Re: How's Your FIFA Career Mode Going?
Thanks man! It was tough at the start but as you said I've started to play better and get used to Legendary. It makes it more realistic though as a team just promoted from League 1 shouldn't be winning every game.
Sorry to see you go out! Unlucky against Greece. Nobody expected you to beat Spain. I think that you can build a good team up for the World Cup though!
April 2020 - Season 7
FIFA 14 (PS3)
AFC Wimbledon 1 - 3 Chelsea
CHE: Lukaku 18' Lucas Piazon 57' Jovetic 84'
WIM: Thompson 45'
The Wimbledon - Chelsea match ups usually go in favor of the home team, it has been that way for many seasons now. However this season has been the opposite, as Wimbledon defeated Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and now Chelsea pulled a strong win over Wimbledon at Kingsmeadow. Wimbledon were completely hopeless on the field with Chelsea breaking down the Dons' attacks from the midfield. The Wimbledon players were certainly not themselves tonight and we saw many aimless passes that were quickly picked up by the Chelsea players. John Ruddy, usually a very solid player in the box, didn't seem like himself either and wasn't able to make any diving saves. Chelsea were clear winners of this match.
Champions League - Quarter Final 2nd Leg
Arsenal 2(3) - (4)3 AFC Wimbledon
ARS: Pogba 6' Immobile 14'
WIM: Murphy 20' James 35' Fabianski OG 53'
Wimbledon are through to the semifinal round of the champions league for the first time in the club's history with an amazing comeback against Arsenal! Arsenal went ahead with two early goals and it truly looked like all hope was lost for Wimbledon as they went down 3-1 on aggregate. Arsenal defended really well and made sure Wimbledon's midfield weren't allowed to link up with strikers Luke James and Michael Thompson. As they focused to intercept all passes before they reached the strikers, they were caught off guard when left midfielder Jacob Murphy cut into the box and shot the ball into the net. Fifteen minutes later Luke James equalized the match with a shot from outside the box, the long shot being his last resort since the Arsenal defense prevented anyone from getting into their box. The match was very tight with neither team having an advantage over the other, until bad fortune struck and Arsenal's own goalkeeper Fabianski accidentally knocked the ball into his own net when turning. The ball had been bouncing among chaos as the defenders tried clearing it and the Wimbledon players tried shooting it, but in the end it was Fabianski who put it into his own net as he struggled to pick it up.
"A win thanks to an own goal was certainly not the way we wanted to pass to the next round, but we'll take it! I'm quite superstitious and I was really beginning to believe that luck was against us and we wouldn't be allowed to beat our mark from last year. First facing Porto, and then going down 2-0 against Arsenal, but we have an amazing group of players and they were able to come from behind against all odds in both fixtures! I must applaud the work Arsenal have done though. They left everything on the field and didn't let us take the win without suffering first." - Chavez, Wimbledon manager.
Fulham 1 - 1 AFC Wimbledon
FUL: Holtby 14'
WIM: Paterson 52'
The 2018 World Cup Golden Boot winner Callum Paterson has been demoted to the B team by Chavez since the player hasn't been in the best of forms. Paterson has been decent on the field, but Chavez wants more than decent performances from his players. Paterson missed the match against Arsenal because of that, and this being his first match with the B team he quickly rose to show that he deserves to go back to the first team by scoring Wimbledon's goal that would keep them from losing a second match in a row. The B team was horrible on the field though, Paterson being their only glimpse of light. Wimbledon have only managed to get 1 point from their last two matches, allowing Manchester City to close in on them on the league table.
AFC Wimbledon 1 - 1 Everton
EVE: Gibson 61'
WIM: James 81'
Another terrible match from Wimbledon who have only accumulated 2 points from 9 possible so far this month. Their only win has been against Arsenal in the Champions League and that was only thanks to an own goal. Callum Paterson returned to the first team but also returned to another decent performance. The entire team played bad though, so we can't blame Paterson too much. Good news for Wimbledon though, Manchester City also drew their match which allows Wimbledon to stay in 1st place with only a 1 point difference.
