Team of the Week - GW3: Player -------- Rating -- Manager Schmeichel -- 7,5 ---- Annoyed D.Santos------- 8,3--- La-Maquina Ferdinand----- 8,3-----Holy_Joe Vasovic-------- 8,4---- Annoyed Evra------------- 8,1---- Holy_Joe Ocwirk--------- 8,6----- EnnatzIs Totti------------- 9,3---- Holy_Joe V.Mazzola---- 8,4----- Annoyed Messi------- 9,4---- EnnatzIs Henry ---------- 8,9---- Holy_Joe Dzajic----------- 9,2---- EnnatzIs HM: S.Ramos, C.Alberto, Zanetti, Beckenbauer, Rijkaard, Briegel, Kopa, C.Ronaldo, van Basten, Ronaldo, Moreno, Stoichkov
My computer is acting up a bit so I'll finish the games throughout the week. Probably starting Tuesday.
Ajax' family matters After Ajax' home win vs River, former players Ruud Krol and Johan Cruijff switched dressing rooms with Charro Moreno and Alfredo Di Stéfano. While Alfredo was worrying about his daughters and Charro kept bragging about his performance as Watchmen's Comedian, good times bestew upon the Ajax dressing room. Johan immediately started questioning the formation used against River, claiming it lacked triangles. "Zo you wanth zriangles?" Briegel responded in gestapo fashion and drew a star of David on Cruijff's chest. Laughter followed, even Spice boy had to drop his sensitivity for a moment. Coach Happel did not want things to get too cozy and told Cruijff that if he stayed, he would earn the same as the rest of the team. Without bidding farewell, JC immediately returned to the other dressing room. Krol paid his respects to Vasovic and, just when Alfredo came back in, warned that there is no red-light district in Rotterdam. Upon which Di Stéfano responded: "My daughters would not be happy" ...
I think it would work well for me to split things up next week again, so that me and Puck have one game maximum over next weekend. I guess poetgooner might have been thinking of that, or even starting next weeks games mid-week or delaying till the following weekend anyway. But if group A games are completed today and tomorrow, I guess that'd give time to submit teams and line-ups for next Sunday at least (I'd be wanting to sort ours out with Puck by Friday though, but it'd be sorting out the second line-up that's be better done for mid-week really this time). Some Group B managers might want more time than between Friday and Sunday though maybe? One question on the fixtures for game week 6 poetgooner (second games in the set coming up): Will they be the reverse of game week 1 fixtures (so with Ennatz's Monchengladbach at home to Feyenoord for example)?
Yes, they will be in reverse so if you play at home in the first round, you'll play away in the 2nd game against the opponent. I'm skipping this weekend and starting the new schedule next week where I'll play 1 game each from Monday-Thursday, and 2 games each on Saturday and Sunday. That should give people plenty of time.
Good idea. I guess even posting fixtures for game week 5/6 games as soon as game week 4 is done could be good too, since they are on unfamiliar days (although probably everyone will read what you just posted today). Maybe even giving details about the days the individual games will be played and therefore when submissions of tactics/teamsheets are due (perhaps using GMT?) would ensure everyone knows. Either on the match thread when fixtures are posted, or on here, or even via PMs. Hopefully as you say everyone will have no problems submitting everything on time, even with the World Cup to distract us all too!
That was a close game! Two last minute game changing goals in those Group A fixtures have given Feyenoord that breathing space (not yet clear favourites for first place in the group though by any means) and given the tournament it's first drawn match.
