All Time Premier League Fantasy Draft: R1 - bleezy vs Marty1968

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vs

...........................................Team bleezy......................................................................................Team Marty1968..............................................

TEAM BLEEZY

Defence

• In Peter Schmeichel, I have the best goalkeeper of the Premier League era. A great shot-stopper, dominating in his box and a brilliant organiser. Schmeichel will ensure the defence keeps its shape and will not shy away from a physical battle against Shearer or Ferdinand on crosses.
• My central defensive partnership has two strong, powerful defenders to match up against Shearer and Ferdinand. Neither of Marty's strikers will exploitKolo Toure or Mellberg for pace, and both of my defenders are extremely strong in the air to stop their aerial threat.
• The full backs are both defensively strong and will be asked to stay in position and form a solid back four.
• John Barnes in the Premier League years was primarily a deep-lying midfielder, so will not have his 1980's pace to test a clever, dependable Arbeloa.
• Le Saux was a permanent fixture in a title-winning Blackburn side, and brings that experience and reliability in trying to contain Kanchelskis.

Midfield

• Javier Mascherano provides the energy and bite in midfield, protecting the defence and providing the base for the flair players in the side to build frpm.
• Fabregas assisted 18 goals in the league last season, and will operate in the same role that he occupies for Chelsea next to a strong defensive midfielder. Cesc will control the game, starting off attacks from deep, joining the attack, and demonstrating the type of composure on the ball that Marty's side lacks. He also provides bite of his own in midfield, not afraid to get involved in a battle and definitely not shy in putting in a tackle.

• Rafael van der Vaart will operate in the hole, swapping positions with the wingers when they come inside, or arriving late in the box to prove a genuine goal threat. Rafa scored 24 goals in two league seasons for Spurs, assisting a further 15. In the hole afforded by having Yaya and Parlour up against Cesc and Mascherano, he will have plenty of space to change the game.
• Alexis Sanchez scored 16 goals in the league last season, 25 in 52 in all competitions. Starting up against Ian Harte, Alexis will be too quick, powerful and quality for Harte to handle. Alexis will have the benefit of Arbeloa behind him, to be able to stay higher up, drifting infield and requiring a centre back to be drawn out to help Harte cope with him.

• Florent Malouda was Chelsea player of the year in 2009/10, scoring 12 goals and grabbing 10 assists. The following season, Malouda was Chelsea's top scorer with 13 goals. Wes Brown will struggle to cope with Malouda, as below where he's caught horribly out of position as Malouda ghosts past him, shrugs off Ferdinand and scores a great goal:

Attack

• Sergio Aguero will play on the shoulders of John Terry and Steve Bruce, a slow partnership that doesn't complement each other's skills. The clip below against John Terry, Gary Cahill and Petr Cech (two of whom he'll be against in this game) shows Aguero's strength playing as a lone-striker, with creative players behind him, against slow defenders. He finishes off a sharp run with an incredible finish past Petr Cech at the near post, showing his strength as a goalscorer - 78 goals in 120 league games, top scorer last season and a certain goal I'd rather not mention...

 

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TEAM MARTY1968

My Team:

At the back, the most decorated keeper the Premier League has ever seen in Petr Cech. Holds the record for the fewest games to record 100 clean sheets (180 games), held the record for most minutes without conceding a goal (1,025 minutes) until surpassed by VDS in 2009. Golden Glove winner three times (2004-05, 2009-10 and 2013-14) and has the most clean sheets ever in the Premier League (220).

In front of him, two greats…

Steve Bruce was a bedrock of Manchester United's success in the 1990's. Commanding the United back four with a reassuring presence, control and great tactical awareness, Bruce was the steady foundation upon which to build a great team. Most importantly of all, he had an unquenchable spirit and motivation often playing with injuries that would put lesser men in hospital. His bravery and courage was unrivalled, a totally committed player ready to give his all for his team, and this inspired the team-mates around him. A true United great!

Bruce was one of the most powerful and dependable centre-backs ever in the Premier League and many have described him as the best player of the 1980s and 1990s never to appear for England. In his prime he was particularly noted for his calm and deliberate passing of the ball, and his ability to control it under pressure, often with his chest.

Although bound to be criticised for his lack of poise and grace here and his lack of pace, his bravery and willingness to take knocks from opposition players made him the "heart" of the defence during his time with United. Brucey was made of absolute steel!

His resolute spirit and motivational abilities were deemed vital to the United team. A great defender and great goal scorer from corners or the penalty spot.