FA Cup - Semifinal
AFC Wimbledon 0 - 2 Tottenham
TOT: Martial 16' 69'
The Spurs have achieved their revenge, and have eliminated the defending champs Wimbledon from the FA Cup. The Wimbledon B team played without Tyler Harvey who has been promoted to the first team. Replacing him was Mario Ruiz who was in turn demoted to the B team. As soon as the game kicked off we realized just how important Harvey was to the B team. The team didn't appear to have a clear direction on the field, with Mario Ruiz being inexistent on the field as Chavez moved things around trying to find the right place for him. Adam Morgan had complained about his playing time so he started next to Tom Eaves, but he too struggled to get the ball. The Dons weren't able to hold possession and couldn't get a shot on goal either. Overall, a terrible match for the Wimbledon B team. Harvey was a player that could not only guide the midfield but also score in the most difficult of times, but without him the B team looked bad everywhere. Tottenham will face Fulham in the FA Cup final being strong favorites to lift the cup. Fulham eliminated Chelsea from the semifinal though so they may still have more in store for the Spurs.
Champions League - Semifinal 1st Leg
AFC Wimbledon - FC Barcelona
The Dons had never faced the Catalans before and this was also their first ever champions league semifinal fixture. Wimbledon's last five matches have resulted in one victory, two draws, and two defeats, perhaps the worst month for Wimbledon this season. Barcelona come from eliminating Bayern Munich in the quarter finals and they are stronger than ever with stars like Messi, Neymar, Sanchez, Fabregas, Busquets, and Pique still in their prime and a world class goalkeeper from Serbia by the name of Bajza.
Swansea City 0 - 1 AFC Wimbledon
WIM: Eaves 76'
The Wimbledon B team continues to struggle without Harvey, but they got the three points regardless. Eaves was having a very poor match and couldn't get to any aerial ball sent his way, but in the end it was a long shot with his strong left foot that found the net. For the entire second half, Chavez used a 3-5-1-1 formation with which the team looked a whole lot better. Could this signify the return of a 3 at the back formation for Wimbledon's B team?
Champions League - Semifinal 2nd leg
FC Barcelona 0(3) - (6)2 AFC Wimbledon
WIM: James 11' Murphy 62'
AFC Wimbledon have entered their first ever Champions League final! This match was very different than the first leg. As you can see, Chavez learned much from Barcelona in the first leg and was able to keep them at bay this time around. Wimbledon started the match with a 4-3-3 Attack instead of the 4-2-2-2 they use in the BPL. Chavez chose this formation not only because it worked in the first leg, but also because having a CAM would ensure that Barcelona's CDM stays busy and doesn't try to aid in attack, for if he does he leaves his back line vulnerable to counter attacks. In barely the 11th minute Luke James receive the ball at the penalty mark, and with a strong shot to the top corner with his inside foot he beat Bajza to show Barcelona they didn't come just to defend the aggregate score. The second goal was scored by club veteran Jacob Murphy (been with the club for all of Chavez's 7 seasons) with a shot off a rebound. The Serbian goalkeeper had already parried away three consecutive shots from Wimbledon but there was nothing he could do to reach the fourth shot which came from Jacob Murphy. Wimbledon's players all gave incredible performances, but the man of the match award was given to Barcelona's Bajza for making a total of 11 saves. Goes to show how much Wimbledon were attacking tonight. Wimbledon are now in the final for the biggest cup at club level, but their rival is yet to be decided. Real Madrid and Chelsea finished 0-0 in the first leg, so everything is left to play for the second leg.
Barclay's Premier League Table
1. AFC Wimbledon - 71 points
2. Manchester City - 70 points
3. Chelsea - 67 points
4. Manchester United - 60 points
5. Liverpool - 53 points
----------
8. Arsenal - 49 points
9. West Ham - 46 points
11. Newcastle United - 43 points
----------
17. QPR - 22 points
18. Crystal Palace - 22 points
19. Reading - 22 points
20. Norwich City - 19 points
BPL Top Scorer
1. Vietto (Everton) - 17 Goals
2. James (Wimbledon) - 17 Goals
3. Benzema (M. City) - 15 Goals
UCL Top Scorer
1. Neymar (Barca) - 8 Goals
2. James (Wimbledon) - 8 Goals
3. Reus (Dortmund) - 7 Goals
AFC Wimbledon Top Scorer
1. Luke James - 29 Goals
2. Michael Thompson - 19 Goals
3. Tom Eaves - 15 Goals
4. Max Clayton - 12 Goals
Tyler Harvey - 12 Goals
Notable Youth Academy Players
* = New Addition
( ) = May Boost
April Headlines
End Of Season Jitters For The Dons?
