Thank you so much. That's very kind. There are some fantastic stories on the forum here. I'm glad my first one has gone down well!
Reviving Deportivo La Coruña
- Thread starter RCDAguiar
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Thank you so much. That's very kind. There are some fantastic stories on the forum here. I'm glad my first one has gone down well!
January 2019 - Copa del Rey vs Barcelona, AGAIN
View attachment 189637
Well... we have a lot to talk about.
Before jumping into the games, I made a signing and sale. Departing the club:
Off goes Mosquera. He joined Depor the season I did and has overseen the progression of this club. Unfortunately, we are quite stacked in midfield and I needed to lower the numbers. His contract was up in the summer and Cordoba offered 350k. I was happy to sell him as he had become a bit-part player.
His replacement:
We did it! The supremely gifted Zelalem will join permanently (on a free) in the summer. He's super talented and has had a pretty good loan spell. Wages will be high but a player of his calibre demands a certain pricey fee. All in all, we now have five central-midfielders as opposed to six. And they're all fantastic. Let's move onto the games now:
What a result! We often struggle to beat Atlético. They tend to overpower us with an explosive attack, but we defended quite well and held our own in the final third too. Lucas won the penalty that Abel Hernandez converted for 1-0 early on. Koke was sent off for his tackle on our captain. And while we defended to a high level - with San Emeterio and Saúl playing some of their finest defensive games - we could not resist Atleti for the entire game. Manu Trigueros scored 12 minutes from the final whistle. A game that was tight, with neither side dominating the other, seemed destined for a score draw... until Corredera's gorgeous corner-kick was met emphatically by Arribas who cancelled out Atleti's equalise a mere 3 minutes later. Impressive result and 3 points.
Barça at home (1st leg)...
I despise having to play these guys almost every season now in the cup. I'd rather play them in the latter rounds. It completely ruins our chances at silverware even if we get an insane result in the first leg. Just a brief side note: the Copa del Rey in Spanish football is designed for the bigger sides to do well. And this isn't a conspiracy: it's a fact. Teams are basically seeded in the first round, hence why I always draw a second division side - all Champions League clubs do. The tournament is then fully mapped out so that Barcelona/Real Madrid do not draw each other until the semi-final or final. So, in a nutshell, we are always going to face one of the two big boys before the final. It means that winning the Copa could entail beating both clubs over 4 legs which is ridiculous. Anyhow, back to the game. Tadic scored early, knocking in a San Emeterio cross but the defence could not hold on for the entirety of the game. Messi equalised midway through the second-half. I would have taken the draw... until Umtiti smashed in a header with the final kick of the game. This forces us to score two with no reply at the Camp Nou. Great...
Eibar at home...
A positive way to bounce back. I was really happy with this result, despite the performance being nothing special. We were tussling for possession and the game was very much stop-start with 33 fouls committed in the entire 90 minutes. We scored very early in the first-half and extremely late in the second to grant ourselves another 3 points. Two set-pieces were the difference: Insua headed in Labyad's finely placed corner and then substitute Abel Hernandez fired in ANOTHER penalty. A good win.
Barça away (2nd leg)...
And so we're out. First time in ages that we're spending the entire second half of the season playing just once a week. I think it's a welcome thing, but I would have rather kept our silverware hopes alive. It's just tough when we're facing Barcelona over two legs every ****** season. My only positive is that at least Seferovic scored. He and Abel are sharing that number 9 role ever so well. Awful result. Better luck next year, etc.
Granada at home...
Far from convincing, but all we needed was the morale boosting victory. Rotation was required and we were asking players who suffered a loss at the hands of Barcelona in a tournament we want to win to bounce back 3 days later. Have to credit the players for doing just that. Javi Espinosa's half volley from San Emeterio's cross was worthy of the 3 points. Espinosa is ridiculously good when called upon.
Elche away...
Oriol Riera comes back to haunt us. Remember him? The man we swapped for Baptistao (plus cash)? Yeah, he decided to be a party pooper TWICE. We went 1-0 up courtesy of Antonio Luna's overlapping run and rasping shot, assisted by Fabián. We were trying to double our lead all the way into the second-half until Riera equalised with just 20 minutes to go. A header from him, as always. Then with 2 minutes left of normal time, I decided to overload for the victory. And I thought it had paid off: Abel Hernandez showed us his aerial prowess by nodding in a San Emeterio cross. Riera decided to ruin the fun and equalise a couple of minutes later into added time. A poor way to end the month - a month which was successful domestically.
League table:
Am I seriously 4 points clear at the top and 14 points clear of Barcelona? Somebody pinch me...
It just HAD to be the main man. The best right-back in the league. He put in some great defensive performances and assisted important goals. He's decisive in either half of the pitch and displayed that to a high level this month.
Next month, tune in as we play the heated derby against Celta Vigo. With only one competition, updates will be shorter as most months will only have 4-5 games contested. 'Til next time! Forza Depor!
View attachment 189637
Well... we have a lot to talk about.
Before jumping into the games, I made a signing and sale. Departing the club:
Off goes Mosquera. He joined Depor the season I did and has overseen the progression of this club. Unfortunately, we are quite stacked in midfield and I needed to lower the numbers. His contract was up in the summer and Cordoba offered 350k. I was happy to sell him as he had become a bit-part player.
His replacement:
We did it! The supremely gifted Zelalem will join permanently (on a free) in the summer. He's super talented and has had a pretty good loan spell. Wages will be high but a player of his calibre demands a certain pricey fee. All in all, we now have five central-midfielders as opposed to six. And they're all fantastic. Let's move onto the games now:
What a result! We often struggle to beat Atlético. They tend to overpower us with an explosive attack, but we defended quite well and held our own in the final third too. Lucas won the penalty that Abel Hernandez converted for 1-0 early on. Koke was sent off for his tackle on our captain. And while we defended to a high level - with San Emeterio and Saúl playing some of their finest defensive games - we could not resist Atleti for the entire game. Manu Trigueros scored 12 minutes from the final whistle. A game that was tight, with neither side dominating the other, seemed destined for a score draw... until Corredera's gorgeous corner-kick was met emphatically by Arribas who cancelled out Atleti's equalise a mere 3 minutes later. Impressive result and 3 points.
Barça at home (1st leg)...
I despise having to play these guys almost every season now in the cup. I'd rather play them in the latter rounds. It completely ruins our chances at silverware even if we get an insane result in the first leg. Just a brief side note: the Copa del Rey in Spanish football is designed for the bigger sides to do well. And this isn't a conspiracy: it's a fact. Teams are basically seeded in the first round, hence why I always draw a second division side - all Champions League clubs do. The tournament is then fully mapped out so that Barcelona/Real Madrid do not draw each other until the semi-final or final. So, in a nutshell, we are always going to face one of the two big boys before the final. It means that winning the Copa could entail beating both clubs over 4 legs which is ridiculous. Anyhow, back to the game. Tadic scored early, knocking in a San Emeterio cross but the defence could not hold on for the entirety of the game. Messi equalised midway through the second-half. I would have taken the draw... until Umtiti smashed in a header with the final kick of the game. This forces us to score two with no reply at the Camp Nou. Great...
Eibar at home...
A positive way to bounce back. I was really happy with this result, despite the performance being nothing special. We were tussling for possession and the game was very much stop-start with 33 fouls committed in the entire 90 minutes. We scored very early in the first-half and extremely late in the second to grant ourselves another 3 points. Two set-pieces were the difference: Insua headed in Labyad's finely placed corner and then substitute Abel Hernandez fired in ANOTHER penalty. A good win.
