Mr. Second Place: An Autobiographical Tale of Alvin Allen (Fifa 13)

[moblipeg]

Re: Mr. Second Place: An Autobiographical Tale of Alvin Allen (Fifa 13)

Man. United v. AC Milan

Champions League Group Stage

Manchester United has run through this group so far, demolishing both Galatasaray and Schalke with ease. They are off to a quick start in the English Premier League as well, and all signs point to this being a stellar year for them. On the flip side of that coin is AC Milan, who has struggled with inconsistency early this year. Whether in Serie A or other competitions, this team still looks as if they are trying to find their way. The two historic teams would face off in the legendary Old Trafford for bragging rights in their first match of group play.
The game would begin badly for Man U, as El Shaarawy broke free in the penalty area. Jones would tackle him hard from behind, and the referee immediately blew the whistle and drew a yellow card. Some would have said that tackle warranted a red card, but either way, the penalty was given. El Shaarawy put home the penalty attempt, and Milan took the early lead on a boneheaded play by Jones.
In the 10', one could have sworn an instant replay was taking place, as once again El Shaarawy received a pass and cut past everyone in the penalty area. Jones took him down again in the box from behind and the referee once again blew his whistle. The yellow card was never drawn, and the Milan side was furious. Both Man U players and Milan players crowded the referee, appealing for their respective sides. Boateng would bump Jones, and then the shouting match began between the clubs. Curses were thrown about in Italian and English, and tempers were to the point of boiling over. The referee did a good job with the help of the linesman to get the teams separated and back focus on the game. After what seemed an eternity, El Shaarawy got to take another penalty attempt. He would stutter step and poke the ball to his left as the keeper just stood still. The ball would roll in easily and Milan had a 2-0 lead just 10' into the match. Milan spent a bit of time celebrating to rub it in a bit, and Man U did not take kindly to that reaction.
Welbeck would take things into his own hands on the restart, using a quick give and go with Rooney to get past the Milan midfield. Welbeck would find Valencia to his right, and after finding no where to go, Valencia would give the ball right back to Welbeck. A cheeky rainbow caught Mexes off guard as he ran into Acerbi and both feel to the ground. The middle was now wide open, and Welbeck would finesse home a shot into the corner in the 16' as Man U got back into the game.
Goals continued to come early as El Shaarawy got free again. He was absuing Kagawa and Young on that side, as neither midfielder could keep up with his tremendous pace. El Shaarawy would run up the wing with Fabio Coentrao coming out to meet him. He would spin, literally spin, around the defender into the penalty area. He was now met with Jones again, but El Shaarawy would give the ball to Allen up top who would give it right back in prime position in front of the net. El Shaarawy would send in a bouncing shot that was just out of the reach of the Man U keeper Lindegaard. El Shaarawy's teammates mobbed him in the box, celebrating his hat trick in the 19'. Milan was up 3-1, but it would get worse for Manchester United.
The restart came and Muntari would poke the ball away from a frustrated Rooney early on. Muntari would find a streaking Boateng up the middle of the field and would send the long lob forward. Allen and Boateng were both free, but Boateng would take the shot himself, sending a rocket from outside the box before the defense could recover. Lindegaard should have saved it, but the ball was a little to hot to handle for him and bounced off his outstretched hands into the back of the net in the 22'. It was 4-1 and the game wasn't even back the first quarter of the match. The rout was on.
From this point, Manchester United would get reckless. We haven't mentioned Alvin Allen, but he would add two goals of his own, one on a breakaway on a nice feed from Carmona in the 40', and another on self made breakaway that was poked in for a goal in the 63'. Manchester would get a meaningless goal off a penalty in the 59' from Van Persie that once again had the players arguing, as it was clearly retaliation for Jones' 2 takedowns early in the match. Man U got very chippy as Milan began to slow down play, and late tackles got a bit out of hand. Rooney would get a yellow card of his own, and one could tell there was no love lost between players as the game drew to a close. The battle in Group F just got a lot more interesting as the clear favorites Manchester United find themselves humiliated at home to AC Milan 6-2.

Oct 22, 2014 - Milan vs Man. United
TEAM	1	2	SCORE
Milan (1-0-1)	5	1	6
Man. United (2-0-0)	1	1	2

Team Stats Comparison
Milan		Man. United
6	Goals	2
10	Shots	6
8	Shots on Target	2
6	Tackles	7
1	Fouls	2
1	Yellow Cards	2
0	Red Cards	0
0	Injuries	0
80%	Shot Accuracy	33%
81%	Passing Percentage	82%

Notable Allen statistics:
9.5 Rating
Goals: 40', 63'
1 assist
2 shots on target
1 Key Pass
1 1v1 victory

Group Play Results:
Galatasaray 1 - 3 FC Schalke 04

Group F Standings
TEAM	W	D	L	GD	PTS
Milan	2	0	1	5	6
FC Schalke 04	2	0	1	1	6
Man. United	2	0	1	0	6
Galatasaray	0	0	3	-6	0

