Draft Last 16: Chrissybhoy vs Andersonisgod

Frankie Lee

Lets get it on. Poll will be added when both teams are up, but votes in the thread with a little reasoning will be the ones that count towards the winner.
Voting finishes 24 hours after the second player's team is announced.

Andersonisgod

Draw your soccer tactics with this11.com

The aim is simple, to dominate territory. With that in mind, I’ve had a specific type of player in mind throughout. It’s essential for the fluidity of this system that each player is versatile, can operate in numerous positions on the pitch giving the players the freedom to change formation throughout the game. Possession is obviously a big a factor in this setup and my picks reflect that, each player in the side is very comfortable on the ball, the short link up play between Fabregas/Nasri/Baines down the left and the laser sharp accuracy of Gerrard’s diagonal passes to Rafael down the right or Anelka over the top brings variation to the play.

The fluidity of the system will normally be seen when we have the ball. Luiz drops back to create a 3 man defence, Rafael and Baines offer width and incisiveness down the flanks. Gerrard, Fabregas and Nasri have the freedom to roam and to create havoc on the edge of the box while Fowler and Anelka will be looking for passes played in behind. Fowler will operate more primarily from the center while Anelka may roam from side to side and work the channels, his pace and skill make him dangerous.

Off the ball I believe we have the requirements to deal with most situations. King, Koscielny and Luiz are all extremely fast, extremely athletic and extremely gifted one vs one defenders, these attributes are important when playing a system that requires 3 at the back, which often leads to more 1 vs 1 defending than systems that utilize 4 at the back. Rafael and Baines shuttle up and down, their pace should allow them to recover to create a 5 when needs be, Gerrard is an excellent box to box player and capable ball-winner in the center of the pitch while Fabregas, Nasri, Fowler and Anelka will press the back line to stop easy the opposing team playing out from the back. If the initial press is unsuccessful, Fabregas drops back alongside Gerrard while Nasri drops onto the deepest of the opposing midfielders.

Opposition Analysis:

On the ball they have good pace up front through Henry and a hugely capable supplier in Beckham, the aim is to limit the amount which these two players receive the ball. This is through the press, Lebouef and Zabaleta are more technically proficient than Mellberg and Phil Neville, therefore when those players receive the ball at the back this is the trigger for our attacking players to press them aggressively and force mistakes high up the pitch, from which the pace of Fowler and Anelka can capitalise. This press may also force the opposition into playing long passes from back to front, this would be welcomed as we believe King would deal well against Henry in that scenario. If Quinn plays then we focus on the knockdowns, force Quinn into making uncomfortable layoffs by applying pressure in the air and exploiting our 3 vs 2 advantage. Through our press and high numbers in midfield we will look to snuff out the space in which MaCallister operates between the lines.

I believe that we should be able to dominate possession, Parker when pressed is prone to error and Cabaye, while a technically gifted player, lacks the force of will to dominate games in the same manner of Gerrard or Fabregas. Through the forward running of Baines and Rafael we look to make their wingers run in the opposite direction.

Overall I believe that my squad has the specific tools required to win this game for the reasons outlined above.

Skylinehead

Chrissybhoy's team:

Cech

Zabaleta Melberg Lebouef P. Neville

Beckham Cabaye MaCallister Speed

Quinn Henry

Il start with Cech il rely on him for match winning saves and to organise and talk to my defense.

My defence does lack blistering pace but will be disciplined and solid and with Lebouef I have a CB that can play out and start attacks Melberg can be physical with whoever he comes up against. Zabaleta will bomb forward and will have a good relation with Beckham they'll help each other going backwards and forwards. Neville not as attacking going forward so he'll stay at home offer cover for any breaks.

My Midfield is the fittest in the draft I reckon I'm going with 2 Centre mids which could be dodgy but with 2 wingers who played CM in their career they can tuck in and help out. With Cabaye and MaCallister I have to wonderful passers to feed Henry with any sort of movement it will be dangerous. With Beckham I have the best crosser of a ball which is perfect with Quinn up front aswell as Beckhams accuracy with long balls he'll land it on Quinns head to lay off to Henry. Gary Speed on the left will cut in and play little one twos and play clever balls down the channels for Henry he'll score at the back post with headers from Bechams crosses.

Up top i don't have to say anything about Henry but up front would be devasting with Quinns flick on headers with his pace causes havoc. Quinn is in heaven with the quality I have. Plus if there is any rash players I'm up against it's great to have Beckham over the free kicks

Frankie Lee

Visual representation of Chrissybhoys lineup

IncognitoMan

Im going to go with Andersonisgod

Simply put I think he has a better set up. Rafael and Baines are ideal for the wing back roles and with Fabergas and Gerrard in midfield there is plenty to supply the forward line.

