FM 06: Napoli Soccer - Page 2

MalcPow · 04-20-2006, 04:23 PM

3/28/07

Napoli at Arezzo

We've got a road game today against relegation battlers Arezzo. DMC Freddy Guarin is away on international duty so Valery Mezague will start in his place. Mezague is a very good player in his own right, but I'm hoping his lack of matches recently won't make him too rusty. We've got a lot to play for, with a chance to move into outright control of 2nd place in the Serie B, and guarantee ourselves an automatic promotion.

Lineup

GK Janukiewicz
DR Ze Maria
DL Adilio
DC Stoor
DC Capuano
DMC Mezague
ML Laurendi
MR Doudin
AMC Stahl
ST Pia
ST Sosa

Kickoff

6th: Charles-Andre Doudin is pushing forward down the right wing. He looks up, whips in a cross... Sosa is there with a powered header! Goal! 1-0 Napoli

35th: Stahl wins a freekick outside the area. With Guarin injured, who will take it? Sosa places the ball and he Mezague stand over it. Sosa takes it... curling... Goal! 2-0 Napoli!

37th: Inacio Pia picks up a minor injury. Dariusz Zjawinski comes on to replace him.

Halftime

We look good and we've got a two goal lead. No complaints.

54th: Napoli building in midfield toward an attack. Stahl plays the ball out wide to Laurendi. Laurendi now feeds Mezague. Mezague has a go from 35 yards! And finds the net! Goal! 3-0 Napoli. An instant classic!

59th: Montesanto comes on for the ever-tiring Doudin.

68th: Montesanto on the ball on the right wing. He's looking downfield. He chips forward for Zjawinski. He controls... takes it on the half volley! Goal! 4-0 Napoli.

Final: 4-0 Napoli

A great win for us. Roberto Sosa takes home man of match honors, with he, Capuano, and Laurendi all rating 9's. The rest of the team rates an 8, basically an all-around great day, and I tell them they've done well. We've got 2nd all to ourselves, now let's see about keeping it.

MalcPow · 04-20-2006, 04:36 PM

3/28/07

Here's a shocker! Roberto Sosa is down with a bruised rib (I bring this sort of thing on myself), we're hoping to have him back in the next four days but he could be out for as long as two weeks. We'll see what happens. I think we can do without for a match or so, but if this turns into an extended period of time it's a big problem.

Board Chairman De Laurentiis calls me to let me know he's delighted with the win over Arezzo.

3/30/07

Modena beat Brescia 2-0 on the road to move a point ahead of us for 2nd place. We'll have an opportunity to erase that in the next few days, but it just further reinforces the idea that we're in a fight for our lives.

4/1/07

Juventus sack Fabio Capello. They currently sit in 5th place in the Serie A, but are only 6 points back of first in a wide open race. If I could get over the fact that they are an evil rich northern squad (and if I thought there were any chance they'd hire me), I might put in an application, if for no other reason than to have Ibrahimovic in my team. But I can't get over it (and might wake up with a horse head in my bed if I even flirted with the idea), so we stay committed to bringing Napoli back to the top.

Perhaps sensing something, Antonio De Laurentiis calls again. "Hey remember the other day when we talked?" he says. "I forgot to mention. We love you and we think you're the greatest."

And what do you say to that? "Thanks Tony, we'll keep it up."

MalcPow · 04-21-2006, 11:34 AM

4/2/07

Ze Maria, Ciro Capuano, Antonio Laurendi, and Roberto Sosa are all named to the Serie B Team of the Week.

Napoli vs. Triestina TV

Another televised game and another big one (aren't they all). We've been uncomfortably spotty under the gaze of the TV cameras this year, and without the experience and influence (as well as the finishing) of Roberto Sosa we might have problems. But I've been wary of "problems" every game during this run, so what do I know? Zjawinski will start for Sosa. Guarin is tired after his international duty so he is out as well.

Lineup

GK Janukiewicz
DR Ze Maria
DL Adilio
DC Stoor
DC Capuano
DMC Mezague
ML Laurendi
MR Doudin
AMC Stahl
ST Pia
ST Zjawinski

Kickoff

...Slow start...

24th: Triestina building up in our midfield. A nice a little one-two leaves their striker Ghanen in space in our area. He buries it. 1-0 Triestina. A few of our guys are looking around at each other like they're not sure what to do.

Halftime

We aren't generating much of an attack, but they certainly haven't put much pressure on us as well, other than the goal. We seem to be controlling possession but lack the confidence or spark to really turn on the heat. We're at home, and it's frustrating to see us languishing like this. I tell the squad we can win this. We just need to step up and make it happen.

45th: Right out of the gate. Pia is running at the defense, he waits for them to commit and then slides a great ball to Zjawinski in space who buries it! Goal! 1-1. (Zjawinski seems to be one of those guys who responds to comments, both positive and negative. I guess sometimes it's good to have these moody buggers

)

...Apparently the mood has swung back to comatose. Nothing is happening...

86th: Montesanto and Lawan come on. Something?

...Nothing...

Final: 1-1

This is a really disappointing result. We can't afford to be drawing teams at home at this point in the season with everything that's at stake for us. Ze Maria puts up a dismal 5 rating. I'm too frustrated to say anything to the team. I guess you can't keep winning forever, but you expect it to end on the road with a tough opponent, not like this. Maybe we just lack that killer instinct to take our lead in the table and capitalize on an opportunity to extend it.