[moblipeg]

Re: Mr. Second Place: An Autobiographical Tale of Alvin Allen (Fifa 13)

Serie A Competition

Oct 25, 2014 - Milan vs Reggina
TEAM	1	2	SCORE
Milan (4-2-2)	2	1	3
Reggina (1-2-5)	2	0	2

Team Stats Comparison
Milan		Reggina
3	Goals	2
8	Shots	3
7	Shots on Target	2
3	Tackles	1
0	Fouls	1
0	Yellow Cards	0
0	Red Cards	0
0	Injuries	0
87%	Shot Accuracy	66%
72%	Passing Percentage	81%

Summary:
It was all smiles and hugs before the game as Alvin Allen returned to Reggio Calabria to face the club where he spent 2 years on loan. The crowd at Stadio Oreste Granillo gave him a standing ovation, showing trendous respect for the man who helped lead their team to a promotion spot in Serie A. Things were not going so well for Reggina this year, but it didn't stop them from playing their hearts out against their former teammate.
The game would begin with Allen wowing the crowd early, dribbling in and sending a curling ball into the upper left corner in the 3'. The game would remain at 1-0 as Milan continued to hold possession, but a strange series of goals would happen just before the half. First it would be Comi, scoring on a nice feed from Ceravolo inside in the 44', showing the fans that he was a good replacment for Allen up front on the Reggina side. Then right off the restart, Hetemaj would intercept a pass and send the long ball forward for a Comi breakaway. Comi would convert, and just like that Reggina found themselves up 2-1 in the 45'. Allen would not let his team lose on his homecoming, sprinting forward past the unexpectant Hetemaj and sending a lobbed through ball to Robinho that he would rocket home. The amazing pass would tie the game at the half as both teams scored 3 goals between the 44' and 45'. The game would slow to a crawl as Reggina tried to grind out the tie. El Shaarawy would get a couple chances, but it was not meant to be as they sailed wide. The game would come down to Allen, as he would receive the throw in from Robinho into the penalty area. He would make the quick turn in front of Lucioni and crack a shot with his right foot into the back of the net for the game winner in the 78'. Although Reggina would go home the losers, the fans held their heads high as they saluted Allen one final time before he exited the pitch.

Notable Allen statistics:
9.7 Rating
Goals: 3', 78'
3 shots on target
1 assist
3 Key Passes
Man of the Match

[moblipeg]

Re: Mr. Second Place: An Autobiographical Tale of Alvin Allen (Fifa 13)

Serie A Competition

Oct 28, 2014 - Palermo vs Milan
TEAM	1	2	SCORE
Palermo (2-3-4)	0	1	1
Milan (5-2-2)	1	0	1

Team Stats Comparison
Palermo		Milan
1	Goals	1
8	Shots	12
3	Shots on Target	6
5	Tackles	4
0	Fouls	1
0	Yellow Cards	0
0	Red Cards	0
0	Injuries	0
37%	Shot Accuracy	50%
89%	Passing Percentage	82%

Summary:
Palermo has slipped this year into the basement of Serie A. There are still a lots of games left in the league, but Palermo would need to get started on winning soon. They would get their chance against Milan at San Siro. However, things didn't begin well for Palermo as Boateng would get loose on a pass from El Shaarawy. Boateng would poke in a nice fineese ball past the outstreched arms of Ujakani for the early lead. Milan would fall into counter attack football as they have so many times this year, taking their shots when they got the chance, but really driving play forward with their midfield. Palermo would get an excellent chance midway though the second half as verteran Budan saw some daylight and shot a right footer towards the corner, but an amazing save by Amelia kept the game in Milan's favor. The game looked well in hand for Milan, as they eased of the pedal and began a little ole time. But Palermo was determined not to let another game slip away. They would take the ball back and send their team forward. Barreto would pass it to Mehmeti. Mehmeti would step over the ball smoothly and send in a lob pass over the top of the back line. Budan would find it with his head and send it into the corner past Amelia for the goal in the 88'. The comeback was complete, and Palermo would steal a point from AC Milan.

Notable Allen statistics:
5.9 Rating
1 on/1 off target
1 Key Pass

[moblipeg]

Re: Mr. Second Place: An Autobiographical Tale of Alvin Allen (Fifa 13)

translated to English

Alvin Allen Continues to Amaze; Serie A Updates
by Davide Siviglia

The incredible journey of Alvin Allen has shattered all expectations of what he could accomplish in Italy. We have never seen an American player dominate in a top international league like this. Currently, the 20 year old striker has 13 goals and 4 assists in all competitions, but more importantly is the uncanny leadership he shows on the pitch. Many wondered at the manager's decision to sit popular Brazilian striker Pato, but so far the move has worked wonders for AC Milan. They currently sit at the top of their group in the Champions League, and are fighting for a top spot in the Serie A league table. Who knows what the future holds for Allen, but don't be surprised if the man finds himself in Player of the Year considerations at the end of the season.

