Atlético- Can they make it to the top?

[Matt419]

UPDATE: If you're put off by the lack of images on this front page, please skip to the second page. I have an update up until November, and all updates from then will include screenshots and should be easier to look at and better laid out.


So, I've been reading quite a few of the stories on here for a while now, and they've given me inspiration to write my own. I highly doubt mine will be as good as most of the one's on here, but it's something that I really want to do.

Anyway, on to my actual story. I've been trying to think for a while of a story I can do. At first I wanted to do a Manchester United, since I support them in real life, but there are already quite a few stories about them on here. The same with other Premier League clubs. I feel like they're very popular, and I wanted to do something a bit different. So, I turned my attention to Spain. At first, I was thinking of doing a lower table team in La Liga, but then I thought about what Athletico Madrid did last season, winning the league and doing well in the champions league.

So it got me thinking. Obviously, the big two teams in Spain are Real Madrid and Barcelona. They're two of the best teams in the world. No other team in LIGA BBVA can compete with them on a regular basis. Or can they?

My goal is quite simple. I want to turn Athletico into the big team in Spain. I want them to consistently out perform Real Madrid and Barcelona in every competition they can. I think it will be a challenge, but we'll see.

 

[Matt419]

Oh, and a quick question actually. My laptop hates connection to the Internet. Seriously, it's a struggle to connect it, then even more of a struggle to actually use it. So I'm writing this on my iPad. the only problem is pictures. I feel like they contribute a lot to these stories. So I'm thinking of just using my iPad to take pictures of game results, league tables and such. It's not the best quality, but I don't think it's too bad. So I really want to ask if that's a good idea? Or a terrible one

I either her use my iPad camera, or I just type out score results, and only use my iPad for things like league tables which are harder to type out

 

[deakz]

Whichever you feel most comfortable with I guess mate as it's going to be down to you to maintain whatever approach you decide on.

Pictures make it for a good read though in my opinion!

Look forward to seeing how you get on with Atletico though - Always wanted to do a save with him!

 

[Matt419]

Whichever you feel most comfortable with I guess mate as it's going to be down to you to maintain whatever approach you decide on.

Pictures make it for a good read though in my opinion!

Look forward to seeing how you get on with Atletico though - Always wanted to do a save with him!

First season'a gonna be a pain. Only have 20 first team players, with a load of people loaned out and only €4m as a transfer budget, and I'm gonna have to spend that on a backup left back, as I only have one at the club and the players in the B and under 19's teams aren't that good

 

[Matt419]

So, short update on the squad. As I mentioned in the previous post, not a lot of depth and not a big transfer budget to add more depth. We have a lot of players out on loan so next season I'll be spoilt for choice, but for now I'm going to have to struggle with what I've got. On the upside though, this lack of squad depth could allow for a few youth players to break into the first team in the coming season.

Of course, in terms of the quality of our players I'm very happy. Mandzukic, Koke, Griezmann, Godin and Miranda to name a few. If those players can stay fit, I predict a very good season.

Just starting to to play now, so expect transfer news and friendlies to get done today at least

 

[Matt419]

Pre-Season

Rayo Majadahonda 1 (Rigers Selami) - 8 Atlético (Turan, Mandzukic (4), Godin, Griezmann, Garcia)

Vancouver 0 - 0 Atlético


FC Dallas 0 - 0 Atlético


Atlético 1 (Koke) - 3 Juventus (Llorente (2), Tevez)


A really poor preseason to be honest. The two draws being especially so against easily beatable teams, and a knockout blow with the 3-1 loos to Juventus, the inky good part of that was a fantastic goal from Koke, 30 yards.


The rest of August will be fun though. Two league games against beatable opposition, then two games against Real Madrid in both legs of the Spanish Super Cup, and also a round up of our transfer business.

 

[Matt419]

AUGUST

Spanish Super Cup Final 1st Leg


What was going to be a tough game was made even tougher by both Juanfran and Miranda picking up injuries in the week leading up to this game. We were away for the first game, so I was hoping to contain it to a draw. That didn't happen though.


Real Madrid 5 (Isco, Kroos, Hernandez, Ronaldo, Rodriguez (pen) - 0 Atlético


We got demolished. I wasn't expecting a good result away, but that was terrible. There's going to be a lot of changes in the next game.


