In this episode we play an FA Cup 3rd round game against Arsenal in what turns out to be a 5 goal thriller. We then host Stevenage in the league!
This is the 44th episode of my long running series bottoms up where the goal is to go from the bottom tier in English football to the very top. Can I do it before the end of this game cycle and the release of FM25?
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Finally in the fifth year of the game we finally get a big FA Cup third round tie and today we are playing Arsenal unfortunately it’s not at the Emirates so it’s not going to be that big money spinning tie that we wanted however if you really want to see me get tanked in
A game of football I think you’re going to enjoy today’s Episode okay so welcome back to episode eight of bottoms up here with cultur the United and as you can see by the table we have been in some great form we are 12 points clear at the top of the table with t in second Forest greener in third 16 points
Behind us and Cambridge are 17 points behind us in the last episode we were playing Cambridge and Exar beat Cambridge Drew with Exar when we beat Cambridge I did say that it could result in Cambridge having a poor run of form and if we just have a look
At their schedule and go back to when they played us so they played bright and under 21s here they’ had a good run of form just there and they had some good results previous to that but since I mean look at cambridge’s run it’s pretty much mirroring exitas in terms of fact
They’ve just fallen off the pace so that’s been quite good to see anyway in terms of the actual results that we’ve had where are we here we are so these are the two games after the nil nil draw against EXA we then Drew nil nil with Tori Tori as you can see are
The team chasing us for the title really we’re both looking very comfortable for automatic promotion well we are anyway then we played dagam and Redbridge in the FA Cup second round we won that 2-1 with Jayden fevrier and Ethan Bristo getting on the score sheet then we got
Beaten by portsmouth’s um or by Portsmouth in the Bristol Street trophy Motors cup thing 2-1 we got to the second round which was the ball’s minimum requirements so fine whatever doncer we then played in the league and won 1-0 with a Sam Smith goal then we played scunthorp away from home winning
2-1 Jayden fev and Shay Ojo Sam Smith and Marian Holly getting on a score sheet in the game against Wickham then we drew 1-1 with t playing them again I mean we’ve played him twice in quick succession and both games have ended up in draws Shrewsbury with then beat 3-2
Sam Smith Josh Smith and cathl heon on the score sheet for us there and then Sam Smith getting two goals in a 2-1 win against Fleetwood and then a nil-nil draw against MK Dons so that brings up to speed on where we are at the moment
What I do want to do and you’re going have to excuse me because now we’re going to have a bit of a rant really because we’re obviously in the FA Cup third round and as you see we’ve been drawn against Arsenal now to the best of my knowledge this is
Not on TV I mean I can’t see any television symbols next to any of these it doesn’t look like any of these games are actually on TV although some of them must be but we’re not on TV so we’re getting no TV money from it we’ve been
Drawn at home so we don’t get the big payday I just think it would be something that the fa should be thinking about that and you know if there’s anyone from the fa watching this doubt there it will be but if there is there should be an option there that the
Smaller teams can apply to the bigger teams to swap the fixture and so we could apply to Arsenal and say any chance we could play this at the Emirates and providing both parties are in agreement with it then you swap it and it I mean it doesn’t just work for
Us you know you going further up here dwking being drawn at home to Sunderland you know Sunderland have a capacity their Stadium of nearly 50,000 if they were able to swap that that’d be a huge Payday for them as well I really wanted to know which games are
Actually going to be on the TV because again for me why would you want to see an all pre you know why would you want to see Bournemouth against notam Forest on the television for example you can see that in the Premier League you know the games that are on TV should be
Smaller teams so they get the TV money that at least in the earlier rounds up till maybe the quarterfinals when by then they’ll all be out anyway or most of them will so I just think there’s things that you know the football league or the fa always talk about giving back
To Grassroots and things like that well maybe they need to practice what they preach a little bit more because I just think that should be able to be swapped have Arsenal versus CEST we get a big payday if they warrant it put it on the TV as well why not that that’s what
Makes sense to me anyway let me know in the comments if you think I’m right if you disagree with me or even if you have any other ideas on how smaller teams could benefit financially from the FA Cup in a better way than what it’s being
