(S10) Inside Serie B

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INSIDE SERIE B ​

SEASON 10

The new season in Serie B approaches and Managers are eager to prove themselves worthy of Promotion to the Big League of Serie A. We here at ISB (Inside Serie B) will preview the New Season, the Teams for this upcoming campaign and the Managers looking to make waves in Season 10.

THE TEAMS


UDINESE CALCIO
MANAGER: bbrech0610

Udinese has arguably the best backline in Serie B with two 80+ CB anchoring the Defense in M. Benatia (82) and Danilo (80). Add to that the talented and speedy A. Di Natale (85) to provide a lethal attacking threat and Udinese, on paper boast a very dangerous Squad- The Midfield provides a balanced attack that can provide adequate support for Manager bbrech0610-who gained promotion from Serie C with Atalanta- he can count himself fortunate to get appointed to such a talented group in his inaugural Serie B Season.


FEYENOORD
Manager: COLDPredator

Feyenoord comes into Serie B as a first time campaigner- the Dutch squad has plenty of gumption which they will need to take advantage of with the squads lack of depth and talent- the squad boasts little in the statistically bracket with J.Clasie (76) & J.Mathijsen (76) being the lone standouts- a slow back line and a young keeper means Serie B opponents will get their opportunities- Manager COLDPredator will need to be cautious of his approach- he takes over for a squad that is less talented than his Season 9 appointment (Stoke City) - it may prove to difficult to succeed but if he pulls out a banner Season - Manager of the Year Honors awaits.


VfB STUTTGART
Manager: Frenchie1916

Manager Frenchie1916 holds the reigns once against for the German Squad VfB Stuttgart- what could be the longest tenured manager on one Team- The German squad boast a very balance Squad- with players falling within the 76-79 range- German International Tasci (78) anchors the Defense with GK S. Ulreich (78)- M. Harnik (78) will need to produce once more- as the leading scorer in the last campaign with 6 goals- he will be tasked to carry the load- but Manager Frenchie will need to find more punch- 15 goals in 19 matches last Season was good enough to keep him away from the drop zone- but with the managers unable to finish their campaigns- a full Season for both- may have been a different outcome for the loyal Manager.


OLYMPIQUE MARSEILLE
Manager: GoDevils

OM will have one of the most talented Squads in Serie B- with a world class GK in Mandanda(83) and Cameroon International N'Koulou(80)- they will look to prove Season 9 a fluke and keep scorers at bay this time around after allowing a league high 37 goals last campaign- A. Ayew(81) & Valbuena(82) will look to influence the run of play with their speed and A. Gignac(77) power will provide a balance attack- Manager GoDevil will look to forget OM's Season 9 performance as the whole Team failed to leave an impression-

THE NEXT FOUR





Cagliari Calcio
Manager: HokieNYC

Manger HokieNYC returns to TFS after failing to complete Season 8 in Serie A- Cagliari Calcio has appointed an experience Manager in HokieNYC who looks to compete for Serie A promotion in his first Season back. Cagliari provides a balance squad with plenty of Speed- D.Astori(80) anchors a Defense that will be challenged often- Belgian International R.Naingollan(79) and A.Cossu(78) will provide the impetus of Cagliari's attack and will look to overwhelm Defenses with fast wing play and get their talented Strikers the ball in scoring positions before the Defense can get settled- with both V.Ibarbo(77) and M.Pinilla(77) standing over 6'2- wing play will be key to the success of the Italian squad.


Norwich City
Manager: Kella

Manger Kella earns promotion from Serie C - where he finished 3rd with West Brom Albion- he takes over for the Canaries in Serie B- GK J.Ruddy(78) will be tested this campaign as a poor back line will need to find some cohesion this Season. Manager Kella is no stranger to good Defense- allowing only .93 GAA last campaign with West Brom- he will need to instill the same discipline with his Norwich squad if he is to find similar success. W.Hoolahan(76) & Snodgrass(75) will need to control the pace of the pitch and allow a plodding G. Holt(75) the time to get into position to find some goals- expect no surprises from Norwich City as their attack will more than likely be systematic as they are not primed to our run anyone in Serie B.


