South Bay Saints - HT Season 22

[Masked]

Series IV.31 Preview




It is interesting to read other dynasties with teams that are promoting into division 4 this season. In their previews of the other teams in their series, they often discuss non-descript teams that have been stuck in division 4 for several seasons. Well, now the Saints are one of those teams. I am starting my third season in division IV and it doesn't look like I will be getting out any time soon.




My first season, division IV.31 was one of the ten toughest series in division 4. Since then, the series has gotten easier as two of the better teams have become walkovers, and none of the new teams have been any better than my team. And now for a quick preview of the teams in the series (in order of their finish last season).




1) Fratboys (6^th place in III.3)

Avg NSI: 77.8

Best NSI: 97 (in the qualifier)

Fratboys began play in the first week of season 16 nearly two years ago and has spent the last three seasons finishing in 6^th place in III.3. They were upset in the qualifier and are stuck back in division 4. Their a very strong defensive team that has a solid attack. While their individual midfielders look pretty good, their overall rating is not. Since they train playmaking, this will improve over the coarse of the season.




2) Numbers Munchers (2^nd place in IV.31)

Avg NSI: 81.2

Best NSI: 95

After knocking my team out of first place with a utopian central attack they suddenly quit in the middle of last season under mysterious circumstances. Darkanon was very active up until Dec 30 when he bought a player for 2.5M (value > 1M). He never logged in again and his lineup has been reset.




3) Los Chixi Dix (3^rd in IV.31)

Avg NSI: 68.5

Best NSI: 75

Chixi auto-promoted into the series last season and pulled off several big upsets early in the season and coasted to a third place finish. He also trains midfield, and his defense is better than his offense.




4) South Bay Saints

Avg NSI: 72.8

Best NSI: 80 (83 in FOFC cup semifinals against Ardent)




5) CC's Dragons

Avg NSI: 70.8

Best NSI: 82

Dragons came in last of the three very similar teams last season, but easily won his qualifier to stick around for another season. Like Chixi, he auto-promoted last season and trains midfielders. Along with Fratboys and the Saints, he has the best midfield in the series. His team is well rounded and developing rapidly. He has played about 4 months longer than I have. Since he has not made a major purchase in awhile, I suspect he has a significant amount of money and might make a move soon to upgrade his team.




6) Thunderchickens

Avg NSI: 76.4

Best NSI: 86

Sabot trains forwards and has the best attack in the series. However, last season his midfield was not competitive and he frequently got blown out. He bought two high priced (1 and 1.5M) midfielders around week 10 last season, but due to form and injuries, they did not have much of an effect. Both midfielders are still in weak form, but when they improve, this might be the best team in the division.




7) RI Coks

Avg NSI: 58.0

Best NSI: 63

This team has been around for 2 season and won his division both times to auto-promote first to V and now to IV. Unfortunately for him, he might have made the jump a bit too soon this time and will be fighting for 6^th place. His team is balanced (all ratings pass – excellent). I haven't figured out what he trains. He always plays a 3-5-2, but has old midfielders, wingers and keepers.




8) Dragonball F

Avg NSI: 59.6

Best NSI: 70

Dragonball promoted from V.11 in his second season of play and improved his team dramatically last season. I suspect he is another midfield trainer. Although their ratings are very similar to Coks, Dragonball looks like better prepared for division 4.




Predicted Finishing

1) Fratboys

2) South Bay Saints

3) CC's Dragons

4) Thunderchickens

5) Los Chixi Dix

6) Dragonball F

7) RI Coks

8) Number Munchers




The top five teams all have a realistic chance to win the series. Thunderchickens in fact may have the best chance to topple Fratboys if they fix their midfield.

[Masked]

Saints starting lineup

EDIT: Trying to fix load problems

There are two big changed in the lineup from the end of last season.

Tomas Myklebust was purchased for $1.59M from a Norwegian team. Hottrick keeper tool suggest he his a mid-formidable keeper, and his previous owner reported that he had four weeks training after his last pop (I asked after I bought him). I feel like I got a decent deal on him (assuming his form recovers). The average price for formidable keepers appears to be about 1.4-1.5M with mid form tupically going for about 1.7-1.8M.




After purchasing Mycklebust, I downgraded one of my wingback spots. Carlos Saul Tevez (solid def, passable winger) fetched 260K on the market. I always played him defensively so his winger skill didn't add much. I was also trying to increase my available funds for the keeper purchase. Yki Hyppia, a backup last season, will move into the starter roll for a few weeks until I buy a true replacement. Yki generally puts up the same 3 stars that Tevez did thanks to his experience, so I shouldn't see a large effect. Honestly, I am a bit umcomfortable with this move. It turns out that I did not need the extra cash, and really dislike the backwards move. However, Tevez was not worth 260K to me. As soon as I buy a new coach and trainee, I'll spend whatever is left on a wingback.

I still do not have a 4^th winger trainee so I may play a 3-4-3 several times early in the season. The third forward would either be one of my original players, Tony Spicer (solid scoring, inad passing, solid set piece, inad exp), or set piece wizard, Zvonko Andric (passable scoring, world class set pieces).

In the second half of the season, I will be looking to upgrade my offense again. I would like to buy an outstanding forward and winger. If I have any cash left over I might think about a new defender as well, but that isn't too likely.

Trainees

My trainees were purchased when I didn't have too much money and consequently aren't that good. Since I sold Eber Basoa Rivas (outstanding PM) in the offseason for 1.45M, I will need to buy a new trainee next week.


<table width="330" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <col width="330"> <tbody><tr> <td width="330" valign="top"> Ryszard Laguna
218 000 US$, 19 years, weak form
Has disastrous experience and poor leadership abilities

</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table width="321" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <col width="92"> <col width="65"> <col width="99"> <col width="64"> <tbody><tr> <td width="92"> Stamina:

</td> <td width="65"> solid

</td> <td width="99"> Keeper:

</td> <td width="64"> disastrous

</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="92"> Playmaking:

</td> <td width="65"> excellent

</td> <td width="99"> Passing:

</td> <td width="64"> passable

</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="92"> Winger:

</td> <td width="65"> weak

</td> <td width="99"> Defending:

</td> <td width="64"> wretched

</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="92"> Scoring:

</td> <td width="65"> poor

</td> <td width="99"> Set Pieces:

</td> <td width="64"> weak

</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>



<table width="334" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <col width="334"> <tbody><tr> <td width="334" valign="top"> Carlton Blakely
229 000 US$, 19 years, passable form
Has disastrous experience and weak leadership abilities

</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table width="355" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <col width="92"> <col width="67"> <col width="98"> <col width="97"> <tbody><tr> <td width="92"> Stamina:

</td> <td width="67"> excellent

</td> <td width="98"> Keeper:

</td> <td width="97"> disastrous

</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="92"> Playmaking:

</td> <td width="67"> solid

</td> <td width="98"> Passing:

</td> <td width="97"> inadequate

</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="92"> Winger:

</td> <td width="67"> poor

</td> <td width="98"> Defending:

</td> <td width="97"> inadequate

</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="92"> Scoring:

</td> <td width="67"> weak

</td> <td width="98"> Set Pieces:

</td> <td width="97"> wretched

</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>


Ryszard will move into the starting lineup whenever I sell Dani Mario Araujo. Blakely may start next season if I decide to jetison Joonas at brilliant.

[Masked]

Slightly odd formatting probably resulted from posting in Mozilla again. I had hoped OpenOffice might be a little friendlier than Word was.

[Masked]

Season Goals

1) Win the series - As I mentioned above, the top 5 teams are all pretty equal. A the end of last season I was the second best of those 5, and am the only one to make a big move in the offseason (Mycklebust). I am not ready to promote to III, but there is little chance of me auto-promoting as I am still a couple players away from being able to dominate the division.

2) Break a 90 NSI - This is the contiuation of a trend. Last season it was 80, before 70, etc. Since I got an 83 in a friendly last season, this one should not be too hard to attain.

3) Make a profit on my youth squad - I tried this last season and came up about 20K short of breaking even. I am convinced that I have the worst youth squad of all the FOFC teams. I had three 17yos last season, and have never had any player with a primary skill above passable (one guy had formidable set pieces and no other skill better than weak). My best pull from last season was a week 14 17yo passable defender with inadequate scoring and playmaking. The team that bought him immediately fired all their players and quit hattrick. So even if I get something decent, I won't see any mother club money down the road.

4) Get a magnificent midfield - probably could have pulled this off had I ended up with a qualifier last season when I could use a MOTS. By the end of the season, I might be able to achieve one in a home normal match assuming good team spirit.

Early Season Plans
I have already alluded to most of these, but will summerize them again.

1) Get a solid coach - I am patiently waiting for Teuvo Kaurismaki to pop to solid experience so I can turn him into a coach. He conversion price has not budged in weeks though.

2) Buy an IM trainee - I know I will not pull one so I will be on the market next week. I plan on spending about 300K so I hope to get a passable PM with okay secondaries.

3) Buy a wingback - Solid defense with some experience

4) Upgrade my arena - 3 of my first 4 games are on the road, so I will wait until week 5 to debut the expansion. I am looking to increase from 32000 to 45-48000.

[Havok]

Get First place or the Misfitz are pulling our sponsership from the club!!!! :) :)

Joking of course.... good luck this season bro! Go Clark Merriat!!

[Masked]

US Open Cup Round 1 Preview


New York Bears - South Bay Saints

Normally, I don't like to reveal my strategy in advance of the matches, but it really doesn't matter this week.

Lineup
GK: Tomas Mycklebust

WB: Matt Keyesj (defensive)
CD: Clifton Campbell
WB: Teuvo Kaurismaki (defensive)

W: Joonas Vahtramae (towards middle)
IM: Dani Mario Araujo (offensive)
IM: Ryzard Laguna (extra)
IM: Toader Popa (offensive)
W: Carlton Blakely (towards middle)

F: Joe Lond
F: Robin Drakborn

Our lineup is intended to counter the Bear's wretched midfield. :D

Actually I wanted to get all five of my IM's training this week, so I decided to play two on the wings. In order for them to have some contribution, they were ordered to play towards the middle. I am gambling that the form of my winger will not tank. The Saints will be attacking down the middle since there will be no wing attacks, and I am curious what rating I can get for the attack strategies. And of course the Saints are playing it cool.

This game is also the debut of mid-formidable keeper Mycklebust. I am hoping for 3.5 stars from him as he is in weak form.

Hopefully, Teuvo will get some experience today as well which is why he is playing instead of one of my other starters.

[Masked]

US Open Cup: round 1




New York Bears – South Bay Saints 0-6




The Saints controlled possession 86% and 95% of the time in the first ans second half respectively. Joe Lond had a hattrick but picked up a late yellow card.




Goals


0 - 1 Robin Drakborn (11)
0 - 2 Joe Lond (13)
0 - 3 Joe Lond (28)
0 - 4 Dani Mário Araújo (31)
0 - 5 Joe Lond (69)
0 - 6 Dani Mário Araújo (70)



Ratings




South Bay Saints



<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="337" border="0"><colgroup><col width="181"><col width="148"></colgroup><tbody><tr valign="top"><td width="181">Team Attitude:

</td><td width="148">Play it Cool

</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td width="181">Tactic:

</td><td width="148">Attack in the middle

</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td width="181">Tactic skill:

</td><td width="148">solid

</td></tr><tr><td width="333" colspan="2">

</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td width="181">Midfield:

</td><td width="148">passable

</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td width="181">Right Side Defence:

</td><td width="148">passable

</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td width="181">Central Defence:

</td><td width="148">excellent

</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td width="181">Left Side Defence:

</td><td width="148">solid

</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td width="181">Right Side Attack:

</td><td width="148">inadequate

</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td width="181">Central Attack:

</td><td width="148">formidable

</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td width="181">Left Side Attack:

</td><td width="148">inadequate

</td></tr></tbody></table>



NSI 58

I was disappointed in my midfield since I played two IMs as wingers towards the middle, but bad team spirit and poor form hurt. The solid rating with the AIM tactic was a pleasant surprise and suggests that AIM or AOW would be a viable tactic in league play.




Stars

edit: This section was removed to see if the image was causing problems loading the thread

Despite being in weak form, Tomas Mycklebust had 3.5 stars in his debut with the team. Hopefully his form will improve tomorrow.




Round 2 matchup - Stimutacs – a three week old team in VI.148. They had a few impressive ratings in their 6-0 win today including an outstanding right defense and a solid left attack. However, their wretched midfield at home will not be much of threat.

[Masked]

This isn't really WYSIWYG - I think I am going to give up on all this formatting.

[Havok]

i don't even know what WYSIWYG is!! but i keep hearing people talk about it :)

[Masked]

Week 1 training

After training stamina in the first week of the offseason, I went back to the routine playmaking. I thought about a week of winger, but decided that I wanted to all 5 of my IMs some playing time (2 at wings) in the cup match to ensure that I had at least 3 in good form for Sunday.

There were no playmaking pops this week, but none were expected. Next week Dani Mario Araujo should hit outstanding.

It was a good week for the teams form.

Team: +6/-2
Starters: +4/-1

Notable movers:
GK Tomas Mycklebust increased from weak to inadequate form.
F Joe Lond and CD Clifton Campbell returned to passable after dropping as a result of the stamina training.

[Masked]

Team Notes

I am interested in following these stats as my team develops (seeing them in the Misfitz dynasty reminded me to post them).

Summary - Your players

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2"> <tbody><tr> <td>Value per player (average): </td> <td>225 500 US$</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Total squad value: </td> <td>4 510 000 US$</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Average age: </td> <td>23</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Current form (average): </td> <td>passable</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Experience (average): </td> <td>poor</td> </tr> <tr> <td>No of players (excluding the coach): </td> <td>20</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Number of nationalities: </td> <td>10</td></tr></tbody> </table>

[sterlingice]

I see you have decided to join our little cadre of fanatics. :)

SI

[Masked]

I had an open federation slot and spend a lot of time on hattrick often lurking in the conferences but rarely find any topic worth posting in. I had heard good things about the fed from you and others in the chats. Now it is just a matter of finding topics that I am not scared to post in. :)

Fanatacis just doesn't seem to properly embody the craziness I have seen in there.

[Masked]

PIC or PIN

I am undecided how to play this weekends match. I am on the road against an evenly matched opponent. I should have a better attack and defense, so I am wondering if I can get away with losing the midfield. If I PIC I should have a passable to solid midfield against his solid to excellent. Playing normal I would match his midfield. My team spirit currently sucks (calm) and I would love to get it to POE by the next week home game against a tougher foe.

Do I risk giving up points on the road in order to better position myself for the rest of the season?

[Alf]

I'd PIC, no question. It is a road game anyway, so chances are you won't win anyway.

[RPI-Fan]

I'd PIN - being at POE is NO guarantee for winning next week. Plus, you should still be at least Satisfied for that game.

[Masked]

Weekly Update

Youth Pull

So close to being exactly what I wanted.

Kirk Vandyke (27366241) 17 years, passable form, healthy A controversial person who is calm and honest.
Has disastrous experience and poor leadership abilities.


Speciality: Quick

<table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Nationality: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> USA </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Assessed value: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 37 000 US$ </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Wage: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 660 US$/week </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Owner: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> South Bay Saints </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Warnings: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 0 </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td>Stamina: </td><td>poor </td> <td> Goaltending: </td><td>disastrous </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Playmaking: </td><td>inadequate </td> <td> Passing: </td><td>passable </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Winger: </td><td>poor </td> <td> Defending: </td><td>poor </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Scoring: </td><td>wretched </td> <td> Set Pieces: </td><td>passable </td></tr></tbody> </table>
I need another playmaking trainee. I would rather the PM been passable and the passing inadequate, or if he had a higher value. Also his stamina is very low. However, he has no skills other than the PM and passing to influence his value, so he might be a bit better than he looks. The quick specialty is fine for an IM as well. Since his defense sucks, he is basically immune to any negative influences. The passable set pieces is a nice bonus. I am off to look around the markets for players with similar values.

I am leaning towards keeping him and training him. The worst case puts him at low solid PM by the end of the season.

Economy

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr><td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Cash funds: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 745 509 US$ (687 586) US$ </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> Sponsors: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> delirious </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> Supporter Club: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 1593 members </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> Supporters: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> satisfied</td></tr></tbody> </table>
Since I need to promote a new coach soon (F%&#ing Kaurismaki) I really have very little disposable income. All the more reason to train Kirk.


Edit: Based on briefly looking at similar players on the Swedish market this guy's PM skill isn't likely to be that low. There is one passable PM, passable passer (poor or less everywhere else) with a lower value than Vandyke. There are a few in the 40K range as well. Vandyke should be a fine trainee - no Iver, but could enough (and cheap enough).

[Masked]

Thanks Alf and RPI-Fan for your thoughts. I am leaning towards playing it normal which should make me the favorite. I face the 4 toughest teams in my series in the first 4 weeks (3 matches on the road). I really need to come out of this stretch with a split if I want a chance to win the division.

[Masked]

Well I checked the American markets for similar players to Kirk and here is what comes up first

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="576"> <tbody><tr><td colspan="2"> 1. Tristan Matsson 2 750 000 US$ (Bees) </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top"> Belongs to: Thunderchickens
Age: 20 years
Value: 440 000 US$
Deadline: 3/7/2004 at 05.20
</td> <td align="left" valign="top"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td>Stamina: </td><td>weak</td> <td> Keeper: </td> <td>disastrous</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Playmaking: </td><td>inadequate</td> <td> Passing: </td><td>passable</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Winger: </td> <td>poor</td> <td> Defending: </td><td>weak</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Scoring: </td><td>outstanding</td> <td> Set Pieces: </td><td>poor</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody> </table>

Obvisouly left off scoring in the search. More importantly, that bastard ausonny http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/tongue.gif and his ungodly youth pull, is about to make a team in my division very rich. Thunderchickens attack is very good and losing this player probably won't weaken it enough to make a bug difference. Plus he can now fix his midfield which is what allowed me to sweep him last season.

So once again - I HATE YOU AUSONNY! http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[sterlingice]

Well I checked the American markets for similar players to Kirk and here is what comes up first...

Obvisouly left off scoring in the search. More importantly, that bastard ausonny http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/tongue.gif and his ungodly youth pull, is about to make a team in my division very rich. Thunderchickens attack is very good and losing this player probably won't weaken it enough to make a bug difference. Plus he can now fix his midfield which is what allowed me to sweep him last season.

So once again - I HATE YOU AUSONNY! http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/tongue.gif
We all do, Masked, we all do :)

SI

[Masked]

League Fixture: Week 1

Los Chixi Dix - South Bay Saints

Last season Chixi finished in third place thanks to a bit of luck. Their team is similar to mine but I am a little better everywhere. However, on the road my advantage in midfield is negated so I decided to normal this match. With Fratboys (17 yo solid defender, inad passing) and Thunderchickens (sold 3 forwards for $9M) coming into a lot of money this week, I decided that I couldn't afford to miss out on points against an slightly inferior opponent.

Winger Jef Tadie (Sol wing, sol PM, inad passing) was ordered to the middle in an effort to try and get an edge in midfield. No other twists this week.

Match Report
Saints´s Robin Drakborn gave the visitors a 0 - 1 lead in the 2nd minute with a superb strike from the right.
Great way to start a season

21 minutes into the game Jef Tadié had to leave the pitch due to a knee injury. In came Myles Bloom.
Tadie, the winger towards the middle, was replaced by a guy with weak PM - a potentially devestating blow.

Matt Keyesj sailed high, high above the opponents as he headed the 0-2 in after a corner kick after 24 minutes of play.
An event goal gives the Saints a nice cushion.

In the 27:th minute Saints put themselves up 0 - 3 after an attack from the right, caused by a defensive blunder. Scorer was Joe Lond. The structure of the game started to change as Saints decided to pull back and meet their opponents in the defensive zone.
I am extremely suprised to find myself with the big lead.

As Rajko Jelic had, completely unprovoked, swept the legs out from under an opponent in front of a linesman, the referee gave the Chixi player a red card without batting an eye. Saints were forced to a substitution as Dani Mário Araújo couldn´t continue playing due to the rough treatment, forcing Ryszard Laguna to come in from the sidelines.
Another big blow to my midfield - Dani is my top IM and is a week away from outstanding. Laguna is the future and is a mid-excellent. Fortunately, Rajko Jelic is Chixi's best IM so this event should actually end in my favor.

Halftime score was 0 - 3. The fortyfive minutes were dominated by Saints, with an impressive 52 percent possession of the ball.


In the 75:th minute the home team was awarded a penalty. The guest´s keeper did dive the right way, but Delmer Sampson was still able to reduce the score to 1 - 3.
Why did I buy that high price keeper?

In the 78:th minute Chixis Joe Johnson received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first.
Damn, their just nasty today.

Saints held the ball, with a clear 52 percent possession rate.


Ratings

Los Chixi Dix

Tactic: Normal


Midfield: excellent
Right Side Defence: outstanding
Central Defence: excellent
Left Side Defence: excellent
Right Side Attack: solid
Central Attack: passable
Left Side Attack: solid

NSI 70

South Bay Saints

Team Attitude: Normal
Tactic: Normal

Midfield: solid
Right Side Defence: excellent
Central Defence: excellent
Left Side Defence: excellent
Right Side Attack: passable
Central Attack: formidable
Left Side Attack: outstanding

NSI 70

Stars

3.5 GK Tomas Mycklebust

3.5 WB Matt Keyesj
3.5 CD Clifton Campbell
2.5 WB Yki Hyypia

2.5 W Jef Tadie (injured)
1.5 W Myles Bloom (sub)
4.0 IM Joonas Vahtramae
2.5 IM Dani Mario Arraujo (injured)
3.0 IM Ryzard Laguna (sub)
3.5 IM Toader Popa
3.0 W Clark Merritt

3.0 F Robin Drakborn
3.0 F Joe Lond

Individual Notes
Goals (league total)
Robin Drakborn (1)
Joe Lond (1)
Matt Keyesj (1)

Injuries:
Jef Tadie +1
Dani Mario Arraujo +2 (Dropped to +1 with the sunday night update!!!)

Around IV.31

Fratboys - Number Munche 5 - 0
Walkover win for Fratboys in their first match back in division 4.

CC's Dragons - Thunderchicke 2 - 0
NSI 79 - 62
Thunderchickens really screwed this one up. They failed to replace 2 of their starting forwards that they sold yesterday and didn't use their money to buy an IM. Regardless they managed a formidable central attack with 0.5 star, 1.5 star, and 4.5 star forwards. CC's Dragons looked very impressive in their home opener and the teams has extremely good form right now with 8 starters in solid or better form.

RI Coks - Dragonball F 1 - 0
NSI 68 - 57
Coks put up a solid midfield and a fairly impressive defense in their debut. However, their attack still needs some work if they hope for anything better than 6th place.

[Masked]

Team News

I have been looking for a winger for several weeks after selling Charles Montgomery last season. I was looking for anything from solid to formidable with inadequate playmaking. Today I found this guy in Isreal.

Kfir Blumenfeld (27275783)
17 years, passable form, healthy
A pleasant guy who is calm and honest.
Has disastrous experience and inadequate leadership abilities.

<table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Nationality: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> Israel </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Assessed value: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 79 000 US$ </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Wage: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 1 056 US$/week including 20% Bonus </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Owner: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> South Bay Saints </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Warnings: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 0 </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td>Stamina: </td><td>solid </td> <td> Goaltending: </td><td>disastrous </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Playmaking: </td><td>inadequate </td> <td> Passing: </td><td>poor </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Winger: </td><td>solid </td> <td> Defending: </td><td>poor </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Scoring: </td><td>poor </td> <td> Set Pieces: </td><td>weak</td></tr></tbody> </table>
Since he is only 17, I was more than willing to settle for less winger skill for more seasons for training his playmaking skill. He played in a league match this past weekend and received 2.5 stars while playing normal. He has great stamina and no dirty skills to effect his value (passing would have been nice though). He will be trained mostly on the wing but occassionally will get a full spot at IM. I could train him at IM this week since I had 4 IMs play in my friendly but I am worried that hi, along with my inad PM poor stamina youth pull and a mid-solid PM would not provide a comfortable midfield advantage in my cup match since I play a human team.


Best part (I think), I paid 141Km which looks like a pretty good buy.

[Masked]

A bit more shopping

With the injuries to W Jef Tadie and IM Dani Mario Araujo in Sunday's league game, I have a few extra training spots for the cup match, Both Jef and Dani are +1 now so they will receive training. Kfir will take the wing spot that Myles Bloom (Jef's replacement) was scheduled to play. As I mentioned in the previous post, I was a bit unsure what to due with the second IM spot that Ryzard Laguna was scheduled to play. I decided not to play one of my wingers with inadequate PM because that might not leave me enough midfield to ensure a victory. My new trainiee Vandyke will contribute nothing due to his poor stamina. So I will try my hand at day training again, and I found an affordable candidate in an unlikely spot, the Romanian market.

Bogdan Drãghici (25164563)
19 years, passable form, healthy
A sympathetic guy who is balanced and dishonest.
Has disastrous experience and inadequate leadership abilities.

Speciality: Quick

<table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Nationality: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> România </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Assessed value: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 92 000 US$ </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Wage: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 1 068 US$/week including 20% Bonus </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Owner: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> South Bay Saints </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Warnings: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 0 </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td>Stamina: </td><td>passable </td> <td> Goaltending: </td><td>disastrous </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Playmaking: </td><td>solid </td> <td> Passing: </td><td>wretched </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Winger: </td><td>poor </td> <td> Defending: </td><td>weak </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Scoring: </td><td>poor </td> <td> Set Pieces: </td><td>poor </td></tr></tbody> </table>
Bogdan has a high value for a solid PM (accounting for the passable stamina). The weak defense will have a small affect on his value. Unfortunately, I doubt he will pop this week. If Dani is healthy for next weeks cup match, Bogdan will receive half training on the wing. He should pop within the next few weeks.

I picked him up for 79K (maybe a tad under market value) and will be able to get about 200K for him when he hit excellent PM. Let's just refer to him has my arena expansion fund.

[Masked]

US Open Cup Round 2

Thanks to a few injuries on Sunday, I had a lot of flexibility with my lineup for the cup match so I decided to use a 3-4-3.

Stimutacs - South Bay Saints

Saints seemed to prefer attacking in the middle.

Saints took the lead in the games 13th minute with 0 - 1 after some elegant plays down the middle. Zvonko Andric was the scorer.

The referee signalled a penalty in the 27:th minute following an offence just inside of the box. Zvonko Andric knocked home 0 - 2 just out of reach for the goaltender. After this Saints lowered the tempo in order to concentrate on their defensive efforts.

Stimutacs had obvious problems in finding their positions.

Saints increased the lead to 0 - 3 as Zvonko Andric scored from the penalty spot, putting the ball in near the top left corner. By then Zvonko Andric was a three time scorer - a hat trick!

In the 42nd minute Saints put themselves up 0 - 4 after an attack from the right, caused by a defensive blunder. Scorer was Zvonko Andric.

Saints appeared unsure on how to play.

Halftime score was 0 - 4. Saints held the ball, with a clear 91 percent possession rate.

The Stimutacs players spent the half-time break getting a rerun of the teams tactical organization. The Saints players spent the half-time break getting a rerun of the teams tactical organization.

The visitors Zvonko Andric took advantage of an error due to a misunderstanding between the home side´s goalie and central backs in the 51st minute. 0 - 5 for Saints.

63 minutes into the game Hollis Mcduffie had to leave the pitch due to a knee injury. In came Zack Parrish.

