Gaming The SM RedCafe League

burrow said:
:lol:

The win come with a cost though, gonna have to play my b-team vs liverpool on thursday. It was a risk worth taking though!
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:D

Stobzilla said:
Imagine my frustration at no one registering any sort of interest for Rio Ferdinand, I was playing that one so sneaky that I didn't even short list him but then Liverpool nipped in last night.
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:lol:

BTW, if anyone is interested, I'd consider exchanging Rossi (25, 92 rating) for 2 90-91 raters, preferably not much older than Rossi.
 
Zarlak said:
Btw if anyone is interested I would also consider swapping one of my players for 2 players of yours that are pretty much exactly the same calibre.
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:lol: my thoughts exactly.
 
Zarlak said:
I was just replying to your request of swapping 1 player, for 2 players of almost identical quality. You blatantly get the better deal there.
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There are 37 players rated 92, 25 of them older than Rossi's age of 25. Of the remaining 12, only 3 of them are on non-English teams, and two of those have transfer bans until mid-to-late June. (You'll probably bid on Suarez, further disgracing Manchester United.)

The opportunity to get a 92-rated forward/AM who's still got his best years ahead of him is rapidly dwindling. Exchanging 2 of the 128 players rated between 90 and 91 makes solid sense for a squad that's got depth to spare and wants to improve it's

Obviously Zarlak, you don't need him, as between Messi and Ibrahimovic and Villa, you've got the forward position locked down, but other clubs might...wait, how do you have Messi and Ibrahimovic and Villa and still end up in 5th?
 
he only signed Villa the last day or so, the bastard. He was one I was hoping to sneak a bid on!
 
Excal said:
There are 37 players rated 92, 25 of them older than Rossi's age of 25. Of the remaining 12, only 3 of them are on non-English teams, and two of those have transfer bans until mid-to-late June. (You'll probably bid on Suarez, further disgracing Manchester United.)

The opportunity to get a 92-rated forward/AM who's still got his best years ahead of him is rapidly dwindling. Exchanging 2 of the 128 players rated between 90 and 91 makes solid sense for a squad that's got depth to spare and wants to improve it's

Obviously Zarlak, you don't need him, as between Messi and Ibrahimovic and Villa, you've got the forward position locked down, but other clubs might...wait, how do you have Messi and Ibrahimovic and Villa and still end up in 5th?
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I've not been playing the last few weeks. Personal issues alluded to in a few threads. I've had shite teams automatically fielded with injured and suspended players and the ass man making my changes.

Since I've come back I've signed Villa, won 2 on the trot in the process setting an away win record and giving a team the worst defeat they've had at home this season.

But no, swapping 2 91 players for a 92 player doesn't make sense. The divide between those ratings is almost none existent.
 
Zarlak said:
I've not been playing the last few weeks. Personal issues alluded to in a few threads. I've had shite teams automatically fielded with injured and suspended players and the ass man making my changes.

Since I've come back I've signed Villa, won 2 on the trot in the process setting an away win record and giving a team the worst defeat they've had at home this season.
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Your wins against 19th-ranked Newcastle and 20th-ranked Wigan have been duly noted and you may rest assured I'm precisely as impressed as I should be by this feat.

But no, swapping 2 91 players for a 92 player doesn't make sense. The divide between those ratings is almost none existent.
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I said 90-91, but I guess you need to lie to make your point.
 
It is still a bit of a weird deal Excal, I doubt a chairman would accept it anyways. Say I offered you Witsel and Hamsik, both work out to be 26mill in p/x, where your Chairman wants only 21mil for p/x. Not a good deal at all. It will be 24mill atleast for players of a similar age to Rossi too. And Rossi's future is up in the air since Villareal were relegated.
 
Mr Anderson said:
It is still a bit of a weird deal Excal, I doubt a chairman would accept it anyways. Say I offered you Witsel and Hamsik, both work out to be 26mill in p/x, where your Chairman wants only 21mil for p/x. Not a good deal at all. It will be 24mill atleast for players of a similar age to Rossi too. And Rossi's future is up in the air since Villareal were relegated.
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Witsel and Hamsik are 23 and 24. Of course I'm not going to be able to get players younger than Rossi. Did you genuinely think that's what I was expecting when I said "preferably not too much older than Rossi"?
 
Excal said:
Witsel and Hamsik are 23 and 24. Of course I'm not going to be able to get players younger than Rossi. Did you genuinely think that's what I was expecting when I said "preferably not too much older than Rossi"?
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Hence why I looked and said if they were players around the same age as Rossi, it would still come to around 23-24mill p/x value with my quick little search of who people have with them ratings of an older age.
 
Mr Anderson said:
Hence why I looked and said if they were players around the same age as Rossi, it would still come to around 23-24mill p/x value with my quick little search of who people have with them ratings of an older age.
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You bought young players only, so your squad's not a particularly good example. Looking at my next opponent, Swansea, he's got Adriano (27 yo/91/12.1M) and Iraola (29/90/7.9M) for a valuation right in the ballpark with Rossi.