Aston Villa
Manager: MiaFLSurf

A poor campaign for Aston Villa in Serie A last Season,puts the Villans back in Serie B and once again favorites to lead the way in the Promotion race. The Talented squad lead by the lethal attacking tandem of D.Bent(81) and C.Benteke(77) show no problems finding the back of the net- as they managed to lead the Villans to a Team high 37 goals in 20 matches- unfortunately their proved too porous for Serie A- as they also allowed 46 goals (leading Serie A). Manager MiaFLSurf will need to find away to bolster the back line- as his Offense will give his squad a chance to Win - it is a matter of how they can stop others from scoring-GK B. Guzan(77) will hope that picking the ball from the back of his Net will be few and far between this go round-


PSV Eidenhoven
Manager: Redwings8831

After finishing 6th last Season in Serie B- Manager Redwings looks to improve and be influential in the Promotion Race. T. Matavz(74) will need to find the scorers touch once again and top class players K.Strootman(80) & D.Mertens(80) will need to influence the run of play consistently to give PSV a chance- they will need to score as the porous back line will allow opponents scoring chances- PSV allowed 33 goals in 19 matches- Manager Redwings looks to challenge for Promotion this Campaign- and his chances may lie in his ability to grind out draws for precious points- last Season PSV was all or nothing- Win or a Loss- registering only 3 draws.

THE FINAL FOUR


BORRUSIA MONGLADBACH
Manager: Selvy9

Manager Selvy9 earned promotion with Defense- as his young German squad allowed only .88 GAA in Season 9- his GK M.ter Stegen(80) helms a disciplined back four- with M.Stranzi(78) & Dominguez(77) providing a strong foundation. A balanced Midfield will control the run of play with J.Arango(79) providing for ST M.Hanke(74) & L. de Jong(79). Scoring is pretty spread out on B.M'Gladbach and Defenses will need to be solid across the board as the Germans has shown they will score from anywhere with 7 different players finding the back of the Net last Season.




HAMBURGER SV
Manager: UCanHateMeNow

Manager UCanHateMeNow is one of the most experienced Managers in TFS- and he helms one of the most individually talented squads in Serie B. GK R.Adler(84) is the most decorated Keeper in Serie B and will prove difficult to beat. CAM R.van der Vaart(84) will be a handful for any Defense - and can take over a Match on his own- the rest of the Squad proves to be wanting as statistically they are below par- Van der Vaart will need to be more influential this Campaign for Hamburger to find Success and Adler will need to do the same in front of Goal- if the two have a banner Season- expect Hamburger to contest for Promotion- a mediocre showing from either and Hamburger may find themselves in the middle of the table once again.




CORINTHIANS
Manager: Vipermansa

After a couple of Seasons in Serie A- Manager Viper succumbed to the pressure and was duly relegated last campaign as his stint at Swansea City proved to be a 1 year failure. Defensively he will need to establish himself quickly- The Corinthians back line is lacking- and GK Cassio(78) will find himself exposed often by this deficiency- Offensively, there is no Team that can match the Brasilians firepower: Pato(82) & Guerrero(78) provides a scary scoring tandem and with R.Augusto(80) controlling the Midfield look for the Brasilians to score plenty- Manager Vipermansa will look to over power his opponents on the sheer talent of his Offense- but if opponents can take advantage of their opportunities- matches may come down to whomever scores Last.


WEST HAM UNITED
Manager: WingedHelmet

After dominating Serie C last Season- not losing a Match all Season and allowing only .38GAA and averaging 2 goals per- Manager WingedHelmet looks to dominate again in Serie B as he marches toward Serie A membership- he Helms a West Ham United that has found some success in TFS- despite lacking any presence statistically, A.Carrol(77) will look to dominate the air- Defensively West Ham may find themselves on the back foot- look for Manager WingedHelmet to pick up his Defense high to compensate- the loss of a world class keeper and a dominating midfield may prove too much to replicate his Success in Serie C- but look for West Ham a top the Table battling it out for Promotion as the campaign moves forward- West Ham has found success under good managers before will Serie B be as compliant to Manager WingedHelmet's march?

SEASON PREVIEW

RACE TO PROMOTION



Manager WingedHelmet's dominant performance in Serie C puts him in the running for Promotion- if he is able to replicate his Defensive success in London with West Ham- then Serie B Teams will find it hard to stop his March towards Serie A. He will need to find a way to compensate for the loss of a World Class GK and dominant midfield if his philosophical 3-5-2 formation can find success.


Manager Vipermansa finds himself in Serie B after a disasterous campaign last Season- however, his new squad boast the most powerful attacking tandem in Serie B- he has a world class Midfield that can control the run of play- all suits his counter attacking philosophies. If his back line can limit the opportunities to his opponents- rest assured his Offense will give him three points- there is little doubt that only a few select squads will have the Defensive line to slow down the Brasilians.



