Chelsea vs Vauxhall (Premier League)
Venue: Stamford Bridge
Attendance: 40,417
Starting line up: Luis Guilherme — Julian Marino, Kwabena Quartey, Mervin Simon, Hans Larsson — Leandro Velasco, Radek Vecera, Tinga, Tiago — Parana, Zé Carlos
Team Talk: You can win today!
The defending champions were going through a very rough start to the new season, Chelsea were down in 14th place after 8 games with 2 wins and no less than 6 defeats! I guess it was the best time to meet them but their squad was still incredibly powerful so I wasn’t expecting an easy game at all. We enjoyed a good start though, we were dominating the game and the goal came on 19 minutes courtesy of a magnificent solo effort from Zé Carlos. The goal didn’t do us much good, Chelsea started playing better and made it all square just four minutes later. It didn’t stop there, our sloppy defending allowed to create two more chances shortly after the goal but we were saved by a brilliant Luis Guilherme. We recovered after the half hour mark but we were unable to create any chances before the break.
Half time score: 1-1
Half time team talk: Pleased.
Half time substitutions: Graham Howson for Vecera, Andrew Surman for Tiago
The opening minutes of the second half were definitely better for us: Zé Carlos wasted a huge chance on 50 minutes, then hit the crossbar from close range a couple of minutes later and then we finally scored through Tinga, he bagged his first ever goal for the club with a precise shot from distance. Chelsea could have made it all square moments later when right back Julian Marino gifted the ball to Neymar but their Brazilian superstar missed the target. Our poor defending continued unfortunately, we were inviting Chelsea to score and they politely accepted the gift on 68 minutes. It was a good result but it could have been a lot better if our defenders would have had a decent game…
Full time team talk: Sympathise.
Man of the match: Zé Carlos
Flop of the match: Mervin Simon
Match Stats
Video Highlights
Click here to watch the highlights.
Manchester United vs Vauxhall (Premier League)
Venue: Old Trafford
Attendance: 74,083
Starting line up: Luis Guilherme — Julian Marino, Javier Godoy, Mervin Simon, Hans Larsson — Leandro Velasco, Graham Howson, Tinga, Tiago — Parana, Zé Carlos
Team Talk: You can win today!
More than 70,000 people came at Old Trafford to watch their favorites and they were not disappointed, Manchester United broke the deadlock on a free kick after just 10 minutes and then made it 2-0 shortly after courtesy of Wayne Rooney. We were totally outplayed for 20 minutes but then we recovered and wasted a pair of good chances before Zé Carlos brought us back into the game with a fine finish after a good team move. The players regained confidence and we managed to make it all square after just three minutes when Leadro Velasco rounded off a splendid team move, that’s what I wanted to see!
Half time score: 2-2
Half time team talk: Pleased.
Half time substitutions: none
The second half was totally different, it was a quiet game. We were dominating but the Manchester United defense was unbreakable. The game was heading toward a draw, the referee indicated three minutes of added time and none of the two teams was looking capable of changing the result. Well, 4 minutes and 30 seconds went by and the ref totally forgot about the whistle… And that’s when Mervin Simon made an error which allowed Chicharito to score the winning goal, quite frustrating to be honest…
Full time team talk: Disappointing!
Man of the match: Leandro Velasco
Flop of the match: Julian Marino
Match Stats
Video Highlights
Click here to watch the highlights.
Vauxhall vs Lyon (Champions League Grp G)
Venue: Rivacre Park
Attendance: 10,266 (sold out)
Starting line up: Luis Guilherme — Julian Marino, Kwabena Quartey, Mervin Simon, Pierre Touya — Leandro Velasco, Radek Vecera, Tinga, Tiago — Parana, Zé Carlos
Team Talk: You can win today!
This was a capital Champions League match as we were tied with Lyon on three points after two games. They had beaten Partizan quite convincingly, 8-0, but then got beaten 1-0 at Inter. A defeat would have been catastrophic for our qualification chances, it was a crucial moment. Fortunately the players understood the importance of the game and got off to a brilliant start, Zé Carlos rounded off a fine team move after just six minutes to give us the lead. We didn’t stop there, our fans were witnessing a great spell of domination and we could have made it 2-0 shortly after the opening goal but Parana was denied by the post. The second goal did come and it was created by Mervin Simon whose corner kick header was deflected over the line by makeshift centre back Kwabena Quartey. It was a perfect first half, we dominated one of the best teams in Europe!
Half time score: 2-0
Half time team talk: Pleased.
