BFVG Dream League Of Dreams Week 3: The Darkest Hour

As we entered the 3rd week of the DLOD the excitement was palpable. Last week we saw some cracking results some of which came as a huge surprise. So we all sat down ready and in anticipation for what was going to be an amazing week of football. However all was not well within FAFF. There were murmurings from some of the players that they were being forced to work far to hard for little to no money and some of them were threatening to strike.
This all started a week ago when FAFF (Federal Association For Football) announced major changes to the format of the games. Instead of the regular 5 minutes each half, the matches would now consist of two, 10 minute halfs. For some reason there was an assumption amongst the players that their pay would also double in size. When they received their paychecks they were in for a shock as not only were they now being forced to play games for twice as long, they were having to do so for half the salary. The players did not notice that in the smallest print that could be printed (measuring exactly 2 micrometers tall), FAFF had written a clause in all the players contracts stating that, 'If in the unforeseen circumstance that FAFF decides to increase the length of the games, the salary of the players will match the change in a negative direction'.
Week three would continue as any other and on Wednesday 30th October 3 games were played as planned. However the fans could tell that something was not right as this day would go down as one of the most underwhelming days of football in DLOD history.

Wednesday 30th October

Dalewin Town 0-1 Rainbow Death Monkeys

Despite his chirpy looking face Dalewin Town are
struggling to find their feet in the DLOD

Dalewin Town went into this game desperately needing a win after only gaining 1 point from their first 2 games. Despite the difficult start the manager chose to stick to the formation that had let him down in the first two games. The game started like most had for Dalewin Town as they took the game to the opposition looking to dominate in the counter. However this came to nothing and in the 34th minute Odemwingie picked up a long ball easily knocked it around Glen Johnson and fired the ball into the back of the net. This completely took the wind out of Dalewin Town and as the half time whistle was blown they had no chances on goal. The second half would be as just a dull affair as the first. The first real chance for Dalewin Town to equalise came in the 64th minute. N'Zogbia found himslef woth the ball just right of the box with Van Persie on space in the middle. All that was needed was a simple through ball which surely should have lead to a goal. However he only managed to trickle the ball into the path of the opposition defender who easily cleared. 7 minutes later Jovetic created a one on one chance all he had to do is knock the ball around the keeper however all he could do was push the ball wide. The game would end in a 1-0 win for the away team as pressure began to mount on the Dalewin Town manager. 

Professor Layton Orient 0-0 Team Katamari

A dominant first half performance from The Orient

These two teams lined up for what most pundits expected would be an extremely close encounter. For once the they were spot on with their predictions. The first half took time to get going as both teams seemed fearful of conceding an early goal. Professor Layton Oreint seemed the most likely to score and in the 30th minute Schurlle came close when he headed a cross from Kolarov wide. As the half time whistle was blown Professor Layton Orient had by far the most chances and certainly looked the most likely to score. AS the second half kicked off both teams seemed fired up as the chances came thick and fast. Kolarov created more problems for the opposing full backs as time and time again he managed to put the ball into the box. At the other end Rooney and Sturridge linked up well, just as they had the week before. However no one was able to beat either goal keeper as the game ended in a no score draw despite there being numerous chances to break the deadlock.

The Puggernauts 2-0 Di Canio's Doubters

Many DLOD fans had been looking forward to this game for some time. These two teams were seen to be at the pinnacle of football greatness despite Di Canio's Doubters surprise loss last week they were still considered one of the favourites to take the title. A win for either team could see them end the week top of the table. The game was a lively affair as both teams started the game with an attacking mentality. An early chance for Suarez was cleared after a beautiful ball form Milner on the right. The game quickly got bogged down in midfield as both teams attempted to pass the opposition out of the game. The break came for The Puggernauts when in the 32nd minute when Suarez pounced on a poor clearance from Phil Jones. He then curled the ball around the keeper and into the back of the net. Only 9 minutes later Di Canio's Doubters had a great chance to equalise from the head of Fellaini however he could only drop the ball into the arms of Szczesny. The teams went into the second half with only one goal between them. The second half again became a battle of the Midfield as The Puggernautes seemed happy to protect their one goal lead. That was until the 60th minute when Suarez picked the ball up just inside the opposition half. After beating 2 defenders he again curled his shot around Mignolet into the far corner. As the final whistle was blown both teams had managed to create the same amount of chances, The Puggernauts however had managed to put two of theirs away. After the game the Di Canio's Doubters manager seemed dejected exclaiming he felt that, 'the first weeks result may have been a fluke'. 

Saturday 2nd November: The Negotiator Arrives

As Saturday approached many of the DLOD fans were getting ready for another fine day of football gold. This however would go down as a dark day in the history of the DLOD as the fans would be forced to wait another 24 hours before they could see their teams in action. At approximately 12:45 pm the newly formed Players Rights Against Training Society released a statement proclaiming that, 'We are PRATS and we have decided that due to low pay and the poor conditions in which we are forced to work, no player will take part in any DLOD match until our demands are met.' 

