Forum Draft Squads Thread
Posted: Thu Aug 7, 2014 2:53 pm
Well figure it's about time we start putting up the squads we've assembled, so let me introduce the men who'll rep the eiserne:
Luis Suarez - El Cannibal is a better and more effective troll than Massi
Suarez is coming off a crazy season where he showed off not just how lethal he can be but also just he variable his game is. Working out wide in the 4-3-3 as well as partnering Sturridge in the 4-4-2 diamond used later in the year Luis' skill and tenacity shined all over the attacking trio.
Diego Costa - The Hound
Diego Costa is pure bulldog, not going to find a striker that presses better than him, some do it as well, but none do it better or more ferociously. Like Suarez, Costa has shown in his career a positional versatility to shine off the wing or as the main man and is coming off an unreal season where he was in absurdly good form. Not as skilled as his partner in crime but every bit as infuriating to deal with and almost as clinical. If teams can handle those two together without picking up bookings left, reft and center I will be shocked.
Kevin Volland - Kloppo's new fling
Kevin Volland has been a hot name in german prospect circles for a few years now and had held the mantle of Miro's expected successor up top, and the kid has yet to disappoint the heavy expectations that have been put on him by many in the scouting community. Coming off a breakthrough campaign in the BuLi Volland's combination of pace, skill at speed, workrate and lethality have made Jurgen Klopp an immediate admirer who will be buying Volland next summer whether he needs him to directly replace Reus or not.
Roberto Firmino - Kevin's BFF
Firmino broke out with Volland for hoppenheim as one of our league's most exciting duos, on par with Reus-Lewy, whichever Bayern attacker you chose to pair with Robben to rep that club. It was in fact Firmino's excellence that pushed Volland into wider starting positions, even after the club stopped starting with a proper 9. The young brazilian is exquisite with the ball on his foot and pairs his keen eye for the pass with a great knack for flying past the backline as they're pulled out of shape.
Alan Dzagoev - Arsha 2.0 now with work ethic
Honestly think this kid has more pure talent than Arshavin did, and that man could match Ronaldinho when he wanted to. Dzagoev battled injuries to start the year and so got iced out by Dino Capello with the NT, but when he came back to the fold, with Doumbia also getting fit around that time, the army men took off. Dzagoev is a brilliant passer of the ball who's not afraid to put his laces through the ball when given the chance as well. Like the rest of my attackers he's also very positionally versatile and this season added a series of very suave performances at the 8 where he could control games even more with even more room to make his trademark late runs to the box. He actually impressed me alot with his work against the ball in this deeper role as he's not the most tenacious presser as a winger.
Luka Modric - That rug really tied the room together
And like the dude's rug Modric is going to tie our team together, his running and eye for the pass will ensure that front is never starved for service when we pounce back on the ball. Another guy coming off a big year, modric's second campaign in Madrid was a massive success.
Radja Nainggolan - That Guy
Nainggolan's less high profile than either modric or Witsel but he'll do his job almost just as well. With a big move to Roma on the cards the Belgian 8 will continue to raise profile quickly to match his excellent level of play.
Axel Witsel - The Metronome
Witsel's one of the 4 truly elite loan holders in todays game and out of all of them he has the most complete and diverse skillset, big strong and much quicker than Biscuits and Matic Witsel's a great passer of the ball, whether it be quickly recycling it high up the pitch, launching the counter from deep in our own half, or weaving through the middle to play it into the men in front of him. This man will be asked to do it all, cause that's what he do.
Luke Shaw - Gotta throw the brits a bone
Shaw's another young break out star who's earned himself an absurd transfer and wage packet from that desperate team Moyes tried to drive into the ground last year. Still kinda bummed I didn't get a shot at Rodriguez because he was just amazing last year, but Shaw's a hot youngster fully deserving of the kind words that have been said about him. A rock on his side Shaw will be able to give us width when our wingers slide inside.
Mattia de Sciglio - Oh yeah, MIlan do still have someone who could end up world class
I like this kid a lot, he has a lot of the traits that make me love Jantschke like I do though he's not already exceptional defensively to go with the great natural intelligence, versatility and well roundedness. Will back up both FB spots and take over on the right when Tony slides inside to form a back three or to take over the 6.
Jan Vertonghen - de Sciglio was to make sure he never plays LB in my side.
Vertonghen's not at his best fighting for headers constantly but what he does do exceptionally is exactly what we need from him. Excel high up the pitch and make those nice passes that he does even when he's pressed. Let Schar be the guy to step forward and break up a counter or outleap a traditional 9, Jan's got a sleaker role that he's perfect for, and when we turn to the back three he's perfect for the left sided CB role.
