Asunto: National Team

that's one of the downsides to having a really good multi-positional player, is that despite how good they are, the specialists are genuinely just that bit better to warrant selection.

There is a competition game coming up shortly as well, and I'm sure sometime next season a 2nd string game will be arranged (assuming I'm still managing, but I'd hope even if I wasn't these kind of games would still exist).

Might add, that amongst the most unlucky players who haven't represented the NT as often as their skills suggest they might have, Croxall would have to be up near the top. There's a few others, particularly wingers like Leijer,Thompson, also I'd classify Choony on that list and these are the results of being extremely strong in certain areas which have very limited positions to be selected.

Not a big deal. Croxall has done really well for a guy pulled with tragic technique, but its still a long way back to come from. He'll look a lot better when he finally randoms up in striker (I stopped striker training with him only a week or 2 short of next level) and hopefully he'll bump in pace tomorrow. Comparatively low tech and defense makes him hard to pick as a pure striker, and he's not a good enough mid or wing to earn that position either.

If we played a play-making striker behind our front strikers he'd be a decent candidate, but its a difficult tactic to try and make work as mids and wings tend to just pass to the strikers up the front anyway and his defending makes him unlikely to win the ball himself.

I nominate Rex.

I nominate Yon - Btw just popped to incredible pace :-)

Well the side has been selected and the lineup set. Still a little concerned with our strikeforce and the potential to crack the line, but we should be in for a lot of cracker shots. Most of the players selected have played before but there are a few new players getting their chance to impress.

Apologies to those that didn't have players selected, with 16 players available to select from it was always going to be limited and with the push to try a last minute attempt at a 2nd seed (after Norway and Belarus both lost, and Portugal have to play Argentina in a few hours, suddenly gives us an added chance) a few players haven't quite made the cut.

I won't release the squad until hopefully just before the game but I think the majority of you will be able to work out the general setup especially from the distribution of where players were picked.

Currently, form checks still to be done, the distribution of the players are the following:

II.01 - 5
II.02 - 3
II.04 - 3
II.03 - 2
III.09 - 2
III.04 - 1

Once again apologies to the managers who won't get a player playing, there's always the competition game next week, so feel free to enter the competition (just a bit of advertising happening :p).

I don't think the side selected will have any problem disposing of El Salvador, judging by past tactics from them and should be a good game at an early but reasonable time for us around 10:30am I believe tomorrow.

Thanks for the interest from a large number of you, this simply wouldn't work if there was no interest and hopefully this will be a game to make the majority happy and to show we have strength underneath our top league.

How good was the El Salvador goal! :)

Had to laugh at that moment, might not have been laughing had it been a much closer game though.

Anyway a 10 - 1 win, quite a reasonable performance, should see us gain a few more ranking points :).

Well we improve to 30th on the ranking list. We're 42 ranking points behind 27th and 28th. Problem is I'm not actually sure just how many weeks we've got left to make the difference up. I was almost certain the rankings were drawn when elections started, thus should be either end of the next round, or the round after.

Assuming we were to win the next game, we could probably get to 1940-1945 ranking points which would see us about 15-20 short of 27th currently. A win to us and 3 losses to the above 3 teams might potentially see us scrape into 27th, so I haven't given up hope just yet of a 2nd seed. That loss to Turkiye isn't looking so good right now :(.

Well, that is pretty annoying. Costa Rica have arranged a game against Ghana it seems despite myself sending a reminder message on Sunday morning. I'll try to do what I can to get us another game which allows us to use our competition side but I won't sacrifice ranking points at this stage when we're within striking distance of a 2nd seed.
(editado)

good, idea, it's not like there won't be a competition match, just it could be a little later

Would be nice if you could give another free week to Maras and Willis. I already have serious problems with making my starting line up[best def has red card, best strikers has poor form, 2nd best striker is injured] and I have to play a promotion game...

yeah that's fine, if we end up with a competition game still running this week, you're welcome to select any australian player you wanted to, doesn't restrict your chance to just those you have.

Ok :) I guess I'll have a go with one of the legends :)

Not looking very positive for a game tomorrow. Have tried to arrange a game with virtually anyone over the past 2-3 days, most already booked out. I'll keep trying though, right up until the updates tomorrow. Apologies if we end up not getting a game tomorrow, didn't plan for us to be in this situation, had expected to use the competition players against Costa Rica and as a result of the cancellation, things haven't gone too well since.

As a result of not getting a competition side out this week, I will try and use it either against Moldova in week 1 or sometime next season (assuming I get re-elected) but it will be done.