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X11 season 45 - de rigueur Mortis

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    Don't worry about it nmrfox , I hope I didn't come across as admonishing you for missing that! I can't claim full credit either, as I saw it on stormstopper 's X11 post.

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      Originally posted by nmrfox View Post

      Apologies for missing that battle to avoid a relegation plaice lambers
      Don't think lambers was carping. Nor that you had floundered

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        Oh wow, I missed that i! Too subtle for me, how did the Deers avoid relegation?

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          Originally posted by Hot Orange View Post
          the Drawers falling down
          Belated applause.

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            nmrfox thanks for that nice preview.

            Just for the record I'd favour Curl Curl or Newport. Bondi is too full of boozy Poms, and nobody wants to see that.

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              Originally posted by Sits View Post
              nmrfox thanks for that nice preview.

              Just for the record I'd favour Curl Curl or Newport. Bondi is too full of boozy Poms, and nobody wants to see that.
              Peninsula Posho... but I agree about Bondi (and Coogee). Maroubra is nice and seems to have avoided the backpacker invasion to a large degree, probably due to there only being one pub and the Seals club there.

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                Manley I always liked (though it does also seem to have a large number of boozy poms). Is Newport the Home and Away beach? Because that really is nice. Never heard of Curl Curl.

                (The day I fell in love with Sydney involved my brother and I hiking along the North shore from Spit Bridge all the way round to Manley beach, few beers at dusk and then the ferry into the city during that festival of lights (can't remember the name). Spectacular)
                Last edited by ad hoc; 18-11-2020, 06:06.

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                  The Home & Away beach is Palm Beach. Newport and Curl Curl are a little further South but also in the Northern Beaches.

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                    Talented players offered up by two of my academies this morning.

                    Both 20/4.

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                      Originally posted by Hot Orange View Post
                      Talented players offered up by two of my academies this morning.

                      Both 20/4.
                      This. I’ve been investing the maximum in my
                      academy for months and nothing. Maybe I won’t bother.

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                        I am also beginning to doubt my 300000 econ a week investment into my youths. Over a season, that's over 4 million - am I actually getting my money's worth, or should I just defund it and buy a couple of 18/4s as and when I need them?

                        And, lambers , no one should be surprised it's a final day shoot out for the Cods - it's our third final day trauma in three seasons at this level.

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                          Originally posted by ad hoc View Post
                          Manley I always liked (though it does also seem to have a large number of boozy poms). Is Newport the Home and Away beach? Because that really is nice. Never heard of Curl Curl.

                          (The day I fell in love with Sydney involved my brother and I hiking along the North shore from Spit Bridge all the way round to Manley beach, few beers at dusk and then the ferry into the city during that festival of lights (can't remember the name). Spectacular)
                          That Spit to Manly is a lovely walk, a solid 10k on decent paths, with plenty of food and drink options at the end. The light festival is Vivid.

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                            Delighted with the CR for the Curly Coats (Golden League): ten single jumps, four dots, the only announced retirement is a stand-in veteran who will need to go after the coming season anyway. We will need all this good fortune in D1.

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                              Blimey, been away from the boards this week and find it's all go here when I look in on the thread today!

                              I see Foxy has rather effectively previewed the last day of OTF League action already, but if it's OK I'll dump a full roundup/preview on you all a bit later still.

                              And as I should belatedly add here too, bravo again to AE for Zeugma Zurafalar's victory in MLX XVIII. As I said over in X11, Underground did rather mug the Giraffes on penalties in the matching final two seasons ago, so we can hardly complain. I was genuinely in a state of not really minding if we won it or not this time, which I can fairly say is not usually the case (!), given the circumstances, so I'm delighted it was you who managed to add that long-awaited trophy.
                              On that note, congratulations too to Cota (Viktor_Boskovic), who added founder members Burnells Ironworks' names to the Roll of Honour at last too by coming out victorious in the MLX Challenge Bowl final on the same night.