Fabian Schar - I'm not still annoyed with not getting a crack at Hummels...I swear...
But seriously that's who I think of when I watch Schar play and why I've been pleading for gladbach to sign him all summer long. This is the guy who stifled Chelsea in the CL, the man who turned switzerland's djourou-vanBerghen disaster pairing into a defense that shut messi down until well into extra time when Schar finally made a mistake, Leo skipped past his challenge and the match was decided. This kid is just so **** smart with how he comes up to exactly where he needs to be to keep a counter from becoming dangerous and his passing range is genuinely special. I like a lot of young defenders but only two of them remind me of hummels and of those two only one is ready to be the man in the middle of a top team's defense and this is that man. Really hope to get to watch him play on the regs in our league.
Mateo Mussachio - Pep's not the only one who wants his CBs to be great on the ball
Mussachio's a lot like Vertonghen only his second position is at the 6 instead of LB, and he's not nearly the liability at it that Vert is. He's also an excellent passer who handles the press well and can play just lethal long balls if given any time to do so. Very smart and quick positionally with great timing in tackles, not a towering header of the ball he rises well to cover for only being 6'1". Will fill in nicely as a back up at the 6 and CB.
Tony Jantschke - Like seriously jogi, I know you don't watch gladbach play, but give this kid a crack at Lahm's old job.
Jantschke's been one of our league's best defensive RBs for a few years now, combing very strong positional instincts and quickness with really excellent tackling, the man's kept Robbery quiet multiple times. But this year he expanded his game with the ball and added a genuine attacking threat and not just incredibly secure but simple passing. Tony's shown a knack to hit some very dangerous crosses and loves the long crossfield ball to the channel. He played a good bit of CB over the backhalf of the season when gladbach were beset by injuries and really shined getting to touch the ball so often, which he has also shown when he's filled in at DM. This kid's really awesome and does have a lot of Berti Voigts to his game.
Bernd Leno - He may not be Neuer, but dude knows how to bail his team out
Leno's coming off a huge year like most of my team. A great shot stopper already, he's made massive strides as a sweeper keeper and passer to run away with the #2 crown in the BuLi Goalie race, despite Weidenfeller, ter Stegen and Fahrmann's strong campaigns. With out him or Brandt during kusen's second half nap, we have a far less contemptible 4th representative in the CL.
Formations
4-3-1-2, 4-3-3, 3-4-1-2, 3-4-3, 3-5-2
Luis Suarez - El Cannibal is a better and more effective troll than Massi
Suarez is coming off a crazy season where he showed off not just how lethal he can be but also just he variable his game is. Working out wide in the 4-3-3 as well as partnering Sturridge in the 4-4-2 diamond used later in the year Luis' skill and tenacity shined all over the attacking trio.
Diego Costa - The Hound
Diego Costa is pure bulldog, not going to find a striker that presses better than him, some do it as well, but none do it better or more ferociously. Like Suarez, Costa has shown in his career a positional versatility to shine off the wing or as the main man and is coming off an unreal season where he was in absurdly good form. Not as skilled as his partner in crime but every bit as infuriating to deal with and almost as clinical. If teams can handle those two together without picking up bookings left, reft and center I will be shocked.
Kevin Volland - Kloppo's new fling
Kevin Volland has been a hot name in german prospect circles for a few years now and had held the mantle of Miro's expected successor up top, and the kid has yet to disappoint the heavy expectations that have been put on him by many in the scouting community. Coming off a breakthrough campaign in the BuLi Volland's combination of pace, skill at speed, workrate and lethality have made Jurgen Klopp an immediate admirer who will be buying Volland next summer whether he needs him to directly replace Reus or not.
Roberto Firmino - Kevin's BFF
Firmino broke out with Volland for hoppenheim as one of our league's most exciting duos, on par with Reus-Lewy, whichever Bayern attacker you chose to pair with Robben to rep that club. It was in fact Firmino's excellence that pushed Volland into wider starting positions, even after the club stopped starting with a proper 9. The young brazilian is exquisite with the ball on his foot and pairs his keen eye for the pass with a great knack for flying past the backline as they're pulled out of shape.
Alan Dzagoev - Arsha 2.0 now with work ethic
Honestly think this kid has more pure talent than Arshavin did, and that man could match Ronaldinho when he wanted to. Dzagoev battled injuries to start the year and so got iced out by Dino Capello with the NT, but when he came back to the fold, with Doumbia also getting fit around that time, the army men took off. Dzagoev is a brilliant passer of the ball who's not afraid to put his laces through the ball when given the chance as well. Like the rest of my attackers he's also very positionally versatile and this season added a series of very suave performances at the 8 where he could control games even more with even more room to make his trademark late runs to the box. He actually impressed me alot with his work against the ball in this deeper role as he's not the most tenacious presser as a winger.
