Round 9 - Predictions revealed - FINALLY

Hero
Valencia 2-2 Benfica
Navas, Neymar – Fellaini, Martinez

Really liking the set up of the Valencia side now but still think a focal point up front is needed, a guy like Llorente would be perfect for that team. Whilst I can see Valencia dictating play Benfica have some talented giants amongst them and I can see them really causing Valencia problems on set pieces, as a result I reckon it’d play out to a draw.

Madrid 3-2 Napoli
Falcao x 2, Suarez – Cavani, Lavezzi
Still think AM need to address the set up of their starting 11 and get a true RB in, the goals that Falcao/Suarez are scoring is masking the issues at the back.

Roma 1-2 Schalke
Ba – Di Maria, Reus
The RL move for Ba should really help CF and I hope he cements his place in the Chelsea team. A big ask though today v a Schalke team brimming with attacking options, my one concern for Schalke is the aging Lamps in midfield.

Porto 1-1 Spurs
Tevez - Menez
Battle of the egos in this game with Sneijder, M’Vila, Schweinsteiger, Modric, Tevez, Evra, Ribery etc all duking it out for Alpha Male role. Can see this ending with 10 men on both sides and I personally would look to follow Chelsea’s options in RL and move Luiz into a DM role and improve on a central defender. If Porto retain him at the back then Schwein & De Rossi should swap positions.

CaptainUnited
Valencia 2-1 Benfica
robben,Hernandez
rvp

Rvp put Benfica in the lead with a goal in the twenty second minute.Valencia defence was practically absent during that moment in time. Valencia were not phased by going down so early on in the game, and soon Robben equalized. Benfica struggled to regain possession as Valencia pressed on, maintaining a fast pace and determined performance. Hernandez put Valencia in the lead just before the half time whistle.

Atletico Madrid 2-0 Napoli
falcao,suarez
It was no surprise that Atletico began the game looking more composed and assured on the ball. Napoli had half chances but they were restricted to hopeful counter attacks. Atletico maintained control of the ball and looked to use the pace of Suarez to get at the visiting team.Atletico got the first goal of the game through Falcao. In the 14th minute, Ozil's free kick was flicked on by Falcao into Suarezs path. He made no mistake with the finish and gave Atletico a 2-0 lead.

Roma 1-3 Schalke
Ba
villa,dimaria,goetze
Schalke were caught cold in the fourth minute when Ba scored but the lead lasted just over four minutes. Goetze , the Schalke midfielder, crossed for Villa who made no mistake with the finish.Di maria provided the cross for Goetze to put Schalke ahead in the second half, before Di maria’s deflected effort 11 minutes from time sealed the win.

Lazio 2-1 Newcastle
pirlo,hazard
michu
After dominating the early stages of the match,Newcastle's defence capitulated for the rest of the first half as Lazio’s attacking players came to life. When a clever play between Pirlo and vidal left Hazard with a tap-in. Pirlo put Lazio in front in 73 minute with a free-kick. Lazio have a really decent side and certainly more form players than Newcastle.A number of players that for Newcastle don't feel are being utilised in their preferred positions.

El Dios
Valencia 3 - 2 Benfica
Valencia - domiate the game - and wheren't under enough pressure in the middle of the park - and where picked off they only created 3 chances all game but took 2 of them.

Athletico v Napoli - N/A as i'm napoli - but would have been a close game - ATM 2-1 Napoli - but a handled goal from suarez again

Roma 2 - 2 Schalke
A game schalke should have won, looked much better in possesion but abit out of sorts defensively which allowed for one Demba Ba - who was on fire; to equalise late on.

Lazio 0 - 0 Newcastle
A game that could have gone either way but ended up going neither - Ibrahimovic has lost all traces of his early season form and couldn't even play Carrizo to let one in, at the other end Hazard met his match in Alba and Huntelaar couldn't get a yard on Pique - a game that should of excited but ended up being a damp squib

Porto 0 - 1 Spurs
A game with some great counters was decided when one - David Luiz thought he was back in Japan and wondered into Midfield which left space for Juan Mata to exploit.

Marky
Atletico Madrid 3-2 Napoli
(Falcao, Suarez x2) (Lavezzi, Cavani)
A very fair match, both sides heading towards a well earned draw deep into injury time, when suddenly, out of nowhere, the evil Mr Luis Suarez caught the ball from a cross from Ozil, punched De Sanctis in the face, spat on a ball boy, swore at some nuns in the crowd then threw the ball into the goal. The referee saw the offence as accidental though, and awarded the goal to the fury of the Napoli players.

Roma 2-2 Schalke
(Cazorla, Ba) (Reus, Di Maria)
A good game, both sides 4-2-3-1 style, both defences and midfields can be improved but both cancelled each other out, the wingers of Schalke were rampant but Cazorla was on fire to ensure Roma earned a draw.

Lazio 3-2 Newcastle
(Willian, Huntelaar, Hazard) (Michu, Ibrahimovic)
Lazio have improved their defence, Badstuber at CB and Schmelzer moved to LB is much better and they handle the Newcastle wingers well. Montoya and Coloccini are beginning to stick out as weak links in the Newcastle defence despite the galactico feel, and it costs them.

