MPFG Draft: QF - EAP vs PaulScholes18

[Pat_Mustard]

EAP:----------------------------------------------------------------------PaulScholes18:

EAP:

Formation:

4-3-2-1 (4-3-3 flexible)

Defence:

• Pagliuca is one of the best GKs of his era and one of Italy's best GKs ever. Excellent reactions and shot stopping abilities, good positioning and competent in ball distribution.
• HP Briegel and A Benarrivo - Industrious and robust fullbacks who can cover a flank all by themselves. Solid defensively and able to provide a good outlet with incisive running and good crossing.
• Oscar Ruggeri and Fernando Hierro - Classic Sweeper/Stopper combo with Heirro's positioning and playmaking compliments well with Ruggeri's physical skills.

Midfield:

• Svatoplusk Pluskal - [Full Profile] One of the best DMs of his era, a physically imposing yet tactically astute midfielder whose partnership with Netto is very similar to his real life stint with Masopust. Tireless workhorse.
• Igor Netto and Pavel Nedved - Two top notch midfield playmakers who offer abundance of creativity from the deep. High defensive workrate when off the ball have the vision and creativity to build plays from the deep, they are a perfect bridge between defence and attack. +++ is their ability to cover wide areas making them hard to track when on the ball. Offers a lot of flexibility in the way out team moves the ball forward.

Attack:

Enzo Francescoli and Eusebio - A perfect blend of attacking playmaking, physicality and direct running. Both are comfortable drifting out wide, dropping deep or link up centrally giving this team lots of flexibility making them hard to defend against. The team could seamlessly morph to a 4-3-3 making it easy to exploit gaps and open spaces for themselves or others to score.
Preben Elkjaer - Complete all action CF with pace and physicality to bully defenders and movement to drag them all over opening opportunities for others. Perfect fit to lead the line.

Why I'll win:

Though technically a 4-3-2-1 is a central focused formation, this team is packed with players comfortable in wide areas making it flexible to shift to 4-3-3. This offers a wide variety of attacking outlets that's hard to defend against.

• A solid defence that can shut most opposition while still offering good attack buildup from the back.
• A proper two way bridge midfield built on Pluskal's defensive shield. Netto's defensive astuteness and direct passing complimenting with Fracescoli's playmaking and Nedved's more creative and expansive style meshing well with Eusebio's direct running.
• A attacking trio that can overpower even the most staunchest of the defenses. Lots of creativity and goal scoring packing in.

PaulScholes18:

Formation 2-3-5
High line

Valdes, Puyol & Pique as a trio they won 4 La Liga‘s and 2 champions leagues in 5 seasons.

Style of play

In possession
Playing with two inverted fullbacks, and having Foden and Messi playing wide allows Iniesta and Ballack to attack the half spaces for the first time balls into to the box for Haaland and the opposite winger to attack.

 

[Pat_Mustard]

@Edgar Allan Pillow @paulscholes18 good luck!

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Thanks Pat. All the best paulscholes!

 

[paulscholes18]

Thanks
All the best EAP

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Good team from PS. I believe Haaland will become a draft favorite sooner than later.

The tipping aspect for me is Eusebio. With Nedved and Benarrivo behind him, he's perfectly placed to shine. Not really within Cancelo's capabilities to keep him quiet all game.

Between Netto and Ruggeri, we can provide enough support to Briegel against Messi and both Ruggeri and Hierro are physically imposing enough to not get bullied by Haaland. Add in Pluskal's presence and ability to drop back, we are sufficiently protected against Haaland.

 

[Physiocrat]

Thanks for setting up @Pat_Mustard

 

[TheReligion]

Nedved is out of position isn’t he @paulscholes18 ?

Forgive me if I’m wrong but always thought he was best on the left side or LCM?

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Nedved is out of position isn’t he @paulscholes18 ?

Forgive me if I’m wrong but always thought he was best on the left side or LCM?

Yes, he prefers Left, but is comfortable out wide or through the middle too. Here Benarrivo mans the flank and Eusebio will also drift wide. So I see him taking on a more central role playing 1-2s with Netto, but has enough freedom to drift as necessary.

Euro 96 Final:

 

[Physiocrat]

@paulscholes18 What was the thinking behind having Messi at RW without a genuine overlapper? Also is Ballack his more B2B later version or the earlier goalscoring midfielder?

@Edgar Allan Pillow Much better than last time. I have no issues with Nedved at RCM he is fine there. That said will the full-backs both bomb on at the same time or one at a time? In this formation I would want both bombing on at which point I would have an issue with Nedved as he would be restricted in his attacking role (unless you are going for a square of two CBs and two CMs in possession - in attack that works for me but it's pretty open for a counter.

