[FM20] It was Cambrogi in Wales, but now it's all about aggression in Wales, in England. Bellicosity, pugnacity and belligerence are all excellent words. But Welsh belligerence, in England now.

[Jimbokav1971]

100 up. Feb 2023.

[Jimbokav1971]

Feb 2023.

We're doing ok, but ok isn't good enough to win a league title, even in Wales. Llanelli are now a whopping 10 points clear after losing only 2 of 23 league games so far this season. It's going to take a spectacular implosion of epic proportions for us to haul them back in from here, bu we'll be giving it a damn good go. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Mar 2023.

We've been in reasonable form, but the defeat away to STM really hurt us and Llanelli have already been crowned Champions as a result, with 3 league games still remaining. 

[vara]

nice finish, Llanelli far too good unfortunately, shows the step up required when you do get promoted.

the club choice interested me so i had to research a little. fun logo

[Jimbokav1971]

6 hours ago, vara said:

nice finish, Llanelli far too good unfortunately, shows the step up required when you do get promoted.

the club choice interested me so i had to research a little. fun logo

We keep getting called "The Bulldogs" in the game, and just for a minute, every single time, I think to myself, "who are they talking about?" I'm sure the penny will drop soon, but it hasn't happened yet. 

[Jimbokav1971]

17 hours ago, Jimbokav1971 said:

Youth Intake Preview. Dec 2022.

This looks good, but everything is relative remember, and we are still particularly poor right now. 

• A good DM, (we don't play with a player in the DM line and I don't anticipating that  changing until we start playing against the big boys in Europe, although I might make an exception for TNS)
• A good striker. 

Youth Intake. Apr 2023.

What's surprising how many English players we have in the intake. 4 English only players and 2 more with English as a 2nd Nationality. 

It appears as if the intake isn't as good as the last couple of intakes, but the reason for that is the development of our existing players, (they are improving), so the level against which the new player are judged is now higher.

This next picture shows the intake sorted by PA rather than PPA. I'm still nick-naming and asterisking players based on PPA rather than actual PA, so that when i'm looking at players on a day to day basis I'm not going to be skewed by real PA rather than PPA.

(23c) Tom Brown (ENG)  *.

Going back to the Youth Intake Preview, the suggestion was that we would be getting a decent DM and SC. I'm still looking. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Poached #2. Apr 2033.

The 1st player being poached was a bit novel and exciting and great, (and as he wasn't amazing it was not too much of an issue), but this bloke looks like he is a bit better, (or will be at least). I will have to keep an eye on the Man City intakes to see what this bloke is like if and when he comes through. 

This is the bloke that Woking poached in Sept 2022. He isn't showing as having come through the Woking Youth intakes but I will check again. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Apr 2023.

We were 2-0 up after 38 mins and thought the unthinkable might be happening. TNS dragged it back to 2-2 in 90 mins before beating us in extra-time. 

New records. 

The £2,500 gate receipts came from 465 supporters. I don't know what our stadium capacity is but having a look now and it's 2,700 with 530 seated. I'm not sure we can use the terracing but there doesn't seem to be anything in the rules saying it's seating only so maybe we can.

We really lost the plot in the last month after defeat in the Cup. In contrast, Big Matt has never really been prolific all season and then goes and scored 4 goals in the last 4 games of the season. 

Welsh Youth Cup Champions. 

Overall Best XI.

[Jimbokav1971]

(Welsh clubs) Around the Leagues. 

Swansea lost in the Championship Playoffs. 

Cardiff ended a season of struggle in 17th place in the Championship.

Newport Co have been promoted to League 1. 

Wrexham finished 16th in the Conference. 

TNS are where you would expect them to be in the JD Cymru Premier. 

Edited March 22, 2020 by Jimbokav1971

[Jimbokav1971]

Reputation. Jun 2023.

We're barely on the 1st page. There is still a LONG way to go. 

