The Alfa Romeo Metaphor

Still loving every single update of this! More and more each day infact! Keep it going, doing well in the league also!
 
Gran semana para Los Submarino Amarillos

Big week. Big big week. Sunday is a top of the table clash at Atletico Sevilla. They rudely beat us on our home opener. We have the opportunity to pull within 2 points of them and maybe even dump them to 3rd in the table. Cartagena, the third place team, visit the Cordoba Bs and are guaranteed to win.

Jose Barla reported that their best two attacking players are hurt so we're also getting them at the perfect time.

The coming weeks after Atletico are easier; we play teams toward the bottom of the table. A victory against Sevilla would really get us rolling.
 
Round 22: Atletico Sevilla v. Cadiz CF

I worked with Alejo almost all week on the defense. I trusted Llorente and JVP (Juan Vincente Peinado) to get the offense humming with assistance from my tactics coach Javi Garcia and Assistant Manager Paco (when Paco wasn't working over the goalkeepers.

Today was just a quick trip up the AP4 to Sevilla. Everyone was focused and excited on the ride up. They had been all week.

Chief Scout Jose Barla suggests that our best shot is to hold fast for the first half because they have let in more goals during the second half. Throughout the week we Llorente, JVP and Javi Garcia's mission was to hone our counter attack. In the second half the plan is to take the game to them.

GK: Alejandro
D: Albert Dalmau, Mikel Martins (C), Wellington Carvalho, Moises
M: Kike Lopez, Bruninho, Juan Villar, Perico
F: Airam, Aymen Souda

Subs: Jose Maria Belforti (D), Josete (D/M), Andres (D/M), Medhi Nafti (M), Kike Marques (M/F)

I decided to go with Bruninho over Nafti as Bruninho is more mobile.

The Sevilla boys, and I mean that literally, took it to us from the kick-off. Initially, we could barely get a counter attack going. We parked the bus and withstood an onslaught.

In the 21st minute, their right midfielder Modesto beat Moises. He whipped in a cross and their withdrawn striker Joaquin had made a late run and connected solidly on his volley. I figured we were toast and would be down a goal early.

Alejandro managed to get a fingertip to it and push it wide.

We cleared the resulting corner back out to our left, but Modesto got it again and whipped a cross back in. Alejandro cam storming out and punched the ball clear.

The tempest wasn't over though as Modesto once more got hold of the ball, ran for the corner, beat Moises again and curled in a really dangerous ball. Atletico striker Alex Rubio connected with a header which hit Alejandro parried over. Another clear chance and another spectacular save.

'If we end up pulling this off, Alejandro will be man of the match' I thought to myself.

In what was becoming a pattern, Modesto jogged past Moises as if he wasn't there and curled in a nasty cross to the sweet spot. Just behind our defense and too far out for Alejandro to come out. Rubio dove feet first, stuck out a toe as Alejandro stepped forward and spread himself as wide as he could.

I don't know how he did it, but The A Man blocked the shot.

We cleared the ball over the half line, but were undone with the simplest of moves down the middle. Atletico midfielder Curro picked up the scraps from a scrum and played the ball over the half line for Rubio. Despite working all week on our gap between the defensive line and the midfielders, there was a gap and Rubio was between Villar and Wellington.

He turned and started running at the defense. This is where it broke down. Wellington stepped up to challenge. Martins didn't move over to cover the gap. Rubio recognized this, played it out to his right to Modesto and took off sprinting in to the empty space. Modesto one-touched it into Rubio's path and we were in trouble.

As Martins, Moises and Wellingto converged on him, he punished with a nicely placed shot under the onrushing Alejandro.

1-0

The players held on until halftime, but barely.

It was time to pull a motivational speech out of my ***.

"That was a pretty good first half," I began. "We withstood an onslaught and, except for one mistake and Rubio punished us, we looked pretty good. Moises, you can stop Modesto. You're getting hypnotized by his dribbling. Watch his belly button. Watch his belly button. His belly button will never lie to you like his dancing shoes and shoulders were."