LIGA BBVA Game 1


Half the team was changed for this match, and it went into it really wanting a win to pick up from the crushing loss against Real Madrid.


Rayo 2 (kakuta, Buena) - 2 (Griezmann, Turan) Atlétic


Ok, so it wasn't a win, but we were 2-0 down after 25 minutes, and then we really piled on the pressure to get back to 2-2 and nearly took it at the end. Overall, a decent performance that we can build on.


Spanish Super Cup Final 2nd Leg


We needed a 6-0 win here to win the Super Cup, and I knew it wasn't going to happen. But I still wanted the win, and being at home I thought I could grab it. I switched away from a 4-2-3-1 formation, as it hasn't been working at all for me so far, and back to my personally preferred 4-2-2-2 formation that I normally use in FM. Mandzukic gets his last chance up front after being really poor since the first friendly, and needed a good performance to save himself.


Atlético 4 (Mandzukic (2), Gabi, Saul) - 2 (Pepe, Ronaldo) Real Madrid


A fantastic win. A really, really outstanding win and I pick up my first competitive win as manager against Real Madrid. We didn't win the Super Cup, but I'm not too bothered. Also, Mandzukic gets two goals and a man of the match performance. His place in the team is safe. For now.


Champions League Group Draw


Group C:
Atlético
Zenit
Sporting (POR)
Tel Aviv


A pretty easy group I think. Should definitely qualify, and a very high chance of topping the group.


LIGA BBVA 2nd Game


We went I to this game against Eibar really confident. After beating Real Madrid, I was extremely optimistic so named the same line up.


Atlético 0 - 1 (Del Moral) Eibar


I am really annoyed about this result. Our defence was great, our possession were great. Eibar pretty much parked the bus, and then got extremely lucky in the 79th minute. My goalkeeper, Moya, took a free kick from the touch line, went straight to Del Moral and he put the ball into an open net from the halfway line.

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(!With the picture I would recommend you click on it so you can actually see it. As explained in my first post, my laptop won't connect to my Internet so all pictures will have to be by my iPad camera. Unfortunately, it's not a good quality so I'll only be using it for league tables at the end of every month )


So, all in all a pretty terrible month. Not a lot to say about it right now, but I'm hoping we can get some good results in September. However, our next game in LIGA BBVA is away at Real Madrid, hopefully no repeat of the 5-0 loss in the Spanish Super Cup.


Transfers


I only had 4.2m available, and only €50,000 of wages, so I didn't have a lot to spend. My targets was a backup left back, because we only had one, and a couple of good, young players. As you'll see, I achieved both those targets.


In:
Kristoffer Ajer- 1.5m from IK Start


Very good young defender. Definitely one for the future. Loaned back to IK Start for the season.


Jon Aurtenetxe- 2.5m from Athletic


Decent left back, only got him to provide back up for our main LB (Siqueira)


Martin Odegaard- 1m from Stromsgodet


We all know him. 15 year old that's just signed for Real Madrid in real life. He looks good already, and will grow into something fantastic. He joins us 2nd January 2015.


Out:
Jose Maria Gimenez- Loan to Genoa


Hector- Loan to Albacete


Borja Martinez- Loan to Hospitalet


All three are decent prospects, especially Martinez and Gimenez, but not in the first team picture at the moment, so a season on loan will do them good

 

[Matt419]

SEPTEMBER

LIGA BBVA Game 3


So, September rolls around. First game is against Real Madrid, and Turan gets injured on international duty just before the game. Things are already looking bleak...


Real Madrid 5 (Modric (2), Pepe, Hernandez, Bale - 2 Atlétic (Siqueira (pen), Jimenez)


Once again, demolished by Real Madrid. I really don't know what we're doing wrong at the moment, but it's not good. Five competitive games and one win, one draw and three losses. Although, two of our losses have been against Real Madrid, so perhaps it's not too bad?


We have a serious defence and goalkeeping probably at the moment though. Needs to be fixed. On top of that, this loss leaves us bottom of the league on 1 point after three games. Got to improve. Desperately.


