Playoff heartbreak

Your decisions

Fictional club events from this simulated season.

1. MD 12 · The second-ball problem
   Rest before the next fixture. Cooper cuts the session short. Matty Cash is fresher for the next match; Chris Cohen has to settle for a brief tactical reminder.
   Next match: fresher legs. Following 2: a small preparation cost.

2. MD 23 · Mid-season replacement
   Ben Osborn out; Jamie Ward in.
   A knee injury in training rules Ben Osborn out of the promotion run-in. Cooper must name a replacement.

3. MD 32 · The charity shootout runs late
   Stay and finish the event. Cooper keeps Wes Morgan and Matty Cash at the event until the final penalty. The supporters love it; the players lose a little preparation time.
   Next 3 matches: a dressing-room lift creates more chances, with a little less defensive focus.

4. MD 46 · The club considers its options
   Leave the complaint to the club. Cooper lets the club pursue the complaint and takes Simon Cox and Ryan Yates back to training. The squad get a quieter build-up to the return leg.
   Second leg: calmer heads and fewer mistakes, but a slower start.