League, Matchday 6:

Rachid FC 0 - 2 New Team

A hard away match for New Team, which meets the 5th of the table in a match which went by harder then the stats in the end says. Despite the weird formation displaied by the opponent (3W-3N-AMC/AML-2ST) coach mad decided to use the wide gap between midfield and the too wide defense resorting to his usual 4-1-2-1-2 ND, letting Tom Becker act as pivot of the attack, trying to go for the spaces. Ideal setup for New Team with Lenders and Hutton in plain form. The first half is a show of overpowering pressure which brings New Team to play steadily in the opponent's half and area. Altho, Rachid FC shows an increadible defensive sturdiness and manages to deflect EVERY single attack from the goal. Proof is that of 6 corner kicks, ALL of them were earned during the first half, with the keeper barely being able to escape the shooting. Coach Mad, unsatisfied with the current going, decides to make his move in the second half: Becker and Hutton out (both pretty spent in the first part) for Nordin and Mellow, the young genius. Mellow takes the right wing while Nordin the left, changing from 4-1-2-1-2 ND to 4-5-1 V pressuring heavily the sides. Lenders become the offensive pivot, as he starts continuosly administrating the ball towards the wingers. Still, The goal seems cursed today. Not even Coach Mad at a point can stand the frustration, and the consequence is a snap bringing in Ulusoy for Harper, going then 3-5-2 V style keeping the AMs. The renewed pressure puts not once, but twice, the one on one specialist Ulusoy alone vs the keeper, but somehow he miracoulosuly manages to save twice.
Just when the match seems to be going for a goaless draw, Lenders snaps outta it. After jumping two defenders on his own, the third one chops him down. The successive free kick sees Paul Callaghan taking pride in his captain badge after HUtton left, with a wonderful curve ball which hits the bar and goes in. The magic is dispelled!
One minute later, is again Lenders getting free of the defender and serving the upcoming Rob Denton for the winning tap-in: 0-2, match secured for the boys. In the end, a bad fall caused Bob Denver to injury his ankle. Luckily enough the New Team's doctors managed to get on it fast enough, and by tomorrow he'll be ok. Will probably miss first league match tho to come back for the CL one.

Statistics and Standings:



COach Mad's crew climbs back to the 2nd place behind the still unbeaten and unscored Bakuretsu Storm, which is dominating this first phase of the league. The morale is high, altho COach is worried about Ross. He's running out of options, and the DMC scored another 4 in today's match. Benching him seems the only way out atm.

OFF:

Well, wtf. I'm starting to be really PO this game and how they make it work with tactics. With over 12 quality difference, and with one amc+ 2 st vs his 3 defenders, not even central ones (he had DL DC DR) i should have roflstomped him, expecially with the lack of DMCs on his side. Still, i had to resort on wings play in the second half (practically sending my boys towards his defenders instead of passing through them). My one-on-one specialit missed TWICE vs the keeper alone (a poor 18 Q one, too, no SA), and every shoots and passage to the goal ended up in either a corner or a miss (god bless stronger quality o.ò). Practically, EVERYTHING i witnessed in this match went against any tactical logic. Which makes the game not so fun. No point into building a good team if then non followed ones are able to withstand everything while your better players miss all chanches .-.