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#192152 Barclays Premier League 2014/15
Eric Portapotty
Against the run of play too.
#192082 The Armoury
Eric Portapotty
#192026 The Ganja Trail - A Caribbbean Adventure
Eric Portapotty
A bumper month with 7 games, and we begin with the final group game - could we qualify?
Yes, and then some - 3 wins from 3.
Lake and Fingal combined well to great effect.
Finishing top of such a difficult group was a brilliant achievement from the players, uncharted territory from here on in.
Martinquais champions for the past 4 seasons (all comfortably), our task is harder than ever.
But before that, the last game of the regular season had to be played:
Such an awful game from both sides, it already had an end-of-season feel to it (even though it technically wasn't).
We blinked first, and our defence was caught out.
Back to continental commitments now, a double header:
Yeah, safe to say we were brutally outclassed here.
I could've played it safer but, well I don't - all 3 systems we employ are geared towards gaining control of the game.
That money though, a whole lot of cash when you consider there're still only 4 players on the club's payroll.
Pays for our travel costs, not half bad.
And so we divert our attentions back to the league:
Yes, yes, cash.
We'll have a stretch of 1 game every other day for 7 games.- it's not 2 games in 24 hours, but it's not exactly a walk in the park either.
We open with a rude awakening - 1st time this season we've been down 2 goals in the league.
Gave them a good rollicking during the interval and boy did they respond.
A routine win, Fingal with a goal and an assist.
2 days later RCA had a chance at revenge, and as you can see they didn't manage it.
Lugo and Rolston had a gret time up front together, the former setting up the latter's 1st goal.
But Rolston was in a class of his own really, lashing home 2 great goals.
My staff tells me that I only need 4 more points to guarantee the title - I haven't done the math, but if he says so then it must be so, right?
A bit of awards gossip:
Simple, Escalona for PoTY and Lake for YPoTY - except it isn't that easy, of course.
Robert has scored a couple for us in his rampaging left wingback role, while de Waard is an extremely prolific scorer, becoming the top marksman this season - for Brazil Juniors.
Escalon'a only trump card is his underdog status, but with us already out of the competition it's a longer shot than before.
#192013 Barclays Premier League 2014/15
Eric Portapotty
At least we're still unbeaten.
#191997 Barclays Premier League 2014/15
Eric Portapotty
#191995 Barclays Premier League 2014/15
Eric Portapotty
And our fans don't react too well to collapses....
#191988 Barclays Premier League 2014/15
Eric Portapotty
Ozil didn't seem to track him?
#191986 Barclays Premier League 2014/15
Eric Portapotty
Aye, simply not fit yet anyway.
#191982 Barclays Premier League 2014/15
Eric Portapotty
#191969 2014/15 Fantasy Football
Eric Portapotty
#191924 The Ganja Trail - A Caribbbean Adventure
Eric Portapotty
(I'll be going chronological on this if you don't mind)
Second leg, another 3 goals scored but we could've been more focused throughout the match.
But it's not like they were ever going to dig themselves out of this rut anyway.
Good news, particularly because there's no prize money in these parts.
Moule were last season's Guadelopian league runners-up, while W(illiams) Connection was their Trinidadian equivalent, though they have regained the league title this time round.
Robinhood also finished 2nd in their league last season, so this is basically the Group of Bridesmaids!
But it's going to be very tough - having looked at the former two's squads we'll be in a very tough couple of games.
Doesn't help that only the group winner and the best 2 2nd- placed finishers (of 6) qualify for the quarter finals:
Oh and we play only 3 games.
It helps that the draw has been kind to us, granting 2 home games, but let's not kid ourselves, this will be hard.
Rested the entire starting XI, stuffed them into a 3-5-2, couldn't handle Atlantico's own 3-5-2, and we paid for it.
Do I care? Not much really - bigger fish to fry.
And what a big fish! Escalona with yet another goal and assist.
Another complete reshuffle, except this time into our main 4-1-3-2 system, and it worked well.
Dakota are our closest rivals now, and it was imperative that we put some (more) distance between them when given the opportunity.
