I won’t be starting with him, want to see how he integrates into the side as my gut feeling (at the moment, this may change) tells me he doesn’t hit the ground running.
too high a price for me to justify facilitating him with a plethora of other well established midfield options.
Nuno 🇵🇹 -
The Doherty revival is now certainly a viable prospect. However before choosing him I want to see an improvement in Spurs’s individual CB performances...
and arguably more importantly a better defensive structure off the ball, specifically against the 4-2-3-1.
Before I start I’d like to say, this team and the reasoning are all based on my assumptions. As we have seen there have been many upsets and anything can happen.
This playing style has worked well for me (14k 🌍 OR), so I will continue to persist with it.
Now onto the thread...
England 🏴:
4 games into a major tournament and not a single one conceded, extremely impressive.
The “pragmatic” approach Southgate is employing is proving very beneficial for fantasy managers. I expect the same against Ukraine, he may revert to a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 but as seen....
This would be my England 🏴 line up for tonight. (Thread)
Quick analysis (and general thoughts) as to why and I expect many people will disagree especially about the midfield so if you do please let me know why:
I start by saying I have a lot of respect for Southgate as a manager, I’m not necessarily criticising him as I’m not in a place to do so, but the 3-4-3 system for me at least is very necessary to win tonight.
The system (3-4-3):
Two reasons for this:
1. Stop the German overload on the flanks when they are in possession and go 3-2-5. With a 4-3-3 they would simply play around it with the wing-backs. Likely a similar result and performance to the Portugal vs Germany game with 4-3-3.
Apart from Varane they are the only nailed French defensive assets, Kimpembe at €5.6M is the cheapest + I mainly want full backs for defenders hence Lloris> Varane
🇨🇭 followed by 🇭🇷/ 🇪🇸 shouldn’t be the hardest defensive challenge..
therefore it allows me to triple up without using transfers for the QF.
Of course this is based on the assumption that they win, however I think 🇭🇷 or 🇪🇸 should be comfortable and if they nullify Shaqiri by crowding out the midfield they won’t concede too many chances.
If the Czech 🇨🇿 set up in a low block, which I expect them to do considering they need a point to top the group, the same problem that occurred against 🏴 will arise.
Lack of numbers in the half spaces won’t allow any centre backs to be drawn...
hence the runners in Sterling (and Saka to an extent) become highly ineffective.
2. Kalvin Phillips playing as an advanced No 8.
Whilst he’s individually been good the role isn’t made for him. The role requires better ball progression and progressive passing, Bellingham....