And in any case, you've ignored my point about rarity. As the muppetry continues, the top talent is all going to gather in the various English clubs. The ability to get a 92-rated player (or better) at any given position is already quite limited. How's it going to be when every single one is in the hands of a managed club?

Try a one of the Gold Championship Game Worlds sometime. You won't be able to find anyone rated higher than 85 not on a managed club. The only players above 90 getting sold are 30+ years old.
 
Wednesday friendly anyone?

Also, anyone with a 83+ CB/LB for short term loan?
 
Zarlak said:
As am I with your league position.
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When I took over after turn 7, United had 12 points, Liverpool at 6. I've earned a point more than you since then, despite a significantly weaker squad.

There's really no difference.
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An offer of Banega for Badstuber will be arriving as soon as the TBs run out, then. I'll even throw in a couple mil in cash to make it unbalanced in your favor. :D

Of course if you decline the offer, it proves you're a liar and not at all a fit and proper person.
 
Excal said:
When I took over after turn 7, United had 12 points, Liverpool at 6. I've earned a point more than you since then, despite a significantly weaker squad.
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Despite me not being here for a large part of it and having second rate players put out. Sounds about right.

Or another way of putting it, is that you're doing worse than the real LFC managed to do this year. Tsk tsk.

An offer of Banega for Badstuber will be arriving as soon as the TBs run out, then. I'll even throw in a couple mil in cash to make it unbalanced in your favor. :D

Of course if you decline the offer, it proves you're a liar and not at all a fit and proper person.
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It proves nothing. I didn't say any player did I? I had certain ones in mind. :D

Also I'm heavy in midfield at the moment with Diego, Sneijder, Cleverley and Cambiasso. Plus Mascherano and Jones that can cover.
 
Zarlak said:
Despite me not being here for a large part of it and having second rate players put out. Sounds about right.

Or another way of putting it, is that you're doing worse than the real LFC managed to do this year. Tsk tsk.
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The real LFC finished 37 points behind United. SM LFC, with me missing more time than you did (crucially, the beginning of the season and the early transfers) setting PNE on a course that phil has done a bang-up job carrying on with to the point that he's in playoff position and still in both cups, is 5 points behind your United. Hmmmm.... :smirk:

It proves nothing. I didn't say any player did I? I had certain ones in mind. :D
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Just as I thought. You say there's no real difference between a 90 rated player and a 91 rated player, but when I offer you a 90-rated player for a 91-rated player of the same age plus some money, you've nothing but excuses. Lying liar who lies. You know I'm right, but you're just trying to queer any deals I might work, isn't that right Meester Zarlak?

Also I'm heavy in midfield at the moment with Diego, Sneijder, Cleverley and Cambiasso. Plus Mascherano and Jones that can cover.
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:lol:
 
Both of you suck for choosing teams with huge budgets and tons of quality players. Anything but top 6 for either of you is horrible.
 
omardalvi said:
I'll get him hopefully. :drool:

And Arsenal should stop giving silly reasons for rejecting my loan bids. They got 10 defenders, and rejected my loan saying they don't have enough cover. Liars.
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:lol:

Munoz is my RB cover, I don't have ayone else for that place.
 
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TITLE RACE

Manchester City seem unstoppable, currently top of Division 1 with an 8 point gap over second place Chelsea. City are through to the knockout stages of the Champions Cup as well as the fourth round of the League Shield and look good value to win both, however they have suffered a bit of a setback after being knocked out of the League Cup, losing 2-1 at home to Division 2 side Brighton and Hove Albion. Overall manager ciderman9000000 has done well with the side, including the transfer market and though he has made a few strange decisions in selling defender Vincent Kompany and goalkeeper Joe Hart it is clear he has a long term plan with his squad by buying plenty of talented youth.

In the league their away form stands out winning 8 and losing just twice.

OTHER CONTENDERS

At the moment the rest of the competition to City seem to be fighting for the top four places rather than the title. There will be a few clubs hopeful of pipping City to the crown, but unless there is a huge drop in form it looks unlikely.

BETTER THAN EXPECTED

Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City in particular have both had very good seasons so far. Blackburn Rovers haven't done well in the Cup and Shield, losing to Division 2 teams but their league form has been exemplary. The only questions about Blackburn is their commitment to youth. Their squad is fairly small with over half of their players being over 30, and no players currently in their youth academy. If there is going to be a poll for manager of the season for this division, then I'm sure Berbasbullet would be the overwhelming favourite. It would be interesting to hear what he has planned for the future. They look like they have a great shout of qualifying for the SMFA Champions Cup and have been in the top four for a large part of the season.

Stoke City just missed out on qualifying to the knockout stages of the SMFA Shield by one point, but in the domestic competitions they have done pretty well. They were unlucky to be knocked out of the League Cup to Derby County but have a good chance of making it to the quarter finals of the League Shield as they face bottom Division 2 club Leicester City at home in Round 4. Duffer has made some good signings and in Falcao and Cavani he has two lethal finishers with both having a strike rate greater than one in two.

