NSS3 Expert Level - taking over Europe

[Radii]

I don't know what pace this will go at, but I'm making it as difficult as possible to hopefully hold my interest for as long as possible

I'm implementing the following house rules to keep things honest and to try to close the loopholes that make it too easy to rise to the top of the world football stage:



1) I must start in the English Conference
2) I must attempt to be match fit(80% stamina or better) on every match day, league matches, cup matches, and international matches(once I have international selection prospects, that is... no need if I know I won't be selected).
3) I must follow a strict training order. Since fitness and shooting are the most important stats for a striker, I am allowed to double up on shooting, pace, and stamina training. Otherwise, when I have time to train, I will go down the list, training Set Pieces, Shooting(twice), Heading, Dribbling, Passing, Tackling, Flair, Control, Both Feet, Pace(twice), Strength, Stamina(twice), Position, Vision, train each once(unless otherwise noted) in this order. If I fail a skill training, I will move on to the next one and attempt that skill again the next time around.
4) I must take the first transfer offer I receive from a higher division club in England unti I reach the premiership. Once I'm on a premierhship team then I'll give myself a bit more freedom here, but come on, who in the conference turns down offers to join a Division 2 team?



Character Creation

Name: Richard Dixon
Level: Expert
Foot: Right
Position: Attack
Side: Center

I get 0 skill points, 10 technique, 10 fitness, 5 tactics, and allocate them thusly:

3 flair
4 control
3 both feet

3 pace
4 strength
3 stamina

3 positioning
2 vision

I choose Swiss as my nationality, and I'll join the English league. I get a trial offer from Kidderminster, I pass the level 2 challenges for all of my skills, and I'm the newest Harrier.

[Radii]

August 2005

I train twice on August 7th Set Pieces up to 3, Shooting up to 3. Stamina raises so slowly that it's only back up to 64% by August 13th, our first match.


August 13
Kidderminster vs Exeter

I'm a sub, and I get subbed in in minute 68. I'm slow, and have no skills. I fire one shot the first time I touch the ball and it goes about 10 yards wide. I end up with 2 passes, 1 tackle, and a 5 rating. We win 3-1.


August 14

A chiropractor offers me free treatment, which replenishes my energy to 100%, thank god!

-- Shooting trained up to 4.

Between the 14th and 17th, my stamina goes from 70% to 83%. This is going to be slow going.


August 17
Gravesend vs Kidderminster

This game I'm brought in in the 68th minute. 1 shot attempt(on target, and the rebound eventually led to a goal, not close enough for the assist though), and 2 passes for a 5 rating today. We pick up the 2-0 win in this one.


August 20
Crawley vs Kidderminster

I'm at 90% stamina, so hopefully I can train again if I don't play today! Unfortunately, I'm brought in early today, 55th minute. I contribute more than ever though, with 4 successful passes to go with 1 shot and 1 tackle. My stamina drains down to 80% in our 1-0 win. We're apparently a solid team.


August 24
Kidderminster vs Burton Albion

I'm up to 97% stamina and will almost certainly be training again after this game! Woohoo! I don't play in this one. Our star striker(for now...) Sturridge scores 3 goals in a 4-0 blowout.


-- Heading gets trained up to 3.

August 27
Aldershot vs Kidderminster

I come in in the 51st minute, we're up 1-0 on another Sturridge goal. I get one pass to Sturridge that almost leads to a goal, and then a shot that goes just over the bar. That's all of my touches though, a 4 rating in a 1-0 win.


-- I stay for extra training after practice, which does nothing but hurt my stamina.


August 31
Kidderminster vs Woking

Again, I come in in the 50th minute, 1 shot, 2 passes, 2 tackles, we win 1-0.




And that is the first month of my career. Our team rocks, 6-0-0, 12 goals for, 1 against! I have a poor 4.8 average rating, probalby not to improve until I make my way down to 2 points of stamina training.

[Radii]

September 2005

We don't play again until September 10th. I train Dribblig and Passing both up to 3, and I'm down to 1% stamina, so I get a nice break here.

