An Exploration of the Wonders.

Hello and welcome to the Eredivise and PSV Eindhoven! First off I was not happy with my budgets – I’m expected to challenge for the title and was going to put it on Winners, but didn’t want to take that chance.

I decided to also obtain a team report so I could view the ratings for each player in each position for PSV – the resulting report showed that the defense definitely needs improving if we’re going to mount a serious challenge for the title and in Europe.

From this we can see I clearly need 1 or 2 CB’s to improve there and a new RB – the LB’s are fine, with both Pieters and Willems good enough to play there, especially with Willems potential. I will be looking to play AM’s on both wings and possibly through the centre because of the abilties of Winjadulum, Mertens, Lens & Narsingh and I’ll probably play 1 striker, so I’ll probably end up playing a 4-2-3-1.

Transfers

It was a very quiet summer at PSV as due to a lack of funds we made just 2 signings. First the players that went out – the biggest one was Zakaria Bakkali who joined Chelsea for £600k compensation, rising to £1.6m. A frustrating deal as he was one of my most promising youngsters and now he’s one of Chelsea’s most promising youngsters. Stef Nijland joined FC Eindhoven to gain some first-team football whilst Marcel Ritzmaier was surplus to requirements. In came….;

Walter Erviti, £600k, Boca Juniors

Orviti’s agent advertised his availability and I took a gamble and signed him for £600k – you can see he’s already worth £1.1m. He’s rated 3 1/2 stars so he currently is backup to van Bommel and Strootman, but his attacking play means he can come and breathe new life into a game, with good all-rounded stats.

Royston Drenthe, Free Agent

Drenthe was my second and final signing, as I brought the pacy winger back to his native country. The former Everton and Real Madrid player can play all the way down the left side of the pitch and his deadly acceleration and pace makes him a real asset to have.

Friendlies

It was a decent pre-season for PSV as they managed to win 2 and draw 1 of their 5 friendlies. They started off with a 2-0 and a 5-0 win, before going to the US and playing Houston – an abysmal performance saw them defeated 2-1. But they came back to Holland to face the German Giants Bayern and they did themselves, unluckily going down 4-3 before finishing the summer with a 2-2 draw.

Dutch Super Cup v Ajax

PSV had to win on penalties to claim their first trophy under myself as we came from behind to beat Ajax 3-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Ajax had the lead after just 8 minutes, Thulani Serero’s looping free kick from out wide somehow evading everyone and finding the back of the net. PSV though hit back, and 16 minutes later PSV captain Mark van Bommel picked the ball up at the edge of the area and curled in a sumptuous equaliser. Matavtz had a goal disallowed for offside in ET, but Kara missed Ajax’s final penalty and gave PSV the Dutch Super Cup.

August 2012

It was an appalling start to the season for PSV as at one point they sat bottom of the Eredivisie. They faced Vitesse at home on the opening day of the season, and watched Wilfried score 5 minutes from time to give Vitesse a 1-0 win, before a shocking performance saw PSV slip to a 3-0 away defeat at Roda JC. PSV managed to score their first league goal of the season as they faced NEC at home, Royston Drenthe scoring his first for the club, but NEC managed to grab a 1-1 draw in a game PSV should of easily won. Next up was Slovan Bratislava in the Europa League Playoff and Marcelo’s header from Drenthe’s corner on the hour was enough to give PSV the first leg win. PSV were then off on their travels again as they faced FC Zwolle and they needed a Mark van Bommel double to give them their first league win of the season – the second goal 3 minutes from time a 30-yard screamer. PSV ended rhe month in better fashion as they faced the second leg of their playoff v Bratislava, and Lens and Bouma’s freak goal gave PSV a 2-0 win and sent them into the EL Group Stages with a 3-0 aggregate win.

Europa League Group Stage Draw

PSV were shoved into Group F for the Europa League 2012/2013 with a tough draw – they will face Russian billionaires Anji, as well as Norwegian side Rosenborg and Ukranian side Dinamo in which could be three very tricky away days – although I expect us to progress through.

That’s it for the next post – the next one will document September to November, but let’s just hope I’m still manager and haven’t been sacked by then after this poor start. Here’s the league table so far;

Cheers,

Dan.