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Mixed training news. I can’t believe Duckett had a poor showing, he’s been developing so nicely.
Huzzah! We made £21,388 in August! Now I have to realize that sale of Ben O’Donnell was the reason. Dangit.
Still “Untouchable” but down to 77% mostly because of O’Donnell’s departure. Really? You realize that was an inevitability, right?
Everything’s cool on this front.
A first for me happened. I got an email about a player completing an intensive language course. Al-Ziod is now rated Good at speaking English.
So as I mentioned earlier, I’m switching up our formations to make it so we don’t dominate so easily. The first new formation is the Club.
Now let’s see what we can do with this new formation against Didcot.
vs. Didcot, 1 September 2018
Formation: Club (GK, DC r, DC c, DC l, WBR, WBL, MC r, MC c, MC l, ST r, ST l)
Starting XI: Legg, Pilcher, Spearing, Carroll, Maguire, Al-Ziod, Harding, Barlow, Nixon, Macey, Kirkpatrick
Subs: Webb, Day, Nightingale, Smith, Parker, Jefcoate, Cullen, McAdam, Donaldson, Taylor, Pearson, Duckett
It takes just over 15 minutes but our new formation “worked.” We didn’t Control our way up the field, we had three players hoof it forward which lead to a Macey and Kemar breakaway, the first getting the assist, the second getting the goal. Another change I made was making Harding our Corner and Free Kick taker. He proves I made the right choice after he sends in a kick to the box where Nixon passes it to Kemar and it’s two-nil. Two minutes later we are gifted a soft penalty and Kemar converts. And two minutes later another breakaway sees Kemar returning the favor for Macey. This is too easy.
At 60’ I do Ye Olde Outfield Swap™ and switch back to the Spade in hopes of getting Pearson up to Natural in AMR. (Is there an echo in here?) Duckett to Taylor, Pearson to Duckett, all in a day’s work.
In a rare moment, I get the post-game speech right. I tell them they did great but not to let it get to their heads. 13 of the 21 players who played “Seemed motivated” or “Seemed to gain focus”.
POM: Kemar Kirkpatrick (3 goals, 1 assist, 3 key passes, 2 chances created)
Another player turns 17 and immediately gets a contract offer. This time it’s our first-choice sub at goalie, Robert Webb. He was only asking for £220.
vs. Cinderford, 5 September 2018
Formation: Club
Starting XI: Legg, Pilcher, Spearing, Carroll, Maguire, Al-Ziod, Harding, Barlow, Nixon, Macey, Kirkpatrick
Subs: Webb, Day, Nightingale, Smith, Parker, Jefcoate, Cullen, McAdam, Donaldson, Taylor, Pearson, Duckett
An early Carroll card worries me and is followed soon after with one for Shady. At 11’ my worries skyrocket as Barlow is injured and has to come off; it looks like it’s an upper body injury. Five minutes later Smith gets an assist feeding Macey an easy layup. Ten minutes later it’s a future trend: Macey feeds Kemar for a slam dunk. Then a reverse to make it 3-0. After the restart Kemar gets another placed shot and after the swap out and move to the Spade, Pearson gets on the scoreboard courtesy of Duckett.
POM: Kemar Kirkpatrick (2 goals, 1 assist, 3 key passes, 2 chances created)
Oh boy, we might have to go back to the Spade. Barlow’s gonna be out for 3 to 5 weeks with “Fractured Ribs”.
On the “Players Requesting New Contracts Though They’re Signed to 2020 Front” Maguire’s agent harassed me right after the game, saying he needs a new contract. Maguire doesn’t turn 17 until the penultimate day of the season but in this case I think he deserves the new contract as he’s only making £110/week.