Alongside him, the best centre back in the modern PL era. An absolute cn*t-bag of the first order….BUT a Chelsea Legend and great defender all the same. Of a very similar ilk to Bruce, he’s strong, commanding and helps to motivate and lead his fellow defenders. Not blessed with blistering pace but has the awareness to be in the right place at the right time regardless. A reason Cech has so many clean sheets is because he had a rock in front of him…and that rock is JT

Whilst many may say Terry & Bruce are both slow, let’s just look at other great CB pairings in PL history……

2000-01 Season – Adams & Keown? Arsenal finished 2nd

1999-00 Season – Adams & Keown? Arsenal finished 2nd

1998-99 Season – Adams & Bould? Arsenal finished 2nd

1997-98 Season – Adams & Bould? Arsenal finished 1st

1994-95 Season – Hendry and Ian Pearce? Blackburn finished 1st

To say that two of the greatest defenders in Premier League history can’t play together is absolute nonsense.

Alongside these two greats, Ian Harte one of the best LB’s the PL has ever seen and Wes Brown, an outstanding professional, who had a fabulous season at right back during United’s 2007/08 PL and Champions League winning campaign. Harte had amazing energy, was tough and excellent from set pieces. If he wasn’t scoring free-kick himself he was providing pin-point accuracy for someone else to nod in. Between 1998 and 2002 he was immense for Leeds, scoring 22 goals in those 4 seasons and being included in the PL Team of the Year for 1999-2000.

My midfield is made up of pace, energy, work rate and technical brilliance. In the middle Yaya Toure and Ray Parlour. An engine on legs, Ray Palour is an absolute cult legend amongst Arsenal fans. He would run his socks off and had the best damn work ethic that Arsenal had ever seen. He gave his all and chased everyone, like a dog off his lead. He had a bit of pace in his hey-day and got involved in team moves. He could score some pretty decent goals, with both low drilled shots and curlers from outside the box. Surprisingly, he was also excellent with the ball at his feet. His role in my team is simple…hound the opposition win the ball by any means and distribute to someone else.

Next to him, one of the best box to box midfielders in the past 10 years. In his first two seasons at City, Yaya Toure was the catalyst for them winning the FA Cup in 2010-11 and robbing us of the title in 2011-12. African Footballer of the year in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 and named in two Premier League Teams (2012 & 2014) his contribution to City has been nothing short of sensational. Alongside Parlour he’d have to help out with the defensive duties but would also get the opportunity to roam forward and support the front two. Scored 20 goals in 35 games during the 2013-14 season (third top scorer in the league – ahead of Aguero) to lead City to their second title.

On the right, one of the fastest wingers the PL has ever seen. Kanchelskis became a United legend for his blistering pace and finishing and then at Everton went one step further. In his 1995-96 season he scored 16 goals in just 32 league appearances and was incredible. A constant menace to any left back, had a lethal shot and a perfect outlet for the counter attack.

On the left, John Barnes…one of the best dribblers Liverpool have ever had and a wonderful football brain. Whilst not the pacey winger he was in his younger days, Barnes in the premier league was still an incredible talent. Much like Giggs in his 30’s, even though his pace had gone he still knew where to be and how to make magic happen. With Harte behind him, providing the energy and bursting forward at every opportunity, Barnes would have the awareness and positional sense to cover, whilst also being able to wander at times and have a slightly free role. Yaya’s running and work rate alongside him would also enable him to roam inside.

Up front, one of the most lethal strike partnerships the PL has seen. Sir Les and Shearer….when he arrived at Newcastle, Shearer connected with Ferdinand immediately and between them scored 41 goals.

In his two years at Newcastle, Ferdinand scored 41 goals in 68 games, which is comparable to anything Aguero has done. With Shearer alongside him and the service from Yaya, Kanchelskis and Barnes, they would create loads of chances. The pace of Shearer and Ferdinand would prove a nightmare for whichever CB pairing Bleezy chooses..

 

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SHEARER THE LEGEND.. - "Same Old Shearer, Always Scoring"

To emphasise exactly how good these two were, a quote from Southgate about the Shearer/Ferdinand partnership:

The effect of this double power-pack has been profound at club level, as Gareth Southgate, who was on the wrong end of Newcastle's 4-3 win over Aston Villa last week attested. "They are the best I have faced at any time as a defender," he said. "They are power, and if it's not Ferdinand coming at you, it's Shearer."

