(FM11) Dangling over the trapdoor: (SackAttack v Foz in FM11)

[SirFozzie]

They call it the trap door. Each year, 20 teams make up England's Premier League. Of those twenty teams, 17 of them avoid that trap door, and reap the tens of millions in TV rights fees and attention world-wide. Some make even more money, playing glamorous European competitions in Spain, Italy, Germany etcetera, and spend ridiculous transfer fees to bring the best players in the world.

That probably won't be us, at least to start, We're playing to avoid being those one of those three teams falling through the trap door.

SackAttack and I have been wanting to play each other at FM for a while now, and finally, we figured a way to get him in, using a free VPN network setup program to have him connect to the game server I'm running

We decided to play teams that were not the big name teams in England, I already know who he'll play, but I'll have to figure out who I'm going to play.

But I'm going to kick his ass anyway ;)

[SirFozzie]

So the terms of battle are set:

In short, we're both going to be holding on to that trap door with both hands..

He's chosen his beloved West Bromwich Albion (the Baggies). They are picked to finish 19th in the league. He'll have a couple million to spend.

I've chosen Blackpool. They're picked to finish 20th. I'm lucky, the board has offered me a whopping 4.6 million pound transfer budget to try to avoid relegation (I said I could avoid relegation, the original offer was 4 million to bravely attempt to avoid it). I will need to spend at least some of it.

[SirFozzie]

As we go player hunting, I take a quick look at our schedules:


We've got to hope for a quick start to the year, our first few games break down like this:

Sunderland (H)
Bolton (A)
West Brom (H)
Fulham (A)
Arsenal (H)
Liverpool (A)
Stoke (H)

Yeah, I'm kinda pointing towards that West Brom game. If it helps keep me in the EPL, I'll gladly stand on some Baggie fingers to make THEM fall before I go ;)

[SirFozzie]

Well, our first team is good, or our reserves stink, because the starters beat the reserves 6-2 in our first friendly, DJ Campbell the only player to score twice.

Sunderland beat us to Hearts Lee Wallace, offering almost 3 million, we were only offering 1.5 million.

[SirFozzie]

SackAttack tries to destabilize the one star player that Blackpool has, Charlie Adam with a loan offer.

Sack, you ain't Liverpool.. hands off! (whap on the nose with a rolled up newspaper)

[SackAttack]

Hey, if you're gonna stomp on my fingers, I'm gonna make sure you're distracted while you're doing it!

[SirFozzie]

Blackpool brings in three players, two on transfers and one on a season long loan:

Rafal Boguski (700K) Had scored 17 goals over the last three years for Wisla in Poland, Will move from AMR to ST as needed.

Sebastian Mila (550K) Played for sisak for two years before coming here

Cedric Bakambu (500K for a year's loan from Sochaux in France): Gives depth to the squad (he's an U21 player, and thus does not count against my 25 player limit.) He'll go in at ST.

[SackAttack]

We literally JUST signed James Gibson, and Dag & Red are already trying to loan him from us.

[SirFozzie]

West Brom brings in seven players, 2 on transfers, 3 free transfers, and 2 loans, spending about a million pounds in total.

In friendlies, we have a decent preseason, with a win over Aberdeen and Motherwell, but.. lesser results to English teams, losing to Man Yoo Reserves and Accrington Stanley (!) and drawing with Exeter.

West Brom play well in preseason, defeeating Portsmouth, Walsall and Cheltenham, the only small blemish a draw against Walsall.

[SirFozzie]

Sack and I mutually decide to have the assistants take over our "Un-Friendly", as he puts it, as so not to spoil the tactics for the game in three weeks when we actually play each other:

The fans got a cracker of a game tho:

Blackpool in control as Baggies are brushed aside

Blackpool 3-2 West Brom (Friendly)

Blackpool battled to a deserved 3-2 Victory over West Bromwich Albion on a hard and bouncy surface in their friendly at Bloomfield Road.

