Liverpool Long Term Story/LFC Football Manager Money-Ball/Finding The Next Steven Gerrard/Finding The Next (Insert Club Legend Here)/(Inserted Football Club Here)
The rules are pretty much the same from FM18, with a few additions.
⦁ Only one first team player is allowed to be signed per season, players aged 21 and over but doesn't have to be over 21 obviously.
⦁ Youngsters under the age of 21 are allowed to be signed as much as you like, maximum transfer fee must be under £10M. In my experience this is where you either make it or break as a manager in this journey, don't sign a few gems for bargains prices and you'll pay for it when your old players can't do it anymore. Gems can be found through your academy too, the more you upgrade it but at least in previous versions you're not guaranteed a specific player, you could wait eight years for a left back to come through the ranks...
⦁ Free Agents are allowed but not as first team players, only as back up options. Sometimes some experience is needed in the ranks, particularly with lots of youngsters around.
⦁ If a season is played and no first team signing is made it stacks for the following season so you could make two in one season or more.
⦁ 1 emergency transfer is awarded after completion of every five seasons in game so after five years you can choose to sign two players in one season at any point you choose to.
⦁ Buy backs for players you sell on with buy back clauses in their deal or existing buy back clauses your club already have in place are available, 1 is awarded after completion of every two seasons. These are called comebacks.
⦁ 1 emergency transfer is is also awarded every time you win a total of 8 trophies for your club, for all your hard work and if you win another 8 etc..
Shields don't count!
⦁ One back up keeper transfer is allowed once in the save and must be under £10M.
Finally I'll be keeping track of the different kind of transfers available to make it more enjoyable for everyone reading, usually in the summer but in January this season I'll put up something like this :
First team transfers available : 1
Buy back transfers available : 0
Emergency transfers available : 0
Any suggestions on players to sign under 21 or absolute guaranteed first team quality are very welcome, comment or message me. Players Liverpool are linked with irl are most likely to be picked to add realism to the save.
A quick look at the new manager and the first year i've used the 3D model generator. I used a picture of me that's passport like and i've got a screw face on or a resting ***** face if I was a girl, I wasn't angry when I took the photo a few months ago I just wanted to take one like that, it's a laugh.
I was hoping that this would make my manager have a resting ***** face constantly, the kind of face the players should be seeing when they come in for half time losing! As I watch him move and look around a bit he just looks rather unimpressed actually, like there's something niggling away at him maybe he ate out and the chef served his bacon sanny with brown sauce instead of red this morning. I know, I know, I mean tomato.
I'm not actually fat or big boned if you like, I just thought I'd give a special shout out to Ocean Wisdom and his big song, FATBOY. Featuring the one and only Fatboy Slim, the Football Manager Henri James says and I walk, never run, like a fatboy
When you see me, you better say "That boy
Is a young successful taned boy"
I know it's black boy and I'm white, it must be the lighting on the photo . How about that for an intro! I leave you with some modelling shots of the big man, sporting a beautiful beige turncoat, man got that big belly, storing them pies for winter hibernation and quite the spectular honka donk as well.
Come back at half time for the pre season post, if any of you are watching the game. Also come back when the game finishes for the first post of the season.
Immediately it was clear to me that we would be without our front three for pretty much every game of pre season, due to tournaments that were going on. So in comes Curtis Jones and Rhian Brewster from the under 23s, Harvey Elliot joins up with the first team from the under 18s also and is that our future front three?
Here's something you don't see everyday, Virgil Van DIjk being dribbled past, Sebastian Driussi put them ahead early on and the familiar combination of Trent to Origi put us level with two minutes to go. You don't see James Milner miss a penalty every day either!
I wasn't going to comment too much on pre season but our second game against Burnley was a better display. Fabinho on the pitch to convert from 12 yards and Milner set up Robertson to finish very uncharacteristically like a striker. Another game we dominated possession in with this tiki taka system and dominating the shot count as well.
