meguel

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The Great Sammarinese Challenge!
That's right I'm back and attempting a challenge bigger and better then anything I've ever attempted before and hopefully I'll be successful in it. Originally this was going to be a Tunisian save but due to cash flow issues in African football but instead I will instead be attempting a save with everybodies favourite Italian speaking landlocked country; San Marino. Without further ado here is some information about the national team and club side:

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The San Marino national football team (Italian: Nazionale di calcio di San Marino) is the national football team of San Marino, controlled by the San Marino Football Federation (FSGC). The team has enjoyed very little success due to the republic's tiny population, the smallest of any UEFA country.

The first official game played by a San Marino team was a 4–0 defeat in a European Championships qualifier to Switzerland in 1990. Previously, a San Marino side had lost 1–0 to a CanadianOlympic team in 1986, but this was not an official match. Since making their competitive bow, San Marino have competed in qualifying for every European Championships and World Cup, but have never won a match in either competition.

They have only ever won one game, beating Liechtenstein 1–0 in a friendly match on 28 April 2004.
San Marino is currently tied with Bhutan and Turks and Caicos Islands, for last (207th) in the FIFA World Rankings. However, San Marino ranks 203rd out of 232 teams in the Elo Rankings.

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Some graphical representation:

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As you'll see I've taken the guise of San Marino's most capped international player: Damiano Vannucci.
 
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Pre-Season and Tactics
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Here are the tactics I'll be setting out with for the season, although seeing the result in the Italian Cup Qualifiers makes me realise the scale of the challenge I'm about the embark on. Losing 4-1 in my first competitive match against a team we'll be playing in just a few weeks is disheartening and puts promotion doubts in my mind so maybe the tactics will be overhauled by the time the January transfer window comes.

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The results of our pre-season friendlies and although we only lost one game (narrowly) against Juventus' reserves the teams we played weren't exactly top standard. Beating Serie B Cittadella was impressive but as in all pre-season friendlies Vivan has been uninspiring so maybe the second string keeper will get an opportunity to shine. Next up is our transfers with some big names coming into the club:

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Andy Selva and Giuseppe Lacarra will provide much needed firepower up front whilst Mohammed Gulraiz will be gunning from the left attacking midfielder slot and will hopefully rack up atleast 10 assists this season. Meanwhile Horour Magnusson will be leading the line in defense thanks to our partnership with Serie A giants Juventus.

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Internationals
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Here is our tactic for the coming years. The plan is to quite literally play with 10 men behind the ball and hopefully get lucky with a break to the striker. However, even with the sheer number of men behind the ball defending will be tough and I don't expect to record a victory for some years.

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Armenia 5 - 0 San Marino
MOTM: Karlen Mkrtchyan (9.1)
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We really struggled here and fell behind inside 5 minutes and found ourself 3-0 down at half time. Harsh words were said and we limited them to two goals in the second half.​
 
I hope someone can finish this, this year its a great challenge. I look forward to it :)
 
Pre-Season and Tactics
View attachment 323056
Here are the tactics I'll be setting out with for the season, although seeing the result in the Italian Cup Qualifiers makes me realise the scale of the challenge I'm about the embark on. Losing 4-1 in my first competitive match against a team we'll be playing in just a few weeks is disheartening and puts promotion doubts in my mind so maybe the tactics will be overhauled by the time the January transfer window comes.

View attachment 323057
The results of our pre-season friendlies and although we only lost one game (narrowly) against Juventus' reserves the teams we played weren't exactly top standard. Beating Serie B Cittadella was impressive but as in all pre-season friendlies Vivan has been uninspiring so maybe the second string keeper will get an opportunity to shine. Next up is our transfers with some big names coming into the club:

View attachment 323058
Andy Selva and Giuseppe Lacarra will provide much needed firepower up front whilst Mohammed Gulraiz will be gunning from the left attacking midfielder slot and will hopefully rack up atleast 10 assists this season. Meanwhile Horour Magnusson will be leading the line in defense thanks to our partnership with Serie A giants Juventus.

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Internationals
View attachment 323064
Here is our tactic for the coming years. The plan is to quite literally play with 10 men behind the ball and hopefully get lucky with a break to the striker. However, even with the sheer number of men behind the ball defending will be tough and I don't expect to record a victory for some years.

-


Armenia 5 - 0 San Marino
MOTM: Karlen Mkrtchyan (9.1)
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We really struggled here and fell behind inside 5 minutes and found ourself 3-0 down at half time. Harsh words were said and we limited them to two goals in the second half.​
just a quick note on your tactic for the NT, i would change contain to defensive, as from what I've read and experienced, playing with contain invites too much pressure your best of switching to it with 10/20 mins to go, please note I'm no expert and with San Marino, you'll get smashed anyway
 
I hope someone can finish this, this year its a great challenge. I look forward to it :)

Thanks Mojo, I've loved your stories and decided I wanted to do something to match yours and Obscurities level of stuff :D.
 
International Update
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Our first encounter with International opposition gives me a chance to make some minor tweaks to the tactic. In the actual matches a poor performance against England and a spirited performance against the mighty Montenegro leave us in bottom of the group with a goal difference of -10 already.