As you can see, Wimbledon had a terrible start in April and a bad month overall in the league. The Dons only made 5 points out of 12 possible in April. With Manchester City only 1 point away from them, they simply cannot have the same thing happen in May, the final month of the season. Wimbledon will play Crystal Palace and QPR, before hosting a 1st vs 2nd showdown against Manchester City. The match will definitely decide who the champion will be this season and losing is prohibited for both managers. Many would argue that the Wimbledon players, especially the ones with the B team, are getting end of season jitters as they feel the pressure surrounding them more and more. Others would say that Wimbledon just had a bad month because they were too focused on the Champions League. Whatever the reason, Chavez's men need to be on their toes because Manchester City is coming in hot and they will do anything possible to stop Wimbledon from achieving their 2nd Premier League title in a row.
Luke James Out To Break Records
Young English striker Luke James was given the huge responsibility of replacing Terry Gornell as main striker this season, and he has done an exceptional job. James had to make the jump from apprentice to master and he has done so without showing any sign of breaking from the pressure, and taking on an apprentice of his own - Michael Thompson. James has 29 goals this year with still one month left to play. Gornell had 32 goals total last year and 33 before that, winning the BPL Golden Boot twice in a row. At 29 goals James looks set to not only pass Gornell's mark but win the Golden Boot himself. The most goals scored by a Wimbledon player in a single season is 37 goals which Gornell achieved in the FL Championship. If Luke James can score 9 goals this upcoming month, he will set a new club record.
England Vs Spain For UCL Title
Real Madrid have eliminated Chelsea in the semifinal round and will face AFC Wimbledon in the UEFA Champions League Final. Wimbledon have faced Los Merengues more than a few times before, but have never been able to defeat them. This year they played each other in a preseason friendly which ended 2-2. Last year they played each other for the European Super-cup which Real Madrid won 2-1 in extra time. In my opinion, the best chance Wimbledon had to defeat Real Madrid was when Chavez played with a 3-5-2 (3-1-4-2) but Chavez no longer uses that formation with Wimbledon. How could anyone forget the damage Elliott Hewitt did to Real Madrid down the right wing. He was a nightmare for both Gareth Bale and Marcelo. The 4-3-3 Attack was very successful against Barcelona, so we may see that used again unless Chavez sticks with the 4-2-2-2. We are in for a hell of a match either way.
Hope you enjoyed the update! Any comments/feedback are always welcome.
Thanks For Reading!
A really tough start to the month, you started to pick up your form towards the end of the month though. It should be a really exciting battle between you and City! Well done on counter-acting Barca too! Good luck against Real in the final!
Man tough month but I applaud you for moving up to Legendary. It looks like you started to get the hang of it in the end too especially against Ipswich and Millwall where you had a good amount of shots. I can Derby and QPR were stressful matches though. I mean only 1 shot against Derby and it wasn't even on target? Legendary sounds like a bully :P
Northern Ireland
FIFA 15 - Season 2
FIFA 15 - Season 2
Spoiler
European Championship
European Championship Group Stages
Northern Ireland 0 - Greece 1
GRE - Mitroglu 52'
Mitroglu recieved the ball in the middle of the box with a defender on his back and turned around him to the right and fired a shot into the right corner for the only goal of the match giving Greece 3 points.
European Championship Group Stages
Norway 1 - Northern Ireland 2
NOR - Skjelbred 63'
NIR - Lafferty 59', Reeves 76'
Northern Ireland struck first after Smith wove his way through the defense to the end line before sending a ball accross the face of the goal for Lafferty to tap into the net. Norway answered right back as Skjelbred rose up to head home a cross and equalize the match. Northern Ireland kept attacking and were rewarded when McKay attacked down the end line before sending a ball to the middle of the box for Reeves to tap home and give Northern Ireland 3 points.
European Championship Group Stages
Northen Ireland 1 - Spain 2
NIR - McKay 37'
ESP - Busquets 26', Tello 52'
Busquets was the first on the score sheet after receiving the ball in the middle of the box and firing it around the left side of the defender and into the goal. McKay answered back with an improbable goal after dribbling left and firing accross the goal to the far right post. Spain rebounded and broke the tie after intercepting a pass and moving it up ahead quickly for Tello to run onto and fire past the keeper for the winner and eliminating Northern Ireland.
