Real Sociedad Challenge 2009

[kovacevic]

Yeh i mis-read the table and thought you were on 365 when actually you were only on 345 sorry. As you will see from the table you were on 345 maybe i need glasses!! I have tallied it up again and you are definitely on 495 with the trophys you have won.

EDIT - 2000th post in thread!!!! Find me a challenge anywhere on the FM scene with more posts its got to be a record breaker. Thanks to everyone so far who has posted and made it what it is!!

[ArmageddonAsh]

so close to 500, i have decided my new target = 750
which i should be able to get if i win the league next season and win the Champions league either this season or next season

[millsybeast]

I think i may have my third try at Sociedad soon (As in today in like 10 mins) I got rest of day to play and should have done at least one season by tonight

[Jack F]

Sorry about the delay lads - I was at college when posting (free lesson)and the laptop died on me, ran out of battery lol. ABout to play now.

[ArmageddonAsh]

over 2000 posts, nice and over a quarter of them mine (i think)

[millsybeast]

A world record

[ArmageddonAsh]

what can i say this is a great challenge

[Jack F]

Does anyone know of a challenge with more posts? I think Dafuge's on on SI has over 7k posts. (EDIT - It has over 11k posts!)

[millsybeast]

Whats his challenge?

[ArmageddonAsh]

Originally Posted by Jack F

Does anyone know of a challenge with more posts? I think Dafuge's on on SI has over 7k posts. (EDIT - It has over 11k posts!)

How long has that challenge been going?
you also have to thin kabout how many members SI forums have compared to here

[kovacevic]

Dammit i thought i had a record in the bag but 2nd isn't bad i suppose. Good luck Jack its gonna take an almighty effort for Athletico to beat you but stranger things have happened.

[Jack F]

Athletico Madrid dominate but Sociedad come through in goal fest thriller.

Real Sociedad secured the Spanish Super Cup today with a 3-2 home win over Athletico Madrid, giving them a 5-2 aggregate victory. Sociedad lined up with 22 million signing Marquinhos on the bench and Daniel Aquino back in the team. As expect Madrid attacked from the off, with them needing two goals they had too, but Sociedad were not going to fall down that easily. Infact, it was them who took the lead, Enrique running down the right flank, before his low cross was tapped in by Robinho, who got Sociedad off running. However just 2 minutes later Maxi Rodriguez had leveled - Andy Wilson's stray backpass leaving Rodriguez to beat Asenjo and make it 1-1. Things got more interesting when, after 37 minutes, Antonio Lopez scored a screamer. Suddenly Anoeta went quiet - fans knew that one more Madrid goal would see them take the trophy. Franklin was going mad on the touchline but his team responded like true champions, and Christoph Metzelder headed home the equaliser right before the whistle.

HT - Sociedad 2 Athletico Madrid 2

The second half was a slow one, Madrid looked to attack but Sociedad sured up their defence and kept it solid. Robinho, picking up a small knock on 57 minutes, was taken off and on came that guy everyone has been talking about, Brazilian Marquinhos, a record 22million signing. He made an immediate impact, as he played his role in the build up to the 3rd goal. Picking up on the half way line, he passes to Jimenez, who spread it wide to Mata, before finding space to set up, yep guess who, Marquinhos, who slotted passed the keeper with typical Brazilian ease. That seemed to boost Sociedad, as Ath. Madrid seemed to give up, knowing they had just 20 minutes to find 3 goals. Sociedad could have had more, Marquinhos deemed just offside before scoring, and Leo Franco pulling off some good saves.

The full time whistle blew and Sociedad had their cup. We spoke to Franklin:

"It was a super game of football for the neutral. We knew they would come at us, they had to, but we are slightly upset with our defending, especially for the first goal. I spoke to Andy at half time and he was really upset, he kept apologising to all of us, but we told him everyone makes a mistake and I spoke to him after the match and he is fine. Even the 2nd goal we failed to close down Lopez quick enough so I think both their goals could have been stopped. From our point of view it's superb. when we went 1-2 down I was very nervous, I knew the situation, but we reacted well and the goal just before half time settled us down, and then in the second half we were on top, and obviously Marqi [Marquinhos] getting his goal from the bench is a great start for him, hopefully it wont be his last goal eh?"

Better update the score-board Kova

[kovacevic]

Brilliant update Jack and more importantly congradulations. Thats the perfect start to season 5 for you and gets the momentum going straight away. Looks like Marquinhos is gonna be a massive player for you this season. You are now on the same points as YNWALFC.

[millsybeast]

What is the challenge you were tlking about and well done Jack , wish i cud be tht succesfull with my Inverness game

[ArmageddonAsh]

well done Jack the win and good update, will start mine shortly

[ArmageddonAsh]

Historic Champions League Final For Real Sociedad!!!

Real Sociedad have been the dominant force in La Liga since KuZmanovic took charge when Sociedad were rotting in the Liga Adelante, unknown at the time by many but trusted by the board KuZmanovic has shown what can be accomplished with sheer determination. It all started with the incredible Adelante season which saw them win the league without losing a game and saw them reach the Spanish Cup Final only to lose in a close fought match against the mighty Barcelona.