Champions League Group Stage Game 1


Miranda was back for this match after injury, meaning that only for the second time this season I could play my preferred CB pairing of Miranda and Godin. I was hoping that, with the experience and quality of those two at the back, it would shore up my leaky defence.


Atlétic 2 (Jimenez, Mandzukic) - 1 (Shatov) Zenit


A shaky performance, but a win. It was a very dull game, both sides equal in possession and both having very few chances. However, for Atlétic, when we did have chances we took them. An excellent goal from a tight angle from Jimenez gave us the lead, Shatov equalising from a rebound just after the break before Mandzukic headed in from an amazing Siqueira cross to grab the winner. And also, the pairing of Miranda and Godin at the back was fantastic.


LIGA BBV Game 4


We go into this game off the back of a 2-1 over Zenit, with hopes of picking up our first league win.


Atlético 2 (Jimenez, Mandzukic) - 2 (Larrivey, Lopez) Celta


This game I'm very disappointed about. We were denied the three points by an EXTREMELY dodgy penalty decision (even the text at the bottom agreed with me) and an unlucky rebound. We're still in search of our first league win.


LIGA BBVA Game 5


So, we still search for our first league win. Let's see if we can get one!


Almeria 1 (Hemed) - 1 (Gabi) Atlético


Sigh... Yet another draw. I can sense this being an extremely short story at the moment


LIGA BBVA Game 6


So, can we get our first win?


Atlético 5 (Jimenez (3), Mandzukic, Griezmann) - 5 (Vidal (2), Mbia, Vitolo, Bacca)


No, we can't. This game was crazy. I don't know how we managed to get a draw to be honest. I desperately need a win, or I'm out of a job only a few months in.

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As you can see, at the end of this month we're sitting in 18th, four draws and two losses. I'm not pleased and I honestly don't know how things are going this bad.

 

[Matt419]

OCTOBER

Champions League Group Stage Game 2


Tel Aviv 1 (Prica (pen)) - 1 (Mandzukic) Atlético


Yet another draw... I honesty can't believe it.


LIGA BBVA Game 7


So, another game, this time away against 4th placed Valencia. Once again, hoping for that first league win.


Valencia 1 (Gil) - 2 (Koke, Siqueira (pen)) Atlétic


Finally! Our first win of the season. A fantastic performance from our two centre backs, Godin and Miranda, and Koke and Gabi in central midfield. They really controlled the game. I'm hoping that we can get a good run of form going now and lift ourselves into the top half by the end of the month.




LIGA BBVA Game 8


Following our first win, we entertain Espanyol, currently 5th in the league, with the hopes of picking up our second win. Can we? Hopefully.


Atlético 5 (Cerci, Koke, Jiminez, Siqueira (pen), Griezmann) - 0 Espanyol


What a fantastic win! We came out of the blocks lightning quick and went 4-0 up in the first half! That win moves us up to 8, but a lot of teams below us still have a game in hand over us, so we could drop down a few places once all teams have played their 8th game. Hopefully we can really start getting a run going.


Spanish Cup 4th Round Draw


Ferrol vs Atlético


Should be a very easy win for us over the two legs. Not a lot else to say about it.


Champions League Group Stages Game 3


We go away to Sporting in this game which, according to the news, I need a win in or I'll be fired. With that thought, Griezmann is out injured for 4 weeks, and Turan is still out for 2 to 3 months, so that's putting me in a very tough situation.


Sporting (POR) 1 (Fabio Santos) - 0 Atlético


Well... We lost. We had so many chances, but no end product. Could this be the end of this very short story? I hope not, especially after the recent turn in form in the league, but it could very well be.


LIGA BBVA Game 9


So, it's the last game of October. I'm still in a job. Just. We're away to Getafe. This game has been named by the media "El Sackio" as both managers need a win to keep their jobs really. So, with that in mind, I've named by strongest squad even though Godin, Koke and Mandzukic need a rest, but it can't afford to rest any of them as they are my three key players in defence, midfield and attack respectively.


Getafe 0 - 1 (Koke) Atlétic


Well, Koke saved me. It was a pretty dull game, but a 20 yard strike from Koke just before half time saved my job for a bit longer. The same can't be said though for Cosmin Contra, the Getafe manager being sacked immediately after the game.