Final Group Table
1. Spain - 7 pts
2. Greece - 6 pts
3. Northern Ireland - 3 pts
4. Norway - 1 pts
European Championship Group Stages
Northern Ireland 0 - Greece 1
GRE - Mitroglu 52'
Mitroglu recieved the ball in the middle of the box with a defender on his back and turned around him to the right and fired a shot into the right corner for the only goal of the match giving Greece 3 points.
European Championship Group Stages
Norway 1 - Northern Ireland 2
NOR - Skjelbred 63'
NIR - Lafferty 59', Reeves 76'
Northern Ireland struck first after Smith wove his way through the defense to the end line before sending a ball accross the face of the goal for Lafferty to tap into the net. Norway answered right back as Skjelbred rose up to head home a cross and equalize the match. Northern Ireland kept attacking and were rewarded when McKay attacked down the end line before sending a ball to the middle of the box for Reeves to tap home and give Northern Ireland 3 points.
European Championship Group Stages
Northen Ireland 1 - Spain 2
NIR - McKay 37'
ESP - Busquets 26', Tello 52'
Busquets was the first on the score sheet after receiving the ball in the middle of the box and firing it around the left side of the defender and into the goal. McKay answered back with an improbable goal after dribbling left and firing accross the goal to the far right post. Spain rebounded and broke the tie after intercepting a pass and moving it up ahead quickly for Tello to run onto and fire past the keeper for the winner and eliminating Northern Ireland.
Final Group Table
1. Spain - 7 pts
2. Greece - 6 pts
3. Northern Ireland - 3 pts
4. Norway - 1 pts
April 2020 - Season 7
FIFA 14 (PS3)
Spoiler
AFC Wimbledon 1 - 3 Chelsea
CHE: Lukaku 18' Lucas Piazon 57' Jovetic 84'
WIM: Thompson 45'
The Wimbledon - Chelsea match ups usually go in favor of the home team, it has been that way for many seasons now. However this season has been the opposite, as Wimbledon defeated Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and now Chelsea pulled a strong win over Wimbledon at Kingsmeadow. Wimbledon were completely hopeless on the field with Chelsea breaking down the Dons' attacks from the midfield. The Wimbledon players were certainly not themselves tonight and we saw many aimless passes that were quickly picked up by the Chelsea players. John Ruddy, usually a very solid player in the box, didn't seem like himself either and wasn't able to make any diving saves. Chelsea were clear winners of this match.
Champions League - Quarter Final 2nd Leg
Arsenal 2(3) - (4)3 AFC Wimbledon
ARS: Pogba 6' Immobile 14'
WIM: Murphy 20' James 35' Fabianski OG 53'
Wimbledon are through to the semifinal round of the champions league for the first time in the club's history with an amazing comeback against Arsenal! Arsenal went ahead with two early goals and it truly looked like all hope was lost for Wimbledon as they went down 3-1 on aggregate. Arsenal defended really well and made sure Wimbledon's midfield weren't allowed to link up with strikers Luke James and Michael Thompson. As they focused to intercept all passes before they reached the strikers, they were caught off guard when left midfielder Jacob Murphy cut into the box and shot the ball into the net. Fifteen minutes later Luke James equalized the match with a shot from outside the box, the long shot being his last resort since the Arsenal defense prevented anyone from getting into their box. The match was very tight with neither team having an advantage over the other, until bad fortune struck and Arsenal's own goalkeeper Fabianski accidentally knocked the ball into his own net when turning. The ball had been bouncing among chaos as the defenders tried clearing it and the Wimbledon players tried shooting it, but in the end it was Fabianski who put it into his own net as he struggled to pick it up.
"A win thanks to an own goal was certainly not the way we wanted to pass to the next round, but we'll take it! I'm quite superstitious and I was really beginning to believe that luck was against us and we wouldn't be allowed to beat our mark from last year. First facing Porto, and then going down 2-0 against Arsenal, but we have an amazing group of players and they were able to come from behind against all odds in both fixtures! I must applaud the work Arsenal have done though. They left everything on the field and didn't let us take the win without suffering first." - Chavez, Wimbledon manager.
Fulham 1 - 1 AFC Wimbledon
FUL: Holtby 14'
WIM: Paterson 52'
The 2018 World Cup Golden Boot winner Callum Paterson has been demoted to the B team by Chavez since the player hasn't been in the best of forms. Paterson has been decent on the field, but Chavez wants more than decent performances from his players. Paterson missed the match against Arsenal because of that, and this being his first match with the B team he quickly rose to show that he deserves to go back to the first team by scoring Wimbledon's goal that would keep them from losing a second match in a row. The B team was horrible on the field though, Paterson being their only glimpse of light. Wimbledon have only managed to get 1 point from their last two matches, allowing Manchester City to close in on them on the league table.