Now lets take look at the league table:

Serie A Standings
TEAM	GP	W	D	L	PTS
Juventus	10	8	0	2	24
Atalanta	10	7	2	1	23
Udinese	10	7	0	3	21
Inter	10	6	2	2	20
Cagliari	10	6	1	3	19
Milan	10	5	3	2	18
Napoli	10	5	3	2	18
Genoa	10	5	2	3	17
Roma	10	4	1	5	13
Fiorentina	10	4	1	5	13
Bologna	10	4	1	5	13
Lazio	10	3	3	4	12
Catania	10	2	5	3	11
Palermo	10	2	4	4	10
Parma	10	2	4	4	10
Chievo Verona	10	2	2	6	8
Torino	10	2	2	6	8
Pescara	10	2	2	6	8
Sampdoria	10	1	4	5	7
Reggina	10	1	2	7	5

Juventus holds the top spot in the league as expected on the strength of their players. They have a deep team and are especially strong up front with both Matri and Gabbiadini feeding off on another. And don't forget about Asamoah who has really stepped up this year as a top midfielder. Atalanta and Udinese hold the other coveted top spots to qualify for the Champions League. Inter and Cagliari round out the current top 5. The battle up top this year will be tight, as Milan, Napoli, and Genoa will look to move up the table in the upcoming weeks. Only 6 points separate the top 8 so expect these teams to do a bit of shuffling throughout the first half of the season.

Now lets get an update on the league leaders:

Serie A League Leaders
Goals		Assists
1. Allen - Milan	8	1. Muntari - Milan	4
2. Marti - Juventus	8	2. El Shaarawy - Milan	4
3. Troisi - Atalanta	7	3. Gabbiadini - Juventus	4
4. Jelavic - Udinese	7	4. Moralez - Atalanta	3
5. Immobile - Genoa	7	5. Giovinco - Juventus	3

As we said before, Allen is off to a tremendous start. His ability to finish from any angle with either foot makes him so dangerous up front. Muntari and El Shaarawy continue to find him with clean passes, and that has propelled them both up the assist ladder. The combination of Matri and Gabbiadini has been lethal to opposing teams this season, and the statistics reveal it to be so with 8 goals and 4 assists for them respectively. Rounding out the top performers is Immobile from Genoa, who is expecting to carry his club to a strong finish this year. This has been an excellent season so far, and we are only through 10 games. Stay tuned to the blog for more updates as the excitement continues.

[moblipeg]

Re: Mr. Second Place: An Autobiographical Tale of Alvin Allen (Fifa 13)

Serie A Competition

Nov 11, 2014 - Milan vs Parma
TEAM	1	2	SCORE
Milan (5-3-2)	1	0	1
Parma (2-4-4)	0	0	0

Team Stats Comparison
Milan		Parma
1	Goals	0
3	Shots	14
1	Shots on Target	3
6	Tackles	8
3	Fouls	0
1	Yellow Cards	0
0	Red Cards	0
0	Injuries	0
33%	Shot Accuracy	21%
88%	Passing Percentage	89%

Summary:
This game is the perfect narrative for young players. More shots in a game does not equate to wins. Parma illustrates this point perfectly, as they took 11 more total shots than their counterparts Milan, but Milan made their one shot on target count. The goal would come in the 45' as the long buildup in Parma territory drained their energy, and eventually Emanuelson found the hole inside to push a through ball into Allen from the goal. IN the second half, Ninis, Biabiany, and Claudemir would all take shots, but they were wild and didn't test keeper Amelia at all. The back line for Milan still has its troubles as the manager continued to try to find the right mix of guys, but they wouldn't be tested as Parma would drop another match 1-0 to Milan.

Notable Allen statistics:
6.9 Rating
Goals: 45'
1 on/1 off target
2 1v1 victories

[moblipeg]

Re: Mr. Second Place: An Autobiographical Tale of Alvin Allen (Fifa 13)

Champions League Group Update
by Pete Patterson

Champions Group Standings
Group A		Group B
1. Chelsea	7	1. Barcelona	7
2. Atletico Madrid	5	2. Zenit	4
3. CSKA Moskva	4	3. RSC Anderlecht	4
4. Molde FK	0	4. FC Porto	1
Group C		Group D
1. Juventus	5	1. Real Madrid	9
2. FC Bayern	5	2. Inter	6
3. LOSC Lille	3	3. Spartak Moskva	3
4. FC Basel	2	4. FC Kobenhavn	0
Group E		Group F
1. Spurs	5	1. Milan	6
2. Saint-Etienne	5	2. FC Schalke 04	6
3. Bor. Dortmund	4	3. Man. United	6
4. Ajax	1	4. Galatasaray	0
Group G		Group H
1. Man. City	9	1. Valencia CF	9
2. PSG	6	2. Olympiakos CFP	4
3. FC Twente	3	3. SL Benfica	3
4. Celtic	0	4. Hamburger SV	1

