shannon2007

Danish Premier League 2009-2010 - Part One

A 3-0 penalty shoot out win against Midtjylland, after a dull 0-0 draw, endsured that the Danish Super Cup came to Parken. Five days later, Vejle came to Parken and left with a 2-1 defeat, yet the story of the game was that it took a 30th minute penalty from Holst, and an injury time winner from the same player to secure the points in a scrappy FCK performance. And if the support thought this was just early season rustiness, they were soon wishing the season was over.

AaB were expected to be one of the main challengers to FCK's title hopes, and after a fantastic home performance, in which they gubbed Olaf's troops by 4-1, it seemed that they were certainly going to be one of the teams to beat. A 0-0 draw at home to AGF, followed by a 1-0 loss away to Esbjerg and it was becoming clear that, in the League at least, the FCK players were struggling to find their form and even so early in the season the title was starting to look like a forlorn hope unless things changed and quickly.

A 2-0 defeat to OB saw FCK lying near the foot of the table, but at least their blues were lifted temporarily at least by a Danish Cup 3rd round win over Holbaek with the socreline of 4-2. Even that performance though lacked any real conviction, as did the 2-1 win over Fremad Amager in the League. At least though it was a win, and any win would do right now. A 3-0 triumph over Silkeborg seemed to indicate that perhaps the corner was being turned, but a trip back to Amager in the Cup saw a penalty shoot out defeat after a 1-1 draw against the League strugglers and 3-1 defeat against high flying FC Midtjylland would probably have set the club to crises levels, if it hadn't been for the Champions League distractions.

Things had to change, but even in the 2-0 win over Herfolge, it was clear all was far from well and that showed up in a 2-2 draw against Vejle. The corner though was gradually being turned, as Viborg were cast aside 4-1, and then a crucial 2-0 home win over AaB gained a modicum of revenge for the earlier defeat and kept FCK still hanging on by a thread to the title race. Things though were far from perfect and although wins were posted over Brondby (4-0) and Esbherg (2-1), only a 1-1 draw could be obtained away to AGF and another dissapointing away defeat, this time 3-1 to OB, brought the curtain down on a very poor first half of the season in league terms.

And yet despite losing five of their seventeen league matches, Olaf saw his team sit in 3rd place in the table, four points adrift of leaders Midtjylland and two points behind Brondby. Inconsistancies had affected the other challengers too, as AaB lay a further two points back, which was just as well really. If any team had managed to put together a half decent run, Olaf would probably be out of a job. As it happens, there is still everything to play for, but the players are going to have to rediscover last season's form if they are to retain this title.

On the European front, the draw for the UEFA Cup was far from kind, as English side Aston Villa were pulled out of the hat to be FCK's opponents. It's a winnable tie surely, but it certainly won't be easy.

shannon2007

International Friendly - Faroe Islands v Equatorial Guinea

It may not have been the most mouthwatering, glamour filled fixture that ever graced the international football scene, but to the Faroes it was an important match to keep the squad ticking over before the start of the Euro 2012 qualifying tournament. The their opponents were totally unknown and hadn't played an international match for three years since losing to Lesotho in the World Cup qualifying was irrelevant really. This was simply a chance to get the squad together and give them a run out, so they didn't forget their past success. Not that they would, given that most of them played for the same club anyway.

Speaking of Euro 2010, the draw for the qualifying was eagerly anticipated by the Faroes, who were hoping for the kind of group in which they could continue to enhance their growing reputation. The draw though was not kind, at least in terms of being a group from which it could be expected to qualify from. Albania are beatable, Slovenia were drawn with twice in the World Cup campaign, but Russia and especially France, will be tough nuggets to crack. The French game would be a good measure of any progress the Faroes have surely made, as the last time they met - in September of 2005 - the French won 6-2. The Faroese will be hoping that this time the matches will be whole lot closer.

With Gunnar Nielsen, Einar Petersen, Aki Joensen, Thomas Overgaard, Anders Berg and Christian Holst all on the bench, the match with the Africans was most definately one for experimentation. Indeed, Mortan I Horg was given a more advanced role in the midfield rather than his usual left back slot, and there was a recall to squad for 24 year old Keflavik left winger Simun Samuelsen. This was expected to be a relatively easy game for the Faroes, and just five minutes into it Bardur Jensen grabbed his chance of a rare start with a fine goal. The Africans though had no intention of lying down here and it took until the stroke of half time before Horg finally added a second.

The second half started badly for the side from the Equator as they found themselves reduced to 10 men by a red card. Even so, they continued to battle it away and it wasn't until 10 minutes from time the Faroes completed their scoring exploits as Horg bagged a brace - even if it was courtesy of the penalty spot. A decent enough performance all round , and with seven months till the next friendly - at home to Scotland - there isn't much for the Faroese Army to do of a night. Expect a baby boom.

retired_Joeysmama

Has this story died or is it exam period etc???

shannon2007

Exam period? I haven't had an exam period for 25 years :p

Just having a wee rest, it will be back soonish, has a few more years yet to run I feel

kamini20

Peacemaker, are you doing this as you play the game or are you quite far from the story. I was just curious.

shannon2007

Slightly ahead of the story for reasons that I'm just doing seasonal updates at club level, but not too far ahead really

retired_nadiya

Well Im gobsmacked! Took me a few nights to get thru this whole story but now I know this is the best story on FM!!

Brill idea and great moments with added suspense and great success with such a small nation! Im gutted that this anders berg is a regen!! He is my hero!!

Everytime he scores I smile and nearly punch the air! Ive got about a hundred q's but will just ask a few if its ok PM7, Could you give a screenshot of this young footi genius?

And do you keep the same tactics for all your games and at club level also? And this is the 1st story ive read where the teller is talking for someone else, (olaf and ingi) rather than themself which is a change! I was wondering if you have them in charge of your u-21's and u-19's or do you mange all the sides yourself?

And to finish I have to say this is fantastic stuff and has to get an award! Keep it up PM!!

shannon2007

Thanks cruiseylee. I won't be posting any screenies I think it ruins the imagination side of the game and stats don't tell the whole story anyway. The magic is in the believing Its a shame though that you can't export regens!

I usually keep the same tactics for all games, although I've just recently changed them a little bit.

One of the guys in charge of the U-19 side but atm I'm just letting the assistant manage the U-21's, the lack of depth of players makes it quite hard to find 60-70 players who fit the bill!

retired_nadiya

So are olga and ingi on your staff list then or is that just for the story? Cos even with the faroes you can appoint some amazing staff, I thought I would load up and try and got martin o'neill as my assistand and terry venables as my u-21 coach, and jose camacho(spelt wrong) managing my u19's. And whats Begs goalscoring record now for club and counrty?

shannon2007

Yeah both added managers have an international team. Its a bit hard to fully assess a players scoring record because FM06 only records league matches in the players history. Still, Berg's record as of halfway through the 2009/2010 season is played 77 league games, 63 goals, 18 assists, 14 MoM. Pretty impressive but I would like to see him (and some of the other Faroes players) playing in a better league and hence I think the club side of this story will end soonish.

This season Berg has scored 26 goals from 32 appearances in all competitions, 13 of which have come in the Champions Cup/league and he has 8 goals from 14 international caps, which is decent. IMO though, Aki Joensen, who has dual Icelandic nationality, is a much better player technically. Oh Berg was actually born in Denmark and so should have a dual Danish nationality, but he hasn't.