Euro Division Homepage LXXI

Finally buy GTA and work 6 days in a row lol

Morning Viva, molested anyone of late? Or even been molested yourself?

How had is pseudonyms to spell hey, I was Googling how I though is was spelt for about 4 minutes.

GSC you should have got it during Christmas. I won't spoil it for you but I will say it's the second best game I played in 2013.

I guess hard is hard for you to spell aswell. 

Not yet Nick, it's still early I've got the evening to enjoy. Hope I get molested by a girl, a pretty girl.

Hope I get molested by a girl, a pretty girl.

Not with your dodgy tash lol

Dodgy tash? It's called the women tickler, they'll be running up to me oh viva you real man with the tash take us away from these boys who have no facial hair. Men keep beards an tash women have no hair.

Men keep beards an tash women have no hair.

Or so you think. you'll get some woman with a bleached tash come up to you

VivaPaulScholes wrote:Its going to be really tight, every time we seem to pick up a bit of momentum we lose ground. 

You have to ask yourself will you be using the second controller often, will most games be one player or two? Can't you wait till later and buy the controller separately? Camera? Hmm don't know about that really seems a bit gimmicky and lose interest soon enough. You'll need to buy psn if you're playing online at least with Fifa you can play the offline modes. 

Miky yes tactics will be starting next week Thursday.

Thanks for letting me know about the tactics mate.

there for all you doubters about 1/4 of my defence

Reinvented by de Boer, Ajax’s Daley Blind transforms into the ‘Dutch Lahm’

By Mohamed Moallim

Innovation swirls around Ajax like leaves, in the Vondelpark, on a blustery autumn’s day. “Almost every club tries to imitate them,” Aad de Mos, who managed them between 1980 and 1985, recently said. “But they are unique and two steps ahead [of their rivals].” What kept Ajax ahead of the game, and could do so again, is the education their footballers receive. One such individual is Daley Blind son of club legend Danny.

His impressive displays at left-back over the last eighteen months cemented his position as one of the most improved footballers in the Netherlands, but the last few months has seen him reinvent himself, moving into the heart of midfield where he continues to excel.

Arguably the tactical manoeuvre so far this season at least the most high profile. But this is nothing new in Amsterdam, the idea (and pursuit) of universality, being comfortable in multiple positions, is central to the club’s ethos and instilled from an early age. Blind isn’t the first player – whilst donning the colours of Ajax – to move into a new position, subsequently making it his own, and will certainly not be the last.

His transformation, in some quarters, is reminiscent of Johan Neeskens who began at right-back – where he greatly impressed – before converted into midfielder tour de force. However it’s more accurate to say Blind has gone back to his roots, a testament to his versatility that he’s an accomplished left-back, for much of his youth playing career he was utilised as a ‘number six’ (or controlling midfielder). Frank de Boer throughout last season (2012-13) hinted Blind’s future would be in midfield it so happened to come to fruition in the following campaign.

His familiarity in the role and Ajax’s modern interpretation of totaalvoetbal (modified by Johan Cruyff and Louis van Gaal, which De Boer has gradually re-implemented) has made his assimilation smooth. His energy and discipline has become the kernel around which the rest of the side’s panache is constructed. In the role Blind is essentially a ‘third centre-back’ – dropping between the central defenders – and conductor rolled into one. He’s tasked with retaining and recycling possession: averaging 68.6 passes, 2.1 tackles and 2 interceptions per game (according to WhoScored.com).

Blind, who often operates as single-minded man-marker – normally designated to do a job on the opposition’s playmaker – shuttles across the pitch following the ball once with it his impeccable metronomic passing and grandiose football intelligence triggers their positional game/ Ajax in possession morph into a 2-3-2-3, one-touch combination football is second nature to them. In the Eredivisie their pass accuracy (86.8%) and average possession (62.9%) is ranked first (stats from WhoScored.com). He dictates the tempo: whether Ajax needs to slow things down or raise it. This also depends how high up the pitch they are.