[moblipeg]

Re: Mr. Second Place: An Autobiographical Tale of Alvin Allen (Fifa 13)

Galatasaray v. AC Milan

Champions League Group Stage

Leg two of the Champions League was ready to begin, as the top teams in the world began to separate themselves from their groups. Group F was not one of those groups, as 3 teams remained tied via point totals at 6 points a piece. The only team not to have a point so far in the group was Galatasaray. Although they fought well in their previous three matches, points were just not meant to be. They would have another uphill climb against a resurgent Milan team who had confidently defeated Manchester United at Old Trafford in a 6-2 drubbing earlier in the league. Now Milan was at home, looking to extend their lead in the group by picking up 3 points.
The game began with strong play by the underdog Galatasaray as they pressed their midfield forward in a flurry. Center midfielder Inan would kick it wide to Altintop. Altintop would take a shot from about 25 yards out, and the ball would deflect off of Didac for the corner. Inan would take the corner kick and the ball would sail just into the goal area where Yilmaz and Acerbi would hit it with their heads. The ball would hit the ground and roll just past the line out of the reach of keeper Brkic for the 1-0 Galatasaray goal in the 6'.
The onslaught would continue, as Galatasaray would regain possession soon after the restart. Inan would send a long ball forward all Yilmaz would breakaway from the back line leaving him one on one with Brkic. Yilmaz would fake right with a quick stepover the ball, and then shoot right, but Brkic wasn't fooled. The keeper made a daring save, knocking the ball away for the corner kick. The corner would come, and Brkic would get a fist to it, punching the ball downfield.
The counter attack would be on, and from here Milan would control the rest of the half with chance after chance. Emanuelson would strike first, hitting a perfect strike from outside the box. An amazing diving save by Ceylan kept it out, but the corner kick would be on for Milan. El Shaarawy would take the kick, sending in a ball that Allen would get his head to, but greta reflexes by Ceylan again kept the ball out and Galatasaray would still find themselves ahead heading into the half.
The second half would begin like the first did, with Galatasaray pushing forward with determination. As the midfield got into position for the buildup, Yilmaz saw an opening in the Milan backline and sprinted through. He would take the shot, and Brkic would pound it away, deflecting the ball right into the awaiting foot of Amrabat. Amrabat would miss from close, poking in an easy finesse shot into the back of the net for the 2-0 Galatasaray lead in the 47'. The crowd at San Siro was in stunned silence as their favored AC Milan side looked at a two goal deficit agianst the worst team in their group.
As seems to always happen in these close matches, who esle would step up for the home side other than striker Alvin Allen, who would put the team on his back on the restart. Allen would give to El Shaarawy up the wing. El Shaarawy would find Boateng back in the middle of the field quickly, who would then give to Muntari just out of the reach of Sarigolu. Muntari would send it into the penalty area on a through pass to Allen who would take the quick one timed shot, but it would be blocked by Kaya. The ball would bounce right back to Allen, who would shoot again, and this time Ceylan would get in front. The ball was bouncing, and defenders would converge, but Allen would not be denied as he finally broke through the cluster and hit the ball in for a goal in the 58'. Milan was back in the match and had time to get even.
The match would swing drastically in Milan's favor as Galatasaray did not have an answer for the furious assault by the home side. Quick, crisp passing defined Milan's attack, as the pressed everyone forward to try to equalize the match as time ticked down. Muntari would get an excellent chance as Carmona would send in a wondrous lobbed ball, but the header would sail just wide on the target. Time would continue to run as Milan wouyld get another chance, this time on an EL Shaarawy run into the middle, but again the strike would be saved by Ceylan and cleared away by the Galatasaryay back line. Panic would start to settle in, as Allen would get the ball from de Jong and his chance would be blocked by Birinci who stepped in the way at the last minute. Milan was clearly the better side, but they were running out of time.
Felipe Melo would finally get control of the ball, and would outlet to Yildrim up the wing. As time ticked away, Yildrim would sprint up the wing with the ball and hold off in the corner to waste more time. Acerbi would steal the ball and start the counter attack, but as de Jong would cross the center line the referee would blow the whistle to call full time. Milan would be stunned at home for a loss to the worse team in the group. A win could have propelled Milan to threw knockout stage, but instead they are left with no points and the sinking feeling that a win today might have spurred them on to greater things.