Manager MiaFLSurf will be eager to return to Serie A after his poor show last Season- Aston Villa has the speed and fire power to put him in a position to return to Serie A. Defensively Aston Villa is lacking- but Manager MiaFlSurf penchant for picking up high defensively will allow for some breathing room. Look for quick counters that will unsettle any Defense- if his Defense can hold, then Aston Villa will be mixing it up on top of the Table near the end of Season 10.

For whatever reason, despite their ratings the Sporting defenders could lock up opponents. That, more than the GK I think, will be the difference between this year and last.

welcome back Hokie, great work

Or maybe I've just been playing the long con??? You're all in for it now!!

I'll be relegated again, dont worry.

WEEK ONE SEASON 10


The Dutch Derby between PSV Eidenhoven and Feyenoord ended in a draw as Feyenoord controlled the match with a massive 60% possession. PSV Eidenhoven leaves the pitch feeling unlucky as they failed to capitalize on opportunities with 12 shots on Target, PSV must surely feel 3 points was deserved.

Cagliari opens the Season with a 4-1 Win against Serie B Newboys Borrussia Mongladbach. Man of The Match A. Ekdal scores a brace and the Italians put the match away with 2 goals in the dying minutes as the Germans pressed for an equalizer.

V. Ibarbo scores the go ahead Goal for Cagliari

B.M'Gladbach bounces from first loss with a convincing Win against PSV Eidenhoven 3-0 as three differnt Players find the back of the net in a span of 20 minutes for the German side.

Olympique Marseille pulls out a win against the run of play as a dominant Hamburger SV squad were unable to beat MOTM Keeper Mandanda. The Clean sheet performance was enough to sink the Germans, as Ayew took advantage of OM's limited opportunities,as he found space in front of net to curl in the game winner past a diving R. Adler.


A. Ayew breaks Hamburger SV fans hearts with only goal of the Match

Hamburgers poor run of form continues as the fall to Aston Villa 3-1, D. Bents Brace proved to be enough to put away the out of Form Germans. The last Match of the Week for Hamburger SV came in a German Derby as Stuttgart came to Visit- Hamburger were unable to take advantage of their opportunities and 2 goals in a span of 6 minutes were enough to drop Hamburger to ZERO points in the opening Week.


Stuttgart's Ibisivec volleys home the Final goal of the Match

Marseille poor offensive performance has not hurt the French sides campaign as they salvaged a Draw against Stuttgart 0-0. The German squad were unable to find their striking shoes as 1 shot on targer the whole match proved deficient in beat OM's World Class keeper.

Norwich City ends the Week with a disappointing loss- as the English squad managed to take 4 points in the opening week witrh a Win against Marseille and a draw at Aston Villa.

PSV Eidenhoven limps out of Match Week 1 with a point as consecutive losses to B.M'Gladbach and Aston Villa has the Dutch side sitting in the relegation danger zone.

Good work HokieNYC as always. Great to have you back. Look forward to reading these! Thank you for doing this.

3 goals in the final 10 minutes On the plus side, I learned going to a 4-3-3 is probably not my best option if I need a late goal, lol. I still want to see a replay explaining why I didn't get that penalty in the first half!

WEEK ONE SEASON 10

HOT START


Corinthians
The Brasilians and Manager Vipermansa shows his Serie A pedigree by streaking out to a 2-1-0 start, more impressive has been the scoring power of his Brasilian squad- registering 11 goals in 3 matches- Defensively there are still some work to do, but with the Offense averaging 3.67 goals a Match- Manager Vipemansa looks like he has plenty of Time to acclimate Defensively.


Cagliari Calcio
The Italian squad from Sardinia has proven to be deadly on the Offensive side of the pitch and with an Experience Manager running the show- Cagliari has streaked out to an impressive 2-1-0 start, a draw against another Top Form Squad (Corinthians) was the only minor bump for the Italians who are averaging 3.66 goals a Match while limiting opponents to 1.67.


Aston Villa
The English Squad has raced out to an impressive 2-1-0 start, the Villans have proven a tough competitor and Manager MiaFLSurf looks intent on returning to Serie A. The Villans are averaging 2.33 goals a match while keeping opponents barely above a 1 goal per match average.

WEEK ONE SEASON 10
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK


Marseille GK Mandanda (2 Clean Sheets)


Cagliari ST V.Ibarbo (3 goals, 4 assists)


Aston Villa ST D.Bent (3 goals, 3 assists)

No love for the German keeper and his perfect clean sheets through two matches? Tough room...

