Taking Southampton North!


Messi takes out the Ballon D’Or once again, followed by Ronaldo and Suarez. He also wins the World Player of the Year, and is joined on the podium by Suarez and Southampton’s own Marco Asensio!

Gitschier wins the European Golden Boy again, becoming the first player to retain the award and reaffirming his status as football’s most talented young player.

Asensio and Gitschier are the two Southampton representatives in the World Team of the Year. Fantastic achievement for the pair!


Nishimura wins Asian Player of the Year

Bertin, despite only spending half a season in Ligue 1, wins the Revelation of the Year
 

English Premier League - Game 20 - Wolverhampton Wanderers (Home)


It’s worth remembering that Wolves stunned us on the opening day of the season, so we’ll need to be focussed today. If we play anywhere near our best we should be able to win though.

In the 15th minute Asensio’s low corner was volleyed goalwards by Laporte, and went in off of Kachunga. Despite being destined for the net, it went down as an own goal. Perhaps it ricocheted off the keeper too.

In the 21st minute Ward-Prowse picked out Nishimura, who drilled the ball across the box, and Prins slammed it goalwards, but the keeper managed to turn it aside.

In the 26th minute another corner was headed on by Laporte, and Jacobsen finished at the back post with a header to make it two!

A one-two between Ward-Prowse and Nishimura in the 28th minute was followed by a vicious shot from the captain, but once again it was tipped wide by Raya.

In the 37th minute Prins was on the scoresheet with a close range finish from a Dimarco cross. His first senior goal for the club!

Jurcik added to the scoreline with a looping header from a 48th minute corner.

Just two minutes later it was 5, Sindelar drilling home Nishimura’s low cross.

Sindelar’s flying volley and subsequent followup effort from a 63rd minute corner were both blocked by determined defenders.

Evans replaced Ward-Prowse in the 69th minute.

Nishimura was injured shortly afterwards, and was replaced by Smith in the 76th minute. Rodriguez came on for Gasperoni at the same time, dropping Prins into central midfield.

They didn’t have a single shot on target all game as we utterly annihilated them. The only concern is Nishimura’s injury - a long term one would leave us without a senior right back, as Chambers is still out for 2 or 3 weeks.


POM: Aymeric Laporte (9.2, 0G, 2A)
 
After reading 36 pages of DerbyJack's The Football Managing Mercenary I came across his tag for your story Patrick and I've definitely set myself a challenge with this one.. 145 pages. Jeessuss. Anyway I'm a third of the way there as I'm on about the 40th page just now. Look forward to reading about more of your progress.
 
1magine said:
After reading 36 pages of DerbyJack's The Football Managing Mercenary I came across his tag for your story Patrick and I've definitely set myself a challenge with this one.. 145 pages. Jeessuss. Anyway I'm a third of the way there as I'm on about the 40th page just now. Look forward to reading about more of your progress.
Click to expand...

Quite a trek mate, I hope it's all worthwhile! I really appreciate you taking the time to read it all :) DerbyJack's story is awesome, I've got a lot to live up to with you coming from his!
 

Injury News...


Of course, it is quite a serious injury, and Nishimura will miss over a month. Ivan Smith may get the chance to impress, whilst Jurcik can also be shifted out right.



On-loan Larsson also loses a month of development.
Assuming we make it past Sheffield United, we will face Crewe in the FA Cup Fourth Round.
Another new contract, this time for Chambers.
 

FA Cup - Third Round - Sheffield United (Home)


A rotated lineup for our FA Cup clash with Sheffield United today. Dimarco continues at left back in the absence of his deputy Jorge Miguel, who is on international duty with Brazil U/20’s. New signing Deac receives a place on the bench.

In the opening 30 seconds Candreva squared to offer Rodriguez an easy finish, but he shot straight at the keeper!

In the 16th minute he made amends, slotting another feed from Candreva into the bottom corner.

Samba tipped a powerful Vietto strike over the bar in the 20th minute.

In the 27th minute Smith’s low cross found Vietto in the 6 yard box, and he half-volleyed into the roof of the net!

Jacobsen was denied from a sharp angle after being played through by Vietto in the 41st minute.

Two minutes later Vietto netted his second with an easy finish after a first time square pass from Candreva.

In the 47th minute Vietto brought down a Smith cross and lashed goalwards, but was denied from a tight angle.

Persson and Doebel replaced Jacobsen and Candreva in the 62nd minute. Vietto went to the left wing to allow Persson to play up front.

Evans replaced Gasperoni in the 69th minute.

In the 81st minute Persson saw an effort saved by Samba, before Larsson blocked his second attempt on the line!

In the 85th minute Dimarco sent a clever ball to the near post, where Vietto turned it home to complete his hat trick!

