MJJ leads 16-18 as of now.
The Modern Draft: R1 - NM vs MJJ
- 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?
@NM makes the changes to push for a final minute winner.
James Rodriguez comes in for Malouda operating in a widish-central role. He will have a free role to drift wide or move in centrally to orchestrate attacks. Adds more creativity to the middle of NM's team without losing any advantage in flank.
- James is versatile and can can play as a AM, a winger, and a central midfielder.
- Ambidextrous to operate at both flanks.
- 2014 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot winner despite Colombia's elimination in the quarter finals.
James Rodriguez comes in for Malouda operating in a widish-central role. He will have a free role to drift wide or move in centrally to orchestrate attacks. Adds more creativity to the middle of NM's team without losing any advantage in flank.
- James is versatile and can can play as a AM, a winger, and a central midfielder.
- Ambidextrous to operate at both flanks.
- 2014 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot winner despite Colombia's elimination in the quarter finals.
@NM @Edgar Allan Pillow I'm not sure why James isn't going to the right an Bale to the left?
Bale is naturally better at the left and better at providing width and crossing, while James offers the more straightforward role that looks to score and cut inside. Maicon and James could work great too, as Maicon can bombard forward with James cutting inside and even coming to the AM role at times. Bale also fits better with Cole imo who is less about power and more about passing and one-twos, than someone like Maicon who, at his prime, could provide enough going forward without a winger there, whereas A.Cole would enjoy a partnership to link up with imo.
Bale also played the free role in Tottenham, which had Lennon on the right and allowed Bale going between the classic LW and the weird AM free role, and somehow it worked. To really get the absolute best of Bale I'd do that.
It's not that there's anything wrong with how it is now, Bale on the right is really good and always provides a good attacking threat from wherever in the front three, James is hypothetically fine at the free role there, but that small change could make the attack work so much better as a unit. You're strengths will always be the wings with that boring midfield trio(not bad at any way, but not shiny at any way either), and with the amount of defensive cover that midfield gives you, I thought you'd want to make full advantage of the fact that you took full backs so early. Unleash Maicon and A.Cole, make their link-ups upfront count for something. Gomez is the type of striker who can get at the end of plenty of crosses and rebounds against Sokratis and Pique, but with Bale as the RiF you just don't get that really.
Bale is naturally better at the left and better at providing width and crossing, while James offers the more straightforward role that looks to score and cut inside. Maicon and James could work great too, as Maicon can bombard forward with James cutting inside and even coming to the AM role at times. Bale also fits better with Cole imo who is less about power and more about passing and one-twos, than someone like Maicon who, at his prime, could provide enough going forward without a winger there, whereas A.Cole would enjoy a partnership to link up with imo.
Bale also played the free role in Tottenham, which had Lennon on the right and allowed Bale going between the classic LW and the weird AM free role, and somehow it worked. To really get the absolute best of Bale I'd do that.
It's not that there's anything wrong with how it is now, Bale on the right is really good and always provides a good attacking threat from wherever in the front three, James is hypothetically fine at the free role there, but that small change could make the attack work so much better as a unit. You're strengths will always be the wings with that boring midfield trio(not bad at any way, but not shiny at any way either), and with the amount of defensive cover that midfield gives you, I thought you'd want to make full advantage of the fact that you took full backs so early. Unleash Maicon and A.Cole, make their link-ups upfront count for something. Gomez is the type of striker who can get at the end of plenty of crosses and rebounds against Sokratis and Pique, but with Bale as the RiF you just don't get that really.
@Edgar Allan Pillow can you please elaborate if you guys are playing a high line or not?
That is a good change and solves the lack of creativity and an incisive passer in your team, which was my main issue. You lose Malouda's crossing ability but he wasn't getting any love here anyway.
Aye, that's a good substitution.
One, Putting Bale and Maicon together just makes that wing deadly. Nothing MJJ has can hope to mitigate the threat that flank.
Two, Both James and Bale are capable of operating at both flanks and have freedom to interchange based on game flow. If Bale is moving wide, james will take a central role and create. Or James can move towards MJJ's RB/CB and open space for a cutting in Bale. The sheer flexibility it offers adds to the goal threat.
