British + Irish draft: Raees vs SirAF (Group B)

[crappycraperson]

----------------------------Team Raees--------------------------------------------vs--------------------------------------Team SirAF

Raees tactics:

Formation: Mixture of 4-4-1-1 and 4-2-3-1

Style of Play

1. Counter-attack, my wing-backs are primarily defensive rather attacking outlets.. tasked with man-marking the opposing wingers.

2. My LM/RM in addition to the LCB and RCB are going to help double team on those world class wingers and seek to get into good positions once we have the ball. Ball will me RM, Rw and tuck inside whenever the situation demands it.

3. Carter has freedom to roam and support Law, he’s a second striker in this formation and the conductor of this side, he will help feed Law and bring others into play.

4. If Carter is somehow kept out of the game, he can interchange with Law and keep the opposition guessing

5. Quick, incisive, hard as nails… this team is brutal to play against, it Is full of muscular hard-knocks and is Leeds United of the 70's mixed with Unitedesque flair on the counter.. in the shape of Law, Carter and the wonderful Cliff Jones.

My weaknesses:

1. Lack of attacking full backs - both Crompton and Hapgood are reknowned as some of the strongest side backs in a defensive sense to play the game, they were also famed for their intelligence on the ball... and were technically very strong, that said.. they weren't Maldini and Cafu, less is known about their attacking ability.

2. Possible lack of goal threat down the right side - Ball is a brilliant player but he is not a Lorimer on the right flank, he is more of an engine and a provider.. although his goal record isn't to be sniffed at. He will help keep Giggsy quiet, and double-mark him with Crompton.

Opponents Strengths

1. Giggs... arguably his only stand out player alongside Jardine - I think Crompton being so defensively solid, quick and a master tactician can keep him quiet. Crompton was reknowned for excelling against quick energetic players and was rarely if ever found wanting.

2. Solid defence... Jardine, Ledley King..Carrick in front of them, it isn't too bad. My players won't find it easy to rip them to shreds, but I think I have more quality in general.

My strengths

1. Rock solid Defence

2. World class hard as nails midfield that can run a game too

3. World class full backs

4. Possibly the best number 10/9 combo in the draft.. both legendary players with bags of flair and goal-getting ability.

5. Classic wing pairing... one out and out wing wizard capable of winning a game and the other Alan Ball a box to box wing warrior and world cup man of the match winner.

SirAF tactics:

For those of you that have been following the draft, you may have noticed that I made a mistake in forgetting the maximum of six English players - hence why my two big strikers are sitting out this first match.

I'm facing a couple of good attacking players, Law amongst others. Which is why I'll take a counter attacking approach to this fixture.

I believe that my CB pairing of Ledley King and Terry Butcher will be very solid, and to boot they will be protected by a midfield four of Carrick, Gerrard, Brooking and O'Shea. The Idea is to hit my opponent on the counter with the pace of Ryan Giggs and Steven Gerrard - who hopefully will feed my predator up front: Alex Ferguson - the man who scored a hat trick against Celtic in his prime.

 

[crappycraperson]

@Raees
@SirAF

 

[Annahnomoss]

Just to clarify for the voters. In the old days a "full back"(Hapgood and Crompton here) was one of the two or three central defenders in a 2 or three man defense which was what was played at the time. They never got forward, they didn't overlap - they played exactly like a centre back with the difference of having to defend out wide more often as there was no defender on the side of them - so their abilities against wingers is better than a modern central defender.

So Raees is here playing a four man central defense line and not two central defenders and two full backs. It is similar to playing someone like Kohler as a full back on each side.

With that said I have to put my vote for Raees, it seems like Crappy used SirAF's writeup against me against Raees here? Or has he just not sent a new one?

 

[Balu]

With that said I have to put my vote for Raees,

As far as I know, you're not allowed to vote anyway in the 3rd game of your own group.

 

[Jayvin]

Giggs and SAF playing in the same team

Seriously though I haven't really been following this draft and I'm not that familiar with some of the players, did you guys do any player profiles?

 

[SirAF]

Oh, I thought I was playing Annah here! That was changed I take it? I'll submit something new right away! @crappycraperson

 

[crappycraperson]

Oh, I thought I was playing Annah here! That was changed I take it? I'll submit something new right away! @crappycraperson

Thanks mate

 

[SirAF]

No worries!

 

[Gio]

A couple of points.

1 - What the feck is John O'Shea doing in an all-time draft?
2 - Would prefer Mackay on the left - after all he was a left-half.

