Buffs FC (Scottish Team) - server 112

[Buffs Mad]

History

Buffs FC was formed on 8th April 2014 and features the managerial debut of Buffs Mad.
(Buffs Mad's original name is unclear but it is rumoured he changed it by Deed Poll to impress the Board.)


Season 8 - Level 8





Formation

The team uses 4-5-1 V as its goto formation although the players are being coached to cover a variety of positions and offer flexibility.

Squad roles are key to pre-match and in-game tweaking to almost any formation with a minimum of fuss (or subs).

In Season 3 Buffs Mad has been exploring further flexibility, often starting in 4-1-4-1 with the option of slipping seamlessly into V style and also looking at 3-5-2 flat more often. Season 4 has seen more experimentation with 3 man defence formations with 3-5-2V and its one srtiker variant 3-1-3N-2W-1 looking promising.

Feeder teams have constantly experimenting with various defensive counter-attacking forms - these are looking like powerful options against those 'always attacking mentality' formations, regularly producing 'unexpected' results with a squads of decent defensive quality players..

Playing Squad

The Season 14 Squad starting Squad has been bolstered to 15 by a single Academy recruit.



The Scouting Network is currently working hard to secure 5 Youngsters: 2DCs, 2 Wingers and a Striker. Additionally a minimum of 2 further One Season Wonders are sought for the central midfield roles before any existing player can be allowed to depart.

The following players ave represented the Buffs over 200 times:

• Steve Nicol, 230 games

Season Plan

While ordinarly Buffs FC's priorities are Promotion, Knockout Stages of CL and Cup the Season 14 target is the Treble.

A small Q-manipulation strategy is in place with the continuing decline of the 3 Stooges - its hoped that if the Buffs can achieve a Level 16 Cup for the 3rd Season in succession that this Season represents the start of a Treble run. Failing that it should at least produce a more consistent showing in the Cup.

Facilities & Infrastructure

Current policy is to build an upgrade stadium for official opening on the first day of the new season.

The Upgrading of Abbey Park to a Pro Arena is complete and refurbishment to a World Arena has already begun.



Management Outlook

When interviewed about the impending Season, Buffs Mad paraphrased some wise words from another Scottish great...." Squeaky bum time! Bring it on.".

Lead on MacBuff.

*Feeder Club

The Buffs Franchise also includes 1 active 35T team:

Celtic Rangers, Lvl 1 - ths dormant team which had a Cup run of 4 wins in 5 Seasons has been revived again.
Shangalang FC, Lvl X - this team has been abandoned pending a hoped for server switch.
OMA representatives - the Franchise currently has no team playing in OMA Masters League.

Fluff

[John Naish]

Looks like a good team you have there. Good luck for this season!

[Buffs Mad]

Thanks, steady enough start to the season.

Day 1 was merely 2 wins in the cup against an abandoned team. Day 2 was more eventful.

First up was a league match. Looked to be tight affair with opponent 3pts ave Q higher, playing 4-1-2-1-2 narrow diamond, so I set up a bit 'safe' opting for a 4-5-1V in defensive mentality (but still with 2 wingers pushing on). Had most of the possession but he had most of the threat. Very tense. Both defenses stood up to the challenge manfully until my lone striker split though the defense in the 78th minute, shimmied round the goalkeeper and then - as this caring/sharing guy usually does - passed for an MC to score.

Second up was my first venture into the CL. Buffs FC looked to be heavy favourite on paper against a flat 3-4-3 2star side. I got a bit lazy and just switched to offensive mentality leaving formation as is. A pretty unexciting 3-0 resulted. That said, my AMR/AMC on the right was inspired: coming in for a header from a freekick on the left, a 'mazey-dribble' solo effort with a chip over the keeper to finish and a shot from distance in off the bar. A hat-trick hero - 7 goals in 4 games for him so far this season. (He'll probably break his leg tomorrow.)

Cup and league tomorrow in the afternoon so I'll need to watch some videos for extra rests some time.

[Mateusz Komendołowicz]

Hey !

You have a nice team and keep going.
If I were you i would focus on getting better wings, cause at the moment they're weaker than center.

Cheers and good luck

[Buffs Mad]

Yeah I'll work on it.

We had a little 'blip' today. 2x 1-1 draws at home in cup and away in league - 38 shots, 2 goals.....someone check the size of those goalposts please.

Tomorrow will be better.

[Buffs Mad]

First up today saw a nice 2-0 victory away in CL - 2 early goals then hung on. The target's on our (collective) back now.

The return to league action produced a 5-1 win at home. 3 first half goals and then 2 more in the last 6 minutes when the opposition started chasing the game. Not sure if we'll hold onto 2nd place with 2 results still to come in.

Tough day to come tomorrow with an away game against the league leader (and the 1st friend I added) then an away tie in the cup where we need to turn around that 1-1 home draw.

