Katsumi Touko The Smith of Pretty Victories.

[Death Ball]

First day at Krylja 2019

The squad is very small and not very well balanced, with a lack of defenders in any positions. Only two players, excluding the loanee, end contract this month and both are valuable with the squad we have. I can't reach a deal with Makhmudov and Sadik refuses talks.
[video=youtube;mivvvHO6cqE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mivvvHO6cqE[/video]
Pause to look at each player. Duration of each isn't fixed as I didn't think it was possible with the program I have

A look at the stats says at least a third of the players had a very bad season, the passing was pretty bad, the big goalscorer doesn't want to stay. The best of all is this squad that apparently has been poor finished very near from promotion play offs. The rigth reinforcements should be able to take it to promotion.

What we need for next season: two centrebacks, two fullbacks, one per side, starters, a playmaker and a defensive midfielder at least, two strikers, one goalkeeper. I will be making a search for players ending contract this month. Probably nothing will come out given most will be finishing because they've not been good enough rather than looking to move up.

A look into the transfers pending give me a scare: our best fullback, Bozhin, appeared among the outs. Fortunately, the deal was canceled. And so the three ins. From them, only one may be worth and I order scouts to trak him.

A number of players for each of the needed positions are being scouted right away.

Now on to staff. Only two scouts, I'll need more to finish those reports soon. Also I need to bring coaches.

 

[Death Ball]

Summer 2019

There are some special rules to consider with signings. So far I've been searching for Russians in scouring, but I'll add some foreigns when those are done.

João Marcos wants a new contract and seeing what he can do and what he did, I offer him. A considerable raise of wages but I think he's earned it. Robert Moglan is also reported unhappy, wanting more first team football. And he'll have it, as he seems the best centreback we have. I will not speak to him yet, not to make him expect play before preseason even begins.

The staff recommends offering Philippov a mutual termination. He's the worse of the three goalkeepers and I was planning to let him go as I'm bringing a new one, so I do that.

Pitch has been relaid.

We have two injuries: Guliev for three weeks and Fedorov for two.

When expectations are discussed I propose reaching promotion play off, as I think we can aim for that. We're predicted fourth so it's not like that's beyond us. With it I get almost two extra million for transfers.

I'm introduced to the players. They seem in good spirits. I set expectations a moment ago so I'm honest and tell them just that. They seem to be happy with the set goals.

Moglan finally comes asking for first team football.

With ten days to end the month, scout repots have been finished on players ending their contracts so it's time to bring some players...

From the scouted players, some are not good enough, some reject talks, like Pgrebnyak, because the league limits the wages too low, a few signed a new contract in the meantime and enquiries are made and only two accept talks.

We receive a bid for our top youngster, Pavlov, who I plan to even give time in the first team. Rejected.

With a week to finish their contracts, I manage to keep Makhmudov for another season, but Sadik rejects talking again. Shebanov's loan extension is also achieved, so for now we're at least keeping past season's team. It is a matter of finding new players to plug holes and reinforce.

It's three weeks till the first match of the season and players are still tired, so I can't be making frendlies. Remembering that match with the 3-1-3-3 that seemed to go so well, I'm preparing a second tactic along those lines.

Given the dificulty to find players between reputation of team and league and the wage limit, I've hired a director of football to help finding players.

We receive Burmistrov from a SOGAZ Premier team, I rejected it and he was upset about it. I've told him he can go if they make a new offer. No point having a player who's unhappy and may as consequence not put all his effort.

Kuleshov got working and the first day he made a bid for a striker, Mullin.

Sokol Saratov proposes a friendly and I accept. We play at home. I let assistant choose most of the team. I've let him choose set pieces defense. You know he places players defending posts because when a header is sent close to the post the player there does nothing. At least we had gone ahead from a nize shot by Morozov. Also media predicts a draw.
Shebanov twists his knee. It looks bad too.
We win the match with a last moment goal by Alexey Pavlov.
I complained about Korean names being hard to remember; but here Alexey Pavlov can score three goals and not make a hat trick. Because we have three different Alexey Pavlov. And two Alexey Fedorov

From this first match, this 3--4-3 formation has an issue deffensively, as the central midfielder doesn't hel the defensive midfielder enough and lets us open to counters. He'll be changed to deep lying play maker. Ball movement is good, though at moments team seems to be too far and passing suffering from it. This match accuracy has been good, with majority of shots hitting target. This first match has shown the tactic to be promising.

Shebanov is out for a month.

Mullin arrives to the club.

Two transfers I began end in nothing when the players refuse talks on the low wage limit in this league. I'm starting to regret taking this job instead of resigning to take the Portuguesa job.

Chelyabinsk is the second and probably last friendly. The change seems to have taken care of the vulnerability to counter attacks, but offensively it's worked less. No half shots on target for the first half. With Shebanov injured and Mulling match fit, we played with two youth strikers, Pavlov the youngest missing an empty goal in the first half, then in the second getting a post and forcing two great saves. Morozov put us ahead just before being subbed. Then a piece of defending worth suspecting match fixing, as their striker was marked by two centrebacks and when he's to receive a cross, the one blocking the path ofo a shot to goal backs away and opens it to let them get the draw.

