iLandslaget - Swedish team

[PeterMeter]

As if the football gods had been cruelly made aware of iLandslaget's hitherto perpendicular rise, a short series of matches have surely raised the ire of the swedish manager and his bosses, as it did the eyebrows of the gathered journalists and football fans. iLandslaget have not won for 3 straight games, something that has not happened to the prolific team in more than 3 seasons.
Fans and rivals alike have been quick to point fingers, question line-ups as well as speculated regarding the manager's, and the team's, passion to go on in their winning ways. This follows a week where the manager and his backers made a few forays into the Transfer Market and moving on non-performers in the squad.

Today marks the halfway point of iLandslaget's fifth season and while not winning the League would call for a collapse of legendary proportions, in spite of thai-team FC being just one point behind, doubters are beginning to feature more and more frequently in the press. The Swedes are on an unbeaten in 14-games league run carrying on from the last game of Season 4, having racked up 37 pts from the first 13 games of this season. 2nd placed thai-team FC are now just one point behind, having lost their only game to iLandslaget in one of the first games of this season and the two teams will clash again in 24 hours time.

What follows is a break down of the 13 other teams competing for the League Title in iLandslaget's division;

thai-team FC is a sister-team of iLandslaget and have done well to compete in the league, lying in 2nd place with a record of 12-0-1 raking up 36 pts.
They have an average quality of 31.9*, an average age of 29.5 years and are valued at 18.3M. They play a traditional 4-4-2 and have a few star performers in their starting eleven but the squad overall looks paper-thin. Veteran central midfielder Dirk de Jonge (44*) will have to continue his great form and carry the team through parts of the season as he has the quality and experience to compete with the best.

Kawan f.c are currently in 3rd, but it looks likely that they will drop back to 4th as they've played one more game than closest rivals PEAH. Kawan f.c have a huge squad, but their star performers are easily singled out as the quality is generally low, with an average rating of 29.3*, an average age of 27.8 years and are valued at 21.7M.
Chilean right winger and playmaker virtuoso Leonardo Espinoza is the team's standout performer with a rating of 42* and aged 28.

PEAH is a spanish team currently placed 4th but with a game in hand on Kawan f.c. They have an average rating of 27.1*, a reasonably young squad with an average age of 24.1 and are valued at 22.3M.
They play a 4-1-2-1-2 with a wide diamond midfield and have a host of quality players without any given star in the group. They have a decent sized squad but without the needed depth to likely do well in more than one competition.

Bilal fc is a team of turkish descent rated at an average of 24.7*, with an average age of 27.9 years and with an estimated value of 9.18M. They are currently placed in 5th place, having broken a 3-game losing streak.
They play a 4-3-1-2 formation with a narrow central midfield but have no real standout performers.

TGYI SPOR is another of the turkish teams that seem to make up the majority of opponents for iLandslaget this year. TGYI SPOR has an ageing squad with a squad average of 29.3 and an average rating of 28.4* with an estimated value of 9.72M. The majority of the small squad are into their 30s and they lack any real bit when compared even to other teams in the league, something that does not bode well for their continued hunt for Champions League-qualification. They play a very adventurous 3-3-2-2 without defensive midfielders to cover their narrow back 3.

Kato FC is a thai team who have failed miserably at following up their one good debut season but still managing to gain promotion every year. They have a young squad of decent size, with an average age of 23.9, an average quality rating of 24* and an estimated value of the squad at 14.7M.
They play a 3-2-2-1-2, a formation that iLandslaget use to some success a few seasons back, but the lack of quality in the squad means they will struggle to gain promotion in this, their 5th season.

U.V.I FC is a brazilian team being steered by a caretaker manager for the foreseeable future. The team might well have had some fortune in their early days but with the previous manager moving on the players have seemingly lost interest. An average quality rating of 28.9*, an average age of 23.5 years in the squad and an estimated squad value of 24.9M means the team should be doing better.
They play a 4-1-2-2-1 with two attacking wingers supporting the lone striker.

Mazio Allstars is a team heiring from Italy with a trophy gallery holding two Cup bronze medals, one Champions League title as well as one league title. They have dropped far from their illustrious history though, rated at an average quality of 27.6*, an average age in the small squad of 26.0 and with an estimated team value of 14.9M.
Mazio Allstars also line up in the popular 3-2-2-1-2 with wingbacks and an attacking midfielder supporting the two strikers, which seem to have garnered them success in earlier seasons. They have no real players of note though.

Adel FC is a french team who iLandslaget first encountered in last year's Champions League play-offs. They have an average quality rating of 28.6* and an average age of 29.5 years. The tiny squad's been valued at 9.45M and the low estimate accurately portrays the lack of prolific players.
They play an assymetric 3-2-3-2 with two wide defenders and a central defensive midfield pairing.