Barça away (2nd leg)...
And so we're out. First time in ages that we're spending the entire second half of the season playing just once a week. I think it's a welcome thing, but I would have rather kept our silverware hopes alive. It's just tough when we're facing Barcelona over two legs every ****** season. My only positive is that at least Seferovic scored. He and Abel are sharing that number 9 role ever so well. Awful result. Better luck next year, etc.
Granada at home...
Far from convincing, but all we needed was the morale boosting victory. Rotation was required and we were asking players who suffered a loss at the hands of Barcelona in a tournament we want to win to bounce back 3 days later. Have to credit the players for doing just that. Javi Espinosa's half volley from San Emeterio's cross was worthy of the 3 points. Espinosa is ridiculously good when called upon.
Elche away...
Oriol Riera comes back to haunt us. Remember him? The man we swapped for Baptistao (plus cash)? Yeah, he decided to be a party pooper TWICE. We went 1-0 up courtesy of Antonio Luna's overlapping run and rasping shot, assisted by Fabián. We were trying to double our lead all the way into the second-half until Riera equalised with just 20 minutes to go. A header from him, as always. Then with 2 minutes left of normal time, I decided to overload for the victory. And I thought it had paid off: Abel Hernandez showed us his aerial prowess by nodding in a San Emeterio cross. Riera decided to ruin the fun and equalise a couple of minutes later into added time. A poor way to end the month - a month which was successful domestically.
League table:
Am I seriously 4 points clear at the top and 14 points clear of Barcelona? Somebody pinch me...
It just HAD to be the main man. The best right-back in the league. He put in some great defensive performances and assisted important goals. He's decisive in either half of the pitch and displayed that to a high level this month.
Next month, tune in as we play the heated derby against Celta Vigo. With only one competition, updates will be shorter as most months will only have 4-5 games contested. 'Til next time! Forza Depor!
Thanks! And that's incredible progression with Oviedo!
February 2019 - Derby day!
View attachment 189203
Another positive, unbeaten month. Without spoiling much, let's dive right into it:
Real Betis at home...
This was quite a fortuitous victory as Real Betis dominated us and took more shots at goal. We were defensively resolute, as ever, with San Emeterio making some crucial tackles and a goal-line clearance to keep us in the game. 30 minutes from time, Seferovic leaps above Real Betis' defenders to nod in a Tadic cross. He had been on the pitch for four minutes. A decisive moment; a brilliant result. 3 points.
Celta away...
Easily our best, and most memorable, result against Celta in my tenure! We're up to 8 games unbeaten against them. They've yet to get one over me. This one was far from easy as, 25 minutes into the game, we found ourselves being dominated and down by two goals. I immediately had the team drop deep and play on the counter. Almost instantaneously, we crawled our way back into the game. Seferovic exploded on the counter, laid it off to Tadic who returned the favour for our Swiss forward to tap in past Alvarez. We reached half-time only down by one goal, having spent the last 15 minutes of the first-half on fire. The whistle was still echoing around the stadium to signify the start of the second-half when Deivid headed in a Saúl cross emphatically. 2-2. The game had been turned on its head thanks to determined players and a change in instructions after going two goals down. But we weren't done just yet. San Emeterio rocketed down his flank, smashed in a cross for Seferovic who volleyed with aplomb. 3-2, game over. What a turn around! 3 points against our eternal rivals.
Sporting at home...
We could have put in a hung up performance after the ecstasy against Celta, but these boys put their head down and performed at a very high level once again. 24 minutes was all it took to bury Sporting with Abel Hernandez and Dusan Tadic adding to the 5th minute own-goal. San Emeterio was flawless in the final third yet again, constantly creating chances and bagging himself an assist. We could have scored more but later struggled to break down a low-block Sporting defence. Superb and easy 3 points.
Valencia away...
Another turnaround after a poor start, but not enough to run away with the three points. We continue to struggle against Valencia. They're impeccable in attack. Andreas Pereira has been one of the players of the season and cemented that with a gorgeous long-range strike to cut Valencia's lead to one. Then, 16 minutes from time, Seferovic continued his streak of importance by scoring yet again. Happy with the draw as it could have been worse, but we need to up our defensive performance vs Valencia.
Some amazing news...
Another renewal and his clause has been bumped up to 33.5m euros. Hopefully that deters Bayern and co. from any further bids. He's now the highest earner at the club, aged 21. He deserves it. Don't know where we would be without the guy.
League table...
Still 4 points clear with 13 games to play. Surely not? Getting knocked out of all the other competitions has given us a new lease of life domestically.
His best month for the club. He may not be as good as Baptistão, but the downgrade isn't that noticeable. He was insane this month, scoring winning goals against Betis and Celta and the equaliser vs Valencia. Directly contributed to 7 of our 10 points. Without his goals, this could have been a lamentable month. He's starting to show signs of excellence. Same goes for Hernandez.
Next month, we take on Barcelona AND Real Madrid. What this means is that we could lose our 1st place in the league standings. We have to, at the very least, beat Barcelona to stay in contention. March could derail our title credentials; a lot swings in the balance! Thanks for reading. 'Til next time! Forza Depor!
View attachment 189203
Another positive, unbeaten month. Without spoiling much, let's dive right into it:
Real Betis at home...
This was quite a fortuitous victory as Real Betis dominated us and took more shots at goal. We were defensively resolute, as ever, with San Emeterio making some crucial tackles and a goal-line clearance to keep us in the game. 30 minutes from time, Seferovic leaps above Real Betis' defenders to nod in a Tadic cross. He had been on the pitch for four minutes. A decisive moment; a brilliant result. 3 points.
Celta away...
Easily our best, and most memorable, result against Celta in my tenure! We're up to 8 games unbeaten against them. They've yet to get one over me. This one was far from easy as, 25 minutes into the game, we found ourselves being dominated and down by two goals. I immediately had the team drop deep and play on the counter. Almost instantaneously, we crawled our way back into the game. Seferovic exploded on the counter, laid it off to Tadic who returned the favour for our Swiss forward to tap in past Alvarez. We reached half-time only down by one goal, having spent the last 15 minutes of the first-half on fire. The whistle was still echoing around the stadium to signify the start of the second-half when Deivid headed in a Saúl cross emphatically. 2-2. The game had been turned on its head thanks to determined players and a change in instructions after going two goals down. But we weren't done just yet. San Emeterio rocketed down his flank, smashed in a cross for Seferovic who volleyed with aplomb. 3-2, game over. What a turn around! 3 points against our eternal rivals.
Sporting at home...
We could have put in a hung up performance after the ecstasy against Celta, but these boys put their head down and performed at a very high level once again. 24 minutes was all it took to bury Sporting with Abel Hernandez and Dusan Tadic adding to the 5th minute own-goal. San Emeterio was flawless in the final third yet again, constantly creating chances and bagging himself an assist. We could have scored more but later struggled to break down a low-block Sporting defence. Superb and easy 3 points.
Valencia away...
Another turnaround after a poor start, but not enough to run away with the three points. We continue to struggle against Valencia. They're impeccable in attack. Andreas Pereira has been one of the players of the season and cemented that with a gorgeous long-range strike to cut Valencia's lead to one. Then, 16 minutes from time, Seferovic continued his streak of importance by scoring yet again. Happy with the draw as it could have been worse, but we need to up our defensive performance vs Valencia.
Some amazing news...
Another renewal and his clause has been bumped up to 33.5m euros. Hopefully that deters Bayern and co. from any further bids. He's now the highest earner at the club, aged 21. He deserves it. Don't know where we would be without the guy.