                              AE also, in an admirable spirit of fair-mindedness, gave me a huge helping hand the next day by Zeugmaspor pulling off the shock victory over Kernow Kensa to put Vita Mortis back in the position of advantage ahead of our huge final-day clash with Kensa. Whether I can capitalise remains to be seen, of course, and given my teams' recent lack of killer instinct I have my doubts. But what with that, the Dandies dropping points to exit the title race, and Mortis nicking a vital win from the Starmers, I couldn't have asked for things to shake out on Monday any more favourably for us than they did...
                              Last edited by Various Artist; 19-11-2020, 13:01.

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                                OTF League roundup for 2nd November: Season 60 round 15

                                Division 3
                                D3 leaders OWC Albion took the day off, but still came out of it with a 2-point lead to carry into the final round of fixtures as Brian Munchingflapjack (2nd) were turned over 1-0 at home by Wednesday de la Zouch (4th). That left just a two-point gap between the pair -- but alas for Weds they have finished their fixtures, meaning they are guaranteed to miss out on promotion as Tree Hill High’s 5-0 win at Littlewoods Legends (6th) kept them 1 point ahead in 3rd.
                                All else being equal, it is a three-way shootout for the title, in that the Flapjacks go to THH knowing a win for either will give them the crown if OWC lose: the Flappers are 2 points behind Albion, and THH are three behind but with a far superior goal difference. However -- OWC’s last game is at home to Wharfedale Generals (8th), meaning a slip-up is pretty unlikely, so the other match is probably just to sort out the minor places.
                                Whichever way that one goes, it shows how a wildly inconsistent season (the Munchies are on 10-0-5, +7GD) can trump a consistent yet draw-prone one (Wednesday finish outside the top 3 on 7-7-2, +18).

                                The Generals will finish second-bottom after a penultimate 2-0 defeat at Nieuwegein Kneebiters. The Biters are sure of 5th, unless they win by 13 today at Veni Vici Vigata to overhaul Weds on GD. VVV blew the chance to climb a place from 7th on Monday by shipping a last-ditch equaliser at Pinewood Passers. The 1-1 draw is just a third point all season for 9th-placed Passers, who lost one of their only two good defenders, Takita Yamasita, to a nasty injury and for whom the end of term can’t come quickly enough.


                                Division 2

                                The only things still in play in D2 are the last promotion slot and the last relegation slot -- and remarkably both will be decided today in head-to-head clashes between the respective rivals.
                                On Monday, Athletico Deva finally ended Heffron Hendecagon’s intermittent interest in the promotion race by defeating them 1-0 in a hard-fought encounter at Heffron Park, which left the pair 5 points apart in 3rd and 5th. 4th-placed The Gang Play Football though came back from a goal down in a crucial game at home to Cods of War (7th), Kristian Blomberg’s 77th-min winner keeping The Gang within 2 points of Deva -- whom they visit in their final game.
                                Meanwhile, leaders Eriskay Expression struck twice early on to see off visitors FC Gloryhammer (8th) at the Glen, and finally wrap up the title with a game to spare, despite Great Northern Railway (2nd) also winning 2-0 at home to relegated Eintracht Midwest (10th). Gloryhammer though still have it all to play for on the last day, as they travel to the Cods for another one-on-one decider for who goes down and who stays up. The slowly-sinking soldierly shoal (by the seashore) have the stronger side, the home advantage, and just need a point; but the Hammers just need to strike a single blow at the right time...

                                Elsewhere, die Ambosse (6th) brushed aside just-relegated New Dresden 3-0 at Porridge Court. The Anvils have the least stressful closing week of anyone, following up that straightforward win with a final trip to bottom side Midwest.

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                                  I think you owe us a belated MLX final preview Various Artist

