Utd Draft: Best Losers - EAP vs NM

[Physiocrat]

EAP

NM

EAP Tactics

Formation: Classic 4-4-2

Tl;dr Why I'd win: Passable midfield, but will be bailed out by top notch attack and defence.

A solid defence:
- Sergio Romero who's the most capped GK in Argentine NT history. Despite being mostly De Gea's backup, he was solid in his appearances including Europe League Finals. Composed, calm, good reflexes and shot stopping ability and decent ball distribution from the back.
- Jaap Stam & Gary Pallister - Two players who rank amongstTop 5 in all CBs in United history. The beast of a Stopper paired with the the calm and classy style of Pallister complements each other well.
- Gabriel Heinze & Wes brown: Brown was a top talent who never achieved/maintained his peak due to injuries. Was solid in the 2008 backline.

A industrious midfield:
- Fellaini & Herrera's POTY winning industriousness fits right into the mold of classic 4-4-2 midfield engine. Kind of a Mourinho's esque or even hark back to Keane-Butt midfield. Nothing special to sepak about, but has a good engine and able to recycle the ball
- Classic wingers in Young & Poborsky. Quick on flanks, able to motor up and down all game, good crossing/passing.

Lethal Attack:
- No into needed for Cantona. Cantona was a classic second striker powerful and skillful in both creating and scoring. His expansive style compliments the natural goal scorer in Falcao.

NM Tactics

Tactics:
Feed RVP!

DF: Gregg is one of our best keepers. Vidic is the stopper. Greenhof was known as the ball player. Silvestre was good at LB before going full alien when he moved to CB. Brennan is a tough full back.. Good synergy

MF: 2 B2B with Ince and Scholes. Webb will sit deeper but was known as a passer.. Lots of bite in this midfield, along with everybody having an eye for a pass. The star is Scholes of course

FW: Mata and Sanchez will float. Both have played behind the striker and the flanks. Their job is to feed RVP. RVP is the main man. As Fergie said, if they can't find him, the rest of the team won't play.

The idea is to have several fluid playmakers (Scholes, Mata, Sanchez) who will find synergies to open the opposition up

 

[Physiocrat]

@NM @Edgar Allan Pillow

Game on!

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Just leaving it here. Given free time, Young is capable of doing a lot from the wings.

 

[NM]

Sorry, Fellani and Herrera against my midfield ? They won't see the ball.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Sorry, Fellani and Herrera against my midfield ? They won't see the ball.

Maybe. But I'm playing out wide where you have no presence. All they need to do is defend and shunt ball to my wingers.

My better attack and defense will win this game.

Your team has a narrow attack with no width, not even from fullbacks. Also over reliance on a single goal scorer in RvP with not much support.

 

[NM]

Maybe. But I'm playing out wide where you have no presence. All they need to do is defend and shunt ball to my wingers.

My better attack and defense will win this game.

Your team has a narrow attack with no width, not even from fullbacks. Also over reliance on a single goal scorer in RvP with not much support.

Sanchez not a goal scorer? Scholes breaking into a box not a goalscorer? Come on mate.

Also Fellaini can't defend or pass so "all the need to do is defend and shunt ball to wingers" doesn't work!

 

[Enigma_87]

@Edgar Allan Pillow what was the reasoning behind benching Eriksen? Yeah the pairing with Herrera was uninspiring in the first round, but with Fellaini it doesn't really fix the issue and removes one of the couple creative outlets you had.

I mean there's a reason why Mourinho didn't use Herrera and Fellaini together and Eriksen at least has some positional discipline, whilst both Fellaini and Herrera are prone to committing stupid fouls and their nature is aggressive style.

 

[harms]

Didn't realize that he benched Eriksen for Fellaini. While Eriksen got a lot of justified criticism in the previous game putting Fellaini in doesn't solve any issues (and adds so many new ones!).

 

[Šjor Bepo]

should have dropped those turd wingers and play a narrow midfield with all thee of fellaini, eriksen and herrera

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Nothing special, Erikson got panned in last game and I'm facing a 3 man midfield here so didn't want to risk him again.

Fellaini adds a lot of work rate esp in Mou's later years. The presence of Pogba meant we couldn't fit all 3 in same team, but I think Fellaini - Herrera might be workmanlike but still a very functional duo.

I mean, we have played the like of Anderson & Gibson in the middle while not sucking too much.

Given my better Attack and Defense, it should balance out overall.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Fergie's later years are a living proof of how to build a winning team with aging and shite midfields.

Given the strength everywhere else, I still think my team would edge it.

 

[Physiocrat]

I think Fellaini as a sort of DM with Herrara B2B in a flat four works OK for me in principle. The question is how will they work against Ince, Scholes and Webb. There will be a lot of responsibility on Herrara to get it wide quickly. If he can EAP may get some joy outwide.

 

[Šjor Bepo]

Fergie's later years are a living proof of how to build a winning team with aging and shite midfields.

Given the strength everywhere else, I still think my team would edge it.

there is one problem edgar, you are not fergie

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

there is one problem edgar, you are not fergie

Are you sure?

It just means that a weaker midfield doesn't necessarily mean defeat.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

I think Fellaini as a sort of DM with Herrara B2B in a flat four works OK for me in principle. The question is how will they work against Ince, Scholes and Webb. There will be a lot of responsibility on Herrara to get it wide quickly. If he can EAP may get some joy outwide.

The primary driver for any 442 is strength out wide. Midfield is pretty much a supporting cast that comes after striker, wingers and defenders. We've seen this in real life matches.

With absolutely no opponents, my wingers will have a field day.

Plus Cantona. From near or far, hell make magic happen.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Any teams facing each other off with different formation will have mismatch by default.

In this match, he has a superior midfield. To counter than I have superior attack, wings and defense.

Surely holistically, that makes a difference?

 

[Physiocrat]

@harms

How much did Cantona offer off the ball? Just thought you might know from your comps

 

[harms]

@harms

How much did Cantona offer off the ball? Just thought you might know from your comps

Not much usually. He could follow a runner all the way or make a great tackle from time to time but it certainly wasn't consistent.

 

[Šjor Bepo]

Are you sure?

It just means that a weaker midfield doesn't necessarily mean defeat.

fergie at least had carrick.
midfield is important you cant go around that, problem is your wingers are also average at best, heinze is crap and romero is what he is, a backup keeper.

 

[Fortitude]

The primary driver for any 442 is strength out wide. Midfield is pretty much a supporting cast that comes after striker, wingers and defenders. We've seen this in real life matches.

With absolutely no opponents, my wingers will have a field day.

Plus Cantona. From near or far, hell make magic happen.

Erm.. it's literally the opposite. Your CM pairing determine how much of the game others in your team get to have, and they must be exceptional to enable the rest of the team to function.

 

[Enigma_87]

Any teams facing each other off with different formation will have mismatch by default.

In this match, he has a superior midfield. To counter than I have superior attack, wings and defense.

Surely holistically, that makes a difference?

Tbh even if the opposition doesn’t have wingers Poborsky/ Young would edge it at a push.

both would be prime candidates for a pool in a sheep draft. Surely even after 12 rounds there are some better left ?

 

[Enigma_87]

As for @NM he definitely need to fix his wing options. Silvestre is a huge meh and a RW option instead of Mata is a must.

I’m still unsure of how Webb translates into DM I’d prefer Scholes there as DLP

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Good game @NM

It was shit midfield drafting from me and a loss can't be argued against much.

 

[NM]

GG @Edgar Allan Pillow . The midfield was terrible. I have holes to fix...