Three, He mentions Essien trying to help out on Bale. Now with James also occupying that space, I don't think Matic/Essien will have time or space to influence the match. Pjanic will definitely be overwhelmed.
Four, the midfield may be 'boring', but ti is ruthlessly effective. It'll be a defensive shield squeezing out Kaka and a dropping back Cassano. This covers provides ample freedom for the fullback's to flex their muscles. The lack of opponent's wide threat makes our flank all more effective.
Five, Maicon is a very good crosser of the ball himself. Cambiasso/Strootman/Fletcher are all capable of keeping the ball moving forward effectively. Add in James/Bale, our routes to goal will be varied and abundant opportunities will present themselves.
Compare the above against a mostly central route available to my opponent which NM stifles perfectly with his midfield, NM's team will come out on top.
Does this sway your vote to Team NM?
@edgar you do know you are attacking with three players primarily against four defenders and a defensive mid. With one fullback attacking that's still four against three advantage.
@Joga Bonito @Pat_Mustard Does this get your vote?
@edgar you do know you are attacking with three players primarily against four defenders and a defensive mid. With one fullback attacking that's still four against three advantage.
With James drifting in, it means you won't be able to create a lot from the left flank since Cole on its own can't handle a flank and as viva pointed Bale is crossing in from his weaker foot.
With James drifting in, it means you won't be able to create a lot from the left flank since Cole on its own can't handle a flank and as viva pointed Bale is crossing in from his weaker foot.
Wrong Edgar, dude.
I think you are forgetting one of NM's top strength, his fullback's. Are your fullbacks's playing tucked in?
Drifting in means he is free to drift back out depending on game. How does that free up your full back's.
And Cole cannot hold up that flank...against whom?
Bale is equally effective on either side. His defensive workrate is more on left, but against a wingless opposition, it does not matter much, I suppose.
Also, since my comment about the defensive line is being ignored. I will just explain both scenarios here.
If team nm defends deep, it means that Bale and Rodriguez would have to carry the ball larger distances to make an impact thus helping me negate the threat since his attack is also one dimensional.
If he plays a high line, he is going to get murdered with Torres and Kaka as I will simply bypass the midfield.
If team nm defends deep, it means that Bale and Rodriguez would have to carry the ball larger distances to make an impact thus helping me negate the threat since his attack is also one dimensional.
If he plays a high line, he is going to get murdered with Torres and Kaka as I will simply bypass the midfield.
Cole as an attacking threat isn't that great so it's just maicon. With Bale and maicon both attacking, that flank is going to be seriously exposed to counter attacks. May I ask who exactly is going to be covering for those runs forward?
Cole and Maicon are known for being the top full backs around and attacking judiciously. You could see that with Chelsea and Inter at their primes.
Also sorry to @MJJ for not being around and thanks to @Edgar Allan Pillow for defending me. I'm going to be offline again for a few hours, don't know if this will be over by then.
Sorry, missed that out. We'll just play a normal line. Don't get why it should always be defend deep or attack high. Seems normal is not the normal anymore.
Maicon yes, he could easily handle a flank on his own. Cole not so much, which can be seen by his numbers. A great defensive fullback but not the best offensively.
So you can be exposed to the flaws of both St times? Excellent
No, I'm not changing it again, one change is enough for me, I'll stay withdrawn unless something extreme happens but I'm trying to spark some action here.
I'll answer some of your points:
Five - Maicon is a very good crosses of the ball. That's why I stated he can have the wing on his own. You don't need Bale there to somehow provide space, you want James at the free role as the inside right so he can come from the right and drift to the middle at times with his best foot, while Bale provides the same crossing threat on the other side. Your best mismatch isn't Bale & Maicon against Baines, it's Gomez on the air(with potentially tons of crosses) against Pique and Sokratis on the air. Gomez knows his movements in the box, and you need to play on that to get the goal machine he was for a couple of seasons, instead of the meh boring striker he was for the rest of his career.
Four - Never meant to imply it's not. I think it's a very good counter to MJJ's diamond.
