World Cup Draft Match Eight: redzerdrog v Eagle Eye

The Volt

Good luck lads.

redzerdrog

Eagle Eye

My Team:
Goalkeeper:
Minding the net for me is Denmarks Thomas Sørensen. He has a wealth of experience both at club and international level with 90 Caps for Denmark since coming into the the Danish side he had big boots to fill and he didnt let anyone down. At 6ft 5in he is a massive presance about him and is an all round solid player.

Defence:
My 2 Centre Backs are Germanys Per Mertesacker and Argentinas Martin Demichelis. This is close to a perfect partnership in Mertesacker I have a 25 year old that has played 69 times for germany. He is also 6ft 6in tall so to have a good footballing CB like Demichelis (6ft 1in) playing beside him I think they will make a great partnership at the heart of my defence.

My Fullbacks are Guy Demel and Geal Clichy. Both players are physically strong and very quick. They are Both very comfortable on the ball and also 2 very good defenders. Clichy has been arsenals regular LB for a number of years and he is only 24 and Demel is after having a great year playing RB for Hamburg.

Midfield
In centre Midfield are another 2 player I think would make a great partnership and compliment eachother very well. Schweinsteiger and Veron will both play as center Midfielders. Both players are comfortable with Both feet and they are both Great passers of the ball and should get plenty of assists between them. When defending both players will turn into DMs with Schweinsteiger in particular excelling in this role during the world cup. It will also be an advantage that either player can demand the ball and act as playmaker and dictate the pace of the game.

My Attacking Midfield trio of Kuyt, Platini and Ronaldinho I have everything a manager could Dream of. In Platini i have 1 of the best AM to have ever played the game this is the player that zidane always looked up too and rates him as France's Greatest ever footballer. Many of the French supporters will tell you the same and that isn't bad for a country that produced Zidane. Platini captained france the the europen championship and score 41 goals in 72 for his country. He is also a Freekick specialist.

Kuyt and Ronaldinho are both Big game players. Ronaldinho is after having a great season with Milan Scoring 15 goals and pitching in with 16 assists. Kuyt is in here as an amazing 8th round pick. He is now a World Cup Runner up having played a crucial role in holland getting there.

Centre Forward:
Fernando Torres when fit is the best centre in the world. Injuries dount count in this game and Torres was clearly not fit during this world cup and he still played a crucial part for spain in the earlier games with his clever running and flick ons he created a lot for others round him. He has everything in my opinion pace, power, heading, control and most of all finishing.

The 1st thing that stands out about my team is how well balanced the team is and the partnership throughout the team will make my team tick with so many players complimenting eachother. My team is also vastly experienced with plenty of club and international experience and well used to playing on the biggest stage.
We are solid defensively with plenty of help from midfield and that same midfield will be the platform to build attacks and with an the attacking quartet of torres, platini,rondaldinho and Kuyt getting supply from Schweinsteiger and veron I cant see scoring being a problem.

Captain: Platini
Vice Captain:Schweinsteiger
Penalties:Ronaldiho
Freekick:Schweinsteiger/Veron (outside shooting distance)
Freekicks: Platini/Ronaldinho
Corners:veron/Schweinsteiger

I will comment on eagle eyes team when he posts it up

eagle eye

Team
Pepe Reina (Spain)
Mauricio Isla (Chile)
Paolo da Silva (Paraguay)
Antolin Alcaraz (Paraguay)
Eric Abidal (France)
Esteban Cambiasso (Argentina)
Xabi Alonso (Spain)
Lukas Podolski (Germany)
Keisuke Honda (Japan)
Carlos Tevez (Argentina)
Romario (Brazil)



Goalkeeper

Pepe Reina needs no introduction, the Liverpool goalkeeper is one of the best goalkeepers in the World. He has 20 caps for the World and European Champions. Its great for my defense to know that behind they have an imposing world class keeper who has been so dominant in the Premier League for Liverpool since his arrival there in 2005.

Defense

I have the solid centre back pairing of Paolo da Silva and Antolin Alcaraz who shone at the back for Paraguay who for me were one of the top 3 defenses in this World Cup. Both were outstanding in the World Cup and they will also provide a major aerial presence from corners on both the offensive and defensive ends of the pitch. In fact Alcaraz for me was the most dominant aerial presence in the entire tournament.

At right back I have Mauricio Isla who had a great tournament for Chile and also a great season for Udinese in Serie A. Isla will be given license to roam forward, he is a great passer and crosser of the ball. He had 8 assists last season which shows just what a threat he is.

