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Post by coffers on Jun 16, 2006 14:44:26 GMT
Looking more and mor like a consolidation year, but you can still make it if you can get over the wobbles.
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Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Jun 18, 2006 13:53:43 GMT
February 2007
St Albans vs Scarborough St Albans 9-4 / Draw 9-4 / Scarborough Evens (Fav)
Another one of those games, as we play ok, but never look sharp at the back, even when we're playing defensively with five back. We let in two goals and score one using that system, then when we change to play two at the back and all out attacking we don't concede any.
St Albans 1-2 Scarborough - Rodrigues, 6 - French Horn, 34 - Weaver, 41 - Turkey Baster
INJURY Great. Cocktail Cubs has a damaged shoulder and new wingback Father Pigeon, who's played very well so far, has a groin strain. Both will miss two to four weeks.
[/size] St Albans vs TamworthSt Albans 9-4 / Draw 2-1 / Tamworth Evens (Fav) Up again, down again... last week a loss at home, this week a win, with two set piece goals. Crunchy Fat opens the scoring with a 25 yard free kick and then Stolen Robin converts a penalty he earned himself. I stuck Robin in in place of the usual French Horn due to the ex-Luton trainee's speed and he was clean through when he was foulder, resulting in a red for the Tamworth defender. We allow the ten men to score a goal, which makes me less than happy, but I'll take the three points from anywhere right now, thank you. We're up to 9th, but now seven points off the playoffs. St Albans 2-1 Tamworth - Crunchy Fat, 20 - Stolen Robin, 42 - Wilkinson, 51 - Stolen Robin
Arsenal beat Man City 2-1 to land the League Cup, while Norwich win 1-0 at Anfield and Preston stick a 2-0 on United at Old Trafford in the FA Cup.
[/size] Exeter vs St AlbansSt Albans 4-1 / Draw 5-2 / Exeter 4-7 (Fav) This would be a good old fashioned caning, nice and simple. Exeter are fast out of the gate and then keep pouring it on. We steal a goal back against the run of play, as Rogue Trade nips in with a nice header, but then we're forced forward and that allows Exeter in at the back for another. Exeter 3-1 St Albans - Phillips, 6, 39 - Rogue Trader, 66 - Farrell, 78 - Pirate Homage, Rogue Trader [/size] St Albans vs Leigh RMISt Albans 5-4 (Fav) / Draw 2-1 / Leigh RMI 5-2 (Fav) Leigh are the bottom club and virtually relegated already, so they show up with the best part of four thousand defenders and grimly cling on as we try and fail to find a way through. St Albans 0-0 Leigh RMI[/size]
St Albans vs GraysSt Albans 13-8 / Draw 2-1 / Grays 6-4 (Fav) I have no idea what's happening with this team any more. Our attack still looks threatening, but the goals are drying up and, at the other end, we're a shambles as the folk who have played so well through most of the season are just a disgrace now. I've given up on consistency, as the only type I can find is consistently rubbish, so I'm cycling players through all the time, in search of a combination that actually works. This isn't it. We take the lead, fair enough, Rogue Trader landing his 17th of the season, but then we're pegged back and allow what turns out to be the winnerm soon after. I throw men forward and we don't get any less secure at the back, but we can't find a way through. This is just turning horrible now. St Albans 1-2 Grays - Rogue Trader, 28 - Herroo, 44 - Slabber 50 [/size]
Accrington vs St AlbansSt Albans 9-4 / Draw 9-4 / Accrington Evens (Fav)Accrington are such favourites that it's almost laughable. We have a bunch of reserves in, three of them in midfield, in the aim of finding some new chemistry somewhere. Anywhere. It ain't here. The Stanley boys spank home two goals, including one 30 yard volley, that keeper Motorcycle Loneliness gets absolutely nowhere near. We're down to 16th. Accrington 2-0 St Albans - Beaumont, 27 - Gilchrist, 48 [/size]
Shrewsbury vs St AlbansSt Albans 7-2 / Draw 9-4 / Shrewsbury 4-6 (Fav) The Shrews are heavily favoured, sitting in 12th place, four places ahead of us. They're also on a decent run of form, whereas if we were the only entrants in a beauty contest, one of the judges would win. So say hello to our new 4-5-1 formation, in which we utilise a tiny fratcion of our best players, but still win. Two minutes into the second half, a pacey counter attack sees lone striker French Horn break down the left, then swing in a far post cross, which the mostly knackered Missing Letter rises to meet, the winger scoring just his fourth goal of the season. We cling on grimly thereafter and sneak out with a 1-0 that punts us back up to 14th. It's hardly pretty, but the more we can get out of this season, the better. Shrewsbury 0-1 St Albans - Missing Letter, 47 - Pirate Homage, Rambler, Magic Bird - Pastry Mania[/size][/font]
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Post by coffers on Jun 18, 2006 22:37:38 GMT
RE: Leigh RMI, bottom clubs are absolutely shoite to play against, they always turn up with more defenders than you ever knew existed so well done on the draw. It looks as if the season is going to end in a consolidation position, which isn't bad and you are easily safe from the dreaded R word. KUTGW!
