I started out with nothing and I still got most of it left

[Edd1920]

​

October 2032

View attachment 66852
A tough game as we face the team in second and the decision to match up to their 4-3-3 doesn’t pay off. Only 2 Munoz penalties rescue us in a pretty wretched performance.


View attachment 66851
A slower, more considered approach and keeping the 4-3-3 pays off for 70 minutes, although it takes a penalty for us to score. Another disappointing drawn performance and more ground lost on the league leaders.


View attachment 66850
Hopefully home advantage against one of the weaker teams in the division, should give us a good chance. The scoreline suggests it was tight, but despite only scoring once, we never looked like losing. Fabbri picks up his fifth of the season from a quality through ball from Redinciuc.

​

The more cautious 4-3-3, rather than the route one 5-2-3 seems to be getting the better performances from the players, so that is the tactic to build on…it does require me bringing in additional CMs though and Icelandic DM Asmundsson comes in on a free.

​

View attachment 66849
A streaky Munoz goal seals the win, but that was hardly a classic performance.


View attachment 66848
Asmundsson makes his debut although it’s a bit of a nothing show from the whole team.


View attachment 66847
We get mullered in the first 20 minutes before some changes are made to counter their wingers who were running the show. We were more comfortable after that and got back into the game and restricted them to speculative long shots. Munoz is looking like the key player and a cracking free transfer find.

​

View attachment 66846


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[Edd1920]

November 2032

Benedetti comes in for Giordano and is given the DLF role to drop a bit deeper to offer another option. LB Rossi is given more freedom and RB Tosi, is given less.
View attachment 66811
It’s a good job we were clinical because we definitely didn’t make as many chances as we could have done. A fine Redinciuc goal from a Munoz assist seals the win.

Lots of players are missing through either injuries or international duty so this is a bit of a makeshift team. Away to the team in second means a more conservative approach.
View attachment 66810
Not a good performance, although given the team it was not a great surprise that we created so little. Both Benedetti & Vives have now gone lengthy spells without scoring.

I’m hoping a formation change to a 4-1-3-2 will help give a bit more balance and control in the middle.
View attachment 66809
Which it does…but while possession, shots on goal, on target and corners were all up, that was a wholly frustrating game as no-one seemed to be able to put the finishing chances on anything.

The recent poor performances force a revert back to the route one 4-3-3, with a quicker tempo and emphasis on passing the ball forward, not dribbling.
View attachment 66808
Two Fabbri goals seem to vindicate the decision, the second after a particularly after a fine flick on from Munoz - the typical TM assist.

​

A bit of an inconsistent month that one, but I’ll take the blame for chopping and changing the team when we went through a sticky patch. Sometimes it works, sometimes you have to go back to doing what the team is good at which we did against Avellino and is showed.

​

View attachment 66807​

 

[kolas79]

It is very important to keep close to the top my friend. Up till now your team looks good on defense in most of the games but not so good in offense. You must find a way to play more offensive upfront.

 

[Edd1920]

It is very important to keep close to the top my friend. Up till now your team looks good on defense in most of the games but not so good in offense. You must find a way to play more offensive upfront.

Tell me about it - the usual starting formation is fairly offensive, but I either don't seem to be getting the best out of the attacking players or the system is wrong and I'm not making the most of them...I'm working on it and I'm still in a bit of a trial and error stage.

Not sure the board will give me too much flexibility given they want promotion through a league win!

 

[Edd1920]

December 2032 - January 2033

A really tough cup game against Serie A opposition in Bari. The fourth qualifying round is as far as the board expect me to get but with a long injury list and only 8 subs available, it’s already an uphill struggle.
View attachment 66579
We had the chances to at least draw this, but Fabbri and, unusually, Munoz put their chances wide. Munoz suffers a significant hip injury which causes us a serious headache as our top scorer now misses 3 months.

The injuries are seriously hurting the team and a lack of depth means that players who should not be playing, are having to come in.
View attachment 66578
It’s a good job Fabbri can put away a chance from a setpiece as before that, we didn’t really do much. Benedetti has a whinge about a lack of playing time and this performance shows exactly why this is the case.

Benedetti has to start againi in Munoz’s continued absence and a couple of fringe players are given chances in the starting line-up.
View attachment 66577

Well, they weren’t very good and we were given a helping hand with the own goal but both Giordano and Maineri put their goals away neatly. My most convincing win as Bologna manager.

