RealGM

Post your lineups and tactics here! I'll also update this OP with who wins each matchup as simulations and judge results come in.

Fury vs. CalamityX12 (Fury wins judge vote, sims: 5-1, 2-1)
ardee vs. Little Nathan + cgf (Little Nathan + cgf wins judge vote, sims: 0-1, 2-4)
Fury vs. Little Nathan + cgf (Little Nathan + cgf wins judge vote, sims: 1-2, 3-2)
CalamityX12 vs. ardee (ardee wins judge vote, sims: 2-3, 5-6)
Little Nathan + cgf vs. CalamityX12 (Little Nathan + cgf wins judge vote, sims: 2-1, 2-4)
ardee vs. Fury (Fury wins judge vote, sims: 1-3, 2-3)



Little Nathan + cgf and Fury qualify for the quarter finals!

Winner of this group will face the runner up of Group C in the quarter finals and vice versa!

Option 1 is our primary lineup; Option 2 is what we'll play against two strikers (Ardee matchup in the group stage).
When starting with Option 2 we will change to Option 1 or 3 around the 50-55 minute mark if we need more creative drive in the side.

Option 1 (4-3-1-2): The pressing and creating swiss-army-lineup



Option 2 (3 - 5 - 2) - The Defensive Rock



Option 3 (3-4-1-2): - The Curiousity



Forwards:
Luis Suarez - FW / W
Paulo Dybala - FW / W
Max Kruse - FW / LW

Midfielders:
David Alaba - CM / LB / CB / LW / AM / DM / Fussballgott
Sergio Busquets - DM (6)
Christian Eriksen - AM (10) / W
Christoph Kramer - CM (8)
*Vierinha - RB / RW / CM (8)

Defenders & Goalkeeper:
Ricardo Rodriguez - LB
Marquinhos - CB / RB
Laurent Koscielny - CB
Fabinho - RB
Alvaro Dominguz - CB / LB
*Vierinha - RB / RW / CM (8)

Bernd Leno - GK

Startegic/Tactical thoughts/goals:
Our Front Two should be wider on the image as they'll both base their positioning in the channel off of the outside shoulder of the opposition CBs, forcing the FBs to need to be very disciplined against them. Both are very free to move around offensively to combine or charge into scoring areas. Against the ball they will often fall back to shut down routes to the opposing 6 and forcing their CBs to dictate build up play. Though with some opponents, where the CBs are the greater threat than the 6, they will be asked to press sooner. Max Kruse fits the profile with these two; positionally fluid, creative on and off the ball, lethal in the box, dangerous from range, and driven.

When on the pitch, Eriksen will also drift all across the pitch. Though his movements will be focused more towards the left to combine with Suarez's movements, Alaba coming up from the midfield, and Rodriguez flying up on the far left. This is the area where a larger percentage of our attacking movements will be-concentrated/originate. Through these guys threat we intended to open holes for Dybala-Kramer-Fabinho to take advantage of either directly with cross-field passes and sneaky through balls; or through swift switches of play via Biscuits. Our own build up will be funneled primarily through the Spanish #6 or RR/Alaba. Kramer's lung busting runs in pressing and to support the ball will help us break-quickly down the right when teams become too narrow to try and stop us from tearing them up down the left.

On Defense; both Rodriguez and Fabinho will be asked to cover a lot of ground, but both are tremendous athletes, strong defenders and very capable with the ball so they should thrive with the responsibilities they'll be given. Rodriguez in particular will play a big role for us with the ball; through his long passes to set the counters off to the races, as well as through his skill in the build up and final third, or via his deadly set pieces. Kos is the vet who will be asked to anchor things for us, be it in a back 4 with the studly FBs and the exquisite brazilian youth, Marquinhos; or as the sweeper of the back 3.

...which is the shape I'm particularly excited for since both Marquinhos and Dominguez have shined as FBs this season as well as CBs (the Brazilian on the Right, the Spaniard on the left); so giving them more room to push out around Koscielny should really help them thrive and spread out our build up play to frustrate aggressive pressers. I love the 4-3-1-2-0; but the options we have with our back 3 + FBs are just thrilling when we play that way. 3-4-1-2-0, 3-4-3, 3-5-2 (3-1-4-2/3-3-2-2), 3-1-4-1-1; there's versions of all of these that I like the idea of, whether it being sticking a midfield diamond ahead of them, a midfield triangle (pointing in either direction), or a super-fluid & narrow front 3. All really interesting options.

Could even go to a common 4-2-3-1 with:
---------Suarez-----------
Kruse - Eriksen - Dybala
Alaba - Biscuits/Kramer
RR-Kos-Marqionhos-Fab
----------Leno------------

Calamity Roster:
Forwards:
Antoine Greizmann
Romelu Lukaku

Attacking Midfielders:
Gervinho
Eden Hazard
Willian
Clint Dempsey

Defending Midfielders:
Gary Medel
Michael Bradley
Marouane Fellaini

Defense:
Cristian Zapata
David Luiz
Vidic
Carvajal


Base formation 4-2-3-1


2nd Lineup Possibility for offense: 4-3-1-2


2nd Formation gives Hazard two finishers atop that compliments one another. With an experience and skilled veteran in Dempsey, this formation is indeed an aggressive attacking unit with attackers capable of taking off from their marker. Lukaku provides the power punch to Greizmann's precision.

Forwards:

Thomas Muller
Paco Alcacer
Gonzalo Higuain

Attacking Midfielders/Wingers:

Mesut Ozil
Jesus Navas
Xherdan Shaqiri
Thomas Muller
Miralem Pjanic

Defensive Midfielders/Central Midfielders:

Nemanja Matic
Dani Parejo
Miralem Pjanic

GK:

Hugo Lloris

Option 1: 4-2-3-1



Pjanic backs up Parejo
Higuain backs up Muller

Option 2: 4-4-2



Pjanic backs up Ozil
Navas backs up Muller
Muller will switch to either forward

Forwards
- Karim Benzema: ST
- Sergio Aguero: ST
- Karim Bellarabi: W
Midfielders
- Karim Bellarabi: W/AM
- David Silva: AM
- Lucas Moura: AM/W
- Xabi Alonso: CM/CDM
- Frances Coquelin: CDM
- Ever Banega: AM/CM
- Mats Hummels: CDM/CB
Defenders
- Ashley Williams: CB
- Chris Smalling: CB/RB
- Mats Hummels: CB
- Alex Sandro: LB/LWB
- Danilo: LB/LWB
Goalkeeper
- Gigi Buffon: GK/GOD

Primary style: 4-2-2-2



Start from the back: I have one of the three or four best goalkeepers in the world. Ditto for center backs, Hummels was the best defensive player at WC 2014 and this contributed greatly to Germany finally breaking through and winning. Coquelin will drop back and play in front of Hummels and the pacey Smalling when we don't have the ball, allowing Sandro and Danilo to push forward and support the attack.

In the middle, Alonso and Coquelin provide defensive solidity and the Spaniard is one of the best deep lying playmakers in the world. Coquelin had the most tackles of any player in the PL in 2015 and turned Arsenal's season around almost single-handedly. Alonso can hit balls out to the wings to Moura or the wingbacks, or link up with Silva like he's always done so well for the national team. Silva is the team's X-factor, if he can get going, beating players and creating opportunities, we're going to be irresistible.

The best part, of course, is the striking duo. Aguero and Benzema would be the best partnership since Ronaldo and Raul. Benzema has shown the ability to play the decoy extremely well, moving well off the ball and creating opportunities for a lethal finisher: IRL it's CR7, here it's Aguero. His and SIlva's off the ball movement sucks defenders up the pitch, allowing Aguero to use his pace to go for the kill. In a full season, these two guys would guarantee you 60 goals combined.

Off the bench, we have a pacey winger who is also a wonderful playmaker in Bellarabi. He can come on for Moura or Silva if the pitch needs stretching. Banega is a powerful box to box midfielder with great ball skills who can play from CDM to AM and can sub for any midfielder. Williams is a defensive stalwart with amazing leadership skills as he has shown in Swansea, he gives us fluidity to possibly play a back 3.

cgf + little Nathan over ardee
Fury over Calamity

-For cgf + Little Nathan vs. ardee:

Assuming team cgf/Nathan uses option 2, ardee's main strengths (the Aguero/Benzema partnership) can be nullified quite simply by the 3 at the back, having that one extra CB to clear up any loose balls as well as Busquets covering that area in front of the back three that middle third of that pitch can be easily shut down. Considering that ardee also deploys Silva who likes to drift inside leaves Sandro completely exposed to Dybala/Vierinha/Fabinho. When in possession a midfield trio of Busquets/Alaba/Vierinha is too mobile has too much legs for Alonso/Coquelin to handle, it's really forcing Coq to cover a lot of ground especially considering the defensive (or lack thereof) of Benzama and Silva forcing Hummels (who didn't have the best of seasons) and Smalling (who had a breakout year this year) to deal with Suarez/Dybala and whoever else from the midfield goes to support, also taking into consideration the attacking prowess and energy of both Rodriguez and Fabinho, I just think it's too much too handle for that defence. Maybe playing Banega could help even up the odds in midfield but still not enough to overcome the trio of Busquets/Alaba/Vierinha.

