For an explanation of sorts, please see part 1.

Right, let’s get into it. 

Tactics. I’m not 100% married to the players in these positions, will see how it goes. But these are the tactics I will employ for Team GB. They usually do me well, and as it’s only a one season challenge, I don’t have the time to experiment……go with what you know eh.

I have also self-imposed a rule on my team that throughout the course of this season, every player in the squad will get a game.  Feel free to also try and do this Deano, not mandatory though, just a bit of fun. But, if you don’t do it the whole of the X community will do laugh emojis at you or whatever you can do on there. 

Sidenote on this reasoning:

I used to co-manage and play for a Scottish Welfare team called FC Elgin. The thing with welfare football, it’s hard to get a consistent full team week on week, mainly due to work commitments, childcare etc. With that you have to sign at least 25 players on the books really to get through the season, and let’s just say some of those players were not the best. However, they always tried and turned up for training session no matter how bad they were. It’s hard picking a match day squad of 16, and about 4 or 5 were always left out. Anyway, one Friday night game I took charge of the team away in a Town called Nairn against a strong Nairn Utd. I was injured so purely ran things from the side. I went on to singlehandedly sabotage what should have been a spectacular away win….allow me to explain……

We were struggling for players and on the Friday morning I only had 11 confirmed who could play. I had to resort to asking the 3 players who never usually play, as subs at that level are usually needed for injury cover etc. They were truly bad players – slow, no touch and honestly, I couldn’t even really tell what position they played. So we had 14 for the game (3 subs) and I picked the best team I could.

Talk about hero to zero. We were on for a great upset, and at 70 min we were enjoying a well-earned 3-0 lead. The thing is, Nairn was a 45 min drive away, and I felt really bad that the 3 ‘numpties’ on the bench had given up their time to come help us out. They always trained and I knew they were desperate for some game time. 

At 70 mins we looked comfortable and made my first sub. Not a key position, just chucked him on left mid, for no other reason that he was left footed. He actually didn’t do too bad, as in he made a few passes and wasn’t responsible for the first come back goal. That was a harsh penalty to make it 3-1.

I thought I played it cautious and left it until around 85 mins – then I really fucked it up. I subbed them both on, one at full back, and another up top, well fuck me, in 5 mins they showed why they were always out of the squad. 87 mins – the full back sub failed to deal with a very easy clearance and then failed to catch even one of their slow players, 3-2.

90 mins, ball played up to the sub striker, all he had to do was pass out wide or even just keep hold of it for a few seconds, but no, he unbelievably thought he was Ronaldo a thought it would be a good idea to shoot from 25 yards, which tamely rolled to their keeper, who then promptly booted it up field (header missed by the sub full back) to which their striker latched on to and calmly slotted it in for 3-3 and the final whistle. Post game some of the senior players were raging at me, asking why the f*ck I made those subs…to which I think I said ‘calm the f*ck down, it f*ckin Welfare football’. Undoubtedly terrible Manager decisions, but the principle stands, and although it cost us a win against one of the best teams in the league, those guys gave up their time….…. although granted, what they should have given up was football 😂. 

Anyway, sorry for the tangent, but that’s my reasoning for playing the whole squad.

The first game is a cup game which starts off the season in good fashion. 

This is followed by the 1^st league game hosting Milan in a good convincing win. Wright and Hartson looking good from the off.

2^nd game, a nice away win, but Giggs will be missed from the Welsh delegation, or will he?

1^st Champions League group game, Speed comes in for Giggs…. nae worries 👍

Disappointing draw, Bologna keeper guessed the Wright way…………sorry

Followed by another draw, big John getting involved as Fowler is proving to be terrible

But back to winning ways, Scholes also had a dip in form so played McManaman in the hole, and he thanked me with goals, cheers our lad.

Scholes wasn’t happy so he bucked up his ideas in our 2^nd CL game…good man management I’d say 😉 Good to see Gillespie get off the mark and it makes Northern Ireland feel like they are actually contributing to this team.

Next few games go as follows:

Home to Juve – 1-1 draw. OG was GB’s goal

Away to Vicenza – 0-4 win. Giggs (2), Fowler (1, rare goal), Wright (1)

Home to Atalanta – 1-0 win. Wright.