On the other side I have Barcelona ever present Eric Abidal who has been exceptional in his right back role. He was played at centre back for his country in the World Cup as they have Evra at left back and nobody for centre back.

Midfield

Champion's League winner Esteban Cambiasso will anchor my midfield. This man was left out of the World Cup squad by Maradona which was something that nobody could understand and ultimately Maradona paid the price for leaving such a talent behind. Cambiasso will be deployed in front of the back four. One of the very best defensive midfielders in the world he also possesses great intelligence, vision and exceptional passing skills.

Beside him will be Xabi Alonso, ever present for the World Cup and European Champions, Champion's League winner with Liverpool and the driving force in midfield for Real Madrid as they came so close to toppling the magnificent Barcelona team in La Liga this past season. As we all know Alonso is rated as the best long range passer in football, he also possesses a wicked shot from any distance having scored twice for Liverpool from his own half. Alongside Cambiasso I feel I can open up any defense very quickly on the counter.

The great thing about my team is that I don't need a player in front of goal to score. I have Xabi Alonso, Keisuke Honda, Esteban Cambiasso and Lukas Podolski who can all score from long range. This means that even if a defender managers to cut out a long range pass its very likely I will have somebody coming onto it with the goals firmly in his sights.
Lukas Podolski will play at left midfield for me and get forward when the opportunity arises. He was rock solid at left midfield for Germany in the World Cup. Podolski possesses a great left foot and can finish from distance or in close when the opportunities arise. With 40 goals in 79 games playing at left midfield he is another real goalscoring threat.

Keisuke Honda will play the attacking midfield role as my playmaker and will cause havoc for defenders. He was the most fouled player on a per game ratio in the World Cup and that suits me fine as I have magnificent free takers on my team. Honda can take on and beat players too, his magnificent free kick against Denmark overshadowed the wonderful run he made through that defense before laying the ball on for Okazaki to score.

Attack

I have one of the greatest strikers of all time up front in Romario. Romario was like Maradona in many ways in that he could pick the ball up deep and beat players. What made him so great though is that he was the greatest penalty box striker of all time. He just seemed to score anytime he got in there. He will play off the shoulder of the last defender just waiting to pounce on any ball that gets through.
With my setup he is going to get chances and he finishes so well I expect him to score every game.

This leaves Carlos Tevez, a player I love to watch and rate as one of the top 5 players in the world right now. He found his scoring boots with the switch to Manchester City last season and he scored a wonder goal in the World Cup too. He always makes himself available and he can score from anywhere. Tevez will have a free role in my team as he just seems to always find space for himself.

Free kicks
Honda, Tevez, Alonso, Podolski
Penalties
Romario, Tevez, Alonso, Podolski, Honda
Corners
Cambiasso, Alonso

redzerdrog

Eagle Eye

sorry I ahvent the chance now but 1st thing in the morning I will post up why I think my team will win this match. It will be based along the lines that i have the better shape and balance to my side and that i can see a few major problems eagle eyes team will have. will go into more detail in the morning sorry

eagle eye

redzerdrog wrote: »

sorry I ahvent the chance now but 1st thing in the morning I will post up why I think my team will win this match. It will be based along the lines that i have the better shape and balance to my side and that i can see a few major problems eagle eyes team will have. will go into more detail in the morning sorry

In all fairness your defense and defensive midfield is pretty weak.

Veron is not/never was a defensvie midfielder. Schweinsteiger is a wonderful player but again he is not a defensive midfielder, he played in a more central attacking role for Germany but he is a left midfielder with his club.

I cannot see you breaking through my midfield and I am going to have lots of opportunities to get at your defense. Demichelis is a big weakness imo in your defense and I'm not altogether gone on Guy Demel either.

Another huge problem with your side is Ronaldinho who can't play in left midfield anymore. He is far too slow and really suffered in that position for AC Milan. He was moved to Centre Forward last season and did well there but he is out of position now with his weight and fitness problems.

Abidal is the perfect full back to care of Dirk Kuyt who I see as your most dangerous outlet. Abidal is a great tackler and a very disciplined defender, I don't expect him to get forward much and play pretty much like he does for Barcelona.

redzerdrog

Eagle Eye

First thing 1st this is world cup pick and and players get valued on what round they get picked in. As much as I love Reina he is a terrible terrible pick for someone that was a 3rd round pick.

The next is your right side you have no right mid and are expecting Isla to take care of Ronaldinho and Clichy I can see you getting really dominated along here. Ronaldinho will have Isla pinned back so much he wont be able to get forward and even if he does get the chance ronaldinho can just stay put and leave him to clichy to deal with handily enough.

