Season 6 Start
Buffs Mad had a quiet start to the opening day of Season 6. An early look at the market threw up some tempting prospects but just not quite good enough to merit entering the fierce competition.
Transfer Targets
Buffs Mad remains on the look out for a good young DL/DC and an AMR/MR. Non urgent targets include an additional Striker and new MC cover.
Training Priorities
Buffs Mad has it in mind to experiment with a multi-role winger. 19 yo Jimmy Johnstone, AMC/AMR has been selected for that role. 19 yo Jim Baxter will also be asked to focus on Shadowing the Striker and will receive specialist training in that area.
Prospects in the Cups
Champions League
The Group Phase looks routine. However there is one stand-out contender for the trophy - a 6* Canadian side, 5Q average above the Buffs. It is however hoped that the Buffs will have closed the quality gap by at least half before the Group phase ends.
So the Buffs are not favourites but they will be contenders.
Cup
Buffs Mad breathed a sigh of relief when he was informed that they had drawn a Level 9 Cup (and avoided a Level 10 like the Gypsy fortune-teller had predicted).
Who knows what will happen.
Code:D1 Cup P Kenny Dalglish (ST) Hamstring 3 Days Healed Full D1 Cup P Alex McLeish (DL/DC) ACT Tear 5 days Not healed D2 Cup P James McFadden (AMC) Ankle Strain 2 Days Not Healed D5 League Bobby Murdoch (MC) Ankle Strain 2 Days Not healed
Not kept this up todate. I've had 1 more in-game injury to GK McGregor, 2 days and 3 training injuries since D5.
Last edited by Buffs Mad; 09-14-2014 at 12:23 PM.
Thank you Alfyan, and you too, all the best.
Update
Bit of a mixed but acceptable start.
Cup: Karsiyaka were set out in 3N-2W-2N-1-2 and Buffs marched on in a ND. An 8-0 win with 4 goals in each half was enough to plan for the next round. Dalglish hit a hat-trick and was stretchered off in the 1st half. Buffs Mad relaced him with another AMC to go 4-1-2N-2N-1 DL Alex McLeish was stretchered off in the 2nd half and repleced by OOP DC.
Goals: Dalglish (4, 26, 40), McFadden (19, 66, 76), McCoist (81), Gemmill (86).
Cup: Buffs FC step out at home for the second leg of the Cup preliminary and lose 2-1. The Buffs don't have a shot at goal (never mind on target) until 40 mins. -.- Buffs score in 43 mins and concede in 54 and 69.
3rd injury in 2 matches as McFadden strains his ickle ankle and has to leave. Buffs Mad said "Man up, lightweight!" The Cup statisticians throw 6 ratings around like confetti to both teams.
Goals: McCoist (43).
The Buffs Barmy Army chant "You stick your effing troll up yer *toot* *toot*. You can...."
PS. We're through
League: Buffs FC stutter and misfire in the new league campaign with a 2-2 draw at home.
Dalglish put the Buffs ahead on 15 mins and it stayed that way until HT. Not long after the restart the visitors levelled. It took until 80 mins for the Buffs to regain the lead after intense pressure on the vistors saw one of the corners converted. But the Buffs threw away 2 points when they were hit straight from the restart. 2-2 after a tight end to end game.
Afterwards Buffs Mad said "Everyone rated 7 or 8 so there were no complete failures but that little something extra was missing. However, 5 FKs without a goal is unforgivable - that must change or heads will roll."
No team won by more than 2 goals today so this might be the shape of things to come in this league this season - the Buffs sit 8th.
Goals: Dalglish (15, 80)
PS: Hopefully no-one noticed that Buffs Mad forgot to include FK Specialist McStay in the starting line-up. O.o
Champions League: The Buffs get off to a winning start with a 5-0 win.
Having neglected his favoured 4-5-1V recently Buffs Mad got the wingers on and AML Jim Baxter helped himself to a hat-trick. Striker McCoist seemed to tire badly suddenly so Dalglish came off the bench for last 18.
