The last game of the year saw us welcoming 12th placed Preston at the Avenue Stadium, I was expecting a win to send our supporters home happy. Craig Carlisle hit the crossbar only 50 seconds into the game but he got the shot right a few minutes later to give us the lead. We kept the game under control with ease despite being down to 10 men during the last eight minutes of the game. I was pleased with the three points and also with the way my team dominated the game, Preston had absolutely no chance to go anywhere near our net.
So, we’re top of the table at the halfway point of the season, I surely wasn’t hoping for such a good run at the start of the season. Coventry are just one point behind us but the great thing is that we have no less than 10 points on the third placed! As you know, the top two teams gain automatic promotion to the Championship so I surely am hoping to hang on to that 10 point lead.
Here’s how our players performed so far, the stats are sorted by the average rating. Captain Ryan Carolan was our most consistent performer yet again, nothing new there :) Omar Koroma fired in 12 goals and I hope that Jonathan Obika will also resume his goal scoring once he’ll be back in shape. I am considering selling two or three players in January to balance our wage budget, the most likely candidates to leave the club are Hristu Chiacu, Szymon Kazmierowski and Chris Herd. I will also terminate the loan deal for centre back Tom Thorpe in order to be able to extend Craig Carlisle ‘s loan until the end of the season, the boy scored five goals in seven games!
Our sensational young goalkeeper Gabriel Nicolau seems to be attracting a lot of interest on the transfer market with several top tier clubs monitoring him, including Premier League club Queens Park Rangers. I received only one offer for him so far, Toulouse offered around 200,000 pounds but I rejected it. I won’t let him go for less than 1 million pounds, maybe not even then :)
Captain Ryan Carolan is now listed among the club’s icons and he surely deserves all the praise. His career has «Dorchester» written all over it since he didn’t have any league appearances before joining our club in 2009. He played 134 league games so far and scored no less than 24 goals, most strikers might envy those stats :) I decided to keep him at the club as long as he’ll want to stay, even if I might not need him anymore if we get promoted. I will not sell or release him unless he wants to, that’s a promise :)
We’ll have two very important games in January, the first leg of the Johnstone’s Trophy South final against Plymouth and also a tricky away game at 4th placed Rochdale. But we’ll also have to do our best and not drop any points in the other four games against lesser opponents, consistency is the key!
That’s how it was folks, thanks a lot for reading. We’re top of the table, not unbeaten anymore but that doesn’t matter too much. We’ll have to work even harder from now on though because being the league leaders means that we’re the team to beat and that surely motivates the opponents to give their best against us.
Laxeyman
22 августа, 2010 at 15:04
Hi Johnny, that’s another good month despite losing your unbeaten record. Your side looks nailed on for promotion now, that 10 point lead is too big for you to slip up. It will be an interesting title race though, as ever, good luck!
Johnny Karp
22 августа, 2010 at 18:04
Thanks Laxeyman, I hope to keep that 10 point lead at the end of January and then I guess it would be almost impossible to lose the promotion.
Sears
22 августа, 2010 at 15:15
Hello Johnny,
that was a impressive month. With a ten point lead over 3rd place, and with your »first class» managerial skills, I can’t see how you won’t gain promotion this season. Hopefuuly you can win the title though! Goodluck man.
Johnny Karp
22 августа, 2010 at 18:05
Thanks Sears but who knows, maybe the players will sabotage me! :)
Lye
22 августа, 2010 at 15:48
Hi mate, 10 points over third place team is a comfortable lead and I think it is hard for you to lose that advantage. I am confident that you will be in Championship next season. The title will be a two horse race between you and Coventry. Hopefully you can nick it. Good luck.
Johnny Karp
22 августа, 2010 at 18:06
Thanks for the confidence Lye, I’m looking forward to the match against Coventry which will probably be in February or March. That game could decide the title if we don’t slip up by then.
Darren Smith
22 августа, 2010 at 18:48
Hi Johnny, well done on another great month. Carolan has been immense…what a great servant to the club. You’re top of the league and looking good for promotion. You have done a fantastic job mate, keep up the good work.
Johnny Karp
22 августа, 2010 at 20:23
Thanks for your king words Darren. I’m running out of words to praise Carolan, he’s a legend.
Kevin Mayo
22 августа, 2010 at 18:54
Hello Johnny
Great way to end the year sitting on top of the table. I’m pretty sure you won’t give up that points lead over third place Rotherham. Good luck in selling those players next month. By the way is it just me as it seems playing at Southend is always hard? I’ve experienced the same results previous games.
Well done though.
Johnny Karp
22 августа, 2010 at 20:25
Thanks Kevin. We made that Southend game difficult or Al Bangura made it with that sending off. I’m sure that we wouldn’t have lost the game with 11 men on the pitch but it was difficult indeed during the first half.
ravenie
22 августа, 2010 at 20:26
Another good month Johnny, the defeat at Southend was a small disappointment but it doesn’t seem to have fazed your team.
Johnny Karp
23 августа, 2010 at 06:49
Thanks Ravenie. You are right, the team bounced back from that defeat very well, the players didn’t seem to be affected by it.
Java
23 августа, 2010 at 02:09
Don’t let that Nicolau get off Johnny, he would be a great goalkeeper in the future. Well, you show us a determination from a experienced FM player. Maybe if in the real world you were a football manager, Mourinho’s mouth isn’t as big as the reality when heis team face yours. :D I believe you’ll play in the Championship next SEASON, hahahah… good luck sir.
Johnny Karp
23 августа, 2010 at 06:51
Thanks for the comment Java. I will not sell Nicolau, I just extended his contract until 2017! And I admit that I would love to beat that arrogant Portuguese manager :)
Mat
23 августа, 2010 at 10:05
Good month Johnny,
Ryan Carolan certainly has been one of you best pickups across your FM career. I think that promotion is looking more and more likely with every passing game. Best of luck for the rest of the season
Johnny Karp
23 августа, 2010 at 14:26
Thanks for the good wishes Mat. Carolan surely has a special place in my career so far, I always felt that we had 10% more chances to win a game if he was on the pitch.
Ana Garcia
23 августа, 2010 at 15:37
Great month Johnny and as always you are making this look too easy!! :)
You may want to keep Nicolau but if a million pound offer comes in the board may step in and accept it, how are you finances at the moment??
Johnny Karp
23 августа, 2010 at 18:08
Hi Ana, nice to hear from you! :) The finances are OK, the club has around 200K in the bank so I hope the board won’t force any transfer decisions. I would be quite upset if they did.
Cal
23 августа, 2010 at 17:54
You shouldnt sell your player because he will become even better!!
Carolan has been really good for your team so you should keep him
Its amazing that you have such a big lead hope you get promoted!!!
Johnny Karp
23 августа, 2010 at 18:05
Thanks Cal, I don’t want to sell either of them.
Jean Paul Borg
23 августа, 2010 at 19:36
Hey mate,
Too bad your undefeated run came to an end but you still maintain the top of the table and that is best. What cups are you in?
Johnny Karp
23 августа, 2010 at 19:44
Hi Jean Paul. We’re out of the FA Cup and League Cup but we’re still in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy with a good chance of reaching the final.