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This should be a pretty easy month in terms of fatigue with only five matches meaning we'll have three weeks in which we only have a match on Saturday. Which likely means next month with be a gauntlet of epic proportions. I'm sure that's how it works. Even better, if the FA Cup draw goes our way, four of our matches will be at home.
McLeish I can understand as he had a significant injury. But O'Keeffe?! Jerk. Ferreira continues he awesomeness and I'm glad to see newly-arrived Peers gets it.
Not what I was expecting but we lost £30,037. Now we have just under £25.5 million in the bank. Oh how will we ever make it?
Still "Untouchable" but down to 83% with the season expectations resetting themselves. Along with that, the fans are quite upset about our performance in the transfer market. I totally understand that. Really, I do!
Same, same.
New hire Sean Peers put in a good month of training. I'm kind of in a mindset of dropping Collopy to the U23s and bringing up Peers or Jose Parker. Maybe Peer as he could then provide cover at DR too. Decisions are hard!
With Johnstone gone I do have to bring up a DR and my AssMan thinks youngin Pat Lawford is the best option. But I think I'll pick Peers as he can also play DC and this makes Collopy easier to move. Also, I really want to keep 17s and under in the U18s for as long as reasonably possible. I think over-using kids to soon is one of the reasons they get bad training reports.
Speaking of Collopy, he's barely keeping his job over Jose Parker. Collopy has a better Work Rate and Pace but his Jumping Reach is a bit shameful at 8, especially when you consider his 185cm height. If Parker gets up to 12 in Pace and 10 in Work Rate AND Collpy is still single-digit jumping, I'll make the change. Unregardless™ Collopy's contract is up at the end of the season and he'll be gone.
I have decided we are going to go with the 4-2-4 Control formation. I'm calling it Front 424, which is a nod to that Belgian band Front 242. Give 'em a listen. I think if you like Gary Numan you'll like them.
Yeah! A week between matches. I hope to get some players rested before the two-a-weeks resume.
Nice to see we continue to represent in the Conference South Team of the Week. Even nicer is seeing our new AML McGregor and our new-for-now DR Ferreira.
Another new thing is the Player of the Month award. Macey misses out, coming in second. If he didn't have that shit match against Dartford, missing a penalty, he probably would have won.
Also, now we get emails about the Manager of the Month. Yours truly wins it, I guess winning all your matches by a combined score of 25 to 1 will ensure that.
On 3 September my Chief Scout suggests offering Tommy Watkins a new contract. He's currently on 170 a week and locked until 2022 plus 1. My inclination is always to say no but with Hibbert gone now he's the clear starter. Then the Ghost of Bill Taylor enters my vision. I don't want to have exorbitant wages again. I'll just wait for him to complain repeatedly.
More importantly, also on 3 September we have a scouting meeting and they present to me a 17-year-old Irish leftback named Mark Curran. Hmmm... The scouts rate him at 4.5 stars and our current best DL, Dean Rice, has only 3.5 potential. He wouldn't be available until 27 January 2021 when he turns 18, a quirk of Irish law. His value is (l)4,500 and the scouts think it'll take (l)65,000 to wrest him away. I'll start the low-balling at (l)10,000, just over double his value. If this past summer taught me anything it's that teams higher up will try to lowball teams lower down the pyramid. Curran's team, Waterford, are in the Irish First Division, which has less reputation than our current league. Time to act like a megabastard. Yep, 10 keys sounds about right.
Well blow me down and shiver me timbers, they accept the offer the next day. Before I can suggest a contract I have to make certain promises. He wants to be a Backup and his Interest is Dubious. (It was higher in the scouting report. That's two more times my scouts have been wrong.) Luckily his birthday is during a transfer window so I guess come January I'll sell Dean Rice on and make Vice Admiral James Jefcoate starter again. (What? Vice Captain? Right, right.) I suggest Hot Prospect, and promise playing time next season and that we'll win the league. He accepts that and for a contract I offer £400 per week, £1,000 signing bonus, and 25% promotion wage raise for a 2.5 year contact.
Pretty neat stuff, Angelino Ferreira gets the call up for the Angolan seniors match against Nigeria for the African Cup of Nations qualifying round group play. (That's a lot of words on something I'm not too familiar with, I hope I got it right.)
You again? Promise to make it easier for us? See, I've got these new player to integrate and our DR is making his debut. Please? I didn't think you would.
vs. Weymouth, 5 September 2020
Formation: Front 424 (GK, DR, DC r, DC l, DL, MC r, MC l, AMR, AML, ST r , ST l)
Starting XI: Legg, Peers, Nightingale, O'Shea, Rice, Taylor, Noulas, Watkins, McGregor, Macey, McLeish
Subs: Smith, Jefcoate, Lemon, Leary, Flitcroft
Despite losing the ball repeatedly in the middle third McLeish is able to send a low cross to the left post for an easy Macey tap in not even 5 minutes on. A brace comes not 4 minutes later from a Weymouth mistake. In first half injury time Nightingale makes a mistake and Legg proves his liability once again. We get a goal called back because Macey was offisides during a free kick. What a frustrating knucklehead. I have to bring off Noulas, McGregor, and Watkins for ineffectiveness but Lemon, Leary, and Flitcroft bring nothing to the table. We were lucky to win today.