As we almost approach the end of pre season that game against Tondela was a tough one given Trent got sent off 25 seconds in and then Lovren was sent off in less than 20! A mixed bag of results really, we're conceding a lot of high quality chances in this system and missing our big three in the forward positions, I guess that's the reason the goals have been missing too. Quickly on the last game of pre season, Salah and Firmino return and one for the Egyptian, a hat trick for Bobby. 1 for Ox and a first goal in pre season for Curtis Jones, the big guns come back and look what happens..
Some quick thoughts on the save as a whole before we start our first game of the season, nearly two years ago when I did this story on FM18 the Liverpool players weren't rated nearly as highly as I thought they would be on FM20. The front three look like world class options and so they should be, maybe we will give this a few possibly three seasons and then come back to it later in the year. I really want to try this challenge with another team on FM this year.
What a perfect start to my managerial career, 3:13 on the clock, Salah fouled and Fabinho scores the penalty! Jordan Henderson, captain fantastic made it two before half time and don't get me wrong it was a good header but Bravo looking suspect in goal to me. Despite them having more shots and edging possession, it's fair to say our counter attacking worked today and I couldn't of wished for a better start really.
It took us a while to make the breakthrough today despite dominating the game at home to Villa but when Matip climbed highest to head home Milner's corner, the result never looked in doubt. Trent grabbed his first goal of the season and a brilliant free kick curled around the wall, confirming all three points for the reds.
A loose ball came out to Trent, he passes to Henderson and one touch and goal!! He finds the corner from outside the box, Trent made it two with another assist, Origi with a good header, bottom corner and his first of the season. The ball dropped perfectly for Jordan Henderson to smash home his second from outside the box! Mane completed the drubbing with another one that fell perfectly for him and marking his return to the side straight away with a goal.
This managerial business is easy isn't it? A tough one coming up next away to City though but much like they have done irl, Trent and Henderson building up a nice rapport so far on that right side of the pitch. Hendo, 3 goals in 3 games, Trent, 2 assists and 1 goal in 3 games.
This game almost reminds me of the first game I managed at Liverpool against City as well, except for this time it just wouldn't go in for us. On another day Mo Salah could've grabbed a hat trick and we win, he really did miss some great chances and he got in to so many dangerous positions. We take the loss on the chin and move on, really though you don't want to lose any points to City.
It's got to go down as a largely solid start to life at Liverpool until City took all three points at their home stadium, the advantage is theirs at this early stage but it's exactly that, early. Next time we continue with some tricky fixtures to begin the campaign, with Leicester away followed by Everton at home. I will also bring you the first game of our group in the Champions League, I wonder who it will be.
A fantastic start today, Trent with another free kick and another where the keepers got absolutely no chance. Firmino got their first ahead of the defender when Virgil put it back into the danger area from the corner, Leicester managed to get one back on the counter from who else but Jamie Vardy. Divock Origi thankfully secured all three points with a bit of a luck from another corner, Vardy did get one more back with some pretty poor defending again.
I was looking for an improvement defensively after the last game and it was Fabinho who opened the scoring, headed out from the corner but we seem to be winning all of these second balls and the Brazilian caught it beautifully on the volley! The Blues came back second half and equalised with a great strike from Bernard, luckily for the lads the winner came, we pushed and pushed and eventually, Andy Robertson beat Pickford at his near post, a poor goal to conceded from his perspective but I don't care!
Palace played pretty well in the first half and we struggled to get started, Salah intercepted a pass in a dangerous area second half though and he passed to Mane to score the first of the game. Sadio made it two just minutes later and a brilliant pass to find him by James Milner and another quality finish.
Not the greatest game to watch this one, the first time other than the Chelsea game were I've really even made more than a change. Most notably DIvock Origi in for Bobby Firmino who's dropped, it was the Belgian who set up Henderson to equalise with another very good finish. Dortmund scored earlier in the match with Brandt, overall I'm happy with a point and I don't mind playing a tough game first, it gets it out of the way.
Another good run of games to continue a promising start but again we slip up kind of, in the last but trickiest game of the update, again. A point is still a decent result though, next time we find out if we can stop the Ole Gunnar charge as they've won 5/5 so far in the league. We'll also have a big game at home to Inter in the Champions League.
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Before we go any further, Ki-Jana Hoever and Adam Lewis both joined up with the first team squad towards the end of pre season, if nothing else but to add more depth to full back and they're naturals.
