Season 08/09 Mid-Season Update
Thought I would start doing mid-season updates to try to keep people interested (or even more nauseated!)
I must admit that LLM has opened my eyes to two very important functions that I had taken for granted. The Youth system of a club and the importance of a good scout (or scouts). Last season I signed on a solid scout to add to the sh*te scout I already had. I figure my wage budget allowed it and it gave me more flexibility and more players to add to the shortlist. Well the board awarded me with 1.3 million to spend on transfers (which blew my mind). Knowing full well that I needed a strong defense to stay up in L1 I had one scout look for Defenders and another look for a stronger AMC to shore up the middle even more. I was rewarded. I managed to sign away a Man Utd. 20 yr. old DC who has already won young player of the month and been on the monthly first team twice. My other scout found me several AM's to choose from...but only one was willing to sign. Fortunately, so far he has an avg. rating of 7.42 and has worked out splendidly. I don't know if the board expected me to...but I've spent the entire 1.3!!!
I also found another AMC/R who scorched me in the pre-season. I sent my scout after him and managed to buy him as well. This has added depth to my team at several positions and while I'm still not perfect I thought it would allow me to at least make a run at staying up. In other non LLM games it was always easy to just use the Player Search feature...so who needed a scout (unless you needed to fill in gray areas). Now...he's getting a bloody raise!!
The youth system that we upgraded two seasons ago has finally produced a first team player. On a fluke, really, I decided to give the lad a shot in the first team during our 1st Rd. FA Cup tie. Not only did he start...but he scored...and took MOM honors. I guess he wanted to stay. I gave him some more U-18 time and brought him back up for Vans Trophy and FA Cup ties. Aside from one poor performance he has responded well. With an above 7 avereage rating he definitely holds his own...something that is going to prove essential (read on).
I've been totally floored! At New Year's my Robins sit in 4th position! With a fairly defensive/counter-attacking style I haven't scored much but I haven't given much up either. I have 11 draws against only 9 wins but we've only had 3 losses. My goal total is deceiving as many times our scorelines are 0-0 draws; however, we blasted Notts Co. away 5-0 on Boxing Day. I'm not sure if scouting the opposition has helped...but I noticed my results improved after I started doing that (It might have been the minor tweaks to the tactics...but I'm not that good!).
The pundits still think we'll end up dropping and so does the Burnley manager. He was not at all impressed when I told him I tactically outclassed his 'side picked for promotion' but he started it when he all but guaranteed a victory over us before the game (we won 2-1 away!!).
Our Cup runs are still going on...we play Cardiff away in three days time in the FA Cup 3rd round (never been this far). We've made it through to the Semi's of the Vans Trophy against L2 Rotheram. I must say we need the price and gate money. While my signings have paid huge dividends my wage bill is already equal to last seasons...with 1/2 a season to go!! The price we pay to stay up, I guess. League Cup (flop). A first round 0-4 loss to Hull..with no shots on goal. I guess we can't always play defense. We've yet to win a League Cup tie.
Some parting thoughts...
1) sometimes it's easy to fall in love with players and fail to realise when it's time to replace them in the first team (or at least wean them out of the starting XI).
2) I've suffered two crucial training injuries in the past 2 weeks. My starting AML went out for a month in training...and my newly signed AMC just went down for a month with a groin pull.
My youngster is going to have to step up. This could make or break our season. At least our defense is still intact (and deep) but I fear our weakness in the mid-field might cause us to slip. Fortunately, I am not concerned with promotion this season and being 15 points clear I am hopeful that we won't sniff the cellar.
Thanks for the positive comments so far. Til' the end of the season!
Cheers...and Go Robins!!
Linear Mode
