AS Saint-Etienne

I have decided to run this game alongside my succession game I am managing AS Saint-Etienne who are a good side in Ligue 1 with a media prediction of 6th unfortunatly I have been given no transfer budget and we are right on our wage budget so expect a few outgoings.

Here are my pre season results decent in my view we nearly beat Arsenal and we were the better team in the games we drew sets us up for the season

Overall am pleased with my first league month 2 wins 2 draws so still unbeaten !

Lille were the better side in our 1-0 win but we defended really well and youngster Zouma scored off a corner to give us the win.

We then Drew 1-1 away at Toulouse FC we went 1-0 up early through a great goal by new signing Drenthe they then had a man sent off but a bad defensive error brought them there equaliser.

The next game was another 1-1 draw this time at home to Stade Brestois it was a really poor we got a scrappy goal from midfielder Cohade and I thought we were going to hold on to a scrappy win but they scored a late equaliser with just 3 minutes left but there was still time for Gradel to miss a sitter for us.

In the final game we picked them off on the counter attack early on and then defended solidly for the rest of the game Ruffier had to make a great save late on before Zouma headed in a free kick to seal the win.



There is the league table am happy to be up in 3rd ahead of Lyon, OM and PSG !



We have drawn Ligue 2 side AC Arles-Avignon away in the cup I hope we progress.





This is the signings we have made the outs are in 2 pages as there alot of them !




This was an interesting message which I will try to make use of.

Joker Transfer Window?! That's an interesting name!

This is Royston Drenthe a good signing in my view for free he has a cap for Holland and rejected Valencia to join me and already has 2 goals.



This is Edouard Cisse who is a experienced defensive midfielder again for free and has started all 4 games so far.



This is Eric Addo I have only signed him for cheap defensive cover on a 1 year deal.



And this is my final signing David Suazo I have with FC Metz on our succession game and he has done well but again I have signed him as cheap attacking cover.

As you can see I have struggled to really bring anyone in due to lack of funds but I am confident the squad is good enough this season.

I know that's what I thought I have never heard of it before.

Overall a poor month dissapointed to be out of the cup too.



The first game was good we dominated from start to finish they scored with there only 2 shots on target to get back within a goal both times.

The Montpelier game was a disaster all round we were already missing plenty of players through injury which we were throughout the month they went 2-0 up before us getting 2 men sent off then Gradel scored for us before they scored again to finish us off.

In the cup game we smashed them but missed tonnes of chances Gradel the main culprit they scored a 92nd minute goal to take it to Extra time and then smashed us 4-1 on pens now to concentrate on the league.

The final game was a dull affair as they set there stall out to defend and we had no recognised striker out there so a 0-0 was expected.

We are now 7th which is a decent position to be in.

Good luck with Saint-Etienne mate!

Thanks mate !

This month was very pleasing we beat AS Nancy in the first game very convincingly after struggling to score in recent games we needed something to start it off and an absolute cracker from Guilavogui gave us the lead then another two goals for Cohade one from the penalty spot and then Suazo became our first striker to score all season after a great pass by Cohade.

We then beat lower league ASVEL in a friendly was good too see two of the youngsters score alongside first choice full back Mignot.

Then we drew 3-3 away at OGC Nice in a thriller they took an early lead but then we equalised through winger Nicolita but then they got a dubious penalty which put them 2-1 ahead but just 4 minutes later we were 3-2 ahead as goals from Cohade and Addo put us ahead unfortunately they grabbed an equaliser with 9 minutes left but a decent point overall.

In the final game of the month we played Rennes at home and won 2-1 Aubameyang finally got his first goal of the season with a great finish after an amazing pass by you guessed it Cohade. Nicolita then put us 2-0 up they did get a late goal but thankfully it was only a consolation.



We are up in 3rd which is very good very surprised at how poorly the big 3 are doing though especially PSG.

I have signed this man for £650K good signing I think.



And I have let Suazo go on a free and Have recalled one of my young strikers who was out on loan here he is

The left back looks brilliant, and your young striker more then decent. And still in touch with the leaders, just hold on and you'll be close at the end.

Cheers Dyrim mate the left back does look good and the young striker is good and hopefully will defiantly take top 5.

Some more news for you the big clubs have run out of patience with there mangers already which isn't good news for me as a new manager could bring them right up the table Lyon are in 9th and PSG are in 5th currently

Lyon and PSG have both now got new managers PSG have employed Fulham manager Martin Jol and Lyon have employed a manger who has managed alot of clubs and has just managed the French under 19 team.

Another big team manger bites the dust !

In the end a good month it didn't start off too well as we lost to PSG away 1-0 which was expected Ibrahimovic scored for them in the first half we then had Drenthe sent off after 54 minutes so the game sort of petered out in the end.