In the 88th minute Dimarco curled a ball into the box, and Persson’s close range header was kept out by Samba, and the Swede struck the rebound off the outside of the post!

A very comfortable win as we cruise through to the next round. Vietto’s hat trick is particularly pleasing, and hopefully it helps him find some goalscoring form in the league.


POM: Luciano Vietto (9.6, 3G, 0A)
 
I've accepted that your far, FAR better then me at this career malarkey but what really stings is that I can't stop reading your updates.

I've even been copying your tactic for the last five seasons and I still can't find my way to success, my attempts at finding a Gitscheir of my own have also failed miserably!

In all seriousness once again thanks for keeping so well entertained as always!
 
DerbyJack said:
I've accepted that your far, FAR better then me at this career malarkey but what really stings is that I can't stop reading your updates.

I've even been copying your tactic for the last five seasons and I still can't find my way to success, my attempts at finding a Gitscheir of my own have also failed miserably!

In all seriousness once again thanks for keeping so well entertained as always!
Click to expand...

I wouldn't worry mate, your story keeps me far more engaged than my own does! Absolutely one of the best

Gitschier is pretty special, and is especially satisfying because I signed him at 16 and he's transformed into one of the world's best players. I'm sure you will be able to find some top players of your own - Dequevy doesn't look bad!

And for those that haven't read DerbyJack's story, please do, you will not regret it! An absolute rollercoaster! http://www.fm-base.co.uk/forum/foot...ories/352553-football-managing-mercenary.html
 
I feel like I can't read this without leaving a comment even though I am way behind where you are at currently but I'm going to go for it anyway! I'm on page 62 and I've just saw your 5-1 dismantling of PSG in the second leg of the CL! Great performance there. I know it has no relevance now but thought I'd mention it :p
 
Very unlucky against Bayern in the CL in the end, great effort though! Good to see you managed to secure 5th place in the league, although it's one place lower than last year there are a lot of big sides aiming to get into the top four! The performances from the teams up there have been much better than last year too so that's just a little bit of bad luck really. Great to see Milik and Kiebling tear it up for you, I've never had Kiebling and I don't know why.. He always scores for fun anytime I've come across him! With regards to Zivkovic you have a **** of a player there. I still have him eleven years into my save with Everton and I've had him from day one.. Immense player and an absolute steal too. World class within 2/3 years no bother. I've rejected bids of £70m+ for him as he's a legend at the club and still only 28/9!
 
1magine said:
I feel like I can't read this without leaving a comment even though I am way behind where you are at currently but I'm going to go for it anyway! I'm on page 62 and I've just saw your 5-1 dismantling of PSG in the second leg of the CL! Great performance there. I know it has no relevance now but thought I'd mention it :p
Click to expand...

1magine said:
Very unlucky against Bayern in the CL in the end, great effort though! Good to see you managed to secure 5th place in the league, although it's one place lower than last year there are a lot of big sides aiming to get into the top four! The performances from the teams up there have been much better than last year too so that's just a little bit of bad luck really. Great to see Milik and Kiebling tear it up for you, I've never had Kiebling and I don't know why.. He always scores for fun anytime I've come across him! With regards to Zivkovic you have a **** of a player there. I still have him eleven years into my save with Everton and I've had him from day one.. Immense player and an absolute steal too. World class within 2/3 years no bother. I've rejected bids of £70m+ for him as he's a legend at the club and still only 28/9!
Click to expand...

Thanks man, glad to know you're enjoying it! Bringing back a lot of memories with these comments of yours - that PSG win was insane! :) You're in for a few surprises too :p
 

English Premier League - Game 21 - Norwich City (Home)


We crushed Norwich to kick start our season back on matchday 3, and things have only gotten worse for the Canaries, who have won just a single league match this season. Probably wisely, they’ve set out to park the bus. We shouldn’t have any trouble at home.

We had two fantastic opportunities within the first 30 seconds, but both Asensio and Sindelar were denied by the keeper.

Ruddy made another strong stop to deny Asensio at his near post in the 36th minute.

Just a minute later Gitschier opened the scoring with his 10th of the season, rifling high inside the near post after passes from Asensio and Ward-Prowse to work the ball to him.

Sindelar doubled our lead on the stroke of half time, hammering a pass from Doebel across Ruddy and into the roof of the net!

In the 69th minute Sindelar had his second, as he superbly half-volleyed a cross from Jurcik into the back of the net.

30 seconds later we lost our clean sheet though, as slack defending allowed Bamford through alone, and his shot trickled past Dragowski and into the bottom corner.

Smith, Prins and Jacobsen replaced Dimarco, Ward-Prowse and Asensio in the 74th minute. Doebel and Jacobsen swapped sides.

