FC Metz - L'esprit du Graoullys

[Joxanota]

What rating?

Anyway, working on a pre-season update...

[Joxanota]

Pre-Season For Les Graoullys...

Newcastle United FC

After a disappointing finish in the Premier League last season, Newcastle will look to improve and reach the UEFA C up. Their pre-season, however, has started terribly, going down 6-0 in their first match of their tour of France against St. Etienne. How will they cope against Ligue 2 opposition Metz? It certainly is easier than Etienne of paper, but their confidence is rock bottom, and they also are managerless after the sacking of Kevin Keegan.

TSV 1860 Munchen

German team TSV Munchen haven't been in the Bundesliga since the 03/04 season, and they are desperate to be promoted back to the top flight. They certainly look like they will, despite their 11th place finish in the 2. Bundesliga last season. They conquered Tottenham 2-0 at White Hart Lane, before beating Bradford 3-2 in a 5-goal thriller. Under the guidance of Marco Kurz and with an immense youth squad including the Bender twins, they look like formidable opponents for Metz.

Real Murcia

Real Murcia were promoted from the Segunda Division to La Liga in the 06/07 season, but they finished 19th in the top flight to be relegated straight back down. Los Pimentoneros have class players such as 18-year old Dani Aquino, their #10. So far in pre-season they thrashed Atalanta 4-0, Aquino getting all 4, before a 1-1 draw with Chievo. The upcoming season looks promising for the Murcia side, back to La Liga maybe?

Metz will be hosting Newcastle this weekend, before travelling to Germany and Spain respectively the following two weekends. With 3 signings made already, Metz look to go into the season-opener on a high.

[Joxanota]

Hello people?

[xRonaldinhox10x]

Great clubs you picked there, get another pic for the TSV one. I think you can come away with a winning record!

[Joxanota]

Thanks, I was going to add an Italian team but I decided against it as that would make pre-season drag on.

[Valo]

Good choices, when is Newcastle game?

[14Atlas]

good preview there mate good luck against newcastle

[Valo]

Sorry about Joxanota's lack of updates, but me and my brothers just got back from holiday, this thread and my Rosenborg thread will be back up-and-running at the weekend (He is too tired to tell you thaat so I had to do it for him )

[Joxanota]

Yes, this will be back in action shortly Me and Valo will be helping eachother in our MMs...

Any transfer suggestions?

[Joxanota]

Guys I need transfer suggestions! Also, Newcastle report may be up soon.

[14Atlas]

hmmm whats the highest rating of your team I am not familair with Ligue 2 sides

[Valo]

He has a 74, he bought a couple of 70s already (Mendy, Jokic, and Hoefkens), needs about 70 rated?

[Joxanota]

Magpies Shot Down

FC Metz 1 – 0 Newcastle

Cisse 76’

Team Line-Ups:

METZ

------------Marichez------------

-------------Hoefkens---Strasser------------

--Mendy---------------------------Jokic—

-----------------Barbosa----

------Cardy---------------

-Rocchi------------------------------Renouard-

------------Gueye-------------------

------------Cisse----

NEWCASTLE

------------Given------------

------------Coloccini---Taylor------------

--Beye---------------------------N’zogbia—

-----------------Guthrie----

------Barton---------------

-Gutierrez------------------------------Duff-

------------Martins-------------------

------------Owen----

Records:

Metz – W0 D0 L0

Newcastle – W0 D0 L1

The Match

The fixture began pretty well for the Toon, in contrast to their 6-0 defeat to St. Etienne, in which they were second best from kick-off. This time, they forced the Metz defence, which composed of experienced Jeff Strasser and three new signings, to work hard. They first tested the French defence with Obafemi Martins, when he drilled in a low cross, aiming to find the Argentinian, Jonas Gutierrez, but Carl Hoefkens made short work of it.

Moments later, Newcastle whipped in another cross. This one was delivered by Beye, and Guthrie’s diving header was easy for Christophe Marichez to catch. The possession was fairly even, although Newcastle were the only side to get the ball into the box. In the next 8 minutes they put in two more good balls, the first one was deflected off Belgian debutant Hoefkens, and the second one flew right across the face of goal without any contact.

Neither teams defence would give way, Newcastle’s just forced Metz back; Metz’ defence just dealt with a barrage of crosses. The first half-chance for either side that didn’t come from a cross was for Metz. They earned a free-kick, a good 35 yards out. Cisse tapped it, and Rocchi drilled it goalwards. Given got down to it well. That seemed to liven things up a bit, as 5 minutes later Newcastle had a chance. Obafemi Matins flicked the ball over the defence to Owen. He got his head to it, but it was weak and allowed Marichez to get to it fairly comfortably.