RELEGATION BATTLE

In terms of the relegation battle Wigan Athletic are looking certs for the drop. 11 points is not enough at this stage of the season, though their new manager has got some good results lately, beating Stoke City 4-2 and earning a 1-1 draw against Arsenal so they may stand a chance.

Things don't look good for Queens Park Rangers, Aston Villa or Newcastle United either with Newcastle not having a win in eight league games, and even more shockingly, have not won a single home game in the league this season. They do have a decent away record but in order to survive they will need to improve their home record.

BRIEF THOUGHTS ON OTHER SIDES

Chelsea - Still fighting on all fronts and after a brief bad spell of form have won their last three league matches taking them to second in the league. With the players at their disposal they also have a good chance of catching up to City but they would need a near perfect record in the remaining games to do so. Suffered a blip a week or so ago when manager Urban-Ned noticed his small squad (at the time) had poor fitness levels but a few minor tactical changes along with terminating a few loans has seen them improve.

Tottenham Hotspur - Very small squad, have done well to be where they are with the small squad they have. Unfortunately for them the small squad has meant that they've left all other domestic competitions and the SMFA Shield competition early on but were unbeaten in 11 league matches before their surprise 1-0 loss at home to Fulham.

Manchester United - Manager Zarlak has busy of late and that has shown in the side's results. He has a good squad, though hasn't done well in the cups. They are through to the SMFA Champions Cup knockout stages but unless their manager becomes more active it is thought unlikely that they would progress much further. The squad should be doing better in the league than the position they're at now. They are only three points behind second, and with manager Zarlak saying that he will be active again there is a chance they should do well.

Arsenal - They have had a good Cup run (knocked out in fourth round) and are still in the Shield and Champions Cup. They're unbeaten in 8 league games but have a lot of draws. In the second half of the season they will need to turn some of the draws into wins. They will be happy at only losing 4 league matches, but I'm sure the manager won't be happy that they have drawn 8.

Everton - Doing fairly well in the league, a couple of loan players from Manchester United (Scholes and Welbeck) play a big part. Welbeck has done very well, scoring 7 times in his 16 appearances and his contribution in the League Cup has seen them progress to the quarter final stages where they are expected to win their match. They have had arguably their toughest run of league matches in their last five games which has seen them not win any of them. If they are to make that push onto the Champions Cup places, those are the kinds of games they need to win and manager TheReligion will be disappointed at losing the last three league games.

West Bromwich Albion - They have pulled off some impressive results (3-2 win over Manchester United, 1-0 win over Stoke City, 2-1 win over Blackburn Rovers and a 3-3 draw against Manchester City). There is a lot of competition for the SMFA Shield places but I think they do stand a decent chance, especially after winning their last game against Everton. In the other competitions they haven't done that well, being knocked out to Division 2 and 3 sides in the Cup and Shield.

Wolverhampton Wanderers - They have had an impressive run in both the Cup and Shield, beating Manchester United and Bolton Wanderers before being knocked out to Derby County in the fourth round of the Cup, and beating Tottenham Hotspur in the Shield with a good chance of progressing to the quarter finals. They are just in the SMFA Shield places after an impressive 3-0 win away to Liverpool and have a strong defence, conceding just 21 goals in 18 league games.

Sunderland - Like with Liverpool, they have had a period of uncertainty with old manager Lastwolf not logging in or making any transfers, but under MJJ they have had a decent record and were unbeaten in 8 league games until they lost against Arsenal. They have had some good results, drawing against Blackburn, Chelsea and Spurs but with them being just 1 point off the SMFA Shield places, they could end up rueing the number of draws they have had. Bendtner has been in sterling form for them and is currently the league's top scorer with 11 goals.

Liverpool - They had a period of uncertainty under old manager Irwin, but under new manager Excal they are doing well. They only have the league to play for and one of the strongest first teams in the league so it could be argued that they should be doing better but I think overall the manager will be relatively happy with how they've done so far. The loss to Wolves will be a huge disappointment though.

Norwich City - They were knocked out in the first round of the Cup but have done well in the Shield progressing to Round 4. When they lose a game, they lose another right after. Something which may need to be rectified. The run of games they have coming up isn't nice, with them playing Arsenal, Liverpool Manchester United and Blackburn Rovers in their next five matches but they will be happy with the 3-1 win over Stoke City.

Fulham - Their manager makes some of the strangest decisions tactically and in terms of using arrows but strangely it does pay off quite a bit. Manager TheBest has stated his intention to leave the club once a replacement is found and their recent record of two wins in six games isn't great. They have signed a lot of talent in Di Maria, Lloris, Sahin, Rodriguez and Shaqiri but need to improve their league form or they could be heading towards relegation. They will be very happy with their win over Tottenham.

Swansea City - They're struggling in the league and have been knocked out of the other competitions. When their manager concentrates on the side the have had some good results but there have been times when their manager has forgotten to set tactics or rotate and it has cost them. They could do with making one or two transfers but are short of cash. Beating Manchester City at home, who had only dropped points in 1 away game before Sunday is an amazing feat. Well done Burrow.

