FM2012 - 2 Live Crewe (And US Too!)

[Abe Sargent]

This was a major victory for our promotion chances. After the game, we are third. Had we lost, we would have been sixth. Even a tie leaves us 5th. Now we travel to #6 Portsmouth for the biggest game we have left, away at a team in the promotion fight. Jau is starting for Larbi, and Bunjaku for McKee and Benali for Powell. I begin countering. I watched this game. I still don’t believe it. Ilunga with an OG and they scored another and we lost 0-2. It drops us to 5th. Beattie picked up a yellow and is suspended next week for it. Sodje got injured when I subbed him and is out for a month with a calf strain.


For today’s away match, a few changes. Larbi in, Miller in, McKee and Powell in. I begin with a counter tonight as well. Half time all quiet. Stewart got a card in the 1st. I move to Standard. They got some pressure in the 1st and I want to get some in the 2nd. I pull Larbi for Jau in the 66. Then I pull Miller for Bunjaku. Finally Stewart for Benali. 0-0 draw

[Abe Sargent]

Starting for us today vs Oldham is Bunjaku for McKee, Gonzalez for Quintin and Gorman is back from his loan and I put him on our sub list. I begin controlling. They foul Owen in the penalty area and Stewart has to kick since McKee is not here today. He makes it and it s 1-0. I slide back to Standard. A bit of pressure forces Ilunga to pick up a card. Then they score just before the half. I give a nice speech, and Ilunga head it deep for Miller who gets behind their line and scores in the 53rd minute. Then Daineche icks up a yellow and that’s bad. He;s suspended for the next two matches with 10 yellows. I put in Westwood, Benali and Jau for Larbi Owen and Bunjaku. It’s a nice game to win. Oh, and Miller was MOM


Davis will start in Daineche’s spot for the next two games. We have risen to 3rd, and played our game in hand and have just one left. Bournemouth won the league today. Four games left. We have to get eight points in those games to guarantee a playoff spot.

[Abe Sargent]

Our today vs a poor Shrewbury is our game in hand. If we win this, we will tie Tranmere in points and be ahead on GD with one more than them plus the winning difference in this game. If we tie or lose, we stay in 3rd with three games to catch up. This is our extra game, let’s get out here and do it. Owen is rested for Beattie Powell for Jau. McKee and Quintin return. I begin countering. An amazing long shot from about 45 yards away rifles into our net for Shrewsbury in the 4th minute. I move to standard just before half. Half. Davis gets a yellow. Then Beattie nails a goal at the 60th minute. McKee found him just half step behind the defense. Larbi crosses beautifully to Quintin who nails it in the 63rd. Quick double fire. I sub a tired Miller for Bunjaku. MeKee and Stewart grab yellows. I pull Stewart for Benali. Shrewsbury are coming forward. Quintin collects a yellow. I pull Davis for Gorman in the 83rd. The pressure continues. I slide to counter. Carlos does some real yeoman’s work in the last ten minutes. That’s game. Quintin is MOM. We win our game in hand. Nicely done.


With three games to go, we have moved into second. It’s close

2nd – Us, 80 points, +26
3rd – Tranmere, 80, +24
4th – Sheff Wed, 75, +20
5th – Portsmouth, 74, +33
6th – Leyton Orient, 74, +22
7th – Oldham, 74 +12


The playoffs are a real contest.

[Abe Sargent]

Our starters are Owen, Jau, Powell and all of the ones from the last game. This is the last game against any team above 15. I begin countering. McKee hits a penalty kick in the 12th minute, and they are looking wobby, so I move to Standard. In the 30s, Ilunga gets an indirect free kick from McKee for a goal, and its 2-0. They have three yellows, and us, none. Owen gets a beautiful pass from Stewart and scores in the 37th, and that’s the score heading into half. Post half, McKee;s corner hits Iunga who scores again. That’s a score off every set piece. I pull a winged McKee for Benali. Then Beattie swigns a pass to Owen who scores in the 63rd. I slide back to counter, pull both Beattie for Bunjaku and Stewart for Gonzalez, and we protect the 5-0 lead to the end. Ilunga MOM.


There is no chance of being caught on GD now, it’s all about points. Tranmere lost, and we are now three points ahead with two games to go. If we win next week, we will basically get 2nd. Ilunga, Owen and McKee all in Team of Week. One of my best youth prospects from the new class just torn his calf muscle.

[Abe Sargent]

We host an already relegated Brentford - the full 11 are starting, and I’ll begin attacking. Let’s get the penultimate game of the regular season started. McKee nails a direct free kick with 5:43 off the clock. Daineche injures one of their players so badly they are forced to sub them of in the 14th. I edge back to control in the 16th. Beattie steals the ball from a defender, and lobs it over their GK for a beautiful strike. Powell injures another player and thy have to sub out in 24th minute. Ilunga finds Powell off a throw in and Powell rattles a goal home off the crossbar. Our pitch looks so awful in this last game here for the season. Daineche gets a second yellow and is sent off at the 44th minute. I sub Gorman in for Owen and drop him back. I slide to Standard. We injured another of their players in 64th minute and they’ve used all of their subs, so it’s 10 on 10. I swap Stewart for Benali. My final sub is Danauskas for Beattie. Benali nails a long shot off a Gorman assist. Ilunga is MOM.

Because Tranmere won, we are technically having a shot at dropping to three, but with a GD of +35 to +26, I doubt even if we lost and they won we would fall to third. Owen’s goal vs Doncaster is in 2nd place for Goal of Month.

[Abe Sargent]

We arrive at the final match. Here is our squad:

Carlos
Sodje
Addo
Ayo Oblieye
Gonzalez
Jau
McKee
Justin Taylor
Johnson
Miler
Owen

With these people available as subs: Karl Smith – new youth player; Gorman, Dunauskas, Liam Nolan, Laste Dombaxe

Other than Carlos, everyone is about to have their contract end or a youth player.


Here we go!


I begin countering. They get a goal header off a corner kick in the 12th minute. Sodje is injured and I put Gorman in for him at the 26. Halftime. Miller shoots, blocked, gets the rebounds and puts it away the 51st minute. I sub in Karl Smith for Johnson. McKee finds Gonzalez who shoots a long shot for goal in the 68th minute. I yank Taylor for Liam Nolan. It’s fun to watch my youth-ers and good byers. Owen scores after getting behind their defense in our half and dribbling down. Owen is MOM.

Okay I lied. I thought Bournemouth has won automatically, but they had not. I misread the numbers, and they lost the last three games out of four and tied the other, so they ended up second, and we won, with 89 points.

Im shocked I won the 1st league this soon. I know how to do well here, I’ve done it before, but I’m surprised that I did it this soon. Our record was 26 wins, 11 draws and 9 losses. I have never gone from promotion to this league to promotion the next before. I have a few reasons I think it happened this time:

1) Luck. There are often really good Championship teams who get unlucky, relegated, and op right up the next time that you are overpowered by. That did not happen the time.
2) Owen. After I signed him, our offense massively improved. He didn’t have great stats, but he causes penalties, a red card, and my opponents were so focused on man marking him with their defense that the rest of my team was able to get through.
3) Carlos – We’ll see in a second, but I think he was really strong for me this year. I lucked into a good, developed GK who can play hard at this level.
4) More money – My club really invested in this year, and I’m spending more than the salary by thousands.
5) McKee – Getting him back was marvelous. Having a guy who is good enough to start at this level and is also set piece god is just amazing.


Let’s look at the stats for this year.

[bulletsponge]

what a drop for Owens

[Abe Sargent]

League Stats:

We tied Portsmouth for 3rd most goals, 81
We tied Bournemouth and Tranmere for fewest goals allowed, 44
6th highest average attendance.
6th highest salary in league
Tied for 4th most red cards, 5
Tied for 2nd most DFK goals, 3
2nd most IFK goal, 11


Eric Addo was 4th most in form player with 7.24 average; Ilunga was 19th with 7.14; McKee 28th with 7.1
Beattie was tied for 9th with most goals, 16
Miller was tied for21st with 11
Carlos allowed 37 league goals in 40 league appearances; 13 shutouts 11th most
McKee 2nd in league with 19 assists; Beattie tied for 7th with 12 assists, Miller has 9 for 20th.
Larbi 15th with 2.23 dribbles/game.
Addo was 48% accurate with shots, 10th best in league. Miller 15th best with 47%.
McKee, tied for 3rd with 43 key passes.
Daineche, 9th with 72 key headers, Addo tied for 17th with 63
Ilunga 10th most picks at 249


Team, League Stats:

Goals – Addo 8, McKee 7, Quintin 7, Owen 6, Powell and Ilunga 4 each.
Assists – Jau 7, Powell 6, Larbi 5
Rating – Beattie 7.06; Owen, 7.03; Powell, 7.0
GK – McHugh – 6 starts, 7 goals allowed, one clean sheet

[Abe Sargent]

Players Leaving in Two Months of Note:

Addo
Jau
McKee’s loan ends
Owen
Gonzalez
Sodje
Miller
Johnson


I have no idea what my salary will be next year, so I want to hold off on major transfer acquisitions until I know.

