Asunto: Weekly Friendly Comp

Looks like I go to the top on GD now :).

I think I don't need to comment on how the match went now since all teams are anyway going with their weak squad for training lol. My friendly match team is strong because I prefer training my younger and weaker players in league games as opposed to friendly games since anyway the teams that I play against in league games are very weak and a win is almost always guaranteed hehe.
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I could do the same, but I don't think it's in the spirit, unless both teams agree to do so for the same game. Just my opinion. :)
Still, if that's my B team v your A team, then not a lot in it, apart from player's individual ratings.

Next fixtures - Round 4
Portland Juniors v Mongrels
The Comets v Pune FC
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Team W D L GD Pts

Comets 2 1 0 10 7
Pune FC 2 1 0 8 7
Mongrels 1 0 1 -4 3
Juniors 0 0 2 -14 0

1 change from the last game.

MacVean replaces Ettehadieh as leftback to strengthen that position. Will also be his 1st game of the league.
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The battle for outright top spot is on this week!! Or will be a stalemate?!

I think I need a win over here to top the group stage (assuming a repeat of the 1st rd results). Nietnagal who wasn't present during the 1st match against Comets might just make the difference this time around. He's the top goalscorer with 6 goals in 2 games.
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I'm not even a part of this friendly comp and I'm enjoying watching it and hearing the commentry

Hehe, nice to hear.

Hopefully we can expand to 6 next season & rope in somebody with Plus, so it's a proper league set up without having to organise weekly games.

Definitely can do that.

Congrats on the win, think it was a steal though. 55% possession, 15 shots to 6, once again dominating the 2nd half and I still go down 2-1. Needless to say the only time you looked like scoring was from a random fumble and you got gifted that twice. I also then copped an injury to a defender to add to it. I shouldn't have lost the first game against you but I think this was even bigger in my favour for almost the entire match had everything under control other than the scoreboard :).

Good thing it's a friendly or else I'd be quite a bit more annoyed at that.

Agreed. In many ways, this was similar to the 1st round game, almost the same storyline. Chances for me in the 1st half, a fumble from 1 of your defender (Franker), with my striker nicely positioned (Salgado), slots it in. Hasn't been many weeks since Salgado joined my club, but he isn't making me miss Tsagas in any way. There was a nice shot from one of your forward in the 3rd minute but Plewnia just saving it. Quite a few long balls from your mids were foiled by my defenders or they were just very close offsides. In the 2nd half again, my players looker like they were low on stamina, especially the mids leaving it open for your mids to push the ball forward and completely dominate the midfield. Fortunately, my defenders were quite vigilant, Gil, Cousins, Ashton and MacVean doing their job well. Ashton on a few occasion fumbled the ball and Svendstrup came dangerously close on some occasions and even scored once, but no more than that. The pace of both your forwards in the 2nd half (Marth and Svendstrup) was really good. And then Galal gets injured to be replaced by Kisnorbo who makes a mistake and then Nietnagal finally comes into the picture with his sprint and then a perfect finish to beat the keeper. Nietnagal was quiet throughout the 1st half but in the 2nd half, he really brought his experience into play.

Overall, I'm quite happy with the win. It was an intense game, well fought by both sides but I'm delighted to go one up and now lead the points table.
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Needless to say the only time you looked like scoring was from a random fumble and you got gifted that twice.

The 2nd fumble was very close to the half line but what a sprint that was by Nietnagal, right till your GK. I keep him only for these kind of runs and he got me that win. I had mentioned after the 1st rd game, that Nietnagal could've made the difference in the 1st game and he showed it today.


Man of the match from your side for me: Svendstrup (Really dangerous forward you have)
From my side: Cousins (Irish U21 NT defender, almost perfect today)
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Yeah, I gave you the first half by dropping my defensive line back, so it gave you time on the ball, but it was aimed at conserving my stamina as I knew how quickly you ran out last time. Then at half time going 1 down I was quietly confident I'd run over the top and so I changed to the more offensive tactic to take control of the midfield like the last time and that worked really well for me until Galal got injured. Just annoying that your keeper is in tragic form, Svendstrup and Marth are both at the top end in form and still couldn't beat the keeper.

I do wonder if I wasn't playing for training, I'd have set Krushkov as a MID instead of ATT and then perhaps gets more passes off to my strikers creating more chances. Instead he often kept running into your defense or shooting from a long way out. Felt like everytime Marth or Svendstrup got side on they'd just run through your defense and always felt like it was a matter of time before they'd get one past but it didn't eventuate as often as I'd hoped.

Always next time :).

Yeah, I gave you the first half by dropping my defensive line back, so it gave you time on the ball, but it was aimed at conserving my stamina as I knew how quickly you ran out last time.

Didn't know that stamina is based on distance run by the player. I thought that it's based on minutes played. Thanks for letting me know and the DEVs have done a pretty good job then.

Then at half time going 1 down I was quietly confident I'd run over the top and so I changed to the more offensive tactic to take control of the midfield like the last time and that worked really well for me until Galal got injured.

Yeah, I noticed that you brought your defenders a bit ahead and I really love it when the opposition brings their defenders forward.

Felt like everytime Marth or Svendstrup got side on they'd just run through your defense and always felt like it was a matter of time before they'd get one past but it didn't eventuate as often as I'd hoped.

I too felt that but offsides and some brilliant defending and goalkeeping saved me hehe.