FM10 - From the Top Down

[Marmel]

February 16, 2011

Tottenham (6th) at Middlesbrough (19th)


*GK Stojkovic

*DL Bale
DC Bassong
*DC King
DR Corluka

*DMC Uysal
*MC Muntari
MC Kranjcar
AMC Modric

*ST Keane
*ST Muniain

This seems like a good time to get my backup keeper a start since we have a really unsettled lineup due to injuries and lack of rest since our last game.

Middlesbrough are 6-4 favorites. We are 13-8 dogs. I thought we would be favored, but maybe it takes my submitted lineup into account?


10 min: My midfield problems continue. Kranjcar is injured and cannot continue. Jenas in for him.

15 min: Jenas makes an instant impact. Muniain takes the ball down the right sideline. The defense is slow catching up and he centers it nicely to Jenas who has an easy tap in for the GOAL! 1-0

35 min: Modric feeds the youngster, Muniain right at the top of the box. He goes right, past the defender, shoots left and scores his first GOAL for Tottenham! 2-0

47 min: A centering pass for Middlesbrough from fairly deep on the right side. King misses it and leaves the Middlesbrough player wide open. He beats the keeper. I hate giving up injury time goals. 2-1

49 min: The only thing worst than giving up an injury time goal is giving up two of them. 3 passes and its in the back of the net. I hardly saw what happened. 2-2

HT: Horrible end to the half. Walker in for King and Defoe in for Keane, who are both playing terribly out there.

70 min: I switch to an attacking strategy.

81 min: Bad decision by me giving Stojkovic a start. He is not the answer. He bobbles a very easy save, lets it run loose and it is going to cost us at least 1 point it seems. 2-3

92 min: We desperately try to squeeze passes where they don't fit and have to reset the offense. Finally Uysal finds some space to get it to Defoe. He turns, takes one dribble and before the two defenders close in on him, he fires a shot that beats the keeper! 3-3

FT: I am happy we came back and salvaged a point, but very unhappy that we blew the 2-0 lead.

Muniaian led us with an 8.4 rating.
Jenas 7.2
Defoe 7.0
Muntari 7.0


Muniain was named MotM. He gets anointed my first nickname. Money.

[Marmel]

February 20, 2011

Arsenal (5th) at Tottenham (6th)

We are actually 2-2-1 against these guys.


*GK Gomes

*DL Ekotto
DC Bassong
*DC Dawson
*DR Walker

DMC King
MC Muntari
*MC Jenas
AMC Modric

*ST Defoe
*ST Crouch

We are still a little bit away from having a well rested and healthy squad. This is a better lineup than last game, but not by a whole lot. Hopefully, the switch back to Gomes will make a big difference.

Arsenal are 6-4 favorites. We are 13-8 dogs.


27 min: Arsenal with about their 4th free kick from a little outside of the box. This one is drilled home by van Persie. 0-1.

I switch to an attacking strategy.

Corluka in for a slightly injured King.

48 min: We are getting beat to every loose ball and this time, once again in injury time, we pay for it with a strike by Arsenal. 0-2 Its van Persie again.

HT: Nothing going right today. I'll get some backups in there. Dos Santos in for Muntari. Money in for Defoe.

89 min: Probably too little too late, but Money makes a long range centering pass. Crouch rushes in, heads it and there is a GOAL 1-2

I'll overload and pray for the next 3 minutes.

FT: By the way, I love how in the first half there is +2 min, but the clock runs and runs up to 47:50 so they can score a goal. In the second half, there is +3. We were on the attack, trying to find that one last shot. The second the clock hits 93 min, the whistle goes off. Real nice.

Can soccer join the 20th century at a minimum and use a normal clock. Really. Call it tradition if you will, but it is antiquated and silly.

Despite letting in two goals, I suppose it was the defense that left Gomes on an island. He had our best rating at a measly 7.2

[Marmel]

February 26, 2011

TV Match

Tottenham (6th) at Man City (5th)

We are 1-2-2 against these guys. They are 6 points ahead of us. If we win, there is still a small chance we can climb into the top 5. If we lose, we fight to keep 6th place the rest of the season.


GK Gomes

*DL Bale
DC Bassong
DC King
DR Corluka

DMC Motta
MC Jenas
*MC Muntari
AMC Modric

*ST Keane
ST Crouch

We have two-thirds of our top midfield back with Muntari and Motta. I just hope they can avoid any more red cards. I'm still waiting for Palacios, it shouldn't be long now. I just hope he can get back to where he was. He was named my player of the year last season. Modric is the man this year, but that just shows how important Palacios is to my squad.

Man City are favorites as a pick em. We are 11-5 dogs. Tall order today. I'll try a counter strategy, just to change things up today.


HT: A very boring first half. Man City had one or two halfway decent chances. We had none. No changes just yet.

67 min: I switch back to a standard strategy.

