Never Underestimate Kevin Kilbane

By: Daryl | November 20th, 2008

Managing: Newcastle
Date: August 24th
Progress: 8th in Prem after two games.

That’s the lesson I learned on my FM2009 Premier League debut against Wigan. Before the game Chris Hughton told me to pay attention to Wigan’s dangermen: Olivier Kapo and Kevin Kilbane. I laughed in his face.

Not about Kapo, I instructed my players to force him onto his much weaker right foot. But Kilbane? Please. I’m wasn’t going to worry about Kilbane.

And it all started so well. Going with an attacking 4-4-2 (Martins and Ameobi up top, N’Zogbia and Gutierrez out wide) I had St. James’ Park on it’s feet with some dazzling wing play, and after 15 minutes Gutierrez put us 1-0 up. Then it all went wrong.

Kilbane equalized in the 34th, and scored again one minute into first half stoppage time. Then Shola Ameobi got injured early in the second half and I didn’t have another striker (all injured) to replace him with. It finished 2-1 to Wigan. Lesson learned.

Clearly I needed another forward, so armed with just under 5m (club’s in debt, so I couldn’t keep all the Owen money) I went hunting. No time to wait for my scouts to report back, I packed light and went looking myself. Racking up air miles and scouring random clubs for promising forwards. And I think I found one in Poland: Lech’s Robert Lewandowski.

Quick screenshot (click to enlarge)…

Nothing mindblowing I know, but he’s only 20, and for a straight £1 million I like the cut of his jib. The Newcastle fans went wild when he signed and Lewandowski shirts apparently flew out of the club shop. Newcastle fans are an odd bunch. That late signing meant I could play two up front against Fulham (Martins was the only other available striker).

And it worked. A 2-0 win at home with Martins scoring both goals (including one dribble from the halfway line) and Lewandowski getting a respectable 7.3

So I’m currently sitting 8th after two games, which is pretty much what I promised Mike Ashley (who’s showing no signs of selling to a Saudi billionaire investmenet group, unfortunately).