​

It turns out that Lazio have had an appalling run in Serie A and find themselves in the relegation zone. They sack their manager and it’s too good an opportunity to pass up…
View attachment 66576…although it would appear, that Lazio board do not feel the same way.

​

View attachment 66575
Well that was embarrassing. We completely gifted them the opening 3 goals, but to then concede the rest was very poor. Even trying to shut the game down didn’t work. On a very, very minor plus side, Benedetti got his goal.


After the Frosinone shambles, a much more condensed approach is taken.
View attachment 66574
We were so close to grabbing the win. Redinciuc scores a cracking free-kick but the team can’t hold on to seal what would have been a very valuable three points.

​

The winter break gives us the opportunity to strengthen the team and a few positions are needed but the Serie B wage cap of £4,900 a week is limiting. Viable loan options are almost non-existent and the free transfer market has no quality whatsoever. However, midfielders Costa and Labadie come in for reasonable amounts. Both are good technical players, good passers, composed and look ideal as a foil for Redinciuc or Carbone in the middle.

View attachment 66571 View attachment 66570

In addition, Manchester United youngster Rodrigues also comes in on loan until the end of the season and he’s a huge step up on Torsi who has been playing RB in Ihitz’s injury absence.

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​

The defensive stance is retained. Labadie is given his first start and Rodrigues makes his debut as well.
View attachment 66568
Both debutants are solid and I thought Cerci’s goal on the 88th minute had won it, but as ever, we do enjoy making things hard for ourselves and concede even later than that.

​

We’re slipping behind the front two which causes me to look at the rules for promotion in Serie B and they’re one of the more confusing that I’ve seen​

View attachment 66567

​

Labadie is injured, so Costa makes his first start and the front 3 are shuffled slightly with Vitale moved into the TM(S) role between AF Fabbri and TMA Giordano. The wing-backs are encouraged to get further forward as well.

View attachment 66563
A very nice performance as we're much improved. Pushing LB Rossi forward pays off as he gets the assist for Vitale's goal before Buisson scores from a corner.

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[Edd1920]

February 2033

View attachment 66212 - uh-oh, this is ominous…

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The transfer window shuts with very little business done in January, with just the 3 players coming in, but 3 players who are going to be in and around the first team. The search is already on for replacements in the summer for loanees RB Rodrigues, ST Giordano and LB Rossi who has already declared his intention to leave on a free.

​

An away game combined with the absence of key players through suspension, means a more conservative approach is taken. Modena play a 4-4-2, so the intent is to overload the midfield and play behind their midfield wide players.
View attachment 66210
Which works to perfection as we dominate in every respect. Vinci is outstanding in the anchor man role and even the maligned Vitale gets in on the act adding an assist to his 2 goals.

Vitale’s recent form makes him undroppable and Fabbri joins him in a 2 man attack. WBs Rossi & Rodrigues should provide good with slightly ahead of a 3 man central defence. Novara sit 20th so it should be a comfortable win, but we’ve hardly been fluent recently.
View attachment 66209
That was another good win and another 4 goals scored and it looks like I’ve finally got the balance sorted for these players. Fabbri’s goals here give him 11 for the season, two behind leading scorer; Munoz and Redinciuc leads the assists with 7.

​

View attachment 66208- I wasn’t good enough for Lazio, but this job then becomes available and again, it’s too good to turn down, although I’m not holding any hopes out for this one…with good reason, as I’m turned down for that one too.

​

View attachment 66207
I think I’ve cracked it. Fabbri gets the plaudits, but it’s Redinciuc who’s the unsung hero in the middle of the park.

Munoz makes his long awaited comeback after injury and a couple of other changes are made to allow some rotation.

View attachment 66206
Maybe I haven’t quite cracked it. Vitale had the chance to win this with 2 very good chances at the death, but he placed them both wide when through 1 on 1. We were slightly fortunate to come out of that with a point, but it’s a clean sheet.

​

That excellent month keeps us well and truly in the promotion game and is hopefully something of a eureka moment as it looks like we have a system that works.

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[Edd1920]

March 2033

Some changes are needed due to this game coming so soon after the previous one, so both the top 2 are changed. Spal play with a very peculiar narrow formation, so the space on the flanks is there to exploit, which we set out to do.
View attachment 66002
With some success as it turns out as Rodrigues provides both assists getting forward from his wing-back position and producing the 2 fine crosses that leads to Vitale’s goals. A win that finally takes us top of the league.