Regenerados is one of the portuguese teams in the league, and definitely one of the more qualitative teams inspite of their low league placing. Regenerados has an estimated value of 16M with a quality rating of 31.4*, one of the highest in the league, something that is explained by the high average age of the squad at 31.5.
The squad is quite small, but holds some degree of quality, with star players goalkeeper Clarck Boule (43*) and central midfielder utilised in left defense Nana Yaw Duncan (42*). The team line up in a 4-1-3-2 with a wide midfield.

Perspolis FC is an iranian team currently in 3rd from the bottom, and it's hard to see them getting anywhere close to the promotion places. The team has an average quality rating of 29.5* and an estimated value of 15.6M with the squad's small size and the average age of 27.1 a big factor in its low estimate.
Two very competent defenders still ply their trade in Perspolis FC though, central defender Rosli Abu Zahar (41*) and right sided defender Angel Rodriguez give the team some much needed stability at the back. They play an assymetric 3-1-2-1-3 line-up and forego possession in favor of having a loaded middle of the pitch.

Alek Family FC hail from Indonesia and are valued at 11.6M with an ageing squad, the average age being 31.0 years and yet with a quality rating of 30.1*.
The team play a 4-1-3-2 with a wide three in midfield, and the only player of note in the small squad is Thomas Pischinger, a central midfielder playing in right back.

EagLeSs is a turkish-based team but their manager have long since been sacked and they now operate under a caretaker manager. The squad is a small one, without any remarkable talent, with a quality rating of 27.3*, an average age of 26.8 and an estimated valuation of the squad at 13.3M.
The team play a 5-2-3, but rather than revolutionize the game the team has fallen further and further down the table.

For the first time in two seasons, iLandslaget are still involved in the Cup at this late stage and when looking at the competition it definitely looks winnable for the team in black and orange.


Since a league win came before the tie with Gyeongju United the team narrowly avoided going without a win for a record 4 games. Disaster averted however, and tomorrow spells a new day for iLandslaget where they will look to kick on in both League and Champions League.

[PeterMeter]

great squad, great formation, and great manager.. I'l waiting your next trophy

Thanks mate! Great to see that you're progressing as well. Like the idea that you're building your team very methodically from the back! Is there any possibility of a Cup-win this year?

[lucky7]

Thanks mate! Great to see that you're progressing as well. Like the idea that you're building your team very methodically from the back! Is there any possibility of a Cup-win this year?

Unfortunately my Cup match ends in Qualifying. :'( My team defeated from lv4 with quality average better than me 39,4. Now, the chance still league and CL ones. I hope this season EFC gets double winners.

Top form with your league and cup. How the CL match?

[PeterMeter]

ONLY THREE DAYS REMAINING OF SEASON 5 FOR iLANDSLAGET!

With only three days remaining of the Season iLandslaget's fans will be overjoyed that their team secured the right to feature in their first Cup Final in the club's history last night. A game that had no real right being that nervy after the Swedish team had Dsc Patrick well beaten in a 6-1 thrashing at home saw a weak performance from iLandslaget in a new formation, something that surely won't be tried again in the final.

In the end, iLandslaget ran out deserved winners in a 7-1 aggregate win and will tomorrow night face Greek team thermia (lvl6 - 45,3*) in the Cup Final.

What must be on every iLandslaget fan's mind though, is the fact that they are still very much in the running for collecting their first ever treble as well. This afternoon will see them face off against PEAH away from home in the League, a team which have already secured their participation in next year's Champions League but their battle is still very much on against Kawan f.c for 3rd place. iLandslaget have managed a 6-point lead in the League, ahead of thai-team FC, and it looks almost a done deal that the Swedes will have sealed the League Title.

Later tonight iLandslaget will play hosts in the second tie against Italian side A.S. Roma, going into the game with a 5-1 aggregate lead from their away game. The Italian side took the lead in that game in the 5th minute but their flat 4-4-2 formation had suited the Swedish team well in other match-ups and it would prove so on this night as well. Goals by Gerailton (10th min), Bouzgarrou (36th min), Sogard (42nd min), Gerailton (84th min) and Dos Santos (90th min) saw iLandslaget run out deserved winners and there can't be any real doubt as to who will advance after tonight's game.

[PeterMeter]

THE OFFICIAL END OF SEASON ROUND-UP, SEASON 5!

The iLandslaget team, coaching staff and manager will have done their board and fans proud with a second consecutive League Title, expected though it may have been. A disappointing slump mid-season saw the team draw with TGYI SPOR in Round 13, ending any hopes of a perfect 26-0-0 season but team's dominance will have shone through anyway with a 25-1-0 and a 124-8 goal difference.


