2021
D1 Season 15 Stats and facts review.
Barcelona top the table
Porto ,Bayern and Juventus close behind.
Under new management Barcelona who were predicted 2nd spot, won the league with points to spare. Porto had a great season also in 2nd spot in PVA.
Man City had the highest VA and their 9th place was 6 above where predicted.
The worse performing team this year were Genoa a VA of -9 and PVA -0.62, with Chelsea and Real not far behind.
Three of the lowest four ranked teams were relegated with only Leverkeusen escaping .
| GK | DEF | MID | ATT | Top18 | Ave | ETOT | Pre | Fin | VA | PVA | |
| Barcelona | 92.0 | 93.3 | 92.5 | 97.5 | 84.0 | 91.9 | 233.10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2.00 |
| FC Porto | 93.0 | 91.0 | 92.8 | 93.5 | 88.0 | 91.7 | 229.50 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1.33 |
| Bayern München | 95.0 | 91.5 | 93.3 | 91.0 | 89.0 | 92.0 | 229.03 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 1.00 |
| Juventus | 95.0 | 93.5 | 92.5 | 93.5 | 88.0 | 92.5 | 231.54 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1.00 |
| Hertha BSC | 88.0 | 89.3 | 92.0 | 93.5 | 86.0 | 89.8 | 226.66 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0.83 |
| Manchester City | 89.0 | 90.5 | 89.5 | 92.0 | 87.0 | 89.6 | 224.92 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 0.78 |
| Paris Saint-Germain | 95.0 | 89.3 | 90.3 | 91.0 | 88.0 | 90.7 | 224.71 | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0.42 |
| RSC Anderlecht | 91.0 | 91.0 | 91.3 | 90.0 | 87.0 | 90.1 | 225.66 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 0.40 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | 91.0 | 89.8 | 89.8 | 89.0 | 85.0 | 88.9 | 222.57 | 17 | 15 | 2 | 0.20 |
| RCD Espanyol | 92.0 | 91.5 | 91.8 | 91.0 | 85.0 | 90.3 | 226.99 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0.13 |
| AC Milan | 92.0 | 89.3 | 89.8 | 89.0 | 87.0 | 89.4 | 222.53 | 18 | 17 | 1 | 0.12 |
| AS Roma | 90.0 | 85.8 | 89.5 | 90.5 | 83.0 | 87.8 | 219.79 | 20 | 19 | 1 | 0.11 |
| Valencia CF | 89.0 | 89.3 | 89.5 | 90.0 | 83.0 | 88.2 | 222.14 | 19 | 20 | -1 | 0.00 |
| Borussia Dortmund | 90.0 | 91.3 | 90.5 | 92.5 | 87.0 | 90.3 | 226.77 | 9 | 11 | -2 | -0.09 |
| Arsenal | 92.0 | 91.5 | 92.5 | 94.0 | 87.0 | 91.4 | 229.78 | 5 | 7 | -2 | -0.14 |
| Atlético Madrid | 92.0 | 91.0 | 91.8 | 90.5 | 87.0 | 90.5 | 226.51 | 11 | 14 | -3 | -0.14 |
| SC Internacional | 89.0 | 89.8 | 91.3 | 91.5 | 86.0 | 89.5 | 225.28 | 14 | 18 | -4 | -0.17 |
| Real Madrid | 91.0 | 91.3 | 91.0 | 90.5 | 88.0 | 90.4 | 226.11 | 12 | 16 | -4 | -0.19 |
| Chelsea | 95.0 | 93.3 | 94.5 | 96.0 | 85.0 | 92.8 | 234.20 | 1 | 5 | -4 | -0.60 |
| Genoa CFC | 92.0 | 91.8 | 92.5 | 94.0 | 86.0 | 91.3 | 229.86 | 4 | 13 | -9 | -0.62 |
Season 15 - Division 1 Manager of the Season.