P.S.-

I've decided to move some leagues around, removing China, English non division levels and add Denmark three levels.

 

[PatrickLFC]

Definitely a good idea to keep hold of the youngster when they're offering peanuts

 

[Death Ball]

Definitely a good idea to keep hold of the youngster when they're offering peanuts

Yeah, he's already good enough to have some first team appearances. With the squad we have it will be inevitable and he looks like he can be a key player and could well reach a million worth some time in the future. If they want him they need to offer a lot more than they are. Or a player who's already worth to be key right now. Or Pavlov becoming unsettled and wanting to leave, which fortunately hasn't happened.

 

[Death Ball]

July 2019

A friendly between the last and the start of the season has too many chances of forcing tired players, so none is scheduled. They don't look very far from the level of fitness required, though, and with four subs usable in the macthes plus the short squad it shouldn't be hard to have everyone fit soon.

Bonuses are set to minimum in cup and maximum in league.

Taranov gets an injury for two weeks, he's set to play through it. With the short squad we have we can't afford having players unavailable.

Sergeev is signed on loan. A young player that can work as back up.

Anzhi comes bidding for Maslov. I don't want to lose him, but I don't think he'll be happy if I reject and this way at least we get a little money out of it. I offer him a new contract immediately, €1.6Kp/w as he asked.

Th league opens with Khimki. We start it with two good chances in the first quarter, one of which hits the post.
Another post at 25'
They go ahead after half an hour, because if someone cross while you're a defender and are in the area, there's no rush whatsoever to get to the ball.
Some more chances are made during the second half, but with a few changes as they begin to defend more. Not taken. As usual strikers do everything to be offside and nothing to be onside.

From this last match I could see: central midfield still a little vulnerable. The three players up front tend to play in the same space, so instead of overloading an area, they're making themselves become effectively a single player.

Kuleshov keeps doing his job and he brings a new centreback, Alan Bagaev.

Maslov decides to go to Anzhi. No surprises.

With slight rotation for tired players, whe begin the visit to Shinnik promosingly. The worrying thing is two players didn't got rest from a match almost a week ago.
Changes I made include having the front three making and advanced pressing and so far it looks like it works well. Perhaps the advanced midfielder is having too much to run so I may tell him to ease his pressing some.
After twelve minutes Mulling opens the scoreline.
After half an hour we had another decent chance. Only the goal was on target, but many are blocked.
Morozov hits the post at 36th min.
One more clear chance before half time is saved.
Five to eight minutes in the second half, they begin to get chances.
They keep coming, though not constantly. With a quarter of hour left Mullin gets the second! He got the rebound from a poor point blank effort by Pavlov the youngest.
Bagaev comes in then, since Taranov looks tired and that'll be a problem. Sergeev is also told to stop exerting himself in closing down, we're now saving energy.
Three minutes to go, Guliev gets a potential shin injury. We need to make signings so badly. Luckily, in this league we can make four subs.

Guliev will be out for almost a month.

Spartak Nalchik are our next opponents, sitting right behind us. They field a flat 4-4-2 that seems one against which our system works better.
They get a long range precise shot in right away. Bad defending by the two right centrebacks.
A minute later, Morozov rifles a shot that is parried into a centreback and scoreline is level.
The first 15 mins are level on the score, we edge them but they still have a few long shots on target.
One thing in which this system excells is making space for the two wide players.
The half ends with us having two big chances missed.
When all looked decent, Moglan drops miles off the rest of defence and Mouling makes an exit too late and we're behind.
At 65:44 the best chance ever gets wrongly called offside.
Three minutes to finish, mullin gets the equalizer.

This draw is specially annoying because I thought I had brought Bagaev in for Moglan to start the match and their goals came from Moglan being stupid. I'm not sure if it was a bug with dragging Bagaev to his position of if I lost concentration and thought I had done and hadn't as when I was first to do so I got the idea to check attributes of the other two to choose his place.

Dinamo gets to half a million offer for Pavlov. It begins to be tempting. I also spot a player that is 18 years old and looks much better, but I need confirmation from the scouts. I'm accepting the offer and see if I can bring that other player in his place. Spartak wants a lot more than half a million, so not letting Pavlov go for that little. I negotiate and they walk away.

The other player isn't interested. Offer for Pavlov immediately rejected.

The visit to Dinamo Sankt Petersburg is somewhat muddled. We struggle to make good chances.
A quarter hour to go Moglan is said to have made a penalty, though I'm sure it was not.
Risky changes to get a goal back bear fruit seven minutes later, through not that Pavlov.

The worst part is they sent Taranov and Mullin to the infirmary.