Done at the moment so just going to show you transfer history as well because we have had a new player com in on loan Zen Tahir he’s coming he’s two and a half star C with two and a half star to three and a half star potential he can play
Anywhere across the back he prefers to be a central Defender but he’s 5 foot 10 with a seven of jumping reach of seven so he’s not going to be playing in central defense for it but I’ve basically bought him as backup in the fullback positions because we’ve recently had a situation where um
Mandela egg boo has been out injured we’ve been having to play C heon at right back and I just want to have the option to be able to rest him from time to time whereas at the moment he’s been playing him pretty much every single
Game at the end of day if his legs smooth he he plays it’s as simple as that so yeah he’s come so zah here has coming as support we probably going to have to play him today in the left back position but he doesn’t really like playing at Wing back especially Wing
Back on attack so he’s not really built for either but we don’t really have much of a choice so I think that’s all I really need to bring you up to speed on we’ll have a look at the finances 4.1 million in the bank uh committed spending is currently over but I’m not
Worried about we’re can adjust summon out fact we do that now just to there you go we’re back doing the job again just under a million in the transfer budget I still can’t believe we’ve got that as a transfer budget to be honest so let’s see if anything what we get
From today’s game against Arsenal so let’s get into it and while we do get into it please leave a like on the video always appreciate that and let me know if there’s anything in particular you’re enjoying about the series in the comments anything maybe you’re not enjoyed about
The series it’s always helpful to hear that as well so we’ve done the opposition instruction now Ethan be be Bristo I’m I’ve been I’m an IR about playing him or not but I just think part of me is like we’re playing against Arsenal we’re not not going to get this
Chance again we just need to go for it and other part of me thinks you know what you’re not going to beat Arsenal to just leave him out and that’s probably the more sensible option but I think we’re just going to go with it I really do Marin
Holly has been backing again instead of Cameron McAn Cameron McAn as well by the way he’s now got a contract till 2029 with’ triggered an extension in his contract so he will be with us next season as well let’s get to the actual game and I’m dreading this because we
Are going to get spanked I mean hopefully okay they got highing goal white gay Titi TIY diamandi fasi zory Chappelle new Neri I mean they look they’ve got a few youngsters in there um Cole Jacob Hein is definitely not their number one goalkeeper um I don’t know who he is I
Don’t know if he’s if he’s at a under 21 or whether he’s just a play I’ve just never heard of T de DM Andy I know it looks like might be playing Five at the back Surly not F zry I know I don’t know Chappelle I don’t I know who
Naner is he’s one of the youngsters as well doesn’t seem to have a great deal on the bench either to be honest so they’ve gone a little bit weakened shall we say there’s form oh let’s get into this I’m dreading it I maybe playing on a positive mentality isn’t the best of
Options but they’re playing a 433 actually not so de Mand is playing the defensive Midfield role because I know when I’ve had him in this game in the beta version of the game I had him in a private save there we had him as a center back there been three shots so
Far all gone to Arsenal and here’s the first highlight of the game I mean just just don’t Hammer us that that that’s what I’m asking for more than anything goes back to Hine back out to guy Ben White looks like he’s playing an inverted Wing back kind of role oh
They’ve gone past us oh it’s gone wide thank heavens for that I mean it’s good experience for the lads I suppose is it to get a game like this but yeah Ian we’ve not even had a shot of goal yet maybe we get a shot of goal in the
Second half we we we’re just keeping it steady in the first half we’ve had like only 23% possession I mean that is 22 now my God it’s getting worse but 21% possession I think that said and no shots no corners I mean to be fair their XG is
Only 0.5 so they haven’t created a great deal so what do we want to say I don’t really want to just go with that again but the fans do so go and do them proud I mean Darr Ry liked it so at least it pleased someone they’re about fours ratings of
Seven I don’t know they’re getting ratings of seven they haven’t even been tested surely a should be getting the good rating oh we won the ball back I mean sh Ojo just handed it to Kieran Tini so if this goes in it’s all ojo’s fault nothing to do with the fact that we’re