The remaining 10 minutes of the half were dominated by the visitors. Owen took a shot from a wide angle that flew across the face of goal, then he carved an opening between Hoefkens and Strasser. He raced through, and Marichez was quick off his line. Owen chipped Marichez, and it looked in for a frightful moment for the home crowd, but the Newcastle fans behind the goal could see that is was going over.

It wasn’t the last action of the half, however. This time Damien Duff hit one from just inside the box, but he slipped as he shot, causing it to spiral into the ‘keeper’s arms. The half-time whistle went with Newcastle on top, but the score remained level at 0-0.

The first time that Metz nearly broke through the Newcastle defence was 5 minutes after the break, when Cisse came very close to beating Taylor. Metz started to play better from that point onwards, and Barbosa came very close to opening the scoring. He won the ball from Barton in the center of the park before charging through the middle. He reached the edge of the box without being touched, and unleashed the shot, He could have carried on, then taken his shot to have more of a chance of scoring, as Given made short work of the shot.

The first substitutions of the match came just short of the hour mark, for Newcastle. Geremi replaced Duff on the left side of midfield, and Jose Enrique replaced left-back Charles N’Zogbia. The two new wide men were involved in a flurry of unsuccessful crosses in the next 5 minutes of the game, as the three debutants and Strasser held strong.

Gueye should have been the first to score in the match, after coming away on the break-away. He reached the box, and from the edge of the 6-yard box, at an angle, he curled a shot somehow wide. But substitute Geremi came even closer, just 3 minutes later. Owen played him through with the through ball, and when all seemed lost for the home side as he slid the ball past Marichez, it hit the inside of the post, and miraculously came back into play, and Jokic cleared. A narrow escape for both sides.

The near miss spurred Les Graoullys into action. They started to pass it around the Newcastle half, as if they dominated the whole game, and one of those passing moves produced the goal at long last, with 15 minutes remaining. Gueye picked it up on the left side of the Newcastle half, just outside the box. He curled a lovely ball across the box to his strike partner, Pap!ss Cisse, who struck it sweetly on the volley. It hit the inside of the post, like Geremi’s miss did, but this time it rebounded off the post and in.

The game had seen a goal, at long, long last. But Newcastle felt hard done by, and pushed for an equalizer. It almost came immediately, when Owen’s header was on target, but in-form Cristophe Marichez wasn’t going to be beaten by a cross. The away side’s pressure continued into the last 10 minutes of the goal-hungry yet entertaining match. In fact, it was the Ligue 2 side that nearly added another. Barbosa got on the end of a cross, and good reflexes from Given denied the central midfielder a goal.

Owen had a half-hearted attempt in stoppage time, but it was French Ligue 2 side FC Metz that clinched it in the end, through Pap!ss Cisse.

Ratings:

Marichez – 7
Mendy – 8
Strasser – 6
Hoefkens – 7
Jokic – 6
Rocchi – 6
Barbosa – 7
Cardy – 7
Renouard – 6
Gueye – 6
Cisse - 6

[Joxanota]

Sorry for not updating in ages

[Joxanota]

Anyone like it?

[Kundin]

Great stuff brother, have me and Valo been keeping you off the computer so you can't update?

[Harald]

Omg Valo, your family is a buncha class MM writers.






Why don't your dad start one aswell?

[Valo]

My dad IS a journalist...thats why we are OK at MMs.

[barajma92]

Originally Posted by Joxanota

That looks like a huge stadium, despite it's a club in the second division of France.

EDIT: Nice story about that match

[Harald]

That is why he's supposed to be an MM writer.


The first ever pro MM writer, it costs one dollar if you want to see his thread.

[Valo]

Originally Posted by barajma92

That looks like a huge stadium, despite it's a club in the second division of France.

EDIT: Nice story about that match

Metz were relegated from Ligue 1 last season, so that explains it.

And ADude, only 1$!!!??? Jeez, his thread would beat anyone's here, would cost a hell of a lot more than that

[barajma92]

Originally Posted by Valo

Metz were relegated from Ligue 1 last season, so that explains it.

And ADude, only 1$!!!??? Jeez, his thread would beat anyone's here, would cost a hell of a lot more than that

I know, but still..

[Harald]

He won't get any viewers.

[Valo]

Well I ain't paying him!