League table...
Still 4 points clear with 13 games to play. Surely not? Getting knocked out of all the other competitions has given us a new lease of life domestically.
His best month for the club. He may not be as good as Baptistão, but the downgrade isn't that noticeable. He was insane this month, scoring winning goals against Betis and Celta and the equaliser vs Valencia. Directly contributed to 7 of our 10 points. Without his goals, this could have been a lamentable month. He's starting to show signs of excellence. Same goes for Hernandez.
Next month, we take on Barcelona AND Real Madrid. What this means is that we could lose our 1st place in the league standings. We have to, at the very least, beat Barcelona to stay in contention. March could derail our title credentials; a lot swings in the balance! Thanks for reading. 'Til next time! Forza Depor!
March 2019 - Crunch time
View attachment 188632
Let's just go straight into the games because there is a lot to mull over.
Osasuna at home...
A really poor performance, but a stunning way to get the three points. San Emeterio'***** an early cross from the most peculiar of angles and it arrowed up and over the goalkeeper. A stunning, perhaps unintentional, goal to break the deadlock late on. Osasuna defended excellently.
Real Madrid away...
Our first league loss of the season and it comes in the one game we needed to win. This seriously dampens our lead at the top of the table. We were already exceeding expectations by being top but, as we entered March, I started to convince myself that we could hold onto this lead of points over Real Madrid. Andreas Pereira's stunning long-range strike was not enough to undo Real Madrid's first-half 3-goal blitz. A disappointing and shocking performance.
Rayo at home...
Little amount of shots from either side, Rayo edging possession... this was another shocking performance. This month has been far from convincing. Again, though, our star midfielder Pereira stepped up when no-one else could be bothered. This time, he broke the offside trap, raced clean through on goal and smashed it past Juan Carlos. Again, a good 3 points but nothing special.
Malaga away...
With this result, Real Madrid climbed one point ahead of us. This was a silly game to drop points in, especially because twice we had the lead and twice we let it go. Seferovic's finish from a tight angle was deemed useless in added time when Malaga applied their own luck at our end. Tadic's free-kick, as great as it was, was eventually undone by another Malaga goal. We couldn't cope or hold on. We shoot ourselves in the foot and that was super upsetting.
Barcelona away...
This one hurt; this one allowed Real Madrid to go 4 points clear. What hurts the most is that we had the lead going into half-time... and comfortably outperforming them too. Lucas' free-kick was great - he kept up his fine streak of performing excellently against the big sides. That's the only positive. A game to forget and I fear we've blown our chances.
League table...
There you have it: 8 games left, 4 points adrift. Can't see Real Madrid losing and drawing at least once. If they don't, then this will go down as a record breaking season regardless if we win 3 more games: the club have never, ever picked up this many points. Nice to have my name down in the record books (hopefully).
The only light of positivity in an otherwise bleak month. Pereira has averaged a rating of 7.56 this season - something I did not expect him to pull off in his first year at the club. Can't believe we picked him up on a free. He is always creating chances and getting in good positions. Absolutely love the guy.
Next month, tune in to see if we are handed some sort of fortune with Real Madrid dropping points. We play some pretty tough opponents (Athletic and Sevilla) so I'll be looking to make us defend better than this month. 'Til then! Forza Depor!
View attachment 188632
Let's just go straight into the games because there is a lot to mull over.
Osasuna at home...
A really poor performance, but a stunning way to get the three points. San Emeterio'***** an early cross from the most peculiar of angles and it arrowed up and over the goalkeeper. A stunning, perhaps unintentional, goal to break the deadlock late on. Osasuna defended excellently.
Real Madrid away...
Our first league loss of the season and it comes in the one game we needed to win. This seriously dampens our lead at the top of the table. We were already exceeding expectations by being top but, as we entered March, I started to convince myself that we could hold onto this lead of points over Real Madrid. Andreas Pereira's stunning long-range strike was not enough to undo Real Madrid's first-half 3-goal blitz. A disappointing and shocking performance.
Rayo at home...
Little amount of shots from either side, Rayo edging possession... this was another shocking performance. This month has been far from convincing. Again, though, our star midfielder Pereira stepped up when no-one else could be bothered. This time, he broke the offside trap, raced clean through on goal and smashed it past Juan Carlos. Again, a good 3 points but nothing special.
Malaga away...
With this result, Real Madrid climbed one point ahead of us. This was a silly game to drop points in, especially because twice we had the lead and twice we let it go. Seferovic's finish from a tight angle was deemed useless in added time when Malaga applied their own luck at our end. Tadic's free-kick, as great as it was, was eventually undone by another Malaga goal. We couldn't cope or hold on. We shoot ourselves in the foot and that was super upsetting.
Barcelona away...
This one hurt; this one allowed Real Madrid to go 4 points clear. What hurts the most is that we had the lead going into half-time... and comfortably outperforming them too. Lucas' free-kick was great - he kept up his fine streak of performing excellently against the big sides. That's the only positive. A game to forget and I fear we've blown our chances.
League table...
There you have it: 8 games left, 4 points adrift. Can't see Real Madrid losing and drawing at least once. If they don't, then this will go down as a record breaking season regardless if we win 3 more games: the club have never, ever picked up this many points. Nice to have my name down in the record books (hopefully).
The only light of positivity in an otherwise bleak month. Pereira has averaged a rating of 7.56 this season - something I did not expect him to pull off in his first year at the club. Can't believe we picked him up on a free. He is always creating chances and getting in good positions. Absolutely love the guy.
Next month, tune in to see if we are handed some sort of fortune with Real Madrid dropping points. We play some pretty tough opponents (Athletic and Sevilla) so I'll be looking to make us defend better than this month. 'Til then! Forza Depor!
April 2019 - We keep on fighting
View attachment 188362
Seriously could not have asked for a better month from my players. They were outstanding, even while knowing that they could play to the highest level possible and still miss out on the title.
Cordoba at home...
Superb performance all-round. Defensively, we prevented Cordoba from creating any danger. The one key chance they had, Fabricio saved excellently. In attack, we were ruthless. 23 minutes in, the game was already wrapped up. Deivid glanced a header past Andersen, courtesy of a Tadic corner. Lucas doubled our lead when he tapped in from a textbook San Emeterio cross. Zelalem nailed the third goal, and the three points, after combining with Antonio Luna (both substitutes) to finish with aplomb.
Real Oviedo at home...
Again, another superb all-round performance. Fabricio made a couple of really good, one-on-one stops and the attack prospered from that security. Andreas Pereira's free-kick opened the scoring, but it wasn't until the first-half where we started to blitz proceedings. The two strikers, Seferovic and Hernandez, scored two identical goals from tight angles to put the game beyond Oviedo. A Barbir own goal wrapped things up. 3 points, nice and easy.
Sevilla away...
This was a fine performance against a team that usually cause us a lot of problems. We held them in defence, kept them from creating any danger and thus flourished in the final third. Tadic's penalty gave us the lead in an otherwise uneventful and tight half. Abel Hernandez then whacked in a header from Pereira's outrageously good cross. Another 3 points. We're trying to keep pressure on Real Madrid. With these three points, we have now broken the Deportivo record of most points in one season! A massive achievement - my name is down in the record books!
Levante away...
