our home fans came to see. But were disgruntled and left early after seeing them pump us 4-0. For those who stayed late. We managed our first shot at goal in the 79th minute!
Least I'm not in Canada.
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Lives in Leeds!
That's far too close to me for comfort!!
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On 18/11/2021 at 12:20, mark wilson27 said:
XMAS Cup Draw
Its that time of year guys.
The draw for the 1/4 Final is as follows:
Moor Row FC v Run Fat Boy Run
Finis Coronat Opus v Hakuna Matata
Peacock FC v No Doubting Thomas
Semi Final
Rab C Nisbet gets a bye
Ties begin on Week 14 with the final ties being held on week 18 and 19
last years final as my first round draw!
Oh well either I'm straight out. Or its an easy road to the final after this week.
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Week 12
Saturday 20 November 2021
Leicester 0 v 1 Chelsea 12:30
Aston Villa 2 v 0 Brighton 15:00
Burnley 1 v 1 Crystal Palace 15:00
Newcastle 2 v 3 Brentford 15:00
Norwich 2 v 1 Southampton 15:00
Watford 1 v 1 Man Utd 15:00
Wolves 1 v 1 West Ham 15:00
Liverpool 3 v 0 Arsenal 17:30Sunday 21 November 2021
Man City 2 v 0 Everton 14:00
Spurs 2 v 0 Leeds 16:300 -
On 09/11/2021 at 15:51, ChileanRanger said:
Ah, yes. Back at the spot in which I belong. The top spot.
im coming for you
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4 hours ago, Jimbokav1971 said:
@Mandy42asked a really good question in the GD thread earlier, and I have an example of the game, making decisions that are absolutely ridiculous, but they continue to make them again and again.
I quite often ask my Ass Man to select the squad, (from the players in the senior squad), and then I either go with it as it is or make some changes depending on what team he has picked, who we're playing and what our other fixtures are like.
He keeps picking this bloke at centre-half. Now I quite like him as a player, but as a MC rather than a DC. I like him as a DLP and I even don't mind playing him as a BBM. I would never start him as a centre-half though. I would rather play a centre-half from one of the other squads at centre-half, (although from the bench is different). No matter how many times I saw him out and put someone else in, he still wants to pick this bloke at centre-half. I'm guessing that this is because he is a Natural in the DC position, but only Accomplished in the MC slot. I guess my main point here is that just as we don't trust the CA star ratings never mind the PA star ratings, don't be too trusting of the advice you get from your staff.
They keep telling me that my GK is rubbish at penalties and free-kicks and he should be taken off, but he's currently scored 21 of 24 pens (+3/3 in shoot-outs).
At what point do they stop looking at his penalty taking attribute of 1 and start looking at his penalty success rate of 87.5%, (89% if you include penalty shoot-outs)? The answer is that they don't. They don't look at how successful he is at all. So with that in mind, (and this spreads to other areas of the game), by all means take their advice and use it, but use it as part of your decision-making process rather than the decision-making process itself.
There is often discussion about star ratings, (both CA and PA), and I will freely admit that I rank players by CA/PA and this might determine what squad they start in at the beginning of a save/season, but as I look at players I make up my own mind and make my decisions using this info rather than this info making my decision.
I do exactly the same thing with regards to PA when it comes to Youth Intakes. I love a 5.0 PA player. Of course I do. Don't we all? But at the same time I'm really aware that a 5.0 player might not be anywhere near as good as the 3.5 PA player who has strength in just the right areas I want for a particular role.
Take all this info, but don't become too reliant on it. It's still down to you at the end of the day.
I guess my follow up question would be. Why does someone with a penalty taking attribute of 1 (the lowest you can get) have a success rate of 87%?
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6 hours ago, Jimbokav1971 said:
I'm getting big numbers of yellow cards, but red cards have been quite reasonable. I would also add that I would expect to get yellow cards with the way I'm asking them to play.
the red cards are of the AI teams i'm playing. Not for my team
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1 hour ago, mark wilson27 said:
Thats called revenge for last season mate
I think most people apart from Swag wants to play my efforts every week.
even the average wants to play Mark every week
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4 minutes ago, _Ben_ said:
Absolutely no care in the world for this!