OH YEAH! We have 2,290 fans in the stadium. Another tunnel interview, I wonder what dumb question they’ll ask today? They wanted to know why I am fielding a whole new starting eleven. I explain that they all deserve to play. No idea how this will be accepted by the players and if I’ll even be able to tell.
vs. Stocksbridge, 8 September 2018
Formation: Spade (GK, DR, DC r, DC l, DL, MC r, MC l, AMR, AMC, AML, ST c)
Starting XI: Webb, Parker, Day, Nightingale, Jefcoate, Donaldson, McAdam, Pearson, Cullen, Duckett, Taylor
Subs: Legg, Maguire, Spearing, Carroll, Al-Ziod, Thompson, Harding, Hodgson, Nixon, Jones, Macey, Pilcher
Oh jesus. Just before 6’ Duckett has to come out. It seems to put a damper on the mood as it takes until after 22’ to finally show signs of life and this Donaldson chap really shows how to take single-touch, long-range shots, this one a 17-yarder from inside the box. That was all the happened in the first half, which introduces me to a rare emotion: Worry.
Our opponent comes out on fire but are a bit off target. At 65’ I have to swap out Jefcoate, Day, and Taylor who are underperforming. It does nothing for us and in the final minute Stocksbridge get a breakaway but Webb is able to swaddle the shot. At least the lads know they underperformed, especially Jefcoate with his 6.3. Luckily they all get Fired Up by my speech.
POM: David Donaldson (1 goal, 2 key passes)
Oh man, I’m gonna get FMed. Duckett is out 2 to 3 weeks for pulled ankle ligaments. Ugh. On the flip side, we made almost £29,000 for the match.
For the FA Cup Second Qualifying Round we get to travel to Ascot. They are a league below us so I feel confident. This time I’ll field the Starting XI, can’t risk getting bounced out of the FA Cup! For the FA Trophy we get Frickley, if we get past AFC Liverpool.
at AFC Liverpool, 12 September 2018
Formation: Spade
Starting XI: Legg, Maguire, Spearing, Carroll, Al-Ziod, Harding, Smith, Pearson, Nixon, Macey, Kirkpatrick
Subs: Webb, Parker, Day, Nightingale, Jefcoate, Thompson, Cullen, Hodgson, Taylor, Jones, Rae, McAdam
After 42 minutes of golden opportunities and opponent golden cards we finally strike gold with a Macey cross to Kemar's head. We are really missing Barlow and Duckett. A stern yet Calm talking-to during the break gets ‘em Fired Up. However, nothing happens in the first 20 minutes so I do an outfield swap and demand they put on a show which sends everyone into Deep Thoughts (by Jack Handey) and Rae gets Stressed. In the 75th we finally get a sequence of action. Cullen poorly tries a free kick and the rebounding eventually finds Hodgson alone in the box to the right and he amazingly gets it past the keeper. I immediately make a COVID-level lockdown and jigger everything to the most defensive I possibly can.
POM: Andy Hodgson (1 goal)
Well that is a rarity! A sub getting the POM award. Relish that, young man!
Appleton and Cullen both turn 17 but Cullen is the only one worth signing to a new contract. He is now making £230/week.
vs. Guernsey, 15 September 2018
Formation: Club (GK, DC r, DC c, DC l, WBR, WBL, MC r, MC c, MC l, ST r, ST l)
Starting XI: Legg, Pilcher, Spearing, Carroll, Maguire, Al-Ziod, Harding, Smith, Nixon, Macey, Kirkpatrick
Subs: Webb, Day, Nightingale, Jones, Parker, Jefcoate, Thompson, Donaldson, McAdam, Taylor, Rae, Pearson
I think one of the cool things about Football Manager is that you can actually see the players’ roles shine through in the match engine. Case in point is our first two goals. Harding as a Mezzala has drifted wide to receive a pass, he spots Macey and gets the assist on the goal. Two minutes later Maguire as a Wingback is about halfway into Guernsey’s territory when he receives a pass from Macey. He dribbles in a bit and spots a charging Kemar. His cross is inch-perfect and Kemar’s right foot rockets the ball home.
Did I mention we’re going to get FMed? Smith goes down just before 59’ with a potential foot injury. Naturally, I do Ye Olde Outfield Swap™. That pays off with a Rae goal. Shortly thereafter our opponent’s midfielder gets his second yellow and it’s easy street from there out.