[Jimbokav1971]

The cost of not getting promoted. Aug 2023. 

(22b) Alun Rees * will be a big loss. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Pre Season. Jul & Aug 2023.

[Jimbokav1971]

Aug 2023.

It's a decent start to the season, but no more than that.

FMRensie is doing an article on Long Throws and I have been taking a special interest in them too. 

I've obviously been continuing with GK's taking penalties and free-kicks. 

 

[Jimbokav1971]

Sept 2023.

Our priority is the league rather than either Cup, but I have been multi-tasking, (watching TV while playing) and forgot, inadvertently prioritising the MG Cup over the league fixtures. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Oct 2023. 

It looks like a reasonable month. Only 1 loss from 5 games, but both wins were Cup games so we really had a stinker of a month, taking just 2 points from a possible 9. 

We're already 10 points behind Monmouth and any chance of promotion is just about gone already. 

[Nobby_McDonald]

On 17/03/2020 at 00:09, Jimbokav1971 said:

 

Diolch yn fawr iawn, 

 

Yn bleser.

Just a matter of time before you go up Jimbo.

[Jimbokav1971]

Nov 2023.

Monmouth drew twice this month so they dropped 4 points and their lead over us is down to 6 points. 

Lantwit Major also drew twice meaning that we closed 4 points on them too. 

At the end of last month I thought we had no chance of over-hauling the leaders. Now though they don't seem quite so far away.

We play Lantwit Major in December and Monmouth in March. Win both of them and we are only looking at 1 more point to claw back.

Goal-scoring GK watch. 

If you wonder why striker Parry * took the penalty against Undy in the Welsh Cup, it's because, (not for the 1st time), we didn't field a GK in our squad, (by accident). 

 

[Jimbokav1971]

Dec 2023.

One step forward and 2 steps back. 

We've lost Big Matt to injury for over a month and we have immediately been scoreless in our last 2 games. Big Matt isn't exactly prolific, but he is the focal point of our attack. In his absence we have reverted to double AF's and it's not going well so far. 

On the plus side, we have a game in hand, (due to a water-logged pitch), and if we win it then we will be only 2 points off the leaders.

Edited March 24, 2020 by Jimbokav1971

[Jimbokav1971]

2 hours ago, Nobby_McDonald said:

 

Yn bleser.

Just a matter of time before you go up Jimbo.

Yeah, but I would rather it was sooner than later. 

Not being able to offer proper contracts is a right pain in the gwaelod.

[Jimbokav1971]

Jan 2024.

We were brilliant in both Cup games and it was really a case of what might have been. Against TNS, (who need no introduction), we scored a late equaliser and then lost on penalties, and against Bala, (who are 3rd in the JD Cymru Premier), we led twice before eventually losing in extra time. Our league form was mixed over the month, but it's hard to perform in the league when you lose twice in Cups like this. 

The way we have performed against TNS, (twice), and against other Premier sides, I have no doubt that we will avoid relegation if and when we get promoted. We just have to get there first. 

Roberts also scored a penalty, (against TNS), so he is on 16 career goals and 5 goals and 1 assist for the season. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Feb & Mar 2024.

Our form is decent, but it's not good enough to claw back the leaders. Lantwit Major are 5 points ahead of us and have a game in hand while we have 3 games remaining. It isn't going to happen I'm afraid. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Youth Intake Day. Apr 2024.

Intake by PPA.

Intake by actual PA.

The big riser is (24k) Connor Owen * who has risen from 11th to 3rd. As he is the standout player in terms of CA, it's probably not a surprise. 

Actually, (24m) Gareth Jones has risen from 13th to 4th.

On the flip side, (24d) Keiron Toms * has dropped from 4th to 12th. 

(24k) Connor Owen *.

I'm really happy with this bloke and expect to get him playing and scoring goals quickly. 

He's already ranked 1st by perceived CA, (PCA). 

And actual CA.

But not quite PPA.

And also not quite actual PA.