-- The club sold 16 shirts of mine last month earning me $224. 16 shirts? They must have sold out of Sturridge jerseys.

Introduction to World Cup Qualifying

The first round of UEFA World Cup Qualifying gets underway on September 3rd. We are in group 7(out of 9 groups). There are 5 teams in our group. We'll play the other 4 teams twice, with the group winner advancing, plus the 7 best 2nd place finishers(meaning 2 2nd place teams won't advance).

Our group:

Germany
Greece
Switzerland
Austria
Belarus

So Germany is a cinch to move on, and there will be a heck of a fight for 2nd place.

World Cup Qualifying
Germany 2, Austria 0
Greece 2, Switzerland 0

Not a good start.


Sept 10
Stevenage vs Kidderminster

Oops. Only 36% stamina going into this. We lose 1-0, and of course I'm not selected.


Sept 14
Kidderminster vs St Albans

only 51% stamina. I play about 30 minutes and hardly move, it didn't really matter in this one, we got 5 goals from Sturridge in a dominant 5-0 win. 1 pass for Dixon! Taking over Europe... one pass at a time.

Sept 17
Rushden and Diamonds vs Kidderminster

These guys are fairly decent. Sturridge can't get going, and we're trailing 1-0 at the half. I come in for Sturridge in the 60th minute, dooming us to failure. I get 1 pass, but it must have been a good one, as my Control and Positioning both go up by 1 after the match!

Sept 24
Kidderminster vs Northwich

I've been using energy drinks to help my stamina, and I'm up to 86% and should get in some more training before the end of the month. I play mostof the second half, completing only 1 pass in a 2-0 victory.


-- Tackling trained up to 3. I'm still a ways from getting to train stamina.


Sept 28
Kidderminster vs Weymouth

Only 60% energy after an energy drink. I play a totally worthless game, I fail to complete a single pass(despite a couple of legitimate attempts) and don't have a single number on my statline. 0-0 draw here.




Slooooow starting here, but I'll be upgrading pace fairly soon which will hopefully have a noticible effect on the pitch, and stamina shortly after that, which will speed up the training just a little bit. Keep reading folks, it'll get better

[RPI-Fan]

Looking forward to it mate!

[Tellistto]

I'll be reading along. Interesting house rules, but at least it means you won't be a world beater by 19. Good luck on the tough road up the ladder!

Tell

[MalcPow]

Also reading along, looking forward to seeing Europe at your feet!

(Eventually)

[Radii]

Glad to have some readers, thanks guys
October 2005

We don't play again until October 12th, so I go ahead and burn the rest of my stamina here, training flair up to 4, and control up to 6.

World Cup Qualifying
Switzerland 1, Austria 0
Greece 1, Belarus 1

This puts us 3rd in the group early on, behind Greece and Germany.

-- The club sold 16 shirts of mine last month earning me $224... same as September.


Another world cup qualifier on October 8th.

World Cup Qualifying
Germany 2, Switzerland 1
Belarus 3, Austria 3

Still 3rd in the group here.


Oct 12
Grays vs Kidderminster

72% stamina here. Hopefully this will be the mini-breakout month where I can get in a little more training and get that pace up.

Here's a little mini-breakthrough without training! Grays is pretty bad, and I get a little space to work with here. I launch 5 shots, 4 of them on target, one of them leading to a rebound goal for Sturridge. That's my the first assist of my career! Final line: 2-0 win, 5 shots, 1 assist, 3 passes, 1 tackle, 8 rating!

-- As a result of my performance in this match, my pace and stamina both went up! Awesome! Both are up to... 4, go me.

Oct 15
Kidderminster vs Forest Green

I'm up to 72% stamina here, really, really hoping I can squeeze in some pace training before the end of the month. I end up playing half the match, doing little in a 0-0 draw.


-- Both feet trained up to 4. Next time I have the time to train, I get 2 points in pace! Stamina training likely to come in Mid to late November at this point.