Nov 4, 2014 - Galatasaray vs Milan
TEAM	1	2	SCORE
Galatasaray (0-0-3)	1	1	2
Milan (2-0-1)	0	1	1

Team Stats Comparison
Galatasaray		Milan
2	Goals	1
8	Shots	10
5	Shots on Target	6
5	Tackles	5
0	Fouls	2
0	Yellow Cards	0
0	Red Cards	0
0	Injuries	0
62%	Shot Accuracy	60%
82%	Passing Percentage	83%

Notable Allen statistics:
7.2 Rating
Goals: 58'
3 shots on target
1 1v1 victory
Man of the Match

Group Play Results:
FC Schalke 04 2 - 1 Man. United

Group F Standings
TEAM	W	D	L	GD	PTS
FC Schalke 04	3	0	1	2	9
Milan	2	0	2	4	6
Man. United	2	0	2	-1	6
Galatasaray	1	0	3	-5	3

[moblipeg]

Re: Mr. Second Place: An Autobiographical Tale of Alvin Allen (Fifa 13)

Serie A Competition

Nov 8, 2014 - Lazio vs Milan
TEAM	1	2	SCORE
Lazio (4-3-4)	0	0	0
Milan (6-3-2)	2	1	3

Team Stats Comparison
Lazio		Milan
0	Goals	3
1	Shots	10
1	Shots on Target	7
6	Tackles	7
1	Fouls	1
0	Yellow Cards	0
0	Red Cards	0
0	Injuries	0
100%	Shot Accuracy	70%
74%	Passing Percentage	80%

Summary:
Milan must not have been to happy with their loss against Galatasaray in the Champions League match just 4 days ago. They were able to exact a bit of revenge on poor Lazio at home in San Siro. The domination began in the 27' when Abate would send in a cross that Boateng would bicycle kick into the upper corner for what may have been the goal of the year. Keeper Carrizo for Lazio would continue to stuggle as Boateng would get on the board again, this time on an assist from Robniho would hit him on a through pass in the penalty area for the 35' goal. The second half consisted of mostly slowed down play as Milan tried to milk out the clock. However not to be denied, Allen would get a goal of his own as he would sprint through the middle spiing past Stankevicius to make him look silly, and putting a finesse shot on the ground into the corner that Carrizo had no chance to get to in the 81'. Milan would go on to destroy Lazio 3-0 and continue their quest for the Serie A title.

Notable Allen statistics:
7.1 Rating
Goals: 81'
1 on/1 shot off target
3 Key Passes
1 1v1 victory

[moblipeg]

Re: Mr. Second Place: An Autobiographical Tale of Alvin Allen (Fifa 13)

Copa Nazionale

Nov 11, 2014 - Milan vs Catania
TEAM	1	2	SCORE
Milan (-)	0	3	3
Catania (-)	0	1	1

Team Stats Comparison
Milan		Catania
3	Goals	1
7	Shots	11
5	Shots on Target	6
5	Tackles	7
0	Fouls	0
0	Yellow Cards	0
0	Red Cards	0
0	Injuries	0
71%	Shot Accuracy	54%
85%	Passing Percentage	90%

Summary:
ANother one up, and anothe rone down as Milan easily takes care of Catania in a Copa Nazionale match. The first half was played pretty evenly, as Catania would take adavantge of some early mistakes by Milan to get some chances on goal. Djebbour would take his early, receiving a pass wide from Lama rthat he would take inside, but the shot would sail wide of the net. Gomez would get a chance of his own, but the ball would sail over the crossbar and he would take it from about 28 yards out. Milan would get the better looks on goal and would convert in the 53' when great passing would set up a goal. Allen would give to Abate, who found Robinho in the box. Instead of shoot, Robinho would take the extra pass, giving to Strasser in the middle. He would convert the goal, send his team up 1-0. HOwever, Sciacca would equalize in the 69', taking a pass from Gomez and rocketing the ball past Milan keeper Amelia to even things up. However, Milan would not be denied as El Shaarawy would take over, first converting a free kick set piece in the 71', and then padding his total with a late goal in the 85' to put Milan up 2-1 and secure the victory. The will move forward into the round of 16 in their quest to repeat as champions in the Copa Nazionale.

Notable Allen statistics:
6.6 Rating
2 shots on target

[moblipeg]

Re: Mr. Second Place: An Autobiographical Tale of Alvin Allen (Fifa 13)





