Buffs FC (Scottish Team) - server 112

[Buffs Mad]

Since I still had unspent tokens from last season's budget burning a hole in the biscuit tin.....I bought a Scout.

PS. I named him after an existing player so the old 'Steve Nicol' DC/DR was renamed Danny McGrain.



Today's Cup game sees Buffs Mad preparing in hope rather than expectation. Buffs will have a 'Go for it' mentality so it could go horribly wrong, but we'll risk it....I think, erm dunno now.



So its my 3 Scout level players vs his, relatively speaking, 4 World Class + 4 Scouts level dudes. *squeaky bum*

[Buffs Mad]

NB: Long report below, skip to the end for pics.

Buffs FC faced a better quality level 6 side in the Cup having lost the first leg 3-1 at home.

Buffs Mad had considered the options: try to hold out and go for it later or go for it and hope for a position where they could then hold out. He wavered and faltered but eventually settled on the latter. Buffs Mad hoped that dreams would come true but all he expected was bravery from his charges.

So, with the opposition setting up offensively Buffs Mad would be brave too. He matched up his 3 best defenders against the opponents triple-threat strikeforce and thought "We might just get everything our way....might." The rest was easy, Buffs would match the 2 central midfielders with 2 of their own and add a 3rd in the middle motivated to support the forward line. Two wingers would provide width and a flanking attack and a lone striker would probe and hold and hope for the best. Ultimately if the defence held there was a chance, if it failed then Buffs Mad would reach for his book of excuses and be ready for the flack. Buffs had to attack.

Buffs kicked off and retained possession well. They huffed and puffed on the flanks but were repelled on the edge of the box. It would take a mistake to unlock this defence, and the mistake came on 9 minutes when Baxter was hauled down. McStay thought "be brave" and he was, as his direct strike went in off the back post. 1-0, 2 more needed.

Buffs hearts were in their mouths on 12 minutes when a break put the home side through but the shot was bundled out. The corner came in and McLeish put it behind again. Things never look good when pressure results in a double corner but McGregor covered his box to claim the cross. It was Deja vu on 15 minutes when again Baxter cut in and again his speed forced the error - down he tumbled. McStay took no run up, feinting the flicked cross and then floated it over the wall in at the near post. Goal and 2-0.

Buffs Mad said to assistant Otto Teem, that boy might just be the key to this match. That's 31 goals he's scored in 36 matches - from midfield! The opposition defence must've thought the same. With harmless possession for McStay in the middle suddenly he went down under an innocuous challenge. Buffs Mad saw differently. "Stamp, a stamp!" he bellowed as he willed for McStay to rise. Souness kicked the ball out - clearly worried. Rise? It wasn't going to happen, a broken foot was the diagnosis. The Buffs looked to the ref, a card wasn't going to happen either. Bremner was rushed on as the stretcher carried McStay off.

"That's a game-changer" thought Buffs Mad and on 24 minutes pressure from the home side was valiantly defended by the Buffs rearguard at the expense of a corner. Nicol had the cross covered but faltered and the home side's striker stole in in front of him and bulleted home a header. Buffs absorbed a lot of pressure in the remainder of the half with just one counter-attack from themselves - but McLeish was commanding in defence and not only was he imperious in his own role but he was effective in covering the backs of Nicol & Gough too, who veered from steady to shaky, from one moment to the next. In they went at half time - Blues FC 1 Buffs FC 2.

Buffs Mad rallied the squad to the cause. "Be brave" was the continuing message. "Let's tighten at the back, let's defend with precision - if we blunt their attack and keep concentration then we have the firepower to cause more problems." "Another goal will give us a chance" he thought, "but if we can steal 2 then the difference is huge and we can do it."

Blues FC restarted and went on the attack. Gough stepped in a cleared the danger. Blues pressed again and Nicol stood firm and the ball was cleared. All the time McLeish was talking, animated, encouraging and putting his head to everything. Relief came 5 mins in with a frew kick to the Buffs at a distance. McLeish stepped up and narrowly dragged it wide - but it broke the momentum. Buffs midfield began to exert control. On the 62nd minute Willie Henderson was released on the right. Wee Willie sent in the cross, it looked long, until Baxter ghosted in at the back and headed home. 3-1 and the tie was all square on aggregate. Buffs Mad whispered to himself "One more goal will have double the worth - they'd never come back. Just one more."