Paul Pogba opened the scoring today with an absolute rocket, rolling back the years from his Juventus days, I don't think I've seen many better than that on FM! Trent found a switch to Mane to equalise and Sadio sat De Gea down and then smashed it past him! Firmino smashed his header in from Salah's corner and Mo even got in on the act before half time as well, Van DIjk with a good pass in to feet.
United worked it very patiently and Martial got one back for them to make things interesting but not for long as Van DIjk supplied Mane to make it 4-2. The big man hasn't been in the best of form this season but he made up for it today! We even made it five late on, Robertson's fantastic cross made the finish easy for Salah. Bringing Ole right back down to earth with that bruising, Who had they played til now, Wolves?! Ha!
It wasn't the greatest game I've ever seen but we did make eight changes, one of the survivors from the 5-2 was the only scorer today though, Sadio Mane with a rocket from outside the box and that was the difference. Adam Lewis was denied an assist on his first start and the replay showed that Salah was just offside.
Another game were we concede a shock early goal, a brilliant turn and pass by Keita found Salah who found his cross easy enough for Mane to level the score, with his head. Trent was on hand to continue his fantastic start to the season and a brilliant dribble from Salah, followed by a top corner corker to make it 2-1. Trent grabbed his second assist and Robertson smashed home to secure the points from range, fantastic strike, the keeper will be disappointed.
In terms of shots today we absolutely battered them but that didn't include any goals for us today, unfortunately. Their defensive proved stubborn and tough to break down, I knew when I seen their three centre backs that we'd have to do something different today but whatever I tried, it just didn't seem to work! Even Divock Origi coming off the bench couldn't convert two high quality chances!
Andy Robertson was fouled against Norwich today and Mr reliable, James Milner stepped up and put the penalty away. Milner was involved for the second as well, he found Salah at the near post from the corner and the keeper didn't deal with it.
Deal Wiv It***
Again, a ****** again we struggle in a big game in this update! A 0-0 at home to Inter but we did manage to beat United in the other big game, in the games we should be winning, we're looking strong. Next time we actually play the Gunners twice and we also play Spurs at home as well, come back soon and find out how we got on.
Both teams were unlucky and hit the post first half today. We couldn't make the breakthrough and another 0-0, our third in three games now, we need to start making some improvements!
A header out from Jose Fonte and Gini Wijnaldum caught it flush on the volley and a breathtaking finish to open the score. Milner made it two with a cracking strike, smashed home bottom corner, poor defending from Gabriel at the back left Firmino the chance to score from Lovren's long ball and of course he did score.
Lovren got one himself before the break and second half things went a bit wild, Milner supplied Hendo to get his goal off the bench and Brewster got one too. Salah completed his hat trick of assists with that corner to the youngster, It was Remy and Renato Sanches with the pick of the two who got a couple back for Lille. Gini having the first and last laugh though with a goal to end the mayhem as well.
With Spurs, Liverpool and CIty starting the season like they want to win this title, it was important to win this match at home. We did have good spells in the first half but unable to open the scoring, Son scored the only goal of the game with a nice volley but a really disappointing and frustrating display. We need the team to start playing better really, we're winning the games we should win but in the big games, we're struggling.
Both teams played quite a few kids in this game just like the game both teams played against each other, irl in this exact round. Amazingly it was actually a tail of two youngsters conceding a penalty against each other! First Maitland-Niles was fouled by Hoever but the penalty taken by Aubameyang was poor and saved! James Milner doesn't miss penalties though, well at least not very often. Adam Lewis did get his assist this time when Divock Origi dribbled all of about 40 yards to score, the assist nevertheless from a throw in lol.
So really disappointing in the league then, with only one point from a possible six, we probably would have wanted at least four tbh. We did look good in the cups, we're still in the Carabao Cup and in the CL we beat Lille 7-2! A win at home in the next update would go a long way to seeing the lads qualify.
What a brilliant finish to open the scoring today! Probably the player outfield you expect it to be the least, it looked like the chance had gone but Adam Lewis in for the suspended Robertson set up by Firmino, little jink past his man and hammering it bottom corner! We really did give them a good whipping in the first half but second half Joelinton got one back as a bit of complacency crept in, thankfully we held on. Naby had to go off and he'll miss the next month or so.