Gerailton de Souza Rodrigues had another stormer of a season, picking up another Golden Shoe-award as well as the Assist League-award and only missing out on the Top Performer-award to Sadatzadeh of thaiteamFC who only played one game with a 9.0 average to Gerailton's 8.48 average over 25 games.




The team and the management will have done something few thought possible though, as the team managed to complete their first ever Treble with a trophy haul extending to the Champions League-trophy, the Cup Trophy and the League Title all in one season.



The team and its coaches were celebrated by the fans in their hometown of Stockholm with supporters turning up in their tens of thousands to honor the team and their accomplishments!
Thoughts of the coming season will be left for the morrow as the team will surely take a night to celebrate their unlikely success, but you have to wonder what can possibly be done to follow up a season such as this one?


There were a few comings and goings throughout the season as the manager tried to cope with the lack of investment in the squad from Board level. Through shrewd businessmanship and patient planning in the transfer market the team was strengthened methodically and extensively.

Nils Liljehook, a Swedish central midfielder was brought in for 6.02m (3T) and got personal training from the coaching staff to develop his playmaking ability. Viktor Hall Tennmark joined shortly thereafter, a right-sided midfielder, going for 6.51m (10T) but so far he's only seen limited playing time due to the formations adapted by the team. Towards the latter part of the season Polychronis Karademitros was bought for 6.25m (7T) to shore up the defense playing down the left but developed to also function centrally.
Jose Carlos Bertoni Monteiro Ribeiro came in as a back-up keeper for Ochej, who then later left the team. JC came in for 4.97m (9T) and went on to play for the first team on a number of occassions in the League. Cem von der Gathen is a young right-sided defender who was brought in for 4.61m (1T) with bags of potential. Marcus Rudolfsson was brought up from the U20-academy but never made the cut and was subsequently sold. Yann Mawene is a young french right-sided midfielder who has seen some playing time toward the last third of the season. He was brought in for 3.77m (4T).
Toward the last few games of the season Jesus Calle, a young central defender of renown potential, was brought in as back-up for the defense for 6.82m (1T). Pablo Rojas was signed as a free agent but was later sold on. The last player to be brought in was goalkeeper Gavin McGrath who was bought for 5.01m (2T).

The players to leave the team this season were as follows;
Central midfielder Yoni Hai was sold for 2.83m while valued at 2.94m.
Left-sided wingback Tiago Valente went for 3.95m and 8T while valued at 2.84m.
Attacking right-sided midfielder Vaclav Kuchar left the team for 4.04m and 7T while valued at 3.04m.
U20-academy graduate Marcus Rudolfsson left the team for 1.38m.
Haytham Boussaidi, the stalward central defender and defensive midfielder left for 2.93m and 2T while valued at 2.73m.
Polish goalkeeper and penalty specialist Stanislaw Ochej was sold for 2.2m while valued at 2.47m.
Pablo Rojas, the young free agent, was sold after failing to impress for 2.72m while valued at 2.64m.

[PeterMeter]

THE OFFICIAL START OF SEASON 6 UPDATE

iLandslaget were seeded into a real hornet's nest of a League this year around, sharing their trophy-hunting grounds with several familiar faces of very varying quality.


Longtime fans of the team will recognize many of the opponents as sister-clubs to the Swedish team and the league promises to be a lot more interesting this year around. Internazionale will be a familiar sight as the teams met in last year's Champions League play-offs and they will surely be eager to get one back on iLandslaget. Romain FC, while weakened since then, pipped iLandslaget to the League Title in Season 3 and finished in 3rd behind iLandslaget and JustLEET FC in Season 4.
The others are acquaintances made along the way during a few seasons of Champions League, but there have been no documented games between the teams and it'll surely be interesting viewing for the neutral observers.

NOW WITH UPDATED TEAM NEWS!
Although the elaborate plan from the board to invest funds through WilliamHill fell through, it would seem the board managed to lose further funds instead of gaining investment, the manager has worked hard to ensure he has a stronger and more versatile squad to choose from as this season promises to be one of the most competetive ones yet.

There were reasonable funds available from the start of the season, iLandslaget's manager starting with an estimated cache of somewhere in the region of 29m. Added to this were the funds from transfers of striker sharpshooter Gary Clancy, sold for 4.61m while valued at 3.27m, as well as ageing once-scouted defender Federico Rodriguez who was sold for 2.73m after seeing his value plummeting to 2.58m as he turned 28 this year.
Earlier today the greatly hyped wonderkid Cem von der Gathen was sold as well, after failing to live up to the extreme expectations his young age and hefty fee had created when he was bought last season for 5.70m (1T). After tough negotiations he was let go for a fee of 7.14m (6T) which at least meant the manager managed to make a profit on his sale.