Suarez and Dybala swarming around the channels can cause a lot of problems too especially to like I said, a very immobile Xabi, forcing Coq to do a lot of the running. A Xabi Alonso long ball to Moura/Aguero could cause a lot of problems, but the 3 at the back as well as Rodriguez at LWB is a good enough personnel to handle that situation.

-For Fury vs. Calamity

The key battle here for me is Jesus Navas up against Zapata. With playmakers such as Ozil/Shaqiri and even Parejo and Matic they'd be looking to get the ball up that right side and have Navas one on one against Zapata, and I trust Navas to go inside or outside and beat Zapata (who's naturally a CB). You have Muller/Higuain being a pest to Luiz/Vidic/Medel and either 2 of those 3 is a scary duo to have defend your goal and I just don't feel Bradley can help ease that especially with Ozil/Shaqiri roaming that area of the pitch. He'd be way in over his head trying to stop Ozil from doing what he does best and with Parejo/Matic backing him up too.

That quartet of attackers for Calamity (Hazard/Gervinho/Griezmann/Willian) is scary as hell though and they will cause Fury's back four problems. Godin and Laporte are good CBs and Gaya is a great LB who'll find it troubling to make an influence with any of those 4 attackers and Carvajal breathing down his neck (Shaqiri ain't doing no defending!). But with Godin there especially to command organise, and with the help of Matic/Parejo, there is a chance to keep that attack in check (could easily park the bus and counter too but decided to answer the long way).

surprised schar hasnt been drafted

Winners in bold

Fury vs. Little Nathan + cgf
CalamityX12 vs. ardee

Little Nathan + cgf vs. CalamityX12
ardee vs. Fury

I'll take 6 points from the group stage, but I'm curious on your thinking cause I felt good about how we'd match up with Calamity and figured it was Fury's team we'd have the most trouble with.

Willian and Carvajal are a good defensive right side to go against our left; but to me the deciding factors between us and Calamity's team would be Biscuits/Alaba/Kramer/Eriksen v Hazard/Medel/Bradley, and Suarez-Dybala v Luiz-Suarez...since they don't have the massive aerial threat to take advantage of their numbers on the flanks unless they switch to the second formation with Lukaku, where their width is no longer as strong and we could respond with one of our back-3 shapes without sacrificing our numerical advantage in the middle.

Bingo, that essentially what it boiled down to me. Yes that attacking quartet is extremely dangerous but you're midfield should be able to overpower his just by sheer numbers alone. Yes his right side is really good but no matter what formation he uses (whether 2 up top with Lukaku or one with Griezmann) you'll always have the numbers advantage in the midfield.

Keep the ball away from those quartet and they can be nullified, yes Hazard and Willian are proficient at getting the ball back but not Gervinho and Griezmann is up top surrounded by Kos/Marquinhos/Busquets.

Plus I trust a CB pairing of Kos/Marquinhos much more than Luiz/Vidic especially when they're being protected by Medel/Bradley as opposed to Busquets/Alaba

EDIT: Just realised I bolded the wrong team, I had you down to win. I highlighted yours and Calamity's name together, sorry for the confusion

So Germans have 9 points? Looking good to advance. Let's see where the Sims end up

so no wins?????

firing the coach!

CalamityX12 wrote:so no wins?????

firing the coach!

I think you've been unfortunately drawn into a very strong group. I really like your whole team (Hazard is one of my favourite players) apart from those two central midfielders, Medel and Bradley. I think they're vastly outclassed in this tournament, particularly against clubs with strong attacking midfield options.

treiz wrote:Bingo, that essentially what it boiled down to me. Yes that attacking quartet is extremely dangerous but you're midfield should be able to overpower his just by sheer numbers alone. Yes his right side is really good but no matter what formation he uses (whether 2 up top with Lukaku or one with Griezmann) you'll always have the numbers advantage in the midfield.

Keep the ball away from those quartet and they can be nullified, yes Hazard and Willian are proficient at getting the ball back but not Gervinho and Griezmann is up top surrounded by Kos/Marquinhos/Busquets.

Plus I trust a CB pairing of Kos/Marquinhos much more than Luiz/Vidic especially when they're being protected by Medel/Bradley as opposed to Busquets/Alaba

EDIT: Just realised I bolded the wrong team, I had you down to win. I highlighted yours and Calamity's name together, sorry for the confusion

Well that result I'm even more pleased by

Would really like an explanation for Fury over me.

surprised nathan+cgf got full points, i dont think it would be possible to construct a less creative midfield which hinders the abilities of team's most important piece, suarez. and how many meaningful games fabinho played in his career? seems bit dubious to give very important role in that formation to such raw player.

We'll have to see what the sims do, doubt they get full points from that.

Tomorrow, the group stage ends

The turks are already getting nervous