Zack Parrish seemed to be floating in the air at will as he elegantly headed in 1-5. The previous Stimutacs corner kick was executed by Florian Tubbs.

After the ball got lifted in from the left Alan Noel was on his own in the home side´s penalty area 80 minutes into the game, and should have scored, but missed, probably due to lack of concentration.

Some fine manouvering on the left lead to an 83rd minute Saints goal, making it 1 - 6.

Kirk Vandyke was noted down as the scorer. Saints had obvious problems in finding their positions.

Stimutacs's Junior Wilhelm scored 2 - 6 by shooting accurately and hard from a long distance, leaving the opponent goalie no other option than to pick up the ball from the net.

Saints held the ball, with a clear 87 percent possession rate.


Notes

It was the Zvonko Andric show as he set a team record with 5 goals scored.

Goals: (cup total, career total)

Zvonko Andric, 5, (5, 10)
Kirk Vandyke, 1, (1, 1)



Ratings

Stimutacs

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td valign="top">Team Attitude:</td> <td valign="top">(Hidden)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Tactic:</td> <td valign="top">Normal</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Tactic skill:</td> <td valign="top">(Unlimited)</td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2">
</td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Midfield:</td> <td valign="top">disastrous</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Right Side Defence:</td> <td valign="top">poor</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Central Defence:</td> <td valign="top">inadequate</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Left Side Defence:</td> <td valign="top">passable</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Right Side Attack:</td> <td valign="top">passable</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Central Attack:</td> <td valign="top">passable</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Left Side Attack:</td> <td valign="top">inadequate</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
NSI 35

South Bay Saints

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td valign="top">Team Attitude:</td> <td valign="top">Play it Cool</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Tactic:</td> <td valign="top">Attack in the middle</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Tactic skill:</td> <td valign="top">solid</td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2">
</td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Midfield:</td> <td valign="top">poor</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Right Side Defence:</td> <td valign="top">inadequate</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Central Defence:</td> <td valign="top">solid</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Left Side Defence:</td> <td valign="top">solid</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Right Side Attack:</td> <td valign="top">inadequate</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Central Attack:</td> <td valign="top">outstanding</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Left Side Attack:</td> <td valign="top">outstanding</td></tr></tbody> </table>
NSI 53

The henious performance by my midfield gave me my lowest NSI ratings in a very long time. The midfield was hurt by team spirit still sucking, the poor stamina on my new trainee, the confusion, and the lack of a second winger.

Stars

3.0 GK Joseph Lassiter

2.0 WB Alan Noel
3.0 CD Matt Keyesj
2.5 WB Teuvo "I got no experience" Kaurismaki

1.5 IM Kirk Vandyke
2.5 IM Bogdan Dragici
3.0 IM Carlton Blakely
2.5 OW Kfir Blumenfeld

3.0 F Robin Drakborn
2,5 F Zvonko Andric
3.0 F Tony Spicer


Next week we face a human team that demoted from division 5 last season.

[Masked]

Training

I am not sure what I have done to hattrick to piss it off, but this was possibly the worst update ever.

Form took a dive (+2, -8; starters, +1, -4) and the pop I was expected did not occur. I guess it goes without saying, the three pops that I was hoping for (although they were a bit unlikely) also did not happen.

[Masked]

Around IV.31

The first in a possibly continuing series highlighting what the other 7 teams in my series have been up to.

<table>
<TABLE Width = "300">
<TR> <TH>Team <TH>Goals <TH>Points
<TR><TH>1. Fratboys <TD>5 - 0 <TD>3
<TR><TH>2. South Bay Saints <TD>3 - 1 <TD>3
<TR><TH>3. CC's Dragons <TD>2 - 0 <TD>3
<TR><TH>4. RI Coks <TD>1 - 0 <TD>3
<TR><TH>5. Dragonball F <TD>0 - 1 <TD>0
<TR><TH>6. Los Chixi Dix <TD>1 - 3 <TD>0
<TR><TH>7. Thunderchickens <TD>0 - 2 <TD>0
<TR><TH>8. Number Munchers <TD>0 - 5 <TD>0
</table>

Fratboys

Transfers:
<table>
<TR><TH>Date <TH>Type <TH>Players <TH>To/From <TH>Price <TH>Value then
<TR><TH>3/10/2004 <TD>Sold <TD>Garland Mcpherson <TD>to Blacksquid <TD>510 000 US$ <TD>(92 000 US$)
</table>

Garland was a 17yo youth pull with solid defending and inadequate passing. He did not sell for as much as I expected.

Cup: Fratboys narrowly defeated a bot 0-2 despite having a very large advantage in the ratings.

CC's Dragons

SI's former nemisis (and my opponent this week) had a quiet week. They easily defeated one of the worst bots I have ever seen (NSI 24) 0-10 in their second round cup match. The Dragons played a 3-4-3 in the cup which was a bit of a surprise and leaves me guessing a bit on what formation they will use this weekend.

RI Coks

Coks had also had an easy cup 0-6 cup win over a slightly better bot. The Coks attacked in the middle for the 4th consecutive match and have an excellent skill at the tactic.

Dragonball F

Dragonball had the toughest cup opponent in the series and narrowing escaped with a 1 - 2 victory despite very narrowly losing possession (50%, 51%).

Los Chixi Dix

<table>
<TR><TH>Date <TH>Type <TH>Players <TH>To/From <TH>Price <TH> Value then
<TR><TH>3/5/2004 <TD>Sold <TD>Miguel Ángel Alonso <TD>to Gasta <TD>50 000 US$ <TD>(52 000 US$)
<TR><TH>3/5/2004 <TD>Sold <TD>Mark Lott <TD>to FC Superkill <TD>36 000 US$ <TD>(71 000 US$)
</table>

Two minor sells of former youth pulls that had been languishing on the bench.

Chixi won their cup match with virtually the same lineup that they used Sunday in the loss to me. The only switch was for the player that had received a red card. The owner is still logging in so this might just be a one week mistake.

Thunderchickens

Last and certainly not least this week. Sabot has had a very busy week.

<table>

<TR><TH>Date <TH>Type <TH>Players <TH>To/From <TH>Price <TH>Value then
<TR><TH>3/11/2004 <TD>Sold <TD>Hassan Cabrera <TD>to Os Broncos <TD>46 000 US$ <TD>(144 000 US$)
<TR><TH>3/8/2004 <TD>Bought <TD>Stan van Rijn <TD>from Zandys Gnuttar <TD>880 000 US$ <TD>(82 000 US$)
<TR><TH>3/8/2004 <TD>Bought <TD>Michael Hebert <TD>from phate <TD>511 000 US$ <TD>(195 000 US$)
<TR><TH>3/7/2004 <TD>Sold <TD>Tristan Matsson <TD>to Bees <TD>2 750 000 US$ <TD>(440 000 US$)
<TR><TH>3/7/2004 <TD>Sold <TD>Håkan Åkering <TD>to Gåseborgs bk <TD>3 185 000 US$ <TD>(1 180 000 US$)
<TR><TH>3/7/2004 <TD>Sold <TD>Ted Zeigler <TD>to Starkers <TD>3 042 000 US$ <TD>(736 000 US$)
</table>

With the 3 big sells he unloaded about 12.5 stars of forwards, but is still left with a formidable lineup (Huisman, 4.5, Hellmo, 5.0; Henriksson, 4.5). Hebert and van Rijn are both 17yo, but neither played this week despite arriving in time for the league match on Sunday. He screwed up his lineup Sunday, so decided to get the training in for his big 3. He can win the series if he spends his remaining $7M wisely.

With 14 stars of forwards in his cup match, he slaughtered a human team 0-7.

Number Munchers

Just in case you haven't been following along closely - this team is a walkover.

[Masked]

<TABLE>
<Table Width = "600">
<TR><TH>Summary- Your players <TH>This week</TH> <TH>Change
<TR><TH>Value per player (average): <TD>207 913 US$ <TD> -$17 587
<TR><TH>Total squad value: <TD>4 782 000 US$ <TD> +$272 000
<TR><TH>Average age: <TD>22 <TD> -1
<TR><TH>Current form (average): <TD>passable <TD> NC
<TR><TH>Experience (average): <TD>poor <TD> NC
<TR><TH>No of players (excluding the coach): <TD>23 <TD>+3
<TR><TH>Number of nationalities: <TD>11 <TD> +1
</TABLE>

[sterlingice]

CC's Dragons

SI's former nemisis (and my opponent this week) had a quiet week. They easily defeated one of the worst bots I have ever seen (NSI 24) 0-10 in their second round cup match. The Dragons played a 3-4-3 in the cup which was a bit of a surprise and leaves me guessing a bit on what formation they will use this weekend.
I'm glad they managed to stick around so I can keep tabs on him while reading your dynasty. I chat with him occasionally via ht-mail but it's hard to rememeber every team to check out.

SI

[Masked]

Weekly update

Youth pull

Back to crap

Anderson Gaddis (27856244)
17 years, passable form, healthy
A sympathetic guy who is temperamental and honest.
Has disastrous experience and disastrous leadership abilities.


Speciality: Quick

<table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Nationality: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> USA </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Assessed value: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 5 000 US$ </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Wage: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 520 US$/week </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Owner: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> South Bay Saints </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Warnings: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 0 </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td>Stamina: </td><td>weak </td> <td> Goaltending: </td><td>disastrous </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Playmaking: </td><td>wretched </td> <td> Passing: </td><td>poor </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Winger: </td><td>inadequate </td> <td> Defending: </td><td>poor </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Scoring: </td><td>wretched </td> <td> Set Pieces: </td><td>wretched </td></tr></tbody> </table>

Economics

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> Cash funds: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 482 776 US$ (424 129) US$ </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> Sponsors: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> high on life </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> Supporter Club: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 1612 members </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> Supporters: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> high on life</td></tr></tbody> </table>
With a home game tomorrow and good weather, I should be well in the black for the week. The supporters contribution too k a nice jump this week and may top 90K for the first time next week. Dani Mario Arraujo is nearly completely healed, but since I didn't fire the docs earlier, I will keep the 7 on hand until after the cup match on Wednesday.

[Masked]

League match, week 2

South Bay Saints - CC's Dragons

After one week, I am in second place and DragonFire is in third. Last season we split the series, with each team taking an easy three points at home (6-2, 3-0). Our teams are very similar, good midfields and balanced offense and defenses.

In the first four weeks of the season, I play my four toughest foes. Of those four matches, this week is the only one at home (the end of the season is going to be nice), and therefore, I view this match as a must win.

Dragons typically runs an asymmetric 3-5-2 although he did use a 3-4-3 in his last cup match (as did I). He occasionally switches which wingback he pulls. However, the last several weeks he has always pulled his left wingback so I am going to load up my right side attack. Last time we played I guessed he would switch, but he didn't. Hopefully this time the opposite gamble will pay off. We figure to be pretty close in the midfield so I will play my left winger towards the middle to hopefully give me a two level advantage. Gambling that my midfield advantage will be enough defense, I am putting Teuvo Kaurismaki (pass winger, inad def) in at the right wingback spot (my strong side). Teuvo will be the next coach of the Saints, but I have been getting extremely frustrated with his inability to gain any experience.

Match report
32000 spectators arrived at Complex Spikes Arena, where weather conditions were pretty good for football.

Alarico Mansur of Dragons received a yellow card in the 6:th minute for unsportsmanlike behaviour. Joonas Vahtramäe of Saints received a yellow card in the 6:th minute for unsportsmanlike behaviour.
Pretty clear that we have a budding rivalry going here. http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif

A well placed corner kick from Joe Lond was followed by Matt Keyesj´s hard but accurate header. The nice combination meant goal for Saints. The result now 1-0.
Second week in a row with a corner kick coal.

The home sides Joe Lond twisted a free kick home in the 35:th minute, putting Saints ahead 2 - 0.
Two goals in the first half are both courtesy of Joe Lond's set piece skill. More on this interesting point later.

The teams went for a half-time break at 2 - 0. Saints held the ball, with a clear 59 percent possession rate.
2 goal lead, 59% possession, great stamina, what could go wrong.[i]

A speedy charge from the left side of the field put Saints lead up with 3 - 0. Teuvo Kaurismäki finished that one off competently, firing from an acute angle.
[i]The biggest goal in quite awhile for the Saints - Teuvo should get experience - maybe.

The referee showed Dragonss Patrik Ulfsson the yellow card after a particularly nasty challenge. The player down was Joonas Vahtramäe. The Saints bench looked worried a while but in the end he managed to get up.
It might have been better if he stayed down

In the games 72nd minute Dragons replied, reducing the lead to 3 - 1. Charlie Estep scored on a marvellous cross pass coming in from the left.
We can afford to spot them one - this was against Teuvo, the weak spot in the defense.

Unsportsmanlike behaviour by Joonas Vahtramäe rendered him his second booking of the match, and Saints had to finish the game with a reduced squad.
I had a bad feeling when my top IM got a yellow in the 6th minute - perhaps I'm psychic. Joonas is a balanced and honest fellow and thus not typically a card magnet.

After several obvious shirt pulling incidents, Dragons´s Sammie Maloney got himself booked.

Dragons fought on and, in the 90:th minute Mattias Lifgren was able to reply with 3 - 2 after some excellent moves on the right side finished off by an incredibly clever chip.
Thank god the games ends now.

Dragons held the ball, with a clear 54 percent possession rate.
59% to 46% thanks to Joonas getting booted.

Individual Notes

Goals (season total)
Matt Keyesj -- 1 (2)
Joe Lond -- 1 (2)
Teuvo Kaurismaki -- 1 (1)

Cards
Joonas Vahtramäe -- 2 yellows (suspended)

Injuried
Joonas Vahtramäe -- bruised

Ratings

South Bay Saints

Team Attitude: Normal
Tactic: Normal
Tactic skill: (Unlimited)



<table> <tbody><tr><td>Midfield: </td><td>formidable
</td></tr><tr><td>Right Side Defence: </td><td>excellent
</td></tr><tr><td>Central Defence: </td><td>excellent
</td></tr><tr><td>Left Side Defence: </td><td>excellent
</td></tr><tr><td>Right Side Attack: </td><td>inadequate
</td></tr><tr><td>Central Attack: </td><td>excellent
</td></tr><tr><td>Left Side Attack: </td><td>outstanding
</td></tr><tr><td>
</td></tr><tr><td>NSI </td><td>74
</td></tr></tbody></table>

CC's Dragons

Tactic: Normal
Tactic skill: (Unlimited)



Midfield:	solid
Right Side Defence:	outstanding
Central Defence:	brilliant
Left Side Defence:	solid
Right Side Attack:	outstanding
Central Attack:	excellent
Left Side Attack:	excellent
NSI	75

Well I got my two level advantage in midfield, but Joonas negated that by getting the two yellows. Fortunately, I hung on to win, because he had me beat elsewhere. I am disappointed in my defensive ratings. With Mycklebust up to inadequate form, I hoped my defense would be better than it was with Lassiter in solid form. He did switch his wingback, so I ended up attacking his strong side.

Stars

3.5 GK Tomas Mycklebust

3.5 WB Clifton Campbell (def)
3.0 CD Matt Keyesj
2.5 WB Teuvo Kaurismaki (def)

2.0 W Bogdan Draghici (towards mid)
3.5 IM Dani Mario Arraujo
--- IM Joonas "booted" Vahtramae
3.5 IM Toader Popa (Off)
3.5 W Clark Merritt (Off)

3.0 F Joe Lond
3.0 F Robin Drakborn

Around IV.31


Thunderchickens - Fratboys 1 - 4
NSI 84 - 84
Thunderchickens put up a utopian central attack and by far their best ratings ever offensively. However, they still have no midfield (weak) and thus never had a chance to use their great attack. I play them next week, so hopefully they will wait one more week to do something about their midfield. This was Fratboys first real match of the season, and they came out very strong. They had an excellent midfield on the road and a supernatural central defense. Their weakness is a rather pedestrian offense (all excellents).

Dragonball F - Los Chixi Dix 0 - 2
NSI 69 - 69
You may have noticed a trend this week. My one point loss in NSI to the Dragons was the only match in which the teams weren't perfectly matched. Dragonball was extremely unlucky to get shut out, but Chixi had a sizable possession advantage even though they both put up solid midfields due to Dragonball losing an IM on a red card in the 17th minute. This was an ugly match featuring 5 yellow cards and one red card. Somewhat suprisingly, the only injury was to one of Chixi's top IM's who is out with a +1.

Number Munche - RI Coks 0 - 5
Walkover

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>Series IV.31 - Week 2</CAPTION>
<Width = "40">
<TR><TH>Team <TH>Goals <TH>Points
<TR><TD>1.Fratboys <TD>9 - 1 <TD>6
<TR><TD>2.RI Coks <TD>6 - 0 <TD>6
<TR><TD>3.South Bay Saints <TD>6 - 3 <TD>6
<TR><TD>4.CC's Dragons <TD>4 - 3 <TD>3
<TR><TD>5.Los Chixi Dix <TD>3 - 3 <TD>3
<TR><TD>6.Dragonball F <TD>0 - 3 <TD>0
<TR><TD>7.Thunderchickens <TD>1 - 6 <TD>0
<TR><TD>8.Number Munchers <TD>0 - 10 <TD>0
</TABLE>

Final notes
Teuvo got experience today and his conversion to a passable coach price has dropped to 240,900. Solid experienced players cost to convert is about 236,000, so he is very close. Suprisingly, Matt Keyesj conversion to an inadequate price did not drop even though he scored a goal. Perhaps I need to find that post by Bjorn in the conferences again to figure out how experience works (esp. since I have been telling everyone that players who score automatically get 1x experience).

As I mentioned in the opening, this was an important match. I have an outside shot at winning the series, if I can get my defenders and offense into a bit better form, and cannot afford to drop matches at home. Dragons has a very solid team which is performing better than mine is at the momment. On paper, I should have the better team though.

Fratboys and Thunderchickens both performed much better than I expected. TC expecially should have no trouble fixing their midfield, and will then be capable of putting up a 100+ NSI, and would absolutely destroy anyone in the division. The only question is does he get around to it before he lets the chance to win the series get away from him.

[Masked]

US Open Cup: Round 3

TopDrawerSoccer - South Bay Saints

A free kick aimed at the keepers far post almost gave Saints the lead in the 2nd minute, but the ball just wasn´t able to squirm it´s way through the defensive wall.

In the games 14:th minute TopDrawerSoccer´s Connie Moss fell dramatically just outside the penalty area. However, the referee booked Connie Moss for taking a dive.

The 15:th minute saw the home team take a 1 - 0 lead after a leak in the visitors right side defense. Scorer for TopDrawerSoccer was Anthony Talwalkar.

A cross coming in from the right hand side left Zvonko Andric alone in front of the goal in the 16:th minute but his shot was too loose. TopDrawerSoccers Raúl Cabezón López got himself booked after a foul.

Saints got a chance to level the score as Tony Spicer suddenly found himself free with the goaltender but the finishing shot hit the bar.

1 - 0 was the half-time score. Saints held the ball, with a clear 72 percent possession rate.

Saints could level the score in the 56:th minute at 1 - 1, as Jef Tadié struck home after a fine midfield combination, leaving him completely unmarked.

Tommy Joe King of TopDrawerSoccer received a yellow card in the 70:th minute for unsportsmanlike behaviour.

Saints took the lead after 80 minutes with 1 - 2. Ryszard Laguna placed the ball out of reach for the home sides keeper after a fine move, coming in from the left.

Some fine manouvering on the left lead to an 89:th minute Saints goal, making it 1 - 3. Tony Spicer was noted down as the scorer.

The away team´s Tony Spicer took advantage of a mistake to the home side´s right in the 90:th minute increasing Saints´s lead to 1 - 4.

After 90 minutes a combination in the middle resulted in a through ball for Tony Spicer who increased Saints´s lead to 1 - 5. This third goal made a hat trick for Tony Spicer. The structure of the game started to change as Saints decided to pull back and meet their opponents in the defensive zone.

The fortyfive minutes were dominated by Saints, with an impressive 83 percent possession of the ball.


Notes

Well fortunately I was on a plane during this match or i would have been very frustrated with the first half and most of the second half. Tony Spicer's hattrick in the 89th and 90th minute was the only reason the score was close to being what it should have been.

Unfortunately, this looks like my last week in the cup. Next week opponent has a very strong attack, and his midfield is better than my trainees. I could play my starting IM's and train winger if I wanted to try to get at least one home cup match.

(As I am still out of town, my updates will be brief for the next few days)

[Masked]

Training

Hattrick decided to make up for last weeks horrible update with a nice one this time.

Two playmaking pops - one I expected last time - and one that I popped a week early.

Dani Mário Araújo
473 000 US$, 22 years, solid form
Has poor experience and weak leadership abilities

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td>Stamina: </td><td>excellent</td> <td> Keeper: </td><td>disastrous</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Playmaking: </td><td>outstanding</td> <td> Passing: </td><td>poor</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Winger: </td><td>wretched</td> <td> Defending: </td><td>poor</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Scoring: </td><td>poor</td> <td> Set Pieces: </td><td>poor</td></tr></tbody> </table>
Araujo's pop was expected last week. Araujo is my best playmaker and I will train him up one more level before finally selling off the first trainee I ever purchased.


Carlton Blakely
283 000 US$, 19 years, solid form
Has disastrous experience and weak leadership abilities

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td>Stamina: </td><td>excellent</td> <td> Keeper: </td><td>disastrous</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Playmaking: </td><td>excellent</td> <td> Passing: </td><td>inadequate</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Winger: </td><td>poor</td> <td> Defending: </td><td>inadequate</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Scoring: </td><td>weak</td> <td> Set Pieces: </td><td>wretched</td></tr></tbody> </table>
Carlton was at one time a very promising 17 year old, but his PM skill was much lower than I estimated. He has a couple good years of training left in him at 19. I have no idea how long I will keep him around, but he may move into the starting lineup in a couple of seasons.

Form: +8/-3

Notable moves:
F Joe Lond and IM Dani Mario Araujo to solid.
W Clark Merritt to passable (finally).
CD Clifton Campbell moved up to passable, but WB Matt Keyesj dropped back to passable making it a wash for my defense.
GK Mycklebust value grew to 932K, but he is still in inadequate form.


Team Stats

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2"> <tbody><tr><td>Value per player (average): </td> <td>220 870 US$</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Total squad value: </td> <td>5 080 000 US$</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Average age: </td> <td>22</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Current form (average): </td> <td>passable</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Experience (average): </td> <td>poor</td> </tr> <tr> <td>No of players (excluding the coach): </td> <td>23</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Number of nationalities: </td> <td>11</td></tr></tbody> </table>
The Saints broke the $5M mark for the first time!

[Masked]

Around IV.31

<Table>
<Width="400">
<TR><TH> Team <TH>Goals <TH>Points
<TR><TH>1. Fratboys <TD>9 - 1 <TD>6
<TR><TH>2. RI Coks <TD>6 - 0 <TD>6
<TR><TH>3. South Bay Saints <TD>6 - 3 <TD>6
<TR><TH>4. CC's Dragons <TD>4 - 3 <TD>3
<TR><TH>5. Los Chixi Dix <TD>3 - 3 <TD>3
<TR><TH>6. Dragonball F <TD>0 - 3 <TD>0
<TR><TH>7. Thunderchickens <TD>1 - 6 <TD>0
<TR><TH>8. Number Munchers <TD>0 - 10 <TD>0
</Table>

1. Fratboys
Cup: Little Man's Boat - Fratboys 0 - 4
Transfers: Sold Juan Antonio Rodríguez to FC Thrashland for $2,244,000. Juan was their third highest valued playmaker, and his departure should have a minimal impact on Fratboys.

2. RI Coks
Cup: F.C. Gaychester~ - RI Coks 4 - 0, Coks had no chance in this match. and they are only the second team in the series out of the cup.

4. CC's Dragons
Cup: SavShockers - CC's Dragons 2 - 4. The Dragons came out in a 3-4-3 for the second straight cup match. Their strong attack was enough to overcome only a poor midfield. I haven't been following his player values very closely, but since he started two 27yo IM's, I wonder if he has or is planning to switch to scoring training.

5. Los Chixi Dix
Cup: VENGEANCE Inc. - Los Chixi Dix 0 - 7, another easy win for them. They have switched to training forwards but run a 3-5-2 in both league and cup matches.

6. Dragonball F
Cup: FloTown Flood - Dragonball F 3 - 5, This one should not have been as close as the score might suggest. Dragonball has had several strong performances over the past few weeks, and has lead me to think that I might have underestimated their team.

7. Thunderchickens
Cup: The Goblins - Thunderchickens 1 - 7, Once again those two 17yos they bought did not play this week.
However, the big news in the series this week was his press announcement, 3/18/2004 Changes in the air, and one small purchase.
Transfers: Bought Mikael Harting from Tottingham for $2,601,000. Harting is a 4.5 star IM that will make Thunderchickens a far more formidable opponent. One more IM and he will be the favorite to win the division.


Fixtures

Los Chixi Dix - Number Munchers
Chixi gets the walkover.

CC's Dragons - Dragonball F
the battle of the big lizards. At home CC's should have no trouble winning this match and I expect them to win in all three areas. CC's 4-2

Thunderchickens - South Bay Saints
This match was much easier before the purchase of Harting (who I am guesing is a brilliant IM with either inadequate or passable defense). I should still win possession, but my defense can't do much against a magical-utopian central attack. Should I go with the Norwegian strategy? 4-4 (very wishful thinking)

RI Coks - Fratboys
Coks is 2-0 thanks to the weakest schedule in the division but that will end this week against the team that has performed the best in the first two weeks. Fratboys 1-4

[Masked]

Week 3 Preview

Thunderchickens - South Bay Saints

Last week:

Thunderchickens (home vs. Fratboys)

Thunderchickens

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td valign="top">Team Attitude:</td> <td valign="top">(Hidden)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Tactic:</td> <td valign="top">Normal</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Tactic skill:</td> <td valign="top">(Unlimited)</td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2">
</td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Midfield:</td> <td valign="top">weak *
</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Right Side Defence:</td> <td valign="top">outstanding</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Central Defence:</td> <td valign="top">formidable</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Left Side Defence:</td> <td valign="top">excellent</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Right Side Attack:</td> <td valign="top">extra-terrestrial</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Central Attack:</td> <td valign="top">utopian</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Left Side Attack:</td> <td valign="top">outstanding</td></tr></tbody> </table>
NSI 86

* Don't forget about hte 2.6M IM they bought this week

South Bay Saints (home)

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td valign="top">Team Attitude:</td> <td valign="top">Normal</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Tactic:</td> <td valign="top">Normal</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Tactic skill:</td> <td valign="top">(Unlimited)</td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2">
</td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Midfield:</td> <td valign="top">formidable</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Right Side Defence:</td> <td valign="top">excellent</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Central Defence:</td> <td valign="top">excellent</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Left Side Defence:</td> <td valign="top">excellent</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Right Side Attack:</td> <td valign="top">inadequate</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Central Attack:</td> <td valign="top">excellent</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Left Side Attack:</td> <td valign="top">outstanding</td></tr></tbody> </table>
NSI = 74


Thunderchickens runs a 3-4-3 moving a CD to IM and repositioning his right winger as the extra forward. the only way to win this match is to dominate possession as my defense will allow every one of those utopian attacks through. I am planning on playing one winger towards the middle like last week, and barring a redcard (week 2) or an injury (week 1), I should see at least a formidable midfield (better form, health, and TS compared to last weeks home match).