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Post by Sonic on Jun 19, 2006 6:25:03 GMT
I like that fact that you almost have the same F & G as Accringrton, just a couple less scored they have, but a lot more points because of it. Maybe.
Those losses are hurting you just as your getting on a role. I agree with Coffs regarding the bottom placed sides.
I've had success with 3 and lately 5, but it's not something you stick with during the whole game, and if I'm wanting to close out, change to something resembling a bus, that wastes lots of time, but is attacking. Stupid AI that thinks attacking is no-action.
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Post by Moo on Jun 19, 2006 8:38:04 GMT
12 games left and five points behind? Reachable, very reachable. Great effort so far though, whatever happens.
KUTGW! :thumb:
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Post by coffers on Jun 19, 2006 8:43:15 GMT
What are you looking at Moo? I reckon he has 5 games left and he's 11 behind a play-off spot, which isn't so reachable.
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Post by Moo on Jun 19, 2006 10:03:24 GMT
I was looking at the previous table and commenting on it.
Now I've seen the next page of updates with new table, I can comment on that.
Stu - you really fucked up. You're shit.
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Post by Narcizo on Jun 19, 2006 10:26:37 GMT
He should have cheated more.
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Post by coffers on Jun 19, 2006 10:30:44 GMT
and if I'm wanting to close out, change to something resembling a bus, that wastes lots of time, but is attacking. Stupid AI that thinks attacking is no-action. How do you make a formation resemble a bus? I'm intrigued, is that side on or back end of?
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Post by coffers on Jun 19, 2006 10:31:35 GMT
He should have cheated more. Nark you are probably right, but he isn't playing with Argentina or Peter Crouch.
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Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Jun 19, 2006 11:37:55 GMT
End of Season 2007
St Albans vs Stevenage St Albans 2-1 / Draw 7-4 / Stevenage 5-4 (Fav)
Stevenage are languishing well below where people belive they should be, but they always give us a tough game and finding a goal with our new one forward formation could be tricky.
The good news is, our one forward is pretty handy and it shows as French Horn picks up a nice pass from Missing Letter and absolutely belts it home from just inside the box. Our 4-5-1 is then handily turned into a 9-0-1, as we collapse back to protect the lead and run out handy 1-0 winners.
St Albans 1-0 Stevenage - French Horn, 34 - Turkey Baster
[/size] Dagenham and Redbridge vs St AlbansSt Albans 3-1 / Draw 2-1 / Dagenham and Redbridge Evens (Fav) The Daggers are favourite, but we have a bit of form going, with two straight wins. We get off to a fast start too, when Missing Letter looks on for another assist, sending a cross in for the unmarked French Horn, but the Frenchman misses it and the ball drops into the goal at the far post for a flukey 1-0 lead. We hold on, hold, hold... and then in the 90th minute a Dagger forward breaks our offside trap and is through unmarked. Defender Pastry Mania chases the forward down and hacks him in half on the edge of the box, killing the scoring opportunity and earning himself a straight red card for the professional foul. Still, at least we still have the le... crap. The equaliser comes straight from the free kick and we have to settle for a point. Dagenham and Redbridge 1-1 St Albans - Missing Letter, 17 - Moore, 90 - Pastry Mania [/size]
St Albans vs Canvey IslandSt Albans 5-4 (Fav) / Draw 6-4 / Canvey Island 2-1 We're favourites against the Island, but it's a tale of what might have been, as French Horn hits goal 25 for his season, but we're doing the thing again where we make incomprehensible mistakes in defence and Canvey score the equaliser on 64 minutes. I start to push people forward, hoping to get back on the three point bandwagon, after disapointingly tossing a lead last week and Magic Bird looks to have sealed the deal when he knocks home a rebound from a Purple Hayes effort in 89 minutes. Yay us! Errrr, no. We leak another goal, right from the kick off and have to settle for a point, again. St Albans 2-2 Canvey Island - French Horn, 19 - Keeling, 64 - Magic Bird, 89 - Gordon, 90 [/size] Gravesend vs St AlbansSt Albans 4-5 (Fav) / Draw 2-1 / Gravesend 3-1Gravesend have already had their graves dug, sitting in 23rd, almost certainly facing relegation, which means I can expect to see another legion of defenders lined up from a team trying desperately to not lose. Annnnnnnd..... cue a 0-0 with only one shot on target - a long range effort from Pirate Homage which the keeper catches. Gravesend 0-0 St Albans[/size]
St Albans vs YorkSt Albans 7-2 / Draw 9-4 / York 4-6 (Fav)York are only just in front of us in the table and we're on a five game unbeaten run, but it's not good here as we wrap the season up with our fourth straight tie. Father Pigeon opens the scoring, with a nicely struck free kick on 28 minutes, but soon after we swap to a more defensive outlook York find a way back and we can't grab a winner. St Albans 1-1 York - Father Pigeon, 28 - Brass, 73 - Turkey Baster [/size] [/font]
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Post by Boony on Jun 19, 2006 11:52:58 GMT
Nice work, definitely a "Safety" season, as Moo would have it. What's with the 26 point gap between 18th and 19th?