So it was Henderson who finally made the breakthrough in this game and it was like pinball from the cross, fortunately for us it went in. Lille got one back with very little time remaining and a really frustrating goal yet again, luckily we did manage to grab a winner from literally the kick off, Adam Lewis continuing his good form with another assist, his cross found Bobby Firmino. Scrappy game but I'll take it.
Gini WIjnaldum found Oxlade-Chamberlain and he ran past a few challengers before making his finish look easy. A really poor own goal to concede made it 2-0 and then Gini intercepted a pass and he didn't even think about it, one touch and second touch, bang! Smashed it in to the bottom corner! Joe Gomez even got involved with a tremendous volley, then he was fouled from a cross and James Milner doesn't miss pens, 5-0.
For the first goal of the game today, Mane received the ball and turned immediately, that opens up the space for him to run in to and Salah was all alone and very gratefully tucking home the rebound. Brilliant cross from Trent to make it 2-0 and Mane with a very good header. Nathan Holland got one back for the Hammers but with only a minute to go.
For the first time in the story, we've managed to win all 100% of our games and this run, is a run of games we should win all games, our toughest game came in a comeback at home to Lille. Next time we kick off with a chance to confirm qualification from the group at home to Dortmund and we also play Chelsea at home as well.
Trent went past his man in under a minute today and he had the composure to beat the Dortmund keeper at his near post. Gini managed to grab his second assist and set up Salah for the second as well, another near post finish. Andy Robertson found Firmino with his cross and he placed it with a nice first time finish.
James Milner's good cross was the one that proved decisive, Chamerlain had a bit of space and he took his time after converting a beautiful goal. I was grateful that we managed to break them down first half and second half I would've like to of wrapped it up earlier; right as I made the last two changes, Mane robbed the defender and basically had an open goal to aim, Brighton failing in their attempts to play out from the back. Unfortunately we pick up two injuries before the next game and without Keita, who's just coming back it's not very good timing at all.
The reds played really well out there first half but somehow we just couldn't find the goal! Mane with a majestic solo run and driven shot so unlucky hitting the bar and Salah did the same thing, his rebound very close to the keeper hit the bar! Thankfully we did open the scoring in the match when Salah found Firmino in the box who finished! Just when I'm about to say I think we've done it, I think we're finally starting to find a way to play against the other top 6 sides, with literally the last kick of the game Jorginho scores a scorcher on the volley to **** on my party. This is really annoying....!!!!
Burnely defended well today but eventually Sadio Mane scored the all important, only goal of the day, Mohamed Salah supplied him with a good pass. A four horse race in the league? Maybe five or even three haha.
We looked good against Dortmund and pretty easy against Burnley and Brighton, agonisingly we conceded that really late goal at Anfield against Chelsea though. In the next update we'll find out who tops the group, Liverpool or Inter? Find out if we can win the Club World Championship as well!
You can tell which manager wanted to finish top of the group more as I take the opportunity to rest several players and Antonio Conte didn't. One of the changes, Dejan Lovren put us in a mess after a long hoof up the pitch by De Vrij, he never looked close to Lukaku, who finished his chance. The closest we came was when Adam Lewis smashed one off the post from about 25 yards.
Jordan Henderson played the right ball at the right time for Salah to finish bottom corner, the keeper got a hand to it but not enough. Salah actually returned the favour second half from the corner and our captain climbed the highest to head home the corner.
Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16, yes please! I live for these games and we all know they're not the team they once were, if we took Inter's place at the top of the group we would of got Atletico.
Monterrey actually gave us some problems first half but maybe because we had some first teamers on the bench, they came on early second half and Lewis for Robertson and Firmino for Brewster instantly changed the game, Mane found Firmino with his wide cross and the Brazilian maestro did the rest. Joe Gomez found an assist coming on at right back, which is what I want to see, the Ox headed it in the corner, Robertson was fouled but Fabinho couldn't convert his penalty to make it three goals today.