WEEK TWO SEASON 10

All eyes are on Hamburger SV and PSV Eidenhoven as critical matches for both Teams will need to register points if the Serie B squads are to remain relevant in the Promotion Race. A critical Match between both Teams loom ahead-

Corinthians has raced out with two Convincing Matches played out already for Week 2- a drubbing of Borrusia Mongladbach has the Brasilians flying high - a final match left in the Week's fixture has Pato and company looking to solidify their hold at the top of the Table as the visit Aston Villa for an early Top of the table Clash.

Aston Villa will need to be focused as they arguably have the toughest fixtures of the Week as Cagliari Calcio will also look to take points from the Enlgish Squads- The Villans have a tough road, but if successful- can be in control of the Table if results favor the English.

Borrusia Mongladbach will look to erase an embarrassing loss Away to Corinthians 5-0 and forge ahead with 6 winnable points against West Ham United and Feyenoord. Feyenoord will need to Win their last match of the Week against Borrusia Mongladbach if they are to register points this Week- as a loss in the books against Corinthians leave the Dutch squad little room for error.

West Ham United fall behind as Manager WingedHelmet has been delayed in starting his Season- Udinese matches are also currently postponed-

VfB Stuttgart and Norwich City will look to make a move for Top of the table position this Week with a fairly tame Fixtures- Norwich City comes across a out of form Hamburger Squad in their schedule- so a Win against VfB Stuttgart can put the Canaries in a position to take 6 points for the Week.



BY THE NUMBERS

10 Goals
Manager Selvy9 & Borrusia Mongladbach only allowed 14 goals all of last Season in Serie C. In S10- The German squad has already allowed 10 goals in 4 matches.

2 Clean Sheets
2 Goalkeepers: Marseille's Mandanda and VfB Stuttgart's Ulreich have registered 2 Clean Sheets a piece- 1 against each Other and the Other Against Hamburger SV.

1st and 3rd
Two Current Serie B Managers currently hold respectively 1st and 3rd scoring Records in Serie B. Manager Vipermansa has scored the most with 51 Serie B goals in a Season and Manager HokieNYC is 3rd most with 48. Both Currently have 11 goals in 3 matches in S10.

KEY MATCHES​

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Hamburger and PSV are desperate for Points- both Teams are sitting at the Bottom and A Win for either Club can jump start their Season.​

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Aston Villa looks to leap frog Cagliari Calcio a top the Standings in what could be the Villans Toughest Week of the Campaign.​

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Two Critical Matches- A positive Result from both and the Villans will be in the driver Seat of Serie B​

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Feyenoord looks to salvage the Week with points- a loss and Feyenoord will have garnered only 1 point out of a possible 15​

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WEEK TWO SEASON 10

West Ham United comes to Life and into the fray with two impressive Wins against Top of the Table opponents. A win against Offensive juggernaut Corinthians 1-0 showed the Defensive prowess of the New Serie B Manager and a dismantling of Aston Villa 4-1 at Home has gleamed some Offensive teeth as well

Vfb Stuttgart and Cagliari fight it out to a 2-2 draw at the Mercedes Benz Arena – twice the Italians took the lead and twice the Germans answered as the Italian’s Pinilla put in a MOTM effort with a brace- but Stuttgart’s V. Ibisevic had the last word as both Teams failed to get a go ahead goal after 2 a piece.



Goal of the Week Contender as Pinilla finds the Top Corner

Borrusia Mongladbach were a surprise scalp for the Dutch side Feyenoord, as the Home side held on for a 1-0 win at home. Feyenoord’s keeper proved too much for the Germans to overcome as his Clean sheet was enough to guarantee 3 points for Feyenoord.

Another draw for the Italian side Cagliari away- as Aston Villa failed to hold on to their tenuous 1 goal advantage- giving up the equalizer in the 89th minute. The Italians were saved from a poor result- even with a dominant performance away-
The Italians leave the pitch ,wondering what could have been if they were more precise in their finish.


Cagliari steals a point from the Villans in the 89th'

The Brasilian squad Corinthians proved their mettle as wins against the Dutch side Feyenoord 3-2 and a demolishing of Borrusia Mongladbach 5-0 has the Brasilians flying high and German's reeling. Borrussia Mongladbach will look to salvage some points against a HOT West Ham United to finish their week.

Noice.