[Jimbokav1971]

Apr 2024.

New record.

[Jimbokav1971]

Season recap. 

We were decent all season, but we are just conceding too many goals and not keeping enough clean sheets. 

We dropped 33 points over the course of the season. between 16th September and 28th October we dropped 15 points.

Then, between 16th December and 3rd February we dropped another 13 points. 

These 2 periods of poor form cost us 28 of our 33 dropped points. Although I manage condition and fitness, I'm less bothered by morale, leaving it to the Ass Man. I might have to start looking at this in order to stop these big drop-offs in form. 

Roberts scored 7 goals this season, but he has been usurped by (24k) Connor Owen * as 1st choice keeper. 

Transfers. 

These players have all been poached on a free, but I have managed to re-sign 7 of them, (again on a free).

(22b) Alun Rees * is the one that I was particularly peeved to lose, so I'm delighted he's returning. He might not look much, but he will be one of our best players when he returns.

Overall Best XI.

Records.

Facilities. 

Finances. 

[Jimbokav1971]

On 22/03/2020 at 15:27, Jimbokav1971 said:

Poached #2. Apr 2033.

The 1st player being poached was a bit novel and exciting and great, (and as he wasn't amazing it was not too much of an issue), but this bloke looks like he is a bit better, (or will be at least). I will have to keep an eye on the Man City intakes to see what this bloke is like if and when he comes through. 

This is the bloke that Woking poached in Sept 2022. He isn't showing as having come through the Woking Youth intakes but I will check again. 

Poached again. Jun 2024.

[Jimbokav1971]

Pre-season. Aug 2024.

It was a refreshing change to not lose the our U19's. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Jul & Aug 2024.

I don't care about Cups at all and plan on fielding a weakened team in all Cup games until we get promoted. Am I still trying to win? Yes, of course. Do I care if we lose? No, not really. 

We went the 1st month unbeaten, so it's a decent start, but we were 2-0 up in the drawn game against Swansea Uni and that's frustrating. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Sep 2024.

I made a bit of an error here and have to take full responsibility for the loss. Where as I, (and others), have mentioned recently in the Joint Save thread, that it's of vital important to rest and rotate players throughout the season, that isn't actually the case here where you largely play 1 game a week. The league games are all Friday or Saturday and we've already clarified that I don't care about the Cups, (until we get promoted), so why am I not playing my strongest line-up in every league game. 

Now to decide exactly what my strongest line-up is and stick to it for the next month where I can. Ignore developing this player and that player. I will just play the best we have and see where it takes us. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Oct 2024.

Another unbeaten month looks good, but it's 4 more points dropped. 

The Reserves actually won more comfortably than the scoreline suggests in the Cup and GK Rees missed his 1st penalty before scoring his 2nd.

 

[rodesire]

Loving the Youth approach in this one

[Jimbokav1971]

7 hours ago, rodesire said:

Loving the Youth approach in this one

It's tough going with just 1 promotion spot, my DoF being in charge of any signings and my preference for Youth, (with appalling facilities), and no money to improve the facilities. 

I know I haven't been promoted yet but we are doing pretty well all things considered. 

I keep having my better players poached, (they are on non-contracts), but then because they are so rubbish I am able to poach them right back 6 months or so later, (if I remember). 

I'm hoping that things will click and we will win the league, get promoted and then immediately challenge in the top half of the Premier league, but our players are still not really progressing so it's hard. 

I'm still really enjoying it after getting the bug again preparing for the Joint Save, so there is no rush. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Cowley sacked by Swansea. Nov 2024.

Swansea are surprisingly 8th in the Championship. That seems a tad harsh.

Welsh rivals Cardiff are languishing in 17th in the Championship.

[Jimbokav1971]

Youth Intake Preview. Dec 2024.

[Jimbokav1971]

How the mighty have fallen. Dec 2024.

I'm talking about Inzaghi rather than Cardiff by the way.

