Ok so a little update of what is going on in my current season. I gotta be honest, it's not good at the Riverside. After just missing out on Promotiom last season, I'm currently lying second bottom of Division 2, and I have the Chairman on my case for the first time in 4 years.
I have to say, that I'm playing some great football, and I have a decent bunch of lads. Pretty much every man and his dog refused to join Boro at the start of the season, and I only managed to bring in a couple of players, but also lost a couple that I had on loan. I have the real 'bottom-of-the-food-chain' staff, right across the board. And I have no funds to improve them. This has a big effect on my Form Arrows and also Injuries. But, I just have to dig in and get on with it, crying aint gonna do fuck all about it.
The thing with this division is that everybody is beating each other, so I'm only 4 points off 10th place. I dropped 5 points in my last few games, I was winning away at Cardiff before they equalised in the 87th minute to rob me of 2 points. I have to admit, this season, I've been very guilty of complacency. Especially when I have that very slight 1-0 lead. The CPU will alter it's tactics and go 4-3-3 with All-Out-Attack or Long Ball, if they are chasing the lead in the final stanza. Last season I made sure I changed my tactics and formations to counter the CPU's. Usually a 5-4-1 did the trick. This season, I haven't done that as much, and I've been duly punished.
The same applies if your trailing a CPU lead, they will, take off a striker and add a DMF or defender to shut-up-shop. As if the defences are't tight enough, they take it to the next level. So as a manager, you need to adapt, and that's where the 4-2-4 All-Out-Attack strategy comes out via your on-the-fly Presets.
Anyway, after drawing with Cardiff, then losing to Watford 2-1, after leading 1-0 with 10 minutes to play (see last paragraph
) I was fearing for my job. I then had Derby at home, knowing that I badly needed all 3 points.
The game started very well, after some great build-up play, a dribble and R2 turn took out the defender, then the pass from Martins was dummied by Emes (R1), that took out the Derby defence, and Riberio, from a standing position, took a touch (massively important) then placed one into the corner (R2). 1-0 Boro. Boro then went two-up, when a deflection fell kindly to Martins in the Derby box (Yes, a deflection that went against the CPU for a change
) he took a touch, then another R2 left footer placed it into the bottom corner (Tap shoot and aim, then tap R2).
Derby then got back into the game after schoolboy defensive blunder was punished. The CB got dispossessed and the rest was history. 2-1. Boro then got another cushion, when Martins cut inside the full-back with a beautiful Fake Shot (Circle then X aim diagonaly) and was brought down for a penalty. Martins stepped up and cheekily dinked one down the middle, (Press Shoot then tap R1). 3-1 Boro. Derby then scored again, from yet another poor defensive error on my part. Too casual. Punished, again. No complaints.
So with my cushion now reduced again to that ever dangerous single goal, Boro started to panic. Thankfully, Emnes didnt. Another patient passing move saw Boro open up a Derby defence that was now stretched looking for the equaliser. A pass to Emnes, who took a touch, then fashioned the perfect angle for the long-range placed curler (Diagional posture/angle, left-foot, press shoot, 3/4 power then tap R2). And that once again was all she wrote, as the Boro frontman bent one into the corner. 4-2 Boro and that's how it ended. Phew !!
I must admit, scoring a goal has always meant so much in this PES and ML, but when your fighting to keep your job, it's increased ten-fold.......
YouTube - Boro 4-2 Derby
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