The following are based from my interpretation of the 3 most prestigious competitions in T100, in which every manager takes part:
- The League
- The T100 Cup & Shield
Leicester City: One Brick at a Time!
Last season, Leicester City were relegated into Division 5. This would usually be disastrous for a club, however, Leicester saw it as an opportunity to focus on squad development, without the pressure of expectations.
This focus had already been ongoing for the 2 seasons that Earle had been there, but moving down into D5 opened up new avenues of development and allowed for an increased focus on youth.
This season, many expected that the goal would be to bounce straight back to D4, however, Leicester set no domestic league goal for this season, instead choosing to focus on the growth of the squad and long term security of the club.
They also entered the Youth Competition with no clear expectations, as the squad was changing through the season.
Season Review
Leicester began life in Division 5 relatively well, going unbeaten in their 5 opening games, and only losing 1 of their first 12 matches. In this time, though, they registered 6 draws showing that, while they weren't losing games, they were still dropping points. This was a theme that continued throughout the season, as Leicester finished the campaign with the joint 2nd most draws in the division with 15. Squad changes limited the tactical flexibility of the squad, with a narrow 4-3-3 being deployed largely through the 2nd half of the season. Luckily for the club, Raspadori shone in his new starting role following the departures of Cordoba and Gonzalez. Raspadori netted 14 goals in his 16 league starts, placing him 3rd in the top scorers table. He reached this despite playing less than half the number of games of any other player in the top 10 of the list. Suat Serdar also added strength to the attacking play as he chipped in with 2 goals and 11 assists in his 13 starts. With the attack finally coming together and the defence holding strong, Leicester were able to clinch 3rd place, and an automatic promotion spot, on the final day of the season. Their defensive efforts showed as they finished with the 2nd best defensive record in the league (33 conceded), only 1 behind the league winners Bordeaux (32 conceded). While the primary goal was to build, the club is pleased with the immediate promotion, as they feel that their development has come on much quicker than anticipated, which should leave them comfortably in Division 4.
With the senior team performing well, eyes were also focussed on the Youth team. Early on, they looked relatively average, making it out of the Group Stages of the Cup, before being knocked out in the 1st Elimination round by Augsburg. Luckily they filtered down into the Youth Shield, where they found form and confidence.
Their first Shield opponent was Valencia, who fielded a strong attacking trio of Kluivert, Wolff and Pino. Despite the potential of this trio, Leicester won their first leg 2-0, with Valencia forfeiting the 2nd leg due to fielding ineligible players.
After their elimination from the Cup at the hands of Augsburg, The Foxes had revenge on their minds with all three of their remaining opponents in the Shield being German sides.
Firstly Wolfsburg were beaten 4-0 in the first leg and 3-2 in the second restoring the squads confidence playing in Germany. That confidence was carried into the Semi-final where Hamburg were beaten 1-0 and 3-2 opening up Leicester's path to the final.
There they faced Monchengladbach, a tight squad with no real stars but a strong team ethic and work rate. Their durability showed in the first leg where they held Leicester to a draw, despite the dominance of the home team. It was clear that nerves began to set in for The Foxes before the 2nd leg, with Earle apparently frustrated at his sides inability to capitalise on their home advantage in the opener. However, those nerves were swept aside in the 17th minute of the 2nd leg when Giacomo Raspadori scored his 9th of the tournament to put Leicester 1-0 up. This lead would hold until full time resulting in Leicester's first ever trophy. Youth captain Oscar Mingueza lifted the shield and top goal scored Raspadori was voted player of the tournament with 9 goals and 3 assists. Thiago Almada also had an impressive tournament chipping in with 11 assists, while the performances of Sandro Tonali and Ibrahima Konate were also praised.
