X11 season 45 - de rigueur Mortis

[Various Artist]

The Cup provided a break from the rarefied air of the second tier for Viking South Utsira as they sampled the somewhat staler fug that surrounds Division 5:1’s Corpulent FC.
The Blood Eagles were on top in the first leg at Camp Smöret (which translates from Swedish to English as The Butter Camp)

Aww, I'd missed that Janik! Would've been a nice snarky addition to my PRs last week or this, although I did include a few tired jokes about our making "heavy" weather of the games etc.

They were indeed stubbornly hard opponents to shift. The coming games won't get any easier, either; VSU have major rearguard issues right now as a result of injuries to both our two most experienced defenders (Moa Jönsson and Loba Deparvada) in our last two matches, meaning I may have to line up against the Norfolk Broads (run by a fellow Canary) on Tuesday with a three-person defence including two 20-year-olds. In Division 1. This is not a sane plan.

[Various Artist]

Yikes thanks Etienne. I somehow 'missed' my training in preparation for the next (i.e. last proper) match, so I was just about to put them all in training....

At the risk of dropping another rather "full" answer on you from a great height, there is still some value in training your players for the post-season tournament, since they'll simply play better in whatever games you have between now and the Change Report. It may just come down to how many econs you can afford to spare, if any.

As Etienne rightly points out, their DVs can't worsen during that time, because their final 'form notification' is taken after the last official match of the regular season. That is, their final Average Form for the season will be set in stone after this coming Wednesday's game, and won't be affected by any subsequent drops during friendlies/the friendly tournaments.

The Development Value (DV) can go up still though, because it is a function of Average Form (AF) and Match Experience (ME) – quite what the equation is, we're not given to know, but there is some murky though unspecified calculation involving these two factors alone. Friendlies only supply about 10% of the ME that a competitive match does, but they do add up, and so a player can potentially just tip over from one skill-band into another as a result of this little extra bonus bit of ME. This is why we're always mystified by the handful of managers who elect not to take part in the postseason tournaments, as it's a no-lose situation as far as team benefit is concerned.

[nmrfox]

Nothing to worry about OTFers as Lincoln Cougar will be snapped up by a Framchise team as soon as an opportunity presents itself. The same goes for his married twin sister Cherry Willingham-Cougar.

[Various Artist]

D'oh! Knew I shouldn't have changed his name


I'll stop spamming the thread after this, promise.

Tobermory did not deserve to win today, only our opponents bad fortune with injuries to their goalkeeper (pre-existing) and the all-rounder who replaced him (during the match) saved us from relegation - two shots for, seven against, we win 2-1.

Sans Culottes needed to win our last game, and either Kattflon and Flame Utd draw (allowing us to leapfrog both of them) or Husaria to fail to win. All three results were in the balance for much of the day, but in the end they all went our way.

These were two remarkable outcomes, I thought, having caught up only earlier this evening with the final day's results. Well done both of you, and Tiree are looking forward to joining Sans Culottes in the top flight next season. Alas, my long wait for a divisional title with them goes on, as we fell to our fifth runners-up finish in my tenure despite snatching the lead of Pro Zone A on goal difference last Tuesday. It was always going to be tricky holding onto that with only a single-goal advantage over Laminorul Roman and a tougher final opponent, but we had plenty of salt rubbed into the wound of our failure nonetheless: we took an early lead but only held it for five minutes, then brought on our attacking substitute Donovan Bailey at half-time. He soon picked up a minor knock, then my last sub came on after an hour, then Bailey suffered the rare calamity of receiving a major injury too. We were still in with a faint shout until the final minutes, but eventually succumbed to a late defeat and a rather dispiriting end to what's generally been a pretty successful season.

Not particularly looking forward to trying to step up again to the top tier, but it'll be interesting to see how we go this time around. Our senior player Hamish Rockall departs tonight after a shockingly good valedictory campaign, considering I thought he'd be largely sidelined for it; he inexplicably turned in one of his best ever seasons and generally made himself too useful to drop, so last-day result aside he's gone out on a high at any rate.

Rockall's exit leaves just one player remaining from the team I inherited in January 2015, defender Ken Avala. Avala is presently a 33/14 – but, in a nice sort of parallel, was a player who right from the start I meant to sideline and sell, except he made himself too useful... etc. He was one of the victims of the club's desertion by its former manager and had lost a skillbar at the CR days before I took over, having played just 4 times the previous season, so had stumbled from a 18/5 start to a 21/6. It's why he didn't get a name from the Shipping Forecast: like all the dead wood (as I initially thought of him) in the squad I renamed him after a Tiree landmark – though I now realise he should have been called Ken Avara. As it turned out, I had so few passable players to choose from he ended up featuring 20 times that first season for me, didn't get sold after all, regained his skillbar at the next CR and never looked back. He's played more than 250 games since.

