Season 34 Week 16 processing...

Welcome to week 16.

All Orders have been recieved and the reset is underway...

The Friendly games have kicked off...

Thanks Paul, the tension is building already here....

Week 16 tends to be the time of year my teams fall apart so nervously awaiting this weeks games. Two years ago I managed to lose 2 out of 2 semi finals and last year I improved on that by losing 3 out of 3 somehow.  This year brings 4 semi finals......4 really tough ties, Barcelona, Leverkusen, Man United and Santos.    Hoping to buck the trend and not lose 4 out of 4 this time around!!

Aside from those games, the players mustn't forget the massively important league encounters.  Charlton, Nantes and Wolfsburg in really tight title races and dropped points this time of the season are generally hard to come back from.

Saying all that, it is incredibly exciting and I really look forward to weeks like these!

WATFORD

A pivotal week in the season for the Hornets…. An extremely tough away game to Aston Villa, who have surprised a lot since there manager change. Two fully strength teams go head-to-head in a blockbuster match. However, the Watford manager is interested in seeing how the Villa manager balances his next round of European matches with such an important league match.. Do they have the squad depth to fight on both fronts? Maddison have been hugely influencial since coming into the side can the midfield of Rice/Maddison and Silva over run the midfield of Tielemans and Rabiot….
Watford side have managed to keep within touching distance of the league with key draws to Charlton and Plymouth of late, and a much needed win over Banstead last week. Weeks like this make the excitement all the much more intense given how close the league is this season!
 
 

GENK

“KOULIBALY who brings the high ball down, then plays an easy pass up the middle to CAMAVINGA who plays it long across to DOKU who narrowly tricks his way past JORDAN LUKAKU, then creates an opening with a clever pass through to ROMELO LUKAKU who slips his marker and hammers a half volley high into the corner of the net for a GOAL!!!”
Could this be the title winning goal for Genk to reclaim their title? Romelo Lukaku was brought in to provide big goals in the season after a toothless Genk lost out last season. But a fine goal by the Belgian striker in the biggest game of the season sees the side move 4 points top of the side. Unmanaged Gent are this weeks opponents and the side will be looking to maintain there superb charge on the title. Until its mathematically secure the side will remain the same. Some of the new youngsters are chomping to get into the side and allow some of the senior players to move on. However, a tricky fixture in Europe to navigate first in Liverpool. Another competition then Belgian side have have success in recently and will be looking to go all the way again.
 

LEVERKUSEN

“It’s Alive” - Frankenstien
Leverkusen fans certainly enjoying themselves again after 2 back to back victories. 4-0 and 5-1. The free flowing flying wingers certainly providing entertainment Joao Palhinha and SMS enjoying themselves in the middle of the park. Along with Eden Hazard who is rolling back the years and certainly enjoying being centre of attention. Bremen are this weeks league opponents who seem to rely on goals from Rai Vloet, can Palhinha maintain his Sublime form?
As for Europe…. Wolfsburg!
 

BOTAFOGO

Huge week in Brazil…. The Rio side take on Santos in the League and also entertain Independ who the Brazil managed to beat in the final last season! Who knows where the season will take us this year!
Currently Botafogo have a 8 point gap currently, but could easily be dashed to 5 points. Full focus and concentration required. But as the side is still in the Copa they will continue to field there best XI to ensure progression to the next round… Stamina could prove pivotal in Brazil.
 
 
Good luck to all!

A big week ahead.

Barca have a massive game against Charlton. Tom's side are fantastic and it'll be really tough.Could go either way. Not confident at all.
Nacional have a big semi trying to regain some pride after last season's failings. Hopefully time to regain some pride.
Hannover ......... are apparently a football team. I just wish someone would tell the players. Schalke away this week so a total free hit. If it's not 6 it's probably a good day.
Rennes keep going. Europe is nice but the real goal this season is to make it to Ligue 1 eventually and to make sure Griezmann's knees hold out.
A lot of varied cup hideaways ........... some have gone Rocky IV style, some have gone high altitude ..... who knows if they'll work. And a few speeches on the go as well. I think one or two might have qualified as prayers rather than speeches though. 
Good luck to everyone in semi finals.

Thanks for the inciteful previews guys, always very interesting...

Confederations Cup - Semi-Final results

Dallas 0 Chicago 3
Cosmos 0 New York 2

Champions Cup - Semi-final results

Charlton 1 Barcelona 0
Schalke 2 Ajax 1

European Cup Winners Cup - Semi-final results

Jena 0 Linfield 1
Stockholm 0 Berlin 2

European Cup - semi-final results

Villa 3 Twente 2
Wolfsburg 3 Leverkusen 3 aet pens 3-4

Europa Cup - semi-final results

Man United 3 Nantes 1
Liverpool 1 Genk 0

European Fairs Cup - semi-final results

Gladbach 1 Liege 6
Innsbruck 0 Coleraine 1

Europa Conference Cup - semi-final results

Everton 1 Napoli 0
Palace 4 Motherwell 0

UEFA Intertoto Cup - semi-final results

St Johnstone 1 Marseille 2
Rennais 1 Raith 0

Europa Intercity Cup - semi-final results

Sampdoria 1 Blackburn 2
Hibs 2 Bordeaux 1

SudEuropa Cup - semi-final results

Zurich 1 Swansea 2
Ferencvaros 2 Wimbledon 3

Copa Libertadores - semi-final results

Santos 5 Fluminense 0
Botafogo 0 Independente 3

Copa SudAmerica - semi-final results

Nacional 2 Coritiba 1
Portuguesa 3 Defensor 2

Congratulations to all the winners. League games will kickoff today but time is yet to be fixed...

Anglo-Scottish Cup - semi-final results

Banstead 1 Rapid 0
Atalanta 3 QPR 2

I am going to try and start the league games this afternoon at 1500 hours...

Paul Hemmings wrote:

Champions Cup - Semi-final results

Charlton 1 Barcelona 0
Schalke 2 Ajax 1

Congrats Tom (and Andy). 2 amazing teams and 2 great managers.

Thanks Rob, obviously an incredibly tight game and the match report will be an interesting read for sure!



Honestly don't know how many years I've been playing this game and it is incredible after all this time it continues to delight and frustrate in equal measure.  That's probably why I enjoy it so much!  

Charlton break new ground by reaching their first Champions Cup final, although against the wily old veterans of Schalke it may prove a very tough ask.  Delighted by that result obviously but then the other three semis end in defeat once again.  Nantes seem to struggle against United year after year, Wolfsburg unlucky on pens to a very good Leverkusen side and then Fluminense battered in another big game which strengthens the deisre for tactical tweaks next season....

Now onto the league games, which will feature a lot of knackered players, week 16 kicking in.  Fluminense not much to play for but Nantes, Wolfsburg need wins really.  Charlton away to Plymouth, nothing like a sound beating to bring the players back down to earth maybe....

Well done to all the semi finalists, not an easy job getting there!

Well... 1/3 Progress. Genk and Botafogo(first defeat of season?) But Leverkusen progress. Another exciting twist. I thought it was going to be the other way round ha. 

Well played everyone and good luck to those in the finals

cheers rob, i'm super pleased with that result.
played 3 AM with the central AM (instead of ST) having a FRM to try to scupper the Ajax TOT attack. Then gave Mbappe (CF) a FRA to try to compensate for the lack of a striker.
be interesting to see the write-up to see if I won 'because of' or 'despite of' my tinkering!