"But you need to show me something different in the second half!" I continued. "Where is the team that put six by Algeciras? All of you know that these Atletico kids aren't way better than you. Alejandro has kept us in this one. Let's reward his highlight reel worthy efforts by taking the game to them."

"We know that their defense is solid so don't panic out there. Just play our game out there. Let's keep the ball, pressure quickly and high up the pitch when we lose it and play in their end this half."

"I have faith you can pull this one out!" I concluded. "We've come from behind before. WE CAN DO IT AGAIN!"

From the kick-off to the 52nd minute, we kept the ball in and around their penalty box.

Souda hit the side netting in the 46th. A corner kick resulted in a scrum in the goalmouth in the 50th, the ball popped to Villar who thumped a shot goalward. But for a desperate lunge, it would have gone in. Nearly and instant replay of the previous scrum in the goalmouth from the corner kick, but this time Kike Lopez slid a shot past the post.

The took the ball straight down the field, but this time Modesto couldn't get past Moises. He did win the corner, though. Rubio broke free from Wellington but headed just over the bar. The entire bench exhaled a sigh of relief.

In the 56th, Kike whipped in a cross that was cleared. Bruninho was first to the ball and fed it to Villar who one-touched it to Souda. Souda dropped his shoulder, froze his defender, stepped to the side of him but rifled his shot wide.

Wellington won the longe goal kick and we moved the ball around nicely resulting in a cross from Perico that Souda headed just over.

Aymen Souda: Mr. Close-But-No-Cigar-Today. This was starting to become a pattern.

In the 62nd minute, Alejandro played a goal kick short to Wellington. Wellington played a hospital ball to Dalmau. Dalmau panicked, got there first and managed to thump the ball upfield. What a lucky thump. It was a footrace between Airam and their keeper. Sadly for Los Submarino Amarillos, their keeper slid in and got the ball as Airam leapt over.

The keeper rolls the ball out to a defender and Atletico Sevilla bring the ball upfield. Bruninho anticipates a pass, intercepts and plays a quick ball up to Souda. Souda just stood their waiting for the ball to arrive while the defender jogged in front of him and intercepted.

Mr. Close-But-No-Cigar-Today just became Mr. Soon-To-Be-Replaced. I motioned for Andres to get warmed up.

I turned back to the pitch as Sevilla hit us on the break. The defense had just relaxed and weren't ready. Wellington played another give-n-go, but Martins read it correctly and forced Wellington to shoot high and wide.

Bruninho should have been booked in the 66th minute for chopping down Curro. Rubio's launched a cruise missile that nearly shattered the crossbar. Andres first touch was to volley the ball out for a throw.

We kept the ball in their half, but couldn't generate much. I replaced Bruninho when he finally got booked in the 72nd minute with Nafti.

That trend continued and Atletico began to take advantage of our desperation. They kept diving for fouls when we'd challenge then lay on the ground like they'd been shot by a sniper.

We won free kicks in the 76th and 89th minutes. This is where I really miss Jorge Luque. Perico is just not dangerous at direct free kicks. Corners and wide one's; he's got an awesome cross. He hit pretty tame efforts right at the keeper.

What can you do? They played a great game except for one mistake. One ****ing mistake.

Oof.

I told them that this loss was one to forget. We'd played our game plan. We just weren't meant to win. We sure as **** had enough chances.

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We dropped to fifth. We need to go on a winning streak. 6 easy games before we play Albacete who appear to be a juggernaut.
 
diariodecadiz.es 20 January 2014
Los Submarino Amarillos fall flat against Atletico Sevilla
Bogdan Laba

Yesterday's match in Sevilla was the tale of two halves. Atletico Sevilla dominated the first half and Cadiz CF the second. The problem for Los Submarino Amarillos is that Altetico scored on a defensive mistake at the back and the Cadiz players left their shooting boots at home.