AFC Wimbledon 1 - 1 Everton
EVE: Gibson 61'
WIM: James 81'
Another terrible match from Wimbledon who have only accumulated 2 points from 9 possible so far this month. Their only win has been against Arsenal in the Champions League and that was only thanks to an own goal. Callum Paterson returned to the first team but also returned to another decent performance. The entire team played bad though, so we can't blame Paterson too much. Good news for Wimbledon though, Manchester City also drew their match which allows Wimbledon to stay in 1st place with only a 1 point difference.
FA Cup - Semifinal
AFC Wimbledon 0 - 2 Tottenham
TOT: Martial 16' 69'
The Spurs have achieved their revenge, and have eliminated the defending champs Wimbledon from the FA Cup. The Wimbledon B team played without Tyler Harvey who has been promoted to the first team. Replacing him was Mario Ruiz who was in turn demoted to the B team. As soon as the game kicked off we realized just how important Harvey was to the B team. The team didn't appear to have a clear direction on the field, with Mario Ruiz being inexistent on the field as Chavez moved things around trying to find the right place for him. Adam Morgan had complained about his playing time so he started next to Tom Eaves, but he too struggled to get the ball. The Dons weren't able to hold possession and couldn't get a shot on goal either. Overall, a terrible match for the Wimbledon B team. Harvey was a player that could not only guide the midfield but also score in the most difficult of times, but without him the B team looked bad everywhere. Tottenham will face Fulham in the FA Cup final being strong favorites to lift the cup. Fulham eliminated Chelsea from the semifinal though so they may still have more in store for the Spurs.
Champions League - Semifinal 1st Leg
AFC Wimbledon - FC Barcelona
The Dons had never faced the Catalans before and this was also their first ever champions league semifinal fixture. Wimbledon's last five matches have resulted in one victory, two draws, and two defeats, perhaps the worst month for Wimbledon this season. Barcelona come from eliminating Bayern Munich in the quarter finals and they are stronger than ever with stars like Messi, Neymar, Sanchez, Fabregas, Busquets, and Pique still in their prime and a world class goalkeeper from Serbia by the name of Bajza.
Spoiler
AFC Wimbledon 4 - 3 FC Barcelona
BAR: Fabregas 16' Neymar 35' 41'
WIM: James 33' Thompson 39' Robinson 45' Clayton 88'
What. A. Match. Barcelona struck first after Lionel Messi dribbled into the box getting rid of every defender in his way forcing Ruddy to come out for a one on one and then very cheekily passing the ball to an unmarked Fabregas who merely had to tap the ball in a few steps away from the net. Terrible start for the Dons. Chavez started the match with his 4-2-2-2 which was quickly overrun by Barcelona. After the first goal the Wombles changed to a 4-3-3 Attack to counter Barca's 4-3-3 False 9, and that's when what is probably the best game in the competition began. Luke James, now playing as CAM, and Michael Thompson pulled off a wall pass which allowed James to go one on one against Pique. The Englishman made a quick cut inside the box to lose Pique and fire away an incredible shot to the top corner that left Bajza helpless. Barcelona immediately reacted and Neymar put Barcelona ahead just 2 minutes later, but then Michael Thompson equalized the match again only 4 minutes after Neymar's goal. Once again Neymar scored 2 minutes later, but then LB J. Robinson equalized the match for Wimbledon 4 minutes after that! Amazing match we had on our hands! Both teams scoring in quick succession but unfortunately the referee whistled for halftime as the fans were going wild in the stands and the players were filled to the neck in adrenaline. The match was tied at 3-3 and one had to wonder which goalkeeper would wake up first, as neither had made any saves. The second half started much more calmly, the managers obviously had to cool down their players in the locker room. Barcelona knew they had to slow down now. They tried to go toe-to-toe with Wimbledon, but the Dons responded with all of Kingsmeadow behind them. Now the match became a showdown between the two managers' tactics, both trying to lessen the amount of risks their players took. At approximately the 70th minute, Chavez made a substitution that would shape the rest of the game. Max Clayton, known as an impact sub for the Wimbledon first team, came on to the field. Two minutes before the end of the match, Tyler Harvey pulled Barca's centre back Padapopolous(?) to midfield and sent a lobbed through ball to Clayton, who brought the ball down with his chest and then with the next touch powered the ball past the goalkeeper to give Wimbledon the lead for the first time in 88 minutes! Wimbledon now just had to hold the lead, but Barcelona went full on attack and the referee added on 5 minutes of injury time! Barcelona overpowered Wimbledon completely who were now just trying to hold them off. Moments like these are the ones that define how reliable your goalkeeper is, and John Ruddy stepped up to the challenge deflecting 4 shots, his only 4 saves of the match actually! Ruddy went from perhaps Wimbledon's worst player of the match to match hero in just 5 minutes. We didn't want to see this match end, but the referee had to end the first leg. Wimbledon achieved a tremendous victory, but also gave Barcelona 3 away goals that could prove costly. In one week's time, Wimbledon will have to travel to the Camp Nou and face Barcelona again who will most likely be extra motivated with their fans behind them.
