Northernpilgrim Posted January 7, 2020 Author Share Posted January 7, 2020 October was one match from perfect, as we were curiously off-colour in defeat at Shrewsbury but that was enough to end the month 1 point clear at the top Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 7, 2020 Author Share Posted January 7, 2020 A slightly frustrating November and whilst a defeat against West Brom is understandable, a draw with QPR in a game we utterly dominated, was hard to take, especially because of the lateness of their goal Nevertheless, we go into the crucial month of December still top of the table Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 8, 2020 Author Share Posted January 8, 2020 December, on paper, was a horrible month but a missed penalty cost us against Swansea and we lost a tight game against Palace but were awful against Burnley, despite taking the lead although we somehow manage to end the month second, four ahead of third placed Portsmouth Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 9, 2020 Author Share Posted January 9, 2020 Three wins out of four in the league in January, an FA Cup draw and replay defeat. No complaints about the defeat to Birmingham, we were awful which left us top of the table by a point, and 7 clear of third placed West Brom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 9, 2020 Author Share Posted January 9, 2020 Just one addition in the January window, with lots of players (mostly youth and fringe players) leaving Markanday comes in as a direct replacement for Grandsir, who was pretty awful for me Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 9, 2020 Author Share Posted January 9, 2020 February was a bit of an up and down month but rather than focus on the fact we're still top, the important thing is the gap to third place, which remains 7 points Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevhamster Posted January 9, 2020 Share Posted January 9, 2020 Still looking good! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 9, 2020 Author Share Posted January 9, 2020 March brought a job interview Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 9, 2020 Author Share Posted January 9, 2020 36 minutes ago, kevhamster said: Still looking good! Yes, despite a shaky couple of months or so, it's still looking good. That theme continued in March but we end the month 9 points ahead of third placed West Brom, with 6 games to play Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 9, 2020 Author Share Posted January 9, 2020 Bournemouth came back to me before the end of the month and so I remain Fulham manager until at least the end of the season Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 10, 2020 Author Share Posted January 10, 2020 We would not have to wait until the end of April to seal our fate Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 10, 2020 Author Share Posted January 10, 2020 And the title was ours before the end of the month too Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 10, 2020 Author Share Posted January 10, 2020 April wasn't a great month results wise, but we secured promotion by beating Preston and the title was clinched in the draw with Sheffield Wednesday, leaving us 7 points clear Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevhamster Posted January 10, 2020 Share Posted January 10, 2020 Good work! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 10, 2020 Author Share Posted January 10, 2020 3 hours ago, kevhamster said: Good work! Thanks kev, but we're far too inconsistent for my liking. We could have walked the league if we had been more professional. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 10, 2020 Author Share Posted January 10, 2020 We won our final match of the season ending up 8 points clear of West Brom at the top Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 10, 2020 Author Share Posted January 10, 2020 Here are the squad stats for the season our club awards night winners and season stats and the snapshot of the season, showing how we were top for much of it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 10, 2020 Author Share Posted January 10, 2020 I won Manager of the Year Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 10, 2020 Author Share Posted January 10, 2020 and 6 players made the Team of the Year Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 10, 2020 Author Share Posted January 10, 2020 During the summer, an interview at a big club that's fallen down the league Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 10, 2020 Author Share Posted January 10, 2020 I got the job Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 10, 2020 Author Share Posted January 10, 2020 I've arrived and this is the squad I've inherited. WHERE ARE MY STRIKERS??? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 10, 2020 Author Share Posted January 10, 2020 My new team went unbeaten through preseason and there were two first team signings, with my DoF making two youth team signings both are strikers. Here's Mathieu and Gouiri Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 10, 2020 Author Share Posted January 10, 2020 (edited) A tough start to the season, but we recovered well, and we definitely missed Bernd Leno, who was injured all month and this is the early table Edited January 10, 2020 by Northernpilgrim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 10, 2020 Author Share Posted January 10, 2020 September began with a defeat, but I was pleased with the response and I thought we were more than a little unlucky to lose the West Brom game and victory in that game would see us third now, but instead of that, we're down in 7th Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevhamster Posted January 11, 2020 Share Posted January 11, 2020 Solid start considering some of the teams you played early on. What are the board and media expectations? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 11, 2020 Author Share Posted January 11, 2020 4 hours ago, kevhamster said: Solid start considering some of the teams you played early on. What are the board and media expectations? Thanks kev, but the demand / expectation of both is top 4. If we can't get results against any of the big 6, we can't afford any slip ups anywhere else 😒 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenzar Posted January 11, 2020 Share Posted January 11, 2020 Arsenal eh? Nice to see you get the big job you deserve! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 11, 2020 Author Share Posted January 11, 2020 1 hour ago, Lenzar said: Arsenal eh? Nice to see you get the big job you deserve! Thanks Lenzar, but as you'll see with the October update, we're a million miles away from being challengers. Another frustrating month and we should definitely have had something from the Aston Villa game and that means we remain outside the European places Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 12, 2020 Author Share Posted January 12, 2020 November was unbeaten, but very disappointing although we are now in a season-high 6th position 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