A tough game as we travel to local rivals Cesena who currently sit one place below us.
View attachment 66001
In no way did we park the bus, but we were appalling and failed to do anything of note. We had one shot on goal and that was in the 91st minute as I just couldn’t seem to get the changes right during the game to constitute anything close to being a threat.

The left footed Vitale is preferred to Munoz in the left striker slot alongside Fabbri and Labadie comes in for the, so far, unproductive Costa. Allen gets a start in goal.
View attachment 66000
It’s a good job Fabbri is on form, because our defence most certainly aren’t.

​

View attachment 65999 - Serbian leftback Kocic comes in on a free. The intention was for him to replace Rossi in the summer who leaves on a free, although he’s good enough to instantly become the first choice. His value jumps to £18.5m instantly as well, so looks like a valuable investment in the worst case.

​

Kocic is thrown in straight away and Borini replaces Allen who didn’t perform particularly well against Livorno. Despite being in the better form, Vitale is replaced by Munoz who starts up top with the redhot Fabbri.
View attachment 65998
The penalty was clear-cut but up until that point we struggled to make the breakthrough. Kocic picks up the MoM award on his debut and that’s Munoz’s first goal for more than 10 hours.

Munoz starts again but our besy performing centreback; Buisson and midfielder; Redinciuc miss out through injury and international duty respectively. Entella sit second so a win is a good opportunity to put some distance between us and the chasing pack.
View attachment 65997
It’s somewhat telling that Borini picks up the man of the match award as he singlehandedly saved us from losing this one.

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[Edd1920]

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April 2033
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View attachment 65724 - Am I glutton for punishment? Udinese sit in a comfortable 14th with no risk of them getting relegated. They’re certainly a lower calibre than the AC Milan and Lazio who I had previously been turned down by, but they’re a step up from Bologna with a better reputation, higher wage and transfer budget. I'm very tempted, but I'd probably only be turned down again and the chance for a promotion is too good to back away from right now.

​

Nuno Mendes appears in the squad for the first time this season as he is the reserve keeper. Costa is moved to an AP(s) role to try and get more creativity out of him and Gruzska is given a rare outing with Buisson injured.
View attachment 65722
Munoz is outstanding and puts away the three chances he has as we show great character and determination to come from behind twice.


Mendes makes his first start as Borini injures himself in training. Otherwise, it’s the same team that beat Ascoli.
View attachment 65721
Even before the sending off we were pretty comfortable but after that we took control without really getting the shots on target we perhaps should have done.


Vicenza sit at the wrong end of the table and we’re in good form, so I’m optimistic about our chances. Vicenza’s defensive formation needs to be broken through, so one of the tweaks here is to encourage roaming in the hope it pulls their players out of positions.
View attachment 65720
To no avail - a drab match all round.


Cagliari sit in third and come into the game in good form having not lost in 8 games.
View attachment 65719
Redinciuc drives the team forward from his BBM position in the middle of the park with an outstanding free-kick and generally bossing the midfield. An eventually comfortable win in a game which was a potential banana-skin.

​

View attachment 65714 - CB Cerci takes the record from LB Rossi, although both players are still in the squad and still very much first team players so expect both to build on these numbers.

View attachment 65713

​

Another tough game, and an unchanged team as we travel to Palermo
View attachment 65718
A very even game and I thought Benedetti, on as a substitute had grabbed us the draw with just over 10 minutes to go and despite trying to shut the game down, we handed Palermo a winner, although the nature of the deflection made it a ridiculously flukey goal. A bit gutted not to have at least got a point out of that.


View attachment 65717
A game of very little quality or sustained pressure by either team. Avellino had the majority of the possession, courtesy of a keep-ball policy between their back 4 and we struggled to get through the midfield 5. Gruszka, only in the team as a result of injury to usual CB scores a 16yard header to give us the point.


View attachment 65716​

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[Edd1920]

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May 2033

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The numbers are; 3 games left to play, 8 points clear of third place and 2 ahead of Cesena in second. Promotion looks all but guaranteed which is something of a turn around given our early-mid season performances, but winning the league is far from certain.