OK, this was probably Fabricio's best game in a Depor shirt. Or at least up there. He made a triple save & a stunning one-on-one stop. This was his clean-sheet. Our fourth of the month, all back-to-back. Tadic and Fabián, playing on opposite flanks, gave us a two goal lead going into half-time. They also assisted one another. Hernandez then killed things off when he latched onto a Corredera through ball and calmly slotted past Pacheco. Another clean-sheet, another three points!
Athletic at home...
Another defensive masterclass, another insane Fabricio save to document. This was far from convincing, but it's the three points that matter. I'm so proud of this side to get FIVE clean-sheets in a row after last month's defensive mayhem. It's a sign of great character and autocorrecting of their mistakes. Lucas' tap in was all that we needed to run away with the three points against a tricky rival. What a month!
League table...
83 points. Five wins, five clean-sheets. All of that hard work for nothing. Real Madrid still four points clear with three games to go. It's practically impossible now. We've given it a real go and for that I'm incredibly grateful to my players.
Budgets for next season...
View attachment 188350
Again, for the fourth year in a row, really low transfer budget. It something we're definitely used to; something I actually relish. We don't have any important areas to strengthen as of now.
You guessed it. Five clean-sheets and a ridiculous amount of world class saves - this guy HAD to be the player of the month. At the age of 31, he has finally reached his peak. The last two seasons have been superb. I'm dreading the day he declines and moves on. One of the few remaining players from my first game in charge. Somewhat of a cult hero nowadays.
Next month, I can't promise much. We're definitely not winning the title, but tune in to see how we end our best season ever! 'Til then! Forza Depor!
View attachment 188362
Seriously could not have asked for a better month from my players. They were outstanding, even while knowing that they could play to the highest level possible and still miss out on the title.
Cordoba at home...
Superb performance all-round. Defensively, we prevented Cordoba from creating any danger. The one key chance they had, Fabricio saved excellently. In attack, we were ruthless. 23 minutes in, the game was already wrapped up. Deivid glanced a header past Andersen, courtesy of a Tadic corner. Lucas doubled our lead when he tapped in from a textbook San Emeterio cross. Zelalem nailed the third goal, and the three points, after combining with Antonio Luna (both substitutes) to finish with aplomb.
Real Oviedo at home...
Again, another superb all-round performance. Fabricio made a couple of really good, one-on-one stops and the attack prospered from that security. Andreas Pereira's free-kick opened the scoring, but it wasn't until the first-half where we started to blitz proceedings. The two strikers, Seferovic and Hernandez, scored two identical goals from tight angles to put the game beyond Oviedo. A Barbir own goal wrapped things up. 3 points, nice and easy.
Sevilla away...
This was a fine performance against a team that usually cause us a lot of problems. We held them in defence, kept them from creating any danger and thus flourished in the final third. Tadic's penalty gave us the lead in an otherwise uneventful and tight half. Abel Hernandez then whacked in a header from Pereira's outrageously good cross. Another 3 points. We're trying to keep pressure on Real Madrid. With these three points, we have now broken the Deportivo record of most points in one season! A massive achievement - my name is down in the record books!
Levante away...
OK, this was probably Fabricio's best game in a Depor shirt. Or at least up there. He made a triple save & a stunning one-on-one stop. This was his clean-sheet. Our fourth of the month, all back-to-back. Tadic and Fabián, playing on opposite flanks, gave us a two goal lead going into half-time. They also assisted one another. Hernandez then killed things off when he latched onto a Corredera through ball and calmly slotted past Pacheco. Another clean-sheet, another three points!
Athletic at home...
Another defensive masterclass, another insane Fabricio save to document. This was far from convincing, but it's the three points that matter. I'm so proud of this side to get FIVE clean-sheets in a row after last month's defensive mayhem. It's a sign of great character and autocorrecting of their mistakes. Lucas' tap in was all that we needed to run away with the three points against a tricky rival. What a month!
League table...
83 points. Five wins, five clean-sheets. All of that hard work for nothing. Real Madrid still four points clear with three games to go. It's practically impossible now. We've given it a real go and for that I'm incredibly grateful to my players.
Budgets for next season...
View attachment 188350
Again, for the fourth year in a row, really low transfer budget. It something we're definitely used to; something I actually relish. We don't have any important areas to strengthen as of now.
You guessed it. Five clean-sheets and a ridiculous amount of world class saves - this guy HAD to be the player of the month. At the age of 31, he has finally reached his peak. The last two seasons have been superb. I'm dreading the day he declines and moves on. One of the few remaining players from my first game in charge. Somewhat of a cult hero nowadays.
Next month, I can't promise much. We're definitely not winning the title, but tune in to see how we end our best season ever! 'Til then! Forza Depor!
DreamTempest
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Great season though the budget is indeed underwhelming but as you've said it really doesn't needs to be that big.
I hope you get the league title next season
I hope you get the league title next season
Great season though the budget is indeed underwhelming but as you've said it really doesn't needs to be that big.
I hope you get the league title next season
Thanks! We'll try to win it, but it's unlikely unless we get knocked out of every other tournament.
May 2019 - a fine end to our best season in my tenure
View attachment 187599
We end the season unbeaten. Fantastic!
Atletico Madrid away...
Atléti could have sentenced us to an early loss after Jackson's 5th minute goal, but we persevered throughout their higher amount of shots and possession. We were playing a counter-attacking game which totally dismantled Atléti. Seferovic's glancing header from a Saúl cross was enough to equalise the game. And then, one minute from the final whistle, after doing pretty much nothing, Seferovic's low-cross is turned in by Godín. 2-1 right at the death. Can't help but laugh at that own-goal. Always rewarding when we beat Atléti.
Eibar away...
I love 3-0 wins. I don't know why. I suppose it just sort of symbolises a strong attacking and defensive performance - something this game was made up on. Seferovic kept up his fine vein of goal scoring form, prospering from ANOTHER Saúl cross. Tadic doubled our lead from the spot and Lucas wrapped things up 10 minutes from time with a fine volley.
Real Sociedad at home...
A real shame to end the season on a sour note in front of our fans. Real Sociedad were both clinical and defensively resolute. It took 63 minutes to find our sole goal and it came from a set-piece, with Pablo Insua smashing a header past Kivrak. One point - should have been three. Still, we'll look back on this season with a lot of happiness.
League table...
90 points. Little Deportivo from the small city of A Coruña with 90 f**cking points. Wow. We were unbelievably good this season, losing just twice. We have improved heaps since I've arrived and to be going toe-to-toe with teams that spend hundreds of millions is a testament to our squad unity and self belief. I feel like we're edging ever closer to ending that trophy drought. It was disappointing to exit Europe and Copa del Rey so early on but it made me realise how good we are with just one game per week. We can go far. This season have proven that.
Planned purchase...?
View attachment 187594
By 2020 (end of next season), we will have bought the Riazor. The stadium currently belongs to the local council and government. This is a huge step toward globalising the club and taking our reputation one step further. Super proud of this advancement.
View attachment 187592
Arribas tops the key tackles chart, again. Insua, Vergara and San Emeterio also make the shortlist. We are one superb defensive outfit.
View attachment 187591
Saúl tops the list for most tackles per game. Again. As much as I wax lyrical about San Emeterio, this guy is just as crucial to the way we play. This was simply his best season yet for the club. So lucky to have our full-backs playing at such a high defensive and attacking level.
End of season stats. Seferovic picks up 15 goals despite that 2-month injury. Abel was one goal behind him. They may not have met the tally left behind by Baptistão but together they've replaced his goals. I feel less reliant on one guy with those two around. San Emeterio swept again with most assists, player of the match awards and highest average rating. Back-up right-back, Correa, had the best pass completion.