WEEK TWO SEASON 10

THE RACE TO PROMOTION TAKES SHAPE



West Ham United's impressive start has vaulted the Hammers into a 1st place tie with Cagliaria Calcio- with two games on hand. The English Squad has done it on Defense and Offense end- taking down two early Top of the Table contenders in Aston Villa and Corinthians. The Team is averaging 2.67 goals a match while only allowing a league low .67 goals per game. Manager Winged Helmet has coursed pass his more difficult opponents and will be odds on favorite to run the 1st half of the season unchallenged.



VfB Stuttgart has yet to drop points in 2 weeks of fixtures- with 3 played- the German side has played to a 1-2-0 Record. The German squad has taken points with a great Defensive performance as they share the lowest goal per match allowed with Wst Ham United at .67 per. Manager Frenchie1916 will need to improve on their Offensive capabilities if they are to remain in the Promotion Race. Key clashes against Norwich City and PSV Eidenhoven could vault Stuttgart to Top of the Table leaders by end of the Week- will the Defense hold and the Offense contribute more or will poor results mire the long term manager into Middle of the Table anonymity?



The Surprising Italian Side has yet to lose in the early campaign- key matches against Aston Villa and Corinthians Away has seen the Italian share the spoils- and with Manager HokieNYC taking care of business in matches he was deemed the favorite- Cagliari Calcio shares Top of the Table Honors with West Ham. Offensively, the Italians have cooled off- after scoring 11 goals in their first 3 matches, the squad has only registered 3 goals in two- both resulting in Draw yet The Italians still lead Serie B in scoring per match with a 2.80 average.


WEEK TWO SEASON 10 PLAYERS OF THE WEEK


Corinthians ST Alexander Pato (4 Goals, 2 Assists- two Matches played)


Corinthians ST Emerson (3 Goals, 1 Assists - Two Matches Played)



Cagliari Calcio ST. M. Pinilla (3 goals - Two Matches Played, 4 Match Scoring Streak)

WEEK THREE SEASON 10

The short Week has Serie B squads vying for valuable points- with only 2 matches per Team on the docket- Aston Villa look to avoid being Feyenoord's second Big Name scalp as they visit the Dutch side. A key clash against an out of Form Borrusia M'Gladbach can give the Villans 6 valuable points if results go their way.

Borrusia Mongladbach looks to shake of a poor 2nd Week - but with only 1 match against the Villans- The German side has very little room for mistakes as 3 points Away is a Must for the the Germans

Hamburger SV has one of the toughest fixtures of the Week as both Home Fixtures will be against Two Top of the Table squads in West Ham United and Cagliari Calcio. The Germans have already lost to Cagliari in Coppa play and will look to avenge that loss in Serie B.

West Ham completes their German tour in a Battle of the Undefeated as VfB Stuttgart visits England. West Ham will look to pull away from the pack - with 6 winnable points- and with two games on hand - can easily distance themselves in the Race.

VfB Stuttgart will need to be disciplined - the schedule has been harsh for the Germans- after a Clash with Top of The Table West Ham- Offensive juggernaut Corinthians lie in wait as VfB Stuttgart look to complete their Two Match Road trip with some stolen points-

Cagliari Calcio will need to be prepared for a very Strong Norwich Side - Defensively, Norwich City is only allowing 1 goal per match, while the Italians roll in with a league high 2.80 goals per- it is a clash of styles as Norwich looks to make themselves relevant in the Promotion Race.

Another Clash of Styles looms as Marseille goes to Brasil and attempts to cool off Offensive powerhouse Corinthians- the Brasilians are averaging 2.75 goals a match- OM's Defense has only allowed 2 goals in three Matches- will GK Mandanda be up for the Brasilian Strike force of A. Pato & Emerson?

PSV Eidenhoven will need to tighten up their Defense when they Welcome Norwich City to Phillips Stadium. This is the Dutch sides only Week 3 Match- 3 points are necessary as the slow starting Dutch search for their first Win.

Feyenoord will look to leap frog OM in their match up as the Dutch side search for rare points against a Top FLight Squad. Pundits have been impressed by the Dutch sides moxie- as they have claimed their first Big Name scalp- positive Results in both their fixture can have the Squad in the Middle of the Table by Week's End.

