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Old 09-01-2018, 03:05 PM   #67
Brian Swartz
Grizzled Veteran
 
Join Date: May 2006
3.10.2019 Stuttgarter Kickers(1-2-9, 8th) vs. Alemannia Aachen(4-2-6, 5th)

Based on our 4-0 loss in the first meeting, equaling our worst of the year, you'd think we'd want to park the bus here. However, they're in a 4-3-3 and it's similar to the Talvese match -- we could potentially have a small chance of scoring. The finale will be against Schweinfurt, who has a much better keeper, so this is the one to go for a result in.

G Komolong
D Ortag/Absruscia/Scepanik/Schwarz/Jager
M Tunjic/Fetscher
F Pfeiffer/Wachter/Tiel

Their sweeper, Pluntke was actually a bigger threat than their keeper. He blocked Pfeiffer's first attempt, shortly after the opening kickoff. One of their midfielders used the Nutmeg skill to poke the ball through our legs, then tried a long-range shot that had no chance. At the end the half, a long-range shot went through three defenders, and Komolong could only knock it out for a corner. We got one of their forwards out of the box ... but they passed it through us to the other one, Mickel. None of them are as accurate as the RWE guys though, and Komolong made the save.

Doringer got in the way of their first shot in the second half, and we were looking good for a possible draw. Another try a while later nearly got by Komolong, and then Doringer had to stop their final desperate try from long distance.

Stuttgarter Kickers 0, Alemannia Aachen 0

This is a huge improvement from the rout in the first meeting, and the best team we've yet managed to keep from scoring.

Levels -- Scepanik(8), Tunjic(3), Fetscher(3)

*** Komolong -- Three saves here. He's starting to rack them up.
** Tunjic
* Doringer

Balance: 858(+107)
Glory: 9(+4) -- all from the 'Strong Opponent's bonus', for which we have to at least draw. The more highly-rated the opponent is, the better we do here; AA is at 0.5 stars.
Fans: 15(--)

3.17.2019 1. FC Schweinfurt 05(9-3-1, 3rd) vs Stuttgarter Kickers(1-3-9, 8th)

Saarbrucken hasn't done as well lately; Schweinfurt now leads the Amateur ranks with only five concessions all year. We're last in scoring. You do the math. They've long since clinched promotion so they're just playing to get 2nd and the additional rewards that go with that(money, glory). We're going to finish last unless we win(hahaha). So I'm looking for another draw if we can get it, keep it close if we can't.

G Komolong
D Ortag/Abruscia/Doringer/Schwarz/Jager
M Preiss/Muller D/Zeitz/Hirsch
F Mengele

It was rainy for this one, which in general should favor us. Who knows, maybe we can them to foul us but it'll at least make it a bit tougher for them to advance the ball. Doringer got an interception right off the bat as we shifted the defense away from the weakest of their three forwards, and they took the bait. Then their top scorer Bodenheimer, who scored the lone tally in our earlier meeting, beat Abruscia on the right wing to set up a cannon shot. Thankfully he misfired on the attempt. They just kept after it though. A second similar try was out for a corner, but Abruscia did something intelligent, intercepting a weak pass into the box to thwart that threat. Jager got into the act with a deflection to end a very busy half. Bodenheimer was gassed by this point, and I hoped we'd been careful enough to weather the storm.

Maslanka came on for Hirsch just to equalize playing time between the two. Mengele tried a pipe-dream of an angled shot that was easily gobbeld up by their keeper, and the defensive efforts continued. Muller D pressed them into inactivity for a while on the right midfield wing, and then they missed another, fatigued cannon shot. One final attempt went no better for them, merely adding to Komolong's save count which is rising dramatically.

1. FC Schweinfurt 05 0, Stuttgarter Kickers 0

Another impressive draw. The fans won't think so, but it really was a job well done given the talent gap. They had us under pressure for most of the game but we didn't crack. 6-1 in shots, 25-75 in possession.

Nobody leveled up

*** Komolong - obvious choice is obvious.
** Doringer - A couple blocks and passes in the box.
* Abruscia - main contribution was failing to defend Bodenheimer's dribbles repeatedly, but there was that one key interception

Doringer is now a full sweeper! He'll move with the ball(getting free specialization points every time he does) and make getting those cannon shots and long-range power shots through a lot more difficult. He's up to level 10 now.

Muller D is now an amateur midfielder! That means I'll need a skill pick for him before ending the season.

Balance: 890(+32)
Glory: 13(+4) - strong opponent bonus just as before. Starting to punch above our weight now.
Fans: 15(--)

Next up, we'll traverse the spring in silence aside from gleaning whatever rewards we've earned this year(heh), and get set for a new year. In other words, it's time for all of you to earn your positions and non-pay while I go to the corner and mumble to myself.
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