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Premier League Draft - GROUP B

  • 30-05-2020 7:18pm
    #1
    Posts: 13,688 ✭✭✭✭ Megan Millions Cowhide


    i?img=%2Fi%2Fleaguelogos%2Fsoccer%2F500%2F23.png

    Welcome one, welcome all to Group B of the 2020 Premier League Draft voting thread.

    - Voting is to be based on players' peak time spent in the Premier League only.

    - Votes without a reason/comment will not be counted unless in the case of a tiebreak.

    - Voting will commence when the final manager has posted their team/write up and will last for 24 hours.

    - Winner of the group progresses to the semi-finals.

    - Voting is open to everyone.


    Group B
    Martyos
    Hello 2D
    Ferris_Bueller
    Brianregan


    Take care, and goodnight.

    980.jpg


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,596 ✭✭✭Ferris_Bueller


    I'll get the ball rolling for Group B so. Firstly my team.

    abTPgYnai9.png

    Attack
    Overall I am happy with my team, up top I have one of the best PL strikers of all time and I would argue only Henry was better than Aguero, who has broken the 20 goal mark six seasons for City and was on course to do so again this season. He is supported by Dele Alli in behind who from 2015-2017 was one of the best players in the league and had a phenomenal knack for scoring goals and arriving late into the box almost as a support striker.

    Midfield
    On the wings I have gone for two different types of players, Willian is more of a proper winger who will run at the full back, work relentlessly, track back, and chips in with goals and assists. He will stretch the play on this side and will be a nuisance for any full back. Willian won Chelsea players player of the year twice in 2016 & 2018 and also held down a starting role for Brazil. On the other side I've Juan Mata who was too good to pass up. At Chelsea he was phenomenal and won their player of the season two years on the spin, in the 2012/13 season he registered 29 assists and 20 goals and was one of the most creative players in world football at the time. On the right side he will cut in and act as the sides primary playmaker.

    Not sure what needs to be said about Yaya Toure. The man was a beast of a box to box midfielder and such a key player for City winning their first two PL titles, Yaya of course named in PFA TOTY both times. He scored 20 goals in the league in that second title winning campaign. He is such a powerful, influential player who can shoot, pass, tackle and drive at teams. Beside him then I have Moutinho as the deeper lying player. He was Wolves player of the year last year and arguably their most important man. This season he has the 5th most tackles in the league and is in the top 10 interceptions for midfielders. His intelligence and positioning on the pitch will be crucial.

    Defence & GK
    At centre half I am very happy to have two lads picked who have a bit of a partnership from playing with Spurs. Two very different types of defenders, Vertonghen has been one of the most consistent and reliable defenders in the league and has become Belgiums most capped player ever. He is good at reading the game, playing out from the back and is a really cool head. Sanchez is more aggressive, strong, quick and will act as a good foil. At left back Bertrand has won trophies with Chelsea and been very reliable for Southampton, always linked with a move to a bigger club and has won 19 England caps, I think he will link up well with Willian down the left and they will be a handful. Clyne was brilliant at Southampton and early in his Liverpool career, he is first and foremost a solid defender (which is important with Mata ahead) but also has great pace and fitness to offer he overlap down the right. Patricio then is as solid as they come outside of maybe the top 3 or 4 keepers.


    Opposition

    brianregan: he has a good defence and a pacy front 3, but I feel I would win this battle in the midfield. While he has technically good players I think Fernandes, Kovacic and Sigurdsson are broadly too similar and there isn't a real physical or defensive presence there. Alli and Toure breaking from midfield would cause a lot of problems I think. I think Fernandes was a poor pick considering he has only played 5 PL games. Krul was the last keeper picked and is probably the weakest one in the draft as a result. I don't think Walcott or Zaha have been the most consistent performers in the league and would not offer much support to Rose or Bellerin, who are more attacking full backs than solid ones.

    Hello2DPerson: He has a very good left side and Drogba will cause problems for anyone. But similarly to brianregan I think his midfield is questionable, Grealish and Maddison in the same team just would not work for me and would be very lightweight in the middle of the pitch (I know he has Neves too). Aside from Robertson I don't think his defence is anything special, Aarons has not completed a full season in the league and is currently rock bottom of the league, Soyuncu and Matip have been good but not elite level defenders and I think my attackers would get the better of his defence ultimately.

    martyos: Probably the one I would be least confident against here, marty picked a very good team and it just strikes me as a team that would work well and is nicely balanced. A great defence and two holders in front of it too. It's not without flaws though and I would argue the biggest one will be where will the goals come from? Lacazette has not managed to break 15 in the PL yet, the three behind are not goalscorers either. I think Adama is a flash in the pan player and I would think Rodri is questionable having not played a full season yet. A lot of responsibility on David Silva there.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,476 ✭✭✭✭martyos121


    Right, so here’s my team:

    mOAOVnA.jpg

    My philosophy is simple; tiki-taka. Dominate possession, patient with the ball in creating chances and equally as importantly, smart tactical fouling when the ball is lost to stop the counter attacks at source. ;)

    Goalkeeper and Defence
    I went with Leno in goal who I feel has improved massively in the last 9 months or so. He looks very assured between the sticks, is undoubtedly one of the top 5 shot-stoppers in the league and his distribution over a short range is solid which suits my style of play well.

    My fullback pairing involves two really well rounded players in Digne and Pereira, both equally brilliant in attack and defence. This is such an important area of the pitch in a team playing possession football, and I’ll be playing them very high up the pitch to stretch the opposition and keep possession, with Digne overlapping in behind Pedro to get to the byline and give good quality service back across the box. Pereira will stay back a little more but will also be heavily involved in the build-up play and his late inverting runs into the box are a talent of his I’ll be utilising. Digne is also very adept as a set piece taker so that’s in his locker too.

    In the centre of my defence, is one of the greatest defenders English football has ever seen in John Terry. Zouma’s there too, and in top form he’s not half bad either, with a savage turn of pace to suit my high line and snuff out long balls played on the counter. Terry is often forgotten as an excellent passer of the ball from defence, and I always felt he’d benefit from playing in a system like this. As a partnership, Zouma has the raw pace and power to hold his own against most attackers, while Terry brings the leadership, experience and sheer determination along with being world class at the foundations of defending and the added threat of being dangerous from set pieces as the high scoring defender in Premier League history.

    Midfield
    The star of the show in a tiki-taka side, I’ve put together a trio that will dominate this area of the pitch against any opponent in this draft, and I’m certain of that. First, you have David Silva who is the maestro of the team. He can single handedly run a midfield and make it tick, and that’s exactly why I’ve drafted him. I don’t have to say a lot more about him, he’s just the ultimate tiki-taka midfielder and there isn’t a player in Premier League history I’d put ahead of him in this role in this team.

    Fernandinho is a player who went hugely under appreciated by opposition fans for years, but his value to the team has been unmissable in recent seasons and if you ask any Man City fan, he’s been doing it even longer than that. Just like with Silva, I’ll be having him play an identical role in my team, he’s the link between the defence and the midfield and without possession, he’s even better. Almost never caught out of position, he’s there to cut out and opposition threat before it even gets near my defence and he’ll also be cutting out attacks early on, and fouling whenever necessary which although a “dark art” in football, is one of the most crucial parts of his game in this type of system. Added to all of this, his chemistry with David Silva is rock solid as the games they’ve played together are well into triple figures. Familiarity breeds success.

    Rodri was another no-brainer, and in picking two of Man City’s top midfielders, I feel the negatives of his lack of longevity in the league are offset a little by playing nearly all of his football alongside one if not both of my other two midfielders. He just fits perfectly into my system and he’s also a sublime passer of the ball, but like Fernandinho he excels without it too. Of course he can only be judged on his Premier League stint, but I feel he’s shown more than enough this season to warrant a place in this team as he’s seamlessly slotted into one of the greatest midfields in football history and continues to play at a high level.

    Attack
    I’ve willingly sacrificed a bit of quality in my attack to ensure my midfield and defence was of the highest quality, but I’m still really happy with my front three despite that. First up is Lacazette, who has everything I need in a centre forward. His goal scoring numbers in English football may not have hit the heights expected of him yet, but in this team the service around him is on another planet to what he’s used to at Arsenal. His finishing may not match up to some other strikers in this competition, but the quality of chances that will come his way in this system will be of a much higher calibre and he’s shown that he knows where to put himself to get those chances at goal.

    Pedro was another easy selection for my team, and while he arrived at Chelsea a yard slower than he was at his peak, he’s lost none of his footballing ability and he’s always been a hard worker for the team. His passing, his dribbling and intelligence in his best seasons at Chelsea are right up there with the best, but he’s also got an eye for goal that few other wingers have and this setup will bring out the absolute best in him. Pedro is without question the star of my attack.