One slight thing I would have done though Anderson is move Gerrard up and play another center midfielder with Fabergas. I just feel a peak Gerrard should be a little bit further up.

I don't like the Quinn pick and as such I think it leaves a huge reliance on Henry and in a draft like this sides will have 3 or 4 match winners where I feel Chrissybhoy has only Henry and maybe Beckham.

smileyj1987

I'm going to go with chrisbhoy here , his line up is very solid with a very good defence and can tear a team to shreds with counter attacking football.
That and he also has the aerial threat of Niall Quinn also which is also a handy plan b because beckham is a great crosser of the ball. Henry could take knock downs from him or can provide that moment of magic.
I would also say Gerrard should be further forward also !! He has shown in the past to be exposed defensively as a cm.

Liam O

Going to go for AIG myself. Didn't have a clue what he was up to a lot of the time with his picks but it has manifested itself into a decent looking team that would control the middle in a game like this. IncognitoMan is right about the match winners, they just don't seem to be there in Chrissybhoys team.

redzerdrog

AIG for me there is just too many poor players in chrissys team. Niall Quinn has no business being in the this draft. Midfield has too attack minded players who wouldn't exactly put their foot in. Parker would have been a better option their. Parkers peak > Cabayes peak but id prob of played 3 in the middle and dropped Quinn tbh.

I still think Henry could do some damage but think AIG wins this 4-2

Iused2likebusts

AIG for me. I think they are stronger all through the spine of the team. Baines lack of pace as a wingback could be a weakness in other games however it wouldnt really get exposed against beckham. AIG has a lot of goals in his lineup and Id go for a 2 goal winning margin.

Blue giant

I'm going with chrissybhoy here. I'm not sure how fabregas and Gerrard would work together in a midfield and I think Gerrard is better further forward. David Luiz is somewhat of a liability also I feel. Beckham and Henry for me win the game for Chrissybhoy.

CSF

One of the easier ones here. With the exception of Cech and Henry, AIG has the better in every area.

While I think you could do with someone more safe to compensate for Gerrard and Fabregas' attacking inclinations than Luiz, I think AIG was a lot more sensible in the draft and his team is a class above crissybhoy's.

bucketybuck

I think better teams will walk right down the middle of AIG's team, Fabregas and Gerrard as a midfield two just doesn't work for me, they both badly need somebody beside them to do some donkey work. Luiz behind them is just a liability, and up front I think Anelka is wasted anywhere than playing right up top and using his pace.

On the other hand, while Chrissybhoy has a solid team I'm not sure its good enough to take advantage of AIG's weaknesses. He will control the midfield but will he create enough goal chances? Quinn is a poor pick, even with Beckhams crosses. He didn't score enough for me, and is Henry really going to be hanging around trying to get on the end of Quinns knock downs? That doesn't seem like Henry's game to me and besides, Ledly King was a superb defender and well fit to handle Niall Quinn.

I think AIG will just shade this one, probably on a moment of magic from somebody. If Chrissybhoy had a playmaker like Djorkaeff in there instead of Quinn I'd probably have voted for him, but I just think he will struggle for goals.

Ferris_Bueller

I'm going to go with Andersonisgod. Like others there were definitely times where I was questioning his picks during the draft but he has assembled a decent team in the end, against some teams he may struggle with Gerrard and Fabregas in the middle, neither are great defensively, but I think he will get away with it against Chrissyboy. Aside from Beckham, Chrissyboys midfield is a standard below AIGs, not a fan of the Quinn pick either and think it's too simplistic a view that Beckham will put the ball on Quinns head for Henry to get onto. Don't think he has a brilliant defence either, most teams weak links have been their full backs but Chrissyboy has weak enough centre halves IMO and no excellent holding midfielder either.

Winston Payne

My vote is going to Andersonisgod. I think it's not just the individual matchups on the pitch that go his way, the balance of the game would favour him too.


Andersonisgod's attack VS Chrissybhoy's defence:
You look straight away at the individual battles in the middle of the pitch. A peak Robbie Fowler and peak Nicolas Anelka against Frank Lebouef and Olaf Mellberg. Lebouef was a decent player but he wasn't an oustanding centre half at any stage during his Premier League career. Mellberg was a decent centre half and could pull out on occasion some brilliant backs-to-the-wall displays and he was mainly solid under O'Neill in particular. I would not back either defender to keep with either striker. Both had the speed, skill and movement to leave either defender trailing. I also think it's a good partnership. Both could stretch a team in behind and both could come off the front to feed the other or link up play. An Evans-era Fowler feeding Arsenal-era Anelka is mouthwatering. Baines' crossing isn't that much of a concern perhaps with the aerial presence in the defence, but Rafael pushing forward and Nasri drifting up or wide to overload certainly is. Phil Neville wasn't a brilliant left back when played there. If pushed for a position, I'd have said he was a half-decent midfield scrapper for most of his career. Throw in Gerrard's long-range shooting ability into the mix and I think Andersonisgod has a clear advantage in this area of the pitch.


