Not sure it works like this, Benzema isn't a big threat from outside the box and in the box he won't have much of Valencia's crosses with Mertesacker there. It doesn't really requite the full attention of Silva to hold back bloody Benzema
The Modern Draft: R1 - Barney vs VivaJanuzaj
- Thread starter Edgar Allan Pillow
- Start date
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
Nah. I won't argue much about it though, everybody is entitled to his opinion, of course, but he looks better than he is because of the system (like Cahill) and is getting to much credit as a defender because of his CB looks. He gets caught out of position and beaten one-on-one too much for my liking to be considered as the best defensive fullback of out time. He is lucky to have a great cover.
Podolski don't have the skill set required to beat him regularly though, he is the kind of player I would expect Ivanovic to deal with easily.
Yeah, I'm oversimplifying things with writing off Silva on the account of Benzema. He will help - but he is the only one out of your three central defensive players (incl. Song) that is capable to handle Benzema's movement (which is absolutely devastating).
I'll probably go with you in the end anyway because I don't see Gerrard scoring more than one and you have a better chance to score the second one in this game than Barney.
Integral part of Barca when they won (almost) everything in sight. And scored against us in CL Final.
A big game player, said so in the profiles too. Him, Ivanovich, Gotze - all known for being great on big games
Ahh, well played @VivaJanuzaj
Scoreline's way too harsh on Barney.
Ya...a very close contest but not reflected in the score. Viva's team is class all the way through.
Went with viva, shame for Barney as his team is really good also.
Yeah, sure. I never said he was a bad player. Integral part? Probably was, in the grander scheme of things. But then again so were a whole host of players over the years, who I suspect would have been nothing special had they been given important roles in other teams, in other circumstances.
I don't see anything whatsoever in that particular player to make me raise half an eyebrow, but whatever - that's the name of the game, I guess.
I think the scoreline is a bit harsh on you although I'm confident of NY team's superiority. I loved your team from pick #2 and maybe the gap in the poll is because of the 'Pool hatred, but I believe you really stumbled against a team that plays to your weaknesses. The massive physical superiority will be the key factor in this match imo.
Some players win games and are still looking like nothing fancy. Pedro is that type of player. He works his socks off throughout the match and has a big role in Barca's pressing game in which he is better and smarter than Messi and Neymar. I think he's one of Barca's top runners in Km/game but I can't back it up with facts ATM as I'm from my phone
Barneys midfield trio is drool worthy, am really surprised at the score. Viva my recommendation would be to get yourself Martinez or someone like him in midfield (basically a one man defense) to allow yaya and Pogba to run riot.
Some teams win games, sporting players that are nothing fancy too. That's another thing.
Top runner? I'm sure he is. He looks like it. Good for him, but I really don't feckin' care, to be perfectly honest.
You should care, in a team based on pressure its important to have players who can, well, press. Pedro is important in that team, you can't build a pressure upfront team without players who can do that
Yeah, a bit like JS Park. Big game player for United, but he's more of supporting role.
I'm not denying his ability to work as a pawn in a certain system - which is the one quality of his you seem highlight.
And "should care about"? Really? We're properly lecturing now, is that it? Alright. Being just a semi-sober fecker whose interest in this lark is diminishing by the minute, I guess I'll just have to take that on board, as they say.
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Didn't mean to insult you mate, or to lecture you at any way. Sorry if you've got the wrong impression.
As for Pedro, on top of being very good at pressing and a hard worker, he's a superb finisher, does incredible movement in between defenders, and has a real instinct for goals. Pedro at 13/14 season finished with 15 league goals and 10 assists, in 2010/11 had 13 goals and 8 assists in the league and 5 goals and 2 assists in the CL including a goal in the semi final and a goal in the final.
In terms of weaknesses, I hate that Song-Mertesacker combo, but Podolski has the right talent around him (specifically Valencia's crossing and Benzema's link up play) to justify his selection on the grounds that he might smash one in, the useless feck.