Oct 22
Dag and Red vs Kidderminster

I come in in the 64th minute, with the Harriers up 2-0. We allow a goal, and I have two passes in a 2-1 win. I earn another 4 rating, and I notice something for the first time. My teammates won't pass the ball to me when I call for it all the time. At this point pretty much no one is happy with me, and until I get some training and play better, its likely going to stay that way.

Oct 26
Kidderminster vs Cambridge Utd

76% energy going into this one. I get on in the 60th minute and have more impact than usual, I am able to complete 3 passes and 1 tackle, though admittedly most of the passes were backwards, just trying to unload the ball before I got tackled, since I couldn't run away. Great news though, the performance earns me 1 point each in control and positioning, at this stage of my career that's signifigant. I also earn a 5 rating in the match, which is above average for me right now.


Oct 29 - English Cup
Kidderminster vs Sunderland

Sunderland is 4th in the League Championship(old 1st division) and is fighting for promotion to the Premiership. I hope and expect this will be our only match in the cup... and, it's 4-0 Sunderland when I come in around the 60th minute, and 6-0 when its all over. I complete 1 pass and that's that.



There's great news after the match... we don't play again until November 12th thanks to the international competitions! Pace training here I come!

-- Pace trained to 5, then 6. RUN FORREST RUN.

End of Month Review

The game on the 12th was exciting, I picked up my first assist this month, and made some more strides in training. By the end of the month my control is up to 7, positioning to 5, and pace is 6. November will see my Stamina taken up to 6. The jump from 4 to 6 will hopefully show enough improvement that I'll be able to squeeze in an extra training session or two every month. Also, its great that we're out of the english cup, that is an extra few days every month that we're not playing.

Kidderminster leads the division with 33 points so far. Rushden and Diamonds and Stevenage are both 1 point behind with 32. York is in 4th with 30 points. We have a record of 10 wins, 3 draws, and 2 losses.

It would actually kind of suck to be forced up into the 3rd division next year after struggling so much to train myself up this first year.

Thanks to the one game vs Grays my average rating is up to 5.2. I have 14 appearances, all as a sub. I've taken 12 shots, made 24 passes and 7 tackles. i have one assist and no goals for my career.

NSS SCORE: 380
VALUE: 20,000

[Radii]

November 2005

New notation - Training Notes Underlined


-- Strength trained to 5. Stamina next!

Unfortunately, I'm at 1% energy now, 10 days before my next match.

-- The club sold 16 shirts of mine last month earning me $224... this must be a default minimum.


Nov 5 - World Cup Qualifying
Germany 2, Belarus 2
Austria 2, Greece 2

Belarus earning a point ties them with us(Switzerland) for 3rd in the group.

Nov 9 - World Cup Qualifying
Switzerland 1, Belarus 1
Greece 0, Germany 0

Halfway throught he group(standings are wins-draws-losses:

1. Germany 2-2-0 8 points
2. Greece 1-3-0 6 points
3. Belarus 0-4-0 4 points (0 goal differential)
4. Switzerland 1-1-2 4 points (-2 goal differential)
5. Austria 0-2-2 2 points


Switzerland probably needs to beat Austria and Belarus and draw vs Greece to have a shot at making it through this stage.


Other interesting world cup notes:

Poland is 5th out of 6 in their group, behind the Czechs, Hungary, Slovakia and Albania.
Sweden is 3rd behind England and Finland in their group. Sweden not making it would be a shock I would think.



Nov 12
Altrincham vs Kidderminster

I only rest up from 1% to 41% stamina over a 10 day period... sad. I sit out. 0-0 draw (results in bold from now on)

Champions League Note
Group Stages for the champions league have ended. English teams:

Arsenal advances, finishing 2nd behind Real Madrid in their group. Liverpool advances, 2nd in their group to Villareal. Chelsea and Man U end up in the same group(with Celtic and Olympiakos). Chelsea wins the group, Man U 2nd. More on this at the end of December when the next round completes.