Had I known I'd be keeping him for the rest of his career he'd have been something like Roger Dogger or Del Shannon. I've long since exhausted all the main Sea Areas used in the forecast, plus sundries like the French names for the Channel areas, then more recently the Coastal Weather Stations, and am now ploughing through the Inshore Waters. I'll have to start back around from the beginning again before much longer.

[Sits]

The manager who filled the vacancy in Human League was in fact a troll. No sooner he'd got his feet under the table and said what a wonderful league it was, there was a sexist kit and homophobic home ground. He can fuck right off. I've asked the question on our Admin forum but does anyone know how to change the kits? I thought I was able but can't find the way.

[Sits]

Noirs' de Bigorre CR, better than I'd dared hope:

Casanova 23/10: 17 > 24/11 +

Bredmar 36/12: 6 > 37/10 --
Ullathorpe 33/14: 11 > 34/14
Tokoto 27/13: 16 > 28/14 +
Trabelsi 22/10: 14 > 23/11 +
Beleta 18/6: 18 > 19/8 ++

Roma 35/14: 5 > 36/14 RETIRING
Eilts 34/13: 7 > 35/13
Debord 29/16: 14 > 30/16
Chisholm 25/11: 17 > 26/12 +
Veloso 22/9: 17 > 23/10 +
Maassen 19/6: 16 > 20/7 +

de Couserans 19/6: 16 > 20/7 +
Famungkas 17/4: 16 > 8/5 +

Only planning on adding a youngster in MF.

[SouthdownRebel]

Tricky times ahead at Tobermory, despite that late survival against the odds. At the CR, 38 year old keeper Glen Farclas (352 apps) dropped 2 skill bars and will have to be replaced to keep the average age in check. Defender Roy Al Brackla (278 apps) announced his retirement. This was expected as he'd only been a bit-part player this season, again due to average age issues.

More surprisingly, creative midfielder Tam Navulin (327 apps) is also retiring after one more season. His DV was enough to give him a '+' at the CR but, alas. I'm also arriving at average age issues here, with him at Ben Rinnes both at 34 and Dal Whinnie 33. To that end, I'll probably sell striker Harald Highland-Park (30/12) and rely on the younger Corrie Mhor (23/11). It's a bit of a risk as the former was top scorer in the season just completed but it will also raise extra cash needed to replace Glen Farclas.

So, a bit of a juggling act and I'm hoping that the YA pops out a decent young striker - I can't sell Highland-Park without replacing him first.

Likewise, Hornville - back in the top flight, but I don't believe the squad is good enough to stay there. What money we have is being spent on a replacement for Asbjörn Kristensson who has now dropped to a 37/10 - very much the same situation as with Glen Farclas at Tobermory. If I can, I'll try to add a defender as well but it's not looking very likely at this stage.

Meanwhile, AA-S are back in the top flight as well. I've yet to assess what we'll need to do after the season to strengthen. There is cash in the bank should we need it but I'd rather stick with the existing squad if I can.

[Etienne]

I'm going to be selling a 17/4 striker from sans Culottes if you're interested. I imagine he'll only raise about 300k. Should be reasonably high in his skill band but I can't use 2 17 year old strikers.

[jdsx]

At the risk of dropping another rather "full" answer on you from a great height, there is still some value in training your players for the post-season tournament, since they'll simply play better in whatever games you have between now and the Change Report. It may just come down to how many econs you can afford to spare, if any.

As Etienne rightly points out, their DVs can't worsen during that time, because their final 'form notification' is taken after the last official match of the regular season. That is, their final Average Form for the season will be set in stone after this coming Wednesday's game, and won't be affected by any subsequent drops during friendlies/the friendly tournaments.

The Development Value (DV) can go up still though, because it is a function of Average Form (AF) and Match Experience (ME) – quite what the equation is, we're not given to know, but there is some murky though unspecified calculation involving these two factors alone. Friendlies only supply about 10% of the ME that a competitive match does, but they do add up, and so a player can potentially just tip over from one skill-band into another as a result of this little extra bonus bit of ME. This is why we're always mystified by the handful of managers who elect not to take part in the postseason tournaments, as it's a no-lose situation as far as team benefit is concerned.

