HFBoards' 2017 Fantasy Football Draft Discussion Thread

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Perrin is underrated for sure, but still old. I like some CBs over him.

Eh, I could use some added experience to my team and I find him to be the 4th-5th best CB in Ligue 1.

 

[YNWA14]

Dzeko*
Lemar*---------------Robben
Bakayoko - Koke
Martinez
Emerson - Koulibaly - de Vrij - Meunier
de Gea

or

Dzeko*
Lemar* - Robben
Emerson - Bakayoko - Koke - Meunier
Koulibaly - Martinez - de Vrij
de Gea

*Mertens
​

Having Dzeko and Mertens gives me good flexibility up front depending on the type of team I'm facing. If I also need a more direct threat from the wing I can use mertens in place of Lemar, or even switch to a 4-2-3-1 on a deeper team having Lemar move to the ACM spot and taking off one of Bakayoko, Koke or a defender to switch with Martinez with Mertens taking up that spot.

Plenty of flexibility in this squad in terms of formation and approach. Ceballos provides a great option off the bench as does Romagnoli.

 

[cgf]

I like those lineups a lot more than the previous one you posted. Would probably start Mertens over Dzeko as that lineup should play on the counter as much as possible; but the pieces fit together a lot better in this iteration.

 

[YNWA14]

Well Dzeko is a nice option to have because all of Lemar, Koke, Emerson, Meunier and de Vrij put in some very nice crosses/long balls. If nothing else he's someone who can knock down the ball, or hold it up for the on-running Lemar/Mertens and Robben with Meunier and Emerson both prone to overlap and squaring up or crossing. It's a team that's comfortable playing possession or counter IMO, with those pieces. Plus his off the ball movement is exceptional and his first touch is underrated. As much as I love Mertens I just don't think he provides as much of a presence up front as Dzeko does in terms of tying up defences -- but playing against a high line he'd definitely slot in better which is why I mentioned his flexibility.

Still miss Paredes though.

 

[cgf]

Damn wanted Sanson for my next pick. I hesitated between Lopez and him, and went for the youngster with the most upside. But Sanson is clearly better as of now.
IMO, he's better than many midfielders taken. Great pick.

lol you and me both. My plan was initially to draft Paredes with 196 and a second 8 at 201 (where Sanson was one of the top names on my list); but then Curtinho took Paredes and I had to snag Diawara in case I couldn't make the trade happen. Which left me hoping Sanson would last to this next pick, a hope that gained a lot of steam once I saw you didn't take him.

Oh well, I should still get the other guy I wanted with this pick...assuming PB isn't a dick...but damn was I sure I'd be able to steal Sanson later once you made that Lopez pick.

Well Dzeko is a nice option to have because all of Lemar, Koke, Emerson, Meunier and de Vrij put in some very nice crosses/long balls. If nothing else he's someone who can knock down the ball, or hold it up for the on-running Lemar/Mertens and Robben with Meunier and Emerson both prone to overlap and squaring up or crossing. It's a team that's comfortable playing possession or counter IMO, with those pieces.

That's all true; but I look at that midfield and I see too many lost possessions if you try to dominate the ball against the caliber of teams we are building in this draft...assuming they would all be playing in the same league together instead of just being randomly inserted into a current top 5 league. Those midfielders of yours are great at getting the ball back and moving it quickly into the attack; but slowly building up against well organized defenses/pressing isn't where they're at their best.

So, even though you could play in possession successfully against the midtable teams in La Liga / EPL / BuLi / Ligue 1 / Serie A the way you'd have to if our teams were just placed in one of those leagues; your squad is still much more dangerous on the counter, especially against top sides that can win the midfield battle against you.

May just be a reflection of my personal preferences; but I just wouldn't be able to resist the temptation of setting Mertens, Robben & Lemar loose in a fluid attacking trident that tears up any space given to it; with your FBs/WBs bombing up to join them, and Dzeko as your big/efficient plan B for when you have to chase a game or face a parked bus.