Other quotes about Shearer’s ability:

"He is almost the perfect centre-forward for the English game. He closes people down, he can hold the ball up, run with it, he's good in the air and he's dangerous inside and outside of the box."- Chris Waddle on Alan Shearer

"Alan Shearer is a great striker. I'm a big fan of his."- Ronaldo on Alan Shearer

"Same old Shearer, always scoring."- Newcastle fans on Alan Shearer

"In the last 10 years, Alan Shearer has been unquestionably the best - head and shoulders above everybody else."- Jimmy Greaves on Alan Shearer

"Everybody knows his talent, he is the kind of player I would want in my team."- Brazilian and world football legend Pele on Alan Shearer

"He is very special."- Marco Van Basten on Alan Shearer, commentating on Holland during Euro 96

"No-one can teach him anything, he already has it all."- Gianluca Vialli on Alan Shearer

"I would compare him to Careca who is the only striker who would keep me awake the night before a game."- Former AC Milan defender Alessandro Costacurta on Alan Shearer

"I have been keeping an eye on Alan Shearer for a long time and I like his style very much. He can shoot from any position and his goalscoring record is excellent."- Italian football legend Paolo Maldini on Alan Shearer

"The lad has got absolutely everything. England have had many great strikers over the years who have excelled in certain parts of the game but there is no chink at all in Shearer's armour, even to the point of magnificent mental strength. He works so hard. He's not afraid to put himself around physically and won't be intimidated by aggressive tactics. He is a clever player, who is capable of understanding tactical instructions and then carrying them out, even if it means defensive duties. He is not just after the glory of scoring goals. You see him running to the wings, demanding the ball, searching for space, especially down the right, where he crosses the ball in as good as any winger in the game. Not only will Alan score from close in. He can score from outside the box, he takes free-kicks and he scores with his head, his right foot and his left foot. There are no real weaknesses.

Many people forget he has suffered setbacks and responded. Look at the build-up to the European Championship, when his place in the team was being questioned because he hadn't scored for some time. His answer was to finish as top scorer. That's mental strength. That's character. Don't forget he's returned from a serious knee ligament injury and then had two hernia operations in the last seven months. He is a formidable force. Every manager in the world would want him - with a possible exception of the Brazilian coach, because he has quite a few good players himself. We are the envy of every other country."- Former England manager Glenn Hoddle on Alan Shearer




Shearer’s Records at a Glance…

PFA Players' Player of the Year - 1996/97

PFA Players' Player of the Year nominee: 8 times

3rd FIFA World Player of the Year: 1997 – Behind Ronaldo and George Weah

Premier League Golden Boot 1996/97

Current All time Premier League Top Scorer: 260 Goals

Current All Time Newcastle United Top Scorer: 206 Goals

First Player to score 100 Premier League Goals

First Player to score 200 Premier League Goals

Record-holder for Most Goals in a Premier League match: 5 Goals (Newcastle 8-0 Sheff Wed 1999)

Record-holder for Most Premier League Hat-Tricks: 11

Named Overall Premier League player of Decade: 1992-2002

Named Domestic Premier League Player of the Decade: 1992-2002

Named in Overall Premier League Team of the Decade: 1992-2002

Named in Domestic Premier League Team of the Decade: 1992-2002

Premier League Decade Top Goalscorer: 1992-2002

World Record Transfer Fee - Blackburn to Newcastle 1996 for £ 15 million

 

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Team Strengths:

- Two absolute goal scoring machines, who between them and the rest of the team have 9 Premier League Hat-tricks (Shearer 4/Sir Les 2/Kanchelskis 1/Toure 1/Parlour 1) vs Bleezy's 3 (Aguero 3)

- Unbelievable pace on the right wing, with the trickery & directness of Kanchelskis and the pace of Brown to support.

- Two incredible athletes in the middle of the park who will run all day and outmuscle most opponents. Parlour and Yaya Toure are both outstanding tacklers, with great distribution and control.

- Attacking threat from midfield with Yaya and Barnes able to roam free.

- Set pieces. In Barnes and Harte I have two wonderful dead ball experts and with Terry, Bruce, Yaya, Ferdinand and Shearer there are few teams in this draft that have such an attacking threat in the air from corners/free kicks.

- Defensively would win most headers in the box and, with Cech commanding the orchestra behind them would work perfectly as a defensive unit.

- Great ability to counter-attack quickly with the distribution of Barnes/Yaya and pace of Kanchelskis, Shearer, Ferdinand and Toure.

- Le Saux against Kanchelskis isn't even a contest. Le Saux, whilst very solid was not pacey and with little support from Malouda (not the best at his defensive duties) he'd struggle not get over-run by Andrei and Wes Brown overlapping him.


Team Weaknesses:

- Lack of quality pace on the left wing given Barnes' age. But with Harte behind him who could run all day, this isn't such a big deal. Barnes knew his position and performed very well in his 30’s even though he’d lost a bit of pace.

- Not the quickest CB pairing in the draft.


