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Again with the crummy training performances!
We lost just over £200,000 in October, quite the increase over the previous months. The largest increase came from the “Other” category, which includes “advertising, supplies, and other general expenses.” No idea what would have caused that.
Okay, this is where our streak ends. Aldershot are in Conference National so we are well and truly fucked.
at Aldershot, 7 November 2017
Formation: 4-4-2 Standard (GK, DR, DC r, DC l, DL, MR, MC r, MC l, ML, ST r, ST l)
Starting XI: Legg, Maguire, Day, Carroll, Jefcoate, Pearson, Barlow, Smith, Duckett, Macey, O'Donnell
Subs: Webb, Clark, Spearing, Parker, Jones, Cullen, McAdam, Martin, Taylor, Rae
Just as I thought, we really had no chance. They score early and roughly 18 minutes later Day gives them a two-goal lead from a deflection off his shin. I encourage the team at half-time and switch to the Spade. We do manage to pull one back off the goalie’s suddenly-rocky hands thanks to Pearson, but it’s too little too late. Oh well, it was never really in the cards. Plus we made about £10,000 on the day.
Through late October into early November I signed several players to the U18s, very few of which are particularly talented or interesting. Well, there are two who are interesting-ish, the strikers. Their names are Declan McNulty and Derek McLeish. If they by some miracle become our leading strikers I will call them collectively The Mickey Ds.
One player, Andy Hodgson, costs us £10,000 to pry him away from Blackpool. He’s a fast right winger who might be better than Jones.
It’s Veteran’s Day and I feel comfortable that the Youths of Brixton will play like veteran footballers. Comfortable enough to put Webb in goal and get Al-Ziod his debut.
vs. Soham, 11 November 2017
Formation: 4-4-2 Standard
Starting XI: Webb, Maguire, Day, Carroll, Al-Ziod, Pearson, Barlow, Smith, Duckett, Macey, O'Donnell
Subs: Legg, Parker, Clark, Spearing, Jefcoate, Jones, Nixon, McAdam, Martin, Taylor, Rae
A pretty hum-drum match. O’Donnell scored early and Macey got one off a penalty but he repeatedly kept kicking the ball right at the goalie. I chastised him at the half and 35 seconds in he scores. There were way too many yellow cards, including Macey’s third of the season so I brought him off for Taylor who too proved that strikers can pick up yellows. And we’re on to the 5th round!
POM: O’Donnell (1 goal, 7 key passes, 3 chances created)
FA Vase Draw time! We get Wellingborough who thankfully are at the same level as we are but unfortunately it’s an away game.
On the Good News Front, I get an email from my AssMan that Paul Taylor is a “Potential League One Talent” now. I also learn from the email that Macey is a “Highly Influential Player” now. Sadly, nobody has moved up to become an Influential Player.
Are you thinking what I’m thinking? If Taylor, with 4 stars is League One and Macey has 4.5 stars, he must be a Championship talent? Then that must make O’Donnell Premier League?!?!?! I sure hope so! And Chick Legg for that matter, too!
I’m rotating a lot due to fixture congestion and switch to Spade to get Nixon some more game experience.
at Deal, 14 November 2017
Formation: Spade (GK, DR, DC r, DC l, DL, MC r, MC l, AMR, AMC, AML, ST c)
Starting XI: Legg, Parker, Clark, Spearing, Jefcoate, Donaldson, McAdam, Jones, Nixon, Martin, Rae
Subs: Webb, Maguire, Day, Carroll, Al-Ziod, Cullen, Barlow, Pearson, O'Donnell, Duckett, Taylor, Macey
The players are timid and nervous until 26’ when Parker gets stuck on the left side in the aftermath of a free kick. He decides to take the ball up the left flank and finds Rae at the near post for a squeaky-bum goal. The lackluster performance continues until 73’ when we get a penalty and Clark gets his first goal of the season. (Yes, his 5 Penalty Taking and 1 Finishing made him the best choice.) On the restart, Day continues his bout of fuckery when he tries to hold up the ball on the 6-yard line only to be robbed and Chicken Leg loses his clean sheet pay. Five minutes later Martin and Rae hook up in the 18-yard box to give us a more comfortable lead.
POM: Sam Martin (1 assist, 4 key passes, 3 chances created)
I think it’s fair to mention that still, I may have overpowered things by giving us a Sugar Daddy and excellent facilities. Since 1 October the U18s have had six friendlies and not lost. They’ve outscored their opponents 21 to 1.
at Croydon, 18 November 2017
Formation: Spade
Starting XI: Legg, Maguire, Day, Carroll, Al-Ziod, Barlow, Smith, Pearson, O'Donnell, Duckett, Macey
Subs: Webb, Parker, Clark, Spearing, Jefcoate, Cullen, McAdam, Jones, Taylor, Martin, Rae
Remember how Staples used to sell those big “EASY” buttons? You’d press it and a semi-robotic voice would say, “That was easy!” I would have smashed it if I had one. Counter-attack, Barlow, Duckett, Macey’s skull, and we’re up. That was 3:15 in and then 3:14 later off a throw-in it’s Al-Ziod, Smith, Pearson’s skull. And 6:30 later a sliding tackle on Macey sees O’Donnell sink a penalty. And at 27:30 it’s the Pearson specialty of a cross to Duckett who embarrasses the goalie. Then holy shit, we get our first direct goal off a corner! Carroll gets the honor. After that everything is quiet and I swap out pretty much everyone but Legg, Carroll, and O’Donnell and then we get a second penalty at 68’ and O’Donnell does not disappoint.
POM: Ben O’Donnell (2 goals, 4 key passes, 3 chances created)
The mystery has been solved on why I could see Shady; he’s a dual-citizen of Jordan and England. Derp de derp. Don’t know how I missed that.
I’m trying something a little different. I’m putting O’Donnell on the right as an Advanced Forward and Macey on the left as a Deep Lying Forward in a Support role.
vs. Tunbridge Wells, 25 November 2017
Formation: 4-4-2 Standard (GK, DR, DC r, DC l, DL, MR, MC r, MC l, ML, ST r, ST l)
Starting XI: Webb, Maguire, Day, Carroll, Jefcoate, Pearson, Barlow, Smith, Duckett, O'Donnell, Macey
Subs: Legg, Parker, Clark, Spearing, Al-Ziod, Jones, Donaldson, McAdam, Martin, Taylor, Rae
Another quick start courtesy of O’Donnell and it was a well-placed shot. And then nothing. Just uninspired play. Carroll was nervous from the get-go, got a yellow in the first half and got a header in off a corner only for it to be called offsides somehow. I let them know that was a bit of a let-off and most players got fired up. Martin got stressed and also got stressed when I put him on and demanded a performance. So he has a low Pressure rating. Noted.
I guess my experiment of switching the strikers around backfired.
POM: James Jefcoate (4 key passes)
More good news rolls in with an email from my AssMan noting that Daniel Duckett is a “Potential League One Talent” now.
Another easy month is in the book. We knew we were going to lose to Aldershot but in a few years’ time we’ll get our revenge in the Conference South and defeat them twice. I now have a full crew of U18 players and they are winning and getting great training, even if some of them will not be around long.
