Final Transfer Deals

IN
£3.3m Matteo Darmian (Torino)
£2.5m Thiago Motta (PSG)
£2.4m Giuseppe Bellusci (Catania)
£0 Tom Ince (Free)
£0 Ashley Cole (Free)
Loan Simone Padoin (Juventus)
Loan Daniele Bonera (AC Milan)

OUT
£2.3m Ederson (Napoli)
Loan Ogenyi Onazi (Benfica)

As well as the previous deals I announced earlier in the month, I managed to bring in two more signings on Transfer Deadline Day. Italian centre back Daniele Bonera joins on a season long loan from AC Milan with the option to sign permanently at any time for £400k, but I highly doubt I will exercise this option. Bonera is 32 and highly injury prone. He isn't rated to highly but he is ideal cover and after a run of games, could potentially be a starter should he discover his run of form from his early days at Milan before he was predominately a bench player or in the physio room.

Ashley Cole also joins after significantly lowering his wage demands. After previously wanting £105,000 p/w, he has agreed a £65,000 a week contract for two years. I feel Cole's experience and consistency will prove a great asset on my now all-English left wing.

August Results


Chievo 2 Lazio 3
Ince (17)
Candreva (21)
Guana (57)
Motta (62)
Radu (79, OG)

In the opening game of the season, my boys surprised me with how quickly they adapted to the style I want them to play. We came flying out of the blocks and tested the Chievo goalkeeper Puggioni with some long range shots. In the 17th minute Ince was played in on the left by Lulic and hit a shot across the 'keeper to open the scoring. Four minutes later, Klose played a clever reverse ball around the last man and Candreva was sent through to bury the ball for 2-0.

Chievo responded in the 2nd half through Roberto Guana, but Thiago Motta hit the third goal after Candreva forced a good save from a one on one with Puggioni. Motta managed to slot home from a difficult angle after the 'keeper had palmed the ball into his path. In the 79th minute Stefan Radu was unlucky to put the ball into his own net but it was not a nervous last 10 minutes. We kept possession and even probed for a killing goal. A successful game first game overall.


Lazio 4 Sampdoria 2
Candreva (1, 2)
Gabbiadini (11, 85)
Darmian (50)
Klose (53)

Another solid victory that was only let down by sloppy goals conceded. Antonio Candreva was on a one man mission as he scored two identical goals in the the first two minutes. Both goals were dribbles to the right of the 18 yard box and both strikes were rockets into the far corner. Young Italian striker Gabbiadini pulled one back with a smart finish and the game was even until the half time whistle.

Matteo Darmian darted in from the right wing in the 50th minute and buried a low shot into the bottom corner. We were having all our success from the right wing, so unsurprisingly it was Candreva who drilled a ball into the box for Klose to tap in to make it 4-1. A lapse in concentration allowed Gabbiadini to sweep in his second after a weak cross into the box but it was merely a consolation.


The loss in the Italian Super Cup was disappointing as I feel on another day it could have been a different result entirely. But Juventus are a solid team and will hurt you if you give them any chances. The start of the Serie A has lifted my confidence that my formation will work with the players I have. The next thing we need to work on is consistent solidity of the defence, but I'm sure as the team gels this will come naturally. September will be a busy month as I have 4 Serie A games, with Inter and Napoli two of them, and also the Europa League groups will be drawn tomorrow which will add an extra fixture. I hope you've enjoyed the updates so far!

Star Man Of The Month: Antonio Candreva

I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far. I just want to give a shout out to DChance94 who is the man who got me into Football Manager in high school! We still play, if not more these days than back then. Follow his Napoli story @ http://www.fmscout.com/q-12775-SSC-Napoli--The-shift-of-Italian-power.html

Europa League Group Draw - Group B Summary

Matt Cox will manage his first match in England since taking charge at Serie A club Lazio as they play Wigan Athletic in this year's Europa League group stage. Swiss club FC Basel who are usually Champions League contenders and NK Maribor of Slovenia make up the rest of Group B.

Lazio and Basel are early favourites for qualification but Wigan manager Uwe Rosler says that The Latics are not just there to make up the numbers: "We believe that our squad is mostly Premier League standard players. We welcome Lazio to the DW Stadium in the first game and we won't be pushovers. We will go all out for a win in front of our own fans. They deserve to enjoy European competition."