Transfers
Despite the domestic and youth success, Leicester's primary goal remained improving the squad, both short and long term. And this season that was one of the strongest points at the club. A combination of player development and transfer additions has seen The Foxes reach the highest valued squad in the Division, with a value of £203.9 million (£18.7m higher than Sao Paulo in 2nd), and the 2nd highest valued youth squad in all 5 Divisions, being valued at £87.2 million (Behind only Juventus). While neither of these translate directly onto the pitch, they highlight the clubs efficiency at brining in the correct player to develop at the right time.
Of the many signings made this season, two really stand out as key for the future of the club. Those are Sandro Tonali and Ibrahima Konate.
At 21, Tonali is already one of the best players in the squad. He has featured in every game since his arrival and is sure to be one of the first names on the team sheet next season. So far he has lined up alongside club captain Douglas Luiz in the holding midfield roles when deployed in a 4-2-3-1, or as a wider pivot in the 4-3-3. Tonali is widely regarded as the clubs future in midfield, and will also be the Youth captain next season.
If Tonali wasn't enough for fans, two weeks later Ibrahima Konate was announced too. Another shock signing due to the talent and value of the player. The 22-year-old joined from Bayern after barely featuring. He has already shown his talent at Leicester, but has been limited in game time due to a red card suspension. On paper, he is the best defender at the club, and will likely be a mainstay for years to come. He also played a key role in the youth shield success next to youth captain and senior CB partner Oscar Mingueza.
While Tonali and Konate do stand out as exceptional signings, they weren't the only arrivals. Youssouf Fofana arrived from Leverkusen, adding a great depth option to midfield, Koen Casteels joined along with Suat Serdar from Dynamo Moskva and both became immediate starters. As did Keita Balde and Rodrigues Dudu who added width to the squad when they joined from Hertha, allowing different formations to be implemented. Other key additions were Alex Moreno, Marvin Friedrich and Fabien Centonze, all of whom are likely to be starting or challenging next season. But the one that fans are most excited about is Eberechi Eze. The 23-year-old arrived from Rubin Kazan and has looked solid so far. He is likely to pick up a starting role next season and boasts outstanding talent for the future plus great versatilility in midfield. Emil Audero has also been added late in the season. He will be the starting keeper next season with Koen Casteels set to depart.
It wasn't only the senior squad that was improved. This season has seen a large influx of youth talent, helping in the current seasons youth success, and also solidifying for next season. The most improved position was centre back, with the additions of Loic Bade, Sebastian Walukiewicz, Hugo Guillamon, Lucas Tuta, Nehuen Perez, Andrea Carboni and Flavius Daniliuc all arriving or being confirmed as future signings. Many are already pushing for a senior role, and will expect domestic cup and shield game time next season. Mateo Klimowicz and Yunus Musah stand out as impressive attacking additions too and may look to capitalise on the lack of wide and attacking depth at the club to gain game time. However, all of the youth signings have been overshadowed by the recent announcement that Yusuf Demir would arrive from Koln. The 18-year-old boasts immense potential and could be one of the players who makes a big difference in the future of Leicester City. It is likely that he will fill the role of Thiago Almada, who has since left the club.
Despite these deals, the club is not done yet with their transfers. Below is a list of arrivals due next season;
- Robert Sanchez
- Nehuen Perez
- Konstantin Tyukavin
- Francesco Antonucci
- Victor Chust
As always, Leicester are still on the hunt for reinforcements, and are believed to be seeking a new starting striker and left back as well as a back up right back.