Thanks VA, that's very helpful!!

[Various Artist]

You're welcome jdsx. I'd have got nowhere fast without more experienced and knowledgeable managers in this thread to guide me, so it's only fair to pass stuff on.

Tricky times ahead at Tobermory, despite that late survival against the odds. At the CR, 38 year old keeper Glen Farclas (352 apps) dropped 2 skill bars and will have to be replaced to keep the average age in check. Defender Roy Al Brackla (278 apps) announced his retirement. This was expected as he'd only been a bit-part player this season, again due to average age issues.

More surprisingly, creative midfielder Tam Navulin (327 apps) is also retiring after one more season. His DV was enough to give him a '+' at the CR but, alas. I'm also arriving at average age issues here, with him at Ben Rinnes both at 34 and Dal Whinnie 33. To that end, I'll probably sell striker Harald Highland-Park (30/12) and rely on the younger Corrie Mhor (23/11). It's a bit of a risk as the former was top scorer in the season just completed but it will also raise extra cash needed to replace Glen Farclas.

So, a bit of a juggling act and I'm hoping that the YA pops out a decent young striker - I can't sell Highland-Park without replacing him first.

Have accepted your invitation to another Inner Hebrides Challenge Trophy contest next weekend, SdR, so Tiree would be honoured if we can help give Farclas a richly deserved big sendoff. Roy Al Brackla's name always makes me grin like an idiot, so I'll be particularly sorry to see him go soon.

Solid change report for us, with a +9.9 gain overall our worst in a long time yet I can overlook that as it's a maturing squad. 10 players added a visible bar, with midfielder Leif Shetland the most pleasing as he's hopped from 18/6 to 19/8. We're on a 44-day wait for an academy player so am very much hoping for another cracker to pop out tonight, not least because after Donovan Bailey's last-day injury mayhem we only have two fit strikers for the next few weeks otherwise.

Was a bit startled a few minutes ago to compare team strengths against the current top tier after the CR and discover that despite Hamish Rockall's retirement we're right there among the strongest in the league, and hence to my surprise look pretty well placed to contend next season, on paper. Essentially we're in the exact same place we were six seasons ago (the last occasion we finished 2nd in the Pro Zone and got promoted) and with a majority of the same players still, but with an extra 18 months of development under our belts. We had a hell of a battle trying to punch a long way above our weight on our first trio of campaigns up there, but dropping back to Pro Zone and taking three more seasons to gather greater strength looks like it's had the hoped-for effect.

It also bears pointing out that the playing field has probably levelled somewhat more recently, with the removal/depowering of a couple of über-sides who'd been cheating. So we now appear much better placed to have another crack, and I think I might actually be looking forward to it this time!

[SouthdownRebel]

I'm going to be selling a 17/4 striker from sans Culottes if you're interested. I imagine he'll only raise about 300k. Should be reasonably high in his skill band but I can't use 2 17 year old strikers.

Fair compatibility only sadly Etienne, but thanks for the offer

[Various Artist]

As a result of Royal Atlantis' now-notorious namechange from yesterday, I've just realised I've accidentally ended up with no fewer than four Eriks on my bench for tonight's game against Joe's FC Tika-Taka: Pagan, Memorable, Evergood and Lamb.

Surely the 12th century's answer to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young right there, too.

[Various Artist]

I also have four Haralds/Harolds in my starting XI, for that matter: Greycloak, Fairhair, Harefoot and Hardrada. A very pleasing sequence I feel.

[Etienne]

We do seem to be continuing our habit of narrowly avoiding each other in the ultimate league as Cardiff Dragons win their promotion to Division 1A only to see VNU depart as champions in fine style.

[Sits]

Outstanding work both of you.

[Sits]

Kev - we are shining the Kev Sign into the sky

We need somebody to jump into the Human League, take over Mutual Respect FC long enough to remove the sexist kits, then you're free to go, with our thanks.

Of course, any non-Human Leaguers also welcome.

And of course, you're even more welcome to stick around.

[Various Artist]

Delighted for the Dragons, like VNU they've had a fascinating season-long battle in a very evenly-balanced, competitive division and come out on top. Bravo Etienne. Sorry we'll be narrowly dodging you yet again but if you hang around in Division 1 I'm sure we'll be back down promptly enough...

