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Conquering Europe


oneteaminglasgow

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Europa Conference League - Second Qualifying Round 2074

We're starting the Europa Conference League qualifiers, and this time I feel like there's a wee bit of pressure on us to get through them given our performance in this competition last year. We're facing Austrian opposition, again, this time in the form of LASK LInz. 

Spoiler

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Nah, we fucked that right up, We were absolutely cruising, and then gave away a completely needless penalty. Then they scored a legitimately very good goal, so fair enough, but we really shouldn't have let them back into the game.

Means we need to win at home now.

Spoiler

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A really good goal from my new left back sends us through. A couple of really ropey moments, including them hitting the post from a penalty, but we got there in the end and go into the next qualifying round.

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think (although I haven't checked) that this will be my first game against Scottish club opposition since I was playing in the Challenge Cup with Bala Town.

Hearts came sixth in the Scottish Premiership last season, and are three time winners of the Conference League, although the last time was in 2041.

They're also one of only a handful of Scottish clubs I actually slightly dislike, so there's that.

We'll probably lose.

 

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Europa Conference League - Third Qualifying Round 2074

Spoiler

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Hearts battered us for the opening 20 minutes, and probably should have had more than the own goal to show for it, but after that period they didn't really show an awful lot and we came into the game pretty well. Great goal by Popovic, but it means that we now need to go and get something at Tynecastle, which won't be easy.

We've given ourselves a chance though.

Spoiler

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We absolutely love a last minute goal to send us through at this stage. This time it was Darijan Vesic, and it was glorious. Again, we were totally outplayed for the opening 20 minutes before finding our feet, and we actually played very well in the second half. Don't get me wrong, they were dominant, and I imagine the Hearts fans are furious, but who gives a f**k about them.

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Another tough challenge for us, but I doubt they're as good a side as Hearts are, and we're again within touching distance of the group stage.

 

Edited by oneteaminglasgow
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Europa Conference League - Fourth Qualifying Round 2074

Spoiler

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Thought they'd be a lot better than that, but I'll call it now and say we're heading for the group stages of the Conference League. Dominant throughout this, and with our home record being as good as it is, I'd be amazed if they're pulling this back.

Spoiler

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Shocker of a first half, second half was much better but the job was already done so fine.

Into the group stages we go.

 

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Transfers 2074

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Plenty of outgoings, mostly from the youth team. Of the loanees, Zivko Cirkovic has been amongst the first team here a lot, but with Vesic being firmly first choice striker now, he's better off getting regular games to continue improving. Andabak is a new signing, but unlikely to get much game time yet so again better off on loan.

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After the money we brought in from the european run last season, I was given a wee bit of money to spend, and so I spent more than I usually would.

First up though, we have a free transfer in Anton Angeler. He actually used to play for us before my time at the club, which is nice. He's a good attacking midfielder, just a very decent all rounder - not outstanding at anything but no weaknesses. A good player to have.

Spoiler

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Dino Andabak is a young centre midfielder with plenty of potential, but he's not yet good enough for my first team, so he's out on loan for the season. Still, in a couple of seasons he should be good to have.

Spoiler

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Sabahudin Dzidic joins to compete to be the more defensive of my two centre midfielders. He's not technically gifted, but he looks very good at winning the ball back, and he should be able to do the running for my more gifted players who'll be beside him. Relatively cheap as well.

Spoiler

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Maurice Johnson joins from Partick Thistle - this ones a central midfielder/attacking midfielder, and should be pretty good. I tried to get Zoric back on loan again from AC Milan but they weren't having it, so he'll have to do instead. A bit like Angeler, he's not amazing but he is a decent all round player, so a good guy to have in the squad.

Spoiler

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Holak was the big money move. He's a left back, but much more attack minded than the others I've had playing there, which I always like. He's not brilliant defensively, but going forward he's really decent and he's already popped up with a few important goals this season.

Spoiler

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Last up, Mario Malenica. He's a good goalkeeper, probably on a par with my current number 1, so it's good to have him for competition and for cover.

Spoiler

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August 2074

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Only two league games in amongst the European matches, but we won both of them pretty comfortably, so with the run to the group stage thrown in it's been a really decent start to the season.

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Early days, but no surprise to see us already behind fucking Sarajevo. 

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September 2074

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Well, defensively we've been fantastic - only one goal conceded in the league so far. At the other end, we've struggled a bit though, which is fairly worrying. Admitedly, the three 0-0's have been against some of the league's better sides, but I can guarantee that Sarajevo won't be doing that, so need to improve if we're looking to keep pace with them.

A really comfortable win over HJK in the Europa League is great though, as I said I think we should be getting through to the knockout stages again.

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Sarajevo doing Sarajevo things is frustrating.

Probably another season in second place then.

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A good start here though.

Lithuania

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We were a bit unlucky against Kosovo, missing a penalty, but they probably did deserve the win to be honest.

