Season 32 Week 13 processing...

Welcome to week 13.

Everybody's orders have arrived safely thanks.

I ran game two last week and it caused some data corruption to the main player database when the power went out halfway through the processing cycle. This corrupted most players ghost caps which isnt too serious because it only affects a players PT and CR and those fields are both protected, which means the system should never downgrade a players PT or CR, only I can do that manually. So it hasnt affected any players PTCR.

However it did make me think about the current system and some of the tedious things I have to keep updated to make it work properly, hence I decided on a minor redesign of the way the system uses international caps to determine PT and CR for new players.

Hence forth a player who gains 1 full cap will go to PT99 CR97 and once he gains 25 full caps he will go to PT99 CR99. Then if I feel he deserves a CR99 before reaching 25 full caps I can assign him 25 ghost caps in order to bring him up to CR99.

This does not affect players currently on the database only new players.

I did go through the database last week and update the top echelon players from the top footballing countries who were left on CR99 with less that 25 fulls caps and gave them 25 ghost caps, even though it wasn't actually required, just me being a bit fussy about the database, so you may see the odd player review in your feedback.

Paul - what's considered top footballing countries?

And this sounds great. Thanks for the behind the scenes work which I know there is a load of but which doesn't always get hi-lighted.

Agree with Rob here - great idea! Also echo the thanks on the work you do to keep things running smoothly!

WATFORD

Manager decided to have a mini reshuffle last week and Maddison seems to have relished his chance in the first 11, so keeps his place and no changes made to the starting XI. This weeks league opponents are Birmingham who will no doubt give an attacking display to match that of PEB, Alexis Sanchez has scored 27 goals so far this season and we've just hit the half way point! Hopefully Rice will keep him occupied, otherwise it could be a real see saw of a game! 
CUP game Vs Liverpool who appear to be somewhat struggling this year, with the likes of Moses, Zaha, Higuain and Lallana in the side i'm sure they will give a good account of themselves, hopefully not too good though! Idrissa Gueye make's his debut in the cup at BW, KDB and Sterling keep there place at RW and LW respectively to keep things a bit fresher! 

GENK

Manager has been pleased with the recruitment as of late at the Belgian club, a couple more additions would see them set for the next few seasons. Nkunku makes his debut at LW after injury to Lang on his debut last week and a rushed return to RW for Mahrez, but hopefully will be a good game to ease them back into the first team action. Can Nkunku fill the void left by Griezmann? Time will tell.....
CUP side are last weeks opponents Liege, so looking forward to a repeat of the score line! However, changes to the side could cause a reduced score line, but believe in the side and should have enough to earn a victory and progress! 

LEVERKUSEN 

Back to winning ways last week, some what of a enigma is that Leverkusen have been far better on the road then they have been at home. Something that always costs a team if they cant make there home a fortress! Unfortunately Musiala got injured on his debut for the german side so El Shaarawy will occupy the RW slot this week wile Musiala is visiting a specialist. The side are focused on off-field antics this week, balancing the books with the manager splashing the cash on Attila last week, who is already impressing in training and eager to get into the side and build up that relationship with Rudiger! 
This weeks opponents are Jena, managed by Charlie Fields, hopefully i have better look then Vs his dad! 

BOTAFOGO

Having being the superior side last week, the side were unfortunate to come away with just a Draw. Manager pleased with the strength in depth he has managed to assemble and in encouraged by the display, looks like the CUP and COPA are the focus for the remainder of the season for silverware! Hulk returns to the starting lineup with Galhardo keeping his spot in the CUP side to 90mins each for the forwards. Marcos Llorente is settling into the side well and getting to know his team mates well with the spanish influence helping the players Saul, Casemiro and Grimaldo all welcoming him. No doubt the fans will see him sooner rather then later as the side have struggled to give Fernandinho a regular break this season and the 36 year old will be vital in the final games of the season. So hopefully progression in the CUP this week!  

A double header this week... Gremio in CUP and League, sure they are relishing the prospect, but nothing but a professional approach from the Botafogo manager, Must win both games! 

Good luck to everyone this week

Friendly games have kicked off, League games and the vidiprinter are likely to start Wednesday morning at 1000 hours...

Schalke

A home cup game against Bremen gives the manager the opportunity to tweak his tactic in preparation for the CL cup qtr against Watford next week. Obviously, the manager is also fully focussed on  getting a result THIS week too.

An away lge game v Dresden prompts a few team changes, but the matchup of WIN v FAP should help to get the desired result. Goretzka sees a specialist this week in a rush to get him fit for next weeks' matches.

The board continue their building program and the manager tidies up the squad with a couple of loans and, hopefully, a new arrival.

FA Cup - Third Round results

Charlton 4 Soton 2
Chelsea 7 Wednesday 1
Plymouth 4 Brighton 1
Blackpool 0 Arsenal 6
Man City 3 Coventry 0
Burnley 0 Wimbledon 0 aet pens 3-1
Villa 4 Banstead 0
Watford 1 Liverpool 2

Rest of the cup games tomorrow morning...

The players are lined up and the ref blows for the start of the first half, good luck to everybody this week...

Gremio 0 Botafogo 1 Casemiro on 2 minutes.
Motherwell 1 Rangers 0 Tardelli freekick.

Dresden 0 Schalke 1 Pau Torres header on 3 minutes.
Ruzomberok 1 Trencin 0 Sulekmani penalty.
Nacional 1 Cerrito 0 Maxi Gomez header.

Palmeiras 1 Santos 0 Hernanes on 4 minutes.

Inter 1 Roma 0 Pessina on 6 minutes.
Sevilla 0 Valencia 1 Botia header.
Nacional 2 Cerrito 0 Almada.

Valenciens 0 Rennais 1 Griezmann header on 7 minutes.

Gremio 0 Botafogo 2 Neymar on 8 minutes.

Genk 1 Antwerp 0 Camavinga on 10 minutes.
Shamrock 1 Cherry 0 Elias freekick.
Arsenal 1 Charlton 0 Pereira.

Vertikal 0 Bate 1 Broja on 11 minutes.

Arsenal 1 Charlton 1 Salah on 12 minutes.

Leverkusen 1 Jena 0 Milinkovic-Savic freekick on 13 minutes.

Fluminense 1 Corinthians 0 Coutinho freekick on 15 minutes.
Gremio 0 Botafogo 3 Fernandinho.
Barcelona 1 Villareal 0 Benzema header.

Independente 1 Argentinos 0 Rodrigo De Paul on 17 minutes.
Fluminense 2 Corinthians 0 Coutinho.
Arsenal 2 Charlton 1 Pereira freekick.

Gremio 0 Botafogo 4 Hulk on 18 minutes.
Hannover 1 Wolfsburg 0 Poulsen penalty.
Deportivo 0 Atletico 1 Dybala.
Nacional 3 Cerrito 0 Sergi.

Alkmaar 0 Twente 1 Sigurdsson freekick on 19 minutes.

Motherwell 1 Rangers 1 Macleod freekick on 20 minutes.

Gremio 0 Botafogo 5 Casemiro on 21 minutes.