I've read it impacts their Decisioning attribute but I haven't even really seen this, personally.
It's not! Not had a chance to touch it at all this week, but never mind...
the star numbers representation? Or the fact such representation isn't backed up in the match engine? Or both?
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19 minutes ago, ChileanRanger said:
Only two people could have beaten me, and I had to be lucky enough to get one of them as my opponent. At least I'm still this close to first place.
is interesting over the first 10 game weeks you are an average of 7 points per week worse off than both me and Hakuna Matata. If you could find those points you'd be unstoppable
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Further into August and we open up our premier league account. Southampton away. Since time immemorial, or at least 1992. Premier league referees have been laying down the letter of the law in the opening months of the season. By Christmas they are being lambasted for being too strict and ruining games with a heavy handed presence. Fast forward a month or two more. You will see fans and pundits alike laying into refs for being inconsistent. Usually after they have relaxed slightly due to the pre Christmas abuse.
That early season refereeing might be why James Ward Prowse was dismissed with a straight red card on 28 minutes. However it could also be something to do with the fact that his two footed challenge looked like an audition for a Bruce Lee movie. Romelu Lukaku added insult to the dismissal by scoring with a header from the resulting free kick. A second header from Andreas Christensen only three minutes later all but sealed The Saints fate. I reduced the tempo and rotated in some less than match fit players in the second period. Hench why the lack of much creativity from open play doesn't bother me. At least for now.
Three days later and we play Watford. The same Watford who saw off Spurs 1-0 on opening day. This looks like a rearranged fixture from December in order for us to be able to go play in the World club championship. As we are the only two teams down to play. In our first outing at Stamford Bridge we are much more lively. A first half brace from Timo Werner helps us on our way to a 4-0 first half lead. While we capitulate slightly in the second period the result is never in doubt. Werner's hat trick in the dying minutes of the second half sees us run out 5-2 winners. We go top of the table due to the fact we are the only team who has had the opportunity to accrue six points. By the way. Watford also had a player sent off. This time in the second half for two yellow cards.
A whole two days later we face Crystal Palace at home. With Liverpool at Anfield only three days later I fielded a once again rotated and much weaker side. Palace made us pay in the first six minutes of the game. Jordan Ayew finishing first time at the back post. From a left wing cross that both Andreas Christensen and Trevoh Chalobah failed to clear with their head.
After an angry tirade from the touchline we looked much improved. We restored parity just before the half hour in a move that went a long way to lift the spirits which had been dampened by the torrential rain. 12 consecutive passes saw Marco Asensio finish off a lovely team move with a sweeping finish from around the penalty spot. Tactically it looked pretty much like I wanted it to. With Mason Mount running wide with the ball to the left flank in order to make use of the space out there. Jorginho providing support as the reactive midfielder. Asensio having the intelligence to identify the space Mount had vacated. And use that space to score.
I had intended to wait until the end of August and the closing of the transfer window in order to unveil all the signings together. However Marco had the audacity to go and ruin that by scoring!
Into the second half and we looked the much better team. However it took a Marc Guehi deflection to see us take the lead. The former blue. Starting his first game for his new club. Attempted to block a Trevoh Chalobah drive from a half cleared corner. From my angle it looked as though Chalobah's effort was on target anyway. So maybe the dubious goals panel will overturn it.
A Romelu Lukaku placed finish from a through ball completed our comeback. He came on in the last 10 minutes for a flagging Werner. Our victory was in no small part aided by yet another red card. Palace captain Luka Milivojevic getting an early bath for lunging out in a tackle through pure frustration once we were 2-1 ahead.
