Great update Neal!

NVDTahir: Thanks mate, glad you enjoyed it

SOCIEDAD 4-1 OSASUNA (LA LIGA)
GRANERO, DE LA BELLA, VELA (x2)
VELA

ELFSBORG 0-1 SOCIEDAD (EUROPA LEAGUE)
C. MARTINEZ
ANNAN
C. MARTINEZ

R MADRID 3-1 SOCIEDAD (LA LIGA)
VELA
RONALDO

SOCIEDAD 3-1 CELTA (LA LIGA)
SEFEROVIC (x2), GAZTANAGA
SEFEROVIC

SOCIEDAD 3-2 DYNAMO KYIV (EUROPA LEAGUE)
SEFEROVIC (x2), GAZTANAGA
SEFEROVIC

A lot of people believed that Real Sociedad's bright start to the season was a fluke, and that it would die down quickly. However, it was yet another solid month for the San Sebastian side as young American manager Neal Hasan led the club to four wins in five matches, losing only to Real Madrid.

Los Txuri-Urdin turned on the style with their 4-1 win over Osasuna. However, they had to turn to a more defensive game against Elfsborg after Anthony Annan's early red card, getting all three points only thanks to a 30 yard screamer from Carlos Martinez in the late stages of the match.

The loss to Real Madrid was only Sociedad's second of the La Liga BBVA season, and for much of the match Hasan's men parked the bus with some success. However, the blistering pace of Ronaldo and Bale ultimately won the day for Los Galacticos, with Madrid getting 61% of possession and a total 35 shots.

The final two games of the month were the Seferovic and Gaztanaga show. In each game, the big Swiss striker scored a brace before the young Spanish center back scored a late header from a corner kick to seal the result. Antoine Griezmann was also a standout in the performances, supplying 6 assists all month. He put on a breathtaking display especially against Dynamo Kyiv, where the French winger assisted all of Sociedad's goals.

There was a bit gloom at Anoeta, though, thanks to some big injury news. Gonzalo Castro went down in the first game of the month with strained knee ligaments in his right knee and was ruled out for the next two months. With he and Prieto injured for some time, Carlos Vela and Antoine Griezmann are the only first team wingers left. Ruben Pardo also picked up a 3 week ankle injury on Spain U21's duty.

After yet another successful month, Sociedad remain high in the Spanish league standings, sitting pretty in 3rd place and hanging tight with the big guns of Barcelona and Real Madrid. In the Europa League, things look even brighter as Los Txuri-Urdin have qualified for the knockout stage and clinched 1st place with a game to spare. If the team continues in this vein all season, Sociedad fans may just have a lot to celebrate come season's end...


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Wow, great month, you were bound to lose to Real Madrid, still going strongly in the league 5/5 wins in the EL :o

Apart from the Real game, that is an amazing month!

LFC: Yeah, we've done really well results wise in the Europa League, perhaps a European cup run is on the cards

Josh_MU: And we were expected to lose to them anyway, so I'm really happy with another excellent month

It's been one crazy start to the season for Real Sociedad. With previously untested American manager Neal Hasan taking charge at the beginning of the season, many fans were worried about their team's chances. However, Hasan has proven all of his detractors wrong thus far, and Los Txuri-Urdin sit third place in La Liga and have won all five of their Europa League games.

When he first signed on as the manager of the San Sebastian based club, Hasan was given a one year, €15,000 per week contract to ensure that the risk was minimal. However, now that the 28 year old has proven his worth, club chairman Jokin Aperribay has given Hasan a new contract.

The exuberant, youthful coach has signed on with Sociedad until 2016 with wages of now €35,000 per week. "We are keen to keep Neal here as long as we can," said Aperribay at a press conference. "He has delivered the results he'd promised, and we want to ensure he feels secure in his job in order to continue to provide these results."

Hasan himself was also pleased with the new deal: "Every day I spend managing this club is a dream for me. For a long time I have dreamt of testing myself at the highest stage, and here I am. I am so glad to sign on until 2016, I hope to enjoy a very successful few years here."

Even with the new deal, however, there is no room for complacency for Hasan and his team. Next month, the team has a number of relatively easy fixtures, and should they be able to grab a few more wins, they could find themselves putting quite a bit of pressure on Barcelona and Real Madrid.

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Great write-up and congrats on the new contract!
It's great to get your future settled, hopefully you can lead Sociedad to plenty of success in this time

pompeyblue: Thanks bud, I'm glad that I'm now tied down to a longer term deal!

ESPANYOL 1-2 SOCIEDAD (LA LIGA)
SEFEROVIC, CANALES
CANALES
VELA (ankle) - 4 weeks

ALCOYANO 1-4 SOCIEDAD (COPA DEL REY)
AGIRRETXE (x2), CAPILLA, CANALES
CAPILLA
GRIEZMANN (head) - 1 week

RB SALZBURG 2-2 SOCIEDAD (EUROPA LEAGUE)
C. MARTINEZ, CANALES
C. MARTINEZ

SOCIEDAD 4-2 BETIS (LA LIGA)
GRANERO, GRIEZMANN, CANALES, GAZTANAGA
CANALES

SOCIEDAD 5-2 (9-3 agg) ALCOYANO (COPA DEL REY)
AGIRRETXE (x2), SEFEROVIC, GRANERO (x2)
C. MARTINEZ
GRANERO

GRANADA 2-3 SOCIEDAD (LA LIGA)
GRIEZMANN (x3)
GRIEZMANN

Fresh off of signing a new contract with the club, Neal Hasan has continued to lead Real Sociedad with aplomb, extending their La Liga win streak to 4 games, unbeaten in 8 games straight in all competitions.

The San Sebastian side ensured their progress to the next round of the Copa Del Rey with a convincing 9-3 aggregate win over Alcoyano. Due to Antoine Griezmann and Carlos Vela picking up minor injuries in the first few games of the month, Los Txuri-Urdin were left with 0 first team wingers, resulting in the call up of Eneko Capilla from the U21 team. Capilla did not disappoint, scoring and assisting twice in his first ever competitive match.

Sergio Canales was the standout performer of the month, though. The 23 year old attacking midfielder scored 4 goals and added 4 assists, scoring in each of the first 4 matches of the month. The youngster had seemingly lost a lot of potential at Real Madrid but is now showing why he was once considered one of Spain's very brightest young talents.

Imanol Agirretxe also found a bit of form, scoring his first goals since opening day of La Liga. The big target-man style striker scored twice in each Copa del Rey clash with Alcoyano, perhaps staking a claim in the starting lineup against in-form Swiss striker Haris Seferovic.

The month finished with an individual performance to treasure; Antoine Griezmann demolished Granada all on his own, scoring a hattrick in 3 minutes. That's right. The talented winger scored in the 41st, 43rd, and 44th minutes to sink Granada in a burst of goals before halftime.

After this incredible month, Real Sociedad finish the calender year on top of La Liga by 2 points over heavy favorites Barcelona and a full 6 over Real Madrid. Los Txuri-Urdin also easily won their Europa League group and will take on Danish side AaB in the First Knockout Round. It was a hell of an end to 2013 for La Real, and everyone is asking the question: will this form continue in 2014?


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What a month!

Amazing month Neal :o

Stop cheating Neal, ffs.

Jonte-23: Yes, another great set of results!

Josh_MU: Thanks, I'm quite pleased as well

Arvind: I don't cheat

Fantastic month. Especially since you know sit on top of the table!