Next is Split in the CL. Speed and Wright do the business, rotation in Goals for CL from now on, Goram starts, debut given to McMahon and he does well enough. Part of my playing everyone at least once strategy.

That’s 3 wins from 3 in the CL, better than I thought so far.

Good win away to Fiorentina, Wright on a roll. His Penalties are very dodgy. He went the ‘Wright’ way for the first, then keeper guessed ‘Wright’ for the second….….i’m so sorry, I have used up all Wright/right puns already…or have I, hmmm, we’ll see 😬

We breeze past Cessena in the Cup, Ian Wright got injured in first 5 mins, but Fowler proved to be a  good sub and got both goals in a 2-0 win. 

Things were looking good, but then a run of 5 bad results followed, and they looked like this:

Away to Lecce – 0-0 draw.

1^st defeat in the CL, the legendary N’Doram the difference.

Home loss 0-2 to Parma – Asprilla and Chiesa take us apart.

Home draw to Bari – 1-1, Fowler with the GB goal.

1. The worst defeat, a 4-1 defeat away at Sampdoria, with Pressley my goal scorer.  Somethings not (W)right up top, just struggling to score.

Thankfully Ian returns and I make a few changes after a dismal run. I chuck Goram in goals just to piss Rangers off and hopefully keep the ball out of our net. Page comes in alongside Campbell and a  debut for ex Man Utd (now genuine Priest), man of the church Phillip Mulryne.

It’s a welcome return to winning ways, hallelujah 🙌, and we’re back on the (W)right path.

Followed up with a solid win at home to Brescia, Pressley comes back in with a MOM performance. Giggs was injured so left Mulryne out wide left, and he repaid my ‘faith’ in him with a decent 8/10. (see what I did there 😉)

A tough trip to the San Siro for the Q/Final of the Coppa Italia. 1-1 not the worse result really. Beckham chipping in, to be honest he would be starting but I need to field a Northern Irish player, and Gillespie is the best option, sorry Becks. Will see what happens at the London Stadium for the 2^nd leg.

Next we draw 3-3 away to Udinese, Wright on the scoresheet again. This is followed by a crucial game to decide top spot in the CL group.

Utd teammates Giggs and Scholes get the job done.

And with that we have qualified top of our group, well in Team GB.

Time to wrap this first half of the season up.

We turn over Milan in the 2^nd leg at the London Stadium. Big John Hartson making a huge Welsh contribution.

Then this to end on:

I would have loved if a Scottish player also scored, then that would have been a very GB thrashing, what a result though. McManaman has done well behind the strikers, I hope he’s not out for too long.

So, to finish off:

It’s 3^rd so far, didn’t expect to see Parma at the top. Those 5 poor results hindered my progress, but confident on how the team finished.

Top scorer and assister is Ian Wright, he must be doing something (W)right. 

My Chopper was Nicky Butt, and I had 1 Manager of the Month award. 

SCORES ON THE DOORS – AS IT STANDS

	Dean	Keiran	Darren
League Position	2nd – 300	4th – 100	3rd – 200
League Points	39	34	31
League Goals	34	37	29
Coppa Italia	QF – 100	QF – 100	QF – 100
Champions League	QF – 100	Group Stages – 0	QF – 100
Top Scorer (x10)	Scholes 18 – 180	Owen 13 – 130	Wright 14 – 140
Top Assiter (x10)	Sheringham 14 – 140	Owen 9 – 90	Wright 10 – 100
Top Disciplinary Points (x10)	Sheringham 18 – 180	Hendry 15 – 150	Butt 12 – 120
Manager of the Month Awards (x10)	1 – 10	1 – 10	1 – 10
TOTALS	1083	651	830

And just to end on, you may be wondering how Gazza did, well he was SHIT! I know I only gave him 3 games, but was not impressed at all – f*cking God boy Mulryne performed better. 

I have also done pretty well blooding everyone, just 4 left to make an appearance:

Over to Deano for his 2^nd half of the season. Cheers all for reading.