Season Breakdown
League Position - 3rd (Automatic Promotion)
Youth Finish - Youth Shield Champions
Player of the season - Giacomo Raspadori - 23 goals, 3 assists (league and youth)
Signing of the season - Suat Serdar - 12 games - 11 assists
Most improved player - Oscar Mingueza - Youth regular (83) to senior regular (87)
Most MoM awards - Douglas Luiz - 4 (6.64 average)
Best moments - Raspadori hattricks vs Montpellier and Olympiacos, Raspadori winner in Youth Final
Squad Improvements
Staring XI Week 1
4-2-3-1 (A)
87 - Marco Silvestri
87 - Ezri Konsa
87 - Robin Knoche
87 - Rick Karsdorp
87 - Faitout Maouassa
87 - Sander Berge
89 - Douglas Luiz (C)
88 - Yangel Herrera
87 - Nicolas Gonzalez
87 - Mattia Zaccagni
87 - Gaetan Laborde
Starting XI Next Season
4-2-3-1 (B)
88 - Emil Audero
88 - Ibrahima Konate
87 - Oscar Mingueza
87 - Fabien Centonze
87 - Alex Moreno
89 - Sandro Tonali
89 - Douglas Luiz (C)
88 - Suat Serdar
87 - Eberechi Eze
89 - Rodrigues Dudu
88 - Keita Balde
Next Season
Similarly to this season, the ultimate goal is to improve the squad, with the boards only goal being to remain in the division.
Earle has made it clear that he believes that the team is now only about 3 key signings away from securing the clubs staring XI for the future with players such as Tonali, Luiz, Konate, Audero, Eze, Mingueza, Dimarco, Raspadori and more considered long term options in their respective positions. And that is before looking at the exciting youth options at the club such as Bade, Guillamon, Walukiewicz, Musah, Busio, Moriba, Demir and many others who are keen to make a quick impression.
Whatever the season holds, one thing is for sure, Leicester City are on the right tracks and have come on leaps and bounds over the past season. The first team is the strongest it has been since Earle arrived and the youth squad is ready to supply the senior team in several key positions.
Aston Villa, end of season review
Aston Villa end of season review:
Villa won division 3 by five points from second place Galatasaray. It caps off what has been an excellent season overall. Villa had been in the playoff places for most of the campaign but a run of form that saw us only lose two games in the second half of the season pushed us to the title, it was a consistency that the other clubs fell short of.
Three key players this season were top scorer Hazard with 16 goals, not bad at all considering he was mainly used on the wing,
Thauvin (who nobody wanted to sign when I advertised him) lead the league for assists with 23 and an average rating of 7.62 the third highest in the league.
Then there is Barbosa who many criticised me for signing (some even sent me private messages to tell me it was a bad signing) he scored 7 goals and got 2 assists in his 10 games with an average rating of 7.70 which made him the best performing player in the division.
I might not have made a glamorous team at Villa but it is far more solid, the arrivals of Bissouma, Phillips, Barnes and Barbosa mean we have a competitive first 11.
I managed to add two good youths to the side in Mendes and Diallo as well. I am not sure if the side is good enough for division 2 but I’m looking forward to finding out.
Passion before victories
Inter is a strange team. Any Italian football fan is aware of this, especially the Interisti. This is how it works at Inter. The glory is intense, but it is short-lived, you win a treble and then the following season you go back to fighting to qualify for European competitions. You win an extraordinary Scudetto, creating a powerful team, and then you dismantle it in two months, dismissing the coach and selling off the best players. Highs and lows. Joys and sorrows. But that's what makes us fans love it so much, as what has been the team's official song for so long says. Pazza Inter, amala. Crazy Inter, love it.
In Top 100 it makes no difference. Inter were a decent first or second division team, nothing extraordinary, no titles won, but they were there to put up a fight. In recent seasons, however, things have got worse and worse and now it has sunk to the bottom of the fifth division, in an almost tragic situation. It needs a lot of effort and a good dose of imagination and luck to become competitive again.
I have always liked big challenges. I'm not usually into easy tasks, guaranteed victories, being the favourite. It's exciting to start from the bottom, to build brick upon brick and try to overcome your own limits to beat those who are stronger than you. That's what I want to do with Inter. I won't make a lot of claims - the team isn't that great at the moment - but I'll keep my head down and work hard. The path will be arduous and tough and it will take a long time for it to start paying off, but passion will be the engine that will drive this new course for Inter.
Because victories make you rejoice for a day, but passion makes you burn forever.