Lazio manager Matt Cox told BT Sport that he had no interest in the theory that the Europa League is 'a distraction' to most teams: "That annoys me. You have managers who do not want to be in the Europa League because they feel it disrupts them from the league or tires there players out. Yes it is extra fixtures, yes there is more travelling, but you've earnt the right to play European football. It's a chance of silverware and I cannot turn my nose up at that."

Cox went on to add that he would use the competition to give fringe players a chance to push for regular starting places: "I will rotate a little as the schedule can be demanding. But I have faith in my squad and the depth we have. If a player impresses me in the tournament, then of course he has a chance of being in the starting XI for the next match."

Lazio travel to Wigan on September 19th and the game will be live on BT Sport HD1 from 7:30pm.

Exciting couple of updates here! Looking forward to seeing you go to England and take on Wigan!

wigan should be a nice contest. this story is progressing nicely, keep up the good work!

Torino 0 Lazio 1
Klose (83)

I finally managed to keep my first-ever clean sheet in a competitive game. The introduction of Bonera & Cole in the places of Lorik Cana & Senad Lulic has noticeably sturdied the defence. 16% of the game was played in Torino's final third according to the Opta heat-map and the score could have been significantly bigger as we managed 25 shots in the game with 60% possession.

It was not the Torino goalkeeper Daniele Padelli that kept the score down, more the incapability of my players to put the ball in the back of the net with any ruthlessness. Of the 25 shots we had only 8 were on target. Of these 8, 7 were tame and straight at the 'keeper. But in the 83rd minute, Ashley Cole found room on the left to feed in countryman Tom Ince. Ince powered forward and drilled a low cross straight into the path of an unmarked Miroslav Klose who buried the ball into the bottom corner from 6 yards out.

Ashley Cole and Daniele Bonera's influence was evident throughout. The combined maturity showed as they lead the defence to the first clean sheet of the season.


Wigan 2 Lazio 3
Klose (25, 58, pen)
McKay (43)
Motta (74)
Watson (83, pen)

In the pouring rain at the DW Stadium, we managed to get 3 points on the board to give us a head-start in qualifying out of our Europa League group. Wigan started aggressively and nearly scored twice in the opening twenty minutes, James McClean missing an absolute sitter.

I made a few changes to the starting XI for the game, with Berisha, Novaretti, Lulic and Ledesma coming in for Marchetti, Bonera, Cole and Mauri respectively but it was my regular front three that caused Wigan most of the problems. Candreva drove at goal and faked a shot from 18 yards out, slipping the ball through to the onrushing Lulic. The Bosnian left-back hung a ball up in front of Scott Carson, which Klose smashed in past the flapping ex-England 'keeper with a bullet header. Wigan responded when James McClean rattled a post with a long range shot which Berisha could not get too. McKay was there to sweep the rebound into an empty net to ensure the sides went in 1-1 at halftime.

In the 58th minute Lulic put in a tame cross which Carson collected easily. However Wigan left-back Andrew Taylor barged into the back of Antonio Candreva in an off-the-ball incident. The referee went to confirm with the linesman and a penalty was given, no card for Taylor. Carson guessed right but Klose's spot kick was high into the stanch, giving Lazio the lead for the second time on the night.

Lazio extended their lead to three, when Thiago Motta received the ball from Candreva on the halfway line. The Azzuri midfielder powered through two oncoming Wigan players and smashed the ball into the top corner from 30 yards out, leaving Carson with no chance. A contender for goal of the month! With 7 minutes to go Motta turned the villain when he pulled down Ben Watson in the box with an unnecessary foul. Watson got to his feet and dispatched his penalty to make it 3-2.

In the final 5 minutes there were no other chances of note. The result could once again have been much more comfortable with Lazio hitting 12 shots on target and having 58% possession. But at the end of the day a win is a win and we look to our next Group B game vs Basel.



Lazio 2 Inter Milan 0
Candreva (20, 33)

In a game that was expected to be a close encounter, Lazio gave Inter a masterclass in possession football and fast flowing attacking. Inter fullbacks Wallace and Yuto Nagatomo had no way of dealing with the pace and power of Candreva and Ince. The two wingers constantly swapped sides and were able to adapt and interlink with the wing-backs and midfielders seamlessly.