The real decisions this week are what to do with my defenders. My current thought is to use two central defenders and one wingback(behind Clark Merrits wing attack). One of the central defenders will really be an extra IM who will play offensive (Exc + 0 PM, Inad Def, solid form). Teuvo (Pass wing, inad def, solid-0.0001 exp) will be the wingback and ordered to play offensively. I am undecided on who to play in the final defense spot. Option 1: Matt Keyesj (solid defense, head) - Matt will someday be a coach so evrey bit of experience is important and he would be the only head specialist on the team (2 head goals so far this season).. Option 2 - Ryzard Laguna (Solid Stam, Exc+5 PM, wretched Def) would be played as an offensive CD to give me more MF at the expense of having any defense beyond what my inad form GK would provide.



Anyone have any suggestions.

[Masked]

Weekly update

Youth pull

Willy Herbert (28327514)
17 years, passable form, healthy
A pleasant guy who is balanced and honest.
Has disastrous experience and wretched leadership abilities.

<table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Nationality: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> USA </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Assessed value: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 13 000 US$ </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Wage: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 560 US$/week </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Owner: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> South Bay Saints </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Warnings: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 0 </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td>Stamina: </td><td>poor </td> <td> Goaltending: </td><td>disastrous </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Playmaking: </td><td>inadequate </td> <td> Passing: </td><td>weak </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Winger: </td><td>poor </td> <td> Defending: </td><td>weak </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Scoring: </td><td>weak </td> <td> Set Pieces: </td><td>poor </td></tr></tbody> </table>

Last year I couldn't get any 17 yo's but I got older guys that would fetch 5-10K. This season, I get 17yos without a primary skill higher than inadequate. I am so overdue for that 17yo double excellent (probably be stamina and set pieces).

Just to recap: I have played HT for over a year now and have paid 20K every week.

Players with a primary skill > passable: 0

Economics

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr><td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Cash funds: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 648 729 US$ (602 202) US$ </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> Sponsors: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> high on life </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> Supporter Club: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 1633 members </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> Supporters: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> high on life</td></tr></tbody> </table>
My rate supporter's rate of growth dropped to 10/update on Wednesday.

[Masked]

League match: week 3


This week the Saints faced the best offense in the division. Thunderchickens put up an utopian central attack a few weeks ago, but has yet to have better than a weak midfield this season. However, he bought a new IM this week with a value in excess of $1M (my guess, brillian PM, inad or pass defense). I am not sure what to expect from him this week, so I am going to try to maximize my midfield at the expense of my central defense (which is worthless against a utopian attack anyway). I am going to use an asymmetric 3-5-2 with one offensive central defender and a winger towards the middle and hope that I get a 2-1 advantage in possession.

Match Report


Thunderchickens seemed to prefer attacking in the middle. In the games 18:th minute Robin Drakborn almost gave the visitors the lead, as he clipped a spectacular scissors shot just past the bar. After 19 minutes Saints put themselves up by 0 - 1 as Robin Drakborn finished off a strike from the left with a real cannon placed at the far post. After 23 minutes a combination in the middle resulted in a through ball for Jef Tadié who increased Saints´s lead to 0 - 2. Man, what a shot by Joe Lond! Firing from 35 yards he didn't give the enemy goalie a chance and it was 0 - 3. The structure of the game started to change as Saints decided to pull back and meet their opponents in the defensive zone. Thunderchickenss Arjan Huisman went wide in the 31st minute, recieving a brilliant pass slicing through the visiting teams central defense line, putting the 1 - 3 goal away. Saints came close to extending their lead as Joe Lond delivered a long range shot from the right but the angle was too sharp, and the shot hit the side of the goal. 1 - 3 was the half-time score. The fortyfive minutes were dominated by Saints, with an impressive 61 percent possession of the ball.

In the 47:th minute Horia Stelea passed through the guests central line of defense, scoring the 2 - 3 goal. After 58 minutes of game time Robin Drakborn received an excellent opportunity to add to the visitors lead, clipping a volley hooked in from the right, but Ulf Ramtorp was in the right place, tipping the ball to a corner. In the game's 58:th minute Thunderchickens´s Dennis Zetterholt limped slightly after a late challenge, but he was able to continue. Saints, bringing the final ball possession rate to 62 percent, dominated the battle.

Chances
Thunderchickens - (2 for 2, all normal)
Saints - (2 for 4, normal, 1 for 1, event - long shot)

Goals
Joe Lond, 1 (3)
Robin Drakborn, 1 (2)
Jef Tadie, 1 (1)

Ratings

Thunderchickens
<TABLE>
<TR><TD>Tactic: <TD>ttack in the middle
<TR><TD>Tactic skill: <TD>excellent

<TR><TD>Midfield: <TD>solid
<TR><TD>Right Side Defence: <TD>formidable
<TR><TD>Central Defence: <TD>formidable
<TR><TD>Left Side Defence: <TD>solid
<TR><TD>Right Side Attack: <TD>brilliant
<TR><TD>Central Attack: <TD>magical
<TR><TD>Left Side Attack: <TD>brilliant
<TR></TR>
<TR><TD>NSI<TD>86
</TABLE>

South Bay Saints
<Table>
<TR><TD>Team Attitude: <TD>Normal
<TR><TD>Tactic: <TD>Normal
<TR></TR><TD></TD>
<TR><TD>Midfield: <TD>brilliant
<TR><TD>Right Side Defence: <TD>excellent
<TR><TD>Central Defence: <TD>solid
<TR><TD>Left Side Defence: <TD>inadequate
<TR><TD>Right Side Attack: <TD>brilliant
<TR><TD>Central Attack: <TD>excellent
<TR><TD>Left Side Attack: <TD>passable
<TR></TR>
<TR><TD>NSI<TD>78
</TABLE>

My tactic worked well enough - as expected they scored on every chance they got, but I got most of the chances with a team record brilliant midfield.

Stars

4.0 GK Tomas Myklebust **Personal Best**

2.5 WB Teuvo Kaurismaki (offensive)
3.0 CD Matt Keyesj
2.5 CD Carlton Blakely (offensive)

3.5 W Clark Merritt (offensive)
4.0 IM Joondas Vahtramae (defensive)
4.0 IM Dani Mario Araujo (offensive)
3.5 IM Toader Popa
2.5 W Jef Tadie (Towards Middle)

3.0 F Robin Drakborn
3.0 F Joe Lond

Around IV.31

<TABLE>
<WIDTH="400">
<TR><TH>Team <TH>Played <TH>Goals <TH>Points
<TR><TH>1. Fratboys <TD>3 <TD>12 - 2 <TD>9
<TR><TH>2. South Bay Saints <TD>3 <TD>9 - 5 <TD>9
<TR><TH>3. CC's Dragons <TD>3 <TD>9 - 3 <TD>6
<TR><TH>4. Los Chixi Dix <TD>3 <TD>8 - 3 <TD>6
<TR><TH>5. RI Coks <TD>3 <TD>7 - 3 <TD>6
<TR><TH>6. Thunderchickens <TD>3 <TD>3 - 9 <TD>0
<TR><TH>7. Dragonball F <TD>3 <TD>0 - 8 <TD>0
<TR><TH>8. Number Munchers <TD>3 <TD>0 - 15 <TD>0
</TABLE>

Los Chixi Dix - Number Munchers 5 - 0
Walkover

CC's Dragons - Dragonball F 5 - 0
NSI 81 - 62
Dragons is having a great season outside of the one loss on the road to me. Dragonball F appears to have conceded this match and PICed. Outside of the weak midfield, Dragonball put up very strong ratings (mostly formidable).

RI Coks - Fratboys 1 - 3
NSI 72 - 78
The Coks had their best match ever and might have blown a MOTS in an effort to knock off the series leader but more likely just have very good team spirit.

Next week: Fratboys - South Bay Saints

Fratboys team looks very similar to Fraser Fire who have caused me trouble in the past - very good midfield (formidable) with a very strong defense (formidable - supernatural). Like Fraser Fire, their attack is not very strong. Fraser Fire was the team that I missed 7 chances against in a very frustrating 0-0 tie.

[Havok]

STILL UNDEFEATED!!!!!

[Masked]

US Open Cup: round 4

Mosby's Rangers - South Bay Saints

The Saints have advanced to round 5 of the Cup each of the past two seasons with tough 4th round matches. However, this year we face an opponent who has consistently put up better cup ratings than my team. Mosby's Rangers sits tied for first place in V.168 with his nemesis Trout. The two teams are clearly the best in the series, and they definately MOTSed each other and played to a 5-5 draw. I considered playing my starting IMs and training winger this week, but after the Mosby's MOTS, I think I can go with a much smaller change in the lineup. 17yo IM Kirk Vandyke will be played as a winger towards middle and day trainee Bragden Draghici will be moved to IM. This should give me enough midfield to be competitive. Forward Joe Lond and defender Clifton Campbell will get the start to bolster our ratings.

Match Report

Mosby's took the lead in the 1st minute of the game by 1 to 0, as John Branham elegantly received a pass going deep, finishing off with a half-volley shot just below the bar. In the games 12th minute Mosby's´s Andy Pope fell dramatically just outside the penalty area. However, the referee booked Andy Pope for taking a dive. Saints made a substitution in the 21st minute. Kirk Vandyke limped off the field and was replaced by Myles Bloom. In the 22nd minute of the match the visitors central line of defence had to look on as Jody Wheatley dashed through, knocking home 2 - 0 for Mosby's. Michael Åkesson increased Mosby'ss lead to 3 - 0 by putting a header away on a hooked ball from the right. The structure of the game started to change as Mosby's decided to pull back and meet their opponents in the defensive zone. In the 31st minute Mosby's´s Anastasio Moran Martínez tried to nail the coffin shut, but the shot rebounded off the bar to fall behind the net. In the 32nd minute Mosby'ss Edgar Larios Paterna received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. Saints managed to reduce a bit later to 3 - 1 as Clifton Campbell finished off a well played combination from the left, carving through the defensive box. The teams went for a half-time break at 3 - 1. Mosby's held the ball, with a clear 57 percent possession rate.

Saints managed to reduce a bit later to 3 - 2 as Myles Bloom finished off a well played combination from the left, carving through the defensive box. Kerry Stump increased Mosby'ss lead to 4 - 2 by putting a header away on a hooked ball from the right. A well placed free kick by Saints´s Zvonko Andric reduced the lead to 4 - 3. A bit later, a magnificent combination in the middle resulted in Mosby's´s John Branham putting the lead up to 5 - 3. Mosby's held the ball, with a clear 55 percent possession rate.

Notes
They got off to a quick start with the goal in the first minute and built a 3-0 lead in the first half. The Saints kept trying to come back but each time we scored in the second half they immediately answered. The loss of my towards the middle winger in the first half was insignifcant as neither Vandyke or Bloom provide much midfield yet.

Ratings

Mosby's Rangers

Team Attitude: (Hidden)
Tactic: Normal
Tactic skill: (Unlimited)

Midfield: solid
Right Side Defence: passable
Central Defence: passable
Left Side Defence: poor
Right Side Attack: brilliant
Central Attack: brilliant
Left Side Attack: passable

NSI = 64

South Bay Saints

Team Attitude: Play it Cool
Tactic: Normal
Tactic skill: (Unlimited)

Midfield: passable
Right Side Defence: solid
Central Defence: excellent
Left Side Defence: excellent
Right Side Attack: formidable
Central Attack: formidable
Left Side Attack: passable

NSI = 65

A little more midfield and I would have won this one. I just did not get enough chances.

Stars

4.0 GK Tomas Mycklebust

3.0 WB Yki Hyppia (def)
3.5 CD Clifton Campbell
2.5 WB Teuvo Kaurismaki (def)

3.0 W Kfir Blumenfeld (off) ***Personal Record***
3.5 IM Ryzard Laguna (off)
3.5 IM Carlton Blakely (off) ***Personal Record***
2.5 IM Bogden Draghici
1.5 W Myles Bloom (towards mid)
[1.0 W Kirk Vandyke (towards mid) injured, +1]

2.5 F Zvonko Andric
3.0 F Joe Lond


Myklebust popped to wretched experience.

[Masked]

Breaking News

After the Saints were eliminated from the US Open cup in the fourth round, one round earlier than the previous two seasons, coach Tracy Puckett was let go. Puckett, an offensive minded coach, had been with the team since April 25, 2003. He was passable at training players, but the team had grown tired of his lectures and didn't seem to respond as well as they once did.

Popular wing back, Teuvo Kaurismaki, will step in to lead the team. Teuvo, the oldest player on the roster, has shown solid skills in imparting his experience to the younger players and management thinks he will promote faster development of the teams young talents. He is a passable leader and the team seems to respond well to his coaching. Just this week, Teuvo has played as both an offensive and a defensive wing back, and seems to have no prefer a more balanced approach to the game then Puckett (or even the teams original coach Boyce Silva).

The move depleted the teams cash reserves by $767,000 leaving the team slightly in debt (about -85K).

[Havok]

yeah!! balanced coach... WOOT!

[Masked]

Training

This week is the tale of two updates, PM training vs. form.

The bad news first. The Saints got abused by the form god, +2/-7. The starters went +0, -3. Keeper Myklebust stayed in inadequate form but had a large drop in value.

Now for the PM training with my new solid coach, Teuvo Kaurismaki. There were three pops this week!

Joonas Vahtramäe
593 000 US$, 20 years, solid form
Has wretched experience and poor leadership abilities [Unpredictable]

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td>Stamina: </td><td>excellent</td> <td> Keeper: </td><td>disastrous</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Playmaking: </td><td>outstanding</td> <td> Passing: </td><td>poor</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Winger: </td><td>weak</td> <td> Defending: </td><td>inadequate</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Scoring: </td><td>weak</td> <td> Set Pieces: </td><td>weak</td></tr></tbody> </table>
Joonas has been starting for about a season now, and will be kept at least through next season.


Kirk Vandyke (bruised)
37 000 US$, 17 years, passable form
Has disastrous experience and poor leadership abilities [Quick]

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td>Stamina: </td><td>poor</td> <td> Keeper: </td><td>disastrous</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Playmaking: </td><td>passable</td> <td> Passing: </td><td>passable</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Winger: </td><td>poor</td> <td> Defending: </td><td>poor</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Scoring: </td><td>wretched</td> <td> Set Pieces: </td><td>passable</td></tr></tbody> </table>
Kirk was pulled from my youth squad a couple of weeks ago. I guessed he was a high inadequate and he popped with only 2.5 weeks of training. His injury is depressing his value some right now.


Bogdan Drãghici
110 000 US$, 19 years, passable form
Has disastrous experience and inadequate leadership abilities [Quick]

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td>Stamina: </td><td>passable</td> <td> Keeper: </td><td>disastrous</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Playmaking: </td><td>excellent</td> <td> Passing: </td><td>wretched</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Winger: </td><td>poor</td> <td> Defending: </td><td>weak</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Scoring: </td><td>poor</td> <td> Set Pieces: </td><td>poor</td></tr></tbody> </table>
I picked up Bogdan a couple of weeks ago hoping to get a quick pop while he filled in for an injured IM. I sell him to help pay for my stadium expansion, and then look for a new day trainee to play on the wing.

[Masked]

Thee weekly overview of my team.

<TABLE>
<TR><TH>Value per player (average): <TD>221 043 US$ <TD>+$173
<TR><TH>Total squad value: <TD>5 084 000 US$ <TD>+$4,000
<TR><TH>Average age: <TD>22
<TR><TH>Current form (average): <TD>passable
<TR><TH>Experience (average): <TD>poor
<TR><TH>No of players (excluding the coach): <TD>23
<TR><TH>Number of nationalities: <TD>11
</TABLE>


The very small change in value just indicates how bad a week it was for the team's form.

[Masked]

The curse is over...

Youth Pull

Kirk's older brother joined the team this week.

Max Vandyke (28715618)
19 years, passable form, healthy
A sympathetic guy who is temperamental and honest.
Has disastrous experience and inadequate leadership abilities.

<table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Nationality: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> USA </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Assessed value: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 83 000 US$ </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Wage: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 940 US$/week </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Owner: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> South Bay Saints </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Warnings: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 0 </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td>Stamina: </td><td>weak </td> <td> Goaltending: </td><td>disastrous </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Playmaking: </td><td>solid </td> <td> Passing: </td><td>poor </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Winger: </td><td>weak </td> <td> Defending: </td><td>weak </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Scoring: </td><td>wretched </td> <td> Set Pieces: </td><td>inadequate</td></tr></tbody> </table>
After playing for over a year, I finally get my first pull with a solid skill. Of course he is 17 with bad stamina and no secondaries. But he is a solid PM!!! Not sure how much he will bring in, but he appears to be close to excellent.

[Masked]

IV.31 notes

Cup matches:
Thunderchickens and the Saints both lost and join Dragonball F as the only active teams out of the cup.

Transfers
There was only one significant transfer in the series this week. Thunderchickens bough Toncho Radev for $2.7M which should nearly exhaust the roughly 9M he got for selling the three forwards at the beginning of the season. Over the last several matches, Radev has picked up 3.5-4.5 stars as a defensive wingback - not a lot for that price. I don't play Thunderchickens for 8 weeks, so I'll have a better idea what skills he has then. I like this move, because I don't think it was in the best interest of his team. He needs midfield more than he needs defense.


This weeks opponent

Fratboys

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr><td valign="top">Midfield:</td> <td valign="top">solid</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Right Side Defence:</td> <td valign="top">formidable</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Central Defence:</td> <td valign="top">brilliant</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Left Side Defence:</td> <td valign="top">supernatural</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Right Side Attack:</td> <td valign="top">formidable</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Central Attack:</td> <td valign="top">solid</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Left Side Attack:</td> <td valign="top">solid</td></tr></tbody> </table>
I believe they have been PICing all season, so I expect they may put up a formidable - outstanding MF against me which I might be able to match. My offense should match up against his defense a bit better than his offense does against my defense, but I really have no idea. This is the first match with my new balanced coach.

One more note about this match - I'm in second place in IV.31 with 9 points. Fratboys is in first.

[Masked]

League Match: Week 4

Fratboys - South Bay Saints

After three weeks, Fratboys and the Saints are both undefeated and sit in first and second place respectively in the standings. Fratboys demoted from division 3 after last season, and has a strong defense. However, their midfield and offense are weaker than mine.

The Saints will run the teams standard symetric 3-5-2. In order to give our offense as many chances as possible to beat their defense, one winger will be ordered to the middle.

Match Report
Fratboys saw most attack opportunites on the wings and were directing their passes that way.

In the 5:th minute Fratboyss Garrett Campos received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first.

The terraces were silenced in the 10:th minute as Saints´s Robin Drakborn put the guests ahead 0 - 1, following an attack from the right.

Halftime score was 0 - 1. The fortyfive minutes were dominated by Saints, with an impressive 57 percent possession of the ball.

After 71 minutes of game time Robin Drakborn received an excellent opportunity to add to the visitors lead, clipping a volley hooked in from the right, but Helge Beyer was in the right place, tipping the ball to a corner.

In the 74:th minute Saints put themselves up 0 - 2 after an attack from the right, caused by a defensive blunder. Scorer was Joonas Vahtramäe.

Yki Hyypiä of Saints received a yellow card in the 82nd minute for unsportsmanlike behaviour.

Yki Hyypiä increased Saints´s lead to 0 - 3 by a superb free kick strike, flying in just under the far top corner.

Joe Lond was, after 87 minutes, almost able to extend the visitors lead with a well placed diving header but home side keeper Helge Beyer saved.

The fortyfive minutes were dominated by Saints, with an impressive 65 percent possession of the ball.


Notes
We dominated possession and got enough chances to beat their defense. Two of the Saint's goals came from Clark Merritt's right wing and the team simply bypassed the Fratboys defense by scoring on a free kick for the final goal.

Ratings

Fratboys

Tactic: Attack on wings
Tactic skill: excellent

Midfield: excellent
Right Side Defence: formidable
Central Defence: brilliant
Left Side Defence: magnificent
Right Side Attack: solid
Central Attack: passable
Left Side Attack: excellent

NSI = 77


South Bay Saints

Team Attitude: Normal
Tactic: Normal
Tactic skill: (Unlimited)

Midfield: brilliant
Right Side Defence: formidable
Central Defence: outstanding
Left Side Defence: outstanding
Right Side Attack: inadequate
Central Attack: excellent
Left Side Attack: formidable

NSI = 84 ***TEAM RECORD***

Well the new balanced coach led to a large increase in my defensive ratings and little impact on my offensive ratings (my left attack may be down one level). I can't wait until my keeper is in good form! I think my next big purchase will have to be a forward.

Individual notes

Goals: (league total)
Robin Drakborn, 1 (3)
Joonas Vahtramae 1, (1)
Yki Hyppia, 1 (1)

Cards:
Yki Hyppia - yellow (1)

Stars

3.5 GK Tomas Mycklebust

3.0 WB Matt Keyesj (def)
3.0 CD Clifton Campbell
2.5 WB Yki Hyppia (def)

3.0 W Carlton Blakely (towards mid)
4.5 IM Joonas Vahtramae (def) ***Personal and team record***
3.5 IM Toader Popa
4.0 IM Dani Mario Araujo (off)
3.5 W Clark Merritt

3.0 F Robin Drakborn
3.5 F Joe Lond ***Personal best***

37 total stars

Around IV.31

Dragonball F - Thunderchickens 1 - 1
NSI 76 - NSI 83
Dragonball put up their second straight formadible midfield and had their best overall game ever. Thunderchickens had nothing left for their midfield after MOTSing me last week (only a weak midfield). A weak ago, I thought that Dragonball was the weakest team in the division but after putting up a 74 in the cup and a 76 today, I am much more concerned about our match next week.

Number Munchers - CC's Dragons 0 - 5
A walkover

RI Coks - Los Chixi Dix 2 - 1
NSI 70 - 70
RI Coks continue their blessed season with "an upset" win over Chixi. Both teams had solid defense ratings, but relatively weak attacks.

Standings


Team Played Goals Points
1. South Bay Saints 4 12 - 5 12
2. CC's Dragons 4 14 - 3 9
3. Fratboys 4 12 - 5 9
4. RI Coks 4 9 - 4 9
5. Los Chixi Dix 4 9 - 5 6
6. Thunderchickens 4 4 - 10 1
7. Dragonball F 4 1 - 9 1
8. Number Munchers 4 0 - 20 0

[Masked]

Team news

Bogdan Draghici was sold this morning to one of the top daytraders in England (Hackers United) for $275,001. He was immediately placed back on the transfer list for $322,500. Seems like a odd move to me - I don't see him making enough off this sale to be worth it for him (He has over $200M in sales). Bogdan's wretched passing depresses his market value.

I had purchased Bogdan for 79K three weeks ago, netting me about $175K for a temporary trainee.


Bogdan Drãghici
110 000 US$, 19 years, passable form
Has disastrous experience and inadequate leadership abilities
[Quick]

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td>Stamina: </td><td>passable</td> <td> Keeper: </td><td>disastrous</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Playmaking: </td><td>excellent</td> <td> Passing: </td><td>wretched</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Winger: </td><td>poor</td> <td> Defending: </td><td>weak</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Scoring: </td><td>poor</td> <td> Set Pieces: </td><td>poor</td></tr></tbody> </table>

I have not decided if I want to buy a new player to train on the wing for hoping for a quick pop. My current youth pull is a possibility if he doesn't sell. Although I have 4 wingers on the roster currently, one of them, Myles Bloom, has no future with the team and could be jetisoned at any point to permanently open up a spot.

[Masked]

Friendly: South Bay Saints - Kamboyanos FC

After being eliminated from the cup, I am back to challenging whatever international teams are online to a home match.

This week the Saints host Kamboyanos FC, a division 4 team in Chile.

For the first time this season, I'll be using my full B team.

Match Report

Due to an all-day shower, 1991 paying spectators got to see a match on a pitch-turned-bog at Complex Spikes Arena.
Despite the rain, the gate was enough to cover the opponents travel costs.

A header from Carlton Blakely connected with a corner kick after 6 minutes, and the ball ended up with Ryszard Laguna of Saints who shot the 1-0 goal.
This is one of the strangest events I have ever seen. At least, I think it is an event since two players are mentioned, but Blakely is not a head specialist and it doesn't mention who took the corner like it usually does.

After 7 minutes Zvonko Andric put Saints ahead 2 - 0 as he rose to head in a hooked ball, the result of an effort from the right side. The structure of the game started to change as Saints decided to pull back and meet their opponents in the defensive zone.
All he does is score goals.

Kamboyanos's Jamie Lane had in the 23rd minute a header that touched the bar, following yet another fine corner.

Tony Spicer should probably have put his team up another goal in the 25:th minute, but some great goaltending by Rudolph Brunner kept the visitors in the game.

Zvonko Andric struck a 30 metre free kick home in the 42nd minute. 3 - 0 for the home team.
Gets the obligitory set piece goal out of the way in the first half.

3 - 0 was the half-time score. Saints held the ball, with a clear 61 percent possession rate.

In the 60:th minute of the match the visitors central line of defence had to look on as Niklas Häggerberg dashed through, knocking home 4 - 0 for Saints.
Nice, my clown scores.

The referee showed Kamboyanoss Viktor Görbe the yellow card after a particularly nasty challenge.

A couple of quick and successful challenges, followed by a shot from just outside the penalty area after 72 minutes might have resulted in another goal for Saints. However, Rudolph Brunner made a spectacular save.

Saints put themselves up 5 - 0 when Zvonko Andric broke through on the right, leaving the entire defensive box behind him. This third goal made a hat trick for Zvonko Andric.

A couple of quick and successful challenges, followed by a shot from just outside the penalty area after 81 minutes might have resulted in another goal for Saints. However, Rudolph Brunner made a spectacular save.
Brunner had a good game for them.

Saints held the ball, with a clear 59 percent possession rate.

Ratings

South Bay Saints

Midfield: solid
Right Side Defence: passable
Central Defence: passable
Left Side Defence: inadequate
Right Side Attack: excellent
Central Attack: excellent
Left Side Attack: excellent

NSI = 62

Kamboyanos FC

Midfield: inadequate
Right Side Defence: excellent
Central Defence: excellent
Left Side Defence: solid
Right Side Attack: solid
Central Attack: passable
Left Side Attack: excellent

NSI = 59

Nice performance from by my midfield which was largely do to the performance of my two 19yo trainees, Blakely and Laguna.

Stars

3.0 GK Joseph Lassiter

2.5 WB Teuvo 'the Coach' Kaurismaki (def)
1.5 CD Alan Noel
0.5 WB Niklas 'Bozo' Häggerberg (def)

2.5 W Jef Tadie (off)
3.5 IM Carlton Blakely (off)
1.5 IM Kirk Vandyke
3.5 IM Ryszard Laguna (off)
3.0 W Kfir Blumenfeld (off)

2.5 F Zvonko Andric
3.0 F Tony Spicer

[Masked]

Training

Miserable week for the team. With the heavy rain, the team did not get a chance to practice much on the field and they just don't look sharp anymore.

Form: +1/-4

The good news:

GK Tomas Myklebust remains in inadequate form, but his value increased to 930K. He should get 4 stars this weekend.

W Jef Tadie appears to be rebounded from his brief slump as he improved to inadequate form.

Bad News:
#3 defender Yki Hyppia dropped to weak form. I may try to buy a temporary replacement for my league match this week.