Staff with Contracts Up:

Ass Coach John Morling
Scouts N-Timbanzeh, Pjil Sift, Paul Molesworth,
Physio Peter Heady
GK Coach – Geoff Crudgington
Fitness Coach – Andy Franks
Coach – Chris Lucketti, Mark Bonner, Paul Thompson

We are about to have a real overturn of staff, but I offer my French scout, N’T a new deal.

I look at training to see if my leavers have something to hang their hat on in order to return. I’m letting go of Morling, Franks, Thompson, Lucketti, Crudgington, and Bonner for sure.

My three remaining guys, a fitness, 1st team and Gk all have 4 star training in strength, attacking or a gk stat.

[Abe Sargent]

One of the issues we’ll have next year is that I didn’t set myself up for this. Let me see I I can explain. I extended Beattie by a year. Beattie is good for League 1 but Championship is a very large step up. Plus he’s getting year older – now I wish I hadn’t done that. Similarly, I wouldn’t have brought in the striker I signed or Michael Stewart . They were supposed to help me to get out of L1 next year, and then Beattie would have left and I would have a nice hole to replace with a bigger budget.

Well, here we go.

I have my staff roles expanded for next year, so I can go ahead and make some hires there. I make an offer to Andrew Bernal, who is English, Spanish and Australian for a scout. I make an offer for a new Assistant Manager – Ian Woan. Make an offer to a new GK coach named Alec Chamberlain. Mark Chamberlain is made an offer to be a coach for me, as well as Brian Tinnion. That good for now. I want t see what my new staff look ike before I bring in others

Alright, my new staff is here let’s take a look.

Okay, I have four star training in: Tactics (Woan), Strength (Hendry), GK Shot Stopping (Taylor), GK Ball Handling (Chamberlain the First), Attacking (Cole), Ball Control (Chamberlain the Second), Shooting (Tinnion). I still need a coach each for Aerobic, Defending. I make an offer to James Bowker to be a coach. He’s a 4 star tactics guy and I move Woan to 4 star defense.

My players are on break until Jul 1

Movement:

Tranmere beat Plymouth 4-2 and are promoted from League 1 along with us and Bournemouth. Relgated back from L1 to L2 are Yeovil, Rochdale, Brentford and Shrewsbury Man U won the EPL and a Cup and are celebrating the “double” QPR, Birmingham and West Brom are relegated. Rumors are that Birmingham might want me as a coach, but since we’ll be in the same league next year, I publicly announce that I’m not interested. Burnley finished 6th in the Championship but won the playoffs and joins Leicester and Southampton as promoted teams to the EPL. Charlton, Ipswich and Notts Co were relegated down to League 1. Relegated back to the Conference are York and Macclesfield. Promoted are AFC Wimbledon, Colchester, Hartlepool and Crawley.

Michael Owen has announced his retirement in a month. It’s early, at the age of just 33.


All of my players think I should keep Owen. I kind of like the fact that he is leaving by retiring, because then I don’t look bad. Alright, fine. I offer Owen a contract for one more year and a reconsideration of his retirement. My new signing has arrive, Dutch footballer Harrie Gommans. We’ll look at him later.

Gonzalez, Jau and Sodje also announce retirement. I can’t talk Owen out of retirement (yes!).

[Abe Sargent]

We get a new budget. 69k a week and 750k in transfer money. I make an Enquiry to Burnley for McKee. I’d love to sign him permanently, but they want 4 mill, so I withdraw the offer.

I sign Fitness Coach Adie Stovell. 4 and a half stars for aerobic. I make an offer to a physio too.


Addo and McKee named in League 1 Team of the Year

Alex Ferguson retired today

Herita Ilunga was Fans Player of the Year again. My scouting range was upgraded, the club want me to earn from my experience. I feel more and push for mid-table finish. This gives me 1 mill in transfer money and 77k in budget. One of our links was terminated

The new season has begun!


I have arranged to bring our rivals here in pre-season, Wrexham, Port Vale, Stoke are all coming here for friendlies. The odds place us at 20-1 for promotion.

On the 29th, I take one last look at my players leaving. I only have a question about Addo, but I feel its time to part ways with the 34 year old.

The 30th is here. Michael Owen retires. My board offered Owen a role as a coach and he has accepted so we are paying him as a coach. Fabrice Jau has retired at the age of 34. Cristian Gonzalez has retired at the age of 38. Sam Sodje also retires at the age of 34 .

So we have both Ashley Cole and Michel Owen as coaches.

Now we say good bye to players such as Addo, Miller and Johnson.

[Abe Sargent]

Can I find replacements that are quality for this league? Can I find a replacement for McKee and Addo? Maybe a lights out GK or ST? My Polish scout has a solid younger DC on his radar. I make an offer to Bartlomiej Szewczyk. I also find a starter quality DC< 26, named Piscu, off my Spanish scout. I make him an offer for 7250 a week. Okay I’m set defensively.

I make a loan offer for McKee again. I offer to pay 100% of his salary. I can’t find someone that fits my team as well as he. I also want a good rotation middie as well. Powell is good, but he’s not a great starter at the Championship level, so if I can find a Benali or Jau sort of player, I‘ll be thrilled. I make an offer for another aging middie named Rogier Molhoek.

So I have made offers to MC, DC, DC and McKee. There’s no lights out GK, but what about striker? My Spanish scout knows of a great younger striker named Jean-Marie Dongou, so I make an offer. I make him an offer of 9500/week.

Okay, look’s good.

I make a few offers to youth players for my system - I can’t see full stats for many, but they are cheap. The best one should be an English player named Jordan Jones, and we’ll see. 7 youth offers made.

Scouting time

I make an offer to an Austrian scout. I send my scouts across Europe.

[Abe Sargent]

July 1 has arrived

My new scout arrives on the 2nd.

I get an offer for McHugh by Nott Forest It for 95k right now and 30% of profit from any sale. I accept. I can get another backup keeper.

Molhoek agrees to sign with us, as does Szewczyk – I make an offer to a random Polish youth project to give him a Polish playmate. I signed a U21 15 year old Swis guy named Roland Derungs, and he looks nice. He came in as 1.3 mill. He broke out. I signed him due to his spee – 15 acc and 12 pace. Plays M/AM L.

I sign some youthers, and my fans really like Molhoek and Jones

McKee is coming back.

On the 5th, good news – Jean-Marie, a Barcelona cast-off, is joining us. We’ll look at my new adds later, when they are all here.

McHugh officially is gone. I officially get about 100k. I traded a guy who was making 1k a week. I make an offer to a guy for 2k who is a better GK for this level, Sam Johnstone.

I reject an Leisceter inquiry for Ilunga. My board agrees to hold a trial day. Since we’ve found players such as Davisson, Ilunga and Benali from previous trials, it only makes sense to keep it up. Piscu rejects our offer so I need another plan. I can’t get my second choice, Andre Amougou to a price that works for me. Who else is left? Richard Dunne isn’t interested. I send out a few scouts

The 7th has arrived and with it our Wrexham challenge. We win 1-0 off a Gommans goal.



Molhoek





Gommans

[Abe Sargent]

After checking in a lot of places, I finally, and I mean finally, got a squad rotation DC named Oliver Roisser. I made him a 2.1k offer.

The trial game was held, so I take a look through the names and faces. There are several I like bu they want too much money. I sign a Welsh DC from the 2nd team, now the first one. There were ten or twelve guys that wanted 1500-3000 for their salaries. Like many Benalis, but none that tweak my radar.

We sign Johnstone as our backup GK

We draw Scunthorpe in the League Cup

Risser has joined us. We have all of our players now. I might get some player who falls through the cracks later, but I have everyone now.

Let’s look at our squad


GK – Carlos, ends 2014, 750/week, 130k value, 33 years old, fairly ambitious, still looks good: GK Sam Johnstone, ends 2016, 2.1k/week, 700k value, 20 years old, fairly ambitious, lots of potential

I ask Carlos to mentor Sam. They both agree. With the same personality, hopefully that’ll work well.

DC – Herita Ilunga, ends 2014, 2.3/week, 250k value, 31 years old, still looks solid; Joe Gorman, 18, ends 2014, 525k value, 1.3k weekly, still a decent prospect; Harry Davis, 21, 100k, 1.3k a week, ends 2014, not bad: Nasser Daineche, 31, 180k, 2.5/week, good starter, ends 2014: Two new signings:

DC Oliver Risser – 32, German and Namibian, 2k/week, 20k value, ends 2015, balanced – plays MC too. Worst is speed – 8 and 9. Bet is 14 head,jump balance, mark, tack, 12 pass. 17 flu, 14 team, 13 work rate, 13 position, 13 strength. A good, flexible rotation DC

DC Bartlomij Szewczyk, 19 years, 2.1k/week, 1.5 mill, ends 2016. Speed is 12 an 11. Jump 17, head of 14, 15 mark, tack, 9 pass, strength; 14 work rate, determination, 13 position, composure, aggression, 12 bravery, stamina. Realist personality – no one else has this. Polish.

