The Second Club Thread

[Quirkafleeg]

Sort a game out next season @Deutsch Wolf

 

[YoungWolf]

yeah, I really need to do a visit there - love to take in a game in Germany for sure

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

You won't get tickets very easily for a St Pauli home game in the top flight. Imagine 4-5 German blokes deciding they fancy trying to get tickets on general sale at Molineux and what answer we'd give them when they asked what chance there is.

I went to I think 14 home games at Millerntor in 2001/02 in the Bundesliga but I lived there, the avenues for getting a ticket were far more plentiful.

 

[Quirkafleeg]

Looks like the mulitasking 5th division players team again then.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

You'd get tickets for HSV if they went up or as is more likely and they flunk it yet again, definitely if/when they stay down. And it's good. Not a soulless bowl experience or anything like that. The ground is a way out but not a huge problem if you know what you're doing.

I have issues with travelling at the moment though.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

For @Alan :

It’s no secret that Charlotte FC are a much different team this year than in their first two seasons in MLS.

On the field, new manager Dean Smith has simplified Charlotte’s tactical approach. Gone are the fluid possession rotations and man-oriented defensive makeup that Christian Lattanzio attempted to install last year. In their place, Smith has brought in transition attacking play and more selective defensive pressure. But change in North Carolina isn’t limited to Smith’s tactical approach. No, there’s also been a significant reshuffling on the personnel side of the equation.

Shedding dead weight while adding more talent to the squad was always a priority for Smith and Charlotte – and they’ve done just that. Gone are two of Charlotte FC’s Designated Players from last season in Karol Świderski, a useful attacking piece but largely one without a position, and Kamil Jóźwiak, a completely underwhelming addition who serves as the largest demerit on general manager Zoran Krneta’s spotty transfer record.

There’s plenty more work to do before the club becomes a real trophy threat, but adding Liel Abada as a DP from Celtic is an encouraging sign. The 22-year-old tallied 33 goal contributions across his 4,100 league minutes with the Scottish giants. Abada made his MLS debut in Charlotte’s most recent match, a 1-1 draw with FC Cincinnati, and drew a yellow card with his very first involvement. With good speed, off-ball movement, and an excellent right foot, Abada should give Charlotte FC something they’ve never had: a truly goal-dangerous winger.

Eight points through six games is far from a sensational start. But there’s more clarity and talent inside the club than ever before.

MLS power rankings: Columbus have a Cucho Hernández problem

The Revs are in trouble, Dean Smith has things rolling in Charlotte and the champions have a headache up front

www.theguardian.com

 

[Alan]

8 from 6 is by far our best start ever! Journo is absolutely right, though, there's a lot of work to do yet. This is the best I've felt about our long-term prospects in a while but it won't happen on its own!

Calling Jóźwiak a "demerit" is highly generous. I don't think he had 10 shots on goal over his 2 years here. Lovely bloke but less dangerous than a bag of cotton balls.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Mate of mine who is a Derby fan couldn't believe they got actual money from anyone for him. 1 goal in 61 games in England!

 

[Alan]

Zoran even backed him by saying something like "if he can score in the Championship, he can score in MLS". And, like, mate. That might be true, if he could in fact score in the Championship. Which he couldn't. Ugh.

He's living a charmed life, Kamil. We somehow convinced Granada to take him off our hands permanently, and for money, even! Fleeced them worse than Derby fleeced us.

 

[leedswolf]

Mariners beat Phoenix in 1st vs 2nd clash and go top of A-League on GD.

 

[Hereford Wolf]

Stenhousemuir racing away with League 2. Very pleased.

 

[Kenny]

Bala Town back in Europe.

Will probably crash out at the first hurdle in the Conference but will bag over £200k for doing that.
Huge amounts of £££ for them.

Previous Euro runs allowed them to upgrade their pitch, build new changing rooms and sign Dave Edwards..
Hope they can get their ground up to UEFA standards so they can actually play their Euro home games in Bala.
Normally have to play in Rhyl or Llunf...Llanfa...TNS' gaff

 

[Lycan]

Athletic Club won the Copa del Rey against RCD Mallorca last night. So happy for them. They've got such a good team at the moment.

 

[Alan]

Truly awful day of sport for me yesterday as every team I am attached to conspired to lose.

Charlotte maybe worst of all, went to the previously winless and hopeless looking New England Revolution and let them beat the paste out of us. Horrifically static tactics from Dean Smith the worst bit; New England's 3-2-3-2 gave them all kinds of space between our wings and fullbacks to exploit and we never adjusted to it.

Shout outs to Nathan Byrne, who didn't play and suddenly looks like the one who keeps everything ticking over. His replacement, local boy Jaylin Lindsey, was... Not good.

Long old marathon, a season is, but you hate to be the side that gives a hopeless team hope.

 

[leedswolf]

3 away points secured at Western Utd today for the Mariners. A big win that.

 

[Alan]

Wild, emotional, ultimately brilliant night out last night as Charlotte got some small revenge on Toronto, winning 3-2 at BofA. Kerwin Vargas finally opened his account for the season with a fantastically accurate volley, Abada got his first goal with a finish of similar precision after a tremendously poor giveaway from Toronto, and Patrick "practically the love of my life at this point" Agyemang rounded out the night with a late, late winner.

The two goals we conceded were poor; Bill Tuiloma, an old MLS vet filling in for the injured Adi Malanda, fucked up our offside trap twice. Clear he has some rust on him after barely playing in Lattanzio's stupid system last season, and equally it showed that he and Andrew Privett don't have a great understanding with each other just now.

Shout outs to Federico Bernardeschi, who despite looking like a coked up hobo is still an absolutely stunning footballer and nearly dragged TFC to a result single-handedly (single-footedly?).

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

There was a Patrick Agyemang who used to haunt us in the 2000s. Absolutely fucking shite footballer (played for Wimbledon, Preston and QPR among others) but we made him look like peak Drogba every time.

Don't think they're any relation!

 

[Alan]

There was a Patrick Agyemang who used to haunt us in the 2000s. Absolutely fucking shite footballer (played for Wimbledon, Preston and QPR among others) but we made him look like peak Drogba every time.

Don't think they're any relation!

A quick google has revealed that this nega-Agyemang "hated heading the ball", which seems a negative trait for a forward!

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

He was terrible. But him absolutely ragdolling Mancienne at Loftus Road is seared into my memory.

 

[Alan]

Mancienne got ragdolled a few times in MLS, too, if that's any consolation.