Front Office Football Central - View Single Post - FM 2006: Bologna 2011-onwards

cschex · 07-13-2006, 10:35 PM

Since the first Serie A game isn’t until the 28th, I had a few more friendlies to play before my return game at Basel on the 24th. In the meantime, renovations were completed on the stadium to install undersoil heating, which is very nice. The next move might be to expand it a bit, as 39000 seats is rather small for Serie A and limits my earning potential. I wrap up two more acquisitions of excellent young players for about half of my transfer budget. First up is Enrico La Rosa, a 19 yr old DC/DM who comes over from Atalanta for 8M. La Rosa rates above a 17 in Marking, Tackling, Heading, Positioning, Awareness, and Pace, and a 15 in Jumping and Strength. At 6 ft even, he’s got the height for the position as well. Hopefully, I have found the excellent young defender I want to groom

My other transfer is AM RLC/F Ricardo Estrada, an 18 yr old Mexican who comes from Sevilla for 8.25M. He is a “natural” at every midfield and attacking position, including striker, but will eventually line up as an attacking winger in my system. With these two signings, my spending is over for the summer. I might try to sell off a few reserve players, but that’s about it.

The Serie A odds are out and we are picked at 3-1 by the bookies, behind the traditional powers Juventus and Inter, last year’s champion Roma, and AC Milan. I think that’s fair from the bookies perspective, but I fully expect this team to be right in the title hunt and hopefully win it.

August 24, Champions League 3rd Round Qualifying Second Leg @ Basel
GK: De Sanctis
Def: Bangura, Huth, Maduro, Kerkeni
DM: Besgano, Celio Junior
AM: Vogel, Ton, Mota
F: Kitambala

We go with an almost completely different lineup for this one, but my squad depth is so good that there should be little drop-off in performance from the first game. For the second straight game, Basel gets on the board first with a superb 30 yard curling strike. My midfielders didn’t close down fast enough, but it was a superb shot. Then, to make matters worse, Kitambala limps off in the 25th minute with an injury. I bring on Borriello and hope it isn’t serious. In the 43rd minute, after we have wasted 3 good chances, they get a repeat of the first goal and I am starting to sweat a bit. My team has come out sluggish before, but we just look outclassed right now. We settle down a bit after halftime and in the 57th minute a great team passing move leads to a goal, as Besagno floats a ball that Vogel heads down right into the path of Ton, who doesn’t miss from close range. Mota and Vogel are both getting fatigued, so I bring on Devisscher and Vantaggiato to close the game out. Right after the subs, Bangura sends a long cross from just over the halfway line right to the head of Borriello, who beats the keeper for his first goal of the year. Borriello converts a penalty a few minutes later to put a cap on the scoring. Bologna wins 3-2 and advances to the Group stages after an 8-3 aggregate win.

Besagno wins MotM honors with a 9 rating after a dominating performance in the midfield. Everyone else gets a 7 or 8 except the injured Kitambala and Robert Huth, who let the defender have too much space on the second goal, both with 6’s. For the second straight game we were awful in the first half and turned it on in the second half, which will work against decent sides like Basel but not the top squads in Serie A. Something to work on.

Luckily, Lynel will only be out a week, and we only have one match before the international break, so he should be good to go.

We are drawn into Group B of the Champions League, along with FC Bayern, Rangers, and Shakhtar. On paper, we should advance easily, and compete with Bayern for the top spot. We shan’t take any of the teams lightly, however. Some fascinating groups include one with Arsenal, Barcelona, and Ajax and another with Man U, Real Madrid and French power Monaco.

August 28, Match #1 v. Sampdoria

Finally, our first Serie A match, at home vs. Sampdoria. The team has caused us problems in the past, with strikers Maxi Lopez and Lisandro Lopez consistently a thorn in our sides.

GK: De Sanctis
Def: Miguel, Huth, Maduro, Avine
DM: Besgano, Djourou
AM: Vantaggiato, Ton, Mota
F: Cipriani

Sampdoria dominate the chances for the first half hour, but De Sanctis is up to the challenge. We then get two great chances, with first Cipriani and then Vantaggiato being stoned at point-blank range. In the 35th minute Mota sends Cipriani down the left, who skins his marker and tucks a gorgeous shot just inside of the right post. We get a couple of more shots but no goals. We bring on Poujol at the half, as Djourou suffered an injury and is down to 63%. Cipriani passes up a clean shot opportunity to pass to Vantaggiato, who would have scored if not for a reflex save by the Sampdoria keeper. Sampdoria gets some more chances and we change tactics to slow the game down and keep possession, as well as bringing on Borriello for the tiring Cipriani. In the 68th minute they flight a free kick in from the right which Carlos Augusto, beating Miguel to the header, nods back to Maxi Lopex, who strikes it past a flat-footed De Sanctis. Luckily, in the 77th minute Borriello steals an errant backpass, runs clear of the defense, and jukes the keeper to put us up by a goal. That’s all the scoring and Bologna escapes with a 2-1 victory.

Cipriani wins MotM with an 8 rating and Huth is the only other player on the team to get that. Everyone else rates 7’s. Cipriani’s conditioning has been pretty bas thus far, making it increasingly less likely he’ll ever be able to go a full 90 again. I’m going to have to explore the possibility of bringing on as sub more often.