POM: Mark Nixon (1 goal, 5 key passes, 1 chance created)
Fuck. Another ankle ligaments incident. Connor Smith will be out 3 to 4 weeks.
Another bit of interesting news came in. Everton are sniffing around Robert Carroll. Though Everton are in the Championship, last season they were in the EPL. Methinks Carroll is a Premier League talent?
We have another draw, this time FA Vase Third Round. We’ll travel to Trafford who are in a league comparable to ours. In other words, should be a cakewalk.
There’s a gap in our schedule on 28 September so I offer a friendly at Brockwell Gardens to the Fulham U23s and they accept. We should make some money off the match.
Another week, another youngster turning 17. This time it’s our Professional Angolan, Angelino Ferreira. With a Determination of 15 and a Professional personality I thought of maybe keeping him around long-term so he could be the leader of the U23s and be a habitual mentor. I offer him a low-wage contract that could keep him in South London until 2021, at least.
at Bitton, 18 September 2018
Formation: Spade (GK, DR, DC r, DC l, DL, MC r, MC l, AMR, AMC, AML, ST c)
Starting XI: Legg, Pilcher, Day, Nightingale, Parker, Harding, McAdam, Pearson, Donaldson, Macey, Taylor
Subs: Webb, Maguire, Spearing, Carroll, Jefcoate, Nixon, Cullen, Hodgson, Thompson, Jones, Rae, Kirkpatrick
An early goal helps things along but it’s over 30 minutes before we strike second blood. On the kickoff we get complacent and they score immediately. And then they go and commit a penalty on Taylor after the restart! Just like that, Noah Harding gets his first Brixton goal.
In the second I bring on some players who are getting low on Match Fitness: Cullen (BBM), Thompson (SS), Hodgson (AML) and Rae (Poacher). It’s only a matter of a few minutes when Hodgson sends a corner kick right to McAdam near the penalty spot, spelling the demise of Bitton.
POM: Simon McAdam (1 goal, 1 assist, 1 key pass)
Even before winning a POM award, Billericay offered me £1,000 for Simon McAdam. They come asking again and again I say, “No.”
at Ascot, 22 September 2018
Formation: Spade
Starting XI: Webb, Maguire, Spearing, Carroll, Al-Ziod, Harding, McAdam, Pearson, Nixon, Macey, Kirkpatrick
Subs: Legg, Parker, Day, Nightingale, Jefcoate, Thompson, Donaldson, Jones, Cullen, Hodgson, Rae, Taylor
Another slow start, Pearson scores in the 20th after intercepting a pass from Ascot’s left central defender in the 6-yard box. That opens the floodgates as Macey, Kemar and Kemar quickly strike true. It’s been a while since a DC scored off a corner so it’s nice to see Carroll get one, though it was with his foot, not his head. After Kemar’s hat trick just after 58’ I make major swaps to get the other gents up to scratch.
POM: Kemar Kirkpatrick (3 goals)
More draws! Good bit of luck, we get to host two games! We get to host Gosport in the Southern League Cup, supposing we get past Beaconsfield, and Harrogate in the FA Cup. Harrogate are in the Conference National North so they pose a problem. Hopefully that also means a bigger crowd.
Billericay continue their pursuit of McAdam but they have yet to up their offer so I deny them.
On 26 September I get an email that the United Kingdom left the European Union and rules changes will be announced in the coming weeks. While setting up the database I ran 3 multi-year simulations to see what effects Brexit would have on this save. The rules shouldn’t change at all. I guess we’ll find out soon.
It’s time for that friendly against Fulham’s U23s. I’m hoping to get a lot of people and make some money. It ended in a 2-2 tie but many starters, most notably Maguire, Nixon, and Kemar, performed poorly. We attracted over 6,100 fans and made over £46,000. Hopefully morale doesn’t take a hit. The match was on a Friday so they already have Saturday off but I also give them Sunday as I don’t want any jadedness creeping in.
I tried to institute new formations to make the games more of a challenge but the easy victories still came. That is, until the injuries to three starters changed things. We persevered though there were some close calls. We remain in all the cups. Everything's cool.
