Fan's Premiership Season 13 GW 1

Arsenal vs Watford

--------------------- Onana ------------------
Hakimi ---- Kounde --- Tapsoba ---- Chilwell
------------ T. Partey --- Paqueta --------------
B. Saka ----------- Dybala ------- Aubameyang
----------------- Calvert-Lewin -------------------

Vs

---------------- Júnior
Khellven---Fuchs---Ruan---Abner
-------Assunção---Pyerre
------------------Igor
Henrique------------------Paulinho
----------------Darwin

Arsenal are hot favourites for this game, better side and home advantage will give them a boost up in the slots for this North vs North North London derby.

Arsenal Pros/Cons:
+ Nice fluidity to the side
+ potent front four
+ bags of pace on the flanks to stretch Watford
- not sold on the Saka/Hakimi flank (one or the other not sure you get enough defensive solidity as a pair)
- Partey/Paqueta, not sure it works, leaves Partey with far too much work to do in the engine

Watford Pros/Cons:
+ Team Chemistry – if this was Fifa it’d be maxed out
+ As always spot on tactics, getting the best out of the team
+ Darwin is a top top talent, and with Kaio too, going forwards could be good for the Hornets.
- Squad is still a bit below their cumulative peak, not enough experienced heads in there or players that are recognised “top 5 league players" – Although they obvs have the potential.

I like both sides, I think Arsenal could be serious top-four contenders, very good attack and a solid CB Pairing can take them far. Watford are in constant evolution as mentioned above, just need players to either kick on and become more established or hope Nunez is back soon and he and Kaio can maybe carry them that bit further.

Slots: 10/5/3
Fruity: HHH

Full-time Arsenal 3-1 Watford
DCL (Dybala) Saka (Chilwell) PEA (Paqueta)
Darwin (Paulinho)

MOTM – Dybala


------

Brentford vs Leeds

Last years Yorkshire derby see’s the lillywhites travel south to meet the new franchise brentford honeybees.
--------------------Simón
Livramento, T. Silva, Guehi, Grimaldo
-------------Kovacic, Höjbjerg
Berardi----------James------Sulemana
---------------------Suárez

Vs

---------------------Neuer

Walker---Maguire---Hernandez---Digne

------------------Jorginho

-----------SMS-------------Foden

Chiesa-----------Kane------------Depay

Brentford Pros/Cons:
+ Solid spine from last year is kept
+ Berardi guarantees goals from RW
+ Kameldeen looks a real prospect
- lack of genuine experience in the back-line (livra and Guehi) could hurt them

Leeds Pros/Cons:
+ I like the tactics and formation, think the transitions work to and the2/3/2/3 is interesting.
+ you’ve managed to strengthen the defence and keep hold of your “better" players
+ top 3 keeper and striker in the world (best striker in the league)
- I think the way you use SMS gets the best out of him but it does leave Jorgy with a lot to do and he could get over-run

Close run game this where home adv plays a big part, expect both of these sides to be in the top 7 battle.
Slots: 9/6/5
Fruity: AHH

Brentford 2-1 Leeds
Suarez (Berardi) Berardi (Ibra)
Kane (Chiesa)
MOTM – Berardi

-----

Spurs vs Chelsea

Big game of the opening weeks fixtures this, Last seasons champs vs one of the major contenders to take away their crown, both sides packed with talent and goals, let’s bring on the first 0-0 of the season.
------------------ R.Sanchez -----------------
B.Pavard -- De Ligt --- Ramos --- Ferland
-------------------- Fabinho ------------------
---------- De Bruyne --- P.Pogba -----------
L.Messi --------- S.Aguero ------- T.Werner

Vs

--------------------------- Oblak ---------------------------
W-Bissaka ----- Bonucci ----- Bastoni ----- Robertson
--------------------------- D.Luiz --------------------------
---------------- F.de Jong ----- Locatelli ----------------
-- Mahrez ------------------------------------- Mbappe --
-------------------------- Haaland -------------------------

Spurs Pros/Cons:
- Sanchez, I know he’s number 2 but he stands out like a sore thumb
+ Side seems to have a nice balance
+ Leo Messi
- Timo No goal
+ Fabinho and the FB’s allow a better platform/structure to the side and let the magic men do their thing bonus slot for getting the word “lighthouse" into tactics

Chelsea Pros and Cons:
+ solid defence
+ strong attack
+/- not sure on the midfield, just lacking something

I like both of these sides and can see both making the top 3 at a canter, depending on Newcastle. Feels like a lot of mirroring between the sides (not a bad thing) i.e. both sides having a master and apprentice feel about their choice of CB’s. good match up tactics both high quality but I just think Spurs have that “X-factor" about them in the midfield that can win a game, Chels wanted to dominate the midfield and take the game but I couldn’t see it happening that way.
Slots: 10/5/3
Fruity: HHH
Spurs 3-1 Chelsea
Aguero (Messi) Pogba (KDB) Messi (Werner)
Haaland (Mbappe)

Gauntlet thrown down by Spurs here, helped by a vociferous home crowd and subsequent advantage

MOTM – Fabinho


-----

Man United vs Man City
Opening day of the season sees the much anticipated battle of the g4y bars, men united taking on a city of men.
----------------------------------Dragowski---------------------------------
------------Fofana--------Upamecano--------Badiashile-----------
-----------------------Tchoucameni------Valverde------------------------
Dest----------------------------------------------------------------Sessegnon
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------Raphinha----------Kean---------Lang--------------------

Vs
------------------------ Martinez -----------------------
M.Aarons ----- Skriniar ----- Manolas ----- Tierney
----------------- T.Kroos ----- N.Kante ---------------
B.Silva ----------------------------------------- Gosens
------------------------- Zaniolo ------------------------
------------------------- Lukaku ------------------------

Man Utd Pros/Cons:
+++++ finally some wing-backs
+ managing to get “clubber lang" and “Italian stallion" in tactics
+ The back-five (CB and DM) is top drawer and gives you a massive foundation to build from
+ The formation gives you a great chance to get a foothold on this City side
- just missing that creative spark from deep, to unlock the tightest defences

Man City Pros/Cons:
+ solid side, seem a better unit than last year
+ gosens an assist machine for atalanta
+ Zaniolo the golden boy
+ Lukaku guarantees goals
- midfield is susceptible to being over-run (even with Kante)
- I like Gosens, but much like my arsenal feedback, Gosens and Tierney is over-kill, they’ll stop each others natural game
+/- Kante and Kroos, is there any better? Yes
*/- The tactics are fine Fan, and against most sides this “As I said, crosses will be getting whipped in, so rise early get above the defenders and boom it really should be a goal" would possibly work, but against a back-three, all of whom are 6ft plus he’ll struggle to just bully them all on his own.

A nice open game this, two different formations and styles, would be interesting.
Slots: 9/6/5
Fruity: HAH

Man Utd 2-1 Man City
Kean (dest) Kean (lang)
Lukaku (Zaniolo)
Tight match, home advantage playing it’s part today, as United take the g4y bar bragging rights trophy home to Salford.

MOTM - Kean