Mullan pledge's immediate future to Napoli, and signs new deal
Napoli are pleased to announce Manager Glen Mullan has signed a new deal with the club. We was aware that other opportunities may come his way, given the steadying of the ship here over the last 3 seasons. We have a real feeling of optimism as this season closes, with us already planning for next season. The fans have had to endure some difficult times in recent times as the club has tried to recover from some poor previous management appointments, and the sale of our best players.
Glen Mullan said "I've had a long think about the future, its been really tough here, and there was some exciting jobs out there which I was overlooked for. I think the job I've had here is massively underestimated, in terms of what we have achieved from our starting block. This club was very much the one no-one wanted, it had no players of value, no assets to realistically trade and the rot had well set in. I strongly believe it now has a pulse. We've beaten the best teams in the division this season, who have far more riches in players at their disposal than we have. We have shifted out over 50 players in my time here and replaced with a better core, to the extent, we are now getting those messages from other clubs wanting some of the players we have. When I first came, it was no messages, or if we enquired it was a polite "I don't see anyone of interest". My job now is to build on this season, and try and get more stability in our squad. Staying up next season is still the target. We are a couple of season's away from being able to seriously mount a promotion challenge, and to be honest with the squad we have, the team is just not geared up for Division 2 football. I've signed on for another season to continue that organic growth and improvement, and will be here for at least that duration. We are still looking to do one or two deals, which are very complicated at present, as they are reliant of other managers deals on other players. They don't want to let certain targets leave unless they can agree deals on other players from other clubs. We are sort of waiting for that Domino affect for these deals to progress. We are still desperate to add a centre midfielder, and i'm mindful this is going to cost us some of our assets. No player is ever off the table, at any club I have managed over the last 13 years in Soccer Manager. I do believe some will hold on to players regardless of bids, without looking at the bigger picture or how that may hinder progress for their own clubs. I think my CV in soccer manager is excellent, I've won lots and lots of trophies and built some fantastic teams from nothing. I will always have a plan B, C and D and find the way to get the best out of what is available to me."
Division 3 final day ups and downs
Well guys I’ve been asked to give my take on the dramas on the final day in Division 3, well when I say drama everything seems to be sorted at the bottom end of the table and there’s only a few dramas to be had at the top end but I’ll keep it as exciting as I can. Having only been in the league the last 11 games after taking over Dinamo I’ve looked more at the stats side of it and the run in with 15 games to go and for me it made some interesting reading last night…..well it was either that or watch love island ( the wife had it on…honest )……let’s start with the bottom end of the table, CSKA are rooted to the bottom and with only 3 league wins all season it’s been a tough watch for the fans with the team conceding the most while scoring the least but I’m sure next season they will be looking to bounce back. Celtic couldn’t buy a win towards the end of the season with no wins in the last 18 matches sealed their fate, manager Hugo will be hoping for a win on the final day to give the fans hope for next season. Cologne with 3 wins 8 loses and 3 draws wasn’t enough to save them and the 3 managers of the 3 clubs will be waiting to see what happens and where they will be next season. Club Brugge had a steadier run in with 5 wins 5 loses and 4 draws which sees Davy keep his job but still find themselves going down.
Flamengo stayed up before the final game of the season, the were tipped for 3rd place in Mister TRX predictions but the cup competition took over and they can look back on the amazing cup win against the mighty Real Madrid which had the fans dancing in the streets for days celebrating. Basel went 6 defeats and a draw before going on a 6 game unbeaten run to avoid the relegation dogfight. Same can be said for Glenn Mullans Napoli who after 6 loses in a row must have been worried but 1 lose in the next 7 games pulled the to safety. Udinese had star man Bamba to thank for keeping them above the relegation zone with 13 goals and 16 assists will have many a manager looking at his impressive season. Sporting went 7 games without a win and I think there was a few thinking Joao position could be in trouble but he’s done a fantastic job and was no surprise to see him climb the league with 3 wins on the bounce and pull Sporting to safety, for me they will be one to watch next season. Verona just missed out on a chance of the drama of a play off spot on the final day….a win last week against Man Utd would have put them in the mix but it was not to be.
