All or Nothing: Internacional

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SUNDAY FEBRUARY 10, 2019

Well, I can say that the mood for this game was tense. Honestly, it felt like this game was like watching my boyhood club in the Champions League final. Some of you will know what I'm talking about, that feeling you have when your team is in a must win game, it's not even enjoyable. You just want the game to be over and your team not to lose.

I'm a Sporting fan, and when we play Benfica (like we did twice last week) I love and hate those games, but I don't enjoy them, it's too tense, there's too much on the line if you lose.

This game was like that. Multiplied by 1,000.

The Match

First 10 minutes
Gremio had us under pressure right from the off but we soaked it up well and even caught them on the break a few times. The majority of the first 10 minutes were in our own end but the chances were about even.

We even had the better chances if I'm honest. Their keeper Marcelo Grohe made two world class saves in the first 10 minutes, it easily could have been 2-0 to the good guys.

10th-20th minute
We turned up the pressure a little bit and I saw Lou get a littled worried as William Pottker broke free a couple times only to be stopped by Grohe. I thought I had a sure goal only for Grohe to make an incredible diving save. Things were looking good here as we were knocking on the door, just needed a break.

20th-30th minute
The tide started to shift back to Gremio. Lou made some sort of adjustment that I couldn't immediately determine and then they came at us. Corner after corner, breaking in on goal time and again. Then in the 27th minute off a corner, the ball fell to Luan who skillfully sent it back across to the big central defender Geromel who headed in it, 1-0 to Gremio!
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Right after the goal they came for us again, it was all I could do to keep the ball out of our end. Luan and Everton are just a class above the rest and you could tell here. They broke in again on 35 minutes and it was Everton converting a lovely pass from Luan, 2-0 Gremio!

I paused to make some changes, but only faked it, I pretended to make a few adjustments to make Lou think I had figured something out.

Fortunately, we came right back after the goal and scored off a corner to cut the lead in half, 2-1!

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Halftime score: Gremio 2, Internacional 1

I made changes at halftime, two subs. I really felt that I was outclassed in the first half. This whole season I felt that I needed to trust my tactic, as I really thought I found a good one, but in 45 minutes of play I realised that I had been found out. Perhaps making no adjustments to my formation over the past two months had given Lou a huge advantage.

Second half

The second half had just as many goals as the first half, unfortunately, I didn't get any of them. I had planned on giving a minute by minute of the game, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. It wasn't just the goals, but it was the sheer amount of chances they had. I was thoroughly outclassed. I even pulled a striker off for a central defender and went with a back 5 just to try and stop the bleeding.

But they just...
View attachment 20760 3-1!

kept...
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scoring!
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The humiliation was complete.

I've been playing Football Manager since FM08, and I can honestly say that this was the worst defeat I've ever suffered.

It's not the biggest defeat, I've lost by larger margins than this, but those defeats were expected. Like a guiding a
3rd tier side into the Nou Camp for a Copa del Rey match. This was different.

I went into this match actually expecting to win! Yes, there have been bigger defeats but this was, by far, the most shocking. And it came with the soundtrack of laughing. Brothers laughing. The worst kind.


The important thing is that I took it on the chin and didn't make any excuses. If I make excuses here it opens it up for them to make excuses when I win. No, I'll take this like a man.

I couldn't wait to get them out of my house, though. I needed a good cry! lol

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It will take a long time to live this down
​


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"Everyone has a plan, until they get punched in the face"

The rebuild starts now. I've adjusted my tactic to try and counteract the wing play from Gremio. Mike also has strong wingers so this should help. I've also pulled my strikers back and widened my midfielders. Anyway, onwards and upwards, as they say.

I'm gonna train this new tactic but not use it, I'll use my old tactic for the easy matches and I'll unveil the new tactic when I play Gremio again. I'm pretty sure that's what Lou did to me. His formation looked nothing like what he had been using.


View attachment 20753So, now it's all about finishing 2nd or 3rd, that way we avoid playing Gremio in the knockout rounds until the final.

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View attachment 20231Hopefully, this rainbow above the Beira Rio is a good sign of things to come.



WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 13, 2019


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Rafael Sobis answers questions regarding the embarrassing loss to Gremio

Inter, after getting tuned up by Gremio, is back training for their match against Sao Jose at the weekend.

I have adjusted my formation and will try out a few new tactics. Thankfully we had just the one match this week as we play this save a week at a time, Saturday to Friday, so our next match will be with the beginnings of a new strategy.



~COPA LIBERTADORES~



We're on to the final round of qualifying for the Group Stage of the Copa Libertadores (South America's Champions League) and the first leg games were played tonight.

In Group A, Emelec hosted Atletico Mineiro with both teams trying to get into my group.
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Atletico took a 2-0 lead into halftime. Emelec tried to get back into the game with Mondaini scoring his 4th goal of qualifying, but Atletico closed them out for a 3-1 away win to all but seal their place in the group stages.

