County League - Animo et Fide
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A new world for County. The squad will have to be bigger to compete on both fronts. It will be exciting to see how Ethan Price develops this season.
@LABoog4 wrote:A new world for County. The squad will have to be bigger to compete on both fronts. It will be exciting to see how Ethan Price develops this season.
Yes, it will be. It's funny cause I hadn't expected this Price fellow to be part of the squad just yet. I noticed a pretty high potential on him, but he was only 63 OVR, when I loaned him out last summer. But come end of season I suddenly noticed he had a +15 growth over a season, now boasting a 78 OVR, effectively being my joint best player... So his 2 year loan needed to be cut short now, otherwise he would probably outgrow this team too quickly...
Additional fixtures this season but more departures than arrivals. Do you see any issues with fatigue coming up?
@LABoog4 wrote:Additional fixtures this season but more departures than arrivals. Do you see any issues with fatigue coming up?
I know it's kind of a gamble. I had a number of these players around 30, who'd stayed with me for a long time, most since playing in League Two. But they'd just stalled around the 70 OVR, and they hardly played anymore. Just the occational cover in the most busy periods. I know they could probably get a few more games with European midweeks coming up, but felt their time was over. Except I would have kept Ethan Pye (County since 2021) as a backup, if I'd known that Niall Huggins was going to leave. That one came out of the blue and was an offer too good to refuse.
So I went from an overflow of left backs to suddenly feel a bit short in that area. I did consider bringing a new one in or just to recall James Dennis, who's away on a 2 year loan. But I was also intrigued by this opportunity to provide more game time for another academy player, Lewis Osborne, who's been out on loan until now. My squad is rather thin now, but many of the players are quite versatile and able to cover several positions. And that is actually quite fun, moving players around so much. One starting a game at left back, but finishing it on the right wing, for instance.
A good draw, it is always going to be difficult but you did not receive any of the favorites. Getting out of the group would be a great step. Playing Aberdeen is a nice throwback to one of your previous careers in Scotland.
@LABoog4 wrote:A good draw, it is always going to be difficult but you did not receive any of the favorites. Getting out of the group would be a great step. Playing Aberdeen is a nice throwback to one of your previous careers in Scotland.
Haha, yeah that's right. I have enjoyed a few stints in the Scottish league from time to time. I remember three careers in particular; One with Aberdeen a very long time ago - even before I started to write these CM stories, if I remember correctly. And then there was one with St. Mirren before my most recent one with Rangers.
I did grow up with a Rangers side that consisted of Paul Gascoigne and Brian Laudrup, so I've had a soft spot for them ever since.
Very good start to the season and in Europe after that first match. The away wins are nice to see after last seasons struggles on the road. That can be the difference from finishing mid table or top 6.
It might be a good thing that you are out of the cup. Competing in three competitions would have ran this squad down.
@LABoog4 wrote:Very good start to the season and in Europe after that first match. The away wins are nice to see after last seasons struggles on the road. That can be the difference from finishing mid table or top 6.
It might be a good thing that you are out of the cup. Competing in three competitions would have ran this squad down.
Thank, and I agree. However, I am actually still competing in three competitions 😉 The Premier League, the Conference League and the FA Cup. I'm just not involved in the latter just yet.
But yes, with the FA Cup fixtures (hopefully more than one) coming up and progression in the Conference League (which seems likely at the moment), an exhausting Carabao Cup campaign is certainly nice to avoid, especially since having already won the tournament last season.
I completely forgot about another competition coming up. So many games in England! 😔
Same point though, this is the best competition for you to be eliminated from early. Hopefully you go deep in the other two and stay towards the top 6 in the league.
@LABoog4 wrote:I completely forgot about another competition coming up. So many games in England! 😔
Same point though, this is the best competition for you to be eliminated from early. Hopefully you go deep in the other two and stay towards the top 6 in the league.
Haha, I agree. It's a bit too much with all these cups IMO. One national cup should do it, really. I believe France also has two, but apart from that it's mostly just ONE national cup tournament around the top leagues, isn't it?
A good draw for the next round, you should be able to beat CFR Cluj.
Looking at the table, you have a good chance at beating Spurs. Earning any points against Man U or Liverpool would be a nice bonus.
@LABoog4 wrote:A good draw for the next round, you should be able to beat CFR Cluj.
Looking at the table, you have a good chance at beating Spurs. Earning any points against Man U or Liverpool would be a nice bonus.
Ha, yes apparently it's only a better goal difference that divides me from Spurs at the moment. I don't have the best "BIG SIX" record this season though, losing to Man City, Arsenal and Man United, whilst only getting a result from one of them in a draw vs Chelsea. Contrary to last season, I suppose, where I managed to beat both Liverpool, Arsenal and City, the last two away from home. On the other side I've been much better against the bottom teams this season, often getting these necessary wins against lesser opposition.
A good run until that Wolves result. Maybe you should buy all the players with the same haircut and make a best XI out of the style! 😁
@LABoog4 wrote:A good run until that Wolves result. Maybe you should buy all the players with the same haircut and make a best XI out of the style! 😁
Haha, maybe I should. I had already noticed my own players looking quite similar, so when I saw Wolves having a similar bromance, I thought it was a fun coincidence.
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