Season 29 Week 2 processing...

Welcome to week 2 of the season, the reset is finished and data entry has started, quite a lot to get through again...

One slight change in direction this week concerning International players.

I introduced the Retirement from International Duty indicator because some managers were picking players from opposition teams and playing internationals at 9 aggression in the hope of getting the older players injured and unable to play in upcoming league games against them. And now some managers are abusing that system too. So a complete rethink was called for last week.

I've removed the International Retirement indicator, so anybody from your country can be called up. But from now on any players called up that are over 30 will cap their aggression at level 5, even if you ask them to play at level 6 or higher, they will not.

I think this is a much better system...

Paul Hemmings wrote:

One slight change in direction this week concerning International players.

I introduced the Retirement from International Duty indicator because some managers were picking players from opposition teams and playing internationals at 9 aggression in the hope of getting the older players injured and unable to play in upcoming league games against them. And now some managers are abusing that system too. So a complete rethink was called for last week.

I've removed the International Retirement indicator, so anybody from your country can be called up. But from now on any players called up that are over 30 will cap their aggression at level 5, even if you ask them to play at level 6 or higher, they will not.

I think this is a much better system...

While obviously this is terrible. It does take a certain level of Machiavellian ingenuity. I’d probably employ anyone who’d give the game this level of thought!!!!!

Data entry has now been completed and checked, but it's a bit late, so I will begin running the games in the morning and the league games kickoff time will be advised later...

Paul Hemmings wrote:

One slight change in direction this week concerning International players.

I introduced the Retirement from International Duty indicator because some managers were picking players from opposition teams and playing internationals at 9 aggression in the hope of getting the older players injured and unable to play in upcoming league games against them. And now some managers are abusing that system too. So a complete rethink was called for last week.

I've removed the International Retirement indicator, so anybody from your country can be called up. But from now on any players called up that are over 30 will cap their aggression at level 5, even if you ask them to play at level 6 or higher, they will not.

I think this is a much better system...

Are you kidding me? Whoever did this should hang their heads in shame. Bringing the game into disrepute. Punishment is needed I think.

Tom@Charlton wrote:

Paul Hemmings wrote:

One slight change in direction this week concerning International players.

I introduced the Retirement from International Duty indicator because some managers were picking players from opposition teams and playing internationals at 9 aggression in the hope of getting the older players injured and unable to play in upcoming league games against them. And now some managers are abusing that system too. So a complete rethink was called for last week.

I've removed the International Retirement indicator, so anybody from your country can be called up. But from now on any players called up that are over 30 will cap their aggression at level 5, even if you ask them to play at level 6 or higher, they will not.

I think this is a much better system...

Are you kidding me? Whoever did this should hang their heads in shame. Bringing the game into disrepute. Punishment is needed I think.

Agreed!!!!

Buuuutttt, why does it only affect older players. Surely all players are prone to injury.

Rob@Barcelona wrote:

Paul Hemmings wrote:

One slight change in direction this week concerning International players.

I introduced the Retirement from International Duty indicator because some managers were picking players from opposition teams and playing internationals at 9 aggression in the hope of getting the older players injured and unable to play in upcoming league games against them. And now some managers are abusing that system too. So a complete rethink was called for last week.

I've removed the International Retirement indicator, so anybody from your country can be called up. But from now on any players called up that are over 30 will cap their aggression at level 5, even if you ask them to play at level 6 or higher, they will not.

I think this is a much better system...

While obviously this is terrible. It does take a certain level of Machiavellian ingenuity. I’d probably employ anyone who’d give the game this level of thought!!!!!

Agree with Tom and Dave though. This a game which implies having fun and there’s no place for this.

Older players are more prone if you play them too much...

League games will kickoff at 1000 hours Wednesday morning...

Champions Cup Results

Man City 4 Bayern 1
Juventus 2 Liverpool 1

Watford 5 Valencia 0
Ajax 2 Man United 0

Charlton 6 Inter Milan 0
Benfica 1 Gladbach 2

Plymouth 3 Schalke 2
Paris 1 AC Milan 2

Great result for Plymouth as the English Champions beat the Champions Cup Holders and six goals for Charlton condemn Inter to one of their heaviest euro defeats ever.