End of season roundup, please!
KUTSIPW :thumb:
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Post by Moo on Jun 19, 2006 11:57:57 GMT
I think that's a fantastic season, only nine points from the playoffs. I agree the bottom end of the table looks a little mental, which can only be a good thing.
End of season wrap-ups are required here. Plus a pre-season To Do List might be good too. :thumb:
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Post by coffers on Jun 19, 2006 12:36:42 GMT
A good consolidation season, you won more than you lost, but there were too many draws in there for comfort. I'm sure you'll sort that little problem out for next season. EOS wRap Up required asap.
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Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Jun 19, 2006 12:43:59 GMT
2006/07 RoundupOk, so that's bizarre. We finish eleven places but only nine points off the playoffs and five places, but thirty points off of relegation in one of the strangest final tables I've seen since Moo managed in Brazil.
How the Cambridge board will feel coming 18th while only being ten points off the playoffs, I don't know.
The season had the feeling of a cycling race, as we were looking good in the peloton for two thirds of the season, but when the true quality teams in the league kicked on toward the end, we just didn't have the legs to go with them and started slumping backwards.
The problem for us was that we started the season with a wobbly defence and forwards who couldn't stop scoring and then those forwards did exactly that and suddenly, our defence was exposed. Leads never felt safe, no matter how far back I put the defensive sliders and sometimes we looked more secure playing two at the back then when we had five back there.
The Players
Goal Keepers Turkey Baster was the only man who impressed this season and he is a great shot stopper, although obviously lacks something in the air, as he's only 5'9".
The only other guy to get a decent number of games was Motorcycle Loneliness, who has the proper height for a keeper, but never looked solid. Of course that could be because of the way our defence was playing when he arrived.
Defenders At one point our starting back four was made up of three right backs and a defensive midfielder - a lineup that caused us to rush in defenders that probably aren't good enough, just to ensure we have warm bodies.
Pastry Mania looked troubled at times, but finished the season with the second highest rating on the team, although that was only 7.14. The 5'10" defender showed good positioning and a calm style, but really has to be paired with someone tall. Those tall folks were the 6'7" Cocktail Cubs and toward the end of the season, the 6'2" Pirate Homage.
Cubs is an original Saint, which is nice and at times during the run to christmas he was our best defender by far. Commanding in the air, as you expect, he also adds a threat at corners, but was shredded by anyone with acceleration and anticipation and so lost his place to the less offensive, but more defensively sound Homage, who came in from Watford.
At fullback we're still in trouble, as none of the myriad players we have for the position instills any confidence. Original Saints Big Family and Gentleman's Club may already be out of their depth at the Conference National level, while Widespread Disappointment, Rambler and Shoe Nails are too inconsistant.
17 year old Swede Hello Tree started the last two games of the season, promoted up from the youth team and he seemed promising.
Midfiedlers A mixed bag, really. AMC Crunchy Fat is probably the pick of the bunch, seeing his value rise up to £45,000 and drawing interest from Wallsall, who tried to buy him on the deadline day, although Fat will now be challenged by new WBL/MLC Father Pigeon who produced some solid performances at the back in our five man defence and when pushed up in our 4-4-2 and 4-5-1 systems.
It's a shame that D/MC Jedi Spider isn't a DMC as his mixture of positioning and passing would be ideal for the guy sweeping behind our midfield, but we have to settle for him partnering Crunchy Fat in the middle, with either original Saint Distance Toffee or youngster Magic Bird offering not much at all at the DM position. Bird is promising for the future, but doesn't have the stats to go with his potential right now.
Out wide Missing Letter was the only player to show anything on the right side, but he spends his off time smoking and eating lard pies, so it's difficult to get a string of games out of him.
Central midfielder Monkey Moon looks like quality, now and then, but his form really started to suffer when he was called up for caps with Jamaica and he faded from the starting roles.