4 players have been brought in so far, hopefully all of them to feature in the squad as soon as possible. It's been a busy day and so far 3 of the new acquisitions have made their debuts in front of the team's fanatic fans, iFirman.
The players will be presented in the order they were brought in:

Aaron Reilly - bought for 10.04m / 6T, valued at 9.9m


Bernhard Helfer - bought for 9.05m / 10T, valued at 8m


Hugo Roda - bought for 10.14m / 6T, valued at 9.9m


Valentin Laskov - bought for 9.27m / 6T, valued at 8.7m


There have been several contacts from other clubs regarding iLandslaget players so only time will tell how the squad will take shape through the season. A change of scenery for back-up goalkeeper JC has been on the cards but so far none of the offers have matched the manager's valuation of the talented youngster.

[PeterMeter]

iLandslaget saw off carbonero in the opening game of the League season with a routine 6-0 victory at home. This was followed up with a 4-1 win in the first game of the Champions League group stage.

The first day of the League saw a surprise defeat for Internazionale, seeing them dropped to the 2nd to last place in the table. It'll definitely be interesting to see how the League takes shape as there are several teams with enough quality to cause problems for each other, and too many teams with enough quality to see them expect Champions League-football next season.

[Ljepoje]

iLandslaget saw off carbonero in the opening game of the League season with a routine 6-0 victory at home. This was followed up with a 4-1 win in the first game of the Champions League group stage.

The first day of the League saw a surprise defeat for Internazionale, seeing them dropped to the 2nd to last place in the table. It'll definitely be interesting to see how the League takes shape as there are several teams with enough quality to cause problems for each other, and too many teams with enough quality to see them expect Champions League-football next season.

Nice! Seems that you and me are experiencing the same in the league competition.

It's more or like Balkan Boyz, FC Kula and Iztik that are the "main" candidates for the league title this season. Iztik lost his 1th opening game against a weaker team, and we managed to beat FC Kula away this morning. This gives us more or less a +3point a head start just after 2 rounds. The rest are low quality teams that we need to "hump, hump all night long".

Good Luck!

[PeterMeter]

And so we've finally reached day 16 of this season, and the 13th round of the League season, meaning we've reached the halfway point of yet another thrilling iLandslaget-season. Although the team has seen minimal investment, the manager wonder-worker has managed to turn the squad around a bit. Some deadweights have been moved on, and a few of the loyal have had to be released for the team to be able to kick on.

The exit from the Cup was a major setback in the team's plans for this season, with all of the teams still remaining in it definitely looking beatable for the Swedes. This has meant that the manager and his coaching staff have been able to work hard on the development on the players.
The squad on this day looks as follows (with the exception of Joakim Sogaard having been sold for 4.21m and 1T):


The League has been a great joy for fans allover the world to follow. iLandslaget ended up in the same league as no less than 10 of their sister-teams and we've been treated to some great games so far this season with hard battles being fought to gain one of the elusive Champions League-places. Only 6 pts separate 8th placed TSV Bärnau, who managed to draw their game against iLandslaget, and 2nd placed Fontainhas FC so none of the teams can really even be sure of advancing to the next tier at the end of the season.


The strikeforce has been added to, with scouted Austrian Bernhard Helfer to put some pressure on Gerailton de Souza Rodrigues. The 21-year old has been getting a few chances to impress so far and has done it well. The team has lacked the prolific goalscorer this season though, meaning we find Gerailton down in 4th place in the Golden Shoe competition.


Bechir Bouzgarrou has been iLandslaget's most frequent supplier of assists so far, but he is joint 2nd with 7 assists and trailing the leader by 1.


Some lacklustre performances saw the form of the entire team drop for a bit, so the Form Leaderboard is without iLandslaget interference so far, something that has not happened in all of the manager's previous seasons.


The Swedish team is still in it to win the Champions League trophy, but last year's League contenders JustLeet FC proved a harder nut to crack than some had expected with the first tie ending in an away draw 1-1.
The competition still does look very winnable though, if the team can get their heads down and put in a hard shift.


As an aside the team played their 14th game of the season earlier today, and ended it in high-scoring fashion, managing to beat the old record for highest scoring game with some margin. Uruguayan team carbonero was embarassed at iLandslaget's home ground 13-0.

[Ljepoje]

See you are doing well in the League, but how about in the Champions league? Did you manage to over-turn that 1-1 draw ?