It was a crisp, cool day in Chicago, but the inside of the complex was warm and inviting. A.T. had us in one of the conference halls in Theo’s old downtown building that he now had the liberty of owning and operating. The place was packed with friends, business associates, and media members for the promotion of the Nike campaign with my brother Al and I. Everywhere were booths with our products and corporate spokespeople showing off the new line of athletic apparel and shoes. All three of us Allen brothers worked our side of the room. Al worked on the basketball stuff, me with the soccer portion, and A.T. making sure everything was going smoothly as host.
As customary with these things, everyone gathered at the front to watch a presentation featuring the billboards and commercials that would air with a large focus centering on the fact that we were both humble kids from the city making it big in the world. After it was over, Al and I sat together at a table and took questions from the press. I got a couple questions, but mostly it centered around Al and how the Rockets were off to the best start in team history and how did he compare against fellow Chicago native Derrick Rose. We were about to finish up when I received a question from high pitched, nasally voice.
“Excuse me, um…, Mr. Allen?” she said quietly.
“Which one, miss?” laughed Al. The gather media members gave a bit of a chuckle at that.
“Alvin Allen. How well did you know Theo Williams?” The gathered media members looked a bit confused at the question. Alton’s face grew dark at the question. Well, it looks like I found our reporter Gabrielle Anthony. I was about to answer, but Al smoothly took the question from me.
“Theo used to be my business manager,” Allen spoke somberly. “It’s a shame about that mugging in Brazil that took his life. Luckily for me partners like Gus Simon and my brother Alton were able to step in that void and continue to organize great events, like this.” The assembled crowd ate up my brother’s words. He was an absolute maestro with the media. I wish I could do that.
Gabrielle hesitated but continued, “But, uh…, I just, Alvin.”
Alton interrupted, “That’s enough questions for our superstars. We’ve all had a long day, and Alvin needs to fly to Seattle tomorrow for his upcoming match against Italy. Thank you all for coming.”
I stepped down from the platform and found a place in the corner to watch people as I had done as a kid. As the small crowds began to dissipate, I noticed a very short, skinny young woman that looked as if she was pouting. That must be Gabrielle Anthony. She looked up and realized I was watching her. A range of emotions seemed to flash across her face. She suddenly looked determined and strode across the room to where I stood. She was slight of build, with a mocha hued skin and short dark curly hair. She wore glasses, but they seemed a bit big for her small face. She wore a business shirt and button up shirt, but it was slightly wrinkled and like the glasses, seemed a bit big for her. I smiled to myself as this mousey woman with the squeaky voice began to speak.
“Um, Mr. Allen, if I may have a moment of your time,” she said. It was time to go to work. I tried to remember how my brother had charmed the crowd and did my best to do the same.
“Well, Miss Anthony, I seem to remember my brother answering your question.”
She seemed a bit flustered. “How did you know my name?” she asked.
I gave her my best smile as I looked down at the shorter woman. “I read your article. Word gets around when people try to slander my family’s name.”
Gabrielle actually stuttered, “I’m sorry, I mean, uh, well there are some questions about…” she literally seemed lost for words. She really was new at this reporting thing.
“Tell you what Miss Anthony, how about I answer your questions over dinner tonight? There’s an Italian joint not to far from here. It’s not like the food in Milan, but it will do for my growling stomach. As a matter of fact, let’s go now.”
She blushed fiercely and mumbled, “But, I don’t have anything to wear,” as she caught herself continuing to blush, “I mean, uh, yes, lets go now. And uh, please, call me Gabby.”
I laughed in spite of my confident act. She was cute. “C’mon lets go, Gabby.”
As we walked to the restaurant, we spoke of anything and everything but Theo. I found out that she was fresh out of journalism school and working for the Times was her first real gig. She was an only child from a family that grew up on the West side of Chicago. I told her about my life in Italy and how it compared to the United States. The conversations continued at dinner, as we both loosened up and just talked about anything and everything. I was genuinely having a good time. We finished up dinner and we finally had a lull in the conversation. She looked at me with her big brown eyes and I had a flashback to seeing Quinn’s lifeless eyes as they stared at me accusingly in my dreams. Gabby must have seen something on my face?
“Everything ok?” she asked, looking concerned.
“Yes,” I spoke as I recovered. This dinner was getting dangerous for me. I instinctively reached for the piece of paper in my pocket and felt more at ease. “So, about those questions,” I continued.
Gabby sighed and then straightened up in her chair as she once again looked determined. “Alvin, how were you involved with Theo Williams?”
And then the dance began. I gave her a few bits and pieces about how he became involved in my life from being my brother’s agent and how he tried to become mine. Whenever she hinted at criminal possibilities I avoided it like the plague, but always played the game of trying to turn her away from hints of his involvement with anything around Rio. By the time the talking tap dance was over, the restaurant was mostly empty.
“Can I be honest with you, Alvin?” she said when the interview was over.
“Of course,” I smiled.
“I really thought that I had a big story,” she sighed. “Now it really just seems like Theodore Williams was a former thug who turned his life around and became a businessman. It seems as if his shady dealings may have been nothing more than him talking to associates that were a part of the life he used to be in.”
I felt relieved, but I still felt a bit bad I killed her story. “Yeah, it really is a shame what happened to him. Well, its about time I leave.”
“Yeah, me too,” she smiled to me. We walked to the street where I hailed her a cab. “Well, other than the interview itself, I really had a great time,” she said as I held the door for her to get in.
“Yeah, me too,” I grinned, “Who would’ve known an interview could be so fun for a change?”
She blushed, and then got that determined look on her face again. She kissed me gently and I surprised myself by actually kissing her back. The cabbie honked his horn at us. She giggled and handed me a piece of paper with her number scrawled on it. I put it in my pocket. “Goodbye Alvin. Look me up when you’re in town again.”
I closed the door and watched as the taxi took her down the road. Reflexively my hand was in my pocket on a piece of paper, but I didn’t know if it was on the one that I always carried with me, or on the one that Gabby had given me.