Cadiz nearly escaped the first half 0-0. Unfortunately, Alex Rubio exploited confusion between new signing Wellington Carvalho and captain Mikel Martins to slide a shot under keeper Alejandro in the 39th minute.

Cadiz free-scoring ways were stifled by one of the league's stingiest defenses. Aymen Souda alone wasted a half dozen gilt-edged chances in the second half.

Both teams seemed more interested in prevented the opposition from playing. Cadiz committing the majority of their fouls in the first half when they'd bunkered in to absorb the Atletico pressure and vice versa in the second half when Cadiz dominated.

With the win Atletico remained second in El Segundo B4. Linense won dropping Cadiz to fifth and out of the last promotion play-off spot.
 
"Let's do the math," I said once everyone had sat down for our Monday morning staff meeting. "Let's figure out how many points we'll need to finish fourth."

Everyone nodded.

"Right now, Linense have 38 points from 22 matches. My iPhone tells me they are gaining 1.73 points per match. We all have 16 matches left. 16 X1.73 equals 27.68. Add the 38 points they already have and they're probably going to finish with 66 points after I round up."

Everyone nodded.

"Okay. 67 - 37 = 30. We need to win 10 matches out of our remaining 16. That seems pretty likely. Now look at this:

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"This is a list of our remaining fixtures. 8 of them are certain wins," I said and gave them a minute to peruse the fixture list I'd just handed out. "So we need 2 other victories from the rest."

"We can't count on it, but the second to last game against Linense could be critical," I continued. "Providing they're still in the hunt, it could a six pointer. Right?"

Everyone nodded.

"So that's why it's so critical we get on a winning streak starting this coming Sunday when we head to Ecija. They are great at home. But we're great on the road."

"They've been scoring a lot lately," interjected Chief Scout Jose Barla. "But giving up a lot, too. 12 scored, 12 conceded in the last five."

"So with our newfound defensive solidity," I continued. "They shouldn't be a problem, right?"

Everyone nodded.

"And we spanked Guadalajara like Paco has his wife spank him," I joked. (We beat them 5-2 in their home turf.)

"That's it!" Paco retorted while trying to get up from across the table to get to me. Javi Garcia and Llorente held him down.

"So I think we can make some real headway over the coming two months," I continued once the laughter subsided. "I'll post the fixture list in the changing room so everyone sees it every day."
 
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On Thursday, we played on a semi-pro team from nearby to make sure we got over our inability to score. Perico, Airam and Aymen Souda scored which is good. Ceuta, our opponent, gave it there all and one of their central defender was so pumped up he lost it and chopped down Airam 3 minutes and and the ref red carded him. And this was supposed to be a friendly.

Unfortunately, Perico twisted his knee just before halftime. Looks like he'll be out around 3 weeks.
 
"What ever happened to the fire sale?" Esteban asked as I sat down for my Friday shave.

I shrugged.

"Over Christmas, Alessandro, he's the Director of Football, went back to Udine in Italy," I said. "He said he'd run into the people who control the ownership group. He was going to beg, or whatever, that no fire sale actually happen. He was going to explain that we have a real chance for promotion. I never bothered to ask how those conversations went. I was just bracing myself for the sale."

"What a pleasant Christmas gift to the Cadistas, yes?" Esteban commented as he began to lather up my skull.

"Well, we'll see," I said. "No offers have come in. I'll reject them, but Alessandro or Florentino can overrule me."

"We aren't nicknamed Los Submarino Amarillos for no reason," Esteban said. "We always resurface just in time. We always just barely squeak by. Despite having a completely brand new team for this season, the ethos ... the subconscious of the team is such that we'll barely make the play-offs. But when we do ... watch out!"

"Is that an official pronouncement from the Oracle?" I asked.
 