 

[YNWA14]

I guess where we disagree is on Bakayokoke(TM) and Martinez's ability to resist the press and recycle the ball. They're all comfortable making short, quick passes and recycling the ball. I mean, I shouldn't have to explain Martinez, but Bakayoko's passing, dribbling and strength on the ball are very good and Koke has always looked very good in more possession oriented systems (with Spain for example). Meunier, Robben, de Vrij and Koulibaly are all great in that sense as well. That's why I feel confident they could control possession or play on the counter in a very flexible and fluid sense.

I don't really see any midfields or teams that are going to cause that midfield issues with pressing though.

 

[cgf]

Being comfortable with =/= excelling at, is all I'm getting at. They can do it successfully, which is why if our teams were just dropped into random leagues you wouldn't have an issue playing in possession against the busses you faced from teams lower down the table; but that's not where they're at their best. And I'm big on putting players in position to do what they do best. Which is why if given your roster I'd set the team up to 'get out & run'. On the run your team should be lethal and up there with any squad being put together in this draft; whereas they are much more middle of the pack playing in possession and hitting crosses for Dzeko.

I do like your CBs for a possession side...though their quality with the ball is equally as beneficial for countering quickly...

 

[YNWA14]

Well, I do like the 3-4-3 better which I think would set up nicely for holding onto possession when necessary in our own half of the field and getting forward quickly with support. I still only feel like the midfields that would be able to hang with mine in terms of keeping possession and/or winning the ball would be Evilo and Venkman. Evilo's midfield especially is very strong at winning the ball. Still, thanks for the insight as I still haven't really planned a strategy or anything yet so much as I've looked more at formations and how the players complement eachother.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Well, I do like the 3-4-3 better which I think would set up nicely for holding onto possession when necessary in our own half of the field and getting forward quickly with support. I still only feel like the midfields that would be able to hang with mine in terms of keeping possession and/or winning the ball would be Evilo and Venkman. Evilo's midfield especially is very strong at winning the ball. Still, thanks for the insight as I still haven't really planned a strategy or anything yet so much as I've looked more at formations and how the players complement eachother.

Well, it isn't particularly hard to switch from a 4-3-3 to a 3-4-3 mid-game when you have someone like Javi Martinez.

I'm confident that my midfield could give you some tough competition though.

 

[YNWA14]

Well, it isn't particularly hard to switch from a 4-3-3 to a 3-4-3 mid-game when you have someone like Javi Martinez.

I'm confident that my midfield could give you some tough competition though.

Yeah, and that's what I meant like if it's a team I feel my team can overwhelm and possess most of the ball while pushing up a bit higher the 4-3-3 is ideal with the two wingbacks, and if it's a team I feel will be a bit more possession oriented and moving higher up the pitch the 3-4-3 works perfectly to stifle them and hit hard on the counter with my players. I'm very happy overall with how it looks. Now it's just about filling out the depth.

As for your midfield, yeah, sorry I overlooked that but Herrera-Strootman-Danilo is very solid. I'm biased so obviously I'd take Bakayokoke and Martinez over most midfields but I love Strootman and Herrera is very solid. Danilo/Sanson aren't as proven but the talent is there.

 

[cgf]

Is it bad that I like Sanson more than Strootman or Herrera for a draft like this? Herrera was better this past season, but I don't think there will be a gap between them this coming year, and Sanson should surpass Herrera moving forward.

 

[YNWA14]

Well, I like Strootman more than both, but I think Herrera is a bit underrated. I think it'll be a while before he's better than either (if ever). The only way I'd say you could pick Sanson over Strootman would be if you were worried about his knees going.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Is it bad that I like Sanson more than Strootman or Herrera for a draft like this? Herrera was better this past season, but I don't think there will be a gap between them this coming year, and Sanson should surpass Herrera moving forward.

Eh, don't think Sanson is good enough yet to be a Man U POTS. The amount of offers I've received for Herrera is quite absurd too. Strootman vs. Sanson is a decent debate though.

 

[cgf]

Eh, don't think Sanson is good enough yet to be a Man U POTS. The amount of offers I've received for Herrera is quite absurd too. Strootman vs. Sanson is a decent debate though.

