Part 176: Chapter the Tenth: Counterrevolution.

Chapter the Tenth: Counterrevolution.
April 20, 2025-May 20, 2025

It all comes down to this month. We've got Chelsea three times in three weeks, and we're hoping for a late season swoon by those megabastards at Manchester United. If all goes well, we've got a double. If we fail, we take no prizes, no honors, no glory.



Paul McStay sighting!



Every time I read something about Newcastle it's talking about there perilous finances. They really need one of these takeovers to succeed. Especially seeing as they're very likely to be relegated.



City are in 5th place, three points back of Chelsea with five games remaining. It might be the end of the road for Pattison.



: “Pressure? There is no pressure. Bird Flu is pressure. No, you laugh, but I am being serious. I am more worried about the swan then I am about football.”

At Chelsea, April 22, 2025
Champions League, Semifinal Round Away Leg


Let's get an away goal to set the stage for next week.

Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Counter
Starting 11: Kovacevic, Reed, Quiboulaz, Laux, Loseille, Ünsal, Shirra, Taborda, Stringel, Mujkic (c), Thiago.
Subs: Kocsis, Cirjak, Hammatt, Bailey, Allan, Collett, Aarts.

Rodrigo Taborda is taken out by left back Aaron Williams in the 16th minute with a bone crunching tackle that doesn't even earn a card. We can't get anything going in the first half, tallying just a lonely shot off target. The second half is better, but we're denied a 50/50 penalty shout when Aaron Williams once again tackles one of our players, he's lucky to not have gotten his second yellow card or given up the penalty. In the end we are unable to catch them on the counter, and Chelsea can't get their shots on target. We come away with a draw, and now just need a victory at the Racecourse Grounds to book a return to the Champions League final.

Man of the Match: Steve Reed




Chelsea 0-0 Wrexham



: “The circumstances are difficult for us with the new football rules that we have to face. It is not possible to have a penalty against Manchester United and it is not possible to have penalties in favor of Chelsea. It is not a conspiracy, it is fact. I speak facts. If not, I need big glasses.”



We've got a whole bunch of players who are right on the edge of a suspension in the Champions League. It's going to make the second leg a cagey thing as if they get another yellow they'll miss the final.



Right, now I remember why Collett is on the roster.



Which is a shame, because Taborda's been legitimately great in the Champions League this season.



By this point in most prior FM games I've been suspended multiple games for criticizing the refs. But for a long while all the penalties that were given against us were egregiously wrong and they couldn't punish me for them, and then for just as long a period of time we were the ones always getting questionable PKs.



U wot m8?



At least this tournament isn't until August. The U20 World Cup is held every two years, I'm assuming to allow young players eligibility for at least one before they get too old. I for one am looking forward to a Uruguayan vacation.




By the end of the season we're going to either fight or fuck.



Neat! I don't know if it actually has any effect on the players other than more time on the field, but I like inculcating a sense of victory at a young age.

At Stoke City, April 26, 2025
Premier League


Stoke drew with us when they played in Wales before Christmas. They're the class of the non-megabastard bracket and one of six teams that have scored more than they've allowed. As United have gotten back to their high flying ways, tallying nine goals in their last two league matches, I'll settle for just a win here rather than a quixotic push to catch up on goal differential.

Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: Kovacevic, Cirjak, Quiboulaz, Laux, Loseille, Shirra, Ünsal, Reed, Stringel, Mujkic (c), Thiago.
Subs: Kocsis, Taffarel, Hammatt, Bailey, Petts, Collett, Aarts.

Thiago had been in a bit of a rut, not scoring in our last three matches. That won't be a problem this time, the Thiago/Mujkic mind meld is in full effect on a corner in the 11th minute. Stoke aren't just going to take a beating, though, and pull back to even when their striker leaves Laux in the dust and chips Kovacevic. The second half is an entirely different affair. Stoke are suddenly punchless, while we just can't find the go-ahead goal. Finally, after missing two prior clear cut chances, Thiago scores again. Not for the first time this season he puts in his own rebound, and his phenomenal work rate pays dividends once more. The win keeps our season alive, but it's on life support now that United is back to scoring goals by the half dozen.

