Post Match Reaction - Round 16

[Nick@ManCity]

Missing Sheets
N/A

Errors
Lazio - Oshimen not in roster

Error Points
Lazio = 2

[Drum@Villa]

Lazio 1 - 3 AC Milan

so messed up sheet, got no joy in the game either. Am really struggling to turn things around.

Ac Milan popped up with tactical advantage from the start. Knew it wasn’t going to be our day.

going 2-0 down against a talented squad and manager was just warning signs.

Tanganga getting injured didn’t help.

we move on to try again.

gg mati

[JasonH@Wolfsburg]

Marseille 3-2 Leverkusen

Such a frustrating game, went 2-0 up, with TA and was dominating the game. Despite all this Marseille managed to get 2 goals back and then score the winner in the 92nd minute.

If I want to be getting into Europe this season I have to be winning these games. This is 3 points lost and I’m devastated.

good game Euan

[Derek]

Roma 3 3 Celtic

Three goals up after 7 minutes and with Celtic down to 10 men. The game was all over.

With Sam stepping into his Dad's managerial shoes and small sentimental part of me wondered whether we should go easy on the young transfer addict. But decided to play our normal game as we swarmed the Celtic ratching up 37 shots.

However, on either side of half-time Celtic somehow managed to find 2 goals, as we continued to squander our chances. Then after 85 minutes, the unbelieveable happened as Buendia equalised.

Two points from our last three games isn't great and sees us drop down to PSGs level. Dark days in Rome.

gg Sam

[Livi@Liverpool]

Barcelona 2 Rangers 2

This feels like a defeat as we tossed away another 2 points by allowing an injury time equaliser - we're making a bad habit of conceding late goals.

We had a 2 goal lead going into the 2nd half and the 'benefit' of tactical bonus when Rangers switched to A. But you certainly wouldn't have thought it as they came roaring back with 2 goals to get a draw which to be fair they more than merited. Regret the switch to C but I'll put it down to being spooked by what happened away to Atletico the other night.

We remain top - just - but we're now drawing far too many games and it's so tight at the top we could easily be 8th within a week or two. Very disappointing results of late.

Well played though Aaron.

[Johnboy]

Paris St Germain 4 - Monaco 3

A tremendous game for the neutral but one where we come up just short again!

A significantly stronger than us PSG took the lead in the first minute causing a rethink of Monaco tactics before we'd even had time to get into the match but the revision worked as we equalised through Immobile 10 minutes later.

It was then tit-for-tat for the rest of the half as took the lead then PSG equalised, we re-took the lead and PSG equalised for a second time shortly before half time.

Both teams changed personnel in the second half including Declan Rice going off injured before man of the match Joao Felix grabbed his second, and PSG's fourth with 5 minutes to go and we just didn't have enough to push on again and get what would be an undeserved point.

2 points from our last 4 matches sees us drop to 18th in the table but it is still quite tight and a few positive results will see us bounce back.

Good game Ed, good luck for the rest of the season.

[Ed@PSG]

PSG 4 Monaco 3
We battered the visitors with 36 shots, yet our goalkeeper continues to be dire, conceding 3 goals from 5 shots faced. Thankfully, yet again, our talisman came to the rescue notching #25 and #26 in his 13th MoM performance, after 2 quiet games. Still experimenting trying to find an effective tactical combo, but we sit 6 points off the top, and 5 behind RM. If we can turn the draws into wins we have a chance of challenging, but things not looking too great at the moment, especially if 8th misses out on CL next season.
Unlucky Johnboy, you nearly got a point. Good luck for rest of season

[Ray@Wolves]

Sporting Lisbon 4
F_de_Jong (8,32), M_Politano (22,24)

Booked: L_Shaw (47)

Eintracht Frankfurt 3
C_Kouame (1,15), Juanmi (27)

Booked: J_Henderson (17), H_Ziyech (55)

MotM: C_Kouame (Eintracht Frankfurt)
HT: 4-3

After an early two goal I thought that just maybe we might have a chance to get something out of this very tricky away game. But this was a match which tried it's best to impersonate a roller coaster ride. Sporting soon clawed their way back into the game and before you could blink were a goal in front before we managed to equalise. Only to fall to a sucker punch 5 minutes later to what ended up being the winning goal for the home side. And all that before the first half had ended. As it turned out neither side could fashion and good enough opportunity to score in the second half and it finished a seven goal thriller with Sporting having the best of it. Possession was pretty even but Sporting were by far an away that much more effective at creating chances. I suppose we should really count ourselves lucky to get close considering we scored 3 goals from 4 shots on target!!

I can live with the lose on the road to a top side and quality manager, what I find most disappointing is the yellow cards picked up by Henderson and Ziyech which means they will miss the next game.

Very well played Gary.

Next game is going to difficult with a very depleted midfield, but we will give it our best shot at home against Sevilla.

[AB@Juventus]

Borussia Dortmund 1 - 2 Juventus

Just the result we needed! We knew Dortmund were coming into this game without one of their FWs so we felt comfortable giving away TA, until they took the lead on 19 minutes.

We went for broke and went A, and 12 minutes later we were level in the game.

After an even first half, we entered the 2nd period and began to control the game and took the lead on 60 minutes through C_DeKetelaere.

