He's a shit cb. Go through my post history if you like. I've questioned his ability at cb a lot, way before the Germany game. He IMO is a better DM. He takes far to many risks and makes far to many mistakes to be relied upon at the back. He's a liability. Rafael was in the team of the season two seasons ago and was voted the best that season. We also play a system that requires two pacey and attacking full backs. That's what we have. Oscar can and does play on the left. The only reason we bid for Dzeko over NEGREDO was because of recent form. NEGREDO is a much better striker than Dzeko. If Casillias is such a problem we can just put Handanovic in and Gundogan can come into midfield. I have no doubt in my mind that our team is better.
Your full backs are too attacking to be successful in defending against Robben and Sterling. They would get torn to pieces as they have done in the past, neither of them can defend well. Luckily my full backs are both good defensively as well as being great going forward. I've seen Oscar play on the left once. One game. Square pegs in round holes again. If Negredo was a much better striker than Dzeko you would have bid for him instead. Why would you pick solely on recent form?
Because people tend to forget. I swear down I think NEGREDO is better. Oscar played on the left for Brazil. He can play on the left FFS. Just get over it Also in a 4231 when the full back gets forward one DM drops back into cb whilst a cb drops to fullback briefly for cover. It's an excellent way of getting your fullbacks to create the width. Saints used it with great success last season. Our formation HAS to have attacking fullbacks for it to work properly. It's a pretty standard thing in that formation. They're really wingbacks rather than fullbacks tbh. Plus our high pressing game suits us. Toure fell to pieces (and on his arse) against our style last season. He couldn't handle us hunting in packs. He was shell shocked and it was probably his worst game of the season. Another thing that will be interesting is to see how much Luiz flaps when he's pulled out of position due to our fullbacks creating width. He's another player that will struggle. All in all, a Pochetino style high pressing counter attacking side will be more than enough to dispatch your team. It's a system that's wonderful at making good players look shit. Look at southamptons match threads from last season. Everytime we won the other fans said they were having a bad day. No, we made them look bad, just like we'll make you look bad. Men v boys I'm afraid.
Shane and Ceiling put up a good fight in this thread, but I still believe mrwatfordfc has the better players and with the formations being the same this is shown. I vote for mrwatfordfc.
I am voting for mrwatford. I think the attack and defence for both teams are pretty evenly balanced and it is hard to choose between them. What won it for me was the central midfield pairing. I wanted Pogba and Y.Toure in CM for my team and my back up plan was going to be Matuidi. I think that a pairing of Matuidi and Yaya, would be awesome and boss that area of the pitch. CV/Shane 0 - 1 mrwatford
People don't tend to forget good effort at backtracking though. I'll get over Oscar playing on the left when you provide me with evidence that he has done more than once..instead of just saying "Oscar has played on the left because I said so". Sahin isn't defensively minded enough to be playing that role, that's why he has Sven Bender playing alongside him for Dortmund. It worked with Southampton because you had a pure DM in Schneiderlin. You don't have the midfielders to be able to play a pressing game, Toure and Matuidi would bully your midfield into submission. Luiz has played against much better players than you have in that team and been able to cope positionally. I wouldn't be concerned with this. Making good teams look shit? In 14 games against the top 7 last season Southampton won twice. Didn't exactly make them look shit.
I think this is best summed up by the fact that only 4 of CV & Shane's team are guaranteed starters in their position for their club - Alba, Chiellini, Martinez and Sneijder. Rafael maybe as well to be fair. Every single one of my players is unquestionably a first XI player for their club.
Schniederlin isn't a pure DM mate and Sahin has Marchisio next to him. Southampton should've gained more points against the big boys but unfortunately our defence was massacred by injury and our backup keeper was non league standard. After the first 10 games of the season we were third. We have the perfect midfield to play our style and don't forget, we have Gundogan to come in as well.
He's a lot more of a pure DM than Sahin is that's for sure. You can't compare Marchisio to Sven Bender, completely different players. Maybe so, all ifs and buts though. Conjecture doesn't win you games. The same Gundogan that will replace Sahin in the Dortmund team when he comes back . He's another who would struggle to play a pressing game.
I haven't compared Marchisio to bender You're focusing to much energy on Sahin. With a 4231 it's good to have an attacking DM. Sahin is perfect.
...you did, I said Sahin works best with someone like Bender alongside him and you responded by saying he had Marchisio alongside him. Luckily the voters are using their heads.
We have bench players who can cause trouble too. Alex Teixeira creates and scores regularly, including in this past season's Champions League with 3 goals, and Domenico Berardi was probably the best teenager in Europe despite playing in attack for a team that spent most of its time defending.
I've gone for a draw. CV/Shane have a solid defense and a fairly underwhelming attack, whereas Watford has a pretty good attack and a shaky central defence. 1-1.
I have Huntelaar on the bench who is a better option than either of those two as a game changer. Also if need be I could bring on Ander Herrera for Valbuena and push Toure further forward to devastating effect if chasing a goal.
Quite surprised Watford is ahead by that margin. No offence like but don't see too much difference in those sides.