[Masked]

League Match: Week 5 vs Dragonball F

South Bay Saints - Dragonball F

After four weeks, the Saints are in first place with a perfect 4-0-0 record. Dragonball, on the other hand, as had a tough time adjusting to division 4 after promoting in the offseason. They got their first point last week when they tied Thunderchickens 1-1. However, over their last three matches (2 home cup, and 1 home league match), they have put up very impressive ratings, including three straight formidable midfield. That's right in my weak series, a formidable midfield is good enough to get you auto-demoted.

I am not sure how Dragonball will approach this match - PIC, MOTS, etc, so I am going to play it normal. I have a walkover next week so this isn't much of a risk. I will also play a winger towards the middle because my possession winger Jef Tadie (sol winger, sol PM) is still in questionable form and thus will sit on the bench in favor of one of my IM trainees. Since Yki Hyppia is in weak form, I bought a replacement defender for this match.

Jaromir Nabozny (7494086)
28 years, excellent form, bruised, but playing
A controversial person who is temperamental and dishonest.
Has poor experience and inadequate leadership abilities.

Stamina: passable Goaltending: disastrous
Playmaking: wretched Passing: wretched
Winger: disastrous Defending: passable
Scoring: inadequate Set Pieces: solid

Jaromir cost 21K. He was a particularly good replacement for Yki because he also has solid set pieces.

Match Report

It seemed as though Saints considered the game won aforehand which resulted in a very uninspired start of the game.

Dragonball immediately set off pressing their opponents.

Saintss Joe Lond gave, after 2 minutes, the home team a 1 - 0 lead after an attack coming in from the right.

Saints put themselves up 2 - 0 when Robin Drakborn broke through on the right, leaving the entire defensive box behind him.

In the 8:th minute Lev Sotnikov had a fantastic opportunity to reply but his shot hit the side of the goal.

Things were going to get worse for the visitors. Dani Mário Araújo squirmed himself through the central defense line in the 14:th minute, asserting the lead to 3 - 0.

Halftime score was 3 - 0. Saints held the ball, with a clear 60 percent possession rate.

Dragonball's ability to press their opponents all over the field paid off frequently.

In the 61st minute Saintss Toader Popa received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first.

At 69 minutes, the visitors got a chance to reduce the score when a penalty was awarded, but Jurek Jeziorski, intimidated by the crowd, missed it.

The referee showed Dragonballs Hajo Neumann the yellow card after a particularly nasty challenge.

A crazy pass by Joonas Vahtramäe towards his own goalie almost caused a goal for Dragonball, but Martin Bugge didn't get the finish right.

In the games 78:th minute, Jaromir Nabozny could have extended the lead, but his very hard free kick went just over the bar.

Matt Keyesj sailed high, high above the opponents as he headed the 4-0 in after a corner kick after 81 minutes of play.

By now Saints were drawing the troops back in order to defend their lead. Saints held the ball, with a clear 61 percent possession rate.

Summary

I had never experienced over-confidence before and would have been concerned if the match reports hadn't taken 5 minutes to come in. By that point, Joe Lond had given the team a 1-o lead. Dragonball's decision to press was questionable. They gave up a lot of midfield and they do not have the defense to shut my offense down and play for the tie. The Saints controlled the match and won easily 4-0.

Individual Notes

Goals (season total)
Joe Lond 1 (4)
Robin Drakborn 1 (4)
Matt Keyesj 1 (3)
Dani Mario Arraujo 1 (1)

Cards (total)
Toader Popa - yellow (1)

Ratings


South Bay Saints

Team Attitude: Normal
Tactic: Normal

Midfield: formidable
Right Side Defence: brilliant
Central Defence: outstanding
Left Side Defence: formidable
Right Side Attack: outstanding
Central Attack: excellent
Left Side Attack: inadequate

NSI 80

Dragonball F

Tactic: Pressing
Tactic skill: weak

Midfield: passable
Right Side Defence: outstanding
Central Defence: formidable
Left Side Defence: excellent
Right Side Attack: inadequate
Central Attack: formidable
Left Side Attack: formidable

NSI 68

The over-confidence killed my midfield dropping it about 3 levels from the magnificent that I was hoping for. I correctly guessed where their best attack and defense were and that definately contributed to the shutout victory. The brilliant right defense was the teams best defensive rating ever. BALANCED COACHES ARE THE BEST.

Stars

4.0 GK Tomas Mycklebust

3.0 WB Jaromir Nabozny (def)
3.0 CD Clifton Campbell
3.0 WB Matt Keyesj (def)

4.0 W Clark Merritt
4.5 IM Dani Mario Araujo (Off) ***Personal Best***
3.5 IM Toader Popa
4.5 IM Joonas Vahtramae (def)
3.0 W Carlton Blakely (towards mid)

3.0 F Robin Drakborn
3.5 F Joe Lond

***39.0 stars was a team record***

Around IV.31
Los Chixi Dix - Fratboys 0-1
NSI 77 - 83
Los Chixi put up their best ever midfield with an outstanding in an apparent MOTS. Howver, Fratboys defense (~mag) was more than enough to stop Chixi weak offense (~pass).

CC's Dragons - RI Coks 3-1
NSI 77 - 71
Dragons had the better offense and midfield and that was enough to overcome a slightly superior defense as it usually is in hattrick.

Thunderchickens - Number Munchers 5-0
Walkover
Thunderchickens got a much needed 3 points which may help to turn their season around.

Standings


Team Goals Points
1. South Bay Saints 16 - 5 15
2. CC's Dragons 17 - 4 12
3. Fratboys 13 - 5 12
4. RI Coks 10 - 7 9
5. Los Chixi Dix 9 - 6 6
6. Thunderchickens 9 - 10 4
7. Dragonball F 1 - 13 1
8. Number Munchers 0 - 25 0


After five weeks, the Saints are a perfect 5-0 and have a walkover next week to replenish the team spirit.

[Masked]

Team News

Fresh off a victory in front of a sell-out crowd, construction began on expanding Complex Spikes Arena. The team paid just over $430K to jump from 32,000 seats to 51,000 seats. The team hopes to recoup most of the expense when they open the stadium in two weeks against the RI Coks.

[Masked]

International friendly: vs CENTAUROS

For the second straight week, I face some random team from South America. I just sent out challenges to whoever was online one evening.

Match Summary

The Saints came out with a slightly different look than usual as winger Myles Bloom took the right wingback spot in the typical symmetric 3-5-2 formation. It was clear from the onset, the Myles was focusing on contributing to the attack. CENTAUROS, a very young team from Columbia, played a vanillar 4-4-2 formation.

Within minutes of the opening wistle, the Saints jumped out to a big lead when midfielder Ryszard Laguna finished off a pass from the right in the fourth minute. Only momments later, before the inexperienced CENTAUROS squad had a chance to regroup, Jef Tadie made a run down the left side and put the ball by the keeper for the 2-0 lead. Throughout the rest of the second half, the Saints continued to fire shot after shot at the opposing keeper and took a 4-0 lead at the half.

Little changed after the break, except the Saints backed off their attacks. Ryszard got his third goal early in the second half, and Zvonko Andric added his obligatory set piece goal to give the Saints the 6-0 win.

Ratings

South Bay Saints
Player rating and Team formation
Team Attitude: Normal
Tactic: Normal
Tactic skill: (Unlimited)

Midfield: solid
Right Side Defence: passable
Central Defence: passable
Left Side Defence: inadequate
Right Side Attack: excellent
Central Attack: excellent
Left Side Attack: formidable

NSI 63

CENTAUROS
NSI 39

From the GM's thoughts
I love that my B-team's attack ratings are as good if not better than my A-teams. The A-team consist of a fromidable and an excellent scorer, while a solid and a passable make up the B team. Secondaries are the same. Thanks to form and experience, the pricey A-teamers are disappointing to say the least. Another big difference is all three inner midfielders on the B team have inadequate or better passing, while only Toader does on the A-team. However, they playmaking skills are too far behind to make the A-team yet.

Notable performances

IMs Carlton Blakely and Ryszard Laguna both had 3.5 stars. Ryzard should see his first four star performance soon.

F Tony Spicer also put up 3.5 stars thanks to his high solid form, and if Robin Drakborn's form doesn't improve, Tony may make his return to the starting lineup.

[Masked]

Training

The Saints had one playmaking pop this week.

Ryszard Laguna
402 000 US$, 19 years, passable form
Has disastrous experience and poor leadership abilities

Stamina: solid Keeper: disastrous
Playmaking: formidable Passing: passable
Winger: weak Defending: wretched
Scoring: poor Set Pieces: weak

Ryszard will move into the starting lineup later this season once Dani Mario Araujo is sold. After a brief form slump, he moved up to passable which helped him break the 400K value for the first time. I also suspect he might have very high passable passing based on value, and the number of stars he puts up.

Form

Team: +7/-5, the team slump seems to be turning around

Notable: Forward Joe Lond and Tony Spicer are up to excellent form. Defender Matt Keyesj and winger Clark Merritt increased to solid.
Inner mids Toader Popa dropped to inadequate and Joonas Vahtramae went down to passable.

Team Summary

Value per player (average): 237 000 US$
Total squad value: 5 451 000 US$
Average age: 22
Current form (average): passable
Experience (average): poor
No of players (excluding the coach): 23
Number of nationalities: 11

[Masked]

Weekly Update

Youth Pull

Someday, I will post my history of pulls in an effort to shut up all those people who whine about how bad their pulls are. Some of them haven't had a 17 yo solid in nearly a season! http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif


Jorge Uceda
9 000 US$, 18 years, passable form
Has disastrous experience and inadequate leadership abilities

Stamina: wretched Keeper: disastrous
Playmaking: inadequate Passing: wretched
Winger: poor Defending: poor
Scoring: poor Set Pieces: poor

I suspect he has very high inadequate playmaking, but his stamina and passing make him unsellable.


Economy

Cash funds: -41 580 US$ (-83 698) US$
Sponsors: dancing in the streets
Supporter Club: 1691 members
Supporters: high on life

I'll finally reach 1700 supporters after my win in league play tomorrow. The debt is a result of my stadium expansion and will be remedied with next weeks home match.

[Masked]

Around IV.31

Standings


Team Goals Points
1. South Bay Saints 16 - 5 15
2. CC's Dragons 17 - 4 12
3. Fratboys 13 - 5 12
4. RI Coks 10 - 7 9
5. Los Chixi Dix 9 - 6 6
6. Thunderchickens 9 - 10 4
7. Dragonball F 1 - 13 1
8. Number Munchers 0 - 25 0


CC's Dragons and RI Coks failed to schedule friendlies this week. RI Coks has not logged in since March 26, so they may be done.

Dragonball F was the final team in the series to be eliminated from the US Open Cup with a 0-4 loss to Red Ribbon Army.

Dragonball was the only team active in the transfer market as well.

4/8/2004 Bought Johan Claesson from United Dojlidy for 580 000 US$ (183 000 US$)
4/6/2004 Sold Berke Claffey to TuS Hachen for 426 000 US$ (148 000 US$)

Berke Claffey is a 26 yo forward who picked up 3.5 stars against me last weekend.
Johan Claesson is an 18yo Head specialist. The previous owner had played him as a defensive forward (2.0 stars) and an inner midfield (1.5 stars) in the last few weeks. My guess is he is an excellent scorer with little or no passing, litlle stamina, and probably inadequate playmaking. I'll have to see how Dragonball uses him today to get a better idea though.

Today's Matches

Fratboys - Dragonball F
Dragonball has had a very tough first half despite having quite respectable ratings. They should lose one more before they get the walkover in weeks 8 and 9. Fratboys 4-1

Los Chixi Dix - CC's Dragons
These two teams auto-promoted into the series together last season. Since then CC's Dragons has improved a bit faster, but neither has made a significant move yet. Dragons should handle Chixi in what should be the best game in the series this week. Dragons 3-1

Number Munchers - South Bay Saints
I get the walkover. Saints 5-0

RI Coks - Thunderchickens
Coks blew a MOTS last week (I think) and Thunderchickens blew one two weeks ago (I know) in matches they really should not have. Someday Thunderchickens is going to put everything together and make the top 10 list in division 4 (probably against me later in the season), but I don't see it this week. However, ther midfield should be close to Coks, and with a magical central attack, Thunderchickens will get thier first win of the season over a human controlled team. Thunderchickens 4-2.

[Masked]

League Match

Number Munchers - South Bay Saints 0 - 5

Numbers Munchers demoted from division III prior to season 21 and dominated the division the first half of the season before abruptly vanishing before week 7. Now he provides free points for everyone in the league.

I played my typical starting lineup except for substituting one of my midfield trainees, Carlton Blakely, in at the wingback spot in order to get him some experience. He popped to wretched experience as a result. Forward Robin Drakborn popped to poor experience as well.

Around IV.31

Fratboys - Dragonball F 3 - 1
NSI 86 - 71
Fratboys pulled a brilliant midfield out from somewhere to match their best performance from the qualifier that they lost at the end of last season. They did not use a winger towards middle. For some reason, Fratboys elected to AIM with a solid central attack and shun his two excellent wing attacks.

Los Chixi Dix - CC's Dragons 3 - 1
NSI 72-71
Even with Los Chixi playing at home, I consider this match a mild upset. Dragon's made a tactical blunder, playing AIM and repositioning a wingback to an inner mid, which likely cost them the game as they had an inadequate defense on that wing going against a solid wing attack.

RI Coks - Thunderchickens 2 - 2
NSI 73-87
Same story as always, Thunderchickens - magical central attack, inadequate midfield. Coks, solid midfield gave them jsut enough chances to come out with a win.

IV.31 Standings

Team Played Goals Points
1. South Bay Saints 6 21 - 5 18
2. Fratboys 6 16 - 6 15
3. CC's Dragons 6 18 - 7 12
4. RI Coks 6 12 - 9 10
5. Los Chixi Dix 6 12 - 7 9
6. Thunderchickens 6 11 - 12 5
7. Dragonball F 6 2 - 16 1
8. Number Munchers 6 0 - 30 0


Week 6 Avg NSI = 76.7
57th toughest Div IV series according to Hatstats

[Masked]

Friendly: vs Maples

This week the Saints host former division rival Maples. In my first season in IV.31 I finished in 5th place, and Maples took 6th by defeating me in the last week of the season. However, thanks to a huge upset in the qualifier they had to spend a season beating up on some poor division 5 series. They are back in IV now and sitting in 3rd place in IV.34.

Both teams had walkovers on Sunday, but I played my starters and they played their backups. So I am going to get my ass kicked today. Oh well, it's just a friendly.

Match Report


A well placed corner kick from Tuncay Sözer was followed by Nigel Ruardi´s hard but accurate header. The nice combination meant goal for Maples. The result now 0-1. In the 20:th minute the visitors put themselves ahead 0 - 2 as Byron Toney finished off an attack from the left with a spectacular scissors kick. Seemingly due to lack of experience, Ulf Andersson needlessly tripped an opponent just outside the penalty area, but the free kick that followed didn't succeed. Byron Toney increased the visitors lead by putting a volley shot away on a pass from the right. 0 - 3. By now Maples were drawing the troops back in order to defend their lead. In the 41st minute Saintss Yki Hyypiä received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. The teams went for a half-time break at 0 - 3. Maples held the ball, with a clear 53 percent possession rate.

Saints had a brilliant opportunity to reply as Ryszard Laguna received a high ball from the right, striking the ball still in the air. Only Petrisor Rosianu´s reflexes saved him. A tad of inexperience caused Carlton Blakely to make a difficult dribble close to dangerous opponent Kelly Kennedy who took opportunitt by scoring 0-4. The visitors Nelus Rãdulescu took advantage of an error due to a misunderstanding between the home side´s goalie and central backs in the 80:th minute. 0 - 5 for Maples. The fortyfive minutes were dominated by Maples, with an impressive 55 percent possession of the ball.

Summary

I got my ass kicked, despite keeping possession pretty close.

Ratings


South Bay Saints

Midfield: solid
Right Side Defence: passable
Central Defence: solid
Left Side Defence: excellent
Right Side Attack: excellent
Central Attack: excellent
Left Side Attack: excellent

NSI 66


Maples

Midfield: excellent
Right Side Defence: outstanding
Central Defence: excellent
Left Side Defence: solid
Right Side Attack: solid
Central Attack: excellent
Left Side Attack: brilliant

NSI 75


Pretty solid ratings for my B-team.

Up Next

The FOFC cup opens next week, and the Saints go on the road to face Lytic's Southpark Cows. We should win the midfield, but will need to finish our chances to avoid his outstanding counterattack. Unfortunately my forwards form won't be as good as it is was this week.

Group B

<table cellspacing="0" cols="11" rules="groups" border="1" frame="void"> <tbody><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#339966" height="17">Seed</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#339966">Team</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#339966">FOFC</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#339966">Team ID</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#339966">W</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#339966">L</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#339966">D</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#339966">GF</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#339966">GA</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#339966">DIFF</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#339966">PTS</td></tr><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" height="17" sdnum="1033;" sdval="2">2</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc">Southpark Cows </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc">lytic </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc" sdnum="1033;" sdval="70821">70821</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td></tr><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="17" sdnum="1033;" sdval="12">12</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">South Bay Saints </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">Masked </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="72176">72176</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td></tr><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="17" sdnum="1033;" sdval="22">22</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">Arkam Avengers </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">Nyarlahotep </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="72049">72049</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td></tr><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="17" sdnum="1033;" sdval="32">32</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">Walk-in Special </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">portnoise </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="72396">72396</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td></tr><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="17" sdnum="1033;" sdval="42">42</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">JacksonVille Kickers </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">tucker rocky </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="70857">70857</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td></tr><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="17" sdnum="1033;" sdval="52">52</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">ATLxpress </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">Celeval </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="225397">225397</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td></tr></tbody> </table>

This is a pretty tough group since Arkam is a keeper trainer and has a history of playing starters in the cup.

Predicted finish
1. Arkam
2. Saints
3. Cows
4. Walk-in Special
5. ATLxpress
6. Kickers (just for having the audacity to think he would get out of this group ahead of me :))

I think I will be one of the top 6 2nd place finishers and advance to the elimination round, and have a chance to defend my title.

[Masked]

Training

The Saints had one key playmaking pop this week.

Jef Tadié
248 000 US$, 20 years, inadequate form
Has wretched experience and poor leadership abilities

Stamina: excellent Keeper: disastrous
Playmaking: excellent Passing: inadequate
Winger: solid Defending: poor
Scoring: wretched Set Pieces: wretched

Jef has been with the team for 4 seasons now and been a starter most of the time. He has played with the B team the past few weeks as he briefly dropped down to inadequate form. I really like having a well rounded winger since he gives a big contribution to the midfield without the need to sacrifice one of the wing attacks.

Now what should I do with him? He popped after only 16 weeks of training (all on the wing) and would take 18 to reach formidable PM. I think I could get $1M for him on the market (although Frogman doesn't agree). I might try putting him out for a high price and see if anyone bites. In a brief search of a few markets, I found no similar players for price guidance. If I sold him, I would use one of my trainee's as a towards mid wing on the opposite side from Merritt. This has the advantage of getting them a bit of experience before they move into a starter IM spot in a few weeks.


Form

Team: +6/-7
Starters: +5/-3

Notable: Tomas Mycklebust has finally reached (very low) passable form. His value is $971K, which is not bad for a formidable keeper. F Robin Drakborn bumped up to passable form as did CD Clifton Campbell, both of whom I was afraid would hit weak this week without intervention from the form god/devil. However, the midfield took a big hit. Winger Clark Merritt and top IM Dani Mario Araujo both dropped from solid to passable form. Joonas Vahtramae's form plumetted to inadequate and despite training, actually lost value this week.

[Masked]

IV.31 Update

IV.31 Standings

Team Goals Points
1. South Bay Saints 21 - 5 18
2. Fratboys 16 - 6 15
3. CC's Dragons 18 - 7 12
4. RI Coks 12 - 9 10
5. Los Chixi Dix 12 - 7 9
6. Thunderchickens 11 - 12 5
7. Dragonball F 2 - 16 1
8. Number Munchers 0 - 30 0


After 6 weeks, I sit atop one of the weaker series in division 4. With the top 7 teams' ratings generally fall between 70-86, my competitors aren't weak (with the exception of the walkover), but we don't have the elite team (adidas, MOD, Kaishaku F.C.) that other FOFC teams face.

Team Updates

CC's Dragons lost his 27 year old #4 IM to a 6 week injury in his friendly match.

R.I. Coks logged in twice for the first time since March 26 on April 15th just in time for our home and home series in weeks 7 and 8. He made his youth pull (18yo pass scorer, pass passing) but nothing else.

Los Chixi Dix failed to schedule a friendly for this week, but has one booked for next week. However, it was a good week for them. Their youth pull this week was a 17yo solid GK. The current high bid is held by the evil Real Terps FC.

Thunderchickens continues to run his team into the ground. Instead of playing his three multi-million dollar (purchase price) 17yos in his friendly, he stuck with his starting forwards (again!!).

Dragonball F has an IM on the market for $1M (Exc stamins, exc PM, solid passing). His sale ends Monday and he has no bids yet. Dragonball is a good example that my series isn't that weak. He has put up a formidable midfield several times this season, yet if the season ended today, he would auto-demote back to division 5. If his IM sells, he will probably look for a new forward.

This weeks matches

CC's Dragons - Fratboys
The big matchup in the series this week. One of these teams needs to sweep the series if they want a good chance at winning the series. I expect them to split. Dragons 3-2

Thunderchicke - Los Chixi Dix
Chixi has too much midfield and just enough defense to beat the chickens. Chixi 4-3

Dragonball F - Number Munche
Dragonball really needs the 6 points from the walkover as they have yet to win a game this season.

South Bay Saints - RI Coks
At home against the 4th place team, I should win this won. I will have a significant advantage at midfileld. My offense is better and our defenses are about equal. Saints 3-1

[Masked]

Weekly Updates

Team News

The renovated Complex Spikes Arena will open tomorrow when the Saints host the RI Coks. Spikes Arena will now seat 51,000 fans (an increase of 19,000).

Youth Pull

Got a decent one this week.

Sam Silva
36 000 US$, 18 years, passable form
Has disastrous experience and weak leadership abilities

Stamina: weak Keeper: disastrous
Playmaking: weak Passing: inadequate
Winger: weak Defending: passable
Scoring: disastrous Set Pieces: poor

He should net me about 25-30K.

Financial Report

Cash funds: -74 345 US$ (-129 296) US$
Sponsors: dancing in the streets
Supporter Club: 1711 members
Supporters: high on life

With the arena expansion, our weekly upkeep jumped to $33,150.

[Masked]

League match week 7

South Bay Saints - RI Coks

In week 6, the first place Saints open the newly expanded Spikes arena when they host the 4th place RI Coks. The Coks auto-promoted to IV.31 prior to this season and have had modest success, despite rather ordinary ratings.

Jef Tadie returns to the starting lineup after a few weeks off due to a down turn in form. He will play as an offensive winger, as the Saints will not need the extra midfield today. The Saints will also take it easy this week as well.

Match Report

50732 spectators had come to Complex Spikes Arena this cloudy day.

Coks clearly preferred attacks in the middle. Saints took the lead in the 1st minute after a magnificent free kick. Yki Hyypiä adjusted the score to 1 - 0. Carson Caron of Coks received a yellow card in the 14:th minute for unsportsmanlike behaviour. Saints put themselves up 2 - 0 when Robin Drakborn broke through on the right, leaving the entire defensive box behind him. Halftime score was 2 - 0. Saints, bringing the final ball possession rate to 58 percent, dominated the battle.

Cokss Ruben Fink Jensen got himself booked after a foul. In the 57:th minute of the match the visitors central line of defence had to look on as Dani Mário Araújo dashed through, knocking home 3 - 0 for Saints. A speedy charge from the left side of the field put Saints lead up with 4 - 0. Joe Lond finished that one off competently, firing from an acute angle. By now Saints were drawing the troops back in order to defend their lead. After 81 minutes Jef Tadié put Saints ahead 5 - 0 as he rose to head in a hooked ball, the result of an effort from the right side. Saints held the ball, with a clear 59 percent possession rate.

Summary
Wow, I was very suprised that I was only 268 fans short of a sellout on a cloudy day. Maybe I should have gone for more than 51K seats. As for the match, we controlled possession as expected and has a strong offensive performance which lead to the lopsided victory.

Ratings

South Bay Saints

Team Attitude: Play it Cool
Tactic: Normal


Midfield: formidable
Right Side Defence: formidable
Central Defence: outstanding
Left Side Defence: outstanding
Right Side Attack: excellent
Central Attack: excellent
Left Side Attack: outstanding

NSI 82


RI Coks

Tactic: Attack in the middle
Tactic skill: formidable

Midfield: passable
Right Side Defence: excellent
Central Defence: outstanding
Left Side Defence: outstanding
Right Side Attack: excellent
Central Attack: solid
Left Side Attack: solid

NSI 68


Goals (league total)

Yki Hyypia 1 (2)
Robin Drakborn 1 (5)
Dani Mario Araujo 1 (2)
Joe Lond 1 (5)
Jef Tadie 1 (2)

Drakborn and Lond are tied for second place on the top scorers list.

No cards and no injuries.

Stars

4.0 GK Tomas Mycklebust

3.5 WB Matt Keyesj (Def)
3.5 CD Clifton Campbell
2.5 WB Yki Hyppia (Def)

3.0 W Jef Tadie (Off)
4.0 IM Dani Mario Araujo (off)
3.5 IM Joonas Vahtramae
4.0 IM Toader Popa (off)
4.0 W Clark Merritt (Off)

3.5 F Robin Drakborn
3.5 F Joe Lond

Total 38.5

Around IV.31


CC's Dragons - Fratboys 1 - 4
NSI 78 - 82
Dragons' midfield was a rather pedestrian excellent in the home match which contributed to their defeat, and would suggest that they have little chance of defeating Fratboys on the road next week. A supernatural central defense by the Fratboys, blocked what attacks the Dragons could muster.

Thunderchicke - Los Chixi Dix 3 - 3
NSI 85-68
The Chickens were absolutely robbed in this match. Possession was split, but their magical attack got only 3 goals against Chixi's formidable defense. Chixi's solid attack also got three goals against Chickens outstanding defense. However, the Chickens did lose the sole central defender to a red card.

Dragonball F - Number Munche 5 - 0
Walkover
Dragonball finally gets a win.

Standings


Team Played Goals Points
1. South Bay Saints 7 26 - 5 21
2. Fratboys 7 20 - 7 18
3. CC's Dragons 7 19 - 11 12
4. Los Chixi Dix 7 15 - 10 10
5. RI Coks 7 12 - 14 10
6. Thunderchickens 7 14 - 15 6
7. Dragonball F 7 7 - 16 4
8. Number Munchers 7 0 - 35 0


I'm still in first and of course way above the autopromotion line. I better loose soon.

[Masked]

Team News

I put winger Jef Tadie (Exc stamina, Exc PM, Solid winger, and Inad passing) on the market for just under $1M. I saw a few similar players in Sweden go for about 100K more, so there is a chance he would sell. In case he does, I have started checking out formidable defenders.

[Masked]

Team News: April 21

This weeks youth pull, Sam Silva (18, Passable defense, inadequate passing) sold for 25K to some random team from Belgium who outbidded a US team that trains defense. Oh well.

[Masked]

Team News: April 22

I have been in the market for a new defender for quite some time now, and after last weeks home match, I finally have some cash. So I blew it all on an overpriced solid defender.

Romuald Renoir (14599284)
26 years, passable form, healthy
A controversial person who is fiery and honest.
Has poor experience and poor leadership abilities.