I guess part of me questions whether Herrera will be quite as good as he was last season; as well as liking Sanson so much.

 

[Evilo]

Sanson and Herrera are good comparison, even style wise. Solid unspectacular defensively (meaning does a lot of little things right, but won't daze you with it), even better going forward, and great passing. Decent shot too.
Sanson had a fantastic season and might be the real reason for OM's turnaround (with Lopez), but of course, he had much less press than EPL spotlight United.

 

[YNWA14]

Sanson and Herrera are good comparison, even style wise. Solid unspectacular defensively (meaning does a lot of little things right, but won't daze you with it), even better going forward, and great passing. Decent shot too.
Sanson had a fantastic season and might be the real reason for OM's turnaround (with Lopez), but of course, he had much less press than EPL spotlight United.

I think a big difference right now though between Sanson and Strootman/Herrera is decision making. The latter two rarely lose the ball and are both stronger defensively. Sanson is probably more creative and better on the ball than either of them though.

I actually was the one who signed Sanson I think a couple years ago in Dynasty Liga before he 'broke out'.

 

[cgf]

And now my midfield is complete.

3-1-4-2/3-3-4

Insigne* - Belotti* - Werner* - Sane*
Kovacic** - Zielinski**
Paredes
Sule - Boateng - Christensen

*Fekir / Florenzi
**Diawara

Defensive 3-1-4-2/3-3-4

Belotti* - Werner*
Sane - Zielinski** - Diawara - Florenzi
Paredes
Sule - Boateng - Christensen

*Fekir / Insigne
**Kovacic

3-4-1-2/3-4-2-1

Belotti - Werner
Insigne
Sane - Kovacic - Paredes - Florenzi
Sule - Boateng - Christensen

Fekir
Zielinski - Diawara​

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

And now my midfield is complete.

3-1-4-2/3-3-4

Insigne* - Belotti* - Werner* - Sane*
Kovacic** - Zielinski**
Paredes
Sule - Boateng - Christensen

*Fekir / Florenzi
**Diawara

Defensive 3-1-4-2/3-3-4

Belotti* - Werner*
Sane - Diawara** - Zielinski** - Florenzi
Paredes
Sule - Boateng - Christensen

*Fekir / Insigne
**Kovacic

3-4-1-2/3-4-2-1

Belotti - Werner
Insigne
Sane - Kovacic - Paredes - Florenzi
Sule - Boateng - Christensen

Fekir
Zielinski - Diawara​

Zielinski was the second option i considered, but ultimately Sanson would be a better fit to my midfield. Just as amazed that he was still available.

 

[cgf]

Zielinski was the second option i considered, but ultimately Sanson would be a better fit to my midfield. Just as amazed that he was still available.

Yeah, I really wanted one of those two a lot more than I wanted anyone else who was left; so I started to get really antsy when you took Sanson

 

[YNWA14]

Theon I could kill you.

 

[Theon]

Theon I could kill you.

Will trade him for Lemar

 

[Theon]

-----------Suarez-------Lacazette-----------

------------------Asensio---------------------

---------Gundogan-------Thiago ------------

-----------------Casemiro--------------------

Mendy------Pique------Bailly-------Valencia

----------------Handanovic-------------------

I'm happy with this team. The lack of wingers isn't that big of a deal cause Mendy and Valencia are very good attacking fullbacks. Asensio can also drift wide left and Lacazette can slot in to the right to make a 4-3-3 if need be. Yeah I know Ilkay's a crock, but when's playing he's one of the best in the world in his position. His latest injury was a freak one and unrelated to his previous issues, so I'm confident he'll be back to his best this season. Even then, there's still plenty of players available for a backup in the draft.

 

[MJG]

I think that's my favourite team I've seen so far.....great players all over the pitch

 

[Evilo]

Indeed solid team. Would move Asensio for a real 10 and get an insurance for Gungogan because at this point he might as well be out of the lineup. Just like Pastore (maybe even worse). Other than that, solid solid team.

 

[Live in the Now]

I'm not very happy with my defense. Strongly considering making Sanchez, Marcelo, or Coutinho available for trade.