Stade Malherbe Caen: August -> January 2012-2013

This easter has seen me playing far too much FM, if there’s even such a thing as too much FM. But I’m a whole season ahead of you and I’ll do a concetrated post containing  all the months up to the january transfer window.

I draw up the coming scenario for you just to get you back on track. I had finished first in the Ligue 1 and won the coupe de la ligue. I lost out against Juventus in the Champions league so the goal for this season was to get further in the CL and defend the Ligue 1.

The new signings were Hazard, Gignac, Camacho, K.Petrov, M’Bengue and on-lon Yaya Sanogo. All of them except for Petrov and Sanogo are first team players and they’ll have to gel in quickly so that we don’t fall behind early on.

Our CL-group:

Chelsea, Celtic, Maritimio -> Stade Malherbe Caen!

Chelsea will be hard to face but both Celtic and Maritimo would be suspectible to beat, Celtic however is a team I don’t really have the ups and downs of just yet. We’ll have to wait and see.

I decided to throw in a well thought out picture of the tactic I’m currently using.

I hope it gives you some new ideas, or if you have some tips for me I’m open to them.

Here are the games

Top scorers for this period is, in order:

1. Yatabaré 14 goals in all competitions

2. Gignac 12 goals

3. Pedro Leon  9 goals each

Yatabaré is in fantastic form and Rodriguez is a champ in midfield despite his tender size. Camacho is working out well and Gignac and M’Bengué are both very good. Gignac helps out great in the build up of attacks but could score some more goals but I’ll let him gel with the squad this season. Kryvtsov has also scored 8 goals so far this season.

The league table

We’re chasing Lyon who’s been playing flawlessly for most of the campaign so far. Got unfairly defeated in the coupe de la ligue where we had everything but conceded late in the game.  We are still in the race for the CL, french cup and the league of course.

I made three moves on the January market. I sold underperforming Kyrylo Petrov for an impressive 4,5 M £ to Monaco. I used that money to bring in Albin Ekdal(725K), Kyle Naugthon(825K) and a new reserve Keeper — Dusan Kuciak(1,6M). Alexis Thebaux who had been my reserve keeper since Diego Alves arrived, wanted more playing time so I loaned him out to danish OB  with an option to but (1,8M)

A really reliable midfielder and at that price how could i resist? Can cover both MC positions with ease and will have to as Rodriguez broke his leg on January the 19th just two days after the swede’s arrival. James will be out for the rest of the season…

Naughton will add some cover for the right back position, not a starting player but he can cover both wideback positions.

Looking at the CL we ended in 2nd place in the group behind Chelsea and I’ll let you take a look at the group winners.

Inter, Man Utd and Valencia miss out in favor for Rangers, AEK and Anderlecht.

The draw for the first knockout round gave us a great chance for revenge.

It’s looking pretty good, despite Rodriguez  injury. If Yatabaré can continue his good form togheter with Pedro Leon and Hazard i think we have a chance of beating Juventus. Hazard by the way has been really good but he’s not getting that many goals and assists, but he’s always a threat coming down the left flank or as the roaming central midfielder.

That’s it for now but I’m thinking about returning to my old way of writing for the next half as the games are getting more interesting from now on.

Cheers,

Majk