Speciality: Powerful

Nationality: France
Assessed value: 68 000 US$
Wage: 1 164 US$/week including 20% Bonus
Owner: South Bay Saints
Warnings: 0

Stamina: passable Goaltending: wretched
Playmaking: poor Passing: poor
Winger: poor Defending: solid
Scoring: wretched Set Pieces: outstanding

Renoir puts up between 3 and 3.5 stars per game. He has some experience and is considerably younger than any of my other defenders. He will replace Yki Hyppia (passable defender, solid set pieces) in the starting lineup. Of course the reason I bought him and paid so much for him is his set pieces skill. I paid 214K, but I am sure I could recoup most if not all of it very easily when I try to resell him. I just can't stay away from the market when I have money :).

In other team news, Jef Tadie has a bid of 950K on him. With the addition of Renoir, defense is no longer a priority, so I will save up to buy a new forward in a few weeks.

[Havok]

Nice buy..... i don't think ya really overpaid. If anyone knows that value of a good SP player its you :)

Having Zonoka(or whatever the hell his name is) on your B-team makes you very dangerous!

[Masked]

FOFC Cup Group B: Round 1

Southpark Cows - South Bay Saints

My defense of my cup title opens on the road against the the top seed in Group B. Since the Cows train defense, I expected a 5-4-1 with them trying to counterattack. My midfiled trainees aren't bad, so I expected to win this one fairly easily.

Match Report


Counter-attacking seemed to be the preferred strategy of SouthPark. SouthParks Mauritz Careel gave, after 4 minutes, the home team a 1 - 0 lead after an attack coming in from the right. Things were going to get worse for the visitors. Mauritz Careel squirmed himself through the central defense line in the 4:th minute, asserting the lead to 2 - 0. Saints managed to reduce a bit later to 2 - 1 as Tony Spicer finished off a well played combination from the left, carving through the defensive box. SouthPark mounted an inspired counterattack in the 16:th minute, but Mauritz Careel was unable to convert from short range. Some brilliant football from the visitors right wing resulted in a 26:th minute levelling of scores as Saintss Tony Spicer equalised to 2 - 2. Halftime score was 2 - 2. Saints held the ball, with a clear 61 percent possession rate.

In the 48:th minute Joacim Martinsson almost put the home team one ahead on a cross pass coming in from the right, but the shot went wide. Several players seemed a little dazed by the warm weather, and were repeatedly tricked by the clever and agile Hans G. Torflod. Tony Spicer came close to putting the visiting team one up in the 69:th minute, following a solo raid down the middle, but Jamey Goode managed to tip the ball to a corner. Huibert Born finished off the counterattack from the left rather easily, scoring 3 - 2 for SouthPark. Saints, bringing the final ball possession rate to 65 percent, dominated the battle.

Summary

Lytic bought an outstanding Im during the week and started him in this match which diminished my possession advantage. His counterattack came threw for the winning goal. Unfortunately, the defense of my FOFC title may already be over.

Ratings

SouthPark Cows

Tactic: Counter-attacks
Tactic skill: brilliant

Midfield: weak
Right Side Defence: excellent
Central Defence: excellent
Left Side Defence: inadequate
Right Side Attack: weak
Central Attack: excellent
Left Side Attack: formidable

NSI = 53


South Bay Saints

Midfield: passable
Right Side Defence: passable
Central Defence: solid
Left Side Defence: solid
Right Side Attack: solid
Central Attack: excellent
Left Side Attack: excellent

NSI 61

Stars

Offensive IM Ryszard Laguna hit 4.0 stars for the first time.

Group B

Arkam Avengers 1
Walk-In Special 6

JacksonVille Kickers 5
ATLxpress 0

<table cellspacing="0" cols="11" rules="groups" border="1" frame="void"> <tbody><tr><td align="middle" bgcolor="#339966" height="17">Seed</td><td align="middle" bgcolor="#339966">Team</td><td align="middle" bgcolor="#339966">FOFC</td><td align="middle" bgcolor="#339966">Team ID</td><td align="middle" bgcolor="#339966">W</td><td align="middle" bgcolor="#339966">L</td><td align="middle" bgcolor="#339966">D</td><td align="middle" bgcolor="#339966">GF</td><td align="middle" bgcolor="#339966">GA</td><td align="middle" bgcolor="#339966">DIFF</td><td align="middle" bgcolor="#339966">PTS</td></tr><tr><td align="middle" bgcolor="#ccffcc" height="17" sdval="32" sdnum="1033;">32</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc">Walk-in Special </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc">portnoise </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc" sdval="72396" sdnum="1033;">72396</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc" sdval="1" sdnum="1033;">1</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc" sdval="0" sdnum="1033;">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc" sdval="0" sdnum="1033;">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc" sdval="6" sdnum="1033;">6</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc" sdval="1" sdnum="1033;">1</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc" sdval="5" sdnum="1033;">5</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc" sdval="3" sdnum="1033;">3</td></tr><tr><td align="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="17" sdval="42" sdnum="1033;">42</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">JacksonVille Kickers </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">tucker rocky </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="70857" sdnum="1033;">70857</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="1" sdnum="1033;">1</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="0" sdnum="1033;">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="0" sdnum="1033;">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="5" sdnum="1033;">5</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="0" sdnum="1033;">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="5" sdnum="1033;">5</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="3" sdnum="1033;">3</td></tr><tr><td align="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="17" sdval="2" sdnum="1033;">2</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">Southpark Cows </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">lytic </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="70821" sdnum="1033;">70821</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="1" sdnum="1033;">1</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="0" sdnum="1033;">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="0" sdnum="1033;">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="3" sdnum="1033;">3</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="2" sdnum="1033;">2</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="1" sdnum="1033;">1</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="3" sdnum="1033;">3</td></tr><tr><td align="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="17" sdval="12" sdnum="1033;">12</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">South Bay Saints </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">Masked </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="72176" sdnum="1033;">72176</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="0" sdnum="1033;">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="1" sdnum="1033;">1</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="0" sdnum="1033;">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="2" sdnum="1033;">2</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="3" sdnum="1033;">3</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="-1" sdnum="1033;">-1</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="0" sdnum="1033;">0</td></tr><tr><td align="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="17" sdval="22" sdnum="1033;">22</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">Arkam Avengers </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">Nyarlahotep </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="72049" sdnum="1033;">72049</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="0" sdnum="1033;">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="1" sdnum="1033;">1</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="0" sdnum="1033;">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="1" sdnum="1033;">1</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="6" sdnum="1033;">6</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="-5" sdnum="1033;">-5</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="0" sdnum="1033;">0</td></tr><tr><td align="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="17" sdval="52" sdnum="1033;">52</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">ATLxpress </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">Celeval </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="225397" sdnum="1033;">225397</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="0" sdnum="1033;">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="1" sdnum="1033;">1</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="0" sdnum="1033;">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="0" sdnum="1033;">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="5" sdnum="1033;">5</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="-5" sdnum="1033;">-5</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdval="0" sdnum="1033;">0</td></tr></tbody> </table>
Next week I host portnoise.

[Masked]

Training

More team news

Last week Jef Tadie popped to excellent PM (solid wing, inad pass) and he sold for 991,000 this morning.

PM Training

One pop this week which was quite unexpected and quite worthless. Backup defender Jaromir Nabozny (pass defending) bumped to poor PM. He is on the market now!!!

Form

What have I done to piss hattrick off? At the beginning of the season, my form consistently dropped, and then I had a few weeks where I essentially broke even. This week was back to a steep drop.

Team: +3/-7
Starters: +1/-4

IM Joonas Vahtramae dropped to weak form and will likely be played as a winger towards the middle instead of his normal role as the #1 IM. Ryszard Laguna will take his starting spot.

Winger Clark Merritt has retreated back to inadequate form after 3 weeks at passable or better.

Defenders Matt Keyesj and Clifton Campbell swapped spots. Matt dropped to passable and Clifton climbed to solid.

F Robin Drakborn who finally made it to passable form last week, dropped back to inadequate this week.

Milestone

I have my first player with a value in excess of $1M.

Tomas Mycklebust - value $1,044,000, passable form
He is a very high formidable keeper.

[Masked]

Youth Pull

Another fired youth pull...

Janny Verreault
20 000 US$, 18 years, passable form
Has disastrous experience and solid leadership abilities

Stamina: weak Keeper: disastrous
Playmaking: inadequate Passing: wretched
Winger: poor Defending: wretched
Scoring: inadequate Set Pieces: inadequate

Lots of inadeequate skills, but the horrible secondaries stopped anyone from buying him.

[Masked]

League match, week 8

RI Coks - South Bay Saints

The Saints are on the road and hope to maintain their perfect record in the second game against the Coks. Since I'm on the road, and my midfielders are not in great form, I played this match normally.

Match report

Coks seemed to prefer attacking in the middle.

After 12 minutes Clark Merritt made a speedy advance and dropped the ball to Joe Lond who shuffled the ball past the keeper. The score was now 0 - 1.

The visitors Joe Lond took advantage of an error due to a misunderstanding between the home side´s goalie and central backs in the 25:th minute. 0 - 2 for Saints.

Cokss Mitchell Gill got himself booked after a foul.

The visitors Joonas Vahtramäe took advantage of an error due to a misunderstanding between the home side´s goalie and central backs in the 30:th minute. 0 - 3 for Saints.

After several obvious shirt pulling incidents, Saints´s Dani Mário Araújo got himself booked.

After the ball got lifted in from the left Dani Mário Araújo was on his own in the home side´s penalty area 31 minutes into the game, and should have scored, but missed, probably due to lack of concentration.

In the 33rd minute Cokss Gerard Chamberlain received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first.

0 - 3 was the half-time score. Saints held the ball, with a clear 59 percent possession rate.

Saints increased the lead to 0 - 4 as Romuald Renoir scored from the penalty spot, putting the ball in near the top left corner.

Saints´s Dani Mário Araújo received a play slashing through the home side´s defense in the 71st minute, chipping it past the keeper scoring 0 - 5.

Clark Merritt made a nice rush in the 72 minute, but was eventually stopped by Felipe Otago.

In the games 75:th minute Matt Keyesj nearly put the visitors another one up as he broke through and fired from just outside the box, his shot passed just over the bar. The home crowd was not pleased with that one. By now Saints were drawing the troops back in order to defend their lead.

In the games 71st minute Coks´s Ted Gilliam fell dramatically just outside the penalty area. However, the referee booked Ted Gilliam for taking a dive. The referee showed Cokss Ashley Schaffer the yellow card after a particularly nasty challenge.

After the ball got lifted in from the left Matt Keyesj was on his own in the home side´s penalty area 83 minutes into the game, and should have scored, but missed, probably due to lack of concentration.

The visitors Toader Popa took advantage of an error due to a misunderstanding between the home side´s goalie and central backs in the 87:th minute. 0 - 6 for Saints.

Unsportsmanlike behaviour by Ted Gilliam rendered him his second booking of the match, and Coks had to finish the game with a reduced squad.

Saints will have to do without Dani Mário Araújo for a time due to a bad foot injury. He was substituted by Carlton Blakely.

Saints, bringing the final ball possession rate to 64 percent, dominated the battle.

Summary

10th straight league win, and 5th straight shutout (both streaks, best in team history).

I probably should have PICed the match but since I was on the road and have a walkover this week, I didn't want to risk the upset loss. In his first game with the Saints, new set piece specialist Renoir got a goal on a penalty kick in the opening minutes of the first half. I expect Renoir to average 2 goals every three games or so against the teams in my series. He has outstanding set pieces, and no one has an elite keeper to stop him.

The win was very costly when Araujo had his foot severed in the final minutes of the match. Araujo was estimated to be out for 7 weeks! I had not had a major injury in awhile but this one is devistating. More about this later.

Ratings

RI Coks

Tactic: Attack in the middle
Tactic skill: formidable

Midfield: solid
Right Side Defence: excellent
Central Defence: outstanding
Left Side Defence: formidable
Right Side Attack: solid
Central Attack: solid
Left Side Attack: passable

NSI 68


South Bay Saints

Team Attitude: Normal

Midfield: outstanding
Right Side Defence: formidable
Central Defence: outstanding
Left Side Defence: brilliant
Right Side Attack: inadequate
Central Attack: formidable
Left Side Attack: formidable

NSI 83


Individual notes

Goals (Season total)

Joe Lond, 2 (7)
Joonas Vahtramae, 1 (2)
Dani Mario Araujo, 1 (3)
Romuald Renoir, 1 (1)
Toader Popa, 1 (1)

Cards
Dani Mario Araujo, yellow, (1)

Injuries
Dani Mario Araujo, foot, +7

Stars

4.5 GK Tomas Mycklebust (***Personal best***)

3.0 WB Matt Keyesj
3.5 CD Clifton Campbell
3.0 WB Romuald Renoit

2.5 W Joonas Vahtramae (towards middle)
3.0 IM Carlton Blakely (Off, sub)
4.0 IM Toader Popa (off)
3.5 IM Ryzsard Laguna (EIM)
3.5 W Clark Merritt (off)

3.0 F Robin Drakborn
3.5 F Joe Lond

Around IV.31

Number Munche - Dragonball F 0 - 5
Walkover

Los Chixi Dix - Thunderchicke 3 - 3 (NSI 70-86)
If only thunderchickens had a midfield

Fratboys - CC's Dragons 7 - 0 (NSI 84-71)
A four level advantage in midfield for Fratboys lead to the lopsided and unlucky result for the Dragons. Two weeks ago, Dragons were in the hunt for the title, but two straight blowout losses had left them 9 points out of second, and 12 out of first.

<table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" width="350"> <tbody><tr bgcolor="#333333"><td align="right" valign="top" class="rub3">
</td> <td align="left" valign="top" class="rub3">Team</td> <td align="center" valign="top" class="rub3">Played</td> <td colspan="3" align="center" valign="top" class="rub3">Goals</td> <td align="center" valign="top" class="rub3">Points</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" valign="top">1.</td> <td align="left" valign="top">South Bay Saints</td> <td align="center" valign="top">8</td> <td align="right" valign="top">32</td> <td align="center" valign="top">-</td> <td align="left" valign="top">5</td> <td align="center" valign="top">24</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="7" height="1" bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" valign="top">2.</td> <td align="left" valign="top">Fratboys</td> <td align="center" valign="top">8</td> <td align="right" valign="top">27</td> <td align="center" valign="top">-</td> <td align="left" valign="top">7</td> <td align="center" valign="top">21</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" valign="top">3.</td> <td align="left" valign="top">CC's Dragons</td> <td align="center" valign="top">8</td> <td align="right" valign="top">19</td> <td align="center" valign="top">-</td> <td align="left" valign="top">18</td> <td align="center" valign="top">12</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" valign="top">4.</td> <td align="left" valign="top">Los Chixi Dix</td> <td align="center" valign="top">8</td> <td align="right" valign="top">18</td> <td align="center" valign="top">-</td> <td align="left" valign="top">13</td> <td align="center" valign="top">11</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="7" height="1" bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" valign="top">5.</td> <td align="left" valign="top">RI Coks</td> <td align="center" valign="top">8</td> <td align="right" valign="top">12</td> <td align="center" valign="top">-</td> <td align="left" valign="top">20</td> <td align="center" valign="top">10</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" valign="top">6.</td> <td align="left" valign="top">Thunderchickens</td> <td align="center" valign="top">8</td> <td align="right" valign="top">17</td> <td align="center" valign="top">-</td> <td align="left" valign="top">18</td> <td align="center" valign="top">7</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="7" height="1" bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" valign="top">7.</td> <td align="left" valign="top">Dragonball F</td> <td align="center" valign="top">8</td> <td align="right" valign="top">12</td> <td align="center" valign="top">-</td> <td align="left" valign="top">16</td> <td align="center" valign="top">7</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" valign="top">8.</td> <td align="left" valign="top">Number Munchers</td> <td align="center" valign="top">8</td> <td align="right" valign="top">0</td> <td align="center" valign="top">-</td> <td align="left" valign="top">40</td> <td align="center" valign="top">0</td></tr></tbody> </table>

Notes

What to do about Araujo?

He is a 22 yo IM halfway between outstanding and brilliant. He has no secondaries. My original plan was to sell him in a few weeks at brilliant to fund an improvement in my offense. His 7 week injury (now +6) kills that plan. He will probably not pop until early next season.

A couple of options I am considering

1) Do nothing - just train one of my wingers at IM for the next 4-5 weeks.

2) Day train - Find high solids and play them until they pop to excellent and make 150-200K on each one.

3) Buy an uber-trainee - I would be looking for a high 17yo solid with inad passing. I have about 1M to spend. He would take over a full training spot. Araujo would return at about the same time Joonas pops to brilliant PM (+inad defending). I would sell Joonas to make room for Araujo to reenter the lineup. I prefer offensive IMs, so loosing Joonas a couple of seasons early isn't to bad; however, he now has my highest PM skill. There is no shorterm problem, as Araujo will fill in nicely. Longterm, he would be replaced in the lineup by Blakely who is a year younger but nearly 2 full levels of PM behind him.

[GoldenEagle]

I vote option 3.

[Raven Hawk]

Option 3 seems like the best option to me as well.

[sterlingice]

Quickest way to make a buck is daytrain but that takes really good evaluation skills to pull off.

And building with a new uber-trainee is never a bad idea.

SI

[Havok]

CLARK MERRIAT GETS FULL PM TRAINING!!!!!!!

[Masked]

Well Clark Merritt got full training this week, but now I am looking for a new trainee - probably solid with inad passing. Although I missed a passable with solid passing this morning because I didn't get out of bed this morning.

[Masked]

FOFC Cup: group play, week 2

South Bay Saints - Walk-In Special

I used a very unusual lineup this week thanks to form and injury issues. IM Joonas Vahtramae will start since he played as a winger towards the middle on Sunday on account of his weak form. My two normal B-team IMs, Carlton Blakely and Ryzsard Laguna both played on Sunday so will are in. In the final IM spot will be Clark Merritt to get him a full week of PM training. Merritt will never be a gerat possession winger but he can contribute a bit. I was not able to buy a new player prior to the match.

Match Report

Zvonko Andric gave his Saints the lead with 1 - 0, as he successfully challenged both the guests central defenders, then placed the ball unreachably at the goaltenders right post. The crowd was silenced in the 22nd minute as the visiting teams Gary Johnson came in from the left, levelling the score to 1 - 1. Mats Mörnskog sailed high, high above the opponents as he headed the 1-2 in after a corner kick after 23 minutes of play. Kirk Vandyke pulled a real crowd pleaser as he, in the 34:th minute, wove through the guests whole central defense line and put the 2 - 2 equaliser away. Walk-In took the lead in the games 35:th minute with 2 - 3 after some elegant plays down the middle. Gary Johnson was the scorer. Some fine manouvering on the left lead to an 39:th minute Walk-In goal, making it 2 - 4. Jack Pack was noted down as the scorer. Halftime score was 2 - 4. Walk-In, bringing the final ball possession rate to 54 percent, dominated the battle.

A marvelous Saints effort to the right resulted in a 49:th minute goal by Zvonko Andric, putting the score up to 3 - 4. Kirk Vandyke made a superb strike at the goal in the 66:th minute with a long shot coming in from straight in front of the goal, but one of the visitors defenders got a foot in and warded it off to a corner. After a fatal mistake from the away teams right side defense in the 82nd minute, an alert Kfir Blumenfeld bagged the ball, evening the score to 4 - 4. Walk-In held the ball, with a clear 56 percent possession rate.


Notes

I managed to escape with a tie an finally earn a point in group B. Unfortunately, I probably needed a win in order to make it to the next stage.

Ratings

South Bay Saints

Midfield: inadequate
Right Side Defence: solid
Central Defence: solid
Left Side Defence: solid
Right Side Attack: solid
Central Attack: solid
Left Side Attack: excellent

NSI 58


Walk-In Special

Midfield: passable
Right Side Defence: excellent
Central Defence: outstanding
Left Side Defence: outstanding
Right Side Attack: brilliant
Central Attack: excellent
Left Side Attack: excellent

NSI 73

I got so lucky. However, it doesn't quite make up for last week since I didn't get a win.

Group B

SouthPark Cows - Jacksonville Kickers 2 - 3
Lytic went to bed leading 2-0. I'm guessing Thursday didn't start of well for him.

ATLxpress - Arkham Avengers 6 - 1
Arkham was one of the best teams in the cup last season, and my favorite to win this group. Of course I also thought I would come in second.

<table cellspacing="0" cols="11" rules="groups" border="1" frame="void"> <tbody><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#339966" height="17">Seed</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#339966">Team</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#339966">FOFC</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#339966">Team ID</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#339966">W</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#339966">L</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#339966">D</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#339966">GF</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#339966">GA</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#339966">DIFF</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#339966">PTS</td></tr><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" height="17" sdnum="1033;" sdval="42">42</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc">JacksonVille Kickers </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc">tucker rocky </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc" sdnum="1033;" sdval="70857">70857</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc" sdnum="1033;" sdval="2">2</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc" sdnum="1033;" sdval="8">8</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc" sdnum="1033;" sdval="2">2</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc" sdnum="1033;" sdval="6">6</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ccffcc" sdnum="1033;" sdval="6">6</td></tr><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="17" sdnum="1033;" sdval="32">32</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">Walk-in Special </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">portnoise </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="72396">72396</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="1">1</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="1">1</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="10">10</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="5">5</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="5">5</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="4">4</td></tr><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="17" sdnum="1033;" sdval="52">52</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">ATLxpress </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">Celeval </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="225397">225397</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="1">1</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="1">1</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="6">6</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="6">6</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="3">3</td></tr><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="17" sdnum="1033;" sdval="2">2</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">Southpark Cows </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">lytic </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="70821">70821</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="1">1</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="1">1</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="5">5</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="5">5</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="3">3</td></tr><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="17" sdnum="1033;" sdval="12">12</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">South Bay Saints </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">Masked </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="72176">72176</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="1">1</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="1">1</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="6">6</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="7">7</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="-1">-1</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="1">1</td></tr><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="17" sdnum="1033;" sdval="22">22</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">Arkam Avengers </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">Nyarlahotep </td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="72049">72049</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="2">2</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="2">2</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="12">12</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="-10">-10</td><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" sdnum="1033;" sdval="0">0</td></tr></tbody> </table>
This week:
Saints - Kickers
Walk-In - ATLxpress
Avengers-Cows

I have to beat the Kickers if I want to advance. I have a walkover in league play this week. Maybe I should play my starters and see how they match up against a 85-90 NSI. Besides if a non-IM starter got injured, that would help me not auto-promote this season.

[Masked]

Training

One PM pop this week

Toader Popa
618 000 US$, 20 years, passable form
Has poor experience and poor leadership abilities
[Technical]

Stamina: excellent Keeper: disastrous
Playmaking: outstanding Passing: inadequate
Winger: poor Defending: weak
Scoring: weak Set Pieces: poor


Form

The form update has been pretty cruel lately, but this week might have been the nastiest. Overall the numbers looked good, just HT like to kick a guy when he's down.

Team: +8/-4
Starters: +2/-1

Notable movers
GK Tomas Mycklebust to solid (low)
IM Ryzard Laguna to solid
IM Carlton Blakely to weak

And IM Dani Mario Araujo, the guy without a foot, to solid form. :(
And my new top IM Joonas Vahtramae remains stuck in weak form.

Blakely and Merritt may pop next week but are most likely two weeks away.

[lytic]

yes I was quite pissed Thursday.

Good luck this week.

[Masked]

I found a great trainee today. He ended at a time I could be logged in and not that many others were. Some focker kept outbidding me and eventually stole him from me.

[vex]

I'll have to talk to Hobbes about that.

[Masked]

Youth Pull

Not a total waste...

Nathan Levy (30585297)
18 years, passable form, healthy
A nasty fellow person who is tranquil and infamous. .
Has disastrous experience and poor leadership abilities.

Nationality: USA
Assessed value: 58 000 US$
Wage: 780 US$/week
Owner: South Bay Saints
Warnings: 0

Stamina: weak Goaltending: disastrous
Playmaking: passable Passing: weak
Winger: weak Defending: poor
Scoring: inadequate Set Pieces: weak

I figure he will sell for about 10K. Based on his value, he has mid-high passable playmaking.


Economy

IU have about 900K in the bank, and my sponsers weekly contribution is just short of 100K.

[Masked]

League Match 9

South Bay Saints - Numbers Munchers

The game couldn´t be played and the referee had to declare the home side the winner with 5-0 due to a walk over. This was caused by the visitors not having 9 players fit for the game!

Only 22,434 fans showed up, about 40% of capacity, despite the sunny weather.

Stars

4.5 GK Tomas Mycklebust

3.0 WB Matt Keyesj (def)
4.0 CD Clifton Campbell
3.0 WB Romuald Renoir (def)

3.0 W Kfir Blumenfeld (off)
4.0 IM Ryszard Laguna (off)
3.0 IM Joonas Vahtramae (extra)
4.0 IM Toader Popa (off)
3.5 W Clark Merritt (off)

3.5 F Joe Lond
3.0 F Robin Drakborn


Around IV.31

Thunderchickens - RI Coks 5 - 3
NSI 81 - 62
Coks seems to be giving up, while Thunderchickens is clueless about building a midfield.

CC's Dragons - Los Chixi Dix 3 - 1
NSI 75-70
Dragons only managed a solid midfield at home, but has one of the better offenses in the series. Chixi didn't have enough offense.

Dragonball F - Fratboys 1 - 0
NSI 74 - 77
"It seemed as though Fratboys considered the game won aforehand which resulted in a very uninspired start of the game." My series may have the weakest first place team in division 4, but we might have one of the best 7th place temas. This was a huge upset and has big implications for my team.


