Season 24 Week 10 processing...

Welcome to week 10 of season 24 ...

I'm currently running the reset and once that's finished I will start entering the orders.

I have orders from Man City, Leicester, Plymouth, Watford, Charlton, Fulham, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Schalke and Inverness

and no orders from Newcastle, Chelsea or Birmingham as yet.

Damn, Ben's orders have arrived....

I was relying on a postal service off day so that I might stand a chance at Holme Park.

Entering the orders now, I expect the games to kickoff 1000 hours wednesday morning as normal.

Nothing from me afraid

Some of you are trying to sign new players even though your squad size has already reached 25.

The squad size has been hard capped at 25 since the beginning of the season so these dealings will not go through. Where this happens and the players are new to the database I will add the player to the database and the system will probably transfer him to his real life club or an unmanaged lower league club and the new dealings will become scout dealings if you have enough free scouts.

Paul, like this a lot this season, think it makes it fair. 

Just wondering if I might fall foul of this law this week for a different reason?  I have recalled a few players from Nantes, which will probably be too many for my squad, but I was hoping that as they are all schoolboy age then they would go straight into either of my academies?  Fair enough if not, apologies if this has caused problems.

Tom@Charlton wrote:

Paul, like this a lot this season, think it makes it fair. 

Just wondering if I might fall foul of this law this week for a different reason?  I have recalled a few players from Nantes, which will probably be too many for my squad, but I was hoping that as they are all schoolboy age then they would go straight into either of my academies?  Fair enough if not, apologies if this has caused problems.

the system will let you recall players from loans without checking the cap and then it is up to you to hide them in your academies the following week.

Plymouth v Leicester

Not sure how to start off with this one...David v Goliath? Not quite, but not sure you'd get very good odds on an away win due to Plymouth's current outstanding form and the amount of ability within their ranks.  Although I could never bring myself to hope for a Leicester win (  ) I am really torn this week, as it would do my Charlton side a favour for Ben to drop a few points.  Rich is steadily building a good side at the Walkers and having picked up points last week, confidence might slowly be returning.  If Nasri can pull off another outside of the foot special like the other day at Wembley then you never know what might happen.  He is certainly capable of it.

Birmingham v Fulham

A real difficult one to call this one.  Although two points separate these two in the table, they couldn't be further away in the form table.  A settled side at Birmingham and a new tactic which seems to suit the players has recently resulted a good run of results and a serious climb up the table.  In stark contrast, having tried a new tactic recently the results haven't gone as well for Fulham losing two on the bounce.  Injuries to the big hitters up front haven't helped, but two home defeats on the trot have a few of the fans concerned.  It is imperative that they start to pick up points once again in order to keep up with the leaders.  Not since Will started the game back in the depths of league 1 has he lost three games on the bounce so the pressure is really building for this one.  Always a difficult place to go, St Andrews, will the Champions continue with the ISF formation or go back to a more tried and trusted formation.  The answer will very much decide the result to this one. 

Chelsea v Newcastle

Unfortunately, both managers will be absent for this game, relying on their Assistants to get the job done.  Can only assume time was an issue to get teamsheets back in time, although I can't imagine Mark has placed a self-imposed stadium ban after the antics of the real life Newcastle manager this weekend?
Based on form, Gaz should be collecting all three points in this game, especially having home advantage, although Mark does have more than enough talent in his squad to cause a lot of teams a lot of problems.  So you never know...

Watford v Arsenal

After dropping points last week against Geoff's Man City, Jamie will be chomping at the bit to get back to winning ways against an Arsenal side struggling to get to grips with a lot of upheaval since the departure of the previous manager.  A much more resolute performance and a better formation against Charlton last week, nearly yielded some much needed points for Arsenal, so surely it is only a matter of time until they start to pick up points.  They certainly have the talent there and I will be very surprised if they don't have enough quality to stay up come the end of the season.
Jamie's Watford though will be a very stern test of their new line-up and especially having home advantage, you would be very surprised if Arsenal didn't come unstuck here.  The settled Vicarage Road side are a completely different kettle of fish this year, one of the title favourites in my eyes, and certainly aren't the team to face most weeks, let alone during a transitional period.

Man City v Liverpool

After a good result last week against Jamie, City are in the middle of a good run at the minute and seem fairly settled with their new system.  The three amigos in the middle of the park can win games on their own, let alone the three up top.  They should surely have enough to beat a Liverpool side who are really struggling at the minute and dropping down the league after a flying start.  Rumours abound that the owners of the Anfield outfit are willing to spend big money to keep them in the league, and have a big bid in for 'one of their own'.  Whether it will trigger his release clause is a different matter.  At least they are trying....

Another excellent review from Tom this week, great reading, thanks.

Be good to hear from a few managers before the games this week, see what their thoughts are.  Big European games this week too, any early team news?  Haven't got the European fixtures so can't do a review, but I know there will be a few very important games and maybe a few teams clinching qualification or being eliminated?