On your left side abidal is more natural at centre back especially at international level but he is e decent player but again he isnt going to get forward all that often so as much as kuyt loves to work his socks off he will be able to double team podolski with demal and help out veron.

In the centre cambiasso will have his hands full trying to contain Platini which I imagine he wont be too successful that leaves Schweinsteiger and veron against honda and alonso. The argentina team is built around Veron and he has just had a good world cup and is in form while Schweinsteiger has prob been the best Midfielder in the entire Tournament and contrary to what eagle eye thinks has been a regular at CM/DM for both Germany and Bayern Munich for over the last year and just had a great year playing there at club level as well as the world cup playing CM/DM not whatsoever as an AM.

Up front I can see torres having a field day against your over rated defence he will get so much ball and with so many players running off him and creativity coming from from everywhere I dont seemy team being contained. Not to mention the about of Freekicks i could see going my way and having players like Platini and Ronaldinho to execute them can only be a positive.

up front for you is the great romario and i think my backs have more of a chance of containing your forwards than the other way round. It will still be tough but wee have a better chance.

I honestly see my team scoring 4 here while having the majority of possession and maybe Romario nicking 1. So all in all I think I win this 4-1 maybe 2 at a push

eagle eye

You don't seem to have any plan to get through my midfield at all.

I've explained that with two deep lying midfielders who are both fantastic passers of the ball I am going to go right through your midfield which doesn't have one defensive midfieler in it, I've got Podolski, Honda and Tevez all working hard all the time and looking for the ball.

Podolski's pace will cause you huge problems down my left/your right. Tevez' trickery, close control and busy body nature means he is impossible to close down and will bring nightmares to your defense. Honda is another player with a great engine and brilliant close control. My team is full of gifted long range shooters too. I fully believe that your back four will lose its shape with regularity because of the outside threat and I see Romario being put through many times. I don't think your defense can be super confident either with an error prone Sorenson behind them. I also see times when a desperate lunge will occur when one of my players lines it up from outside but thats putting you in trouble too as my free takers lead by Honda are going to punish you if you give them many chances.

When my team loses possession both Honda and Tevez will get back and both are great at pressuring an opponent when he has possession. Podolski is an excellent defender who can tackle and win ball.

My defense is rock solid and its not just the back four I'm talking about but Cambiasso and Alonso in front of them who will break up play and as I've said once they gain possession I see you in a lot of trouble because you will be torn apart on the counter imo.

redzerdrog

Eagle Eye

Just because Schweinsteiger is a very good playmaker doesn't mean he is not a brilliant defensive midfielder which is where he is after playing for the world cup and has been the best midfielder all tournament. your central trio is you want to go like for like doesnt come out on top imo.

Schweinster > cambiasso
veron = alonso
Platini >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Honda

you think your going to win midfield the way I see it your midfield will be so out passed they will be chasing shadows most of the game.

Podolski is a danger on the left that is why i have a very strong and fast RB and a great work horse like kuyt playing on that wing.

When defending my team will get men behind the ball something like this



with you not having a rightmidfielder it makes it easier for me to get bodies inside and you will have no choice but to shoot from long range as I cant see your team having the guile to break it down.

One last point since when is sorenson such a calamity? is it something you just made up in your head.
And for the purposes of this draw a round 10 sorensen is far far far better than a round 3 pick with little international experience

eagle eye

You can't compare Schweinsteiger and Cambiasso at all. One is a marauding left sided/central/attacking midfielder the other is a defensive midfielder with great vision and passing.
Veron had one good game in the World Cup, he is 35 years old and doesn't have the legs he once had.
And neither of them are defensive midfielders by any stretch. In fact your three midfielders and likely to run into each other in the same area of the pitch.

Alonso and Cambiasso will be sitting deep when you are in possession, you won't break that down and any ball that gets through in the centre will be ably dealt with by a proven centre back partnership in da Silva and Alcaraz.
As I've pointed out already you are playing Ronaldinho out of position. Due to his fitness and weight problem he is not capable of playing left midfield anymore and its the reason he wasn't picked for the Brazilian squad.

I've given Tevez a free role because he just knows how to find space and if you leave that room over there and tuck Clicy in then Tevez will be found there more often that not with Isla pushing up to give support.

The way your players are set up, I will just pass the ball around waiting for something to open up, I have Honda and Tevez running around all day dragging players out of position, Podolski is always an outlet on the left. If nothing is open then the ball goes back to Alonso or Cambiasso, we reset and try again.

Its every unlikely that we lose the ball before we have had an attempt on goal of some sort because you don't have a tackling midfielder in your ranks.