Why I’d win:

Bleezy's CB pairing doesn't look strong enough. Whether it's Kolo Toure, Melberg or Johnsen they would struggle with the pace, movement and directness of Shearer and Ferdinand. In the air, Shearer/Ferdinand would win most first balls and their speed means they would get on the end of many balls in from the wings.

Bleezy has a great keeper in big Pete but both Shearer and Ferdinand know how to score against him and did so on numerous occasions.

Bleezy has some very good attacking players but Van der Vaart is not good enough to get the better of Terry and Bruce’s strength. Whilst excellent in his time at Spurs he just wouldn’t be able to out-do my back line.

Whichever era’s Bleezy chooses he’s going to miss out on the best of one of his players. Kolo Toure and Fabregas were both at their best in Arsenal colours and with Sanchez in the team he either has to go for Fabregas at Chelsea where he really didn’t set the world alight and was poor for the second half of last season, or Kolo Toure at City or Liverpool. Toure was excellent at Arsenal, decent at City and Average at Liverpool.

Bleezy has no height in his team and so any corners/free kicks are going to be easy for my towering unit to clear up.

I’d fancy that Parlour/Yaya would just about overcome a resolute Mascherano and young Fabregas. The latter is very pleasing on the eye but Bleezy only has one CM who would really get stuck in against both the Romford Pele and Yaya.


My team is by far the more decorated team out of the two…


3 players have been voted PFA Player of the Year (Ferdinand 1995/96, Shearer 1996/97 & Terry 2004/05) vs Bleezy’s none!

3rd FIFA World Player of the Year: 1997 – None of Bleezy’s have got close to the award.

My team have appeared in the PL Team of the year 17 times (Shearer x 6, Terry x 4, Toure x 2, Cech x 2, Ferdinand x 1, Brown x 1 & Harte x 1) vs Bleezy’s 5 (Schmeichel x 1, Le Saux x 2 & Fabregas x 2).

This is without going into the trophies that my players have won between them which are far more than Bleezy’s team.

 

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@Rado_N @ Damo Moyes

Could you please help to put up a poll? Thanks

With players at peaks in the teams indicated, who will win?
bleezy
Marty1968

votes visible without voting
votes can be changed
24 hours

 

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Good luck @bleezy @Marty1968

 

[crappycraperson]

Very well constructed attack and midfield by breezy. Easy to see how it will work. Defense is weaker.

Marty's set up requires much more thought.

 

[Rado_N]

@Rado_N @ Damo Moyes

Could you please help to put up a poll? Thanks

With players at peaks in the teams indicated, who will win?
bleezy
Marty1968

votes visible without voting
votes can be changed
24 hours

Done.

 

[Gio]

At first glance Marty's formation looks clunky. But on further reflection, I'm definitely buying it. A fair and accurate assessment of Premiership Barnes who is deployed in the sort of role I can see working well. Harte hogging the flank, Kanchelskis doing the same and both swinging it in for Shearer and Ferdinand. That's as good as it gets as a proven Premiership striking partnership attacking crosses. Toure should power through that midfield at times, but Parlour is obviously going to have his work cut out and will need to play a positionally disciplined game.

For Bleezy, the front five will play some slick football. Lots of synergy there. Similar to Raymondo, Mascherano will have to work his bollocks off. The full-backs look fine in this context, the centre-halves not as convincing.

There's plenty of goals in this one. Both midfields are top-heavy and neither centre-half partnership is ideally suited to the opposition strikeforce.

 

[Marty1968]

At first glance Marty's formation looks clunky. But on further reflection, I'm definitely buying it. A fair and accurate assessment of Premiership Barnes who is deployed in the sort of role I can see working well. Harte hogging the flank, Kanchelskis doing the same and both swinging it in for Shearer and Ferdinand. That's as good as it gets as a proven Premiership striking partnership attacking crosses. Toure should power through that midfield at times, but Parlour is obviously going to have his work cut out and will need to play a positionally disciplined game.

For Bleezy, the front five will play some slick football. Lots of synergy there. Similar to Raymondo, Mascherano will have to work his bollocks off. The full-backs look fine in this context, the centre-halves not as convincing.

There's plenty of goals in this one. Both midfields are top-heavy and neither centre-half partnership is ideally suited to the opposition strikeforce.

Barnes is in his ideal position here and with Harte behind him won't need to do the tracking up and down the flank (which he wouldn't be able to cope with). Harte is one of the best LB's to be able to play such a role and his crosses from the left and kanchelskis on the right would provide plenty of opportunities for Shearer and Ferdinand. Whilst Toure was great for Arsenal he can only mark one of them. Mellberg, whilst solid wouldn't be able to cope with the other striker in the air or on the ground.