View attachment 187589
Saúl and Insua made La Liga's Team of the Season. Really impressed by our two academy boys. They've come so, so far. San Emeterio made the bench. Bizarre as he had one of the highest average ratings in the entire league.
San Emeterio wins young player of the season AND player of the season. Seferovic's beautiful volley vs Celta takes home the Goal of the Season award. Pereira rightfully voted Signing of the Season. He had an average rating of 7.61.
DEFENDER OF THE SEASON
View attachment 187584
When I came along, this guy was cruising on loan in the second division. Fast-forward to the fourth season and I'm awarding him with our defender of the season award. He outshone Arribas and became an undisputed leader and first-choice at the back. We're going to try our hardest to keep him around forever. The guy is pure defensive magic.
MIDFIELDER OF THE SEASON
All of our midfielders were fantastic this year, but nobody set the scene alight quite like Pereira did. He created 164 chances in all competition - 3rd highest in the league behind Messi and Ronaldo. He scored important goals, carved out regular assists and just had us constantly witnessing chances created. Anything great that we did in the final third, rest assured he was the brains behind the operation. We signed him on a free. Let that sink in.
ATTACKER OF THE SEASON
Hear me out: I know Seferovic scored more, but Abel surprised everyone. I didn't even expect him to be good. Yet he was better than good. He was fantastic. He scored and assisted regularly in important games and was a huge reason as to why we barely even thought about Baptistão. He went from being an outcast 2nd choice to regular first-team player. Having both him and Seferovic is a blessing.
PLAYER OF THE SEASON
3 years in a row. It's hard to pick anyone else when, every weekend, this guy is either making crucial tackles or assisting goals. But I will say it was very close. Insua and Pereira could have had a claim to this award, but they just missed out. San Emeterio is one of the best right-backs in the world right now. We signed him for 3m and are regularly holding out for the 35m release clause nowadays. His progression has been staggering and he's still only 22. I don't know how much longer he'll be happy to sit around and not win anything, but we'll enjoy it while it lasts. Easily one of my favourite ever players on FM.
And so ends the 4th season. This one was a blast. We fought for the title all season long, spent a prolonged period at the top and broke the club record for points. We ended it trophyless, but that doesn't matter. We keep progressing and I feel like next year could very well be our best yet. Yes, better than this one! In the next update, I'll catch you up on pre-season and any new signings. Thank you for reading! You guys and your comments make this more enjoyable than it already is. 'Til next time! Forza Depor!
View attachment 187599
We end the season unbeaten. Fantastic!
Atletico Madrid away...
Atléti could have sentenced us to an early loss after Jackson's 5th minute goal, but we persevered throughout their higher amount of shots and possession. We were playing a counter-attacking game which totally dismantled Atléti. Seferovic's glancing header from a Saúl cross was enough to equalise the game. And then, one minute from the final whistle, after doing pretty much nothing, Seferovic's low-cross is turned in by Godín. 2-1 right at the death. Can't help but laugh at that own-goal. Always rewarding when we beat Atléti.
Eibar away...
I love 3-0 wins. I don't know why. I suppose it just sort of symbolises a strong attacking and defensive performance - something this game was made up on. Seferovic kept up his fine vein of goal scoring form, prospering from ANOTHER Saúl cross. Tadic doubled our lead from the spot and Lucas wrapped things up 10 minutes from time with a fine volley.
Real Sociedad at home...
A real shame to end the season on a sour note in front of our fans. Real Sociedad were both clinical and defensively resolute. It took 63 minutes to find our sole goal and it came from a set-piece, with Pablo Insua smashing a header past Kivrak. One point - should have been three. Still, we'll look back on this season with a lot of happiness.
League table...
90 points. Little Deportivo from the small city of A Coruña with 90 f**cking points. Wow. We were unbelievably good this season, losing just twice. We have improved heaps since I've arrived and to be going toe-to-toe with teams that spend hundreds of millions is a testament to our squad unity and self belief. I feel like we're edging ever closer to ending that trophy drought. It was disappointing to exit Europe and Copa del Rey so early on but it made me realise how good we are with just one game per week. We can go far. This season have proven that.
Planned purchase...?
View attachment 187594
By 2020 (end of next season), we will have bought the Riazor. The stadium currently belongs to the local council and government. This is a huge step toward globalising the club and taking our reputation one step further. Super proud of this advancement.
End of season awards!
It's your favourite part of the season: time to find out who I deemed to be some of the best players this season. Before then, let's take a look at some individual achievements:
View attachment 187592
Arribas tops the key tackles chart, again. Insua, Vergara and San Emeterio also make the shortlist. We are one superb defensive outfit.
View attachment 187591
Saúl tops the list for most tackles per game. Again. As much as I wax lyrical about San Emeterio, this guy is just as crucial to the way we play. This was simply his best season yet for the club. So lucky to have our full-backs playing at such a high defensive and attacking level.
End of season stats. Seferovic picks up 15 goals despite that 2-month injury. Abel was one goal behind him. They may not have met the tally left behind by Baptistão but together they've replaced his goals. I feel less reliant on one guy with those two around. San Emeterio swept again with most assists, player of the match awards and highest average rating. Back-up right-back, Correa, had the best pass completion.
View attachment 187589
Saúl and Insua made La Liga's Team of the Season. Really impressed by our two academy boys. They've come so, so far. San Emeterio made the bench. Bizarre as he had one of the highest average ratings in the entire league.
San Emeterio wins young player of the season AND player of the season. Seferovic's beautiful volley vs Celta takes home the Goal of the Season award. Pereira rightfully voted Signing of the Season. He had an average rating of 7.61.
DEFENDER OF THE SEASON
View attachment 187584
When I came along, this guy was cruising on loan in the second division. Fast-forward to the fourth season and I'm awarding him with our defender of the season award. He outshone Arribas and became an undisputed leader and first-choice at the back. We're going to try our hardest to keep him around forever. The guy is pure defensive magic.
MIDFIELDER OF THE SEASON
All of our midfielders were fantastic this year, but nobody set the scene alight quite like Pereira did. He created 164 chances in all competition - 3rd highest in the league behind Messi and Ronaldo. He scored important goals, carved out regular assists and just had us constantly witnessing chances created. Anything great that we did in the final third, rest assured he was the brains behind the operation. We signed him on a free. Let that sink in.
ATTACKER OF THE SEASON
Hear me out: I know Seferovic scored more, but Abel surprised everyone. I didn't even expect him to be good. Yet he was better than good. He was fantastic. He scored and assisted regularly in important games and was a huge reason as to why we barely even thought about Baptistão. He went from being an outcast 2nd choice to regular first-team player. Having both him and Seferovic is a blessing.
PLAYER OF THE SEASON
3 years in a row. It's hard to pick anyone else when, every weekend, this guy is either making crucial tackles or assisting goals. But I will say it was very close. Insua and Pereira could have had a claim to this award, but they just missed out. San Emeterio is one of the best right-backs in the world right now. We signed him for 3m and are regularly holding out for the 35m release clause nowadays. His progression has been staggering and he's still only 22. I don't know how much longer he'll be happy to sit around and not win anything, but we'll enjoy it while it lasts. Easily one of my favourite ever players on FM.
And so ends the 4th season. This one was a blast. We fought for the title all season long, spent a prolonged period at the top and broke the club record for points. We ended it trophyless, but that doesn't matter. We keep progressing and I feel like next year could very well be our best yet. Yes, better than this one! In the next update, I'll catch you up on pre-season and any new signings. Thank you for reading! You guys and your comments make this more enjoyable than it already is. 'Til next time! Forza Depor!