I honestly don't know what happened today, we had a good team out there but literally no one performed to the levels we all know they're capable of. I tried to change things but the real question is, where was the heart? They had plenty of it today, with in-superior players but none of our boys looked like they wanted it and the most frustrating part is we went through extra time just to concede a penalty, watch it go in and lose in the final. What an absolute joke!
Some typical 2-0 victories in this post but losing 1-0 away to Inter doesn't bother me, it's losing in the final to Flamengo that has really ****** me off, probably the most gutted I've ever been about a game in FM and probably the worst I've ever seen my team play, despite me screaming at them for literally the whole game. Next time we've got a really tough big game against title rivals Tottenham, we kick off our FA Cup campaign and we also play Fulham in the Carabao Cup.
Harry Kane scored an absolute worldie today and there was nothing we could really do about that! Mane won the header thankfully for us from a corner nevertheless and after losing two games in a row I was grateful for that. We hadn't scored in two games either!
Not the greatest of starts today to say the least, despite the fact that Keita put us 1-0 up from a nice placed effort from outside the box. The inexperienced of Harvey Elliot showed and he gave the ball a way and then MIlner with a terrible tackle, gave Mitrovic the opportunity to score from the pen. Cavaleiro even put them ahead with some good link up with Mitrovic.The youngster Harvey fully redeeming himself today though, first he assisted Curtis Jones from a beautiful cross and then he set up Rhian Brewster to turn and finish very impressively.
Plenty of end of the season awards for players at Liverpool, particularly those who grew up in Africa.
That Spurs result looking all that bit more important, especially for the rest of the league. We don't play on New Year's Day having just played Fulham on New Year's Eve but the good thing is we stopped them going three clear and it's extremely tight at the top still. Joe Gomez did get taken off quite early against Fulham and a disappointing blow for a busy December, that's coming up. Gomez did have to go off early against Fulham and he'll be out for a good few weeks.
As soon as the transfer window opened, my first decision was to bin off Xherdan Shaqiri, he's barely played this season and in a 433 he just doesn't seem to fit. He does however take a big pay rise moving to China and £28M from only the twelve we paid 18 months ago is good business. Edit last night Shaqiri probably had the best game in a Liverpool shirt imo, dangerous but on this save he's outta here.
Ki-Jana Hoever became the second right back to score his first senior goal for Liverpool from a free kick, in less than the last 3 years! What a goal, personally I would rate this higher than Trent's even though it was a bigger game against Hoffenheim and tougher opposition, the keeper maybe could do better. Eventually second half our dominance became worthwhile, Milner set up Keita from range and probably the best goal of the story so far, Oxlade-Chamerlain with a beautiful long shot and the pass from Fabinho gave him a chance.
How close do you want the race for the PL title to be? It's still very very close and if we win both of our games in hand we can go level on points with Arsenal, really it's anyone's game though, it could be any of these five honestly.
We're royally messing it up in the league at the moment but the positive is that literally everyone is dropping points in the busy schedule around Xmas and New year, two games we should win in the cups and we did that. Next time we've got a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig game against Arsenal, who are actually pushing for the title now as well, we also play some other games.
Another 0-0 and it's not like we're not creating chances, we're wasting them. If you consider the league positions of the teams it's not so bad, I guess but I can almost hear the chants in my head of "you don't know what you're doing".
Southampton obviously struggling at the foot of the PL, appointing Liverpool legend, Steven Gearrard and it was nice to see that we both had some nice words to say about each other, especially since fictionally two FMs ago, he was promoted as u18s manager to assistant manager. A 10 year story, In 5 and a half years, he managed for a season and a half in my absence on holiday, he did a really good job too.
Sadio Mane was unlucky to hit the post today but we worked it back to him and the rebound was dispatched quickly. A really brilliant team goal for our second today, Milner in to Salah who won the knock on and Firmino finished it with class, Salah wrapped things up with the interception and pass coming from Henderson. One goal each for the front three, that's what you want to see.
