elbilly Posted April 10, 2013 Author Share Posted April 10, 2013 We kicked off October with the ECL and a well deserved win over Liverpool to maintain our place at the top of the group. Dudu ran about 70 yards to put the ball in the back of the net and Simonov' second goal in the competition after a 40 yard Vertout shot had cannoned off the bar and the Liverpool defence failed to get back, presumably believing the ball was going out, leaving Simonov alone in the box to slot it past the keeper. We struggled to kill off Bastia after Ocampos put his penalty failures behind him, but with them not having any meaningful attacks we held on for 3 points. An international break saw no fixtures for two weeks and we returned to face Lyon who were finally having a good start to the season after two poor campaigns. PSG had been shocked at home by Bastia the day before so both sides would be looking to seize on this. Montpellier in the mean time had gone top. Muratovic got on the end of a Nani free kick to take the lead and got on the end of an Anderson corner late in the game to let us breath easy until the final whistle to send us top. I was particularly happy with the defence as we had played with a right back at left back. Inter thoroughly out played us for the first 60-65 minutes but a change in the midfield got us on top and a counter attack late in the game gave us a winner. Liverpool went to Real and sprung a shock win to put us 5 points clear of the rest surely 2 more points will put us through! Lyon and PSG had played out a draw hours before kick off against Nancy presenting us an opportunity to gain a further points lead against 2 title challengers. As it turned out Chantome's early goal was not enough as we went in level at the break and failed to produce much in the second half and in fact Nancy would have been unhappy with the draw. Free scoring Sochaux top the league. We can be happy with the month overall as were are joint top in the league and top of our ECL group which has been as much of a surprise to me as anyone. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 10, 2013 Author Share Posted April 10, 2013 Excellent season with winning the League,good start to the new season as well.Hope you find some more success this season. Thanks, I was a bit worried about us competing in 2 competitions and how this would affect the defence the league but we've coped well so far and looks like we'll be playing European football in the new year. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackJCFC Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Great start to the season so far, very impressive in Europe. Looks like a tough group but your breezing through! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltablue Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Great results in Europe. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 10, 2013 Author Share Posted April 10, 2013 Great start to the season so far, very impressive in Europe. Looks like a tough group but your breezing through! Great results in Europe. Yeah Europe has been a very nice surprise. The win at Real was really important and winning our two home games has given us a great chance of topping the group. Was a little disappointed with Liverpool beating Real as that would have meant an 8 point lead over 3rd and 4th. It's going to be hard to get the 4 points that will guarantee us top spot but I will be happy to get into the knockout rounds. Tight in the league too isn't it?! Though it's early days and I suppose a couple of teams will drop off but 5 points covering the top 8, not sure what's going on at Sochaux, scored 29 in 11 games. May have to look at their strikers... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
b101 Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 That's possibly the toughest group I've ever seen FM throw up - great that you're doing so well, keep it up Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 11, 2013 Author Share Posted April 11, 2013 Progress was made in the league cup as a team of mainly fringe players were given the chance to impress and were doing that largely but not putting chances away and Niang even missed a penalty. At 1-1 the back up was called from the bench to send us through as Ocampos bagged a brace. Rennais haven't had the best if times so far this season, so when they visited the principality we were confident of getting the victory. An early after already missing some good chances got us ahead and only somer good goalkeeping kept the score at that until half time. Rennais scored a rather undeserved equaliser with 6 minutes left and I was fuming that only one of our 28 shots had hit the back of the net yet one of their 3 had also found it's way in. Thankfully Dudu stepped up to spare our blushes with a fine finish only minutes later. A Visit to the Italian capital and it looked like we would come away with a point until the 86th minute when Inter scored from a corner and got a second in injury time to leave us still needing two points to progress. A see-saw game at Anfield saw Real come away with a 3-2 victory to take second for now. An away trip to Lille in the league was a frustrating affair as we failed to impose our dominance I would have expected on the game and it took us until the last 10 minutes to get level. I had hoped we would not endure the same against Toulouse at home and going into half time 2-0 up it looked like we would come away with the 3 points. But Toulouse clawed one back early in the second half with their first shot of the match but we hung on for the win. It turned out to be an important win as Lille took points off PSG this week in a 2-2 draw. I should not at this