View attachment 305766


So at the end of October, we're inside the top ten and sitting in 7th, now only 5 points adrift from the boards target of a Champions League place.


Also, the board has made an extra 16.25m available to our transfer budget, and I'm looking at signing Munir from Barcelona since I feel we need some cover in the winger positions, having only three reliable wingers (Griezmann, Turan and Cerci), plus Munir can develop into an amazing talent, and on top of that he has a release clause of 10.25m.

 

[Matt419]

NOVEMBER

LIGA BBVA Game 10


So, in the first game of the mont we entertain Cordoba at home. Should be a win, and hopefully we can keep climbing the table.


Atlético 2 (Rodriguez, Gabi) - 0 Cordoba


Not much to say really. Very comfortable performance from us, and an easy win.


Champions League Group Stage Game 4


So, back in the Champions League and we have Sporting (POR) at home. Hopefully we can get revenge from last time. Jan Oblak has been complaining about a lack of first team football, so he comes back into the team in goal.


Atlético 3 (Koke, Garcia, Mandzukic) - 2 (Slimani (2))


It was a win, but it should've been a lot more comfortable with terrible goalkeeping from Oblak allowing Sporting to score two. He'll stay in for the next match, as everyone can have a bad game, but so far I really haven't been impressed by him. He was in goal for both our heavy defeats against Real Madrid this season and has never got above a 6.9 rating.


LIGA BBVA Game 11


We travel away to Real Sociedad, who are level on pints with us in the league, but above us on goal difference.


Real Sociedad 1 (Agirrexte) - 1 (Garcia) Atlético


Sociedad scored in the 93rd minute (when there were only supposed to be two minutes of injury time...). But, throughout the game, Sociedad were the better team so overall I wasn't too bothered about the draw. However, what if am bothered about is Cerci getting injured for 2-3 months, adding to our winger problems. Currently all four of our out and out wingers (Griezmann, Turan, Cerci and Rodriguez) are all injured, with only Garcia the only able to play a wing position that's fit. This means that I'm going to have to play a narrower formation until we get some people back from injury. International break now before our next game at home to Malaga.


LIGA BBVA Game 12


So, I was wrong about injuries. Rodriguez is fit, and so is Griezmann thanks to the international break. I can keep the same formation now as we entertain Malaga at home. However, Juanfran is out for a couple of weeks after being injured on Spain duty, as well as Correa being injured for 4-5 weeks after being injured with Uruguay.


Atlético 3 (Garcia (2), Mandzukic) - 1 (Antunes) Malaga


A very easy win. We controlled the game, passed well and defended well. Another mistake from Oblak gifted Makaga a consolation goal. I want Oblak to do well because he's young and got good potential, but he's just not doing the job at the moment. This win moves us back into the top four for the first time this season.


Champions League Group Stage Game 5


We travel away to Zenit, a win here securing us qualification from the group, and all but guaranteeing us top spot in the group, as long as we pick up a point at home to Tel Aviv.


Zenit 2 (Kerzhakov, Faizulin) - 4 (Koke, Griezmann, Garcia (2)) Atlético


We got the win we needed, and qualification is assured. We did concede 2, but it could've been a lot more if not for some outstanding saves from Oblak. Why can't he perform like that every week? And Garcia continues his fantastic recent form by netting two more goals.


LIGA BBVA Game 13


A game at home to Deportivo, hopefully another win.


Atlético 2 (Garcia, Mandzukic) - 1 (Lucas (pen)) Deportivo


Not a lot to say about this one. A fairly boring match, with us scraping the win after Miranda gave away a penalty.


And that's it for the month. No league table because I'm not by my laptop, and I wanted to get this out. At the end of November, we're in 4th and back in the champions league places. Hopefully we can keep this good run of form going.

 

[Chriller95]

Pretty useless and boring without pictures, to be honest.

 

[Jedd95]

I can't really see the League table very well, maybe if you write it out with a bit of colour etc you can make up for the lack of pictures. Also, yellow text is impossible to read on here!!! Good luck though, don't want to be negative I just can't follow what's happening so far!!

 

[Matt419]

Pretty useless and boring without pictures, to be honest.