I’m going to jump to the top of the league now just to mix it up a bit lol. Villa have had a great season, predicted 2nd they did one better and finished 1st….the run of 8 wins 1 draw and 1 defeat in 10 games helped them to the title with Thauvin the leagues top assist king with 22. Galatasaray are guaranteed promotion but 2nd place is still up for grabs. They were looking good for the title with 15 games left, a run of 7 wins 1 draw and 1 defeat had the fans dreaming of the title but 1 win 1 draw and 3 defeats in the last 5 games which included a defeat against champs Villa seen the trophy slip away…..Gala are the leagues best defence only conceding 31 goals which is impressive over the season. River Plate look guaranteed automatic promotion barring a big swing ( 3 points and 7 goals ahead). With 15 games to go and only 2 defeats 7 wins but 5 draws must have manager Jay Jones wishing he could change some of those draws to wins as they chased the title…..Star man and Talisman Falcao rolling back the years with a superb season. Dnipro have been the seasons surprise package, being predicted to finish 20th they are on the brink of promotion as Mark Steadman has worked wonders, another manager who must be frustrated with the amount of draws with 15 games left…..3 wins 4 defeats and 7 draws has seen them slip out the top 3, his team need to hope River get beat and they win against the tight defence of Galatasaray to go up automatically. Manchester Utd 8 wins in the last 15 games see them secure a play off place……joint top scorers with Villa and star man Belotti having a superb season for Ken’s rejuvenated Utd. Outside chance of sneaking 4th spot but with one eye on the play offs it might be time to rest some 1st team players ahead of the crunch games. Dinamo…I couldn’t wait to start at Dinamo and admired the work that the Godfather had done especially with the squad and precious back to back promotions….big shoes to fill and when I took over they were on a 9 game unbeaten run, I then lost my first 2 games in charge and thought the auto promotion was in danger but we steadied the ship in the run in with 5 wins 3 draws and one defeat to champs Villa has seen us grab a play off place with a game to go. Star man and captain Jimenez is joint top scorer in the league.
B.Mönchengladbach…..the Youth shield finalists occupy the last auto spot and is one with a lot of ifs and buts to it…but if Gladbach win or draw they go into the play offs it’s as simple as that (but we know it’s never that simple) they play Hoffenheim who have won 7 lost 5 and drawn 2 in the run, they need a 3 goal deficit to draw level on goal difference so makes for a interesting game…..the same can be said for Zenit who need goals goals goals against Udinese to make the dream come true but run in form has been mixed with 4 wins only 2 defeats but amazingly 8 draws have again have manager Mark Stewart wondering what could have been. West Brom sit on the same points as Hoffenheim and Zenit but they have a better goal difference so if they beat Flamengo and Gladbach get beat they would snatch the last play off place although recent form hasn’t been great as with 15 games to go the Baggies have only managed 2 wins 4 draws and 8 defeats so Nuno will be drawing all his experience to get his team ready for one last push to make the play offs.
Hope you enjoy the read guys and hopefully makes sense and I haven’t gone on and on but it did keep me away from watching love island so maybe took a bit longer ;) . Good luck to everyone in their final game
DIVISION 2 - THE FINAL DAY
If the Division 2 season was to be summed up in one of today's big issues, mental health, then it would have been certified insane even before the final day comes along on Thursday. Both at top and bottom of the table it has been crazy with some teams involved in both promotion and relegation battles. I could go on for ages trying to sum up the season but the main point today is looking at how both ends of the table shapes up going into the final fixtures. I tried to think of the best way to look at this but to no avail. Answer? Play the music on my phone through my latest bird, Alexa. She does everything I need except feed me and have sex, although drilling a hole in the top might solve the latter and just as I type that, Alexa decides to belt out Girls, Girls, Girls by Jay-Z. Coincidence?
