Boards.ie Football forum draft; First Round Game 9; NoelJ vs whatawaster

Blatter · 17-10-2011 11:55PM #1

Presenting Game 9 of the Boards.ie soccer forum Football Draft.

Poll will stay up for 96 hours, anyone may vote, however only votes attached with reasoning on thread will be counted.

NoelJ vs whatawaster, submit your teams and counter argue and the very best of luck.

whatawaster · 18-10-2011 12:04AM

Team:

Peter Schmeichel

Fabio Da Silva
Benoit Assou-Ekotto
Nemanja Vidic
Laurent Koscielny

Sandro
Tom Huddlestone
Ramires

Samir Nasri
Danny Welbeck
Gonzalo Higuain

Schmeichel

Fabio

Vidic

Koscielny---Assou-Ekotto

Sandro

Huddlestone

Ramires

Nasri

Welbeck

Higuain

Overall, I think this is a well-balanced side, with lots of ability and few weaknesses.

What makes a great team? Attributes like pace, physicality, technique, ability to attack and defend set-plays, creativity/flair, a top goalkeeper. Most important, to me, is the ability of a group of players to mix well together. I believe my team covers all of these bases well.

Pace: I have two quick full backs and one fast CB in Koscielny. This will allow me to keep a high defensive line – key to the pressing game I believe would suit my side. Furthermore, Sandro and Ramires will give me pace in midfield. In attacking from wide, I will be able to rely on the pace of both my full backs as well as Welbeck.

Physicality: Schmeichel is a beast and will dominate his area. Vidic will not be overpowered by any striker. In midfield Huddlestone, Sandro and Ramires are as strong a combination as you’ll see. Between them they have plenty of height, bulk and stamina.

Technique: The only player in my 11 I’d say is not overly comfortable on the ball is Vidic. The rest of the team all have good touch, control and passing ability.

Defending set plays: Schmeichel is hands down the best keeper in this draft, and he dominates his area like no other. Between him and Vidic, most corners and free-kicks will be swept up with ease. Huddlestone and Sandro also offer plenty of aerial protection because of their height.

Attacking set-plays: Huddlestone is a marvellous striker of a dead ball and will be my designated set-piece taker. Vidic, Sandro and Higuain will be the key targets in the box.

Creativity/Flair: Huddlestone and Ramires have the passing range to create chances from midfield, but Nasri will be the main creator in the team.

Goalkeeper: Peter Schmeichel. Enough said.

How the team mixes together: My team sets up the way I like to see teams set up:
- One strong CB, one mobile CB
- Two pacey, attack minded full-backs.
- A midfield trio that, imo, gives the team perfect balance. Sandro the ball winner, Huddlestone the quarter-back whose job it is to bring the full-backs and the attackers into the game, and Ramires is the link-man with the forward three (reminds me of the good oul Liverpool days of Mascherano, Alonso and Gerrard in midfield)
- A mobile, versatile front three. Welbeck is pacey and dangerous, with an eye for goal. Nasri is tricky and creative and Higuain is the perfect modern striker, skilful, mobile and full of goals. The three of them will switch positions frequently.
- More than anything, my team is all about balance. The centre-halves compliment each other, as does the midfield trio and the attacking trio. This wasn't a team put together by chance, it was a team I envisaged would play in a certain fashion (the way I like to see a team play) and (almost) all of my picks were pre-meditated well in advance, many from the very beginning.

It's a team capable of winning the ball and keeping the ball, shutting out teams and scoring goals.

Once Noel was posted his team, I will pose my argument as to why I think my team is stronger

NoelJ · 18-10-2011 12:04AM

I’ll start with the positions and why I think they are good picks.
Hart is one of the best goalkeepers in the premiership and hard to argue he’s not.

Cueller and Kolarov are my right centre backs and left centre backs. I chose these two players as they are both top quality players who can play as centre backs or on the wings. Having 3 at the back I thought it was important to have players who could defend the channels well while also being able to play centre back.

The third man of the defence is King. I think King has to be one of the best defenders in the world. He’s a monster and after getting him I thought it’d be okay to only have 3 at the back. If he wasn’t an injury prone player he’d be at an even better team I believe.

The midfield of Jenas as Defensive Mid , and a Centre Midfield of Alonso and Adam is great. All of these players are comfortable on the ball and they have a great ability to pass. This is great for the defence and another reason I thought three at the back would not be an issue. Retention of the ball is key and this midfield can do it.

The wingers of Jarvis and Giggs are good. Jarvis is a great player and having a great season for Wolves. Giggs while some may say is too slow still can do a great job and will have the ability to get the ball into the box. This is vital as Shearer and Torres are both good in the air.