Our first signing and it's Rafa, Rafa's back! No not the manager he's far too old but this Portuguese lad from Benfica was actually recommended by our scouts, which usually I pretty much never listen to. Having said that he does look like a good fit and having already played a few games, I can see how the lad could play on the right wing as an inside forward as well, he's natural. I was always going to move for a striker or a winger in this window, just to give us another option
It might be interesting to know that we actually almost signed Jadon Sancho around a week before this but the DOF handled the negotiations, he wasn't happy about his wage; interesting because judging by recent rumours Liverpool under Klopp may sign him in January, it's looking like the most likely. In terms of Rafa we have someone older and possibly not better, potential wise definitely not but we do have someone in the prime of their career.
Another game were it almost seems like I'm playing on auto pilot, I don't know exactly what I mean by that but I guess I mean, I really need to focus more. Josh King put Bournemouth ahead today, a poor goal to concede from the free kick, we even gave them the chance to go two up when Trent fouled Billing in the box, luckily Wilson missed. Salah thankfully rescued a point in the second half and a good finish!
We really really do have to win today and a good start, seeing us have a good start was something that made me happy as there's not been much happening on the pitch lately to make me happy. Ox found Salah on the break and no one could stop him, debutant Rafa was straight in for the injured Mane and his first game in Merseyside was a good one, he assisted Ox who finished it well. Second half Aubameyang got one back and despite Robertson going off after we'd using all three subs, we held on to confirm three very crucial points.
A disappointing run really, two away games were you'd fancy us to win but at least we won the other two at home. There's not too much to talk about coming up, just a crucial game against probably our main title rivals at home! It looks like that Watford game in the CC, will have to be a weaker side with the team selection.
It was close out there today, we had some tired legs with a busy fixture list and some injuries to manage as well, eventually it was the new boy Rafa, who's making an instant impact. Trent supplied the pass down the right side and there was nothing average about that finish. Unfortunately Hendo picked up an injury in that one and he'll miss three weeks.
Our first under 21 signing is a bit of a mouthful, Neraysho Kasanwirjo, no idea how to pronounce that but anyway the explanation behind this one is for me I see Hoever as a centre back and hopefully he'll do well there one day. Neraysho is coming in to hopefully be our second choice RB one day, not too much to write home about with his current attributes but a very impressive crosser and passer, just like Trent!
A real bore draw and there's not much else to say other than disappointing and injuries too...
Lovren out for the rest of the season but not too bothered about that one, before we reached the time of the next game, we'd lost Keita to injury as well.
Needs must with the injuries, Van Den Berg and Kane come up from the under 23s to make the bench. Very early on today and Ox running forward, sets up Rafa and what a finish, 1-0! Big Virgil set up Ox in the box, from consecutive corners and he took it brilliantly, powering home the volley!! Gini found Ox for his second of the game and the keeper Dahlberg will be disappointed with that. We even had the opportunity to bring on VDB for his Liverpool debut.
Our final signing of the window and again this one almost a rejig of positions for the upcoming young players again. Arnor Sigurosson who I believe will be the first Icelandic player to play for LFC, a little bit of 15 second research and Liverpool have actually signed two Icelandic players but neither ever made a senior appearance! Anyway Arnor will play his natural position but next season I hope to move to a 4231 play Firmino and hopefully sometimes Curtis Jones in the middle of it all, also sign a striker? Who knows, let's finish the season first.
A really very very tight game today and the the all important decisive goal come from Sadio Mane, a brilliant bending free kick delivery from Trent and all Mane had to do is be brave and direct the ball in to the far post. What an incredibly important win, that puts us two points clear with a game in hand, the title is in our hands!
The table looks good from a Liverpool perspective, hopefully we can remain focused and lift our first PL title. Crucial three points against both City and Wolves in this update and a nice win in the CB also. The big games keep on coming and in Europe, I welcome the big teams to Anfield just not too much, hopefully we don't show Real Madrid the respect their history deserves. what we need to do is treat them like the men of yesteryear.
Hoever put the ball in to a really dangerous area from the free kick and Naby Keita wanted it more than anyone else and a nice finish. Rafa was fouled in the box and Adam Lewis stepped up.. and he put away the penalty.