​

We travel to Genoa with our top scorer Munoz or a recognised DM with Vinci & Malneri both suspended. Giordano and Carbone come in to do a job for the team. A win guarantees Serie A football next season.
View attachment 65680
Fabbri hit the bar twice in quick succession in the first minute which rather set the tone for a frustrating afternoon’s work. Genoa took their chances, which we couldn’t, and withstood a bit of an onslaught towards the end of the game. Luckily for me, Cesena can only manage a draw and move to within a point.

Munoz and Vinci return to give us the strongest possible starting 11.
View attachment 65679
It’s an unlikely goalscorer in Ceci who gives us the lead after a bit of a corner fiasco, but we’re pegged back almost immediately. Benedetti, on for the unusually ineffective Fabbri, grabs the winner with a clinical header as the game looked like it was dying to a draw.

​

View attachment 65678 - that win guarantees promotion, mainly thanks to a much better second half of the season than first.

​

This gives us the opportunity for some payback after the humiliation of the 6-1 drubbing earlier in the season.
View attachment 65677
Although we’re shocking and Fabbri concedes a penalty to gift them the win as Frosinone just seem to have the beating of us.

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Happy with promotion, but really, we should have won the league. Our home form let us down as we finished with only the 6th best home record, but the best away record so it’s clear where we let ourselves down…relatively.

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Rossi is deservedly the fans player of the season as he has been outstanding, although it’s Munoz with a career best 20 goals, who has propelled us up a division. Redinciuc looks every bit a Serie A player and Rodrigues was a quality loan option as well as he’s performed fantastically.

The challenge is now on to bring in the extra quality to compete in Serie A. ​

 

[Edd1920]

June - July 2033

​

The end of season formalities are completed as we create a new Serie B record for average attendances. An attendance of 19,560 is significant but as we have a stadium capacity of 36,000 it’s still only just over half full - hopefully Serie A opponents will bring the crowds and some increased revenue.

Redinciuc finishes third in the player of the season awards and is named in the team of the year along with keeper; Borini and leftback Rossi.

In an attempt to maintain Serie A status which is the minimum board expectation - 4 new players are bought in.

View attachment 65625

Gruzska drops out of the first team to make way for Bakker and Simoes comes in as a prospect but will be in and around the first team. Sa replaces Borini who didn’t want to renew his contract and the brilliantly named der Sloot comes in as Rodrigues’s loan spell ends and he goes back to Man Utd.

There’s very little money available otherwise so it’s definitely a case of one in, one out now (unless something too good to pass up comes along).

Jobs in the top three leagues, although none significant, start becoming available, and it’s time to have a look round the top leagues in Europe to see what’s been happening…

View attachment 65624 View attachment 65623

View attachment 65622 View attachment 65621
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So, just as we’re starting to prepare for the new season, the board accept an offer for Fabbri over my head which is a problem as he’s much more valuable to me than the £9m that Watford bid. It looks as though Benedetti, who has just requested a transfer will be leading the line, but another striker is needed - ideally a youngster with potential.

 

[Edd1920]

August 2033

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​

View attachment 65556 - Belgian youngster Fontaine comes in for a fee of £7m + potential add-ons relating to appearances and goals scored, which he will probably meet but he’s young, talented and I’m hoping he can make a significant contribution.

The arrangement with parent club Porto pays off as we end up with two very decent looking options, with Robinson Gomez coming in as an extra option in CM and Jose Luiz as CB.

View attachment 65555 View attachment 65554

View attachment 65553 - the friendlies have been and gone and with the exception of a very poor result at Salernitana were pretty much as expected. Slightly disappointing to note that over the 5 games, and 6 goals, we only had 2 goalscorers.

Anyway, the third qualifying round of the cup is up first against Serie C opposition. I want to go as far as possible in this competition so a strong team is selected. It’s a bit of a changed team as GK Sa, CB Bakker, RB der Sloot and CM Gomez all make their debuts. Vitale and Benedetti have the main goalscoring responsibility up top. Benedetti was a bit on the sidelines last season as Fabbri was the lead striker, but with Fabbri now gone, Benedetti will be getting much more gametime.

View attachment 65552
We properly ground out the win after going ahead through the own goal. Defensively pretty solid, but not enough in an attacking sense.


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View attachment 65551 - reasonable enough and, with the improvements in the squad, very achieveable.

​

So, here we are - hopefully the boys are raring to go as we’re slight underdogs, but do have home advantage and it’s the same starting 11 as the cup game.
View attachment 65550
I think it’s fair to say that we absolutely stole that one as we scored with our only shot on target. Van Der Sloot wins the man of the match, but it was keeper Sa who ensured a clean sheet and if you can keep a clean sheet, you always have a chance. A very valuable 3 points.

