D1 Match 1: Nikos v Ronaldo9

[Scarface]

NIKOS24

------------------------Coupet------------------------

----------------Dellas-----------Alex------------------

--Sagnol---------------------------------------Givet---

----------------Gerrard---------Makelele---------------

-------Joaquin------------------------------Simao-----

-----------------Juninho Pernambucano-----------------

----------------------Trezeguet-----------------------

Substitutes: Nikopolidis, Campbell, Figo, Raul, Pizzaro.


RONALDO9

---------------------Canizares--------------------
--------------Thuram---------Samuel--------------
--Salgado----------------------------------Solari--
--------------------Vieira-------------------------
--Beckham------------------------Zidane----------
----------------Totti----------------------Giggs---
-------------------------R. Nistelrooy--------------

SUBS: Placente, Cordoba, Ambrosini, Morientes and Dyer

[Nedy]

Ronie take my vote.......I think that both teams have amazing midfields, but Ronie defense is better than Nikos......both strikers are class too......

[Highway Penguin]

Ronie, I think your midfield is a bit mixed up. Ambrosini and Vieira would give you a lot more stability to let Zizou/Totti, Giggs, and Becks roam freely. Right now, I don't think you're defensively strong. You have got two good center backs in Thuram and Samuel, but with all the attacking your midfield will do, you may be left a bit open.

Nikos, I like your midfield, but you could have made your defense a bit more stabile with a better center back pairing. In the end you take it. :)

[Keyser Soze]

Nikos takes this for me, a great midfield, possibly the best in the FL. As HP said, I think Ronnie would get caught out at the back so I'm voting for Nikos. Both team's defence are they're weakest links though in my opinion.

[martin_cranie]

Giggs, Zidane and Beckham are not in great form enough these days for me. I think there's too greater tendency to vote for big names like them. Still good players, but against the likes of Gerrard, Makelele and Joaquin... well they may well get a pasting.

With the exception of Salgado, Ronnie has a better defence, and at least an equally good keeper. I think Trez and Juninho will be just as effective as Totti and RvN, so it makes for a close call.

I'm going for Nikos though, as his midfield should dominate in terms of both power and speed.

[Preki-USA]

this is a battle of speed vs technique

and speed kills

nikos pulls this formation out of nowhere w/out using it at all in preseason and its perfect

[nikos24]

this is a battle of speed vs technique

and speed kills

nikos pulls this formation out of nowhere w/out using it at all in preseason and its perfect

Learned from the experienced pro's bro. ;)

If I can comment on my team, I'd love to. I put on Dellas instead of Campbell because of the form Campbell has been in. If they saw Campbell in my squad today, i'd be probably been whooped. I also like this formation, Gerrard and Makelele is very helpful. I was thinking of Raul at once, but I know he is injured, definitely Juninho for me. Trezeguet is out there to make his point, ;)

[Scarface]

Ronaldo takes this for me. I agree with what Martin and HP have said about the big names and the need for more cover in midfield, however Beckham, Vieira and Zidane have been playing brilliantly well recently. Vieira on his own is a risk against Makelele and Gerrard, however Beckham is likely to help out there and move into central areas, and Makelele would have to stay close to Zidane, leaving Vieira against Gerrard and Vieira has the experience and knows how to win that battle.

Ronaldo has a stronger backline. Dellas is not too great, and would struggle against Totti and Ruud. Thuram and Samuel is a very solid partnership and they can handle Trez and in particular, Juninho, who I think would be too inexperienced in that position to get the better of those 2 world class defenders.

Nikos would rule the wings, I think Joaquin and Simao would cause more problems than Giggs and Becks, however through the centre, Ronaldo could cause a lot of problems, and Totti and Van Nistelrooy would get the better of Dellas and Alex on more than one occasion. 2-1 to Ron for me.

[Preki-USA]

i would like everyone to compare the past two posts and decide which is the type of analysis and decision making that we want our voters to make :)

[nikos24]

ah a fixture between my two good friends alizee (Nikos) and shaft (ronaldo9)
sorry nikos but im goin for R9 simply because he has my favourite player Van Nistelrooy

*Leaves Trezeguet hungry for that goal"

I have RvN, but I loaned him out to Shaft. Hehe. ;)

[Hunter]

What an attacking match! Both teams will score heavily in this game I'm certain, both there Midfield's are full of playmakers and attacking ability. For Ronaldo9 though, I can see Vieira having trouble with the oncoming central midfielders. I believe he will probably need help a lot of the time throughout the match, but if he gets that then he could maybe keep Nikos down to scoring only 1 goal. Nikos's Midfield is excellent, it really is. Juninho would slip through the running Joaquin and Simao who can then either attack individually or link up with Trezeguet. Not to mention Gerrard is a bit futrther back, he can quite easily loop over some great long balls. Also Gerrard and Makelele have a great sense of Defense too, being able to tackle hard and fair.
However the link up play between Ronaldo's team could win him several goals too, Beckham's crossing ability linking with Ruud van Nistelrooy's goal poaching could very easily bag them at least 1 or 2 goals alone. Ruud and Totti would often run ragged around Dellas, also Alex wouldn't be able to contain them I don't think. Plus Gigg's balls into the box aren't half bad either and could cause havoc at the back for Nikos's Defense.