Half time substitutions: Ravel Morrison for Velasco, Denís for Tinga, Javier Garcia for Tiago
Things remained under our control after the interval but our situation became a bit more difficult on 74 minutes when substitute Morrison left the field on a stretcher. Lyon started to push forward given the numerical advantage but they pulled one back with the help of substitute Javier Garcia who made a stupid tackle inside the penalty area which gave the visitors a chance to score from the spot. However, we held out quite easily and grabbed the three points. Unfortunately the news were not good for Morrison, he was going to be out for three months.
Full time team talk: Well done!
Man of the match: Pierre Touya
Flop of the match: Javier Garcia
Match Stats
Video Highlights
Click here to watch the highlights.
The win gives us a good chance of qualifying but we’ll still have to get at least a draw at Lyon before getting the three points against poor Partizan.
The last two games of the month were supposed to be easy but the first of them was not easy at all. We played quite poorly against Ipswich but fortunately our expensive Brazilian midfielder rescued us with a decisive goal. Then we easily went past Championship side Middlesbrough in the League Cup, our former striker Connor Wickham did score against us but the result was never in doubt.
The league table is not looking too bad at the moment, we are in 4th place, three points off the top with a game in hand. Unfortunately that game in hand is against Tottenham and it is scheduled to be played in… January! It’s good to see that our goal scoring abilities are still there but I’m a bit worried about the defense, 10 goals conceded in 8 games is way too much for a title challenge.
Here’s a round-up of the results so far, I am pleased that we have won against the smaller teams and I hope that this kind of form will continue in the coming months.
Now let’s have a look at the traditional top five players. As you can see from the screen shot there are seven players included, that is because I would exclude Laing and M’Bow because they had a lot less appearances than the others. So, Zé Carlos is leading the charts with his awesome 13 goals and two assists in 12 games, right winger Leandro Velasco is in second place with 2 important goals and 8 assists while Mervin Simon completes the podium as he took advantage of the other defenders’ injuries and established himself in the first eleven with three goals and a few solid displays. Parana is slightly in the shadow for now although he did put in some consistent performances and scored six goals while central midfielder Tinga is slowly establishing himself as a leader of the team.
The next two months will be extremely tough given the high number of games that we’ll have to play. The game against Lyon will be crucial for our Champions League campaign, I hope to get a good result there and have a more relaxed approach to the «mission impossible» game against Inter at the end of November. The tough Premier League games will be coming in December, we’ll have Arsenal and Manchester City away and Liverpool at home. The Carling Cup quarter final will probably be added somewhere, I hope to have a lucky draw.
That’s how it was my friends, I am pleased that we have beaten all the smaller teams until now and I hope that we will keep doing that until the end of the year. Our results against the big teams have to improve though, if we want the title we will have to get good results against our rivals. Thanks a lot for reading this post and, as always, I’m looking forward to your comments and requests. In fact, there was a request last time and a few people seconded it: you wanted to download my save game and I am pleased to report that your wish can come true! You can click on the image below to download my latest save game, I hope you’ll have even better results than me with the Motormen. You can also download and use my tactics from here and the training schedules that I’m using from here.
After downloading the file you will have to place it in the Documents/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2011/games folder and then you will be able to load it in your game.
Kevin
14 мая, 2011 at 20:16
Hi Johnny
Excellent start to this seasons campaign with only two losses and those were both close games. Your South American players are really turning into superstars and I think Velasco will really push Ze Carlos for that top spot in the rankings. Hopefully you can win that difficult away leg in Lyon and your schedule surrounding that match is somewhat manageable. Good luck from now until year end!!
Johnny Karp
14 мая, 2011 at 21:44
Hey Kevin, I’m quite pleased with Velasco. He was just called up to the Argentina team but unfortunately he wasn’t given the chance to make his debut. Thanks for the good luck wish, we might need some of that good fortune in December :)
Laxeyman
14 мая, 2011 at 20:46
That’s a great start to the season Johnny, you’ve started well in both the league and Champions League, and you’re scoring plenty of goals. Your defence is a little shaky, but I’m sure you’ll sort them out and you will be serious contenders for the title. Good luck!
Johnny Karp
14 мая, 2011 at 21:44
Thanks Laxeyman, I think that as long as we keep scoring we’ll stay close to the top. Being top would require conceding a lot less, I agree.
Darren Smith
14 мая, 2011 at 21:24
Hey Johnny, what a great start to life in Europe. That first goal scored by Inter was ridiculous, he seemed to float through air before hitting the most accurate shot into the top corner, brilliant! I still believe you can qualify from your group though. It won’t be easy getting a draw at Lyon, but I think you’ll get there. A good start in the league also, like you say the form against bigger opposition has to improve but most seasons have seen you improve for the second half so I’m optimistic. Great work!