07-13-2006, 10:35 PM	#10
cschex High School Varsity Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Austin, TX	Since the first Serie A game isn’t until the 28th, I had a few more friendlies to play before my return game at Basel on the 24th. In the meantime, renovations were completed on the stadium to install undersoil heating, which is very nice. The next move might be to expand it a bit, as 39000 seats is rather small for Serie A and limits my earning potential. I wrap up two more acquisitions of excellent young players for about half of my transfer budget. First up is Enrico La Rosa, a 19 yr old DC/DM who comes over from Atalanta for 8M. La Rosa rates above a 17 in Marking, Tackling, Heading, Positioning, Awareness, and Pace, and a 15 in Jumping and Strength. At 6 ft even, he’s got the height for the position as well. Hopefully, I have found the excellent young defender I want to groom My other transfer is AM RLC/F Ricardo Estrada, an 18 yr old Mexican who comes from Sevilla for 8.25M. He is a “natural” at every midfield and attacking position, including striker, but will eventually line up as an attacking winger in my system. With these two signings, my spending is over for the summer. I might try to sell off a few reserve players, but that’s about it. The Serie A odds are out and we are picked at 3-1 by the bookies, behind the traditional powers Juventus and Inter, last year’s champion Roma, and AC Milan. I think that’s fair from the bookies perspective, but I fully expect this team to be right in the title hunt and hopefully win it. August 24, Champions League 3rd Round Qualifying Second Leg @ Basel GK: De Sanctis Def: Bangura, Huth, Maduro, Kerkeni DM: Besgano, Celio Junior AM: Vogel, Ton, Mota F: Kitambala We go with an almost completely different lineup for this one, but my squad depth is so good that there should be little drop-off in performance from the first game. For the second straight game, Basel gets on the board first with a superb 30 yard curling strike. My midfielders didn’t close down fast enough, but it was a superb shot. Then, to make matters worse, Kitambala limps off in the 25th minute with an injury. I bring on Borriello and hope it isn’t serious. In the 43rd minute, after we have wasted 3 good chances, they get a repeat of the first goal and I am starting to sweat a bit. My team has come out sluggish before, but we just look outclassed right now. We settle down a bit after halftime and in the 57th minute a great team passing move leads to a goal, as Besagno floats a ball that Vogel heads down right into the path of Ton, who doesn’t miss from close range. Mota and Vogel are both getting fatigued, so I bring on Devisscher and Vantaggiato to close the game out. Right after the subs, Bangura sends a long cross from just over the halfway line right to the head of Borriello, who beats the keeper for his first goal of the year. Borriello converts a penalty a few minutes later to put a cap on the scoring. Bologna wins 3-2 and advances to the Group stages after an 8-3 aggregate win. Besagno wins MotM honors with a 9 rating after a dominating performance in the midfield. Everyone else gets a 7 or 8 except the injured Kitambala and Robert Huth, who let the defender have too much space on the second goal, both with 6’s. For the second straight game we were awful in the first half and turned it on in the second half, which will work against decent sides like Basel but not the top squads in Serie A. Something to work on. Luckily, Lynel will only be out a week, and we only have one match before the international break, so he should be good to go. We are drawn into Group B of the Champions League, along with FC Bayern, Rangers, and Shakhtar. On paper, we should advance easily, and compete with Bayern for the top spot. We shan’t take any of the teams lightly, however. Some fascinating groups include one with Arsenal, Barcelona, and Ajax and another with Man U, Real Madrid and French power Monaco. August 28, Match #1 v. Sampdoria Finally, our first Serie A match, at home vs. Sampdoria. The team has caused us problems in the past, with strikers Maxi Lopez and Lisandro Lopez consistently a thorn in our sides. GK: De Sanctis Def: Miguel, Huth, Maduro, Avine DM: Besgano, Djourou AM: Vantaggiato, Ton, Mota F: Cipriani Sampdoria dominate the chances for the first half hour, but De Sanctis is up to the challenge. We then get two great chances, with first Cipriani and then Vantaggiato being stoned at point-blank range. In the 35th minute Mota sends Cipriani down the left, who skins his marker and tucks a gorgeous shot just inside of the right post. We get a couple of more shots but no goals. We bring on Poujol at the half, as Djourou suffered an injury and is down to 63%. Cipriani passes up a clean shot opportunity to pass to Vantaggiato, who would have scored if not for a reflex save by the Sampdoria keeper. Sampdoria gets some more chances and we change tactics to slow the game down and keep possession, as well as bringing on Borriello for the tiring Cipriani. In the 68th minute they flight a free kick in from the right which Carlos Augusto, beating Miguel to the header, nods back to Maxi Lopex, who strikes it past a flat-footed De Sanctis. Luckily, in the 77th minute Borriello steals an errant backpass, runs clear of the defense, and jukes the keeper to put us up by a goal. That’s all the scoring and Bologna escapes with a 2-1 victory. Cipriani wins MotM with an 8 rating and Huth is the only other player on the team to get that. Everyone else rates 7’s. Cipriani’s conditioning has been pretty bas thus far, making it increasingly less likely he’ll ever be able to go a full 90 again. I’m going to have to explore the possibility of bringing on as sub more often.