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                                    Division 1
                                    Well. It’s all about the last promotion slot here, again, but in D1’s case there’s no less than a four-way dive for the line on the final day.
                                    In a bit of an “after the Lord Mayor’s Show” sort of affair at Wyatt Avenue on Monday, champions Berkshire Swine met relegated bottom club Steaua Bridge with their respective fates already set in stone. The Swine eased to a 2-1 win that changes nothing, except to lift them a colossal 12 points clear of Csiki Monkeys (2nd) after the latter’s 1-0 defeat at Saltney Drawers (5th) -- Cliff Promise’s 81st-min winner coming just two minutes after Laszlo Olah got himself sent off for a second bookable offence, no mean feat from the Monkeys substitute.
                                    A real rash of bookings in fact leaves ad hoc’s side with three players suspended (!) for their final fixture, but mercifully for the Transylvanians they are 4 points clear of 4th place thanks to Locomotiv Noj and Whoft Fluffopolis drawing 1-1 at the MSA Celebration Arena after a rapid late exchange of goals. That leaves the pair deadlocked on 7-5-5 and 26 points, and with neither able to (eenie meenie miney mo) catch the Monkeys by the toe.
                                    It also left the door open for Rejects Redux to nip in front of both of them into 3rd by a point -- which they did by the skin of their teeth, nabbing a 1-0 win at Wensleydale Blues thanks to Noel Colbourne converting one of their only two sights at goal. That leaves the Rejects in with a chance of snatching 2nd on GD, though since the result also relegated Wensleydale, the Blues now have nothing to play for in their closing trip to the Monkeys who should therefore seal the runners-up slot.

                                    Here’s how it lines up, then: Rejects (3rd, 27pts, +6GD) host Whoft (4th, 26pts, +7), with whoever wins going up -- unless Whoft win and Noj (5th, 26pts, +2) beat Hampshire Deers by at least six goals more. The Deers (7th) secured their own safety on Monday via an only slightly nervy 3-2 win at Turd Division, one that proved enough to relegate both the Turds and the Blues, as things turned out.
                                    If the Rejects and Fluffers cancel out at Criminal Court, though, that can allow Noj to leapfrog both into 3rd at the last. And, should Noj also drop points, then Saltney (6th, 25pts, +2) can in theory slalom past all three of them if they win at home to the Swine -- who have lost just once all season, yet may put their feet up early as they are so comfortably home and dry already...


                                    OTF

                                    Well, would you know it -- we’ve got another straight head-to-head decider here too, and with the OTF title at stake, after an appropriately barmy penultimate round of fixtures.
                                    Last Thursday, Vita Mortis and Dandy Town cancelled out 0-0 at the Hollows, but Kernow Kensa snatched a stoppage-time winner at St Pancras Starmers to wrest the initiative at the top of the league with a week to go. On Monday, however, extraordinarily enough Mortis also nicked a 90th-minute winner at the Starmers to wrench the momentum back their way.

                                    For the third time in four games, the Scythemen conceded an early lead, Frank Komse the scorer for St Pancras in this case, but five minutes later Edmond Bleuet crashed in an equaliser. However, a close affair seemed to tilt the way of the outgoing champions when Mortis striker Lance Porter was stretchered off with a first career red cross ten minutes after the interval...
                                    ...while Kernow, for their part, led from the 26th minute to the 64th at Zeugmaspor, and for a good spell therefore looked almost home and hosed. Then, in an abrupt twist shortly after the hour mark, the division’s bottom side suddenly scored twice in three minutes to turn not only the match but the title race on its head -- especially since in the middle of that 3rd-placed Dandy Town took a lead at the Stade Andy Liver through a Four Candles own-goal. For seven minutes, all the top three were tantalisingly dead level on 34 points.
                                    Then, though, Matteo De Angelo levelled for the Candles, and that game would end 1-1 -- ultimately ruling the 3 Dandies out of the title race on the last day, and ensuring the Candles’ safety in 7th place. Meanwhile at the Stade Belinda Carlisle the away team hung on in there -- and in the final minute the crocked Porter’s replacement, rookie Wesley “Bananaman” Bannerman (so nicknamed by none other than Starmers boss Delicatemoth back at the start of the season) picked an astoundingly good moment to bag his first Mortis goal. It won the game 2-1, only the second victory in seven for the Reaper Men but one that puts them back on top of the heap by 2 points with just that one game left to play -- at home to Kernow Kensa, in a winner-takes-all showdown this evening.