View attachment 20224I didn't want them, but it looks like Atletico will join Inter in Group A



In the other match involving a Brazilian club, Gremio was back in action, hosting Union Espanola of Chile. Gremio's players were exhausted after so many big matches in a short span. They've had two rounds of qualifying as well as the big Grenal this past weekend.

The tired players were sluggish but they got the job done, with a 2-0 home win. They'll travel to Chile next week knowing that all they need to do is avoid losing by 3 goals and they'll be on to the group stage where they'll join Flamengo in Group B

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Tite was scouting half of Gremio's team for the Brazil squad!


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If you're wondering why Gremio had to go through 3 rounds of qualifying after a year in which they made the final of the Libertadores here's why. I'm pretty sure it's a bug, but I started this save early in the Brazil preseason, so early that it basically negated the entire 2018 league season. It's as if the season never took place, the history goes from 2017 to 2019. I'm guessing the Continental spots were given out randomly, seeing as how there was no league season.

Anyway, that's how that happened.



Here are the rest of the scores from the night. 2nd leg matches go next week before the start of the group stage in two short weeks!
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Lisandro Lopez basically ended the tie with Cali by scoring two late goals to turn a 1-0 away win into a seemingly insurmountable 3-0 win heading back the the Cylinder in Buenos Aires. Elsewhere, Universidad de Chile (La U) avoided an upset by coming back for a 2-1 win at home but it's still anyones tie heading back to Colombia next week.

~Save news~
This won't affect our bet, but a fourth player is now involved in the save. My neighbour, Paul, has taken charge of Coritiba, a second division side. This kind of a trial for him with the condition that he shows up regularly. If he does, and manages to get promotion, which should be fairly straightforward (he's 7-5 odds to win the Serie B), then he will join us in next years save. Anyway, you won't hear much from him, unless I run into him in a cup match or something. Oh, and there's this:
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heh heh



~STATE CHAMPIONSHIP~

6 games left in the Gauchao, I'll use them to get the squad back to where they should be. Next up is Sao Jose on Saturday
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BOSS TWEED - INTERNACIONAL LOU ALVES - GREMIO MIKE ALVES - PALMEIRAS

This save follows one entire season with me as I try to take Internacional to a championship while battling my two brothers.


This weekend, the State Championships were back with a full round of games and a little bit of transfer news

I'm still trying to bring in a player or two as there is a definite gap in quality between my side and the other two. I've managed to find some room in the wage budget for a big loan signing but there doesn't seem to be much available at the moment.

Coming off my first loss of the season, I'm back at home against 3rd placed Sao Jose.

I'm also going back to the style of writing where I write as myself for the intro and then in 3rd person for the recaps. Just trying to find my groove again after a few years without a story.


​
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FEBRUARY 16/17 2009


~STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS~


View attachment 19896Despite the huge loss to their most bitter rival, or maybe because of it, Inter fans met the team
coach outside the stadium to show their undying loyalty. Surely, the best fans in Brazil!

​
Porto Alegre (Globo) - Last week must surely have been a low point for fans of Colorado. The Inter fans were prepared for the best, but got the worst. They were expecting a tasty victory against their hated crosstown rivals, they got humiliation instead.

"This week we've been working really hard so our fans don't see anything like that again," Boss Tweed said.

“It’s a huge place to come back from,” he said. “Last week we were absolutely manhandled … We did not bring anything and we will lose every time we play like that and we will lose again and again if we do it this year.”

Well, 54,000 fans packed into the Beira Rio on Saturday to cheer on their beloved Inter and also to show them and all of Brazil they they are the most passionate and loyal fans in the country. The Club responded with, perhaps, their most complete win of the season.

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Inter completely controlled the game and didn't allow a shot on target, it could easily have been 6-0 or 7-0. They are still lacking a little bit of discipline but that's part of their aggressive style and isn't much of a worry at this point.

While it will take some time for the new members of the club to find their groove, Tweed said he was happy with the way they had played.

“We liked what we did today,” Tweed said. “We had a pretty hard message on them after the game last week. Obviously they want to win, so when they lose 5-1 they’re really not feeling great about it. Then, we made sure they felt a little bit tougher about it. The best thing about this team is that they respond, and we have great leadership and great veterans that stepped up and realized we just needed a little reset.”

“The boys had a great bounce back game,” said Tweed. “We came out playing hard … we out hussled them, won more battles, controlled the ball more and out played them. It was a great game to watch and be apart of, and it was the best game that we played so far this year.”

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On Sunday, league leaders Gremio travelled to bottom of the table Veranopolis and promptly demolished them 7-0 while using a lineup of mostly backups in order to preserve their starters for an important qualifying match midweek in Chile.

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The table

​
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~TRANSFERS~

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It's a longshot, but Oliveira would be a perfect fit!



