Welcome! It’s 2016/17, we’ve passed the present day and it’s weird. Aston Villa are a Premier League force and Matt Le Tissier is the Man Utd manager. In many ways, I prefer this world. Anyway, let’s see what’s gone on as we cross over into 2017.
The seasons first finalists are revealed, Kieron Dyer’s Arsenal will face Damien Johnson’s Aston Villa
We bowed out of the pointless cup on penalties to Chelsea in round 4, but we’ve had a much nicer time in the FA Cup.
Yes for the first time in many updates, I’m still involved in a cup going into the final update of the season!
It’s the best case scenario for the semi final draw, it may be time to dust off my live text fingers.
Fingers crossed on that front. Our league form has been patchy but this was a real highlight
Just the one signing to help strengthen us, this Dutch chap has joined for relative peanuts at £84k
Dribbling and pace should make him ideal but it never turns out that way. We’re on the fringes of the European spots, and I really want to play in Europe next season. We have improved, as shown by the average ratings
Speaking of Europe, the Champions League is still inside out.
Holland winning the World Cup has resulted in a spurt of good Dutch teams, though to be fair PSV have been a force for a while now. Check out Haslam taking out Bayern Munich! He learnt from the best (Gerry Francis, not me).
It could be an all Dutch final but I’m rooting for Haslam. Even if he’ll probably end up being the next England manager.
You’ll have noticed my former charges Sevilla being humbled by Ajax, and La Liga is more wide open than ever
Just 7 points separating 1st from 11th, incredible. Meanwhile, in the Premier League…
Darlington, under Phil Mulryne, look well set to win their 6th Premier League though Villa won’t give up their title without a fight. Derby, under some chancer called Scott Colcombe, have £100m in the bank, which is terrifying. We’re just outside the European spots but it’s fairly close, we are capable of going on a run to challenge the top 4 but winning the FA Cup is the priority.
The bottom of the table is…well, actually, how you might expect it.
With the exception of the Merseyside duo sandwiched in there. Brian Little having a rare off season.
So that brings to the end a rather strange update – no managerial news at all, hopefully the game is just storing up all the drama for the next 2 months, starting with my quest to win my first cup since leaving Sevilla. See you then!
For more CM9798 head over to The Higher Tempo Press where you can catch up with my series ‘Brits Abroad’