<table border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2"> <tbody><tr bgcolor="Silver"><th> Rank (http://usa.hatstats.info/standings.php?level=4&round=9&season=22&sort=rank&series=648)</th><th> Team Name </th><th> + </th><th> - </th><th> Diff </th><th> Pts </th><th> Formation </th><th> Def </th><th> Mid </th><th> Att </th><th> All </th><th> Def </th><th> Mid </th><th> Att </th><th> Tot </th><th>
</th></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffff"><td align="center">1 </td><td>South Bay Saints </td><td align="right"> 37 </td><td align="right">5</td><td align="right">32</td><td align="right">27</td><td align="center">3-5-2</td><td align="right">14.5</td><td align="right">17.5</td><td align="right">6.5</td><td align="right">38.5</td><td align="right">3</td><td align="right">3</td><td align="right">3</td><td align="right">9</td><td align="center">W</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ededed"><td align="center">2 </td><td>Fratboys </td><td align="right"> 27 </td><td align="right">8</td><td align="right">19</td><td align="right">21</td><td align="center">3-5-2</td><td align="right">14.5</td><td align="right">21.5</td><td align="right">5.5</td><td align="right">41.5</td><td align="right">30</td><td align="right">24</td><td align="right">23</td><td align="right">77</td><td align="center">L</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffff"><td align="center">3 </td><td>CC's Dragons </td><td align="right"> 22 </td><td align="right">19</td><td align="right">3</td><td align="right">15</td><td align="center">3-5-2</td><td align="right">12.0</td><td align="right">17.0</td><td align="right">7.0</td><td align="right">36.0</td><td align="right">26</td><td align="right">21</td><td align="right">28</td><td align="right">75</td><td align="center">W</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ededed"><td align="center">4 </td><td>Los Chixi Dix </td><td align="right"> 19 </td><td align="right">16</td><td align="right">3</td><td align="right">11</td><td align="center">3-5-2</td><td align="right">9.0</td><td align="right">18.5</td><td align="right">6.5</td><td align="right">34.0</td><td align="right">26</td><td align="right">21</td><td align="right">23</td><td align="right">70</td><td align="center">L</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffff"><td align="center">5 </td><td>Thunderchickens </td><td align="right"> 22 </td><td align="right">21</td><td align="right">1</td><td align="right">10</td><td align="center">4-3-3</td><td align="right">17.0</td><td align="right">11.0</td><td align="right">13.5</td><td align="right">41.5</td><td align="right">27</td><td align="right">18</td><td align="right">36</td><td align="right">81</td><td align="center">W</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ededed"><td align="center">6 </td><td>Dragonball F </td><td align="right"> 13 </td><td align="right">16</td><td align="right">-3</td><td align="right">10</td><td align="center">3-5-2</td><td align="right">13.0</td><td align="right">17.5</td><td align="right">5.0</td><td align="right">35.5</td><td align="right">27</td><td align="right">24</td><td align="right">23</td><td align="right">74</td><td align="center">W</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffff"><td align="center">7 </td><td>RI Coks </td><td align="right"> 15 </td><td align="right">25</td><td align="right">-10</td><td align="right">10</td><td align="center">3-5-2</td><td align="right">12.0</td><td align="right">14.5</td><td align="right">6.0</td><td align="right">32.5</td><td align="right">27</td><td align="right">15</td><td align="right">20</td><td align="right">62</td><td align="center">L</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ededed"><td align="center" class="graycolor">8 </td><td class="graycolor">Number Munchers </td><td align="right" class="graycolor"> 0 </td><td align="right" class="graycolor">45</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">-45</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">0</td><td align="center" class="graycolor">x-x-x</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">0.0</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">0.0</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">0.0</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">0.0</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">3</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">3</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">3</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">9</td><td align="center">L</td></tr></tbody> </table>
With 5 weeks to go, I have a 6 point league on second place and 12 points on third place. In fact I have already clinched at least third place in the series.

With my latest win (11 straight division wins, 6 straight shutouts), I am one of 6 undefeated teams left in division 4. However, there is a big problem. I am 5 points above the autopromotion and it will be tough to avoid auto-promoting to division 3 unless I decide to throw matches. If the season ended today, I would be promoting into a series with some team run by BjornHolmer.

Is it time to start throwing games? Or just hope I end up in one of the 3 or 4 series that I could grab 6th place (thanks to walkovers)?

[Masked]

Team News: May 5

Well, I finally bought a new trainee to replace Araujo while he heals.

Ming Kee-Yong (30652933)
17 years, passable form, healthy
A sympathetic guy who is balanced and upright.
Has disastrous experience and disastrous leadership abilities.


Speciality: Quick

Nationality: USA
Assessed value: 87 000 US$
Wage: 920 US$/week
Owner: South Bay Saints
Warnings: 0


Stamina:	passable	Goaltending:	disastrous
Playmaking:	solid	Passing:	poor
Winger:	wretched	Defending:	poor
Scoring:	weak	Set Pieces:	passable

Originally, I was looking for someone with inadequate or better passing and didn't care where the player was from.

I changed my mind and wanted to go with an American with limited secondaries for several reasons.




Didn't want to spend 700K+ on a trainee
Wanted a high solid
Havok reminded me to think long term :), and I have no one that I could train to titantic or higher now because their wages would become unmanagable.
I have pleanty of good trainees with secondaries that will generate a good profit including my other 17 yo (pass passing)
When I found Kee-Yong, I decided he was perfect. He has great stamina for a new trainee and will be able to take over as my #4 IM next season, and will probably see a lot of time as a starting winger towards the middle. He does not have wretched passing. Poor adds no offense and virtually no value, however, I've found (at least at low levels) that wretched passing really reduces a players market value. This reduction does not reflect a players true value (wretched passing is essentially the same as poor passing). The quick specialty may generate a few goals, and he is essentially immune from the downside. He will never use his scoring skill and losing his poor defending in the rain isn't going to effect the team. Lastly, Kee-Yong has passable set pieces, and I like set-pieces. He'll never match my defender, but my defender will be gone in a season or two.

Unfortunately I had to pay a bit more than I hoped thanks to a damn Danish daytrader. I got Ming for 468K. This is about 400K more than I have previously spent on a trainee previously. Actually that might be more than I have spent on all my previous trainees.

Araujo, 22yo mid-outstanding PM, is healing quickly and has already dropped to +4. Team doctors were able to recover his foot from the pack of wild dogs that ran off with it after it the in-match amputation.


Time for a poll:

When will Kee-Yong pop? (Closely intertwined with "Is this a good buy?" :D)

I expect Kee-Yong to pop to excellent PM within 3 weeks. I'd be suprised if he popped this week, but would be disappointed if he takes more than 3.

My odds:
1 Week (tomorrow) - 6:1 (good buy)
2 weeks - 2:1 (fair buy)
3 weeks - 4:1 (He's American, need someone for friendly today buy)
4 weeks + - 12:1 (dumbass buy)

[Havok]

i think he's a decent buy if he bumps in a couple weeks. He's no Iver :) .... but he'll be great of you take him to ET or magical.

[Masked]

FOFC Cup: Group 3

South Bay Saints - Jacksonville Kickers

Entering the third week of group play, the Kickers are in first place with 6 points, while the saints are in 4th with one point. The Saints must win this match in order to have a chance to make it to the next round. I spent all my time this week scouting a new training ad none scouting the Kickers. I will just run my standard symmetric 3-5-2.

Match Report


Jacksonville seemed to prefer attacking in the middle. In the 4:th minute the home side managed to get a 1 - 0 lead as Tony Spicer flipped the ball after a cross pass from the right. Zvonko Andric increased Saintss lead to 2 - 0 by putting a header away on a hooked ball from the right. The visitors replied in the games 10:th minute, scoring the 2 - 1 goal, as Quintin Mcdonald broke through from the left, easily lobbing the ball over the home teams keeper. The teams went for a half-time break at 2 - 1. The fortyfive minutes were dominated by Saints, with an impressive 54 percent possession of the ball.

In the games 47:th minute Stelios Kambitsis bent a free kick around the home teams defensive formation, leaving the goalie completely without a chance to save. Jacksonville had evened the score to 2 - 2. Saintss Kirk Vandyke got himself booked after a foul. A corner kick created great disorder in the penalty area, but at last Saints´s Kirk Vandyke was able to shove the ball in. 3-2. Saints put themselves up 4 - 2 when Tony Spicer broke through on the right, leaving the entire defensive box behind him. The structure of the game started to change as Saints decided to pull back and meet their opponents in the defensive zone. Jacksonville showed some good morale and were, in the 83rd minute, able to reduce the score to 4 - 3 as Alberto Fernández got past the home sides full backs straight in front of the goal. Erik Eggleston of Jacksonville received a yellow card in the 87:th minute for unsportsmanlike behaviour. Things were going to get worse for the visitors. Carlton Blakely squirmed himself through the central defense line in the 87:th minute, asserting the lead to 5 - 3. Jacksonville´s Noel Key refused to leave the field after injuring his achilles tendon in the 87:th minute. With 88 minutes played Kirk Vandyke could have brought this one home for Saints, had his hooked ball gone in, but it went just a bit too high. Jacksonville held the ball, with a clear 51 percent possession rate.

Summary

My trainees lack of stamina nearly killed me in the second half. The Kickers got an early goal to tie the match at 2. However, my midfield created more chances the rest of the way and the offense converted 3 of 4 second half.

Ratings

South Bay Saints

Midfield: inadequate
Right Side Defence: passable
Central Defence: solid
Left Side Defence: solid
Right Side Attack: solid
Central Attack: solid
Left Side Attack: inadequate

NSI = 54

Jacksonville Kickers

Tactic: Attack in the middle
Tactic skill: solid

Midfield: weak
Right Side Defence: inadequate
Central Defence: excellent
Left Side Defence: passable
Right Side Attack: solid
Central Attack: formidable
Left Side Attack: inadequate

NSI = 52

Score should have been a little closer especially considering that I lost possession in the second half.

Stars

2.5 GK Joseph Lassiter

2.5 WB Alan Noel (in only inadequate form)
3.0 CD Yki Hyypia
2.0 WB Teuvo Kaurismaki

2.0 W Myles Bloom (off)
3.0 IM Carlton Blakely (off)
1.5 IM Kirk Vandyke (extra)
2.5 IM Ming Kee-Yong (off), ***Debut***
1.0 W Niklas Haggerberg (off, clown)

2.5 F Zvonko Andric
3.5 F Tony Spicer

Around Group B

Walk-In Special - ATLxpress 0-8
Arkham Avengers - Soutpark Cows 1-3


<table style="width: 596pt; border-collapse: collapse;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="796" border="0" x:str=""> <tbody><tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"><td class="xl26" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); height: 12.75pt; background-color: rgb(51, 153, 102);" height="17">Seed</td><td class="xl26" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(51, 153, 102);">Team</td><td class="xl26" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(51, 153, 102);">FOFC</td><td class="xl26" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(51, 153, 102);">Team ID</td><td class="xl26" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(51, 153, 102);">W</td><td class="xl26" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(51, 153, 102);">L</td><td class="xl26" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(51, 153, 102);">D</td><td class="xl26" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(51, 153, 102);">GF</td><td class="xl26" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(51, 153, 102);">GA</td><td class="xl26" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(51, 153, 102);">DIFF</td><td class="xl26" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(51, 153, 102);">PTS</td></tr><tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); height: 12.75pt; background-color: white;" height="17" x:num="">32</td><td class="xl32" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:str="Walk-in Special ">Walk-in Special </td><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:str="portnoise ">portnoise </td><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">72396</td><td class="xl61" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">2</td><td class="xl61" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">0</td><td class="xl61" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">1</td><td class="xl60" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">18</td><td class="xl66" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">5</td><td class="xl60" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">13</td><td class="xl60" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">7</td></tr><tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); height: 12.75pt; background-color: white;" height="17" x:num="">42</td><td class="xl32" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:str="JacksonVille Kickers ">JacksonVille Kickers </td><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:str="tucker rocky ">tucker rocky </td><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">70857</td><td class="xl61" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">2</td><td class="xl61" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">1</td><td class="xl61" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">0</td><td class="xl61" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">11</td><td class="xl61" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">7</td><td class="xl60" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">4</td><td class="xl60" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">6</td></tr><tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"><td class="xl62" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); height: 12.75pt; background-color: white;" height="17" x:num="">2</td><td class="xl64" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:str=" Southpark Cows "> Southpark Cows </td><td class="xl62" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:str="lytic ">lytic </td><td class="xl62" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">70821</td><td class="xl60" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">2</td><td class="xl60" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">1</td><td class="xl60" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">0</td><td class="xl66" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">8</td><td class="xl66" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">6</td><td class="xl60" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">2</td><td class="xl60" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">6</td></tr><tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); height: 12.75pt; background-color: white;" height="17" x:num="">12</td><td class="xl32" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:str="South Bay Saints ">South Bay Saints </td><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:str="Masked ">Masked </td><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">72176</td><td class="xl61" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">1</td><td class="xl61" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">1</td><td class="xl61" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">1</td><td class="xl66" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">11</td><td class="xl61" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">10</td><td class="xl60" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">1</td><td class="xl60" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">4</td></tr><tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); height: 12.75pt; background-color: white;" height="17" x:num="">52</td><td class="xl32" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:str="ATLxpress ">ATLxpress </td><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:str="Celeval ">Celeval </td><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">225397</td><td class="xl61" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">1</td><td class="xl61" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">2</td><td class="xl61" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">0</td><td class="xl61" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">6</td><td class="xl61" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">14</td><td class="xl60" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">-8</td><td class="xl60" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">3</td></tr><tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); height: 12.75pt; background-color: white;" height="17" x:num="">22</td><td class="xl32" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:str="Arkam Avengers ">Arkam Avengers </td><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:str="Nyarlahotep ">Nyarlahotep </td><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">72049</td><td class="xl61" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">0</td><td class="xl61" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">0</td><td class="xl61" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">3</td><td class="xl60" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">3</td><td class="xl60" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">15</td><td class="xl60" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">-12</td><td class="xl60" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">3</td></tr></tbody> </table>
I got the necessary win, but the Saints will need a lot of help to snag second place. Special and Kickers face each other this week so I'll have a chance to move up, if I can pull out a victory against Arkam. If I can get some of my better B team players (Lassiter, Blakely, and Bloom) in better form, I should have a good shot at beating both Nyarlahotep and Celeval.

[Havok]

congratz ahead of time for Ming Kee-Yong bumping to excellent!!! He's not Iver.... but he's DAM close :)

[Masked]

Training

As Havok already mentioned...

HE POPPED!!!!!!!!

Ming Kee-Yong (30652933)
17 years, passable form, healthy
A sympathetic guy who is balanced and upright.
Has disastrous experience and disastrous leadership abilities.

Speciality: Quick

Nationality: USA
Assessed value: 97 000 US$
Wage: 920 US$/week
Owner: South Bay Saints

Stamina: passable Goaltending: disastrous
Playmaking: excellent Passing: poor
Winger: wretched Defending: poor
Scoring: weak Set Pieces: passable

Kee-Yong is the future of the Saints. He will be trained to a very high level, and with his good stamina, he could move into the starting linuep as soon as this week!

Why this week -- form is killing my IMs.

My best IM Joonas Vahtramae dropped to poor form. My number 5 IM form improved, but he is only up to inadequate.

And of course Dani Mario Araujo is still out injured.

I will play one IM as a winger towards middle in my league match. Fighting for the 3rd IM and winger spot are

1) Vahtramae, poor form, Outstanding + 6 PM, inad def
2) Carlton Blakely, inad form, exc + 7 PM, inad def, inad pass
3) Kee-Yong, pass form, exc + 0 PM, pass stamina

I am leaning to starting Blakely as the 3rd IM, and Joonas on the wing.

Other notable movers

GK Tomas Myklebust jumped to solid form and a value of $1,119,000
Defenders Matt Keyesj and Clifton Campbell swamped form (pass->solid, solid->pass) for the third straight week.

[Masked]

League Match

Week 10: Dragonball F - South Bay Saints

The Saints were on the road against 6th place Dragonball F. Dragonball has struggled with wins this season despite putting up strong ratings. They are a balanced team with one of the better midfields in the division. The Saints are short-handed in the midfield with Dani Mario Araujo out injured and Joonas Vahtramae is in poor form. Joonas will still get the start, and Carlton Blakely will play as a winger towards the middle to ensure that I win possession.

Match report

A well placed corner kick from Amos Yeager was followed by Johan Claesson´s hard but accurate header. The nice combination meant goal for Dragonball. The result now 1-0. 14 minutes into the game Saints´s Robin Drakborn found a gap in the home sides central defense scoring with a long shot, making it 1 - 1. Saints had a good opportunity to score the lead goal but the home team goaltender Mart Karind saved Toader Popa´s shot headed for the top corner. Dragonballs Hajo Neumann got himself booked after a foul. The Saints player was Tomas Myklebust who had to be helped off the pitch, unable to finish the game, but Joseph Lassiter came in to finish the match. Johan Claesson of Dragonball received a yellow card in the 18:th minute for unsportsmanlike behaviour. The teams went for a half-time break at 1 - 1. Saints held the ball, with a clear 53 percent possession rate.

Several players seemed a little dazed by the warm weather, and were repeatedly tricked by the clever and agile Jurek Jeziorski. A badly positioned defensive formation on a free kick in the 64:th minute led to Saints´s Romuald Renoir giving the visitors the lead 1 - 2. Romuald Renoir could have added one to the visitors lead if his free kick had gone just a little lower. Saints held the ball, with a clear 53 percent possession rate.

Summary

I was worried when Tomas Mycklebust left the game in the first half, but he was only injured for 1 week. My defesive ratings took a small hit as a result. The ratings were close, but I had a small advantage in all three catagories which lead to the narrow win.

Ratings

Dragonball F

Midfield: excellent
Right Side Defence: outstanding
Central Defence: formidable
Left Side Defence: formidable
Right Side Attack: inadequate
Central Attack: excellent
Left Side Attack: formidable

NSI = 74


South Bay Saints

Midfield: formidable
Right Side Defence: brilliant
Central Defence: formidable
Left Side Defence: excellent
Right Side Attack: formidable
Central Attack: formidable
Left Side Attack: inadequate

NSI = 78

Individual notes

Goals: (season total)
Robin Drakborn, 1 (6, tied for fourth in IV.31)
Romuald Renoir, 1 (2)

Cards:
none

Injuries:
Tomas Mycklebust, +1

Stars

2.5 GK Joseph Lassiter
(4.0 GK Tomas Mycklebust, injury might have cost me my first 5 star player)

3.5 WB Matt Keyesj (def)
3.5 CD Clifton Campbell
3.0 WB Romuald Renoir (def)

3.0 W Clark Merritt (off)
4.5 IM Ryszard Laguna (off) ***Personal Record, tied for team record***
3.0 IM Joonas Vahtramae (extra)
4.0 IM Toader Popa (off)
2.5 W Carlton Blakely (tow. mid)

3.0 F Robin Drakborn
3.5 F Joe Lond

Around IV.31

Number Munchers - Thunderchickens 0-5
Walkover

RI Coks - CC's Dragons 1- 1
NSI 67-64
Dragons lost an IM in the 2nd minute to a read card and were lucky to escape with a point.

Fratboys - Los Chixi Dix 5-1
NSI 86-67
Fratboys put up an outstanding midifeld and a supernatural central defease. A dominant midfield and defense easily shut-down Chixi who only goal came on a special event.

<table border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2"> <tbody><tr bgcolor="Silver"><td colspan="7">
</td><th bgcolor="Silver" colspan="4">Stars</th><th bgcolor="Silver" colspan="4">Ratings</th><td> </td></tr><tr bgcolor="Silver"><th> Rank (http://usa.hatstats.info/standings.php?level=4&round=10&season=22&sort=rank&series=648)</th><th> Team Name </th><th> + </th><th> - </th><th> Diff </th><th> Pts </th><th> Formation </th><th> Def (http://usa.hatstats.info/standings.php?level=4&round=10&season=22&series=648&sort=def) </th><th> Mid (http://usa.hatstats.info/standings.php?level=4&round=10&season=22&series=648&sort=mid) </th><th> Att (http://usa.hatstats.info/standings.php?level=4&round=10&season=22&series=648&sort=att) </th><th> All (http://usa.hatstats.info/standings.php?level=4&round=10&season=22&series=648&sort=all) </th><th> Def </th><th> Mid </th><th> Att </th><th> Tot (http://usa.hatstats.info/standings.php?level=4&round=10&season=22&series=648&sort=rate) </th><th>
</th></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffff"><td align="center">1 </td><td>South Bay Saints (javascript:popUp('/team_overview.php?teamid=72176')) </td><td align="right"> 39 </td><td align="right">6</td><td align="right">33</td><td align="right">30</td><td align="center">3-5-2</td><td align="right">12.5</td><td align="right">17.0</td><td align="right">6.5</td><td align="right">36.0</td><td align="right">28</td><td align="right">27</td><td align="right">23</td><td align="right">78</td><td align="center">W</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ededed"><td align="center">2 </td><td>Fratboys (javascript:popUp('/team_overview.php?teamid=71012')) </td><td align="right"> 32 </td><td align="right">9</td><td align="right">23</td><td align="right">24</td><td align="center">3-5-2</td><td align="right">15.0</td><td align="right">21.0</td><td align="right">7.0</td><td align="right">43.0</td><td align="right">31</td><td align="right">30</td><td align="right">25</td><td align="right">86</td><td align="center">W</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffff"><td align="center">3 </td><td>CC's Dragons (javascript:popUp('/team_overview.php?teamid=70676')) </td><td align="right"> 23 </td><td align="right">20</td><td align="right">3</td><td align="right">16</td><td align="center">x-x-x</td><td align="right">12.5</td><td align="right">13.5</td><td align="right">7.0</td><td align="right">33.0</td><td align="right">24</td><td align="right">12</td><td align="right">28</td><td align="right">64</td><td align="center">D</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ededed"><td align="center">4 </td><td>Thunderchickens (javascript:popUp('/team_overview.php?teamid=70297')) </td><td align="right"> 27 </td><td align="right">21</td><td align="right">6</td><td align="right">13</td><td align="center">4-3-3</td><td align="right">18.5</td><td align="right">11.0</td><td align="right">13.5</td><td align="right">43.0</td><td align="right">3</td><td align="right">3</td><td align="right">3</td><td align="right">9</td><td align="center">W</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffff"><td align="center">5 </td><td>Los Chixi Dix (javascript:popUp('/team_overview.php?teamid=71112')) </td><td align="right"> 20 </td><td align="right">21</td><td align="right">-1</td><td align="right">11</td><td align="center">3-5-2</td><td align="right">9.5</td><td align="right">18.5</td><td align="right">6.5</td><td align="right">34.5</td><td align="right">23</td><td align="right">21</td><td align="right">23</td><td align="right">67</td><td align="center">L</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ededed"><td align="center">6 </td><td>RI Coks (javascript:popUp('/team_overview.php?teamid=70721')) </td><td align="right"> 16 </td><td align="right">26</td><td align="right">-10</td><td align="right">11</td><td align="center">3-5-2</td><td align="right">12.0</td><td align="right">15.5</td><td align="right">6.0</td><td align="right">33.5</td><td align="right">27</td><td align="right">21</td><td align="right">21</td><td align="right">69</td><td align="center">D</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffff"><td align="center">7 </td><td>Dragonball F (javascript:popUp('/team_overview.php?teamid=8074')) </td><td align="right"> 14 </td><td align="right">18</td><td align="right">-4</td><td align="right">10</td><td align="center">3-5-2</td><td align="right">13.0</td><td align="right">17.0</td><td align="right">5.0</td><td align="right">35.0</td><td align="right">28</td><td align="right">24</td><td align="right">22</td><td align="right">74</td><td align="center">L</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ededed"><td align="center" class="graycolor">8 </td><td class="graycolor">Number Munchers (javascript:popUp('/team_overview.php?teamid=8612')) http://usa.hatstats.info/images/computer.gif</td><td align="right" class="graycolor"> 0 </td><td align="right" class="graycolor">50</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">-50</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">0</td><td align="center" class="graycolor">x-x-x</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">0.0</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">0.0</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">0.0</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">0.0</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">3</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">3</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">3</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">9</td><td align="center">L</td></tr></tbody> </table>

[Masked]

Team News

Injury update:
Tomas Mycklebust is only bruised and should heal the rest of the way tonight.
Dani Mario Araujo is at +2, and may be able to play in a friendly next week.

I bought a new player to train on the wing.

Nicky Newbury
106 000 US$, 19 years, passable form
Has disastrous experience and inadequate leadership abilities

Stamina: passable Keeper: disastrous
Playmaking: solid Passing: poor
Winger: wretched Defending: weak
Scoring: weak Set Pieces: inadequate

I picked up Newbury off the English market today for 108,000. He played as a winger towards middle in my friendly today, and I expect him to pop to excellent tomorrow. He has a very high value, for having only two weak skills. I'll then resell him for a nice profit.

[Masked]

FOFC Cup: Group B round 4

The Saints are in fourth place with a 1-1-1 record. I must win today if I hope to advance to the elimination round.

South Bay Saints - Arkham Avengers


In the 2nd minute Carlton Blakely almost put the home team one ahead on a cross pass coming in from the right, but the shot went wide. In the 15:th minute Avengerss Erik Eastman received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. Saints took the lead in the 16:th minute after a magnificent free kick. Zvonko Andric adjusted the score to 1 - 0. With 25 minutes played Kirk Vandyke could have brought this one home for Saints, had his hooked ball gone in, but it went just a bit too high. The cannonball from 35 metres by Richard Mata of Avengers was an impressive sight, but didn´t make it into the net. After 42 minutes Ming Kee-Yong put Saints ahead 2 - 0 as he rose to head in a hooked ball, the result of an effort from the right side. The teams went for a half-time break at 2 - 0. The fortyfive minutes were dominated by Saints, with an impressive 68 percent possession of the ball.

In the 65:th minute Richard Mata had a fantastic opportunity to reply but his shot hit the side of the goal. Things were going to get worse for the visitors. Teuvo Kaurismäki squirmed himself through the central defense line in the 66:th minute, asserting the lead to 3 - 0. A speedy charge from the left side of the field put Saints lead up with 4 - 0. Ming Kee-Yong finished that one off competently, firing from an acute angle. After this Saints lowered the tempo in order to concentrate on their defensive efforts. Tony Spicer increased Saintss lead to 5 - 0 by putting a header away on a hooked ball from the right. Saints held the ball, with a clear 62 percent possession rate.

Ratings


South Bay Saints

Midfield: passable
Right Side Defence: passable
Central Defence: solid
Left Side Defence: solid
Right Side Attack: excellent
Central Attack: excellent
Left Side Attack: weak

NSI = 58

Arkham Avengers

Midfield: poor
Right Side Defence: passable
Central Defence: passable
Left Side Defence: passable
Right Side Attack: solid
Central Attack: passable
Left Side Attack: solid

NSI = 47

Group B

ATLxpress - SouthPark Cows 4 - 4
Walk-In Special - Jacksonville Kickers 2 - 2

I'll add the standings later.

The Saints go the essential win and are in a three way tie for second place with 7 points. Jacksonville and SouthPark also have 7 points; Walk-In is in first place with 8 points.

