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#150115 The Night Thread Mk. IX
Eric Portapotty
I'm learning manual and just drove auto for the 1st time yesterday.
It's amazing how much more aware I am when I don't have to remember about which gear I'm in and not having to fear releasing the clutch too fast and stalling in the middle of the road.
#150102 Pentagon [FM14]
Eric Portapotty
We tripped up at home to Petrojet, unable to put to bed what was supposed to be a home banker.
The uncertainty continued against Tersana, where we were subject to an aerial bombardment, survived it and got the winner through a dubious penalty.
Yao was a colossus in defence, dealing effectively with the multitude of crosses.
Then another home banker against a relegated side, and we did as expected, in time for closest challenger Al Mokawloon.
Going for a pressing game clearly didn't work, as they annihilated us with their constant threat in attack - but bear in mind we still had a 3-point lead post-match, so I could afford to lose this.
Then came the penultimate weekend where they dropped the ball, only for us to do likewise and capitulate in spectacular fashion.
Then it was the final day, and as you'd known by now, we are champions:
Still 'only' Favoured Personnel, mind.
Yay.
2nd from bottom in goals conceded, but only 10th in goal scored.
And a special mention to El Gouna's Mamadou Doumbia who took them to a very good 5th with 41 goals in just 33 games - he even got a cap for the Ivorians.
Key players:
(Well in a title winning season there's bound to be more than just a few, but here's some of the better ones)
Finally back on form, Mabrouk might not be the captain, but he's definitely the face of the team.
Our top scorer this term, definitely surpassing Yehia's achievements now.
I was saying that I couldn't justify giving him a raise - I might have to retract my statements, and not only because many in the team have called for him to stay.
He might have conceded more than 1 per match, but who in the league hasn't?
And his average rating might not be the best, but it's surely no mean feat having 14 clean sheets - joint best in the league.
Selling Waild Fathi is made better by seeing his younger colleague blossom into a key part of the defensive structure.
Captain, and still an integral part of the central midfield.
-----
Now, who's up for the cup?
#150055 Pentagon [FM14]
Eric Portapotty
I'd considered jumping ship (there's no way I can reproduce this next season especially if the TV money continues to disappear), but I've put too much into the youth system (2 upgrades already) so I might stay to make it more longterm.
I'll probably get sacked though
#150022 The Night Thread Mk. IX
Eric Portapotty
Also, Automatic Transmission is a godsend.
#150016 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Eric Portapotty
#149829 Pentagon [FM14]
Eric Portapotty
Turns out we do,
And we have.
#149824 Pentagon [FM14]
Eric Portapotty
So we want to win it?
Or we do want to win it, but have to do it the hard way because that's how football sells.
Also, Al Mokawloon are currently drawing, so as it stands we're champions.
#149816 Pentagon [FM14]
Eric Portapotty
We really don't want to win this.
#149802 Pentagon [FM14]
Eric Portapotty
Gameweek 33(i.e. the penultimate matchday):
We don't want to.
#149709 Pentagon [FM14]
Eric Portapotty
We got back from a mid-season break with a win against Haras El-Hodoud, then suffered a blip away to El gouna, where what is probably the league's speediest attack tore apart our pressing game.
We made up for that - and how! - with victory at home to Zamalek, where we benefited from a Zamalek sending off.
The team went back to the winning ways they had at the start of the season (albeit with a hard fought draw at Ismaily).
The Ah-Ahly match was the icing on the cake, reaffirming our title ambitions whilst effectively pushing them out of the title race.
Our pressing game was rewarded with 2 early goals, though we sought to let the opposition restore parity with a couple of gems:
We hung on in the 2nd half for a priceless win.
Al Mokawloon have (as usual) blown their opponents completely out of the water with some incredible attacking displays, but they have been prone to the inexplicable as well - cases in point.
Which leaves us with probably the most improbable title success of all my FM saves.
What else can we thank Al Mokawloon for, I wonder?
Our hottest prospects, gone to them to play in the reserves.
But I've got to thank their Canadian bosses, coming in to fund the club once again - we've got nearly $3.8 million in deals involving them.
We've blown half the cash already, which shows the importance of the TV money, which seems to have completely disappeared (still only $3k this season).
It's like we're made for each other.
Anyway, the transfers were agreed with half a mind on the upcoming youth intake, where with the improved facilities would replenish the talent lost.
Is patience the answer, or should I replace my Head of Youth Development?
#149683 Site Improvements
Eric Portapotty
#149480 Pentagon [FM14]
Eric Portapotty
Don't ask me how, because I can't fathom this either.
Essentially, we've somehow found an ability to grind out wins in games where complacency normally sets in - yet we've also been distinctly unable to put games to bed.
I've no idea what happens next - this is uncharted waters, and Al Mokawloon are still scoring and lurking, as well as Al-Ahly and Zamalek (as if you're able to write them off in any situation).
Al Mokawloon have scored 10 more and toop the scoring chart with 2 others, but the shit steam engine keeps going.
... However, I'd exchange some of those wins for some TV money,
Of which we have virtually none.
We've only had 1 televised match all season, and as a result that source has spectacularly dried up.
It means that we're currently staring into a financial abyss.
Sacrifices will have to be made, as Gibson and Yao (whose combined wages take up more than a quarter of the total wage bill ($37k) will see out their contracts this season - I can neither afford nor justify any raises to their current pay.
And a new signing:
Arrives in January, $450 p/w for 3+1 years, so he's quite low-risk.
Here's the kicker: he's replacing Yao as my future centreback.
#149475 La Liga 2013/14
Eric Portapotty
#149165 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Eric Portapotty
#149150 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Eric Portapotty
Oh my head
#149136 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Eric Portapotty
MON WENGER
#149134 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Eric Portapotty
#149125 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Eric Portapotty
#149122 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Eric Portapotty
Definitely unforgettable.
