Part 111: Chapter the Eighth: There's always someone better.
Chapter the Eighth: There's always someone better.February 15, 2021-March 17, 2021
The closer we get to the end of the season, the more each game means. Or at least it seems that way, even if a point at the start of a season means as much as one at the end of the season. Chelsea sit ten points behind us with ten matches to play, but also have a game in hand. If they win and we stumble the race for fourth place could come down to the home stretch.
It seems like Sky Sports has finally remembered that we're in the Premier League. Why else wouldn't they be covering the best story in English football this year?
That's a misleading headline, especially from a journalist who's got a “friendly and good-humored” personality. But yes, I am trying to keep the team focused by talking about the dangers of complacency.
He's going to get the start against Tottenham despite not being fully fit. Loaned players cannot play against their parent clubs in the Premier League, meaning he's ineligible for the midweek matchup against Manchester United.
vs. Tottenham Hotspur, February 21, 2021
Premier League
Spurs sit eleven points back of fourth place Manchester City, making their Champion League dreams just that and nothing more. They do have the third best defense in the Premier League, allowing only 24 goals in 26 games, but their offense is anemic and they have a mediocre +3 goal differential. If we can score twice, we are going to win.
Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: Kovacevic, Cirjak, Boumsong (c), Todd, Mejasic, Morvan, Petts, Matko, Shirra, Mujkic, Bastable.
Subs: Novotny, Dos Santos, Feruga, Mair, Bailey, Nieddu, Di Martino.
The Spurs score more than 20% of their goals from set pieces, and they increase that percentage in this match when they score off a corner kick at 16 minutes. During the pre-game team talk I finally seemed to get through to Bastable, and he responds to my urging verbiage by pulling us level in the 38th minute by volleying in a Shirra pass after our pressure won us the ball in a dangerous area from Tottenham's otherwise impervious defense. That defense does an excellent job denying us space to work in throughout the game, and as we wend towards the end I order up the 4-4-2 Diamond in an effort to expand the field. The only beneficiary of the change is Tottenham, who watch a long range shot clip the crossbar. I said that if we got two goals we'd win. I was right, but we didn't get the second goal.
Man of the Match: Scott Shirra
Wrexham 1-1 Tottenham
Either the game is trying to irk me by downplaying our success, or it just hasn't started thinking about the teams who'll earn European qualification with nearly three months left in the season.
Aww, we can start a mutual admiration society. While trying to top Jose Mourinho when it comes to mind-games is certainly more fun, good relationships with other coaches makes them more likely to accept your transfer offers and less likely to haggle with you over the price.
The journalist isn't wrong when they say we're a quick team, only three players have Pace less than 13. Two of them are our goalkeepers and the third is Bailey. 70% of the team has at least Pace 15 and Acceleration to match.
At Manchester United, February 24, 2021
Premier League
Any result would be huge here, Manchester United is the class of not just England but the entire world. Keeping our unbeaten run going, and taking four of six possible points from Man U, would announce to the whole world what we're building. The only major shuffle is Nieddu playing attacking midfielder and moving Shirra back to our deep-lying playmaker position. I want both Nieddu and Shirra in the game, and Shirra is not the defensive liability that Nieddu is.
Starting Formation: 4-4-1-1 Counter
Starting 11: Kovacevic, Cirjak, Lewis, Todd, Mejasic, Djurovic, Mair, Shirra, Mujkic (c), Nieddu, Bastable.
Subs: Novotny, Dos Santos, Feruga, Morvan, Petts, Matko, Aarts.
United treat us like we treat bottom-half of the table teams, and it's no surprise when wonderkid Shahed Parr puts them on top after 20 minutes. We almost equalize seconds before the half, but United are able to scramble it away and take a well deserved lead into the locker room. I've been modifying specific instructions all game, and after the initial barrage we've been able to retain our shape and create some pressure of our own against United. It all pays off when Bastable, who I'd pulled aside at the end of the first half and told to prove himself to the world, leaps high above everyone else and redirects a Petts corner kick into the net at the near post as the visiting fans roar in jubilation.
