Update on my PES 5 ML. I blitzed through almost two seasons in the last few days. I was more consistent in 2009, finishing 4th compared to 6th in 2008. I only lost twice all season, but drew thirteen again. Chelsea seem to be getting stronger, they've won the league every season so far, though in 2009 Man Utd were running them close. With two games left Man Utd still had a chance, and I was their final opponent of the season. I had decided that if they went top with a game to go, I would basically throw the game to stop Chelsea winning again

. Alas, Chelsea didn't drop anymore points and so won the league with two games remaining, and I had a happy 4-0 win over Man Utd. I did, however, win my first trophy in 2009 since the 2005 D2 league title- I beat Chelsea in the D1 cup final.
My strikers weren't getting many (I seem to have lost the knack of scoring from corners and crosses), but Minanda was my top scorer with 9. Castolo bagged 6, Huylens a paltry 4 (and two of them came in that final Man Utd match). Interestingly, Man Utd were the top scorers in the league that year, yet a check of Van Nistelrooy's stats showed he had failed to score all season!!!
2010
This year, Chelsea became more dominant, thrashing big sides left, right and centre. I think it may be due to the way player stats develop over time; after several seasons you end up with too many superhuman players in the game with ridiculously high stats, and Chelsea start with a lot of pacy and skilful players, and added John Barnes last season. I also think some of their players of the time, like Duff and Joe Cole, were a bit overrated by the game. I have had many clashes with them in recent years in the cup as well as the league. I had often fared well, but this season in the league they beat me both times- the first meeting being a humiliating 4-1 defeat. I had gone ahead early, only to give the ball away on the edge of my area with Valeny just before half-time, which Crespo punished. After they put a second past me early doors in the second half, I lost my cool and it was as good as over. Later in the year it was a close 1-0 defeat.
My general league form got a bit shaky late on. I still have two matches to play, but nothing much should change. I'm currently 3rd, Man Utd 2nd again. Chelsea won it ages ago, they are about 21 points clear of me. I was in 2nd for much of the middle portion of the year, but then I lost four games in the space of six! With two games left I've lost eight, worse than any other season, though I've rarely drawn so it is not as bad a year points-wise as 2008. My best performances were generally in the cups, indeed I won both the D1 cup and the CL final- both against the hated Chelsea! I might have been a bit mentally drained by all the concentration I put on the cups, I don't know. D1 cup final was my best performance of the two; 2-1, and if my finishing had been a bit better it could have been 4-1. However neither side was good enough at finishing in the CL final, and it wasn't until a tired defender gave the ball away to my flying winger Murray that a goal was scored. Murray charged past Ferraira, drew the keeper and saw Gazza coming in. He simply rolled it across and Gazza sealed it- a silver goal in the 115th minute. As soon as Chelsea kicked off it was over.
So, Chelsea were denied the treble, a feat only Milan have achieved in this playthrough (I think they've won the CL most seasons, beating Chelsea in the last two finals), and I got two cups in one year. It's surprising though that my very first season in D1 has been my best so far, when I finished 2nd.
Huylens is due to retire at the end of the season, and I was glad in my latest match to score a hat trick with him against Bolton. It must be the first hat trick he has had in at least 4 years, a nice way to end the season. He is now on 9 just like Castolo this year. My midfielders haven't scored a lot in the league either, I've been less prolific from free kicks and haven't quite been as accurate with shooting from the edge of the area with the likes of Minanda, Gazza, Mauro Silva and Fouque. I've netted quite a lot in the cups in comparison though. Ordaz, a strong performer in the cups, has been disappointing in the league despite increasing playing time, and has scored only once all season. For someone with such great finishing skills, it is hard to swallow. At 25 he should be enjoying the best years of his career. Next year Ordaz will be first choice up front along with Castolo.
Something interesting happened in the quarter finals of the CL this year. I beat Juve 2-0 at home, then ended up losing 1-0 at the Delle Alpi to go through 2-1 on aggregate. But late on in the second leg, when I was already a goal down and only needed to avoid conceding to win overall, I won a corner- and Peter Shilton, my keeper, came into the box. The game had obviously gotten a bit confused with which team needed to score! I was already swinging it in by the time I realised who that strangely-jerseyed fellow was, and they cleared it. Fortunately I was able to stall their midfielders so Shilton could get back to where he belonged, but it was an amusing incident that could have cost me the tie.
EDIT: I impatiently finished my 2010 season in bad form. Lost the penultimate game to Newcastle, didn't even have a shot! I fouled my way through it angrily and was lucky to only lose 1-0, I couldn't make any chances. I drew with Everton, while not really playing better, and doing plenty more fouling to relieve my stress

. Late equalizer by Mauro Silva, a lovely strike from 25 yards. The league top scorer this season was Owen with 18, by quite some way (Park Ji Sung of Man Utd was next with 13, he also had the most assists), though Chelsea had a number of scorers around the 9-12 goal mark, and their team goal count was the highest in the league at over 80.
Barcelona won the Uefa Cup, beating Man Utd in extra time after what must have been an exciting 3-3 draw.
Huylens retired with a total of 66 goals and 21 assists in 159 appearances under my reign, which began when he was already 34. By year, his league goals came as follows:
2005: 11 (Div 2)
2006: 15
2007: 6
2008: 6
2009: 4
2010: 9
His career total in domestic cups was 3, and in the Champions League (including qualifying stage) it was 12.