We’re now not tackling anybody tin is just run around the outside of us oh we won the ball back Eggo well done Mandela Eggo can we can we do something here oh no oh I don’t know who that was but Ethan noer S goal of the season to be
Fair it’s obviously not a rare game for him so that’s one nil I don’t understand how when you play in games like this I’m going to take Bristo off because he is is partially injured let’s give Tai hereit it’s not his debut let’s bring him on let’s let’s
Bring CT starage on for Sam Smith and Kai Martin come on for Shay Ojo there you go make a few substitutions yeah I don’t know why it is that when you come against a team like this you suddenly lose the ability to pass the ball you know because we’ve been passing
The ball around really well you know we we’re knocking it about we’re playing beautifully in the league at the moment what I don’t want is when we lost before it just hurts your confidence and what I don’t want is that we lose this game and then end up going
On a run of defeats in the league and ruining the hard work we’ve done oh come on Captain starage get AC Crossing Martin chilas come on feier this equalizer oh my God we’ve got an equalizer against Arsenal oh if we could get a draw here oh my word and pretty much straight
Away they’re going to go and end their hopes of oh wow seven in the 78th minute of the game we was we were level with Arsenal that’s what we can say and that’s over the time that’s oh that was a good save from Sherman low what a save
By the goalkeeper always said he was a great goalkeeper Neri with a corner NOA come on just get the ball away it’s got out oh it’s another Corner oh I just want this to end now NOA with the corner we clear it oh it’s a penalty are you kidding me
Heen him with a push who’s this guy’s got a head of air and Chappelle oh he scores second goal of seas for Melvin Chappelle well the referee just had to give give the game to Arsenal didn’t he that that was oh here we go another highlight could equalize again Holly to
Eggo to Holly oh just give a ball away there you go so what I mean you you just lose the ability to put a pass together when you’re playing against a big club and I don’t understand it’s not like they’re pressurizing us or anything ball over the top Ry wins the race
Gives it to Kai Martin cuts inside oh he’s now he’s giving it away didn’t read the run of the striker oh save by the goalkeeper another great save by our keeper right let’s make another substitution bring mcgean on for Holly Jo I think that’s probably about
All we are going we’ve been bring Ben Briggs on for Jay mangi well I’ll tell you what if it ends 2-1 even if it is 3-1 we have done well today I am proud of the boys they’ve got a goal against Arsenal they were one
All oh here we go they can’t just let us have a 2-1 defeat can they Ethan rer with another goal but like I said I’m still proud of us we’ve done really well oh hang on can we get make it 32 Eggo with a throw in
When we’re out of time is feier oh he has scored what a cracking goal for febr 32 I mean there’s no time for a winner or an equalizer even but do you know what a 3-2 defeat against Arsenal I am so proud of the boys so so
Proud well done Lads F especially you were amazing you you did yourselves I’m going to have outstretched arms for this one I think we need to celebrate it let me know in the comments what you think guys but I think that was a great performance from the team and I know as
An Arsenal supporter if if that if I was watching that in real life when they equalized I would have got scared for like a minute before the or five minutes before they pulled it back and got back in the lead again I am very happy with that okay
So did we get any money or anything oh we got 318,000 I mean that’s pitiful isn’t it really is pitiful £200,000 basically that we’ve earned from that game I mean we had a full out 10,15 fans in attendance that is absolutely a full house so yeah not really done as
What we wanted it to do in terms of finances but we go to Steven is next their 15th in the league we are at home again so let’s go and pick up a win hopefully against stevenage okay so here’s the new contract the cult are prepared to offer me we’re going to have
A look at it now we’re going to attend the meeting the board would like to hold a meeting in order to discuss potentially extending your contract we believe that such a move might help the overall long-term stability of the club and we’d like to hear your views on the
IDE de now if we have a look at my current contract it’s only a onee contract runs out in the summer on £850 per week should I be looking for about ,000 a week now let’s attend the meeting are you interested in signing a new contract I love it what show of unity
And stability there you go so now we’re going to have to skip forward a little bit until they offer me the new contract we’re about to play the game against Tois so we might have to play that off camera and then yeah we will and then I’ll come
Back and show you how the contract negotiations went okay so here we go we got the new contract offered £950 a week so they’re upping it by100 I’m going to see if we can up it to a th000 no promises and requests and whatever else all of this looks pretty