With Barnes Roaming into the centre and Yaya's free running, Mascherano and Fabregas would both have to occupy themselves defensively to cover them both.

I don't see Bleezy's left side working well together either. Le Saux is solid and disciplined...Malouda is great going forward but didn't work hard enough for the team. That gives Le Saux an awful lot to do with Kanchelskis and Brown overlapping..

 

[crappycraperson]

At first glance Marty's formation looks clunky. But on further reflection, I'm definitely buying it. A fair and accurate assessment of Premiership Barnes who is deployed in the sort of role I can see working well. Harte hogging the flank, Kanchelskis doing the same and both swinging it in for Shearer and Ferdinand. That's as good as it gets as a proven Premiership striking partnership attacking crosses. Toure should power through that midfield at times, but Parlour is obviously going to have his work cut out and will need to play a positionally disciplined game.

For Bleezy, the front five will play some slick football. Lots of synergy there. Similar to Raymondo, Mascherano will have to work his bollocks off. The full-backs look fine in this context, the centre-halves not as convincing.

There's plenty of goals in this one. Both midfields are top-heavy and neither centre-half partnership is ideally suited to the opposition strikeforce.

Think this is clear cut modern day PL 4231 vs 442 (sorta) of PL 90s

Marty's defense would actually be ok against a strike partnership like his but against someone like Aguero they will struggle. For bleezy, I think Cesc too will combine really well with that front 4. There is just no way that he won't score here. If he had a better number 10 than VDV here , I would have defo voted for him by now

 

[coolredwine]

On the first look, I like Bleezy's team. No faffing about and easy on the eye. That front 6 can definitely do things (considering only their peaks). However, their peaks are limited (Malouda, Sanchez, vdV) and that defense. Uh, oh.

 

[Marty1968]

With set pieces delivered to perfection by Harte/Barnes, who other than Toure will be able to cover all these???

 

[Marty1968]

....oh and any free kick within 30 yards of goal...watch out. Even Schmeichel would stuggle with this one..

 

[Gio]

With set pieces delivered to perfection by Harte/Barnes, who other than Toure will be able to cover all these???

I think you've got a point there in terms of overall aerial threat. There's Shearer, Ferdinand, Terry, Bruce, even Brown and Toure - that's a lot to deal with.

 

[Marty1968]

I think you've got a point there in terms of overall aerial threat. There's Shearer, Ferdinand, Terry, Bruce, even Brown and Toure - that's a lot to deal with.

My team is far superior in this regard. 5 or 6 players who can all get on the end of crosses. Other than Kolo Toure (and Mellberg who I don't think would be up to the challenge for many of those you've just mentioned), who out of Fabregas/VDV/Malouda/Mascherano are going to be able to defend corners against Shearer, Bruce and Terry??

 

[bleezy]

TEAM MARTY1968


Whilst many may say Terry & Bruce are both slow, let’s just look at other great CB pairings in PL history……

2000-01 Season – Adams & Keown? Arsenal finished 2nd

1999-00 Season – Adams & Keown? Arsenal finished 2nd

1998-99 Season – Adams & Bould? Arsenal finished 2nd

1997-98 Season – Adams & Bould? Arsenal finished 1st

1994-95 Season – Hendry and Ian Pearce? Blackburn finished 1st

To say that two of the greatest defenders in Premier League history can’t play together is absolute nonsense.

All of these teams had a great defensive minded midfield to help them - Petit for Arsenal for example. Ray Parlour didn't play that screening role to help them, and in that 97-98 season he was more than often on the right wing, so I think he'd struggle here with van der Vaart in the hole, and Sanchez drifting inwards. Yaya Toure too prefers getting forward to helping out defensively, and I can't see how those two would work effectively stop my attacking mids.

Harte being essentially on his own at left back to fight against Alexis Sanchez is a clear mismatch, especially as you say he'll want to get forward at every opportunity, and it'd leave Terry and Bruce helpless against the pace on the counter attack.

Wes Brown on the overlap would cause big trouble, as you can clearly see in my Malouda video in the OP. Wes was always prone to a moment of falling asleep, and with the pace and fluidity across my attacking 4, if he did switch off, he'd experience the same fate as the video shows.

 

[Marty1968]

All of these teams had a great defensive minded midfield to help them - Petit for Arsenal for example. Ray Parlour didn't play that screening role to help them, and in that 97-98 season he was more than often on the right wing, so I think he'd struggle here with van der Vaart in the hole, and Sanchez drifting inwards. Yaya Toure too prefers getting forward to helping out defensively, and I can't see how those two would work effectively stop my attacking mids.

