Post Match Reactions - Round 38

[JB@Norwich]

Missing


Errors
bet
Error: The PK taker, K_Iheanacho wasn't listed in the teamsheet
car
Error: "PK:" wasn't found
fey
Error: Player M_Pederson wasn't found in the roster
soc
Error: Player Zubeldia is suspended

Error Watch
bet - 2
car - 2
fey - 2
soc - 2

[Freddie]

*sorry for the mistake JB.

PSV 1-2 Sociedad

Good win at a difficult place to go. Wasn’t expecting too much beforehand but the three points just about keeps us within reach of those promotion places. Captain Dolberg was in fine form with his brace and got us over the line despite a late PSV fight back.
Played Neil.

*Edit - woops completely didn’t realise we only played 38 games in the conference. No promotion for this season then and a disappointing campaign at that. Can only hope for better next season. We clicked a bit more in the final 1/3 of our games so hopefully that bodes well for next year.

[Ed@PSG]

Cardiff 2 FCPorto 0
Great to finish the season with a win. I'll happily take 12th for one of the weakest teams in the conference after being bottom 2 for most of the first half of the season. 2nd meanest defence in the division, but scoring goals was our issue. Hopefully that will change next season with the addition of Zapata. Not sure of the entry requirements for WM cup, but hopefully 12th gets us in
GG Tim
Congrats to those who got promoted

[Ian]

Schalke 0-0 Villarreal

Since taking over the reigns at Villarreal early into the season it has certainly been a slog. My hope was to qualify for the WM competition but if my understanding of the qualification process is correct we have missed out by just a single point which is a huge disappointment. I will stick with the club that everyone avoided like the plague when they became available and can guarantee that I will slowly improve them. With a very low rated and ageing squad this will not be easy but we have already got the average age of the squad down during this campaign and will continue to do so resisting the temptation of buying some of the many older but better players on offer because trying to bring down the average age of this team is simply the right thing to do when caretaking.

[Neil@Fiorentina]

PSV 1-2 Sociedad

Good game dude, nowt to play for but abs, and we created plenty of chances, but couldn't convert them
Some decent performers in the team now, just need to fill the gaps before next season.
Looking forward to having a full season with PSV to see what they can do.

[ChrisS]

Schalke 0-0 Villarreal

We'll end our first season in 9th. We've had a poor run of form for the last 9 or 10 matches this was due to having to get our minutes in. We've got EOS now to upgrade the squad and drop a few fringe players who are requiring minutes.

[Tim@Leeds]

Shows how much attention I have paid, I had no idea this was the last match of the season!!

Good season for Porto to be fair, definitely not one of the strongest sides in the division, good showing, steady abs through the season, 6th place finish, (joint 5th) and only 3 points off of automatic promotion which I don't think caretaker clubs can achieve anyway.
So pretty decent effort all in all and should get some decent prize money to boost the coffers I'd hope

Thanks for running the games JB. Legend

[Johnboy]

Nottingham Forest 1 - Derby County 3

So we finish the season with a bang - a 3-1 victory in our local derby!

I took over at Derby after Darren left to move to Celtic and it hasn't been an easy season, following this match Derby County FC will cease to exist, a position that I completely understand and support - on a personal level I'm disappointed that I couldn't propel the club further up the league so that we finish on a true high, a comprehensive victory in our neighbours backyard will have to do.

The reasons for our struggles this season are many and varied and in many ways stretch back a long way into history - way before FFO2 was even a proposition. Unfortunately teams that struggle at the bottom of the conference are, in my opinion, always going to struggle at the bottom of the game - the new shorter season is only going to make that gap bigger not smaller. Take Monaco as an example - a team that are bouncing around in the lower reaches of the EFL - they will have played an extra 10 games this season compared to West Brom who have finished just below Derby in the conference and that is a significant difference. While there is this difference between teams, those that struggle will never be on a level playing field with those that have a strong history - the options to build a club are getting fewer and fewer.

I leave the East Midlands with fond memories of a club that have a platform to build on but with hope that the new club to the league have a stronger start point.

Finally thanks to JB for running the league this season, and to JB and Nick for all the efforts they put in to running a demanding league campaign with not always the most cooperative bunch of managers - without you chaps we wouldn't have a game to play