 

[SirAF]

A couple of points.

1 - What the feck is John O'Shea doing in an all-time draft?
2 - Would prefer Mackay on the left - after all he was a left-half.

Good question! I fecked up in terms of the rules - I had too many englishmen and plunged with a familiar face as I was/am swamped with exams. I still think he can do a decent job considering his partners in midfield though!

 

[Gio]

Good question! I fecked up in terms of the rules - I had too many englishmen and plunged with a familiar face as I was/am swamped with exams. I still think he can do a decent job considering his partners in midfield though!

In fairness a couple of your players will likely be under-rated here - I'm thinking Trevor Brooking who was a class act, Sandy Jardine who was one of the best full-backs in the world in the 1970s, and even Ferguson who banged in the goals when the Scottish league was one of the finest in Europe. His best season? 45 goals - impressive stuff.

 

[Pat_Mustard]

I voted early for Raees. He just has a bit more quality across the board. O' Shea is a weak link in this company, and Raees has set up well to contain Giggs as best as he can.

 

[SirAF]

Give me some sugar, lads!

 

[SirAF]

Remember to vote

 

[Barney]

Remember to vote

 

[SirAF]

cnuts!

 

[Chesterlestreet]

Just to clarify for the voters. In the old days a "full back"(Hapgood and Crompton here) was one of the two or three central defenders in a 2 or three man defense which was what was played at the time. They never got forward, they didn't overlap - they played exactly like a centre back with the difference of having to defend out wide more often as there was no defender on the side of them - so their abilities against wingers is better than a modern central defender.

Aye - that's about right. It should be noted, though, that some fullbacks DID go forward - and those who did so effectively (and not hazardously) were obviously an asset in that regard to their team, just like any "forward minded" defender was later on in the development of the game.

But generally it would be dangerous to assume that a right/left fullback would function well as a right/left side back in a more modern formation - you could end up with a bank of four CBs, more or less. Which is hard to justify tactically in any kind of setting. It all comes down to the individual players, though. Most old school fullbacks will clearly work better/more naturally as central defenders in a modern set-up - but some have qualities which make them plausible candidates as modern style side backs as well. It's not black and white in that sense.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

On the defence note: The stand-out part of SirAF's team for me is precisely his defence, which is brilliant in terms of balance for my money. King/Butcher is an excellent match, Baines is one of the very best modern style LBs in the PL era and Jardine is an absolute top class right back, one of the best in the draft easily.

It's not enough, though - the rest of the team fall a bit short here, I reckon, much as I love both Fergie and Sheasy (and Carrick).

 

[Annahnomoss]

Aye - that's about right. It should be noted, though, that some fullbacks DID go forward - and those who did so effectively (and not hazardously) were obviously an asset in that regard to their team, just like any "forward minded" defender was later on in the development of the game.

But generally it would be dangerous to assume that a right/left fullback would function well as a right/left side back in a more modern formation - you could end up with a bank of four CBs, more or less. Which is hard to justify tactically in any kind of setting. It all comes down to the individual players, though. Most old school fullbacks will clearly work better/more naturally as central defenders in a modern set-up - but some have qualities which make them plausible candidates as modern style side backs as well. It's not black and white in that sense.

There is always the exception to the rule! I agree that playing four central defenders is as near impossible to justify tactically as it can get.

 

[Gio]

Raees has got a proper team it has to be said. That spine is very imposing.

 

[Annahnomoss]

On the defence note: The stand-out part of SirAF's team for me is precisely his defence, which is brilliant in terms of balance for my money. King/Butcher is an excellent match, Baines is one of the very best modern style LBs in the PL era and Jardine is an absolute top class right back, one of the best in the draft easily.

It's not enough, though - the rest of the team fall a bit short here, I reckon, much as I love both Fergie and Sheasy (and Carrick).

I think it was sad he made that mistake with the English rule, would have been fun to see him in full force.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

A couple of points.

1 - What the feck is John O'Shea doing in an all-time draft?
2 - Would prefer Mackay on the left - after all he was a left-half.

Agreed - would look better, in my opinion, if he switched him and Bremner (not a pure switch, as Mackay should be deeper, as he is now, but on the left with Bremner northeast of him, as it were).

Not a big deal, of course - but the devil's in the details an' all.

 

[SirAF]

On the defence note: The stand-out part of SirAF's team for me is precisely his defence, which is brilliant in terms of balance for my money. King/Butcher is an excellent match, Baines is one of the very best modern style LBs in the PL era and Jardine is an absolute top class right back, one of the best in the draft easily.

