The Return of Aitor Herrera - The Boss of Bilbao

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Andrewpage14 said:
Good to see this story is going :) Good start to the Aitor reign! I was quick to start a Bilbao save this year, after your story last year, made me want to try doing similar :)
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You need an Aitor to do that mate :) Good luck finding one!
 
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DECEMBER

I am not too pleased with the way we played this month. We lost twice and generally just did enough but as my mentor, Mr. Stuart, said "whats the point of trying 100% when 80% is enough?" lol.

We did get the luck of the draw in the Copa del Rey as we came up against the lowest side left in the competition but we have Barca in the quarters. In Europe we have drawn against Portuguese outfit Academica.

Many of my fellow managers are now looking for work as 3 or 4 lost their jobs. Interestingly, Laurent Blanc has got the job as manager of Real Valladolid.

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Barcelona 2-0 Athletic Bilbao

**** sake! We were doing well and when Barta got sent-off for them with 20min left I was hopeful of an upset but they still ran out winners thanks to goals from Pedro and Messi.

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UEFA Europa League Group I
Athletic Bilbao 3-1 Dnipro
Herrera, Ibai Gomez, De Marcos

We finish the group with a 100% record as a largely under strength side won through.

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Athletic Bilbao 3-1 Celta Vigo
Amorebieta, De Marcos, Toquero

Due to De Marcos' form I have dropped Ander Herrera back to CM (instead of Iturraspe) and put De Marcos in at AMC and he is going great guns! Not as good as I was of course............ Toquero had a goal chalked off.

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Copa del Rey 5th Round 1st Leg
Melilla 0-3 Athletic Bilbao
Ekiza 2, Fernandez

The minnows were outclassed here and even had a man sent-off. Beginning to think I am playing under strength sides more than my first choice side!

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Mallorca 1-0 Athletic Bilbao

Another away defeat in the league. San Jose missed a 2nd half penalty for us the pillock.

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Copa del Rey 5th Round 2nd Leg
Athletic Bilbao (3) 2-1 Melilla (0)
Iturraspe 2
(Agg: 5-1)

We were truly shocking but 2 stunning finishes in the last minute of each half from Iturraspe covered up the poor performance.

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Athletic Bilbao 3-1 Real Zaragoza
De Marcos, Susaeta, San Jose

All the goals came in the first half as we exploded out of the blocks. This was Llorente's last game for the club and he had a shocker - good riddance lol

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PLAYER OF THE MONTH
OSCAR DE MARCOS
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(need to have a word with the groundsman methinks)

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Aitor was a good regen, Through I did have a USA Regen called Sal Gordon in FM11' who was slightly better.

I'll see if I can a screenshot of him, I remember buying him for 135M and his price went up to 170M after the second season. lol, bargain.
 
Yeah, but that's because he was very good in the kitchen.

(Sal gorda - thick salt).

To Siberia I go!
 
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JANUARY

The stresses of football management. I dont know how to judge this month. On one hand we lost 4 times but on the other hand we knocked out Barcelona in the cup and got to the final! Hmmmm.

With the departure of Llorente to Arsenal for £30m, Aduriz has been given the nod up front and he will hopefully do a job this season but if a top notch regen doesnt come in the next 2 years I will really be struggling. I may have to put Muniain up top as a poacher.

There was major frustration regarding incoming transfers as I agreed a fee with Malaga for Natxo Monreal (£10.5m) and he accepted the contract only to sign a new one with Malaga and now the asking price is £25m!!!!!!!

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Athletic Bilbao 2-3 Sevilla
San Jose, Herrera

This is not good enough. We took the lead twice and were in control but somehow came away with nothing and in doing so lost our unbeaten record at home. Not only that - Sevilla went above us with this defeat.

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Levante 0-2 Athletic Bilbao
Muniain, De Marcos

An away win!!! Muniain was immense. He scored the first (think of Maradona's 2nd v England in '86) and made the 2nd. We needed this win methinks.

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Copa del Rey QF 1st Leg
Barcelona 1-3 Athletic Bilbao
Aduriz, Iniesta (og), Susaeta

Oh my god (which some say is me anyway lol)!!! What a result this is. Aduriz had gone over 13 hours without a goal and then he punted one in from long range. They levelled but in the 2nd half we took the lead and then they had Dani Alves sent-off and we added a 3rd.

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Athletic Bilbao 3-1 Rayo Vallecano
Muniain, Aduriz, Susaeta

Bottom side Rayo had an early goal disallowed but we got our act together to get the win.

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Copa del Rey QF 2nd Leg
Athletic Bilbao (3) 0-2 Barcelona (1)
(Agg: 3-3 - Athletic Bilbao win on away goals)

We certainly rode our luck here as Messi had a penalty saved and a goal disallowed and they even had Alba sent-off!

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Real Betis 3-0 Athletic Bilbao

FFS!!!!!!!!!!! 0-0 at half-time but we were the better side and then they had 3 shots in the 2nd half and scored 3 times. ****** raging!