And yes, VNU won today at the resident whipping boys Aardvark Owls to clinch Division 1a by a scarcely credible 7 points in the end. We're actually going up to the official-leagues top flight. There be dragons, of a different kind. It barely bears thinking about, but I'm enjoying this moment right now for sure.

[Various Artist]

Just leaving this here for posterity, to celebrate Noj's tremendous achievement in racking up back-to-back-to-back Team of the Month successes in the OTF. And 4 in just 7 months, what's more, which I hadn't appreciated until I grabbed that screenshot just now. Fantastic work. Nice too that there's going to be a family derby in the second tier next season after Locomotiv's D3 title triumph, albeit tinged with disappointment on the Carrotmen's behalf after Wednesday de la Zouch so narrowly missed out in that truly extraordinary four-way dip for the line in D2 last week. As many of us are well placed to know, though, there's nothing wrong at all with spending longer strengthening in the second tier before taking a[nother] crack at the top flight.

[SouthdownRebel]

And yes, VNU won today at the resident whipping boys Aardvark Owls to clinch Division 1a by a scarcely credible 7 points in the end. We're actually going up to the official-leagues top flight. There be dragons, of a different kind. It barely bears thinking about, but I'm enjoying this moment right now for sure.

That's a tremendous effort VA, well done and best wishes in your top-flight campaign.

Also great work by Noj - is that a first for OTF do we know?

[Wouter D]

Over in the J4GL, De Stroppendragers are bucking the trend of all my teams being utterly shit at the moment. They are being relegated from the Championship, of course, but have also reached the semi finals of the cup. The club has never been anywhere remotely as close to success as this.

[Me Old Flower]

Congratulations to Lokomotiv Noj and Wensleydale Blues on their first ever silverware (apart from Team of the Months!)

Cheers, Etienne. I'll have to thank you on behalf of the Wensleydale squad as they've overindulged on the Garsdale Smokebox this weekend.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Over in the J4GL, De Stroppendragers are bucking the trend of all my teams being utterly shit at the moment. They are being relegated from the Championship, of course, but have also reached the semi finals of the cup. The club has never been anywhere remotely as close to success as this.

That's some achievement, good luck in the semi final Wouter D.

[Various Artist]

Amazing, I'd not been keeping up with the J4G Cup* so had no idea you were still going in it Wouter. Hoorah for the Stroppendragers, all the very best for your semi.


* That's terrible, isn't it, with me being a league assistant too. I really like the J4GL but I confess I haven't the love for it that I do for our OTFer-run leagues**, which probably explains the lack of keeping up with the cup. In general though, I think the game is poorly laid out in that respect: when you're knocked out of a cup competition, it tends to disappear out of mind since it certainly disappears out of sight. Unless you consciously go and look for the later rounds' results, they remain hidden and unnoticed. I do feel the presentation within a league should keep the cup competition somehow more front and centre for all members, even if they're not participating.

** It's by far my most recently joined, to be fair. And it's actually quite nice to be in a league or two where you don't worry so much about the results, compared to somewhere like MLX where almost every game is vital and one's nerves are in a perpetual state of fraying.

[Various Artist]

That's a tremendous effort VA, well done and best wishes in your top-flight campaign.

Also great work by Noj - is that a first for OTF do we know?

Thanks SdR, much appreciated and we're going to need those good wishes...

There was a brief discussion 10 days back or thereabouts about Noj's (then potential, now achieved) TotM hat-trick, starting here. I have this feeling Red Star Oakland managed it once, though it would require doing some creative searching of the old thread to try to find references to this if so as their records have obviously vanished from X11.

[jdsx]

Just leaving this here for posterity, to celebrate Noj's tremendous achievement in racking up back-to-back-to-back Team of the Month successes in the OTF. And 4 in just 7 months, what's more, which I hadn't appreciated until I grabbed that screenshot just now. Fantastic work. Nice too that there's going to be a family derby in the second tier next season after Locomotiv's D3 title triumph, albeit tinged with disappointment on the Carrotmen's behalf after Wednesday de la Zouch so narrowly missed out in that truly extraordinary four-way dip for the line in D2 last week. As many of us are well placed to know, though, there's nothing wrong at all with spending longer strengthening in the second tier before taking a[nother] crack at the top flight.

Yes I'd like to add my congrats to Noj.... Obviously Four Candles only really make an effort to win TotM during even-numbered months, as we think it's only fair to give others a crack, so we'll be aiming to stop him adding a fourth consecutive month...(winky thing)