oneteaminglasgow Posted July 24, 2021 Author Share Posted July 24, 2021 March 2061 Mixed. We started with our best performance of the season against Teuta, where everything just clicked. However, we just couldn't follow that up and were outplayed by Kukesi - a real shame. Rest of it was fine, a standard win against Partizani and a narrow loss in the cup, but we still have the second leg left. Losing to Kukesi means our lead is just two points, but that's still a decent enough effort. We have one game left against them - last game of the season. I don't want the title to be riding on that one. Latvia Two completely expected defeats, but both were closer than I had thought they'd be. We were 9 minutes from a genuinely remarkable result away against Belgium, with our goalkeeper saving two penalties. They definitely deserved to win, but was a bit gutting to be so close to stealing a draw and not manage it. North Macedonia are a decent enough team, with guys playing in the Bundesliga and Serie A in their side. Still, we did ok and, again, could have nicked a draw despite them being the better side in the game. I mean, our already remote qualification hopes are basically done for but all I'm really hoping for at this stage is a semi-respectable showing. Anyway, I uncovered another two guys in my squad who don't play in Latvia and are therefore half decent. The goalkeeper who save two penalties, Makreckis, is playing in the Belgian top flight. He's a back up goalkeeper for his club, but he's another who is pretty young and already has 42 caps - another contender for record cap holder. Spoiler Rihards Sakurovs is a 17 year old centre half playing for Valarenga's youth team, but he's already more than good enough for my team. If he can improve a bit, he'll be a fantastic player for Latvia. If I could get a few more like him, we'd be a pretty alright side. Spoiler -1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneteaminglasgow Posted July 27, 2021 Author Share Posted July 27, 2021 (edited) April 2061 Another busy month in the run in and, getting put out the cup aside, we came through it relatively well. Threw away a 2-0 lead against Tirana, but other than that all good. Still just a point in it with three games to go. We face Bylis and Teuta before a final day game against Kukesi. They have Pogradeci and KF Tirana. I would really like this settled before the final day. Edited July 27, 2021 by oneteaminglasgow -1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneteaminglasgow Posted July 27, 2021 Author Share Posted July 27, 2021 Matchday 34 - 2061 Spoiler That's an absolutely appalling result for them against already relegated Pogradeci, but I'll take it. We weren't overly convincing, but scraped the win in the end 3 points now. If they lose and we draw/win, or they draw and we win, then we're champions before the final day showdown. -1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneteaminglasgow Posted July 27, 2021 Author Share Posted July 27, 2021 Matchday 35 - 2061 Spoiler Very convincing performance from us, but they weren't up for lying down and handing us the title and so it goes to the final day... Simple now, as long as we don't lose, we'll be champions. We also did this, which is very nice. -1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneteaminglasgow Posted July 27, 2021 Author Share Posted July 27, 2021 (edited) Matchday 36 - 2061 Well, it all comes down to this. Lose and I'll be in Albania for at least another season, anything else and we're champions and I'll be off. It's been a win each, and a draw so far in head to heads with Kukesi this season, so obviously a very close one... Spoiler That was genuinely tense. We started pretty well, and Hoxha's goal was very much deserved. After that they came into the game, but weren't really creating an awful lot until the referee handed them a chance on a plate. "may have got the decision wrong" Anyway, we were under a lot of pressure after the red card, and then out of nowhere we got a second goal. The lead didn't last long, and McDowell made a couple of very good saves near the end to keep us level but they couldn't grab a winner and we're champions! It's not hard to see why we've done so much better this season - last season we scored 41 and conceded 51, this season we scored 65 and conceded 28. Shoutout to the defence and attack, as my midfield has stayed basically the same. Anyway, as always that signals an end to my time in Albania. Edited July 31, 2021 by oneteaminglasgow 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneteaminglasgow Posted July 27, 2021 Author Share Posted July 27, 2021 Oh, meant to add, up next - the Republic of Ireland... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneteaminglasgow Posted July 27, 2021 Author Share Posted July 27, 2021 June 2061 Two qualifying games, two pretty comfortable losses. We did pretty well in the Russia game though. A good win over Anguilla in a friendly though, their goal was their only shot and we should have got a few more but for a decent goalkeeping display and some questionable finishing. Aye, we're definitely not qualifying. My only target is now to get some points and maybe finish above Georgia at a push. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsimButtHitsASix Posted July 29, 2021 Share Posted July 29, 2021 On 27/07/2021 at 20:46, oneteaminglasgow said: Matchday 36 - 2061 Well, it all comes down to this. Lose and I'll be in Albania for at least another season, anything else and we're champions and I'll be off. It's been a win each, and a draw so far in head to heads with Kukesi this season, so obviously a very close one... Hide contents That was genuinely tense. We started pretty well, and Hoxha's goal was very much deserved. After that they came into the game, but weren't really creating an awful lot until the referee handed them a chance on a plate. "may have got the decision wrong" Anyway, we were under a lot of pressure after the red card, and then out of nowhere we got a second goal. The lead didn't last long, and McDowell made a couple of very good saves near the end to keep us level but they couldn't grab a winner and we're champions! It's not hard to see why we've done so much better this season - last season we scored 41 and conceded 51, this season we scored 685and conceded 28. Shoutout to the defence and attack, as my midfield has stayed basically the same. Anyway, as always that signals an end to my time in Albania. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miguel Sanchez Posted July 29, 2021 Share Posted July 29, 2021 On 27/07/2021 at 20:47, oneteaminglasgow said: Oh, meant to add, up next - the Republic of Ireland... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneteaminglasgow Posted July 30, 2021 Author Share Posted July 30, 2021 I'm off to the Latvian league, with BFC Daugavpils. They're one of two clubs in Latvia's second largest city, Daugavpils, and have been a midtable top flight club for most of the save. Four third place finishes is their best effort, the most recent in 2049. This season, however, we're sitting in 8th with 11 games left. Just need to make sure we stay up and I can build from there. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB1994 Posted July 30, 2021 Share Posted July 30, 2021 Is there any leagues that you have missed out on, that are further down the rankings, that you need to go back to? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneteaminglasgow Posted July 30, 2021 Author Share Posted July 30, 2021 Just now, PB1994 said: Is there any leagues that you have missed out on, that are further down the rankings, that you need to go back to? Not really - The 5 I have just now are Ireland, Northern Ireland, Latvia, Armenia and North Macedonia. Only Northern Ireland is below Albania, so I'll need to go back there at some point, but I'm holding off on that just now. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneteaminglasgow Posted July 30, 2021 Author Share Posted July 30, 2021 BFC Daugavpils - Meet the Squad 4 and a half stars is 'Good player for most top flight sides', 3 and a half is 'operating at top flight level' Keirans is some player - I threw him into the Latvia squad previously and he's 16 years old. Kovalonoks is a right winger really, but decent backup up front nonetheless. Outwith that, I don't have much but hopefully Keirans doesn't get injured. Good wingers, with a complete lack of any depth at left wing - I'll probably have someone in the youth team who can play there though. Centrally isn't very strong, but all four that can play there are under 23 with plenty of room to improve. That's utter pish mind. All very young again (average age of my squad is 22, and I only have two players over 30. Still, I really need some improvements here. Some good players here, but again no real depth. I'll probably line up with Jemelins - Ksenzovs - Kovalevskis - Freimanis. It'll be fine, but not outstanding and I'm struggling if I have any injuries/suspensions to deal with, but oh well. Not really good enough again, but I'll make do for the rest of the season and get someone significantly better for next season hopefully. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin.Hood Posted July 31, 2021 Share Posted July 31, 2021 On 27/07/2021 at 20:46, oneteaminglasgow said: Matchday 36 - 2061 Well, it all comes down to this. Lose and I'll be in Albania for at least another season, anything else and we're champions and I'll be off. It's been a win each, and a draw so far in head to heads with Kukesi this season, so obviously a very close one... Hide contents That was genuinely tense. We started pretty well, and Hoxha's goal was very much deserved. After that they came into the game, but weren't really creating an awful lot until the referee handed them a chance on a plate. "may have got the decision wrong" Anyway, we were under a lot of pressure after the red card, and then out of nowhere we got a second goal. The lead didn't last long, and McDowell made a couple of very good saves near the end to keep us level but they couldn't grab a winner and we're champions! It's not hard to see why we've done so much better this season - last season we scored 41 and conceded 51, this season we scored 685and conceded 28. Shoutout to the defence and attack, as my midfield has stayed basically the same. Anyway, as always that signals an end to my time in Albania. 