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Copa del Rey SF 1st Leg
Osasuna 3-2 Athletic Bilbao
Susaeta 2

We were 2 down after 8min and I was fuming but we got to half-time level but in the 2nd half their Basque striker Sola put them ahead and then Toquero had a goal disallowed. Osasuna take part one of the trilogy.......

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Athletic Bilbao 1-0 Osasuna
Aduriz

And part two of the trilogy belongs to us!

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Copa del Rey SF 2nd Leg
Athletic Bilbao (2) 3-0 Osasuna (3)
Muniain, San Jose (pen), De Marcos
(Agg: 5-3)

Get in! 0-0 at half-time, we scored 2 very quickly in the second half to all but ensure a place in the final where we will meet Real Madrid. Osasuna had an early goal chalked off.

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PLAYER OF THE MONTH
MARKEL SUSAETA
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I am finding that this game takes far longer to go through matches than in FM12 so I have stopped watching highlights of the games. I might eventually find a happy medium!​
 
****** ****. Barca are going like a train in the league. Looking good in the cup however
 
Lol 5* story already!! You really do have some fans out there!!

Nice start man
 
Sam91 said:
Lol 5* story already!! You really do have some fans out there!!

Nice start man
Click to expand...

Yeah I was stunned at that in all honesty but I suppose Aitor has a cult following lol

This year Bilbao are much harder to be as you dont have Martinez, Llorente is bound for pastures new whatever happens and you cant sign Azpilicueta right at the start of the save - 3 top notch players that I had in my FM12 save that along with Muniain and Aitor were the focal points of my side.

Never mind! I will plug away and have everything crossed that the youth intake favours me!
 
KLIPPYBO said:
I am finding that this game takes far longer to go through matches than in FM12 so I have stopped watching highlights of the games. I might eventually find a happy medium!
Click to expand...

Yeah, and for me the speed slider during highlight goes from slowish in a click to too fast in the next.
 
see if you can upgrade the youth academies so you can get in someone amazing, hopefully your son will come through the ranks some day, that will be awesome if that happens :D
 
You know, the things you pull off with bilbao got me thinking. If they sack Bielsa soon, will skysports do a cover story and make you the favorite?

Wouldn't be the first time Aitor got real-life coverage ;)
 
not long to go now until the first intake really looking forward to see what you get!!!!!
 
karan10489 said:
You know, the things you pull off with bilbao got me thinking. If they sack Bielsa soon, will skysports do a cover story and make you the favorite?

Wouldn't be the first time Aitor got real-life coverage ;)
Click to expand...

Ha! That would be quality. I may end up uploading my save from FM12 and keep going on holiday to get different screenies of him lol. Then Aitor mania would take over, t-shirts with his screenie on the front and HERRERA 8 on the back..............

Too far maybe lol
 
KLIPPYBO said:
Ha! That would be quality. I may end up uploading my save from FM12 and keep going on holiday to get different screenies of him lol. Then Aitor mania would take over, t-shirts with his screenie on the front and HERRERA 8 on the back..............

Too far maybe lol
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No, to be honest if anything you arent stretching it far enough! :P
 
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FEBRUARY

Another decent month with the highlight being the derby win over Real Sociedad. We also progressed in Europe and have drawn against Dynamo Kiev in the next round so I would hope we would progress to the next round.

Aduriz has re-discovered his goalscoring touch while Benat and Herrera have been pulling the strings in midfield - getting plenty of assists.

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Real Valladolid 1-1 Athletic Bilbao
Aduriz

A rare draw here as Aduriz equalised with a couple of minutes to go. We should have won it though as we dominated throughout.

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Athletic Bilbao 4-0 Espanyol
Aduriz 2, Susaeta, Benat

A great win and revenge of the defeat they inflicted on us earlier in the season.

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UEFA Europa League 1st Round 1st Leg
Academica 0-4 Athletic Bilbao
De Marcos, San Jose, Susaeta, Manhoso (og)

I was considering playing my backup players here but didnt in the end. Will do in the 2nd leg though.

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Malaga 3-2 Athletic Bilbao
Aduriz 2

Gutted!!!! Took the lead early on but was behind at half-time. Aduriz levelled but we conceded in stoppage time to lose the game. **** sake.

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UEFA Europa League 1st Round 2nd Leg
Athletic Bilbao (4) 1-1 Academica (0)
Ibai Gomez
(Agg: 5-1)

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Athletic Bilbao 4-2 Real Sociedad
Muniain, San Jose (pen), Amorebieta, Toquero

Bravo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We taught Sociedad a lesson here in the Vasco derby. We surged into a 3-1 lead by the 30min mark and then had Aurtenetxe sent-off but Toquero scored a late goal to seal the win. I played Muniain AMC and De Marcos LW in this game as I feel Muniain should be scoring more.......

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PLAYER OF THE MONTH
ARITZ ADURIZ
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sounds like its going good :)
european glory this year ? hows it looking ?
 
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