point that we have the annoying bug where PSG play the team we played the week before in the league. Toulouse sacked their manager after the game. We played our league rivals PSG in the league cup next, unfortunately both sides were faced with the ridiculous situation of having most the squad on international duty meaning our team was made up of some first team players some reserves and U19s not good enough to represent their youth international teams. Despite this we took an early lead but PSG soon drew level. We could not get ourselves back into once they took the lead as our patched up defence fell to pieces and we exited the cup. I can't say if we would have had a better chance if it were not for the clash with international friendlies and I suppose I should have been more onto checking any date clashed but I do find it infuriating that the game does this. An early red card for Tours saw Ocampos put away the resulting penalty as we romped to a 3-0 half time lead. We seemed content that the job was done as the second half passed without much action. Real Madrid came to the principality for the fifth game of the ECL group stage, we would be hoping to repeat our success in Madrid and when we took the league it was on the cards. A Ronaldo equaliser shortly afterwards and we went into the break level. With less than ten minutes remaining Chantome somehow missed and open goal and minutes later they went up the other end and a poor attempt to get the ball away dropped to Ronaldo to put in the winner. We now need a result at Anfield to ensure our passage to the knock out round. We can be happy with our progress this month in the league but I'm gutted to have dropped the point against Real that would have pretty much sealed our passage in the ECL. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 11, 2013 Author Share Posted April 11, 2013 That's possibly the toughest group I've ever seen FM throw up - great that you're doing so well, keep it up Yeah it is certainly a tough draw and as you can see we have found the last couple of games very difficult. But we are well in with a chance to get through. At the very least we will be playing Europa League, which is more than I thought we would get when I first saw the draw. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
b101 Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Rennes Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astrix Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 I wouldnt call it that tough really. Real Madrid - Most Definately Inter - Aren't too good on this game, I've never seen them win the league. Liverpool - May be tough, depending on their squad in that year. Best of luck Your doing well in the league, its just a pity so are OM! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 11, 2013 Author Share Posted April 11, 2013 I wouldnt call it that tough really.Real Madrid - Most Definately Inter - Aren't too good on this game, I've never seen them win the league. Liverpool - May be tough, depending on their squad in that year. Best of luck Your doing well in the league, its just a pity so are OM! OM looked last season at this point too then fell off in the 2nd half of the season. Still 5 points separating the top 7, could be a heck of a battle! I still think the ECL was a tough draw for us , true that neither Inter nor Liverpool are wining titles domestically but they play in superior leagues to ours. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 11, 2013 Author Share Posted April 11, 2013 Rennes It is a shame for them as they managed a solid 9th last season. Their keeper is awesome, or at least he was against us, not sure if that'll be enough to save them though! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 12, 2013 Author Share Posted April 12, 2013 Troyes managed to frustrate us for 70 minutes and seemed content to sit back and provided no threat whatsoever. Eventually we got the breakthrough as a patient build up resulted in Dudu netting from inside the box. We faced a difficult week as we faced 2 teams battling with us at the top of the league as well as our final ECL group stage match. We began with a trip to Sochaux, again we dominated but this time could not force the ball in, having one goal chalked off, rather unfairly I thought, of course. With OM and PSG also drawing this was particularly annoying. We went to Anfield knowing a point would be enough, a great start when Goretzka put it in the net on 19 seconds. In the 4th minute we got a penalty but Niang decided to hit the post! A powerful strike on 32 minutes drew them level. At half time with Real beating Inter we were going through as runners up in the group. Niang made up with his penalty miss by putting through Chantome to regain the lead. And when Nani put us 2 clear we were hoping for Inter to draw level in Madrid, which much to my delight they did! Nani scored another to put the icing on the cake as we won the group I though we never stood a chance in! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 12, 2013 Author Share Posted April 12, 2013 The week finished with OM visiting Stade Louis II. We dominated the first half in possession and chances but none of them were of any real threat to the Marseilles goal. We got a penalty early in the second half and again we bloody missed it!!! Ocampos the offender this time. My mood was lifted ten minutes later as Simonov picked up the ball in his own half before dribbling into the penalty area and putting it beyond the keeper. A bit of route one, with Cosic playing it over the top, lead to a second as Ocampos latched on and was too quick as he sprinted away from the centre back to guarantee the 3 points. With Sochaux beating PSG it turned out to be a pretty good week in the Monaco camp. The draw from the ECL first knock out round So we win the group and get Man United and Real come second and get Shaktar! I'm sure Shaktar will feel as hard done by. While I was cursing our luck PSG and OM played out a draw in the league. Slightly lifted my sour mood. 2018 ended with a trip to Dijon, who are performing well above expectations, and they showed why as an even first half saw them take an early lead and maintain in to the break. Something clearly happening in the changing rooms as we came out and dominated the second half and returned to enjoy the winter break with 3 important points. The league is looking good for us as a good run of results has given us a 4 point lead. I can't help but thinking that we should have 2 more points from the Sochaux game that we very much should have won on the balance of play. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackJCFC Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 Nice work to top the group in the end, a bit of pressure in that last match. United should be a tough test but after a group like that theres no-one to fear. Doing well in the league too, got a nice little safety gap for nnow, hopefully you can just keep going as you are. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 12, 2013 Author Share Posted April 12, 2013 The new year brought Lorient to the principality and a fine performance from Simonov to score one after dribbling through the defence and smashing it in, he set up Dudu to secure the points later in the game. More results went our way to put an extra shine on the start to the year. Montpellier had come to our place at the start of the season and won, therefore I was determined to repay the favour when we travelled along the south coast. A very entertaining game ended without a goal. Both sides were guilty of trying to gift a goal early in the game, but after that we had much the better opportunities with Ocampos guilty of missing two golden chances to get the 3 points. Sadly he did not agree with my assessment, now he's having a sulk. A win was the only thing we would expect hosting Lavallois but again we were dreadfully wasteful with our chances. If this continues against such teams we don't deserve to win a thing! At least those poor results have not cost us too badly in the title race Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 12, 2013 Author Share Posted April 12, 2013 We didn't do any business in the transfer window. Maybe one or two left from the U19s on loan, that's about it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 12, 2013 Author Share Posted April 12, 2013 If there was any game that we needed to show who really wanted it following two disappointing results, then PSG at home couldn't have been a more perfect game. All was going well at 2-0 up but a sloppy bit of defending let them get a way back into the game minutes after our second. Things got worse as they drew level early in the second half. Our third was a bit scrappy as the ball finally fell to Vertout to put away, not complaining. Sommer made 2 world class saves to keep us ahead and we saw out a nervy ending to get 3 massive points. The game against Saint-Etienne saw chances come at a premium after we had taken an early lead. Muratovic inexplicably put his head on the ball as Sommer was coming to take a long ball and it ended up in his own net. Idiot. They took their chance when it came and that was that. Luckily for us second place OM were held to a draw at Nancy. The team seem to want to really annoy me at the moment as we conceded from Auxerre's first shot on goal with Wallace the guilty party in failing to see that the spherical object in front of him was actually the ball and that he should probably clear it rather than standing still scratching his butt and allowing their striker to walk along and bang it in. Thankfully a couple of goals between then and half time calmed the manager down with Simonov again being awesome in scoring one and setting up another. An early 2nd half penalty would surely seal it and a fourth definitely did. And so the ECL adventure resumed at Old Trafford. United are not looking likely to defend their league title in 6th place and 16 points of top placed Chelsea, AVB's job under pressure. Ocampos goal from a route one ball was followed by another after a fine bit of play, again from Simonov saw us walk in at half time 2-0 up. I had to tell the players not to get complacent, they don't ever tend to like that, but that's what needs to be said surely. Ocampos had a golden opportunity to get a hat-trick in the second half but squandered it as he was too slow to pull the trigger. Rooney pulled one back for them and with 3 minutes remaining they got a goal that looked suspiciously off side. We can't possibly be unhappy with 2-2 can we? Of course I am. That was there for the taking and we should have taken it. I was not harsh on the players though. A brace from Chantome was enough to see us past lowly Lens. Lille did us a favour in beating OM the next day to open up a 5 point gap in the league. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 12, 2013 Author Share Posted April 12, 2013 Nice work to top the group in the end, a bit of pressure in that last match. United should be a tough test but after a group like that theres no-one to fear.Doing well in the league too, got a nice little safety gap for nnow, hopefully you can just keep going as you are. Well we've put ourselves in a decent position in the tie with United. Only hope we can turn out a performance more like that of the first half rather than the second when they come to ours. I've been happy with how we've managed to keep going so well in the league with the distraction of Europe. I think OM are going to be there all the way, may need to get a similar points total as last season to retain our title. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 12, 2013 Author Share Posted April 12, 2013 Bastia were taken care of pretty comfortably and they hardly threatened our goal. We didn't create as many chances as I would have liked at home against a team in the bottom 3 but 3 points are what count. Lyon battered us in the first half but couldn't put the ball in the net. A few changes were made at half time and paid dividends as we scored from a free kick, holding on to take the win. PSG sacked their manager after a 5-1 defeat at Bastia. United came to the Stade Luois II and it all turned out ok. The first half was stinker. We produced much the better chances in the 2nd and fully deserved our victory. We were clearly suffering a massive hangover against Nancy as we went in 2-0 at half time and when more shocking defending gifted them a 3rd I just had to write the game off. No Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltablue Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 Who is next in the CL? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 12, 2013 Author Share Posted April 12, 2013 Who is next in the CL? I don't know yet. There was 2 week international break after the Nancy game, and it was 1am, so decided that was a good time to stop! Will hopefully get to that later today. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 13, 2013 Author Share Posted April 13, 2013 Only one team that finished second in their group went through. Both Madrid clubs are out as are Dortmund and holder Juventus. Whoever we draw it is going to be tough, but I won't lie, I'd happily take Shakhtar, Valencia or FCP. Spurs are 5 points clear at the top of the EPL, 10 points ahead of City, while Barca are in a 3 way tie at the top of La Liga with Valencia 8 points off the leading group. Bayern trail Dortmund by 3 points. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 13, 2013 Author Share Posted April 13, 2013 We'll take it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 13, 2013 Author Share Posted April 13, 2013 We returned from the international break to face bottom placed Rennais. Anderson scored a superb volley from the edge of the area to put us ahead and that's the way it stayed. OM drew at Sochaux to increase our lead to points. What can be considered an under strength team hosted Lille and it was going well when Chantome put us ahead with 2 goals in the 1st half. Niang, having a rare start, sealed the points. ECL quarter final time, a draw, and a veryg disappointing one as we had much better of the game and wasted chance after chance to take the lead and then to stretch it as FCP scored in the 82nd minute to take a valuable away goal into the second leg. The one positive, Ocampos scored his first goal in 8 hours, but his is out for 2 weeks with an injury. Before the second leg we faced Toulouse and an exciting first half saw four goals as we twice came from behind. Just as we thought the game was headed for a draw Chantome scored his second to get the points! OM surprisingly lost at home to Djion giving us a 9 point lead with 6 games remaining. And so we went to the Portuguese coast hoping we could continue our good form away from home in Europe. FCP took the lead on half time and I was outraged as there had clearly been a foul for them to take the possession and break. We were starting to look like we would not get the breakthrough until Dudu struck with only 4 minutes remaining. I was happy to go to extra time but much to my surprise Niang latched onto to a hopeful long ball and ran on to put it past the keeper to send us through! We will now face FC Bayern in the semi final. We had a much needed break before facing Tours in the league and we struggled to take the game to them. A few changes and Anderson, being one of them, got the goal. In the 83rd minute the ref awarded Tours a penalty but Sommer made and awesome save to deny them. A victory against Troyes coupled with defeat for OM would give us the title, but I could not place this game above importance to the forthcoming game against Bayern so a second string XI were fielded. We could not have hoped for a better start with Msakni slotting in, and by half time we looked like we'd be leaving with 3 points. Somehow with minutes remaining we had conspired to concede two very soft goals. Luckily Niang battled his way through the centre backs to give us a fourth but that was not the end as we gave away an injury time penalty but that was the last of it. Meanwhile OM drew with Lorient. We require just two points from the final 4 games to retain our title! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 13, 2013 Author Share Posted April 13, 2013 Surely the biggest match at the Stade Louis for 14 years. It saw a tense, and in all, honesty pretty poor match as Simonov stupidly giving away the ball in front of his own area lead to the only goal of the game. A win at home against Sochaux would deliver a second consecutive league title. Nani gave us a deserved lead and Goretzka added to it. Sochaux managed a late consolation but they did not have enough to deny us the points that gave us another championship with 3 games to spare! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 13, 2013 Author Share Posted April 13, 2013 Our away form has been pretty good in Europe with wins in Madrid, Liverpool and Porto as well as 1 2-2 draw at Old Trafford. We would need something as impressive as anything else we have done this season to get through to the final. After 6 minutes we had hope. We could not hold the lead until half time though. And that was our lot. All Bayern had was one shot on target all game. They put the shutters up and hardly anything happened in the 2nd half. So our European adventure ended. I am gutted about it, of course, as one goal could have done it for us. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 13, 2013 Author Share Posted April 13, 2013 A chance to regain some pride and put a real shine on our championship winning as we visited OM. We went 2-0 up after minutes and looking good. But left back Enrique decided to get a second yellow card to put us under pressure. In my opinion it was never a yellow as they seem to give so many for nothing challenges and always when a player is on one yellow. We held on pretty well for most of the game though OM got one back we got a late penalty to seal the win. A fine performance saw us brush Dijon aside with ease, though our young left back appeared to squeeze his brains out his ass and gifted a goal to Dijon late in the game. The last game of the 2018/19 season ended as it started with a game against Bordeaux, this time we did not inflict the same destruction on them as I played around with some tactics. A little annoyed as their goal was a result of our keeper flapping like a seal at the ball. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 13, 2013 Author Share Posted April 13, 2013 CHAMPIONS!!!!! WHY 2?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 13, 2013 Author Share Posted April 13, 2013 Always good Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 13, 2013 Author Share Posted April 13, 2013 Say what? Where's my stupid amounts of money?? I'm sure we can sort this out like gentleman Mr Chairman Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 13, 2013 Author Share Posted April 13, 2013 Season review 2018-2019 We can be happy with the defence of our league title and reaching the semi-final of the Champions League. We were 7 goals worse off but 2 points better and conceded the same amount of goals over the 38 matches, which I think is reasonable enough given that we were playing more games this season, ok we had more players but we did what we had to do domestically and exceeded all expectations in Europe. We didn't do well in the league cup and for some reason we weren't even in the french cup!! Not sure what that's all about! Players of the season Simonov - gave some top performances and was the main factor in winning several games, particularly in Europe. We spent 86M on players this season but our free transfer turned out to be the pick of the lot! Ocampos - again our top scorer, scored 7 less goals in the same amount of games, but still a class act at the top of the park. Muratovic - again played well at the back and topped the average rating of the team adding 5 goals to top off a very good season. Chantome - he didn't play too well in the first half of the season but redeemed himself in the second half being instrumental setting up and scoring goals to help us to the title Wallace - a good first season for the full back, left no doubt that he is first choice right back. Goretzka - also had a fine first season after a big money move. I haven't quite decided whether he will play the holding role or in central midfield but he performed well in both. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 13, 2013 Author Share Posted April 13, 2013 So what now? I'm pretty happy at Monaco and do fancy another crack at the ECL. There are not too many jobs out there, though one notable job is Athletic Madrid as Jose Mourinho has left to replace the retiring Martin Jol at Spurs. I think one more season in France will be just fine unless something really interesting comes my way before or during the season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielgear Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 Great progress at Monaco Id stay until you win champs league with them Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
b101 Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 Congrats on retaining your title, but that's a tough way to go out of Europe. I'd stay and try to crack the CL with Monaco before moving. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 14, 2013 Author Share Posted April 14, 2013 Great progress at Monaco Id stay until you win champs league with them Congrats on retaining your title, but that's a tough way to go out of Europe. I'd stay and try to crack the CL with Monaco before moving. Thanks fella. I'm pretty much thinking that too, have at least one more campaign, I am pretty happy at Monaco and I think a few more players this summer will give us the strength to have a chance of going one or two better in the ECL. I'd very much like to win it with Monaco but I am also aiming to win leagues in as many countries as possible. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 14, 2013 Author Share Posted April 14, 2013 Former club watch Great season for Bochum finishing above Schalke for this first time, and had a chance and getting into the ECL again but fell away at the end of the season. Schalke sacked their 3rd manager in 3 seasons since I left. Valenciennes failed to return to the top flight at the first time of asking despite having been in the top 3 for most of the season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 14, 2013 Author Share Posted April 14, 2013 Elsewhere in 2019 the silverware went to.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 14, 2013 Author Share Posted April 14, 2013 Interesting Have delayed the decision for a week so I can assess their squad, but I am likely to decline the offer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 16, 2013 Author Share Posted April 16, 2013 Rejected Atletico Madrid. Signed a new 2 year contract with Monaco. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltablue Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 That's still a very good amount of money at Monaco. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 16, 2013 Author Share Posted April 16, 2013 That's still a very good amount of money at Monaco. You're right it is, I suppose after spending $86m last season I was looking to be free spending again as the owner keeps throwing money at the club. I don't really need it as we're pretty good in most positions and I am looking to promote a few decent youth talents into the senior squad this season. There is a Brazilian left back that's on his way to Real Madrid for $41m that I would have liked to fight them for as I think I could have offered him enough wages to tempt to him, his stats are ridiculous and he could play most positions, if I remember correctly he has comparable poacher stats to Ocampos. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 17, 2013 Author Share Posted April 17, 2013 Friendlies and French Champions Trophy We claimed our second consecutive champions trophy with a convincing win over Troyes Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 17, 2013 Author Share Posted April 17, 2013 We began the season by going to newly promoted Nantes. We made hard work of it with 30 shots on target taking us until late in the game to guarantee the points after Ocampos's fine early strike. Ocampos again started the scoring against Bordeaux who got level through some shambolic play at the back. Ocampos then scored 3 goals to ensure we started the season with 6 points. A trip to Nice, our most fierce rivals, we are expected to win with ease, leading 1-0 at half time but not exactly dominating, Nani struck to give us a 2 goal gap before Simonov got his second and Hamel rounded off a superb second half. The match stats all show an even game except for the score line. Happy with 3 wins from 3, granted 2 were against newly promoted teams but away wins are always good no matter who the opponent is. Particularly please with our goal scoring this month. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 17, 2013 Author Share Posted April 17, 2013 Celebrated my 300th game in management against Bordeaux Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 17, 2013 Author Share Posted April 17, 2013 Real Madrid spent $41m on this guy, I would definitely have spent the money on him if I had it. Not sure I could have afforded those wages though. With the exception of finishing he could play pretty much anywhere in our team's attack, would have retrained him to be a left inside forward. May be Real will come knocking one day. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 17, 2013 Author Share Posted April 17, 2013 Our ECL group draw looks kinder than last season. Still very tough games though and we'll do well to progress into the knockout stages. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animosama Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 How is your stadium size and youth facilities n youth intake treating you ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 17, 2013 Author Share Posted April 17, 2013 How is your stadium size and youth facilities n youth intake treating you ? Our stadium is still 18521 and the board won't consider expansion or building a new one, but that's not too bothersome as it's not like we need it to increase our revenue. Youth facilities are top, we have some decent youngsters coming through, suppose I should think about posting some of them. I also got a load of new youth coaches in during the summer and we now have 4-4.5* for all coaching in both the senior squad and U19s. I will be giving more game time to a 19yo left back who did really well last season when called upon due to injuries and a 21yo centre mid who looks like he can do a good job but I have found it difficult to put him in ahead of our established 3 CMs so far, 2 of our CMs are 31 now so want to put him in and see if he is going to be able to step up to regular first team action. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbilly Posted April 17, 2013 Author Share Posted April 17, 2013 Transfers In Senturk Cagirtekin - possess all the stats required of a poacher at 15+. We struggled last season when Ocampos got injured as Niang failed to fill his boots. Having another option will be handy Sergio Barbone- I've been keeping an eye on this guy for a few years now and am happy to have signed him. With the departure of Kagelmacher and Priesta not being as good as our scouts told me we now have another quality option an CB, and he's already got 2 goals. Peter Adema- A back up keeper, Gotte didn't realise he was nowhere near as good as Sommer and kept asking to be first choice so this was tied up in January. Was a bit miffed that he has already demanded a loan move after 3 league games when his status is backup. He may not last long here. Isco - became available so I took a punt on him, not sure if it will pay off. I was looking for a player to replace Dudu, who had performed poorly in more games than I consider reasonable last season, I couldn't find anyone for decent money that wasn't Brazilian, and with the 4 non-EU players quota that wasn't an option. Not sure if it will pay off. On the 4 non-EU players rule, the annoying this is that it takes just short of 10 years to become a citizen in Monaco so Ocampos who has been here since he was 18 is still classed as a foreigner. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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