Round 23: Ecija Balompie v. Cadiz CF

It was an early drive up for the lunchtime kick-off against Ecija. Thankfully, it's a relatively short drive; a mere two hours, some 210 km.

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Their stadium is fairly nice especially when compared to some we've visited. It's small, could probably seat 4500 to 5000, but is well-maintained and the changing room seemed pretty new and up-to-date.

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Michel pronounced Jorge Luque healthy, but he wasn't fit to play and so I decided to give him a rest.

GK: Alejandro
D: Albert Dalmau, Mikel Martins (C), Wellington Carvalho, Moises
M: Kike Lopez, Bruninho, Jose Villar, Andres
F: Airam, Aymen Souda

Subs: Jose Maria Belforti (D), Josete (D/M), Tomas (LB/LM), Mehdi Nafti (M), Kike Marques (M/F)

We almost scored within a 30 seconds. As the final pass of the move was reaching Airam, as he was pulling his leg back to rifle the shot, an Ecija midfielder dove back with a desperation tackle and managed to poke the ball back to the goalkeeper and save them some immediate embarrassment.

On the 5 minute mark, Alejandro gathered a long through ball and tossed it to Wellington. We brought it up the left with Moises, Andres, Villar and Souda all touching the ball. Souda drew three defenders then slipped the ball into th path of the onrushing Villar. Villar's shot was saved and Kike Lopez gathered in the rebound, but the linesman flagged him off-side.

We got our breathrough in the 10th minute. From inside the center circle, Villar played a ball out to Kike Lopez on the right flank. Kike took off, beat his defender and came running along the goal line toward the goal. He beat another defender and smashed a shot past their keeper from the tight angle.

0-1

Keepers should never allow those sharp angle goals. I realize it happens, but sheesh.

They didn't generate much offense and we only had 2 more chances during the first half.

Moises threw down the line to Souda in the 27th minute. Souda beat his defender and like Kike came running along the line toward the goal. Instead of shooting, he fed Andres whose shot trickled all the way across the goalmouth and went out for a goal kick.

Souda shot wide in the 36th minute after a nice build-up.

But we nearly gave it away in the dieing seconds of the half. Wellington stepped up to challenge and Ecija exploited the gap, but their forward Javi Lopez blasted right at Alejandro. The rebound fell to Juanfri. With the net gaping, he fluffed a shot over.

I told them that while they'd played fairly well, we were capable of playing much better. I told them I had faith they that they could pay better.

We pressured them high and continued passing the ball well. We were rewarded in the 49th minute. Kike had the ball out on the right, but had two defenders on him. So he played the ball back to Bruninho. Bruninho waited for one of those defenders to come over then played it back to Kike.

Kike played a pass into Airam's feet at the corner of the 5m box. The Ecija defenders let him turn. He thundered his shot off the goalkeeper's ribs and into the net.

0-2

Ecija didn't have much going. It's as if they hadn't gotten off the bus. We took it easy and Josete who'd I'd subbed in for Bruninho scored from a corner to make it 3-0.

This was a match I wanted to win and we did. This was a really solid performance.

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Diarodecadiz.es 27 January 2014
Cadiz answer questions with win over Cacarenos
Bogdan Laba

Cadiz great Armando Ribeiro had expressed his concern over the form of Lob Submarino Amarillos, but expressed his pleasure at the 3-0 away win over Cacarenos Balompie.

"This certainly shows that Pucci still has the dressing room," Ribeiro said. He emphasized that the club weren't out of the difficult waters, but that Sunday's result was a great start to a run if they could maintain their form.

Kike Lopez's impressive performance on the right flank earned him man of the match. Airam, Bruninho and Jose Villar also put in good performances. Captain Mikel Martins and newcomer Wellington Carvalho seem to be developing a good understanding at the back.

Lopez, Airam and late substitute Josete scored the goals.

