Persikad, Indonesian Premier League Group B, 2010
Welcome to the top flight!
I have basically no knowledge about the Premier League, so I clearly can't predict anything. My ass.man thinks we'll be struggling, and points out some weak spots. Luckily here 5 foreign players are allowed, so a young Nigerian DC, a Cameroonian right winger, and a Liberian DM joins us. Other newcomers are squad players for increasing the depth. We have a very talented and young squad, so I'm quietly optimistic.
My DC debuts at the age of 19 for the Indonesian national team, while we're away in training camp in Thailand. Four other players get into the U21 team. Offseason is alright, though defense leaking in goals is somewhat of a warning sign.
We debut in the Premier League away at last years' 4th Persita, and turn it around from 0-1 to 2-1. This boosts morale, and we simply storm the league with 6 straight wins, including a 6-2 and a 5-3. My striking pair is firing all guns, Argentinean striker getting 7 goals/6 matches, young Indonesian striker getting 9 goals/6 matches.
When the oppositions' trainer tells the press that they intend to stop my Indonesian ST, my senses go alarmed. I play with the thought of dropping him, but decide not to be chicken. Of course he ends up with fractured ribs after a rough challenge. Out for 2 months
Fortunately, defence roughs up, and holds the team together. We miss the Argentinean guy also (after elbowing an opponent, he's banned for 4 games), and life is a bit hard without proper strikers.
We succumb to our first defeat in the 12th round, but at the midseason turn, we're leading our group by 5 points. Only one change in the squad, a much-needed Mali striker joins us for backup. We hang on to our leading spot, and 4 games to go we secure playoff place. Finally we win the first phase by 4 points.
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Playoff is two groups of four, the winners are going for the final. We beat PKT at home 1-0, then battle out a plain dull 0-0 away at our bogey team, Persita. Last match we need only a draw against Persipura, who have two formidable Paraguayan strikers. Defense deals with them (both leave on a stretcher :p ), and we smash them 3-0, thus reaching the league final!
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Opposition is Persijap. They were 3rd in my group in the first phase, and we drew them 0-0 (H) and beat them 2-1 (A). So there is a chance.
The team delivers nothing. My gutsy team is playing frightened to death, not having a single shot in regular time. Thanks to defense and keeper, we hold on to 0-0. Then in the 113th minute a long ball is played forward, and my Mali substitute striker goes one on one. Scores!
My keepr pulls out a miracle save in the 122th minute, and we win the league! \o/
Deservedly, if I look at the season. Absolutely undeservedly, if I look at the final. I guess FM's higher power just held my hand, but the final was a typical game
we usually play and post in the "what's getting at my goat" topic afterwards. Probably the AI smashed it's FM2007 CD after the final
First Phase Pos.: 1st (playoffs)
P:26 W:16 D:9 L:1 43-12 , 57 pts
Second Phase Pos.: 1st (final)
P: 3 W:2 D:1 L:0, 3-0, 7 pts
Final
Persijap - Persikad 0-1 (0-0, 0-0, 0-0) AET
Champions \o/
SOG: 15 (5) vs 1(1) :p
Ball possession 54%-46%
Cup:
There's life after the first round :eek:
Won against first division opposition in the first round (4-1, 2-1), went on to beat Premier Division outfit PKT (1-1, 2-0), went out to bogeys Persita (1-1, 0-2).
Highlight: all season
Lowlight: none. Should've been the championship final, but we won it, so I can't complain about the utter ***** performance
BTW my ass.man thinks we have absolutely no chance of avoiding relegation
Sorry, we've just won the league. What were you tripping on in the last 8 months?
I
bet this victory will haunt me next year, and the game will punish me bigtime. No doubt about it.
Team is high on pineapple juice after he win. Non-Muslim players are probably high on everything else
Awards yet to come.
)
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