Pre-season, signings and more (2019)
And so begins our 5th pre-season in my tenure. I have to say, this one was pretty much uneventful. We were allocated just 2m transfer budget and pretty much have the squad we want. Regardless, there are some things that changed. Before going into that, an enquiry that I had to swat away:
Go look for a right-back elsewhere, PSG. San Emeterio is ours and, until someone triggers his release clause, he will continue to be. I rejected the offer and the youngster had no qualms. He didn't request a new contract or a chat to discuss why I turned PSG away. He just remained quiet. He's super happy at Dépor. And that makes me happy.
Some renewals:
2nd choice left-back, Luna, extended his contract. Honestly, I really like him. He never complains about being second choice but, when called upon, he plays to an extremely high level. He's always assisting and defending well. A great second choice. Glad to have him around for another 3 years. He didn't even look for a wage increase.
Yes, I know Ingram has barely played, but he's happy to stick around and meander on the bench. He didn't look for a wage increase. I don't think anyone can kick Fabricio off his perch for now. Ingram is just a guy who's around just in case our #1 gets an injury. And he's happy to be that guy. This pre-season was all about ensuring that our squad depth remains intact.
A sale...
We let Deivid go on a free. This was a sentimental one: he was my first ever signing and has been remarkably good as an anchoring midfielder. But last season, there was a clear regression in his game. He's getting old, continuously playing loose passes and a notch below our increased quality. He was a fantastic servant and I wish him all the best in Greece.
We did replace him, though...
The very talented Rani Khedira is an immediate upgrade: younger and holds better stats. He will be vital in that defensive role. I love his mental stats. We picked him up for a bit of a bargain:
2.1m for Rani Khedira is not bad at all. It was all we had left of the transfer budget given to us for this summer. We just needed one recruitment and he's the guy. In terms of outings, nobody left other than Deivid (which we spoke about) and regen Samson Hunegnaw - you may remember him as our youngest ever player. I had plans for him until Insua decided to become incredible. Overall, a quiet month. As you all know, Zelalem joined permanently on a free.
If you're wondering what our current squad depth looks like:
Perhaps we could have done with a 3rd choice striker, but I think we'll cope well.
Results:
I tried to get a mixture of high profile and low profile matches. We stuck to our roots by playing local clubs toward the end of the month, but I simply could not turn down the USA tour. It was a big opportunity to globalise the club and increase our revenue to pay off that lingering debt.
And that signals the end of this pre-season update. Very little to talk about, but until we get more money I can't envision much happening in the summer. I'm super happy with the squad and how everyone is progressing. My target for this upcoming season is to finish within the top 3 and attempt to end our trophy drought in the Copa del Rey. We just have to avoid the big guns early on. Anyhow, I'll see you guys in the next update! 'Til then! Forza Dépor!
And so begins our 5th pre-season in my tenure. I have to say, this one was pretty much uneventful. We were allocated just 2m transfer budget and pretty much have the squad we want. Regardless, there are some things that changed. Before going into that, an enquiry that I had to swat away:
Go look for a right-back elsewhere, PSG. San Emeterio is ours and, until someone triggers his release clause, he will continue to be. I rejected the offer and the youngster had no qualms. He didn't request a new contract or a chat to discuss why I turned PSG away. He just remained quiet. He's super happy at Dépor. And that makes me happy.
Some renewals:
2nd choice left-back, Luna, extended his contract. Honestly, I really like him. He never complains about being second choice but, when called upon, he plays to an extremely high level. He's always assisting and defending well. A great second choice. Glad to have him around for another 3 years. He didn't even look for a wage increase.
Yes, I know Ingram has barely played, but he's happy to stick around and meander on the bench. He didn't look for a wage increase. I don't think anyone can kick Fabricio off his perch for now. Ingram is just a guy who's around just in case our #1 gets an injury. And he's happy to be that guy. This pre-season was all about ensuring that our squad depth remains intact.
A sale...
We let Deivid go on a free. This was a sentimental one: he was my first ever signing and has been remarkably good as an anchoring midfielder. But last season, there was a clear regression in his game. He's getting old, continuously playing loose passes and a notch below our increased quality. He was a fantastic servant and I wish him all the best in Greece.
We did replace him, though...
The very talented Rani Khedira is an immediate upgrade: younger and holds better stats. He will be vital in that defensive role. I love his mental stats. We picked him up for a bit of a bargain:
2.1m for Rani Khedira is not bad at all. It was all we had left of the transfer budget given to us for this summer. We just needed one recruitment and he's the guy. In terms of outings, nobody left other than Deivid (which we spoke about) and regen Samson Hunegnaw - you may remember him as our youngest ever player. I had plans for him until Insua decided to become incredible. Overall, a quiet month. As you all know, Zelalem joined permanently on a free.
If you're wondering what our current squad depth looks like:
Perhaps we could have done with a 3rd choice striker, but I think we'll cope well.
Results:
I tried to get a mixture of high profile and low profile matches. We stuck to our roots by playing local clubs toward the end of the month, but I simply could not turn down the USA tour. It was a big opportunity to globalise the club and increase our revenue to pay off that lingering debt.
And that signals the end of this pre-season update. Very little to talk about, but until we get more money I can't envision much happening in the summer. I'm super happy with the squad and how everyone is progressing. My target for this upcoming season is to finish within the top 3 and attempt to end our trophy drought in the Copa del Rey. We just have to avoid the big guns early on. Anyhow, I'll see you guys in the next update! 'Til then! Forza Dépor!
fishyfootball1
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Looking forward to you challenging this season. Good luck!
Thank you, sir!
Can't believe we signed him for zilch!
August 2019 - Our 5th season is underway
So, our 5th season is underway. My plans for this season are a top 3 finish and a run in the cup, possibly ending our trophyless period. We haven't won anything substantial since 2002. I want to end that.
View attachment 186507
Just the one game this month, for some odd reason. Again, we're still yet to lose on opening day.
Real Oviedo away...
A great start to the season with Seferovic tapping in two Saúl crosses within two minutes for the 3 points. We were totally dominant and well deserving of the win. Saúl was outrageously good. Shame we couldn't hold down that clean-sheet.
Our Champions League group:
I always want us to go through to the knockout rounds... but then we get a group this ****** hard! Bayern and City are going to be tough to get anything from, as much as we will try our best. PAOK we HAVE to beat twice.
A very short month! Don't worry, though, next month is an action packed one. 'Til then! Forza Dépor!
So, our 5th season is underway. My plans for this season are a top 3 finish and a run in the cup, possibly ending our trophyless period. We haven't won anything substantial since 2002. I want to end that.
View attachment 186507
Just the one game this month, for some odd reason. Again, we're still yet to lose on opening day.
Real Oviedo away...
A great start to the season with Seferovic tapping in two Saúl crosses within two minutes for the 3 points. We were totally dominant and well deserving of the win. Saúl was outrageously good. Shame we couldn't hold down that clean-sheet.
Our Champions League group:
I always want us to go through to the knockout rounds... but then we get a group this ****** hard! Bayern and City are going to be tough to get anything from, as much as we will try our best. PAOK we HAVE to beat twice.
A very short month! Don't worry, though, next month is an action packed one. 'Til then! Forza Dépor!
September 2019 - Off to a great start...
View attachment 186269
A very solid way to end a great month. Let's dive straight into these results:
Osasuna at home...