I figure I can start either Barty or Olly, whichever I need or is healthy - but Barty is my preference all things considered.

ST – James Beattie, 3.9k/week 30k value 2014 contract, still looks good and capable. Always was slow. Mindaugas Dunauskas, 19 years old, 189/week, 2015, 850k,put out for loan, still a nice youth player with 14 finish, 11/14 speed, and so forth. We have two new strikers:

ST Harrie Gommans, Dutch, 3.2k/week, 130k, 30 years, 2014 contract – just one year, All double digits in phys, but lower ones. 12 Finish, first touch, pass, tech, 15 head, 11 dribbling, long shots; All mental are 10 or above save Aggression and Position 9 and 6.

ST Jean-Marie Dongou, 18, Spanish, 2016, 9.5k/week, 2.4 mill, my star. 17 acceleration and fitness, 14 pace and balane, 15 agi, 12 str, stam. Finishing 15, 14 in head, technique, 13 in long hots, dribbing, pass, 11 in first touch; 16 aggression, 14 flair, 13 work rate, 12 off the ball, 11creativity, 10 decisions, determination, bravery

With a lot of strikers gone, I need to bring in more. Gommans and Dongou both can start for me if needed across from Beattie and vice-versa. Dongou is my pride and joy from the off season


Dongou





Risser

[Abe Sargent]

M LRC – Kamel Larbi, 5k/week, 275k value, 28, Algerian, 2015, still looking good Larbi, but with low passing and crossing. Erwan Quintin, 29, French, 275k, 4.9k/week, 2014, looks nice and sexy. Nick Powell, 1.6 mill, 19, English, 4.1k/week, 2016, stats are week in many areas, such as speed, 9/11. Not starting quality anymore. Ashley Westwood, 45k, English, 23, 1.2k/week, a backup MC/R only. Ben Davisson, 26k, 300/week, 21, English, nother backup. Alban Bunjaku – Can play ST as well, 775k, 2.6k/week, 19 years old, 2015. Looks like some potential to keep getting a bit of play. Ahmad Benali, 2015, 21, Libyan, 1.2k/week 150k value, just a decent backup now. Michael Stewar, 32, Scottish, 2.4/week and 100k, starting quality still, but not that much, an upgrade waiting to happen later. Joe McKee obviously. Our new signees:

Jordan Jones – Expects a bit of play from this youther. 18, English 120/week, 550k value. 11/10 speed, 11 pass, lots of 11 and 12 and lots of 9s and 8s as well. Needs some work.

Rogier Molhoek – Dutch, 31, 6k/week, 275k value, 2014, All physiclas in doubles, but lower 15 passing, 13 dribb, 12 cross, technique, first touch, mark, 10 tack, 11 head; 18 creativity, 15 work rate, influence, 14 concentration, off the ball, decisions, 13 teamwork, 12 aggress, anticip, and 11 or 10 everything else in mentals

He will start in Powells old spot Perhaps I’ll put Jones on the reserve squad.

Players worth 1m or more in the youth and reserve:

1.3 m – Roland Derungs, 15 year old Swiss
1.1 m – Justin Taylor
1 m – Karl Smith, youther

I have too many middies and defenders. Perhaps I need to do something about Davis or Gorman or Westwood or Davisson.


Currently, our salary is at 67k. My budget is 1.2m transfer and 73k right now. I can bump the salary up to 96k. I assign squad numbers, massage my tactics, and other miscellaneous tasks that need to be done in the pre-season. I ask my board to improve youth facilities, but although they would like too, they have not the cash to do it.

[Abe Sargent]

Dongou and Powell are getting youth caps for Spain and England respectively. I stick with my small pitch

We defeat Port Vale 2-0 in our friendly vs them. We lose 0-1 to Stoke. Andre Amougou should be pissed. I was willing to offer 8k for him to start for me, but we wanted 15k as a starting figure. He ended up signing for another team in the league for 4.3k. By demanding too much, he screwed himself. I would have loved having such a pacy defender.

A player sold before my term with a sell on clause will net us 130k over the next 18 months.

It’s August 1, and I take a last look around, to see if anybody has fallen through the cracks. I have budget space for someone awesome. Big names currently on the market include Arjen Robben, Argentian national Fernando Gago, Maxi Rodriguez, and others. Several lesser big names will come, but want 15k or 20k. Internationals or good players such as Juan Manuel Olivera or Granddi Ngoyi. One though begins negotiating at 10k. Maybe we could come to a deal - name of Stef Nijland, Dutch, plays AM C. Just 24. Stef looks pretty nice – physicals stats are 12, 15, 13, 14, 15, 13, 14, 16. Technical has 14 dribb, 12 first touch, 10 finish, 12 head, 11 long shots, 12 pass, 13 technique. Mentals all strong too. He’s better than any of my guys. I could actually put him in an AMC spot. Move McKee to Stewart’s location. This is a strong player. I wonder how much I can get him to. Hold on. 9750k and match highest earner, runs through 2017 Do I finalize the deal? That’s a strong input of talent to my squad. He just plays AMC, but I could start traning him for generic MC and AMR to give him more flexibility. I was not happy with Stewart’s play in L1 last year, and now he’s upgraded. When I signed him, I didn’t expect him to be starting at this level. Let’s do it. I finalize the deal. He agrees. I can cancel the deal if I want to. I don’t.

Say hello to Stef Niljand, my third Dutch signing of the window. I make Molhoek my vice captain this season. Time to massage my tactics again. Now I really have too many middies

I offer Jones for loan, Westwood for transfer, and I move Davisson to a season long loan at an affiliate. Jones is loaned to Shrewsbury, Davisson heads out, and I have accepted offers for Westwood.


Nijland

[Abe Sargent]

August Schedule –

10th – Away at Bristol City
13th – Away at Scunthorpe, League Cup
17th – Home vs Derby
20th – Away vs Millwall
24th – Home vs Aston Villa
31st – Home vs Peterborough

The season opens today. Our first 11 for the first match – Carlos, Daineche, Ilunga, Szewczyk, Larbi, Mlhoek, McKee, Quintin, Nijland, Gommans, and Dongou. Here we go!! I start counter. They have a 4-1-3-2. Alons-y! We have pressure early, and they stop a few shots. They score in the 18th minute. McKee nails a direct free kick in the 39th. Half time and its all tied. 2d half baby – Now Carlos is stopping some shots. An offsides goal is disallowed by Bristol. Larbi finds Dongou on an attacking run for a score at the 53rd. I put in Davis for my Polish youth DC. Carlos stopping many shots in the last five minutes. Dongou rattled, so I slide in Bunjaku and switch him for Gommans. My final swap is I the 82 for Quintin by Powell. That’s game, and we win 2-1 in the road.

I transfer Westwood to Wrexham. I accept a loan offer for Dunauskas. We sold 4576 season tickets, and last year 3301, so that’s nice. Crewe were a fixture in the Championshi for a while, so I’d likek to set up camp for a while. I want a 4t ST option other than Bunjaku. Can I do it with my current youthers, let me see. Liam Wilson? Not well rounded enough . Max Clayton? Not enough Finishing or talent. Zapata-Caicedo? Not developed enough. I try to move Clayton. I don’t like him much, his contract ends in 2014, and he’s worth a lot. I try Clayton at 100k and no offers, and I drop it to 40k and no offers. Dunauskas moves to Accrington for loan.

[Abe Sargent]

Our cup match is here. I have some tired. I rest Quintin (Bunjaku), Nijland (Benali), Molhoek (Powell). Beattie is in for Gommans. I begin standard. It’s raining a lot. McKee grabs a yellow Their GK has stopped four shots by the 30. I move to Counter. Dongou collects a yellow post-half. The corner ball bounces around, Dongou finds it, passes to Ilunga who shoots and scores at the 58th I trade Powell for Bunjaku’s left role and put in Stewart. Larbi is tired, so Molhoek goes in for him. Daineche is dinged so I put in Risser for him. Ilunga throws the ball in, Stewart knocked it back to him, he crosses to Benali on an attacking run, and Benali scores in the 88th minute. With both an assist and goal, Ilunga is obviously MOM.


We have a problem. In the EPL, you have to have a certain number of homegrown players on your team. Your match squad, however, does not need a certain amount. However, in the lower leagues, you apparently need six homegrown players in you squad, inclusive of subs. Well, I didn’t realize the squad aspect of the requirement, and I have too many foreigners starting. I have just McKee as a homegrown player. What I have to so is sign an English starter, because what I have right now is one hg starter and all of my subs are forced to be to cover. Now many of my subs are natural – Powell, Beattie could be a starter, Bunjaku, Benali are hg. Other HG are Stewart Davis,Gorman, and backup GK Johnstone. I can hack a squad from them, start Beattie, have Bunjaku and Benali on bench, etc. But that leaves me with four HG subs and just one other – is my other sub Gommans? Risser? You see the problem.

