FM18 | Plug In Baby | #5
Welcome back to my FM18 experiment. We’ve used the same ridiculous tactic for every single game and you know what, it’s not bloody bad. LOOK!
The last post can be found here, and the first post here.
7th is about right but I feel we have more to give. The players have become used to my idiocy and they have learned to tolerate me as a group. A cohesive unit of tolerance.
We’re into the middle of December, which means a fixture pile up. Or does it? In real life, there were games on the 23rd, 26th, 28th and 30th December. In this wonderful world where I’ve set games to only be on Saturdays and Wednesdays, we play three times in a week now but then not for 11 days. We’ve got Christmas off.
First up is Brighton, who are 19th and struggling. We’re not that good at home and my fears are realised when Dragovic puts through his own goal after 18 minutes. Hmm. We’re not playing well either but Vardy scores twice before half-time and the world is good again. In the second half, we go absolutely mad, adding three more. Even Shane Long scores. In fact, we score with 5 of out 7 shots.
So that wasn’t too bad but up next is West Brom away in the Carabao Cup. We won there comfortably in the league but the squad are making a lot of groans as they turn up for training. The lads are tired. We never have the ball so they spend a lot of time chasing. That said, Vardy is loving life and where there are goals, there’s hope.
As usual, we concede a penalty to put us on the back foot but Vardy equalises and it’s all good. For a bit. Oli Burke is having a great time and with Albrighton in at left wing-back, he’s got his hands full with the young Scot. He makes it 2-1 and we’re pretty much hanging on. Iheanacho climbs off the bench and equalises 3 minutes before time. Extra-time is not what we needed but we can’t find a winner…penalties.
Shane Long and Iborra miss and that’s it. We’re out.
I really fancied going far in that but it wasn’t to be. My worry now is that the squad will be knackered ahead of the Bournemouth game, who have had a great season to sit 5th. I’m sick of it though, that should be my praise.
Iborra’s been on 4 bookings for a while but I’m out of central midfield options. James and Ndidi are approaching fitness, so that’s something. We trail but the brilliant Ayew equalises. The half-time chat goes better than normal and Vardy scores again before Shane Long secures the points. A great result!
So to our 11 day Christmas break. We get Matty James back which isn’t normally big news but with Iborra banned for the next game, he’s all I have.
Wagner (the Huddersfield manager, not the X factor guy) says some soppy stuff about how he was wrong about me back in August. I’d forgotten about all of that to be honest though I do remember winning 4-3. They put up a bit of a fight but Vardy scores yet again and Ayew continues to add to his ridiculous tally. We have forwards in form, you can’t ask for more than that.
Seeing as it’s now January, I do worry somebody will bid for my talented players but so far so good on that front. Burton away in the cup does not worry me particularly, so Vardy gets a rest and sure enough, we’re 3-0 up on 24 minutes. Diabate gets half-an-hour to continue to try and learn to play centre-forward and makes it 4 before Marvin Sordell pulls two back when our lads start taking their boots off with a minute to play. A win’s a win, we’re in the hat.
Home to Reading or Sheff Utd in Round 4. Lovely.
Last game of the update sees Everton visit the KP. It’s become a bit of a fortress for us in recent weeks and given how slow Everton’s defence was in the return fixture, we should be confident here. Importantly, most of the players are back from injury. Ndidi returned in the Burton game and Nastasic is nearly there too. Yes, it’ll be literally minutes before somebody breaks down again but until then, we’ll enjoy what we have.
Big Sam has countered my early confidence by shoring up with a 3rd centre-half. It’s Mangala, so it’s not a foolproof plan, but it shows he is thinking. It’s a 5-4-1 with Tosun in a different postcode to his teammates. To be honest, beating Sam is like a personal triumph. I hate the man. So it’s with great pleasure I can tell you, we are magnificent. Every man has Sam hatred flowing through their veins. Vardy and Iheanacho both score before Ayew rattles in from 25 yards. It’s 3-0 before half-time. I tell the lads I’ve never been happier. Darmian adds a fourth. They get one back but Vardy has the last word. 5-1. Pints of wine on the pitch.
The best thing? We’re above Bournemouth. Maybe the press will stop asking me about them at every turn. Man City away next…
The front 3 have been great, Ayew has 26 in 25. Vardy and Iheanacho have played their part in 26 goals apiece, whilst Harry Maguire has 6 assists from just putting his size 12 through it. Chilwell has also started to come into his own, 8 assists from the left wing back now and most of them have come in recent weeks.
I’m excited by how far this team can go. Top 6? Champions League? Cup win? Let’s see what happens. It is January afterall, please nobody bid for my players. See you next week!