We then lost at home to ESTAC Troyes without our 2 best wingers we lacked anything going forward and it was a really poor performance.

But then our fortunes changed Aubameyang scored a goal in the first half and after that it was a backs to the wall job for us but we defended superbly in the end we only had 2 shots 1 on target and that was the goal.

Then we played amazingly well against Valenciennes FC. Aubameyang got us a early goal I am really pleased he is scoring now and then Cohade scored with a lovely finish to put us 2 up after that Drenthe put in a really good free kick and former Leeds man Gradel tapped in.

I was not confident going into the game away at AC Ajaccio as we had 7 first team players missing due to injury and suspension including Cohade I ended up with 4 teenagers on the pitch by the end but they performed admirably Guilavogui got us the goal playing in the Cohade role.

Next month we have very tough fixtures so will be lucky to get any points at all !



We are 3rd in the league which I am pleased with after 15 games we are still ahead of PSG as well which is great.

Rennes manger Antonetti takes the Bordeaux job.

A tough draw in the 9th ?! round of the French cup its our first round as well and has 64 teams left its a tough draw but at least we are at home and we beat them 3-0 at home this season.

Rennes have their new manger somehow it cost them alot more in compensation to get there new manager from Ligue 2 side En Avant de Guingamp than it did for Bordeaux to have the Rennes manger.

Rennes have their new manger somehow it cost them alot more in compensation to get there new manager from Ligue 2 side En Avant de Guingamp than it did for Bordeaux to have the Rennes manger.

Overall a very pleasing month we always seem to start the month slowly but then end it well but this was a very tough month.

Our first game was a decent 0-0 draw at home to Lyon it was a game of very few chances in added time Aubameyang did hit the post.

Our second game was a very disappointing one it took them till the 63rd minute to open the scoring but after that we just deteriorated and they added another 2 Drenthe was also sent off in his one so a bad game all round really.

Then we played league leaders FC Lorient they had been playing really well but they looked nothing more than average against us thankfully Drenthe was able to play this game as his ban was for the next game and he scored a really good solo goal to open the scoring but they then equalised against the run of play but not long after that Drenthe scored a magnificent header from a Nicolita cross and just 4 minutes after that Zouma my young centre half prodded in to secure the win.

Our final game of the month took us to Marseille I wasent confident before the game but when the first half passed by we looked the better side and then they went down to 10 men as they had already ,made all there subs when Remy had to go injured so we made use of that a great cross by Clerc was turned into his own net by kabore under pressure from Aubameyang.



Arthur Boka has now signed which is great news for just 650K as well.



Thiago Silva takes the foreign player of the year award.



Kurt Zouma my excellent young defender just 18 surely will get a France cap soon gets an award.



Valenciennes FC get the best team in Ligue 1 award they are currently in 5th.



Here is the league table just 1 point off the top I would fully expect PSG to get the league title now after there recovery.

Just loaned in Orr as backup defensive cover from the team I support Blackburn Nothing to lose really just cheap backup for the remainder of the season.

I have signed Sylvan Distin for just £220K he is on quite big wages but we are under the wage budget and he only has an initial contract till end of the season so can really help us with his experience alongside youngster Zouma !

Nice capture Sylvian Distin

yeah thanks mate

Another manager goes this time Marseilles after there 1-0 loss at home to Montpelier. Adriaanse has been linked with every job but he hasent got one yet.

He has got a job this time though.

A decent month 2 cup games and a friendly in there.

The first game was a friendly against Werder Bremen we played really well we went 1-0 down but Aubameyang scored a quick equaliser and then 3 late goals from Mayi, Gradel and Addo made the scoreline comfortable.

The second game was a French cup tie which we won 1-0 it wasent very convincing but a header from Perin off a corner won us the game

Then we played our 1st league game of the month and we played really well to beat Toulouse 2-0 at home Drenthe and Cohade my 2 best attacking players scored 1st half goals.

The next game saw us travel to play Stade Brestois 29 away we were the better side but then Guilavogui got sent off and they had chances but Distin on his debut and Zouma both had efforts cleared off the line for us.

Our reward for beating Valenciennes was to play Toulouse in the next round of the cup they were the better side but a goal on the counter attack by Nicolita gave us the win and we are still in the cup !

In the final game of the month SC Bastia played incredibly well against us and to be honest they should have won but a wonderful finish by new loan signing Bradley Orr gave us an early lead there goal was lucky when it went in but they had an amazing chance in the last miniute but Zouma got back to make a goal saving tackle when he went round my keeper.



There is the league table we are still up there Lorient have dropped down as last years winners Montpelier are pulling away from everybody else.



PSG have spent big in January so they have a great chance now to go on and win the league.



We have got Rennes at home next round of the french cup which is a good draw and I am confident we can progress

I have a new contract an extra 2 years.