A dominant and decisive performance from every single player involved. Andreas Pereira was the architect behind everything positive that we produced. Lucas opened the scoring when he latched onto a Pereira through-ball and calmly slotted past Mario. Just before the half-time whistle, Pablo Insua headed in from a corner to double our lead. Despite Osasuna pulling one back, Luna put the game past the Pamplona club when he broke their offside trap to apply a finish to Pereira's sumptuous pass. 3 goals, 3 points.
Cordoba away...
A very nice away performance. Always tricky playing away from home early on in the season, but this was a strong outing. Seferovic attempted to clinch the points as early as possible, nodding in an Andreas Pereira cross from deep. The Swiss international then turned provider for Captain Lucas for the 2-0 and 3 points. Lucas is now 31 and still fine as ever. Love that guy.
PAOK at home...
We simply had to win this one. They're the weakest team in the group and it's, realistically, the only team we'll be getting 3 points from. Still, this was far from a cakewalk. PAOK opened the scoring early on after a silly Insua error. 7 minutes later, a goal of the season contender: we had a corner, it was cleared out to open space... Pereira ran up to it and launched a devastating long range strike from 35 yards that rocketed past the goalkeeper. It was a breathtaking finish from the in-form Belgian. Pereira decided to influence the game one more time - 20 minutes later - by slipping in Mexican winger Fabián who, as ever, accurately dispatched his shot. PAOK proceeded to equalise early on in the second-half and, just when the game seemed destined for a silly draw, up stepped Saúl with a monstrous cross for Corredera to tap in with ease. 3 massive points.
Malaga at home...
Understandable that we would drop points 3 days after a Champions League clash. This game was far from pretty, but it's disappointing to drop 3 points in the dying minutes of the game. Pereira continued his fine form with an easy one-on-one finish, but that excellence was cut short in the 86th minute when a long Malaga pass beat our defence and fell to Rescaldani. Really gutted about that, but can't expect the players to retain peak physical levels after the demanding Champions League clash.
Sevilla away...
Seferovic instrumental, as ever, in an away game. He loves being the decisive figure away from the Riazor. Two goals in either half from the Swiss striker would prove to be more than enough to bury a relentless Sevilla side. They were slightly better and had more clear-cut chances, but thankfully Fabricio was on hand to make some crucial saves. It was a game that belonged to two players: Fabricio for keeping us in it, Seferovic for putting us ahead. One of the goals was an easy header from San Emeterio's cross, the other a tap-in from Tadic's cut-back. A big 3 points. What a month we've had!
Real Madrid at home...
A fantastic result against the current title holders. We didn't have enough in the engine to hold onto that early Seferovic goal, but we dominated possession and created better chances. Unfortunately, Ronaldo kept up his streak of scoring against us but we held on excellently after that and refused them any space to double their lead. Arribas and Insua were key to repelling any Real Madrid attack for the final 30 minutes. A crucial point. We need to start regularly getting results against the big two.
League table:
Not too bad!
You guessed it! Pereira was superb this month and instrumental to almost every single point we amassed. 5 assists and 2 goals in 6 games is a great distribution of numbers. He is turning into a decisive player and that makes me happy. I sound like a broken record, but I seriously can't believe we poached him on a free.
Thank you for reading, as always! Next month, it's a big one: we play Barcelona, Bayern and City. It could be a horrendous streak of losses, or something more positive. 'Til then! Forza Depor!
View attachment 186269
A very solid way to end a great month. Let's dive straight into these results:
Osasuna at home...
A dominant and decisive performance from every single player involved. Andreas Pereira was the architect behind everything positive that we produced. Lucas opened the scoring when he latched onto a Pereira through-ball and calmly slotted past Mario. Just before the half-time whistle, Pablo Insua headed in from a corner to double our lead. Despite Osasuna pulling one back, Luna put the game past the Pamplona club when he broke their offside trap to apply a finish to Pereira's sumptuous pass. 3 goals, 3 points.
Cordoba away...
A very nice away performance. Always tricky playing away from home early on in the season, but this was a strong outing. Seferovic attempted to clinch the points as early as possible, nodding in an Andreas Pereira cross from deep. The Swiss international then turned provider for Captain Lucas for the 2-0 and 3 points. Lucas is now 31 and still fine as ever. Love that guy.
PAOK at home...
We simply had to win this one. They're the weakest team in the group and it's, realistically, the only team we'll be getting 3 points from. Still, this was far from a cakewalk. PAOK opened the scoring early on after a silly Insua error. 7 minutes later, a goal of the season contender: we had a corner, it was cleared out to open space... Pereira ran up to it and launched a devastating long range strike from 35 yards that rocketed past the goalkeeper. It was a breathtaking finish from the in-form Belgian. Pereira decided to influence the game one more time - 20 minutes later - by slipping in Mexican winger Fabián who, as ever, accurately dispatched his shot. PAOK proceeded to equalise early on in the second-half and, just when the game seemed destined for a silly draw, up stepped Saúl with a monstrous cross for Corredera to tap in with ease. 3 massive points.
Malaga at home...
Understandable that we would drop points 3 days after a Champions League clash. This game was far from pretty, but it's disappointing to drop 3 points in the dying minutes of the game. Pereira continued his fine form with an easy one-on-one finish, but that excellence was cut short in the 86th minute when a long Malaga pass beat our defence and fell to Rescaldani. Really gutted about that, but can't expect the players to retain peak physical levels after the demanding Champions League clash.
Sevilla away...
Seferovic instrumental, as ever, in an away game. He loves being the decisive figure away from the Riazor. Two goals in either half from the Swiss striker would prove to be more than enough to bury a relentless Sevilla side. They were slightly better and had more clear-cut chances, but thankfully Fabricio was on hand to make some crucial saves. It was a game that belonged to two players: Fabricio for keeping us in it, Seferovic for putting us ahead. One of the goals was an easy header from San Emeterio's cross, the other a tap-in from Tadic's cut-back. A big 3 points. What a month we've had!
Real Madrid at home...
A fantastic result against the current title holders. We didn't have enough in the engine to hold onto that early Seferovic goal, but we dominated possession and created better chances. Unfortunately, Ronaldo kept up his streak of scoring against us but we held on excellently after that and refused them any space to double their lead. Arribas and Insua were key to repelling any Real Madrid attack for the final 30 minutes. A crucial point. We need to start regularly getting results against the big two.
League table:
Not too bad!
You guessed it! Pereira was superb this month and instrumental to almost every single point we amassed. 5 assists and 2 goals in 6 games is a great distribution of numbers. He is turning into a decisive player and that makes me happy. I sound like a broken record, but I seriously can't believe we poached him on a free.
Thank you for reading, as always! Next month, it's a big one: we play Barcelona, Bayern and City. It could be a horrendous streak of losses, or something more positive. 'Til then! Forza Depor!
October 2019 - European baptism of fire
A better month than I could have ever expected. I'm sure some results have caught your eyes, so let's go straight into the first game:
Man City away...
What a result and exhilarating way to ****** a point! Last season we struggled heavily against City in both legs, but we have clearly progressed. They attacked relentlessly, but our defence did not cave in once. Arribas was colossal when it came to aerial duels and successful tackles. Sterling's early goal was a long-range strike that City failed to follow up on. Instead, they kept knocking on our door... we kept soaking up play. In the 90th minute, with the whistle on the verge of being blown, substitute Dusan Tadic stepped over a 27-yard free-kick and smashed it past Hart. One **** of a way to rescue a point, especially away at one of the best sides in Europe! Impeccable result!
Betis away...