Wallace hauled down Candreva and earned a booking in the 20th minute after the Azzurri winger pulled away from him. From the resulting free kick on the far left side of the 18 yard box, Candreva curled a sublime effort into the near post giving Inter captain Handanovic no chance. The set piece was Beckham-esque and set Lazio on their way to a famous win over the Nerazzurri.

The Biancocelesti wingers were at it again 13 minutes later, with Ince hitting an angled volley across-field, switching the play to Darmian. Matteo Darmian then whipped in a bending cross which Klose met on the volley, forcing Handanovic into a brilliant point blank save. Luckily for Lazio, Candreva was on hand to tuck away the rebound, giving the sky blues a 2-0 lead.

After the break, we kept up the pressure and pressed more but to no success. We managed 21 shots in the game to Inter's 3. Bonera looking solid again as he enjoyed regular first team football for the first time in years. Ince and Candreva continued to cause havoc to the Inter back line, but could not find the back of the net again. A solid victory against an Italian giant.


Latina 0 Lazio 1
Klose (12)
Cole (57)

We made it 5 wins out of 5 in Serie A with a 1-0 victory over newly promoted Latina. The Pontini came into the game with a decent record and were sitting in mid-table despite being predicted to be the league's whipping boys. In truth it was an ugly game with 9 bookings and 1 red card, but we managed 63% and 28 shots on goal.

It was Klose who broke the deadlock in the 12th minute in usual fashion. Candreva carried the ball down the right from the halfway line to the touchline and drilled in a rasping cross for the German to bundle in from close range. 4 in his last 5 for the former Bayern star.

Ashley Cole was booked straight from the kick off as he sent Latina captain Andrea Milani tumbling with a pointless foul. Heavy tackles were coming in from all angles in the rain at the Domenico Francioni as player after player on each side was booked. Finally a red was shown as Cole slid into Karim Laribi from behind. A stupid tackle and a foolish thing to do with 30 minutes to play. After adjusting the formation, we managed to keep control of the game and limit Latina to 2 shots in the match, putting us joint top with Napoli on 15 points.


As an Arsenal fan i'm embarrassed to say that I have brought in free agent and Danish superstar Nickolas Bendtner to the club. I was lacking an 'experienced' striker for the bench and it was needed just in case Klose picks up a knock.

I have to say I did not expect to have done so well after 5 games in Serie A. A 100% record so far in the league puts us joint top with Napoli who have also won 5 out of 5. It is not quite the end of September yet, but my final game of the month will be against Napoli themselves at the Olimpico, so I will do a detailed news article to let you know how the battle for top spot goes. Other teams worth a mention are of course Juventus who are 3rd and 5 points behind the top two. AC Milan on the other hand sit 13th with 5 points, meaning Fillipo Inzaghi's job will be under pressure.

The inclusion of Bonera and Cole have been a huge factor in our success and defensive solidity, while my front three of Klose, Candreva and Ince have been phenomenal with no team yet being able to stop them. Keep an eye out for the big Napoli update and I hope to hear some good comments from you!

Star Man Of The Month: Miroslav Klose

what a phenomenal month! great work mate! klose is making a huge impact and your new look defense seems unpenetrable. at this rate you'll be champions!

Thank you lads, it's been a great month and I hope we can finish it off with 6 out of 6 against Napoli next. If anyone wants me to edit a picture like I have with Tom Ince in a Lazio shirt above, then just comment. Not all work and not all are perfect. But I'll give it a shot and see what I can do!

Lazio & Napoli Share Spoils In Battle At The Top

Lazio 1 Napoli 1
Mertens (15)
Candreva (45+2)

Lazio hosted Napoli at the Stadio Olimpico in a battle to take the top spot in Serie A. Both teams had 100% records coming into the match having won all of their previous 5 matches in the league. Napoli were top of the league on virtue of goal difference with Juventus and Empoli the closest teams to the top two, being 5 points behind.

Lazio were without left back Ashley Cole due to suspension. The ex-England and Chelsea star has settled in well in Italy but received a red card in the previous game against Latina so was unavailable for selection. The only change made by manager Matt Cox was Bosnian star Senad Lulic stepping in at left back.