[Masked]

FOFC Cup Continued

<table style="width: 595pt; border-collapse: collapse;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="791" border="0" x:str=""> <tbody><tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"><td class="xl26" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); height: 12.75pt; background-color: rgb(51, 153, 102);" height="17">Seed</td><td class="xl26" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(51, 153, 102);">Team</td><td class="xl26" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(51, 153, 102);">FOFC</td><td class="xl26" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(51, 153, 102);">Team ID</td><td class="xl26" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(51, 153, 102);">W</td><td class="xl26" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(51, 153, 102);">L</td><td class="xl26" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(51, 153, 102);">D</td><td class="xl26" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(51, 153, 102);">GF</td><td class="xl26" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(51, 153, 102);">GA</td><td class="xl26" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(51, 153, 102);">DIFF</td><td class="xl26" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(51, 153, 102);">PTS</td></tr><tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"><td class="xl27" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); height: 12.75pt; background-color: rgb(204, 255, 204);" height="17" x:num="">32</td><td class="xl29" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(204, 255, 204);" x:str="Walk-in Special ">Walk-in Special </td><td class="xl27" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(204, 255, 204);" x:str="portnoise ">portnoise </td><td class="xl27" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(204, 255, 204);" x:num="">72396</td><td class="xl49" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(204, 255, 204);" x:num="">2</td><td class="xl49" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(204, 255, 204);" x:num="">0</td><td class="xl49" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(204, 255, 204);" x:num="">2</td><td class="xl55" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(204, 255, 204);" x:num="" x:fmla="=C18+C26+C36+K22+K26">20</td><td class="xl55" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(204, 255, 204);" x:num="" x:fmla="=C17+C27+C35+K27+K21">7</td><td class="xl49" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(204, 255, 204);" x:num="" x:fmla="=(H4-I4)">13</td><td class="xl49" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: rgb(204, 255, 204);" x:num="" x:fmla="=(E4*3)+(G4)">8</td></tr><tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); height: 12.75pt; background-color: white;" height="17" x:num="">12</td><td class="xl32" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:str="South Bay Saints ">South Bay Saints </td><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:str="Masked ">Masked </td><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">72176</td><td class="xl51" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">2</td><td class="xl51" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">1</td><td class="xl51" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">1</td><td class="xl53" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="" x:fmla="=C20+C30+C38+K30+K21">16</td><td class="xl51" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="" x:fmla="=C19+C31+C37+K31+K22">10</td><td class="xl50" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="" x:fmla="=(H5-I5)">6</td><td class="xl50" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="" x:fmla="=(E5*3)+(G5)">7</td></tr><tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); height: 12.75pt; background-color: white;" height="17" x:num="">42</td><td class="xl32" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:str="JacksonVille Kickers ">JacksonVille Kickers </td><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:str="tucker rocky ">tucker rocky </td><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">70857</td><td class="xl51" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">2</td><td class="xl51" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">1</td><td class="xl51" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">1</td><td class="xl50" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="" x:fmla="=C21+K18+K27+C31+C39">13</td><td class="xl50" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="" x:fmla="=C22+C30+C40+K26+K17">9</td><td class="xl50" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="" x:fmla="=(H6-I6)">4</td><td class="xl50" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="" x:fmla="=(E6*3)+(G6)">7</td></tr><tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); height: 12.75pt; background-color: white;" height="17" x:num="">2</td><td class="xl32" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:str=" Southpark Cows "> Southpark Cows </td><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:str="lytic ">lytic </td><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">70821</td><td class="xl51" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">2</td><td class="xl51" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">1</td><td class="xl51" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">1</td><td class="xl51" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="" x:fmla="=(C19+C29+K17+K29+C35)">12</td><td class="xl51" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="" x:fmla="=(C20+C28+C36+K18+K28)">10</td><td class="xl50" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="" x:fmla="=(H7-I7)">2</td><td class="xl50" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="" x:fmla="=(E7*3)+(G7)">7</td></tr><tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); height: 12.75pt; background-color: white;" height="17" x:num="">52</td><td class="xl32" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:str="ATLxpress ">ATLxpress </td><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:str="Celeval ">Celeval </td><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">225397</td><td class="xl51" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">1</td><td class="xl51" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">2</td><td class="xl51" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">1</td><td class="xl50" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="" x:fmla="=C22+C27+C37+K28+K19">10</td><td class="xl53" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="" x:fmla="=C21+C26+C38+K20+K29">18</td><td class="xl50" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="" x:fmla="=(H8-I8)">-8</td><td class="xl50" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="" x:fmla="=(E8*3)+(G8)">4</td></tr><tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); height: 12.75pt; background-color: white;" height="17" x:num="">22</td><td class="xl32" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:str="Arkam Avengers ">Arkham Avengers </td><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:str="Nyarlahotep ">Nyarlahotep </td><td class="xl30" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">72049</td><td class="xl51" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">0</td><td class="xl51" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">4</td><td class="xl51" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="">0</td><td class="xl51" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="" x:fmla="=(C17+C28+C40+K20+K31)">3</td><td class="xl51" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="" x:fmla="=(C18+C29+C39+K19+K30)">20</td><td class="xl50" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="" x:fmla="=(H9-I9)">-17</td><td class="xl50" style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); background-color: white;" x:num="" x:fmla="=(E9*3)+(G9)">0</td></tr></tbody> </table>
With one week remaining, the Saints are in 2nd place on GD.

In the final week, SouthPark host Walk-In. If Walk-In wins, they win the group. Kickers host the Avengers, and ATLxpress hosts the Saints.

If SouthPark wins or draws against Walk-in, I have an good chance to win the group (assuming I beat ATLxpress which is certainly not a given). Unfortunately, thanks to all the ties, it doesn't look that likely that the second place team in this group will advance.

[Masked]

Training

It was a good week of playmaking for the training. Three players jumped a level. Unfortunately two pops that I was hoping for did not happen.

New pops

Carlton Blakely
392 000 US$, 19 years, inadequate form
Has wretched experience and weak leadership abilities

Stamina: excellent Keeper: disastrous
Playmaking: formidable Passing: inadequate
Winger: poor Defending: inadequate
Scoring: weak Set Pieces: wretched


Kirk Vandyke
68 000 US$, 17 years, inadequate form
Has disastrous experience and poor leadership abilities [Quick]

Stamina: poor Keeper: disastrous
Playmaking: solid Passing: passable
Winger: poor Defending: poor
Scoring: wretched Set Pieces: passable


Kfir Blumenfeld
96 000 US$, 17 years, inadequate form
Has disastrous experience and inadequate leadership abilities

Stamina: solid Keeper: disastrous
Playmaking: passable Passing: poor
Winger: solid Defending: poor
Scoring: poor Set Pieces: weak

The two players that didn't pop were winger Clark Merritt (+8) and day-trainee Newbury (pass form, 110K value for a solid!).

Form

Team: +5/-8
Starters: +3/-4

My starting midfield got a nice boost this week. Joonas Vahtramae (outs+7) is finally showing signs that he is coming out of his slump. He moved up from poor to weak. Toader Popa jumped to solid to match Ryszard who remained there this weak.

My defense took a hit though. My keeper remains in solid form but lost 56K in value. He is at least fully healed from his one week injury. Set piece specialist and wing back Renoir dropped to inadequate form.

The offense remained the same. Forward Robin Drakborn finally got to passable form (which means he will drop next week), but winger Clark Merritt dropped to weak form.

My b team is in horrible shape now, but that doesn't really matter.

[Masked]

Weekly Update

Finally......

Theo Roush (31367850) http://www12.hattrick.org/Common/images/bookmark_16x16.gif (http://www12.hattrick.org/Common/bookmarks.asp?action=AddConfirm&BookmarkTypeID=2&ObjectID=31367850) 17 years, passable form, healthy
A pleasant guy who is balanced and honest.
Has disastrous experience and passable leadership abilities.

<table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Nationality: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> USA </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Assessed value: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 160 000 US$ </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Wage: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 1 260 US$/week </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Owner: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> South Bay Saints </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Warnings: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 0 </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td>Stamina: </td><td>weak </td> <td> Goaltending: </td><td>disastrous </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Playmaking: </td><td>passable </td> <td> Passing: </td><td>inadequate </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Winger: </td><td>weak </td> <td> Defending: </td><td>poor </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Scoring: </td><td>solid </td> <td> Set Pieces: </td><td>inadequate </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
Up until this week, I had had no luck with my youth pulls. I expect to get about 500K for Roush which will give me a nice profit for this season. Of course overall, I will still have lost money on my youth squad. Hopefully more of my pulls will be like this one.

[vex]

Niiiice, too bad you didn't pull him in a few weeks though;)

[Havok]

Congratz bro!!!

After this pull we're gonna be about equal in youth squad sales. Still pretty crappy for us both, but its a step in the right direction for you :)

[Masked]

Match of the Season - Perhaps

League match week 11 preview

South Bay Saints - Fratboys

<table border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2"> <tbody><tr bgcolor="#ffffff"><td align="center">1 </td><td>South Bay Saints (javascript:popUp('/team_overview.php?teamid=72176')) </td><td align="right"> 39 </td><td align="right">6</td><td align="right">33</td><td align="right">30</td><td align="center">3-5-2</td><td align="right">12.5</td><td align="right">17.0</td><td align="right">6.5</td><td align="right">36.0</td><td align="right">28</td><td align="right">27</td><td align="right">23</td><td align="right">78</td><td align="center">W</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ededed"><td align="center">2 </td><td>Fratboys (javascript:popUp('/team_overview.php?teamid=71012')) </td><td align="right"> 32 </td><td align="right">9</td><td align="right">23</td><td align="right">24</td><td align="center">3-5-2</td><td align="right">15.0</td><td align="right">21.0</td><td align="right">7.0</td><td align="right">43.0</td><td align="right">31</td><td align="right">30</td><td align="right">25</td><td align="right">86</td><td align="center">W</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffff"><td align="center">3 </td><td>CC's Dragons (javascript:popUp('/team_overview.php?teamid=70676')) </td><td align="right"> 23 </td><td align="right">20</td><td align="right">3</td><td align="right">16</td><td align="center">x-x-x</td><td align="right">12.5</td><td align="right">13.5</td><td align="right">7.0</td><td align="right">33.0</td><td align="right">24</td><td align="right">12</td><td align="right">28</td><td align="right">64</td><td align="center">D</td></tr></tbody> </table>
With four games left, I have secured at least 2nd place. I host Fratboys today, who I defeated on the road 3-0 (ratings closer than the score).,

A win today virtually locks up first place for me as I would have a 10+ goal differential advantage over Fratboys (although they have the walkover in the final week of the season).

Here are the Fratboys ratings from last week. They were at home.

Fratboys

Tactic: Attack in the middle
Tactic skill: formidable

Midfield: outstanding
Right Side Defence: solid
Central Defence: supernatural
Left Side Defence: outstanding
Right Side Attack: formidable
Central Attack: excellent
Left Side Attack: excellent

They frequently AIM, so playing AOW to attack their wings is risky. I had a formidable midfield on the road last week, and form has improved so I should have a 1-2 level advantage . They will be without one of their central defenders this week who is suspended. My attack is better than his, but my defense is worse than his, so it's going to come down to midfield.

Do I MOTS or not?

MOTS and win - Essentially clinche the series today. I'd PIC at home next week and probably lose to Thunderchickens and his magical central attack. Then I have CC's Dragons on the road and Los Chixi Dix at home. I should easily defeat Los Chixi at home with a MOTS. Losing two games might drop me below the autopromotion line as well.

Normal and win - obviously the best possible scernerio. I'd still PIC Thunderchickens next week, but might win this time.

MOTS and lose - Big trouble. With my team spirit shot, I'd probably move into a tie with Fratboys after losing next week. I'd have to win my final two games and hope to hold onto my GD.

Normal and lose - I'd have to play normal the following two weeks to get wins. I'd enter the last week with average team spirit, and would MOTS Chixi to take the title.

The final question is what is Fratboys going to do? They have to consider using a MOTS today, because they can't win the series without getting points today. They have a very favorable scedule to end the season with as well -- RI Coks and Thunderchickens RI Coks at home, and the walkover the final week. Even with low team spirit, they might be able to PIC againsts Coks next week and win, which would give them enought midfield to beat Thunderchickens in another MOTS. If I was them with content or better TS, I'd MOTS me today.

The best arguement for me not MOTSing today is that if I lose, I still have a 3 point lead in the series with fair team spirit. I have not decided what I am going to yet.

[sterlingice]

The best arguement for me not MOTSing today is that if I lose, I still have a 3 point lead in the series with fair team spirit. I have not decided what I am going to yet.
I think this should make your decision easy.

SI

[Masked]

And that is exactly why I decided to just play normal.

although I really want to use a MOTS at some point as it's been nearly two seasons since I was last able to use one. I had a chance at a qualifier last season, so I played it safe in my final match.

[Masked]

League Match: Week 11

South Bay Saints - Fratboys

With 4 games remaining, including today's, the Saints lead the Fratboys by 6 points for the series championship. I also have a large lead in goal differential. A win today will essentially clinche the series title.

I decided not to MOTS this match, but I expect Fratboys to MOTS (for reasons outlined above). At home, we should be about equal in the midfield (he put up an outstanding at home last week, I had a formidable on the road).

Match Report

Saints had a good opportunity to take the lead as Clark Merritt came up the left side, but he struck the ball weakly and it went straight into the arms of Gustavo Miguel Falaschi.

20 minutes into the game Joe Lond had to leave the pitch due to a knee injury. In came Tony Spicer.
Tony Spicer is one level lower in scoring but has much better experience; Both are in excellent form, and put up 3.5 stars.

After 25 minutes Fratboyss Anders Åkesson made his way through the middle, putting the visitors up 0 - 1.

The referee showed Fratboyss Carlos Gómez the yellow card after a particularly nasty challenge.

Clifton Campbell pulled a real crowd pleaser as he, in the 38:th minute, wove through the guests whole central defense line and put the 1 - 1 equaliser away.

1 - 1 was the half-time score. Saints held the ball, with a clear 57 percent possession rate.

In the 48:th minute Tony Spicer almost put the home team one ahead on a cross pass coming in from the right, but the shot went wide.

In the 63rd minute the visitors broke through on the right after some poor defending and Richard Francis put the ball away for 1 - 2.

In the 63rd minute Saintss Romuald Renoir received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first.

After 76 minutes Robin Drakborn got through on the right and was very close to equalising for the home side, but didn´t get the shot away.

Robin Drakborn put his head to a well placed ball lifted in from the left and scored the 2 - 2 goal in the 81st minute.

In the 84:th minute cheers broke out as Clark Merritt found his way through the guests central defense line, clipping the 3 - 2 goal in for Saints.

Saints held the ball, with a clear 60 percent possession rate.


Summary

The match went back and forth and it looked bleak when the Saints were down by one with 10 minutes to play and had already missed two chances in the second half. In the final ten minutes, my big offensive stars came through. Robin Drakborn got the tying goal, and Clark Merritt got the series winning goal.

Ratings

South Bay Saints

Midfield: brilliant
Right Side Defence: solid
Central Defence: brilliant
Left Side Defence: brilliant
Right Side Attack: inadequate
Central Attack: formidable
Left Side Attack: formidable

NSI = 85, ***Team Record***

Fratboys

Midfield: excellent
Right Side Defence: outstanding
Central Defence: extra-terrestrial
Left Side Defence: titanic
Right Side Attack: formidable
Central Attack: excellent
Left Side Attack: excellent

NSI = 90

Fratboys spent 3.1M on a keeper (18yo outstanding(?) in solid form) prior to the match, and got by far his best defensive ratings ever. I did not notice this purchase before the match.

Individual Notes

Goals: (Season total)
Robin Drakborn, 1 (7)
Clark Merritt, 1 (1)
Clifton Campbell, 1 (1)

Cards:
Romuald Renoir, yellow (1)

Injuries:
Joe Lond, +1


Stars

4.5 GK Tomas Myklebust

3.5 CD Matt Keyesj
3.5 CD Clifton Campbell
3.0 WB Romuald Renoir

2.5 W Carlton Blakely (towards middle)
4.5 IM Toader Popa (offensive) ***Personal Best***
3.0 IM Joonas Vahtramae (extra)
4.0 IM Ryszard Laguna (offensive)
3.0 W Clark Merritt (offensive)

3.5 F Robin Drakborn
3.5 F Tony Spicer
(3.0 F Joe Lond, injured)

Around IV.31

<table border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2"> <tbody><tr bgcolor="Silver"><th> Rank (http://usa.hatstats.info/standings.php?level=4&round=11&season=22&sort=rank&series=648)</th><th> Team Name </th><th> + </th><th> - </th><th> Diff </th><th> Pts </th><th> Formation </th><th> Def (http://usa.hatstats.info/standings.php?level=4&round=11&season=22&series=648&sort=def) </th><th> Mid (http://usa.hatstats.info/standings.php?level=4&round=11&season=22&series=648&sort=mid) </th><th> Att (http://usa.hatstats.info/standings.php?level=4&round=11&season=22&series=648&sort=att) </th><th> All (http://usa.hatstats.info/standings.php?level=4&round=11&season=22&series=648&sort=all) </th><th> Def </th><th> Mid </th><th> Att </th><th> Tot (http://usa.hatstats.info/standings.php?level=4&round=11&season=22&series=648&sort=rate) </th><th>
</th></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffff"><td align="center">1 </td><td>South Bay Saints (javascript:popUp('/team_overview.php?teamid=72176')) </td><td align="right"> 42 </td><td align="right">8</td><td align="right">34</td><td align="right">33</td><td align="center">x-x-x</td><td align="right">14.5</td><td align="right">17.0</td><td align="right">7.0</td><td align="right">38.5</td><td align="right">29</td><td align="right">33</td><td align="right">23</td><td align="right">85</td><td align="center">W</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ededed"><td align="center">2 </td><td>Fratboys (javascript:popUp('/team_overview.php?teamid=71012')) </td><td align="right"> 34 </td><td align="right">12</td><td align="right">22</td><td align="right">24</td><td align="center">x-x-x</td><td align="right">16.5</td><td align="right">20.0</td><td align="right">7.0</td><td align="right">43.5</td><td align="right">41</td><td align="right">24</td><td align="right">25</td><td align="right">90</td><td align="center">L</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffff"><td align="center">3 </td><td>CC's Dragons (javascript:popUp('/team_overview.php?teamid=70676')) </td><td align="right"> 28 </td><td align="right">20</td><td align="right">8</td><td align="right">19</td><td align="center">x-x-x</td><td align="right">12.5</td><td align="right">16.5</td><td align="right">6.5</td><td align="right">35.5</td><td align="right">3</td><td align="right">3</td><td align="right">3</td><td align="right">9</td><td align="center">W</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ededed"><td align="center">4 </td><td>Thunderchickens (javascript:popUp('/team_overview.php?teamid=70297')) </td><td align="right"> 30 </td><td align="right">22</td><td align="right">8</td><td align="right">16</td><td align="center">x-x-x</td><td align="right">18.5</td><td align="right">12.0</td><td align="right">14.0</td><td align="right">44.5</td><td align="right">31</td><td align="right">18</td><td align="right">36</td><td align="right">85</td><td align="center">W</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffff"><td align="center">5 </td><td>Los Chixi Dix (javascript:popUp('/team_overview.php?teamid=71112')) </td><td align="right"> 23 </td><td align="right">23</td><td align="right">0</td><td align="right">14</td><td align="center">x-x-x</td><td align="right">10.0</td><td align="right">19.0</td><td align="right">6.5</td><td align="right">35.5</td><td align="right">25</td><td align="right">27</td><td align="right">21</td><td align="right">73</td><td align="center">W</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ededed"><td align="center">6 </td><td>RI Coks (javascript:popUp('/team_overview.php?teamid=70721')) </td><td align="right"> 18 </td><td align="right">29</td><td align="right">-11</td><td align="right">11</td><td align="center">x-x-x</td><td align="right">12.5</td><td align="right">15.5</td><td align="right">6.0</td><td align="right">34.0</td><td align="right">27</td><td align="right">21</td><td align="right">21</td><td align="right">69</td><td align="center">L</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffff"><td align="center">7 </td><td>Dragonball F (javascript:popUp('/team_overview.php?teamid=8074')) </td><td align="right"> 15 </td><td align="right">21</td><td align="right">-6</td><td align="right">10</td><td align="center">x-x-x</td><td align="right">12.5</td><td align="right">17.0</td><td align="right">5.0</td><td align="right">34.5</td><td align="right">23</td><td align="right">21</td><td align="right">19</td><td align="right">63</td><td align="center">L</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ededed"><td align="center" class="graycolor">8 </td><td class="graycolor">Number Munchers (javascript:popUp('/team_overview.php?teamid=8612')) http://usa.hatstats.info/images/computer.gif</td><td align="right" class="graycolor"> 0 </td><td align="right" class="graycolor">55</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">-55</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">0</td><td align="center" class="graycolor">x-x-x</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">0.0</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">0.0</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">0.0</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">0.0</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">3</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">3</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">3</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">9</td><td align="center">L</td></tr></tbody> </table>

Los Chixi Dix - RI Coks 3-2
NSI 73-69
Los Chixi had one of their better games putting up a formidable midfield. They're ratings elsewhere were rather average. RI Coks offense and defense ratings were not good enough to overcome a two level midfield defecit.

CC's Dragons - Number Munchers 5-0
Walkover

Thunderchickens - Dragonball F 3-1
NSI 85 - 63
Thunderchickens has built a team that is very strong everywhere but midfield (only passable). Dragonball's ratings have been steadily declining over the last several weeks and didn't have enough midfield to limit Thunderchickens chances.


Oh shit, now what

With the win today, I have secured at least a tie for first place. With a 12 goal advantage in the differential, I have basically won the division.

Currently, the Saints sit 5 point above the autopromotion line, and without deliberating tanking games, I will auto-promote to division III.

Given average form, and no injury to one of my top IMs I will typically put up a mid 80s NSI. To be able to survive in division III, I figure I need to average an NSI in the mid 90's (well survive in maybe half the series), but it would be nice to get over 100.

My team has pulled a brilliant midfield 3 times (twice on the road, and today) and can probably expect a regular world class next season with a bit of stamina training, healing or Araujo, and Vahtramae being out of weak form. Therefore, I am not that worried about my midfield (and there is not that much I can do about it).

However, this implies that I have to make a switch in the training strategy I outlined several weeks ago when Araujo got injured. At the time, I planned to sell Vahtramae when he pops to brilliant in two weeks. Now I think I should keep Vahtramae, as he is my best IM, and sell Araujo when he pops in 5 weeks. One of my trainees would only get half training in each of the 5 weeks.

Therefore I need to average an outstanding rating at the 6 offensive and defensive ratings.

Currently on defense, I start two solids, and one excellent and had a cumulative rating of 29 today. Adding a formidable or outstanding defender would easily improve my team for not too much money.

My offense needs more work. Today I had a total NSI of only 23 on offense. If I don't play a winger towards middle that would jump to about a 27. I plan to spend between 2-3.5M on a new forward within the next 5 weeks. Which might be enough to get me to a point where I could snag 6th place in a div III series.

Balance sheet
Cash - 650K
Youth pull - 400K
2 Home matches - 600K
Araujo - 2.2M

Total - 3.85M

The sale of players being replaced will bring in another 600-1M (depends on who i sell).

Not considering promotion bonues that would roughly enough for a formidable defender and a brilliant forward (with poor or weak passing).


Should I promote?

Why not to - I will probably spend next season getting beat soundly if I promote and likely get demoted back to division IV (and probably into a much harder series). I will end with no more and possibly fewer supporters than I have now.

Why to - My series is boring. No one posts in the conferences or post press anouncements. Most of them make numerous questionable decisions (including buying 3 multimillion dollar 17yos and then not playing them in friendlies). Simply put, playing them isn't all that interesting. Simply put facing much more dedicated opponents sounds like it would be more interesting. Plus I really dislike the idea of deliberately throwing matches. I have complained in the pass about teams throwing matches because they were scared to stop winning most every weeks. It would pretty hypocritical for me to throw matches now that I am the one with something to risk.

Besides maybe I can get to division II before TP gets back there. http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[Havok]

good luck bro... you know what i think you should do :)

but if you do promote i'll be pulling for ya!

[sterlingice]

Congrats on the big win. I'm not sure you have a Div III caliber team but throwing a game seems like a bad idea no matter what.

SI

[DukeRulesMAB]

I say promote. I know the V to IV jump is easier than the IV to III jump, but I was completely unready when my team promoted, and we've managed to scrape together and survive. At least give yourself that shot.

[Desnudo]

I think you'll get rocked in III, but what the hell? I say go for it, I definitely would/will be next season. There are certainly series out there you can compete in. And it is only a game after all.

[Masked]

Thanks for the suggestions

Right now, I think I will more or less just play normally. I will not throw any matches, but also will not go out of my way to secure to auto-promotion (double MOTS in last two games).

Perhaps some mother club or last club money will help me fund some improvents. My bids page is extremely busy right now.

Current bids for South Bay Saints

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top">Players</td> <td valign="top" align="right">Highest bid</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3" valign="top">Selling</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Clint Hyman
Original club</td> <td valign="top">5/21/2004 at 12.24</td> <td valign="top" align="right">75 000 US$
(1 500 US$)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Jaromir Nabozny
Last club</td> <td valign="top">5/21/2004 at 08.32</td> <td valign="top" align="right">0.0 US$
(0.0 US$)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Nathan Levy
Original club and last club</td> <td valign="top">5/20/2004 at 02.27</td> <td valign="top" align="right">0.0 US$
(0.0 US$)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Joseph Downs
Original club and last club</td> <td valign="top">5/19/2004 at 23.43</td> <td valign="top" align="right">0.0 US$
(0.0 US$)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Theo Roush
Original club</td> <td valign="top">5/19/2004 at 19.31</td> <td valign="top" align="right">204 000 US$
(187 680 US$)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Eduard Alberti Rovira
Last club</td> <td valign="top">5/18/2004 at 16.54</td> <td valign="top" align="right">0.0 US$
(0.0 US$)</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top">Total income</td> <td valign="top" align="right">204 000 US$</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3" valign="top">Buying</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top">Total costs</td> <td valign="top" align="right">0.0 US$</td></tr></tbody> </table>
The mother and last club money will not amount to much. Theo Roush, my 17 yo solid youth pull, is the only one that will bring in much money. Joseph Downs (28yo, solid def, pass passing) and Clint Hyman (28yo solid PM, pass def) are the only two that will sell for much.

[Masked]

$%#!@#

My great youth pull, Theo Roush, sells for only $306K to a div 6 team with a weak trainer who uses a 4-4-2 exclusively.

306K for a 17yo solid scorer, inad passer seems very low even this late in the season. My chances at getting any mother club money are pretty much shot as well.

Damn youth pull lottery - even when I win, I still get screwed.

[vex]

$%#!@#

My great youth pull, Theo Roush, sells for only $306K to a div 6 team with a weak trainer who uses a 4-4-2 exclusively.

306K for a 17yo solid scorer, inad passer seems very low even this late in the season. My chances at getting any mother club money are pretty much shot as well.

Damn youth pull lottery - even when I win, I still get screwed.

I might have to go searching for some 17 yo middies if prices are that low.

[Havok]

$%#!@#

My great youth pull, Theo Roush, sells for only $306K to a div 6 team with a weak trainer who uses a 4-4-2 exclusively.

306K for a 17yo solid scorer, inad passer seems very low even this late in the season. My chances at getting any mother club money are pretty much shot as well.

Damn youth pull lottery - even when I win, I still get screwed.


wow.... same thing happened to me last season when i had my 17 year old solid PM. The week before guys just like the one i pulled were selling for 600-900k, mine solid for 400k :(

Its no use Masked.... we have been forsaken......

[Masked]

FOFC Cup: Group play, week 5

ATLxpress - South Bay Saints

Entering week 5, the Saints are in a 3 way tie for 2nd place with the Jacksonville Kickers and the SouthPark Cows. To advance, the Saints need a win and some help.

Unfortunately, Dani Mario Araujo was still at +1, so he will have to sit out this match. Hopefully his form doesn't tank.

Match Report

A corner kick created great disorder in the penalty area, but at last Saints´s Kirk Vandyke was able to shove the ball in. 0-1.

The visitors Zvonko Andric took advantage of an error due to a misunderstanding between the home side´s goalie and central backs in the 5:th minute. 0 - 2 for Saints. The structure of the game started to change as Saints decided to pull back and meet their opponents in the defensive zone.

In the games 15:th minute Tony Spicer nearly put the visitors another one up as he broke through and fired from just outside the box, his shot passed just over the bar.

In the 21st minute the visitors put themselves ahead 0 - 3 as Tony Spicer finished off an attack from the left with a spectacular scissors kick.

In the 25:th minute the visitors put themselves ahead 0 - 4 as Tony Spicer finished off an attack from the left with a spectacular scissors kick.

0 - 4 was the half-time score. Saints held the ball, with a clear 62 percent possession rate.

ATLxpress reduced the score in the 56:th minute to 1 - 4 when Ronald Sargent got the best of a ball floated in from the left.

What ever got into Jorge Gonzalez Pérez, the crowd mumbled, as he suddenly struck a cross pass through the own defense - ending up right in front of Saints´s Tony Spicer, who easily put the ball away for 1-5. By then Tony Spicer was a three time scorer - a hat trick!