Nov 17
Kidderminster vs York

With the help of 3 energy drinks and having done nothing the entire month, I'm back up to 77% stamina. Uhoh, but I'm not selected b/c my relationship with my manager is low and he lacks confidence in me. Also, my confidence is 0%. 1-1 draw


-- Nov 21 - Strength trained to 6


Nov 23
Tamworth vs Kidderminster

Not selected. 0-2 loss



-- Nov 26 - Since i'm not being selected for the moment, I go ahead and jump the gun a bit and train Stamina to 5, then 6. If I'm going to sit on my ass for a little while, I should at least be able to train faster while I'm doing it.


Nov 30
Kidderminster vs Stafford

I'm sitting out again. 2-3 loss



End of Month Review

So I got my pace and my stamina trained up a little, hopefully enough to make a noticible difference for me, and now my manager is unhappy and I'm not on the pitch. To end the month, I buy some alcohol to get my Confidence up to 20%(it was 0). Alcohol slows stamina regen, so I don't want to use it much, but if I have to to get my confidence up temporarily, then I will.

NSS SCORE: 380 (unchanged)
VALUE: 20,000 (unchanged)

[Radii]

December 2005

-- Positioning trained to 6, Vision to 3

Down to 9% energy, but we're off until Dec 10. I've wrapped back around to the top for training now, I'll be starting with Set Pieces and Shooting again. Once I get shooting trained up twice, I will have an active interest in getting back on the pitch.

-- The club sold 16 shirts of mine last month earning me $224... again


Dec 3 - World Cup Qualifying
Austria 1, Germany 1
Greece 2, Switzerland 1

It would take somewhat of a miracle to get the Swiss through now.

Belarus earning a point ties them with us(Switzerland) for 3rd in the group.

Dec 7 - World Cup Qualifying
Switzerland 2, Austria 1
Greece 1, Belarus 0

We got the win we needed, but a Greek win over Belarus kills us. Greece earns 6 points this month and has all but wrapped up a spot.

Standings with 3 game days to go:

1. Greece 3-3-0 12 points
2. Germany 2-3-0 9 points
3. Switzerland 2-1-3 7 points
3. Belarus 0-4-1 4 points
5. Austria 0-3-3 3 points

Germany has only played 5 matches, so they still have 3 to go. With Greece playing so well, we probably need to win our remaining 2 to have a chance. Two wins would put us at 13 points. A win+A draw would put us at 11. If we could get that win vs Germany, we'd have a chance there too, but only a slim one.


Dec 10
Southport vs Kidderminster

I'm at 24% confidence(25% alcohol!) and 57% energy going into this one. That's enough to get me back on the sub list. I come in around minute 60 again, and my numbers aren't great... 1 shot, 1 pass, but the 2 points of pace made a big difference. Not every player on the other team can chase me down and tackle me in 2 seconds. The shot I took was on target and took a diving stop from the keeper to keep me out of the net. Still a 4 rating, still no goals, but I think things are improving. 1-0 Win

Dec 14
Kidderminster vs Oxford

72% stamina, 7% confidence, 12% alcohol going into this. My low confidence is sited as a reason that I'm not listed as a sub. 1-1 draw


Dec 17
Morecambe vs Kidderminster

Not selected. 0-2 loss


-- Dec 17. With the English Cup and Euro Championships going on we don't play again until Dec 31st. How embarrassing. I fail on Set Pieces task 4 - Free Kick w/ a goalkeeper. My shooting skill is low and I can't do anything w/ the ball, can't seem to get it into the corner. Doh. Shooting trained to 5

-- Dec 20th. One of those great volley challenges for shooting... Shooting trained to 6. Flair auto trains up to 5

Champions League Update
Round of 16:

AC Milan over Real Madrid
Villareal over Internazionale
Real Betis over Bayern Munchen
Udinese over Chelsea
Arsenal over Lille
Barcelona over Liverpool
Juventus over Lyon
Schalke 04 over Manchester United

Terrible year for the English sides. Arsenal is the only one to advance and they must face Barcelona next.

