It occurred to me this afternoon that we should really look for a parent club now we're semipro.
The board will agree to a feeder club (accidentally selected that option first), but they're refusing to look for a parent club. Even when I threaten to leave, they're like, bye Felicia.
...Ugh. Fine. I'll stay.
A bit of bright news:
Steven Da Veiga increases in ability, and is now a good CFA DL.
Transfer Out - ML Jeremie Jeanne (34) - To AS Monts
Goes down several levels finally, and he frankly needed to. Was a good player for us the first couple years.
@ AS Melsanne-Teloche (7th)
G: Yorgan Edem Agblemagnon
D: Steven Da Veiga/Karamoko Kouko/Roman Laspalles
DM: Sessi D'Almeida
M: Mathis Clement/Aissa Laidouni/Robin L'Excellent
AMC: Yassine Benrahou
S: Exauce Ngassaki Ndongo/Malhory Noc
First time this year we've fielded our complete best lineup.
26 - They make clearance after clearance here, but on the last one,
Da Veiga first touch rocket shots it back into the box, where
Noc scores with authority.
1-0
54 -
Bougana for
Noc, who was banged up, and
Rosier for tired
Laidouni
75 -
Agblemagnon makes another incredible stop like he's done all game, and jackhammers it down to
L'Excellent. Two defenders on our right winger, and he fakes them out prior to pristine pass to
Bouanga in the box. Only the keeper to beat, and he does, scoring his first Roses goal against his old club!!!
2-0
91 - It's the subs' show as
Rosier takes the ball, evades two defenders, and plays a gorgeous ball into box space.
Benrahou is there first, torching the keeper to add salt to the wounds.
3-0
Everyone but Ndongo had a 7.0 or higher on the night if they were on the pitch, and the 8+ standouts were:
Karamoko Kouko (8.1),
Steven Da Veiga (8.0),
Yassine Benrahou (8.2) and PotM
Robin L'Excellent (8.9). It really took until the last 15 minutes of the game before we finally turned it on, however.
No question here -
FC Nueillaubiers is the best option. They're in DSR and have Basic training facilities. The agreement is quickly struck, so come the next transfer window, I'll be sending some of our high upside reserve players down there to play.
vs Vendee Fontenay Football (7th)
G: Yorgan Edem Agblemagnon
D: Steven Da Veiga/Karamoko Kouko/Roman Laspalles
DM: Sessi D'Almeida
M: Mathis Clement/Aissa Laidouni/Robin L'Excellent
AMC: Yassine Benrahou
S: Exauce Ngassaki Ndongo/Malhory Noc
55 -
Rosier replaces
D'Almeida, and
Hamelin jogs on for
Laidouni. We've had so many fucking shots crack off the woodwork this game, it's stupid.
62 -
Rosier is on the left wing, and he laterals to
Hamelin for the gorgeous high ball into the box.
Noc traps and controls, barely onsides as we *finally* break through. I love our depth.
1-0
64 - How fucking stupid.
1-1
81 -
Roselin makes an interception of a short clearance and gives to
Hamelin. Pass to
Noc in the box is stripped away, but
Hamelin picks it up and gives to
L'Excellent. Our dead leg right winger finds enough to push past the defense and slot in the late go-ahead goal!!! We celebrate, and
Rambaud runs on to prevent the injury from being more serious.
2-1
Karamoko Kouko literally carried the team on his back with an 8.5 PotM rating, and
Mickael Hamlin netted a 7.3 off the bench. The Ivorian teenager has definitely lived up to all my expectations in the early going.
Thouars Foot 79 is still a point ahead of us, and goal differential has us on top of
Olympique Saumur FC. After that, it's 3 points back, so we're starting to get some separation now after these last two games.
@ La Berrichone Reserves (13th)
G: Yorgan Edem Agblemagnon
D: Steven Da Veiga/Karamoko Kouko/Roman Laspalles
DM: Sessi D'Almeida
M: Mathis Clement/Aissa Laidouni/Thibault Rambaud
AMC: Yassine Benrahou
S: Exauce Ngassaki Ndongo/Malhory Noc
So, funny thing - a few weeks ago, some jackhole manager said we should be a relegation team. We've put pad to that assclown's remarks so far, and I fully expect us to trounce this actual relegation-level squad.
4 - Lot of bouncing possession, but
Clement finally intercepts it for good, hammering it all the way down the pitch ahead of
Ndongo. Nobody is around him, and he drives into the box and scores with ease.
1-0
6 - It's weird seeing such a huge stadium so empty. Anyway,
Clement runs down a long ball, but his cross is intercepted.
Ndongo is there to pull it in, and he laughs in the face of *three* defenders as he fires a shot past everyone!
2-0
28 -
Benrahou lines up for the free kick outside the box, but he surprises everyone by laying off to
Laidouni in the half-circle. Our Tunisian feeds it to
Ndongo, who no one has marked for some reason, and there's his hat trick in under 30 minutes!!! Holy shit!!!!
3-0
Hamelin jogs on for injured
Laidouni at the break.
78 -
Hamelin threads the needle between two defenders to
Clement in the box. Our left winger is facing his own double team, so he taps off to isolated
Ndongo for the mid-range strike in the middle of the box.
4-0
89 -
Benrahou passes it over to
Hamelin, whose ensuing forward pass is blocked. No problem, as
Benrahou drifts right, intercepts, and delivers it to
Ndongo for his 5th goal on the mid-range!!!
5-0
90 -
Hamelin forwards it to
Benrahou from deep within our half after a throw in, and the moonshot hits
Ndongo just outside the box. Dribble in, and
there's a 6th score!!!! OMFG!!!
6-0
Thouars Foot 79 suffered an upset loss, and
Olympique Saumur managed a draw against another contender, so
we're back alone in 1st place by 2 points!!!
The bad news:
Aissa Laidouni is out 3-4 weeks.
The cool news: We ink a guy for the January transfer window.