Premier League Draft - GROUP D

Welcome one, welcome all to Group D 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 D
daithi1989
Incognito
Mr. Nice Guy


I love my mum.

Mr.Nice Guy

OGC Nice Guys








My picks:

While pleased to make the final of the last soccer draft, I felt my team had weak points defensively. In this game I wanted to learn from that and achieve a greater balance at both ends of the field.

My last team was very much about playing on the front foot, but for this team I wanted a side that would be combative, and able to hit hard on the counter. I set my stall out with my first pick: N'Golo Kante, a player that embodies this team; someone adept at winning the ball back and setting up a quick transition with his box-to-box style. My next four picks highlight my mindset further: Jimenez, Azpilicueta, Doherty, Evans. The plan was to craft defensive grit with counter-attacking threat. Even the forward pick of Jimenez is a player renowned for his selfless play and team spirit.

My next two picks were to be my most important: Lampard, for my legend pick, who is one of the all-time great goalscorers and assist providers; and my pick of Defoe, perhaps my best received pick, given his record and the fact he flew under the radar for some.

The pick of van Aanholt was important to complement the Doherty threat opposite. Alonso had been my top choice, but Van Aanholt, with his attacking attributes, was an alternative I was more than happy with. Rice meanwhile fit the bill nicely as someone that could pair up well with Kante, capable of sitting when his partner requires it.

Pope as my keeper choice suited well for a team that will look to play direct. He is strong in the air and a fine shot-stopper for when my defence gets breached, which I don't think would be too often. And in Bailly, he was a nice complement to Azpilicueta on the other side of defence as a CB that can move the ball forward with confidence.

Overall, I'm pleased that this team fits the philosophy that I had been looking for.

Midfield

I think the strong spine of my midfield is one of my strengths and would give problems to any side. The formation is designed to allow Lampard, all-time leading goalscorer from midfield, 4th all-time for assists, to wreak as much havoc going forward as possible.

Kante and Rice will provide the platform for him to do his thing, as they are tasked with winning back possession and springing the counters via the wing-backs or through the middle. Rice this season is second only to Ndidi for winning back the ball, and Kante's skill in that regard is already iconic at this point.

The idea is to allow Lampard as much freedom as possible to move between the lines and link with the strikers. Even hovering around the box he is a threat, with more goals from outside the box than any other player in PL history.

Attack

Lampard isn't the only top 10 all-time PL goalscorer in my side, as Defoe is 8th in the standings. The plan is to get him through on goal as much as possible. We know from watching Wolves that Jimenez is quite happy to draw defenders out and free up space. He provides a lot of assists and will free up opportunities for his partner, plus Lampard arriving from deep. Jimenez in his own right is a big game player and threat too of course, with goals managed against the top 6 sides.

My two wing-backs, van Aanholt and Doherty, are well known for their desire to get forward, and under this system they will have much more license than they normally do to attack. My holding duo can sit to allow them maraud forward and feed the front men. Doherty and Jimenez have experience working together, as do Van Aanholt and Defoe from their time at Sunderland. Their pace and desire to go towards the box will give opposition sides plenty of concerns when running towards their own goal. It's all about exploiting that space.

Defence

I knew there would be formidable attacking talent on show and that it would be important to have a defence that could withstand it. I feel this is arguably my team's greatest strength. I have three confident, composed centre-backs in Azpilicueta, Evans and Bailly who are big game players.

They are ably supported by the two wing-backs van Aanholt and Doherty, as well as the strong midfield partnership of Kante and Rice offering assistance.

There is tactical flexibility too. Azpilicueta can play across the back line, and we know Rice is also capable of dropping deep and playing in defence if called upon. This means as an example if I wanted Azpilicueta - who with 28 assists has the second most of any active player after Baines - to push on up the field, I could switch to a back 4, have Rice slot into defence, and move Azpilicueta further up the park. This means I can adapt to different opponents as I see fit, although the primary plan is as shown in the graphic above.

Behind the defence, I have Pope who currently has more clean sheets than any keeper this season, and who is a strong shot-stopper and presence at the back. Anyone who plays Fantasy Football knows how good he is. I don't anticipate he'll be worked too often with the players ahead of him, but when he is called upon, I expect him to prove reliable.