walterjocoski Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 Great Career! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 13, 2020 Author Share Posted January 13, 2020 We were also unbeaten in December, stretching our record to 10 matches in the Premier League although we should have beaten Bournemouth and Wolves but that was enough to keep us in 6th position going into January, where I'll need to do some good business to strengthen the squad for an assault on the top 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andychar Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 Top 4 in the sights now! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 14, 2020 Author Share Posted January 14, 2020 1 hour ago, andychar said: Top 4 in the sights now! Getting closer after January's results. 7 wins out of 9 in all competitions. The first leg defeat away to Newcastle left us too much to do, so we exit the Carabao Cup at the semi final stage, and we were second best to Chelsea, but otherwise, a good month and we are right on the coat tails of 4th place now. but there is a massive test next up in the shape of a trip to Anfield to face the leaders Liverpool Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 14, 2020 Author Share Posted January 14, 2020 I wanted two signings in January, but needed to get a couple of high wage earners off the books for that to happen. I didn't manage that, so had to settle for one signing Diogo Dalot joins to strengthen us at right back Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 14, 2020 Author Share Posted January 14, 2020 February nearly made me throw my screen across the room as Nottingham Forest somehow pinched a late draw that denied us the chance to draw level with 4th place Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 14, 2020 Author Share Posted January 14, 2020 March was horrible, but one 'positive' was that we managed to rescue a 3-3 draw against Fulham, despite being 3-0 down after 12 minutes. We were woeful against Stoke. and City are too strong for us. so with that, surely our top 4 hopes are over Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 14, 2020 Author Share Posted January 14, 2020 April was another disappointing month as we should have got something against Tottenham (and threw away two points by being terrible against Everton) but somehow end the month in the top four, albeit with two sides having a game in hand Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 15, 2020 Author Share Posted January 15, 2020 We managed two wins out of three in May although I was surprised that the defeat was against Newcastle, given how impressive we were against City a week earlier and that defeat ultimately cost us a top four spot Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 15, 2020 Author Share Posted January 15, 2020 Roundup time, starting with the Arsenal awards and the stats behind our season and the review of the season, showing how costly a poor start to the season was and a full summary of how the squad performed over the season Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 15, 2020 Author Share Posted January 15, 2020 I may not last much longer Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 15, 2020 Author Share Posted January 15, 2020 Could this be a way out? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 15, 2020 Author Share Posted January 15, 2020 I have been offered the job. Auf wiedersehen, Arsenal 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 15, 2020 Author Share Posted January 15, 2020 I've arrived in Dortmund and the squad is very good, but lacking depth Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andychar Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 Good move that. Perfect time to get out I think. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 15, 2020 Author Share Posted January 15, 2020 5 minutes ago, andychar said: Good move that. Perfect time to get out I think. It didn't feel like I had any choice. From speculation about a takeover to deal done was less than 2 weeks, and my job went from 'stable' the day before the takeover, to 'precarious' the day after. Dortmund came along at the right time, and they're a club that I should be able to keep competitive in the Bundesliga and Champions League while I rebuild the squad. They certainly have the transfer and wage budget to do it, and realistic expectations of top 4 every season. I want to win the title here, but Bayern are miles better than us at the moment. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevhamster Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 Great move, and as you say the timing really couldn't be any better. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 15, 2020 Author Share Posted January 15, 2020 Preseason results were good, albeit against not the strongest opposition Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 15, 2020 Author Share Posted January 15, 2020 And I managed to bring in 5 really decent players to strengthen the squad Lozano is a right back from Colombia Erb is also a right back, from Germany Frías is a Colombian centre back Sugano is a German striker and Nem is a Brazilian winger Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 15, 2020 Author Share Posted January 15, 2020 I've also got 10 players who are in the youth setup and have the potential to be first team regulars over the next few seasons, so I'll be keeping an eye on these guys if I'm here for a few seasons Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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