#148938 Pentagon [FM14]
Eric Portapotty
If you disregard the Club Brugge loss as a money-spinning write-off, we've gone unbeaten this time round.
Beating Al-Ahly was a nice touch, but we were quite sloppy against Shabab.
At least we won the last 2 comfortably, where the team dabbled with keeping their shape instead of hassling opponents from the word go.
Of course a proper preseason won't be complete with an injury - of which there were quite a few knocks - and this was the kicker:
Awesome - best CB out for the start of the season.
Yay!
Not yay.
Can't say I didn't expect it though, I've previously mentioned that the strain on the finances would be significant.
Glad the higher-ups made a decision with my philosophy in mind and kept the youth facilities.
Oh right, yay!
Now for the transfers - the only arrival:
And yes, I fully intend to convert him into a centreback within his 2 seasons at the club.
Fan favourite Farag was mercilessly cut loose as his wages didn't tally with his ability and I had 2(!) up-and-coming left wingers lying in wait.
Everyone else were youth fodder who should have cut it but didn't.
Weak in the air, prone to losing his man, and injury-prone - not the best things a young footballer can have.
I should probably have re-trained him to a DM, but what's done is done, really.
His contract was up at the end of the season, and he really didn't warrant a raise - I wouldn't have paid him what I did on hindsight!
Considering offers of 50k were the norm 6 months ago, 110k represented good profits.
------
The bookies are expecting 14th - with this team I've no idea how it'll turn out if I'm honest.
#148617 The Night Thread Mk. IX
Eric Portapotty
#148513 Pentagon [FM14]
Eric Portapotty
Thanks for keeping up with this as well!
------------------------------------------------------------
Another season, another opportunity to ponder about 'what ifs':
2 losses in 12, yes, but also 4 draws - including one against cellar-dwellers Suez FC, where we repeatedly failed to break them down, and trailed for most of the match.
Also, interesting how a couple of draws can offer very different perspectives - case in point, no wins in 4 turning into unbeaten in 5.
Regardless, we did end with 3 straight wins, and that's undeniably positive.
Either way, an improvement on last season and generally disproving doubters, but having shown an ability to beat Al-Ahly it does make one wonder what might have been if we managed to get some form when it mattered.
Players of the season
Mohamed Adel:
It's also commendable how he has reinvented himself, from a midfield scrapper and squad player, to deep-lying schemer and club captain.
Anwar Ragab:
(Which is another sign of how overpowered speed is in FM, clearly.)
Adama Yao:
Not that I've no complaints about him though - his aerial prowess when attacking corners is absolutely abysmal, and the goal he scored was with the hammer that was his right foot.
Walid Ahmed:
Still, 6 goals and 5 assists.
Mohamed Mabrouk:
He'd been looking increasingly ineffectual and error-prone in recent games, so fingers crossed he'll find his lost form, or we'll be in some trouble.
Also, a new batch of youngsters have arrived:
I know that I've been very prone to underestimating my youth products, but this year's batch does look inferior to the ones of seasons past.
I've signed them all up just in case, but I just don't see it from these guys.
Now WHO'S UP FOR THE CUP!?!?!?!??!?!?!??!?!
Round 1 was against Premier League opponents the Police Union:
We trailed, got one of their guys sent off, hit back in the 2nd half, conceded a late set-piece header, had our own man dismissed, scored an even later tap-in, then this:
It's almost like the match engine wants penalties.
Well we prevailed - not that I knew how, I couldn't watch.
Next round was yet another PL team, this time the 4th-placed Masry:
We didn't exactly dominate proceedings, but rode our luck to extra time.
In yet another masterstroke Yao was taken off to keep (what was left of) him fresh for the next round (which we didn't reach), and the defence crumbled like the figurative cookie.
#148503 The Night Thread Mk. IX
Eric Portapotty
Don't they? The regulars can't be here for the OT stuff only, or else it'll be buzzing.
But yeah, this place definitely died after the move to the new layout.
#148408 The Night Thread Mk. IX
Eric Portapotty
#148401 The Night Thread Mk. IX
Eric Portapotty
Unless you're KM, at which point you'd probably be very thick-skinned anyway.
#148244 The Armoury
Eric Portapotty
#148217 The Night Thread Mk. IX
Eric Portapotty
#148215 Pentagon [FM14]
Eric Portapotty
An opening loss to Petrojet threatened to set the tone for the season, but 3 games unbeaten (including a shock win against Al-Ahly) steadied the ship somewhat.
After that run, however, we lost 4 games on the trot as I was ridiculed for being tactically stubborn; changing things in the win over Tersana seems to have vindicated the press' criticism, but watching the match in progress it's easier to dismiss it as a (computerised) placebo.
We then lost our next game, went 5 games undefeated and resumed the inconsistent nature of our team - 2 wins in 7, as the nadir came in the loss to Al-Gaish.
After the match I fined half the starting XI of 2 weeks' wages, which riled some of them - most eventually understood, but Farag (left winger-cum-top scorer) and Elregal (the new arrival and cantreback) argued and were subsequently transfer-listed.
(I don't mind losing them either - Elregal's fitness problems and general lack of concentration were a huge problem towards the latter parts of matches, while though Farag is the top-scorer with 5 goals, he's far too selfish and takes too many chances: less then a fifth of his shots have resulted in a goal.)
Now for the good news:
Step one to making this club self-sustainable is complete, so I immediately asked for step 2 to commence.
Problem is, going by the figures shown, it'll cover the whole balance of the club, which conveniently stands at 2.2 million.
#147935 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Eric Portapotty
#147920 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Eric Portapotty