Team of the Week - GW4: Player -------- Rating --- Manager Grosics --------- 7,1 ----- Msioux75 Cafu--------------- 7,7------ Karloski Desailly----------- 8,1--------J'Can Figueroa--------- 7,5----- Msioux75 Briegel------------ 7,1----- Annoyed Neeskens------- 8,7------- Benni Garrincha------- 8,8------ Karloski Zico---------------- 9,2------- Benni Best --------------- 8,8------ Karloski Rummenigge-- 9,2-- PDG-van Heel Puskas------- 10,0----- Benni HM: Jorginho, Ronaldinho, Di Stefano, Baggio, V.Mazzola, Laudrup, Weah, Del Piero, Pelé, Giggs
What continuous to amaze me is how well he played against teams of a really high level back then (Liverpool, Roma, Tottenham etc. also Standard Liege that played an European final in 1982), with some really impressive moments like that solo goal against Liverpool. I saw Steve Nicol (Scottish international, 400+ games for Liverpool in the 1980s) saying this in 2011: "As for the best opponent, I played against Johan Cruyff for Liverpool early in the 1980s. He had so much time on the ball, no matter the situation. That impact on a game was really something." Kenny Dalglish said ten years ago: "No, Pele never crossed my path but did happen to play against Maradona. That skill, power and propulsion he had was fantastic. But I have to mention Johan Cruijff here, a really good bloke with positive intentions. Very bright and clever man, and a great leader in how he can trigger other people. He played against Scotland in my second cap and also played him in the 1980s. Many of the things he did are now taken for granted."
Team of the Week - GW5: Player ------- Rating -- Manager Chilavert ------ 6,8 ----- J'Can Lahm----------- 7,8------ J'Can Hierro---------- 7,2-----Blueallthru Blanc---------- 7,4----- Blueallthru Evra------------ 8,3----- Holy_Joe Redondo------ 7,3---- Blueallthru Messi---------- 9,0------ EnnatzIs Rui Costa----- 7,6----- Holy_Joe Dzajic---------- 9,0----- EnnatzIs Bergkamp--- 9,5-- La-Maquina Van Basten-- 8,8----- EnnatzIs HM: Zambrotta, R.Carlos, Cabrini, Causio, Maradona, Charlton, Robben, Eusebio, Henry, Ronaldo Luis, Rivaldo
At the half-way point in the group stage these are the stats: Highest scoring game - Boca Juniors 7 Manchester United 5 Lowest scoring games - Borussia Monchengladbach 2 Ajax 0, Ajax 2 River Plate 0, Chelsea 2 Boca Juniors 0, River Plate 1 Juventus 1 Biggest victory - Sporting Lisbon 6 Boca Juniors 2 Highest scoring draw (and only the second after River-Juve) - AC Milan 3 Sporting Lisbon 3 Goals Rummenigge 7 Ronaldo 6 Henry 5 Van Basten 5 Bergkamp 4 Messi 4 Puskas 4 Rivaldo 4 Weah 4 Best 3 Di Stefano 3 V.Mazzola 3 Stoichkov 3 Totti 3 Eusebio 2 Garrincha 2 Kopa 2 Pele 2 Romario 2 Ronaldinho 2 C.Ronaldo 2 Baggio 1 Cruyff 1 Del Piero 1 Desailly 1 Dzajic 1 Edwards 1 Evra 1 Gerrard 1 Leonidas 1 M.Silva 1 Maradona 1 Matthaus 1 Meazza 1 Moreno 1 Muller 1 Neeskens 1 Nordahl 1 Ocwirk 1 Pirri 1 Rijkaard 1 Rivelino 1 Robben 1 Rui Costa 1 Scirea 1 Vieira 1 Zico 1 Zizinho 1 Own goals 3 (Kohler, Matthaus, Sammer) Assists Dzajic 5 Puskas 5 Ronaldinho 4 Ronaldo 4 Zico 4 Bergkamp 3 Cabrini 3 D.Santos 3 Giggs 3 V.Mazzola 3 Moreno 3 Pele 3 Totti 3 Meazza 2 Platini 2 R.Carlos 2 Rivaldo 2 C.Ronaldo 2 Van Basten 2 Xavi 2 Zanetti 2 Baggio 1 Best 1 C.Alberto 1 Cafu 1 Causio 1 Charlton 1 Cruyff 1 Di Stefano 1 Figueroa 1 Gullit 1 Henry 1 Kopa 1 Laudrup 1 Maldini 1 Messi 1 Moore 1 Muller 1 Neeskens 1 Netzer 1 Ocwirk 1 Pirri 1 Robben 1 Romario 1 Rui Costa 1 Rummenigge 1 Vasovic 1 Weah 1
Boca & Milan played the greatest match in FM history Fans enjoyed two deadliest partnerships in Bergkamp-Ronaldo and Weah-Puskas, the latter was especially mortal, lobs the goalkeeper two times.