It was Baxter's turn to dance into space on the right but he was forced wide and his deflected cross went out. McLeish saw the jostling at the front and back posts and instead floated an inviting ball towards the penalty spot. Party-loving Souness had never declined an invitation yet and leapt and twisted to volley home. That was the 3 goal lead Buffs Mad dreamt of and the precious 4th away goal. But, in all the excitement Buffs Mad had forgotten to ready the subs. Bremner was ordered back into a 4-man defence, the wingers withdrawn to midfield and Law left alone up front.

A wave of pressure nearly engulfed the Buffs but McLeish marshalled his colleagues. Only a long ball out relieved the pressure. McGrain was now ready to come on for Bremner at right back as Law held the ball up. The crowd waited for Law to put it out and allow the switch, but the Lawman was defiant and turned his marker, then down he went. A FK but no booking - it was the softest of awards but the most welcome. McLeish could blast it out and the change would be made - and blast it he did, right into the top corner. The Buffs Barmy Army went wild. They had dared to dream but this was beyond that. 5-1 and 24 minutes left. Surely Buffs were home and hosed.

The Blues seemed incensed. The Buffs were upstarts, this wasn't in the script, they were just jumped up pantry boys who never knew their place. The Buffs relaxed momentarily and soon paid the price. A neat 1-2 sent the Blues striker clear and the Buffs fans were silenced as he stroked home. But the Barmy Army rose again. They roared. 18 minutes left. And the Buffs, carried along on a wall of sound, took control once more. They were harried and pressed but held on to the ball. The Blues broke but were blunted, dived in but were sidestepped and bullied but were brushed off. Buffs were killing the game. The last action was Johnstone coming on for Henderson in 88 minutes. Then the final whistle came.

The Buffs players danced and hugged, the visiting fans roared & careered and in the midst Buffs Mad stood still, absorbing the moment. Otto Teem shook him. Buffs Mad turned and said "Don't you just love it when a plan comes together" then smiled and lost the plot. This was his finest hour. Triumph beyond hope. He went crazy hoping that such uncontrolled joy would reinforce the memory. There would be no silverware, yet, but this time was to be cherished. And Buffs Mad lived it, felt it and tucked it away.

[The Avenue]

Excellent result and an excellent read! Steady the Buffs indeed!

[Buffs Mad]

Excellent result and an excellent read! Steady the Buffs indeed!

Thanks Avy. Sorry it was so long but it was a better result than expected and I ended up getting carried away. Tidied it up a bit.

------------------------------------

So Buffs will await the draw. They are the last Level 4 team among 2 Level 5s and a lvl 7, the rest are 6s. Here's hoping that 7 is some abandoned crap because, like Scotland were destined to draw new minnows Gibraltar in the Euro Qualifiers it feels like Buffs are destined to match up to them.

In a later fixture Buffs won 7-1 in the league. Its strange how expectations change as the result was tinged with sadness - this was the first goal conceded in the league campaign and should have been avoided. But Buffs sit top, 3 pts clear.

Tomorrow Buffs FC will welcome second bottom Bird FC on league business then its off to Turkey to meet Derbeder, the Group's strongmen - well its assumed they're strong since they're propping up everyone else.

[David Malone]

Congrats on the win!

[Buffs Mad]

Thank you David.

Buffs were in action today in the league and then the Champions League. Both looked like routine wins and they were: 6-0 at home was followed by 9-0 away. There were 6 different scorers in the league and highest scorer in the CL was Dalglish with a hat-trick.

Buffs sit top of the league with a 100% record and 33 goals after 5 matches, 3pts clear of 2nd. In the Champions League Buffs are top of the group with a 100% record and 23 goals from 3 matches, 3 pts clear of second.

Tomorrow the Buffs venture on to the dizzy heights of the Cup Playoffs where they have drawn Skeleton FC, one of only 2 remaining level 5 sides in the draw. Although of similar quality to the Buffs this represents Buffs best chance to progress - so expect them to fall flat on their face. *chuckles* Skeleton appear to favour a 3N-2WB-3N-2 formation. Buffs Mad has been drilling the team recently on a 3N-3N-2W-2 but might opt for a 3-5-2. But no decision has been made yet.