Three - Don't try to win the battle from the middle. With Bale on the left he won't have Essien to track him, and we all know Pjanic won't be enough. You don't need to overwhelm Pjanic here, that's just taking a gamble. Let Essien run around after an inside right James if MJJ pleases, that's not a good tactic by him.
Two - Yeah, maybe both of them can play both the free role and on either wing, but that won't get the best of either for you, nor it will bring the best of your full backs.
One - meh, maybe so, maybe with Essien/Matic helping it will work for MJJ. I wouldn't want to count on it.
The way I'm picturing it, the whole team moving forward will be devastating, and this is how it will shape moving forward:
Maicon providing by himself enough pressure on Baines, while A.Cole links up with Bale superbly. Between Cambiasso staying deep, the two CBs and with Fletcher tireless feet who can also cover RB on the counter, you got enough defensive cover while your attacking threat is much improved - Gomez' presence in the box against two CBs like Pique-Sokratis who aren't great aerially is a good matchup for you, especially with Bale Cole & Maicon all crossing with their best feet. James will surely be the main man for Matic's attention, Bale & Cole(without any significant cover from Pjanic) will overload Pizsczek and pump balls in the box.
Attacking wise, I would give piszczek an edge over cole. It's not that anyone would take it away from him but that he won't create much of note on his own. Is not a wing back.Who is going to take the flank away from Cole?
Yes, but only just. I reserve the option to withdraw vote if anything in the discussion changes my mind!
I'm not a manager. It's Skizzo's vote which counts double. So it's 18-17 @crappycraperson
If you started that way I might have probably voted for you but now it would be unfair to change esp with Viva withdrawing his vote as well. Sorry mate but good job pulling close and it can go either way now.
Gosh.. I love getting involved spending time and trying to offer some extra points in the game only to have that analysis ignored by the managers.
That would never have happen if you were helping team MJJ!sorry mate. My boss is sitting next to me so I can't really be on the caf.
Also one last push. Surely everybody wants at least penalties!!!!
Sneaky MJJ moved me from reserve to main in WW, so that I can't spend time here 
just kiddingAnyway, hat a late night and I'm still reeling at work. 2 games on top is just too much for me. I'll reply in a bit.
From a draft master hat, much appreciated mate.
I was joking lads everything is fine
Think MJJ won 20-17
Brap brap
I'm surprised @NM lost this. Kaká-Torres is compelling, but his team is just better.
His MF sank him, people generally want some more overt creativity in there. But yeah.. Maicaon+Bale axis was too big to ignore here. MJJ has this knack of pulling off these close contests and then going all the way.
@NM @Edgar Allan Pillow good game guys, was expecting it to be am easier victory but both of you were tactically spot on.
Have you seen the original OP formations? Hard to see passed the Kaka-Torres with those so narrow unbalanced setup.
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Sometimes i wonder if it would be worth picking Tony Hibbert, a solid as they come full back over someone like Baines who seems to be identified as some sort of weak link in these games despite having a peak of being the best left back in the world for 2 seasons in my opinion. I have seen him nullify Ronaldo in his peak and that is the best opposition he could ever come up against. Don't get me wrong i am not trying to make out he is/was world class defensively but he was solid enough at the back for the type of full back role he played providing unrivaled attacking numbers for a full back for about 5 seasons other than Dani Alves.
I must be missing something. What is unbalanced or narrow about Malouda starting ahead of James? Think that was a good call actually. Fancy as James is, peak Malouda (Ancelotti's Malouda IIRC) at Chelsea with Cole behind him is a cracking flank, in a familiar formation to boot.
Refering more into the way the players were placed. It was made to draw attention to their attack only. And Kaka was the most stand out player there.
Recent update on the OP pictures, shows better view of both teams strength. Although I'd still prefer James than Malouda there, as I think he's a better provider to Gomez and Bale.
Good game @MJJ . Think the end result was people thinking Kaka/Torres was too good to pass up, which is fair enough.
I firmly believe that Malouda was a better choice than James to start with, and that if me/EAP had argued more we might have got this.
Good luck next round.
I firmly believe that Malouda was a better choice than James to start with, and that if me/EAP had argued more we might have got this.
Good luck next round.