Thoughts on group opponents:

daithi: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Dunk, Otamendi, Baines; Lallana, Drinkwater; Moses, Tielemans, Hazard; Rashford.

I like the flair on the width of daithi's team, but I think his central spine is highly questionable. Otamendi had one great season but he's since been prone to a few dodgy moments, like the Norwich debacle. Dunk is a strong solid type but I think he'll struggle when running towards his own goal. Alisson is brilliant but I believe he'll be overworked.

Midfield-wise, I reckon I have the advantage as I don't think Tielemans, Drinkwater and Lallana are going to win a midfield battle against Kante, Rice and Lampard. Rashford is improving all the time, and I'm a big fan, but I like him better cutting in from wide. How much service will he get up top if his midfield lose the battle?

Hazard is the main concern but with Kante instructed to target his old teammate, and the numbers in my defence, I feel I can mitigate the threat. Excellent FBs in Baines and TAA certainly, though of all the teams to face, I think my system makes it very hard for them; smothering much of their potential as they contend first with wing-backs, and then strong CBs.

Incognito Man: Ederson; Sidibe, Lindelof, Van Dijk, Shaw; Gudogan, Ndidi, Doucoure; Bernardo Silva, Van Persie, Martial.

In many ways I think this match-up flips the challenge of the one above. I think Incognito Man has a stronger spine than daithi, but is more vulnerable out wide.

I like the midfield of Gundogan, Ndidi and Doucoure, and feel they will give my trio a tough game, but I'd still take Kante, Rice and Lampard to edge that battle. Van Dijk as we know is one of the best ever, but Lindelof to me has concentration issues at times. As a United fan, I'd take a fully fit Evans or Bailly over him, and I wonder how much bother he'll give his CB partner. Ederson is a strong keeper, though recently has shown lapses more and more. Van Persie is a big threat of course, but I question whether he'll get sufficient service...

I look at the wide areas and see some weaknesses. Shaw to me is a very dodgy pick, and I'm not sure Sidibe has shown enough to warrant belonging in a draft contest. I like van Aanholt's chances against Sidibe, and Doherty against Shaw, and see them getting joy there. Martial can be an enigma at times; on his day he's great, but he can be hit or miss. I think my defence can frustrate him and lead him to have an anonymous showing, of which he's had plenty down the years. Bernardo would be my biggest headache. Smashing talent, but he has to withstand Kante's pressing, and that's before opening up a 5-man defence that will be well aware of his danger. Can he do it? I want to be fair and I'll say he can make a goal, but I genuinely don't see it happening often enough to cost me the match.

Closing remarks:

My opponents have created strong teams but I believe my side merits the win due to its overall better balance. I feel the strong spine of my side, and ability to be flexible in attack and defence, give me the edge needed to top the group. For these reasons I hope I earn your vote.


That concludes my submission. Thanks again to H2DPB for running the game. Good luck to daithi and Incognito Man and may the best team win.

daithi1989

Introducing Daithi's XI



Goalkeeper

What needs to be said about Allison? He's the best keeper in the league, if not the world. He has come in and solidified the Liverpool team, winning the Golden Gloves award in the process last season. He has also kept Clean Sheet in more than 50% of the games he's played in in the League, with 31 CL in 58 games. And he also has that 50 yard assist in his locker, should he need to release Hazard or Rashford in a Counter Attack

Defense

Admittedly, I dont have the strongest CB in the game, but I have some of the strongest. Neither Dunk or Otamendi will be easily pushed off the ball, and will be able handle any crosses into the box. They are also very dangerous from a corner at the attacking end of the field.
Baines at LB is as solid a LB that was available. Currently in his 15th season in the Premiership, for a competition where we're judging player's peak ability, Baines is such a reliable LB. He'll bomb up and down the wing, and the ideal person to combine with Hazard on a overlap. He's also a dab hand (or left foot!) when it comes to Set Pieces.
And with TAA at RB, I have the best RB in the league currently. I understand his defensive qualities can sometimes be questioned, and he is caught out of the position at times, and I will address this later. He is has featured for Liverpool on 84 occasions, providing 25 assists in that short space of time. With Rashford waiting in the box for the crosses, this is definitely a route Daithi's XI will be exploring for goals