If we want to get Google to recognise the website and get more visitors, we really need to make it more active and have a few more comments, a bit more banter etc or it will be a waste of time.  Nobody will be attracted to a forum that is only active once every two weeks.  If it wasn't for Pauls fantastic commentary for the league games, then there would be no activity at all.  I'm as guilty as the next man so not having a go, but we can't complain one minute that there aren't enough managers whilst no-one is contributing to making the game more attractive.

Come on guys....

Paul Hemmings wrote:

Tom@Charlton wrote:

Paul, like this a lot this season, think it makes it fair. 

Just wondering if I might fall foul of this law this week for a different reason?  I have recalled a few players from Nantes, which will probably be too many for my squad, but I was hoping that as they are all schoolboy age then they would go straight into either of my academies?  Fair enough if not, apologies if this has caused problems.

the system will let you recall players from loans without checking the cap and then it is up to you to hide them in your academies the following week.

Marvellous, thanks.  Again, seems fair enough.

Agree excellent read.

May have been me with the news, Fulham are ok squad wise but forgot about checking feyanoords squad size. Sorry my bad

Fulham going through a 'transition' season this year.

Sounds silly after having just claimed the title but I wasn't happy with the balance or squad depth.

There was and still is a few players like Robben, vencia and jagielka who are and have been exelle t servants to the club but time isn't on their side so instead of sitting and waiting for this to become an issues iv tried to be pro active and bring in their replacements ahead of schedule.

I'm hoping by laying the foundations early I'll have more success in years to come, maybe at the cost of this season but as long as we keep our heads above water and start to show improvement I'll be happy.

The depth of the squad has improved no end on last year. Where as before all I had to call upon was gervinho, palacios and cuellar we now have, weimann, Rodwell , lallana and sakho.

Players that were once guaranteed starts like Valencia, Carroll, balotelli, zabaleta and walker are having to fight tooth and nail for their shirts. This competition is set to intensify this week with the introduction of Brazilian sensation Willian

Even fans favourites and England internationals jimmy Milner and phil jagielka arnt guaranteed a start, although Jimmy's  my special boi so he probably get in there lol

As for a tactic, I'm open To suggestions lol

Love reading Tom's previews. Think it adds massively to the pre match build up. It makes me wish I wasn't so attached to Inter. 

Inter have reverted back to FAS after our flirtation with WHV. The dogs of war - Vidal and Khedira have proven more resilient than the wide duo of Willian and Di Maria. Also being able to field Higuain, Cavani and Diego Costa in one forward line has to scare most defences. A lot of catch up to do to make it 4 titles in a row but we're up for the challenge. And hopefully another strong run in Europe ...

Rob@Inter wrote:

And hopefully another strong run in Europe ...

Gulp.  I'm in the San Siro this week....

Been a bit sloppy with Santos since christmas and that showed in my results from that period, only one win from four games, and it was only last week I spent some dedicated time organising my training and friendlies, and making sure everybody got a game every week. Hopefully they are now back on course after those poor results. Still got a few too many players now some of the youths have "come of age" without achieving anything significant in real life I now need to decide who to offload, trust your gut time it seems. Aim for the season is to wrestle the Copa Libertadores back from Boca if I can.

Got to play away at Flamengo this week so that will be real tough and a real top of the table clash will be happy with a draw but going for the win as usual.

Banstead arent really in competitive territory yet but it's still very interesting playing against all the lower league sides and still very enjoyable. Will be my last season with Heskey leading the line and I need to find a decent replacement for next year and get him up to speed before we kickoff next season, so that's the aim for me at Banstead.

just running the reserves, youths and schoolboy games atm...

and the league games are confirmed for 1000 hours wednesday morning.

Any news of the European results Paul?

Is it possible to get them before the league
matches this week or does it not work like that?

I've just started running the midweek cup games, they usually take about 2 hours to complete, if I get time this evening I might post them up, if not they will be reported tomorrow.

Great read lads

Tricky European cup game and although unbeaten to many draws have left the group very tight, 

Bit of a crazy season in Spain, since getting destroyed by Barca at home (that cost me a bit) Real have beaten Betis and pulled further away since the surprise lose by Barca against Valencia.  I don't think this will be the end of some up and down results.

Keeping a settled squad and not looking to move anyone in at the moment,

Paul Hemmings wrote:

I've just started running the midweek cup games, they usually take about 2 hours to complete, if I get time this evening I might post them up, if not they will be reported tomorrow.

Thanks Paul, didn't know exactly when they were run, knew it was before the league games, just asking in case they had already happened. Don't worry if you don't get time.

Hmmmm, so rob.

Willian didn't work out wide, ur oh, might have to have a change of tac, had earmarked him for that wide birth with Milner reverting to his preferred dy role.

That's ballsed that one up lol

Back to the drawing board

Not sure if I gave it enough time or it was something else. I scored a lot but had issues with letting too many in so it was more about getting the balance right rather than Willian not performing.

A few shock results in the European Champions Cup this week, and I've only got as far as group one...