Lopez, Airam, striker Aymen Souda Villar, goalkeeper Alejandro and the just back from injury Jorge Luque are expected to leave in the next few days as Cadiz attempts to reduce it's wage bill.
 
I'd drawn up the fixture list on a huge sheet of paper and tacked it to the message board in the locker room at our training facility. This should continue to motivate them. 27 points to go.

View attachment 437180
 
My phone jangled. It was Alessandro. I nearly wet myself. Who was to be sold? Had Florentino gone over my head and sold Luque. Or somebody else? It was a little after six in the evening. Early enough to still be doing business on the day before the deadline day.

"Ciao," I answered with some trepidation.

"The media are doing a deadline day live tweet, live chat kind of thing," Alessandro said jumping straight to the point. "I just got an email asking if we wanted to join in."

"Why?" I replied. "We're broke, last time we talked we weren't selling so I see no reason. Wellington was our only business."

"Just wanted to check," Alessandro said. "I'll decline."

"Think we'll get any other bids?"

"I'm surprised we haven't gotten more considering the media always mentions how broke we are and that we're having a fire sale."

"I'll be holding my breathe until midnight tomorrow."

"You aren't joking. Ciao."

"Caio."
 
Mehdi Nafti done?

Saturday, 1 February, 2014 11:15AM

It was a horrible sight to behold. I didn't see the tackle, but I heard it. I turned and saw Mehdi Nafti crumpled on the pitch. Llorente, JVP, Paco and Javi Garcia were working with the midfielders and forwards on some tactics using a 5v5 game. Everyone walked, or jogged in my case, over. Team Physio Michel Roman sprinted over with his bag of tricks.

It became clear that this was serious.

Nafti just lay there moaning "no, no, no..." over and over.

I'd been in the same situation and know exactly how it feels. He knew his playing career was over. Yes, it hurt like ****, but what's worse is the feeling of emptiness because you're realizing that this is the last training, you've had your last match, you're done.

The unfairness of it all overwhelmed me like six years ago when it all ended for me. The unfairness of not retiring on your own terms.

Michel put is right leg in a splint and wrapped it tight then administered a painkiller. Zo and Paco ran and brought out the stretcher. I called for an ambulance.

And that, I'm sad to say, is very likely the end of Mehdi Nafti's playing career.

View attachment 436809
 
Round 24: CP Cacareno v. Cadiz CF

Today we drove up into Extramedura near the Portugal border to Caceres to play Cacareno. It's a 384 km drive will take 4 hours.

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Cacerenos are in the relegation zone in 17th place. The stadium is old and not in the best of shape, but the toilets and showers work which is always a bonus.
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The stadium is empty. A festive contingent of Cadistas drove all the way up and make up about half the fans attending.

With Perico still injured, Jorge Luque is back so Jose Villar plays on the left wing. Promising oungster Javier Valdez gets to sit on the bench.

GK: Alejandro
D: Albert Dalmau, Mikel Martins (C), Wellington Carvalho, Moises
M: Kike Lopez, Bruninho, Jorge Luque, Jose Villar
F: Airam, Aymen Souda

Subs: Jose Maria Belforti (D), Josete (D/M), Tomas (LB/LM), Kike Marquez (M/F), Javier Valdes (F)

Just like in the previous match, we got off to a great start and kept the pressure up.

Dalmau brought the ball down the right, had nowhere to go so played it back to Bruninho. Bruninho lasered a pass to Kike Lopez up the right flank. Kike played it back into the middle to Luque who one-touched it into the path of Airam.

Airam unleashed a low shot destined for the far left post. Their keeper did well to get down and tip it wide.

Our resulting corner was cleared to our left back Moises. He hoofed a long ball back into the box. Airam blasted his second attempt of the match into a defender.

Cacarenos' manager Angel Marcos was up screaming at his team to pull it together, defend and hit us on the counter. His onslaught had an effect: they started defending well. They couldn't get out of their half, but we couldn't create any more chances.

