Ladies and Gentlemen, Suffragette City FC:
Leroy Sane
Kun Aguero
Frenkie De Jong
Eder Militao
Tanguy Ndombele
Bruno Fernandes
Joao Felix
Sergio Ramos
Ricardo Pereira
Ferland Mendy
Rodrygo Goes
Ander Herrera
Pablo Sarabia
Dries Mertens
Jean-Clair Todibo
Pablo Fornals
Alban Lafont
Nelson Semedo
Marcel Halstenberg
Marc Bartra
Joao Pedro
Jasper Cillessen
Formation: I'm actually for the first time going with essentially a 4-2-3-1. With getting a real defensive DM, I thought I'd go with more of a double pivot with two guys who will defend well in De Jong and Ndombele. Herrera also would fit that role really well. This also allows Fernandes (or Felix, Mertens, Sarabia, Fornals) freedom move in support of the attack. Of course I could also go 4-3-3 with ease or even 4-1-4-1 or 4-4-2.
Tactics: I won't go too in depth, but this is a team that could be a counter-attacking possession side that counters quick but can hold on to the ball if need be. I have the midfielders and some of the forwards to press well and the defense is really solid.
Starting Lineup/Squad: Pretty easy to choose the starting eleven, but a guy like Sarabia would likely rotate with Felix. I think I have a really strong bench though too so plenty of players could get good minutes. Joao Pedro is pretty unproven at this stage so he wouldn't see as many minutes initially, but I needed a striker as Aguero and Mertens are getting up there. The nice thing is that this starting lineup and squad overall would definitely not be lacking in goals. I say it every draft, but where are your goals going to come from? I'd say that in a full league season were our teams in a league that the top four players in my formation would add a conservative 60 goals. Plenty more goals on the bench with Mertens, Sarabia and Rodrygo. NOTE, on that second formation that's how I'd use Mertens and Pedro more in terms of the position I'd use them for, not how I'd play them together and the formation would like the first graphic.
Overall: Evaluating my team against the other sides I think I have arguably the strongest side. I'm always realistic about my teams though and it's not perfect. I think it again this year skews a bit on the younger side, but a lot of proven younger players and as I've noted to some of you I think we're in a weird time period where you've got an older generation that is followed by the mid-generation where there isn't the same depth of quality. So then you've got a younger generation with some more exciting players are coming up and many of them are proven and look the real deal. My team is also a team that is a bit lacking in the air.
On the flip side I'd say this team has a good amount of big-match players. I'd say there's also a really good combination of technically gifted players who are also strong from a physical standpoint. Looking ahead I think you'd have a good number of players who at this stage look like they'd be World Class in their respective positions, players like Felix, Rodrygo, De Jong, Ndombele, Militao and Lafont. Again though, those are all players who are delivering right now.
Trades:
Somewhat difficult to evaluate them after the fact, but I think I did well in comparison to the players my trading partners took.
I got: De Jong and Pereira
He got: Skriniar and Goretzka
I got: Ndombele, Fernandes, Fornals, Semedo and Cillessen
He got: Coman, Azpilicueta, Alonso, Casemiro and Guerreiro
I got: Sarabia and Semedo
He got: Kessie and Danilo