    I’ve gone for a bit of a wildcard here in Adama Traore, but he’s shown a remarkable improvement this season and added a fair amount of quality to his end-product which was his weakness in previous years. I won’t be expecting him to be heavily involved in retaining possession and all the other traditional work of a winger in this system. Instead, Ricardo Pereira will be playing very close to a right wing position while Traore roams between the opposition left back and centre back, waiting to be played through, almost as an inside forward. It leaves my right flank exposed at times but I won’t be without the ball very much with my tactics and personnel and Pereira has great recovery pace to get back in time. It’s not a typical or predictable selection for a team playing this type of football, but Traore offers something very different and is arguably the quickest player in this completion and if I do get the chance to counter attack, he’s going to cause huge issues for any defence. On his day, he’s simply impossible to defend against.

    That’s my team anyway, I’ll post my thoughts on the opposition separately later on.


  • Posts: 13,688 ✭✭✭✭ Megan Millions Cowhide


    abTPjPxafs.png

    Dubravka - Won't be troubled too often given what's in front of him but on the rare occasion where an opponent gets in it's handy to have an elite shot stopper. Most saves in the Premier League 2019/2020

    Defence - Best left back in the world and two of the current top 5 best defenders in the league. Matip was magnificent last season and began this season ahead of the impressive Joe Gomez. Soyuncu has been heroic at Leicester and has been a key part of their push back into the Champions League. Max Aarons is new, but he's the next big thing. Big clubs are all sniffing around so being with Norwich ought to be no deterrent.

    Midfield - Come get the ball. Ruben Neves sitting in front of the defence dictating the play with his elite passing. Maddison playing in central midfield as he has done for Leicester this season. People seem to think he's an attacking midfielder but he isn't anymore and has said playing centrally is his best position. Grealish then at the point of midfield, great creativity and, despite his hair, isn't afraid of grafting when out of possession - great tenacity. The most fouled player in the league. 'Light in midfield'...LULZ.

    Attack - Drogba will bully your defenders. Sane is the best winger in the league. Lucas Moura is a great attacker and a modern Dirk Kuyt - works his bollocks off defensively.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,476 ✭✭✭✭martyos121


    Thoughts on my opposition:

    Ferris
    A well-balanced team on paper with one of the best strikers in the world (who has admitted his toughest opponent is my captain, John Terry, who should therefore match up well against him), but I don’t see his midfield pairing faring well against my trio. While Toure in his day was a decent defensive player (though he’s much better in possession) and Moutinho is still a good ball-winner, neither have the pace or tenacity to stop my midfield being dominant here IMO. Credit must be given to the back four Ferris has put together, but Traore is a lot quicker than Bertrand and Clyne may struggle against the double attacking threat of Pedro and Digne with Mata not being the best at getting back to help out. Willian and Alli are two players I rate quite highly, especially the work rate you get from them all over the pitch. Vertonghen and Sanchez have the benefit of playing together which is worth bonus points as far as I’m concerned, and they’ve often played well together too. This is a match I feel I’d come out on top in more often than not, but Ferris probably represents my toughest opponent in this group.

    Hello 2D
    I’ll start with the good; Drogba is a fearsome number 9 who can cause problems against any defenders (but Terry is way too familiar with him, I feel he’d know Drogba’s game inside out), Sane is an excellent winger (but absolutely not the best in the league as my opponent suggests) and Robertson of course is a world class left back equally as good in defence as he is in attack. Outside of those three players, I’m not seeing much to worry about here though. The midfield is way too light and relies far too heavily on Neves to do all the dirty work which he’s not able for on his own. Maddison and Grealish are good footballers when they have the ball, but they’re not nearly as adept at winning it back and will be starved of possession here against my Man City collective. The centre back pairing of Soyuncu and Matip isn’t bad at all but I wouldn’t call either of them top class and my quick passing along the ground should be able to unlock that defence fairly regularly. Aarons is very unproven at this level at the poorest side in the league, so he’s a real weakness in this team and won’t be able to cope with Pedro and Digne combining down his side. I strongly fancy my side against this one.

    Brian
    Some really dangerous players in this team such as Aubameyang and Fernandes, but the latter has to be marked down severely for playing so little football in the PL. He’s undoubtedly world class but the sample size of his ability in English football is tiny. Apart from those, there isn’t a huge amount of danger in this team to cause huge problems for my defence, though Zaha can be a threat on the counter attack. Without the ball I feel they’d really struggle to win it back, with only Kovacic showing any true evidence of a defensive game in that midfield, but still not a particularly great one. Kompany leads a pretty solid back four here though and any centre back would do well alongside him, but Ake is very good in his own right. I feel that Rose can be gotten at down the left side and would struggle to control the unpredictable Traore if he was one-on-one, and Bellerin even at his peak was prone to mistakes at times but he has the pace to recover most of the time so he’s not a bad pick at all. Not a bad team overall, and I haven’t seen Brian’s tactics laid out yet, but I’d be confident in getting a result here too.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,482 ✭✭✭brianregan09


    Okay so my team

    GK: Tim Krul: although not the best keeper in the league by a long shot , he is well experienced and a big presence in goal at 6.3 and has 46 clean sheets across his career at Newcastle and Norwich and at his best is someone to be reckoned with I think with Ake and Kompany in front of him there is a massive physical presence at the back

    DC: Vincent Kompany , what can i say but the captain and lynchpin that has held City's sometimes dodgy defence together since before the abu dhabi takeover and has captained the club to 4 premier club titles and comes up with important goals too like the worldie against leicester last season

    DC: Nathan Ake was chelsea young player of the year before settting off as one of there loan army had a fantastic season with Watford earning him another young player of the season , he's since become a lynchpin in a bournemouth side which has stayed in the PL consistenly and before an injury in january he was linked massivley with a big money return to chelsea i think he would slot in perfectly next to Kompany as a ball playing centre half

    DL : I feel Danny Rose would be a great back up for Zaha down the left side and like Bellerin on the opposite side has the pace and raw power to get back and defend when's needed

    DR : much like rose he would offer an outlet for Theo Walcott as an overlapping full back hector at his best in the league has been devastating and since Emery took over last year he got much better defensively only for it to be curtailed by injury

    DMF: Kovaicic, has really flourish under F Lampard in the deep lying role and this is where i'd have him as someone who can get the ball from the centre backs to launch an attack or drop back and use his physicallity in defence and make the back 2 a back 3 when needed

    CM: Sigurdsson : A wile midfielder in the number 8 role and a dead ball specialist and a proven goal record with 60 in his premier league history across a few clubs 44 assists too him lining up next to or just behind fernandes while supplying the likes of Walcott ,Zaha and Aubameyang is a terrifying prospect

    Bruno: admittedly a small sample size but you can already see from that sample that bruno is right at home in this league , as small as the sample is there isn't any bad points in it and he'd be rubbing his hands at the thoughts of the 3 ahead of him


    LW: Zaha : a player who has single handedly carried Palace's attacking threat (more or less) since he was in the league i feel in my team the shackles would be off even more and he can really be devastating and with him rotating with Aubameyang defences would not know how to handle him

    CF: Although he's only been in the premier league for 1 full season Aubameyang has a golden boot to his name and 49 goals overall since he has come he has been one ofthe best strikers in the league since he got here , his ability to play across the front 3 is critical aswell with both wingers able to also play through the middle

    RW: Theo at his best was one of the best in his arsenal days his seering pace was barely matched and i think he'd give any of the left backs in this game/group problems


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,482 ✭✭✭brianregan09


    Hello2D :
    as I'm gonna say with everyone a very good side , as amazing as Drogba is I think Kompany would have the measure of him , lucas moura is a great player but has found his best form in the champions league , sane and bellerin would be a great match both of them at there best and hard to know who comes out on top

    I think your midfield is all too similar and i feel like the 3 would bunch together ,grealish himself has literally been in the league half a season and although he's played well he's hardly dragged up trees on his own villa are very much in the crapper

    as for your defence , soyuncu has been decent but he couldn't even get in the leicester team last year , Robertson is an excellent choice though , Matip has been great when fit , aarons is decent but I think Zaha would be way too clever and expeirienced for him

    Dubravka is a good shot stopped but is prone to the odd howler too

    Martyos
    This is a tough one you've built quite the team I think where you can be got though is the full back area and that is where i'd target , the front 3 could definitely get at them and by doing so bypass your midfield , I do think Kovacic dropping deep could deal well with any attacks through the middle ,Lacazette does not work as 9 i've watched him for 2 years with arsenal he needs support I don't think he'd get any change out of kompany , he hasn't ever that i've seen , pedro and traore can be great players but they are so inconsistent , traore at his best is an impact sub which isn't ideal when we're only picking 1st 11s , i think your midfield is really good and are going to be tough to beat but i think the rest leaves it down , in goals Leno is a fantastic shot stoppper but has made some massive mistakes under pressure

    Ferris bueller
    Patricio is a good keeper no complaints at all , Verthongen and Sanchez have had nightmares against Aubameyang any time they've played against arsenal especially verthongen , they can be rattled easiely from what i've seen and got at , bertrand and clyne are decent but not exactly top tier players I think Walcott and Zaha would defo get something out of them , Aguero and Alli are dangerous but I think Kompany and Ake could deal with them , Kompany especially would know how to deal with Aguero

    To finish i know i have deficiencies in midfield but I think my strength in other areas definitely helps hide them


  • Posts: 13,688 ✭✭✭✭ Megan Millions Cowhide


    VOTING IS OPEN UNTIL 20:39 TODAY


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 46,279 ✭✭✭✭Mitch Connor


    My vote goes to Ferris_Bueller - think it is a more balanced team in terms of quality, with a players boasting a longer track record in their positions, at same or higher levels.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,750 ✭✭✭redzerdrog


    This is an interesting group and I would have it a 3 way shootout with Brian's unfortunately taking 4th.

    H2tpb - I love so much about this team in particular I think the defence works quite well as does the attack. I am struggling to get away from Madison and Grealish together in the middle though and well like they could get overrun here

    Martyos - has built a very solid team. I love the back 4 in particular the full back however think they might be over reload upon to create. I think martyos team will be hard to break down however might also struggle to score themselves. I don't think fernandinho and Rodri particularly work in this set up as it has tended to be one or the other in the DM role for city. Silva the obvious class act here but there might be too much on shoulders

    Ferris - not mad on his defence but think it does enough in this group. I really like the duo or yaya and Mourinho with Alli helping them out which is where they will have the beating h2tpb team. His midfield will be a match for martyos but then his has Aguero to finish the chances. One bone I would pick with his tactics is playing Willian as a transitional winger on the left, don't think this particularly works as willian mostly plays that role on the right and is right footed.

    Overall how the teams match up I think yaya and Aguero nick this for Ferris


  • Registered Users Posts: 679 ✭✭✭daithi1989


    My vote goes to... Ferris Bueller

    I think the front 3 he has is strongest in this group, and goals win games! I also think he has the better of the 4 goalkeepers, meaning his front trio would be more likely to score against the weaker GK.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,191 ✭✭✭✭Shanotheslayer


    Marty for me.

    I think his midfield trio works very well together. Quite defensive but with the full backs going forward it opens up a lot of wing play options.

    Terry at CB will be a rock.

    Ferris B a very close 2nd


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 22,844 Mod ✭✭✭✭Bounty Hunter


    Martyos = Best Midfield
    Ferris = Best CF
    Hello 2d = Maybe best balance throughout
    Brian = maybe best Defence

    weak points =

    Brian has Bruno picked so early in a peak premiership draft when he's only ever had 5 prem appearance which may cost him

    Grealish & Maddison sharing the same space in midfield might cost 2D also although I do believe he (Maddison) can play deeper but could still see them getting in each others way.

    Marty's team is so solid in midfield and defensively it's strong but up front he might struggle to finish against a top team

    Ferris' back five don't scream top tier draft team to me even though the rest of the team makes me very tempted to give him the nod in this one

    Arrgh....

    I think I'm going to give Hello2d the slightest edge and he will get my vote....even if his graphic says his RB is Adams in stead of Aarons which had me confuddled


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,708 ✭✭✭dr.kenneth noisewater


    Ferris- Good team but lacking defensive cover in midfield and I think Sanchez is a liability. Aguero and Toure could swing any match but I dont think they would top this group.

    Hello 2D - Again I think theres a lack of defensive cover from midfield. This team looks great going forward but Maddison and Grealish would get in each others way and I think the right side could be exploited. Lots of talent on the left wing and Drogba is top class but they'll just concede too many.

    Brianregan - Really strong defence and like both FB as attacking options. CM is lacking a bit, Siggy and Bruno could get in each others way and I dont think Kovacic is a DM so would be found out. Really pacy front line but Walcott and Zaha probably lack that final pass. PEA is quality and will love playing in front of Bruno and Siggy.

    Marty - Think Rodri and Fernandinho in the same team is overkill but might work here as the 2 FB love to get forward. Having Terry there also means defence will be rock solid. Silva at his best was top class but I'd be worried about the top 3 here. Pedro's best days were behind him by the tie he got to the EPL and Traore is lacking consistenty for me.

    Tough call here, 3 attacking teams and 1 really strong defence. But I think Martys team will edge it


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,338 ✭✭✭✭Liam O


    This one is tough as I think there are strengths and weaknesses that each team could exploit against the others.

    Marty has done very well to get that midfield and full back pairing and they look impressive together. Terry may be able to cover for Zouma who has been very up and down in his time in the league but I rate quite highly. The attack I don't know, I just don't see a real threat and feel that with Pedro on the left it could be a bit clogged when attacking through the middle.

    Ferris I think has a team that looks quite balanced. Moutinho is a player I love a he showed last season at an advanced age how good he is but age catching up with him a bit already. Yaya if you point at his peak could dominate a midfield, his lack of interest in defending could lead to issues which makes me think the team is lacking a DM. Not a huge threat out wide as I think both wingers will come inside a lot and the full backs aren't really top level attackers by any means.

    2D has a huge wide threat and the speed they could produce running off Drogba would be frightening. I missed out on Sane because he got there a pick before and I was hating him for it :) I genuinely think he's the best player in the league. The midfield lacks cover but I'm unsure the other teams are setup to exploit this. I don't think Matip has looked great with anyone other than VVD and Soyuncu's lack of time in the league makes that a bit of a weak spot, albeit with 2 good players there.

    Brian is another team with an electric front 3 at peak powers. Walcott is extremely underrated for his peak time at Arsenal and Zaha carries an entire attack on a regular basis. Of course Auba is unbelievable. The full backs when talking peak PL I think are very strong and would add a lot to this. The area I would question is CM where obviously Bruno hasn't played much and they lack a dedicated DM to break the play. I feel in this group that's not as much of an issue as the other midfields would be ball playing ones so would only really struggle against Marty's.

    On the balance I just like Brian's team more and think that Siggy beside Bruno maybe adds a bit to the lack of service in the league that I would have to take away for Bruno's lack of it. This decision was very much in relation to the strengths against the other teams in the group and only really made when writing out the above. I actually started off thinking it would go a completely different way.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,089 ✭✭✭wrestlemaniac


    Ooh this is a close group!

    Brian
    has a good solid defence, I like the Ake pick, when he is missing from the Bournemouth defence they are noticeably a lot worse. The front three are also a great combination of pace. Midfield for me is weak, I'm not a fan of Kivacuc or the Bruno picks to be honest.

    H2D
    left side of team possibly the best in the draft with the Robertson and Sane combination. Drogba up front is a great fit for this team. Right of the team is an issue. Arrons with little shown and Lucas with glimpses, but more form in Europe is a major weakness here.

    martyos
    Silva and Fernandinho is a great midfield combo, would have went with someone other than Rodri though. Traore has shown glimpses but not enough for me, likewise with Lacazette. Defence is solid with great full backs and Terry as a rock.

    Ferris
    Great creativity in this team in forward areas and I could see them linking up well together. Yaya and Moutinho are a good midfield duo. Not personally a fan of any of three the back four really, Vertonghen the exception.

    For me it's Ferris just, ahead of H2D, as he has best team collectively going forward.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,952 ✭✭✭Morzadec


    Ferris Buellar has the best balance and the best side for me, with no real obvious weakness.

    I think his attack works really well, lots of pace, trickery, and goals, and Aguero one of the best of all time to bang them in.

    Yaya is a huge presence and is balanced nicely with Moutinho. Alli maybe a luxury here as Yaya could've taken on the role of goalscoring midfielder himself, but overall I see this working.

    Fullbacks are not spectacular but are proven performers and gives the team the width it needs for balance and the core back 3 (while not the best in the draw) are solid.

    It looked like it was hard to put together a team without a hole or two to pick into but I think Ferris Buellar has done close to that.

    Martyos has a strong midfield. Not sure about Adama in a team that dominates possession as he's better on the counter, and overall that front 3 is weakish if you think of players at their peak compared to otehrs in the draw. I think he might struggle for goals.

    Hello 2D has some definite strengths, I like his front 3 and I think it's dangerous. However, I'm not sure Grealish and Maddison work well together - two players who need creative freedom and they step on each others' toes a bit for me. It looks like Maddison is being asked to play as an 8 here and I'm not sure he's the right choice, better used between the lines. Then you have a young inexperienced player at right back - has to be pointed out.

    Brian's team has a similar problem to Hello 2D imo, in that SIgurdson and Bruno play similar roles as goalscoring advanced centre mids, so I again don't love the balance there. The back 4 is very good, with good width provided by fullbacks. The front 3 might be just a tad flaky for me but is dangerous.

    Overall I think Ferris has the best cohesion and balance, and looks solid or better in every area to me, whereas the other teams I would have some holes to pick.


  • Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 23,228 Mod ✭✭✭✭GLaDOS


    My vote goes to Ferris Buellar. Despite some question marks over his defense, overall I feel it has the least weaknesses. Aguero is lethal up front and there is good support from midfield.

    I like Marty's midfield and defence but feel like there's a lack of goals in the team. Pedro and Traore were never regular goalscorers and Lacazette isnt the most prolific either.

    Hello 2D has a lovely attack, and the support from full back is great as well. I really don't like Grealish and Maddison in the same midfield and the core defence of Soyoncu, Matip and Dubravka has some question marks for me.

    Brian has a very solid defence and decent attack as well. His midfield is a big problem for me though as Fernanades is essentially an unknown in the PL and I really don't rate Siggy in a deeper midfield role, his best games were always in the 10 position for me.

    Cake, and grief counseling, will be available at the conclusion of the test



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 45,630 ✭✭✭✭Mr.Nice Guy


    I'd echo what others said that this is a tough one to call.
    Ferris - Really like the energy of the midfield and AMs which will help Aguero do his thing. Prefer your left side of defence to the right but can't see you giving up many chances. Reckon Moutinho and Toure would combine very nicely.

    Marty - One of the best defences I've seen and with the midfield ahead it will be tough to break down. Would be concerned whether Lacazette would take the chances that come his way, but this team will be hard to beat.

    H2DPB - I can see plenty of chances going Drogba's way which should mean plenty of goals. Defence looks good, though Neves may have a lot of work to do and while Aarons is a great prospect, he'll have tough, experienced opponents. That said I think the firepower would blow most opponents away.

    brianregan09 - Big fan of this attack which has an Arsenal flavour I like, and I mentioned at the time I thought Walcott was one of the better picks. Think the FBs could be got at in defence, though in attack they will offer a lot.

    Going to vote for Ferris as I think his team has the best balance of strength in both areas of the park.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,222 ✭✭✭✭y0ssar1an22


    Ferris Bueller: arguably the best striker ever in the PL, with Alli behind. Big fan of your CM. Lacking pace out wide would be my biggest concern, couple that with the lacklustre fullbacks and you may an issue creating chances. You do have Yaya there, who can drive forward. The CB’s are fine, with an occasional mistake.

    Martyos: very good midfield, strongest in this round IMO. but not a fan of your 2 wide players. Solid at the back with one of the PL’s greatest ever. I can see this team being tough to break down, and you have the midfield to get the ball forward, where you have a very good poacher, Aguero-esque. Would the 2 wide players hinder this team, or be enough to get them over the line?

    Hello2d: has the pace and width, and enough creativity to get the ball to Drogba. Your LHS would scare every team in the world TBH. One flier on the LHS was enough to drive Spurs into the champions a few years back. This team is better.

    Brianregan: Aubameyang is a great player. Gets goals wherever he is. Theo was handy enough for a while with Arsenal, and Zaha puts in some quality displays. Kovacic is a beast, and Bruno’s defensive work can make up for Siggy’s pace. Still worried you may get overrun in midfield. Kompany and Ake are the strongest paring in this round. Again, this team will be hard to break down, it’s a question if you’re wide forwards can provide assists?

    This is very tough to judge! Hello2D for me


  • Posts: 13,688 ✭✭✭✭ Megan Millions Cowhide


    Ferris_Bueller has enjoyed his day off. Congratulations on progressing to the semi-finals.

    Martin_O_Neill_3469262b.jpg


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