Bolton Wanderers - Out of both the Cup and the Shield in the third round, they only have the league to concentrate on and have got some good results notching up wins over Blackburn and Everton as well as drawing against Spurs, United and Arsenal. They have a young, decent squad which could hold them in good stead for the future.

SHIFT OF POWER

The division looks interesting with City above United, Everton above Liverpool, Sunderland above Newcastle and Tottenham above Arsenal.

PLAYER OF THE SEASON

There will be a poll on this but I agree with Trionz that Division 1's Player of the Season so far is Cristiano Ronaldo with 12 goals & 12 assists overall in 19 games (10 & 6 in the league). Honourable mentions goes to Franck Ribery of Chelsea who has scored 12 goals and assisted 11 overall in 26 games (10 & 7 in the league), as well as Manchester United's Lionel Messi who has scored 13 and assisted 11 in 22 games (9 & 9 in the league).
 
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TITLE RACE / PROMOTION BATTLE

This division is perhaps the tightest of the lot and it shows with just 10 points separating first from 10th. The gap between 2nd and 10th is shorter still (obviously) with just 6 points separating them, so I felt it best to try and look at all 10 teams and talk about their chances. First of all, for the teams involved to have a chance of finishing in the top 6 they need to get results against the other sides in the top 10. Lose them and even with a good run against teams outside the top 10 it will be tough. Here is the top 10 mini league:

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Now the teams:

Leeds United - Against the other sides in the top 10 they have fared very well, with the losses in general coming from big tactical risks that didn't pay off (both losses at home - 4-1 to Doncaster Rovers and 3-0 to Middlesbrough). Leeds have been predicted by some to finish first, but they have been very inconsistent - never winning more than two games on the bounce - and though they have been in the top 2 for most of the season, have rarely been that far ahead of the rest of the pack. The biggest result for Leeds this season would have been the 3-1 victory over Millwall, but losing 4-1 to Doncaster Rovers the game after could have meant Leeds going back into second if they hadn't drawn to Blackpool. If they want to finish first they need to take games by the scruff of the neck. The two games this week against Blackpool and Cardiff City will be huge, and could either see Leeds extend their lead at the top of the table, or fall to second or worse. The Cup and Shield runs have been bad, being knocked out of the second round in both competitions.

Millwall - They have an excellent record against the other sides in the top 10 and have done very well in both the Cup and Shield, with them playing in the fourth round of the Shield on Tuesday against Tranmere Rovers - a game that they're expected to win - and only just being knocked out in the third round of the Cup to Nottingham Forest on penalties. For most of the season they have been fighting for the title with Leeds, and they will have been disappointed to lose 3-1 at home to them, but since then they have lost their way a bit in the league. Quite a few times Leeds has dropped points since then but instead of capitalising on that, Millwall have also dropped points in their own games too as can be seen in the table below:

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Manager WR will be disappointed that they've not done well in the last few games, but for me they'll be challenging for the title right until the final game.

Ipswich Town - In Scrumpet's world there is no such thing as a draw. If there were draws in his world, then surely Ipswich would be at the top of the table by now. Instead, they've got the most defeats out of any teams in the top 13 of the table, yet are currently third thanks to their 11 wins which is the joint most in Division 2 along with Leeds United. They have had decent runs in both the Cup and Shield, being knocked out in the fourth and third round respectively. They have a decent record against the other teams in the top 10, but have lost more than they have won. James Forrest, an 85 rated winger is their star man, contributing 15 assists in the league and 17 in all competitions and like Leeds with Gaitan, it would be interesting to see where they would be without their star player. Ipswich have been in the top half of the table for most of the season and have a good chance of at least finishing in the playoffs. I would be surprised if they didn't finish in the top 6 but anything could happen in the second half of the season.

Middlesbrough - Whenever Middlesbrough lose, manager Annihilate Now! avoids posting in the SM thread which is why we've barely seen him since bragging about beating Leeds as they then lost the following two games against Blackpool and Bristol City. They are a good side, and have impressed me in the league but their results against other teams in the top 10 aren't that great, and though I think they will finish in the top 6, if they want to push on they will need to improve their results against the other teams. In the Cup and Shield they haven't done great, but in the rounds they were knocked out they were playing Manchester City and Chelsea, a tough game for any side. In Eljero Elia they have a fantastic player and he will be an important part of their efforts in the remainder of the season.

Cardiff City - Second bottom of the top 10 mini-league, their great record against teams outside the top 10 (6 wins, 4 draws and 0 defeats) is a big reason why they are so high. Their position in the league is very impressive given the strength of their squad compared to others, but if they want to sat where they are and perhaps go higher, I feel they need to make some transfers and I'm sure that is what they will do over the coming days. They have done very well to make it to the fourth round of both the Cup and Shield, and their large squad will have played a part in that. They lost to Chelsea in the Cup and people will probably expect them to lose to Chelsea in the Shield too, but whatever happens they have done brilliantly and it will be interesting to see how they do in the remainder of the season.