Their hard work was undone in the 25th minute by some lightning quick passing and a sublime finish.

Wellingto controlled a clearance and played the ball forward to Bruninho. Bruninho one-touched it to Airam who one-touched into the open space in the right channel for Souda. Souda raced onto the ball and zipped a grassburner past their flailing keeper, off the inside of the left post and into the side netting.

0-1

Finally, in the 28th minute, Cacarenos broke out of their half and set up their captain, Toni, for a shot. Wellington stood firm and blocked the shot.

In the 31st minute, their left winger Aaron walzed past our right back Dalmau and delivered a wicked cross into the path of Toni. Martins and Wellington had lost track of him and he had a free header. His flick header zipped just wide.

In the 34th minute, we should have doubled our lead. Kike crossed to Airam, but Airam blasted over. He didn't know he had all the time in the world to control the ball and place his shot.

Llorente, JVP, Paco and I all facepalmed.

In the 38th minute, Villar took the ball from inside our half, ran down the left sideline. He beat 3 defenders, one of them twice, before racing goalwards along the end line. He was looking for options, but didn't have any. Finally, he beat his 4th and last defender and unleashed a stinging shot. Their keeper got lucky and it hit him. A defender thumped it out of play for a throw in.

In the 42nd minute, Luque got chopped down. The whole bench and all the Cadistas were all on their feet baying for a red card. The ref signaled that no foul had been committed. The Cadistas started singing Three Blind Mice. I started berating the 4th official.

When the ball finally went out of play in the 44th minute, Michel raced on to see how Luque was. It was his ankle again. Luque put his arm around Michel's shoulder and hobbled off with assistance.

With only 10 men, we almost doubled our lead. Kike controlled a throw in and set off down the right flank. He surprised his defender by making a quick inside move and tore towards the goal. His near post shot grazed the outside of the post.

As the ref was consulting his watch to end the half. Martins chopped down Toni about 25 meters out. I held my breathe and that did the trick: Toni blasted high and wide.

During the break I told the players they were playing well, but could play better. I told them I had faith they'd increase their lead and finish Cacarenos. We just need to continue playing the way we had been.

I replaced Luque with Kike Marquez. Villar slid inside to the central playmaker role.

My subsitution payed off in the 49th minute. Kike Marquez took a long pass from Villar and raced down the left flank. He beat his defender to the inside and stormed into the box. The defender recovered but Kike beat him again. From a tight angle at the 5 meter box, Kike smashed a shot past the keeper to double our lead.

0-2

"That's more like it," I said to Paco.

"I know," Paco agreed. "Is this the same indecisive, indifferent Kike we've been watching all season?"

We had a scare soon afterward. In the 59th minute, Martins (Cacarenos withdrawn forward) beat Villar on the dribble. Wellington stepped to to challenge him. Toni made a run into the vacuum, Martins delivered the perfect pass and Toni was storming goalward with Mikel Martins and Moises racing over to close him down.

Toni tried to chip Alejandro from the top of the box. Did Alejandro get a finger tip to it? Maybe. The ball had the perfect height and distance, but not direction. It hit the post to the relief of the fans (mostly Cadistas) and bench. Moises cleared it for a corner.

Rivera took their corner and hit a ball to the back post. Alejandro took a step for it then thought better of it. Gonzalo, their center back, out-jumped Bruninho and Dalmau. This isn't hard as neither are all that tall. He didn't make goo contact and the ball headed back toward the penalty spot. Or maybe that was his intention (I doubt it, but I'd claim it if I was him).

Standing all by himself at the penalty spot was Gaspar, the Cacarenos' left winger. He headed the ball goalwards. For reasons I'll never understand, Alejandro took two steps out when he saw the ball heading toward the penalty spot. He was now out of position as the header looped toward the crossbar. He scrambled back and leapt for it, but to no avail. What should have been an easy save if he'd remained on his line, became a lifeline for Cacarenos.