KEY MATCHES ​

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" This Week Will the Pack Reel in the Lead Dogs or Will the Table be segregated into the Have's and Have Nots?"​

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Middle of the Table squad Vfb Stuttgart will look to reel in the In Form West Ham United before the English Squad pulls away in the 3rd Week of the Promotion Race. ​

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Olympique Marseille will need to find a Win against the Brasilians- or else run the risk of losing sight of Top of the Table- who look to distance themselves away from the Middle of the Pack ​

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Norwich City promotion aspirations can get alot easier if they turn this Match Up into 3 points- Lose and the Italians distance themselves and may prove critical in defining the Table.​

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Feyenoord looks to leap from Marseille for Middle of the Table safety- as both Squads will look to remain relevant in the Promotion Race.​

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WEEK THREE SEASON 10

The short week proved fortuitous for Aston Villa as the Villans springboard to the Top of the table with 2 closely contested Wins. at Home against Borrussia Mongladbach 1-0 and Feyenoord 2-0 gives the English Squad 6 full points to end Week 3 of Season 10. Borrussia Mongladbach failed to gain any traction as their lone game was lost to Aston Villa


Aston Villa shows some Nifty Passing for a Goal against B’Mongladbach

However, the Dutch side Feyenoord recovers from their loss with a Win away to Olympique Marsielle – a lone goal in the 8th minute proved to be the deciding match winner- As D. Janmaat speculative shot from outside the box gets a helpful redirect which wrong foots OM’s keeper.

West Ham United’s fast start was stifled by a Defensive minded VfB Stuttgart 0-0. As for a 2nd Week in a row the Germans share the spoils with a Top of The Table contender.


West Ham United's woes against German squads continue- as Hamburg register their first Win of the campaign in stellar fashion- A win at Home 1-0 against Top of the Table contender West Ham has the Germans off the bottom and into the fray-

Norwich City wins convincingly Away against PSV Eidenhoven- as a miscommunication from the Dutch’s GK and backline gifts the Canaries their opening salvo. R. Snodgrass (NOR) Man of the Match performance- was too much for PSV to recover from as they fail to get their 1st Win of the Season.

Four Teams are slowly distancing themselves from the rest of the Table as Aston Villa, West Ham United, Norwich City and Cagliari Calcio have reached double digits in points after Week 3.

Corinthians pile on to Marseille’s poor form- as the Brasilians send the French squad packing with a 3-1 Victory. Two goals in a span of 5 minutes were enough to put Corinthians through, adding a 3rd goal in the 90th minute to add insult to injury.

Cagliari Calcio were unable to beat a stellar goal keeping performance from Norwich City as the visiting Italians had to settle for a Draw in Week 3.

The Italian's were unable to shake of their poor shooting performance as Hamburg clamps down on the high octane offense- however, Cagliari were able to get a lone goal- which was enough to carry the Italians through as the Defense rose to the challenge.


V.Ibarbo nets the only goal of the Match for a 1-0 Win

WEEK THREE SEASON 10 PLAYERS OF THE WEEK


Norwich City R.Snodgrass (2 goals, 1 assist)


Corinthians A.Pato (2 assists, 1 goal)


Aston Villa D.Bent (2 goals, 1 assist, 2 MOTM)

follow the trail of bloody anus home to Marseille. But before we get there... a nice fun trip to Lille!

WEEK FOUR SEASON 10
"Half way there"

As the half way mark of the Campaign ends with these Weeks fixtures- Cagliari Calcio have yet to lose a Match- with a record of 4-4-0- The Italians have climb to the Top of the Table with a balance approach- scoring 2.4 goals per match while limiting their opponents to 1 per contest. With Two more matches in the 1st half of the Season- a critical Top of the Table clash against West Ham United and a desperate PSV Eidenhoven searching for their 1st Win- the Italians will have a shot at finishing Undefeated in the 1st Half of the Campaign in Season 10.

Norwich City will look to solidify their Standing with key matches against West Ham United and Corinthians- both squads nipping at their heels-

West Ham United will need to be in top form as they boast one of the hardest fixtures this week- but rest assured they will be wary of bottom PSV Eidenhoven after their Defeat in Week 3 against bottom squad Hamburger SV.

Corinthians may have a major influence in the Final Standing in the midway stretch – if results fall the Brasilian’s way- after a key clash with Norwich City- Corinthians face two squads in PSV and Hamburger who have yet to find their form as both sit in the lower half of the Table.

Aston Villa will have a shot at completing a 2nd week straight with full points as they play an out of form Marseille squad and a VfB Stuttgart Team still looking for some consistency- both squads have a 2-5-6 record going into the 4th Week.

Borrusia Mongladbach will look to win all 9 points and become influential in the Promotional race- as they have the lightest fixtures of the Week. Matches against Marseille (1-2-5),VfB Stuttgart (1-3-1) and Hamburger SV (2-0-4)
Positive results in all three – can get the Germans out of the Middle.