I totally get you, and see where you're coming from. I'm gonna try and sort my laptop out so it connects to the Internet properly and I can actually put pictures in

I can't really see the League table very well, maybe if you write it out with a bit of colour etc you can make up for the lack of pictures. Also, yellow text is impossible to read on here!!! Good luck though, don't want to be negative I just can't follow what's happening so far!!

Yeah, ive been thinking about doing that with the league table. And thanks for the feedback about the yellow text

 

[Matt419]

For those who are interested, I've sorted out a work around my laptop problems so next updates will be complete with screenshots and everything. Thank you for people's patience with me. It'll also include an update of everything that has happened so far this season, but in a better laid out format.

 

[Matt419]

UPDATE

So I've managed to sort it out so that i can get proper screenshots onto this now. So thank you for anyone who has followed it so far, and for those before that were put off by no pictures, from now on there will be plenty of screenshots of results, league tables, transfers etc. This post I'm going to update with my results this season up until November, and my transfer business from the summer, then we'll be back on with monthly updates.

View attachment 304733

View attachment 304728

Expect the December update tonight with mid-season standings and a mid-season review.

 

[Matt419]

December 2014

Spanish Cup 4th​ Round, 1st​ Leg

So, first game of November is our first game in the Spanish Cup against Ferrol. I was hoping for a comfortable win, against lower league opposition, so I rested a couple of key players in the form of Mandzukic, Gabi, Koke and Godin. I wanted to rest more, but we don’t have the squad depth at the moment to do that. Jimenez returned from injury in this game.

View attachment 304538

So, we got the easy win we were hoping for. We controlled the match, and allowed Ferrol very few opportunities. I’m very pleased with this performance.

Champions League Group Stage Game 6

The last game of the group stage sees us play at home to Tel Aviv. Should be an easy win, but I thought that last time we played and we only drew.

View attachment 304537

Just like the last game, a very easy and comfortable win. Not a lot to say really. Mandzukic grabs a hat trick, and Jimenez continues his comeback from injury with his second goal in two games since returning.

LIGA BBVA Game 14

We entertain Villarreal this week. I really rate Villarreal and I think they’re a good team with some quality players, but they find themselves 19th​ in the table. Even with their low position, I field the strongest team I have available to me for this encounter.

View attachment 304536
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Well, it’s safe to say that I overestimated Villarreal in this performance. We absolutely dominated them, and Griezmann really showed his class with 4 goals.

Spanish Cup 4th​ Round 2nd​ Leg

So, we play Ferrol again and we have a 3-0 lead going into this leg. Once again, I rotate pretty much my whole first team. Even with a weakened side though, it should be an easy home win.

View attachment 304534

Well, it wasn’t the win I was looking for and im very disappointed with the team for not getting the win. I was expecting a 2 or 3 goal winning margin. However, it doesn’t matter too much as we proceed to the 5th​ round 4-1 on aggregate.

Champions League 1st​ Round Draw

View attachment 304533

A draw against Shakhtar is definitely one of the easier draws I could’ve gotten. Expecting progression to the quarter finals.

LIGA BBVA Game 15

So, our last game of the year, before the winter break, saw us travel away to Athletic. I desperately wanted a win to finish off the year.

View attachment 304532

And we got that win. A fairly comfortable 3-1 victory which means that, after an incredibly shaky start to the season, we sit in 3rd​ place at Christmas. Now we have the winter break, two weeks which will give my injured players a chance to recover, and also bring in some transfers to bolster the squad.

View attachment 304530

Spanish Cup 5th​ Round Draw

View attachment 304529

Not the draw I wanted, and it will be incredibly tough, but I feel like the team has improved a lot since those defeats against Real at the start of the season, so should be a couple of excellent games.

 

[Matt419]

January 2014 - Transfers

View attachment 304528

So, three new signings that we've had finalised for a while now. Odegaard i bought back in July, but he's only just joined now, and Munir and Berahino I finalised in November. Munir and Berahino will go straight into the first team, acting as rotation options, while Odegarrd will be in rotation until Turan and Cerci return from injury, and then will spend the rest of the season at Atletico B.

I'm halfway through playing January now, but I have a question for anyone who's listening. Would you rather me write less and just have a quick summary after every match? Or maybe even write more detail?