~FIXTURES~

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BOSS TWEED - INTERNACIONAL LOU ALVES - GREMIO MIKE ALVES - PALMEIRAS

This save follows one entire season with me as I try to take Internacional to a championship while battling my two brothers.






WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 20 2019


Today we had the final qualifying matches for the Copa Libertadores. Four games to determine the final four clubs that will be added to the group stages of the tournament. Two Brazilian clubs were among those looking to achieve qualification, Atletico Mineiro and Gremio.




~COPA LIBERTADORES~

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Atletico Mineiro v Emelec

Atletico won the first match in Ecuador by a score of 3-1 so with the two goal advantage and 3 away goals, Emelec faced a monumental challenge, needing to win by 3 clear goals in Brazil. The winners on the night would join a group that included my team, Internacional, Estudiantes de la Plata from Argentina, and minnows Melgar of Peru. I was really hoping for an upset here but after the first leg that didn't look likely.

Two early goals put the tie away as Atletico took a 2-0 advantage to halftime (5-1 on aggregate) meaning that Emelec would need 4 goals in the second half. They got one, but Atletico got 3 more to win 5-1 on the night and 8-2 on aggregate.

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Result: Atletico Mineiro wins 8-2 on aggregate




Independiente Medellin v Universidad de Chile

In Colombia, Universidad took a narrow 2-1 advantage from the first leg into Medellin. They had hoped for a larger advantage but were still the favourites heading in. The winners of this tie would join a fairly easy group in the next round with San Lorenzo of Argentina, Audux Italiano of Chile, and Barcelona of Ecuador.

8 minutes in Independiente took the lead in the game and the tie with the away goal now standing up as the winner. La U did not look like they were up for it and it showed, they gave up another on 38 minutes to trail 2-0 on the night and 3-2 overall. Still, a goal would even the tie. It was a goal that they would not get. They pressed forward in the second half leaving huge holes at the back which were exploited by the Colombians to the tune of 3 second half goals and a shocking 5-0 win. Chile's champions were knocked out in disgrace as Independiente announced themselves as a serious threat, winning the tie 6-2 on aggregate.


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Result: Independiente wins 6-2 on aggregate


Racing Club (ARG) v Deportivo Cali (COL)

The other Colombian club trying to qualify had an even taller task. Deportivo Cali suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat at home in the first leg and they had to travel to one of the most intimidating stadiums in South America for the second leg. I think the best they could do is to try to save face a little bit and keep it close. The winners would move onto to Group H with defending Champions River Plate of Argentine along with Uniautonoma (COL) and Defensor (URU).

That club would, of course, be Racing Club. Although Cali took an early lead and did make the Argentines sweat for most of the first half, a 42nd minute penalty converted by Diaz made it 4-1 on aggregate and that is how it stayed. Cali goes out but they did play a good game, drawing 1-1 away after that awful first game.


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Result: Racing Club win 4-1 on aggregate


Union Espanola(CHI) v Gremio(BRA)

The final tie featured my arch rival, Lou's Gremio. After a cluttered fixture list, Gremio played a tired bunch for the first leg, winning only 2-0 at home, which left the door open just a little but after resting most of their starters it was a rested bunch that took the field in Chile. The result was a 3-0 halftime lead for the Brazilians, 5-0 on aggregate. An early second half goal made it 6-0, before two consolation goals made the final 4-2 on the night, but that mattered little. This Gremio side is really good and I'm starting to worry a little bit that Lou may have found an OP tactic.

If he has,it may change down the road as this save will go all year so there will be updates to the match engine that would change everything. Anyway, Gremio advances to a group that includes Flamengo (BRA), Talleres(ARG) and the Strongest(BOL)

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Result: Gremio wins 6-2 on aggregate


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Groups and fixtures

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First round of matches will go next week, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

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BOSS TWEED - INTERNACIONAL LOU ALVES - GREMIO MIKE ALVES - PALMEIRAS


This save follows one entire season with me as I try to take Internacional to a championship while battling my two brothers.


FRIDAY FEBRUARY 22 2019


A look ahead to the weekends action in the State Championship, we also had some injuries and some roster news.


~INJURIES~

Camilo went down in training today but fortunately he'll only miss the weekends game
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Then, soon after, we lost new signing Basanta for an extended period after a collision with Jonathan Alves.
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I immediately tore a strip off Alves, I don't even want him but he's on loan and I can't terminate the loan so I'm stuck with him. I can't have him injuring important players in training. His loan is up at the end of the June but I'm stuck with him until then.

It's two and a half months until the league begins so hopefully I'll have Basanta back for the start.


