Purple Bananaa v Ringleader You have until Friday 10pm 01/08/2014 to make any changes to your line-up/tactics. I will then add a poll to begin the voting (open for 48 hours).
Two different systems - should be a very tactical and exciting game! You have until 10pm to make any changes - then the voting/banter will begin.
I believe this will be a very close game, but I feel my team just about has the edge. I believe the way I will win this game is with my wing-backs. They will both be able to attack his full-backs due to him not having any wide midfield players and they are bound to have success. I actually think Cuadrado vs. Blind is a battle which could decide the game and I think Cuadrado will get the best of him. Blind is a player who had a good World Cup, but apart from that he has played in a Dutch league and probably hasn't been tested to much. Added to that, Blind played most of last season in central midfield, not left-back. Not only that but I have a player in Gerrard who can play excellent direct balls. The pitch will be stretched and Gerrard will be able to excel in this environment. Obviously, my squad has the small job of having to play against Messi, but I believe my squad in this draft is more than capable of silencing the little man. My central defenders will make it very compact for him and I think I'll have Fernandinho drop back a little more for a little bit of help. His team is also very narrow which will make it even more difficult to get past my back 3 as there will not be any space.
I think these teams would cancel each other out. Rooney and Mandzy are industrious, but I don't think they'd have enough guile between them to get the better or Howedes and Varane. PB has no real creativity in central midfield, but he has plenty of strength and it's defensively great. Asamoah isn't really that inventive. Cuadrado would be their only source of inspiration. I think RL's team would keep them pegged back for most of the game, but I'm not sure I'd even fancy Messi to get the better of that PB's defence and midfield. 0-0.
Very tight matchup for me, but I just have a feeling one of Ringleader's playmakers (Pjanic, Mkhitaryan, or Messi) would find the space in Gerrard's zone to make the decisive contribution. Fernandinho and Gabi offer excellent protection, but Gerrard's positional sense can be wonky and I think it would cost them here at some point.
I'm voting a PB win, I really like his formation and Cuadrado, Asamoah and Ramos would be great in those positions. The CM's are pretty evenly matched. I'm not convinced by Ringleaders CBs, with Varane not playing much for Real (I was going to pick him as a sub) and Howedes playing LB for Germany. PB's back three has everything though! Messi would give Ringleader a chance, but they'd be over-reliant on him imo. PG's Score Purple Banana 3 - 1 Ringleader
Varane hasn't played that much because he has been injured a lot, and I don't really think you can use Howedes playing out of position for Germany and still playing very well as a stick to beat him with.
Do love a narrow diamond and I think RL uses it very well here. PB's only source of creativity is Cuadrado while RL has Heno, Messi, and Pjanic. That's where the edge is, IMO, because other than that I think both sides would cancel each other out. Can see a narrow 1-nil to RL - a late Messi winner after sustained pressure.
Purple Bananaa v Ringleader Key Battles Purple Banana’s wingbacks versus opponent’s lack of protection on wings (Purple Banana WINS) Ringleader’s diamond versus Purple Banana’s midfield trio (Ringleader WINS) Getting numbers into the opponent’s box ( Purple Banana WINS) Clutch ability of Messi-Higuain vs Rooney-Mandzukic ( Ringleader WINS) Prediction 1-1 (Sergio Ramos - Messi)
Both teams pretty equal. I ended up going with RL because of the familiarity of Messi, Higuain, and Zabaleta.
Bear that in mind with my team of Benzema, Ribery (also Gustavo in his case), Cabaye & Debuchy as well pls mate. x
I was genuinely trying to figure out if you were trolling or not. When fit Varane starts for Real Madrid, that simple. He's pushed Pepe out of the team and he's only 21, phenomenal talent. Howdes is a CB, quite how you can use him playing out of position for a team who went on the win the World Cup as a negative is madness. I also don't see how a team with Mkhitaryan & Pjanic is going to end up relying on Messi for creativity. Varane/Alonso & Bender/Mkhitaryan too.
I know people are saying that Cuadrado is my most creative player but I also would say Rooney is fairly creative. My team would also be quite a good counter-attacking threat. Shame I didn't get points for the familiarity of Gerrard and Rooney or Thiago Silva and Fernandinho
