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Game 4 vs Granada - I move Nagatomo to start for Ragazzi. I also put in Morales for Mance. Early on, off a counter, JaeHwan finds Morales for a score. We force some nice tackles away from the box and aren’t given away any gifts. No cards for either team, and we are up at the half. We have 3 shots, 2 on target, and they 2 and 1. So pretty quiet as you can see. Don’t get complacent out there! We allow a score off a nice cross in the 68th, and I send in Ibrahim and Dotte to help. Cook in for a tired Osmar. But nothing. 1-1 tie. MOM is Sayed. Unlucky!
I want to be fair to Ndi. We’ve been together a while. He’s last in my plans at the wings these days, so I give him a backup role. I also slide a few players to first team from key, and then Junca to backup from rotation.
Sayed in Team of Week.
Game 5 – Home vs Levante. I have some tired players. Sayed is tired, and I send in Oliver for him. Today is also the day for Dotte to prove himself, and I move him into the starting lineup for Ouattara. We’re favored vs Levante. Keep the run going! We allow a score in the 5th minute. Hmmm…. We injure their star striker in the 25th. I move to control to break us out of this malaise an d we actually begin to push the ball forward, wonder of wonders. Half. I expect a much better half from you! Dotte not looking good so I send in Nwakali In heads Ortega for Mance, and then a tired Osmar comes out for Cook. In the 86t minute, Jae-Hwan crosses to Lanzini on an attack run who scores and ties it. Then a minute later they foul us outside of the box and Lanzini steps up, and sinks the DFK in the 89th! We win 2-1 with a great comeback, and Lanzini is clearly MOM. In the pres, GK Burki credits my talk as inspiring them to victory.
We’re doing fine points wise, 3 wins, 2 ties thus far. 11 points in 5 games and we are 4th in the Liga. But we aren’t doing much scoring. We have won 2-1, 1-0, 0-0, 1-1, 2-1. We’ve scored 6 goals and allowed 3. I move Mance to hot prospect. Less pressure that way.
Game 6 – Away vs Barcelona. Ready for our streak to end? I start today Morales, Sayed, Nagatomo, Ouattara, for Mance, Oliver, Dotte, and Ragazzi. We’ll be defensive, obviously. Pick up where you left off! Lanzini is injured in the 40th after a quiet half. I send in Cook. Half. Keep it up! Mance heads in for a horrible Morales. Messi scores from a Neymar assist in the 60th. Cecchi a booking, and I send in Ragazzi and switch them on the pitch with Nagatomo. They score again in the 79th. And then again in the 83rd. Diallo booked. Then they sort of lay off, and Mance is given a nice pass by Dong-Hyuk and runs at the goal and fires a shot one on one on their keeper and sinks it in the 89th. We lose 3-1. Far from pleased!
Lanzini is out for 6-7 weeks with strained knee ligaments.
End of Sept –Jae-Hwan, Ibrahim, and a youhter of mine were all good in training
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