Midfield

Drinkwater and Lallana are one of the most solid midfield in the game - again, considering we're judging on peak ability. Drinkwater was one of the main players in Leicester's title winning team, and his ability in that team got him the big money transfer. And Lallana's ability at Southampton was similar to Drinkwater, in which it lead him to join a top tier side. He also was winning International Caps while at Southampton. Drinkwater would be more defensively minded, sitting in front of the back 4 protecting, while also being an outlet for Alisson with short kickouts. Lallana can also pick a pass out of nowhere, with the 4 people in front of him having the pace to get in behind, he will be a threat to any team he faces.
Teilmans is another player in my team who's form lead to him winning a big money move. He may only have a little over 12 months experience in the league, but he has slotted into the Leicester team with ease, and one of the key elements in them being where they are in the league currently. He can get beyond Rashford and get into the box and isnt afraid to take a shot with 6 goals to his name 41 Games. His 9 assists also make his a threat also, with him being excellent at finding the killer ball.

Attack

I'm gonna start with the less attacking side of my trio, and that being Victor Moses, another player who's form for a lower division side in Wigan lead to a big money move to a Top 4 side in Chelsea. His form for Wigan was exceptional, and he was a threat going forward in most games for them. It did take him a few seasons (and loan moves away) for him to make an impact at Chelsea, but he certainly did that. With his defensive qualities there for everyone to see, he is the perfect Right-Side colleague to have with TAA, and can easily slot back to RB if TAA gets caught. Moses has won the Premier League from RB!
On the Left side of the Trio, I have arguably one of the best ever to grace the Premier League. When joining, he had every big club in Europe chasing him. Having won 2 titles with Chelsea, he also has individual honours as PFA POTY in 2014/15 season, when he started every game and scored 14 goals. With him cutting in off the flank, he's the biggest threat in my team. And his form in the league lead to him being Real Madrid "Galáctico" signing last season.
And finally, Marcus Rashford.. At aged 22, he is currently in his 5th season in the Premiership. His stats in terms of goals have improved. He has nailed down the CF position, with 14 goals in 22 starts so far this season alone. He is the ideal point in the team for scoring goals, and will good for a tap in, should an attacking keeper spill a shot that comes in from Hazard, or anyone else in the team.

Vs Mr.Nice Guy

MNG has highlighted his would be giving Kante the job of trying to keep Hazard quiet in the game. This please me, as I think having Kante stuck out on the left minding Hazard leaves the game open for TAA to get up the right flank. The right side of his defensive trio (or 5 depending on how he wants to line up!) wouldnt be able contend with TAA and his crossing ability. Doherty is too exposed on that side, and with TAA and Moses, he would be simply outnumbered.
MNG does pose the threat with Lampard and Defoe, but thats it. And Drinkwater would get stuck in on Lampard, and my defensive would be able keep Defoe in check.
And should they get by the defensive, I still have the best keeper to get by.
No one in his team would be able keep the duo of Teilimans quiet, and both would be able play the killer pass into Rashford, to stick the ball by Pope.

Vs. Incognito Man

I would see this being a tougher fixture than MNG, but still one my XI would overcome. Hazard against Sidibe (a player who has only completed 90 min 15 times) has only one winner, with Hazard running rings around him. Lindelof has made more memorable mistakes than saves in his time at Utd, and Rashford will be able get by him, with balls played in my Hazard. Similarly, Shaw would be caught out on the right side, and TAA and Moses getting balls into the box easily.
Silva is his biggest threat in my opinion, and similar to Lampard again MNG, Drinkwater will keep him out of the game. Martial goes missing on the big occasion. RvP poses a threat up top also, but with Dunk and Otemendi, he'll be bullied off the ball more often than not.
I can see my Lallana and Tielimans running the midfield in this battle also. Doucoure has had a handful of good games. Gundogan is a good player, but never really stands out for City. He's been an "also there" more often than not.

Overall, I can see my side overcoming these 2 fixtures. With TAA and Moses interchanging when needed, and Hazard on the left, these are 2 very solid points attack I have. Tielemans behind Rashford is another threat, with Drinkwater and Lallana being the midfield generals. Dunk and Otamendi are both strong, and will win most aerial battles, making them also threats from corners. And with Alisson behind them, not many goals will be scored against us.