Europa Cup Results

Real Madrid 3 Newcastle 2
Marseille 3 Chelsea 2

Barcelona 3 Roma 1
Anderlecht 0 Fulham 3

Arsenal 3 Nantes 1
Atletico 3 QPR 0

Villa 5 Genk 1
Shelbourne 4 Panathinaikos 0

Copa Libertadores

River Plate 2 Fluminense 2
Penarol 0 Tachira 2

Argentinos 1 Botafogo 0
Strongest 0 Catolica 1

Corinthians 1 Vasco 0
Defensor 3 Cruzeiro 0

Santos 3 Sao Paulo 0
Blooming 1 Coritiba 3

Paul Hemmings wrote:

Champions Cup Results

Man City 4 Bayern 1
Juventus 2 Liverpool 1

Watford 5 Valencia 0
Ajax 2 Man United 0

Charlton 6 Inter Milan 0
Benfica 1 Gladbach 2

Plymouth 3 Schalke 2
Paris 1 AC Milan 2

Great result for Plymouth as the English Champions beat the Champions Cup Holders and six goals for Charlton condemn Inter to one of their heaviest euro defeats ever.

Disappointing, although Plymouth Away is my hardest match in the group. Plus, no need to panic yet considering I scraped through last years CL group! Well done Ben - interesting to see the report...

Paul Hemmings wrote:

One slight change in direction this week concerning International players.

I introduced the Retirement from International Duty indicator because some managers were picking players from opposition teams and playing internationals at 9 aggression in the hope of getting the older players injured and unable to play in upcoming league games against them. And now some managers are abusing that system too. So a complete rethink was called for last week.

I've removed the International Retirement indicator, so anybody from your country can be called up. But from now on any players called up that are over 30 will cap their aggression at level 5, even if you ask them to play at level 6 or higher, they will not.

I think this is a much better system...

Ha! I've been known to go to 9 if I'm losing at the end of a game, but I presume this is from the start! It's a bit dodgy, but a slap on the wrist would suffice. Basically, I wouldn't do anything in a match that I wouldn't expect in real life...

Kickoff approaches...

We have some mightily big games to enjoy this week with the two dominant sides in Brazil going head to head as Fluminense travel to Santos. The big game in England has to be Watford's visit to Charlton and in Germany Schalke face a tough trip to Berlin. There are two big games in Holland where Genk entertain Feyenoord and Ajax travel to Anderlecht. Roma take on the mighty Juventus in Italy and in Spain Barcelona face a tough trip to the Champions Valencia. 

All this and the possible transfer of Neymar away from Schalke.

Good luck to everybody this week...

The players are out and are lining up ready for the kickoff, and we're off...

Stirling 0 Inverness 1 Samaras penalty on 6 minutes.

A good start for Inverness's recent signing.

Liverpool 0 Man City 1 Dzeko on 7 minutes.
Oldham 1 Soton 0 Henriquez.
Toulouse 0 Nantes 1 Oscar.
Wydad 0 Benfica 1 Cavaleiro.

Cremonese 0 Cagliari 1 Anderson Dede header on 9 minutes.
Ancona 1 Parma 0 Carrasco penalty.

Rotterdam 1 Sittard 0 Colina on 10 minutes.

Man United 1 Newcastle 0 Mkhitaryan on 11 minutes.

Toulouse 0 Nantes 2 Teixeira header on 12 minutes.

Looks like being a real tough afternoon for Toulouse already two goals down to the long time French Champions.

Vasco 0 Corinthians 1 Jadson on 13 minutes.
Leverkusen 0 Bayern 1 Gomez.
Ruzomberok 1 Poznan 0 Hee-Chan.
Malaga 1 Real Madrid 0 Sergio Oliveira.

Shock on the cards at Malaga ? good start for the new manager maybe...

Liverpool 1 Man City 1 Tevez on 14 minutes.

Tevez continually tearing through City's defence makes me think he's in the mood...

Burnley 1 West Brom 0 McEachran on 16 minutes.

Important early goal as both sides will be hoping for promotion this season...

Palace 1 Arsenal 0 Rondon on 17 minutes.

Palace's wing play and Rondon's power proving too strong for the Gunners early doors...