Strong center-back Jonas Olsson got West Brom off to a flyer by scoring a close-range header on 10 minutes. Promising striker Cedric Bakambu then equalized for Blackpool in the 13th minute with a cleanly struck effort from close to goal.

Nomadic striker Marc-Antoine Fortune then put the away side in front after 59 minutes with a real poacher's effort. Midfielder Rafal Boguski then equalized for Blackpool in the 60th minute with a well-timed close range finish.

Striker Marlon Harwood scored what proved to be the winner for the home side on 64 minutes with an incisive finish.

Attendance 3,796



(First blood to the 'Pool.. admittedly, it's only a scratch.. nice to see that two of my signings scored in that game)

[SirFozzie]

Both Blackpool and West Brom get sent on the road for the 2nd round of the league cup to League 1 teams..

The Baggies will be playing Bristol Rovers, and Brentford is the opposition for Blackpool

[SirFozzie]

They decide for some reason to move our second game to January 5th for TV coverage. Not that I'm complaining ;)

Week 1:

Blackpool 0-5 Sunderland
Tottenham 3-1 West Brom

How can I put this politely?

Blackpool's defense sucks. Time and time again, they got burned on through balls (one on a Route 1 punt by the goalie that the Sunderland player trapped at full speed and ran on to) and just plain BEAT by Sunderland's attacker. Combine with bounces like a Blackpool clearance of a Sunderland cross that smacked right off a Sunderland player an into the net.. it wasn't our game. This is going to change how we play.

Tottenham get a penalty, and later a red card on West Brom, so I don't think SackAttack will be sending the ref any Christmas Cards, but at least it was a respectable result.

[SackAttack]

Seven cards against us, two against Tottenham. Fuck that ref. With a rusty morningstar. Sans lube.

[BYU 14]

This will be interesting to follow, good luck to both of you!

[SirFozzie]

Game 2:

Bolton 1 -0 Blackpool
West Brom 0 - 1 Everton

We switch to a 5-4-1 to try to reduce the defensive screwups we had in Week 1. It helps in that we don't give up a goal in the first half. It doesn't help in that we were outshot TWENTY TO ONE.

We play better, matching them for a few shots in the second half, unfortunately they score a 90th minute goal, and it's a 1-0 defeat.

The Brommies miss a chance to steal a point at the end as Odemwingje misses a last minute header that would have equalized.

That trap door will be trying to eat us all year long I'm afraid...

[SirFozzie]

For the first time ever in my FM11 history, I hit the Storm Out button, as a BBC Lancashire person makes my interviewing life hell, repeatedly asking questions time and time again. I figured if it didn't get through that when I offered a non-committal comment the first two times, I wasn't going to suddenly tell them all my tactical ideas the third time I asked. Sheesh.

League Cup 2nd Round:

Bristol Rovers 1-2 West Brom
Brentford 1-3 Blackpool

Well, we get our first win.. our first goal was scored by our defender Evatt off a corner.. after Brentford equalized in the 51st, Sergey Kornilenko, on loan from Zenit, scored twice (the first on a rebound of his own shot, the second on a breakaway when Brentford was pressing all out, to give us the win.

West Brom get two goals from Bednar, the second one breaking a 1-1 tie in the 55th minute to get them the win. Pablo earns a second yellow in stoppage time, and West Brom will be missing him next week. I'm crushed. Really.

[SirFozzie]

The mind games are on.. in interviews before the game between West Brom and Blackpool... both managers state that the other are destined for the drop.

The sad thing... we both probably are.

[SirFozzie]

Both of us go on the road again for the third round of the League Cup.. West Brom against Sunderland (go West Brom.. I can't believe I just said that), and Blackpool travels to Nottingham Forest.

