December 2018

December 2018
During the month of November, Yeovil Town F.C played 4 League matches, 1 Checkatrade Trophy match and 1 FA Cup fixture.

They ended the month 16th in the League and into the third round of the Checkatrade Trophy.

League 2: MD21
You know what, I'm happy with the result. Granted, we were very sloppy in front of goal and could have had 4 goals, but it's over now and we have a point and a third clean sheet in a row. Previously, we would have lost this goal on a counter attack late into the game. So... that's progress in my book!"

Checkatrade Trophy: Area Semi-Final
"Well, it's the end of the road for us. We gave it a solid run but we were missing some key players today. Once again, we lament our poor finishing. But it's OK. Our focus now is purely on our League campaign and giving everything we have to push into the playoffs."

League 2: MD22
"That should have been three points. But a lack of decisiveness at the back cost us the goal. Someone should have just booted it out at the first three chances of the ball being pinged around. When it fell to N. Baxter, all he had to do was catch it. Instead, he knocked it back into the air and Ibehre finally knocked it in. So many nearly games. It needs to fall together now. Northampton marks the end of the first half the season. We've learned a lot, but now it's time to kick on. So much progress has been made recently, now is the time for consistency."

League 2: MD23
"Better the devil you know huh? Andy Williams, a ghost of Yeovil's past, hits us for two and ends our hopes for a strong finish for this half of the season. What's become clear to me is that we need to dip into the market and see if we can find a creative midfielder who can help us in the final third. I'll let you know once I have some updates on that. Next, it's back to our rivals, Exeter City, who remain top of the table!"

League 2: MD24
Exeter City Post-match Interview

That was our reserve team. And we just did that to the league leaders. Tell me... why can't we do that to everyone else? That's the challenge I gave to the squad at the end of the game. And I believe that they're capable. Next up, Tranmere Rovers. A team we beat 3-0 in the reverse fixture. I will settle for nothing less than 3 points from the team."

League 2: MD25
"Slowly but surely, we're getting there. Today, Tranmere made us work very hard. We only had 2 shots in the whole game! But we were solid as a defensive unit and thankfully, we managed to score a late goal on a counter attack. It was a perfectly weighted ball by Browne to find Courtney and he managed to knock it in off the underside of the crossbar. Talk about margins!

The Winter window opens tomorrow and we'll be doing some business. M. Degerlund will finally link-up with the squad, though he won't be involved against Cheltenham as that's the day he officially becomes a Yeovil player! F. Schram is illegible to play too, but we're going to take it slow with him, get him trained up, and look to give him a couple of games later in the season.

We're in the market for a creative midfielder, certainly. Elsewhere, we might look to try and secure a few players who have contracts expiring ahead of the new season. There's a few we have our eye on, as we will need to fill the void for when our loan signings return to their parent clubs. I can confirm that F. Zoko will not be renewing his contract, but unless we receive a fair offer, he will remain at the club for the remainder of the season. A. Gafaiti, who previously announced his desire to leave, has now come to terms with his position at the club and has signed a 2-year deal!

We will entertain the option of loaning out a couple of the kids, but otherwise, don't expect any departures!"

YeoLaTengo Monthly Review
"Another mixed month, but once again, we end on a high note. The difference in the team now against August is night and day. We're tighter in defence and the fruits of their labour are coming through in the increase of clean sheets. Chance creation and goal scoring still remain the largest frustration for the team, but the result against Exeter City. With all of the various goal scorers, perhaps was a message from the players that they're capable of stepping up.

With the halfway mark gone, we're sitting just about where we need to be. We end the month in 11th with 36 points. Morecambe, in 7th and the final playoff position, sit nervously on 38 points. So it's now marginal. However, should results not go our way, 17th position is on 31 points. So we're sitting right in the middle of promotion dreams and mid-table mediocrity.

How the team might adapt with Magnus Degerlund coming in remains to be seen. He has all of the right attributes to become an accomplished defender, and next to O. Sowunmi, they could become insurmountable giants for the opposition. It will be interesting to see how January plays out, but hopefully, we receive some needed reinforcement to take us to the next level."

YeoLaTengo Player of the Month
"This month is all about our defence. Following on from his improved form last month, O. Sowunmi continues to dominate the defence, allowing the rest of the team to push ahead with a sense of calmness that he's there should we get countered. So Omar is this months winner!"

Contract News

 * A. Gafaiti extended his contract until 2020
 * Y. Arquin extended his contract until 2020
 * J. Gray extended his contract until 2021
 * A. Santos extended his contract until 2021
 * J. Grant extended his contract until 2020
 * B. Mugabi extended his contract until 2020