The last match of the month is against last placed Ural Yekaterinemburg.
A. Pavlov (not THE one) opens the score within the first five minutes.
The Pavlov comes in with half an hour till the end.
Nothing else of note happens, I make some defensive changes, eventually move to a more traditional 5-3-2.

Kuban gets some money from the defensive Alexey Pavlov-

I feel we threw four points away cheaply and we should be among the top four.

The squad isn't just one for much passing play. The board is right to want direct play, though I'm not focusing on doing either, just whatever works. Makhmudov poor tackling is worrisome, I think I should tell him to ease off tackles, rather him doesn't lose position.

Small loss this past month but we're in a healthy position.

 

[Death Ball]

(A new monitor arrived, as the old seemed to give off signs of being near its end and it reflected like a mirror. Now I have a wider resolution)

August 2019

We get a few bills from a past transfer.

We visit Metallurg Lipetsk, who are ahead, to begin the month. We do with slight tactical changes: the false nine becoming an attacking deep lying forward as I suspect some of the problems scoring is not enough players in the front line for crosses. Also we go flexible from fluid to try better depth spacing. I'm also applying some ideas from Der Fußball Manager. Mullin is back but tired, so he's in the bench. So is Makhmudov.
A. Pavlov scores early, a precise shot from the edge of the area skimming the post.
Three minutes later he doubles the score!
AlexPav, that is the Alexey Pavlov that's defender/midfielder, gets a third from a corner nearing half time.
The changes seem to have been successful, while we're not getting many shots, we're making them very well, only one off target. Also, while forcing them to long shots only, there are signs of vulnerability to counter attacking. I must reflect on it, I don't want to lose this attacking prowess we're having. Shebanov scores the fourth as I write this!
Balance of first half: six shots, five on target, four goals.
For match fitness purposes, I swap players from one side to the other.
For the same reasons I bring Khalkin in for Moulin around 55th minute.
Four minutes later the last change pays off for them, as Khalkin doesn't move at a cross.
For the last quarter of an hour, Mulling will be in and pick match fitness. The change is done after A. Pavlov gets his hat trick.
A great results that places us almost where we should be.

A. Pavlov's hat trick has brought him on top of the top goalscorers chart.

Krasnodar now offers €650K for Pavlov. Rejected.

Sakhalin is the next visit, a team in the bottom part of the division.
We get a couple of early shots on target, they're saved.
We would be running all over them, but their keeper is having an unbelievable hame.
FINALLY! At the seventieth minute, we get a counter attack and Shebanov manages to cross the bar just above the keeper's grasp for Mullin to push home.
In the end, Shebanov won the duel against
A poor pass after interception by Bagaev, I think, almost cost us the game with three minutes till the end.
We go up to play off spots.

A midfield comes in from Kuleshov work: Moro, who should make our midfield stronger in both sides.

If only he had more flair. Still a very good player to have.

Torpedo Mosvka receives a goal from extremely tight angle in the starting minutes. By Shebanov.
Mulling doubles from an indirect free kicks some time later.
Sergeev is hacked down just before the match ends and it looks back.

Luckily, Sergeev won't be out for more than a week.

Then there's one Zoran Svonja, another midfielder like Moro. Foreigner as well. I don't think he's that good or that needed to fill the foreign quota, so the deal is cancelled.

Our next rival is also lowly placed, fifteen. Their formation, though, a narrow 4-3-2-1 looks like we'd be weakest again.
The match shows it being quite equal, with perhaps them getting the better chances, though less. It is after 25 minutes we're awarded a dubious penalty. Converted by Bozhin.
Five minutes later, Mullin wastes a one on one failing to hit the target.
We're getting loaded with yellow cards, so I'm changing the system at half time. It will be a standard 4-1-4-1 playing narrow and keeping the ball.
The second half seems to improve over the first and four minutes in, we earn a penalty. Covnerted by Burmistrov.
It is them who begin to get cards now.
They get one back through a long shot. Poor goalkeeping by Moulin, who made harder saves before.
Burmistrov almost puts the game to rest with eight minutes to the end, but he hits the post.
Then Makhmudov has another chanced saved. Moulin saves next another big opportunity. Better to park the bus for injury time.
We've had the expected problems with their formation, but we get to direct promotion spots. Top if Tosno loses their game in hand.

Tosno drew and goes ahead on goal differennce. Remember I said we had trouble scoring? We've gone from being one of the least scoring teams to the second top scoring team. With two players among the top three goalscorers. Now the important bit is me not being carried away for these great signs of what's to come. I no longer regret not going to Brazilian top division. That was a risky decission, but I think I can raise my reputation better in a promotion candidate in Russian second division than a low table team on Brazilian's top.

A Pavlov, joint top scorer along Mulling gets a double hernia and will be out for three months.

Then Anzhi makes an offer for Morozov. Now I really need to sign a striker, as there's no way Morozov will be happy if I reject it. So I make a public counter offer and offer him a new contract. He signs it!

The cup draws us against Torpedo Moskva.