MalcPow · 04-21-2006, 02:23 PM

4/2/07

So here's the status with six matches to play... We're tied with Modena at 70 points, but we hold the edge in goal differential 38-34. Messina sits in a basically untouchable first with 82 points, they would have to completely melt down for someone to catch them. In fourth place, just two points behind us and Modena, is Atalanta with 68 points. Of the three teams vying for the 2nd guaranteed promotion spot we have the best remaining schedule with an even split of home and away games (Atalanta and Modena each play four road games), including a match at home on the second to last week of the season against Modena which will almost certainly decide things one way or another. We also face nothing but mediocre squads the rest of the way other than the crucial Modena clash. Modena on the other hand has road contests against both Atalanta and a very strong (and almost certainly playoff bound) Genoa squad.

I think we are in as good a position as we could be in considering, and almost no matter what happens we'll have a chance to control are own destiny in that second to last match. I love these tight races though, it makes everything worth it.

4/4/07

Marcello Lippi ends up taking charge at Juventus. Hopefully we'll have the opportunity to face off against him in the fall.

04-20-2006, 04:36 PM	#52
MalcPow College Benchwarmer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: San Diego	3/28/07 Here's a shocker! Roberto Sosa is down with a bruised rib (I bring this sort of thing on myself), we're hoping to have him back in the next four days but he could be out for as long as two weeks. We'll see what happens. I think we can do without for a match or so, but if this turns into an extended period of time it's a big problem. Board Chairman De Laurentiis calls me to let me know he's delighted with the win over Arezzo. 3/30/07 Modena beat Brescia 2-0 on the road to move a point ahead of us for 2nd place. We'll have an opportunity to erase that in the next few days, but it just further reinforces the idea that we're in a fight for our lives. 4/1/07 Juventus sack Fabio Capello. They currently sit in 5th place in the Serie A, but are only 6 points back of first in a wide open race. If I could get over the fact that they are an evil rich northern squad (and if I thought there were any chance they'd hire me), I might put in an application, if for no other reason than to have Ibrahimovic in my team. But I can't get over it (and might wake up with a horse head in my bed if I even flirted with the idea), so we stay committed to bringing Napoli back to the top. Perhaps sensing something, Antonio De Laurentiis calls again. "Hey remember the other day when we talked?" he says. "I forgot to mention. We love you and we think you're the greatest." And what do you say to that? "Thanks Tony, we'll keep it up." Last edited by MalcPow : 04-20-2006 at 04:39 PM.

04-21-2006, 11:34 AM	#53
MalcPow College Benchwarmer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: San Diego	4/2/07 Ze Maria, Ciro Capuano, Antonio Laurendi, and Roberto Sosa are all named to the Serie B Team of the Week. Napoli vs. Triestina TV Another televised game and another big one (aren't they all). We've been uncomfortably spotty under the gaze of the TV cameras this year, and without the experience and influence (as well as the finishing) of Roberto Sosa we might have problems. But I've been wary of "problems" every game during this run, so what do I know? Zjawinski will start for Sosa. Guarin is tired after his international duty so he is out as well. Lineup GK Janukiewicz DR Ze Maria DL Adilio DC Stoor DC Capuano DMC Mezague ML Laurendi MR Doudin AMC Stahl ST Pia ST Zjawinski Kickoff ...Slow start... 24th: Triestina building up in our midfield. A nice a little one-two leaves their striker Ghanen in space in our area. He buries it. 1-0 Triestina. A few of our guys are looking around at each other like they're not sure what to do. Halftime We aren't generating much of an attack, but they certainly haven't put much pressure on us as well, other than the goal. We seem to be controlling possession but lack the confidence or spark to really turn on the heat. We're at home, and it's frustrating to see us languishing like this. I tell the squad we can win this. We just need to step up and make it happen. 45th: Right out of the gate. Pia is running at the defense, he waits for them to commit and then slides a great ball to Zjawinski in space who buries it! Goal! 1-1. (Zjawinski seems to be one of those guys who responds to comments, both positive and negative. I guess sometimes it's good to have these moody buggers ) ...Apparently the mood has swung back to comatose. Nothing is happening... 86th: Montesanto and Lawan come on. Something? ...Nothing... Final: 1-1 This is a really disappointing result. We can't afford to be drawing teams at home at this point in the season with everything that's at stake for us. Ze Maria puts up a dismal 5 rating. I'm too frustrated to say anything to the team. I guess you can't keep winning forever, but you expect it to end on the road with a tough opponent, not like this. Maybe we just lack that killer instinct to take our lead in the table and capitalize on an opportunity to extend it.

04-21-2006, 02:23 PM	#54
MalcPow College Benchwarmer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: San Diego	4/2/07 So here's the status with six matches to play... We're tied with Modena at 70 points, but we hold the edge in goal differential 38-34. Messina sits in a basically untouchable first with 82 points, they would have to completely melt down for someone to catch them. In fourth place, just two points behind us and Modena, is Atalanta with 68 points. Of the three teams vying for the 2nd guaranteed promotion spot we have the best remaining schedule with an even split of home and away games (Atalanta and Modena each play four road games), including a match at home on the second to last week of the season against Modena which will almost certainly decide things one way or another. We also face nothing but mediocre squads the rest of the way other than the crucial Modena clash. Modena on the other hand has road contests against both Atalanta and a very strong (and almost certainly playoff bound) Genoa squad. I think we are in as good a position as we could be in considering, and almost no matter what happens we'll have a chance to control are own destiny in that second to last match. I love these tight races though, it makes everything worth it. 4/4/07 Marcello Lippi ends up taking charge at Juventus. Hopefully we'll have the opportunity to face off against him in the fall.

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