Season 31 Week 11 processing...

Welcome to week 11 of season 31 the halfway stage.

Everybody's orders delivered safe and sound thanks.

Reset is underway...

Should be there, I posted them wednesday. 

Dave@Villa wrote:

Should be there, I posted them wednesday. 

Postie just delivered thanks Dave.

Watford

Half way through the season and the table is all square between Watford and Charlton. Only separated by Goal difference! However, its points that matter after last weeks unfortunate defeat. The Watford manager spent sometime with Woodman and agreed an Individual Training programme might help improve his form for the future... But could he be demoted to 3rd choice..... This weeks opponents are Chelsea the only other team to inflict a defeat to Watford this season. The hornets are out for revenge in the only way possible.... All 3 points! The manager has called fully fit again Bale to the starting line-up to keep things fresh, with Sterling looking too make an impact from the bench this week! Rumours circling that the manager wants to bring Musiala into the first team squad for potential cup games, after a impressive record for the youth team... Who's place does he take... Does someone have to leave to make room.. 

Genk

Top of the table Genk are loving life at the moment with the team Free flowing having scored 37 goals so far this season and only conceded 2. However, this weeks opponents are no strangers.. Anderlecht.. Who arnt afraid to attack players through there Flying Wingers, having scored 36 goals themselves this season! Only conceding 9 along the way! Genk manager hoping to increase that tally this week as they aim to put on a masterclass with Lewandowski, Neymar and Griezmann all on Sublime form of late! The Genk empire is nearly complete with the infrastructure works almost carried out for this season the team will look to expand their recruitment policy having already streamlined the team... Reviewing the potential within the youth teams and weeding out players..


Leverkusen

Massive game this week as Leverkusen take on Rob's Hannover .... Both teams are still transitioning after late appointments. Fans at both clubs must be delighted with the recruitment of there respective clubs! The Leverkusen brought in veteran keeper Rene Adler and has thrust him and Mustafi into the starting lineup ... Hoping there experience will help them on their Debuts! Leverkusen manager worried about Brozovic who has scored 18 goals already this season! But has belief his team can cause problems for Hannover defence! Imjury to Martin Olssen not ideal, but we shall persevere and expect Bailey and El Sharawry  TRY help the fulllbacks.


Botafogo

Another team out for revenge!! Vs Cruziero who inflicted a early season defeat on the reining champions! The first11 welcome back Bobsin who only just edges out the mercurial Marco Antonio who has scored 3-3 since being brought into first11 but the manager prefers a defensive DY to help break the play up a little more. Hulk and Anderson make the bench while they return to fitness allowing Tete and Dembele to make a claim for the starting role! Unable to hold onto the win last week and conceding late on the pressure is on to return to winning ways immediately!

Paul Hemmings wrote:

Dave@Villa wrote:

Should be there, I posted them wednesday. 

Postie just delivered thanks Dave.

Phew

Friendly games have kicked off, I expect the League games will kickoff Wednesday at 1000 hours...

Schalke

Big league match for Schalke this turn against Bayern, but at least we are at home for this one.

Werner out injured this turn so Ferran is coming in to see what he can do. I've given him a free role in attack as it seems like the best use of him and it may confuse the 5-man Bayern defence.

Also, trying out FAB for the first half (with Kimmich as BW) and will revert to FAP if it's not working - hope I don't regret that. Celtic played FAB against me in the last CL game, and they were all over me really - I shouldn't have won that match! Only 3 changes so disruption shouldn't be an issue.

Ploughing through a couple more reviews of youngsters to determine whether they are staying or going, and building a med research centre, leaving no stone unturned when it comes to player welfare!

Finally, continuing to train up the whole squad ready for a change of tactic that should better suit the players I have.

Last minute due to typical end of year work rush .......

Barcelona


Away at Celta who sit in the relegation zone on 4 points. It should and needs to be 3 points. With back to back weeks coming up against Real and Atletico every point is vital especially as both of the Madrid teams have comfortable home games. Kulusevski arriving from Nacional might add another attacking dimension for my big European game against Schalke next turn.

