Quaranteam draft: Himannv vs Pat/TR

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

vs

................................................ TEAM HIMANNV .............................................................................................................. TEAM PAT/TR ...................................................



Team Himannv:

4-4-2

Team Pat/TR

Formation: 4-1-3-2, reverting to 4-4-2 in deeper defensive phases.

Granted a second chance by our benevolent and essentially wonderful draft lord Edgar, we shamelessly steal Harms' idea and adopt a Lobanovski-style 4-1-3-2 formation. We hadn't considered it before our first match, but it immediately jumped out as a good fit for this group of players when the the suggestion was put forward.

Some of the fundamentals from our initial tactic remain in that we continue with the high line/high press and expect to dominate possession, but we'll be a bit more direct here with the change in formation and Breitner coming in for Modric.

Our defence is well-suited to the high line: Neuer is at this point the greatest sweeper keeper ever; Vasovic was the (self-professed) architect of the Ajax high-line with Suurbier playing alongside him; Thiago Silva is a natural fit as an athletically-privileged elite reader of the game; and Cabrini has both pace and pedigree as a marauding one-man flank for Juventus and Italy.

We fully intended to go with the more cavalier option of Breitner at RB with Modric on the right of midfield until we had a look at Himannv's team - alas his left flank combination of Facchetti and Nedved is superb, so a dose of pragmatism was required. Maligned as he is on here, and he was neither a technical virtuoso nor a defensive genius, Suurbier is still a gritty, pacey and powerful specialist RB with an immense engine. Breitner, with his dynamism and experience at FB, provides ideal cover on that flank. On the other flank, Rivelino isn't as formidable as Breitner as a defensive covering act, but should be up to the job in tandem with a LB of Cabrini's calibre.

Xavi looks well-placed to run the match for us from central midfield - clearly a natural fit in a high line and high pressing system, he'll enjoy having a screening midfielder as assiduous and intelligent as Cambiasso as a partner. Rivelino is back in more familiar terrain here as a left-midfielder after his divisive False 9 gig, and Breitner looks well-placed to exploit his formidable range of attributes from that RCM position.

As well as their immense individual quality, the front duo are ideal for the system - Shevchenko, obviously, was a Lobanovski protege, and Stoichkov's work-rate, bristling aggression and ability to probe across the entire front-line make him a natural fit. Both are highly mobile and adept at working the wide channels and dragging defenders with them - it's easy to envisage, for example, Stoichkov pulling Carvalho wider with an off-the-ball run, creating space for Rivelino to advance towards goal with the ball.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

@Pat_Mustard @TheReligion @Himannv All the best!

 

[Physiocrat]

A very different side from Pat The Religion. I am not however convinced Xavi will love the setup. During Euro 2008 he was actually pretty quiet until Spain decided on more control and took off Torres for Fabregas. It was Silva and Iniesta who shone as the two wide playmakers behind Villa and Torres. That said with Breitner RAM it might be a different story but the later Breitner was a form of midfield playmaker himself.

On Himmanv's side, I have noticed a potential problem I missed the last game. Facchetti mostly cut in and sort of underlapped IIRC rather than overlapped so doesn't mess 100% with Nedved. Someone like Giggs would be a better tactical fit.

Those issues aside, both have excellent sides.

 

[Pat_Mustard]

A very different side from Pat The Religion. I am not however convinced Xavi will love the setup. During Euro 2008 he was actually pretty quiet until Spain decided on more control and took off Torres for Fabregas. It was Silva and Iniesta who shone as the two wide playmakers behind Villa and Torres. That said with Breitner RAM it might be a different story but the later Breitner was a form of midfield playmaker himself.

On Himmanv's side, I have noticed a potential problem I missed the last game. Facchetti mostly cut in and sort of underlapped IIRC rather than overlapped so doesn't mess 100% with Nedved. Someone like Giggs would be a better tactical fit.

Those issues aside, both have excellent sides.

I've never been entirely convinced by that narrative regarding Xavi's Euro 2008. Outside of the dead rubber group match when Xavi was rested, Torres started all 5 matches to Fabregas' 1 start, and played 360ish minutes to Cesc's 245, and Xavi was player of the tournament.

This tactic isn't built around him in the way that the previous very heavy possession set up was though, granted.

Regarding He-man's left wing, that's normally the sort of thing I'd nitpick on but, through gritted teeth, I don't think it's problematic here, with Nedved's ambidexterity and comfort going inside or out. I could see them tailoring their movements around each other nicely. I do feel Breitner playing ahead of Suurbier is a very good buttress against that threat though, but Suurbier is maligned to a brutal extent on here, as I well knew before picking him in fairness.

 

[Physiocrat]

I've never been entirely convinced by that narrative regarding Xavi's Euro 2008. Outside of the dead rubber group match when Xavi was rested, Torres started all 5 matches to Fabregas' 1 start, and played 360ish minutes to Cesc's 245, and Xavi was player of the tournament.