The game started at a blistering pace as Lazio tried to grab the initiative, Miroslav Klose testing Liverpool loanee Pepe Reina in the Napoli goal. Ince and Candreva were in top form and continued their recent trend of fast, direct running at the opposition fullbacks. The battle between Fabio Coentrao and Antonio Candreva was one of the highlights of the game as the two were locked in constant battle. The Azzurri winger got the better of the Portuguese left back and swung in a cross which Klose headed straight at Reina, before having another opportunity to give Lazio the lead. The German, who has been in blistering form with 4 goals in his last 5 games showed some tidy footwork to weave through the Partenopei back-line. With just Reina standing in his way, Klose attempted to lob the Spanish 'keeper, but just resulted in placing the ball kindly into the onrushing goalkeeper's hands.

With 15 minutes on the clock, Lazio captain Stefano Mauri attempted a through ball which was cut out by Albiol. The former Real Madrid defender played Goran Pandev a sweeping upfield ball that the former Lazio favourite controlled on the edge of the 18 yard box. Pandev quickly swept the ball to the left finding onrushing fullback Coentrao who played the same pass again to give Dries Mertens a chance at goal. The Belgian winger flashed a first time shot into the far corner to cap off a brilliant passing move by Napoli.

Possession was even throughout the game but the shot count did not justify the closeness of this game. Lazio registered 23 shots all game while Napoli only mustered 3. This was due to the dominant defending from Daniele Bonera and Man Of The Match Stefan Radu. The centre backs swept away any cross or attack that Napoli threw at them, unfortunately their brilliant performance could not be matched by the players up-front.

The game was mainly played in the centre of the park and as the midfield battled, it was the combative pairing of Motta and Mauri that came out on top mostly. The playmaking pair were able to feed Candreva and Ince on multiple occasions but Lazio lacked any real bite up front as Klose looked out of sorts. It was Motta who came closest to an equalizer for the Biancocelesti as Ince whipped in a venomous ball that the Italian midfielder really should have done better with, as he headed the ball onto the corner of post and crossbar, leaving Reina stranded.

As Lazio proved for an equalizer before half time, it was Candreva who managed to find the net in the second minute of injury time. Lulic took a throw in high into the Napoli half. Tom Ince flicked the ball on with a header and Candreva galloped into the box and hung in the air to rifle a volley into the top corner. Lazio's persistence finally paid off and the timing was perfect as the half time whistle blew.


In the second half Napoli settled into a rhythm and Lazio picked up three bookings as they attempted to stifle the oppositions possession. After 10 minutes of dominance it was Lazio who were knocking at the door for the rest of the half. Tom Ince, who has been a revelation since moving to Rome switched up the gears and motored down the centre of the pitch past 4 Napoli players before striking a dipping shot which thudded against the foot of the post. Reina once again could only watch the woodwork save him for the second time in the match.

Lazio continued to look for a winner but could not force a goal. Napoli will be the happier of the two teams as they stay top of the league on goal difference, but English manager Matt Cox had no complaints after the game: "I did not expect us to be fighting for 1st place after five games so I am very happy. We were by far the better team and we created a lot of chances, unfortunately we couldn't capitalize on them but we know any other day the score could have been 4 or 5. Napoli scored a nice goal and we fought back, I can't ask much more of my players."

Former Liverpool and Chelsea manager Rafa Benitez was extremely complimentary of Matt Cox's side: "We did not look like a team in the same league today so I am disappointed, but we would have taken a point before the match if you had offered it to us. Matt has Lazio playing some beautiful football and the Premier League has missed a trick in not keeping Tom Ince. We can be happy with a point and push on against Chievo next week."

Lazio play FC Basel in the Europa League and then travel to 3rd placed Empoli in their next Serie A game.

Just read through this and I've thoroughly enjoyed it. Very detailed updates which I like! Keep up the good work.

Some absolutely excellent results and updates so far mate...keep it up. Really interested in this story so far

Josh: Thanks mate, I like to really put the effort in so that you feel like it would be realistic to news articles you see on Sky .etc

Joe: Thank you mate! the results have been fantastic and I'm extremely proud of the team! Hopefully we can get some silverware this year!

I just want to say thank you to everyone who has got me to 1000 views. This is my first ever story, I've only been a member for 4 days and I'm only up to the start of October in the game! I appreciate everyone's positive comments and look forward to giving you more updates!

This story has been quite the read, big names, big action, big detail. Go big or go home. Best way to go.

Squirmy: Haha you know it pal, no point doing half a job! I won't get sloppy don't worry!