Crystal Palace - Their record against the other teams in the top 10 is very good and they will be pleased with a draw against 2nd placed side Millwall. They do have a strong squad, but had a poor run in both the Cup and Shield. Like Cardiff and some other sides they haven't swapped all of their players yet so could still do some transfers, though apart from highly rated talents Wilfried Zaha and Nathaniel Clyne, they don't have much to use in exchange. It is hard to say how well this side could do in the rest of the season but a 0-0 draw against Millwall, 0-0 draw against Leeds United and a 2-2 draw against Middlesbrough are all impressive results and they are a tough side to play against.

Hull City - Hull have got a decent record against the other sides in the top 10, but 5 draws is too many and 8 draws overall isn't ideal. That said they do have a very good defensive record and have no problems scoring but if they want to finish in the top 6 they will need to turn some of those draws into wins in the second half of the season. They've done well in the Cup and Shield, being knocked out in the third round of the Cup and facing Manchester City away in the fourth round of the Shield on Tuesday. Thursday's game against Crystal Palace at home will be a big one and a win will see them overtake Palace into the playoff spots.

Blackpool - They have got a strong squad, but a very thin one too. Their stadium is one of the smallest in the league and the players they have command high wages so financially they can't be doing that well which will make any business in the next few weeks unlikely. Another team who have been knocked out of the Cup and Shield early, their record in the league is pretty good - particularly against the top 10 sides. They need to do better against teams outside the top 10 though but they should do well. If their squad has any serious injuries - particularly to any of their star players - it could play havoc in their plans for promotion.

Doncaster Rovers - Manager Melq has done reasonably well in the transfer market, though most of their first teamers are in their 30s. They were knocked out in the second round of the Cup but are still in the Shield and their league form is good, losing just twice in their last 10 games. They have had some impressive results too, beating Leeds United 4-1 probably being one of the highlights. How they will do in the remainder of the season is hard to say, it's only just recently that they have been in the top 10 and if they want to make any transfers they will need to wait until late June or early July to do them which is a disadvantage compared to the other sides. They face three other sides from the top 10 in their next six matches, and if they want to make a push into the playoffs they will need to do well in those games.

Nottingham Forest - Manager RedSky will be disappointed with how things have gone so far, but with the number and severity of the injuries they have had things could be worse. They have done very well in the Cup and Shield, being knocked out of the Shield in the third round to Arsenal and are playing Preston North End in the quarter finals of the Cup on the 29th, but they will have wanted to do better in the league. In recent weeks, they have found a formation and tactics that have suited them, winning three league games in a row until their shock 4-1 loss to Cardiff City at home. I hope they do finish in the top 6, but their record against the other top 10 sides is dismal, and if they want to stand any chance of finishing in the top 6 they will need to improve this record or they won't stand a chance.

RELEGATION BATTLE

In terms of the relegation battle there are five sides involved, though with 15th placed Burnley currently unmanaged they could be dragged into the relegation battle too. Strangely all of the teams involved in the relegation battle (Portsmouth, Leicester City, Brighton and Hove Albion and Peterborough United) have had great runs in at least one competition, with Leicester City being in the fourth round of the Shield and Brighton and Hove Albion and Peterborough United being in the quarter final of the Cup but they will all need to do much better in the league in the second half of the season if they want to stand any chance of survival.

BRIEF THOUGHTS ON OTHER SIDES

Birmingham City - They have done brilliantly in both the Shield and Cup, playing in the fourth round of the Shield on Tuesday and in the quarter finals of the Cup, though they will have a tough side in Chelsea to play. Whatever happens it is a great achievement. Their record against sides outside of the top 10 is good, but their record against sides in the top 10 is horrendous drawing 3 and losing 7 so for that reason I can't see them making a push for the promotion places.

Derby County - Has the second best defence in the league but that means little as they are finding it difficult to score too, with the worst goals for record in the league apart from bottom placed Portsmouth. They've done well in both the Cup and Shield (knocked out in the third round of the Shield, into the quarter finals of the Cup) but in the league they have only scored more than 2 goals in one game (3-1 away win over Ipswich). If they want to push for promotion they need to start scoring more or they'll probably finish in midtable.

Coventry City - A bad run in both the Shield and Cup, they only have the league to play for. Just two wins in their last six matches isn't great, and the next game against Nottingham Forest is another tough tie, especially as they will be missing three players due to injury and another due to suspension. Gut feeling is they will not be in serious danger of relegation but at the same time they won't be in the promotion battle either. In their next 10 matches they face seven teams currently in the top 10 so it will be tough but I can see them getting the 16 or so points required in their remaining matches.

Bristol City - They've got one of the best starting 11s in the league, and have got some brilliant results including a 2-1 win over Middlesbrough, a 3-0 win over Millwall, a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest, a 1-1 draw against Leeds United and a 4-1 win over Blackpool but they don't seem to be doing too well in the league and it is their results against sides outside the top 10 that seem to let them down. How they will do in the remainder of the season is hard to say. Despite having one of the best starting 11s, their squad doesn't have much quality outside those 11 and if they have injuries they could be in trouble. I can't see them being relegated but if they want to push higher they need to improve.