WE ARE GOING ALL THE WAY! It seems
Escalona with yet another goal-assist combo, unfortunately he got another yellow that would rule him out of the final group game.
Pole position, all we need is a draw to advance.
Interestingly we've not drawn a competitive game yet this season....
Same here, the gap going into the playoffs will be at least 11 points, a very useful lead.
#191839 ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
Eric Portapotty
#191811 The Ganja Trail - A Caribbbean Adventure
Eric Portapotty
An absolutely awful match, 2 shots on target from both sides all match, and we happened to score from one of them.
But we did win, and as one might say it's all that matters.
So we've gone the equivalent of a regular season without dropping points.
Will I jinx it by posting this image? You bet!
They matched our midfield numbers again (as was the case in our meeting earlier in the season) and we struggled, again.
This time we were made to pay, with Escalona conceding a penalty and them making it safe on the counter.
(Oh well, at least I'm not cheating.)
But this month shouldn't be remembered as such, because we've got something else to look forward to:
They're... erm... it seems that they were last year's Antiguan champions.
But their current season's just finished, with them ending 2nd, so they're probably a force to be reckoned with.
But how much of a force? I've never heard of them, so going by the national team rankings they're higher than Aruba, so by association it should be the same here.
The fans agree with my assumption, which isn't good news...
Brilliant win, we didn't dominate possession throughout the game and had to endure a nervous start, but we eventually got our pressing game together and caught them out on multiple occasions.
Escalona sought redemption for his mistake against River Plate, and finished with a goal and an assist.
2nd leg will be in March, stay tuned!
#191788 Barclays Premier League 2014/15
Eric Portapotty
#191736 Barclays Premier League 2014/15
Eric Portapotty
Why is the LMA backing him anyway? Innocent until proven guilty?
#191733 The Ganja Trail - A Caribbbean Adventure
Eric Portapotty
Yeah it was, but that's life isn't it?
-----------------------------------
Good response to the semi-final loss, Escalona scoring one and providing another.
Horrible start with a penalty conceded, but under-fire Marvin Pierre equalised with a shot from range.
It was easier from then, Lake with another MoM performance.
The next game was a rematch against Estrella, and scarcely a better occasion to take revenge:
Went back to a 3-5-2 (as if to prove a point) and won comfortably, though admittedly they still caused us a few problems - seems like my back 3 doesn't like strikers opponents running at them on the counter with no midfield cover whatsoever.
Even more good news:
That's with 6 games to spare, life is surprisingly good.
Woops, nearly spoke too soon.
We established a comfortable lead going into the interval, only to return to face attack after attack from Brazil Juniors, who could and should have at least levelled the score.
Eventually they ran out of chances to miss, and we came away with a fortunate victory.
So it's a 15-point lead, the hope is that we can maintain this so that we can make things easier for ourselves when it comes to the hellish playoffs schedule.
#191613 Itchygon
Eric Portapotty
#191586 Transfer Rumours 2014/15
Eric Portapotty
Can't say I disagree with most of those points, massive pity though.
Well they can then finally pay Rami back.
Still unbelievable how they paid so much for Matri, when they're so deep in the shitter.
#191579 Transfer Rumours 2014/15
Eric Portapotty
#191551 Introduction
Eric Portapotty
#191549 The Night Thread Mk. IX
Eric Portapotty
Was worrised no one would pick up on it
#191512 The Ganja Trail - A Caribbbean Adventure
Eric Portapotty
Great win in the face-off of the ex-champions - Francois Escalona with another hat-trick of assists.
Perennial second-division strugglers, shouldn't be a problem.
Ha, famous last words.
Yes we scored the opener, but after Oehlers got sent off my makeshift formation backfired, eventually leading to the equaliser.
Eventually Fingal scored the winner on his return from injury (despite being rubbish all match), but playing with 10 men for over a half took a lot out of the guys.
Ach, a top division rival in the semis, not as easy as last season then.
As it turns out they've sold their top scorer from last season, so who know?
My 3-5-2 (due to suspensions, potential suspensions and fitness issues) should in theory have worked well against the 4-4-2.