Next we go to Amkar Perm's field. They are fifth. We open with a decent chance. Just decent. Easy save.
They have a couple shortly after.
They get a clear chance and score from the rebound within twenty minutes. We've had our chances too, but this isn't good. If I was thinking on changing things around it is clear I must do now.
We almost got a goal in the twenty fifth minute. Thwarted by a pathing bug, I think.
Moulin stands like a moron to let a cross be tapped in without opposition.
Mullin gets one back at the start of the second half.
Six minutes later he equalizes in a similar way: at the end of a cross.
Shebanov has the winner in his boots but sends it wide. Pavlov, that Pavlov, comes in. He sends over another good chance.
Shavaev gets a foot injury in the 82nd minute. It looks pretty bad, but all subs have been made. I don't think we can afford to take him off just yet.
And once again Mullin scores! A hat trick of identical goals from Alexey's crosses. Offside, goddammit. Shevaev still in the sideline.
A complete reversal in the second half. We've been the first match, so it's not yet decided where does this result drops us to.

Shavaev will be out for a month and a half.

The following match is another visit, then to the team in third place, right behind us.
The match begins promising, with Mullin wasting a close shot.
Moulin turns a shot under his armpit into goal, what the ****.
This is unbelievable. So they get a first time long-ish shot to go through the only ball wide path open to the goal and Moulin can't save it.
I haven't counted the wrong offsides called against us that could have been easy goals. "When in doubt it's onside, except if the team is managed by a woman or a Japanese or someone named Katsumi".
We shouldn't have lost this.

We're back in playoff spots, where we're expected to finish.

Month wages not yet paid.

AlexPav and Alexey are disappointing with their tackling. Guliev misses too many headers, too. Shebanov's shots on target ratio is woeful, but he's made it up so far with being the player with the most assists, otherwise he'd be sitting in the bench or his home.

She's become fluent in Korean and Portuguese.

 

[PatrickLFC]

Some great results until that last one, sounds like Russian linesmen are a bit sexist!

 

[Death Ball]

Some great results until that last one, sounds like Russian linesmen are a bit sexist!

And the Koreans too in the second level. Lots of offsides that are so by so small margin it's often hard to tell. Some are actually wrong calls, though not as many as I have Katsumi complaining about.

 

[Death Ball]

September 2019

Following the injuries, I decide to try bring a right fullback or wingback to have a decent replacement for João Marcos and so deal with foreign players on field limitations, also a midfielder. The best midfielder found is from Torpedo, but he doesn't want to talk. Most do, even if they're playing in bottom team Torpedo. Only two players accept to talk and seem to reach an agreement: a fullback and a central midfielder.

Morozov gets another month and half injury. If this keeps up we're going to have a bad time.

Coming this month, another match congestion. Two matches per week in every week but one.

We meet Tyumen with Bagaev in the bench and João Marcos at home due to tiredness and Pavlov starting for Shebanov since his later matches have been poor. Makhmudov starts tired and Mullin gets a knock right at the start.
Things begin well, though, with Sergeev heading to goal a cross from Alexey.
From half an hour we pile up the pressure on them, but there's no second goal after several saves, narrow off target shots and once Mullin stopped long enough to get tackled.
The second half starts against ten men because they got an injury but didn't replace it? What?
Mullin gets the hardest of all his chances.
Alexey closes the game with a cross gone in.
Great win that may send us up back up to the top if the results from pending matches go our way.

Coming is the cup match against Torpedo. I'll play anyone who has not played and needs match fitness and the reserve and youth team players. I don't care about the cup and I'd rather not hurt our league chances because of it.

In the transfer deadline I make offers for a few strikers to make up for the injuries. Kuleshov also bids for a right winger. I don't think we need that, rather we'd need a left one but I offer him the contract.

Two strikers accept the contracts, Aliev and Dolgov. The former can also play right wing. The choice is obvious, but I'm unsure whether to accept Dolgov in too. I think that'd be too many strikers. Aliev comes with a two to four days injury.

Kalenkovich accepts the deal and I take him in.

A Brazilian fullback with much promise, yet considered poorly by scouts get in sight and I go in for him. The last of the foreign quota.

Zhivoglyadov, the fullback and Akbashev, midfielder, join the team. The latter is already jaded so I will let him rest for a while yet.

Captain Samedov gets tired of being asked to introduce new players to the team.

Kuleshov makes an offer for a back up centreback. He's doing his job well.

Huh? He has never sent me such request. I ask my assistant and he says he does want to leave to play for a better division.

Kuleshov made a new offer, but we have registration full and it doesn't look to me such a good idea.

We receive an offer for Khaikin, a replacement keeper doesn't want to talk so no deal.

Transfers end looking like this, with quite a total of mony paid.

I offered Burmistro, nobody wanted him and he's come around to the idea he's well here.