[moblipeg]

Re: Mr. Second Place: An Autobiographical Tale of Alvin Allen (Fifa 13)

US Friendly Results
by Dave Seville

Nov 15, 2014 - Italy vs United States
TEAM	1	2	SCORE
Italy (-)	2	2	4
United States (-)	0	0	0

*Author's note- did not play. Manager's decision*

Nov 19, 2014 - Switzerland vs United States
TEAM	1	2	SCORE
Switzerland (-)	2	0	2
United States (-)	1	2	3

Team Stats Comparison
Switzerland		United States
3	Goals	2
11	Shots	8
8	Shots on Target	6
6	Tackles	3
0	Fouls	0
0	Yellow Cards	0
0	Red Cards	0
0	Injuries	0
72%	Shot Accuracy	75%
79%	Passing Percentage	85%

Goals:
8' Drmic
34' Drmic
41' Allen
83' Holden
90' Altidore

Notable Allen statistics:
8.1 Rating
Goals: 41'
5 on/ 1 shot off target
3 1v1 victories

[moblipeg]

Re: Mr. Second Place: An Autobiographical Tale of Alvin Allen (Fifa 13)

Serie A Competition

Nov 23, 2014 - Milan vs Chievo Verona
TEAM	1	2	SCORE
Milan (7-3-2)	0	0	0
Chievo Verona (2-3-7)	1	1	2

Team Stats Comparison
Milan		Chievo Verona
0	Goals	0
9	Shots	7
4	Shots on Target	5
6	Tackles	3
0	Fouls	1
0	Yellow Cards	0
0	Red Cards	0
0	Injuries	0
44%	Shot Accuracy	71%
75%	Passing Percentage	76%

Summary:
Even great teams sometimes have a bad day, and this was definitely the case as AC Milan traveled to face Chievo Verona, a team that is struggling in the table with only 2 victories in the young season. Chievo Verona would convert a goal in the 17' off a horrible clearance by Didac that would bounce right to Peralta in the box. A quick move and finesse shot would sail right past the keeper Brkic's outstretched arms. Milan spent the rest of the match fighting to get another goal. Leading the charge was Allen, who took half of his team shots in this match, but none would be converted. Late in the match, Samassa would put the game away with a breakaway goal in the 83' off a lobbed pass from Cruzado. Maybe AC Milan was looking ahead, because as Milan would drop this game they would have to try and try to pull themselves together for their upcoming Champions League match against Manchester United in 3 days.

Notable Allen statistics:
6.4 Rating
4 on/2 shots off target
1 1v1 victory

[moblipeg]

Re: Mr. Second Place: An Autobiographical Tale of Alvin Allen (Fifa 13)