Much the same as what it was before they want us to reach skybet League 2 playoffs this season and win promotion to skybet League one next season so we could end up achieving next season objectives this season so let’s get into it so their promotion wage rise 15%
Relegation so if we say 20% for that and £1,000 now they do want percentage of Club compensation required for managerial role I’m going to remove and exclude that because I don’t want that because that just to me that deters other clubs from putting in a bid it’s a 2-year
Contract let’s see what they say they’re happy with that okay so we’re going to get ,000 a week and then if we get promoted this season will be on £1,200 for next season with our 20% pay increase so let’s finalize that deal we’re committed to Colchester for
Two more years and I think that’s quite a nice little Contract okay here we go so let’s get into the game against stevenage I have made a couple of changes CLE heon is in need of a rest I I did rest him for a day between games we’ve only had like two days between games and he’s still
Needs more of a rest so Frankie Edwards comes in and go Ean sliff sorry comes in a central defense and Ethan sliff comes in to the subs we’ve made changes in Midfield we’ve taken out Marian Holly and Noah Chas we’ve brought in Cameron mcgean and Alby Morgan both perfectly
Suitable Replacements they’re the one area I am comfortable making changes in I have kept Ethan Bristo in Mandel Eggo is still in despite the fact that he’s not entirely fit so he will probably need to be replaced at halim so the team we going into today’s game with is Shan
Low in goal Bristo left back egbo right back Ryan Edwards in the middle mingy Morgan mcgean the famous 3m’s in the Midfield with Ojo Fier and Smith as our attacking three one thing I do want to bring up to SP as well Shaman L you’ll see here that he says we explore his
Options at the end of his contract so you might be forgiven for thinking his contract ends this summer it doesn’t he’s got 18 months left on it but he’s said that he’s going to explore his options at the end of the contract fine I just don’t know if I really want to
Put up having that there for the next 18 months but yeah it is what it is let’s get into today’s game we need to bounce back with a win now we don’t want a hangover from the game against arsenal we have got a nice little buffer but I think we’re going to need
That buffer because I basically play the same probably 14 15 players on a regular basis and don’t have any confidence in in much of the rest so I am fully expecting us to get incredibly tired come the end of the season and results will probably drop off around that time as
Well so we really need to make sure we don’t give up that buffer Smith Sam Smith already picked up an injury we’re playing the bo look at how nice we play it around though Alby Morgan out for Ojo cross into the box Sam Smith’s there and
It’s one- n and this is what I’ve been seeing this is and this is what I mean how can we not play like this when we play against a big team you know know we can at least have the confidence in our ability to pass the ball about you know
We we’re miles clear at the top of the table I’m going to say it now we want promotion automatically Alby Morgan with the corner puts it into the box and there you go Frankie Edwards 2-0 to Colchester 13 minutes gone let’s not get complacent we don’t
Want to now go and give this two goal lead away but you’re seeing for yourself just how nicely we are playing and this is what we have been doing and it’s just it’s just so good to watch you know I never had this with aely or very rarely had this with
Aely ball into the box oh how did he miss that how did he miss that he about two yards out Fier with the corner comes back out of f punts it back in Sam Smith with the header it’s gone over the bar oh no run along the bar but
I looked him bounc back into play but yeah this this is how well we’ve been playing since the last time well for ages in the league now we’ve been playing like it for a long time feev with the corner again that’s going to be a penalty to us there’s the chaos that
I’ve spoken about before that we can call from Corners who’s the man to Second mcgean yes mcgean is going to take it back in the side and back in the goals third goal of the season for Cameron mcgean 3-0 to Colchester against stevenage oh I I love the fact that
We’re so good I really do but I know it’s going to fall away at some point in this back end of the season we’re into the second half of the season and I just think from games oh we’ve conceded stops stop gloating and that’s annoying that’s
Right on the strike of half time as well we’ve gone for being really comfortable to still having daylight but if they score early in this half it’s going to put the cat amongst the pigeons so to speak and it shouldn’t do cuz we have been easily the that’s the only shot on