Luka Modric - That rug really tied the room together
And like the dude's rug Modric is going to tie our team together, his running and eye for the pass will ensure that front is never starved for service when we pounce back on the ball. Another guy coming off a big year, modric's second campaign in Madrid was a massive success.
Radja Nainggolan - That Guy
Nainggolan's less high profile than either modric or Witsel but he'll do his job almost just as well. With a big move to Roma on the cards the Belgian 8 will continue to raise profile quickly to match his excellent level of play.
Axel Witsel - The Metronome
Witsel's one of the 4 truly elite loan holders in todays game and out of all of them he has the most complete and diverse skillset, big strong and much quicker than Biscuits and Matic Witsel's a great passer of the ball, whether it be quickly recycling it high up the pitch, launching the counter from deep in our own half, or weaving through the middle to play it into the men in front of him. This man will be asked to do it all, cause that's what he do.
Luke Shaw - Gotta throw the brits a bone
Shaw's another young break out star who's earned himself an absurd transfer and wage packet from that desperate team Moyes tried to drive into the ground last year. Still kinda bummed I didn't get a shot at Rodriguez because he was just amazing last year, but Shaw's a hot youngster fully deserving of the kind words that have been said about him. A rock on his side Shaw will be able to give us width when our wingers slide inside.
Mattia de Sciglio - Oh yeah, MIlan do still have someone who could end up world class
I like this kid a lot, he has a lot of the traits that make me love Jantschke like I do though he's not already exceptional defensively to go with the great natural intelligence, versatility and well roundedness. Will back up both FB spots and take over on the right when Tony slides inside to form a back three or to take over the 6.
Jan Vertonghen - de Sciglio was to make sure he never plays LB in my side.
Vertonghen's not at his best fighting for headers constantly but what he does do exceptionally is exactly what we need from him. Excel high up the pitch and make those nice passes that he does even when he's pressed. Let Schar be the guy to step forward and break up a counter or outleap a traditional 9, Jan's got a sleaker role that he's perfect for, and when we turn to the back three he's perfect for the left sided CB role.
Fabian Schar - I'm not still annoyed with not getting a crack at Hummels...I swear...
But seriously that's who I think of when I watch Schar play and why I've been pleading for gladbach to sign him all summer long. This is the guy who stifled Chelsea in the CL, the man who turned switzerland's djourou-vanBerghen disaster pairing into a defense that shut messi down until well into extra time when Schar finally made a mistake, Leo skipped past his challenge and the match was decided. This kid is just so **** smart with how he comes up to exactly where he needs to be to keep a counter from becoming dangerous and his passing range is genuinely special. I like a lot of young defenders but only two of them remind me of hummels and of those two only one is ready to be the man in the middle of a top team's defense and this is that man. Really hope to get to watch him play on the regs in our league.
Mateo Mussachio - Pep's not the only one who wants his CBs to be great on the ball
Mussachio's a lot like Vertonghen only his second position is at the 6 instead of LB, and he's not nearly the liability at it that Vert is. He's also an excellent passer who handles the press well and can play just lethal long balls if given any time to do so. Very smart and quick positionally with great timing in tackles, not a towering header of the ball he rises well to cover for only being 6'1". Will fill in nicely as a back up at the 6 and CB.
Tony Jantschke - Like seriously jogi, I know you don't watch gladbach play, but give this kid a crack at Lahm's old job.
Jantschke's been one of our league's best defensive RBs for a few years now, combing very strong positional instincts and quickness with really excellent tackling, the man's kept Robbery quiet multiple times. But this year he expanded his game with the ball and added a genuine attacking threat and not just incredibly secure but simple passing. Tony's shown a knack to hit some very dangerous crosses and loves the long crossfield ball to the channel. He played a good bit of CB over the backhalf of the season when gladbach were beset by injuries and really shined getting to touch the ball so often, which he has also shown when he's filled in at DM. This kid's really awesome and does have a lot of Berti Voigts to his game.
Bernd Leno - He may not be Neuer, but dude knows how to bail his team out
Leno's coming off a huge year like most of my team. A great shot stopper already, he's made massive strides as a sweeper keeper and passer to run away with the #2 crown in the BuLi Goalie race, despite Weidenfeller, ter Stegen and Fahrmann's strong campaigns. With out him or Brandt during kusen's second half nap, we have a far less contemptible 4th representative in the CL.
Formations
4-3-1-2, 4-3-3, 3-4-1-2, 3-4-3, 3-5-2