72 min: Keane is once again having a poor game. I'll give my youngster, Money, a shot. Kranjcar in for Jenas as well.

FT: We were completely outplayed today. I wanted the win so we would have a chance at moving up to 5th, but on the road, I suppose I should be happy with a point.


Corluka led us with a 7.4
Bale 7.3
Muntari 7.2
King 7.1


Corluka was MotM

[Marmel]

March 6, 2011

TV Match
FA Cup Quarterfinals

Reading at Tottenham


GK Gomes

DL Bale
DC Bassong
DC King
DR Corluka

DMC Motta
MC Jenas
MC Muntari
AMC Modric

*ST Defoe
ST Crouch


We are favored 4-7. Reading are 4-1 dogs.
I would like nothing more to bring 3 little used backups in for the second half as we cruise to the Semi-Finals, where we will get our ass kicked, probably by Chelsea once again.


30 min: The ball is knocked out towards midfield on our corner kick. Motta fields it, takes three big dribbles forward and just guns one from wayyy out. GOAL! 1-0

HT: I am coming to realize that Jenas is just a useless, horrible player. I get I get the youngster Uysal in for him. Also, other than the Middlesbrough game, Defoe is having a string of real mediocre playing. I give dos Santos a chance.

57 min: Modric finds a wide open Crouch, right in the middle of the field. He takes it forward a few steps and the keeper has no chance at all. GOAL! 2-0

FT: We breeze to an easy win the rest of the way. Reading had 3 shots, all in the first half.


Crouch 8.7
Motta 8.3
Corluka 8.0
Bale 7.4
Modric 7.1

Crouch was MotM

[Marmel]

FA Cup Semi-Final Draw

The teams left are:

Tottenham
Chelsea (of course)
Man U
West Ham/Everton

If memory serves me correc,t these games are played at Wembley, so home team is inconsequential.


Chelsea is the first name up. I just know we are getting match up with them. The powers that be want Chelsea – Man U in the finals, right?

Wrong! Chelsea will play Man U in the Semi-Finals. What a break!

We get the winner of West Ham and Everton. Not that either is abreeze, particularly Everton, who is a darn good team. Probably right around our skill level.


We have a League match against Chelsea coming up in a couple of days. It looks like Palacios will be ready for that match, though he probably won't be anywhere near match shape.

[Marmel]

March 9, 2011

Tottenham (6th) at Chelsea (3rd)

We are a pathetic 0-0-6 against Chelsea. Yes, this will be our 7th match against Chelsea in less than 2 seasons, and we have yet to even get a draw against them.


GK Gomes

*DL Ekotto
DC Bassong
*DC Woodgate
*DR Walker

DMC Motta
*MC Kranjcar
MC Muntari
AMC Modric

ST Defoe
*ST Money


Chelsea are 2-5 favorites. We are 13-2 dogs. I see no way we can win given our history against them. We'll try a counter strategy against them today.


5 min: It doesn't take long for Chelsea today on their home ground. A feed from the left corner of the box to a wide open Suarez right in front of the little box. A header by him to the left corner of the net. Gomes can't even get close to it. 0-1

33 min: I don't think we have even touched the ball yet, so I just go to an attacking strategy.

HT: We have 1 shot on goal to their 15. Honestly, we are damn lucky it is just 0-1. We are totally outclassed.

FT: The ref handed out 5 yellow cards to us and none to them in the second half. We had one not even realistic chance to score in the second half and that is it. 0-0-7.


Gomes scored an 8.2.
Nobody else is worth mentioning.

[Marmel]

March 12, 2011

Tottenham (6th) at Birmingham (11th)

We are 2-1-0 against these guys. Short turn around from the last match.

GK Gomes

*DL Bale
*DC King
*DC Dawson
*DR Corluka

DMC Motta
*MC Jenas
MC Muntari
AMC Modric

*ST Keane
*ST Crouch


I totally forgot to get Palacios into the last match to try and get him back into match shape. He is coming in today.

Birmingham are 5-4 favorites. We are 7-4 dogs.


HT: A few chances for both sides, but once again we play good defense, lousy offense. Palacios in for Jenas. Money in for Modric, who is uncharacteristically having a terrible game. We switch to a control strategy.

53 min: We switch to an attacking strategy.

68 min: We just have looked confused out there so far, but Crouch gets the ball in the center of the pitch, maybe 5 yards outside of the box. He passes to Bale, who is cutting in from the left. Bale dribbles deep into the box, shoots and scores! GOAL! Finally! 1-0

We drop back to a defensive strategy.

FT: We survive the last 20 minutes. We didn't play great today by any means, but we get the much needed 3 points. We were carried by 2 guys, maybe throw in Crouch with his 8.0 rating, but...

Birmingham had 16 shot, 7 on target and 2 clear cut chances. Gomes stopped every one for a 9.1 rating. Bale was great on defense and scored our lone goal and earned a 8.2.