Dec 31st
Kidderminster vs Halifax

Anxious to try to get some shots on goal after training my shooting up, I have a drink to get my confidence out of the gutter. And here I am, ready to get in the match, but there is no stoppage in play from the 55th minute ot the 80th minute! I finally get in in the 80th minute. I touch the ball twice, once I pass it to no one. The second time I have a small amount of space and I get a shot off, but it sails just inches wide of the goal! Sturridge had some trouble scoring early on as well. 0-0 draw





End of Month Review

Looks like if I have a drink its enough to get me back in the match, just keep my confidence up a little, and I just need something good to happen in one match for me. Raising my stamina from 4 to 6 has made a noticible difference in how long it takes me to recover after matches. With more international and Champions Cup matches in January, I'll have some good training time.

NSS SCORE: 405 (slight improvement)
VALUE: 20,000 (unchanged)

[thealmighty]

Following along. Love these things.

[Radii]

January 2006

-- Heading, dribbling, and passing all trained to 4. Dribbling is the next best skill for me after the 3 I'm allowing myself to train twice(shooting/pace/stamina), so its nice to get back around to it.

0% energy, we're off until Jan 10.

-- The club sold 16 shirts of mine last month earning me $224... again


Jan 4 - World Cup Qualifying
Germany 1, Switzerland 0
Belarus 2, Austria 0

And we're done.

Jan 7 - World Cup Qualifying
Germany 2, Belarus 0
Greece 1, Austria 0


Standings with 1 game day to go:

1. Germany 4-3-0 15 points
2. Greece 4-3-0 15 points
3. Belarus 1-4-2 7 points
4. Switzerland 2-1-4 7 points
5. Austria 0-3-5 3 points

Most groups are already decided, but we'll deal with that in February when this is totally finished.

Jan 11
Exeter vs Kidderminster

Confidence is at 26% without any alcohol! Now to do somethig on the pitch... Things are getting better. I got 1 shot off, 3 passes, and 3 tackles. We had dropped into a 4-5-1 formation before I came on, and it just didn't work with me being so slow. If we'd had another forward I think I could have scored or gotten an assist, but witht he midfielders feeding me 30 yards out... I'm not good enough to create from there yet. Still, that was good for a 6 rating and i am touching the ball more often.


Jan 14
Kidderminster vs Gravesend

I'm at 67% stamina going into this one. In heavy snow I have problems getting to the ball. I get off one *great* shot in the box off a free kick that I can't control, it sails high. two passes and one tackle and I'm done with a 5 rating. 0-0 draw


We're off until January 28th with the cup and Champions League here, woohoo!


-- Jan 17 - Tackling trained to 4. Flair trained to 6. Control, Both Feet next then its Pace/Stamina time again!


Champions League Update
Quarterfinals:

Villareal over AC Milan
Udinese over Real Betis
Barcelona over Arsenal
Juventus over Schalke 04

And England is done.


Jan 28
Kidderminster vs Crawley

I'm at 93% stamina, still hoping to make my breakthrough and get a goal. Oops, confidence too low, I'm out. 1-2 loss


--Jan 28 - Control trained up to 8


End of Month Review

It feels like I am ready to have a breakout game at any moment. I can't compete with my pal Sturridge, whose ratings are those of an aging superstar who can't play at the top level anymore but isn't ready to retire. BUT, my ratings are very close to those of our other striker, Christie. If I can get a goal or two, I think I can take a starting spot.

NSS SCORE: 510 (unchanged)
VALUE: 20,000 (unchanged)

[Radii]

February 2006

-- The club sold 16 shirts of mine last month earning me $224... again


Feb 1 - World Cup Qualifying
Switzerland 2, Belarus 0
Greece 2, Germany 1


That Greece > Germany result hurts a bit. If we could have beaten Germany, we might have snuck in. Anyway:


Final Standings:

1. Greece 5-3-0 18 points
2. Germany 4-3-1 15 points
3. Switzerland 3-1-4 10 points
4. Belarus 1-4-3 7 points
5. Austria 0-3-5 3 points

- Feb 2 - Both Feet trained to 5 Pace next!