Sindelar fired wide in the 81st minute after a cleared corner was worked back in by Smith and Lovell.

Ruddy made another great save in the 85th minute to deny Lovell from a corner. A solid performance, with Jurcik, Ward-Prowse, Doebel, Gitschier and Sindelar the standouts. We keep our buffer of at least 3 points over Chelsea. Gabriel Barbosa scored both goals on debut in a 2-0 win for Man City.


POM: Dusan Jurcik (9.0, 0G, 1A)
 

English Premier League - Game 22 - Derby County (Away)

We travel to Derby County next, and are definitely aiming for another three points. A few changes including young Smith in at right back, and Vietto starting up front.

In the 13th minute we hit the lead through a spectacular first time half-volley from Gitschier, who found the roof of the net from over 20 yards after Laporte’s shot was charged down.

Asensio doubled our lead just 3 minutes later, slotting into an open net after Jacobsen had been played in but tackled, and the ball ricocheted across the box to the Spaniard.

Vietto somehow failed to score from point blank range after bringing down Smith’s cross on the edge of the 6 yard box.

Szczesny made an excellent reflex save from Laporte’s effort off Asensio’s 39th minute corner.

In the 53rd minute we had our third, as Jacobsen guided an exquisite volley into the top corner from Smith’s low cross. Superb strike!

Szczesny tipped a Gitschier effort around the post in the 62nd minute after Vietto led a counter from a corner, and the German skinned two defenders on his way to the box.

In the 69th minute Syme produced a goal-saving block on Vietto after another Smith cross found him at the near post.

Evans, Candreva and Lovell replaced Ward-Prowse, Jacobsen and Laporte in the 73rd minute.

That proved an error in the 81st minute as Lovell cut out an attempted through ball by Ajeti, but his back pass was too soft and was pounced on by Vargas, who finished past a motionless Dragowski. Evans had turned the ball over for them to counter initially too.

I don’t like how easily we’re giving up clean sheets by conceding soft, needless goals. It seems to be happening remarkably often this season (15 clean sheets in 32 matches in all competitions, I worked out afterwards). There were good performances from the attacking midfielders and Prins, along with the outstanding pair of Laporte and Smith - our academy product taking home the match ball in his first league start! Lovell showed me exactly why I tend to prefer not to make defensive substitutes when we’ve kept them out all game, gifting Derby a consolation goal near the end.


POM: Ivan Smith (8.9, 0G, 1A)
 

So we’re in one of the 6 team groups for the World Cup Qualifying, and it’s one that looks like a cakewalk, quite honestly. If we don’t win this group, I’ll be horrified! Scotland are ranked higher than us, and are the only real threat.


Injury News...
Evans has been getting a few substitute appearances for the first team lately but he’ll now miss a month.
 

English Premier League - Game 23 - Watford FC (Away)


Not quite a full strength lineup today, but hopefully enough to get the job done. We have a far tougher fixture in 3 days against Arsenal, so players like Asensio have been rested for that. Smith deservedly keeps his place at right back, and Wanyama makes his injury return.

It took us 59 seconds to hit the lead, with young Smith picking up another assist as Gitschier volleyed home his cross from inside the 6 yard box.

Less than two minutes later it was a goal apiece though, as Carroll’s angled ball was tipped by a diving Dragowski straight into the path of Gray, who turned home with ease.

And Damm put Watford ahead in the 18th minute as Deeney cushioned a header from a long Tadic free kick into his path, and he blasted in off the post.

Karius made a good save to deny Prins from the edge of the area in the 22nd minute.

Just a minute later Sindelar hit the post with a sharp angle volley from a Dimarco cross!

Dragowski finally made a save of note in the 33rd minute to repel Deeney’s shot.

In the 43rd minute we drew level as Gitschier netted his second with a thunderbolt into the roof of the net!

In the 47th minute Sindelar put us back into the lead with a half-volley after Doebel headed Dimarco’s cross back across the box to him. His 10th of the season!

Gasperoni replaced Wanyama in the 52nd minute.

Candreva was on for Jacobsen in the 58th.

Only a full-stretch Karius denied Gitschier his hat trick in the 62nd minute, as the German struck a low shot first time from just outside the box.

Rodriguez replaced Doebel in the 73rd minute, swapping wings with Candreva.

In the 92nd minute Gitschier released Rodriguez on the counter, and the Spaniard played Sindelar through, but Karius kept his shot out with his fingertips. A hard-fought win against a very impressive Watford side who really gave us a game in the first half. Gitschier, Sindelar and Prins were the stars who made it happen for us today, whilst Smith also had a solid game.


POM: Moritz Gitschier (9.0, 2G, 0A)
 
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