Happy Thursday! Here’s Matt with episode 2 of his new series where Newcastle’s squad is exclusively South American…

Hello and welcome back to La-Toon America (not sure that will catch on). Anyway, incase you missed part one last week, Freddy Shepherd has engineered a South American revolution on Tyneside, spearheaded by young Colombian maestro, Julio Geordio.

We’ve patched together a squad to entertain the Toon Army, but all things being equal, we’re already eating Man Utd’s dust….

We are however in the Champions League group stages and up next is a trip to Turin, but our crew of Latin Lovers with a bench full of greys succumb to a Uruguyan strike from Fonseca.

3 games played and we still have a chance of getting through, but it might be as one of the best runners up rather than top of the pile

Lock up your Dorta’s, Derby are dispatched with minimal fuss to show we have no lingering European hang overs

It’s all smiles when Cardiff visit too. Julio is loving life at the moment.

Until Freddy drops a bombshell, he’s signed me a new striker….

I’m not sure what to do with this news – ok he’s on a free but it’s Diego – he has plenty of past form for…..mischief. Freddy tells me to relax, his name will shift shirts and he won’t be demanding to play each game. I feel a little reassured.

Diego isn’t available for European games, but that doesn’t matter. I don’t think he would have fancied Tblisi anyway. Julio doesn’t mind it and we keep progression hopes alive for another fortnight at least.

Sosa and Zola trade doubles when Chelsea come to Toon. 3 pts were looking likely until Zola stung at the end.

Glen Madeiros scores and Chilly keeps a shut out against Spurs, but Glenn pays the price for his early goal so young Bruno comes in on loan from Sporting Lisbon.

My Uruguayan boys see off Sion to give us hope of making the latter stages of the Champions League – dare we dream big yet?

Neira or far, we know how to take care of teams at the moment

Of course, I spoke to soon. Diego decides he fancies a cup game and the captains armband but he can’t inspire the lads past the Goat and co.

Diego is disappointed in his performance so begs for another chance against Blackburn and sets us off early doors, before young Julio finishes things off

Again, we lose 1-0 to Juventus and Torricelli is the man of the match – have we done enough against Sion and Dinamo Tblisi though?

Yes! Just. Not a bad draw either – something to look forward to in March.

Regular blog followers will remember my hatred of Kasey Keller – he plays well but Gorgeous Jorge has the beating of him.

Julio is quick off the mark and its a decent rout against Pedro’s Bolton.

Surprised to see big Al getting no offers from English clubs – perhaps they are all now chasing South American talent instead.

Feels like we have a fairly settled squad now. Glen Madeiros is an able deputy for Ruben Sosa and it’s another 3 pts on the board for the Toon Army.

Fixtures being what they are in CM97/98, we play the reverse fixture against Coventry 5 days later on New Years Eve. I think the boys have started the celebrations a bit too early and Coventry make us pay. Glen misses a pen and note even a late salvo can save us. Jose Chilavert chews me out for still not letting him take penalties.

Diego is back from celebrating the festive holidays in Buenos Aires as he claimed he had always wanted to visit Walsall. The boys throw off their hang overs and I have to convince Diego he’s not been playing against Eva Peron

Season One Man Utd being all Season One Man Utd.

Another Diego takes the limelight at home to Leeds on a cold Sunday in January

We can’t split Wimbledon in the FA Cup, so we’ll have to head to Selhurst Park for the replay soon enough.

Feels like we’ve hit a bit of a mid-season slump – Villa aren’t bad but we make no head-way

It’s better in the FA Cup replay though and we’re into the fifth round – is this our best chance of silverware this season?

It will be if we can replicate this sort of display. Losing Gorgeous Jorge is a blow though.

You know how I said I hate Kasey Keller on this game……?

With that disappointment we round out this part with a bore draw against Arsenal, where the only highlights are a couple of red cards.

With two thirds of the season gone, time to look at the table and whilst we might be third, we’re a staggering 21 points behind Man Utd. If we’re going to get back in the Champions League we’re either going to have to finish 2nd….or win it……

We’re out of the domestic cups and flagging in the league, but we’re still alive in Europe so please join me next week to see how this first season of Latin lives pans out.