Feb 4
Burton Albion vs Kidderminster

Confidence is still low, i'm out. 2-2 draw

-- Feb 4 - Pace trained to 7

Feb 8
Kidderminster vs Aldershot

I'm on the pitch in the 63rd minute. It feels like that one point of pace seriously helped. I get a few tackles, get a solid shot on goal, and then, in the 78th minute, it happens. Sturridge takes it down the left side, crosses it into the box, where I'm there to head it into the back of hte net past the keeper!! GOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLL DIXON!!!!!!!! I score a 9 rating on the day, 1 goal on 4 shots, 3 passes, 3 tackles. 2-0 Win

Control and Positioning increase after the match


Feb 8
Woking vs Kidderminster

That was all it took. I earn the start alongside Sturridge today! We play a bad first half, I can only manage 1 pass and nothing else, and it's 0-0. The second half is worse, as we drop back into a 4-5-1 which really takes my skills out of play. I'm able to make a few tackles, and manage a few passes, but I'm exhausted... then, in the 78th minute, there's a pass from the left side of the field, I take a long one touch shot from at least 25 yards out, its not a hard or fast shot, but it is perfectly placed into the corner of the net and Woking's keeper can't get there. GOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLL DIXON!!!!!!!! And then I'm taken out, exhausted. 1-0 Win

-- After the match I'm down to about 13% stamina. If I'm going to start, I'm going to have a hard time training, and i probalby can't start more than one match a week for now. Luckily, we're off until Feb. 25. Pace Trained to 8


Champions League Update
Semifinals:

Udinese over Villareal
Juventus over Barcelona.


Feb 25
Kidderminster vs Steveage

Oddly enough, my confidence is still shot and I didn't take a drink before this one, so I sit out. 1-2 loss


-- Feb 26 - Strength trained to 7, Stamina trained to 7



End of Month Review

There was a definite breakthough in February! 2 goals, one start, one game winning goal! Great things are coming!

NSS SCORE: 720
VALUE: 40,000

[Bee]

I like the house rules and I'll probably use them the next time I play the game. I quit playing because it was too easy, but the house rules should help with that. Good luck with your career!

[Radii]

March 2006


Mar 1
St Albans vs Kidderminster

I'm only at 52% stamina going into this one. I have a drink to get my confidence up, and I get in the lineup. I get some shots, 6 of them in fact. The basic problem right now is that I'm not fast enough to create my own shot in traffic, and don't have enough shooting skill to score consistantly from outside the box, so I end up taking a lot of long distance shots with little accuracy. If I can shoot on target most keepers can't hang on to the ball, lots of rebounds, so its worth taking the shots when the defense is closing on me, but they aren't going in much. 6 shots, 4 passes, 1 tackle. 0-0 draw

I have 6% stamina after this one. Ugh.


-- The club sold 64 shirts of mine last month earning me $896. Oh yeah!


Mar 4
Kidderminster vs Rushden and Diamonds

18% stamina going into this, so I sit out. 1-2 Loss


Mar 8
Northwich vs Kidderminster

I come into this one early in the second half, when we've dropped back into our dreaded 4-5-1 formation. I'm able to touch the ball some but just too far away from the goal to do anything. I manage 1 shot, 3 passes and 3 tackles. 0-0 draw

English Cup

Newcastle beats Tottenham to win the English League Cup.

-- March 13 - Stamina trained to 8 WOOHOO.



Champions League Update

Udinese has beaten Juventus 2-0 to win the Champions League.