AC Milan v. Man. United

Champions League Group Stage

Manchester United came into the nights matchup fired up, ready to show AC Milan that their embarrassing loss at home was nothing more than a fluke, and that they would show that they belonged in the knockout stage of the Champions League. This would be a crucial match as both teams sat tied at 6 points each in the table, but due to that trouncing Milan gave Man U at Old Trafford, Milan was comfortably ahead on goal differential. Any points would be a victory for them, as long as they didn’t lose Milan would control their own destiny headed into the final match against FC Schalke. The heated match was ready to go as the referee sounded the whistle to begin.
Welbeck put Manchester United on his back early, as the young forward pushed up with pace through a surprised Milan defense. He would give to Rooney on the other side, cutting past Mexes just outside the penalty area. Rooney would send in a through ball that would sneak by the defender into Welbeck, who would put it away for a goal in the 4’. Brkic just stood and watched as the ball went by him, and all of a sudden Milan for find themselves in an early hole.
Milan would come back with a buildup of their own as Allen would get the ball in the middle on the restart and give it wide to El Shaarawy. El Shaarway would cross it, but the ball would be headed away by Jones in the middle. The header would be gathered by Allen, who would send it right back into the middle to a wide open Muntari. Muntari would hesitate once, one touch it to his left before hitting a strong shot that just sailed wide of the net.
Manchester United would take control, pushing their midfield forward looking for another hole to exploit on the Milan side. Kagawa would make a grave mistake, getting the ball poked away by de Jong and the Milan break was on. He would find Allen streaking up the right wing. Allen would make magic happen, as he would dribble past a befuddled Fabio Coentrao, then as Jones came over and Fabio Coentrao came in from behind, he would smoothly move between both defenders with a sudden cut sprinting to his left and sending a rocket with his left foot from about 20 yards that crisply flowed into the back of the net. The shot brought the fans in San Siro to their feet as the amazing goal would bring the match level at 1-1.
Manchester United would wake up from this point, putting tremendous pressure on Milan for the rest of the half. They would control the ball for a staggering 68% of the first half, teeing off on Brkic from all angles. The best chance would come just before half, as Rooney would drive forward on a nice lobbed pass from Valencia inside. Rooney would fake shot past Didac, before pulling a give and go with Welbeck inside the penalty area. Rooney would take the shot, but it was just a little to much power as the ball would sail over the crossbar and into the stands. The whistle would blow, and both teams headed to the locker rooms all tied up.
The second half began with Milan trying to manufacture any kind of run. Allen would break free in the middle on lazy play my the Man U midfield, and he would send it wide to Robinho. Robinho would cross, the El Shaarawy couldn’t put it in as an amazing save by Lindegaard kept the game all even. Manchester United would clear the ball, but de Jong picked it up and sent Milan forward against. He would pass it to Boateng who would give it back to Allen in the middle. Allen would give and go with Muntari to his right just on the outside of the penalty area. Allen would shoot, but Jones slide tackled in front, blocking the sure goal and taking down Allen in the box. The Milan fans booed mercilessly, but Jones caught a piece of the ball so the referee signaled no foul and kept the game play moving.
From this point Manchester would continue to play at a relentless pace, sending people forward to try to grab that elusive lead goal. Forward Lopez would sub in for Welbeck, and he would prove the key substitution of the match. Off of a long buildup, Valencia would take the ball out wide from a Rooney through ball. Valencia would cross the ball in and it would be headed away by Acerbi, but it wasn’t cleared far enough and fell to Lopez. He would crack a shot to the upper right corner that would head in easily. The amazing shot would put Manchester United in control in the 73’.
Milan would take the ball on the restart and give it back to Boateng. Boateng would bring the ball up and hit Robinho on the outside. Robinho would lose his marker, and send it quickly into Allen. Allen was double teamed in the middle by Jones and Kagawa, but the young striker was too talented to be contained. He would take a first step outside, step over, and sprint his two markers up the gut on a nice move. Allen had a small amount of daylight from outside the box and let it rip. The right footed bender sailed up and over the outstretched arms of Lindegaard, and would sneak up under the crossbar for the game tying goal in the 79’. The fans were once again on their feet as it appeared that Allen had saved their Champions League hopes with an electric goal.
Manchester United would have on last desperation attempt as they would send everyone forward on the restart as 3 points were crucial for their hopes. A long build up ensured, and Milan pulled their midfield in a defensive shell to stave off the late Manchester goal. Rooney passed to Kagawa to his left, but Kagawa could find anything and sent it right back to Rooney. He would send it right to Valencia, but nothing on that side either. Time continue to tick away as the 90’ came and went. Suddenly, the right back Rafael would run past Valencia on his right. He would send it wide up the wing to the unmarked man. The drew the defense to the right to cover him. Rafael would send in a cross to Lopez who was now open just inside the box. Mexes would rush over to try to block the impending header, but Lopez didn’t shoot. Instead he would head the ball down into the vacant spot that Mexes had just left. It was a pass. Valencia was sprinting towards the ball. Brkic read it perfectly and charged the ball, but it was too late as Valencia had the jump. Valencia would poke it past Brkic for the stoppage time goal in the 90’. Manchester United celebrated wildly as Milan sat in stunned disbelief. The whistle was blown just after the restart and Manchester United would steal 3 points from Milan, earning their much sought after revenge and moving into second place in the group.

Nov 26, 2014 - Manchester United vs Milan
TEAM	1	2	SCORE
Manchester United (2-0-2)	1	2	3
Milan (2-0-2)	1	1	2

Team Stats Comparison
Manchester United		Milan
3	Goals	2
11	Shots	8
4	Shots on Target	4
4	Tackles	4
0	Fouls	0
0	Yellow Cards	0
0	Red Cards	0
0	Injuries	0
36%	Shot Accuracy	50%
90%	Passing Percentage	77%

Notable Allen statistics:
9.7 Rating
Goals: 20', 79'
3 on/1 shot off target
1 Key Pass
5 1v1 victories
Man of the Match

Group Play Results:
FC Schalke 04 2 - 2 Galatasaray

Group F Standings
TEAM	W	D	L	GD	PTS
FC Schalke 04	3	1	1	2	10
Man. United	3	0	2	0	9
Milan	2	0	3	3	6
Galatasaray	1	1	3	-5	4

[bhurst99]

Re: Mr. Second Place: An Autobiographical Tale of Alvin Allen (Fifa 13)

Wow. Tough result. It doesn't seem fair that in your third place in the group.

[moblipeg]

Re: Mr. Second Place: An Autobiographical Tale of Alvin Allen (Fifa 13)

Wow. Tough result. It doesn't seem fair that in your third place in the group.

Yeah, but that's what happens with inconsistent play. It's haunted us all season, and you can't have a bad game against the best teams in the world. Very frustrating indeed.