CASH STRAPPED

While Division 2 is the most competitive division of the lot, it is also the one with most clubs in financial turmoil. A lot of clubs will be quiet when the transfer bans are lifted, with a few needing to sell their best players to get out of debt before making any other transfers if needed. There will be a few clubs who won't be too concerned about the debt they're in and will not be selling their players so they can try and make the push for the automatic/play-off places, but it will be risky.

PLAYER OF THE SEASON

Again, the following is mainly Trionz work but I agree with what he says. Hopefully there will be some sort of nomination thing as the following is just the opinion of 2 people rather than the 60 odd teams in the league. Leite Adriano (7 goals and 6 assists in 13 appearances), Nicolás Gaitan (4 goals and 15 assists in 19 appearances), Lorik Cana (10 goals and 6 assists in 14 appearances), James Forrest (6 goals and 17 assists in 21 appearances) and Germán Denis (3 goals and 10 assists in 18 appearances) have all had great seasons so far but in our opinion the player of the season so far is Eljero Elia (7 goals and 10 assists in 18 appearances).
 
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TITLE RACE

In Division 3 there are only two teams in it really. West Ham United and Reading are both on 45 points and quite far ahead of the others (10 points ahead of third). The other teams can only hope for the playoff spots and that is perhaps a more interesting battle.

West Ham United - Out of the Cup in round 2 and the Shield in round 3, the league has been their focus and they have been very impressive. Both theirs and Reading's home and away records are very similar with West Ham leading on goal difference by quite a distance (49 goals scored overall, just 11 goals conceded). They have wisely decided to do not much in terms of transfers at the start of the season, instead pouncing on the likes of Fernando Torres when their transfer bans expired on the market. They have a squad to be feared in Division 3, and when they are promoted to Division 2 I can see them challenging for the title there too.

Reading - They have had a poor Cup and Shield run, being knocked out to Division 2 sides in both (out of the Cup in the first round and the Shield in the second round on penalties) but in the league they are cruising. Eight wins in their last eight matches, conceding just 3 goals and scoring 18 games it must be good to be them. They have a balanced squad and if not for West Ham's great goalscoring form they would be top. I can see both Reading and West Ham being neck and neck until the end of the season but the biggest game will be their next one on the 24th of May, when they face each other once more. The last time the two sides met each other, they both drew. Since then their squads have changed, and Thursday's match will be a different affair. With them playing at West Ham, and West Ham signing Torres, they are surely favourites but you never know. It is a game not to be missed.

PROMOTION BATTLE

There are a few sides involved. At one point Carlisle United looked like challenging for the title but having been unmanaged since manager digitalnirvana left on the 28th of April, they have lost 4 of their last 7 games and it is debatable whether they will even make it to the playoffs unless they have a new manager. I have mentioned five sides below but more could be involved.

Scunthorpe United - Their home record is almost impeccable while away they are in Scrumpet's world of not knowing what a draw is. They have done well to be third with a largely unchanged squad. There isn't much they can do in terms of transfers as their stadium capacity is only 9k and they probably won't be earning that much after each match. Knocked out in both the Cup and Shield in the second round, they have been doing well in the league losing just twice in their last 10 matches and if the form continues they should be certain to finish in the playoff places.

Preston North End - Preston have got one of the strongest squads in the division and through that they are still in the Shield and the Cup - an amazing achievement for a side in Division 3. In the league they have lost just once in their last 10 matches and are another side that look good value to finish in the playoff places. One of their star players has been Samperio Jairo on loan from Division 2 side Leeds United. Commanding just £7,875 in wages, the player has been worth every penny for Preston scoring 4 times and having 7 assists in 16 appearances in all competitions. They also have the second best defence in the league, and while they haven't scored that much compared to other sides their solid defence means that scoring one or two goals usually sees them come out with a positive result.

Sheffield United - They have lost just three times in the league - all of them at home. Their away record is impressive picking up 15 points and is one of the best in the league. They have a good squad and while they have been knocked out of the Shield in the first round (unfortunate to be drawn against Stoke City), they made it to the third round of the Cup (losing to Everton). Their star player must be forward Issiar Dia who has scored 7 and has had 7 assists in just 13 appearances. He would have been a loss the last few weeks with the injury he picked up against Notts County and with him back they stand a good chance with their next game against Carlisle United being a big game if they want to finish in the playoffs.

Charlton Athletic - Just one point outside of the playoff places they have done well recently, winning five games in a row before losing their last one 1-0 at home to Reading. Their next four league games are against unmanaged teams before they play Notts County and then West Ham United. If they get full points (or near full points) in their next four matches they stand a good chance.

Notts County - They have a good squad but were knocked out of both the Cup and the Shield in the second round (both times to Division 2 sides). Star player is Teemu Pukki who has scored 9 times and had 6 assists in 19 appearances. They have a tough few games coming up in Reading, Charlton Athletic and West Ham United (with a few unmanaged teams in between). It is hard to say how strong their chances are but they have lost too many games for a side in their position and can't afford many more if they do want to push for promotion.

RELEGATION BATTLE

Most of the sides at the bottom of the table are unmanaged so won't go into much detail about them. Rochdale and Brentford are sure to go down though. If they don't it would be a miracle job by the COM or any potential interested managers.