Mar 18
Weymouth vs Kidderminster

73% stamina coming into this. The points into stamina are helping. I earn the start alongside Sturridge today. For the first 20 minutes or so I don't touch the ball at all. Weymouth scores early to take a 1-0 lead. In the 23rd minute Sturridge crosses into the box and I get my head on the ball, GOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLL DIXON!!!! That ties it up at 1. I get more involved at this point winnign a few tackles and making a few successfull passes. In the 56th minute there's a pass to me, I lob it ahead over one defender, its not perfect, but Sturridge has time to double back, pick up the ball, shoot and score!!! Assist Dixon!!! And finally, in the 71st minute Sturridge takes a shot frmo out wide, it deflects off the keeper and I am first to the rebound, putting an easy ball into the net! I never could have gotten to that ball without the extra pace points I'd put in for late last month. 3-2 win

That's: 2 goals on 4 shots, 1 assist on 5 passes, and 4 tackles, for my first ever perfect 10 match rating! After the match I earn a point each in Pace, Stamina, and Vision. That is *huge*, free pace and stamina points? Hell yes, it would have been months before I got either of those trained up again.

An all around huge match for me, one that hopeully will earn me a slot in the starting lineup with some more consistancy, and will see me be able to remain match fit for each match so I don't have to sit out for a week each time I earn a start.

Mar 22
Kidderminster vs Grays

I'm only at 51% stamina going into this one. 8th minute, there's a pass into the box, and I get to it first, but only b/c a defender was running the wrong way and couldn't turn around in time. I shoot, the rebound comes right back to me and I put the ball past the helpless goalkeeper and into the net!! 23rd minute, Sturridge takes a free kick from just outside the box. I remain onside next to the wall, and break the second Sturridge shoots. His shot is on target and is blocked. The rebound falls right to me and I put it in the net for my 2nd goal and a 2-0 lead!!!! That's all my action in the first half, right place at the right time more than anything, though a lot of that was due to me knowing this team better, if I'm not in the right place, I'm too slow to switch directions easily so knowing where the ball is likely to be going is key. Sturridge gets a 3rd goal in the 38th minute. 53rd minute I get the ball about 40 yards from the goal. I attempt to pass it ahead to Sturridge. My pass is too hard and off target, but the keeper for some reason dives after it and pushes it into some open space. Sturridge arrives and puts it in the net, just as I intended! That's an assist. I come out after that goal.

4-0 Win - 2 goals on 5 shots, 1 assist on 6 passes, and 2 tackles, is good for a 10 rating and my first ever man of the match award!!! I praise my teammates in the post match interview.

Mar 25
Forest Green vs Kidderminster

I'm at 44% stamina here. I don't start, but I'm listed as a reserve. It's 1-0 when I come on in the 66th minute. Sturridge scores almost immediatley to make it 2-0. I have one great chance, Sturridge shoots and i pick up the rebound with a mostly open net in front of me, but my shot goes just a bit wide. That's my only stat the rest of the wya... 1 shot, nothing else. 2-0 win

After the match, my Positioning increases to 8

Mar 29
Kidderminster vs Dag and Red

74% stamina here, so I'm ready to go. I'm suprised that I'm not selected, my confidence is low(7%). 2-0 win

-- March 30 - Positioning trained to 9

End of Month Review

I had a couple of great games this month, and its going to take some time to train up my stamina to the point that I can play every day, so this sort of off and on play is probably what is to be expected for awhile. I now have 25 appearances, 4 starts on the season. I've scored 6 goals and have 3 assists.

9 more matches remain in my rookie season.

NSS SCORE: 1240
VALUE: 50,000

[thealmighty]

Let's see if you sell more shirts in a month where you win a MotM award. (though it may just be the goals you score for that matter)(if it goes up at all that is)

[Radii]

Originally Posted by thealmighty

Let's see if you sell more shirts in a month where you win a MotM award. (though it may just be the goals you score for that matter)(if it goes up at all that is)

I scored more goals and had mroe assists as well this month, it was only two games but they were two great games for me.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Just wanted to post and let you know I read through your dynasties a couple of days ago and enjoyed them a lot. Great stuff. I bought the game a couple of nights ago because of them.

I've started a game on expert, using a modifed version of your house rules. Been writing up a small report, might see if I can get it to the point where I'll post it.

You're much better than I am, though. I run around without touching the ball, for the most part. If by some miracle I actually touch the ball, someone from the other team runs up, knocks me over, and takes the ball away. I am such a wimp.