Nacional


Nacional sit 5 points clear and are in fine league form. Another away game this week will make it 7 in the first half of the season so lots to look forward to at The Dos Equis Stadium in the second half of the season. And with Oscar Rodriguez slotting in beside the established midfield of Bentancur and Torreira plus the firepower of Immobile and Josef Martinez up top things look set to continue.

Hannover


Eventually there's a team that's not comprised of small children and a sheep dog. What tactic makes sense, how they play together and how many interpreters I will need are unanswered questions. I am not expecting to challenge for promotion this season and a comfortable mid table would be success. Brozovic, Yussuf Poulsen, Delaney and Wass make long awaited debuts.

Akranes


The youth revolution continues at pace in Iceland with an exciting brand of attacking football led by Patson Daka, Krepin Diatta and Sekou Koita. Expectations were low for the team going into the season with only 2 of the squad older than 22 but things are going well so far. One of the old timers, Cheik Kouyate, looks like getting his chance in the first team as Tapsoba moves on to bigger things. It's all about the goals in Akranes though with 38 so far.

League games will kickoff at 1000 hours today...

The fans have taken their seats and are in good voice as the players emerge from the tunnel to take up their starting places and the excitement grows...

The ref raises the whistle to his lips, checks his watches, good luck to everyone this week as some of you have tough games and will need a bit of luck, as the ref blows for the start of the games...

Harps 0 Cherry 1 O'Halloran on 3 minutes.

Sampdoria 0 Juventus 1 Balotelli header on 4 minutes.

Wednesday 1 Spurs 0 Mata on 5 minutes.
Bordeaux 0 Paris 1 Menez freekick.
Aberdeen 0 Motherwell 1 Piccoli header.
Fenic 0 Nacional 1  Bentancur.

Genk 1 Anderlecht 0 Cancelo header on 6 minutes.
Bahia 0 Santos 1 Jean Chera.
Botafogo 1 Cruzeiro 0 Dani Alves.
Derby 1 Brighton 0 Martin.
Cagliari 1 AC Milan 0 Borini.
Atletico 1 Gijon 0 Kroos.

Oldham 0 Wimbledon 1 Carroll on 7 minutes.
Heracles 0 Twente 1 Payet freekick.

Gillingham 0 Woking 1 Walcott on 8 minutes.

River Plate 1 Velez 0 Patito on 9 minutes.
Sao Paulo 0 Vasco 1 Kardec.
Arsenal 1 Villa 0 Ramsey.
Bournemouth 1 West Brom 0 Brooks.
Stuttgart 1 Dortmund 0 Sabala.
Gagnoa 1 Mimosas 0 Dudu header.
Podbrezova 0 Ruzomberok 1 Hee-Chan header.

Estudiantes 1 Talleres 0 Jeisson on 10 minutes.
Marseille 0 Nantes 1 MBappe.
Cagliari 1 AC Milan 1 Rakitic.
Aberdeen 1 Motherwell 1 Kagawa.
Atletico 2 Gijon 0 Weigl.

Inverness 1 Dundee Utd 0 McBurnie on 11 minutes.
Real Madrid 1 Malaga 0 Iniesta.
Sociedad 0 Valencia 1 Tello header.

Fluminense 1 Flamengo 0 Richarlison header on 12 minutes.
Udinese 0 Inter Milan 1 Cutrone freekick.

Independente 1 Lanus 0 Eder Citadin on 13 minutes.

Blackburn 0 Newcastle 1 Pepe on 14 minutes.
Leeds 1 Fulham 0 Agger header.
Consett 0 Barnsley 1 Thiam.

Real Madrid 2 Malaga 0 Hazard on 15 minutes.
Sociedad 1 Valencia 1 Luvannor.

Etienne 1 Lille 0 Harit on 16 minutes.
Stuttgart 2 Dortmund 0 Kruse freekick.
Vitesse 0 Ajax 1 Weghorst.
Podbrezova 0 Ruzomberok 2 Sarabia.
Celta 0 Barcelona 1 Gaya.