Anyway let's get to this.
Starting with the battle for automatic promotion, including the play off places.
HELLAS VERONA new a win at home to Standard Liege would guarantee promotion but this is Division 2 and not to surprisingly they went down 0-2. However, with one of their challengers, Stoke City losing at Tottenham Hotspur, it meant the celebrations could start as that guaranteed them Division 1 football next season.
Now, the real fight begins as we look at the other two automatic promotion places. There are five clubs trying to fit into two places and, as even a primary school kid knows, five into two doesn't fit. The teams in pole position just need a win to seal promotion while the others will be praying for a slip up that could let them in. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR sit in second place and they make the trip to Everton on Thursday. If only Everton had nothing to play for then Tottenham would be hot favourites to get the win they require. Unfortuately, Everton do have something to play for so this will be an incredibly hard game.
SL BENFICA are the team in third place and, again, a win for them will secure promotion. They are also on the road as they travel across the border into Spain to take on Levante UD. Typically, in this madcap season, they are in the same situation as Tottenham as Levante also have something to play for. Levante are a very proud club and will make it very hard for Benfica to get the win they require.
This takes us to the teams waiting for either Tottenham or Benfica to slip up. STANDARD LIEGE, STOKE CITY and LIVERPOOL are the teams that lie in wait. All three have fixtures against teams that also have a reason to win their games. Liverpool are arguably the best placed with a home game to relegation favourites, but not down yet, Sassuolo. Sometimes relegation threatened teams are the hardest to play against so it's not done and dusted for Liverpool even in front of a fanatical Anfield crowd. Standard Liege and Stoke City are both also at home but their games are against teams with a chance of grabbing a play off place. Standard Liege entertain Southampton and Stoke City entertain Santos FC. A lot of S's in there so it is anyone's guess what standout sides selebrate success (see what I done there) at the end of 90min.
Talking of the play offs, the picture is a bit more clearer. The three teams that miss out on automatic promotion are guaranteed a play off place as a consolation. This leaves one place to play for and as we know, nothing is straightforward in Division 2. Five teams have a chance of stealing that last place. Well, to be fair, four teams have a chance of stealing the last place as the team currently in sixth can't steal something that they are already in position to take. That team is AJAX AMSTERDAM. So a win in their last game at Sevilla would seal that seventh place? I am afraid not. Anything but a win would almost certainly see them miss out but with them only in sixth place by 1 goal from seventh and two goals from eighth, a win does not guarantee that final play off spot. The teams breathing down their necks are the pre-mentioned EVERTON and LEVANTE UD. Everton host Tottenham Hotspur while Levante welcome Benfica. Both games are going to be interesting and it will be a test of who has the most bottle. These 3 fixtures would seem to make Ajax favourites for that last play off place but if all three managed just a draw at most it could open the door for SOUTHAMPTON. The Saints are just one point adrift of the three pre-mentioned teams but, again, they face another tough fixture when they travel to Standard Liege and with the Belgian side going for automatic promotion, Southampton will be relying on Standard freezing on the night. The team with least pressure but also least chance of making the play offs are SANTOS FC. They are two points adrift of seventh place and travel to 'a likely play off team' Stoke City. This makes Santos long outsiders to take that final place.
I hope you have followed the promotion/play offs situation that, quite frankly, is as clear as mud.
At the other end of the table it was just as confusing with, until the last couple of games, something like ten or eleven teams scrambling for enough points to see them clear of the drop zone. As we come into the final set of fixtures we have four teams fighting over one survival place.
So far, only DYNAMO KYIV are officially relegated after a rough season which sees them a massive 17 points adrift of second bottom. So what about the other three relegation places? As I said, there are four teams that can still finish in they three places. The teams involved are SS LAZIO, FC SCHALKE 04, HAMBURGER SV and SASSUOLO.