On a positive note, it's good to see Mateus Uribe back in training after missing about a month. He provides cover in midfield and at leftback, a very useful player, unlike Alves.
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~STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS~

View attachment 19009
We take on Novo Hamburgo on Sunday afternoon at the Beiro Rio. Novo Hamburgo are another amateur side but they actually won the State two years ago, ending a six year run for Inter. That was pretty fluky though and I wouldn't expect them to offer much this weekend. It will be about getting up to fitness and learning the new tactic. Our next important match will be in the Group Stages of the Libertadores, we'll take on Atletico Mineiro in a few weeks in what will be a big early match in the group.



~ROSTER NEWS~

Until now, I've been trying to offload Charles, a winger who is an excellent prospect but prospects don't really matter in this save as we're only doing the one season. But on second look, he's just on the fringe of the first team now, but depending on how much he can improve this year, he may be of use down the stretch, so I've decided to hold on to him and give him some games in the State Leagues and perhaps loan him out until the summer, he could hold some value afterall.
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~SAVE NEWS~

One more note, it's been decided that Paul, my neighbour who is currently in charge of second division side Coritiba, will be given a chance for a first team squad when the league starts if he remains active in the save for the 2 months leading up to the start of the league. He is willing to enter into our bet as well, so we'll see how he does.

​
 
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SATURDAY FEBRUARY 23 2019



We had our match rescheduled from Sunday to Saturday this weekend because of a fixture clash so our game was at the same time as Gremio's match, both games were at home which isn't usually allowed by the authorities in Porto Alegre.

An earlier post has our Copa Libertadores match vs Atletico on March 12, that's actually the return match. Our opening game in the tournament takes place on Tuesday and the squad registration for the club has been made.


~STATE CHAMPIONSHIP~


​

View attachment 18886
GREMIO AND INTER BOTH WIN 4-0 IN PORTO ALEGRE TODAY!

There were 5 matches in the Gauchao today, but really only two mattered, if any. Gremio took on Sao Jose and Arena do Gremio (Gremio's rented stadium) and Inter took on Novo Hamburgo at the Beira Rio (Inter's owned stadium)

View attachment 18881Another packed house at the Beira Rio, best fans in the country.

This was the second match with my new formation and it was another complete win, I think the adjustments were on point. I've also taken over full control of training for the first team, which is something that I don't usually do. So, two games and seven goals scored without conceding. I'm pretty happy with that but the only real test will be when I face Gremio again in the knockout stages.

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Paolo Guerrero finally made his Inter debut and scored two minutes in!


Lou finally rested a bunch of his players after a heavy workload so far in February.

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As mentioned, I was very satisfied with not only the result, but also the effort, we thoroughly controlled the game in a way that we never did with the old formation.
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~COPA LIBERTADORES~

Roster has been announced for the Libertadores, no surprises.
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​
 
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Been busy with work and kids so I've missed a few important days, this post will cover Sunday thru Thursday. Sunday had our last match of matchday 7, and then midweek we had our first group games in the biggest continental competition, the Copa Libertadores!

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 24 2019


~STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS~

View attachment 18530
In the 283rd (Yes, you read that right) derby match between Juventude and Caxias a packed stadium (with reduced capacity for security measures) witness what was perhaps the game of the tournament so far.

The match was settled, in the rain, by a last minute goal from Diones. The goal all but assured a place in the knockout rounds for Juventude, who play in Serie B but were once Brazilian Cup Champions who played in the Libertadores.

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TUESDAY FEBRUARY 26 2019


~COPA LIBERTADORES~

View attachment 18529
Fanfest held outside the Beira Rio to kickoff the Libertadores!

4 games in the Libertadores on opening night, the biggest on the night was in Porto Alegre as Atletico Mineiro visited.


On a night where Elias began as the focus as he faced his former club, having just signed with Inter in January, the match deteriorated into a slugfest. The match was marred by a succesion of fouls with prevented the game from getting into any sort of rhythm . Fellow new signing Gabriel Xavier didn't exactly cover himself in glory as he was sent off in the 53rd minute for a horror tackle, forcing Inter to play on the back foot in a match that they fully controlled up to that point.

The match ended in a 0-0 draw, a huge disappointment, made more so by the events to come. If Inter can't score in a home match against a computer controlled club with a super team that was built for one season, then we may be in trouble.

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Xavier was suspended for one match, which was fine because I don't plan on playing him for a while after this match, I also decided to fine him a weeks wages. This is something I always do when given the chance, especially when money is so tight. He's lucky he didn't get two weeks, to be honest.


WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 27 2019


Lou and Mike both had matches on the night and they both made me look bad as they both won big. The most impressive and, to be honest, the scariest result was in Rio as Lou took Gremio into the Maracana and thumped the biggest club in South America, Flamengo, by 6 goals! Mike led Palmeiras to a predictable thumping win over Cantolao from Peru

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I'm now officially worried about Gremio, I'm pretty sure Lou has the match engine figured out. I'm now looking hopefully for an update that will throw things into chaos as I'm not sure I can compete as things stand currently. he's winning games not by a goal or two, he's absolutely thumping big clubs, including my club.
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The star of the night was Luan. Six goals. Hopefully this will attract more attention from Europe and sparks a bid that can't be refused. I'm just grabbing for straws now!
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More fallout from Tuesday, Gabriel Xavier came to me upset at being fined. I made it very clear to him that fining him only 1 week was a mercy and I won't be spoken to by players in a negative way. Hopefully he can pass that along.
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THURSDAY FEBRUARY 28 2019


If Wednesdays action provided some shocking results, this tournament was only getting started.
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RACING CLUB PUT UP 13 GOALS AND SEND A MESSAGE TO THE REST OF SOUTH AMERICA: BEWARE OF THE CYLINDER!

Argentina was 3-0 on the night and 7-0 for the season, outscoring opponents 28-3, to show why they are the most successful nation in the history of the tournament
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~TRANSFERS~

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Still trying, but the money just isn't there.
​
 
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BOSS TWEED - INTERNACIONAL LOU ALVES - GREMIO MIKE ALVES - PALMEIRAS
​


This save follows one entire season with me as I try to take Internacional to a championship while battling my two brothers.



SATURDAY MARCH 2 2019


~STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS~

I'm just gonna go ahead and include tomorrows game as well, I wasn't playing in the league this weekend.
View attachment 18142View attachment 18141

Table:
View attachment 18140

As you can see, a gap has formed between 8th and 9th and it looks like the eight quarter finalists are seperating themselves, the only uncertainty is whether Avenida can get in there.


~LIGA SUL-MIAS-RIO~

The second and third games of the 3-game group stage will be held this week. I forgot to get a screenshot of the table after the match (the Thursday games have already been played so I can't get one).

View attachment 18133
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My match was well played, I hit him on the counter after soaking up some second half pressure. It was nice to beat someone who is sitting beside you for once, instead of taking an embarrassing beating. I mush prefer winning.

I can tell you that both Lou and I have both qualified for the knockout rounds in the fall, the third game later this week will just determine if we win our respective groups.



~UPDATE ON THE SAVE~

Here is a list of all the competitive games we've all played. I don't always cover their matches.


GREMIO
Lou has guided his club to 14 consecutive wins and only one, yes one, was by a single goal margin.
View attachment 18115



INTERNACIONAL
I've had a few speed bumps along the way and haven't beat any big clubs. I didn't realize this until just now, actually.
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PALMEIRAS
Mike had a slip up against Red Bull Brasil but he hadn't rested any of his players and they were exhausted, so it was his own fault. He hasn't had any trouble otherwise, he leads the Paulista comfortably.
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CORITIBA
Paul hasn't had an opportunity to make any transfers, but all he needs to do is show up every week and be active and then he will be allowed to switch to a first division side before the league begins in May.
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​
 
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THURSDAY MARCH 7 2019


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The last group stage game is today, and we can finally forget about this useless competition until September when the knockout rounds commence. Today we take on Athletico Paranaense having already clinched a spot in the knockout round. Athletico need to get a result to ensure qualification, and can still qualify with a loss as long as they keep the score respectable. A big loss combined with a big Coritiba win will see them out of the competition.

I used my new formation in this game as the players seemed to have achieved a good amount of familiarity with it. I'm still gonna use my old setup in other games until I meet Gremio again, because I don't want to give Lou any opportunity to scout it.


The match took place at Estádio Joaquim Américo Guimarães in Curitiba (Yes, the spelling of the city is different than the spelling of the club, Coritiba.) The stadium is the first in South America with a retractable roof, it reminds me of the BayArena in Germany and it can get super loud as the fans are rabid. This is where CAP won the Copa Sudamerica last season (South Americas equivalent of the Europa League)

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I was happy with the start as we came out and took control of the match. This was a big test for me as it was the first game with the new tactic and it was a big club away from home.

We got a quickfire double to take a 2-0 lead with goals from Neilton and Rafael Sobis in the 11th and 12th minute. I sense them pulling back to try to preserve a small scoreline, maybe I'm imagining it but the game seemed to die down from here. Sobis added another in the first half to all but put the game away.

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Two more late goals made it 5 and a success for my new formation. Now, to put it back on the shelf and wait for the next Gremio match. The loss combined with Coritiba's 5-1 win meant that Coritiba qualified ahead of Athletico.


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Gremio also won their final group match to finish top of their group

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And so, we can all forget about this competition for now, here is the result of the draw for knockout rounds in the fall. Seems winning my group meant nothing, I got Flamengo.
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~STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS~


Back to a (semi)important competition. This weekends matches will present me with the opportunity to clinch a quarter final spot as I play at 9th Avenida, just a formality. It'd take a minor miracle for me not to qualify.