So to Anfield and the first time all season I bowed to my backroom staff. I moved to a 5-3-2 formation, changed to a cautious mentality and wanted to basically keep the ball away from Liverpool in an effort to frustrate them and tire them out. In the first half we managed just that. We had over 80% of the possession and the home team were restricted to very limited chances. In fact we fashioned the most clear cut chance of the game. Romelu Lukaku blazing a header over the bar from a corner in the last few minutes of the first half.
I started making mistakes in the second half. Buoyed by our ability to stifle Liverpool in the first period. I got greedy and went looking for more as the second half wound on. With a change to a more positive mentality we still kept around 70% of the ball. But the quality of the Liverpool chances began to improve. On 65 minutes Sadio Mane finally broke the deficit. Slotting home an inch perfect through ball, beyond Edouard Mendy's near post. I continued to increase our attacking intent as I tried salvage something from the game. By 10 minutes to go we had transformed into a 4-3-3. Both Lukaku and Werner had chances. The former forcing a strong one handed save from Alisson. While the later unfortunately blazed his over the bar.
In the end I think we played Liverpool too soon. If I had more time and confidence in our frustrating defensive tactic. Then I might have stuck with it for the whole 90. But we live and learn. Nine points from a possible 12 isn't the worst return and it sees us sit third in the league at this early stage.
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August
August. You will see why its a red month later!
Think Spurs fans were definitely seeing red after this opening day performance.
No real surprises in the rest of the fixtures.
Our opening day line up away against Southampton
A rather sedate start until 27 minutes. When a 2 footed challenge from James Ward Prowse saw him see a straight red card. To add insult to the dismissal. Romelu Lukaku scored his first premier league goal of the campaign. (His second of the season as apparently Super cup goals count!) From the ensuing free kick.
Amusingly my Gyazo replay failed to capture the challenge. Oh well. A Andreas Christensen header from a corner only three minutes later saw us double our advantage. That was how the game finished as I took the liberty of taking the foot off the gas in the second half and introducing those players who needed to gain match fitness. Hench why I'm not too concerned that we created very little from open play. Not yet anyway.
CR7 is back with 4 as Man Utd hit Burnley for 6 in the late game.
Our first game at Stamford Bridge saw us entertain the Watford side who beat Spurs on the opening weekend. Time to see if they are real contenders or Spurs are just well typical Spurs. A heavily rotated side took to the pitch.
We struck just after 10 minutes played.
A quick finish from Timo Werner after a sublime through ball from Mateo Kovacic. In previous iterations of the game I bemoaned the fact that there seemed no point to the VAR goal review system. As I never saw a goal reviewed that was given. Nor did I see a goal line technology check that awarded a goal. Well in FM22. There were a total of three VAR goal checks (this being the first) all of which resulted in goals.
Though amusingly. Yet again my Gyazo replay skills need work. As I missed the tight offside replay. Though I think the slow mo replay does enough to show Werner is onside.
Now I'm not going to record and show every goal as I have in previous saves (unless people want to see them all!) But if a goal really grabs me. Or it demonstrates something I want to talk about tactically. Then I will put it in. I mean I don't even know if any of you click on these links in the first place!
Our third goal I liked for multiple reasons.
Hakim Ziyech finishes well from a majestic ball over the top from N'golo Kante. Firstly its nice to see Kante has that in his locker. As I doubt I'm alone in pigeon holing him into a purely defensive role. Secondly, that is exactly the kind of central, hard to pick up, between the lines run I want my shadow striker to be making. Very happy to see that so early on in our adoption of the tactic. And finally. At around 13 seconds in when he shoots. It is exactly what I want to see. The three furthest forward players are the three on the pitch with an attack duty. In this instance Ziyech, Werner and Pulisic.
We were 4-0 up by halftime. Shipping a goal in the second half wasn't ideal. But general squad fatigue and the fact I'd again rotated in players who weren't entirely match sharp didn't help. Though once again our opponent had been reduced to 10 men. This time midway through the second half for two yellow card offences. 4-1 at the end wasn't to be sniffed at.
