Dream League Season 3 - Week 12 results

MIAMI v LIONS

Miami (4-4-2): Mvogo; Danilo, N’Koulou, Denayer, Padoin; Redmond (Santiago 70), Pogba, Gomes, Berahino (El Ghazi 70); Kane (Henriquez 80), Benteke

Lions (3-4-3): Lodygin; Howedes, Gonalons, Umtiti; Mario, Parejo (Geis 60), Kovacic, Amavi; Griezmann (Fekir 75), Lacazette, Sterling (Icardi 75)

MATCH REPORT

Interesting clash of styles. Fan’s side are powerful throughout and very strong through the spine, whereas Lions are quick and technical but with a soft centre. On the flipside, Lions’ strengths are in the movement of their front 3 and their pace stretching the play wide, whereas Miami were very weak defensively down the flanks today. In short – both sides exploited each other’s weaknesses, which meant goals today.

As mentioned I like Fan’s spine, it’s strong, direct and very effective. I don’t like his wingers – especially Berahino at LM, which is where he was forced with Kane playing just off Benteke. I don’t dislike the shape – it’s well designed to bring the best out of Kane – but a better, more natural LM is required to play it. Redmond on the right is OK at best, but he’d leave Danilo – hardly the best defender – exposed. But the Miami left flank was the real problem, with Padoin a very average player behind the out-of-position Berahino.

Leiva, on the other hand… I love his Frenchies, I generally like the shape and his tactics are a bit easier to read nowadays (though spaces between paragraphs wouldn’t hurt ). The high press would work well in this match with Fan’s strikers not the most natural at running past the defensive line. But you can’t get away from that soft centre in midfield, which I thought Pogba and Gomes would smash to pieces with their directness on the counter. Parejo and Kovacic are lovely players but the setup relies heavily on retaining possession, and remains a bit fragile against the top midfield enforcers.

Anyway. Leiva’s side took the lead after dominating possession early on. Lacazette drifted left and received a Griezmann through ball, escaping Danilo to fire home after 12 minutes. He doubled his tally after 29 minutes when Parejo pinged a lovely ball over to the livewire Griezmann who had left Padoin for dead; he squared for Lacazette to tap in. 0-2.

Miami hit back before the break, Kane outmuscling Parejo to rein in a Pogba pass; he turned and charged at the defence before unleashing a thunderbolt into the roof of the net from 25 yards. Great goal. 1-2, 42 minutes.

Leiva’s side continued to dominate possession with Miami looking dangerous on the break, but the possession counted after 61 minutes when Denayer hauled the Sterling to the ground in the box. Lacazette stepped up to stroke home the pen and bring up his hat trick. What a performance.

Fan was looking very grumpy on the sidelines and threw on Santiago and El Ghazi, and almost immediately their shape looked better; Santiago was finding some space between Amavi and Umtiti and after 78 minutes, he wriggled free to bend a delightful cross over for Kane to nod home at the far post. 2-3, Kane coming off with a knock he picked up going for the header.

Miami poured forwards and Lions were severely under the cosh, but in injury time, they got a breakaway; Gonalons hoofed clear, Fekir latched onto it with only Danilo back in defence; he bent the through ball round the last defender and Icardi had the entire half of the pitch clear, dinking it over the keeper to seal the win.

FINAL SCORE – Miami 2-4 Lions

Slots
Home 3+1
Draw 3
Away 7

Goals
Miami: Kane 2 (Pogba, Santiago)
Lions: Lacazette 3 (Griezmann 2, Sterling); Icardi (Fekir)

Yellows: Not sure how many I’m giving yet

MotM: Lacazette (Lions). Who else. A fine hat trick from the new Henry.


*******************************

CAMBUUR v NOTTS CO

Cambuur (4-3-3): Gabriel; Fabinho, Sule, Salcedo, Geferson; Pereira, Sergio, Vecino (Calleri 70); Corona (Rolan 70), Rodriguez, Talisca

Notts (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Darmian, Marquinhos, Gimenez, Baba Rahman; Marchisio, Verratti; Sanchez, Silva (Herrera 75), Reus; Morata

MATCH REPORT

There’s a huge amount to like about both these teams, and I really liked how Elsie tweaked his setup to make it a bit more direct and physical in the face of Mex’s technical assault. The home side have a huge amount of talent, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see a lot of those names starring at World Cup 2022 or even 2018.

…but sometimes promise just isn’t enough, and realistically Notts looked too strong today. They have pace, power and experience throughout despite the fairly young average age, and I’m not sure any team in either league can completely nullify their multiple threats.

As it was, Cambuur started like a house on fire; the tempo and energy of their first half performance will have given Elsie a bonk-on the likes of which he hasn’t felt since he stumbled into a plus-size lingerie shoot. They were all up in Notts’ grills from the get-go and they took the lead when Talisca got on the end of a fabulous cross from Fabulous-inho to bundle home at the far post after 27 minutes. Notts looked rattled and Cambuur had chances to make it 2, but De Gea was in inspired form behind a shaky defence – where have we seen that before…?

Soon enough though, Marchisio and Verratti got a foothold in the game and the tide started to turn, with the full backs able to push forwards and overload the young home defence. And in first half stoppage time, the sucker-punch came. Sanchez danced away from Geferson, laying the ball off for Bernardo Silva who dinked it over for Darmian on the charge; he squared it low, first time, across the 6 yard box and Marco Reus tucked it home. Lovely goal. 1-1, half time.

Cambuur charged out at the start of the 2nd half like a Fan-shaped bull in a china shop where all the china has pictures of Park on it, looking to repeat their 1st-half heroics, but alas Notts’ tails were up and the home side’s discipline was starting to slip a bit; players were going too gung-ho and getting caught out of position. And so it was that Verratti was able to slip free of Vecino and lace a glorious 40-yard through ball between Fabinho and Sule; Reus collected it and bent a stonker inside the far post. 1-2, 57 minutes.

…and soon enough, it was 1-3, when a Bernardo Silva corner was headed out by Sule and lashed home on the volley through a crowd of players by Marchisio. 1-3, 60 minutes, and the game was over. Notts shut up shop and played keep-ball, and while Cambuur had a few more good chances, they just couldn’t bridge the gulf in class today.


FINAL SCORE – Cambuur 1-3 Notts

Slots
Home 3+1
Draw 3
Away 7

Goals
Cambuur: Talisca (Fabinho)
Notts: Reus 2 (Darmian, Verratti), Marchisio

Yellows: Not sure how many I’m giving yet

MotM: David De Gea (Notts). Rolls-Reus got the goals but without De Gea, Cambuur might have been out of sight by half time.