Javier Complainiola

By: Daryl | February 10th, 2009

Managing: Newcastle
Date: December 31st, 2010
Progress: 6th in Prem after 17 games
Worst club crest in football:: Heerenveen (see right)

Europa League Group H vs Heerenveen (home) W 3-2

- – - – - – - – Given – - – - – - -
Jiranek – Rusol – Taylor – Enrqiue
- – - Skjelbred – - Mascio – - – -
Jonas – - Marquinhos – - Lewandowski
- – - – - – The Pog – - – - – -

(Coloccini suspended, Arshavin injured)

4-2-3-1, lots of width, short passing, slow tempo; offside trap, high defensive line

You know how there are no Premier League logos in my version of the game? Well, I wish threre were no Eredivisie logos because Heerenveen’s badge make me want to chuck. Who on earth designed that thing? Hallmark?

I told my boys to teach them a lesson about bad graphic design, with my new Arshavin inury enforced strategy of playing Lewandowski on the left. Sounds counter-intuitive, but he scores as many as most strikers from out there, mostly because he is one and I’ve given him a free role. And at this point he’s too good to be sitting on the bench waiting for The Pog to get injured. Happy days, espcially as I only retrained Lewandowski as a left winger just to see if it could be done.

Lew got two goals, and an assist on an own goal, which is sort of hat-trick if you ask me. And with that we’re though to the Europa League knockout round, and with a game to spare.

vs Middlesbrough (home) W 2-0

- – - – - – - – Given – - – - – - -
Belletti – Rusol – Taylor – Enrqiue
- – - Skjelbred – - Camacho – - – -
Jonas – - Marquinhos – - Lewandowski
- – - – - – The Pog – - – - – -

4-2-3-1, lots of width, short passing, slow tempo; offside trap, high defensive line

Another Lew-Pog double act, with a goal from each and Skjelbred getting the assists.

Javier Saviola starting to complain about a lack of first team footy. Maybe he should have thought about that before he started being the third best striker in a one striker system.

Carling Cup QF vs Man Utd (home) W 1-0
- – - – - – - – Given – - – - – - -
Taylor – Rusol – Coloccini – Enrqiue
- – - Skjelbred – - Camacho – - – -
Jonas – - Marquinhos – - Lewandowski
- – - – - – The Pog – - – - – -

4-2-3-1, lots of width, short passing, slow tempo; offside trap, high defensive line.
Set Enrique to “killbot” and sent him after Cristiano Ronaldo

I put out my best team and Man Utd put out theirs. And I won.

So suck it Digital Fergie. You tried to win the Carling Cup, and you lost to me. Coloccini – back after suspension and then sitting out against Boro – headed the winner.

Europa League Group H vs Rieka (home) W 1-0

- – - – - – - – Given – - – - – - -
Beye – Taylor – Jiranek – N’Zogbia
- – - Lien – - Belletti – - – -
Wijnaldum – - Dzagoev – - Fleck
- – - – - – Saviola – - – - – -

4-2-3-1, lots of width, short passing, slow tempo; offside trap, high defensive line.

I was already through and top of the group. And with two games in five days coming after this game, I gave the reserves a runout. Including Javier ~~Saviola~~ Complainiola. Who was useless. Everyone did well (7 or above) except Complainiola. He’s not my favourite player right now.

vs Birmingham City (home) W 3-1
- – - – - – - – Given – - – - – - -
Taylor – Rusol – Coloccini – Enrqiue
- – - Skjelbred – - Camacho – - – -
Jonas – - Marquinhos – - Lewandowski
- – - – - – The Pog – - – - – -

4-2-3-1, lots of width, short passing, slow tempo; offside trap, high defensive line.

Standard demolition job, with Pog and Lew on song again, but Marquinhos and Arshavin getting the goals. Arshavin’s was a beaut:

vs QPR (away) L 1-0

- – - – - – - – Given – - – - – - -
Taylor – Rusol – Coloccini – Enrqiue
- – - Skjelbred – - Camacho – - – -
Jonas – - Marquinhos – - Lewandowski
- – - – - – The Pog – - – - – -

4-2-3-1, lots of width, short passing, slow tempo; offside trap, high defensive line.

Complainiola was up to his old tricks again before the game, and so I promised that he’d see some first team action soon, in an attempt to cheer him up. I just didn’t realize how soon.

In hindsight (which is always 20/20) I maybe shouldn’t have started with the exact same XI that beat Birmingham just two days ago.

Because 32 minutes into this game, Lewandowski got injured. And 40 minutes into this game The Pog got injured too. Meaning Javier Saviola was my lone striker.

And he was useless. We had loads of possession, but he got swamped by their defenders. And then… disaster struck:

Got to laugh at how it’s Enrqiue heading past his own keeper, but the commentary says “Coloccini will have to take the blame for that one.” Got to laugh or I’d cry. What’s the use in beating Liverpool if I’m going to lose to QP ‘effin R?

And so this leaves me with a dilemma. Seems I have two excellent first choice strikers in The Pog and Lewandowski. And I can even fit them both in my system by playing Lew on the left.

But if both these guys get injured, Saviola just hasn’t got what it takes to be the lone front man. And I doubt Marquinhos would either, since he’s not physical enough.

Even though he’s not real, I feel guilty for letting his talents (here’s his current screenshot) rot on the bench just like Barca and Madrid did. Although I’m starting to think maybe they had their reasons, because – decent striker that he clearly he is – I just don’t trust him to perform regularly.

So with January 1st on the horizon, I’m thinking it might be wise to try and raise some money by selling Saviola (currently have a budget of just 2.5m) and bringing in another forward more suited to my system. What do you think?