In the 73rd minute the visitors put themselves ahead 1 - 6 as Tony Spicer finished off an attack from the left with a spectacular scissors kick.

Saints, bringing the final ball possession rate to 58 percent, dominated the battle.


Ratings


ATLxpress

Midfield: weak
Right Side Defence: formidable
Central Defence: excellent
Left Side Defence: passable
Right Side Attack: formidable
Central Attack: passable
Left Side Attack: excellent

NSI = 58


South Bay Saints

Midfield: passable
Right Side Defence: weak
Central Defence: passable
Left Side Defence: excellent
Right Side Attack: formidable
Central Attack: solid
Left Side Attack: weak

NSI = 56

Group B

SouthPark Cows - Walk-In Special 3-3
Arkham Avengers - Jacksonville Kickers 3-2

Saints win group B!

In the Sweet 16, the Saints travel to face the Deacons. On the road, the Saints should be the underdog, but tonights training update may change that.

[Masked]

Training

I was hoping for three pops (one longshot) but I only got one.

Nicky Newbury
115 000 US$, 19 years, passable form
Has disastrous experience and inadequate leadership abilities

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td>Stamina: </td><td>passable</td> <td> Keeper: </td><td>disastrous</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Playmaking: </td><td>excellent</td> <td> Passing: </td><td>poor</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Winger: </td><td>wretched</td> <td> Defending: </td><td>weak</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Scoring: </td><td>weak</td> <td> Set Pieces: </td><td>inadequate</td></tr></tbody> </table>
I picked up Newbury two weeks ago to daytrain in a winger slot. He took two weeks to actually pop. He'll go on the market tomorrow with an asking price of 275K and will hopefully sell for about 300K.


Form: Just can't get a good week here. +4/-5

Starters: +2/-3
Now that injured IM Araujo is ready to play, he drops to inadequate form. GK Tomas Mycklebust and IM Ryszard Laguna both dropped from solid to passable.
Clark Merritt jumped to inadequate form and defender Matt Keyesj is up to excellent.

Value jumped $256K to $6.279M.

[Masked]

Weekly Update

Youth Pull

Johnie House (31702999)
19 years, passable form, healthy
A pleasant guy who is balanced and dishonest.
Has disastrous experience and passable leadership abilities.


Speciality: Unpredictable

Nationality: USA
Assessed value: 6 000 US$
Wage: 520 US$/week
Owner: South Bay Saints
Warnings: 0


Stamina: passable Goaltending: disastrous
Playmaking: wretched Passing: poor
Winger: poor Defending: inadequate
Scoring: wretched Set Pieces: wretched


Another bum this week, but after last week I am not in a position to complain (unless it is about how I got screwed on the transfer of my great pull).

So what do you think is the market value of a 19yo, unpredicatable inadequate defender? 10K, 20K, Fired


Ecomnomic Update

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr><td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Cash funds: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 951 396 US$ (889 786) US$ </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> Sponsors: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> dancing in the streets </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> Supporter Club: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 1807 members </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> Supporters: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> high on life </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="355" bgcolor="#cccccc"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="5" align="left" valign="top">This week

</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="left" valign="top">Revenue</td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> </td> <td colspan="2" align="left" valign="top">Expenses</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Crowd</td> <td colspan="1" align="right" valign="top">0</td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Arena</td> <td colspan="1" align="right" valign="top">33 150</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Sponsors</td> <td colspan="1" align="right" valign="top">99 330</td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Wages</td> <td colspan="1" align="right" valign="top">44 590</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Financial</td> <td colspan="1" align="right" valign="top">0</td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Interest</td> <td colspan="1" align="right" valign="top">0</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Temporary</td> <td colspan="1" align="right" valign="top">1 800</td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Temporary</td> <td colspan="1" align="right" valign="top">2 000</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> </td> <td colspan="1" align="right" valign="top"> </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Staff</td> <td colspan="1" align="right" valign="top">63 000</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> </td> <td colspan="1" align="right" valign="top"> </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Youth squad</td> <td colspan="1" align="right" valign="top">20 000</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#999999"> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Total revenue</td> <td colspan="1" align="right" valign="top">101 130</td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Total expenses</td> <td colspan="1" align="right" valign="top">162 740</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#999999"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top">Expected income/loss</td> <td colspan="1" align="right" valign="top"> -61 610</td></tr></tbody> </table>

Just short of hitting 100K/week from my sponsors. Staff expenses are still a bit high due to the 10 doctors that are working on Araujo's foot.

Player Update

From the supporter stats:

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2"> <tbody><tr><td>Value per player (average): </td> <td>263 625 US$</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Total squad value: </td> <td>6 327 000 US$</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Average age: </td> <td>22</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Current form (average): </td> <td>passable</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Experience (average): </td> <td>poor</td> </tr> <tr> <td>No of players (excluding the coach): </td> <td>24</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Number of nationalities: </td> <td>12</td></tr></tbody> </table>

League match preview

This week I host the 4th place Thunderchickens. Their ratings from their home match last week were solid.

Thunderchickens
Player rating and Team formation
Team Attitude: (Hidden)
Tactic: Normal
Tactic skill: (Unlimited)

Midfield: passable
Right Side Defence: world class
Central Defence: brilliant
Left Side Defence: solid
Right Side Attack: formidable
Central Attack: mythical
Left Side Attack: outstanding

They switch between running a 4-3-3 with no wingers and rarely a 3-4-3. With the 4-3-3 they should counterattack but they don't. Their top midfielder is suspended for this match as well, so they may not put up better than a weak midfield.

I will play a 3-5-2 with two offensive wingers instead of playing one towards the middle. My defense cannot stop the central attack, but can slow down the wings. I am going to try a symmetric defense with one wingback towards the middle. I am curious how this order will work. The Saints will also PIC the match to prepare for the final two games. I am expected a formidable midfield (form still at weak on my best IM).

I am not worried about losing this match, since I have a 9 point lead on second place and would need to lose two matches to lose my auto-promotion spot. However, I do expect to extend my league winning streak to 14 games today.

[Masked]

League: Week 12

South Bay Saints - Thunderchickens

I can officially clinch the series with a win today. As I mentioned in the previous post, Thunderchickens is without their best midfielder, and their best MF rating this season was a solid in a MOTS vs me in week 3. Sabot acknowledged that the MOTS was a big mistake, and therefore I think is unlikely to do it again. At this point, it must be clear to him that there are far more inviting targets to steal point from than me. Since I only expect a weak or inadequate midfield from him, I decided to PIC. I should put up an excellent or formidable which should be enough for a win.

I made two changes in my lineup this week that were mostly done as an experiment.
1 -- I am using two offensive wingers instead of playing an extra IM as a winger towards middle. The trade off here is obvious. It makes sense today since I expect a large midfield advantage.
2 -- Matt Keyesj, a wingback, will be ordered to play towards the middle. I am not sure what to expect here. Normally I would play two central defenders against a 3-4-3, but I want to see how the order works.

Match Report
51000 spectators arrived at Complex Spikes Arena, where weather conditions were pretty good for football. Saints started off with a 3-5-2 lineup.

Thunderchickens´s Paul Läfvenholt gave the visitors a 0 - 1 lead in the 3rd minute with a superb strike from the right.

After 5 minutes Robin Drakborn got through on the right and was very close to equalising for the home side, but didn´t get the shot away.

The visitors Dennis Zetterholt took advantage of an error due to a misunderstanding between the home side´s goalie and central backs in the 5:th minute. 0 - 2 for Thunderchickens.

After 19 minutes a combination in the middle resulted in a through ball for Dariusz Wozniak who increased Thunderchickens´s lead to 0 - 3. The teams went for a half-time break at 0 - 3.

Saints, bringing the final ball possession rate to 60 percent, dominated the battle.

The home crowd was given a certain amount of consolation when Joe Lond, after a brilliant midfield combination, put the reducing 1 - 3 goal away for Saints.

In the games 54:th minute Saints´s Clark Merritt fell dramatically just outside the penalty area. However, the referee booked Clark Merritt for taking a dive.

Robin Drakborn challenged the visitors full backs eagerly, producing a good chance in the 57:th minute as he went for a through ball combination. But as so many times before, the guest´s defensive efforts got the best of it.

Saintss Clifton Campbell got himself booked after a foul.

Anders Hellmo increased the visitors lead by putting a volley shot away on a pass from the right. 1 - 4. The structure of the game started to change as Thunderchickens decided to pull back and meet their opponents in the defensive zone.

Saints, bringing the final ball possession rate to 60 percent, dominated the battle.


Notes

Well, my team spirit is delirious, but I'm irritated. I should have won this one (at least according to HAM). I dominated the midfield as I expected, and my offense should have had more success against their defense. As for my experiments, the first was a moderate success. Even with my winger in inadequate form, I ended up with a respectable wing attack on both sides. Long term, I need to get another stud winger for this to be a truly viable strategy. At least today, the trade off between wing attack and midfield backfired. The second tactic, the wingback towards the middle, was a complete waste. I got the same wing defense as with no wingback, and my central defense was a bit better (likely) but not enough to justify using the order.

Ratings

South Bay Saints

Team Attitude: Play it Cool
Tactic: Normal


Midfield: excellent
Right Side Defence: solid
Central Defence: outstanding
Left Side Defence: brilliant
Right Side Attack: formidable
Central Attack: formidable
Left Side Attack: formidable

NSI = 79

Thunderchickens

Midfield: inadequate
Right Side Defence: magnificent
Central Defence: brilliant
Left Side Defence: solid
Right Side Attack: formidable
Central Attack: magical
Left Side Attack: outstanding

NSI = 82

Stars

4.0 GK Tomas Myklebust

3.5 WB Matt Keyesj (towards middle)
3.5 CD Clifton Campbell
3.0 WB Romuald Renoir (defensive)

2.5 W Kfir Blumenfeld (offensive) <-- this guy needs to be replaced
4.5 IM Toader Popa (offensive)
3.5 IM Joonas Vahtramae (extra) <-- would you believe he is a week from brilliant (f$%%#@!g form)
4.0 IM Ryszard Laguna (offensive)
3.5 W Clark Merritt (offensive)

3.5 F Robin Drakborn
3.5 F Joe Lond

39.0 total stars <-- never gonna hit 40

Final summary - my team sucks

Around IV.31

<table border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2"> <tbody><tr bgcolor="Silver"><td colspan="7">
</td><th bgcolor="Silver" colspan="4">Stars</th><th bgcolor="Silver" colspan="4">Ratings</th><td>
</td></tr><tr bgcolor="Silver"><th> Rank </th><th> Team Name </th><th> + </th><th> - </th><th> Diff </th><th> Pts </th><th> Formation </th><th> Def </th><th> Mid </th><th> Att </th><th> All </th><th> Def </th><th> Mid </th><th> Att </th><th> Tot </th><th>
</th></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffff"><td align="center">1 </td><td>South Bay Saints </td><td align="right"> 43 </td><td align="right">12</td><td align="right">31</td><td align="right">33</td><td align="center">x-x-x</td><td align="right">14.0</td><td align="right">18.0</td><td align="right">7.0</td><td align="right">39.0</td><td align="right">28</td><td align="right">24</td><td align="right">27</td><td align="right">79</td><td align="center">L</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ededed"><td align="center">2 </td><td>Fratboys </td><td align="right"> 37 </td><td align="right">13</td><td align="right">24</td><td align="right">27</td><td align="center">x-x-x</td><td align="right">15.5</td><td align="right">20.5</td><td align="right">6.0</td><td align="right">42.0</td><td align="right">35</td><td align="right">30</td><td align="right">23</td><td align="right">88</td><td align="center">W</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffff"><td align="center">3 </td><td>Thunderchickens </td><td align="right"> 34 </td><td align="right">23</td><td align="right">11</td><td align="right">19</td><td align="center">x-x-x</td><td align="right">18.5</td><td align="right">11.5</td><td align="right">13.5</td><td align="right">43.5</td><td align="right">30</td><td align="right">15</td><td align="right">37</td><td align="right">82</td><td align="center">W</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ededed"><td align="center">4 </td><td>CC's Dragons </td><td align="right"> 28 </td><td align="right">24</td><td align="right">4</td><td align="right">19</td><td align="center">x-x-x</td><td align="right">13.5</td><td align="right">17.0</td><td align="right">6.5</td><td align="right">37.0</td><td align="right">26</td><td align="right">18</td><td align="right">28</td><td align="right">72</td><td align="center">L</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffff"><td align="center">5 </td><td>Los Chixi Dix </td><td align="right"> 28 </td><td align="right">23</td><td align="right">5</td><td align="right">17</td><td align="center">x-x-x</td><td align="right">11.5</td><td align="right">19.5</td><td align="right">6.0</td><td align="right">37.0</td><td align="right">3</td><td align="right">3</td><td align="right">3</td><td align="right">9</td><td align="center">W</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ededed"><td align="center">6 </td><td>Dragonball F </td><td align="right"> 19 </td><td align="right">21</td><td align="right">-2</td><td align="right">13</td><td align="center">x-x-x</td><td align="right">14.0</td><td align="right">18.0</td><td align="right">5.5</td><td align="right">37.5</td><td align="right">28</td><td align="right">24</td><td align="right">26</td><td align="right">78</td><td align="center">W</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffff"><td align="center">7 </td><td>RI Coks </td><td align="right"> 19 </td><td align="right">32</td><td align="right">-13</td><td align="right">11</td><td align="center">x-x-x</td><td align="right">12.0</td><td align="right">13.5</td><td align="right">6.0</td><td align="right">31.5</td><td align="right">25</td><td align="right">12</td><td align="right">20</td><td align="right">57</td><td align="center">L</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ededed"><td align="center" class="graycolor">8 </td><td class="graycolor">Number Munchers </td><td align="right" class="graycolor"> 0 </td><td align="right" class="graycolor">60</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">-60</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">0</td><td align="center" class="graycolor">x-x-x</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">0.0</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">0.0</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">0.0</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">0.0</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">3</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">3</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">3</td><td align="right" class="graycolor">9</td><td align="center">L</td></tr><tr><td colspan="16"><hr></td></tr></tbody> </table>


Fratboys - RI Coks 3-1
NSI 88-57

Dragonball F - CC's Dragons 4-0
NSI 78-72

Los Chixi Dix - Number Munchers 5-0
Walkover

Final Notes

With this loss, I am only 4 points above the auto-promotion line. There is a good chance, I will lose next week on the road against CC's Dragons, since I will PIC. But it would be virtually impossible to lose in the final game without throwing the match, and thus I will promote to div 3 where I am going to get destroyed every week unless my team somehow gets to excellent form and stays their (looking at Merritt and Vahtramae). I am much less optimistic about my chances in III next season than I was last week (not that I thought I was going to do well). Still, I am not planning on throwing matches in an effort to slip under the autopromotion line.

[Masked]

FOFC Cup - Sweet 16

Deacons - Saints

Match Report

Saints had several good opportunities to take the lead, especially in the 24:th minute when Yki Hyypiä came up alone against Florin Gânsac who managed a block. In the games 36:th minute Saints´s Yki Hyypiä fell dramatically just outside the penalty area. However, the referee booked Yki Hyypiä for taking a dive. With 40 minutes played Cliff Bravo almost gave the home side the lead with an unexpected free kick set up, but visitors Joseph Lassiter was onto it, grabbing the would be break through ball. In the 40:th minute the home side managed to get a 1 - 0 lead as Christer Svensson flipped the ball after a cross pass from the right. Gary Mayfield of Deacons received a yellow card in the 40:th minute for unsportsmanlike behaviour. 1 - 0 was the half-time score. Possession of the ball saw an equal split between the teams during the fortyfive minutes.

Pârcãlab Pann increased Deaconss lead to 2 - 0 by putting a header away on a hooked ball from the right. Deacons put themselves up 3 - 0 when Ola Valstad broke through on the right, leaving the entire defensive box behind him. One of many good passes from Einars Sogolovs at the wing was recieved and skillfully taken care of by Christer Svensson, scoring for Deacons to 4 - 0. After this Deacons lowered the tempo in order to concentrate on their defensive efforts. Cliff Bravo should probably have put his team up another goal in the 69:th minute, but some great goaltending by Joseph Lassiter kept the visitors in the game. In the 76:th minute Deacons put themselves up 5 - 0. The visitors defenders lost the ball to Alex Binzegger coming up from the left, who proceeded to cooly round the goaltender and knock the ball home. 78 minutes into the game Carlton Blakely had to leave the pitch due to a knee injury. In came Niklas Häggerberg. Deacons, bringing the final ball possession rate to 61 percent, dominated the battle.

Notes

There is no reason to highlight anything in the match report, as pretty much every update sucked for my team. Deacons played the same lineup in his league match on Sunday, so my scrubs didn't have much of a chance.

Ratings

Deacons

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top">Midfield:</td> <td valign="top">solid</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Right Side Defence:</td> <td valign="top">outstanding</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Central Defence:</td> <td valign="top">brilliant</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Left Side Defence:</td> <td valign="top">brilliant</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Right Side Attack:</td> <td valign="top">brilliant</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Central Attack:</td> <td valign="top">solid</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Left Side Attack:</td> <td valign="top">world class</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
NSI 84

South Bay Saints
<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Midfield:</td> <td valign="top">solid</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Right Side Defence:</td> <td valign="top">passable</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Central Defence:</td> <td valign="top">solid</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Left Side Defence:</td> <td valign="top">solid</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Right Side Attack:</td> <td valign="top">inadequate</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Central Attack:</td> <td valign="top">solid</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Left Side Attack:</td> <td valign="top">solid</td></tr></tbody> </table>
NSI 60

Kept in close in the first half, but my B-team's lack of stamina killed me in the second half.

With that, the defending champs are out of the cup and for the 5th straight year there will be a new cup champ.


Dani Mairo Araujo returned to the field for the first time since his devestating +7 injury. He received only 3.5 stars, indicated that he is probably in low inadequate form. Hopefully he'll rebound tonight since Joonas might be heading off after training tonight.


Team Notes

Nicky Newbury sold for $250,000 this morning bring me to just under $1.5M. I am hoping Joonas will net roughly 2.5M, and selling Joe Lond will add another 500K, which would bring me close to having enough to go after a magnificent forward.

[Masked]

Training

Milestone week for the Saints

Two players reached new levels in playmaking. Joonas Vahtramae became the Saints first brilliant player.

Joonas Vahtramäe
812 000 US$, 20 years, weak form
Has wretched experience and poor leadership abilities
[Unpredictable]

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td>Stamina: </td><td>excellent</td> <td> Keeper: </td><td>disastrous</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Playmaking: </td><td>brilliant</td> <td> Passing: </td><td>poor</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Winger: </td><td>weak</td> <td> Defending: </td><td>inadequate</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Scoring: </td><td>weak</td> <td> Set Pieces: </td><td>weak
</td></tr></tbody> </table>
Unfortunately, Joonas has to be moved. Since i bought the extra trainee when Araujo went down for 7 weeks, I have too many IMs. About to turn 21, most of Joonas's developmental years are behind him. He is on the market for $2.5M. The funds from his sale will be used to upgrade one of my forwards.

This move will have little impact on my midfield this season. Joonas is only in weak form, and Araujo (outs +6) returns from injury to take his spot temporarily. Unfortunately, Araujo is 22, and thus getting too old to effectively train (esp given his low skill for that age). My current plan, is to sell Dani Mario Araujo when he pops to brilliant early next season and replace him with a 19 yo outstanding PM to take over Joonas's spot in the lineup.

The second pop was to a long time Saint.

Clark Merritt
343 000 US$, 21 years, inadequate form
Has poor experience and inadequate leadership abilities
[Quick]

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td>Stamina: </td><td>excellent</td> <td> Keeper: </td><td>disastrous</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Playmaking: </td><td>passable</td> <td> Passing: </td><td>passable</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Winger: </td><td>excellent</td> <td> Defending: </td><td>weak</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Scoring: </td><td>wretched</td> <td> Set Pieces: </td><td>poor</td></tr></tbody> </table>
Unlike Joonas, Merritt is not going anywhere unless Havok offers Iver in a trade. I'd probably insists on some cash as well :). Several season's ago, I mixed in an occasional week of winger training to develop some well rounded wingers. The trainining was quite profitable and netted me about 1.7M for two players. I would like to get Merritt the two weeks of training he needs to reach formidable, and then that will be it. Now that I have trainees with good primary skills, skipping a week of training is more expensive then it was when I had only 18 and 19 yo passable playmakers.


The form update was horrible.

Starters: +1/-4 (error in my initial reports b/c I misread HAM)
Team: +3/-6

Clark Merritt bumped to very low inadequate form. At least it is a move in the right direction.

My defense took a big hit. Keeper Tomas Myklebust dropped about 60K in value, but remained in passable form. Defenders Clifton Campbell and Matt Keyesj dropped one and two levels respectively (to inad and pass).

Up Next: A big update, if someone bids on Joonas.

[Masked]

Weekly updates

Youth Pull - another wasted 2K

Thomas Bernard
2 000 US$, 17 years, passable form
Has disastrous experience and poor leadership abilities

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td>Stamina: </td><td>wretched</td> <td> Keeper: </td><td>disastrous</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Playmaking: </td><td>poor</td> <td> Passing: </td><td>wretched</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Winger: </td><td>poor</td> <td> Defending: </td><td>weak</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Scoring: </td><td>poor</td> <td> Set Pieces: </td><td>poor</td></tr></tbody> </table>

[Masked]

Week 13: at CC's Dragons

Dragons enter their final home match in 4th place and host the Saints as I try to secure the division championship. A win, a tie, or a loss by the Saints locks up the division; any points will ensure I am in division III next season.

Match report


Many thought Alarico Mansur ought to have been awarded a penalty shot in the 12th minute, as he went down trying to circle the visitors keeper Tomas Myklebust. Jonathan Talley of Dragons received a yellow card in the 26:th minute for unsportsmanlike behaviour. Saints took the lead after 28 minutes with 0 - 1. Toader Popa placed the ball out of reach for the home sides keeper after a fine move, coming in from the left. Robin Drakborn was, after 29 minutes, almost able to extend the visitors lead with a well placed diving header but home side keeper James Myers saved. The referee showed Saintss Clark Merritt the yellow card after a particularly nasty challenge. After 34 minutes of play Alarico Mansur equalised for Dragons after an elegant attack from the right. The teams went for a half-time break at 1 - 1. Saints held the ball, with a clear 57 percent possession rate.

Fine winger Patrik Ulfsson made one of his many passes from the wing into the middle in the 62nd minute. Sammie Maloney went to the air and hit the ball firmly with his forehead for 2 - 1. The visitors didn´t give in and after 64 minutes Tony Spicer got through the home sides central line of defense, rolling in the levelling goal to make it 2 - 2. After 65 minutes Saintss Robin Drakborn made his way through the middle, putting the visitors up 2 - 3. In the 72nd minute the visitors put themselves ahead 2 - 4 as Romuald Renoir finished off an attack from the left with a spectacular scissors kick. James Myers kept the home side in the game with a magnificient save, as Romuald Renoir delivered an almost perfect free kick to the far cross bar. Saints held the ball, with a clear 57 percent possession rate.

summary

The match was a tough fight in the first half, but the Saints ran away in the second half. Should have bean a 5-2 win, as Romuald Renoir should never miss a free kick against a mere excellent goalie even if he was in solid form.

Ratings

CC's Dragons

Midfield: solid
Right Side Defence: excellent
Central Defence: formidable
Left Side Defence: formidable
Right Side Attack: outstanding
Central Attack: excellent
Left Side Attack: outstanding

NSI 75

South Bay Saints

Midfield: formidable
Right Side Defence: formidable
Central Defence: formidable
Left Side Defence: brilliant
Right Side Attack: formidable
Central Attack: formidable
Left Side Attack: formidable

NSI 83

Stars

4.0 Tomas Myklebust

3.0 Matt Keyesj
3.0 Clifton Campbell
3.0 Romuald Renoir

3.0 W Kfir Blumenfeld
4.5 IM Toader Popa
3.5 IM Dani Mario Araujo
4.0 Ryszard Laguna
3.5 W Clark Merritt

3.0 F Robin Drakborn
3.5 F Tony Spicer


The Saints will be in division 3 next year but are probably at least a year away from being good enough to be competitive. It will take a lot of luck to finish in 6th place or higher. As for the rest of the season, I will MOTS the finale this weekend and hope for a world class midfield. I think I will need all my IMs in at least passable form though.

Also, rumors around town suggest that the team may be preparing to make a few major moves in an effort to prepare for next season.

[Masked]

Saints up the attack

Joonas Vahtramae (brilliant PM, inadequate defense) was sold to dos piedras for $2.5M.

Losing Joonas would be a blow to my midfield if he hadn't been stuck in weak form, and I didn't have Araujo (out+6) returning from injury. I will see a small drop in the short term though.

The money didn't last long though as I made a big purchase to upgrade my offense.

Last week, Joonas became my first brilliant player. Now I have none, but I do have a magnificent one.

The newest Saint is another Estonian to replace the one we lost in Joonas.

Jüri Kolotsei (6994968)
21 years, weak form, healthy
A sympathetic guy who is balanced and upright.
Has weak experience and weak leadership abilities.


Speciality: Technical

<table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Nationality: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> Eesti </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Assessed value: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 702 000 US$ </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Wage: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 6 720 US$/week including 20% Bonus </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Owner: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> South Bay Saints </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">Warnings: </td> <td colspan="1" align="left" valign="top"> 0 </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td>Stamina: </td><td>poor </td> <td> Goaltending: </td><td>disastrous </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Playmaking: </td><td>weak </td> <td> Passing: </td><td>inadequate </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Winger: </td><td>inadequate </td> <td> Defending: </td><td>wretched </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Scoring: </td><td>magnificent </td> <td> Set Pieces: </td><td>passable </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1" border="0"> <tbody><tr> <td>Matches for National U-20 team: </td> <td>1 </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
Juri cost me only $3,901,000 and a few minutes of sleep at 6:45 this morning. He had great form for most of the season until the drop to weak at the end of the season. In passable form, he is good for 4.5-5.0 stars, and should cause a big increase in my attack ratings. Since he has decent set piece skills, I am considering doing a weak of training in the offseason to try and get him and my 2 IM trainees to pop. At some point (soon) a solid defender (even though he has outstanding set pieces) is not going to be good enough to start for my team.

[Masked]

Wedding...

I am getting married in about 6 hours, and then off for two weeks. It has been an incredibly busy week, and I was not able to update the dynasty as usual. Funny, the last few days have been very hectic, but now mere hours before the events, I don't have much to do except put on a tux and get to the wedding (and of course wake up my best man who is still asleep in the next room).

The short version of my hattrick week



Won an international friendly and had no injury
Did not have a net loss in form!!!
19yo Ryszard Laguna popped to outstanding playmaking. He also has passable passing.
Sponsers contributed more than 100K for the first time.
Forgot to fire 10 docs now that all my players are healed
Youth pull was a 19yo inadequate defender
MOTS the final league match in division 4. Also will be the last league match the Saints will win until sometime in October.
Have no idea when I will be able to check the results of my match since the ceremony starts at 4! Should have scheduled the wedding for next week - I am sure my fiance would have understood. :)
Good luck to all FOFCers today, and look for a season 23 report in a few weeks.

[Havok]

Congratz Masked!!!!

[sterlingice]

You and your silly "real life getting in the way of hattrick" ("Hey, didn't you used to write a dynasty a long time ago until some asinine excuse like school intervened" "Shut up! No one was asking you!" "Who are you even talking to?")

SI