                                    Elsewhere, the main news was that Croesoswallt Dragons (5th) recovered their mojo in the nick of time, firmly ensuring there would be no question of their own survival by crushing Hideous Towns (8th) 5-2 at the Host of Trophies Past to relegate Hideous. And at the Blue Fen, early-season pacesetters Banik Roystonov’s fall from grace was also sealed in a 4-0 thumping from Great Ouse Town (4th) that confirms Banik's relegation too -- and in fact leaving them bottom of the table after Zeugma’s win. The latter finish up with a dead rubber at home to Hideous, while Banik do likewise at home to the Dragons. Ouse travel to the Dandies just a point behind their final hosts to settle who finishes 4th and who 5th.

                                    Comment


                                      Originally posted by Antepli Ejderha View Post
                                      I think you owe us a belated MLX final preview Various Artist
                                      I know, it's only the MLX Cup final I've made a point of previewing, ever since I was just a league assistant who wanted to make sure the 'second' competition received its equal due rather than letting the playoffs get everyone's attention. I've occasionally done something for the MLX Grand Final too, but only very intermittently and at more or less random, when I've had time in the relevant week. Alas nobody else has ever stepped up to write those instead, at least for more than a one-off, and to be honest it's just been yet another thing to do that I've not found time for. I will though work it into the season roundup, which again is something I don't do consistently but do try to get at least something written for. That should happen tonight, I hope, after which I'll be able to set up Season 29 too.

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                                        Meanwhile, I'm absolutely bricking it ahead of the OTF decider. I mean, like with Sunday I can at least say that I'll be genuinely happy for Scultura if he wins it, as he's a good guy and it'll be another first-time champion -- just as with the Giraffes winning MLX on Sunday. But with Underground I'm used to being there or thereabouts. With Mortis it's a much much more unusual thing to be in this position of having the title within touching distance on the last day of the season, so this is proper nerves.

                                        And, of course, I'm now going to try to set tactics while second-guessing myself at every turn. I only need to get a point... but if I put 11 men behind the ball and Kensa somehow find a way through to mug us of the title, then I'll forever kick myself for not being braver. At the same time, if I set up more conventionally and Kensa find a way through to snatch the title out from under our noses, then I'll forever kick myself for not just shutting up shop. Aaargh!

                                        Either way, I'll be out when the match is played, so I may not find out the result for a few hours yet...
                                        Last edited by Various Artist; 19-11-2020, 15:26.

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                                          OK, Mortis are ready to roll. Alea jacta est and all that.

                                          For anyone who wants to watch the title decider 'live', this should be the link to 'the Game' from 5pm GMT if you're logged into X11:

                                          www.xperteleven.com/preGameViewer.aspx?Cup=0&gameID=318289453&dh=2&sou nd=1

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                                            Originally posted by Various Artist View Post
                                            Meanwhile, I'm absolutely bricking it ahead of the OTF decider. I mean, like with Sunday I can at least say that I'll be genuinely happy for Scultura if he wins it, as he's a good guy and it'll be another first-time champion -- just as with the Giraffes winning MLX on Sunday. But with Underground I'm used to being there or thereabouts. With Mortis it's a much much more unusual thing to be in this position of having the title within touching distance on the last day of the season, so this is proper nerves.

                                            And, of course, I'm now going to try to set tactics while second-guessing myself at every turn. I only need to get a point... but if I put 11 men behind the ball and Kensa somehow find a way through to mug us of the title, then I'll forever kick myself for not being braver. At the same time, if I set up more conventionally and Kensa find a way through to snatch the title out from under our noses, then I'll forever kick myself for not just shutting up shop. Aaargh!

                                            Either way, I'll be out when the match is played, so I may not find out the result for a few hours yet...
                                            There's a lot to be said for getting comfortably relegated and not having to worry about such things. Good luck, VA.

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                                              May everyone's blood pressure be raised by unconcerning amounts.

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                                                Stupid game. I'll never get to taste the high-life of OTF (though to be fair, my pre-season prediction of 5th was strikingly accurate).

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                                                  You just inspired me to check out all the pre-season predictions, and you weren't the only one to be spot on! I'll post my findings tomorrow, in case anyone wants to avoid final day spoilers.

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                                                    Yeah, I recall saying that the top flight didn't really have any standout contenders, and I had no idea where my young side might finish so it could be anywhere between 2nd and 8th.....

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