Goals: Baxter (15, 49, 55), McCoist (25), Dalglish (78).
Next rounds the Buffs take on a slightly higher Q team in the Cup and an equal quality, long-time rival, in the league.
I used to do short bits in the General and bigger write ups on here but it got to be too much. So I just write in General (which I use as a kind of Results Service ) and then copy here so I've got them in one place.
[If I have an intersting game or get inspiration I do a bigger write up here. (Until then I'll just copy 2 days worth over here in the one post).]
Catch-up
Cup Qualifying: Having not been impressed by def c-a on 4-5-1V on the very few occasions he had tried it, Buffs Mad decided to give it a proper go this Season in the Cup.
Opposition set up in a 4-5-1 Flat and Buffs, as above, went 4-5-1V in a Defensive (Force) Counter-attacking stylee.
Buffs FC won 4-0 at home. Buffs Mad was quite impressed given that his Left and Right Backs scored alongside the Left Winger and Left MC. Lone Striker McCoist gave 2 assists. But its early days yet.
Goals: Baxter (28), Gemmell (32), McGrain (59), Gemmill (76).
League: Buffs FC gain a valuable 2-1 away win vs same Q opponent - a fierce rival from past seasons (and one who had a sneaky practice friendly in the wee small hours this morning).
Opposition started in a 4-4-1-1 and Buffs remained in their 4-5-1V from earlier. With a 0-0 stalemate, at half time the opposition switched to 4-3W-1-2 and Buffs changed to Normal and stopped forcing c-a.
Baxter came off the bench to replace McFadden on the left but the home side took the lead in 60 mins after a cross from a FK was nodded home. McCoist soon levelled it as he half-volleyed a Johnstone cross in off the bar. Johnstone was then replaced by Henderson and Murdoch came on for the over-worked McStay in midfield.
In 80 mins Buffs hearts sank as McGrain got a straight red for a shirt-pull on the edge of the box but the shot skimmed the bar. The Buffs were now forced ito a 3-5-1V but upped the pressure and Baxter found Henderson with a through ball but it was blocked. The home side just couldn't get out and Henderson once more picked up the ball on the egde of the box, shimmied right and rifled the shot into the top corner.
The Buffs had to withstand 2 more FK scares and Gemmell was booked. At the death McCoist missed a 1-on-1 when through on goal and as the ball slid past the whistle went.
A tough match and although Buffs shaded possession and shot chances were the same, the Buffs have McGregor to thank for 2 good saves from the 5 FKs they conceded.
Buffs go 4th.
League: *sings* "The wheels on the bus go 'round and 'round....."
..........then they fall off and the Buffs plunge into a precipice of despair as they crash 2-0 away from home.
The Buffs just never got going in a game they should've won.....but didn't. The Buffs are 6th, all is not lost. But.....
Another injury today and MC Paul McStay picked up his 3rd booking of the season.
Champions League: In a pre-match interview Buffs Mad announced that stability and consistency were the watchwords and no radical formation changes would be made with a return to 4-5-1V where possible.
Jaws therefore dropped as the Buffs lined up in a 3-5-2 for the away match vs FC Black White who would play in a 4-1-3W-2. O.o (the idiot just can't help himself)
The Buffs took a quick 2 goal lead inside 10 mins as they went on the rampage. But their fragility to counterattacks, leaving too much space to exploit, saw the Buffs concede many corners and a dbl corner in 24 mins pegged them back. But the Buffs went 2 ahead again just before ht to go into the break 3-1 up. Again a dbl corner from the opposite side this time saw it pulled back to 3-2. It wasn't until the 84th minute before the nerves were settled and Dalglish scored the final goal of the match for a 4-2 win.
Buffs 3-man defence performed well rating 8s and the strike pair rated 9s. But surely the Corner Count at 9-2 to the home side will force Buffs Mad to steer a more stable course? (Doubtful )
Goals: McCoist (1, 37), Dalglish (8, 84).