Week 8 results

Genk v Granada -
Basel v PAOK -
Montpellier v Verona
Bremen v Bordeaux

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to this week's Match of the Day, hosted by myself Hero and this week I'm joined by two pundits who they themselves are no strangers to the Pretend Manager league, although in the sense of the word 'stranger' they are ones you wouldn't recommend hang around near the school gates, I give to you...Cricket Fan and Cherries!

CF: Alright.
Cherries: Htanks 4 the introdcukshun.

Brilliant, well that's enough from you two, lets look at the games that happened this week, first up a tasty tussle between Genk & Granada...

Genk 0 - 0 Granada

Genk tactics:

v

Granada tactics:

I feel in this game Carrick out Xavi's Xavi early on, for me if you have one of if not the greatest passer of the ball that's ever existed then playing a long ball tactic is like having a Ferrari that you only ever take to Tesco and back. Both sides seem to go with an approach not to lose rather than to win which disappoints me a little especially with it being Trebs last game of the season, in the team talk it comes across as Trebs wants the win but then in individual talks and looking at the team sheet there's very little in attacking threat on show. Highlight of the game for me was Ibrahimovic finding out exactly why Vlaar has the nickname Roncrete after a nicely timed bodycheck.

CS: I like the goalkeeper tactics of 'Don't let them score'. Does what it says on the tin. Also Chiellini, best CB in the world, wouldn't sell him for 50m.

What about you Cherries?

Cherries: Mmm Kondogbia (rubs the top of his calves in a provocative manner)

Basel 1 v 2 PAOK
Toure & Mandzukic

Basel tactics:

v

PAOK tactics:

A quality set up from Afroviva and for me possible title faves going into season 4, there are areas of concern though, for me Toure is one, whilst on his day he can destroy the best of teams those days are becoming less and less frequent and I would look to offload him before his stock dissipates. The other aspect of the team that I worry for is it's all Plan A, battering ram style powerhouses, teams will get wise to this and plan accordingly so more creative options may be in order.

Cherries: I lik how he spels tehy and thier.

Montpellier 4 v 2 Verona
Dost x2, Lavezzi, Bellarbi - Costa, Pjanic

Montpellier tactics:

v

Verona tactics:

I like Nad'z team but the bringing in of Essien is borderline madness imo, there's bargains amongst the older players (see Azzy's team) and then there's players that are clearly past it of which Essien is one, for AC Milan he's not shown anything bearing a resurgence of his earlier years and that's in a slowed pace league that should suit him and it results in Schneiderlin chasing the shadows of Pirlo and Clasie as they play pingpong with the ball. It creates an open game though and one of which attacks > defence so I think it'll be a high scoring match. Very much like the flank options that Marky plays with. Nadz's team has a comeback with the introduction of Honda in the 65th minute but the introduction of Kalou also makes me wonder if Nadz is planning to bring in Malouda as his next purchase.

Cherries: Brain hurtz wid Marky's taktics, 2 meny wurdz.
CF: Agree with Cherries, back in the day I just told my striker to shoot, whats with all these instructions?

Bremen 2 v 2 Bordeaux
Eriksen, Carillo - Griezmann, Varane

Bremen tactics:

v

Bordeaux tactics:

The loss of Aguero to injury is a big one for Nando and personally I'd have looked to have used Sterling in a more false striker role in a 4-3-3 set up. Fairly evenly matched through the two set ups here and hard to call the match, both teams are strong in certain areas such as Griezmann v Ivanovic and Bender v Eriksen whilst weaker in other pairings such as Cole v Ibe, Fekir v Rabiot, Gabriel v Huntelaar etc. If I was Miky I'd be looking into season 4 to build the team around Eriksen and he could certainly challenge for a higher position. Nando has a lovely balance to his team now and going forward the pairing of Griezmann and Sterling assisting Aguero will trouble any defence in the league. Would have given the win here to Nando but due to a howler from their goalkeeper who shouldn't be anywhere near a team at the end of season 3 has cost him the victory.

Well that's about all for this week folks, any final words from our pundits?

CF: I quit.
Cherries: Who's got Heskey? 3 points to tehm. C'mon Bournemouht!

Lovely. I think MOTD should be a weekly fixture and a requirement of voting. Maybe have Smarts and Nick Fury on next week's show?

Unlucky Trebs, thought for sure that my 90-second tactics would get creamed.

Manager of the week is going to....

Nando, for pulling double duty for Basel.

Hey Hero,

Thanks for results first of all, would you do the same as you recommended with Eriksen but with Isco instead now that I have sold Eriksen?

I plan to build my team around Isco now.

There you go Viva, this is your chance for a title. Hero comments as potential title favourites for season 4, so you have a good base to challenge

Everyone - Viva is assuming full control of PAOK going forward, although I am doing tactics this week

Miky, I really like Isco, I do though agree with others in that he's not that much of an upgrade on Eriksen especially in that with Eriksen you have someone who's THE man at Spurs whilst Isco can be a peripheral player in the Real Madrid set up when everyone is fully fit. Personally I'd have been looking to improve upon your weaker areas rather than improve upon your best but what's done is done.

Isco is a marvellous player and was the darling of the league this time last year. I think it's a great purchase.

Would you swap Eriksen and 16m for him then?

Potentially, yes. But I have the hugest Eriksen man-crush in the history of football so no. But Isco is a cracking player and a huge name for Miky.

Thanks to all for the feedback, i don't regret buying him but i do understand the points made about buying others instead.