I told the crew we were poor today and got away with it. All of them agree and get motivated. We ended the match with only 5 of 20 shots on goal.POM: Eddie Macey 8.8 (2 goals, 1 key pass, 1 chance created)
Why does Weymouth have our number? A mystery for the Universe to solve. Oh, and McGregor bruised his jaw so will likely miss the next match.
The FA Cup is really the only cup that matters and we enter into the Second Qualifying Round. Lucky us, we get to host Hoddesdon or Banstead, teams so low they're next to Davey Jones' locker.
Mark Curran agrees early on the morning of 7 September but he won't join us until 27 January. I'll show the player card then but just know that his Decisions is 14, Teamwork is 16, and Natural Fitness is 16.
Do you see what I see? (Do you see what I see?) Two stars, two stars, shining in the light, we produced them, yes, that is right. We produced them, yes, that is right.
I assuming that is Kemar and Shane Pilcher. To be fair, Pilcher started life at Bristol Manor Farm and spent just 2 years and 2 months with us. I guess the FM maths only counts whole years and rounds up.
What in Hades? DR Sean Peers made the team of the week. He rated 7.4 and had an assist in our match. Not a bad debut.
In international news, Gareth O'Keeffe had a mediocre performance for the Irish U21s against Israel, conceding two goals. Mickey Morris on the other hand rated 7.1 in 19 minutes of action for Wales' U19s 3-1 victory of Montenegro.
Today we face a minnow so it's a wonderful time to get some non-Seniors some playing time. Though we get to use 12 subs I probably won't use too many of them as I kind of want to save their debuts when they've earned it. But necessity is mother of substitution.
vs. Clevedon, 8 September 2020
Formation: Front 424
Starting XI: Legg, Ferreira, Smith, Collopy, Jefcoate, Davies, Ferguson, Robinson, Leary, Flitcroft, Rae
Subs: Webb, Peers, Parker, Murphy, Sterling, O'Reilly, McAdam, Agu, Barnett, Flynn, Khinda, Buckle
So there we were, at home, enjoying a nice cool, clear evening when Rae gets a hat trick plus one and Legg loses a clean sheet. We again were poor on shot quality though (9 of 24) and that bothers me. Despites Flitcroft's good rating and two assists, he hit the woodworks twice and missed an easy one by a wide mark. DL Sam Sterling makes his debut at the 60' mark.
POM: Alex Rae 9.9 (4 goals, 1 assist, 3 key passes, 2 chances created)
Kinda a bummed about the crowd size, we only made around £12,000 on the day.
For the next round of the FA Trophy we get another minnow in Tower Hamlets and get to host, to boot. Probably still won't draw a large crowd.
Whilst reviewing the scouting reports on 11 September my staff suggest an 18-year-old central defender who is Accomplished at both fullback positions. Scout Ronnie Hughes who is 14/13 at Judging Ability/Judging Potential rates him at 5 stars. Sadly, he also has a 5 Determination. He'd be an O'Shea project. He'd also cost between £170k and £350k. I send my AssMan to take a look, and if he and his 17/17 also rate him 5 stars, I'll make a bid.
Another minnow but I'm running out the starters for the most part. I'm putting U18's Pat Lawford in a DR to see how he does. Really not comfortable with Ferreira or Peers there yet. If Lawford shines then I might elevate him permanently. Don't want to, but a needs must.
vs. Mossley, 12 September 2020
Formation: Front 424
Starting XI: Webb, Lawford, Nightingale, O'Shea, Rice, Lemon, Roberts, Watkins, McGregor, Macey, McLeish
Subs: Legg, Peers, Ferreira, Smith, Pike, Harding, Noulas, Robinson, Leary, Flitcroft, Hollett, Davies
It takes us 44 minutes to crack the Mossley defense, completely unacceptable. Macey and McLeish are in the low sixes in their rating and get the most harsh of admonishments. At least Lawford is putting in a defensive effort that it catching my eye; his crossing not so much. At the half we are accurate on 5 of 21 shots. With 6.2s in hand, Macey and McLeish exit the field and unproven Hollett and Flitcroft come on. After 5 minutes Flitcroft gets his first Brixton goal but I'm still not pleased. To make matters worse, O'Shea misses a penalty. Well, he kicked it right at the goalie. And yes, he was the most capable at Penalty Taking of those on the field at the time. We ended with 11 of 33 shots on the mark.