Johnny Karp
14 мая, 2011 at 21:46
Hey Darren. You are right, that first goal was a bit surreal… You really spoke my thoughts in the second part of the comment, I am thinking and hoping that we will improve in the second part of the season like we often did in the past :)
Erick Wolf
15 мая, 2011 at 02:02
Good start to both, the campaign and the Champions League.
I gotta say, Louis Laing looks good, and I saw him make his debut for Sunderland yesterday against Wolves!
By the way, I haven’t been writing my story, because I have no Internet at home.
I will soon though!
Johnny Karp
15 мая, 2011 at 11:06
Thanks Erick, Laing is doing much better than I expected when I signed him while Mervin Simon might turn into a club legend pretty soon.
CsAtlantis
15 мая, 2011 at 02:51
A good start in the league Johnny, you’ve played some tough opponents and only 3 pts behind, looking good in the Champions League group too, hopefully you can continue into the next round
Ze Carlos is in great form (as usual), and Mervin is doing well despite not being as highly rated as some of your other players, keep it up!
Johnny Karp
15 мая, 2011 at 11:07
Thanks CS, I guess we did a decent job so far and we’ll have to confirm it in the next couple of months.
Alex
15 мая, 2011 at 03:15
Hey Johnny,
Good start in both the league and the Champions League, your team looks really good now. You’ve conceded the most goals in the top 8, even more than Blackpool! You should grab the 2nd spot in your group, it won’t be easy but you can do it. You aren’t doing well against big sides, in the ‘Backroom Advice’ section, what does it say about your performances against teams with higher reputation? Anyway, good luck, I hope all goes well!
Johnny Karp
15 мая, 2011 at 11:08
Blackpool is doing pretty well actually, they are this season’s surprise package. Overall we’re doing well against teams with higher reputation, Aston Villa have higher reputation for instance and Lyon too.
vikingmarius
15 мая, 2011 at 09:25
You have done really well here johnny first to beat Madrid and then to start so well in the champions league in a pretty tough group. Also very well done in the league your strikers look very good, however you seem to have a problem at rb he is a flop quite a lot, will you be getting a new one ??
Johnny Karp
15 мая, 2011 at 11:09
Thanks Marius. I don’t think I’ll be getting a new right back, Marino does appear in the «flop» section now and again but his average ratings are good overall.
Lye
15 мая, 2011 at 11:41
Hi Johnny,
Your team is having a great start. Lying in 4th place underlines what we are hoping for this season. To challenge for the title. If you can perform well against the big teams in the next few months, i believe we will see the motormen lifting the premiership title. For the champions league, i believe you can get at least a draw in Lyon and progress. Good luck.
Johnny Karp
15 мая, 2011 at 14:43
Hi Lye, I agree with your analysis, the next two months will tell us if we can battle for the title or not.
Sayam Khan
15 мая, 2011 at 12:02
Excellent start to the season Johnny,a your youngsters are performing really well now, they seem more matured and I’m sure you will be there at the end of the season challenging for the title or the one who will be favourites to win it. You defence isn’t great soo far but it is very early, and my experiences tell me, they get better later on. Anyway good luck!
Johnny Karp
15 мая, 2011 at 14:44
Thanks Sayam, I expect the defending to get better but I hope that the strikers will keep scoring :)
vaibhavc
15 мая, 2011 at 13:30
Hey Johnny
Very good months there, you have started strong in the Prem and are doing well in the Champions League. The win against Athletico shows that you have the quality and you can certainly be up there for the title.
Johnny Karp
15 мая, 2011 at 14:44
Thanks Vaibhav, that win against Atletico was quite important for our confidence.
Ana Garcia
15 мая, 2011 at 17:13
Ha! Quique Flores such a bad loser! :)
Well done on winning the super cup and a very good start to your champions league group, especially with two top sides in it.
Your league form has been good also and you are again well placed, its shaping up to be a very good season and with your deadly duo the skies the limit!
Good luck!!
Johnny Karp
15 мая, 2011 at 18:41
Thanks for the enthusiasm Ana, it’s very encouraging :)
Darthbane999
16 мая, 2011 at 06:27
The next time I see Quique Flores I will make sure I own him and see his reaction. What a sore loser! There are many managers like that who you would prefer out of the game and best out of a club. Meet these all the time! Anyway, great season so far. I always respect people who don’t exactly have the best talent in their team yet can do well while my team which has much better players can’t get anywhere! Having problems even getting anywhere with an overpowered Columbus side in my story…
Johnny Karp
16 мая, 2011 at 10:07
Thanks for the comment mate. I always say that a bunch of good players don’t necessarily make a good team, there are several factors that can make a good group of players fail (from tactics to personality issues). However, I have to defend my lads: they are very good players! :)