BAR: Fabregas 16' Neymar 35' 41'
WIM: James 33' Thompson 39' Robinson 45' Clayton 88'
What. A. Match. Barcelona struck first after Lionel Messi dribbled into the box getting rid of every defender in his way forcing Ruddy to come out for a one on one and then very cheekily passing the ball to an unmarked Fabregas who merely had to tap the ball in a few steps away from the net. Terrible start for the Dons. Chavez started the match with his 4-2-2-2 which was quickly overrun by Barcelona. After the first goal the Wombles changed to a 4-3-3 Attack to counter Barca's 4-3-3 False 9, and that's when what is probably the best game in the competition began. Luke James, now playing as CAM, and Michael Thompson pulled off a wall pass which allowed James to go one on one against Pique. The Englishman made a quick cut inside the box to lose Pique and fire away an incredible shot to the top corner that left Bajza helpless. Barcelona immediately reacted and Neymar put Barcelona ahead just 2 minutes later, but then Michael Thompson equalized the match again only 4 minutes after Neymar's goal. Once again Neymar scored 2 minutes later, but then LB J. Robinson equalized the match for Wimbledon 4 minutes after that! Amazing match we had on our hands! Both teams scoring in quick succession but unfortunately the referee whistled for halftime as the fans were going wild in the stands and the players were filled to the neck in adrenaline. The match was tied at 3-3 and one had to wonder which goalkeeper would wake up first, as neither had made any saves. The second half started much more calmly, the managers obviously had to cool down their players in the locker room. Barcelona knew they had to slow down now. They tried to go toe-to-toe with Wimbledon, but the Dons responded with all of Kingsmeadow behind them. Now the match became a showdown between the two managers' tactics, both trying to lessen the amount of risks their players took. At approximately the 70th minute, Chavez made a substitution that would shape the rest of the game. Max Clayton, known as an impact sub for the Wimbledon first team, came on to the field. Two minutes before the end of the match, Tyler Harvey pulled Barca's centre back Padapopolous(?) to midfield and sent a lobbed through ball to Clayton, who brought the ball down with his chest and then with the next touch powered the ball past the goalkeeper to give Wimbledon the lead for the first time in 88 minutes! Wimbledon now just had to hold the lead, but Barcelona went full on attack and the referee added on 5 minutes of injury time! Barcelona overpowered Wimbledon completely who were now just trying to hold them off. Moments like these are the ones that define how reliable your goalkeeper is, and John Ruddy stepped up to the challenge deflecting 4 shots, his only 4 saves of the match actually! Ruddy went from perhaps Wimbledon's worst player of the match to match hero in just 5 minutes. We didn't want to see this match end, but the referee had to end the first leg. Wimbledon achieved a tremendous victory, but also gave Barcelona 3 away goals that could prove costly. In one week's time, Wimbledon will have to travel to the Camp Nou and face Barcelona again who will most likely be extra motivated with their fans behind them.
Swansea City 0 - 1 AFC Wimbledon
WIM: Eaves 76'
The Wimbledon B team continues to struggle without Harvey, but they got the three points regardless. Eaves was having a very poor match and couldn't get to any aerial ball sent his way, but in the end it was a long shot with his strong left foot that found the net. For the entire second half, Chavez used a 3-5-1-1 formation with which the team looked a whole lot better. Could this signify the return of a 3 at the back formation for Wimbledon's B team?
