Vitesse of Arnhem are a current Eredivisie side who, in all honesty, are mediocre to poor at best. With no obvious stars in their squad, they rely heavily on youth team players and loans from reserve squads and foreign academies. Vitesse are the perfect fit for my desired Master League SOMS. In the duration of these SOMS and my Master League, I hoped to have taken Vitesse from the depths of Eredivisie struggle to the heights of European success. It will be a lengthy process but one that I am confident will get impressive results. I have tried to make the squad as up to date as possible without Downloadable Content or Updates and I hope you enjoy the read. Any feedback or comments will be appreciated.
Vitesse Arnhem. A club not usually paired with the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Saint-Etienne or Villarreal CF- all of which are clubs known throughout Europe as strong, historically successful, sides. But Vitesse have a surprising connection with all three of the aforementioned superior sides: DaveyPoshboy. Yes, ahead of the 2010-2011 Eredivisie season, DaveyPoshboy is taking control of the struggling Dutch side in a new project that aims to catapult them into European and Worldly success.
quote Davey, Vitesse Manager
"Vitesse are a young, inexperienced, side. Relatively unknown as nothing more then minnows- they are perfect for what I aim to accomplish. I aim to take Vitesse from the pits of domestic struggle to the dizzying heights of European success. Sure, it will be a lengthy project, and one that will not come without it's kinks and it's bumps, but I am very confident with Vitesse I can get results.
The current Vitesse squad does not boast any major talent, and is at it's bare minimum as far as numbers are concerned.
Spoiler:Full Squad - Start 10/11
Spoiler:Starting XI
Looking Ahead At The Season
Tactics
quote Davey, Vitesse Manager
Attacking at home, defensive on the road. Not uncommon, and certainly not surprising where success is earned. We are a side that teams, even those equal to us, will believe they can beat- and we must prevent this at all costs. Whereas at home, we must dominate, create chances and convert. Fans must not allow themselves to feel alienated by a lack of attacking prowess on the road- all successful European teams demand a strong away record, and with defensive tactics I feel this is what we will achieve.
Transfers/Funds
quote Davey, Vitesse Manager
We know no wealth, and I have inherited a fairly young squad. I will aim to bring in players on loan deals and if they impress, and the price is right for us, then a transfer may be pursued. But the club has a lot of players who will be blossoming in two to three years time, and so we cannot allow ourselves to focus on shifting the dressing room around until we get success like most clubs. This project is long-term, and the squad is young. It is a perfect combination.
Targets
quote Davey, Vitesse Manager
Remaining a part of the Eredivisie for next season is an absolute must. We cannot afford the financial constraints that relegation brings with it. A top ten finish is my realistic estimation, but this league is strange in the sense that a decent string of results can have you battling for Europe.
Financial Stability
Top Ten Finish
Pre-Season
Aissati 24' Sinan Kaloglu 54'
The opening pre-season fixture couldn't have gone much better in all honesty. A string of chances were made, and eventually Vitesse found the net- Pluim sending Aissati through on goal, who rounded the keeper to finish with ease. There was total domination throughout both halves, and the second goal came much similar to the first, a long ball over the top, this time from Matic, saw Sinan Kaloglu on his way, the Turk finishing neatly from just inside the box. A complete performacne saw substitute appearances for the likes of Nilsson, Malhoek and goalkeeper Room- boosting morale and confidence ahead of the new season.
Pluim 34' - Suk 76'
An inarguably tougher task ahead of the season, and Ajax's Select XI still featured regular starters such as De Jong, Enoh, Anita and Alderweireld. Vitesse opened the scoring, much against the run of play, after a decent section of play in the middle of the park between Matic and Aissati. Aissati fed the ball out wide for Barazite, whose low cross found Pluim in acres of space at the back post- Vermeer had no chance. Ajax were a constant threat, though, and deserved more than the one goal that Suk pulled back for the Amsterdam club. A superb bit of skill from Anita rounded Van Der Struijk on the edge of the box, before a chipped ball was headed easily past Room for the leveller. Chances fell to Suk, De Jong and El Hamdaoui late on, but there was no winning goal.
Verdict A promising performance against weakened opposition in St. Pauli, but even an under-strength Ajax side seemed to prove too much to handle at times. Defensively there are frailties, but going forward Vitesse are a force to be reckoned with. A mid-table position would be most likely given the standard of performance against the standard of teams faced. Estimated Position: 8th-11th Transfers & Season Post #1 Coming Soon.