Harte being essentially on his own at left back to fight against Alexis Sanchez is a clear mismatch, especially as you say he'll want to get forward at every opportunity, and it'd leave Terry and Bruce helpless against the pace on the counter attack.

Wes Brown on the overlap would cause big trouble, as you can clearly see in my Malouda video in the OP. Wes was always prone to a moment of falling asleep, and with the pace and fluidity across my attacking 4, if he did switch off, he'd experience the same fate as the video shows.

Parlour is just the kind of player to deal with VDV though. He didn't care what position he was instructed to play in, he did what was asked of him, no problem. His job in my team is simple - to hound players, be a pain in the ar*e and break up any attacking play from your team.

Your team may well score against me but my team has goals all over the pitch which you just can't match. Other than Aguero, Sanchez and VDV you don't have much else...Malouda wasn't exactly prolific from what I remember of him.

Shearer and Ferdinand were both as deadly as each other at Newcastle and scored 41 goals between them in the season they had together.

In midfield I have Toure who scored 20 league goals a couple of seasons ago and was 3rd top scorer in the league (ahead of Aguero might I add). I also have Kanchelskis who scored 16 goals for Everton in 23 games in his first season with them.

Then in defence I have 2 of the top 3 best goal scoring defenders the PL has had in Terry (1st) and Harte (3rd). Add to that Bruce who scored 11 goals in his 4 seasons in the PL.

 

[bleezy]

Parlour is just the kind of player to deal with VDV though. He didn't care what position he was instructed to play in, he did what was asked of him, no problem. His job in my team is simple - to hound players, be a pain in the ar*e and break up any attacking play from your team.

Your team may well score against me but my team has goals all over the pitch which you just can't match. Other than Aguero, Sanchez and VDV you don't have much else...Malouda wasn't exactly prolific from what I remember of him.

Shearer and Ferdinand were both as deadly as each other at Newcastle and scored 41 goals between them in the season they had together.

In midfield I have Toure who scored 20 league goals a couple of seasons ago and was 3rd top scorer in the league (ahead of Aguero might I add). I also have Kanchelskis who scored 16 goals for Everton in 23 games in his first season with them.

Then in defence I have 2 of the top 3 best goal scoring defenders the PL has had in Terry (1st) and Harte (3rd). Add to that Bruce who scored 11 goals in his 4 seasons in the PL.

Malouda scored 12 in one season, 13 the next (top scorer for Chelsea). Kanchelskis himself only had two prolific seasons, scoring 16 and 14, which is very similar. So that's all four of my front four that can be considered big goal threats, while only three of yours can be.

It's also massive unfair to talk about Yaya outscoring Aguero by 3 in 2013/14. Aguero played 12 games less, and still scored 17 goals, none of which were penalties (6 of Toure's were). 17 goals in 23 games is an incredible record, and then you only have to look at him scoring 26 in 33 games last season to see how deadly of a striker he is.

Parlour can hound van der Vaart, but then who stops Fabregas from exerting control and stepping forward to create. Or Sanchez when he drifts in. There are too many threats for just Ray Parlour to handle, no matter how much he likes to run.

 

[antohan]

Marty's midfield is shocking. Parlour having the workrate doesn't suddenly turn him into a Makelele, he was a completely different sort of midfielder. It's odd Marty mentions his ability on the ball and scoring yet he sticks hom into a human wall holding role.

His side is broken in half and bleezy's boys will exploit that. Shame because he has a fair few top quality players, but he is literally playing without a midfield.

 

[Moby]

Wow, this is really difficult to call. Two very interesting teams.

 

[MJJ]

For some reason a midfield of barnes(oldish not much work rate), yaya(city version) and parlour doesnt seem like a good fit.

Any of the older posters want to elaborate on whether parlour can perform such a role or not?

 

[crappycraperson]

Marty's midfield is shocking. Parlour having the workrate doesn't suddenly turn him into a Makelele, he was a completely different sort of midfielder. It's odd Marty mentions his ability on the ball and scoring yet he sticks hom into a human wall holding role.

His side is broken in half and bleezy's boys will exploit that. Shame because he has a fair few top quality players, but he is literally playing without a midfield.

Yeah.. think Mashcerano is more capable of covering than Parlour, hence I went for bleezy in the end. His attacking 4 + Fabregas is a good homage to modern day PL teams.

 

[Physiocrat]

For some reason a midfield of barnes(oldish not much work rate), yaya(city version) and parlour doesnt seem like a good fit.

That's my thought too, especially Parlour. Yaya really wants more licence to roam.

On a different matter, surely Shearer's peak was at Blackburn. I understand Marty wants a proven partnership but you can't ignore more than 30 goals in three consecutive seasons.

