VfB Stuttgart - Furchtlos und Treu

@JustinCase0110 Touré came in for him. It was a straight sub at the striker position. I was thinking the same, I have never received a message from a player like this before. I have received some “Sorry for the result but thank you for playing me” or “I think I would have made a difference” type messages but this one was different. 

My quote in the article is exactly what he said. An update from the team will be coming soon about his consequences. 

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@LABoog4 wrote:

Touré came in for him. It was a straight sub at the striker position. I was thinking the same, I have never received a message from a player like this before. I have received some “Sorry for the result but thank you for playing me” or “I think I would have made a difference” type messages but this one was different. 

My quote in the article is exactly what he said. An update from the team will be coming soon about his consequences. 

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For me it happens quite regularly, when a player with a crucial role is subbed off and I don't end up winning the particular game. Then they will often send a text like the one mentioned. It's a bit stupid, when the replacement then comes on to score a brace. But I suppose it's just to make it mean something that a player has a "crucial" role in the squad.

Interesting that you have more possession than Freiburg, but only two thirds of their amount of passes. I don't know what to make of that. Are you perhaps dribbling a lot compared to a more passing-based approach from the visitors?

Interesting decision to ban Demirovic. Hopefully this will have a positive impact on him and not make him attend an interview with Piers Morgan or something like that.

The start of the transformation, exciting: I'd watch out with too many changes within one transfer period, especially the winter one: it's [1] not very realistic, [2] takes away the personal challenge and [3] allows you later to try out backup and youth players once in a while; they sometimes might surprise you.

With the squad I've built in my career, after four transfer windows, I could still field a decent team with original players from 2024. There are now ten new signings within my ranks and three youth players are within my first team ranks (six out on loan) and we have already two full seasons behind us.

A good example is Jakov Medic, a Mislintat-player: he should've been gone by now. But he was out on (real life) loan in season 1, I could neither sell him or loan him out for season 2, I got gradually frustrated playing defenders with lengthy movement style, to the point he's now my primary back-up as central defender.

Meaning: take it step by step, not everything at once after what in-story has been only a month.

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@LABoog4 wrote:
@Danimal5981Thank you for the advice. I agree on it not being realistic, I try keeping incomings to 1-2 in the winter and 3-4 in the summer in addition to whatever youth players are promoted. I listed them all this window to see what kind of offers we can get.

I have also rejected a few transfers because I could not see that player accepting a move to that league in real life. Example, a young German player going to League two in Spain when he is clearly above that division.

My hope for January is one big sale. Hopefully Demirovic because of the morale dilemma and then I know my funds for the summer so I can plan while scouting.

I did receive a transfer offer with a player coming in return that I am looking into so possibly one incoming this window.

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Don't get me wrong. Some teams do a complete revamp within a transfer window, but those are mostly teams that are forced to sell a lot: because players get sold away, or because financial situation within a club demands it (but that means that you're limited with incoming players).

You were pretty dominant in the last two games. Bratislava in the Champions League and Mainz in the BuLi. They are currently in a surprise 5th in the Bundesliga IRL, so it speaks volumes that you can have a 13 to 1 advantage in shots against them. Excellent performance. Only 2.1 xG though, perhaps firing a bit too often from long distances?

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@LABoog4 wrote:

I am now building a team based on what I feel best playing. That means using players not rated as high as others and it will mean selling players that will not fit my formation. More to come but Demirovic is in a difficult situation now.

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I like this. Some players just tick, regardless of OVR. I have this youth left winger, Felix Nissen, who just has the pace and built to remind me of a young Ryan Giggs down the left flank. And his stamina doesn't drain that much, so I can play him in every game without needing to sub him off or anything. He hasn't grown much though, only starting with a 65-69 potential, but he's just someone I want in the lineup in every game now. He was also the assist leader last season with 11 assists (including 3 won penalties - I count them as assists too).

What a result and end to your Champions League campaign. Unfortunate to narrowly miss the first 24, but this has to be a sign that you're on the right path to achieve something special. Very promising result and performance.

A shame for sure, but from the viewpoint that one needs to rebuild this might actually help. A focus on a good league result now and shine in of next year's UEFA sanctioned tournaments.

It's always a bit contradictionary: one wants to get as high up as possible in the league and into Champions League, but a better chance at winning European silverware is by actually qualifying for one of the other two UEFA tournaments.

A wild DFB-Pokal match that saw Werder Bremen end with two men sent off. In the 26th minute, Werder Bremen received a red card for a controversial last man back tackle. Ethan Pinnock brought down Ragnar Ache at the edge of the box, he was the last defender back but two other defenders were mere feet away on each side. Stuttgart would capitalize on the decision with a free kick goal by Fabian Rieder. 

With a man advantage, Stuttgart controlled the match until after the hour mark when Romano Schmid received his second yellow card and was sent off. After that, it was time wasting by both sides to see out the game without injuries or incident.  Sttutgart advance to the semi finals to face Bayer Leverkusen. The winner will face the winner of Wolfsburg and FC Augsburg in the final

Your original goal was 'to finish as strong as VfB can' - does Markus Fielder have a specific goal in mind, by now?

Is it more to try and get back up to the Champions League places, or is it more about consolidating that which has been already achieved? (DfB Pokal, Europa League) What is realistically Stuttgart's goal, now that you're at the helm for two months?

Great win vs Werder Bremen there!

So Demirovic hasn't left, and you've still brought in Ache as cover for Touré.

Interesting development! I like that the manager makes the decision, and if the star player doesn't accept it, it's his loss. Now that he's not found a new club yet, perhaps he can alter his mindset over the next 6 months. What if he could actually return from this, fight his way back and once again make himself relevant for Stuttgart? That could certainly be a comeback for the ages. Sorry to suggest this, I'm probably also biased from having had him in a previously save and thoroughly enjoyed playing with him then 😉