The controller, or in De Boer’s system ‘third centre-back’, is the most important position. Sergio Busquets – a revelation under Pep Guardiola and easily Barça’s second most important player – plays a similar role and has long fascinated the former Oranje captain. Guardiola, now managing Bayern Munich, played alongside De Boer for three seasons at Barça and has been a silent influence. As teammates they enjoyed lengthy conversations about the game. De Boer noted how Guardiola back then was effectively a coach. Guardiola equally saw the same.

Both see Cruyff and Van Gaal as a reference and share a steadfast belief in the ‘Ajax model’. Ronald – Frank’s twin – once commented Guardiola is obsessed calling him ‘half-Dutch’. He even approached De Boer to be his assistant at the Catalan giants only for the Dutchman to politely turn the offer down in order to strike out his own path. Guardiola’s four-year stint as Barça manager impacted on De Boer as it showed the ‘Ajax way’, in its purest form, still has a place in the modern game.

No position typifies it more than the controller (see Frank Rijkaard), but Busquets is an up to date version, one that has since been pivotal to De Boer realising his objectives which is to dominate games through possession: circulation football as a means to not only create goal scoring opportunities but also a defensive weapon. If you have the ball the opposition can’t harm you. Blind is equally of most value – if not crucial – when out of possession as he would instigate Ajax’s pressing game (or ‘pressure play&rsquo: making the pitch as small as possible (compressing and closing down all space), enabling them to retain possession and win the ball back at times mercilessly more often than not by provoking their opponents into making a mistake.

"The controlling midfielder in the modern game primarily builds [the attack]," De Mos adds. "Philipp Lahm and Blind have shown that." The former, under Guardiola, has thrived in midfield but equally remains as Europe’s finest right-back. Blind is a considerable distance from Lahm’s all-round level but there’s nothing stopping him reaching it.

Blind’s seamless transition is second to his resurrection. Before the arrival of De Boer his future in Amsterdam was bleak. De Boer’s unyielding faith was built on seeing the potential he is now exhibiting. By restoring Ajax’s classical approach Blind, a De Toekomst graduate, has flourished. The inconsistencies that dogged him, at times shot of confidence, coincidentally eroded. “I’m indebted to Frank de Boer,” Blind said looking back.

His consistent performances throughout last season, many of which stood out, earned him the club’s player of the year award and a first Netherlands call-up. He’s been ever-present at left-back since making his debut against Italy in February 2013. Van Gaal, who still views Blind as his “first choice”, recognises the “number six” role is his true position. Nigel de Jong, who’s been a shining light at AC Milan, is expected to play there for Oranje at the World Cup.

He is now in the nations conscious. Elf Voetbal magazine, who at the backend of 2012 published an op-ed titled “The rehabilitation of Daley Blind”, readers named him – alongside Lucas Piazón of Vitesse – as the best player of the first half of the season. Not many would disagree. He is the pivot of a side chasing a historic fourth successive championship. And few are backing against them.

Now an elder statesman, albeit only 23-years-old, it will be surprising if he doesn’t follow in his father’s footsteps and captain the club he joined as an eight-year-old on a full-time basis. He recently wore the armband, decorated in Amsterdam’s coat of arms, away to ADO Den Haag describing it as “a special moment.”

A role model is Paolo Maldini, remaining a one-club man could prove to be difficult, but there’s no escaping his current iconic status: “Daley Blind is een echte Ajacied” as supporters now enthusiastically chant – hard to imagine only two years ago. ”Everyone knows Ajax is my club,” he said after penning a three-year contract extension in spring 2013. He’s really come full circle.

i am a big fan of blind, but using an article which states hes going to become a top defensive midfielder isnt perhaps the best way to justify him playing at lb, but thanks for pointing it out, gonna try him in that position in the other league

Zinedine_Ze_Zebra wrote:Breaking Bad is better. You need to watch at least 4/5 episodes as thats when the character intros, background story etc are done with & it really starts to pick up.

Sons of Anarchy is defo worth a watch too.