Porto 2-2 Spurs
(Tevez, Pedro) (Higuain, Bale)
Porto miss out on the win by again playing De Rossi too far forward, he needs to be the DM and allow Schweinsteiger to be the CM. But the rest of the side looks good, the deeper role suits Sneijder and the CB's are stronger. Spurs need to improve their midfield as Modric is badly out of form and M'Vila not all he was hyped, but their AM's, Mata in particular, save the day for Spurs.

Pullthestrings
Valencia 2-1 Benfica
Baines, Hernandez : Silva

Atletico Madrid 1-1 Napoli
Falcao : Lavezzi

Roma 2 - 3 Schalke
Cazorla, Ba : Lampard, Villa, Berbatov

Lazio 1 - 1 Newcastle
Lucho : Iniesta

Hodgey
Atletico 2-0 Napoli
Yaya, Suarez

===

Roma 0-1 Schalke
David Villa

===

Lazio 2-2 Newcastle
Willian, Huntelaar
Ibrahimovic, Sanchez

===

Porto 3-2 Spurs
Schweinsteiger, Tevez, Ribery
Mata, Kompany

CorBlimeyGuvnor
Valencia 1 - 1 Benfica
Hernandez -- RvP


Atletico Madrid 2 - 1 Napoli
Falcao ----- Cavani
Suarez


Lazio 0 - 0 Newcastle


Porto 2 - 1 Spurs
Pedro ----- Bale
Tevez

Kamran
Valencia 2 - 2 Benfica
Neymar -------- RVP (2)
Hernandez

This game was won but the attackers as Valencia started very brightly and got two early goals. Jenkinson was targeted and Neymar twisted both times for his opening goal and set up for Hernandez. Benfica regrouped after the break and it was two well taken goals by RVP but very well assisted by David Silva who slipped him in twice. Valencia tried to get the winner but Benfica was more aware of the threat and doubled up in the wide areas.
----------------------
Roma 1 - 2 Schalke
Ba ----------- Villa, Reus

Roma have been improving week by week by unfortunately for them, so are other teams and Schalke look solid throughout. Villa with a breathtaking goal broke the deadlock but a tremendous finish by Ba levelled it up. However, Reus upped the tempo with quick passes and his echange with Goetze gave him space to run and fire in an accurate shot for the winner.
-----------------------------
Lazio 2 - 1 Newcastle
Wilian ----- Alba
Huntelaar

Newcastle came across hardworking Lazio side that dominated the midfield battle and were worthy winners after a magnificant team display. Early on Wilian scored in the 5th min after he skipped past Montoya and curled a great shot for the first goal. Alba equalised when he exchanged passes with Ibra and Ben Arfa and swerved his shot. However, Lazio pressed for forward and eventually Pirlo found space and found Huntelaat who took it on his chest and volleyed home the winner.
--------------------------

Porto 3 - 3 Spurs
Tevez ------- Bale, Mata, Higuain
Sneijder
Ribery

Goal fest in Porto as 6 goals were scored but sadly no victors. Both defences were shook up and rattled from attack after attack and in the end it was like a basketball game. Sneijder with the pick of the goals when he blasted home a 30 yarder. Great game.

Lazio:

------------------ Carrizo -----------------
-------------------------------------------
Sagna --- Badstuber --- Terry --- Schmelzer
-------------------------------------------
------------------- Pirlo -------------------
------------- Vidal ----- Lucho ------------
-------------------------------------------
---- Hazard -------------------- Willian ----
----------------- Huntelaar ----------------


Bertrand
Scholes
Sterling
Zaha

Benfica tactics (4-3-3)

-------------------------Brad Friedel

Carl Jenkinson - Mats Hummels - Daniel Agger - Christian Fuchs

-----Marouane Fellaini - Javi Martinez - Moussa Dembele

---------David Silva - Robin Van Persie - Samir Nasri


Subs: Cristian Zapata, Suso

------------------- Pinto -----------------
------------------------------------------
Walker ----- Cahill -------- Luiz ----- Gibbs
------------------------------------------
-------------- Schweinsteiger ------------
--------- De Rossi ------- Sneijder -------
-- Pedro -------------------------- Ribery
------------------ Tevez ----------------

Subs:- César,Lucio,Shelvey

ROMA

------------------Stekelenbrug-------------------

--Cassani---Burdisso--Castan----Balzaretti------------

---------------Marchisio---------Perrotta-------------

--Gutierrez---------------------------------------Martin--

----------------------------------Cazorla----------------

---------------------------------------Ba-----------------

Schalke side

--------------------- Hildebrand ---------------------
-----------------------------------------------------
Rafael ------ Mertesacker --- Howedes -------- A.Cole
-----------------------------------------------------
--------------- Lampard ----- Gustavo ---------------
-----------------------------------------------------
---- Reus ------------- Goetze --------- Di Maria ----
-----------------------------------------------------
---------------------- David Villa --------------------

Subs
Unnerstall
Metzelder
Carvalho
Fernandinho
Pablo Hernandez
Draxler
Berbatov

Newcastle


SUbs: , Lamela , Campbell, Good, Tavernier, Alnwick

-------------------- Buffon

Arbeloa -------- Rami ---- Chiellini ---------- Baines

---------------- Xavi ---- Khedira

Navas ------------- Neymar ---------------- Robben

------------------ Hernandez

T Howard
Lucio
D Albelda
J Bernat
D Drogba