Gomez misses out after an injury and the front 2; Vitale and Benedetti are replaced by Munoz and Fontaine.
View attachment 65549
We held our own for a long time but eventually succumbed to 25 yard wonderstrike, and we couldn’t claw back one of our own after that, despite having a number of good chances to grab the equaliser. A tough result, but not embarrassing by any stretch of the imagination.

View attachment 65548 - View attachment 65547​

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[Cyupa]

Box to box

So, how am I doing? (Ciprian Redinciuc)

 

[Edd1920]

So, how am I doing? (Ciprian Redinciuc)

Pretty good - had an outstanding season last time round, although this finding it harder this year...having said that, we're not far in and the whole team are struggling with the step up in class.

View attachment 65144 View attachment 65143 View attachment 65142

 

[Edd1920]

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September 2033

Empoli finished 8th​ last season, just outside the European places, so this is not going to be an easy game. Mendes, Buisson and the on loan Luiz make their first starts this season.
View attachment 65115
Another game in which we stole a result but we deserved that just for the defensive performance, which was outstanding. Der Sloot scores his first for the club.

If we’re going to finish towards the bottom of the league, these are the teams who are going to be around us and the teams we need to be getting points against.
View attachment 65114
We were actually playing pretty well and in the lead until an unfortunate own goal seemed to give them a bit of a boost which we couldn’t keep up with.

Bit of a free hit this one as we’re not expected to do anything. Benedetti misses out through injury and Ceci is restored to the team. I resist the temptation to go proper defensive, but that might be a plan depending on how the game goes.
View attachment 65113
Fontaine struggles up top, but he’s not helped by the rest of the team who fail to service him. A move to a narrow 4-1-2-1-2 at half-time gives us more going forward but it’s a little bit too late by then.

The games certainly don’t get any easier as league leaders up next as Inter come to town. It’s becoming clear that the tactics that got us promoted are not going to be the tactics that keep us in the division so an extra DM is brought in as we look to control the game at home.
View attachment 65112
We do, more-or-less control things, but trying to forge any half decent chances is proving difficult. It’s telling that only 1 team - Lazio, weirdly sitting at the bottom of the league - have scored fewer than us. 7 points from the 6 opening games is not a bad base to build on as I’m almost already counting the points to safety.​

​​View attachment 65111 - Portugese attacking midfielder Jaoa Martins is signed on a free after his Benfica contract expired - hopefully to bring some creativity and guile to central midfield and to give the strikers the ammunition they need to get some goals.

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[Edd1920]

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October 2033

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Martins makes his debut in the AMC position and the same 4-1-2-1-2 formation is employed, with an emphasis on winning the ball back and moving it quickly. Pescara are another team who will be at the wrong end of the table, so picking up points here is vital.
View attachment 64886
Benedetti finally comes to the party and gets his season up and running as we just seem to over-run Pescara.

View attachment 64885
Munoz gets his first of the season and we dominate possession but just can’t transfer that into meaningful chances. Conceding a sloppy goal just 3 minutes from time was not in the script and a bit of a kick in the teeth as it looked like we were destined for at least a draw.

The tough games keep coming and it’s Fiorentina up next. A couple of changes are made to keep the team fresh, including dropping Fontaine who, in 8 games, has produced the sum total of absolutely nothing.
View attachment 64884
Munoz gets his second in as many games and again, we hold out until the latter stages of the game, conceding an incredibly frustrating equaliser…again, in the 87th​ minute. We’d be picking up quite a few more points if we could just see these games out, although a draw, away, is not the worse results and I’d probably have taken that before the game.

A minor tactical tweak is made to play wider and we’ve reverted to a back 3 again to make the most of this at home.
View attachment 64883
The extra width pays of as Munoz pulls wide and squares a great ball across the 18 yard box for Fontaine…YES FONTAINE…to end his 11 hour wait and finally get his first for the club and the season. On loan centreback Jose Luiz desrvedly gets his moan of the match award as he’s imperious in defence.

A defensive shield of Maineri and Vinci is employed in front of a back 5 as I unashamedly set out the stall to play for a draw.
View attachment 64882
As a result, it’s a pretty low quality game but we get the result we set out to get and manage to nullify Napoli’s attacking threat. Kocic as the attacking LB is deservedly awarded the MoM as he defends superbly and manages to get forward to be involved in the rare attacking threats we did have.