VfB Stuttgart will look for points and leap frog over Dutch side Feyenoord in their 3rd match- critical points needed as the Relegation Battle heats up-

Feyenoord meets a Hot Hamburger Squad- winners of 2 out of 3 of their last matches including a big upset over West Ham- The Dutch side can remove themselves from the danger zone with positive results.

PSV Eidenhoven searches for their 2nd Win but with the Hardest Fixtures of the Week- the Dutch side will need to take a very difficult scalp- or else run the risk of finishing the 1st half of the Season with only one Win- in their way Cagliari (4-4-0), West Ham United (4-1-2) and Corinthians (3-1-1).

The 1st Half of Season 10 comes to a close this Week and the Table is shaping up into two very interesting races- Promotion has 6 Teams within striking distance of each other- and on the other end- The Danger Zone has 6 Teams with a realistic cause for concern- Will Cagliari finish the 1st Half Undefeated or will the pressure be too much? Can PSV Eidenhoven capitalize on their underdog status and grab their 2nd Win of the Campaign or will the Dutch side end the half with only earning 3 full points all Season.


UPDATE:

PSV Eidenhoven earns their First Win of the Season with a close encounter against VfB Stuttgart 1-0.

KEY MATCHES​

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A Classic Top of the Table Clash- pitting two new Serie B Managers and their stingy Defenses​

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German Derby with Middle of The Table Implications- A Win for VfB Stuttgart can have them in the fray. B'MonGladbach looks to distance themselves from the Middle ​

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A Hot Hamburger squad looks to continue their Form while Feyenoord looks to pull away from the Relegation Race​

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Defense vs Offense in a Top of the Table Match Up- which style Wins out?​

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Top of the Table Clash- with 1st Place Standing at Stake- ​

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Aston Villa look to wrap up the 1st Half with 6 Points and 1st place Standing- VfB Stands in the Way as they look to Finish Strong​

I don't have a stingy defense as much as I only have one player who starts that breaks 80 speed and agility...and he plays CM behind 4 other players

WEEK FOUR SEASON 10
"Half Time"

PSV Eidenhoven run of Form carries the Dutch side through in a shoot out with Offensive minded Corinthians 3-4 Away. D.Mertens Season defining performance has PSV off the Danger Zone and looks for a critical end of the Mid Season clash with another Top of the Table favorite Cagliari Calcio to finish Strong. As the Dutch fall to an even Hotter squad as West Ham United Defense clamps down winning 1-0 at Home-

West Ham United wraps up their 1st Half with 7 points- riding their Defense which only allowed 1 goal in their Last 3 Matches-which afforded the Offense to only register 3 goals down the stretch. 1-0 Wins against Cagliari Calcio & PSV Eidenhoven plus a draw at Home to Norwich City has the Hammers sitting near the Top of the table with 20 points with a 6-2-2 record.

Aston Villa runs their winning streak to 4 Straight as for a 2nd Week in a row the Villans register full points- with close wins against VfB Stuttgart 2-1 and Marseille 1-0. The Villans are guaranteed a Top of the Table finish to end the 1st half of Season 10.

Marseille registers their most impressive Win of the Season a 3-1 Victory of Borrussia Mongladbach Away as the French side look to end the Season on a positve note- OM has not secured safety from the Drop Zone a they sit tied for 7th with 4 other squads.

This Week has not been kind to the German Squads as Borrusia Mongladbach bounces from their loss by beating fellow Germans VfB Stutgart and sharing the point with Hamburger SV. The only positive outcome for the German team came at the expense of a reeling VfB Stuttgart who have lost their first two opening matches of Week 10- a critical clash against Feyenoord looms- as Stuttgart looks to end a poor 1st half on a positive note. Hamburger SV were able to salvage critical points with two draws but ends the week Winless in three Matches. A goal of the Year contender from Borrusia Mongladbach was not enough to overshadow the fact that the 3 German squads have gone 1-2-4 in 7 matches with 1 left (VfB Stuttgart vs Feyenoord) to end the 1st Half of Season 10



Goal of the Year Contender from B' Mongladbach
Loss to PSV Eidenhoven by Corinthians stops the Hot Form of the Brasilians- Winners against Norwich City 3-0 and Hamburger SV 3-1, the Brasilians finish in the Top half of the Table- Corinthians have registered 25 goals in the first half of Season 10 and look to have a shot at the Record Books- if their hot offensive form follow them into the second half of the Season.

Cagliari Calcio end the Week strong in a critical match against PSV Eidenhoven- a 3-0 Win and Cagliari finish in the Top 3 - regaining some momentum after registering their 1st Loss in Serie B play.