With thier first season in La Liga, many expected them to have a battle on there hands to survive the drop. but they did the opposite with limited funding KuZmanovic transformed the club into a contender for the league title, making £38.5million with the sale of such higly rated players as Xabi Prieto and Mikel Gonzalez, KuZmanovic then went and spent £63million on young quality players such as Sergio Asenjo, Juan Manuel Mata and Oscar Trejo who together showed how dominate the team could be and with aditions in the January transfer window with Walter and Monzon the team came so close to winning the league, but they managed to still get the double, by winning the Spanish Cup and the Spanish Super Cup.

Fast forward 2 years, they have won 2 consecutive La Liga Titles and will be aiming for 3 in a row next season but they have also won consecutive Spanish Cup and Spanish Super Cup titles, but to challenge in europe proved too tough last year going out to none other the Barcelona after reaching the Quarter Final stage.

But could this be the season?

Sociedad were teamed with Celtic, Galatasaray and the remaining Champions Manchester United. the group started with a 2 - 1 win over Celtic with a goal from Mathebula and the winner from their record signing Walter, followed was a good 0 - 0 draw with Manchester United and a 3 - 0 demolishing of Galatasaray with another from Walter and goals from Trejo and Mata. the return leg against Galatasary was a close fought 1 - 0 win with yet another goal from the wonderkid that is Walter and another 1 - 0 victory over Celtic with the winner from Nimani. already confirmed as group winners and a La Liga title to chase for Sociedad played there backup team in the game and it could have gone either way with a late Rooney goal the decider.

through to the first knockout round they faced familiar opposition in Arsenal who they been grouped in last years competition, with a close 1 - 1 away draw Sociedad knew they had a chance of making the Quarter Final with a home 1 - 1 draw it went all the way to Penalties with Sociedad coming out victorious with a 6 - 5 win.

Again Sociedad had English opponents this time in the form of English champions Manchester United. the home leg was entertaining and only a goal from Walter separated the teams at full time, things were looking good when Vidic got sent off, but it came at a cost with Walter the victim of a viiolent tackle that saw him replaced the tie went all the way to penalties again after Falamini got the winner for united and again Sociedad came through with a 6 - 5 win.

The Champions Legaue had thrown them against previous winners Liverpool for a place in the final. Sociedad battled all the way and when it was thought they would leave with nothing thanks to Gerrard goal, up pops Trejo to score in the 89th minute and send the teams to the second leg at 1 - 1. the home leg came after 30minutes Monzon the strong talented LB had to be replaced by Merlo, 11minutes into the second half and the tie is won with a goal from the substitute Merlo, they made it!!!

Now Can Sociedad Make History, time will tell.............

[kovacevic]

Brilliant build up Ash you have set it up perfectly and great account of how you got to the final. Good luck!!!

[ArmageddonAsh]

Pre Match Conference

Journalist (Ruben Casares)

"In all of their history, Real Sociedad have never won the Champions Cup. Do you agress with the suggestion that winning the Champions Cup may be one of the teams biggest ever challenges"

KuZmanovic

"There's absolutley no doubt about it. A categorical yes!. we have a great chance, we have beaten some quality teams, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool have all been shown that we are no push overs"

Journalist (Robert Reyes)

"What chance is there of you taking a positive approach to this match?"

KuZmanovic

We have a quality team, we have beaten Real Madrid before, i will be telling the lads not to hold back and will get them to try and dominate the match as much as possible"

Journalist (Ruben Casares)

"Real Sociedad beat Liver, Manchester United and Arsenal whist Real Madrid beat FC Barcelona, FC Bayern Munchen and Ajax to get this far. Your side so far has pushed three opponents to the wayside. can a forth follow?"

KuZmanovic

"Of course, we have a great chance and i think we could very well win. We might be the underdogs but we dont mind, everyone knows that we are a good team and that we could make a match of it against anyone"

[millsybeast]

Good build-up and good luck

[Jack F]

Great post Ash, and good luck!

Real Sociedad start league campaign at home.

Real Sociedad kick start their title defence (who would have thought that this time last year, just after finishing 15th in Liga BBVA) with a home game against Celta. Franklin is expected to make a few changes from the side who started the 3-2 victory over Athletico Madrid.

Uche partners Marquinhos upfront, as Robinho is dropped back to AMC, with Mata staying at AML. Sanchex Capdevilla partners Enrique in partnership of two of the best young Spanish midfieders around. The defence remains the same, Andy Wilson keeping his place despite a poor game against Ath. Madrid.

They face a Celta side they are expected to comfortably beat, the only notable opponent is that of Aranburu, who left this 2 seasons ago.

Milestones:

Capdevilla makes his 50th league apperance.
Marquinhos + Robinho make league debuts.
Dan Aquino will make it 100 league games for Sociedad if he comes on from the bench.

Here are the pick of the odds:

To Win: Sociedad 4-5, Draw 2-1, Celta 3-1