1-2

Paco (who isn't just the Assistant Manager but also the goalie coach) said some impolite, downright rude and even offensive things to nobody in particular.

Los Submarino Amarillos responded the best way possible. We set up camp in their half.

In the 66th minute, Kike Lopez mishit his cross. I heard him curse then look accusingly at the spot where he'd hit the cross. Then he looked up. Everybody stopped and watched. The ball was slicing goalward, looking like it might just drop into the upper corner of the far post.

It hit the top of the crossbar.

The Cadistas groaned.

Cacarenos finally got the ball out of their half and on the fast break. It looked promising, but Wellington timed his tackle perfectly. He tackled so that the ball rolled out to empty space where Moises could start back upfield with it.

Moises played a quick pass up the left sideline to Kike Marquez. The Other Kike flicked the ball into the path of Villar who played a one-touch pass up to Souda. Souda beat his man and broke into the penalty box. Airam was standing wide open. So open he looked lonely. Souda snuck a pass through to him. Airam doesn't miss with this kind of time and this close.

He never got the chance to shoot. A retreating midfielder took out his planting leg with a poorly executed desperation tackle.

The ref pointed to the spot.

As I've mentioned before, Airam never misses.

1-3

That was enough. We kept the ball, threatened several times, but good goaltending and poor luck prevented us from increasing our lead.

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24 points to go.
 
it would be big for the club financially if you could win promotion press on
 
bigwill1xx said:
it would be big for the club financially if you could win promotion press on
Click to expand...

Man, would it. Since my contract only runs until June, whether I'll be the me or not is a big question. Whomever manages the club next season will have to rebuild from scratch as everyone's contract ends in June. That makes the Liga Adelante challenge even bigger.

Thanks for reading!
 
"What should we talk about first?" I asked once everyone was sitting down in the cafeteria for our Monday morning staff meeting.

"Luque," said Team Physio Michel Roman. "He gets nearly healthy then gets hurt. I'm worried he's getting more fragile. He's out two weeks now, same ankle."

"There's two reasons guys quit," Llorente said. "Nobody wants you anymore or your body can't take it any longer."

"Well, he's a key player," I said. "His passing and his free kicks are essential to our success. You have any ideas, Michel?

"Yes," he replied. "Acupuncture."

"I'm guessing we don't have the budget for another consultant, but I'll check with Alessandro," I replied.

"We need to beat or at least draw against Guadalajara," Javi Garcia said. "Against the top 7 teams, we've only won 2 out of 8 games. Three draws, three losses."

"I'm worried we're going to get an inferiority complex if we don't perform," he continued. "Those losses against Linense and Atletico Sevilla are really bugging me. It's like we knew we weren't going to win and we just fulfilled the prophesy."

"He's got a point," added Paco. "We're going to face Albacete in the promotion play-off first round. We have to go into that match with the correct mindset."

"I can tell you a few things about Guadalajara," Chief Scout Jose Barla interjected. We all nodded for him to continue. "Most of their offensive comes off the left flank. Statistically speaking, that's where the majority of goals we concede come from."

"Really? I would have guessed that the goals we concede come through the middle if pressed," I said.

"More recently, that's true," Barla answered. "But Dalmau and Moises have been playing more solidly. We've been leaking goals from down the middle in the new year."

"They're also missing two key offensive players," he concluded. "We're catching them at a good moment."

"One more thing to add," Juan Vincente Peinado. "Despite that wonderfully taken cross shot for his goal, I think that Aymen Souda still can't place his shots. It's not from lack of trying, that's for sure."

"Thanks, JVP," I said.

"Oh yeah, one more thing" Michel said. "Perico is going to tell you he's ready to play. He's lying. He'll be ready next week. I want to make sure his knee holds up to a week's training before I agree that he can play."
 
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I've only just come on for a bit, but very nice story. Really well written, good work.
 
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