The midfield battle:
Andersonisgod wins this area of the pitch as well in my view. Chrissybhoy has picked a midfield that is looking to build from a central area more than anything else. That approach is perfectly acceptable. The problem he has is that Andersonisgod's midfield is even stronger in the middle in my opinion. Cabaye and McAllister will both contribute defensively but not enough to stop Andersonisgod's central trio. The ball will be wrapping around at some pace between Fabregas, Nasri and Gerrard. There is a man and technical advantage in the middle of the pitch for Andersonisgod and that is crucial to the balance of the game. Luiz could go forward and present a deeper passing option too, letting Fabregas or Gerrard edge forward a bit more, which overloads Chrissybhoy's central pair even further.


Chrissybhoy's attack VS Andersonisgod's defence:
While I like the look of Andersonisgod's strike partnership, I can't say the same for Chrissybhoy. Henry worked best with service coming in from a playmaker or second striker, or with interlinking with a winger and full back at speed, and with each player varying their position. To Henry's left there's Gary Speed, who I'm not sure would provide enough pace or movement, and Phil Neville chugging up from left back. Chrissybhoy has said that Neville will be detailed to hang back a bit to provide cover, so this liberates Rafael to press Speed high up the pitch, something that suits his game perfectly. I'd back Rafael model 12/13 to take on Speed in that duel and come out on top.

Baines has more work to do against Beckham and Zabaleta. He has to get right on top of Beckham to try and cut out his delivery. Andersonisgod's man advantage at the back allows either Koscielny or Luiz to come across and help deal with Zabaleta overlapping, which mitigates the danger somewhat. Beckham delivering for Quinn will happen at least once or twice you'd say however, and that's half a chance for Chrissybhoy to score.

The fit of Henry and Quinn doesn't look the best for a front two. Henry isn't someone who'll hang around up front all game, looking for Quinn's knockdowns in the same way a poacher like Owen or Phillips would. It's a waste of Henry's gifts and it wasn't really his game anyway. There's plenty of speed in Andersonisgod's defence too. You'd back a prime Henry to score a goal, maybe two, but he's got a battle on his hands, with the defence having a man advantage and issues of service with his team having less of the ball and no natural pathway to feed him. It's a tall defence with two aggressive centre halves so Quinn isn't going to have it all his own way, and he's hardly going to lose any of them with movement. If he or Henry go deep looking for the ball, David Luiz is perfectly happy to follow them into midfield and bring close physical pressure.


The balance of the game:
I can see Andersonisgod's team enjoying sixty per cent and up of the possession here. It's a creative, mobile midfield, and there are no natural ballwinners against them. I wouldn't trust Beckham to tuck in and fight to any real effect, and while Speed could do that, it opens up the flank for Rafael. The idea of him, Nasri and one of the forwards drifting wide with Gerrard bursting into the box and the other striker in there already doesn't bear thinking about for Chrissybhoy, and it's a very viable prospect. I don't see Chrissybhoy's team possessing an overwhelming counterattacking threat either. Only Henry has pace in the forward positions. Zabaleta could get forward too, but none of the midfield are what you would call natural counterattackers. Cabaye would start higher for Newcastle when given that task of breaking into the box, and that was with the likes of Tiote covering behind him. McAllister was more of a playmaker.

Looking at the whole picture, while Andersonisgod might not keep a clean sheet through the virtue of Henry alone, I think he runs in more. It's a 3-1 or 4-2 game for me.

Frankie Lee

I'd have to take issue with Gary Speed lacking pace, he was very quick back in the day but the fact that he was still playing at 40 can cloud judgement on that. I'm still undecided on this. AIG's team will create more chances but peak Cech makes a difference.

highgiant1985

Andersonisgod wins this one for me.

Reason: Fowler, Anelka, Baines, Rafael and with Gerrard and Fabergas in midfield they just offer too much attacking treat. I do think the line up would concede goals but they'd certainly score them as well and would out score Chrissys line up IMO.

Winston Payne

Frankie Lee wrote: »

I'd have to take issue with Gary Speed lacking pace, he was very quick back in the day but the fact that he was still playing at 40 can cloud judgement on that. I'm still undecided on this. AIG's team will create more chances but peak Cech makes a difference.