So what I need is to sign a home grown starter. I feel the best chance of that is a wide midfielder or a lights out GK. No GK is available, so it’s a wide middie, to sub in for Larbi or Quintin or both. Luckily, I have two options. When looking for good middies earlier, I kept two guys, still unsigned, on my shortlist. Here they are:

Michael Tonge, 30, M CRL, will sign for cheaper than other option
Paul Anderso, 25, AM/M RL, more expensive but younger

Comparisons – Tonge is better crossing by one and passing by three, 14/14 to 13/11. Anderson is faster 13/16 to 11/10. Tonge 5 better technique and long shots, 3 better dribbling. Anderson has 3 better finishing. Identical stamina. Both right foot. Tonge three better tackling, Anderson thee better anticipation, virtually equal in tw and wr and otb. Tonge’s better mentally and technically, nderson better physically, and is younger.

Tonge it is. I can play him several postions. I make Tonge an offer for 6k a week and two years.

I just got major injection of cash Southampton are making an offer of 475k and 30 of profit for next sale for Joe Gorman. I accept. We draw West Ham in the League Cup. Tonge has joined us


Tonge

[Abe Sargent]

For today’s match, I start Tonge for Larbi. I will start Risser for Szewczyk. Gommans for Beattie. Okay, let’s see what happens. I begin the Derby match standard. They get a score early in the 5th minute. Halftime and I light a fire under them, hopefully. I move to Control. They give a penalty to Derby in the 51st, nd they…make it. I go back to standard. They give another penalty to Derby in the 61st. They make it too. I pull Daineche for Szewczyk Daineche gives away an OG before he gets pulled. This an apocalyptic meltdown, he gave two penalties AND a own goal. We lose 0-4. I fine Daineche a week.


Today we head to Millwall. I bench Daineche. I begin countering. Millwall score on a pretty long shot from 25 yards out in the 15th. Gommans collects a yellow. Half time. I try to light a fire under my guys. They come out firing. A few attacks are fended off, but then Nijland finds Gonjou for a score in the 58th minute. A few minutes later Nijland finds Gonjou behind their defense again for another goal. I pull back to defense set up. I sub in Powell, Beattie and Davis during the game. Millwall tie it in the 81st, and we hold on for a 2-2 draw. Gonjou is MOM.


I loan Clayton to Burton. Gorman can’t come to terms with either Leicester or Southampton. Sucks, I wanted the cash.

[Abe Sargent]

I bring back Daineche for the Aston Villa game and Beattie gets the start over Gommans. I begin standard. I don’t want to push too much vs Villa. In the first ten minutes, Beattie finds a running Donjou who speed past their defense and has a 1:1 opportunity. He finds the next and we have our first goal in the 9th minute. Then he gets a yellow a few minutes later. Halftime. Post half, McKee crosses to Daineche and he scores at the 49th. They hit us on a counter attack in the 61st. I pull some folks and move to Counter, but we manage to survive their attack and win 2-1. Daineche is MOM That’s a crazy two game swing, from dog to owner.


Where is?

Eric Addo – Still unsigned
Shaun Miller – Still unsigned
Simon Johnson – On trial with Colchester in League 1


Today we host West Ham in the League Cup. Gonjou gets a rest. I begin control. We ge scored on twice in the first 20. Several of my players get yellows, so I move to light tackling, and we still get two. We hold on and lose 0-2. I don’t know what happened to my “Success was never in the card, good job” line at the beginning, half time or end. I had no option o use it. I tell them bad luck and they respond well.


I get an interesting rumor – the Wolves are interested is making an offer for Powell. I offer him for 1 mill, and the Wolves take it. Powell agrees to terms with them, and I get 1 mill.

[Abe Sargent]

Dongou is starting for us again. We host Peterborough. Controlling is our start. Tonge with a deadly cross and it is put back by a defender for an OG in the 7th minute. Dongou is injured so I slide in Beattie. Stewart gets a score in the 29th after the ball bounces and two shots by others were stopped but left on the ground by DC and GK. 2-0 at the half. Barty gets a yellow in the 47h. I put Powell in for TOnge for his last match with us before he heads to play for the Wolves. We win 2-0. Stewart is MOM

Dongou injured his ribs and will be out for a month. Powell is now with the Wolves.

Okay, I need to find an English middie good enough to be a sub. Powell wasn;t that good for this level, so this is an upgrade I get paid for. I also want a backup striker, and I have some transfer kitty now. What is available and who do I want?


I have two targets in mind that are unsigned – ST Luke Moore, 27, and Middie Anthony Wordsworth, 24. Both are English and homegrown.

Now, let’s see if there is a player I can chase on transfer. I don’t see anyone. Both Wordsworth and Moore will cost me in the 5k-6k range. I have the cash . But I’d rather pay it for starters. Let’s see if I can downgrade ability to a cheaper price. I make an offer to striker Marlon Harewood for 4.1k/year and another to DM/MC Emmanuel Frimpong.

Dongou wins the Young Player of the Month. Harewood joins. Frimpong joins us too


Emmanuel Frimpong, Ghanaian, English, 21, 3.1k/week, 1.1 m, DMc, Mc; counts as HG, Adequate physical and technical stats, 12 pass, 11/12 speed, 11 first touch, 12 technique, etc. Good mentals, led by 18 aggress, 16 brave, workrate 13 teamwork, 12 otb, 11 position, compuure, etc. Just solid

Marlon Harewod, English, 34, 65k value, 4.k/week, HG, AM R, ST, still has good physicals such as 12/10 speed, 14 strength, stamina. 13 finishing, 15 penalties, yadda yadda. Just a good solid rotation guy for us.


Frimpong




Harewood

[Abe Sargent]

Sept Games:

14th – Away vs Tranmere
21st – Home vs Barnsley
28th – Away vs Cardiff

We have a lot of internationals, 9 players, called up in early Sept.

Transfer deadline passes


Alban Bunjaku is now Albanian on his screen, since he is now capped by their team during this window.

We head to the road to face fellow promote Tranmere. Risser plays for us today. We lose 0-1 against them, it was quiet most of the day and they got a nice cross that slipped through two defenders for a score off a a leg. I was hoping to get points from my fellow promotee, but that was not to be the case.


Barnsley has arrived at our stadium. I have Szewczyk back in the lineup I begin controlling. A McKee corner is headed by Ilunga on target and blocked by their GK, but a DC puts the ball into the net for us as it falls. Nijland drives, finds Quintin who scores in the 20th minute. Then McKee hits Daineche off an indirect free kick for a shot in the 25th minute, and we are up 3-0. I tell my guys to start tackling lighter. I slide to standard in the 30s as they start putting some pressure on and Daineche gets a yellow before the half. We stick with standard for the 2nd half. I’ll make some early subs if the score is the same. A the 50, I pull Gommans for Marlon Harewood to give him some playing time. At 58 I pull Molhoek for Frimpong. I’ll keep my last one for a while in case of injury - I end up pulling Daineche for Risser in the 75th minute They get a score in the 81st with a nice individual effort. Carlo has turned aside many shots and I was hoping he’d get a clean sheet, he deserved it. Then they get another goal at the 87th minute and it’s crazy. We hold onto the pressure for the last few minutes, getting corners and throw ins from them and we win 3-2 . I let them know it was a jeckyll and hyde performance.


We agree to move Ayo Obileye to Hereford on a loan. Daineche is in Team of Week. I get a one month loan offer for Justin Taylor by Cheltenham and I accept.

[Abe Sargent]

Dongou is back from injury. Today Tonge will replace Quintin and Larbi is back in the lineup. We are travelling to Cardiff who are not doing well. They are currently 20th. Let’s see what we can do. I begin countering. They score in the 4th minute off a cross to a hoof. Dongou wins us a corner. Ilunga gets a yellow. Our defense lets one of their men slip past and he scores in the 9th minute. We have some attacking, but nothing comes of in. Gommans is injured and I put in Beattie. Half time. Iluna and BArty got yellows. Dongou opens the second half with a McKee pass behind the defense and we score, 45:45 in the game. I pull Daineche for Risser in the 64th minute. My final sub is Benali in for Molhoek. We weren’t able to gt the win, but we responded well. 1-2 loss.


I’m swapping Gommans for Beattie. Gommans has played 8 games, with no goals and one assist. That’s not good enough.


October has arrived:


1st – Home vs QPR, best team in the league
5th – Away vs Wigan
19th – Home vs West Brom
22nd – Away vs Middlesbrough
26th – Home vs Sheff Utd


I like to call this month, teams with extensive stretches in the EPL month. QPR was in the EPL and just got relegated a few months ago, West Brom Albion has had a real ping-pong relationship with the Championship and the EPL. Wigan and Middlesbrough were just there too. So I need to do well to get points in October. Let’s begin by hosting the #1 team in the Championship, a team who has not lost. We have 13 points in eight games, and are doing fine.