It's not enough, though - the rest of the team fall a bit short here, I reckon, much as I love both Fergie and Sheasy (and Carrick).

I think it was sad he made that mistake with the English rule, would have been fun to see him in full force.

Cheers lads. My original idea was to have Carrick behind Brooking and Gerrard and then Giggs roaming behind a Hurst/Lineker combo.

 

[Raees]

Just to clarify for the voters. In the old days a "full back"(Hapgood and Crompton here) was one of the two or three central defenders in a 2 or three man defense which was what was played at the time. They never got forward, they didn't overlap - they played exactly like a centre back with the difference of having to defend out wide more often as there was no defender on the side of them - so their abilities against wingers is better than a modern central defender.

So Raees is here playing a four man central defense line and not two central defenders and two full backs. It is similar to playing someone like Kohler as a full back on each side.

With that said I have to put my vote for Raees, it seems like Crappy used SirAF's writeup against me against Raees here? Or has he just not sent a new one?

Hapgood played as part of a three... and there is a passage I read on Crompton which I will bring up in future games if I get through about him successfully marking a fearsome Scottish outside left, so I think comparing them to Kohler is not on. They're more than capable of defending wide areas. I think someone compared them to Bergomi.. which is a more fitting comparison especially in relation to Crompton. Hapgood was a tiny agile player, definitely not a centre-back style player.. Crompton was quick and robust, a muscly RCB type player, definitely not going to bomb on but comfortable on the ball and solid as feck defensively.

 

[Raees]

Formation change OP

 

[Annahnomoss]

Agreed - would look better, in my opinion, if he switched him and Bremner (not a pure switch, as Mackay should be deeper, as he is now, but on the left with Bremner northeast of him, as it were).

Not a big deal, of course - but the devil's in the details an' all.

How much deeper would you like him? He was in the mold of Duncan, a box to box styled wing half.

Cheers lads. My original idea was to have Carrick behind Brooking and Gerrard and then Giggs roaming behind a Hurst/Lineker combo.

It would have been very interesting to see how well Giggs would have been received in that roll but in my eyes it sounds tasty.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

@SirAF I would suggest you drop Carrick to DM and shift Gerrard right to a loose 4-3-3.

Alternatively as your opponent doesn't have any lethal wide forward, you can deputise OShea at Right Back and get someone from bench into the game. Who's there?

 

[Chesterlestreet]

How much deeper would you like him? He was in the mold of Duncan, a box to box styled wing half.

No - I simply meant that he should REMAIN deeper than Bremner, only on the other side of him. In other words, exactly what Raees has done now.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

@SirAF I would suggest you drop Carrick to DM and shift Gerrard right to a loose 4-3-3.

Alternatively as your opponent doesn't have any lethal wide forward, you can deputise OShea at Right Back and get someone from bench into the game. Who's there?

Couple of obscure forwards, never heard of either: Hurst and Lineker or something...

His problem is the quota - can't bench Jardine, for instance. He could bench Baines and play Sheasy on the left - play either Hurst or Lineker alongside Fergie in a straight two-striker combo up front. Giggs on the left, Starfish on the right, Carrick and Brooking in the middle. Straight 4-4-2.

Hart

Jardine - Butcher - King - O' Shea

Gerrard - Carrick - Brooking - Giggs

Lineker (Hurst) - Ferguson
​

That's an alright balance - Starfish in a free-ish role on the right.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Couple of obscure forwards, never heard of either: Hurst and Lineker or something...

His problem is the quota - can't bench Jardine, for instance. He could bench Baines and play Sheasy on the left - play either Hurst or Lineker alongside Fergie in a straight two-striker combo up front. Giggs on the left, Starfish on the right, Carrick and Brooking in the middle. Straight 4-4-2.

Hart

Jardine - Butcher - King - O' Shea

Gerrard - Carrick - Brooking - Giggs

Lineker (Hurst) - Ferguson
​

That's an alright balance - Starfish in a free-ish role on the right.

Fergie playing over Linekar The old man would love it if he is reading this!

Agree. That still is a better formation than what he has now, imo.

 

[The Man Himself]

Voted for @SirAF for his dedication to Ronaldo and Ronaldo thread.

 

[SirAF]

Voted for @SirAF for his dedication to Ronaldo and Ronaldo thread.

Good Man!

 

[SirAF]

Cheers for the suggestions btw, I've taken notes for the next match!

 

[antohan]

Don't like Sir AFs formation graphic, it looks weird. Worse, I can't see where his budget.