Cup game. Most of the newcomers are either tired or injured, so only Lemos and Kalenkovich play in the cup as Guliev and Burmistrov to improve their fitness and Pavlov to get experience. The rest are reserve and youth teams.
We begin with an excellent piece of play and a save from Pavlov's shot. Worth of being in a top 3 games of the month.
We have a few more good chances and eventually Pavlov takes advantage of a poor back pass and goalkeeper late run to score on an empty goal.
Young Zenin doubles it with a long shot. We've been controlling the match.
We concede from a corner, poorly defended.
We're just one goal ahead, but I'll still experiment with a flat 4-5-1 for the last twenty minutes.
We concede immediately after the worst ever back pass. Always sending it weakly when rivals are closer, but now that the team mate is close, they kick it hard.
We almost concede, then as Vavlin is about to clear the ball, Galperin tackles him to give them a corner. Our youth team is a circus.
So we have extra time. Good I have only a few first team players. New tactic change to a 3-5-2. It ends up working at the start of second half of extra time. But they get the third after the ball makes a weird bounce and evades the keeper. Wasn't the pitch relaid? And then they get ahead because some idiot (Fedorov) doesn't know better than walk into the path of our own passes miles away from where he should've been standing. Bah.
It doesn't matter, I don't care for a competition that's just more fixture congestion.

Now Burmistroc also requests to be removed from the transfer list. Conceded.

The league resumes against Sibir Nobosibirsk, 18th. Slezhko will make his debut here.
The first ten minutes are good, we manage two good chances, though no goals.
We dominate the first half, but it's thirty eight minutes when Shebanov opens the score.
We keep the domination in the second half, with excellent chances but they keep being saved or blocked. Until the 79th minute, when Pavlov takes advantage of a series of rebounds.
We go top because we're the first to play.

The other teams we had ahead win their games too, so we're still third.

Another team who had complaints drops them.

Nizhny Novgorod awaits us next. They are seventh, like to play a pressing and passing 4-2-3-1. I feel suitably prepared to deal with them.
Mullin puts us ahead after some good high pressing by Akbashev.
João Marcos needs to explain why he walks to stand on the middle. His positional error lets a man alone to head a cross into goal.
A couple of great chances are lost to good saves when they get a man sent off in the 84th minute.
Disappointing result. We could have gone joint top and had the chances to do so. Instead, we drop one more position down.

We control the game against Alania, but this time we don't get as good chances. Many times players rush into long shots. Most go off side. To top it off, some players become very nervous or complacent.
It's well beyond the first hour of play that we get the goal through Mullin from an horizontal pass by Guliev, who's been the best player.
From that point we begin to get the chances going, but in the end that is the only goal scored.
This sends us to the top spot.

As good as retaining the top spot after all the matches are played is the fact we finally have a full week of rest ahead. Task in hand: take a look at set pieces and see any possible improvement to the instructions.

After the break we have an important match against Fakel. If we win, we keep the top spot for ourselves. If we lose we may drop out even from play off positions.
We open with a very good chance in the first three minutes.
The best of three very good chances comes in the 23rd minute, but Mullin can't get the header close enough to the post to avoid the keeper's reach.
When we finally beat the keeper Shebanov was offside.
We keep having great chances but missing them. This is annoying. Then they'll have an iffy chance and get it in.
72nd minute. Of course, they did it. Marked at the edge of the area, from an angle right to the post. I hate these matches. Again to chase a match we should be comfortable in.
Lemos, if I tell you to close down aggressively and be on top of your opponent why are you so **** passive whenever you have the ball near?!
We still have a few more close chances, but the positions are not really that good or the shots are bad.

The matches played later don't go too bad and we only drop one more position.

Khimik comes next. They're at the edge of relegation, so we're favourites. It also means they'll be more intent on denying space and remain tight at the back. It will be more important than ever to hit the shots on target.
The first ten minutes seem to go the right way; while we don't get very good chances, the three shots that happen are all on target. The fourth after thirteen minutes opens the score, Mulling pushing home a Marcos cross.
Stezhko doubles from an indirect freekick a minute later. Now this is how more games shouldd have gone.
The sixth shot is the first off target.
Another ten minutes, another Mullin goal. Ten more and they get one back.
For the second half they go defensive with a 4-1-4-1. We still control de game with some chances, which aren't great. Within the last fifteen minutes, Akbashev gets a great long goal and a mess on their area gives us one more from own goal.
We're up to direct promotion.

Pavlov signs a professional contract. Good job by Kuleshov.

A strong Tosno side, fifth with a game in hand awaits to end the month. A win here would be very important, though still I do a little rotation.
We concede from a cross. Good play by them and surely nothing could have been done once the ball came off their winger's foot, but I'd appreciate if Moulin's reaction couldn't be described as "oh, the ball is going to the other post, why should I care?"
Kalenkovich picks a back strain. It doesn't look too bad so I'll see how things go till half time. I probably should already be changing things up, but the system doesn't look to be doing bad. I'll just lower the tempo, as too many shots are being off target.
Come on! This is ridiculous. So they get a second goal because Payá makes a senseless cross to nobody and it goes to the corner. Go to ****.
Diamond it is for the second half.
Nothing is done. I'm very unhappy. Not only for the manner of the second goal; but because it's another match against a top team we lose. We can't get up if we keep losing against promotion rivals.