[Abe Sargent]

Let’s see how it goes. I begin countering, because, you know. We keep them off for a while and Carlos gets things started with a goal kick to Beattie, who drops the all and finds Nijland, who finds space in the defense. He slides the ball past the defense to Dongou who is behind everyone. He muscles off a defender that catches up and shoots and scores. 35th minute first score We go into halftime 1-0. Right after half, Nijland again gets a backpass from Beattie and again hunts and finds Dongou and again scores, at the 46:12 mark. I order us to Defense They sore in the 58th minute and I ease back to counter. Molhoek is injured a the 62 and I sub in Stewart. Nijland is injured a few minutes later and I put in Benali. Finally, pull a tired Beattie for Gommans. We hold on, and win 2-1. That is an impressive win by my boys. MOM is Dongou. Nijland is out for 2-3 weeks with a thigh strain and Molhoek is fine.


Dongou is incredible. We were really lucky to have gotten him for a free. My scouting has really brought forth some nice players. A French scout knew of Quintin, a Spanish scout of Dongou, a Polish scout of Barty, and so forth. Do you think that Barty would be on my team without a Polish/German scout who tell me of him? Nope. Good stuff!

For Nijland’s injury, we’ll be starting McKee. My players are constantly being called up for various duty, friendlies, U21 clubs matches and so forth. I’ma going to stop mentioning it at this time, unless someone major isn’t available.

[Abe Sargent]

Larbi and Tonge are too tired. I put in Quintin and Molhoek. Frimpong and Stewart are starting in the middle for me. Away to Wigan, yuck. Counter established. Beattie gest an injury three minutes in so I yank him for Harewood. Molhoek goes down in pain at the 8th minute. It’s going to be one of those games. One of their guys tackles us hard again at the 10th minute and is red carded. So that should stop. I move into my anti-10 people formations. I also move to control. I move back to stanrd in te 20s after a lot of pressure comes my way. 0-0 at the half. In the 2nd, Harewood injures one of theirs, so ha. I put Benali in for Molhoek in the 53rd minute. A corner kick by them rattles in the box and eventually goes in and they score 1-0, in the 56th minute. A cross gets a score n the 63rd minute I swap McKee for Bunjaku. We lost 0-2, just like we won last year against lesser competition with one less man, they did the same.


Beattie is out for three months with a torn hamstring. Dang. Injury bug is bad this year so far, Dongou out for a month, Beattie with a major injury, Nijlan out for a few weeks, etc. Can I go three months with just Harewood, Gommans, Dongou, Bunjaku and the occasional youth striker? I take a look at loanees. I order some scouts to investigate some of the top loanees. Scout reports are back, let’ see what I can unlock. The only one I liked I can;t get for 100% of his salary, which is what the wolves want. He’s Welsh striker Sam Vokes. I can get him for 90% and I offered some cash, but they won’t accept, and no one else interests me. During our break, Michael Stewart injures his leg for a couple of weeks in training.


Norway fired their coach, and I wanted the job, (remember, half Welsh, half Norweigan, but they gave it to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer). An agent offers an Italian striker to me, so I offer him a trial. He’s not bad. But he wants too much money. If he wanted 2-3k I would have signed him. Niljand is back.Larbi and Tonge on the ends, Mckee and Molhoek in the middle. Home vs West Brom. I begin countering. They score in the 28th minute. We lose 1-3. I don’t want to talk too much, Dongou with our lone score on the day. We are very tired

[Abe Sargent]

20 Oct – I get an unusual offer today. The USA have offered to make me their national coach. Now, if I were doing this dynasty in Portland or Vancouver in the MLS, this makes sense. But the US, now? I’m not American in this dynasty. I’m Welsh and Norwegian. Why would they make me an offer?

The US just lost out on qualifying for the World Cup to Mexico, Costa Rica, Canada and Honduras is in the playoff. That’s clearly unacceptable. I did the USA once before. I was an Americna coach in my Carlisle dynasty. They made me an offer, and I did both for a while Then Kaiserslautern offered me a role, and I took it and I brought Oguchi to my club as my first signing. I also picked up another couple of Americans for my side. I had more fun in that dynasty than I had ever had in FM, so the next time I played in the Ukraine, and had even more fun then, and I never returned to English league. For mu Ukraine dynasty, I was asked to be the Ukrainian head coach an American, and I accepted. I managed to take Ukraine to the World Cup, we finished second to Brazil in our group, made it to the semi finals and lost to France, Brazil lost to Germany. Then we beat Brazil in the 3rd place game and finished third with Ukraine, led by Shevchenko. Fun dynasty! After that, I began to make myself African in every subsequent dynasty and played as African sides. Senegal, Zimbabwe, Egypt and more were mine. I had never played a European nation save as Ukraine (and once as France for a short period until bad results in WC got me fired in less than a year) so I figured this time I would make myself two European nations and see if I could move myself into coaching a national side here. But now the US is calling and I feel a certain familiarity with Carlisle in this division in my last go around. Okay, let’s do it. I look briefly at the team, and then head back to Crewe. I’m sad. I guess I remember the US being better than this. It’s like a wrinkles convention. We need youth and vigor.


My Crewe team have arrived. We are away at Middlesbrough. I make minor changes to my team, Larbi is out, and Quintin back in. I begin with a counter established. In th 18th minute, they come in heavily, and Barty goes to knock the ball out and scores an OG instead for our foe. Gasp. Then the 30 minute arrives. What does it bring? Beauty. They foul at about the half way line and Nijland takes the free kick. He finds McKee, who slides it to Barty who is coming up. Barty searches out a now unmarked Nijland in their defense and finds him. He serves Dongou, and he I onside and past their defender. He scurries to the left to dodge their keeper and puts it in 1-1. That’s the score a the half. Then we have the most boring half ever, and that’s the final score That’s a great result.


After the game, Cardiff fires their coach, and I am the hot name to replace him, so I publicly announce I’m not interested - I extend a few loans, such as Taylor . I understand why – Cardiff is Welsh, I’m Welsh.

[Abe Sargent]

Our final match of October has arrived. We host Sheff Utd. I begin standard. They score off a cross in the 4th minute. I don’t know why, we had defenders there, they just got lucky. Then in the 13th minute, Ilunga throws the ball to Dongou, who cross to Nijland and he nets his first goal for us. 1-1 at the 13. They have some dangerous attacking and then score in the 26th as a result. Passing and bodies are too fast. Half time. I swap Gorman for Barty in the 64th minute. Gommans is injured so Bunjaku replaces. I sub Benali in, Molhoek in. I move to attacking in the 78th minute We can’t get the win. This sucks, because it was a winnable match. At the beginning of the season and this month you circle this game as winnable, but it wasn’t to be. Barty had a mistake that led to the second goal, so Ima bench him for a bit off that and the OG. Would have won the previous game and tied this one. Risser will be in there instead.


Welcome to November. Dongou won Young Player of Month. He has 11 league appearances, 9 goals and 2 assists. Incredible. He’s a great player for us and him and Nijland have a real thing going

[Abe Sargent]

November:

2nd – Away v Crystal Palace
5th – Home v Birmingham
9th – Home v Nottm Forest
23rd – Away v Hull
30th - Away v Leeds


16th Friendly vs Puerto Rico
20th Friendly vs Portugal



I begin today’s away match defensive, and then I’ll open up later. In the first minute, we score. Gommans found Dongou who lobbed the keeper for a score at the 1:19 mark. Will this be one of those days when an underdog away team come in an trounce someone inexplicably? Nope – 1-0 at the half. I keep defensive, and Dongou gets a yellow in the opening minutes of the next half. I ut in Gorman, Harewood and Tonge for various players. Are we going to escape with a win? Nope, they score in the 83rd minute. We keep it to a tie though, and I will absolutely take that. We had one shot on target all day out of six. They had 18 shots and just four on target.


I have my first meeting. I tell the lads that we have the ability to change their fortunes. I call on Ilunga. He’s calm and wants to buck our ideas up. I talk to the room, and then one player goes after another, and I dial it back and we are done. Everybody’s morale has gone up.

[Abe Sargent]

Now we host a team that was in the EPL last season and just got relegated. Birmingham are 2nd in the league and looking to pound us. I am officially moving Harewood to the other striker spot for Gommans for now. Stewart in for Molhoek and Tonge in for Larbi. I also begin work on something tactically. I begin attacking for a bit just to shake things up, but it’s too risky, and I pull back to counter in the 13h minute. Birmingham score in the 39th, just before the half. I light a fire under my team. Then the magic begins. Tongue finds Nijland who puts the ball to Dongou onsides through their defense, score at the 60th minute. I make some replacements. 1-1 in extra time, and then Molhoek, subbed in for McKee, crosses to Dongou who scores at 92:12 to put us up 2-1 and we win. MOM is Dongou. No yellows for my team, just good play. They had 26 shots, 7 on target, and scored one, We had 10, 7 on target, and scored twice. I’m shocked Carlos had just a 6.6 rating after that. The press conference is nice too.

So we have the quality to beat both the #1 and #2 teams in the league, but not many others. Weird. I ask the Crewe board to expand the stadium, and they agree with the idea, but lack the funding. I just got them a million from Powell. Our average attendance is 10014. Our max stadium size is 10109. It’s time to fix that. I’d be willing to drop my salary by 20,000 a week this year to help pay, but that’s not an option. That’s 80k a month and easily an extra 750k for the year.