Im just finishing Dexter. Just done season 7, starting 8 tonight.

I think i have just finished episode 5 of season 7 of Dexter, are you enjoying it?

I am really enjoying it, it's amazing.

Does anyone want to try and do some deals before next weeks tactics start up?

I'm always up for a deal Milky, after a creative midfielder and a backup goalie.

Tranquil Chaos wrote:i am a big fan of blind, but using an article which states hes going to become a top defensive midfielder isnt perhaps the best way to justify him playing at lb, but thanks for pointing it out, gonna try him in that position in the other league

Welshy knows best Tranq lol

Morning all

sup

Morning 

Nick I got U.S Netflix.

Happy New Year kunchers.

Back at work. I've missed walking through torrential rain and being delayed on two seperate trains. All that sleeping in was killing me.

Viva, you got it on your PS4? What DNS setting did you use? Cant you send them me plz

Week 6 Tactics due this week.

Injuries will be up soon, lawyers at 12pm.

Morning. Lets do this.

Can someone draw my injuries plz & say when they are ready as im ready to post

yeah i can do it, how many?

4 injuries plz Fan.

Post in 5 mins?

ok where? just here?

Yeah on my ps4, I'll give you the dns settings it's on my phone somewhere. It's good and has a better choice than UK version.

am ready

Post HERE mate at 10:50

hope you all realis Luca Antei has been one of serie a best Cbs this season before you write him off as a nobnody lol

although wtf is a nobnody i will never know lol

Dont worry Fan. Youth gets much better results in this league.

Fan, want to do my laywers too? Just random pick two players, then use the Euro value on TM & thats it.
Have them ready for 12pm please. Thanks

yeah no worries

Aaron Hughes - £875k
Jefferson Farfan - £13m

there tm value but dont you add a percentage?

probable line up for this week

Fan Gilhaus wrote:Aaron Hughes - £875k
Jefferson Farfan - £13m

there tm value but dont you add a percentage?

Cheers Fan. Ill add them the lawyers page & sort the values out

no worries

109.123.111.24 That's for primary and secondary Dns settings, leave everything else as automatic.

hope Lasogga is rated, will play ahead of Morata for now

VivaPaulScholes wrote:109.123.111.24 That's for primary and secondary Dns settings, leave everything else as automatic.

Cheers Viva. Have you found it have any effect on your online gaming? As it thinks your in america do you find yourself playing more americans online?

Lasogga is a beast Fan. But any striker = goals so dont worry too much about it.

sodhat wrote:Happy New Year kunchers.

Back at work. I've missed walking through torrential rain and being delayed on two seperate trains. All that sleeping in was killing me.

Soddy see the NFL?

Course I did, some real good action there.

Barring the Chargers and Bungles game.

cool, a bit older than Morata and starts so prob an improvement up front for now

Ive joined you in the land of Bundesliga randomers Fan Was considering Lasogga myself but since you pinched him went other direction instead.

they aint randomers lol

All my transfers carefully thought out and all suit my formation/style of play very well  

Anyone know what happened to our last gameweek £1m bonus? We're we allowed to add it?

I only got it on Saturday and haven't played online yet so don't know but it don't matter because I'll just swith back to automatic settings if I'm playing online and use these settings when watching netflix.

sodhat wrote:Course I did, some real good action there.

Barring the Chargers and Bungles game.

I'm pretty happy to be facing Indy in the next round, I like how we matchup with them.

Gotta fancy the 49ers to come out of the NFC for me. Great defence

VivaPaulScholes wrote:I only got it on Saturday and haven't played online yet so don't know but it don't matter because I'll just swith back to automatic settings if I'm playing online and use these settings when watching netflix.

I wouldnt mind it tbf, get to play americans on FIFA & CoD.

Olly wrote:Gotta fancy the 49ers to come out of the NFC for me. Great defence

Near Field Communication??

Looking for a new CB to replace Umtiti, will have £9ish million to spend

Anyone got one going?

If not will be going to TPs... the question is which of the three there would be best!