Kalenkovich is out for a month and a half.

We get the top three players named in the team of the month. They've earned it, though I'd change that for better results.

Very packed month to make room for a three month winter break. Next month will fortunately be more normal.

Third awaiting Tosno's match in hand so we're as good as fourth. Mullin is the top goalscorer, good to see that for once.

Mullin is our clear best scorer, but there's not a clear second. Assists are a little better spread with Shebanov and Alexey in top, with Alexey making it in half the matches.

Balance has been declining but we're not in trouble. Good budgets but we lack the ability to attract great players, plus I already signed enough so I will be placing all in wages so it can be put on the bank.

She's begun to speak som Russian.

 

[PatrickLFC]

Up and down month there, shame to go out of the cup. Nice that she's picking up the language!

 

[Death Ball]

Up and down month there, shame to go out of the cup. Nice that she's picking up the language!

The cup could have been a nice chance to give minutes to fringe players and under teams; but I'm almost glad of that elimination as it would've meant more fixture congestion and more opportunities to lose somebody to injury. Not that the injuries should've been a big deal, considering I'd not field any first team player, but still. More often than not, I find myself preferring to be knocked out of cups. I think Italy and Spain are the only countries where I do try to compete for them. In the rest cups are just a nuisance and unwanted match load.

 

[Death Ball]

October 2019

We'll finish the first half of the season and begin the month against KamAZ, another promotion rival, placed right behind us. We need a win. If we don't then promotion is as good as gone. I will test a sligth change of formation, a more symmetrical 3-1-4-2.

Morozov is finally back before the match, but he won't be playing.

This is the system we're going with for the match.

The first half isn't good. They show to be better, denying us any quality chance and the ball. Small changes improved things, but were far from having effect. Nothing worth thevulnerability at the flanks. As simillar this system is to our usual, it can't make a kind of 4-4-2 as the lopsided formations can. I use all the subs because of poor match, yellow card or foreign rules.

The changes seem to have immediate effect: from 39% possession in the first half we go up to 43% in the first two minutes plus a great yet not that easy chance Mullin shots at the keeper. They get a better chance, though, which luckily is sent inches off target.
Makhmudov and Alexey pick yellow cards and a warning.
I hate this! And corners! They could've scored three in the first half and I'd be okay, but to score just now when we were looking better than in the first half is frustrating. So much. 4-2-3-1 all attacking now.
And that's the first half of the season going, losing every match against promotion contenders. Very disappointing. This rules out promotion.

We follow against the next club that's right behind us, Shinnik. Kick off is so encouraging: pass to the man a meter away makes him run after the ball twenty meters, then he passes to the man at the edge two meters away and throw in for them.
A poor first half, we go ahead with an own goal that would've been Mullin's. Then a bad clearance to the feet of a rival for a wonder long shot to draw level.
The improvement in the second half is clear but not enough and we drop more points. More annoying when we were robbed of a penalty.

We lose AlePav for month and a half.

The first half against Khimki is the show why I so rarely ask this team to train defensive positioning. Whenever I do, they make either a joke of defending or defend well but concede the goals that are easier to deny. It doesn't help I keep forgetting to tell Shebanov that when playing left side striker to do so a sa deel lying forward attacking and no longer as a false nine.
I remind him at half time, when I also make them move to a flat 4-4-2.
An almost freak mistake by one of their centrebacks lets Aliev shoot too hard at the goalkeeper and get his first goal for us.
Alexey pulls a hamstring just walking. Out of right midfielders for some time. Then the referee decides to we must be robbed a second time, not awarding a clear penalty.
Somehow it's enough to go into play offs awaiting Amkar's match. So no play offs.

Alexey is out for more than a month.

We begin a run against the lower placed teams in the match closing the month with Spartak Nalchik.
The first half if disappointing, with great plays ending with offsides or the keeper reaching the ball a tenth sooner than the striker. Or shots on target. Then they get a post. We go ahead with the most difficult and less worthy chance of all. I wanted to leave at that point, but Kooistra didn't let me.
Second half was a little better, but just a little, with a few more chances of which the first was taken by Mullin but also with Stezhko making a mistake that let them have a goal.
We're back to playoffs, but I'm not happy at all.

Another poor month, but one point better than the equivalent from the first half of season (not counting KamAZ which was part of that half).

We've dropped a little in scoring but despite all, defensively we seem better than in the first months? What?

 

[Luke4]

Keep it up, I'm sure you can make the push for promotion!

 

[Death Ball]

Keep it up, I'm sure you can make the push for promotion!

Thank you. It's not impossible, certainly; if a good run is made of this string of matches then we may approach the end of the season from a more favourable position. Anything can happen yet, I'm not even ruling out winning the league, though I'm certainly not considering the chance.