Feyenoord has to Matches in hand to distance themselves from the Middle- a draw against Hamburger has given the Dutch side a point but positive results against VfB Stuttgart and Norwich City can afford the Dutch side breathing room in the Relegation Battle.


PLAYERS OF THE WEEK


A. Pato Corinthians (3 Goals 2 Assists)


Emerson Corinthians (4 Goals, 4 Assists)


J.Jaaskelainen West Ham United (2 Clean sheets)

SERIE B MID SEASON REPORT CARD

A
Aston Villa has cruised a Top Serie B to End the first half of the Season- A very balance approach to the Season, the Villan's have been professional in their approach- Winning the Matches they were favorites and drawing against the better half of the Table. One poor performance against West Ham United and a last minute drop in concentration against Cagliari Calcio have been the only blips in what could only be described as an ideal start for the English squad. ST D.Bent has proven a handful- leading the Team in both scoring (7) and assists (5)- the ST has garnered a League high 4 MOTM honors in 10 matches. Rumors of an impending transfer for the Key Striker may prove a challenge for Aston Villa as they look to solidify their hold on Promotion.


A
West Ham United has proven that Defense Wins Matches. With a GAA .91 the Hammers are difficult to Breakdown as the Disciplined Defense frustrate and fluster opponents - however, 50% of the English squads matches were 1 goal Wins- only a drubbing of Aston Villa and and Feyenoord went beyond the 1 goal differential- The Second Half of the Season fortunes can easily turn for the bright starting West Ham United. A key transfer in A.Carrol may prove the necessary impetus if he is found fit and ready to join the London squad.

A
The Italian squad has been feast or famine throughout the campaign- as the Offense has shown some teeth in some matches scoring 3 or more goals in 5 of their opening 10 matches- but have fallen absent in the other competitions. Luckily the Defense have been consistent - averaging a .90 GAA- The back line for Cagliari has rarely given up more than a goal in a match, and notching up 4 clean sheets in the process. A balance approach has the Italians poised for Serie A promotion but with transfer rumors circling three of the Starters- the 2nd half the Season may prove more challenging.


A
Corinthians have offensively dominated Serie B- averaging 2.64 GFA in the 1st half of the Season- The Striking Tandem of A. Pato and Emerson have proven a God Send for the Brasilian squad- as both players sit atop the League in both Goals and Assists. Offensively the Squad does not conceal their apporach- Pato or Emerson will challenge any Defense to stop them from scoring- Defensively, the Backline has allowed 18 goals in the 1st half of the Campaign- only 2nd to last in the league- but with 29 goals scored the Defensive lapses have not threatened Corinthians aspirations- If Teams recognize the fast striking Brazilians early and limit the Striking Duo's opportunities and if Paulinho's CDM 80 transfer goes through (Tottenham)- Corinthians may find traversing the reverse fixtures more complicated in the 2nd half.

A-
Norwich City has ridden their Defense towards Middle of the Table glory- but has a realistic shot at Serie A promotion- The Defense has only allowed 9 goals in 9 matches- ranking 3rd in GAA midway to the Season. R. Snodgrass and G.Holt have provided the scoring for the Canaries- albeit it has been sparse in the goals department for the English squad. Defensively- the backline has been stellar- but the play of Norwich GK Ruddy has been key to their 1st half Season Success as the keeper has recorded 3 clean sheets and 9 goals allowed in 9 matches (3 goals came in one match- the only poor defensive showing for the Canaries)- The 2nd Half will need to see improvement in the scoring opportunities for Norwich City if they are to overcome the points to gain promotion- draws against Top of The Table Contenders in the 2nd half will likely result in a second stay in Serie B.

B
A B for Borrusia Mongladbach - seems appropriate- as the Germans have been All or Nothing this Season- 4 Wins and 5 Losses have the Germans Sitting Middle of the Table - 8 points adrift of Top Honors in Serie B. Scoring has been sparse for the Germans- as no Borrussia Mongladbach player has more than 3 goals all Season- Defensively, the Germans have been unpredictable- allowing 16 in 10 matches- some matches 5 goal drubbings and others 1 goal thrillers- however, inconsistency on Both ends seem to plagued Borrussia- as they have shown glimmers of Top of Table quality in key Wins against West Ham United (1st) but has also been disappointing in perplexing losses to Marseille (7th) - The Germans will need to play for points in the 2nd half of the Season- and salvage some Draws against key opponents if they are to have a shot at Promotion next Season-