We saw the game out, continuing to be the better team to record a much needed away win.

Statistically we were the better team so we were worth the win. A few players have rated up this week which will help, once my defenders stop getting injured or suspended!

Good game Niall.

[Marshy@Atletico]

Sevilla 2 Atletico Madrid 3

Dreadful start to the game with Sevilla taking the early lead and Ansu Fati sent off inside 10 minutes
Romagnoli showed how useful goal-scoring defenders can be with his 5th of the season.
Just before half time and Diaby put Atletico into the break leading 1-2.
61 minutes and all to play for as Jose makes it 2-2.
With time all but up the tired 10-men of Atletico somehow grabbed a last action winner with a Diaby brace 2-3.

Manager Simon Marsh commented "Its not every game you go 1-0 down and 1-man down and come back to win away from home so that result is wondrous. We did edge the game despite being down to 10-men, a tremendous credit on the players who are showing real determination this season".

GG Stew

[Steve@Chelsea]

Inter Milan 0 - 2 Real Madrid

Have always found Inter to be a tricky opponent. A very good chance I was going up against a 532P here, but also the off chance of something different after being countered by Roma in the CL in midweek. For that reason decided to go with a strong and tight-ish passing set up here to either match up with them, or do decent enough verses other likely combos. At the end of it all, it was a relatively straight forward, run of the mill win, with both goals from defenders. Nothing exciting, but three important away points that see's us now only 1 point behind the leaders Barca who are threatening to be invinceable this season. GG Hamza, and don't work too hard.

[Guest]

Sevilla 2 Atletico Madrid 3

Dreadful start to the game with Sevilla taking the early lead and Ansu Fati sent off inside 10 minutes
Romagnoli showed how useful goal-scoring defenders can be with his 5th of the season.
Just before half time and Diaby put Atletico into the break leading 1-2.
61 minutes and all to play for as Jose makes it 2-2.
With time all but up the tired 10-men of Atletico somehow grabbed a last action winner with a Diaby brace 2-3.

Manager Simon Marsh commented "Its not every game you go 1-0 down and 1-man down and come back to win away from home so that result is wondrous. We did edge the game despite being down to 10-men, a tremendous credit on the players who are showing real determination this season".

GG Stew

Sevilla 2 - 3 Atletico Madrid

Well played Simon ... yet again we get an early goal, and when they went to 10 I felt very confident we would get our league form back on track ...

Garcia's goal showing he really wants to be at the club after being transfer listed earlier in the season ...

We went 2-1 down before Jose came to the rescue again ...then last minute heartbreak that sees us in relegation trouble and the bottom 3 ...

Darder was exceptional and MOM .. but overall with 1 win in 6 it isn't good enough ..

The DPT trophy is our main focus .. but we need to steer ourselves clear of the drop zone .. and ensure we qualify again next season ...

Raingod refused to discuss the prospect of relegation in the post match conference, but has only ever been relegated once in senior ESMS games (Crystal Palace in my only season in FMFA - despite making them the 5th best side overall!) and he immediately resigned and quit over it ..

Absolute 6 pointer against Eintracht on sunday ....

[Gary@Millwall]

Sporting Lisbon 4 Eintracht Frankfurt 3

For the first time this season there were nerves in the Estadio Jose Alvalade as Sporting Lisbon welcomed Ray Wallace's Eintracht Frankfurt needing a win to again bounce back from a Sunday night defeat.

Things again started badly for the Lisbon Lions as Frankfurt scored in the first minute when Kouame punished the Sporting Lisbon defender who fell over to give Frankfurt the lead.

However in this game Sporting Lisbon were able to pull back level on 8 minutes when Frenkie De Jong equalised for the home side to try and settle the home crowds nerves.

Things went to shit in the 15th minute though when Kouame scored an overhead kick to give the German side the lead again.

In the 22nd minute Matteo Politano sent the home crowd wild when he slotted in the rebound after his initial shot hit the crossbar.

Two minutes later Matteo Politano scored his second and Sporting Lisbon's third to give Sporting Lisbon the lead for the first time in the game.

Could Sporting Lisbon hold onto the lead? Errr that is a resounding no as Juanmi equalised for Frankfurt in the 27th minute to bring the score level at 3-3.

Sporting Lisbon with their tails up restored the lead in the 32nd minute with Frenkie De Jong's second goal of the game to put the scores at 4-3.

Sporting Lisbon dominated the 2nd half but despite this domination the score remained 4-3 and the final whistle was met with delight as Sporting Lisbon were able to keep within goal difference of the unbeaten league leaders Barcelona.

Frankfurt had slightly more possession with 52% but Sporting Lisbon dominated this game creating 17 shots to Frankfurt's 4 of which 14 were on target to Frankfurt's 4.

Windebank Post Match Comments

Well that was an exciting game but it did not do my blood pressure any good. Ray is a quality manager and a all round nice geezer and a manager I enjoy playing and maybe does not get enough credit with his main side.

Frankfurt were clinical today and we had to be at our best to get maximum points from this game.

We really are punching above our weight and to be equal on points with Barcelona after 16 games on goal difference is some achievement from us.

Can the fairy tale last? probably not but we will give it our best I can tell you that.

Pleasure playing you as always Ray thanks for a great game and bets of luck for the season mate.