I begin by USA career by keeping the exact same team my predecessor had, to see how they do.

[Abe Sargent]

We are favored for our home game vs Notm Forest, the 24h team in the league with 9 points in 15 games - let’s try and take them out. I start attacking. They call off Dongou goal for offsides in the 3rd. After pressure, they are forced to tackle Quintin out wide on a foul. McKee takes the indirect free kick and connects with Ilunga for a goal in the 7th minute. I pull back to Control. More pressure, here’s a corner, there’s a shot on goal but pushed aside, etc. We have a lot of pressure, but no more goals to join the first. Halftime 1-0. I remind my lads not to get complacent. Half 2. I switch the sides my strikers are on. They are focusing a lot on Dongou. They injure Molhoek, and I sub in Frimpong for him in the 57th. Both teams have an offsides goal called off within three minutes of each other – them by Ishmael Miller and us by Dongou. I put Larbi in for Tonge after they knock him around too. Daineche nails a yellow card. Larbi crosses to Dongou and he scores in the 75th minute. Wait, they are calling it an OG. Hold on. It hit the upright and rebounded away, and then the GK knocked it into his own goal. Final sub – Harewood for Bunjaku here in the 82nd. Now Dongou finds the net. Quintin crosses and hits him in the 83rd. We win 3-0 and Ilunga is MOM. We hit the post 5 times in this game, it’s mentioned in the presser. Dongou Team of Week.


USA - I pull Steve Cherundolo off my squad, he is retiring at the end of the year. I keep Bocanegra as captain and Donovan as vice. Okay, let’s choose my first 11.


Tim Howard, Carlos Bocanegra, Edgar Castillo, Timothy Chandler, Oguchi Onyewu (Zak Whitbread is injured), Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey at striker (Jozy is injured), DaMarcus Beasley, Freddy Adu, Bradley Johnson, Maurice Edu. I tried to find a few good younger folks on the team. More looks later This is just a friendly to suss things out. I begin controlling. Donovan feeds Dempsey for a score in the 27th minute, after a lot of pressure does lttle. The US playing Puerto Rico is like France playing Reunion. Halftime. I told them they have played well but there is room for improvement. Just one is good and one responded badly. That would light up Crewe. I have to figure these folks out. I start putting in subs. Bradley in for Edu. Convey in for Beasley. Bradley finds Donovan and he scores in the 60th. Spector in for Chandler, Bedoya in for Johnson, Fabian Johnson in for Adu. Bradley finds Dempsey for a score in the 70th. I put in Findlay for Dempsey. Bradley feeds Donovan a goal at the 83rd. 4-0 victory. Donovan is MOM. Tim Howard has been pulled after a red card and massive media attention, but the media and fans believe that is behind him with my start of the lad.


Landon Donovan announced his retirement from international football, so I had a talk with him and he agrees to come back.

[Abe Sargent]

I move Bradley in for Edu, Zak Whitbread for Oguchi, and we’ll move to the Portuguese game away. Let’s play! I begin counter. Howard has already saved four Ronaldo strikes for goal in the first 25 minutes. They get a long shot to sink in the 30th. They get another long shot four minutes later. Half time. I pull Dempsey for Davies. I put in Woodson for Whitbread, Bocanegra for Spector. F Johnson for Beasley. They get a cross and goal for 85th minute 3-0 score. That’s the final score


USA – The Wrinklies Reunion

GK Tim Howard – 34
DC/L Captain Carlos Bocanegra – 34
ST, AM C Edson Buddle, 32
ML DaMarcus Beasley, 31
DC Clarence Goodson – 31
DC Oguchi Onyewu – 31
M, Am RLC St Landon Donovan – 31
AM RC ST Clint Dempsey – 30
Dl, Ml Bobby Convey – 30


How much longer can these guys continue to be a national team level?

I need to focus on and develop younger players. Guys like Jozy Altidore and Edgar Castillo are already doing well and younger. I need more of them . I don’t have good defenders, so I put in 3-5-2 as a backup tactic to begin working. With a 3-5-2 I could focus on our better, younger midfielders. Guys like Chandler on the right wing, Bradley Johnson, and Michael Bradley would operate well, and many international clubs are rocking a simple 4-4-2 set up


I scout a few American youth in Europe for my Crewe team, and if they are good enough, will add ot the pool for our youth team.

[GoldenEagle]

I had to look up and see who Bradley Johnson was.

[Abe Sargent]

The deadline for loans and free signings has passed


Today we play Hull in their place. I begin countering. They score in lightning fashion getting the ball, and marching down field and scoring in less than thirty seconds. Uh oh. Michael Tonge is booked a few minutes later. As we discussed before, Harewood is starting for Gommans for now. In the 27th minute he scores. Molhoek kicks the ball to him, and the Gk comes to to get the ball, but Harewoods head arrives just a second before and it hit goal. 1-1 Then they score in the 34th minute and then the 40th minute. 3-1 Hull at the half. I tell my lads to pick it up. In the 48th minute Nijland gets a goal. He hit a long shot off an assist by Harewood. I move to standard and they come forward to much so I quickly slideback to counter. When that happens, I begin to make some subs. I put in Frimpong and Larbi. At the 78th minute, we get our final goal Quintin finds Dongou, and he finds goal . I move to defensive and we manage to keep them from getting a 4th goal and we tie them 3-3 on the road.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by GoldenEagle

I had to look up and see who Bradley Johnson was.

LOL!

In real life, he's playing for a EPL team as a middie last year and so far this year. That's not bad. You'll also note that he wants to play for USA in real life, so capping him, getting him some play is nice. He's not the best player for my future, I need to find the right combination of youth and experience. He's good though.

[Abe Sargent]

We draw Reading in the FA Cup in January 4.

I host Reading for the Championship league today. I wanted the game, and now I’m back to simming stuff myself. We begin attacking, just to push. We score in the 10th minute off Dongou, I slide to control. They score back in the 23rd minute. Risser injured in the 31st, Barty in for him. They score again in the 40th after Daineche gave up a penalty and we are down at the half . We come out and Molhoek fires a long shot and ties it back up in the 51st. Tonge grabs a yellow. I swap in Bunjaku and Stewart. Molhoek grabs a final goal and I back into stanadrad at the 78th minute It holds, and we win 3-2 and a nice comeback. Molhoek is MOM. Assists by McKee, Molhoek, and Niljand. Risser with a minor injury dead leg.


Molhoek in Team of Week. The 21st is here. Bournemouth are 15th in the league, but we are in their place. It could go either way really. I begin countering. They have low confidence. They score quickly and again. I manage a score late by sub Bunjaku, but it’s not enough. I’m tired of this and its time for a change, so a small write up. We lose 2-1.

I’ve been working on a new tactic I want to try out.

Since my striker has been sucking, I move to 4-3-3. It’s not technically a 4-3-3 like you ould think of it. I have Riser, Ilunga, Barty Szewcyk and Daineche back as DCs and fullbacks. Then I have three players in the middle, McKee, Molhoek and Tonge or Stewart or whatever. I flank players into an AMR and AML position. Then I finish with Dongou as my solitary striker. It’s really more of a 4-3-2-1 or a variant of a 4-5-1, but it is called a 4-3-3. Wiil it work? Since my other strikers aren’t doing anything anyway, let’s try it out. We’ve been letting too many goals through, so this is an attempt to stop the sieve back there by moving a striker back to a defender and emphasizing my party’s star, Dongou.

[Abe Sargent]

Our first game with the new strategy goes not well. It wasthe Watford in our plaee game. Dongou and McKee scored, but we allowed five goals outselves. Yuck. Then I heard that Bolton didn’t want me after all. Ah well. The next game was at Derby, an we went with my new formation. Quintin sored a goal and we won 1-0 there. That’s a much beter display for football. So et’s see what happens on Dec 31st for the last game of 2013


Contracts coming up in six months – Carlos, Molhoek, Harewood, Gomman, Ilunga, Daineche, Beattie, Quintin, Stewart, Gorman, Davis, and players such as George Ray, Ben Davisson, Liam Wilson and a few others. That’s a lot of my team. All three of my non-Dongou strikers, and much of my defense are u for grabs. I need to see who to keep and who to let go. Letting go allows me to refresh the position with players better suited for the Championship. Of these players, who has a value more than 100k? Gorman and Quintin. Quintin is 110k and Gorman 300. I’m going to let Daineche go I think. He’s sitting at 6/55 rating in 24 games. That’s way too low for my starting DCs. I expect 6.8, 6.9 or higher. Last year he was 6.94. Risser is sucking at a 6.3, Barty is fine at a 6.76 and Ilunga leads the pace with 6.86. I have no ties to Harewood, Beattie or Gomman wth how they’ve peformed for me so far this year. Last year, Shaun Miller got 12 or 14 goals from that position, also the others in there, and they can’t get more than two in half a season? That’s horrible. That’s one of the main reasons I shifted my team to a different formation and pulled a striker. Our match vs Bristol was postponed to to heavy snow in our place. So let’s look at the table instead

[Abe Sargent]

With 24 games in folks’ belts:

1. West Brom – 52 points
2. Wigan – 48
3. Birmingham – 47
4. QPR – 46, +22
5. Crystal Palace – 46, +19
6. Bristol City - 41
7. Norwich – 38
8. Aston Villa – 35
9. Reading – 33
10. Crewe – 32, -6
11. Bournemouth – 32, -7

A bunch of other teams

If we finish my first season in the #10 spot I will be thrilled. We have a record of 9 wins, 5 draws and 10 losses. We have wins against the top five and losses to the bottom five. Watford, who just thumped us 5-2 is in 21st.