Champions League - Semifinal 2nd leg
FC Barcelona 0(3) - (6)2 AFC Wimbledon
WIM: James 11' Murphy 62'
AFC Wimbledon have entered their first ever Champions League final! This match was very different than the first leg. As you can see, Chavez learned much from Barcelona in the first leg and was able to keep them at bay this time around. Wimbledon started the match with a 4-3-3 Attack instead of the 4-2-2-2 they use in the BPL. Chavez chose this formation not only because it worked in the first leg, but also because having a CAM would ensure that Barcelona's CDM stays busy and doesn't try to aid in attack, for if he does he leaves his back line vulnerable to counter attacks. In barely the 11th minute Luke James receive the ball at the penalty mark, and with a strong shot to the top corner with his inside foot he beat Bajza to show Barcelona they didn't come just to defend the aggregate score. The second goal was scored by club veteran Jacob Murphy (been with the club for all of Chavez's 7 seasons) with a shot off a rebound. The Serbian goalkeeper had already parried away three consecutive shots from Wimbledon but there was nothing he could do to reach the fourth shot which came from Jacob Murphy. Wimbledon's players all gave incredible performances, but the man of the match award was given to Barcelona's Bajza for making a total of 11 saves. Goes to show how much Wimbledon were attacking tonight. Wimbledon are now in the final for the biggest cup at club level, but their rival is yet to be decided. Real Madrid and Chelsea finished 0-0 in the first leg, so everything is left to play for the second leg.
Barclay's Premier League Table
1. AFC Wimbledon - 71 points
2. Manchester City - 70 points
3. Chelsea - 67 points
4. Manchester United - 60 points
5. Liverpool - 53 points
----------
8. Arsenal - 49 points
9. West Ham - 46 points
11. Newcastle United - 43 points
----------
17. QPR - 22 points
18. Crystal Palace - 22 points
19. Reading - 22 points
20. Norwich City - 19 points
BPL Top Scorer
1. Vietto (Everton) - 17 Goals
2. James (Wimbledon) - 17 Goals
3. Benzema (M. City) - 15 Goals
UCL Top Scorer
1. Neymar (Barca) - 8 Goals
2. James (Wimbledon) - 8 Goals
3. Reus (Dortmund) - 7 Goals
AFC Wimbledon Top Scorer
1. Luke James - 29 Goals
2. Michael Thompson - 19 Goals
3. Tom Eaves - 15 Goals
4. Max Clayton - 12 Goals
Tyler Harvey - 12 Goals
Notable Youth Academy Players
* = New Addition
( ) = May Boost
Spoiler
Ben McGovern - CDM (66-70, 88-94) (OVR +3): The Northern Irish 17 year old has been in the academy for two seasons already but may not be called up until after the next transfer window. If he demands to be called up at anytime he will be promoted due to his loyalty.
*David McIntyre - CDM (66-69, 87-93) (OVR +13): 16 year old from Scotland has improved greatly since signing with the academy, but truth be told the club has plenty of youth CDMs already. He may have to wait another season in the academy.
Jacob Sercombe - CDM (62-74, 80-94) (OVR +14): The 16 year old from England has decided to settle in midfield. I was hoping he would choose CB since we have loads of defensive midfielders in the academy. I'll decide if he gets called up in the next months once I get a better picture of his overall.
Kyle Clarkson - LW (60-64, 80-86) (OVR +1): I'm disappointed at his May boost. This kid from England is still only 16 though so I think he can spend another season in the academy. He's still too slow for a winger.
Mal Osborn - RB (63-67, 80-86) (OVR +5): This speedy English right back has been promoted. He has 80+ pace, 75 ball control and dribbling and 75+ crossing, but his defensive stats are terrible. Looks like I have a new RM for the B team then
Sean Archer - CDM (66-70, 85-91) (OVR +1): The 17 year old from Scotland is a playmaker and may be promoted next season.
*Sebastian Torres - LW (60-70, 81-94) (OVR +11): The 16 year old from Mexico has recently joined the academy. He has decided to play mainly as a winger but he may be used as a striker instead due to his height of 6'2".
***Steven Ross - CDM (63-67, 80-86): Player has chosen to leave the academy.
Todd Zebroski - CDM (66-70, 80-86) (OVR +4): 16 year old playmaker from England. I still haven't decided whether I'll promoted him next season.
Tyrone Kedwell - CM (59-63, 77-83) (OVR +3): I'm not gonna lie I signed him immediately because of his last name - Kedwell. Could he become a club legend like Danny Kedwell? I sure hope he can live up to the name. In the meantime, I think he should spend another season in the youth academy.