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~INJURY NEWS~

I got one of my big guns back today
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​
 
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SUNDAY MARCH 10 2019


~STATE CHAMPIONSHIP~

With only 4 games left in the state league, it looks as though Gremio have 1st place locked up. The only questions that remain are who will face who in the quarter finals, also there's the question of Gremio and will they run the table with 11 consecutive wins. There is the slight chance that I could do the unthinkable and finish 3rd in the table, but even that would be meaningless as the knockout rounds are two legged ties so home field doesn't really matter, 2nd place will play 3rd place. It would just mean more ridicule if I finished third, that's all.


This weekend we had a trip to Santa Cruz to play EC Avenida

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The stadium isn't much, the facilities aren't much. The team has never played in any of the top 4 tiers of brazilian football. It's one of those games where you say "Let's just kick their a** and get the **** out of here"

Annnnnd it was a tight game, of course *eye roll*. We led 1-0 until Mateus Uribe scored a screamer from 30 yards to give the fans something to talk about on the two hour bus ride home.

Juventude lost as well, so we retake second in the table, with a game in hand. Gremio won their 8th consecutive league match and 15th consecutive overall.

View attachment 16714View attachment 16711
In the derby of the winless, Sao Luiz beat Veranopolis for their first winthat anyone can remember.

So, the top four teams have secured their place in the knockout stages with just a few matches to go, 11 matches total for each club.
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~COPA LIBERTADORES~

More group matches this week, we travel to Argentina on Tuesday for a big match against 4 time winners Estudiantes de la Plata. After a disappointing draw at home to Atletico in the round round, this is a very important match, a loss could put us 3pts behind a qualifying spot after only 2 matches.

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​
 
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MIDWEEK MARCH 12-14 2019


~COPA LIBERTADORES~


Tuesday nights action had us in Argentina to face Estudiantes de la Plata, who top the group after one matchday. By the end of the night we could be in any position from first to last, and after a draw with Atletico Mineiro in the first game we could be facing a battle to qualify from this tough group.

View attachment 15910

Atletico remained in Brazil to face Melgar of Peru in the other group match, both games kicked off simultaneously. Both games were tight and remained scoreless well into the second half. As disappointing as another scoreless draw would be, if the other game remained scoreless it would actually be a good pair of results for me.

The night looked better on 65 minutes as we got word that Melgar had scored in Minas Gerais to take a shocking 1-0 lead over Atletico!

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Up to the minute table:
Estudiantes. 4
Melgar 3
Inter 2
Atletico 1


Just five minutes later:
View attachment 15908
Nico Lopez close range volley off a short corner and a cross from Camilo silenced the crowd in Argentina and sent Inter to the top of the group temporarily.


However, almost at the exact same moment Atletico's Denilson levelled the score in Brazil.

There were no more goals in the group on the night and we top the group after two games against our biggest rivals.


Highlights from the rest of the midweek action. A couple of Argentine sides suffered upset defeats, while River and Racing move toward a big showdown in their group, again winning their games by huge scores. Mike and Lou both secured 3-0 victories. All in all, an exciting three days of action.
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TABLES
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~TEAM NEWS~

We've put in an offer to loan Anderson Martins from Sao Paulo, but almost immediately after that, Mike put in a similar offer for Palmeiras. It's hard to keep things under wraps in this save.
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I also had an issue with keeper Marcelo Lomba. I take full responsibility for this as I have neglected to start Lomba despite the fact that he is just as talented as Danilo Fernandes, who has started the majority of games this year. This is just a result of not having games very often and me not remembering to rotate certain positions. I have promised to start Lomba more and plan to use the two keepers on a 50-50 basis going forward.
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SUNDAY MARCH 17 2019



~STATE CHAMPIONSHIP~

We were back on the road this weekend to play Caxias, a potential 1st round opponent in the knockout stages. I felt confident that I had worked out the kinks in my tactics so I wasn't too worried about this match. I'm really just focusing on the Libertadores for now but also with an eye on a potential rematch with Gremio in the State knockout rounds down the road.

The match provided no surprises as we left town with a 4-0 win. Nico Lopez scored another couple goals, one of them was a real beauty. Sobis also got one and I'm starting to feel good about my attacking weapons.
View attachment 15591
Lou also won with Gremio walking out 5-0 winners against minnows Sao Luiz

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On Sunday, Avenidas hopes for a berth in the quarter finals was dealt a crushing blow as they lost to Novo Hamburgo.
View attachment 15596

And we have a look at the table with just one or two games left for each team in the 11 match league season.

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~TEAM NEWS~



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The matches in Brazil don't stop for international breaks, so these will take on greater importance when the league kicks off, especially with the Copa America this summer which will take players away for up to a month.