Cardiff are not doing well and you can understand why Inzaghi was sacked. 

In Eusebio,  John Dahl Tomason and Inzaghi they have had some big names as Managers during the save.

Their performances have been consistently pretty poor. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Dec 2024.

A frustrating month was summed up by dropped points against the 2 Universities, Cardiff & Swansea. We conceded an 88th min OG to lose against Swansea, and conceded a 92nd min goal to only draw at Cardiff. 

The 5 dropped points see us fall 4 points behind Haverfordwest, who have won their last 5 league games 

[Jimbokav1971]

Jan 2025. 

We started the month well but then I rotated the squad for the Cup game, (I basically threw it), and I expected to bounce back with a win against Port Talbot at the end of the month. It didn't work out as planned. 

Port Talbot have gone top after the victory against us, albeit with Haverfordwest having a game in hand. 

We're 2 points behind and I can feel the season starting to slip away from us again. 

Edited March 27, 2020 by Jimbokav1971

[Jimbokav1971]

Feb 2025.

2 losses om 3 games is an absolute disaster. 

We're now 8 points behind Haverfordwest with 7 games remaining. We've blown it again. 

[Jimbokav1971]

On 26/03/2020 at 23:33, Jimbokav1971 said:

Youth Intake Preview. Dec 2024.

Youth Intake. Apr 2025.

Players ranked by PPA. 

It's interesting that (25a) Mike Flynn * actually has very low actual PA despite being ranked top of the list. His actual PA is only 20. 

Players ranked by actual PA.

Despite (25a) Mike Flynn * being under-whelming in terms of PA, there are 3 players with 50+ actual PA. 

Players ranked by actual CA. 

(25i) Jamie Prosser * is the best player by CA right now. He's "casual" though so is that going to impact his development? 

(25a) Mike Flynn *.

I'm not overly keen on his attribute balance if I'm honest. He looks like more of a destroyer than a creator in midfield,  but doesn't seem very good at destroying.

(25h) Matty Proctor *.

He's one of the players that jumped out at me when I looked. We're desperate for some good striker and I'm hoping that this lad might see some game-time for the senior team. 

(25b) Phil Wells *.

His mentals look decent, but he is lacking a little physically. He's also an attacking midfielder and I don't really know how to use him. I might try and develop a 2nd striker where 1 of the AF's plays as a SS or something. 

You can see that the quality really isn't great, but it's just where we are and what we have at the moment. 

[scousevasey]

Interesting to see that the (a) player has a lower PA than the player with the highest CA currently, yet the PCA is listed as 1* and the PPA is listed as 4+1*

Yet more evidence that you cannot trust the stars (but I always do as I haven't worked out a better way to do things)

[Jimbokav1971]

Just now, scousevasey said:

Interesting to see that the (a) player has a lower PA than the player with the highest CA currently, yet the PCA is listed as 1* and the PPA is listed as 4+1*

Yet more evidence that you cannot trust the stars (but I always do as I haven't worked out a better way to do things)

You are absolutely right. 

I think that the answer is that you can't really make an informed opinion at this stage. 

You might have noticed that one of the columns in my "Youth Intake view" is hierarchy. Up until this season it's been largely useless because on Day 1, (when I sign all the players), it looks like this. 

After they have been at the club for a while, (I think it's just 1 day actually), they are "integrated" into the squad and their actual hierarchy appears like this. 

While CA and PA are hidden, and are only visible because I have activated the editor, this information is widely available. This is the sort of info we need to pay more attention to. 

[Jimbokav1971]

March & Apr. 

We finished the season in decent form, but it still wasn't enough for us to finish higher than 3rd. 

Haverfordwest have been promoted, (which is a shame because we were unbeaten against them this season), and they are likely to be replaced by the relegated Cwmbran Celtic who have Tom Meechan (ENG) playing for them. He's really filled his boots playing at this level in recent seasons. He's 34 now though so hopefully his legs have started to go. 