Thus when we scored a fifth in the final minutes of the 90. I was indeed rather happy
Timo Werner rounding out his hat trick with a great strike. Though I can't decide whether the change in camera angle adds or subtracts from it. This goal would go on to net him 3rd place in the goal of the month competition for August. But we get ahead of ourselves.
If I was happy with 4-1. Then I should have been ok with 5-2, which indeed was the final score. However I will admit that it rankled a little to concede right at the death in a game.
Interestingly our second game was the only game to be played. Possibly as we try to squeeze in the fixtures from December while we are away at the Club world championships. Either way we went top of the table with 6 points. I overlooked the fact that we were the only team who had the opportunity to get 6 points!
Crystal Palace were next at Stamford Bridge. With Liverpool at Anfield to round out the month. I definitely rolled out a weaker side against Palace. And in the pouring rain was made to pay in the opening exchanges.
Hudson-Odoi is tracking back into the right full back position. I have no issue with him doing that. Nor do I take issue with him being beaten so easily with the cross. While he can try to cover in that area. I have no real expectation of him being overly successful. However, having two of my central defenders go for the same header and both miss it. Thus allowed Jordan Ayew with a free attempt at goal at the far post. That is unacceptable. The whole point of forcing players outside and defending narrow. Is that I want attacking opposition players committed to wide areas of the pitch where they will be ineffective when we win the ball back. Plus that three central defenders whose job it is to police the penalty area. Should be more than capable of dealing with the majority of balls that come into our box!
The video also shows I'm not shy in shouting at my players. Straight at them demanding more.
Thankfully the response wasn't long in coming. My earlier frustration being wiped away by getting back on level terms. But also by what was in my opinion our best goal so far.
Once again from a tactical perspective it has most of what I want to see. Mount as the shadow striker runs wide with the ball to the left wing. But also has the presence of mind to work his way back into the box. Jorginho the support midfielder is there to well support the move. 12 passes sees Marco Asensio finish first time. I guess perfection would be the Mount and Asensio roles in the move reversed. As I don't want the later shooting that often. But when I'm down in a game I will take it!
Into the second half and we dominate but it takes a Marc Guehi own goal to put us ahead. In his first start for Palace. The former blue who was at Stamford Bridge since the age of 7. Turns a Chalobah drive from a corner into his own net. Hopefully his career with improve going forward. We run out 3-1 winners by full time. Helped in the run in by. You guessed it. A palace midfielder seeing red for another reckless two footed challenge.
Finally other teams are playing games! Though Arsenal might wish they hadn't as Burnley overturn a poor start to take the points.
Man City need an injury time Jack Grealish goal to not drop points against Leeds.
Spurs seem to be sleeping their way into the season.
Our final game of the month came at Anfield. And I was exceptionally nervous. I bowed some what to my backroom staff and their pressure to adapt the way we played for this occasion. I went with a 5-3-2 formation. Cautious mentality. Emphasis on keeping the ball as a form of defensive counter measure. In the first half it worked. Yes Liverpool had chances. But they weren't good ones. We had the most clear cut chance right at the end of the half when Lukaku blazed a header over the bar from a corner. We had 85% possession and were basically killing the game.
My mistake was that in the second half I opened it up a bit trying to go get more than a draw. While we were still decent money for our performance. It definitely improved the quality of Liverpool's chances. A killer through ball which Sadio Mane threaded neatly past Mendy was the one outstanding piece of quality they produced all game.
In the closing 15 minutes I went to a 4-3-3 to try grab something out of the game. Werner this time blazed over the bar. While Lukaku forced a smart save out of Alisson. But in the end we suffered our first defeat of the campaign 1-0.
For the first time there wasn't a red card in our game. But there were three across the rest of the match week. Southampton held on bravely to take points off Man City. While Arsenal bounced back from the Burnley loss and going a goal down against Norwich.
At the end of August the table looks like this. Man City and Arsenal sit under my hamfisted mouse over of Chelsea. It is early days. But we could drop to fifth depending on how many goals Arsenal win their game in hand by.