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Anderson Martins decided to go to Palmeiras, making me 0 for 3 when up against my brothers for the same player



View attachment 15592
This could be promising, a rich Chinese team has their sights set on one of Gremio's top guns~

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View attachment 15330


This week is all about the State Championship, or the Gauchao as it's called in this state. Midweek we have a two games for the teams that were involved in the Continental competitions, Inter and Gremio, and that will bring everyone up to 10 games. The 11th and final game in the league will go Sunday and that will set the matchups for the 8 team knockout stage.

The rest of March and April will be the knockout stage, as well as Continental games, and then the biggie, the Brazilian league, Serie A. That starts May 11th.




WEDNESDAY MARCH 20 2019

Sometimes there is just too much going on in real life to write this save actually day-by-day. This week is no exception, so I'm jumping ahead to Wednesday as I'll be away for a few days. My brothers and I actually play the game on Saturdays and we play a week at a time, and then I write this story during the week after. On occasions we have to play a little early or sometimes we do two weeks at a time, schedule permitting, but I always hold back writing to keep the games as close to the actual date as possible. So.....


~STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS~

The only game that mattered today was Gremio hosting Avenida. As Avenida still held on to a slight chance of finishing 8th. For that to happen they somehow had to defeat Gremio to pull to within 3pts of 8th heading into the final weekend of matches.

Avenida, meet Luan:
View attachment 15329


Luan, meet Av.....Oh, he just scored two goals!
View attachment 15328


Yep, two goals in the first 8 minutes from Luan and then he left, Gremio coasted the rest of the way and eliminated Avenida by a score of 3-0

In the other game, I hosted Sao Luiz who, if not for Veranpolis, would be considered the worst team to ever make an appearance in a Football Manager story.

I'm not going to bore you with a recap, the final was 7-0, including an own goal from the aptly named Judas. I was hoping for 10 but just like the game against the aforementioned Veranopolis, I fell short.
View attachment 15327



View attachment 15326


View attachment 15325

So, we've reached the end for the State League, which is a glorified preseason tournament. The only games that we've played that really mattered this year were the games in the Libertadores. That will change after this weekend as the knockout rounds begin and we have the chance to win our first trophy.


TABLE
View attachment 15324


FIXTURES
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The team I'll face is still in doubt. Caxias should lose to Gremio, meaning that they'll also face Gremio in the first round. So look for three straight beatings there. Pelotas will beat Veranopolis, so they won't drop down to 7th so it's probable that I'll draw Sao Jose or Brasil de Pelotas in the 1st round, it doesn't really matter to me.

Wanna see how the other two are doing?

Mike, Palmeiras. Just cruising.
View attachment 15322


Paul, Coritiba. Pulling off big surprise wins left and right, this was his last week at Coritiba, he will take over Flamengo going forward. He's legit, too. With a 2nd tier side he has 3 wins and a draw against top tier clubs (excluding the 1-0 loss to me) and he won the 1st stage final of his State Championship
View attachment 15321


~TEAM NEWS~

View attachment 15320

Well, the hat trick put him back on the radar. I'll be without my best player for the first knockout game.


~UNDER 20S UPDATE~
It doesn't matter at all, but Lou and I have also been competing to some extent in the Under 20's league, we both have taken control of the teams, just for fun. That league has gone almost exactly as the senior teams, my only loss was to Gremio, although it was close in the U20s. Our rosters are a little more balanced at this level and I've been the better team, scoring more goals and conceding fewer, but I just can't beat the guy!
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Well, I've been here before and I'm sure all of you who've shared a story has been here too. I just lost a post after working on it for about a half hour and do not have the heart to redo it, so I'm gonna summarize the weekends action with some screenshots and then I'm going to try not to throw my laptop out the window!


WEDNESDAY MARCH 27 2019


~STATE CHAMPIONSHIP~

I went into some detail about how my opponent for the quarter finals changed 3 times after the 90th minute of Sundays final matchday, with the final scores leaving me with Sao Jose as my opponent.

The final in my home match vs Aimore was 2-0 but as you can see by the stats, it really should have been more.

View attachment 14457

View attachment 14456

The rest of the scores as well as the table:
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View attachment 14454


The final table shows that Gremio will play Caxias after playing them last weekend, Juventude and Brasil de Pelotas will also renew their hostilities as they drew each other as well after playing last Sunday.

View attachment 14452


The two legged ties will begin this weekend and the away goals rule is in effect.


~INJURIES~

I should have followed my own advice from the start of the season. I began the campaign with 3 good leftbacks and was intending to keep them all because of the amount of matches I have. I eventually sold Uendel, leaving me with two, and now I've lost Iago for a month!
View attachment 14451

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View attachment 14141

SATURDAY MARCH 30 2019

8 teams remain is the Rio Grande do Sul State Championships, and the knockout stages begin today.

~STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS~
QUARTER FINALS

View attachment 14140

Today we hosted Sao Jose, a club that we beat 3-0 in a home match back in February. It wasn't a match that worried me too much so I reverted back to my original tactic. I want to use my new tactic as little as possible to keep my brothers from scouting it.

