The Spurs Madrid El Clásico
Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 9:10PM For the fanboys.
Even in a computer game Tottenham Hotspur appear to retain that heart wrenching heart pulling heart beat skipping drama that the version in real life seem to own the copyright for. What am I mumbling about now? Sorry, should have introduced myself.
Hello, I'm Spooky. I'm a Football Manager addict.
And this is my personal all-time favourite heart in mouth epic from my current FM2011 save game. It's against Real Madrid. It's in the Champions League. First round knock-out. And the first leg is away.
Click on the images to expand and view the stats more clearly if FM porn turns you on.
1st leg - Bernabeu
Teams:
Inept display in the Bernabeu with just two shots on target and plenty of tippy-tappy possession that led to ineffectual movement in and around the box. Madrid, punishing and in control from start to finish, easily winning with a three goal margin thanks to decisive finishing. When they had a clear chance, they took it. Practically out of the competition at the final whistle, I'm sure most would agree.
2nd leg - White Hart Lane, N17
Teams:
If this was released on dvd, it wouldn't be. It wouldn't even be blu-ray. It could only be 3D. The most pulsating of games thanks mainly to my pre-match worries that concerned the question: What the heck can I do to win this game? Under the floodlights, at the Lane, fate made a very late appearance to turn the tie on it's head in a ridiculously impossible 'only Spurs' kinda way.
Allow me to explain chronologically:
Ronaldo gets sent off for petulance, early on in the 15th minute. Very nice of him to oblige. This inspired the team.
We proceed to absolutely batter them with possession play and shots on goal.
Aguero makes the break-through in the 33rd minute.
It's still 1-0 after 87 minutes. Even with over thirty efforts on goal, we simply cannot find a way through a resolute and battling Madrid side.
Magic by Neymar on the wing, crosses for Bale, who scores to make it 2-0 in the 88th minute. Too little too late?
Then masses of drama in injury time. Zapata is sent off for a second bookable offence about 15 yards outside the penalty area.
The resulting free-kick is floated into the box, where a Spurs player is pushed. Ref points to the spot. PENALTY!
The very definition of pressure. The Lane holds its breath.
Gourcuff steps up (having missed his three previous pens).
He scores, emphatically. 3-3, second minute of injury time. Believe!
Extra time.
Eleven men V nine men.
Time for a royal procession. van der Vaart corner from the left. Ledley header (109th minute) to make it 4-0.
van der Vaart corner from the right. Ledley header again (118th minute).
5-0. You hear that Franco? Your boys took one hell of a beating. 5-3 on agg.
I'm positively beaming at all the colourful on screen animated pixels and their almost better than life simulation of a football match (I did earlier cite the word 'addict').
Emotional glory. Madrid, ended. Thanks for watching.
Footnote: Went on to beat Leverkusen in the final, 4-1.
#2 International Break Diary II
Reader Comments (24)
Passes completed 87%? Fuck me, you got Pep Guardiola helping you out there?
Fantastic.
I drew them in the group stage on my current save (transfer window update) and lost 4-1 at the Bernabeu before beating them 3-2 to take top spot, thank you very much. Knocked out in the semis by Sevilla, who lost in the final to... Madrid. Couldn't make it up.
On a similar note, where'd you get the skins from Spooks?
That's just brought home how emotional this is going to be. Shit.
Just explained all this blog to my girlfriend....she has no idea what planet we live on but who cares?! That was genius.
Ledley is gonna make this dream happen mate.
Liam - the skin is 'Galaxy', got it from SI forums I think. Along with a 'backgrounds' pack.
I tend to be very anal (ooh) with this game in terms of being incapable of playing it until I've sorted out the 'fake' file to correct competition names and fix the license issues with a couple of national teams, download cut out faces of all players, badges, kits, logos...the lot.
It's an illness.
Pleeease focus on Wigan....! I need more othe this next season. Wigan. Away. Focus.
I have to say that this is usually of my two favourite blogs. However this time................. You've excelled yourself.
Brilliant stuff. Loved it.
I remember 01/02. God, we were bad on that. Was actually celebrating with Ledders when he nodded the 4th. To downward header is to do
Ah the old far post corner tactic....never fails!
That was really good. As I tell my wife, I can dream about it, can't I?
What add on allows there to be a crowd? always bugged me the empty green space. Cheers
Interesting...I take it you're a few seasons in? A front line of Aguero, Neymar and Suarez, apart from being the 'tiny threesome', would cost more than a pretty penny to assemble, and I imagine Levy, even virtual Levy, didn't look too kindly on spending all that dosh in season one. That and is it just me, or is that middle three simultaneously the most terrifying and yet the most harmless midfield in world football? Van Der Man, Gourcuff and Pastore....I generally prefer a holding chap behind the two central midfielders myself. Sandro, in fact. With Modders as a central supporting midfielder and VdV as the advanced playmaker alongside him. Bale's been switched to AML, Coentrao's been shoe-horned into the left-back position, Alexis Sanchez cuts in from the AMR, acting as an inside forward, and funnily enough, Christian Benitez does the business as a lone centre forward for me quite well. Central defence Daws and Otamendi, since I usually set quite a high line, right-back Darijo Srna, goalie Akinfeev. Third season now, finished third in my first and third in my second. Had quite a few memorable European moments as well, though nothing like the epic win a 5-0 victory over Madrid would entail.;)
Personaly I would have gone with more width (ooh eh) than a 4-3-3. Get players in behind Ozil and C.Ron but what do I know of all this fancy European football...
....I got Oldham promoted though!
There is no porn quite like FM porn.
Dunzo - add on? There's no add on for crowds, its in your prefs within FM. You can add the level of detail you want.
DubaiSpur - it's a few season in and thanks to the early revisions of the game, it was quite easy to sign top drawer players on the cheap (blame SI for that). Also, amazingly, the line-ups from these games are hardly my strongest as Modric is essential to the team (even if he's now in his 30s). I actually sold Sandro for £20M (and one or two others) hence the reason why Levy allowed me to splash money around like coke at a Scarface party.
Happy days.
This game is almost as epic as the 2 hour battle with the Spurs ticketing system i just encountered.
I, unlike Spooky won 6-0.
:)
we lost the battle for a ticket even having 3 of us all trying phone & internet. Its a fucking shit system. couldnt even get through on the phone into a queue.
If anyone wants to sell a ticket ill pay 200 - email yidual at yahoo co uk
only chance of you idiots seeing Spurs win the league is playing a computer game - LOL
Yidal, the problem is that now they are ticketless (90% anyway) selling a ticket just isnt like it used to be.
You need to hand over your membership card to get someone else in, rather than an actual single game ticket.
I hate the system the most because i like to keep match tickets, especially memorable games (Wigan 9-1, Arse 5-1 etc)
They should sell the tickets at the ground like the "Good Old Days", nothing better than getting a day off work to go down the Lane for a chat and some banter while waiting for a ticket.
PLN - you serious?!
Anyway chaps, this is one of the reasons we need a new stadium so to all those who oppose a move (which is the only option), I hope you're not moaning that you missed out on a ticket.
Saggyface, way to hide behind a funny user id. Big balls.
Appreciate you need to "borrow" someones membership card but its not too difficult.
Thing is I pay extra to get tickets a day early and then for the CL fixture they put it out same day as lillywhites. It is what it is and Id still rather stay at WHL : )
@spooky
I remember when you tweeted about this result...didnt really doubt you but much kudos for the hammering you gave them. This post is your 'proof' in spades!
Did you use the editor to 'maximise the potential of the game!'
Cheers