The elation is stifled as quickly as it sprung up, Manchester United put us in our place with two goals in the five minutes after we drew even. They don't slack off even after gaining a two goal lead, hounding us until the final whistle. Our unbeaten streak is over, and there's at least one team in the world that can still make us look like upjumped upstarts.
Man United 3-1 Wrexham
Monaco are the type of club that could afford the gigantic slab of flesh I'm going to extract if we have to sell Bastable. They're owned by a Russian kleptocrat who in real life splashed £52m on star striker Falcao last summer. Their 2020/2021 wages are £109m, and they've spent £76m on transfers this season.
We'll see if anyone picks him up at the end of the season, there's a chance no one will want him. He's been with the club eight years, and is the second most beloved person in club history after yours truly.
Within minutes of my conversation with Bailey, his agent has gotten him an offer from a Scottish second division side. I guess he really will be leaving.
Who cares about yanking some mediocre coaches chain, we're losing Bailey!
Huh. That's surprising. I wonder how much he wants, it can't be that much more than his current £2,200/week. No other teams are currently interested in him, I'm not so quietly hoping that it stays that way.
vs. Everton, February 28, 2021
Premier League
Everton are good, but they're not as good as we are. I want to see us bounce back from that Manchester United loss, and the best way to do that is to try and impose our will upon the visitors from Merseyside. It's imperative that we get back to our winning ways as Chelsea has cut our lead to four points, and the top three are pulling away from us with Arsenal eight points ahead and Man City a point up with two games in hand.
Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: Kovacevic, Cirjak, Boumsong (c), Todd, Mejasic, Mair, Petts, Nieddu, Shirra, Mujkic, Bastable.
Subs: Novotny, Dos Santos, Feruga, Morvan, Djurovic, Matko, Di Martino.
Everton's defense is stout as expected early on, but we're forcing them to play our game and they haven't looked remotely threatening yet in the early going. We break through in the 20th minute on a Shirrasational Nieddu-Shirra hookup. Who says Nieddu can't cross the ball? Everton get a chance to respond with a header at the far post late in the first half, but it hits the crossbar and goes over. Nieddu responds to the threat by tacking on a goal seconds before the whistle to give us a comfortable lead.
The man from Cagliari cannot be stopped, and adds another goal right after play resumes. No one on Everton seems capable of containing him. Not long thereafter I pull a dinged up Mair to protect him from further injury and because he'd picked up a yellow card and his replacement Morvan scores his first ever goal to run us out to a 4-0 lead. Everton do manager a consolation goal in 81st minute, but we have the final word in stoppage time when a Mujkic free kick hit the crossbar and pops straight into the air. Todd is the only player who wasn't caught ball watching, and his industriousness earns him a finish that couldn't be easier.
Man of the Match: Dimitri Nieddu
Wrexham 5-1 Everton
This was exactly the response I wanted after the Manchester loss. The boys kicked seven kinds of ass out there, and they did it by converting half chances against a defense that had previously surrendered a measley 24 goals in 28 games.
Hey, Frosty, how's your wife and my kids?
Now we can fall as far as 6th without missing out on European football next year. We've got a thirteen point lead over 7th position Everton with nine matches remaining, it's safe to say the real question is whether we stay in the top four.
Todd has developed into the very good centerback he always showed flashes of becoming. He's played well in every match since New Years, and over the full season has a solid claim to being our best defensive player.
The Concupiscent Cagliaritani has been named to six teams of the week, and has an outside chance of making the Premier League team of the year. Milan made a mistake when they let him walk.
Inter heard my plaintive squawks about Liad Eliav. They want to know if I'll relocate to Milan and mold him into a superstar. No, thank you. It's nice that I'm starting to be noticed by top flight teams, though.
vs. Norwich City, March 7, 2021
FA Cup, Sixth Round
Arsenal and Manchester United have already won their matches, Nottingham Forest and Liverpool will kick off when our game ends. I know I can't overlook Norwich, but I'm already crossing my fingers for luck in the next draw. Playing Liverpool under the Wembley lights is a whole different beast than facing either last year's Champion's League titlists or last year's Champion's League semifinalists.
Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: Kovacevic, Cirjak, Boumsong (c), Todd, Mejasic, Mair, Petts, Nieddu, Shirra, Mujkic, Bastable.
Subs: Novotny, Dos Santos, Feruga, Morvan, Djurovic, Matko, Di Martino.
The Inimitable Italian doesn't make the home fans wait long, putting it into the back of the net less than five minutes after kickoff. The Bastard and Todd add goals of their own to make it 3-0, but Norwich hit us on the break to pull one back before the interval. I use that Norwich goal to push the team, reminding them that the game is only half over. Bastable decides it's time to get the fat lady ready to come on less than two minutes after the second half kickoff, and Shirra introduces her to the despondent Norwich fans shortly after an hour had passed. I'm proud of the team for the way that they played the second half, they never let up and Norwich were completely incapable of dealing with it. It's our second straight 5-1 victory, and even Bastable is in high spirits after the match.
Man of the Match: The Sardinian Stunner, Dimitri Nieddu
Wrexham 5-1 Norwich
They ought to be jubilant, they just watched a game where the ball spent less than three minutes in the Wrexham third.
Five years ago that would be a huge sum, now it's enough to pay Kovacevic for seven weeks.
Shirra is becoming a fixture on the Scottish team, with eight appearances already. Mair hasn't been capped yet, but I believe he deserves the call and am pulling for him to get onto the team. I'm doing so even though his salary will increase when he earns his first cap.
Yes! We got the draw we wanted, against the worst side remaining. We're going to be favorites to make the final. We're also rank outsiders compared to the remaining giants. Liverpool, Manchester United, and Arsenal have won thirty FA Cups between them. We've never made it to the semi-finals until now.
At Southampton, March 13, 2021
Premier League
Nice work, Sky Shadowing, you've clawed your way out of the basement and are clear of relegation based upon goal differential. I'm sorry that I'm fixing to put my boot on your neck. We need these three points just as much as you do. I'm sure you understand that this is business, not personal.
Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: Kovacevic, Cirjak, Boumsong (c), Todd, Mejasic, Morvan, Djurovic, Nieddu, Shirra, Mujkic, Bastable.
Subs: Novotny, Dos Santos, Lewis, Mair, Petts, Matko, Di Martino.
The Saints catch us entirely off guard in the first minute, but thankfully the linesman was paying attention and the flag is up before the shot hits the back of the net. In short order normality is restored, but our finishing is poor with Nieddu making nothing out of both one on ones he had with the keeper. We keep plugging away, and with so many chances surely a shot will eventually fall. It's one from Bastable that rewards my confidence in the 65th minute, and it was a goal that had been coming all day. Nieddu finally finds his range in the 77th minute to put the game away, and both our goals were assisted by Shirra. Southampton had one shot off after halftime, and never threatened after the first minute offside call. They remain out of the relegation zone and actually extend their goal differential lead over West Ham, who were mudholed by Liverpool.
Man of the Match: Scott Shirra.
Southampton 0-2 Wrexham
We've been fortunate to avoid many major injuries since the season got underway in earnest. Todd missing two weeks isn't ideal, but we only have one game in that period of time.
It's going to get moved again, we have eight international call-ups on that date.
Those call-ups include Mujkic and Bastable, who are back on the Australian national team.
See? I didn't even need to ask. This does make the start of April a busy stretch, but none of our opponents offer especially imposing challenges.
We have a poor youth recruitment class, though the youth system as a whole is still well stocked. I've also decided to save our cash to upgrade the first team over the summer window rather than spend money on youth prospects. We're going to need a much deeper squad when we add between six and thirteen European competition matches to our schedule for next year. I have no doubt that we're going to Europe, we're fifteen points ahead of Tottenham for sixth place and if we beat Liverpool at Wembley we're guaranteed Europa League qualification for making the FA Cup final.
We've reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the first time in Wrexham history. We've set a new points record for the club in the Premier League with eight matches left to play. We're contending for a Champion's League berth and the second most prestigious award in English soccer. Manchester United may have shown us how far we still have to go, but when we look back it's impossible to deny how far we've already come.
