So November 2019 has come and gone, and it’s been really tough – No wins in the last 5 games, 1W, 2D, 3L in the month as a whole (Though 2 of those were cup games) after no losses since 14th September, such is FM19 in the lower leagues where player mentals are not so hot.
With regards to Dynamics we do have Average team cohesion – I don’t think I saw an Average at all last season, so that is good but we need to change our fortunes around. So Wingplay it is.
We have shown many occasions where our wingbacks in the 3-5-2/5-2-1-2 have been able to get assists from crosses to Lumsden up top. As such I think we should do this more, and really focus on playing wide with overlaps, whilst not trying to be too clever elsewhere. We’ve been training this for a while now and it gets most of our best players in the team at once, playing in positions they are more-or-less suited to. Mackay is in as a Shadow Striker just behind Lumsden as I think he’ll be able to feed on the rebounds better than Glasgow or Hainey. Note no room for Cairney – we come to him in a minute….
A month-end has come and gone, stats for November are below:
More ups than downs this month, with Brian Kinnear’s Aerial Reach going up 2 points (He also grew a cm in November). Andy Mair improved in 5 areas, Niang & Scott Mackay 3 and Balfour 2. Lumsden has dropped in Acceleration & Work Rate which is worrying for a 20 yo.
There have been a few changes in the kindergarten – Gibb, Burnett, Innes & Scott Mackay are all a kg heavier and Kinnear a cm taller than on 1st November.
Worrisome passing stats, with a completion high of just over 55/game from Cairnety, though that is down to playing a bit more direct. Cairney worries me more though that he only made 0.45 key passes a game compared to Scott Mackay and his 2.7 in November. yes, it was a tough month but that isn’t acceptable. Looking at the season as a whole Paul is at 1.1 KP/90, Scott at 2.1
Regan Lumsden continues to win headers – almost 2/3 of them as a Centre Forward which is immense, and which I intend to persue – He has won 28 key headers this season so far!!!
There may be hope for Cairney – he has 30% cross completion this season – so I’m training him as a left winger – With either Mair or Coll bombing past him that might work but Andrew Mackay will be getting his chance as he is a Natural at the left wing position.
Neil McVitie is a bit of a worry – 30 yo, over 3 mistakes per game, most fouls conceded and only making 4 out of 5 tackles I think we may let him go in January and try and find a better BWM. His attributes aren’t dropping off too much but the stats aren’t good.
Our Ressies played Keith Res, winning 1-0 through an OG.
There were also a couple more fixtures in the league on the Sunday 1st.
Dalbeattie losing means 2nd or 3rd is possible with a win today. Kelty losing to Spartans also helps.
3rd Dec 2019 – DECISION POINT – EAST STIRLINGSHIRE OFFER JOB INTERVIEW
Our first interview offer in this save. I will take the interview with Big Al, but unless there is something crazy money-wise involved I’m going to hold out a bit for the Stirling job
Ok – Wage Bill is not huge, I’ve already seen that they don’t have many players. However the next click and a wage budget of £2,014/wk is on offer, so we could get a few people in in January….It will be interesting to see if there is a job offer forthcoming – David Lees, Ass. Man. of Berwick Rangers in League 2 is 5/1 favourite for the job – it might be a stepping stone as it is a bigger club than Civil Service…. I’m a little bit torn.
4th Dec 2019 – DECISION POINT – STIRLING ALBION OFFER JOB INTERVIEW
London Buses – This is the one I want, lets get to it
That’s a bit more like it – Transfer Budget of £13k and a wage budget of £4,353/wk, though I’d work well within that, hopefully would be relatively easy to avoid relegation with who we have and then cull in the Summer.
Not quite so torn on this one – It would be a good second team for the journeyman, and doing well there would give me access to Wales & Ireland, maybe even Vanarama National/League 2 in England. Neil McCann is 5-4 on favourite, having managed Dundee in the Premiership for 14 months until June 2018, though he hasn’t managed since. Doubtful I’ll get this one but lets see.
So after going to Stirling for the interview I made my way back to Edinburgh for 7:30 kick off under floodlights at Christie Gillies Park – IRL they have just had their floodlights installed – https://www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2019/10/lights-on-at-christie-gillies-park/ – where we meet Cumbernauld. They have a good squad as per our scouts but are 11th so are under-performing. We are going 4-4-1-1 as per above, Cumbernauld are going with the same formation, in what might be my last game managing Civil Service – Lets go.
HT Civil Service 1 (Scott Mackay 25) Cumbernauld Colts 2 (Davidson 24 Cavanagh 30)
A good start, Burbidge putting a dangerous cross in within the first 2 minutes, and Scott Mackay looking dangerous as the Shadow Striker, and Mair getting up the pitch on the overlap. But in the 24th minute we didn’t clear a free kick and Davidson was there to finish – 1-0 to Cumbernauld. But almost straight away Scott Mackay equalised after a lovely cross from Andrew Mackay (No Relation) found the little fella unmarked to make it 1-1. Cumbernauld made it 2-1 in the 30th minute – Cavanagh from 20 yards through Burnett’s hands (I do not remember putting him in over Kinnear!!! – OK, the AM subbed him after 18 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WTF. And then Clappers got himself sent off…….Lumsden off, MacEwan on in Midfield and we go strikerless but with a Shadow Striker and 2 IF’s.
FT Civil Service 3 (Scott Mackay 25, Burbidge 47, Balfour 50) Cumbernauld Colts 5 (Davidson 24, 68 Cavanagh 30 McMeekin 61, 72) Att 112 (18 Away)
So a man down and a goal down in a poor run of form. What a start though – a deep Mair cross finiding IF-R Burbidge unmarked for the header – 2-2. And a lovely counter a couple of minutes later led to a Andrew Mackay cross finding an underlapping Balfour unmarked, scoring beautifully on the volley. 3-2 Civil Service, Strikerless FTW. We went cautious but only held on for 11 minutes – McMeekin being found unmarked at the near post to make it 3-3. Crazy game. Glasgow on for Andrew Mackay as the IF on the left – He’s assisted twice but keeps getting dispossessed. And Cumbernauld made it 4-3 with a Davidson header from a corner. McMeekin ran through to make it 5-3 in the 72nd minute – by this point it makes no sense to not push forward. And it finished 5-3 – Time for a change I think, I honestly think we would have won that if my AM hadn’t substituted our keeper on 18 minutes (I only agreed with shorter passing, that’s all!!!!!)
So 7th – 5 points off the lead, 8 points from relegation. Next up may be East Stirlingshire Away, Civil Service at Home or if we are really lucky Peterhead Away 🙂 See you soon.