Huddersfield Town - Things have been difficult for Huddersfield. They have had three different managers but they seem to be doing well with their latest manager adam118 who has had three wins in his six games in charge. Given their manager turnover it is hard to predict how they will do in the remainder of the season but if they can get a positive result against Hartlepool and their manager sticks with them (he's got 155 points so he must be quite experienced in Soccer Manager) I can see them surviving.

Hartlepool United - Just 3 points from their last six games, things aren't looking great for Hartlepool. Their manager has stuck with them since he joined on the 20th of March and fair play to him for that. Their stadium capacity is the smallest in the league so they can't be earning much and probably can't afford to sign players (if they're able to). They lost in the first round of the Cup and were knocked out in the second round of the Shield. In order to survive they will need to win a few key games - with their next game on Thursday against Huddersfield Town being the biggest. They have never won away from home though and that game will be away too.

BRIEF THOUGHTS ON OTHER SIDES

Watford - Their overall record is the same as Southampton, winning 6, drawing 9 and losing 4. Like with Southampton they have an impressive squad and should be doing better than they are. Another similarity with Southampton has seen them reach the fourth round of the Cup too before being knocked out. They have lost just twice in their last 10 games, but three draws and one loss in their last four games has seen them fall away from the leaders in the league.

Southampton - They have done well in the Cup making it to the fourth round before being knocked out. Their league form has been good too, losing just twice in the last 13 games and their current manager has done well but can't seem to win more than 1 league game in a row and that inconsistency might cost them in the long run. Their squad is impressive and probably should be doing better than they are currently. They have lost just once away but drew 6 of them - the joint most along with Sheffield United. They need to win more.

Oldham Athletic - They went through a couple of impressive 5 game unbeaten runs earlier on in the season including winning against Reading. In the first 13 league games they lost just twice, but the last six league games have been a nightmare for them earning just 3 points out of a possible 18. Earlier in the season they may have been looking towards promotion but now that seems near impossible.

Chesterfield - Unbeaten in their last three games including an impressive 3-1 win over leaders West Ham United I'm wondering how they are where they are. I can't see them bing relegated as they are 7 points clear of 18th at the moment and there are a few other sides I can see being relegated before them but at the same time I can't see them challenging for promotion either. They will most likely finish midtable. They have scored lots of goals but at the same time they have conceded loads too.

PLAYER OF THE SEASON

The stats alone are in Lewis Holtby's favour with 9 goals and 14 assists in 18 appearances, but his team mate Ander Herrera gets the accolade for this division.
 
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Just three teams in it and a shock result for Sheffield Wednesday has seen Bradford City go top on goal difference, with the Bantams scoring an insane 80 goals in 19 league games.

Bradford City - Whatever happens, next season they are going to be in a spot of bother as three of their current contingent (Dragutinovic, Boudianski and Campbell) are retiring. In the Cup and Shield they made it to the second round of each, losing to Chesterfield in an epic 4-5 thriller in one and losing on penalties to Derby County in the other. They are currently unbeaten in their last 10 league appearances, winning nine and drawing just once. In the last three games they have scored 14 goals, conceding none and their potent strike force in David Suazo and Souza Deivid have scored 33 of their 80 goals in the league. If the league is to be decided on goal difference then Bradford should easily win. They have also won every one of their home games.

Sheffield Wednesday - Just a few days ago they looked like they would make it through the season unbeaten, alas MK Dons had other ideas. They have had a good Cup and Shield run, being knocked out in the third round in each. The 4-0 loss at home will have been a huge surprise, especially as MK Dons dominated the game and thoroughly deserved to win the game with the home team just having 1 shot on target. They still have a great chance of winning the title but the loss will have been a blow.

Milton Keynes Dons - If their good form continues and they lose out on automatic promotion despite possibly having 90 points or more it must be tough. They have done very well in the league losing just twice (once against current league leaders Bradford City and the other against Tranmere) and a 4-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday saw them cut the difference between first and third to just 3 points. In the Cup they were knocked out in the first round to Newcastle United and in the second round of the Shield they lost to Manchester City. Their current unbeaten run is 7 games including winning the last 4.

PROMOTION BATTLE

Compared to the other teams there isn't much of a battle here as the teams who are fourth and fifth are 7 points ahead of the team in 7th and even the 6th placed team is 4 points ahead. I'll group the remaining active teams under this category anyway, though personally I feel the top four or five are wrapped up and perhaps it's only just sixth which is up for grabs with Exeter's form a bit shaky compared to the teams above.

Plymouth Argyle - With there being no chance of them finishing in the top 2 and them being comfortably in the top 6, there isn't much for them to fight for apart from possibly to stay fourth. In the league they are in great form winning 6 and drawing 1 of their last 8 matches and they were knocked out in the second round of both the Cup and Shield. One of their best players - André Ooijer - is retiring at the end of the season. Play the second half of the season as they have done the first they should be fine.