View attachment 14139

We kicked off an hour before Gremio's match against Caxias so I went first. It was a lot tougher than I had expected and the match was deadlocked at 1-1 until the 65th minute when Camilo rescued us with a screamer and we saw the match out for a 2-1 victory.
View attachment 14138

The other games went well too. Mayke was sent off after the first minute for Gremio and Caxias took it to them for the entire match, almost pulling out a last minute victory. The end result was 1-1 and the scoreline gave me hope to see Gremio finally show weakness.

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Upcoming fixtures:
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~BRASILEIRAO~

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THURSDAY APRIL 4 2019


Copa Libertadores action this week. Matchday 3 had us hosting Melgar of Peru. After a win and a draw in the first two games we entered the evenings action on top of the table in Group A and looked to take a stranglehold on the group as the other two contenders, Atletico Mineiro and Estudiantes, faced each other.

View attachment 13600Fans stream into the Beira Rio for the midweek match

In some other Libertadores matches, Gremio host Talleres and Palmeiras visit Nacional of Uruguay.


View attachment 13599

No longer feeling the need to hide my new tactic from my brothers, I've decided to go ahead and use it in every game. The result was a 5-1 win against Melgar. It was much worse than the 5-1 score for Melgar, they were out of their league from the start.

View attachment 13584
Okay, I'm sorry but didn't you just lose 5-1?? You gave us a game??


Next up, Gremio thouroughly defeated Talleres of Argentina, who were supposed to put up some sort of a fight.

Finally, Palmeiras crushed Nacional 5-0, so when it was said and done, my victory wasn't so impressive, but at least I'm keeping up with them now.

Cerro Porteno of Paraguay held Cruziero to a 2-2 draw, while Racing defeated River 2-0 in a big match.

All the scores:
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View attachment 13597View attachment 13594View attachment 13592View attachment 13591View attachment 13590


Tables:
View attachment 13589
View attachment 13588View attachment 13587



~TRANSFER NEWS~
In real life he went to Barcelona, but I got him here!
View attachment 13586


~INJURIES~

The shine is really starting to come off of Paolo Guerrero, he might be on his way out as he is really bothering me. Now he's injured.
View attachment 13585



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View attachment 12657


MONDAY APRIL 15 2019



After a much needed vacation, I'm back and have time for a quick update on the competition. There have been no Libertadores games since I last posted but we are deep into the knockout stages of the State Championship. I've made it to the semi-finals after knocking out Sao Jose in round one. In the second round we beat Juventude 1-0 in the first leg with the return match this weekend.

No Cup games until next month

No League games as that competition starts May 10


~STATE CHAMPIONSHIP~

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View attachment 12655

I'll be back to regular updates now

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THURSDAY APRIL 18 2019


With just a few weeks remaining before the official opening of the 2019 Brazilian Serie A season, the State leagues are all wrapping up.

After this weekend this is where all the competitions will sit:

The State league will be down to two teams and the two-legged final will kick off next weekend.

The Libertadores will be 4 games into the 6 game group stage.

The Liga Sul-Minas-Rio is on hiatus until September, we have drawn Flamengo in the knockout rounds

The Brazilian Cup will begin the 5th round on May 1, this is where all the big clubs will enter.

The Brazilian Serie A league will kick off on May 12


Midweek action had the return match with Melgar of Peru in Group A action of the Libertadores. The first match ended 5-1 to the good guys with Melgars manager making some harsh and delusional comments about me after the match.

~COPA LIBERTADORES~

View attachment 12263

Well, I'm completely finished with my original formation. It hadn't been as impressive as it looked when I first tested it, and it led to a 5-1 humiliating defeat against my brother, but I was holding onto it as sort of a decoy tactic. I was using it against weaker clubs in order to prevent my brothers from scouting my new tactic, but after this game I'm scrapping that whole idea. From here on out I will be using my new tactic in every game.

View attachment 12262
On the plus side, Mauro Boselli has continued his impressive form since signing earlier this year from Leon, in Mexico. Both his goals gave us the lead but we were unable to hold on to either of them.

View attachment 12260


Table:
View attachment 12261

We still top the group with 2 matchdays remaining, but we have two tough matches to go while Atletico and Estudiantes will each have a game against Melgar which, usually, should be an easy win. In any case, a win in either of our final two matches will see us through to the next round, I'm counting on it.

In other games, Paul, now with Flamengo, was able to take a point from Lou. Gremio is finally showing some chinks in their armor and that's a good sign for everyone. Flamengo still has work to do in order to qualify for the next round as they sit 3rd in their group.

Mike, with Palmeiras, continued to roll on, another 5-0 win for him. In four matches he's scored 18 and have yet to concede.
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~THIS WEEKEND~
The second legs of the semi-finals in the Gauchao, the winners will meet in the final for the first trophy of the season!

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