The Virgin League Draft - Indnyc vs. Enigma_87 (GROUP C)

[Invictus]

Indnyc.........................................................................................................................................Enigma_87

..........VS...........

Team Indnyc (F. Lampard dropped for T. Kroos)

Team Shape - 4-4-2 Diamond

Platform is nicely set for Rui Costa to supply for 2 great goal scorers in Lineker and Lewandowski. Lampard and Toure are dropped after a terrible performance in the first round. Replaced by Gattuso and Kroos who will add Stability and Guile respectively. Fernandinho plays the sitting midfielder

Defense is solid with Ayala and Bruce. Width provided by the fullbacks



Team Enigma_87 (Careca dropped for H. Kane)

Formation: 4-2-3-1
Style: direct, intensive, try to limit the opposition time on the ball, close spaces in the middle, try to recoup the ball and find the shortest path to goal. Press opposition defenders into mistake

Defence:
A flat back four with Tresor/Kompany operating in the heart of defence. Tresor was a cultured CB, who also was very good on the ball, but possessed the stopperish frame - strong as an ox and great in the air too. Kompany is a bit more familiar face and was for a short time one of the best CB in Premier League and probably in the world. Pessotto will be a balanced full back on the side providing defensive cover and stability at the back, whereas Maicon will bomb forward stretching up the play on the right and actively participating in the attacking phase.

Midfield:
Pirri and Vidal are both complete midfielders that excel when it comes to work rate, physical presence but also ability to take control in the middle of the park. They will operate just off Rivellino who is our main playmaker linking up midfield with attack. Thomas Muller will be in his raumdeuter role - operating between the lines with his incredible movement, but also providing numbers in the middle. Up also comes Sadio Mane whose work rate and ability to press the opposition defenders adds to the numbers and puts the opposition players into constant pressure.

Attack:
Leading the attack is Harry Kane, who much like Careca is a complete center forward - good in the link up and great finisher. Despite his "tender" age, he has racked up more than 200 career goals, two times golden boot winner and already Spurs legend. Along comes Sadio Mane, who offers incredible work rate, creativity, dribbling and goal threat in the final third, whilst Muller's ghost movement and selfless attitude brings balance to the attack. Rivellino will pull the strings from the middle being in his zone and as a focal point of the team.

Overview:

Tresor/Kompany as CB pair - as in the first game our defenders have what it takes to deal with the opposition star player - Lewandowski, whilst also being a complimentary partnership. Our CB pair is well equipped with dealing with the danger whilst it receives a lot of protection from Pirri and Vidal, being a great defensive presence when off the ball.

Midfield superiority: we definitely have an edge in the middle of the park. Pirri and Vidal were midfield generals of their era, and one of the very best in both phases during their time(Vidal was the greatest thing since sliced bread if we believe the transfer thread at the time). Both are aided by Rivellino's industrious mentality and the ever buzzing Muller on the right and Sane on the left. Our midfield and forward line will press high the opposition defence and midfield and generally will look to control the proceedings whilst looking for the most direct way to goal after we recoup possession.

Variety in attack: Our attack consists of 4 very creative players who can stretch the opposition defence, pull defenders outside their comfort zone and also press them into mistake. The opposition will most likely field a more narrow setup with allows Muller/Sane to work the opposition into wide channels and with their movement to wreck havoc in their lines.


Good luck @Indnyc @Enigma_87!

 

[Himannv]

inb4 we talk about Pirri for the full match again.

Good teams both of you.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Much more balanced team from Indnyc. The midfield trio will provide a solid base for Rui Costa whilst also being defensively far more solid than this team in earlier match.

Solid subs from Enigma without changing dynamics of his team.

 

[Pat_Mustard]

Yep, the midfield looks much more coherent and role-defined now: Fernandinho as the specialist holder, Kroos as the busy passing metronome, Gattuso providing the energy and defensive bite, and Rui Costa as the creative lynchpin. Still concerns over the compatibility of Lewa/Lineker though, and the options for creating pitch-stretching attacking width don't look great.

Enigma looking like one of the top dogs in this draft again. Minor nitpick but would prefer a left-footed left back who was better going forward than the right-footed Pessotto to support the attack on the outside-left channel, as Mane is at his best on the inside channels.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

I am not sure which way this will go to be honest.

Enigma’s big strength is his midfield and Indnyc seems to have sorted his pretty nicely. Defenses seem pretty even too and it all comes down to Lewandowski/Lineker vs Mane/Kane in my eyes.

i am even tempted to give this to Indnyc but this does seem to have draw written all over it. If I was forced to vote, I would have voted Indy which I didn’t expect to happen after the score line against Edgar. Can’t see the score but if this is a one way battle too, I’d be really surprised.

This could have been a really close group as well if Indy put out a better midfield against Edgar.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Can’t see the score but if this is a one way battle too, I’d be really surprised.

Am actually tempted to see the score just to see if it’s a one way battle. Don’t count my vote.