 

[TheReligion]

Yes, he prefers Left, but is comfortable out wide or through the middle too. Here Benarrivo mans the flank and Eusebio will also drift wide. So I see him taking on a more central role playing 1-2s with Netto, but has enough freedom to drift as necessary.

Euro 96 Final:

Thanks. Thought that was Ps18 team hence me tagging him! The layout confused me.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

@Edgar Allan Pillow Much better than last time. I have no issues with Nedved at RCM he is fine there. That said will the full-backs both bomb on at the same time or one at a time? In this formation I would want both bombing on at which point I would have an issue with Nedved as he would be restricted in his attacking role (unless you are going for a square of two CBs and two CMs in possession - in attack that works for me but it's pretty open for a counter.

It would matter much in a typical 4-3-2-1 where both the AMs (e.g. Kaka and Rui Costa for Milan, Djorkaeff and Zidane for France NT) are mostly central players. They really depended on fullback and wide CMs to an extent for width.

It is not the case here as we have width all through with proper two way fullbacks, 2 CMs capable of drifting wide, Two AM who are comfortable as wide men even in a 4-3-3 and to top it off, a very mobile CF who can stretch the play both ways. In fact both Enzo and Eusebio often start wide'ish from outside edge of box and make their runs in. The creative support from Netto and Nedved to get them the ball is sufficient to support the attack. Having attacking fullbacks adds to the equation, but I don't see both fullbacks bombing at same time as necessary for this team. There's plenty of width all through.

Having said that, in practice I see us as more attacking from the right and a bit conservative on the left because:
- Briegel will have to play a careful role paying attention to Messi. Netto's defensive support will be super valuable here.
- Ensebio pretty much has free run vs Cancelo. Benarrivo will be the more attacking of the of the fullbacks. Nedved's workrate added to Benarrivo's runs is prefect platform for Eusebio. I just don't see anyone able to contain him here.

.

I also agree on your point re Ballack. I don't think he fits the philosophy. My recollection is that he enjoys a more direct pass and run kind of game, where he can pass to wings and then make late runs into the box. In a Pep'esque retain and recycle possession game, I doubt he's playing to his strengths.

 

[paulscholes18]

@paulscholes18 What was the thinking behind having Messi at RW without a genuine overlapper? Also is Ballack his more B2B later version or the earlier goalscoring midfielder?

Mainly the thinking behind it was this is how Man City currently play, and it gets the best out of Haaland, I know it sacrifices Messi a fair bit, but it was the best I could come up with.

Part of the thinking was, as that EAP is playing a narrow 4321 the plan is to congest the centre of the pitch and not allow pockets of space for Eusebio and Enzo to roam into either side of Rodri.

The latter box to box version of Ballack

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Upgraded excellently, Edgar. No brainer from a voting pov for me. Still absolutely dislike Nedved there. If it was my team, Nedved goes out and Neeskens comes in.

 

[Jim Beam]

Edgar's front 3 and Nedved

 

[Himannv]

@paulscholes18 Ballack is a weird fit for this team. Apart from that, I have no concerns.

@Edgar Allan Pillow I'm just bored of seeing an EAP Christmas Tree so often - do something different ffs.

 

[Gio]

Really like Edgar’s front 3 and the use of Netto/Pluskal is textbook. I don’t mind Nedved on the right, but next to Eusebio that’s a lot of ball carrying in the same area. Ball carrying is fine but optimally I’d have someone in there to bounce stuff off first time to release the dribbler as early as possible.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

GG @paulscholes18 knew it'd be a hard game post your R1 performance. I honestly think someone like Fabregas or even Deco would be better in that role than Ballack. Still, nice theme and build.

@paulscholes18
@Edgar Allan Pillow I'm just bored of seeing an EAP Christmas Tree so often - do something different ffs.

this is my most successful Tree yet. All previous ones were R1 exit, so I really was trying to build a successful one. I know it doesn have mainstream support, which makes it all the more challenging.

 

[paulscholes18]

GG @paulscholes18 knew it'd be a hard game post your R1 performance. I honestly think someone like Fabregas or even Deco would be better in that role than Ballack. Still, nice theme and build.



this is my most successful Tree yet. All previous ones were R1 exit, so I really was trying to build a successful one. I know it doesn have mainstream support, which makes it all the more challenging.

Fair points. If Haaland didn't have to start I would have brought in Neymar and Fabregas and kept the tactics the same from R1. Ballack was just a 1 game punt as I thought he fitted the role of driving into the half space better than Fabregas.

Well played and all the best for the next round.