​

For the second time this year, the Lazio vacancy becomes available as Pietro VIsconti is sacked after just 10 months. Lazio sit bottom, with no wins and 5 points from safety. But this time I’m favourite for the job and despite their lowly current position, they’re a major step up in reputation, finances and facilities from Bologna.

View attachment 64881

​​So I apply…again...

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[Edd1920]

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November 2033

It’s nice to be wanted:
View attachment 64874 View attachment 64871


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Considering they were promoted with us, Cesena have had an outstanding season and sit second in the league with wins against Juventus and AC Milan, among others. We’re at home so the shackles are released from the DMs slightly and the team are given a little more creative freedom. Top scorer with 3, Benedetti partners Munoz at the business end of the pitch.
View attachment 64868
A disappointing result which didn’t vindicate the attacking changes that I had made. Redinciuc’s fine free-kick was the only consolation in a game in which we didn’t really show what we were capable of - particularly the first half.

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As it turns out, a disappointing end to my Bologna days as Lazio make a formal approach which I accept and the first time I've taken a job from a team in the same country. The promotion was obviously the highpoint here and was done with some style. Understandably, it's been harder this time round as the team have had to step up a division, but Bologna are in a pretty good state and well capable of staying in Serie A this season.


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View attachment 64865​

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[Edd1920]

View attachment 64628
November 2033

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View attachment 64627

So, another job beckons and it’s my 10th managing job.

View attachment 64626 - View attachment 64625

On the face of it, it’s a complete mystery why Lazio are sitting in the poor position they do as it looks as though the squad is there, reasonably balanced and surely good enough to be sitting further up the league. The facilities are excellent and the backroom staff are easily good enough. The youth set up is also very good and a number of prospects are out on loan, but there are players good enough to step into the first team.

View attachment 64624

The table does not make for pretty reading and the stats are absurd - no wins in 11 games with only 5 goals scored.The immediate target is to keep the club from relegation, but after that, Lazio are a team who should at least be playing European football so that’s the longer term goal.

The transfer window is still 2 months away so we’re stuck with the players we have, but with the right formation and tactics, we should be able to make some progress.There’s a bit of a wait until the first game due to the International break, of which a number of my players are on duty, so time to get accustomed to the squad and a friendly is arranged for the others.

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View attachment 64623
So, it’s hardly representative of the opposition we’re likely to be facing, but that utterly dominant win should at least put the team in good spirits before the next Serie A game. Nascimento was outstanding so he will need to continue that form for the season.

A number of players return from international duty so we’re back to full strength. The players are suited to a 4-2-3-1 formation so that’s what we’re starting with and, at home, looking to control the game with the emphasis on letting the players express themselves.
View attachment 64622
Nascimento carries his goalscoring on from the friendly game and, despite being under serious pressure in the last half an hour as Sampdoria went all out, we hold firm to record a duly deserved win. A pretty good managerial debut at the Stadio Olimpico.

View attachment 64621
Well that was disappointing after the optimism of the Sampdoria game as we lose to arguably the weaker of the two. We had enough possession and enough shots on goal but nothing that troubled the scoresheet. ​

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[Edd1920]

December 2033

We’re at the opposite end of the table and the signs are not promising as we turn up and try
to mitigate the damage with a full-on very defensive structured tactic.
View attachment 64378
Which pays off to perfection as that man Nascimento scores the only goal to give us 3 very valuable points. Although Roma had more of the shots, they were mostly speculative and from distance. We only had 2 shots on target, but Nascimento puts his one away. CB Afonso grabs the man of the match award as he contributes significantly in repelling Roma’s attacks.

Well, it had to happen sooner or later and we welcome Bologna to the Olimpico. The same tactics that served us well against Roma are retained, although Ceccarelli has to miss out through injury with Panetta leading the line. Japanese CB Saito comes in to partner Afonso at the back as I’m still trying to work out my best defensive partnership.
View attachment 64377
Luna is outstanding in the AML position with a mazy run leading to the opener after just 20 seconds. His fine free kick just sealed his MoM award as we restrict Bologna to speculative efforts and drag ourselves out of the relegation zone for the time being.