But we were strangely muted, attacking manoeuvres were hard to come by, and we just didn't have enough efforts that tested the opposition stopper.
Oh well, a 1st loss of the season was inevitable anyway, now to make sure that it doesn't affect our league form.
At least we lost to the eventual winners, so we're technically 3rd! \o/
And Escalona with the highest number of assists, he'd be so much more productive if he wasn't so card-happy.
#191490 The Night Thread Mk. IX
Eric Portapotty
Will you be giving her a pearl necklace to celebrate?
#191444 Barclays Premier League 2014/15
Eric Portapotty
Mackay's done for at this rate, hie reputation will be shot after all this at least.
#191220 The Night Thread Mk. IX
Eric Portapotty
#191199 The Ganja Trail - A Caribbbean Adventure
Eric Portapotty
Brilliant start, finally have them both performing at the same time.
\o/ Nicely done.
They've also fired their gaffer it seems...
------------------
Due to injuries, suspensions and a need to appease Markwin Rangel Lugo (least season's playoffs hero) we deviated from our 4-1-3-2 and went with 4-4-2.
Not our (or my) forte, if I'm honest - I've been accustomed to playing at least 3 in midfield, which allows man marking in central midfield without leaving us exposed.
It is still a win, but probably could be more comfortable if I went with the regular system.
Fingal then got a knock, and this allowed Rangel Lugo to play uptop:
And he revelled in his new role, with his 1st goals for the club.
First time we conceded an opener, luckily we got back level in double quick time.
Escalona then got us the winner with an Olympic Goal - fortuitous or not, they all count.
Our 3-5-2 struggling badly against a narrow midfield diamond, it looked like winning streak could be finally be coming to an end.
Not that forgotten right-winger-centreback Lionel Breinburg would have it at that - the unlikelier of freekick takers with a howitzer in the 88th minute.
Lake to the rescue again, with an (apparent) wondergoal.
Escalona with a hat-trick of assists, nuff said.
Vegas made a great run down the right to meet Escalona's punt to give us an early advantage, and Lugo using his pace well to put the game to bed.
9 wins from 9, going swimmingly,
(Though as we have seen from last season our form can go to shit at any moment.)
Round 1 in the defence of our cup title:
As they've mentioned they're previous winners as well, so it'll be a tricky tie.
#191166 Barclays Premier League 2014/15
Eric Portapotty
Though it is debatable whether Suarez was tamed anyway [insert carnivorous animal joke].
#190910 Transfer Rumours 2014/15
Eric Portapotty
It would've made sense since they were both Argentine anyway, I was just surprised Veron would speak favourably given he didn't have the best of times there.
Well of course his experience at the club would be irrelevant to his form, but still.
#190879 The Ganja Trail - A Caribbbean Adventure
Eric Portapotty
Well it's true that there are around 5 teams who can win the title - Nacional and RCA have shared the last couple of titles, Estrella have 2 of the top 3 scorers from last season, there's always a promoted side that tears up the formbook (as we did), then there's Britannia who, as 'the most popular club in the land', will always think that 'this is our season'
--------------------------------------
Opening day, and it was up to us to put them in their place.
First half was excellent, which was all the more important considering our second half.
Frederick Werleman has an absolute horrorshow in the 2nd period, his mistake on a setpiece led our our concession of their 1st goal, while it was his tackle that gave away the penalty.
He's a key centreback because of his speed, and he won't likely be dropped so long he's the fastest one in the team - which he is by a long way.
That's 5 goals in 3 games for Lake, replicating his great start in the last campaign.
Now if he could only keep this up through the season....
Another comfortable win against title rivals, we were wll out of sight by the interval.
Oehlers did get sent off yes, but I've been playing him as a Complete Wingback, which could leave him exposed on the counter - but that's the risk you take.
And it's not like it's a losing proposition - he's among the most willing runners in the league (distance covered), and provides wing play so that we can stuff the midfield.
In the lead so far, but not having a clean sheet so far is quite a worry - Lake's 6 goals bailing us out here.
#190867 Itchygon
Eric Portapotty