Shearer and Torres are an unbelievable strikeforce. Shearer must be the best English player in the premiership in my opinion. Torres is Torres, he’s just immense. I honestly think these two can work together with Torres skill and Shearers number 9 skills. Both are strong and tough and will cause any defence a problem

Formation 3-5-2
This formation I thought was the best as King Cuellar and Kolarov can hold their own in defence. The midfield can pass and packing the midfield will give the defence even greater cover allowing for the wingers to run for crosses into the box.

Whatawaster
I think that my team has a better midfield. Sandro, Huddelstone and Ramires are very defensive for a midfield trio. I think Alonso, Adam and Jenas will be able to outplay these three. He has three good attacking players however I think my defense and midfield will be able to take them. The defense I think will struggle against a strikeforce of Shearer and Torres. Vidic is a worldclass defender but Fabio, Assou-Ekotto and Koscielny are not amazing. Torres always has the best of Vidic in recent games and I really dont think the other three can take Shearer.

Good luck!

whatawaster · 18-10-2011 12:25AM

I think my team would run out the clear winner here.

- I have a much better goalkeeper (though Hart is very good)

- His defense is not very good imo. A back 3 is a mistake because he has no good defensive midfielder (Jenas is anything but) to fill the gaps when the CBs are dragged wide. Picture Welbeck or Nasri advancing down the flanks with Fabio/Assou Ekotto overlapping. King will be pre-occupied with Higuain, so one of the centre-backs will be dragged wide leaving gaps for the likes of Ramires to exploit.

- His midfield is not very good imo. Jenas is not a DM, he doesn't have the physicality, is not a good enough ball-winner, and while his passing is decent, the most remarkable thing about him is how he goes missing from games. Adam is another player who can go missing, and although he is also a good passer, he is lightweight and slow. Alonso is an exceptional player, but I think he'll be starved of possession. Unfortunately he is the only one of your midfield trio who is any use in defense, but I fear he'll be fighting a lost cause and he'll spend too much of his time at the wrong end of the pitch.

- Jarvis is a good wide player, but Assou-Ekotto has the pace to match him, and Giggs is still a good player, but not out wide for 90 minutes imo. I think both my full backs are capable of dealing with them, they certainly won't be beaten for pace, and Sandro will help them double up and minimise their threat. Jarvis and Giggs are also going to have to defend your own flanks for much of the game imo

- Your strikerforce is excellent, but will be starved of service and support from midfield. I think if there was any centre back in world football who could deal with the big threat of Shearer, then it's Vidic. Koscielny is a more mobile player, and he has shown that he can deal with skillful, quick players like Torres used to be.

In conclusion:
- Basically, your midfield is flimsy. Sandro, Huddlestone and Ramires have the physicality yours lacks, but they are also good on the ball. I don't think it's much of a contest.
- Your defense will not cope with my attacking trio plus my overlapping full-backs plus the advancing runs of Ramires. Not without a decent defensive midfielder.

I honestly think my team would win by several goals.

redzerdrog · 18-10-2011 04:27PM

when i first saw these i taught watawaster would be an easy winner but then looked in a bit more dept. Both strike forces are quality. I like both CM's i think alonso and adam would be awesome and create a bucket load for torres/shearer. It has come down to the defenders for me while I dont like 3 of whatawasters backline the fact it still has vidic and schmiechel wins out for me.

I think if noel had another defender instead of jenes his team might have won.

ColeTrain · 18-10-2011 11:36PM

I'm going to go for whatawaster.

I think his team is better balanced. His defence is good, midfield solid - maybe lacking a little creativity but is flair and pace up top.

Noel's forward line looks dangerous and the midfield has quality especially with Alonso and Giggs.

Where it falls down for me is Jenas as a holding midfielder protecting a back 3. I think waw's forward line would create a lot of chances and would overall just win out.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero · 18-10-2011 11:48PM

Gone for whatawaster too on account of how open Noel's defense looks. Looks very good going forward but I cant see them having any sort of defensive stability.

dfx- · 19-10-2011 01:26AM

Other than Welbeck and Ramires, I think that's a very good side from whatawaster, which may be difficult to beat if it gets through.

G.K. · 19-10-2011 03:36PM

??? Welbeck and Ramires have been superb players and have been excellent this season...

Anyway - I feel Noel lacks balance, and waw has considerable balance, his players complementing each other well. Kolarov doesn't strike me as particularly able as a CB, and I don't think Gigs coul get the better of Fabio.

Bounty Hunter · 19-10-2011 03:47PM

yep lack of balance for Noel while WaW's players all seems to really suit his side and although I'm not blown away by them I think they would compliment each other well here and get the win. Never a fan of 3 in defence also

CSF · 19-10-2011 05:15PM

Shearer and Torres is a frightening strikeforce, but I just don't think Noel J's side really has enough in it to do the donkey work every side must do and Charlie Adam is certainly the sort of player who needs someone else to do his running for him to allow him to look impressive with his creative ability. With the side exposed in the middle for me, going with 3 behind that is just going to leak goals.