Premier League Draft - Semi Final 2

dr.kenneth noisewater

Welcome to Semi Final 2 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 semi final progresses to the final.

- Voting is open to everyone.

Your contenders:

Group B winner - Ferris_Bueller

Came out on top of his group with a very balanced team, cant afford any days off now.

Group C winner - redzerdrog

After much discussion and tie-breakers redzer came through an exceptionally tight group with a strong attacking team.

May the best team win!

Ferris_Bueller

Cheers for getting the ball rolling kenneth. A tough opponent in redzer who I voted for in his group, I will post my post from the group thread below and then some thoughts on redzers team and this specific matchup.

Ferris_Bueller wrote: »

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



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.

Redzers attack
Redzers main threat is undoubtedly his front line which has real quality and I think they will score goals against anyone. There isn't much to beat him with in this department but I would question if Rooney and Jesus will work together on the left side and I think it will be quite a narrow attack as there aren't players there who will be hugging the sidelines, they all like to operate around the box. I think where he might have bigger issues is getting the supply into his front three. There is no real obvious creator in his team and as much as I like his team overall, I do think Keita was a really poor pick and has been a huge letdown in the Premier League to date.

Redzers defence
While on the topic of his midfield, I think they would struggle with the surging runs that both Alli and Yaya are capable of and I'm not sure if Henderson is truly enough of a holder to deal with that. His defence overall is only okay and there are probably legitimate question marks over all of his back five, although none of them are awful either. I definitely can't see them stopping Aguero from scoring, I think Jonny does not have the defensive awareness or discipline to deal with Matas intelligent movement and I think on the other side Willian will keep Coleman occupied all game. This doesn't allow for either full back to get forward much to provide the width his team is lacking.

Best of luck redzer and may the best team win!

redzerdrog

Use this11.com for drawing your football tactics

Firstly my own team. I have tried to build a a structured well balanced team that can both compete physically but also has pace in abundance. My team will press, harry and hound the opposition into submission. The do that effectively you need a level of football intelligence which my team has in abundance. They are all comfortable in possession and will also be devastating on the counter attack.

Goalkeeper
Chelsea and Spain's Number 1 Kepa Arrizabalaga. Will play as a sweeper keep and is very comfortable with the ball at his feet which will help distribution to build counter attacks

Defence
Very Happy with my defence, they possess an abundance of pace and very comfortable on the ball. In the Center i have Stones and Smalling who are both top level Center Halves. I feel they will work well together as a partnership and arent afraid to take responsibility to carry the ball out of defence if required.

Full backs will suit my style of play very well and will create a lot of Width for my team. Coleman is excellent in defence put also creates a lot going forward, particularly peak Coleman of a few years ago when he was regarded as the best Right Back in the league for a period. Jonny is very comfortable playing as either a Full back of Wing Back and again he is another player who creates alot going forward while also not forgetting his defensive duties.

Midfield
I am delighted with the balance of my midfield and it can do everything. All three players complement each-other perfectly and have two world class midfielders in the same team in draft like this is always a bonus. The team will be lead by Captain Jordan Henderson. He has excelled in the DM role over the past few years and even this season with Fabinho injured he slotted back in with such ease and his exceptional performances in the role have him as one of the favorites for POTY this year. He will does the break up play excellently but also when receives the ball he can release the attack with one pass. Ahead of Henderson is Wijnaldum and Kieta who both provide great balance in being a creative force but also covering the wings and ensure that the team create 3 v 2 triangle all over the pitch. There is nobody in the league that plays this role better that Wijnaldum at present and he is intentionally on the left of the three. We havent seen the absolute best of Kieta yet but when fit he is a creative monster for those that are interested in stats his are after the charts when he plays. I think this set up gets the best of of him also, he also isnt afraid to stick his foot in.

Just to add here that Kieta seems to be getting a lot of stick here. He is being judged in this draft on his peak ability since in the league not his overall career and although we probably haven't seen his full potential I would be happy to have his peak performance over someone with a longer career and lower levels of ability

Attack
I think again i have very strong attack that has pace, Power and Goals in abundance. Mo Salah has been top scorer every year since joining Liverpool, he guarantees buckets of Goals from the right wing but also creates opportunities for others. I think himself and Rooney would absolutely thrive together. Rooney will start in the centre forward position and i think he is the perfect man the lead the line in this team. He is tenacious and fearless and both scores and creates for others. Throughout Rooneys Career he has likes to drop out to the left wing on occasion and cut in from there and that is why I went with Jesus to complete my front three rather than a more traditional winger. Jesus will start on the left side of the attack however will be giving licence to cut inside and swap with Rooney throughout the game.