*David McIntyre - CDM (66-69, 87-93) (OVR +13): 16 year old from Scotland has improved greatly since signing with the academy, but truth be told the club has plenty of youth CDMs already. He may have to wait another season in the academy.
Jacob Sercombe - CDM (62-74, 80-94) (OVR +14): The 16 year old from England has decided to settle in midfield. I was hoping he would choose CB since we have loads of defensive midfielders in the academy. I'll decide if he gets called up in the next months once I get a better picture of his overall.
Kyle Clarkson - LW (60-64, 80-86) (OVR +1): I'm disappointed at his May boost. This kid from England is still only 16 though so I think he can spend another season in the academy. He's still too slow for a winger.
Mal Osborn - RB (63-67, 80-86) (OVR +5): This speedy English right back has been promoted. He has 80+ pace, 75 ball control and dribbling and 75+ crossing, but his defensive stats are terrible. Looks like I have a new RM for the B team then
Sean Archer - CDM (66-70, 85-91) (OVR +1): The 17 year old from Scotland is a playmaker and may be promoted next season.
*Sebastian Torres - LW (60-70, 81-94) (OVR +11): The 16 year old from Mexico has recently joined the academy. He has decided to play mainly as a winger but he may be used as a striker instead due to his height of 6'2".
***Steven Ross - CDM (63-67, 80-86): Player has chosen to leave the academy.
Todd Zebroski - CDM (66-70, 80-86) (OVR +4): 16 year old playmaker from England. I still haven't decided whether I'll promoted him next season.
Tyrone Kedwell - CM (59-63, 77-83) (OVR +3): I'm not gonna lie I signed him immediately because of his last name - Kedwell. Could he become a club legend like Danny Kedwell? I sure hope he can live up to the name. In the meantime, I think he should spend another season in the youth academy.
April Headlines
End Of Season Jitters For The Dons?
As you can see, Wimbledon had a terrible start in April and a bad month overall in the league. The Dons only made 5 points out of 12 possible in April. With Manchester City only 1 point away from them, they simply cannot have the same thing happen in May, the final month of the season. Wimbledon will play Crystal Palace and QPR, before hosting a 1st vs 2nd showdown against Manchester City. The match will definitely decide who the champion will be this season and losing is prohibited for both managers. Many would argue that the Wimbledon players, especially the ones with the B team, are getting end of season jitters as they feel the pressure surrounding them more and more. Others would say that Wimbledon just had a bad month because they were too focused on the Champions League. Whatever the reason, Chavez's men need to be on their toes because Manchester City is coming in hot and they will do anything possible to stop Wimbledon from achieving their 2nd Premier League title in a row.
Luke James Out To Break Records
Young English striker Luke James was given the huge responsibility of replacing Terry Gornell as main striker this season, and he has done an exceptional job. James had to make the jump from apprentice to master and he has done so without showing any sign of breaking from the pressure, and taking on an apprentice of his own - Michael Thompson. James has 29 goals this year with still one month left to play. Gornell had 32 goals total last year and 33 before that, winning the BPL Golden Boot twice in a row. At 29 goals James looks set to not only pass Gornell's mark but win the Golden Boot himself. The most goals scored by a Wimbledon player in a single season is 37 goals which Gornell achieved in the FL Championship. If Luke James can score 9 goals this upcoming month, he will set a new club record.
England Vs Spain For UCL Title
Real Madrid have eliminated Chelsea in the semifinal round and will face AFC Wimbledon in the UEFA Champions League Final. Wimbledon have faced Los Merengues more than a few times before, but have never been able to defeat them. This year they played each other in a preseason friendly which ended 2-2. Last year they played each other for the European Super-cup which Real Madrid won 2-1 in extra time. In my opinion, the best chance Wimbledon had to defeat Real Madrid was when Chavez played with a 3-5-2 (3-1-4-2) but Chavez no longer uses that formation with Wimbledon. How could anyone forget the damage Elliott Hewitt did to Real Madrid down the right wing. He was a nightmare for both Gareth Bale and Marcelo. The 4-3-3 Attack was very successful against Barcelona, so we may see that used again unless Chavez sticks with the 4-2-2-2. We are in for a hell of a match either way.
Hope you enjoyed the update! Any comments/feedback are always welcome.
Thanks For Reading!
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