Forwards If we were forced to start our best eleven, then we'd have three forwards on the field, as French Horn belted in 25 goals, while Korean Rogue Trader turned one good international performance into the catalyst for a run of excellent games for the Saints, although he got squeezed out when we went to one forward.
Purple Hayes was the hot scorer last season, but may have a tough time cracking the starting lineup now, with Horn and Trader in front of him, as any third forward from now on will need to be over six feet tall, to partner the French and Korean midgets.
The player I expected to be the man this season, Stolen Robin really needs another season or two, to add some decent skills to his good pace and positioning, as right now he misses too many chances.
Overall
If we played a 4-4-2, then this would be our current formation. Bold players are locks, who don't need to be replaced, while non-bold names either aren't good enough or are too young for me to be sure about.
French Horn Rogue Trader
[/size] Father Pigeon Jedi Spider Crunchy Fat Missing Letter
[/size] Shoe Nails Pastry Mania Pirate Homage Hello Tree [/size] Turkey Baster
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Post by Moo on Jun 19, 2006 12:57:48 GMT
Nicely done, s1ut.
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Post by Boony on Jun 19, 2006 13:02:12 GMT
Hang on, didn't Weymouth go up with you from the South division? How come they made it all the way to the playoffs this year? They forgot about the SI years, and jumped straight to the P.
Shame they lost to Accrington, who are in the playoff final despite a goal difference that is worse than 17th placed Stevenage.
Barmy.
Good luck next year, s1ugt. Go get some quality defenders, you lost your crown as the defensive king this year.
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Post by coffers on Jun 19, 2006 13:03:45 GMT
Good one,m Are there any signings in the pipeline?
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Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Jun 19, 2006 13:32:08 GMT
Yes 800, weymouth won the South last year, but they seemed to have found the lost treasure of the Sierra Madre, as the big difference between us and them is that they spent much of each transfer window splashing out £50,000 on players.
One signing in the pipeline so far, which is a forward from Millwall reserves, who's 6'3", witht he jumping/heading combo, to give us something different up front, to go with the mix of 5'9" / 5'10" forwards.
I was in for a 6'9" goalkeeper too, but cancelled that when I noticed he had a silly beard.
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Post by coffers on Jun 19, 2006 13:45:51 GMT
So you'll have the Peter Crouch of the conference? As he's from Millwall he should be a hard case too, so I'll expect plenty of colour, but hopefully not in the form of red cards.
Nark: Now's the time he can start cheating.
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Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Jun 19, 2006 15:17:26 GMT
A quick trip around the world now, or England at least, starting with the Prem, where Liverpool go top with four games to play, then lose all four of those games, slumping to fifth, behind Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea and eventual winners Man United.
United crash out of the WAFER at the semi final stage though, crashing out 4-2 on aggregate to Olympiakos, who then go and lose the final 2-0 to Betis.
Bolton, QPR and West Brom are dumped out of the Prem.
Middlesbrough finish 10th, one place and one point ahead of Newcastle.
In the Championship, Charlton bounce straight back into the Prem with the title, followed by Burnley. Sheffield United win the playoffs, beating Cardiff on penalties.
At the other end is much hilarity, as Narkle's Palace are relegated on the final day, when they lose to Fulham, allowing the Harrods bunch to leapfrog them and send them down. Also down are Steve Bruce's Birmingham and Coventry.
Bruce has had about 15 votes of confidence this year, but the Birmingham board can't find the button that drops him into the shark tank.
In a suprising turn of events, Celtic win the Scottish league, from Rangers.
Juve win the LAC with a 1-0 over Milan, thanks to a goal from Camoranesi's stupid hair.
England are second in their Euro 2008 qualifying group, tucked in behind the Czechs. Scotland are in England's group and are trail only The Czechs and England. And the Faroe Islands. And Romaina and Belarus. And Israel.
Yes, they're bottom.
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Post by Moo on Jun 19, 2006 15:21:44 GMT
They are bottom or they suck bottom?
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Post by coffers on Jun 19, 2006 16:27:37 GMT
They were so far bottom in the 2012 Euro qualifiers in my Fjolnir story that they disappeared from the competition altogether.
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Post by Sonic on Jun 20, 2006 0:46:43 GMT
A good wrap there, with a sollid base to build on. One thing you never mentioned was you finances Good luck next season.
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Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Jun 20, 2006 17:48:31 GMT
A good wrap there, with a sollid base to build on. One thing you never mentioned was you finances Good luck next season. Finances? What's that then? Basically, the board are always slightly annoyed at me because I'm always over the wage budget, but they let me off because the club always makes money. At the start of this season I was given a choice between having £4k per week for wages and £35k to spend on players, or £4.9k per week for wages and £7k, for transfer fees. I choose the latter, because there's no point being able to sign players, if you can't pay them.
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