[rodesire]

You've now finished 3rd for 4 seasons?

[Jimbokav1971]

End of Season update. Apr 2025.

Big Matt led the line well this season, bit I fear his lack of pace is restricting us.

His main support in terms of goals came from Caton * who chipped in with 11 goals. 

Full backs Cresser and Parry both contributed 10+ assists. 

These are probably our 4 key players and that shows how little we have to work with. 

Big Matt has made the favourite personnel list at the club, but Parry * is actually a striker, (not to be confused with left back Parry), and although he has scored 62 goals for us in 5 seasons, he was poor last season and only scored 4 goals in 5(17) games. Maybe I should have started him more. 

Finances. Are not good, but then again there is nothing we can do about it short of getting promoted. 

Facilities. Are also still not good and again, until the finances improve, there is no way to upgrade them. 

Transfers. 5 of our transfers in were products of our Academy that had left the club after being poached but who I went and poached right back. I did the same with Hurlow and Parry.

Of the out-going players Owen * & Liam Harries have signed part-time deals in the JD Cymru Premier. 

Club Vision. I believe in the adage under-promise and over-deliver, so the board expectations are fine by me. 

Edited March 28, 2020 by Jimbokav1971

[Jimbokav1971]

50 minutes ago, rodesire said:

You've now finished 3rd for 4 seasons?

Yep. Pretty consistent, but also pretty frustrating if I'm honest. I'm trying. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Pre-season. Aug 2025.

[Jimbokav1971]

Aug & Sep 2025.

It was an awful start to the season, but thankfully 3 wins on the bounce have pushed us back up to 3rd in the league. 

Big Matt has scored 7 goals in 7 league games, but 6 of those have been hat-tricks so he's not been as consistent as I would like. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Oct 2025.

After the narrow win in the Cup I was concerned that things weren't right despite the win. 

The number of chances the opposition created, (despite the clean sheet), was concerning and I decided I had to do something with the backline. I expected that we would be playing a high line and was thinking about dropping it back a little. In fact it wasn't at high and instead it was at normal. That wasn't what it was meant to be and seemed to make sense as to why we were conceding so many chances and goals. I immediately pushed the line further up for the last game of the month and despite having a player sent off after 19 mins we romped to a 5-2 win. Parry * has scored in all the games this month, (culminating in a hat-trick in the last game), and has already scored 7 goals in 6(4) appearances this season after only scoring 4 in 5(17) last season. It's good to have him back. 

I'm expecting us to really push on now and I still can't understand how the defensive line got pushed back. (I'm guessing it was a period of drunk management!). 

Edited March 29, 2020 by Jimbokav1971

[scousevasey]

10 hours ago, Jimbokav1971 said:

You are absolutely right. 

I think that the answer is that you can't really make an informed opinion at this stage. 

You might have noticed that one of the columns in my "Youth Intake view" is hierarchy. Up until this season it's been largely useless because on Day 1, (when I sign all the players), it looks like this. 

After they have been at the club for a while, (I think it's just 1 day actually), they are "integrated" into the squad and their actual hierarchy appears like this. 

While CA and PA are hidden, and are only visible because I have activated the editor, this information is widely available. This is the sort of info we need to pay more attention to. 

For the next couple of intakes it will be interesting to see how, or if, the hierarchy has any link to PPA, PA or is completely separate but useful in a different way

[Jimbokav1971]

7 hours ago, scousevasey said:

For the next couple of intakes it will be interesting to see how, or if, the hierarchy has any link to PPA, PA or is completely separate but useful in a different way

I've got a few ideas for things to track. It's really just a balancing act between conducing an experiment and enjoying the save myself. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Nov 2025.

I can feel the season season starting to slip away again. We are drawing too many games and Cardiff Uni have taken 35 points from a possible 42 so far this season so have been tough to compete with. I really need their form to drop off if we have any chance of closing the 9 point gap.