I prefer Viva's players and Gotze coming central would make it 4 vs 3 a lot (though also leave Zabaleta + Valencia to attack Clichy when the ball is lost), but I found myself more and more convinced by Barney's set up.
I prefer Viva's players and Gotze coming central would make it 4 vs 3 a lot (though also leave Zabaleta + Valencia to attack Clichy when the ball is lost), but I found myself more and more convinced by Barney's set up.
- Can't help but feel both strikers would be better suited to their opposing teams. Costa would thrive off Valencia's delivery while Benzema would dovetail well with more technically minded players.
- Barney's defence is a little soft and it's vulnerable to getting cut open by some of the tasty interplay likely to develop in VJ's supporting attackers.
- VJ's team is individually impressive but it looks like a cluster-feck in the middle there with nobody providing any genuine width in that front six. Costa and Toure would benefit from some width to stretch play and create a little space through the middle.
- Alonso, Gerrard and Martinez looks like a tasty midfield which, with Javi in for Javier, is largely proven to function well. Pogba gets a lot of love but for all his burgeoning talent hasn't justified his reputation to the same extent as Alonso and Gerrard. Song would struggle to keep tabs on a 2008 Gerrard in that role. I can see Barney's midfield three performing more effectively than VJ's, probably 8 games out of every 10.
Barney has Valencia.. killl him.
It's a shame Barney has Gerrard up Benzema's arse and not NW of the centre circle, I didn't pick on that trio at all until way after voting. I kept trying to work out why Valencia was so withdrawn and Gerrard so upfront but my head started hurting (literally, I've had a splitting headache all day).
I wonder how he reacted to it all, glee or even more angry than the rest of us.
The ugliest teamsheet has lost out every time.
Glee. I lost this match a while ago.I wonder how he reacted to it all, glee or even more angry than the rest of us.
I wonder how he reacted to it all, glee or even more angry than the rest of us.
Jokes aside though...real shame that Barney didn't pick better widemen - his midfield and the side in general was well built.Every wide player I wanted went relatively early or had a nationality that I could not pick.
@Barney willian/the OX... off top of my head.
I don't think either of them are better than what I have.
They offer a better combination with a striker like Benzema. Willian especially.
willian easily better than both. Ox always performs in clutch situations.
Willian is not better than Valencia at his best. Not a chance.
In scoring he is, and that's what you've wanted next to Benzema. If you had a striker like Falcao you'd want Valencia who can find him in the box.
Very surprised to see VJ with such a strong win here in such an even game. I thought both teams were those who can go far but would be weak in a first round but with a good draw they could get through. VJ has secured Thiago Silva and Ivanovic who are both going to last until a final here especially considering Ivanovic being able to play both next to Silva as a CB or out right.
If Barney had gotten rid of Podolski(Or even just got Nani like he planned) he'd have been one of the top teams in the draft, if he had also got the hold of Torres that team would have been great to see. Sad to see one of the teams go out considering how easily they could have improved.
VJ's strength will be that he can take any top player pretty much and replace them, he has no real needs that has to be changed.
If Barney had gotten rid of Podolski(Or even just got Nani like he planned) he'd have been one of the top teams in the draft, if he had also got the hold of Torres that team would have been great to see. Sad to see one of the teams go out considering how easily they could have improved.
VJ's strength will be that he can take any top player pretty much and replace them, he has no real needs that has to be changed.
Cheers Annah, I do agree that the gaps between the teams aren't that massive as the votes suggest, I just think Barney's strengths have been well countered by my team and it's a matter of a bad draw for him.
Barney's team was really good and would probably win most of the other matches, but team VivaJanuzaj. 
I can see him winning the thing.
I can see him winning the thing.No need to apologize, Viva - if anything I should. I was in a terrible mood, enhanced by booze and whatnot - I'm sorry, mate.
Well played and good luck going forward!
I could tell, that's why I never replied to the rant on pivots and how you detest the term
I have no recollection of writing that rant. Stay away from the firewater, children. That's the moral of the story.