[Buffs Mad]

Buffs won 4-0 away in the Cup today. Having seen the opposition in action and with a closer look at their team I suspect the team was abandoned last season: 1 OOP player (MC as ST) and 2 subs were older 3* players. Still, my team did a good job in getting the result anyway.

So unless I've got it completely wrong we should be OK in the return at home.

We'll give the Spotlight now to Paul McStay - a Scout purchase last season. McStay's prefered role as MC is in the heart of a 3 man flat mid line or on the right of a 2. He does particularly well with a red arrow when its appropriate (to give midfield support for an attacking flanking formation). However there is another midfielder I want to try out in the same role so he might sit to the right more consistently for a few games.

As a FK specialist he's been deadly and thus is running up a nice goal tally for an MC. In one game he scored from 2 free-kicks six minutes apart before breaking his foot 18 minutes into the match. If we can get a bit more of a league lead we'll train him harder and try to get him set up for an early 6th star next season.


Paul McStay

[Buffs Mad]

Pretty uninspiring couple of games this round so no big write-ups.

Buffs started out at home in the league to the 2nd placed side. This side were a bit of a surprise package - after losing to an old Buffs franchise side (Celtic Rangers) in round 1 they went on a 5 game winning streak, albeit winning narrowly. The visitors often lined up in an aggressive 4-2-1-3 so Buffs slipped into a comfortable 4-5-1V to see how things panned out.

The visitors got off to a bright start and threatened 3 times in the opening 10 mins. Buffs were very sluggish with no real threat - everything was off target - but the breakthrough came after a tame Law shot was deflected behind in 35 mins. McLeish crossed for Fletcher to nod home. At half-time Fletcher came off and Souness on. The game descended into a march through mud, no guile, no class just heavy legged cumbersome play littered with mistakes. On 65 minutes Souness got lively when he tried to half an opposition player in two. Luckily it was only yellow. But suddenly things kicked into life. In the following 14 minute spell Buffs recorded 10 shots, 4 on target and scored 3 times. Were we set for a barnstorming finish? Nope. Everyone went to sleep again and the referree did well to wake on 90 and blow for time up.

With just a short rest (apart from the long sleep in the previous match) Buffs were at home again in the Champions League for the 4th tie in the Group. Opposition was set up in a 4-1-3-1-1 so Buffs Mad sent his boys out in a 3-5-2V, although thinking that he might pull the wingers inside a bit if things got stale. Buffs ran out 7-0 winners. Alex McLeish was in truth the star man (2 goals, an assist and commanding defensive display) but the statisticians seemed mesmerised by Jim Baxter's flair (2 goals, an assist and endless running) and gave him the Man of the Match award.

Buffs now face the new 2nd place team Ahtariyo FC, away, who are also 2nd to the Buffs in the CL group. They are an ND side so we can expect Buffs to adopt 4-5-1V again....unless a surprise comes. (It should also be noted that both managers continue to support each other in games despite the rivalry).

Then after the shortest of rests the Buffs have the 2nd leg of their Cup Playoff. With a 4-0 lead from the 1st leg Buffs Mad might take the opportunity to give a run out to new signing, AMC James McFadden but only if the 1st half goes satisfactorily.

EDIT: 16 seems to be the number of the day, Buffs Top Scorer has 16 goals this term, Top Assister = 16 and Top Appearance is 16. Buffs Mad, for fear of bringing a curse on the club, has now vowed to drink 16 bottles of lager. He has to.

[BeckStar]

Don't buy scouts !!! I'm desperetlly trying to catch you by average quality hahahah, was ahead in the start of the season u wasnt into the transfer window yet ;P.. so ya im behinde again 35.4 vs 37.1 What are your W D L for thoes 16games we had till now ? ;D
p.s: Congratz for the cup ;P i would have had a heartattack if this happened to me.

[Buffs Mad]

Don't buy scouts !!! I'm desperetlly trying to catch you by average quality hahahah, was ahead in the start of the season u wasnt into the transfer window yet ;P.. so ya im behinde again 35.4 vs 37.1 What are your W D L for thoes 16games we had till now ? ;D
p.s: Congratz for the cup ;P i would have had a heartattack if this happened to me.

You'll catch up soon - 4 days until my academy guys drop in so should come down then.

Obviously I'm: 0 0 16 16 goals lost in 1 match was a killer. O.o

Just hoping to get to the Knock-out stage in the Cup, never been that far with the Buffs,

Oops, think its time to change my avatar back.