Starting with the team with the toughest, almost impossible, task, Sassuolo have already achieved a small miracle by taking it to the last day but they go into the last game with everything going against them. They travel to England to face automatic promotion hopefuls Liverpool and they must win by at least two goals to have any chance of escaping. Oh, I forgot to mention that they are also three points behind the other three teams involved so not only do they have to win by two goals at a team going for promotion, they also have to hope, no make that pray, on their knees for at least an hour before kick off, that the other three teams all lose. We are talking 100/1 outsiders and if they escape the drop it will be one of the greatest stories in the history of TOP100.
SS Lazio, FC Schalke and Hamburger SV are all locked on 41 points with a respective goal difference of -9, -15 and -20. Goal difference plays a huge part in the games tonight, so much so that Lazio win against, already promoted, Hellas Verona, then they are safe. However, there is always a however, Hellas need points to guarantee the Division 2 title so it's very unlikely that they take tonight's game a bit easier.
If Lazio fail to win then that opens the door for FC Schalke to grab the safe spot on the last day. Schalke are at home to fellow German outfit Werder Bremen. Bremen are one of the few teams with nothing at stake after securing safety last week. The question here is will Bremen play under strength or under par to help a fellow German side or will they go all out for the points that would relegate a German rival.
Finally we have Hamburger SV. They need Lazio and Schalke not to win. If neither of them win then Hamburger could achieve a great escape if they can win at Newcastle United. Newcastle are another team with nothing to play for and a home record of just 4 wins in 18 games. This seems to give Hamburger a great chance of getting a result and I feel we could be on the verge of that great escape. The way the fixtures lie, I think Hamburger could be the team to escape, sending Lazio and Schalke down to Division 3.
No matter how it turns out, we are in for a thrilling finale to the season and all I can say is I am so happy to have escaped all the drama after my Sevilla secured safety with last Sunday's draw at Sassuolo.
All that remains is to wish everyone luck on Thursday night for what will be the end to another incredible TOP100 season.
Ciao
Division Four final countdown …
Here comes the final day run down at last. What a season it has been… masks, cream and gel to make it less painful and the football still continues….
From the top here we go.. to play for and hopes and dreams… from the little feedback I got from my request plus some opinions of course. No offence meant chaps…
Partizan cannot party yet regards the title. They have been pushed hard all the way by Palace. Recent form is too close to choose. Palace v Lille last game. While partizan play with Besiktas who have nothing but pride to play for. Lille are my favourites to get the last automatic spot as stated in TV T 100 episode. A team I dream of at night…
Lokomotiv are coming up behind full steam with the same chance but will only do it if both Lille and if they can de rail Atalantas mighty run of 3 unbeaten and Augsburg slip on the soap set out by others that dream.
Augsburg play PSV who could do them a favour as they did to me and donate 3 points to let them keep automatic spot for promotion.
Dreams will come true for a few I’m sure up there in the heavens of glory.
Play off glory is next …
From Celta to Fiorentina there will be butterfly’s till the whistle blows.. Rubin May ruin Fiorentinas night and Celta play the mighty nick on the endless quest to avoid the hairy sack..
who wins who cares if your not involved in the drama but I’m sure eagles will circle … for those who fail…
In the concrete of mid table nothingness my little team sit with three wins just too far to the play offs. Many of us dare to dream of the above glory and anguish but slow and steady made the steak ready.. as no one said before.
down at the strongest end where some have fallen and the mighty Roberto has crashed into a wall after being a great.. not any more. His last breath in this elite is against Marseille who need three to save themselves also…
Villarreal need one to be sure against Wolfsburg..
Can Nick who some call mighty stay up ??? with the last game against Celta. All eyes will be on this one I’m sure, the decider !!!. Martin and Gary will be there to live the drama.
Rappphhhinnaaaaa. You have never seen anything like this !!!!
signing off…
Cheers. Walt