Overall I think this team scores plenty of goal whilst also being hard the breakdown.

redzerdrog

Against ferris.

I think I come out on top in the critical match ups here however I think it would be a hard fought game with two evenly matched teams.

I think both defences match up well however Sanchez just might be the weakest link of those on show.

Midfield I really like yaya and moutinho as a pair however I think having 3 in the middle gives me the advantage here. Henderson + Wijnaldum + Keita we know will function well, will be disciplined in both defences and attack and will work well as a trio.

Up front Aguero is a class act but not sure if the 3 behind will function. Imo peak Mata played in the 10 role and don't think he ever had the legs for the winger role leaving clyne exposed in that side. Willian is a proper winger yet he is also being played out if position playing on the left and don't think he will be suited here at all and will cut inside and take up allis space. I think my trio on Salah, Rooney and Jesus not only function better, I think they are more likely to outscore Aguero and could.

Best of luck to ferris

dr.kenneth noisewater

Voting will be open until 9:30AM tomorrow 11th June

Morzadec

Ferris for me, just about.

I've left detailed comments about both teams in previous threads. Redzer's front line is pretty electric, there's a part of me that thinks that's enough to win it. But Ferris has Aguero, and Mata at his peak was a superb player, plenty of goals there for Ferris too with Alli and Yaya coming through the midfield.

Like I said before, Ferris has an all round solid team for me whereas I'm unsure how confident and assured that Kepa-Smalling-Stones combo would be. With a more mature and assured goalkeeper I might have given it to Redzer, because Stones and Smalling have both had periods of being quality centre-becks.

Bounty Hunter

This is incredibly tight...

Redzers front 3 may be hard to beat although individually I'd have Ferris' Aguero ahead of all three.

The problem for both teams lies at the back. They are kinda like a Barcelona/Madrid type side where they spend all their budget on Galacticos up front and are then left with the likes of Stones, Smalling & Sanchez at the back.

I think the deciding factor for me might just be the fact that Redzer has Kepa & Keita. Both are quality players and could be hugely important in his team but in this draft based off peak premiership ability I don't think they are great picks really, Despite that I still think it'd be very very close and there would be goals galore and given Redzers front three he would def have a chance in such a scenario but peak prem Mata and Yaya give Ferris the midfield win for me and that will tip things his way in terms of my vote.

dr.kenneth noisewater

This game would have plenty of goals I feel as both are great attacking sides. I really like Redzers front 3 but I think the CB pairing are hit and miss. Keita cant be judged highly in this draft on EPL form and I would feel the same about Kepa. I think Aguero and Mata would link really well and with Toure, Alli and Willian bursting into the box as well theres going to be plenty of goals. I think the full backs are solid but would struggle against Redzers front 3. Really tough call but I would edge towards Ferris as theres just too many questions over some players in Redzer's team imo.

Mr.Nice Guy

Think this would be a cracking contest and I would love to see the midfield battle. I reckon both attacks can have joy and I like Salah's chances against Bertrand, yet I also like Mata's ability to create chances for Aguero.

Probably the toughest call I've had to make in the game so far since I think there would be so little in it. Going to give the nod to Ferris for the Yaya Toure factor. I think Keita with his PL record so far struggles up against him, and his runs forward would add a further headache for the centre-backs.

martyos121

I’m voting for Ferris here. Both teams look deadly in attack and strong in midfield and I’d find it hard to divide them based on those areas of the pitch, but Ferris has a much more solid looking defence with the bonus of pairing Spurs teammates Vertonghen and Sanchez together, though I could give similar credit to redzer for that Liverpool trio in midfield. I think Ferris has the more functional team as well when you put them on the pitch and he’d win a hard fought match against redzer.

dr.kenneth noisewater

Looks like a comfortable victory for Ferris here, congrats!

redzerdrog

Well done ferris