Low Country Football: MBFranchise's Amsterdam Eleven MM

[moose141]

We want the Champions League! Keep the league form up, with just that to focus on the rest of the way you can turn that run into 17 unbeaten and pull out the improbable...

[MBFranchise]

Quote: Originally Posted by moose141

We want the Champions League! Keep the league form up, with just that to focus on the rest of the way you can turn that run into 17 unbeaten and pull out the improbable...

Champions League is the long-term goal, but it might be out of reach this season. Gaining entry again into the Europa League is a much more attainable game plan. Of course, I am in 7th place right now, which is right where I predicted before the season. Besides, the unbeaten streak has to stop sometime, doesn't it? Doesn't it?

Just goes to show you how awesome of a game FIFA is. I couldn't do anything right earlier in the season, choked away a spot in the Europa League knockout rounds, but once my team is in good form and firing on all cylinders we are tough to beat!

Thanks for following along.

[MBFranchise]

Amsterdam 11 Continues Strong Form with 7 Points from 3 Games

Low Country League 1

Brondby 0-1 Amsterdam

(A) Ibrahim 39'
MOTM: (A) CM Abdi Ibrahim 8.2 Rating

Standard Liege 0-3 Amsterdam

(A) Kostic 6'
(A) Ozturk 45'+
(A) Rybus 77'
MOTM: (A) RB Alpaslan Ozturk 8.8 Rating

Amsterdam 1-1 FC Twente

(A) Rybus 53'
(T) Promes 56'
MOTM: (A) GK Koen Casteels 7.8 Rating


Maciej Rybus on his teammates have kept their eyes on the ball, and qualification for Europe next season.

[MBFranchise]

Dammers Continue Streak With Win Over Top of the Table Ajax


Recently signed from Ajax, Jody Lukoki provided the winning goal.

Low Country League 1

Ajax 1-2 Amsterdam

(A11) Van Acker 12'
(A11) Lukoki 27'
(Ajax) Moisander 72'
MOTM: (A11) CDM Rene Krhin 7.9 Rating

After the game, owner Art Vandelay addressed the team. "This is a great win for Amsterdam 11 Football Club," Vandelay began. It is always a good feeling to beat your rival, and that goal by Romelu is surely one to remember."

This brought curious looks from the team, as there was no one named Romelu wearing orange and black. Team Captain Maciej Rybus spoke up, "Mr. Vandelay, who are you talking about?"

"Romelu, you know that guy that we just signed in January that scored the winning goal tonight?" Vandelay explained.

Rybus responded, "That's Lukoki, sir, not Lukaku."

[MBFranchise]

Amsterdam Finishes Season on 14-Game Unbeaten Streak

Low Country League 1

Amsterdam 2-0 Zulte-Waregem

(A) Rybus 52'
(A) Schrijvers 90'+

MOTM: (A) LW Filip Kostic 8.4 Rating

[MBFranchise]

End of Season 2

FINAL LOW COUNTRY LEAGUE 1 TABLE

1. $ Ajax 78 PTS
2. $ PSV 75 PTS
3. $ Standard Liege 73 PTS
4. *Shakhtar Donetsk 69 PTS
5. *Anderlecht 68 PTS
6. *Amsterdam 11 FC (18W 14D 6L) 68 PTS
7. Feyenoord 65 PTS
8. FC Twente 64 PTS
9. FC Copenhagen 62 PTS
10. sc Heerenveen 57 PTS
11. AZ 56 PTS
12. Genk 55 PTS
13. Club Brugge 42 PTS
14. FC Utrecht 40 PTS
15. Vitesse 36 PTS
16. FC Groningen 35 PTS
17. Sporting Lokoren 31 PTS
18. # Brondby 31 PTS
19. # Zulte-Waregem 27 PTS
20. # KV Mechelen 19 PTS

$ - Champion's League
* - Europa League
# - Relegated

LC League 1 Goals

1. Dusan Tadic (FC Twente) 22
2. Jerome Boetius (Feyenoord) 17
3. Matias Suarez (Anderlecht) 16
4. Johann Gudmundsson (AZ) 15
4. Victor Fischer (Ajax) 15
4. Ezekiel (Standard Liege) 15

Amsterdam Goals

1. Arkadiusz Milik 17 G 39 APP
2. Maciej Rybus 13 G 39 APP
3. Moestafa El Kabir 9 G 36 APP
4. Siebe Shrijvers 8 G 35 APP
5. Gabriel Torje 6 G 33 APP