To echo what MNG said, thanks to Hello 2D for organising the competition, and to wrestlemaniac for submitting the first few picks for me, until I gained access to the forum.

IncognitoMan

Best of luck lads, may the best side win.

I feel like the group I have selected are able to move into a couple of different shapes depending on the state of the game, I'll cover my thoughts on this later.

First though I'll just go over quickly why I picked each player and the role they will typically be asked to fill.

Forwards -

Here I just knew I wanted a goal scorer and players to link with him

RVP - My sides main goal thread, his peak in his last season at Arsenal and first at United was as good a level as we've seen from a striker in the league.

Martial - Inverted winger/Inside forward. Has filled this role plenty of times at United and has a good understanding with Shaw who will be overlapping.

B.Silva - Was so good last season that City still won the league without their main play-maker. He will be used to find that killer ball through to either RVP or Martial coming in behind.

Midfield -

I thought about the balance here, I wanted a ball winner, a passer / deep lying play-maker and someone who could make a run to support the goal scorer.

Doucoure - This is my midfielder to support the attack when necessary and to drop into the minefield when we are under some pressure. Doucoure has done both these jobs at Watford and has excelled in the support role.

Gundogan - This is my sides deep lying playmaker / passer. A role Gundogan has done to a high level for years now. Very comfortable on the ball, won't give it away much that's for sure.

Ndidi - My side's ball winner. All great midfields seem to need them and I the leagues best at present. He will offer huge protection to both Gundogan and the centerbacks.

Defence -

Shaw - Gets a lot of stick but truth is for a 18-24 months now he's been excellent. No doubt he has had rough patches before but at present he's up there as one of the leagues better left backs.

Van Dijk - The key man to my defence. He has elevated players around him at Liverpool and can offer the same here.

Lindelof - Improvements made when he got a stable partnership going with Maguire with them keeping 8 cleans sheets in their last 10 games. Lindelof needs a leader with him and I don't think he can do much better. Once he has that he's a very tidy defender.

Sidibe - This I knew would be a target but this is a defender good enough to get into the french squad for world cup wins and is currently taking the role of Everton right back from Coleman. He's a little underrated.

Ederson - Maybe 2nd/3rd best keeper in the league. Don't think I need to cover much else. Best with the ball at his feet though.

Formation / Team Shape

4-2-3-1



This is my sides basic shape, it is where I feel each player are in their best position apart from maybe Martial who has shown huge improvement this year as a striker.

The main focus here is link up play with an overlapping fullback and Doucoure getting a little further up the pitch to support RVP.

Gundogan then is the playmaker in the middle.


4-3-1-2



Useful against side who might be strong in the middle but who aren't great out wide. Also useful to get Martial's pace running directly at goal.

If a team looks like it could keep the ball well I think I would use this shape.

4-3-3 / 4-5-1



Then for defence, compacting the space with this to make it very difficult to break down. Think this would be the shape we would fall into when protecting a lead late on.

Conclusion

So that's my side, the reasons for selecting, tactics/shapes and the roles assigned to those players.

I will go over my opponents in the next post.

IncognitoMan

Mr Nice Guy



I like the side. I do even like 3-5-2 as a formation.

But it does leave a potential issue in the wider areas and I feel it would either give Martial and Silva too much room or you do a man mark job and RVP is one on one with Evans.

Who picks up B.Silva when he comes up field from a deeper position? A job traditionally given to a full back or winger tracking back. You wingback or center back will have to move to meet them.

Same on the other side who picks up Martial as he drifts out into space or cuts inside.

Bring back the wingbacks and the width of your attack is gone.

I feel comfortable enough letting Doherty and Van Aanholt against my fullbacks. I don't really see this as a huge gap in quality if any between them to be honest so I feel that part is a bit over stated.

Your strikers are good but neither went onto that very top level so again I feel comfortable enough with my center backs and Ndidi can control them.

Lampard is always a threat though so I'll give that part.

3-5-2 can be unreal if done right, but it seems to a very difficult formation to get right. Although I do think you were close enough

For clarity : I would play the 4-2-3-1 formation against Mr.Nice primary

IncognitoMan

Daithi's XI



There's a couple of things here I just want to say. I think you were real close with this side but the choice of Rashford as your main striker isn't for me.