End of 2013


A new transfer window has opened. Dongou only got 3rd this month.


Games:

4th – Home vs Reading, FA Cup
11th – Home vs Millwall
15th – Home vs Bristol City
18th – Away vs Aston Villa
25th – Away vs Peterborough

[Abe Sargent]

I send out some scouts for folks to see if I want to make any offers for people leaving on a Bosman. Okay, I have found my GK of the future, a youth player, 21, for Arsenal reserves whose contract runes out in 2014, and named Damian Martinez, who has 24 U21 caps for Argentina. The problem is that major teams want him too at the end of his contract. If I can make an offer for him, I can bring him in now and begin to reap the rewards with a player who can slide into my system. He’s worth 1.6 mill and Arsenal have him on the transfer list for that amount. He’s not a wunderkid like fellow Arsenal GK Wojciech Szczesny, but he’s pretty good everywhere that matters and many places that don’t. I massage my finances a bit and consider making an offer. I make an offer for 450k now, and 900k over the next 18 months. They accept my offer, and I sign Damian Martinez through 2017, we’ll see if he accepts. I also make an offer to a DR Polish unsigned to bring him in in case I keep the 4 defenders.

[Abe Sargent]

Games time vs Reading. I begin standarding. In the 2nd minute, a cross by Stewart (McKee is resting) connects with Dongou who gets the score us. Molhoek grabs a yellow. Daineche earns one as well. Dongou pushes several times and earns a few corners. Then he is injured and I put in Beattie. Half time. I pull a tired Stewart for Frimpong. Final sub is Quintin for Bunjaku. We hold on and win 1-0. MOM is Dongou. But what about Dongou? He was fine – whew!


We got 350k from the game, a gate receipts high – we travel to Wolverhamton for the next round of the FA Cup. Yuck.

[Abe Sargent]

Martinez move delayed due to work permit – seems odd, he is already playing in the country for Arsenal, but whatever. I’m sure that a 21 year old Argentinian with 24 youth caps can come play for me. I move a few youth players, or extend their loan. The initial application was turned down, so I appeal. Come on. I make an offer to another guy. There is a lot of competition for him, so I double the agent fee and increase his asking salary.

I went ahead to see if I get my guy. I play the Millwall game and sim the next two. Millwall was a win by us 2-1, with scores by Tonge and Stewart, and MOM was Tonge. Then we went on the road to Aston Villa and held to a 1-0 win because they scored an OG and we holed up. Finally we were scoreless in a 0-0 tie against Bristol City.

[Abe Sargent]

Then my guy signed with us, for 400k and 8000/week. I checked and this guy is better than four of the five starting keeper for the top five teams in the league. Let’s take a look. I will have his stats on the left next to Carlos’s stats on the right.

Joris Delle/Carlos

Physical

Acc – 12/10
Agi – 14/8
Balance – 17/13
Jump – 16/15
Fitness – 13/11
Pace – 10/11
Stam – 14/9
Str – 17/14

Age – 23/34

GK

Aerial – 16/12
Command of Area – 13/12
Communication – 11/11
Eccentricity – 6/18
First Touch 8/2
Free Kick – 10/10
Handling – 14/3
Kicking – 10/17
1:1 – 14/15
Penalty – 2/1
Reflexes – 15/14
Rush Out – 10/13
Tend. Punch – 10/10
Throw – 10/16


Mental


Aggres – 10/18
Anticip – 14/11
Brave – 14/16
Composure – 13/9
Concentration – 13/9
Creativity – 9/6
Decisions – 13/6
Determin – 15/13
Flair – 6/10
Influence – 10/3
Positioning – 11/13
Teamwork – 12/11
Work Rate – 9/12


As you can see, Joris Delle is just flat out better. This is a major improvement for my squad. In technical stats, Carlos is better at one thing – distributing the ball both by throwing it and kicking it. Delle is better in everything else that matters. Physcialy, Delle dominate Carlos in virtually every stat. Mentally, Delle is better too, although a few lean Carlos, such as Bravery and Aggression and Work Rate, most are still in Delle’s corner. The Frenchman is in a better class of keeper. Once again, I paid 400k for Delle, and I am paying him 8k a week. He wanted 6.5k, and I bumped it up due to competition from two Spanish clubs, a Dutch club, and about four French clubs. I also doubled the agent fee. I felt he was worth the extra money, because I’m set at GK for as long as I’m in the Championship. Again, Delle is better, at least on paper, then four of the five starters in the top five teams. The only one better is a loanee from a Premiership club, btw. I have signed Joris Delle until 2017, so he’ll bee here for three and a half years. This was a valuable signing, and I expect to bring him into my lineup soon and replace Carlos permanently. I moved my 3rd GK to hot prospect. He only speaks French, and we’ll need to work on that. He is Resolute in personalty and and reserved. My assistant manager has Delle as a 4.5 star GK, Carlos as 2.5 and Johnstone and 2. This makes my team much better. Hopefully, we can get good enough in defense that I can slide out of my four Defenders into my three roles again. I can move the extra person to the midfield, where my team is strongest.


Delle

[Abe Sargent]

For fun I went back and added images for the important players that i sign who exist in real life barty is not areal player, but a newgen.

[Abe Sargent]

The Polish DR went elsewhere. Let me see if I can find someone else - it’s hard to find good English that you trust in the DC role. I make a few offers and trials to youth. I make an offer to a youth backup whos really good, not in a job, and 18. I tried hard to find good Englishers, but they aren’t out there. Ilunga is banned for two matches for a red card two matches ago.

I won’t be starting Delle today away at Peterborough. Gorman is in at DL, and I move Risser to DC to cover Ilunga. Tonge is tired so I bench him for Benali. I come out firing in an attacking manner. They foul Dongou in the box at the 19th minute and we get a penalty kick. Here goes McKee….He sinks it and I drop to Control. After ten more minutes, I slide to counter. Peterborough were having bad morale, so I wanted to come out swinging, and we hit – time to back off a bit. They get a cross and score in the 35th minte. Risser was by the defender and didn’t get the ball and Carlos allowed it to score. Both were at fault. Peterborough get a counter before the half and score and its’ 1-2. I pull Gorman for Davis and drop Risser back to the fullback role he normally has. My next sub is Benali for Frimpong. I also move stanrd at the 70. My final move I to pull Risser for Beattie, and move to my old formation. I slide to attacking, press more and tackle harder. Michael Stewart gets a goal in the 89th minute, assist by Beattie, who passes over to him. Game, 2-2 tie. MOM is Stewart with goal.

[Abe Sargent]

I extend Ilunga by a year. I sign my target 18 year old Mehdi Avci, a Turkish/German player. I also bought a French player here on trial, let me look. He’s solid, but wants too much money to sign full time. Anyway, here’s my new guy.

Avci is a Newgen, my second real one. I am paying him 1.7k/week for a hot prospect contract until 2016, 700k value. Physicals are 15, 14, 13, 8, 14, 13, 11, 11 – Technical – 4, 9, 11, 5, 10, 5, 11, 5, 12, 10, 14, 10, 11, 8 – Highlight 14 passing ,lowlght 9 crossing. Mental – 7, 3, 14, 12, 8, 12, 10, 10, 7, 9, 8, 11, 6, 9. Mentals are his weakest flaw. He plays DR and DL. He goes in for Risser right now. Speaks German and Turkish. Fairly Ambitious. People think he could be the next Gokhan Gonul.

Budget – 96k, current – 94k – All of my additions were able to slide in under budget. Expect to see both Jelle and Avci getting some playing time soon. Avci will be out there while we still run the 4-3-2-1 or 4-3-3 as a nice fullback option. I offer Joe Gorman a one year extension for 100/week increase in salary. I offer a bunch of my youth players for various loans to get them some experience. I accept all offers that want first team importance, not coverage. I move seven players. I have become one of Crewe’s favored personnel.