We fucked it against Azerbaijan. It was 4-2 in the 8th minute, and 4-4 by the 87th. Seething. That said, I've now gotten a few good young player tied down to us where they had options to play for other nations, so that's good, and all four of my scorers were getting their first goals and under 23, so that's good.

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Looks like we'll be looking to avoid bottom spot, which is a bit of a shame.

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October 2074

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That'll do. A couple of those wins were pretty unconvincing, but we got wins in every game so it feels a bit silly to complain about that.

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Fucking Sarajevo though. A third of the way through the season and they've got an 100% record.

Ridiculous.

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We should be heading through, which is lovely. Hopefully get an easier tie than Lazio this time.

Lithuania

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Fought back from two down against North Macedonia, which was a pretty decent result, and we were (again) fairly unfortunate against Kosovo. I think we're slightly worse than those sides, but not a huge deal in it.

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If we can beat Azerbaijan then we're good, but we'll see how it goes. 

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November 2074

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Knocked out the cup on penalties, so it won't be three in a row, which is a bit of a bummer. Other than that, pretty decent stuff. Sticking seven past PAOK was a good laugh, and following it up with a 6-0 in the league was lovely too.

Darijan Vesic has had some month. ten goals and that's with him not playing in the 6-0 to rest him. Ridiculous.

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We're keeping pace with Sarajevo, and you'd think at some point they'll drop a couple of points but f**k knows if we can keep this form up until they do.

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We'll be playing in the Second Knockout round as well. Lovely.

Lithuania

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Did ok against Colombia which is nice, but ultimately the big thing was the win against Azerbaijan. We were quite a lot better than them in the game, potentially could have scored more, but the win is all that matters.

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We've stayed up.

I'm hopeful that the group of young players I have can develop into a squad capable of qualifying for something, but we'll see how that goes.

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December 2074

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Well, on the positive side Sarajevo have finally dropped some points. Against us. And we didn't even make up any ground on them. At least we didn't lose a game which we very easily could have, so that's something.

Rest of the month went well with two wins against third placed Zeljeznicar, and an incredibly easy win over a dreadful Krupa side. We were beaten in Bulgaria, but didn't deserve to lose it and we'd already won the group anyway, so it really doesn't matter.

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Radnik beat Sarajevo (which I didn't realise until right this second) so we're now just three points behind them, and the only unbeaten side in the league.

Looks like a two horse race.

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Comfortably through to the Second Knockout round again. Delightful. 

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January 2075

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Three of these players are absolute dross, so I don't give a f**k about them leaving. Nemanja Jovanovic is on the edge of the first team, but not really good enough and very rarely getting a game.. He asked to leave so off he goes.

Darijan Vesic and Jevic (on deadline day) were the big blows. Vesic had a very good record for me, as outlined above, and was one of my main sources of goals, while Jevic was one of my best midfielders, and at 19 years old he still had plenty of time to improve. Rejected an offer to come back on loan as well, which is a shame. 

Still, minimum fee release clauses for both of them, so not much I could do.

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I've spent a fair bit of cash on improving the squad too.

Musa Yildiz is a left winger who joins from the Dutch league - although he hasn't made an appearance for FC Twente. He's very fast, a good crosser, a good dribbler and plenty of flair. He should be a very decent winger for me. Left wing is a position I've thought we were weak in, so pleased to get someone.

Spoiler

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Dalibor Stimac is Vesic' replacement. He's quick and should be an excellent penalty box striker with his movement, touch and finishing. Has a lot of experience in the Croatian top flight with an ok enough scoring record, so hopefully can do a good job for us. 

Spoiler

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We're back to league business soon, and our first game back will be Sarajevo. Fantastic. 

Edited by oneteaminglasgow
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February 2075

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We were a bawhair from beating Sarajevo. They scored early on, and then we had a great five minutes when both out goals came. Another goal was later disallowed, which was a shame, and then they scored a very good equaliser in the 89th minute. 

Two narrow wins followed, including a last minute winner, but the wins are what counts.

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AND WE'RE TOP OF THE TABLE.

They lost another match, so now all we need to do is win all of our games against everyone else and draw with Sarajevo again, and we're there. Easy enough. 

Edited by oneteaminglasgow
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Europa Conference League - Second Knockout Round - March 2075

So, Brondby then. As I said, they finished second in their group behind Zrinjski, a side we routinely finish ahead of, and currently have 19 points more than.

I'd like to think we'll win.

Spoiler

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Musa Yildiz put in a shocker of a challenge early doors, which put us in a tough position, but we managed to get a goal and hold on to it fairly comfortably.

Bodes well for our progression to the next round.

Spoiler

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Brilliant.

A very tough first half and the tie was levelled, but the second half was great. Lewis Clarke scored from a great breakaway, and Daniel Stimac scored after a long punt up the park to ensure that we were going through. 

Into the quarter finals we go...

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See the source image

 

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