His goal scoring this season has come from the left and when he's moved up front he has always struggled. I just don't think he is a central striker.

I love Tielemans, but a 10 he ain't. He should be deeper and paired with an attacking midfielder for me.

Your set of full backs and Keeper might be the best in the game but those center backs are not. I can't see how RVP doesn't cause them nightmares.

Same here, I think I would just match you up with the 4-2-3-1 formation as I think I'd have players better suited to the roles in each position

SEEING AS I WAS ON THE SAUCE LAST NIGHT - VOTING WILL LAST UNTIL 12:20 ON JUNE 5th.

Ferris_Bueller

General thoughts on the teams;

Mr. Nice Guy - I like the team and the formation. During the draft I thought there were some questionable picks but it worked out well in the end, I really liked the Azpilicueta pick and the two wing backs fit your system well, I could see the team working quite well. On the other hand, I do think you have more 'average' players than most, the likes of Rice, Van Aanholt, Bailly, Pope.. Even the two strikers could never be considered top PL players.

daithi1989 - Strongest full backs by a mile. Excellent keeper. Hazard one of the PL greats and Rashford will be a handful for any defence. You will no doubt be a threat down the wings which could cause problems in this group. But your spine really lets you down IMO. Dunk & Otamendi average enough central defenders. The midfield trio is highly questionable for me and I think you should have swapped Lallana & Tielemans (still would have been a weak spot). You were the last player in the draft to pick a central mid and it shows.

IncognitoMan - A very solid team that does not have too many obvious weaknesses. Full backs are probably the closest thing to it but Shaw is not a bad player. Front 3 are effective yet will probably be narrow. Love the midfield trio. Van Dijk and Ederson would make it hard to see you conceding too many goals as well.

1. IncognitoMan
2. daithi1989
3. Mr Nice Guy

I just can't see either of the two beating IncognitoMan. He has class all over the pitch, won't leak goals, will score goals going forward. His Achilles heel is out wide. I think Mr. Nice Guy has players that suit his system but they just aren't good enough, Doherty and Van Aanholt wouldn't do enough damage here. daithi arguably is set up to hit him where it hurts, but I could see IncognitoMans spine really doing damage against them. There was nothing between 2nd/3rd but putting daithi second as I think Hazard would cause a lot of problems.

Morzadec

It's Incognito Man for me (seemed clear on first view, but much closer now looking through it in detail).

I think Nice Guys has a really solid team that would put up a fight against anyone, I'll come back to him later.

Daithi's team imo has some weaknesses I can't look past. I think it has a soft core, with a lack of pace and physicality in Lallana/Drinkwater. I don't see them being good enough with Tielemans to run the game, and I don't see them being good at stifling creativity from others in midfield.

Then you have Otamendi who did have one superb season and is probably unfairly slated, but I see him as needing a really assured presence beside him, and let's be honest Dunk is a good player but he's not played at the highest level in the league.

TAA and Baines have phenomenal attacking output, but they need a dedicated and world call DM and mobile CBs comfortable being pulled out of position for them to shine imo and I think their attacking instincts will be exposed with the rest of the set up here. Allison will need to have the game of his life imo.

Moses is another player I don't like here - he was very good at RWB for Chelsea for as an attacking right forward in a front 3 he has been mediocre at best. He has to come inside to allow TAA to be at his best and I don't see him being effective here.

Hazard could end up running the game because he is that good, but I think there's holes in this team.

Nice Guys has good balance and a solid team, and probably a few different ways to score. Having a back 3 with also excellent protection in Rice and Kante. Probably more of a counter attacking team, but has the players to make it work. I don't see any huge weaknesses, or the weaknesses there are well covered for (Van Anholt has 3 at the back, Bailly has good cover in front of him). Those are two platers who maybe stand out a bit as not top players in the league, Bailly hasn't really put together one great season yet.

At the same time there's no one area of the team that I think is truly top class. Maybe the centre of midfield there of Kante, Lamps and Rice.

Going with IncognitoMan as the Van Dijk factor makes his defence very strong. Lindelof is not a player I rate very highly and imo has not had anything beyond a decent season in English football, but with VVD beside him I think the best is brought out of him. The fullbacks too are somewhat questionable, but they atleast offer good balance and width.