 

[Demyanenko_square_jaw]

Voted for Enigma. Very close, with uncertainty about the Lewa/Lineker partnership and my relatively lower opinion of Fernandinho and to a lesser extent Gattuso being the difference. Both tactical approaches look fine, but i can see those two (especially Fernandinho) being given a really hard time by Rivelino and giving away a lot of fouls as a deciding factor in the midfield battle.

 

[Synco]

Still concerns over the compatibility of Lewa/Lineker though

uncertainty about the Lewa/Lineker partnership

Can you expand?

 

[Šjor Bepo]

serious lack of pace and dribblers in that indy team, with that personnel on the pitch it looks like it wouldnt be that difficult to defend against them

 

[harms]

Can you expand?

2 pure number 9s? Lewa is quite all-rounded and can drop deeper and make runs out wide, while Lineker was more of a poacher, but I’m not sure that they’ll work well together. It wouldn’t make sense to ask Lewa to roam around more than he does naturally so that Lineker would get more space.

 

[Synco]

2 pure number 9s? Lewa is quite all-rounded and can drop deeper and make runs out wide, while Lineker was more of a poacher, but I’m not sure that they’ll work well together. It wouldn’t make sense to ask Lewa to roam around more than he does naturally so that Lineker would get more space.

Cheers, I simply don't know anything about Lineker, hence my question.

 

[Enigma_87]

I am not sure which way this will go to be honest.

Enigma’s big strength is his midfield and Indnyc seems to have sorted his pretty nicely. Defenses seem pretty even too and it all comes down to Lewandowski/Lineker vs Mane/Kane in my eyes.

i am even tempted to give this to Indnyc but this does seem to have draw written all over it. If I was forced to vote, I would have voted Indy which I didn’t expect to happen after the score line against Edgar. Can’t see the score but if this is a one way battle too, I’d be really surprised.

This could have been a really close group as well if Indy put out a better midfield against Edgar.

Aye, the team is focused around the midfield and Rivellino given a starring role, with Pirri/Vidal providing the base with their grit, determination and ability to cover a lot of ground. On top of that compared to the first game Mane brings more pressing options and generally my idea in developing this team is to gradually squeeze the pitch for the opponent giving them no time on the ball.

Indy has done a good job improving his midfield compared to the opening game and it looks a lot more solid, but if I'm to point to a game winning advantage for us is what has been mentioned in the thread and general lack of width in attack and his players stretching up the play in possession, which makes it easier for us to defend against.

Panucci and Andrson aren't the most marauding/attacking type of full backs and Lineker/Lewa partnership doesn't really imply either of them working the outside channels, which I think goes our way when we block the middle of the pitch with the base of Tresor/Kompany and Pirri/Vidal in front of them.

 

[Enigma_87]

Enigma looking like one of the top dogs in this draft again. Minor nitpick but would prefer a left-footed left back who was better going forward than the right-footed Pessotto to support the attack on the outside-left channel, as Mane is at his best on the inside channels.

Cheers mate. I quite like Pessotto myself and he did play as a wing back or left midfielder on that side. Naturally I went with him to give the side more balance considering Maicon is the more attacking full back on the side, but he is capable of playing a tactical game in possession, considering he was very versatile and proved to be a very intelligent player, thus offering passing options and making runs in the attacking third, to allow Mane to cut inside.

 

[Gio]

Cheers mate. I quite like Pessotto myself and he did play as a wing back or left midfielder on that side. Naturally I went with him to give the side more balance considering Maicon is the more attacking full back on the side, but he is capable of playing a tactical game in possession, considering he was very versatile and proved to be a very intelligent player, thus offering passing options and making runs in the attacking third, to allow Mane to cut inside.

Yeah I liked the Pessotto pick. Flew under the radar amid the plethora of similarly steady and versatile full-backs in Serie A at the time. But a lot like Irwin as a right-footed left-back who took set-pieces, tidy on the ball, was comfortable on both sides in a less heralded role for a top side.

 

[Enigma_87]

Good game @Indnyc . It's very hard to pull of a proper 4-4-2 diamond and especially in a limited pool, but I thought your team was much better compared to the first round.

Yeah I liked the Pessotto pick. Flew under the radar amid the plethora of similarly steady and versatile full-backs in Serie A at the time. But a lot like Irwin as a right-footed left-back who took set-pieces, tidy on the ball, was comfortable on both sides in a less heralded role for a top side.

Cheers, Gio. He was one of the most consistent Juve players in the late 90's / early 00's and is worth putting a stint in drafts.

 

[Indnyc]

Good game @Indnyc . It's very hard to pull of a proper 4-4-2 diamond and especially in a limited pool, but I thought your team was much better compared to the first round.


Cheers, Gio. He was one of the most consistent Juve players in the late 90's / early 00's and is worth putting a stint in drafts.

Cheers., Sorry haven’t been around much... The new job has kept me very busy