Game 3:

Blackpool 1-1 West Brom

Blackpool takes the lead thanks to a Nicky Shorey own goal in the first half, but Mulumbu equalizes for West Brom with ten minutes to play, and it's honor shared. The story of the game was a bunch of wild shots.. 21 total shots, only four on target. Of course, our skill full and awe inspiring attacks were constantly disrupted by fouls from West Brom (13-4..) I think that West Brom could be a decent team, if they learn the difference between the ball and their opponents shins :P

[SackAttack]

Hit me with your best shot....fire awayyyyyyy

[SirFozzie]

My starting defender Stephen Crainey is out for 12 days-2 weeks after straining his wrist "after overexerting himself in the weight room".... Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

Week 4
Fulham 2-0 Blackpool
West Brom 4-2 Wigan

We have now gone 360 EPL minutes without a goal scored by one of our players (remember, the goal against the Baggies was an own goal). Fulham weren't miles better, but they were better

On the other game, I'll let SackAttack describe it, but Bednar and Vela both score twice for the Baggies, and they move up to 10th (which is half of where Blackpool is :P) with the win.

[SackAttack]

Vela was incredible. Two goals, one near miss, a couple of brilliant setups that his teammates failed to capitalise on...

Couple of "aw shit" moments in that match, mostly because my keeper insists upon running up to take his man on one-on-one (that never ends well), but the offense got us a vital win, no question.

Now we get to get destroyed by United. Whee!

[SirFozzie]

Week 5

Man United 3-1 West Brom
Arsenal 3-1 Blackpool

In the big news of the week, we scored! Charlie Adam scored the first non own-goal for Blackpool this year. Too bad it came when we were down 3-0 as Arsenal were just pinging them in from distance early.'

And as for SackAttack's game, if I started singing there's only one wayne rooney, he'd reach through the internet and kill me.. so I won't. Although Vela scored again as the Baggies made it respectable. I might need to buy him in the transfer window... :)

[SackAttack]

That 1-3 really shoulda been a 1-2. Rooney's first goal came from so far offside the reporters had the story the day before the game. Grr.

[SirFozzie]

And that's where we called it a night.. we'll pick this up again the next time we're both online.

If you want to play FM Online without having to mess around with ports, or trial and error, download Comodo Unite, and create an account.. it allows you to set up and have others connect to a private network which allows them to join the game without any issues

Download Comodo Unite (http://www.comodo.com/home/download/download.php?prod=comodounite)

[DeToxRox]

Just ran across this. Good stuff.

[CAsterling]

I love this thread its Hilarious, some of the descriptions are brilliant
Especially
if I started singing there's only one wayne rooney, he'd reach through the internet and kill me
and
Rooney's first goal came from so far offside the reporters had the story the day before the game

I used to play FM frequently with a friend, but due to timezones and family commitments we don't get the chance any more - It adds a whole new dimension to the game and just reading this thread brought back some great memories of those games - thanks.

[vex]

I like the two user dynasty. Any chance of opening it up for more participants in '12?

[Taz13]

Definitely a fun read. May have to pick up the '12 version of the game. The thought of a tutorial has me interested. Found it tough to figure out otherwise.

Looking forward to the next episode.

[SirFozzie]

Probably once 12 comes out, we'll do a four person or so version (maybe if I redo the American Premier League file for FM12).

we're hoping to do session two in the next couple days.

[SackAttack]

we're hoping to do session two in the next couple days.

lol

[SirFozzie]

yeah, we gotta find time, hopefully saturday.

[SackAttack]

What's this 'we' talk? I've *had* time. You're the one who runs and hides when I bring it up. ;)

[SirFozzie]

cuz you ask at times when I'm working, or about to head to bed :P

[SirFozzie]

Round 2: Same Arguments, New Mustaches, coming up shortly!

[SackAttack]

West Brom travel to Sunderland for our first match of the night. Folks just sitting down noticed that Sunderland are already up 1-nil. Whoops.

[SirFozzie]

So, we enter the third round of League Cup play, Blackpool (me) at Nottingham Forest, and in our current mood of "Throw stuff at the wall and pray to the heavens above that something offensively sticks", we start off with an attacking formation, and loan signing Cedric Bakambu can jump start our offense.

Um. He kinda did.

To the tune of FOUR GOALS.

That's right, FOUR GOALS. (and an assist).