 

[Death Ball]

November 2019

The day of the match against Sankt Peterburg, A Pavlov strains a wrist in training. Told to play through injury, though I'm unsure about using him.

Bagaev shouldn't be the central defender, I'll tell him to swap with Taranov. One of the strongest teams we can field, with Guliev and Taranov needing some match fitness.
We control the first half, if not through keeping the ball, through denying them any chance. Save for a stupid penalty conceded by Moglan and saved by Moulin.
The second half sees them getting back with several chances, none of which is good enough but tell of coming danger, so I make some subs and drop a striker into midfield.
The changes work and not only they stop getting to our area as often, we get to theirs again, though without luck.
The win takes us within a match of direct promotion.

Our next match is against Metallurg, that are in the last position and are expected to use a flat 4-3-3.
The first half is very disappointing. Not a single shot on target, nothing made. Only thing made is Mouling that instead of jumping and picking an easy ball he has to make a 360º jumping inside the goal and block it so it falls to their striker while he asks to be given tens for his acrobatics. And passing to the strikers only once they've walked yards offside. And Shebanov and Makhmudov picking injuries.
The only good offensive play, started by Makhmudov gives us the equalizer; but there's no second goal.

Shebanov is out for almost two weeks and Makhmudov for two, but he can play through injury.

Sakhalin comes to our field next. I have prepared a new assymetric 4-2-3-1 formation but I'm not feeling like starting with it.
This time the first half is not bad, despite an start in which both teams exchanged dangerous indirect free kicks. A good dribble by Mullin getting a penalty for Burmistrov to score and a cross by Burmistrov for Mulling to head tight to the post sends us ahead.
A situation in which I will turn to the new formation hoping it will show more defensive stability in exchange of a striker. They'v also changed their 4-4-1-1 to a 4-1-4-1

The second half is quieter. The formation seems indeed more solid defensively, but also less sharp in the other side. It's lacked more offensively than expected, but given they went to a more defensive system and that I made brought in players in need of match fitness it's not clear how much the system must be improved.

Shebanov is back for the match against Ural Yekaterinemburg, so he makes it directly into the starting eleven.
Another match with a good first half. We begin dominating and wasting a few very good chances. The third is the second post hit, but Shebanov gets the rebound and has the whole goal empty before him. Then they go more cautious but we still control the match, though offsides prevent any more goals.
I change to the other formation for the second half as in the latter minutes of the first half flanks seemed vulnerable.
This time, the second half is also good offensively. When Shebanov gets the second, I begin to bring players needing match fitness. Alexey returns too, like Shebanov he also scores. They get one goal back, a bad attempt of making an offside trap and their winger getting the ball a tenth earlier than Taranov. Still, we concede more chances than would be acceptable.
We also make it back to direct promotion.

A Pavlov, after a three day injury gets a new for more than month and half.

First half against Torpedo Moskva looks good, with us dominating, but a freak cross puts them ahead. Mullin draws level before picking an injury. I keep the assymetric 4-2-3-1, calling for longer passing, after playing faster didn't improve things.
The second half we finally begin to show our superiority and begin to get the goals coming. They get a second but it's with the match decided, once the players start to become complacent.
The best thing, however, is we put more than one match between us and justplay offs.

Mullin is out for two weeks.

That is no matter, as this is the last match before the four months break in winter. The season will resume against Amkar Perm, one of the teams behind us. The issue is when will we be able to arrange friendlies to recover match fitness. There will be time, as the break ends a month before the season resumes.

We've got the run I was hoping for. We did drop two points but it would be very difficult to win everything.

It feels good to have the top goalscorer in my team.

Main issue is low tackles won ratio among some defenders, who also have low passing rates thought that's to be expected given their lack of technical ability.

She's now good with Russian.

 

[Death Ball]

Winter break and transfers 2019/2020

There are many players ending contract this summer; but before I offer them new ones, I bid to make Shebanov and Sergeev deals permanent. Two young players that are already doing quite well and can only be very valuable in the future. Shebanov is costly, with half the next sale to be paid so as to take down the price to something we can pay and still have room for Sergeev's deal.

None wants the move, showing they have no confidence in going up. Well, ****.

Samedov is offered out. He's almost never played, despite his very fine technical and mental abilities, however he has the body of a zombie.

Well, Kuleshov gets back to work and has started the contract renewal talks. Guliev's the first.

Not only Shebanov refused to talk to us, he has signed a new contract with his club.

A few contracts had extension clauses and I will all of them, though not sure about Semenov's. That one will wait.

No new signings are planned as we have all positions well covered. If anything, I'd like a goalkeeper that's either a better backup than Khaikin or can replace Moulin, but there's really no need for the later. Besides, I already tried the two Russians we know can be worthy and neither can to talk.

Serveev does the same as Shebanov.

When I'm made aware of fan concerns about some players running out of their contract, I offer new ones. Bozhin accepts, Burmistrov wants more I can even offer.