Bristol Rovers - Their away record is pretty impressive, winning 7 and losing just 2 but at the moment they're fifth on goal difference. Their Cup and Shield runs were cut short, losing both their first round matches. In the league they are currently in an impressive run of form winning 9 and drawing 1 of their last 11 games. Their manager has only been in charge since the 8th of April so has had a good points haul in the games he has been in charge for.

Exeter City - They made it to the second round of the Shield and the third round of the Cup. In the league their form is patchy with them unable to win more than 2 consecutive games. They are four points ahead of 7th and have got some impressive results including a 2-2 draw against MK Dons and a 2-0 win over Bradford City. Their next three games are against unmanaged sides and in order to keep their playoff place and perhaps going higher, they will need to do well in those before they play Bristol Rovers on the 3rd of June.

Stevenage - They have had a decent Cup and Shield run like Exeter, making it to the second round of the Shield and the third round of the Cup. They haven't beaten any of the top 3 sides, though highlights from those games include a 0-0 draw against Sheffield Wednesday and a cracking 6-4 loss to Bradford City. Their next two matches are against Sheffield Wednesday and MK Dons. They will be tough games and not ideal when they're already four points behind 6th. A positive result in either or both could fare Stevenage well for the remainder of the season.

Rotherham United - Knocked out of the Cup and the Shield in the first round. Recently they have had a good spell of form in the league, winning 3 and drawing 1 of their last 5 matches. Next they play Bristol Rovers at home which will be an important game for them.

Tranmere Rovers - They were knocked out of the Cup in the first round but are having a great run in the Shield, currently in the fourth round playing Millwall on Tuesday. Their form in the league recently has been poor though, losing their last four matches and they play current leaders Bradford City on Thursday. Things don't look well for them but they have beaten third place MK Dons 2-1 earlier in the season.

RELEGATION BATTLE

All of the teams from 10th and below are unmanaged but Port Vale and Macclesfield Town look near certainties for relegation, while Gillingham's form could see them survive with Cheltenham Town who haven't got any points in their last six possibly going down instead.

PLAYER OF THE SEASON

One name: David Suazo. 24 goals and 10 assists in just 14 appearances for Bradford. Bargain. Honourable mention goes to Henrique Walter who plays for Sheffield Wednesday. 13 goals and 12 assists in 15 appearances.
 
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Only one team I can say really:

Darlington - Currently 11 points ahead of 2nd and look certain to finish top of the pile in Division 5. They have the best defence by miles, conceding just 12 goals and are unbeaten in their last 8 league games winning 7 and drawing 1. In the Cup they were knocked out in the second round while they did well to make it to the third round of the Shield, losing 4-1 at home to Stoke City. They have signed many players both for the future and to sell in the short term for a profit and it will be interesting to see how they do in the upper divisions. 49 points from a possible 57 is a great achievement.

PROMOTION BATTLE

Just two other managed teams in this division so there's not going to be much of a report for this one. Both Aldershot Town and Crawley Town are going to finish in the promotion places, of that I'm pretty much certain. With Aldershot Town currently 6 points ahead of Crawley I think they will finish in the automatic promotion spots with Crawley hopefully winning the playoffs though they will be tough.

Aldershot Town - They were out in the second round of the Cup, losing 3-0 away to Arsenal but amazingly they are in the fourth round of the Shield, playing away to Birmingham City on Tuesday. If they can win that it will make some headlines. Whatever happens they have had a great run. Though they are second their form compared to Darlington has been a bit patchy with a few surprise losses to unmanaged sides but on the whole they're doing excellently.

Crawley Town - Knocked out in the second round of both the Shield and the Cup. They have done pretty well in the league with inconsistency stopping them from being higher than they are currently. The most league games they have won in a row is 2 which isn't great, while their best unbeaten run is 6 matches. Their highlight in the league will have been the 1-0 away win to leaders Darlington and later on in the season they play Aldershot away followed by Darlington at home. If they do well in those games as well as their others they may have a chance of finishing second but it will be tough.

PLAYER OF THE SEASON

I think it has to go to Billy Clarke of Crawley Town who has 16 goals and 9 assists in 21 appearances. Honourable mentions go to Cristian Tello of Darlington who has 9 goals and 11 assists in 19 appearances in all competitions and Accrington Stanley's Padraig Amond who has 8 goals and 11 assists in 18 league appearances.
 
The quality massively deteriorates as you go down but my eyes and fingers are bleeding so it's a fair trade off. Very hard to write about teams who seemingly can't fight for promotion and at the same time don't look like going down.

And there'll probably be a few typos/some things that don't make sense too.
 
WR said:
Bloody hell, Damien. Cracking effort, much appreciated.
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Levo91 said:
Jesus fecking christ Damien! :lol:
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Cheers, best I could do on short notice. Trionz pmed me his reports a few days ago which consisted of a couple of paragraphs each. I thought he wanted me to check them for spellings and whatnot and send them back so I did, then he told me he thought that I would do my own as they would be better, and so here we are today.

Most of those reports were done today. Nothing too great as at the end of the day there is 100 teams and it would take ages to do in depth reviews about each side, but a paragraph on each team isn't too bad.
 
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