February has arrived- Tonge’s goal vs Millwall is Goal of the Month


Games:


1st – Away vs Wolves, FA Cup
4th – Home vs Tranmere
8th – Away vs Barnsley
15th – Home vs Cardiff
18th – Away vs QPR
22nd – Home vs Wigan

[Abe Sargent]

Avci will start in the DL position. We’ll bring in Jelle next game. Tonge back in for Benali. We will play Counter and hope, but expect a major thumping. Wolves are in the EPL, as a reminder. Not a lot happens early, but a lot of pressure in the 30s comes our way. We manage to get to the half. I tell my lads to keep it up. Half the second. Daineche is hit. That sucks, because my backups are Risser and Davis. I swap Avci over to Daineche’s Dr slot, and put in Risser, who can play fullback on the DL well, but he’s limited. I slide Michael Stwart back to DMC in order to help out. So now it’ 4-1-2-2-1. In the 67th minute, Gorman has not been playing well. I want to swap him for Davis. That leaves me no Defenders though, in case of injury. I’m thinking about subbing in Davis for Nijland, swapping TOnge to the right for Davis, and then then putting Tonge and Quintin to the MR/ML spots and add Davis to the DCs. Let’s do it. So I have 5, 1, 3, 1 – I keep McKee in for the chance of a DFK, PK, IFK or CK. We almost score n the 79th when Dongou crosses to Quintin who shoots, on target, bounced way by their keeper, but before Quintin can kick again a defender clears it. I put in Frimpong for Stewart after that. McKee lofts a corner in the 84th minute and Risser is there and heads it in!!! Can we keep them scoreless? And that’s game. McKee is MOM. Top quality. We got 114k for the win too! We had 8 shots, 2 on target. They had 16 shots, 5 on target. Avci looked good with a 7.3 rating

Any other wins over an EPL team by a lower one? West Brom beat Newcastle at home, Crystal Palace beat Swansea at home,Derby beat Southhampton at home and that’s it. We we the only team to win on the road. Next round sees seven Championship clubs make it. We draw Brighton away for thenext round.


Now that I have three Gks, my 20 year ol Sam Johnstone is put out for a loan. I have 5 offers. I accept Burton and Walsall, who want him for a starting role. I decline Barnsley, Charlton and Doncaster. He accepts Walsall and heads there. Gorman accounces that there was a bad air in the club room and Johnstone was responsible.

[Abe Sargent]

We are 4-1 favorites to win this week vs Tranmere. Ilunga is back and Delle starts this week. Avci is tired and I swap him for Gorman – not fully match fit. Tranmere are woeful, I begin attacking. Corner by McKee headed by Barty on target, bounced away by GK and defense to Mckee who crosses and Barty swings, blocked but put back by their GK for an OG rather than collected. 11th minute. Quintin is injured and I swap in Larbi and switch Larbi with Nijland. Dongou get a yellow at the 29th minue. Dongou gets a good run at the defense and scores from range at the 31st minute. Delle gets a nice save at the 44th minute. Halftime. I slide to control. Gorman and Barty collect yellows. I order my team to tackle softly. In the 63rd, I make my first swap – Gorman, with a yellow for Avci. An Indirect fre kick by McKee hits Ilunga who nails a score in the 74th minute. I make my 3rd sub. Tonge for Bunjaku. I change to a 4-4-2 for Bunjaku to be at striker. I hop to Standard. Daineche with a booking. Game. Delle is 7.1 in his debut and a clean sheet. Ilunga is MOM. We had 8 shots, 2 on target, they had 13 and 3.

Quintin tore a calf muscle and will be out for 4 months. What do I do?

I will slide back to my 3-5-2 arrangement so Tonge can play out there, and Larbi on the other side.

[Abe Sargent]

Today we travel to #21 Barnsley. We are favored here as well. Harewood is starting for me. I initiate a standard set up. At first, Barnsly pushes forward in nasty manners. But we push them back without any scores - it’s quiet until the extra time in the first half. A throw in by Ilunga finds Dongou, but their DC clears it out of the box, he kicks it out to Tonge who nails a long range shot. Halftime. Barty collects a card. Stewart is inujured at the 56th minute and I replace him with Frimpong. In the 64th Larbi is ou too, and in goes Bunjaku and I move my people a round a bit. They score in the 71st minute Later, Frimpong is fed the ball by Nijalnd, finds a running Dongou, and hits him behind the defense, and he slips trough and nails a shot. 2-1 us. I slide to counter and pull Benali for Harewood and move Bunjaku to that spot. We win. Tonge s MOM. Afterwards, we find out that Tonge is out for a just a few days and Larbi too. Whew.


We are on a good run of form, with 5 wins and two losses in the Championship, but we’ve barely moved on the charts. We are 7th with 46 points. Aston Villa is 8th with 44. Bristol is 6th with 49, Crystal Palace 5th with 53, so we aren’t close to cracking anyone ahead of us, especially as we approach a tough stretch of games coming up. I extend my contract by a year.

Cardiff is #24 in the league and they are in our place. Let’s just say they are NOT favored. After this game, we have #3 away, #4 at home, #1 away, for a very tough three game streak. This is the last soft game for a bit. I begin attacking. At the 13th, pull back into control I do. We are playing again in 3 days. - don’t want to get too tired. One offside’s rule I don’t like is how if a shot is on goal by a player, such as McKee’s shot from range just now and it rebounds, when Dongou pounces for a score, it’s called offsides. 17th minute. Stewart nails a long shot in the 40th, and Harewood finds the net in the 44th. I tell the lads well done and hole up. I want to rest. We finish the game 2-0 and win. Stewart is MOM and in Team of Week.

[Abe Sargent]

We travel to QPR> Stewart is tired and Frimpong starts. I begin defensive and want to open up later. Djibril Cisse scores two goals in the first 25 minutes. We hit the half down. Then coming out Frimpong nails a long ambitious shot and its 1-2. They score a third time at the 52nd. Then Dongou gets a cross for a score in the 67th minute and I hope. They get a red ard in the 75th for a professional foul on Dongou. I push forward a bit, but no change on the score. We lose 3-2. Not surprising result. They had 11 shots on goal and23 shots total. We had 12 and 7 on target, and I wish just one more of those had gotten behind their keeper.


Next up is the Brighton FA Cup match. Molhoek is back from injury and will head in for Frimpong. I begin counter since we are on the road. One offsides goal for each team is blown away in the first ten minutes. Daineche with a yellow. Halftime. Afterwards, Larbi collects a yellow. I put in Bunjaku for Larbi. Molhoek out for Benali. Daineche gets an indirect free kick from McKee and putsit in and grabs that goal in the 80th minute. We win 1-0. Daineche is MOM. We won 228k.


For the 6th round, with 8 teams left, we play, on the road, the winner of the Charlton vs Tottenham rematch. Tottenham win. We are traveling to Tottenham – unlikely to win. The Wolves were 16th in the EPL, so there was a chance of stealing a win. Tottenham are 8th.

USA – We’ve had a lot of recent injuries to players, and I need to select a squad soon for friendlies.

[Abe Sargent]

For today’s Wigan game, Daineche is too tired and benched for Gorman. Stewart in for Molhoek. I begin standard. We get things started with a McKee Penalty kick in the 5th minute. Then he scores a long shot in the 11th minute off a nice back pass from Larbi. They score back in the 21st minute and its 2-1. Larbi is injured, so I pull him for Bunjaku an swap sides with Tonge. The McKee gets a yellow, and kicks an indirect free kick to Ilunga, who puts it away. Finally, McKee finishes the first half with a hat trick on a pass by Dongou for a goal. They score off a cross and counter in the extra time. Crazy Half!!! What happens in the second half is anyone’s guess. Wigan makes a sub at the half. Tonge crosses to Bunjaku who sinks it in the 50th minute. They make another sub right after and then their third sub in the 57th minute. If we can injure someone, we make ourselves a man up. They are a 4-4-2, and today they are losing to their nightmare 3-5-2. I make a sub in the 63. Nijland off for Benali. I have one left I’ll hold onto for a few more minutes. Ilunga gets a yellow card. I tell my guys to tackle lightly. My last su is a tired Tonge for Frimpong. They power a goal in the 82nd minute. Barty is injured and has to come off in the 88th minute. I pull my people back formation wise. Game MOM is not McKee because they had hat trick too. Larbi has a pulled groin and will be out for a month. That we need to do something about, let me see what though. Looks like we’ll start Bunjaku on the left and Tonge on the right.

[Abe Sargent]

USA time

Beasley, Guzan, Robles, Fabian Johnsn and Carlos Bocanegra are out with injuries. Time to begin refreshing my team. I also pull off a few players such as Jermaine Jones and Chris Rolfe. If you are 30 and not starting or a star other option, it’s time to go. We need to move to the youth, and these freindlies are a good chance to do just that.

I call up – Mikkel Diskerud, 9 caps, wasn’t on previous squad, 23 years old
DM D RL, MCDaniel Williams, 24 years of age, 3 caps, 1 goal
MC Sacha Kljestan, 28, 35 caps and 4 goals
DC Andy Iro, 29, Derby player, uncapped


Iro will start, since I have an injured a bit Whitbread, and Clarence Goodson in the other starting role, I want a faster DC to be back there, and Iro should suffice.

Starting squad for friindlies – Howard, Chandler, Goodson, Iro, Castillo, Adu, Bradley, Donovon, Convey, Dempsey, Altidore

As every player on my team players abroad, I get some criticism from the press.