It was a bit before my time, but I've heard that Speed in Leed's last title win was good out wide. Never heard that he had devastating pace, just a half-decent turn of it and a great ball on him.

A_Sober_Paddy

Anderson wins this game for me...

Anderson has so much going forward, but I do feel his midfield is in danger of being over run...there is no protection for his defence. Luiz is a risky player, liable of costing his side by making a defensive lapse. I'm assuming his wing backs are Wing backs in the Barcelona sense so just very attack minded full backs. Rafeal and baines are both capable of defending...

Chris's side doesn't offer a huge amount in my opinion, speed was a fine player...but not a winger that put a full back on his arse. Beckham, speed will offer good service but its to Quinn...Quinn really now henry is unreal but I do feel he could be left isolated as a player he'd be so far ahead of Quinn in terms of football brain, they be making runs that Quinn wouldn't be able to read, Chris's side looks like a big same side in certain aspects...

Both sides have strengths and weakness, bit I do feel Anderson attack would overrun Chris defence and to be honest i am going for Anderson

Morzadec

This is pretty easy for me.

AIG can hurt that fairly poor defence in many ways. AIG would dominate midfield too imo.

Chrissy has the Henry factor but it's not enough imo.

keane2097

Easy win for AIG for me.

Fowler & Anelka would eviscerate CB's backline which is devoid of pace.

Having Beckham and Henry on the same team seems a waste. Quinn not good enough to be in the draft, not even close in fact.

McAllister and Cabaye are reasonably creative, but up against Fabregas and Gerrard would be outmatched, although that's a midfield that I could see being put under pressure in later rounds.

the incredible pudding

Win for AIG for me. I think people are undervaluing Luiz as for a defender who can step up with the knowledge that there are potentially two playing behind him he can be a valuable asset. He seems to have a solid game plan and has formed a decent team to do so. With Fabregas and Gerrard feeding Folwer and Anelka I feel they'd be provide a genuine goal threat.
Chrissyboy's team isn't bad at all but I just feel they'd come up short in this game by get overwhelmed in the middle and don't quite have enough pace on the counter attack to exploit the space that might open up on the flanks.

SlickRic

it's AIG for me.

just too much pace and finishing power for Crissy's backline I'm afraid.

duffman13

AIG for a handy win. Those taking issue with the midfield of Gerrard and Fabregas have a point however they are still a better pairing than Cabaye and McCallister IMO and would have no issue controlling that game!

elefant

AIG's team looks miles ahead to me. Better in every position except in goals.

Frankie Lee

As a very basic means of deciding, I've converted my opinions into fairly rudimentary numerical form.


AIG has it.
Player ratings can change in different set ups, Gerrard would be a 10 if played further forward. I would have liked to see Petrov play the holding midfield role ahead of David Luiz. Chrissybhoy might have been better served playing Parker and Dyer.

#15

AIG for me.

I think the people focusing on Luiz being a weakness for him are overplaying it, at least in the context of this match.

If Luiz was one of his best players, then it would be more more significant. But he is a 'role-player' in this team, and he is more than adequate for that imo.

DerekDGoldfish

AIG to win, don't rate chrissboys center backs at this level and although AIG's midfield lacks steel it should be enough to win the game.

keane2097

Luiz is an extremely underrated player by EPL fans IMO. Overrated by transfer markets obv but a very talented player.

Brien

Its not gonna make a difference it seems, but I like Chrissybhoys team to win. AIG has three very selfish forwards, and I dont see Gerard and Fabregas totally dominating McAllister when he will have free range of either wing as an out with Beckham and Speed winning easily against Baines and Raph. Lots of wing play with Phil Nev and Zab not even pressed to get forward, knock downs galore from Quinn, as well as one of the greatest forwards to ever grace the EPL.

keeponhurling

CSF wrote: »

One of the easier ones here. With the exception of Cech and Henry, AIG has the better in every area.

While I think you could do with someone more safe to compensate for Gerrard and Fabregas' attacking inclinations than Luiz, I think AIG was a lot more sensible in the draft and his team is a class above crissybhoy's.

Saved me typing, I agree with this

Edit: ok, poll is closed

Ulysses Gaze

I give this to Chrissybhoy...Anelka blows more cold than hot as does Nasri. Rafael is a defensive liability who will either get sent off or commit stupid fouls that allow Beckham to cross or shoot.

Beckham supplying crosses to Quinn or defence splitting passes to Henry would give Chrissybhoy the edge...as would MacAllister's passing range.