Following those early games, and the sale of 2 squad players overnight, we took a delve in the transfer market, securing a 5* AML/ML Hot Prospect as well as 'rolling the dice' and taking in a 4* 18yo MC from the Youths for 12 tokens.

So budget gone again. Need to look out some price tags for those further down the pecking order.

[Buffs Mad]

With both teams evenly matched this game was going to be a Management clash. The home team stole a march on the visiting Buffs with a clever tactical switch in the last minute pre-match pushing forward 2 AMs. Buffs tried to get a DMC on as soon as possible but the referee ignored their pleas until 6 mins in - by which time they were one behind. A tense even match thereafter with chances at either end but no more goals. Following half-time home team again proved they were faster out the blocks with another early goal. Buffs ramped up the pressure looking for some hope to cling to but failed to convert chances immediately - a header past the post and a ball blazed over the bar ("What a miss!"). However, the home team were getting nervous and pulled their AML back but were unable to keep the plucky Buffs out. 2-1! and light at the end of the tunnel. Buffs took off their DMC and pushed on another striker. They tried valiantly to rescue a draw for the travelling fans but to no avail with the home side parking the bus and bring on further defensive cover. In the end the home side deserved the win with greater tactical nous.

Defeated and a 5 point gap opened up but all is not lost. Just like that rubber ball....we'll bounce back.

Starting Formations:



Highlights:



Game Stats:



Ratings:

[Buffs Mad]

Lol, although Buffs FC are finding things competitive, my little referral team is still doing well with further progression in the Cup this AM.

4x9 in the ratings >.<

[Buffs Mad]

We start this report on Day 7 with a catch up on yesterday evening's Cup game. With Buffs having been held to a 1-1 draw at home they had to score. From the off the Buffs went hard and fast but were leaving themselves open. End to end stuff but nothing convincing in front of goal for either side. Several warnings and a yellow had already been flashed by the ref when Buffs' Lintang Paraibabo was scythed down on the far touch line. The stretcher was immediately on. Shuffle the deck.

The second half began like the first ended, fast and furious, full of guts n graft but very little guile. (It was like Rambo but without the well crafted dialogue.) It seemed like a stalemate but Buffs kept stepping up the pressure with a header past the post and a deflection off the right back. The hosts threw themselves in front of everything and continued to threaten on the break. Buffs Mad signalled kamikaze mode for the last 10 mins. The Buffs threw everything at them, including the kitchen sink - but even that hit the bar.

And to sum up the day, on 89 minutes > deflection > clearance > breakaway > goal! 1-0 to the home side and it was game over, cup finished and time for the inquest to start.

But back to the league and with Buffs in 3rd after defeat to the leaders they really needed a tonic. The medical team had worked wonders on Paraibabo and it paid off - 2 goals and 1 assist was the perfect antidote to last nights malaise. Buffs ran out 4-0 winners but still shot-shy Jordan Gibson couldn't get in on the goals. In a remarkable turn of events however the top 2 teams shared a 4-4 gut wringing encounter. Buffs remain in 3rd but with just 3pts between the teams. In quality terms, a mere 1.5 ave Q separates 5 of the top 6 teams so this league will be fought not only out on the pitch and in the dug-out but also in the boardrooms. The Scouts will be busy (and by the looks of some of the squads they already have been).

No let up for the Buffs tho - CL action beckoned. Buffs came out the traps fast with a goal in 3 mins for Paraibabo but were rocked on their heels when DMC, Patrick Pittracher was red carded for a professional foul in the box and the penalty was slotted home. One minute there's a light at the end of the tunnel, the next there is the horn of a train. Buffs Mad, fuelled by a growing sense of injustice signalled the charge. Did it work? 8 goals later we had our answer with a 9-1 triumph. Even Gibson managed to score....just once tho. So 5 pts clear and +13 gd, looking good.

Only one game tomorrow as Buffs take on the 3rd placed team. They just keep coming.

[Buffs Mad]

With no Cup game *sniffle* its Team News Time. Its been a busy week.

Out: Jack Donnelly, MC (408k); James Marshall, MC (509k); Suriya Permdee, GK (110k); David Robertson, RWB (80k); Lubomir Jakobovsky, DMC (127k); Jeremiah Jehloh, DC (560k); & Melo Melo, MC (690k). Some other makeweights were also asked not to let the door hit their backsides on the way out.
In: On day 1 DL ZdenekRacko (5*), DR Sandor Urban Szabo (4*) and DMC Patrick Pittracher (4*) signed up to the Buffs. Wingers Marc Kalkoul (left) (5*) and Lintang Paraibabo (right) (4*) arrived midweek.

Training: Paraibabo achieved his 5th star after an excellent training session last night as did Jordan "Oh, you mean between the posts" Gibson. Szabo will gain his fifth this evening.)

Pending: A proposal has been put to the Board regarding a Hot Prospect MC, identified by the Scouting team.

Current Squad:


Tonight its back to league business.