D1 Matchday 1: Hunter vs O.J.

[Scarface]

Hunter

---------------------------Casillas------------------------------

------------------Cannavaro-------Ferdinand--------------------
---Seitaridis------------------------------------------Boka------

---------------------------M.Diarra-----------------------------
----------------Yaya Toure---------Baptista--------------------

-----------Van Persie---------------------Joe Cole--------------
---------------------------Huntelaar----------------------------


Subs: Jose Reina, Mexes, D.Pizarro Duff,Shevchenko

vs

Yossi

-----------------Kameni--------------------
--------------------------------------------
--------Toure---Gonzalo---Andrade---------
--------------------------------------------
-Trabelsi---------------------------Sylvinho-
--------------------------------------------
--------------Motta---vBommel-------------
--------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------
---------Aimar---------------Podolski-------
-------------------Toni---------------------
--------------------------------------------

Substitutes: Foster, Perrotta, Deisler, Anderson, Nihat.

[Nedy]

A very tough match, very good really.
O.J put an very very strong trio in the middle of his defense, so he win in this area. Also, his two wing-backs are good and can go for the bands and centre balls to Luca Toni, who can win in Thomas defense.

In the midfield is a point to Thomas. I cant see O.J midfield strong as Hunter one. Van Bommerl is more an attacker player and Mota cant do all the job in the midfield.

Last, in the attack is a draw. Toni and Huntelaar are both in a great form, so each one can score atleast 1 goal. Also both teams have very good SS who can pass good balls to the CF.

So my final veredict is a draw.

[dimitrivdr]

The midfield battle will more likely than not go to Hunter... Dominating Aimar, Motta and vBommel shouldn't be too difficult if you consider the physical qualities of Hunter's central trio.

Toni/Podolski in tandem should be a very potent force, but with Ferdinand and in particular Cannavaro there to block them, I see this area turning into a stalemate.

I see on the other end that Yossi's central defensive trio are very strong and the wing-backs particularly good going forward... however, I could easily see Joe Cole and vPersie going on the rampage if they are allowed to go on the break, especially if they are willing to shoot from distance, using Huntelaar to sneak in a rebound.

It's a really tough one, but I have to go for 1-0 to Hunter, but what a game!

[-Jamster-]

Both teams are equally matched and both Very Good teams.

Hunter has Cannavaro and Ferdinand who when both on form can stop the defence from scoring although both could make mistakes at a vital Point of the game. Thomas on the other hand has three Good cenbter backs who can help each other out if one makes a mistake, Not to mention Sylvinho and Trabelsi who can get up the field and Get killer balls in the box. For that, Yossi gets my vote in this area.

In the midfield, Thomas gets my vote once again. Motta and Van Bommel canget down to help the defence when Hunter's team are on the attack and quickly hit on the counter-attack. Aimar and Podolski will surely break the defence at several points of the game and Aimar can try hit the ball from Long-Range.

In the attack, vote goes to Hunter. Vam Persie and Cole could Knock the ball into the box and Huntelaar would Most probably get the Ball into the net at any opportunity given to him.

So therefore, Would see this going in a draw but if I had to vote for someone would have to be Yossi by a small margain.

[Barry]

Hunter with The Hunter on striker position, how odd ;) Both have incredibly strong squads, but Hunter takes it here for me, a slightly better team.

[Del Piero]

I go for Hunter.

Very well balanced all over the pitch.

Brilliant midfield three and top three attacking players look unstopable.

Huntelaar is a fantastic young forward and he will be great for Hunter this season and in the future.

Newly promoted Yossi has a promising team.

Not to sure about the formation though i think a 4-4-2 would work well or 4-3-3.

But once he has a good formation sorted i feel that he might be able to cause a shock this season.

[Billy Minof]

Hunter takes it for me, it was either that or a draw.

[Preki-USA]

Hunter for me, I'm not too keen on Owen's 5-2-2-1 line up, your back 5 is solid but you should push aimar back into the midfield more.

[Yossi]

About my formation, I never actually planned to use this at any stage, I was plannning a 4-3-1-2, however I saw Hunter's side and I changed it at the last minute to try and combat it. I guess I won't be doing that again.

[Charlie: 9]

I think Nedy is right in saying it would be a draw, I completly agree. This would be a 2-2 draw, in my opinion.

[Figо10]

Firstly. I think Yossi should have played with two centre-backs as a third wasn't really required, probably Andrade and Toure who are a reliable pair. Sylvinho will be given more freedom to push up if there're four defenders behind him, but Hunter could capitalise on counterattacks. It's 3-on-2 in midfield at the moment, but if one of Yossi's defenders push forward, he could battle it out with Hunter's midfield trio for possession. The goals would probably come only from the lone strikers, both feeding on the services of good providers. I reckon this would end 1-1, so I'll give Yossi a vote as he's trailing by some distance.

[Scarface]

This is quite a close contest, which is a compliment to Yossi for doing so well in pre-season strengthening his side.

The decision to employ only 2 midfielders, and use 3 centre backs would probably backfire. It could invite pressure, with the powerful trio of Mahamadou Diarra, Yaya Toure and Julio Baptista dominating proceedings in the middle.

An extra midfielder (probably Albelda) and Pablo Aimar being moved behind Podolski and Toni could have got the side a good point here.

With the midfield looking quite vulnerable, Diarra could probably drop back on occasions to help quell the threat of Aimar, if he's starting to make an impact on the game.

Podolski and Toni are sure to make an impact on Division 1 this season, but for this game, they won't get a lot of joy. I think Rio Ferdinand and Fabio Cannavaro can handle them quite convincingly, and in the end, the pressure coming from Hunter's midfield and wing forwards will pay-off, and result in a 1-0 win, with the goal probably coming from the clinical Huntelaar, perhaps from a goal like Dimitri described.

[Nturtle]

Hunter but only just...and hard to beat a 5 man defense of OJ's.

[greenegg]

Two good teams on show here and it is hard to seperate them so I'd say this could fizzle into a score draw.