Thanks To Bakambu's FOUR GOALS (Can you tell I'm gobsmacked?), we manage to take a 6-1 lead, and despite giving up a couple late softies, we qualify for the fourth round with a 6-3 win.

And on the other side, Sack's love affair with the referees (he loves to hate them and wish ill upon them and their families.) continues as the first two yellow cards of the game not only go to WBA, they go to the same player, and unfortunately that means a red card. What makes it worse is that they were coming back after being down 2-0 and had made it 2-1.. but the red card to Zuiverloon was too much to come back from and Sunderland beats them 2-1.

Think of it this way, SA.. you have more time now to concentrate on surviving in the league. Does that help? No? Ok.. ok.. I can see you're upset, don't hit me.. put that thing down.. AUUUGGHHHH!!

[SackAttack]

Well, it's always difficult when your second League Cup match is against a Premiership side, so I wasn't expecting to advance, necessarily. But getting the red after having clawed back to 1-2 doesn't make me happy. Especially when Sunderland, at home, didn't get a single yellow the entire match, and we were given three more after Zuiverloon got sent off.

[SackAttack]

West Brom Chairman Jeremy Peace negotiates a transfer to bring Youssef El Arabi to the Hawthorns.

I was right, you might say, to give Peace a chance.

Only downside is, El Arabi won't join the side until the January transfer window. But he's going to be huge in our efforts to avoid the trapdoor.

[SackAttack]

The side are apparently so ecstatic at the transfer news that they...promptly went out and played like shit in the first half at home against Birmingham, and we trail 0-1 going into the second.

[SackAttack]

Roman Bednar comes on as a sub in the 65th minute or so with the side in 'get a goal at all costs' mode, and does just that.

He had five or six other real good looks at net, but Foster keeps him from making it a 2-1 game, and we settle for one point.

[SackAttack]

"Rochester have been relegated from the American Premier League."

Apparently we're using Fozzie's "what if the Brits had put down the Revolution" file!

[SirFozzie]

Week 6
Liverpool 3:2 Blackpool
West Brom 1:1 Birmingham

A man can dream, can't he? A coach can dream when his young wunderkid hits a free kick that has to be seen to believe to give his team a 2-1 lead on the road at mighty Liverpool.. to pull off the three points and give his team a much needed boost?

Unfortunately, that was a bit much to ask for. Dirk Kuyt brought them level with a half hour to play, and then 'Pool's new striker, Marcelo Moreno, socred with 15 minutes to play. It's an option really, either we play defense with no offense (and lose) or offense (and no defense) and lose.

In the other game, those diiiiiirrrrrrty West Brom steal a point from Birmingham, as Bednar scores with 10 or so minutes to play to give West Brom a 1-1 tie at home.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7JRHdQlATc8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[SirFozzie]

Week 7:

Blackpool 5:0 Stoke
Sunderland 0:1 West Brom

Honestly, I don't know what's more insane. That we scored five goals in the space of 70 minutes, when we had scored four in the previous 540 minutes in the EPL, or our defense actually pitched a shutout. Truth be told, this was a must win, because even with the win, we're not out of the drop zone, but our offense is clicking (2 each from Beattie and Kornilenko, and Adam scored a rebound for the fifth), so hopefully we've turned the corner.

And Bednar for West Brom turned the corner too. Unfortunately, several large Sunderland players were waiting for him with crowbars in hand when he turned the corner. Apparently Sunderland's game plan was to Gilloolly Bednar, and then beat the dispirited West Brom side when they were missing their top player.

The good news for Sunderland? Bednar was taken off in the fourth minute with an injury.

The bad news? Dorrans scores late in the first half, to give West Brom a 1-0 lead on the road.

Now, it was kinda hard to watch the second half, as my viewing of his game was done at Benny Hill Speed.. (you've all seen those chase videos right?).. so I may not have an accurate count, but it seemed like there was about 20 or so Sunderland players in the final minutes attacking the West Brom goal. But they manage to hold on for the 1-0 win, and move up to the dizzying heights of 12th. Don't look down, West Brom! You're too high!