Man of the Match: Thiago




Stoke 1-2 Wrexham



Thiago Santoro is his full name, by the way. But he doesn't need anything other than his first name for people to recognize him.



Shouldn't I have had a say in this? Because I would have said Peňarol or bust.

vs Chelsea, April 30, 2025
Champions League, Semifinal Round Home Leg


There was no pre-match press conference. Or if there was, the staff and players didn't let me know about it. So there was no chance for last minute mind games with my counterpart. This is going to come down to one thing, our possession game against their defense.

Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: Kovacevic, Cirjak, Hammatt, Quiboulaz, Taffarel, Bailey, Ünsal, Collett, Stringel, Mujkic (c), Thiago.
Subs: Kocsis, Loseille, Reed, Laux, Petts, Allan, Aarts.

Chelsea have a chance to put a dagger in our hearts. They miss. We have a chance to do likewise. We miss. It's like we're low level D&D characters in plate armor, unable to roll 20's. A phantom foul calls back a Cirjak goal, he's claimed to have pushed another player when there wasn't anyone within five yards of him for 10 seconds prior to his shot.

The second half is a blur. We create chance after chance, but just can't find the net. Then, in stoppage time, Mujkic finds Thiago and we're going to the finals! Except, no, wait... Thiago was said to be offside. Except replays show that he's exactly level with the ball when it leave's Meteor's foot. It's the second screwjob of the day by the Zebra's in Chelsea's pay. The ref grades out to a 5.2 rating, but I'm sure he's appreciating the money that Chelsea's megabucks owners are putting in his pocket.

Richard Petts has a chance to win the match for us, but his shot goes off the bar right after extra time opens. Extra time is a grindingly negative affair, every time our movement starts to cause trouble, Chelsea hacks down our player. It gets one of them sent off in extra time, but they make it to the penalty shootout and it's now left for chance. Can you stand the tension of watching the penalty kicks?

Man of the Match: Jonathan Quiboulaz




Wrexham (0) 0-0 (0) p Chelsea



I'm not the one who needed a crooked ref to win a match!



For once it's not some United player.



I cannot enjoy this if we don't win the title.



At least we're not Newcastle. If they were in dire financial straits before, they're going to be epically boned without the EPL television money.

At Swansea, May 3, 2025
Premier League, Welsh Derby


I wouldn't want to be you, Swansea. We want to rip and tear into an opponent after that last match. United have already won, we need a victory to keep pace with them.

Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: Kovacevic, Reed, Quiboulaz, Laux, Loseille, Shirra, Ünsal, Collett, Stringel, Mujkic (c), Thiago.
Subs: Kocsis, Cirjak, O'Hanlon, Bailey, Allan, De Blasio, Aarts.

Well, my pre-game threats didn't bother them. They're kicking our ass, up two-nil after we give up goals late in the first half. With 30 minutes left things are looking dire, and I bring on Allan and Aarts for the stifled Thiago and Stringel. Aarts gets us within a shout soon after, but it's not enough. Swansea were clinical in their chances and we weren't. Someone drag our body to Miracle Max, we need something special to happen.




Swansea 2-1 Wrexham



A miracle here would be nice, Sky Shadowing.



Ok, I can work with that. If we beat Chelsea and City, and Swansea upset United the way they did us, we could still pull this off.




Premier League franchises, get em while they're fresh and not mathematically consigned to relegation.



There's two matches left and the season's on the line, Shirra. You're going to have to gut it out.



Damn straight, Captain.



You can hear my teeth grinding from London.




Kid, not only are you a mediocre player, but you have a terrible sense of timing. Don't worry, I was planning on selling you anyways.

vs Chelsea, May 11, 2025
Premier League


I despise you, Santos. I've turned tackling up to hard. You may be going to the Champions League final, but your players won't be in shape to get you past Dortmund. Even better, a win will consign Chelsea to fifth place, meaning that if they don't win the Champions League they're out of the big time and can go enjoy facing off against the giants of Moldovan football.

Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: Kovacevic, Reed, Quiboulaz, Laux, Taffarel, Bailey, Ünsal, Parr, Shirra, Mujkic (c), Thiago.
Subs: Kocsis, Loseille, Hammatt, Allan, Stringel, Collett, Aarts.

Thiago scores on his first shot. We give it back ten minutes later. We're the better team for the next hour, but it's getting late and I'm starting to think we're not going to pull it off when Thiago scores the goal that keeps our hopes alive. It's his 40th of the year. We're only mostly dead.

Man of the Match: Thiago




Wrexham 2-1 Chelsea



Good effort, Golden Boy. We'll carry you across the finish line.



You too, Bailey.



Excellent! Caccia, Chelsea's all-world left winger, was able to grit his way through the whole match, but his knee swelled up like a bowling ball overnight and there's no way he can play in the final.



If he somehow bags five goals in the final match he'll have the real record. 27 is still a wildly impressive feat.



I wonder if Loseille will turn his nose up at this tutor.



: Och, go learn from the Aussie. See if I care.



Attaboy, Johnny.



Taborda is healthy just in time. Parr and Collett have each been colder than a Minnesota January. Even at only 90% Taborda will be an improvement.

At Manchester City, May 18, 2025
Premier League


City have nothing to play for. They're locked into fourth place. Is it really worth playing hard when losing could screw over your archrivals? Think about it, Pattison. If United lose or are held to a draw, and we beat you, then United lose the title.



I'm glad you see things my way.

Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: Kovacevic, Reed, Quiboulaz, Laux, Loseille, Allan, Ünsal, Taborda, Stringel, Mujkic (c), Thiago.
Subs: Kocsis, Cirjak, Hammatt, Petts, Collett, Parr, Aarts.

It's 31 seconds into the match and Thiago has put us atop the table. Someday keepers will learn not to place the ball for a kick when he's anywhere within 10 yards of them, but that day is not today. Short minutes later Swansea takes the lead over Manchester United. If the season could end right now I'd be in heaven. When we get to halftime and the scores remain the same, I openly ponder calling in a Premier League wide bomb threat.

United tie it up in Southern Wales five minutes into the second half, and we're clinging to first by a one goal margin. The clock keeps ticking. And ticking. And ticking. Until there's only 10 minutes left in the season. At this point Stringel has come off and Allan has moved up in his place, and Laux has become a midfield destroyer. Hammatt's fresh legs patrol the back, and I'm hoping that City remain as uninterested in attacking as they have been all day. They don't, tying the match in the 82nd minute with a goal that was a mile offside. Even so, it's our own fault that we coughed up the lead in the final minutes. United tried to give us our third title, and we spurned the opportunity.




Man City 1-1 Wrexham







This has been hands down the most frustrating season I've ever played. By all rights this is not only the best Wrexham team I've ever assembled, but the best team I've ever had. We set club records in goals scored (101) and goals conceded (27). Thiago won the Golden Boot by 10 goals, and Mujkic had the best average rating in the entire league. We had a goal differential of +74, fourteen better than last year and better than any EPL club real or simulated of years past.

So to be fighting for our life for what seemed like over half the season against a Manchester United team that blitzed the league, scoring 16 more goals than any EPL side ever before, and which just would not lose for literally months before getting a faint glimmer of hope right at the end, only to screw ourselves out of the title in the final eight minutes of the season... And that's not even getting into the FA Cup draw which sent us into Manchester, the one place where the odds were stacked against us... Or the Champions League semifinal, where we couldn't score a goddamned goal for 210 minutes because Bruno Santos surrounded the goal in Kryptonite... Or that on top of everything else we were screwed in two competitions by the goddamned referees who were suddenly suspiciously unaware of how to properly apply the offside rule...

I am wroth, and there will be changes.