Asier Villalibre and his trumpet
JANUARY
Lineup - Simon, Capa, Yeray (Vivian), Inigo Martinez, Yuri, Vencedor (Vesga), Gavi, N.Williams (Morcillo), Sancet, Muniain (Serrano), Villalibre (Bravo)
The top 2 went head to head here and they got the points thanks to their early goal. We probably deserved a draw as this was an awful match but in all honesty we created nothing and were absolutely toothless up front. We have now failed to score in 3 of our last 4 league matches.
We had won all of our home matches up to this point so that is another disappointing aspect of the defeat.
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Supercopa de Espana Semi-Final
Lineup - Simon, Capa (A.Nunez), Yeray, Inigo Martinez, Yuri, Vencedor, Gavi, N.Williams (Serrano), Sancet, Muniain, Villalibre (Raul Garcia)
Yet again we fail to score as we lose our hold of the Supercopa. This time however we were by far the better side but without Inaki Williams up front there is nobody, absolutely nobody, who we can rely on to score goals. It is pathetic really. We had double the shots of Atletico and treble the shots on target but we just cant score!
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Lineup - Simon, Capa (A,Nunez), Yeray (U.Nunez), Inigo Martinez (Vivian), Yuri (Saborit), Vencedor (Guridi), Gavi, N.Williams, Artola, Muniain,
Villalibre*
WHAT A COMEBACK!!!!
We got back in amongst the goals here as we came back from 2-0 down to triumph 3-2 over a struggling Villarreal side. Muniain pulled a goal back before half time and Villalibre took advantage of some comical defending to head into an empty net to level things and then in stoppage time he scored the winner after VAR allowed the goal.
Saborit and Guridi - my 2 latest signings came off the bench to make their debuts.
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Copa del Rey 3rd Round
Lineup - Simon, A.Nunez, U.Nunez, Vivian (Paredes), Saborit, Guridi, Zarraga, Artola (Morcillo),
Raul Garcia*, Serrano, Villalibre (Bravo)
I played my backups here and they got the job done. Guridi scored the first to give us a half-time lead, Raul Garcia fired in a free-kick and VIllalibre tapped in a 3rd.
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Lineup - Simon, Capa, Yeray, Inigo Martinez (Vivian), Yuri, Vencedor (Guridi), Gavi (Zarraga), N.Williams,
Sancet*, Muniain, Villalibre (Raul Garcia)
Rayo are rock bottom of the league and look doomed tbh and we piled on the misery here. Muniain put us ahead just after the break and Raul Garcia bundled home a 2nd just minutes after coming off the bench.
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Lineup - Simon, Capa, Yeray (U.Nunez), Inigo Martinez, Yuri (Saborit), Vencedor, Gavi, N.Williams, Sancet (Artola), Muniain (Serrano), Raul Garcia
(Villalibre*)
This was a dull and boring match which came to life in the final 10min. They hit the post just minutes before Nico Williams squared the ball for Villalibre to tap home the winner.
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Copa del Rey 4th Round
Lineup - Simon, A.Nunez, U.Nunez, Vivian, Saborit, Guridi, Zarraga, Artola, Raul Garcia (Gavi), Serrano (N.Williams),
Villalibre*
Eibar are top of the 2nd division but despite that I put faith in my backups and they got us through but it was a close run thing. Villalibre got the only goal of the game to continue his strong recent run of form and it was a beauty too as he put the ball into the top corner from 22 yards.
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Lineup - Simon, Capa, Yeray, Inigo Martinez, Yuri (Saborit), Vencedor (Guridi), Gavi, N.Williams,
Sancet*, Muniain, Villalibre
We rack up our 4th win in succession in the league as we take advantage of Celta Vigo's recent poor run of form. Villalibre put us ahead and Oihan Sancet got a rare goal late on to clinch all 3pts.
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SUMMARY
There was lots happening this month as we entered 2022! We started the month with a top of the table clash against Real Madrid and although both sides were terrible we lost out 1-0 and our struggle for goals continued in our next match as we lost in the Supercopa to Atletico Madrid by the same scoreline despite being the dominant side.
We then found ourselves 2-0 down early on against Villarreal and I had lost all hope but we turned the game around to win 3-2 with Villalibre scoring a stoppage time winner and from then on the tides turned. Rayo Vallecano, Granada and Celta Vigo were all defeated in the league and we also won both of our cup games against lower league opposition so we actually end the month really strongly and all this without our talisman Inaki Williams who is just back from injury. Credit goes to Asier Villalibre for contributing 6 goals this month.
Regarding transfers I was delighted to get rid of Alex Berenguer to Spartak Moscow for £2.2m. He was absolutely pathetic for me. Sure I played him slightly out of position but he was terrible. Seattle Sounders offered me £5.25m for Jon Morcillo so I let him go as he will never feature regularly for me and Mikel Vesga wanted a new challenge so he went to Portland Timbers for £4.4m so we recouped a bit of money.
Incoming was former Athletic player Enric Saborit from Maccabi Haifa for £750,000. He will be my backup LB and will surely be better than Berenguer. He cant be any worse!
To replace Vesga I actually managed to prize away a player from our bitter rivals Real Sociedad as we paid £2m for Jon Guridi. He is a similar type of player to Vesga but is younger and it was a bargain so I am happy with the signing.
Finally on deadline day I brought in a son of an Athletic legend - Julen Guerrero. His son aptly named Julen Jon Guerrero, is a 17y/o starlet at Real Madrid and I have just brought him in on loan to have a look at him.
As for the situation with Yuri - well it isnt good. I offered him an new contract and he was happy with it so I was just waiting for him to sign it but in the meantime Man City offered him a deal and despite me vastly improving the offer he will join them at the end of the season on a free. A rookie mistake from myself and I cant believe I have done it. Shocking really. At least I made the mistake with a player in his elder years and not a young starlet.
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PLAYER OF THE MONTH
ASIER VILLALIBRE
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LA LIGA