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Double groin injury! Oh the scandal!
Need to impose some strictness on what these lads get up to with their groins off the pitch! Or at least reduce the number of hip pump goal celebrations!
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7 minutes ago, Rikulec said:
That's still a very small sample size. I've played about 40 games so far and there were 3 or 4 red cards, which seems about right.
yeah I figured its difficult to tell from just my 4 games. Why I was asking on here. Increase the sample size without having to rely on my pedestrian pace!
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Week 11
Friday 5 November 2021
Southampton 0 v 2 Aston Villa 20:00Saturday 6 November 2021
Man Utd 0 v 3 Man City 12:30
Brentford 2 v 0 Norwich 15:00
Chelsea 3 v 0 Burnley 15:00
Crystal Palace 1 v 1 Wolves 15:00
Brighton 1 v 0 Newcastle 17:30Sunday 7 November 2021
Arsenal 2 v 0 Watford 14:00
Everton 3 v 1 Spurs 14:00
Leeds 2 v 2 Leicester 14:00
West Ham 1 v 2 Liverpool 16:300
And we're dancing like we never danced before. Romania ROMANIA!
in FM Stories
Posted
November and its by far our busiest month yet. Six league games!
I'm going to be spending a lot of my time in my apartments pool to relax this month!
FC Arges are first. They take the lead early on and I wonder if we are going to be able to get back into the game. We haven't had to come from behind very often. And when we have, its been a mixed bag. Alexandru Nicola (hope you are beginning to understand the Alexa ban now) pulls us level with a stroke of luck. A shot through an Arges defender which takes enough of a deflection that it causes their keeper to fumble it on the line and let it roll into the net.
Halep scores our second to put us ahead. But they draw level with an absolute rocket in the second half. In the 84th minute our only international Ion Cararus (Moldovan) manages to miss a penalty wide of the right post. We should have taken all three points. And he would have gotten a cool nickname.
U Cluj are next. Which Mr Florea assures me is not a Romanian swear word. Hobo gets us off to a flyer with a goal in the second minute. But the Cluj are level after only four minutes. Hobo then manages to get himself sent off for a professional foul before the half hour. I'm adding in "a night sleeping rough in the bus station" to the code of conduct for automatic red cards as we speak. Playing two thirds of the game with only 10 men I consider it lucky that we managed to hold on for a draw.
We entertain Sportul Snagov at home next. Tudor Moldovan. Vying for Hobo's spot in the team. Manages to score with only 26 seconds played. It is a long and at times nail biting wait after that. But Denis Hordouan makes it 2-0 with only 15 minutes left to play.
Back to back 2-1 defeats. First to Turris Turnu Magurele and then Petrolul Ploiesti see me quite mad. Our goals in both games were penalties. Which at least I suppose we scored. But especially the Ploiesti game. Where they both equalized and scored the winner in the last five minutes of normal time. Well that stings the ring like a vindaloo.
The final game of the month saw us play Viitorul Targu Jiu. Halep put us on our way early with a goal after two minutes. But we found ourselves once again 2-1 down in the closing seconds. Hobo arrived at the back stick deep into injury time in the second period to salvage a point.
Into December and we played only the single game. Concordia Chiajna at home. A five goal thriller which we edged 3-2. Cezar Keanu ended his almost 10 hours of football without a goal in the 24th minute. Chesney Hawkes leveled for us in the second half after they had scored two quick fire goals either side of the intermission. Antonio Cruceru secured the points with a little over 10 minutes to play.
Now for some reason we have 76 days before our next game in February? I don't really understand why. We also only play the one game in February before returning to a packed program in March.
I'm going to be pretty wrinkly from spending so much time in my swimming pool. But oh well.
One bit of griping however. Ciprian is getting on my ass about being concerned regarding our recent spate of losses. SERIOUSLY! You told me to avoid relegation. Over halfway through the season and we are top of the league on 39 points. And your busting my balls over the three games we have lost? You can suck on my chlorine smelling wrinkly ball sack!