The midfield 3 has a good balance if not the most exceptional players.

Then the front 3 has a lot of class and goals, and a good mixture of players to hurt the opposition. It has something Mr. Nice Guys team doesn't which is a world class striker.

After talking it through it's closer than on first glance. There's an argument that Mr. Nice Guys has the solidity to see him through at the back and dominates the midfield against Incognito. But I think the two crucial bits of class of RVP and VVD in each box sees him take it in the moments that count.

redzerdrog

MNG - has build a strong side for the formation he has picked however I think this formation will be the downfall against the other two sides in the group. I think when playing 3 at back you also need 3 up to to occupy the full backs. Against both teams in the this group he will be get over run on the wings and both wing backs will be run ragged. Unfortunate that both other teams are strong down the flanks

Daithi - love the full backs and they will be a great outlet. I think playing Teilimans in the 10 role is a tactical error and this team would function better as a 4-3-3. As is I just think he will struggle in midfield

Incognito man - although doubts over his midfield I think he has enough to win this group. He will dominate the midfield against Daithi yet still be able to compete with Daithi all over the rest of the pitch. Although he probably loses the midfield battle against MNG he will get plenty of joy on the wings

Incognito Man wins this group for me

wrestlemaniac

MNG
Fantastic spine to the team and I think that midfield trio works well and will dictate a lot of play. As previously mentioned Bailly has not hit a big peak but his pace is needed amongst that back 3. Not a huge fan of PVA in general but having Azpi on his side compensates for his lack of defensive ability somewhat. Love the centre forward pairing and I think they would play well off one another.

daithi
Brilliant full back combination and reliable keeper. I would have serious questions about how much possession the team is going to control with your centre midfield pairing. I don't think there is a need for Moses at all. I would have Lallana as part of the front 3, drop Tielmans into centre midfield and added a third central defender instead. I think you were set up for a brilliant team up until the last few picks.

Incognito
Elements of a great team here spearheaded by RVP and led by VVG at the back. Ndidi in midfield is a great pick and B.Silva is the ideal creator for Van Persie. I would have question marks over the peak of a quite a few of the rest. Sidibe, Doucoure, Lindelof are average. Martial and Shaw very hot and cold. I do know if there is enough quality overall to control a game to get the best out of Silva and RVP.

Overall, I think this is an extremely close group of teams. I'm going to with MNG slightly ahead of Inconito only because in a game between the two, his team controls the midfield area, therefore getting to supply Defoe and Jimenez. As good as VVD is, I see him tied up with Jimenez a lot of the time, and peak Defoe is just too good for anyone else in the back line to handle. At the other end, having Rice and Kante ahead of Azpi and Evans provides enough to cover Incognito's impressive attack.

dr.kenneth noisewater

MNG - Really strong team I feel and makes good use of the back 5. I think Defoe or Jiminez would work better with a more creative striker or no 10 behind but both are great finishers and Defoe was one of the best signings in the game I felt. Really strong midfield trio but not sure if theres a need for another DM with Kante there. Both wing backs will work well in the system and having Azpi there should cover for PVA. Bailly is a potential weak link, as a Utd fan I still havent made my mind up on him. Maybe the team is lacking some creativity as thats not what Lampard was known for and the wing backs might not get forward as much as needed.

Daithi - Another impressive team, 2 great FB's that can defend and attack equally as well. Dunk is a bit overrated I fell but Otamendi was great in his peak for City a few years ago. Alison rock solid behind them. Midfield I'm not sure on, I dont see Drinkwater as a DM but more of a link player. I would have had Lallana in the attacking midfield role with Tielemans further back then. Moses on the right should work well with TAA defensively but I dont think hes that creative for a right forward. Hazard is top class and Rashford should link well with him I feel.

IM - Solid defence of VVD and Ederson but I'd have huge doubts over Sidibe and Lindelof on the right. Shaw is a good pick but will need to be careful defensively with Martial ahead. Midfield looks decent if not top quality. Ndidi is a really good DM, Gundogan and Doucoure offer good support in defence and attack. I think Bernardo and RVP could work really well together and be a huge threat.