Gomes was MotM

[Marmel]

Motta has picked up a 3 game ban for collecting his 10th yellow card.

King will be out for 2 weeks with an injury.



March 19, 2011

TV Match

Liverpool (1st) at Tottenham (6th)

We are 0-1-2 against Liverpool, drawing with them earlier this year on their home field.


GK Gomes

DL Bale
*DC Bassong
*DC Woodgate
DR Corluka

*DMC Uysal
MC Jenas
MC Palacios
AMC Modric

*ST Defoe
ST Crouch

Liverpool are 4-7 favorites. We are 4-1 dogs. I'll just try to come out and attack them, maybe catch them by surprise.


13 min: The plan pays off! Palacios coming down right/center, passes ahead to Crouch. He makes a short pass left to Modric who powers one past their keeper! GOAL! 1-0

35 min: Crouch injured. Keane in.

44 min: Defoe gets the ball off of a steal and races up the left sideline. He goes and goes, all the way to the baseline and bends one at an impossible angle into the box. Palacios is flying down the field with him, receives the pass and heads it home! GOAL! 2-0

46 min: A lob shot from Liverpool, their guy is 5 yards offsides so I am not worried. He pounds it home. I wait for the offsides flag.....and wait.....and wait. Bullshit. 2-1

HT: A got ripped off and should be up 2 goals. I am going defensive for the second half.

46 min: Another lob shot and another header goal. Suspiciously looked offsides again. They scored in injury time and 49 seconds into the second half. 2-2. So frustrating.

74 min: Kranjcar for Palacios and dos Santos for Uysal.

93 min: One of their guys gets their second yellow and he is off. Not much help for us at this point.

FT: I can take pride in knowing that the soon to be 2 time Premier League champs were not able to beat us this season.

Palacios 7.6
Modric 7.5

[Marmel]

April 2, 2011

Fulham (15th) at Tottenham (7th)

We have slipped to 7th place, but could get back to 6th with a win today. We are a perfect 5-0-0 against Fulham.


GK Gomes

DL Bale
DC Bassong
DC Woodgate
DR Corluka

DMC Uysal
*MC Muntari
MC Palacios
AMC Modric

ST Defoe
*ST Money

We are favored as a pick em. Fulham are 11-5 dogs.


29 min: We switch to a control strategy. I feel Fulham is keeping too much possession in this match so far.

HT: Lackluster first half. I switch to attacking now and try to get a goal.

53 min: One of my defenders makes a high risk slide for a steal, misses it and leaves a wide open lane. Fulham take advantage and score. 0-1

So, is my 4-1-2-1-2 tactic getting stale or something? Our offense is getting worst.

60 min: King in for Woodgate, who is playing miserably. Keane in for Money.

77 min: I go to an overload strategy. Why can't we score?

FT: Unacceptable, at home. I lay into the team after the match.

No good scores at all to report.

[Marmel]

April 9, 2011

Tottenham (87th) at Wigan (8th)

We are 1-0-2 against Wigan. We lose and we slip to 8th place at best. If we win we can move up to 6th. Critical game.

Call it desperation, but I switch my 4-1-2-1-2 to a similar 4-1-3-2 today.

GK Gomes

DL Bale
DC Bassong
DC Woodgate
DR Corluka

*DMC King
MC Muntari
MC Modric
MC Palacios

ST Money
ST Defoe

Wigan are 5-4 favorites. We are 7-4 dogs.


2 min: Well that didn't work out to well. A simple pass, rush the net and score for Wigan.

20 min: We have yet to touch the ball. I switch to attacking.

HT: Not a single real chance on goal for us. We switch to overload.

72 min: Keane and dos Santos in for Money and Defoe. Jenas in for King.
The total randomness of this game is starting to wear thin on me to be honest.


FT: And with that, I think I am going to shelve this game.



How can I score 2 goals in the first half against Liverpool. Then give up 2 in a space of 1:20, with one being so clearly offsides, but the ref not calling it. Then I go 2.5 games without even a single clear cut chance on goal against 2 mediocre teams?

[RT]

Nice read, Marmel, hope you stick with it!

I had a pretty good career game at Tottenham on this version. They've got the basis of a decent squad, and a fairly patient chairman.

In real life, Woodgate and King (while both good defenders, esp King) are famed for their injury-proneness. King barely trains and rarely plays consecutive games, and Woodgate has missed bags of games wherever he's played. The game's clearly modelled that quite well, so if I were you, a big priority would be replacing these guys.

(The game also appears to have modelled Muntari's discipline problems quite well, too!)

You've probably already worked it out by now, but the FA Cup is a bigger competition than the League Cup. The League Cup is a nice bonus if you can win it, but the Champions League teams (and other Prem teams who want to concentrate on not getting relegated) typically sit their best players until the very late rounds.