Target goes back to what I said before about what I hate with this game I thought the referee giv a penalty then for some reason I was like please no not again Morgan with the free kick gives it to fev oh jayen fer is on fire at the moment seventh goal of
Season and three of those goals are coming the last two games a double against Arsenal one here today against stevenage right we’re going to take Eggo off because he wasn’t 100% fit coming into this game we haven’t actually got a striker on the bench but Shay Ojo can
Play up top and we can bring we’ll bring Kai Martin in for him and then egg boo can come off for tah here need to give this boy game time seeing as uh seeing as he’s here anyway and the whole point of having him
Here is to make use of him so that we can give oh saved so we can give um Mandela Eggo a bit of time off because like say Eggo got injured and C hon came in or switch to the right hand side to be fair he done a really good job out
There I’ve got no reason to not playing there again Future Move Frankie Edwards into the team they’ve got a ball over the top can they cross they can we don’t clear it properly they’ve got a Smith of their own and he’s at the post oh the rebounds gone over the
Bar we’re just letting them come into this a little bit at the moment and I don’t like what I’m seeing here we had a great first half performance headed away but go they win the second ball back into the box again Shaman though comes out and claims it goalkeeper extraordinaire Shaman I
Don’t want to make a substitution I don’t know why I’m clicking the button stop being a button clicker Edwards punts the ball out the field we just giving that away there’s no need to do that oh and it’s gone straight to this SM and oh the I mean if Steven is were
Able to take some of the chances they’ve had they could really be in this game we’ve given them far too many chances I don’t like this and you can see on the match momentum chart we’ll get back to that in a moment so who we take off and whatever
Else can’t take K Martin I mean everyone’s playing really well so being bring Ben Briggs on for Jay mangi Noah J’s can come on for jayen fev we swap them two over and Mar and Holly can come in for Cameron mcgean and that’s all of our subs
Hopefully now we don’t go getting an injury which would then reduces to 10 men yeah I mean they they had four shots on target to be fair to stevenage we have free kick into the box oh oh it’s bundled over Noah Chilla sixth goal of the season it’s been disallowed I’m not
Surprised to be fair seemed a bit of a mess that but yeah you look at that part of the momentum match momentum chart there and Steven is certainly come back into it in that part of the game but we’ve seen it through 7 minutes have added
Time we’re not going to cons seed it’s a 4-1 win against stevenage absolutely Delight that Finley poter had a nightmare of a game for them nine shots on target an XG of 2.34 we’ve massively overachieved on our XG very happy with that performance back to winning ways
And it’s so good when you guys get to see how how well we can play toi only Drew we’re now 14 points clear at the top of the league from T in second 17 points clear of Cambridge in third and more importantly in terms of the first playoff place outside of the automatic
Promotion places we are 19 points clear with 18 games to go wow this has been a season that I couldn’t have even dreamed s Smith out for 1 to three days we quickly just whiz through the press conference and I know you probably think why don’t you just set it to your
Assistance to do it Ryan eggbone need to be rested we’ll rest everyone shortly anyway and next game is in a week against Gillingham so I think what we’ll do is we’ll come back into the squad and we’ll give everyone three days rest these don’t need to be rested and
Then if we look at the schedule um hate it when it does this I like it when it separates it in the months I don’t know why it keeps doing this we will come back probably beginning of February for we’ve got Leon Oran well they rock
Bottom and Wala who are ninth where a carile man field so maybe we come back for carile and Mansfield as their better teams Probably sounds about right we’ll come around around this area anyway and then what we’ll do is if we’re still running away with the league like we are at the
Moment then I’ll probably look at coming back around the time where we could win the league so yeah we’ll pretty much play it for me but it’s probably only going to be obviously tomorrow’s episode which is Friday and then which will be around this area somewhere or this area
Somewhere and then we’ll be looking at wrapping the episode up probably on Monday no point dragging the season out let’s get it finished let’s get into League one and let’s continue our journey thank you very much for watching guys please leave a like on the video subscribe to the channel turn on
Notifications if you want it to pop up in your inbox so you don’t miss an episode and I’ll see you tomorrow for episode 9 thank you very much for watching bye