Daithi midfield trio is just too weak for me so its between IM and MNG. Defoe/Jiminez will cause issues but I think Ndidi can track Lampard and then theres a lack of creativity I feel. However I think MNG team wont let in many goals this will see them through here just about

martyos121

Three more good teams here, but I think Incognito Man just about tops this group and gets my vote. A truly great spine to his team with great players in almost every central position on the pitch, and Doucoure is a good fit despite not being at the same level as the rest of them. The only pick I’d have to mark him down for is Sidibe who’s shown very little in the PL so far, but Shaw was excellent at Southampton and had some very strong spells for United too. Lots of goals in this side and a midfield that can provide them. His centre back pairing is outstanding too.

MNG’s side is also a very good one, and again it’s hard to pick out any weaknesses, but I just don’t think there’s quite enough in that midfield line and the wing backs to create enough for Defoe and Jimenez. With such a strong defence-minded four behind the attacking mid, an awful lot of creative responsibility falls on the shoulders of Lampard and it could be argued he’s at his best when taking chances rather than making them. The back three looks excellent to be fair. This team would be lethal on the counter attack, but not lethal enough to get the better of a solid centre back pairing in VVD and Lindelof, in my opinion, so IM just about shades that matchup.

I like Daithi’s team because it’s quite different from most of the others. The midfield definitely isn’t the strongest in the group, but all of the flair and creativity comes from out wide which makes for an entertaining side to watch. He has what I consider the best goalkeeper in this competition and one of the greatest ever wingers in the Premier League (no Victor, not you ) and his defence isn’t bad at all, Otamendi at his peak was one of the best in the league in his position, even if it was short lived. Outside of all of that, I don’t see quite enough in this team to beat IM or MNG, but there’s still quite a lot to like here.

y0ssar1an22

OGC: it’s a wee bit too much defensively minded for me. With 3 center backs, 2 wing backs you could have used another attacking mid, rather than the 2 DM. a lot will rest on lampard's shoulders – although he is the top scoring PL midfielder of all time, and 5th overall. So that does work. And kante can get forward. Defoe is also the 8th top of all time.

Daithi: hazard, one of the silkiest players in the PL. that doesn’t even do him justice. He carried Chelsea for a few years. 2 great full backs that can create. Moses and TAA will work well together on the RHS – its actually a great combo. Allison, best keeper in the world? Probably. Drinkwater and lallana can do a job. I like tielemans, think Monaco paid a big enough price. Not sure about your CB’s.

Incognito: van persie. What a player. You’re 2 wide forwards would synergise well with him I think. Excellent CB pairing. Ederson, 2nd best in the world? 2 CMs are great and balance each other well. Doucoure is rangy, but is averaging 7.12 goals per game. Not great for an AM.

Liverpool have showed recently the power of good full backs. Daithi gets my vote. OGC, your team lacks abit of 'glamour', so apologies for that. i know that shouldn't be a factor but it is for me! Incognito 2nd for me here.

GLaDOS

Don't have time for a full write up but my vote goes to Mr Nice Guy. I feel a Lampard, Kante and Rice midfield would absolutely dominate. Defoe and Jiminez aren't as flashy as other front lines but I rate them both and Lampard will contribute goals too. Defence isnt as strong but enough to get through this round imo.

Bounty Hunter

I'm torn between MN Guy and Ic Man. Feel that Incognito has the bigger names in his team and at first lean that way but if there was a match between the two I think MNGs side might take it. Daithi has the best full backs in the game probably but throuout the whole team there isn't enough for me to lean away from one of the others and in this case by a hair MNG

IncognitoMan

What's the situation here so?

Mr.Nice Guy

IncognitoMan wrote: »

What's the situation here so?

I believe you got the most votes in the alloted time frame. Good game and well played.

I wasn't happy when I got you in my group as I knew you had built a very strong side!

daithi1989

Great battle - I seem to have messed up my positioning off Tielemans and Lallana! And the selection of Moses seems to have been a bad one too!

Best of luck in the rest of the comp Incognito!

IncognitoMan

Cheers lads. To be honest I'm surprised at the quality we were able to pull together considering this was a mostly current players draft.

No real bad teams just have to find the smallest things to pick on.