 

[Šjor Bepo]

cant decide in this one, on one side we have a "good" team without a midfield and on the other a fair share of players that i never rated....

lets start with marty, a cb pair that can sulk up a lot of pressure and its suited for only one way of playing and that is sitting deep and defend. Not a fan of the partnership as i prefer a combo of "winner" and "reader" in there. Fullbacks are solid, Brown is a good pick with Kan Kan in front as the showpony doesnt need help from the overlapping fullback. Harte i guess will go forward more and with Barnes going inside he will have space to deliver and he has a brilliant left foot. The midfield is shocking, Parlour is good and hard working but he isnt enough when you have Yaya next to him. Yaya plays in waves, at one minutes he is a lazy fecker that walks around the pitch, loses possession when under pressure and in the next minute he plays like a best player in the world. Because of that i always preferred him behind the striker where he can influence the game more. And up there we have proven partnership with one of the greatest strikers that ever played in the league.

and now to the bleezy team and to the controversial opinions
The fullbacks are solid, Toure at his peek was very good but i dont rate Mellberg. Mascherano in my eyes can only play in midfield three as DM, having said that Cesc(the chelsea version is a bit overrated, think arsenal version was class above) is one of the rare players that suits him in midfield two, they are nothing special together but it can work. Van der Vaart was, is and always will be shit as feck. One of the most overrated players ever.
I strongly considered Malouda but then i saw that he played his best season through the middle, cant remember now really but i remember that at one point i considered him as the best winger in the league. You rarely see a winger with good decision making and Malouda was one. And while we are at decision making we get to the one more of Bepo's overrated Alexis....probably the only thing i like about him is his workrate, yes he has a great end product but in 4 out of 5 actions he takes the wrong options and either looses the ball or just slows down the play, stupid as feck. But with Malouda on the other side, lack of quality in the middle(Vdv) and Cesc/Mascherano i guess he fits well in the team. Masche and Cesc are not the type that will "play" the game, Masche will win the ball and give it to Cesc who will then try to find the final pass. They would play a pretty direct game and that will suit Alexis.
Up top is Kun, best striker in the world in my opinion...shame he is made of glass.

 

[Cutch]

For some reason a midfield of barnes(oldish not much work rate), yaya(city version) and parlour doesnt seem like a good fit.

Any of the older posters want to elaborate on whether parlour can perform such a role or not?

I can't recall Parlour ever playing as the deepest midfielder unless he did it his later years when he was past his best at Boro. At his peak he was a right winger/fairly attacking centre midfielder

 

[Moby]

I think Marty's team sort of resembles the present City teams in which Yaya has excelled. They were often porous in midfield and left huge spaces between midfield and defense and relied on the defense to bail them out, and I completely buy both Bruce and Terry upping their game to do that. And when they have the ball they will be very difficult to handle. Mascherano needs to protect his CB duo against Marty's deadly front two, which will allow Yaya a lot of space to operate, to both waltz past players, specially as it will mainly be Fabregas the first man trying to stop him when he gets the ball. He should have a really good game here, plenty of passing options, electric pace of Kanchelskis on one side to use and the class of Barnes on the other. I can really see there being a lot of good buildup play with Yaya at the thick of it and that's a dangerous proposition.

Bleezy's team also has a lot going in attack, and they will find a way to score a goal or two as well. Not much needs to be explained how it will work, fairly straight forward.

Can see this being a high scoring open end to end affair. 3-2 or something.

 

[Cutch]

Think Aguero with his low centre of gravity and acceleration might be the last man in this draft that Bruce/Terry would want to face. I don't fancy Iain Hartes chances of trying to contain Alexis Sanchez either, though points deducted for him being on the wrong side.

Also, Les Ferdinand's position looks strange. Why is he shown behind Shearer and not as a CF

 

[antohan]

Think Aguero with his low centre of gravity and acceleration might be the last man in this draft that Bruce/Terry would want to face. I don't fancy Iain Hartes chances of trying to contain Alexis Sanchez either, though points deducted for him being on the wrong side.

Also, Les Ferdinand's position looks strange. Why is he shown behind Shearer and not as a CF

Wondered about that too, looks like he is bumming him and nothing like the way he played. Also makes Shearer look like a poacher, when he was very good in and around the area.

 

[Marty1968]

I think Marty's team sort of resembles the present City teams in which Yaya has excelled. They were often porous in midfield and left huge spaces between midfield and defense and relied on the defense to bail them out, and I completely buy both Bruce and Terry upping their game to do that. And when they have the ball they will be very difficult to handle. Mascherano needs to protect his CB duo against Marty's deadly front two, which will allow Yaya a lot of space to operate, to both waltz past players, specially as it will mainly be Fabregas the first man trying to stop him when he gets the ball. He should have a really good game here, plenty of passing options, electric pace of Kanchelskis on one side to use and the class of Barnes on the other. I can really see there being a lot of good buildup play with Yaya at the thick of it and that's a dangerous proposition.