Player power had taken over and the sport was thrown into disarray. There was a genuine fear that if a solution was not found the Dream League OF Dreams could be forced to disband. This would result in millions of fans getting there 'sporting kicks' (pardon the pun) from underground footballing tournaments in which literally hundreds of footballers die each year. FAFF could see no other way out of this. They called on the one man that they knew had the best chance of resolving the situation. His name is Chris Sabian AKA Kevin Spacey. When he arrived he quickly took command of the situation and it took him only 140 minutes to agree terms with PRATS. In return for a Pukka Pie at half time the players would return to work and the season would commence less than 24 hours later.

Sunday 3rd November

Birmingham Alabamas 0-1 Team Jeffica

After the controversy of the previous day the focus was now firmly back on the football. The first game of the day would feature two teams who find themselves mid table after an inconsistent start to the campaign. Took only 3 minutes for the Alabamas to create an excellent chance. After a great run by Zaha the ball fell to Lukaku who tried to bend a shot on the turn around the goal keeper. The ball would sail inches wide of the far post. The Alabamas dominance continued for the majority of the first half. Zaha and Ben Arfa looking particularly threatening. The second half continued in very much the same spirit as the second with the Alabamas looking the most likely to score. Chances fell to Berbatov and Lukaku however they could not finish their chances. The longer the game went on the more Team Jeffica got back into the match. In the 85th minute they had a goal disallowed due to an offside decision. Then only 1 minute later Scott Parker made a terrific run through the whole of the Alabamas defense slotting home a superb effort. The game ended with Team Jeffica getting their first win of the season in a game that they surely didn't deserve to win. 

The Yuletide Yodelling Yankee Yogis 3-2 Football United

Eto'o strike on just the 7th minute gave home team
an early advantage

In a game in which no one was expecting much action we would in fact see a 5 goal thriller in which Eto'o would dominate. It would take only 7 minutes for Eto'o to burst past the oppostion defense and fire home a superb goal from just behind the penalty spot giving the YYY's an early advantage. It took only six minutes for Eto'o to get his second when Lampard pounced upon a defensive error by Zverotic. He fed the ball neatly through to the Cameroonian striker who fired an absolute screamer into the back of the net. Football United now had an absolute mountain to climb if they were going to get back into the match. They did create chances and were looking threatening particularly from the wings and set pieces. Football united pulled one back in the 33rd minute after a supreb run by Van Wolfswinkel led to a shot that the keeper could only parry. After the save he somehow managed to kick the ball towards his own net, onto the post and back against himself before the ball crossed the line for a goal. Football United's first goal of the game would go down as a Brad Friedel own goal. The score would remain 2-1 as the teams went into the second half despite Agbonglahor hitting the post just before the whistle.
The end to end action would continue into the second half as both teams looked to take the game to the other. Van Wolfswinkel found himself in the referees book early on after a dubious tackle from behind. Chances came thick and fast from both teams however we had to wait till the 85th minute for another goal. Adebayor received a superb pas from Aspas, shook off his marker and buried a superb equaliser. The excitement was so intense that for a short while the broadcast dropped from the airs. This game surely now had draw written all over it.The game however was not over when a lovely drilled cross came in from Pilkington on the left i  the 90th minute. Eto'o picked up the ball, shot but could only find the cross bar. The ball ricocheted off the horizontal and Rimires put it away to make it 3-2 to the YYY's in what has surely been the most exciting game of the DLOD.

The Lostwithiel Left-Feet 1-2 Team Dean

The two over performing teams of the league would meet
in the final fixture of the week

The final game after a controversial week would see two university friends pit their managerial wits against one another. These teams had already achieved more in the League than anyone was expecting. Both teams went into the match quite tentatively, looking to reduce the amount of mistakes made rather than create chances. The best chance of the earlier chances fell to the Lostwithiel Left-Feet in the 25th minute when a shot was drilled across the face of the goal only to be cleared by a defender. The game became more exciting as the half went on. Despite the increased effort the teams went into the half without a goal being scored. Team Dean came out the better of the two teams and would be the first to get on the score sheet. Podolski played a lovely long ball along the ground for Cornelius who sent the ball flying into the goal after making a superb run behind the back four. Less than 10 minutes later Cornelius made it a fine brace after another superb run split open the Left-Feets defense. There was surely no way back for the home team now. Bendtner pulled one back in the 64th minute however it would not be enough and Team Dean would take all 3 points and Cornelius the man of the match award after two superb clinical finishes.

The Dream League OF Dreams has had a tough week with all that has gone on. Despite coming up agaisnt industrial action and calls for the format to be 'sexed up' the DLOD appears stronger than ever and FAFF in particular have come out of this squeaky clean. Normal Service of the Dream League OF Dreams will continue next week. Follow us on Twitch, Facebook,Youtube and Twitter to keep up to date with all the DLOD action and any other gaming fun.