685 goals is impressive 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneteaminglasgow Posted July 31, 2021 Author Share Posted July 31, 2021 57 minutes ago, Robin.Hood said: 685 goals is impressive Well noticed 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneteaminglasgow Posted July 31, 2021 Author Share Posted July 31, 2021 August 2061 That's quite a good start for us - very happy with that. We probably should have beaten Jelgava as well, but I'll take the draw. I have a game in hand, so hopefully I can win that and we'll be five points ahead of the relegation playoff. Still, I think we should be fine. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneteaminglasgow Posted August 3, 2021 Author Share Posted August 3, 2021 September 2061 Genuinely can't believe how well that month went. RFS are the runaway leaders of the league, by a country mile the best side, and we swatted them aside with absolute ease. Metta are a team very similar to ourselves, and again we were 3-0 up before having to tighten up when they threatened to come back. The two games against Ventspils were weird, they thrashed us for the first half hour of the first game, and looked lightyears ahead of us, but for the remaining hour of that and the full second game we were probably the better side, despite only having 10 men when we scored in the second. Very, very pleasing nonetheless. I'm prepared to call it and say that we will be staying up this season. Not mathematically secured yet, but being realistic RTU aren't going to catch us. Hopefully pick up a few more wins but my attention has firmly turned to building next season's squad. Latvia Disappointing. We competed well against Belgium, but obviously we were never going to actually win that one. Took the lead against Georgia, and were doing well but then we had a five minute period in the second half where we just collapsed, conceded twice and never really got going again. That game was, I think, my best chance to get some points on the board as well, so really frustrating. Aye, bottom with no points. The only thing I'll say is, of the teams seeded sixth, we have the toughest group and are the only ones who haven't taken any absolute pumpings yet - although both Malta and Andorra have managed to pick up some points. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneteaminglasgow Posted August 6, 2021 Author Share Posted August 6, 2021 Get it right up ye, the entire Albanian media. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneteaminglasgow Posted August 6, 2021 Author Share Posted August 6, 2021 October 2061 A really shite opening to the month, but we rescued it in the end. f**k knows what happened in that RTU game though, excluding that match they've managed 30 goals in 34 games this season, and only managed more than a single goal 8 times. Season's over, basically. We're staying up, have one more game and it's a complete dead rubber away at Riga. Will we finish 6th or 7th? The excitement is palpable. Latvia As highlighted above, we managed a point! North Macedonia, as it turns out, are a very decent side. They've not got anyone incredibly good, but they don't have any utter diddies either - the worst players in their team play in Sweden and Bulgaria, so fair enough. The draw against Albania was great, and we actually deserved it more or less, so that's very pleasing. Means I won't be finishing the group with zero points, so I'll take that. Belgium all but through, North Macedonia in with a decent shot at a playoff. We won't be pointless. Games against Russia and Georgia still to come. I also found this guy, who I'm desperately trying to persuade to play for me. I can't even see his stats, but the ones I can see, the youth caps for Argentina and the fact he's playing regularly at a not-shit level of football would make him my best player. He's not having it just yet, but I'll wear him down. Spoiler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneteaminglasgow Posted August 6, 2021 Author Share Posted August 6, 2021 November 2061 Well, for a dead rubber that was very enjoyable. I have no idea how it happened, but I'm pleased that it did. Glorious. So, we've finished sixth.. Hooray. My attack is quite good, so I have a few months now to find a goalkeeper, defence and midfield. Latvia I'm sure that first result would have gone down really well in Moscow. We were two down within four minutes and then brought it back. They battered us for the rest of the game, but we defended quite well and they missed a few decent chances. Lost a last minute goal against Georgia, which was a shame, but f**k it. Two points, which is par for the course for a Latvia qualification attempt. Hopefully we'll get better next time round. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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