[SackAttack]

Sunderland, meet payback. Ain't she a bitch?

We return to the Stadium of Light for an EPL match, and decide to run Roman Bednar out there as one of our two starting strikers.

Sunderland see him, panic, and as Foz puts it, "Kerrigan" him before the match is 4 minutes old.

Graham Dorrans comes in at AMC to replace him, and we run 4-4-1-1 the rest of the way.

Dorrans scores in the 42nd minute, and Nelson Muntz is heard with a throaty "HA HA!" behind the Sunderland bench.

In the final seconds of injury time, Jonas Olsson, perhaps remembering how Sunderland sat on the restart kicks for 45-60 seconds at a time despite a man advantage and the lead, sits on the final freekick for nearly a full minute, waiting to restart the match until just before the whistle goes.

West Brom 1, Sunderland HA HA

[SirFozzie]

actually, seriously. SA should take a photo of the standings right now, that shows West Brom ahead of Man City. There's caveats of course, West Brom's played two (actually make that one) more game and only one more point, but still, I think it's a crime in several Arabic countries to have West Brom ahead of you in the standings.

If they want you to travel to Saudi Arabia for discussions, Mr Mancini, I'd decline if I were you...

[SackAttack]

Chelsea 2, Man City still looking up West Brom's kilt.

[SirFozzie]

And remember, if you're stuck behind West Brom, the view never changes. (and is rather sanity-bending!)

[SirFozzie]

Uh oh. I just realized who I play next.

Yes, the team I've spent the last few games taunting.. Man City.

Not that I meant those things, they were all in good fun...

[SackAttack]

As one stuck behind West Brom, Foz is certainly well-qualified to comment!

[SackAttack]

16 fouls for West Brom, 15 fouls for Bolton. So, naturally, West Brom get 7 yellows to Bolton's 2.

[SirFozzie]

Game 8: (Part 1)

West Brom 0:2 Bolton

Now, West Brom's been on a good run, but Bolton aren't push overs. In fact, they score on the stroke of halftime. Which is funny because "a stroke at halftime" is what SA is having over the Ref's performance tonight. Apparently the ref has one of those automatic toasters in his pocket, but instead of yummy toast, it pops up yellow cards for him to wave at West Brom players. Five first half yellow cards for WBA.. thankfully they were one to a customer.

The ref makes SA feel better by showing Bolton a yellow card in the second half, but somehow in a way I don't understand, they hurt Dorrans on a tackle, get a free kick, and score. You'll have to ask SA how that happened. I'm not watching because I know SA's rants are going to be A) Obscene and B) Audible in the top row of the stadium.

It finishes 0-2 against West Brom.. so if the "Man City below West Brom streak" is to continue it's up to me.

I hope SA won't be too deeply disappointed.

[SackAttack]

All you gotta do is surround the keeper with ten guys. You won't score any, but...

[SirFozzie]

Week 8 (Part 2)

Man City 2:1 Blackpool

Well, mixed emotions.

Yay: We kept it close
Nay: We were completely, utterly and totally outplayed
Yay: We kept Man City to only two goals
Nay: We had two shots. Not shots on net, two shots
Yay: We didn't embarass our selves
Nay: Our only goal was an own goal.
Yay: Um.. I'm running out of yays here. Um, it was a scoreless tie at halftime?)
Nay: One of their goals, Tevez was offside by a good, oh, sixty or seventy yards before he crossed the ball to the goal scorer (ok, that's a guess, but it certainly looked like he was offside to me), and the other one... well, we made stupid dangerous passes for two minutes in a row, and then our goalie says "Hey, Carlos Tevez is 50 yards from goal with the ball. Let's charge directly at him rather then hang back and let the defense do our job. That way he can chip the ball right over my head into the goal. YAY!

[SirFozzie]

And that's the end of our second session.. some good stuff there for both of us.

[SackAttack]

If we can just keep our heads above water until El Arabi joins the team, I think we'll survive.