There’s only 2 days rest before another massive (they’re all massive at this end of the table) game.
View attachment 64376
Considering we didn’t even have a shot in the first half, the second was a much improved affair after some tinkering with the player roles…not good enough to win, but improved none-the-less. The whole team seemed to be plagued with a case of wrong decision making at vital times. 20 year old Hadzeresic makes his debut.

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I was hoping that the deployment of an extra DM would help provide a solid base, although it didn’t appear to help to restrict Pescara’s attacks. All the business was done in the first 10 minutes as Panetta gets his fifth of the season. GK Russo had a fine game restricting them to just the one goal.

It’s exactly the same starting 11 hoping to make some amends for the Pescara game.
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A ridiculously frustrating game is only saved in the last 10 minutes by substitute Redolfo - his first goal in 26 games (!!!!!) - and a deflected Lluna freekick. Prior to that, every shot had gone tamely into the keepers hands, or was struck into a defender. The points are more important than the performance and hopefully will increase some morale.

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Not quite the results I needed this month, but enough to pull us very slightly clear - albeit, only by 2 points at the moment but it’s very tight at the bottom and a couple of wins can make a significant difference in league positions.

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[Edd1920]

January 2034​

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View attachment 64259- I team up with a familiar face as Messan joins permanently after a loan spell from Inter who signed him from Anderlecht, where he performed admirably for me. The other signing is 21 year old midfielder Benedini who, it would seem, AC Milan have allowed to leave for a pittance as he looks to have the ability to be a very good player.

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Redolfi gets his reward for his game-winning substitute appearance in the last game and Benedini is given his debut as well. Experienced defender Lundqvist misses out with a 3 month injury.
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It’s a good job we’d built up a 2 goal lead when LB Pinto was sent off, because that jeopardised our position considerably and we were completely over-run after that, despite attempting to mitigate being a player down. Luna was outstanding with 2 goals and Benedini had a solid enough start to his Lazio career. Redolfi was disappointing though and the lone striker is still a position/role I haven’t quite sorted yet. That win bumps us up to 14th.

A proper lower mid-table clash as Verona sit one place above us. Benedini retains his position and Ceccarelli, on paper our best striker, returns from his injury layoff. CB Cason has to play LB as both my naturals in that position are injured or suspended.
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We rode our luck at times, but Messan’s first for the club gives us a win that, on balance, we probably deserved. 3 straight wins have dragged us 8 points clear of the relegation zone and, whilst qualification for the European Cup is probably out of reach, survival is looking more likely.

Whilst Napoli aren’t the easiest opponents, we’re on a good run. Pinto returns from his injury so the back 4 is back to full strength.

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Michel misses a golden opportunity as he fluffs a one-on-one and if Panetta was more clinical, we would have won that instead of conceding that 90th minute kick in the teeth.

Somehow, Cesena who were promoted last season, sit at the top of the league by 4 points having been in Serie B for the last 3 seasons, although they suffered a heavy defeat to Atalanta last time round so we’ll be looking to capitalise on that.
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Well, that was unexpected as we just about edge a pretty close game.

Palermo are rooted to the bottom of the league and we’re very much upwardly mobile at the moment so I’m optimistic that we can get a result at home. My only ongoing disappointment is that we are not getting the most our of whichever striker is playing, so a couple of tactical tweaks are made to do something about this.
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Panetta inexplicably manages to hit the bar from a yard out with an open goal although it’s not critical as his blushes are rather fortunately spared. All round a pretty good performance and Benedini’s good performances this month have pushed Ramirez out of first team contention and onto the transfer list.

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View attachment 64254- the only movement I’m responsible for is the incoming Messan and Benedini and there has been nothing significant going out. There are 19 players, mostly in the reserves whose contracts expire in the summer and they can all leave freeing up about £140,000 a week on wages which can definitely be better spent.

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It's disappointing that only 7 players have scored this season and top scorer Panetta only has 5 goals after 24 games - definitely an area that needs improving. On the plus side, goalscoring contributions are being made by Lluna and Nascimento the wide players and it's these two who have produced the assists. GK Russo leads the average ratings which is not a surprise as he has been on form.

Overall, a good month which pushes up the league. 6th place, and European football, is manageable, but it's going to take some effort to get there as although it's only 6 points the whole league seem pretty compacted at the moment. I've been slowly eating away at the goal difference as well, so that will hopefully be positive soon.

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[kolas79]

Wow ten teams in a save ! I 've done it to be honest but I like the idea. Surely keeps the save very very interesting !