Figueirense came for João Marcos offering too little to accept. I tried to negotiate, knowing he'd want to have the chance to talk but they walked away. Now he came to me demanding explanation. I've told him next time I'll let him go.

Moro completes his first Russian course and I ask the club to pay him a new to improve on it.

There will be a mid season training camp at the end of February. Good thing.

The board offers me to change the expectations; but it doesn't matter how much budgets are boosted, as we don't have good ability to attract good players and I don't plan on making any signing anyway. Increasing them will just put more pressure on the players. I'm not changing it and they may say whatever they want.

What the? That's stupid opinions.

Looking at league financial tables, we're the team that most spent in transfers and the third highest in wages.

I offered Marcos to Figueirense, but nobody comes with a bid, so he'll be staying.

Rostov offers a deal to Khaikin that he accepts, so he won't be with us next season.

Kuleshov approached for a young striker and I negotiated the deal. He's on the U21 side now but I may review it, though I expect him to remain there.

11 February we get the intake of youth players. According to scouts, two can become key and one a good player.

Deriglazov is the coaches' top pick of them. He's got quite good mentals. He'll hopefully improve on his technical abilities. Belousov is my top pick, another central midfielder who's as brilliant mentally but he's better technically. I'm going to give him some first team football is the chance arises. Finally, Maskaev has a way to go but there's nothing to think he can't become a useful centreback like the coaches think. Dmitry Fedorov is not as well rate by the coaches, but I like him, he's got almost all the physicals I want in a fullback.

And with that, the mid season friendlies are about to begin. I've yet to set them up, having accepted just one offer from Spartak Moskva.

___________________________
We find out basically the player manager by default is going to intensive courses.
This is the original image use for her portrait:


No more click for source, the artist has removed the image from his/her gallery.

 

[PatrickLFC]

Not a bad youth intake at all. And the fans being upset about expectations, I've never seen that before!

 

[Luke4]

A nice run of matches that month, and some nice prospects for the future

 

[Death Ball]

Not a bad youth intake at all. And the fans being upset about expectations, I've never seen that before!

Neither have I seen it, ever. But I think if that answer gets leaked to the press, that's how the fans would react in almost every club, if not all. I made it using the notes.

A nice run of matches that month, and some nice prospects for the future

Indeed, I'm likely to use one of them in the first team as I think I've said, something that I've never done before.

 

[Death Ball]

Midseason friendlies and transfer window 2019/2020

Visser lets me know Kalenkovich wants to talk about his lack of first team football. Understandable, since he's barely played due to his need for match fitness. I go talk to him and tell him he'll have his chance. To be honest, I'm kind of bothered how is always my assistant who has to come telling me and not the players coming directly to me.

As the transfer window opens, the flood of offers for Pavlov resume. This time it's Anzhi.

Metallurg makes a loan offer for Morozov. He's played little since bringing Aliev and after his injury. They promise to make him first team status and they're in our division, so I think letting him go is a good idea.

Spartak Moskva is the only hard friendly we have scheduled. the start seems to be the match I expected, but after a quarter of an hour we begin to get chances of our own, also the only shots on target. We go ahead with a good cross from Mullin to Alexey. But they come back in the most annoying way: a bad clearance from a corner that was only possible because a defender cleared the ball into the back of his team mate with nobody else blocking any other direction.
The second half seemed to see a turn in the match, with them getting back some measure of control; but they couldn't get past our defence again, something a great pass by Samedov did for Mullin to get us the winner.
A very good result that shows we can compete against top level teams, at least rotated ones.

Morozov's loan is confirmed.

Gukovo is the next friendly, the first of four against much weaker opposition. We take more than we should to get the first goal, though we had a couple nice chances before. Aliev scores two and we reach half time with several players either complacent or uninterested.
The second half is simmilar, only slightly better as the missed chances before the goals finally came were better.

The bad news of that last match is Samedov, who seemed in his way to make it to regular appearances in the first team, got a month and half injury.

In the deadline day, Kuleshov brings a young player on loan from Spartak. He's regarded as our best defensive midfielder now. He does look useful though around the defensive midfielder Alexey Pavlov level.

Shakhter Likhoy comes next. We go 4-0 up in the first quarter hour. In the second half they're conceded a decent chance.

With the transfer window closed, Marcos has dropped his concerns as I offered him and no offers came for him. Then he asks to be taken away from the transfer list, which I happily grant.

Next friendly: Mayak Volgodonsk. It's very much like the previous, except they get some more shots. The negative is Pavlov got injured.

Pavlov is out for a month.

A second Alexey Pavlov goes down to a short injury in training next. So does Shavaev.

Druzhba Maikop will be the last friendly before the season resumes.
They prove harder to break but break them we do. They do however get one goal from a direct free kick. Unlucky, really. It was a great kick that bounced off the crossbar, nothing Khaikin could do about it.

We're down to five million balance, less than I expected to be at this point.

She's now fluent in Russian too.