Shot by Mane in the 25th minute today, powerful but straight at the keeper, Rafa favourite and puts away the rebound. Villa did get one back pretty quickly, poor defending from VVD and Wesley was in, he scores. It's fair to say that Rafa has been instrumental in our play since coming in and he was fouled by McGinn, Milner stepped up from the spot and won us the game. A fantastic team goal for our third of the day, Gini set up Milner and he scores a tidy powerful long shot to make sure of the points. Another season for the warhorse? Sorry James. A league debut for Hoever today and you hardly noticed Trent was missing.
It's the big one, the game I've been waiting for it, let's see what we can do! Oxlade-Chamerlain's shot blocked! It's like pinball in the box from the corner but Fabinho lashes it home. Brilliant run from Mane for number two, he's tackled but keep's going and first to rebound, 2-0!! Gareth Bale got one back moments later from Marcelo's cross, brilliant play by Salah and Trent on the right, the amount of times we got in on that side was incredible, Salah converting his chance.
Second half and Salah really did make it easy for Mane to make it 4-1! Another brilliant bit of play by Salah, I keep talking about the right side but he had ol Marcelo on toast the entire night and I'm writing this as the game is going on! Firmino got on the end of the pass with a tackle nonetheless and the scenes when he scored, so made up for him to finally score, it's felt like forever. Is that tie over? You won't hear me say it but I'm thinking it, no complacency and we're going through.
JOB Done!?
Brilliant through ball, over the top from Jordan Henderson today; he's back in the team and Ox made it look easy for 1-0. Lewis Cook got the equaliser from Steve Cook's header off the post, fair play to them they got their goal eventually and as much as we pushed and pushed, we just couldn't find the winner in the end.
It has to go down as a marvellous run of matches just because we whipped Real 5-1! We lost a march to our chasers in the league, City when we drew with Bournemouth, in the next update we'll play City again after they seen off United to book their CB Cup final place, there's also some most wins in league coming up.
We started well today but Norwich gave us a good game for most of proceedings, it was Sadio Mane with a cross to Salah who wanted it more and he throw himself at the ball, Mo got his reward. Rafa came off the bench to set up Sigurosson who only got the last ten but he showed great composure with his finish, it's his first for the club and hopefully that composure will be a sign of things to come. Trent will miss be out injured for a little while, he come off.
This game probably won't go down as the greatest game you to watch but that's a reflection of how closely contested the two sides are on the pitch. ZInchenko got himself sent off with a relatively short amount of time left, I wanted to win it in ninety minutes, we couldn't do that. Right at the end of 90 minutes before extra time started and not for the first time a crucial substitution by me, bringing Hoever on for Gomez proving to have the biggest impact on the big occasion. The youngster came on and headed in the only goal of the final, maybe he should of started but of course he was extremely fresh coming on.
Birmingham City actually took a surprise lead in this one and it was Dan Crowely he pounced on the rebound. It took a little while but eventually we turned it around, first Mane's shot rebounded against the post but was put away by Matip, next Brewster with another winning goal and Mane influential in the goal once more. All that actually happened in the space of about two minutes! An all PL FA Cup QF and we did draw one of the big teams but not too many of them left.
Burnley stood strong today and they set up really well in defence, they did make it really difficult for us but eventually we did find the winner. Fabinho crossed to Mo Salah who lost his marker and the finish was never in any doubt, he's saved us way more than any other player this season, some crucial goals!
Those dropped points to Bournemouth again, giving the chasers City the chance to cut the gap to just three points. Some very big away days coming up before we finish this season for the reds, it's likely that we'll drop some points so let's just hope City drop some along the way as well.
Four wins out of four and that's all you can ask from the boys, the games come thick and fast at this time of year and we did actually beat City 1-0 again in this update. I'm not made up about going to extra time but Hoever's becoming a bit of cult hero this season, not even part of the squad much but he's proving that he should be going forward! Next time there's two huge games against Chelsea and a pretty big one against Real too, although I'll be hoping that we don't have to put too much in to that, given our first leg advantage.
You've done well the manage all the games in Dec and come out in strong position. Injuries picking up but good squad to cope. Domestic sweep this year?
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. How about that for an intro! I leave you with some modelling shots of the big man, sporting a beautiful beige turncoat, man got that big belly, storing them pies for winter hibernation and quite the spectular honka donk as well.