Excellent result considering the tense and fitness-demanding game 3 days earlier. This was a perfect away result: clean-sheet, two goals and an all-round strong performance. Abel Hernandez opened the scoring with 27 minutes to go, heading in a Roberto Correa cross. Even in San Emeterio's absence (rested), our full-backs still produce the goods. 16 minutes later, Zelalem latched onto an expertly crafted pass from Corredera to double our lead and seal the 3 points. Two great results away from home.
Barcelona away...
What. A. Result. Away at Barcelona, far from being the dominant side yet still keeping most of the possession. We beat them at their own game, reducing their shots to mere long-rangers. Our defence was tight and our attack clinical beyond belief. 10 minutes into the game, Seferovic knocked down a long-range pass into Pereira's path who completely lifted the ball into the crossbar and in. An emphatic finish from one of our in-form players. We had no other chance of notable quality for the rest of the game, until the 90th minute. With Barcelona having spent the entire game attacking, this was a pleasant surprise. From a corner-kick, Insua out-jumped Bartra and laid the ball off for Zelalem. The American midfielder calmly slotted the ball past ter Stegen to double our lead in the dying minutes. Barcelona scored a mere consolation seconds before the final whistle. 3 away games, two of which were against some of the best sides in football, and we came out with positive results. Incredible progression! Masterclass, goal scoring performance from my midfielders.
We broke a record:
18 games unbeaten. Unbelievable feat! This stretches all the way through to April. Look at us go!
Bayern at home...
Our first loss of the season, but I can't complain. This was actually a very tight game whereby Bayern were just supremely clinical. They scored with their two shots on target. On any other day, this would've ended 0-0. Can't bemoan the performance. We just need to bounce back quickly in Europe. At least we remain unbeaten domestically.
Levante at home...
Containing Bayern Munich comes at a cost, especially when you play another game not soon after. Unfortunately, we were wasteful and lacked dynamism throughout the entire game. A turgid performance, but thankfully we didn't lose. Another point to our name. We'll take it, right?
Granada at home...
A superb way to end the month. We were on the path to another drab draw, failing to make the most of our chances while simultaneously coming up against a goalkeeper on fire. All it took was one ballsy action in the 85th minute to deliver us the 3 points. I pushed Saúl and San Emeterio up to the AML/AMR positions, having them play as pure attacking wingers. Meanwhile, my wingers were playing in defence. The rationale behind this was: my full-backs have been super productive and Granada are playing centrally. We exploited their weak defending in wide areas 3 minutes later when, funnily enough, our two men combined for a late winner. Saúl twisted and turned past two players inside the box, squaring the ball to San Emeterio for a simple open-goal finish. A big 3 points in what was an incredible month!
We found out our Copa opponents:
This will be trickier than usual. Numancia are a 2nd division side whereas we tend to open the tournament with a game against a side one or two divisions below them. Still, we should be fine. I want us to have a long run in the Copa this season.
League and CL tables:
If the season ended like this, I'd be the happiest person alive!
Two Player of the Match awards, an epic assist and he played a crucial part in some of our most important defensive performances. He has developed into one of the most consistently dependable guys at the club. And to think I promoted him to the first-team in the 2nd season because we had no money. I expected him to be mediocre. Look at him now! It just goes to show, sometimes not having money means you unearth gems from the academy. We have 3 in the first-team right now!
Next month, we play two more Champions League games amidst a league clash against Atletico Madrid. It's another big month! 'Til then! Forza Depor!
A better month than I could have ever expected. I'm sure some results have caught your eyes, so let's go straight into the first game:
Man City away...
What a result and exhilarating way to ****** a point! Last season we struggled heavily against City in both legs, but we have clearly progressed. They attacked relentlessly, but our defence did not cave in once. Arribas was colossal when it came to aerial duels and successful tackles. Sterling's early goal was a long-range strike that City failed to follow up on. Instead, they kept knocking on our door... we kept soaking up play. In the 90th minute, with the whistle on the verge of being blown, substitute Dusan Tadic stepped over a 27-yard free-kick and smashed it past Hart. One **** of a way to rescue a point, especially away at one of the best sides in Europe! Impeccable result!
Betis away...
Excellent result considering the tense and fitness-demanding game 3 days earlier. This was a perfect away result: clean-sheet, two goals and an all-round strong performance. Abel Hernandez opened the scoring with 27 minutes to go, heading in a Roberto Correa cross. Even in San Emeterio's absence (rested), our full-backs still produce the goods. 16 minutes later, Zelalem latched onto an expertly crafted pass from Corredera to double our lead and seal the 3 points. Two great results away from home.
Barcelona away...
What. A. Result. Away at Barcelona, far from being the dominant side yet still keeping most of the possession. We beat them at their own game, reducing their shots to mere long-rangers. Our defence was tight and our attack clinical beyond belief. 10 minutes into the game, Seferovic knocked down a long-range pass into Pereira's path who completely lifted the ball into the crossbar and in. An emphatic finish from one of our in-form players. We had no other chance of notable quality for the rest of the game, until the 90th minute. With Barcelona having spent the entire game attacking, this was a pleasant surprise. From a corner-kick, Insua out-jumped Bartra and laid the ball off for Zelalem. The American midfielder calmly slotted the ball past ter Stegen to double our lead in the dying minutes. Barcelona scored a mere consolation seconds before the final whistle. 3 away games, two of which were against some of the best sides in football, and we came out with positive results. Incredible progression! Masterclass, goal scoring performance from my midfielders.
We broke a record:
18 games unbeaten. Unbelievable feat! This stretches all the way through to April. Look at us go!
Bayern at home...
Our first loss of the season, but I can't complain. This was actually a very tight game whereby Bayern were just supremely clinical. They scored with their two shots on target. On any other day, this would've ended 0-0. Can't bemoan the performance. We just need to bounce back quickly in Europe. At least we remain unbeaten domestically.
Levante at home...
Containing Bayern Munich comes at a cost, especially when you play another game not soon after. Unfortunately, we were wasteful and lacked dynamism throughout the entire game. A turgid performance, but thankfully we didn't lose. Another point to our name. We'll take it, right?
Granada at home...
A superb way to end the month. We were on the path to another drab draw, failing to make the most of our chances while simultaneously coming up against a goalkeeper on fire. All it took was one ballsy action in the 85th minute to deliver us the 3 points. I pushed Saúl and San Emeterio up to the AML/AMR positions, having them play as pure attacking wingers. Meanwhile, my wingers were playing in defence. The rationale behind this was: my full-backs have been super productive and Granada are playing centrally. We exploited their weak defending in wide areas 3 minutes later when, funnily enough, our two men combined for a late winner. Saúl twisted and turned past two players inside the box, squaring the ball to San Emeterio for a simple open-goal finish. A big 3 points in what was an incredible month!
We found out our Copa opponents:
This will be trickier than usual. Numancia are a 2nd division side whereas we tend to open the tournament with a game against a side one or two divisions below them. Still, we should be fine. I want us to have a long run in the Copa this season.
League and CL tables:
If the season ended like this, I'd be the happiest person alive!
Two Player of the Match awards, an epic assist and he played a crucial part in some of our most important defensive performances. He has developed into one of the most consistently dependable guys at the club. And to think I promoted him to the first-team in the 2nd season because we had no money. I expected him to be mediocre. Look at him now! It just goes to show, sometimes not having money means you unearth gems from the academy. We have 3 in the first-team right now!
Next month, we play two more Champions League games amidst a league clash against Atletico Madrid. It's another big month! 'Til then! Forza Depor!