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San Marino 0 - 5 England
MOTM: Leighton Baines (9.4)

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Baines absolutely ripped us apart here with England getting 4 of their 5 goals from set pieces and I felt that 3 of those 4 goals were very avoidable. We managed just 28% possession here which obviously needs improving.


San Marino 0 - 5 Montenegro
MOTM: Branko Boskovic (8.9)

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A better performance but not good enough sadly.


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Good luck with this, I'm doing the same challenge and I'm currently in January 2017. Been having success with the national side with an attacking tactic believe it or not!
 
September
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Lots of injuries for the club side sadly which has cost us as well as some international call ups which left us without some of our key players including loanee Magnusson. The AMC in my tactic seems very effective, netting on a regular basis whilst some of the new signings obviously need time to fit in. Although our league position leaves something to be desired.


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Reggiana 3 - 1 San Marino Calcio
MOTM: Antonino Bonvissuto (8.8)

Capellini
We lose to Reggiana again but for a team that are predicted 4th in the league I think we pushed them until the final whistle quite well.


San Marino Calcio 3 - 1 Cuneo
MOTM: Nicola Capellini (9.1)

Capellini x2, Lacarra
Good win against the side predicted 3rd (I think?), Capellini showing his worth.


Cremonese 3 - 2 San Marino Calcio
MOTM: Giovanni Fietta (8.8)

Capellini, Doumbia
We got dominated, amazing we managed two goals really.


San Marino Calcio 2 - 1 Portogruaro
MOTM: Gianluca Vivan (8.3)

Lacarra
Doumbia got injured here, adding to our lengthy injury list.


Trapani 1 - 0 San Marino Calcio
MOTM: Horour Magnusson (8.6)
Simone Calvano S/O
Spirited loss to top of the table Trapani, no shame in losing away here whatsoever.


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Player of the Month
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Nicola Capellini
Great month for the young AMC as he picks up numerous goals but his appearances are limited due to a nasty injury that will keep him out for just over a month.​
 
International Update
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Look it's those flags Mojo always has. Going 3-0 down into half-time seems a common trend for my San Marino in recent times and to be honest playing my ultra defensive 5-4-1 isn't really preventing goals so perhaps a more offensive outlook should be adopted? Something I'll have to look into in the future.


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Ukraine 4 - 0 San Marino
MOTM: Eugene Seleznyov (9.2)
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We conceded just 4 here! We're moving on up.


Poland 5 - San Marino 0
MOTM: Lukasz Piszcztek (9.2)
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In other news I'll be doing the "Lifes A Beach" challenge from here on until I reach Serie A to speed up the lower divisions and updating per 10 games instead of monthly.​
 
10 Game Milestone

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We sit just inside of the playoff places and this keeps us in good stead to reach Serie B next season. Only 1 draw in 10 and a ton of shots either hitting the post or being straight up disallowed puts us lower then we probably should be.
 
November 12 - February 13

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Some impressive results here holding former Serie B side Lecce although the defensive record is abit shabby. Admittedly I forgot about the January transfer window here and didn't make any transfers whatsoever so hopefully that won't damage the club badly.

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So 5th in the league after 20 games gone with a real chance of securing our playoff ambitions by catching Lecce in fourth. I've given up on hopes of automatic promotion because we're too far off the mark and the side just isn't good enough to mount a decent challenge at this point of the season. Nontheless if we continue scoring goals in the fashion we are and tighten up at the back there's no reason why we can't be playing Serie B football next season.
 
Going well, I've started this myself a few days ago :)
 
How are you finding Massimo Coda? He's top scorer for me playing on the left of a front 3.
 
How are you finding Massimo Coda? He's top scorer for me playing on the left of a front 3.

In the first 10 or so games I played myself he made one sub appearance and scored one goal because I've been using Lacarra who I brought in with Selva as backup. Holidayed games I'm not entirely sure how he performed off the top of my head.
 
Ahh the San Marino Challenge, I'm doing it too. Only 6 games played but I'm loving the challenge, just beat 1st placed Lumezzane 7-1, my LWB got a hat-trick, and my star player is Massimo Coda. He is just sensational, anyways I'll follow your story, good luck!
 
How are you finding Massimo Coda? He's top scorer for me playing on the left of a front 3.

I'm doing this challenge too, and Massima Coda is just too good for this level. He's scored 13 in 11 for me.
 
Ahh the San Marino Challenge, I'm doing it too. Only 6 games played but I'm loving the challenge, just beat 1st placed Lumezzane 7-1, my LWB got a hat-trick, and my star player is Massimo Coda. He is just sensational, anyways I'll follow your story, good luck!

What tactic are you using out of interest? Also I think I'll have to try Coda after these reviews.
 
In the first 10 or so games I played myself he made one sub appearance and scored one goal because I've been using Lacarra who I brought in with Selva as backup. Holidayed games I'm not entirely sure how he performed off the top of my head.
I signed Selva on mine, he aint half bad either!

I'm doing this challenge too, and Massima Coda is just too good for this level. He's scored 13 in 11 for me.

Proof that he's a beast!
 
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