POM: Tommy Watkins 9.0 (1 assist, 7 key passes, 5 chances created)
Lawford rates a 7.7 and had one key pass. Not too bad all things considered.
Macey and McLeish get fines after the match and complain about it. I meet them individually and explain they squandered too many chance. The both accept my reasoning.
Draw time! Our lucky streak continues with us hosting a minnow. On one hand, yay, easy opponent. On the second hand, we just continue to play down to the level of our foes. At least we're at home? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
That central defender I was raving about last week? Graham Rutherford, my AssMan, confirms his 5-starness. I offer Plymouth £200,000 but they counter with £375,000 plus 40% of profit from next sale. How about £300,000 and 30%? They accept.
Alfie on the other hand isn't so convinced. He wants to be a Backup and I have to make promises as he's Extremely Doubtful. I promise to play him from the bench and that we'll win the league. I end up having to offer quite a pretty penny. He gets £750 p/w until 2022 and will get a £200 appearance fee. If he gets in 5 matches in the last year of his contract and we get promoted his contract will extend a year. Here is Alfie Barnes:
Kind of impressive, right? I'll work on Heading, Positioning, Strength, and Jumping Reach. I'll get O'Shea to mentor him on 1 October.
Will we perform like the badasses we are or will we eek out a victory, leaving me bald?
vs. Hoddesdon, 19 September 2020
Formation: Front 424
Starting XI: O'Keeffe, Ferreira, Nightingale, O'Shea, Rice, Taylor, Coates, Watkins, McGregor, Macey, McLeish
Subs: Legg, Peers, Barnes, Smith, Jefcoate, Lemon, Roberts, Robinson, Leary, Flitcroft, Rae, Noulas
When you botch a locker room speech you start the match worried. My dread ends after 14 minutes courtesy of Watkins but I only have a few minutes of respite as we give away an easy header from a corner. Eventually McLeish has a brace and Nightingale gets his first of the season. At 65' I do Ye Olde Outfield Swap and the only action is Peers getting his first assist with a long ball to Rae for a goal.
POM: Eddie Macey 8.9 (2 assists, 5 key passes, 2 chances created)
Alfie Barnes got his debut and didn't shine, which isn't too unusual for late-game subs.
We are on to the next round of the FA Cup and thus we have a draw the next day. Again, we face another Conference South team we've already played; Havant & W get the honor of hosting us.
(Wow, what an uninteresting week. I guess no news is good news.)
Okay, so we haven't faced Torquay yet in league play but are due to beat (whoops!) play them on 14 November. Until then, we'll play them like the relegation-bound team they currently are. Torquay is a port on the southern coast, 163 miles to the west-southwest of Brixton, way out on the isthmus but not quite to Cornwall.
at Torquay, 26 September 2020
Formation: Front 424
Starting XI: O'Keeffe, Peers, Ferreira, Nightingale, Rice, Taylor, Coates, Watkins, McGregor, Macey, McLeish
Subs: Legg, Barnes, Collopy, Smith, Jefcoate, Harding, Ferguson, Robinson, Leary, Flitcroft, Rae, Davies
It's a good day when your first goal is a header off a corner by your young DR who's learning the ways of the DC. Better yet, it's Ferreira's first ever goal. It's gets better when your strikers know how to read each other leading to a perfect low cross to the center and an easy tap in. Things just keep getting better including Coates' first of the season.
POM: Derek McLeish 9.4 (2 goals, 1 key pass)
Well, that was a keelhauling and it seems we're back to being our dominant selves. It's good to end the month on a really high note.
Yeah! For the next round of the League Cup we get to host. Considering the number of Conference National teams we could have drawn I feel good about getting a team that is 10th in our league.
On the Monday after our Torquay match our U23s had a league match. Padraig Murphy rated at 5.3. Yikes! I decide to give him an official warning. He accepts his warning without comment.
As you can see, there were only two improved starters this last month. McGregor I expected as his rating is normalizing having been at the club another month. Watkins is pure bonus. I've already forgotten Dr. Hibbert. Now what was his first name...?
I haven't factored in Mark Curran as he isn't here yet and the off chance my scouts were completely wrong about his future potential. There's a lot of interest in Nightingale so he will probably move on come January to be replaced by Barnes. Alfie's too new to put him ahead of other right-footed centrebacks right now. Last month's arrival Sean Peers is now my second DR in my list of The 23, which is The 14 plus back-ups.
Well, another lossless month in the books. We started out mediocre and have several very worrying offensive performances. Along the way we found two great, young hidden gems. So I am pleased.
While looking for the next subject of this section I noticed something weird. Back in April 2018 there were a lot of offers for McLeish and Collopy. Two of those teams were none other than Weymouth and Clevedon, clubs we faced (and beat) this month. It's a small world after all?
Also, I'd like to point out (again?) that for someone who was just supposed to be a U18 body, stopgap measure McLeish is now a starter who gave us five goals this month.