Amsterdam Clean Sheets

1. Koen Casteels 11 CS 18 APP (League Leader)
2. Shay Given 0 CS 2 APP

[MBFranchise]

THE SEASON THAT WAS

Things started off great, as Amsterdam 11 defeated their rivals Ajax to claim their first (and only) piece of silverware for season 2, the Low Country Supercup. From there the season went south, as the team struggled. Once the calendar turned to January, the Dammers found themselves in a disappointing 12th place in the LC League 1. Some January signings reinvigorated the club (including GK Koen Casteels, who was named LC League 1 keeper of the year despite only playing half of the season), and A11 ended the season on a 14-game unbeaten streak, securing qualification for next season's Europa League playoffs in the process.

THE SEASON THAT WILL BE

A11's first two seasons saw the fledgling club finish in 5th and 6th in the LC League 1. Amsterdam got its first taste of European football last season, so the expectations for season 3 must be even higher. However, with so much roster turnover and a challenging schedule with league play, cup play, and European competition, is this team deep enough to challenge for a title?

Owner Art Vandelay certainly thinks so. He has given Manager Patrick Kluivert a $17.5 million budget to attract talent to the orange and black side of Amsterdam. Vandelay's stated goals for this team are to qualify for the Champion's League (Top 3 finish in the LC League 1) and to reach the quarterfinal of the Europa League.

Owner Art Vandelay is visibly nervous about the high expectations he has set for his club.

[MBFranchise]

The 'Dam Signings

GK PATRICK DREWES

Drewes can keep his Wolfsburg gear as he's likely heading back there after this season.

GK Patrick Drewes from Wolfsburg on Season Loan

With GK Shay Given out of contract, it was clear that A11 needed a keeper to back up the successful Koen Casteels. Rather than sign a full time second keeper, however, the Dammers decided to go with a season long loan, in this case Patrick Drewes from Bundesliga side Wolfsburg. With no long term future at the club, it will be interesting to see how much playing time the young keeper gets.

CM ZLATKO JUNUZOVIC


I love it when I find pictures of my signings already wearing orange.

Purchased CM Zlatko Junuzovic from Werder Bremen for $6.0 million + Pantic

Many would argue that, along with CAM Rafael Van der Vaart, Junuzovic is the prize signing of the summer. Like Drewes, Junuzovic is coming to Amsterdam from the Bundesliga, but, unlike the keeper, Junuzovic is here on a permanent move. A well-rounded central midfielder, Junuzovic's best trait is his stamina, which will make it difficult to take him off of the pitch.

LW PAUL-GEORGES NTEP


No, not this Paul George.


There, that's better.

Purchased LW Paul-Georges Ntep from AJ Auxerre for $2.0 million + Krhin

While Maciej Rybus has one winger position locked down, many fans believe the club never really replaced Marco Rojas on the other side. A11 had difficulty evening the field last season, and relied upon Rybus' creativity too often. That explains the purchase of Ntep in exchange for $2.0 million and disgruntled CDM Rene Krhin. Ntep brings speed, dribbling, and flair to the flanks, even if his passing and finishing leave something to be desired. Krhin, meanwhile, was looking for a way out of town after being replaced in the starting lineup in February by CDM Thibault van Acker. I hope he speaks French.

CB BARTOSZ SALAMON


Salamon is an international teammate of A11 winger Maciej Rybus and ST Arkadiusz Milik.

Purchased CB Bartosz Salamon from Sampdoria for $8.0 million

While Ajax supporters immediately came out and said that A11 overpaid for this young Polish CB, Patrick Kluivert hopes to turn Salamon with CB Nathan Ake into the best defensive duo in the league. After sending out scouts to find a player that could complement Ake's unique skill set, Kluivert pulled the trigger on the deal to bring Salamon to the LC League 1. Salamon is a tall and strong defender that is excellent in the air. With a dearth of heading options from set pieces last season (Milik was the target man every time), Kluivert hopes Salamon can diversify his team's aerial options.

The 'Dam Players Leaving

TRANSFERS OUT

Sold CAM Piotr Zielinski to Ajax for $5.5 million

Sold RM Gabriel Torje to Shakhtar Donetsk for $8.5 million

EXPIRING CONTRACTS

RB Haico Epe

GK Shay Given