Bleezy's team also has a lot going in attack, and they will find a way to score a goal or two as well. Not much needs to be explained how it will work, fairly straight forward.

Can see this being a high scoring open end to end affair. 3-2 or something.

Completely agree with this. Yaya against Fabregas (Chelsea version) is a bit of a mis-match if you ask me. Cesc, whilst creating plenty of assists was great for the first half of the season then completely lost form from February onwards. So we're judging his ability on an excellent first half of a 'decent' first season at Chelsea...not much to go on. Going forward Cesc might be good but he's too lightweight in the middle.

Mellberg just doesn't stand a chance against Shearer or Ferdinand.

 

[antohan]

I can't recall Parlour ever playing as the deepest midfielder unless he did it his later years when he was past his best at Boro. At his peak he was a right winger/fairly attacking centre midfielder

The modern player I can best equate him to is Park. Great engine, got involved in moves and occasionally scored (important goals as well iirc). Probably has more defensive positioning nous than Park, but that role is a misfit, no two ways about it.

 

[Marty1968]

Wondered about that too, looks like he is bumming him and nothing like the way he played. Also makes Shearer look like a poacher, when he was very good in and around the area.

Ferdinand isn't playing behind Shearer its just my way of showing that Shearer is the target man out of the two for Ferdinand to run off. In his Blackburn days Shearer had the lightning pace but at Newcastle he was much more a target man that fed in fellow strikers....this is what I'm showing here.

 

[Marty1968]

And for those who don't remember just how good Ferdinand was at Newcastle...

 

[Moby]

The modern player I can best equate him to is Park. Great engine, got involved in moves and occasionally scored (important goals as well iirc). Probably has more defensive positioning nous than Park, but that role is a misfit, no two ways about it.

Yeah but I can see bleezy's midfield being very open as well. Neviller did a great piece in Monday Night Football about how Fabregas' positioning and defending was completely off and left huge spaces for the opposition. Cesc has the tendency to chase the ball forgetting what he is leaving behind, and leaving behind Yaya is very dangerous.

 

[Gio]

I can't recall Parlour ever playing as the deepest midfielder unless he did it his later years when he was past his best at Boro. At his peak he was a right winger/fairly attacking centre midfielder

He is basically your classic wide midfielder in a proper 442. One who could come inside and do a shift through the middle.

Ferdinand isn't playing behind Shearer its just my way of showing that Shearer is the target man out of the two for Ferdinand to run off. In his Blackburn days Shearer had the lightning pace but at Newcastle he was much more a target man that fed in fellow strikers....this is what I'm showing here.

I'd just bung them alongside each other.

 

[Marty1968]

Yeah but I can see bleezy's midfield being very open as well. Neviller did a great piece in Monday Night Football about how Fabregas' positioning and defending was completely off and left huge spaces for the opposition. Cesc has the tendency to chase the ball forgetting what he is leaving behind, and leaving behind Yaya is very dangerous.

Fabregas actually offers very little when he doesn't have the ball. Mascherano is the only one out of the two who will hound the opposition into a mistake. Parlour and Toure will both work hard to win the ball back if they don't have it. Neither midfield is ideal but think my two have the slight edge. If Bleezy had gone for Arsenal Cesc then different story...

 

[Marty1968]

I'd just bung them alongside each other.

Probably trying to be too clever with the funky arrows (which I only discovered how to assign more than one arrow to a player this time round)...

 

[Gio]

Think Aguero with his low centre of gravity and acceleration might be the last man in this draft that Bruce/Terry would want to face. I don't fancy Iain Hartes chances of trying to contain Alexis Sanchez either, though points deducted for him being on the wrong side.

Yeah Harte's lack of pace could be badly exposed here.

 

[Marty1968]

 

[Moby]

Fabregas actually offers very little when he doesn't have the ball. Mascherano is the only one out of the two who will hound the opposition into a mistake. Parlour and Toure will both work hard to win the ball back if they don't have it. Neither midfield is ideal but think my two have the slight edge. If Bleezy had gone for Arsenal Cesc then different story...

Toure working hard is a bit of far fetched idea considering his time in PL and specially when he was at his best. At times he was pedestrian but even being generous , he might put some sort of shift but it will still leave a lot of space between your midfield and defense.

Your best bet here is simply to outscore the opponent.