I would have to watch more of the games as my memory isn't too great but I relatively recently watched the Russia group game and Xavi really only put his mark on the game when Torres went off.

 

[TheReligion]

Where's the tactics and game plan here for @Himannv?

 

[Skizzo]

Where's the tactics and game plan here for @Himannv?

Did you even bother to read the OP?

Team Himannv:

4-4-2

 

[TheReligion]

Did you even bother to read the OP?

There's nothing to read..

 

[Skizzo]

There's nothing to read..

I pasted it all again for your convenience.

 

[harms]

I really like this set up by Pat/TR (unsurprisingly, I guess, since I think I suggested it in their previous game?). Stoichkov & Sheva is a brilliant albeit a slightly unconventional front two that works insanely well with Lobanovsky's ethos and that midfield is a thing of beauty. It's a shame that Modrić got dropped but someone had to be, I guess.

 

[General_Elegancia]

Team Pat player is better in term of quality especially in midfields.
Team Pat midfields outside of block-lists by Edgar can arguable in goat conversations aka. Rivelino,Brietner and Xavi.
Stoichkov and Sheva are deadly-duo who can not only to score but can dribbles,run and drop deep to start the attacks too,It's perfect combination.

Both in my opinion are perfect fits for the squad that they have but I have to vote Pat due to the difference in term of players qualities.Pat has better players and their players fit in perfect role of all.
.

 

[General_Elegancia]

I really like this set up by Pat/TR (unsurprisingly, I guess, since I think I suggested it in their previous game?). Stoichkov & Sheva is a brilliant albeit a slightly unconventional front two that works insanely well with Lobanovsky's ethos and that midfield is a thing of beauty. It's a shame that Modrić got dropped but someone had to be, I guess.

Lobanovsky would have won 3peats UCL for sure,if he have this squad.

 

[Pat_Mustard]

I would have to watch more of the games as my memory isn't too great but I relatively recently watched the Russia group game and Xavi really only put his mark on the game when Torres went off.

It's been too long since I watched the matches to argue with any great conviction in fairness, but insofar as a team that good had a dysfunctional element I always thought it was that the Villa/Torres partnership never looked a natural fit. I recall there being plenty of articles about that at the time. That could have had a knock on effect on Xavi, although I didn't notice it. Torres in general never looked that great for Spain imo despite all the success, and generally seemed more comfortable as a lone striker.

 

[Pat_Mustard]

Did you even bother to read the OP?

 

[Pat_Mustard]

@General_Elegancia @harms cheers lads! And we did indeed steal your suggestion Harms.

 

[Gio]

It's been too long since I watched the matches to argue with any great conviction in fairness, but insofar as a team that good had a dysfunctional element I always thought it was that the Villa/Torres partnership never looked a natural fit. I recall there being plenty of articles about that at the time. That could have had a knock on effect on Xavi, although I didn't notice it. Torres in general never looked that great for Spain imo despite all the success, and generally seemed more comfortable as a lone striker.

Yeah fair points. I thought the Villa and Torres partnership was fine, but Torres merely had a decent tournament while Villa was ridiculous as usual. Either way I don't think the shape of the attack made much difference to Xavi's performances. The midfield had more control when there were more midfielders on the park, but I don't necessarily think that Xavi's performance level changed much. In fact there's an argument that his best international tournament in 2008 owed much to pacy outlets ahead of him, whereas his good but not quite player-of-the-tournament showings in 2010 and 2012 reflected his role as a continuity ball-retaining no10 with fewer runners ahead to find. Here Stoichkov and Shevchenko make the right kinds of play-stretching runs to maximise his passing potential from that central command centre.

 

[Himannv]

If I had Cristiano Ronaldo, I'd have won.

 

[Pat_Mustard]

If I had Cristiano Ronaldo, I'd have won.

Hard luck man.That was a class 4-4-2 you built, with an insane amount of graft and energy within that midfield + durcaell bunny Keegan.

 

[Himannv]

Hard luck man.That was a class 4-4-2 you built, with an insane amount of graft and energy within that midfield + durcaell bunny Keegan.

I didn't post much because I like your team a lot and I don't think it's a team that will be beaten easily in this competition. Next up I think you'd probably have to upgrade Suurbier and maybe try to pick up a better CB than Vasovic eventually. Lovely drafting and superb team for a high line.

EDIT: I see you got Amoros - perfect!

 

[oneniltothearsenal]

I didn't post much because I like your team a lot and I don't think it's a team that will be beaten easily in this competition. Next up I think you'd probably have to upgrade Suurbier and maybe try to pick up a better CB than Vasovic eventually. Lovely drafting and superb team for a high line.

EDIT: I see you got Amoros - perfect!

I like Vasovic but think they have to upgrade on Cambiasso whom I don't rate at all in an all-time context.