So for me, Ronaldo9 takes this one ever so slightly. Nikos's Midfield was excellent but Ronaldo9's Forward's would slip through his Defense on more than one occasion. Ronaldo9 4 - 3 Nikos in my opinion.

[Hansel]

Damn, both have fantastic mid-fielders but Nikos wins barely, and I mean barely, but ronnies forwards are better(maybe not better but more powerful and effective) than Nikos..
Ronnies defense also wins even though it's a very offensive one..
Well I'd say that this is a draw, so I won't vote sorry guys.

[Barry]

Hard to tell, I vote Nikos but it might as well had gone the other way. Some of Ronnie's player are out of form, or just over the hill. But Van Nistelrooy is a killer, and this is certainly a team full of stars.

[Rangers_Fureva]

Jebus, could be the match of D1 here.

Right i'll say Ronaldo just, and i mean just edges this one.

Ronaldo has the better defence, it's more experienced and should be able to keep Trezequet at bay. Although with Joaquin, Simao, and Juninho helping out it could cause problems, if this were to arise though Vieria would easily come back to help out. Midfield i'd say Nikos get's that. His midfield is younger and could have the advantage over the older midfield of Ronaldo. Out on the wings, now that would be great to see in real life, Joaquin and Simao take on Beckham and Giggs. I'd say Joaquin and Simao would get the better here, only just though. Beckham and Giggs are getting old and would lose their stamina so Joaquin and Simao are more likely to last running down those wings for 90 minutes. Strikers, both are on great form at the moment, but i'd say Ronaldo get's it. RvN has been on a goalscoring spree at the moment and with Totti beside him he certainly wouldn't lack any creativity. If maybe Trezequet has someone partnering him upfront it could be different, but i feel Ronaldo would get the advantage in this area. Excellent match guys.

[Keyser Soze]

ah a fixture between my two good friends alizee (Nikos) and shaft (ronaldo9)
sorry nikos but im goin for R9 simply because he has my favourite player Van Nistelrooy
Thats a pathetic reason, Pauly.

[Rangers_Fureva]

ah a fixture between my two good friends alizee (Nikos) and shaft (ronaldo9)
sorry nikos but im goin for R9 simply because he has my favourite player Van Nistelrooy

Just noticed this, so say Ronaldo had Van Nistelrooy in his team along with 5 Pascal Cygan's and 4 Taribo West's and he was up against Nikos's team you'd still vote for him ? The least you can do is say how he would win, like all the others, your reasons are a joke!

[nikos24]

Thanks for all the comments guys, highly appreciated.

And yes Mat, tell me about that pathetic reason Pauly gave. :(

[Yossi]

Ronaldo I reckon would edge this one, as he has on the whole a stronger team, just about. I can't be assed to go into any more detail, I'm already sick of commenting on all these matches and I still have more to do.

[Ronaldo 9]

Hard to tell, I vote Nikos but it might as well had gone the other way. Some of Ronnie's player are out of form, or just over the hill. But Van Nistelrooy is a killer, and this is certainly a team full of stars.

Some of my men are outta form? Like who? Zizou, Becks, Totti, RvN, Thuram or Samuel? Or is it Vieira?

[Figо10]

Samuel and Thuram are the best defensive partnership in the league, and Trezeguet will find it difficult playing up against them alone, despite is red hot form for Juventus. Canizares is a good keeper too. Solari and Salgado are defensively solid and great at going down the flanks, so that effectively gives Ron9 an extra winger every time he attacks. The space left behind can be exploited by Nikos' speedy wingers Joaquin and Simao, though. I believe Juninho will be given some space for playmaking.

Gerrard and Makelele are extremely combative in midfield, and outnumber the opponent, even though Vieira's one of the best defensive midfielders around. Nkos' players will be dangerous on the counter, with Simao, Joaquin, Gerard, Juninho and Trez all moving forward, and Vieira can't close all of them down at once. However, Makelele might have a little too much to do if Gerrard moves upfield, leaving him to face Ron9's attacking midfielders. Zidane and Totti at one go might be too hard to handle.

Giggs and Sagnol might cancel each other out, but on the right, Becks' crossing will be be excellent service for van Nistelrooy and Zidane. Zidane and Totti might be kept quiet by Makelele and Gerrard as they are strong and can tackle well. But van Nistelrooy lurking between Dellas and Alex is likely to give Ron9 a goal outta nowhere.

Too close to call really, I predict a 2-2 or 3-3 in this high-scoring all-star match.

[Highway Penguin]

Some of my men are outta form? Like who? Zizou, Becks, Totti, RvN, Thuram or Samuel? Or is it Vieira?

It may be a combination of a few of the players, as he said, out of form or over the hill. I know Thuram isn't doing too well for Juve and Vieira hasn't been playing as well since his injury. Or it could be Solari who hasn't played much for Inter this season.

Just a wild shot in the dark though...

[Highway Penguin]

Nikos 1-2 Ronaldo

[nikos24]

Damn, do I suck.

Definitely not the way I wanted my first game to go. :(

Congrats Ron, you the man.

[Highway Penguin]

Don't be so hard on yourself. Good, tough match.

:happy: